Buhari returns, to deal with saboteurs by Vanguard Media Limited

PAGE 2 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

From left: Minister of Communication Technology, Mr Adebayo Shittu; President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engineer Lanre Ajayi; Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya and Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria, Ms. Amina Oyagbola, during a reception for the Minister in Lagos.

Child-rapists should have their genitals cut off — Ita-Giwa By Prisca Sam-Duru

ENATOR Florence ItaGiwa, yesterday, said the best way to end rape and sexual assault in the country is by ensuring convicted rapists get capital punishment which does not entail killing them but cutting off their genitals. Ita-Giwa, who represented Cross River in the Senate and later served as Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke as a special guest at ‘Magnenta and Black Art & Fashion for Charity’, a fund raising exhibition for Mirabel Centre, held at the British Council, Lagos by a group under the aegis of Friends of Mirabel. She maintained that throwing child- rapists into prison is not enough justice but cutting off their genitals will ensure they do not use them on other children. Making reference to accounts of rape by two survivors at the event, the senator said: “The lady said she was happy that she got justice for her four-year-old daughter who was raped by two men but, in my mind, if I were a judge and a man is brought to court for raping a child, he will receive capital punishment. But I will say, `don’t kill him, rather let him live his life in pain, let his organ be cut off’. He should not be allowed the pleasure of using that organ anymore. If the organ is not cut off, at the end of his term in prison, he will use it on other children. Fortunately for them, I’m no longer in the Senate but I will find a way to get it into the chamber. This is the proper way to end the evil of rape in the society”. While commending Mirabel Centre for its commitment towards rehabilitating survivors of sexual assault and rape, she pledged support to the Centre and called on all to join in the fight against rape and sexual assault. Also speaking, the Managing Partner at Partnership for Justice and Founder

Mirabel Centre, Mrs Itoro Eze-Anaba, said that the situation had reached a stage that girls are no longer safe in their homes since fathers and uncles rape them. “Rape is not a girls’ or women’s issue, it is a community issue because boys are also being raped daily. The implication is that if we

do not end it, the abused may end up as an abuser and a time will come when the society will be filled with abusers,” Eze-Anaba said. She called on public spirited individuals and organizations to support Mirabel Centre to continue with the good work of protecting children.

‘BIM/MASSOB to welcome more pro-Biafra agitators’ By Nwabueze Okonkwo

EADER of the Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, and Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has said that his organization, being in the mainstream of the struggle for the emancipation of Ndigbo, is ready to welcome other pro-Biafra groups, provided such groups are ready to adopt non-violence posture in their agitation. He said that if it is possible for 20 more pro-Biafra groups to emerge and join in the campaign for the actualization of Biafra, then the agitation would go into a wider horizon, since, according to him, the more the merrier. In a press statement, yesterday, through the Biafra Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, Uwazuruike reminded splinter groups that, from the beginning, God never intended that everybody must come together as one entity, stressing that BIM had never opposed factionalism in the current struggle for Biafra’s independence. “Infact, I am calling for the emergence of more 20 pro-Biafra groups to join in the campaign but I must caution that all the different groups campaigning for a separate existence for

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State at a Shoprite till point during the opening of Shoprite Onitsha

Ndigbo, in the name of Biafra, should always stay on their own and manage themselves very well”, Uwazuruike said. He recalled that, all over the world, including South Africa where similar separatist struggles existed, there was always a dominant group, like MASSOB/ BIM, using the principle of non-violence, adding,. “This our own group has never been threatened by factionalization, rather, while we are the originators, others are imitators”. Meanwhile, Uwazuruike commiserated with the Ihebom family over the death of Thomas Ihebom, the BIM/MASSOB Regional Administrator for Owerri North Region, who was killed in a generator fire.

Dr Rahmon Adedoyin,Pro Chancellor and President of Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu (middle); the President of the Nigerian So ciety of International Affairs (NSIA),Professor Jide Owoeye; Orangun of Oke-Ila,Oba Bolarin Oyedokun; a former Nigerian Ambassador to Germany,Professor Emeritus Akintunde Osuntogun, and other dignitaries, during the 24th annual conference of NSIA, held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, last week.

IPOB’S ALLEGED KILLING OF FULANI

CD gives FG 14 days to sack Daura, DSS boss ing been investigated by By Nwabueze Okonkwo

HE Campaign for De mocracy, CD, has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to remove the DirectorGeneral of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Musa Daura, for accusing the Indigenous

People of Biafra, IPOB, and Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, of being responsible for the killing of five Fulani herdsmen and two other Igbos in Abia State. In a statement in Onitsha, Anambra State, the National Publicity Secretary of CD, Dede Uzor.A. Uzor, described Daura’s allegation as false, hav-

Olanipekun joins Ondo guber race By Boluwaji Obahopo

former Commission er for Sports and Youth Development in Ondo State, Yekini Olanipekun, has joined the governorship race in the state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Olanipekun, who made his intention to contest the governorship election known in his hometown, Arigidi-Akoko, Akoko Northwest local government area of the state, said

the delivery of good governance was the major drive for his ambition. Olanipekun, also a former member of the state House of Assembly, noted that with his experience in public offices, he would deliver good governance to the people. He added that having headed the ministry that handled the affairs of the youth, which constitutes a major part of the society, he is better placed to formulate and implement policies and programmes that would be beneficial to

them. “We will ensure that ministries function very well and there will be a special consideration for people with special needs like the less privileged, orphans, the unemployed among others”, he stated. Speaking on the zoning of governorship ticket of the PDP in the state, he said it would be in the interest of justice, fairness and equity to allow the northern senatorial district to present the party’s candidate.

Governors Rochas Okorocha and Okezie Ikpeazu of Imo and Abia states after which it was discovered that the herdsmen were actually killed by some kidnappers who were on the rampage in some parts of Abia and not IPOB or MASSOB members, as alleged by Daura. Uzor contended that the 14-day ultimatum given to Daura was imperative because his allegation was inciting and volatile and capable of leading to ethnic upheaval between Hausa and Igbo. “As a security expert, Daura should have known that such an unguarded allegation was capable of causing more problems between the two. To us, Daura is not a respecter of the law since he had continuously disobeyed court orders with respect to the detained leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, and former Chief Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Sambo Dasuki”, the statement said.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 3

From left: Mr John Danilovich, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce; Mrs Olubunmi Osuntuyi, Secretary General, ICC Nigeria; and Mr Chris Southworth, Director, ICC UK, at the Banking Commission meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.

From left: Director, Trade Policy, Arla Foods,Mr. Kasper Thormod Nielson; Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, Arla International, Mr. Steen Hadsberg; Senior Technical Assistant to the Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Andrew Kwasari; and Technical Assistant to the Minister, Quality Control and Standadization, Mrs. Heather Akanni, during a visit of the Federal Government delegation to Arla Foods' Slagelse Dairy farm in Denmark...

Britain to FG: It is up to you to rescue Chibok girls *Promises to provide assistance By Soni Daniel, Abuja WO years after more than 200 schoolgirls were T seized from their dormitory in

Chibok, Borno State, the British government has said that it will not take the lead in rescuing the children but will assist Nigeria in its effort to do so. The British Minister for International Development, Mark Hurd, made the position of the administration known in an interview with Sunday Vanguard in Abuja. Hurd stated that, since the Chibok adductions was a Nigerian security challenge, Nigeria must take the lead in rescuing the girls. The Minister said that Britain would continue to stand with Nigeria in its effort to tackle the Boko Haram insurgents and find the missing Chibok girls but that such initiative must be led by Nigeria. “ We are determined to help Nigeria, our old friend and partner. However, British commitment to the fight, will be led by what Nigeria needs and initiates. At the moment, our commitment to the fight centres on military training and capacity building of the Nigerian military, which is what Nigeria requests of us. Our relationship is very strong and we are pleased with the successes the military has made against Boko Haram, the Minister said. “As far as the Chibok girls are concerned, Britain is fully committed to bringing them home but this initiative has to be led by Nigeria. It is not the duty of Britain to dictate to Nigeria on what to do to rescue the Chibok girls. We need to support the Nigerian solution to finding the Chibok girls.” Meanwhile, the British government has dismissed as untrue the claim by one of its leading newspapers, Telegraph, that huge sums of money it donated to aid Nigeria’s fight against insurgency had been diverted by the Buhari administration to persecute political

opponents, thereby weakening the war and strengthening the insurgents. Hurd explained that the report in the Telegraph was not only born out ignorance but was also untrue in every material aspect. The Minister, who met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and top business leaders during his visit to Nigeria, explained that none of its donations to Nigeria passes through the Nigerian system, indicating that such funds are managed directly by its agencies. He said, “The simple truth is that none of the development support that Great Britain gives Nigeria goes through government system. No money from Britain in passed through the Federal Government’s treasury to be used by Nigerians. “All that Britain has been doing is to support Nigeria’s fight against graft and none of such funds flows through the Nigerian Government system. So the report in the UK Telegraph that Buhari misused our donation to fight his opponents is completely untrue.” According to him, rather being against Buhari, the British government was very satisfied with the Nigerian leader’s disposition to tackle graft so as to save money for development and bring about prosperity for Nigerians. He made it clear that although Britain would not dictate to Buhari on how to run Nigeria’s economy, his country was ready to give support to strengthen the economy and create wealth for the citizens. He said, “We are very supportive of the Buhari’s effort to fight corruption and we will continue to do so because Britain considers the war against corruption as very fundamental to transforming the future of Nigeria. “Britain will not dabble into the management of the Nigerian economy and we believe that the president has

done very well. We are not in a position to tell the President of Nigeria what to do about the economy or to give him any economic instruction on what to do. But we are passionate about wanting to support efforts that will lead to the development of Nigeria and to accelerate the path to not just peace and security but also for increased prosperity for Nigerians. “ We think that the President has done well so far and that Buhari has set the right priorities and we are impressed by much of what he has done since he assumed office because Britain recognises that the process of change is a very difficult one and that it is not going to just happen overnight”. Con Coughlin, the Telegraph’s Defence Editor, had,

on Tuesday, written that “hundreds of millions of pounds of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists is instead being used by the Buhari administration to fund a witchhunt against opposition politicians”. Among those listed by the paper as being persecuted is Olisa Metuh, the PDP spokesman, who claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan gave him and his company, Destra, N400 million to launder his image. Metuh has however not denied receiving the huge sum of money from the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, who is also facing trial for multiple criminal offences relating to abuse of public funds and trust.

‘Igbo not factored into Buhari’s devt. agenda’ By Akoma Chinweoke

EADER of the Nigerian Igbo Community in Europe, NICE, Chief Chris Ebede, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari administration to strive harder to provide good governance for Nigerians in line with his campaign promises. Reacting to the controversy trailing the non-inclusion of the N60 billion Lagos-Calabar coastal rail project in the 2016 Budget, he lamented that the Igbo were still under siege by the authorities in Nigeria, which, he said, had culminated in the abandonment of the South-East in key infrastructural and developmental facets in order to keep the zone in perpetual under-development and political slavery.

According to him, the region is yet to be factored into the development agenda of the current administration even when the ingenuity of the Igbo is never in doubt. “The roads there are impassable, the dredging of the River Niger and construction of a second Niger bridge have become political tools to be used at every election period to deceive the people . The region has the largest concentration of those engaged in trading and by extension importers of goods. The roads in the South-East are one of the worst maintained all over the federation. The state governments, especially Anambra and Enugu have done commendable jobs in rehabilitating state roads. But this is not complemented by the Federal Government”, Ebede stated.

Panama Papers: Ambode, Akiolu, Faleke task media on investigative journalism change by the virtue of your •As Osoba, NUJ President urge FG to reduce import duties on newsprint By Olasunkanmi Akoni And Monsur Olowoopejo

OLLOWING the claim that some Nigerians who allegedly kept funds offshore to evade tax, in a saga otherwise know as Panama Papers, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Oba of Lagos, Riliwanu Akiolu, and a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. James Faleke, have tasked journalists to intensify investigative journalism. Meantime, a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and the National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Waheed Odusile, have urged the Federal Government to reduce the import duties on newsprint, saying “this will help improve the media industry.” They spoke, yesterday, at the First Quarter of the National

Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the NUJ in Lagos which also had in attendance the Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, among others. Ambode, represented by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said: “The ripples

from the ‘Wiki-Leaks’ scandal were yet to abate than we were faced with the turbulence of the Panama Papers. These are attributable to investigative journalism which unmasked the veil behind actions that are considered to run against social justice, rule of law and good governance. “Journalists are agents of

profession and relevance to the society. The influence of information managers affects the way we live and do business, more importantly in the global community,”the governor said. “It is in this light that I charge you to support the efforts of this administration by appropriately deploying your skills in helping to find solutions to some of the national challenges”.

Benue farmers get N300million to boost rice, cassava production linking farmers to markets By Peter Duru, Makurdi

HE International Fund for Agricultural T Production,IFAD,is to invest

over N300million to boost rice and cassava production in Benue State. Benue State IFAD Project Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Igbaukum, who made this known, yesterday, at a two-day Partnership/Alliance and Business Transac-

tion Meeting between farmers and investors in the agricultural sector, said the fund was intended for small scale farmers. He noted that the IFAD, in collaboration with the Federal Government, would invest the amount through its Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, to enable more than 3,500 profiled farmers access the fund. Igbaukum said, “This meeting is therefore an innovation geared towards

and is also intended to ensure that all key stakeholders come to a round table to discuss their constraints and at the end of the day come out with a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU.” Speaking, also at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Judith Hinyam, said the administration has approved over N166million as its counterpart fund to the VCDP.

PAGE 4—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

•Rt. Hon. Friday Ossai Osanebi, Delta State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, congratulating Kingsley Otuaro, Deputy Governor of the state, on the occasion of his 48th birthday, yesterday.

•Illuminated Local Airport Road, Ikeja with Street Lights courtesy of the Light Up Lagos Project, an initiative of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s Administration.

‘Troops free 455 Boko Haram hostages’ By Kingsley Omonobi, Abuja

S troops push inside Sambisa Forest to clear the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, the military has repelled a reprisal attack and killed over 50 terrorists in several attacks. And in an operation, 455 captives, including women, girls and children, abducted by the terrorists group for months, were rescued. “In the early hours of Friday, some elements of Boko Haram terrorists in 5 gun trucks, motorcycles and 2 Golf cars laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from Sambisa forest axis attempted an attack on 121 Task Force Battalion at Pulka”, a statement by Acting Director, Ar my Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said, yesterday. “The ever alert and vigilant troops rose to the occasion and successfully repelled the attack and killed 7 Boko Haram terrorists, wounded several others and recovered 4 AK-47 rifles, 3 AK-47 rifle magazine and 92 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) belt

ammunition. We wish to state that our troops are hale and hearty. “In a related development, troops of 3 Battalion caught a suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ spy near the Battalion Headquarters at Gamboru Ngala. “On interrogation, he confessed that he was sent to spy on the troops from Wulge. Consequent upon this the troops organized a fighting patrol comprising elements of Army Headquarters

Strike Group and Civilian JTF to Wulge and Walamari. “The troops had encounter with Boko Haram terrorists in which they killed 27 of them, recovered 5 motorcycles and 8 bicycles. They also cleared 12 terrorists’ camps and recovered 1 AK-47 rifles as well as 1 Dane gun. “The troops also rescued 455 persons and escorted them to Gamboru Internally Displaced Persons’

Abductors kill corps member after collecting N1.5m ransom

•DSS arrests five suspects By Jimitota Onoyume, Port Harcourt

HE Department of State Security, DSS, in Rivers State has arrested five suspects allegedly behind the abduction and murder of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Mr Sampson Worlu. The suspects, who allegedly murdered the hostage after being paid a ransom of N1.5 million

for his release, are already facing charges at a magistrate court in Port Harcourt. They reportedly disappeared after the abduction and collection of ransom until they were tracked by men of the DSS. Charles Worlu, a brother of the deceased hostage, said all the family wanted was justice. He said the kidnappers made the family pay them ransom

IGP commissions air-conditioned police Oshiomhole’s barrack in Edo •Hails commitment to nation-building By Simon Ebegbulem

HE Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has commissioned a police barrack equipped with air conditioners and other modern facilities constructed by the Edo State government at Iyoha, in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. The IGP, who described the building a state-of-the-art barrack, expressed his gratitude to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, just as he appealed to well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organizations to take a cue from the Edo State government, saying that the business of securing the country is the responsibility of all. “What Edo State government has given us is

(IDPs) camp. Unfortunately, we lost one of the Civilian JTF. Nevertheless, the troops’ morale remains very high. “Similarly, troops of 103 Battalion this evening ambushed Boko Haram terrorists at Mairimri village crossing point in which they killed quite a number of terrorists, recovered 15 bicycles and foodstuffs. “Further confirmatory reconnaissance would be conducted to further exploit the situation.”

not just as barrack but a functional barrack. That is the human aspect of it. Secondly, we will now be able to use the men that are posted in this barrack to lock down the high way between here and Lokoja which has become very serious security threat to the nation,”Arase stated. “So we are using both the comfort of our officers and also the security imperative of the nation putting both of them together. I am very excited, I am grateful to the Comrade Governor for having the interest of the Nigerian government and the police at heart. “We are also appealing to corporate organizations, public spirited Nigerians to be able to reach out to us the way the Comrade Governor

has reached out to us today. They say to whom much is given, much is expected. The Comrade Governor has done much for us. I am sure officers that will come and stay in this conducive home will have no choice than to give their best to Nigerians that have done so much for them. It is a state-of- the-art facility”. Speaking earlier, Oshiomhole explained that “what we have here one side of the block was intended for the rank and file, then for the officers we have two two bed room flats”. The governor added: “We have twobedroom unit in each block and then we have a four-bed room unit for the commander. My intention like I told the contractor was to do something very good”.

twice, the first being one million naira and the second time, five hundred thousand naira and still murdered the hostage. The corps member was serving in Imo State before his abduction at Rumuokoro roundabout in Obio Akpor local government area of Rivers State. A lawyer, he was called to the Bar on October 2015.

BATTLE FOR ABIA NORTH Tribunal bailiff faces perjury charge By Abiodun Alade

R Okon Kalu, one of the lawyers to the senator representing Abia North in the Senate, Mao Ohuabunwa, has stated that the bailiff of rerun petition tribunal did not serve his client tribunal papers. Okon was reacting to a report alleging that a bailiff who claimed to have served Ohuabunwa at Arochukwu was attacked. The lawyer said the bailiff was facing criminal charges for alleged perjury before the tribunal. He went further to state that the affidavit deposed to by the bailiff contained a lot of inconsistent statements. Okon said: “For instance, she (the bailiff) stated that she did not know who Senator Mao Ohuabunwa is and had

to get someone (of an undisclosed identity) to point him to her” and yet in a further affidavit averred that “she knows Senator Ohuabunwa very well having acted as an interpreter in the previous election petition tribunal of 2015 in which Senator Mao Ohuabunwa was a similar respondent”. The two assertions are in diametrical contradiction, according to the lawyer. “The bailiff neither saw Senator Mao Ohuabunwa nor made the purported service on him as claimed; Arochukwu town has no stadium,” he noted. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the senator and his guests were in the church on Easter Monday morning for his thanksgiving service at the time of the purported service on him in a stadium.

Amosun attracts $1.2bn Chinese investments to Ogun

O V E R N O R Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State took part in a working visit to China alongside President Muhammadu Buhari in the course of which investments worth over $1.2bn was attracted to the state. During the visit, the governor participated in the Nigeria-China

Business Forum, which drew attendance from about 100 Nigerian businesses and 300 Chinese firms. Apart from the forum, Amosun was also part of many business meetings and concluded a number of agreements with the Chinese. The agreements, which hold huge prospects of

further enhancing the economic fortune of Ogun, are in line with the administration’s mission to rebuild the state. The agreements sealed during the visit include a $1 billion deal for the establishment of a hi-tech industrial park in OgunGuangdong Free Trade Zone located at Igbesa.

... Lauds lawmaker over empowerment By Daud Olatunji, Abeokuta

O V E R N O R Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has lauded the lawmaker representing Odogbolu, Ijebu -Ode and Ijebu - North East Federal Constituency, Kehinde Odeneye for empowering his people. Amosun, represented by his deputy, Yetunde Onanuga, said Odeneye’s performance would make the All Progressives Congress in the state to

remain in power beyond 2019. While addressing the beneficiaries, Odeneye said he had empowered 840 persons comprising youths and artisans. He said the gesture was to reduce poverty and unemployment amongst youths. The lawmaker gave e m p o w e r m e n t equipments comprising 107 motorcycles, 21 tricycles, 120 hair dryers, generators, barbing kits,

cooking stoves, grinding and tailoring machines worth over N100 million to 502 youths from across the constituency. 338 artisans drawn from 21 groups were also empowered with tools under the Skills Acquisition Programme. The artisans that benefited from the empowerment included vulcanizer, shoemakers, motor mechanics, hairdressers, grinders, caterers, barbers and tailors.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016 — PAGE 5

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, in a handshake with Mr. Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, during a visit to China, last week.

BUDGET IMPASSE: Buhari returns from China, to deal with saboteurs

•Review looms as Presidency compiles areas of distortion By Soni Daniel, Abuja

FTER spending a week in China to seal economic deals that could see Nigeria draw down $6 billion investments, President Muhammahadu Buhari returned to Abuja yesterday to finish work on this year’s budget, which has been dogged by controversy. But there was apprehension, last night, that Buhari, who feels highly embarrassed by the alleged distortion of the budget by some members of the National Assembly, might press for sanctions against those found culpable. However, a source close to the Presidency said nobody could read the mind of the President on what he intended to do in relation to the crisis associated with the fiscal document. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the apprehension of some powerful federal lawmakers, who allegedly sabotaged the budget for pecuniary reasons, had been identified in both chambers of the National Assembly. The identification of the

roles played by each of the lawmakers, according to competent sources, followed the week-long scrutiny of the document transmitted to the Presidency by the NASS. Presidency sources confirmed to Sunday Vanguard that the major areas of distortion carried out by the NASS had been compiled, saying Buhari would likely address Nigerians on the matter. It was also learnt that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who held a closed-door meeting with members on the budget, got to know how bad the budget had been ‘treated’ and offered to undertake a review to avoid further altercation with the Presidency on the matter. Dogara’s disposition, it was learnt, followed a meeting he had with a Minister who gave him a breakdown of the distortion done to the budget by members of the A p p r o p r i a t i o n Committees of the NASS. It was gathered that the Speaker had undertaken to do whatever was needed to ensure the review of the budget to ensure its success when

assented to by Buhari and give succor to Nigerians. It was also learnt that, despite the tough stance of the Senate on the budget impasse, some leading members who had been briefed on how far the budget was “padded”, had opted to soften their stance and review the document in the national interest. “All that the President wants is to give Nigerians a budget that will reflate the economy and something to cheer about,” a Minister told Sunday Vanguard.

*From left: A former governor of Ogun State/ Chairman of the Occasion, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; representative of Lagos State Governor/ Commissioner for Infor mation and Strategy, Lagos State, Mr. Steve Ayorinde;National President, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Waheed Odusile,and Oba of Lagos/ Royal Father of the Day, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Akiolu 1,during the 1st quarterly National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NUJ in 2016, held in Lagos, yesterday. Photo by Diran Oshe.

Nigeria’s Economic Challenges are Surmountable — Adeosun, Finance Minister By Omoh Gabriel

I N A N C E Minister, Kemi Adeosun, at the ongoing Spring Meetings of the IMF/World Bank, on Friday, explained why the Federal Government is not excited about calls to apply for loan facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to tackle the economic challenges Nigeria is facing due to the slump in global oil prices Other speakers at the event included IMF Deputy Managing Director Mitsuhiro Furusawa and Rwanda Finance Minister Claver Gatete. The Minister, who was a speaker at a panel discussion on Africa titled:

•Resists calls for IMF solution

“Sub-Saharan Africa: Just a Rough Patch,” said Nigeria is adapting to its new realities and it is implementing fiscal policies to steer the country back on track for stable growth with a diversified economy. The policies and investment, according to her, should enable Nigeria to show positive growth in 2017. Adeosun emphasised that what the country is passing through is surmountable , adding that government is already applying a cocktail of measures to address the problem. “Nigeria is not sick and even if we are, we have our own local remedy,” the Minister said, in an

apparent response to a question on why the government has refused to apply for IMF loans. Noting that the real vulnerability in the Nigerian economy is overdependence on a single source of revenue, oil, she said, “We have resolved to build resilience into the country’s economy to hedge against future oil shocks. This is because dependence on oil brings about vulnerability and laziness. So we are doing a combination of things to diversify our economy, with revenue mobilisation to enable sufficient investment in developing the non-oil sectors.”

Why we inserted constituency projects in 2016 Appropriation Bill – Reps By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru

S controversy continues to trail the alleged removal of some key projects, including the Lagos-Calabar rail project, and the inclusion of constituency projects in the 2016 Appropriation Bill, as passed by the National Assembly, some members of the House of Representatives have said that the power of appropriation is vested in the legislature. The lawmakers said there was nothing wrong with the inclusion of constituency projects in the budget. They wondered why constituency projects should become an issue when they were executed by the Executive arm of government without allocations going directly to lawmakers. Speaking to Sunday Vanguard on the matter, Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Rep Chike Okafor, said the power for appropriation is vested in the legislature. Okafor, who represents Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/ Obowo Federal Constituency of Imo State on the platform of the All Progressives Con-

gress, APC, said, “As a matter of fact, the power of appropriation lies with us (the legislators), the implementation is with them (the executive). “This National Assembly or House of Representatives is not a rubber stamp, so if you think or any agency or ministry thinks that the budget the way you brought it will be the way it will be returned it to you, then why not knock it off and sign it and start to implement it, where then lies the position and power of the legislature. “So if the issue here is that we are having some changes here and there, we are the people’s representatives.” He further said, “If I look at that budget as it was presented and I didn’t see anything that will benefit my constituency by way of health facility provision and I have the power of appropriation and I look through the figures and I make provision to provide health facility in my constituency which was not ordinarily provided for in the submission that was made and which is also needed in my community, have I committed any crime? “I am from South East, Imo State and I am repre-

senting a constituency and they will hold me responsible and accountable, they will not hold the minister of health or the presidency accountable or responsible. “If health centres have been provided here and there and there is non and in my constituency which they need and I sit hear and claim I represent the people and Chairman of House Committee on Health and Services, so there has not been any changes. “It will be in that area for us to look for how to make provisions for me to be able to ask the ministry of health to help me, the power of implementation lies with them.” Also supporting the inclusion of constituency projects in the budget, a member of the Appropriation Committee, representing Esan Centra/Esan West/ Igueben Federal Constituency of Edo State, Rep Joseph Edionwele, said the projects belong to the people and not individual lawmakers. Edionwele said, “Like I said before, they tend to look at government from this is the executive, this is the legislature, it is not correct, we are inclusive, so whatever that is good will

affect all of us. “So, when you talk of constituency projects, is it that the constituency project is my own project, no? But that I am representing a place if I say give them a health centre, is that too much, give them a classroom, a borehole, is that too much. “Like some communities in my constituency that don’t have basic things like water, health centre etc, if we say give them rural electrification, rural roads, what are we talking about, we are talking about development and somebody else is somewhere complaining about constituency project. “I think they should stop politics and govern and we should all come together to see that the Nigeria nation is more important.” For Rep Uzoma NkemAbonta, representing Ukwa Federal Constituency of Abia State, “We are a budget writing legislature, the moment you submit or lay the budget before the National Assembly, it becomes the document of the National Assembly, and they have the right to rewrite, remove, adjust or add to the document according to the wishes and aspirations of the people.”

PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

By Bashir Adefaka

rimate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, Spiritual Leader of INRI Spiritual and Evangelical Church, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos, has been out of circulation for some time. He said it was because he has been busy putting together, Warnings to the Nations 2015/2016, and praying for Nigeria. Recall, recently, that he warned that President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, must not fight so that it would not affect the ruling party’s performance. He predicted the Sunday Oliseh’s ousting from the NFF. He foresaw that Buhari’s government would face challenges in its anti-corruption fight and that some states would collapse economically. In this interview, he speaks on the Kaduna State preaching bill among other issues. You made some prophecies that came to pass, and they are the negative ones. What is the solution? There are solutions. Like I said before, Buhari will face challenges in what he is doing. I said it before, he is facing it and I still say it now. After the challenges, is there not going to be light at the end of the tunnel? What Buhari has come to do is not to take Nigeria to the Promised Land but to pave the way for it to happen. He will lay the foundation for a new Nigeria. Foundation for a new Nigeria? Yes. A new Nigeria is coming. The area I am skeptical about is that if the law is not well planned, Nigeria may not be one again and we will then have a regional system of government whereby each region will operate on its own and I see a situation where different republics come out of Nigeria because we failed to find drastic solutions to our problems. May be there is security report to that effect or not, I don’t know. You remember I said in one of my interviews in the past that Nigerians would buy fuel for N200, N250. Has it not come to pass now? It is the same thing I am saying now, many people may not believe. I said that some states would collapse economically and that Buhari would become President but that his government would be fluctuating. Now, the solution is this, the prophets have to come together. There are differences between prophets and pastors. I have been taking steps for prophets to come together and pray for this nation through their anointing. The country needs prayers. What is happening now to the nation is more than the government can do alone. Meanwhile, we have people who will criticize every good move. I have visited Primate Olabayo. Some people will say Primate Olabayo is not a prophet, but I say it to you that Primate Olabayo is a genuine prophet of God. He is a prophet and people have benefited from his prophetic endowment. I visited him on the 10th of April 2016 to tell him the way forward for Nigeria. We spoke at length on how to organize prayers for Nigeria because Buhari cannot do it alone. We need to move this country forward and we need

I am mobilising 30,000 prophets to pray for Nigeria —Primate Ayodele •Challenges Kumuyi, Olukoya on white garment churches people who can do it. Buhari can move Nigeria forward, he has the intention and mission, but he is surrounded by people who are not with him in his mission and he does not see it. We are going to do the prayers for Nigeria. Anybody who wants to participate can come in. By the time you get my church and other prophets I want to invite, we will have nothing less than 30,000 that will register for the prayer. That is one of the ways forward that God said I should take and I have taken that step. I will move to the South South to bring together the prophets there for this same mission. You know that I don’t belong to CAN, Christian Association of Nigeria, PFN, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, or whatever because I don’t believe in their leadership. I don’t believe in what they stand for. This forum is not to form any association. So, this one I am going to do on my own, I am only taking steps as God directs me. President Buhari needs prayers. APC needs prayers because a lot is going to happen in that party that they will now see that they have some wrong people with them. They have too many wrong people there and 2019 is not going to be as easy as we talk about it. Not that there will be no elections but there will be changes in the elections that will distinguish them from those of the past. Before the election in Benin Republic, I told the President of that country that the Egun people

Prophets don’t behave the way pastors are behaving because these are career pastors, they are not prophets

would not take it easy with him. He lost the election. So, now, as a prophet, God can send you to anywhere in the world and that was why the Ghanaian President must strive hard to win second term. I told Bukola Saraki that he should not take this CCT trial as a joke. I told him, in my interview with you, that he could go to Appeal Court and from there to Supreme Court and that any court he went to would not stop it. And if you remove Saraki and APC does not put its house together properly, PDP will still become the Senate President and that will cause a lot of problems in the Senate. Buhari will succeed in his anticorruption fight but, at the end of the day, corruption will still hit his government because people who are corrupt and who are around him will be exposed. You said that before but it has not happened. Is it still going to happen? I said it and you will see it. Buhari has a good mind to rule this country. It is just like Jonathan had a good mind to rule this country but the people around him ruined his government. So, President Buhari is good but people around him will teach him lesson. For him to now know how to act? It is not that he doesn’t know how to act. There are things that will happen. You will see the scripts as they unfold. And Obasanjo and Buhari will fight. Buhari and Tinubu will fight. Will the fights affect the progress of Nigeria? We have a party coming up. Tinubu is a factor. He doesn’t need to fight with the President or any APC leader. Tinubu is a chosen one. And when Buhari fights him, fights Obasanjo and the Vice President, if care is not taken, another party will come out from the APC and the PDP.

But will Nigeria be better at the end of it all? You have been asking this question and I have told you, for example, some ministers will be dropped and APC has to put its house together to avert problems because I see problems coming for the party. And the PDP should return to the founding fathers; the moment they cannot do that, there is no way forward. That is to tell you that PDP has been dislodged spiritually. You know the APC broom is spiritual. So, PDP needs to seek divine intervention before they can come up. Although PDP will not take it easy in Edo, at the end of it all, they need to seek the face of the Lord. The few elections that have been held, it was for the PDP to test the ground. And some PDP governors will decamp to APC and what they are going to APC for is to cause problem for them. It is a warning to the APC. I have said a lot. Kwara State governor has been accused of some wrong doing and some other governors will be equally accused. Remember I told you •Primate Elijah that former Chief of Babatunde Ayodele Defence Staff (Alex Badeh) would be in

trouble. In the some vein, some governors are going to be in trouble and they will be of APC. We will see a new Nigeria but Buhari will only take us close to it. There is nothing much that can be done but he will create the enabling environment for the emergence of a new Nigeria. On Edo State in particular, you spoke about a politician who must not be supported by Governor Adams Oshiomhole and that person has replied indirectly saying winning election is not by the oracle or fake pastors. What is your response to that? I am not going to respond to any politician’s tantrum. You said he would give Oshiomhole and APC problems after election and something of such appears to have happened as he boasted that he is more popular than the governor and that he would need not his support to win an election… These are political statements. I am not saying that he will not win but let’s wait and see. Anybody when attacking God by ridiculing His prophets, I have no reason to respond to him. I am above that. Whoever that person is, I am not interested. It is even a waste of time to respond to such politician because doing so would mean you to have month diarrhea. Since the issue of preaching bill by Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai started, you have not spoken, especially at a point Reverend Johnson asked him to stop the law or die and he replied that he should tell the exact day he would die. What is your reaction to that? I don’t need to make any issue in what a man of God has said. My own is, let’s leave religion alone and see how to make peace. You don’t need to put in the paper that one should tell you when you will die. A prophet does not need to respond to any politician because our politicians have mouth diarrhea. If you are responding to them, it means you don’t know what you are doing. But as a major factor in the Lord’s vineyard, do you agree that no man of God should preach against some churches? No man of God should preach against some churches. It happens in many of those “Amen” churches; these new generation churches. They are the ones preaching against fellow churches. Imagine Olukoya, Kumuyi preaching against white garment churches. Are they the ones to judge? Do you have any heaven separately made for MFM or Deeper Life? That is where pastors are different from prophets. Prophets don’t behave the way pastors are behaving because these are career pastors, they are not prophets. So, why must they be preaching against white garment churches? And these are the people who are closer to government. To the best of my knowledge, I have not seen or heard Papa Adeboye doing that. But those that I have heard on tape saying it, I am responding to them now. If El-Rufai is doing anything on hate preaching, those who engage in that must be the first to be shown the red card! They represent their churches, they don’t represent God. They talk about their churches but not about God.

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 7

By Gabriel Enogholase, Benin-City

do State governorship election has been scheduled to take place on September 10. The process to nominate the flag bearer of the former ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now the opposition, has reached feverish pitch. The four aspirants, itching to become the candidate of the party in the election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Chief Solomon Edebiri, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekwmwen and Earl Osaro Onaiwu, are eminently qualified to represent the PDP and govern the state, but only one of them will get the nod at the end of the day. Against this backdrop, the aspirants, during a sensitization tour of the party across the state, earlier in the year, agreed to drop their personal ambition for the PDP’s interest. They agreed that any of them that gets the ticket will have the support of the remaining three. They, like other PDP faithful in the state, agreed that the party must work to regain the governorship seat which it lost to Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of the APC through the judicial process which annulled the election of Prof. Oserhieme Osunbor, then of the PDP. As the countdown to the PDP governorship primary which is expected to be held in May or early June, can the four aspirants hold on to their promise not to jettison the party’s interest and support the flag bearer if they lose the ticket? This is the question agitating the minds of the party faithful in the state as they pray that events of the past which worked against the party must be guarded against. IZE-IYAMU After Oshiomhole, he is about the most popular politician in Edo State today. He has a very rich political resume. A Benin politician of Orhionmwon Local Government Area extraction, he was both a former Chief of Staff and Secretary to Edo State government during the Lucky Igbinedion administration (1999-2007). After falling out with the then PDP leadership over the deregistration of some members of the party, he joined forces with others to form the Grace Group, a pressure group within the PDP which left the party to form the AD and the Action Congress in Edo State. He was Vice Chairman, South- South of the defunct ACN. He, however, returned to the PDP, last year, after falling out with Oshiomhole. His defection to the PDP was followed by the defection of some APC lawmakers in the Edo State House of Assembly and leadership crisis in the assembly. He was the Edo State Coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organization for the 2015 presidential election. Though the Redeemed Church pastor is still an aspirant, many people already see him as the PDP governorship candidate. He has political structures within and outside of the PDP across the 18 local government areas of Edo State. He is forceful and understands the politics of the state very well, and he has been reaching out to different groups, galvanizing support for his ambition. It seems politicians in the ruling APC see him as the likely PDP governorship candidate and are already focusing on him and planning how they will curtail him. What the ruling APC had against him, which they can use to campaign against him if he picks the ticket of the PDP, is his closeness to former Governor Lucky Igbinedion when he was his Secretary to Government. But PDP faithful from his camp have countered this, saying that most of the hench men in the APC such as the state party Chairman, Mr. Anslem Ojezua, Commissioner for Works, Mr. C M Y K

•Ize-Iyamu

•Solomon Edebiri

•Mathew Iduriyekemwen

EDO 2016:

The four-horserace for the PDP ticket Osarodion Ogie, and many others also served in the Igbinedion administration. “As Chief of Staff and later Secretary to the Government, I never awarded or executed any contract. I only followed the directive of the state governor in executing government policies”, Ize-Iyamu once said. On why he is in the race, he said, “Sometimes people tend to give the impression that it is a crime to have an ambition and prepare for an office. I think it is desirable that those, who aspire for an office, should not be those who were drafted in, had no plan and were not prepared for the office. It should not be a situation, whereby someone felt he could use them and conscript them into the race”. EDEBIRI He was the revelation during the 2012 governorship election debate organized for candidates. His policy plans and what he would do to bring the state out of the woods when elected then endeared him to the people of the state. But then, he had contested the election under the platform of the now defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), a party that was not so popular in Edo State. He however came third in the governorship election that was held that year on April 22. He led the Edo ANPP group into the merger with the ACN and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to form the APC. He joined the PDP in 2014 after complaining that only the ACN group was running the show in the new APC. Edebiri has never occupied political office before; hence, he is seen

as a “decent” politician. Buoyed by the outcome of that election, Edebiri has once again thrown his hat into the Edo State governorship ring for the July, 2016 election. Asked why he decided to contest again, he had this to say, “I am a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), my first and primary assignment now is to convince leaders of the party and members of the party that I am best suited for the governorship position. “Looking at the past where the PDP is coming from, the party certainly needs a man that can bring the unity if the party together, a man who can create hope for the people, a man that can re-build the party. If you look at the backdrop and where things are coming from, if you look at the backdrop that we are coming from the PDP, the party needs a great unifier. PDP does not need anybody that will divide the party into two factions” “So, our primary focus now is to ensure that we go to the primary successfully and we go to the field. I enjoy a lot of public support and I am very confident that the PDP can trust me with their mandate, Edo people will trust me with their larger mandate to govern the state. That informs my commitment to this struggle, that yes, the people have watched me over the years they have seen my antecedents, they have seen me and believe that this is the time” IDOURIYEKEMWEN Mathew Iduriyekemwen is a former Majority Leader, Edo State House of Assembly and also former Edo Commissioner, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. His ambition and acceptability cut

•Earl Osaro Onaiwu

across the three senatorial districts of Edo. He has the support of the youth and prominent party leaders like a former Minister of Works, Mike Onolemenmen. He may pick the party’s ticket owing to his unflinching loyalty. He has the record of not decamping from the party amongst co-contesters since its inception in 1999. He recently said only the people and not the PDP Governors Forum will decide who the party governorship candidate in Edo becomes. His mission as governor borders on laying strong economic foundation for the state and creating an enabling environment for investors Commenting on the quality of the next governor of the state, he said, “There are so many aspirants in the field and, as I have always said, it is nice and proper for everybody to aspire. The most important thing is that who is that person that can deliver the election to the party? Who is that person that can make the election easier for the party to claim back the seat of governance in this state? Who is that person that the electorate will feel more comfortable with electing him to govern the state? Who is that person that will best represent us against the opposing parties knowing that one of the major parties that we are going to fight against is the incumbent party not just at the state but at the federal level as it is. So, saying whether I think I will be the favourite, I honestly know that I have all it takes to win the primary.” His major weakness, some people say, is that he may not have the capacity to lead a state like Edo. But there are those who countered this saying that a man who was the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly for two terms and an NDDC former Commissioner is not a political neophyte. ONAIWU EARL Osaro Onaiwu was Director General of the Governors Forum in Nigeria. He later became the DG of the PDP Governors’ Forum. Oniawu cut his political teeth in 1983 when he was a member of the Youth Vanguard for Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia campaign team and was appointed as an adviser to Ogbemudia, one the youngest to be so appointed. He has promised to bring to Edo which he gave to other governors as the Director General of the Governors’ Forum and seems to draw his strength from this experience. Onaiwu believes in fair play and has told those who care to listen that who so ever wins the PDP ticket will have his support. Many see his absence from the main politics of the state when he served as DG to the Governors’ Forum as his greatest weakness as he may have not understood the dynamics of Edo politics.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

2016 BUDGET CRISIS

How we helped the Executive to clean the mess it created —HON. ABDULMUMIN JIBRIN

Hon Abdulmumin Jubrin, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, speaks on the 2016 Budget impasse, stating the National Assembly’s position on the controversial Lagos-Calabar rail project which the Executive claimed the lawmakers removed from the budget proposasl, among other allegations.

he executive arm of government is claiming that with the amount of distortions in the budget, it cannot be worked on. What do you have to say about that? Year after year, when the NASS does its job thoroughly, they never come up with any tangible excuse other than that the input of the NASS has made the budget unimplementable. We are used to getting such excuses. We did a thorough job on the budget and we went through it page by page and we gave the heads of MDAs opportunity to defend their budgets and they came up with a very good report which we studied and also placed it side by side and, at the end of the day, we came up with a good document that is implementable. One of the areas of distortion is the N60billion for the Calabar/Lagos rail project. That was what woke me up yesterday, Sunday, and, on social media, it was everywhere. I was so shocked that such a statement could come out in the print media, but it has been stated and I want to reconfirm what I said that the Calabar/Lagos rail project was not included in the submission that came to the NASS, neither was it included in the reports of the committees. We do not have Calabar/Lagos rail in any of the four documents sent to the NASS. The NASS cannot remove what is not there. It is very obvious that some people want to set Nigerians against one another and it is a very sad situation. We need to be more patriotic. What about the funds for poor students in education budget that you slashed by 50 per cent and added the money to state constituencies for yourself and your Senate counterpart? Firstly, before I answer that question, for the fact that I am the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee does not exclude people of my constituency or people of Kano from being Nigerians. For the fact that I am Chairman of Appropriation, if projects go to my

C M Y K

people, it would be unfair for people to complain simply because of my position . Equally, if we have projects in Daura, you cannot start blaming President Buhari because the people of Daura are Nigerians and they should also benefit like other Nigerians. The reality is that it is a blatant lie, we did not try to corner anything; projects were spread across. The zonal intervention that was meant for NASS, traditionally, with the sum of N100 billion, was completely invested in rural areas. And we insisted because that is the only component of the budget that targets the rural areas for projects in our constituencies. These are projects that will help our people. For we politicians, we are more concerned about people living at the grassroots Year after year, budgets focus on urban dwellers. We do not have any issues with that, but we take a little component of that for rural dwellers. But you agree that a lot of Nigerians are waiting anxiously for the budget and the President is saying that the NASS has hugely slashed some beneficial projects? I do not believe that the Executive arm of government really understood the document sent to NASS or that it truly studied the document we sent back and I have every reason to draw such a conclusion. Why do you say that? In the first place, you saw all the confusion, from the point of preparing the budget, to the controversy of bringing it to NASS, to the accusation of trying to pull it out and substitute it through subteranean means and the version finally brought to NASS and that very new version was what heads of MDAs came to NASS to disown. From that dimension, they don’t even have a budget. Now, I give you an example. The same Transport Minister was still arguing with Mr. Speaker in the Villa, that the Calabar/Lagos rail was included in the budget. That tells you that he doesn’t even understand his budget. We are having a serious situation. Ordinarily, we would not have raised these issues in the public. Mind you, this is an Executive that never had a budget, had issues and blamed it on NASS. You had ministers who were appointed just two/three weeks before the budget came to NASS. The budget was prepared by civil servants and these people, who came in two weeks thence, wanted to change everything. This budget was taken away from the Budget Office, a task force powered by consultants that were

•Hon Abdulmumin Jubrin brought in to prepare this zerobudgeting system. This background is needed so that Nigerians can understand where the whole of the confusion came from. At the end of the day, the DG, Budget Office, was sacrificed as a scapegoat. Now they want to use the NASS as a second scapegoat. You have created all the confusion, we have helped you to manage it; you now try to drag us into that. In times past, the controversy had always been about the pegging of the price of crude but never about the content of the budget in terms of projects’ cost slashed or removed? The rail projects that appear to be causing this controversy are not entirely in one part of the country. It is the Lagos/Kano rail project and the Calabar/Lagos rail project. We do not have the Calabar/Lagos rail project in the budget. And nobody took money from where it does not exist to Kano. Now, let me tell you what happened. When we came to the Ministry of Transport, we discovered a problem that we managed for them; the total sum of money for the ministry was poorly calculated and the budget was overblown by N54billion. In the line item, there was nothing like N54 billion. We had only Lagos/Kano - not Kano/ Maiduguri or Kano/Kano. It is from the South to the North and it was underfunded and we took a portion of the N54billion to complete that for Lagos/Kano so that we can be done with that. Money was not provided for airport security, navigation and equipment and it is only when we have incidents in that sector that we start complaining. So, we took part of that money to the aviation sector which is now under the Ministry of Transport to cater for those necessities and the remaining part of the money was invested in Baro Port and, in the next seven to eight months,

the President is going to commission the Baro Port - that means we would be proud to have ports in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar and, of course, Niger State and this would open up economic activities along that axis. During defence, are you saying no minister came forward to defend the Calabar/Lagos rail project? I read some things online talking about an exchange between Amaechi and I. Let me state for the record, I have never met Amaechi as Minister of Transport. Even when Ministers consulted the Appropriation Committee and we had meetings with 15ministers, Senator Goje and I never met Amaechi and I never had any discussion over Calabar/Lagos rail project with him. I never knew anything existed like Calabar/Lagos rail project. To the best of my knowledge, I do not know if Amaechi walked in and met some other people but, as Appropriation Committee Chairman, everything stops on our desk as far as the budget is concerned. Let Amaechi come forward and tell Nigerians that he came before our committee to discuss the Calabar/Lagos rail. If he has a vision of a project is a different matter. But to say he came to ask us to include it in the budget is not true. What about the issue of roads which costs were removed and applied to projects without feasibility studies? Well, I think we should understand where we are coming from so that we can make this conversation easier for Nigerians. The Calabar/Lagos rail project was never in the budget, let us get that one clear. The documents are

Continues on page 9

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 9

Continued from page 8 there. Even NGOs that specialise in budgetary matters have come out to say it wasn’t there. But if Amaechi came to NASS and discovered that there was excess N54billion and the committee had allocated it elsewhere and he wanted it for that project, he should be able to look at Nigerians in the face and say it was a wish he had and not to make it appear as if we in the NASS removed it. On the other aspect of money being cut from other projects, after going through allocations, most of the major contractors in the country have an average of N50billion in liabilities in works done and waiting for payment. One of the essential projects is the completion of the EFCC headquarters. Of the work done, Julius Berger is being owed N5billion. And they are saying, ‘Give us the money and another N4billion to complete the project. But only N2billion was provided. Julius Berger would have collected that N2billion in the course of the year and go back because that N2billion does not cater for the debt owed. So we had to source for the funds within the budget to give them additional N6billion. A lot of these allocations, especially in the Ministry of Work, Power and Housing, money was spread around but these funds can hardly pay for liabilities to contractors so by the time you get the facts of this matter you will also understand that the NASS had to look at these issues properly before coming out with its own report. In making the amendments you made at NASS, did you consult with the Ministers or the task force set up on the budget? I think the question you should have asked is whether they prepared the budget proposals, sitting down in their ministries and departments without consultations with NASS. If they

’The Executive looking for scapegoat after the confusion it created’

didn’t consult NASS when preparing their proposal, why are you worried whether NASS consulted them before making the amendments? It’s unfair to look at it from that perspective. But the Constitution vests the power to appropriate in NASS. Go to Section 80, 81 of the Constitution, it only said the President should present estimates to NASS. NASS has the power to increase aggregate expenditure. NASS has the power to enlarge revenue framework.

NASS has the power to reduce the aggregate expenditure. NASS has the power to reduce the individual envelopes of ministries. When we try to consult the Executive, we are doing that in the spirit of friendship not because we must do that. Continuously, Nigerians are being misled. The powers to appropriate funds, to move funds however we want it within the budget lies within the NASS and the people who made the constitution were not fools. They did that because we are elected officials and we relate with the grassroots and we go back home. Look, when it comes to the budget, we in NASS do not look at parties, we look at Nigeria and we operate as one. We don’t enjoy this argument. Look at what we’ve done, there’s nothing they have brought before us that we have not approved. When I meet Ministers, I tell them, ‘These things happening now wouldn’t have happened before’. You place a budget and attempt to remove it, then ministers will come and deny it, try to make addition and then, you still have the audacity to say the NASS did some things wrong? We have helped the executive to clean the mess they created.

‘Anenih has not endorsed any aspirant’ BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN-CITY

Mr Okharedia Ihimekpen is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one of the political foot soldiers of a former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih. In this interview, he says the party will ensure that a credible governorship candidate emerges ahead of Edo 2016, just as he criticises an aspirant of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, over his comment that he left the PDP when he was de-registered:

ou are one of those who have re mained in the PDP even when many left for the ruling APC in Edo. Do you think your party stands a chance in the forthcoming governorship election? Yes, we stand a chance but winning the election will depend on the individual and not the party. Today we don’t need politicians who will promise you one hundred things and give you hundred reasons why these things are not possible. We need a technocrat, so all the parties must be careful. Any party who parades a politician as its candidate is taking a risk. Edo people have no confidence in politicians any more. They should bring technocrats, the technocrat cares more about the general well being of the people and not individuals. It is not the party that will win election in that person, it is the technocrat in him because Edo people will look critically at the antecedents of candidates. So, victory at the election depends of the quality of the candidate. If you look at the PDP, we have so many aspirants just like if you look at the APC, they have so many aspirants, the serious ones, the jokers and the teasers. You cannot say you will create employment when you don’t know how much that comes into the state how to generate funds. You cannot say you will industrialC M Y K

Before now you could see that people like IzeIyamu were boasting that they already have the ticket but you saw that today he moves around like other aspirants because he knows it is not going to be easy

ize the state when you don’t know the cost of cement, so you must prove to people that you are qualified and people tend to look at your promises with your antecedents. It is the content in you that will make you win election, not the political party any more. The electorate no longer believe in the politician, but technocrats. But can we know how the PDP candidate will emerge and there is this strong rumour that Pastor Ize-Iyamu is being backed by the leadership of the party including Chief Tony Anenih? That is a rumour. Some of the exco members are pro Ize-Iyamu but if they try to impose him, that will be a smooth ride for the APC. The state Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, is doing well for the party and I don’t think he will allow himself to be used. He is well respected and that is why he was re-elected, so he will do the right thing. And this rumour that Chief Tony Anenih is among those backing him is not true because, for

•Okharedia Ihimekpen

some time now, chief has not been in the public glare. Some exco members are backing Ize-Iyamu but the good thing is that most of them don’t control the delegates. And if the governorship primary of the PDP is not transparent, is not free and fair, then that will spell doom for the party. I am sure the party leadership knows this too because there was an attempt to have a consensus candidate some time ago but they saw the resistance. They saw it that it would have destroyed the party. Before now you could see that people like Ize-Iyamu were boasting that they already have the ticket but you saw that today he moves around like other aspirants because he knows it is not going to be easy. If the party does not handle the primary well, it will be a sorry sight, but if they handle it well, they also stand a chance of winning. When you talk about the rumour that Anenih is backing Ize-Iyamu, have you forgotten that this was the same pastor that started preaching ‘no man is God when he was with us in PDP. When he left PDP, he came back now

The policy thrust of this administration is security, anticorruption and economic diversification. All these things were dislocated in the budget that they brought.. We corrected it without making noise. The personnel of the security agencies were all mistakenly reduced in the budget. We had to restore all the shortfalls. The same thing with the anti-corruption agencies. When you go to economic diversification and solid minerals, when you take away from the N9billion allocated to the area the recurrent expenditure, you have only N2billion. Does that mean we need only N2billion to diversify? The Minister of Health raised the alarm about his ministry’s budget The vaccines were not even included in the budget presented to the NASS. The document is there. The budget that came from the Executive did not have those vaccines. The vaccines were included in the budget by the two committees of the NASS. The Minister denied the second budget that Mr. President claimed to be okay. The complaint the Minister is making is that the money is inadequate but he has no justification to complain because it was the NASS that included it. What is the way forward? Two things: If we do nothing, of course in the next two weeks, the period will lapse and, with two thirds majority, the NASS can veto it. If we choose to do something, then the President will have to communicate with NASS officially and communications will be reopened and, of course, the issues will be resolved.

•Source: Channels TV to say that man is now God. Is that not complication? He said Anenih was not God then, so has Anenih become God now because he wants the PDP ticket? What we are saying is that his policies should reflect his belief. If man has now become God and no longer no man is God, he should define his own stand and tell the electorate what he wants to do for the people. Because the fact is that the people know every body’s antecedents, they don’t want to remember the locust years, they don’t want to remember those years of darkness they passed through. So PDP should be able to present its first eleven, hence we are clamouring that the best candidate emerges. I don’t think the PDP will present a nomadic politician as their candidate, otherwise we will not be able to defend it during campaigns. I am a frontline member of PDP, we always defend our party anywhere but if you now bring a bad product for us to market, it will be a problem marketing him. And his continuous criticism of Oshiomhole is constituting an embarrassment to the PDP. Edo people have the record of how he praised Oshiomhole over the Airport Road and all other engagements Oshiomhole was doing. It is therefore irreconcilable that of the eight years things, Oshiomhole has spent in power, he was with him for seven years, praising him.. What has now changed in a journey of eight years after he spent seven, with the governor before coming back to the PDP? These is the type of game he played during Igbinedion’s time, that eventually degenerated into PDP years of the locust in Edo. PDP wants to win this year’s election but not with the likes of Ize-Iyamu in the forefront. I want to advise PDP leaders to intervene to avoid another disaster for the PDP. I want to invite him to a television debate, let us debate his role in Igbinedion’s years where he was a principal actor. With the present situation, the PDP can win the election with any other aspirant, not him. He is my personal friend but I will always tell him the truth because I was involved from the beginning and because I am involved from the beginning I can sense any danger coming to the party.

PAGE 10 — SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

Buhari needs a new approach to successfully fight corruption - Prof.

alone. Those who are to enforce the law, are not in the mood to do so. This is the first time that efforts are being made to try allegedly corrupt people. We know governors who were tried in Nigeria law courts, and were not found guilty. They travelled to the United Kingdom, were tried there and found guilty of the same offense. The problem now is not at the level of the executive, how did they find such people in Nigeria not guilty? Corruption adjudged to be the bane of Nigeria as far back 1967 is still thriving. What are the dynamics? I can boldly tell you that to be honest in Nigeria is a sin! It is an offense! I made the statement in line with my experience as a Director General. I learnt that to be patriotic and do what is right is most unfortunate.

Akinterinwa, ex-NIIA DG •`I learnt that it is a sin to be honest in Nigeria’

•Prof. Bola Akinterinwa

By Yinka Ajayi

r of. Bola Akinterinwa is a former Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). In this interview, he bares his mind on President Muhammadu Buhari’s trips abroad which critics say are too many, among other issues . Excerpts: How do you describe the state of Nigeria under President Buhari? We are in a transition period, transition from uncertainty to certainty. As it is now, the situation of the nation requires every hand to be on deck. We are in a situation where media professionals need to ask themselves if they are truly monitoring political governance, because the media, as the fourth estate of the realm, is supposed to monitor political governance to make government accountable to the people. But to what extent are media practitioners doing this? It is also a moment for the academia to come up with analysis on the challenges confronting the country. If I may use the words of Prof. Jerry Gana, he said, “When you are a director, you ought to direct well; if you are a chairman, chair well. So whatever position you find yourself, you man it well”. The source of our economic survival is dwindling and what are our leaders doing about that? We talk about our mono-cultural economy by being oil dependent. Presently, a dollar is exchanging for N350 in the black market. And we are import dependent. Security wise, we have the new threat from the Niger Delta militants who said if the head of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is not released, they will make the country ungovernable, this making the situation worse. Boko Harram is still there. While the government is trying to deal decisively with corruption, other problems are emerging. Even with the corruption battle that the government is fighting, new cases are emerging daily! This means that corruption is deeply rooted in the system. The state of the nation is that we are engaged in the process of war on corruption. And, it is just a battle. In other words, the battle is the physical dimension where we take arms to fight and criticise ourselves. But the war is more encompassing than that. And the war has to be total and will include new policies, new philosophies as well as new attitudinal dispositions. In this case, the battle cannot have a selective enemy, the enemy must be total in scope and the battle must be fought with all available means.

But analysts say the war against corruption is targeting former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration alone? The government must start the battle from somewhere. And government has started with the cases it has chosen. The cases are multidirectional. As they are making inquiries, they unearth more issues and they are tackling them. Nobody can say it is selective or not. But the issue is that it has to be selective in order to begin somewhere. So, if they decided to deal with what they now tagged; “Dasukigate”, it cannot be said to be selective. Because what prompted it was the issue of Boko Haram. They wanted insurgency in the North-East to come to an end within a time frame, before they discovered that it wouldn’t have come to an end because there were no sophisticated arms. Soldiers refused to fight with poor equipmentbecausetheinsurgentswere better equipped. The military disciplinary committee looked into it, they were tried and were sentenced to death. It was the soldiers complaint that brought about the investigation of the arms deal. So, there is no selective approach to it. The issue that led to Dasukigate is a purely security matter and Boko Haram-related. It was in the course of investigation that they discovered that money was approved, withdrawn and then wondered why was it not used to acquire the arms. It is not scientifically tenable for anyone to talk about being selective on security inquiry on arms deal. At the end of the day, the questions will be asked on why insurgency started. Do you see President Buhari as some source of inspiration? I am yet to convince myself that he means well. He has declared and has been working along that line, but I am not sure that the people he is working with will make him succeed. So the way forward is the fight against corruption should be fought simultaneously at all levels. And then put emphasis on follower-ship. Let there be a special commission that will involve youth corps members, civil defenders with a mix of scholars to lead them, to monitor anybody who will act against societal values. It should not take up to 12 months to build the foundation for a new Nigeria. Will you say the agenda has been effective so far? You cannot talk about effectiveness now because they are still making

Buhari wants to put an end to corruption, and the 2016 Budget was taken to the National Assembly. Who padded the Budget? These are the new messengers that want the change. How do you hold Buhari responsible in this case? The Minister of Finance complained that, that was not what she submitted. Many other ministers also said the same thing. Who changed it?

efforts to change. The change is not yet in place. Nigeria for over 50 years has been enmeshed in corruption. Just take a look at the Political Bureau Report, by GS Cookie, submitted in 1967. It stated that, the bane of the Nigerian society is corruption and indiscipline. Compare 1967 to the present day Nigeria. 1967 marked the beginning of the civil war. From 1967 to 2016, why has the problem not been addressed and resolved? Now, President Buhari cannot come in within one month or even under one year to put an end to it. Buhari wants to put an end to corruption, and the 2016 Budget was taken to the National Assembly. Who padded the Budget? These are the new messengers that want the change. How do you hold Buhari responsible in this case? The Minister of Finance complained that, that was not what she submitted. Many other ministers also said the same thing. Who changed it? Now, those who want to change for the better, are now involved in what they are complaining about. Is it the House of Reps or the Senate? We don’t know! That is why it is difficult for Buhari to have the change he is looking for. The people with whom he is working with must have a pure heart like himself for it to work. The Vice-President also said there were many pressures on government to discontinue the war against corruption and also the arms deal. So when you look at it, while you want good for the nation, others are benefiting from corruption, how can this work? That is where the French proverb is relevant which says: Order and counter-order amount to disorder. The order is to put an end to corruption, the counter order is ‘don’t accept, let corruption continue nothing will happen’. Disorder is the fight and that is where the battle line is drawn. What ways can the government engage to win the war against corruption? First of all, if government can reintroduce the policy of war against indiscipline, we will succeed faster and better than using the current approach. The current approach emphasises legality, the jurisprudential approach. Trials and court cases take time. And because it takes a lot of time, bribery and corruption set in. If people begin to queue up, if the road safety can deal with commercial drivers like Danfo and Molue, we can now begin to see that there is seriousness of purpose. Because the problem also lies at the level of follower-ship, not leadership

What in your view is the relevance of the continuous traveling of President Buhari in a sensitive time in the nation? First of all, we should recognise that the President is the Chief Diplomat of Nigeria. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is his first representative and his first Ambassador. The Foreign Affairs Minister will also designate other ambassadors who are generally referred to as principal representative to a particular country. You know ambassador is a title. When you start in a foreign service in the Anglo-Saxon world, you start as Third Secretary, you are promoted into Second Secretary, then First Secretary, then Counselor, then Senior Counselor, Minister, Minister Captain and then Deputy Chief of Nation, then you become an Ambassador. In this case, when there are critical issues, it means it is the President that must go. But the Foreign Affairs Minister will always be in attendance to guide. When the Minister of Foreign Affairs travels with the President, the principal representative of the country would be there to welcome and brief them on current developments in the country. Even before the President would travel, the principal representative would have been giving reports, preparing ahead, and they can advice whether the President should even come or not. In 1982, when former President Shehu Shagari was to go to France, every arrangement had been made, but at the last minute, our embassy informed him not to come simply because France intended to send a junior Minister of Women and Fisheries to come and receive him. Because of that Shagari redirected his trip to Germany. When Germany learn about what happened, they turned the reception into a red-carpet honour. In this regard, it is the primary responsibility of every President to assume full responsibility for the international image of the country, being the Chief Diplomat. Considering President Buhari’s countless trips at a time like this,the major reason for his many travels are: first, Nigeria has a monocultural economy, which is crude oil. Member countries engaging in the production of crude oil, particularly in OPEC, are meeting on what to do, either to reduce production to engender scarcity and give room for increase or agree on a common price. The production level should be the direction. With this, the President is required to consult other countries. Second, due to the insecurity in the country, the international community describes Boko Haram as the deadliest terror group around here. And Nigeria is playing host to different threats on security and there are foreign, direct investment for Nigeria. No country can fight insurgency alone. Boko Haram has links with Al-Shabaab in Somalia, also with Al-Qaeda, it has been described as an affiliate of the ISIS. Any normal President should consult with other heads of state to see how there could be coordination of containment of international terrorism.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 11

By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja

he war in Kogi State House of Assembly before it was hijacked by external forces was self-inflicted. Though the executive arms of government, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the deputy governorship candidate of the APC in last November governorship election in the state, James Faleke, and the Presidency have now been dragged into the crisis, the legislators ignited the fire before it spread and now seems uncontrollable. The state assembly, since 1999 when the country returned to democratic governance, has not enjoyed peace. Aside the Clarence Olafemi speakership which was not impeached; no term has gone without two or three Speakers emerging to lead the House and mostly in a dramatic manner that is at variance with democratic ethos. GENESIS In December last year, a group within the House, led by Godwin Osiyi (Ogori/ Mangogo, PDP), organised a palace ‘coup’ to oust the Speaker, Momoh Jimoh Lawal, citing lack of internal democracy and weak leadership. Political observers, however, alleged that the move, which came at the twilight of former Gov. Idris Wada administration was to force the Speaker to attract some favour from the outgoing governor. The move did not receive executive backing, it flopped. Meanwhile, the group continued to parade itself as a factional caucus and, since then, peace has eluded the House. BELLO’S INVOLVEMENT Though the Assembly crisis was inherited, Governor Yahaya Bello’s saw it as an opportunity to achieve his political aim. With the legitimacy crisis hanging over his head, and possible fear that the tribunal may order for re-run election, Bello moved to find a soft landing for himself. To achieve this, the governor ignored the Kogi West where Faleke’s hails from for the deputy governor slot to pick his deputy, Simon Achuba, from Kogi East. With the governor from the Central, deputy from the East, there was no doubt that the Speakership should have moved to the West; in the spirit of equity. That development gave a natural ultimatum to the occupier of the seat; Momoh Jimoh Lawal, who is not only from the Central but also from the same local government and same home town with Bello to step down. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the Speaker, at a meeting with the governor, agreed to step down so that the West will produce the Speaker. The West is divided into two zones: the Okun axis with five LGAs and the Lokoja/Koto axis with two LGAs. The zone endorsed Prince Kolawole Matthew from the Okun axis but the governor kicked against it. Kola ‘sin’ was said to be because he hails from the same federal constituency with Faleke who is challenging Bello at the tribunal. Bello’s camp therefore ruled out the Okuns from occupying the seat for the fear that if the tribunal orders for re run-election, the Speaker will become the acting governor and may use the ethnic connection to favour his kinsman The governor thereafter anointed Umar Imam (Lokoja 1, APC) as the number three citizen of the state. Though there are other two members from the Lokoja/Koto axis who are PDP membeers ( Lokoja 11 and Kogi,) the governor did not want that either; his desire was for his party man to be the Speaker and, by extension, acting governor at the ‘appropriate’ time. PDP CONNECTION While the Speaker agreed with his kinsman, the governor, to accept the executive zoning arrangement, the decision did not go down well with the PDP which holds the majority in the House (the PDP has 14 members in the

C M Y K

Five is bigger than 15 in battle for Kogi Assembly is dancing to.

House, APC 11). Meanwhile, the PDP national leadership summoned its 14 members to Abuja, chastised the Speaker for such accord with Bello,begged the Osiyi camp which had commenced impeachment move against the Speaker to relent and asked them to maintain the status quo. The PDP calculation was also hinged on re run-election and wanted the acting governor to come from its fold should the tribunal rule in such direction. Lawal accepted the PDP offer and renounced his earlier stand with the governor. That was the beginning of the unending war. The governor, in trying to make his plan work, called on some of his APC members in the House to impeach’ Lawal. Only five lawmakers were involved in the so-called impeachment in a parliament of 20 members. The G5 members have since been looking for every means to legitimise their illegitimacy. They first attracted three members who moved to their camp from the Lawal’s group. The caucus also attracted three of those who won their bye-election; raising their

flank to 10. FALEKE’S ANGLE The G15, before they lost two members to the G5, approached the House of Representatives for solution to the Kogi parliament impasse. The House of Reps raised a committee to investigate the crisis; the committee recommended that the assembly be sealed and the National Assembly to take over its function. Faleke’s involvement in the crisis is an open secret. Though his (Faleke) campaign organisation, through his Director, Media and Publicity, Duro Meseko, has continued to denied having hand in the crisis; he cannot in political logic wriggled himself out from the saga, being a House of Representatives member. The Reps committee decision gave credence to it. Within 10 days that the G15 lodged its complaint, the Reps deliberated, raised a committee; the committee came on a ‘fact finding’ mission to Kogi, submitted its report and the report was endorsed by the House. The Bello’s camp believes that Faleke is the political drummer beating the drum which the House of Representatives

PRESIDENCY ANGLE When the G15, who are now 13, alleged that President Muhammed Buhari was supporting the governor to continue to perpetrate act of illegality, not many political analysts believed the allegation. But recent events seem to have justified the claim. First the governor visited the Presidency, held a closed door meeting with the SGF, Babachir, and proclaimed to the media that there was no crisis in the state Assembly. The next day, the Assembly complex, earlier sealed by the police, was unsealed before public outcry made the police to lock the Assembly again. Secondly, the Attorney General, just like his hasty proclamation on the replacement of the late Abubakar Audu as the APC candidate for the last year guber race which favoured Bello, also advised the Inspector General of Police to ignore the National Assembly order to seal the state Assembly complex and it was reopened. Presently, the G5, led by Umar Imam, is having the upper hand in the crisis despite its illegitimate impeachment. Its members are enjoying patronage from the executive; using the Assembly complex; enjoying security escort. The 13 other legislators have been denied their salary

but did not have a common ground to press for their demands. The reason the National Assembly summoned the IG and the Attorney General to appear before it was the ‘suspension’ of the embattled Speaker, Lawal, and nine of his supporters by the factional Speaker, Umar Imam. This was done to enable them pass the budget. Sensing that they needed 2/3 of 23 which is 16 to pass the budget and, they being just 10 which fall short of the constitutional requirement, Imam group suspended 10 of Lawal’s camp; reducing the assembly figure to 13 ‘legitimate’ members. And their 10 is now a good number to carry out that constitutional responsibility.

Reps, AGF Malami at daggers drawn By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru

AST Tuesday, the 8th House of Representatives decided to summon the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over the Kogi Assembly crisis where five is bigger than 15. Their verdict was unanimous as the House resolved to summon Malami and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, to appear before it within two weeks. Malami, according to the lawmakers, must tell Nigerians where he derived the power to open the Kogi House of Assembly after both legislative chambers of the National Assembly had resolved it should be sealed. The two chambers had taken a resolution where they directed the IGP to seal the Kogi State Assembly over the crisis that engulfed the parliament and the House of Reps took over the functions of the state legislature pending the resolution of the crisis. But the AGF told the IGP to disregard the National Assembly directive as it was advisory. This did not go down well with the 360lawmakers in the Green Chamber. The decision to summon Malami and Arase followed a motion on matters of

Abubakar Malami, Attorney General and Minister of Justice urgent public importance brought by Hon. Osai Nicholas Osai (PDP, Delta), calling attention to what he tagged as “sheer impunity and usurpation of legislative and judicial powers by the AGF as he allegedly directed that the complex be opened to the five members”.

Throwing his weight behind Ossai’s position, House Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos), said: “As leader of this House and as a parliamentarian, I have a responsibility to go beyond partisan consideration and also to defend the integrity of the legislature. “Now I’ve seen the said letter and the AGF’s reasons for supporting what’s going on in Kogi. And he said it has to do with the security of the state. And I bet to disagree with him because the issue is purely on a point of law. And the law states that ‘once a state Assembly is unable to perform its function, then the National Assembly can take over its function under the Constitution. “But to now open the gate of the Assembly for five members to sit and deliberate, then that AGF has gone beyond his brief and he’s suggesting that the National Assembly cannot perform it’s function as enshrined in the constitution. “And going by the rule of this House, a matter can only be considered prejudicial only in the opinion of the Speaker, it’s discussion will inpugne on its outcome, then we can’t touch. But I believe that the AGF is of a sound mind and knows what he’s doing. But for him to direct the IGP asking him to open the gate for

Continues on page 12

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

Free-for-all in Nasarawa House over Al-Makura’s sole administrators

By Abel Daniel

he Nasarawa State House of Assembly

was on Monday thrown into chaos following the inauguration of 11 sole administrators for local governments in the state by Gover nor Umaru Tank Almakura in obedience to a court ruling removing elected council Chairmen. The fight, which led to the suspension of six APC lawmakers, started at the closeddoor session when the governor was challenged on why he should embark on the appointment of the sole administrators without the consent of the legislators. It was said that the rift spilled over to plenary when the Majority Leader of the House, Tanko Tunga, moved a motion, citing Order 39 subsection 1,2,3 of the House rules to suspend the six members for challenging the action of the governor and the House. The motion was opposed by the

•Gov Umaru Tanko Al-Makura aggrieved members, resulting in physical combat between the two groups in the parliament. The free-for-all resulted in serious injuries on some of the lawmakers as chairs, tables and various objects were used.

Intervention of security agents prevented the fight from degenerating. Shortly after the free-for-all, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Makpa Malla, who is among the six aggrieved lawmakers, at a press briefing, said the breaking of tables at the executive session was a result of disagreement among the lawmakers on the appointment of the sole administrators. Malla described the appointment of the sole administrators by Al-Makura as dishonest, saying the House could not watch illegality continue in the state. “As you can see, this is the executive room of the state House of Assembly, where we sit down every morning to discuss matters that will bring development to the state and the country at large,” he stated. “Categorically, I want to state here that the disagreement which caused this chaos was as result of the single-handed appointment of the sole administrators by the governor and, as a responsible

House in which some of us are lawyers, we insist that the right thing must be done. “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 7 Sub-section 1, as amended, guarantees for a democratic system of local government and the Constitution defines how the local government system structure should be run. “That is why we are kicking against the appointment of the sole administrators which only existed in military era. But in this dispensation of the rule of law, we must ensure that the executive also respects the rule of law.” The state Assembly, on Tuesday, suspended the six lawmakers for challenging Al-Makura’s decision to swear in the 11 sole administrators. Speaking on the floor of the House, the Majority Leader, Tunga, moved a motion for the suspension of the six lawmakers for misconduct and bringing the Assembly to

disrepute. The motion, which was seconded by the Minority Leader, Muhammed Alkali, was supported by 14 members of the Assembly, including the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Godiya Akwashiki (PDP). The House, therefore, suspended the lawmakers indefinitely, placing them on half salary pending the resolution of the matter. Reacting to the suspension, Malla described it as a “rape of democracy”, and vowed that the group would seek redress in court. All the affected lawmakers, including Malla, representing Wamba Constituency, are members of APC, namely, Kassim Kassim, APC-Akwanga South; Abubakar Kana, APC- Kokona West; Makpa Malla, APC-Wamba; Mohammed Okpoku, APCUdega/Loko; Musa Ali, APC-Keffi East; and Murtala Sodangi, APCNasarawa Central.

Reps, AGF Malami at daggers drawn Continued from page 11 five members to conduct legislative business, then he must explain where he got his powers”. At this juncture, Speaker Yakubu Dogara waded in saying : “Honestly, this is a very serious issue. And the presumption of authority to open the gate of a House that had been taken over by the National Assembly is for me unthinkable. I want to sincerely believe that the AGF who’s the number one law officer of the nation is not the author of this letter”. Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki (APC, Kano), in his submission asked whether the AGF is truly the number one legal adviser to Mr President. Hon. Mojid Alabi submitted thus: “I’m not bothered that the AGF has behaved this way, because it’s a known fact that the principle of democracy rests on separation of powers.

So since when did the AGF assumed the position of the legislature or believing that the National Assembly is wrong in taking over the function of Kogi Assembly? I’m of the opinion that the office of the AGF be separated from that of the Minister of Justice”. Deputy Whip of the House, Hon. Pally Iriase, who led the House adhoc committee which carried out a fact-finding assignment on the Kogi crisis, narrated his experience in the course of carrying out the assignment. He said: “As far as this issue is concerned, they have not brought any court process against this House. I stand to be quoted. When we were on our way to Kogi on our fact finding mission, I got a text from the factional Speaker, Mohammed Imam, that there was a court injunction barring the House from interfering in the internal affairs of the Assembly. And I asked that he made the said injunction

available on our arrival so that we can be formally served as members of the House. And there was none by the time we got there. So that was to tell you that there was no such thing. “Only for the AGF to later tell the public that there was an injunction served on the National Assembly and then instructing the IGP to open the Assembly for the renegade lawmakers to hold legislative session. So I urge that this motion be treated with all the seriousness it deserves”. Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP, Kogi) said: “I want to state clearly that there’s no where in our Constitution where the AGF has the powers to undo what the National Assembly has done”. A 15-man adhoc Committee, led by House Leader, Gbajabiamila, was set up by Dogara to investigate the matter and report back to the House within two weeks.

Delta community resolves rift, gets new exco

he Agaga Erugba com munity in Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State has resolved to unite and work for the common good of the community. According to the representatives of Agaga Ajueyitsi families, all the infighting that started since 2010/2011 “among the children of the original owners of Agaga Layout has finally been resolved”. Mr. Chris Agaga who swore in the Committees,also thanked His Royal Majesty, Abe 1, Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom for the role he played in restoring peace to the committee. Those sworn-in as members of Elders Council are Chris Agaga, Chairman; Terry AjuC M Y K

eyitsi, 1st Vice-Chairman; Chief Blessing Eyagomare, 2nd Vice-Chairman; Elder Churchill Ajueyitsi, Sec. General; Emuobor Agaga, Treasurer; Francisca Agaga, Financial Secretary; Daniel Agboro, Assistant Sec. General; Prince Sunny Fregene,, P.R.O.; Elder Patrick Agaga, Head of the family; Valentine Ajueyitsi, Asst. P.R.O.; Florence Agaga, Women Leader; Sunday Agaga, Member; Nelson Nafugha, member; Barrister Presley, Legal Adviser; Atila Ifaka, member. The Youth Association is headed by Mr. Sakutu Agaga, President; Akpobome Utiri, Vice President; Oyevwe Omoefe, Secretary; Okis Ajueyitsi, Asst. Secretary; Ovie

Agaga, Treasurer; Omodudice Onomavwe- Disciplinary Committee Executives Chairman; Gibson Idiene, Welfare Officer ; Joshua Eyiteme, Provost; Omonigho Onuora, Sanitary Officer; Wilson Tive, Financial Secretary; Godwin Maduku, P.R.O.; Kennedy Onomavwen, Vice Chairman; Zion Kogoro, DC Secretary; Emuobo Kideyo, DC P.R.O.; Jerry Numah, Financial Secretary; Ufuoma Imeke, DC Provost; Happy Omorodion, Asst. Secretary; Oba Smart, Asst. Provost; Godsent Chikogo, member; Francis Okpove; Eruotor Ogheneroro; Peter Ouigbo; Junior Kalu and Ibru Akemu.

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 13

Adokiye’s dilemma turning from secular to gospel artiste *as fans blast her dress sense

ince virgin singer, Adokiye Kyrian, released her latest gospel single, ‘Glory’, it has been nothing but accolades galore for the ‘Body to Body’ and ‘Love u Better’ crooner. So successful is the song that the architect-turned singer has become a hot favourite for shows and events across the country. She has been so gleeful about her successes that she posts every occasion online. Unknown to her, not everyone would take kindly to her choice of dress on stage as a gospel artist. At least one comment from a fan who called himself Chrisben was graphic enough to tell the singer she might have to have a rethink about how she presents herself as a gospel singer. “I wonder what the gospel musicians are turning into … are they representing Christ or themselves...? Your outfit describes your inner mind. This can’t be God’s way. The church must not allow the body to become worldly. I rest my case” says Chrisben Adokiye, on her part, didn’t see anything wrong with the way she dressed while performing the gospel number on stage and she said what and how she feels about it. “I don’t think anything was wrong with what I wore to perform. There was absolutely nothing exposing about what I wore. What matters most is the message I’m passing to my fans and the people that can connect with it as well”, she said.

Has Davido lobbied Coke for endorsement? I

t is no longer news that top rated singer Davido has added Pepsi endorsement to his expanding portfolio of corporate endorsements. Both the singer and Pepsi made much noise about it a couple of days ago. In his characteristic manner, the Aye crooner couldn’t just keep it together as he allegedly screamed on Snapchat “F**k Coke when you have Pepsi”. Known for his untoward outbursts, Davido didn’t surprise anyone, but if there was ever a hint as good as any, the singer ’s show of emotion might have been a frustration of sort over inability to clinch a deal with Coke. It is an open secret that artistes directly and indirectly lobby corporate bodies for endorsement deals. It is through these deals they can actually have a reassured money in the bank, aside the shows and events. CD sales are definitely out as a result of piracy.

Tiwa Savage, D’Banj, others rock Pepsi co-sponsored Gidi Fest

EPSI Ambassador, Tiwa Savage once again showed why she is Nigeria’s most sought-after female artiste by delivering a performance to remember at the just concluded Gidi Fest which was co-sponsored by leading soft drink, Pepsi. Energetic, scintillating, it was a command performance that sent the audience into ecstasy as Tiwa drew from her rich repertoire that has won her several awards locally and internationally over the years. During her performance ,Tiwa was refreshed with a bottle of Pepsi on stage.

For the audience that thronged the sandy beach of Eko Atlantic on Victoria Island, Lagos, it was a refreshing night as artistes after artistes mounted the stage to thrill. Koko master D’banj took the excitement a notch higher as he made a great impression on the audience, taking them to a great musical climax. Apart from Tiwa and D’banj, other artistes that featured in the night of music extravaganza were UK artiste Rachel Carr, Yemi Alade, Timaya, Phyno, Riky Rick, K.O, Adekunle Gold, David Grey and Small Doctor.

Upcoming musicians storm Earthen Pot magazine launch BY OSA AMADI

•Kelar Thrillz & Fix Crew performing ‘Akagi’

t was a parade of upcoming artistes and entertainment industry personalities on March 2nd at Planet One Hotel, Maryland, Lagos, when the Earthen Pot, a beautiful glossy magazine created to project ‘beautiful Africa’ was launched. Such turning of a magazine launch into a music carnival can only be understood when one understands that the publisher/editor-in-chief of the magazine, Chikaodili Onu (Mr. Beautiful Africa) has a long history of discovering, managing, and promoting young upcoming Nigerian musicians, especially those whose works project beautiful Africa. Some of the musicians who performed at the event were Lilyo Collins (Money Spender), Raw Kulture (Game not Over), Arlex (Kool Temper), Nickson (You’re Perfect),

and Lil Draye who performed his track, Monster. But it was a group of three boys, Kcee, Ojay and Rex, called Kelar Thrillz & Fix Crew performing ‘Akagi’ in the style of PSquare that threw the hall into a musical pandemonium, making everyone asking why the group hasn’t yet hit the limelight. In his address, the publisher/editorin-chief, Mr. Chikaodili Onu, said Earthen is inspired by God to promote beautiful Africa. “It’s a mandate to promote tourism in Africa and encourage foreigners to come and invest in tourism in Africa. The magazine has come to stay, and there’s no going back. It’s bound to be an empire in a few years.” The magazine which was unveiled by the chairman of the launch, Engineer Tajudeen Adedayo and reviewed by Vanguard Newspaper, is proudly made in Nigeria.

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. STOP! C M Y K

PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

Prologue

CHIBOK GIRLS: TWO YEARS AFTER

Why Evil Thrives By Jide Ajani

ust imagine. Imagine, that, in 2010, at the height of the contestation for power, between the leadership of the Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, a wing of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the fledgling Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, there was a consensus on how to deal with members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which, in English, means, “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”, and otherwise known as Boko Haram! Just imagine that, in the midst of all the recriminations about Goodluck Jonathan’s qualification to contest, the need for power to remain in the North as agreed to by the then ruling PDP at a meeting on December 22, 2002, the audacity by some septuagenarian that the country would be made ungovernable, that politicians, opinion leaders, traditional rulers had stepped back a bit to ponder the consequences of their action. You can still imagine that, had the government of Borno State not stiff-neckedly insisted on leaving the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, open against the admonition of the Federal Government of Nigeria that it should be closed because of the activities of insurgents, may be, just may be, the families of the girls abducted and the girls themselves C M Y K

would have been spared the horror. Yet, because Nigeria remains a country where the North and the South are two completely different nations, people tend to see things differently. This is further accentuated by the contending socio-political and economic contradictions, made worse by the role of religious beliefs. Today marks the 734th day since the over 200 girls were abducted. But because of the callousness of the political elite in the country, many used the issue of the girls, among others, to bring down the last administration. They may again use the girls to galvanize support for what is becoming a shambling and shambolic contraption called the present administration. In fact, Nigerians shouldn’t be surprised should the negotiations for the release of the girls be made to come through just on the eve of the 2019 general elections. All these may have been avoided had the Borno State government acted responsibly, in the first instance, by ensuring that there was police presence in and around the school - though, it could then have been debatable whether that police would have stopped the abduction as we now know it. Even Jonathan, the man described by the Economist of London as an ‘ineffectual buffoon’, cannot be excused in this bizarre episode of the Chibok girls because the first 48 critical hours were wasted. Because he didn’t want to displease some people, he continued to

displease and annoy everybody. That was President Goodluck Jonathan for you. Until Boko Haram members choreographed an attack of Muhammadu Buhari in 2014, many people merely paid lip service and chose to make it appear as if it was a Jonathan problem. Some leaders, in government today, were among those insisting on using kid gloves to deal with the insurgents. For all these people, both in and out of power, we say callous they were, callous they are. Esther Yakubu, one of the unfortunate mothers of the Chibok episode, had this to say last Thursday: “It’s not our fault, we did not ask for it. The people around me are women and they know the pain of child labour. Some mothers have died because of the trauma. I am not better than the ones who are dead. Everybody will die some day. But the Almighty God that I believe in; the God that I worship, will see us through; and all those that have hands in the kidnap of our girls will never go free. My Lord will fight that battle for me. The Lord is here with me and He will fight that battle. Whoever has told the Police to barricade this road will be judged. Be it the IGP, be it the President, they are above me, but they are not above God. And He will see me through; and He will set all the girls free.” During the campaigns for the 2015 general elections, the APC leaders made it appear as though, within months, they would have secured the release of the girls. Unfortunately, staccato tunes keep coming out since taking over power ‘all the girls may no longer be alive’,

‘they are no longer together’, ‘we do not know their whereabouts’ and all such insensitive statements have been coming out from officials of this administration. Worse still, even some people who appear to have presented glimmers of hope for the possible rescue of the girls are constantly rebuffed. Senator Shehu Sani is an APC member from Kaduna. He is optimistic that the girls can be rescued. So, the question for President Buhari and his APC leaders is: Why hasn’t Senator Sani been approached? Then there is one freelance journalist, Ahmed Salkida, who continues to insist that there is a way out. What has this administration done to engage? THOSE COMPLICIT President Muhammadu Buhari - for using the grief as a campaign issue. Goodluck Jonathan - his tardiness aided the escape as the first 48 hrs were wasted fiddling. Patience Jonathan - for bringing in theatrics and almost trivialising the matter. Governor Shettima - for leaving the school open even after the Federal Government had counselled against such. PDP - the party in power that could not live up to expectation. ACN/CPC/APC - the coalition that made so much issue and gain from the grief of the parents and the girls. In the final analysis, had those who could assist in halting the activities of the insurgents from the outset set to it, the evil of the day could have been extinguished. From what was once thought to be a Jonathan/PDP problem, the present administration, for all its preachments about defeating Boko Haram, must contend with the opprobrium of not being able to rescue the girls yet - as promised.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016 PAGE 15

By Ndahi Marama,

Maiduguri

‘Are Chibok girls still alive, pregnant or even dead?’

arents of the 219 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from Government Secondary School, Chibok in Chibok local government area of Borno State had fresh memories of their daughters with majority emotionally desperate to reunite with their children. The girls were kidnapped two years ago after a midnight attack on the school hostel. The parents cried at the top of their voices as they wore depressed faces when a delegation of government officials arrived the school on Thursday where the attack took place on April 14, 2014, to commemorate the second year since the abduction. Although quite a number of the girls escaped from their abductors with about 50 of them sponsored by Borno State government to complete their education in other schools outside the state, others were adopted by foreign humanitarian agencies and now schooling abroad. Meanwhile, the parents and, of course, residents of Chibok and the international community have remained with utmost concern for the failure to rescue the girls.

•The pains of the parents

THE ABDUCTION On that fateful day, some insurgents, who disguised in military uniform, stormed the school premises and persuaded the students that they were there with their trucks to ferry them to a safer place following sporadic shootings that engulfed the town. Not knowing that it was abduction in the making, most of the students entered the two trucks to a destination of no return. According to a teacher working in the school, “the abduction was perfectly planned as some people got the information before, and had asked some students to stay away from the school premises for a week, while the innocent ones were not informed of any development hence, they fell victim to the abductors”. Also, a security guard, who spoke to our correspondent, said, “ The school had no military personnel as they were redeployed from the school a week to C M Y K

the incident. “On the eve of the abduction, a senior staff of the school gave pass to some students from his village to go home and return after a week. “Staff that were left in the school were only those that were newly employed in January 2011… and these staff have less control over the students and the affairs related to the school. “ Some students, upon seeing their mates leaving the school in droves with official pass, also requested for pass but were denied by the school authority. “It is unfortunate that the insurgents came into the school claiming they were security personnel sent on rescue mission following the attacks on Chibok. “The schoolgirls, therefore, upon hearing that the insurgents were on rescue mission, innocently rushed to enter the truck brought by the insurgents. But, after noticing danger as the trucks headed to Sambisa forest, several of the girls jumped out of the trucks and escaped”. On the second anniversary of the kidnapping, some residents of Chibok expressed sadness that government could have rescued the girls but failed to do so due to negligence.

Chiroma Ali, a resident, said, “ It took almost 24 hours after the abduction before security operatives arrived the school... by which time the insurgents had taken the schoolgirls into Sambisa forest. “Had it been there was quick response by government and security forces, the girls would have been rescued from their abductors”. Another Chibok resident, Mr. James Ndurmbita, narrated, “When we discovered that our children had been abducted by the insurgents, and there was no security presence, parents and youths, armed with bows and arrows, went in search of the victims but could not find them.” The was sequel to the claim by the spokesman for the Defence Headquarters, Major Chris Olukolade, that over 88 of the abducted school girls had been rescued by the military, but this was denied by the parents, school principal and the then Borno State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Inuwa Kubo. In a related development, there were fears that the abducted girls may have been indoctrinated into being used as suicide bombers. But the Federal Government denied the possibility. A security expert echoed government position when he said the average age of the schoolgirls stood between 2225, contrary to the female suicide bombers used in attacks in Kano, Yobe, Gombe and Adamawa State whose ages were not up to 20. Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima; Minister of Environment and leader of the Federal Government’s delegation, Hajiya Amina Mohammed; Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Baba Shehuril; a founding member of the Bring Back Our Girls group and now Presidential Adviser on Social Protection, Mrs Maryam Uwais; another founding member of the BBOG, Hadiza Bala Usman; Senate Majority Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume; Senator Binta Mashi from Adamawa State and officials from Borno government were in Chibok last Thursday to meet the parents of the schoolgirls. The visitors traveled by road from Maiduguri for about three and a half hours passing through communities attacked by Boko Haram. Yakubu Keki, a leader of the parents of the 219 girls, read an emotional poetry to express how much they missed their daughters, hoping they would return. “We don’t know whether you are dead or alive, whether you have eaten or not, whether you are forced to do things you wouldn’t want to do or not, but

we miss you and pray for you”, Keki stated. “We cannot fathom your definite location and the condition you are in right now. Are you alive or dead? Are you pregnant, put to bed or empty? Have you eaten the food of your choice or forced to eat something against your will? Have you taken your bath today? How do you take care of yourself during your menstrual flow?” he asked. He said they were aware nobody could answer some of the posers except the abductors of their daughters, urging government to step up efforts at freeing the girls. He alleged the Federal Government was not doing enough to free the schoolgirls even as he appealed to the state government to rebuild their destroyed school. The parents expressed concern on government’s silence on the report of a presidential factfinding committee, set up former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to establish the facts surrounding the abduction of their children. The parents demanded that the findings at the committee be made public so that they will know if anyone has questions to answer. The committee had submitted it’s report in 2014 but the then Presidency didn’t make the report public. Shettima said his administration shared the pains of the Chibok parents and was working hard with the Federal Government for the release of the abducted schoolgirls. “We now have in President Muhammadu Buhari someone with very strong commitment to finding your daughters and ours. We are jointly working very hard and we won’t stop until they are reunited with you. I have daughters, I know exactly how you feel”, the governor told the parents. According to him, Jonathan should be blamed for the woes of the Chibok parents. He said the schoolgirls would have been freed few days after the abduction had the former president acted. “The president didn’t even believe the abduction took place. Perhaps that was why he and his wife never visited Chibok even for once. One noisy governor even recently said the abduction of our daughters was false. This clearly shows their mentality,” he said, urging the people to pray the more. He challenged the people to submit the lists of indigenous contractors of Chibok extraction to the government for consideration for the award of contracts for the building of new schools and hospital in Chibok. But the angry parents and relations of the abducted girls maintained only the release of their daughters could relieve their pains. Ndume and Binta, in their separate remarks, appealed to the parents and families of the girls to be united in prayers. Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Ibrahim, announced the FG donation of a truck of food items, clothing and money for the mothers of the missing girls.

PAGE 16—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

CHIBOK GIRLS

hey were stolen from their beds in a school dormitory – hundreds of teenage girls kidnapped by gunmen. A few dozen escaped to tell of the night that Boko Haram militants brought terror to a Nigerian girls’ school. From the rest, silence. No sign of where they had been taken or what could have happened to them for almost two years, even as the world screamed #BringBackOurGirls. Hundreds of parents left, day after day, night after night, and then months with no information. Until now. CNN has obtained a video of some of the “Chibok Girls” sent to negotiators by their captors as a “proof of life.” The video had been seen by negotiators and some members of the government. But no one had shown the parents. Until now. ‘Proof of life’ recording Rifkatu Ayuba catches sight of her longlost, desperately missed, now 17-year-old. “My Saratu!” she wails, reaching out to a laptop screen, the closest she’s been to her child in two years. She is desperate to comfort her little girl, but helpless. Saratu Ayuba is one of 15 girls seen in the recording shown to some of the families for the first time at an emotional meeting this week. Wearing a purple abaya, with a patterned brown scarf covering

her hair, Saratu stares directly into the camera. “I felt like removing her from the screen,” Ayuba tells us, desperate to pluck Saratu from the mysterious location where she is being held and bring her home. “If I could, I would have removed her from the screen.” The video is believed to have been made last December as part of negotiations between the government and Boko Haram. It was released by someone keen to give the girls’ parents hope that some of their daughters are still alive, and to motivate the government to help release them. The girls, their hair covered and wearing long, flowing robes, line up against a dirty yellow wall. They show no obvious signs of maltreatment. Scripted appeal As the camera focuses in on each of them, a man behind the camera fires off questions: “What’s your name? Was that your name at

C M Y K

New video as ‘proof of life’

school? Where were you taken from?” One by one, each girl calmly states her name and explains that she was taken from Chibok Government Secondary School. Only the occasional hesitation betrays a flicker of fear and emotion. As the two minute clip comes to an end, one of the girls, Naomi Zakaria, makes a final — apparently scripted — appeal to whoever is watching, urging the Nigerian authorities to help reunite the girls with their families. “I am speaking on 25 December 2015, on behalf of the all the Chibok girls and we are all well,” she says, stressing the word “all.” Her intonation seems to imply that the 15 teens seen in the video have been chosen to represent the group as a whole. The date given by Naomi matches information embedded in the video, suggesting it was filmed on Christmas Day, though whether that’s true or whether the day was picked deliberately is unknown. Most of the 276 girls taken from Chibok on April 14, 2014 were Christian. They are believed to have been forced to convert to Islam by their terrorist captors. Their kidnapping — and a lack of progress in tracking down and returning the girls — sparked mass protests in Nigeria and across the world, with luminaries including Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai joining the social media campaign to #BringBackOurGirls

Classmate’s lucky escape The Nigerian government says it has a copy of the “proof of life” video, and that it is in negotiations with those who supplied it to secure the girls’ release, but says it remains unable to confirm or reject the recording’s authenticity. Lai Mohammed, the country’s

Minister of Information, said there were concerns that the girls did not appear to have changed sufficiently, that they are not as different as one might expect, given the two years that have elapsed since their disappearance. CNN spoke to a classmate of the girls seen in the footage, who confirmed the identity of several of her friends. The soft-spoken teen, whose identity we will not reveal for her safety, was supposed to be at the school that Sunday night to sit exams along with the other girls, but made a last minute decision to go home, from where she could

hear the school being attacked. “We ran into the bush and stayed there for a month,” she says. Watching the video, she becomes emotional, exclaiming ‘Oh my God!’ as she recognizes a close friend, points out another who was in the same hostel as her, and identifies one of the school’s prefects, a leader in her class. While she considers herself one of the “lucky ones,” the teenager says she still has nightmares about the experience. “If I hear something on the news about them, it makes me have bad dreams and I cry,” she confides. READ MORE: The women who escaped Boko Haram Two years of pain Crowded around, their eyes glued to the computer screen, three of the girls’ mothers weep and hug each other. Rifkatu Ayuba, Yana Galang and Mary Ishaya made the 77 mile (125km) journey from Chibok to Maiduguri reluctantly, not knowing what was in store; accustomed to endless media requests and intrusions into their grief, they arrived world weary and

impatient. But this time it was different: there was a rare of glimmer of hope. We told them we had important information to share with them about their daughters. Then we explained that we had a video of girls we believed to be their daughters and we wanted their help to verify it. Clad in boldly-printed headscarves and wrappers, the trio sat in the courtyard of a Maiduguri hotel, and watched intently as we hit “play.” Within seconds, their worrylined faces crumpled, the bottled-up pain of the past two years flowed freely. Hardly able to speak through the tears, Ayuba and Ishaya were able to point out their daughters, Saratu and Hauwa in the crowd of young women on the screen. Plea for negotiations But for Galang, there was no such reward for her journey: She looked and looked, but her daughter Rifqata was not among the captives shown in the video. Her heartrending sobs as she came to realize this were difficult to hear. “We have seen enough,” she says eventually. “We know that the girls are alive and they are hidden. We are not worried. Our daughters look well. “We have heard a lot of stories before but this video confirms that they are alive. The government should negotiate with Boko Haram.” And there is comfort in this at least — to know that, even after two years, there is still a chance the girls will be brought home to their families. “I didn’t see my daughter but I now have more hope that she is alive,” she tells us and her friends. “You can see what is yours on the screen but you can’t get it. “All we want is our daughters.” •Courtesy: CNN

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016,

Chibok girls: Two years after the heist- matters arising

BY MORENIKE TAIRE

he day before April 14, 2015, very few peopleeven in Nigeria- had ever heard of Chibok before. Chibok, a Local Government Area in Borno State, Nigeria, located in the south of the state with headquarters in the town of Chibok, has an area of 1,350 km² and a population of 66,105 at the 2006 census. Then, on that fateful night that was to define the era, more than 500 girls in a secondary boarding school set about preparations for their final examinations in physics. Persons believed to be Boko Haram insurgents had made their way into the compound, making away with 276 of the girls. A few weeks later, 57 escaped. The Boko Haram phenomenon had by this time established itself as more than a threat of terrorism. Tellingly, the first attack of the endless series had been at the venue of the Independent Day celebration of 2010 , to be followed by a bomb blast at the United Nations headquarters in Abuja in August 2011, as well as the Police headquarters in June of the same year. Henry Okah, a foremost Niger Delta militant and one of those who presided over the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), had been arrested, indicted tried and convicted in South Africa as having masterminded the October 1 attack. The whole affair was shrouded in mystery, arousing political rather than factual sentiments. #Bringbackourgirls This decided lack of clarity has come to characterize the entire phenomenon, with the Chibok girls’ heist more disturbingly so. The girls who reportedly escaped- the most crucial linkhave been tenaciously shielded C M Y K

from local media, which in any case has little capacity in conflict reporting, having traditionally covered a relatively peaceful terrain. Nevertheless, a global movement was to be born. #Bringbackourgirls has the most unique characteristic of being as much a real time as a virtual movement, carrying along influencers around the world in the achieved quest to draw attention to the nefarious act and the still missing girls. In spite of the movement’s best efforts, the girls have not been brought home. Their captor and Boko Haram chieftain Shekau has leaked several videos in which the girls are to be seen in full Islamic regalia. On the second anniversary of their captivity last week, a video was leaked via CNN, showing a few of the girls looking robust and somewhat contented and has quickly come to be known as “proof of life” video. Countless protests were staged in the Nation’s capital cities- and indeed round the world- asking the Nigerian government to escalate efforts to find the Chibok girls and restore them to life and dignity. United States first lady Michelle Obama posted a tweet. The one led by former Minister and #BBOG leader Oby Ezekwesili was prevented from reaching the seat of government, an act that is attracting a great amount of criticism. Stranger than fiction Beyond the Movement and civil society, however, the initial enthusiasm appears to have waxed cold within the general populace who are a little confused about the facts and the lack of them. “Something about this whole thing just doesn’t add up”, says a female senior public relations practitioner. The Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, has expressed

Tackling the moneymen behind Boko Haram must be an essential part of the West’s anti-terror approach. At the same time, those politicians implicated in the terror funding scandal must be investigated without delay

strong misgivings about the mysterious new “proof of life” videos, wondering why they were not released earlier. Speaking to CNN, he said the girls did not look in the least distressed and did not appear to have changed very much in appearance. Also, A youth group, Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), last weekend queried the motive behind the release of the Chibok Girls video by CNN on the second anniversary of the girls’ abduction, as well as the authenticity of the video. President of the group, Adamu Adamu told journalists that from the analysis provided by CNN, the video was shot sometime around last December, but

wondered why the network held on to the video for several months and decided to release it on the second year anniversary. He said as heart breaking as those images from the videos are, they raised a lot of questions asserting that while the group appreciates Protection of sources as a non-negotiable requirement of journalism, Nigerians would be grateful if CNN is willing to assist the Nigerian authorities by providing information that could lead to the rescue of the girls. “Madam Secretary”, a television series which follows the life of Madam Secretary as the shrewd, calculating, and determined newly-appointed United States Secretary of States, McCord; aired an episode titled “Desperate Remedies” last week in honour of #Bringbackourgirls movement. The episode kicked off with a man named Chris Santumari in Maroua, Cameroon, trying to negotiate the release of 106 Nigerian school girls in exchange of five Boko Haram fighters. After an unsuccessful negotiation with Hadi Bangote who heads the sect, Chris returns to America to discuss what he knows about the deadly sect. Returning to America, he discovers he has contracted the Marburg virus (an Ebola-like virus which lives in African monkeys) during his stay in Africa. At the hospital, an experimental treatment that could save Chris is available, but they only have three doses of it. Also, the deadly sect leader Hadi, has contracted the Marburg virus. After Chris’ recovery, Elizabeth (Madam Secretary) sends him back to Cameroon, where he makes a deal with Hadi. He offers him the cure to stop the outbreak, in exchange of the missing girls. In the end, they stopped the outbreak and saved the 106 school girls. It is an incontrovertible fact, however, that truth is often stranger than fiction. Strategies: Negotiation or force? The previous administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan had flirted with using negotiation techniques to tease the girls out of the hands of their captors, a most unpopular idea at the time. Nigerians had been vehement against the very idea of negotiating with terrorists as had been the international community. Self-appointed Australian Boko Haram negotiator had however in 2014 accused opposition politicians of hindering the freedom and release of the Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in April that year. Davis, who had expressed frustration by a number of unsuccessful attempts to secure the release of the abducted

PAGE 17

schoolgirls, often spoke of a clear connection between the Chibok girls’ fate and cutting off the funding that is Boko Haram’s lifeblood. “Tackling the moneymen behind Boko Haram must be an essential part of the West’s antiterror approach. At the same time, those politicians implicated in the terror funding scandal must be investigated without delay. To do otherwise would mean unleashing untold trauma and devastation on hundreds more innocent Nigerian girls. To these young women and their families, the cost of further inaction would be incalculable.” Now Shehu Sani, a Nigerian Senator and activist from Kaduna State who had been involved in the negotiations says a combination of both would bring the desired results. Speaking to CNN and some local media, Sani says, “First of all is to explore the negotiation option and secondly is to continue using force. The third option is to use force and still open the door for negotiation, which is the one which I prefer because the use of force is still a clear message to the insurgents that they cannot win the military” Highlighting the fact that the girls were on the terrorists’ camp as hostages he cautions that “attempt to use force to rescue them naturally comes with consequences”. On the other hand, Former British Prime Minister and UN envoy Gordon Brown recently suggested the United Nations Security Council could intervene and encourage the Nigerians — with the support of the Americans, the French, the Chinese and the British — to undertake enhanced air surveillance and potential action on the ground to secure the release of the girls. “To show the kidnappers will be punished, the Security Council should adopt a resolution that holds the perpetrators of future child abductions accountable so that the full weight of international pressure is brought to bear. Attacks on schools, colleges and universities are crimes against humanity. And the international community should ensure the funds for guards, for cameras and simple gates to protect schools in conflict zones”. What Nigeria is saying. “Nigeria is on international news again!” Says a Canada leader of Nigeria in Diaspora Organization (NIDO). “BBC, CNN and other international media houses have all obtained and are airing the “Proof of life” video of the Chibok girls! It is heartbreaking to see in real terms, the absolute dereliction of duty, incompetence and undeniable failure of the last administration. I appeal to the Buhari administration to use every resource at its disposal and leave no stone unturned (including the possibility of using mercenaries or PMC firms if necessary) to see these girls returned to their rightful places. These girls are Nigerian citizens - their freedom is non-negotiable! They are our daughters and their freedom speaks to our humanity and represents our best values as a nation! A failure to do the needful is a failure in leadership that will neither be forgotten nor forgiven”. As President Muhammadu Buhari said in his inaugural address to the nation, we could not claim to “have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents”

PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

Do you know whose phones your teenage daughter is sending her nude pictures? A

fter the widely p u b l i s h e d experience of Cynthia in the hands of her facebook predators about two years ago which eventually led to her gruesome death in an hotel room thousands of miles from her residence., a lot of shocking facts have emerged about the atrocities people commit online. In a devastating book released about a year ago, Choe Combi highlighted cases of teenagers who she interviewed for her book , who are caught in the webs of internet usage gone wild. Rachel, she reported, “is a bright, pretty 17 -year old who wants to study medicine. She has lots of friends and when they can slip or charm their way past the watchful bouncers of bars, they like to drink cocktails and enjoy being nearly grown up. She gets on with her parents and younger brother and her teachers praise her. Once a week, usually Sunday night, she performs solo sex acts on camera for a man she has never met called David. After talking to her online for about three months, David persuaded Rachel to start what she calls ‘the sex stuff ’. He now has enough ‘sex stuff ’ of Rachel on tape that she feels she can neither break contact with him nor stop doing what he asked of her. “Michael has just turned 16. He has been watching hard-core pornography since he was 12 on either the laptop or iPhone that his parents bought for him. He has, by his own admission, seen ‘every sex act known to man’ in his pornography- viewing career, though he is yet to have sex. He doesn’t see much wrong with watching porn but he does admit to being unable to stop, despite ‘sometimes trying to’.” A few months back, I was appalled when the graphic picture of an adult who

should know better popped up on my WhatsApp. The foolish woman, naked and spread-eagled was supposed to have posed for a lover who forgot to delete the evidence. His snoopy wife got hold of his phone and off-loaded the picture on facebook for all to see. Heavens know what could have happened to her as a few months later, the same picture was posted, with a different caption alleging she’d since committed suicide. That sounded like an embellished truth to me. However, these examples are just a few of the shocking experiences a lot of teenagers encounter whilst ‘surfing the net.’ It is perhaps difficult for adult to understand what the internet means to today’s teenagers and, therefore, they find it hard to comprehend how any of the examples are really happening. “For most of us,” wrote Combi, “the internet is a convenient form of communication, a mode of entertainment, which generally makes our lives easier. For teenagers, it is a window into the world, an identity, a friend, a parent, a guide, a bounty of information, an endless

supply of entertainment, a friendship maker or breaker, a source of heartache and a million other things. It is something they obey and seriously believe they cannot do without. This is the first generation that grew up from birth under the internet’s watchful eye. It informs and shapes their identity and is the most influential aspect of modem teenage life. Certainly teenagers are more introspective than ever. Being plugged in online 24/7 means that they don’t even have to leave their bedrooms to communicate, socialise or meet new people. “Friendships and relationships are no longer forged in playgrounds on each other’s houses but on socii\l media; on facebook pages and other sites where being ‘liked’ in the virtual world counts for more than someone saying ‘I like you’ in person. Bullying is no longer a shove in the corridor or a freezing out of a friendship group but expressed in multiple texts or online messages where the victim might have no clue of the sender’s identity. Teenage girls and boys no

longer seek sex education from textbooks with anatomical diagrams, giggling friends or flustered parents, they can get it from films with titles like Teen Ass 2, which they can access on the smartphones that they carry with them at all times. New figures have also revealed that sexualised images of women on social media have led to an increase in emotional problems among young girls. Teenagers rarely measure self-esteem or selfworth against personal and scholastic achievements, however brilliant they are, but increasingly by how many people tell them they are ‘hot’ on the photosharing website Instagram or other forms of social media. “Everyone wants to be an Instagram queen,” said Combi ~and adults don’t get it. You can be ‘Instagram famous’ without being fampous at all in the real world. To be Instagram famous, you have to be amazing-looking and have the clothes and the body and do amazing things. “In a way, the most worrying fact in all this is that neither the internet nor social media is going away.

walked the Earth. Yet we disrespect, abuse and mistreat them. Let's look at them this way and tell me if I am lying. Women are the only creatures that can change surnames just for the sake of love. They are most easiest creatures to be convinced, and they trust completely in what or who they believe in.

OUR column to express your loving thoughts in words to your sweetheart. Don’t be shy. Let it flow and let him or her know how dearly you feel. Write now in not more than 75 words to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E.mail: sunlovenotes@yahoo.com Please mark your envelope: “LOVE NOTES"

WOMEN ARE SWEET GIFTS

Women are the most wonderful creatures to have

They are one of the few creatures that love from the bottom of their hearts. They are the creatures that can go to bed with an empty stomach, just to make sure their children feed well. They can even trade their most valued belongings just to buy food for their children, and also see them smiling. They are always ready to sacrifice their lives to save the lives of their children. They stoop over the fireplace in the kitchen

As the 21st century develops, all of us, but particularly the young, are going to become more entrenched in our carefully constructed online worlds and identities. It is increasingly important that parents and guardians insist on their teenagers living, communicating, forming opinions and experiencing things in the real world. It is crucial for all young people to know that nearly everything online is constructed or fake. Sex in the real world is different. Violence in the real world is different. People in the real world are different. And as alluring, fun and glamorous as the internet can be, reality, with all its imperfections, is so much better.” Winner Takes All? While Abe Rosen waited at the Pearly gates, St. Peter thumped through is lengthy personal file with an ever darkening frown. Finally he said, “I am afraid you can’t come in Mr. Rosen. Look at this file,” said St. Peter, “it’s nothing but good deeds, practically every day. The problem is Abe, we’ve got popes, archbishops and rabbis up here and if we let you in with this impeccable record, it would cause great embarrassment to the social order, not to mention putting a few pontifical noses out of joint. We can’t have a mere tailor coming up here with a clean state.” Old Abe didn’t protest. He was that type of bloke. “Tell you what?,” said St. Peter, leaning forward on the counter in a confiding manner. “I’ll zap you back to earth for the afternoon. You’ve got six hours to plot you a copy book with a little sin. Do you think you could commit just one minor infringement? Then we could let you in without disturbing the hierarchy up here.” Abe said he would do his best, and in a flash he found himself sitting in his

lounge chair by the fireplace in his flat. The mantle-piece clock chimed 12 noon and he began thinking “ what sin could I commit?” He didn’t smoke. He didn’t like strong drink and no way would he risk a dime on a horse. He spent the first three hours racking his brain before he remembered the middleaged spinster in the flat above, Miss Leon. Yes, it was definitely a sin to make love to a woman to whom you were not married. And hadn’t Miss Leon gone out of her way at the last Body Corporate social function by deliberately sitting beside him, offering him tea and biscuits? “That’s what I’ll do,” he thought, and putting on his coat, he made his way up to her flat and knocked on the door. “Oh Mr. Rosen,” she said, “this is a surprise. Last thing I am hearing of you is that you are very sick, maybe dying. Will you come in for a glass of tea?” Rosen sat there sipping tea, checking his watch and mentally noting that his life was fast ticking away while he was wasting time with small talk. By five 0' clock, he was beginning to panic as he realised there was no tactful way to dive into sin; so suddenly he jumped up, grabbed Miss Leon, pushed her into the bedroom, ripped off her clothes and threw her on the bed. Then he sinned. And while he was at it, he thought that if this was to be the only sin in his life, he might as well give it all he had. About five-to-six, he began to feel life slipping away and he got out of bed to reach for his clothes. He turned to smile down at Miss Leon and said: “Miss Leon, I want to thank you. This afternoon you have shown me the way to heaven.” Miss Leon looked up with a tired little smile. “ Mr. Rosen,” she said: “You shouldn’t mention it. Only me and the good Lord will know what a good deed you have done for me today!”

inhaling the smoke without complaining, just to prepare something for their children and husbands to eat. They are the only creatures that can abandon their biological family and start up a new home with a 'stranger'. Even when they are battling with the pains of pregnancy, they busy themselves looking after their husbands and children and even working on the farms. Infact! A million kisses to you all wonderful females and Mothers of the Earth...... To my awesome Mom,MRS J.U Onunaku,I love you so much.

Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015. #KriSpiratiOn2016

SUND AY Vanguard , APRIL 17 , 2016, P AGE 19 SUNDA

The time will come when all you’ll have are memories!

HATEVER your view on sex is, the fact remains it’s recently been stripped of its cloak and dagger mystery. Where men once bragged of the number of notches on their bed-posts, women now don’t see sex as a ‘chop and wipe mouth’ phenomenon. They see it as of right - they want it, if it’s available, they take as much as they want. No guilt. Just emotional satisfaction. Ini and I were at Lilians recently and, naturally the banter skirted around sex. Lilian’s cousin Betty ’s ‘problem’ came up for serious consideration. According to Lilian, Betty believes her body was made for sex! “Only, Betty doesn’t know the enormity of the type of fire she’s playing with,” sighed Lilian. “She confessed she’s addicted to sex because whenever the opportunity of having a shag presents itself, she said she couldn’t stop herself from taking it. She is seemingly happily married to a responsible man. They have three lovely kids and a good sex life. Betty is an assistant director in one of the ministries and travels a lot within the country for her ministr y. A ver y osmopolitan lady and pretty, she gets hit on all the time. According to her: “When someone pays me attention or reacts to me in a sexual way, I feel this urge to take them up on it and seldom say no to sex though my head wants to. “On my last business trip, I slept with three men in a week. Whenever we’re playing the seduction game, I’m very much

aroused and feel good about myself. But, the minute sex is over, I’m overwhelmed with shame. I always use condom as I wouldn’t want to pass on any disease to my husband and I only sleep around when I’m away. My husband doesn’t suspect a thing as a result and I’ve got away with this for years”. Whenever I go back home, I am the old loving wife and mother that glues the family.’ “She told me she is now wracked with guilt and wants to stop but doesn’t know how,” Lilian concluded, her eyes resting on me. But what has it got to do with me? I can’t always have the answers to everybody’s shenanigans, can I? I told my friend that wanting to have sex with lots of different people

other than your partner makes you a sex addict. You’re simply giving into temptation. Discussing this later with a friend who’s a sort of relationship counsellor, she told me Betty’s case is not as unusual as we all thought. “It’s common for people who have problems with sex and love addiction to feel powerless to control their urges,” she said. “They often feel ‘high’ beforehand, then tip over into a dark void of depression and regret the minute it is over. “Betty has sex because her body wants to, rather than her head, and she’s having it with men she has no emotional attachment to. For all you know, these could be signs she’s got other genuine problems. Love and sex addicts have sex with

strangers. Betty doesn’t have this problem as she’s already attractive and confident. Sex addicts often have bad relationships or find it hard to sustain loving, romantic relationships. Not Betty. She’s happily married with healthy kids. She’s clearly capable of being faithful because she only has sex with other men when she’s away from her husband. What she sees as a neutral ground in her warped mind. “If you search deeply enough, you’ll realise Betty could be boasting in spite of her exploits. She loves sex, she’s been having illicit men for years without getting caught, but there’s only every day for the thief and one day for the owner. Her kids are growing up, and she’s not getting younger. What happens

when one of these men she’s sampled come to her state and meet her husband by accident? Or, if ny of the children gets to know in future? Illicit sex might be fun; we’re all guilty of it, but actually gurging on the stuff is plain greedy. It’s no longer news that seldom do marriages break because of infidelity, especially in a polygamous setting. You get hitched to two or three women at a go and you honestly expect these women to be aithful? Just how conceited can you get? Even monogamous marriages have their share of temptation they say no to. “Why would I send my wife packing because she slept with another man?” asked Kay, an old friend. “I have been married only once and have all my five children by my legal wife. We don’t live together but once in a while, when I’m between ‘ wives, we have sex. Wouldn’t it be hypocritical if I now start sniffing around the house wanting to know how many men she’s slept with? Even in my office, there is this male colleague, in senior management post who’s been sleeping with a clerk in the computer room for years. Now tell me, could the husband of this woman who spends a lot more than she earns pretend his wife knows how to stretch her income further than it ought to go? “As long as you’re careful, I urge everyone to make the most of their sexual opportunities. Believe it or not, a time would come when all you could do is ‘lick’ and not chop!’

08052201867(Text Only)

Dealing with excess body fat

lady I know once said to me, ''I want to do yoga, but how soon do I start to see results?'' I simply looked her in the eyes and shot back, “about half the time that it has taken you to acquire your excess baggage.” Trouble with most people when they take up some fitness regime to correct what they have allowed to go wrong with their bodies, is the expectation of a miracle - instant results. But, fat bodies like fast food will bring problems in their wake. Apart from the seriousness that accompany crash exercises, there is also the problem of anxiety to be dealt with. I

think the best attitude with which to get into a fitness routine is resolving to make it’ a way of life.’ Dr. George Sheehan advises, “become a life long athlete.” What is meant is constancy and diligence in practice. This done, everything will come your way, namely, shamefulness, fitness, strength of body and mind, in short, all the good things that a healthy body has to offer. A certain amount of curiosity and a self-help mentality are also very necessary qualities to inculcate into the personality make-up.

Read up on good eating and other healthy living habits and seek to make them a part of your life. It is not good to do all the wrong things, then one day look at yourself in the mirror and say: I don’t like what I see, I want a bit off here, a bit off there, oh, my God, a bit off everywhere, really? The fact that you are reading this means you want a change for yourself. A change for a healthier, more responsive body. Having made the decision, resolve to have the tenacity of purpose. It will be your greatest asset in your bid to improve on your body. With it, your ‘dream’ body will become your ‘ real’

body. The following are some yoga exercises to help you reduce weight, firm thighs and the buttocks. A must for ladies with the problem of cellulite. The Leg Pull The Leg Pull is done this way. ‘Sit with legs stretched out before. Now place the sole of the left foot against the upper inside of the right thigh. Raise both arms overhead. Lean backward as far as possible and coming forward grab hold of whatever part of the right leg you can with both hands. Be careful not to over strain. 'Bend your elbows and pull the trunk slowly downward and at the same time turn the right shoulder downward and the left shoulder upward. Breath slowly and deeply.

'After a comfortable while, release hold and gently straighten up. Perform similar movements with the left leg. Go over from right to left legs three times in all.' Apart, from the ‘selfmassaging’ effect of this posture to deal with cellulite and tension, fatigue are also relieved throughout the legs. The Locus This is the next exercise effectively deals with excess weight, firms, streamlines and develops the buttocks, hips, thighs and legs. To perform the Locus, lie face down with the chin on the floor and place the fists on the floor beside the thighs. Breathe in deeply, regaining the breadth, push legs as high as you can. Remain a while like this, then bring down both legs and exhale. Take a short rest and repeat. If it is too difficult raising both legs in one go, take the described position, but raise one leg for a while, lower it, and then repeat with the other leg.

Yoga Classes STARTED Physical Therapy Centre

* The Leg Pull

* The Locus

@ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 10.00am — 11.00am on Saturdays

PAGE 20 — SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

Focus on Buhari’s cabinet “An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 105). hey can still be called a cabinet now; but, if care is not taken they will be regarded as a circus. Buhari had created a world record – five months -- assembling “a dream team”. Five months is a long time to accomplish what other global leaders historically had finished in less than a month. So, something extraordinary was expected from the delay. Instead, what emerged was a team which is remarkable for the ordinariness of most of its members. A few man-forman comparisons would help us to appraise the outcome of the delay – which was hailed as sagacious by Buhari’s Halleluya singers. The Attorney General and Minister for Justice is light years behind Prince Bola Ajibola – who left the office to become a Justice of the World Court. It is doubtful if anybody had brought

superior credentials to the Ministry of Education than Professor Jibril Aminu. Dr Kalu Idika Kalu was already a globally acclaimed economist, an ASPAU scholar, whose experience, at the World Bank, included helping to shape South Korea’s economic miracle. He was Minister of Finance. Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, another ASPAU scholar, was External Affairs Minister. Professor Ndachaba was in charge of Agriculture. Dr Okongwu was the Minister for Budget. He was also a World Bank alumnus. All these, as well as others, too numerous to mention, were appointed by Babangida in less than six weeks. Where is the super star among the lot it took five months to select to compare with these stars – who still shine till today? Obviously, it is not how long it takes to recruit but how good a pool one is choosing from that determines the outcome. Now that we know them, it can be asserted that Buhari could sack the entire cabinet and replace them, ten times over, with men and women with comparable

Push and Pull... What a carry on! “Press on – nothing can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent.”—Calvin Coolidge igeria is a gift that keeps on giving.There never was a day without drama,except that is, for more drama! infact, Nigeria is in a drama filled fest and it shows no sign of abating anytime soon. I must start with the Chibok girls. April 14th,2014, marked the day that 276 missing girls were taken from the Government Girls Secondary School in the town by Boko Haram insurgents and most of them remain in captivity. The abduction gave rise to the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement which saw world leaders joining calls for the girls’ rescue. And in the last two years these impious monsters have taunted the families,the community, the country and the whole world.

They paraded the young girls like cattle and promised to sell them off to their fighters and make them subservience and bend their will . We have not forgotten the girls and the eyes of the world remains on the Boko Haram and the collective prayers are that the girls are returned safely to their parents. Like a lot of people, I did not know that Chibok was a place in Nigeria, until the abduction of the young girls by Boko Haram in Chibok in April, 2014, not many people knew. Since then, Chibok is now forever linked with the abduction of the girls and the futility of retrieving the girls out of the evil clutches of BH. Two years and we are nowhere near bringing the girls back to their family and their community. Last year,I wrote about the girls on the anniversary of their abduction in my column: Gruesome tales,2015 :”So last week,while watching BBC Panorama TV programme, I was intrigued to hear some news of what happened to the Chibok girls. If it is to be believed, the programme, interviewed witnesses and

credentials without loss of effectiveness. The real worry is that the President runs the risk of being discredited by the people he had taken so long to appoint. Based on their performance and utterances so far, they can be categorized in many ways – few of which are flattering to their ego or that of their boss. Two have already declared they are not magicians – the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Kacikwu, who had become more famous than the President and Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development. Since Kachikwu’s pronouncement had already gone viral, there is no need to repeat it. Chief Ogbeh’s announcement, because it was tucked into a corner of the PUNCH on April 8, 2016, page 30, must have escaped the attention of most readers of newspapers – except your faithful servants at UniJankara. According to Ogbeh, “You can’t borrow in this country to fund agriculture. Yet, they want us to do magic.” It is difficult to know who Ogbeh regards as “they” who want him to replace “Professor Peller ”, but any adult in Nigeria in the last thirty years must have known that banks don’t fund agriculture except when the clients have obtained Duty Waiver from corrupt government officials. The CHANGE, not magic, Nigerians expected, is for a Minister and a government that would compel the banks to fund agriculture. Ogbeh and his boss know what to do if he cannot do this. At any rate, it is annoying when officials who are bereft of ideas define themselves in worryingly,it seems to infer that some of the abductees are now being used to terrorise other captives,each other or carry out terror on behalf of Boko Haram. For those who are quick to judge and throw the proverbial baby with the bathwater,do understand this;these girls are living under extraordinary circumstances and are likely brainwashed or simply compelled to go along for the sake of selfpreservation.Their behaviour can be explained in a similar case over three decades ago, it was then that such behavoiur was given a terminology to explain such phenomena,called the Stockholm syndrome. This is often described as “bonding with the captor” the captive starts expressing empathy and feelings of loyalty towards their captors and would go on to defend and identify with captors ideals. It is quite traumatic living day in, day out seeing people dying or being killed with total abandonment and disregard for the sanctity of human lives.The trauma that these young girls must have had to endure including being traded like commodity and used as sex slaves by these raiders. I will continue to sound a word of caution; that when these girls are found or when they return,they would need and should receive some intensive psychological intervention in order to return to living a normal life. It is doubtful, if the girls can ever regain the idyllic existence they once had, before the abduction. This week, we

negative terms. When Jonathan tried to excuse his lack of will to discipline his subordinates, he said, “I am not a dictator, or a lion or a tiger..” That prompted me to ask on these pages, “What Are You Sir?” Perhaps, now that Kachikwu and Ogbeh had told us what they are not, they will quickly tell us what they are. There are various vacancies in a circus, apart from magicians. The circus

If those who had talked, Ministers of Information, Finance, Power, Justice, and Communications (to mention a few) give us anxieties, those who had remained silent are perplexing. The vast majority of those Buhari carefully selected are as good as Egyptian mummies. They are silent; nobody knows what they are doing, if anything or what they plan to do also needs comedians; and the Buhari team is getting dangerously close to becoming one. “Some act [even talk] and think later, and they only think of excuses more than consequences…” said Professor Kenneth Galbraith (VBQ p 2). Those who attended a workshop on Security, organized by the Gusau Institute, late last year, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua watched,the CNN documentary,where some of the girls were once again, paraded for the world to see.CNN shared the video with the parents of the missing girls and this is the first time that the parents have sent sight at their children for two years. The agony and pain etched in the faces of their mothers and the despair mixed with a modicum of relief. One of the mothers recognised her now 17 year old daughter, she became quite tearful and wished

If there are problems with the budget, by all means come up with solution and stop beating the chests, stop the delay she could pick her daugher from the screen and comfort her. One of the girls,Naomi Zakaria, spoke directly to whoever was watching to appeal to the Nigerian authorites to help reuninites the girls with their familes. I wish next year, I would like many well wishers look forward to hear that the girls have returned to their parents and their community. Budget in or out Like I said Nigeria,is like a soap opera,full of drama except this one has been simmering for a while in my column;The aggressor will fall on his own sword on june 9,2013. I wrote:” Rotimi Ameachi and the trouble between him

Conference Centre, would recollect Dr Kachikwu bringing down the roof with applause when he announced that the NNPC was deploying drones to fight pipeline vandalism. A quick check with a trusted insider at NNPC revealed that nothing of the sort had been discussed. The announcement made headlines in several newspapers the next day. That was the last anybody heard of drones. Surely, the reader must remember when Nigerians were told that Warri refinery was operating and would soon be joined by all the others. Today, we import 100% of our fuel once again. Do we need a magician to keep standing on one spot? Any clown, in a circus, can help us do that. As this column is being written on Saturday, April 9, 2016, my car is still stuck in the queue at the only filling station out of five, with fuel, around Campos Square, Lagos. The scarcity which Kachikwu promised would vanish by Thursday, April 7, 2016 is still very much with us. A walk through various parts of Lagos Island confirmed that the situation was the same all over. That leads to the question: can anybody actually believe the man’s promise about ending it all in two months? Given the track record, it is hard to believe him. But, May is just round the corner. If those who had talked, Ministers of Information, Finance, Power, Justice, and Communications (to mention a few) give us anxieties, those who had remained silent are perplexing. The vast majority of those Buhari

carefully selected are as good as Egyptian mummies. They are silent; nobody knows what they are doing, if anything or what they plan to do. It is a natural wonder why it took so long to appoint so many ventriloquists; who may be ideal for a circus but not a cabinet. “Water is life”, said Greek philosopher Thales, 650-546 B.C. We are in April, and no rain. A drought might be developing. But, neither the Minister for Water Resources, nor Agriculture nor the Meteorological Services had made an official announcement to alert farmers. For all we know famine might re-visit us. If it happens Nigerians will be given excuses fit for a circus. who had talked, Ministers of Information, Finance, Power, Justice, and Communications (to mention a few) give us anxieties, those who had remained silent are perplexing. The vast majority of those Buhari carefully selected are as good as Egyptian mummies. They are silent; nobody knows what they are doing, if anything or what they plan to do. It is a natural wonder why it took so long to appoint so many ventriloquists; who may be ideal for a circus but not a cabinet. “Water is life”, said Greek philosopher Thales, 650-546 B.C. We are in April, and no rain. A drought might be developing. But, neither the Minister for Water Resources, nor Agriculture nor the Meteorological Services had made an official announcement to alert farmers. For all we know famine might re-visit us. If it happens Nigerians will be given excuses fit for a circus.

and GEJ. So, fast forward two weeks, it does not look as if the fight is abating anytime soon. On the contrary, it seems that the fight has been nudged up another level,to isolate, intimidate and humiliate Governor Rotimi Ameachi. The assault is reaching a crescendo of an enormous magnitude that only can be imagined taking place in the dark, shady and mucky dealings of the political occult. This audacious gerrymandering and devilmay-care attitude by the so called movers and shakers of the PDP is been played out in full view of the Nigerian public. I am sure that the heavies and bullies think that they are untouchable. They must feel so confident that the power they have mustered to coerce and usurp an incumbent governor is fair game. So,the Governors’ Forum returned Ameachi as the chair of the body to the displeasure of the mischief makers. Amaechi,the incumbent chairman of the Governor ’s Forum, won with 19 votes to 16, despite the fact that one governor was absent. The governors voted and elected him and Amaechi remains in post as the chair of the forum” Please stay with me here,now in 2016,new administration and new president. There seem to be a problem passing the budget, and the Senators from the Southern part of Nigeria have asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to withhold his assent on the 2016 budget if the Appropriation Committees of both

chambers of the National Assembly refused to include the N60bn Calabar to Lagos rail project in the 2016 appropriation bill. The Senate and the House of Representatives have promised to refuse to pass the budget if it includes the Calabar to Lagos rail project. prior to that,the budget went missing, then it was that it was riddled with errors and then it reappeared with an addendum:the Calabar to Lagos rail Project! they had said that the the president had ask the federal parliament to include the project, yes, that project in the 2016 budget that is already passed and that the lawmakers are demanding supplementary appropriation. Oh how the plot thickens! There is a lot of political muscle going on. Can the lawmakers get on with the job at hand. May I remind that this is one of the reasons why they were elected. Their filibustering affects the electorates and their livelihood. If there are problems with the budget, by all means come up with solution and stop beating the chests, stop the delay . What is the purpose of the committees? They should expedite the process so that the citizens are not held to ransom. I do think there is more than the eye in this power play and the people who rely on the machinery of economy running smoothly will suffer. No one will come out of this smelling of roses. Some have said this drama is a tit for tat and that some have come to collect and will drag this budget saga for awhile longer.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 21

Tecno remains committed to delivering best technologies to consumers, MD reassures

How Babcock University is producing digital students for labour market — Prof. Tayo P

rof. Ademola Tayo is the new ViceChancellor of Babcock University. While unveiling his vision to transform the university into a total digital classroom and campus and for 21st Century learning experience for students, lecturers and parents, the new VC in this interview with Technology Journalists in Ogun State said that he was committed to producing digital students for tomorrow’s workforce. Excerpt: BY EMEKA AGINAM

My vision for Babcock University he vision of this present administration is to consolidate on the gains of the previous administration particularly on the area of Information Technology to drive e-learning in the 21st century education. Although Babcock University has been leveraging on IT, this new administration will push it further. That is why we are collaborating with the WiniGroup/IVETEC to implement a Total Classroom and Campus Digital Revolution (TCCDR), the first of its kind Nigeria. It is designed to reposition our model of delivery to ensure better assimilation and creativity from students and make lecturers more productive. The TCCDR project is an end-to-end, first-of-its-kind-

robust collaborative e-learning designed to enable the students, lecturers and parents and the school administrators collaborate in a new integrated way that will further enhance academic excellence and boost our university’s global ranking as a foremost technologydriven university in the same league with the best universities in the world. We will use cutting edge technologies to deliver lectures to students. There will be a software application whereby parents will be able to monitor the progress of their children’s academic work. With the project, the era of chalk has gone. All our classrooms are installed with projectors, inverters, interactive technologies, in-motionbiometrics, and best-in-classsoftware that will make learning more creative. The new administration is very passionate about using

•Prof. Tayo technology to deliver lectures to the students. With the project, all our lecturers have gone through intensive training on TCCD technologies and about five hundred (500) new HP laptops are being distributed to the lecturers as we speak. The TCCDR project will make our students relevant academically locally and internationally. At the end of the day, we will be producing

We use cutting edge technologies to deliver lectures to students

FG, Samsung to digitalise 104 unity schools in Nigeria

sing technology to transform Nigerian educational system has received a boost as Samsung Electronics West Africa in partnership wit the Federal Government and Skool Media will digitalize 104 unity schools in Nigeria on the platform of mobile learning. This development would provide students with the opportunity to have their classrooms literally put in their palms. With the new development, Samsung tablet devices will be paired with relevant and applicable educational content customized with Skool Media content, while also kitting classrooms across these Unity schools with Samsung Electronic Boards, Wireless Printers and wireless connectivity. The aim of this is to turn classrooms across Nigeria into “Smart classrooms” where learning is practical, fun, progressive and impactful. The Director, Business to Business, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Charles Ojei who spoke on the partnership said “This Solution provides tablets for students with relevant and C M Y K

practical educational content hence putting the classroom in the palms of the students. This makes the classroom interactive, collaborative and conducive for students and teachers. The

solution also provides security of the device and helps the schools filters contents consumed by students. It makes the device purely for academic purpose.”

digital students for 21st century challenges. Addressing power challenge To address the power challenge and achieve virtual classroom, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, for an Independent Power Project, IPP, which will totally crash down the amount we spend on power. This is to ensure regular power supply at reasonable cost. What we are trying to do is to block leakages, particularly now that we have many private universities that are coming up right now. We are very sensitive to that and as a notfor-profit institution; we want to be sure that we do not push the parents beyond their means. We will do our best to ensure that what is reasonable is what we give to our students and their parents but at the same time we do not want to compromise when it comes to quality. I can assure you that we will take everything into consideration because we are non-profit organization, we do not want to put too much pressure on our students and parents.

Ericsson’s tech for good initiatives positively impact 20m people globally

y the end of 2015, an estimated 20 million people had been directly impacted by Ericsson’s Technology for Good initiatives, Ericsson 23rd annual Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility report released yesterday has revealed. The report among other things detailed the company ’s performance in 2015 in three areas including responsible business; energy, environment and climate change; and communication for all. The report also highlighted how Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can enable all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and

even has the potential to accelerate their achievement. Speaking on the development, Hans Vestberg, President and Chief Executive Officer Ericsson said that, “The SDGs lay out a clear path to a more sustainable world, and ICT is a powerful lever to make that happen. We intend to build on our momentum from 2015 so everyone can benefit from the opportunities afforded by the Networked Society.”, he said. Speaking on the new report, Fredrik Jejdling, Head of Region, Ericsson SubSaharan Africa, in a telephone interview at the weekend said that the technology company will continue to impact lives of people globally through innovative solutions.

“The impact of our sustainable business practices and corporate responsibility initiatives in this region is bearing fruit and we remain inspired to work with our stakeholders to create a positive impact in society. With fully leveraged connectivity, we connect the unconnected, improve livelihood, and help cities become more sustainable, creating value for the continent as a whole”, he said. For Elaine WeidmanGrunewald, Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson, “By embedding sustainability and corporate responsibility into our business, we have a strong platform for progress and positive impacts.

he new Managing Director of Tecno Mobile, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo at the weekend reassured that the mobile phone maker, Tecno was committed to delivering the best technologies to the end users just as it continues to impact Nigerian communities through projects that touch lives. Okonkwo who stated this in Lagos recently during the unveiling of the company’s next generation music phone, the Tecno Boom J8 with the latest operating system, HIOS told the gathering that Tecno will continue to build products and solutions tailored to the Nigerian environment. At the core of all our endeavours is a burning desire to empower mobile users through their experience of the brand, he said. “Over the years, our team of software developers has worked tirelessly to create a unique user experience across all Tecno mobile devices; to tailor a user interface so intuitive that it truly embodies the spirit of the Tecno brand-it was a huge task, but today we are pleased to say we’ve achieved that goal”, he said. Speaking on the new device, he explained that the company’s next generation music phone, Tecno Boom J8 runs on our custom tailored operating system, the HiOS. He said that the smartphone comes pre-installed with the Boom player app , Africa’s largest in-app music library and the new Palmchat 5.2 social messaging app. “This uniquely tailored android 5.1 OS flaunts Tecno’s own expression of mobile user interface-the HiOS’ UI is nothing like mobile users have experienced before”, he added. He further explained that the new device is a total upgrade on all predecessor music phones Tecno has released in the past years. Its high-end specifications is testament to this claim, he said. The new device, according to him flaunts an upgraded 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory expandable to 132GB, its immersive 5.5" IPS HD touch screen rests on an ultra-slim 3.5mm premium plastic unibody, tipping the scale on first impression towards the highend range. Nothing that the retail price of the device tells a different story, he informed that Boom J8 camera got a boost, up from 8.0MP back camera in its predecessor, the Boom J7, to 13MP AF Back/5.0MP Front geo-tagging cameras with dual LED flash.

PAGE 22—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

By Adejuwon Soyinka

e means different things to different people. To some, he is a workaholic. To others, he is the governor of the masses, a deeply passionate leader through whose arteries, the overall best interest of the people, flows just like blood. Yet to some others, he is a purpose-driven, prudent manager of human and material resources committed to permanently changing the look and feel of Ogun State through his Mission to Rebuild. But from whichever perspective he is viewed, one thing is however constant and that is the fact that Senator Ibikunle Amosun as governor of Ogun State is one man who constantly shy away from accolades, awards and recognitions inspite of the fact that his achievements in office in the last five years, easily recommend him for many of such. “For me, awards and recognitions are best when they come after we must have left office and people access our efforts and achievements in office,” Amosun would say each time the subject matter is broached. However, inspite of his near aversion for awards and recognitions, Governor Amosun, like a golden fish that his sterling performance in office has made him, has no hiding place. He is constantly, literally chased around with awards, accolades and recognitions for the unparallel record of achievement that he has garnered since he assumed office as the duly elected governor of Ogun State on May 29, 2011. In a society where many are known to pay and literally solicit awards, Governor Amosun has turned down several. It therefore came as a pleasant surprise when some of us, his aides were able to convince him to be physically present to receive the 2015 Vanguard Personality of the Year Award which he won in the Governor of the Year category and was presented to him on Friday, April 8, 2016 at the Eko Hotels and Towers, Lagos. On a lighter note, I personally consider Governor Amosun’s decision to receive the Governor of the Year Award as a birthday gift since it was presented to him at a colourful event which the organisers had coincidentally scheduled on my birthday. Beyond that however, it was also a welldeserved honour for a man who has done more than anyone before him to permanently change the fortunes of Ogun State and its people for good. In achieving this feat, Senator Amosun was deliberate and calculated. Indeed, Ogun State is lucky to have had in him a leader whose emergence was not in any way accidental. He first served as a Senator having been elected into the Nigerian Senate in 2003. By 2007, he tried to be governor but was adjudged to have lost the election by the powers that be then although the people felt otherwise. By 2011, the popular will of Ogun people was finally affirmed and Senator Amosun was sworn into office as Governor of Ogun State. The first indication that he was prepared for the job showed in the five cardinal programmes he immediately rolled out as the focus of his administration. The programme was led by education. One was therefore not surprised when his administration quickly proceeded to make education free and ensure that no child is left behind on account of his/her economic background. Tuition fees and all forms of levies in the State were abolished for all students in primary and secondary schools. In addition, the distribution of free textbooks to pupils of public primary and secondary schools by the Amosun administration also helped to ensure that education remains accessible for all. Not only did the Governor Amosunled administration offset the outstanding WAEC fees it inherited from the previous administration, it also went further to consistently pay the (WAEC) fees for finalyear students of public secondary schools in the State since its inauguration in May, 2011. At the tertiary level, the Amosun administration significantly reduced tuition fees payable in all the State’s higher institutions of learning and paid bursary to 16,277 indigenous Ogun State students in C M Y K

AMOSUN:

A Governor and His Moment of Glory all tertiary institutions in the country between 2011 and 2015. Governor Amosun administration also provided critical infrastructure in the education sector. As at the last count, it has so far constructed 15 state-of-the-art model schools out of a planned total of 28 spread across the State. And these are not your regular schools. They are called Model Schools because they are designed to accommodate 1,000 students and over 200 teaching and non-teaching staff. They all come with boarding facilities as well as computers for virtual learning, modern science laboratories and other facilities. All of these have been made possible partly because the Governor Amosunled administration has consistently allocated over 20% of its yearly budget to education in accordance with UNESCO guidelines. It therefore did not come as a surprise that the administration won the 2015 Fafunwa Educational Foundation award, as the state with the highest percentage of budgetary allocation to education. Knowing the place and importance of having a healthy population, Governor Amosun placed affordable and efficient healthcare delivery second on the five-cardinal development programme. In this respect, the Amosunled administration for instance, upgraded the Totoro Primary Health Centre into a Comprehensive Health Centre. Such Midas touch is not limited to Totoro PHC. It is to be replicated in the other Local Government Areas of the State. Prior to the Amosun touch, the Totoro PHC was a three-room centre with an attached outpost structure used as antenatal care and reception area. This facility was demolished and replaced with the construction of a state-of-theart one-storey building with a partial underground section. Equally currently enjoying the Governor Amosun touch is the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) which can now boast of a state-of-the-art RadioDiagnostic Centre established through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative. This Centre provides services such as multi-dimensional digital X-ray, ultrasound facility, telemedicine, mammography, fluoroscopy and CT scan. Little wonder that during the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak of 2014, Ogun

State came out unscathed in spite of the risk presented by the numerous, yet porous borders that Ogun State shares with the West African subregion and the fact that it is the gateway to all other parts of the country. Today, the need to not only return to the cultivation of the land but also engage in agriculture value chain addition is one that is crystal clear to government at all levels in Nigeria. This is however one other area where the visionary in Governor Amosun easily shines through. As soon as he assumed office in 2011, Governor Amosun made this a critical component of his five cardinal programme in Ogun State. The governor was driven by the proximity of Ogun State to a vibrant consumer market in Lagos and the West African sub-region and the abundance of land and labour within its territory. Therefore, since May 2011, 15,221 hectares of agricultural land has been allocated for the development of various crops and the raising of livestock, notably poultry. Priority crops include Cassava, Rice, Oil Palm, Cocoa and a range of vegetables. The Governor Amosun-led administration entered into an agreement with the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture to develop a 500-hectare rice plantation, positioning Ogun State to help drive an important dimension of the national economic diversification efforts. It also developed farm estates for both crops and livestock, engaging young farmers within the State in Agriculture. The Owowo Model Farm Estate is a laudable example of this effort. Today, thanks to the visionary leadership of Senator Amosun, Ogun State is the most industrialised subnational in Nigeria. Statistics from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) indicate that Ogun State Industrial Zone Ranked 1st in 2014, while new investment into Ogun in 2014 was valued at N514.87 billion, an increase from 2013 investment of N376.57 billion and total Investment stood at N691.77 billion (74%) by the end of 2014. A total number of 88 new factories have been commissioned between 2011 to date, thus bringing the total number of factories in the State to 371.

More than 100 companies made requests for land, while many others are at various stages of construction. In fact, in its latest economic review (2015), MAN said the production value recorded by the Ogun Industrial Zone accounted for 69 percent of the total production for all zones, thus re-confirming Ogun as the industrial hub of Nigeria. As the industries and foreign investors keep pouring in, the Governor Amosun-led administration was also clear ahead of time about the need to provide quality housing for them. This is why provision of affordable housing is one of the five cardinal programmes of the administration. In this respect, a number of housing development projects have been completed, catering for a range of income levels. These include HID Awolowo Housing Estate, Plainfields Estate and A.A.K Degun Estate. There is also the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate situated on a 170 hectares expanse of land along the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway. This estate is designed as a Site and Services scheme and is strategically located at less than two minutes’ drive from the main Abeokuta township. Equally critical to the Governor Amosun administration’s mission to rebuild Ogun State is the construction of major roads and bridges in the state whose capital, Abeokuta, used to be described as ancient. Today, Abeokuta has shed the toga of an ancient city and now wears the robe of modernity. For this to happen, Amosun government constructed the Ibara-Totoro Road, the first international standard six-lane road in the State. It built the flyover at Ibara, also the first constructed by any administration since the creation of the State in 1976. The first 10lane boulevard, which begins at Sokori and opens up into the elaborate Itoku Bridge, is a stamp of modernisation affixed to the state capital by the current administration. These developments are not limited to Abeokuta. In Ijebu Ode for instance, the Amosun-led administration constructed the Mobalufon overhead bridge. Other overhead bridges in Sabo, Sagamu, Lagos Garage in Ijebu Ode, Sapon and Iyana Mortuary in Abeokuta have been completed and commissioned while work is ongoing on those at Ijebu Igbo, Ilaro as well as five different bridges along the Sango-Ojodu road. Within the Ogun West Senatorial District, the Governor Amosun-led administration is also constructing the longest road, cutting across four local councils in the area. The 107km Ilara-Ijoun Road is designed to put an end to the stress commuters often go through criss crossing that area and linking up with the borders Nigeria shares with neighbouring Benin Republic. Within Ado-Odo Ota Local Council area, the Governor Amosun-led administration is also responsible for massive reconstruction of the all-important IloAwela Road and also modernised Ota environs through the construction of modern township roads. Indeed, the present day Ogun State, under the current government, is one huge construction site. And Governor Amosun is not done yet. “By the time we are through, we would have about 24 to 25 flyovers in Ogun State. Indeed, by December, we would have had 15 up and running in Ogun State,” Governor Amosun said recently. Again, he is not stopping there. In fact, a little bird tells me that the action governor of Ogun State is also planning to expand the IBB Boulevard which directly leads into the state capital from Sagamu Interchange into a 10-lane super highway. Not only that, he also intends to bring his dream of having a fast rail transport system linking Ogun with Lagos into reality before the end of his tenure of office. Now tell me, with all of these achievements, why wouldn’t Governor Amosun be literally chased around with awards, accolades and commendations? •Soyinka, Senior Special Assistant (Media) and spokesman for Governor Ibikunle Amosun, is a multiple awardwinning journalist and former Editor with TELL Magazine.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 23

Kia Optima gets Sportswagon

Jaguar Land Rover renames Heritage business

AGUAR Land Rover has renamed its Heritage business to Jaguar Land Rover Classic. The rebranded division will continue to provide cars, services, parts and experiences for Classic Jaguar and Land Rovers and their owners. Tim Hanning, Director, Jaguar Land Rover Classic, said: ‘’Renaming the rapidly growing global business to Jaguar Land Rover Classic best reflects the division’s overall capabilities in providing the best cars, services, parts and experiences for our customers. We aim to build an even more successful future by celebrating and nurturing Jaguar and Land Rover’s past.’’ Jaguar Land Rover Classic can now accommodate full restorations of classic vehicles at its UK sites, as well as providing a repair and maintenance service for customers. Jaguar Land Rover Classic parts supplies genuine parts for models whose range has been out of production for over a decade.

T was one of the revelations of the last Geneva Interna tional Motor Show as visitors troop into Kia’s stand to see the Optima Sportwagon. The Sportwagon is Kia’s first ever DSegment Tourer which will go on sale in Europe in the last quarter of the year. The Optima Sportswagon, Kia’s first foray into the D-segment tourer segment, has been inspired by the 2015 SPORTSPACE Concept. Manufactured exclusively for Europe, the new Optima Sportswagon offers the striking exterior design and high quality interior of the Optima sedan, with the added practicality and appeal of a tourer. In adopting a tourer bodystyle, the Optima Sportswagon boasts a series of highly ergonomic features in the boot render the car more practical than frontline Chinese inves many other D-segment tourtor in Nigeria and the ers. Highly versatile 40:20:40 country’s exclusive distributor split-folding rear seats are fit- of GAC Motor and Gree Airted as standard, enabling own- Condition, Choice Internationers to slide longer outdoor al Group (CIG) has unveiled a equipment – such as skis or new facility in Lagos to bolster snowboards – through the cen- investment in vehicle sales, tral seat, while two rear pas- spare-parts and after sale sersengers can still sit in comfort. vices among others. The new Other features include a facility located in Ojota Lagos safety barrier net built in to the will cater for GAC Motors ownback of the rear seats and pop- er living on the Mainland so as up sliding luggage rails. A to complement the Victoria Islow, flat boot lip, and a Smart land facility. Power Tailgate enable owners The organization, which also to load heavy items easily. unveiled the 2016 GAC GA3s The Optima Sportswagon is sedan says its local vehicle asequipped with Kia’s latest au- sembling plant is at the brink dio-visual navigation (AVN) of completion and would soon system, and will be among the be showcased to support govfirst of Kia’s models to feature ernment’s economic diversificaAndroid Auto™ for Android tion plan, particularly in the auphones running 5.0 Lollipop tomobile sector. or higher (available from Speaking at the event in Lalaunch), and Apple CarPlay™ gos, Chairman of the group, for iPhone 5 or newer (available by the end of 2016). Both systems allow smartphonestyle use of the infotainment system, with apps, voice control and music streaming. The Optima Sportswagon will be available with a choice of 1.7-litre turbodiesel and 2.0- We are determined to litre CVVL (continuously-vari- support government’s able valve lift) gasoline en- resolve to overhaul the gines, as well as a high-powautomotive sector and ered 2.0-litre T-GDI (turbocharged gasoline direct injec- turn the country into an automotive hub in tion) engine for GT models.

CIG revs up investment in Nigeria with 4S facility A

Africa

C M Y K

Ms. Diana Chen said: “This is a great move for us. We are determined to support government’s resolve to overhaul the automotive sector and turn the country into an automotive hub in Africa.” Continuing she said, ‘’today is a fantastic day for us, particularly as we continue to build bridge of investment between China and Nigeria and we are able to bring stakeholders from across the world, particularly China and Nigeria to witness our success growth as we invest in Nigeria.” Speaking about the competitiveness of the company’s products in the Nigerian market, Chen said CIG, which also

markets electronic and other emergency home appliances has delivered quality products which has been tried and trusted to meet needs in Nigeria. This is a testament to the fact that products from China are capable of competing globally. “We are careful about our image. Our intention is to sustainably build a lasting relationship in Nigeria. That is why we associate ourselves with only products that we believe in. We have the best products and that is the reason we are able to gain trust, especially from stakeholders in the country”, she said. Chen insisted that the move was “a symbol that the world is

a global village and we need to be part of the success story of countries across world since nations are dependent on each other to build a stronger economy and empower individuals.” The event, which also bring together the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, Director of International Business Division, Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), Motor Co. Limited, Jerry Liu; Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Limited, Michael Ade-Ojo; former Chief Executive Officer, First Bank Nigeria Plc, Bisi Onasanya, also put smiles on the faces of some participants as the organization gave out brand new vehicles at huge discounts to reward loyalty.

PAGE 24— SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

Benin Kingdom undergoing historic tradition rites —Crown Prince Erediauwa •‘My walk to Uselu with Oshiomhole’ By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City

enin Kingdom has been bubbling with traditional activities in the past four months and a major significant one was the visit of the Edaiken N’Uselu, Crown Prince Ehenede Erediauwa, last Thursday, to the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, at Government House, Benin-City. That was his first appearance in BeninCity since he moved to his new aboard in Uselu following the ongoing traditional rites in Benin-City. On this occasion, the crown prince stormed the Government House with top chiefs in Benin Kingdom, who are not always seen unless when the crown moves. He broke his silence on several traditional and political issues when he addressed members of the state Executive Council and the state House of Assembly. He described Oshiomhole as the messiah that God gave the people of Edo, saying those angry that the governor enjoys close relationship with the Benin royal family should have a rethink. While acknowledging the responsibilities and support of the Benin chiefs, the Ediaken declared that the Benin traditional institution “shall not fall, cannot fall, we can only go further ”. The Edaiken had recently walked from Benin to Uselu where the traditional ground is located and, on that very historic day, the Comrade Governor volunteered to walk with him. While addressing members of the state Executive Council, Erediauwa explained his recent visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it was to inform the President of what he described as his moves to embark on a historic traditional journey. The crown prince also expressed his gratitude to the President for receiving him while thanking Oshiomhole for facilitating the visit which he described as very successful. The crown prince stated: “ Oshiomhole started very well and my prayers is that may God and our ancestors bring his tenure to unblemished end in Edo. He is the messiah in our state. I have not seen anything to change my mind up till now. I said it that anybody who has anything to contradict what I said should do so but I have not seen anybody to contradict me up till now. “I just want to say that my visit here today is basically a thank you visit for many C M Y K

reasons. I want to thank our governor for many things he has done in the state. He has laid a very strong foundation for democratic process, democratic development, he brought one man one vote to the fore. He also initiated the campaign against god fatherism, while instituting infrastructural development to make Edo the destination for health care, roads, lightening the streets. He changed the concept of the ancient kingdom, the way it was once interpreted because of the darkness you see everywhere and everybody thought ancient kingdom meant darkness but they forgot the historical background of it. That ancient kingdom meant because it was really ancient going back to the 12th centuries, beyond the 12th century. But people started to look at Benin City the capital of Edo, once the capital of Midwest region, as ancient in terms of dereliction. But our indefatigable governor came to light it up. I really could not

have placed on me to inform Mr President first of what was about to happen, that I was about to relocate to Uselu and I wanted him to understand what that meant. So I appealed to our governor here and he arranged the meeting. We know the President’s schedule is a bit tight but he was able to receive me privately and I want to use this opportunity to thank Mr President for receiving me. And he found it amazing that I came to inform him that something was about to happen here in Benin. I want to thank Mr President for that wonderful gesture and for also giving me assurances that he will support the ancient traditional institution in Benin. Upon my return, I invited the Iyase, the Esogban, and other

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole with Edaiken N’Uselu, Crown Prince Ehenede Erediauwa

The governor had earlier sent a message asking if I was actually going to walk to Uselu and I told people to tell him that, that is the tradition and that my ancestors are in charge now, that I will do the walk, it will be a piece of cake believe when I went round the streets of Benin and everywhere was bright at night. I was in Rome when he was doing all the work. When I came in from Rome in one of my visit, I just could not believe this was Benin. For that reason, I want to thank you for introducing this new face of Benin. Visit to Mr President “I want to also thank you for making it possible for me to visit the President before I embarked on this traditional journey. I appealed to you that I was about to make a mile stone. The milestone is not personal to me but in the life of the institution, in the life of the historical nature of the kingdom. I don’t think I should make such a move without first informing Mr President because I believe there was a need for that. Like I told Mr President, this is an important part of Nigeria which he is watching over. So I thought that it was imperative that as the crown prince, the responsibility that God and my ancestors

departmental heads of the palace and it was then I told them that I was now ready to relocate to Uselu. I want to thank God and our ancestors, I want to thank my father for making that move possible and successful. Oshiomhole’s love and respect for Benin tradition “The Comrade Governor always thinks of what to do for the palace, what to do for the Benins to express gratitude that he has never received any such support anywhere else. He has always said that the fatherly support he received from my father, is more than he received from his biological father. He said if he has any god father, it is the Oba. I want to thank him again for this wonderful recognition which has made some section of the society not too happy. The Comrade Governor has expressed this sentiment so much. But he has expressed it in the right quarters and may God and our ancestors bless him. We wonder why some sections should criticize the Comrade Governor about it, is it because he is not anti-royal? I am not worried about those who are anti-royal, I don’t sweat over them because it is part of life. I try to get philosophical about life so that one can move on. I like exhibiting stoicism in some of the things I do. I

thank Mr Governor for unifying everybody in the state and we have enjoyed peace and we want it to continue. Walking to Uselu “”But I cannot end my address without mentioning this. When I was going to Uselu, the Comrade Governor came all the way from the village to meet me in the palace and he said he heard that I was moving to Uselu. He said he was going to walk with me from Benin. The governor had earlier sent a message asking if I was actually going to walk to Uselu and I told people to tell him that, that is the tradition and that my ancestors are in charge now, that I will do the walk, it will be a piece of cake”. In his response, Oshiomhole noted that the visit was a rare privilege. “I have had a very close relationship with HRH as Ambassador. You have always been nice to me from the time I informed you of my desire to run for governor. You have always been generous to me with your advice and all of which has been helpful. I can never thank the Oba of Benin enough for his fatherly role in my life. I feel extremely humbled that you decided to pay what you call a thank you visit. Whatever development that has taken place in Benin and across the state has been the result of the uncommon support that I have enjoyed. Our commitment to renewing the city remains firm and we are clear of what needs to be done in the next ten years, if those are sustained Benin City would be back to what it was described as some hundred years ago, when i am told that some Europeans came to look at the city and they described it as the best planned city on the black continent. We must get back there”, the governor added.

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 25

One week in

By Patrick Dele Cole

he petrol queues were long. A brisk trade was going on everywhere by people selling petrol on the road side in kegs. Tessy, driving her Mercedes 230E, needed petrol and stopped to buy from the keg vendors. As she opened her door, one young man jumped into her car on the driver’s side, five other men were opening other doors trying to get in. Tessy had the presence of mind and luckily had actually not turned off the engine of her car. She put her foot down on the accelerator. The car jumped forward, leaving behind the other men about to enter the car. But one was already inside. As she sped away, a mighty struggle for the steering began, the car swerving from side to side in those wide Abuja streets. She managed to get to the front of the gate leading to Hilton Hotel. She swerved right, causing the security men to jump aside. The gate was open – she sped through it as the struggle for the steering continued. She swiped some concrete barriers and finally hit one just near the entrance of the hotel. She jumped out, screaming “thief, thief”. The young man in the car tried to escape but was caught. At the police station, the desk officer recognized the young man and said, “You again; I think say na Toyota and Nissan una dey thief; now una don reach Mercedes”. Apparently a few days before, this same young man had been caught trying to steal a Toyota. He was charged and bailed. He tried to commit the same offence a few days later. Abuja is dangerous now for carjacking and kidnapping. In Lagos, two weeks ago, Sewa and her sister were on a motor bike going home when three other bikes blocked them. The men on the three bikes took all their possession, took the key of the bike they had hired and sped off. Crime reporters have stopped reporting crimes of this nature because you have just too many committed all over the country. My friend received an SMS allegedly from the Presidency which asked him to send his CV to one Dr. Akate, Head, Selection Committee for Federal Government appointments for Directors/ Ambassadors. The CV was to be sent to osgf.presidency.ng.com. My friend dutifully sent his CV and called the number in the SMS. Some chap trying to sound like a northerner answered and told him that his papers had been received and forwarded to the NSA for clearance and he should contact another Mrs. (Dr)... An hour or so later, my friend was called again. This time, he was told that the NSA had finished the process of clearance three days before; but if my friend still wanted, he could help by “facilitating” his CV among those already cleared if he paid some money to an account in First Bank. My friend did not pay. So he would not get a federal appointment. I tried to leave Abuja on Saturday but I could not C M Y K

Abuja

Abuja seems unaware of the problems of Nigeria, except the petrol queues. The atmosphere is expectant, super charged, coiled like a snake waiting to pounce. There is no money and the whole town is waiting for the release of funds once the budget process is over

because there were local government elections and there was no movement from 7am – 4pm. I have never understood why in Nigeria, during elections all movements are restricted. Has anybody worked out the man hours lost by these restrictions and the cost to the nation? We must devise a better way and attitude to voting and politics. These restrictions do not seem to have reduced violence and the costs are phenomenal. On Sunday, I tried to leave for Lagos. The approach roads to the checking in carters have now been changed, once more, causing a mighty log jam. Many would have missed their flights if the flights left on time but, luckily, on that day, because of fuel shortage, many flights were delayed. So our cars crawled in front of the massive new building the Chinese were putting up at the airport. I remembered that no one had ever told us the cost of these projects that one Finance Minister told us her ministry did not know, and that bills were drawn up by the Ministry of Transport and was directly debited on Nigeria by China. How can we not know how much a government facility was costing and how was it was paid for? Is Nigeria some banana republic? Last week, FAAN revealed that it had not remitted over N80 billion belonging to the Federal Government. While waiting for my flight, I looked at the breakdown of the cost of my ticket. I was astounded. My ticket cost N49,610 – Abuja to Lagos. N10,500 charge was unintelligible to me: N4,500; another N3,000 new fees. Tickets are not refundable, nonendorsable; flight dates, times and routes are changeable subject to applicable charges. I believe the actual fare was N23,500; on top of that there was a fuel surcharge of N23,810,

VAT; Ticket Sales Charge N650, Passenger Service Charge N1,000. But that is not all, FAAN has another stamp – Passenger Service Charge N1,000; some airlines charge N2,000 even though the stamp says N1,000. What is going on? Finally, we boarded and then they started refueling the plane. It is usually prohibited for a plane to be refuelled while passengers are in the plane (these are exceptions). Even after that, we could not leave because the airport was closed because of presidential movement!! All of us have sometimes been inconvenienced by what is called presidential movement. The idea is that when the President is flying, there is strict control of all other flights – these controls usually means that if your flight has not taken off, then it cannot leave until the President’s plane has landed or passed. Sometime the delays are for hours – the presidential entourage may not have left its abode before a clamp down is put on all flights. The President may be delayed or he may change his schedule and this information is not relayed. Most flights in Nigeria are under one hour but presidential movement delays are a lot more than that, sometimes it’s more than two hours; once it starts, the backlog gets worse and worse during the rest of the day causing more miseries and inconveniences. For international flights, the plane is required to remain in the air for an hour or so before landing if a presidential Movement is clamped down. I am sure that those who impose these restrictions on other flights do not really want to punish the flying public but the effect of their action is precisely that. Is the Presidents’ plane safer when no other plane is flying? I

would have thought that, in these days of RPGs isolating the Presidents’ plane, would attract more attention. The plane itself, I would imagine, would have more sophisticated defense gadgets. Nevertheless, thousands of passengers will miss their connecting flights, if one is unfortunate enough to be caught up in one of these presidential movement delays. The President works for us. Yes his life must be protected but not at the inconvenience of the public. I cannot imagine JFK Airport, La Guardia or Newark airports in New York being closed for anything except severe national crisis like 9/11. Nor would London Heathrow be closed because the Queen is flying – by the way she flies by British Airways, usually on scheduled flights, when some seats are screened off for her and her entourage. How do other countries do this essential security job of protecting their Presidents and Heads of State? I am aware that security offices used to have fairly close ties with British, US, French and other security forces. We should learn from them. Finally, Abuja seems unaware of the problems of Nigeria, except the petrol queues. The atmosphere is expectant, super charged, coiled like a snake waiting to pounce. There is no money and the whole town is waiting for the release of funds once the budget process is over. The body language of the expectancy would suggest that the fear of corruption or peddling of influence for money may not heed the administration’s precepts.

*Dele Cole is a holder of the OFR national honour

PAGE 26â&#x20AC;&#x201D;SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215

Grand reception ffor or Olu of W arri in Lagos Warri

he newly crowned Olu of Warri, His Majesty King Godfrey Ikenwoli Emiko, (Ogiame Ikenwoli I) recently paid a courtesy visit to Lagos where he visited the governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akinolu. After his State visit the monarch was later hosted to a deluxe reception at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island by the Itsekiri community in Lagos. Some of the photos by Lamidi Bamidele

Abiola Laseinde becomes 8th chairman of ICSAN

biola Laseinde, Company Secretary and Legal Manager th of Cadbury Nigeria Plc has become the 8 Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN). Her investiture took place on Wednesday at LCCI Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos before members of the institute. Mrs Laseinde took over from Otunba Francis Meshioye. Photos by Bunmi Azeez

L-R: Dr Charles Hammond; Mr Sonny Joe and Mr Sonny Aminaghan

The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli on arrival at Metropolitan Club, Victorial Island, Lagos From left: Immediate past Chairman, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria [ICSAN], Lagos Chapter, Otunba Francis Meshioye, handing over to the new Chairman, Mrs. Abiola Laseinde.

L-R: Praise Gbebene Ighene; Arch. Fred Dudu; Dr. Omawumi Atsoamgne-Urhobo and Mrs Rose Erewa-Danmole.

Mrs Tobi Odunaiya (l) and Mrs Merit Ofulue.

Otu-Ifeoma Ladies lay foundation stone for antinatal clinic

From left: Justice Olusola Williams, Chairman of the accasion, the immediate past Chairman, ICSAN, Lagos Chapter, Otunba Francis Meshioye, new Chairman, Mrs. Abiola Laseinde and husband, Mr. Adewale.

tu-Ifeoma Ladies, Lagos branch has donated an anti-natal clinic to Umutu community in Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta State. The foundation stone-laying ceremony took place recently at the community, with many important dignitaries in attendance.

L-R:Dr. Mark Anamali, Dr. Ajueyitsi Ese, Dr. Neku Okolugbo (Ksc), Chief Uzorka: President General of Umutu Development Union, and Mrs. Joy Enebeli.

Dr. Neku Okolugbo (Ksc) with the President of Otu-Ifeoma Ladies, Lagos branch; Mrs. Joy Enebeli and Chief Paulette Ogoli. C M Y K

L-R: Mrs. Joy Enebeli, Mrs. Egwenum, Dr. Neku Okolugbo (Ksc), Dr. Ajueyitsi Esegbue, Dr. Mark Adam and other members of Otu-Ifeoma ladies.

From left: Mr. Bode Ayeku, Secretary and Legal Adviser, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Prof. Wole Adewunmi and Mr. Idy Enang, Managing Partner, Corporate Shepherds Ltd and guest speaker.

From left: Mrs. Cheta Nwabuike, Treasurer, Mrs. Ngozi Nwankwo, Exco member, Mr. Onyekachi Uko, Financial Secretary and Mr. Musa Bello, Assistant Publicity Secretary, all of ICSAN

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 27

GCUOBA ’s family da GCUOBA’s dayy out

embers of Government College, Ughelli Old Boys Association,GCUOBA, always known to enjoy themselves and unwind with their families, recently got together in an atmosphere of camaraderie and fun for their ‘Family day out’ at Mcneil Road, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos. Photos by Akeem Salau

Book launch for 10 th memorial of Prof Omotola th THE 10 memorial anniversary of the late Prof. Jelili Adebisi Omotola, former Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos was celebrated with a book launch in Lagos last Tuesday. Many scholars and prominent academicians graced the event. Photos by Bamidele Lamidi

L-R: Mr Roy Odoko; Mr Rex Okpu and Mr Toni Dave Urhobo. L-R: J.G.Nkem Onyekpe, Captain Newman Akpore and Mr Roy Odoko.

L-R: Mr John Woma, his wife, Helen, and Ochuko Woma.

Jo Joyy and Beinmo Beinmotte

eautiful Odogwu Joy Anwulika said ‘I Do’ to Beinmote Ayerite at Winners Chapel, Okpanam, Delta State on March 28,2016. A grand reception followed after the service at Dietake Hall (Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria) Asaba, Delta State.

From Left; Mrs Esther Sekegor; Pere Keniye; Olorogun Barrister Clement Djebah, President, Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association, GCUOBA, his wife, Olorogun Dr Bivese-Djebah; Cyril Ogude, Vice President and Miss Marien Djebah.

L-R: Mr Charles Ike-Okoh, Sunday Editor, Businessday, Olorogun Barrister Clement Djebah, President, GCUOBA, Lagos Branch, and Cyril Ogude,Vice President.

The bride, Odogwu Joy Anwulika and heartthrob, Beinmote Ayerite

The couple, Mr and Mrs Beinmote Ayerite with friends C M Y K

L-R: Prof. Amos Utuama, chief host, and Prof. Akin Olubode

L-R: Justice Chima Nweze, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) and Chairman of the occassion; Prof Amos Utuama, former Deputy Governor of Delta State

Prof. Oladele Osibanjo (l) and Mr Fatai Owoseni, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.

Faith and Oluta Olutayyo traditional marriage

raditional marriage between Faith Oluwatobi Ajeigbe and Mr. Olutayo Olukayode held at Mr.& Mrs. Ben Ajeigbe’s Compound, Jos, Plateau State.

L-R: Mrs. Florence Olukayode, Mr. Ben Ajeigbe, the new couple, Mr.&Mrs. Olutayo Oluseye Olukayode, Mr. Olufemi Olukayode and Mrs. Elizabeth Ajeigbe

L-R: Mrs. Elizabeth Ajeigbe, Mrs. Florence Olukayode, former Miss Faith Oluwatobi Ajeigbe, Mr. Olutayo Oluseye Olukayode, Mr. Olufemi Olukayode and Mr. Ben Ajeigbe

PAGE 28—SUNDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

ALLEGED PUBLIC DISTURBANCE 08116759757

Miscreants, rodents, reptiles take over Mary Slessor’s tomb in Calabar By Emmanuel Una

er king size statue pierces the skyline at Mary Slessor Avenue, a strategic intersection in Calabar named after her which links the biggest market in the city with University of Calabar, making her image one of the most conspicuous in the ancient town. Mary Mitchell Slessor, a Scottish missionary, born in Abedeen, Scotland in 1848, became a chief missionary among the up- River tribes land people where she was credited with putting an end to the obnoxious practice of the sacrifice of twins and, after sixty three years, she passed on in 1915. Her foot prints remain indelible in places like Okoyong, Creek Town, Odukpani, Anigheje , Old Calabar and many other places where, with zeal and uncommon commitment to the cause of Christianity and humanity, she fought against obnoxious traditional practices sometimes with threats to her life. When she passed on more than one hundred years ago, her body was interred in Udi Obot Mbakara (grave yard for white people) which holds the bodies of white missionaries and colonial officers who departed before her. The site, located on the apex of a hill overlooking the Calabar sea, the route through which she navigated to Calabar where she worked and died, was seen as an ideal final resting place by the Presbyterian Church, the home of her faith. Her tomb, enamoured in dark colour and bearing number 114, stands at the centre of the grave yard and towers above every other tomb that lies therein. Owing to the historical significance of the place, Cross River State Government, under Mr Donald Duke, took over the place from the Presbyterian Church and

turned it into a tourism site several years back. The place was fenced, and its maintenance handed over to the state’s Ministry of Environment for regular trimming of grass and beautification. One would expect that with the body interred in such a place among other missionary colleagues and turned into

a tourism destination, the woman would be resting in peace after such a long and laborious missionary work but that can hardly be the case with the present state of the grave yard. The tourism concept has since died and the place is today an eye sore. The graveyard is over grown with weeds, rodent infested, home to wild reptiles and snakes. As if those are not enough, miscreants have turned the place into a lavatory of sorts where they defecate. The miscreants have carved a large hole on the perimeter fence along the Marina axis through which they access the place to smoke marijuana, defecate and carry out other sordid acts. “Apart from desecrating the place by going there to smoke marijuana and excrete, they sometimes bury their dead colleagues there since they cannot afford to pay for a place in Hawkins Cemetery or other burial places” Pastor Jones David of the Presbyterian Church, Eyamaba told Sunday Vanguard. He said the church handed over the place to government about 12 years ago when the then governor, Mr Donald Duke saw the potentials of the place as tourists site but as time went by, the place became neglected and weeds were allowed to over grow the place turning it to an eye sore. “During the centenary anniversary of her death, it was the church women who cleared the place of weeds and since then nobody has bothered to clear the place of weeds and reptiles which infest the place”. Mr Asuquo Essien Edet, the undertaker in charge of the place, said the last time the place was cleared of weed was January 2015 during the centenary anniversary of the woman’s demise. “Snakes and reptiles have turned the place into a home and if you dare go deep inside, you stand the risk of being attacked by a snake or iguana”. Mr Joe Mary Ekeng, the Executive Secretary of Calabar Urban Development Authority, said he sends his boys there from time to time to tidy the place and that during the centenary anniversary of her death; it was his agency that took responsibility for clearing the place of debris and weeds.

Okpella: Ukhuomunyio Insists on Autonomy THE Ukhomunyio community, in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, has reaffirmed its decision to become autonomous of the Okpella clan. The people of Ukhomunyio and Iddo in the Oteku Sub-clan of Okpella had last year resolved to call it quits with the rest of the clan following a dispute with the traditional head of the clan, Alhaji Andrew Yesufu Eshioramhe Dirisu, who they accused of labelling them settlers. At an Easter mini Annual Conference of the community, hosted by its National President, Chief Charles Adogah, SAN, at the community`s ultra-modern town hall, the people extended the mandate of the present community executive and insisted on continuing their struggle for autonomy. Their words: "The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria confers the inalienable rights on all citizens to disassociate from any organization, union or group, where their legitimate interests are not protected.” The struggle, they resolved after a thorough review of the travails C M Y K

and successes of the community since the June 16, 2015 alleged statement of the Okuokpellagbe that finally broke the camel`s back, should continue through sustained commitment of all and sundry and renewed vigour that will lead to the much needed socio-economic and political development of the community. Mr. Samuel Sunday Afemikhe, a Lagos-based chartered accountant, charged the people in a paper entitled: "Solid Minerals Ownership, Exploitation, Acquisition and Sales", presented at the conference, to take additional steps to consolidate their progress and enrich their collective destiny through the enlargement, and empowerment of the existing Land Management Committee saddled dealing with the community's land and mineral issues. With mineral exploitation now in the pinnacle of the Federal Government’s agenda, the accountant enjoined them to avoid a situation where their God-given resources would

become a curse rather than a blessing. He told them to use their natural wealth for the benefit of the entire Ukhomunyio community and enhance the unity and human resource development of the Community. Adogah, in a chat with journalists, expressed hope in the Ukhomunyio agenda, assuring that he will continue to serve the people with all his strength while thanking them for their support in the struggle to free Ukhomunyio from oppression.“Among the leading sons and daughters of the community present at the conference were Dr. Ayuba Giwa, Barrister Sado Edward, Barrister Anthony Usman, Mr. Sunday Ediawe, Mr. Barnabas Agbuegba, Hons. Luke Obalo, Charles Ikhumesomhi and Henry Aliu. Others were Barrister Philip Ilukholo, Barrister Aliu Mutairu, Engrs Michael Sado, Anthony Kelobo, Sunny Iremia and Henry Idogun. Alhaji Moshood Okpo Aliu was at the head of the village heads, who were all present at the occasion.

Lagos monarch drags

ar tis ive other artis tistte, ffive otherss ttoo cour courtt

By Chris Onuoha The trial of Lagos performing artiste, Jelili Atiku, and five other persons accused of public disturbance, at an Ejigbo magistrate court, has been adjourned till April 25 for further hearing. The magistrate, Mrs. J.O.E Adeyemi, adjourned the case because the complainant, Chief Fatai Ibraheem, who represented the Oba of Ejigbo, Oba Morufu Ojoola, made a brief appearance and excused himself from trial on the grounds of ill health. However, counsel to Atiku, Mr. Yomi Animashaun, prior to adjournment, raised an objection, stemming from the admissibility of a new photograph tendered as evidence, saying the admission of two photographs against the one earlier submitted complicated its authenticity. The magistrate ruled the photographs be admitted as evidence pending the determination of their weight. Atiku, alongside Lasisi Muraina, Adede Goloba and two other other females, Daramola Jelilat and Monsurat Fasola, on January 18 ,had been dragged to court for allegedly disrupting public peace through the display of a masquerade called Aragamago that focused on eradicating domestic terrorism in Ejigbo, on January 14 , which had been prohibited by the Oba of Ejigbo.

Ashafa lauds Ambode’s achievements

y Olufemi Ajasa

Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Gbenga Ashafa has commended the efforts of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in ensuring that the state remained a standard of excellence amongst other states. The Senator who made the remarks while addressing newsmen during Ambode’s third Town Hall meeting (Lagos East Edition) in Ikorodu said, the Lagos government led by Ambode cares to carry each and every one of us along.” He added that the tangible works being executed by the Ambode and his team in Lagos East and across the state had brought respite and succour to all Lagosians. “Of particular note is the light-up Lagos project of this administration which is gradually getting to every nook and cranny of Lagos State. Just a few weeks ago here in Lagos East, His Excellency commissioned a project which connected at least 67 communities in the Ibeju-Lekki axis to the National Grid. This is very highly commendable.”

$2BILLION LOAN:

Inegbeniki slams Fayose over letter to Chinese govt

former senatorial candi date of the All Progres

sives Congress, APC, for Edo Central District, Edo State, Dr. Francis Inegbeniki, has said Governor Ayodele Fayose’s letter to the Chinese government not to grant the $2 billion loan to Nigeria, is an indication that he does not mean well for the nation. Inegbeniki, who reacted to the letter, said the $2billion loan is to develop our infrastructure, including railway and several laudable projects. He assured Nigerians that the Chinese government would ignore Fayose, but it is also very important for the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to call Fayose to order as his actions were embarrassing the country. “ In Nigeria, we have one President, Muhammadu Buhari, therefore it is an insult for a governor like Fayose to

have written such a letter, only a rebel does that to his country”. Inegbeniki thanked the Chinese government for its support to Nigeria, and President Buhari, whom God has given a mandate to restore and transform the country, which the likes of Fayose cannot stop.

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 29

08116759757

ALLEGED RAPE IN UNICAL

Our case against law professor, police, by parents of undergraduate BY UDEME CLEMENT

he parents of a 400-level female law undergraduate of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), whose test paper was allegedly torn by Cyril Osim

Ndifon, a professor of law and suspended Dean of the Faculty, over sex related matters, have vowed to get justice for their daughter. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the professor has been on suspension since September last year, following a petition to the then Vice Chancellor, Professor James Ekpoke, by the undergraduate who alleged she was raped by Ndifon in his private office, while recopying a test after her initial script had been allegedly torn by the professor. Mr. and Mrs. Nkang blamed the police for failure to act when the matter was reported at the Airport Road Police Station, Calabar, on the day of the incident. “The police went to the scene six days after the report was lodged, at about 8 pm the following Thursday after the incident happened on Saturday, August 29, 2015. This indicates compromise by the police there”, said the parents. “The case was later moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Calabar. Not satisfied with the handling of the matter at the State Police Headquarters, Diamond Hill, Calabar, an NGO, the Nigerian Feminist Group, moved the matter to the Force Headquarters, Abuja and they are yet to conclude and

report on their investigations”, the Nkangs said. The parents described their daughter as a very brilliant girl as proved by her academic records right from nursery school to the university, saying at point of entry into the university, she scored 306 in an aptitude test.

“Having listened to his own side of the story, the UNICAL authorities suspended Ndifon indefinitely for a number of reasons which include tearing the test script of our daughter under very suspicious circumstances; relocating the test venue of a single female student to his private office under the guise of

getting her to recopy a test script he had earlier torn and the allegation of sexual assault/rape against him”. The parents also alleged: “It is also significant that Ndifon is in possession of a purported police medical report form of the rape victim which he published when the police have not concluded investigation and have not published the report of investigation. “These are the same allegations for which Professor Cyril Ndifon has been invited by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to defend himself. “Prof. Ndifon has commenced a fundamental right enforcement suit against I.C.P.C and the rape victim in the Federal High Court”. The mother of the victim, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said she felt the pains of her daughter. Also speaking with Sunday Vanguard, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the university, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said, “The allegation by Ndifon that the university authority did not give him fair hearing is his own opinion. The university suspended him based on the facts presented before the Council. Rape allegation, especially for a young undergraduate girl, is a serious issue. For a law professor of a university who ought to be training the youths for the future, to be involved in an allegation of rape is a very

serious matter. The case is still under investigation and he must remain under suspension until he is found not guilty.”

Hungarian university woos Nigerians By Tony Nwankwo

IGERIAN students wishing to study at the Budapest Metropolitan University, Hungary, have been asked to take advantage of the visiting representative of the university to formalise their admission. Speaking in Lagos, the university representative, Ms Rabai Zsuzsanna, and the founder and

CEO of studyinbudapest mobile app, Davies Iyiegbu, said they would meet Nigerians students desiring to study in the university in three centres: Lagos, Enugu and Abuja. According to the representative, the schedule is as follows: LAGOS: Miketoy School, 4-6 Kayode Odumosu Street, Miketoy bus stop, Isheri, Lagos by May 2, at 10 a.m. And NYSC camp on May 3.

ENUGU: St. Patrick’s College, Emene, Enugu, May 4, by 11am, NYSC camp 2 p.m same day. ABUJA: Glisten International Academy, Plot 1457, Cadastral Zone B8, off Katampe Road, Jahi District, Abuja, May 5, by 11a.m. NYSC camp May 5, by 11 am and NYSC camp May 5 at 10 am. For more info: www.metropolitan,hu/ nigerianfair or www.studyinbudapest.com.

UNIPOR gr aduat as UNIPORTT under undergr graduat aduatee killed bbyy m myyster eryy bulle bullett w was a Fir tudent — Colleagues Firsst Class sstudent By Jimitota Onoyume

t was a strange development in the history of students struggle in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) that a student will be shot dead during a protest against management policy. Sadly that was the situation on Monday when a student of the university, Peter Ofurum, was shot dead during a protest by students against alleged hike in fees. Students wailed as they spoke about the late Ofurum, saying he was on his way to hitting the First Class grade with a CGPA above 4.5. One of the students, who identified himself as Chris, alleged that a

policeman opened fire at Ofurum. Sunday Vanguard gathered that, as early as 6am, students of the UNIPORT mobilised to the East West Road, chanting solidarity songs and denouncing the hike in their fees by the management of the school. It is still not clear who fired the shot that hit Ofurum but students believed it was the police deployed to disperse the protesting students. Tempers flared after the killing. It is also not clear who destroyed some valuables in the university before the students were forced to vacate their hostels in the three campuses of UNIPORT. The police have denied firing life bullets during the protest. Public

A teacher at Deeper Life High School, Mr Chibuzor Martins Amarikwa [right], with a student; Lufthansa Station Manager, Port Harcourt, Mr Chuks Okobi [2nd left]; and another student who won the Lufthansa Know-Your-World quiz on aviation geography and Lufthansa related questions, held, last week. C M Y K

Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, said the police used minimal force to disperse the students, a position corroborated by the acting Commissioner of Police in the state, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration, Mobolaji Odesanya, when he visited the school after the protest. Vice Chancellor under attack Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Ndowa Lale, has come under attack over the murder. Some people said his alleged arrogance made him dismiss appeals from several quarters to shelve the hike in fees paid by the students. An activist in Rivers State and

Coordinator, Integrity Group, Mr Livingston Wechie, said he made several entreaties to the university to maintain the statusquo for peace to reign but they fell on deaf ears. Lale further incurred the wrath of many when he alleged that the protest was sponsored to remove him from office. Livingston, who addressed a press conference in Port Harcourt, alongside the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, said it was a shame that the Vice Chancellor could say such, stressing that it showed his insensitivity to the plight of the students that resulted in the protest. At press time, the appeal was that the Federal Government should do everything possible to unmask the killer of Ofurum.

From left: Mr Abiola Sanni, MD, Royal Exchange Finance and Assets Management Ltd; Elizabeth Elgoche, MD, Royal Exchange Microfinance and Alhaji Auwalu Mukhtari, Acting Group MD, Royal Exchange PLC during the official opening of Royal Exchange Microfinance Bank branch at Ikotun, Lagos.

Hope for childamputees By Ajewole Tosin

sensitize the public on children with amputations as a result of congenital issues or accidents, an annual awareness walk organised by The IREDE Foundation, tagged, “Out on a Limb”, was held in 30 locations in the country to mark the 4th edition of the campaign. Fielding questions from newsmen, the founder of the organisation, Mrs.Chigbu Crystal, stated: “The essence of the walk is to create hope and awareness for child amputees, which is done yearly to reduce societal stigmatization, and give care to people with these conditions. Children between the ages of 0-18 years qualify to be members as they are our target beneficiaries. “In the first year, only two limbs were achievable, in 2014, 10 limbs, 2015, 16 limbs and the foundation is looking forward to carry out 30 prosthetic limbs this year”. Each limb is said to cost 1.5 million naira per child,and a child needs a minimum of two limbs per year according to stages. The foundation receives support from some state governments, individuals and the Nigerian Network of NGOs. The founder, inspired by her seven-year-old daughter, Irede Beulah Chigbu, born with congenital limb deformity, further stated: “Children in such situation battle with stigmatization; moreover prosthesis can be very expensive and without it, these children won’t be able to fit in the community as they would not be able to live independently as their other counterparts”. Ace comedian, Alibaba, while soliciting for peoples support by spreading the word across social media, explained that people with these challenges should not be pitied but rather be understood. This year’s walk was attended by about 1,000 participants, including celebrities like, Ali Baba and on air presenter Yaw of Wazobia FM. Individuals are encouraged to refer any child with limb loss within their immediate environment. To donate funds for this cause, you can do so through Account name: The Irede Foundation, Bank name: Zenith Bank- 1013800034

Tipper drivers protest over leadership in Delta By Festus Ahon

EMBERS of the National Union of Tippers and Quarry Employers of Nigeria, UTQEN, Delta State chapter, have protested against what they described as unlawful and continued stay of the state interim executive. The protesters who converged close to the Asaba Police “A” Division, with placards bearing inscriptions such as, “UTQEN is not personal estate, let all sections be represented, so election is the answer”, “UTQEN Delta State needs leadership through election”, “His Excellency Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity, we need your help, we need election” and others, marched through the streets to Traffic Light area in the Asaba metropolis, chanting solidarity songs. The people in a protest letter addressed to the state government, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the State House of Assembly and security agencies, a copy of which was read on behalf of the protesters by Comrade Okoagbor Ndidi, Ika branch Chairman, flanked by Comrade Moses Ukuedojor, Ughelli North Chairman and 15 local government branch chairmen and secretaries of the union, alleged that the state executive of the union has been stagnant for over 12 years with zero accountability to members and national leadership, operating only from Asaba.

PAGE 30—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL, 17, 2016

Are yyou ou in a“F ak e” R elationship? a“Fak ake” Relationship? BY ONOZURE DANIA

o you feel as if you just can’t get the time and attention you want from your man? He wants to go out with his buddies all the time or he doesn’t do what he says he

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is no shortage of intimacy. No fear that doing what you love or being who you are or taking time for yourself will drive the other person away. In a relationship, neither person needs the other to “complete” them. Both people are awake to themselves, their feelings and thoughts, and are open to the flow of love and attention with one another.

It’s about two equals celebrating together rather than “needing” something from the other. In short, a relationship like this is one where both people are in harmony. And that’s exactly what it feels like in tune, relaxed, and just plain fun. Entanglements, on the other hand, look and feel very different.

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 31

How wrong is Governor El Rufai?

or some time now, there has been ample opposition to the policy initiatives of the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is perhaps the governor’s fiercest critic with respect to a proposed law to regulate religious activities in the state. The bill is aimed at banning the usage of loudspeaker for religious purposes “other than inside a Mosque or Church and the surrounding areas outside the stipulated prayer times.” Governor elRufai wants to legally stop the playing or circulating of “all cassettes, CDs, flash drives or any other communication gadgets containing religious recordings from accredited preachers other than inside one’s house, porch, Church, Mosques and other designated places of worship.” The bill also seeks to ban sales or playing of any cassette containing “ religious recordings in which abusive language is

used against any person or religious organisation or religious leaders (past or present). Any person found guilty of preaching without a valid licence and other offences under the proposed law “shall be liable to two years in prison or a fine of N200, 000.” Leading the pack of those opposed to the bill is Prophet Chris Okafor of the Liberation City Church who imagined that El Rufai was only being used to test run the bigger plan to Islamize Nigeria, Before his congregation of worshippers and on live television viewed around the world, Chris warned Governor El Rufai to drop the proposed law or be ready to die in 14 days with effect from March 20, 2016 when he gave the warning. Bearing in mind that there could be good intentions behind the law, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Martins did not similarly dismiss the proposal. Instead, he PhD,Depar tment of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758

A secular humanist critique of religion (1)

ince the second instalment of the series I completed in this column last Sunday entitled "An unbeliever's interpretation of Easter" was published, I have been bombarded with stupid, completely irrational, irresponsible and even threatening text messages because of my critical stance towards Christianity. For example, one faceless halfbaked champion of Christianity who claims to be Emeka, from Enugu, after making idiotic and derogatory remarks about me, questioned my intellectual capacity to challenge the fundamental doctrines of his Christian faith. Another australopithecine stated that I would never dare to criticise Islam and its founder, Mohammed, because some mentally deranged Muslim would make me pay dearly for it. He even added the ridiculous prediction that in future I would become a Christian through the same epiphanic experience that allegedly led to the sudden conversion of Saul of Tarsus, as recorded in Acts 9: 1-19. Now, I want to deal conclusively with this nonsense about my seeming reluctance to write critical essays about Islam and Mohammed. First, due to the penchant of few lunatic Muslims to attack anyone

who criticises the Holy Koran and media houses that publish such criticism, editors of newspapers and magazines are generally unwilling to put in the public domain materials which some fanatics might use as excuse to commit murder and arson. The ordeals of Ibn Warraq, who wrote Why I am Not a Muslim, Salman Rushdie, the author of Satanic Verses and, more recently, deadly attacks on media outfits across Europe that published essays and cartoons which Islamic terrorists consider offensive to their religious sensibilities, amply justify such editorial pusillanimity. Again, my knowledge of Islam and its founder is severely limited in comparison to my solid grounding in Christianity, the religion into which I was born but which I later abandoned while in secondary school mainly because of its irrationalities, absurdities and the incredible fabrications and dubious origins of the Christian scripture. It is pathetic that Muslim fanatics who are mere mortals like everyone else would arrogate to themselves the moral high ground by sublimating their mental illness and frustrations by claiming to fight for Allah. But there is something definitely wrong with a religion that provides a

advised the Kaduna State Government to listen to the key stakeholders in the state before introducing its proposed religious bill so that the law can be just and effective. As if to give credence to the good intentions behind the law, the Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Yusuf Bala, allayed the fears of critics when he told a delegation of the state chapter of CAN that the government was only anxious to curb

The Nigerian Constitution allows several freedoms including that of worship but the same constitution in Section 45 empowers those in authority like el Rufai to take steps to prevent anyone from enjoying his own freedom to the detriment of his neighbour and the rest of society religious extremism in the state The bloody clash in Zaria between the Army and the Shiites last December leading to several deaths is a sufficient reminder to any proactive governor to put in place a number of legal convenient or easy excuse for a bunch of lunatics to maim, kill and destroy in the name of a God who is supposed to be the almighty spiritual being and creator of the universe. If, indeed, Muslim fanatics genuinely believe what they proclaim about Allah and about Islam being a religion of peace, mercy and compassion, it would become immediately obvious to them that violence and true worship of their God are antithetical to each other. Therefore, although I am convinced that it is self-abnegating for humans to worship God, it is even worse for believers to use violence as a means of converting others to the religion that propitiates such a God. A deity that requires violence to win people over deserves contempt, not worship. In any case, once I acquire a reasonable knowledge of Islam, I would state my honest opinion about its doctrines and the practices of those that call themselves Muslims, despite the real dangers associated with doing so. In fact, time has come for the vast majority of Muslims worldwide who are peaceful and law abiding to take concrete measures against fanatics in their midst whose wickedness and bloodthirsty interpretation of certain koranic texts have made Islam extremely loathsome for billions of people across the world. To a large percentage of Nigerians, the explosive expansion of Christianity and Islam in recent years is a welcome development. Many Christians believe that the difficult situation we have been facing especially since 1984 would have worsened considerably were it not for the fervent intercessory prayers of the faithful. Similarly, during Islamic festivals, Muslim clerics praise Allah for keeping Nigeria together as one country despite the centrifugal

provisions to regulate the conduct of religious activities in the state. This seems to explain why the communiqué of the December 2015 meeting of the 19 Northern Governors stressed that all organizations, whether religious or social, must operate within the law. Those who know El Rufai as a leader with an eye on the verdict of history should thus not be surprised to see him initiating proactive policies which may be unpopular to some interest groups. It is a rational way to handle Kaduna State where Maitasine riots in October 1982 led to the death of several people in Rigassa village and beyond; and where in 1992 hundreds of people were killed in religious riots in ZangoKataf and environs. In February and May 2000, and again in February 2001 as well as in May and November 2002, massive destruction of lives and property took place in Kaduna metropolis. El Rufai certainly remembers how in April 2004, religious protests in Makarfi town over what was described as the desecration of the Quran by a Christian teenager virtually engulfed the state. The Nigerian Constitution allows several freedoms including that of worship but the same constitution in Section 45 empowers those in authority like el Rufai to take steps to prevent anyone from

enjoying his own freedom to the detriment of his neighbour and the rest of society. We all know that many religious groups in Nigeria are unwholesome in their worship. Among other things, they deliberately block movements and also mount loudspeakers to amplify their prayers thereby serving as a nuisance to society. Well meaning Nigerians ought to support laws which require them to be temperate and considerate in their operations. After all, there is no proof that the religious leaders are sincere and interested in the moral and spiritual reformation of the country. The outgoing President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor confirmed this in a recent media interview that “most people who claim to be pastors are in reality not men of God but ‘commercially minded people who have turned the church into a business centre.” Accordingly, other governors should emulate el Rufai and help to stop the nation’s current height of pervasive indiscipline. Unfortunately, many of them perhaps out of fear of dying in 14 days, do not have the courage to hold the bull by the horn and call off the bluff of unpatriotic interest groups. For example, the nefarious activities of several operatives in uniform who go by several names such as Vehicle Inspection Officers etc are left unchecked. As part of

regenerating the Kaduna society, Governor El Rufai in December 2015 dissolved the agency in the state as it was clearly not serving the public interest. One of the reforms being proposed for its replacement is the prohibition of the collection of cash revenues by any person or organizations. All payments will now be made through bank or electronic transfers. Many Nigerians take delight in appropriating any available land and building without permits often blocking the central sewage system and distorting the master plan of a town. Kaduna says that can no longer happen. In the case of fuel, many political leaders watch helplessly as Nigeria remains a country where what is described as scarce is available everywhere except at its legally designated location. So, during scarcity, fuel is not available in any petrol station but can be found in abundance opposite the stations in jerry cans. So, Kaduna banned the hawking of petroleum products and asked defaulters to be arrested. While not applauding the mismanagement leading to the fuel crisis, the absence of order and discipline would certainly exacerbate the crisis. Kaduna, which always bells the cat is often chastised as wicked, but its so called unpopular policies are the only things that can stabilize society.

forces threatening to tear the country apart. Generally, in spite of evidence to the contrary, religionists are convinced that any good thing that happens to them or to the larger community must be due to God's grace, whereas evil occurrences, which are mostly manmade,

Now, the 1999 Constitution proclaims that Nigeria is a secular state, that the country has no officially recognised state religion. But the proclamation is vacuous and misleading, for it creates the false impression that religion does not matter in the daily transactions of government and that freedom of unbelief is protected and guaranteed. If Nigeria were indeed a secular state, why are public officials required to swear with the Holy Bible or the Holy Koran while taking oaths of office? Why did our leaders waste scarce public resources building churches and mosques in Aso Rock and in state government houses throughout the federation? What is the rationale for having a slot for one's religion in documents for official transactions, such as voter registration exercise and employment in the civil service? Let us stop deceiving ourselves pretending that Nigeria is a secular state - she is not. On the contrary, Nigeria is a multi-religious country dominated overwhelmingly by Christians and Muslims, with the vanishing number of adherents of indigenous religions playing an insignificant third fiddle. Introduction of sharia in the North, which in itself is a negation of secularism, demonstrates that for some key members of the Northern establishment, Islamic law takes precedence over the 1999 constitution that is supposed to be the fundamental law, the grundnorm, of the federal republic. It follows that religion plays a very important role in the lives of Nigerians and influences official policies of government. Now that we have a devout Muslim and a born-again Christian as President and Vice-President respectively, there is no doubt that religion will be one of the key factors shaping decisions

at the highest levels of governance. Before I outline a secular or scientific humanistic critique of religion by identifying the various ways in which religion has had (and continues to have) detrimental effects on individuals and communities, it is necessary to present, first, the concept of secular or scientific humanism and the core values associated with it. That would provide the necessary background for appreciating the qualitative difference between religious worldview and scientific humanism as well as the imperative of replacing the former with the latter. Like every word that connotes a complex reality, 'humanism' has more than one meaning. However, humanists in general would agree with Barbara Smoker's definition of 'humanism' in its broadest sense as an attitude of mind centred on humanity and human interests - not to the exclusion of other animals and the natural environment generally, but definitely to the exclusion of gods, angels, devils, and other imaginary beings postulated by religion. It implies a desire to think for oneself, to accept the results of free critical inquiry whatever they might be, and to act in accordance with those results in the light of reason and in cooperation with others for the promotion of human happiness. Before the 1960s, 'humanism' was virtually synonymous with 'free thought' or 'free thinking,' suggesting a rejection of religious beliefs based on purported divine revelation. With time, its meaning became blurred. Christians and adherents of other faiths who, while believing in the supernatural realmand were also very concerned with human welfare in this life, began to describe themselves as 'humanists' also.

A deity that requires violence to win people over deserves contempt, not worship are due to the wicked machinations of the devil. I have a completely different opinion about all this, about the effects of religion on the lives of Nigerians and on the country as a whole. I strongly believe that, overall, religion is detrimental to the intellectual, moral and spiritual development of Nigerians, which implies that religion is a very serious obstacle to the emergence of a strong, egalitarian, prosperous, peaceful, scientifically advanced and spiritually enlightened Nigerian nation. In otherwords, the country would have progressed far beyond the deplorable state in which she is right now if a substantial percentage of the citizens, especially members of the elite, had imbibed secular or scientific humanism rather than Christianity and Islam as a basic worldview to guide both the private and public aspects of their lives.

To be continued

PAGE 32—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

I wish Cameron has Nigerian blood in him

know this may sound strange, but every time I see the United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron on television lately I wish he was a Nigerian. This is against the backdrop of condemnations arising from the revelations in the Panama Papers that his late father set up an offshore trust fund in which the PM benefitted from. As I watch Cameron struggle to ward off these criticisms, my sympathies go to him. At this time, there are many advantages for Cameron to be a Nigerian. Do not be surprised at my "wish" for this gentleman whom I now have huge respect for. I was not a fan of Cameron as a coalition Prime Minister, but for inexplainable reasons, my ranking of him as a leader has increased in recent times. His energy and drive for a better Britain is enviable and a lesson for some leaders in the third world. It is this admiration that keeps me awake at night thinking that this young man can be a Nigerian at this trying times. Lately, Cameron has been under intense pressure from the opposition Labour Party and a few members of civil society groups. To me, a worthy leader and gentleman of Cameron's stature should under no circumstances be subjected to harsh words as heaped on him in past weeks. Unfortunately, though, for Cameron, this is the penalty he has to pay for being born in a descent, organised and morally upright society. Being born British means he grew with the values of transparency, honesty, dedication, and openness. He is aware of what the society expects of him, first as a citizen, and secondly as the leader of Great Britain. Like many British leaders, Cameron gave up his right to private life when he got on the political podium. Now let us situate Cameron as a Nigerian. Born with the "famed" Nigerian blood under very thick skin that keep citizens running against all odds. Imagine Cameron born and bred in the largest African country, with or without silver spoon. Imagine Cameron grew up in Nigeria, a country where an individual with no sustainable business venture is elected the chairman of his local government and becomes "super rich" over night. If only Cameron was born in Nigeria, he would have been taught that using public funds to build houses, or buy flashy cars are part of services to the people. You can see the misfortune of Mr Cameron being a British. The revelations from the Panama papers have caused ripples all over the world. It has consumed some high political figures in the western world. Last

week saw Cameron fighting tooth and nail to remain in his seat for a "sin" that was allegedly "committed" by his father. Because Cameron lives in a descent society where leaders' affairs or dealings are scrutinised with fine tooth comb to ensure nothing shady is done, he was put to task on the Panama papers. Because he lives in a society where leaders are expected to be above board, even In their private lives, he owes his people proper explanation. Meanwhile, Cameron is not accused of any misappropriation or malpractice. The opposition Labour Party and other pressure groups are only on his case because they think he did not declare what he benefited from the offshore business. It is not unusual for opposition parties or even members of same political party in this clime to cry blue murder on issues they think lack transparency. Now I continue in my imagination (wish) of Cameron as a Nigerian. Instead for him running from pillar to post, or releasing his tax returns and earnings, or sweating under the collar unnecessarily, the Nigerian Cameron would not belabour himself explaining the legality of why his late father set up an offshore trust. Imagine Cameron is a Nigerian politician. All he

As a Nigerian politician, even if he had been caught with his hands in the cookie jar, he needed not panic, because he would have definitely been "protected" by the law. He would have immunity against prosecution would have done was get his political friends together and pronto the law is changed as deemed suitable for his sake. As a Nigerian politician, even if he had been caught with his hands in the cookie jar, he needed not panic, because he would have definitely been "protected" by the law. He would have immunity against prosecution, and if otherwise, he would "pursue injunction" against his trial in any available court of law. Let us put aside these Panama papers. What about the hundreds of Nigerian politicians who are feeding fat on the citizenry? What happens to the hard core ones who "stole (and still stealing) their states, ministries, agencies" dry? What do we

do to them? Our society celebrates them, confers on them chieftaincy titles, universities "dash" them with honorary doctorate degrees while they oppress the electorates that voted them in. In Nigeria, the moral standard is different from what the rest of the world understands. In the Nigeria world, it is an abomination to ask for the resignation of indicted serving corrupt public officers. This is the beauty of being a politician in a Third World country, such as Nigeria. THE MANY TROUBLES OF DAVID Looking at Cameron last week, I could not but notice his vulnerability, his fears and the enormity of the responsibility on the shoulders of this young man. His vulnerability as a human being was exposed by his initial reaction to the Panama Papers. Instinctually, he came out fighting, and angry, according to him, "about the way my father ’s memory was being traduced.” He was later to raise up his hands and accept he made a mistake in the way and manner he handled the issue. His fears were visible in the parliament on Monday when he had to painfully sit and listened to critics taking turns to "throw stones" at him. How much I love to know his thoughts as Labour MP Dennis Skinner, repeatedly dotted his speech with "dodgy Dave". He did try to hide his reaction, but when the news camera zoomed in on him, we noticed the slight discomfort (or is it fear?) on his face. And as Skinner was walked out of the chambers, the PM shook his head in disbelief at the anger of the old man. Ever since the PM negotiated a "near" good deal for UK in the EU earlier, he seem to have been hopping in and out of one "hot" issue or the other. Last week the Leave EU team accused his government of spending £9.3 million of tax payers' money to print pamphlets of facts on why UK should remain in the union. Although, the PM defended this strongly, the impression of "desperation to remain" in the EU was successfully created by the Leave EU team It was a season of gloating on the part of the Labour Party when the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne also made a few cock ups after his March 16 Budget presentations. In an apparent display of poorly thought through budget cuts, the chancellor, and indeed the government made a humiliating "u-turn" on the disabled Personal Independence Payments (PIPs). The embarrassing aftermath was the resignation of Iain Duncan Smith, the Works and Pensions Secretar y. Coincidentally, Smith is one of the key backers of the Leave EU campaign. These and many more are the troubles of Cameron. These have brought more pressures on him, but I can safely predict he definitely is going nowhere till the end of his term as the youngest Prime Minister in recent history of the United Kingdom.

lory to God for his unlimited mercies upon our lives. This week, we focus on loneliness. In most cases, one is described as lonely when he or she lacks a companion. God appreciates the fact that we all, at some point in time, need companions. The evidence of this is found in Genesis 2 verse 18: “ And the Lord God said , ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” ( King James Version). A person may be lonely if he or she is old enough to get married and desires a marriage partner but is unable to find one. In other words, the person has been in and out of relationships that failed to end up in marriage or has never been in any relationship. A couple may be lonely if they desire to have children but have been unable to have even one child after several attempts. For others, it could be because one lost a spouse or he or she has, consciously or unconsciously, become a single parent. In other instances, it could be that partners are separated by distance. Whether we admit it or not, at some point in time, we need someone to share our thoughts and feelings with. However, in our bid to overcome loneliness, there are certain things that a Christian believer must not be associated with. First, let’s share the thoughts of Pastor Enoch Adeboye in Open Heavens of February 12, 2016. He wrote, “Loneliness is usually never desired. Prolonged loneliness may sometimes lead to depression”. Adeboye also made reference to Genesis 2 verse 18 but further explained “help” in the context that it is used in the Bible: “ Help refers broadly to aid or assistance, the word helper may connote subordinate, but does not necessarily imply inferiority “. Divine Connection Have you been waiting for a life partner ? Don’t give up. The one that is your bone of your bone is somewhere but you need divine intervention to come together. Therefore, cry to the helper of the helpless for help. Cry to the Lord Jesus. Psalm 121, which you read casually, is so relevant if we pray seriously. Psalm 121verses 1and 2: “ I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord , which made heaven and earth”. When we remind the Lord that we have faith that He is our only Helper, he will surely intervene. Do you know that even with your late marriage, when God intervenes, you can over take your friends who got married before you in several areas. However, snatching your friend’s lover or husband is not the way to have a marriage partner. For instance, a single lady, who had been close to a couple, found out that the couple really wanted to have children. She then began to take the woman to all sorts of herbalists in the name of searching for children. Unknown to madam, this woman had told the herbalist that she wanted to get married to madam’s husband. So, whenever madam used the herbalist’s charm, she and her husband will have clashes that usually got violent. While this was on, the single lady began to sleep with the husband . Of course with charms made for her by the herbalist. To shorten the story,

Away with loneliness the single lady got pregnant for madam’s husband . Madam later found out and she was devastated but resolved to stay put. She vowed never to leave her home for the single lady . Suddenly , God visited madam and she had a baby boy after years of waiting. The day the news of madam’s baby birth was broken, the single lady

Every child of God that is determined to fulfill God’s purpose must live according to the order of marriage ordained by the Almighty God

collapsed and was rushed to hospital. Eventually, the man threw her out of his life. She could not bear the shame , hence she left the country and has been living a lonely life abroad. Loneliness at home For married couples, their situation is slightly different. They have each other . Companionship is the essence of marriage. However, the greater companion they need is a child or children. Psalm 127 verse 3: “ Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord : and the fruit of the womb is his reward”. The meaning is unambiguous. It is only God that gives children. When IVF succeeds, it is God that allowed it to succeed. Therefore, couples need not put each other under any form of pressure as this could lead to failed marriage if not handled maturely. Adeboye, in Open Heavens mentioned earlier, stated, “ Every child of God that is determined to fulfill God’s purpose must live according to the order of marriage ordained by the Almighty God. Marriage is the foundation of life according to the Bible. Consequently, marital failure may as well translate to failure in life and ministry”. Even as couples remain steadfast in prayer, service and worship of the Lord, they must pray against the spirit of immorality. These days, strange things are happening.

For instance, a couple attended a church believing God for children but the man went into a relationship with a single lady who claimed to have a child for him. I emphasize ‘claimed ’ because experience has shown that in about 95% of those cases, that man is usually not the biological father of that child. Surprisingly, he brought the child for dedication in the same church. Even some pastors who knew of this unfaithful relationship kept quite. The man’s wife could not bear it and that led to the collapse of their marriage and her exit from that church. Whether now or in the nearest future, there would be a repercussion for the man and his strange woman. The aim of this column is to encourage couples to stay focused and mind the company they keep. Many of those we share our family secrets with are waiting to take advantage of the situation. Therefore, our best friend should be the Lord Jesus. He is the friend that never fails. Testimony begets testimony As usual, I share the testimony of a couple who remained steadfast and broke through. Mrs. Yemisi B. married in 2010. After waiting for a year without children coming, she and her husband, like most couples, decided to consult doctors. She was diagnosed with blocked fallopian tubes. She had surgery and waited for two years, yet pregnancy was not achieved. She then suggested that her husband should have a check. Let’s thank God for husbands who listen to their wives without having a feeling of control. He did and was told he had low sperm count. According to Yemisi, she was listening to the testimony of women who brought their babies for testimony on Laughter Day at Laughter Foundation Christian Ministry when the Spirit of God mentioned to her: “ If God can do this, yours is possible”. The good news is that, after six years of waiting, she is now a mother of twins: a boy and a girl. I decided to share this woman’s testimony to enable us appreciate that listening to testimonies isn’t a waste of time. One can key into a testimony prayerfully. While praying, all that expectant women or couples need do is to remind God that since He did it for Mr. and Mrs. X,Y,Z , He can do it for them too. Use this as a regular prayer point and the Lord that visited Sarah, the Lord that visited Hannah , the unchangeable changer will step in to change your situation and give you a joyful home. Remember, remain focused in payer and watch the company you keep.

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 33

rexmarinus@hotmail.com

All Peoples Confusion (APC) President Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, swept into office exactly a year ago on the powerful promise of change. Change that would turn Nigeria from an awkward, self-indulgent nation, to a serious, productive, prosperous, and just nation. It is nearly a year – in point of fact, just less than six weeks shy of a year exactly when President Buhari swore the oath of allegiance to govern as president and defend the constitution of the republic, and lead Nigeria, doing good by all as president. Change came to Nigeria, many claimed, with Buhari as president. I do recall asking in the “Orbit” in the midst of the campaign whether Nigerians knew exactly what kind of change they were asking for. It was clear that Nigerians were tired of sixteen years under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the center. It had been wasted years for many. Personally, the PDP, and Nigerians came to call the party, “People Deceiving People” had actually lost traction. It had moved from the ideas fashioned from the first meetings in Z.C. Obi’s office in the Western House on Marina Street, Lagos, where the PDP had actually been formed late in 1998, to something awkward and dangerous. Alex Ekwueme,

who burnt a lot of tyre between Enugu, Lagos, and Abuja, as once testified to me by his friend Dr. Simeon Okeke at the Chancellery of Dr. Agwuncha Nwankwo’s Eastern Mandate Union in Enugu, most certainly must have not recognized the party he spearheaded, down the line. Dr. Ekwueme virtually sketched the party’s founding ideas and its philosophy as a right of center political organization. Aside from its centrist economic and political views, the PDP wanted to place itself as an inclusive, nationalist party that had broad representation. The kernel of its economic policies was the free market and privatization. Its political thrust was traditional, prowest, and unoriginal. But it had the beginnings of a structure. However, it was hijacked too soon in the fray. I was present at the Jos convention of the party in 1998, sitting next to Chuba Okadigbo, and behind whom was Bamanga Turkur, for whom I remember specifically receiving a call from the CNN and handing him the phone, to confirm that General Obasanjo was trending in the polls that night. Later, early that morning at about 2:00 am with Newsweek’s Marcus Mabry, and Isyaku Ibrahim, Dr. Ekwueme’s

SocialEtiquette With Janet Adetu

info@etiquetteconsortium.com JSK Etiquette & Image Training Janet@JSKEtiquette JSK Etiquette Consortium

In The Gym Etiquette (Part 3)

e are still in the gym trying to get our act right without sabotaging our image. I hope you have been following all the tips in Part 1 & 2. This is the final belt on our etiquette tips for using the gym, I hope you find them useful. 7. Hair Flaws We women tend to spend so much money on our hair, so sometimes we would rather avoid the gym for the fear of ruining our lovely hair do. It is so much easier to tie your hair back when going to the gym. Wearing a cap may also help keep the hair intact. It may sound funny but it must be said: Don’t

make the mistake of wearing your rollers on your head just because you are going to work straight from the gym. Remember even in the gym image is everything and perception is reality. 8. Bare Essentials Bathroom Tactics In the gym I know women are all the same and really have nothing to hide. A lot of women I find don’t mind revealing all their bare essentials when getting ready in the bathroom. A number of ladies use this opportunity to get ready for work and totally take over the bathroom as if it was their very own at home. Sometimes it can be quite frustrating how

Presidential Campaign manager and financier, at Lawrence Onoja’s home in Jos, we got information about the movement of money to the party delegates from mysterious quarters, and as it turned out, it was the final seal to Ekwueme’s presidential ambition under the party. The party Ekwueme founded had been stolen from him, and handed to people who had no idea what it was all about. In 2003, after Obasanjo’s first term, Ekwueme again challenged him, and lost yet again. Thereafter, Ekwueme himself, now intolerant of the situation, challenged his own party, calling out an “All Party’s coalition” against the PDP to confront the party. Obasanjo’s era in Nigerian politics from 1999 to 2007, witnessed the height of political assassinations, kidnappings, ethnic violence and rebellion, particularly with the rise of separatist groups like the Niger Delta Militia, MASSOB, the OPC, and the rise of Boko Haram. Many state governors founded and funded private armies. Unsolved killings, political violence, and extreme corruption came to mark the political era from 1999 to date. The depth of corruption led to wide public outcry which led to the enactment of the bill establishing the EFCC in the National Assembly. It just happened that the EFCC was itself undermined when it was placed under executive oversight, rather than made independent. In sum, the current crisis of Nigeria did not begin from Jonathan in spite of increasing attempts to retail that lie, it began with the transition that brought in Obasanjo. It was a fundamentally corrupt process and it was staged and managed by his military cohorts who have

retained the shadow power over Nigeria. The two presidents with non-military backgrounds, the late President Umar Ya Ardua, and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, were actively undermined by strategic interests placed in place to subvert them. Two forces, both global and domestic were always at play, and they have remained so in the Nigerian story. First, Yar Ardua who tried to make a difference was sick, and he

APC to even pass an appropriation bill in the National Assembly. The party has moved from its claim to being a rallying force of change to being the “All Peoples Confusion” – and it is morning yet knew, as much as those who brought him knew that he was fighting against time. He lost the battle to illness and to time. At his death, Goodluck Jonathan, a little more than a political neophyte and seen no more than an inconsequential minority politician from the Niger Delta stood in. First, he fought a fierce battle of succession. Then he fought for his own legitimacy. It was all part of the plan. Those who had backed him against the more ambitious Dr. Odili, thought that he was malleable, and could very easily be teleguided from the distance. That was Jonathan’s greatest selling point: his apparent humility; a dog-like loyalty to his master, whoever that might be. Jonathan was simply to be the hand of Esau. But once elected, Jonathan proved

himself soon adept at breaking away from his old masters, and carving a path for himself. He began to pull away, and to establish his own grounds. In choosing independence, he alienated some of his key backers, and he made dangerous concessions, for his own security, to some dangerous interests. He was on a learning curve, and by his second term, he might have proved a more deadly political adversary against some of the more entrenched interests that he had gradually alienated. But his moves also compounded the Nigerian question, to the point that by 2015, these interests had moved decisively against him, mobilizing in all directions to oust him. Nigerians were ready for something different also. As the politician Ibrahim Mantu recently said in an interview published in Premium Times, of his party the PDP after sixteen years of in power: “People were already tired of PDP. PDP was suffering from hangover, fatigue. Sixteen years in power uninterrupted is not easy in a country like Nigeria. Then, PDP became over drunk with power. We were staggering. We missed our road. We were no longer respecting the people. Virtually everywhere, APC votes came from PDP members who were angry with the party.” A coalition against Jonathan, led by Bola Tinubu formed around Muhammadu Buhari, and their message was change. This coalition organized the APC, and campaigned on change. They railed against Jonathan’s inability to secure the release of the Chibok girls, and rightly so. But Buhari and the

APC are yet to release the girls and defeat Boko Haram as they promised Nigerians. Not only that, the current budget confusion in the National Assembly demonstrates that Bihari and the APC may yet out-perform the PDP, but only in the areas of incompetence and corruption. The APC has yet to demonstrate to Nigerians that it can govern: within three months of assuming political power, Nigeria’s poverty index shot through the roofs; there is greater insecurity with kidnappings and violent robberies; the massacre of Shiites and the abduction and killing of a colonel of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna suspiciously as revenge puts a damper to any promise of security; the rampage of the pastoralist Fulani who are killing people as they move along and the increasing threat of retaliation by affected communities especially following Agatu, and the arrest of 76 people in Awgu who rose in defence of their community is fueling increasing distrust in this government’s capacity to guarantee equal security to Nigerians; fuel scarcity never seen before has gripped Nigeria; state governments cannot pay public sector workers, the private sector is comatose, the entire economy is in a spin, and Nigerians are now crying out in agony. Increasingly, the APC’s promise of change has taken a really ironic and lethal meaning: it is looking like destructive change, and it is change properly seen in the inability of the APC to even pass an appropriation bill in the National Assembly. The party has moved from its claim to being a rallying force of change to being the “All Peoples Confusion” – and it is morning yet.

11. Rapport The gym is also a good opportunity to meet new people. Many people go the gym do what they have to do and leave immediately. To exchange common pleasantries and introductions appears an impossible task. You never know where you can meet each other again or if that person can be a valuable acquaintance. The world is so small it is important to maintain a good first impression everywhere you go.

Likewise engage in good rapport after all you will surely learn something new. Do not hesitate to be the first to introduce yourself, be brave and courageous. In the same light choose when you want to engage in conversations avoid being a rumour monger and a nuisance. Well I hope I have been able to through more light on proper conduct in a public place like the gym. It is the New Year take out time for health and wellness. It’s the new you.

much freedom some women have in such a public place. What is yours is yours I recommend you act with caution when using the shower or washroom, not everyone is comfortable with such environments. Please cover up your bare essentials all for the sake of decency. 9. A Fruit or Two Exercise does make us peckish and even hungry. If you are fortunate some gyms provide a variety of basic fruits like apples or bananas for their members to help replenish lost energy. In your bid to alleviate your hunger be careful not to overdo the taking. An apple is a sufficient after exercise, don’t take more than one it would create a wrong image of you if you did otherwise. 10. Dining Etiquette at the Gym If your gym has a cafeteria be careful not to indulge in too much food so soon after exercising. Most cafeterias will offer juices, smoothies and teas with breakfast bars, light salads, soups and sandwiches. Watch your

intake at this point the real essence of eating would be to regain strength not to satisfy your appetitive. Eat in grand style even if it is only a salad and a smoothie, remember you are being constantly watched. While discussing with others avoid talking about your favourite or worst food. There is no need to start counting calories as most foods will be specific with health intentions. Avoid any form of gossiping especially over someone’s weight or image.

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

hen President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2016 Budget before the joint session of the National Assembly on December 22, 2015, he must have leaped for joy that he had at last begun the journey to delivering his much touted change agenda to Nigerians. Though, seen as a national annual ritual that must be perfunctorily performed by a sitting president, the event marked for Buhari and his administration a golden opportunity for him to unfold his major economic blueprint for Nigeria, the first he had ever done since assuming power on May 29, 2015. If not for anything, the fiscal document boasted of an ambitious provision of over N6 trillion with more national projects slated for implementation under capital votes as opposed to previous estimates. The budget derived its focus from the 2016 Agenda of the Federal Government; which is majorly to diversify the economy through import substitution and export promotion to build a robust and resilient economic legacy for the future. According to the government, the budget is anchored on the President’s commitment to create a more diversified, sustainable, and inclusive economy which unlocks the latent potentials of the people, communities and natural endowments across the nation’s federating units. This is hoped to be anchored on the instrumentality of a medium-term (up to 2019) and long term (up to 2030) development plan as well as an updated Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. The agenda is hinged on Economic Reforms, Social Development, Infrastructure, Governance and Security, Environment as well as States and Regional Development. The strategy proposed by the administration is prioritization of critical policies and targeted interventions to deliver expected outcomes in the next 12 months using disciplined, consistent, measurable and sustainable progress across the six pillars adopted. For these reasons, many Nigerians were expectant that Buhari would at least arrest the rot in the economy, which had virtually been torpedoed by continuously declining oil prices, faltering power supply, warped foreign exchange regime and depleted foreign reserves, and offer fresh hope and a new direction with his fiscal and economic policies. For that reason, many Nigerians were expectant that Buhari would at least arrest the rot in the economy, which had virtually been torpedoed by continuously declining oil prices, faltering power supply, warped foreign exchange regime and depleted foreign reserves, and offer fresh hope and a new direction with his fiscal and economic policies. But these Nigerians were dead wrong! The expected change they were hoping for, was not to be for obvious reasons. First, as the bill went into the National Assembly for approval as stipulated by law, several malevolent forces actuated largely by pecuniary and political interests and driven by intrigues related to the 2019 election, actively connived to truncate the workability of the budget. No sooner had the president presented the appropriation bill than some Senators who were waiting on their wings to unleash their tar brush against him, screamed that the ‘’Budget was missing’’ while others in the same camp, declared that it had been stolen. But when their counterparts in the House of Representatives maintained that their copy was intact, the Senators changed their narrative with a new allegation that there were many versions of the budget. But somehow, the NASS and the Presidency found their way around and the issue was laid to rest, raising the bar that a common ground had been found. Unfortunately, the Presidency did not still get the clear message at that point that it was dealing with people who had since fallen apart with team were not to be taken unawares him and, therefore, were not on the nonetheless. same page with him. Ironically, most Thus, while the NASS played around with of these lawmakers are the same who the budget, removed key national projects stood on the same podium with PMB in many cases, introduced strange and to chorus the ‘’Sai Baba’’ and “Change’’ irrelevant ones into the budget and also slogan and actually gave him the votes substantially removed the amount during the last election to become earmarked for some and strategic projects, Nigeria’s epochal leader. in the name of working on it, the Presidency The politicians, like chameleons, patiently waited for them to be through with have changed their ideology and now their work. As it were, the manoeuvring by appear to be actively working the NASS over the budget, led to a against Buhari and his change agenda prolonged ‘work’ on the matter and forced for the country. For them, Buhari has the lawmakers to miss all the deadlines set hurt them by not being willing to call by them, including February ending. off the current political trial of the But when the lawmakers eventually Senate President, Bukola Saraki, by the ‘finished’ work on the budget and Code of Conduct Tribunal, which is transmitted it to the President for assent, pressing ahead with a 13-count charge the unthinkable played out. They played a against the former Kwara governor fast one on the Presidency and Nigerians and the perceived arrowhead of the by withholding the details of what they opposition against Buhari. passed and sending only the summary or Unfortunately for the Presidency, it highlights, to Buhari, to assent, praising played into their hands by not tidying themselves to high heavens that they had the budget it presented to the done their very best for the nation and its legislators. people. It was obvious to all that more Buhari was not impressed. To him, the brickbats were to be thrown at the budget passed by the NASS had thrown Presidency over the budget in the days more spanners into the works than advance ahead but the Presidency, though new the course of change, which he had on the horizon, would not be taken in proposed. He vowed not to sign it into law as a minor in a game that is well known. and the furore between the two tiers of With a fore knowledge that the NASS government, began in earnest. Apart from usually ‘’pad’’ whatever is presented to distancing himself from what the them and take the ‘extra cash’ for their lawmakers sent to him, Buhari made it clear ‘Constituency Projects’, Buhari and his

•President Buhari

2016 BUDGET:

A President’s Change Agenda Dogged by Intrigues he would go through the document ministry by ministry to see if what had been sent to him by the NASS substantially agrees or deviates from what was proposed. He was right. His instincts had forewarned him that something serious and dangerous to the health of the budget had happened. Beyond his instincts, his loyalists in the NASS, who believe strongly in his Change Agenda, had been reporting to him on a steady basis that the budget had been tainted by avarice and opportunism by those who pretended to ‘work’ on it. They had made it clear to Buhari that the major projects like the Calabar-Lagos Coastal Railway and other key projects meant to revitalise the economy by opening up the country and creating new jobs, had either not been accommodated or the sums provided for others drastically reduced so as to make it impossible for such projects to be realised within the fiscal year. Apparently armed with such feed forward, Buhari was already seething with anger and disbelief by the time the budget was transmitted to him by the NASS leadership on April 7, 2016. But rather than betray his emotions, PMB displayed a calm mien and summoned an emergency meeting of his ministers, who met on April 8 to look critically at the budget details from the NASS. They

were shocked by what they saw after sitting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for over three hours to review the document. Their verdict was unanimous: “The budget has largely been distorted by the NASS and we cannot work with it,” they all fumed. While some members of the NASS initially insisted that the Calabar-Lagos railway project was not included in the budget passed by them and transmitted to the president for assent, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transportation, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, countered his colleagues on the matter and insisted that the project was actually included (at a later date) and accepted by the National Assembly and expressed shock that it was removed. Ashafa was forced to issue a statement to put the record straight. He said in the statement: “I confirm that the Lagos to Calabar rail line was not in the original document that was presented to the National Assembly by the Executive. However subsequently at the budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Land Transport, the Hon. Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, did inform the committee of the omission of the Lagos to Calabar rail modernisation project and indeed sent a supplementary copy of the ministry’s budget to the committee which contained the said project. “The minister noted that the amount needed for the counterpart funding for both the Lagos to Kano and Lagos to Calabar rail modernisation projects was in the sum of 120 Billion Naira, being N60 billion per project. While the committee did not completely agree with all the changes made in the subsequent document, being fully aware of the critical importance of the rail sector to the development of our dear country, distinguished members of the Senate Committee on Land transport keyed into the laudable (Lagos to Calabar, rail modernisation) project and found ways of appropriating funds for the project without exceeding the envelope provided for the ministry. “In so doing, the committee observed that the Lagos to Kano rail rehabilitation project

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016 PAGE 35

Continued from page 34 had been allocated the sum of N52 billion as against the sum of N60 billion which the Hon. Minister requested as counterpart funding while no allocation whatsoever was made for the Lagos to Calabar rail line. “The Lagos to Calabar rail modernisation project was therefore included in the Senate Committee on Land Transports recommendation to the Senate Committee on Appropriations”. A senior official of the Ministry of Transportation, who is familiar with how the project was included in the budget, said that removing the N60 billion counterpart funding for the Calabar-Lagos Coastal rail project and increasing the Lagos-Kano lot, which also had N60 billion, to N92 billion, was to give the impression that Buhari and Amaechi did not do anything for the Southern part of Nigeria but only favoured the north when they were in office. The official said that such plot could make undiscerning Nigerians from the South to vote against Buhari and his party in the next election. Convinced that the NASS was playing politics with the project so as to humiliate Buhari and Amaechi, the official challenged the House of Representatives and the Senate to produce the report of their respective submissions to the NASS if they insist that the project was not included in the budget. The officer said: “When the budget was collated by the Budget Office and copies sent back to the respective ministries for perusal, it was noticed that the Coastal Rail Project was erroneously omitted at the compilation stage, although the total amount did not change. “The Transportation Ministry immediately, through a memo, drew the attention of the Budget and National Planning Ministry to the omission and it was corrected in the amended version which the Minister took the National Assembly and defended,” he said. He insisted that it was the amended copy that the team from Ministry defended before the National Assembly and not the one that had the error, an indication that there may have been in circulation a budget that did not contain the Calabar/Lagos rail project. Sunday Vanguard learnt that although members of the Appropriation Committee of the House of Representatives raised some issues about an assumed duplication of the project because both the Lagos – Kano and Calabar – Lagos had the same figure of N60b each in the allocation, Amaechi explained that there were two different projects that would be funded through the assistance of the Chinese government. According to the ministry, the sum of N80b was also provided in the same amended version for all other rail projects indicated. The source said the minister even met with the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Senator Danjuma Goje, on the two strategic rail projects; and also with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, and the projects were clearly explained after which they were appropriately reflected in the Senate Transportation Committee report to the Appropriation Committee. “That may be reason why the Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation has been quiet since the controversy started because he cannot claim ignorance on the issue”, the source said. The source also drew attention to the fact that the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee Chairman, Abdulmumin Jubrin admitted that the Transport Ministry budget overshot by N54b and queried if they were sincere, why the Ministry’s attention was never drawn to it during the several interactions they had with the National Assembly committees; but decided to distribute the funds to projects which were either not included anywhere in the budget or were provided for elsewhere. He also queried why the allocation for Kano Airport jumped from N60b to the N92b reflected in the details sent to the President. “Since Jubrin was referring people to the original budget, let him also show the people where either N60b or N92b was reflected in the original budget for the Lagos – Kano rail project?” he insisted. Although some of the Senators tried to sound tough by insisting that they would not revisit the budget if the president does not

2016 Budget: A President’s Change Agenda Dogged by Intrigues

As he returns to Abuja, there are fears he may wield the sledgehammer against his party men and women, who have been caught napping in the budget fraud

sign it into law, those who are familiar with what was done to the appropriation bill, believe the lawmakers overreached themselves in the course of approving it. It is argued that although the law stipulates that the lawmakers should approve the budget prepared by the Executive, such law does not confer on them the right to rewrite the budget, add whatever they want and remove whatever they feel and transfer the amount to their Constituency Projects. Those who are in this category argue that the action of the lawmakers amounts to taking over the function of the executive and a breach of the law. Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, belongs to the group of Nigerians who feels that the NASS has stabbed Nigerians on the backs with what they did to the budget. Their argument bolsters the fine line that it is the president, and not the NASS that promised Nigerians change through a new policy direction anchored on corruption-free budget implementation strategy. Nigerians further argue that at the end of the four years, it is Buhari who will be called upon to account for the mandate given him by the people and not the NASS and asked them to give the president the

needed support to drive home his agenda for the country. And for the first time since the brouhaha over the budget began to rage, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, spoke out in defence of the Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, confirming the Calabar – Lagos rail project was captured in the 2016 Budget and for which the President went to China to press for funding. Udoma, who issued a statement via his Media Adviser, Mr. Akpandem James, made it clear that both CalabarLagos and Lagos-Kano rail projects were captured in this year’s budget. The explanation by Udoma substantially helped to douse the tension in both the NASS and the nation as the parties to the ‘conflict’ opted to censor themselves after his statement as the chief custodian of the nation’s budget document. The minister’s position coupled with revelations that the key members of the NASS Committees on Appropriation cornered projects ranging from N2 billion to N4 billion because of their privileged positions, infuriated majority of the members of the legislature, who promptly called for the resignation of those who benefitted from the budget impasse to the detriment of the country. One influential lawmaker from Kano, who headed one of the committees, is reported to have converted the votes meant for many national capital projects into Constituency projects for his state and added many other projects which the Presidency did not include in his submission to the NASS. That decision of introducing entirely new projects into the budget and removing what was provided for, or substantially reducing the money set aside for projects and services, are the major ploys deployed by the NASS to distort the budget and by extension make it increasingly impossible to implement it. Buhari’s loyalists, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who visited him last week, have bluntly told him not to succumb to the blackmail of the NASS by signing the doctored budget, which would be difficult to implement so as not to rubbish his presidency as was the case in the past. They informed Buhari that signing the budget the way it is, would be akin to committing suicide and may pave the way for his administration’s failure and make the opposition to prevail over him in the next election. Last night, there were apprehensions within the NASS that heads might roll over the budget padding but all the members were asked to ‘ceasefire’ and watch the next salvo to be fired by Buhari upon his return to the country. While that remains the position, the House of Representatives has agreed to revisit the budget and accommodate whatever is said to be missing. But the Senate on the other hand, has vowed to veto the president should he refuse to sign within the stipulated 30 days. For the upper legislative chamber, the lawmakers did their job well and should be commended for its patriotism and altruism. In a

major response to the budget row, the Spokesman for the Senate, Sabi Abdullahi, warned Buhari to stop inciting Nigerians against them. The caption of the story by major newspaper was with the audacity of a lion. It screamed:”Senate issues final warning to Buhari”. Abdullahi, who was flanked by other Senators and under the kleighlight of major television and stations and print journalists covering the Senate, said boisterously, “While the executive is mandated to prepare and lay before the National Assembly a proposed budget detailing projects to be executed, it should be made clear that the responsibility and power of appropriation lie with the National Assembly. If the presidency expects us to return the budget proposal to them without any adjustments, then some people must be living in a different era and probably have not come to terms with democracy. “We make bold to say, however, that the said Lagos-Calabar rail project was not included in the budget proposal presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, and we challenge anyone who has any evidence to the contrary to present such to Nigerians. “Since the beginning of the 2016 budget process, it is clear that the National Assembly has suffered all manner of falsehood, deliberate distortion of facts, and outright blackmail, deliberately aimed at poisoning the minds of the people against the institution of the National Assembly. “This latest antics of this particular minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is reckless, uncalled for and dangerously divisive. Apart from setting the people of the southern part of the country against their northern compatriots, it potentially sets the people against their lawmakers from the concerned constituencies and sets the lawmakers against themselves. “We hereby demand from Mr. Amaechi a publicly tendered apology if he is not able to show evidence that the LagosCalabar rail project was included in the budget. Otherwise, he should resign forthwith. “Finally, by the provision of Section 81 (4) (a) and (b) of the constitution, the President is allowed to sign the budget and kick-start the implementation of the other areas that constitute over 90 per cent of the budget where there is agreement between both arms, even as we engage ourselves to resolve the contentious areas, if there were any. “We, therefore, urge President Buhari to sign the 2016 budget without any further delay”. It was a twin fireworks directed at Mr. President from his ‘men’ in the hallowed chambers. A day before the Senate unleashed its anger on Buhari, the House of Reps had also claimed ignorance of the CalabarLagos railway project and accused Amaechi of stoking the fire this time around. Its spokesman, Namdas, accused Amaechi of bringing the project through the backdoor of the NASS but did not explain how. According to him, the report that the project was removed, and its budget appropriated for the completion of the Lagos-Kano rail project was misleading and intended to set the Southern and Northern parts of the country against each other. The crossfire of tantrums notwithstanding, Buhari is yet to respond to the matter, having spent the whole week in China to secure vital funding for the controversial projects and draw down over $6 billion worth of investments for Nigeria in one swoop. As he returns to Abuja, there are fears he may wield the sledgehammer against his party men and women, who have been caught napping in the budget fraud. Others have suggested that in a bid to douse the tension in the land and in the spirit of party harmony, PMB might simply allow sleeping dogs to lie and forge ahead and do the job for which he was elected.

PAGE 36—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

The DSS and slain Fulani

in Igbo mass grave • The lesson from Yugoslavia

By Femi Fani-Kayode

he Department of State Security (DSS) have claimed that five Fulani herdsmen were abducted, killed and buried in a mass grave by members of IPOB in Abia state a few days ago. It also claimed that there were up to 50 more bodies in the grave and that they are all Fulani. The implications of this announcement is obvious. It will create more tension and fear in the land and it will lead to reprisal killings in the North. Violence is never the way out and I have always believed that it has no place in any civilized society. Yet what I find curious about this announcement is the fact that it is unique and historic. I say this because thousands of Igbos, Yorubas, Niger-Deltans and Middle Belters have been killed by Fulani militants and herdsmen over the last ten months since President Buhari came to power, yet the DSS has never announced it and told the country about the details and ethnic identities of the victims. When one thousand Shiite Muslims were slaughtered in Zaria and buried in mass graves the DSS did not speak. When five hundred Idomas were massacred in Agatu by Fulani militants the DSS did not speak. When hundreds of southern and Middle Belt farms were raided by AK47-wielding Fulani herdsmen who murdered, raped, burnt down and took over the land of their victims, the DSS never gave us details of the victims or made any announcements. When our leaders in the South were

kidnapped and when men witnessed their wives and children being raped and butchered by the Fulani militias before their very eyes, the DSS made no announcements. When the elder-statesman Chief Olu Falae’s farm was raided by the Fulani militants for the third time in one year and his OPC guard was slaughtered, the DSS made no announcements. When the villagers and farmers in the south-east were murdered and their wives and daughters were abducted by the Fulani militants, the DSS made no announcements. When traditional rulers, nuns and priests were abducted and killed by Fulani herdsmen in the south-south the DSS made no announcements. When the farms of the south west were attacked and ravaged and Yoruba farmers and their families were butchered by the Fulani militants the DSS made no announcements. When the International Terror Index told the world that the Fulani militias in Nigeria are the “fourth most deadly terror organization in the world”, the DSS said nothing and neither did they give us details about their activities or their victims. Worse of all is the fact that our government and our President, who himself happens to be a Fulani, has never deemed it fit or necessary to condemn the activities of the Fulani herdsmen and militants and neither have they expressed any sympathy or displayed any empathy for their many victims. Let me be clear: The murder of anyone, regardless of their ethnicity or faith, is unacceptable to me. I deplore murder and violence and, in my view, the killing of one innocent soul

diminishes the humanity of every single one of us as a community and a nation. However, it seems curious that the minute that Fulanis are killed in the East, the DSS is quick to rise to the occasion and express concern about it whilst they do not express the same concern when Nigerians from other ethnic nationalities were killed by the Fulani in their own homes and land.

Double standard

Therein lies the double standard and it is sad and unfortunate. Furthermore, not only is it very dangerous but it also confirms the view that our government and security agencies are not only partial but that they are also attempting to implement an ethnic and religious agenda. Three questions must be answered: Firstly, who is funding the Fulani herdsmen and where do they get their weapons from? Secondly, why does our government not only turn a blind eye to the mass murder and genocide that they regularly indulge in but also go out of their way to protect them? And thirdly, why do the government and security agencies have so much hatred and contempt for those that the Fulani regularly target and their victims and why do they believe that those victims do not deserve to enjoy the full protection of the Federal Government? Could it be because they are regarded as slaves and second class citizens? Is Fulani blood and are Fulani lives more important than others? Indeed, do non-Fulani lives matter in President Buhari’s Nigeria? Are we compelled to begin a ‘’non-

Fulani lives matter” movement which is based and fashioned on the “Black Lives Matter” movement in the United States of America before we can draw the attention of the world to what is going on in our country? Is it not obvious and logical that when the security agencies refuse to protect the citizens from the murderous hordes and herdsmen from hell, those citizens will eventually seek to protect themselves and go on the offensive? That is human nature and it is to be expected. Is it not clear to those in power that when a people are convinced that their government is no longer impartial in any conflict and that the security agencies of that government have been directed to go out of their way to actively and openly support those that constantly and regularly slaughter their people, it will eventually lead to open war? Is it so difficult to accept the fact that no government and no force from hell or on earth can compel or intimidate a man into lying down passively and silently watch his family, loved ones and kinsmen being butchered and slaughtered morning, day and night, without trying to protect them and without indulging in some form of retaliation?

It seems curious that the minute that Fulanis are killed in the East, the DSS is quick to rise to the occasion and express concern about it whilst they do not express the same concern when Nigerians from other ethnic nationalities were killed by the Fulani in their own homes and land.

Causes of war

With the sort of things that are going on in our country today, it is time to tell ourselves some hometruths. No-one wishes to accept it let alone say it but sadly war may come to Nigeria again.I do not want war and I consider it to be the ultimate evil but I am constrained to speak the truth and say things as I see them. The fact that a war is coming is a testimony to the fact that we have all failed to manage the peace that God has given us since 1970 and the cessation of hostilities after our brutal civil war. We have failed so badly that the remote and immediate causes of that civil war are back with us today even though we hate to admit or acknowledge it. Our country is like Yugoslavia unfolding before it exploded and violently broke into five separate countries. All the signs are there. Anyone that knows about the history of Yugoslavia or that is a student of world history will agree with me and appreciate what I am saying. Consider the dangerous mix. A crumbling economy. An inept, weak, failing and paranoid government. A hungry, angry and increasingly desperate civilian population. An ignorant, obsessive, arrogant, insensitive, corrupt and self-absorbed political class who are out of touch with reality. The implementation of an ethnic

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SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 37

Issues in Supreme Court decision in Rivers governorship case, entitled: ‘A farewell to election petitions’ By Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN

N this summary, I make comment on the important issues raised by the Supreme Court in that case. 1. On Card Reader The Supreme Court, in rejecting the use of the Card Reader adopted its earlier views on the matter in Okerekev. Umahi S.C. 1004/2015, that the use of the Card Reader would ‘dethrone’ and ‘depose’ the Voters’ Register “whose judicial roots are firmly embedded or entrenched in the self same Electoral Act from which it (Voters’ Register) directly derives its sustenance and currency” – per Nweze, JSC. The question may be asked, how does the Card Reader ‘depose’, or ‘dethrone’ the voter’s Register. After verification by the Card Reader, the voter’s name still has to be identified in the voters’ Register and ticked before he can vote. It must be noted that both the Tribunal and Court of Appeal emphasized that, the Card Reader was intended to and did strengthen the application and efficacy of the Electoral Act, by ensuring a credible election for the benefit of Nigerians. The Election Tribunal stated expressly that “the usage of the Card Reader was complimentary to the usage of the voters’ register. In other words, the two work hand in hand towards ensuring credible elections. The voters’ Registers properly come to play where a prospective voter has been screened by the Card Reader. The sum total of the role of the Card Reader is that it is complimentary to the usage of the Voters’ Register.” So where in all this did Nweze, JSC, discover the ‘deposition’, and ‘dethronement’, of the Voters’ Register by the Card Reader? Absolutely nowhere. What Nweze, JSC, had simply done was to give the Card Reader a bad name in order to subject it to judicial execution. Has the Card Reader eliminated the voters’ Register? No! Has it brought integrity and transparency to the voters’ Register and the whole electoral process? Yes! All the Card Reader does is to act as a gate man for the voters’ Register. There was no dethronement and deposition here. There was only a step forward towards free, fair and credible elections – a procedure for sanitizing our elections and for eliminating fraud, dishonesty and rigging from our electoral process. Should any Supreme Court anywhere in the world resist and reject such a beneficial development in the electoral process? No! The law as stated in Section 49 has not in any way been altered by the Card Reader. After being accredited through the Card Reader the voter still has to have his name checked in the Voters’ Register, and to have it ticked before voting. Without the process of identification and recording by the Card Reader, the old system of free ticking of all names in the Voters’ Register followed by thumb imprinting in thousands to match the number ticked will continue and our elections will simply be fraud writ large. So all this talk of superseding and dethroning, has no bearing whatsoever on Section 49 of the Electoral Act 2010. There is no provision of the Electoral Act banning or prohibiting the use of Card Readers. It is wrong of any one to assert

that the use of Card Readers is electronic voting. It shows that such a person cannot distinguish between accreditation and voting. Section 15 of the Electoral Act clearly empowers the INEC to issue Regulations, guidelines and manuals for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of the Act and its Administration thereof. Introduction of Card Readers is doing exactly that. By law, the guidelines thus issued are as potent as the permitting law, i.e., the Electoral Act itself. Ultimately, on the Card Reader issue, the only valid questions a Court of Justice ought to raise are as follows: (i) Was the voters’ Register instituted in the Electoral Act to promote and ensure free, fair and credible elections? (ii) If this is so (and it necessarily must have been so) did the introduction of the Card Reader enhance the capacity of the Voters’ Register to produce clean, fair and credible elections? (iii) As all the Courts, even the Supreme Court, haveadmitted, the Card Reader has sanitized and brought transparency and integrity to the election accreditation process. The sum total of the usage of the Card Reader therefore is that it is complimentary to the work of the Voters’ register. “The two work hand in hand to ensure a credible election” – (The Tribunal) It follows that if all the Card Reader does is to enhance, improve and promote the capacity of the Voters’ Register to ensure or guarantee, free, fair, credible and transparent elections, the Card Reader could NOT in any sense have ‘deposed’, ‘dethroned’ the Voters’ Register as Nweze, JSC, wrongly asserted in Okereke v. Umahi. Helping and enhancing the Voters’ Register’s capacity and efficiency cannot be classified as ‘dethroning’ or ‘deposing’ it. It is still there as the ultimate source after the clean up of the process by the Card Reader. The Voters’ Register could only be

Without the process of identification and recording by the Card Reader, the old system of free ticking of all names in the Voters’ Register followed by thumb imprinting in thousands to match the number ticked will continue and our elections will simply be fraud writ large

•Sagay regarded as having been dethroned and deposed if its purpose in the Electoral Act was to promote fraud, rigging and massive irregularities. In other words, it is only when its role and purpose is in conflict with that of the Card Reader, that it can be said to have been dethroned and deposed by the Card Reader, because the two would then be working at cross-purposes with each other. But in the circumstances of this case, they were working together towards a common positive objective. It is really incredible that the Supreme Court threw in the towel to the existing and debilitating culture of election fraud, violence and rigging, when the Law and Justice were pointing in the opposite direction. Apart from all the above, the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2015 specifically empowers the INEC to introduce innovations like Card Readers to promote the credibility and sanctity of an election. By Section 52 of the Act, “voting at an election shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission.” This gives INEC separate and extra powers to introduce processes into the election process in order to enhance its accuracy, transparency and credibility. 2. Substantial Non-compliance The Supreme Court also asserts wrongly that in order for an election to be nullified, the Petitioner has to establish that not only (i) was there a substantial noncompliance with the Electoral Act, but additionally (ii) the Petitioner must show that the substantial non-compliance affected the result of the election. This is wrong. By Section 139(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010, “An election shall not be liable to be invalidated by reason of non-compliance with this Act if it appears to the Electoral Tribunal or Court that the election (i) was conducted substantially in accordance with the principles of this Act and (ii) that the non-compliance did not affect substantially the result of the election: It is clear that the provision on substantial compliance in section 146 of the Electoral Act, 2006, is conjunctive in nature. For an election not to be invalidated, (i) it must comply substantially with the provisions of the Act and (ii) non-compliance, (whether substantial or insubstantial) must not affect substantially, the result of the elections. In other words, any election has to clear two hurdles in order to be valid; (i) it must comply substantially with the provisions of the Act; (ii) where there was any noncompliance, no matter how insignificant, it must not have substantial effect on the result. Therefore a petitioner will succeed if he can establish either of the following: (a) Substantial non-compliance with the Act, only or (b) substantial effect on the result by any degree of non-compliance, no matter how trivial. I repeat, the petitioner need only establish one of these two situations in

order for the election to be invalid, namely 1. Substantial non compliance with the electoral Act including the schedules and regulations. or 2. Substantial effect on the election result of any infraction of the Electoral Act, schedules, regulations etc no matter how trivial the infraction. Therefore, Kekere-Ekun, JSC, was absolutely wrong when she stated at page 67 of her judgment that in addition to establishing substantial non-compliance, the Petitioners were also obliged to also establish that the non-compliance also affected the result of the election. This is an error that some Justices of the Supreme Court have been repeating again and again inspite of corrections that have been offered several times. The authority on this issue is Morgan v. Simpson [1974] 3 All ER 722. This is what Lord Denning said in Morgan v. Simpson: “(1) If the election was conducted so badly that it was not substantially in accordance with the law as to elections, the election is vitiated, irrespective of whether the result was affected, or not. That is shown by the Hackney case, where two out of 19 polling stations were closed all day, and 5,000 out of 41,000 voters were unable to vote. Thus once there is substantial noncompliance, the election is invalid Cadit Quaestio! There is NEVER any further enquiry whether or not the non-compliance affected the result of the election. It is only when the non-compliance is not substantial, that its impact on the election is considered. 3. Polling Unit to Polling Unit Thirdly, the Supreme Court wrongly asserts that to establish non-compliance, the Petitioner has to provide evidence from polling unit to polling unit throughout the State. Again this is incorrect. In Hackney Case, Gill v. Reed and Holmes (1874) 2 O’M & H 77, 31 Lt 69, a leading English case, it was shown that only two out of 19 polling stations (units) were closed on election day and 5,000 out of 19,000 were unable to vote. The election was invalidated for substantial noncompliance with the relevant election law. Can an election that was marked by killing, extensive blood shed, intimidation, mayhem and chaos require a meticulous examination of polling unit after polling unit, to establish non-compliance? No. The elections were canceled by outright violence involving, killings, election materials seizure and intimidation of voters as was overwhelming established at the tribunal. Where there was effectively no election, it is futile going from polling unit to polling unit, looking for what never existed in the first place. In Buhari v. Obasanjo [2005] 2 NWLR (Pt. 910) 241 at pp. 520 – 522) Nsofor, JCA, nullified the whole presidential election based on events In 7 States out of 36 States.

To be continued next week

PAGE 38—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

By PRISCA SAM-DURU REVIEW

t a time when the debauchery of youths which has resulted into total mental breakdown, gross involvement in all manner of vices, is at an alarming stage, it’s heart-warming to know that there are still few remnant committed to leading a good life. Delta State-born young award-winning writer, Peter Ukwa is one of such dedicated youths who are bent on impacting the society positively. It is even more encouraging seeing he decided to do this through his pen. His first collection of short stories, River People and Other

Stories, published by Words Rhymes & Rhythm Limited, Jabi District, Abuja, attests to this. The book, an 80-page collection of 8 amazing short stories including True Independence which won the Association of Nigerian Authors’ (ANA) Centenary Literary Prize, directs the searchlight on some pressing issues still plaguing the Niger-Delta region. Coming at a period when there are intensified efforts to salvage what is left of the Niger Delta, the book which tells stories of family, people and culture of Africa, underscores the importance of patriotism, good leadership and non-violent revolution. True Independence, The Second Letter, Flower Vase, Wireless, The Poor Rich Man, The Stepmother, Nneka and River People are the 8 subtitles contained in the book. The Political Science graduate

By JAPHET ALAKAM REVIEW

emocracy as a system of government is defined as government of the people, for the people and by the people. But what has been a subject of debate for years is the type of democracy that is practiced in Nigeria. Is Nigeria practicing true democracy or not? To some it is, but to others it is not so, as candidates are imposed upon the parties, people are not given the chance to nominate or elect the people of their choice but those favoured etc. While it remains true that Nigeria is governed by democratically elected leaders at the federal and state levels, Nigeria is yet to institutionalise democracy after a century of existence as a political entity. This issue has been a subject of scholarly debate and many scholars have written on it,but the debate rages on, it was on the basis of this that Architect Paul Okwudili Eze, a grassroots politician who has seen it all having participated in many elections from the grassroots and seen the intrigues and others came up with a new book entitled; Democracy at the Grassroots; My early Experiments, Observations and Commentaries. The exciting and stimulating 309 page book published by Alpha Vista International Nsukka, Nigeria can be described as a vivid account of the author’s early political experience at the grassroots level in Nigeria’s experimental democracy during the aborted Nigeria’s Third

Chronicles of a polluted region from the Niger Delta University, employs a simple narrative technique carefully laced with African proverbs such that the contents can be enjoyed by any age bracket. The use of flash backs as well as suspense as the dominating technique, usually climaxing in the core message he intends sending across, do well to hold the reader spell-bound until the last word is consumed. The Niger-Delta struggles against environmental disaster is a major feature in the book. The author brings to the fore, issues surrounding pipeline vandalism, oil spillages and the resulting environmental degradation which have over the years, plagued the Niger-Deltans. The book also documents selfless services of heroes such as Ken Saro Wiwa and others who fought to ensure that the region is made habitable for its people. Instance of this is seen in True Independence where Ukwa

In the book, the author brings to the fore, issues surrounding pipeline vandalism, oil spillages and the resulting environmental degradation

non-violent revolution.

And corroborating the stance of countries like America and revolutionary leader, Martin Luther King Jr., the book adopts the nonviolent approach to resolving issues. This method yields an appreciable result as against violence that consumes the key players in the struggle. With his simple narrative style which no doubt, is reminiscent of late the literary legend, Professor Chinua Achebe; accounts of most unfortunate incidences of fire from vandalised or ruptured oil pipeline, unholy killings Peter Ukwa;River People and Other of youth corps members Stories, Words Rhymes & Rhythm posted to the Northern part of the country, Peter Limited, , Abuja; PP. 80 Ukwa has proved himself, a voice people should watch out relives memories of incidences of fire resulting from burst for. Unlike most books especially pipeline which engulfed all coming from fresh voices, River those who scooped crude at the site. The fire also destroyed People and Other Stories is not laddened with typographic errors. farm lands. In Flower Vase, readers are The title is direct and suggestive confronted with some of the of the content, the language is demerits of military regime. In simple, apt and makes for easy presenting that, he cleverly assimilation. Since the stories are told fuses family life with serious through the eyes of a young boy, issues such as coup d’etat, using the later as potent the cover design is appropriate suspense mechanism to arrest and speaks volumes of the author his readers’ attention. In the creative ingenuity. River People And Other Stories title story, River People, the is recommended for the reading author examines the huge difference between violent and pleasure of every family, school and all ages.

I want to share my experience, technique with the world --Remi Owadokun

oday, more books are read on mobile devices like phones and tablets. This has created the need for e-books. More books are now sold online than hard copies. Amazon is the biggest online booksellers in the world and it recently named a Nigerian a number one best seller. The author, Remi Owadokun is one of the foremost weight loss and healthy living consultants in the country. The half Brazilian half Nigerian, had battled her own weight earlier in her life but used a technique she created by herself to lose the weight. Today, she teaches people all around the world this same technique and has become popular for it. Remi however is making headlines not for her weight loss programme but as an author. Her book, How I lost 40 kg: the journey that changed my lifehas just been named number one best seller on Amazon. The

The missing link to true democracy Republic. The General Ibrahim Babangida’s Dawn of a New Socio -Political Order that created the catalyzing dynamo that propelled him to participate and be elected as the Executive Chairman of Uzo-Uwani local government area, Enugu State from 1991 to 1993, the politics that played within the council, his subsequent move to take part in future elections and how the powers that be turned him down and others. Segmented into 12 chapters for easy reading, the author in the introduction narrates how the neglect and underdevelopment of Nsukka zone by previous governments propelled him and others to form pressure groups like Association for the Protection of the Rights of the Common Man, APRCOM, NPL and other bodies that fought for the election of credible candidates. As a teacher, he traced the evolution of governments in

The author explains the meaning of democracy, the two types and the inherent problems of lack of intra-party democracy in Nigeria’s political parties

Nigeria in general and UzoUwani Local Government Area in particular. Continuing, the author explains the meaning of democracy, the two types and the inherent problems of lack of intra-party democracy in Nigeria’s political parties, which is the bane of of Nigeria’s political parties and the resultant leadership failure. He also went on to highlight how he took the giant stride by resigning his plum job as a lecturer at Oko Polytechnic and joined the Social Democratic Party, SDP, during the IBB’s experiment of two political parties that provided for the first time equal opportunities and a level playing ground for all interested politicians unlike what is

Democracy at the Grassroots: My early experiments, observations and commentaries; Paul Okwudili Eze; Alpha Vista International Nsukka, Nigeria;2015; PP. 309

obtainable now. The book also tells the readers about the author ’s campaign promises that captured how he will tackle all the problems in the zone, how his team presented the program to the populace that eventually led to his emergence as the Executive chairman of Uzo-Uwani LGA. The turbulent start where he narrated the different court cases against him and the great battle of UgbeneAjima where the NRC used the state power to oppress, intimidate all for the seat of Uzo-Uwani South State constituency. What he achieved within the short period, which includes the sitting of a campus of Enugu State University of Science and Technology at Uzo-Uwani were also captured. The politics of impeachment, how it was used against him several times and how he survived were also recorded and finally, the author parting note, an advice for elected chairman in what he termed keys to successful grassroots governance. Here, he points out some of those things they will do to deliver the much needed dividends of democracy. Written in very simple English language for easy understanding and laced with historical records with images of those that shaped Nigeria and Enugu state politics, the book Democracy at the Grassroots is the author’s attempt at addressing the missing link in Nigeria’s search for a true democracy.

• Remi Owadokun book is the only Nigerian book to reach such selling status. In a chat with her she says about her book, “It is indeed an amazing privilege, considering it was barely available to the Nigerian audience due to Amazon’s Country restriction. Becoming an Amazon bestselling Author to a mostly international audience is very encouraging.” Speaking about the motivation for the book she says, “In 2013, I weighed 110kg, I was grossly overweight, suffered from low self esteem, suffered from fat related diseases to the other (Migraines, pre-diabetes, hormonal imbalance) and one day I was sick and tired of living such a low quality lifestyle and decided it was time for permanent change. It took me 10 months to lose 40kg, I did not have a personal trainer, was not enrolled to the gym so I spent so much time doing trial and error. I did not know what to eat, what not to eat, how to exercise and what was best to do. I spent a lot of time and money experimenting on all the safe and natural methods. I wrote the book because I wanted to share my experience and technique with the world.” Remi is a Certified Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the biggest Nutrition School in the world. She considers herself a suitcase entrepreneur.

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 39

Kudos to a captivating, simply priceless book of knowledge By TOYOSI OLUWOLE REVIEW

he words engaging, real, heart warming, soul searching and simply captivating best describes this well packaged book of knowledge on realistic daily living. One of the best inspirational and eye opening books I have ever read. Tesh is one with a deep knowledge of the Word of God and have over the years documented her discoveries as led and taught by the Spirit of God. Having been through quite a bit in life, God had prepared her using her experiences for such a time as this when the writings will be made public to positively impact humanity. I for one count it a blessing to witness this great gift of writing. Treasure Chest is a small size book, loaded with precious write ups based on Divine Inspirations and 21 years life experiences and walk with God by the author. In the most prolific way, the silent, yet loud issues and situations of life, especially as it relates with Jesus Christ are addressed. It brings the Word of God alive in ways anyone, young or old, male or female, Christian or otherwise, can in one form or another relate with. From the title, to its contents, the reader begins to uncover a wealth of experience and knowledge – immeasurable discovery of hope, comfort, divine boldness and encouragement. Starting off with THE STORMS OF LIFE is the story of a young man told in the most graphic way as he faces a major challenge in life, which included even struggles within his heart and the way God came through

for Him. Right from this first page, you will begin to hunger for more and your very thoughts will be challenged. It is followed by another captivating chapter on JOURNEY OF LIFE. The chapters keep flowing into each other with headings that make you just want to keep digging into the treasures the book is offering. With 56 short Chapters, the book makes for a very pleasant read and source of encouragement on the reassurance of God’s unfailing love and presence in the affairs of men. Topics written about include THE TESTING OF YOUR LOVE, GOD CAN’T LIE, WHEN GOD BREAKS PROTOCOL. I particularly find these topics interesting as it tells me that I Treasure Chest: (A Collection serve a God that is beyond human of Timeless Wisdom for Daily reasoning, He cannot be confined Living) ; Tesh Njokanma; Tesh by anything or anyone. There are N Writings;2016.PP. 249 also chapters on our own role as God’s Children; WHAT ARE YOU these are just a few of some of the SOWING? ENLARGE YOUR treasures hidden in the Chest of CAPACITY, MAKE THAT this mighty but small book. God MOVE. She goes on still to boost remains our STRONG TOWER our confidence in God with ALL and to be honest we can do IS WELL, EXTRAORDINARY nothing without Him. We need MIRACLES, YOU SHALL Him to survive, we need Him to CELEBRATE and many more. All have a victorious life and He has given us the Treasure of life even without our asking or deserving it. He has also used this book from one of His vessels as a great reminder to us of His beautiful thoughts towards us. Treasure Chest is a book that can help us in our daily life. It can be read as a novel and as nuggets of life’s experiences and teachings. A wonderful family devotional, as the chapters are quite short and insightful. It can also be used for fellowships and self development. Read, see, and experience God’s faithfulness on another level.

Treasure Chest is small size book, loaded with precious write ups based on Divine Inspirations and 21 years life experiences and walk with God by the author

The lesson from Yugoslavia The country is badly divided today and the people are suffering as never before. We must do our best to ensure that that division and hatred does not spill over into open war Continued from page 36 and religious agenda by a government that refuses to consider the implications of taking such a course of action and that have an early-1960’s mind-set. A relentless clamp-down on and persecution of the opposition and all dissenting voices by the government and the use of fear as a tool of governance and control. The entering into military alliance with a group of Arab Sunni Muslim countries that seek to Islamise our country. The constant and open abuse of power. The impunity and insensitivity of the Buhari administration to the plight of the masses. The hunger, hardship,

poverty and suffering in the land. The failure of the government to get rid of the fuel queues and supply electrical power. The demonisation of peaceful and law-abiding self-determination groups and the unlawful incarceration of their leaders. The breach of the constitutional rights of the citizens and the ignoring of court orders and judicial processes by the government. The attempt to intimidate and control the judiciary and legislature by government. The list goes on and on and history proves that such a mixture of circumstances is dangerous and can only lead to open conflict if not halted. The country is badly divided today and the people are suffering as never before.

We must do our best to ensure that that division and hatred does not spill over into open war. This is because war is a terrible thing which must be avoided at all costs. The Yugoslavia lesson If anyone doubts that they should consider the plight of the Bosnians of Bosnia-Herzogovina during the Yugoslavian civil war that took place in the European Balkans in the late 1980’s right up until 1992. They were the only ethnic group in Yugoslavia that was not prepared for it when the war started. They had no arms, no plan, no allies and no fall back position. When the fighting started, they were caught unawares and, for two

Thumps up to a simply written, little big book By SALT ESSIEN-NELSON REVIEW

esh is a student of God’s Word and it shows. She has put together a book of inspirational, faith lifting and instructive quotes for the reader. They find their source in Scripture but I believe Tesh is also sharing based on her own experiences. She knows God by herself and it shows. That’s what I like the most I think. Tesh has shared these quotes with us in eight sub sections. Quotes on who GOD IS, come first. This makes perfect sense. God is the Alpha and Omega after all. Reading these words and phrases describing who God is, reminding us of His traits and His abilities revs the spirit and stokes the confidence in those who call Him Father. Then you have the I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES quotes via which Tesh shares her thoughts on what these acts are and are not and why God uses them in the lives of His children. The DIVINE PROTECTION quotes remind us to put our trust in God alone for our security. The times are perilous but those who dwell in God’s Secret Place need have no fear. Other sections include PRAYER; A B E T TER TOMORROW; FREEDOM FROM SIN; AMAZING GRACE and FRIENDS WITH CHRIST. Simple and direct. You can

years, they suffered immeasurably for their stupidity and naivety whilst their people were killed like flies and their women and children were raped and enslaved. God forbid this should happen to any ethnic group or ANY of our people in Nigeria. The reason that they suffered for two years was because there was an international arms embargo placed on all the ethnic groups and warring militias and armies in Yugoslavia when the war started. And, sadly, the Bosnians were the only ones that did not buy and stockpile arms in preparation for war, months and years before it actually broke out. Plagued by a cowardly and weakminded ruling elite and a naive, selfserving, servile, ignorant and intellectually-challenged middle class, the Bosnians just kept talking, writing newspaper articles, appeasing the aggressors and their tormentors, praying and hoping for peace whilst all the other ethnic and religious groups and warring parties were quietly preparing for war. Sounds familiar? They suffered immensely for their lack of understanding, insight and foresight and their civilian population paid a heavy price. For two years after the civil war started, the Bosnians could not even buy a gun or bullet to defend themselves. Their towns were besieged and blown up whilst their women and children were raped, enslaved and butchered. Their men were rounded up into Second World War-like Nazi concentration camps and starved of

almost hear Tesh’s voice speaking to you, encouraging you, nudging you like a close friend or favourite Aunty intent on getting you to hide these words deep down. For as long as we have these seemingly simple truths stored up in us, our feet will be on the enemy’s neck! I kept trying to tick off my favourites only to find I had ticked almost all the quotes in the book! All in all, you have 100 short and simple faith-fixes! 100 apples of Gold set out just for you. You take a faith filled bite and any rumbling within your spirit should be calmed. You can read this compact 59 page book of quotes in less than a hour but the words will linger in your spirit for much longer. That’s why I call it the little BIG book. Little book. Big faith boost!

Apples of Gold;A collection of 100 Inspirational quotes); Tesh Njokanma;Tesh N Writings; PPs: 59

the entire country into five pieces to stop the carnage and barbarity of the Serbs and eventually bring the civil war to an end. It was during that war that the term “ethnic cleansing” was first used by CNN to describe what was being done by the Serbs to the Bosnians, the Croats, the Slovenians, the Kosovars, the Macedonians and the Monte Negrans, all of whom represented the other ethnic groups that made up the old Yugoslavia. Eventually the country broke up and each of them got their independence from the dominant Serbs and from one another. If such a thing could have happened in the heart of Europe in the early 1990’s why on earth would any reasonably intelligent person dismiss the notion that it can happen here? The only difference would be that if such a thing were to ever unfold in our country, it would be far worse than what happened in Yugoslavia due to the sheer size of our population. We must do all we can to avoid this. We must reach out to one another in love and understanding in this country in an attempt to prevent war and secure the peace. Yet sadly the signs of a future conflict are already there. I pray that I am wrong but as far as I am concerned, for Nigeria, the bell is tolling. May the Lord deliver us. •Fani-Kayode was Minister of Aviation under the Obasanjo administration.

PAGE 40—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

Fuel scarcity: The good news from NNPC BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

Business Feature

or Ibe Kachikwu, the reactions that greeted his recent twin statements of lacking the magic wand to end the fuel scarcity in the country and that the unhealthy development would linger till May were his wake up call to the challenge. And now, it is goodnews from the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperations, NNPC. Whether it was flippancy or forthrightness, one thing was sure: that by his statement, he stirred the hornets nest, provoking some thoughts. And expectedly, there was a flurry of reactions to the comment. While some people appreciated him for speaking with all deserving candour, others excoriated him for expressing hopelessness even as the elders also schooled him on the employment of diplomacy and euphemism next time. But whichever way events went, Barrister Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State for Petroleum, afterwards surprised many with a display of humility. Not many expected Kachikwu to take the barrage of calls for his resignation which almost reached a crescendo with such sheer equanimity. But he did and consequently tendered an unreserved apology to the generality of Nigerians for saying that he lacked the tutelary powers to make the queues at various gas stations in the country, disappear. To many people, Kachikwu stooped so low to conquer. And that was a rare virtue to be found within the world of the rich and the affluent. But while the upset lasted, the Minister was also greatly perturbed by the concomitants of the times. But he did one thing which Nigerians were certainly oblivious of. Determined to find a lasting solution to the problem of fuel shortages which had become a hydra-headed monster, Kachikwu who doubles as the Group Managing Director, GMD of the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC headed back to the drawing board with his team. And at the senate session, he, like a more committed official of the present government of change struck a pact with Nigerians, promising that between April 6 and 7, the queues would disappear. This, again, was taken with a cacophony of feelings by many people. While many applauded him for standing up to his responsibility this time, some became apprehensive while others eagerly waited for the minister to guff still. But Kachikwu knew what all that meant. And by the close of the period, queues, though not completely conquered, became drastically reduced such that the situation was less orgy. But that is not the news at the moment. The news now is that it is uhuru for Nigerians as more and more trucks loaded with fuel had been dispatched to majors cities like Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar amongst others. This is obviously an intensified effort to completely end the scarcity just in days. This new development was the message unanimously conveyed by the quartet of four officials of NNPC to the State House Correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja. Calm and calculated, the Group General Managing, GGM, Public Affairs, Mr. Garba Deen Mohammed, and the Group Executive Directors, GED, who included Messrs. Bello Rabiu (in charge of Upstream

•Ibe Kachikwu

For Nigerians, Kachikwu’s integrity as a person is still at stake just as the sanctity of the assurances of steady supplies by the NNPC would define its seriousness

Services), Henry Obih (Downstream) and Anibor Kragha (Refineries) in that press briefing stated that NNPC understood the plights of the masses. To also demonstrate their deepest regrets, the group, on behalf of their boss, Ibe Kachikwu, did not hesitate to apologize to Nigerians once more. Though all of them took questions and made contributions as it affected their relevant Jurisdictions, Rabiu took the center stage and gave explicit details of the workings of the Cooperation at the moment. Below were the cheery news. He said: “The objective is to brief you on the current situation of the petroleum products scarcity and queues all over the country. Let us start by tendering our apology and telling the people that we are really doing the right thing. We have been working very hard. It is supply issues that have been causing this problem but we are doing everything possible to end it. What we are doing now is it ensure that we get necessary supplies into the country through imports as well as through our refineries.” We “re releasing 1500 trucks “As we speak today, we have 5 vessels serving products all over the country. And not only in Lagos, but also Port Harcout, Warri and Calabar. Apart from these vessels discharging, we also have private sector people that imported and are discharging currently. At least 120 million litters. In moving the product out into the hinterlands, we have a little option because most of the pipelines are still not working. “Because pipelines are not working, we are relying on about 100 percent trucking to the hinterlands. The plan is that going forward, from today, we want to ensure that we give what is more than required in this country. The total requirement for the whole country is about 1300 trucks. But our plan is to make at least 1500 trucks available everyday. We want to make sure that we sustain the market in a very short time. You can see that Lagos is almost cleared. Abuja is getting better. Other places will follow. “Yesterday, we were pushing 960 trucks into the cities but what was loading out of the depots was much more than that. We are now in a position to say that each state demands have been captured. We

know their needs and we are trying to ensure that all states are supplied. We are ready to be telling everybody in the country what we are giving to every state everyday. “The governors are being helpful. They are helping with task forces to ensure that these products that arrived the states are appropriately distributed. We are trying to ensure that this happens and happens quickly. On behalf of the Hon. Minister who is also NNPC GMD, we are very sorry for what has happened. And we are working very hard to ensure that this does not happen again. We are doing everything possible to have storage that will not allow us to experience this again. Once our depots are wet, it will not take anybody more than 4 hours to take the products from NNPC to any part of the country. And that what we are concentrating on.” Our priorities “We are doing three things at the same time. One: ensuring sustainable import, making sure that the refineries work and the pipelines also works. That will actually reduce all these incidences. Once we achieve that stability, queues will be things of the past in the country. We beg people to reduce the tension on themselves and not wasting time at the filing stations because, if don’t get fuel today, you will to get it tomorrow. There is fuel in Abuja, its environs now “All the stations like in Abuja now have fuel. There is no single station in Abuja without fuel. If you compare what is happening with yesterday, you will notice that the queues have gone down in all the stations and we will sustain this to ensure that no station is left unattended to not only in Abuja but all the states around Abuja: Niger, Kogi, Kaudna, Plateau and Nassarawa. “In a very short while, the whole country would be wet. We now have enough supply. Port harcourt refinery is already delivering 5 million liters per day, that is more than 120 trucks. That is not even enough for port harcourt area and Bayelsa.” Spending on imports “Spending on imports rely on two things: Volume and the price. As we speak today, a cargo of product of about 40 million liters will cost about 13 to 14 million dollars. And we need about 45 to 50 million liters to satisfy the country depending on the time and the condition of the country. “So, if you assume that about 16 million dollars per day, it can also go up to 20 million dollars depending on the price. It means you need 20 million dollars multiplied by 90 days for a quarter. That is $1.8 billion. So, this amount is required to import the country’s fuel requirement for one quarter. Every month, we need $600 million to import fuel. So, we need $1.8 billion to import the country’s requirement for one quarter”, he said. Bottom line For Nigerians, Kachikwu’s integrity as a person is still at stake just as the sanctity of the assurances of steady supplies by the NNPC would define its seriousness. Should they poo-pooh in their promise to make fuel available henceforth, analysts believe that it can only be a matter of days before Nigerians decipher whether the officials of NNPC were being sincere or just playing politics.

Customs rakes in N572.1million, intercepts 17 trucks load of contraband

•Some of the items seized by FOU Zone A BY UDEME CLEMENt

he Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has realised N572.1 as Duty Paid Value (DPV) from contraband items ranging from imported poultry products, foreign rice, vehicles, vegetable oil, trucks of unprocessed teak woods and general merchandise intercepted by the Command. The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of FOU, Comptroller Umar Mohammed Dahiru, disclosed this during inspection tour of the warehouse with senior officers for ‘on the spot assessment’ of latest seizures recorded by the Unit. He said that a total of 4,911 bags of rice, 15,048 cartons of poultry products, 1,884 gallons of vegetable oils and 17 trucks of unprocessed teak wood were arrested by his officers through intelligence network. “The latest onslaught came against the backdrop of the recent restriction on rice importation through land borders by Customs management. Three new Toyota Prado jeeps were also seized during the same period, though their status could not be ascertained at the time of this report, the agent must produce Customs

documents, that will provide necessary details on the status of the vehicles”, he stressed. He added, “The poultry items were carefully concealed with frozen fish ostensibly to divert attention of the operatives. At other instances, cooling vans were used in concealing the products with the same criminal intent. The recent visit of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) with members of his management to FOU aimed at strengthening operational ties with major stakeholders, and to brainstorm on areas of hiccups, with a view to ensuring seamless collaborations that will enhance revenue generation for government. The management is working tirelessly despite harsh economic challenges to reposition the Service for greater efficiency and functionality”. On trade facilitation, he said, “Nigeria is a signatory to the ECOWAS treaty on trade liberalisation and will not go contrary to the treaty. We are determined to deliver services in line with World Customs Organisation (WCO) standards, because we are key element of WCO.”

$1 50m MoU pivot al ttoo inves tment $150m pivotal investment drive in Nigeria —BATN Boss

ritish American Tobacco of Nigeria, BATN, said that the $150million Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, it signed with Nigerian government in 2001 has been pivotal to its investment drive in the country. The Managing Director of BATN Chris McAllister, made this disclosure during the working visit to BAT’s Ibadan factory by the Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali, where he stated that the investment has more than doubled in the last 13 years, with the establishment of a state-of-the-art-factory in Ibadan, the leaf threshing plant in Zaria and the company’s new West Africa Head office in Ikoyi, Lagos. He also emphasized that the company has significantly impacted on the socio-economic

development of rural communities through the establishment of several agricultural projects spread across the federation. Speaking further, he described BAT as one of the biggest contributors to customs excise as well as the biggest exporter of finished consumer goods despite grappling with myriads of challenges, including illicit trade and the influx of flavoured cigarettes (apple, strawberry and chocolate), which impact on its contribution to the revenue of the Federal Government. The Comptroller General who commended BATN for its contributions to Nigeria’s treasury over the years, lauded the company ’s role in Nigeria’s socio-economic development through its corporate social investment arm, the BATN Foundation.

AMID STIFF COMPETIONS:

Coca-Cola unveils new campaign

BY YINKA AJAYI

s competitors in the bevera ge industry

wallows with the battles over market share, world’s largest beverage company, Coca-Cola’s has recently unveiled a new campaign in Lagos Nigeria tagged ‘Taste the Feeling’ Fielding questions from newsmen, the Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Patricia Jemibewon stated that, ‘The campaign highlight the core values of the Coca-Cola brand, using simple, relatable, and emotional storytelling long associated with Coca-cola.’ the campaign will come to life through an anthem and audio signature, as well as shareable and customized interactive digital experience, and its target, will be mainly teens. It is however strategised

to bring to life the idea that drinking a Coke – whether classic or Coke Zero – is a simple pleasure that makes everyday moments more special.” In the same vein, the Public Affairs and Communications Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Clem Ugorji added that the campaign is an offshoot of Coca-Cola’s new ‘One Brand Strategy’ which marks a significant shift in its marketing approach and for the first time unites all Coke Trademark brands in one global creative campaign. “This approach brings the spotlight on all variants of the Coke trademark such as Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke. and underscores our Company’s commitment to choice, offering consumers options in taste and with or without calories, so there is a Coke for anyone”, he said.

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 41

Dangote aims to be among world’s top six cement companies *Invests $1 billion in Edo plant BY BILESANMI OLALEKAN, IN OKPELLA

t was supposed to be a groundbreaking event. I Indeed, it lived up to that billing.

It was an epoch- making event not only because Dangote Cement Plc was erecting a cement plant ($1billion investment in a state-of-the-art modern 6.0 mmtpa cement plant in Edo State,the biggest of its plants around the country), but also that it was significant because, for several years, the people of Okpella, in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, despite being endowed with mineral resources, particularly limestone, which is in commercial quantity, have not enjoyed the businesses (manufacturing and job opportunities) that usually accompany such endowments. Etsako East, it was, that had the Edo Cement, which was privatized by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led state government at that time. Unfortunately, according to Comrade Adams Oshiomole , governor of Edo State, who was chief host at the event, the cement company changed ownership severally before BOA Cement took over. Even at that, Oshiomhole said rather than manufacture cement, the company was involved essentially in importation of the product. “I threatened to revoke the privatization transaction and revoke the certificate of occupancy if Okpella cement factory was not re-opened. And it was only on the strength of our protest that the current owner, BOA of BOA Cement, moved away from using Okpella Cement, as a basis for importation and relocated to Okpella to produce cement, and I am happy that, as we speak, the factory is operating,” the governor said. The significance of the event was further echoed by Oshiomhole when he said the launch, apart from swearing to an oath of office, was the most important assignment for him as governor because, the $1billion Dangote Cement investment is equivalent to the state capital projects for the past seven years. It was no surprise, therefore, that Okpella was a beehive of activities a week preceding the ground breaking as all roads leading the site of the event were adorned with banners welcoming dignitaries to the event. This is a community rich in the most important ingredient for cement- limestone. The positive disposition of the Okpella people, coupled with the state government’s friendly attitude to investors, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, noted, made Edo State the destination point for investments and investors. Said he: “ The economic reforms in Edo State especially in the area of tax, innovations in rural finance and investment on infrastructure, have produced an enabling environment that has further provided a platform for

The Okpella 6 million capacity plant will take our local capacity to 35m mtpa, and with the coming on stream of the 6m mtpa Plant at Itori in Ogun State, our local capacity will go up further to 41m mtpa” future growth. All these factors encouraged us to consider Edo State as the right destination for this investment”. Dangote went on: “This project is only one of our several successful projects presently ongoing in parts of the country and outside in more than 16 other locations in African countries, in line with our pan- African investment strategy. Last year June, we commissioned our cement plant in Ethiopia, and in August of same year in Zambia and Cameroon. We commissioned our plant in Tanzania in October. We plan to commission very soon, some of our other African plants in Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and South Africa. “Also, last year, in Lagos, we signed a deal valued at $4.34billion, with Sinoma International Engineering Company Limited, for the construction of 10 additional new cement plants across Africa, with one in Nepal in Asia. The combined capacity of these new projects will be 25 million metric tons per annum. By the time all these new projects are completed in the next few years, we will have a total capacity of 81 million metric tonnes per annum. This will make us one of the top six cement companies in the world. We are currently consolidating our cement businesses across Africa in order to reap the benefits of scale. As a matter of fact, our operational offshore cement plants have started to make substantial contributions to our Group revenue. “In addition to manufacturing, we are also investing heavily in agriculture for massive employment generation. Recently, we have commenced multi-billion Naira rice projects in some states in the North and we recently flagged off a rice outgrower scheme, with the distribution of rice seedling to farmers in Jigawa State, to reduce our dependence on imported rice, create massive jobs for the people and provide good returns to the farmers. We envisage producing one million tonnes of white rice under the cultivation of 150,000 hectares of land. This will lead

to a conservation of part of the $11 billion presently spent on importation of food items that could otherwise be produced locally. It is gratifying to know that the Federal Government has recently announced that it is putting in place strategies that will make farmers have greater access to implements and other inputs”. Dangote noted that Nigerian is a growing economy, and as such, her developmental challenges are quite enormous and that only the combined efforts of government and private sector can overcome them. “It is in this

light that we are here to contribute our own quota to transforming the economy of Edo State as we have done elsewhere”. Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, appeared to be the happiest amongst the dignitaries. He noted that the launch was a testimony that the diversification policy of the Federal Government was working. While congratulating him, the Minister for Trade, Investment and Industry, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, represented by Hajiya Aisha Abubakar,advised the Dangote

Group President to see how he could mentor Small Medium Enterprises, SMES, into becoming big ones. In his address, Oshiomole said the essential work of any government is to provide the enabling environment in order to have a thriving business and job opportunities. In his welcome address, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella Kingdom, Dr. Andrew Dirisu, lauded the doggedness of the Dangote Cement and prompt response to the call for the establishment of the cement plant. According to Dangote, the plant would be ready in the next 26 months while about 4,500 direct jobs are guaranteed and an additional 45,000 indirect jobs. “On completion, this project will create direct jobs of about 4,500 and about 45,000 indirect jobs. Nigeria is saving $3billion annually for not importing cement because of the investment by local cement manufacturers. The additional investment in the sector will guarantee that we always meet local demand as well as surplus for export and foreign exchange generation. Anywhere we operate, there is a multiplier effect as job creation and more entrepreneurs will be created as ancillary services providers, suppliers, mechanics, hoteliers, restaurants, etc. By this investment, Dangote is increasing its production capacity thus maintaining its leadership in the industry. The Okpella 6 million capacity plant will take our local capacity to 35m mtpa, and with the coming on stream of the 6m mtpa Plant at Itori in Ogun State, our local capacity will go up further to 41m mtpa”.

Ugborodo chief tasks Buhari on Calabar-Lagos rail project

he Olaja-Orori of Ugborodo, Chief Benson Dube Omadeli, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to go ahead with the CalabarLagos rail project and shun all forms of political distractions in his effort to re-invent the country’s economy. He made this appeal during an interview with the press in Warri, Delta State, saying: “As our dear and hardworking President returns from China with bounties for Nigeria, I strongly urge him to ignore those who seek to underdevelop the country for selfish reasons. According to the Olaja-Orori, it is unnecessary to debate whether the rail project is captured in the 2016 budget or not but they should accommodate it because of the development such project will bring to bear in fast-tracking the industrial, economic and social development of Nigeria. Going down memory lane, The Olaja-Orori insisted that for too long the provision of critical infrastructure has not been given the necessary attention toyed with and this, no doubt, has kept Nigeria away from progress and development. His words: “For how long has politics kept the endangered East-West road from effective completion for decades? What of this modern railway from Calabar - Lagos that has been on the drawing board for

•Chief Benson Omadeli decades? Was this project not conceived originally as a rail

and motor way to connect the West African sub-region with a connection from Maiduguri to Calabar and further connection from Badagry to Sokoto upon the Sokoto and Maiduguri hub? Then the rehabilitation and development of new ports in the Niger Delta Region? He advised the government to avoid the duplications at the three tiers which encourage frivolities at the expense of critical infrastructure such as modern rail systems and sustainable power supply, amongst others.

Microsoft Imagine National Finals winners: From left: Otalu Babatunde, Victor Shoaga, Obasegun Ayode, and Oyatope Blessing, Team Humane from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in a short demo shortly after they were announced as the national winners at the Microsoft office in Lagos . They will compete in the MiddleEast and Africa finals for a ticket to the World finals. Photo by Emeka Aginam.

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016

ALILE: Corrupt past leaders shouldn't be spared SPIRITUAL leader of St. Joseph's Chosen Church of God, SJCCG, and one of the very few incorruptible Nigerians, Apostle Hayford Ikponmwonsa Alile, at the church owned Gateway Bible College's graduation/ convocation ceremony in Benin City, spoke to our SAM EYOBOKA on the proposal to upgrade the institute to a degree awarding one and other national issues. Excerpts.... It is very gratifying to know that very soon this institution will become part of a university. Do you confirm that sir? Yes! We started nurturing the idea in the last two to three years. Acquiring a land was not that easy. Luckily, it’s a village where my late mother came from, called Obadan,

about 38.5 kilometres east of Benin City. Traditional leaders there knew their sister, late Deaconess Mrs. Alile and have heard that the children are now at the fore front of the church. Elder Dr. Clement Alile is the standard bearer for the university and they gave us a land measuring 4.5 square miles, more than two times the National Universities Commission requires to grant a licence. The current Edo State government promised us a Certificate of Occupancy for the land and whatever support. So we are moving on.

Has the state government made good its pledge? They haven’t. They said they are processing it. Even though his tenure will soon be over, the state continues. Whoever takes over from him, if he has not concluded it, I’m sure will do it. Whoever wants to get the honor and gratification for doing it, the Lord will bless such a person. What of the process for the registration? A committee is working very hard on that. We are looking forward to what time for take off, Sir? We are looking forward to the shortest time possible. And that depends to a great extent on the governor and his team. As a renowned economist, what is your panacea for the revival of the nation's current economy? It’s not a question of the policy of government or the leader; the duty is for all of us. When you talk about corruption, bribery, it is not the dogs we are talking about, it is some of us. We have to turn around and change our habits. The Lord God has blessed this country with a lot of things; land is there, agricultural products are there, a lot of children--strong and able---those who can be put through training are there. We have to do it. I don’t know how many children Muhammadu Buhari has. Even if he has 100 children, they cannot do it. And I’m sure he has realized that he alone cannot do it. He needs the cooperation of all of us: both in prayers to bless the land and in sending our children to the right schools. We should not spend money in bribing teachers to give them A qualifications. It is for those children to bend down and study. So my little advice is that we all should put our minds together to get things done in this country. I recall you have been talking about diversification of the Nigerian economy from the oil that we have all jumped into. Is it not government that is supposed to drive such vision? What I mean by saying getting out of where we have found ourselves now is not a question of what policies or statements are made by government. It is really looking at the policies that are on ground. The government doesn’t have to do much of talking; it should be much of action, positive action. Are you in support of the war on corruption? If you are, is it being tackled as it should? C M Y K

*Apostle Hayford Alile It is the same problem. Where I am now is a church. In our preach-ing and spiritually educating our children and members, we will never feel comfortable in hearing that any of our members has something to do that soils his hands. We are expected to crown the Lord Jesus. Are we going to use filthy hands to carry the crown? No! We are supposed to be the light of the country and we are supposed to be the salt of the earth. So we will do our own part. Some of the churches, we hear, are partnering with corrupt people, that is not the calling of Jesus Christ. The ministers, the Church, the Christians have a duty to encourage their children, to encourage their husbands, their wives to be the shining light in whatever they participate in in the world. If we are teachers, we are suppos-ed to teach well. If we are members of clubs and organizations, we are supposed to be good members; telling our fellow members what best to do for the country. So it concerns all of us.

I will say yes the government is pursuing the war on corruption but when you give yourself to this assignment of leadership, you should be prepared for the beating. We don’t have to spare our own brothers caught in the act so as to use them as examples for others. If it’s my school mate or church member who is caught in the act, they should be disciplined according to the rules. I hope that our president who has served as military president of this country, will do the right thing. If there’s any military officer who has misbehaved, leave him or her to defend himself or herself. A lot of noise has been made, here and there, about some retired military officers; it will be good for as a mark of honour for all of them who have served this country as military officers and some people think they have bad records, to bring them out to defend themselves. Let’s start afresh, all of us. There’s fear in certain quarters that this administration is out to Islamize this nation. What’s your take? I don’t know. I’ve never thought that way. I will join any group that wants to Christianize this country. And the law of the land provides for us the opportunity to go out and evangelize as Christians, so I believe the same law for the Muslims. But if you take a bill to the House of Representatives, it is for the House to look at the contents of the bill. If amongst the members, there are Christians, they might tune their minds in the Christian way. And same goes with the Muslims.

If the Christians feel foolish and allow the Muslims to pass the law when they are sleeping, they will account for it. It is the same for the Senate. I expect that members who go to Parliament to promote the interest of their constituency, do so and don’t put the other members to sleep when they are doing what they are doing, or go and look for money to bribe Christians. And if those Christians are stupid enough to accept money and vote things that are against their own religion, then God will hold them responsible. To say that some people who are together and all their dream is to change this country to a Muslim country, they could have that in their mind but it will not work because the God that the Christians are serving is alert. There are some elements in the Church that can buy, sell off and do anything for their selfish interests, and that is why it is becoming difficult to even have confidence in the Nigerian Church today. Does that bother you, Sir? If I find any of my Christian friends towing anti-Christian measures, I’ll go and talk to him. There’s no doubt today that Christians have some challenges and worries. But a major issue where we were talking about gay marriage, it was the likes of Senator David Mark who stood up in the Senate and said this thing will not go. Some Muslims supported that bill in Nigeria. They may not support it in Arab countries. It was a lot of Christians in UK and US who went for it. In fact, America said they will never give us aids unless Nigeria supports the practice. But our people held on to it, both Muslims and Christians. I know that the two religions are fighting to have control of the economy. There is nothing in the constitution that says that the Christians or Muslims should have a specific number. But if you as a Muslim will just get up and employ more Muslims, a lot of people around you are bold enough to tell you this is not right. You are saying there is still hope for this nation? Yes! Based on the friends that I have who are either Christians or Muslims. There’s hope. A lot of my friends who are Muslims, especially the old ones, they are very fair and equitable. It’s the young ones I fear, the ones in the 30s and 40s. They are not prepared to do the right thing. I pray God to change them.

RCCG commissions borehole for Omoroga community

ESIDENTS of Omoroja community in Meiran area of Lagos State could not curtain their joy when the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Lagos Province 37, recently inaugurated a borehole for the community. The Pastor-in-charge of RCCG LP 37, Pastor Benjamin Ajayeoba, who represented the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye at the inauguration ceremony, said the provision of the borehole was part of the church’s way of giving back to the community. He stated that the borehole was provided for the community under the church’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme, noting that in line with the vision of Pastor Adeboye, the RCCG had been in the vanguard of providing social amenities for communities where

*L-R Pastor-in-charge of LP 37, Pastor Benjamin Ajayeoba, his assistant in charge of CSR, Pastor Olajide Oluwayemi and wife (behind), chairman, LCDA Omoroga, Meiran, Mr. Ganiyu Ajose at the inauguration of the borehole. urging its leaders to ensure that the church operates. every member of the community Pastor Ajayeoba appreciated the had access to the water irrespective community for allowing the church of their status or religious affiliatto attend to one of its needs which ions. The cleric also enjoined the bothered on lack of portable water,

Breach Repairers holds parenting confab

ENIOR pastor of Trinity House, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo has said the Nigerian civil service needs a total overhaul to become a “value-based institution,” just as Breach Repairers plan a parenting conference, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. Speaking during a press briefing to announce the 7th edition of Breach Repairers national parenting conference scheduled for May 6-7 at the Guiding Light Assembly, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, Ighodalo said: “There is need for a systematic, scientific and value overhaul of our civil service. It is over crowded, expensive and not productive and effective as it ought to be. It is a citadel of a lot of ‘ogas’. We must orientate and empower those who are effective so that we can have an efficient civil service like we used to have before.” Lamenting the challenges confronting the country, the man of God prayed that the Buhari administration will have the vision, conviction and determination to fulfill its promises to the masses. “A lot of our governments know what to do but they often do not have the conviction and determination to do them. If you are going to bring about change, you will have to step on powerful toes that have become powerful over time doing the wrong things,” he said. Articulating the vision behind the national parenting conference, with a theme: “Critical Rescue”, the visionary of Breach Repairers, an NGO, Pastor Nduka Chuks explained that the soul aim is to build pillars of purity, purpose and productivity among young people across religious groups, schools and youth group boot camps; arguing that such character pillars will give a strong footing towards raising a new generation of Nigerian youths that understand their God-given mandate. “Our mission has been to bring about a change in orientation and properly defined purpose and to propel the youths towards a more productive way of life. This has also prompted our Parenting Conference geared towards equipping parents, teachers, pastors and other stakeholders. This year we decided to draw the attention of people in government. We believe that our resolve towards a better and greater Nigeria starts by stakeholders working together towards raising the total Nigerian child,” he stated. Wife of Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, First ladies of Lagos, Ogun and Akwa-Ibom states among others, while music will be supplied by El Levite and Liza C. residents to make good use of the borehole and ensure that it was not vandalised. The Assistant Pastor-in-charge of CSR in the province, Pastor Olajide Oluwayemi in a short sermon titled; “What Have I Been Anointed To Do,” admonished the people to always impact their environment positively and always champion causes that would be beneficial to mankind at all times and not engage in any form of anti-social activity that might hamper the peace and progress of their localities. Pastor Oluwayemi added that the people should live righteous lives in line with the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. The chairman of Omoroga Local Community Development Area, Meiran, Mr. Ganiyu Ajose appreciated RCCG LP37 for its kind guesture, re-habilitation of Meiran health centre recently, assuring the church delegates that the borehole would be used judiciously.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016, PAGE 43

icodemus was a bi ble teacher of the Jews. But when he saw the manifestation of the spirit and power of God in the ministry of Jesus, he started having second thoughts about the value of his degree in theology. He came to Jesus in secret and at night, in order to broaden his knowledge about the kingdom of God from this strange preacher from Nazareth . But then Jesus turned both his theology and his biology upside down. He said in order for him to see the kingdom of God, he would have to be “born again.” Nicodemus was flabbergasted. How could an old man like him be “born again?” Would he have to go back into his mother’s womb and be born a second time? (John 3:4). On his part, Jesus wondered how Nicodemus could be the pastor of a church and yet find it so difficult to understand simple spiritual principles. He said: “How can you be a teacher of Israel and not know these things? If you don't believe when I talk to you about things on earth, how can you possibly believe if I talk to you about things in heaven?” (John 3:10/12). Mustard “tree” In similar fashion, Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed that becomes a tree is Greek to most Christians, even when it is pointed out that in real life a mustard seed only becomes a shrub; it never becomes a tree. We did not become Christians in order to be shrubs: we became Christians because want to be trees. We want to be mighty oaks.

life. Thus, Jesus came as the light of the world to teach us how to understand the Old Testament by being the fulfilment of its prophecies. (Matthew 5:17). After we have received him, we must not put the veil back on our hearts.

THE PPALM ALM TREE OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS We want to be like the celebrated cedars of Lebanon. When I shared with an interactive bible study group that it is not the will of God for the believer to be great in this world, this did not go down well. One of them gently drew my attention to an Old Testament scripture that apparently says the very opposite: “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (Psalm 92:12). Here was proof-text that the mustard seed believer would become a tree after all, contrary to the laws of nature. Indeed, the very fact that it would do so against the odds would testify to the power of God. That which is impossible in nature is surely not impossible with God. Veiled reading However, when we read Old Testament scriptures today, it must be informed by the new wine of the Lord’s New Testament. Paul observes that this is the problem with the Jews: “Their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies

In real life a mustard seed only becomes a shrub; it never becomes a tree on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). If we read Psalm 92:12 with a veil over our hearts, we would be frustrated to death, waiting indefinitely to flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon . We must read such scriptures with a new heart and a renewed spirit. Otherwise, we could stand in the righteousness of Christ for years on end and discover that we are not flourishing like any palm tree and are not growing like any cedar in Lebanon or even in Nigeria. Our businesses are not thriving. We lose our jobs. We suffer bereavement. We are jilted in love. We are persecuted and despised. Without wanting to admit it, this leads us to the impulsive conclusion that the promises of God are illusory. We feel God just says a lot of things without meaning

them. He says a lot of things without intending to bring them to pass. Thereby, the letter of the scripture kills our faith. Little by little, we stop believing in the word of God. When we hear someone pray a promise of God, we say the Amen of Jeremiah; the Amen of doubt and unbelief. (Jeremiah 28:6). Let there be light But when the veil over our heart is removed, we read Psalm 92:12 again and discover that this scripture that was so damaging to our faith is actually true-to-life. Although our businesses are not thriving, although we lose our jobs, although we suffer bereavement, although we are jilted in love, although we are persecuted and despised, nevertheless we are flourishing like the palm tree and are growing like a cedar in Lebanon. However, this flourishing and growth is not physical but

Hundredfold return

spiritual. The Lord is not trying to make us a physical but a spiritual cedar in Lebanon. We also discover that a spiritual cedar is not just different from a physical cedar; it is actually its antithesis. That which is flesh is flesh, and that which is spirit is spirit. A spiritual cedar is the very opposite of a physical cedar. A spiritual cedar in Lebanon is not recognised or admired in the world. Eye does not see, ear does not hear, it has not come into the imagination of men what makes the spiritual man a cedar in Lebanon . The natural man cannot see it because he has a veil over his heart. But God has revealed it to us by his Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that becomes a tree. Is the mustard seed physical or is it spiritual? What about the tree? Jesus says: “the words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63). The seed is the word of God. The tree is the believer. But in the physical, the believer never really becomes a tree. What happens is that he becomes a kind of a weed that “infects” and affects the vegetables in the garden of

Suddenly, Peter becomes confused. “But we have given up everything to follow you,” he pleads with Jesus. “What then are we going to get for it?” Jesus answered: “There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions- and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30). The houses, the lands, the family that Jesus promised Peter are all realised in this lifetime. But they are not physical, they are all in Christ. As believers, our inheritance is in Christ, and our inheritance is Christ. God himself is our reward. The question then is this: is he enough? “At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight.’” (Matthew 11:25).

Be grateful to God, Adeboye counsels Nigerians….as RCCG prepares administrators for growth By Olayinka Latona

ENERAL Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has again urged Nigerians to express gratitude to God by rededicating their lives to Him with abounding faith in Him. Adeboye made this known during a special prayer and thanksgiving service for tenants and their families at the RCCG national headquarters, Throne of Grace Parish, Ebute-Metta, Lagos with a theme: “Building My Own House”.

BSN holds 49th board meeting

IBLE Society of Nigeria, BSN, holds her 49th annual national board meeting in Makurdi, Benue State from Monday. It will be declared open by the Benue State governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, at a divine service scheduled to hold at NKST Church, Makurdi Central on Tuesday. The meeting will be presided over by BSN's national president, Dr. Aaron Nuhu and will discuss past and future activities of the Society concerning Bible work as well as examine her accounts for the past one year. C M Y K

He explained that God owns all nations and anyone who wants to enjoy His mercy and favour must have faith in Him, noting: “God is the master builder and when we let Him know how much we depend on Him for sustenance and be grateful with the little He has done, we will make it." Speaking after the service, the Special Assistant to Pastor Adeboye on Personnel and Administration, Pastor Johnson Odesola, said before Festac 77, the naira was equivalent to a dollar and the economy was stronger and better, until Nigerians forgot God and brought all idols in the world to the country. He said: “Shortly after Festac '77, we started experiencing negative development in the country. We didn't appreciate God with our oil boom. If we really want God to build this nation, we must return to Him and let Him occupy our national life and know how to manage our successes." Odesola also urged Federal and state governments to construct more low cost housing estates to curb the challenge of housing in the country because of the geometric population growth in the nation. "They should address the

acute housing deficit in the country. As a religious organisation, we are partnering with government to supplement their efforts by providing affordable houses to the preponderance members of our church,” he said.

Play your roles in achieving RCCG vision In another development, the church recently held a 4day annual conference and empowerment programme for its administrators in line with the General Overseer's mandate for a 100 per cent increase in membership. The programme which held at the Youth Centre, Redemption Camp, LagosIbadan Expressway and tagged; “Expanding the church frontiers through effective and efficient administration,” was attended by 646 administrative officers and computer secretaries from regions, provinces and departments of the mission within and outside the country. Explaining the strategic position administrators occupy in the organization, S.A. to the G.O., Pastor Johnson Odesola in his keynote address, advised the church

*The Third Session of 21st Synod of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Ibadan Diocese opened on Friday at the St. Paul's Anglican Church, Oke Bola Ibadan. Picture shows from left, Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, his wife, Oluyemisi Akinfenwa, Deputy Chancellor; Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) and registrar; Mr. Diran Adeyemo at the event. PHOTO: DARE FASUBE administrators to ensure that everything they do is in conformity with the will of God. "Administrators' role is very crucial. They are the ones that manage the church, pastors,

properties and oversee the welfare of everybody. While the pastor concentrates on the spirituality, the administrator takes care of the peripheral. I am encouraging our administrators to use their admi-

nistrative skills to grow the church. Be an efficient and effective administrator in order to grow the church. They should not neglect continuous training," Odesola counselled.

CAN Presidency: ECWA/TEKAN endorses Rev. Gado By Marie-Therese Nanlong

OS - THE General Church Council of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA has unanimously endorsed the ECWA president, Rev. Jeremiah Gado to vie for the position of the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and prayed for his success in the coming election. A communique issued at the weekend in Jos at the end of its 63rd General Church Council Meeting, the Council observed that the ECWA/ TEKAN bloc of the Association has never occupied the seat of the Association's president and in line with CAN's rotational principle, Rev. Gado should vie for the seat. The Council also cautioned the Kaduna State government against the passage of the proposed Religious Bill which the church views as

containing lots of flaws and raises fears, concerns and contradiction that negate Sections 38 and 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to citizen's right to worship. According to the communique signed by Rev. Jeremiah Gado and Rev. Samuel Kunhiyop, the church's president and General Secretary respectively, the Council further tasked the Federal Government in its fight against corruption to pursue it to a logical conclusion. The duo while commending the Federal Government and security agencies in routing the insurgents, however, decried the inability to rescue and reunite to their families, the over 200 Chibok girls abducted from their school over two years ago.

Page 44, SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

VIEWPOINT By Abu Quassim VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Efforts toVIEWPOINT revive the economy and eliminate poverty

HE hint about amending the Procurement Law immediately after the passage of the budget was first given by Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, when he was a guest at the opening of the Made in Aba Goods Trade Fair in Abuja. The Senate President has also at various fora articulated the viewpoint that the right response to the falling value of the Naira against the dollar (N340 to $1) is for the country to increase its productive capacity and change from an importing, foreign goods-crazy and oil dependent country to a nation which is self-reliant, with many buoyant local industries and millions of youths gainfully employed. Saraki envisaged that employed youths will become tax payers. Thus, domestic taxes will become a veritable source of revenue for funding infrastructural development and social services.

VIEWPOINT By Okofu Ubaka

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The giant strides of a group based abroad

GBAJO Itsekiri, UK is ex emplary. The socio-cultural assembly of distinguished full and half-blooded Itsekiri domiciled in the United Kingdom has demonstrated that, even as awful as the dislocation of Itsekiri nation may appear to be, all hope is not lost. The financial burden of ensuring that the children of those who lost their lives during the Ijaw/Itsekiri fratricidal war are kept in good schools is a testimony that there are men and women that can champion the Itsekiri cause. Ugbajo Itsekiri UK is sending the right signal that things can only get better. It takes deep com-

RIGHT TO REPL Y REPLY By Gerald Azike

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The truth about Christianity

OR the last four consecutive Sundays, an article headlined—An Unbeliever’s Interpretation of Easter - written by Douglas Anele, has appeared in Sunday Vanguard. The title, as it appeared, naturally drew the attention of religious minded folks like me, thinking perhaps, this author has discovered a groundbreaking argument to remove what underpins the truth of Christianity and Easter tenability. However, a little probing of the entire content left that expectation unfulfilled. The impoverished arguments advanced in support of the claims enunciated therein, made one sulk at such a wasted opportunity. While reading the article, one had hoped to encounter solid argumentation disputing the veracity of Christianity with its central message of Easter. Unfortunately, what was proffered were time-worn contestations that have made their rounds since the second century when Celsus’ True Discourse against Christianity came on board. Initially, one must admit that a response to an article against Christianity makes one feel like Origen who in his work, Contra Celsum,replied to Ambrose of Milan, “I know not my pious Ambrosius, why you wished me to write a

SARAKI: The ambassador of made in Nigeria goods These positions have been espoused by the Senate President in many prepared and off-the-cuff speeches he made at different fora, particularly while receiving many of the numerous groups, organizations, foreign missions and individuals that have paid courtesy call on him in his office. To further demonstrate leadership, Saraki alongside Senators Ben Murray-Bruce, Egwu and Abaribe became ambassadors of Made in Nigeria goods. The promotion of patronage for locally made goods has now become a fad catching on in the upper chamber of our federal legislature. With the plan to amend the Procurement Act of 2007, the Senate is seeking to re-enact the Buy American Act signed into law on March 3, 1933 by President Herbert Hoover which compels US government and its agencies to prefer US made products in their purchases. Also, Section 217 (3) of the South African constitution provides a framework for the policy of preferential procurement for govern-

ment agencies just as the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act 5 of 2000 and the regulations published under it in 2001 prescribed requirements regarding Black economic empowerment considerations in the former apartheid enclave. Thus, what the Senate seeks to do with the Procurement Act is putting the law on the same pedestal with what obtains in some developed economies. The proposed amendment of the Procurement Law, however, has to be viewed alongside other efforts of the present Senate to reform the economy and make it work for ordinary Nigerians. For example, the Senate’s positive intervention led to the review of the foreign exchange policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) such that business people can now save and withdraw foreign exchange from their bank accounts. Even some window of access to procuring forex by genuine importers and those who need it for essential services have now been opened.

Also, the Senate sponsored an initiative in partnership with the private sector, international financial institutions, development agencies, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and the academia to review all business related laws and identified institutional, regulatory and legal instruments currently constraining and impeding business activity in Nigeria. The efforts led to the preparation of the 168-page Business Environment Legislation Review Report submitted by experts on February 29. In the report, certain laws were identified as priority for amendment or repeal to jump-start the economy. The bills recommended by the expert as requiring urgent attention are Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2015, Federal Roads Authority Bill 2015, National Inland Waterways Authority Bill 2015, National Roads Funds Bill 2015, National Transport Commission 2015, Nigerian Ports and Harbours Authority Bill 2015, Nigeria Postal Commission Bill 2015 and Nigeria Railway Au-

Ugbajo Itsekiri UK, seven years after mitment to dip hands into earnings to provide succour to others. Of course, in the UK, you worked for every shilling you earned, there are no short cuts to it. These Itsekiris are commiting part of their earnings to ensure that the children of some of the victims of the 2003 Ijaw/Itsekiri ethnic war have a sense of acceptance and care. Itsekiri is blessed. We have wealth enough to accommodate the basic needs of every Itsekiri man and woman. I challenge our community-based leaders to emulate Ugbajo Itsekiri UK. In June 2008, I was engaged as a facilitator of the Ugbajo Itsekiri UK’s project by Alex Eyengho, who was assigned the responsibility of identifying those who lost their lives during the Ijaw/

Itsekiri war. Credit must be given to Alex Eyengho who sounded it clear, from the outset, that we must execute every phase of the assignment of identifying the falling heroes of the war with a sense of sincerity and expect nothing in return. My primary assignment was limited to Warri-North where we had three of such heroes from the Benin River, two from Koko and one from Abiugborodo. Since every December that has passed since 2008, Ugbajo Itsekiri UK has not failed in its promise to bear the cost of educating those children who lost their parents in the senseless war. Nonetheless, the joy of one of the beneficiaries was cut short in 2013. The organisation (Ugbajo Itsekiri UK) has stopped payment to him. I was reliably informed

that the beneficiary in question came to the cheque-giving event in a dirty attire. Chief Mrs. RitaLori Ogbebor, who was at the event as a guest of honour, was angry and requested to see the boy’s mother for explanation. Unfortunately, the mother of the boy was not present at the event. For this, the yearly education support for little Frank was stopped. The mother of Franklin was very sick, hence he appeared the way he did on the fateful day. The situation can be remedied. We appeal that the name of the little boy be re-enlisted as a beneficiary of Ugbajo Itsekiri UK scholarship. Secondly, all that should have accrued to him as a beneficiary should be paid. The exclusion of little Franklin’s name as

Re: An unbeliever’s interpretation of Easter reply to the false charges brought … against the Christians, and to accusations directed against the faith of the Churches in his treatise; as if the facts themselves did not furnish a manifest refutation, and the doctrine a better answer than any writing.” Yet, given our environment, where many without an informed theological background may accept most content of the screed, there is a need to intellectually engage the article in a duel. To do that, one does not want to simply throw a verbal salvo at the writer from behind the wall of one’s faith, but rather, to engage the article on its own terms. Errant Assertions To begin with, one needs to acknowledge the freedom of the writer to express his opinion even against one’s cherished belief. There is a also a need to remark that in spite of the strong misgivings towards many conjectures expressed within the article, it does not detract from the fact that it raised a salient point associated with the wrong practice of religion (especially in Nigeria) with its attendant repercussions. Having said that, one would proceed to observe that the article is replete with many errant assertions that were not supported by strong evidence. They are many that a rejoinder of this type, may not possibly address all, however, effort will be made to attend to many. In view of that, this rejoinder

will be divided into three segments. The first, will be a general evaluation of the entire article. The second part will be concerned with evaluating the evidential sources in its support, while a third section will be a rebuttal of assumptions evinced in its different paragraphs. As a general assessment, one needs to comment immediately that most of the propositions articulated in it to deny the truth of religion, were mostly weak arguments that pale in significance when reckoned against sounder arguments that have been adduced by serious minded authors that have not been able to confound the truth of religion. Though the writer of the article is free to hold his position, it is only that reasons that are advanced for his skepticism have been too light to discard the truths of the faith; this will be demonstrated in the second and third part of this rejoinder. Evaluating the article further, the first problem one notices is its absolute claim. The article’s subjective viewpoint was made the absolute yardstick for the judgment of the truth of religion as was shown in it. Its guiding motif was the existential standpoint of Nigerian Christian religious experience especially as seen in the first part of the article. Perhaps, one may add also a second angle, which is represented by the American Evangelical Fundamentalists, as shown in Kurt

Eichenward’s Newsweek article, The Bible: So Misunderstood It’s a Sin of 23rd December 2014 which formed the mainframe of the entire reasoning of the second part of the article. From the above two mentioned slants, the article went ahead to attack an entire religious edifice of the whole of humanity, dismissing them as irrelevant and not contributing anything to the growth of humanity. In the likes of Richard Dawkins in his work, God Delusion, Christianity was made by the article the harbinger of all unthinkable evils as they exist on the face of the earth. The above position reminds one of the earlier view held by Alister McGrath, who today as a Professor at Oxford University, defends religion and its relationship to science. In his work, Dawkins’s God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, he revealed that earlier in the 1960’s as a science fresher, when “anti-religious feeling was sweeping across the face of Western culture”, that he thought that “religion would be swept aside as the moral detritus of humanity, at best an irrelevance to real life, and at worst an evil, perverse force which enslaved humanity through its lies and delusions”. But today, with deeper studies in science and theology, he has become an avid defender of religion. Pure Reason

thority Bill 2015. The report of the experts was later subjected to re-examination by stakeholders during the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable platform which is a good example of fruitful engagement between the private sector, legislature and executive to promote relevant and sound policy. As at today, the Senate is already working on the Petroleum Industry Bill so as to resolve the lingering problems that have obstructed the proposed reforms of the sector which today still provides the largest chunk of the nation’s foreign earning. What all these efforts by the Senate amount to is that despite the cacophony of the trial of its President at the CCT and other political issues, the institution is silently making great efforts which will help revive the national economy and eliminate poverty in the polity. •Quassim lives in Abuja. beneficiary has brought pains to the entire family, particularly the mother of the boy. The N50,000 yearly grant, before it was stopped, kept Franklin in one of the best private schools in Koko. As I write, Franklin is back in a public school. I was at Beach Secondary School where Franklin is a JSS I student. I had gone there to confirm the story I heard about him. I was not surprised to see a cheerless boy sitting absent-mindedly in an overcrowded classroom. The negligence of a mother has nothing to do with the future of Franklin. Denying him the benefit of quality education is increasing ignorance in Iwereland by one. Aja mo kin ghan!

•Ubaka, a social critic, is based in Warri-North, Delta State. The above experience of McGrath may explain Francis Bacon’s discovery, where as the father of the modern scientific method, he wrote in his Essay on Atheism, “it is true, that a little philosophy inclines man’s mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy brings men’s minds back to religion”. In light of the above, it is important to remind the writer that the reality of religion is bigger than his perspective stance. As Emmanuel Kant in his critique of Pure Reason noted, man can only know with certainty, things of the phenomenal world. The things in the noumenal world, he must approach with deference. Of course, Kant’s critique does not mean that things of noumena do not exist, but that it cannot be subjected to the rational standard since they fall outside its purview. Though Kant did not imply this, one can see that religious experience is also located in this zone since they cannot be completely captured by any rational apparatus. As David Marshall, the author of The Truth behind the New Atheism writes, “the whole point of religious faith, its strength and chief glory, is that it does not depend on rational justification”. The simple fact is, truth of religion is independent of what we perceive them to be and that is why, effort to rationally discard them has always ended in futility. • To be continued •Azike, a reverend father, lives in Rome.

S UNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, APRIL 17, 2016 — 45

Aguero’s hat-trick sinks Chelsea A

SERGIO Aguero hat-trick moved Manchester City closer to securing Champions League football next season with victory at 10man Chelsea. City profited from slick break-aways, the first goal arriving when Kevin De Bruyne fed Aguero, who fired in. Again De Bruyne led a clinical counter after the break, finding Samir Nasri, who put Aguero clear to finish smartly. Thibaut Courtois was sent off for fouling Fernandinho, allowing Aguero to whip home his third from the spot. Chelsea threatened occasionally before the goals but faded and City move third, a point ahead of Arsenal - who have a game in hand and four clear of Manchester United. When this fixture was scheduled last year, it seemed unthinkable that only one of these sides the last two winners of the Premier League would be battling for a top-four spot. They have both underachieved, but City at least have targets as the season draws to a close and they were clearly sharper in west London, none more so than Aguero. The Argentinian has now scored at least 20 goals in three Premier League seasons, a feat only achieved by Alan

Shearer, Thierry Henry, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Les Ferdinand. There can be little doubt City’s season has gained a new lease of life in recent weeks and it is notable it has coincided with the return of De Bruyne from a lengthy injury lay-off. Both he and Samir Nasri drew saves from Thibaut Courtois in the opening period but it was De Bruyne who always looked likely to turn defence into attack for the away side. When the Belgian suffered knee-ligament damage in January, City were second in the table, three points behind leaders Leicester. They managed just two wins in seven league games without him and one wonders how close they would be to lifting the title now had he stayed fit. He has now had a hand in 28 goals this season - scoring 15 and creating 13 - and encouragingly for manager Manuel Pellegrini with a Champions League semi-final to come, his relationship with the clinical Aguero looks sharper than ever. Aguero, who now has 13 goals in 12 league games, will deservedly make headlines. But in De Bruyne, he once again has a support act boasting pace and guile in abundance.

*SUPERB: Sergio Aguero of Man City put up a superb performance as he scored a hat-trick that sunk Chelsea at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

REPRESENTATIVE of on-loan Hull City striker, Chuba Akpom has hinted that the player will return to Arsenal at the end of the

‘Leicester can feel the trophy’ Continued from B/Page

ning to believe that the trophy is within their grasp, but warns that they cannot become carried away until the job is completed. “At Sunderland last Sunday, we saw our fans in the stands with flags saying ‘champions’ on them. We can’t get carried away with that. There’s still work to be done,” he told The Daily Mail. “But it’s a big, big possibility. I can’t deny that. It’s in our hands. We’ve got the chance to win the games to make it happen, to finish as champions. As a kid, it’s all I dreamed about: playing in the best league in the world, becoming a champion and lifting that trophy. So I can see the end, definitely, and I want to make the dream a reality. “It’s surreal now. You’re in the moment and you’’re just kind of going along with it. When it’s all over, maybe it’ll dawn on me. There are

no butterflies though, that’s just the way our team are. It’s more like, ‘Let’s do this’. “It’s fantastic that I’ve been part of something that’s inspired people all over the country, the world even, to believe in the underdog. There are five games to go and it’s in our hands. We can almost feel the metal on the cup.” Leicester’s win and Tottenham’s defeat of Manchester United last week confirmed that Ranieri’s side will at least be playing Champions League football next season. Morgan admits it will be a remarkable moment in his career but has no fear that Leicester could become whipping boys on the continent, given the form they have demonstrated this year. “It’s unbelievable. To say I’ve played at Camp Nou or the [Santiago] Bernabeu, hearing the Champions League music and everything that goes with it would be very special — one of the

pinnacles of my career,” said the 32-year-old. “But we’re playing against some of the best teams and players in Europe now — Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal — and more than holding our own. So I don’t see why we shouldn’t compete against anyone else.” Morgan - whose side face West Ham today also revealed what makes the approach taken by Ranieri with his players so effective. “He likes the banter!” he added. “He’s a very approachable guy. I speak to him a lot, being captain, and he likes a laugh. But when it’s time to get serious, he’ll get serious. And he doesn’t mind cracking the whip when necessary. “On the training field he focuses a lot on our shape. He’s very good at working on tactics and the specifics of how we’re going to approach each game and different opposition. He has us very organised. We all know our roles.”

season after getting assurances from manager Arsene Wenger that he will be considered for the first team if he distinguishes himself during pre-season. Akpom who is currently representing the England U21 national team is eligible to play for Nigeria at senior level only and he has been turning heads since he arrived

Hull at the beginning of the current campaign. He got a goal on his debut for the Tigers against Huddersfield, barely four days after completing his loan move from Arsenal, and has added four more goals thereafter with a hat trick against Bury FC in an FA Cup tie in January, one of his highlights at the KC Stadium.

Siasia

we will pick one of the tickets from this group. “My target in Rio is to pick the gold medal having won the silver medal in Beijing in 2008, so when I get back to Nigeria, I will put heads together with my assistants to work out our preparations for the Games. I am confident that with the calibre of players at our disposal, we will achieve our goal.” On the issue of which three over-aged players to select for the Games, Coach Siasia said: “Yes, I already have in mind the three over aged players that I intend using at the Games. But I will not disclose their names for now as I think it’s still too early to do so.” Siasia is expected to return to the country this weekend.

Continued from B/Page

saw the Dream Team, the reigning African champions, drawn against Asian champions Japan, European champions Sweden and Colombia, who beat USA in an intercontinental play –off to reach Rio. Speaking from Rio de Janeiro after the draws, Coach Siasia said there are no good or bad draws, and he believes the Dream Team can qualify from the group. “For me, there is no good or bad draw, for all the teams played qualifiers to get here. Besides, the Group B that we are in has two continental champions alongside Nigeria, so I don’t expect it to be a stroll in the park for us, but with quality preparations I am sure

First Bank aim for title

Akpom to get Arsenal chance after loan

Zenith League:

LAYERS of First Bank Basketball Club have said that their aim is to win this year’s edition of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League to make up for last year ’s defeat they suffered in the hands of Dolphins Basketball Club in the final. Captain of the team, Chioma Udeaja said after her team defeated Coal City Queens 94-26 in Asaba Friday that her team has improved greatly and are currently in good shape and ready to regain the title they lost last year. “Our ambition is to win the title this year and we are doing everything possible to avert last years defeat to Dolphins in the final. That is why we always get to the venue of the league early to get used to the environment.” Udeaja stated that all other teams have improved and she is excited that the Elephant Girls (First Bank) have been winning all their games since the league began in Abuja. “I have seen the improvement in other teams too, but we have been in top form and winning our games since the second phase started just like we did in Abuja. So, we are not ready to suffer any defeat that is why we have raised our performance.”

Champions League Continued from B/Page

after they faced Sunshine Stars in a rescheduled NPFL Match Day 3 tie which they lost 2-1. A top official of the club told Goal that Enyimba arrived Lagos on Thursday and settled at Agege area of the city with their sight on making use of the Agege Stadium for their training ahead of the trip to Sousse. “It is the determination of Enyimba to get to the group stage of the Caf Champions League and with the kind of advantage that we had in the first leg, we don’t want to give anything to chance because we know North African clubs always have their own way of doing things to favour them. We are going to Sousse on a clean slate because it is the only way we can show them that we are ready for the task at hand,” the official told Goal.

46 — S UNDAY Vanguard SUNDAY Vanguard,, APRIL 17, 2016

Rio Olympics: We’ll respect our opponents – Siasia N

ATIONAL Under23 team coach, Samson Siasia, has said that he will not underrate any opponents in the group stage at the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympic Men’s Soccer event. In the draws made on Thursday, the Dream Team, who are African champions were drawn in Group B with Sweden, the European U-21 champions; Japan, the Asian champions; and Colombia, runners up to Argentina in the South American tournament. “The group will be difficult but it is fair enough for us to qualify from if we prepare very well for the competition. “I am confident we will qualify from the group; all the teams are tough there are no more easy teams to beat. “It’s all about good preparation; we will rate all teams equally with respect and map out our programmes and strategy.

“I am sure of qualification from the group with hard work from us,” Siasia said after attending the draws in Rio de Janeiro. Nigeria will open its campaign against Japan on Aug. 4 at the 41,000seater Arena da Amazonia in Manaus. Sweden and Colombia will play the group’s first game. Men’s teams are restricted to under-23 players, born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 with a maximum of three overage players allowed, while there are no age restrictions on women’s teams.

IVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp was so overcome with emotion during his postmatch interview that he swore following another memorable European night at Anfield. The Reds booked their place in the Europa League semi-finals with a stunning 4-3 victory against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday night, securing a 5-4 win on aggregate. Dejan Lovren’s injurytime header secured a sensational victory over the German’s former team and it was clearly an emotional night for

*Jurgen Klopp

By Jacob Ajom

*Siasia

NSA: Organizers promise exciting anniversary edition

RGANIZERS of the Nigerian Sports Award (NSA), Unmissable Incentives Limited are set to commence activities for the

Klopp dismisses Liverpool’s chances of winning Europa

Adebajo demands criteria for next Eagles coach

Klopp, who was entertaining as usual on the touchline. Jurgen Klopp swore in an interview with BT Sport after Liverpool triumphed in the Europa League over his former club Borussia Dortmund When asked about taking a step closer towards silverware, Klopp said on BT Sport: ‘Come on, please don’t ask me this. ‘It’s so hard, I know nothing about the other results. All the Spanish teams are unbelievably strong. I could never understand when people predicted the winner of this game would go on to win the trophy.”

5th Anniversary edition of the most prestigious sports award in Nigeria. Executive Director, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Kayode Idowu, said the 2016 edition promises to be very exciting with series of activities lined up to commemorate the fifth edition of the award. Idowu noted that Nigerian Sports Award has built for itself a reputation of a credible and respectable award set up to recognize and reward outstanding performances by Nigerian Athletes. ‘’We are very excited and planning to ensure that the 5th edition of the Nigerian Sports Award which is an anniversary edition is better than the past four editions not only about the award night event but also in all aspects of the awards from nominations, participation and attendance by the nominees ” he said He stated that the Nigerian Sports Award is Nigeria’s number one Sports Award recognized by the Federal Ministry of Youth & Sports National Sports Commission (NSC), the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), all Sports Federation and the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN). Recounting the success of the 2015 edition of the award, Idowu revealed that the award was further given credence by

the attendance of the Honourable Minister of Sport, Mr. Solomon Dalong, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut, Nigerian Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick among others.

S the controversy over whether the next Super Eagles handler should be a foreigner or a local coach continues, proprietor of Stationery Stores Football Club of Lagos, Tilewa Adebajo has said it was rather sad that Nigerians, including the Nigeria Football Federation were expending so much energy on a matter as simple as engaging a manager for the national team. In a chat with Sports Vanguard during the week, Adebajo said, “ what does it matter, whether the coach is Nigerian or a foreigner? In my view, the debate is uncalled for. The question that should occupy our minds is, what are the criteria the new coach must meet and what is the job description?” Continuing, he said, “it should not be on whether the new man should be black or white, African or European. What are the conditions put before the next Super Eagles coach? What standard is expected of him. Is it a coach who has been to

the World Cup before. If he has, what stage has he reached?” He said the NFF must have a job specification for the incoming coach. “They should be able to define their objectives to the new coach. Is his job for general development of the game in the country or specifically to qualify the Eagles for the World Cup? “These are issues we should be talking about and not where a coach should come from. What if there is a Nigerian who can meet the set criteria.? Will he not be employed because he is Nigerian?”

*Adebajo

Ronaldo ‘ll always score goals –Zidane R

*Ronaldo

EAL Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says Cristiano Ronaldo can always be trusted to score goals following his hat-trick in the 3-0 Champions League win over Wolfsburg. Some observers have, at times this season, suggested Ronaldo may be past his prime, but the 31-year-old has been instrumental to his team of late, scoring five goals from four games in all competitions this month. The former Manchester United star scored the winner as Madrid beat arch rivals Barcelona 21 away from home in El Clasico and he followed that up with his heroics on the European stage, firing his team into the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they will face Manchester City. “It has always been like this with Cristiano,” Zidane said at a media conference ahead of the Liga match at Getafe on Saturday. “There are always moments when an attacker does not score, but Cristiano never needs to worry about it because he will always score goals.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 17, 2016,

C M Y K

PAGE 47

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 17, 2016

Real trash Getafe, close gap on Barca

ARETH Bale scored his 16th goal of the season as Real Madrid overwhelmed lowly Getafe 51 to move within a point of La Liga leaders Bar-

celona. Real’s seventh successive league win kept alive their hopes of a first title since 2012 and

RIO OLYMPICS:

My target is gold —Siasia H

EAD Coach of the Nigeria U-23 team, Samson Siasia has disclosed that his target at the Summer Olympics in Brazil is the gold medal despite the draws for the football event which saw his side pooled against Sweden, Japan and Colombia is not a bad one. The draws held on Thursday at the auditorium of the Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Continues on page 45

Aguero's hat-trick sinks Chelsea —P.45

Leicester can feel the trophy —Morgan

•BRICKWALL: Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Willian's (L) freekick failed to pass through the brickwall mounted by Manchester City's defenders at Stamford Bridge yesterday as the visitors won 3-0. Photio: AFP

Champions League: ‘Enyimba won’t take chances against Etoile’ C

AF Champions League campaigners, Enyimba FC are billed to leave Nigeria today ahead of the midweek second round, second leg tie

sent neighbours Getafe to the bottom of the table. Karim Benzema put Real ahead and after Isco made it 2-0 at halftime, Bale raced clear to add the third. Pablo Sarabia replied but Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo added late goals. Barca, who have taken just one point from the last possible nine, play at home to Valencia on Sunday evening (19:30 BST). Real kept the pressure on the defending champions, while Juan Esnaider made a losing start as Getafe’s new coach. His side have now lost 11 of their past 13 games.

against Etoile du Sahel in Caf Champions League. They had set up training camp in Lagos to finalize their build up to the cracker. The People’s Elephant

have a 3-0 advantage from the first leg played at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt through Mfon Udoh’s hat trick and the sole Nigerian team

on the continent have not taken progress for granted despite the healthy lead. The team left Akure for Lagos on Thursday day Continues on page 45

EICESTER City captain Wes Morgan admits the Premier League leaders “can almost feel the metal on the cup” - but has urged them to keep working. Claudio Ranieri’s side picked up a fifth win in a row with a 2-0 victory at Sunderland last week, meaning they need just three wins from their final five games to guarantee the most unlikely of title triumphs. Morgan concedes the squad are at last begin Continues on page 45

RESULTS EPL Norwich City Everton Man Utd Newcastle West Brom Chelsea

0 1 1 3 0 0

Getafe Las Palmas Eibar

1 1 0

Bologna Carpi

0 4

Nasarawa Shooting MFM

2 2 1

Sunderland Southampton Aston Vila Swansea City Watford Man City

3 1 0 0 1 3

LA LIGA Real Madrid Sporting Gijon Real Sociedad

5 1 0

SERIE A Torino Genoa

1 1

NPFL

Plateau Heartland Wikki

1 1 0

TODAY'S MATCHES

See solution on page 5

*Udoji: Eyinmba's skipper

Rivers Utd Giwa Ifeanyi Uba Lobi Tornadoes

v v v v v

Bournemouth Leicester Arsenal

v v v

NPFL

Pillars Rangers W/Wolves Akwa Utd Ikorodu

EPL

Liverpool West Ham Crystal Palace

4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 1:30pm 1:30pm 4:00pm

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