PDP bigger thanyou, Tukur tells govs

C M Y

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 61799

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Policeman runs amok, kills wife, 7 g.

P another woman •

NNPC DEPOT

Minister for Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke (centre), commissioning NNPC Benin Depot, yesterday. On her left is Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Engr Andy Yakubu, MD, NNPC (right).

PDP bigger than you, Tukur tells govs •Party's NWC meeting fails to hold

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH & HENRY UMORU

•Alleged Secret recording of govs' meeting raises dust A

BUJA—ON a day governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP largely boycotted a peace parley

Babalakin charged, granted bail

Continues on page 4

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PROBLEMS OF THE NORTH:

.7 •Pg

The caliphate in politics •P.47

ALLEGED N62BN FRAUD:

DONU KOGBARA: •P. 17

Ohakim hits back at Okorocha —P.13 Reps move to immortalise Okotie-Eboh —P.6 FG deploys F7 supersonic Alpha jets to Mali •P.6

Mr & Mrs

BABALAKIN IN COURT—The Chairman of Bi-Courtney Highway Services Ltd, Mr Wale Babalakin, at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, yesterday. Photo: Diran Oshe.

....Police won't victimise anybody — IG

2— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 3

C M Y K

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

POCKET CARTOON

be sure that we will be able to raise our heads high in the comity of nations.”

....Hails Yakowa

FIRE—Another fire disaster occured at Ogunpa Market, Ibadan, yesterday. Some of the affected shops along Ogunpa Agbeni Market. Photo: Shola Oyelse.

PDP bigger than you, Tukur tells govs Continues from page 1 scheduled to resolve their face-off with their National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the PDP chairman warned, yesterday, that not one of the governors nor the president was bigger than the party.

The warning from

Alhaji Tukur came as it emerged that the ranks of the governors may finally have been broken by news of an alleged secret tape recording of a meeting of the governors which was allegedly transmitted through Tukur to the president.

The tape was allegedly the basis for the presidency ’s realization of the depth of ill-feelings

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

L

IFE as it , is enough stress. Spend your life with who makes you happy not who you have to impress. Impression costs a lot and does not last very long.

TAKE HEART

among the governors towards the president. But Tukur ’s camp quickly dismissed such speculation as nonsense.

Speaking while receiving the party’s newest governor, Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State at the PDP national secretariat yesterday, Tukur warned the governors that power was transient.

Tukur who was himself a governor 30 years ago, spoke against the background of the boycott of the scheduled peace meeting meant to reconcile the governors with Tukur over the face-off that arose from the crisis in the Adamawa State chapter of the party.

BY ELLA RANDLE

T

HIS life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise.

We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing towards it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road.

All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified — Martin Luther Dean Koontz also wrote about becoming in this beautiful phrase: “The more you expect from life, the more your expectations will be fulfilled. By laughing, you do not use up your laughter, but increase your store of it. The more you love, the more you will be loved. The more you give, the more you will receive. Life proves that truth every hour, every day.

And life continues to surprise.” I recall a saying that simple, genuine goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail, and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us.” Goodness is about what you do to bring upliftment to your life and others.”

Tukur receives Yero Yero who ascended to the governorship following the death of Sir Patrick Yakowa, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State last December, was in the party secretariat to familarise himself with the national leadership of the party. He came along with his deputy, Nuhu Bajoga; the acting chairman of the state chapter of the PDP, Alhaji Isyaku Birni Gwari; business man Alhaji Sani Dauda; former Executive Secre-

tary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, Hamisu Abubakar, among others.

Tukur urged the governors, other elected government functionaries and the people to work towards ensuring that the institution of government was made very strong and not revolve round personalities.

Tukur said: “As governors, we should all agree to move our people from the position of want to the position of plenty through empowering them by giving them education to defend and empower themselves. We as leaders of your party, our job is to ensure we support all actions being done to help the promotion and development of our people.

“For us, the party is supreme, it is neither the NWC nor the president and the governors; let us build institutions, not personalities. It is the institution of the party itself that is supreme because all of us come in and go. All of us are birds of passage; we come, we go.

“But we must do our best to support institutions of governance.

Once that institution is respected, organized and committed, we can

Tukur who hailed the late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna, however stressed the need for peace in the country if development must be achieved in all its ramifications, Peace is important and peace cannot reign unless security is assured.

“I am committed to reconciliation, without confrontation. We must run a party based on justice.

Therefore, we must reach out to all - local councils, states, centre and the entire PDP family.

“We must mobilise them and take care of their needs, as enshrined in our party manifesto. We can only give them dividends of democracy, if we are truly united. Your late governor was a symbol of peace. I want you to emulate your predecessor, who was a brother to all. As party leaders, we shall support all efforts you intend to take to develop Kaduna State.”

Nothing that the late Yakowa was an epitome of peace, he urged Yero to strive and ensure that there was peace in the state as well as ensure that he works towards the unity and development of Kaduna State.

Speaking earlier, Governor Mukhtar Yero, who declared his support for the party and Alhaji Bamanga Tukur led National Working Committee, NWC, also declared support for President Goodluck Jonathan. He admonished Nigerians to support the Federal Government, just as he disclosed that security would top his agenda for the people of Kaduna State.

When asked if age

would not deter him, he said: “Age is not the issue, it is the experience; I have been in government for a long time now, I have been a commissioner for three years and a deputy governor for two and a half years; I can say I know a lot about governance, so we would try our best to see how we can move forward.

“Our major priority is to ensure security in the state because security is very important and key to any development, so our main focus is security; we want to see how we can secure the state and then how we can unite ourselves because we need to unite to develop the state.”

The governor hailed his predecessor as a perfect Nigerian with whom he had a good working relationship and who he said also taught him the elements of governance.

According to him the late Yakowa left behind very big shoes.

Governor Yero said: “We are here today, to commiserate with the entire PDP family over the death of our former governor. He was one of your sons who contributed greatly to this party. A great loss, not only to PDP, but the entire PDP family.

“We had a very good working and personal relationship. He was a good man to work with, who made tremendous efforts to make us understand how the public sector works. So, we really missed his experience.

“Secondly, we are here to introduce myself officially as the new governor of the state.

We assure you of our loyal commitment to you and the cause of the party and the national working committee. ‘’We are ready to support you and whatever you want us to do for the party. We are loyal to the Continues on page 5

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013— 5

Bayelsa Speaker's mother: Kidnappers demand N40m

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ENAGOA—The kidnappers of Madam Betinah Benson, mother of Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr Kombowei Benson, have demanded N40m ransom to effect her release.

Though the police did not confirm this, sources close to the family said the abductors had established contact with the Speaker, whom they allowed to speak with his mother.

The Speaker, who confirmed on phone that the kidnappers had established contact with him and made ransom demand, however, refused to specify the actual sum demanded.

The kidnappers, according the Speaker, also gave three reasons for abducting his mother.

PDP bigger than you, Tukur tells govs Continues from page 4 party and Mr. President, our prayer is that God guides our President, because his success is the success of all of us.

We are very loyal to him and the party.”

Governor Yero’s presence at the PDP secretariat nonetheless, the majority of the governors were yesterday absent at the scheduled troubleshooting meeting of the governors with the NWC. In the absence of the governors Tukur, however, continued to receive solidarity visits from major stakeholders in the polity.

One of the latest to visit him was the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien, who called at the national chairman’s residence in the Wuse 2 area of the federal capital.

The visit was, however, described as personal given the fact that

Tukur ’s wife, Hajiya Fatima Tukur hails from Asaba.

New twist to PDP crisis Meanwhile, a new twist was yesterday added to the lingering feud in the ruling party following an allegation that Tukur transmitted the recording of a secret meeting by its governors to President Jonathan.

The allegation gained grounds with reports that one of the northern governors loyal to Tukur and Jonathan had made a secret recording of the meeting held by his colleagues and later passed same to the chairman who in turn presented same to the President.

The tape, it was gathered, made it possible for Jonathan to understand the depth of the crisis in the party and the level of

loyalty of each of the PDP governors to him and the national chairman.

But Tukur promptly denounced the report, saying that he did not transmit any secret tape to the President, as claimed in the report.

A source close to the chairman described the allegation of his involvement in the tape transmission to Mr. President as “utter fabrication, falsehood, and idle talk.

The source quoted Tukur as saying that he was too occupied with effort to reorganize the party and bring about the needed unity and peace to think of engaging in frivolity.

The source said, “For now the national chairman is too busy focusing on building unity and consensus and assisting government to provide good governance.

According to Tukur,

such claims were deliberately designed to

cause disaffection within the ranks of PDP members.

6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, LUKA BINNIYAT, VICTORIA OJEME & ERUNKE JOSEPH

A

BUJA — FOLLOWING the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan to the Armed Forces to commence the deployment of 900 troops to participate in the military operation to liberate Mali from Islamist rebels, the Nigerian Air Force, yesterday, commenced moves to deploy two of its fighter aircraft and a transport aircraft for the combat operations.

The aircraft are the F7 supersonic jet fighter, the latest and most modern in the NAF inventory, and the Alpha jet fighter aircraft aka ‘Dudu Bird’ which fast tracked the surrender of the rebels in both the Liberian and Sierra Leonean civil wars.

This came as Senate, yesterday, approved the deployment of 1,200 Nigerian troops to join French forces that are currently staging an onslaught against Islamist militia in Mali.

Similarly, Chief of Army Staff, COAS, General Azubuike Ihejirika, yesterday, explained why Nigeria is a formidable part of the planned war against Islamic rebels in Northern Mali, saying it was to clean Mali of training camps where Islamic terrorists are trained to attack Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government, yesterday, briefed ambassadors from European Union, EU, Canada and United States on the situation in Mali.

The COAS spoke in Kaduna State while fielding questions from reporters after his farewell speech to the 906 troops at the Nigerian Army Cantonment, Jaji, Kaduna.

Meanwhile, confirming the deployments of two aircraft, yesterday, Director of Air Force Public Relations, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, said already, a contingent of 66 officers and airmen departed Port Harcourt, Rivers State for Mali, yesterday.

He said the officers and men were ferried by the Air Force G222 Transport Aircraft, and were addressed by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, who admonished them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria .

At press time, the fighter jets, Alpha Jet and F7 Supersonic, were on their way to join French fighter jets already in Mali.

Why we are joining the fight in Mali — COAS Meanwhile, the first batch of 190 soldiers and officers who are part of the 900 soldiers earmarked for deployment to Mali were also addressed by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ihejirika before their departure.

He said: “Our effort in Mali is to compliment our effort at

home, to bring peace. We have evidence that some of the terrorists operating in Nigeria today are trained in Mali.

“As at yesterday (Wednesday), we are aware of the influx of some terrorists into the country trained in Mali. So, Nigeria will not only be supporting the resolution of the international community, but also enhancing its own internal security and that of its immediate neighbours.”

Addressing the troops of Nigerian Battalion 1 of the Africa-led International Support Mission to Mali, he said: “Once an apparent pillar of democracy in West Africa, Mali has drastically deteriorated in 2012, with a coup which brought the elected government in March 2012 by a combination of armed groups to take over the vast areas of the desert north soon after. This is to say the least, is a threat to peace in the region and the world at large.

“African nations and the international community have expressed growing concern over the continued occupation of Mali’s north since it could provide a safe haven to Al-Qeada linked extremist groups and criminal gangs.

“The African Union had consequently endorsed a plan for a military intervention to regain control of Mali’s vast desert north from Islamic rebels and restore the authority of the state.”

Senate okays deployment of troops The Senate approved the deployment, yesterday, after deliberating behind closed doors for almost two hours.

President Goodluck Jonathan had written to the Senate requesting its consent to deploy troops to Mali on limited combat duties.

The approval came just as the President has asked for a more robust response to global terrorism.

He stated this while condemning Wednesday ’s kidnapping of British, French and other foreign workers in eastern Algeria.

From left; Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide; Director General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, Munzali Dantata and President, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigerian, Samuel Alabi during a meeting on the forthcoming Nigerian Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition in Abuja.

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

NAF deploys F7 Supersonic, Alpha jets to Mali zAs Senate okays deployment of troops zWhy we are joining the fight in Mali —COAS zFG seeks EU, US, Canada's support Citing the deployment of Nigeria’s troops to Mali as a sign of the country’s commitment to the war on terrorism, Jonathan, who was meeting with the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, said Nigeria would continue to play a part in maintaining global peace.

Jonathan for ECOWAS extraordinary session Also in a bid to further affirm what role ECOWAS will play in the Malian conflict, President Jonathan will today, travel to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire for an Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government ahead of the full deployment of the region’s

troops to Mali.

A statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media, Dr Reuben Abati, stated that President Jonathan would be accompanied to the meeting by the Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada and the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim.

FG seeks EU, US, Canada's support According to a statement by spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ogbole Ode, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, told the envoys that the crisis in Mali was an issue of deep concern not only to West

Africa, but also the rest of Africa, Europe and the rest of the world.

He maintained that the military operations by the French to dislodge Islamic militants in northern Mali deserved the unflinching support of the international community.

According to the the statement, Ashiru solicited the assistance and support of the countries represented by the various envoys.

The heads of mission pledged their unwavering support for the military action taken by France and Nigeria under the auspices of ECOWAS African-led International Support Mission in Mali, AFISMA. They advised that the military strategy should also be pursued along with the political process, which should involve the various parties in Mali.

Reps move to immortalise Okotie-Eboh

BY OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

A

BUJA — THE House of Representatives, yesterday, passed a motion asking theFederal Government to name a federal institution after Nigeria’s first Finance Minister, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh.

This was sequel to a motion moved on the floor of the House by Mr Daniel Reyenieju, who represents Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

Reyenieju urged his colleagues to immortalise the late Finance Minister during the First Republic.

He informed his colleagues that the national recognition being sought for the late politician had been accorded to most prominent political office holders who were killed during the first military coup’d etat of January 1966.

He recalled the events that took place during the military coup of 15 January 1966 in which the first postindependence democratic government was toppled.

Reyenieju said: “He was also the first member of Warri Federal Constituency. In short, he was my predecessor.”

He explained that it was the former Minister that established the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company.

He noted: ”Of all those that were killed during the coup, only Okotie-Eboh is the Nigerian that had not been immortalised.

“Okotie-Eboh had the opportunity to escape but refused to do that; instead he was repeatedly asking the security men ‘where is my boss,’ the Prime Minister, before he was assassinated. Even the policeman who recovered the corpses of both the Prime Minister and Finance Minister is still alive but very old.“ The motion was seconded by Mr Idris Kutigi.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—7

Policeman runs amok, kills wife, another woman

BY UMAR YUSUF

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From right: Chairman Visafone Communications Limited, Mr. Jim Ovia, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State; Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadhomen while the Health Minister, Prof. Christian Chukwu (middle); and Chairman IBTC, Mr. Atedo Peterside during the periodic meeting of the National Economic Management Team at the Aso Chambers, State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Babalakin charged, granted bail

BY ONOZURE DANIA & MICHAEL OLADEPO

L

AGOS — CHAIRMAN of Bi-Courtney Highway Services, Dr Wale Babalakin, declared missing, Wednesday, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was, yesterday, arraigned before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, alongside Alex Okon and three others, on a 27-count charge bordering on money laundering.

They were alleged to have laundered N4.7 billion in 2006 for former governor of Delta State, Mr James Ibori through various third parties to Erin Aviation account in Mauritius for the alleged purchase of Challenger jet for Ibori.

They pleaded not quilty and were admitted to bail on self-recognition.

The charge against them read: “That you, Babalakin, Stabilini Visioni Limited and Bi-Courtney Ltd, between May 2006 and December 2006, within the jurisdiction of this court, did corruptly confer benefits on former Governor Ibori to wit the sum of N4.7 billion on account of contracts awarded by Delta State Government to Stabilini Visioni Limited by transferring the said sum through various third parties to Erin Aviation account in Mauritius for the purchase of a Challenger Jet Aircraft by the said Ibori.”

Babalakin, who came into the premises of the court at

10.06 am, in a black ML Mercedez Benz SUV with number plate TP 425 AAA and clad in a navy blue stripped suit with a white shirt and a red tie, went straight into the court room, presided over by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

When the 27-count charge was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty.

Counsel to Babalakin, Mr Olawale Akoni, SAN, prayed the court to grant his client bail on self-recognition.

He said: “He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a member of the body of benchers, pro-chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Chairman of the Committee of pro-chancellors in Nigeria and the Senior Partner of one of the biggest law firms in the country.”

He argued that the bail application was supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Dr. Abiodun Layonu and a written address.

Akoni asked the court to consider the affidavits in support of the application and prayed the court to grant Babalakin bail on self recognition.

Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, counsel to Okon also urged the court to grant him bail on self recognition.

Oyetibo contended that Okon was a Managing Director and Financial Counsellor to leading banks and some other financial institutions in the country, adding he had made himself available in court since the

OLA — A POLICE Inspector posted to the private residence of Governor Murtala Nyako ran amok, Wednesday night, killing his wife and the wife of his landlord.

The incident happened at the Mayo Belwa Local GovernmentArea of Adamawa State.

An eye witness told Vanguard in Yola that the Inspector (names withheld), who did not submit his arms and ammunition to the divisional police armourer after closing from duty, went home with it to allegedly kill the victims.

It was gathered that the officer on getting home first shot his

ACN berates PDP for allegedly calling Akande ex-convict

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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matter started and was prepared for the trial to clear his name.

EFCC counsel, Jacobs, said he was not opposed to bail applications since, the defendants had been appearing before the commission. He prayed the court to give conditions that would ensure their appearance for trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onigbanjo granted them bail in self recognition, but asked them to deposit their travelling documents with EFCC. Justice Onigbanjo subsequently gave the defendants and prosecution 14 days within which to serve all papers, including processes, interlocutory applications, counter motions, affidavit in support of their motions, ahead of trial and adjourned till February 25, 2013 for hearing of interlocutory applications of the defendants.

wife dead before turning to his landlord’s wife and killed her in the compound.

However, his landlord was said to have escaped, when he discovered that his wife and that of the policeman had been shot dead. The landlord was said to have reported the incident at the Divisional Police Station in the area.

Adamawa State Police command confirmed the incident .

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ibrahim Mohammed, who spoke to newsmen said the suspect had since been arrested and currently undergoing interrogation at the state CID.

AGOS — THE Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has lambasted the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for allegedly calling its National Chairman,Chief Bisi Akande, an ex-convict, saying a political prisoner is different from a criminal convict.

National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who reacted to the allegation by the PDP, however, regretted that the PDP was either engaging in blatant mischief or wallowing in crass ignorance over the issue.

In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, Mohammed said: "Any attempt to label Chief Akande an ex-convict in a pejorative sense will be an exercise in futility, because he was neither convicted for abuse of office nor for any corruptionrelated offence by a duly constituted court.’’

According to Mohammed, the Special Military Tribunal that tried and sentenced hundreds of politicians, including Chief Akande, in the 1980s cannot be a reason to label all those it tried and convicted criminal ex-convicts."

He reminded the PDP that the

Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, ordered its members to boycott the proceeding of the tribunal simply because it failed to meet the standard of a properlyconstituted court.

The statement read: "If those who were tried and convicted by military tribunals are indeed deemed to have been properly tried and found guilty of the offences for which they were charged, many of them would not have gone ahead to hold important elective and appointive positions in the polity. ‘’Outside Nigeria, you have the global icon, Nelson Mandela, who was tried, found guilty and jailed for life in 1964.

Of course, it will be laughable for anyone trying to denigrate Mandela to tag him an exconvict, except of course that person is a member of the PDP. ‘’Chief Bisi Akande, whom the PDP has chosen to pick on in its misguided mudslinging, is an embodiment of honesty, integrity, transparency and decency, who is more of a role model to our youths than most members of the PDP. He served creditably in the private and the public sectors, where he held many top posts including that of a governor.

Tambuwal moves to appease Reps

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

A

BUJA — UNMINDFUL of the unending opposition to his seat, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday, began moves to consolidate his hold on the leadership of the lower chambers of the National Assembly.

Specifically, Tambuwal and

his core loyalists were said to be creating sub-committees of very critical sectors to provide more opportunities for members to head one committee or the other so as to give them a better sense of belonging and reduce dissent.

A lawmaker, who is part of the move to appease all members of the House, told Vanguard that the deal was to provide avenues for virtually all the members to feel a sense of the

leadership of the National Assembly.

The member explained that there were 91 committees already in the House with each headed by a chairman and a deputy chairman and that the leadership was set to create what the leadership calls ‘sub-committees’ so as to give more members the opportunity to head a committee in the House.

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

JTF repels attack, kills 2, arrests 5 in Kano

BY ABDULSALAM MOHAMMED

K

ANO—THE Joint Military Task force, JTF, yesterday repelled an attack by unknown gunmen at its Mariri check-point, killing two and capturing five.

Two civilians, a man and woman, also lost their lives in a cross fire during a shoot out that lasted one hour.

JTF spokesman in Kano, Capt. Ikediche Iweha, while confirming the deadly encounter, stated that one AK-47 assault rifle was recovered from the bandits.

The attack on the military check-point located at Mariri, along the ever busy Kano- Wudil federal highways, led to temporary suspension of traffic while the gun duel last.

Unknown gunmen have of late stepped up

their attacks on checkpoints within the city, with attendant loss of life of several policemen and their rifles.

The development led to heightened security in the city, with the saturation of check-points manned by combat ready o p e r a t i v e s .

Capt. Iweha further revealed that the strategic highway had been reopened to traffic and called on the general public to go about their legitimate businesses without fear of molestat i o n .

"We have out gunned the militants that attacked our checkpoint located at Mariri awhile ago, we killed two and captured five,” he said.

He assured of preparedness of the military to contain challenges posed by the gunmen, adding that “our men are on top of the situation”.

NSE asks FG to grant tax incentives to quoted coys

BY PETER EGWUATU & NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

HE Nigerian Stock Ex-change, NSE, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to grant tax incentives to companies listed on the Exchange as part of measures to attract more firms to list on the NSE. The NSE also warned operators to desist from any malpractice capable of tarnishing the image of Nigerian stock market as it will deal decisively with any person or firm caught in an illegal deal in accordance with its rules and regulations.

The Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, who disclosed this at a briefing to review the performance of the market in 2012 and outlook for 2013, said, “ we commend the Ministry of Finance for the pronouncement of the elimination of Value Added Tax, VAT, stamp duties and expect that the Federal Government gazettes it so that its implementation will take effect as early as possible in 2013.

Furthermore, we encourage government to

grant more tax incentives to quoted companies in order to attract more companies to list on the Exchange. We thank the Federal Government for the forbearance package for the stockbrokers and hope that it will help boost activities in the market.”

Continuing, he said early passage of the budget is a welcome development and asked for the quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, even with the proposed amendment. We expect pronouncement to begin investing proceeds of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF, in March 2013.”

In his comment on market infractions, he said, “We have put in place surveillance team that is monitoring activities in the market and they are on the alert to fish out any culprit found in such an act. The Exchange will not spare any person perpetrating illegal act and would punish him or her accordingly.”

Onyema, further noted that the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, was one of the top performing exchanges globally in 2012.

FG inaugurates committee on code of corporate governance zSays it 'll improve Nigeria's 'global doing business ranking'

BY GABRIEL OMOH, BUSINESS EDITOR

F

EDERAL Govern ment, yes-terday, inaugurated steering committee that will develop the country’s Code of Corporate governance.

The inauguration of the committee is in accordance with Section 119 (c) of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria Act No.6 of 2011, which empowers the council as the only statutory body responsible for the development of code of corporate governance practices in both public and private sectors of the economy.

Speaking during the event, Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said the committee would develop a unified code of corporate governance that would enable the FRC to act “as the national coordinating body responsible for all matters pertaining to corporate governance in both private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy; promote the highest standards of corporate governance principles and practices and encourage sound systems of internal control and information systems control to safeguard stakeholders’ investment and assets of public interest entities, among other things.”

He noted that the need for a comprehensive and mandatory National Corporate Governance Code had become imperative given the current multiplicity of corporate governance codes across the country, adding that the new initiative would instil the culture of transparency, accountability and improve the country ’s doing business ranking.

Aganga said, “I must say that this administration views the issuance of a National Code of Corporate Governance as a very important deliverable that can be used to enhance our national competitiveness and address some socio-economic issues, including corruption and lack of independence.

“It is also an opportunity to raise the bar in the public and private sectors and to ensure that there are stiff penalties and that

directors are personally liable for their actions and inactions. All of these are efforts aimed at improving our investment climate

and foreign direct investment flows and enhancement of our competitiveness and international perception".

APPRAISAL OF CAPITAL MARKET PERFORMANCE—From left: Mr Oscar Onyema, CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange; Mr Haruna Jalo-Waziri, ED Business Development and Mr Bola Adeeko, Chief of Staff and Head Corporate Division during a briefing on 2012 appraisal of Capital Market performance in Lagos, yesterday.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 9

Olaitan Oyerinde: NLC wants IGP to reopen investigation .Reps to probe alleged police misconduct

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG, OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMA OVUAKPORIE

A

BUJA — NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, asked Inspector General of Police, IGP, to reopen investigation into the gruesome murder of its Deputy General Secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde.

Oyerinde until he was murdered in his residence in Benin City, was the Principal Private Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

NLC said it was disturbed at the seeming silence on the investigation of the murder of Oyerinde, claiming “We are convinced the police know who Olaitan Oyerinde’s killers are, and are buying time, believing that soon Nigerians will put the murder behind them, and become uninterested in the search for the murderers.”

In a statement through its President, Abdulwaheed Omar, NLC called on the IGP to immediately investigate the allegation of complacency

leveled against the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, handling the case, and sanction him if found guilty, even if it meant dismissal to protect the image of the police.

Congress demanded that the police got the actual culprits prosecuted and

punished in accordance with the law as Oyerinde’s heinous murder was not just of interest to it but to the entire Nigerian people who felt unsafe if a young and highly talented man could be so gruesomely murdered while the police seemed helpless simply because its top offic-

er had compromised the force Also yesterday, the House of Representatives mandated two of its committees to probe into the allegation of professional misconduct in police investigation of the murder of Oyerinde.

From left: Mr. George Noah, MD, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA); Mr. Lanre Gbabiamila, MD, Lagos State Lotteries Board and Mr. Sayo Holloway, GMD, Lagos State Water Corporation, during the 6th Lagos State Taxation Stakeholders' Conference, in Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Fashola blasts PDP over comment on Security Trust Fund MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS — GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, faulted statement credited to the Lagos chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, saying, “they are getting closer to dance naked in the public.”

This came barely four days after the party urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe the funding of LSSTF over alleged increase in the cases of armed robbery attacks in the state.

Fashola, who spoke at the 6thannual Lagos State Taxation Stakeholders’ conference in Ikeja, said, “I have news for them; they should make my day because we will meet them in court.

"I heard that PDP wants to sue the Lagos State government to stop the LSSTF from functioning. An outfit set up on voluntary donations, to help discharge the obligation which their party, which controls the entire resources of the country, has to the police which they have failed to discharge.

"The welfare and the provision of other basic equipments to the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, is the responsibility of the party at the centre.”

Fashola lamented that the “PDP at the centre budgets huge amount yearly for security but policemen in the country cannot buy uniforms.

"They do not have vehicles for patrol. They do not have fuel to power existing vehicles.

"But a government sat down here, created innovative ideas on how to fund the police in its state, a problem that is not his responsibility."

Oshodi/ Apapa Expressway: FG gives 6-month ultimatum to contractor

BY GODFREY BIVBERE & BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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AGOS — THE F e d e r a l Government yesterday issued a six-month ultimatum to Brooni Proni, the contractor handling the trinity busStop end to Coconut of the ever busy Oshodi Apapa Expressway to complete the job, even as it was revealed that the stoppage of works at the Tin-can 2nd gate end of the expressway was due to non-release of fund and refusal of occupants on the right of way to vacate.

Minister of State for Works, Bashir Yuguda, gave the directive when he and the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar inspected the level of works done on the road.

Earlier the site engineer, Mrs. Osereme Osakwe, had told the Ministers that non-release of N1.64 billion part payment of N8.6 billion total cost of the contract and the refusal of occupants of right of way to vacate stalled the job.

Yuguda, however, assured that funds would soon be released to the contractors, to ensure they meet the May 31, 2013 deadline.

Abandoned aircraft to be evacuated from airports

BY DANIEL EFEGHE

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AGOS —THE F e d e r a l Government through the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, yesterday said it would within one week evacuate abandoned aircraft littering major airports in the country.

Speaking during a tour of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, where about 13 abandoned aircraft were located, Director of Operations, FAAN, Capt.

Henry Omeogu, said contractors assigned for the exercise would move to site next week.

10—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Jonathan appoints Vanguard GM UNILAG's Governing Council member

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RESIDENT G o o d l u c k Jonathan, yesterday, approved the constitution of four governing councils of federal universities in the country.

They include the University of Lagos, UNILAG; Federal University of Agriculture, Umuduike; University of Benin, Benin and the Obafemi Awolowo, Ile Ife. Those appointed for UNIBEN include Senator Effiong Dickson Bob, Chairman; Jamila Fakik, member; J.K.A Gazama, SAN, member; Chief Samuel Edohoeket, member and Arch Shettima Mohammed Sale, also member.

Those appointed for the University of Lagos are Prof Jerry Gana, Chairman; Dr. Monday Ohoni, member; Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, member; Dr. Garba Usman Tetenji, SAN, member; and the General Manager/ Editor- inChief of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, member.

Members of the council for the University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State include Prof.

Anya O. Anya, chairman; Chief Chris Iroegbe, member; Rasheed Kola Ojikutu, Ph.D, member; and Mr Akinboro Muyiwa, member. The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has Prof. Rowland NdomaEgba, chairman; Moses Otazi, member; Omoyele Daniel, member; Hon Tijjani Goni Guzamala, member and Sunday Ibrahim Ameh, SAN, member.

According to a statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; each university governing council shall also include the Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors; one person selected from the Federal Ministry of Education; four persons appointed by the Senate from its members, two persons appointed by the Congregation among its members and one person appointed by Convocation among its members.

PDP factions: I 've no plans to influence Court of Appeal — Obasanjo .Says allegation a tissue of lies

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, refuted

allegation by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State, that he was planning to influence the outcome of an Appeal

Jennifer Cooke, Director, African programme of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), presenting a gift to Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo State Governor, after the presentation of lecture on the Abiye Programme of the Ondo State Government, by the Governor, in Washington DC, United States of America, yesterday.

Arepo fire: NSCDC

launches ‘Operation Flush Out Vandals' ...issues ultimatum

BY EVELYN USMAN & ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

A

BEOKUTA—The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, yesterday, launched ‘Operation Flush Out Vandals’ with the construction of its operations base at the creek on the terrain used as access road by vandals to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s pipeline in Arepo, Ogun State.

This came as President of Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, decried the incessant destruction and ruptures of the nation’s pipelines, especially in the South West, promising to halt the menace within 10 months, if given the mandate.

Commandant General, CG, of NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, who led a delegation of his officials to the ground breaking ceremony of the base, gave vandals a three-day ultimatum to quit the area, threatening total war with them.

Represented by his deputy in charge of operations, Evans Ewurum, the CG said, at completion, the post would be fortified with armed personnel from antivandals squads from Lagos and Ogun commands.

He said they were ready to combat the menace of pipeline vandalism, which according to him, had brought untold hardship to the generality of Nigerians by creating artificial scarcity.

Court case involving the financier of PDP in Ogun State, Prince Buruji Kashamu and the party.

Chief Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee had in a petition to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab A. Bulkachuwa, accused Obasanjo of planning to influence the outcome of an appeal pending before the Lagos Division of the appellate court.

Reacting to the allegation, Obasanjo through a statement by his Media Assistant, Vitalis Ortese, dismissed the allegation as nothing but a tissue of lies.

According to the statement “the attention of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has been drawn to an allegation published on page 12 in the Punch Newspapers of Thursday, 17 January, 2013, and on page 62 of the Nation of the same date, that one “Adebayo Dayo” in a petition dated January 15, 2013 and

addressed to the President of the Court of Appeal, alleged that the former president had through his lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola, secured an assurance from the presiding justice of the Lagos Division of the appeal Court, to influence the outcome of an appeal pending before it in Lagos.

“The allegation is nothing but a tissue of lies," the statement said.

“The allegation is nothing but a tissue of lies. The former President has nothing to do with the case in question and has neither spoken with Chief Afe Babalola on any such case nor had given him any money to ever give to any judge in respect of the case.

"This type of lies is propagated by despicable characters like “Adebayo Dayo” and “Buruji Kasamu,” who peddle falsehood in the hope of sustaining baseless cases and allegations for the most regrettable and deplorable reasons.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, JANUARY 18, 2013—11

Edo LG polls: PDP calls for boycott

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—BARELY 72 hours after Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, EDSIEC, released the time-table for the conduct of elections into the 18 local government areas in the state, Director of Publicity and Strategy of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Mr. Okharedia Ihimekpen, has called for the boycott of the elections.

Ihimekpen, who fielded questions from journalists in Benin, yesterday, described the time-table as a farce, saying that the election was already being teleguided by the state government.

However, Edo State chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Mr. Thomas Okosun, said the call for a boycott was uncalled for and advised Edo people to ignore Ihimekpen’s call to avoid what he termed PDP’s deception.

He said: “I do not know Ihimekpen being PDP mouthpiece. He is entitled to his opinion but what he has said is far from the truth.

HOSTCOM Chair urges support for DESOPADEC

If there is anybody that is an apostle of one man one vote, it is the state governor.”

Ihimekpen had said: “My feeling about the purported election is that the election Oshiomhole wants to conduct is a farce and a smokescreen. My personal opin-

U

people should boycott the socalled election. To crown it all, the election itself has already failed, because by the time-table, last Tuesday, they were to meet with all political parties, but no political party was there.

So I urge all political parties to boycott this election.”

VISIT: From left: PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; his wife, Hajia Fatimah and the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien, during the monarch's visited to the party boss in Abuja, yesterday.

Tackle oil spills, not illegal bunkering, FG urged

BY FESTUS AHON GHELLI—CHAIR MAN of Delta Central chapter of Host Communities of Nigeria, Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Mr. John Ayoro, has charged leaders of oil producing communities in the state to support Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, in its resolve to positively impact on the lives of the people.

Giving the charge during the inauguration of the local government chapter’s executive of HOSTOM, in Ughelli North, Udu, Ethiope East and Okpe, Ayoro stressed the need to reposition the areas for effective management and development.

He said the commissioners representing Central Senatorial district in the commission were determined to attract development to the oil producing communities of the district.

Urging the newly inaugurated executives to work closely with traditional rulers and community leaders of the various communities, he noted that it was constitutional for them to convene monthly meetings in their areas.

ion is that all political parties should boycott the election because Oshiomhole has already written the result in Government House.

“I am speaking because I am privy to some information, where he has said that he is going to have 18 over 18. So,

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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E N A G O A — S TA K E HOLDER Democratic Network, SDN, a pressure group in the Niger Delta, has frowned at the priority given by the Federal Government to security against crude oil theft to the detriment of the needed environmental protection action against oil spillages in the region.

SDN noted that though the activities of crude oil thieves

were reducing the economic earnings of the nation, the excessive focus and security actions against illegal bunkering and crude oil theft was a poor reflection of government’s policy focus and sign of neglect of the people of Niger Delta by the Federal Government.

Country Coordinator of the group, Mr. Inemo Samiama, in a statement, said SDN’s position was informed by the lack of action on the KS Endeavour blowout in 2012, off the Atlantic coast of Koloama in Southern Ijaw Local Government

Area of Bayelsa State.

He said: “The 2012 incident is typical of a year in which much was put in the public domain about oil spills, especially those from illegal refineries, but too little was done to address the massive gap between Nigeria’s spill record and its capacity to contain and clean up the spills.

“The most unfortunate event in 2012 was that the Chevron rig that exploded in the early hours of January 16, was attributed to gas rather than oil exploration.”

Edo to get new commissioners February

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, said, yesterday, that new commissioners in the state will emerge in February, after clearance by the state House of Assembly.

He said the commissioners’ list will be submitted to the House of Assembly when they resume on January 28, adding that before the end of February, the State Exec-

utive Council will be reconstituted, when the nominees would have been cleared.

Expressing gratitude to members of his former cabinet and other political appointees for their dedicated service, which he said led to the remarkable change in the state, Oshiomhole said the change was due to their advice and individual contributions.

He said: “After four years, Edo people are witnesses to the transformation that had taken place in the state, which

was due to your individual contributions. Even though it was Pius Odubu and I that were voted for, it was our collective responsibility.

“My commissioners worked hard and I wish we could play back the kind of debates that took place at our council meetings. They were characterised with jokes and tension.”

The governor who disclosed that he was fortunate to have very sound people to work with said he was an impatient person and as a contract staff, he must get result every day.

FUPRE VC warns against sabotage

BY TOMMY ANADUAKA

A

CTING Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, Prof.

Alhassan Bichi, has declared the 2011/2012 Students’ Week open, with a plea to the students to continue to maintain the harmonious relationship existing between them and the school authority.

Prof Bichi promised to continue with the upgrade of infrastructure in the school and pleaded with those sabotaging the effort of FUPRE to desist from doing so.

The student union President, Mr. Obaro Egagifo, on his part, urged the school authority to be mindful of those they award contracts to and urged the school management to revoke any contract executed below specified standards.

Madam Ikande-Agba for burial

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HE remains of Madam Philomena IkandeAgba will be laid to rest next weekend in her home town, UnemeUzanu, near Agenebode, Edo State.

Late Madam IkandeAgba, who died at the age of 68, was a successful business woman.

There will be a service of songs at her residence in Auchi.

She is survived by three children, among whom is the immediate past Commissioner for Environment in Edo State, Mr. Clem Agba, Ann Okpako , Solomon Agba and many grand children.

Late Madam Ikande-Agba

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Airhiavbiare condemns call for his sanction

Road crashes: 487 deaths recorded in Edo, Delta, Anambra

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

BY ABDULWAHAB

ABDULAH

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EOPLES Democrat ic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in last year ’s election in Edo State, Gen. Charles Airhiavbiare, has condemned a recent publication by a group calling for him to be sanctioned by the leadership of the party in the state for challenging the outcome of the election in court.

He said that rather than call for his expulsion, the leadership of the party at the national level had given him kudos for defending his mandate in court.

Media Assistant to Airhiavbiare, Mr. Kayode Fabunmi, in a statement, said: "The sponsored publication was the handiwork of some mischief makers in the state, who are agents of the ruling party in the state.”

He said, those calling for Airhiavbiare to be sanctioned are faceless.

Impasse over monarch’s refusal to marry native deepens

BY AUSTIN

OGWUDA

ASABA—THE people of Igbodo Kingdom in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State have again petitioned Delta State Government requesting an urgent intervention in the current crisis rocking the community over the refusal of their Obi to marry a native of the community, in accordance with the tradition of the people, to prevent breakdown of law and order.

The latest letter by the Iyease of Igbodo (Prime Minister), Dr. Joseph Unomah, addressed to the state deputy governor, said: “Our prayer is that you (deputy governor) invite our Obi and chiefs and elders of our community to your office to resolve the matter.

The situation is really bad and explosive and your earliest intervention will be highly appreciated."

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ENIN—NO fewer than 487 deaths were recorded in road accidents in Edo, Delta and Anambra states in 2012, Zonal Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Zone RS 5, Mr. Wale Olaniran, disclosed in Benin, Edo State, yesterday.

He added that 1,204 road crashes occurred in the affected states during the period under review as against 973 in 2011.

Disclosing that over 2,635 persons were injured in the crashes involving 1,478 vehicles, he said: “In 2011, we recorded 526 deaths, 3,120 cases of injured persons with 2,040 vehicles involved in the crashes.”

Edo State, he said, recorded the highest number of fatality in both 2011 and 2012 with 510 road accidents in 2011 with 289 deaths, attributing the figures to its vantage position as a transit state to other states of the coun-

try.

Olaniran also identified OreBenin Road, particularly at Ovia River, near Benin, as one of the worst flash points, which accounted for 114 road crashes of

the 510 cases captured in 2012 in the zone with 60 deaths, 395 injured persons and 205 vehicles involved.

He attributed overloading, overspending, burst tyres,

dangerous driving and loss of control arising from fatigue, as some of the factors that accounted for the high number of crashes in the zone.

BUDGET DEFENCE: From right: Mr. Daniel Mayuku, Chairman, Committee of Finance and Appropration; Mr. Daniel Yingi; Mr. Tony Obuh, Permanent Secretary, Government House Protocol, and Mr. Talib Tebite, during Delta State House of Assembly 2013 budget defence at the state House of Assembly, Asaba. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Edo LG polls: CPC, ACN to hold merger talks

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—AHEAD the April 20, local government area elections in Edo State, the leadership of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in the state has concluded plans to hold talks with the leadership of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the state with a view to presenting consensus candidates in the 18 councils of the state.

State Chairman of CPC, Mr. Godwin Erhahon, who disclosed this to Vanguard, said the discussion became necessary following the proposed merger between ACN, All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP and CPC at the national level.

Erhahon, said: “The state leadership of CPC intends to discuss with ACN leadership ahead of the council elections because as it is now, we are fusing within the next three months. It means that by April 20, we would have become one party. In that

case, there will be no need fielding different candidates for the elections.

“The reason for the meeting is for the purpose of harmonizing our aspiration and interest, so that we can strategise in the interest of our peo-

Immigration nabs student for alleged armed robbery in C-River ...10 illegal immigrants also picked up

BY JOHNBOSCO

AGBAKWURU

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ALABAR—CROSS River State Command of Nigeria Immigration Service has arrested a final year student of College of Education, Akamkpa, for alleged armed robbery and

no fewer than 10 illegal immigrants in Calabar.

State Comptroller of Immigration, Mr. Samuel Ogwiji, said the Monitoring and Surveillance team he set up carried out a raid in the state capital and arrested the illegal immigrants, who were main-

‘No contract hijack in DESOPADEC'

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ONTRARY to claims in some quarters that Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, contracts were being hijacked by members of the state House of Assembly, a group, Delta Focus Group, has described the claims as false.

The group, in a statement

ple. We are happy that the the state governor had set up machinery to conduct a free and fair election in the 18 councils and we intend to assist him because we want his efforts at the state level to be replicated at the grassroots.”

by its chairmen, Mr. Joshua Egun-Okoh, noted that it was impossible to hijack contracts with Mr. Oritsuwa Kpogho at the helm of affairs of the board and Mr. Victor Ochei as Speaker of the state Assembly.

The group explained that Kpogho and other members of the commission were committed to the development of oil pro-

ducing areas in line with the three point agenda of the state government.

He said: “Since the existence of the board, we have never witnessed a situation where contractors and the stakeholders were invited to opening of bids, but today, it is happening in the commission."

ly from Republic of Mali and other neighbouring countries.

Ogwiji said about four persons suspected to be armed robbers were sighted by his men in an uncompleted building near Atekong Street, Calabar, in the early hours of Wednesday but three ran away when confronted as one was unlucky as he was arrested.

Speaking with newsmen, the armed robbery suspect and final student of Department of Mathematics from Etung Local Government Area of the state claimed that his friend invited him for a club outing in Calabar and that he never knew what he was into before the security operatives picked him up.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 —13

Alleged N62bn fraud: Ohakim hits back at Okorocha

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—FORMER gov ernor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has said he had never been invited, arrested or detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in connection with alleged N62 billion fraud peddled by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Chief Ohakim, who was reacting to the fraud allegation during a telephone interview, equally fired back that Okorocha was talking nonsense.

“Before I left office, I prepared a 300-page handover note and an accompanying 22-page summary, which I handed over to Governor Rochas Okorocha,” Ohakim said.

According to him, the handover document contained the 900 water schemes, as well as other projects initiated and completed by his administration in four years.

“For Okorocha to say that my administration barely managed to complete two or three projects during my tenure is a sure proof that he never read, has refused to read, or did not understand what I put down in the handover document,” Ohakim said.

He recalled that the long stretch of Isiekenesi-Osina road, which was awarded by the Sam Mbakwe administration in 1983 and abandoned by subsequent administrations in the state, was completed by him.

On the issue of the state’s Inter-

FCTA moves to boost tourism

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

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BUJA—THE Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, yesterday, said the FCT Administration was set to develop the full tourism potentials of Abuja.

She stated this at a meeting with the executive members of the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria, FTAN, where the preliminary report on Abuja Tourism Master-plan was presented by the Director-General of National Institute for Hospitality & Tourism, NIHOTOUR, Dr. Munzali Dantata. She said tourism was vital to the economic growth of the FCT. She said: “The Administration would optimise the territory’s huge potentials for conference tourism, sports tourism, education tourism, medical tourism and cultural tourism.”

She outlined several initiatives by the Administration to develop the tourism potentials of nation’s capital, including the Nigerian Art Master Mosaic, as well as establishment of Sculpture Park, Music Festival Park and Horticulture Park.

C M Y K

nally Generated Revenue, IGR, Ohakim explained that it was usually collected by the bank and remitted to the 27 local governments at the turn of every new month.

He described insinuations making the rounds in Imo State and a publication by an Owerri based tabloid that he had been arrested as a figment of the re-

porter’s mind.

He wondered where the newspaper got its information from, adding that he was neither arrested nor detained by the EFCC. Ohakim said: “I was not arrested or invited by the EFCC and I do not know where they got their information from.

“What did I do that EFCC

would arrest me? If EFCC invites me, I will answer them. In fact, since I left office, the agency had invited me once or twice to come and give some information.

“I have never been arrested before by EFCC and as I am speaking to you (Vanguard), I am holding a meeting in my office at Asokoro, Abuja.”

BRIEFING: From left: Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu; Water Resources Minister, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe; Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Amb. Nuhu Bajoga; Vice President Namadi Sambo; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals, Dr. Precious Gbeneol, during the stakeholders’ briefing on the Application of the United Nations MDGs’ Acceleration Framework in Abuja, yesterday.

Demolition not targeted at non-indigenes —Obi

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—ANAMBRA State government has debunked insinuation in some quarters that the recent shutdown of illegal markets and removal of illegal structures at Bridge Head end of Onitsha-Enugu expressway in Onitsha was targeted at non indigenes.

The government insisted that the exercise was aimed at rebuilding and repositioning Onitsha as one of the largest commercial cities in the country.

Speaking in Onitsha, Governor Peter Obi said more illegal markets and structures would be demolished to make Onitsha an ideal commercial city by all standards.

According to him, many states in the country are engaged in rebuilding their major cities to meet the demands of the time.

The governor added that Anambra would not be an exception.

Apparently worried by the resistance being put up by the illegal traders who had re-

jected moves to relocate them to another site, the governor said Anambra State had remained hospitable and had continued to accommodate non-indigenes, even in its civil service. The governor made clear that everybody would be encouraged to live within the laws of the state.

He explained that all the affected traders had been relocated to better sites and assured those yet to be relocated that government would not allow them to suffer.

Aspiring traditional ruler docked over alleged fraud

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—THE Police in Enugu have charged one Sir Ikechukwu Okeke, an aspirant to the throne of AmangwuObuoffia Community of Enugu State to court on a four-count charge bothering on fraud.

No plea was taken when the matter came up yesterday at the Chief Magistrate Court 9, Enugu East ,because the accused person was not in court.

Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. E. Jideofor, adjourned the case to

February 8, 2013, after counsel to the accused person, Mr. Foster Ugwoke, told the court that his client was admitted in a hospital at Emene, and could not appear in court.

He asked for a short adjournment which police prosecutor, Paulinus Onyeigbo, ASP, did not object to, though he expressed reservations that the accused person might be avoiding the court.

In the four-count charge, the police alleged that; “ you, Ikechukwu Okeke on May 10,

2011, at Owokeen Petrol Station opposite National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu did with intent to defraud, received from one William Ohaa the sum of N140, 000 which he paid into Account No. 5492010018744 of First Bank PLC. “To watch an international football match believed to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 386 of the Criminal Code Cap 30 Vol. 11 Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.”

We ‘re yet to arrest Laz Anyanwu’s killers —Police

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—IMO State Police Command said, yesterday, that no arrests had been made in connection with last weekend’s gruesome murder of Imo Deputy Governor’s Director of Protocol, DOP, Mr. Laz Anyanwu.

Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Vitalis Onugu, a deputy superintendent of police, said the command was working tirelessly to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder.

“For now, no arrest has been made but that does not mean that we are not working hard to unravel those behind the gruesome murder of the young man,” Onugu said.

Describing Anyanwu’s death as the worst type of assassination in recent time, the PPRO said the police command remained very committed to finding out those connected with the dastardly act.

When pressed to give details of what the police was currently doing to unearth the perpetrators of the crime, Mr. Onugu urged journalists to remain patient.

Ma Orji Angela passes on @ 65

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HE Jah'sjah Orji Fred family in Umuaniche, Abam-Azia in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State has announced the death of their mother, Mrs. Angela Orji, aged 65 years.

Mrs. Orji is mother of Mr. Orji Chuka, Branch Operations Manager, UBA plc, Bida Road Branch, Onitsha, Anambra State.

She is survived by her children, grand-children and sisters.

Burial Arrangement is bas announced by the family.

Late Mrs. Orji

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14 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Nigeria’s inflation rate drops to 12%

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AGOS—NIGERIA’S Inflation rate has dropped from 12.3 per cent in November 2012 to 12.0 per cent in December 2012.

The naira snapped a four-day retreat against the dollar on speculation that Nigeria’s central bank will hold interest rates at a record high as inflation stayed above the regulator’s target.

The currency of Africa’s biggest oil producer slid 0.1 per cent to 157.045 a dollar in Lagos, the commercial capital. The naira gained 3.9 per cent last year, the strongest performance among African currencies tracked by Bloomberg.

“Nigeria’s inflation rate eased to 12 per cent in December, from 12.3 percent a month earlier, the first decline in three months as the effects of flooding that damaged agricultural output began to recede.

“The bank’s target is below 10 per cent. Core inflation, which excludes agricultural products, rose 13.7 percent in December from a year earlier, compared with 13.1 per cent in the previous month,” the nation’s statistics bureau said.

CNPP lauds Obi on devt

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—ANAMBRA State chapter of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has commended the state government for the efforts of Governor Peter Obi to develop all parts of the state equitably.

Its chairman, Comrade Isaac Onuoha, who spoke in Awka, however, appealed to the governor to give the state a beautiful parting gift by conducting local government elections which was last conducted in the state before the present democratic dispensation.

Also the CNPP cautioned the people of the state on the forthcoming governorship election, urging them to realise that it was a challenge that would make or mar their collective interest as a people.

Police ask Army to handover murder suspect zOver alleged killing of graduate in Umuahia

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State Police Command has written to Army authorities to release a soldier who allegedly shot and killed a young man, Chijioke Ndubuaku, at a wedding ceremony in Umuahia last weekend.

Ndubuaku, a fresh graduate, was said to have been shot dead by one of the soldiers manning a security checkpoint at Isieke on UmuahiaIkot Ekpene road, in Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state.

The slain young man was said to be a cousin of the bride.

Abia State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with Vanguard, said the police had officially written to the army authorities for the release of the suspected soldier.

He said the army had promised to deal with the matter departmentally before handing over the matter to the police.

The police commissioner also confirmed that the matter had been officially reported to the command by the family of the slain young man.

“A member of the family has reported the matter. What happened was that, I was monitoring the incident. From my walkie talkie, I learnt that somebody was shot by a soldier. I sent my patrol team, when they got there the soldiers ran away.

“I understand it was wed-

ding ceremony. There was a quarrel and somebody invited the soldiers and when they got there, they shot indiscriminately and a bullet hit the deceased on the chest.

“He was taken to the Federal Medical Centre [Umuahia], where he was confirmed dead.

We

incidented the matter.

“We have officially written to the army authorities to handover the soldier to us for prosecution. The army authorities said they want to first deal with it departmentally before they hand it over to the police,” Aisabor explained.

BRIEFING: From left: Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, and Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, at a briefing after a joint stakeholders’ meeting on Regeneration of Apapa, at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja-Lagos, yesterday.

Nigeria seals $3bn agric facility deal with USAID

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE & SAMUEL MOSES

A

BUJA—The Federal Min istry of Agriculture and Rural Development, yesterday, signed a $3 billion agricultural facility agreement with the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. The deal is aimed at increasing private financing for Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

The partnership cemented at the headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria, through a memorandum of understanding, MoU, will enable the parties to use co-guarantees, joint technical assistance,

combined training and workshops for local banks and agricultural related enterprises and other interventions to encourage the growth of the agriculture sector in the country.

By this partnership, the parties in the first phase, are expected to leverage up to US$100 million in commercial lending.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said the ground-breaking partnership, apart from opening up access for farmers to obtain loan at very low interest rate, will also reduce the risk of lending by banks.

He said the facility was considered critical in the agricultural transformation agenda of the present administration due to the constraints usually posed financial access.

As part of a strategy to guarantee the safety of the loans, the minister also said the CBN had been mandated to set up a risk management team to leverage the excess liquidity in the banks during the transaction period.

He said: “What this partnership is going to do is that it will reduce the risk of lending by banks. We have realised that access to finance is one of the three major issues in the agricultural sector.

“That is the interest rate, which is quite high, quantum of lending and long terms of lending. Our strat-

egy is that the CBN will put up a risk management instrument which will leverage the excess liquidity in the commercial banks.

“As banks are lending, the facility will cover all the risk involved, it will also provide technical assistance to banks. CBN has directed all the banks to set up agricultural lending desk.

“That will provide technical support from banks to understand the sector and to be able to lend reasonably well and also effectively open up the sector.”

According to the minister, the facility will also grade banks based on the quantum of lending , part of the value chain they are lending to small and large scale farmers and look into the developmental impact on the part of farmers. He said there will also be an insurance facility that will ensure the safety of the facilities.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—15

Salami’s re-instatement: Court fixes March 11 for ruling

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA — THE Abuja Divi sion of the Federal High Court, yesterday, fixed March 11 to deliver judgment on a suit seeking an immediate reinstatement of suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, to office.

Justice Adamu Bello adjourned for judgment after he listened to a heated argument between President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Judicial Council, NJC, regarding who had the statutory powers to okay Salami to resume headship of the appellate rung of the Nigerian judiciary.

Whereas Jonathan, through his lawyer, Mr Matthew Echo, insisted that he acted in accordance with the 1999 constitution by appointing an Acting President for the Appeal Court, pending final resolution of all the issues that culminated in Salami’s ouster, the NJC, on the other hand, maintained that it had the exclusive powers to recall the embattled PCA. The council, which had on August 18, 2011, ordered Salami to proceed on an indefinite suspension on allegation that he was found guilty of alleged judicial misconduct, maintained that contrary to President

Jonathan’s claims, “the exercise of disciplinary power and recall of a suspended Justice of the Court of Appeal is exclusively vested in the NJC by the constitution.”

While Jonathan urged the high court to dismiss the suit which was filed by 11 legal practitioners under the aegis of Registered Trustees of Centre for the Promotion of Arbitration, NJC, opposed his prayers, even as it urged the presiding judge to go ahead and grant all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.

Specifically, the plaintiffs are praying the court for “an order of court directing the 3rd Defendant, National Judicial Council, NJC, to recall the 4th Defendant, Salami, to resume his duties as the President of the Court of Appeal forthwith.

“A declaration that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no power whatsoever and/or howsoever to exercise disciplinary functions over the Justices of the Court of Appeal and/or Justice Isa Ayo Salami, the PCA. “A declaration that the further

reappointment and/ or approval of the extension of the tenure of the 5thDefendant (Justice Adamu) as the Acting PCA by the 1stDefendant (Jonathan), is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

As well as, to determine “whether the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has any step to take within the provisions of sections 153 and 21 Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution, as amended, in relation to the recall of Justice Salami as recommended by the NJC.”

From left: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; fellowship awardee, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; and wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, during the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, 21st convocation, yesterday.

Nigeria has potential to be ranked 13th in world's top 20 economies by 2050 — Report

BY PETER EGWUATU

N

IGERIA has the poten tial to be the fastest growing economy and rank 13th among the world’s top 20 economies from now to 2050, according to the World in 2050 report published by Price waterhouseCoopers, PwC’s macroeconomics team.

The report stated that with a projected GDP of nearly US$4 trillion by 2050 and an annual average real GDP growth rate of around six percent, as well as a youthful and growing working population, Nigeria is projected to rank 13th among the world’s largest economies by 2050 if it can realise its full potential.

According to the report, a growing, prime working age population, together with rising average rates of schooling and technological progress, drives Nigeria’s strong growth prospects.

However, the report’s projections rely on the country using its oil wealth to develop a broader-based economy with C M Y K

better infrastructure and institutions which will support long term productivity growth.

In his comment Andrew S. Nevin, a partner with PwC Nigeria, said: “Nigeria’s projections for

population, education levels and technological progress are very strong. Nigeria lags behind with regard to its investment rate, however. Productivity is lower in Nigeria due to weaker infrastructure

and institutions, as well as an over-reliance on oil revenues. By investing in these areas and diversifying its economy, Nigeria can realise its full potential by 2050".

Ajaokuta steel coy: Workers accuse World Bank, powerful Nigerians of sabotage

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

A

BUJA——IRON and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ISSSAN, has accused the World Bank of plotting to truncate efforts of the Federal Government towards ensuring that Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd was completed and operational.

ISSSAN alleged that some powerful cabals, including powerful individuals at the corridors of power who are agents of the World Bank, were working hard and pulling resources together to dissuade and blackmail President Goodluck Jonathan to either aban-

don or scrap Ajaokuta Steel and National Iron Ore Mining Company.

Briefing newsmen at Labour House, Abuja, yesterday, ISSSAN and Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria, SEWUN, noted that the sole aim of those working against the resuscitation of Ajaokuta Steel Company was to make horrible recommendations, based on the external influence from their pay masters for the government to abandon the project.

President of ISSSAN, Maleek Otori, who read the text, titled “Let Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd and the National Iron Ore Mining Company be”, alleged that there

was a group of cabal working to sabotage government’s efforts, stressing that if adequate funds were injected into the company, it was capable of leading the nation to the state of technological development.

He said: “We are aware that the cumulative effects of international conspiracy, particularly the World Bank, Paris Club and their collaborators on the steel project, had implications for the ability of government to muster the required courage and political will to see the projects to fruition, with the World Bank cajoling with their earlier recommendations among others that the Ajaokuta Steel Plant be privatized.

Amnesty: FG disarms 3,642 ex-militants

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—FEDERAL Government has commenced the process of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, DDR, of over 3,642 ex-militants and agitators in the Niger Delta under the third phase of the amnesty programme.

Speaking yesterday at a two-day training programme organised for members of the InterAgency Task Force, IATF, the Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Air Vice Marshal James Gbum, said this stage was just to disarm the ex-agitators in final phase of implementation of the Federal Government’s amnesty programme.

AVM Gbum said: “Right now, we have started with the training, pre-deployment reorientation training for members of the Task Force that will go into the field to document ex-agitators who have already handed in their weapons".

...trains 40,000 teachers under MDGs

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

F

EDERAL Government has trained well over 40,000 primary and secondary teachers across the nation in the last 12 months.

Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, who stated this yesterday, also revealed that government had just concluded training and retraining of 40, 000 primary and junior secondary school teachers under the 2012 Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, teacher-training programme as part of the commitment.

The training programme was conducted by the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna, across the federation in 109 designated training centres.

This came even as government expressed concern over poor quality of education, both in terms of delivery and outcome and has pledged to give more priority to teacher training and retraining in 2013.

16—Vanguard , FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Minister blames under devt on corruption

Perform or be fired, Taraba Ag. Governor warns commissioners

J

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

A

BUJA—MINISTER of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Bala Muhammed, yesterday, identified corruption as the reason for under development in Nigeria.

He also tasked the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to ensure safety of lives and property of FCT residents.

Bala, who spoke while declaring open the sensitization programme for officers on grade level 17, organised by FCTA Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit, ACTU, said his administration would continue to work to ensure zero tolerance to corrupt i o n .

According to him, “in the FCT administration, we will continue to work to ensure zero tolerance to corruption.

“Corruption has seriously retarded development of the country and we cannot afford to treat it as business as usual.”

He said the sensitization would x-ray activities of FCT in an open, frank and transparent manner with a view to charting a new way forward as we strive for better accountability in service delivery to FCT residents and Nigerians.

He therefore, urged the anti-corruption group of the FCT to make its presence positively felt in the territory.

From left: Governor of Niger State, Dr Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, his deputy, Ahmed Musa Ibeto and Chief Audu Ogbeh, during the rice value chain stakeholders' forum in Minna.

Gunmen kill lawmaker in Gombe zOne killed, six injured in Gov Dankwambo's convoy auto crash

BY JOHN BULUS

G

OMBE—BARELY two weeks after a member of Gombe State House of Assembly was kidnapped, the Minority Leader of the House, Mr Abdulwahid Waziri Doho, was Wednesday shot dead by unknown gunmen.

In another development, one person was said to have been killed, while about six others were seriously injured when the convoy of Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, was involved in a fatal crash along Gombe-Yola highw a y .

Vanguard investigations revealed that the lawmaker, who was the House Committee Chairman on Public Accounts, was murdered by the gunmen who stormed his house at Tudun Wada area of the metropolis at about 8:30 pm.

Until his death, Doho represented Kwami East Constituency and was a member of the opposition, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC. Also, last week, Inspector Rilwanu Gazama, a former police orderly to the immediate past governor of

the State, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje was shot dead, along the busy Emir’s Palace road in the town.

The development has thrown Gombe State into palpable fear of the unknown.

Meanwhile, agency reports said that Governor Dankwambo’s convoy was reportedly returning to Gombe, the state capital after the governor had inspected some

projects at Shingom Local Government Area, when his convoy was involved in an autocrash.

It was learnt that a pickup van lost control and rammed into a police van and a Peugeot 406 sedan in Dankwambo’s convoy.

Dankwambo, who was in his car at the time of the accident escaped unhurt. The Gombe State governor was the fourth to be involved in accident in the last two

Jigawa sets up 7 new Sharia courts

D

UTSE— JIGAWA State Gov ernment said yesterday it had established seven additional Sharia courts to improve the administration of justice in the state.

Alhaji Bala Musa, the Chief Registrar of the Sharia Court of Appeal, told newsmen that the courts were established in 2012.

Musa said the action was designed to increase the number of courts and enhance access to justice in rural communities.

He said the state government

had also executed various development projects aimed at transforming the courts.

He said: “Our main concern this year is to alleviate the burden of the common man. The burden that involves coming to court to file his case.

“Jigawa is a very wide state and we have people spread across nooks and crannies of the state and by bringing the court closer to them you are alleviating the burden of having to travel over long distances."

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

ALINGO—THE Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, yesterday warned commissioners in the state to show more commitment towards development of the state or risk being sacked.

Umar gave the warning at the State Executive Council meeting after signing the 2013 budget into law in Jalingo.

He said government was determined to impact positively on the development of the state within the “short time” of his tenure.

According to him, before the return of the ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai, commissioners must share in the vision and perform or risk being sacked.

The acting governor explained the rationale behind the reduction of the 2013 budget by N400 million, compared to the 2012 figures, saying “it was aimed at curtailing budget deficit and promote fiscal discipline."

He said: “We are determined to transform and develop the state within the short time that I would be in charge before the return of my boss.

“I have told the commissioners to be prepared for a ‘handshake’ if they fail to live up to expectation or fail to share in this vision.”

Umar said he had ordered the immediate restoration of running costs to ministries, agency and parastatals, which had been embargoed for several years.

He said the decision would go a long way in mobilising civil servants for the challenges of developing the state.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

AFCON 2013: THE CHANCES OF SUPER EAGLES (4)

A

LTHOUGH I do not watch football like that, but I still wish the Super Eagles well. I see them qualifying for the semi-final of the competition, if I have to be sincere. I wish the players a successful outing.

Miss Adebisi Sulaimon.

C M Y K

T

HIS is the only time that the Super Eagles have played more friendly matches in preparation for a competition.

Though, work is in progress, but with God on our side, we will go far.

Mr. Sanu Akingbola.

J

UDGING by their last friendly match, there was improvement in the team. I also like the fusing together of both young and old players in the Super Eagles team.

Our strikers need to be more productive in front of goal.

Mr. Kayode Olalere.

I

love their last match, but somebody like Ikechukwu Uche cannot play a full match. I would still like a situation whereby strikers like Osaze Odewingie would be part of the team. However, I wish them the best of luck at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.

Mr. Moses Adeyemi.

N

IGERIA needs players that are committed at the competition. I think they can make it to the quarter final, based on the experienced players in the team. I do not think this is the best of players that we have in this country.

Mr. Adewopo Adeyemi.

S

O far so good, there is improvement in the Super Eagles. I can grade them 60 percent, just that there are huge lapses in the striking position. I think the players need to improve on that, if they are to go far in the 2013 AFCON. Mr Adeola Deinde.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 17

Tinapa Business resort and Free trade zone, Calabar.

Carnival Calabar: Biggest Street carnival in Africa

Lagos: Notable for its traffic jams

L

Guara water fall, Niger State

Ryom rock, the symbol of Plateau State Some images of Nigeria: Can’t be the worse birthplace.

Nigeria vs alternatives attachment to Nigeria but totally shared my view that while Nigeria is profoundly flawed and often nightmarish, it is not bad enough to be described as the worst birthplace.

And I’ve subsequently discussed this matter with a white girlfriend who has travelled the world with her senior diplomat

husband and reckons that Nigeria is the BEST country they’ve ever been posted to.

Having said all this, I must confess – and no apologies to diehard jingoists who think we should all be blindly patriotic! - that if God had asked me to choose my nationality, Nigeria would not have been Number One on

my list of preferences.

I have enjoyed the privilege of visiting almost every continent in the world and have encountered several other locations to which my basic mindset would have been better-suited…and in which I would have found it SO MUCH easier to use my talents productively and

Readers’ reaction: Nigeria best birthplace

B

UT most of the Vanguard Readers who responded to last week’s article would (much to my surprise!), still choose to be born in Nigeria a second time around.

Here are some of the comments I received via email and text: From: princess karen <goldpurity@yahoo.com> I’ll gladly be born a Nigerian again and again.

It’s the best thing that can happen to anyone. Whatever is wrong here can be corrected with time and Nigeria will be the best place to live. We just need more honest leaders and more patience from the people and prayers.

Eguakun Golden O. +2348135551180 Inyom Ngozi Onyioha- Orji Donu, having studied in the USA and seeing on CNN, etc, the daily going-ons in other C M Y K

countries, l consider myself very lucky to be born a Nigerian, even with Boko Haram et al. l won’t with all the riches in America and teas in China want to spend a month outside my precious country.

Nigeria, like everywhere else, has good and bad aspects. But we have not degenerated into same sex marriages or shooting kids in schools. Give me Nigeria any day. To hell with the EIU study. I shudder to think what the USA, Middle East, etc, will be like in 30 years time, considering the disgusting and appalling things happening there now. +2348036153732 Anonymous Donu, angel of beautified sacarsm and pathos, Nigeria is still one of the best places to be. Dying Arthur Ashe (tennis star) said that being black and living in America is worse than AIDS. We’ll live through this chaos. We

hosted the world in Festac and many other intensive planning engagements; and many foreign celebrities and workers have come here and are still coming. If people survived the War of the Roses, revolutions and Oliver Cromwell, so too can Nigeria.

Period!

Ajamale If there is reincarnation, l would love to be born in Nigeria again and again because she is a country where opportunities abound despite the fact that we are passing through turbulent times now.

2348080429933 D J KENT I am very proud to be a Nigerian. I was born and brought up here. All my skills l learnt it here. I love 9ja.

2348023135198 Anonymous My sister, if l have a choice, l would not have chosen to be born in naija, to be honest…In this our great country, we live in perpetual fear of the unknown.

2348023319886 Anonymous Nigeria as country has its own internal challenges like every other nation, but Nigeria is one of the best countries to be born into.

Forget the wahala we face now, at least we are free and one day our leaders will put Nigeria first and rest of world will see a great nation they wish they were born into.

2348065217693 Innocent

F r o m : "gracecovass@yahoo.com" Dear Donu, I read with pain in my heart about the above subject matter. You can’t blame the EIU. You can only blame our leaders who have let us down…But despite the condition we have found ourselves in, I am still proud to be a Nigerian.

ethically…and to fulfil my personal potential and

,

AST week, I told you about the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) study – which was published in the Washington Post. Having analysed the Quality Of Life in 80 different countries, it concluded that Nigeria is the worst place to be born in.

I described this verdict as unfair…and said that though I frequently highlight Nigeria’s many shortcomings, I can think of quite a few other nations that are wholly or partially more stressful than Nigeria - Syria (which is currently in the throes of a painful civil war) and Gambia (in which I nearly died of boredom) being classic examples of countries that have less to offer, in my opinion.

I also quoted an objective foreign journalist colleague who has no emotional

I must confess – and no apologies to diehard jingoists who think we should all be blindly patriotic! - that if God had asked me to choose my nationality, Nigeria would not have been Number One on my list of preferences

,

achieve the happiness, recognition and prosperity that most human beings crave.

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 (texts only). PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED IN VANGUARD, WITH YOUR NAMES AND NUMBERS OR EMAIL ADDRESSES ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 SENATE President David Bonaventure Alechenu Mark has another message of hope. “We will seek to bring succour to our nation and re-energise our people’s faith in one indivisible nation and in constitutional democracy by a legislative agenda that not only promotes the common good, but also responsive to the national mood and expectations.”

His speech writers did not disappoint in their consistence in ignoring issues, unflinching faith in the Senate’s agenda, and their blind loyalty to an institution which acts mainly for itself and others in its class.

Nigerians live by hope which the Senate knowingly does not offer. We hope fuel would remain within our reach, that resources raised for flood victims would get to them, that the Minister of Agriculture would get off the phone and listen to farmers, that there would be electricity, that politicians would curb their greed, that someone realises millions of Nigerians do not have food to eat, have no housing, no access to water and health facilities and does something to ameliorate the situations. Millions of children – future of

We Liv e By Hope Live indivisible Nigeria - are out of school. They are fancifully classified as poor; matters hopelessly end there.

Our people know disappointments. They count them from governments decades back. We know what it means to have a National Assembly whose members shun their constituencies, yet make pretences to promoting the common good and responding to the national mood from Abuja. Mark reminded us that the Senate knows Nigerians have expectations. Would they be met? When would they be met? How would they be met? Is political survival of public office holders not more important than the good governance and the peoples’ needs?

These matters are decided. Mark would not countenance talks about the future of

Nigeria, which he calls “a melting pot, welded by a common history, a common destiny, and a common heritage”. It is amazing how benefitting parties see discussions on improving Nigeria as efforts to balkanise it. We have welded cracks that point to injustices, poverty and neglect of our people. We have a common history of looting public resources in turns.

Nigerians no longer want such common destiny and heritage.

They are searching for patterns and practices that would cure Nigeria of nexus of negative influences. Insecurity and destabilising incidents would not stop if Mark’s suggestion of “capital punishment for this category of offences” sails through.

The issues centre on neglect of the common good and Mark knows. Has capital punishment stopped armed robbery? Why is corruption not among offences where capital punishment should apply?

Governments treat Nigerians with contempt, an abnegation of their responsibility to the people. We also hope this would stop.

OPINION

BY ORAKWUE CHIKELUE

H

E does not strike you as desperate.

At least that is the general impression of the man. He is also has control over his emotions as he rarely betrays anxiety. But more than that he has patience—one quality that is in short supply among young men of his age.

A discussion once came up somewhere in Lagos and the topic was Anambra State. Immediately the issue of performance was brought up almost everybody agreed that Governor Obi has done well for the State. Those who disagreed, cited his austere approach to governance as discomforting. When reminded that it was the only way the State could record meaningful achievements without borrowing a dime, they grudgingly conceded.

But it was the issue of the man’s political future that generated greater controversy. Since the governor’s public disavowal of contesting for either a senatorial seat or going for ministerial appointment, folks are confused as to what he intends to do C M Y K

What political future has Obi after here? soon after his office expires in March of next year. Those who think he deserved higher political office because of his impressive performance in the State far outweighed others not as impressed.

Many think he is the best leg forward for the Igbo nation should the issue of President of Igbo extraction arises. For some , the position of the vice president is not a bad idea. Those who think this way believe that in the event of President Goodluck Jonathan's completing his tenure, first or second, Mr. Obi can easily pair with a Northerner. The argument goes thus: Unlike any other person who may wish to contest such with him, Obi has a thousand and one qualities to his credit.

He is young, hardworking, patient, listens, cannot be stampeded into disavowing himself or those of his people, wealthy, has built bridges across the nation within so short a time, trustworthy, discreet, etc. Obi, unlike most politicians is a very patient person. One of the discussants

said emphatically that Obi stands a better chance to clinch either the vice presidential ticket or that of the President for obvious reasons.

O

bi, he believes, can pair with anybody as a Vice without giving the person reasons to doubt his loyalty and or competence. For the presidency, Obi, he observed, is the only governor from the zone who understands the meaning of governance and the aspiration of the average Igbo man. You don’t send a person who does not understand the nuances of regional politics in the country. Or even if the person understands, will be indifferent to it - or because of personal interest will most willingly relegate it.

He thinks Obi can serve both the nation and his people well without necessarily compromising either. He will not fight the cause of his people with rabid fanaticism but will still achieve the set target. Obi is so well disposed for higher assignment, that even if Ndigbo sends him forth he will

discharge the duty of the office so well to their approval and that of the comfort of other Nigerians. He cited instances of how his leadership of the Southeast Governors’ Forum has made concerted efforts to improve on infrastructural development of the zone without necessarily drenching that in the toga of ethnicity. H o w h e has importunated the Presidency for a second Niger Bridge, an International Airport, a federal university for Ebonyi state, rehabilitation of all federal roads in the South-East zone, etc.

For now, except, perhaps he decides to going back to his business when he is through with governance in Anambra State, Obi remains a force to be reckoned with in the people’s march for a rewarding federal assignment. What is more endearing about the man is his consistency. Do you know for how long he bore the burden of being in APGA? Lesser mortals would long have dumped it for wider political association any spread. If you are in doubt, look around you and experience carpet crossing at its despicable height. *Mr. Chikelue, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Abagana, Abia State

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 19

The beginning is the most important part of any work…for that is the time at which the character is formed. - Plato, The Republic

I

T is now almost a year since Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson took the oath of office to assume the mantle of leadership as the fourth elected Governor of Bayelsa State. But even as I write, it only seems like yesterday.

Yet, it gladdens the heart that within this short period, substantial achievements have been recorded, simply because the Dickson-led administration had been in a terrific pace to reorder things; actively reforming and transforming the apparatus of government and institutions to an acceptable standard and in fulfillment of the Restoration Agenda.

For Governor Dickson and his team, this past one year has been pretty challenging, no thanks to the messy scenario that was inherited where the vital structures of government and administration were largely abused and immersed in corruption and gross inefficiency. It is heart warming to note that , things are now looking up, the leadership vision and sense of purpose realigned and reinvigorated.

Today in Bayelsa State, many people can attest to the fact that a new and rising paradigm has taken root in the state. Indeed, if there is anything this administration is known and appreciated for, it is that it is dreaming big dreams, sometimes

far beyond what its resources can accommodate in the short run.

For this noble objective, some critics have accused the administration of taking on too many projects but the good thing here is that we are breaking new grounds with lasting footprints..

A critical offshoot of this concept of good governance is the need to be transparent, accountable and prudent. Without fail in the last one year, every month, Governor Dickson has kept faith with his promise to engage the people of Bayelsa State to brief them on the income and expenditure of government in line with the law which makes it obligatory for all tiers of government to publicly declare all revenues that accrue to them as well as a summary of expenditures.

In appraising the performance index in the last one year, it is also pertinent to match Governor Dickson’s campaigning promises with current outcome when he said: “In the new Bayelsa we all sought to build, we will build new roads, create new investments and infrastructure and other critical infrastructure and create the enabling environment for improved investments. We must create a new Yenagoa worthy to be called the capital of the state”.

Today, it is interesting to note that almost one year after, the campaign promise has since turned out a reality. It is on record that major construction firms such as Julius Berger, Setraco and Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCEC) have all been mobilised and are currently on site working round the clock to deliver the roads and bridges that will open up the state for improved investments.

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As at now, the Dickson-led administration, given its commitment to delivery and action in all matters, has contracted out the construction of over 275 km of roads across the state, in addition to 18 bridges and two fly overs - all under construction in its first year in office.

M

ore road contracts were also recently awarded and the contractors duly mobilised to begin work in earnest. Recently, awarded to CCEC with due mobilisation is the road from Yenagoa to Oporoma that was abandoned several years ago, the work is on-going.. The contract has also been awarded for the construction of SagbamaEkeremor road and clearing of that road is in progress.

This administration within the last one year also took the decision to review the road from Nembe to Brass. As a result of the flood disaster, government decided, with the advice of very competent technical team, to raise the height of roads in the state to 7 metres. With a difficult terrain such as ours, the cost of construction is about four times of

NIPOST pensioners' leadership and limit of hypocrisy

BY EMEKA ORAETOKA

O

N the 4th of January 2013, most National Newspapers were awash with news of protesting retirees of Nigerian Postal Service [NIPOST] over delay in payment of their pension arrears. They believed the Postmaster General of the Federation has refused to pay them their retirement entitlement- pension.

Nigerians will agree with this writer that for quite some time now the vexed issue of pension has been at the front burner of national discourse. Currently, the National Assembly is at loggerhead with the Chairman of Pension Taskforce Team, Mr. Rasheed Maina, over alleged missing pension funds. The point being made here is that the issue of pension funds is beyond the Postmaster General of the Federation and indeed, heads of parastatals as well as cabinet Ministers. Without doubt, the problem of pension is the exclusive preserve of the following Federal Government Establishments: The Head of Service, Accountant General of the Federation’s Office and The Ministry of Finance.

The responsibilities of NIPOST and indeed other establishments in Nigeria as far as the matter of pension is concerned; started and ended with ascertaining of the number of retirees as well as their year of retirement, and forwarding their files to the Head of Service for action. Any other matter[s] concerning pension is clearly not the responsibility of the Federal Government Establishments. The questions C M Y K

here are: What is the motive behind the coordinated protest in some States against PMG of NIPOST? Is it that the protesters are not abreast of extant government policy, and who the first responders are on pension matters? Could it be that the pension issue is only used as a ploy to serve interest[s]?

Who orchestrated this clear misinformation that gave rise to the wide spread protest, despite the Security challenges in the country? Are they-the protesters oblivious of the process of pension payment in Nigeria? Let's suppose they are not sponsored, is it possible for the PMG to sit on their pension, considering the volatile nature of pension matter in Nigeria?

Perhaps, it is pertinent to remind NIPOST pensioners that they are not the only federal retirees in Nigeria facing the problem of delay in pension payment. There are other Federal pensioners who have protested against non-payment of their pension in the past. They are also reminded that these other protesters went about their action in a civilised and result oriented ways. In essence, they went to the appropriate authorities in the course of their protest. In recent history, retirees of Nigerian Telecommunication Limited [NITEL] embarked on strike to press home their demand for pension, in the process, they lay siege to the office of the Accountant General of the Federation for their money. Not too long ago, Federal retirees converged in Abuja and stormed the office of the Head of Service of the Federation to demand for payment of their pension arrears. Surely, the reason they approached the Head of Service

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BY DANIEL IWORISOMARKSON

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The Dickson revolution: One year after

Governor Dickson is noted for fiscal discipline and holds the view that government budget should dwell more on capital expenditure and less on recurrent

what you will ordinarily get in most states outside of the Niger Delta, yet this government is wholly committed to keeping to its promise and the mandate of restoration.

Conceivably, the airport project clearly stands out as a notable developmental stride undertaken by this administration within this one year of is existence in office.

The Dickson-led administration is seriously partnering and working with the Federal Government to construct an airport in Yenagoa and as we speak, the construction of that airport will commence once the clearing of the site is completed.

While working in partnership with the Federal Government to deliver an airport of international standard in Yenagoa within the next two to three years, the Bayelsa State Government under the able leadership of Governor Seriake Dickson took the initiative to award Dantata & Sawoe, the contract to construct an airstrip that would be ready for use within a year pending when the bigger airport will be ready. Governor Dickson while presenting the cheque to Dantata & Sawoe, publicly extracted from the company a commitment to assure Bayelsans that the airstrip project will be ready within specified period.

Governor Dickson is noted for fiscal discipline and holds the view that government budget should dwell more on capital expenditure and less on recurrent.

This was one of the reasons which informed his decision to launch a stringent regime of fiscal policy as well as the need to institutionalise a savings culture.

This ultimately led to the opening of two separate strategic bank accounts. The first is the Bayelsa State Strategic Development Account, which today has a balance of N24.5billion. This account has since been put to use

It is therefore advised that their anger/protest should be aimed at the appropriate authority; in this matter, the Postmaster General is as handicapped as they are

,

for their money is basically the fact that it is the appropriate authority for pension payment. Again, these protesters did not stage protest at the Ministries and parastatals from where they were disengaged.

Now, going by what the spokesman of the retirees said, one will be tempted to conclude that the sponsor[s] of the group has different agenda altogether. According to the news, the leader of the group, accused the Accountant General and the PMG of being behind their problem. If his claim is not mischief induced, why call for the removal of the PMG when it is clear that the PMG is not responsible for pension payment?

It is now completely apparent that President Goodluck Jonathan was absolutely right when he said that the reason for Government’s slow pace in decision making is born out of the fact that he did not want to make mistakes in governance.

There is no way anybody can fault President Jonathan on his style from the point of view

to fund strategic investments in infrastructural development, agriculture, tourism, education, health and security —all for the benefit of the people.

The built up reserves of the Strategic Development Account placed the state in a vantage position to award various road contracts as stated earlier and it is in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which requires that contractual commitments by government should have adequate funding provided. Even with the payments issued to contractors for the all the roads, schools, hotels, airport, hospitals and other public infrastructure currently under construction, the credit balance left in this account stands at N17.5 billion to date.

This administration must be commended for its prudence and foresight to operate an account of this nature that guarantees constant liquidity to fund critical developmental projects without recourse to borrowing from the bank or through other means.

This is a positive revolution with strategic economic advantage for the state.

The second account is the Bayelsa State Strategic Reserve & Savings Account. It is an interest yielding account dedicated to providing savings for the rainy day. This account readily became handy during the flood disaster, as the sum of N1.5b was immediately approved by the State House of Assembly which was released to the State Emergency Flood Relief Committee to address the immediate challenges posed by the flood.

As we turn a new page to usher in another year of purposeful and focused leadership to Bayelsans, it is pertinent to call on all to rally round this administration for consolidation and good of all. *Mr. Iworiso-Markson is PS to Gov. Dickson of Bayelsa State.

of what the leadership of NIPOST retirees is trying to achieve with pension protest.

The pensioners have a genuine case, but the leadership took them to the wrong place to protest. Though, the current expedition of the sponsor[s] of NIPOST retirees protest is so amateurish that the least of a stupid person can clearly see the intention of the mischief makers. This is the crust of President Jonathan’s position.

As if the protest was coordinated, the retirees in both Ogun and Osun States were at their various capitals to press home their demands. While the leader of Edo State chapter of NIPOST attributed their problem to the refusal of PMG of NIPOST and the Accountant General to pay them their pension arrears; his counterparts in Osun and Ogun blamed their predicament on NIPOST's management refusal to pay them as instructed by the Senate Committee on Pension Matters. Although, Ogun State NIPOST admitted that out of the 48 months arrears owed them, only five months had been paid.

By admitting payment of five months arrears Ogun State chapter of NIPOST has shown that the Postmaster General of NIPOST might have gone out of way to source money for pension payment. What this means is that NIPOST had utilised its internally generated revenue to pay pension arrears of its retired workers. If that is the case, should the PMG now be object of attack by the beneficiary of his magnanimity? It is the opinion of this writer that the anger of NIPOST pensioners is misdirected. It is therefore advised that their anger/protest should be aimed at the appropriate authority. In this matter, the Postmaster General is as handicapped as they are.

*Mr. Oraetoka, Information management & researcher, wrote from Abuja.

20—Vanguard , FRIDAY FRIDAY,, JANUARY 18, 2013

Trainee nurse murdered after honouring invitation to rice dinner

BY PETER OKUTU, Abakaliki

T

HE new year which was heralded with merry making and exchange of gifts, was short-lived for many residents of Abakiliki, the Ebonyi State capital. What led to this was the gruesome murder of a 20-yearold nursing apprentice whose remains were dumped behind a secondary school in the area.

Miss Kelechi Nwawaka who until her brutal murder was a trainee nurse at MCH Hospital, Convent Road, Azuiyiokwu, Abakaliki, was allegedly invited by Mrs. Margaret Augustine Nweke, mother of the prime suspect, Mr. Chukwuka Augustine Nweke to partake in the new year feasting. The deceased who gladly honoured the invitation, was allegedly murdered and vital parts of her body removed, ostensibly for ritual purposes.

Nice rice meal Vanguard Metro learnt that after having a nice rice meal, the deceased left Margaret’s house around 10pm. She was allegedly escorted by the prime who is in his mid-20s. Sources explained that the trainee nurse was killed behind Comprehensive Secondary School, Eketube, Enyida Development Centre in Abakaliki.

When the family of the deceased raised alarm over her disappearance, the community quickly raised a search party comprising men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ebonyi State Command. The search yielded results when the mutilated body of Kelechi was found on January 3, 2013 behind Comprehensive Secondary School, Eketube, Enyida Development Centre. Her head, private part and fingers were allegedly removed for ritual purposes. This development has brought fears and shivers into the spines of residents of the area.

Confirming the story to VM, the Ebonyi State Police Command said it had arrested three suspects in connection

• Late Miss Kelechi Nwawaka with the incident.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Sylvester Igbo said the prime

suspect, Chukwuka Augustine Nweke who allegedly fled to Edo State after the murder, has been arrested and brought back to Ebonyi State for further in-

terrogation.

Other suspects arrested were Mrs. Margaret Augustine and deceased’s younger brother, Solomon Nwawaka. They were handed over to Ekumenyi Police Division in Abakaliki for further interrogation. According to Igbo, the prime suspect who is a business man in Benin City was arrested after being trailed by the police with the use of communication gadgets..

Narrating how the incident happened, DSP Igbo said: “On January 3, a report was received from one Veronica Nwawaka of Enyida village who claimed to be the step mother of one girl named Kelechi Nwawaka, 20, who was murdered and beheaded at the back of Comprehensive Secondary School, Eketube, Enyida Development Centre. It was alleged that the victim was invited by one Margret Augustine because it was believed that there is a relationship between the two persons. Based

on that, the deceased visited the woman. While she was there, the victim’s step mother waited for her (Kelechi) to come back but as she was not forthcoming, she decided among other things, to find out why she had not come back home. Investigation revealed that the prime suspect named Chukwuka Augustine who is the son of Margret was the person behind the murder and beheading of the girl.

Beheading the girl Before the police could reach their house, the suspect had already taken to his heels. He went back to Edo State where they said he was running a business. Since that time, the police has been looking for him but the good news is that the prime suspect has been arrested by one the police divisions in Benin. When the incident happened in Ebonyi, his relations sent a message to their relations in Benin. These relations who were based in Benin went and reported the matter to the police station in Benin.

As soon as he was seen, he was picked up and detained”.

The suspect is presently behind bars at the Police headquarters in Abakiliki where top cops are trying to get information on the gruesome murder of Miss Kelechi Nwawaka from him.

All effort made by VM to speak with the suspects proved abortive.

Ojodu LCDA boss lists achievements of the council

BY BOSE ADELAJA

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HE Chairman of Ojodu Lo cal Council Development Area in Lagos State, Mr. Julius Olumuyiwa Oloro has presented the account of his stewardship in the last 365 days. Presenting his scorecard to newsmen, the council boss said his administration gave primary attention to road and drainage construction and maintenance as well as security of lives and property.

Addressing residents of the area at his Oke-Ira office, Mr. Oloro said he has also provided functional Primary Health Care centres and rehabilitated some schools, vocational training centres and public toilets.

“We have rehabilitated two blocks of six classrooms, one each in Ojodu primary schools 1 and 11 and a block of six classrooms in Oke-Ira Primary school. We also constructed a retaining wall to prevent erosion in the school,” he said.

The council chief said his administration also purchased 100 JAMB forms for indigent students seeking admission into Nigerian institutions of higher

•Some trainees working at Oluremi Tinubu vocational centre learning. ‘’We distributed 25 well stocked First Aid boxes to all our schools within the LCDA while our Vocational Training Centre was renovated with new computers and a 5KVA generating set for effective performance of the centre. We also provided desks and benches for Oke-Ira primary School pupils as well as tables and

chairs for the teachers,’’ he said. Continuing, he said: ‘’ we have constructed Fadunsi street in Oke-Ira fully surfaced with asphalt, Otuyelu street has also been constructed and tarred with asphalt. We have within the 365 days constructed reinforced concrete drainages in Iye Street Aguda, Ogba, Osaye street, Otuyelu street, OkeIra and Agidingbin’’

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 21

Expand National Biotechnology Development Agency to all states — Okolo

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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From left: Executive Director, Market Operations Technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Adeolu Bajomo; Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema; Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr. Haruna JaloWaziri and Chief Executive Officer, ESS/Dunnloren Merrifield, Mr. Sonnie Ayere at the unveiling of Fixed Income Market Makers, FIMMs, on the NSE.

NEITI, Auditors brainstorm on audit of NEITI accounts

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

T

HE Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has concluded arrangement to meet with the appointed auditors for the proposed audit of all revenues and disbursements of allocated funds to entities involved in the extractive industries.

The meeting according to the organizers is aimed at determining the actual take off date of the exercise and the agencies that will be covered

148.5

0.35

2,230.00

+15.00

18.7

0.03

110.42

+0.12

93.97

+0.69

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

154.72 248.1554 205.9942 166.4551 1.7536 0.2954 237.4451 24.8857 41.2554 27.6 238.2069

155.22 248.9574 206.6599 166.993 1.7593 0.3054 238.2125 24.9666 41.3887 27.6892 238.9767

SELLING 155.72 249.7593 207.3256 167.5309 1.7649 0.3154 238.9798 25.0475 41.522 27.7784 239.7465

CBN Exchange rate as at 17 /01/2013

during the first phase of the exercise nationwide.

Vanguard gathered that the meeting between the NEITI and the auditors will either be held on today in Abuja, during which all pending issues on the exercise which will span nine months would be considered and decisions taken on them. The meeting it was gathered had would award the contract by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its November 28, 2012 meeting.

It was also gathered that a top level management meeting between the two parties to the deal was convened to avoid any further prevarications on the audit which, in addition to the oil and gas activities, will cover major agencies in the extractive industrial sector including, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Federal Government of Nigeria’s share of Derivation and Ecology Fund and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

Others that will also be covered by the Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement Audit spanning from 2007 to 2011 are Tertiary Education Fund (TetFund), Central Bank of Nigeria (Development of Natural Resources) and the Administration and Application of Excess Crude Oil Account.

“Presidency is determined to ensure that transparency and accountability become the rule of all financial and operational modalities in the extractive industries, hence the approval of FEC that the five year audit should be embarked upon without further delay. ”As you know, the contract has been

awarded for the auditors to commence the audit. So what they are doing now is to agree with NEITI as to how the exercise will be conducted. Let me also say that contrary to the much publicized reports in the media that the audit is mainly to focus on oil and gas alone.

“It is an all-embracing exercise that will cover all the agencies that have one or two thing to do with funds derivable from the sector and disbursed to all agencies or institutions that have benefitted from such allocations and disbursements”, said an anonymous source from the Presidency and the NEITI. “While not totally forthcoming with the exact date of the proposed meeting scheduled for Abuja this week, the source explained that “meetings between NEITI and the auditors will be an ongoing thing as far as the exercise goes on and until it is concluded. This is necessary in order to get things properly done and achieve the purpose of the audit. Yes, I understand that they are planning to meet this week but the exact date I cannot confirm now,” added the source.

It would be recalled that some stakeholders, particularly community leaders in six states of the Niger Delta region, have over the past weeks lauded the Federal Government for appointing auditors to look into the allocations and disbursements of the extractive industries which, they pointed out, would help in determining how the funds had been utilized by the their states.

HE Federal Government has been urged to expand the presence of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) beyond Abuja to all the 36 states so that farmers can know about what they are doing.

Dr. Simon Chukwuemeka Okolo, the immediate past national President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), who made the call in Aba, Abia State, said that the presence of the agency in all states of the federation will facilitate government’s Agriculture Transformation Agenda.

He pointed out that new farming information, techniques, seedlings and livestock being produced by this agency is not being utilised by farmers in Nigeria.

Established 11 years ago, the agency is under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and it is currently charged with the with the following mandates: researching into mass production of improved varieties of crop seedlings and live stocks in the country, develop an indigenous critical mass of human resources and infrastructure for biotechnology in Nigeria; develop sustainable exploitation of bio resources for our food and agriculture; develop mechanism for adequate funding of biotechnology activities through national and international funding agencies, among other responsibilities.

Okolo, therefore, called for adequate sensitisation of the activities of the agency as well as spread of the agency’s presence across the 36 states of the country to avail Nigerians of their much needed services. He lamented that the current realities on hunger and poverty across the country has made it imperative that government must desist from paying lip service to issues of diversification of the economy through agricultural transformation and manufacturing, insisting that to transform agriculture, government must encourage agricultural mechanisation and set up an agency focused solely on extension of low credit facilities to farmers.

22—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

US Stock Futures Little Changed Before Earnings, Data

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From right: Mr. Roland Obe, General Manager, Proactive Technologies Limited; Mr. Daniel Parreira, Sales Director, Sybrin Systems and Mr. Pieter Du Toit, Business Development Executive (West Africa), Sybrin Systems, at a press briefing on Sybrin Automated Cheque Truncation Solutions, in Lagos.

NSE sustains momentum, gains N520bn in two weeks

BY CHINEDU IBEABUCHI & JIMOH WILLIAM

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RADING on the Nigerian Stocks Exchange, NSE sustained the momentum gained in 2012, with values of listed equities appreciating

by N520.12 billion in the first two weeks of the year.

During this period, market capitalisation which measures value of listed equities rose to N9.49 trillion on January 15th, appreciating by 5.8 per cent, from N8.97 trillion at the end of 2012.

The All Share Index equally rose by 5.73 per cent or 1608.14 points to close at 29,686.95 points from 28,078.81 points.

Analysts attributed this to the positive close of activities last year, adding that it is likely that the major market indicators will continue to record significant improvement.

Strong momentum was recorded on the prices of equities in the banking sub-sector, emerging as the most dominant, as analysts hinged this on the expected full year results to be released by the banks and other financial companies in the next few weeks.

For instance, Fidelity Bank Plc rose by 46.7 per cent or N1.07 to close at N3.36 per share on 15th January from N2.29 per share it opened the year. United Bank for Africa Plc appreciated by 44.5 per cent or N2.03 to close at N6.59 per share from N4.56 per share. Skye Bank Plc rose by 43 per cent or N1.85 to close at N6.15 per share from N4.30 per shares.

Others include Sterling Bank Plc 38.2 per cent, First City Monument Bank Plc 35.5 per cent, Diamond Bank Plc 33.5 per cent, among others.

Shares of Eternal Plc and Forte Oil Plc in the Petroleum and Petroleum Sub-Sector also recorded impressive performance, with 45 per cent and 33.5 per cent price gains respectively, among other equities with strong investors’ patronage.

H

owever, only few equities recorded share price loss, with John Holt dropping by 22.1 per cent to close at N2.65 per share from N3.40 per share.

Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Company Plc also lost 7.1 per cent to close at N0.91 per share while MRS Oil Nigeria Plc dropped by N4.97 per cent to close at N22.58 per share, among other losers.

Trading activities within the first fifteen days were characterised by increased investors’ patronage.

However, market succumbed to speculative pressure as the key benchmark indices pulled back on Wednesday and Thursday last week by -0.46 per cent and -0.90 per cent respectively on the back strong profit-taking tendency.

Commenting on the two days decline, Analysts from Partnership Investment Company Plc said, “The market rally continued despite closing on a negative note for two trading days of the week, as profit takers sought gains.

Bargain activities have however outweighed profit taking. We expect this to

continue in the coming week in anticipation of most banks year-end financial results.

“And so, we call on investors to maintain a medium to longterm investment strategy based on market fundamentals.

Bargain hunting in the financial services, consumer goods and agriculture sectors should not preclude profit taking.”

Market Analysts expect the bullish run to continue in 2013. They expect the equities market to trade higher as investors will take advantage of the current attractive valuation in the market for strategic positioning.

Given the level of performance in 2012, Mr. Wusu, Head of Research at Sterling Capital Markets Limited said performance in

2013 would be driven more by strong macroeconomic environment, good corporate performance and companies’ fundamentals.

He noted that the expected monetary policy easing in 2013 would likely induce investment switch to favour stock market.

On their part, Analysts from Partnership Investment Company Plc said that the equities market still hold a lot of promise for wise and long-term investors, just as Analysts from FSDH Securities Limited advised investors to consider investment opportunities in strategic stocks, as they have good fundamentals that can generate good returns in the medium to long- term.

Firm trains retail investors on profitable stocks

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ASYKOBO.COM said winners have emerged in its Nigerian Stock Market Trials which is a platform to deepen retail investors understanding of the capital market.

Disclosing this in Lagos, Markanda, CEO of the company said the winner emerges with gain of 283 per cent in 6 months virtual trading.

He said, “Nigeria’s 1st ever stock market trials or a simulation was introduced to everyone by financial website www.easykobo.com in June last year. Since then thousands of current and potential investors signed up for the free service which is designed to help people understand how stocks respond to company financials and other factors such as announcements, news and basic marketplace sentiment.

“The first season of the stock trials ended in December 2012 with the winner getting IPAD while runner-ups won cash prizes. Season 2 is set to begin shortly on the easykobo.com financial website.”

S.stock-index futures were little changed as investors awaited economic reports on jobs and housing and earnings from companies including Intel Corp. and Citigroup Inc. EBay Inc. (EBAY) advanced 2.7 percent in early New York trading after reporting fourthquarter revenue that beat analysts’ estimates. BlackRock Inc. (BLK) gained 0.8 percent as it posted fourth-quarter net income that exceeded projections. Boeing Co. (BA) declined 2.3 percent after U.S. regulators pulled its 787 Dreamliner out of service.

Futures on the Standard & Poor ’s 500 Index expiring in March rose 0.2 percent to 1,468.0 at 7:29 a.m. in New York. The equity benchmark surged to a five-year high last week as U.S. lawmakers agreed on a compromise budget and companies reported earnings that beat analysts’ estimates. Contracts on the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 11 points, or 0.1 percent, to 13,448 today.

“Markets seem to be approaching somewhat of an even keel, though that doesn’t mean we’ll see no volatility,” said Kevin Gardiner, head of investment strategy for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Barclays Plc’s wealth management unit in London. “The U.S. economy is improving. In the last six months, the housing market seems to have picked up, which is encouraging.”

The S&P 500 advanced less than 0.1 percent to 1,472.63 yesterday as a cut in World Bank growth forecasts offset a rally in Apple Inc. Housing Starts Housing starts rose 3.3 percent to an 890,000 annual rate in December, from 861,000 a month earlier, economists forecast before a Commerce Department report at 8:30 a.m. in Washington.

A separate release from the Labor Department at the same time may show initial jobless claims fell to 368,000 in the week ended Jan. 12 from 371,000 a week earlier, economists projected.

Intel, Citigroup and Bank of America Corp. (BAC) are among 14 companies in the S&P 500 that are reporting quarterly earnings today.

About 76 percent of the 45 companies on the S&P 500 that have reported earnings so far exceeded projections. Analysts on average forecast growth of 2.5 percent in fourth-quarter earnings, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—23

Borrowing has not helped Nigeria in terms of growth — Ekpo

BRIEF Verve promo: Business woman wins new Nissan Almera car

BY PETER EGWUATU

B

ORROWING is not help ing Nigeria in terms of growth and development, Professor Akpan Ekpo, Director General, West African Institute of Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) has said.

Speaking at Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) Roundtable on the Economy held in Lagos, he said, “the borrowing the country has made has not even reduced poverty because they were not channeled to productive activities.”

Continuing, he said, “Nigeria has potentials for growth.

If things are right in this country, foreign investors will come. There is no need for government to lavish money unnecessarily by taking government officials to abroad to spend huge money for accommodation, feeding and other allowances just to woo investors. Nigeria is a sleeping giant and there are potentials.”

Prof. Ekpo, however, called on the government to urgently address security problem, saying, “Foreign investors cannot come to Nigeria when the security of their lives is not

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From left: Mr. Babajide Komolafe, Vanguard Newspapers; Special Guest Speaker and Managing Director, Financial Derivative Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane and Chairman of the event and Director-General, West Africa Institute of Financial Economic Management, WAIFEM, Prof. Akpan Ekpo during Finance Correspondents 2nd roundtable on the Nigeria economy, in Lagos. guaranteed. “ Another issue bedeviling the country is governance. The issue of governance and leadership should be looked into. Our value system is not helping us where people worship corrupt leaders.”

Corroborating, the Managing Director, Financial Deriv-

ative Company Limited, Mr. Bismark Rewane, said, ‘There is nothing wrong in borrowing but where the money is deployed matters a lot. If we borrow for productive purpose no problem as it will have positive effect in terms of growth of the economy.”

In his expectation for the

CBN to increase funding to Power and Airline Fund

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE Central Bank of Nige ria (CBN) is set to increase funding to the N300 billion Power and Airline Fund (PAIF) with a view to increasing available funds for power sector projects and further create amenable structures directly suitable to the peculiarities of the power sector.

Impeccable sources in the know of the apex bank’s strategic financing thrust for 2013, said the extension is targeted mainly at increasing funding to the power sector but would also consider inputs from banks and other stakeholders on other structures and terms that would further improve the catalytic impact of the fund.

The sources noted that the extension of the power fund was in line with the responsibilities of the apex bank under the founding charter of the power fund.

The extension is one of the major planks of the apex’s bank and banking sector ’s economic development programme for this year. It will include the size, tenors, structures, projects, collaterals and other terms in a holistic approach to further align the financial system to the critical funding requirements of the power sector.

The power sector transformation is a major thrust of Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda with a major target of generating 40,000MW by 2020. However, it has been estimated that the power generation segment would require investments of at least $ 3.5 billion annually over the next 10 years to meet the target.

The CBN launched the power sector fund in August 2010 with the objectives of addressing the critical finance needs and peculiarities and stimulate lending to the power sector. Managed by the Bank of Industry (BOI) under the technical assistance of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the power fund prioritises key power projects and provides funds at an interest rate of 7.0 per cent payable on a quarterly basis. The fund covers refinancing of existing loans and leases as well as working capital for the sector.

Under the charter of the power fund, the CBN is saddled with articulation of clear guidelines for the implementation of the fund, provision and determining of the limits of funds, specification of the lending rate and review of review of the fund guidelines as may be necessary from time to time.

This initiative could help to quickly unlock the potential benefits of the power sector

reform. The power fund’s objectives include accelerated development of electric power projects, especially in identified industrial clusters, serving as credit enhancement instrument to improve the financial position of banks, leveraging additional private sector investments in the power sector and down the line, improved power supply, employment, and enhanced living standard for Nigerians through consistent power supply.

Eligible projects and companies for the power funds cover any corporate entity, duly registered in Nigeria, involved in electricity power supply value chain that includes power generation, transmission, distribution, gas-to-power projects and associated services.

Also, eligible projects can be promoted by private or public sector sponsors or a combination of both but must be structured either as profit-oriented business or a public service, provided that contracted cashflows or financing support exist to ensure repayment of principal and interest, as well as long term viability.

Also, the projects could be already existing and in operations, in design and development, under construction, or existing but operationally inactive.

economy 2013, Rewane said, “There is high potential of recovery in major sectors after 2012’s slow output. There will be improved power output; inflation would decline to about 9.5per cent, Food prices to trend downwards and declining interest rate. Furthermore, the Nigeria’s nominal GDP is estimated to reach $300 billion in 2013.

Furthermore, while commenting on the economy, Rewane, said, “Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rebasing is expected to take place this year and as such would alter the base year to 2008 from 1990.

He said that by carrying out the exercise, Nigeria will be emulating Malaysia and South Africa which rebased their GDPs from 2000 to 2005 each and Ghana- from 1993 to 2006.

He said rebasing the GDP would make the rich richer, and poor poorer while the country’s growth trajectory will decline.

The GDP is the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country, calculated using product, income and expenditure approaches.

According to Rewane, real GDP is one that is adjusted for inflation while nominal GDP is the value of goods and services based on current market prices.

He further explained that Gross National Product (GNP) measures the value of goods and services produced by a country’s citizens regardless of their location while Gross National Income (GNI) is GDP plus income receipts minus income payments from the rest of the world.

He said that Nigeria’s real GDP growth could decline from seven per cent to five per cent in 2013 adding that fiscal deficit as a percentage of GDP is usually at a threshold of three per cent.

Applying this principle, maximum deficit for 2013 would have been N1.3 trillion while the rebasing will allow for a deficit of N900 billion or 1.5 per cent.

IGERIA’S integrated pay ment and transaction processing company, Interswitch, has again delivered on its promise by rewarding Mrs. Abiola-Oluwatosin Adebo, a customer of Skye Bank, with a brand new Nissan Almera çar, which she won in the just concluded Verve Double Offer Promo.

Adebo, a business woman who is based in Lagos, emerged winner of a brand new Nissan Almera car in the final monthly draw of Verve promo, where several other Verve cardholders had been rewarded with various gift items such as several iPad notebooks, LED television sets, washing machines and DVD players for using their Verve cards.

While commenting on the car she won at the presentation ceremony in Lagos, Abiola praised Interswitch for the reward, saying it truly served encouragement to other Verve cardholders in Nigeria.

According to her, “I use my ATM every day, as I rarely visit the bank. I was surprised when I received a call informing me that I had won a car. I did not believe it initially until one of the managers at Skye Bank called me. I am grateful to Interswitch.”

Head of Cards, Skye Bank, Mr. Damola Bolodeoku said, “We are happy that one of our customers won the grand prize of a car in the Verve promo.

Skye Bank have been participating in the previous editions for 3 years and our customers have won various gifts.”

Abiola won the grand prize based on the number of transactions she made after all the data was collated.

Verve double offer promo, the third edition of the annual Verve National Consumer promo is a platform for Interswitch to reward and encourage Verve cardholders to adopt payment card as their preferred means of transaction.

A total of 20 banks participated in the promo. These are Ecobank, Enterprise Bank, FCMB, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Access Bank, Keystone Bank, Mainstreet Bank, Skye Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Sterling Bank, United Bank for Africa, Union Bank, Unity Bank, Wema Bank and Zenith Bank etc.

According to a statement by Interswitch and signed by the Director, Switching and Processing, Mr. Akeem Lawal, Verve promo has become necessary as a means of encouraging card usage and pick-up by rewarding existing and new cardholders respectively.

24 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Regional trade can power Africa's growth E

*PRESENTATION — From left: Compt. Dan Ugo andd CSC Jatau Micah Garba, recipient of the CGC’s award.

XPANDED regional agricultural trade has the potential to power Africa's economic growth and food security, says a senior official with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Through its three African regional trade hubs, USAID coordinates with African-led bodies such as the African Union and the Southern African Development Community to facilitate cross-border trade and to attract foreign investment, Todd Amani said at a forum on

removing trade barriers in Africa.

The forum was held at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, a research institute named for the 28th U.S. President. Amani is USAID deputy assistant administrator for Africa.

Amani said USAID's efforts have advanced cross-border integration and boosted trade. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Trade Organisation have called USAID's efforts to develop and implement customs procedures and technologies in Africa successful, he said.

Amani cited the Southern Africa Trade Hub's efforts to extend border post operating hours along the Trans-Kalahari trade route linking Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.

The hub helped the countries implement a performance management system that has "contributed to a twelvefold increase in usage of the corridor and reduction in travel time from 72 to 48 hours," he said. The Southern Africa Trade Hub is based in Gaborone, Botswana.

Highlighting another example, Amani explained that USAID's support for customs reform in East Africa led to a new common customs software platform that allows officials along the Mombasa-Kigali trade route to more easily communicate shipment information to each other.

That reduced the time it takes to transport goods along the corridor and reduced transport costs, he

said.

He pointed to the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition that President Obama announced in May 2012.

The alliance is a joint commitment by the Group of Eight developed nations, African countries and private-sector partners to lift 50 million people out of poverty over 10 years through inclusive and sustained agricultural growth "with commitments to policy reforms as the centerpiece," Amani said.

At the forum, Makhtar Diop, World Bank vice president for Africa, called on African countries to do even more to reduce trade barriers so food can get to more people at prices they can afford. He said policies to remove barriers to seed and fertilizer imports would allow farmers to get the inputs they need to produce more. He also called for countries to adopt uniform quality standards for seeds and fertilizers.

That would allow farmers in a region to build bulk demand for those inputs, which would result in lower prices.

Diop encouraged governments to provide incentives for farmers to invest more in improved seeds and fertilizer that would enable them to produce more. He noted that trade barrier reform should include provisions that would make crossing borders safer for women.

He said the removal of trade barriers is becoming more urgent for Africa as its population and demand for food staples continue to rise.

CSC Garba bags CGC’s award

A

S a way of recognising and appreciating the giant strides of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, one of its patrol leaders, CSC Jatau, Micah Garuba was conferred with the Custom Comptroller General’s Meritorious service award in the just concluded conference in Katsina.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Awardee, the Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Comptroller Dan Ugo was quite elated and thanked CGC and the Customs Management for recognising one of his team leaders.

He noted that the command is blessed with officers and men who have the capacity to excel in their official assignments, even as he stated that the choice of the recipient was informed by his

antecedents as an antismuggling Czar who has made waves at several times in the course of discharging his official duty.

In a brief ceremony at the Conference Hall of the unit where the medal was formally presented to the recipient, the CAC FOU ‘A’ charged him not to be complacent in his service to his fatherland.

The CAC stated, “the price for hard work is more work.”

He noted that the officers and men of the command would stop at nothing in ensuring enforcement of compliance with the Federal Governments Fiscal Policy on trade.

He added that the service has embarked on rigorous training and retraining of its personnel to prepare them for the challenges ahead.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 25

BT 'll address cases of irresistibility of local crops to diseases — NRCRI

BY ABDALLAH ELKUREBE

A

S Nigerian Cassava goes to international market, mass production to meet up with both local and international demands has become imperative, National Roots Crops Research Institute, NRCRI has stressed.

Assistant Director in charge of Media and Publicity, Dr. Kenneth Ekwe told a group of Media Fellows of Biosciences for Farming in Africa, B4FA who visited

the Institute on Thursday.

According to him, “The need for improved variety that could guarantee improved production potentials is important and that is where Agricultural Biotechnology comes in,” he said adding, “BT will address cases of irresistibility of local crops to diseases.”

He explained that with the use of research support services, which include among others, Biotechnology, plant breeding and genetic resources, the National Roots Crops Re-

search Institute, NRCRI has released a total number of 43 improved varieties of Cassava since its inception in 1923.

"From inception till date the Institute has released a total of 43 improved varieties of Cassava,” adding that “these are resistant to Cassava Mosaic Disease, CMD.” He added that during the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons, NRCRI conducted the National Coordinated Research Project, NCRP on Cassava and over 40 new clones were evaluated

along with three known checks (TMS 30572, TMS 4(2) 1425, TMS 82/00058).

"Over 400 improved genotypes in the multi-trait

package of pest and disease resistance, high and stable yield and desirable agronomic and end users’ characteristics,

promise an expanded role in food, feed and industrial applications,” Dr. Ekwe further assured.

FG urged to support powdered egg production

P

ROCESSING egg into powder form would reduce wastage, if given needed support, a former scribe of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), South West zone, has suggested.

Mr Prince Adenuga, in an interview with the

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said on Monday in Lagos, that egg powder would absorb excess fresh egg from the market during glut.

“It is the way forward; it will meet several needs such as having egg in a storable state of powder.”

The method, he said,

would preserve the commodity, prevent glut and meet special nutrient specifications such as yolk or albumen only, or both.

Adenuga said that if it is well embrace, powdered egg would provide ready market for the farmers and sustain growth in the industry. “The product can be used as additive in foods such as noodles, spaghetti and in confectionery.

“The benefits are enormous as it will improve protein intake, if introduced into food recipes, especially children food.”

Farmers in Burkina Faso get IITA improved cowpea varieties

B

URKINA Faso has released two improved cowpea varieties to help advance better nutrition for women and children, and boost the incomes of farmers.

The two varieties, IT99K-573-2-1 and IT98K-205-8, were developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and have undergone participatory varietal selection with farmers in the central and northern region of Burkina Faso.

Local farmers and researchers selected the varieties from a basket of options after a two-year trial, thanks to funds from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).

The varieties being selected are early maturing and high yielding and are also resistant to Striga—a parasitic weed that limits the yield of cowpea.

“These varieties mature in about 60 days as opposed to local varieties that mature in about 80-90 days,” says Dr Haruki Ishikawa, IITA Project Coordinator for the Appropriate Varieties of Early maturing Cowpea for Burkina Faso (AVEC-BF) project."

C M Y K

26—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

G

ENERAL Manager, Sheraton Hotel and Spa, the Gambia, Marc Wozniak, is an experience hotelier who has spent over three decades in the hospitality industry.

Before berthing in the Gambia in 2011, he has worked in Europe, US, UK, Asia, Africa with renowned brands like Starwood, Intercontinental, Regeant, Accor, LHW, Boutique and Independent Hotels In this interview with JIMOH BABATUNDE, Marc Wozniak shares his experience in the industry saying that the Nigerian and Gambian markets are different ‘The Gambia is purely leisure destination and Nigeria purely a Corporate destination.’

Here is an excerpt On how he entered the hotel industry and training I came into the industry through a trainee program 27 years ago at the Sheraton Essen Hotel, Germany following Management School in Germany.

Since then I have had series of Professional trainings and the various international postings covering multicultural assignment have helped .

Equally, constantly selfdevelopment, which I see more than mandatory for every hotelier is crucial for today’s success.

On how long he has worked for Sheraton Gambia I have been here since October 2011 On weather he has much say in the direction of the hotel Yes, operating a successful hotel demands team effort,

Nigeria is corporate destination, Gambia leisure destination — Wozniak whereby every individual opinion counts, so, leadership through continuous coaching culture is a goal here .

O

n the challenges faced at the Sheraton Gambia

Hotel A very big one, as I do consider The Gambia as a true hardship destination and without clearly seeing the big picture or the light in the tunnel, any creativity or innovation will be gone with the wind .

On the occupancy rate in the hotel and the services offer

O

We are currently very busy, as it is our high season, running over 90% daily and of course being a 5 Star hotel our full attention concentrates on guest satisfaction, starting with the arrival experience and here a hot wet towel is a must, through guest rooms and the professional explanation of the in-room facilities and amenities, towards the culinary expectations, which in our case are surprisingly presented via our live cooking stations.

The leisure and SPA facilities should be mentioned here as

O

n any highlights working in the hotel The first Gambian Fashion Night Show was truly a highlight, including fashion designers and models from Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, France, Germany and Poland.

On comparison between working in the hospitality industry in Nigeria and the

How I used entertainment to grow my hotel patronage —Limelite boss

TUNBA Sesan Rufai is into entertainment and he brought the experience packaging and promoting artists to bear on the growth of his hotel. Today, Limelite Hotel is a household name in the university town of Ago Iwoye, Ogun State since it way established five years ago.

The boss of Goldmyne entertainment took time to explain why he chose to go into the hospitality business .Here is an excerpt.

On why he went into hospitality business.

I choose to say that Limelite hotel is divine, because I went to Ogun state university, now Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ago Iwoye.

I was born and bred in Ago Iwoye and had all my education in the town. At the university, I was very active in the social circles, but when I graduated it was difficult getting job there so I came to Lagos, but I had this mission of giving back to my town since then.

I discovered that the town being host of the university has noting to offer in terms of entertainment , the students were not enjoying their stay and the natives too as there was no good hotel. In trying to replicate what I have seen outside, I came up with limelight hotel.

It was difficult to start with as there was no fund. I had to source funds from my friends, from banks to start the dream.

On the patronage The patronage is high as I infused entertainment with my hospitality. What I

C M Y K

well, due to the fact that all of us do have a busy life schedule, therefore do require a chill out time, the “peace” for our souls and minds.

Gambia It cannot be compared, as both of them do have different challenges and different markets. The Gambia is purely leisure destination and Nigeria purely a Corporate destination.

On reasons for Nigerians to visit Gambia and stay in Sheraton Gambia The Gambia is an uncomplicated and very affordable destination close to home. The very secure and lovely beach location of the Sheraton Gambia, it’s very unique.

The award winning architecture of the Sheraton Gambia is definitely nothing for “Party People”, but there is no better or more attractive location for relaxation and comfort / cozy time for families or friends than the Gambia.

On connection with the hotel guests Here first of all, I must mention my superb team which is assisting where they can, being available for our guests at any time.

As for me I must say 60 to 40 or even sometimes 70 to 30, that would be the correct split in regards to guest connectivity and the administration requirement are not getting less. The best part is that we are a Resort, and the Cocktail and Dinner time is shared with guests, providing always the necessary time for a Smalltalk.

On where he will be if not in the hotel in the Gambia There are few nice places, allowing me to relax and to recharge and those of course remain secret.

do is to take lots of events to the hotel. There is hardly any artist in the country that has not been there.

I have taken a lot of artists, both musicians and Nollywood artists, to my hotel. I have taken Nice, Jimmy Jatt, Pasuma Wonder and others there to perform.

Every week, I have one show or the other in the hotel. So, what I did which is quite unique is that I introduced entertainment into my hotel.

So the patronage is huge and bear it in mind that the hotel is situated in a university town and even the people of the town host events their regularly.

On the hotel’s capacity We have forty three rooms. We have three bars, VIP bar, outside bar and we have a world class swimming pool in the hotel and it is sited on about seven plots of land.

We have a car park that can contain about 1000 cars conveniently. We also have an event centre where artists perform.

On challenges The bitter true about this country is that there is no company here that does not have one challenge or the other and it is quite obvious that the biggest challenge in the country now is power.

There are times in a month there will be no light. In a hotel where you don’t have light you can imagine what that means for patronage.

Lot of banks don’t want to extend credit facilities to hospitality businesses, we would love to expand but when the banks are not willing to support us, we just remain where we are for now.

In all, the biggest challenge which is difficult to overcome now is the issue of power.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—27

Remembering our musical icons:

What would have become of them today!

Admire their talents, envy them for daring to be what we can’t.

When they were snatched from us by death, we felt a personal loss and showed an unwillingness to let go. And so, we transform these mere human beings into musical icons whose stars often shine in death even more brilliantly than in life. WG imagines what they would have become today if they had lived...

By BENJAMIN NJOKU

Fela Kuti

(October 15, 1938August 2,1997) The king of Afrobeat

If Fela were still around, he would be making a name for himself as the King of Afrobeat. He would have fought to legalise marijuana in the country. Not only that, Fela would be a pot-smoking, wrinkled 75-year old still performing like Fatai Rolling Dollars, to huge audiences worldwide.

His electrifying performances, seismic music and defiant lifestyle which C M Y K

gave him a worldwide following would have gained more prominence today than ever. Fearlessly confronting the Nigerian establishment through his music, Fela surely would have become a thorn in the flesh of the present administration’s as he was, during the dark days of the military for its inability to tackle the insecurity problem in the country, especially the infamous activities of the Islamic sect, Boko Harram. Trust him, Fela would have been the first person to occupy Nigeria, fighting against injustice and the freedom of the oppressed people.

One of his fans simply enthused, “Fela would have become a deity with many worshipers.” His music indeed, would have gained more popularity

Continues on Page 28

I N S I D E: Akon comes to Omotola’s rescue

Cossy shows off panties

28—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Remembering musical icons: C

HIEF Stephen Osita Osadebe would have turned 77 years of age in March, if he had not transited into ancestry. He bowed out of the stage when his music was massively gaining popularity among the elites in the society.

With a career spanning 40 years, Osadebe was one of the best known Igbo highlife musicians that ever lived. But unfortunately, he died without a successor.

His most popular hit, “Osondi Owendi” released in 1984, and was remixed by late MC Loph, established Osadebe as a king of highlife genre in Nigeria.

While he lived, he wrote over 500 songs; half of which were released commercially. He had been a part of the Empire Rhythm Orchestra, led by E. C. Arinze in which he had learned much of his music skills.

Osadebe’s style which included social commentary, similar to, but not as confrontational as Fela Kuti’s formed part of

Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe (March 1936-May 11, 2007) The king of Highlife

the elements that stood him out among his contemporaries in the highlife genre.

If for anything today, Osadebe would have either made more hit songs, or taken highlife music to its greatest

•Osadebe

heights. His usual manner of carrying his audience along, allowing room for ‘people on the dance floor’ to indulge in the songs would have edified by now. But despite the insinuations that his career had reached its zenith before he passed on, it’s arguable however that the Osondi Owendi exponent was ready to surmount all the odds in order to still be relevant in the nation’s music industry.

One of Osadebe’s last albums, “Kedu America”, was a testament to the unwavering powers of his creativity. But his death, which occurred in far away Connecticut on May 11, 2007, due to severe respiratory difficulties ended the journey of 40 years. He’d still be playing the field and adding to his giant brood as he pushed 77.

Dr. Sir Warrior

(1947– June 2, 1999) The end of an era

T

HE demise of Ezebuiro Obinna aka Dr. Sir Warrior, will continue to astound the entertainment industry any time it is remembered. He was one of the most influential musicians to come out of the Igbo nation and the leader of the famous Oriental Brothers International Band which ruled the Nigerian highlife music scene for several decades.

Born in Umuhu, Inyi-Ogwugwu in Agbaaja, Mbaise. Sir Warrior started his music career as a part of the most successful bands in Nigeria in the early 1970s, the Oriental Brothers International Band. At a time of immense loss and great struggle after the civil war, the Oriental Brothers offered a rare light of hope to the Igbos. The first split within the group occurred in 1977 when founding members, Dansatch Opara and Prince Ichita left to start their own bands under the Oriental Brothers moniker. The Opara brothers later joined The Oriental Original.

While Warrior lived, he was indisputably unbeatable. His discography was luminous with over 100 tracks that continue to be great hits any day. He had about 12 platinum and 10 gold hits in his career. His 1978 album, Nwanne Awu Enyi went gold, selling more than 7.8 million copies.

He was immortalized with the Imo State Heartland FM (100.5 MHz)dedicated to playing his evergreen songs. But unlike Osadebe, Warriors has since

Continued from Page 27

•Sir Warrior resurrected in two of his sons, Uche Obinna and Ajuzieogu

Obinna and his brother, Emperor Teddy Obinna who have taken after this magnificent maestro.

Believe it or not, if he had not succumbed to death on June 2,1999, Warrior would not only have given highlife music a new meaning in the country, he would have been fascinated to see his two sons take after him.

Besides, he would still be a much-sought-after highlife maestro in the country. But like his fellow highlife artistes noted, “ since his exit, it has been difficult to get another person with similar qualities as Warrior.”

Orlando Owoh

(February 14, 1932 -Novemeber6,2008) Inspiring young musicians

E

VEN in death, Orland Owoh’s music has continued to take a top spot in the catalogue of brilliant, locallymade music; music that captured the pulse of the ‘independence’ generation; with a firm grip on the core elements of traditional African lifestyle, history, lore and idioms.

With a story to every song, a musical ensemble uniquely his, a queer baritone voice like no other, and a dramatic privatepublic life, Owoh who died on November 6, 2008, stayed on top of his game, remaining rel-

evant through different era, and eventually influencing a generation of musicians who continue to derive inspiration from his timeless pieces. Indeed, like never before, Owoh would have continued to inspire the young musicians. Thanks to his “Iyawo Olele”, a parody of the cheating wife, which was reworked by Nomoreless and dozens of present-day musicians.

Kangaroo, an excellent cut whose beats and chorus have been sampled by many Nigerian and Ghanian musicians were some of his contributions

Fela Kuti

just as his irrepressible rebelliousness and determination to champion the cause of Nigeria’s underdogs through his music would have earned him innumerable physical assaults, police raids at his New Afrike Shrine and numerous arrests. But above all, Fela would have been larger than life, doing collaboration with his two sons, Femi and Seun as well as globalising Afrobeat genre. Interestingly, 16 years after his death, memories of Fela still lives on. Despite a new museum which was commissioned last year in his honour, his New Afrika Shrine, Fela’s famed nightclub, still attracts fans from Nigeria and beyond, who dance to the spellbinding Afrobeat rhythms until sunrise.

Sonny Okosun H

(January 1, 1947-May 24,2008) The freedom fighter!

E towers among the gi ants of contemporary Nigerian musicians. With his signature fusion of reggae, highlife, Afro-funk, traditional melodies and rhythms, the catchall description “Ozziddi”, Sonny Okosun was a force to reckon with, in the nation’s music industry during his lifetime. He used his music to tackle head-on the most incendiary political and social issues gripping the African continent, especially the now abolished apartheid in South Africa.

Born in Enugu, on January 1, 1947, Okosun launched into stardom in the early 70’s with his fiery Oziddi music, in an era when highlife music was at its peak of popularity. He first started with Help then Fire in Soweto. But his music, which took the country by storm, and which was acclaimed to be his best, was Papa’s land. He was a strong voice and advocated a popular ideological struggle in the fight against apartheid through his songs.

While he lived, Okosun maintained a high profile at world music festivals across the globe.

Though, he used the last days of his life to win souls for Christ as an Evangelist. His death which occurred on May 24, 2008, in Washington D.C, after battling colon cancer, marked the end of an era for a man who dedicated his life, fighting for the oppressed in the society.

If he had been alive today, Okosun would have made the difference in the nation’s music circle. Perhaps, he would have either set up a contemporary music school that would immortalise his ‘Oziddi music’ .

that would have still made Owoh relevant in the present music indsutry.

Also, many of Owoh hits are still relevant today; their musical direction, their message.

From Logba Logba to Ibaje Eniyan, Money Palava, Alagbon, Yellow Sisi, and Laiku Egiri, Orlando Owoh made music that can stand the test of time; music that’ll endure the most volatile changes and guide future generations on how to go about documenting a tradition musically. Orlando Owoh had over 45 albums to his name, most of them his own original compositions.

Rave singer 9ice, who is presently on a performance tour of the United states, called Owoh’s death a “tragedy”.

To be continued next week

Orlando Owoh

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—29

Darey Art Alade’s Valentine presents to lovers

Akon comes to Omotola’s rescue

A

AFTER taking a break from music for a while to concentrate on her acting career, and most recently, her reality TV show, ‘The Real Omosexy’, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is back in the studio working on her new album.

But this time around, the mother of four is working in collaboration with producers from Akon’s Konvict Music to make the forthcoming album a big hit.

‘I am currently working with Grammy award winning producer, Kendrick Dean and Verse Simmonds from Konvict Music and we are looking forward to featuring a special

guest’, she disclosed.

There are indications that the special guest might be the award winning, Senegalese-born star, Akon.

Omosexy, as the actress is fondly called has been on and off in the music scene since the release of her first album ‘Gba’ in 2006.

Cossy shows off panties

•Cossy Orjiakor

By AYO ONIKOYI

B

oobs-flaunting actress and singer, Cossy Orjiakor has always got one punch in the sack to land the sucker punch on her fans and the media world. On Wednesday,

THE TEAM BENJAMIN NJOKU njokujamin@yahoo.com AYO ONIKOYI OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

she really knocked her Blackberry fans off their rockers when she posted a near nude picture of herself as her new DP (Display Picture). Maybe the picture gives an idea of a pornographic scene taking place with the cameras clicking away but Cossy’s intention was simple, like a sweet baby, just to show off her new set of panties as she quipped “Hope you like my new panties”, cool, isn’t?

Cossy, who is presently working day and night to complete videos of tracks from her latest album “Nutty Queen” is always delighting her Blackberry fans with different sexy pictures, showing her boobs and recently, her backside and laps. Some days ago, she also displayed another picture of herself in ‘’doggy’’ position to show off a tattoo just at the base of her left bum.

But whatever opinion ‘’Miss Endowed” has created of herself, she is living the good life and also working round the clock to achieve her goals. No week passes without the songstress, taking a tour of her new album to one exclusive club or the other. She recently completed a multi-milliom naira mansion which she named ‘Playgirl Mansion’

Waje debuts in Nollywood

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

P

OPULAR female singer, Waje has joined the league of musicians who are making a career in acting. She was recently spotted while shooting a new movie in Lagos.

The award winning songbird has landed a major role in an upcoming movie.

Directed by Stanley Ohikhuare, the movie also stars the likes of Femi Jacobs, Patrick Doyle, Nse Nile and many others.

According to our source, the yet to be titled movie tells the story of a young pastor and his wife who battle to save their daughter’s life and their troubled marriage.

Waje who has always professed her love for acting, joined the industry after featuring in stage plays most notably ‘Olorunbi’ in 2010.

She is also adding finishing touches to her album which is due to be out in March.

FRICA’s king of RnB and co-owner of Soul Muzik Records, Darey Art Alade is set to give music lovers the ultimate Valentine experience this February.

The special Valentine concert titled “Love…Like a Movie” will hold on February 17, 2013 at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites Victoria Island, Lagos.

Love…Like a Movie is a concert produced by Soul Muzik Records. This specially-designed event is also the maiden episode in the “Darey Presents...” series.

According to the singer/songwriter, Darey Art Alade, “We intend to create a magical experience that will stay with our fans for a lifetime. This concert is definitely one to watch out for as it is one of the very few concerts that will have a full display of exciting performance varieties interpreting powerful emotions, music, traditionally inspired dance/acrobatic performances and so many more.”

Headlined by award winning artiste, Darey, with support from his protégés, international returnees Mo’Eazy and Zaina, the event will feature some of the best theatrical performances ever witnessed in Nigerian concert history. Some of the biggest names in Nigeria as well as international artistes are expected to join him for the spectacular love concert.

Darey Art Alade, an apostle of love, with the biggest theme of his art revolving around love has over time warmed his way into the hearts of many within and outside the shores of the country with his exceptional vocal skills and charisma.

30—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

World Stage

Shamed cyclist Lance Armstrong confesses doping to Oprah

H

OW he got away with this for many years is beyond me. After more than a decade of denying doping claims, cyclist Lance Armstrong has admitted to Oprah that he used performance-enhancing drugs to help him win seven Tour de France titles.

A person familiar with the situation told newsmen that Armstrong confessed to Oprah Winfrey during an interview taping, which was aired yes-

terday on her network.

Armstrong was stripped of all seven Tour titles and banned for life last year by a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after it was discovered that he used performance enhancement drugs to win. He had a meeting last month with US Anti-Doping Agency officials, and they said they were willing to reduce his life ban if he would testify against the people who helped him dope.

Britney Spears quits ‘The X-Factor’ P

op star Britney Spears has con firmed that she is leaving The X Factor show after just one year as a celebrity judge, saying it was time to get back to making music.

The 31 year old was recruited to the singing contest with a reported $15 million salary after a 14-year singing career that made her one of the biggest pop stars of the 2000s.

Spears, whose last album, ‘Femme Fatale’ was release in March 2011 said that watching the contestants perform every week made her miss performing so much and so she is anxious to get back into the studio and on stage.

In other news, The X-Factor will be hitting Nigeria very soon after the success of sister show Nigerian Idol

•Britney Spears

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby due in July ‘Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in July. The Duchess’s condition continues to improve since her stay in hospital last month.’ St James’s Palace spokesman said.

31-year-old Kate is believed to be around 13 to 14 weeks pregnant.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—31

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Female passion by 2012 ♦

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OF FEMALE CONDOMS AND APHRODISIACS

s most modern women would agree, long gone are the days when women were prudes, and childbearing was an essential raison deter for engaging in sexual acts.

Today, women are said to initiate the act almost as often as men do, while they expect to be satisfied as much as to satisfy. In addition, they increasingly want to enjoy the act without consequenceeither of unwanted pregnancy or of sexually transmitted infection, and are more and more inclined towards taking responsibility for their own bodies and what happens to it.

13 The female condom has been marketed in 13 countries since 1996. Most of these countries are industrialized and the selling price in these countries is too high for developing countries

26 million In 2009 around 26 million female condoms were provided through international and nongovernmental funding sources, compared to 10.7 million in 2006. However, the global distribution of female condoms is still far less than that of male condoms.

1.9% Only 1.9% of women aged 18-55 used the female condom as at 2012 50-70% On average, 50-70% of women and men found the female condom acceptable (WHO, Reproductive Health Research, 2000).

It particularly appeals to women who want to be secure about protecting themselves from HIV and STIs and unwanted pregnancies and have partners who do not like, or choose not to use male condoms.

Men have

responded favourably to the female condom because it does not interrupt sexual spontaneity and does not reduce sexual pleasure.

People who are HIV positive or have HIV positive partners and need always to have protected sexual intercourse have found the female condom an appropriate prevention method, while 78% About 78% of women report some type of sexual dissatisfaction 46% Percentage of women who report that they have never achieved an orgasm, or are less than completely satisfied during their sexual encounters 10% Less than 10% of women consistently achieve a physical orgasm during sexual intercourse

Richest black woman C ontroversy broke loose when Nigerian sultry socialite Folorunsho Alakija suddenly appeared on the Forbes list of Africa’s richest, only to the catapulted to the top of the pack as another online publication, Ventures Africa has ranked her as the World’s Richest Black Woman. According to the report, she has o u s t e d Oprah Winfrey, worth $2.7billion, from the position.

Ventures Africa claims

that contrary to the Forbes Magazine ranking which pegs her net worth at only $600 million, Alakija is actually worth at least $3.3 billion.

Neither Mrs Alakija, Oprah Winfrey or Forbes have set the records straight on this; and once the initial thrill has worn off the atmosphere over one of our very own being rich enough to be so recognized, Nigerians are totally scandalized right now.

In music

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TN Project Fame season 3 winner, Chidinma won the esteemed KORA Award for Best West African (Female) category. The event was held in Abidjan, Cote D’ Ivoire and was star studded with international superstars Chris Brown and Rihanna in attendance; as well as Nigerian music stars, P-Square. Chidinma’s award was presented by African soccer icon, Didier Drogba.

C M Y K

2013 Wardrobe Makeover

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s the lovely new year rolls by you have only a few weeks to get back down to reality and give the old wardrobe a good old shake up.

With these editor’s choices, you are good to go in 2013 Bolder Jewelry From the look of things, simple, understated jewelry has become a thing of the past, so much so that makers of expensive jewelry have also moved as far as design is concerned from demure to devastatingly creative. Since it is very unlikely that we’ll be moving back to simple jewelry anytime soon, the new year is a good time to update this side of your wardrobe.

Chunky pieces are so all over the place these days that you really have no excuse to do classic.- earrings, bangles, pendants, jewelry on your shoe and bag. The trick is to go over the top without looking as if you are actually going over the top. Avoid riotous colours and stick to class rather than the noisy and if you must do noisy- which you sometimes really have to-be sure to keep things calm and not too competitive.

The Catsuit When the catsuit is around, it is the simple opportunity to immediately transform into elegance without your having to spend time on mixing and matching. It’s a good thing then that they seem to be sticking around and 2013 can definitely do with a few.

Pair with medium, not high, heels, contrasting bag and cocktail ring that matches.

The waistcoat For the casual look, the t-shirt waistcoat combo of the 90s has made an appearance in 2012 and is bound to be big in the months to come on the casual scene. With the combo, creativity is the name of the game.

Wide Legged Pants After sooo many years of the skinnies reigning supreme, they suddenly look like something out of your grandmother’s 70s wardrobe rather than the yummy, must-have basic it had become as at two years ago. Finally you can take a breather if the clown look was never your thing, or if it was but you just got bored.

It doesn’t end there: the wide legged pants you should be adding to your wardrobe can be casual or official- the more creative the better.

Gold It’s been coming back as mere hints, but gold is bound to be all over the place this year with belts, shoes, tops and tops bowing to the rush.

The season’s golds are bold, so stick to one item at a time as well as one tone in order not to outdo yourself. Otherwise it really doesn’t matter how scandalously bold it is.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—33

Women of 2012

The Dearly Deported

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most unproductive diplomatic row broke loose between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Nigeria over the female hajj female pilgrims to the oil rich country in 2012. It proved unproductive, in the main, for Nigeria’s sloppiness and Saudi’s disregard for the very word: diplomacy.

The authorities of Saudi Arabia insisted that the women were unaccompanied by male relations which was

Kidnap and the Minister’s Mother.

W

hen the mother of the Minister for the economy/Minister of Finance was snatched by kidnappers later in 2012, there really was no telling what the outcome could be. The outpourings of goodwill expressed by friends and colleagues of professor Kamene Okonjo was almost matched by the avalanche of criticism of the minister, who was thought to be one of those responsible for the hike in petrol prices of January 2012, occasioned by the partial removal of existing government subsidies.

In the end, common sense

considered against laid down rules of the kingdom.

An adamant Saudi Arabia has so far refused to yield any ground to Nigeria on the issue of alleged unaccompanied female pilgrims, in spite of spirited diplomatic efforts by the Federal Government.

It is unclear whether or not Nigerian women have agreed on whether it is all politics or if the Islam being practiced in Saudi is different from the one practiced Nigeria.

Now, a reality Show

I

prevailed, and the people were able to make a distinction between bad judgement and dastardly acts of taking advantage of people for financial gain, in this case a

senior citizen. In the end, the dear senior citizen was unhurt, and the minister’s battered reputation was the better for the incidence. Speaking of good coming out of evil.

t’s a long way from the days when Nollywood veteran OMOTOLA JALADE-EKEINDE appeared first on the big screen and stole the heart of Nigeria. Like other veterans, things might have slowed down on the acting scene, necessitating a redefinition by these artistes by going into singing and other forms of entertainment.

With a hyped up all new reality show ‘The Real Me,’ Omotola will be in our faces all year long. She’ll also be giving her critics something to talk about when she releases her upcoming music album. It is to be hoped that breaking new grounds will enable her lead others, as usual.

Worst of the Rumour Mill

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Tonto Dike

ot long after the return of the first lady from a protracted and unannounced vacation, rumours began to spread about a romantic alliance between MTN Project Fame winner and singer of the hit track Kukere Iyanya, and Nollywood sexpot Tonto Dike, who was apparently featured in Iyanya’s track. The sexy singer was to waste no time in vehemently denying this claim both in public and private spaces likely to the disappointment of the lady in question. He had only mentioned her- and two others- in a hit song.

Another rumour that was destined not to see the light of day was the one about the death of the country’s number 1 lady, Patience Jonathan, who was away on vacation for so long that some were convinced she was deceased, or at least on the way to being. When she eventually showed up, the mouths of the professional pessimists were forced to shut only to open again to cast aspersions on the state of health of the nation’s petroleum minister Dieziani Allison Madueke, who was to put the rumour to paid by celebrating her 50 something birthday during the yuletide period in a private affair.

Who is after Ajimobi?

T

he beautiful Oyo State first lady Florence Ajimobi was hustled in 2012 when she was accused of money laundering.

Ajimobi’s wife was alleged to have been arrested by the London Metropolitan Police over her involvement in the laundering of £400,000 (about N500 million.)

But the Oyo State government denied the report. It went further to

institute a N1 billion suit against the Independent Communications Network Limited, publishers of PM News over its report on the arrest of Mrs. Ajimobi on the allegation of money laundering. There was no statement to the effect from the London Met. The damages suits that have ensued as consequence will prove to be instructive when decided.

34 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com

Five gadgets to make long distance driving safe, interesting •GPS

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU, AMAKA UGWU & QUADRI SHODIYA

In the absence of a fast rail system the interstate busses which provide the services of conveying many Nigerians from one city or state to the other, operate at cut throat prices.

Even when one puts up with such prices, local transportation fares are not easy to come by, particularly at festive periods when there are mass movements of people from one city to the other. The local transporters find it an opportunity to fleece the hapless and helpless returnees.

So, many Nigerians, are most often, constrained to travel long distances with their personal cars. However, the risk involved in such long distance travels, most times, rubbish the convenience, particularly if one gets unfortunate on the way.

Although many drivers are quick to throw in the spare tyre, C-Caution and fire extinguisher, which are major requirements of the federal road safety commission, there are still much more needed to give you that confidence to embark on a long drive. Interestingly, modern technology has not only made them available, but also affordable. Don’t miss them while travelling.

GPS he downsides of a long trip by car includes traffic, road construction among others. So Global positioning systems, GPS, becomes vital while travelling. It was a novelty not too long ago, but today, it is something many drivers can’t live without. The latest GPS devices not only give you driving directions, they guide you into the proper lane at intersections and offer updates on weather and traffic. Many new cars come with GPS built in. But if your car is not that lucky, a visit to the techie stores solves the problem.

T

Mobile wireless Internet (Blackberry)

In advanced worlds systems like the Autonet Mobile router lets you take the Internet with you in your car. You can file a sales report, listen to the radio or surf for the nearest restaurant without ever leaving your seat. But for Nigerians, the Blackberry mobile phone does the job.

You can stay in touch with your friends through the BB messenger, even when mobile signal strength is weak for a voice call.

But there is always a caveatDon’t ping while driving! You can do your thing when conveniently parked.

Bluetooth Headset

Using a mobile phone while driving is illegal in Nigeria and your journey could be in jeopardy if the Road Safety official catches you making use of one on wheels. So, if you must take calls on the road, the answer is a handsfree system based on Bluetooth technology.

Bluetooth allows your phone

to communicate with a wireless headset and microphone. You can make and receive calls and never have to fumble with the phone. Some advanced Bluetooth models can even read text messages to you or let you know the status of the phone’s battery via voice prompts.

Your Bluetooth can also send signals to full stereo headphones, giving you better sound quality and letting you play music as well. In more advanced countries, there are Bluetooth speaker phone, which fits onto your dashboard and lets you or make hands-free calls.

Vehicle Diagnostic kit

Imagine being about 500 miles from home and the check engine light begins to flicker on your car. What do you do in the middle of nowhere? That is when those who invested in a Vehicle Diagnostics Kit, enjoy their Return on Investment. Every car made since 1996 has built-in computerized diagnostic circuitry which aids mechanics to quickly identify problems in your vehicle.

With the kit, also known as the CarMD, you can do the same, yourself. The check engine light can indicate a serious mechanical problem or something as simple as a loose radiator cap. With the CarMD, you’ll know what you’re dealing with.

The CarMD system doesn’t just present you with a trouble code. It works with a computer program to convert that information into a description of the problem, a list of parts that might need replacing, and even

the likely cost of parts and repair. It also alerts you to recalls and technical bulletins from the manufacturer. Run a scan on your car before you leave, and it will give you a heads-up on looming problems. Use it on the road if trouble pops up to figure out what you need to repair.

Emergency tyre- fix

The most traumatising occurrence on the road while travelling is to have a flat tyre.

Even with the spare, it could be very tedious to change. So, before you take off on your car trip, you should pick up an emergency tire repair kit, otherwise known as Fix-AFlat. The product inflates and seals your tire in seconds so you can keep rolling until you can get a professional repair.

Meanwhile, the key thing to these gadgets is that while they were only just read on the internet some few years ago, they pretty available in every nook and cranny of the country today at even affordable costs.

•Blackberry

•Bluetooth Headset

•CarMD Diagnostic Kit

•Emergency tyre- fix

Vanguard d,

CANCER; Many will look up to you both for practical assistance and leadership direction thus, you must not ballup under pressure. Try to reason with your spouse.

LEO; Diplomacy may become very important today as development within your working arena calls for both maturity and cleverness. Be family minded today.

VIRGO; No matter how helpful friends were yesterday it is important you don’t dance to discordant tunes from any quarter today; gamble not with matters-of-the-heart.

LIBRA; Many people are under pressure today but, if you do away with sentiment and give priority attention to money making, your finances will be better for your efforts. Don’t allow misunderstanding within your family circle go out of hands.

— 35

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 GEMINI; Both your mood and element of luck are as friendly as you would want them to be. Thus success may come the harder way today. Protect your finances.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 18,, 2013

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

So, you have f inished yyour our education

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do not know the level of your education today, but one thing I know is that, education is a continuum, it has no end. Even if you are a professor, you still need to learn every-

day.

There is no end to learning. Therefore, it is wrong to say, I have finished my education. Which

TERROR MUDA

education? Granted you’ve rounded up your degree programme, but what about the University

in “Never say goodbye”

of Life?

Education is life time process. Learning begets more learning. The more you know, the more you want to know.

Believe, your education has just begun.

By Kola Fayemi

SCORPIO; To be on the safer side it is imperative you respect the law and it’s enforcement agents. Some people are trying to deceive you for an obvious reason.

SAGITTARIUS; Early part of the day may bring you good opportunity but for you not to lose it you must exhibit maturity. Protect both your money and source of income.

CAPRICORN; Others will step on your nerves yet it not the best for you to over-react today. It is good to prove reliable but your secrets must remain intact.

AQUARIUS; This may not be the best of days as there will be a few challenges within your working arena. If you rely on luck today, you would be disappointed.

PISCES; You will need to watch what you tell others, especially those friends you don’t know too well. Be more loving but refuse to gamble with love

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

ARIES; If care is not taken what you have gained yesterday may be lost due to your care-free attitude within your base of operation. Avoid deceit today.

TAURUS; You would fare better if you prepare your mind for possible confrontation from unexpected quarters. Don’t promise more than you can actually deliver.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send your date and place of birth to the Astrological Counselling, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos

Who do you think I am?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Joshua, I have been following your write-ups for a long time you can not believe and to be sincere you are good. Now I wan you to analyse my star and tell me my horoscopic personality. More in to your pen.

Akpan, Delta.

Dear Akpan, What you will find here under will prove useful if you take them seriously and utilise them ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA/PLANETARY PLACEMENT Spiritual Neptune as the only Planet at home when you were born pointed to you as a person with great deal of spiritual energy you can tap at will, especially if you are conscious of it’s presence in your inner-self. But then, with majority of (five) planets placed in the Cardinal Zodiacal constellations you are equally an ambitious person who will desire worldly honour and prominence, and luckily for you, you were endowed with abilities to achieve your ambition.

Prominence of Mutable quality and Air Element in this chart are indications of a person with higher pitch of intelligence who can adapt to so many situations without being stressed unnecessarily. And GREAT LEADERSHIP QUALITY is present here. Although you are a Lady, with nothing-less than SEVENTY PERCENT of PUSH-FULL INFLUENCE in your Horoscope you can unexpectedly become aggressive, especially when issue of freedom is to the fore. Beside 70% of PUSH-FULL INFLUENCE in you, mighty Sun (an indicator of your inner-self) with Uranus (a great freedom lover) conjoined in SAGITTARIUS ( another freedom loving Star Sign) all these are pointers to greater love of freedom in your deeperinner-self. And whoever is trying to curtail such unnecessarily may unexpectedly court trouble, because you will resist such.

With your natal Sun (your conscious self) and Moon/Stellium (your emotional state/ sub-conscious self) placed in Sagittarius and Libra respectively, you are mainly a Sagittarian and partly Libran and that is to say basic characteristics of the two Star signs are highly pronounced in your inner-self.

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

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Tel: 08098097290

email: isholaism@yahoo.co.uk

Northern leaders and peace talks household problem.

The Emirs, Imams and community leaders can strategically locate them, interact with them with the view of bringing them to the table. Even from the cultural standpoint,

You can’t imagine the image deficits the activities of the Boko Haram have done on Islam. We should be careful about our actions in the society, and display the real face of Islam at all times through peaceful conduct and flexibility of relationship to people of other faith

,

they know all these people behind the mask and it will do all of us a lot of good if they can deal with this issue as they deal with their

the respect and honour they give to the Emirs and community leaders could well be used to bring them to the table.

Who say they will not

MICA holds prayer for Justice Abiru

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NE of the newly elevated judges to the Appeal Court, Justice Wale Abiru has said his new assignment at the Appellate court cannot be tougher compared to the experience he garnered at the Lagos High Court.

Justice Abiru made this known while fielding question with Vanguard after a prayer session organised for him by Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness, MICA, held at Crescent school, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently.

He said: “Yes, it is different from what I was used to, but considering the experience I garnered in Lagos, it can’t be tougher. This is because the work-load in Lagos is so high; I know the Appellate court is very busy, but I don’t think it is tougher; only more diverse, with different perspective and approaches to it. So, I

don’t think there is anything that is going to come that I have not faced.”

Justice Abiru who is the President of the group added that efforts are being made by the leadership of the court to ensure proper enabling environment for justice to prevail.

“Although I am just joining them but from the last meeting I attended, great efforts are being made by leadership of the court to ensure enabling environment, making judges IT compliant, better welfare and lots more. So, a lot are being done to make it amenable for justice to prevail.

The elated Jury stated that what helped him was his principle of ruling with a clear conscience. “I learnt early that ruling and being able to go to sleep with a clear conscience gives you peace of mind.

After any ruling, if you

can go home and sleep with your conscience untroubled, then forget every other thing. But there is a problem when you cannot sleep with your conscience. This has helped a lot of us,” he stressed.

The prayer which was organised by MICA was attended by legal luminaries, Muslim scholars and Captains of industries, among whom were Dr, Jubril Oyekan, Prof Abdulateef Adetona, Alhaji Kayode Sofola, SAN, Sheikh Imam AbdulRahman Ahmad, Missioner, Ansar-udDeen Society of Nigeria among others.

Justice Habeeb Abiru was the trial judge in the yet-to-be-concluded case between the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), Erastus Akingbola and the EFCC. He was called to Bar in 1985 and appointed to the High Court Bench in May, 2001.

listen more to the Emirs and Imams than hearing from the presidency.

Secondly changing their orientation cannot be easily achieved, but sermon, and lessons from the Quran and Hadiths can do the magic. Many Muslims do not believe these perpetrators had the true teachings of Islam, if they are Muslims anyway; but if they had, their perception to issues even as it affects injustice, corruption and poverty would be different from what they hold presently if they had the proper upbringing. But who should be blame?

It has become necessary to give our children the right education. Violence has an emotional aspect, and this should be controlled right from childhood. At primary school level and the basic Arabic lesson they impart in

the children, they should inculcate tolerance, non violence and peaceful coexistence in the children irrespective of religious beliefs since all our religions preach peace. Train them in the way of the Lord. Teach them tolerance and flexibility. Teach them peaceful co-existence and teach them how they vent their internal combustion without constituting nuisance to the rest of the world. Let them know that intolerance does not bring peaceful coexistence in the society.

They should also know that tolerance and peacefulness adorns everything, and violence disfigures everything and wipes out any good deed of the person.

God tolerates, and likes tolerance, and whatever He bestows for tolerance, does not bestow for violence and harshness.

In one of the hadiths, tolerance and peace are divine attributes.

SISTERS'

CORNER

Say NO to dating!

By Aminat Yusuf

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s-Salamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

These days, it is not uncommon to find sisters dating one brother or the other before finally foing for Nikai. We know the society is drifting towards harramic tendencies, bbut we need to acquaint ourselves with the teachings of Islam, as we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

Islam teaches us that a male and female can build up a good relationship founded on marriage. All those stories of newspapers and movies are not

helpful to make a person comply with the teachings of Islam.

We do not say love is halal or haram because it is a feeling. Maybe it is not under control.

You can judge what is under control. But people who fall in love are in many episodes

,

their domain and going all out to get the peace is not only the topmost priority but a national assignment. The Emirs, Imams, community leaders have a duty in this regard. Of course

,

ANY of the N o r t h e r n Governors and Emirs who are critical about the way President Jonathan is handling the issue of Boko Haram have not shown enough commitment towards assisting the Federal Government in bringing the menace to a stop.

They ought to have gone beyound the condemnation of any attack and advancing the cause of dialogue to strategic moves toward achieving a successful dialogue with the sect.

This would have made a huge difference at least.

We cannot continue to believe the insurgence will fizzle out on its own while they are snuffing out lives out of people.

The relative respite in Boko Haram attacks today should not be taken for granted, all hands must be on deck to completely stop the trend. We have to take it upon ourselves to set example and put an end to the organised massacre and butchery of people. This can only start by going beyound condemnation or by heaping the blames on Jonathan. Since we know that the Jonathan approach has not paid off; albeit some believe it is paying off; we need join hands together to find a lasting solution to it.

First, the governors of these Boko Haram infected states have a burden to show that they want sincere peace in

The important point is that most of Islam’s enemies give a hostile appearance to Islam at the slightest provocation of Muslims or group of Muslims. Let us critically study the examples and behavior of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) with the enemies who were bent on exterminating him, let us look at his conduct with the prisoners of war and the defeated enemies and the people injured in the battle fields. These are proofs that Islam abhors violence and always advocate for peace.

Again, you can’t imagine the image deficits the activities of the Boko Haram have done on Islam. This necessitates that we should be careful about our actions in the society, and display the real face of Islam at all times through peaceful conduct and flexibility when relating to people of other faith. This will wash out the deposits of poisonous propaganda of the enemies from the brains of those who are ignorant about the religion.

We need to change the social norms and prevent further sectional insurgencies tn order to preserve the so-called geographical expression which will be 100 years in less than 12 months. It is all our duty and not only for the government.

Jannah.

In Islam, it is not a sin if you feel a special affinity or inclination towards a certain individual since human beings have no control on such natural inclinations. We are, however, definitely responsible and accountable if we get carried away by such feelings and take specific actions or steps that might be deemed as haram (forbidden).

Marriages that are usually good and lasting are those that start at least with affection

away from the cleansed and pure atmosphere.

Marriages that are usually good and lasting are those that start at least with affection. That affection grows after marriage and maybe it will grow until the couples continue their companionship at the

,

As far as male and female interaction is concerned, Islam dictates strict rules: It forbids all forms of ‘dating’ and isolating oneself with a member of the opposite sex, as well indiscriminate mingling and mixing. I will dwell more on this later.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013—37

C M Y K

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Gun-crazy Americans in control dilemma

BY HUGO ODIOGOR, Foreign Affairs Editor, with Agency report.

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MAGINE dropping your children off to school in the morning, and watch them jump off the car, with their school bags strapped behind them. They wave you goodbye as they run along with their friends. They are innocent, happy and totally unaffected by the circumstances and vicissitudes around them.

As a parent, it is a sight to be hold. At the back of your mind there is a feeling that the kids are safe and ready to develop their mind and body.

But unknown to anyone is lurking harm posed by a psychopath who has no value for his own life, but would rather go down with innocent lives, young and old. This was the dilemma of Americans living in New town Connecticut, that morning of December 14, 2012, where a joyful day became a sorrowful and agonising phase of life for the parents of the slain kids.

By the end of that day no fewer than 20 children, some of them as young as six years were shot and sent to their untimely death.

Six adults were also killed. This is an orgy of violence that has become the nightmare of America.

Americans love their freedom and and their ownership of gun is seen as a symbol of that freedom and spirit of individualism.

US President Barak Obama giving high-five to one of the four School Children that wrote to him on Gun control. Photo: AFP.

ership of gun as a symbol for self defence, protection property, became the vogue. The right to own a gun and defend oneself is considered by some, especially those in the West and South, as a central tenet of the AmeriGrieving families of Sandy Promise Elementary School, New Town Conneticut. can identity.

It must be Today that dream has been noted that the militia culture who did not suffer the unfortunate calamity at Sandy Promse shattered and the country is arose from the citizens dependElementary school that gun con- deeply divided on what to do ence on themselves to protect trol should be enforced. In fact with firearms. The young chil- themselves from hostile Native to some members of the NRA dren that were killed in the April Americans and foreign armies. and other gun lobby groups it is 16, Virginia Tech in 2007, the 23 almost an anathema to speak of movie goers that were killed at Maintenance gun controlled or enforcing Aurora in Colorado in July 2012, of full time army tougher regulation on possession the victims of the Fort Hood shooting and other bizarre shooting In fact during the 18th century, It must be noted that the militia culture in America were not privy to how there was no desire by the country became gun crazy American state to maintain a fullarose from the citizens dependence on their yet they have paid with their lives, time army because such an inthemselves to protect themselves from they may not have encroached stitution would be a threat to the invaded the property of their rights of the civilian populace. hostile Native Americans and foreign or assailants.

The idea of armed citizen-soldier armies America’s gun politics: The to carry out the responsibility of history of possession of firearms defending the citizens was thereThe gun culture is an epitome of of firearms. in America is as old as the country fore embedded in the militia culassuming responsibility for their It is now a nightmare to think itself, dating back to the process ture which allowed the citizens protection and self defence. The that life can be nasty, brutish and of the first European migrants access to weapons and ammuniresult is that there are 274 mil- shore in a country that ironically who arrived in the New World in tion. lion guns circulating in America professes to be the show piece of search of freedom from all forms The Second Amendment and which has a population of over freedom, democracy and bastion of dogma, treasure and territory. the right of self defence: The 300 million. The gun culture re- of human rights.

The Native Indians who were Second Amendment of the flects in their movies, television, The gun in America is a symbol the original owners of the American constitution gave music, books and magazines. of power, masculinity and gang- territory were dispossessed and Americans the right to carry arms.

The archetypal images of “wild ster culture that the country can- decimated by the New Arrivals, This is seen as a constitutional west”, “cow boys” and “red not clean up. The young kids that needed the instrument of right of individual self-defense. necks”, were used to reinforce that were killed in Newtown coercion to guarantee their own Consequently, there have been the tough guy image which came were expecting to celebrate security and protection of the attempts to interpret “the right with access to firearms. Ameri- Christmas and enter the New property that they acquired to bear arms in defense of themcans are gun crazy and it will take Year with their dreams to be part through violence. There was a selves and the state was interthe act of God to convince those of the American dream. time when the argument of own- preted as an individual right”.

,

There has also been attempt to enforce gun control laws which some people see as an attempt to breach their individual right.

Political debates: Faced with the anger of parents and liberals who want the Federal Government to curb gun related violence, the arguments of gun politics in the United States center around disagreements ranging from whether gun ownership causes or prevents crime? to how should the Second Amendment be interpreted?

Right to self defence

There are also the ethical debate of whether an individual’s right of self-defence through gun ownership should grant him or her the liberty to deny other people, similar rights.

Supreme Court decisions: Since the late 19th century, there have series of judicial pronouncements including the Supreme Court which has consistently ruled that the Second Amendment (and the Bill of Rights) restricts only the federal Congress, and not the States, in the regulation of guns.

Obama’s gun control headache: On Wednesday, president Barack Obama presented a three-part plan to cut their appetite on ownership of gun especially, the high capacity guns.

The proposals called for: 1.A focus on universal background checks. Right now some 40 percent of gun sales take place without background checks, including by private sellers at gun shows or over the Internet.

2.A ban on assault weapons and limiting ammunition magazines to 10 rounds or fewer.

3.A federal statute to stop

To be concluded

,

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201D;39

Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, Niger State Governor, presenting a souvenir to Ali Abdo Suleiman, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, during a courtesy visit on the Governor, in Government House, Minna.

BOOK LAUNCH: From left: Prof. Julius Asho, Editor of the book, Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, Provost, Lagos State University College of Medicine; Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos, Father of the Day and Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health, during the launching of the book: Illustrated Clinical Surgery,' edited by Prof. Asho, at MRC Auditorium, 'Lagos State University College of Medicine, LASUCOM. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia State, with his wife, Chief Mercy Orji flanked, on their right and left, by Rt. Hon. Allwell Asiforo Okere, Deputy Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly and his wife, Beauty Allwell Okere, after a Thanksgiving Service/ Grand Civic Reception, in honour of Hon. Okere, at Ohuru-Ndoki Ukwa East L.G.A., Abia State.

From left: Hon. Tajudeen Sulaimon, Deputy Leader, Ejigbo LCDA; Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan, Chairman,Ejigbo LCDA; Mr. Remi Omotola, representative of the Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly; Alhaji Monsurudeen Bello-Obe,Vice chairman of the council and other council members, during the public presentation of the council's bye-laws, at the council's secretariat.

Chief Raymond Dopkpesi, Chairman, AIT Pupils in Agege Local Government Area, boarding free (left) submitting AIT Education Foundatransport to their various schools as part of activities of the tion Programme to Gov. Godswill local council to boost the morale of the pupils.

Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, during a visit to the Governor's Office, Uyo.

Mr. Akin Fadeyi, CEO, Bufferzone Ltd (middle) flanked by Barrister Baba Dennis (right) and Barrister Babatunde Adeoye, both of Babatunde Adeoye and Co., at the High Court of Lagos State Annex, TBS, Lagos, on the case of sales of unmerchantable quality cars by RT Briscoe. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele C M Y K

Maj General Tommy Dibi, Commander, 1 Brigade, Sokoto and Alhaji Danladi Bako, Sokoto State Commissioner for Information, when he visited the Commissioner in his office.

From right: Mr. Roland Obe, General Manager, Proactive Technologies Limited; Mr. Daniel Parreira, Sales Director, Sybrin Systems and Mr. Pieter Du Toit, Business Development Executive (West Africa), Sybrin Systems, at a press conference, on Sybrin Automated Cheque Truncation Solutions, at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

40 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, JANUARY 18, 2013

Flood: NGO donates to farmers in Delta

BY SIMON ADEWALE

K

WALE—A non-gov ernmental organisation, Niger Delta Professionals for Development, NIDPRODEV, has brought succour to farmers in four communities in Isoko South Local Government Area Delta State affected by the recent flood.

The communities were given thousands of improved cassava stems, herbicides and Knapsack sprayers, nose masks, fish fingerlings and fertilizers.

The group, with the funding of Oxfam Novib, Netherlands, had already carried out soil test assessments in the communities to determine soil fertility and quality after the flood.

Making the donation to the people of Enhwe, Uzere, Aviara and Idheze communities, the two organisations, represented

by Mr. Jerry Nwigwe of NIDPRODEV and Mr. Austin Terngu of Oxfam Novib, told the people that the gesture was part of their humanitarian efforts aimed to alleviate the hardship that farmers in the area are currently passing as a result of the flood that devastated their sources of livelihoods and reduce farm yield.

Delta Commissioner loses mother

M

A D A M Mgbaoyibo Emu, aged 85, of Owanta Idumuetor in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, and mother of Dr. Kingsley Emu, Delta State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, is dead.

Late Madam Emu will be buried tomorrow after a funeral service at Owa Model Primary School, Ekei Road, Owa. An outing service will hold next day at Church of God Mission Int. Inc, Morka Street, Agbor.

Late Mgbaoyibo Emu

From right: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun state Chief Judge, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade; and Sagamu High Court Justice, Mrs. Rotimi Balogun; during a court assessment visit of the governor to Ogun East Judicial Division, yesterday.

Elder John Ehikwe (left), Mrs. Isibor (middle), Mr. Steve Ashien, celebrant and publisher of Ika weekly newspaper, Agbor (2nd right) and others, cutting a cake to mark Mr. Ashien’s 65th birthday, at Agbor, Delta State.

Bauchi govt threatens to sack non-NCE teachers B

BY SUZAN EDEH

AUCHI—THE Bauchi State Government, yesterday, threatened to sack any primary school teacher without a genuine National Certificate in Education,NCE. Governor Isa Yuguda who stated this while inspecting projects at Government Girls

Arabic College, Alkaleri, said that government would not hesitate to sack non-NCE holders in the state.

Lamenting that the educational standard in the state had fallen drastically, he said that government was left with no other choice than to take drastic measures to santize the sector.

The governor said: “We are committed to the building and promoting of the standard of our educational institutions in the state so that our children can have a bright future. We want a government that will impact positively on the lives of its citizens by ensuring that the quality of education was up to standard.

“Those agitating over our deci-

NSCDC boss warns officers against disloyalty, others

A

BY PETER OKUTU

BAKALIKI—THE Com mandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, yesterday, warned officers of the security outfit against insubordination and disloyalty to their superiors during the discharge of their duties to the society.

He observed that such trend which was gradually becoming a regular occurrence in NSCDC especially in Ebonyi State Com-

mand, if not urgently addressed would tarnish the image of the organisation in the country.

Abolurin handed down the warning during a one-day working visit to Ebonyi State command of NSCDC, Abakaliki.

The Commandant General who was represented by the zonal Commandant (zone E) Assistant Commandant General, Mohammed Lapai in charge of Imo, Rivers, Cross River, AkwaIbom, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states called on the men of

NSCDC to desist from writing frivolous petitions to the Command’s headquarters, Abuja as any officer found guilty of misconduct would be punished according to laid down rules and regulations governing the Corps.

He said: “One thing I observe in Ebonyi State command is about some of us trying to run others down and that is the main reason I am here today. You have a commandant that is a workaholic and committed. I have been receiving a lot of petitions from you and that is the situation in Ebonyi State.”

Delta community excommunicates of houses were razed be- directed Army authorities to reex-militants scores cause of the killing of some sol- build the destroyed houses, while

BY EMMAAMAIZE

W

ARRI—AYAKOROMO community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State has banned ex-militants, who hail from the locality from participating in community affairs.

Ayakoromo is the hometown of the founder of the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Force, “General” John Togo, who was killed in an air bombardment by the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta in 2010.

Vanguard learnt that the community took their action following its dissatisfaction with the activities of the defunct militant group and its members, who hail from the community.

Soldiers invaded Ayakoromo community in 2010 and killed a number of villagers, while

diers by NDLF forces.

The Federal Government later

the state government also came to the aid of the people.

Delta 2015: Group debunks media reports on Okowa, Ochei

A

S part of the buildup to the Delta State 2015 governorship election, a Delta pressure group, Concerned Delta Central for Okowa, CDCO, has debunked newspaper reports urging Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to support Victor Ochei.

A statement by its Director of Publicity, Prince Peter Ogidigbo, said that owing to the democratic nature of governance especially in the twentieth century, anybody was free to contest any election.

It, however, noted that it was wrong for a follower to try to fight his old leader, especially a “hum-

ble, detribalised and God fearing one like Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.”

The group said that Mr Joshua Okoh and his Delta Focus Group needed wisdom to eradicate their misconception about the political antecedents of Okowa and Ochei, stressing that Ochei had been a long time protege of Okowa.

Ogidigbo affirmed that Deltans themselves were in the best position to determine their choice in an atmosphere devoid of sentiments, adding that the Delta Focus Group should not play the politics of enmity, so as not to overheat the polity.

sion and are thinking that we did wrong to them, should come out to defend their NCE qualifications that they claim they acquired from government approved institutions. The primary school teachers who are challenging the decision of the government over the screening exercise in the state should come forward with clear evidence and present their original NCE certificates to avoid being sacked.

“It has come to our notice that most of the NCE certificates presented by primary school teachers are not authentic and so many of the teachers secured their employment by the state government with fake certificates.”

Our officers ‘ll make Nigeria proud in Mali —Air chief

P

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

ORT HARCOURT— CHIEF of the Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, has assured that officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, on peace mission in Mali would do the nation proud.

Badeh spoke to newsmen, yesterday, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, after addressing some 66 Air Force personnel shortly before they were airlifted to Mali for peace keeping operations.

He said that NAF’s mission in Mali was to promote peace in that country.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan approved a total of 1,200 troops drawn from the Army, Navy and Air Force, for the operations, pointing out that his men were well prepared for the mission.

He said: “The President has empowered us to embark on the trip. Nigeria has 1,200 troops for the mission.’’

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 41

42— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

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N27B DEBT: AMCON recovers property, vessel from Tanzila Petroleum

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

HE Asset Manage ment Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, has recovered 10 landed property, a vessel and other assets from Tanzila Petroleum Company Limited and its Managing Director, Alhaji Shehu Badamasi.

A statement by AMCON said the recovery followed a court order granted October 19, 2012 by Justice Idris of the Federal High Court and executed January 16, 2013.

It explained that counsel to AMCON, Olisa Agbakoba & Associates, secured the court order to take over the movable and immovable property as well as freeze bank accounts of the debtors, pursuant to provisions of the AMCON Act 2010. Tanzila Petroleum Company Limited and its Managing Director reportedly have an outstanding of about N27 billion in AMCON’s books. “The Act empowers AMCON to undertake recovery measures against debtors who have refused to pay up their debts that have become non-performing and inimical to the financial system.."

FG reopens Benin PPMC Depot after eight years

T

HE Federal Govern ment through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources yesterday re-commissioned the strategic Benin Depot of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC which has been laying dormant since 2005.

Declaring the depot open for operation, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, noted that the revamping of the Benin depot was a single item in a long list of practical measures designed by the Jonathan administration to sanitize the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry.

She said: “As an industry, we are extremely satisfied that the transformation agenda of the President in the oil and gas industry is coming to fruition. We are grateful to the Joint Task force for the level of support they have given the petroleum sector especially in the area of pipeline vandalism. it clearly shows how successful we can be as a people if we come together to combat a scourge.”

44 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

Hostage: Algerian forces move against Islamists •Hollande justifies Mali war A LGERIAN forces have moved against Islamic militants holding hostages at a gas facility in eastern Algeria, the state news agency has said. Already, four foreign hostages were freed but the operation resulted in a number of “victims”, APS agency said.

Meanwhile, Algerian soldiers had been surrounding the facility near In Amenas that kidnappers occupied on Wednesday, after killing a Briton and an Algerian.

Reports quoting militants said at least 34 hostages and 14 kidnappers died.

Militants also told Mauritania’s ANI news agency that seven foreign hostages were still alive after the Algerian military raid.

Nearly 600 Algerian workers and four foreign hostages - two from Scotland, one from France and one from Kenya were freed during the operation, APS reported.

An Irishman who had been kidnapped was freed and has spoken to his family, Ireland’s foreign ministry said.

The Algerian military targeted two vehicles as they tried to escape from the site with an unknown

number of people on board. Militants told local media that Algerian forces had opened fire from the air.

Algerian media reported late in the afternoon that the army operation had ended, and that Algeria’s military was in control of the gas plant, although this has not been independently confirmed.

Mr Cameron made clear that he would have preferred to have been informed in advance, the spokesman added.

•President Hollande Militants had earlier said they were holding 41 foreign nationals. They were believed to include British, Japanese, US and Norwegian citizens.

A number of hostages were reported to have escaped from the gas facility before the Algerian

military intervened.

Algerian Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia said the kidnappers were Algerian and operating under orders from Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a senior commander of alQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) until late last year.

Mr Ould Kablia said the kidnappers had not entered Algeria from a neighbouring country.

Meanwhile, Francois Hollande, French president, has said the on-going hostage crisis in Algeria is evidence that France’s military intervention in Mali is justified.

Speaking to business leaders in Paris on Thursday, Hollande said “What’s happening in Algeria provides further evidence that my decision to intervene in Mali was justified.”

Hollande’s statement comes hours after the contingent of French troops in the West African nation reaches 1,400.

That number represents more than half the total of 2,500 it plans to deploy in its former colony, Jean-Yves Le Drian, defence minister, said.

The soldiers have

US backs action against Malian rebels

T

HE Obama administration has declared it cannot accept new terrorist sanctuaries in Mali or anywhere else and has promised to support French and African efforts to restore security. Yet after almost a year of disorder in the West African nation, Washington is still keeping the conflict at arm’s length.

This came amid reports that Twenty-five foreign hostages, including two Japanese, escaped from the siege of a gas plant deep in the Algerian desert yesterday.

A group calling itself the “Batallion of Blood” has said it was holding 41 foreigners inside the gas compound, which it stormed on Wednesday, demanding France halt a military campaign against Islamist rebels in neighboring Mali.

France has been C M Y K

engaged in a weeklong fight to eradicate Islamist extremists in northern Mali. But the U.S. ambivalence reflects several factors, foremost the U.S. government’s desire to avoid being dragged into yet another war in a desolate, impoverished Islamic country. It also doesn’t want to shoulder the financial burden of a potentially lengthy fight against extremists, and distrusts a Malian government dominated by military officials who’ve chased out a president and a prime minister over the last 10 months.

“We have a responsibility to make sure that al-Qaida does not establish a base of operations,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this week. The U.S. must pursue the terrorist network “wherever they

•President Obama are,” he said, including Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and North Africa.

But Washington is taking different approaches in different parts of the world. It has maintained a frustrating but durable alliance with Pakistan against terrorists and insurgents hiding along the Pakistani-Afghan border.

• French troops at an air base in Bamako, Mali . Photo: AFP been sent to the West African state as part of an operation against alQaeda linked groups who are in control of the north.

Troop numbers have risen quickly since the first French forces were

deployed on January 11 after armed groups seized the town of Konna.

On Wednesday, French troops began direct ground combat against fighters belonging to alQaeda-linked groups, including Ansar al-Dine.

Ansar al-Dine fighters and their Tuareg allies occupied northern Mali in April 2012 The Malian army, backed by French troops, was still fighting to retake Konna on Thursday.

Gaddafi’s son appears in court

M

UAMMAR Gaddafi’s son, Saif al-Islam appeared in a court yesterday for the first time since his capture more than a year ago, Libya’s public prosecutor’s office said.

The son of the former Libyan leader was in court in the western town of Zintan, where he is being held by former rebels, to face charges related to a visit by an International Criminal Court (ICC) lawyer last year.

“He is charged with involvement with the ICC delegation which is accused of carrying papers and other things related to the security of the Libyan state,” Taha Baara, spokesman for the prosecutor, told Reuters.

Another ICC defense lawyer said the court hearing in Zintan - part of Libya where the Tripoli authorities have little sway - was designed to intimidate the international court.

“This is yet another disgraceful attempt by Libya to manipulate and intimidate the ICC,” said Ben Emmerson, lawyer for Abdullah al-Senussi, Gadaffi’s former spy chief and Saif al-Islam’s coaccused.”

“It is proof positive of the urgent and imperative need for the (U.N.) Security Council to impose sanctions on

Libya for its flagrant, deliberate and grave violations of Security Council resolution 1970.”

India fast-tracks gang rape trial

T

HE case of five men charged with the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi has been moved to a fast-track court for trial.

Lawyers for the defendants say that the case will get under way on Monday.

A sixth suspect, who is thought to be 17, will be tried separately in a youth court if it is confirmed he is a minor.

The case has shocked India and sparked a debate about the treatment of women. If convicted, the men could face the death penalty.

In the wake of the public outcry and nationwide protests, the government promised a fast-track legal process for this and other rape cases.

It announced it was setting up six fast-track courts in Delhi to allow crimes against women to be dealt with swiftly.

Legal proceedings in India sometimes involve years of delays.

The five accused have been named as Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur.

Syria: Over 100 killed in Homs

M

ORE than 100 people were shot, stabbed or possibly burned to death by government forces in the Syrian city of Homs, a monitoring group said yesterday, even as fierce fighting raged across the country.

The British-based

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said women and children were among the 106 people killed by forces loyal to President Bashar alAssad forces who stormed Basatin alHasawiya, a poor district on the edge of Homs, on Tuesday.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 45

*Jonathan and Obasanjo: When the going was good

WAR IN THE SOUTHWEST:

How Obasanjo and Jonathan are flexing muscles

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, DAYO JOHNSON, GBENGA ARIYIBI, GBENGA OLARINOYE, DAPO AKINREFON & DAUD OLATUNJI

T

HE majority of the men and women who thronged the meeting of the BMT Youth Organisation in Ibadan last Tuesday were obviously not youths. Men and women with some obviously grandparents could not have passed for youths.

But it was convenient for them given that they came to hear out Alhaji Sabo Mohammed, the national chairman of the BMT youths and his entourage. They were also being recruited,

perhaps without their knowledge, as foot soldiers into the war that has broken out between the incumbent president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his benefactor and predecessor Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Given Jonathan’s mastery of Obasanjo’s historical predilection to furtive political operations, it was not surprising that the incumbent was now meeting his teacher and patron in his own game. Like a game of chess where pawns are offered for knights, both sides are trading tackles and pawns in a game that is inevitably focused on the control of the country. But before controlling the rest of the country, both forces are determined to get

a foothold on the Southwest’s slippery political turf.

Of course there are reasons.

The Southwest is not expected to present a candidate in the 2015 presidential election and as such, the zone could present a formidable block of votes for any candidate from outside the zone.

President Jonathan’s capacity to dispense favours and patronages is definitely something he is not shying away from using in the combat. When the administration announced the names of board appointments of the juicy Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA the president made the concession of leaving at least one position to one of Obasanjo’s closest lieutenants, Lekan Mustapha. It was a pawn.

But just as the Obasanjo group won a pawn in the form of a board appointment in the NPA, the Jonathan group surreptitiously ate a knight with the successful removal of Chief Olagunsoye Oyinola as national secretary of the party.

Oyinlola, who is a close associate of Obasanjo was also

the point-man of the former president and the governors in the National Working Committee, NWC of the ruling PDP. Oyinlola’s ouster was undoubtedly celebrated in the Tukur/Jonathan camp despite assertions to the contrary. The speed with which Tukur moved to replace Oyinlola last Monday after the court ruling did not

,

WHAT was whispered before as a family disagreement between President Goodluck Jonathan and his one time benefactor and predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo has now turned into a political war of attrition. Remarkably, the slippery Southwest political turf is at the heart of the first in a series of battles that would see Jonathan confront established political forces in the country.

initiated from Ogun State. The court action was itself a fallout from the internal dissension within the party in the region.

Oyinlola was dragged to court by one of the PDP factions in Ogun State opposed to Obasanjo following the national secretary’s refusal to honour the faction’s list of candidates for the Ogun State local government elections.

That President Jonathan has decided to take the war to Obasanjo in the latter’s home turf is significant. The surreptitious actions of the BMT Youths is reflective of the emboldened character that the incumbent president has lately acquired in the quest for the survival of his political legacy.

Below we present a state by state report on the situation on

Given Jonathan’s mastery of Obasanjo’s historical predilection to furtive political operations, it was not surprising that the incumbent was now meeting his teacher and patron in his own game

show any sign of personal loss.

But even at home in the Southwest, Oyinlola’s loss was also being hailed especially among his many enemies within the party who felt marginalised with the ascendancy of the Oyinlola/Obasanjo tendency.

Indeed, the court ruling was instigated by a court process

,

ground.

ONDO STATE

The PDP in Ondo state could best be described as a house divided against itself since the party lost political control of the state after the judicial affirmation of the Labour Party victory in the Continues on page 46

46— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

How Obasanjo and Jonathan are flexing muscles Continues from page 45 April 2007 governorship poll. The party has since then been wobbling even entering last October’s governorship poll as a divided house.

The party is polarised into three factions with loyalties to Dr. Olusegun Agagu, a former governor of the state; Prof. Olu Agbi, a former Secretary to Government and former Ambassador to Austria ; and Dr Dare Bada a former governorship aspirant of the party leading the third faction.

The Agbi and the Bada factions, nevertheless are generally said to have the sympathies of Governor Segun Mimiko, the incumbent governor who came to power on the ticket of the LP. Though not a member of the PDP, Mimiko who was a former PDP member is generally said to be a crucial factor in the Jonathan, Obasanjo conflict in the state.

At the heart of the crisis in the Ondo chapter of the PDP is the perceived quarrel by many of the continued grip of the PDP structure by Dr. Agagu even after his removal from office as governor. But despite Agagu’s hold on the recognised state structure, it is generally known that he remains almost irrelevant in Abuja .

*Tukur: Proxies on the assault

*George: Holding Lagos

Mimiko into their larger plan of capturing the Southwest.

Aides to Mimiko who spoke in confidence on the matter said that the governor is not a member of PDP and should be excused from the squabbles in the party.

But what is evident is that as at today, the Ondo PDP is aggrieved with Jonathan for turning his back on them on many occasions invariably turning them into an orphan when his assistance was germane to the growth of the party in the state and may have no choice to pay him back in 2015.

Early support

EKITI STATE

*Agagu: Embattled in Ondo incumbent governor.

Now with Mimiko rumoured to be returning to the PDP after his inauguration next February, the governor is now said to be stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea in making a choice between the Jonathan and the Obasanjo tendencies in the state.

Agagu is, however, not going to make it any easier for the incumbent as he is said to believe that Mimiko’s return to the PDP would nudge him away from his present position as the PDP godfather in the state.

Efforts by Obasanjo and Jonathan to make Mimiko cross over to PDP to avoid the onslaught of the Action Congress

*Oni: Embattled in Ekiti

,

Dr. Mimiko through his early support for Dr. Jonathan has sufficiently wormed his way into the Jonathan personal and political lives of the Jonathans that he is now known to pull more weight than any other PDP official from the state.

Mimiko’s was attracted to Jonathan first by the Ijaw spirit.

Even though he is not Ijaw, the governor who has a sizeable population of Ijaws in his state was able to see the Ijaw born president as one of our own and thus the early support he had for the president, ensuring that he delivered Jonathan in the polls in 2011.

It is as such not surprising that he is allowed to make key appointments from the state into federal appointments.

Jonathan was also said to be largely unenthusiastic towards the PDP campaign ahead of the state gubernatorial election last October an issue that many PDP officials may raise to oppose him in 2015.

Obasanjo who drove Mimiko to the Labour Party is now not making things easier for Mimiko with his renewed love for the governor. The former president has been known to praise Mimiko’s achievements in office after a number of inspection of projects undertaken by the

The dissent among some PDP stakeholders in the state is fuelled by muttering that Oyinlola has held many public offices at their expense

of Nigeria (A C N ) before the election were allegedly thwarted

by Agagu.

Agagu is for now leading the Obasanjo forces in Ondo against the Jonathan forces that are being cobbled together by Mimiko.

Agagu would have also been further embittered after Mimiko helped President Jonathan to win the Ondo presidential ballot but

,

turned around to make sure that he, Agagu was defeated in the Ondo South senate contest where he stood against Mimiko’s man, Boluwaji Kunlere of LP. A dependable source, however, hinted that Obasanjo is now putting pressure on Agagu to soften towards Mimiko so as to realise their plan of recruiting

In Ekiti the fight is being played out through prominent proxies with the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade leading the Jonathan group and former governor of the state, Engr.

Segun Oni leading the Obasanjo group.

But Obasanjo had largely held sway and influenced the emergence of both Oyinlola and Oni as national secretary and national vice-chairman respectively. The protest against the way and manner Obasanjo imposed his protégées was what led to the judicial annulment of the Osogbo zonal congress leading to the loss of job for both Oni and Oyinlola.

However, Oni has appealed against the judgement of the court,the former governor further applied for a stay of execution of the judgement Oni had allegedly attempted to use his influence to

Continues on page 47

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 47

A

S many attempts has been made by the political leaders of the North to forge unity in order to bring power back to the North in 2015, the question is being asked, why the Northern political leaders want power so desperately?.

The answer is that the ‘North‘ is so used to having an exercising ‘political power‘ that it feels unfulfilled without it.

It is a matter of fact that since independence, power (headship of Federal Government) has resided in the North for more than three quarters of the period.

Though the North is made up of several tribes and cultures, political power in Nigeria has always been in the hands of the Hausa/Fulani elites. The Sokoto ‘Caliphate‘ was established in the early 19th century as a result of cultural and religious jihad. It covered a large portion of the old Northern part of Nigeria and Ilorin, except Bornu, Borgu, Igalla, Idoma, Tiv, Jukum and most of Plateau area.

Illustrious founder The illustrious founder, Shehu Usman Dan Fodio (1754-1814) was a religious crusader without any dynastic orientation. The military wing of the Religious and Cultural Revolution was led by his brother Abdullah (1756-1828).

The Sokoto ‘Caliphate‘ which later became a powerful religious, political and dynastic power spreading its tentacles to many parts of the country throughout the 19th century was conquered in 1903 by the British. Though it had lost its political hegemony in the Northern region, it had been able to retain and keep its administration intact, especially in the former Sokoto Province through the Emirates

07059197616

THE PROBLEMS OF THE NORTH:

The caliphate in politics headed by Sokoto Princes.

Thus, as I have noted in this column, in the political history of modern Nigeria, the ‘Caliphate‘ (represented by Hausa/Fulani political leaders) have exercised great political power since 1960 and up to the present time.

Many analysts, in the past, have tended to attribute the supremacy of the Northern political leaders to many reasons, some of which were based on myth of administrative capability. Mallam Maitama Sule was once reported to have said that, “Northerners are endowed by God with leadership quality ” That statement, though offensive to others, has some semblance of truth.

The question is how could the political dominance by a section of the country for more than four decades could be explained or rationalized?

Some examples of political ingenuity of the Hausa/Fulani leaders could be inferred from the past political settings. In the 1959 elections, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) won

134 seats in the House of Representatives – all won in the North (scoring 43% of the total votes) while the NCNC, the Action Group (AG) and all others combined won 176 seats all over the country.

The story was that the NPC with 134 seats (all in the North) had no over-all majority, and it could have been possible for the Action Group (AG) and NCNC to form the Federal Government.

Selfish reasons But for some selfish reasons, the NCNC leader, (late Dr Azikiwe) became a strange “beautiful bride” to be courted by both the North and the West. The roving eyes of the `beautiful bride` caught the fancy of the North and the post independence government was formed by the NPC and NCNC, with the AG of the West pushed into opposition. It was no surprise also that the Federal Government of 1979 was formed between Shagari`s NPN and Dr Azikiwe`s party

(NPP), with Shehu Shagari as the President. The UPN under late Chief Awolowo was thrown into political wilderness. In that election, Shagari of the North scored 163,164 votes against Awolowo`s score of 9,063 votes in Anambra State.

Viewed from any angle, the political machine of the time oiled by Hausa/Fulani elite showed ingenuity.

Some have attributed the earlier rise in the fortunes of the Hausa/Fulani leaders on the Nigeria‘s political horizon to the formidable personality, political sagacity and strong character of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, a great grandson of that religious legend, Uthman Dan Fodio, the founder of Sokoto Caliphate.

Astute politician As an astute politician and devout Muslim, Sir Ahmadu Bello was associated with an open door policy which embraced and recognized Christian talents in his administration and in his party, the Northern Peoples‘ Congress (NPC).

If the foundation of political hegemony of the North was laid

by Sir Ahmadu Bello with his northernisation policy based on the common concept of ‘One North, One Destiny ‘, his lieutenants in the Federal Government complemented that concept with an agenda of ‘facilitating a national balance‘ within the Federal Ministries, thus allowing northerners to be appointed into top positions in various Ministries, irrespective of year of service or qualifications.

The hegemony of Hausa/ Fulani political leaders had been based on solid ground supported by disunity and acrimony among Southern

leaders. Having tasted power and enjoyed the sweetness of it, perhaps it might be too late to deny the North that aroma which is not only pleasing but also refreshing. That is the essence of the 1999 Constitution.

If the often quoted statement of Mallam Maitama Sule is correct that, “The Northerners are endowed by God with leadership qualities; the Yoruba man knows how to earn a living and has diplomatic qualities; the Igbo man is gifted in Commerce, Trade and Technological innovations”.

Where then lies the position of Igbo President of Nigeria?

THE MILITARY AND THE POLITICIANS At times, I am amused by the comments of the supporters of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on his former friend and boss, former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo. The pertinent question is, will our politicians ever learn? It was the view of former Vice President Atiku‘s supporters that former President Obasanjo stood between their hero and the prime position of PRESIDENT. Many political comments have been made against the former President several times without a reply by the retired General.

It was Sir Winston Churchill, a soldier and statesman, who was a former British Prime Minister who noted that, “But in craft, in slow intrigue, in strength of personality, in doubtful dangerous manoeuvres the soldiers beat the politician every time.” One can conveniently conclude, Anytime. However, former President Obasanjo will be remembered for not allowing Military adventurer to pollute the nascent political waters.

How Obasanjo and Jonathan are flexing muscles Continues from page 46 install members of the state executive of the party during the state congress on March 18,2012 but failed. Oni reportedly sponsored a former member of the state House of Assembly, Akin Omole for the chairmanship but lost out to the incumbent chairman, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe.

Ogundipe is said to have gained the support of the current Minister of Police Affairs, Olubolade and Fayose who are reportedly working for second term bid of Dr. Jonathan For a period, Omole ran a parallel executive with Ogundipe until the national secretariat of the party intervened.

Indeed, until recently, those belonging to Oni’s group,

otherwise known as Irewolede Group had refused to recognise the Ogundipe led exco as they kept on clamouring for the harmonisation of the executive.

It is rumoured that members of the group were entertaining fear that its candidate for 2014 gubernatorial election may have problems if the party refuses to accede to its request for harmonisation.

Having realised the futility of its request and the stand of the national secretariat of the party, the group is now unbending towards the Ogundipe led exco.

But for Jonathan and Obasanjo the 2014 election would be crucial as both sides would want to install somebody they know would be helpful to them in their 2015 aspirations.

*Akala: Lying low in Oyo

OGUN STATE

The party in Ogun State is sharply divided into two factions with Obasanjo and one time

party financier, Buruji Kashamu leading two different factions.

Obasanjo’s group is led

by Dipo Odujinrin whose election was conducted last year by representatives from National Working Committee, NWC, while Kashamu’s group has Bayo Dayo as the Chairman.

The two factions are hell bent in their fight to get the party structure as both claim to have the authentic executive.

Lying low unpretentious about its own superiority is the Gbenga Daniel group which at one time moved over to the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN for

the purpose of contesting the 2011 elections.

Just before the crisis between Obasanjo and Jonathan became the public knowledge, there was a signal that, the crisis which commenced since 2008 might be resolved soon. That was when some prominent members of the Kashamu faction defected to Obasanjo’s giving some impression that Obasanjo was about to swallow the others.

But that was not to be as the groups continued their agitation which climaxed with last Friday’s court removal of Oyinlola upon the prayers of the Kashamu group.

There is no doubt now as to the fact that the Kashamu group is now passionately in support of Jonathan against the desire of Continues on page 48

48 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

*Fayose: Adding fire in Ekiti

How Obasanjo and Jonathan are flexing muscles Continues from page 47 Obasanjo.

The Kashamu group it was learnt is now ready to sink or swim with Dr. Jonathan and would not mind following the president outside the party should he be denied the party ticket in 2015.

But the division as confessed by one of the leading warriors who is also spokesman of the Obasanjo group, Bidemi Osunbiyi flows from the hardened stance of the Kashamu group who he claims have refused every entreaty to sheath their swords.

He accused Buruji of attempting to pocket the party and compensate himself for the money he claimed to have spent for the party during the last election. “Several attempts had been made to persuade him, but, he refused. He wants to pocket the party and baba (Obasanjo) will not allow that.

The Chairman of Buruji Kashamu, Adebayo Dayo in a telephone chat, however, claimed that the group was now savouring the victory wrested through the annulment of Oyinlola.

“We are rejoicing. We got four different court judgements which authenticated our congresses from wards ,local governments and State and we went to Abuja High court for interpretation of the judgement.”

When asked if the group was actually working for Jonathan against Obasanjo, he said: “Is that possible? Was it President Jonathan who asked us to do the Congress in March? It is not possible. The President did not want anarchy, he believes in the rule of law.”

“Oyinlola went to court to say that we did not have locus standi, but, the court said we had. And we have started rejoicing I have received no less than 100 calls congratulating us for the victory,” he said.

Sacking of Oyinlola He however described Obasanjo as father of all, saying “Obasanjo is our father. But, when you have a father who refuses to listen to you, you will do something, that is what we did. With that judgement, we are on top of the world. We just want to beg members of the Obasanjo group not to go to another party” he said.

Observing from near outside is Otunba Daniel who seems to be standing alone with his loyalists.

It would be recalled, the Kashamu group was responsible for initiating the court action that led to the sacking of Oyinlola as national secretary of the party.

OYO STATE

The report on the state of the

PDP in Oyo would undoubtedly have depressed the late strongman of Ibadan politics and apostle of amala politics, Chief Lamidi Adedibu. After Adedibu’s celebrated conquest of the state, it is remarkable that his one time apostles have between them failed to sustain the dominance of what was once considered Adedibu’s stronghold.

It was as such not surprising that even after repeated high level approaches to him including from Obasanjo, that former governor of the state Senator Rasheed Ladoja has refused to return to the party.

Oyo PDP in the opinion of one party official is divided among three main factions.

The main party structure is undoubtedly in the grips of Senator Teslim Folarin and his associates, but the official recognition, however, has not conferred popular acclaim to them.

In the words of one party stakeholder, “Yes we all agree that Folarin owns the party but they don’t have followers.”

The other faction of the party led by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory , FCT Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide is almost said to be irrelevant in the scheme of things in Oyo State .

Akinjide’s attempt to take over command of the party structure has been largely resisted by the mainstream of the party and that

OSUN STATE

The fragile peace enjoyed by the PDP in Osun State while Oyinlola held sway as governor of the state has continued to degenerate ever since the Appeal Court ruling that voided his election in 2007.

But it is remarkable that even in their division, the PDP in Osun remains almost united in one goal, that is to ensure the downfall of the Rauf Aregbesola

not augur well for the group, it went for a truce with the Omisore group.

At the end of the exercise, the group agreed that they should go for a consensus list of candidates with Omisore’s group producing the chairman of the party in the person of Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa while other major offices were also allotted to Omisore group.

But the dissent among some PDP stakeholders in the state is fuelled by muttering that Oyinlola has held many public offices at their expense. They say that he was military administrator in Lagos state, served as Osun governor for almost 8 years, and after that he took the senatorial ticket before his emergence as national secretary.

When the South-West zone of the party presented Oyinlola as the national secretary of the party, some of the party loyalists saw the development as uncalled for. They were, however, to sheath their swords after repeated persuasion by prominent party leaders.

However, the Publicity Secretary of the state, Mr. Bola Ajao dismissed the allegation of any division within the party before and even now saying that the party had repositioned itself to launch itself back in the state in the future elections.

His words: “the PDP in Osun state therefore wish to state clearly that in spite of the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja which purportedly removed the National Secretary of the Party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola based on certain misleading and unfounded claims, Prince Oyinlola still retains the office while necessary

,

*Oyinlola: In the centre of the storm

is despite her many overtures.

Oyo State is seen as one fertile land for the Jonathan camp and it is perhaps not surprising why the BMT Youths Organisation commenced their operations in Ibadan this week.

The attraction for the Jonathan camp is seen in the high level of antagonism towards Obasanjo by the mainstream of the PDP. Besides his actions in foisting the regime of amala politics on the people, making Adedibu the deciding factor during his regime, Obasanjo even after is accused by Oyo PDP stakeholders of largely cornering federal appointments and largesse that came from the Yar‘adua and the Jonathan administrations to Ogun State.

Reflective of this is the fact that Ogun has two grade A ministers – Agriculture and Foreign Affairs, while Oyo State , the mother state as it is has only a Minister of State.

“We don’t see Obasanjo as our friend or father for his actions. He promoted the reign of thuggery during Adedibu time and now we all see how he has cornered juicy ministerial positions to his state,” a PDP stakeholder involved in the politics said bitterly this week.

The protest against the way and manner Obasanjo imposed his protégées was what led to the judicial annulment of the Osogbo zonal congress leading to the loss of job for both Oni and Oyinlola

administration in the next polls.

It is for this reason that the party stakeholders despite their ambitions continue to paper over their own differences.

However, the party in the state remains driven by two main persons, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Oyinlola.

Omisore was before the 2010 annulment of the Oyinlola reelection, believed to be a shooin for governor in the 2011 gubernatorial election that never came to be.

With the head start he had then, Omisore has continued to build the party and today has the ascendancy over all other party figures in the affairs of the party.

During the March 17, 2012 State congress, when the Oyinlola group noticed that the Senator Omisore group was coasting home to victory and sensing that the situation may

,

constitutional actions have been taken to redress the judgment” Osun State like Oyo State would also be a little tough for the Obasanjo people to stir against Jonathan. Especially so that Omisore is regaining the ascendancy. It is not because of any special inclination of Omisore for Jonathan, but on the fact that Omisore would not go with Obasanjo who it is alleged is not backing him in his gubernatorial ambition.

LAGOS STATE

The Lagos State executive of the party made a show of visiting Obasanjo after the recent fire incident in his Abeokuta house.

But beyond that show of empathy it is doubtful how much leverage Obasanjo could pull in Lagos given the dominance of Bode George over the affairs of the state.

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This programme will prolong my life Eleaya speaks on sports revolution in Delta as Uduaghan receives summit report, inaugurates LOC for Africa’s Youth Athletics Championships •

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MOTIONS went high yesteray at the Unity Hall of Government House in Asaba, Delta State, when 86 year old Awoturo Eleaya said that he felt like running again and that the event that he was witnessing would make him live longer.

Delta State was unveiling the mascot for a sports programme named after him, the Awoturo Eleaya Athletics Fiesta. The finals will hold this year in Sapele. It is a fall-out from the Sports Summit the state held on October 30 last year.

Implementation of the report has already started although the report was officially submitted to government in the same event that also witnessed the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee for the African Youth Athletics Championship that will hold in Warri in March.

State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan had promised that Delta would produce Olympic medalists and the Awoturo Eleaya Fiesta is one of the launching pads towards achieving the feat. It will see track and field taking place from ward levels to Local Government Areas and from there to Senatorial districts and then the state finals which will take place in Sapele.

Juniors, intermediates and seniors will all compete in the fiesta and world stars like Blessing Okagbare will compete in the senior event. The idea is to mentor the young athletes who, no doubt, will be inspired by their presence. Okagbare attended the event.

Former Africa’s queen of the tracks Mary Onyali was also in the hall. And little Ese Brume whom Amaju Pinnick, head of sports in Delta, touted as one to step into the shoes of C M Y K

UNVEILING OF MASCOT: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left) and Dr. Awotore Elaya, former Secretary General of Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (right) during the unveiling of Mascot for the fourth coming Dr. Awotore Elaya Athletic Championship month in Sapele nest month. Photo: Henry Unini Okagbare was also there with her parents.

Eleaya was so moved by the day that he prayed that God blessed Dr. Uduaghan and his government for not only honouring him while he is still alive but also embarking on what he likened to a revolution that will turn around sports in the country.

Grassroots football has already started in Delta with the Governor’s Cup and weightlifting, swimming and other events would follow in due course.

“I’m so delighted that at almost 86, I feel that I should be in the field

running again,” Eleaya said in his remarks that attracted ovations.

“Many of those I ran with are no more. Some are on wheelchairs and some not too strong again. The concept of this competition really covers grassroots, it’s what will make athletes graduate from juniors to intermediate and then to seniors. This is great. (turning to Governor Uduaghan) You are making me to live longer and I pray that God blesses you and all those putting this together. You will live to watch these competitions and your

children will live to watch them too.”

Before Uduaghan spoke he paid tribute to late Ayo Ositelu and asked that all stood for a minute silence in honour of the veteran journalist who passed on last week.

He extolled the virtues of sports and reiterated his commitment towards transforming sports in Delta, saying that “sports reduces criminality, enhances good health and employs the youth and as we are planning for a period without oil sports is one key area that could be vital to the economy.”

Minister resolves NPL title right crisis

F

OLLOWING the intervention of the Honorable Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi the crisis over the title right of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has been finally resolved.

The matter was resolved yesterday at an extensive meeting the Honorable Minister had with parties involved in the crisis in Abuja. At the meeting were representatives of the League Management Committee (LMC), Total Promotions and Globacom Nigeria Limited.

It was agreed that Globacom would be the Title Sponsor of the League for three seasons, and would also pay an undisclosed fee to Total Promotions as compensation for giving out the right.

It will be recalled that the Nigeria Premier League had been plagued by several crises in the last two seasons mainly due to the controversies over Title and Broadcast

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REPARATIONS of six-time Nigerian champions, Enyimba International Football

…As team arrive Nelspruit IGERIA’S Super Eagles on Thursday evening arrived Nelspruit, South Africa venue of its two opening games in this year ’s Africa Nations Cup championship.

The team had on Wednesday afternoon left its Faro, Portugal training camp by road to Lisbon from where the 23 players and officials led by Head Coach Stephen Keshi were joined by Head Of Delegation and Enyimba of Aba Chairman, Felix Anyasi Agwu. It was from

there that the team caught an Air France plane to Paris, France.

From Paris, the team took another Air France Air Bus jetliner to Johannesburg, South Africa. The flight lasted 10 hours, 20minutes. On arrival in Johannesburg, the team was met by Nigerian Embassy officials and hordes of supporters who drummed away with popular Nigerian songs.

Addressing the media on arrival, Anyansi Agwu, who spoke first in

•Mikel and Obiora Johannesburg, said the team was there to return Nigerian football to its glory days despite the relatively youthful side that Nigeria will parade

•Bolaji Abdullahi

Orji boosts Enyimba ahead of new season

Eagles will take one game at a time, says Keshi

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rights.

This had impacted negatively on funding for the league.

Earlier this week the newly inaugurated League Management Committee reached out to the Minister to help resolve the crisis over title right. This had become imperative as the LMC needed funds to kick-start the 2013 league.

The Honorable Minister went to work, inviting all the parties to his office in Abuja. After several meetings and give-and-take, the matter was amicably resolved to the satisfaction of all the parties. However, efforts to resolve the broadcast rights issue are on going.

at the tournament. Keshi on his part said the team will take each game as it comes, declaring that he was not under any pressure to deliver the trophy to Nigerians.

Club of Aba for the 2012/ 2013 football season have been given a major boost by the Abia State Governor, Chief Dr. T. A. Orji, who has splashed cash on the team for the payment of sign-on fees.

Chairman of Enyimba, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, disclosed this to players and officials at the club’s ground on early this week..

Chief Anyansi revealed that for the first time, 50 per cent of sign-on fees for the team will be paid before the start of a season and expressed gratitude to the State Governor, Chief T. A. Orji, for making it possible.

“This is evidence of the Governor’s trust in the team,” Anyansi-Agwu said. “This is a proof that the Government of Abia State is solidly behind the team and a sign that things will be better

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Okoku banks on Mikel, Musa, Moses for glory

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

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•Moses

X-INTERNATIONAL, Paul Okoku has said that the trio of Jon Obi Mikel, Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses were going to play crucial roles in Nigeria’s quest for glory at the Africa Cup of Nations, rolling off tomorrow at Soccer City.

Nigeria are paired in Group B alongside Burkina Faso, Zambia and Ethiopia in what observers see as an easy group for the Eagles to progress to the knockout stage of the 16-nation tournament.

And speaking in an interview with Sports Vanguard, Okoku, maintained that the Eagles have the potentials to go very far in the tournament if Mikel, Musa and Moses are made the arrowheads of the team’s attacking play.

“I believe that the Eagles under the leadership of Stephen Keshi can fly

high at the Nations Cup in South Africa. We have the players to certainly get out of our group but more importantly, I feel that for us to go very far, we have to make use of some players, who are match-winners on their day.

“Mikel is one of the players who would play a very key role in our desire for success in South Africa. Keshi needs to give him additional roles, so that he can be more responsible to the team that he is presently doing.

“If Mikel gets into his strides, Nigeria will go places. Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses, I maintain, are also going to play key functions for the Eagles in the Cup of Nations.

Both a young, bursting with energy and can certainly score the goals if the services are provided.

Then you cannot write off Ikechukwu Uche, who is always a reliable guy for the goals”, added Okoku

Bafana under pressure — Cape Verde

•Musa

Drogba plays down favourites tag

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TACKLE......South Africa’s Bernard Parker (L) flies over Algeria’s Rafik Halliche during a friendly match in Soweto. It ended goalless.

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APE Verde coach Lucio Antunes says that his team are under no pressure to perform compared to South Africa who is hosting the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

“The pressure will be on South Africa,” Antunes said. “We are here, we are happy to be here. There is no pressure to play good football. We qualified for this tournament; that is a big deal for our country.

“It’s totally different for Bafana Bafana because of they are the hosting counC M Y K

try and the fans will put pressure on them. They are a big team, there are expectations on them.

“We have worked very hard to be here. We don’t have any top players in our team, we play as a team. We work hard; the players are determined to write history.

“My advice to them is to keep working like that because when you succeed for the first time the people will be waiting for more success, but honestly success only comes from hard work.”

IDIER Drogba warned his Ivory Coast team-mates about their billing as African Nations Cup favourites when he said top sides do not always live up to

expectation.

“I must remind you that Netherlands had a side everyone said was the best for years and they never won a trophy,” said Drogba, sitting alongside

Ghana touch down in Port Elizabeth

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HANA h a v e checked in at the Garden Court Kings Hotel in Port Elizabeth for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Black Stars landed in Johannesburg yesterday night and moved to their tournament base today (Thursday).

Ghana flew in from Abu Dhabi where they spent 11 days to prepare for the tournament which officially kick-starts on Sat-

urday.

The four-time African champions are among the last batch of teams to arrive for the continental showpiece.

The Black Stars will play DR Congo in their Group B opener on 20 January at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

There are matches against Mali on 24 Janaury and Niger four days later at the same venue.

•Gyan

Yaya Toure and coach Sabri Lamouchi during a rousing airport welcome in South Africa They are top seeds in Group D and play Togo in their opening match on Tuesday and captain Drogba, in probably his last appearance at the tournament, said his nation’s time would come.

“We will win it one day, maybe with or without me,” said the 34-year-old striker.

“But even if I don’t win it, I’ll still be part of the team because I have helped to build it over the last 10 years. If not me, or Yaya, then perhaps (Abdul) Razak (of Manchester City), who is the youngest member of the squad.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 — 55

Why Eagles will win Afcon — Kalu G

OLD in the air, that is what former Abia state governor,Dr.Orji Uzor Kalu sees as Super Eagles mark their Golden Jubilee at the Africa Cup Nations which is billed to open in South Africa.

The Eagles debuted in 1963 conceding a basketfull of 10 goals.

However,Kalu harped on a 10-year sequence that had showered luck on Nigerian soccer ever since.

He said,”Every 10 years since 1963, something good happened. In 1973,we won All Africa Games gold. In 1983,Nigeria won the Tessema Cup for the first time which took the Flying Eagles to the country ’s first FIFA C h a m p i o s h i p , ,Mexico’83 and Stephen Keshi’s New Nigeria Bank Benin won the elusive WAFU Cup. In 2003,Golden Eaglets ruled the world in Japan,while Enyimba made history lifting the CAF Champions league in 2003..I am sure 2013,is for the Eagles again.”

The former governor was not done.”Imagine this,”he explained. ”When the Eagles won their first Nations Cup in 1980, their captain was a central defender Christian Chukwu.

Cape Verde's defender Nando (L) vies with Nigeria's forward Brown Ideye (R) during the Nigeria vs Cape Verde friendly.The match ended 0-0. Photo: AFP When Keshi lifted the trophy in 1994,he was in the central defence even

Eagles to win the Nations Cup. Adamu said that the football house would maintain the regular win bonus of $10,000 and $5,000 for draw in South Africa ”We are not preparing anything special as incentives for the Eagles. It’s the regular bonus they would get,” Adamu disclosed.

The NFF had proposed huge bonuses that would have gone for as much as $30,000-aman for a win in the AFCON final.

Such is the financial constraints facing the NFF that they have been forced to borrow cash for the country’s AFCON C M Y K

Yobo’s position.Good enough, the trio would be in South Afrca.”

We expect a tough tournament — Enyeama

BY JACOB AJOM

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IGERIANS hoping to see their national team ride with ease over

NFF Continues from B/P

if he did not play in the grand finale. Now, you know Skipper Joseph

campaign after a Lagos court froze their accounts over a contractual dispute with Minaj Television.

The budget approved by the government for the Nations Cup has yet to be released to the NFF two days to the big AFCON kick-off in Johannesburg despite assurances from top sports ministry officials. ”We are yet to receive the money for the Nations Cup and this has slowed down a lot of plans for the tournament,” a top official lamented.

“We are not even sure when the money would be released. We are only hopeful that it would come in on time to avoid hiccups at the games in South Africa.”

their opponents at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations had better reshaped their thinking.

Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama has predicted a tough tournament ahead.

Enyeama did not mince words when asked about his expectations for the team in South Africa..

“It is not going to be like a sleep and wake up thing,” the short stopper started, in a chat with AIT. “We have to work very hard; till deep and fight

for every inch of the pitch.,” he said Enyeama added that the team would require an extra ounce of energy if success must be assured. Said he, “We need to work extra hard because it is going to be a very difficult tournament for the Eagles as most of the players are going to the Nations Cup for the first time. It is a young side and not a lot of us have got the required experience for this kind of championships.”

FIFA rankings Continues from B/P behind their Nations Cup Group B opponents Mali who maintained their world ranking in 25th position.

The four-time continental champions beat Egypt and Tunisia last week in pre-Nations Cup friendlies.

Ivory Coast still remained the best ranked Africa country after an unchanged 14th place on the FIFA ranking.

Algeria, who face Ivory Coast, Togo and Tunisia in Group D, slipped three places down to 22nd but held on to second spot on the continent.

Maigari Continues from B/P Super Eagles, is at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa to fight for the trophy that the country last won in Tunisia 19 years ago.

Speaking in Johannesburg, when he arrived in the capital of the Rainbow Nation on Thursday morning, and at about the same time the Eagles delegation was landing at the Oliver R. Tambo International Airport, the NFF President said the Super Eagles will take no prisoners or hostages at the Cup finals.

“People have been talking about the chances of the different teams. It is nothing out of the ordinary. Some persons have gone ahead to name their favourite teams for the trophy. My own favourite team for the trophy will be the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

“We have come to the finals with a fine blend of experienced and ambitious competitors; only few of them have been at the Nations Cup before. But the bulk of

them have been together over the past 15 months and blended very well,” Maigari told the media in Johannesburg.

Players and officials of the Super Eagles, who had been in a final training camp in Faro, Portugal since December 28, and played a total of four tune-up matches, arrived in Nelspruit on Thursday evening and immediately checked into the Ingwenyama Conference and Sport Resort.

The delegation, which was led by NFF Executive Committee member, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu from Portugal, was received at the Nelspruit Airport by NFF Executive Committee member and chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama, NFF’s Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, Director of Marketing Idris Adama and Store Manager Tajudeen Tiamiyu. Head of Protocol, Ibrahim Abubakar received the delegation in Johannesburg.

Nigeria Continues from B/P generated a lot of excitement even before a ball is kicked in anger.

Ticket sales for this fixture have been most encouraging as Zambia are expected to enjoy a lot of support from their compatriots who are expected to come down in droves from across the border.

Zambia coach Herve Renard has already stoked the fire by saying he has not been impressed by the Eagles in pre-AFCON warm-ups and that his team want to top this group.

“We want to finish top of our group like in 2010 and 2012. It’s not easy, but we want to go as far as possible because this team has fantastic team spirit,” the Frenchman said.

However, like Nigeria, Zambia have also struggled in the run-in to this competition after they lost three straight warm-up games against

the likes of Saudi Arabia and Tanzania.

Interestingly, Nigeria stopped Zambia after a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.

Both teams parade some exciting players like Rainford Kalaba, Stopilla Sunzu (Zambia) and Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses (Nigeria).

They have met 16 times, four of which were at the AFCON with Nigeria having the upper hand as they have won three and drawn one of these clashes.

But while Zambia have retained the bulk of the team who surprised Africa last year, Nigeria are rebuilding and so are in South Africa with as many as 17 players who will be making their AFCON debuts.

Both Burkina Faso and Ethiopia have boosted they will go past the first round stage with the Walia Antelopes from Addis Ababa impressive in tune-up matches for the AFCON.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

FIFA rankings: Eagles stagnant as Ghana surge

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IGERIA remained stagnant at 52 nd place in the latest FIFA rankings for the month of January, 2013.

The Super Eagles, however, are 9th in Africa as Cote d’Ivoire remain Africa’s number one nation but 14 th in the

Nigeria, Zambia set for N battle royale IGERIA and d e f e n d i n g champions Zambia will battle to win Group C and so avoid mighty Cote d’Ivoire in the knockout stage of the AFCON. The other teams in Group C in Nelpsruit

are Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, who could well define the final standings.

Already the January 25 clash between the Super Eagles and Chipolopolo (the Copper Bullets) has Continues on Page 55

world Meanwhile, Ghana have moved four places up in the latest FIFA ranking.

The Black Stars climbed from last year’s 30th place to 26 but remained the continent’s fourth best nation.Ghana amassed 788 points on the table but stayed Continues on Page 55

•Mikel

NFF steps down bogus bonuses for Eagles T

•Yobo — Eagles skipper.

•Sunzu — Zambian defender.

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are broke and have therefore been forced to put aside proposed enhanced win bonuses for the AFCON. Head of NFF finance committee Shehu Adamu informed MTNFootball.com that there would be no added incentives for the Super Continues on Page 55

Maigari: Eagles are here to soar

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•Maigari

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari said on Thursday that the Nigeria National team, Super Eagles, is at the Continues on Page 55

Why Eagles will win Afcon — Kalu — P.55 TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Responsibility (4) 4 Scamp (3) 6 Remain (4) 9 Hill (3) 10 Dig (8) 11 Watched (4) 14 Noise (3) 16 Sprig (5) 19 Tester (8) 21 Satan (5) 23 Devote (8) 24 Pattern (5) 27 Tear (3) 31 Revise (4) 33 Greed (8) 34 Stray (3) 35 Region (4) 36 Owing (3) 37 Companion (4)

DOWN 2 Nearest (4) 3 Barter (4) 4 Dreamt (8) 5 Nobleman (4) 6 Precipitous (5) 7 Plaything (3) 8 Stadium (5) 12 Kingdom (5) 13 Sound (5) 14 Performed (3) 15 Not ever (5) 17 Emulate (5) 18 Rustic (5) 20 Deride (8) 22 Edge (3) 25 Command (5) 26 Additional (5) 28 Elderly (4) 29 Staunch (4) 30 One (4) 32 Wrath (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Redeem 5, Temper 8, Preserve 9, Away 10, Try 12, Refer 15, Set 17, Ore 18, Act 19, Emu 20, Idiot 21, All 22, Nag 23, Elm 24, Tag 26, Noted 29, Pen 33, Coal 34, Interval 35, Stream 36, Rolled.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Error 3, Erase 4, Merge 5, Theme 6, Moan 7, Erase 10, Treat 11, Young 12, Reign 13, Feint 14, Rated 15, Stamp 16, Talon 25, Aloft 27, Odium 28, Enter 30, Evade 31, Glue 32, Oral.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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