Budget 2013: Senate setscondition for passage

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...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61734

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Subsidy scam: Uba obtained more •P.6 than 11 states' allocation — Prosecution

BUDGET 2013:

N150

First Lady returns, says'I don't have terminal illness' •P 6

Senate sets condition for passage •Vows to ensure oversight functions on MDAs

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU & HENRY UMORU

•Decries 50% slash in DPR allocations

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•Says FG has only implemented 2012 budget by 30%

BUJA-THE Sen ate, yesterday, said that the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of the Ex-

ecutive arm, have only implemented 30 per cent of the 2012 budget as against claims of slightly Continues on page 5

Stakeholders laud Jonathan on N426.53b education budget •Pg.23

Chinua Achebe, Biafra and the travesties of war 2 •P. 17

OCHEREOME NNANNA Much ado about Achebe •P.19 on Awo (2)

Mr & Mrs

FIRST LADY RETURNS—From left: President Goodluck Jonathan, his mother, Mrs Eunice Jonathan and son, with others welcoming the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: State House. More on P.9.

Uniport Four: 13 suspects charged with conspiracy, murder

•P.11

2—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

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4—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

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POCKET CARTOON

Budget 2013: Senate sets condition for passage Continues from page 1 above 40 per cent implementation by the Presidency.

There were strong indications that the strained relationship between the Executive and the National Assembly may affect the early passage of the 2013 budget which was presented by President Goodluck Jonathan last Wednesday to a Joint Session of the National Assembly.

Speaking with Journalists in Abuja, yesterday, Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Ahmed Maccido who disclosed that the figures were collated from documents submitted to the Senate by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, said: “I believe even the Executive would agree with the fact that the budget has not reached more than 30 per cent implementation.”

He continued: The figure came from documents given to us from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation. We all have them because there were releases, there are cashbackings, there is the actual budget itself and based on all these, that was where we got the 30 per cent budget implementation figure from.

So, based on those figures, we made our de-

ductions and arrived at that figure.

“The onus rests on the Senate to verify that because, as it is now, we are going on oversight functions to the MDAs and not just sitting in minister’s office and bringing documents for us to look at.

No, we will go out to the field to see what is happening.

“If, for instance, N1 billion has been earmarked for a particular project, say, a road, we want to go to site to see for ourselves the level of work that has been done on that particular road. Is the work on that road commensurate with the N1 billion budgeted? If not, we will come back and report to Senate that, that road is not up to the amount earmarked for it.

“We will make our own deductions and conclusions and pass them to the Senate.

From there, we will know what to do. As I said earlier, it is not a matter of agreeing with the House or the Executive but actually, we have the same stand.

“All we are going to do is to debate the budget estimates and after that, we will not touch the budget again until such a time when we have finished with our oversight functions.

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

‘Him over whom you have no power has power over you’. Be who you have been created to be.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it —Rainer Maria

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OUISE Erdrich writing is insightful about life and its ordeals, but the reality is that the lessons and blessing in our lives are really a stepping stone to greater achievements; every experience has a lesson to teach and a blessing to glean, all roads lead to spiritual unfoldment and life’s many successes.

According to her: “will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to open your heart. You are here to embrace life and even though, it may happen that we experience dismay, that is the moment we can let ourselves sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around us in heaps; just enjoy their sweetness. And tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.” Metaphorically, the apples falling are the experiences of joy and laughter in our lives.

“These are issues we need to take up with the Executive this year. As we go on, we make improvements on issues of our workings on the budget, not just on gas. There are issues such as the way the Sovereign Wealth Fund and the Excess Crude Account are being managed. All these issues will be raised with the President this year.

“We are going to sit down, deliberate on these issues as we go on working on the budget. So, we are going to raise the issue when we meet with the Executive and we are going to insist on genuine and real answers so that we can tell Nigerians what is happening to their money.”

It was gathered, yesterday, that the Senators are not in a hurry to pass the 2013 N4.92 trillion budget until its 56 standing committees conclude oversight function on MDAs. The House of Representatives, however, began consideration of the 2013 budget on Tuesday.

Asked if the level of implementation cuts across all budget sub-heads, Senator Maccido said: “I am talking specifically with respect to capital expenditure. They have no problem with recurrent spending.” Senate as gathered may commence the Second Reading of the 2013 budget today.

2013 Budget: Senate decries 50% slash in DPR allocations Meanwhile, as the furore over the 2013 budget heightens, the Senate has condemned the 50 percent slash in budgetary allocations to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, the regulator of the petroleum industry.

The Senate also frowned at the inability of the agency to enforce gas flaring penalties and promised to assist the agency to enforce gas flaring penalty to enhance cleaner environment.

The Senate Committee on Gas during an oversight visit to the DPR Headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday, noted that the continued slash in the allocations to the regulator, is not only weakening the agency, but also con-

tributing to the spate of abandoned capital projects, which should have enhanced its operational effectiveness.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, its Chairman, Senator Nkechi Nwogu, who led her team on the verification of the level of implementation of the appropriations from the 2012 budget allocated to the DPR, argued that the agency required more funding if it was to be a truly world class and independent regulatory body as obtained in other oil producing countries.

She said:”It would be unfortunate when we look into their budget and see that it has been slashed like he (DPR director) said. Having come here today with the committee members and having seen what they are doing, having seen what they require to do in terms of getting them equipped for the proper surveillance and doing a good regulatory job, they need money to be properly independent; they need money to acquire some of the equipment that will help them to procure data as at when required, they need more funds to ensure that they will transparently and properly monitor these IOCs. “A typical example is the issue of this gas monitoring equipment, (Real Time Monitoring Equipment) before now, DPR used to rely on the figures obtained from the IOCs and I am happy that the government of this country through DPR, via the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, was able to say that there is need for them to have their own independently installed equipment to be able to know how much gas we produce in this country.”

Earlier, the Director, DPR, Mr. Osten Olorunsola, had raised an alarm on the continued slash of the agency’s budget, saying that the agency will not be able to continue with ongoing capital projects, and will lead to more projects abandonment.

He revealed that since 2010, the industry regulator has continued to suffer budgetary slash.

He said: “In 2010, the DPR vote was $9billion, by 2011, it was slashed by 50 per cent. In 2012,

we were allocated N4.6billion, and in 2013, almost 50 per cent slash is again being proposed, which will reduce the allocation to N2.5billion.

“At this rate, we will only function by the grace of God, and we will have to cancel more capital projects because there will be no money to fund them.”

Budgetary implementation With regard to the 2012 appropriations, Olorunsola revealed that only about 45 per cent of the total votes had been released to the agency or N1.9billion of the N4.6billion as at midSeptember.

On conclusion of inspection and visit to the National Data Repository, NDR, Senator Nwogu, expressed her committee’s delight on the level of execution of capital projects.

According to her: “We are impressed with the level of budgetary imple-

mentation, but the budget votes is not reflective of the amount of appropriation required for DPR to make it a world class industry regulator.”

Explaining the rationale for giving DPR a pass mark with budgetary, she said, “the figures are there as you and I have seen them and they have about 50 per cent or 45 per cent releases and out of that, they have utilised, as we speak today, 50 per cent of that.

If you look at it in the first instance, you will think there is no performance but when they explained why the figure was that, we saw for instance the issue of capital project in respect to their head office being built in Abuja, where we appropriated in the 2012, N1.5 billion and the property has been revoked by the ministry of FCT which is one of the things that we are going to look into because they do deserve a presence in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria."

Declare state of emergency on health sector —Mark

BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA— WOR RIED by the deplorable state of the health sector in the country, Senate President David Mark yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare state of emergency in the sector.

Mark also stressed the need for a comprehensive road map that would help address the challenges of healthcare delivery in the country to reduce maternal and child deaths.

Speaking at an interactive session of Senators and the partnership

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for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) in Abuja, yesterday, Mark who noted that the Nigerian government was committed to reduction of child and maternal deaths, said that available statistic showed that Nigeria contributes only 2% to world population and yet accounts for 10% of the global maternal deaths.

The Senate President lamented that Nigerian ranked highest in Africa in terms of number of neonatal death and second world wide in terms of under five deaths.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Presidency 2015: Court determines Jonathan’s eligibility today

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

BUJA — AN Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, will today, determine whether President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible or not to contest Presidency in 2015.

It was an aggrieved member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Cyriacus Njoku, that approached the court, asking it to go ahead and determine “ whether Section 135(2) of the Constitution, which specifies a period of four years in office for the President, is only available or applicable to a person elected on the basis of an actual election or includes one in which a person assumes the position of President by operation of law, as in the case of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.”

Likewise, a seven-man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court has fixed December 14, to deliver judgment on another suit seeking to nullify the April 16 general election that brought President Jonathan to power.

The suit was filed before the apex court by the National Democratic Party, NDP, which is alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, violated several provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010. The party contended that the second timetable the electoral body used for the general election was illegal, null and void.

Meantime, in his suit, Cyriacus who said he intended to vie for the Presidency in 2015, is also urging the high court to determine “ whether Section 137(1) (b) of the Constitution, which provides that a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections, applies to the first defendant, who first took an oath of office as substantive President on May 6, 2010 and took a second oath as President on May 29, 2011.”

He is seeking a declaration that ‘the President’s tenure of office began on May 6, 2010 when his first term began and his two terms shall end on May 29, 2015 after taking his second oath of office on May 29, 2011; and by virtue of Section 136 (1) (b) of the Constitution, no person (including the first defendant) shall take the oath of allegiance and the oath of office prescribed to in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution more than twice.

A DOCKED: A cross section of suspected killers of four University of Port Harcourts students in Aluu at Magistrate Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Mrs Jonathan returns, says ‘I do not have terminal illness’

BY BEN AGANDE

BUJA — AFTER several weeks of absence, the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, yesterday, returned to a boisterous welcome amidst tight security at the Presidential Wing of the Abuja International Airport. She debunked insinuations that she had a tummy tuck in a German hospital.

A large crowd of mostly women, youth groups and traditional dancers, dressed in colourful outfits welcomed her in a ceremony that was largely restricted.

Mrs. Jonathan’s welcome party was led by all female ministers and other presidential aides at the airport.

Though she appeared to have lost some weight, she was in high spirit as she thanked God for giving her a second chance, in an interview conducted by Nigerian Television Authority, NTA. She condemned those who insinuated that she was going to die like Gen. Sani Abacha, Mrs Stella Obasanjo and President Umaru Yar ’Adua, saying God’s purpose for her still stands.

She said: “Thank God Almighty for bringing me back safely to Nigeria. Wherever there are good people, there are also bad ones.

“There are few Nigerians that are saying whatever they like, not what God planned because God has a plan for all of us. And God has said it all that when two or three are gathered in His name that He will be with them.

And Nigerians gathered and prayed for me and God listened and heard their prayers, so I thank God for that.

“At the same time I will use this opportunity to tell those few ones that are saying that anybody that goes to Villa or Aso Rock will die. They mentioned Abacha, they

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mentioned Stella Obasanjo, they mentioned Yar’Adua and other people. But those people why didn’t they mention those ones that went there with their families and succeeded and they still came out alive.

“We should remember that Aso Rock is the seat of power and that is where God has ordained for Nigerians, that our leaders should rule from and to rule us right. God is wonderful and his infinite mercy endures.

“At the same time, I read in the media where they said I was in the hospital. God almighty knows I have never been to that hospital, I don’t even know the hospital they mentioned.

“I have to explain what God has done for me. I do not have terminal illness, neither did I do any cosmetic surgery, much less tummy tuck. My husband loves me as I am and I am pleased with how God created me I cannot add anything.

“But at the same time, I will use this opportunity to thank my beloved husband and my children and my staff in general and all Nigerians for standing by me during my trying times.

“God has given me a second chance to come and work with women of Nigeria, children and the less privileged. I have come to serve Nigeria, I have come to work with Nigerians, I am there

for them. Once more, I am pleased to be back. I love Nigerians. They are my family.”

At the Presidential Villa where she returned to the warm welcome of her husband, children and her mother-in-law, Mrs. Eunice Jonathan and her domestic staff at about 5 p.m, her media aide who had gone incommunicado during the duration of her stay suddenly became overzealous as he harassed journalists who had sought to interview the first lady.

He told the journalists: “No! Do you want to kill her? She has to rest. Go to your beat, is this your beat?”

Subsidy scam: Uba obtained more than 11 states' allocation —Prosecution

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

AGOS — THE prosecution told Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday, that the fund involved in the case against the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas, Dr. Ifeanyi Uba and four others can conveniently settle the monthly allocation of 11 states from the Federation Account.

The police prosecutor has, therefore, prayed the court to turn down the bail application of the accused pending the conclusion of investigation, arguing that Ifeanyi Uba can interfere with the investigation, The officials of Uba’s company detained with him are Joseph Orji, Chibuzo Ogbuokiri, Gidfrey Okorie and Nsikan Usoro.

In an affidavit filed by the police and argued by Mr Godwin Oblah and Prince

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Aderemi Adekile to oppose the bail application by the Capital Oil boss and four others, the police argued that releasing him now would jeopardise their on-going investigations, which may truncate their case in court.

Uba, through his counsel, Mr Joseph Nwobike, SAN, however, urged the court to discountenance the police arguments, saying detaining him (Uba) beyond 48 hours as stipulated by law was a violation of his fundamental rights.

He argued that the alleged offence for which the applicants were remanded did not constitute a capital offence, stressing that the provisions of section 35(4) of the 1999 constitution clearly protect the liberty of the individual which the court must ensure it protects.

The police in its counter affidavit argued that contrary to what the applicants filed in their ex-parte application,

cogent facts were concealed from the court to the extent that the applicants failed to show that they were detained on the order of a magistrate court, and that it was done deliberately to mislead the court.

According to the police, Uba was still being investigated on account of other allegations on money laundering, forgery of shipping documents and stealing by conversion of petroleum products worth about $280 million.

The police averred that “the applicants’ fraudulent acts were against the entire Nigerian society and had impacted adversely on the economy and general welbeing of the country.

“The total amount wrongfully and fraudulently obtained through the connivance and activities of the applicants is equivalent to the monthly statutory allocation from the Federation Account for 11 states in the federation.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—7

Watch your utterances, PDP warns Mark, Tambuwal, govs Dissolves Adamawa PDP EXCO, inaugurates caretaker c'ttee

BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA — THE national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, read a riot's act to Senate President David Mark; Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and other elected officers on the platform of the party to guard against their utterances.

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Rising from its National Working Committee, NWC, meeting at the Wadata Plaza, National Secretariat of the party, the PDP also extended the warning to all appointed officers especially the Presidential aides, stressing that they complied or face serious disciplinary action.

Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, the

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, also cautioned members of the party especially the elected members to henceforth put an end to such unwarranted bickerings through exchange of words, adding that such acts portrayed the PDP in a very bad light to the nation and the world.

Meanwhile, the crisis rocking the Adamawa State Chapter of the PDP, yesterday, heightened as the national leadership of the PDP sacked the Executive Committee of the state chapter and inaugurated a nine-member caretaker committee to run affairs of the party in the state.

When asked if the

warning was applicable to the leadership of the National Assembly and its members, Metuh said: "I think we stated that this statement applied to all elected and appointed representatives of the party at all levels. The executive, the legislature, anybody that is elected and appointed on behalf of the party.

"Governors are elected to pursue and face the affairs of the state and issues of governance. The National Working Committee is elected to administer the affairs of the party and we restricted ourselves to only issues that affect the party and I think that this NWC is committed to upholding the constitution of our party.

NWC 'll not tolerate indiscipline

President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd left); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (left); Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Itah Ekpo (middle); Head of Service, Alhaji Bello Sali (2nd right) and Chairman, Civil Service Commission, Deacon Ayo after the swearing in of the ICPC chairman at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

LCCI raises alarm over Nigeria’s debt profile, cost of borrowing

BY LAZARUS IBEABUCHI & NAOMI UZOR

AGOS — THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, said the country’s current debt profile was not sustainable, adding that the high cost of government borrowing was not healthy for the economy.

Speaking at its third quarter press conference on the economy by its President, Mr Goodie Ibru, the chamber said government was borrowing at a high cost of between 14-16 per cent which is one of the highest globally.

LCCI said:“This has reduced the attraction to lend to entrepreneurs; it is putting pressure on interest rates and increased the outflow of funds from the banking system to the government coffers. This scenario is clearly not healthy for the economy.”

Noting that the debt

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profile of the country is $44 billion as at June 2012, of which domestic debt is $38 billion and current debt service provision in the 2013 budget is N592 billion, the chamber said: “Current debt profile is not sustainable, taking into account that current debt service is about 20 per cent of total revenue of government.

“The use of the global benchmark of debt to GDP ratio would not be appropriate for the Nigerian economy because a major component of the GDP, which is agriculture, is not a revenue generating activity.

If this component is discounted, the ratio will be much higher than the set threshold.

“N1.54 trillion earmarked for capital projects and N592 billion for debt services in the 2013 budget raise issues of prioritisation of resource allocation.

“Payment of contractor arrears is often relegated when the issue of the nation’s debt is being discussed. Settlement of contractor arrears is as important as debt securitisation .

Cost of borrowing too high “Cost at which the government is borrowing is too high and creating distortions in the credit market. Private sector is being crowded out when investment in treasury bills and government bonds are more attractive than putting money in fixed deposits or lending to enterprises.

“High returns on government securities compound the problem of liquidity in the banking system and impede f i n a n c i a l intermediation.”

The chamber said that there was an urgent need, therefore, to moderate the growth of

domestic debts and free resources for investors in the economy.

On the 2013 budget, the chamber noted that allocation to infrastructure development and some other critical sectors of the economy was grossly inadequate, adding that the government needs to do a lot more in the areas of power, the roads and agriculture.

It said: “It is important to also note that this allocation is a combination of both recurrent and capital, which implies that the capital content is even much lower. We note the 2.7 per cent reduction in recurrent expenditure from 71.43 per cent to 68.7 per cent; and the increase of 2.8 per cent in Capital budget, from 28.5 per cent to 31.3 per cent. These adjustments are not profound enough to provide the needed infrastructure support to stimulate the economy.”

"The NWC exhaustively discussed and frowned at the disagreeable trend where members of the party elected and appointed into federal positions engage in utterances and actions that portray the PDP in bad light and as having no unity of purpose.

"We wish to emphasize that our manifesto as well as our constitution are abundantly clear on the need for all party members, especially the elected representatives of the people, to be on the same page at all times to ease the realisation of our policies and programmes for the benefit of the people.

"We, therefore, warn that the party will invoke the full weight of its disciplinary measures on any elected or appointed members, who engage in any act that will bring the party to disrepute.

It is an offence under the constitution of the party.

The NWC will no longer tolerate any act of indiscipline at any level.”

Adamawa PDP Exco caretaker c'ttee members The Adamawa State caretaker committee which has Amb. Umar Damagun from Yobe State as Chairman, comprises Mr. Eli Gamaliel, member, Adamawa South; Mr. Dahiru Shehu, Adamawa South; Alhaji Sabo Mohammed, Adamawa Central; Mrs Grace Mamba, Adamawa Central; Capt. (Mrs) Altine Inuwa, Adamawa North; Mr. Samuel Zadok, Adamawa South; Alhaji.

Adamu Wazirin Paka,

Adamawa North and Hon. Emmanuel Tsamdu from Adamawa North as Secretary.

The statement signed by Metuh on the Adamawa Caretaker Committee read: "The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissolved the Adamawa State Chapter of the party. A caretaker committee has also been set up to manage the affairs of the party in the state pending further directives.

“On behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party, the National Working Committee hereby dissolves the Adamawa State Executive Committee of the PDP. This is in exercise of Article 31, sections 2(e) and 29, 2 (b) of the 2012 amended constitution of our party and consequent on repeated breaches of the constitution by the Adamawa State Chapter. A Caretaker Committee has been set up in its place.

"The National Working Committee which took the decision today, October 17, 2012 in a meeting which also reviewed other crucial party and national issues noted that the dissolved Adamawa Executive Committee had flagrantly disregarded and shown serial disobedience to the decisions of the NWC. “The dissolved Exco was expressly advised by the National Working Committee (NWC)to halt further steps towards the conduct of local government elections as agreed at a meeting of October 9, 2012 between the NWC and the Adamawa State Working Committee. However, the EXCO did not only go ahead with the process, it submitted a list of candidates to the State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) without the approval of the NWC. "This is contrary to the provisions of section 50(1) of the Constitution of the party which among others states emphatically that the National Executive Committee which the NWC acts on behalf of in this respect, is the final authority for the formulation of guidelines and regulations for the nomination of Candidates for election into public offices at all levels and conveying same to INEC or any other authority to whom it may concern.”

8—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

THE RAGE OF FLOOD 14 killed in Jigawa flood disaster

BY TINA AKANNAM

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witnessed this year was 40years ago.

“There was heavy rainfall through out and that was why every where was flooded. This year, the flooding affected all the 27 local governments of the state, but some places are more affected.”

The SEMA executive secretary further disclosed that apart from farmlands that were lost to the flood, many roads and bridges were also affected in many parts of the state, adding the damage recorded was not limited to small villages around river banks alone.

He call edon well meaning people in the state to assist victims of the flood, saying government alone could not carry the burden.

Waziri said the state government had spent millions of naira to provide relief materials to victims, adding that a federal government delegation had visited the state and promised to send in more assistance to the victims.

UTSE—JIGAWA t a t e Government has confirmed no fewer than 14 persons killed by the flood that had ravaged some parts of the state.

Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief Agency, SEMA, Alhaji Aliyu Waziri, who disclosed this in an interview Some of the internally displaced persons, IDPs, at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa. Photo: with Vanguard yesterday, warned that more Samuel Oyadongha. towns will be affected by the flood in the state before it terminates.

Alhaji Waziri said already 360,000 houses and 400,000 hectares of farm lands had been lost to the flood, adding Benson Kombowei, said the that more will be affected as

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA spend N1.5 billion from our house passed the bill two the flooding is still moving savings to address some of the days after its receipt. until it gets to its termination ENAG OA—BAYELSA immediate challenges posed Kombowei explained that the point in Birniwa local governState governor, Seriake by the crisis.” timely passage of the bill was ment area of the state.

Dickson, yesterday signed Presenting the bill for the to enable government immeSaid he: “The last time we into law N1.5 billion supplegovernor’s assent, Speaker of diately cushion the effects of had the volume of rainfall we mentary appropriation bill to the State House of Assembly, the devastating flood. enable the government mitigate the flood ravaging the state.

About 85 per cent of the state landmass is currently submerged in the rampaging flood leaving several thousands of families displaced and their means of livelihood destroyed.

The bill was passed by the A G O S — state House of Assembly to IJAW Leader and coordinator of Ijaw Monienable the government meet toring Group, IMG, Comrade Joseph Evah has its challenges arising from the commended the Chairman of Presidential Amrecent flooding of some local nesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku for encourgovernment areas which renaging former agitators in the Niger Delta to dodered thousands of people nate a total of N52.7 million to flood victims in homeless and property worth the region. millions of naira, including In a statement signed in Lagos, Evah said the farmland destroyed. gesture was a good lesson for present and fuSigning the bill into law, ture leaders of the Niger Delta.

Dickson noted with dismay He recalled the the IMG had earlier initiated the devastating effects of the the same method of the youths donating part of flood on the people of the their Amnesty allowances for the development state, noting that with the pasof the region and for the support of the needy in sage and signing of the law, the region. his administration would Arial view of some parts of Asaba, Delta State, submerged by flood.

“We thank Kuku for helping to train the swing into action in providing succour for the victims. youths today to share what The fund, according to the they have with others. If we governor, will go a long way don’t want to produce anin enabling the government other set of wicked generaaddress the immediate needs

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM He also called for prayers for enable people repent and tion of leaders that will of flood victims.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole pray for God’s blessings, say- continue to draw Niger ENIN CITY—WOR of Edo State whom he said ing that he had prayed Delta backward in the next He said: “It is good to save.

RIED by the devastating enemies are battling to ensure against the negative revela- 100 years, we must remove And because we have actually been saving…Outside this effects of flooding in many that he was disgraced after he tions he got against the na- the evil spirit of winner month alone, what we are parts of the country, the Gen- must have left office. He made tion takes it all mentality from going to put into that fund, eral Overseer of City Fire Lib- this call when declaring the He stressed the need for our children.” the compulsory saving eration Ministry, Apostle 2013 prophecy for Nigeria .

He urged all Niger Delta Nigerians to pray for the adAndrew Ehis, has urged Nischeme is about N3.5billion.

According to Apostle Ehis, ministration of President leaders to emulate Kuku “I had to request the gerians to forget about their God speaks through his Jonathan, saying that the rev- and come up with ideas and Bayelsa House of Assembly in relgious affiliations and pray Prophets like he did through elations as regards his presi- programmes to assist vicaccordance with the laws that for the nation and the admin- Noah in the Bible, adding that dency is not too good for the tims of the ravaging flood of President the essence of prophecy is to nation. the House should by two-third istration in the region. majority grant our request to Goodluck Jonathan.

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Dickson signs N1.5bn supplementary bill into law to tackle flood Y

Ijaw leader lauds Kuku over amnesty donation to victims

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Cleric urges Nigerians to pray for victims

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—9

DAME PATIENCE GOODLUCK JONATHAN'S AIRPORT RECEPTION ON RETURN TO ABUJA, YESTERDAY. PIX : ABAYOMI ADESHIDA.

President Goodluck Jonathan welcoming his spouse, Dame Patience Jonathan; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (right) and wife of Senate President, Mrs. Helen Mark (left) and others at the recepFirst Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan acknowledges cheers from her well-wishers at tion. the Presidential Wing, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

From left: Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Chief Arthur Eze, Prof Dora Akunyili and Chief Emeka Wogu, Minister of Labour.

Wife of Benue State Governor, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam (2nd left); Housing Minister, Ms. Amal Pepple (right); Minister of State, Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada (left) and others on the occasion.

Cross section of traditional rulers at the airport.

Cross section of governors' wives during airport reception for the First Lady.

Cross section of Market Women Association of Nigeria.

Cross section of Ijaw women.

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Cross section of Rivers State dance troupe entertaining guests.

10—Vanguard,

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Councillor slaps LG worker over alleged blackmail

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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From left: Layi Babatunde (SAN), Publisher, LAWBREED; Chief Iyiola Oladokun, former Deputy Governor, Oyo State; Adejoke Babatunde, Deputy Editor in Chief LAW BREED and Dayo Moses Akinlaja, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekiti State, at the Annual Public Lecture and InterLaw Faculty Quiz, at the University of Ibadan.

PHCN staff electrocuted on duty in Ekiti

BY GBENGAARIYIBI

DO EKITI — Residents of Satellite Area, NTA Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, yesterday wept uncontrollably when a middle aged member of staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Mr. Samuel Job Isaac was electrocuted and died instantly.

Isaac was until his death a contract member of staff of the company and an electrical/ electronics engineering graduate of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke. The unfortunate incident which occurred at about 10.04 a.m. had attracted the attention of the residents who tried in vain to save the life of

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the PHCN worker whose body was dangling in between the two tension wires.

Isaac who had reported for work as early as 8 a.m. yesterday was assigned the responsibility of rectifying a fault in the spot before he met his untimely death.

Shortly after climbing a ladder, the deceased was said to have received a shock from a high tension wire that snapped while he was performing his duty.

According to a PHCN source, the power surge caused a serious damage to the Isaac’s body, as his clothe and body got burnt during the process.

One of the residents who spoke with

Vanguard under the condition of anonymity, said he was attracted to the scene of the incident because of the screaming of neighbours.

Meantime, the victim’s charred body had been deposited at the morgue of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, AdoEkiti, Describing what led to the death of the PHCN worker, the Public Relations Officer of the company, Mr. Kayode Brown, said the victim was working on the feeder to detect some faults on the high tension lines that had occasioned power outage in the area.

He said Isaac was employed about three years ago and had gott cognate experience to

Nigeria almost in anarchy – Alaafin

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN – ALAAFIN of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi has expressed worry over daily killings in Nigeria, saying the country is not safe for anyone again.

He maintained that with the spate of. violence, the country had almost been turned into a state of anarchy.

Oba Adeyemi said this after commissioning some of the projects executed by the caretaker chairmen of the four local government councils in Oyo axis.

The monarch commissioned projects in Afijio, Atiba, Oyo East and Oyo West as part of activities marking his 74th C M Y K

birthday anniversary.

Still lamenting the state of general insecurity in the land, he said, “It is a pity that Nigeria is moving to a state of anarchy where students are being slaughtered”.

“This country is not safe again for anybody; imagine the students who were studying to become future leaders of this country being killed just like that?”

Unless the government quickly rises to the challenges and takes appropriate measures, things “may get out of hand, because nobody is safe again in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the reason for marking his 74th birthday, he said: “The

celebration is quite different from the past ones because I mandated the council bosses to embark on developmental programmes across the four local government areas of Afijio, Atiba, Oyo East and Oyo West to see how we can fulfil our promises to our great people.”

“This is because we believe that the council is the nearest government to the grass-roots people, and we have to do this if we want to satisfy their yearning.

The local government chairmen have gone round their council areas to see what the people want in order of priorities and to do them”

handle sensitive electrical work.

According to Brown the victim must have died of a situation he described as ‘back-feed’ on the high tension, which he branded a very uncommon phenomenon in power supply.

B E O K U TAPANDEMONIUM broke out yesterday at the Secretariat of Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State when councillors and career workers of the council threw caution to the wind over emolument.

The Councillor who is also the Deputy Leader of the legislative arm of the local government from Ward 14, Azeez Sopein, was reported to have slapped a career officer (name withheld) during an argument over the mace of the Council.

Vanguard gathered that, the councillors wanted to threaten the council chairman, Mr. Lanre Edun with impeachment so as to force him to pay them some money ahead of the forthcoming Id-el-Kabir festival but could not find the mace.

It was gathered that, the career officer who had the key to the room where the mace was kept, apparently sensed their mission and refused to

release the key which allegedly triggered the crisis.

Vanguard, however, gathered that, the councillors were broke and transfered the aggression on the career officer as none of the legislative workers in the council was said to have received salaries since their assumption of office.

According to the findings, Sopein allegedly led 10 other councillors to attack the council worker in his office after slapping the career officer.

The peace in the local Government was shattered following the assault on the career officer.

Confirming the incident, the state President, National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Tajudeen Olusesi, said the union had already dispatched a delegation to Abeokuta South Local Government secretariat to wade into the matter.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—11

Uduaghan urged to publish report on Uzere crisis

BY FESTUS AHON GHELLI—AS the rift which sent the Ovie of Uzere Kingdom, in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, HRM Isaac Odogri, into exile lingers, people of the kingdom, Tuesday, called on the state government to make public recommendations of the panel of inquiry set up by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in the wake of the crisis.

Speaking on behalf of Uzere people, Chief Victor Otomiewo, former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, said rather than allow the deposed

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DEMOLITION: Some of the 40 shops demolished at Okere Junction by Estate Roundabout, Warri, following the declaration of Mr. Bernard Akporiaye as the rightful owner of the land by the Court of Appeal in Benin.

Uniport Four: Suspects charged for conspiracy, murder

Shun sub-standard products to grow economy —SON

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

geant

As Police dismiss sergeant

BY JIMITOTA

ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT—THIRTEEN suspects arrested in connection with the murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt on October 5, were, yesterday, charged before a Port Harcourt Magistrate on a five- count charge, even as the Police has dismissed a Sergeant, Lucky Orji, who was said to be part of the mob.

The paramount ruler of Omuokiri-Aluu community, Alhaja Hassan Walewa , 59, was among the thirteen suspects in court. The others were, ex-sergeant, Lucky Orji, 43; Lawal Segun, 28; Cynthia Chinwo, 24; George Nwadei, 20; Ekpe Daniel, 30; Okoghiroh Endurance, 24; Gabriel Oche, 33; Ozioma Abajuo, 23; Endurance Edet, 27; Ikechukwu Louis Amadi (aka Kapoon) 32; David Chinasa Ogboda, 30; and Chigozie Evans Samuel, 22.

They were charged alongside others at large for conspiring to murder the four students of the University of Port Harcourt, Ugonna Obuzor, Toku Lloyd, Chiadika Biringa, and Tekenah Elkanah.

The charge was read to them but the magistrate did not take their plea Adjourning on the matter till December 20, Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Woke, said the court lacked jurisdiction to en-

tertain the suit because of its nature.

He then directed that the case file be handed over to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

The accused who were leg-chained were led to the court by heavily armed security men.

Charge The charge against them read: “You, Alhaji Hassan Walewa, 59 years, ex-sergeant, Lucky Orji, 43, Lawal Segun, 28, Cynthia Chinwo, 24, George Nwadei, 20 , Ekpe Daniel, 30 years old, Okoghiroh Endurance, 24, Gabriel Oche, 33, Ozioma Abajuo, 23, Endurance Edet, 27, Ikechukwu Louis Amadi (aka Kapoon), 32, Dav-

id Chinasa Ogboda, 30, Chigozie Evans Samuel, 22 years, and others at large, on October 5, 2012, at Omuokiri, Aluu community, in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 laws of Rivers State, 1999.

“On the same date and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did murder one Ugonna Obuzor by lynching and burning him to death and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code cap 37 volume 111 laws of Rivers State, 1999.”

Police dismiss Ser-

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has dismissed a sergeant identified as Lucky Orji, who was allegedly involved in the gruesome murder of the students, following the confessions of one of the arrested suspects who claimed that a policeman was part of the mob.

The sergeant was dismissed for ordering the mob to kill the students.

Mr. Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, while speaking yesterday on Channels TV, named the dismissed sergeant as Lucky Orji.

He stated that the Nigeria Police Force had carried out their investigations and dismissed the ‘named’ sergeant.

Mba said the dismissed police officer and another officer were alleged to have stumbled upon the angry mob beating the students.

Commissioner’s kidnap: More knocks for Police in Rivers

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ORT HARCOURT—WITH widespread criticism of the Police in Rivers State still reverberating over perceived failure to avert the gruesome murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, the Police have again come under knocks, following the kidnap of a commission-

er in the state.

The state Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Wokocha, was reportedly abducted along with an aide by gunmen at Ede, along AhoadaOmoku road last Sunday while returning from Ahoada town, about 40km from Port Harcourt.

The state Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, who confirmed the incident, Tuesday, noted that Wokocha suffered the fate

while leading a government relief intervention team on an assessment of areas and victims ravaged by flood in his home locality of Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.

Also allegedly whisked away at the time were Dr. R. F Quadri,the Librarian of Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, and the school’s Director of Academic Planning and Statistics, Dr. Richard Ihua Maduenyi.

monarch to surreptitiously foist himself on the kingdom, he should be made to test his popularity among the people.

Otomiewo, who is the community ’s counsel, lambasted the police for invading Uzere and indiscriminately arresting the people, who were mostly farmers and fishermen, on framed-up charges.

He said: “Twenty-two innocent farmers and fishermen are now languishing in Kwale Prison because the state government wants to foist Isaac Udogri on the people of Uzere as their Ovie.”

ENIN—THE Head, Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, in Edo and Delta states, Mr. Ojo Akogun, yesterday, said efforts being made to build the economy of the nation would be a mirage if Nigerians failed to embrace quality and shun substandard products.

Akogun, who stated this in Benin City, Edo State, during the presentation of certificate to the Managing Director of Josama Engineering Company Ltd, Joseph Iyere, said the management of SON, led by Dr J. Odumodu, had made frantic efforts to reduce

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substandard products to at least 30 per cent, adding that the campaign against fake products was to ensure that Nigerian products were accepted globally.

He emphasized that the only way of gaining sustainable competitive advantage in the market place was by offering good quality products that are produced in line with quality procedures as enshrined in the Nigerian Industrial Standards.

He said: “It is therefore imperative for all stakeholders, especially those in manufacturing sectors, to ensure total compliance with the SON road map to zero tolerance of substandard products."

A-Ibom Airport’s MRO, asset for air safety in Nigeria—Dep Gov EPUTY Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere, has described the construction of the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul, MRO, facility at Akwa Ibom International Airport as an indispensable asset that will enhance air safety in the country.

Mr. Ekere, who made the observation after conducting members of the Senate Committee on Aviation round the airport, explained that the state government embarked on the construction of the MRO facility, which will be operational by the first quarter of next year, as a positive

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contribution to national aviation infrastructure.

He said: “The MRO facility will lead to increased air safety and eliminate fatalities arising from air mishaps. We believe that the Federal Government should key into it because a functional MRO, run by international standard, will add to our air safety.”

Mr. Ekere described the airport as one of the best in the country in terms of facilities and land mass, pointing out that the International Terminal building, which will be operational by the third quarter of 2014, will be the first of its kind in the country.

12 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

7 expatriates kidnapped in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA ENAGOA—SIX Russians and an Estonian were reportedly kidnapped on board a vessel in the early hours of yesterday by unknown gunmen, suspected to be sea pirates, along the waterways of Bayelsa and Delta states on the Atlantic fringe.

The kidnapped expatriates, it was learnt, were part of a fifteen-member crew working for a French firm, Bourbon International Oil, when they came under attack along the Pennington River.

Eight other workers on board the attacked vessel, known as Bourbon Liberty 249, were said to have arrived the Nigerian Port at Onne.

The vessel is believed to be sailing from the Pennington Offshore Terminal situated 16 miles SW of the entrance to the Fishtown River.

Contacted, the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, con-

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firmed the incident, saying all its operational bases had been put on red alert to track down the perpetrators of the kidnappers.

Spokesman of the task force, Lt. Col.Oyeama Nwachukwu, said though the identity of the kidnapped expatriates could not be ascertained, a deployment of naval elements and military facilities along the

Niger Delta had been put on red alert and have started combing the area for the abductors.

He said: ”I can confirm to you that some unknwon gunmen attacked a vessel and abducted seven persons made up of six Russians and one Estonian. We have deployed our naval elements to comb the area and track down the kidnappers. We have also alerted all operational bases.”

Edo govt urged to probe artist's death Benin-based socio-cultural group, Edo People Front, has called on Edo State government to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of a Benin-based local artist in the employ of Edo State Board of Art and Culture.

Speaking in Benin City after a meeting of the group, its president, Mr. Osahon Asowata, said Edo people were particularly sad that the artist, Mr. Brown Aitiemwen, had to die the way he did.

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The group expressed concern that some money was approved for the deceased while he was in the hospital, adding that by the extant rules of the civil service, approval for money not been budgeted for in the annual budget estimate for the Ministry, could not be made.

It also noted that there was a due process to be followed in the civil service for government to come to the aid of any sick civil servant in the state.

N10m job scam: EFCC docks trainer

BY SONI DANIEL BUJA—ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Abraham Walson before Justice U. N. Agomoh of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence and fraud.

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Walson’s arrest and prosecution by the EFCC followed a petition by Mr. Fred Atasie, who alleged that the accused was hired as an instructor at a training centre in Port Harcourt in June 2010, for the training of unemployed youths in pipeline fitting and fabrication. He stated that Walson later recruited his own team and began to extort the unemployed youths by demanding huge sums of money from the trainees

Orators allege marginalisation of Urhobo

BY ABUTU AGADA ATIONAL Association of Urhobo Orators, Lagos branch, has cried out over what it described as the political marginalisation of the Urhobo nation in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

It described the alleged marginalisation as a total embarrassment to the Urhobo nation.

In a statement by its national president, Mr. Godspower Efiawhare, the group called on President Jonathan to urgently address their

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grievances.

The group said: “The Urhobo voted massively for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the last elections with nothing to show for the mass support. There are no ministerial appointments, no appointment into the oil sector, no ambassador, or any other vital position in the country.”

Calling for redress, it said, "The association in Lagos wants President Jonathan to address the grievances in Urhoboland without delay."

under the guise that he would facilitate their employment with SAIPEM, an oil servicing company.

In the course of investigation, the accused confessed to collecting huge sums of money from the trainees. According to him, the entire sum that he collected from about 263 youths amounted to over N10, 000,000. From this heist, he purchased a Nissan Almera car with registration number AM 613 BNY. When the case was called up, Counsel to EFCC, O. B. Akinsola (Mrs.) urged the court to strike out the names of the second and third accused persons from the charge as they were unavailable in court.

The Judge granted the application and struck out the names. When the amended charge was read to the accused person, he pleaded not guilty.

The defence counsel, W. O. Irehovbude, immediately tabled an oral application for bail and pleaded with the court to honour same.

The court, however, refused the prayer and adjourned the case.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—13

NJC rejects Osun’s CJ nominees, demands fresh list based on seniority .Considers Salami’s fate today Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

From left: Mr. Olalekan Agbana, (National Secretary); Mr. Popoola Ajayi, leader of the group, left, Mr Taye Naibi (representing Oodua groups in South-South) and Comrade Omotayo Kunle, Director of Mobilisation, at the All Yoruba Selfdetermination conference in Akure, Ondo State ,calling on voters to elect ACN candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) at Saturday's election.

Subsidy scam: Alao’s son granted N75m bail

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & ONOZURE DANIA

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USTICE LATEEFA Okunnu yesterday granted a N75 million bail to Abdulahi, son of Ibadan based business man, Alhaji Azeez Alao-Arisekola, who was charged for swindling the Federal Government of N1.1 billion oil subsidy fund.

Abdulahi was arraigned for the third time on different charges bordering on allegedly stealing the

Petroleum Support Fund, PSF. The trial judge also granted his co-accused, Olanrewaju Olafusi, an employee of Sterling Bank Plc bail in the sum of N100m to be guaranteed by the bank.

The duo of Arisekola and Olafusi have been charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on October 10 alongside a company Axenergy Limited,

Opeyemi Ajuyah, her firm, Majope Investment Limited, and one Olafusi on eight counts of N1.1bn subsidy fraud.

Ajuyah had been granted bail on Monday, but Okunnu was only able to hear the bail applications filed by Abdulahi and Olafusi yesterday.

EFCC, represented by its counsel, Mr. Francis Usali, had asked for an adjournment on Monday till yesterday for it to respond to the processes filed by the

Lagos pilgrims protest over accommodation in S-Arabia

BY MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

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UNDREDS OF pilgrims from Lagos State to this year’s hajj yesterday staged a protest over lack of proper accommodation in Mecca, Saudi Arabia by the state government.

A total of 90,000 pilgrims were successfully airlifted from Nigeria for the holy pilgrimage The protest which started some minutes after some of the pilgrims arrived Al Musfalah Hotel, Medinah from Mecca, one of the

official hotels for Lagos pilgrims, yesterday, were left to roam and sleep in the hotel lobby.

Sources said that some of the pilgrims who expressed their displeasure over the accommodation process of the state government, also condemned the activities of some of the state officials who apparently abandoned them.

He added that the protesters also accused the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Oyinlomo Danmole and others who arrived Mecca on Monday, for not

responding to their challenge as they perform their pilgrimage.

One of the pilgrims revealed “he would no longer tolerate the preferential treatment the state government officials were giving to some of the pilgrims whom they knew from Nigeria.”

The situation was, however, brought under control after several hours by the chairman of the Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. A b d u l h a k e e m Abdullateef, who promised to address the situation.

applicants.

The judge ordered that Sterling Bank should, on behalf of Olafusi, pay a bail bond of N100m as part of his bail conditions.

The judge said, “The bond should be backed up with a bank guarantee which is to be deposited with the chief registrar of the high court”.

The court also ordered the accused to deposit their passports and other travel documents with the chief registrar, adding that they should not travel abroad without the court’s permission.

She ordered that Abdulahi’s proposed sureties must be gainfully employed and resident in Lagos and that one of the sureties must be a director of a public or private company.

She also said one of them must possess landed property of “substantive value” within Lagos.

The judge also directed that Arisekola is to report once every month to the EFCC office during the duration of the trial.

The matter was adjourned to December 13 for trial.

NATIONAL T HE Judicial Council, NJC, yesterday threw out the list submitted by the Osun State Government for the nomination of a new Chief Judge of the state.

In its place, the NJC, asked for a new list of judges based on seniority for its consideration, a development that may further prolong the emergence of a new judiciary head for the state.

NJC may have thrown Osun State Judiciary into confusion, following its decision to step down the consideration of the state’s nominees for appointment as the substantive chief judge (CJ) for the state.

A source at the meeting told Vanguard last night that the council stepped down the list of nominees

Appeal Court stops contempt proceedings against FCMB, others

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

HE APPEAL Court,

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Lagos Monday restrained a Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos from hearing a contempt proceeding filed against First City Monument Bank Plc, its Managing Director and two of its directors over their alleged refusal to pay a judgment debt of N6.8 billion in a case instituted by Hensmor Nigeria Limited.

In an ex-parte motion filed by the bank pursuant to Section 15 of

1,500 women for COWLSO national confab O FEWER than 1,500 women from across the country are expected to converge in Lagos for the forthcoming 12th National Women Conference put together by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State O f f i c i a l s , C O W L S O, under the leadersh ip of the wife of the state governor, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola F a s h o l a .

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The 3-day event which has as its theme ‘Women as Leaders’, is billed to take off Tuesday, 30th October in Lagos.

The annual conference has over the years served as a platform for Nigerian women to network, exchange ideas and put on the front burner of national discourse, topical issues affecting their gender with a view to proffering

from the state on the grounds that there was confusion over who should be named as the CJ from the list sent in by the Osun State Judicial Service Commission.

The commission had forwarded the names of Justices Bola Ojo, said to be the most senior judge in the state; Gloria Olagoke, who presides over the state’s Customary Court of Appeal and Joseph Oyewole, a native of Osun but a judge of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja, to the NJC to pick one of them as the next CJ. The incumbent CJ, Olaniyi Ojo is due for retirement on November 8, 2012.

The source added that the fate of the suspended President, Court of Appeal, PCA, Justice Ayo Salami would be addressed by the NJC today.

s o l u t i o n s .

Erudite scholars expected at this year's edition include Professor I b i y e m i Olatunji-Bello, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State Universit,LASU, Professor Sophie Oluwole and Dr. Virgy Anyene of the Lagos State University T e a c h i n g Hospital,LASUTH, among others.

the Court of Appeal Act, 2004, it urged the appellate court to restrain the trial judge, Justice O. E. Abang from further exercising any judicial power whatsoever in respect of the committal proceeding against the bank and the directors.

Already, the appellate court has fixed tomorrow, October 18 for the hearing of the motion.

Justice Abang had in a judgment delivered on December 2, 2011 ordered, NIMASA’s bank, FCMB, to pay N6,841,108,152.05k.

Meeting LAGOS branch of St. Enda’s College (Agbarho Grammar School), Agbarho Old Students Association holds its monthly general meeting this Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 3.00 p.m.

Venue: 12B, Abuja Close, Agbara Estate, Agbara, Ogun State.

A statement signed by General Secretary, Mr. Sunday Orode, urged members to be punctual as vital issues have been lined up for discussion.

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14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Family petitions Jonathan, minister over Ikedi-Mpamugo family mother's death further accused the manBY ANAYO OKOLI

M UAHIA— THE family of Chief Ikedi Mpamugo of Ndoro Oboro in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State has petitioned the Presidency and Minister of Health, alleging negligence of medical team in the death of their mother, Mrs. Eunice Ikedi-Mpamugo.

The deceased died recently, at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, due to alleged carelessness of the doctors that handled her while she was on admission in the hospital.

The family specifically claimed that the medical staff who were responsible

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for her care and treatment at the hospital were incompetent, derelict in their duty and negligent in their treatment and care of our mother while on admission in the hospital.

In the petitions signed by the husband and head of the family, Chief Ikedi Mpamugo, the family claimed that their late mother was not administered “appropriate treatment “.

The family said it was convinced that if appropriate treatment was given to her, she would “be alive today as the injuries she sustained in an accident were not life-threatening”.

agement of the hospital of refusing to carry out an autopsy to ascertain what actually killed their mother and therefore called on the minister of health to compel the management of the hospital to conduct an autopsy on late Mrs. IkediMpamugo.

The family said its request for an autopsy was based on its strong fear and believe that their mother’s folder in the hospital might have been doctored, and requested further that a member or its representative be included in the medical team to carry out the medical investigation on their mother’s death.

ANNIVERSARY: From left: Head, Strategy, Lagos Business School, Sir. Chris Ogbechie; Manging Director, Red Star Express, Alhaji Sule Bichi and Founder/Director, Red Star Express, Mr. Sunny Allison, at the 20th anniversary of the company in Lagos.

Ebonyi House recalls former Speaker

BY PETER OKUTU BAKALIKI— EBONYI state House of Assembly yesterday recalled its former speaker and member representing Ebonyi North west state constituency, kechukwu Nwankwo, who was impeached and suspended from the House on December 21, 2011.

It should be recalled that the member received the sledge hammer of the House over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office as Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

In a motion, the member representing Afikpo South West constituency, Eni Uduma Chima called on the House to recall Hon. Nwankwo, who according to him had shown remorse for his misdeeds having wrote a letter of apology to the House.

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ICCON registrar refutes allegation by union AGOS—THE Regis trar, Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria, ICCON, Prince Jay O. Oghifo, yesterday, refuted allegations of highhandedness and incessant sack of staff without due process.

Members of the Medical and Health Workers Union, MHWU, Federal Area Council, had weekend issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of the institute to recall four suspended staff of the institute or face picketing.

In a telephone interview with Vanguard, Oghifo, who denied all the allegations levelled against him by the union accused the aggrieved workers of using the union as a diversionary measure.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—15

Pension fund hits N3trn

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE, VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG & ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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BUJA—NATIONAL Pension Commission, PenCom, yesterday, in Abuja, said pension fund would hit N3 trillion by December, adding that no fewer than 54,558 retirees from both the public and private sectors were currently drawing pension from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

The pension regulator said the retirees have till date collected over N151.52 billion as lump sum and currently collecting about

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N1.77 billion as monthly pension.

Director-General of PenCom, Mr. Mohammed Ahmad, who spoke at a one-day workshop for business editors, labour, finance and insurance correspondents, organised by PenCom in Abuja, said the commission planned to introduce four new investment scheme as part of efforts to ensure maximum benefits for contributors.

He said the pension industry had continued to advance in its modest achievements as 5.28 million Nigerians had registered on the scheme as at September.

Two remanded in prison custody over N1.5bn subsidy scam BYIKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI BUJA—AN Abuja High Court at Gudu, yesterday, remanded two principal suspects in the alleged diversion of N1.5 billion from oil subsidy funds, Alhaji Saminu Rabiu and Jubril Rowaye, in prison custody.

Trial Justice, Adebukola Banjoko, directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to transfer the accused persons to prison, fol-

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lowing their inability to meet the stringent bail conditions handed to them by the court, yesterday.

The duo, who took turns to plead “not guilty” to a 17-count criminal charge preferred against them by the anti-graft agency, yesterday, were said to have fraudulently obtained monies from the Federal Government on the pretence that the funds represented subsidy payment accruing to one Alminnur Resources Ltd, for the purported importation of 10,000MT of

Premium Motor Spirit, PMS. They were said to have claimed that the PMS was purchased from Napa Petroleum Trade Inc. and imported it into Nigeria through Mother Vessel, MT Kriti Akti, a claim EFCC said was false and amounted to an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. EFCC further alleged

that the accused persons, alongside two indicted companies, Alminnur Resources Ltd and Brila Energy Ltd, on or about June 14, 2011, with intent to defraud, did conspire to do an illegal act to wit; made a forged document captioned: “Bill of lading” dated June 14, 2011 containing Form M No: CB06920090010249MF0481139 and LC N0: IBF0747/ 09904.

It was purportedly in respect of importation of PMS on board the Mother Vessel, MT Kriti Akti and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 and 364 of the Penal Code Cap 532 Laws of the Federation (Abuja) 1990.

EFCC also charged the two companies as 3rd and 4th accused persons in the matter.

Beside the allegation that the accused persons presented bogus import documents to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulation Agency, PPPRA, EFCC told the court that they made a forged document captioned “Certificate of Quantity Transfer” dated July 9, 2011, purportedly issued by MGI Inspections Ltd., as proof of the transfer of 100003.279 Metric Tons (Vac) of PMS from the Mother Vessel, MT Kriti Akti to a vessel, MT Althea (1st Daughter Vessel) at off shore Cotonou.

Meanwhile, counsel to the accused persons, R. Nnah and Ajibola Oluyode decried the conditions as too stringent, saying they will re-approach the court for a possible variation of the terms.

It would be recalled that the trial was stalled on the last adjourned date, October 9, after the first accused person, Rabiu, feigned deafness immediately the court clerk wanted to read the charge to them.

Rabiu claimed he could not hear anything said to him, a situation that led the trial judge to adjourn the case with a caveat that he should get himself cured before, yesterday.

At the resumed sitting yesterday, the first accused person, who wore hearingaid, initially claimed he could not hear.

After a stiff reprimand from the trial judge, he listened to the charge and entered his plea.

The case was adjourned till October 29 and 30 for hearing.

16—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

AWARDS: From left— Dame Abimbola Fashola, First Lady of Lagos State; Prof. Grace AleleWilliiams, Chief Host; Otunba Titilaoye Tomori, Osun State Deputy Governor; Mrs Patricia Otuedon-Arawore, Executive Secretary, Board of Trustees, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, HLF, and Mrs Francesca Emmanuel, member board of trustees, HLF, during the foundation's Young Achievers Awards for Excellence ceremony in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

From right— Mrs Otuedon-Arawore, General Mobolaji Johnson (rtd), former Governor of Lagos State, and Dr. Temitope Adeyemi, recipient of HLF's Young Achievers Awards for Excellence as the first Nigeria's youngest Ph.D holder.

NEMA's Director of Relief & Rehabilitaion dies IRECTOR, Relief and Rehabilitation of National Emergency Man-

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Burial A John Omokhoa, 81, is dead. He died April 29.

Service of songs will hold on October 23 at the Aganju-Aka Primary School, Okokomaiko, Lagos, by 5pm. Wake keep is on November 9 at his residence, Ihumudumu Quarters, Ekpoma, Esan West LGA, Edo State, by 6pm.

The burial service and interment is on November 10. Novemebr 11 is thanksgiving service at the Living Faith Church, Ihumudumu Road, Ekpoma, by 10am.

He is survived by a widow, Janet; eight children, among them Mrs Mabel Ifijeh, wife of Managing Director of The Nation, Mr. Victor Ifijeh, and many grand children.

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Late Pa Omokhoa.

agement Agency, NEMA, Mr. Edward Maigida, 56, is dead.

He died, weekend, at the National Hospital, Abuja.

NEMA’s Director-General, Muhammad SaniSidi, said Maigida’s last assignments was leading a team of emergency officers to assess impacts of flood disasters in Plateau, Adamawa, Benue and Yobe.

The NEMA boss described late Maigida as a very honest and hardworking officer, who was committed to humanitarian services, even while he was ill.

He said the agency would continue to miss him, especially now that NEMA was involved in relief and rehabilitation of many communities devastated by flood.

Late Maigida joined NEMA in 1999 and was appointed the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation in 2011, after serving in various capacities, including as the Deputy Director, Administration and Coordinator of the North-Central Zonal office, Jos. He hailed from Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State. A devout Christian, he is survived by his aged mother, widow, four children and many relations.

Dr. Opeyemi Sodipe, recipient of HLF's Young Achievers Award for Excellence as Nigeria's youngest Ph.D holder (left) and Prof. Alele-Williams.

From left— Prof. Alele-Williiams, Otunba Tomori and Miss Christiana Adeloye, recipient of HLF's Young Achievers Award for Excellence as Nigeria's best WAEC result holder.

From right— Chief Philip Asiodu, Guest of Honour; Miss Onatteni Remet, and Miss Onarietta Remet, recipient of HLF's Young Achievers Award for Excellence as youngest artist.

Senate to Jonathan: Call your aides to order or...

They're on their own, says SA on NASS Affairs

BY HENRY UMORU BUJA—SENATE has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to, as a matter of urgency, call his aides, who make inflammatory statements against the National Assembly, to order.

Describing the aides as fifth columnists, the Senate, yesterday, noted that the warning has become imperative to avoid straining the cordial relationship between the legislature and executive.

The lawmakers were angered by what they termed unguarded utterances by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe.

They said if such acts continued, they would be left with the option of vetoing the President on some pending bills and resolutions that have been passed by the National Assembly, as soon as they resumed sitting after the Sallah break.

The resolutions of the

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Senate were sequel to a motion by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, who drew the attention of the Senate to inflammatory statements against the National Assembly by ministers and aides of President Goodluck Jonathan.

His motion was entitled Inflammatory Statements Against the National Assembly by the Ministers and Aides of the Presidents.

Ningi, who expressed dismay over the regular attacks on the legislature by ministers and aides of the President, stressed that he was scandalised by the

most recent instance in which the adviser to the President on Political matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, remarked that members of the National Assembly were “talking like illiterates.”

Emodi reacts Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emodi, has disowned the aides, stressing that they were on their own. She said the President had very high regards for the lawmakers.

Emodi said: “I have found it imperative to

put some matters straight in view of the recent developments that tend to portray any crises of confidence between the Executive and the Legislature, especially as it relates to some statements accredited to some ministers and Presidential aides.

“Let me state categorically that the alleged statements neither reflect the views of President Goodluck Jonathan on the National Assembly, nor the enormous respect he has for the institution and the cordial relationship he has encouraged between the Executive and the Legislature.”

Ndigbo in Lagos celebrate Ojukwu's birthday Odine Igwo Ngwo, No- tian Nwachukwu, told

BY OLAYINKA LATONA

GBO community in La gos State has concluded arrangement to organise a posthumous birthday for the late Biafran leader, Dim C h u k w u e m e k a Odumegwu Ojukwu, Eze Ndigbo Gburugburu,

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vember 4, in Lagos.

The event will also serve as a welcome party for Ojukwu’s wife, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, who will use the occasion to pay a thank you visit to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, among others.

Co-ordinator, Eze Chris-

newsmen: “We, Ndigbo in Lagos State, are here to keep the memory of our great leader, Dim C h u k w u e m e k a Odumegwu Ojukwu alive because his life was devoid of greed and acquisition of material wealth unlike most wealthy Nigerians.”

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 — 17

AST week, I ended my first piece on the controversy generated by Chinua Achebe’s new book, by quoting the words of the Russian writer, Tolstoy, that the main thing in art, as in life, is to tell the truth. As Achebe noted in his book, the Biafran war, was the first war of the modern television era; imageries of the war were broadcast into the homes of people every night, especially in Europe and America. It was therefore a vital part of the strategy of the Biafran war, to exploit the imageries of starving children and the associated horrors, to win sympathy and secure diplomatic mileage. Ojukwu was particularly skillful in this and it ended up playing badly for him in the long run, especially when he refused corridors of food aid and other humanitarian assistance, which General Gowon was pressured to offer at very critical stages of the war.

Every student of the politics of war knows that truth becomes the first casualty in a crisis as tragic as the Biafran conflict. Achebe played a central role in the propaganda of his side. “For most of us within Biafra”, he wrote, “our new nation was a dream that had become a reality- a republic in the strict sense of the word” (Pg. 143).

From the Harmattan of 1968, “Ojukwu invited (him) to serve on a small political committee that the Ministry of Information was creating….So I joined this group and set to work”. He added that “The Biafran leader was pleased with the committee’s work and invited me to serve as the chairman of a larger committee that he wanted to set up within the state house. He called this group the National Guidance Committee…The work of the National Guidance Committee eventually produced the treatise widely known as the Ahiara Declaration” (Pg. 144145).

This background is important to appreciate the basis of the book that has generated much controversy in the past couple of weeks in the country. Achebe was a central figure in the Biafran

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Chinua Achebe, Biafra and the travesties of war (2) story, having become disillusioned with the failure of Nigeria following the tragic events of 1966. He gave his all to help create Biafra and his partisanship is central to his views about the roles played by enemies on the other side of the divide; from General Gowon, Chief Obafemi Awolowo to leading Nigerian war commanders, who he gave a short shrift. They ranged from General Murtala Muhammed, General IBM Haruna and Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle. He “bigged up” Biafran “generals” like “the radical Joseph ‘Air Raid’ Achuzia”, who he described as “Ojukwu’s ‘ace commander ’ throughout the conflict, and he was often called upon to solve problems or build upon military advantages”. It was part of this narrative of convenience that our greatest writer saw or remembered every massacre committed by the Nigerian side but never seemed to remember any by the Biafrans. His attitude to the use of mercenaries was similarly selective. Nigeria use “Egyptian mercenary pilots” to fly Soviet-supplied aircraft, as well as ‘Malian, Chadian and Nigerien mercenaries”, according to him; but Biafra’s European mercenaries including Carl Gustaf Von Rosen, who he described as “a Swedish nobleman”, never saw his opprobrium.

The romance with war

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e cannot romanticise war because of the losses and the bitter memories which trail it forever. But I look back, as a young boy growing up in the context of that conflict, we were rallied by the slogans of the period: “GO ON WITH ONE NIGERIA (formed from GOWON) and “TO KEEP NIGERIA ONE IS A TASK THAT MUST BE DONE”. We

Olusegun Mimiko's date with destiny

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HIS weekend the people of Ondo state will vote for a new governor. Four years ago, I supported OlusegunMimiko’s candidacy. Given all that has been said about his tenure and the achievements recorded, I have no reason to change my mind about him this weekend.

I hope Mimiko wins again!

Good Luck Iroko!

Prof. Chinua Achebe read verses from the Qur ’an everyday to seek speedy end of the rebellion and children were warned not to pick strange objects which might have been bombs dropped by the Biafran side. Houses were also kept dark in the night so as not to become targets of bombings by Biafran aircraft and the radio would broadcast

Poignantly, I am writing these lines in Houston, Texas, early on Tuesday morning!

Yet, the book is a vital contribution to Nigerian history and our coming to terms with the tragic events of history that continue to shape our destinies today. It is true, as Achebe said, that “there were real excesses to account for”, from that war. And I also agree that: “it is fundamentally important, indeed essential to our humanity, to ask the hard questions, in order to better understand ourselves and our neighbours”. But I think he was still stuck in the hole of the Biafran propagandist, when he described the “diabolical disregard for human life seen during the war” as “due to the Northern military elite’s jihadist or genocidal obsession” (Pg. 232). The Nigerian army, made up of Muslims and Christians and people from different ethnic backgrounds could not be so described! In the end, he listed some economic grievances against

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“As we reached the brink of full-blown war it became clear to me that the chaos enveloping all of us in Nigeria was due to the incompetence of the Nigerian ruling class.

They clearly had a poor grasp of history and found it difficult to appreciate and grapple with Nigeria’s ethnic and political complexity. This clique, stunted by ineptitude, distracted by power games and the pursuit of material comforts, was unwilling, if not incapable, of saving our fledgling new nation” – Chinua Achebe: THERE WAS A COUNTRY: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BIAFRA PG. 69 “Anybody with intellect, with a sense would consider carefully the implications of a war. War is destructive.

There’s no country that went to war that didn’t suffer, not one. When we went to war, we destroyed everything we had. That’s true”- the late Dr. OkechukwuIkejiani in op. cit. Pg. 216

It has taken 42 years for Nigeria’s (and Africa’s) greatest writer, Chinua Achebe, to produce a book of the tremendous passion as his personal recollection of Biafra. It couldn’t have been less controversial! More fundamental is his re-engagement with our country. His old passion to see it develop is embedded in the final words of the book

songs in Hausa that no one will like to recall today because of the bellicosity of the tone! But that was war and on “our side”, the issue was to ensure that our country did not disintegrate! Achebe made the emotional points about the vast numbers of people who died in Biafra. But two of my cousins died in the war, and who knows, they might have been killed in one of the many Nigerian deaths he reported so approvingly in his book.

Another cousin returned from war that he enlisted for at the age of 18, psychologically destroyed, roaming the streets for years, before he eventually died. Long before the imperialist philosophers of war invented the term known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, we had veterans of the war to keep Nigeria one in our families, suffering those horrible symptoms of war! I have wondered just what the United States would have been, if the Confederacy forces had not been defeated in the American Civil War.

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Nigeria, along with those of crimes committed before and during the war against the Igbo. These include the ten pounds policy (when all Igbo depositors in banks before the war got only ten pounds after); the banning of stockfish and second hand clothing and the Enterprise Promotion Decree of 1974, which he argued Chief Obafemi Awolowo used to empower his Yoruba people.

A cathartic role

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n my view, the book served a cathartic role for Chinua Achebe and it was a final coming to terms with that tragic phase in history and a return to full Nigerian citizenship. “My generation had great expectations for our young nation”, he said. “After the war everything we had known before about Nigeria, all the optimism, had to be rethought. The worst had happened, and we were now forced into reorganising our thinking, expectations, and hopes. We (the former

Biafrans) had to carry on in spite of the great disaster that was military defeat and learn very quickly to live with such a loss. We would have to adjust to the realities and consequences of a Nigeria that did not appeal to us any longer. Nigeria had not succeeded in crushing the spirit of the Igbo people, but it had left us indigent, stripped bare, and stranded in the wilderness”.

It has taken 42 years for Nigeria’s (and Africa’s) greatest writer, Chinua Achebe, to produce a book of the tremendous passion as his personal recollection of Biafra.

It couldn’t have been less controversial!

More fundamental is his reengagement with our country.

His old passion to see it develop is embedded in the final words of the book; and in his characteristic candour and faithfulness, he surveys the scene today, asking Nigerians to destroy the prebendalism at the heart of our politics; improve drastically electoral management; fight the corruption that is killing the country and fundamentally re-order leadership recruitment: “it would not surprise any close observer to discover that in this inane system, the same unsavoury characters who have destroyed the country and looted the treasury and the nation blind are the ones able to run for presidency!” He is worried about the menace of terrorism and anti-state acts of violence: “this mindless carnage will end only with the dismantling of the present corrupt political system and the banishment of the cult of mediocrity that runs it, hopefully through a peaceful, democratic process.

Achebe in the pantheon of heroes

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is concluding paragraph in the book, speaks eloquently to the future which every patriot can organise around and in my view, it returns Chinua Achebe, our Achebe, to his rightful place in the pantheon of heroes of our country: “I foresee the Nigerian solution will come in stages. First we have to nurture and strengthen our democratic institutions-and strive for the freest and fairest elections possible. That will place the true candidates of the people in office. Under the rubric of a democracy, a free press can thrive and a strong justice system can flourish.

The checks and balances…and the laws needed to curb corruption will then naturally find a footing.

A new patriotic consciousness has to be developed, not one based on the well-worn notion of the unity of Nigeria or faith in Nigeria often touted by our corrupt leaders, but one based on an awareness of the responsibility of leaders to the led-on the sacredness of their anointment to lead-and disseminated by civil society, schools and intellectuals. It is from this kind of environment that a leader, humbled by the trust placed upon him by the people, will emerge, willing to use the power given to him for the good of the people”!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 FOR the third time in four years, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which recognises and celebrates excellence in African leadership, did not find an African leader worthy of the Mo Ibrahim Prize.

The 2012 award Prize Committee, like in 2010 when the first “no award verdict” was given, should be commended for admitting, “We reviewed a number of eligible candidates but none met the criteria needed to win this award”.

It is a sad development that further confirms the continuing slide in African leadership. The continent has suffered from the consequences of bad leaders such that in three years leaders have remained absent in the affairs of the continent. How then is Africa surviving?

Corruption and flagrant disregard for democratic tenets are hallmarks of African leaders. They turn the state into their private estates, unwilling to leave office and deploy uncommon expertise to looting public resources. The few who play by the rules stick to minimal standards that cannot qualify for any serious award.

The inability of African leaders to draw decent lines between their private conducts

Still No Leaders and matters of the state have resulted in crisis in many African countries, some leading to wars.

The award, set up by Sudan-born telecoms tycoon Mo Ibrahim in 2006, carries a $5 million prize paid over 10 years and $200,000 annually for life from then on, with a further $200,000 per year available for 10 years for good causes backed by the winner.

It goes to a democratically-elected African leader who has served the mandated term and left office in the last three years.

“You make your bed, you have to lie on it.

If we said we’re going to have a prize for exceptional leadership, we have to stick to that. We are not going to compromise,”

Ibrahim said.

Only three annual prizes have been awarded since 2006, plus two special awards given to South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and former Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The inaugural prize went to former president Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique in 2007 and Botswana’s expresident Festus Mogae won in 2008.

Former Cape Verde president Pedro Pires won the 2011 prize.

Mo Ibrahim himself must be sharing concerns about the quality of African leadership.

The generous incentives the prize offers do not motivate our leaders to distinguish themselves.

One of the initiatives to improve leadership is the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships, a selective programme designed to identify and prepare the next generation of outstanding African leaders by providing them with mentoring opportunities in key multilateral institutions.

Leaders may not be in sight until the Foundation’s new initiatives yield results.

Former African leaders should be ashamed that again they have proven their tenures cannot withstand scrutiny.

OPINION Continued from yesterday's p. 17

BY CHARLES ONUNAIJU T is perhaps in the vain and futile imagination of the government that such visit would reverse what is a clearly a well thought-out and carefully executed policy of the Saudi regime. However, the embattled pilgrims were almost all back in the country, such that, the Tambuwal team visit to Saudi Arabia will only add to the notorious profile of Nigerian government officials roaming aimlessly in the world, for the personal leisure it brings and the huge estacode it generates.

The Nigeria government's feeble and muddling diplomacy in the face of the Saudi offensive again exposed the perennial and durable disconnect between high sounding rhetoric and actual capacity to influence and change the course of action of others.

Sultan of Sokoto, one of the first Nigerian leaders to express outrage at the action of the Saudis noted that the Saudis did not raise the issue of a male guardian or companion for the female pilgrims.

Demanding a male companion, when the female pilgrims were already in Saudi Arabia was akin to changing the rules of game in the middle of the game. However, even though it is fairly well known that Nigerian Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, like their Christian counterparts who go to Jerusalem, are far less ideal in their

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The Saudi humiliation and govt's feeble rhetoric (2) expected conduct, especially for a trip of such spiritual significance, cannot justify the extreme harsh measures of the Saudi authorities. The Nigerian government response has been a muddle. Issuing ultimatum to the Saudis before deciding on any line of action was unreasonable.

In circumstance of this nature, responses are calibrated at every stage to send a clear message to the other side. Sending a delegation led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Saudi Arabian authorities was another muddle. The Saudis have made clear their intention not to engage in diplomatic talk by ignoring the Nigerian Ambassador in Riyadh and going ahead with the deportation of the pilgrims.

The visit of the Tambuwal team to Saudi Arabia after the Saudis have diligently and duly executed their threat to deport unaccompanied female pilgrims would have further clarified whatever ambiguities they may have had about the disproportionate component of vainglory and shadow-boxing in Nigerian policy frame work. Since the row with the Saudis broke out, the Foreign Minister and his ministry has stayed aloof as if the pilgrims are not Nigerians. The matter is being handled as if it is a Muslim affair to which the non-Muslims in the government seemed unconcerned. It is as if only the Muslim

members of the government that would deal with it. This attitude may have been informed by the belief that Saudis would have more sympathy for the co-religionists.

But this perception is wrong. After all, the Saudi best friends are the Americans and Europeans and even the communist Chinese and Vietnamese. The Foreign Ministry or the Presidency leading a robust response would have sent an unmistakeable message to the Saudis that such infraction of Nigerian nationals well-being would never be tolerated by the Nigerian state.

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n fact, such move would have convinced the Saudis that whatever religious reasons they may have had in taking a decision, would have been tempered by a state-to-state relation and the consequent political fallout of such action. Leaving the matter as if the king of Saudi Arabia have just done to her far-flung subjects as he pleased and with only a consequence of a generous supplication for a change of heart, negate the integrity and essence of the Nigerian state. But to be fair to the Saudi, the Nigerian state in the past 10 years has been in earnest deconstruction and the government that has run it has fairly existed to repudiate the true essence of the state and its agency of government.

The Nigerian state through the distortion

and dis-articulation by the clueless, rudderless and visionless governing elite that runs it, is hugely deficit of the enabling capacity to deliver on the modest services of any government. For the fact that governing processes and institutions are manipulated to provide and service the leisure and pleasure of the governing elite, the state and its main governing agency is severely constrained and weak. Bankrupt governing elite steeped in the primitive accumulation of wealth and egregious pursuit of vainglory can engage in the symbolic parody of state craft, while severely constrained to act in any decisive manner. The Saudi provocations have revealed in a graphic manner, the incremental deconstruction of the Nigeria state by government acting without the modest social conscience of the executives of a social club.

The Nigeria female pilgrims were humiliated by the Saudi authorities because they are Nigerians and not because they are less Islamic than other Muslims. From all indication, the government is not fazed by the incident and as usual, it will take another government scandal to bury this one, and one thing this government has in abundance is scandals.

Concluded *Mr. Onunaiju, a journalist, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—19

, AR is not a piece of cake. If you want to fight you better be ready. Biafra was neither ready nor equipped for the secession bid.

But there are those who argue that the defunct Eastern Region under Col Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was actually forced into that secession bid by a combination of serial, barefaced infractions by the Federal Military Government under Col Yakubu Gowon, and internal pressures to pull the Region out of a country that no longer reckoned with its rights and entitlements within Nigeria.

As I noted in the first part of this write-up, I am not so bothered about steps that the Federal Government or any of its officers took to ensure victory. Even though the Biafrans felt the pain of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s “weaponisation” of starvation against them, I have the feeling he remained appreciated by the federal side for helping win the war without external borrowing. If the picture was turned the other way round and Biafrans had the advantage of using starvation to

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obtain either the country of their dream or ascendancy in Nigeria, I believe they probably would have done the same. Most people would do anything it takes to win a war!

It was the steps the Federal Government took after the war that matter so much to me. Those steps helped provide an insight, beyond noisy propaganda and pretentious posturing of high officials, about the real and hidden agenda behind the push for war.

They assisted to decide whether the idea was really to keep the country one or merely to create a national and international coalition and subjugate a region and its people with a view to pocketing their oil resources.

If the objective was the former, the war-end policies would have reflected the steps the victors took after the American civil war, World War II and other “civilised” modern wars. They imposed a new order and eradicated the obnoxious policies of the enemy regime, such as slavery in America and Nazism/Fascism in Europe.

Once that was done, the victorious side, seeking to genuinely re-

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integrate the losers back into a united entity, proceeded to genuinely rehabilitate the theatres of war through what they called the Marshall Plan in Europe and Asia.

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he Marshall Plan successfully made Germany and Japan – two fierce warlike nations – to lose interest in nihilistic military and political adventurism. It encouraged them to channel their ingenuities to technological and industrial development. They enjoyed almost unlimited financial support. In record time, Germany returned to the top of the economic and industrial food chain in Europe.

Japan became the second largest economy in the world and was, in fact, absorbed into the Western economic and political hemisphere. German and Japanese technologies hatched during the war were adopted by both the Eastern bloc (USSR and

Under a palliative Legislature “

E are going to impeach the President”.

This is one of the most abused phrases in the Nigerian legislative arena. It has been taken to mean that the President is being removed. Essentially, impeachment means the bringing of formal charges of wrongdoing against an official. It is only when the impeachment succeeds that the official gets removed from office.

It is also possible that some of the people who talk so flowingly about impeachment have not taken a hard look at the provisions of Sections 143 and 188 of our 1999 Constitution to fully understand that impeachment is not really a tea party.

Impeachment could be a good gossip topic at lunch tables but in actual practice, between the first sweet and the last bitter sips, the wine could turn vinegar.

In any case, because of the abuse of the impeachment threat, some could get the impression that our legislators invoke it whenever they are hungry or broke.

Otherwise, how does the proposal to impeach the President become a public issue for discussion in the market place?If the President commits an impeachable offence, of course, he should be impeached. It is not a question of playing to the gallery. Truly, if the President commits an impeachable offence and he is not impeached, our legislators should be held liable for coverup. It is like seeing a crime being committed and you refuse to call the police. It does not make for good citizenship. Actually, our legislators have a big burden to convince the citizenry that they are not being settled each time they come up with this impeachment wolf.

For how long are they going to keep running government as a personal estate or C M Y K

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like a secret cult? Today, the annual salary of an American President is $400,000 (four hundred thousand dollars). This is known to American citizens, even those of preschool age. The moment this salary is increased, even by one cent, Americans will be informed and told why.

But in Nigeria, what do we find? What public officials earn is purely a matter for conjecture. This also has a spiral effect: For as long as we are left to guess, no one should expect much accuracy from guess work. Our guess can only be a function of ‘x’, where ‘x’ represents your life style plus the amount of corruption in society plus the total atmospheric behaviour. At the end of it all, our guess will be that since the ordinary cashier at the pension office is able to steal N50 billion in one year without question, our President must be on a take-home pay of at least N150 billion per annum. This is what Nigerians are stuck with – government by speculation!

Undoubtedly, it will take more than a full battalion of the Nigerian Army to extract any information on what our legislators earn. For some time now, the battle for this seemingly innocuous information has been raging in the courtrooms. Apparently irked by the constant noise about the bogus allowances, which lawmakers are alleged to be prescribing for themselves, a civil society organisation, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, LEDAP, proceeded to the Federal High Court, Abuja to ask the Clerk of the National Assembly, CNA, “to give detailed information of salary, emolument and allowances paid to all the federal lawmakers from June 2007 to May 2011”.

This was after all efforts to obtain the information from the CNA had failed. This

was to provide a good test of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011. The relief sought was quickly granted and it was widely celebrated but the celebration only lasted for as

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Much ado about Achebe on Awo (2)

The Northern political establishment, in partnership with that of the West with Awo inside the federal cabinet, totally mismanaged postwar Nigeria; their policies did not unite the country

the Warsaw Pact) and the Western bloc (Western Europe and the USA).

In the case of Biafra, the socalled "Three Rs" – Reconstruction, Reconciliation and Rehabilitation – were mere lip services. To Gowon’s credit, he did his best to minimise revenge killings when the war ended. That was about all.

The Igbo people lost everything to the war. Igboland was desolate, and no effort was made to repair the damage. If anything, the new post-war political establishment continued to nurse Igbophobia until June 12, 1993, after the presidential poll annulment.

Igbo people should look at what they were able to make out of the twenty pounds they were given, compared to other Nigerians that lost nothing and had everything and yet are now way below their economic and social status today.

They should rejoice. They have something that many others don’t.

Igbo people should celebrate their victory over the odds rather than engaging in these periodic lamentations of their history. There should be more emphasis on the Igbo triumph over adversity than on Awo’s twenty pounds; on the achievement rather than the victimisation. If a different person, perhaps a Northerner, was in charge of the purse, he would probably pay nothing. If it was the Igbo standing triumphantly over a fallen foe, I don’t know if they would pay.

Then, there was the abandoned property issue. Mark you, it was not applied nationally. Its main focus was Port Harcourt because the policy was meant to remove the Igbo presence from the oil city and drive a wedge between the Igbos and their immediate neighbours.

With the Eastern Majority silenced, the exploitation of the oil resources of the Region would go

The floods are not receding; there is big hunger ahead; a less palliative legislature would have quickly put on its thinking cap and get the executive to move, lest we all perish!

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long as it took the CNA to get to the Appeal Court, where he is standing, among other things, on his plea that like any other law, the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 did not have retrospective effect and could not be used to obtain information on actions that predated it.

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s the saying goes, the problem is not so much in procuring drugs for the mad man as it is in getting him to take the drugs. How do we get our government officials to act just a little above the noise level? Elementary economics or common sense would suggest that if year after year, our recurrent budgets are performing at near 100 percent level, while the capital budgets are limping around 30 percent, somebody is either lazy or sleeping on duty.

unchallenged or at least easily contained as in the Ken SaroWiwa issue.

My conclusion is that the Northern political establishment, in partnership with that of the West with Awo inside the federal cabinet, totally mismanaged post-war Nigeria. Their policies did not unite the country. They did not even guarantee the continued unity of coalition partners. Rather, having dealt with the Igbo they turned on one another – Northern Minorities/Christians against Northern Majorities/Muslims; West against the North; and the Southern Minorities against the North. Everybody is against the North because of the mindset (some call it the born-to-rule mentality) it applied against the Igbos, Yorubas, Northern and Southern Minorities.

The post-war policies were not packaged to build an economy that would launch the nation to world reckoning. Rather, the oil-fed country became a huge cake that, up till today, everybody is fighting for more of amidst untrammeled corruption.

The Nigerian civil war was not guided by any real patriotic principles. There was no vision to build a country where no one is oppressed. Rather, the intendment of the war’s leaders was to crush a regional rival, pillage its oil resources and enthrone MuslimNorthern rule over Nigeria, the Jihadist agenda Achebe alluded to.

General Gowon has boasted he does not regret the actions his government took. But I know he is hurting like hell in the “One Nigeria” he bequeathed to us all, where his kinsmen are being butchered like chickens while they sleep or worship in church. He is now a prayer warrior, praying to atone for his failure as a post-war manager.

Definitely, there is something wrong!

In the area of specific questions, do people realise that they are killing the citizens in their millions, by their acts of commission or omission? Whatever happened to the dredging of the River Niger, which was initially greeted with pomp and pageantry and accompanied with billions of Naira of budgetary outlays? We are told that a proper dredging of the River Niger would have provided a partial panacea to the flood menace that is currently ravaging our homes, farmlands and roads.

There is an undertone from the Executive to the Legislature: You can pass whatever budget you want; and we will implement how much of the budget we want. In the 2012 appropriations, there was an attempt to properly situate the constituency projects.

Members found the needs of their constituents and,much to the chagrin of the President, they inserted them into the budget.

At the level of execution, the President has selectively side-tracked the projects for zero performance. This type of selective implementation is against the Constitution.

It is clearly an impeachable offence. Once the Appropriation Bill is passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President, it becomes binding in its entirety.

The roads are bad. The basic infrastructures are virtually comatose. The floods are not receding.The winds are coming. There is big hunger ahead. A less palliative legislature would have quickly put on its thinking cap and get the executive to move, lest we all perish! Where do we go from here?

20—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

*Some of the internally displaced persons fleeing their flood-ravaged homes in Ogba-Egbema. INSET: Otelemaba Dan Amachree, Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly

Flood: Conflict of perceptions over relief efforts in Rivers T has been one month since the ravaging floods submerged several communities in worst hit Ahoada West, Ahoada and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni localities of coastal Rivers State. Over the weekend, the State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, and teeming affected victims also confirmed that the marauding floods have further started overwhelming communities in Abua/Odua Local Government Area too.

The Commissioner was on air to share information on the Rivers State Government’s relief efforts towards Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs and to solicit volunteers and donor assistance from concerned individuals and corporate bodies in the overall outreach to cushion the devastating impact of the raging deluge. At the same time, civil society groups and IDPS sounded conflicting tunes about their doubts and personal experiences on the situation at the various affected spots.

Government: Among the relief efforts so far, Semenitari held that government has set up several welfare camps for IDPs in safe havens in the impacted localities and government officials rallied in an emergent Flood Relief Committee to go out in different groups to lead interventions. “We have over 670,000 persons affected from over l63 communities.

This was as at Wednesday. That number might have changed because there have been further

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reports that a few more communities have been sacked by the flood,” she said.

“Government is doing all it can, but we are calling for public support. Corporate organisations, producers of beverages, of dried or canned food, people to give rice, beans, blankets, mosquito nets, all kinds of assistance is welcomed. The Ministry of Health is already there with medications and nets, but you could never have too much when you are dealing with a situation as we have with the flooding. And very importantly, we need volunteers to assist in delivering services and what is available to share,” Semenitari added.

Temporary relocation Her Special Duties counterpart, Emeka Nwogu, declared his office temporarily relocated from Port Harcourt to the affected areas with a hub at Ahoada as part efforts to ensure smooth distribution of relief materials and sundry services to the displaced.

Nwogu said efforts were on to set up more camps by the ministry while calling on those in the interiors of affected arrears to move out to safe grounds for easy reach.

Victims, activists unimpressed Reacting to government claims, social activist, Annkio Briggs, doubted a correlation with her observed realities in the areas.

“Government is claiming to be on top of the situation. They are not on top of anything. We are talking about the lives of a people in pains. This is not the time to set

up committees and assert commitment in political statements.

I have been there and I have not seen things in proper shape. I want to see the official camps they are saying they have set up, not what people have achieved for themselves. If I do not see it then they don’t have it,” she fumed.

“Weeks after the devastation suffered by the people, government was never forth coming.

Now we hear of camps being set up. Where you can even find one shade of the camps they are referring, those in there have no food, water or medical attention.

How do you measure commitment? Is it the one wrap of snack per IDP people received in some of the quarters? People trapped deep in the riverine areas have to be brought out by boat. And the riverine people grow cassava or run fish farms; they have no other source of income. So it is even difficult to convince them to leave their flooded homes. People are uprooting cassava under the water in forced harvest. They are not prepared to come out. But we must have a government concerned enough and have capacity to convince these people to come out. We have not seen that happening,” she further said.

A day earlier, the Social Action, a civil society group in Rivers had also pointed to government’s handling of the situation. Celesatine AkpoBari who coordinated the group’s visit to affected areas, especially in Ahoada West and part of Bayelsa said: “As at Wednesday 10th, we were told several persons were still

trapped or taking shelter on the East West Road. They said we are the only intervention group to have visited and presented relief items since the flooding hit their homes and farmlands. They also said they were once alerted that Governor Rotimi Amaechi was coming in to see them only to later hear that he had turned back at Ibianma, promising to come on helicopter because of the flooding on the road”.

Between Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th, several displaced

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BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI, Port Harcourt

sification which entitled her to N300m of the funds, while neighbouring Bayelsa and Delta states get N500m each as category ‘A’ states over the flooding. Speaker of the House, Otelemaba Dan Amachree said: “I do not know the yardsticks they used in the classification but what is happening here (Rivers) is not a category ‘C’ disaster”.Some members of the house, especially members representing the affected localities who raised the motion for discussion, saw the perceived under classification of the state as self-inflicted. Those who held this view blamed it on statements credited to some commissioners in the state that tended to trivialise the impact at the onset.

At its Friday briefing to highlight its monitoring and relief contributions over the flooding, the

It was a great error of judgement for anyone to have downplayed the flooding in Rivers; we are faced with the same crisis as those classified ‘A’

persons in latest hit coastal communities in Abua/Odua Local Government Area also lamented the perceived indifference to their plight. Chairman of the Local Government was said to have come to the rescue in evacuation of affected residents to a relief camp at the council secretariat. Paramount ruler of Odua, King Temple McDonald Jamala was quoted as calling for urgent decongestion of the council provided relief camp before epidemic breaks out.

Rivers ‘C’ status on FG intervention funds At its sitting where the issue dominated debates, the Rivers State House of Assembly decided it would liaise with the executive to tackle the Federal Government to raise the state’s clas-

,

Social Action was less ambiguous about where the said statements could have come from.

The group fingered the state Information Commissioner for allegedly boasting about the state being less impacted on strength of proactive measures of the state government. Social Action’s Ken Henshaw said: “It was a great error of judgement for anyone to have downplayed the flooding in Rivers. The intensity flowed from the River Benue and at the conference with River Niger it was bound to trickle down South through the Atlantic. So in a way, anyone who was fooled to make public claims that Rivers was well protected by whatever means had done the state and the affected thousands a great disservice.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 — 21

C’ttee expresses concern over NIMASA’s troubled NSDP project

BY GODWIN ORITSE & MAIMUNA MOHAMMED HE National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) initiated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has ran into a hitch following the inability of the already trained cadets to get the 18-months compulsory sea time training Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Marine Transport has expressed worries over the inability of some already graduated Nigerian cadets to get the compulsory sea time training, saying that without the training, these young Nigerians would be

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From left: Company Secretary, Chidi Okezie; Chairman, Yinka Sanni and Managing Director, Olumide Oyetan, all of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, at the annual general meeting of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited mutual funds, in Lagos.

Weights, measures to be introduced across all sectors of the economy — FG ensure they receive the amount of goods they are entitled to.

Trade and Investment Minister, Olusegun Aganga, who disclosed this during questions/answers session at a public forum in Lagos, said that this move will also checkmate corruption in both public and private sector of the economy, stressing: “It will first be introduced in the oil and gas industry.”

He said that the clamour for best practices in all human endeavours and the desire to have accurate and effective service delivery informed the decision of the federal government to include issues

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

HE Federal Government is making a move to ensure that Nigerians get value for their money by introducing “Weights and Measures” across all the sectors of the economy.

The phrase weights and measures imply selling of goods by weight or measures such as volume and length and it is backed with a range of rules. These rules are designed to help customers understand how much they are buying and to

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162.20

+1.35

2,397.00

+43.00

20.16

+0.31

113.73

-0.67

91.98

+0.13

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING DOLLAR 154.75 STERLING 249.4725 FRANC 166.8823 YEN 1.9613 CFA 0.287 WAUA 237.5823 RENMINBI 24.7038 RIYAL 41.2645 KRONA 27.0693 SDR 238.7174 EURO 201.9488

155.25 250.2785 167.4215 1.9677 0.297 238.35 24.784 41.3978 27.1568 239.4887 202.6013

155.75 251.0846 167.9607 1.974 0.307 239.1176 24.8643 41.5311 27.2443 240.26 203.2538

CBN Exchange rate as at 17/10/2012

of weights and measures in one of its M i n i s t r i e s , Departments and Agencies (MDAs) known as Weights and Measures Division.

Accordingly, he said that the federal government has approved the request of the Ministry of Trade and Investment to upgrade the division hitherto known as Department of Trade to a full fledge Department of Weights and Measures to enable it administer Weights and Measures in the country.

He explained that the Department is

empowered by Weights and Measures Act CAP W3LFN, 2004 (Formally weights & Measures Act CAP 467LFN 1999); Pre-Shipment Inspection of Export Act CAP P25 LFN, 2004; Weights and Measures Standardization of Indigenous Measures Regulations, 1992; and the Weights and Measures Fees Regulations.

“These laws empower the department to certify and check the compliance of all measuring and weighing equipment in all sectors of the

economy, including oil and gas which includes creating uniformity in measurement of products in the market in collaboration with state Ministries of Commerce and Industry; Inspection of factories for compliance and accuracy of their measurement as well as inspection of petrol retail for accurate dispensing of petrol, diesel and kerosene at the pumps and inspection of measuring equipment at oil and gas sector of the economy.

(Both upstream and downstream),” he said.

unemployable in the global shipping industry.

Speaking during an over sight function visit to the safety agency, the Chairperson of the Committee, Senator Zainab Kure, disclosed that some of the cadets are just wasting away in different parts of Europe waiting for any opportunity for such training to come their way.

Kure stated that NIMASA should collaborate with institutions that can give sea time training to these groups of Nigerians so as not to defeat the objective of the NSDP project.

The Committee Chairperson, however, demanded for a comprehensive list of beneficiaries of the programme since inception while commending the agency for conceiving the idea of such capacity building programme for Nigerians.

The project which was initiated about four years ago was meant to cushion the dearth of seafarers that was being experienced by the global shipping industry.

Already, about 334 young Nigerians have benefited from the NSDP project having undergone various aspects of maritime training in different institutions across the world.

Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, former first lady of Lagos, said that some of the cadets she spoke with when the Committee visited the AMET University in India, expressed fear of being excluded from the 18months sea time training.

Senate C’ttee decries NIMASA’s low budget implementation

BY GODWIN ORITSE HE Senate Committee on Marine Transport has berated the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for its low budget performance rate.

A summary of the budget performance made available to members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport who were on an over sight function visit to NIMASA showed that only N23.8 billion out of the N42.9 billion of the projected revenue, representing 55 percent of the expenditure has been spent.

For the N10.6 billion voted

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for recurrent expenditure for the year, only N4.7 billion, representing 44 percent of the budget has been spent.

Speaking at the Headquarters of the agency in Lagos, Committee Chairperson, Senator Zainab Kure, said that with less than three months to go in the year, so little has been done with regards to the budget.

Speaking in similar vein, the former speaker of the Delta House of Assembly, Mr. Pius Ewherido, who is the vice Chairman of the Committee, said that the seven percent budget performance on capital project of NIMASA was not good enough.

He stated that the reasons

given by the Director General of NIMASA as the factors responsible for low rate of budget performance was not tenable as the issue raised should have been taken care of even before the budget was presented to the Committee.

“To us, it will not be an excuse for an issue like sight identification being responsible for the poor budget performance.

“I expect a change in the next budget presentation and implementation. With this seven percent rate of implementation, I do not see how you are going to go far because the year is almost coming to an end,” the Senator said

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

KPMG raises concern over increasing fraud cases in companies

BY MICHAEL EBOH

PMG has expressed con cerns over the rising cases of frauds in companies in Nigeria, saying that if measures to curb it are not put in place urgently, it will significantly hurt the companies and also pose a serious threat to the continued existence of the companies.

Speaking at the KPMG Chief Financial Officers’, CFO, Forum for all Sectors, in Lagos, Mr. Olumide Olayinka, Partner & Head, Risk Consulting, KPMG, said in Nigeria and the global economic landscape, fraud cases are on the rise and five per cent of companies’ revenue are been eroded by such cases.

According to him, an organisation’s ability to foster sustained profitability in the current market conditions is not only to be facilitated by proportional increases in sales but also by managing fraud-related expenses more efficiently than the competition.

He emphasized the need for businesses to minimise the impact of fraud on their activities and operations by establishing effective and comprehensive mechanisms to prevent, deter and detect fraudulent activities.

Olayinka said Board and management of companies should take a stance against

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fraud, adding that such stance will determine the reactions of its staff, customers and suppliers.

He said the real stance will have a direct effect on its experience of fraud in the future, either through an increase or decrease of incidents.

He disclosed that for fraud to take place in organization, three things must be present, summarizing them as opportunity, motive and rationaliza-

tion.

He identified inadequate internal controls, lack of effective oversight, absence of proper audit trail, apathy or ignorance, process automation, re-organisation/ downsizing, No real deterrent and complex business structure/ transactions, as factors supporting frauds in any organization.

He disclosed that a fraudulent employee will exhibit a number of traits which include; Change

in behaviour/attitude, affording a lifestyle beyond means, Stress, low morale, nervousness, sudden resignation or absence from work for no reason, excessive family/peer pressure, controlling behaviour, drugs/gambling/debt, works odd and long hours, few holidays, grievances and ego.

He explained further that fraud will thrive in an organization where there are processes and systems lapses,

EcoBank partners ICIC to facilitate India-Africa trade, investments

RANSNATIONAL Cor poration of Nigeria (Transcorp) ’s Plc has announced an increase of 80.85 per cent in its Profit Before Tax (PBT) for the third quarter (Q3) result ended September 30, 2012.

The result which was sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed that its Profit Before Tax (PBT) increased to N1.7billion from N922.78million in the corresponding period of 2011.

The Gross earnings grew by 43.45 per cent to N2.71billion from N1.89billion in the corresponding period of 2011.

Operating expenses fell from N778million in the similar period of 2011 to N689.7million in 2012.

Other performance indicators showed that total assets grew by 19.44 per cent from N23.32billion in the third quarter of 2011 to N27.85 billion in the same period under consideration.

Commenting on the results, the President and Chief Executive Officer, Transcorp, Mr. Obinna Ufudo said “Our third quarter result is an affirmation

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COBANK and ICICI Bank of India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, to promote and facilitate trade and investments between India and Africa. The agreement was signed by Mr Arnold Ekpe, the outgoing Chief Executive of the Ecobank Group, and ICICI Bank’s President for International Banking and Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr Vijay Chandok.

ICICI is the largest private bank in India.

Under the MOU, ICICI Bank andEcobank will co-operate to create a One Bank experience for their respective customers doing business in Africa and India.

The focus will be on the dayto day banking and investment requirements of their customers such as trade finance, payments and remittances and also on major projects when these arise.

India’s trade with Africa has doubled in the past four years to over USD 50 billion in 201011.

Stronger investment ties are complementing this steady growth in trade, with Indian investments in Africa across a range of sectors, including oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, fertilizers, IT and infrastructure, reaching USD33 billion in 2011.

Commenting on the agreement, Mr Arnold Ekpe, said:“We see tremendous potential in establishing an alliance for trade and investment between India and the 32 African countries that constitute our footprint in Africa.

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From left: Mrs. Carol Oyedeji, Head, Consumer Banking West Africa; Mrs. Bola Adesola, MD/CEO , Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria presenting a N5m cheque to Mrs. Safiya Sanda, Programme Manager, Sight Savers International at the bank’s 2012 annual walk for sight, in Lagos.

Transcorp’s third quarter profit up by 81%

BY PETER EGWUATU

ranging from lack of segregation of duties, unusual access/ authority, override of controls, lack of or inadequate background checks on employees and third parties, overbearing management style, remuneration package below industry standard, association with customers, vendors and frequent deviations from standard operating procedures.

Also speaking, Mr. Tola Adeyemi, Partner & Head, Audit Services, KPMG, bemoaned the challenges faced by companies in the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards, IFRS. He emphasised the need for expertise and training of companies’ personnel to enable them understand and come to terms with issues involved in the transition and adoption.

of the continued success of our business strategies and income diversification initiatives. We are quite pleased with the stable and positive growth of our earnings, and are already working out plans

to further improve on it”.

He added, “Our enviable pipeline of deals and opportunities portend an even brighter future for Transcorp as manifested by our successful bid for the acquisition of the

972mw Ughelli Power Plant.

This giant step into the Power sector as well as our other initiatives will further position Transcorp for even better performance in the year ahead.”

Standard Chartered Bank unveils new branch S part of its drive to reach more customers, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, has opened a new branch located in the City Mall, Lagos Island, Lagos.

The Group Head of Human Resources and Communications of Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Tracy Clarke, said, Lagos presents the Bank with tremendous opportunities in a country which is central to our business footprint in Africa.

The strength of the Nigerian market has been reflected in our Bank’s business growth which has been exponential.

The branch was declared open by, Tracy Clarke with the support of one of the Independent Non-Executive Directors of Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria, Sir, Oluremi Omotoso.

According to Clarke, “Lagos is an extremely important State

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in Nigeria. It has always played a pivotal role in the development of the country and whatever happens in Lagos usually gets replicated positively in other parts of the nation. The opening of this branch by Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria is a positive development for Lagos Island’s well established financial services sector and a testament to the importance of this axis within the state. “ Having another branch here will enable the bank to enhance its capabilities and commitment to the area. I am quite proud of the achievements of Standard Chartered Bank in Nigeria and I hope this will aid the sustenance of the long and mutually beneficial partnership between Standard Chartered Bank and the industrious people of

Lagos State. ” Bola Adesola, the Managing Director of Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria said: “We are quite pleased with the generous support we have received from the Government and people of Nigeria since we commenced business here in 1999. This has been quite encouraging and we fully intend to keep up our side of the bargain by consistently delivering on our brand promise to our customers.

“We believe this is an auspicious period to capitalize on the extraordinary growth dynamics in the country and the establishment of another branch in Lagos Island is a key element in executing the bank’s strategy to grow the business and outperform our competitors.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 — 23

BY DAYO ADESULU

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resident Goodluck Jonathan's proposed N426.53 billion for the Education sector in the 2013 budget has been greeted with commendations from stakeholders in the sector, saying it is a right step in the right direction towards meeting the 26 per cent UNESCO minimum recommendation for education in every country’s budget. It implies that in 2013, education will gulp 8.7 per cent of the national budget.

However, in Nigeria, it is the first time since independence that the Education sector will top the national budget.

Looking at previous national budgets, one would discover that there have been a steady increase in education budget starting from 2010 during President Yar ’Adua's administration. That year, N249.086b out of the proposed N4.079 trillion budget was allocated to the sector. The Ministry of Works in that year received the highest allocation of N249.425 billion followed by Education, N249.086 billion.

In 2011, out of the N4.971 trillion approved by the Senate, as against N4.22 trillion budget proposal presented by President Goodluck Jonathan, Education came second with N306.3 billion allocated to it while in the 2012 budget of N4.7 trillion, Education also came second with N400 billion.

The analysis above reveals that there has been a systematic increment in the budgetary allocation to education from 2010 to 2013.

Thus, from 2010-2011, the sector had N56.917b as increment. Between 2011 and 2012, it recorded additional N94.3b, while from 2012 -2013, if the proposed budget is passed by the Senate, the sector will witness additional N26.53b.

Reacting to the proposed budget for education in 2013, Professor Peter Okebukola said; “It is heart-warming that Education is proposed by the executive arm of government

Stakeholders laud Jonathan on N426.53b education budget *Insist on 26% UNESCO recommendation

,

*Jonathan

*Obayan

Will the National Assembly keep the quantum which even as it stands, is not sufficient to address the 2013 needs of the education sector at the federal level, in the face of an upwelling request to raise allocation to agriculture and other sectors?

,

to receive the highest budgetary allocation in 2013, N426.53 billion. This is an indication of the recognition by the government of the power of education in addressing many of the challenges facing our nation today.” Education, he noted, is the antidote to

poverty and ignorance and the key for unlocking natural resources, adding that no nation striving for accelerated development, does so without huge investment in education. It is often said that education will not solve all of society ’s ills, but without

education, no solution is possible. Through education, this time, quality education, the challenges facing Nigeria relating to youth unemployment, crime and insurgency, will be severely reduced. We should, however, note that if our investment in education is not sustained at a high level over the next decades, the 2013 performance will be a flash in the pan, we will fail to reap the dividends of such high investment in education.”

Okebukola who urged Nigerians to look beyond the

proposed figure of N426.53 billion, pointed out five concerns that are worth raising. First, he asked if the National Assembly will keep the quantum which even as it stands, is not sufficient to address the 2013 needs of the education sector at the federal level, in the face of an upwelling request to raise allocation to agriculture and other sectors? Another question begging for an answer is this; “Will the transition from budget Continues on page 31

Illegal varsity proprietor bags 5-yr jail term for cheating, others

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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he National Universities Commission (NUC) has recorded a major feat in its fight against illegal universities as Mr. Francis John Agbo, the proprietor of illegal Middle Belt University and North Central University who also posed as the Director of Research and Innovation of the

Commission, was convicted on a two-count charge of impersonation and forgery and sentenced to five and a half years in prison without an option of fine by Honourable Ali Tari Changbo of the Upper Area Court, Keffi, Nasarawa State. The convict also claimed to be a senior academic staff of the Nasarawa State University, Lafia, to defraud unsuspecting admission-

Journalists must pursue public interest Mountain out of a to save Nigeria —Prof Oso

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*Okebukola

briefcase pt 2 PAGE 26

seeking members of the public.

The evidence tendered before the court by the Prosecuting Counsel, Mr. Aaron Zamani, a legal officer in NUC, included fake admission letters and fliers advertising the Nasarawa State University, Lafia; testimonies of witnesses, some of them victims; the accused’s claim of being the co-ordinator

of the university ’s Nyanya Study Centre, tellers of Unity Bank as well as Aso Savings and Loans, Oturkpo, which bore his name and that of his wife.

During the proceedings, a total of 12 exhibits were tendered and admitted by the trial court. The accused had earlier jumped bail granted him during similar trials on related charges in an Abuja High Court and Chief Magistrate's Court, Oturkpo, Continues on page 24

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Our researches are tailored toward meeting local needs — IZE-BALOGBAN PAGE 30

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

*Pupils of Wise Generation School Ikorodu, performing choreography during their graduation ceremony

Panel says examination malpractice devalues certificates

BY DAYO ADESULU

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anelists at a one day seminar organised by the Lagos office of the National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) have observed that examination malpractice has contributed to the devaluation of certificates awarded by educational institutions just as they made wide ranging recommendations to overcome the menace.

In her welcome address, the officer in charge of the Lagos State office of the board, Mrs. Lynn Adamma Fagbuyi noted that examination malpractice has become so rampant that education stakeholders no longer have enough confidence in the certificates being issued by various educational institutions all over the country.

She called for more innovative and decisive steps to stop

examination malpractice.

Her words; “Examination malpractice has become a major problem in our society.

It is quite worrisome to observe the rate of recklessness exhibited at examination centres. It is also more worrisome to note that stakeholders have continued to watch the increase in this ugly trend.

For us to restore the credibility of our certificates, we should all work hard to eradicate examination malpractice.

She called for tougher sanctions for staff of examination bodies that collude with candidates to cheat. The NABTEB officer also urged college authorities to ensure that students are properly prepared and adequately trained so that they can go into the examination centre

with confidence.

The Human Resource Manager, JKN Training Centre Lagos, Mrs. Mercy Olu-Aina noted that “examination malpractice is more of societal problem due to the breakdown of societal values, norms, virtues, laws, rules and regulations.” She said the causes of examination malpractice include irregularities in the conduct, administration and lack of adequate preparation by examination bodies, lack or insufficient examination materials and question papers, leakages of examination questions through the examination bodies and other stakeholders.

Examination malpractice is also aided by government officials, parents, staff and students of schools and staff of examination bodies. Mrs.

Aina disclosed that there have been instances where parents and guardians encourage their wards to cheat by going to examination centres to pay for assistance during examinations. As she puts it, “ we have seen cases where parents have been arrested for writing examination for their wards”.

To end examination malpractice, the human resource expert suggested that workshops and libraries should be stocked and equipped with tools and books. Schools should employ qualified teaching and nonteaching staff who should be well remunerated. NABTEB and other examination bodies should also adequately remunerate all those who are involved in the conduct of examinations. Mrs. Aina added that examination hall and classroom environment should be more conducive by the provision of adequate chairs, tables and proper spacing of candidates during examinations. It is also important for teachers to complete the syllabus just as candidates should be scrutinized and searched properly before entering examination halls.

She also advocated setting up of Guidance and Counselling unit in schools to enlighten students, staff and parents on the importance of hardwork, honesty and other moral values. With particular reference to NABTEB examinations, the panelists called on the board to: ·Improve remuneration of examination officers. ·Practical papers to be released to candidates on dates stated on the timetable. ·Sufficient questions and answer booklets should be printed. · Examination questions must be properly verified before being packed and sent to examination centres. ·Government must improve the standard and quality of education by assisting both government and private technical colleges with provision of infrastructure, equipment tools and books and adequately remunerated staff.

Illegal varsity proprietor bags 5yr jail term cheating, others Continued from page 23 following which bench warrants were issued against him. He had been at large until his recent arrest for the current trial.

In his judgement, the Presiding Magistrate said the evidence was glaring, especially those of the victims including Peter Blessing, among others, who met the accused at different locations like Nyanya Primary School, as Mr. Agbo had no known permanent abode. He had also failed to tender receipts to the victims for payments made to him which ranged from N8, 500

to N45,000 for admission forms and school fees. The evidence revealed that more than N100,000 was extorted from four victims who testified before the court.

Delivering the judgment, Magistrate Changbo said, from the evidence before it, the Management of the Nasarawa State University neither had any relationship with the culprit nor any satellite campus in Nyanya Primary School as alleged by the accused. The Magistrate ruled that the evidence also showed that the culprit deliberately forged the admission letters and

purported to be a senior staff of the university, which aided him to extort money from the public without offering them admission. He posited that the action of the culprit evidently occasioned emotional, psychological and economic hardship to the victims.

The court found the accused as having contravened Sections 179, 324 and 364 of the Penal Code and thereby pronounced Mr. Francis Agbo guilty of forgery and cheating by impersonation. He sentenced him to three years in prison for the former and two years for the latter, bringing the total sentence to

five years without an option of fine. He also ruled that the convict pay back the money dubiously collected from the victims or else spend an additional six months in prison.

The five-year sentence would run concurrently with effect from 23 February, 2012, when the convict was first arraigned.

Reacting to the judgment, the Deputy Director, Legal, NUC, Mr. Moses Awe, described the judgment as a victory for the NUC as it will serve as a deterrent to other proprietors of illegal outfits who are in the habit of defrauding people.

Team Masters proffers solution to falling education standard

By BOSE ADELAJA

T

eam Masters Limited has attributed the f a l l i n g standard of education in Nigeria to lack of reading culture, unqualified teachers,, quest for money and lack of dedication to duty.

Speaking in Lagos at the flag-off of the 5th edition of the annual Spelling Bee competition in commemoration of the International Spelling Day,, Project Director, Rotimi Eyitayo, said the problem emanated from the foundation as many present-day graduates could not defend their certificates since money could buy that for them, for many greedy teachers opt for money rather than dignity in their labour.

In view of the above, the organisers resorted to the introduction of the Spelling Bee project because according to them, it will help students’ academic growth as English Langauage is the universal language in which all subjects are taught.

The project, he said, is targeted at students between the ages of six and 17 and will also feature about 10 states in Nigeria with the hope of reaching out to Ghana, United Kingdom and Benin Republic. ‘’The project has been helpful in diverse ways, especially improving students’ vocabulary, confidence and academic performance,’’ he said.

Eyitayo said the programme will be in four stages ranging from school in-house training,, districts finals, state finals and national finals after which there will be award evening with presentation of prizes and certificates to all winners, schools and sponsors of the competition.

Also, the national winner will be a 1-Day Consular-General while the judges of the programme have been picked from across the country.

In her own contribution, Public Diplomacy Officer, United States Consulate-General, Nigeria, Rhonda Watson said the competition will improve students’ vocabularies and encourage them to invest in their education. ‘’Spelling Bee can be a very good thing because it will enhance a solid foundation for your future especially in reading and writing. This is an entrance into the fundamentals of education, take this as a challenge to build yourself,’’ she said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 —25

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

A

midst political intrigues bordering on the call for creation of more states, establishment of state police, incessant bombings, corruption, call for Sovereign National Conference (SNG) and true federalism rocking the nation, Prof. Lai Oso, Dean, Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication (AASOC) has called on media owners and practitioners to always pursue public interest in their reportage of issues towards nation-building. Prof. Oso made this call recently while delivering the 47th Inaugural Lecture of the Lagos State University entitled; Press and Politics in Nigeria: On Whose Side?

Chronicling the 153-year history of the Nigerian Press, dating back to 1859 when the first newspaper, Iwe Irohin Fun Awon Ara Egba ati Yoruba (paper for the Egba people and Yorubas) was set up by Rev. Henry Townsend of the Church Missionary Society (CMS), till the present day press, Prof. Oso lauded the efforts of journalists in the struggle to attain Nigeria’s independence and its young democracy.

He, however, argued that while many commentators have continued to lay much emphasis on the role of the press in Nigeria’s contemporary politics, he has been particularly concerned with unraveling the material and market determinants which have largely been responsible for the bias, imbalanced and subjective reportage by most media organisations in the country over the years.

Journalists must pursue public interest to save Nigeria —Prof Oso The Professor of Mass Communication argued that efforts by some stakeholders towards peace and nationbuilding seem unrealizable, “as press and politics are intertwined and can’t be separated.” Oso also stated that over the years, factors bordering on unobserved political partisanship, state appointments, bribery, contract awards, ownership influence, role of the state and commercialization, portend a great distraction in the press’ efforts to foster peace and nation-building.

He said; “Whether under the colonial regime or the politicians that took over from them in 1960 and the military that toppled the politicians first in 1966 and later in the 1980s, the media were regarded as a major tool in the political struggle and hegemony building; hence the various attempts to control or domesticate the institution of mass communication either through outright ownership or legal and extralegal means. On the first reason, the struggle to control and dominate the state by the elite class has been very intense and desperate, often degenerating into violence among the competing groups.”

Explaining why concerted efforts towards peace and

nation-building have been a tedious task in the Nigerian society, Oso said; “Because of the plural nature of the Nigerian society, its ethnic configuration, it has been difficult to create a ‘united nation’ out of various ethnic groups in the country. All the ethnic groups want access to state power, and as such, recruit the press in the hot

,

such a project could easily be labeled as ethnic or religious.

This was the fate of the June 12 struggle which was at a point labelled a ‘Yoruba affair.’ The recent anti-petrol price increase protests was a l s o presented as sectional by *Prof Oso

It has been inimical in the sense that it has sometimes compromised the credibility of the press; it makes the press a captive instrument of parochial interest groups

,

contestation for it. This has been both beneficial and inimical to the press in the country. While it has given the press its strength to limit a centralist and authoritarian tendency in the polity, safeguarding some level of divergence or differences, it is also its Achilles’ heel.

“It has been inimical in the sense that it has sometimes compromised the credibility of the press. It makes the press a captive instrument of parochial interest groups and a vehicle for the circulation and promotion of primordial cultural symbols antithetical to national ones. Thus, it has been difficult for the press to offer a national platform for any pan-Nigerian project as

some shadowy groups. There are also a good number of commentators who see the media coverage of the Boko Haram insurgency along regional/religious divide.”

Adding, “ we may also note that the political elite through its use of ethnic and other divisive primordial factors can easily use the press to whip up emotions and recruit and mobilise the lower classes as canon fodders in their political warfare for state power and resources. This has been the case during elections and the various social conflicts the country has witnessed in recent times·” As journalists and other media producers produce knowledge, the

Childlike is a complimentary term used to describe the positive characteristics that children usually have. Childlike connotes the attractive qualities of the child such as innocence, trust, simplicity and enthusiasm. When applied to adults or children, it is usually a term of approval. Thus, childish and childlike are used in different contexts.

Examples: ‘When I became a man, I put away childish things’. I Corinthians 13:11.

Don’t be so childish!

He accepted the offer with childlike enthusiasm.

Even at sixty-five, my uncle seemed childlike.

My wife has a childlike trust in others.

Frequently Confused Words Childish – Childlike A child is ‘a young human who is not yet an adult.’ Both childish and childlike refer to ‘a person being like a child’ but the two words do not have the same connotative meaning.

Childish has a negative connotation, while childlike has a positive connotation. Childish, when applied to adults, is a term of disapproval. It is used in a derogatory way to mean ‘behaving in a stupid or a silly way; acting like a child in an immature way’. Childish refers to the less desirable qualities of a child such as ‘selfishness’ and ‘irresponsibility.’

C M Y K

Later – Latter – Last Use later when referring to a term in the future, latter when referring to the second of two things, groups or persons mentioned previously and last after more than two things or people have been mentioned.

Examples: I’ll see you later in the day.

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a

communication scholar in his one and half hour interactive lecture, urged them to be a bit more skeptical in their relationship with sources, if they must pursue public interest and service in their reportage.

According to him, “skepticism should be a cardinal journalistic virtue which every reporter should cultivate. It appears that many journalists are ready to accept any information from sources without bothering much about the credibility and veracity of such information. In this age of packaged politics and politicians spin-doctoring news management, branding and promotion of pseudoevents, every strategy is employed to create a close assimilation between journalists and their sources.” government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”. Thomas Jefferson.

I live in the last house on the right.

Instruction: Choose the appropriate word from the alternatives in the bracket.

1.

The cashier did not take the customer’s remark as a (compliment/ complement).

2. (compliments/ complement) of the season!

3.

Communal labour should (compliment/complement) government efforts on road repairs.

4.

Men and women have strengths that (compliment/complement) each other.

5.

The bus was (stationary/stationery) when a car ran into it.

6.

Adun went to a

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

26— Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Mountain out of a

briefcase pt 2

By LAJU ARENYEKA

B

rief cases can no longer be defined as the boring leather accessory that is

the middle aged working man’s signature style. The female undergraduate has the brief case working for her in terms of style and practicality.

1. Not all your books: Except your bag is super big and super strong, try to limit the amount of load you put in it. It’s not too chic to have your colour block briefcase handbag tear in public.

2. Forearm instead of shoulders: It’s cuter to carry this handbag on your forearm (the space between your elbow and your wrist) than on your shoulders. This creates enough space to let your bag shine in an almost 360 degree motion.

3. Mind the shape: If

‘Nigerian youths are nation that need to be built’

BY FAITH OLANIRAN, FUT-MINNA

T

he saying that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow has always been the sermon preached by the older generation for a very long time now but the question is, are these same youths availed the opportunity to assume the responsibility of being the leaders of this present day?

In a bid to proffer solutions to the problems being faced by Nigeria today, I-Create Initiative deemed it best to organise her first National Youth Summit in Minna, Niger State. The event was held on October 1, 2012 in commemoration of the nation’s national day at the Ahmadu Bahago Secondary School Hall, where no fewer than 40

*Participants at the summit C M Y K

participants graced the occasion. The participants were from the Federal University of Technology Minna, College of Education, Minna, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, some youth corpers serving in the capital city of Minna, as well as secondary school students in Minna.

In his address, Engr. Olamide Adeoye, who described the youths as people between the ages of 15 and 35, said the summit with the theme; Youth and Nation Building, said the word, nation, in the past was mainly used by nations that have just been granted sovereignty.

His words; “During that era, these nations ventured into changing their national anthem, national flags and most importantly, a total shift from the colonial system of government to

an indigenous system of government. Nation-building has gone far beyond that which political independent states believed it to be in the past.

Today, the youths themselves are the nation that needs to be built, the youths need to imbibe right ideals and correct ideologies that will help them prepare for the future instead of waiting for our leaders to prepare the future for them.”

Speaking with the founder of the I-Create Initiative, Faith Olaniran, a campus journalist described the club as that which is out to set the pace in the development of a society of dynamic people, especially the young people, thus, focusing on how potentials and creativity poise can be enacted in Niger State. He also added that the club is saddled with the responsibility of building the youths of Niger State to be faithful and creativitydriven.

your brief case handbag has a flexible shape, ensure that you load your bag properly so it doesn’t look irregular.

4. Shoes: It’s not rocket science to pick shoes to go

with your bag. Any of the colours on the bag’s spectrum will do. It also makes fashion sense to pick a colour that your bag and clothes have in common.

gy OAU Psycholoin Dept. shines etition debate comp

BY ABDUL-AZIZ DAUDIKHARIA

T

he Department of Psychology, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has been the cynosure of all eyes at the Faculty of Social Sciences, as its students emerged victorious in the faculty’s just-concluded debate competition.

The three-man team with the name Team Psychology, was declared the overall best of the Social Sciences Conference, which had as its theme; Youth and National Development, held at the magnificent Oduduwa Hall of the institution. It was greeted with ecstasy and wide jubilation by their supporters and well-wishers.

Welcoming the participants, the Dean of the faculty, Prof.

Olabisi Aina, highlighted the aims of the conference which include, among others, addressing the challenges of youth, social disorder, security, governance, economic and labour force in Nigeria and by extension, give students an enviable platform to speak on the roles of their respective courses of study on youth and national development.

The faculty is made up of six departments, namely; Demography and Social Statistics, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology. Each department was represented by four students drawn from across all levels to present a paper on the significance of their various departments to youth empowerment and national development.

Part of the criteria for the presentation was that all the presentations must be done in Microsoft PowerPoint. Five minutes was allotted to each participant.

Team Psychology, represented by the trio of Ogunbowale Olugbenga (400 level), Ikharia Abdul-Aziz (300 level) and Akinlade Lekan (100 level) was adjudged outstanding for its brilliant paper and Microsoft PowerPoint presentation on the topic; The Relevance of Psychology to Youth and National Development.

It was followed by departments of Political Science, and Economics, respectively. Meanwhile, the conference had its keynote address on the topic; Youth National Development, delivered by Dr. Alex Chika Ezeh, the Executive Director, African Population and Research Centre (APHRC), Nairobi, Kenya.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 — 27

Protest rocks Benue varsity over non-accreditation

BY MSONTER ANZAA, BESU

S

tudents of the Benue State University College of Health Sciences (BESUCHS), Makurdi, penultimate Wednesday, embarked on a protest at the college. They were not happy over the nonaccreditation of the University Teaching Hospital. Reports say the students in their numbers locked the two entrances into the college insisting they must have collective audience with the ViceChancellor, the Provost of the College, the Chief Medical Director of the Teaching Hospital and the Governor of Benue State.

Drama ensued around 10:00 am, when the ViceChancellor, Professor Charity Angya arrived the scene and she was ignored by the

*BESU students during the protest students. Later in the day, she arrived in the company of the Provost, Chief Medical Director and the Secretary to the State Government. The students would still not attend to

them, insisting instead, on seeing the Governor or his deputy.

The blockade continued on Thursday, paralysing all activities in the college.

Rising from an emergency

meeting, the university's Senate directed all medical students to proceed on a two-week break to enable the university sort out the problems.

Addressing the students shortly after the Senate meeting, the Provost of the College and Professor of Surgery, Shima Gyoh assured them that the management was doing everything needed to enable it secure accreditation for

the teaching hospital. Professor Gyoh said the Benue State Government has provided everything needed to get the hospital ready.

FOTN prepares teenagers for future OLASUNKANMI AROWOLO & MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

A

non-governmental organisation, Friends of the Nation, has gathered teenagers across primary and secondary schools in the country to sensitize them on how to tackle future leadership challenges.

The Chief host of the initiative, Miss Nwachukwu Osisioma said: “I have discovered that Nigeria is a great nation but all this while, the challenge of leadership has crippled our greatness. As a Master's student in Counselling Studies, I asked myself what we can do to curb future leadership problems; the answer of which is the actualisation of this Independence day programme.

The leaders of tomorrow were taken through topics like Leadership, Self D i s c o v e r y, Vo c a t i o n a l S k i l l s , Pe r s o n a l i t y, S e l f Esteem, amongst others, to prepare them to become good leaders in future.

Ta k i n g them on Leadership, a psychologis from the University of Lagos, Mr. A.M Ifarajimi, explained that leadership is C M Y K

an inborn ability or made ability to channel a cause successfully.

On his part, Publisher of YES International Magazine, Azuh Arinze who spoke on Self Discovery, explained that it’s unveiling one’s innate ability. After sharing his life experience and how

he became an editor of the popular Encomium magazine at age 26, he revealed the three keys to discovering great potentials in life borders on these questions; “Who are you? Who/What do you want to discover? and How do you discover it?”

Other speakers include

Ladipo Anuoluwapo of De Rubies Concept, Miss Maureen Uduma, Tu n d e Oladipo and Olusemore Funmilayo who spoke on Self esteem and Study Skills respectively. The programme also featured current affairs competition; inter-school debate; spelling bee; and show your talent game.

UNILAG 50th anniversary: Parents tasked on effective parenting

By ALADE AROMASHODU

A

s part of activities marking the 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the University of Lagos, Management of the institution has charged parents to identify their responsibilities to the adolescents in order to assist them in achieving their dreams.

“Adolescents need to know their limit, reasonable restrictions, and requirements, but they also like to feel that these rules and regulations are things about which they themselves have had some say.

“They need help in solving their problems. But help does not mean providing ready-made solutions. They can be encouraged to look carefully at the pros and cons of many courses of action, and to arrive at the decision on important matters only after careful thought,” said Prof. (Mrs) Mopelola Omoegun, Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Lagos.

Omoegun stated. She stated further; “They need to feel that some of the things that they do are important. In the course of becoming an adult, there should be challenging activities, not just

dull routine. Otherwise, the adolescent just has to break out somewhere and make things happen."

In her own contribution, Prof.

(Mrs) Ayoka Mopelola Olusakin of Department of Educational Foundations, “parental discipline of the adolescent is the set of rules, rewards and punishments administered to teach self-control; increase desirable behaviours and decrease or eliminate the undesirable ones,” saying, “parents may use reasonable force or impose reasonable punishments to control, train, and educate the adolescents,” she stated.

Dept gets new HOD

BY STANLEY UCHEGBU

T

he Management of University of Calabar (UNICAL) has appointed Dr. Bassey E. Bassey as the new Head of Department for Accounting students in the Faculty of Management Sciences. He took over from Dr. Akabom Asuquo, whose tenure expired late last month. Before his appointment, Dr. Bassey was the examination officer of the department and Faculty of Management Sciences representative in Faculty of Clinical Sciences in the University of Calabar .

Speaking to Quadlife, Dr. Bassey said that his administration as the Head of Department will mostly centre on exposing the students to workshops, seminars, symposium and conferences across national and international frontiers, adding that exposing the students to such will make them compete favourably with their counterparts after graduation.

Don tasks govt on fostering citizens’ rights

BY FOLUSO SOTOMI,

T

he essence of any government is to promote the rights and welfare of its citizens, but for a long time, Nigeria has taken with levity the inalienable fundamental human rights of her citizens for granted. While delivering the 46th inaugural lecture series of the Lagos State University (LASU), Dean of Faculty of Management Sciences, Professor Olubanji Fajonyomi argued that for the nation to pride itself as a democratic state, rights and welfare of its citizenry must be protected by government at all levels.

Speaking at the lecture entitled When the State goes to sleep: Of citizen and State relationship, Prof. Fajonyomi looked at the relationship between the Nigerian State and its citizenry from the public administrator's perspective.

According to him, cultural value of good governance must be imbibed by public office holders.

28—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—29

C M Y K

30— Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 He regretted the lack of interest in manufacturing shown by both local investors and firms unlike what happens in Asia, Europe and America.

“What happens today and that is one grey area is that when some of these things are seen and somebody takes them to China, within a week, it is massproduced and they flood the market. But we do not have such collaboration here. We should start doing that because it is something that is possible. If Zinox can do some computer parts here, why not inverters; the parts are not different, particularly the electronic and key mechanical components,” he said.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Our researches are tailored to meet local needs — IZE-BALOGBAN

By EBELE ORAKPO

E

ngineer Orlando IzeBalogban is a chief lecturer in the Department of Industrial Maintenance Engineering and also the chairman of Yaba College of Technology Exhibition Committee in charge of showcasing research works in the college to the outside world. In this chat with Vanguard Learning in his office, he said most of their researches are in areas that can be directly applied to take care of our local needs.

He spoke on three of such innovations in the areas of energy and transportation.

Excerpts: Biodiesel: According to Engr. IzeBalogban, they are into renewable energy because of the power problem in the country. “We need a local solution because power is central to anything we do these days. This is the computer age and we need electricity for that. A lot of our research projects are on renewable energy, we do inverters, produce biodiesel from catfish waste, vegetable oil and other sources so that instead of using petrodiesel, we can use biodiesel produced from bio materials."

DC air conditioner: He said this became necessary so that people could still enjoy comfort in their homes and offices using direct current (dc), despite the fact that power supply from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), is not always available. “We can use batteries and direct current from alternative energy sources to run the air conditioner.

This air conditioner does not need electricity from PHCN because what they supply is alternating current (AC) and most of the appliances we have today use alternating current but we have begun to design machines that can use direct current. At least, with the help of a battery and some transformations, we can now get the same comfort we get from alternating current. We produced one and we still need to refine it before we can start to market it,” he said.

C M Y K

*Engr. Ize-Balogban

*The 3-KVA inverter

*Keke Yabatech He said that DC appliances are expensive and they needed to do something about it. “We have DC fans and air conditioners but they are more expensive than the AC versions. The imported DC air conditioners are very expensive and that was one of the reasons we decided to make a prototype using local raw materials. Last year, we actually struck a deal with a private company in Nigeria but somewhere along the line, there was a challenge and we have not been able to overcome the challenge but when we do, that company will take the responsibility of mass-producing the DC air conditioners.

“It will interest you to know that GSM base stations could use these air conditioners.

Right now, in the GSM base stations, it is only the air conditioners that use alternating current, all others, particularly from the transmission, use direct current so what operators are doing now is to install DC generators to power the other things. So if a DC air conditioner is now being used, then installing DC

,

to convert it to alternating current so that it can be useful for appliances like fans, air conditioners, computers, lighting etc. That is the work of the inverter and it was fabricated using local raw materials. The 3-KVA inverter has just been completed by our students. It can power a number of things except air conditioners and refrigerators,” he stated.

On the affordability of the inverter, he said it is affordable “because its actual price is about N30,000 so by the time we get to the stage of mass-producing it,

No vehicle manufacturer builds all the parts; essentially, it is the chassis and the body, all other things like the engine can be done by a different group

generators will solve the problem as they just need the DC generator and that is all.

It is very key to the GSM base stations and other operators.”

The inverter: “We need inverters because most of our appliances and equipment use alternating current from either PHCN or generator. But if we want to use renewable energy, we do not get alternating current directly from it, we get direct current instead so we need to convert it to alternating current so that our normal appliances will still be useful.

In other words, the inverter is necessary so that our normal appliances can still be relevant when we use alternative energy sources.

For example, we can use solar or wind energy. What you get from these sources is direct current so we need an inverter

,

it is going to come down so that we can be able to sell for N25,000 - N30,000,” adding that a 1 KVA imported inverter goes for about N55,000 while a 3-KVA imported inverter is over N100,000.”

*Keke Yabatech: “This started about two years ago. The person who started it has retired but those of us left behind are trying to refine it. We are also planning to do another model that can be relevant in mass transit, one that can take about seven passengers as against the three/four passengers the imported ones take. We will also do a lot of modifications and come up with one that can be used for agricultural purposes. So Keke Yabatech is unique in terms of configuration and shape; it is different from the imported one.”

He said some students were used to carry out the project using local raw materials. “The engine we used is a Vespa engine but all other things were fabricated locally – the body and the chassis were done here. With modifications, we can use key to start Keke Yabatech as it was only manual initially. The new model is on the drawing board.

"No vehicle manufacturer builds all the parts.

Essentially, it is the chassis and the body, all other things like the engine can be done by a different group, so we can start something like that in Nigeria. Then later, some companies can produce things like batteries, alternators etc. It is sad that such companies that existed in the 80s are no more.

The body and upholstery can be done internally and gradually, we can go into fabrication of engines and that involves foundry. We can establish a standard foundry in Nigeria," he said.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 — 31

Loral School expresses faith in Nigeria MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

BY NDIDI UCHE

E

ntrepreneurship expert, Professor Pat Utomi has called on the Federal Government to work on the policies that will enable unemployed graduates develop entrepreneurial skills in order to develop the society.

The former presidential aspirant made this call during the 4th convocation lecture of the Redeemer ’s University entitled; Entrepreneurship as Panacea for Unemployment in the 21st Century- The Role of the University. According to him, “Entrepreneurship is a fundamental part of our human dignity.”

He emphasized that entrepreneurship is not about passing a course but using what one has learnt and apply the knowledge in what one is primarily engaged in to create value and wealth.

Utomi said; “Entrepreneurship can raise the capacity of society to make that great leap in value

creation. But this is not likely to happen if we fail to invest in raising human capital, creating an enabling environment and building strong institutions.

If we can do so, then we can truly reap demographic dividends.”

He also stated that among the six interdependent variables that add to progress in the growth drivers framework, entrepreneurship is indispensable.

S p e a k i n g o n what he

Stakeholders laud Jonathan Continued from page 23 estimate to signed Appropriation Act be speedy enough to ensure that the money is available in time for spending?” According to him, the pattern that has emerged over the last few years is a long delay in processing the Appropriation Bill and by the time it is passed and finally blessed by the President’s signature, we have just a few months to the end of the financial year. The third question is, What guarantee do we have that all the monies appropriated will be released for spending? Fourthly, even when the monies are released, what about leakages in the system which make less money available for direct impact?

Fifthly, has the education sector the ability to spend the money in one year given the expenditure controls of due process especially when the funds are released a few months to end of the financial year?"

"Moreover," he added, “since the details of the proposed expenditure are not available at this time, my conjecture, most of this 'big money to education' will go into recurrent expenses especially staff salaries. We cannot overstress the importance of wellmotivated staff, especially teachers in delivering quality education at all levels.

However, what we need more at this time and in addition to C M Y K

S

Expert calls for enabling environment for young Nigerian entrepreneurs

such heavy recurrent costs, is capital grants to heal our ailing schools, especially our universities. The joy for me is that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has a new regime of intervention to address many of these infrastructural and human resource challenges.

"We anticipate that state governments will take a cue from the Federal Goverment in making education stay on top of the pack in budgetary allocation in 2013 and beyond, so that Nigeria takes full advantage of the power of education in addressing the current vexing national challenges.”

Speaking in the same vein, Professor Aize Obayan, ViceChancellor, Covenant University, applauded President Goodluck Jonathan's proposed education budget of N426.53 billion stating that the move is a step in the right direction.

Obayan, however, noted that with the considered amount for education, Nigeria is yet to meet the 26 per cent UNESCO minimum recommendation. She said; “In the overall budget of this country, we must have this done to bring Nigeria universities to the fore in the first best ten in the world."

According to the VC, "if we looked at education operationalization globally, be it primary, secondary and university, there must be a progression in Information Communication Technology (ICT), well equipped laboratories, conducive

referred to as the Nehemiah complex, Utomi said that it is necessary to reexamine the idea of a university in the light of the need to rebuild the cracking walls of the Nigerian national edifice.

On his part, the Osun State Governor represented by the Commissioner for Land, Fiscal Policy and Urban Development, Architect Muyiwa Ibe said that during the celebration of

classrooms to facilitate learning in its ramification. Many universities in our country do not have equipment.”

Bothered by the inconsistency in our education policy, Obayan called for education agenda which every minister in that sector must strictly follow, maintaining that every minister of education always come with their policies with specific agenda to pursue. “Just like Singapore has a workable agenda for their education sector, we need to have a vision of what we want for our education sector,” she said.

Further, she added that we cannot achieve our vision without human development in training and retraining teachers, pleading that we should endeavour to effect partnership with universities abroad for effective research work. “We can not talk of effective government outside education,” she said.

In utilising the fund, Obayan urged the government to give it a holistic approach that will cut across federal, state and private institutions, stressing that the government should ensure that the money is spent on what it is meant for. “There should be proper planning and expenditure to engender changes in the sector,” she added.

On his part, the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan, Professor Adeniyi Togun who was happy with the proposed allocation, however, stated that the N426.53 billion is

*Professor Pat Utomi the Governor's first 100 days in office, Governor Rauf Aregbesola encouraged the youths to look for opportunities to add value and create wealth not just for themselves but for others.

Ibe added that with the unemployed graduates embracing the spirit of entrepreneurship, unemployment will become a thing of the past. inadequate if compared with the minimum 26 per cent recommended by UNESCO. He argued that since budget is a statement of intent, the Federal Government may not fully implement the amount on education at the end of the year.

His words:;“Budget is a statement of intent. Our budget in this country has never fully been implemented as the government always pay lip service to education with a nonfocussed implementation. This seems to be the rule in this country. N426.53 billion is below the 26 per cent UNESCO recommendation for education.”

Also, the National President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Com. Dauda Mohammed, lauded President Jonathan for the improvement in the budgetary allocation to the education sector, and maintained that the government has realised the need to invest more in education in a bid to foster overalleconomicgrowthandstatewide development His words; “The present commitment of the President Jonathan administration can be seen as a right step in the right direction towards the attainment of our age-long agitation for the actualisation of the 26 per cent minimum allocation to education as recommended by the UNESCO. We therefore urge the National Assembly to complement this effort by ensuring a timely passage and encouraging proper implementation of the budget.”

tudents of Loral International Nursery, Primary and Secondary School (LINPSS), recently expressed their faith in Nigeria, depsite the wave of insecurity and economic crunch sweeping across the country.

Both staff and students of Festac and Igbesa campuses of the school came together to celebrate the 52nd Independence anniversary of the country.

Speaking in a lecture entitled, Nigeria: The Road to Independence, the keynote speaker and Government teacher at the school, Mr Hassan Busari, recounted the ordeals experienced in the dark days of colonial rule.

He urged the students to become agents of positive transformation in the society, noting that the present challenges in the country were part of the sacrifices for building a great nation.

Speaking on the rationale for the event, the Vice-Principal (Administration), Mrs Ethel Onwubu, explained that the school organised the event to reassure the younger ones that Nigeria will rise above the economic downturn and other challenges facing it.

Greg Mbajiorgu’s Drama wins 1st position in NURESDEF

By NDIDI UCHE

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reg Mbajiorgu’s drama on climate change, Wake Up Everyone, won the first position in the Arts and Humanities Research and Innovation categories during the 5 th edition of the Nigerian Universities Research and Development Fair (NURESDEF).

This year's edition was organised and sponsored by the National Universities Commission in collaboration with the Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State which took place at the Sports complex from 8 th to 12 th October, 2012.

During the four-day event, the best and most recent research efforts and innovations from Nigerian universities were on display including keynote lectures and series of lectures delivered by guest lecturers.

32 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

SUCCESS RECIPE WITH UDEME ARCHIBONG

Slow learners get better with cognitive training —Ezennia

BY LAJU ARENYEKA Written off as dim-witted, lazy or even bewitched, Nigerian children with learning disabilities have over the years endured failure, and have been largely misunderstood especially by those closest to them.

Understanding such special children, and helping them understand, has been the language of Cogniskills, a learning enhancement centre that has helped many of such special children sharpen their cognitive skills. With a first degree in Philosophy, and a Master's in Managerial Psychology coupled with years of international experience in the field, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, and mother of four, Mrs. Anayo Ezennia in a chat with Vanguard Learning, shares her challenges and experiences.

Mastering your internal guidance system

W *Mrs. Anayo Ezennia

What is Cogniskills Learning Enhancement Centre all about?

Cogniskills Learning Enhancement Centre is a learning enhancement and improvement resource facility, which provides cognitive skills training that target the underlying mental and reading skills of its clients that are vital for easy, fast and effective learning. This is done through intense, challenging procedures that significantly impact mental abilities positively. Our programmes are based on scientific learning and reading principles that have been researched and developed in the United States and South *Ezennia conducting a cognitive training exercise with some pupils in Lagos Africa by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, to quickly and significantly build processing is the ability of the not subject-based. They are designed those underlying mental skills brain to process sounds. It is the like video games. Children enjoy it which are responsible for basic skill needed to read and because they think they are playing effective learning. We address spell and also helps with speech games meanwhile they are learning. the root causes of learning defects. Logical reasoning is the Whatever the child has learnt remains difficulties, not the symptoms. ability to reason, think and plan. there for life. By practice, repetitions, How did you get into the If these abilities are poor, then immediate feedback and positive business of training children problem-solving, math and reinforcement, even a child that is comprehension will be poor. with learning difficulties? struggling will succeed eventually. For How do you identify and help example, there is this group of In 2005, a friend of mine came back from the United children with learning students I saw last in 2009. In 2012, States and told me about it. We disabilities?We conduct an after just about two or three sessions, worked together to set up a assessment to determine to what they could perform all the exercises learning centre and in 2009, she degree the child possesses the up to the levels where they stopped returned to the United States. I vital cognitive skills necessary in 2009. strong academic decided to travel to South Africa for Tell us about your success rate? for further training and performance. Then we provide I have never had reason to feel certification. When I came back specific on-line, one-on-one and discouraged since I started working cognitive skills with children. Every weak learning to Nigeria, I registered group Cogniskills Ltd. and here I am. enhancement programmes to skill can be enhanced no matter the How do cognitive skills affect those students with weak severity of the learning challenge. My learning skills, to help develop students have recorded tremendous a child’s learning?

If attention skills are weak, the and strengthen these skills, and improvement and outstanding results. ability to stay on a task for long also to those who want to record This encourages us to go the extra mile periods of time or ignore stronger academic performance. to provide solution to struggling distractions would limit the We also help students get better learners. There is the case of an eightability of other mental skills. If organised and develop good year-old girl with learning disability. memory skills are weak, the study skills.

During her 5 th week on the Our programmes are not only programme, her mum informed us that individual will be unable to retain information long enough for children with learning the principal was interested and would to properly handle that challenges. Children who are like to meet with us. She explained information and learning average and high academic that they carried out mid-term exams suffers. Processing speed is the achievers enjoy easier, faster at school and this little girl had scored better academic 95 per cent overall. The teachers speed at which the brain and processes information. If the performance at the highest level thought she cheated in the exams. So brain is slow, information held after undergoing cognitive they referred her to the principal who in working memory may be lost training. Generally, both told them to set new questions for her. before it can be used, requiring programmes are very effective When that was done, she was to start all over again. Visual in achieving results. separated from other students as she If the programme only runs took the test and she scored 92 per Perception is the skill that requires processing and making for about three months, isn’t it cent. The school management was so use of visual images. If this is possible for training to be lost amazed that we were invited to make weak, those tasks that require on the students after a period a presentation at a seminar held for seeing in your head or creating of time? international schools at their school.

It is not possible for the We always get satisfactory reports from mental pictures (math word problems, and comprehension, training to be lost on the parents of children that we have etc.) will suffer. Auditory students. Our programmes are trained.

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hy do we think the way we do? Why do we feel the way we do? Why do we act or behave the way we do? What determines our results in life? The quality of our lives is determined by our internal guidance system. Your internal guidance system is the regulator of your entire life; everything in your life rises or falls on it. The outward condition of your life is a reflection of the quality of your internal guidance system. What then is internal guidance system? you may ask. It is the stimulant that triggers a pattern of thinking, talking, acting or behaving in various situations and in every important area of our lives which have been learned from infancy onward which has evolved into subconscious response or conditioning that produces the outcome of our lives.

Most of the behaviour and responses of the adult to various situations or events are on autopilot. Most of the ideas, feelings, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes were learned during our formative years. And these ideas, beliefs, attitudes, opinions, values and experiences to which we were exposed to have, been imprinted on our subconscious mind. In every event of your life, you draw upon the belief, idea, opinion and attitude that have been filed in your subconscious mind to respond or deal with the situation. Therefore, most of our choices we make in life are subconscious choices rather than conscious choices. If we do not like our behaviour or the result we are experiencing in any area of life, it is needful to change your internal guidance system.

Everything that we have experienced in life either positively or negatively first existed in our minds or in the mind of someone. There cannot be a physical creation without a mental creation. Our lives are being controlled and directed by our mental states; our state of life is determined by our state of mind. Our behaviour and response to life is always consistent with our mental pictures. And our mental picture creates our actual picture or experience. Therefore, in mastering our internal guidance system, we need to take heed of the thoughts and mental picture that dominates our minds because it will dominate our life. Most of us allow our minds to operate by default; thinking and imagining all kinds of things that create a failure-ridden life. We must deliberately choose our dominating thoughts and visualize ourselves taking possession of who we want to be, what we want to do and what we want to have. The mental picture should be clear, held consistently in the mind with an in-depth belief that it is as good as done.

Think of yourself and see yourself as you want to be and not as you are.

We need to issue out commands to our subconscious mind. We need to talk aloud to ourselves and set the course of our behaviour and life with positive words of how we want to lead our lives. Remember, words can create our feelings and behaviour and shape who we are.

You must walk, talk, and act exactly as if you were already the person you desire to be. Let your behaviour and actions be consistent with your goals and ideals. You need to “live” it before you can experience it.

We are bombarded all our waking hours with negativity.

Therefore, we need to shield our minds from all forms of negativity by feeding our minds with positive information that will improve and upgrade our lives, bringing us into harmony with our goals. We must take heed of who we listen to, what we watch and read. Remember, garbage in; garbage out.

Our association determines our acceleration or deceleration in the journey of life. Therefore, associate with positive people who are doing something great with their lives; people who will build you up and help you accomplish your destiny.

Chart your course by mastering your internal guidance system.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—33

UNIDO extends Country Programme for Nigeria by 18 months STORIES BY FRANKLIN ALLI HE United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has extended its Country Programme for Nigeria by an additional 18 months.

The UNIDO Country Programme is a technical cooperation between Federal Government of Nigeria and UNIDO which covers the period of 4 years (2009-2012).

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mr. Dauda Kigbu, who disclosed this, said that the Programme has been reviewed, revised and extended for an additional period of 18 months to enable it accommodate the Economic Transformation Agenda of the government and the Ministry’s expanded mandate as well as the National Industrial Plan.

Kigbu charged the members of the Implementation Committees to make efforts to achieve the objectives of the country programme for the benefit of the nation.

He said that the objective of the Country Programme was to promote industrialization and help Nigeria achieve its goal of becoming one of the 20 largest economies by the year 2020.

UNIDO Country Director in Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Kormarwa, noted that the Country Programme for Industrial Development Agreement signed with Nigeria has a framework for revision of the document in line with the priority of government.

He said the revised Country programmes’ objective was to support industrialization in Nige-

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•Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu (middle)with representatives of some secondary schools in Lagos and Ogun states during the celebration of World Standards Day in Lagos . ria and helped the country achieve the goal of becoming one of the 20 largest economies by the year 2020, and to promote non oil sector, enhance productive capacity, increase value addition, promotion of Agro indus-

try and sustainable energy in Nigeria.

The Acting Director Policy, Standards Research and Statistics, Mrs. Victoria Familola, stated that the themes and components of the Country Programme

were for poverty reduction, trade capacity building and energy and environment, adding that the main objective was to promote economic growth and non-oil sector, create jobs generate wealth and value addition.

SON plans efficiency skills for CEOs HIEF Executive Officers in the public and private sector organisations are to be taught efficiency skills as the secret of businesses success.

It will take place at the forthcoming Nigeria Quality Summit 2012, December 6 at the Eko Hotel, Lagos.

Briefing the press in Lagos, The Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Joseph Odumodu, said the summit is being organised by the Agency to mark this year’s edition of World Standards Day with the

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theme: “less waste, better results- standards increase efficiency.’

“Whether it is public or private enterprise, efficiency determines success to a very large extent and there is no getting around it. Focusing on efficiency is therefore basic and no time is late to get started as efficiency is critical and vital to organizational survival, growth and sustenance Chief executives of international standards bodies from developed countries who have used their standards to develop their economies are

•From left: Mr. Vikas Mehra, Head of Contract Division, Lucky Fibres Plc., Arc Mohammed Faworaga, President, Nigerian Institute of Architect (NIA); Arc Mike Oziegbe Onolememen, Minister of Works and Mr. ParveshAswani, Zonal Sales Head, Lucky Fibres Plc ushering in the Special Guests at the 2012 Archibuilt in Abuja.

billed to be key speakers on “standards for increased efficiency- a global perspective’ with the chief executives of standards bureaus of Malaysia and South Africa as co speakers.

Though they will make presentations, they will actually be teaching from the wealth of experiences of mature and emerging markets which they represent and how a transiting economy can enter the highly competitive global markets. SON will also benchmark its performance and objective as defined in its six-point agenda.

Nigeria does not need to reinvent the wheel but we need to learn from those who have mastered the trade and its secret.

That is what the summit offers: uncommon skills acquisition from the best around the world in oneday.

The economy needs massive growth and the drivers need to learn quality assurance process across board not only to meet local markets but have the capacity to enter and play at the regional and international level.

Corporate world and the SMEs should make the best of the opportunity.

Youwin gives grant, not loan – Coordinator OUTH Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (Youwin)’s project Coordinator says the funds being given to winners to start their own business is a grant, and not a loan.

Youwin is a Federal Government’s innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in the country to develop and execute business ideas.

The Project Coordinator, Dr. Olusi Supo, said that every one of the 1,200 would-be winners will be given a grant (of between N1million and N10million) to start their own business at the end of the competition.

According to him, this current cycle of the project is dedicated exclusively to young Nigerian women entrepreneurs who are between the ages of 18-45 years old.

Fielding questions on why government extended the deadline for sub-

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mission of applications till October 28, 2012, he said: “The extension became necessary in view of the recent floods in several states of the federation, which made it difficult for applicants to access computers and internet facilities in the affected states.

“In view of the massive job creation objective set down for this Project, government is intent on ensuring that no single qualified candidate nationwide is excluded for reasons beyond the candidate’s control.”

He, therefore, enjoined those who were yet to register to make use of this two-week window of opportunity by making sure they submitted their applications via the website.

Earlier, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, disclosed that in order to boost women access to finance, government has voted seventeen percent of Youwin fund for women owned small and medium enterprises.

Lucky Fibre customises products UCKY Fibre Plc says its brand of Nobel rugs and carpets are being customised to meet consumers’ need.

“In today’s highly competitive business environment where the consumer has become sophisticated, customization and specification has become the rule of the game for budding players in the Home, Office, and Interior Design business landscape. There has been an increasing focus on customizing products to specification of consumers demand. Only professionals who pay attention to specific details and constantly offer innovative products will continue to thrive in the industry,” said General Manager, Kunal Malhotra.

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“We pride ourselves on the high quality of products being manufactured

by Lucky Fibres as the production facilities are world class and have received many awards. It was quite delightful taking customers through the painstaking process involved to manufacture our rugs and customized contract products. It must also be pointed out that it is also in line with the company’s policy to replace outdated technology to stay ahead of competition; the result is quality floor coverings and accessories that are not only beautifully designed but also are specially designed to last as they have the capacity to withstand immense pressure from constant Human traffic,” said Malhotra.

MAN Ikeja holds AGM today HE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ikeja Branch is having its 45th Annual General Meeting (AGM) today at Oranmiyan Hall, Lagos Airport Hotel.

In a statement, Executive Secretary, Joseph Emokele, said the meeting is aimed at bringing together all its members

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for the purpose of reviewing the performance of the manufacturing sector, based on the Nigerian economy.

Dr. Patrick Kormawa, UNIDO Representative in Nigeria is giving the keynote address: “The way out for the Nigeria Economic Woes: Empowering the Real Sector.”

34 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Shippers' Council seeks role in ports regulation

BY GODWIN ORITSE

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HE Nigeria Shippers’ Council has finally thrown its hat in the ring in the on-going contest for the transmutation of an agency under the ministry of transport to be the regulator of players and activities in the nation’s port system.

The council’s interest was announced yesterday when members of the Senate committee on marine transport visited its executive secretary and chief executive officer; Capt Adamu Biu at Council’s Corporate Head office in Lagos He said that the council has been craving to be uplifted to serve as the commercial regulator in the nation’s seaports, adding that, currently there is no regulator in the system.

According to him, the arbitrary charges by the concessionaires have led to an outright increase in the cost of doing business in the country’s ports and with a commercial regulator in place; it will help the sector to grow.

Capt Biu said that, as an import-dependent nation coupled with the fact that there is a prevalence of foreign interests providing services in the chain; there is the need for a regulator in the industry that can add value to the transport sector of the economy. ‘’If we do not have somebody to regulate, to agree on trade, that is to agree on reduction in the

price rate to make it commensurate, we will continue to be ripped by the ship owners and we know that more than 75 per cent of our trade is importoriented, so we need someone that can regulate to add value to transport business in the country”. ‘’That brings us to what we have been craving for; the establishment and the uplifting of the Nigeria Shippers’ Council to become the economic regulator to our nation’s port”, Biu affirmed.

He reiterated that the

concessioning of the ports has also worsened the situation, which he described as unpleasant in the area of doing business in the ports.

He added that the concessionaires, as businessmen increase their charges and on the part of Shippers’ Council, the law states that they can only intervene in an advisory capacity because they do not have the instrument to force the concessionaires to go beyond a certain level in

their charges. ‘’In 1978 when the Shippers Council was established we had a national shipping line, at least one third if not more trade was carried by our own shipping line which was a little bit of a relief in that perspective, but today we do not have a single container vessel, so we are 100% dependent on foreign patterns”, he lamented.‘ "And all of them are here to invest and make money, therefore we need an economic

From left: Human Resources Manager, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. ‘Tunde Adebayo; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Babatunde Odunayo and Director, Marketing, Mr Benson Evbuomwan, during the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Award for HR Best Practice 2012 won by the company, in Abuja.

Nigerian ports witness increased gross tonnage, cargo throughput

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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IGERIAN ports in the month of August witnessed increased gross tonnage of vessels, as well as cargo throughput compared to the same period last year.

A statistics made available to Vanguard by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), showed that the total gross tonnage of Ocean going vessels completed stood at 10,809,321 which showed 7.8% increase over the same period of August 2011 figure of 10,026,813.

A statement signed by the General Manager in charge of Public Affairs

regulator, we need somebody that can stand and protect our interest, and that is what we are trying to project” Biu stated.

However the Executive Secretary also lamented that the council is hampered by paucity of funds.

According to him, the council gets its fund within three to four months in arrears, adding that monies meant for the agency are usually delayed and it is a problem.

of the NPA, Chief Michael Ajayi, noted that the number of Coastal vessels completed during the same period stood at 1,809 indicating a growth of 4% over August 2011 figure of 1,739.

It also stated that the gross tonnage of the coastal vessels was 708,584, an increase of 8.6% over the August 2011 figure of 652,437.

NPA has continued to attract bigger vessels with large volumes of cargo as a result of its consistent effort in engaging in regular dredging and maintenance of our channels.

On the volume of cargo, Ajayi pointed out that cargo throughput stood at 6,872,901 metric tons

which showed a 4.9 percent increase over the same period of August 2011 figure of 6,552,596 metric tons.

Giving a breakdown of the throughput, he noted that general cargo was 1,311,376 metric tons, an increase of 29.5% over August 2011 figure while laden container throughput stood at 75,056 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEU’s) which showed a 5.3 percent increase over the same period of August 2011 figure of 71,263 TEU’s.

Empty container throughput stood at 67,739 TEUs, showing a rise of 34.3 percent over the August 2011 figure of

50,456 while vehicle traffic in the month under re-

view stood at 25,531 units representing a 12.4% increase over the August 2011 figure of 22,722 units, he noted.

BRIEF GTBank’s Online channels receive international certification HE integrity of Guaranty Tr ust Bank’s alternative banking channels received a boost recently with the Bank’s receipt of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard certification (PCIDSS).

PCIDSS certification is a worldwide security standard maintained by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCISSC) to detail acceptable technical and operational requirements, which help organizations that process card payments prevent credit card fraud, hacking and various other security vulnerabilities and threats. A certificate of compliance has since been issued to the Bank validating its compliance as a level 1 Acquirer and Issuer under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, version 2.0.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Segun Agbaje, Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc assured customers that the Bank’s card products, internet banking platform and other alternative channels are safe and reliable.

According to Mr. Agbaje, ‘ we will continue to ensure that our channels are safe and reliable. This has influenced the various new service offerings we have pioneered recently and the security upgrades our internet banking platform has undergone."

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Brent oil slips, global economy worry persists RENT crude oil fell on Wednesday as worry about the global economy overshadowed relief that Spain avoided a ratings downgrade and optimism prompted by firm U.S. corporate results.

December Brent fell 36 cents to $113.64 a barrel by 1207 GMT. U.S. oil for November gained 21 cents to $92.30.

The November Brent contract, which expired on Tuesday, closed 73 cents lower at $115.07, while

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December settled 40 cents lower at $114.00 Brent gained in early trade after Moody’s Investors Service affirmed its investment grade rating on Spain, helping to ease investor worries that the crisis in the euro region is worsening.

However sentiment quickly reversed, with investors reluctant to buy into oil as concern about the demand outlook remained in focus, and crude stayed near the

lower end of the day’s trading range.

“We still have fairly low demand and still fairly high production, especially from the OPEC side,” said Andy Sommer, oil market analyst with EGL in Dietikon, Switzerland.

“From that mixture, when you look at demand-supply balance in the world and look at latest inventory numbers for oil, you see that the picture is still a bit bleak,” he said.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—35

dayobenson@yahoo.com I N S I D E

Understanding Human Rights Law in Nigeria(2) — Pg 36

Counsel Corner — Pg 37

Cashless economy: Stakeholders parley on legal framework — Pg 38

Why NJC wants Salami back …Dares Jonathan on Adamu’s re-appointment as Ag. PCA

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI NDISPUTEDLY, the most discussed judicial officer in Nigeria today happens to be the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

However, the disputable fact remains whether he will be able to reclaim his position, about a year and three months after he was unceremoniously axed from office by a mishmash of overt and covert legal cum political forces.

Like the sacrificial lamb, he had to go to pave way for the entrance of the biblical comforter, coming at a point when he wielded enormous constitutional powers, enough to sack a sitting President from office.

It would be recalled that few days before he was ousted from office, Justice Salami, superintended over a 5-man panel of Justices of the appellate court that entertained the petition that sought to annul the April 16, 2011, general election that brought President Goodluck Jonathan to power.

Dissatisfied with the election results that were credited to President Jonathan by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, opposition Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, on May 8, 2011, entered their petition before the tribunal headed by Salami.

Despite spirited effort by a team of 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, that were engaged by President Jonathan to convince the tribunal to throw out the petition, Justice Salami, on July 14, 2011, dismissed every objection that was raised against the suit, stressing that “terminating the petition at that stage will be tantamount to burying contention of the litigants on the ground of technicalities.”

Besides, Salami inadvertently stepped on big toes when he directed INEC to grant the petitioner full access to the biometric database created by the Direct Data Capturing machines, as well as all the ballot papers used during the April 16 presidential poll, a decision that obviously did not go down well with those within the corridors of power.

As if that was not enough, Salami, on August 15, 2011, gave President Jonathan 14 days to respond to CPC’s application that its own presidential candidate, General Muhammadu

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•CJN Aloma Muktar

Buhari (Rtd), be declared as the bonafide winner of the presidential contest.

Remarkably, that was the last order Salami made as the PCA, as the NJC, after a rowdy session it had on August 18, suspended him from office over alleged judicial misconduct, a move the CPC, at that time, insisted was orchestrated by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with a view to planting a stooge to take over the affairs of the election petition tribunal.

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•President Goodluck Jonathan

Salami inadvertently stepped on big toes when he directed INEC to grant the petitioner full access to the biometric database created by the Direct Data Capturing machines, as well as all the ballot papers used during the April 16 presidential poll

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As expected, on September 6, a reconstituted panel at the tribunal dismissed CPC’s application and further authorized INEC not to allow the petitioner to take copy of any of the ballot papers used in the conduct of the presidential poll.

That indeed was the beginning of Salami’s seemingly unending travails!

Even though the decision to send him out in the cold, met fierce opposition from some judicial eggheads sympathetic to his plight,

however, after a voting exercise that saw those against him, securing marginal victory, the NJC, ordered him to hand over the affairs of the appellate court to the most senior judicial officer at the court, a mantle that subsequently fell on the current acting PCA, Justice Dalhatu Adamu.

The council, via a statement signed by its Director of Administration, Mr. E.I. Odukwu, maintained that Salami acted contrary to Rule 1(1) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, anticipating a gang-up against him, Salami, filed a suit before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, wherein he exposed how a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu pressurised him to pervert justice in a gubernatorial election involving Sokoto state.

Nevertheless, though the immediate past CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who Salami had insisted was privy to the meeting where Justice Katsina-Alu begged him to compromise justice, commenced the process for the embattled PCA to regain his position, however, the presidency, in an obvious ‘pay-back-move’, adduced reasons why that could not happen.

Making the position of President Jonathan known, the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, on May 22, 2012, maintained that Jonathan would not recall the suspended PCA pending when the disposal of the case in court, adding that “no responsible government will overreach the powers of the court, this

•Justice Ayo Salami government is determined to do the right thing.”

Meantime, recent events have shown that the presidency may have lost its grip on the top echelon of the judicial hierarchy, especially as it relates to the issue of Salami’s re-instatement and the re-appointment of the Acting PCA, Justice Adamu.

It would be recalled that President Jonathan recently renewed the appointment of the acting PCA for the 5th time, a move the NJC, under the leadership of the first female CJN, Justice Mariam Muktar, has declared illegal.

Specifically, Jonathan drew his powers from section 238(4) of the 1999 constitution, which states that: “the Office of the President of the Court of Appeal is vacant or if the person holding the office is for any reason unable to perform the functions of the office, then, until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the Continues on page 37

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Understanding Human Rights Law in Nigeria(2)

BY CHARLES EZEAGU N a more strict sense, Franz Fanon said: “It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”

Quite frankly, the Nigerian people took the stance of the above referred positions when they generally protested against the Federal Government for its unilateral removal of petroleum subsidy in Nigeria. That protest that lasted between 9th and 16th January 2012 was an outburst of the inalienable rights inherent in Nigerians to express their grievances against unjust decisions of government.

This, in my view, is an exercise of freedom of speech and expression.

In the words of Tayo Oyetibo (SAN): The spontaneous reaction by Nigerians and their eagerness to join the protest, is the beginning of a new and positive thing in Nigeria. It is a healthy development for the country — It is even more remarkable that while government was saying it could not and must not go on strike, the workers recognized their second rights as citizens to go on a protest. Certainly, this is the beginning of a new thing.”

See: The Guardian, Tuesday, February 7, 2012 P. 81.

On a general note, a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, whether military, civilian, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse or rest on interference. Indeed, the history of our Constitutions in this country since independence shows that practically all our past constitutions carried sections or chapters dealing with fundamental human rights.

Although the history of fundamental rights is traceable to the fears of the minorities and the need to allay such fears, in the process the rights of the ordinary man were guaranteed.

Whatever may be the historical background of such rights, what is of immediate importance to the common man and for the present exercise is: to what extent is the common man, the ordinary man on the street, enjoying rights in actual fact in this country today?- Oluyede P.A.O., Constitutional Law in Nigeria, (2001) P. 144.

Fundamental Rights Under The Nigerian Constitution The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended in 2011 made provision for fundamental rights in chapter IV (that is from Sections 33 to 46). It is important to note that the earlier Constitutions (ie- 1963 and 1979) made similar provisions.

The fundamental rights provided by the 1999

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Constitution, as amended in 2011 made provisions for: (i) right to life, (ii) right to dignity of human person, (iii) right to personal liberty, (iv) right to fair hearing, (v) right to private and family life, (iv) right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, (vii) right to freedom of expression and the press, (viii) right to peaceful assembly and association, (ix) right to freedom of movement, (x) right to freedom from discrimination, (xi) right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria, (xii) compulsory acquisition of property, (xiii) Restriction and derogation from fundamental rights, (xiv) special jurisdiction of High Court and legal aid.

•Charles Ezeagu is Do These Rights Exist in Practice?

The above enumerated rights of Nigerians seem to appear on

Why NJC wants Salami back Continues from page 34 functions of that office or until the person holding the office has resumed those functions, the President shall appoint the most senior Justice of the Court of Appeal to perform those functions.”

Section 238 (5) however stipulates that: “Except on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, an appointment pursuant to the provisions of sub-section 4 of this section shall cease to have effects after the expiration of three months from the date of such appointment, and the President shall not reappoint a person whose appointment has lapsed.” Thus, except for the caveat in sub-section (5) of that portion of the constitution, the first tenure of the acting PCA ought to have expired in November, 2011.

Meanwhile, in a bid to atone for the misdeed it occasioned against Salami who is due to retire on October 13, 2013, the

NJC, in an affidavit it filed in support of a suit that was entered by eleven human right activists, maintained that Jonathan was bereft of the constitutional powers to stop it from reinstating the suspended PCA.In its written address, NJC, argued that by virtue of section 238(5) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan, lacked the powers to reappoint Justice Adamu as Acting PCA after the expiration of three months from the day Salami was ousted from office, stressing that the action amounted to an act of illegality since such recommendation never emanated from the Council as required by the law.

The legal body contended that it has the exclusive constitutional powers to reinstate Justice Salami back to his position, “without recourse of any sort to the President.”

According to NJC, “we submit that the exercise of disciplinary power and recall of a suspended Justice of the Court of Appeal is exclusively vested in the NJC by the

papers alone. While their inherent existences are not in doubt, their respect, compliance and adherence by the persons and authorities needs much to be desired. How safe are the lives of Nigerians when kidnappers have assumed much powers that abducting people for economic and political reasons has become a daily tradition? Do we still have right to life when a dreaded religious sect- Boko Haram bomb and shoot at random wherever they choose, thereby killing thousands of innocent citizens in the name of religion?

Do we have any right to exist and own property in Nigeria when any Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja unilaterally demolishes people’s houses recklessly

To be continued Ezeagu is a Legal Practitioner and Human Rights Activist based in Abuja, Nigeria.

constitution.

“By virtue of the combined provisions of sections 153, 158(1) of the constitution, and the NJC’s power to exercise disciplinary control over judicial officers contained in paragraph 21(1) of the part 1, third schedule of the constitution, the council is clothe with the power to suspend and recall the 4thDefendant (Salami) without any recourse to the president (the 1stDefendant).

“Section 158(1) of the constitution provides that “in exercising its power to make appointment or to exercise disciplinary control over persons, the NJC shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or persons. It stated that the only instances the 3rdDefendant exercises its powers in conjunction with the President is in appointment and removal of judicial officers and not extend to the 3rdDefendant’s disciplinary control over the judicial officers.

Basically, the litigants are among other things, seeking a

declaration that the refusal of the NJC to implement the recommendation of its 3-man panel headed by Justice Muhktar, before she became the CJN, urging the recall of Justice Salami, constituted a breach of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Listed as 1stto 5thdefendants in the suit were President Jonathan, the AGF, NJC, Justice Salami and the Acting PCA, Justice Adamu.

However, the Acting PCA, Adamu, has filed his own affidavit against the suit, urging the high court to disregard the position of the NJC. Presiding Justice Adamu Bello has adjourned the case till December 4, to enable all the parties to file and adopt their written arguments.

As the politics of suspension rages and as Nigerians await the reaction of President Jonathan to the eleventh-hour ‘U-turn’ made by the NJC, the sore fact remains that nation’s judiciary is currently a house divided against itself.

either as a way of amassing his own wealth or satisfying his cronies? Is the Government still protecting our lives and property when our security agencies have, through their actions, shown that they know little or nothing about security?

These questions begging for answers are not exhaustive. It will definitely appear pessimistic at this stage to conclude that we have no right.

One would make bold to say that there is hope especially when these rights are enshrined in the constitution which is our grundnorm (the mother of all laws) in Nigeria.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—37

VANGUARD LAW IN PIX Feedback

A Special Prayer was held for members of the Bar and the Bench at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Throne of Grace Parish, Headquarters Lagos Province 1, Ebutte Metta, Lagos . Photos: Lamidi Bamidele.

Arbitrary rent increase I

WAS paying 600 thousand naira when my land lady increased my rent to 1.2 million naira. I negotiated 800 thousand naira but she asked me to pay 1 millio naira. I refused and she accepted the 800 thousand naira with a quit notice this month(september). I offered to pay 1 million but she refused asking me to pay the extra 200 thousand and i have renovated the house with her consent orally for about 220 thousand so she asked me to pay extra 100 thousand from the 200 thousand of last year. Is it right to increase the rent from 600 thousand to 1.2 million and without any renovations and what are my chances because she wants to go to court ?

Pastor Enoch Adeboye praying for the Judges and Lawyers during the church service.

From right: Justice (Elder) Christopher Segun, former Chief Judge of Lagos State; Hon Justice Sybil Nwaka; Hon Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye representing Lagos State Chief Judge and Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke.

Mrs Ngozi

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VERY landlord and tenant relationship is usually governed by an agreement between the two parties and this may be consistent in the provision of the tenancy law In such a jurisdiction.

In Lagos for instance, there is a new tenancy law that spells out the rent payable by new and sitting tenants respectively .Although, it should be noted that the law does not apply to every part of the state. The issue of rent increase and improvements on the occupied apartment are part of the tenancy agreements which is enforceable by either of the parties. In most cases, the agreement stipulates period of rent increase and the need for tenants to seek the consent of the landlord before any improvement is carried out on the apartment.

Where the tenant carries out an improvement on the property without the landlords consent, the cost will not be transferred to the landlord . But where the landlords consent is obtained ,it is expected that the expenses will be deducted from the rent payable. So if you obtain your landlords consent before the repairs ,she cannot disregard the fact that such cost will have to be deducted from your rent .On the issue of rent increas,e the law frowns at an arbitrary increase .According to section 37 of the NEW LAGOS STATE TENANCY LAW 2011 ‘’(1) Subject to any agreement to the contrary, an existing tenant may apply to the court for an order declaring that the increase in rent payable under a tenancy agreement is unreasonable. (2) In determining whether an increase in the rent is unreasonable, the court shall consider:- (a) the general level of rents for comparable premises in the locality or a similar locality. (b) Evidence of witnesses of the parties ; and (c) any special circumstances relating to the premises in the question or any other relevant matter. (3) If satisfied that the increase in the rent is unreasonable ,the court may order that the increase in the rent be changed to an amount that does not exceed a specified sum. (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, it shall be unlawful for a landlord to eject a tenant from any premises pending the determination of the action” .By the virtue of the above provision , you have the right through your lawyer to apply to the same court that your landlord takes you to .Note also that you are entitled to valid six months quit notice.

You can send your questions to dayobenson@yahoo.com or 08056180119 (text only) C M Y K

Eng Tom Ipaye and Hon Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye.

From left: Hon Justice Adeniyi; Hon Justice Ayodeji Balogun and his wife.

From left: Chief Magistrate Eniola Fabanwo; Hon Justice Beatrice Oke-Lawal and Hon Justice Sybil Nwaka.

From left: Hon Justice Opeyemi Oke and Hon Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile.

From left: Mr Samuel Logo; Asst Pastor Toyin Bashorun; Olori Joledo and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Mr Dayo Benson; Mrs Bimbo Odutola and Mrs Margaret Adejo.

From right: Eng Chris Fajemirokun; Hon Justice Ronke Harrison and Magistrate Folasade Kayode.

Elder Vincent Sagun and Mrs Iyabode Sagun.

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Cashless economy: Stakeholders parley on legal framework

BY DAYO BENSON HE need for legal frame work to regulate a cashless economy has been emphasized by stakeholders at a two day conference which held in lagos last week.

Speakers at the forum including two Senior Advocate of Nigeria Dr Konyin Ajayi, SAN, and Mr Paul Usoro, SAN, gave different perspective on the challenges of the legal frame work and how to overcome them.

Keynote speaker, Henrietta Abraham, set the ball rolling when she stated that laws borrowed from other jurisdiction for the purpose of the legal framework should be domesticated and not just applied wholesale.

She pointed out that such law in an environment like Nigeria should guarantee investment security. Abraham added that the law should address issues in electronic contract, for example, at what time would such a contract become binding on the parties.

This, she stated, was important because an enabling environment for such transactions should have legal certainty that would inspire investors confidence in the legal system.

According to her, “appropriate law should be in place to mitigate risks.

Apart from CBN regulations, there should be general laws regulating the system. There should be stakeholders participation and consumers consultations. The enabling laws should be in such a way that where there is an error in price in e-transaction and a purchase has been ordered online; is there a contract and who is liable?

In his own contribution Dr Ajayi raised a poser on which court will assume jurisdiction, if transaction takes place in different parts of Nigeria; is it federal high court or state high court?

He noted that Nigeria lacked data protection law, pointing out that such legislation however existed in common law. This, he said, was a major challenge that should be addressed.

On his path Usoro agreed that there was a need to move a way little from CBN’s regulation. While emphasizing the need for an enforceable document for the consumer, he said this could

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be a contract binding document or a statute.

“Legal frame work is a raft of laws, not just CBN Acts or consumer protection act, it included other laws e.g.

Evidence Act” Usoro explained.

He also raised the question on how to ensure or guarantee the integrity of an

SMS a consumer receives and how such could be enforceable.

Advocating a general purpose statute, if the operators could set the standard, Mrs gladys Talabi, a representative of one of the operators, in her own contribution wondered whether such a general

purpose statute could work.

She disagreed with other speakers on the issue of legislations that would address all the problems raised, saying “standard of confidentiality in the banking sector is different from that of the telecom industry. There is a need for stakeholders to sit together and set standard

before anything.’’

However, Abraham and Dr Ajayi disagreed on the need to establish a special court which would handle etransaction cases. While the formal advocated for such a court, the later was of the opinion that it was unnecessary, adding that instead more divisions of court should be created.

Port: S/Court refers parties to Lagos High Court

BY TONY NWANKWO HE Supreme Court has referred parties in a suit over the ownership and administration of Tin Can Island Port Terminal C, back to the Lagos State High Court for trial.

Sifax Nigeria Limited, Ports and Cargo Handlings Services Company Limited, Mr. Babatunde Olarenwaju Afolabi and Otunba Olatunde Olowu (Applicants) have dragged Migfo Nigeria Limited and Denca Services Limited (Respondents) before the court, in their bid to benefit from a joint venture agreement they reached on the ownership and administration of Ports, following the concession bid of 2004. Sifax had earlier lost to Migfo and Denca at the Federal High Court, Lagos and Court of Appeal in Lagos, respectively, before appealing to the apex Court.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-man panel of the Supreme Court justices, led by Justice Suleiman Galadima JSC, the Court held that “having come to the conclusion that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to try this suit, it will be futile and mere academic exercise to proceed to consider the remaining issues raised by the parties in the appeal and I accordingly so decline to do so.”

Other members of the panel were Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar (as she then was), Francis Fedode Tabai, Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta and Olukayode Ariwoola, In a Suit No. LD/1102/2012 of July, 18, 2012, filed before the High Court of Lagos State, the claimants wanted among other relieves, “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants and others, whether by themselves, their directors, agents, privies or servants from further operating/managing Terminal C, Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos without including the Claimants as

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From left: Aniefok Dennis, S.A. to the Gov of Akwa Ibom State on Legal matters, Hon. Justice Pius Idiong, Emeka Ngige, SAN, and the S.A. to the Akwa Ibom state Governor on Aviation at the just concluded IBA Conference in Dublin. co-operators/managers of the said port and holders of the agreed ratio of the shares and appointing their chairmen or chief executive officers as directors of the Ports and Cargo Handlings Services Company Limited in line with the said contract”.

The matter was brought before a Federal High Court, Lagos Divison, presided over

by Justice Tijani Abubakar.

Their claim was for a declaratory relief, i.e. to declare that Sifax, Migfo and

Denca, are joint bidders and joint owners and are going to jointly manage and operate the Tin Can Island Port Terminal ‘C’.

The Federal High Court judgment was for the plaintiffs (Migfo and Denca), declaring them to be the joint owners of Terminal ‘C’ who were entitled to 30 percent each shareholding..

After the judgment, Migfo and Denca, tried to asserted their rights, in line with the

declaration made by the Court but they met a resistance from Sifax, which filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal Lagos.

Justices Mshella, Ogunbiyi and Nwodo upheld the judgment of Tijani Abubakar, again asserting that the Terminal ‘C’ was jointly owned and must be jointly managed and operated by Sifax, 40 percent; Migfo, 30 percent; and Denca, 30 percent.

Sifax later ran to the Supreme Court, where in its decision, the apex court held that the two federal courts below had erred by hearing the matter as a maritime suit rather than a contract issue which should be heard by a Lagos High Court as a court of first instant.

Meanwhile, Migfo and Denca are back to the Lagos State High Court, as ordered by the Supreme Court, while Sifax continues to reap the benefits of an alleged joint venture business which the three parties bidded and won together.

NCC files criminal charge against MCSN, others

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI, Abuja HE Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, has instituted criminal charges against the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN) and seven of its officials over alleged illegal operations.

NCC, via a press statement it issued in Abuja, said its investigations revealed that MCSN and the other accused persons had at various times, illegally granted copyright licenses and collected royalties without approval.

Those accused of complicity in the alleged fraud were Mayowa Ayilaran, Louis Udoh, Halim Mohammed, Banjo Omolara Bilquis, Yusuf Adogi Benson, Olakayode Ajayi and Njoku Gladys.

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According to six separate charges entered against them before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, the accused persons, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 39 (4), (5), and (6) of the Nigerian Copyright Act Cap C 28 LFN 2004.

The Director of Prosecution, NCC, Abdul Ter Kohol, who recommended the accused persons for trial, said the commission had received plethora of complaints and petitions regarding the alleged illegal operations of the Musical Copyright Society.

“Preliminary investigations carried out by the NCC indicated that the MCSN has been engaged in negotiating and granting copyright licenses and collecting royalties purportedly on behalf of copyright owners, without

the approval of the Commission as required by law.

“The Commission, on September 18, 2012, consequently carried out an enforcement operation on the premises of MCSN located at No. 6 Olaribiro Street, Ikeja, Lagos, during which six senior officials of MCSN were arrested but the General Manager (Licensing Manager) Mr Louis Udoh escaped from the lawful custody of NCC officials.

“The said General Manager later turned up at the Lagos Office of the Commission for interrogation. However, the Chief Executive of MCSN, Mr Mayo Ayilaran, who was absent during the enforcement operation is yet to respond to the invitation of the Commission to clarify some issues.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—39

It is the floods, even next time (2) Lakemfa contributed this piece at the International Roundtable on Energy Emergency and Energy Transition organised by the Cornell Global Labour Institute, Cornell University, and the Rosa Luxemberg Foundation, New York.

October 10 – 12, 2012. The first part was published yesterday.

Bayelsa State... under flood

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DDITIONALLY, the peo ple suffer oil spills which are usually not cleaned and gas flaring which further depletes the ozone layer. In the oil producing areas, many farmlands are destroyed by oil exploitation; the waters are polluted thereby destroying fishing which is a major preoccupation of the people.

When the people protested in the mid 1990s, nine environmental activists including the writer, Ken Saro-Wiwa, were hanged. When the people began an armed protest, oil production was drastically reduced and some local and foreign oil workers were abducted with some losing their lives.

With the frequent abduction of oil workers which are affiliated to it and the general insecurity the armed rebellion engendered, the NLC organised an all-inclusive national summit on the issue. Shortly afterwards, the Government agreed to implement an amnesty programme which brought the insurgency to an end.

Transnational oil corporations But while many armed militants have been rehabilitated, the oil producing areas remain a study in neglect.Nigeria is a country where the transnational oil corporations like Shell and AGIP are lords and kings, and the political elites are basically parasitic.

The energy shortages and environmental costs: Nigeria is notorious for power failure; some factories rely entirely on the power they generate privately.

Consequently, the cost of production in the country is extremely high; energy costs add 40 per cent more to production costs in the country.

While some factories have collapsed under the weight of high energy cost, some, to survive, relocated to other African countries like Ghana which has a more reliable power supply.

Under the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration (19992007) $16 Billion was expended to improve power supply but there was actually a decrease in the supply.

More funds have been off loaded on the power sector with claims that the country is near a relatively high 4,000MW. This is for a country of 167 million people and is not even enough power to run Lagos alone. Compare this with South Africa with 50 million people producing 40,000MW and working to increase this output.

Power shortage With power shortage, many Nigerians depend on power generators; one in every four household in the urban centres run generators which pollute the air. In some cases, entire families have been wiped out by generator fumes.

Living up to the future: The effects of climate change, misuse of nature, refusal to adapt and slowness to change has boxed Nigerians into a very tight corner. So we have the Lake Chad drying up, the Sahara Desert racing southwards, the sea seizing lands in the south, floods sweeping away farms, lands polluted by unre-

strained and irresponsible oil exploitation, air pollution due to gas flaring and unrestrained carbon dioxide emission, and lack of practical steps to stem the disaster.

Whatever the case or excuses, we in Nigeria have to accept that the times have changed and we can no longer live or do things in the old way. The environment has to be preserved because we inherited it from our ancestors and

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By OWEI LAKEMFA

Besides, there is no part of the world, whether in the developed or developing countries, where the state did not play the vanguard or leading role in societal development.

So the fable of the private sector leading the development of Nigeria has to give way to the truth. As a matter of fact, civil society must compelled the political class (the executive and legislature) and the bureaucratic elites in the civil service to

The advocacy for a safe environment and sustainable life cannot be divorced from the political question

our survival as a people and a nation depend on it. Most importantly, we must preserve the environment because we inherited it as a trust for the future generations who own it.

But the rich are the PollutersIn-Chief, they are also the class in government, and so, have to be compelled to change the country’s direction. The challenge of development is the provision of the basic necessities of life to the citizens in a sustainable manner.

What is clear to me is that this has to be state-led, but people driven; state-led not only because the state has the concentrated power to implement development programme in a sustainable manner, but it alone, has the capacity to call all – Nigerians and non-Nigerians, corporate and non-corporate bodies, - to order.

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adhere to the preachment of Adam Smith that any advice, policy, plans, etc, coming from the private sector for societal development … ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention.

It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with the public, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public and, who accordingly have, upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it.[1] (Emphasis added.)

So the advocacy for a safe environment and sustainable life cannot be divorced from the political question. The required shift in focus and policy would

involve a commitment to be environmental friendly and clean up all acts of pollution by oil companies, a stop to gas flaring and the strict monitoring of the transnational oil companies and their Nigerian allies.

The railways and trams which were the means of mass transit in early 20th Century Nigeria must be rebuilt and reintroduced to replace the second hand commercial motor cycles, cars and trucks which are also one of the major pollutants of the environment.

Increase in electricity Electricity has to be significantly increased to reduce, and eventually stop the use of generators in households, factories and offices. Basic petroleum products like kerosene have to be available and affordable to stop the poor and even some in the vanishing middle class, from continuing or resorting to the use of firewood which is the primary cause of deforestation.

The ruling elite who led the country down this unsustainable, corrupt and disastrous path will not willingly agree to these basic steps; it is only the conscientization and empowerment of the people that can propel the country towards this sustainable development.

Labour unions, student organizations and generally groups in the civil society, whether in the formal and informal economy, need to play major roles in this new direction. In this, they require the cooperation and support of the parliament.

The time to act is NOW! Concluded

40—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

CONTRACT: From left— Alh. Suleman Yahaya, Commissioner; Mr. Akila Gbongon, Permanent Secretary, both of Kaduna State Ministry of Works and Transport; and Mr. Joe Oliseole, Director of Operations PW Nig. Ltd., at the signing of N28 billion contract agreement in Kaduna, Monday. PHOTO: Olu Ajayi.

Senate petitioned over demolished 500-unit estate

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—ABIA State chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Emma Nwaka, has petitioned the Senate over the demolition of a 500-unit estate at Lugbe, Abuja.

Nwaka, who petitioned the Senate President on behalf of Mr. Emmanuel Mbaka, owner of the housing estate, condemned the demolition which he said was carried out without prior notice from Federal Capital Development Administration, FCDA.

In the petition dated October 9, and copied to the three senators representing Abia State, lamented that his client only knew about the grouse of the authority regarding the genuineness of his title documents in a radio broadcast on September 28.

He said: “When efforts to make contact with the authority failed, he got in touch with Senator Smart Adeyemi, Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, who scheduled a meeting with the authority for Tuesday, October 2.”

Activist laments plight of Badagry Prison inmates UMAN rights activist, Mr. Chris Aghaonu, has lamented the plight of inmates at Badagry Prison, and called for urgent government intervention.

The inmates, he said, slept on bare floors because there were no mattresses, and go to the lagoon for their bath because there were no buckets or water in the prison.

Aghaonu spoke during the commissioning of a Catholic Church built by the Knights of Saint Mulumba, KSA, Lagos Metropolitan,

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at the Kirikiri Medium Prisons last Sunday.

Meanwhile, Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Tunde Oladipo, while commending KSA for erecting the edifice, which he said was the first of its kind in Africa, reiterated the need for continued maintenance.

He said such worship centres were beneficial to the transformation of inmates so that they did not go back to vices that could ensure their return to prison.

GKS celebrates Christ's birth OD’S Kingdom Soci ety, GKS, will hold its annual Freedom Day Divine Service in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago.

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The special service, on the theme Living a Godly Life in Christ Jesus, holds October 21, at the GKS Service Hall at Liasu Road, Ikotun, Lagos.

NGO hosts orphans, schools INDYS Gem Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, NGO, is organising her annual children event, Lindys Gem in a Rough, with theme Telematch Fun Day. Organiser of the event, Ene Aderinoku, said the event will hold October 20 at Kings College, Victoria

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Island, Lagos.

Participating orphanages are: Ijamido Home, Sought After Women and Children Foundation, Compassionate Orphanage and Golden Crest Family Centre. Participating schools include Corona, Victoria Island/ Lekki; Imperial Gate School and Estaport Schools.

PARTNERSHIP: From left— Mr. Babatunde Osho, Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer; Mr. Brett Goschen, Chief Executive Office, both of MTN Nigeria; and Mr. Austin Okere, Group Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group, at the signing ceremony of a micro-banking solution partnership between the two organisations in Lagos, Monday.

Gunmen kidnap two pupils, demand N30m ransom

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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ALABAR—GUNMEN, Tuesday, kidnapped two school children of the same parents, while their mother, Mrs. Juliet Eko, was taking them to school. An eyewitness said three of the four gunmen were masked, except the driver.

The father of the children, Mr. Johnson Eko,

who confirmed the incident on phone, said: “My wife and our three children were driving out of our street into the highway, when suddenly some people in a Vento Salon car accosted her; using their car to block my wife’s car.

“They came out pointing a gun at my wife and asked for her phone.

When she handed over her phone, they then

picked up our four-yearold daughter.

“The elder brother, Emmanuel, 10, asked why they were taking his sister away, they picked him up as well. It was at that point that the second child, aged 7, ran out of the car heading back to the house.”

Mr. James, a staff of Cross River State civil service, said he reported the matter to the Police at

the Federal Housing Estate Police Division, Calabar.

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP John Umoh, said the report was yet to get to his office.

James said the kidnappers called at noon asking for N30 million ransom and that all appeal from the wife for them to take their car, a Toyota Siena, was rejected.

NIMASA averts ship hijack, nabs 15 suspected pirates

BY GODWIN ORITSE IGERIAN Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, last weekend, averted another ship hijack and arrested 15 suspected pirates with arms and ammunition.

Disclosing this to members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, NIMASA’s Director-General, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, said the hijack was to have taken place off the coast of Cotonou in the Republic of Benin.

He added that the agency’s activities in the war against piracy led to foiling the hijack and arrest of the suspects.

Akpobolokemi said the agency’s extension of its anti-piracy operation in Benin waters, based on the request of the President of Benin Republic to the Nigerian government, was directed by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He stated that the operations of NIMASA had assisted in curbing the menace of piracy and borderrelated vices within the Benin Republic waters and its neighbouring states of Nigeria, Togo and Ghana.

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He said if the issue was not tackled, it would lead to high cost of freight of cargoes, thereby bringing an

increase in the cost of goods and services, adding that Nigeria could be tilting towards the Somali situation.

Committee Chairman,

Senator Zainab Kure said the Committee will do all within its powers to make legislation that will enhance and facilitate the fight against piracy.

Union Bank gets ultimatum over 400 sacked staff SSOCIATION of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, ASSBIFI, has called on the management of Union Bank to immediately reverse the termination of the appointment of 400 staff of the bank.

The union said the sack of the staff was not in compliance with the terms of the Collective Agreement it had with the bank on behalf of the workers.

National President of the union, Mr. Emeka Ogene, and Secretary-General, Mr. Obukese Orere, told newsmen: “The rationalisation exercise currently going on is unacceptable because it did not meet the global best standards and the requirements of the industry’s collective and procedural agreements.

“The existing collective agreement states clearly in

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Article 5 the terms and conditions under which staff could be relieved of their jobs involuntary. In this case, the terms under redundancy should have been applied; instead it was the rule of the thumb that was used.

“The union held a meeting with the management September 5, and it was agreed that if staff were to involuntary exit the bank, due process— Collective Agreement terms— will be adhered with.

“We hereby call on the management of Union Bank to immediately reverse those terminations and comply with the terms of the Collective Agreement to avert industrial crises in the bank.”

The union leaders alleged that fresh employment and promotions were going on in the bank

to divert attention away from the injustice inflicted on those that were sacked.

Transition VANGELIST Justina Onwuadobi, 75, of Dimagu Autonomous Community, in Isiekenesi Clan, Ideato South LGA., Imo State is dead.

The funeral rites will commence Friday, October 26, at Okwara-Okporo and Ihezue compound, Umusinobi-Dimagu. Interment follows immediately.

She is survived by children and many relations, including Victor-Francis Onwuadobi.

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Late Mrs Onwuadobi.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—41

executive governor.

For a time it seemed as if the fracas had been forgotten but in politics where enmity is easily cloaked in the garbs of officialdom, many knew that Bello was a marked man.

The speaker did not even help matters with his sometimes belligerent actions towards the new executive governor.

Even worse, there were also perceptions that the speaker was not carrying along all the members of the House leading to the formation of dissent in the House. It was this perhaps that helped the Progressive Integrity Group to consolidate in the House. The more Wada settled in office, the more it became clear that he could not work with Bello as speaker and by August the tension was already brewing with allegations of the governor mobilizing forces against the speaker.

Liaison officers •Sacked speaker, Bello (r) ponders his future as Wada smiles

The intrigues and plots in Kogi House AFTER he failed in his bid to stop the inauguration of Governor Idris Wada last January, it became obvious to many that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bello was a marked man. His end came sooner than expected on Tuesday when his members pushed him out of office.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

T

HE long suspense over alleged plots to sack Hon. Abdullahi Bello as speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly came to a climax on Tuesday with 17 members of the House endorsing the sack of the former presiding officer.

As the plot orchestrated by a group of lawmakers styled the “Progressive Integrity Group” came to a finale this week, Speaker Bello was said to have been planning his own masterstroke – an indefinite suspension of House sittings.

However, before he could put his act together, his adversaries struck on Tuesday before his own scheduled resumption today.

Bello’s troubles had been predicted since January 28, 2012, the date of the inauguration of Governor Idris Wada.

Following the Supreme Court judgment voiding the extended tenure of the immediate past governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) had issued a statement directing the Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly affected by the judgment to take over as acting governors.

C M Y K

Kogi was, however, generally seen as an exception given that as at that time Kogi already had a governor-elect in the person of Wada who was elected in the gubernatorial election held in the previous month.

While Bello, Wada and the Idris were waiting for the inauguration of Wada in the Government House, Lokoja that morning Adoke issued his statement which immediately changed Bello’s disposition as he now angled to be inaugurated as the acting governor. Just like Bello, the state chief judge, also recoiled and withdrew himself from the Government House once Adoke issued the statement.

An irate Idris was now compelled to get the President of the Customary Court to swear in Wada who Idris had supported to the hilt to succeed him.

The chief judge after withdrawing swore in Bello as acting governor according to Adoke’s order leading to a situation where the state had two governors at the same time.

Bello’s action immediately brought an ethnic tinge to the unfolding drama. Bello, the chief judge and Adoke who is from the state are all Ebira in the Kogi Central senatorial district, a section of the state that had for

long desired but been unable to upturn the dominance of the Igalas in the production of governors of the state.

The legal vacuum arising from the Supreme Court judgment was considered as an opportunity for the Ebiras to for once have a governor. For two or so days the speaker held forth giving orders as acting governor and often countermanding orders also being given by Wada. That was until the presidency stepped in and prevailed on Speaker Bello to surrender to Wada.

Besides, Bello’s action was also seen as another strategy adopted

by Wada’s opponents to stop his dream of becoming governor. It was no secret that while the former governor had adopted Wada as his successor that Bello on his part was a strong supporter of Alhaji Jibrin Isah, popularly known as Echocho. Isah won the first primaries and was on his way to becoming governor before the extension of Idris’ tenure by the Court of Appeal paved way for the later to change his disposition towards Isah leading to the adoption of Wada.

Following the incidents at the inauguration, the chief judge and the speaker separately visited the new governor during which they pledged the collaboration of the judicial and legislative arms of government with the new

When in June the governor appointed liaison officers to the twenty one local government areas of the state, the speaker kicked against it; saying the House did not recognize the appointments.

The last strike that broke the camel’s back was Bello's decision to fight the political strength of the former council chairman of Okene local government, Yahaya Karaku who is a strong ally to the former governor, Idris Bello’s opposition to the choice of Karaku as liaison officer was a reminder to Wada of Bello’s strong opposition to his (governor’s) emergence when Bello supported Isah during the PDP party primaries.

Bello had caused the House to go on a long adjournment in August perhaps hoping to use the opportunity to buy time.

The break trained the parties for a pitched battle that saw the deployment of assorted carrots and sticks. While Bello’s opponents alleged that a N15 million bribe was offered to those who supported theimpeachment, it also emerged that the former speaker’s opponents also sought to break his defence by poaching from his camp.

The former majority leader, Hon Yakubu Yunusa considered as a rallying point for the Speaker’s group was allegedly offered the position of deputy speaker if only he would abandon Bello. Yunusa demurred and so was swept away with Bello.

Another strategy also used against Bello’s camp was to threaten members of the House who were formerly local government chairmen with threats of investigation by antigraft agencies. It was not as if there was no support for Bello.

Just last Saturday the minority leader, Hon Afolabi Oluyori at a press conference boasted that

those using money to induce signatures against Bello would fail. “Who are those in this integrity group? We are the ones who have integrity. They are being sponsored by the governor and other external forces. They will fail by the grace of God” he said.

The House Committee Chairman on Information, Hon. Seidu Salihu Akawu, also noting the ethical motiff of those supporting the speaker, said: “We are not out for any monetary gains. How much are they going to give us? Money is useless in this struggle. All we are after is the development of the state and the independence of the Assembly without any external interference” he noted.

The special adviser to the governor on media and strategy Mr. Jacob Edi, however, denied the governor role in the matter, describing his boss as a firm believer in the principle of separation of powers. “The removal of the Speaker was done by the state legislators. It was their decision and their move, the signature of the governor was not on the list, I wondered why he is being accused of such now when it was obvious it was the house that was divided against itself” Edi submitted.

But not many believe. The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) speaking through its state chairman in Kogi Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, said the House described the move as diversionary and an act of vengeance.

Having guts to wrestle power “With this move, we believe the governor is out for vengeance against the speaker for having the guts to wrestle power with him after the Supreme Court order. The leader of the ‘Integrity Group” Chief Paul Gowon, however, denied the involvement of external influence as he said the group was not used by the executive to remove the Speaker as being alleged. Rather, he said they were out to check what he called the excesses, high handedness and the speaker’s alleged bias towards some members, saying that they had every right to do what they did as elected representatives of their people without being pushed by anyone.

While Bello has rejected his removal as illegal and a nullity, Governor Wada was not mindful in congratulating the new speaker, Hon. Lawal Jimoh also from Okene where Bello is from.

Others elected were Hon. Christopher Atule, Deputy Speaker; Aliyu Akuh, Majority Leader; Sunday Shigaba, Minority Leader while Suleiman Babadoko is the new chief whip.

Governor Wada has assured them of his blessing. It was something that Bello never sought or got.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2012

Why Nigerians 're suffering amid plenty — Alile H

IS assessment of Nigerian economy since independence As an emerging economy,in 1960, Nigeria was doing well but unfortunately, we got it all wrong because of the discovery of petroleum and a lot of rent we collected from it. So, we forgot the developmental curve we were supposed to go through. Instead of developing the agricultural sector we were into earlier we jumped over it because of the temptations stearing at us.

In the late 1970s, we betrayed ourselves as a post industrial economy and forgot agriculture. In early 1980s, we started to import food ranging from cassava, Rice, fish and so on. In the late ‘80s, we even started to import palm oil from Malaysia.

So, I will say that after going through this valley, we now begin to recognize that 70 per cent of our population is still in the rural sector and unfortunately the predominance of the 70 per cent are our grand fathers and grand mothers who cannot cultivate any longer. The youths have abandoned the rural areas for the urban area seeking the industrial sector to absolve them. I think we have done badly by jumping the developing curve to declaring ourselves a post industrial economy. But I am very happy that this present administration has recognised the importance of agriculture in our emerging economy. I just hope that a lot of interventions being carried out in the agricultural sector will be properly managed.

On military interventions as cause of the decay There must have been a reason while the military came in. They came in possibly to correct certain things they felt were wrong.

Unfortunately, it was a self imposed assignment. There was no public sector management.

Theirs was to manage gun and ammunitions, not really the economy and society. So they took upon themselves things they were not really trained for.

In the process, they missed a lot of opportunities. So, it has become part of our history. But it slowed us down. You get the government that you deserve.

Nigeria is so blessed and at the same time unblessed by having that 1960 independence on a platter of gold. You and I were born by a woman who had to shed blood before we were born.

Any good thing coming, if you don’t shed blood, you won’t get it. Our three leaders in the 1960s, our Patriarch Azikiwe, Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello signed an agreement with the British called the “ Anglo-Nigeria Defence Pact” that they can use our Airspace to test British planes, C M Y K

FORMER Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Apostle Hayford Alile, in this interview with Vanguard, spoke on how Nigerian economy has fared since independence, security challenges, political economy and issues in the financial sector especially the Nigerian capital market among others. Excerpts:

•Alile: Nigeria is so blessed which was one of the preconditions for independence. For other countries seeking independence, they would have refused. I was the Secretary General of National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) then. I got to know of such an agreement.

We discussed it at our executive meeting that we must oppose it.

We organized national strike.

Our national leaders then talked to the British that we don’t want it. So for the military to have intervened, a lot of things were in decay. If they intervened and quickly conducted re-elections, we wouldn’t have been where we are now.

Boko Haram On the Boko Haram menace in the country Whomever they are, they are not robots or machines, they are humans created by God. And God does not command them to kill any human being. So my duty as well as that of other religious leaders, Christian or Islam, is to pray for peace to reign. But for whatever reason, they are not supposed to be doing what they are doing.

In addition, the government has the duty and responsibility to protect lives and properties of the people and they must use

whatever strategy to curb insecurity. We have a lot of work to do to take our people out of poverty. And for Boko Haram to complicate and make situation in the North worse, they should stand out and tell the almighty God, this is not what you destined for us.

On the banking sector Bureaucracy also crept into the banking sector. We need to take a second look at the role the banks are playing, that is, the Nigeria Agricultural Banks of the past.

These developing banks need to be set up and managed properly to tap into the emerging sector of our population called the entrepreneurs. Nigerian youths are very creative. The Micro Managers and policy makers of our environment need to capture this useful sector of the population. These developing banks should be equipped to support them.

His assessment of the stock market over the last 51 years of its existence and whether it has performed up to expectations I won’t say yes or no. All the market in the world in the last three years dipped. The Nigeria stock market is not interlinked to the major market of New York, London, Tokyo so that if anything happens to those ones, the

Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) remains insulated.

But unfortunately, we made a mistake here.

All the banks loaned money to some of the stock brokers that they did not bother to investigate who they were. Just a few years to the turn down of the market, the international portfolio managers came into the market to exploit the high performance of the market.

Yes! Market is market and should be perfect with m i n i m a l interference from micro managers.

I remember when privatisation was taking place in UK under Margaret Thatcher, British Petroleum was being privatised and Kuwaiti Investment Organisation bought about 20 per cent then.

Lady Thatcher, who was overseeing the privatization exercise, had traveled out when the deal was done. When she came back, she cut the deal and reversed it in the interest of

,

BY PETER EGWUATU & CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

and speculate.

Unfortunately, afterwards, a lot of speculators were allowed to come in. And immediately they found out things were not in the right shape, they quickly sold.

From the arithmetic I got, those speculative hedge fund managers came to the market with about over $1 billion.

But the value had climbed to over $3 billion Dollars when they sold off. So, they created a black hole in the market. That black hole is still there. We pray that the new management at the exchange will be able to do something good and turn the place around.

How did the NSE perform during your period as Director General?

When I had the opportunity to work for the Stock Exchange then, I used to hear of captains of industries. But I found out that these so called captains of industries are not entrepreneurs, except for few people like Akintola, Ojukwu. But most of those who enjoyed the limelight were not entrepreneurs, they were Commission Agent. As at that time, we had about 30 companies listed on the market.

They were primarily foreign promoted companies.

Only about two or three of them were Nigeria promoted companies in the likes of The Nkalagu Cement factory, etc. So, we had to work hard to see that more Nigeria promoted companies were listed.

That was why we had to set up a second tier securities market in the late ‘80s, with some relaxed listing requirement to accommodate Nigeria entrepreneurs to come to the

You get the government that you deserve, Nigeria is so blessed and at the same time unblessed by having that 1960 independence on a platter of gold

Britain.

We ought to have done the same thing here. I still remember that I once sought the assistance of our NSE President, MKO Abiola at that time to talk to our Military President Ibrahim Babangida, to amend our Investment Act to tolerate portfolio investors in the market.

And he obliged to give us a new law. So he gave us a new administrative write up for portfolio managers intervening in our market.

However, in a free market like that, there are some dangers as experienced in our market over the last three to four years. When I was there, if a foreign investor wants to come to the market, I tell the Broker to go and find out from his client if he wants to stay in this economy; not just to come

,

markets and raise long term capitals, with a view to expanding and graduating their companies to first tier market. In the last few years I spent in the NSE, out of about 34 Nigerian companies listed on the second tier market, about eight of them graduated to the first tier market.

I believe we still have a lot of Nigerians who are entrepreneurs and who can be given incentive to come to that market to raise capitals for expansion or introduction of new ideas and partner with large foreign companies.

But we should not lose the focus on agriculture because we are still basically an agricultural country. By and large, I think we have tried to see that within the next four to five years, we reverse the trend.

President Jonathan’s Independence speech and Mubi massacre WHAT exactly is the ide ology and rationale behind this senseless killing and horrific killings? The government should act decisively now. This no tim e for rhetoric and half hearted condemnation. This tragedy is a mockery of President’s Jonathan independence anniversary speech “that the nation security agencies are constantly being strengthened and repositioned for greater efficiently”. Where were the security agents when the students were being slaughter.

Anonymous 08167906322

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Killing of students in Mubi massacre Mr. President should make sure that all the evil persons involved in the brutal killing of innocent students in Mubi are brought to book and must be punished in accordance with the laws of the land. Dr. Jonathan should direct the security agencies in Adamawa state to produce these terrorists .

Alhaji Hassan 08123841742

Still on Mubi massacre I hope it is not truth in the rumours going round that the government is deliberately hiding information about the real killers of the Mubi massacre and their motive from the prying eyes

of the press, for selfish reasons.

I also believe that it is not truth as alleged that the security agents claims that the killing was as a result of the union results of the recent student union election held in the institution and that it has no religious undertone. If there is any element of truth in the alleged security agents statement then it mean that we have completely lost our values as a nation that we can trade the lives of our citizens just to protect some individual interest and collective accolades.

Charles writes Adamawa State

in

from

National awards honour President Jonathan should make the national honour valueless. The number of those awarded are too much, national award is becoming rampant and it will soon be valueless.

National honour is only given to men and women of high moral standing and general quality.

Are financial and economic

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—43 criminals such as treasury lootthe professional exams. What he ers, cocaine pushers, smugglers failed to realise was the quality etc qualify for national honour? of the examiners that have Can Nigerians honour people consistency set academic rather like Bode George and Cecilia than professional questions. The Ibru among others? examiners derive pleasure in setMrs. Farida Shuaibu ting questions outside the rec08175782081 ommended study materials and past questions. The institute Terrorism in Somalia could not separate mature stuand Mali dents from young students, like EU, AU,UN and ECOWAS ACCA is doing. At the end of the must put their heads together to day“Baby Accountants” are wipe out insugency from Mali produced, that cannot contribute and Somalia. These wicked and to the growth of the profession dangerous extremist work hand in the short term. in hand with those terrorizing Dede 08074490347 Nigerians here in the north. Nigerian Army should keep it up, Etsako Central flood victims we have confidence in their fight It is very worrisome and disagainst terrorism to its logical appointing that government conclusion. officers assigned to provide Alhaji 08123841742

Muhammadu

ICAN poor performances and results Recently the ICAN President lamented the high failure rate in

mattresses for these victims refused providing the over one thousand mattresses the governor of Edo state promised those affected by the flood. Why the greed?

Steadfast 08158086822

Foundation

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

transformation agenda of Mr. President in the aviation industry which was overwhelmingly hailed as a panacea for infrastructural reengineering and repositioning is being thwarted, twisted by the Minister. How else can one describe the ongoing remodeling of our airports without following due process; where contractors are unknown; where nobody knows the costs of such gigantic projects; whereby FAAN which is supposed to supervise and grant necessary approvals for work done is nowhere near the projects; where the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, which has no business near the so-called re modeling is involved in paying as much as over N200 as custom duties for items for the remodeling of our airports?”

Employment of a four-year old graduate as GM Acting General Secretary, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, Comrade Olayinka Abioye and Acting General Secretary, National Union of Air transport Employees, NUATE, Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo, at a briefing on the state of Aviation in the country at NUATE ' Secretariat, Lagos.

Industrial unrest looms in aviation industry ••unions accuse Minister of unethical practices, illegalities

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG & DANIEL ETEGHE

HERE are strong indications that the relationship between the organized labour in the nation’s aviation industry and the Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, has deteriorated as two unions in the industry are planning a showdown with the Minister over alleged unethical practices and illegalities, saying they are alerting Nigerians to an imminent system failure and threat to national security, the security and safety of the Nigerian airspace, peace and industrial harmony in the industry arising from the executive lawlessness of the Minister of Aviation.

Under the aegis of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, they accused the minister of employing an unnamed four-years-old graduate as a General Manager without prior experience in aviation matters, thereby endangering the security and safety of the Nigerian airspace among others.

At a joint briefing in Lagos, NUATE and ATSSSAN did not only list a plethora of allegations against the Minister, they also claimed the Minister converted almost all his 56 aides to directors and general managers, with her Senior Special Assistant on Legal, now Director of Legal Services in Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. They equally accused her of employing 65 unqualified and inexperienced persons from a particular ethnic group into key positions in parastatals under the Ministry of Aviation.

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Creation of an extra directorate in FAAN Speaking on behalf of the two unions, Acting General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo, claimed part of the illegalities was the creation of an extra directorate in FAAN without approval from the Office of the Head of Service.

In a 10-point address, Motajo said workers of the agencies who had sat for promotion exams awaiting letter for their new positions had been told to keep on

waiting, while outsiders without the perquisite qualifications had been brought in to take over their offices, threatening that any attempt by those he described as invaders, to resume work would be resisted, even if it meant shutting down the sector.

Compiling names of union leaders He alleged that to attain and sustain the illegalities, the Minister had begun collating names of union leaders at the branch and national levels for possible transfers, dismissals and/ or retrenchment, to weaken the unions and cripple their activities.

NUATE’s Acting General Secretary warned that “all political jobbers who have

been directed and or appointed to take over the career positions of our members from the General Managers position downwards should stay clear of our agencies, otherwise we shall be forced to decisively prevent them from doing so.”

According to him, “the current imposition and usurpation of the offices of our members who have been examined, tested, interviewed and found suitably qualified to become management staff and awaiting approval letters and or promotion letters to these higher offices, is a clear manifestation of the disdain of the Minister of Aviation to the career growth and development of these individuals in particular and aviation workers in general, whose commitment to the cause of their respective agencies is to aspire to the highest level of their career. The

“We have also observed that some unqualified elements are being decorated with the toga of General Managers without the prerequisite experience, expertise, skills and qualification as stipulated in the public service rules and or the subsisting Conditions of Service in the various agencies. To worsen this, the Minister has approved that a fresh four- year old university graduate, without any sense of Public Service duties, be made a General Manager whereas it takes about 20 to 25 years to attain the prestigious title of a General Manager in this industry.

"To attain and sustain these illegalities, the Minister has begun the process of collating and collecting names of union leaders at the branch and national levels for possible transfers, dismissals and or retrenchment, to weaken the unions and cripple their activities.

In the current exercise to get rid of certain employees from a particular section of the country at all costs, (not minding the meritorious services rendered by these individuals), they were marched with armed security personnel and disallowed into their offices as if they were criminals, deprived of their fundamental rights to justice, equity and fairness.”

••Minister dismisses allegations, says unions instrumental to aviation roadmap EACTING to the allegations, the minister dismissed the unions’ claims of not being carried along in the development of the sector, saying they were instrumental to the aviation road map she developed for the industry on assumption of office.

The Minister who reacted through her Special Adviser, Media, Mr. Joe Obi, said she met a sector in grossly decadent and near-collapse state, both in terms of infrastructure, facilities, effective and efficient provision of services.

She said to carry everybody along in the transformation of the sector, she initiated a process of stakeholder engagements that culminated in the Aviation Sector Road Map and Master Plan.

“It is pertinent to mention that all the Aviation sector unions were part of this stakeholder engagement process.

Their views in support of the repositioning of the sector along these lines are on record. The sudden reversal is curious, incomprehensible and smacks of ulterior motives,” the

R

Princess Stella Oduah minister said.

On the automation of revenue collection at the agencies, the minister said it was mischievous on the part of the unions to insinuate that the she single-handedly ordered the exercise.

According to her, “the unions were fully involved in series of meetings on

the subject-matter after which they unanimously gave their endorsement to the initiative which, it must be reemphasised is aimed at plugging the hemorrhaging leakages in the system.

The agency heads were also not only involved in the initiative, but also in full support of the automation since it meant more revenue to the coffers of the agencies. It therefore smacks of cheap blackmail to suggest that the agencies were left in the dark on the automation process.”

“Another falsehood is the declaration that a certain $100 million dollars may have been saved through the intervention of the unions with respect to the automation procedure. The current restructuring exercise, which the unions are attempting to discredit, is exactly what the sector needs for a total rebirth and repositioning. All those who have been recently appointed, redeployed and/or promoted have the professional competence, capability and experience to drive the vision and transformation of the aviation industry in Nigeria.”

Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 —45

C M Y K

46 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08026350360 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

Sokoto Gallery New York fetes Onobrakpeya’s Nomadic Images

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One of the works to be exhibited in Accra Ghana

Journey of the Nomad Nigeria to Ghana…

By MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU

O

BI Nwaegbe’s, Tainted Vision 11 is another solo exhibition that projects the creative effort of the young and talented artist in the use of colors , palette knife and brush to evolving a diplomatic platform for mutual understanding among ethnicities, countries and institutions.

Being an offshoot of the emerging artist’ imaginative recollection of a memorable sojourn among the dominant Fulani nomads in the Northern part of Nigeria during his national Youths service programme, the project premiered at a solo show tagged, Tainted Visions( Nomadic Series) in 2010 at the Omenka Gallery, Ikoyi Lagos.

Life of Fulani nomads At that well received exhibition, Nwaegbe’s experimental mind employed the realistic mode in the narrativization of the life of the Fulani nomads, whose enchanting and pure naturalistic sense of living helped to quicken the fertilization of his artistic creative impulse.

From that short encounter with an apparently harsh weather and topography of the North and coupled with a closer association with the largely peasant nomads, his previous misconception deriving from poor knowledge about the culture and people of the predominantly Islamic North became demystified.

That journey to the home of the Fulani nomads for Nwaegbe became an ephiphanous experi-

ence. In a very creative sense, it turned out to be a journey in self recovery. A recovery from disillusionment to a new creative home coming, whereby misconception gives birth to understanding.

According to the artist, “the project is not a blue print on how we can or should make progress as a unified entity. But an artist’s personal examination of a multi – ethnic society in which he was born and has lived virtually all his life.”

It was this new sense of understanding that resulted in an artistic documentation and interpretation of some of the verifiable positive values about human relationships and understanding that the view gleans from the artist’s imaginative story about the nomads. Through Nwaegbes’s brilliant compositions, one is led in a journey around the romantic and easy going life style of the people.

The compositions rendered in arresting and brilliant colors, from beneath the faces of pretty and harmless looking maidens convey the story of love, tolerance, rich culture and about the philosophy of contentedness. Tainted Visions provides a panoramic view of the topography of the region of the Sahara North and makes it for better appreciation of the challenges of desertification in the present age of global environmental disorder.

The success of the maiden edition of Tainted Vision as a veritable means of using visual vehicle to communicate understanding, peace and tolerance among diverse groups through realistic narrativization of social, cultural and philosophical ethos is there-

fore the forerunner of the present exhibition tagged, Tainted Vision 11.

Holden at Alliance Francaise office in the Accra city of Ghana, this second leg of Nwaegbe’s nomadic series is equally committed to the employment of the power of visual communication in confronting communication challenges among nations.

“Tainted Visions II is presenting a continental dimension to the issue of cultural diversity within the African sociopolitical and economic circle and a case study between Nigeria and Gha-

EW York based Sokoto gallery yesterday October 18, 2012 flaged off the exhibition of the works of Nigerian foremost artist, Bruce Onobrakpeya. The exhibition titled, Jewels of Nomadic Images include; portfolio of twenty recent seriaphs, paintings and mixed media works.

Bruce Onobrakpeya Aro Oguan 111, 2007, mixed media instalis a world-renowned lation master print-maker, painter, sculptor, and pioneer in continuum of cultural precedents modern African art, whose long and influences along with an and distinguished career spans open-ended improvisational senmore than five decades and con- sibility to create work that exploit tinues to astonish with protean the fissure between the natural world and the world of imaginaaudacity.

He employs a deep under- tion.

The visual resonance in his standing of the cultural history of the African continent combined work is undeniable, attesting to with a willingness to embrace a his ability to seamlessly fuse ancient and modern concepts and aesthetics that pay tribute to the traditional religion, custom and folklore of his heritage while using a wide range of printmaking techniques including those he pioneered.

Included in this exhibition is a na is examined here.” He said. selection of recent serigraphs In the present exhibition, Nwaefrom his Sunshine Period, 1962gbe’s works largely done on 67, in which the artist revisited acrylic on canvass and pastel seminal works including Cyclist compositions explore the Noand the Ram from 1963. Characmadic life of Nigeria and the terized artistically by a bright Ewes of Ghana in an enigmatic palette of colors reflecting the ramix depicted in costume, attitude diance of sunlight in the tropics, and aura. The exhibition is this period also marked the begeared towards examining prosginning of his experimentation pects in the strengthening of dipwith innovative artistic practices. lomatic ties between the two AfThe serigraphs make poignant rican nations: Nigeria and Ghastatement on the tension bena, as a fundamental way of imtween contained energy and proving communication for profboundless space, as well as, afitable engagement in business firm the artist’s awareness of the and commerce. crucial links between culture, politics and social agency.

Tate, GTB: Across Board for launch in London

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ATE Modern Gallery and Gt Bank will on November, 2012 launch an art collaborative project tagged, Across Board: Politics of Representation. The project which was initiated early in the year was made possible through an acquisition fund made available by the Nigerian bank to help build up a new conceptual framework for collecting, displaying and interpreting African art within the international arena.

At a press briefing in Lagos penultimate week , the duo of Deputy Director Tate Modern, Alex Beard and Marketing

Representatives of Tate Modern Gallery and GT Bank at the briefing

Director, Marc Sand said that the London launch of the project will feature a day of performance by Nigeria’s born Otobong Nkanga and Angola’s Nasito Mosquito.

The project according to them, will after the London launch tour three African cities of Doula in Cameroon, Accra in Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria.

The event, it is further revealed will take the form of multidisciplinary approach in the discourse of issues about cultural identity. As it moves across these cities, the project is expected to be used in examining various issues ranging from arts and cultural productions in public spaces, monuments and institutions. At the inception of this project early in the year,Elvira Dyangani Ose , Curator International Art, Tate explained that , “the project will constitute an organic and experimental platform, featuring emerging artists and exploring recent practices that propose new types of participation and social engagement.”

The acquisition fund according to her is so important because it is not possible for Tate as an international gallery of reference to “ tell universal story of art without the presence of African artists.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 —47

*A typical yam barn in Igboland

Culture, colour grace Obosi New Yam Festival YAM is regarded as the king of crops among the Igbo people of South-East Nigeria. No wonder then that it is accorded so much respect and celebrated by the people every year. It is often believed that if a new yam is celebrated, the subsequent year will be more productive. Therefore, come October 20, 2012, the Eze Obosi, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, Eze Iweka III and the entire Obosi people in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, will celebrate his first Ofala on the throne of Obosi. Vanguard sought the views of the Igwe on this popular festival and what to expect at the four-day event. Excerpts:

By EBELE ORAKPO

FALA: According to Eze Iweka III, the new yam festival, popularly called Ofala or Afiaolu/Ifejioku/Ahajioku festival, is the traditional name for Iwa Ji and Iwa ji connotes what the festival is all about. In Obosi, it is called Obiora, Ofala or Iwa ji, all mean the same thing and it is all about the celebration of the new yam.”

Yam in Igbo culture: “In the Igbo culture, yam is a very important subsistence crop. It is respected because it was the major food of the Igbos and the major crop cultivated by the Igbo farmer and so much importance was attached to yam in the olden days. For instance, your wealth is determined by the size of your yam barn and the number of yams in the barn. The barn, called oba ji, is where yams are kept. The yam seedlings are collected after the harvest and also kept in the barn in preparation for the next planting season. Then the harvested yams are also kept in barns and those were the yams that the farmer sold or traded by barter in exchange for other materials. A rich farmer is one that has a lot of yams and a big farm where he cultivates and harvests yams.

Stealing of yam akin to murder: “In those days, it was forbidden for one to go to the farm and steal yam. You can steal anything, chicken, goat etc., and not be banished from the land. But if you stole yam in in those days, it was one of the most serious offences next to murder. At a time, it was considered murder because when you stole a man’s yam, you wanted that man to die of hunger. The yam was his bank account because the yams he harvested for the season would suffice for his family through that harvesting season to the next harvesting season, so if you stole somebody’s yams, you wanted that person to die of hunger. So anyone that broke into your barn or your farm to go and dig up planted yams, had committed a very big offence. In some towns in the olden days, it even attracted death penalty, but in Obosi and other towns with similar culture, it attracted banishment.

That means if you are caught stealing

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yams, you will be sent away from that town for a long period of time and sometimes for life. That shows you how important the yam was in Igbo land and still to a large extent,” he said.

The celebration proper: Speaking on the celebration proper, the Igwe said; “Well, there are a lot of traditional aspects to it. It is roughly a four-day event. It starts with activities some of which are traditional. For instance, there is something we call Ikpa onunu. On that day, the custodians of the culture, the ndi isi mmuo (heads or priests of the shrines), carry out all the necessary rituals that are pertinent to this exercise. The Ikpa onunu is one of the prominent activities of the ofala.

Roasted yams Then yams will be roasted, and afterb that,, palm wine is served, then the Igwe will cut the yam, dip it in spiced palm oil and distribute to children first. After all the children have eaten, the adults will eat. It is like an open declaration that the new yam is now edible and everybody can eat. After that, the Ndi Ichie ie members of the cabinet, will do their individual ofala in their families.”

Other activities: “You know that as time goes on, a lot of modifications take place.

We are going to have a lecture and we will have a couple of notable people. We are expecting Professor Ezeonu from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka who will give us a lecture pertaining to Ofala festival in Igbo land. There are other activities lined up like the Mmanwu (masquerade) festival. Our people love entertainment and usually, we will have some dancing, beautiful masquerades; none of those terrible evil masquerades, the terrible egwugwus that people fear.

There will be cultural dances as well.

There is also a very special part of the ofala festival worthy of note. It is called the Owuwa. It is done on the actual day of the ofala. It is when the king dresses in some war-like attire.

48—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012—49

2 DAYS TO GO

IG withdraws security from political office holders

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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HE Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday withdrew all police orderlies attached to political office holders in Ondo State just as he announced restriction of movement into the state from this evening.

There was, however, uncertainty yesterday if the withdrawal would also affect Governor Segun Mimiko, who is also standing for election as the candidate of the Labour Party.

Abubakar, who announced this during a stakeholders' meeting in Akure also

18 RECs to be used for election — Jega

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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HAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, yesterday, assured that all the votes cast in the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State wouldl count and that the winner of the election would be declared Sunday morning.

Jega, who spoke in Akure during a stakeholder meeting with all the political parties said that the Ondo State elections would be a tremendous improvement on the one held in Edo State last July. He also declared that the commission would not remove any of the already accredited election observing groups without clear evidence of partisanship.

He said that 18 Resident Electoral Commissioners, REC from states outside the South West would act as Electoral Officers in the 18 council areas of the state The Chairman assured that the

election would be free, fair and credible and that the electoral body would create an enabling atmosphere for all political parties without any bias.

Jega said the commission had done its best in discharging its responsibilities even as he admitted that the commission was not perfect but had been able to improve on the challenges it faced in previous elections especially that of Edo State.

“We are committed to conducting the best election in Ondo State come October 20 and we want to assure all that we are ready to put in all the professionalism and integrity that are required to this election."

He called on the political parties to report any INEC official found to have compromised in the October 20 election.Jega said that the commission would however not bulge to spurious allegation but added that all allegations would be investigated.

confirmed that the military would be deployed to beef up security during the election.

According to him, the restriction of movement into the state would start from today at 6pm to 6am with a break between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. tomorrow and the restriction would resume from 6 p.m. tomorrow till 8 p.m. on Saturday.

The Inspector General of Police said that road blocks would be introduced on all entrances into Ondo State during the security clampdown.

Announcing the readiness of

the police to provide adequate security for the election, Abubakar said the police were well prepared to combat political thugs that may want to disrupt the governorship polls.

According to him, five units of mobile policemen have been deployed to each of the three senatorial districts of the state while 10 units of mobile policemen would be on standby.

He, nevertheless, assured that the large number of security operatives was not

meant to harass or molest the people but to checkmate any security challenge, adding that at least one unit of mobile policemen would be on guard in each of the council areas of the state.

The IGP said that 20 Armoured Personnel Carriers APCs have been deployed to the two riverrine areas of the state, Ilaje and Ese Odo. Abubakar added that three security officials including FRSC, Custom, and Prison officials would be at polling units.

*Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Attahiru M. Jega, Police IG, Mohammed Abubakar and Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko at the stakeholders 'meeting in Akure.

Olajumoke disowns Mimiko, pledges support for PDP

BY HENRY UMORU

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ENATOR Bode Olajumoke has dismissed speculations that he is secretly supporting the second term bid of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

In distancing himself from Mimiko, Olajumoke, who is one of the leading lights of Ondo politics, told Vanguard that he had on the contrary been busy reconciling aggrieved factions within the PDP.

His denial brings to rest, speculations in Ondo State and Abuja that Senator Olajumoke alongside some other aggrieved PDP chieftains are working behind the scene to ensure that the PDP candidate, Chief Olusola

Oke does not emerge victorious in the election.

“Who is that person, who is giving you that information that I am PDP in the morning and Labour in the evening? I am not aware. My aspiration, my total yearnings is that PDP

Mimiko alerts on opposition rigging plans

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OVERNOR Segun Mimiko has thanked the people of Ondo State for their unalloyed support and show of love while his campaign for re-election lasted.

Speaking through his campaign organization yesterday, Mimiko alerted the general public to what he claimed were plans by the opposition to take their votes and warned them not to be taken in by what he described as the evil plans.

In a statement signed by his campaign Spokesman, Kolawole Olabisi, he said: “As we are writing this press statement, the opposition parties are running from pillar to post with evil plans

to thwart your popular wish which is to return Dr Mimiko for a second term based on the monumental progress, which he had brought to Ondo State within a short time.

“Indeed, aside from bringing in sensitive election materials, which they hope to plant into the polling units with the connivance of some compromised officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), they have also brought in fake Military, Police, Youth Corps Members and Civil Defence uniforms to try to intimidate you, the electorate on the day of election to enable them switch genuine ballot papers with already thumb-printed ones on

the election day.”

Noting that the Mimiko Campaign Organisation, MCO was privy to the alleged rigging

plans, he said: “They are to use these fake military and police officers to carry out what they termed the USI-EKITI module."

would come back to rule this state,” he added.

According to Senator Olajumoke, the internal crisis in PDP has to a large extent been settled by the sevenman reconciliation committee inaugurated by the Bamanga Tukur led National Working Committee, NWC of which he is a member.

With his support for the PDP candidate settled, Olajumoke nevertheless identified paucity of funds as a major challenge to the party ’s aspiration.

Yoruba groups, youths rally support for Akeredolu

BY ABEL KOLAWOLE

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HEAD of the Saturday gubernatorial poll in Ondo State, over 200 representatives of Yoruba self-determination groups, youth and women associations yesterday called for a massive turn out of voters in support of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Candidate, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.

The representatives came from

all the South West, Edo and Delta states. Leaders of Yoruba people in northern Nigeria and representatives from Togo and Benin Republics were also at the press conference.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, Mr Popoola Ajayi, flanked by six others, at the press conference in Akure, said Ondo State must return into what they referred to as the “greater Yoruba family.” The group accused

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of consciously working against Yoruba unity, saying that his allegation that some ACN leaders wanted to collect ‘rent’ from him is cheap and full of base instinct. “The retrieval of the mandate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was a battle fought and won by the Yoruba people in Ondo state and beyond. Ondo is an integral part of the Yoruba culture and history”, the groups stated.

50 — Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

U.S. debate: Obama wins as Housing sector rebounds RESIDENT Barack Obama put his reelection bid back on firm footing on Wednesday morning with a strong debate performance that is likely to thrill his Democratic supporters and earn him a second look from the few voters who remain undecided.

With the November 6 election three weeks away, Obama’s second of three debates with Republican rival Mitt Romney represented one of the final chances to make an impression with voters.

Obama made the most of it with a focused, aggressive effort. It was a sharp departure from his listless first debate two weeks ago, when Romney’s dominant performance ignited a resur-

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gence by the Republican that left the race virtually even heading into the matchup. “Game on - he’s back,” Carleton College political science professor Steven Schier said of the president.

Obama made sure to work in all of the attack lines he had neglected in the October 3 debate. He hammered Romney for the wealthy Republican’s low personal income tax rate and Romney’s nowinfamous dismissal of “47 percent” of the electorate, as seen in a secretly recorded video of the former Massachusetts governor.

Obama also crisply outlined the accomplishments of his first term in office - from saving the auto industry to killing

Republican party candidate Mitt Romney and President Barak Obama in gusty exchange on Wednesday.

Osama bin Laden - and framed his answer on a question about women’s rights in movingly personal terms.

The president’s perfor-

mance came with cheering news from the housing sector, where U.S. homes surged in September to its fastest pace in more than four years,

a sign the housing sector is rebounding to support views of wider economic recovery. The crisis in the the economy in 2008 started with the insolvency in

the Housing Sector. There has been positive signs in the retail market sector, while the Detroit auto companies are showing greater verve in recovery.

America’s economy has shown signs of faster growth in recent months as the jobless rate has fallen and retail sales data has pointed to stronger consumer spending.

However, the Commerce Department said yesterday that the Housing increased by 15 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000 units. The data showed that housing, which was battered by the 2007-09 recession, is increasingly one of the brighter spots in the economy.

Highlight of what the candidates said

MITT ROMNEY On Obama’s response to Libya attacks: “There was no demonstration involved, it was a terrorist attack and it took a long time for that to be told to the American people. Whether there was some misleading, or instead whether we just didn’t know what happened, you have to ask yourself...

“The president’s policies throughout the Middle East began with an apology tour and pursue a strategy of leading from behind. And this strategy is unraveling before our very eyes.”

Answering question on women paid less than men: “What we can do to help young women and women of all ages is to have a strong economy, so strong that employers that are looking to find good employees are bringing them into their workforce and adapting to a flexible work schedule that gives women opportunities that they would otherwise not be able to afC M Y K

ford.”

On Obama’s record: “The president has tried, but his policies haven’t worked. He’s great as a speaker and at describing his plans and his vision. That’s wonderful, except we have a record to look at and that record shows that he just hasn’t been able to cut the deficit, to put in place reforms for Medicare and Social Security to preserve them, to get us the rising incomes we need.”

On his own job plan: “I want to make small businesses grow and thrive. I know how to make that happen. I spent my life in the private sector. I know why jobs come and why they go. And they’re going now because of the policies of this administration.”

On comparisons to President George W. Bush: “President Bush and I are different people and these are different times.

And that’s why my fivepoint plan is so different from what he would have done.”

On energy: “I want to make sure we use our oil, our coal, our gas, our nuclear, our renewables... But what we don’t need is to have the president keeping us from taking advantage of

oil, coal and gas. This has not been Mr Oil, or Mr Gas, or Mr Coal.”

On taxes: “I will not under any circumstances reduce the share that’s being paid by the highest-income paying taxpayers and I will not under any circumstance increase taxes on the middle class. The president’s spending, the president’s borrowing will cause this nation to have to raise taxes on the American people, and not just at the high end.”

On unemployment: “We have fewer people working today than we had when the president took office... We have not made the progress we need to make to put people back to work.”

“The key thing is to make sure you’ve got a job when you get out of school. And what’s happened over the last four years has been very, very hard for America’s young people.

OBAMA Response to Libya attack: “I’m the president and I’m always responsible.”

“Not everybody agrees with some of the decisions I’ve made, but when it comes to our national security I mean what I say... When I say that we’re going to find

out exactly what happened, everybody will be held accountable and I am ultimately responsible for what’s taking place there, because these are my folks and I’m the one who has to greet those coffins when they come home - you know I mean what I say.”

In response to charge he was slow to label it terrorist attack: “The day after the attack, Governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people and the world that we were going to find out exactly what happened, that this was an act of terror and I also said that we were going to hunt down those who committed this crime.”

On Romney ’s responses to Libya attack: “While we were still dealing with our diplomats still being threatened, Governor Romney put out a press release, trying to make political points. And that’s not how a commander-inchief operates. You don’t turn national security into a political issue, certainly not right when it’s happening.”

On women’s issues: “These are not just women’s issues. These are family issues. These are economic issues...

That’s been one of the

hallmarks of my administration. I’m going to continue to push on this issue for the next four years.”

On Romney’s tax plan: “What he says is he’s going to make sure that this doesn’t add to the deficit and he’s going to cut middle-class taxes.

But when he’s asked, ‘how are you going to do it, which deductions, which loopholes are you going to close?’ he can’t tell you... We haven’t heard from the governor any specifics beyond Big Bird and eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood in terms of how he pays for that.”

On Romney’s promise to crack down on China: “When he talks about getting tough on China, keep in mind that Governor Romney invested in companies that were pioneers of outsourcing to China... Governor, you’re the last person to get tough on China.”

On energy: “When I hear Governor Romney say he’s a big coal guy, I mean, keep in mind, Governor, when you were governor of Massachusetts, you stood in front of a coal plant and pointed at it and said, ‘This plant kills,’ and took great pride in shutting it down. And now suddenly, you’re a big champion

Barak Obama of coal.”

On lower gas prices when he took office: “The economy was on the verge of collapse because we were about to go through the worst recession since the Great Depression, as a consequence of some of the same policies that Governor Romney now promotes. So it’s conceivable that Governor Romney could bring down the gas prices, because with his policies we might be back in that same mess.”

On Romney ’s economic plan: “Governor Romney says he’s got a five-point plan.

Governor Romney doesn’t have a five-point plan, he has a one-point plan. And that plan is to make sure that folks at the top play by a different set of rules. That’s been his philosophy in the private sector, that’s been his philosophy as a governor and that’s been his philosophy as a presidential candidate.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 —51

Women and ageing (2) W

ATCH those snacks! The next time you pick up a candy bar, a bowl of ice cream, ask yourself, do I really need this? Keep in mind that your body is not a dumping ground. You can eat your way to obesity overtime if you are not careful to balance what goes into your tummy with your energy expenditure.

You can snack on vegetables in-between meals. Take cucumbers and garden eggs instead of those high calorie snacks. A handful of groundnut, hazelnuts, walnuts or cashew nuts will do no harm when used as a snack. You can even take your fruits when you feel like a bite; they are a better deal than those pastries. This is due to the fact that trans-fatty acids are formed during the process of hydrogenation when manufacturing these items.

Trans-fatty acids actually increase your LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol and reduces your HDL, the good cholesterol. You add excess weight and at the same time you are at risk of dyslipidemia, deranged lipid profile. Talking about fats, women tend to use a lot of it in cooking. We love to fry our meat, fish, chicken, even our soup and all what not.

Use simpler methods of cooking like boiling, steaming, roasting or grilling with little oil. Drink plenty of fluids. Women need

to drink at least 8cups of fluid a day! You SSS need more if it is very hot or you are physically active. Plain water is obviously a good source of fluid but variety can be both pleasant and healthy. You can take flavoured water or pick your choose from tea, milk, unsweetened juices and lightly sweetened drinks.

Start now and make small changes to your lifestyle. Looking good and feeling

eatrightconsult@yahoo.com 08091276796

with Funke Oshifuye young is good business. It takes a lot of drive and determination like I said ear-

lier.

The earlier you start the better for you.

It’s the nature of the woman to worry over a lot of things. Maybe, it’s the way we are created. We worry about our relationships, homes, children, career and every other thing we may think of. A typical woman at 80 is still worried about her child that is going to 55. We need our strength and body to be in good shape for a long time in order to take care of ourselves and families. Let us eat right, so that we do not short-change ourselves!

Dettol takes proper hand washing campaign to schools N this year’s Global Hand Washing Day, Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited took its campaign on regular hand washing with soap to schools in Lagos.

The reinforcement campaign tagged,”21 Days to a Healthy Hands Habit with Dettol”, according to Reckitt Benckiser is to help prevent diarrhoea-related diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and respiratory

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‘Multivitamin can reduce cancer’

tract infections including pneumonia and flu which together are responsible for the deaths of more than 3.5 million children under five every year.

At Queensland Academy, Okota, the students were tutoured on how to properly wash their hands with water and soap before and after eating, after using the toilet, when they come in contact with objects and people amongst others.

The two-hour hand washing education programme also witnessed various entertainment exercises designed to properly

N a randomised trial that included nearly 15,000 male physicians, longterm daily multivitamin use resulted in a modest but statistically significant reduction in cancer after more than a decade of treatment and follow-up.

The traditional role of a daily multivitamin is to prevent nutritional deficiency. The combination of essential vitamins and minerals contained in multivitamins may mirror healthier dietary patterns such as fruit and vegetable intake, which have been modestly and inversely associated with cancer risk in some, but not all, epidemiologic studies.

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pass the message of hand washing. Each of the students were also taken on the various hand washing techniques to achieve maximum protection against infections.

The main objective of the activitiy was to educate the children on the importance of handwashing to their day to day activities. Dettol has provided education on proper hand hygiene to more than 3 million children across Nigeria over the last four years, and dettol which is endorsed by the Nigerian Medical Association has also been at the forefront of providing health and hygiene messages via its products to Nigerians in the last 50 years.

Matron of the Academy, Mrs. Iyabo Olopade, said the act of hand washing with soap was necessary to p r e v e n t diarrhoeal diseases among the children.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL) I AM engaged to a really nice woman and I love her so much. Just as we were busy planning our wedding, a school mate of mine who didn’t know we were engaged, mentioned that my fiancée and some other girls were into prostitution some years ago.

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It is worn at the base of the penis to prevent erection loss. Look for the Support Plus Cockring or Fantasy Love Cockring. Any of them will help you – Uche I experience really embarrassing premature ejaculation. My solution has been to give my girl oral sex till she climaxes before I start. But she doesn’t want that all the time, neither do I feel like oral sex all the time. I need another solution- Thomas Thomas you can wear a penis sleeve like the Stud Extension to last longer. You can also use an ejaculation delay lubricant to last longer such as the Stay Hard Delay Cream – Uche I rarely feel like having sex and my husband is getting older so even when we try, he cannot get an erection – Mrs Nnoli Mrs Nnoli you need Max Desire supplement for women while he needs Sex Voltz for Men. They are both very good libido boosting supplements that will solve your respective problems – Uche That’s it for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08191978308 or 08027901621 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

52—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

Gov’s Cup: More Nigerians tumble out

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN HINGS are not look ing up for Nigerian tennis following yesterday’s exit of Henry Atseye, Onyeka Mbanu and Sanni Adamu in the second round of the Governor’s Cup Futures I holding at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

Atseye lost to tournament’s third seed, Kento Takeuchi of Japan in three thrilling sets of 6-3, 1-6, 57. He battled till the very end but like his forerunners, who crashed in the first round on Monday, the Nigerian teenager was unable to upset the odds, heavily stacked against h i m .

Unlike Atseye, Onyeka Mbanu was an easy prey for top seed Kamil Capkovic of Slovakia, losing in quick sets of 1-6, 1-6, while Sanni Adamu lost in straight sets of 2-6, 2-6 to Alesandro Petrone of Italy.

In other singles matches, Enrique Perez of Spain

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defeated compatriot Borja Rodriguez Manzano 64,6-4, Sherif Sabry of Egypt overpowered Andre Gaspar Nurta of Portugal in 6-3,7-5 game, Terence Nugent of Cote d’Ivoire

was not so lucky in his game against Alesandro Bega of Italy, losing 3-6, 3-6 while Karim Maamoun of Egypt defeated Jordi Arreu of Venezuela 6-3,62 amd Ruan Roelofse of

South Africa beat Karim Hossam of Egypt 2-6, 6-4, 6 3 .

In the women’s singles, top seed Nina Bratchikova of Russia swept aside Sofia Dmitrieva 6-1,6-2.

TRICKY ••• Nigeria's'' s Isiaka Olawale vies for the ball with a Brazilian opponent

Rufai out of hospital •NFF wishes him quick recovery HE Nigeria Football Federation has remained in touch with former international goalkeeper Peter Rufai, who slumped on Monday night and was hospitalized in Lagos.

B ruce Rufai, brother of the two-time FIFA World Cup star, told NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu on Wednesday morning that Dodo Manyana’had regained consciousness and returned home from hospital. “ We wish to, on behalf of the entire Nigeria football family, wish Peter a very quick recovery so that he can get back on his feet and return to a normal life,” said Barrister Amadu.

Amadu added: “We are very concerned about Peter’s situation. He did so much for our dear country as a player and remains one of the true legends of the Nigeria game. He is also the Coordinator of our U-23

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•Rufai National Team.

“The NFF was in touch with Peter to console him on the death of his mother when this incident happened.”

Rufai, who won 62 caps for the Nigeria senior team, was first choice when the Super Eagles lifted the African Cup of Nations for the first time on away soil (Tunisia, 1994) and was also first choice at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals.

Nigeria, Brazil, Russia slug it out It is not over yet for Sunshine — Adejube in Dubai HE Nigeria Football Federation has announced that the Beach Soccer National Team, otherwise known as Supersand Eagles, will take part in the Eight-Nation Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup competition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates between 30th October – 3rd November.

The tournament will also feature four-time world champions Brazil, reigning world champions Russia, host United Arab Emirates, next year ’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup host Tahiti, United States of America, Japan and Switzerland.

A l r e a d y, the participating teams have been drawn into two groups of four teams each, with UAE, Russia, Tahiti and USA in Group A and Nigeria, Brazil, Japan and Switzerland in Group B. Participating teams are expected to arrive in Dubai on Sunday, 28th October.

Only three of the invited 18 players are

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yet to report to the Supersand Eagles’ training camp in Badagry, with Abdul Haruna having only recently lost his father in-law; Bartholomew Ibenegbu down with typhoid fever and; Ogbonnaya Okemiri

excused to attend a screening exercise with Akwa United FC. The team, under the watchful eyes of Coach Adamu Audu Ejo, now trains twice a day after maintaining once-a-day training for the past few days.

Bankers Games honour for Skye Bank’s Abdulrasheed N a weekend, he scored his half a century plus two goals, K a y o d e M u s t a p h a Abdulrasheed scored a total of four goals in two matches to set yet another record in his flotilla of Nigeria Bankers Games (NBG) historic achievements.

The first and only player in the games’ history to score 22 goals in a season, Abdulrasheed didn’t even allow his landmark 50th goal scored against Union Bank last weekend to be appreciated by fans when he completed a hat-trick in a 5-1 mauling of the Stallion Boys. And the next day

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in a rescheduled match against Enterprise Bank, he notched up the 52nd goal in a lone strike that ensured that his team, Skye Bank maintained the 100% run in the 2012 edition of the Bankers Game football event.

Abdulrasheed, a Business Development Manager at the Bello Road branch of Skye Bank in Kano has certainly set a record that will be difficult to match in the games’ history and for this, organizers of the Nigeria Bankers Games will this weekend honour him in a special ceremony that will precede their encounter with Fidelity Bank at the University of Lagos Sports Complex.

ICKSON Adejube, a board member of the Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA), has said that Sunshine Stars FC of Akure could still qualify for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) final.

Adejube spoke on Wednesday while commenting on the team’s chances when they play the return leg of the semi-final match with Al Ahly of Egypt on Saturday in Cairo.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure that the fact that Sunshine played a 3-3 draw with the Egyptians in Ijebu-Ode on Oct. 6 would not deter them from reaching the final.

Adejube said the team could put up a better performance than they did in Ijebu-Ode and defeat Al Ahly in Egypt.

“I believe we are going to get a good result in Egypt with the preparation the team had made.

“We camped the boys immediately after the first leg match and shift-

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Action recorded in a match between Sunshine Stars and Rangers FC in the NPL. ed their base so as to have good team cohesion ahead of the clash in Egypt,” the retired FIFA-badge referee said.

Adejube noted that for a team to come back from a two goal deficit showed it was good, adding that the strike by the players affected their performance against Al Ahly.

NAN recalls that Sunshine players went on

strike for some weeks before the first leg encounter and resumed training exactly a week before the match.

Adejube, a former board member of the Nigeria Football Association, recalled that Kano Pillars found itself in the same situation as Sunshine but went ahead to defeat Al Ahly in Egypt in 2010.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 — 55

African athletics masters gear up for Nigeria 2013

Go conquer Africa — Imoke tasks Eagles

BY JACOB AJOM

BY BEN EFE ORMER African ath letics greats, are gearing up for the second African athletics masters championships billed for Lagos in May 2013.

The masters championships is an avenue for former athletics stars to live over their glorious years and also socialise with their former rivals on the track. Top Nigerian stars like Chidi Imoh, Mary Onyali, Henry Amike, Falilat Ogunkoya and other African legends like Frankie Fredericks and Maria Mutola are being expected to compete at the championships.

Nigeria was given the right to host the championships after the inaugural African masters championships last year in Johannesburg, South Africa. According to Gloria Obajimi who is president of Nigeria master, the country was selected by the Africa masters sanctioning body, because Nigeria has an impressive record of athletes who were champions on the Africa continent in the past.

“Besides at the world masters championships last year in Helsinki, Finland we were encouraged to get ourselves organized in Nigeria.

“This was because Nigeria had a greater number of athletes in African,” said Mrs Obajimi a former Nigerian inter-

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Mary Onyali-Omagbemi...Nigeria’s most decorated athlete with 18 different medals coming to show her stuff at the African Masters Championships in Lagos. national and national 800m champion.

The local organising committee for the cham-

a participant to the one day Presidential Retreat.

You are however expected to bear the cost of your attendance.”

Adokiye lives in PortHacourt and he is a private person. He is a brilliant lawyer and one of the great stakeholders in sports in Nigeria, having excelled as a soccer player and also a sports administrator.

He replied the National Sports Commission this way: Dear Sir, I am unable to thank you for the ‘invitation letter to the Presidential retreat on the Nigerian sports sector’ because it is obviously a very bad joke. It is incredC M Y K

pionships, has been meeting and members are brain-storming on how to present a memo-

rable championships. The Nigeria masters had their first national championships last year in Calabar.

•Imoke

Osheku tasks sports minister, AFN on Obudu

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An athlete at Obudu Mountain Race

Adokiye Continues from BP

HE Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke was all smiles Saturday when he hosted the victorious national team soon after they qualified for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Governor Imoke expressed satisfaction with the team and said the state was ready to do more for the team that had brought so much joy to Nigerians and Cross Riverians in particular.

“I am happy for the team and very impressed in the manner we achieved victory over the Liberians. I am proud of this team and it is a job well done by the technical crew and the entire NFF,” The Governor said during the reception at the gov-

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ernment house, Calabar.

He urged the team to go to South Africa and make a good case for Nigerian football. “It is time we conquered Africa again because it has been a long time,” the governor charged the Eagles In response, Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi thanked the Cross River State chief executive for his unflinching support for the team throughout the campaign and promised that the team would not disappoint in South Africa.

ible that though you are paid with tax payers’ money to manage sports in Nigeria (a task that has overwhelmed you), you seem to believe that you can request a self-employed, private citizen like me to come all the way to Abuja to help you do your work AT MY OWN EXPENSE! It is not rocket science to know that you want Mr President to fail in his attempt to right the wrong in sports administration in Nigeria.

Yours faithfully, CHIEF ADOKIYE AMIESIMAKA. Our investigation showed that other invitees received the same letter and many have opted out.

THLETICS coach,chief Tony Osheku has tasked the Sports Minister,Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi and the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to build on the huge popularity the annual Obudu international mountain race now enjoys as well as the fact that the 30th edition of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) championships will be hosted by Cross River state to kickstart a culture

of distance and mountain running in N i g e r i a .

Osheku,unarguably Nigeria’s most successful coach in the last two decades is impressed with the technical organisation of the event and believes what is needed is for the National Sports Commission and the AFN to encourage athletes who have decided to take up distance running by giving them adequate

Amunike Continues from BP Coach Manu Garba tutored team, Calabar fans believed the scoreline left much to be desired as they squandered numerous scoring opportunities, particularly in the first quarter of the encounter.

Asuquo Etim, a Calabar resident who was at the stadium to cheer the team said, “these boys will break somebody’s heart. They play so well, but when they reach the post they lose the ball.”

But Golden Eaglets assistant coach, Emmanuel Amunike urged Nigerians not to put undue pressure on the team as they prepare to face Guinea in the second leg of the 2013 Af-

rica U-17 championships in Morocco.

Speaking at the U.J.Esuene Stadium after the match in Calabar, Amunike said “the most important thing is that the boys played to win and they won, securing the maximum points.

You don’t expect them to score as if they are in a basketball match.

Whether they scored one goal, the most important thing is that they won.”

The former Nigeria international said, “they are still very young players who want to express themselves. They are still in the stage of learning and we as Nigerians need to come out en mass to encourage them.”

training and exposure to i n t e r n a t i o n a l competitions. ’I’m happy that we now have an opportunity to develop distance running culture in Nigeria through the Obudu international mountain race.The MTN and Glo Half Marathons helped this cause a little but with its irregular occurrence,it was difficult to develop the culture.We should thank the governor of Cross River state,Senator

Liyel Imoke for his continued sponsorship of the event.I am sure the Governor may not even know the magnitude of what he has done.The athletes who have been having the opportunity to run since 2005 when the inauguaral edition was held will continue to thank him’’,said Osheku who coached Falilat Ogunkoya to two Olympic medals in 1996 and the number one ranking in the women’s 400m in 1998.

AFCON 2013: We’ll work hard for the trophy — NFF CRIBE of the Nigeria Football Federation, Musa Amadu has said the manner of Super Eagles qualification for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa is a turning point for Nigerian football which the football house hopes to build on.

Speaking in Calabar after the Eagles 6-1 thumping of the Liberian national team, the Lone Star, an ecstatic Amadu said, “this is a victory for all Nigerians who trooped out in their thousands to cheer the Super Eagles.

“This is a turning point in Nigerian football and we hope to capitalize on this and give Nigerians what they really deserve. We are happy the Super Eagles have really become Super

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again.”

Amadu was particularly grateful to the government and people of Cross River State “for providing the platform where the national team rediscovered itself.”

He said the football house would not rest on its oars as “efforts to make the South Africa 2013 project a success will be intensified.

The main task of qualifying for the tournament has been achieved. What we need do now is going to work to ensure adequate preparation for the team before the tournament in January.”

The NFF scribe said the football house was aiming at the Afcon 2013 trophy as target for the team. “We won’t like to go for anything less,” Amadu said.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCT0BER 18, 2012

Falcons off to Ghana HE national wom en’s football team the Super Falcons will depart Nigeria today for camping in Ghana pre-

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paratory to the African Women’s Championship in Equatorial Guinea.

The Super Falcons are

You want President Jonathan to fail

the defending champions. They are drawn in Group B along with Cameroon, Ethiopia and Cote d’Ivoire.

The AWC kicks off on October 28 with the Falcons beginning their title defence the following day against Cameroon.

•Adokiye accuses NSC

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE HIEF Adokiye Amiesimaka, former Green Eagles winger and one time AttorneyGeneral of Rivers State has accused the National Sports Commission of plotting the failure of Mr. President to “right the wrongs in sports administration in Nigeria.”

Adokiye’s accusation was sparked off by the invitation of the commission to him to attend the Presidential Retreat on sports October 22 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. President Goodluck Jonathan had informed of the retreat while presenting the 2013 budget proposal to

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•President Jonathan the Nation last week Wednesday.

In the letter signed by Patrick Ekeji, the Director-General of the Sports Commission and forwarded to Adokiye by Alhassan Yakmut, one of the Directors of the Commission, Adokiye was told that he would bear the cost of his attendance in Abuja. The letter partly read: “It is therefore

•Bolaji Abdullahi

•Adokiye with great pleasure, that you have been invited as Continues on Page 55

Don’t put undue pressure on Eaglets

— Amunike

BY JACOB AJOM LTHOUGH the Golden Eaglets defeated their Guinean

A

TODAY'S

counterparts 3-0 in the first leg, 2013 Africa U17 Championship qualifier, most fans that thronged the U.J.Esuene Stadium

PUZZLE

were not satisfied with the team at the final whistle.

Given the dominant performance of the Continues on Page 55

YESTERDAY'S

TOUGH: Super Eagles star, Victor Moses in action for Nigeria against Liberia in Calabar. Nigeria won 6-1 to pick a ticket for the 2013 Afcon

ANSWERS ACROSS 2 Wrath (5) 7 Cease (4) 8 Hateful (6) 9 Allure (5) 11 Spoil (3) 13 Defective (3) 15 Paradise (4) 16 Free (3) 18 Lake (4) 19 Liberate (7) 20 Tidy (4) 22 Cab (4) 23 Local (7) 25 Pitcher (4) 27 Cask (3) 28 Fever (4) 30 Wand (3) 31 Finish (3) 33 Jam (5) 36 Run (6) 37 Recognised (4) 38 Taut (5)

DOWN 1 Place (5) 2 Fitting (3) 3 Adhesive (3) 4 Decay (3) 5 Vigour (3) 6 Presage (5) 10 Bucket (4) 11 Wander (7) 12 Recounted (7) 13 Madden (7) 14 Invented (7) 16 Send (5) 17 Couch (5) 18 Encountered (3) 21 Hill (3) 24 Shrewd (4) 26 Female (5) 29 Beneath (5) 32 Cushion (3) 33 Damp (3) 34 Noise (3) 35 Stretch (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Haste 5, Sedate 8, Agent 10, Design 11, Akin 14, Revoke 15, Foreman 18, Get 19, Gas 21, Left 23, Devil 24, Pear 27, Dam 29, Mew 31, License 32, Prison 34, Dine 35, Anoint 38, Strut 39, Recent 40, Testy.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Axe 3, Tailed 4, Egg 5, Star 6, Drivel 7, Effect 9, Engaged 12, Keg 13, Note 16, Ogle 17, Naval 20, Similar 22, Fuss 24, Peper 25, Amid 26, Reside 28, Denote 30, Won 33, Nest 36, Nut 37, Net.

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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