GRAFT IN OIL SECTOR: Omokore, Diezani's crony in EFCC net — MAGU

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62697

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

Convene emergency FG to further reduce >9 economic confab, >8 fuel price, says Soyinka tells Buhari outgoing PPPRA boss GRAFT IN OIL SECTOR:

Omokore, Diezani's crony in EFCC net — MAGU

•Magu raises alarm, says 133 senior lawyers fighting EFCC •Says senior lawyers frustrating anti-corruption battle •Insists national interest, rule of law come first in crusade •NBA warns FG against abuse of constitution

By Clara Nwachukwu, Clifford Ndujihe, Charles Kumolu, Sebastine Obasi & Marie-Therese Nanlong

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AGOS—INQUEST into shady deals in the oil and gas sector is proceeding apace with the arrest and detention of some players in the sector.

Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, disclosed, yesterday, that Mr. Olajide Omokore has been arrested and has been in the agency ’s custody in the last three days.

Omokore, who was quizzed by the EFCC last year but later released, is Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited and a director in Seven Energy

Continues on Page 5

Mr & Mrs RECEPTION—President Muhammadu Buhari (left) with members of the Diplomatic Corps durng a reception he hosted for them at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

COLUMNISTS:

Rivers State

Boutros-Ghali: controversy: The African So what child •P.17 •P.19 next?

Rickey Tarfa bribed judge with N225,000, >11 EFCC alleges

Anita finalises divorce from Pastor Chris Oyakhilome >10

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 , 2016

Vanguard, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 , 2016 — 3

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 , 2016

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 , 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

MAGU VISITS VANGUARD—From left: Mr Kunle Adekoya, General Editor, Vanguard Newspapers; Mr Eze Anaba, Deputy Editor; presenting Vanguard 2016 Calendar to Ibrahim Magu, Acting Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; while Mr Ochereome Nnanna, Chairman Editorial Board Vanguard Newspapers looks on during the visit of EFCC Chairman to Vanguard Newspapers Head Office in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Omokore, Diezani's crony in EFCC net — MAGU Continues from Page 1 International Limited.

Atlantic Energy was one of the greatest beneficiaries of controversial approvals made by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AllisonMadueke, under the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Magu disclosed Omokore’s detention, yesterday, during a courtesy visit to Vanguard's head office in Lagos. He also vowed to prosecute the war against graft to the letter, even if it meant laying down his life.

This came as the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, cautioned the Federal Government against abusing provisions of the constitution in the name of anti-corruption war, claiming that the government was doing

more of persecution than prosecution.

Countering allegations that his commission was selective in prosecuting the anti-corruption war, the EFCC boss said: "People have the right to say that we are selective.

But any minister or government official that is accused of corruption will be investigated. We will invite the person to our office. We are already investigating the NNPC. Even now Omokore is back in cell. I don’t know how he managed the publicity, he has been in cell for three days."

We won’t spare anybody

He said: "Corruption is an attack on our individual and corporate security. It is deliberate and calculated wickedness against our existence.

Those stealing and abusing our common patrimony do not wish us

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

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AKE Today count, do all you said you would do because in the real sense of it, all you would ever have is Today. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new —Socrates

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HANGE means going from one state to another. And this involves adjustments, which in most cases means yeilding and letting go. In a way, adjustments equal some sort of trouble. But when you get to the other side, all of a sudden you realize that things are better. That this life, this state, this new condition existed alongside the original one all along.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

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F a child does not grow before asking for what killed his father, what killed his father may kill him.

well. They do not wish our health, education, security, convenience, prosperity and posterity well. They do not wish us well among the comity of civilized nations."

Magu vowed to be "total, holistic and unsparing", in his approach to tackling corrupt practices.

How senior lawyers are frustrating the war

He also fumed that efforts at recovering stolen public funds and p rosecuting alleged looters were being frustrated by 133 senior lawyers, describing such as a conspiracy against the commission.

According to him, some external lawyers, who are working for the EFCC are also working against the commission, adding that for the anti-graft war to yield desired results, the commission must be supported by every one.

His words: "We are here (EFCC) due to divine intervention. I am here to tell you that there is impunity in the country, there is corruption and abuse of office. I am here to tell you that the fight against corruption is not about me, it is about the whole of Nigeria. We are all stakeholders in this business. I am here to tell you that corruption is fighting back. I need your support more than before because people steal our commonwealth and they hire lawyers to fight us.

"I know that in every sphere of life, we have the good, the bad and the ugly. I am not saying we don’t have bad ones among us in the EFCC. I have realized that people are fighting us both from within and outside. But we need to be committed to whatever we are doing; I am not saying that we are correct all the time. I am not averse to criticism.

I always welcome

criticisms; when you look back it will help the system. I am saying that people have money.

"Now, we have a gang that is really fighting us.

We have a gang of about 133 lawyers that are fighting back in the system. They are fighting everybody. If care is not taken, this fight will turn into a fight between the haves and have-nots, which is why I want everybody to support us.

Most of these senior lawyers don’t care. If you don’t have money, they can’t take your brief. They use the proceeds of corruption to do their business. Otherwise why should someone carry 34 SANs to court? What sense does it make? And then you discover that only one stands before the judge. They are going for the money. This story is real. If you don’t have money, they won’t work for you.

"What I am saying is that Nigerians should join us in the fight because corruption is fighting back. I don’t care, I am ready to fight to the finish, because if there is any reason, it is an honour that when I die, people will say that Magu died fighting corruption. If there is any other cause that I prefer, I prefer to die fighting corruption. That is why we are seeking for support so that we will be on the same page especially now that it is fighting back. We are fighting for a better Nigeria so that our children and grand children will have a better Nigeria because many of us were lucky when we were in the university.

That opportunity does not exist again but we have a chance.

"If things can be done properly you will see the changes. These changes that the President is trying to do in the budget office, for instance, if things are properly done, I think we will not be talking about oil money. If we can recover this stolen wealth, we will do well. So, if things can be done properly there is no reason for Nigeria not to be good. That is why I have come to seek support not for me but for the nation. We do things with the fear of God, we do things within the rule of law. But first with the fear of God, national interest and the rule of law. I know we are all human beings, I am not claiming any perfection that is why I need the support of everybody to do this because it is a total war. If you can have a gang of 133 SANs trying to fight back, it is very clear that they are fighting back. Let us fight them to finish. In any case, at the end of the day, the people will win, we will take the day so that our children will laugh.”

On recovered loot

Magu, who could not disclose how much the co mmission has recovered because the issues are still in court, said the EFCC has no business with how the recovered loot is expended.

"Our own is to recover.

The cases are in court.

Sometimes it is the court rulings that will say what to do with the proceeds of the crime. So we follow strictly the dictates of the court order. Sometimes, the judge may decide and ask you to give the money back to the victim. It is not like we collect money and give it to any government.

It has to go through the process and at the end of the day, whatever the court says, is what we will do. The Tafa Balogun money was given to the Federal Government; there was a specific court order that (late DSP) Alamieyeseigha’s money should be given to the Bayelsa State Government. There is a committee on verification of recovered assets.”

On perceived lopsided nature of the war

Dismissing the pe rception that the commission’s anti-graft campaign has political undertones, Magu said that no one is being witchhunted, adding that the EFCC has evidence to substantiate all its prosecutions.

"All the people we are investigating were in public positions, there was looting. They have stolen public wealth. It is very real, nobody is faking anything. We don’t cook stories, there is evidence. If they are not involved, nobody will invite them. So it is not political, it is about Nigeria. They use some big lawyers to frustrate the proceedings in the courts.

EFCC does not start arresting when someone brings complaint, we have to commence p r e l i m i n a r y investigations. We might be working on a case for six months before we invite that person and confront him with the petition. We conduct prolonged investigations

before inviting anyone.

We invited Alison Madueke’s husband, do you know how long we investigated him before inviting him? We want to be corrected and are willing to be supervised because this thing is about Nigeria,” he added.

NBA tasks FG on rule of law

Meanwhile, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, has tasked the Federal Government to uphold rule of law in the fight against corruption.

According to him, doing otherwise will mean that the suspects are being persecuted instead of prosecuted.

“NBA will continue to support the fight against corruption. We have zero tolerance for corruption but the fight against corruption should be within the ambit of the law because there is no way of fighting corruption except relying on legal means,” he said.

Speaking in Jos, yesterday, at the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the NBA, he canvassed sanctions against members who committed critical failures that could have been avoided at the various elections petitions tribunals in the country.

Olajide Omokore, a synopsis

Olajide Omokore is known to have been playing entrepreneurial roles in key sectors of the Nigerian economy since 2010. He is involved in the upstream and downstream activities of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry with companies, which he either founded or in which he has stakes.

He is the chairman and founder of Energy Resources Group.

He is also the Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited, and a director in Seven Energy International Limited. The Yagba, Kogi State-born business man is not new to controversy, as companies owned or directed by him have been involved in one controversy or the other.

6 —Vanguard, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 , 2016

Lagos Assembly confirms Trust Fund board nominees

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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HE Lagos State House of Assembly, yesterday, confirmed the appointments of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s nominees into board of the State Employment Trust Fund.

This came as the Assembly pardoned the six TutorsGeneral and Permanent Secretaries over alleged disrespect to the invitation to appear before the House Committee on Education.

The confirmed nominees on Employment Trust Fund are: Mrs. Ifueko Omoguiyi, as the Chairman of the board, while Mr. Akintunde Oyebode will serve as secretary.

In the case involving permanent Secretaries, the Chairman of the Education Committee, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi representing Ojo Constituency II, informed the House of their refusal to appear before the Committee.

While appearing before the House, the spokesperson of the Tutor Generals, Mrs. Iji Taiwo apologized to the lawmakers saying, “I want to apologize on behalf of my colleagues for the actions, it was not intentional to disrespect the Honorable House and I promise not to repeat the same again”.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa who accepted the plea on behalf of the whole house, urged them “to go and sin no more.”

Corrigendum

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N March 24, 2014, we published an article written by Dele Shobowale titled “The inheritors (4) Chief Adeyemi Lawson”which made certain remarks concerning Mr. Kolapo Lawson’s dealings with Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and which we now know to be incorrect about the person of Mr. Kolapo Lawson and his late father, Chief Adeyemi Lawson. We hereby retract the said article in its entirety and apologise profusely to Mr. Kolapo Lawson for any inconvenience and embarrassment the said article might have occasioned him and we assure him of our highest regards at all times.

— MANAGEMENT

Lagosians’ll start enjoying light rail services from Dec – AMBODE ...Promises to eliminate Apapa tank farms

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday, restated his administration’s commitment to ensure that the Blue Line of the Light Rail Project is up and running by December 2016.

Governor Ambode, who spoke at the 5th Lagos Corporate Assembly, a forum for publicprivate sector engagement held at the Banquet Hall of Lagos House, Ikeja, while responding to questions from captains of industries and members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), debunked claims that work had stopped on the first phase of the project connecting Mile 2 to CMS, saying the allegation was totally untrue.

“The truth is, you might not see the contractors but they are actually working on the waters for now and by December this year, the project will start running. So, work is seriously ongoing,” Governor Ambode assured.

He said that government was about concluding on the channelization of the waterways in Lagos to improve on water transportation so as to encourage investors and reduce the pressure on the road networks in the state.

He assured members of the OPS as well as would-be investors that the state is more than willing and ready to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive with the overall aim of

INTERDENOMINATIONAL SERVICE: From left; Baba Aladura Israel,Lagos State Secretary of CAN; Hon. Lola Akande, Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, Lagos State Chairman of CAN; Mrs Abolanle Ambode, First Lady of Lagos State; Most Rev Magnus Atilade; Mrs Folashade Ashafa; Senator 'Gbenga Ashafa; His Eminence Joseph Otubu; Apostle Onanuga; Apostle babatunde Odele, during the CAN Interdenominational Divine Service at the Apostolic Church, Alapere Ketu Lagos. improving on the socio-economic wellbeing of the citizens.

The governor also said his government was ready to partner with existing and would-be investors for industrial growth so far such investors are bringing value to the state.

While responding to issues

raised by captains of industry and members of the organized private sector at the forum tagged “A+ Meets Business”, Governor Ambode said as part of measures aimed at encouraging investment, his administration created the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund to give soft loans to entrepreneurs

N3.7BN THEFT: Ex-NIMASA boss, others' trial adjourned again

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—THE prosecution of the immediate past Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Akpolobokemi and nine others before a Federal High

Court sitting in Lagos on charges of theft of N3.700, 629 billion, has again been adjourned till March 22.

The matter was adjourned to rule on admissibility of a document tendered by a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank Plc., Mr. Teslim

SYNAGOGUE: New application stalls trustees, engineers' trial yesterday for arraignment of arraignment would take place. the defendants having dismissed an earlier application challenging the AGOS—ATTEMPT by the manner which the court Lagos State government summons was served on the to arraign Trustees of defence.

When the matter was called Synagogue Church of all Nation, SCOAN, and two for the arraignment it could engineers charged over the not proceed as counsel to collapsed guest house that HardRock Construction and killed 116 persons in the Engineering Company, E.L church was stalled yesterday Akpofure (SAN) informed the following a new application by court that he had filed an application seeking to quash one of the companies.

The new application by the charge.

Akpofure told the court that HardRock Construction and Engineering Company, E.L there was nothing in the proof Akpofure (SAN) was seeking of evidence linking his client to the charges before the court. to quash.

A similar application was The Trustees of Synagogue Church of all Nation, Engineer also filed by a lawyer, Olalekan Akinbola Fatiregun and his Ojo on behalf of his client, company, HardRock Engineer Oladele Ogundeji Titilola Akinlanwo (SAN), Construction and Engineering to Engineer Company, Engineer Oladele Counsel Ogundeji and his company Fatiregun, also told the court Jadny Trust Ltd are facing 110 that her client had also filed criminal counts of an application for a stay of the court proceeding, while involuntary manslaughter.

It could be recalled that insisted that the court has the Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo obligation of hearing the had on February 8 fixed application before any

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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just at three percent, while the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investments otherwise known as Lagos Global, the Office of Civic Engagement, as well as the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment Generation were equally established, all in a bid to promote investment opportunities.

Prosecuting team led by Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mrs Idowu Alakija did not oppose the hearing of the applications but asked for reasonable time to response to all the applications.

Adekunle, who is a witness to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the trial of the former NIMASA DG and other accused persons.

At the hearing in the matter on Wednesday, Justice Saliu Saidu first ruled on the pending application, by granting the prayer of the prosecution to withdraw a document which it had tendered on Wednesday as exhibit.

But counsel to the accused persons led by Dr. Joseph Nwobike, SAN, had objected to the withdrawal of the document and urged the court to mark the document as ‘reject.’

Lagos inaugurates Dangote N10bn micro grants committee

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS State government through, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has inaugurated the Local Government Dangote Foundation Micro Grants’ Beneficiary selection committee for women in the State.

The programme, being executed in collaboration with Dangote Foundation has set aside N10 billion nationwide for the economic empowerment of vulnerable widows and socially disadvantaged

women in the country.

However, the sum of N400 million is being set aside for Lagos project for same purpose in the state.

The state Commissioner for the Ministry, Mrs. Lola Akande at the inauguration in Alausa, Ikeja, said the committee is saddled with the responsibility of selecting, nominating and presenting eligible candidates as prospective beneficiaries from ward level to the state government for final approval before they can access the Dangote Foundation Micro Grants.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 — 7

Olubadan-in-Council declares Eze Ndigbo title illegal

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—THE Olubadanin-Council has in a letter, warned Dr Alex C. Alozie to stop parading himself as holder of the title of Eze Ndigbo of Igbos in Ibadan and Oyo State.

Meantime, Alozie yesterday protested against the letter The letter addressed to the President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo, marked LL8co/02/16 and signed by one Oladepo Abiodun Esq states that “Our instruction is to make it clear to you that your action and that of your group you purport to represent in Ibadan and Oyo State in general amounts to an act of insubordination, illegality and a calculated attempts to cause chaos and breed a state of anarchy in the state.”

But, responding Dr. Anozie said, “We had informed the whole world in the past of a high court judgment over the Igbo leadership tussle in Ibadan and Oyo State which favoured Dr. Alex Anozie and our association, ACDA, affiliate of Ohaneze worldwide.

Making reference to the letter from the council, he said the

‘Ondo youth programme, a model for Nigeria’

By Olufemi Ajasa

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HE Ondo State Health Commissioner, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju has said that the success of the state’s adolescent and youth friendly health programme has made it a model for the country.

According to him; no fewer than 1,000 secondary school students in the state have been trained as health marshals to help drive the programme among their colleagues.

“The successes we have recorded is just too numerous which is why other states and even the Federal government have come to learn from our lessons.

“We introduced the multisectoral approach programme to help challenge the resourcefulness of young people towards productive engagement instead of destroying their future with youthful exuberance.

“Our other strategies include a functional website, sensitization of Medical Directors, Chief Nursing Officers and Adolescent focal persons on Youth friendly services, training of AYFH clinic service providers as well as collaboration with Out-ofSchool youths in the State,” Adeyanju said.

documents referred to were documents that featured between 1997 and 2010 when most people were confused by the deceit of his opponents.

While addressing newsmen at his ‘palace’ in Ibadan yesterday, he said “ the State High Court in

Ibadan had ruled on the 18th of February 2014 which no other court has vacated, that only me, Dr Alex Alozie should be paraded as Eze Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo State.”

He further stated that “ it is quite unfortunate that most people were confused through disgruntled individuals who go about deceiving people and

parading themselves against the judgment of the High court in spite of the fact that the judgment of the High Court has neither been vacated, nor have they got any stay of execution against the case.”

He further clarified that the title of Ezendigbo, Onyedu Ndigbo, Onyeisindigbo or Ochiigbo all mean the same thing in Igbo expression and that not withstanding anybody or group is at liberty to refer to him as any of those mentioned Igbo titles.

MEETING: From left; Chief Femi Okunronbi; Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu; Rt Rev Emmanuel Bolaji Gbonigi, Chairman of Yoruba Unity Forum, Y U F, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and Chief kofo Bucknor-Akerele, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State during the General Meeting of Yoruba Unity Forum at Efunyela Hall, Awolowo House, Ikenne, yesterday. Photo by Shola Oyelese.

Ekiti APC leaders are Diaspora politicians — PDP

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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kiti State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the meeting in Abuja, by some leaders of the All Progressive Congress, APC, leaders in the State as a further confirmation that those leading the party in Ekiti State are Diaspora politicians, who have lost touch with the people.

The PDP, which noted that serious politicians desirous of winning elections will not hold its stakeholders meetings more than 300km away from their state, added that no amount of Abuja meetings will bring APC in Ekiti back from the land of the dead.

The State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Jackson Adebayo said in a statement in Ado Ekiti yesterday that “Governor Ayodele

Importation of goods hurting Nigeria's economy — AISHA BUHARI

By Jimoh Babatunde

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AGOS—THE President’s wife, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Lagos, said importation of goods into the country had seriously undermined the nation’s growth and development, noting that it was time Nigeria started looking inward for its economy growth.

Mrs Buhari also commended the National Assembly for defending the restriction on foreign exchange on some items.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Erisco Foods ‘Tomatoes Paste factory , Aisha Buhari called on local manufacturers to start utilizing local raw materials in their production.

According to her, Erisco foods’ tomatoes factory with installed production capacity of 45,000 metric tonnes yearly would empower local farmers and create

jobs for millions of Nigerians.

She commended National Assembly for supporting the executive’s policies and reforms in stabilizing the economy as the leadership of the legislative arm had made it known to manufacturers to look inward.

Earlier, chairman of Erisco Foods, Chief Eric Umeofia, said the factory would stop the annual wastages of 75% of the fresh tomatoes across the country.

He said with the completion of the factory, said to be the biggest in Africa, Nigerians would be able to eat fresher and healthier tomato paste proudly grown and made in Nigeria.

According to him, “How can we be watching the efforts of our remaining royal farmers being wasted while importers are using our scare foreign exchange to import substandard food products?”

Fayose will for a very long time remain the nightmare of the APC and its self-centered leaders.

“From the time Fayose joined Ekiti politics till now, the only governorship election won by the APC was the one in which Fayose assisted the party,” he said.

Adebayo said; “Ekiti people will no longer succumb to the selfish wish of diaspora politicians, who will only come to the State to contest elections and runaway the moment they lose or are thrown out of government.

“Can any serious politician be playing away game and leaving the grassroot in the hand of opponents? Isn’t that the reason Fayose who eats and dine with the people will always defeat the APC as long as the space permits? ''As much as they tried to patch up their differences, a major stakeholder in the APC boycotted the meeting.

The PDP also described the statement credited to fomer governor of the State, Niyi Adebayo that Ekiti State had been turned to a pariah state as a product of a frustrated mind, said any reasonable man would attest to the fact that the peace in the state could not be matched by any other state in the south-west.

“There is no state in the southwest that has been enjoying the kind of relative peace and development being enjoyed in Ekiti State today and discerning minds can’t but laugh at a former governor refering to his own a state as a pariah state,” he said.

Yoruba forum warns Buhari over Naira’s fall

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — T H E Yoruba Unity Forum has raised an alarm over the dwindling economic situation in the country, warning that millions of jobs might be lost this year if the free - fall of the Naira and the attendant rising inflation in the country are not checked urgently.

The YUF, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to put measures in place to arrest the situation and also restore investors’ confidence, noting that year 2016 would particularly be challenging to Nigeria and the citizens .

YUF’s new Chairman, Rev. Emmanuel Gbonigi, stated this yesterday, in his address at the general meeting of the group held at Efunyela Hall in the Ikenne, Ogun state, home of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

According to him, the textile industries if revived are capable of not only restoring jobs lost in past decades but also add tens of billions of naira to the National Gross Domestic Product(GDP).

The meeting observed a minute silence in honour of Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo,who was until her death,the Chairman of YUF and the late Ooni of Ife,Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

Airtel announces senior level leadership changes

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HARTI Airtel (“Airtel”), a global telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced top level changes for its Africa operations to further enhance the level of empowerment and enable faster decision making as well as speed to market, the Company also unveiled a new cluster based organization design.

Christian de Faria, MD & CEO, Airtel Africa, has been elevated to the position of Executive Chairman, Airtel Africa. In his new role, he will continue to support the vision of Airtel Africa and lead all matters relating to legal, regulatory affairs, shareholders as well as Mergers & Acquisitions.

Raghunath Mandava, who is currently Director – Customer Experience, India & South Asia, will take over as Chief Operating Officer, Airtel Africa.

Raghu will relocate to Nairobi and will be fully responsible for the commercial operations.

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

By Emmanuel Elebeke

Census 2017: FG deploys 1,214 persons to conduct EAD in 29 states

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BUJA— APPARENTLY worried by the continuous decline in the nation’s economy, Nobel laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka, yesterday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene an emergency economic conference for experts to brainstorm on the way forward and future of the economy.

The Nobel laureate made the call when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja.

According to Soyinka, the conference became necessary to enable experts diagnose the problems currently facing the country and make necessary recommendations for government to get the economy out of the woods.

He said: “I agree with those who say the economy is bad.

It is obvious and it is so bad. I think the Presidency should call an emergency economic conference where experts will be enlightened.

“We really need an emergency economic conference, bringing experts together to march the nation forward. I think the economy is not encouraging. Quite frankly, I think most economists will agree with this."

Don’t wait to see a bonanza economy

While urging Nigerians to be patient with the present administration, the Nobel laureate urged them not to expect an end to the present hardship as it would linger for a long time.

“Don’t wait to see a bonanza economy in the next few months to a year. Recovery is going to take time. But at the same time, we have to rely on the objective analysis of experts to tell the government when it gets bad, which might compound the problem and ultimately left the people as victims.

“At the beginning, this cabinet had no Culture but had Information ministry. We had to scream, before the Ministry of Culture later came," Soyinka said.

Cautions on human rifgts abuse

Asked to rate the performance of Buhari’s administration, he said though it might be too early to assess the administration’s performance, it would be right for the government to recognise the provisions of the law and constitution of the land to avoid violation of the fundamental human rights of people.

He said: “My attitude to the performance of the present

By Chris Ochayi

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VISIT: Prof. Wole Soyinka (left) and Minister of Information, Culture and Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed during Soyinka's visit to the minister in Abuja, yesterday. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

Convene emergency economic conference, Soyinka tells Buhari Cautions on human rights abuse administration is that the rule of the law should be followed. I belong to any government which is very patient to getting results. I have a very clear idea of governance tempo.

"If that goal is attained by constitutional means, if nothing else, it would have moved this nation forward.

“The tempo of motion, for me is very reasonable. For me, I would say more than reasonable. But on the

human right side, we have to watch very carefully to see if that can be achieved without forfeiting the fundamental human rights of people, which form the basis we derive from citizenship.

“I will say, while the human right is respected, governance should move on, which I believe most Nigerians approve.

"What is going on now is an exposure of open robbery in

their faces, while the government should damn the consequences of its action, with ethical rigour without minding whose ox is gored.

“Government, for me, is a very complicated matter and there is a lot of debris to be cleared. Maybe, we need to be a little bit more patient to see what the administration will do.”

BUJA — AS part of preparations towards conducting an accurate and reliable population census early next year, the Federal Government, yesterday, deployed 1,214 persons to conduct the Enumeration Area Demarcation, EAD, across 29 states of the federation.

The government, however, issued a stern warning to stakeholders to refrain from any form of undue intervention during the conduct of the second phase of the EAD which is beginning Monday, February 22 to March 14, 2016.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Chairman of National Population Commission, NPC, Chief Eze Duruiheoma, said the 1,214 personnel of the agency should be allowed to carry out their duties professionally and give to the nation an EAD frame that will form the basis for a successful census.

Duruiheoma described EAD as constituting the foundation on which the entire census architecture stood.

The EAD is expected to take place in one local government council in each of the 29 states of Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano and Katsina.

Others are Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

‘Why there is artificial fuel scarcity’ NNPC, marketers unable to meet import allocation PPMC intervenes with 80m litres of PMS

By Clara Nwachukwu, Sebastine Obasi, Ediri Ejoh, Prince Okafor & Iloaze Blessed-Odidi

L

AGOS — INABILITY of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its subsidiary, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, and other oil marketers, including the majors and the independents, to meet their respective product allocations has created artificial scarcity in Lagos and other parts of the country.

Recall that the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, for the first quarter of 2016, awarded 78 per cent of the premium motor spirit, PMS, or petrol import allocation to NNPC/PPMC and the balance of 22 per cent to major and independent marketers and depot operators.

However, Vanguard investigations revealed that neither the NNPC

nor the marketers are able to meet their respective allocations, a development that has increased pressure on supply, which is heavily concentrated in Lagos, thereby resulting in distribution shortages.

Scarcity of foreign exchange, FOREX, has strangulated efforts to import petroleum products as expected. While the NNPC, as a national company, could fall back on the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for FOREX, other downstream operators could not.

A marketer, who preferred anonymity, disclosed that “even the majors are unable to import because of FOREX scarcity; banks have constantly said they do not have FOREX for marketers, while cries to CBN for help have not yielded any result.

“Of the five major marketers, only Mobil Oil and Total are able to bring in some products because of their foreign affiliations. The rest cannot

source for dollar at over N350 to $1 to import since there is no longer subsidy on the products, and only these two cannot bring in all of the 22 percent allocation.”

Throughput arrangements

But supply shortages to depots under throughput (storage) arrangements with NNPC in Warri, Delta State; Port Harcourt, Rivers State; and Calabar, Cross River state, meant they no longer had enough PMS to supply to stations in the South-South, South-East, and Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Another marketer, who confided in Vanguard, said: “In the last two weeks, PMS supply to these locations have dried up. With no further support from Warri, PH and Calabar, everybody is rushing to Lagos to lift the product.”

NNPC intervention

Already, the NNPC/PPMC is making frantic efforts to ease the pressure with additional 80 million litres of PMS, half of which is under throughput at the Yinka Folawiyo Depot in Apapa, Lagos, while the rest are being brought in by some vessels waiting to berth at the jetties.

But rather than admitting to the supply shortages, the NNPC in a statement during the week, attributed the supply shortages to internal squabbles between the Mobil Oil branch of Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTDs, and the national leadership.

However, the National Chairman of PTD, Comrade Salimon Oladiti, denied being involved in the current scarcity crisis in Lagos or other parts of the country.

According to him, “I don’t recall any rift between my union and PPMC. If the product is available, we will distribute, except if it’s the other way round.

“So, if anybody links the scarcity with PTD, that person is making a mistake."

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—9

FG to further reduce fuel price — Ahmed Saves N2.6bn from subsidy removal in one month Mbaba takes over as acting PPPRA boss

By Michael Eboh & Grace Udofia

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BUJA — THE outgoing Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, yesterday, stated that the Federal Government was considering a review of the pricing template for Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, and might effect a further reduction in the price of the commodity from April 2016.

Speaking in Abuja, Ahmed, who officially handed over to the most senior officer of the PPPRA, Mr. Moses Mbaba, also disclosed that as at February 3, about one month after the commencement of price modulation which led to the review of the pricing template of petrol, the country had saved N2.6 billion.

According to him, the decision on the review of the price of PMS would be taken next month by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, after due consultations with stakeholders and based on the price of crude oil in the international market.

“Yes, wait till March, you will see because the minister is fair in the decision he will take; because he will take the decision pragmatically,” Ahmed responded, when asked about the possibility of a likely reduction in the price of PMS. In addition, Ahmed stated that due to the current state of overrecovery, the PPPRA is recovering some money from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and oil marketers.

He noted that as at February 16, 2016, over-recovery was N13.81 per litre, stating that an overrecovery of N13.81 meant that the landing cost of PMS was lower than the selling price by N13.81.

However, as at the close of business yesterday, the overrecovery recorded by the country had dropped to N11.74 per litre, according to data obtained from the PPPRA website. Ahmed said in instances of over-recovery, the PPPRA sent debit notes to every marketers that fell within that bracket to refund the excess money to the government, adding that the fund was kept in an account recently opened at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. He said: “There has been an account launched at the CBN, managed by the AccountantGeneral of the Federation (AGF) where the over recovery funds are deposited into. So there is no question of where the money goes to.

“As at February 3, 2016, the estimate in that account, because we are verifying based on what was imported, is just a small amount of about N2.6 billion. But this is just the beginning because some of them are just arriving in December, that is why the subsidy C M Y K

over recovery is low.”

Continuing, he said, “The fact is that whatever money that will be put into that account, one day, which is our hope that the price

of crude oil will go up, there would be more revenue inflow to the federation account. The oil sector will benefit. That excess, before you go to government for

any intervention, you go to that account and pull some money and compensate.”

However, he noted that the over-recovery might disappear if the price of crude oil rose by next month.

BOOK PRESENTATION: From left Hon. Babajimi Benson; Mr. Dare Babarinsa, author of the book; Mrs. Babarinsa; Prince Julius Adeluyi Adelusi, representing Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Ms. Okaima Ohizua, ED Transcorp Hotels; Mr. Segun Oni, representing President Muhammadu Buhari; and Obong Victor Attah, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State during the public presentation of a book, ‘Nigerian Century’ written

by Dare Babarinsa, at Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

We've no reason to fail — Buhari Pays tribute to pre-independence leaders

By Ben Agande

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said his government cannot afford to fail the huge expectations of Nigerians, who expect it to lead the country to greater heights.

In a keynote address at the public presentation of a book, ‘Nigerian Century’ written by Dare Babarinsa at Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, Abuja, President Buhari said with the proper harnessing of abundant human and natural resources in the country, it would attain its greatness.

The President, who was represented by former governor of Ekiti State and deputy chairman of All Progressives Congress in the South, Segun Oni, noted that only a Nigeria could have given meaning to the indomitable spirit, boundless energy, collective creativity, cultural diversity and unique sense of enterprise of Nigerians.

He said: “Yes, our land is blessed by providence with riches in oil and gas, iron ore, gold, limestone and almost all the minerals of this earth.

"Our soil can grow almost any crop and our vegetation supports animal life as varied as creation can manifest. Our rivers and coast lines are rich with fishes and various kinds of life.

Yet, despite these bounties from nature, I have no doubt that the greatest blessings of Nigeria are the people of Nigeria, the wonderful people that give expression to the grandeur and majesty of our beloved country.”

President Buhari recalled that

though Nigeria was born in adversity, nurtured to adolescence in the turbulence of the colonial period and its majesty was forged in the furnace of hard experience of the post-colonial era, the country had been able to overcome its challenges to emerge as the biggest economy in Africa.

He said: “Today, our country has the fastest growing economy in Africa and one of the fastest in the world. Our dominance is not so much because of our wealth, but because of the tremendous energy and resourcefulness of our people.

"How many countries of the world can parade the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka, Jay Jay Okocha, King Sunny Ade and Alhaji Aliko Dangote literally under the same roof?"

Pays tribute to preindependence leaders

While paying tribute to the nation’s pre-independence leaders, the President equally hailed former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan for nurturing the country’s democracy for the past 16 years.

He said: “We are in debt to the founding fathers of our Republic, Herbert Macaulay, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and many other heroes of the anticolonial struggle.

"They hoisted for us the banner of freedom that we are still enjoying till today. As President, the experience of each of my predecessors as Chief of State

has provided a guiding map for us in moments of hard decisions and when we have to embrace the loneliness of power. ‘’The 12 men: Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi, General Yakubu Gowon, General Murtala Muhammed, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, General Sani Abacha, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Mallam Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, each had the unique experience of modulating and moderating the sometimes turbulent temper of our great country.”

In his remarks, former President Obasanjo, who was represented by Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi, enjoined all Nigerians to contribute to the greatness of the country.

According to Obasanjo, “as long as Nigeria has life, we should give it hope; we should all resolve to heal Nigeria.”

The chief presenter of the book, former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, called on the Nigerian government to discourage the teaching of foreign history in Nigerian schools, noting that Nigerian children must be taught the history of their nation.

He said the 500-page book was a compendium bigger than 419 and Boko Haram.

FG won’t reverse sack of 13 vice chancellors — Minister

By Laide AkinboadeOriere

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BUJA —THE Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, yesterday, reacted to protests by some Nigerians on the recent sack of 13 vice chancellors by the Federal Government, saying the decision would not be reversed.

The minister, who stated this while addressing journalists at the flag-off of the 2015/2016 annual school census in Abuja, said though the ministry had received some petitions and was looking at them, the Federal Government would not reverse its earlier decision about the sacked vice chancellors.

According to Adamu, “the Federal Government would not reverse its decision because somebody has criticized them."

On census, Malam Adamu said: “In order to facilitate the collection of education data in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education has concluded arrangement to host the NEMIS software on the internet for real-time online data entry and processing."

Arms probe: EFCC seals AVM Adigun’s plaza in Abuja

By Ben Agande

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BUJA — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, sealed off the Hebron Plaza in Gudu district of the Federal Capital Territory which is suspected to belong to former Director of Budget of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal J. B. Adigun, who has been in the custody of the anti corruption body for about two weeks.

Operatives of the commission came to the plaza yesterday afternoon and wrote on all sides of the building, ‘EFCC! KEEP OFF.’ The officers, who came in two truck loads of heavily armed security operatives, went into the office which is on the second floor of plaza.

According to a source at the EFCC, who does not want to be named, the decision to search the private office of the Air Force officer followed statements he made to EFCC operatives investigating the matter.

“Our operatives took away some documents from his private office which we think would be useful to our investigations,” the source said.

10—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

Kidnappers release victim, shoot brother

By Emeka Mamah

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NUGU—KIDNAPPERS of a retired Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Abugu, had reportedly shot a relation of the victim, when he took the ransom money to the den of the kidnappers.

The victim, who was kidnapped while returning from a funeral ceremony in Enugu Ezike, Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, last weekend, was later freed by his abductors.

Abugu, a lawyer who hails from Aji, Enugu Ezike, was released yesterday morning at Ezagu area of the state where he was held in an unknown location for five days.

His relation, Mr. Chima Adonu, who was said to have taken an undisclosed amount of cash to the kidnappers in their den, was said to have been shot several times on one of his legs and hands.

Police sources confirmed the release of Mr. Abugu as well as the shooting of his relation, who is said to be a banker.

Man arrested over OAU admission fraud

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—FOR collecting N600,000 from two parents in the guise of offering admission to their children, the management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, has arrested a middle-aged man, identified as Taiwo Ezekiel Omodele.

According to a statement by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Biodun Olanrewaju, the suspect was arrested by security operatives when he attempted to collect additional N100,000 from his victims.

He said when interrogated, the suspect confessed to the crime and blamed the devil for the action.

Olanrewaju said: “Obafemi Awolowo University wishes to state that we do not ask parents, guardians or candidates to pay for admission, or ask them to pay into individuals’ bank account to secure admission.”

Anita finalises divorce from Pastor Chris Oyakhilome L

AWYERS to Anita, the former wife of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the founder of Christ Embassy, have said that she had finalised her divorce to the preacher, adding that she was no longer a part of, or involved in, the church, also known as Believers LoveWorld Inc. Anita Ebhodaghe, formerly Anita Oyakhilome, a pioneer member of Christ Embassy, where she rose to become a pastor, got married to Oyakhilome in 1991, and they have two daughters.

A statement by her solicitors, Attwaters Jameson Hill, said the divorce was finalised on February 8 and hinted that she had dropped Oyahkilome from her name, while also severing all ties with the church.

The statement, published on the United Kingdom-based law firm’s website reads: “We have been requested by Anita Oyakhilome to confirm that on February 8, 2016 a decree absolute was pronounced in the High Court of Justice Principal Registry of the Family Division dissolving her marriage to Christian Onehirokpeana Oyakhilome.

“Anita Oyakhilome would like to confirm that she is no longer involved in or part of Christ Embassy, A.K.A. Believers LoveWorld Inc.” In 2014, it was in the news that Anita had filed for a divorce, accusing her pastorhusband of indulging in illicit affairs with female members of the church. This came to the fore after months of rumours suggesting that all was not well with the marriage.

In the following months, their marital crisis got messier as both Anita’s lawyers and Oyakhilome issued statements that suggested the damage to the relationship was irreparable.

Shortly after, news of a suit for

separation broke, images of Anita, which were very prominent on the church’s website, were removed with her name and image also missing from subsequent editions of Rhapsody of Realities, the church’s devotional, which she had co-authored for years with her estranged husband.

Oyakhilome, at that time, dismissed reports about the divorce including those suggesting that adultery was one of the grounds for divorce, accusing the media of publishing a lot of “stupid things”.

Chris and Anita

Man, 20, rapes 14-yr-old orphan

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N Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, remanded one Abdulsalam Olayinka, 20, in prison for allegedly raping a 14-year-old orphan on Valentine’s Day. Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias ordered that the accused be remanded in Kirikiri Prison and adjourned the case till February 24 for ruling on the bail application.

The accused, a trader, who lives at 2, Amodu St., Agege, Lagos, is standing trial for rape.

The prosecutor, Inspector Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the offence was committed on February 14 at 5, Olanrawaju St., Agege.

Aigbokhan told the court that the accused went to his friend’s house, but that the friend was not around; that he met the girl

in the house and raped her.

Aigbokhan said: “The victim, who is an orphan, screamed but no one in the house came to her rescue, except her aged grandmother.”

The offence, according to the prosecutor, contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

Troops at Mala Keri, Konduga Local Government Area, Borno State, razed by Boko Haram yesterday. Inset is four-year-old Muhammad Bulama, a survivor, who was rescued from a burning house. NAN PHOTOS.

I'm alive, says Ngige; as man slumps, dies in National Assembly

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—A man in his late 50s, yesterday, slumped and died at the House of Representatives wing of the National Assembly.

This is just as an online publication has said that it was the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, that slumped at the National Assembly during his ministry's budget defence.

Meanwhile, the minister, on his Facebook account, debunked the death rumour, saying he was hale and hearty.

The deceased, whose identity was not known at press time,

reportedly slumped at the third floor of the House of Representatives about 10a.m.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that the deceased slumped in front of the office of Chairman, House Committee on Police Affairs and efforts by a medical team to revive him failed.

Although an online publication had mentioned the name of Senator Ngige as the deceased, Vanguard was told by sources around where the victim collapsed that the man did not look like the minister.

The witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard that the deceased collapsed as he tried to open an office of one of the lawmakers.

Another account had it that the deceased, who was described as lanky, fair and in white agbada, may have been a contractor as he was not part of the ongoing budget defence.

It was gathered that an aide to one of the lawmakers had tried to revive the victim before the medical team from the Senate wing arrived.

It was further gathered that there was no ambulance to take the person, described as a guest to the National Assembly, to hospital until he was taken in a private vehicle to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was confirmed dead.

Another account had it that the deceased came to see

Chairman, House Committee on Police Affairs, Haliru Jika, but slumped while trying to open the lawmaker's door.

It was further gathered that the hospital had wanted to carry out an autopsy, but his son said no and took the body to Auchi in Edo State, for burial according to Muslim rites.

Meanwhile, Ngige wrote on his Facebook wall, through his Personal Assistant, Nwachukwu Ngige: “Dear friends, please disregard the wicked tissue of lies contained in an online publication about an unfortunate incident said to have taken place today at the National Assembly and in which I was said to have been involved.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—11

Death of 25 children: Lagos community commences cleansing ritual

By Bose Adelaja & Monsuru Olowoopejo

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WENTY-four hours after Lagos State Government confirmed the outbreak of a strange disease in Eti-Osa Local Government that killed over 25 children, traditional chiefs in Ikateland have put the blames at the door steps of the residents and have commenced cleansing rituals.

The affected children were said to have developed rashes similar to the symptoms of measles, and died two to three days after infection.

Speaking on behalf of the chiefs, Chief Opemilua Elegusi of Ikateland, in an interview with Vanguard, lamented that the unhygienic lifestyle adopted by the residents of OtodoGbame community has dented the image of Ikateland.

He noted that prior to the outbreak, the entire community was often filled with filth and stench. He said the residents, who are largely fishermen and traders, do not engage in sanitation even when the government had declared last Saturday of every month for the exercise.

He said the incident was a bad omen which requires urgent traditional steps by traditional

leaders, who have stepped in to appease the gods of the land.

Earlier, while confirming the outbreak of the disease, spokesman for the state Ministry of Health, Mrs. Adeola Salako, said no further death had been recorded since February 10, when the epidemiological investigation team, led by epidemiologists from the ministry commenced investigation.

1,400 shops burnt in Kano market fire

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

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ANO—OVER 200 shops and 1,200 makeshift tents were, yesterday, destroyed as an early morning fire gutted the popular Singer Market in Kano.

The state Director of Fire Service, Alhaji Balarabe Kabara, who confirmed the fire outbreak, said it occurred at about 6a.m.

Kabara said: “We are yet to ascertain the actual number of shops destroyed, as we are still battling to put out the inferno.”

However, an eyewitness who identified himself as Aminu Inuwa, said the fire started around 4:15a.m., and a particular structure containing over 200 shops was completely razed.

Aminu said that the fire also razed a number of warehouses of foodstuffs and essential commodities near the market.

Meanwhile, there are conflicting reports over what triggered the inferno. While an eyewitness attributed the fire to an explosion from gas cylinder of a pop-corn maker, another report has it that the fire was triggered by a live coal abandoned by a tea vendor in the market.

Vanguard findings revealed that the affected section of the market was the hub of assorted goods such as water-proof bags, sacks, rice, flower, pomade, soft drinks and other consumables.

Two prominent leaders of the market union, Alhaji Imam Yuguda and Alhaji Bature

Garba claimed over N3 billion worth of goods and cash were lost to the fire.

In his reaction, Kano State Government called on the National Emergency

Management Agency to assist victims of the disaster.

Glo unveils super-fast connection for Netflix

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ILLIONS of subscribers on the Globacom network have been urged to take advantage of the newly introduced internet movie platform, Netflix to enjoy great entertainment under the company’s reliable data network and pocketfriendly data plans.

Through Netflix, an online movie-watching site, customers will be able to access unlimited movies and television shows over the Internet, using computers, mobile devices, television sets on a PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, or any other Netflix compatible devices.

In a statement in Lagos, Globacom said all a subscriber has to do to enjoy this package is to subscribe to any of Globacom’s bumper data offers and register as a member on the Netflix platform after an initial free trial period. All the data plans are Netflix compatible.

Rickey Tarfa bribed judge with N225,000, EFCC alleges

By Innocent Anaba

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a counter-affidavit to the N2.5 billion suit by Chief Rickey Tarfa (SAN), before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, challenging his arrest and detention, told the court that Tarfa allegedly bribed Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the same court with N225,000.

EFCC, in the counteraffidavit, averred that Tarfa, on January 7, 2014, transferred the money to Justice Yunusa and that the judge acknowledged the “bribe” with the words: “Thank you my senior advocate.”

Attached to the counteraffidavit is MTN call log, filed

by EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu.

Tarfa, charged before a Lagos High Court, Tuesday, by EFCC on a two-count charge of obstruction of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice by communicating with a Federal High Court judge that was handling a suit filed by him against the commission.

EFCC alleged that on February 5, Tarfa hid two suspects, Nazaire Sorou Gnanhoue and Modeste Finagnon, both Beninoise, in

his Mercedes Benz SUV, thereby shielding them from arrest and wilfully obstructing the course of justice.

Tarfa’s suit

In Tarfa’s suit, he had asked the court to compel the defendants to release his two mobile handsets which he said were “deceitfully collected” from him for the purpose of destroying all information, data and other retrievable materials stored on them.

However, EFCC, in the counter-affidavit deposed to

by Awolusi challenging the suit, denied violating Tarfa’s rights, saying that its operative received an intelligence report of fresh criminal allegations against Nazaire and Modeste not covered by the pending criminal proceedings.

The commission stated that based on the report, its operatives were directed to invite Nazaire and Modeste for further interrogation and undertaking that they would not escape from justice.

He averred that they were asked to wait outside the court premises for the suspects and to also brief Tarfa on the new development. He said the suspects were sighted outside the court at about 11:30a.m.

Awolusi said: “We explained our mission politely and

courteously. The applicant (Tarfa) deliberately kept the suspects locked up in his black Mercedes Benz SUV, and prevented the EFCC operatives, including myself, from gaining access to the suspects and also prevented the suspects from honouring the invitation.”

It was when they disembarked that the suspects along with Tarfa were arrested.

Seized from Tarfa

Among items seized from Tarfa were his phones, which Awolusi said was due to intelligence report that he communicated with the justice “in a desperate bid to pervert the cause of justice in an earlier proceedings involving t h e suspects.”

T h e operative s a i d w h e n data on Ta r f a ’ s mobile phones w e r e analysed, “startling revelations

about secret, unhealthy communications between the applicant and judicial officers emerged.”

Awolusi averred that the EFCC’s investigation of Tarfa’s bank account number “shows that before the institution of the above proceeding, particularly on January 7, 2014, the applicant bribed Justice Yunusa with the sum of N225,000.

“A copy of the applicant’s firm account details, showing the transfer of N225,000 from the applicant’s firm to Justice Yunusa, is hereby shown to me and marked Exhibit O.” The case comes up today for hearing.

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

EFCC seeks court's order to seize Tompolo's property

By Innocent Anaba

they had been unable to get a copy of the ruling to allow them appeal against same.

In the ex-parte application by Festus Keyamo, the EFCC is seeking for an order pursuant to Section 80 and 81 of the Administration and Criminal justice Act, 2015, to seize all property belonging to the former Niger Delta militant leader.

The property are listed as

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, brought an ex-parte application before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos seeking for an order to seize all property belonging to former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), pending his arrest and arraignment before the court.

The embattled former militant leader was recently declared wanted by EFCC, following his failure to appear in court to face trial on the charge preferred against him.

Tompolo and the former Director of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi and eight others were accused by EFCC of converting the money belonging to the agency to personal use.

Tompolo is yet to appear in court, but had last week, through his counsel, prayed the court to vacate the bench warrant issued for his arrest.

The judge handling the case, Justice Ibrahim Buba, had on January 12, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Tompolo.

It renewed the order on February 8, though counsel to Tompolo said

Property at No. 1 Agbamu Close, DDPA Extension Effurun, Warri, Delta State, all property of Mieka Dive Ltd and Mieka Dive Training Institute Ltd, situated at No. 77, Lioth Street, ODPA Ugborikoko, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, all property of Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, all property of Muhaabix Global Services Ltd and a River

Crew Change Boat named MUHA – 15.

Other are: The property known as “Tompolo Dockyard”, by the end of Enerhen Road, Effurun, Warri, the property known as “Tompolo Yard”, at the end of Chevron Clinic Road, next to Next Oil, Edjeba, Warri, the Diving School in Kurutie, at Escravos River and the property known as “Tompolo House” at Oporoza Town, opposite the palace.

VISIT: From left: Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, former governor of defunct Mid-West and Bendel States; Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Mrs Yetunde Ogbemudia, during Governor Oshiomhole's visit to the Ogbemudias, Wednesday.

$2.1bn arms probe: I’ve no case to answer, Metuh tells court submission’.

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

Metuh, who was alleged to have received N400 million from the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), through his company, Destra Investments Limited, prior to the 2015

A

BUJA—THE embattled National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday, begged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to quash the seven-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes

presidential election, argued that the EFCC failed to link him to the charge.

Instead of opening his defence to the charge as he was earlier directed by trial Justice Okon Abang, Metuh, yesterday, told the trial court that he had decided to file a ‘no-case-

Ijaw group faults call for Boroh's removal

By Tare Youdeowei

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HE Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, has faulted the African Anti-Corruption Network, AACN's, commentary on a radio programme, demanding the immediate removal of the new boss of Amnesty Programme, General Paul Boroh (retd), over allegations of corruption.

IMG, in a statement by Joseph Eva, said that all the points raised by AACN were the same baseless and misleading report in a national daily published recently as there were no new facts given by the group to justify demand for General Boroh's removal.

He said: “The threat by AACN to mobilize other civil society groups to carry out demonstration against Boroh if the presidency and EFCC or ICPC fails to react to the said newspaper publication, is childish and

an empty threat.

“We are not defending corruption in any sector but we will not fold our hands and allow mischief makers distract the

progress in amnesty office.

Everybody is free to write petitions to anywhere and they will be treated based on merit."

In the no-case-submission he filed through a consortium of four Senior Advocates of Nigeria, led

by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, the PDP spokesman prayed the court to in line with section 302 and 357 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, discharge him and his firm on the ground that the EFCC did not establish a prima-facie case against the defendants to warrant them to be called upon to enter their defence.

The case was, yesterday adjourned till February 25 for parties to adopt their written addresses.

13 political parties hail Gov Emmanuel’s S-Court victory

By Tom Moses

U

YO—THIRTEEN political parties in Akwa Ibom State, under the aegis of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, have commended the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, for sustaining his mandate as governor through the

Supreme Court.

A statement by the Chairman of the group, Mr Martins Inyang in Uyo, yesterday, described the Supreme Court judgment as a victory for democracy in the state and the nation.

The statement said that the decision of the 13 political parties to congratulate Governor Emmanuel was

in the spirit of fair play and to demonstrate that politics was not a do or die affair.

The parties include the Democratic People’s Party, Fresh Democratic Party, Independent Democrats, Peoples Democratic Movement, Action Alliance, KOWA Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Labour Party.

I’ll support you till death, Ogbemudia tells Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

E N I N — F O R transforming the face of governance in Edo State and for the developmental projects across the state, a former governor of the defunct MidWest region and Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, has pledged to support Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the rest of his life, saying, “I will continue to work with you until my grave.”

Dr. Ogbemudia, during a visit by Governor Oshiomhole in his residence, in Benin City, said: “I have withdrawn my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, so, I am at home as a nonpartisan politician. But every human being is a political animal, and I cannot say I have left politics.”

Elated by the governor's visit, he said: “But as I have said, I have been with you from the day you started helping me when I was the Minister of Labour. That day I called you, and you asked me, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ and I said, ‘I don’t want strike throughout my tenure’, and you said, ‘we were elected to cause you discomfort, and if I don’t do it again, it means I am failing in my duty.’ I said, ‘No, you won’t fail.’ And throughout my tenure there was no strike and we worked well together.

“So, as you have come here, I didn’t see any other way to thank you than to make sure I work with you, and I will continue to work with you until I go to my grave.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—13

Why Tompolo may not surrender to FG —Ijaw group APC govt wants to kill Tompolo —Iwere Peace Movt

By Emma Amaize & Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—THE Iwere Peace Movement, a group made up of Ijaw professionals and youths in the Niger Delta, yesterday, alleged plans by the Federal Government to kill former militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, if he was arrested and detained.

They warned that the continued militarilization of the Niger Delta in the name of searching for the ex-militant leader, will plunge the region into another bloody war, appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the prevailing peace in the region by calling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the military to order.

Residents in the area who spoke to Vanguard on phone, said there was no fresh deployment of troops to the area yet.

In Benin, Edo State, Iwere Peace Movement in a statement

by Mr Merie Oritsejolomi and Johnbull Omadeli, said: “We see the EFCC charges against Tompolo as a ploy to arrest him and keep him in detention like the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr Nnmadi Kanu and the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, and murder him

in detention.

“The Buhari government is in shadow chasing as it sees anyone that stands by the truth as an enemy of the government.

This action will not take this country anywhere other than destruction. The government has practically abandoned serious and weightier issues such as creation of employment opportunities and rejuvenation of the economy in pursuance of perceived political enemies.

“This cannot be regarded as the change the All Progressives Congress, APC, promised

Nigerians during its campaign for votes in 2015. The APC-led administration is only interested in the crude oil from the Niger Delta.

“Now, the only project, the gas city and deep sea port project in Escravos that would have created thousands of jobs for the people of the Niger Delta and Nigerians in general have been abandoned. We want to advise the government to be careful in the case with Tompolo so that it will not plunge the Niger Delta region into crisis while exploiting the crude oil from the region.”

Whereabouts unknown

Also, there were no indications, yesterday, that Tompolo will appear for trial at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, today, despite the bench warrant issued for his arrest, as his whereabouts are unknown to security agents saddled with the task.

The court ordered his arrest penultimate Monday while the EFCC, declared him wanted last Friday , four days after.

However, there was calm, yesterday in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, despite apprehension that security agents hunting for the former Niger Delta militant leader may bombard the communities.

VISIT: From left: Vice President, Financial Affairs, Babcock University, Mr Folorunsho Akande; President/ ViceChancellor, Babcock University,Prof Ademola Stephen Tayo and Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr Phillips Oduoza, during a courtesy visit by the bank executives to Babcock University, Ogun State.

Youth leader's disappearance: Supporters protest to Olu of Warri

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—PROTESTS over the disappearance of Ofe Nene Pender, a youth leader in Ugborodo, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, shifted to the Aghofen Palace of the Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, where the angry youths drew the attention of the Itsekiri monarch to the development.

The missing Pender is a chairmanship contender in the forthcoming Ugborodo youth leadership election and his supporters who stormed the Olu's Palace, alleged that some interests within the community masterminded his sudden disappearance to deny him participation in the election.

Dogho Joseph and Kenny Nuko, who spoke to Vanguard during the protest, said: “Regarding the forthcoming youth election, some persons want to be returned unopposed hence the impunity against one of our youth leaders most favoured to win. At some point, he was arrested and up till C M Y K

now we have not heard from him. We don't know where he was taken to.

“We have come here today

to report this matter to our father, the Olu of Warri before we take further steps.”

They said that as far as they were concerned, the election will be peaceful.

Edo 2016: Politicians cautioned against reckless uttrances

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the July 2016 governorship election in Edo State, chairman of Edo State Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, Chief Eduwu Obasogie, has warned politicians and some individuals in the state against making what he called reckless and irresponsible utterances capable of causing a breach of public peace in the state.

Obasogie, in a statement in Benin, yesterday, said that apart from overheating the polity, such unguarded statements were capable of creating tension and disaffection in the state.

He said: “We cannot fold our hands and watch individuals take the law into their hands by

conducting themselves in manners capable of creating tension in the state. While we appreciate the essence of the right to freedom of speech as enshrined in the constitution, it

is not also in doubt that when views are expressed deliberately to cause disaffection or to incite the public, refuge cannot be found under the umbrella of the right to freedom of speech."

A-Ibom Assembly passes 2016 Appropriation bill

By Chioma Onuegbu

U

YO—MEMBERS of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed the 2016 Appropriation Bill of N425 billion for the fiscal year.

This followed the submission of the report by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during plenary.

Governor Udom Emmanuel had, in December 2015, presented the 2016

Appropriation Bill of N426 billion to the House of Assembly which was broken down to N245 billion capital expenditure, N92.964 billion recurrent and N88 billion consolidated revenue fund charges.

The House, however, approved N425 billion, N245 billion for capital expenditure, N94 billion for recurrent expenditure and N88 billion for the consolidated revenue charges.

Defection: Aniocha North PDP disowns Ogoli-Egbuna

A

By Festus Ahon

S A B A — LEADERSHIP of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, said that the area has never suffered from terminal illness.

Reacting to media report where Ogoli-Egbuna and over 300 persons were said to have decamped from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC, the PDP, in a statement by its Chairman, in the area, Mr Moses Osuoza, said Mr Dada Ogoli-Egbuna and his followers were never members of the party.

He said: “The alleged mass defection of 300 members of the PDP never took place.

Ogoli-Egbuna merely latched onto the opportunity presented by the crowd of people at a social event in Onitcha-Olona to score cheap political point by announcing that he was defecting from the PDP to APC.” He noted that PDP in the area has been waxing stronger since the general election, adding that the council Chairman and the councillors won their seats on the platform of PDP.

Pa Okowa lauds recognition by Heritage Plus

By Tare Youdeowei

A

foremost educationist and father of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Pa Arthur Okowa, has expressed gratitude to Heritage Plus Group for recognising his contributions to education, by naming the proposed first on-campus hostel in Delta State College of Education, Agbor, Delta State, after him.

He spoke at his Owa-Alero country home on the recognition. He called on well meaning Deltans to support and encourage Heritage Plus in its bid to contribute to societal development.

“I am humbled to know that I was picked out of an array of educationists,” he said.

In January, the group announced its intention to build an ultra-modern residential hall at the College of Education, an institution which has existed for over 40years without a hostel.

14 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 , 2015

FG, states meet to address emerging socio-economic issues

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

A

B U J A — MINISTER of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, yesterday in Abuja met with Commissioners for Economic Planning and Budget matters in the states to address emerging socioeconomic policy issues in the country.

It was the first of such meetings, which is intended to be held quarterly to exchange views and compare notes and address socioeconomic issues, with a view to improving the state of the Nigerian economy and the well being of the people.

The Minister said the meeting was also designed to review the extent of implementation of the resolutions reached at the Joint Planning Board (JPB)/ National Council on Development Planning (NCDP) held in Awka, Anambra State in October last year.

According him, the theme of the meeting; ''Addressing emerging socio-economic issues” is apt and timely as it comes at a time the country is experiencing dwindling revenues occasioned by the declining price of crude oil in the international market.

Senator Udoma noted that this development has resulted in governments at all levels finding it difficult to meet certain financial obligations, a situation he said could hurt the national development process.

He was optimistic however that a close working relationship between the federal and state governments could create a better atmosphere for the articulation of policy measures aimed at diversifying the economy and reducing overdependence on the oil sector. ‘’I am pleased to inform you that the current administration is taking steps to address the various socio- economic challenges in the country,'' he said.

FG to test-run over $1bn Abuja - Kaduna rail line March 31 •To build railway varsity on Lagos - Calabar line

By Favour Nnabugwu

A

BUJA—THE Federal Government yesterday assured Nigerians that the over N200billion Abuja-Kaduna rail line would be ready for test-run by March 31, 2016.

The rail line is also expected to be flagged off by President Muhammadu Buhari in May. The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, who made this known during an inspection tour of the 186kilometre standard gauge rail line from Abuja (Idu train Station) to Kaduna, pledged to ensure the completion of the rail line by engaging all parties to the agreement to ensure speedy completion of the project.

“The essence of taking this tour to enable us assess whether we are ready for commercial activities and I think we are. And we think that

by March we should the test run of the rail services and we think it should be free for those who will run between March and April.”

“We expect that the President will kindly accept to flag off of the commercial activities of this rail by

May this year so as to ensure that those who want to go to Kaduna by rail can actually use our services to Kaduna,” he said.

He said the federal government had to include fencing of the rail line from Abuja-Kaduna, adding that increased the initial sum total of $849,750,903.00 (N170 billion) to over $billion (N200billion)

Lifts for disabled persons

The Minister promised to provide lifts for disabled persons, saying “we just told CCECC to provide lifts in all the stations so that the disabled can access the platforms.”

It will be recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan secured about $900,000,000.00 from China Export and Import Bank, through the Federal Ministry of Transportation, with the active support of the then Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala.

The Minister also declined to dabble into what led to the delay by the past administration.

He said: “I don’t want to be part of those who will join issues with the past government; they came,

BOKO HARAM: There are still systematic violation of human rights by Nigerian Military — AMNESTY INT'L

By Kingsley Omonobi detainees,

A

B U J A — AMNESTY International yesterday disclosed that despite the giant strides made by the Nigerian Army and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure protection of human rights, there were strong evidences that indicate the systematic violation of human rights and international humanitarian laws by the Nigerian military in its operations.

According to the Director, Research and Advocacy of Amnesty International, Mr. Nathanet Bilay who led a delegation to Army headquarters, “Amnesty International has been documenting for several years 60 forms of violations of human rights and international humanitarian laws in Nigeria.

Addressing senior officers, including the COAS, Mr. Bilay said: “The report is a product of years of research.

“We have travelled to the North East, various destinations, we interviewed victims,

military sources as well and our findings suggested that there was, indeed, a serious concern by our respondents.

“We have published two reports; one of them bothers on the serious crimes committed by the armed group, called Boko Haram. We have come here with a positive spirit, we have been pleased with President Buhari’s comments that respect for human rights would be at the center of the military’s operations in his administration.''

Army disagrees

However, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, in his response, said: “Though the world over, the role of the military is to safeguard human life; wars are fought physically not to kill human beings, wars are fought for influence but along the line since human beings are involved, rules and regulations come to play.

“As uniform men, we are not only conscious of military laws, we are also conscious of civil laws.''

they made their contributions and they have gone. It is for you to assess me from where I took over from.”

He said because of the two years delay, the present administration would have laid new tracks and align them without wasting time.

The Minister met with the Management of Daughters of Charity, Kubwa, whose hospital building obstructed some sessions of the rail line along Kubwa and promised to meet with all the parties involved, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the contractor on the issue.

“We have agreed already before I came there to pay N362m and give them another plot of land.

Amaechi said: ‘’The only difference that happened today is that we asked CCECC to do social responsibility by helping them to build the affected parts of the hospital and be paid the N362m or pay the compensation to the hospital to build the demolished areas themselves. ‘’We have N120bn but we felt we need more than that though the situation is very bad and the President has taken the railway

construction as a priority project. So we have a total of N150bn, N60bn is for the Lagos-Kano rail line.

“We hope that we will commence the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge this year. The N60bn is counterpart funding as our own contribution while the Chinese Exim bank will make their own contribution.

“Another N60bn for the LagosCalabar rail line as our own counterpart funding, it is not contract. When the National Assembly engaged me, they look at it as if it was a contract, I said no. ‘’It is our counterpart payment, the contract has been awarded already but not by us.

What we are doing in this current government is that we are implementing what we met in office. We are not among those who will introduce our own ideas.

“It was awarded by President Obasanjo and we are flying with it. The LagosCalabar was awarded by President Goodluck Jonathan and we are flying with it.''

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 , 2016—15

BIAFRA: IGP warns agitators, IPOB against unauthorized bearing of arms •Dare security agencies and face the consequences—Arase •Anybody killing agitators is a murderer—Okeke, ex-PSC boss •Video showing killings of IPOB members in Aba goes viral

By Emeka Mamah, Kingsley Omonobi, Nwabueze Okonkwo & Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BUJA—FOLLOWING media reports credited to members of the Independent Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, threatening to carry arms in self defence against the Nigerian nation, Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase has warned pro-Biafra agitators to reconsider their stand on bearing of arms or face the wrath of the extant laws concerning firearms.

Arase also warned that anybody who dares security agencies in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities, and makes life difficult for law abiding citizens, will face dire consequences for their actions.

In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, the IGP further cautioned the IPOB members to follow appropriate avenues in venting their grievances as anybody who steps out of bounds will be decisively dealt with.

Consequently, the IGP directed all Zonal AIGs and State Commands CPs to strictly enforce the laws against the use of illegal firearms across the length and breadth of the country.

The statement read: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a publication credited to the Indigenous People of Biafra ‘to carry guns in self defence.’

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, has sternly warned members of the IPOB to reconsider their stand or face the wrath of the extant laws on bearing of firearms.

“Members of the group should therefore note that it is an offence punishable under the criminal Law of the Federation of Nigeria for a person to have in his possession or under his control any prohibited firearms without licence or permit.

“Meanwhile, all Zonal AIGs and State Commands CPs have been directed to strictly enforce the laws against the use of illegal firearms across the length and breadth of the country.

“The Inspector-General of Police has assured that the Nigeria Police Force, complemented by other security

C M Y K

Detained leader of Independent Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and Director, Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu (middle). agencies in the country, will tirelessly and assiduously work towards eliminating any threat to internal security and social disorder.

“He has reassured Nigerians of his commitment to their safety and security."

Killers and murderers

But in a swift reaction, Chief Simon Okeke, former Chairman of Police Service Commission, PSC, has described anybody shooting and killing members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB or Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, who are agitating for the restoration of Biafra as a murderer and should be treated as such.

He said he had equally made some inquiries from higher authorities and was told that the shootings and killings of the Biafran agitators did not have the blessings of even President Muhammadu Buhari and service chiefs, but rather, the killers are applying excessive use of force on their own.

Okeke who spoke to newsmen at his country home, Amichi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, also called for immediate release of the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu on bail or else those who objected to his bail should tell the world why he should not be granted bail.

Okeke who, however, noted that the agitation for restoration of Biafra is uncalled for because according to him, rather than

agitating for Biafra, the agitators should concentrate on an agitation that would attract federal government presence in the South East zone.

According to him, “the agitation of the MASSOB or IPOB members is a reaction unto action. The way Ndigbo are treated with disdain in this country is so bad. These young men and women have a genuine reason to revolt against lack of federal presence in the South East region. As if that was not enough, in all the federal appointments, no Igbo man or woman is in the kitchen cabinet of the present Buhari administration.

“However, the Federal Government ought to have established South East Development Commission to reconstruct the damage done to Igbo land during the civil war.

“General Yakubu Gowon did promise at the end of the war that government would reconstruct, rehabilitate and re-integrate the South East zone into the main stream but the reverse is the case till date.

“I thought the agitators would have been fighting for rehabilitation and reconstruction and attraction of federal presence to the South East region, instead of Biafra. South East governors should play a major role in the rehabilitation and reconstruction exercise.

The Federal Government should create a petrochemical industry in the oilbed South East zone to create employment opportunities for our teeming unemployed youths

because unemployment is one of the major problems that leads to restiveness.

“These youths agitating for Biafra should ask questions about what happened during the civil war.

Government should make history compulsory as a subject in our schools so that our youths will be taught what happened in the past and the immediate and remote causes of the civil war.”

Video showing killings of IPOB members in Aba

Meantime, the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, has alerted Nigerians over what it described as “the degree of anger and bitterness in the hearts and souls of eastern youths as they download and forward to each other’s hand held devices, videos of actual shooting and killing of IPOB members in Aba while praying at a school compound, last week.”

According to the IYM, “This video which elicits tears and heartaches is only achieving the very opposite of what the people who ordered the shooting envisaged.”

Founder of the IYM and deputy Secretary, Igbo Leaders of Thought, Evangelist Elliot Uko, raised the alarm in Enugu yesterday.

In a statement entitled, “Chenji and the born to rule syndrome,” Elliot also accused some agents from a section of the country of “ ridiculing” and ejecting a globally acclaimed artiste, Onyeka Onwenu from her office.

The statement read: “The forceful and ridiculous ejection of globally respected artiste, Onyeka Onwenu from her office by staffers from a

section of the country who openly celebrated her removal, strikes a chord with Nigerians. The belief by this section of Nigeria that they are born to rule others has been given practical force since May 29 2015.

“Their state of mind that Nigeria belongs to them and we have taken back our power, our birth right is only confirming to all, that the change mantra of 2015 general elections is actually all about returning power to where it should belong.

“Whether this bragging about taking back our power is going to unite or divide Nigeria more, will be seen as the weeks roll into months.

“The section of the country who were jubilating and ridiculing Onwenu are probably of the view that Nigeria belongs to their region, it does not matter to them where the oil wells that actually oils Nigeria resides. What a great “Chenji”. Nobody probably told them that Onwenu does not belong to the leeches and parasites who only depend on government patronage to survive.

“She has been a globally recognized icon for more than 35 years.”

On the videos showing the killing of IPOD members, Elliot further stated: “Every student in Eastern Nigeria (millions of them) now has and shares these videos on his or her phone, with pain and anger in their hearts swelling into greater proportions. Only God knows where and what these emotions will lead to. It is quite amazing, that the authorities chose shooting and killing as the only solution to the desire of a large army of young people who say they are tired of the injustices visited on them in Nigeria.

“Numbered in their millions with branches all over the world, these young people believe the Nigerian state hates and despises them.

“It is unbelievable that the same Nigerian state believes that shooting and killing them in cold blood, will make them to suddenly turn around and fall in love and believe once again in Nigeria. If anything, shooting and killing them in cold blood is only confirming to all that they were actually correct in their earlier believe that Nigeria hates them with passion.

“Whoever chose the strategy of shooting and killing unarmed young people who say they want OUT of Nigeria, has only taken the road that will not only embolden the young men but also win them the sympathy of their relations and friends who hitherto were sitting on the fence.

“The blood of the martyrs of Biafra, is only watering and strengthening the struggle for Biafra. Those who chose shooting and killing them in cold blood as the solution, are actually making a terrible mistake.

“The result and the consequences of these heartbreaking videos being shared by millions of young people may take Nigeria by surprise sooner than later."

16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

Auditor-General Pope Francis questions Donald disagrees with Buhari Trump’s Christianity •Says budget envelope-based, not zero-based T 2016 BUDGET:

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—AUDITORGeneral of the Federation, Samuel Ukura, has said that Federal Government’s 2016 Appropriation Bill was envelope-based and not zero-based as believed in some quarters.

It will be recalled that the government had said that the budget was prepared on zero-based template.

Ukura told the Senate Committee on Public Accounts while defending the 2016 budget of his office in Abuja on Thursday that the N2.9 billion proposed for his office for the year was handed down by the Ministry of Finance.

Reminded by the committee that his submission of envelopebased budget was contrary to the Federal Government’s position, he said: “This year’s budget is

envelope, and not zerobased in any way.”

Ukura explained that although the initial intention of the government was to adopt zero-based budgeting as a template, realities on ground compelled the adoption of the usual envelope system.

“Budgets of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government this year are all envelope-based and not zero-based.

“It has been the case over the years, including that of my office which is even largely done for us by the supervising ministry.

“It is envelope; the zerobase budgeting they wanted to introduce was not adhered to at the end of the day.

“In zero-base budgeting, it is assumed that such expenditure does not exist; you start from zero and justify why that

expenditure must be used.

“So, it is a system which is good and which would have also helped to set targets, but that wasn’t applied at the end of the day, perhaps, because it was hurriedly being introduced.

“Budget proposal and by extension, defence, is not about fighting but discussing on what is made available for one to work with,” he said The committee questioned why his office had not audited the accounts of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, which always budgeted N32 billion for itself and with a staff strength of 1,400.

The committee reminded the auditor-general that the number of staff of DPR was same with his office which only had a budget of N1.8 billion for recurrent expenditure.

MODU SHERIFF: We didn't want to Committee, NEC, of PDP lose any gov —PDP on Tuesday rose from its

By Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—FRESH facts have emerged that the national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, keyed into the agenda of its governors to appoint Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of the party because it was afraid of losing any of the state chief executives.

This came on a day Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Kanduje, lambasted the new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, for boasting that his party would unseat ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2019, calling him a “cross carpeter.”

A very senior member of the National Working Committee, NWC, told Vanguard yesterday that it became imperative for the organ to accept as a way of running away from what happened in the past when due to some irreconcilable differences, some governors of the PDP dumped the party to be part of those who formed the All Progressives Congress, APC. Speaking to Vanguard, the NWC member, who did what his name mentioned, said that when it became very clear that Sheriff was the candidate of the governors, being a former governor, there was no way

C M Y K

the leadership of the party could have sang a different tune.

It would be recalled that after all the political intrigues, maneuvering, and horse trading, the National Executive

meeting and ratified the choice of erstwhile chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the defunctAllNigeriaPeoplesParty, ANPP, and former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as the new national chairman of the party.

Troops destroy Boko Haram market, rescue 195 captives

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—THE Nigerian troops on Wednesday destroyed patent medicine outlet and major market operated by Boko Haram insurgents and rescued 195 captives at various locations of Borno State.

This came as the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, assured members of the public as well as local and international human rights bodies that the Nigerian

Army under his leadership will investigate all cases of human rights complaints brought before it.

A statement by the spokesman of Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, said: "Quite a number of insurgents were killed and a lot of items recovered during the raid.

“The troops discovered Boko Haram terrorists camp, patent medicine outfit and major market at Gulumba."

PENSION FRAUD: Buhari urged to

prosecute perpetrators

E

NUGU—THE President has been urged to bring to justice all those who defrauded pensioners of their entitlements.

The president should also set up a mechanism for monitoring the disbursement of bail out funds meant for the payment of arrears of retirement benefits.

The South East zonal meeting of leaders of Nigeria Union of

Pensioners made the appeal in a communique signed by the Zonal Chairman, Comrade Damian Udeani, after its meeting in Enugu, January 29, 2016.

The union expressed dissatisfaction with the plight of retired primary school teachers in Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states and urged the government to clear the huge amounts of benefits owed them.

HE Pope has questioned US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Christianity over his call to build a border wall with Mexico.

Pope Francis said “a person who thinks only about building walls... and not of building bridges, is not Christian”.

The New York businessman supports deporting nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants.

Calling himself a “proud Christian”, Mr Trump blamed Mexico for the Pope’s remarks, calling them “disgraceful”.

Mr Trump has alleged that Mexico sends “rapists” and criminals to the US. Pope Francis made the comments at the end of trip to Mexico.

“A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be,

and not of building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the gospel,” he said.

He declined to say

ELECTION: Uganda blocks Facebook, Whatsapp

S

OCIAL media has been blocked in Uganda on the day of presidential elections to stop people “telling lies”, President Yoweri Museveni has said.

Mr Museveni, 71, is seeking to extend his 30-year rule, in a race widely seen as the tightest in the East African state’s history.

His main rival Kizza Besigye was briefly detained.

A foreign observer group condemned the blockage of social media and lengthy delays in opening voting booths.

Barack Obama to make historic visit to Cuba

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ARACK Obama, the US president, is planning an historic visit to Cuba next month, which will make him the first serving US president to set foot on the island in nearly nine decades.

Obama’s visit in midMarch will be part of a broader trip to Latin America that the White House will announce on Thursday, Obama administration officials told news agencies.

Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced last year that they would begin normalising ties after a half-century of Cold War opposition.

On Tuesday, the two nations signed a deal restoring commercial air traffic for the first time in five decades.

Immediately after signing the commercial flights deal, the US Department of Transportation opened bidding by Americancarriersonasmany as 110 US-Cuba flights a day — more than five times the current number. All flights currently operating between the two countries are charters.

Obama’s government is eager to make progress on building trade and diplomatic ties with Cuba before he leaves office.

A normalisation of US-Cuban relations had seemed unthinkable to both Cubans and Americans for generations.

In August Havana and Washington formally renewed relations and upgraded their diplomatic mis-

whether Americans should vote for Mr Trump, who is leading the Republican race for president.

sions to embassies. The presidents of the US and Cuba earlier last year met in Panama City, with Obama announcing a thaw in relations by saying “the Cold War is over”.

Interviewed on TV about social media, Mr Museveni said: “Some people misuse those pathways. You know how they misuse them - telling lies.

“If you want a right then use it properly.”

Many people have found a way around the controversial restrictions, including opposition candidate Amama Mbabazi who tweeted advice on how to do it: A VPN - a Virtual Private Network - gets round government censorship by redirecting your internet activity to a computer in a different country.

Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and mobile money services have been blocked.

Despite this, #UgandaDecides has been trending on Twitter.

Kenya kills al Shabaab’s head of intelligence

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ENYA has killed the commander of an elite unit within Somalia’s al Shabaab Islamist insurgency, a man blamed for masterminding a deadly attack on a Kenyan military camp in southern Somalia last month, the Kenyan military said on Thursday.

Kenyan troops, working under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), killed Mohamed

Karatey, al Shabaab’s deputy commander and head of intelligence, at a graduation ceremony for insurgent fighters on Feb. 8, the Kenya Defence Forces said in a statement.

“It is believed Karatey played a major role in the recent attack on KDF troops in El Adde by the deployment of his suicide bombers,” KDF said in a statement.

‘North Korea preparing attacks against S/Korea’

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ORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently ordered preparations for launching “terror” attacks on South Koreans, a top Seoul official said Thursday, as worries about the North grow after its recent nuclear test and rocket launch.

In televised remarks, senior South Korean presidential official Kim Sungwoo said North Korea’s

spy agency has begun work to implement Kim Jong Un’s order to “muster anti-South terror capabilities that can pose a direct threat to our lives and security.”

He said the possibility of North Korean attacks “is increasing more than ever” and asked for quick passage of an anti-terror bill in parliament.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, February 19, 2016 —17

Rivers State controversy: So what next?

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HE Supreme Court recently decreed that Chief Nyesom Wike, the PDP Governor of Rivers State, should not be ejected from his seat, despite allegations that he masterminded widespread violence and rigged the 2015 governorship election.

The judges’ decision is, we are told, final; but Dr Dakuku Peterside, the disappointed APC candidate – for whom I campaigned for last year – has publicly criticised the judges for not calling for a re-run. His supporters regard him as courageous for daring to challenge the legal establishment. His opponents disagree.

I personally witnessed some of the electoral irregularities and PDP-sponsored violence that Dr Peterside complained about when he presented his case.

For example, I visited a village in the Tai segment of my native Ogoniland with a White male British journalist on the day of the Presidential election.

When we got there, we saw a pool of blood outside the APC leader’s house and were informed that an APC agent had been murdered by PDP thugs just before we arrived.

Deceased victim The APC leader invited us to see the corpse, which he had moved to the back of his compound, so the deceased victim could be afforded some dignity and protected from the eyes of gawping onlookers until his family came to take him away.

I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing a dead body, so I sat on the verandah while my British colleague followed the APC leader to the place where the corpse lay.

When my colleague emerged, his face was ashen and he was shaking his head.

And he later showed me gory pictures that he had taken of the APC agent’s corpse.

And, by the way, when we were leaving the village, a crowd of weapon-brandishing PDP supporters who had seen C M Y K

us visiting the APC leader and regarded us as hostile witnesses to their crime surrounded our car and threatened us. It was so scary.

Fortunately, our clever driver somehow succeeded in persuading them to let us go.

Some PDP folks have told me that similar outrages were committed by APC people in other parts of the state. But I didn’t witness any APC-sponsored outrages; and even if both sides were guilty of murder and mayhem, the elections in Rivers were extremely messy on various levels; and, given that the Supreme Court was made aware of this fact, I’m very surprised that they decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

In the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court judgement, I was sorely tempted to make a huge fuss based on my belief that the Rivers guber election had been so blatantly and badly messed up that a re-run was necessary. But I got over this belligerent frame of mind after a period of reflection for two reasons: Firstly, because making a fuss would have been an exercise in futility, given that the Supreme Court has the Last Word in real terms. Secondly, because I prefer peace to war at the end of the day; and making a fuss will prolong toxic tension.

My home state has been embroiled in poisonous and destructive political conflicts for too long. And, having spoken to MANY Rivers people who are not actively involved in APC or PDP matters, I think I can safely say that almost everyone, except a minority of jousting protagonists, is sick of the never-ending strife.

There was never a dull moment when Nike was around; she was generous to a fault; she would never let your birthday or Christmas pass without a gift and was always surrounded by friends

Dakuku Peterside

Governor Nyesome Wike

READERS RESPONSE I asked Vanguard readers to share their opinions about this controversy:08034661800 Dr Edeme That Supreme Court ruling is against natural justice. In the run up to the election entire families were wiped out. Where is justice for those killed? How would those judges feel if it were their relations that were killed? If you cannot go out to vote for fear of being killed, then where are your democratic rights?

08068337894 Feyisetan Akeeb Kareem The Supreme Court messed up.

There is no moral justification for their decision to rule in Wike’s favour because there was no credible election in Rivers State.

08068232727 Yinka Ogunjobi Dear Donu, no lesson has been taught from what the Supreme Court handed to the two gentlemen. That’s to say the card readers are of no use for future elections? Killing and snatching of ballot boxes should continue unabated? The Body of Benchers should re-visit the case for our democracy to grow and to prevent the legalisation of electoral offences such as violence and rigging in future.

From Ifeka Okonkwo (ifekaokonwo@yahoo.com), a regular respondent: Donu, Nigerian politicians never fail to surprise me with their antics! If judges do not favour

them at the Appeal Court, for example, they condemn them. If the judgements are later reversed at the Supreme Court, they turn round to praise judges, forgetting that they have previously cast aspersions on the judiciary.

Peterside and Wike behaved true to type by condemning and hailing the Supreme Court judges for the judgement they delivered for and against each of them!

Our politicians should grow up and stop abusing judges whenever their cases fail.

Having said this, our judges should endeavour to be above board by delivering sound judgments without fear or favour, to deter litigants from abusing them!

08141800696 Zakariya Komn Peterside’s Oga (Rotimi Amaechi) was once the beneficiary of the same Supreme Court and he should stop condemning the judgement. He should join hands with Governor Wike and rebuild Rivers State.

08037078751 Festus Ododo Donu, I know you might not publish this comment because you are an APC sympathiser, but I will still say it. I used to want Peterside to win the election simply because Wike is from the same Ikwerre ethnic group as Amaechi, who was the Governor of Rivers State for eight years until 2015; and I felt that another ethnic group should be given

a chance. But Peterside’s comments make him seem desperate for power. Please tell him that power comes from God and he should learn to respect the law and if he is not careful he could be charged for libel.

08033166084 Anonymous Wike and Peterside are politicians taunting each other at the slightest opportunity to the discomfort of watchers… Personally I am tired of negative comments. Efforts should now concentrate on good governance 08033642438 Ozonma Chike Bosah Peterside should shut up, graciously accept the irreversible verdict and move on. Nobody robbed him. APC was thoroughly trounced at all levels in Rivers State. Our politicians should be sportsmen and imbibe the spirit of Goodluck Jonathan. If our judiciary is pulled down, especially by past beneficiaries, this country is finished.

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only).

PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, WITH YOUR NAMES AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 We are not surprised at the dust being raised in the bid by the three geopolitical zones of the old Northern Nigeria to obtain what is described as “a multi-billion Dollar” loan from the Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Kassim Shettima, who is also the Governor of embattled Borno State, led a delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia about a fortnight ago. The governors in the entourage also included Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa, Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna and Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa States, as well as some officials of the New Nigerian Development Corporation (NNDC) and other officials in the fields of agriculture, economic planning, post-insurgency projects, among others.

Shettima justified the trip saying the North, being the poorest

Northern govs and Saudi loan part of the country burdened with the headache of Islamist Boko Haram insurgency, needs the loan to boost economic activities and protect the region from impending social explosion which might take place unless ambitious, proactive measures are taken by the leadership of the North.

Though we understand the needs that are driving the bid for this loan, we however, urge the governors to tread with caution.

It is imperative that they follow the due process by informing the Federal Government in detail about what they want to do and

how they want to apply the loan.

We will like them to listen closely to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Domestic and Foreign Debt, Senator Shehu Sani, who has raised alarm that the bid runs contrary to the provisions of the Debt Management Act of 2003, which stipulates that no state, local government or Federal agency can borrow externally without the approval of the Federal Government.

This and other statutory provisions are geared towards checking indiscriminate borrowing that will overburden the country and

make our indebtedness out of balance with what the nation’s economy can handle.

We are, however, mollified by Governor Shettima’s assurance that the recent trip to Saudi was still an exploratory one, which means that there is still enough time for the Arewa governors to meet up with the due processes.

We also advocate for a strict monitoring of the spending, if, and when the loan is granted.

There is no doubt that the North (especially the North East) will need this kind of financial boost to bring economic activities fully back on stream at the end of the Boko Haram insurgency, resettle the millions of displaced persons and rebuild devastated communities.

The governors should work closely with the Federal Government to ensure that this loan does not put an unbrearable burden for future generations.

OPINION Remembering Mur tala Mohammed Murtala

By Austin Braimoh

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HE late General Murtala Mohammed was an enigma. An iconoclast: The stories of icons have no end. At every beginning, there is an end and at every end, there is a beginning. Hence every year, since the callous murder of this ebullient Nigeria’s former military ruler, the accounts of his dos and don’ts have been ceaseless. This year is not an exception. The deeds and misdeeds of the late General Mohammed will continue to flood our literature.

However, this is not a continuation of those dos and don’ts. This piece is an authentication of the paternal root of the late reformer as earlier reported immediately the sad event took place.

General Mohammed’s father, Mallam Dako Mohammed, was an indigene of Igbe Village, in Auchi Kingdom of Etsako west Local Government area of Edo State. But Murtala Mohammed himself was born in Kano to a mother from the Kano royal family.

So, no one can deny him of indigeneship of Kano.

Mohammed (Muritala’s grandfather) was a popular trader from Igbe quarters in Auchi, Etsako West local government area of Edo State. His first wife could not bear a child for years. So, Mohammed went to the neighbouring village of Ayua in Uzairue kingdom to marry a second wife. The new wife gave birth to a first son and was named Dako Mohammed. When the new wife was

expecting the second baby, the first wife could no longer live with what she regarded as shame as a result of her childless state.

She beat up her pregnant mate, shaved her hair and drove her out with her son.

Mohammed, their husband, was trading in the Eastern part of Nigeria. He returned several months later to hear that his new wife was sent packing to her parents by the first wife. By this time, the new wife had put to bed, a second male child whom he named Braimah. He was advised to leave his second family with the in-laws at Ayua for their safety particularly since he was always away.

Dako and Braimah Muhammed grew up at Ayua under Islamic clerics. Dako was exceptionally brilliant in Arabic and Hausa language. However, his younger brother Usman, was attracted to the Catholic missionaries who had just arrived the village. He veered into Christianity.

Good fortune was said to have visited the first wife of Mohammed at Igbe village, Auchi, as she took in and had three sons in succession. With that blessing, the second wife was completely abandoned with the first two sons, Dako and Braimoh at Ayua, their maternal home.

Dako started earning little money as an interpreter and a guide to the early Hausa and Yoruba traders who came to the area to buy Kola nuts and cocoa.

As destiny would have it, his younger brother, Braimah, got the favour of the early

Christian missionaries who sent him to school up to Standard six and baptized him with the name Patrick.

The young Dako took early Islamic lessons in Arabic and Hausa languages. Like his father, he got involved in cocoa and kola nuts trading. He became an efficient native interpreter and liaison between Hausa traders and the Afenmai natives. During the period, he became the trusted servant to the leader of the Hausa Community in Agege, Lagos. He became his adopted son who helped to buy kola nuts from Midwest Region and transport them to Kano market.

Somehow, this leader of the Hausa Community in Lagos, also known as Seriki Hausawa of Agege, had no biological son. He therefore adopted the young indigent Dako Mohammad and married him a wife from the Kano royal family where he hailed from.

Upon the death of his mentor and adopted father, the Seriki Hausawa of Agege, Dako was conferred with the title as he inherited his wealth and business.

That was how Dako Mohammed begot Murtala and the other siblings that are today indigenes of kano.

The immediate younger brother of Dako, Braimoh Mohammad, tried to rejoin his elder brother in Agege after his standard six education. A report had it that Dako refused to let him stay with him, citing religious difference and the fact that he would lose the wealth he inherited from the late Seriki Hausawa if his identity as an Auchi man was revealed with the presence of his biological younger brother. He advised Braimoh to leave in other to maintain his

Kano State identity. As a result of this religious difference, he had insisted too, that unless Braimoh returns to Islamic religion, he was a ‘KAFIRI’ and not permitted to see his wife. Braimoh then relocated to the Catholic mission house in Obalende, Lagos to do menial jobs until he got appointment with the then Public Works Department, PWD, in Lagos, on the recommendation of the Catholic Priest.

It is well documented that General Murtala Mohammed made efforts to reach out to his paternal relations before his demise. Two months into his tenure as Head of State, he was at Auchi to confer with the Otaru of Auchi Alhaji Guruza Momoh. He invited him to join him to that year’s Hajj in Mecca.

On his way out of Auchi, he directed that a mosque be erected at Aviele, near Auchi in a predominantly muslim settlement. The mosque was completed after his death and named after him.

The visit to Auchi by his wife and children shortly after his assassination was widely reported in Nigeria mass media. The photographs of his children with their cousons, nephews and surviving uncles in Igbe village of Auchi are still available in the family library.

As we fondly remember him, we the paternal relations at Auchi wish all his children and grand children strength and success in their life endeavours.

•Mr. Braimoh, SSA Media to Edo state governor, is the last child of Braimoh, younger brother to Dako Mohammed, father of Gen. Ramat Mohammed.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016— —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Boutros-Ghali: The African child FRICA was virtually Zanzibar’s President Abeid absent in the League of Karume. He was emissary of one A Nations which was founded on of Africa’s most progressive and January 10, 1920 following the First World War. Only four African countries were members.

South Africa, a colony of white racists, was one, emergent Egypt, made the list as did the only two African countries that were never colonised; Liberia and Ethiopia, then known as Abyssinia. So Africa was on the margins. When after the Second World War, the United Nations (UN) was created on October 24, 1945, Africa remained a sea of colonies.

Thirty six years later, the continent, tired of being used as a foot mat and merely earning a mention in the footnote, decided it was time for it to produce the Secretary General of the UN. Hitherto, there had been four scribes; Trygve Halvdan Lie was Norwegian, Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish and Kurt Waldheim, German. The only nonEuropean was U Thant from Myanmar (Burma) Africa had a very good candidate; a young, bright and matchless 39-year old diplomat in Tanzania’s Salim Ahmed Salim. He had made history when at 22, he was appointed ambassador to Egypt by

intellectually sound presidents, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. Salim had very good credentials and with the overwhelming backing of Asia, Africa, Latin America and South Pacific, and a fair number of European countries like France, he seemed unstoppable. But the United States (US), uncomfortable with Salim’s progressive credentials, Pan Africanist and independent ideas, decided to stop him , not through the ballot, but by wielding the veto power. Lacking a strong and credible candidate to defeat Salim, the US preferred Kurt Waldheim who had already been UN Secretary General for nine years. Rather than allow Salim, US pushed for a third term for Waldheim which China vetoed. In later years, it was revealed that Waldheim as a lieutenant in the intelligence arm of the Nazi Army and had belonged to German military units which executed thousands of Yugoslav partisans in the Second World War and was also responsible for the deportation of thousands of Greek Jews to death camps.

Back in 1981, Salim was presented sixteen times in five

weeks to head the UN, sixteen times did the US veto him. Tired of the tantrums, he decided not to be presented again, which paved the way for the appointment of a compromise candidate; Javier Perez de Cuella of Peru.

In 1991, Africa presented a new candidate in Boutros BoutrosGhali of Egypt, and he became the first African UN Secretary General. America did not veto him perhaps because he was part of the Egyptian government considered pro-America. He had been Minister of State for Foreign Affairs when President Anwar Sadat negotiated and signed the Camp David Peace Accord with Israel. Born on November 14, 1922, his grandfather Boutros Ghali had been Prime Minister from 1908 – 1910 when he was assassinated; the same faith that awaited President Sadat. Boutros

Some have argued that the UN failure in Rwanda cost him a second term; but if this were so, why did the UN appoint as his successor, Kofi Anan who was his Head of Peacekeeping Operations during the failed mission in Somalia and the Rwandan genocide?

was a professor of international law and president of the African Society of Political Studies.

He came to the UN with an agenda for peace, and indeed, grew the UN Peace Corps. But his tenure was determined by four wars which were also responsible for his being the only UN scribe that had no second term. The Socialist Bloc had collapsed which gave birth to the bloody wars in the old Yugoslavia. The January 17 – February 28, 1991 Gulf War had occurred the year he was elected, but the repercussions remained.

Boutros-Ghali formally took over in 1992 and that was the only year of respite he had. The fractious war in Somalia had been on, and the UN had in 1993, given cover to the US-ran United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM II). American troops had then decided to go after factional leader, Mohammed Farah Aidid. In a firefight on October 3, 1993, eighteen American troops were killed.

Shocked Americans watched on television, corpses of American soldiers dragged on the streets of Mogadishu. The US decided to withdraw its troops from that country, and with that, the UN peace operations collapsed.

It was a humiliation for the US and the Boutros-Ghali led UN. Six months later, the civil war in Rwanda escalated, and given the experiences in Somalia, the UN’s call for peacekeepers was almost completely ignored. Even when countries like Ghana responded, the big powers refused to provide basic equipment like armoured personnel carriers, or air support.

A frustrated Boutros-Ghali on June 19, 1994 made another report on the Rwandan situation to the UN Security Council lamenting that “…none of those governments possessing the

Does the Imo rescue mission needs rescue?

By Clement Udegbe

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HE Holy Bible tells us that the devil has three major assignments, namely to steal, to kill, and to destroy, while Jesus Christ came to destroy every work of the devil, and to give life to mankind , and life in abundance. Jesus uses His Church, to do this work, and the church works with the Doctors and those in the health sector.

The Church and Health workers, are known to be on the rescue mission for mankind, because of all gifts from God, the greatest is the gift of good health.

They have their fakes and quacks who are under the torment from the devil, and thus need to be rescued themselves, which, the regulators and the Law do.

A rescuer who is not genuine will therefore needs to be rescued, in his own interest, to avoid his destruction and to reduce the collateral damage that his failed activities could precipitate on the society at large. This informs the thinking by many that the Imo Rescue Mission, from all indications needs to be rescued now, in its own interest and that of Imolites.

During the gubernatorial election campaigns in 2010, it was Chief Rochas Okorocha of APGA versus Chief Ikedi Ohakim of the PDP, the then incumbent governor of Imo State. Both contestants were chronic party carpet- crossers, and had their issues, but Okorocha had the good image of philanthropist, added to the fact that Imolites seemed to prefer anything but Ohakim.Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, OBJ, told his listeners in Owerri, on prime television, that he was presenting to them a smaller thief,(Ohakim), but they seem to be C M Y K

asking for a bigger thief,( Okorocha).With his usual jesticulations OBJ warned, that by the time this Okorocha has finished with the people, Imo women will be running around the streets singing “ I can see clearly now, the rain is gone …….”. It is now almost five years, after, and from experience, Imolites should sit back now, and reassess OBJ's soap box warning , in their own interest, before greater harm is done.

Okorocha won that election and launched his Imo Rescue Mission. He had come to rescue Imo from mass unemployment, poor health and Medicare, decayed roads and infrastructure, neglected education, Industries and the list of Imo afflictions from the mis-governance of the PDP at that time was quite long.

He told the world that Imo State, had too much money, he did not need to borrow, his Security Vote was enough to give the people the free education, which he launched.

He started off with extensive Road expansion and destroyed so many houses along many roads, in Owerri and Orlu towns. He launched an Ambulance

If the Governors Forum, can use Okorocha to test the sack reaction, he can be used by any person in power to try or test anything on Ndibgo! He has become vulnerable by his political desires

Medicare quick or rapid Response vehicles.

Chief Okorocha was all over the place, and with a great gift of the garbs,he announced his Love for Late Dim Ojukwu and commitment what Ojukwu stood for in Igbo Land as Owelle Ndigbo.He wanted to resuscitate and sustain all the legacies of late Chief Sam Mbakwe, and we all, including yours truly fell for him, but today things have changed, and let us see how.

First, he sacked all the 10,000 workers employed by Ohakim, just before the elections, because it was fake, bad and calculated to deceive the people, but till date has not reabsorbed those young persons; The roads he built, developed pot holes within two months of their commissioning, and most contractors were not paid, till date Imo State is owing many of them, some of whom died.

Mid way into the his first tenure, APGA could not contain him again, it was a ladder that had served its purpose and must be broken.

He jumped out of APGA, tried to kill it, and jumped into APC, because he wanted to be President some time.He overlooked all the negative trappings of the APC and took Imolites by the nose into a journey that has messed up the rescue mission!

Backed by a poorly articulated Community Government, which he used to take power at the grass roots from others, he descended on traditional rulers, created divisions, multiplied autonomous communities, turned them into highly weak but atomistic enclaves, Imo was caged ! He owed workers salary for months, and because the mouth of the state was sealed with free education, he contested for the second term and won!

Then, he became an Emperor, and

capability to provide fully trained and equipped military units have offered to do so…Meanwhile, the situation in Rwanda has continued to degenerate and the killing of innocent civilians has not stopped”. But he was pointedly ignored, Rwanda was of no strategic benefit. The powerful countries were primarily interested in talking about ceasefire rather than stopping or preventing genocide. Few UN troops were sent with no mandate or power to stop the unfolding genocide. A few foreign troops including the French, stood for a while before withdrawing, leaving Rwandans to their fate. At least 850,000 Rwandans were massacred and many turned round to blame the BoutrousGhali leadership of the UN for failing to stop the genocide. Then there were the wars in old Yugoslavia which sealed Boutrous-Ghali’s fate. He opposed the NATO bombings in Bosnia.

An angry US decided that contrary to tradition, he must not get a second term. So although Boutros-Ghali had quite some support, the US vetoed his second term.

Some have argued that the UN failure in Rwanda cost him a second term; but if this were so, why did the UN appoint as his successor, Kofi Anan who was his Head of Peacekeeping Operations during the failed mission in Somalia and the Rwandan genocide?

In his old age, Boutros-Ghali watched an increasingly fractionalised world defined by a globalisation beneficial to a few, the rise of terrorism and unprecedented refugee crisis.

Unfortunately, his country was not spared. This Tuesday, February 16, 2016, at 93, he bade the world, a final goodbye.

continues to treat Imolites like his personal servants; Same Imo that had too much money in 2011, now owes over N100billion, and we heard that Imo owes Okorocha over a billion Naira. I hope that is a lie!

As soon as the N26 billion bail out money was paid to Imo, he organised a Jamboree to turkey taking up to 100 persons along.

Assuming government spent only $3000 person excluding himself and family, that is $300,000 or N80 million Naira spent to find investors from Turkey, but none came! Who will come to invest in a bankrupt state ?

Most of the industries and projects set up by Chief Mbakwe, whom he claimed to love so much, are held hostage by the topsyturvy policies of the Imo Rescue Mission.

They have no respect for MoUs, and have cornered the Local Government allocations, by running the places like lock up shops!

Then last year, he faced the health sector, and dreamt of selling off all our hospitals to whomever. He has no regard for Medical Doctors, and when they tried to protest, they were shot at by Police under his watch.

Okorocha who won elections with the promises of Jobs, Jobs and Jobs, started off with the sack of 3000 workers! We hear the APC Governors Forum asked him to try the sack saga first, which explains the visit from his party Chieftains, during the battle with Labour, last week.

If the Governors Forum, can use Okorocha to test the sack reaction, he can be used by any person in power to try or test anything on Ndibgo! He has become vulnerable by his political desires, and needs to be rescued before he commits more havoc.

*Mr Udegbe, a lawyer, can be reached at ceeaai@yahoo.com.

20 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

JOURNEY TO OPOBO:

Return of a Great Surgeon

By Ifeatu Agbu TO the doctor who performed miracles with his hands. To the father who performed miracles with his heart and dedication.

To the brother who performed miracles with his love. To the professor who performed miracles with his words. To the uncle who performed miracles with his smiles. To the survivor who showed miracles in his testimony…

M

R. Soki Benibo wrote those poetic lines for the late Professor Difini DatuboBrown who died on Thursday, January 7, 2016.

Those in the medical profession may not worry so much about literary finesse, but they appreciate the soft side of human beings. This much can be gleaned from the assessment of Professor Christie Mato, the Provost, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, who remembers the late Professor Difini Datubo-Brown more for his humour.

According to the Provost, late Prof. Datubo-Brown’s wonderful sense of humour never left him even at very challenging times in his life. “At the last Part IV MB, BS examination he participated in (he had struggled up the stairs to that second floor seminar room), his humorous self showed up with a ringtone on his phone that got us all cracking up in the middle of some debate in the Department of Surgery Seminar room,” Prof Mato said.

Hilarious ringtone The hilarious ringtone which got the surgeons rocking with laughter goes thus: “Junior wetin you go drink? … I want to drink small stout…” The owner of this comical ringtone was Prof.

Datubo-Brown, who was buried on Saturday February 13, 2016, after solemn prayers in two churches in Port Harcourt and Opobo. The other striking feature of Prof Datubo-Brown was his good looks. Prof Mato said in his tribute: “In the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital in those days, Prof was what our nursing colleagues referred to as ‘fine boy, no pimple’; some wondered and aloud too, how a man could be so good looking and concluded that the Almighty must have taken time after the Sabbath rest to create him.”

The Provost said further: “As the fifth Provost of the College of Health Sciences, he led the col-

lege to new levels of scholarship and productivity. He was an erudite scholar, a pioneer in the field of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and a gentleman; we consider it an honour to have known •From left: Mrs Ibim Sementari; Ibelema, Tonye, Bomsy and Apiribo Datubo-Brown at the burial of their and worked with such uncle and father, Prof Difini Datubo-Brown a great man.” The Anglican Communion, Niger Delta Diocese spared no and brilliant. “My uncle DD, my the Head of the Burns and Plas- the soil, as the indigenes were efforts in setting the spiritual tone pride, standing tall and digni- tic Unit until he retired from serv- often referred to, the boat ride for the homeward journey of the fied, unbowed by grief, unbowed ice. He was also appointed Head was normal and nothing to be fine gentleman, who was also by pain, unbowed by suffering, of Surgery Department in March excited about. But for the “Johnny just come” among the very religious. The ceremonies undefeated by sickness. Yes, my 1994.”

Prof. Ojule did not fail to re- travellers, it was an experience started with a commendation uncle DD, my miracle worker, my service at Our Saviour’s Chapel, valiant soldier. I know heaven mark that Prof. Datubo-Brown that holds both excitement and University of Port Harcourt. In his stood up as you entered,” she was one of the finest gentlemen trepidation. As one of the speed sermon at the service, Most Rev. declared. Dr. Christie Toby, the that he ever met. “His good boats, carrying 10 passengers Dr. Ignatius Kattey, the Arch- big sister to the late Prof Datubo- works will continue to speak for pulled out from the jetty, the enbishop Province of the Niger Brown said this of her brother: him.” For Emeritus Prof. Dagogo gine roared to life and the mournDelta and Bishop of Niger Delta “Difini, you always stood out. You Fubara, Prof. Datubo-Brown ers checked to confirm that their North, said that the late Prof stood out easily because you were blazed a trail like a shooting star life jackets were firmly tied to Datubo-Brown was committed so handsome, well behaved, in the firmament of our Milky their bodies. Initially, the movement was smooth and even exand dedicated in his service to brilliant and God-fearing. It was way Galaxy. a thing of joy and pride to be He said: “The real essence of citing. However, the boat ride God and humanity.

Bishop Kattey urged the con- called Difini’s sister, to which I life is to live, learn, love and leave became progressively bumpy as a legacy. You were accomplished the boats meandered through the gregation to reflect on how they always proudly added, senior.” in learning and hence you be- creeks. Even that did not spoil would want to be remembered came the first Consultant Plastic the feeling of swimming in the when they must have left this Presence of Surgeon and Professor of Plastic womb of nature. earthly life, noting that people a gentle soul Surgery of South-South Nigeria were only remembered by what they did while they were alive.

A second sister to the late Prof. geopolitical zone extraction. Yet Undulating He said that when the late Prof Datubo-Brown, Mrs. Furo you were humble, quiet and un- bulges Datubo-Brown lost his wife, he Batubo, captured the gentle assuming as a Christian, born by once asked him why people take mien of their only brother. She parents of distinction, you loved The sight of green-coloured care of widows but fail to do same wrote: “Your gentle nature was people, touched many lives and waters, hedged by mangrove for widowers. He said that the so perfectly moulded from mentored several human beings. shrubs was soothing. But as soon only explanation he could offer heaven that no matter how much This is monumental legacy. The as the boats entered the open him was that men were usually I tried, I could not get you to climb true measure of your success is waters, the bumps turned into better equipped to take care of trees with me. You would rather the difference you made for good violent thuds that lifted passenthemselves. search for long “ogugu” to pluck in human hearts in your lifetime.” gers off their benches. At this The commendation service your fruits long after I had point, the waves swayed in unopened the floodgates of tributes mounted the trees and plucked Long convoy of dulating bulges as the convoy of from family members and col- the fruits that were rightly yours.” cars and buses small boats made their way toleagues in the medical profes- When the remains of Prof wards the Opobo jetty. sion. One of his nieces, who en- Datubo-Brown arrived the main On landing at the jetty, everyAfter the ceremonies at UPTH, joyed a special relationship with entrance of the University of Port the doctors lined up to bid a final one, at least first time visitors, him was Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, Harcourt, it was as if some heav- farewell to their former colleague. heaved a big sigh of relief. The the Acting Managing Director of enly beings ordered everyone to They were evidently sorrowful as remains of Prof. Datubo-Brown, the Niger Delta Development be silent. Even the patients in the the hearse carrying the remains accompanied by two of his sons, Commission, NDDC. She de- hospital wards seemed to have of Datubo-Brown made its way also came into the jetty to a rousscribed her uncle as handsome noticed the presence of a gentle out of the hospital premises. It ing welcome by a brass band. The soul that once managed the af- was time to go home to his an- band celebrated the arrival of a fairs of the hospital. It was in that cestors in Opobo Kingdom of worthy son of Opobo and the pall somber mood that another round Opobo/Nkoro Local Government bearers lifted the casket and of tributes came pouring in, Area, lying in the southern part danced with it as if they were prompting tears to well up in the of Rivers State. The journey to performing a ritual for the water eyes of many who loved the de- Opobo was dignified as a long spirits. They exhibited beautiful parted surgeon. convoy of cars and buses snaked dance steps and gyrated so much Prof. A Ojule, the Chief Medi- through the Port Harcourt traffic that one was tempted to think that When the remains cal Director of the teaching hos- from the East-West Road, through they were more interested in enpital, laid a wreath on the casket Rumuokoro, Eleme junction, Re- tertaining than in mourning with of Prof Datubobearing the body of Prof Datubo- finery junction down to the bereaved family. Stepping Brown arrived the Brown, before giving a tribute on Saakpaenwa Junction in Ogoni into Opobo was an opportunity main entrance of the behalf of the hospital. He said: land. Finally, at Kono Waterside, to come face-to-face with the his“Prof. D D Datubo-Brown was a all the vehicles had to park for toric sites that beckon on tourists.

University of Port pioneer medical staff of the Uni- the journey to continue on waIt was a chance to see the old Harcourt, it was as if versity of Port Harcourt Teaching ter. colonial court halls used by King Hospital, UPTH. He was apAt the jetty, several small boats Jaja and his compatriots; King some heavenly bepointed a Consultant Plastic/ were already stationed for the 20 Jaja Monument Square and coings ordered everyReconstructive Surgeon of the minutes cruise to the ancient lonial bells. It was obvious that hospital in 1983, and had been Opobo kingdom. For the sons of one to be silent Continues on page 43

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 —21

Lagos govt to establish micro-finance bank — Ambode

By Babajide Komolafe

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OVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday said arrangements had been concluded to set up a Microfinance Bank to aid artisans and small business operators.

Ambode disclosed this while answering questions from the business community at the 5th edition of the Lagos Corporate Assembly tagged “A-plus meets business” held at the Lagos House Banquet Hall, Alausa.

“We have met with the CBN governor and we believe we should set up a Micro-finance Bank quickly and get our license running to help the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) and artisans,” he said.

Ambode said that the bank would be lending to the sector at three per cent rate. The governor said he was passionate about locally produced goods, explaining that the Employment Trust Fund established by his administration and the Microfinance Bank would boost the state’s economy and reduce unemployment.

He said that the goal of the state government was to improve the ease of doing business.

Ambode assured the sector of his administration’s commitment to maintain a business-friendly environment.

He also commended his predecessor Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), for creating

By Peter Egwuatu

A

Dinner- From Left: Adeola Adetunji, Managing Director Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd, Carol Abade, Group CEO, Exp, and Gil Kemami, Managing Director EXP Marketing Nigeria at a welcome Dinner hosted by EXP Marketing Nigeria in Lagos.

the platform and promised to sustain it by holding it twice.

Earlier in their presentation, the business community, including the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and National

Association of Small Scale Industrialists complained about deplorable roads, multiplicity of taxes and traffic gridlock. They appealed to the government to address the challenges, saying they were hindering the growth of

businesses. In his address, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr .Rotimi Ogunleye, said the state would continue to assist the sector to maximise its potential for greater contribution to the state’s GDP.

2m micro traders to access FG’s N500bn SPP fund

By Franklin Alli & Providence Obuh

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HE Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (MITI) Dr. O kechukwu Enelamah, said yesterday, that over two million micro traders, farmers and artisans across the $113.70 -0.85 country will benefit from the Federal $2,900.00 22.00 Government’s N500 billion Social Protec$12.81 -0.35 tion programme (SPP) Fund for 2016.

The minister disclosed this while $34.94 0.44 unveiling his vision and action plans for $31.16 0.50 the industrial sector of the economy over CURRENCY BUYING SELLING the next four years, US DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 to Nigerians and 280.574c 281. 2898 282.0055 POUNDS foreign journalists 218.5008 219.0582 219.6156 EURO 197.8799 198.3847 198.8894 FRANC in Lagos.

1.7182 1.7226 1.727 YEN According to him, 0.3145 0.3245 0. 3345 CFA as part of the Feder274.3321 274.0294 274. 7267 WAUA al Government’s 30.0245 30. 1016 30.1786 RENMINBI N500 billion Social 52.2458 52.379 52. 5123 RIYAL 29.269 29.3437 29.4184 KRONA Protection pro273. 6748 274. 373 275.0711 SDR gramme for 2016, over two million CBN Exchange rate as at 18/02/2016 traders, farmers and

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EY urges FG to encourage entrepreneurship to grow economy

artisans will receive microcredit, through a fund to be managed by the Bank of Industry.

“Obviously, this fund is still being rolled out, it is still in

MSMEs are the unsung heroes of our economy, currently contributing about half of Gross Domestic Product, and possessing the potential to be even more productive, given the right incentives

the planning stage, so I am not in a position to say how much each company will get; suffice to say that it is going to be a range, you know there is a trade-off of how wide and how deep .

“So by saying two million we are targeting a substantial number of beneficiaries and you will see the result, it also means, the fund is not for large enterprises rather it is for micro, artisans and traders. I expect that the loan will range from tens of thousands of naira and some may get up to a million in some cases but it will be in range; “Of course, you don’t give somebody what he does not need and you don’t undermine somebody by giving him too little. So we are going to give the fund based on size and needs of the beneficiary.

“MSMEs are the unsung heroes of our economy, currently contributing about half of Gross Domestic Product, and possessing the potential to be even more productive, given the right incentives,” he said.

GAINST the dwindling Nigerian economy, Ernst and Young, EY, has advised the Federal Government to encourage entrepreneurship in order to grow the economy.

Speaking at the EY Gala Award Dinner in Lagos, Henry Egbiki, EY Country Leader and Regional Managing Partner for West Africa, said: “ For Nigerian economy to grow, entrepreneurs must be encouraged by the government . Entrepreneurs are critical for the health of the global economy. They create jobs, generate wealth and encourage creativity and competition. They also drive innovations that address some of the world’s most pressing problems. And they inspire the next generation to innovate.”

He said that the entrepreneur helps to fulfill our purpose and to build a better working world.

He added: “Entrepreneurs drive innovation and economic growth, and create jobs. And we focus on the future workforce, from employees to young entrepreneurs, because we know that the next generation is critical to global progress.”

Meanwhile, Kwabena Adjei, Chairman, Kasapreko Limited, emerged winner of the 2015 Master Category of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award, while the Emerging Category winner was Kofi Nsiah-Poku, CEO, of Kinapharma Limited, both from Ghana.

Speaking, Bunmi Akinde, EOY leader in West Africa said: “The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award was instituted to recognize and celebrate unique sets of men and women in West Africa who use their entrepreneurial energy and passion to change the world through creating job opportunities.”

According to her, “over the years we noted that one of the most exciting places where entrepreneurial spirit is alive is across Africa. We at EY will continue to celebrate entrepreneurs in our own little way.”

Specifically, nine finalists from Nigeria and Ghana were shortlisted in the Master and Emerging categories.

22 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

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VOL. 1: NO. 17

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 , 2016

•Yoruba Obas in 1937: Ooni Adesoji Aderemi (centre).To his right is Colonial British Governor of Nigeria Bernard Bourdillon, next,Oba Akenzua of Benin and Oba Ademola, Alake of Abeokuta. To Ooni's left, Oba Oladigbolu, Alaafin of Oyo town, and Oba Adesanya Gbelegbuwa, Awujale of Ijebu Ode. The recent utterance of the Egba and Odionwere of the Kingdom monarch has ignited another (traditional head), Chief David supremacy battle especially Edebiri, said the Alake of between the Ooni of Ife and Oba Egbaland, goofed when he said of Benin. the Oba of Benin was third in the But in a move to set the records hierarchy of Obas. straight, the Palace of the Oba of He argued that the Ooni of Ife Benin faulted the remarks made was a son of the Oba of Benin, by the Alake. but quickly added that the stool Its defense has, however, stoked of the Oba of Benin could not be The age-long feud between the controversy over the supremacy compared with that of any Yoruba

By Dapo Akinrefon Prior to this, the Alaafin of Oyo and the Ooni of Ife had been Ooni of Ife and Alaafin of Oyo of Obas in the South-West.

King.

THE recent remarks by the engaged in a supremacy battle reared its head in January 2009 Rising in defense of the Benin Esogban, third in command in when the late Oba Sijuwade kingdom, the Esogban of Benin the palace of the Oba of Benin, Alake and paramount ruler of for close to 79 years.

The late Ooni of Ife, Oba reportedly said that Oba Adeyemi Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu had asserted: “We wanted to Gbadebo declaring that the Ooni Okunade Sijuwade, who was ruling a dead empire (the discard this report as something of Ife remains the highest ascended the throne in December Oyo Empire, which collapsed in that was not necessary at all. We ranking Yoruba Oba is stirring up 1980 had inherited an ongoing 1793). do not see how the Alake of In a swift response, Oba dispute over supremacy between the hornet’s nest.

Egbaland suddenly woke up to Adeyemi responded by citing Oba Gbadebo who stated this the obas of Yorubaland. think that the Oba of Benin is also In 1967, it was believed that “absurdities” in Sijuwade’s while receiving the Ooni of Ife, a Yoruba Oba. Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi crisis had been resolved when the statements saying the Ooni “is Edebiri said: “There is no basis in his Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State late sage, Chief Obafemi not in tune with his own history.” But in a move to set for such classification; Oba of In his recent efforts at ensuring palace, said the Ife monarch is the Awolowo was chosen as the Benin has nothing to do with the unity in the South-West, the newly the records straight, Yoruba Obas. It is simply highest of the five principal Obas leader of the Yoruba.

Interestingly, in 1976 the installed Ooni of Ife, Oba the Palace of the in Yorubaland. The Alake, who unnecessary, unless they simply Governor of Oyo State, General Ogunwusi paid a historic visit to had postulated that there were want to stir up an unnecessary Oba of Benin five principal obas in Yorubaland, David Jemibewon (retd), had the Alaafin of Oyo, during the controversy. “We are not in listed the other Obas below the decreed that the Ooni of Ife would 45th coronation anniversary faulted the remarks Yorubaland. To be frank, it is Ooni to include the Alaafin of be the permanent chairman of the thanksgiving, held at the because many of them are not made by the Alake, Oyo and the Oba of Benin in State Council of Obas and Chiefs. Methodist Church, Apaara, Oyo willing to come up with the truth, This development did not go State. second and third positions, its defense has, the word Oba is alien in the Yoruba It is imperative to note that while respectively, in the order of down well with other obas, led monarchical lexicon; it is not part by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba the age-long supremacy battle however, stoked ranking. of their title from time He, however, listed his own title, Lamidi Adeyemi, who insisted between the duo lasted, both controversy over immemorial. “For instance, the the Alake of Egbaland as the that the position should be on monarchs (Alaafin and the late one they call the Oba of Lagos, Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade), the supremacy of fourth while the Awujale of rotational basis. these are recent adaptations. In The creation of Osun State in hardly saw eye-to-eye.

Ijebuland occupies the fifth.

Obas in the South- the 50s, there was no Oba of The Egba monarch has August 1991 calmed frayed Lagos, what we had was the Oba of Benin rejects rating West promised to provide proof of his nerves but ill will still persisted.

Eleko of Eko. That is the title of rating. the King there. In Ibadan, you Perhaps, this might not be have the Olu Ibadan. You come IN THIS EDITION unconnected to a 1937 group to Abeokuta, you have the Alake photograph which depicts of Egba land. You come to Oyo, NAMING CEREMONY TRAGEDY: Friends, foes traditional rulers of the old you have the Alaafin of Oyo. In How 6 from western region, with Sir Bernard award Amosun Ilesha, you have the OwaIbadan Poly Henry Bourdillon, Governor of Obokun of IIesha. So no Yoruba pass mark Nigeria (1935–1940) in perished monarch had as part of his titles attendance. the word Oba except the Oba of •Page 24 •Page 26 Continues from page 23 Ooni vs Alaafin

SUPREMACY RATING:

Obas atOGUN war?

AT 40:

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24 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

OYO STATE

EDY: G A R T Y N O M E R E NAMING C dan

How 6 from Iba Poly perished

hospital. Now, five more victims are said to be on danger list at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

When South West Voice got to the institution on Tuesday, it was indeed a black day as both students and staff wept uncontrollably for the deceased.

One of the staff who simply identified himself as Afolabi was deep in sorrow describing the three staff as nice people.

He said he was particularly sad over one of the deceased, who was a part time lecturer, Mrs. Akintayo D.O .

Another staff, Modupe said, “ this is very painful. You can see everybody in this institution are not in good mood. To mourn the dead, the

•The bus conveying the passengers

By Ola Ajayi

S

TAFF and students of the Polytechnic, Ibadan are still trying to cope with the bitter pills of losing nine people in an auto crash. It is one accident too many.

That fateful day, Monday 8, 2016 was supposed to be a joyous day but it turned out to be a day they wished never came as their joy soon vanished into the thin air.

One of them was rejoicing for the arrival of a new baby

and as it is their custom to celebrate with one another, they boarded a hired bus from the Department of Quantity Surveying to Oyo town to rejoice with the family of the new baby.

None of them had an inkling that their joy would soon be sandwiched with sadness. They bade farewell to their loved ones not knowing it would be an eternal farewell.

They had left Oyo town after the ceremony and were very

close to Ibadan when the unimaginable incident happened.

The story that soon forced their sun to set at dawn happened when they got to Omotunde Village.

One of the tyres of the bus burst and veered off the road somersaulting severally. Six of them were not lucky as they reportedly died on the spot.

Among the dead were three staff, Mrs Fatola D.O, Mrs Akintayo and one other.

Three others died in the

That fateful day, Monday 8, 2016 was supposed to be a joyous day but it turned out to be a day they wished never came as their joy soon vanished into the thin air

management has declared two-mourning for both students and staff.

The Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr Yusuff Salami, the Public Relations Officer, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Mr Soladoye Adewole and the State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the sudden death of the people.

Soladoye said, “I just got the news not quite long. We have not been able to ascertain the number of deaths, but we have actually recorded some deaths. Our Director of Medical Services and Registrar, Mr Ezekiel Fehintola have gone to the scene. We have not been given full details of the incident”.

Ajisebutu told South West Voice that six passengers died of the ill-fated bus, while thirteen others sustained serious injured.

At the University College Hospital, Ibadan where the survivors were taken to, the Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Deji Bobade said they were responding to treatment.

According to him, some have been discharged this morning.

“Yes, they are responding to treatment. Some of them have been discharged while two who had injuries to their heads are still critically down”.

SUPREMACY RATING: Obas at war?

Continues from page 25 Benin.

“That word Oba is indigenous to Benin. It is only in recent times you find everybody bearing Oba. When the Western Regional conference of traditional rulers took place in Benin City in 1942, go and check the attendance, there was no other monarch in the whole of the Western Region then that bore the title of Oba, except the Oba of Benin.

Continuing, the Benin chief maintained that “it is an unnecessary excursion, an unnecessary attempt to turn history upside down by the Alake by classifying the Oba of Benin as third in the hierarchy of kings. “Our own traditional history says that the Ooni of Ife was a Benin Prince who wandered from here to Ife, settled there and became the ruler there.

That is the position, if they don’t know, they should send people here; we will teach them. We will show them landmarks. So this is unnecessary misrepresentation of history. Maybe the Alake wanted to mention a different place and not Benin.”

He was quick to add that “the monarchical ruler-ship in this part of the world started from Benin during the era of the Ogisos. It was the son of the last Ogiso, Owodo, that wandered from here to Ife and he became a ruler there, carrying everything

about the Benin monarchical system to that place. There is no basis for such classification.

“The Ooni of Ife by historical facts, is a son of the Oba of Benin, so they are not in the same class.

The Oba of Benin is the only one that answers Oba, the rest don’t.

But today, we hear Oba here and there, they are all recent adaptations. I am saying categorically that the word Oba is indigenous to Benin and not to the Yoruba nation.”

Wikipedia According to Wikipedia, the encyclopedia opined that “The Ooni is the traditional ruler of IleIfe, whose dynasty goes back hundreds of years. Ile-Ifè is an ancient Yoruba city in southwestern Nigeria. ÌÍni Lajamisan, who was the 8th ÌÍni of Ile Ife, was a Son of ÌÍni Oranmiyan, (ÌÍni Oranmiyan was also The first Oba of Benin, First Aláàfin of Oyo and the Father of Ocile of Oke- Ona Egba). ÌÍni Lajamisan the son of ÌÍni Oranmiyan, was also the Father of ÌÍni Lajodoogun, the 9th ÌÍni of Ile Ife, through whom the genealogy of all succeeding Oonnis of Ile Ife until the late Ooni Okunade Adele Sijuwade, Olubuse 11, Arole Oduduwa and the Head of the Yoruba Nation, is traced down to ÌÍni Odùduwà, The Ancestral Father of the Yorubas Globally.”

Yoruba and Benin kingdoms In an article by Mr Segun A. Fadipe entitled:”Yoruba and Benin Kingdom: Classical Historical ‘War’ of Supremacy”, attempts were made to juxtapose the similarities between the two empires.

Fadipe, in his view, posited that “Oranmiyan - the famous and unequalled Yoruba prince and warrior was the only Yoruba royal enigma to have ruled over Benin Kingdom, founded and became the very first Alaafin of Oyo and later came back to become the Ooni of Ife! He, it was who restructured Benin Kingdom, married in Benin, had two sons who later became Oba of Benin monarch. It is on record that the Ogiso troubled dynasty was discarded and subsequent kings in Benin became known and addressed as “Oba” till date, based on the order established in Benin Kingdom by Oranmiyan. Even up to 1939, Yoruba language was the official palace language in Benin. No wonder then that many Benin families bear Yoruba names! And what about designs of the Benin palace after the renowned and historical Oduduwa palace in IleIfe?” Perhaps corroborating Fadipe’s stance, Kunle I Sowunmi, in an article entitled: “Yoruba and Benin Kingdom: Ile Ife The Final Resting Place of History”, traced

the origin of the Yoruba and Benin kingdom and submitted that facts must not be distorted with sentiments.

Sowunmi alluded that the question is this. Can a son be greater than his father can? Or can a river be greater than its source? No. Otherwise it will dry.

The source of Yoruba from Benin although appeared to be very authentic as presented by Oba Eredua than Saudi Arabia or Lamurudu, which cannot be traced in Saudi Arabian history.

But the fact of history of allegiance of Oba of Benin to Ile Ife the cradle of Yoruba race before being crowned and after death is an indication that Ife is the source of both the Yorubas and Edo but the Yorubas and historians must come up with a very scientific and foolproof history to support this argument.

This is an area the Ooni and other Yoruba writers have not defended.

I’m not in supremacy battle with anyone – Ooni Refusing to be drawn in the supremacy controversy, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, said he was not in a supremacy battle with any monarch in the country.

He, however, restated his desire towards a more united Yoruba race and peaceful Nigeria.

The Ooni was reacting to the statement credited to the palace

of the Oba of Benin, which was published in a national daily.

Director of Media and Public Affairs in the Ooni’s palace, Mr. Moses Olafare, in a statement issued in Ile Ife, said the only thing that was paramount to Ooni Ogunwusi at the moment was ensuring unity and healthy development among the Yorubas and the entire nation.

According to him: “Let me emphasise for the umpteenth time that Kabiyesi Ooni is less concerned over any supremacy hullabaloo.

“He is only interested for now in exploring measures through which the collective interest and genuine unity among Yoruba and other tribes within the larger House of Oduduwa can be enhanced.

“This informed his resolve to build bridges of harmony among Yourba Obas. I am resolutely committed to how Yoruba ethnic group can restore its glory and pride position among other ethnic inclinations in Nigeria and don’t want to be dragged into supremacy contest or join issues with anybody.

“The statement credited to the Alake of Egbaland, did not emanate from us but the reality is that as a highly experienced and well informed monarch, Kabiyesi Alake who is a bonafide Oodua descendant is entitled to his opinion based on his

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 —25

OGUN STATE

•President Buhari, Gov Ibikunle Amosun, Alake of Egbaland and others during the 40th anniversary of the creation of Ogun State.

By Daud Olatunji

R

ECENTLY, Ogun State celebrated forty years of its existence. Ogun State is a state in South-Western Nigeria which was carved out of the old Western Region on February 3, 1976 by the then regime of General Murtala Mohammed and General Olusegun Obasanjo.

The state was one of the nineteen states created out of the former twelve states structure of 1967.

The State which was named after the Ogun River that runs across it from North to South, is commonly called the”gateway state” because of its border connections to other states.

According to the 2006 census, the state has a total population

Friends, foes award Amosun pass mark of 3,751,140 residents.

Luckily for the incumbent governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the state was celebrating its 40 years during his reign and it was lavishly celebrated by the governor.

The celebration which attracted forty projects also drew President Muhammadu Buhari , his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo

and past governors both military administrators and executive governors to the state.

However, some stakeholders in the state such as four traditional rulers a Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu and a governorship candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Gboyega Isiaka among others gave their

take on the celebration of forty years of existence by the government.

Royal fathers The four paramount rulers in the state, such as the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Dr. Micheal Adeniyi Sonariwo, the Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Michael Gbadebo and the Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Dr. Sikiru Adetona spoke on the forty year anniversary celebration of the state, commended Governor Amosun on his performance since he assumed office as governor of the state.

According to them, the governor has done well in his mission of Rebuilding the State, the state is better off compared to its previous status , but, more improvement is still needed in some areas.

Kashamu The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu in his reaction said: “ In the last 40 years ago, we know how the state looked like, except if we want to deceive ourselves, because the state has developed compared to the last 40 years. I have to thank some governments which have contributed since the time of creation till now, especially, Ibikunle Amosun who is the present governor of Ogun State.

“I will not tell you Ibikunle Amosun is perfect, but, believe

me I can say it authoritatively that he tries his best except if we want to deceive each other, he has contributed a lot. I will thank all these governors ; Gbenga Daniel, Olusegun Osoba, all of them have contributed their own part”.

Isiaka In his assessment, the governorship candidate in the state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Gboyega Isiaka said the state is the 4th non-oil economy in Nigeria with GDP of $10.470 billion and it’s per capita GDP is 247.28.

According to him, “Ogun state is the 5th highest state in Internally Generated Revenue as it generated N17.4 billion in 2015. It’s poverty rate is 29.84 per cent per day while unemployment rate is 8.5 per cent.

“Based on the above fact, Ogun State has a progressive growth in GDP but not so reflected in hman development. It is unacceptable that despite a GDP of over $10.4 billion and literacy levels of over 66 percent, we still have a majority of our population immersed in extreme poverty.

While providing a way out to the challenges, Isiaka an accountant guru, said “ with the potentials well established, my message is simple, we have what it takes to make the giant leap forward. After forty years of existence as a state with all our God-given resources, Ogun is still confronted with enormous

How teacher’s son led schools’ robbery in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson

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OUR months after three men: Akinjemiyan Babayomi, Akingbade Adewoleoye and another whose identity is unknown aged over 60 years who used to work as security guards in two secondary schools in Ondo State were gruesomely murdered in cold blood, their killers have been apprehended by the security operatives in the state.

The suspects were arrested when the mobile telephones of the murdered guards were found in their possession.

Vanguard gathered that four suspected killers of the security guards are now in police custody.

The elderly security men were reportedly killed by the assailants who invaded two separate schools in the state on November 6, last year and burgled the computer room.

In the process, the killers according to a Police source committed the dastardly act when the security guards prevented them from carting away computers and other accessories from the school computer rooms.

The suspects namely Alhassam Abudu 20, Akinola Dada 28, Mohammed Ahmed 20 , Olotu Ayoola 47, unleashed mayhem in

Igushi/Eriji Community Grammar School and Olofin Anglican Grammar School both in Idanre area of the state.

Vanguard learnt that the suspects made away with a large number of Laptops, value yet unknown.

The leader of the gang, Asigoro Rotimi is still at large.

Findings by Vanguard showed that two of the suspects were arrested while in possession of the mobile phones of the murdered security guards in different areas of the state and outside the state.

The suspects after killing the security guards went away with their telephones, converting them to their personal use.

Detectives later tracked the telephones picking up two of the suspects who led them to other suspects.

It was discovered that one of the suspects Ahmed Muhammed whose father was a former staff of one of the schools that was burgled gave information to the leader of the gang that when he visited his father in the school he discovered that the state government supplied new computers and other accessories to schools across the state.

Speaking with vanguard, Ahmed confirmed that he got to

•Pic of the suspects with the stolen computers know that new computers were supplied to the school through his father.

The suspect who was an apprentice with an aluminium fabricating company said that he gave out the information to his friend who assured him that they could make “ good money if they stole the computers and sold them in Lagos."

He said that they would have sold the computers but for the name of the schools inscribed on them.

"We were able to clean the inscriptions on some of the computers and about to sell them when we were arrested.

According to him: “We were about finishing with the removal of the inscriptions on the computers when the police detectives came to arrest us."

Another suspect, Akinola Dada, said they never had the intention of killing the security guards.

“When we arrived at the school, one of the security guards saw us and before they could get up to attack us we overpowered them and tied them to the tree so that we could do our job. We did not know they will die in the process’’ he said.

But police detectives said the suspect was economical with the

truth as the security guards were strangled by the suspects on arrival at the school so as to have a field day.

Vanguard learnt that the security guards who were elderly men hardly put up any resistance.

Their bodies were discovered by teachers the following day which was a Monday. Vanguard gathered that the suspects have confessed to the crime.

Seven public secondary schools across Ondo state have been robbed by men of the underworld within a spate of two months and hundreds of laptops supplied by the state government carted away.

Findings revealed that their mode of operation were similar and the targeted schools were the ones just supplied the stolen laptops.

The robbery syndicate operated in the other schools which include Methodist high school, Idanre, Aqinas college, Akure, Fiwasaye Girls Grammar school, Akure and Methodist high school, Okitipupa.

Vanguard gathered that the three night guards that were murdered in the two different Schools may have recognized the robbers .

26— Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

LAGOS STATE Events at the Christian wake keep, funeral service, interment and entertainment of guests during the celebration of life of Pa Vincent Adereti Oludayo Ojutiku, an exChief Accountant in Lagos State Ministry of Education .. held last week

•From Left: Fomer Deputy Gov. Mrs. Sarah Sosan, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, Dr. Yinka Ayandele.

•Dr Yinka Ayandele, Tutor-General, Permanent Secretary, Lagos Education District 1: daughter of the deceased.

•From Left: Former Deputy Gov. Mrs. Sarah Sosan, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, and Dr. Yinka Ayandele

•Dr. Sola Ayandele, Dr Yinka Ayandele, Mrs. Derin and Pastor & Pastor (Mrs.) Olugbola.

•From left : Dr. Yinka Ayandele with HOS Mrs. Olabowale Ademola and Dr. Sola Ayandele.

THE TEAM EDITOR: Adeleke Adeseri 08054682557 (sms only) CORRESPONDENTS: Dapo Akinrefon Ola Ajayi Gbenga Olarinoye Dayo Johnson Daud Olatunji Olasunkanmi Akoni Rotimi Ojomoyela Monsuru Olowoepejo

•Dr and Dr(Mrs) Ayandele

Lagos Ibadan Osogbo Akure Abeokuta Lagos Ekiti

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—27

28—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

Headies award has helped to boost my profile — Aramide

By Kehinde Ajose

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HERE is no doubt that whenever Aramide strums her guitar she evokes a musical melody that thrills the soul. Her star power came to the fore when she clinched the Best Vocal Performance(Female)award at this year’s Headies. Aramide said, the award came to her as a shock.

According to her, “I never saw it coming and I am grateful to God for the beautiful surprise. Winning the award has boosted my profile and I know I have to work harder and always give my best at all times.”

The Baseline artiste, made this putting finishing touches to the release of her love themed tune, “Love Me,”featuring Adekunle Gold. She was quick to explain why the song was not released on Valentine’s Day, maintaining that “ it was because I wanted to ensure that everything was in place before releasing the song.”

“Love Me was inspired by love, love stories and

•Charlyboy

Charlyboy, Lady Di meet Goge Africa at NBMA 2016 I

weddings basically. I tried to create something that would remind people about how beautiful love is. We didn’t release the song on Valentine’s Day because we wanted to be ensure that everything was in place and ready for release. Also, we wanted to make sure that the song gets the attention it deserves.”

Why I featured Oritsefemi, Magneto in new single — Owen Bright

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FTER thrilling the ladies with his unique style of music in low key for over five years, Owen Bright Okooboh, A.K.A Mr Arena, from Edo State, Benin City, has released a smashing hit single, ‘My Place.’

The hit single featuring Oritsefemi and Magneto has been receiving massive airplay since it was released into the market. The Malaysian-based Nigerian singer described Oritsefemi as ‘a great singer’,

explaining, however, that he decided to feature him in the song because of his style of music which he said, inspires everyone.

He also said that he decided to feature Magneto because of his vocal ability.

The video of the song, which was shot by Mat Max in Lagos, would be released before the end of the month. Talking about the song, Owen said, he got the inspiration while walking on the street with his friend Tcon.

Owen Bright

•Kcee

according to the organizers, is imperative this time around, as all previous editions of the annual event were held in Lagos. However, the eccentric Denrele Edun is also expected to host the cocktail and red carpet session while South African-based Nigerian turntable whiz kid, DJ Phyz would be on the wheels- ofsteel.

Some of the programmes lined up to add glamour to the event include, live broadcast, a red carpet reception, dance drama, fashion exhibition, command performances from shining music and comedy stars among other side attractions.

Evening of songs as Ama presents ‘Success Don’t Fail’ U

S-based Nigerian educationist and motivational speaker, Dr Ama who flew into the country last week is billed to host an evening of songs and dances as she presents her life-changing work, “ Successes Don’t Fail”, holding today at Red Door Art Gallery, Bishop,Oluwole Street, Victoria

Kcee returns with ‘Bureau De Changer’

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T’s going to be celebrity couples’ affair at the sixth edition of the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards ,NBNMA, as showbiz impresario, Charl Boy and his wife, Lady Di have been named co-host of the forthcoming event.

They will be hosting the awards night alongside Isaac and Nneka Moses of Goge Africa fame.

NBMA, the pioneer award for TV/Radio broadcasters and on-air personalities, will hold on Saturday February 27, at the Grand Ballroom of Barcelona Hotels, Wuse 2, Abuja.

The choice of Abuja,

ive star music act, Kcee during the week dropped his first single of 2016 titled ‘Bureau De Changer.’

The banging new song was produced by Five star In-House producer, Doctor Amir and it was mixed and mastered by Foster Zeeno.

The video for the song which has already been shot in South Africa, according to a source clsoe to the hitmaker, will be released in a couple of days from now. Meanwhile, the limpopo crooner has a new name, Enter the life with the new Alhaji Naira!

Island, Lagos.

Ama is the creator of the “Live Abundantly!®” , a brand which encourages people to Live Better Lives - mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, professionally, personally, and financially...

She believes living authentically, mindfully and compassionately is the only way to achieve true success and nirvana in all aspects of life.

Her latest accomplishment, “Successes Don’t Fail (2015)” highlights the essence of human life. She said the book is designed to “inspire others to live abundantly”, adding that her vision is to use the book to “share the strategies she used in overcoming life challenges and difficulty’s”. It took her eight years to write the book.

She wants Nigeria youths to know that if one knows who they are, and discover their purpose in life, they will then be able to achieve great success in life.

•Ama

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 — 29 with

PRINCE OSUAGWU

08050498513 princeosuagwu@gmail.com

Innovative classroom:

Etisalat to boost voice services with Vodacom Business support

Microsoft champions shift from traditional methods

By Prince Osuagwu

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TISALAT Nigeria, yesterday announced a business deal with Vodacome business Nigeria to boost its voice services and ensure its subscribers continue to experience voice clarity and smooth internet services.

The deal means that Vodacom will provide mobile voice and data services as well as improved enterprise solutions to Etisalat customers. The Partnership enables Etisalat to provide point to point and point to multi-point connectivity solutions to its customers, thereby offering them a one-stop shopping experience.

It also enables Vodacom and Etisalat customers to be provided with a single billing platform to negate the trouble of dealing with multiple communications service providers. Commenting on the

By Emeka Aginam

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Y the time the just concluded Microsoft Innovative Educators national forum was drawing to a close, there were positive signals that the paradigm shift from traditional to virtual classroom has started in Nigeria.

No fewer than 50 educators from both public and private institutions in various states in Nigeria were trained on how best to use the latest educational technology to •Smartclassroom teach students in their technology will help transform various schools. Accordingly the the way students learn, hence participants were collectively enabling them to help build the challenged by Microsoft to skills needed for a 21st century directly train 20,000 educators workplace.”, Salcito said. Earlier across their geo-political zones in her remarks, the event host, by 2017, using the NigeriaMicrosoft Nigeria’s Education specific content developed Programs Manager, Jordan during the forum.

Belmonte said that “a teacher Speaking to the participants doesn’t need a roomful of fancy via a Skype call, the Vice gadgets to make an impact, even President of Worldwide simple changes like re-arranging Education for Microsoft the way a classroom is setup, to Incorporation, Mr. Anthony encourage collaboration, can Salcito expressed his utmost promote the adoption of 21st gratitude to the educators who century skills.” had volunteered to implement Belmonte added that, “When change in their society. we do think about how to best “This is not only to help your use technology, a lot of the students but to challenge the foreign curriculum which we are status quo,” he said “to be imbibing in Nigeria is not wellcourageous enough to apply localized. Through this forum, we new technologies that will will work on making all our amplify all of your teaching content relevant to the realities techniques. We are training a of Nigerian classrooms and wonderful community around ensure it’s easier for Nigerian’s the world with the help of to teach and learn with passionate educators. Your efforts technology.” combined with the support of

The forum impressed on educators, the need to start teaching in a way that captivates children, offering learning experiences that keep them interest and engaged.

Commenting on the forum, Chief Education Officer, Secondary Education Board, Abuja; Veranique Obiakor expressed her excitement towards imparting all she learnt in her region.

In her words, “I really appreciate this forum as it has brought about educators from the different hierarchy in one room to make the change in the Nigerian education system. I have learnt a lot from this forum, and I cannot wait to continue my insightful evangelism in my region to make more innovative educators thereby reshaping the classroom for the next generation.”

Yudala, Airtel partner to offer Xtouch on instalment payments

By Laju Iren

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NEW partnership between composite retail chain, Yudala and Telecommunications giant, Airtel has made it possible for customers to purchase the new Xtouch E1 smartphone and pay in instalments. Customers will also get the full cash back on Airtel data plans.

With N5000 payment on the first installation, Yudala customers can get the Xtouch E1, along with N1000 package from Airtel, and pay the balance over the following three months.

The companies believe that the three-month, zero percentage on interest payment plan will make customer shopping experience easier and more enjoyable by allowing customers to purchase the XTOUCH E1 with a flexible repayment option, catered to

their budget and lifestyle.

Founder and Vice President of Yudala, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, speaking on the development said: “We have teamed up with XTOUCH and Airtel to provide the customer one more payment option, to elevate the shopping experience to an even higher level. Even though the country is experiencing a currency crisis at the moment, we are still not afraid to take the risk of fixed pricing and testing the integrity of our esteemed consumers.”

Executive Director of Airtel, Tawa Bolarin said: “We always try to make mobile internet more accessible and affordable for our numerous customers. Working with Xtouch and Yudala to give customers full cashback on data plans when they purchase XTOUCH E1will greatly help us

partnership, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher said, “In the fast paced telecommunication market of today, the successful companies will be those who build the right strategic partnerships to accelerate innovation, growth, and offer customers more value for their money. Etisalat is committed to offering quality services both in voice and data, and to continuously provide solutions that help enterprises and startups excel in their businesses.

This partnership brings together two outstanding industry leaders, with proven track record of innovation.”

With this Partnership, Vodacom is now well-placed to offer a fuller package of custom-made enterprise class Mobile Services to businesses in Nigeria through its Enterprise Mobile Voice Solution.

FG promises more support for creativity, research

By Emmanuel Elebeke support their wards to develop interest in science and technology HE Minister of Science and as this is one way to secure the Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya future of our nation. He assured Onu has assured Nigerians that Nigerians of the Buhari the Ministry will strengthen the administration’s determination to capacity for creative innovation harness both the human and and research in the science and natural resources to build a better Nigeria by diversifying the technology sector.

He made the promise when he economy, wealth and job creation, hosted the Nigerian Academy of security and the rule of law Science led by its President, through the application of Professor Oyewale Tomori on innovations in Science and a courtesy visit to his office. Onu Technology sector. said the ministry had He added that, though, the Research and commenced the re-engineering National Innovation Council (NRIC) was process in the sector with a view to setting standards in established over 30 years ago, programme implementation, it never met until January 7th this and changing the national year and this according to him consciousness of Nigerians to meant there had been no effective embrace the sector. For him, coordination of all national efforts Science and Technology plays a in the sector since that Council pivotal role in shaping the future was meant to appropriately move forward in of youths. He urged parents to Nigeria technological advancement.

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deliver on our vision.”

The XTOUCH E1 smartphone comes with a 3,200mAh long-lasting battery. It is powered by high energy density technology, which can keep the smartphone under one-day full operation, 15-hour phone call, even for 300-hour stand-by time. The 5inch display, with a 5MP rear camera and 2MP front camera, ensures a stunning display and browsing effect as well as clear angle for capturing the best moments in life.

Game lovers and music enthusiasts will also undoubtedly fall in love with XTOUCH E1, which has a built-in 1GB RAM and internal storage of 8GB which can be further expanded to 32GB via microSD card.

The 1.2GHz Quad-core Processor also ensures longer usage with its power saving settings, which allow users the comfort to enjoy browsing the Internet, playing games,

watching videos, listening to music and talking on the phone for longer periods.

“The Xtouch E1 is born for the Nigerian market, it comes with a powerful battery and the latest technology of fast charging and with an affordable price,” said Xtouch’s Vice President of Commercial, Mr. Farhad Khan. Adding that “the instalment payment plan will allow customers to own the XTOUCH E1 right away and pay for it in small monthly instalments, making this highly cost-effective smartphone even more affordable.

•Xtouch E1 smartphone

30 —VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

Muslim SoulMates Do you seek a Muslim life partner?

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Jumada Al-Awwal 10, 1437 A.H.

Prophet shows the way to prevent Lassa fever

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REVENTION of Lassa fever hangs on promoting good “community hygiene” one that can discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodentproof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping rats away from homes.

There is nothing wrong in killing rats in Islam. In fact it is part of sunnah not to allow rats in your homes. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) narrated that Hafsah said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are five animals for which there is no blame on the one who kills them: crows, kites (hawklike birds), mice/rats, scorpions and mad dogs.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1828. (Translators’ note: the Arabic word fa’rah may refer to rats or mice, so both are mentioned in the translation).

Al-Qaasim ibn Muhammad said: I heard ‘Aa’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “There are four things which are faasiq (corrupt) and may be killed at all times, whether one is in a state of ihraam [for Hajj and ‘Umrah] or not: kites, crows, mice/rats and mad dogs.”

Harmful creatures Narrated by Muslim, 1198.

Dragging the wick Mice and rats are harmful creatures, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained: Ibn ‘Abbaas said: a mouse (or rat) came and started dragging the wick (of the lamp). It threw it in front of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), onto the mat on which he was sitting, and it burnt a hole the size of a dirham.

He said, “When you go to sleep, extinguish your lamps, for the Shaytaan will tell creatures like this to do something like this so that you will be burned.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5427. The mice or rats that may live in people’s houses are among the harmful creatures or vermin (fuwaysiqah) which the

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to kill rats in all situations, whether we are in ihraam or not.

The root of the word fuwaysiqah (fasaqa) means to deviate from the right way and to do harm; hence a sinner is described as “faasiq”, and these animals are called fawaasiq, as a metaphor for their evil nature; or it was said that it is because it is not haraam to kill them, whether one is in ihraam or not, for they have no sanctity or protection in any circumstances.

Blessings of Allaah Al-Tahaawi narrated in Ahkaam al-Qur’aan with his isnaad from Yazeed ibn Abu Nu’aym that he (Yazeed) asked Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri why mice/rats were called fuwaysiqah.

Burn down the house He said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) woke up one night and saw that a mouse/rat had taken the wick of the lamp to burn down the house of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so he got up and killed it, and said that it was permissible to kill them whether one is in ihraam or not.

This was mentioned by al‘Allaamah al-Dumayri. AlBukhaari and Muslim narrated in their Saheehs that Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari said: A

There are five animals for which there is no blame on the one who kills them: crows, kites (hawk-like birds), mice/rats, scorpions and mad dogs

house in Madeenah burned down with its people inside.

When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) heard about this, he said: “This fire is an enemy to you, so when you go to sleep, extinguish it.” Al-Bukhaari narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘AbdAllaah said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Cover the vessels, for the mouse/rat may drag out the wick (of the lamp) and burn the occupants of the house.

“Something similar was narrated by Muslim, in which he says: “For the fuwaysiqah may start a fire and burn the house and its occupants.” AlTabari said, explaining these hadith: if a person wants to spend the night in a house in which there is no one else, and in which there is a fire or a lamp, it is a duty on him to extinguish it before he sleeps…

The hadith was narrated by al-Haakim; he said its isnaad is saheeh. (From ‘Awn alMa’bood Sharh Abi Dawood).

Now that we know Islam calls mice and rats fuwaysiqah (evil) and allows us to kill them even in Makkah, and that they are a means which the Shaytan tried to use to burn down the house of the Prophet, and we know that they are one of the ways of spreading the virus through food con termination, do not allow them. Save yourself and family from the virus. Jumuah Mubarak!

ELCOME to Muslim SoulMates in Vanguard. A unique platform for single Muslims who wish to find their potential marriage partners on this page. We have designed it to help you find perfect soul mates every Friday.

We will also give counsel where necessary in order to keep with the halal standard. Our aim is to further develop couples that could be blessed, compatible, enduring following Islamic injunctions. It promises to be a rewarding service just as we will treat all inquiries and submissions in confidence.

Send your profile, contact and details of who you want, not more than 75 words to isholaism@yahoo.co.uk. Names and contacts will not be published.

For those whose profile are published, they are advised to check their emails as we will revert to them for further information.

PROFILE 04: A single Muslim male, 30, Yoruba, and gainfully employed wants an educated Muslim lady for marriage. Preferably between 21-25 years.

PROFILE 05: A married Muslim male, 43, Yoruba, businessman desires to have an educated and God fearing Muslim lady or divorcee as second wife. Preferably not more than 40.

PROFILE 06: A Muslim divorcee, (female) 38, Hausa, Yobe State, 5ft.2inches tall with OND wants a Muslim and God fearing man, single for marriage. He must be Hausa, gainfully employed and based in any part of the country.

PROFILE 07: A young man, 6ft.7inch from South-West, currently based in Delta State wants a Muslim lady between 35 to 40 years as life partner. Preferably tall, light in complexion, literate and beautiful.

Crane mishap: Saudi Arabia yet to compensate victims — NAHCON

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HE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), said Saudi Arabia was yet to pay compensation to families/victims of the crane mishap that occurred during the 2015 Hajj.

Dr Saleh Okenwa, the Commissioner of Planning, Research, Statistic, Information and Library Service of NAHCON, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja recently.

“NAHCON is yet to receive information about the compensation of victims of the crane crash from the Saudi authority.

“But the Nigerian Consulate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is monitoring developments and Nigerians would be fully informed about any development.

“I am confident that the Saudi Arabian Government will keep to its promise because they are people of their words”, Okenwa said.

He added that NAHCON officials would be visiting Saudi Arabia in later in February to get an update on the issued.

Okenwa said the commission would meet officials of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj as part of efforts to ensure early preparation and success of the 2016 hajj. Okenwa said the meeting was a follow up on the earlier ones held in Saudi to sign agreement with accommodation and food providers in Mecca and Medina.

No fewer than six Nigerian pilgrims lost their lives in the tragic crane incident that occurred at the Grand Mosque in Ka’abah, Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Sept. 11, 2015, while 274 Nigerians died during a stampede in Muna where the devil is traditionally and symbolically stoned by the pilgrims. Also 35 pilgrims were declared missing during the 2015 hajj.

Ahmadiyya opened new mosque in Benin circuit recently. Standing in row is Dr Abdul Ganiy Enahoro Naib Amir, Deputy Head Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Nigeria Eastern Region. Barrister Rizwan Muhammad, National Secretary, Tarrbiyya Education Secretary, Maulvi Ilori, Benin circuit Central Missionary and others.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—31

Ahmadiyya launches Islamic radio

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Jumada Al-Awwal 10, 1437 A.H.

How do you preserve your marriage?

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HE ability to learn, protect and preserve the rights of your spouse is one of the ways of ensuring a happy home.

Most crashed marriages could have been as a result of disrespect to each other especially when dealing with tough situations.

Every marriage, no matter how stressful, boring, or happy it may be can give it a boost.

The first thing to note is that you have to take cognizance of your spouse’s rights as obligated on us

by Allah and His prophet (peace be upon him.) What married couples often forget is that “Muslim marriage”, just like the entire life of a Muslim, is governed by the laws of Islam.

These divine laws were communicated, commanded, and taught to us by the prophet (peace be upon him) through the Quran and the traditions of Hadith.

So, the first reminder is nothing more than to become ever conscious that the moment you entered your marriage, you became obligated to respect your spouse’s rights as defined under those divine laws. Claiming ignorance about those rights or your lack of resolve in upholding those rights therefore is not a valid excuse.

The problem in this regard is usually two fold. First, many couples simply aren’t even aware and knowledgeable about the rights that both husbands and wives have over each other. It’s not uncommon for many to rush into marriages with all the fanfare

but neglecting to learn Islamic teachings regarding marriage and the rights that husbands and wives have over each other. It’s only when they hit roadblocks in their marriages that they start seeking those answers. Problems surface because each spouse assumes certain rights over the other and each spouse’s personal interpretation of what’s right or wrong complicates relationships even further.

The second problem is that while many of us may take the time to understand how their partner is not meeting their individual rights, they often neglect to learn their obligations toward the other spouse. Driven selfishly, each spouse gets preoccupied with how their partner isn’t contributing to the relationship rather than realizing how one is deficient in fulfilling

Full fledged disputes

We should recognize that Allah created us humans and has codified dignity and respect part of our being

NASFAT, MPAC distribute relief materials to 2.2m IDPs

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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USLIM Public Affairs Centre, MPAC and Nasrul-lahil-Fathi Society of Nigeria Agency for Zakat and Sadaqat (NAZAS) have concluded plans to distribute relief materials to the over 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in North East of the country.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR had last November said the population of IDP in the North Eastern part of the country had risen to 2.2million.

They disclosed this after signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU in Lagos on the involvement of both organizations on how to assist victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

They lamented: “IDPs are facing hunger, affliction of various illnesses due to inadequate medical care and exposure to inclement weather

their own obligations.

In the daily routine of give and take therefore, if your relationship is hitting hurdles, both of you ought to invest the time and effort to learn about those rights and obligations. Use this reminder to make a permanent mental note to help you become conscious of how knowingly or unknowingly you transgress and violate your spouse’s rights. Remember, you will be questioned about them.

Again, every relationship is bound to have disagreements, day to day challenges pertaining to a family life, or your spouse just having a “bad day.” These shouldn’t be mistaken for a bad relationship. When relationships go sour, it means couples don’t respond to situations. When response to such situations involves disrespect for the other individual, cracks start appearing in relationships.

arising from the makeshift accommodation they have in their camps and as such require assistance to feed and take care of themselves at the Camps established by the Federal Government.”

The organizations assured to make made available items include clothing items, footwear, sanitary and toiletry items, household items, toys, books, medics and others, for distribution to the IDPs. The Executive Vice Chairman of MPAC, Mr. Disu Kamor state that the MoU covers a period of one year and could be reviewed, saying “there was no certain amount of money dedicated to the scheme by both groups within the time frame of the agreement.”

His words “The interesting thing is that the programme was designed to touch lives of IDPs and others (Muslims and non-Muslims) in the country. ”

This “disrespect” includes but isn’t limited to putting down the other individual, disregard for the others opinions, raising one’s voice disrespectfully, etc. This then leads to a communications breakdown where disagreements turn into full fledged disputes, small mistakes by one are perceived as crimes by the other, and just an ordinary “bad” day turns worse by spouses ending up in major fights – sometimes climaxing to points of no return.

We should recognize that Allah created us humans and has codified dignity and respect part of our being. Therefore, when we trample over partner’s rights leaving him or her feel disrespected, we are bound to invoke an equal or worse response from our spouse sowing in their hearts the seeds of animosity, hatred and mistrust.

Every action begets reaction.

So, remember that a happy marriage is one in which couples find ways to tackle and resolve challenges without being disrespectful to the other. You can have your tough talks as long as you don’t cross the lines in disrespecting each other.

Remember that Islam’s teachings never sanctioned to denigrate human dignity even in times of war. The Prophet (s.aw) said: “The entire world is full of resources, and among them the best resource is a RIGHTEOUS WIFE.” (Reported by: Abdullah ibn Amr (r) Source: Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2, #3465) Again, he said:“The most complete believer is the best in character, and the best of you is the BEST TO HIS WOMENFOLK.” (Tirmidhi #1162 and verified)

HE Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in the UK, has launched a new radio station called 'Voice of Islam .

The Digital radio station launched by the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih 5th at Baitul Futuh, Morden London, will focus on Islamic sounds.

ThestationknownasVoiceofIslam has been described as “giving a positiveoutlookofIslamicteachings and their relevance in today’s multicultural society, with the aim of nurturing a harmonious society.

The schedule will be made up of thought provoking discussions and programmes on religious, moral and social issues of great relevance to both Muslims and non-Muslims audience from difference cultures and backgrounds.

We gathered that its content will not be limited to religious programmes but to also include educational, political and ‘public interest’ shows from international contributors, for listeners of all ages as well as news and sports stories from around the world will also feature.”

From left: Naib Amir Special Duties of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Alhaji Engr. Hamed AlHassan; Amir, Dr. Mashuud Aderenle Fashola; Naib Amir and Missionary-in-charge, Maulvi Abdul Khalique Nayyar and Sadr. Majlis Ansarullah, Alhaji Mikail Odukoya, during the commissioning of new hostel building of Fadl Omar Comprehensive High School, Ojokoro Lagos, recently.

From left: Chief Missioner/Founder JIMSN Worldwide, Sheik Alhaji Salaudeen Omotayo, Baba Adinni (JIMSN), Alhaji Lukman Anigilade and others, during the New Year Prayer at JIMSN Headquarters, Ijesha, Lagos.

Guiding your tongue is ibadah Continued from last week

T

HE Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said, “Guard your tongue, stay in your homes and weep over your sins.” - Related by Ibn Mubarak in az-Zuhd (no.134), Musnad Ahmed bin Hambal (5/259), Sunan at-Tirmidhi (2531) and authenticated by alAlbaanee in as-Saheehah (no.890) Also, the Prophet stated (s.a.w), “Most of the sins of the children of Aadam are from the tongue.” - At-Tabaraanee (3/87/1-2).

In another related hadiths, the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Those who do not harm the Muslims with their tongues and hands.” Saheeh al-Bukhari (1/10) and Saheeh al-Muslim (1/64) Sahl ibn Sa’ad - radiAllahu’ anhu - reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever guards what is between his jaws and legs. I shall guarantee him paradise.” - Saheeh al-Bukhari (8/ 481). A similar narration can be found in Muwatta of Imam Malik (56/11) and Sunan at-Tirmidhi.

When the Companion of the Prophet, Mu’adh ibn Jabal radiAllahu’ anhu - asked the Prophet - (s.a.w)- about that which would entitle him to enter Paradise and save him from the hellfire, he said - mentioned the pillars of Islam and informed Mu’adh of the importance of the night prayers and of Jihaad. He then said, “Should I not inform you of the sheet anchor of all this?”, and then took hold of his tongue and said, “Exercise restraint on it.”. Don’t choose to be like one of the As-habu towilu-lisanni, during the days of the Prophet. (s.a.w)

32 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

SAGITARIUS; Although there will be challenges here is a day when things will eventually go according to your plans. Don’t take friends for granted.

CAPRICORN; From now until next few days you will need to be as practical as possible along your career line; this is the wrong time to experiment with new ideas.

AQUARIUS; You may not be in total control of your mind till around 5.36pm. That is to say you will need practical approach in all you do today. Be more careful.

PISCES; Continue to be more careful about proposals having to do with joint ventures. Yet that is not to say you can not take good advice. Prepare to work harder.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

R

IGHT from ages man has continued to look for ways of clothing his nakedness. Nakedness does not just mean not wearing clothes alone. It includes covering our evil deeds,

God is watching wicked acts, ways and sins etc.

As it was the days of the biblical Adam and Eve, so it is today.

When we commit heinous crime, we run for cover under the stone,

TERROR MUDA

under the water and under the dark, hoping and praying that we will not be caught.

We live a lie. We forget that air bear witness to our cruel act;

in “Scavenger Elite”

the sun by our shadow takes our photograph, and our conscience convicts us daily.

Beware, God is watching. Your sins will find you out.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

ARIES; You stand good chance to extend favourable events of yesterday both at work and on matters-ofthe-heart. Watch what you sign before 5.36pm.

TAURUS; Young-at-heart may be willing to give priority attention to sentimental related issues probably because of yesterday’s success.

GEMINI; Refuse to become mentally arrogant or else you would be working against your own interest.

Your love life will continue to enjoy favourable aspects.

CANCER; Financial success is within your reach, especially if you back your old plans early in the day.

The more family minded you are the better for you.

LEO; It is important you don’t allow others to mislead you in the name of giving you good advice before 5.36pm. Those travelling or moving around in search of love may be in for both an exciting and pleasurable day.

VIRGO; You will be in better position to consolidate on progress made yesterday. And it is wrong to take people for granted today.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

LIBRA; Many people may be disappointed because of broken promises, therefore you will need to prepare your mind accordingly and refuse to take others for granted SCORPIO ;You can make it a good day as both career advancement and financial success are closer to you. Secret lovers are in for an exciting day.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat tr ological datee and place of bir th ttoo the As Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What is my love life?

Dear Joshua, I want comprehensive Astrological analysis of my life, especially my love life and what I should expect from social activities around me.

Lekan, Lagos.

Dear Lekan, What space can take will be given here-under.

You were given handsome and magnetic body.

Many planetary placement in Leo particularly the conjunction of magnetic Uranus, sexual Mars and romantic Venus are pointer to very active love life. Certainly romantic fun with beautiful women can not elude you, but you must always be careful.

Major challenge of your love life is coming from difficult aspect from Jupiter in death related Scorpio to the conjunction of Mars, Uranus and Venus in child bearing Leo, if this is not well managed it can cause avoidable death either of a spouse or a child. But your being spiritual can take good care of this tough challenge of your love life.

Here is an incurable LOVER OF TOTAL FREEDOM. But fortunately on one hand Saturn made it very difficult and rough at the initial stage and instilled discipline into your inner-self, but unfortunately on the other hand the same difficult Saturn killed some of rascally useful traits in you capable of making you a big time freedom fighter.

Let me say this here, the truth is as much as some of wicked witches and wizards would like to harm your FAME your natal affiliation to them through your Neptune in Scorpio at positive angle to your natal Sun in homely Cancer will not allow them; then that does not mean you should leave your defence open unnecessarily.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—33

N-Delta crisis: Solution lies in dialogue not troops deployment —IYC

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide, yesterday faulted the Federal Government's decision to deploy more troops in the Niger Delta to protect oil installations, saying that the move would not stop oil theft, kidnapping and pipeline vandalism.

Spokesman of IYC, Eric Omare, in a statement in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said that the solution to the problem lies in the constructive engagement of the people of the region.

He said: “From our experience of attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, sending more troops to the region will not solve the problem. It is common knowledge that incidents of oil theft, kidnapping and attacks on oil pipelines have been on the increase despite the presence of military men around oil installations and communities in the Niger Delta region.

“The IYC has always maintained that in some cases, security agents, contractors and even multinational oil company workers are involved in these illegalities going on in the Niger Delta region.

“The Federal Government cannot claim ignorance of this fact with the security apparatus at its

disposal. Instead of sending more troops who would come and commit more inconveniences to the people of the region such as intimidation, harassment of innocent villagers

and unnecessary arrests, we call for quality intelligence gathering on the role of oil companies’ workers, contractors and security agents on the attacks on oil facilities.

“Ultimately, the solution to the problem of attacks on oil facilities lies in constructively engaging the people and communities of the Niger Delta where oil facilities are located.”

MOU: From left: The Principal Assistant Registrar/ Head, Information, Protocol and Passages, Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Mr. Adegbenro Adebanjo; Vice Chancellor and Executive Secretary, African Network for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources Education, ANAFE, based in Nairobi, Kenya, Professor Aissetou Yaye; and Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, shortly after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to facilitate partnership and collaboration in agriculture, agroforestry and natural resources management, research and community outreach.

Ecological challenges: CGGEJ lauds Okowa's approval of N500m counterpart fund

By Alozie Egole

C

OALITION for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa, CGGEJ, yesterday, commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State for approving N500 million as counterpart fund for the World Bank to address ecological challenges across the state.

CGGEJ's Media Coordinator, Mr. Patrick Omene, in a statement, said, “We commend Governor Okowa for his takeoff policies since assumption of office and the ongoing efforts to put Delta State on sound economic footing in these uncertain times.

“We laud the governor for his expression of commitment in approving the N500 million counterpart fund which is a conviction of his resolve to address the enormous ecological challenges facing the state. This is commendable and must be pursued with zest. In addition, his far reaching reforms geared towards re-invigorating and restructuring the economy of the state, anchored on accountability, transparency and fiscal prudence is no doubt a sure way of telling what manner of governance we should expect.”

The group urged the governor to remain focused and be undistracted in delivering the dividends of democracy to the

people, saying “There is time for everything; time for politics and time for governance. The governor must keep his eye on

the mark so as not to be swayed from the purpose of governance, since the Supreme Court which is the final arbiter in the

governorship election has delivered judgment and there is nothing anybody can do about it."

2019: UPU, Igbuya differ on Okowa's endorsement

By Emma Amaize

A

SABA—URHOBO Progress Union, UPU, umbrella group of the Urhobo ethnic nationality in Deta State and Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Monday Igbuya, an Urhobo son, have disagreed on the blanket endorsement of the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for the 2019 governorship election.

The differences emerged on Wednesday when the President General, Interim Executive of UPU, Chief Gabriel Ofotokun, led other members on a courtesy visit to the Speaker, in Asaba.

Okowa is from Delta North (Anioma) senatorial district while Urhobo is in Delta Central senatorial district.

Igbuya, sanctioned along with other politicians in the past by a previous UPU leadership for

canvassing for Anioma governor in the person of Okowa, restated his now famous second term for Okowa when the UPU team visited and urged them to endorse Okowa for 2019.

Ofotokun nullified the purported sanction against Igbuya and others, last year.

However, the UPU leader counteracted Igbuya’s position, saying, “Whoever is going to take over from Okowa must be an Urhobo.”

Be fair in the fight against corruption, Anyanwu tells Buhari

A

By Festus Ahon

S A B A — S E N AT O R Chris Anyanwu has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to be fair in his fight against corruption.

Anyanwu, the chairperson of Spectrum Broadcast Nigeria Limited, owners of Hot FM chain of radio stations, stated this in a chat with newsmen shortly before the commissioning of Hot FM 96.5 station in Asaba.

She said: “I think the idea of

anti-corruption is very good. I think we got a little bit too extreme in our carelessness, in our practices, so there is need to apply breaks on what we do in the system.”

On the radio station, Anyanwu said that besides Asaba being an expanding city with a lot of potentials and a major player in the Niger Delta and Nigerian economic development, the management of Hot FM was contributing to the development goals of Delta State Government by

providing employment to its indigenes.

She said that the station would give its audience clear, concise and credible news as well as best entertainment, informative, interactive and engaging programmes.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who spoke while commissioning the station, said: "Radio remains the most effective medium of mass communication in societies where sustainable development is paramount.”

Delta govt repositions mortgage firm

By Tare Youdeowei

M

ANAGING Director of Delta Trust Mortgage Finance Limited, DTMF, Mrs. Ruby Okoro, has said that in pursuance of the SMART agenda programme of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the state government has financially repositioned the mortgage bank to support Deltans in their quest to own their homes.

Mrs. Okoro, during the ground breaking of Ekpan Better Life Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Housing Estate at Ewhere, Agbarho, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state, said: “DTMF is a primary mortgage bank wholly owned by the state government which Deltans can call their own.”

She called on Deltans and Nigerians who reside in the state to avail themselves of the various windows available in the bank.

Mrs. Okoro said that she was excited that the state government had kept to its promise by ensuring that the bank was recapitalized to the tone of N2.5 billion which it has been using to support housing development in the state.

Relocate your headquarters to Delta, Ndokwa youths tell oil firm

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—PROTESTERS, yesterday, barricaded the entrance to the office of Sterling Energy Exploration Company, SEEPCO, at Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, demanding the relocation of the company’s operational headquarters from Lagos to Delta State.

They also kicked against the company ’s use of vessels to haul crude oil from Ndokwa and its alleged unwillingness to comply with the provisions of the Local Content Act. Gathered under the aegis of Pages Group International, PGI, the placard carrying protesters, comprising mainly of youths of Ndokwa nation, condemned the alleged refusal of the company to comply with the directive of the Federal Government to multinational oil companies to relocate their headquarters to their states of operations.

34—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 , 2016

We're not aware of Gov Ikpeazu's hand of friendship —Abia APGA chair

By Eric Ugbor

A

BA—THE Abia State chapter of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has said it is not aware of the alleged hand of fellowship Governor Okezie Ikpeazu extended to the party since the outcome of the supreme court judgment in which APGA lost to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The party’s chairman in Abia State, Rev Augustine Ehiemere, who disclosed this in an interview in Aba, said: “Rebuilding Abia is the priority of Dr. Alex Otti and APGA but for the olive branch extended, I am yet to be aware of it. I need to consult with the elders of my party and leader before I can answer that.”

Ehiemere said the party is still committed to the progress of Abia State although it is not in power.

Asked if the party would accept the hand of friendship extended to it by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and the PDP , he said he would have to ask his party for their response.

He said the mechanism to

M

R. EZEKIEL Ndubisi Okereafor, 66, of Ubachukwu Amala in Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State, is dead.

Christian wake will hold on Saturday, February 20, at 86, CDA, Ita Sani, Shagamu, Ogun State, while lying-in-state holds on February 26, 2016, at Ubachukwu Amala.

He is survived by a widow, Chinyere Okereafor, six children and other relations.

By Emeka Mamah

E

NUGU—A retired Permanent Secretary, Mr John Abugu, who was kidnapped while returning from the funeral ceremony in Enugu Ezike, Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State last weekend has been freed by his abductors.

Abugu, a lawyer who hails from Aji, Enugu Ezike was released yesterday morning at Ezagu area

of the state where he was held in an unknown location for five days.

However, his relation, Mr Chima Adonu, who was said to have taken an undisclosed amount of cash to the kidnappers in their den was said to have been shot severally on one of his legs and hands respectively.

Adonu who was said to have mobilised and taken funds to the

kidnappers as demanded was later admitted at a hospital in Ezagu, before policemen rushed him to Enugu for better treatment.

Police sources confirmed the release of Mr Abugu as well as the shooting of his relation, who is said to be a bank worker.

It was not immediately known whether the Police were informed about the ransom which was taken to the kidnappers’ den.

ABIA NORTH RE-RUN: Group drums support for

A

By Eric Ugbor

BA—AHEAD of the March 5 rescheduled INEC re-run election for Abia North Senatorial zone of Abia State, a group known as Mandate For Good Governance in Abia North, MAGGN, has called on the electorate in the zone to support the candidature of Nnenna Lancaster-Okoro of the All

Progressives Congress, APC, for a change that would transform and connect the zone to centre politics.

In a statement issued by its Chairman, Orji Eke Udensi and Secretary, Mark Aroh respectively and made available to newsmen after their meeting yesterday, at Ohafia, the group said the APC candidate is outstanding in all ramifications

and stands a better chance of effective representation of the zone if voted for.

It read further: “Abia North Senatorial zone has suffered under the hands of inept politicians whose only achievements have been to enrich their pockets while the zone continued to wallow in abject poverty and under development since the advent of the present democratic dispensation in the country."

Fed parastatals, private agencies owing us over N2bn —Edo Revenue Board

B

By Victor Otigbu

ENIN CITY—THE Edo State government disclosed yesterday that Federal Government agencies and parastatals as well as private institutions have failed to remit their respective taxes which amounts to over N2 billion to the coffers of the state government.

The Edo Board of Internal Revenue Service disclosed this during a one-day sensitisation

Late Ezekiel Okereafor

possible without joining hands with the ruling party in the state.

The Secretary to Abia State Government, SSG, Dr. Emelike Okoro had said recently on Abia State radio that he has reached out to the APGA to join hands to rebuild Abia.

Kidnapped ex-perm sec regains freedom

APC candidate

Okereafor for burial

realize their plan has also been worked out so that they would be on a new page with interested stakeholders in the state.

Ehiemere, however, could not say how realizing APGA’s dream of rebuilding Abia would be

programme for heads of federal MDAs in Benin City. The Executive Director (Enforcement) of the revenue agency, Mr. Emmanuel Usoh, explained that the tax debtors were in arrears for 2014 and 2015.

He said: ”Both individuals and federal MDAs, in particular, are defaulting. Also individual debts are up with over one billion naira for last year (2015).

“We have others for last two

years that we have got court orders against federal MDAs that have been taken over by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, grossing close to N1.8 billion.”

Usoh noted that the agency would, however, not hesitate to press criminal charges against defaulting institutions in order to ensure that the state improves its revenue generation amidst the decrease in federal allocations.

700 babies die daily in Nigeria —FMH

By Vincent Ujumadu AWKA—MORE than 700 babies die daily in Nigeria due to lack of hygiene to ward off preventable infections at birth, an official of the Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs. Evelyn Agbanyim has said.

She identified the major causes of neonatal deaths in Nigeria to include low birth weight, birth asphyxia and infections, which account for 80 per cent of deaths among children.

Agbanyim, who spoke at an awareness seminar in Awka on how to stem the tide of neonatal mortality in Nigeria, attributed the development to ignorance, poor funding and ineffective application of life-saving neonatal commodities for women and children’s health.

According to her, the Federal Government decided to carry the campaign to the relevant stakeholders in the country following the worrisome situation, adding that those targeted were policy makers, religious and traditional rulers, professional associations and regulatory bodies and the media.

She said: “Over the last decade, progress in addressing the high rate of neonatal mortality in Nigeria has been rather slow due to skills gap, poor referral network, inadequate training of health personnel, poor policy implementation and inadequate supply of the commodities.”

According to her, maintaining the current trend will not significantly reduce neonatal mortality and so, there is need to accelerate efforts towards adequate funding to redress the situation.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On sack of Gusau as D-G of Budget T

he revelation from the budget padding mess is in sync with the culture of corruption entrenched by the successive PDP administrations, so Nigerians are actually glad President Buhari dismantled the cartel in the budget office. Mr Imoni Jesukri, Journalist C M Y K

I

f President Buhari wakes up each morning and sacks chief executive officers of Federal parastatal, agencies and commission because he feels they are incompetent, what will happen to those 'bad eggs'still in some agencies?

Miss Temmy Adeife, Student

T

here has never been a Nigerian budget with duplicate items before now, or one that contains figures for rent payment for Aso Rock! What a painful comedy that Nigeria has been reduced to! That is what I want to say. Miss Constance Nduba, Model

T

he direct caterpillars of corruption who are capable of fooling even the smartest of ministers are the civil servants. Budget is collated and aggregated as well as harmonised by a different team at the national planning office. Mr Sunday Ajiboye, Music Director

W

hy should he sack them? Did he not read the full budget before he submitted it to the national assembly? Now that President Buhari sacked them, Nigerians should start thinking that his action was based on the budget errors. Miss Chika Dike, Graduate

N

igeria won’t grow with each one of us on each other’s throat. We need to come together as one to make Nigeria a great country for us and our future generation. If the president feels the DG messed up, then they can be sacked. Mr Chuks Madueke, Self Employed

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 — 35

Police seals off Kogi House of Assembly

By Boluwaji Obahopo

L

OKOJA—THE crisis rocking the Kogi State House of Assembly yesterday, turned a new twist, as the assembly complex was sealed off by the police, The Speaker of the assembly allegedly impeached on Tuesday, Momohjimoh Lawal, had dismissed the purported impeachment as huge joke and said 15 legislators including him out of the 20 members house, would resume sitting yesterday.

Though they could not sit, Vanguard was unable to confirm, whether the police seal-off prevented their sitting.

In a replica of the 2012 assembly crisis, stern looking policemen, who claimed they were acting on ‘order from above’, chased out the workers and sealed off the premises.

They also padlocked the front gate of the Assembly complex located along Hassan Katsina road .

Commissioner of Police, Besan Gwana, said the seal-off became necessary following information that some persons were coming to the Assembly complex to foment trouble.

The embattled Speaker had on Wednesday led other 14 members to Abuja to lodge a petition with the House of Representative over the crisis.

Lawal had also accused the governor, Yahaya Bello of withdrawing his security attaché, thereby exposing him and other members to danger of possible attacks.

However, the Special Adviser on Media to the embattled Speaker, Felix Udebu, disclosed that some of the security personnel withdrawn on

MEMORIAL LECTURE: From left; Gender Officer, NUPENG, Mrs Ngozi Obi; NUPENG Women Committee Leader in Kaduna, Mrs Stella Amako with the chairperson, NUPENG Women Committee Kaduna State, Mrs Hanatu Bako and wife of Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Mrs Ladi Bala Bantex at the memorial lecture in honour of late Comrade Fati Bilma Usman in Kaduna. Photo

by Olu Ajayi.

...Deploys 5,000 officers for Benue senatorial re-run

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—BENUE State Police Command, yesterday said it had mobilized and deployed no fewer than 5,000 police men to the Benue South zone, ahead of tomorrow ‘s senatorial rerun election between Senator David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party and Daniel Onjeh, of the All Progressives Congress, APC. State Police Commissioner, Paul Yakadi, who made this known in Makurdi, the state capital, said other sister security agencies would complement the efforts of the Police on election day.

According to him, the force had enough personnel to provide adequate security, before during and after the polls and solicited for the cooperation of stakeholders in the area to ensure a peaceful process.

Gaidam signs N89.9bn 2016 budget into law

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI— GOVERNOR Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State yesterday signed the 2016 budget of N89,932,740,000.00, into law, even as he swore in newly appointed Caretaker Committee Chairmen of all the 17 councils of the state.

D

EPRESSION will be the second deadliest disease by 2020, and the number one killer by 2030, Mr. Lanre Olusola, a psychologist has said.

The psychologist, who spoke on emotional brand master class, at his coaching academy, said based on the recent revelation by the World Health Organisation, WHO, people could take control of their lives, only when they master their emotions.

According to him, ''A depressed person becomes dysfunctional when he/she doesn’t want to eat, bath or do any other thing.

Depression eats at the heart of a C M Y K

The assent on budget followed the passage of proposal he submitted to the House of Assembly on 31st December 2015.

The twin events of the signing budget into law and swearing-in of the caretaker chairmen took place at the WAWA Hall, Government House, Damaturu, Speaking at the signing

ceremony, Gaidam said, even though the country was facing economic challenges, with improvement in the security situation in the state, he was optimistic that the appropriation Bill would be sourced/financed through adequate utilization of the Internally Generated Revenue, apparatus in the state.

DISCOS: Textile union lauds NASS’ stance on new tariff

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

K

ADUNA—NATIONAL Union of Textile,

‘Depression'll be 2nd deadliest disease by 2020' person’s existence, and kills a

By Christopher Njoku

Tuesday were returned to the Speaker ’s residence on Wednesday night.

Vanguard gathered that those security operative were returned to Lawal’s residence on order of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase.

Governor Yahaya Bello has however, distanced himself from the assembly crisis, noting he never interfered in the affairs of the legislature in line with his determination to promote the rule of law and strict adherence to separations of power.

person slowly, which is why the psychologists call it the slow killer.

What they are saying is your emotions kills. There are specific emotions that create specific diseases in people, so you are not a victim to disease, you are a cocreator of disease, depending on the kind of emotions that you harbour.''

He also noted that a workshop will be organised on February 27, 2016 in Lagos on emotional intelligence and branding.

He said the event will focus on, how to use emotions, the power of psychological and emotional branding with a perspective on the future of personal and corporate branding.

Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, yesterday in Kaduna, commended the National Assembly for directing Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Federal Ministry of Power and Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, to suspend the implementation of the 45 per cent increment on electricity tariff and revert to the status quo.

The union in a statement in Kaduna, called on the authorities particularly the NERC, DISCOs and Generation Companies, GENCOs, to obey the legislative order and revert to the old tariff According to the statement

by Issa Aremu, General Secretary, NUTGTWN and Chairman, IndustriALL Global Union, Sub Saharan Africa, stakeholders should also take

the advantage of the proposed public hearing to bring to the fore all the issues dealing with the value chains in the power sector.

While insisting that with the singular exhibition of prompt oversight responsibility the National Assembly had shown the parliament was a vent for public grievances, the union’s statement read in part: “We call on the authorities particularly the generating and distribution companies to obey the legislative order and revert to the old tariff. ''Also we call on the stakeholders to take the advantage of the proposed public hearing to bring to the fore all the issues dealing with the value chains in the power sector. The point cannot be overstated; Nigeria should move from power poverty to power prosperity and the solution lies in increased public investment in generation and distribution.

CAC holds 2-week training for executive officers

A

S an agency of Government, the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, in discharge of its statutory obligations under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 and in response to the call for the fight against corruption, has organised training for its executive officers in Lagos.

The two weeks training by Paramount Global Consult Limited, an international consultancy firm, was focused on the core principles of effective leadership and corporate governance.

According to Mr. Dupe Derby, CEO of Paramount Global Consulting Ltd (UK) “it is now imperative for all senior executives of public institutions in Nigeria to have a thorough understanding of the essentials of effective leadership, corporate governance and workplace ethics and apply these principles in their day to day formulation of policies, processes leading to the desired cultural and socioeconomic development in line with the ethos of the new Nigeria.”

Deaconess Arowolo is dead

D

EACONESS Susanna Adekunte Arowolo (nee Ogundele), of the Arowolo and Ogundele family of Wakajaiye, Gbongan, Ayedaade Local Government Area, of Osun State, is dead, aged 85.

Arowolo’s Christian Wakekeep/Lying-in-State held yesterday at her residence in Oke-Church, opposite St. Matthew Anglican Primary School, Wakajaye, Gbongan, while her Funeral Service holds today at The Apostolic Church, Wakajaye, Gbongan. Her Interment follows immediately at St. Matthew Anglican Primary School Playground, Wakajaye, Gbongan.

Late Deaconess Arowolo

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

VISIT: From left— Mrs Tourism United Nations World 2015, Ebelechukwu Enemchukwu; her Personal Assistant, Ifeoma Eze; PR Executive Silverbullet, John Okoro, and Publisher ATQ News.com, Ikechi Uko, during Mrs Tourism's to ATQ Magazine in Lagos.

MEDVIEW: From left— Head of Engineering, Mr. Lookman Animashaun; MD, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, both of Medview Airline, and Director of Sales, Air Atlanta, Mr. Magnus Asgeirsson, during the signing of aircraft B747 400 agreement between Medview and Air Atlanta in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

VIVIAN FOWLER: From left— Director, Mrs Olufunke Fowler-Amba; Miss Kigibola Charles-Ambaiowei, student; Mr. Segun Dada, guest speaker; Miss Olamide Akinyemi, student, and Marketing Mgr, DIFC/guest speaker, Mr. Ray Halpin, all of Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, at its Annual Continuing Education and Counselling Fair in Lagos. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

GRADUATION: From left— Pastor Friday Hanson, Evangelist Mercy Emmanuel and Lt.-Col. Joseph Akpan, all doctorate degree graduands of Light of the World Bible College and Theological Seminary, during its 7th matriculation and graduation ceremony at The Holy Church of Zion Mission, Ikate, Surulere, Lagos.

MAMADOR PROMO: From left— Marketing Manager, PZ Wilmar, Mrs. Bukky Bandele; Brand Manager, Mamador Cooking Oil, Mrs. Toyin Popoola-Dania; a star prize winner Hyundai Accent in Mamador Cook & Cruise promo, Mrs Gladys Ogboma, and Regional Sales Manager, PZ Wilmar, Amit Mishra, at the prize presentation in Port Harcourt.

CSR: From left— Chairman, Total Health Trust Ltd, Dr. Ladi Awosika, presenting gifts to one of the pupils of Ojuwoye Community Primary School, Mushin, and his mother as part of corporate social responsibilty in Lagos.

ORIJIN: From left— Brand Manager, Orijin, Gbemileke Otun; Director, Lager & RTD Portfolio, Eyitemi Taire, both of Guiness Nigeria Plc; Orijin Brand Ambassador, Reminisce, and his Business Manager, Ibrahim Okulaja, during Reminisce's contract renewal, in Lagos.

POWER BITTERS: From left— Group Managing Director, Sona Group, Mr. Ajai Musaddi; CEO, Emma Ogbata and Sons, Mr. Emma Ogbata; Managing Director, S. L. Abiodun and Son, Alhaja Nimota Saka, and Group Chief Operating Officer, Sona Group, Mr. Ashok Manghnani, at the unveiling of Power Bitters drink by Euro Global Foods and Distilleries in Ota, Ogun State. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—37

SAS’ sizzling story THE new national chairman of the PDP has run an eventful political course that his supporters claim puts him in good stead to frontally confront the APC.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

I

S it a script gone awry? The emergence of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, SAS, as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was envisaged by associates of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his allies among PDP governors to be the energiser to force the party back to reckoning.

The inner camp of the former president working along with some believed that the party needed somebody with grit and gutter instincts to lead it at this time against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Political bulldozer Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, who had showed such streak in his recent assertions against the Muhammadu Buhari administration and appeared to some as the better for it, reportedly was at the head of the initiative that forced Sheriff as the new national chairman.

SAS, as he is popularly known among the political class, had won a reputation as a political bulldozer stretching back to his first political outing in the Third Republic.

As a young politician, he won national acclaim at that time when in the contest for the Borno Central Senatorial district, he defeated Kolo Kingibe, the wife of the popular national chairman

of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, for the Senate seat. He was to win the same seat on the platform of the United Nigeria Congress Party, UNCP, in 1998 during the ill-fated democracy transition of late Gen. Sani Abacha and again in 1999 at the advent of the Fourth Republic on the platform of the All Peoples Party, APP. In the Senate between 1999 and 2003, SAS’s deft politicking and capacity for conspiracy came to national renown when he clubbed around with other minority senators, notably, the late Senator Mamman Ali to depose the famed Senator Usman Al-bashir as Senate Minority Leader.

Whether he really projected the interests of the minority parties was an issue for stakeholders especially given his chummy relationships with vested interests in the majority PDP. Using the platform of his office as minority leader, SAS following the ousting of Al-bashir was also preparing himself for the 2003 governorship contest.

Many saw it is a difficult challenge, but not for a deals man like SAS. He successfully took the ticket of the APP from the incumbent governor, Mala Kachalla and also defeated him in the main election when the governor defected to the Alliance for Democracy, AD. Sheriff’s role in the decimation of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, remains largely unknown but what is known is that between 2003 and 2007 his

•Sheriff: Can he lead the PDP? party largely fell into lethargy and factions at the national level even while he and a few selected governors consolidated politically in their states.

It thus became an issue in 2007 as he sought re-election that the famed political godson of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Kasshim Imam emerged as the governorship candidate of the PDP to confront SAS. By most accounts, the 2007 elections were the most rigged in the Fourth Republic and the PDP it seemed had pencilled down some states for takeover by hook or crook. The overbearing influence of the PDP was manifested in states like Imo and Rivers. In Imo state, the party disowned its candidate, Ifeanyi Ararume and allowed in the more biddable candidate of the Peoples Progressive Alliance, PPA, Ikedi Ohakim. In Rivers the party dismissed the outcome

SAS as he is popularly known among the political class had won a reputation as a political bulldozer stretching back to his first political outing in the Third Republic

of the primaries won by Rotimi Amaechi supposedly because of a K-leg and allowed Celestine Omehia.

Associates of Alhaji Imam, the PDP candidate had also hoped for the help of state apparatus in seeing off SAS in the 2007 election. Imam had well proved himself as a political errand boy for Obasanjo especially in the National Assembly.

However, they did not reckon with the extensive tentacles of SAS within the inner caucus of the Obasanjo political family.

That was demonstrated by his known support for the third term.

Relationship with Obasanjo Whereas Imam drew his relationship with Obasanjo from the Fourth Republic, SAS drew his relationship with Obasanjo from childhood given his father’s business dealings with the Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo military administration. “SAS was like a part of the Obasanjo household and had grown up seeing Obasanjo as a godfather who was his father’s benefactor given the extensive construction works the senior Sheriff did for the military,” a source disclosed.

“So while Kashim did his plots ahead of 2007 to put SAS in trouble, SAS easily got wind of such plans through his family relationship with Obasanjo and it was not difficult that plans to use the security agencies easily scattered,” the source further articulated. SAS's easy road to re-

election inevitably caused a breach in the relationship between Kashim and Obasanjo and it was not too long that Kashim was forced to seek political accommodation with SAS. The 2007 victory also stoked assertions of collaboration between SAS and street urchins he had empowered who subsequently found home with the Boko Haram sect after the election.

However, as his second term wore on, the charming political story of SAS began to fade away.

Was it the absence of Obasanjo from power? No one can really say. But as the 2011 election approached, SAS either overplaying himself or for whatever factors began to lose political bearing.

In the March 2011 election SAS had taken the Borno Central Senatorial ticket of the ANPP for himself given his ineligibility for a third term as governor. For the first time since 1991, the seat which SAS had either won for himself or placed a lackey was taken from him as he was soundly defeated in the election even as an incumbent governor.

He, however, recovered himself to push through an anointed successor in the person of Kashim Shettima.

Following that, he emerged as the Board of Trustees, BoT of the ANPP in 2012 and became an active participant in the collapse of the party into the All Progressives Congress, APC. For a man used to bestriding the political stage as a king, it was not too long that playing second fiddle to the likes of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu turned into an issue for SAS. Senior APC figures alluded to fears and it was not too long just before the concretisation of the merger that SAS eased himself out with his defection to the PDP. When he returned to Maiduguri for the first time in years in 2014 the Goodluck Jonathan administration opened the airport hitherto closed to civilian traffic for him. A seemingly triumphant SAS boasted that he would chase out his former political godson, Governor Kashim Shettima out of the Government House.

Alas, the election came Shettima undoubtedly ridding on the coattails of Muhammadu Buhari and his own achievements rubbished the SAS political legacy. In the end, the PDP won no elective office in Borno State.

It was against the background of the seemingly fading SAS mystique that many were bemused with the decision of the PDP kingmakers to pick the former governor as the new national chairman. But as a party source disclosed, the party has decided to go for broke using the hardened political fighter.

38—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief & Gabriel Ewepu IGERIA is regarded as the giant of Africa but those of us in Nigeria know that this country is far from where it should be, when compared with other countries that gained independence about the same time with Nigeria. What in your opinion is wrong with Nigeria?

Nigeria’s core fundamental problem is structural. It has to return to operating “true fiscal federalism” as was the case in the First Republic.

The founding fathers of Nigeria, (Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, and others) fought for independence, freedom and justice. In their wisdom, they opted for true fiscal federalism to guarantee these goals for the peoples of Nigeria.

What should be different today is that we cannot return to regional governments because states satisfy better the aspirations of sub-groups within the territory for some kind of limited autonomy/selfdetermination.

N

Critical challenges It is my considered opinion that states need to be increased to 48 or more, with each of the existing six geo-political zones having eight states or more, while Abuja remains the Federal Capital.

Today, Nigeria faces many critical challenges and if they are not sincerely addressed, the challenges will address us because, for too long, we have lived in denial of their existence.

At the core of these challenges is the structure of Nigeria. It is about time “we walk the talk” because no federation of diversities like Nigeria in the world today is run in the strangling centralisation manner that Nigeria is run.

The Federal Government should have reduced functions with responsibility for defence, foreign affairs and any other services, as the states and peoples of Nigeria will determine. States shall exercise the right to explore mineral resources in their territory and pay taxes to the Federal Government.

Dr Kayode Fayemi, present Minister for Solid Minerals Development should therefore involve the states where solid minerals are found in the development of such minerals, as such development should not be left solely to the Federal Government in view of the restructuring we are talking about.

The governments of states with solid minerals ought to show interest in their development, otherwise they will find themselves in similar situation as presently is the case with the oil producing states.

C M Y K

All existing decrees, edicts and laws which militate against engaging and involving states in the development of minerals within their territory should be repealed and expunged forthwith.

What purpose do you think such a structure can serve?

Tension will reduce in the polity because control of the Federal Government will no longer become a “do or die” affair. Also, development shall proceed at the drive and pace of constituent units, which will not be condemned to coming to Abuja ever now and then to pick up allocation money to administer their states.

How can we go about the change that the Muhammadu Buhari administration has promised Nigerians, do you see him implementing the recommendations of the National Conference organized by the Jonathan administration?

Since Gowon to the present time, Nigerians have never ceased talking in conferences about their situation. What has been lacking is “walking the talk”.

Also missing is the vigorous action by civil society, conference attendees, trade unions and media that featured alongside pre-independence conferences by contrast to the laid-back attitude of the same critical sectors towards the post-independence conferences.

Still on fiscal federalism, what is your take on the existing revenue sharing formula between the three tiers of government?

The funds allocation formula of the Nigerian federation should be reviewed in such a way that more money can get to the states and local governments. This is because development is about people and large chunk of the Nigerian peoples are domiciled more in the states and local government areas. The current situation in which the Federal Government takes more than half of the federation revenue cannot serve the wellbeing of the nation and welfare of Nigerians.

In addition, a separate office of the Accountant General of the Federation from that of Accountant General of the Federal Government should be

Nigeria’s core fundamental problem is structural. It has to return to operating true fiscal federalism as was the case in the First Republic

Solution to Nigeria's challenges is absolute restructuring — ENEJERE DR. Emeka Enejere, a political scientist, former university don and Deputy Director for Political Education in the Directorate for Mass Mobilisation for Social and Economic Reconstruction, MAMSER, under the Ibrahim Babangida regime, in this interview said Nigeria’s fundamental problem is political which have been ignored for too long. The nation has not made a determined effort to lay a firm foundation for national cohesion and unity, rather it has spent much time trying to address its economic problem on a foundation resting on quick sand. Excerpts : •Enejere: We must return to fiscal created to ensure equity, greater openness and transparency in the collection and disbursement of the wealth of the federation between the constituent parts.

Talking of corruption, how can it be effectively tackled in this country?

Of course, cleaning out the filth in the system by reducing corrupt practices across board will be necessary and is vitally needed.

But that will be facilitated by the making of laws with clearly speltout harsh, deterrent punishments and a court system in which “incorruptible judges” with an independent cast of mind” predominate.

Corruption fighting agencies should do their job effectively without external control, carry out in-depth investigations, and provide convincing evidence in the prosecution of suspected corrupt persons.

Corruption in the education sector bleeds the country badly, especially as this sector is to provide the polity with human material that will drive Nigeria’s development and progress in a competitive globe.

To become competitive in the 21st century, Nigeria must review and re-design the education curricula of our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

We need to simplify and fasttrack the acquisition of core and relevant knowledge in critical disciplines for future generations of Nigerians in a shorter period of time than it took our present generation to be acquainted and

familiar with them, including teaching them in our local languages.

I agree completely with Nigeria’s Jimanze Ego-Alowes in his latest thought provoking book, Economists as Assassins The Nigerian Collection, that, “We have not domesticated European knowledge, we are still copy artists; you domesticate by innovating and not by learning and applying; you cannot even apply what you have not innovated; to innovate is to have learnt and to have learnt is to innovate.”

Learning and applying The advanced nations of the world today are constantly engaged in comprehensive reconceptualisation and redesigning of new universities and centres of research and innovation. They also learn in their own languages.

Our tertiary institutions must become platforms for knowledge production and innovation that is critical to our well-being and competitiveness for that is the only way, they can serve and fulfil the function for which they were created in Nigeria.

Most people see education as a means for getting out of poverty; does that have any implication in our society with respect to corruption?

With respect to the intention of God and nature, talents and gifts are to be used for public good and not for self aggrandisement.

We know that knowledge power is critical to growing national power. Education is key to the development of all the powers that drive national power such as technological, industrial, manufacturing, scientific, and other powers.

So when your education system is corrupted and managed by people who see their “certificates”, as a privilege for themselves and not for the benefit of the larger society, you have a big problem. We are in a competitive world where the other peoples are producing things which we aspire to own as luxuries.

The producers of these luxuries are our mates in their colleges and graduate programmes. But we have nothing to show despite acquiring big certificates. In Nigeria, we have several generations that have gone through secondary and tertiary education.

The way the earlier generation were taught chemistry, physics, mathematics and other critical subjects is the same way they teach it today even after 50 years of independence.

The question to ask is, if our children and grandchildren are going to compete globally, is there no way of fast-tracking their knowledge of science, technology and all the things that matter in modern society, so that they would not wait for the length of time our generation waited to grasp these disciplines?

Furthermore, is there much difficulty in reconsidering and

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—39

federalism redesigning curricula in our education system so we can teach all these things at all levels?

It is an eye sore watching vicechancellors and professors of Nigerian universities recruited by INEC serving as Returning Officers to merely add up figures on prime television that have been collated from constituency wards and may have been fabricated or doctored along the process, merely to give legitimacy and veracity to our elections.

That is a colossal waste of manpower and some would say, “419 in action paid for with state funds”.

Do you agree with the view that Nigeria has not been fortunate to have good leaders that could provide good governance in the country?

The problem of good leadership has been a thorn in Nigeria’s flesh. Good governance in the key sectors of public institutions, including our education system has become an increasingly endangered specie, while executive impunity, like a bull in a China Shop running amok, unchecked everywhere. It is a self-evident truth that throughout human history, national progress has been driven by honest, focused, dedicated leadership and that national power, driven by knowledge power, in turn drives skill acquisition, manpower development, industrial-technologicalmanufacturing power, social integration-cum-cohesion, value

orientation and reorientation.

A l s o , because of h u m a n frailties, limitations and shortcomings, mankind, through its history, has developed acceptable principles and practices w h i c h moderate excesses in t h e i r interactions a n d engagement.

T h e s e principles and practices include justice, fairness, e q u i t y, division of labour, checkand-balance system, separation of powers, due process, accountability, openness, transparency, dialogue, rule of law, representation, participatory democracy, et cetera.

In addition to guiding human society in moderating conflicts of interest, these principles have also ensured social stability and progress. They equally guarantee that organs of government work in synergy to achieve the goals of society.

Without the principles, life will return to a state of nature of “War of all against all” and will be “brutish, short and nasty.”

Flowing from that, how would you assess the Nigerian political elite?

When political elites are irresponsible, a people and society suffer. After 50 odd years of gaining political independence from Britain, we have ourselves to blame for our present quagmire. I am increasingly driven to the view that the major reason, Nigeria’s case has been pathetic if not a

The changes and reforms Nigeria require would need a well-organized social movement and a sustained struggle by the peoples of Nigeria to bring it about

“basket case” is because a majority of “certificatededucated” Nigerians instead of fulfilling the role of “the talented tenth” for our country, conduct themselves as privileged persons that society must reward for their talents.

We must rise above our stomachs. The elite forget that talents, public positions et cetera are “gifts” from God to be used for a purpose, which is public good and not solely for selfserving agenda. This seems to have been the main driver of corrupt practices, alongside greed, covetousness and the lack of fear of God that most of us claim to worship.

To what extent would you say that value orientation of Nigerians has a bearing on national development?

Conscious and determined effort should be made by Federal Government to promote “nationfeeling” and protect citizenship rights throughout Nigeria.

We need to consciously create a “ we-feeling” among the peoples of our country.

MAMSER did a marvellous job identifying political, social and other values to drive this effort in a number of its publications; in particular, it’s Political Education Manual.

The contents of MAMSER work, with improvements here and there, can provide the country with new curricula for civics education through our primary, secondary and tertiary education sub-sectors.

A culture for respect of the principle of separation of powers must be enthroned at all levels of governance.

The independence of the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive must be assured and practised in both substance and processes.

T h e legislature must perform its function of lawmaking, not passing of resolution, and carry out effective oversight and not become an “errand boy” of the executive.

Lawmaking is to serve as the lever for the promotion of social change.

It will not be out of place if the legislature can also do us a patriotic act by voluntarily reducing its frivolous allowances in the larger interest of the

nation.

All governance shall be conducted under rule of law and in the overall interest of the people. The changes and reforms Nigeria require would need a well-organized social movement and a sustained struggle by the peoples of Nigeria to bring it about.

A major problem of the Nigerian nation state is the level of impunity of our leaders at all levels. What can be done to end this ugly situation?

The impunity at all “executive” levels of institutions in our various sectors, if not reined in will compound our corruption problem. In our time we have seen and with our “korokoro eye” the Federation of Yugoslavia disentangle, dissolve and disappear.

Obsessive acquisition Delay in addressing our problems could threaten the future existence of the entity called Nigeria. Nigerians should prioritise now on the basis of importance, what problems to address.

The Nigerian peoples, through their civil society organisations, must be prepared and ready to defend their interests, going forward; for that is the surest guarantee that accountability, good governance shall be delivered in our time and for future generations of Nigerians.

Delay is dangerous because it continues to postpone the actualisation of Nigeria’s destiny as well as “African and Black possibilities” in our world that

Nigeria is expected to propel and catalyse.

We readily parrot or ad-lib the aphorism:”to whom much is given, much is expected”, while our wrong understanding of and perspective on life, predispose many of us to focus on obsessive acquisition of wealth and material things, totally oblivious of the fact that good living does not consist solely in the abundance of material things that one flaunts.

We steal public funds under our care to acquire luxuries made and produced in other more serious and better organized countries through the knowledge of our counterparts in those climes. It is about time we put on our thinking caps, feel ashamed of ourselves and get our acts together.

The place to start is to humble ourselves and acknowledgecum-recognize that there is nothing special about whatever titles we bear or material wealth and worldly possessions we have; that every day we go to bed, we lose some degree of consciousness; and that if we wake up, it is not our own doing.

It is a bonus, gratis donated to us; that even the most “powerful” living human being in contemporary world (by human standards), that is, the American President is not exempt from this occasional loss of consciousness like all human beings.

Power is ephemeral and all possessions are vanity upon vanity. All the more reason, we must conduct ourselves in any position of responsibility or authority with exceptional humility.

C M Y K

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

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SHEDRACK—I, formerly known and addressed as Shedrack Funmilayo Ruth, now wish to be known and addressed as Ganiyu Funmilayo Ruth. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

O B I G H O — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoye Queen Obigho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omoye Queen Otoide. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I hereby state that my correct name is Ajara Taofeek Anike, and not Ajara Taofik Anike. All forrmer documents remain valid. General public please take

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—41

Vanguard CLASSIFIED ONAOLAPO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ariyike Mopelola Onaolapo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ariyike Ola-Daramola.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OMOKHUA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Judith Enimien Omokhua, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Judith Enimien Ozegbe. All former documents remain valid. NMCN and general public please take note.

EGUAKUN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Esther Osamuyi Eguakun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Osamuyi Efe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AW O F O D U — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss A w o f o d u Olufunmilayo Folake, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. F a g b o h u n Olufunmilayo Folake.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BLESSING—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss O b i a n u g b a Ngozichukwuka Blessing, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. E g w u o n w u Ngozichukwuka Blessing. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SONIA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogboru Afokeoghene Sonia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. A m e r h o v w e Afokeoghene Sonia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

LILIAN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lilian Akpovwovwo Okuse, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lilian Akpovwovwo Ebinum. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

HOPE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aniefuna Hope Uzoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinemelu Uzoma Hope. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OVOKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ovoke Bunmi Azekewho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ovoke Bunmi Iruaga.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IYARE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nancy Morgan Iyare, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nancy Igbineweka Egbon. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UKAIGWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogechi Grace Ukaigwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogechi Grace Ile. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EKAPONG—I, formerly known and addressed as Ekapong Ekpo Bassey, now wish to be known and addressed as Effiong Ekpo Bassey. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EKPA—I, formerly known and addressed as Ekpa Barry Dick, now wish to be known and addressed as Barianemedum. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AJAYI—I, formerly known and addressed as Ayodele Olaseni Ajayi, now wish to be known and addressed as Ayodele Olaseni Opesanwo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

GRACE—I, formerly known and addressed as Grace Ayenor, now wish to be known and addressed as Grace Jolomi Tatie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

PRAISE—I, formerly known and addressed as Iwara Daniel Praise, now wish to be known and addressed as Iwara Daniel Abam.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A F U E C H E TA — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogochukwu Veronica Afuecheta, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogochukwu Veronica Onyegbula. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

JAIYEOLA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Etana Joy Jaiyeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Etana Joy Olotu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGUBUIKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agubuike Francisca Ositadinma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Samuel Francisca Ositadinma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BLESSING—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Teina Ugedi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rita Tomaye Ugedi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that Divine Apiyanteide and Ibimina Apiyanteide refer to one and the same person, henceforth wish to be known and addressed as Ibimina Apiyanteide.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Julie Kpanmi Ike, now wish to be known and addressed as Julie Kpanmi Onochie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGOCHUKWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Assumpta Obianuju Ugochukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Assumpta Obianuju Okwuike. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that Mustapha Love Enitan and Ademola Owolabi Enitan refer to one and the same person, henceforth wish to be known and addressed as Mustapha Love Enitan. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MICHAEL—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Michael Eremiepre, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eremiepre Ebiakpo Raphael Garrrie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SAMBO —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abhokasi Grace Sambo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Grace Godwin. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OYA D O N G H A — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyadongha Desire Selekumo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ebikorogha Tariebi Selekumo Desire. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGIDI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Karipiri Sapa Agidi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Karipiri Esido Yidougha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANUGWEJE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Vivian Anugweje, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amarachi Vivian Egemba. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKAFOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Ngozichukwu Tobechukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. A n u m u d u Ngozichukwu Tobechukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DANIEL—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibinabo Daniel, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ibinabo Odo Peter. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UGOCHUKWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ugochukwu Theodora Echezona, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dike Theodora Echezona. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

BALOGUN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Balogun Louisa Queen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Queen Louisa Inimoye Zibima. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

M E M B E R — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Member Stephanie Iselekumo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onini Stephanie Iselekumo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name I, Tuzimo Silas Festus Pinaowei do hereby confirm that the name Silas Festus Pinaowei refer to one and same me. All former document remain valid. UBA Plc and general public please take note.

JINADU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rebecca Temitope Jinadu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rebecca Temitope Ajibade All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

E M E C H E TA — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Chikaodi L. Emecheta, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chika Louimarie Daniel. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONYEAMA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyeama Juliet Ijeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwafor Juliet Ijeoma. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

AMADI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amadi Martina Ijeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Osuala Martina Ijeoma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UZOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzor Ugochi Chimara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iwuanyanwu Ugochi Chimara. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

M O M O H — I , formerly known as Miss Momoh Emoshioke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ikhayere Emoshioke.

All former documents remain valid.

Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma, NYSC and general public please take note.

ESSIEN—I, formerly known as Miss Essien Aniekan Abasi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Aniekan-Abasi Esijemide Dore Owumi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

42—Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

Vanguard CLASSIFIED EZE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eze Joanas C., now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uwakwe Joaness Chioma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name

This is to certify that the names Miss Ezeamaku Nwamaka Alfreda, Gabriel Nwamaka Alfreda and Ifebi Nwamaka Alfreda, refer to one and the same person but wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifebi Nwamaka Alfreda. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWABUNWANNE— I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Ejimadu Azubuike Nwabunwanne, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Ejimadu Azubuike Victor. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONOVUAKPOR—I formerly known and addressed as Miss E l i z a b e t h Onovuakpor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Elizabeth Isagba. All ormer documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TEFUE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Gladys Tefue, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gladys Okiki. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OHARISI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eloho Christabel Oharisi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eloho Christabel Evuetapha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ERHABOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Erhabor Adesuwa Theresa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adesuwa Theresa Nosakhare. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ENYI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mercy Ukam Enyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mercy Emmanuel Bassey. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

S AT U R DAY — I , formerly known and addressed as Saturday Oputu, now wish to be known and addressed as Steven Efe Oputu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OLIE—I, formerly

please take note.

ODEGOBE—I, formerly known and addressed as Odegobe Gbade Olugbade, now wish to be known and addressed as Olugbade Odejobi James. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DANJUMA—I, formerly known and addressed as Victoria Danjuma, now wish to be known and addressed as Victoria Hassan. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank, UBA and general public please take note.

ONAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onah Cordilia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Cordilia Peace Osirim.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ELOSIUBA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chioma Elosiuba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chioma Ebikere Ugedi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OMOKO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoko Christiana, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Okpako Christiana. All former documents remain valid, Zenith bank, First bank, Eco bank and general public to take note.

EHON—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ehon Ehinomen Millicent, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ehinomen Millicent Adun. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NKWEKEZE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nkwekeze Hope Anwuri, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Orduchris Hope Anwuri. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OSAKWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Nkem Osakwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Blessing Nkem Onyejose. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

IGWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Igwe Oluebube Peace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amamchukwu Vincent Oluebube Peace. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OZOCHIAMA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ozochiama Deborah Ngozika, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ozochiama-Mamah Ngozika Deborah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TESILIMI—I,

public please take note.

ORUYAI—I, formerly known and addressed as Oruyai Yellow Tuwon, now wish to be known and addressed as Akpe Moses Tuwon. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EYIDE—I, formerly known called and addressed as Miss Doris Ebisan Eyide, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Doris Ebisan Kpogho. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

JINADU —I, formerly known called and addressed as Miss Erica Jinadu, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Erica Etchie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Names This is to confirm that A t s e g o r Oritseweyinmi is the same person as Taghansemito Bridget Oritseweyinmi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Names This is to confirm that the names Owheri Tracy Nino and Oyasi Edirin Tracy refers to one and the same person – me, but I now wish to be known ,called and addressed as Oyasi Edirin Tracy.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONAKOFA—I, formerly known, called and addressed as Miss Dorothy Onakofa, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs Dorothy Etebe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IGHODARO—I, formerly known and addressed as I g h o d a r o Iyengunmwena Promise, now wish to be known , called and addressed as Idehen P r o m i s e Iyengunmwena. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OVIE—I, formerly know and addressed as Ovie Rita Tejiri, now wish to be known and addressed as Okoro Rita Tejiri. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank and general public please take note.

Confirmation of Name These names Simeon Eghubare Onoyoware and Eghubare Simeon is one the same person, now which to be known and addressed as Simeon Eghubare Onoyoware. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UKANWA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. Ukanwa Josephine Ugochi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okupa Josephine Ugochi . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

JAMES—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. James Benedicta Aghogho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akpofure Benedicta Aghogho . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EBOSELE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss.

Efe Angela Ebosele, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Efe Angela Nteyoho . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NEBO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. Amanda Amaka Nebo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amanda Amaka Ayovunefe . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

USIOHEN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss.

Osamudiawe Gloria Usiohen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gloria O. Usman . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OWONYE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. Owonye Joy Oghenefegho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aguara Joy Oghenefegho . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OBI-EGBEDI— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss.

O b i - E g b e d i Oghenerobo Juliet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. S t - M i c h a e l Oghenerobo Juliet. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EREJAHWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss.

Erejahwe Charity Igho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Charity Igho Edafevwotu . All former documents remain valid. Nysc and General public please take note.

EGERT—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. Egert Omoneukarin Eworitse, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eworitse Egert-Edema . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ASHER—I, formerly known and addressed as . Asher Tracy Omawumi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ayeaghanbasor Truth Omawumi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EGBON—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss.

Egbon Sarah Omogiade, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sarah Omonigho Ikhumhen . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OJO —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Margaret Adetola Ojo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Margaret Adetola Ilori.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

formerly known and addressed as Tesilimi Kemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Obi Lisa Kemi. All former documents remain valid. General

known and addressed as Mrs. Vero Olie, now wish to be known and addressed as Vero Owhofasa. All former documents remain valid. General public

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016—43

JOURNEY TO OPOBO:

Vanguard CLASSIFIED AMEWHULE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amewhule Bernice Maureen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Maureen Henry Amaewhule.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EGWIM—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Egwim Egodi Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aina Egodi Grace. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

OKONKWO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogechi Jenneth Okonkwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogechi Jenneth Chidi Ezeh. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NOMUOJA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Gloria Obruche Nomuoja, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gloria Obruche Rotu-Otomi.

All former documents remain valid. Ecobank and general public please take note.

NWULU —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwulu Chika, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chiejine Martin-Israel Chika.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHINEDO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinedo Chidinma Sandra, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aleke Chidinma Sandra. All former documents remain valid. Ministry of Education, Enugu State, ABSU, UNN, NAU, Awka and general public please take note.

N WA F O R — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwafor Patricia Ucha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amadi Patricia Ucha.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONYEKACHI—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Nmakwe Emmanuella Onyekachi, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Diala Emmanuella Onyekachi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluchi Helen Ani, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluchi Helen Omoregie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SOLOMON—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Solomon Gloria Ogbolotuo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Muhammed Gloria Olaniyan. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AMONIEAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Victoria Akraka Sanga Kpokpo Amonieah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sanga G.O. Walter. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

E D M O N D — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Edidiong Raphael Edmond, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edidiong Richard Adiamkpo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IJOMAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaobi Vera Ijomah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adaobi Vera Odinaka Ohaeri. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

KOKO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ebiye Winifred Koko, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ebiye Winifred Zakka Usman. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TALATU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Talatu Maryam Isah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mohammed Maryam Isah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UGWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ugwu Nkechi Charity, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Livingstone Nkechi Charity. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ISAAC—I, formerly

public please take note.

UZOIGWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzoigwe Chinyere Edith, now wish to be known and addressed as Barr (Mrs) Okolo Chinyere Edith. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

U Y A N W A — I formerly known and addressed as Miss Uyanwa Hope Ebere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odoh Hope Ebere. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ALIEZE—I, formerly known and addressed as Alieze Peter Solomon, now wish to be known and addressed as Ominyi Peter Solomon. All formal documents remain valid. Ecobank and general public please take note.

OTUU—I, formerly

public please take note.

OSUAGWU—I, formerly known and addressed as U c h e c h u k w u Osuagwu Ihedigbo, now wish to be known and addressed as U c h e c h u k w u Osuagwu Ihedigbo.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MBAMALU —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mbamalu Nchedo Catherine, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onwudiegwu Nchedo Catherine. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EKANEM— I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Miriam Ekanem, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Miriam Dominic Paulinus. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

PETER—I, formerly known and addressed as Efemena Agnes Peter, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Efemena Agnes Idogho. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UMUKORO—I, formerly known and addressed as Umukoro Edna, now wish to be known and addressed as Emmanuel Edna.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AW O L O W — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Awolow Onome Mine, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iboye Onome Blessing. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ARUOTU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jane Oke Aruotu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jane Oke Edema. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UMOREN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ekaette George Umoren, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ekaette Miryan John.

All former documents remain valid.

Surveyors Council Of Nigeria (SURCON) and general public please take note.

IBRAHIM—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aishatu Ibrahim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aishatu I. Garba. All former documents remain valid. Voice Of Nigeria (VON) and general public please take note.

B A B AT U N D E — I , formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Babatunde Christiana James, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Ikpi Christiana James. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NYONG—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Genevieve Edet Nyong, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Genevieve Edet Mutu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ISYAKA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Isyaka Hassana, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Yunusa Hassana. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UGWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Ugwu Joe Adiego, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ugochukwu Ugwu J o s e p h i n e Adiegonwanahia (Nee Owusi). All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKIKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Okike Chinwendu N., now wish to be known and addressed as Okike Goodness.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

known and addressed as Otuu Raphael Eze, now wish to be known and

addressed

as

Nnam Raphael Eze. All former documents remain valid. General

known and addressed as Boma Isaac, now wish to be known and addressed as Origbo Boma former

Bright.

All

documents

remain valid. General

Return of a Great Surgeon Continues from page 20 Opobo Kingdom, which comprises coastal communities that were involved in colonial trade and nationalist struggle, has abundant sites and relics to show case to tourists.

Before the spirit of adventure could take over, the visitors joined the procession to the church for yet another funeral service at the St. Paul Church, Opobo Town.

The old church building hugged the waterfront, giving it a serene atmosphere that can only be pleasing to the Almighty Father in his heavenly abode. Here, the worth of the late Prof.

Datubo-Brown was again made manifest as a galaxy of who-is-who in Nigeria gathered to say goodbye to him.

The preacher, Venerable S. T. Ngbete, pitched his sermon on the theme: “The anatomy of the Godless.” He emphasized the need for the enthronement of justice in the affairs of our country, stating that the Almighty Father is a God of justice and righteousness.

He lamented that there was so much wickedness in the world and stressed the need for all men to return to God.

Reconciling the irreconcilable Ven Ngbete decried the sexual perversion that was currently choking the world and subverting the Christian faith, with men marrying men and women marrying their fellow women. He said that some priests who support this perversion seem to be confused as they were often caught in the web of the contradictions that surround gay marriage.

He cited an instance where a priest who was joining two men in marriage got entangled in the mess of reconciling the irreconcilable.

According to him, the priest did not know what to say when it got to the point where he would say: “I declare you man and wife.” “Not knowing how to describe the union, the confused priest said, I declare you Man United”.

The church roared in laughter and Ven. Ngbete reminded the congregation that he did not mean to ridicule the fans of Manchester United in the English Premier league.

44 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

2016 Lagos Intl’ Polo: Zippy, Eleyele win, Goodfellow/ Shoreline out

16 Universities for Adeboye’s 74th Birthday Games N

OT less than 300 students - players, male and female from 16 Nigerian Universities would later this month storm the Redemption camp of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lagos to participate in a sports fiesta which is part of the 74th birthday anniversary of Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

The games (Volley Ball and Futsal competitions), is to run from Monday February 29 to March 5th.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos yesterday to announce the commencement of the Games, the Director of Sports, Redeemer ’s Sports Directorate, RCCG, Paul Bankole, explained that the games, which would be guided by 70 officials, would be sponsored by the Governors of Ondo and Lagos States, Olusegun Mimiko and Akinwumi Ambode, who are the spiritual sons of the RCCG General Overseer.

Bankole, while

defending the choice of Volleyball and Futsal games for the celebration said it is to underscore the the importance of the game of volleyball to the General Overseer, who played and coached the sport while he was at the University.

T

From left 1st Vice President, Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA),. Emeka Ogbu, Director of Sports, Redeemers Sports Directorate, Paul Bankole and scribe NUGA, Bola Orodele at the news briefing on the 74th birthday anniversary games in honour of GO RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye in Lagos.

9,000 schools for 18th Milo Basketball Championships

By Jacob Ajom

A

LL is now set for the 18th Milo Secondary Schools B a s k e t b a l l championships with the state preliminaries billed to dunk off from February 22 through 26.

Announcing this in Lagos yesterday, Managing Director and Chief Executive, Nestle Nigeria, Dhanersh Gordhon said, “This year ’s championship will involve 9,000 secondary schools across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT as we continue the search for that potential

talent that will begin the quest to reach his or her goal in life.”

In the same vain, Olufemi Akintola, Category Manager Nestle Nigeria said, state champions will clash with their counterparts in the zonal stage which begins 21 April to 19 May. According to him, competition in the Western Conference which has Lagos as host, will flag off between April 21 and 27. This will be followed by Central Conference with Ilorin as centre from

Vanguard Pools with Bayo Akinwamide

NAP - 8, 16, 25 Consolation though, as fans celebrated 4/6 ( 20,23,26. / 8,19,27. ).

That was good, considering the smart results, England and Scotland Saturday February13,2016. * Fifth Round English Football Association Cup Saturday February20,2016 are FTDRAWS: Reading vs West Bromwich, Bolton vs Queens Park Rangers, Notts County vs Leyton Orient. <<>> TIPS <<>> NAP:45,17,11,4,3.

NAP:5,9,35.

NAP:2,8,16,25.

NAP:16,35,38.

CUP STACTIC English Football Association Cup 20152016 and the exclusive 4th round, 5th round, 6th round with high TACTIC for giant Jackpot. Simply have CODED-NUMBER added to the DateMatches-Played for a sure draw automatically. Research, modification by Bayo Akkiinwamide.

08035317164.

WEEK29 - 4th Round Football Association Cup, Fixtures Saturday January30,2016 with Coded-Number being2. Therefore, 2+30=32banker.

Checked for Week29 matches played Saturday January30,2016, Napped-32.

WEEK32 - 5th Round English Football Association Cup, Fixtures Saturday February20,2016 with Coded-Number being15. Therefore, 15+20=35banker.

Checked for Week32 matches to be played Saturday February20,2016 to NAP16,35.

TOTTENHAM AWAY EVEN English Football 2015-2016 and TOTTENHAM. Tottenham on Away Game Even-Number, make Jackpot. With the multiplication of 3,2,1 used respectively . Its

position’s as KEY. That KEY made counted by left and right angles its opponent’s for POINT. Have POINT multiplied, as the multiplication made subtracted ‘49’, and fraction at that made subtracted the Date-MatchesPlayed for a sure draw automatically.

Facebook: bayodusports@yahoo.com WEEK04- Fixtures Saturday August8,2015 appeared Tottenham at away game Coupon No.6 tie Manchester United as match. That’s E-U = 5-21= 16point.

Therefore,16x3=48– 49=1 -8=7 banker.

Checked for Week04 matches played Saturday August8,2015, Napped-7.

WEEK 06- Fixtures Saturday August29,2015 appeared Tottenham at away game Coupon No.4 tie Leicester as match.

That’s C-S =319=16point. Therefore, 16x2=32-49=1722=5banker. Checked for Week06 matches played Saturday August22,2015, NAPPED-5.

April 27 to May 4, while the Confluence Conference with Lokoja as host will hold its competition between May 5 and 12.The Equatorial Conference will be hosted by Enugu

Oliseh Continued from back page have now disclosed the Super Eagles coach has put his foot down that his employers do not have a say on the two persons he could employ – an assistant coach and a personal assistant – as contained in the contract he signed.

“Oliseh has asked questions on the reported dismissal of his personal assistant as no reason was given for their decision,” a source informed.

“He has insisted Babangida remains his personal assistant as

Toriola Continued from back page BETOGLO (TOG), in Khartoum, Sudan, Toriola joins table tennis legends Jean-Michel SAIVE (BEL), Jorgen PERSSON (SWE) & Zoran PRIMORAC (CRO) in an elite group of players who have played at seven Olympic Games.

An overwhelmed President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Barrister Enitan Oshodi showered him with plaudits for his gallantry. “I’m very proud of him for his achievements for Nigeria. It is no mean feat to join the elite Club of players who have played in 7 different Olympics. By this record, he is Africa’s only man with such records. It goes with hard work and discipline. We’re indeed proud of him”, Oshodi,

between May 13 and 19.

For the first time in the history of the championship, the national finals will be held outside Lagos and Asaba, Delta State capital is the destination.

HE race to get the top prizes at stake at the ongoing 2016 NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament intensified yesterday as the men are now being separated from boys with Lagos Zippy among the teams that qualified for the knockout stage of the Open Cup. Zippy added Lagos MUK to their list of casualties with a 7 1/2 - 2 scoreline while Ibadan Eleyele beat Kano Seamans 5 - 2 1/2 to also stay on course for the title.

Elegbeleye installed Otunba of Ikareland

F

ORMER Director General of the National Sports Commission Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye will on Saturday be installed as the Otunba of Ikareland by His Royal Highness Oba Akadiri Momoh , the Olukare of Ikareland and the Olukare in Council.

The former legislator who succeeded Chief Patrick Ekeji as the DG of the National Sports Commission was singled out for this honour in recognition of his selfless service to the nation, Ondo State and Ikareland.

long as he has a contract with the NFF.” Another source said: “Oliseh is the real target, but they are now after the soft targets around him like Babangida.”

I n t e r e s t i n g l y, Babangida’s contract is tied to Oliseh’s contract.

The NFF agreed to pay the former international winger 600,000 Naira a month when they engaged Oliseh in July 2015.

However, he has yet to receive a kobo since then, not even when all their coaches were paid a month’s pay in December.

Continued from back page

who brought a rapid transformation of the game in Nigeria, said.

After achieving the amazing feat, the four time All-African Games champion, who made his Olympic debut back at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games told ITTF: “I am very excited about this achievement, I never thought I could be playing a seventh Olympic Games in my career. I am honoured that I made history as the first African to achieve this feat.”

“It was a little difficult for me because I played under a lot of pressure, I was the favourite for this tournament, and I had to be cautious in my games as most of the players wanted to beat me. I ensured I was not too confident in all my matches and play them carefully.”

“I am glad that I made it and I hope now to focus on the preparation for Rio, which is very vital for me!”

be an entirely new coaching crew to now lead the world champions.

It was specially gathered that this week Manu rejected the Eaglets post when he was offered it by the technical committee, who argued he could again repeat the magic of 2013 when the team won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in style in Abu Dhabi.

Manu will later get back to the technical committee to say he has consulted his assistants and he was ready to return to the trenches with the Eaglets.

However, by the time the coach rescinded his decision, the NFF had already contacted other coaches to take up the posts.

“Manu will not be the coach of the Golden Eaglets after he first turned down the job. He later had a rethink, but by then it was too late as other coaches had been contacted for the same position,” a top NFF official disclosed.

Garba

Vanguard, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 , 2016 — 45

46 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 , 2016

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 —47 in the 1977 Africa Cup mmediately I saw Arthur Winners semi-final tie Egbunam I remembered with IICC Shooting Stars. his 1979 story that has Odegbami was a thriller at not been written till date. the wings and Ogbuodudu He had left Enugu Rangers marked him well. Fans with Okey Isima and sang songs with his name.

Humphrey Okechukwu and He became an instant the trio joined Standard of Jos. hero for marking out Remember that transfers were Odegbami. Rangers went not common in those days on to win the Cup. when the Nigerian league I thank them all for the enjoyed the kind of honour. Special thanks to followership we now associate Sylvanus Okpala, who was with the English Premiership. so good in Portugal that To Rangers fans, the transfer late Rashidi Yekini told me of their stars was that years after Okpala left unbelievable. And they Portugal fans still talked expressed themselves the day about him. He excelled that Standard were at Nsukka playing for Moritimo, to play Rangers. Enugu Uniao and when he was Stadium, Rangers home injured at Nacional they ground, was undergoing offered him a coaching job repairs. Fans laid siege to because of his brilliance.

Premier Hotel where He preferred to return Standard lodged. home. He is a brilliant Late popular musician, coach. When Maigari Oliver De Coque, was in disengaged him as Nsukka to play and at the Stephen Keshi’s assistant same hotel. When he saw a we all saw of what became crowd of people outside the of the team, Super Eagles. hotel, he first thought he was The presence of these the attraction until he noticed superstars of Nigerian that the fans were sending football in my village emissaries to room 202 and really meant a lot to our not his room 203. Arthur and family. My late brother Isima were in room 202. The must be happy where he fans were there to plead that From left, Harrison Okagbue, Arthur Egbunam, Sylvanus Okpala, Francis Nwosu(German War), Stanley is. Chukwu and his team they return to Rangers. And Okoronkwo, Little Ben Anibueze, Ikenna Obu, Christian Chukwu, Dr. Johny Egbonu, Mike Ogbuodudu. Fancy were also delighted to after the match more fans Ewulu is 3rd from right. meet their senior in my besieged Premier hotel. To football whose presence thawed uncle, Ben Anibeze fondly them, Arthur and Isima, once my heart. Chairman Christian called Little Ben when he brilliant stars of Rangers, had Chukwu led the team that had Dr. played for the Railways committed an abomination.

Johny Egbonu, Stanley and the national team long They had betrayed the Igbo Okoronkwo, Michael before them. man and damaged the only Ogbuodudu, Francis Nwosu alias Little Ben was later to be thing that gave a befitting German War, Harrison Okagbue, chairman of Enugu name to their identity. former national team coach of Rangers and Chukwu led Rangers was the name of Uganda, Quick Silver Sylvanus the stars to greet him at his Biafra’s guerrilla group Okpala, Godwin Nosike, Fancy stand where the Igwes sat. during the Nigerian civil war.

Ewulu. There were also My village had never It was a deadly group that Bartholomew Izozuru, Collins seen such array of stars caused nightmares to the Udeh, Onumonu Aparadede, and I lack words to federal troops, sneaking into Christian Kubah, Napoleon describe how grateful our their camps to main and kill.

Handsome and the current family is to these great They were guerrilla fighters. From left, Francis Nwosu, Godwin Nosike, Onochie Anibeze, Johny spokesman of Enugu Rangers, men. Commissioner for And when the war ended, the Egbonu, Sylvanus Okpala, Christian Chukwu, Ikenna Obu, Professor Foster Chime.

Local Government easterners named their Chike Anibeze and Mike Ogbuodudu.

They came in a Rangers Bus Matters, Chijioke Edeoga, football team Rangers. and added colour to the burial Onyebuchi Abia and Sola Popo manned the was there. So was former Rangers were, therefore, more ceremony.

Later, Louis Igwilo, the full back positions. Musa and Achampong Commissioner for Special than a football team to the commander of Super Eagles midfield in his were in the central defence while James Neto, Duties, Emeka Ugwuokpa.

Igbo man. It was a movement time came. It was amazing. Ex-Rangers another Ghanaian in the team, played from Current Deputy Governor that gave them identity, that players have a strong union that keeps them the right flanks. Kola Adejide was on the left of Enugu State, Cecelia boosted their ego deflated by together.

Only last year, they held their while Bala Ali was the central striker. It was Ezeilo was also there. the war defeat. It was convention in Atlanta, USA. They always an average squad but with strong character.

Chris Orji came with the therefore very exciting to the attend weddings and other functions as a However, they were no where in the class of Okwomma group whose Igbo man that Rangers team. They are still united in retirement. I Rangers. But that day in Nsukka, the former gongs charged up the became a hit on formation in did not play for Rangers and I couldn’t Rangers boys in Arthur Egbunam, Isima and atmosphere. Chief Ben 1970, winning the league in imagine the honour, last Friday. Okagbue, Okechukwu played as if they were possessed Ezeibe, the tennis buff also 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982 as usual, thrilled all with his dance steps and the story was a shocking 2-0 defeat of surprised us. He read the and 1984 and five Challenge when the sound of the gongs charged the almighty Rangers that had Emmanuel Okala tribute I wrote in Cup victories. atmosphere.

Interestingly, Okagbue gave me in goal, and the likes of Christian Chukwu, Vanguard that Friday, In fact, they dominated the chance to be noticed in football. Rangers Amaechi Igwobi, Paulinus Ezike, Michael Nigerian football with IICC February 12 and dashed to had come for training at Enugu campus of Ochiagha, Adokiye Amiesimeka and Shooting Stars and Bendel my village. Louis Amoke, University of Nigeria and somehow, they Chimezia Ngadi in the line up. It was a Insurance. Rangers lifted the the Special Adviser to were not complete.

Mmimi, as Okagbue is shocker.

Igbo man. It became their governor Ugwuanyi on fondly called beckoned me to complete them.

Arthur Egbunam’s father worked in Enugu pride. media was there too.

I was among the players who left the field to Sports Council at the time. He was transferred So, you can imagine the There were many friends give way to Rangers for their training. Mmimi to Onitsha and he went to work from his outrage when Arthur of my brother, Professor had seen me play a few times and among home, Obosi. That appeared not to be enough Egbunam laid superb assists Chike Anibeze. Space may the young players around he called me to punishment and he was further transferred that saw Bala Ali firing the first not allow me to mention complete the team. That chance to train with to Abakaliki. I wouldn’t know if it was a mere goal for Standard and all of them. But special Rangers, to me then, was like playing for coincidence that his transfer came Humphrey Okechukwu thanks to Johny Nigeria.

In one move that I blocked Aloysius immediately his son led a Jos team to beat sealing victory for the Jos side Adimkpaya, Emma Eneoli Atuegbu, known for his physical attributes, Rangers at home. But there was a campaign in the league cracker that and Tony Igboji.

When I he fell to the ground, their coach Mathew for the trio to return to Rangers. That’s the ended 0-2 in favour of the told Tony Ubani, our sports Atuegbu yelled “Ebe ka onye nka sikwe bia” untold story of Arthur Egbunam’s father. visitors. Okey Isima played in editor how successful the (Where did this one come from?). Mmimi was Last Friday, February 12, Arthur Egbunam the defensive midfield or what burial was and the array of a fine central defender and now a fine MC was among the array of stars that visited my was called 4, Humphrey stars that attended, he said whose jokes entertain people at events. My village in Aguobu-Owa in Ezeagu Local Okechukwu 8 and Arthur in “part two of the tribute brother’s burial brought them to my village.

Government Area of Enugu State for the burial jersey number 10. They must be written”. And I asked Mike Ogbuodudu about Segun of my elder brother, Thomas Anibeze. tormented Rangers and were here we are. Manpass, my Odegbami. He just smiled. I did not expect Immediately I saw him, I remembered his a real delight to watch in the late brother, is really an answer. He became a national star for father ’s story. midfield. Tunde Adedara was resting in peace. superbly checking the forays of Odegbami There were many big names in Nigerian in goal for Standard,

I

Day Chukwu, Okpala, Egbonu led Rangers to my village •The untold story of Arthur Egbunam

Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

Toriola makes history, qualifies for 7th Olympics *Oshodi praises him

By Tony Ubani

N

IGERIA’s Segun Toriola has shot himself into the record books by becoming the first African to play in seven Olympic Games in any sport by picking a

ticket to represent Nigeria at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

This uncommon record has also catapulted Toriola to the exclusive “7 Club” , the elite group of players who have played at seven Olympic

Games.

With the 41-year-old’s 11-7, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 win over Mawussi AG Continues on Page 44

*INSEPARABLE: Oliseh (r) sticks with Babangida.

Babangida’s sack:

Oliseh dares NFF *Insists Babangida’s part of his contract

S

UPER Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh is set for another slug-out with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after he insisted Tijjani Babangida remains his personal assistant and has not been sacked.

This week, the NFF have issued a final warning to Oliseh to keep his cool after his recent “YouTube rantings”.

However, top sources

C

*Garba

Continues on Page 44 *HISTORY MAKER... Segun Toriola

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

Garba loses Eaglets job OACH Manu Garba will not head the Nigeria U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, after he initially rejected the post.

And his rejection has meant it will most likely Continues on Page 44

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Avarice (5) 5 Method (6) 8 Elbow (5) 10 Sofa (6) 11 Parched (4) 14 Tell (6) 15 Shortage (7) 18 Tankard (3) 19 Fish (3) 21 Remainder (4) 23 Skirmish (5) 24 Minus (4) 27 Fellow (3) 29 Gratuity (3) 31 Denied (7) 32 Staggered (6) 34 Fruit (4) 35 Coma (6) 38 Yearned (5) 39 Aristocracy (6) 40 God (5)

DOWN 2 Regret (3) 3 Involve (6) 4 Owing (3) 5 Scorch (4) 6 Seaman (6) 7 Demure (6) 9 Determined (7) 12 Material (3) 13 Fruit (4) 16 Relax (4) 17 Claw (5) 20 Under (7) 22 Secure (4) 24 Enticing (6) 25 Pace (4) 26 Noiseless (6) 28 Show (6) 30 Vegetable (3) 33 Cart (4) 36 Colour (3) 37 Sever (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1 Aviary 5, Beat 8, Piled 9, Rid 10, Dial 11, Life 12, Limit 13, Locker 16, Mere 18, Vast 20, End 22, Van 23, Elk 24, Late 25, Once 28, Enrage 30, Tooth 32, Emit 33, Iota 34, Ice 35, Meant 36, Seed 37, Penned.

DOWN: 1, Airily 2, Indecent 3, Redeem 4, Diligent 5, Believe 6, Editor 7, Teem 8, Pal 14, Revolting 15, Ask 17, Ran 19, Alsatian 20, Eat 21, Devoted 26, Engage 27, Defend 29, Mess 30, Time 31, Hot.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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