E.K Clark Explodes " I warned Jonathan about Obasanjo" by Vanguard Media Limited

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CAMPAIGN FUNDING

APC targets N50billion •N10billion expected from the public •To raise N30billion from govs, lawmakers

BY LEKAN BILESANMI

ollowing the postponement of the general elections and faced with difficulty of campaign funding, the All Progressives Congress, APC, is set to raise N10billion from the general public through direct contribution. Another N40billion will come from donations and contributions from the party’s elected members including state governors to take the money being shopped for to N50 billion. According to a source close to the APC hierarchy, the party, for a while, had been facing financial challenges arising from the shift in elections and issues with banks handling its campaign scratch cards. Until its pact with the banks hit the rocks, it was agreed that 15% each would go to the GSM operators , the Buhari Support Organisation, and the company that initiated the idea, while the remaining 55% is for the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation. However, the banks, the source said, are reluctant to remit the money. At a meeting in Abuja of the APC hierarchy including some party EXCO members, some state chairmen, gubernatorial candidates and the presidential candidate, General Muhammed Buhari, it was decided, according

to the source, that the party, with the window of opportunity provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should raise N10b from the general public. The APC, the source said, is targeting another N10 billion from donations, while another N30 billion is to be raised from within the party made up of donations from state governors on the platform of the party, members in the National Assembly and

state Houses of Assembly to make up a targeted N50 billion at the end of the day. According to her, the APC intends to use the method of distributing between five and ten thousand padlocked boxes (suitcases) a cross the

wards and LGAs nationwide. The party had, on the heels of the postponement, alleged that it was aimed at straining it financially to the advantage of the PDP.

Oyo State Labour Party governorship candidate,Otunba Adebayo AlaoAkala, and his deputy, Alhaji Sarafadeen Ali, campaigning yesterday at Iwo Road, Isopako in Egbeda local government.

Fleeing Boko Haram fighters drown in Lake Chad BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

undreds of Boko Haram fighters, fleeing the heavy air bombardments from Nigerian Air Force fighter jets, have drowned in Lake Chad. This reportedly happened during the air strikes heralding the advance of Nigerian troops on mission to flush them out of Baga, Borno State. Not even the strategy of mining over 1,500 spots with land mines on the routes leading to the town could save the fighters from the aggressive move of advancing troops. Sunday Vanguard was told that during the coordinated air and land

THOUGHT FOR TODAY WRITE DOWN YOUR VISION —7 By Richard Eromonsele

..Yes,success or failure is basically a function of people.In order word whether you will succeed or not depends on your ability to manage the other factors.For example,the lazy man_The lazy man will always have something bad to say about the sunshine.He will also have a lot of excuses against the rainfall.Such a fellow cannot be a candidate for success.The lazy man is like the basket.Just as you cannot fetch water with basket,the lazy man cannot succeed at anything.He cannot think success,he cannot speak success and he cannot act success.So,do not be a lazy man (woman).

•Troops retake Baga, clear 1,500 mines operation, sinister attempts by the fighters to catch the troops unawares with the planting of land mines proved useless as all the mines were cleared one after the other. Nigerian Army recently procured and deployed several counter mines sweeping armoured personnel carriers (APC) and other sophisticated equipment with capability to detect mines planted at 1,000 meters radius. The resistance of the Boko Haram insurgents was said to collapsed and the land forces stormed the town in the early hours of Friday. Baga, which hitherto served as the headquarters of the Joint

Multi-National Task Force, JMNTF, eventually fell to Nigerian military by 2pm yesterday. Many of the fighters died while an unknown but substantial number fled with various degrees of injury, in the encounter along the routes of advance as troops headed for Baga. A statement from the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), signed by Major General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information, said, “Apart from the five anti aircraft guns and the rifles captured from the terrorists, over 34 motorcycles and five vehicles including trucks, being used for operations by the

terrorists, were destroyed in the course of the fighting as troops headed for Baga. “The troops finally began clearing the terrorists from Baga on arrival in the town Saturday morning. “A comprehensive cordon and search phase of military operation has now commenced to enable troops mop up arms and ammunition and also apprehend any terrorist who might be hiding in the vicinity. “The exercise will also determine details of the casualties inflicted or incurred in the course of the operations to clear Baga and environ of terrorists. “Similar exercise is being carried out in

over 12 locations namely Gajigana, Ngaze, Ngenzai, Marte Junction, Mile 90, Yoyo, Kekeno, Kukawa, Cross Kauwa, Kangarwa, Amirari and other localities where troops have flushed out the terrorists in the operations preceding the entry to Baga. “The troops are now dominating and conducting aggressive patrols in the locations. The morale of troops remains high.” It will be recalled that hundreds of Boko Haram fighters, looking to rearm the group attacked Baga early in the year killing people estimated at over 3, 000 by i n t e r n a t i o n a l organizations while the DHQ put the number of dead at about 150 persons.

Jonathan visits Alaafin of Oyo BY OLA AJAYI, Ibadan

resident Goodluck J o n a t h a n , yesterday, held a closeddoor meeting with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III. The closed door meeting was the second such parley. Sometime

last year, the president was in the state to solicit votes ahead of the March 28 poll in which he is seeking re-election. Just like Jonathan asked for the support of the monarch towards his second term in office, Sunday Vanguard learnt that the president told the Alaafin to help him so that he could consolidate on his

present achievements. Oba Adeyemi was, however, said to have been non-commital while responding to the demand but said everything must be done to ensure that peace reigned during the election, saying that only in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility can there be genuine development. Newsmen were not

allowed into the ancient palace as heavily armed soldiers condoned off the school’s premises where the helicopter that brought Jonathan landed and the premises. Some top government officials and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by its Chairman, Adamu Muazu, were in the entourage of the president.

Epileptic power ends soon – Jonathan BY BEN AGANDE, Abuja resident Goodluck P Jonathan has said that the epileptic power

supply in the country would soon come to an end. He stated this in Lagos while commissioning the 220 megawatts rehabilitated gas turbine at Egbin power station. According to the president, his administration’s power sector reforms has started yielding the desired results, noting that since he launched the power sector roadmap in Lagos five years ago, the sector has witnessed remarkable progress with several moribund power stations

and plants being rehabilitated while others are having their capacities boosted. The President expressed excitement that with the recent rehabilitation of the Egbin Power Plant, the station can now contribute 1,320 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. “Very soon, the problem of epileptic power supply will be history in this country. We shall be out of darkness. With the progress we have made, there will be no going back, we must stabilize power in the country”, he stated. “With this rehabilitation, the station has been restored to its full capacity of1,320 megawatts for the first time in the history of

the facility. “Since we launched the roadmap in 2006, I have been encouraged by the

progress we have made. And this is part of our transformational efforts in the power sector”.

Bayelsa community threatens to shutdown oil exploration BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA, Yenagoa

ension heightened, yesterday, in the coastal enclave of Bayelsa following the threat by the Nembe communities to shut down the oil exploration activities in their domain. The area alone produce about 200,000 barrel of crude oil per day. The communities are angry over their alleged exclusion from the proposed sales of the oil

wells, trunk lines and platforms owned by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). It was gathered that the decision to move against the oil exploration activities within the Nembe Kingdom was informed by the refusal of the SPDC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to heed to an earlier call for proper consideration of 20 per cent equity share from the funds that accrued from the sale of the SPDC assets in the area.

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POLLS: APC importing security services uniforms, recruiting thugs, planning to release prisoners – PDP •Allegations baseless –Amaechi BY HENRY UMORU

HEAD of the gener al elections slated for March 28 and April 11, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has alleged that the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, has concluded plans to import security service uniforms and recruit thugs for the polls, just as it said that the deployment of military to safeguard our elections was not new and must continue. Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, the PDP, through its Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, also accused the APC of plotting to release prisoners, especially in Rivers State, to participate in the elections, even as he stressed that the APC was a propaganda freak such that every issue it raises must be propaganda, to malign and blackmail the PDP. In a response, Amaechi described the allegations as “irresponsible, repugnant and contemptuous.” The ruling party claimed the APC was not campaigning to win the election, saying it has started mobilising public opinion in readiness for what it termed, an orchestrated strategy to discredit the result of the election. It added that the APC has com-

menced this line of action with contrived polling results they had bombarded the international and domestic media with even prior to the campaigns claiming that it would defeat the ruling party. Secondus, who noted that the PDP was prepared for the election before the postponement from February 14 and still prepared, said that the party would win the election, just as he said that a vote for the PDP was a vote for continuity. “We alert Nigerians to the seriousness of these plots. While the PDP is making effort to sell its manifesto to Nigerians, the APC is busy perfecting schemes that would derail our democracy. If they don’t win, they are trying to cause disaffection within the security services, inciting one religion against their own country. “But you see the APC is a propaganda freak that on every issue, there must be propaganda in order to malign and blackmail the PDP. It is not correct, rather it is them who are cooking up these stories in order to cause confusion in the country”. He warned the APC against pushing the country crisis that enveloped Nigeria in the past. On APC and deployment of soldiers, he said, “ It isn’t new, it has been done before, soldiers aren’t

L-R: The groom’s father, Aramide Tola Noibi, with Senator Anthony Adefuye, the new couple, Mr. and Mrs. Oluwatosin Noibi, former Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (rtd), and the former Work’s Supervisory Councilor, Somolu Local Government, Hon. Ademola Olisa, at Mr. and Mrs. Oluwatosin Noibi engagement. involved in elections, but they are kept in strategic places to safeguard the nation. Whoever that is afraid of the security provided by the army or the police and want to have their own private army to conduct the election, is the one that wants to throw this country into crisis. Don’t forget that the United States has predicted that there would be no country in 2015, God forbid”. When asked on the Rivers State crisis, Secondus noted that Governor Roti-

mi Amaechi was the problem and alleged that he was sewing uniforms and planning to release prisoners for the election. On Amaechi’s allegation that some pastors were bribed with N6 billion by the PDP, the PDP Deputy National Chairman, who asked the governor to come up with names of those involved, said, “But the other pastors and bishops are asking, name the person who received the money? You don’t make wide allegation. Ameachi, the onus is on him to name

Group urges support for Jonathan, military •Says Boko Haram committing crime

ollowing the com missioning of four naval vessels by President Goodluck Jonathan, the first time in history such a feat is achieved by any administration, Move on Nigeria, group promoting good governance and transformation agenda, has called on Nigerians to rally round the president and the military in the fight against Boko Haram. In a statement released in Abuja, the group’s National Coordinator, Mr. Clem Aguiyi, said: “Nigeria is not at war with Islam, neither is the war against terror a war against the North but principally against people who hide under the cover of religion and politics to commit heinous crimes. We hold every member of the group and their sponsors individually accountable for their actions.” “It does not matter their motives ; be it politics , religion or economics. The most important thing is that Boko Haram members are not ghosts but people committing rape , arson , looting , treason and

mass murder. They threaten the liberty, safety and security of everyone including Christians and Muslims. When reminded that the presidential candidate of APC, Major General Buhari, and some northern elders once resisted military action against Boko Haram by saying it is a war against Islam and the North, Agu-

iyi described such view as irresponsible, misguided and unfortunate . The group leader urged Nigerians to support the re-election of President Jonathan. “President Jonathan is humble, resolute and self-effacing. He is a patriot fighting for all Nigerians on many fronts without making noise. He is misunderstood and misrepresent-

ed but he will not bow and remains the best choice for now; hence we must support him to win a second term in office, he added. “With the support of Nigerians and the new fighting spirit of our armed forces, Boko Haram will be routed. I am optimistic that we shall win the war.”

the person who received it and the bank or where the money is. “But let me tell you, this is aimed at causing confusion in the body of Christ”. Meanwhile, Amaechi said, last night, Secondus “danced naked in the market square as he continued on his grossly irresponsible, repugnant and contemptuous, albeit, feckless mission of denigrating and disparaging the person and office of the Governor of Rivers State and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum(NGF).”

Groups endorse Jonathan, Okowa

ROUPS, Urhobo Youth Awareness and Concerned Urhobos in North America have have endorsed the presidential and governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa with his deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro for the forthcoming general elections. The groups’ national coordinator, Amb. Kenneth Uvwo, who resides in Toronto, Canada, after an

N2million donation for Warri fire victims

eneral Overseer of Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin, has donated two million naira to the victims of the Warri Navy Mammy Market that was gutted by fire last week to cushioned the effect of their loss. Addressing the traders during an on-the-spot assessment of the damage and to commiserate with the victims, Fufeyin condoled with all those who lost property to the fire and encouraged them not to lose hope but to remain stead-

fast in God. The prophet said: “At a time like this, it is easy for the devil to tempt someone with all sort of temptation but keeping hope in God is the surest way to overcoming whatever pain associated with this kind of lost”. Fufeyin claimed in retrospect that some of his earlier pronouncements, televised through the Mercy TV, that people should be careful to avoid fire accident like this and thanked God for sparing the lives of the traders.

He promised to do more for the people in conjunction with the

“Secondus, who has woefully failed the state and its people, shamelessly told a press conference in Abuja that Governor Amaechi is the main problem of the state, amongst other reckless, spurious allegations,” a statement by Rivers State Government House last night said. “This is the same Secondus who, just a couple of years back, hailed Governor Amaechi as the best thing to happen to Rivers State. “Rivers people know that it’s rather Secondus and this PDP cabal that are obviously our problem. They want to return Rivers State and its people to the dark days of the pre – Amaechi. “Contrary to the wild claims of Prince Secondus, Governor Amaechi has never and will never be in alliance with cultists. It is a known fact, nationally and internationally, that when he became Governor in 2007, Amaechi chased away these cultists from Rivers State. Many were arrested and prosecuted. He openly condemned them and their criminal activities that had then ruined the economic, social and political life of the State. How can this same Amaechi now be in bed with the same cultists he condemned, fought, arrested, prosecuted and chased way from Rivers State? That is simply not possible.”

Mercy TV partners and urged the people to use the money judiciously.

elaborate meeting held in Lagos, has said that they decided to throw their weight behind the candidature of Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa after having x-rayed other candidates of other political parties and their antecedents. Uvwo, who described Okowa as a tested and reliable politician, explained that Okowa will experience overwhelming victory at the poll. The groups which said they will soon embark on a door to door campaign across the eight local government areas of Delta Central, urged Chief Joe Omene’s-led Urhobo Progress Union, UPU to give her sons and daughters a free hand to vote anybody of their choice.

Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin handing over cash to the victims of the Warri Navy Mammy Market fire.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 7

KUKAH WARNS FG ON POLLS: Don’t intimidate opponents with military By Caleb Ayansina

HE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah, weekend, urged the Federal Government to be careful about the involvement of the military in the forthcoming general elections. The cleric, who did not see anything wrong with the involvement of the military in election, however, war ned the government against using it to intimidate the opposition or the electorate. The January 29 judgement by Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Sokoto and the February 16 decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, had outlawed the President’s unilateral deployment of members of the Armed Forces for election purposes. Consequently, the All Progressive Congress (APC) wrote letter to the Presidency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Security Adviser, Chief of the Defence Staff, Chief of the Army Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff, Chief of the Air Staff,

the National Chairman of the APC and the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urging them to obey the court order. Kukah spoke while fielding questions from journalists at the Catholic Secretariat Forum, tagged: “Democracy In Nigeria, So Near So Far ”, in Abuja. His words: “About the deployment of the military, frankly, I am not competent to make this comment, but I think we also need to be very fair. “I remember very well that the election in Edo State, even Adams Oshiomhole himself commended our soldiers. The election in Ekiti State, we are hearing different stories now, but I don’t think that my friend Kayode (Fayemi) and others carried placards against the presence of the military. “The military, in my understanding, are not there to conduct the election; there will be their involvement at different levels. What is more important is that how do you ensure that the army does not become a platform for

intimidation? It is like a knife, you can use it to peel your yam or kill.” Speaking on the current political situation in the country, the bishop wondered what people saw in the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, that they did not see in 2007 and 2011 that was giving some people sleepless night. This and other situations unfolding in the country, he said, are signs that the country is gradually coming close to political maturity, asking, “Why are we nervous now?” On the 2005 report released by the United States (US), Kukah urged people to desist from misleading Nigerians that the (US) had predicted that

Nigeria was going to break up by 2015. He said America released the report to intimate the leadership what might likely happen in the African continent, judging by what was going on in the continent at that period. Kukah insisted that Nigeria would not “have been where we are now,” if the countr y ’s leadership had lived up to their responsibility, by using the report to put the country in order. The cleric maintained that the lack of preparation makes the country to move in a circle, adding that to build a democracy that will benefit all and sundry, people had to play their roles.

‘Moves to stop Obanikoro’s ministerial bid vindictive’ By Dayo Johnson, Akure

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) weekend described the threat by the All Progressives Congress (APC) APC, senators to thwart the confirmation of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as minister as “vindictive laughable and unpatriotic.” Leaders of the party, under the Forum of the South West Publicity Secretaries of the PDP, who met in Akure, rose in defence of Obanikoro over the alleged plan by the opposition senators to halt his confirmation as minister. They include Gboyega Aribisogan-Ekiti, Wasiu Oladipupo-Ogun, Kehinde Salau-Oyo, Banji Okunomo Ondo, Taofeek Gani-Lagos and Bola Ajao-Osun. Addressing newsmen in Akure after their meeting,

Missing Lady

S Bolajoko Faboro has been reported missing. Faboro,48,dark complexion and 1.65 metres tall,according to Engineer Samuel Adetobi Sosanya, her brother, in a sworn affidavit at the High Court of Lagos State, left home in the afternoon of Tuesday,

January 27, 2015. Until she was declared missing, Faboro was living at 3,Kayode Folawewo Street, off Shittu Olaseye Street, Temidire, Sango-Otta, Ogun State. The family urged anybody who sees the missing lady to report to it or the nearest police station.

•Ms. Bolajoko Faboro

they said that the action, if allowed, constituted a threat to democracy. Their spokesman, Hon Banji Okunomo, pointed out that the APC has become a threat to the country’s democracy and good governance by its actions and deeds. Okunomo alleged that the senators were acting the script of their leader “who is becoming jittery of the rising profile of Senator Obanikoro”. They said that the APC was heating up the polity by playing destructive politics rather than constructive criticism. The forum said: “APC threat was an affront on the nation’s democracy and a deviation from the tradition of respecting former members of the upper chamber who had reasons to come before it for confirmation”. It will be recalled that the APC senators vowed to halt the nomination of Obanikoro during his screening following allegations of his involvement in the alleged rigging the Ekiti State governorship election last year. The publicity secretaries said: “The allegations raised against Obanikoro by the senators are unfounded and laughable, and their position is unbecoming of members of the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly.”

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taxi at affordable price,” another said. “My car is good. It is a Camry.” Money changers became serious pests as they thrust wads of naira notes at your face, begging you to come and change “Dollars. Pounds Sterling.” I asked one of them whether the ban on touts and touting imposed by the Minister of Aviation few weeks ago had been repealed. He replied with a wry smile: “Even if heaven falls, nothing can remove touts from this airport. This is where we get our daily bread. Nobody can remove us.” I couldn’t help but wonder whether sanity would ever prevail at this very important gateway to Nigeria.

My journey to

‘Space’ BY FOLU OLAMITI

n December last year, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Federal Ministry of Aviation (FMA) launched what was labelled a cleansing exercise in the aviation sector. It was specifically designed to minimize, if not totally stamp out corrupt practices at our international airports. On December 16, 2014, I jetted out aboard United Airline through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA) in Lagos to George Bush International Airport in Houston, United States of America, USA. I arrived at MMA in good time to check in. For the first time in the many years that I have been passing through border point, I witnessed a 60percent free flow of travelers through different immigration desks. It was a remarkable improvement on what used to be. Though the menace of touts was still there, as I could smell and feel them right from the entrance up to the departure lounge; I was welcomed by two urchins begging to assist me with my light luggage. I quietly declined. Even at that, they still pursued me to the security checking point begging for a token from me. Walking through immigration after my luggage was okayed without any official pestering me with the usual plea: ‘Sir, anything for the boys?’ Thatkept me wandering whether the ICPC/FMA partnership to sanitise our international airports had started yielding dividends. My curiosity made me ask one of the officials at the final departurepoint why I was not pestered with demands for tip. He smiled and said: “Our Director General met us yesterday and told us about the ICPC/FMA war against corruption at the airports and that whoever that is caught demanding bribe or tip risks going to jail.” He then added a caveat: “I hope this is not just a one-off thing. It happened like this before during Madam Chikwe’s era as the Minister of Aviation, and that order never lasted than three months.” However, whatever sense of pride I was feeling at those points vanished with an encounter I had at the United Airlines’ final check point leading to boarding gate where an officer without a name tag frisked me. As he began, he looked at me and started a conversation in a low tone. “I saw you when you came into the airport; a lady was carrying your bag,”

he began. I had to look back to be sure I was the one he was talking tobecause only my driver came with me to the airport. I told him sharply that I was not the person. But he was not deterred. He said: “Baba, we are at your service O! Anything for me?’ I just looked at him, smiled, and then,walked briskly into the bowel of the brand new Dreamliner. Moments later, the big bird slid out of the hangar, and hit the tarmac, to begin the 13-hour non-stop flight to George Bush International Airport, Houston. It was the smoothest flight I have ever had. We landed in the wee hours of December 17, and walked into the calm and cool bosom of the magnificent airport. There was no noise. There was ethereal peace as travelers passed through Immigration points without molestation. It took meonly 10 minutes to complete the arrival procedures. There were no toutsnor any official pestering you with “wetin you carry”. After spending a week in Houston, I moved to Silicon Valley in San Jose. Again, like in Houston, there were no delays. Everything was done with computerized precision. The little delay we experienced, and which everybody understood came through the strict security checks travelers were subjected

The Centre, open to the public, is one of the money-spinning tourist centres dotting America

to. It was understandable. The fear of terrorists has become the beginning of wisdom for all countries all over the world. My return journey from Silicon Valley, through San Jose Airport, was less stressful as my luggage was checked and routed straight to Lagos throughGeorge Bush International Airport in Houston. The three-hour flight to San Jose to connect my flight in Houston for my journey back home was flawless. There was no security check again at George Bush Airport, as this had been done at San Jose Airport. I took notice of how Internet Technology had taken over virtually all transactions for air travels. You cannot see anyone loitering around you, pretending to want to assistyou in whatever name. There were free trolleys to move my luggage. Coming back home, I had expected things to be better. Sadly, it was the same confusion. As I disembarked from the bowel of United Airline Dreamliner that ferried over 200 passengers to Lagos, a gust of harmattan haze blew me in the face. How I wished the harmattan would have saturated the Murtala International Airport terminal building because most of the air conditioners had either packed up or were working far below their optimum capacity. But I noticed a remarkable improvement in the immigration formalities for passengers. My clearance formalities were done in less than ten minutes. But to foul my mood, I had to wait endlessly to collect my luggage at baggage claim. First, most of us were forced to pay N200 per trolley that had a price tag of N150.00. The lady issuing the ticket feigned not havingN50 change. I understand it is worse in Abuja airport where passengers have to pay N400 for a trolley. United Aircraft landed 4.45p.m., Nigerian time, but most passengers, including myself, did not get their luggage until two and a half hours later. This delay should earn Nigeria a place in the Guinness Book Record as one destination where a passenger spends the longest time waiting for his luggage. Whatever one went through at the arrival hall was nothing compared to the hell outside. As soon as you stepped out of the terminal building, touts swooped on you like ants do over honey. A cacophony of voices welcomed you, offering one service or another. “Oga, we are registered. You can trust us with luggage is safe,” one solicited. “I have

UNITED AIRLINE United Airline is in business in Nigeria. The way Nigerians are migrating to the United States is making the airline to bloom. It now operates two flights one to Houston and the other to Atlanta. This is not to talk of other airlines like Delta and our own Arik, ferrying passengers to the USA on a regular basis. You may wonder why this rush out of the country and why most of these Nigerians are taking American citizenship. My guess is that they are running away from Nigeria for greener pasture in the USA because of the worsening state of the economy. > However, not all that glisters that is gold! The economy in the USA is even worse than what most Nigerians would have imagined. It’s even worse for those migrating without sound education. Such people would simply be moving into second slavery. My prayers are for the leadership of our country to improve the welfare of the downtrodden so they could stay at home and enjoy the opportunities offered by their fatherland. TRIP TO NASA CENTRE On December 22, 2014, my in-law, Pastor Gbenga Oso, who resides in Houston, drove me and my cousin, Gbolabo, his wife, and their two lovely daughters to the National Aeronautics and Space Centre in the city. The Centre, established 56years ago, is an aerospace research and development facility for missions to space. The Centre, open to the public, is one of the money-spinning tourist centres dotting America. In 2014, the centre won the Best Tourist Centre of the year. People’s curiosity about why and how the USA ventured into space is answered by a number of questions, namely: how does the universe works? How did we get here? Are we alone? It takes about one hour for tourists to move around the complex in an arranged motorized cabin. Intermittently, tourists are allowed to visit some of the laboratories where astronauts are prepared for space travels, and conduct research into what they found in space. The visit was an eye opener as to how the US has navigated a total of 168 missions into space. NASA, according to Wikipedia, has conducted many manned and unmanned space flight programmes throughout its history. The unmanned programme launched the first American artificial satellites into earth orbit for scientific and communication purposes. The United States won the space race with the Soviet Union by landing 12 men on the moon between1969 and 1972 in the Apollo programmes. To date, NASA has launched a total of 166 manned space missions. One could not but recall some of the accidents that nearly scuttled the programmes. The two space exploration shuttle orbiters with 14 astronauts that lost their lives – the Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003. The space shuttle, according to Wikipedia , had 135 missions before it was suspended on July 21,2011, with the successful landing in space of Shuttle Atlantis. In all, the programmes spanned 30 years with over 300 astronauts sent into space.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 9

By Enuma Chigbo Phillips

et your living waters flow over my soul, let your

Holy Spirit come and take control… somehow, I find this song reverberating in my spirit and I wonder why. Perhaps my latest trip may have a whole lot to do with this. It was January 1 and indeed a new beginning. Before I go any further, I’d like to say a big Happy New Year to any and everyone who is reading this. Welcome to the year 2015, a year that marks a new order and a year of accelerated growth. My latest trip where I believe things started to make sense was right in the middle of Cross River State - in Itigidi, the land of the origins of the leader of Cross River State till the end of Maythis year. To get to this land or ‘The Midlands’ as I have fondly nicknamed it, you go through the Calabar City gate (If your point of departure is Calabar) and past quite a few villages in four local Government Areas – Odukpani, where the legendary Mary Slessor has her home, Akamkpa, known for limestone and granite, Biase known as the bread basket of Southern Nigeria and Yakurr where you get the best quality garri and where the famous Leboku Festival holds each year. The distance betweenUgep, capital of Yakurr and Itigidi is probably about 7km. I smile as this unique journey took me down memory lane… I remember getting fairly acquainted with this land sometime in 2011. In my quest, I learned that Itigidi is a community in AbiLocal Government area and that Abi is simply an acronym forAgbo, Bahumonu and Igbo Imabana, the umbrella communities that make up the Local Government. I got to learn that this midland is counted among the few communities with preciseorigins and historical antecedents. Available evidence from oral interviews and archives reveal that in about 1400 AD the people of Itigidi, originally called Abama, meaning “Welcome from far away to the peaceful place of settlement,” were 24 villages strong when they migrated from a place called the Benue-Niger contour to Northern Cross River State through what we know today as Abakaliki, to an area known as Okpituma, before straddling along the banks of Cross River to their current location. Interestingly once you get there, Enugu the very first capital of the Eastern region of Nigeria is just about an hour away… History also talks the early romance of the Itigidi people with Christianity and western education, the first known contact with western education in the 1800’s when an early trader, Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke’s Great Uncle Eval Eja in the course of his journey along the Cross River estuary, met with MrCobham. Cobham was a missionary of the House of Obio Oku in Creek Town. Before then, Christianity had long taken roots in Creek Town with the establishment of the first Church of Scotland Mission in 1845 and subsequently in

The living waters of Cross River

•Itigidi beach Calabar in 1850. Eval Eja was taken to church in Calabar to learn the mysteries of the ‘god of the white man’ as was the common saying back then. Much later, he was invited by one of his business associates, John Coco Bassey in Calabar, to worship with him in the church – The United Free Church of Scotland. Eja was so enthralled by the church that he instantly resolved to see it established in hisItigidi home. Not long after, a European Missionary, Rev WR Thompson visited Itigidi in 1899, most likely as a result of intensive canvassing by Eja. During that visit, the first ever by a missionary and in response to the visitor’s appeal, Eja handed over his young cousin of paternal lineage, Ejemot Eson Ecomato Thompson to be trained at the mission’s institute in Calabar – Hope Waddell. This gesture of Eja’s stirred up opposition - all from his maternal lineage largely emanating from fear that he would not return - that he would either die or be lost in the white man’s land. Consequently, Ejemot was allowed only on the condition that he would be replaced by another member of theIbritam family, (where the Imoke’s trace their roots down toabout 700 years) should their fears be confirmed. To allay their fears, Samuel Imoke – the Cross River State Governor’s father was then pledged as ransom for Ejemot. Records of the early Christian Church show that Ejemot later returned as a trained missionary. He built several churches and schools in the course of his evangelizing mission beginning from his home landItigidi. I was told back then that his ancient house still stands today, next to the Chief ’s palace and could be best described as a tourist’s delight. Four years later on the first day of such an important year, I knew this house had need of a visitor…no…visitors actually, asI was not alone on this journey. My ever wonderful and adaptable husband Richard, my producer Grace and her husband Alex set out for what we could see. Also in the group was Julius,the most brilliant writer of us all. So after the feasting on the first day of the New Year, the next day would indeed be a day of

•Almost rubble: Front view of the very first storey building in Itigidi

•Inside the very first storey building in Itigidi

This place was a war torn zone and many of our workers were trapped in Igbo land discovery for us. At about 8am on the 2nd, we were ready to roll. Our tour guide for that day, a son of the soil, amiable Ekpeyong was most helpful. He took us to Ejemot’s house, but somehow our attention was diverted to yet another building. It was the first storey building to be put up in that land and was built by EvalEja, the man who brought

Christianity to The Midlands. Clearly, it was a shadow of its former self. We were aghast as we looked at a storey building which was reduced to the size of a bungalow as a result of neglect. As I write this, I remember my producer Grace’s words said a while back. “It’s people who keep a house going.” I wondered where the people were… Behind the house however, there was another, and it was herethat we learned a bit more about the neglected house. “I was a baby when this house was built,” says 80 year old, Elder JohnAni, the first librarian ever, produced by The Midlands. Perhaps like the house, this very accomplished man was a shadow of his former self, as he’s lived as a stroke patient for the last 19 years. “This house was built sometime in the 1800’s by our great grandfather Chief Eval Eja. It was the only storey building.” “We all lived in unity,” he continues. “Life then was better than it is now. Even when there were disputes, reports were made to the oldest man in the community, who would resolve

themamicably. But today people do not respect senior citizens anymore,” he laments. Clearly in a more reflective state after our tour of the house and encounter with this extraordinary man, we set out to another location, said to be the very first building erected by SamuelImoke, the late father of Liyel Imoke. It is in this unique place that the Paramount Ruler of the land lives. His name is HRMEval Edward Esikong Imonco, a highly accomplished and not to mention amiable man. He ushers us into his courtyard in his impeccable English and asks us to introduce ourselves. We take turns to do so and we are given a very warm welcome by him and his personal assistant. After that he takes us down memory lane in his narration of this very special land. The after effects of the Nigerian civil war seems to be one of the highlights of his narration as he remembers one of the songs they sang, “Nike Nike, anyi g’e luugwu Hausa,” meaning, “With strength and determination, we will get to the land of the North.” “We very much affected by the civil war. At the time I was a Headmaster in Ishiagu in Afikpo County Council School, now inEbonyi State. We were abducted into the Biafran army and used guns carved out of sticks. This place was a war torn zone and many of our workers were trapped in Igbo land.” Born on July 19 1939, Itigidi he says is a ‘branch’ of Otigidifrom the neighboring Ikom Local Government area, also located in Central Cross River, and known for the famous Nkarassimonoliths said to be about 3,000 years old. “Our language isLegbo, and we belong to the Ekoi tribe. Some of our people migrated to this place. They were originally hunters, farmers,and fishermen and we practiced subsistence farming.” However today, with the boost in farming through the replication of the renowned Songhai farms project from The Republic of Benin in his homeland, this Paramount Ruler looks forward to a better and brighter future. “We are also learning from this project and are grateful to Cross River State Government for bringing Songhai integrated farms to us here, which will in turn subsidize the dwindling economy of oil.” With those final words of royalty, we head back to Calabar and it was then I remembered my very first trip to this land. It was in 1999 and I do recall the reason for that trip was a 70th birthday celebration. I had a warm feeling in my heart as I began to compare both trips – the October 4 1999 trip and the January 1 2015 one. Indeed things had changed for the better. In 1999, we went by ferry into the midland from Ugep but today, there is a very well constructed bridge that takes you across in seconds. This bridge runs over the living waters of the beautiful Cross River…yes indeed things had changed for the better and I know that it can only get better and better. Le t your living waters flow over my soul…it is therefore of no great surprise that this very special song continues to reverberate…

PAGE 10—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

PRESIDENTS AND THE PRESS/MEDIA

HE report published in the PUNCH c o n c e r n i n g imminent clampdown against some media houses, namely, PUNCH, NATION and Channels TV, could only have surprised and alarmed people in the media who have not accepted that when a nation is on the brink of disaster, the media, if it does its work as the watchdog of society, is always the first target of those in government. As for me, my only surprise was that it took Jonathan so

endorsement of what we are told is planned. This is reality in action; not any theory about democracy. Most of us have lived under the illusion that American presidents favour a free press. We have read, as if it was absolutely true, that President Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826, pronounced that “Were it

Jonathan’s response to impending doom is not original; in fact, it is the usual disposition of those in power to challenges to their authority

left to me to decide whether we have government without newspapers [there were no radio or television stations in his days], or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer

power, or more precisely, delusions of power.

fallen out and if they did it, then it’s no one’s business but theirs. Should we really care when they are tripping up all on their own? Do we really care? Well, one has to as the innocent

The insult keeps coming and the army has waded in calling the old man “an embarrassment” to the army when Obasanjo raised fears of a coup if the election is not free and fair. Then, at the Northern Elders Council in Abuja, Jona described in his speech, a thinly veiled swipe at OBJ as a

The gloves are off... “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” ? Groucho Marx t is becoming painfully obvious that the electioneering is going to be one long gerrymandering mean fest; who can shout the loudest, spend the most money, wear the most colourful attires, pull the most crowd, insult the most, the most incorrigible, most abusive, throws the most blows or cause the most upset and rent the largest crowd. To be honest, I rather go to bed and wake up when the Election Day arrives but, then I will miss the drama. You cannot have one without the other. The dust has hardly settled with the West pointing a finger at the President of reneging on the initial election date. So the world and its cousins knows that BH is not as the

government, said: a small problem or a challenge but a huge problem that has cost the nation dearly in terms of manpower, lives, livelihoods and reputation. I mean, now it is the whipping boy to postpone the election As other African nations come to the aid of Nigeria, it seems pitiful that the president and his men have enough time to drum their chest so loudly albeit, at a safe distance to tell Nigerians that, they have never had it so good. Well, talking about the emperor ’s clothes, you would wish that they take a look in the mirror as those that can truly see clearly know that they have nothing to crow home about. They are now making alliances and breaking others whoever disagrees with them and then they remember that they did not like them after all. Soon, they will run out of friends at this rate. But then they can back paddle, beg and bargain. They will reason that they have never

bystander gets drawn into the melee and they are causalities and most likely to be the Nigerian. Should they be told that they are perpetually lying and most can see through it? Does it really matter even when they won’t believe it anyway? Can we tell them that they do not look credible and that it is so uncomfortable watching a train crash. Really, should we? You really can’t write this: now Obasanjo met with leaders of the All People’s Congress (APC) and, he definitely has affirmed for Buhari irrespective of party affiliations. This has not gone down well with the president’s mega mouths. And Okupe already had fired the insult sullying OBJ that GEJ has been the best president that Nigeria has ever had, well amongst other supplications. So OBJ has referred to the president as a tout and that did not sit well with Jona’s camp.

When Joseph Goebbels, 1897-1945, Hitler ’s propaganda chief, exclaimed that “there are no desperate situations,

“Every government is run by liars and nothing they say should be believed.” I.F. Stone (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p80).

long to get to us. I welcome the threat and the challenge it poses. He won’t be the first head of government to try, and he won’t be the last. The media will always write the obituaries of tyrants; never the other way round. My advice for my colleagues, especially those like me, who are sick and tired of Jonathan, remains the same now as in the Abacha days. “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. This is a battle for the soul of Nigeria, and there will be no quarter given none demanded. Our freedoms will not be abridged by Jonathan or anyone else –unless we allow them. But, having made that observation let me attempt to place the government’s panic reaction in historical perspective. Jonathan’s response to impending doom is not original; in fact, it is the usual disposition of those in power to challenges to their authority. So nobody should consider this as

“Few active Presidents actually believe in a free press [or media]…Truman didn’t, nor Kennedy, nor Johnson…whenever their own personal stakes are involved..”. Gay Talese in THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER; s best seller about the NEW YORK TIMES.

the latter.” (VBQ p 200). But, Jefferson was not yet the President when he expressed that lofty sentiment which media people, including me, love to quote. The test of Jefferson’s sincerity, or lack of it, as it turned out, came when he successfully got a journalist jailed for publishing what was the truth about his government, when he and his former Vice-President, Aaron Burr, 1756-1836, like our own Obasanjo and Atiku, were at loggerheads during their second term. The question is: why do presidents, even in the leading democracies, want to gag the media? Two answers will do for now – because we still have elections coming up. Perhaps, there will be time to return to this later on. If not the two observations will do. They fall under two headings: desperation and

Can we tell them that they do not look credible and that it is so uncomfortable watching a train crash. Really, should we?

statesman. He said; “Some people call themselves statesmen but they are not, they are just ordinary politicians, to be a statesman is not because you have occupied a big office before, but the question is what are you bringing to bear? Are you building this country or

only desperate men” (VBQ p 38), he did so during the last hundred days of Hitler and Goebbels himself. By then, it was clear to everybody in the German armed forces that the war was lost and humiliation would follow. People who hitherto had driven down the autobahn, surrounded by armed soldiers and looking contemptuously at ordinary citizens faced jail or the firing squad. The disaster was not Hitler ’s alone; it included all those in the German high command. So, they became more brutal than ever before. Those in the corridors of Aso Rock are human beings too. Delirium of power strikes when leaders, under personal attack, look back and find the followers have all but disappeared. When persuasion appears to fail totally, the temptation to resort to persecution becomes great – especially when some advisers counsel that it will succeed at minimum cost to the leader. They very often forget that “Brute force, without wisdom, falls under its own weight” (Horace, 65-8BC, VBQ p 63). Despite the denials by Reuben Abati, media people in all the media houses, including NTA, would be well advised to get ready for battle. The worst mistake we can make is to take government at its words – as I.F. Stone, a US journalist, had warned us. Just as there is no free lunch, as economists remind us, freedom of the press must

are you a part of people who tell lies to destroy the country?” Well, the gauntlet has been down and it is hard to retract but he tried to blame the whole mess on his mega mouths. OBJ is not for turning and he made this known. He has been consistent; he has not been happy with the party for a while and he has not been quiet and has been saying so. He wrote it in a letter but he was ignored and pilloried. Obasanjo is not to be trifled with and they should have known that. Political musical chairs is commonplace in Nigerian politics but the current thawing of affection by OBJ, towards the APC leadership is making the Jona camp very uneasy indeed and despite trying to get the party grandees and OBJ’s contemporaries to play peace and for OBJ to smoke the peace pipe. It will be hard for them to undo the disagreement and grand disrespect emanating from the spin doctors. Obasanjo was quoted on Monday as saying that Jonathan was behind the rescheduling of the general elections because of his desperation to win the election. He had declared publicly his resignation from the party at a meeting of his supporters in Abeokuta, where he also ordered that his PDP membership card be torn, following

be fought for with every government – including which ever one follows the present one. MY GEN SET DISPUTES JONATHAN’S CLAIM. “I have fulfilled all my promises” -- announced President Jonathan. “No”, said my generator set. “I still work as many hours as I used to work. Truth is constant. Despite my acceptance of the fact that most people in government are conscienceless liars, something in me still expects the Head of Government in any country not to be caught telling an outright lie. Even if he believes, like Mark Twain, 1835-1910, that “Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it”, a good head of government should leave the outright falsehoods to other officials. President Jonathan launched the ROAD MAP FOR POWER in 2011 and promised to supply Nigerians 14,100MW by end of 2013. This is 2015 and yesterday, February 11, 2015, only 2,869MW was supplied. Has the promise on power been fulfilled? You judge; but tell the truth. P.S. Part two of INEC SHIFTING POLLS AND CONSEQUENCES, will follow next week. Freedom of the press is vital for all of us.

which his party expelled him. So now Obansanjo, we are told, has gone and tore his PDP membership card and it's all-out war. So, his decision to quit the PDP may knock the morale off some party activists and persuade undecided voters to back the opposition in the hotly contested presidential and parliamentary elections. They say the dog does not bite the hand that feeds him and this time it may have just done that. Dr Stephen Oru, the Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, suggested that Obasanjo apologise to President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP. Oru advised Obasanjo to emulate other respected former presidents who have humbled themselves and utilised available channels to advice government on ways to move the nation forward. According to him, Obasanjo has not treated the PDP, the person and office of the President and Nigerians fairly. “He still has the time to make amends and retrace his footsteps and tender an apology to the party and the nation.” The minister observed that Jonathan had a usual gift of patience, tolerance and humility. He is barking up the wrong tree and he should know that this old man is made of sterner stuff and would only do what he wants to do.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 11

subsisting fake theory, it is expedient to make the point that the Benins are freeminded people who are known for making their independent political decisions notwithstanding the reverence with which they hold their Oba. It is only those who are unfamiliar with Benin history that may not appreciate the fine, longstanding distinction

between traditional power and political partisanship in the Benin kingdom. Where, if we may ask, was the oracle-man during the golden era of Chief Humphrey Omo-Osagie, the leader of the Out-Edo political party whose members and followers overwhelmingly voted against the candidates of every authority including those of the government party-the Action Group? Of course, the Benin people have always been politically free against the backdrop of the liberal political posture of the palace. For example, during one of President Jonathan’s visits to Benin City, the Oba was reported to have introduced one of his princes who had on his own volition decamped from the ruling party in the state to the opposition. Another good example comes from the1991 governorship election in the state in which Chief John Oyegun defeated Chief Lucky Igbinedion. Although Oyegun was generally rumoured to be the Oba’s favourite, the polling booth in the palace was won by his opponentIgbinedion. What these two stories suggest is that the Oba does not influence his house-hold politically, let alone the larger community. In earnest, even if the Oba has a preferred candidate he does not as the father of all coerce anyone to affiliate with or to vote for any particular party or candidate. Rather, he prays for all aspirants who seek his blessings. Accordingly,

anyone including palace chiefs in pursuit of political patronage must leave his Royal Majesty out of his self-seeking scheme In the instant case of purporting to direct the voting pattern of the Benins, the oracle-man is not persuasive. He does not even appear familiar with how those he named got into or left the federal executive council. For instance, was Stella Oduah ever appointed as Minister to represent Edo State? It is laughable that the oracleman could not use his invincible oracle to stop the replacement of Ogiemwonyi just as he was unable to influence the appointment of a Benin Minister. History indeed records him to be a nonhelper of Benin candidates hence he fought assiduously against the leading Benin candidate in the governorship election of 2012 until his preferred candidate, a non-Benin, won the election. Interestingly, the same President Jonathan he praised to high heavens then for allegedly creating an enabling environment for the election is the one he is now castigating only because of personal interest. Whereas he is free to do so for and on behalf of himself, laying claim to being the spokesman of the Benins on the subject is unfounded In heterogeneous societies like ours where competitive ethnicity is inevitable; each ethnic group requires leaders who can stand for them. The

Benins in particular are in dire need of such broadminded leaders who can take them out of their present political dilemma in which they play a second fiddle in a state where they constitute the majority. It is no doubt worrisome that neither the state governor nor the minister representing the state in the federal executive is from the ethnic group. Other substantive issues of concern to the group earlier articulated by the Edo Unity League (EUL) include “the non-redress of appropriated Edo oil wells in favour of Ondo and Delta states which greatly dwindles the oil and gas revenue potentials of Edo state”. In addition, the people are painfully aware that apart from the state capital, every other Benin area passes for a mere village Thus, those in pursuit of material gains for themselves and their immediate families cannot speak for the Benins whether or not such opportunists dine with invincible forces. Accordingly, it is risky for any political party to rely on the assurances of such opportunists on how the Benins will vote in the forthcoming general elections. While PDP members and their admirers are likely to vote for President Jonathan, those dissatisfied with governance in the nation in the last 6 years would probably not. No oracle can hypnotize them to act undecidedly.

allegation as another instantiation of corruption by the present administration. The Senate mandated its committee on finance to look into the matter. In his testimony, Mallam Sanusi displayed a deplorable degree of mediocrity unbecoming of the governor of Central Bank: he gave three conflicting figures $12 billion, $20 billion and $19.8 billion - as the total amount of unremitted funds by the NNPC. Clearly, Sanusi’s inconsistencies negated the logical principle of noncontradiction, which means that his allegations cannot be true. But members of the APC are not concerned with logic and evidence; they are cocksure that any allegation

release of the audit report on the missing $20 billion.” Garrulous Lai Mohammed, APC’s spokesperson, reechoed Buhari’s sentiments thus: “Nigerians will continue to demand that the audit report be made public. The issue will not be swept under the carpet.” However, Gen. Buhari has no moral right to demand accountability from anyone: his military government refused to publish the Ayo Irikefe Report on the missing $2.8 billion from NNPC account when he was federal commissioner for petroleum resources. He cannot demand transparency either, because he rejected transparency by refusing to appear before Justice Oputa’s Truth and Reconciliation Panel to

the total cash remitted into the federation account in relation to crude oil lifting within the period was $50 billion, not $48 billion as earlier reported by the Reconciliation Committee; (2) subsidies for petrol and kerosene amounted to $8.7 billion, NNPC’s initial costs verified and accepted by the Senate equal $2.65 billion, $2.81 billion additional NNPC costs following the forensic audit, additional revenue from NNPC signature bonus due for divested assets/royalties totalling $2.22 billion; (3) updated expected refund from NNPC/NPDC to the federal government is $1.48billion. The Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, has given a plausible explanation of the unremitted $1.48billion. According to him, the amount was actually the balance of the book value of divested assets transferred to NNPC upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), excluding taxes and royalties. Contrary to the wild speculations and grandstanding by Sanusi and APC leaders, the PwC’s audit report exonerated the NNPC and, by implication, the federal government. It establishes that the total revenues accruable to the federation account have been fully accounted for and various components of the accruable revenue properly categorised. It is definitely wrong for anyone or group to be always on the look out to disparage the NNPC. Tinubu was unnecessarily uncharitable when he accused President Jonathan of being responsible for the theft of about 400,000

barrels of crude oil daily without providing proof. Of course, Tinubu and his cohorts can fool some people sometimes, but he cannot fool all the people all the time. The oil industry in Nigeria is facing tremendous challenges, such as oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism, gas flaring, environmental degradation and corruption. However, the present administration is addressing these challenges little by little. Overall, there is increased local content in the oil sector, the number of Nigerian-owned crude oil transportation tankers has increased from less than 60 when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was President to almost 400 now, and pipeline projects from Oben to Geregu and from Itoki to Olorunsogo have been completed. The NPDC produces up to 130,000 barrels of crude oil per day, compared to virtually nothing in 2009. Things are improving steadily in NNPC. President Jonathan made history by being the first Nigerian leader to appoint a woman, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, as Minister of Petroleum Resources. Consequently, he made it possible for Nigeria to produce the first female President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Politics aside, Nigerians should commend both Mr. President and Mrs. Allison-Madueke for projecting Nigerian women in global affairs. Mrs. Allison-Madueke’s emergence as OPEC President epitomises concretely the idea of women empowerment.

2015: Bogus Oracle at work again in Benin! gains with his famous “the oracle has spoken” in favour of the incumbent governor. Incidentally, the prediction that the governor would be re-elected came to pass. The chief actually restated that the loser of the election “ wrestled with invincible forces” thereby

Those in pursuit of material gains for themselves and their immediate families cannot speak for the Benins whether or not such opportunists dine with invincible forces

giving some credibility to the oracle. It would appear that the belief has emboldened the oracle-man to continue to delude the people into accepting that he has the authority of the “ancestors” to make immutable pronouncements on political issues. The latest statement credited to the same oracle-man is that the Benin people would not

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos, , 08116759758

The NNPC and its enemies

lectioneering campaigns are brutal and bruising, especially in evolving, multi-plural countries such as Nigeria. The situation is worsened if key players in the political contest are motivated mainly by do-or-die mentality, to the extent that damaging fictions are invented and twisted acrobatically to discredit political rivals. Nigerians who agonise over the ongoing heated exchanges between supporters of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and those of his arch-rival, retired General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) sometimes exaggerate the situation; they talk as if the same phenomenon is alien to the relatively developed democracies in Europe and North America. The fact of the matter is that, given the human proclivity to seek advantage over competitors, politics, which is fundamentally concerned with authoritative allocation of power within a defined geopolitical space, is necessarily a very daunting enterprise that brings out the best and the worst in human beings. Therefore, for anyone seriously interested in politics, particularly in an environment where democratic culture is yet to

vote for President Goodluck Jonathan because he allegedly removed their son, Chris Ogiemwonyi as Minister of State for Works only to turn around and appoint his former wife, Stella Oduah into the Federal Executive Council. In order not to validate the

take root, the most sensible advice is: “if you can’t take the heat, keep away from the kitchen.” As long as the citizens are not encouraged by the bombastic nonsense from pessimists and warmongers to engage in anti-social behaviour at the slightest provocation, there is no good reason for the intense electioneering campaigns to degenerate into violence and destructiveness. Now, although a certain degree of severe criticism is permissible during periods of political contest, it is simply unreasonable to be completely preoccupied with negativity about one’s opponents to the extent of making very damaging allegations against the latter without solid evidence. The former Central Bank governor and now Emir of Kano, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, provided fertile soil for such negativity when he made damaging accusations against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). In September 2013, Sanusi wrote President Jonathan alleging that NNPC had not remitted $49.8 billion dollars to the federation account spanning a period of 19 months. Shortly afterwards, prominent members of the APC, particularly Gen. Buhari, Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola one after another celebrated Sanusi’s

N Nigeria, any claim whatsoever can easily be made to look correct; all that is required is to repeatedly make the same claim overtime and after a while it sticks in the sub consciousness of people. The claim in Benin, the home city of this writer that there is an oracle which has capacity to determine the political direction of the people falls into this theory. The way it works is for a ranking palace chief to aggressively make a political declaration which the gullible assimilates as if authorisd by the Benin Monarch. During the 1991 Edo governorship election, a chief, through the Edo Broadcasting Service, announced that the Oba had directed the Benins to vote for a particular candidate. But for the wisdom of the Court of Appeal which found as of fact that the chief was on his own, the election would have been nullified on account of undue influence. Again just before the 2012 governorship election, another chief, used the same style to make personal

Gen. Buhari has no moral right to demand accountability from anyone: his military government refused to publish the Ayo Irikefe Report on the missing $2.8 billion from NNPC account when he was federal commissioner for petroleum resources

of corruption against the Jonathan administration must be true ahead of evidence. The Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, is more intelligent than that: she invited Pricewaterhouse Coopers to carry out a forensic audit of NNPC covering the period of unremitted funds alleged by Sanusi. As usual, APC chieftains really wanted the allegations to be true - they relentlessly demanded publication of the audit report. For instance, Gen. Buhari maintained that, “In the spirit of the War Against Corruption, we demand the

answer allegations of corruption and gross abuses of human rights when he was a military dictator. Obviously, Gen. Buhari never envisaged he would ever beg Nigerians for votes. Now, report of the investigative forensic audit of crude oil revenues and remittances by NNPC from January 2012 to July 2013 is out. The summary available to the public indicates that Sanusi’s apparent whistle-blowing exercise was full of +hot air, an inconsequential storm in a teacup. Some of the key findings by PwC can be summarised as follows: (1)

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NOT SO FAST, MS HELIMA CROFT

The race ran (1)

HERE is a great fable of a race ran by the tortoise and the hare. Both animals are healthy, capable and very able to live well and survive their environments. They are as different in looks as they are in gifts and abilities, they each had different tastes and different needs but they were an integral part of the animal society they lived in. The hare till date remains a very fast animal while the tortoise is built with a steady but decidedly slow gait; it cant run as fast as the hare; some will say it cannot even run at all. The race itself seems designed to show off the hare's ability and humiliate the tortoise for its inability. As expected the race begins with the hare leaving the tortoise in the dust and he gains so much time and distance that he decides to take a nap for just a little bit while the tortoise just toddles along. The race ends with an unexpected winner, the tortoise! He may not have had the speed but he made his way slowly and consistently and as

Luck would have it the hare woke up from his short nap just in time to see the tortoise cross the finish line. Learning via stories like in the above is how society tries to teach us lessons in morality and there are a thousand and one fables, parables or even jokes that should teach or tailor make us into perfect human beings. At this stage in my life, I am evolving into a being of love and light; I am learning to live without the yoke of judgement and criticism and it is harder than you would think. Humanity is destroying itself by ego fuelled competition; running races we are not meant to, scrambling up ladders that leave us hanging in the air! Personal liberty is a legitimate pursuit but I wonder just how many people know exactly what keeps them bound? What's worse is that most of us don't even realise that we live in captivity, we live in chains, bound by shackles that are as old as time itself. I am a christian by confession and faith but I would be lying if I claim that I have acquired

their African-American kins, a historical continuity of kinship with America. If Carl Lewis wins an Olympic Gold medal, Nigerians would rush into the streets and celebrate wildly because “our brother won the gold! Nigerian travelers to America, have of course, also been vital in giving great credence to the Nigerian view of America.

The collapse of oil offers Nigeria the opportunity to develop other sectors of its vast resources, expand its hold on the vast African market, and seek new opportunities

Nigerians are certainly not unaware of America’s stature and might in the world, but Nigerians themselves are equally proud, perhaps even have an exaggerated sense of importance, if not in the world, but certainly in Africa. They are Africa’s behemoth, and they have sought to play that role, and are jealous of their sovereign identity and independence. Those who do not understand Nigeria have often been misled by the fierce ethnic wranglings among Nigerians, and are often shocked to see Nigerians quickly close

and achieved one tenth of the liberty that Christ died for me to enjoy. In life you would always have the tortoises and the hares, some people are hares, they run fast and cover more distance while some are tortoises; their race takes longer, they seem not to cover much ground initially. Society has fundamentally always pitted people against each other, competition has replaced harmonisation so instead of everything working for our good, most things work for the good of a few and the detriment of the rest. The competition to become a part of the privileged is what will break humanity unless we embrace our diversity and accept that the ultimate race we run is personal! Running a race that mirrors the above fable is an effort in futility and will break some of us, make some of us but even more tragically we will end our lives with the sad realisation that we wasted time and spent our entire lives climbing a ladder that is placed against the wrong wall. Our destination shouldn't just be material wealth and power, it should be living a life of peace, where we are happy,

Nigeria is going through a rather rough patch. But Nigeria is still a very proud and fiercely independent nation, with vast reservoirs of the nationalist spirit. Not many found John Kerry’s recent visit to Nigeria three weeks ago very funny or useful. There is the feeling that the US Secretary of State came to lecture Nigerian political leaders on elections and democracy, and about the US likes and dislikes, as would a headmaster to his errant boys. There is evidence also that Nigerian authorities are beginning to get content and not under any pressure. A steady stroll or toddle just like the tortoise did is looking better to me than the hare's speed. The major issue facing humanity is ego based and competition driven, our need to better one another will leave no man standing. At this point in time in the world, men have replaced ego with God and

“American spec,” and the United States was, and even now still remains at the top of Nigeria’s social imaginary. Two factors drove this: Nnamdi Azikiwe – Nigeria’s charismatic first president and nationalist leader. He brought America right into the living rooms of West Africans, particularly Nigerians, through his newspapers. Azikiwe’s American education, and his deep involvement in Black political and cultural life in the 1920s and ‘30s gave stimulus to his leadership of the anti-colonial nationalist movement in Africa; and he modeled American notions of liberty, democracy, and enterprise, in his speech, in his lifestyle, and in his journalism. He built the first American-style University in Africa, and compelled a new generation of African “Argonauts in search of the golden fleece” like Nkrumah, Ojike, Mbadiwe, and so many more to follow his steps, and look towards America, and not to Europe. Secondly, the end of the Second World War placed the United States in a historical position, and Roosevelt’s support for the colonies and for decolonization, earned America great regard in the newly decolonized nations, particularly in Africa, and by Africans, who saw in

F you talk to Nigerians, you’re bound to hear an increasing chatter; a perception in Nigeria that the United States of America is currently waging a covert economic and cultural war on Nigeria. This is not even in the north – but in the south – traditional bastion of proAmerica sentiment, where they love all things America. It is startling, this creeping view, given the long history of friendship, cooperation, and partnership between Nigeria and the United States. There is the danger of a real thawing of relations which might see each of these nations reducing diplomatic contact and the significance of their embassies. At the moment, Nigeria sees Washington still as its most important diplomatic mission in the world, and accords this mission all the weight of seriousness that suggests that what America thinks about Nigeria still matters. From 1965, America increasingly became Nigeria’s most important trading partner. By 1971, much of Nigeria’s crude oil shipment went to America, and remained so up till July 2013 when the United States stopped importing Nigerian oil. Nigerians valued, “made in America” too – they called it

ranks and become fiercely Nigerian, once they perceive external meddling or threat. This is the part the US must be careful with in dealing with the Nigerian reality. The US influence in Nigeria is bound to decline with the end of its trading partnership, and Nigeria is bound to develop new, more vital partners for its own survival, and invest in these new partners, the grandeur and regard of mutual benefits. As the significance of US relation wanes in Nigeria, there’s bound to be a waning of the importance of America in the Nigerian imagination, and perhaps even the possibility of conflict.

Competition begins in the classrooms and it echoes across the halls of government around the world

atrocities are being committed left right and centre in defence of faiths that have no basis or interest in the continuation of life as we all have come to know it. It cuts across all the major religions and those who don't violate us by bloodshed and mayhem do it from behind the pulpit.

impatient with what government insiders now increasingly see as the US government’s increasing meddlesomeness in Nigeria’s domestic affairs. Evidence of this is in the strongly-worded statement by the office of the President of Nigeria warning the US to steer clear of issues of Nigeria’s election which had been postponed over security concerns. There is little doubt that we are slowly entering the winter of a once old and firm friendship, and it is important for these two nations to find grounds for future and even more enduring partnership. Nigeria remains Africa’s powerhouse and will survive her current challenges. But it was quite startling watching Helima Croft, Head of the RBC Capital Markets Commodities Strategy on Bloomberg, predicting with something close to glee that Nigeria “could be the first petro-state to fall” followed, of course, by Venezuela. It was immediately clear that Ms. Croft and her fellow conferees on Bloomberg had very little knowledge about Nigeria, and like most western “Helicopter experts” on Africa, Croft seems to base her Nigerian permutations on indexes invented in airconditioned hotel rooms in metropolitan redoubts; has never visited places like the Ochanja market, nor the vast crevices of this vast and diverse country. Nigeria is no longer merely a “colonial contraption,” it is a nation that has a vast network of internal exchanges; its formal economy is actually its secondary economic platform. The depth and

scope of Nigeria’s economic activity and transactions are beyond the current litmus of Helima Croft’s interpretation, because it is what we call the “invisible economy ” with its own internal controls, credit systems, exchanges, and commodity platforms. Loss of petrodollar will severely limit the lifestyle of significant segments of the Nigerian elite, who are the great beneficiaries of the oil business, but as Nigerians themselves say, it might prove to be a great blessing in disguise. The collapse of oil offers Nigeria the opportunity to develop other sectors of its vast resources, expand its hold on the vast African market, and seek new opportunities. Nigerians can now possibly direct the oil it once sold to its own domestic energy needs, and stimulate industry. Decline in oil will lead to a massive reduction in corruption – the so called oil curse. That is a good thing. But Nigerians viewing Helima Croft on Bloomberg can only assume, with the increasing onslaught in the US media about a Nigerian Armageddon, that America wishes Nigeria dead. That cannot be true because America too stands to lose a great African market and partner. These two countries must avert what might only be an u n f o r t u n a t e disentanglement, and find new ways to renew a mutually beneficial partnership and amity.And Nigeria, Ms. croft, is far more complex. It is like the bole of the Iroko. It might be shaken by the wind, but it tends to stand resilient.

In the era of jet-setting pastors who gauge anointing by opulence, we have fundamentalists who want caliphates at the cost of blood and gore. Both sides compete for prominence and influence and seem to be in a race to either capture our minds by fear or manipulation. I sat across a religious leader that I admire and while I remain very awed by the sheer charisma of this person I was disillusioned beyond measure to hear what our christian leaders think of us their congregation. In his words " Pentecostal Christians don't think, they look to their pastors for direction and the Holy Spirit, which is highly subjective". I pondered those words for a while and it's taken me a long while to make my peace with the truth in them. It's irresponsible for me or anyone to delegate my thinking processes to any religious figure as my salvation is ultimately my struggle. Religious figures of all faiths are not to be entrusted with decision making for us all unless we wish to be the mindless fools some of them think we are. Competition begins in the classrooms and it echoes across the halls of government around the world. Across the sea, in the parliament of our colonial masters, you find the conservative and labour parties in Britain parrying insults like recalcitrant school boys, its not much better in the United States,

the republicans and the democrats put all their energies in competing and annoying each other rather than serve the interests of the people that elected them. The politicians are a reflection of all that is awful about humanity as their egos know no bounds. Nigeria is currently in the grip of election fever and the 2 major contenders have devoted our meagre resources on trading insults and ego tripping. I watched a news report on the crisis in Ukraine and concluded that the most egotistical person on the planet is the current Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is unfortunately the most powerful man in the world because he cannot be punished for any of the evil he enjoys perpetrating at the moment. Russia's wealth and arsenal of nuclear weapons makes him untouchable by the rest of the world. He has invaded Ukraine a neighbouring country, civilians are being slaughtered like animals and no one can do anything to make him stop! He supports King Assad of Syria and prevents the world from stopping the slaughter of innocents! He is above the law of man, the sanctions of society and remains totally impervious to the morality of good and evil. The current fluctuations in oil prices and even economic tumult can be traced to his tantrums; the sanctions imposed on Russia are punishing us all!!!

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 13

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Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 15

BATTLE INSIDE SAMBISA FOREST

Blow-by-blow account of the assault against Boko Haram •Borno, Adamawa reclaimed territories

BY NDAHI MARAMA, Maiduguri

he emergence of Boko Haram in 2009, with base in Maiduguri, Borno State capital and the late Mohammed Yusuf as the leader, has become an issue of serious concern not only to the people of the North-east and Nigeria but also the world at large. After the killing of Yusuf, his second-in-command, Abubakar Shekau, took over, engaging in the killing of thousands of people including security operatives. But with the continuous raid of their hideouts in different parts of Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa states, the group had to relocate to Sambisa forest and established their camps there. It was from there that they continued to launch massive attacks and captured communities in the affected states. The first town that the terrorists captured was Damboa in southern Borno in July 2013. Thereafter, more communities were captured and controlled by the insurgents. But with the collaboration of Chad, Niger and Cameroon with Nigeria, the terrorists were given a nose blow with the recapturing of most of the communities taken over by the insurgents and liberating the people from Boko Haram.

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Significantly, the battle to route the insurgents in six weeks, as promised by the Federal Government, a situation that led to the shifting of the 2015 general elections, appears to have started yielding results. One of such efforts was the one put in place by troops from the Joint Multi-National Task Force (JMNTF) to recapture Mubi, Adamawa State and environs from the terrorists. The troops also stormed Sambisa forest decimating the terrorists. The conquest is traceable to a number of factors, which hitherto encumbered the operations of the military. Apart from partnering with Chadian, Camerounian and Nigerien troops in confronting the sect, first is that the Nigerian Army and the Airforce, which didn’t have the requisite weaponry to fight the type of guerilla warfare that was visited on the country by Boko Haram, have become properly equipped with necessary military hardware. The Airforce was reinvigorated by the Federal Government’s procurement of 40 attack aircraft including helicopters with night vision equipment and capabilities. Before now, the Boko Haram terrorists, aware of the

shortcomings of the military, employed anti-aircraft guns to bring down some Airforce aircraft. The noise level of such aircraft easily gave them away during attack missions but that has been addressed. Many armoured personnel carriers were also attacked by anti-tank weapons as well as landmines planted on attack routes by Boko Haram. But with the new acquisitions like mines-counter armoured personnel carriers such as the Cobras, equipped with night vision, and which can operate on any terrain; as well as the High Velocity T55 armoured tanks with mine sweeping capabilities, Boko Haram terrorists now know they can never be a match for the military. They are yet to understand what is hitting them. On Friday January 30, spokesman for the Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said the military had captured Michika in Adamawa, after “operational searches for arms or stranded terrorists” and other casualties were concluded by troops. The statement read in part: “Military operations is ongoing in Michika after troops sacked the terrorists who have been operating in the town and environs.

The conquest is traceable to a number of factors, which hitherto encumbered the operations of the military

“The main assault on terrorists’ main positions was concluded as many of them died in the combat. Troops who sustained injuries in the operation are receiving necessary medical attention. Other troops are continuing the pursuit of those who are on the run from the town”. The statement said that normalcy had been restored in the town that was captured by insurgents last September. On how Baga and Monguno in Borno State were recaptured, Olukolade, in the statement, said: “Meanwhile, the Nigerian officers in key command positions of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Northeast sub-region are in the process of accounting for their actions leading to the loss of weapons, men and location in their area of responsibility in the mission area. “This is a normal military procedure in major operations or after encounters. The essence is to extract and collate relevant information for subsequent missions. It could also lead to or determine appropriate disciplinary action

Continues on page 16

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Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

‘Borno, Adamawa reclaimed territories’ Continued from page 15 where necessary”. These successes could be attributed to heavy use of sophisticated weapons and sustained commitment and dedication by troops. On February 16, troops of 7 Division, Nigeria Army, in a coordinated military operation and spearheaded by “air assaults” cleared Boko Haram terrorists on the shores of Lake Chad. According to a statement by Olukolade, a number of terrorists as well as truckloads of rice, beans, and other logistics meant for resupply to the insurgents were also captured and recovered at Baga that was captured on January 3. The statement read in part: “Casualty inflicted and arms recovered as well as other outcome of the operation in Monguno, Marte and other communities already secured will be determined after the ongoing cordon and search in the environs. “The air and land operation is continuing with aggressive advance towards other designated communities and locations meant to be cleared in the ongoing offensive against the terrorists”.

Mopping up

On February 18, a press statement from the DHQ spokesman stated that mopping up operation of some of the communities where Terrorists incurred heavy casualty in the two days of military operation to clear 11 communities was ongoing was on-going. Over 300 terrorists were killed while a few were captured, the statement added. Several weapons and equipment were also captured and some destroyed. The statement went on: “It has

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been confirmed that five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, about 50 cases of packed bombs and eight different types of machine guns, five rocket propelled grenade, 49 boxes of various types and calibres of ammunition as well as 300 motorcycles destroyed in the fighting. A total of six Hilux vehicles including those mounted with anti-aircraft guns were also destroyed. However, two soldiers lost their lives while 10 others were wounded in the course of the operation. “The cordon and search operation is continuing along with aggressive patrols by troops who are now dominating the cleared communities such as Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Zuntur, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul. The various phases of the highly coordinated air and land operation is also ongoing in the designated theatres being handled by contingents involved in the renewed counter terrorism campaign in and outside Nigeria”. On February 19, hundreds of Chadian troops, battling Boko Haram militants to retake Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State,made a headway, killing 117 terrorists with the arrest of the Amir (Commander) of the sect. Dikwa, the headquarters of old Kanem Bornu Empire, was taken over by Boko Haram some months ago, forcing the first class monarch, Alhaji Abba For Masts II, and thousands of his subjects to take refuge in Maiduguri. A source stated that the recapture of Dikwa took place at about 7am on Thursday after

Chadian troops cleared Gamboru, Ngala, Kala Balge and several villages of Boko Haram insurgents, and proceeded/ stormed Dikwa, about 100 kilometers north-east of Maiduguri.

Discordant tunes in camps

Reacting to the recapture of the communities by troops and the bombings of Sambisa forest, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Maiduguri, Mallam Yakubu Usman Jalo, in an interview, applauded the military, especially the JMNTF for a job well done in clearing the terrorists from their hideouts, noting that he was optimistic that most of the closed roads linking Maiduguri will be reopened soon for motorists. Some internally displaced

Palace arrest

He added that the raid, which comprised of military air strikes with a back up by ground troops, inflicted severe casualties on the terrorists which led to the recapture of the town. The source also revealed that during the encounter, two Chadian soldiers lost their lives, while the Amir (Commander) of the sect was arrested at the palace of the Shehu of Dikwa where the troops suspected was turned as the base/ headquarters of the insurgents. “The terrorists had established themselves in Dikwa after taking over many buildings including the Shehu’s palace, local government secretariat as well as the official and private residences of prominent people”, he said. Also, reports monitored on BBC Hausa Service in Maiduguri, on Thursday, revealed that “no fewer than 117 insurgents and two Chadian soldiers were killed after reclaiming Dikwa by troops, and that the town is totally under the control of Chadian troops, while the sect’s Commander (Amir) have been arrested”. Same day, Olukolade said”, “A concerted air campaign by the Nigerian Air Force is ongoing in furtherance of the mission to clear terrorists from all their enclaves. The air strikes, which today targeted the training camps and logistics dumps of the terrorists in Sambisa forest and parts of Gwoza, have been highly successful as it achieved the aims with required precision. The death

of a large number of terrorists has been recorded while many others are scampering all over the forest and out of the struck bases. Details of casualty will be determined in subsequent phases of the operation. “Meanwhile, the strikes continue in other locations of the theatre heralding the advance of troops and other elements of the mission”. Meanwhile, following the successful onslaught against the Boko Haram militants around Gwoza axis, which shares border with Sambisa forest and Askira Uba council area of Borno, hundreds of suspected members of the sect, who escaped, reportedly invaded Askira Uba, shooting residents, burning homes and public buildings, and leaving scores of people dead. Askira Uba is south and about 220km drive from Maiduguri. It shares border with Sambisa forest from the north. It had witnessed series of terrorists attacks since last year which led to the displacement of thousands of residents before some fleeing residents took liver and resettled in the troubled town. Sources said the terrorists, armed with AK47 rifles, improvised explosive devices, petrol bombs, and riding in Toyota Hilux vehicles, stormed the town at about 7:35pm and wreaked havoc with no confrontation as security operatives had vacated.

These successes could be attributed to heavy use of sophisticated weapons and sustained commitment and dedication by troops

persons, taking refuge at different camps in Maiduguri, also expressed satisfaction with the military conquest but insisted they would rather stay in the camps than to go back to their communities ravaged by insurgents after capturing them and had been under Boko Haram control for many months, while others indicated interest in going back to pick up their pieces and begin new lives”. Mallam Abba Umar Baga, one of the inmates at the camp at Teachers Village, Maiduguri, said he was eager to go back home with his family if security operatives will be deployed permanently to the area as, according to him, he was tired of life at the camp, while Mallam Audu Bako, who claimed to be a village head in Kukawa, said that even if Baga town and environs had been recaptured, he preferred staying in Maiduguri than to go back and face another

encounter with the sect.

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also a sign of maturity for us as Africans. You grow from being someone’s child to being someone’s else husband or wife. It’s a responsibility. Our society thrusts on you and hopes you handle it maturely. When you succeed in marriage, its always very good Can you state one quality you admire about her? She is a home-maker. She is there for the long run. There are some people who come into marriage as a mercenaries. They come to grab as much as they can and if it doesn’t work they run away. She is there for the long haul, in other words she is here to give it all. And make it work and make her home. For example, if you visit us at home here in Lagos, you will see that I have a stable home. More so, when you visit my country home you will see the hallmark of a place where the woman has taken time to build, saying,”This is my heritage and I must make it comfortable for my family and anyone who comes”.I won’t go beyond that because there are some things you can’t find words to explain.

The Udokwus reveal secret of their 15 years marriage Nollywood veteran actor and politician, BobManuel Udokwu rolled out the drums on Thursday to celebrate his 15th marriage anniversary to his wife, Cassandra Udokwu at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac Town, Lagos. It was an occasion for selected friends, Nollywood hotshots and a number of media executives. In spite of the exhilarating atmosphere of celebration and merriment the couple found time to speak with Potpourri and here is what they say, concerning the success of their marriage:

We were determined from day one to make our marriage work -Bob Manuel Udokwu BY KEHINDE AJOSE

What exactly did you see in your wife that made you marry her? hen I met her, she was and still outstanding. She was walking like a trained model .I met her at the University of Lagos when I went to do my Masters degree, she was doing her first degree then. I stopped her and asked her if she was a trained model and she said she wasn’t. She asked me why I asked and I told her she walks like one. She said her mother taught them to walk lady-like and I said okay. Gradually, we got to know each other and I found out that she was well brought up. These are the qualities most of our young girls lack and that got me more and more interested. Fifteen years down the line it’s been exciting.

How has the journey been so far? The journey has been good, interesting sometimes intriguing. You know when you get hitched with somebody from different backgrounds, you are two separate individuals but as adults agree to set up a home together. There are bound to be points of friction, disagreement and points of serious agreement as well. You have to find a way to navigate those narrow areas and be able to overcome prejudices, doubts or influences. The key is dialogue; we talk. If you close the door of dialogue, just welcome the deterioration of your relationship. We determined from day one to make our marriage work, some don’t think like that. Some get into marriage for marriage sake. If both parties agree to make things work, it makes things better. I think that is what we have done. When you initially got married, were you shocked at some of the things you discovered about marriage or about C M Y K

What lessons have you learnt in 15 years of your marriage? I have learnt that being a man you have a huge responsibility not just to your wife, but also to your children. This children come into the world and see you as their hero.The very first foundation of life starts from the family.If you don’t get it right, then the society will be worse off for it. The joy of family life is when you see your children grow in life and they are able to do certain things based on the knowledge you pass to them.

your wife? When I got married, I was so pleasantly surprised that I wondered why I didn’t do it earlier. I found out that it was a beautiful thing to do. If you don’t get married at a certain stage, you won’t be able to check the excesses that we men have. Beyond your mother, its only your wife that can make you come home at a certain time. You don’t do things in excess because you have someone who looks after you beyond your mother, somebody you left at home who cares for you. It’s

If you don’t give love, you don’t receive love -Mrs. Cassandra Udokwu What is that one quality you admire about your husband? Sincerity. What will you regard as the greatest gift he has given to you? My children What lessons have you learnt in your 15 years of marriage? I have learnt a lot of things like patience, focus and perseverance. A lot of things like endurance, because when you have somebody that knows your faults and takes your faults as his what else can you do than to be

humble. He is just a wonderful person. My marriage of 15 years has taught me a great lesson that love is what you give .What you give is what you will receive. If you don’t give sincere love you won’t receive sincere love. If you give pretense, you will receive pretense. For intending couples and those who are already married, what will be your advice to them? They need to know what they want as couples. Do they want their marriage to work?Do they want people to praise God because of

their marriage? That is what we wanted and that is what we have achieved .We believe in dialogue and communication. When you have issues, discuss it among yourselves immediately. Don’t leave it for tomorrow, because when you leave it for tomorrow, seeds of discord might be sowed. Once that seed is being planted, then you start analyzing and digesting .The mind starts thinking about different things .Communicate when you are together and when you are not together. Marriage is friendship.

PAGE 18, SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

Joke Jigan out with her 7th film ‘Oyinkansola

Comments on ‘The Good Wife’ makes me cry everyday – Chinney Love

hinney Eze known as Chinney Love has long gone from the budding movie producer to become the respected one she is turning to be with her every new effort. The beautiful actress turned producer is clearly excited about her new effort ‘The Good Wife’ which trailer was released some days ago. According to her, there have been torrents of wonderful comments on the film. “So, I put in so much work to this. This is a movie that will thrill you. The comments make me cry daily. I have never been happier” she quipped on one of her numerous broadcasts on bbm. The film that gives a graphic picture of what domestic violence looks and feels like parades seasoned stars like Ayo Adesanya, Yvonne Jegede, Frederick Leonard, Oma Nnadi and Daniel Llord. ‘The Good Wife’ is Chinney’s fifth film. Others are The Cartel, Okrika, Devil in Red and the Good Wife.

retty and sexy Yoruba actress, Joke Jigan may be about the very hottest item coming out of the Yoruba movie enclave with the release of her seventh film titled ‘Oyinkansola’ which is set to hit the stalls across the country tomorrow, Monday February 23rd. For some weeks now there has been a sort of frenzy on the social media, warning and sensitising movie watchers about the film. No day passes without a bbm broadcast making a big deal of the film, making one wonders if there is really a big deal about the film. But if Joke’s word is to be taken for seriously the movie is sure a good bet that may be worth every penny spent in buying the DVD. “ It is as good if not better that Bisola Beyonce. Oyimkansola portrays the story of a young lady who aspires to be a super model but on her journey to stardom she had to face some obstacles which later unravels her past” says the producer, Joke Jigan. The star studded film is packaged by Shola Akintunde Lagata, directed by Okiki Afolayan and marketed by corporate Pictures. The film will be the 7th film produced by Joke Jigan after Idoti, Ikoko, Ihoho Mi, Olote, Bisola Beyonce, and Kogbodomo.

I am for real - Folorunsho Adeola eautiful, sexy and talented Yoruba actress,

Folorunsho Adeola is one of the new faces in the Yoruba sector of Nollywood, taking giant steps, not only for her knock-out physical structure but also for her talent that has elevated her higher than most of her peers. Known for special knacks for getting into any character as easily as a chameleon would change its colour, Adeola known as Arikegold has interpreted many different roles to the delight of her watchers. Some of the films she has featured include Ayonitemi, Olowo Layemo, Fayeyemi, Ipilese, Olaju, Awa Meje, Baba Gomina, Tijoterin, Ire Nimoyan, Iriri Mi, Orisun and Perosoko among many others. She is a mass communications graduate of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State. She got into acting through the Mr Latin theatre group. “ I am in the industry for real. I believe as an actress I should be able t o take on any challenge and I don’t think there is anything or role beyond my capacity. I am here to stay and I am the real thing” she tells Potpourri. C M Y K

NEIHIS is here at last

ll is set for the media launch of the much awaited Nigerian Entertainment Industry Health Insurance Scheme, NEIHIS, which is scheduled to hold on the 3rd of March, at Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos. The scheme which is under the direct regulation of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has two private plans, Standard and Ultra and both are at affordable premiums. The plans can be procured by individuals, corporate groups or families. A family will consist; husband, wife and four biological children. Aside the practitioners of the entertainment and media industry and their nuclear families, NEIHIS also covers all the employees of entertainment and media

outfits including band members, set designers, journalists, sound engineers, and other auxiliary service providers and affiliates. All the benefits covered by the premium will be unveiled at the launch. The scheme which is now affiliated to over 350 NHIS accredited hospitals nationwide is working assiduously in a very rare partnership with three ‘Health Management Organizations (HMOs) namely; Healthcare International, Premium Health and United healthcare International to achieve this great feat. In a statement by the organizers, “The scheme is finally ready and approved to function by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which is the sole government regulatory agency for health insurance in Nigeria.”

Uche Iwuanyanwu gets a baby as Valentine’s gift

his came as a pleasant surprise to so many in the industry. Nobody could even swear to it that actress, Uche Iwuanyanwu was pregnant, let alone having a baby as she declared in a bbm broadcast on February 11th. I actually chatted with her few days before the arrival of her baby and all she could tell me is that she would have a surprise for me, not giving a hint that she could be getting into labour as at the time we were chatting on bbm. Alas on February 11th I got a cheerful broadcast from her “The blessings of the lord upon my life is too much that I don’t know where to start from...Welcomed my bundle of joy, JASON SOMTOCHI NNANNAH 11th FEB 2015. Valentine gift came early for me. God be praised”. The baby was delivered in Houston, Texas and mother and child are reportedly doing great. Congrats Uche.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 19

The decaying state of marriage in the Diaspora

‘My pastor-husband lef t me with four children and ran to Nigeria to be with another woman’ L

ET me start first by apologizing for the absence of this column for the past two weeks. I was under severe weather related illness, but thank God I am now well.. Two weeks ago, I published on this page the sad story of the marital indiscretion of a married Nigerian nurse in Washington DC, whose boyfriend had so callously and maliciously recorded their illicit encounters and uploaded it on you tube, as a payback over a broken promise. The woman’s career, her family, marriage and all she had worked and toiled for in the United States came under severe jeopardy and she had to be on suicide watch, The underlying theme of that story was the decaying state of marriage among Nigerians in the Diaspora and how infidelity, emotional cruelty, the abandonment of Africans values and mores and the embrace of the more liberal, individualistic elements of the American culture, have severely affected the fabric of matrimony among our Diaspora Nigerians. Since that piece ran, I have received so many stories of other Diasporans who have had their matrimonial dreams deferred or destroyed by such debilitating acts as domestic abuse, emotional cruelties, infidelities, and abandonment. Among the most distressing was the story of a New York based Nigerian lady who asked me to use her full details because “she has had it up to her throat” To protect her kids and other ethical considerations, I have elected to keep her full details off the stor y, but would use her first name`Charity’. Charity ’s story is heart rending. Her husband is a pastor, who daily mounts the pulpit and exhorts congregants to forswear fornication and adultery but is, himself, immersed in the seedy and sleazy world of infidelity and debauchery. A father of four children, he has since abandoned his wife and kids and relocated to Nigeria and currently is married to another woman. “When I met and married my husband, I thought I was entering a matrimonial enterprise that will provide me a shelter for life; I thought the man I married, being a spirit-filled, prophetic-laden man, had an acute sense of right and wrong, and would never sacrifice the sanctity of marital vows”, she started. “How could I have remotely entertained such negative thoughts when my husband, who never drank alcohol nor appeared to indulge in any known vice, was in my opinion, an epitome of morality and good behaviour? A deeply religious man or so I thought, he started a church here in New York City and was seen as a major spiritual leader of our Nigerian community. Our children came in quick succession and, about six years after our

marriage, we were blessed with four children and we couldn’t be happier. “Shortly after our last child was born, my husband started manifesting some strange behaviour. He started to abuse me emotionally and physically; he would talk down on me and screamed obscenities right in front of the kids. A home that was once the picture of peace and calm suddenly became a battle front of sorts, with verbal grenades and sometimes fisticuff flying all over the place. The kids were cowed and their exuberant spirit curtailed. They no longer knew who their father was or what had come over him. He would beat me up black and blue and would later that day mount the pulpit and preach to the congregants about living a good life and maintaining peace in the family. I would sit there seething and cursing at the audacity of his double-speak. Sometimes, I would feel like standing upon and confronting him right there that he was living a lie, but I decided to protect him, in spite of myself. “Intimacy that was very strong and endearing bond between us, all but disappeared in the dictionary of our marriage. If I made any attempt to excite that passion, he would push me to one corner of the bed and told me to keep my filthy body to myself, and I would begin to cry. It is one thing for your spouse to deny you conjugal pleasures, but to call you `filthy’ when he knew you were anything but such a

Charity’s story is heart rending. Her husband is a pastor, who daily mounts the pulpit and exhorts congregants to forswear fornication and adultery but is, himself, immersed in the seedy and sleazy world of infidelity and debauchery description is enough to kill you. I was distraught and my job and career as a teacher took a beating. I could not concentrate on anything, not even my kids received the kind of love and attention they were previously used to getting from me. I began to wonder what had gone wrong, but I couldn’t put a finger on it. My husband just shut his emotions and erected a strong wall of projection against me. Tried as much as I did to penetrate it, the walls just won’t open up. I became almost a mental case. Depression set in, psychological trauma became a daily companion and I began

to experience all sorts of strange illnesses that I never experienced before. “My husband became a sadist; the more pains he inflicted on me, the more pleased he appeared to be. He would saunter into the living room, and regard me with such cold stare that I would be wondering what I had done to earn such hate and vitriol. His kids would greet him, and he would just look at them, his flesh and blood in a very condescending manner. The shocking thing about all this was that he still preached at his church and members would go to him for counselling, and I couldn’t understand what would motivate a man to live such a doublelife. “I remember waking up in the hospital surrounded by nurses and my kids and wondering how and what took me there. I was later told by my kids that I had complained of shortness of breath and I had subsequently slumped. If not for the quick arrival of the EMS, I would have died. I was taken to the hospital and was kept for observation. For three days that I was there, my husband did not show up, neither did he call to find out how I was faring. To him, I was better dead than alive and that’s what his other woman, whose discovery had sent me on an emotional tailspin, wanted”. Next week: How my husband secretly married a second wife and became her slave

PAGE 20—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

By TOM ADABA

ow that there is a break, half time break, in political campaigns or a postponement of the elections by six weeks, it is time to take stock of the various political activities, and possibly prepare for a more refined, purposeful and positive approach contrary to what some have taken as “door-die”. My constituency is the media and that is the area I wish to address because I am genuinely concerned. We cannot sit back, arms folded, looking the other way, and pretending that all is well. Let the truth be told, we have simply behaved as if there is no tomorrow for Nigeria. The campaigns or advertisements of mudslinging and derision, which we have allowed to appear on the screens, have not been helpful to the cause of this nation. It has indeed helped to divide us as a people. The media are expected to be the unifying factor for all interest groups but unfortunately some of us have come out to be brazenly partisan. When I see such, the question I ask myself is, are these media houses aware that they have viewership across the various political divides? What happens to their viewers who do not agree with their new position? It is only natural that they will switch over to a more objective and balanced station. Has this helped the cause of the station? The advertisements are to say the least, banal, puerile, uncultured and primitive. One of the greatest values the Nigerian is identified with is respect. Our morals, and indeed our religious institutions teach us to honour our elders and our leaders. The two major political party presidential aspirants fit very well into the category of those we should respect and honour, as elders and as leaders. The advertisements have not in any way reflected it. What examples are we giving to the younger generations? Aggression and abuse of elders would not earn votes. Rather, they evoke sympathy, and indeed a vote for the victim. The National Broadcasting code has ample provisions for elections. Among them are: 4.2.2 Broadcaster shall (a) Not broadcast a programme which violates social values, shows disrespect for law and order or departs from an honourable life-style; (g) avoid the use of foul and blasphemous language; 5.1.6 Archival or library materials where used to illustrate a current event, shall be used with discretion and clearly identified to avoid confusion or causing emotional pain, offence, embarrassment or defamation. 5.2.5 Political broadcasts C M Y K

2015 presidential election and the broadcast media shall be in decent language 5.2.7 A broadcaster shall, in using a political material for news, avoid taking Inflammatory and divisive matter in its provocative form; 5.3.6 A live broadcast shall take cognizance of the cultural and religious sensibilities of all Nigerians, and avoid offensive inputs. What, in our coverage, commercials or news clips, have exonerated us as objective stations, and non defaulters in the provisions listed above? The documentary that was transmitted on two major networks recently was, to say the least, in bad taste. Though designed to demonise a political opponent, its inaccuracies and the very obvious “ run-himdown” line-by-line production, are not only nauseating but could do the very reverse of the intention – evoke sympathy for the central character in the production, as an underdog. One of the advertisements, in which the same presidential aspirant was transformed into a leopard, was, to me, most despicable, and disgusting. This is a person running for the highest position in the land – the presidency. That visual Nollywood voodoo style production is an insult on our collective carriage of the presidency. Even if he were the least of all the aspirants in terms of followership, that office must be respected and the contestants given their due honour. Permit me to ask if it is the vogue these days not to preview what is to go on air. Even if the

One of the advertisements, in which the same presidential aspirant was transformed into a leopard, was, to me, most despicable, and disgusting

producers come in with such raw and indecorous content, is it not the station’s responsibility, as professionals, to determine what will suit the sensitivities and sensibilities of Nigerian viewers by either editing the advertisement or out-rightly dismissing the producer to go and refine his production? What has become of our ethical standards? If a poll is taken today, are these stations, in all sincerity, sure of retaining their level of audience or viewership? I very much doubt. Another area that bothers me is the Outside Broadcast activities of the stations. There is undoubtedly a very pressing need for serious training of the crew ranging from the cameramen, the on-air presenters, right on to the producers and directors. The earlier this is done against future events, the better it is for our profession and the viewers. By the way, I want to believe the watchdogs or regulators of broadcasting – The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) as well as the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) have done and are seen to have done something by way of sanctions to these errant stations to serve as a deterrent against the second half of the political campaigns. Both stations and the regulatory bodies must be seen as a servant of all. Elections will come and go but Nigeria will remain. Nigeria will remain as what – a nation infested with hatred, distrust and demagoguery? This is

certainly not what we envisage for a country so heavily endowed by God to make us prosper as brothers, sisters and our brothers’ keepers. How shall we see one another after an election campaign so richly studded with hate, bitterness and indeed venom, all in the name of winning the election? At the end of the day, only one out of the 14contestants will be sworn in as the President, whose constituency is the whole of Nigeria. Acceptable platform This is the time to present an acceptable platform for some soft landing for both the winner and the losers. The broadcast media has an immeasurable role to play in this. Though a lot of harm and hurt feelings have been engendered by various broadcast segments, this ‘half time’ is auspicious for us to mend fences and resolve to be better, fairer and more professional in the second half. If we preach hate, we shall reap hate and destruction. If we preach love and peace, we shall reap same. Let us endeavour to preach the latter with our media for the good of this nation and its wonderful people. Nigeria needs peace for progress and development. The broadcast media must be in the vanguard for its promotion. God bless Nigeria. *Adaba is pioneer Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission and Chairman/CEO, Trim Communications Nigeria Limited.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 21

The kept secrets about men ave you ever felt furious with a man because he just doesn’t “get” why he’s making you unhappy? Some men are actually on purpose, trying to hurt you, because that’s the only way they know how to relate to a woman. But most men are just clueless about how they really want to be with you. Most men are lonely, yes, they really are. Most men feel awkward and less confident than you would ever imagine. In fact, most of the good men out there lack confidence and feel awkward around women. But they just

cover it up with either an “I don’t care” attitude, a determination to keep an emotional “distance” between you, or outright hostility. It’s amazing sometimes how far a man will go to protect his own heart and nearly the worst thing we can do is to take what he does and says and close up our own hearts in response. The secret of all these, you have to know, is that you need to keep your heart and your energy field open, so that no matter what he is doing or saying, you wont be hurt. If you trust yourself with a man, he will trust you. This is very different from insisting that you trust him

and I know that trust is hard to get because trust has to be given in a good relationship. But it doesn’t begin with you trusting him, it begins with you trusting you. It begins with a sense that no matter what he does or says, you will be okay. It begins with him getting that you will not tolerate bad behavior, mistreatment, neglect, or any form of abuse or disconnection. And the reason you can trust yourself not to tolerate bad behavior is just that you trust yourself. Then it makes it possible for you to be yourself around him. You can be warm, open,

loving and easy going with him, if you so completely respect and accept yourself, you will automatically respect and accept him, exactly the way he is. And he instantly gets that you respect and accept him. Your intention to be exactly who you are in his presence, no matter what does not only completely turn him on, it makes him feel manly and accepted and trusted all at the same time. That is when you begin to trust him. And that’s how a great, deep and connected relationship gets created.

•Wilson, handsome and cute

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BY ONOZURE DANIA

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DISCLAIMER! Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking. Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For enquiries, text or call 08026651636

So much of this depends on the words you use, they have to be not only respectful and communicate simply, they have to be true. Men are so used to hearing demands from women, from their mothers, their teachers, and even the women around them at work. They are so used to this that they almost automatically shutdown and tune out whenever the sound of your voice or the content of your words triggers them in a way that feels like a demand. You can be ahead of nearly every other woman around by learning how to put words together that are respectful, non demanding and yet truly express what it is you want, what it is you need and what it is you feel, in a way that makes his heart want to get closer to your heart. • Tabi, 24, chocolate in complexion, handsome, tall, slim, easy going and a student, from Delta state, needs a sugar mummy, age and tribe is not a barrier. 07037429039 •Desmond, 25 and resides in PH, needs a sugar mummy, aged 30-55.08159940294 •Divine, 26, from Imo state, needs a good looking sugar mummy, aged 35-40. 08066051177 •Jd, 26, strong, energetic and resides in Lagos, needs a sugar mummy that can take care of him.08141544865 •Chidi, 29, from Anambra state but resides in Kaduna, needs an employed and God fearing, sugar mummy, aged 28-45. 08024451007 • Kingsley, 5ft tall, fair in complexion and resides in Lagos, needs a sugar mummy. 08137673747 •Rhuddy, 26 and resides in Benin, needs a buoyant sugar mummy, aged 30-45. 07054218485 • Kelvin, 28, and reside in Abuja, needs a sugar mummy. 081632430114, 08163243011 • Michael, 25, dark in complexion and resides in Lagos, needs a sexy sugar mummy, from Edo state or Lagos state, for a good relationship, aged 45-60. 08113373308 •John, needs a sugar mummy. 08034006851 •Austine, 27, Christian, dark in complexion, tall, nice, handsome, neat and good looking from Delta state, Urhobo, needs an employed sugar mummy.07067376102 • Henry, 24, tall, dark in complexion, handsome and resides in Abuja, needs a sugar mummy that will take good care of him.08061189881 •Pawills, 20, needs a sugar mummy that can take care of him.08169892219 • Obinna, 27, 5.6ft tall and from Anambra state, needs a big and sexy sugar mummy, that is caring for a relationship, in Lagos state.08178263465 • Henry, needs a sugar mummy, that will take care of him. 07082929773 •Ade, 45 and resides in Abuja, needs a kind, generous and sexy, sugar mummy for a relationship.08120940036

PAGE 22— SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

By JOSEPHINE AGBONKHESE

mina Oyagbola, Human Resources Executive at MTN Nigeria Communications, is the Founder of Women in Successful Careers, WISCAR. A trained lawyer, Mrs Oyagbola garnered vast experience working in the chambers of Chief FRA Williams before venturing into the oil and gas industry, the financial services industry and then the telecommunication sector. A fellow and Co-Chair of the Africa Leadership Initiative, West Africa, she is also a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, a Chartered Fellow of CIPD UK, a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management- CIPM, member of the Institute of Directors and a Chevening Scholar. A firm believer in the empowerment of women and the economically disadvantaged, Mrs Oyagbola, in this interview, talks about her passion for mentoring women to chart successful career paths. Excerpts:

You are one of Nigeria’s most successful career women; give us an insight into some of the challenges you had to transcend?

Thank you for that wonderful compliment but that’s not how I see myself though. An apparently glittering and effortless career is in reality like a duck in a pond. On the surface, the duck serenely glides along seemingly without a care in the world. Beneath the surface, you see two webbed feet paddling away frantically. I see myself as a hard-working and very fortunate career woman, wife and mother. I also see myself as someone who has had to work extremely hard and has had to make sacrifices. I have had my share of tough calls. I have had to balance the nurture of a young growing family with the needs of a nascent career. I once had to go away for a whole year to refresh my education and reinforce my career prospects; sometimes the choices were gut-wrenching but I have been lucky to have a loving and supportive husband, children, family and friends. What expertise and capacity did you develop along the way to achieve your goals and benchmarks? The expertise and competences I had to develop along the way can be broadly classified into two categories: The technical or professional in law at first, then in banking, change management, HR, strategy, corporate affairs and social responsibility, general management and leadership

My desire to help others excel inspired WISCAR — Amina Oyagbola skills. I believe that competency in each of your fields of interest is the base line. I always strive to be better today than I was yesterday. The second category is your personal development as a skillful manager of people and situations and the experience you gather on the job along the way which is priceless. I believe that without the capacity to identify goals, to plan and faithfully execute actions, nobody can achieve any goals. I have never simply strived to achieve the targets set for me by my supervisors. Every year I set higher goals and benchmarks for myself which I strive to achieve. I have also been fortunate in the course of my career to have good supervisors.

Let us talk about WISCAR…

WISCAR is a structured mentoring platform that empowers entry and mid-career professional women with the necessary skills and capacity that enable them understand the corporate terrain, avoid identifiable pitfalls and navigate their careers successfully. The concept of WISCAR was born out of a desire to solve a problem I identified in my interactions with numerous young women at various stages of their professional careers. That desire to help others excel is what inspired me and by an interesting turn of events in 2008, I was presented the opportunity to achieve that desire when I became one of the pioneer set of the Aspen Leadership Institute, West Africa (ALIWA) in 2006 and was required to initiate a project that would contribute to the good of the society. My initiative was WISCAR and the idea has blossomed since then with people of like minds on the WISCAR Advisory Board and WISCAR patrons.

How do you pick mentees and fellow mentors?

The Win with WISCAR mentoring program is conducted as a merit based open application. On a yearly basis, applicants indicate their interest by writing short essays. After the deadline, all

•Amina Oyagbola applications are reviewed by a selection panel. Chosen applicants (mentees) are then invited to a focus group session and interviewed by the panel. We select our mentors by formally writing successful women in different fields of industry who have indicated interest or believe in the WISCAR ideal. We essentially provide them with a platform and structure to serve as mentors and develop the next generation of women leaders. We are extremely grateful to them.

What has interacting with your mentees taught you over the years?

WISCAR is now in its seventh year and every year for the last six years, I have watched with joy and excitement 30 or so young women inducted to a programme that began as a small idea in my mind and resulted in the establishment of a growing and scintillating network of competent, ambitious and talented young women. Watching such transformations certainly leaves one with a few life lessons. Indeed, I have enjoyed the privilege of watching these young career women blossom like caterpillars into beautiful, empowered and confident butterflies! This is evident from the book: Briefcases and Blenders - Every Woman’s Guide to Success in Career and Life, that was put together and published in just three months by the 2014 WISCAR mentees as their way of giving back to

WISCAR. From the progress of all past 98 WISCAR mentees, I know the power of the programme and I have learnt that it has the potential to transform careers and lives of our mentees.

What in your opinion are the gender stereotypes hampering the growth of career women and how can they be best combated?

From the point of employment through to selecting postings, determining promotions and identifying top executive material, these assumptions by ‘employers’ work against women

I believe that the most corrosive assumption that hampers women in their career progression is that the only worthy goal of a woman is to get married, bear children and nurture a family. This assumption is often seen in the negative sense that those aspirations are insurmountable obstacles to women achieving their career aspirations. From the point of employment through to selecting postings, determining promotions and identifying top executive material, these assumptions by ‘employers’ work against women. What is interesting is that most men also want to get married, raise children and nurture a family. However, with men, it is seen as a reason he needs his job and as a positive element for his career progression. But with a woman, the assumption is that she ought to sit at home.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 23

08112662589

When a well planned tryst goes horribly wrong!

O matter how much of an extrovert I want to believe I am, I always cherish the ‘me’ time I spend in a bedroom that looks more of a bombsite than the haven it is supposed to be! So, when Florence, an old school mate, who had been a good host to me on the few times I ventured on the soil of America, decided to visit the country after years of being away, I was obligated to reciprocate her hospitality. She turned up with two of her kids and they were quite a handful – their American twang needed getting used to. Thankfully, I would have just a week with them before they all go to Florence’s in-laws in Osogbo, Osun State. On their first night at mine, Florence and I were wondering where to go for a bit of fun when I remembered this cute little place in Surulere a friend once took us to a few months back. It was on a whole bungalow in a (cul-de-sac) boasting of native delicacies and barbecued fish. It didn’t start coming to life until close to midnight when scantilyclad dancers came on the floor and teased the life out of ogling male customers. My friend was all for it – the kids would be safe in bed and her younger brother could come with us for male company. I was full of enthusiasm

describing what excitement we would have that I actually missed the ‘night club’. I knew the street all right, but there were no activities to show anything of interest was going on. We stopped, by one of the night guards to ask for direction to the place. He gave us a strange look and told us it was the house next door. It couldn’t be! There was no smoke oozing out of any barbecue range and no eager customers hanging around the premises. After making sure it was really a Friday, we got out to find out what was going on. |We were greeted by a couple of roughnecks who waved to some dirty plastic chairs for us to sit on. The place was downright seedy. As a matter of fact, we were the only ones sitting in a nightspot that once boasted a live band and guests spilling all over the place. “Are you really sure this is the place you talked of so glowingly?”, Flo’s brother wanted to know. “I think this is a slaughter house!”. What gave him that idea. I bristled? “I saw a couple coming out with a smirk on the man’s face … look, that’s another one!” True enough, the girl walked behind the man as if trying to hide; her eyes fixed on the floor while the man strolled out casually. What other proof did I need? I asked one of the waiters what was going on.

He said that the place wasn’t making enough money to pay for the live band and dancers that came every weekend from a n neighbouring country, so the place was turned into a”motel’! I couldn’t believe it. “Let’s get out of here”, hissed Florence. Not until we sampled the cuisine I once tasted in this now seedy place, I vowed silently. The waiter looked at me as if I were nuts. “No barbeque anything nor any cooked delicacies”, he told me All they had were fried turkey wings and cold drinks! Disappointed, we had to leave. It is said that a once hubbly and decent joint had to be turned into

what it now was. In a country where motels and cinema houses happily give way to Churches, it shouldn’t really be a surprised what the love of quick money could do! In the end we just settled for a spot Florence’s brother took us. Not my cup of tea but I couldn’t really protest after the fiasco of the ‘hot spot’ I first took them to. We got home around 1.00 am, earlier than we thought, and I made straight for my room. My land phone came to life almost immediately. Who could that be at this ungodly hour? I was on the verge of switching off the ringer and ignoring the phone when I changed my mind. “Hello?”, I snapped.

“Hello”, answered a croaky voice. “Ini!, is that you?” I asked, suddenly coming alive. “ what happened to your voice?” Ini,our devilmay-care friend was having a none0-night tryst with one of her lovers and she had excitedly told me they had booked one of these swanky new exclusive hotels on the island where you pay with hard currency.. She was looking forward to having the experience of a lifetime. “It is not my voice. I hurt all over and I have to travel in a few hours time”, she croaked. Ini’s husband had already travelled and was on the long haul flight to the US. There was no way he could track her movement on the land line and she had taken her mobile just in case. She had made the most of her one night of freedom to opt for a night of passion with her new-found lover of four months. They had had a few quickies which she had raved so much about. A long night of passion would be like an icing on the cake. So, why was she now hurting all over? Was he a pervert? Did he beat her up?” “No, no, nothing like that”, Ini quickly assured. “Only as soon as we checked in, he had been like a prisoner just released after a long spell in jail without a woman. He was at it all night. I haven’t slept a wink … Are you laughing?” Laugh ke? I said, dying to

find out what was going on … an exciting compensation for the lousy night I just had. “So, what happened?” “The man was insatiable”, she whined. “We’ve made love four times now. At one stage, I had to hide in the bathroom, hoping that by the time | came out, he would have been tired enough to have fallen asleep. He was asleep all right, but as soon as I crawled n between the sheets, he pounced!” I could no longer suppress my laughter. I hooted and hollered. You would have thought that this pair were a couple of teenagers who’d just discovered the joy of sex. But no, no, Ini is in her late 40s and her new Romeo is in his early 50s! I’ve always believed that age shouldn’t be an issue when you’re onto a good thing – but four times in a row and still rearing to go! What was the man trying to prove? Unfortunately for Ini, she couldn’t just get up and leave in the middle of the night with no car but her lover’s! So, where was lover boy now? “Fast asleep, thank goodness”, Ini whispered. “I am only dreading when we wake up – he might start all over again. But I intend to wake up before he does and get fully dressed so I could go home”.

08052201867(Text Only)

Caring for the pelvic area

wo of the best postures for improving the pelvic area in yoga are the Heels to crotch pose and the Spread Eagle. The benefits of the stretched and toning of the abductor muscles that run along the inner thighs include preparing the pelvic floor for case of birth in women and improved manly vigour in the menfolk. Other benefits are increase flexibility to the spine helping to reduce back fatigue and backache. The Heels to Crotch in particular also contributes to the suppleness of the hip, knee and ankle joints. Digestion and elimination are both improved. Let’s consider first. The Heels to Crotch pose. Technique: C M Y K

Sit straight with the legs stretched out in front of you. Now bend first one knee placing be bet leg on the floor with the heel close to the crotch as much as possible. Do the same with the either leg. Now you should have both soles of the feet touching and begin to lower both legs till the knees are either on the floor of very close with the hands holding down the feet. Note: A warm up to this posture is to floop the legs up and down at the knees like the wings of a bird in flight, a few times before holding the legs down in the final pose. Your breathing should be relaxed and rhythmic. Stay in the post for some 10 to 15

seconds. Relax and repeat. BENEFIT Both deep and superficial muscles of

the inner things are intensely stretched toning muscles and ligaments of the pelvis, encouraging the health of the whole pelvic area. There is improved blood circulation to the beck and abdomen benefiting the kidneys and bladder and helping

to deal with urinary disorders. A daily practice of this pose hinders the onset of varicose veins and is aid to reduce the harshness of labour pains. It helps check nocturnal emissions and increases sexual staying power in men. THE SPREAD EAGLE

Technique: Sitting erect spread out the legs as far apart as possible placing the hands on the shins. Breathe: normally and stay in the posture for as long as you can. A variant is to lower the trunk dropping the forehead to the floor and clutching the feet with the corresponding hands. BENEFITS The spread eagle tones the muscles of the inner thighs those of the back and stomach as well as the arms. It is said to increase the digestive fire thereby eliminating indigestion and constipation.

Yoga Classes STARTED Physical Therapy Centre @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00am

Heels-to-Crotch Pose

on Saturdays

P AGE 24 — SUND AY Vanguard , FEBRUARY 22 , 2015 SUNDA

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

How a broken heart could be dangerous to your health

ECENT scientific research has shown the risk of having heart failure or a stroke doubles in the first month after losing a loved one. The findings add to growing evidence that bereavement doesn’t just increase the risk of depression and anxiety, but can weaken the body ’s defences against all types of disease – from the common cold to cancer. Doctors even call it broken heart syndrome, not least because you are six times more likely to die in the year after losing a loved one than at any other time. The phenomenon explains why many widows and widowers die within a few months of their spouses. When an older colleague lot his wife of almost 50 years a couple of years back, I felt really sorry for him. Apart from the fact they were very close, the wife was hale and hearty when she left to spend time with her daughter ’s new family. “The next thing I heard was that she slumped and died before they could even take her to the hospital”, he told me sadly as we sat over our once-a-month lunch treat. A usually boisterous man, he tried to be his old jolly self but it was too much of an effort. He barely touched his lunch. Three weeks later, another colleague called wanting to know if I’d heard of our friend’s demise. My heart sank. But it wasn’t a surprise really. I just pictured him on our last date, hunched over his beer and muttering, “one minute, I was waving her off, and the next I was watching her remains being lowered into her grave!” There are many complex causes of broken heart syndrome, but the production of cortisol – a

chemical released by the adrenal gland on top of the kidney as part of our ‘fight or flight’ response to danger, is believed to be one of the biggest sources of problems. The surge of cortisol increases the amount of sugar in the blood to help our muscles work faster. It gets more energy to the brain and speeds up wound repairs. In evolution terms, say the researchers, that’s fine. But it’s less useful when facing long term emotional distress. Then the hormone can build to harmful levels in the blood, affecting many parts of our bodies. Hair loss: Within weeks of losing a loved one, some women lose hair at an alarming rate. Hair grows in a natural cycle. A strand typically grows from the scalp for three years before entering a ‘dormant’ state for three months. It then falls out to make way for a new strand. Any one time, 10 percent of hairs are dormant, while in a typical day, 30 to 150 fall out naturally. High levels of cortisol can cause 30 percent or more of your hair to become dormant and three months later, drop out, causing bald patches and thinning. The good news is this condition, called telogan effluvium, usually cures itself. Within six months, hair should be growing normally. Headaches:Bereavement can trigger tension headaches – the so-called ‘stress headaches’ regularly experienced by a third of adults. The causes are not properly understood, but they are often linked to tight shoulder and neck muscles. Alongside dizziness, nausea, palpitations, stomach cramps and muscle aches, they are a common side-effect to

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

THE SCHOOL CALLED MARRIAGE

Marriage is You get the school where It's a school

the only school where Certificate before you start. It's also a you will never graduate. without a break or a

damage the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin – the substance which controls blood sugar. Complications of type 2 diabetes can be serious and include poor circulation, sight loss, heart or kidney disease and miscarriage.

people suffering intense emotional stress. The symptoms are thought to be triggered by the release of cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream. Doctors say that even if a headache isn’t initially triggered by grief, any stress will exacerbate it. High blood pressure: Not surprisingly, blood pressure usually soars in the first weeks after losing a loved one. That’s because stress hormones, released in your bloodstream, cause the heart to beat faster and blood vessels to narrow. Doctors say evidence of long term effects of bereavement on blood pressure is not clear. However, a 1997 study of 150 American widows and widowers showed that it remained high 25 months after the death of a spouse. Studies of the families of dead soldiers have shown blood pressure is higher amongst bereaved relatives four years after death. This could be linked to higher than normal levels of stress hormones, or it could be caused by destructive changes in lifestyle, such as smoking or drinking. Higher blood

pressure may not be a serious problem for fit, young people – but for those in middle or old age who may already be at risk, it could be enough to trigger heart attacks or a stroke. Cancer: The immune system doesn’t just fight off bugs – it’s also crucial in defending against cancer. But high levels of cortisol triggered by bereavement can weaken the immune system. Studies have shown that widowed women have fewer natural killer cells – the cells in the immune system that attack tumours. A Swedish study in 2003 showed that women who had los5t a husband were twice as likely to develop breast cancer as women who had not. And a study of more than 6,000 Israeli families in 2000 suggested the incidence of cancer was higher in parents who lost an adult son in the Yom Kipper war. However,, Cancer research UK says plenty of studies have shown the link is small or non-existent. Teasing out the cause and effects of bereavement and cancer is tricky. Grieving mothers may be more likely to smoke, drink, do less exercise, and overeat, factors that increase the

free period. It's a school where no one is allowed to drop out. It's a school you will have to attend every day of your life. It's a school where there is no sick leave or holidays. It's a school founded by God: 1. On the foundation of love. 2. The walls are made out of trust. 3. The door made out of acceptance. 4. The windows made out of understanding. 5. The furniture made out of blessings. 6. The roof made out of faith. Be reminded that you are just a student not the principal. God is the only Principal. Even in times of storms, don't be unwise and run outside. Keep in mind that, this school is the safest place to be. Never go to sleep before completing your assignments for the day. Never forget the C-word. Communicate. Communicate to your classmate (Spouse) and to the Principal If you find out something in your classmate that you do not appreciate.

risk of cancer. Heart Disease and stroke: The risks of a heart attack are 21 times higher in the 24 hours following the death of a spouse, according to a 2012 Harvard University Study./ Within the first week of bereavement, widows are six times more likely to suffer than normal. The stress of losing a partner can revise heart rates, increase blood pressure and make blood sticker. Sleep and appetite are disrupted, and people forget to take their regular medication – all increasing the dangers. Studies have also shown that recently bereaved people suffer changes I their heart rhythms, which puts them at risk. Diabetes: The loss of a loved one may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, the version of the disease that usually appears in middle age. A Danish study in 2005 showed mothers who had lost a child in the previous 18 years were 41 per cent more likely to end up being treated in hospital for diabetes than mothers who had not. Scientists believe chronic high levels of cortisol

Beware of what you wish for! (Humour) Three men all line up outside the Pearly Gates where St. Peter says to them: “Listen fellas, we’re quite busy here at the moment. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. You can go back down to earth and carry on your lives as long as you give up your bad habits. Otherwise, it’ll be back up here and standing in line for the next few months until I have a chance to deal with it”. The three men are overjoyed. The fat man promises to stop being greedy, the gambler promises to stop yearning after money and the superstar promises to stop being promiscuous. For two weeks, the men kept their pledges but then, one lunch time the ft man is walking past a 5-star hotel when the smell of food is more than he can bear. He goes in and finds a sumptuous carvery laid out, the best he’s ever seen. Rushing up to the table, he takes not one, but two plates and fills them to overflowing but just as he’s about to take the first forkful ‘WHOOSH’, he disappears. Meanwhile, not far away the gambler and the superstar are just saying their goodbyes after having lunch together. As the gambler walks off down the street, he sees a young man drop a N1,000 note. Instead of calling to her, he waits till she has gone and then bends down to pick it up – WHOOSH … both the gambler and the superstar disappear.

Remember your classmate is also just a student not a graduate, God is not finished with him/her yet. So take it as a challenge and work on it together. Do not forget to study the Holy Book (the main textbook of this school). Start each day with a sacred assembly and end it the same way. Sometimes you will feel like not attending classes, yet you have to. When tempted to quit find courage and continue. Some tests and exams may be tough but remember the Principal knows how much you can bear and yet it's a school better than any other. It's one of the best schools on earth; joy, peace and happiness accompany each lesson of the day. Different subjects are offered in this school, yet love is the major subject. After all the years of theorizing about it, now you have a chance to practice it. To be loved is a good thing, but to love is the greatest privilege of them all. Marriage is a place of love, so love your spouse. More grace from God. Chris Onunaku. 08032988826/08184844015.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 25

N1 .5M HEAR GERY N1.5M HEARTT SUR SURGERY

Help came late for my husband! —Widow *’His failed bid for assistance from Gov. Amosun’ BY DAUD OLATUNJI

His story was pathetic. Death snatched him on the verge of help! Penultimate week, Sunday Vanguard published a story of auto parts dealer, Qassim Balogun, a father of two, who was down with heart disease that was threatening his life. Unfortunately, before the story was published, Balogun succumbed to the cold hands of death. Balogun died Friday, January 23, two days before his story was published, soliciting help over the N1.5 million he needed for surgery to correct his heart problem. Balogun had cardiovascular disease which led to the blockage of his blood vessels prompting the swelling of his body. The news of his death was broken by his wife who betrayed emotion when our reporter called the victim’s mobile phone, apparently to tell him his ‘save our soul’ story had been published, but a feminine voice was heard saying, “Thank you sir, but, my husband died on Friday night”. Visiting a-four-room bungalow of the deceased located at Olosun Street, Mile Two, along Rounder in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, the widow was seen being consoled by sympathizers. The widow, Mrs Iyabo Balogun, 32, said her husband died of heart problems. She lamented that the 37-year-old husband lost his life because he could not get financial assistance from Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, his wife and other prominent personalities in the state. She said: “My husband had managed to visit Governor Amosun in his house during the Eid-el-Kabir festival with the aim of getting his attention on the N1.5m he needed for the treatment of his heart ailment, but could not see the governor.

•Mrs Balogun “We wrote many letters to the governor and his wife, but nothing was done. We went to so many places to get the money, all to no avail. He died penultimate Friday. “If we had got the money, he would not have died because we were told that a surgery on the heart was needed before he could be well . And we made several attempts to get the money, but it

was not possible”. While explaining the genesis of the ailment, Mrs Balogun said the problem started, many years ago, with cough, leading to cardiovascular problem. “We went to Lantoro Hospital to treat tuberculosis. From there, we were referred to the State Hospital from where we were asked to go to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta. At the FMC,

it was discovered that the problem was not tuberculosis but cardiovascular problem. We where were later referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital. “At LUTH, we were asked to provide N1.5 million for surgery; they said the surgery would be done in China. We looked for the money .We begged people including politicians, religious people and government officials. The little money we got was from my husband’s colleagues at work place and some individuals as well as his mosque. “We were spending N10,000 every week and every month we spent N30,000 at LUTH whenever he had blockage of blood veins which made his body to swell. “But, on that Friday, his body was swollen and i asked him to let us go back to LUTH. He said he could not get up and we did not have a car to take him to the hospital. “He died in the night. We have buried him and we look for help from people.. “I am a trader. I sell provisions at home. I sustain the family through what I realise”. When asked how she will cope after the demise of her husband, Iyabo said she was faced with the task of fending for her two children, aged 11 and five years. She explained that her first born, Abdulahi, 11, is in Junior Secondary School at a private school in the area while the last born is in primary five at another private school . According to her, she needs about N100,000 for school fees for the two children every session . “I need help from government and people to cater for my children. I don’t know how to cope without my husband”.

‘The youth critical to nation’s revival’ BY ANTHONY AFOLABI

yo Fadumiye, lead Pastor of The Light Sanctuary, leadership expert /coach and performance consultant, has emphasized the role of the youth in nation-building saying they are critical to the revival of any nation. While addressing the media in Lagos, on the second edition of his ministry ’s transformation programme, tagged Evolve 2.0: Power to Transfor m Yourself, scheduled for June 14, 2015, C M Y K

Fadumiye said crises all over the world, with little or no efforts to solve them and improve on policies that will benefit mankind, underscored the need for proper transformation. He said that instead of being used as political thugs, the youth, through Evolve Programme, will be creatively helped to become agents of change. The programme, he said,will focus on three values: Educare (caring & providing support to the

education sector e.g. public schools), innovation (using latest tech, tools &platforms to drive ideas) and value creation (community value based projects). Fadumiye described transformation which he said is a process that begins with the mind, as a larger version of improvement. In other words, he looks at transformation as a complete change of state that does not leave any trace of the characteristics of the old self in the new level.

•Pastor Fadumiye

Customs & tradition responsible for 70% of widows problem in Nigeria By Princewill Ekwujuru

Non Governmental Organization , NGO, Widows Edge Foundation, Coordinated by Barr Vivien Ekezie has attributed 70 percent of widows problems in Nigeria to customs and tradition of the people, as she calls for its abolition. According to the Founder, the Foundation was established to cater for the travails of widows in Nigeria. The Barr Ekezie who also is a widow said the Foundation was out to fight the course of widows whom customs and tradition repugnant to natural justice have traumatized. The Coordinator who complained that widows are maltreated in Nigeria as a result of customs and tradition of certain set of people, particularly in the South East and South and South geopolitical zone of the country, precisely Edo, Delta and the Igbo land. She however argued that such customs and tradition should be abolished as it is against natural justice. “Imagine where a widow is to be inherited like a landed property. A situation a widow is deprived of her late husband’s property. Or where she is required to drink the bath water of the deceased husband as a sign she did not kill her husband. Where she is asked to swear to an oath, this is wickedness.” Barr Ekezie lamented. The Coordinator who said the NGO has been running for about two years now, have taken up cases for traumatized and maltreated widows across Nigeria from her personal purse to campaign against Widows discrimination in the society. She therefore, called for the abolition of customs and traditions that are not in tandem with current societal realities.

PAGE 26 — SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

TRYING TTO O SSTTAR O FFAN AN CHILD ARTT GENERA GENERATTOR TTO

Dad falls into septic tank, dead! BY BOSE ADELAJA

e woke up hale and hearty that Monday. Being the first working day of the week, 35-year-old Salisu Olalekan began the day with a lot of plans hoping he would be able to achieve them before the end of the week. He didn’t. He died in tragic circumstances. Although neighbours and tenants of No 7 Anipele Street, Olorunsogo area of Mushin, Lagos attributed his sudden

death to spiritual attack, Lagos State Fire Services said property owners should be conscious of the state of their property. According to eye witnesses’ account, the victim might have escaped the tragedy if the property owner had fixed the cover of the septic tank which had been depressed before it caved in penultimate Monday. They also lamented that the situation would not have occurred if there had not been erratic public power supply in

the area. Salisu, one of the occupants of the two-storey building, was said to be resting at home after the day’s work, when his daughter complained about the hot weather. This prompted the father to go for his generator. The man apparently to power the fan with the generator to ease the daughter’s discomfort. A resident on the street, Madam Owonikoko Adenike, said as soon as Salisu carried the generator, he put it on the

•The new management at Forever Living Products Nigeria Limited. From left: Director of Finance and Administration, Loye Akinyele followed by Director of Operations, Bode Olaside and the new Country Sales Manager, Mr.Olusegun Israel-Adegboye

TheForeverchangeofbaton BY TONY NWANKWO

t was a Success Showcase alright, but this was different. It marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. The event at the exclusive Yard 158, Event Centre, Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, was witnessed by the unique crowd of Forever Living Products distributors from across the country who watched the retiring of the hardworking, award winning Forever Living Products

Nigeria Country Manager and Managing Director, Mr. Cornelius Olanrewaju Tay and his wife, Caroline Olabisi Tay, from a company they grew to international repute. According to management sources, Forever Nigeria and Benin Republic had grown over the years, in size, sales quantum and distributorship network that no one couple could hope to cope with the demands of the office. So, it was the mandate of Senior Vice President, Operations, Forever Living Products International, Mr. Bill Lewis from founder and chairman, Mr. Rex Maughan, to pass on the mantle of leadership from the couple to three

distinguished young executives for the future progress and development of Forever Living Products Nigeria. At the helm of affairs, according to Mr. Lewis, is Mr. Olusegun IsraelAdegboye as Country Sales Manager; Mr. Loye Akinyele as Director, Finance and Administration and Mr. Bode Olasinde as Director of Operations. Speaking on his new role, Country Sales Manager, Mr. Olusegun Israel-Adegboye said: “Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Tay, brought this company to a healthy path, they elevated the business to its esteemed position internationally, we will now take off and move it to the next level. We are now looking at incorporating wider and newer markets. The Forever Aloe-Vera based products, provide an immense invaluable opportunity and we believe that aside those we have in the networks, there are so many other people that can benefit from it. Those are the markets we are also focusing on. We will provide our distributors with new tool to enhance their individual business growth. We are looking to reduce the very high and increasing unemployment rate by using the social media and other

technologies to reach the youths to create reliable streams of income”. Mr. Israel-Adegboye has every reason to be confident. Having gone through a grueling recruiting process over several months, he especially received intense training from the company owners and executives in Arizona before coming to his new position. Apart from setting up and successfully run an insurance multilevel network in Nigeria. For over five years, he has also been a trainer and a mentor at the prestigious entrepreneur development institutes in Nigeria, the FATE Foundation, on a probono basis. His background as an avid entrepreneur in many fields from commercial motorcycles (okadas) to precious stones- has equipped him with enough experience to do what he is passionate about – developing successful entrepreneurs. He says the future of Forever under his team will only be brighter. “I believe that entrepreneurial growth is a key to economic development that is why I feel very much at home in Forever which is spread out through very remote regions in Nigeria. The owners of the business have seen my

septic tank and wanted to start it when the septic tank caved – in. A resident said fire fighters were not contacted on time as the tenants thought they could perform the rescue operation. After a futile effort, however, they decided to raise the alarm by contacting fire fighters who arrived the scene and brought the victim out, but the young man was stone dead. An eye witness, Alfa Akeem Raji, said faeces oozed out of the victim’s nostrils, eyes, ears profile and they are quite comfortable with it. I had the privilege to meet with Mr. Rex Maughan, the Chairman/Founder and Senior Management of FLP International. We know where Forever is at the moment and we are all looking upwards to the next level”. For the new Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Loye Akinyele. “If you consider that I have done this for over a year, you will realise it will be of the same in financial contribution and more importantly to ensure that bonuses are paid on time and we will utilise all available channels open to us so that products are there when needed. You recall that most of the NAFDAC and other government regulatory agency awards happened under my desk for the past one year and a half. So, we intend to continue to maintain our relationships with NAFDAC and the other regulatory bodies”. On the change of guard, Akinyele said: “This was rumoured for over one year. The staff are used to how we have been working and I think they were happy the way things had gone. We will continue our Success Showcases across the country. It is something that our distributors look forward to”. Mr. Bode Olaside, the new Director of Operations had been part of the success story in Forever House. “The new focus of the company is to build on the legacies of Mr. & Mrs. Tay. They came on board and showed everybody in Nigeria and around the world that it is possible for Nigeria to build a successful FLP business to Number 3 position globally. So, we will continue. We have a good team to achieve a new cycle of success, building on what the Tays have left behind”, Olaside said, adding, “We are preparing for the Global Rally which will take place in Singapore later in April. We are already preparing our distributors for that exciting event and it is going to be a great event. As at now, about 120 distributors will be attending that Rally as qualifiers. That means no less than 200 Nigerians will be representing this company in the Singapore Rally as qualifiers including some of our distributors who did not even qualify but who have bought tickets to be able to attend the Rally”. As the new team settles down to business, Nigerian and African distributors as well as the Forever World will be praying and hoping they succeed..

and mouth as firemen recovered the body from the tank. When Sunday Vanguard visited the scene, only one tenant was around as other occupants of the building were said to have temporarily relocated as a result of the incident. ‘’What happened was a rude shock to us and that is why we are here,” said a sympathiser who refused to disclosed his identity. Contacted, Director, Lagos State Fire Services, Razak Fadipe, who confirmed the incident, advised residents against standing on septic tanks to avoid the kind of tragedy that happened to Salisu. Fadipe said the rescue operation was conducted by one of his officers, Joshua Akindele.

World Anointing Night of Daily Manna By Sola Oyelese

he January 2015 World Anointing Night hosted by Bishop & Dr.(Mrs) Chris Kwakpovwe, has come and gone, but the memories are hard to erase. The galleries of Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island were bursting at the seams with teeming crowds of worshippers from all around Nigeria and across the globe. The wide expanse of the main bowl and the cricket pitch overflowed with crowds. Over 600,000 people attended. From Chika Ihekwuoaba, who came to the programme with walking stick because of an excruciating pain in his leg – but could now walk unaided after the ministration, to Faustinah Finomo, who was healed of 15-year hernia, the testimonies were numerous and awe-inspiring. Guest ministers, including Rev.John Fair and his wife, Debbie, from Dallas and Joshua Tarina of Abuja, took turns to make prophetic declarations. Bishop Kwakpovwe preached a message, quoting Revelations Chapter 3, from verse 7 to 8 and Titus 1:2. Using his story of how he nearly drowned in river as a small boy, but was rescued because of the unusual destiny he carried, he said to the congregation: “ I don’t know who you are, but I know you have a star. What God says you will be, your enemies cannot stop it. All you have been through is not unto death, but destiny-fulfilment. Whatever door your enemies have opened against you through which they can monitor, diagnose and slander you, God shall close!” Women shed tears of consolation and joy when one Anthionia, along with her husband from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, was concluding her testimony of how a 15-year spell of barrenness was shattered in 2013 when she came in personal contact with Bishop Chris. Being a user of Our Daily Manna – the quarterly devotional used around the world – she had come for the Uyo Anointing Service when her name “Anthonia” was called out by Bishop Chris with the prophetic instruction for her not to abandon her marriage. C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 27

By SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

ast Thursday is a remarkable day for widows in Edo State as Governor Adams Oshiomhole brought smiles to the faces of over 1,000 of them through the provision of empowerment materials worth millions of Naira. The materials include sowing machines, hair dressing driers and grinding machines. The governor used the opportunity to warn the widows, drawn across the three senatorial districts of the state, not to use poverty as an excuse to sell their permanent voter cards. It was celebration galore at Government House for the women as they showered prayers on the governor and members of his cabinet. The wife of the deputy governor, Deaconess Endurance Odubu, who spoke at the occasion, thanked the Comrade Governor for his concern for the well-being of widows in the state by empowering them. She used the opportunity to encourage the women to put into best use the empowerment materials while urging them to continue to support the administration of Oshiomhole by voting for APC candidates in the forthcoming elections. Earlier in a welcome address, Executive Director, Office of the First Lady, Haija Maimuna Momodu, urged the women to use their voting power to install a government that will care for them and the nation, advising them to collect their PVCs and use their voting right wisely as this is their

Oshiomhole’s millions for widows!

•Succour for the underprivileged part in creating a better future for the nation. Speaking also, the President of the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Benin Archdiocese, Mrs Mason Aye Omoregie, disclosed that the widows took their time to pray for the governor, asserting that, with this gesture, his enemies will either repent on will be consumed by holy fire. “What happened today is a very big celebration in the sense that the Comrade Governor has brought smiles to the faces of widows. He has been doing this since two years ago but this year’s own is special because apart from the empowerment materials, he gave N10,000 cash to each widow,”Omoregie said.

The Public Relations Officer of the Arewa Women Community in Edo, Fatima Ibrahim, noted that they were not surprised about the gesture of the governor whom he said they had supported even before he came into office in 2008. Some of the women, who also showered praises on the governor include, Comrade Rabi Mary Egbuje, SSA Women Empowerment, and Mrs Victoria Amun, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mobilization. Addressing the women, Oshiomhole said, “Edo State government believes that the best way to support widows is to empower them. First is to get yourselves busy and possibly to

Delt al leader Deltaa Centr Central leaderss pa payy solidarity visit ttoo UPU leader detest anything that will stand against the progress of the Urhobo. We stand on the Uwiamuge declaration and we are behind Chief Tuesday Onoge. All those who want to sell Urhobo are our enemies. So my advice to Urhobo sons and daughters both home and abroad is to stand behind Chief Onoge. We have not made any mistake in choosing him as the President General of UPU.” Responding, Onoge assured the delegation that he will not disappoint them, adding that on Uwiamuge declaration he stands.

•Onoge with his guests

he new executive of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), under the leadership of Chief Tuesday Onoge, received Delta Central leaders who paid him a solidarity visit. Speaking on behalf of the Delta Central Elders/Leaders and Stakeholders, the Chairman, Chief Patrick Ide, said they came to visit him because of their strong belief that Onoge is fighting a genuine cause for the Urhobo

nation. Ide noted that Onoge is widely accepted by majority of Urhobo as the right man to lead the UPU. He added that the ruling party, PDP, has disappointed the Urhobo severally and they have since decided not to work for them, noting that the Uwiamuge declaration does not support PDP because they did not give them what they wanted. He said: “We stand for the progress of Urhobo and we

He advised the Delta Central leaders to work together as one and fight the Urhobo cause, stressing that though UPU was not in support of any political candidate. According to him, UPU is going to come out with a final resolution after the presidential election which will be held on March 28. The UPU Acting President General also assured them that Urhobo are going to win the battle at the end of the day, adding that the people cannot afford to be relegated to the background in the polity.

even employ one or other persons to help you to run a micro business courtesy of this programme. I have no doubt that the beneficiaries will put these machines to good use because the Edo woman is known in history to be resourceful, hardworking, creative and absolutely trustworthy. These facilities are grants to the beneficiary, they are not loans to be repaid because we believe that by putting these equipment to good use, helping to support your families and your children, you are contributing to helping to address part of the social challenges in our society and therefore whatever profit you make, rather than refund to government, we expect you to use such profits to buy from one sewing machine to another so you can end up owning a number of sewing machines”. Oshiomhole added, “I believe by the special grace of God, this programme will change your condition and empower you to look not only after your immediate family but also contribute to the development of the various localities where you live”. Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Esther Amunegor thanked the governor for the gesture, saying it will to a long way to ameliorate the hardship of the widows. She assured that they will continue to support the government of the Comrade Governor to achieve the best for the state.

EZIAF A SCHOOL EZIAFA REHABILIT ATION REHABILITA

ld Students Association of Eziafa Grammar School, Amukpe-Sapele has been applauded by the Chief Inspector of Education (CIE) Sapele, Mr. Peter Ekeke, who represented the state commissioner for education, for extending pipe-borne water to the school science laboratory and other rehabilitation projects embarked upon by the body. Ekeke said the gesture will go a long way to help the school, a remark the National President of the association, Engr. David Gagiyovwe, described as a call to the old students to give back to where they came from, explaining that the school made them what they are today. Responding, the school Principal, Mr. Tony Ubah, said the donation was the beginning of greater things to come to the school as, according to him, the old students are collaborating with him on the needs of the school, promising to make maximum use of the desks and ensured maintenance of other facilities.

PAGE 28— SUNDAY VANGUARD,

FEBRUARY 22, 2015

BY CHARLES ADINGUPU

efore his advent into politics, Dr. Roland Lere Oritsejafor was a medical practitioner. However, his foray in politics was anchored on his desire to give succour to the hapless people in his community and Nigerians at large. Though among his Itsekiri kinsmen and political folks, he is known as Dr. O., he immense contributions to community and national development earned the title of the Ogwa of Itsekiri kingdom. Consequent upon his contributions to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, and disposition to issues of national importance, Oritsejafor rose to the position of Deputy National Secretary of the PDP during the tenures of Audu Ogbe and Vincent Ogbulafor. To him, the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), chaired by Professor Attahiru Jega, was due to security challenges the nation is currently embroiled in particularly in the northern part of the country. The former minister explained that the reasons advanced by the INEC Chairman were cogent enough to justify postponement of the elections. The Ogwa of Itsekiri, who posited that the initial clamour for the shift of the elections by a cross section of Nigerians may not be unconnected with the lingering security crisis confronting the northern part of the country as current development in the political space has further exonerated Jega of any under hand dealings as alleged in certain quarters. According to him, the new election dates will help to douse with tension generated by the polls as well as position INEC to conduct the elections without hitches particularly on the distribution of the PVCs. “The call by some Nigerians to postpone the elections showed that the number of PVCs so distributed was not enough to justify proper conduct of the polls in February. The elections postponement vis-a-vis distribution of PVCs remains a technical issue”, he said. Against this backdrop, he enjoined INEC not to hesitate in disclosing the total number of PVCs distributed thus far. “When the total PVCs distributed are less than forty-six percent, the election can still be said to be authentic. But our concern is the large number of Nigerians who would be disenfranchised in the only, but a global problem. On security challenges, Oritsejafor insisted that insurgency is not Nigeria's problem only, but a global problem. His words, “We don't live in isolation. Insurgency is a global problem. All over the world, we're all aware of the threat posed by Islamic fundamentalists particularly with regards to the problem they have with America. ''Today, insurgency has come to a head as it has spread it's tentacles to virtually all the nooks and crannies of the world via Isis. Hence, Nigeria's case is not peculiar one. Already, the violence perpetrated by them has spread to African countries. ''Boko Haram insurgency is not a local affair. The arms used by the insurgents come from outside the country. From my experience in the Defence Ministry, it's most difficult to use arms against your fellow countrymen. Hence, caution cannot be thrown to the wind in dealing with this issue. This

•Dr. Roland Lere Oritsejafor

the Abuja peace accord collapse. ''The political leaders must be blamed if the Abuja peace accord fails. Their followers listen to them. Whatever the leaders say, the (followers) are ready to accept. Hence, it's the responsibility of the leaders to caution their followers. Government serve everybody and violence is not an answer to any challenge. We're all brothers and sisters and Nigeria belong to all of us,'' he said. “Though Nigeria is reported to be the largest country in Africa, today, Ghana is more respected because they are getting their electoral process right. “When I was Deputy National Secretary of the PDP, we were sent to SaoTome as international observers of that country's election. I was surprised that there was no permanent electoral body and no security personnel detailed to check violence. Party agents and voters were at the polling booths to cast their votes peacefully”, he said. Oritsejafor recalled that since the advent of democracy, the PDP has lost some states to the opposition party mainly due to lack of internal

Successive military rulers left the military to rot, invested heavily in special squads, says Ex-Defence Minister, Oritsejafor may have put the president in a dilemma. ''However, its only when they pose threat to both the citizens and government that the Federal Government may be left without an option. But even at that, there's need to exercise caution because the insurgents are citizens of this country,?” The Ogwa recalled that when Boko Haram insurgents started , it was a Herculean task for Jonathan to order arms against them because they are fellow Nigerians. He disclosed that insurgency in Nigeria persisted for so long because Mr. President was seeking peaceful options to resolve the problem. Sponsors The former minister lamented that government is yet to unmask the sponsors of the insurgents but stated that it's more of an ideological issue. “They want to take over Mali but were rebuffed following intervention. Everybody must be involved in tackling insurgency in Nigeria. Nigerians must be vigilant and render assistance in anyway possible to security operatives. The Islamist have access to weapons of war, and they live among us,”he said. Oritsejafor disclosed that

The call by some Nigerians to postpone the elections showed that the number of PVCs so distributed was not enough to justify proper conduct of the polls in February

government is finding it difficult to in clip the wings of Boko Haram because sources of their finance and weapons are shrouded in mystery. He implored Nigerians to emulate Alhaji Abdul-Mutallab who exposed his son for being a member of an Islamist group. Allocation for weapons While enjoining government to stop those siphoning funds budgeted for weapons for the military, the former minister noted that successive military ruler had neglected this all important aspect, rather, most of them spent so much time and money in equipping special squads to the detriment of the military. Oritsejafor declared that, only recently, military chiefs confirmed that they are better equipped under democratic governance. He reiterated that intelligence gathering remains a measure to put insurgents at bay. Peace accord under threat Recent events confirm that the Abuja peace accord entered into by the political parties appears to be under threat. Apart from the verbal warfare, followers of the political parties are engaged in violence. The PDP chief said the political class must take the blame should

democracy. He, however, said the ruling party is working to reclaim its lost glory, by learning from its mistaking as well as making amends in areas where necessary. According to him, from available inventory, the party has recorded tremendous progress in agriculture, transport, gender equality in governance as well as demonstrated honesty. Oritsejafor joined issues with those who see the APC presidential candidate as anti-corruption crusader. “Has he been ever tested in a democratic environment? How did he fight corruption? Was there a case taken to a court of competent jurisdiction? What were the parameters used for the prosecution of corrupt officers? But President Jonathan, as a true democrat, adhere to the rule of law in the persecution of corrupt public officers. Under his watch, many public officers have been persecuted and the records are there for all to'', he said.

SUND AY SUNDA

overnor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, in this interview, opens up on the meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, which has triggered controversy that some former Niger Delta militant leaders, including Alhaji Dokubo-Asari are spoiling for war in the event that President Goodluck Jonathan loses the forthcoming presidential poll. Being the governor of a state where the president comes from has so many challenges. What are these challenges? Being the governor of any state comes with its own challenges. You should ask me my take, how I feel, having been governor for three years now. I will describe it in three words: exciting, challenging and fulfilling. Let’s start from the first one. How is it exciting? It is exciting because it is an opportunity to directly impact directly on the people. With God being on my side, it also gives the opportunity to leave lasting legacies. I believe in impact. I believe that it is not really a question of how long you serve or how long you occupy a particular office but the degree to which you impact your society positively. When you do so, then it becomes exciting. Anytime I go round Yenagoa and I see the life-changing projects I initiated and have come on stream, a number of them completed, when I see the impact of our programmes on young people, prospects of families, children going to school abroad on scholarships, the hospitals and schools we built, I feel excited by that opportunity. Fulfilling. Again because once all of that is done, you feel accomplished in a way, at least in that specific aspect to yourself and to your God. Challenging, as I said because being a governor of any state at all comes with its own challenges; challenges arising from expectations, challenges arising from the politics of the job, the managing all of it, the interplay of politics and the society comes with its own challenges. Coming from the same state with the president comes with its peculiar challenges. If things are not going so well at home, people will tell Mr. President that ‘things are not going well in your home state’. Looking at the situation in the Niger Delta C M Y K

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 29

POLLS AND ALLEGED W AR THREA T WAR THREAT

How they twisted the resolution of my parley with Dokubo-Asari, Tompolo and co — Gov. Dickson (1)

•‘It will be Jonathan all the way in N-Delta’ •Explains how he relates with First Lady Patience and the situation in Rivers State, the home front ought to be well secured. From your own point of view, what are these obvious challenges? Well, Bayelsa cannot pose any challenge to the president. It is safe for the president. I don’t think there is any rational person in Bayelsa who will not support the president for second term, who will not do his utmost to support his reelection bid. I interact with everybody. That is my duty to mobilize the home front and keep it safe as it is today. I can report that Bayelsa is safe for the PDP. Bayelsa is safe for the president. I am aware that there are some distractions here and there, mine is to stay the course, not to be distracted, in order not to give in to those distractions and temptations. We are bent on keeping the family safe, making the state a secure PDP base. I know that our former governor, my immediate predecessor, is in APC. He is more or less a leader in APC. But the APC does not

have any following that could threaten us in all our elections, particularly, Mr. President’s re-election. You talked about Rivers State. Yes, the situation in Rivers is not ideal. It is not what we would have wished for,. But it is a political reality we are managing. The president’s re-election, I don’t think, in Rivers State, it will pose a big challenge. We are likely to do as well as we did last time. Working hard, the party is doing well. People understand the issues at stake. They understand that the stakes

are very high, as far as the presidential poll is concerned. And coming from where we are coming from as a people, as Ijaw people, as Niger Delta people, I know that people are likely to look beyond personal grievances and things like that and focus on fundamental issues, as to why President Jonathan should be re-elected. Talking about Bayelsa, talking about the entire Niger Delta, for the presidential poll, it is going to be Jonathan all the way. It is going to be PDP all the way. Maybe as you go down to the local elections, where the stakes are much lower and far more localized, you could have some divergent views one way or the other. As far as the presidential poll is concerned, Bayelsa, no shaking, particularly with me there. What is the

nature of your relationship now with the First Lady, because if you read in the papers, you refer to challenges and distractions. I am talking of the political relationship between you and the First Lady. Secondly, your state Chairman of PDP has just been sacked. And he has been saying that his sack has nothing to do with finance but local politics because he was not ready to move with people who were close to the First Lady. What exactly is going on in Bayelsa. You are talking about Bayelsa? being safe but all the undercurrents we are reading in the media indicate that the state is not as safe as you are projecting? First of all, before I talk about the state PDP Chairman’s response to the problems he is having with members of his exco, let me say that when I say PDP is safe, what I mean is concerning the presidential election. There is nobody in Bayelsa, except very few

Continues on page 30

•Governor Seriake Dickson

PAGE 30—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Presidential Poll: ‘It will be Jonathan all the way in N-Delta’(1)

(1)

•Governor Dickson

Continued from Page 29 people, who will not willingly come to vote for the president, majority, 98 per cent. Even with the crowd we saw at the APC rally, and you still say 98 per cent? That was rented crowd and that is why I instructed the security people to provide protection for the APC people. And I also directed my team to get a safe venue for them to campaign. I knew that APC does not have a large membership that can fill a stadium for example. They applied for a small venue. But it was a primary school field and schools were in session and I knew that they would bring in cult elements, young boys and so on, unruly, unmanageable crowd. What you saw was just people picked along the streets and very few committed party men. I don’t even know the leadership of APC beyond the fact that my predecessor is there and he is running an election and two former local government chairmen under his tenure, who I sacked. They are the only members of APC in the state that I know. Beyond that, I do not know any other prominent politician that was in the APC rally. That rally, they just picked about 1,000 to 2,000 young boys from the streets, markets and fixed their camera there to give an impression of a sizeable rally. Rallies are not very often, as all politicians know, a good indication of how well a party can do. So, APC has no presence at all. You may have a situation C M Y K

where one or two people would disagree with me and yet, they will work for the president. It is to that extent that I am saying that Bayelsa is not a problem as far as the presidential poll is concerned. Now coming to your specific question on my political relationship with the First Lady, you know we are Africans and African values that we espouse do not allow me to discuss my boss’ wife, particularly publicly, on the pages of newspapers. I have resisted the temptation to do so. If I were to do so, there would be no difference between me and, maybe, some other people. What I can say is that she is our wife, she is our sister and she is a mother. I play politics with her husband. And he political relationship that I have with my boss and my elder brother, the president, is excellent. I am doing my best to protect his interest and advance the cause and development of our dear state, a state I know he also dearly loves. Remember when he was the governor, I was in his cabinet. I know the passion he also has for the development of our state. And as president, he has always given me support on any issue that has to do with the development of our state. So, I am concerned about that and happily that whatever reports that are going round, despite what the propagandists are doing, it is not affecting our relationship. I am okay with that. I will work hard by the grace of God to keep it so. Talking about the PDP

state Chairman, it is unfortunate if he said so. I don’t believe that my party chairman will say so. He has not seen me since his disagreement with his exco members. And I expect that he should see me to let us know what the issues are, so that we can address them. But I don’t believe the reports credited to him. Those reports are not true, they are not correct. For the first time in the present democratic dispensation, we are going into an election in which the incumbent is not too sure of victory despite that he had massive goodwill when he came on board. What do you think is responsible for this? Well, I don’t agree with you that the president is not sure of victory. The president is very confident that he will win. We in the PDP are very confident that we will win. And the reason is simple. We have been in the trenches for sometime. For a politician contesting an election, there are three elements that are critical: The party, which is the platform, you talk of the candidate and the policies and programmes out there. Of all of these, the candidate is important and the party is also important. The candidate’s party is the warhorse. If the horse is strong, anybody can ride it to victory. But if the platform is weak, no matter how good a candidate is, it will collapse. Just like a good warrior can ride on a sick horse and lose the battle. Our platform is strong; our platform is tested. Are we as

What I can say is that she is our wife, she is our sister and she is a mother. I play politics with her husband strong as we were in the last general election? Probably slightly weakened. But there is no argument that our platform is strongest, our platform is more national, our platform is tested. The other platform hasn’t got our resilience, hasn’t got our real battle experience. I am talking of APC. It is an amalgamation of several tendencies. That’s commendable anyway, I give them credit for coming together. Without legislation, we now have two strong parties. We should give them credit. They have done a lot of good work, which is good for our democracy. But

then, we must also accept that it (APC) is largely an untested warhorse on the national stage. We can point at 1999 where even a candidate didn’t even have support from his ward, his local government, his state and even his entire zone. His entire zone voted against him in 1999 but PDP still got the president elected. I believe that the PDP was weakest at that moment, not now. So, we are very confident that our platform remains the platform of choice and the platform to beat. Look at the second factor -the candidate. If you put our incumbent president, with the resilience he has shown, the democratic temperance that he has exhibited because that is critical, we are running a democracy. A president under a democracy, there is a whole lot of difference between him and some guy who runs a military junta and whose word is law. Here, you have got to navigate your way, negotiate with stakeholders, interact with the National Assembly and other institutions. Your views, opinions and actions would be challenged and tested. That is the democratic furnace through which every politician must pass. So, in the face of unprecedented terror in our country and the distractions arising from that, our president has kept focused. Are things ideal? We will also admit they are not. But none of us imagined in 2011 that we were going to deal with an unprecedented terror situation in our country. But it is a reality we must live with and deal with also. So, our president, the candidate, is also several times better, far more reassuring, far more suitable in a democracy. And you cannot compare. It is like an analogue and a digital product. Talking of youthfulness, talking of educational background, talking of democratic temper and capacity to meander and then interact with the democratic stakeholders to achieve results, talking about the policies and programmes, we believe that the message of transformation, in all sectors, has been delivered. Again, we also admit that in the last five years, he has not been able to solve all the problems. We realise we must deal with corruption. To be continued

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 31

Defected PDP govs have no cause remaining in office I

n this concluding part of the interview with Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, he says his fellow governors who defected from the PDP ought to have followed the honourable path by quitting office. He also speaks on what he calls `the healing process' for Nigeria.

— Sule Lamido (2)

You can see the difference between those days and today, when a governor will leave the party that sponsored him to office and join another party

while still maintaining the office he got from the old party.

When we were fighting in the PDP, I told my colleagues that the issues we were fighting for were fundamental. We were fighting for justice, we were fighting against impunity and we were fighting for due process. The people we were fighting were dangerous. It was like by the time they fight back, our offices, our personal lives and families and relationships could be on the line. Therefore we should stay in the party and fight. If we were going to join the APC, then we must be prepared to resign our offices. There is something called honour around leaders, especially elected leaders. I don’t wear your gown and use it to make shakara for you. It is not fair and it is not right. And then, soon the military intervened, and all of you were witnesses to, and victims of, military justice. Some are saying the way the military handled the persecution of the political class, sometimes sending people to 200 years jail terms, sometimes on trumped up charges, was meant to decimate the political class. How did it affect you personally? When the military took over in 1983/1984, the people holding power were part of the first generation of leaders. The people who came in were the third generation of the military. The first generation were the Ironsis, the Maimalaris, the Gowons, the Ojukwu’s and so on. Those who came in 1984, the people they displaced from power were part of the old order, the leaders who took over from the colonialists. Because the new leaders were part of military leaders, the difficulty they had in asserting their authority, their attempt to replace first grade leadership with third grade meant they had to literally destroy the old order, because there was no way they were going to share space with the Ziks, the Awolowos, the Mbadiwes, the Aminu Kanos, the Joe Tarkas. It was necessary, or so they thought, to first destroy what was standing before they could find the ground to stand. They set out to disgrace us, remove our moral authority and make it sound as if we were thieves, crooks and corrupt

C M Y K

•Governor Sule Lamido

It was agreed that for some of us from the North who had worked with the military to prove that we were not part of the Abacha agenda for the North, we should go and form a group and challenge Abacha

people, and they made themselves look like saviours and revolutionaries, blah, blah, blah. They deployed lack of due process, lack of law, lack of human rights and even lack of cultural background. And you can see the effect of these. They ended up taking away our history and truncated our political track records. How many young Nigerians know the story of Nigeria today? They don’t know and they don’t want to know because there is no running story. There is no continuity in our political evolution. What you have is a patchwork of eras. These boys were not able to replace what they destroyed with anything worth keeping. They were marauding the landscape with their military laws and decrees with immediate effect but we ended up having no effect because these laws and their system of rule was hanging. It had nothing to stand on. Even when they started their political transitions, they made things worse by disqualifying everybody who was in politics between 1960 and 1983. You can see the consequences. We are paying very dearly for it. You played prominent roles during the military transitions to democracy. In particular, what did you see as your mission when the movement towards the formation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party was going on? Did you see it as an opportunity to continue from where you stopped in 1983? Our mission was informed by the coup of 1983 and the aftermath of it. Between 1983 and 1998, the military did incalculable harm to the polity. By 1998 we had no sense of our history. We did not know where we were coming from. We lost track of the contributions of our founding fathers, what was their vision and mission. The past was shut out. In its place was the culture of nepotism, brute force, abuse of power, mindless corruption and political greed that was not governed by any sense of restraint. That is why today, governance has lost meaning. Government can become the property of the governor and the state his estate. Thank God we are able to maintain definite

tenures. If we had no tenure limits, we would be having 36 state emperors and a king at the centre, each with the power to extend its dynasty. We have no philosophy that guides the way we do things and run a system in order to deliver good governance and use public resources to serve the people. It is everybody doing just as he likes. You can only get anything if you know Mr A or Mr B; citizens have lost their rights. So, in 1999, after Babangida tried to continue and failed, he set up an interim government and left. General Abacha allowed the interim government to operate for only 82 days and he took over. He too tried to transform into a civilian president after five years in power. Generals Buhari, Babangida and Abacha had transformed politicians into praise singers and sycophants. People like us felt very offended and worried. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) founded by Babangida were government inventions. They were owned by the military government, who gave politicians offices, houses, cars and even allowances. They also felt free to ban, disqualify any candidate and annul concluded elections. It was very obvious that he who paid the piper dictated the tunes. So, the party system the military set up was just a fraud, because the military was also using these associations of praise singers and political conmen to sabotage the parties and transition programmes they were running. We felt there was danger. We felt pained that Nigeria, the leader of the black race, can be so trivialised. So, myself, Abubakar Rimi, Solomon Lar, Alex Ekwueme, Iorchia Ayu, Solomon Ellah, Bola Ige, and two others, formed the G.9. We met at Ekwueme’s office in Raymond Njoku Street, Ikoyi and discussed Nigeria extensively. It was agreed that for some of us from the North who had worked with the military to prove that we were not part of the Abacha agenda for the North, we should go and form a group and challenge Abacha. ‘Go and challenge Abacha if you want those of us in the South to believe you’ . We agreed. We formed the G.18, which was purely a northern formation. We challenged Abacha on a number of issues and gave it to Solomon Lar to go and read it out in the media. After that, the security agents came and picked me and Rimi and we were incarcerated. When the news came out the following day, the South became convinced of our commitment and therefore more people joined us and we formed the G.34, which was a national movement. We became interested in forming a party that will protect democracy, attract and unite all Nigerians, a party that will consolidate democracy, develop the country and make Nigeria a showpiece in the comity of nations. Eventually, a man who did not play a role in the formation of the PDP became the president of Nigeria under the PDP banner. Somehow, the two of you clicked and have worked together ever since. So, how would you portray Gen Olusegun Obasanjo’s role in our democracy since 1999. Is Obasanjo a saint or sinner? Before we go there, let us discuss how he emerged. There was a coup in 1983 and Buhari, a northerner was head of state, who took over from Shagari, a northerner. Then, Babangida, a northerner overthrew Buhari and ruled Nigeria for eight years. After that, Abacha, another northerner, took over and was in power for five years. And there was an election won by Chief Abiola, which was annulled. This had a very profound effect because the elections of June 12 were very transparent and credible. The North was seen as a power monger. When Abacha died

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Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Continued from Page 31 and we formed the PDP, we were looking for a Nigerian symbol. The issues in 1998 were not about development. The main issue was giving the Nigerian nation, which was like a ship adrift in the ocean, a chance to find a steady course once again. We needed someone who will take the country out of bickering and bring about unity. We decided that the Yoruba had been wrongly treated and must be appeased because of their son, Abiola. Obasanjo was in prison, and we were looking for a Yoruba Nigerian president, not president of Nigeria for the Yorubas. If we had asked the Yorubas to give us a president, they would have given us Bola Ige, Abraham Adesanya or Olu Falae. These people may not solve the problem of uniting the nation because we feared they might be pursuing ethnic agenda. Our leaders reflected and decided to bring out Obasanjo, a man whom we knew was very sound and a nationalist. What did Obasanjo do with the opportunity given to him? Leave your personal opinion about Obasanjo. I know you hate him like nobody else. I have seen your writings. That is your own business. How did we click? you asked. When he made me foreign affairs minister, it was a time when Nigeria was a pariah nation in the world. I never knew him from Adam before he became the elected president. To me, Obasanjo was either crazy or a genius for him to place the heavy burden of that huge ministry on someone he never knew from Adam. I knew that as a foreign affairs minister, what you say or do, or do not say or do not do can make or unmake the image of a nation, and this was a time when Nigeria’s image was already in the worst of shapes. I was touched, and I swore to myself that I will stand by this man for as long as he continued to be active in politics. And within three years of Obasanjo’s ascension to power, Nigeria’s unity was fully restored, and her image abroad was also restored. By 2001, Nigeria was stable and very, very reconciled. And when he started preparing for his second term, the very people who put him there wanted him out. I did not go along with that. I asked why they should use him and dump him. In 2003, when we went for campaign in Rivers, Obasanjo made another very profound impact on me. At the arena where we were having the campaign, Peter Odili, the governor of Rivers State, stood up on the podium. He said: “We, people of South-South, our chiefs, leaders and the entire people, we met and decided that we want to control our oil, because God, in His infinite mercy, put the oil in our soil. And God does not make mistake. So, Mr President, we want to hear from you what will be the fate of our oil when you come back for a second term. We are going to give you our votes 100%; even if you are dead, we will still vote for you”. Odili said so, right there at the campaign ground in Port Harcourt. I was cringing inside

C M Y K

`Why we must rally round Jonathan'(2)

•Governor Sule Lamido when I heard this, because it was a public place and a sensitive thing to say in a public place. Here we were, looking for votes. I was wondering what the president’s reply would be. Then, Obasanjo, in his normal character, stood up. He said: “Peter, thank you very much. I agree with you, God does not make mistake. He also made that man, Sule Lamido, a Nigerian, just like you. Therefore, the oil is for all Nigerians, irrespective of where they come from”. Only someone with moral authority and courage will say so while looking for votes. So it made a serious impact on me. These are the things that define Obasanjo. We do have our own ups and downs, but once it comes to the issue of Nigeria, he and I are on the same page. I think he and I share the same intensity for Nigeria. He says Nigeria gave him everything, and he is ready to give his life for Nigeria. He said so. The same thing applies to me. Nigeria gave me the space to grow, gave me the opportunity to go to the House of Reps, gave the opportunity to be a minister, Nigeria gave me everything. So, I am willing to give back to my country. You have governed Jigawa State for almost eight years now. We all know where the state was in 2007. It was rated by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria as the poorest state in the North and Nigeria. We know where it is today, as one of the most rapidly growing in terms of infrastructure and the best in doing business according to international rating agencies. This is why my newspaper gave you an award. What was the template you brought here that brought about the great turnaround? We are not just talking about developing Dutse into a little beautiful city but creating 27 new towns all over the state. Every human being has pride. Every human being has a sense of belief in himself, or at least, should have it. These will become obvious when the institutions or the platform he needs are given him to demonstrate it. The first thing was that I knew my people to be very proud, very hard working, very industrious and very humane. I was humbled that they made me their governor. The first thing I did was to ensure that the government belonged to them. When you are down, it is up to you to decide that you want to pull yourself up. Otherwise there is nothing anyone can do for you. We felt embarrassed and pained when we were being rated so lowly, and we knew that what they were saying was true. We had to unite to save ourselves from ourselves. So, I decided that I was going to lead, not in terms of being a leader but being part of the people. I do not have any particular training, or qualification, but even when I was foreign minister, I kept my eyes open,

and I noticed that there is something called class, and when I became governor, I decided it was an opportunity to prove that what other people now take for granted in other parts of the world we can do it here. I am going to build structure, infrastructure and institutions that will support our collective drive towards achieving human dignity. Our destination is peace and prosperity and a humane decency. We started by having a conference of all Jigawa citizens. We called it the Talakawa Summit. This summit brought in all artisans, all professionals, from the local midwife in the village to the carpenter, from the woman who makes fura to the vulcaniser and the carpenter. We decided to listen to them first. Then I told them that Jigawa had been a victim of poverty, squalor and destitution. We the elite were here living in comfort and the ordinary people were living in pain. We have switched off from human compassion. We must switch back on and begin to look our people in the face, their clothing, what they eat and how they live. It was time we listened to their stories of agony, ordeal and pain. It should not be like what we always did, discussing about hunger, poverty, refugees and their kwashiorkor in the comfort of seven-star hotels without even listening to the people who were going through these things. When they had narrated everything, we decided to use what we got from them to form the basis of how to run our government. So, what you are seeing today is the result of the collective will, strength and energies of the people of Jigawa State, not Sule Lamido. We all travel all over the world and we read about how Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and now Dubai grew and transformed from backwardness to grade one entities. Why can’t we do the same here in Jigawa State? These people started from somewhere, now see where they are. It is up to us to compel ourselves to be what we want to be. It is not Sule Lamido, but the resolve of Jigawa people to put the inglorious past behind them and move from darkness to light. We refused to go by the Nigerian pace but we decided to dictate our own pace. We knew our potentials, and we summoned the discipline and commitment and passion to change our situation. What do you say about President Jonathan, the Peoples Democratic Party and the future of Nigeria? If you look at the party from 1999, the way things happened was not the way things were planned. Man proposes, God disposes. It is part of human evolution that things unforeseen can come in and take the centre stage. Nigeria has been traumatised. We began in 1999 with so many injuries and so many difficulties. We had to reconcile and restore Nigeria first before anyone could start aspiring to be governor, president and what have you. Of course, as human beings, we make mistakes. I think what redefined Nigeria was denying Obasanjo a smooth sail in 2003. He went through a lot of pain to get reelected, and that eroded confidence and trust among his friends and associates. In a way, all these things influenced his thinking towards 2007. And then, Umaru Yar’ Adua

Whatever the shortcomings or strong points of President Jonathan, they are part of the process of national healing, and it is the duty of all of us to come together and be part of the national healing

was in office. He was there for only three years and he died. In 2007, Yar’ Adua, a Fulani, a Northerner; Buhari, a Fulani, a northerner; Atiku, a Fulani, a northerner, all of them northerners, Muslims and Fulanis. There was no southerner in the presidential race in 2007, yet the elections were very acrimonious. The power struggle among these otherwise brothers was very bitter, and when we do these things, it has a way of defining the disposition of the younger generation. By and large, our activities also impact on the environment. The structure of the PDP made sure that there was no way that Atiku and Buhari could have beaten Yar ’ Adua. Buhari had no structure but depended on the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP). Atiku was a PDP creation. At the end of the election, there was total distortion of realities, due to the amount of propaganda. Even though there was no way the duo could have won the election, they made a lot of people to believe that the election was rigged. It was pure mischief, but these things stuck. When you tell a lie over and over, it begins to wear the toga of the truth. They went to the tribunal, they lost. They went on appeal, they lost. And the more they lost the more the propaganda. At the Supreme Court, the judges are also under the same influence in the environment. There was a tie. It took the maturity of the Chief Justice of Nigeria then, after examining the implications for the nation, and he broke the tie accordingly. Buhari never attended the Council of State meetings when Yar’ Adua was president. But when Yar’ Adua died, the very first meeting Jonathan called, Buhari was the first to be there. And they were Muslims. They were Fulanis and northerners. These things also permeated down to the grassroots. By stroke of providence, Jonathan became the president. By 2011, Jonathan won the election, and some people started saying he is a southerner. Who was there before him? Was it not a northerner? There are certain things in life you cannot avoid. As a Muslim, I intensely believe in God, and there is nothing that man can do to change the course of destiny. Whatever the shortcomings or strong points of President Jonathan, they are part of the process of national healing, and it is the duty of all of us to come together and be part of the national healing. Nigeria cannot be hinged on a single person or section. So, in 2015, whatever it is, we must be ready to rally around the president. Even if he makes mistakes, we should be able to pull him back. But when you vilify him, or deride him, or disown him, you will take away his authority from him, and you will strip him of his pride and he will become like any other person. That is not the way to go because, as they say, things that go round will come round. Today, it is Jonathan. Next day it can be anyone else. You cannot build a strong, united, prosperous nation with that kind of attitude. If you think the leader you elected to office is going wrong, rally around him and stop him from straying. When you abandon and malign him, he is going to be like any other person, and he might begin to get out of hand in a way that does no one any good. And remember, he has his own supporters. Before you know it, the nation is broken again into factions. So, to me, maybe I am becoming too old and don’t see things from the perspective of the youth of today, but I think our values are being eroded, as a people, as an economy, as a nation and as Africans, and we must not allow that to happen. Nigeria was here before Jonathan and after Jonathan, Nigeria will be here, I am very sure.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 33

Pomp as Sam Ajuluchukwu celebrates 70 When beauty queen,

L-R: Obinna Umezurulike, Mr Sam Ajuluchukwu, celebrant, Prof Jayne Ajuluchukwu, Adaeze Umezurulike, Ifeanyi Ajuluchukwu, Obiora Ajuluchukwu and Motara Ajuluchukwu.

r Sam Chuddy Ajuluchukwu has joined the club of septuagenarians, somewhat with a bit of a swag. The gentleman of substance heralded his entrance with a celebration that was preceded by a thanksgiving service at Chapel of the Transfiguration inside LUTH, Surulere, Lagos. The celebration continued with a deluxe reception at Mobil Pegasus Club, in Apapa. Many distinguished personalities graced the occasion. Photos by Sola Oyelese

Sandra visited street kids in Calabar

T was a carnival of a sort when former Miss Niger Delta and current face of Independence Nigeria, Miss Sandra Bassey in Collaboration with N-Dickson Foundation visited some street kids at Bayside in Calabar south to the mark the St. Valentine’s Day celebration .

Sandra donating items to the kids

L-R:Mr Osaro Isokpal, Chief (Mrs) Cecilia Ibru, Mrs Tobi Odunaiya and Mrs Abigail Isokpal

L-R: Prof Pat Utomi, Chief Lawson Omokhodion, Mrs Ifeoma Utomi and Mrs Funmi Omokhodion

Sandra fixing the boards.

L-R:Mr Chibuzor Eze, Mr Sam Ajuluchukwu, celebrant and Mr Onyema Ugochukwu.

L-R:Chief Ray Okoye, Chief Emma Chukwuemeka and Sir Nnamdi Oyeka.

Breach Repairers Assembly thrills married couples

t was a thrilling day of fun as married couples were treated to a special time-out in a convivial atmosphere by Breach Repairers Assembly, at its Surulere chapel. The day which was tagged “Couples’ Day Out” saw many couples competing for prizes just as they wallowed in refreshment and entertainment provided by the church. Photos by Kehinde Gbadamosi

From Left; Pastor Chuks Nduka, Mrs Pali Nduka, Mrs and Mr Chinedu Anaje, winner of ‘Couples’ day out’.

Sandra giving items to the kids

From Left; Pastor Francis Achebe, Mrs Gloria Achebe, Mrs Pali Nduka, Mrs Yinka Boafo, Guest Pastor, Pastor Chuks Nduka, Pastor Sam Okoro, and Dr Mrs Nkem Okoro

From behind; Nsikak and Sandra with the some of the kids in a group photograph

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Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

11 BAYELSA WOMEN LEADERS DEAD IN ROAD CRASH

I nearly stopped my wife from going on ill-fated trip — Bereaved husband *Mass burial for victims burnt beyond recognition

Mrs Acha Perekalama, deceased.

Mrs. Ruby Benjamin, deceased

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

EBRUARY 14, 2015 is a day Bayelsans will not forget in a hurry. It was supposed to be a day of celebration of love being the Valentine’s Day, but it turned out to be a black Saturday. On that day, 11 prominent daughters of the state were cut down in their prime in a road accident near the old Ahoada Market Road, along the East-West Road axis of Rivers State. The deceased women, most of whom were members of the group, Women for Change Initiatives, and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were returning to Yenagoa after a private visit to the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, at her Okrika country home, Rivers State. According to a report from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), issued by the Bayelsa Commander, Vincent Jack, 29 passengers, in three separate vehicles, were involved in the accident. 18 persons were reported injured C M Y K

Ill-fated bus conveying the women and 11 others burnt beyond recognition. The three vehicle involved were identified as a Toyota Hiace bus marked GBB 591 FS, Toyota Sienna marked ABU 640 AE and Toyota Highlander marked YEN 371 RJ. The FRSC attributed the cause of the accident to tyre burst. “The injured were taken to Madonna Hospital in Elele by the police who first came to the scene. The corpse of one dead woman was deposited at Depdem Mortuary in Ahoada while police took another corpse to Rumuji. Nine others were burnt beyond recognition,”it said. Among those who lost their lives in the road accident were a former member of the state House of Assembly from Brass local government area and, former Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson on Women Mobilisation, known for her golden voice, Mrs Ruby Benjamin; a former Permanent Secretary, Mrs Acha Perekalama; a former Commissioner for Women Affairs under the Timipre Sylva administration,

Hon Gimbra Pamowei; wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Alison Oguru; Mrs Ayakpo Otolo; Elizabeth Nisakpo, a woman leader from Otuoke community in Ogbia council area; Mrs Consider Amadi; Mrs Clara Abila; and one Kelechi, the driver of the ill-fated Toyota Hiace bus. The only survivor in the bus conveying the Bayelsa women, Mrs Ebisinte Ayabowei, a former caretaker chairperson, Yenagoa council area who, though sustained serious injuries, is recuperating in hospital. One week after the tragic accident, sympathisers are still trooping to the homes of the bereaved families to express their sympathy just as the state government declared a threeday mourning for the departed amazons and flag flown at halfmast across the state. Husband to one of the deceased, Mr. Matthew Otolo, a staff of the state owned broadcasting corporation Glory FM, was a sorry sight when Sunday

One week after the tragic accident, sympathisers are still trooping to the homes of the bereaved families to express their sympathy just as the state government declared a three-day mourning for the departed amazons

Vanguard visited his Azikoro Road residence, in the Ekeki suburb of Yenagoa. On several occasions, he tried to compose himself while relieving his last moment with his beloved wife, Ayakpo, but his emotion took a better part of him as broke down in tears. “Where do I start from? We agreed not to leave each until after 90 years,” he said, shaking his head and looking at the portrait of his wife, the mother of his six children. Matthew, said to have been stopped from committing suicide by sympathisers, told Sunday Vanguard that the call for the fateful trip to greet the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, came at about 6am on Wednesday. He said, “When she finished receiving the call, I asked her who was on the phone and she replied that it was one of the women leaders. She said they wanted them to visit the

Continues on page 35

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 35

led by the former Deputy Governor of the State, Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu, were early callers to the bereaved families in the state capital. Governor Seriake Dickson expressed deep pains, shock and grief over the incident, describing it as tragic, monumental and painful loss to the state. According to him, the women who lost their lives in the accident were mothers and sisters. Dickson prayed God to grant the bereaved families the courage to bear the irreparable losses. All official engagements of the governor were suspended for three days as a mark of honour for the souls of the departed women. The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide expressed shock and disbelief over the death of the women saying, “It is shocking to lose about 11 women to the cold hands of death in one swoop”.

‘Friends and sisters’

Mr. Matthew Otolo, husband of one of the deceased women

Barrister Ambrose Ayebakuro, son of one of the deceased women.

Mass burial for victims burnt beyond recognition Continued from page 34 First Lady in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. My spirit rejected the call immediately and I told her my feeling.” The bereaved husband described the deceased as a partner and mother, saying he allowed her go when she convinced him that she would return early. “She left on Wednesday. We were calling one another at every opportunity. She told me that they had decided to wait and see off the First Lady to the airport for her trip to Abuja. I even sent her some clothes to change the one she wore when she left.” According to him, he received the news of the tragic accident at about 6pm. “I was in shock and collapsed .I called her number severally but no answer. I had the hope that she did not die. I can’t imagine what pain she and others went through in the fire. Can you imagine, there is no way for me to identify my wife? We agreed not to leave each other until we are 90years old. My pillar is gone, where do I start from. How do I stay alone in this big house,” he sobbed. The air of pain and sorrow also pervaded the homes of other bereaved families visited where condolence registers were opened and sympathisers seen commiserating with the families. At the Benjamins’ residence, Dame Jonathan, in the condolence register, described the deceased Ruby Benjamin as “a deC M Y K

pendable friend who impacted positively on our vision and mission to uplift the standard of living of the Nigerian women.” The deceased eldest son, Barrister Ambrose Ayebakuro, told Sunday Vanguard that he was still with his CV his mother asked him to prepare for employment.

‘Everything black’

went

Reliving his last moment with his mother, he said, “We were having issues with some persons over land before she travelled. And I assured her that when she returned, we will find a way to settle the issues amicably. She kept calling about the issues but I kept assuring her. Later, I was not picking her call because I thought it was on the issues. And some other numbers started calling me. “At about 6pm, I got a call and picked it. That was the day everything around me went black. I was told about the accident. I rushed to the road and we drove towards the scene hoping that she would be alive. Some eyewitnesses at the scene said some good Samaritans had taken away burnt bodies of the victims. I still had hope that she would be alive. “But by Sunday morning it became clear that my mom was gone. And I took solace in the fact that she was close to God. And before she left, she asked me to prepare my curriculum vitae. When she called me on

The air of pain and sorrow also pervaded the homes of other bereaved families visited where condolence registers were opened and sympathisers seen commiserating with the families

Thursday and Friday, she was apologetic that she had not asked me to send the CV to her. I am still waiting with the CV.” The members of Bayelsa State chapter of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN),

Dame Patience Jonathan, also commiserated with the families of the deceased and prayed with the family for God to be with them in the time of grief and asked God to give everyone, including herself the fortitude to bear the loss. She described the women as her friends and sisters. Dame Jonathan, who made a surprised appearance in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, took turns to visit each of the families and commiserated with them over the loss of their loved ones. The visibly sad First Lady, clad in black attire, was accompanied on the visit by the wife of the first civilian governor of the state, Mrs. Margaret Alamieyeseigha; for the state transport commissioner, Mrs Marie Ebikake; and a former Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson on Special Projects, Mrs Remi Kuku, among others. Dickson also paid his condolence visit to the home of the Secretary to State Government, Prof. Edmund Alison-Oguru, over the death of his wife, Elizabeth. The governor, who described the incident as tragic, said the news of the untimely death of the women came to him as a rude shock. The members of the state House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Hon. Konbowei Benson, described the death as a heartache that no one could heal, adding that only God has the capacity to console the bereaved. The only female member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. (Mrs) Agatha Goma, representing Ekeremor Constituency I, whose sister, Hon. Gimbra Pamowei, was one of the victim said the pain of the untimely death of the women is immeasurable.

Mass burial There are indications that the victims may be given mass burial since they were burnt beyond recognition. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the remains of the deceased and two unidentified skulls were conveyed to the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa by a team led by a former Deputy Governor of the state, Seibarugu. The decision for mass burial, a source close to family of one of the victims told Sunday Vanguard, was reached following the advice of a pathologist. According to the source, “the pathologist made it clear that conducting a deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA, test will take up to six months to one year but this the families considered too long to bear.” The husband to one of the victims, Otolo, said that the families could not identify their loved ones. “I could not believe that I cannot identify my beloved wife.” Also speaking, Mr. Ambrose Ayebakuro, son of the deceased former House of Assembly member, Hon. Ruby Benjamin, confirmed that the family had been contacted that his mother and others would be given mass burial. “She was everything to us. But I take solace in the fact that she was close to God,” he said.

PAGE 36—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

suggest? The elections would be held.

BY HENRY UMORU

hief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Ijaw leader, is the convener of the South-South Peoples Assembly and co-convener of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA. In this interview, the former Federal Commissioner for Information and senator bares his mind on the general elections slated for March 28 and April 11, why Nigerians must vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, INEC and its National Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, how Senator Ifeanyi Okowa emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for Delta State, among other national issues. EXCERPTS: 2015 elections have been fixed for March 28 and April 11 respectively. How prepared are we as Nigerians? This question should be taken in two parts. How prepared is INEC? How prepared are the people of Nigeria? Well, I think Nigerians are prepared for the elections if all the materials are provided by INEC. A situation whereby we do not have PVCs for about 23million Nigerians particularly in Lagos and other places, that is not good enough. INEC has made it difficult for people to have voter cards. They are discriminating against certain areas where they think Jonathan has support. How do you describe a situation whereby Lagos State, the most sophisticated and educated state in this country, has not been able to secure up to 50% of voter cards compared to Borno, a war ravaged area where the people have left their homes and non-indigenes have deserted but which has 80% voter cards? Let INEC explain that situation. That is the reason the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA , addressed a press conference to let the world know that at a meeting between some INEC officials and northern leaders, they decided that where Jonathan has strong base, they should be very strict in registering people. And we alleged at that conference that some northern leaders collected money from some governors who parted with N167,000,000 and that has helped the northern leaders to secure 150 laptops for each state of the North. They gave them to some INEC officials to use to have double registration, to increase the registration in the North. Why did Jega not allow similar things to happen in the South? But apart from these irregularities, in the PVCs distribution, INEC is not ready for the polls. For instance, producing the

•E.K Clark

E. K CLARK EXPLODES

‘We have no confidence in Jega’ •Speaks on Jonathan’s edge over Buhari •Alleged war threat: My grouse against Danjuma on Dok ubo – Asari, TTompolo ompolo Dokubo •’I w arned PDP leader o be w ar warned leaderss tto war aryy of Obasanjo’ PVCs, INEC awarded the contract to a local contractor from Kano and they decided to produce this material in Abuja. We have the video, the photographs of that mini-factory, where they were producing the PVCs. But when they couldn’t cope, they decided to contract it out to a company in China. And, as we are talking, some of the PVCs have not arrived. Some arrived Lagos sea port two weeks ago. So what we are saying is that Jega was not ready; one, he has not been able to start the training of about 700,000 ad- hoc staff all over the country. If he has started in some places, majority of the areas have not been covered. And having regard to the technology involved in PVC,

To show again that INEC is working with APC, the same man went and submitted his documents to INEC when the date of receiving the documents had lapsed. How did he submit them? Why should INEC accept them from him? That is another area we believe constitutes the continuation of the conspiracy to force out Jonathan the card readers are not ready. The few that are ready have manufacturing defect, some of them are not functioning and they have not been tested to see

whether they can do the job for which they were acquired. So against the back drop of all these, what do you

What about Jega? Jega should go. We believe he should go not only because of inefficiency; we believe he is working with some northern leaders to declare a northern presidential candidate the winner of the March 28 election, that’s Buhari. And to do that, he is not thinking about the success of the election of that day. If there is confusion, he will still declare Buhari the winner and say any aggrieved person should go to court. The northern leaders are alleged to have boasted that they had set up a committee to liaise with the judiciary, northern judges in order to give them favourable judgment. And they have employed 34 lawyers 14 of which are Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN. In fact, they have started going to court. So everything we said in our press conference has come to pass. They have started taking Jonathan to court that he is not qualified. The number of SANs prosecuting that case shows clearly that it is no ordinary person that took President Jonathan to court. It is being done between the APC and the northern leaders. After the press conference by the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, what next ? Jega is not indispensable, he is just first among equals. There are about 13 national commissioners in INEC. If Jega has lost the people’s confidence to conduct election, any one of the others can be made to act to oversee the elections on March 28 and April 11. We are not running away from the elections despite all the intrigues. Even if President Goodluck Jonathan who appointed him refuses to remove him, the elections should still hold? They should hold. We will watch him. And you will believe him? We will not believe him, but we will see what will happen. If we say without Jega the elections would not hold, they will say we want elongation of tenure which Jonathan is not contemplating. But we have asked that he should go. And if the President does not want to remove him, he should have the honour and feeling that he is no longer wanted by the people of Nigeria to conduct free, fair and credible elections. We have the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, and the PDP presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan. How

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SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 37

BY BOLA TINUBU

istory is upon us, asking something bold of us. Those who hear must respond to its call because history is impatient. If we tarry, history shall not. If we fail to act as the situation requires, history will still move forward and its pen will write an unanswerable verdict against us. All the prior achievements and feats we have recorded in the past will matter little unless we now answer the challenge now facing us. We have come to the place where things must change or we shall sink. For the nation to continue as is constitutes nothing less than an invitation to doom. Such a fate we shall not abide. The hour is late and our chance for national progress reduces with each idle moment. The way Nigeria is governed must change and change dramatically. This means the shape of politics must change. Nigeria must be a prosperous, secure, safe nation that helps weaker nations attain peace and stability. Instead we are beset by woe on all sides. Boko Haram falls upon our people in the North. MEND in the Niger Delta falls upon us. Kidnapping and robbery encircle the nation as if we have become a training ground for criminal misconduct. Rich in manpower and material resources, Nigeria should set the agenda for economic development and broadly shared prosperity on the African continent. Today, the opposite is the case. Instead of having a wealth of domestically produced goods in our manufacturing basket, we hold a virtually empty basket. As such, we have become a basket case. More Nigerians than ever before suffer under the daily grind of poverty. Unemployment is so rampant among our youth that finding a job is no longer the natural progression of life. It is seen as a miracle. Even then, upon finding work, too many people soon discover they labor for wages below the subsistence level. For them there is too many days left until the end of the month after the money is finished. With too little food and more tears in their eyes than drinkable water in their cups, they stare into the darkness of despair on a constant basis. This is not the way of a great nation. It is the way of heartless and mean governance that puts the interests of small elite above the interests of the common working man and woman who are the soul and backbone of this nation. We should have a vast land transportation system that moves our active, energetic population safely and moves our goods and produce cheaply. Instead, our roads have become portals of death where people perish by the dozens — one accident after another. Yet, those in command do nothing for the average Nigerian who is forced to run this gauntlet of death for his daily crumbs of bread. Instead, those who could improve this situation for the good of all do just enough to make things better for themselves. Where the road is bad, they budget for it, still the road gets worse off. Where the road is impassable, they offer excuses and empty promises. The touted

•Tinubu

The storm of change is brewing in Nigeria improvement in electricity supply is now a mirage. In the midst of petrol dollars and abundance of natural gas Nigerians are without a commensurate standard of living. Our billions are embezzled and shared to cronies. The slogan of the ruling party is power, but corruption is the fuel that powers their government. End to national corrosion In a prior age, an arrogant ruler reportedly once scoffed regarding her starving population, “let them eat cake.” Today, our rulers scoff at our people “let them face death.” The current way of governance makes nation building impossible. What it does is make poverty and the erosion of a just society inevitable. We have gathered at this hour and in this place to put an end to this national corrosion. We have assembled to bring a new day and a new Nigeria to our people. The Nigerian people are decent and hard-working people. They also are long –suffering. Just

because they are long –suffering does not mean they should be forced to suffer until death comes. Our people have had enough of having nothing. The current government’s trademark is to throw empty words and hollow action at our problems as if doing nothing will cause our troubles to leave from sheer boredom. Instead, trouble mounts. If this is the government’s idea of transformation, I will have none of it. It seems their notion of change is to go from slow motion to no motion at all. If they want to stand still, that is their right. However, they have no right to force the whole nation to stagnate with them. We have things to accomplish and progress to make for the good of the people. If they have nothing to offer except the nothing they have been giving us, let’s join hands with others to sweep them aside. so that we can keep pushing through and move this nation upward and forward. This is why we hold our convention today. This

The current government’s trademark is to throw empty words and hollow action at our problems as if doing nothing will cause our troubles to leave from sheer boredom. Instead, trouble mounts

convention portends the coming of great political change. A storm is brewing. Don’t be frightened. It is a positive storm with a positive wind. Those things that have no roots and offer no solution to the plight of the people shall be swept away. This storm will change the political terrain forever. I am not afraid of this storm. I welcome it because the storm is us- our new vision. Our new party! I stand to tell you that for the good of Nigeria this must be the last and final convention of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. As one of the national leaders of this party, I have dedicated myself to our political collaboration. I am attached to it in the strongest way. I am proud of what we have accomplished. Had we not held fast in the South-west against onslaught and intrigue, Nigeria would effectively be a one party state. When history rights its tale of the past decade, it will say the ACN preserved Nigerian democracy when it came under great threat. Weighing in the balance But we must enter a new phase if poverty and want are to be lifted from the backs of our people. Given the destructive nature of PDP governance, we can no longer be satisfied with preserving democratic practice and with serving as the opposition. The first

step in changing Nigeria for the better is to change government for the better. Weighing all things in the balance, if I must decide between the existence of this party and the improvement of Nigeria, I must choose the improvement of Nigeria. That is our duty and responsibility. While it would be most comfortable to remain with our party as is, with its unique symbol, manifesto and constitution, we are not here to do what is comfortable. We are here to do what is right for our people and our country. We are here to answer to a greater, higher calling. That calling is the love of Nigeria. To rescue Nigeria from the blight of mis-governance, we must join hands with like-minded progressives in other parties and organizations. We must sacrifice our current partisan identity to create a larger one capable of assuming leadership at the national level. This and only this offers the best chance for Nigeria at this stage. We dare not miss this chance because we cannot be sure of another. I ask you my brothers and sisters to take pride in what ACN has accomplished but to have the vision and courage to see that our national imperatives require us to enter a new phase of political maturity, sacrifice and cooperation in order to bring an era of progressive governance to the whole of Nigeria and not just part of it. If we must end the ACN identity to form a new party so that Nigeria can survive and our people can live better life and face a rewarding future., then so be it. We shall do this with serious yet happy purpose and no regrets. May your chests fill with pride at what we have done and may your hearts fill with optimism at the better future that we shall create. Join me today in voting to move our party into merger with the ANPP, CPC, other parties and organizations to form the All Progressives Congress, APC. I assure you that the place we are going will be your house of political fulfillment. We shall have a meaningful voice in the APC. The principles of democracy, justice, visionary governance and liberty that shaped the ACN shall carry over into the APC. The new party will be as welcome a home as the ACN. It will just be a bigger house for a larger political family. It shall be this family that saves Nigeria by bringing to the people the creative policies that promote wide prosperity, employment, infrastructural overhaul, education, health care, civil rights, peace, stability and justice. Thus vote with me to close the historic and noble chapter on the ACN so that we can begin a new and bigger book called the APC. For us this is not a sad ending, it is but the beginning of a great beginning. Let us do what is right so that when history writes its account of this day, it shall write that we lived up to our moral duties by doing what the moment required. For a better Nigeria, the ACN must join with other parties to merge into the APC. This is our last best hope. There is nothing else to do. Thank you and God bless this convention and God Bless Nigeria. *Tinubu delivered this speech at the ACN dissolution convention which took place at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria on April 18, 2013.

PAGE 38—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

that

any may think

the Christian com munity in Nigeria is against the candidature of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, but the northern Christian Brethren spoke otherwise. It declared absolute support for him and dismissed the insinuation that he would Islamize Nigeria if elected president. Upon his declaration as the winner of the primary election on Thursday, December 11, 2014 in Lagos, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, while reading his acceptance speech, said it was time for Nigerians of all gender, ethnicity and religion to unite for the common good of the country. But since Buhari made this clarion call, all hell seemed to have been let loose on him. In many quarters, Buhari, a Muslim, is seen as a ferocious religious bigot. This is against the backdrop of his no-nonsense stance on corruption. Attempts have been made to bring to front burner his tough statements on religion. And one accusation stands tall: he would Islamize Nigeria if elected president. For this, many Christians dread him like a plaque. Many times, Buhari has tried to disabuse the minds of the people on his religious position. This is one of the reasons he has continued to choose Christians as his running mate since his entry into partisan politics. In 2003, he picked the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, a south eastern Christian and former Senate president, as his running mate in that year’s presidential contest. Another Christian, the late Ume Ezeoke, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, also from South-east, emerged his running mate in 2007. After the two unsuccessful attempts, Buhari changed style. This saw him picking Pastor Tunde Bakare, a fiery preacher from South-west, as his running mate in 2001. But he also failed in the presidential election. Now, the thick-blooded Muslim has gone for a Lagos pastor, also from the South-west, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, as his running mate in the 2015 elections that promise to be a keen contest. Apparently, his affinity

I have no personal, religious agenda — Buhari *Why we support him, Osinbajo – Northern Christian leaders humble Vice President-inwaiting, by the grace of God, I stand here as the leader of this forum. This forum was created in 2003 and, through it, we have helped many past administrations. We did a lot of things but what we are passing through today makes us to make a u-turn”, Aminchi said. “So we decided as a forum and we realize that there is something inside General Buhari. You know when your destiny is about to shine, some people would be pulling you down but what God says shall be, it shall definitely be. Today, this country, south, west, east, north, by the grace of God, with the support of everyone, we are calling all Christians to come out enmasse as we are declaring total support for General Buhari.

•Buhari with Christians and pastors may not have paid off as it has regrettably appeared that religion and ethnicity, rather than finesse and sagacity, amongst other leadership qualities, have consistently played a role in the political leadership of Nigeria. But times seem to have changed now for Buhari. He appears to have succeeded in convincing many Christians that he is not a religious bigot or a Muslim extremist. Penultimate Thursday, over 400 pastors under the aegis of Northern Christian Leaders Eagle-Eyes Forum, in Abuja, endorsed Buhari’s presidency. The development came on the heels of a meeting between the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Nigeria and Buhari in Abuja penultimate Wednesday. At the meeting with the APC presidential candidate, the pastors, who came from different evangelical ministries across the 19 states of the North, said gone were the days when religious sentiments prevailed on the choice of candidate, stressing that the nation had witnessed more backwardness than progress in the

last four years. The members of the group and their ministries include Pastor Paul Great, Methodist Church, Jos, Bishop Lawrence Awanorwo, New Creation School of Divinity, Niger State; Bishop Daniel Oboni, Christ Life Evangelistic Church, Bauchi State; Bishop MUSA Gomson, Unlimited Mercy and Glory Church, Gombe State; Apostle Abraham Babe, World Christian Mission, Taraba State; Paul Zumta, Alheri Baptist Church, Sokoto State; Rev. Sam Adejoh, Life Changer Christian Centre, Yobe; Rev. Daniel D. Gonzuk, Amazing Grace, Benue State; Rev. Emmanuel Edesiri, Destiny Path Assembly Int. Nasarawa State; Rev. Sunday, Divine Later Times, Borno and Pastor Ifeanyi Ikeji, Zonal Coordinator, Lord Chosen. Talks on religion are over— Aminchi The leader of the group, Pastor Habu Aminchi, ‘shouted’ massive support for Buhari. For over ten minutes he spoke at the occasion, he appealed that one of the first things the presidential candidate must do upon his assumption of office on May 29, is to declare a three-day fasting and prayer for Christians and Muslims. “Mr. President-in-waiting, by the grace of God, and my

Over 400 pastors under the aegis of Northern Christian Leaders EagleEyes Forum, in Abuja, endorsed Buhari’s presidency

“Buhari, you are not wicked, but we make you to look wicked because of one thing or the other just to pave the way for others to go in. And after they have gone in, they will not even remember the vehicle that carried them. They would even want to destroy the vehicle. But, by the grace of God, the vehicle is still existing and God allows the vehicle to exist for a purpose and this is the purpose today. “If you look at the records, in 2003, his Vice President at that time was a Christian; in 2007, he was a Christian. In 2011, he went and brought a pastor, even some of us pastors worked against him. But we thank God he has another one, Yemi. I don’t know the meaning of that in Yoruba but your faith has carried a lot of power by attracting this group to declare for you. “I want you to consider yourself as the President of Nigeria. This group has a large membership. A week to election, we are going to mobilize to make sure that the 19 northern states give you 85 percent and the

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Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 39

POLLS enif ere endor sed Af Afenif enifere endorsed Jonathan based on his pro-restructuring credentials – Kunle Olajide D

BY OLA AJAYI, IBADAN

r. Kunle Olajide was Secretary General of Yoruba Council of Elders and one of the South West representatives at the defunct National Conference. His political experience dates back to the era proceeding the 1966 coups. As a member of Afenifere, he justifies the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan for reelection by the Yoruba group. He also warns Nigerians to tread softly on the presidential candidate they vote for. Enjoy him. Why do you want to speak now that we are weeks to the general elections? I was Secretary of Action Group Students’ Union of the University of Ibadan before the coup and I was one of the students who went to demonstrate in January 1966 against the Prime Minister Commonwealth Conference that was scheduled to hold in Lagos when the Western Region was still burning. We were arrested and detained in Iyaganku before we were released. So, I think I have a fair share knowledge of virtually everything that is going on because I am a good bridge between the present and the past. This is why I believe that some of us who were privileged to be part of this process since the colonial days and the first republic should come out and say boldly what we perceive are the major problems of Nigeria. It is unfortunate that in the last 16 years, the conspiracy between the political elite of both sides of the divide has impoverished Nigerians and dehumanized them to the extent that most Nigerians cannot even think straight now. They think of the moment without thinking of the future. I don’t intend to dwell on the past, but we must draw lessons from the past to guide our future. 2015 general elections are around the corner. The two main presidential candidates are President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd). As

an elder statesman, which of them would you prefer to govern this country? It is not a question I would answer straight. There are four major critical issues in the presidential election. They include insecurity. Under this, you look at insurgency, kidnapping, robbery. Two, economy. Under this, you look at the power generation, employment generation, industrialization, infrastructural development and so on. Three, corruption. Four, I appeal to our people to have non-violent election. These are the issues that should determine which of the two candidates should be elected. Let us start with insecurity. I am particularly embarrassed when I hear General Buhari saying within two to three months, he would stop insurgency and banish Boko Haram. I feel particularly sad because I would imagine that Buhari as a nationalist of his stature, if he has the solution to Boko Haram in three months, he should not have allowed us to waste millions of Naira fighting this evil. It does not speak well of him to have the clue but keeps it away just because he wants to use it as an election material. I don’t score him high on that. What if he did and the President did not listen to him? He would have told us just like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo told the people. Don’t forget, he was one of the negotiators nominated to discuss with Boko Haram. So, some of us feel uncomfortable that he could be privy to the escalation of this insurgency. Then, kidnapping, armed robbery and corruption are all products of the bad system of government that we are running and this is why some of us feel that the structure of government is unsustainable and there is no way anybody can run like that and get results. On the economy, any country that spends 75 per cent of its revenue on recurrent expenditure cannot make progress. The population of the country is about 170 million and you have five million taking

industrialization, generation of employment, we must solve the problem of the power generation and we have just begun the process. I would tell my people to vote for somebody who is going to look into the over 600 recommendations of the National Conference. I worked day and night as a South West delegate to brainstorm and put things together. But, human memory is short. Before the convocation of the National Conference, there was a particular group who opposed it, preferring the status quo which everybody knows is unsustainable. How can you expect someone who opposed the conference to come round now and implement the recommendations. We had running battles with the northern group at the confab; it was divine intervention that led us to where we ended. At every critical juncture, efforts were made to frustrate the conference, but we remained resolute. You now think anybody who belongs to that group will now come and change the status quo. This is our worry.

•KUNLE OLAJIDE he comes from: Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Efik and the rest. We need a system that can wedge all the ethnics together without anyone losing its identity.

I don’t intend to dwell on the past, but we must draw lessons from the past to guide our future away 75 per cent of the revenue. The structure of the country supports corruption because you have to compromise no matter how principled you are. So, you can’t see the eradication of corruption from the perspective of one person. Some of us believe that fundamental restructuring of this country is paramount before we can make headway. So, it is not a matter of looking at the two candidates. The foundation is faulty. Every Nigerian first thinks of where

Are you not worried about how the polity is unduly being heated up by politicians? I am worried. Card-carrying politicians are not up to five percent of the population and they should not expect to hold 95 per cent of us into bondage; we need to speak out. I am not talking to you as a member of any political party. If you look at all the political parties, there is no ideology. Their manifestoes are the same. We look at the background of the man who wants to lead us, his antecedents, where he comes from and the likely influence his people who surround him are likely to wield upon him. These are the issues we have to consider. Then the power sector. The best way to free Nigerians from those hawks who feed fat on us is to privatize power generation and President Goodluck Jonathan has done that. Former President Obasanjo only mouthed privatization. So, if we want to have a giant leap in

Some people think we may be tilting towards the prediction that Nigeria is going to disintegrate in 2015. Do you share that sentiment? No. I don’t see that there is any problem we cannot put on the table and resolve. We had a rancorous National Conference. Yet, I do not see disintegration as the solution to our problem. All we need to do is to ensure that no nationality loses its identity. You listed some factors to be addressed which include insecurity, corruption, and the economy. For having been in the saddle for six years now, many people feel President Jonathan cannot solve our problem. Meanwhile, Afenifere endorsed him for another four years. As a Yoruba elder, how do you assess that position? I am a member of Afenifere too. People feel somehow about the comments because Afenifere did not give the reason. You know for the mere fact that President Jonathan allowed the National Conference to hold and promised to implement the recommendations within twelve months, it was on that plank that Afenifere supported him and it is on that plank I am recommending him and endorsing his candidature. Recently, the southern people endorsed him because this structure and system of government dehumanizes Nigerians. So, some of us believe that the process(National Conference) he started, he stands a good chance of implementing it than someone who stood vehemently against its convocation.

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Continued from Page 36 do you look at these two individuals? In what way? Generally, by telling Nigerians who they are. Without being biased, Jonathan has been a deputy governor in a democratic system of government. He has been governor of Bayelsa State in a democratic set up and he was prepared to contest to be re-elected as a governor of Bayelsa State. He became Vice President to the late President Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua. He contested elections in 2011 and he was elected by the people of this country. So he has always been qualified and he has always been part of a democratic system. He is a very well educated Nigerian, he has a good background, he has a Ph.D. He is humble; he is a man who respects the feelings of others. How many journalists have gone to prison since Jonathan took over? How many of them have been arrested? Jonathan is the most abused President in this country, but he doesn’t care; he is going on with the job. He has done a lot for the people of this country. For instance, I have just received an Almajiri delegation; they came to show their appreciation to Jonathan. These were young boys moving around in the North begging for money and food. None of the northern rulers ever thought of their welfare, but Jonathan established 120 schools for them. Jonathan has given northerners 12 universities, nobody has done it before. Jonathan cares for the unity of this country and he believes in the democratic system. Whereas the other man, Gen. Buhari, contested elections in 2003, Nigerians rejected him; he contested elections in 2007, Nigerians rejected him; he contested election with Jonathan in 2011, Nigerians rejected him. What change is he now bringing to Nigeria? This is a man who is not well educated, Nigeria is a sophisticated country. It is true he was a general in the army, but the Constitution of Nigeria says you must have a minimum of school certificate. Buhari hasn’t got it. The first time, he swore to an affidavit. That affidavit says his credentials are with the army where he served and the army said they did not have it. The next thing we saw was a testimonial from Katsina Government College, showing the number of subjects Buhari was to take. Thereafter, we saw a statement of result with the picture of Buhari in his old age, which cannot be said to have been taken at the time that statement of result was said to have been issued. To show again that INEC is working with APC, the same man went and submitted his documents to INEC when the date of receiving the

Clark: Buhari is not a democrat bad people. But the PDP has continued, from 1999 to this day, to rule this country. Whereas APC is a parchment of all sorts of things with the sole aim of removing Jonathan from office and installing a northern president, Buhari. If Buhari is not there, there is no APC. Buhari is the only thing that put them together and their sole aim is to secure power for the North, that’s all.

•E.K Clark

documents had lapsed. How did he submit them? Why should INEC accept them from him? That is another area we believe constitutes the continuation of the conspiracy to force out Jonathan. Buhari is not a democrat. I was asked the question if Obasanjo, a soldier, a general, could become President for eight years; I said Obasanjo is a democratic. In 1979, he voluntarily handed over to a civilian government under Shehu Shagari. And it was the same Gen. Buhari who overthrew Shehu Shagari and locked the second republic politicians up. When did he become a democrat? One of the things the main opposition party (APC) said they want to change is that they want to fight corruption. What is your take? Who is going to fight corruption? The APC people or Obasanjo? They only pay lip service to fighting corruption. Buhari himself is not clean. What is corruption? Malpractices, parading questionable certificates, swearing to false affidavit, they are all part of corruption. And in the 1970s when Buhari was federal commissioner for petroleum, about $2.8billion oil money went missing. It was later discovered that this amount was paid into a British bank where it yielded about N400million interest, nobody knows where that money is. Buhari said he did not know about it. Yet they accuse Jonathan of

And in the 1970s when Buhari was federal commissioner for petroleum, about $2.8billion oil money went missing being corrupt. Does Jonathan know the type of corruption going on in this country? Buhari could not account for $2.8billion paid into a British bank. Secondly, he was appointed by Abacha as the Chairman of PTF. My own brother, Prof. J.P. Clark, was a member. In fact only, Prof. J.P. Clark and Buhari are still living members of PTF. Buhari brought his brother-in-law as a consultant and later handed over the entire administration of PTF to him and others. They had the authority to execute all projects. At the end of it all, they left and Obasanjo dissolved the board and removed all of them. Then Obasanjo set up a Commission of Enquiry to probe the PTF and the report, which has just been published by some newspapers, shows that N25billion could not be accounted for by Buhari and those who administered the place. Yet Obasanjo came out to say the only thing he found against him was that instead of building roads and houses, he was busy buying mosquito nets with PTF money. There are insinuations from some quarters that what

may not work well for President Jonathan is the fact that some people around him, even the party itself, the people around him and then decisions taken in the past, even at the party level, the National Working Committee, NWC, especially issues like Bamanga Tukur and five governors leaving and they could not manage the issue and the governors forum election issue where 17 was more than 19. I am a member of PDP, but I am not in the leadership of the party. Like every other party in Nigeria, they also have their problems. I agree to a certain extent that some of the people who are in the PDP leadership have not done their job properly. For instance, the National Chairman was praising Obasanjo last week, saying nothing was wrong with Obasanjo, that he was a true party leader, that he would not say that he is not supporting Jonathan, that it is not true that he was supporting Buhari. Some of these leaders in PDP were Obasanjo’s men. So they see nothing wrong with Obasanjo. Some of them have double loyalty. But the party must go on; you have good people and you have

The issue of Boko Haram is another issue some people are saying Mr President did not handle well. Critics say Mr President abandoned the North- east to insurgents. Do you agree? I do not. Boko Haram started about 2002. It was in 2003 to 2009 that it spread from Bauchi to Gombe, then to Yobe and finally to Borno and so many people have been killed during that period. In 2009 when Jonathan was the Vice President, there was trouble between Boko Haram and the security forces and, as a result, their leader, Yusuf, was killed. At that time, Umaru Yar’Adua was still in government, that was 2009. When Jonathan took over, he started to attack them. But some northern leaders, including Buhari, said they should not be fought by Jonathan, he should leave them alone. There are documents to that effect, that government should negotiate with Boko Haram. Jonathan appointed a committee, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, that went round the whole of the North and Boko Haram asked for a representative because the people were faceless. Boko Haram nominated Gen. Buhari to represent it. Thereafter, even though Gen. Buhari did not accept the offer, he continued to encourage them. Jonathan told Nigerians and the whole world that the military he inherited was not properly equipped. Nyako accused him of genocide, asking why should he fight Boko Haram. Nyako, a former governor of Adamawa State, Obasanjo’s henchman and Gen. Buhari’s colleague, said Jonathan was carrying out genocide against northerners. And some of the northern governors went to Washington to criticize Jonathan, claiming he was waging war against northerners, and that is one of the reasons the American government is not willing to sell arms to the Nigerian government because they said he was just killing people. Jonathan has done his best. Now, the president has secured arms, weapons and they will soon settle the problem of Boko Haram

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Continued from Page 40 which has become international. There are comments from some quarters that some supporters of President Jonathan are overheating the polity with threats and, for this reason, a former Minister of Defence, General Theophilous Danjuma, called for the arrest of Tompolo, Dokubo-Asari, among others. What is your perspective? My comment is very simple. It is true that anybody who makes a statement to threaten the very existence of our country should be condemned. I have always maintained this statement. More than a year now, when Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser to Mr President, and Dokubo Asari were alleged to have made such statements, the House of Representatives passed a motion that these two men should be arrested by the Inspector General of Police and tried. There was nothing wrong about that motion. But what I said is that it should be total, don’t be selective. Others in the North have made similar statements. Lawal Kaita said there will be no Nigeria if there is no northern president in 2015 and somebody who said that he would declare war, which of the statements is stronger? If you declare war like the Biafran war and Nigeria is fighting, Nigeria will still be there. But if you say there will be no Nigeria if a northern president is not installed in 2015, which statement is stronger? Buhari himself said that if a northern president is not elected, Nigeria will become Somalia. Others said they will make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan, Atiku said so. All I am saying is that anybody who has made such statements, be he a minister, be he an ordinary man, he should be arrested and tried. Don’t say only Dokubo-Asari, Kingsley Kuku and Tompolo should be tried. When you make provocative statements and there is a reaction to such provocative statements, people should not be selective. All I said, I have high respect for T.Y. Danjuma, he is one of the persons who have been helping this government. But it was not fair for him to refer to these two people alone, when he knows that some of the utterances of his colleagues and northerners who have been governors, ministers, vice presidents were equally provocative. Last month, you called on the PDP to expel former President Olusegun Obasanjo but the party did not heed your advice. Now he has dumped the party by tearing his membership card. How do you react to this development? You asked me earlier whether some of the party leaders surrounding Jonathan are not contributing to some of the problems that people alleged have been committed and I said yes. Some of them were with

•E.K Clark

‘I warned PDP leaders over Obasanjo’ Obasanjo, past governors; some ministers who were appointed by Obasanjo during his tenure see nothing wrong with Obasanjo. They continue to beg him when they know that the man has taken a position against the PDP. When people like us criticize Obasanjo, they say we are controversial, that we heat up the polity. Today, Obasanjo has told them; he did not only dump them, he told the public, ‘here is your membership, take it’, and he tore it into pieces. Is that action normal? But it is now clear to the PDP men, leaders who were protecting Obasanjo when I called that he should be expelled. They said that there was no reason for me to say that. But now it has happened, it is now clear. As far as I am concerned, Obasanjo has been engaging in anti-party activities and should have been expelled since then. Immediately he resigned the chairmanship of the BoT, he engaged in antiparty issues. Will his leaving affect the PDP? It will not. The man, even in his ward, PDP could not win election in 2011. Nobody takes notice of him politically in Ogun State not to talk of Nigeria. In fact, his going

will strengthen the party. In Delta State, before the primaries, we were hearing of endorsement of Obuh, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was going to the Senate to replace Senator James Manager, in fact, Okowa was not in the reckoning. But at the end of the day, the governor dropped his senatorial ambition, Obuh did not get it, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa is now the PDP candidate. As a father, what role did you play? As a father, I contributed to the peaceful primary elections that took place in Delta. When the governor was said to be supporting Obuh, on two occasions, I invited him and he said he was not supporting Obuh. Yet he was the one providing everything for Obuh. I asked him, ‘I learnt Obuh has been your Permanent Secretary for the past 10years’, he said yes. ‘But it is not fair for you to push aside all the politicians, some of them were Obuh’s bosses when they were commissioners. It is not fair for you to do that, Obuh is not a politician’; he continued to say no, he was not. Until the last two days, to the primaries he came to me to accept that he was the one promoting Obuh, but I said

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 41

‘we cannot take Obuh’. The next thing he did was that he went home, met with the Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, to present a candidate and he told me personally that the candidate they produced was Mr David Edevbie. That after he went to the northern senatorial zone which refused to take Obuh, he decided to move down, that was why he asked for an Urhobo candidate. And he thought it should be Mr David Edevbie , who was James Ibori’s Commissioner for Finance, he was Ibori’s nominee to Umaru Yar’Adua’s cabinet as Principal Secretary. So when we saw that the governor had left Obuh and he was now trying to divide the place by going to take a candidate that we were not expecting, I decided to team up with Okowa because we had agreed that the governorship should go to the north senatorial zone to give everybody a fair opportunity. That is why I supported Okowa. But we have now settled. All the governorship aspirants at the time have now taken it that way and they are working together, except some that have gone to contest elections as senatorial candidates in other parties. Otherwise everything went very well. But I must comment on one thing, Uduaghan was responsible for the peaceful and democratically conducted primary. He phoned me that every aspirant was going to get his ward or his local government and there was not going to be a winner takes all. Every aspirant was given the opportunity to retain his ward and his local government and, for that, I must commend him. Nigerians are going to the polls; Nigerians will decide on March 28, that is the main election. What message do you have for Nigerians especially against the back drop of the peace accord signed by the presidential candidates. And even after the peace accord, we have been having some cases of attacks especially on the convoy of Mr President. What message do you have for Nigerians, for the parties, for the two parties, the presidential candidates? And is Jonathan winning the election? Jonathan will triumph, he will sail through based on his

Immediately he resigned the chairmanship of the BoT, he engaged in antiparty issues

record of performance, achievements. Jonathan has the qualities, he has performed, he has built schools, built universities which nobody else did. The number of federal universities established by Jonathan surpassed the number of federal universities established by all the rulers of this country since 1960 put together. The railway was abandoned throughout the period. People no longer travel by rail. In the past, when I was the commissioner, I used to follow my governor travelling by rail to Gusau in Zamfara State, to Maiduguri, to Kano. But it is Jonathan who has now refurbished and re-established the railway lines and people are now travelling. Agriculture, today, fertiliser is supplied at a cheap rate, no middlemen again. Farmers now get fertilizer at very cheap price. On power, people may say Jonathan has not improved in the generation, that is not true. After Obasanjo had spent billions of Naira to resuscitate the power sector and failed, Jonathan had a master plan and he was able to privatize what we used to call NEPA and various companies took up the distribution and generation of power. No government had the courage to privatize the power sector in this country. Give him some time, but people are very impatient. I believe these companies will perform and government continues to seek foreign assistance for power to improve. If you are talking about corruption, we have looked into records, statistics; there are more conviction of corrupt persons in Jonathan’s government than they were in previous governments, including Obasanjo’s government. It is not enough to say ‘I will detain you, I will do this’, perhaps corruption has now taken a turn for the worse and you need new ways to fight corruption and Jonathan is doing it. So I believe Nigerians should be patient, they should assess the various candidates who have done what for Nigeria, what does that person offer for Nigeria? And my advice to the voters is that they should not vote on sentiment, they should not cast their votes on religious or ethnic basis. Look at the man, is he the man who will rule Nigeria, who will take Nigeria forward? Not the man who will return you to darkness, who will not practice democracy, who remains what he was before. Two, Nigerians should realise that we have no any other country to go to, we all are Nigerians and we have a duty to remain as one country. Politicians will come and go, but Nigeria will remain. If there is no Nigeria, then you have no way to contest elections. You cannot be president where there is no Nigeria. So we should emphasize what will bring Nigeria as a united country, a Nigeria which is free from ethnicity, free from religious bigotry. Nigeria will not break, nothing will happen to Nigeria come March 28 and April 11.

PAGE 42—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Continued from Page 38 others the remaining 15 percent. “If we can have those 19 states, we go to the Southwest; if we get little, you just add it to what you got in the North and become the President of Nigeria and change will come. That is what we are looking at. We need a change. The forum said I should give you only one advice. By the grace of God, by the time you are sworn in as President, the first thing is to ask you to declare three days fasting and prayer for all Nigerians. Everyone, both Christians and Muslims should past and pray and the topic is, `God, have mercy upon Nigeria and restore our lost glory’”.

Why we support him, Osinbajo — Northern Christian leaders

I have no personal, religious agenda —Buhari Buhari, in his response, took time to refute the allegations that he is a religious extremist and would pursue the Islamization of Nigeria if elected president. He said: “The ruling government and PDP have adopted this sad, divisive and false narrative as their strategy to prevent the inevitable change that our country and people desire and require. And they have succeeded in making some of us victims of the tales which they invent, propagate and sell as gospel truth to gullible listeners, while it is all nothing but a tissue of lies. “I would like to solemnly declare that in spite of what our detractors say, I am not a religious fanatic of any sort and I have never been. In all my life, I have never supported extremism of any kind, and nowhere in my record of service to this nation can this false toga, political opponents have tried so hard to put on me, be substantiated. Indeed, it is very unfortunate and I feel extremely sad that I have to give this type of assurance. “My background is in the army, and there is no doubt that the military is the most integrated pan-Nigerian institution. And even today, the military is one of the institutions that represents the pride of our nation’s possibilities in unity. Compatriots from every corner of this country come together, work and live together, entrust their lives to each other and integrate their families. It is a military where many of my dearest friends, from all faiths and parts of the country, lost their lives defending the unity of our nation. That was the military I served in, and in that military it was impossible to be a bigot. “For me, the issue of

•Buhari, Osinbajo and the clerics

•A cross section of the pastors religion was, and should always, be a matter of personal conviction. This personal conviction approach to religion has defined my work and interactions all my life, including my tenure in office as military Head of State. The religion of all those I worked with was never a factor in their progress or in what happened to them. All that mattered then, and should still matter today, are competence, integrity and readiness to be fair to all. “I was recently informed that we had a balanced cabinet with key positions such as Finance, Energy and Defence occupied by Christians. In addition, 11 of the 19 governors I appointed were Christians. My most memorable recollections of subordinate service was under Christian bosses, the finest our country had then, and among the most respected today. Indeed one of the best

appraisals I received in the course of my military career was from General T.Y Danjuma. “Government has no business preferring one religion to the other. The role of government is to protect lives and properties of citizens and to respect and protect their constitutional rights.” He continued “Let me state this categorically, that I, Muhammadu Buhari, as an individual, and as president of this great country by the grace of God, given the opportunity to serve, have no personal religious agenda. And I will not entertain, consider or promote the religious agenda of anyone. I will not condone any initiative that seeks to promote one religion over the other. Neither I, nor my party, or any member of my team has any desire or plan to Islamize or Christianize Nigeria or

support anyone with such intention. “Although I am a practising Muslim, and I have been so all my life, I have never belonged to, nor shared the views of, any extremist group. I am not even a cleric. I believe that religion is personal and private. Most of my bodyguards are Christians. If I have not Islamized these people who serve under me, how will I Islamize the likes of Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, Ogbonnaya Onu, Governors RochasOkorocha, Kayode Fayemi, Rotimi Amaechi or Professor Yemi Osinbajo who is a senior advocate of Nigeria and a pastor? Or how will I Islamize Nigeria? “Our constitution, which in many respects, is similar to the American constitution does not permit a state religion. The Sharia identified in the constitution is

almost synonymous with customary law. It is only applicable in matters of personal status such as marriage, divorce and inheritance. This has been the case since the 1979 constitution. Just as no one can make any customary or any other religious law the law of Nigeria, so Sharia cannot therefore be the law of Nigeria. “Wicked propagandists continue to spread vicious lies about me for political gain, including claiming that I once asked Muslims not to vote for Christians. This must be the height of absurdity. How could I ever say that, when whoever voted for me would be voting for the Christian running with me on the same ticket? “And how could I ever say that of Christians when my own holy book, the Qur’an, tells me that in the entire world those that are nearest in love to me are those who believe in Jesus Christ [AS]? I ask, who, intending to win any election, ever does that? How can I choose southern Christian running mates [Chuba Okadigbo of blessed memory, Pastor Tunde Bakare and Pastor YemiOsinbajo] and with them by my side”, he said. Poverty does not know Christians or Muslims— Osinbajo Earlier, Buhari’s running mate, Osinbajo, while making his remarks, said that poverty does not know Christians or Muslims. All he cared about was good governance. “In our country, we are told we have a hundred and ten extremely poor people. Our country also is where 55 million women die every year of maternal related cases. We have one of the highest infant mortalities in the entire world and this is a country with abundance and a country with extremely poor people”, he said. “Poverty does not know religion, it doesn’t know Muslim, it doesn’t know Christian, it doesn’t know Hausa, it doesn’t know Yoruba or Fulani, poverty is poverty. It affects people the same way. The corruption is such that so much money that should be used to take care of the people are stolen”.. Others, including retired Major-General Paul Tafa, a former Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, who spoke at the event that held at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, commended Buhari for his tenacity against corruption. Bible gifts The group donated Bibles to Buhari and Osibanjo.

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Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 43

The implication of Obasanjo’s departure Polls postponement: from the PDP – Buhari Campaign Group should be instructive enough to other card carrying members of the PDP to start shredding their own membership cards too! They are just wasting this great country’s time and theirs too! The truth is that the PDP has no solution to the problems facing us as a nation. In fact, they are wasting our time too! It took Obasanjo such a long time to realise this. But I am happy he has come to the point of realisation.

By Olayinka Ajayi

Against the backdrop of the drama acted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the course of quitting PDP, Malam Garba Shehu, the Director of Communications of the APC presidential campaign, in an encounter, enjoined other members to leave the PDP and openly shred their membership cards.

ow do you describe t h e

alleged moves by the r uling party, PDP, to disorganise the APC ahead of the postponed elections? PDP leaders know they are losing this election, they have seen the handwriting on the wall. How do you mean? We are aware that they commissioned opinion polls conducted by some outfits domiciled in Israel, UK, US and even Nigeria and the verdict shows they are losing the election. So it is very clear that they just want to hold us down. They decided to employ all antics to hold and slow us down, so that they can do a catch up. Basically, that is their trick and Nigerians fully understand it and that is what is playing out presently. We learnt that ar med security agents besieged your residence recently as well as that of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. How do you take that? Well, is it intended to distract and intimidate our party leaders. The PDP does not want anyone to discuss corruption, the economic degradation and the unspeakable foul play in the NNPC. Neither do they want anybody to discuss the insecurity in Nigeria. If you observe very well, anytime they talk about insecurity in Nigeria, they tend to generalise it as a global phenomenon. What they want is to take away our minds, from these critical issues, to inconsequential issues. They have been on it since. They started with inconsequential age of Gen. Buhari, later they called him (Buhari) a religious bigot, they later turned into the inconsequential certificate issue; they also went too far to discuss the health of Gen. Buhari; now they are using armed security agents to intimidate our leaders. We know their tricks. It won’t change anything. Nigerians are simply sick and tired of

•Malam Garba Shehu this government. That is the truth. They are tired of unemployment, their acclaimed fastest growing economy that has no effect on the lives of average Nigerians and in a tailspin. Nigerians are tired of a government that has made corruption a culture and a government that cannot protect lives and property. We must continue to talk about them even when they surround our homes and roads with armed security agents. There have been reactions on why former President Olusegun Obasanjo left the PDP, openly shredding his membership card. What, in your view, does this portend in the political landscape? The departure of Obasanjo from the PDP, to us, is a welcome development and

Nigerians are tired of a government that has made corruption a culture and a government that cannot protect lives and property

What is the implication of Obasanjo shredding his membership openly? It means PDP is ruined. Being the god father of the party and he left the party, should there be any reason for any reasonable member of the party to remain there? What I expect is that other members of the party should start tearing their cards and getting out of the party. The roof is falling on the house and whoever wants to be saved should get out before the roof crashes on their heads. Do you see this move by Obasanjo as a form of endorsement of the APC? The APC is a movement. Whoever can read the hand writing on the wall, will realise that Nigerians have seized the opportunity. APC is out of pilot, Nigerians are driving it themselves. They see it as an instrument of change that they desire. Whether the PDP sees it or not is left to them. Change is imminent and APC is fully prepared to bring about the desired change the people are clamouring for.

Amid the claim of lopsided distribution of the permanent voter cards (PVC) by the PDP presidential campaign spokesman,Fani-Kayode, are you optimistic of the general elections holding on the rescheduled dates? We in the APC campaign group don’t have time to discuss Fani-Kayode. We are particular about issues affecting Nigerians. APC didn’t appoint the INEC boss, or his commissioners. It is the PDP-led administration that appointed them. Why are they having problem with them? It is because they don’t want an election that is free, fair and credible? Are they not putting themselves to ridicule by attacking INEC! As a government that appointed INEC in the first place, coming to take on them in the manner they are doing is laughable! It shows that they don’t even know what they are looking for and what they want for this country. Otherwise, why would they put a commission together and then you begin to fight it? Why did you put them there in the first instance? If you deliberately ruin INEC, you destroy its responsibility. How do you ensure the integrity and that of the election they will hold? We are only hopeful the election will hold on March 28. The government, as our presidential candidate said, has played its last card. Under the Constitution, they cannot stretch the election beyond that date. It must hold on that date, unless they want to overthrow the Constitution and institute a dictatorship.

PDP leader advises Delta youths on violence-free election

HE Delta State Director of Youth Mobilization of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Hon. Sunday Onoriode, has advised Delta Central youths on violence-free election during the forth coming general elections . The PDP youth chief who gave this advice at the weekend while playing host to over five hundred youths at his Abraka country home, Ethiope East local government area of Delta State condemned the act of importing youths to other areas to foment trouble. Onoriode who called for massive votes for President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and other PDP candidates across the state, said the youths will not be left behind in the scheme of things if they vote PDP at the forthcoming election. While advising the youths across the

eight local government of Delta Central, Onoriode explained that the governorship candidate of the PDP, Sen.

Okowa is a man of his words, assured that the youths will not regret working for him at the end of the day.

Akpowowo promises Abraka, Agbon clans of equal representation

HEAD of the April 11, 2015 House of Assembly election, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to represent Ethiope East State constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly, Barr. Arthur Akpowowo, has promised communities in Abraka and Agbon kingdoms of equal representation if voted into power. Akpowowo who gave this assurance during his campaign tour to Kokori, Egbo, Ovu communities of Agbon clan and Urhovie community, Oruarivie and Umiaghwa of Abraka kingdoms, said he has come to seek for their support and blessings over his ambition to represent them at the state House of Assembly. He explained that having spent about

eight years as the state youth leader of the party, where he built bridges of friendship across the whole state, assuring the people that with his contact across the state, that he was confident of attracting dividends of democracy to his people. The Kokori elders council led by the eldest man, Chief Macauley Anigboro, the women council led by Madam Ayavota Egbri and all the political heads of Egbo-Idjerhe, Chief Edijala Ekakitie, Egbogho, Mr. Godwin Akpovoghare, Ekrudu, Hon. Simon Emoefe and Onowhakpo, Chief Alex Omoraka assured Akpowowo whom they said is their son a massive support .

PAGE 44—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Nigeria’s 2015 elections: Wobbly, but on course BY KAYODE SAMUEL

n March 28, Nigeria holds what is likely to be the most keenly fought presidential election in her history. However, what is in contention in the election may not be the superiority of one ideology over the other, as understood in the western democracies. Rather, what is becoming evident is that the election is about two quarrelsome camps, each seeking a popular mandate to determine the fortunes (or the lack thereof) of nearly 170 million Nigerians. The leading presidential candidates, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are commonly depicted in a variety of stereotypical terms – the former as northern, militarist, ostensibly ascetic, jihadist; the other as southern, civilian, indolent, religiously moderate. So too are the camps they represent. The issue that ordinarily should shape the election is the voters’ perception of the candidates’ likely performance in the areas of concern to Nigerians such as power

supply, security, corruption, jobs, social welfare, etc. Yet, as the elections near, the two greatest worries for Nigerians and friends of Nigeria are whether or not the elections will be held as scheduled, given last week’s call by the National Security Adviser for a postponement, and how the contestants will respond to the results announced by the electoral body. The violence that ensued in the wake of the largely peaceful 2011 polls is still very fresh in the minds of many Nigerians. Nigerian politicians are legendary for disputing any election result that does not proclaim their own victory. Concomitantly, Nigerian politics remains in its preideological phase with warlords largely determining the vote count. Elections are fought and won not on the basis of the superiority of agendas or platforms presented to voters. Rather, underperforming incumbents seek votes by raising the spectre that what comes after them could be worse; while the opposition busies itself with laying landmines to prove that the incumbent has not performed well. Nowhere is this scenario better demonstrated than with the

issue of the insurgency in the northeast which has heightened the profile of insecurity more than at any other time in the country’s history of elections. The 2015 election is, however, remarkable in one important regard: it is arguably the first election in a long while whose outcome was not a foregone conclusion in favour of the incumbent. The elite consensus that normally crystallizes around the candidature of an incumbent on the eve of a general election has been notably absent this time around. Today, the APC, a nonideological platform cobbled together by politicians disaffected with the Jonathan presidency, presents a formidable opposition, giving rise to a genuine contest whose results are still largely indeterminate. Standing mainly on an alliance of the core north with the states of the southwest, one of the several casualties of this coalition has been the relegation of one of the principal concerns of the southwest political establishment i.e. the clamour for restructuring the country’s federal system as an irreducible minimum condition for resolving the country’s many problems. It would seem that the current

political leaders of the southwest may have concluded that forgoing an aspiration that had been the raison d’être of southwest politics over the years is a wise and sufficient price to pay for seeing off Jonathan and becoming part of the power at the federal level. How this works out remains to be seen. A scenario of “vote for us or else” – which suggests that if you vote for Buhari then you can kiss the oil from the Niger Delta goodbye, and if you vote for Jonathan then the insurgency in the north will continue – seems to be what Nigerians are being offered. But the credibility of a threat of shutdown of oil facilities is questionable, considering that the Jonathan administration is also said to have alienated some groups in the Delta region. At the same time, the perceived incompetence of the Federal Government in handling the insecurity issue which has exposed many people in the affected areas to misery, seems to be working to temper historic misgivings about northern entitlement to federal power which many regard as a key driver of the Buhari challenge. Declining oil prices, which may last much longer than previous

shocks, and currency devaluation could have unintended and uncomfortable consequences both for the incumbent and the challenger. As journeys go, the Nigerian political transition, wobbly though it is, remains on course. The past sixteen years* have witnessed the longest run of unbroken civilian rule in the country’s history. Viewed from this perspective, the 2015 elections could therefore be seen as just one of the stops on the way. But could it be the terminus? This question really encapsulates the issue that friends of Nigeria should concern themselves with in a robust manner as the elections near. • Samuel is a former government official in Nigeria and a visiting fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London. He is the author of “Political Transition in Nigeria, 1993 2003. Commentaries on selected themes” (Malthouse Press, Lagos, 2010). *An election timeline can be found in Thurston, Alexander, “Background to Nigeria's 2015 elections”, CSIS Africa, January 2015, pp.10-12 All text links selected by Africa Research Institute

Between Sam Egwu and political enemies BY JERRY UHUO

t was Thomas Jefferson who said: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” This is the right attitude to a newspaper article, headlined, “Ungodly Political Prophets in Ebonyi State” written by one Ndubuisi Okpala, which was a very poorly executed hatchet job. In a political period such as this and in an environment like Ebonyi where those deficient in ideas resort to jungle political debate, such article should ordinarily not deserve a response. But since some readers and supporters of Dr. Sam Egwu may not see it the same way, it has become imperative to put the so called Okpala in his right shoes. The fact that Ndubusis Okpala described Egwu in his article as a politician living in the past and a man who “as governor achieved visibly nothing” and that the Egwu’s regime was a period of “oil boom” was a clear indication that the author knew nothing about Egwu and Ebonyi from 1999 to 2007. I had in my article, published in December, 2014, stated that I was never a fan of Egwu for some reasons. He was elected in 1999 one year after my election as the President General of Ebonyi State Community, Abuja. I could recall that Egwu then, governor elect, visited the executive of the body in company of Chief Geoffrey Chukwu, erstwhile Chairman of PDP, Ebonyi Chapter, at Optima Hotel, Area 10, Abuja, venue of

•Sam Egwu our meetings, as part of his thank you visit to Ebonyians who gave him the mandate to lead them as their governor. The expressions on his face were that of someone with burning desire to get down to work and transform the society. Ebonyi people in Abuja congratulated him and promised to give him maximum support to succeed in his administration. Based on the cordial relationship between Ebonyi indigenes in Abuja and that of the state government, through the liaison office, we were directed to prepare a blueprint for the new governor and also to carry out a research on the number of Ebonyians in the Federal Civil Service with a view to creating employment opportunities for the indigenes of the state in the Federal Service. It was eye opening for the new governor who swung into action

and ensured that many Ebonyians got opportunity to work in the Federal Service. What every Ebonyian who witnessed Egwu’s administration will testify to today is that the man as a governor, from 1999 to 2007, had genuine policies that touched on human life and social development which if Governor Martin Elechi had continued would have changed the situation in Ebonyi today. Egwu knew from the onset that he had a mandate to reach out to Ebonyians and give them a sense of belonging. He had human touch and was compassionate. He empowered many young people and never believed in keeping one set of people in one office for eight years or more as is the case today. He felt that there was need for new ideas and creativity to be brought into governance and, because of that, he reshuffled his cabinet occasionally. He by so doing created opportunities for a lot of people to make their own contributions to the development of the state. He was among the first governors in Nigeria then to create new local government councils which were later turned to development centres because he wanted to bring development close to the people. He introduced a scholarship scheme in partnership with foreign universities, called HIPACK, which provided platform for young Ebonyians to study up to doctorate levels. Most of the beneficiaries of

that project returned home and became resource persons at the Ebonyi State University while many others are practicing in other areas as employers of labour. The current leadership in Ebonyi has abolished the programme. Egwu also in consideration of the poor situation of parents in Ebonyi, allowed indigenous students in the state university to pay their tuition fees in installments. Egwu promoted peaceful coexistence in Ebonyi and prevented situations that would have escalated to war. But under Elechi’s administration, intersectional wars were promoted and allegedly sponsored by government, a clear example is the Ezza-Ezillo crisis generally believed to have been instigated and sponsored by the government. It is on record that under Egwu’s administration, Ebonyi government never received any revenue from federation account amounting to over N1billion in the first fours years. There was no excess crude as it is today, there was no SURE-P and donations from donor agencies were hardly available, yet he was able to make his remarkable achievements. So the issue of “oil boom” as described by Okpala was nowhere. When Egwu left office in 2007, he was appointed the Minister of Education by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was appointed into different Boards at the federal level as well as member of the just concluded National Conference. There is

no doubt that Egwu’s antecedents, political experience and national presence and acceptability, present him as a credible candidate for Senate to represent Ebonyi North. The basic functions of a member of the National Assembly are lawmaking, representation and oversight. For one who was governor and now outside the office, Egwu’s place in the Senate will be an opportunity to use his towering national and international image to attract developments to Ebonyi. Age is still on his side and would not need to make the hallowed chambers a sleeping bed. I do not wish to enter the wilderness debate with Okpala over which party between PDP and Labour will win the senatorial seat in Ebonyi North as that decision is left for the people of the zone. But because the people of the zone understand what quality representation means, Egwu remains the candidate for the election. It is important to remind Okpala on the 12th century Arabic saying that, “He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool. Shun him. He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is ignorant. Teach him. He who knows, and knows that he knows, is a wise man. Follow him. He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep. Wake him.” · Uhuo is a public affairs analyst and former President General of Ebonyi State Community, Abuja.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 45

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES

We’re working with partners to make life better in Nigeria — Ayo Ajayi, Africa Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation By ADEKUNLE ADEKOYA, General Editor

HE Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, B&MGF on January 22 launched its annual letter for the year 2015. An annual event, the letter lays out the view of Bill, Melinda and the Foundation on key development issues. This year’s letter focuses key breakthroughs in development. The 2015 Annual Letter, tagged “Our Big Bet for The Future”highlighted achievements of the foundation in many areas, and expectations in the months ahead. Vanguard interrogated the letter, and Ayo Ajayi, B&MGF’s Director for Africa provided answers to questions in a cyber conversation. Excerpts: On maternal and child mortality I noticed that figures for West and Central Africa indicate the highest deaths per 1,000 live births at 179. How will you be able to measure the level of intervention needed, in Nigeria, about which I’m naturally very concerned? As seen in the reduction in child mortality by half globally, much progress has been made over the past 15 years. But almost half of child deaths occur during childbirth and infancy, the most vulnerable periods in a child’s life. The challenge is that most of these deaths take place in resource-constrained settings where the evidence base is limited. We have found that no matter the context, what’s most important is that there be a holistic approach to the continuum of care, because the health of a mother goes hand-in-hand with the health of her infant. The foundation’s Maternal Newborn strategy is to increase coverage of high-impact interventions and critical packages of care. Our partners including national and state governments do periodic assessments of improvements in behaviours and accessing services in their areas of work. They then feed in to national systems and help support decision-making where data is sparse. In some cases, the foundation has provided support for strengthening data collection and data management systems in order to ensure adequate and accurate data for decision making and for tracking progress against objectives.

The Gates Notes also talked about tackling diseases like elephantiasis, river blindness, trachoma and the like with drug therapies. Shouldn’t the B&MGF focus on the source —providing facilities to treat water for drinking, partnering with governments to provide these facilities, rather than focusing therapies alone? We believe that an integrated approach to both treatment and prevention is essential. Millions of people can be effectively treated for neglected infectious diseases such as river blindness, with medicines that are donated to endemic countries like Nigeria by drug manufacturers under the terms of the London Declaration. These treatments can cure thousands of people who are actively infected with parasites, sparing them permanent disability and giving the opportunity for a healthy and productive life. And these low-cost treatment interventions should be integrated with efforts to improve water quality, sanitation, and hygiene. The foundation is working with partners around the world to increase access to safe and effective sanitation by supporting efforts to end open defecation in rural areas and expand affordable access to toilets. Malaria— Not a few Nigerians believe that prevention and treatment of malaria has become a global, money-guzzling racket. Is it impossible to eradicate the vector — the mosquito? It would be nice if B&MGF focuses resources towards eradicating the mosquito. It’s really inaccurate and unfair to describe the funding that donor governments and endemic countries have invested in reducing the global burden of malaria in the past 15 years as a “racket.” In fact, it’s one of the greatest humanitarian success stories of our time. Deaths caused by malaria in Africa have fallen 53% since 2000. Among African children under 5, deaths have fallen by 58% in that time. That said, the Gates Foundation believes that innovations are essential to accelerate the elimination, and ultimate eradication, of malaria in the next few decades. The measures that you suggest, for instance, are well within the capacities of state and local governments. We cannot rely on donor governments to continue funding the fight against malaria, and malaria will inevitably become resistant to the drugs we use against it unless we commit to ending this disease forever. We believe that to do so will require: (1) the development of an effective, single dose cure that can clear all malaria parasites from the human body; (2) the development of highly sensitive diag-

•Ayo Ajayi

Not a few Nigerians believe that prevention and treatment of malaria has become a global, moneyguzzling racket

nostics that can detect parasites in the body even when people aren’t showing symptoms of the disease; (3) the development of next-generation malaria vaccines that can completely back transmission between mosquitoes and people; and (4) the development of more effective strategies that focus on eliminating parasites from local communities. As long as parasites find a home in humans, malaria will persist. Human beings, rural or urban, are the biggest reservoir of the malaria parasite. On agriculture, there is the problem of attitude. Nigeria is unlike any other country in the world; so are her people. Here people look down on farmers and farming. Shouldn’t the B&MGF tackle this through a media campaign targeted at the youth? We agree that despite new technologies and ideas that are rapidly transforming agriculture across Africa, the sector continues to be stereotyped as one synonymous with poverty and subsistence. Across the continent, farming is largely seen as a dead-end job, and something of no interest to aspiring youth. But we believe it’s a myth that there is no future in farming, and we’re proud of the work our partners are doing to rebrand the sector in Nigeria and across Africa. For example, Oxfam Nigeria is producing a popular reality television show designed to show the contribution farmers make to Nigeria, especially women. Another partner, the ONE Campaign, is working with celebrities like D’Banj to shift youth attitudes towards Agriculture. And our partner, ActionAid is working at the district level to raise the voices of farmers themselves to make sure policymakers are directly hearing from them about their goals and challenges. We believe it’s important that youth begin to see how agriculture contributes to the growth and success of their communities and country, but also see it as a viable career choice. After all, Nigeria is on the cutting edge of agricultural technology in Africa. This means there are job opportunities in everything from research to the selling of seeds and machines, transporting and trading of crops, post-harvest food processing, and livestock raising.

Mobile banking. Yes, digital inclusion is an issue, and it also presents with gender dimensions. Can B&MGF leverage its ICT background to get device makers to furnish menus in local languages? Greater digital inclusion might be achieved with this. This is a challenge that depends on two factors at least. zFirst is the market share a company has and what the market potential is for the model(s) being offered in the market. Nokia has such a huge installed base they could justify the investment as they could quantify sales quite accurately. zA second factor to consider is the degree to which the operating system can support local languages. (Note: We do not have a current relationship of any depth in our team with handset manufacturers). Manufacturers are placing an increased emphasis on new smartphone handsets over the older handsets that many poor people in the world continue to use. Moving forward in the next 2 to 5 years, we expect that older handsets will still be used as a means of communication for the majority of Africa’s poorest people. In the short term, this makes the case for manufacturers to apply many of the multilanguage features on new smartphones to existing phone models. There are many other things that are as important or more than as localization of phones that we’re working on. Things which we are working on These include: — fostering an “all hands on deck” approach in the Nigerian Ecosystem to reach out to every single household and person, rural or urban, through an inter-operable payments platform — fostering a coverage of the country with a dense network of agents — fostering merchant acceptance.

PAGE 46—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

ANXIETY OVER OBA OF BENIN’S HEALTH

Omo N’Oba is hale and hearty — Prince Akenzua •Insists Jonathan’s administration marginalized the Binis •Says the call for resignation of the Esogban nonsensical By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

n the past three weeks, the internet has been dominated by the story of the alleged ill health of the Benin monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Oba Erediauwa. The story started making the rounds last December during the celebration of the Igue annual festival when the monarch didn’t appear before the crowd. The story heightened after the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen.Muhammadu Buhari, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, President Goodluck Jonathan, visited the palace during their campaigns in Edo State but could not see the monarch. However, the Benin Palace came out to dismiss the story of Oba Erediawa’s alleged death, last week, asserting that it was the figment of the imagination of the authors. But what many may not know is that the Oba of Benin never dies, he transits from mortality to immortality. And from all indications, the Home Leopard lives and still reigns over his kingdom. In this interview, his younger brother and the Enogie (Duke) of Obazuwa, Prince Edun Akenzua, clears the air on the issue. He equally reacts to the call for the resignation of the Chairman of the Benin Forum and the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, by some groups loyal to the PDP, just as he explains why it will be difficult for the Binis to cast their votes for President Goodluck Jonathan during the general elections. Excerpts: People have been worried

over the health of the Oba. Can we know the true state of the Oba’s health? I think the Secretary of the Palace has reacted on this matter. This rumour has been on since last year. I don’t know the source. The first time the Oba did not grant audience to President Jonathan, the rumour was on. But after that one, Jonathan came again and the Oba granted him audience, people kept quiet. I think one will say it is alright to know that a number of people show much concern but they should not be listening to rumours. If there is anything to say, it will be said. I have received calls from America, UK, South Africa and I told them that it is not true. Omo N’Oba is hale and hearty. Esogban of Benin Kingdom and Chairman of the Benin Forum, Chief David Edebiri, recently declared that Binis will not vote for Jonathan because he has not done anything for them. But he has been criticized by the PDP over his comments, while some of their sympathizers also called for his resignation as chairman of the Benin Forum. What is your take on the issue? I am a member of the Benin Forum. All those calling for the Esogban’s resignation have no locus to make such call. If they felt he said something they do not agree with, they should write to the Oba who nominated the Esogban as the Chairman of the Benin Forum, not call from outside that he should resign. The Esogban has the right to say that Binis tallies should not vote for Jonathan. What the Esogban said in that report about the Binis, with what I myself have been saying over the years that the Benin people, when you look at the votes that the

•Prince Akenzua

I think one will say it is alright to know that a number of people show much concern but they should not be listening to rumours

President got in Edo, he got more than 50 per cent from Edo South, because we have the population. Having done that, I am surprised that there is no Edo South man or woman in the President’s cabinet. Like the Esogban said in his interview, it was actually Oshiomhole who pleaded with us to support Jonathan in 2011. Some of us asked him why? He said because he is our son from the South South. And we told him if he was sure it will not backfire, and he said no. And if you observed, apart from the presidential election, that’s Jonathan’s election in 2011, PDP lost completely in Edo. They won the presidency in Edo because Oshiomhole, who we trust, asked us to vote for Jonathan and we did so. So our sons and daughters who are PDP members must ask President Jonathan why he neglected the Binis in his administration and stop crucifying the Esogban. All the ministerial appointments, prime board appointments, all of them are from Edo Central. Now they talked about BeninOre Road, they have been doing it since the tenure of President Obasanjo. Now they have completed Benin Ofusu axis, so it will be insulting the intelligence of the Benin people if they say that is what we have benefited from the Jonathan’s administration. They call it priority road in the time of Okotie Eboh when they started it. And that road does not terminate in Benin, it links the South East, South South and the North. It is for everybody, you cannot now say that is what they have done for Benin. Benin politicians who are PDP members have a duty to ask the President what the Binis have benefited from his administration. Not long ago,

a member of the PDP came here to say they influenced the Federal Government to re-plan the railway route to come to Edo. Initially, it terminated somewhere in Edo Central. The man who was talking said that it had been redrawn and now it will pass through Edo South to Warri. He said it but I have not seen the diagram. The Esogban said what he has observed, many people who love Edo South will tell you that he has not misfired. On the issue of Ogiemwonyi, the former Minister actually told me he was not happy the way Jonathan treated him. He was supposed to be given Minister of Petroleum because that was his area of specialty but they made him a junior Minister under somebody who I don’t think was even an engineer. Postponement of elections I won’t say I am surprised with the shifting of the elections because I don’t have the facts which Jega has and he has the right to fix elections dates. The only thing that surprised me was that he told the Council of State that he was ready for the elections. And then in his press conference, he talked about security problems which he did not mention initially. As if that was not bad enough, in the President’s media chat, he said he knew nothing about the security issue, that Jega did not consult him before shifting the polls. That sounded very funny because how can the NSA and Jega have such information concerning security without passing it over to the Commander-in-Chief? However, Jega has assured that he can still conduct elections according to the Constitution to ensure that May 29 is possible, so let us wait.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 47

Getting up close and personal with beloved Coke

What Share A Coke Joined Together: Yomi (left) and Busola Olusoga to whom he proposed with personal Coke

HE Coca-Cola Company might have come up with the ‘Share A Coke,’ campaign to deepen connections with consumers but it has sparked off an emotional chord, leading to marriage proposals and marriages. Writes … The first time Ezinne Madubugo came across a Coke bottle with her name on it, she was stunned, elated and sad! Stunned, because she was confused and thought it was a blunder. “Who wouldn’t be? For the first time ever, CocaCola decided to leave out the most important element of its branding which is its legendary logo and instead replaced it with people’s names”. The 29 year old graduate of Media and Creative Arts pointed out. But after looking round the grocery store where she had gone to shop for fruits, Ezinne realised that it wasn’t a blunder after all but a deliberate attempt by Coca-Cola to get very personal with consumers. “After looking round the store, I discovered that apart from the bottle I had seen with one of the shoppers, there were many more Coke bottles on the shelves with different names on them. That was when it dawned on me that it could be marketing tactics to connect better with consumers. I became elated and started searching for mine too, just so I can be the first person to break the news to my friends. Unfortunately I didn’t find mine. I felt sad,” she recalled. At the time, which was during the summer of 2013, Ezinne was still a student in the United Kingdom. That perhaps explains why she didn’t find her name. The Bev-

Given that Nigerians love to reproduce an occurrence, it is certain that in the coming days there will be more marriages contracted the “Share a Coke” way erage giant at that time was running its “Share a Coke” campaign and had swapped its iconic logo for selected UK popular names. Ezinne couldn’t have made the list! Nonetheless, Ezinne, who now resides in Lagos, has since found her name on Coke, following the launch of the campaign in Nigeria. She didn’t have to search too hard, her name fortunately fell among the over 500 cultural names selected for the Nigerian arm of the campaign. She shares her delight. “Nothing makes drinking a Coke special like seeing one with your name on it. It confers on consumers a feel good emotion. Like Oliver Twist, am also searching for my surname. I have decided to keep them as souvenirs, hopefully I shall show them to my great- grand children,” she quipped. Since it kicked off in Nigeria in January 2015, the “Share a Coke” campaign like in the over 50 countries where it has run, has pushed con-

sumers into a sharing frenzy as they comb every nook and cranny of stores looking for their names on bottles and cans of Coca-Cola, just so they can create and share stories, selfies and the special m o m e n t s around them with friends and families. While many consumers have since struck gold in the course of their search, others still in the process of finding theirs have resorted to creating virtual cans or bottles for

themselves online via the dedicated shareacoke.com.ng platform created by the company to expand the campaign reach. However to make sure that everyone has a chance to get involved in the campaign, Coca-Cola is also on an activation tour across different locations in the country, where people can come order and pick up their own personlised bottles within a few minutes and at no extra cost. But trust Nigerians and their ways of making a wit out of everything. Aside the interesting conversions that the campaign has sparked both offline and online, a quick scan through the social media platforms shows amusing pictures of names placed on pieces of papers and glued to a Coke bottle. In the case of Busola Olusoga, the “Share a Coke” campaign recently turned “Sharing Love” with the man of her dreams. Her boyfriend Yomi proposed to her the “Share a Coke Way” using labeled Coke bottles tagged “Beautiful Busola Will You Marry Me” Though hers is not the first marriage proposal inspired by the campaign, Busola is excited that it is the first in Nigeria and number two in the world. The first being that of a young Scot, Donnie McGilvray who in 2014 proposed to his girlfriend, Eloise with Coke bottles labeled “Beautiful Eloise Will You Marry Me” However, given that Nigerians love to reproduce an occurrence, it is certain that in the coming days there will be more marriages contracted the “Share a Coke” way. Have you found your name yet?

DIASPORA MATTERS

Political Peace, Lagos, America and Treaty

T is an interesting de velopment to see Ni gerians of different persuasions and political ideologies coming together to sign peace accords or agreements in preparation for the 2015 General Elections. This is indeed something worth commending the initiators and the participants for. The wave of peace treaties kicked off with the agreement signed by the major presidential candidates alongside their parties in January. This event was organised by Nigerians, for Nigerians. It was not supervised by foreign powers but witnessed by, among other dignitaries, former Commonwealth Secretary General Kofi Annan. After this commendable initiative, most states have also drawn up their own pacts so as to ensure peace reigns before, during and after the elections in their domains. It is no news that election period in the country is usually characterised by violence. It is common occurrences for political rallies to turn into a free for all "mob" fights among opposing political parties. In 2015, the impact of these peace agreements is noticeable when the present political situation is compared with what was obtained in the past few weeks or months to important elections. To the commendation of the political parties and the supporters it has been relatively peaceful and calm even in states tagged as political hotbeds of political violence. Apart from isolated cases of violence, generally the conduct of the politicians, supporters and security agencies have been fairly impressive. The peace agreements, by extension, seem to be binding also on supporters on the social media. All of a sudden there has been ceasefire (Ukraine model) on the social "mediasphere" particularly among the supporters of the major presidential candidates. What we have now are courteous comments and remarks in support or against postings. No more "deadly" wishes on opposing supporters or candidates as was witnessed at the start of the year. Among the latest in the series of these agreements or pacts was signed in Lagos State recently between Mr Jimi Agbaje of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC). To most people, Lagos State is the nerve centre of Nigeria, not only in population, but also economic wise, hence the importance attached to the peace pact. To further demonstrate

the strategic "worth" of Lagos State in the political stability and existence of Nigeria, the Lagos peace agreement initiators felt taking it a "yard" further will make it distinct. Therefore it was "common sense" to involve the United States Of America (USA) in the process of the "drafting" and signing of the treaty. Whatever Lagos does, it does in grand style. Eko o' ni baje. In style and class, the candidates, a few imams and pastors were all "summoned" to the official Ikoyi residence of the US Consul General, Jeffery Hawkins. Under his supervision and presence of U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle, the candidates were "instructed" to sign the dotted line with big smiles on their faces. They both agreed to uphold the result of the elections and contest any perceived malpractices in the courts of law and not on the streets of Idumota or Agege.

We place our national destiny in the hands of these foreign powers believing they have the solutions to all our problems

It is great to note that no other state in Nigeria has been "lucky" enough to sign their peace treaty in the presence of any other ambassador, not even Benin Republic Ambassador to Nigeria. All other treaties were home brewed, presided over by either the commissioners of police, the Zonal Assistant Inspector General or INEC resident commissioner. In a particular state, the Controller of Prisons was at the event to warn the politicians there is still enough room in the prisons for overbearing supporters. But let's pause a minute and ask why the Lagos State peace treaty had to be supervised by U.S. personnels? Is it to give more credibility to it? Is it that there was no other venue where the pact can be signed? Are the religious leaders not

worthy or credible witnesses? I may be wrong but I have the feeling that these two candidates so distrusted themselves and their supporters that they had to make America's involvement a condition for participation. There is a possibility that one or both of the candidates had insisted that if the venue for the agreement was not the US Consul General residence they would not be part of the agreement. Or how can one explain the choice of the venue, the participants and the supervisors. This event brings to the fore, our seemingly over dependence and reliance on foreign involvement in what otherwise could be an internal issue. We literarily beg foreign nations to get involved in our affairs. We rather sacrifice our nationhood to satisfy these foreign powers. This is not limited to the national affairs. Even in our home setting, if possible, some Nigerians would have been calling for US or UK intervention. We celebrate things which are foreign in order to give an impression we are better off. On a lighter note, one tends to ask if this psyche is why Nigerians speak "hot" Yankee accents than the Americans? We place our national destiny in the hands of these foreign powers believing they have the solutions to all our problems. According to history, we have always been wrong at the end of the day. The most depressing aspect of it all is that when the chips are down, these foreign powers usually have reasons for "standing aloof" in our "internal affairs". Now I can understand why people were "threatening" to report the Nigerian government to the US should it postpone the Valentine Day election. I can see clearly now why a few people take their protests to the streets of New York and London anytime they think the Nigerian government is misbehaving. It is not unusual to see placards calling on the US or UK to intervene in our internal affairs. Should Agbaje and Ambode be really interested in a genuine peace pact, they need no intervention of the United States officials. They have demonstrated to us their unwillingness to cooperate if the peace agreement was "home concocted?" Their supporters are most likely not to honour the pact. However, with the involvement of the "super power", the word on the streets would be "do not make US angry." And everybody would behave. Kudos to the other states where they needed not wait on US or UK to supervise their peace pacts. We can still salvage what is left of our national pride. Period.

PAGE 48 — SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

By Ebele Orakpo

General Sirwan Barzani is the Commander of Pesmerge Special Forces – the Black Tiger – battling the terror group, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISL), alongside allied forces. In emailed interview with Sunday Vanguard, Barzani speaks on the reason for the successes recorded so far by the group against the terrorists, adding that they have no problem of saboteurs because Pesmerge is not just any type of army but a liberator of Kurdisitan. Excerpts:

BOKO HARAM The lesson for Nigeria from soldiers fighting Islamic State — Pesmerge Commander

ELL us a little about yourself. I am General Sirwan Barzani, the Commander of Pê_merge Special Forces - the Black Tigers - in frontline of South of Erbil and East of Mosul. At the same time, I have been one of the leading businessmen in Kurdistan including founding Chairman of Korek Telecom in Iraq. Because of this war, I had to return to the frontline to defend my country against terrorist Islamic State assault. I was a Pê_merge and Commander during the liberation war and the 2003 war that removed the Saddam Hussein dictatorship. Do you think the removal of Saddam Hussein led to the state of things in Iraq today? No, Saddam had killed or caused the killing of more Iraqis than any foreign power and any other Iraqi regime. Unfortunately, the international community had been silent on Saddam’s crimes particularly during the 1980s; therefore, there is some misconception about Saddam’s era of terror and genocide. Furthermore, since the removal of Saddam, those who have been igniting sectarian and ethnic conflicts are mostly Saddam’s followers, including many leading members of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Note: Levant includes Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Jordan. For example, in the 1980s, 182,000 Kurds were killed under the pretext of Islam in Arabic it called Anfal, a reference to a Quranic verse. During that period, 4,500 villages among 5,000 Kurdish villages were vacated or burned. Saddam systematically used chemical weapons including infamous attack against the Kurdish city of Halbja. Is it true that many of the Pê_merge soldiers are women because ISIL terrorists fear them? Some of the Pê_merge units are women and, historically, women have always

•General Sirwan Barzani..... Pê_merge is not just any type of ar my, it has been a liberator of Kurdistan.

•Pê_merge women ready to die while fighting rather than being taken alive by terrorists

participated in the Pê_merge movement. We are very proud of Kurdish/Kurdistan women’s participation in liberation and freedom for all people in Kurdistan. The Kurdish women in Kobani are a great example of their engagement in Kurdistan liberation and freedom movement. The Kurdish Pê_merge seems to have been successful in the fight against ISIL. What lessons do you think Nigeria could learn from them in the fight against Boko Haram? You are right about Pê_merge success in this war but every country’s condition is different. However, there are very serious similarities between Boko Haram and ISIL. For example, both of them are against women, the minorities, diversity and basic freedoms. We certainly wouldn’t mind to share our experience and knowledge with other countries that have been subject to this kind of terror. Some people believe that terrorism is as a result of poverty. Do you think that is true? This is a simplistic approach. Even in some cases, poverty could be abused and used for these kinds of things but most poor people around the world are decent people. Often, these

kinds of movements have multiple social, political, and economical causes but I will leave these to the academic to discuss. Many would want to know if the USA and its allies really cannot decisively deal with ISIL or is it about diplomacy or collateral damage? As is known, USA estimated this war will take at least three years back in July. What is important for us is that we have to defend our people against ISIL. It is very important that USA and allied forces are helping us with their air force. ISIL has much more advanced weapons than Pê_merge forces but, despite this, Pê_merge has defeated them in most territories in Kurdistan and still defending it. We certainly need advanced weapons for the final defeat of ISIL. To what extent is the claim that ISIL is more about prostitution ring, drug business and crude oil than politics and religion, true? The ISIL ideology is the source of its criminal activities and behaviours, there is no other way around. That is why they have been able to spread fear all over the world because it strives for a global empire and willing to do everything to reach this goal. ISIL already occupies territories of three countries namely: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,

There are very serious similarities between Boko Haram and ISIL; for example, both of them are against women, minorities, diversity and basic freedoms

and their political map shows their desire to become the global power. What attributes do you think have helped the Kurds in this war, vis-a-vis, unity of purpose? Having a visionary leadership and well organised and disciplined Pê_merge force that is committed to protect freedom and diversity of Kurdistan is very important. These attributes contributed to international communities’ cooperation and support against ISIL. How have you been able to keep your soldiers motivated and focused? Kurdistan Pê_merge has a long history of defending its land against foreign invaders and oppressors. Pê_merge knows very well why it is fighting and for what. They know the entire Kurdistan support them. President of Kurdistan even before the war, always said he is proud to be a Pê_merge. Do you have the problem of saboteurs within the army, if yes, how have you been able to handle it? Until now, we have never encountered anything like that in our forces and we do not expect any among Pê_merge because Pê_merge is not just any type of army but it has been a liberator of Kurdistan.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 49

Adebanjo, Okunronmu, Mimiko, others vow on Confab recommendations A

FENIFERE leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on the National Conference, Senator Femi Okunrounmu; and Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, say the Yoruba will work to ensure that the National Conference recommendations become a reality. They spoke in a communique after the postNational Conference Summit, held in Akure, Ondo State capital. Others who endorsed the communique were the Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria, Dr. Frederick Faseun; Secretary of the Yoruba Delegation to Confab, Dr. Kunle Olajide; Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) leader, Otunba Gani Adams; Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, FERMA Chairman, Engineer Jide Adeniyi; and a leader of Yoruba Self-Determination Group The communique read: “The Ondo State government organized a post-National Conference Summit in Akure, Ondo State on February 19, 2015. Delegates at the summit included top leadership of the Yoruba from Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo States, the Minister of State for Works as well as the Governor of Ondo State. Also present were special guests of South West extraction from the academia, elder statesmen, public sector practitioners, professionals and wellwishers from the South South and South East geopolitical zones. “The summit discussed, among other things, the gains of the Yoruba from the 2014 National Conference and the optional frameworks for the implementation of the CONFAB recommendations with an eye on Yoruba interests. “At the end of the deliberation, we leaders from all the states of the Yoruba resolve as follows: 1. That Mr. President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR and the presidential candidate of the PDP for the 2015 presidential election be C M Y K

commended for yielding to the yearnings of the Yoruba and the generality of Nigerians by convening the 2014 National Conference. 2. That the President be commended for the successful conduct of the 2014 National Conference, which perhaps can be described as the most courageous step ever taken by any President since the return to democracy in 1999. 3. That Mr. President be further commended for setting a technical committee composed of outstanding statesmen and technocrats to fashion out modalities and strategies for the implementation of the Confab resolutions. 4. That the profound recommendations of the Confab that each of the existing 6 geopolitical zones be equally divided into 9 States accords with the Yoruba core value in which equity is ranked very high. 5. That other profound recommendations of the

•Chief Adebanjo

•Senator Okunrounmu

•Gov. Mimiko

Confab particularly those that touch on devolution of powers, creation of state and community police services; making prisons service a concurrent matter; allowing each state to have its constitution; decentralization of the powers over the establishment and management of railways, sea ports, airports and development of solid minerals are central to the core interests of the Yoruba. 6. That the thoughtful recommendation of the

Confab on the constitutionalisation of rotational Presidency among the 6 geo-political zones and the rotation of the position of Governor among the senatorial district of each state is in accord with the political aspiration of the Yoruba. 7. That the Yoruba Nation is committed to a united and indivisible Nigeria based on the principles of justice, equity and rule of law, with ample respect and understanding for cultural, religious and

linguistic differences. 8. That the Yoruba Nation is going to work assiduously to ensure that the Confab recommendations get translated to concrete realities 9. That we resolve therefore to fully back and work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in the Presidential elections as only this could guarantee the implementation of the CONFAB recommendations”.

Lagos campaigns and intimidation By Bode Emmanuel

report on the campaign visit of the ruling party in Lagos State , the APC , led by Governor Raji Fashola, to the famous motor spare parts market at Ladipo , makes very interesting reading on the attitude of Lagos voters to the party in the April 11 elections. According to the report, the representatives of the traders in the market declared that the traders in the market would vote for the APC during the ceremony and visit, that introduced Akin Ambode as the candidate of the APC, to make continuity the expected result of the election in Lagos in favour of the APC . But no sooner than the governor and the Ambode’s caravan left Ladipo than shouts of ‘ PDP Power ‘rented the air and the traders started to dance that Jimi Agbaje of the PDP is their choice in the governorship election in the state, and not Ambode. When interviewed, many of the traders who claimed anonymity, said their leaders who

•Gov. Fashola

spoke in support of Ambode in the governor ’s presence, had no choice but to do so, so that the market can continue to function and they can earn their livelihood since anything different will lead to the government sealing the market as they had done several times in recent times . According to the traders, they had made up their mind to vote for Agbajeand PDP because of the multiple taxes as well as the personal yearly opening and closing taxes on individuals rather than shops collected by the state and local government officials from the Ladipo traders. In addition, they claimed they enjoy no

conducive environment from the state or local government as a result of the incessant and unpredictable taxes and tolls they pay to government and area boys who exploit them while the government does nothing to protect them. Most painful to them are the roads leading into and within the market, which are in a state of disrepair. In spite of all these, they dared not show their resentment to the governor or the APC Ambode Campaign team as they feared backlash from government. That was why one of the traders said they could only celebrate and show how they would vote for Agbaje of the PDP after the governor had left the market . The account tallied with the observation of Agbaje, the PDP governorship candidate, in his answer to a question at the prestigious Island Club where he had a chat with members of the club where his father, a former AGM Public Relations of Standard Bank, now First Bank, was Club Treasurer for 10 years. Agbaje had been asked how he would cope with the nagging impression in some quarters

that the PDP can never win the governorship election in Lagos . Agbaje countered that the situation has changed drastically in favour of the PDP in the state but people are afraid because of the fear of the state government power apparatus which is in the hand of the APC and which is quite vicious in using the power to intimidate voters to vote for it . He said that taxi drivers, market women , vulcanisers , mechanics and the common people of Lagos had switched massively to PDP and would say so privately and confidentially . Put simply then, Lagos voters, though intimidated to silence now by the APC government, cannot wait to have their say at the April governorship election and speak loudly with their votes to say NO to taxes of intimidation and give their mandate massively to Agbaje. That really will be the just price of intimidation for the APC in the state it has ruled for the past 16 years .

•Emmanuel, a political analyst, lives in Mushin, Lagos.

PAGE 50 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

HE general elections have been postponed till next month and April. How comfortable are you with the shift? The postponement is part of what you see in an event that has national value. The reasons that INEC gave for the postponement are ones that one should accommodate. If you say you are comfortable in your corner of Nigeria and your brothers, especially in the North-east, are in pains, then there is problem. I think one of the reasons for the postponement is the plan to accommodate all in the polls. Patriotic views encourage patience and the postponement will give more Nigerians the opportunity to participate in the elections. Besides that, patience is one virtue we require to drive the nation. Those who are impatient might try to truncate or undermine the process but for us in the PDP, we think that it is a welcome development and we are very patient and prepared to give everything necessary to ensure that democracy survives in the country. You have traversed the 17 local government areas of Abia State campaigning and soliciting for votes. How was the response and how do you see your chances? I have campaigned at least six times in every local government area, that is 17 times six and I had to deliver over 250 speeches to all kinds of groups and gatherings. Yesterday, I was at Cemetery Market where I had to address over 7,000 people and the market was shut down and I had to walk round the market to assess their challenges. Also yesterday, I was at Owerri, Aba, Ndiegoro, part of Aba where majority of Abians and non Abians live. In all these, we saw enthusiasm and zeal which give us courage and we are confident the PDP will win the elections but we want the margin to be wide. As the PDP candidate, do you think the performance of your party in the state in the past years can give you a lift and enhance your chances of winning the election? Yes. Every passing administration comes under two perspectives. Some people will say this government has done very well and others would say it has not done well and probably the third group that may be passive. But majority of Abians belong to the school of thought that believes the government has done very well. I can cite so many things to show that the PDP government in the state has done very well, touched the lives of the people. Every infrastructure you want to erect in a volatile environment is bound to fail. Abia has three senatorial zones and two of the zones have had a shot at the governorship and the one that is left out, incidentally, is also where there seems to be some infrastructural deficit. That is the reason the cycle should be completed and for me coming from Abia South where the PDP C M Y K

PDP will win in Abia by landslide *’If we get Aba right, we have got – Ikpeazu state right’ DR. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard bearer for the April 11 gubernatorial election in Abia State. Ikpeazu was the Chairman of Obingwa Local Government Area of the state and former General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Management System (ASPIMS). He was also the Chairman of the Governing Council of Abia State College of Health Technology, Aba. He hails from Umuobiakwa in Isialaukwu Mbato Autonomous Community. The PDP candidate has a Ph.D in biochemistry pharmacology from the University of Calabar and was the immediate past Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Aba Zone before he resigned to contest for governor. He speaks, in this interview, on his gubernatorial bid.

•Dr. Ikpeazu zoned their governorship slot, I want to be governor of Abia, not governor of Abia South. However, I also think that because of the strategic nature of some of the cities in Abia South, especially, Aba, that we

can drive Aba to be the pivot upon which the socio-economic revolution of Abia could be moved ahead. If we get Aba right, we’ve gotten Abia right. Because what you get from Aba in terms of internally generated revenue (IGR) could also be used for the development of other parts of Abia, from Umunneochi to Arochukwu to Isikwuato. Secondly, before the emergence of Governor T.A. Orji, the governors before him all lived in rented apartment. This is the first governor that felt it was time for the state to have a befitting Government House. Before, workers were scattered at different buildings in the state but today we have a twin secretariat. He has also put in place an International Conference Centre, and undertook many other strides in other sectors that are there for people to see. It is right to say that resources will no longer be deployed in all these projects already executed and that is why we preach consolidation. I hope to take governance to

the next level, run on a very strong economic agenda that will focus on five pillars. The first pillar would be the people, competence and capacity of Abia people. We believe that Abians have the best crop of people anywhere in the world. We have excelled in all parts of the world and in every field including, medicine, engineering, trade and commerce, manufacturing, production; we are the best in leather works, best in garments. We are looking for an era where Abia goods made in Aba will occupy a place of pride in the big shops of New York, London and Paris. I believe we can do it by ourselves because we have the capacity. There is hope for prospect and improvement in all sectors of the state. You talked about Aba, but there seems to be collapse of infrastructure in Aba. How do you tackle the decay? The best way to answer this question is to make it clear that Aba is not synonymous with Abia. People quickly mention Aba without mentioning

Umuahia. You can drive round Umuahia or one hour without encountering any pothole on the roads; somebody did it and should be given the credit. You can see that Umuahia is currently wearing the look of a befitting state capital. If the present government has not worked on Umuahia, a new administration would be faced with the challenge of developing the state capital and the commercial city of Aba. But I am bold to say that because I come from Aba, the city must certainly wear a new look. Nobody can be more committed to the reengineering of Aba than myself, a son of the soil, we are desperate to use this opportunity is transform Aba. My master plan for Aba is to, first of all, underline the decay in the city. The problem is simply, the infrastructural stock in Aba, in terms of roads, drainages, has been static for many years whereas the population of Aba has grown rapidly. That means the population will over bear on the roads and other infrastructure.

Anioma leaders ask others to support Okowa T

HE ambition of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State PDP governorship candidate, received further boost when royal fathers, leaders of Anioma Congress, and Izu Anioma at an interactive session in Asaba, asked other zones to support Okowa’s candidacy. The Organisation For the Advancement of Anioma Culture, OFAAC, hosted the session. Arc. Kester Ifeadi, President, OFAAC in his welcome address thanked the people and called on them to rally support for Dr. Okowa, as he is the link to bridging the ethnic divide in Delta State. He said that he has followed Okowa’s achievements over the years and he had demonstrated excellent administrative qualities and legendary commitment to the progress of Nigerians. Speaking further, Ifeadi said, “This is not the time to ask for what will be done for us, but what will be done to ensure victory, so as to deliver prosperity for all Deltans”. He called on Deltans to queue behind Okowa irrespective of ethnicity or creed.

The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Obi Prof. Chike Edozien, in his remarks, posited that Senator Okowa has always been known as a forthright politician, who does not promise what he cannot do. He emphasized that his prosperity agenda will definitely yield good dividends of democracy for the people once he is voted into office. The Asagba, who was represented by Chief Nicholas Chizea, said that Dr. Okowa’s political antecedents and humility stand him out as the best candidate for the office of the Governor. He urged the people to give maximum support to ensure his victory at the poll. The Obi of Ubulu-Unor, His Royal Majesty Obi Kikachukwu stressed the leadership qualities of Dr. Okowa which have endeared him to all Deltans He then urged the people to go out and collect their Permanent Voters Card, PVC. Her Royal Highness, Obi Martha Dunkwu, Omu Anioma, said she would mobilise women groups across Delta State to support Okowa.

•A cross section of royal fathers, leaders of Anioma Congress, and Izu Anioma at the interactive session in Asaba.

In his response, Senator Okowa thanked the royal fathers, Anioma leaders of thought and OFAAC for all their support. He said he was proud of OFAAC’s, activities in propagating the culture of Anioma people and acting as unifying factor in Anioma. “At this point in the life of our State,” Okowa said, “we need a governor who can talk about the strength we have as a people which is our unity in diversity”. He envisioned the annual Anioma cultural festival being staged with festivals in other parts of the State for an annual carnival to enhance unity and tourism development.

He pointed out that government has its challenges but with commitment from everyone, the challenges were surmountable. He mentioned youth employment, agriculture, skill acquisitions, to stimulate development of rural communities among his priorities. Okowa was accompanied by Prof. Sam Oyobvaire, Chairman Campaign Organisation, Chief Clement Ofuani, Secretary, and Dr. Joseph Otumara, DirectorGeneral PDP Delta State Campaign. He urged the people to continue to build bridges as that will aid performance while in office.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 51

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

igeria has for a long time been a monoproduct economy solely depending on oil. Before the discovery of oil in the country, there was a diversification of the economy by the then competing different regions which had made the nation to compete favourably with other developing countries. But with the oil boom, every other sector for the sustenance of the economy collapsed ans it was abandoned. The resultant effect was the difficulties encountered in the financing of the nation’s budget and implementation of the capital projects including the recurrent expenditure that depends on the oil money. As the oil price in the international market begins to dwindle, it has drastically affected the economic fortune of the country to the effect that it has become difficult to come up with a realistic budget for the 2015 fiscal year. Ordinarily, the budget for this year was supposed to have been prepared and passed at least, last quarter of 2014, but this is not the case, as the planners of the national budget are yet to come to terms with an implementable budget estimate as a result of the fall in the oil price which remains the main source of financing the budget. The Federal Government had proposed an Appropriation Bill of N4.357 trillion for the 2015 fiscal year, predicating this on $65 per barrel and exchange rate of N165, but, as at Thursday, when the budget passed through second reading in the senate, a barrel was sold between $45 and $46, while exchange rate was about N195, as a result of the crash in oil price, thereby making it difficult to pass the budget with the projection. However, as if predicting the fortune of crude oil in the global market and aware of the fate that would befall the country, the National Assembly, through the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Smart Adeyemi, came up with a bill seeking to empower the nation’s seat of power, Abuja, to independently generate its own revenue through the establishment of Internal Revenue Service and Board of Management. The bill, after debate and scrutiny by both chambers of the National Assembly and the two chambers had set up a Conference Committee to harmonise the mode of operation of the IRS, had recently been adopted and it is now to be transmitted to President Goodluck Jonathan C M Y K

FCT waiting for Jonathan’s signature to generate own revenue for his assent for it to become law. The implication is that the FCT administration would cease to be parasitic on the Federal Government for funds to develop Abuja. The Smart Adeyemi sponsored bill seeks the establishment of IRS for the FCT with the mandate of collecting, assessing and accounting for revenues accruable to the federal capital. The bill also provides for the establishment of FCT IRS and Management Board with the power to sue and be sued, control and administer different taxes within FCT and as well account for such taxes. It provides that the IRS and Management Board shall be headed by a Chairman appointed by FCT Minister subject to the approval of the National Assembly and also a Deputy Chairman, six representatives from different departments of FCT as well as six persons drawn from each of the six geo-political zones of the country who are knowledgeable in tax matters. Members of the Board are saddled with the responsibility to, among others, collect, recover and pay to the designated account any tax or levy due to the FCT, assess all persons chargeable with tax within the FCT, collect, account and enforce payment of taxes as may be due to the capital territory. The Board will also collaborate

The implication is that the FCT administration would cease to be parasitic on the Federal Government for funds to develop Abuja

with other relevant agencies to review tax regime and promote application of tax revenues with a view to stimulating economic activities and development and as well administer, collect and enforce payment of property tax in the FCT. Besides, it would issue a tax payer identification number to every person taxable in FCT, collate and review all policies of FCTA that relate to taxation and revenue generation and simultaneously undertake a systematic and progressive implementation of such policies. The Board is also empowered to trace, freeze, confiscate or seize the proceeds of tax fraud and evasion and from time to time determine the extent of financial loss and other losses arising from tax waivers and other related matters. Speaking after the adoption of the harmonized report of the Conference Committee, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, urged the FCT to implement the bill with a human face. Supporting the report, Senator Thompson Sekibo, PDP-Rivers East, said it was timely, considering the dwindling global oil price and encouraged states to emulate the FCT in ensuring that they tapped from other sources of revenue other than oil. Senator Ayogu Eze, PDP-

Enugu North, encouraged the Federal Government to emulate the FCT by exploring other sources of income. Also supporting the bill, Senator Chris Ngige (APCAnambra Central), called on states to take up the challenge by tapping into the numerous mineral resources rather than relying on funds from the Excess Crude Account. Speaking after the bill’s passage, Senator Adeyemi noted that the bill had been in the National Assembly since 1999, “facing obstacles and hurdles while political considerations made it difficult.” According to him, “The economic situation in the country now has prevailed over political considerations. The population in Abuja now is different from what it was once projected which has now made this new law imperative. The population we have in Abuja now demands upgrading of the infrastructure because allocation from the national budget is not enough...” He said that for the bill to be passed, it took a lot of “horse-trading before my colleagues in the National Assembly conceded to the establishment of the board. We’ve now put a revenue board to expand the revenue base of the FCT and also make sure there’s property tax in Abuja. “The harmonised version now allows for collection of taxes as well as the powers of the minister was reviewed in such a manner that the board will meet and recommend appropriate taxes to the minister. The approval of the collection of taxes will be done by the minister who will act on behalf of the President.” In line with realities on ground as regards dwindling revenues from the federal purse, once assented to by the President, the FCT will be charged with the responsibility of fending for itself and break away from the age-long tradition of being spoon fed by the federal government which has been responsible for provision of funds for the operations of the territory since inception in February 1976. However, the fear in some quarters is whether the FCT administration will not cash in on the legislation to exploit the masses. Already, residents of the federal capital territory are complaining about the high cost of living and the ever increasing house rent by landlords. It is feared that the tax may be high and touts recruited to exploit and harassed the citizenry.

PAGE 52— SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Christian gov. will emerge in – Maku, ex-minister Nasarawa ‘My plan to govern state’ Speaks on how his people can benefit from the growth of Abuja By Abel Daniel

he emergence of Labaran Maku from the majority tribe under a political party you classify as a minority party (APGA) in Nasarawa State has become a threat to the big political parties: APC and PDP. In this interview, the former Minister of Information and governorship candidate of APGA in the state says he survived the plots by the PDP and APC to truncate his ambition and political career.

What multivated your move from PDP to apga? From the beginning of my political in 1998, I have been in the PDP. I never planned to dump the PDP. I have been a loyal member in Nasarawa State and even when God lifted me, through President Goodluck Jonathan, who is my leader and mentor, to be a minister, I gave the party all my loyalty in all the offices I occupied. I used my resources to also build the party right from the ward to local government, state and the national level. I was never found wanting in my loyalty to the party all the while. As a person, whenever I want to do anything, I commit my all to it. When PDP lost the governorship election in Nasarawa in 2011, the burden of building the party was wholly on my head because the party was at the verge of collapsing. I insisted that the party will not collapse because democracy requires that the opposition must be sustained. To achieve this, I encouraged the party officials at all levels. I even bought nomination forms for them to participate in the party activities with my money. Each time there was any party meeting in Lafia, I would send money to these officials to assist their transportation because there was nobody to help them. At every festive opportunity, I will send gifts to these officials and some of our members to celebrate. In fact some APC members were partaking in the sharing of these items because their party never cared for them as much as we do to our members. In addition, I was the one always defending the party at the national level whenever there was any attack on the party from the opposition. I was virtually involved in the polemic of the party at every given time. All my earnings I ploughed back into the PDP at the state and national levels to make sure the party stood strong and tall. Unfortunately as events turned out, the same way I was treated in 2011, it was repeated on me in the 2014 primary election. In 2011, after a wide mobilization towards winning the primary election because my boss then, Abdullahi Adamu, had completed his second tenure, I had the leverage to contest with his support. Out of the 13 local government and 16 development areas making 29, I had 23 leaders solidly behind me. But just two months before the primary election, the system began to turn against me. Just a week before the primary, party officials started telling me that they had been instructed not to work for me and that it appeared my boss (Abdullahi Adamu) had somebody in mind and not me. Eventually it became clear that he instructed them to support Aliyu Akwe Doma. I was confused at that point and asked why I should be treated that way. I was told that Doma was an elderly person and that they wanted an elderly person and C M Y K

not somebody of my age. I was told that I was too young and therefore should wait. And I know that at 2007 I was already 45 years and was older than some state governors. Of course there was lot of pressure on me then. The ANPP wanted me to run under their party but I turned down their request because of my loyalty to the PDP. When Doma came on board he called on me to join him so we could work together but I told him no because two governors could not be in a state. In the course of my waiting, President Goodluck Jonathan made me Minister of State for Information and later elevated me to be the Minister of Information. While I was a minister I worked very close with Doma and we went everywhere campaigning in 2011. What actually happened was that we lost that election to CPC because there were some god fathers who under-mined us and were playing anti-party game in Nasarawa, working for the CPC to clinch to power. It was quite amazing that during the elections, soldiers and the police turned against us as the ruling party chasing away our people from the polling booths. Almakura had god fathers in PDP who were using the party structure to work for CPC. Strangely we were told that Almakura won the election. How could you win an election as governor where you have 20 out of 24 assembly members who are PDP. For sectional reasons, somebody in PDP is championing the fight from the opposition against the party. This is the kind of gloomy situation we find ourselves in Nasarawa state. This was why we lost the election in 2011. However, I continued to strengthen the party only for, in the course of the 2014 primary election, to see the ugly trend we witnessed in Nasarawa local government where the list of delegates was changed, non-delegates were brought in. To worsen the matter, thugs were brought in to threaten people on religious grounds saying ‘if you vote for Maku, we will kill you and burn your house’. On the eve of the election, there were meetings in Keffi and in a farm of a PDP stalwart where threats were issued to anyone who did not comply. The cause of the crisis going now is that some people in the state have said the Christians can never rule Nasarawa. And I say that is not correct because I grew up in a mixed family where we have both Christians and Muslims. In my village, my traditional ruler is Muslim and nobody is raising eye brow because I believe we are one people. When I saw all this happening in the state I tried every means possible to appeal to the party to wade in. But the national leadership of the party failed to respond to my allegations. I wrote further to them stating that if they don’t do anything I was going to take steps. I was waiting until APGA came and told me I could not continue to wait when our state was in dire need of a leader who will salvage it. I joined APGA when the political status of the state has changed. The cock is crowing with APGA drawing support in the villages and towns across the state. My journey to APGA has expanded the frontier of competition in Nasarawa. Neither APC nor PDP can today pretend that the governorship seat is theirs because the political thermometer is not the same now. Going by the massive support from the youths and women who have sworn their support to APGA, I can assure you that a repeat of what happened in 2011 where an unpopular party seized power in Nasarawa will never again happen by the grace of God.

•Maku

The cause of the crisis going now is that some people in the state have said the Christians can never rule Nasarawa How do you react to the verbal attack against you by the pdp leadership over your move to apga? It is expected that when my kind of person leaves a party, that party cannot be happy. The PDP leaders attack is expected. I believe they know my worth and what I have contributed to the success of the party. I am not going to join issues with them because a number of them are old enough to be my parents, a number of them are my leaders in the offices they are holding today. I don’t want to be seen quarreling with them; I want to focus on my goal and campaign. What they said in the public I have replied them. It is all about what my people want. Their lives are in jeopardy; they need me to come to their rescue and can’t ignore what my supporters are calling on me to do. Politics is all about your acceptability at the local level, no matter your relevance at the national level. If you are not relevant at the local level, how can you be a politician? My people in Nasarawa are saying they a dying; the state is in a state of violence and we want somebody who is strong enough to emancipate us and restore peace and give the state a direction. If I ignore their call, then I am not a politician. If elected as governor, will you empower the ombatse? The war that is going on in Nasarawa now is purely insurgency. What is going on in Borno and Yobe is what is going on in Nasarawa right now. Today, the Alago, Ahos, Agatu, Tiv and the Eggon people cannot go to their farms because of the insurgency in the state.

The initial crisis was between the Alagos and the Eggons in Asakio and the parties are now running away from their ancestral homes because stronger forces have taken over the land. If I become the governor of Nasarawa, all the problems associated with violence will stop. Right now nobody can accuse me or associate me with violence. I don’t have to kill, or attack anybody or to sacrifice a chicken to win election. Everybody is suffering in the state. The Fulani are the first to tell me to contest for governorship because they are all tired. It will take APGA with its slogan, ‘Be you brother’s keeper’, to restore the peace Nasarawa needs. APGA adopted President Jonathan as it presidential candidate and I am the presidential campaign director in Nasarawa. Goodluck Jonathan is a wonderful president. People are attacking him today because of ethnic and sectional rejection. If you want to look at who has planned and moved Nigeria in the last few years, it is President Jonathan. Are you realy getting support from nasarawa senatorial zone where you belong knowing well that majority of political rivals are also from same zone? The answer is yes. It is so because the PDP played down the power sharing formula. In 2009, we started the governorship with Nasarawa west. We moved to Nasarawa south in 2007 and by 2011 nobody from the other zone contested knowing well that it was the still the time of Nasarawa south. Even Almakura, when he won in CPC, he swore by the Koran that he was going to spend only one term. That is why some of the political gladiators from Nasarawa north supported him thinking that he was being genuine. When he started reneging in 2012, the APC collapsed because of what they call betrayal and treachery of the APC government. Which means that even in APC the general expectation was that power was going to move to Nasarawa north not to talk PDP. Everybody expected that the PDP will respect the initial agreement to produce the candidate from Nasarawa north. This would have given the PDP a leeway but because of sentiment of religion, PDP went and brought somebody from the south. That is why my emergence has completely altered everything. I don’t want to state my support on the pages of newspaper for the opposition to go and destabilize me but I can assure you that from Nasarawa north, to all the zones, my supporters are everywhere.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 53

ctivities of cyber criminals have continued to cause more harm than good. For 12 years on, Google has been celebrating Safer Internet Day to raise awareness for organisations, groups and individuals on the need to stem the tide of cybercrime and insecurity on the Internet. Just recently, Google, a principal facilitator of SID in Africa and rest of the world, in conjunction with some of its key partners, organized an event for Nigerian school children in Lagos to commemorate the day. Google’s Communication and Public Affairs Manager for Anglophone West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, at the event spoke with Emeka Aginam on a number of security issues in the internet. Explaining why internet security should be of concern to individuals, corporates and governments, he said that one does not have to be a security expert to stay safe online. Excerpts: What is Safer Internet Day all about? Safer Internet Day is part of a global drive to promote cyber-wellness and digital literacy skills. This year is the 12th annual Safer Internet Day, and it is being celebrated in more than 100 countries in 6 of the world’s 7 continents. This includes the US and all 27 countries of the European Union. What is Google’s approach to Internet Safety? Protecting our users is one of our top priorities at Google. Whether it’s creating easy-touse tools to help you manage your information online or fighting the bad guys behinds the scenes, we are constantly investing to make Google the best service you can rely on with security and privacy features that are on 24-7 and working for you. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to help keep our users safe online and have hundreds of security experts who work to keep you safe and make the web a safer place for everyone. Our 2-step verification system provides a stronger layer of sign-in security on your account; even if your password gets stolen, it’s not enough to access your account. We offer this protection, for free, to any account holder. You use Gmail to communicate with the people you care about. That’s why we built encryption to protect your messages from snooping by others, like when you use your laptop at a coffee shop.

You don’t have to be security expert to stay safe online -Google Even if you don’t use Google, we work hard to make the web safer for anyone online. Every day we identify more than 10,000 unsafe sites on the web and and we tell users and other web companies what we have found. We show warnings on up to 14 million Google Search results and 300,000 downloads, telling our users that there might be something suspicious going on behind a particular website or link, and we share that data with other online companies so they can warn their users. This week, as part of our support for the Safer Internet week, we refreshed our Security Checkup. This is a quick and easy way to manage security settings for your Google account. There you can: Provide backup information like a phone number so we can get in touch in case you’re locked out of your account, set up 2 step authentication to add an extra layer of security to your account. We also regularly release findings from research studies to help people understand online threats. What is online fraud and identity theft? How could this affect users? There are many different kinds of cybercrime. A criminal might try to gain access to your information like your email password, banking details or social security number. They might do this by installing malware on your computer, trying to hack into your account, or tricking you into giving them the information. Then they could steal from you, impersonate you or even sell your details to the highest bidder. Criminals might also try to use the Internet to scam you, sell fake goods to you or make you do things that cost you money. Across many different types of cybercrime, one thing remains the same: People are after your information for their gain and your loss.Protecting our users is one of our top priorities at Google. Whether it’s creating easy-to-use tools to help you manage your information online or fighting the bad

InnJooOne Smartphone debuts in Nigeria By Jonah Nwokpoku

•Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade

guys behinds the scenes, we’re constantly investing to make Google the best service you can rely on, with security and privacy features that are on 24-7 and working for you. Are there particular settings I can use to protect myself and my family from cyber criminals? You shouldn’t have to be a computer scientist or a security expert to stay safe online though. No matter whether you’re an internet whiz or just starting out, there are some simple things that you can do to stay safe and secure online. Use a long, unique password made up of numbers, letters and symbols for each of your important accounts like email and online banking. One of the largest threats to Google users is password reuse. Another tip is you do not have to send your password via email and do not have to share it with

One of the largest threats to Google users is password reuse.

others. Setting up your password recovery options and keep them up-to-date are also other tips to stay safe online. The best way to avoid scam is ignoring suspicious email, instant message or webpage asking for your personal or financial information. Report and flag content that is abusive or illegal. And finally, we worked hard to create tools and resources that can help you stay safe and in control online. What are warning signs that cyber criminals are after my information? Maybe your device is running a bit slower than usual. Random screens are popping up on your computer or does your bank account have unknown charges on it? Maybe you get a messages or land on a site that asks for your personal information, or messages that refer you to an unfamiliar web page asking for your user name and password, credit card number, or your birthday and mother’s maiden name. A message is probably up to no good if it congratulates you for being a website’s millionth visitor, offers a tablet computer or other prize in exchange for completing a survey or promotes quick and easy ways to make money or get a job . Get rich quick working from your home in just two hours a day are all ways criminals get you involved.. If someone tells you you’re a winner and asks you to fill out a form with your personal information don’t be tempted to start filling it out.

hinese Smartphone maker has made a bold entry into the Nigerian Smartphone market with its flagship device, the InnJooOne. Unveiled in partnership with Nigeria’s pioneer online retailer, Jumia.com, InnJoo said, the One is its biggest advancement in its product lineup. The device comes with such features as 5.0-inch HD IPS display, thin and light design, premium quality, disruptive price point at N28, 000 and best user experience by continuous updated software system. Speaking at the unveiling in Lagos, Managing Director of InnJoo, Robert Liang said: “We believe that emphasis on openness and participation is a big, big part of our journey. We listen to every word from end users, do the localization and improve every detail from hardware to software with their feedback. Creating a flagship killer product is driven by the inner motivation and we insist that users deserve the best device without a high price tag. Here we are, just like our brand new slogan ‘Be You’, follow your heart and intuition and be you, you can go anywhere you want.” “InnJooONE, is the biggest advancement in our product lineup,”said Tim Chen, Founder and CEO of InnJoo.”It is elaborated and refined from inside to outside, the slim and smooth body is special considered with well-selected material and distinctive design while you hold it you can’t stop yourself to roll it. We think people are going to love the ONE,” he added. Also speaking, the CEO of Jumia Nigeria, Jeremy Doutte said: “InnJoo is the most creative energetic company we ever met. We are more than happy to develop a long term relationship with InnJoo and proud that more and more users can benefit from internet and enjoy the fun brought from the latest technology of the world level.” InnJoo which entered the Nigerian market last year has sold over 100, 000 mobile devices on the Jumia online store.

Page 54 — SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

VIEWPOINT By Yomi Obaditan

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A preview of the forthcoming polls

HE postponed general elec tions can be compared with the World Boxing Championship contest between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman that took place in 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo). The fight pitted the un-defeated World Heavyweight Champion, Foreman, against challenger, Muhammad Ali. The fight is often referred to as the” rumble in the jungle “. It was “the greatest sporting event of the 20th Century “. Ali won by knockout. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) political domineering since 1999 has been intimidating. They are like octopus that is not easy to handle politically. While the going was good for the party , they continued to torment other political parties with their followership. Towards the 2011 general elections, effort was made by the opposition parties to merge and wrest

Presidential election: Rumble in the jungle power from the PDP, but due to some factors, the effort failed and PDP won again. But as the ruling party was becoming boisterous and hard on some of its governors and chieftains, the party exploded. Seven governors rebelled against the party but two governors eventually retreated, leaving five governors to form the New-PDP that eventually merged with ACN, ANPP, APGA, CPC and others to form All Progressives Congress (APC). With the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as the presidential flag bearer of the APC, the PDP developed goose pimples. If the election had taken place as scheduled on February 14, there is the general view that the ruling party at the centre would have kissed the canvas. To avoid the inescapable defeat, albeit temporarily, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, advised INEC to shift the election. The pressure on the Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, caused the postponement of the

election. Thereafter, a South- South political group called for the removal of the INEC Chairman alleging that the umpire had compromised. It was indeed “ the rumble in the jungle”, to hear President Goodluck Jonathan, responding to a question on the rumour that Jega was about to be removed and replaced by one Professor Femi Mimiko, said, “Although, I have the power to remove him but I have not thought about that”. But this president’s answer is not in conformity with Section 157 sub-section 1and 2 of 1999 Constitution which places the removal of the INEC Chairman in the hands of the National Assembly by twothirds majority of Senate members. The issue of interim government has been on, but the Presidency has denied it. Assuming the bill is forwarded to the National Assembly so as to keep the ruling party in power, the snag here is that there in no provision for such in our Constitution. Are we not witnessing the rumble in the jungle, when the military, who

begs for respect and wants the world to believe that our military is apolitical, suddenly sent soldiers to APC chieftain’s Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu door steps, and another detachment to the Governor’s House in Owerri, in Imo State? Can this be part of the rehearsals for another election manipulation, as it was in Ekiti on June 21, last year? The Court of Appeal has just ruled in the case of Fayemi and Fayose that the military should not be involved in election. It is the police constitutional duty to oversee election and not soldiers. It is good to tell the world the roles the army played dyring the August 9, 2014 election in Osun. Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in his interaction with the Muslim faithful at NASFAT, Lagos, hinted on how one army general wanted to forcefully enter his domicile in the night of August 8, 2014, the eve of the election, and how he resisted the attempt by threatening that such nocturnal attempt could end in disaster for both parties.

Delta 2015: Rising above ethnic politics VIEWPOINT By Sunny Onuesoke

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A development agenda for oil rich state

T is no longer news that some Urhobo, who hitherto raised dust over the emergence of Senator Okowa as the Delta State PDP gubernatorial candidate, have since sheath their swords and gone ahead to embrace and endorse him as their preferred candidate for the April governorship election. What is news however is that Okowa has perfected ways to pacify aggrieved parties by coming up with a master plan to develop the state, paying specific attention to contingent needs and political expediency. Sources close to the Okowa camp indicated that the journey to gain the acceptance of the Urhobo was one of the hardest projects ever embarked upon by the astute politician. But Okowa was able to rise above ethnic politics. It engaged the Urhobo lead-

ership in very profound and incisive deliberations while allaying their fears in the proposed construct of a reinvigorated Delta project. Unlike his opponents who have narrowed their purview to ethnic geography and concentrated their campaigns within their senatorial districts, Okowa know that he needs to work more in areas that are likely to work against his aspirations. Therefore, at the blast of the whistle, Okowa moved his campaign to Delta Central, encompassing the Warri- Sapele-Ughelli axis which does not only have a preponderance of Urhobo population but was almost always going to play out as his Achilles’ heels. And this has profusely paid off for him because today Okowa enjoys more loyalty and support in Delta Central than any other gubernatorial candidate. This seemingly deft political move has provoked many thoughts, and, today, the question many political scholars and analysts are asking is: how did Okowa

pull this political masterstroke? According to many political analysts, Okowa pulled a quick one by ‘moving into the thick of the smoke’, even as the Urhobo were still reeling from the pain of losing out in the PDP primary. That deliberate decision to engage the Urhobo in their moment of grief, and offer himself as a shoulder of succor to lean on, has won the Urhobo over and warmed Okowa to their hearts. Okowa saw a need, an opportunity in the market place and he offered the right product to satisfy this need, a top analyst with the high profile group NETWORK 4 GOOD GOVERNANCE based in Warri reasoned. According to insiders, the Urhobo - who have been especially pained by the bad state of the Delta Steel Company situated in their land and deeply worried by the present comatose situation of the multi-billion dollar project decided to throw this up as one of their key agenda. And Okowa readily presented himself as someone who can use his close-

ness to the Presidency to get the company running again. Okowa’s closeness to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is seen as an added advantage as these people can influence the Presidency and wake up the moribund Delta Steel Company. Okowa has also increased the stakes and standard by providing a comprehensive plan of how he plans to develop Urhobo land, as part of the blueprint and vision for Delta which he crafted. Part of that plan involves massive infrastructural development of Urhobo land, with Sapele as the vortex of action. The choice of Sapele as a starting point is understandable. The city used to be the hub of business in the old Mid-West Region until neglect and partisan politics consigned it into obfuscation, obscurity and obsolescence. Okowa would want to wake up the city by rapid infrastructural

Then it has not been exposed how the military assisted Fayose to kick out Fayemi in a manner not in conformity with the electoral process. There is a need to caution the military, at this point to maintain neutrality in the forthcoming polls. With the exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the PDP, the rumble in the jungle is likely to escalate the political brinkmanship in the South West. Although Obasanjo might not have started well in 1999 when he lost his ward to the opposition, by 2003, the political beneficiaries have multiplied geometrically. These people cut across the nation who are likely to toe the line of the former president in voting against Jonathan in the March 28 election. What PDP has lost may be the gain of APC, it will be politically suicidal for any reasonable politician to write off the influence of Obasanjo in the politics of Nigeria today.

•Obaditan lives in Oshogbo.

development, building of a tertiary institution in the town and revive of the timber and plywood industry in the city by linking it with the state’s agricultural and non-oil development policies of Delta Beyond Oil. The PDP gubernatorial candidate also mentioned the Warri Industrial Park project which is an ongoing process, hinting that his administration would ensure the project is swiftly completed to accelerate the industrial growth of Warri and environs. Okowa is also said to have appeased the Urhobo and their neighbours with the possible conversion of the College of Education in Warri to a University of Education. Given that Okowa is a man of integrity and impeccable character who has risen above board in all his dealings, it is not surprising that the Urhobo people have trusted him and decided to support his candidature in the forthcoming elections.

•ONUESOKE, a former PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Delta State, sent this piece from Abuja through onuesoke@yahoo.com

The fabled N7bn ‘shared’ by pastors and Obasanjo’s naked dance VIEWPOINT By Clem Aguiyi VIEWPOINTS IN BRIEF Lamentation over a former president

finally read ‘My Watch’ by former President Obasanjo which can safely be described as a ‘Book of Hoax’ where everyone is a villain but Obasanjo a ‘saint’. I actually wanted to write something on it before a note came to me from Pastor Bosun, a Christian pastor and activist. I could feel the pains in Bosun’s heart as I read his note. Whatever one makes out of this, it is evident that Christianity is facing different kinds of insurgency. Self-styled apostles and pastors are on the prowl and ready

to crucify Christ again. Bosun’s note read as follows: “My attention has been drawn to a report credited to Pastor Musa Dikwa that N7 billion was given to some pastors to campaign for President Jonathan. In the report, my name was mentioned as being one of the beneficiaries. Pending official clarification of CAN on the issue, I am compelled to immediately clarify that NO MONEY WAS GIVEN TO ME. I DID NOT COLLECT ANY MONEY FROM ANYBODY, neither am I campaigning for any one. Unfortunately, our psyche as a nation has been bastardized and abused by the institutionalized corruption introduced by successive military rulers (in uniform

and out of uniform) that we no longer believe that anyone can speak the truth without financial inducement or gratification. Fortunately, there are still people in the nation who act without financial inducement. I am a Christian and my candidate is Jesus Christ. So long as I believe that the Church is under threat, I will speak for Jesus Christ and maintain the wake up call to the Church”. Well, if a candidate in an election who, himself is a Muslim, asked Muslims to vote for fellow Muslims, it will be a foolish Christian that will campaign and vote for such a man. If you are a Christian and you think you can trust Buhari with your right and freedom, then you need

to have your head re-examined, not because he is a Muslim because there are many good Muslims who believe in freedom of worship and respect for the sanctity of human lives, but because he has on a number of times expressed the hope that Sharia will be implemented across Nigeria. That today he is changing his story line because he wants vote does not remove the facts of the true intentions of his heart. Speaking of truth brings me back to ‘My Watch’ by Obasanjo, nearly everyone who read the book returned a damning verdict - that the book is full of lies. Gen. Godwin Alabi-Isama (rtd) went as far as imploring ‘Obasanjo to

stop lying before he dies’. Obasanjo ought to be an icon, our collective pride that ought to be cherished and preserved but his enemies will not let him be. Hence the APC, populated by his enemies, are determined to ensure he meets a final disgrace. I weep for Obasanjo, I weep because he will never get it right, I weep because since after the great Zik and Pa Awo, we are yet to find a leader. I weep reading Iyabo’s letter to the father. He was once a hero, but will never refer to any man as a hero. I will never write or comment on Obasanjo again as I consider his case lost and irredeemable. •Aguiyi can be reached via 0 8 0 3 4 7 4 7 8 9 8 , email:totalpolitics@ymail.com

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, Page 55

VIEWPOINT By Jones Nnanna Ike VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Why the cap fits Ihedioha in Imo

RIDAY February 6, 2015, the luxury of the Lagos/ Osun Hall of the Transcorp Hilton provided the ambience of what was originally meant to be a fund raising dinner for Hon. Emeka Ihedioha which later turned out to be not only a reunion of some sort between the PDP flag bearer and his fraternal friends in Abuja but most importantly a brain storming session in which issues of good governance in the country and particularly in Imo State took centre stage. The event was packaged by his old friends in Abuja most of who belong to Umunnezue Club. For the untutored, Umunnezue was the foremost socio-cultural club formed in the early 90’s by young and upwardly mobile Igbo men in Abuja. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was

Emeka Ihedioha on Imo challenges one of the founders and pioneer member of the club. Over time, the members have matured to be top bureaucrats, captains of industry and high flying professionals that could be found in different vocations. It was against this background that the event turned out to be a re-union for the members and other of his friends. Ihedioha himself was quite elated at the caliber of people that turned out for the event and almost became emotional when he asserted that “the people gathered here tonight were my first family in Abuja”. Amidst rib cracking jokes by ace comedian Dr Ayuba. He used the occasion to address issues of good governance in Imo State. The audience were quite surprised at the ease with which he reeled out statistics of various indices of development in Imo, showing, at a glance, what he referred to as “the monumental fraud that is

the Rochas Okorocha administration”. The highlights of the statistics according to him includes. “The systematic destruction of the education sector in the state through lowering of standards to the extent that figures emanating from the Federal Ministry of Education indicate that the state now ranks 34 of the 36 positions in Nigeria”. This, according to him, was far off the usually first to third positions which the state was permanently occupying before the advent of the Rochas Okorocha era. He said such negative statistics had very dangerous implications for the state considering that education was the mainstay of the state’s economy. Other accusations against Okorocha include “the looting of the various local government council treasuries by the administration, the closure of industrial clusters particularly in Ideato North local government

area, the distortion of Owerri master plan put in place by the late Chief Sam Mbakwe administration, the sprouting of shacks and shanties in new Owerri capital territory, the destruction of ImoPalm Company, obscene and primitive accumulation of wealth, a deepening unemployment rate in the state and the destruction of the civil service through acts of nepotism”. He then promised a redemption of the situation if voted into power. He recalled their own efficient management of the resources of the Federal House of Representatives to show how prepared he was for the job. He also counted on his experience which included sixteen uninterrupted public service years to attest to his readiness for the job. He further blamed what he referred to as “Gov. Rochas Okorocha’s failures” on what he regarded as” his lack of public service experience” as according to him “ Rochas Oko-

Ernest Ndukwe’s burden of misrepresentation VIEWPOINT By Odinaka Chukwuka

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Why public officials must account to the people

RNEST Ndukwe’s interview in his recent interview attempted to pass off his position at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as he attempts to represent his people at the Senate. Our public officials often think we have short memories, and that we would have forgotten their misdeeds in public office. This was what Ndukwe attempted to do in his interview, when he said that his motivation for seeking to go to the Senate “is borne out of fact that so far we have not had quality representation”. By this, he castigated all the Senators that ever represented the Anambra South senatorial zone and tried to create the image of the perfect guy for himself. He never passed any opportunity during the interview to denigrate the efforts of the well known and reputable gentlemen who have been to the Senate before him. Without diminishing his fundamental rights to self-expression, I am con-

strained to ask him to stop the attempt to obliterate the fact that he forgot his people when he held public office. How could he pass judgment on our past and serving senators as people who failed to offer Anambra South quality representation? Coming from Ndukwe, this is a myopic and a provocative attempt to construct a messianic image for himself, which he does not deserve. Ndukwe, like me, hails from Ekwusigo council area and my immediate persuasion is to correct his misrepresentations and fallacies. As an aspiring lawmaker, my brother should have known that lawmaking has three essential ingredients: The first is law-making and this function does not demand chains of degrees or a holier-than-thou attitude. There are people in the National Assembly who are not very literate and have not sat on the board of any company but are always re-elected because they serve and represent their people well. How well does Ndukwe know his native Oraifite or the four towns in the council area? Does he know the names of the villages in the four towns? How many of their tra-

ditional rulers has he met before now? Has he ever attended Oraifite Town Union meeting or his age grade meetings? How can he represent people he does not know? The second is constituency representation. You do not need to be a politician or lawmaker to represent your constituency. Every public official has a constituency which he or she represents. You must aspire to use the good office of that position to attract either human or infrastructural development to the constituency. I challenge Ndukwe to tell Nigerians and the people of Anambra South, what human or infrastructural development he attracted to his native Oraifite in the ten years he was the executive Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) despite the massive goodwill at his disposal from all telecommunication companies in the country. For instance, oil companies operating in Nigeria give something back to their host communities or to the communities from where their executives come from. This is called “lobby”. GLO, MTN and AIRTEL, are all operating in the country and smiling to the banks. To give something

back to Nigerians as appreciation for their loyalty, they become engaged in many community development projects. Some sponsor school projects, cultural festivals like new yam festivals or Ofala festivals. Others provides boreholes and clinics. People lobby these telecom companies to do these for their communities. I urge Ndukwe to take up my challenge and tell Nigerians and the good people he seeks to represent, which companies and what projects he attracted to his native Oraifite? He was the boss of these companies for ten years and he could not get one of them to sponsor ordinary Ofala festival or new yam festival in his town. The third job is oversight and this simply is the responsibility of lawmakers to ensure that the processes and systems of service delivery in public institutions work efficiently and correctly. These oversight functions are not limited to lawmaking only. It applies to all public office holders. As a public office holder in (NCC), Ndukwe was responsible for ensuring that telecommunication companies oper-

Conspiracies against President Jonathan VIEWPOINT By Goodnews Goodman Agbi VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Attempts to paint the President in bad light must fail

HE conspiracies against Presi dent Goodluck Jonathan are no longer hidden from the public glare. These plots started several months ago, even before INEC fixed the election time table. Foremost amongst the plotters are : 1) General Olusegun Obasanjo, (1) Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (3) The Northern Elders Forum (4) Boko Haram and now Chukwuma Soludo, among others. These people or group of persons have not hidden their hatred for GEJ and the Federal Government. They all have their parochial reasons for participating in the plot. Obasanjo began the execution of the plan by his infamous “Letter to the President’ where he accused GEJ government amongst other things, of training snipers to assassinate over 1000 prominent Nigerians, (unsub-

stantiated); massive corruption, etc. He followed that letter with several attacks on GEJ on every occasion. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi continued from OBJ letter by writing his own letter accusing NNPC of having not remitted over $49.8billion which he later scaled down to $10.8 billion and then upgraded to $20billion. Forensic Audits by world class audit firm, Price Water House Coopers, has shown that no such money was ever missing or unremitted. Boko Haram has always struck when GEJ has something to celebrate. Even when Jonathan was to declare for Presidency, Boko Haram struck in a school in the North-east, killing over 50 students. This was intended to prevent GEJ from declaring. Of course APC latched on to that unfortunate incident to condemn the President for going ahead to declare for President when students had just been killed. Nigerians and indeed the world should note that in all Buhari’s endeavors and political maneuverings including all APC’s activities, Boko Haram has never disrupted their franchises. Now

Soludo has come up with another voodoo N30trillions missing. On his part, the D-G, Buhari campaign organization, Governor Rotimi Amaechi recently accused pastors of collecting N6billion as bribe to support Jonathan. The clandestine activities of the Northern Elders Forum is obvious to all Nigerians. These plots are all about stopping President Jonathan from being re-elected. The vitriolic pursuits of ‘Stop Jonathan at all Costs’ using the instrumentality of corruption and Boko Haram have been casting aspersions on the integrity and image of Nigeria. Nigeria is being demonized before the world as a corrupt country, with corrupt and incapable military, because of false allegations of spurious stolen monies. These actors do not mind if Nigeria’s image is completely denigrated. These plotters are completely jaundiced to the gains of the Jonathan administration. Their goal is to delude Nigerians and the international community into believing that the government of Jonathan is not only monumentally corrupt, but weak, clueless and don’t have the

nerve to tackle Boko Haram. Unfortunately many Nigerian and foreign countries and their press are buying into these diabolic plots. It is either Jonathan and his men were deliberately ignoring these shenanigans or they are oblivious of the fact that these people were targeting his re election bid. Part of their grand design is to weaken the credibility of the Jonathan administration. PDP as a party has been slow to react coherently to all the falsehood that APC and their sympathizers have been churning out. PDP and its presidential candidate have been too gentlemanly. Olisa Metu, the publicity Secretary of PDP has not matched the loquaciousness of Lai Mohammed, his APC counterpart. Lai Mohammed is a tough malevolent alarmist. Ditto the national chairman of APC, John Oyegun. These people raise alarm on any thing from the ridiculous to the profane. Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Muazu rarely grant press conference. PDP Publicity Secretary is more like a pastor admonishing the Elders and Deacons of his church

rocha’s only public service experience was a three month stint as the chairman of NEMA before he was relieved of the position by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo” At the end of the speech, Hon. Ihedioha came out as a man prepared for the job. He was indeed so impressive in his speech that most of his friends at the event were proud that he was one of their own. Some of the prominent faces at the hall included Henry Ojinere, Ken Anyanwu, Chief Bernie Nnabue, Engr Embee Nnoka, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji ,Barr Chijioke Orji, Chief Jones Nnanna Ike, Arch Oka Amogu, Arch. Uche Uche, Chief Chuka Onyema, Chief Emma Nwannegbo, Oscar Oguike, Henry Anuforo, Chinedu Akubueze, Emeka Ezeilo, Arch Chijioke Ebegbulem, among others.

•Ike, a former chairman, Arochukwu LGA, Abia State, writes from Abuja.

ating in the country maintained efficient and correct service delivery systems in order to give something back to Nigerians. He also, as the representative of his people in NCC, had the responsibility of ensuring that the people he represented benefited from the companies’ human and infrastructural development. Sadly and quite unfortunately, Ndukwe cannot point to a primary school renovated by any of the telecom companies in his native Oraifite or other communities in the area. His job at the NCC is a world apart from going to the Senate to represent the seven council areas in Anambra South. If in his ten years in NCC, he could not attract one “dead” project to his town or allow his people access to him, by what magic would a leopard suddenly change its spots? These are no longer times for noon-time fallacies. Ndukwe has never been in touch with his people and cannot seek to represent people he does not know well. How would he represent them and what views of theirs would he present in the Senate?

•Chukwuka writes from NzaOzubulu, Ekwusigo LGA, Anambra State. when addressing the Press. These PDP people don’t spit fire like their counterpart in APC. Even the APC governors are not different. Adams Oshiomhole is full of showmanship. Amaechi another noisy governor. Take his theory of APC forming a parallel government if they lose. Buhari, of course is of the same stock aka, ‘baboon and the dog being soaked in blood’. If PDP and the President want to avoid these well aimed plots to frustrate their victory at the polls, they should reduce the smiles on their faces and add a little bit of frowns. They should learn not only to talk tough, but coherently. PDP should project the achievements of the Jonathan administration with some steel. This is because APC is a reactionary and alarmist party. If the Buhari’s certificate saga had been that of any PDP candidate, Tinubu and his APC gang would have led mass protest to INEC headquarters to disqualify the candidate.

•Dr. Agbi, who teaches civil engineering structures at Delta State University, Oleh Campus, writes from Oleh. Email: engr.agbi@gmail.com.

PAGE 56—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015 sam.eyoboka@gmail.com

*Lady Evangelist Chioma Jesus thrilling the crowd of participants

Minor bags Oritsejafor's scholarship

VALENTINE DAY:

SAM

EYOBOKA

HIS yea r's Valentine's Day had come and gone. It's memories will remain indelible. Valentine's Day, also known as St. Valentine's Day is a celebration observed on February 14 every year. The feast which began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named as Valentinus, is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it is not a public holiday in most of them. A popular hagiographical account of St. Valentine states that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. It's a celebration of Love! Eight days ago, the premises of the Word of Life Bible Church in Warri, Delta State played host to a massive crowd of people who had gathered to celebrate this year's Valentine Day. All available seats in the neatly arranged canopies in the expansive car park of the Word of Life Bible Church International Gospel Center (IGC) within the church premises for the colourful occasion had been taken long before the 10:00 a.m. when the programme was billed to start. The enthusiasm among the participants, most of who were decked with some form of red/black/white colored attire was very high. The weather was very radiant and receptive. The atmosphere was electric. It was an open-for-all party organized by the founder of Word of Life Bible Church and National President of the Chrustian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor to mark 2015 Valentine day. Food and drinks were in good supply to satisfy the near 10,000 participants that had found their way into the Word of Life Bible Church for the occasion. Special guest, Chioma Jesus and the church's Milk and Honey Choir provided music to sooth the moment. Sunday Worship later learnt that while February 14 is celebrated worldwide as Lovers' Day, in Warri and its environs, the date has become synonymous with a special reach-out treatment by Papa Ayo to extend love to the masses in several ways. This year ’s February 14, was not an exception as Pastor Oritsejafor celebrated the day by organizing a large party for all segment of the society irrespective of gender, tribe or religion. The idea was to keep people from corrupting themselves by the un-godly manner the world celebrates Valentine Day, by creating a Godly atmosphere

where genuine love is expressed and practically demonstrated. The ceremony began with an opening prayer, which was immediately followed by a session of praise/worship to God by the Milk and Honey Choir of Word of Life Bible Church. That was followed by poetic renditions of love, talk show on the essence of Valentine celebration by some key leaders of the church. Thereafter, the popular gospel singer, Chioma Jesus took the stage driving the participants to a spiritual and joyful frenzy. The CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor who was dressed in a white flowing robe with a touch of red was accompanied by

08023145567 (sms only)

*Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor arriving for the Valentine Day celebration on February 14. his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor who was similarly dressed. He took the stage, doing some dance steps with the children which drew the attention of many church members to the dance floor. He gave a short exaltation where he opined that God made it possible for the celebration to hold this year. Drawing inspiration from I Corinthians 13, Pastor Oritsejafor maintained that men have used words to deceive others in the name of Valentine, stressing that any gifting, endowment, acts of philanthropy, no matter how noble but lacking an underlying motive of love and compassion is empty and unprofitable. He explained that God is love and love is God; "no expression of love is complete until God becomes the center of it, hence one must accept Jesus as Lord and Savior on a day like this. He enjoined Nigerians to embrace Jesus and love one another. Thereafter he made an altar call where many souls responded to the call and accepted Jesus as their Lord and personal Savior.

The crowd was served food and drinks including local delicacies to their satisfaction. They danced, rejoiced and thanked God for making Papa and Mama Oritsejafor such a blessing in their generation. What a true way of celebrating Valentine Day reaching out to the less privileged. Pastor Oritsejafor thus demonstrated his large heartedness by reaching out to others and this has been a yearly experience for the past eight years, not to mention the poverty alleviation programmes organized every year on Boxing Day where several brand new cars, tricycles, grinding machines, sewing machines, washing machines are distributed to the less privileged in the society for the purpose of giving people a new start in life. The highpoint of this year ’s celebration was the award of scholarship to eight year old Jesuigbunu Aghoghokiriye of World Changer Teaching Center, Ughelli. The elated mother of the child along with the siblings danced and praised God exceedingly.

We must stop debasing presidential office ---Bishop Umunna Bishop (Prof) Leonard Nwoma Umunna, General Overseer of Bible Life Church located at Ajegunle in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State. He was born on June 25, 1954 at Umuoma Okpofe in Itu, Ezinihitte Local Government Area of Imo State of Nigeria. He never had the privilege of attending a primary or secondary school because his uncle could not afford his school fees then but was physically and spiritually challenged the situation and determined to work his destiny to success through God’s ordination. In the following interview with SAM EYOBOKA, the bishop spoke on the state of the nation. Excerpts... The political turf in the country is now vibrant, and politicians by their utterances are heating up the polity. What is your take? I think the enlightened world is leaving us behind, just like what happened during the Abacha days when Nigeria was ostracised by the Commonwealth. Because of inept leadership, we are not getting things right; we are busy raising what I can call 'monkey politicians,’ who cannot follow common issues. They are instead basing their campaign on personalities, just as we are finding it difficult as a country to run government based on institutions. That's what has led us to where we are today. We are playing ethnic and religious politics which

or even the temporary voters' card which many people have and nobody has come to tell us that the temporary voter’s card is deficient in any way, except the card reader machine they said they are introducing. Why shouldn't we use the national ID card (though a few people don't have it) and minimise the current challenges being experienced with the PVC distribution. Why would they not make provision for those who do not have the PVC, but have the temporary voters’ cards to vote with the TVC? Why would they not come up with other solutions that will make eligible voters cast their votes without trouble? This should not be a reason to disrupt the election or postpone it. The constitution does not allow INEC to do certain things.

*Bishop Leonard Umunna,Founder/ General Overseer, Bible Life Church has not taken us anywhere. Rather than move forward, we are going backwards. I think it should be sounded loud and clear to all politicians that if nothing is done at this stage to stem the tide of biased and personality-based campaign and leadership, our children will reap terribly and they will not be happy with us. There are still issues concerning the permanent voters’ cards; many people are yet to collect theirs; what do you think is responsible for the challenge? The Permanent Voters Card is a serious thing but to those successful countries, the issue is no longer about the voters' card. Some of them use their national ID cards

Buhari's certificate has continued to be an issue. Could you please imagine the implication of that for the entire country? How could this affect the youth? When this kind of politics began to rear its head, people did not see the need to raise alarm; now it has become a centrestage matter. It is not only about those campaigning now; it will boil down on all of us in the nearest future. A time may come that whenever a Nigerian is vying for a position or seeking a position outside the country, such a person will be subjected to certificate verification exercise, because they don't trust us. They will brand all of us corrupt because some people among us have shown a bad example. They should stop this image-smearing and image-damaging thing. What is causing this is that

Continued on Page 57

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 57

OD is not a Father through creation. He created so many things to which he is not a Father. He created the heavens and the earth, but he is not the Father of the heavens and the earth. Nevertheless, Paul and other New Testament writers refer to God as the Father of mercies (II Corin-thians 1:3); the Father of glory (Ephesians 1:17); and the Father of lights. (James 1:17). This dilutes Jesus’ unique message about the fatherhood of God. Hebrews says God is not the Father of angels: “For to which of the angels did He ever say: ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you?’” (Hebrews 1:5). However, the same Hebrews contradicts itself by saying God is the father of angels: “We have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” (Hebrews 12:9). But, according to Jesus, God’s sons are exclusively men and women of faith who do God’s will: “Then one said to him, ‘Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you.’ But he answered and said to the one who told him, ‘Who is my mother and who are my brothers?’ And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:4750).

THE DISTINGUISHED FAMILY OF GOD New lineage Paul does not understand what it means to be a son of God. He says: “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14). That is way too simplistic. The prophets of the Old Testament were led by the Spirit of God. Peter says: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.” (I Peter 1:1011). However, the prophets were servants of God and not sons of God. God did not refer to any prophet as his son in the scriptures. He called Moses his servant: “When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses, he is faithful in all my house.” (Numbers 12:6-7). Servants of God like Moses came to God before the coming of Jesus. But Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the

God’s sons are exclusively men and women of faith who do God’s will life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). This shows all sons of God come to the Father through Jesus. Paul says: “He who is called while free is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” (I Corinthians 7: 22-23). That is erroneous. The believer is not Christ’s slave but his brother. (Matthew 12:48-49). Slaves are bought and sold but sons of God are not. However, contrary to Paul’s position, Jesus requires sons of God to be slaves of men. He says: “Whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. (Mark 10:44). Indeed, Paul refers to himself as “a servant of God.” (Titus 1:1). This shows Paul did not learn certain things at the feet of Jesus. Disciples of Jesus are not his servants because, according to Jesus, servants are not given the knowledge of friends. Jesus told his disciples: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.

Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15).

New life Paul says eternal life is a gift of God. (Romans 6:23). However, this cannot be so because, according to Jesus, eternal life is very costly to the believer. Jesus warns: “Whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.” (Luke 14:27-28). One of these costs is the loss of earthly kinship. Jesus says: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26). Gifts don’t come with costs. Paul says furthermore: “With the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10). However,

when we listen to Jesus, we discover that we do not become sons of God through vain confessions. Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). In effect, we become sons by planting the words of Jesus in our hearts and by doing the works of God. (Mark 4: 11-20; John 10:35-38). David, the servant of God, hated his enemies with “perfect hatred.” (Psalm 139:2122). But sons of God love their enemies and repay their evil with good. (Matthew 5:43-48). Sons of God don’t resist evil, but turn the other cheek when they are struck. (Matthew 5:39). But our objective is not to “to heap coals of fire on our enemies’ heads” according to Paul. (Romans 12:20). We simply want to be perfect, just like our Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48).

New birth Paul’s ignorance leads him to refer to himself as the father of Gentile Christians like Timothy. (I Timothy 1: 18). This contravenes Jesus’ injunction: “Do not call any-

one on earth your father; for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23: 9). Surely, Paul cannot play God’s fatherly role in Timothy’s life. Paul even claims he gave birth to some Christians. (Galatians 4:19). This shows he knows nothing about Jesus’ kingdom principle of being “born again.” (John 3:3). Paul says sons of God are adopted by Christ. (Ephesians 1:5). But Jesus is our brother and not our Father. Paul then says God adopted us. (Galatians 4:5-6). This means we have an adoptive Father (God); a spiritual father (Paul); and biological fathers. But here again, Paul’s selfserving doctrine contradicts Jesus. According to Jesus, we are sons of God by birth and not by adoption. If we were adopted, we would not need to be “born again.” To be born again means to be born “from above” by God himself. A man who is “born again” by God cannot at the same time be adopted by God. If God merely adopted us, we would retain our blood relations. But Jesus says different. When we are born of God, we lose all blood-ties and receive a hundredfold return of spiritual relatives. (Mark 10:29-30). Unlike our previously limited number of biological relatives, all God’s children the world over become our relatives. However, we do not receive a hundredfold return of spiritual fathers. We relinquish our earthly fathers in exchange for the one single Father; the Father in heaven. We have no other Father but God.

We must stop debasing presidential office---Bishop Umunna Continued from Page 56 people are going to all manner of places buying certificates and falsifying their certificates. It is high time something was done against this kind of thing. The other day, President Goodluck Jonathan’s convoy was attacked during his campaign tour of some parts of the North. What is your take on this? We must look at the root cause of this problem. However, it is not about Jonathan, it goes beyond the person of Jonathan. The office of the president of Nigeria must be respected. We must stop all this bad politics before it gets out of hand and we become a laughing stock to the rest of the world. For a president of a country to be attacked, it tells a lot about us. We are unconsciously destroying our image before the outside world. We now hear about certificate and age scandals. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Awolowo and others, were they not advanced in age while they were still active in politics, did we ask them to step down on account of that? We must forget about these non-issues. We must deal with this cankerworm of bad politics and non-issue campaigns. We must avoid all

this so that we will not all be consumed by this fire of bad politics. It appears that religion is one of the criteria people consider in Nigeria before voting for candidates; do you think that will play out this time around? Well, I must tell you that God didn't mind who He chose as king in Israel, provided such a person is upright in His eyes. I mean in Israel, purely a religious state. Sometimes, army generals ruled, sometimes civilians. Now, is it the first time a pastor is pairing with General Buhari? The other time, it was Tunde Bakare, now Yemi Osinbajo. But Osinbajo did not say he was led by God, but that he decided on his own. But what I will say is that as a Christian leader, you should hear clearly from God and indeed, every pastor must hear from God before going into politics. From what happened to Bakare and Chris Okotie, it does not appear that they really heard from God before they ventured into politics. If you are a true pastor, you are the leader of all, because God has placed their souls in your hands. Your primary concern should be to look after their souls for the kingdom sake. You must remember that Christians who made it to the top, politically, in the Bible days,

for instance, Daniel, Joseph, Esther etc, made it by appointment and not by election. The Nigerian constitution must be changed, not just tinkering with it. Last year, a National Conference was held which recommended constitutional amendment, such things may not work. It has been done before and it failed and there's nothing telling us that it will work now. The question is, how do we solve this problem without creating another one? It is a constitutional thing and the ideal thing is for them to sit down and fashion out a new constitution that will suit the people. That, of course cannot be done before the general election; they must find amicable way around it. Our problem also has to do with selecting inept leaders and what we are going in again this time around, is selection and not election. The reason for the threat of violence and use of hard words we have been hearing and reading about is because for the first time PDP is in real competition. Since 1999, the party has been having it easy, but this time around, there is a formidable opposition that is giving the party a run for its money. Some people think that if Buhari wins, he will pursue the pro-

gramme of Islamisation of Nigeria, also on the other hand, some people are expressing fears that should Jonathan win, Boko Haram (insecurity), inept governance and corruption and some other vices will continue. It is also feared that if Jonathan loses, Niger Delta militants would blow the oil wells thereby putting the nation's economy in more trouble. These are the problems. And I think also that what is happening to Nigeria is

a devil's handiwork to destabilise the country and prevent her from being of help to smaller African countries, since the world recognises Nigeria as an influential black nation on earth. Do you think that Osinbajo's pairing with Buhari will enhance the chances of APC in the presidential election and does it seem to you that Christians will likely queue behind Osinbajo?

What I will say is that the Church should watch it. There is a price to pay for every success. They must watch it. Given the type of politics we play in Nigeria, Prof. Osinbajo will see real politics as soon as they win the election; that time, the real thing will emerge. What he never bargained for will emerge. That's why I said any pastor going into elective position in Nigeria must hear clearly from God.

Adeboye tasks youths on hard work

ENERAL Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Adejare Adeboye has enjoined Nigerian youths to imbibe sincerity and hard work for them to succeed in life, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. Pastor Adeboye gave the admonition while speaking on the topic: “Born to reign,” during the monthly thanksgiving service and special prayer for applicants and those who desire to over flow in 2015 at the RCCG, national headquaters (Throne of Grace) in EbuteMeta, Lagos. Explaning that there is no alternative means of reaching the top, Pastor

Adeboye said an average person born into a royal family is destined to become a king but not all that were born into a royal home will become king. He added that people in that category must work hard to achieve their dreams in life. The general overseer lamented that many people, particularly the youth aspire to reach the top but they are not prepared to pay the prize. Rather, they are dangerously looking for shortcuts. In his words: “There are those born into a royal family that will never rule because of their attitude. Some people are born to reign but they will never reign. Who then is

qualified to reign? Anyone who wants to rule must be ready for hard work; lazy people never rule. If you are not ready to work hard, there is no way you can be a dominant figure; no way you can have dominion. Ruling is hard work and it is only the diligent that will bear rule. “You can not sit down at home doing nothing, watching television from morning till evening and expect that you are born to rule. "There is no royal road to success. That you are born a prince or princess does not mean that you will succeed in life. There is need for wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and you need to study,” he said.

PAGE 58—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NAIRA’S FREE FALL!

‘Time to curtail importation’ BY UDEME CLEMENT

In a bid to re-energise the industrial sector, the Federal Government has reduced the collateral for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) from 75 percent to 50 percent for operators of MSME to access the N220billion intervention fund. Also, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all commercial banks operating in the country to complete the Bank Verification Number (BVN) by June 2015. The apex bank further released a new monetary policy on dormant accounts, directing all deposit receiving banks to ensure that every dormant account retains its normal interest until it is re-activated. An entrepreneur and Chancellor, Akpabio Centre for Leadership Development, Mr. Bassey James, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO), established over seven years ago for capacity building and entrepreneurial development, speaks on the measures put in place by government to stabilise the economy, the need for all tiers of government to invest in MSME, the naira exchange rate to dollar and humancapital development, calling on Nigerians to support government’s efforts in growing the economy. HE CBN has declared that by March 2015, transactions from N100million and above should only be allowed for customers with the BVN, giving June this year, as deadline for all depositors to get BVN. Do you think BVN should be a major issue in the economy now? To me, the apex bank is on track because its mandate is to regulate the financial sector to ensure efficiency in the system. Therefore, BVN forms part of financial inclusion policy of the Financial Sector Strategy (FSS) aims at ensuring that Nigeria becomes one of the top 20 economies in the world by 2020. We must also realise the fact that the CBN does not operate in a vacuum, but exists within the broad economic framework of the country. So, the monetary policies formulated by the apex bank are part of the efforts of government to manage the economy to ensure stability. So, with the recent development, you can see that the CBN is coordinating the monetary side while the ministry of finance handles the fiscal framework to create a synergy in the system. For instance, the N220billion MSME fund was released by

government through the CBN, and 60 percent of the money is for women entrepreneurs while 20 percent is for entrepreneurs with disability. Another good thing government has done is that all inclusive interest rate on the money would not exceed 9 percent. You can see that President Jonathan’s government has a good plan for women and even people with disability. This is a good initiative and government must be commended for taking this pragmatic step. Aside from giving MSME N220billion intervention fund, government has taken another bold step to slash the collateral attached to the fund from 75percent to 50 percent, to give the beneficiaries easy access to the money. I think government is moving in the right direction because small scale industries have the ability to create jobs. Even in advanced countries, all tiers of government invest heavily in small businesses to generate more revenue and create jobs. Investors are expressing fears of further devaluation as naira continues to slide. The inter-bank rate now stands at 197 to a dollar, while black market rate is over 210, even Bureau de Change operators are already hoarding. What is your take on this? The CBN is trying to address the volatility in the foreign exchange market by shoring up the naira. The inter-bank rate currently is between 197 and 198. This is the time for us to curtail importation and patronise locally made goods to reduce the demand for foreign exchange in the economy. As an entrepreneur, what is your overall assessment of the economy under the current administration? We must be objective in evaluating the economy under Jonathan. Despite the declining oil revenue and devaluation of the local currency, the macro-economic fundamentals are still stable, and the economic indices show that government is on track. For instance, inflation is still single digit, which shows that government has been able to manage the economy despite the challenges. The rebasing of the economy done in 2014 put Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa. Also, government is doing a lot to revive rail transportation system. The economy has recorded tremendous outputs in agriculture, made possible through the agricultural transformation agenda of the President Jonathan. He also signed the Freedom of

•Mr. Bassey James

Creating jobs should not be the duty of the Federal Government only. The private sector, states and local governments need to support the efforts of the Federal Government in employment and other issues needed to be addressed to achieve sustainable development Information (FoI) bill and we are enjoying free press in Nigeria today. Government has also done well in fixing Benin-Ore road, so, we should give some credits to Jonathan and his economic team, rather than condemning them totally. There are still challenges in our economy but government is not relenting in tackling them. We should show respect to the office of the President. For economic experts, rising unemployment is one of the major challenges facing Nigeria. What would you advise government to do in this area? It is wrong to say that government has not done anything to tackle unemployment. Like I said earlier, we should be objective rather than being subjective in our assessment of Jonathan. Government is doing a lot and some of the policies are bringing results now, while others would yield more outputs in the long-run. For example, last year, government approved the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP), designed to create 30million jobs across various sectors of the economy and the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) scheme aimed at creating more jobs is still on-

going. Creating jobs should not be the duty of the Federal Government only. The private sector, states and local governments need to support the efforts of the Federal Government in employment and other issues needed to be addressed to achieve sustainable development. The states should support the growth of small scale industries to encourage manufacturing. Jonathan has taken a bold step in growing agriculture, let the states give maximum support for us to diversify our economy, develop other sectors and move away from over-dependence on oil. We must not allow our economy to be tied around oil, so much that any drop in crude oil prices begin to cause panic in the system. Other states should look at what governor Godwills Akpabio is doing in Akwa Ibom, in terms of free education, building infrastructure and opening up the state for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), to replicate the same across the country. Doing this calls for e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l development, which is what our Centre stands for. Economic growth needs collective responsibility. All

tiers of government and corporate organisations should invest in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), manufacturing, health, education, human capital development, capacity building and other sectors of the economy, in order to create jobs and develop the economy for greater prosperity. Nigerians from the North, South, East and West should work together to build the nation. We must shun violence and anything capable of causing insecurity to enhance stability in our economic environment. Your Centre was established over seven years ago. What are you doing to support national development? I am happy to announce that the Centre is completed and would soon be launched. Our Centre is an NGO, established for entrepreneurial development and capacity building, aimed at promoting industrial growth. Our target is to promote entrepreneurship for our economy to move away from crude oil to non-oil export sectors like manufacturing, so that we can earn foreign exchange through export. In line with our mandate, we have trained over 1,000 artisans on different skills. We gave scholar to a good number of Nigerians. Now, we need support to continue with more capacity building programmes. The Centre is one of the biggest in Africa, with a sitting capacity of over 6,000. To widen our scope in human capital development, we organised economic summit in Lagos, where participants were drawn from various states within the South/West. After that, we had another summit in Abuja, to cover the northern states. In attendance were many professors, top government officials economic experts, entrepreneurs and students. Currently we have plans to hold more training programmes in Nasarawa and other states, to sensitise people on the importance of entrepreneurial development as one of the tools for sustainable growth. How do you think government can tackle insecurity in the northern states to move the country forward? Economic problems and terrorism are not limited to Nigeria only, even advanced countries are facing the problem of terrorism. My appeal is for all Nigerians to stand together and have unity of purpose in order to overcome these obstacles. I strongly believe that together we can prosper.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 59 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505 By JAPHET ALAKAM VISUAL

t is going to be a real showcase for South Africa’s and the continent’s fast growing and vibrant contemporary art economy as the

2nd edition of the Cape Town Art Fair kicks off in South Africa. And in line with its mission of ensuring sustainable presence for African art within a global context, one of the leading art gallery in Nigeria, Omenka gallery will from February 26 to March 1, participate in the Art Fair scheduled to hold at the Avenue, V & A Waterfront, Cape Town. Omenka will present recent works by four leading contemporary African artists Joel Mpah Dooh (Cameroon), Duke Asidere (Nigeria), Gerry Nnubia (Nigeria), and Ndidi Emefiele (Nigeria). The four artists differ in their primary point of investigation. Among them, Joel Mpah Dooh is preoccupied with experimentation and has enjoyed international critical acclaim with his paintings and multimedia works. The artist is inspired by the tactile reality of his environment though he is mostly an inner traveler. Mpah Dooh works on paper, canvas, corrugated iron and most recently acrylic sheets, while incorporating earth, paints, clay, packaging, wood, and chalk to explore the fragility of individual human identity and how we reinvent ourselves while moving and evolving in the city. Asidere’s work engages contemporary African politics. Through visual metaphors, the artist comments on the everyday human drama that surrounds him; political, social, psychological or cultural. Furthermore, he adds an element of surprise to these sketches of human drama by infusing them

Omenka storms Cape Town Art Fair with his best four with irony and humour. Asidere’s broad oeuvre ranges from headless or limbless figures and faces of strangely hybrid beings to densely populated urban landscapes, accentuated with thick strokes of vivid colour. He has recently turned to car enamel paint, which he applies with a spray gun to produce emotionally charged works that retain figurative subject matter,

Overall, the exhibition has a strong contemporary outlook and engages the traditions of African art history, resulting in iconic imagery that captures intense and challenging moments

and at the same time emphasize abstract qualities. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of Asidere’s style is his simplicity of form and expressive line, which he achieves with an economy of means. Gerry Nnubia offers critical possibilities for painting, and explores the tensions between form and formlessness vital to the tenets of modernism with his

“acrylic flow ”. Nnubia’s technique involves the skillful manipulation of his medium to a liquid viscous flow often assimilating accidental occurrences and temperature adjustments, depending on the effect sought. Emefiele also adopts the historic practice of using the human figure symbolically, dating back to the sculptures and paintings of ancient Egyptians, whose “god-like” pharaoh was often depicted much larger than ordinary mortals, his erect, stiff posture signifying his unyielding majesty and authority. The heads of her female figures are large, bearing semblance to those of traditional Yoruba sculptures, carved disproportionately to other parts of the human body to emphasize its function as the seat of wisdom, upon which the destiny of an individual is carried. Here, the female body becomes a contested site and an important source of information, through which she challenges established notions of beauty. Overall, the exhibition has a strong contemporary outlook and engages the traditions of African art history, resulting in iconic imagery that captures intense and challenging moments. Omenka is a leading art gallery in Nigeria and represents a fine selection of established and emerging contemporary African and international artists working in diverse media. Omenka participates in major events like Art Dubai, Joburg Art Fair, Cape Town Art Fair,

•Eva, 2014 mixed media on canvas by Ndidi Emefiele Cologne Paper Art, Docks Art Fair, Lyon, LOOP, Barcelona, Art14, and 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair. Additionally, Omenka encourages a cross fertilization of ideas by collaborating with leading galleries across the world to

bring the work of many international artists to Nigeria, often for the first time. Omenka Gallery also organizes several workshops and residencies to encourage curatorial and professional artistic development.

On Soyinka’s New ‘Leap Of Faith’ O L AO LU WA K I TA N ADEWUNMI A frica’s Triple Heritage thesis first proposed by Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah but given its strongest advocacy by late Prof. Ali Mazrui resonates with a forcefulness that speaks to Africa’s and Nigeria’s postcolonial development quandary. According to the thesis, Africa’s future lies within the framework by which she is able to traverse the dynamics of her Euro-Christian, Islamic and traditional heritage. Due largely to Arab and European colonialism in the 18th and 19th centuries, Africa inherited an incendiary mix of non-traditional religious ideals and sentiments that has done a lot to nuance its sociological and continental futures. This informed perspective explains the fundamental contradictions from which a new Nigeria (and Africa) must emerge. It is against this background that Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka’s recent curious endorsement of General Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential bid can be usefully deconstructed. In what Soyinka proposed as a ‘Leap of Faith’ he told Nigerians why he did a 360degree summersault to pitch for Buhari’s election over the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan. The necessity for this analysis keys into Soyinka’s longstanding antagonism against Buhari who he had

Clearly, Nigeria remains a disputed project notwithstanding the compelling exertions of its founding icons and despite the denial mode many have currently chosen to hide under. •Soyinka consistently dismissed as an unrepentant dictator with blood on his hand. Clearly, Nigeria remains a disputed project notwithstanding the compelling exertions of its founding icons and despite the denial mode many have currently chosen to hide under. Soyinka is not a neuro-scientist but a specialist in the literature genres of drama, novel and poetry. The citation read by the Swedish Academy in 1986 during the Nobel award ceremony made this clear when it stated that Soyinka “ who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of

existence.” If Soyinka’s Nobel was in medicine and not literature then there would have been scientific bases to measure or validate his major positional sea-change from consistently writing off Buhari to prescribing him now to Nigerians. Neuro-science studies the thought processes and internal architecture of the human brain and could predict and explain changes in that arcane theatre. On the other hand, if the Nobel laureate were an Ifa high priest with powers of divination, his recent summersault would perhaps have enjoyed some

measure of populism given the subsisting environment of significant local fetishism. But he is neither a neuroscientist nor an Ifa priest. In what appears a hesitant excursion into u n c e r t a i n territory, Soyinka observes that, “It is pointlessly, and dangerously provocative to present General Buhari as something that he probably was

not. It is however just as purblind to insist that he has not demonstrably striven to become what he most glaringly was not, to insist that he has not been chastened by intervening experience and – most critically - by a vastly transformed environment – both the localized and the global.” Soyinka puzzlingly wants company in his astonishing leap of faith. His current position, in effect endorsing Buhari, contrasts violently with the position he passionately espoused on the cusp of the 2007 presidential election on the same general – and even until recently.

Hear Soyinka: “The grounds on which General Buhari is being promoted as the alternative choice are not only shaky, but pitifully naive. History matters. Records are not kept simply to assist the weakness of memory, but to operate as guides to the future. Of course, we know that human beings change. What the claims of personality change or transformation impose on us is a rigorous inspection of the evidence, not wishful speculation or behind-the-scenes assurances. “Public offence, crimes against a polity, must be answered in the public space, not in caucuses of bargaining. In Buhari, we have been offered no evidence of the sheerest prospect of change. On the contrary, all evidence suggests that this is one individual who remains convinced that this is one ex-ruler that the nation cannot call to order.” Juxtaposing the two positions raises some posers. Is Soyinka trying to exonerate Buhari through denial and without evidence of remorse or restitution by the erstwhile military supremo? At the risk of being accused of intellectual vagrancy, is Soyinka attempting historical revisionism? Is he deploying literary sophistry to market a hugely suspect product with specific anti-democratic records? Is Soyinka’s new conviction triggered by an apparent reaction

Continues on page 61

PAGE 60—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505 By CHRIS ONUOHA DRAMA

uch as year 2015 is expected to witness great stage performances, theatre lovers are billed to witness what can be described as the mother of all drama as an international theatrical ensemble Hamlet Globe to Globe from United Kingdom hits the city of Lagos with William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’. The Hamlet Globe to Globe tour which opened at Shakespeare’s Globe, London, on 23 April 2014, is scheduled to tour every single country on earth for over 2 years, now berths Nigerian soil on 4th and 5th March 2015 at the Muson Centre, Onikan and St. Saviour ’s School, Ikoyi, Lagos. Hamlet Globe to Globe tour is a drama composition of British born Bill Barclay, designed by Jonathan Fensom and directed by Globe’s Artistic Director, Dominic Dromgoole and Bill Buckhurst. It is a seventeen man cast and crew comprising twelve actors and five stage managers with a Nigerian actor, Ladi Emeruwa, who shared role of By JAPHET ALAKAM TRIBUTE

ba Gbenga Sonuga is the O Fadesewa of Simawa, in Makun Sagamu, Ogun State.

Despite being the custodian of the culture of the community, his love and obsession for art and culture is very strong that he is always seen in many art events in the country. Before being crowned Oba, Fadesewa of Simawa, in Makun Sagamu, Oba Gbenga Sonuga, sometimes fondly called ‘OBA ART & CULTURE’ or BABA CULTURE was the Director for the Lagos State Council for Art and Culture. As he celebrates his 70th birthday, art and culture aficionado and enthusiast the Freedom Park, Lagos where the occasion was marked with the presentation of his photo autobiography titled Deep As the Ocean. The book, entitled; “Deep as the Ocean: An AutoPhoto- Biography in Three Cycles,” according to Sonuga, is a rich diary of his life from the cradle to royalty, and specifically touching on his roles within the country’s art industry. In his autobiography, he recounts his experience, and viewpoints as a heritage of historical photography that pans over 70 years. For his day, he launches what he proposes to become an annual lecture on the importance of retaining our essence of Art & Culture particularly in its affectation of community building, and the selection and election of leaders. Oba Gbenga Sonuga has long been a voice for change and excellence in the Arts & Culture scene, having been under the tutelage of Prof Wole Soyinka, whom he fondly calls ‘Mon Prof’, then working under Demas Nwoko for a decade at the New Culture Studios in Ibadan, then running a film company called 4Reels, before becoming the director of the council under the late Governor Mudasiru where he served for another ten years. As Director he produced a

Black Hamlet Ladi Emeruwa leads Shakespeare’s Globe tour to Lagos Hamlet together with international cast and crew that has traveled by boats, train, jeeps, tall ships, buses and aeroplanes across 7 continents to perform over 2 dozen parts on a stripped-down booth stage. The cast is using a completely portable set to stage a Hamlet that celebrates all the exuberance and invention of Shakespeare’s language in a brisk two hours and forty minutes play. n the play, “Prince Hamlet who was away, learning of his father’s death comes home to find his uncle married to his mother and installed as a king on the Danish throne. At night, the ghost of the old king appeared to Prince Hamlet and demands that he avenge his ‘foul and most unnatural murder.” Ladi Emeruwa playing the role of Hamlet is a Nigerian born British actor who studied law at University of Bristol U.K before pursuing a career in acting at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA). He recently starred

as Brutus in L AMDA’s another Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar at Wilton’s Music Hall and tour in Paris. His entrant into Nigeria soil leading the Shakespeare’s Globe theatrical ensemble with the strong language of Shakespeare’s political intrigues, sexual obsession, philosophical reflection and violent actions embedded in the play coincided at this •Tom Lawrence as Laertes and Ladi Emeruwa as Hamlet in the point in time the current Globe’s small-scale touring production of Hamlet political situation in the country today. The second performance at St. Saviours’ years and will end on the School Ikoyi which is Ladi’s April 23, 2016, marking the alma matter is much a 400th anniversary of The cast is using a welcome back fete for the Shakespeare’s death. completely portable school and students he The first African adore much. performance was held in set to stage a Hamlet amlet Globe to Globe Algeria’s National Theater that celebrates all the tour which opened at followed by subsequent Shakespeare’s Globe, shows in Egypt, Tunisia, exuberance and London, in April 2014 has Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, invention of performed in almost 80 Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya countries across the and Uganda. Nigeria’s Shakespeare’s America, Europe and Africa appearance is the 79th out language in a brisk to more than 70,000 of 205 countries billed to audiences. It is scheduled host this nolstagic epic two hours and forty to tour every single country stage. minutes play on earth for a period of 2

Oba Gbenga Sonuga clocks 70, launches Deep As The Ocean touring performance of ‘Ori’ by the state troupe to the United States, he also wrote and produced a play for the World Decade for Cultural Development, declared by the UN via UNESCO in 1989 called SALT, which was rehearsed for 3 months and then performed for one night only at the National Theatre Main Bowl where few have been privileged to perform. After formal public service he founded the International Centre for the Arts, Lagos (ICAL). Remembering the performance at the National Theatre Oba ‘Art & Culture’ bemoaned the underinvestment and limited patronage in the area of arts and Nigerian culture, siting the under utilization of the National Theatre as a big example. SALT he said was performed in the Main Bowl of the theatre, which has now fallen into disrepair, and never shown again. In celebration of his 70th birthday, he will premier the video recording of the play SALT for the first time ever since it’s performance in 1989. The National Theatre is a national heritage and should be brought back to the standard needed to support long running

As Director, he produced a touring performance of Ori by the state troupe to the United States, he also wrote and produced a play for World Decade for Cultural Development, declared by the UN via UNESCOin 1889 called SALT

•Oba Gbenga Sonuga performances and shows in the main bowl and annex halls. He said it was a shame that the artists having worked so hard and rehearsed for three months, never got to perform that play again. In the audience then were General Mohammed Buhari, Governor Mudasiru and the Late General Sani Abacha amongst other dignitaries. On why he wrote and produced the play SALT he mentioned the adage ‘of being the Salt of the earth’, that nothing in life is sweet without Salt. And art and culture is like the salt of life. Without it we can never truly enjoy life. Leadership without an appreciation for art and recognition of local culture is prone to all sorts of gaffes and misdeeds. Followership outside of a cultural context appropriate for instance to Nigerians only fosters an identity of individuals and communities that are alien to the local sensitivities of our surroundings. They will never truly fit in well, like a square peg in a round hole. Trying to shoehorn western ideals of leadership without application of our Nigerian culture of selecting leaders with a good head through consistent demonstration of leadership in their communities leaves much to be desired. Obas and Baales and community leaders have a strong role to play. Recalling his time at the council in Lagos, he edited and published one of the first dedicated books on Lagos Life & culture to wide and global acclaim. It serves as major feature on the coffee table of many lovers and residents of

Lagos today. Oba Gbenga is truly a living legend and cultural icon in Nigerian Art & cultural history. Recollecting how he came to be Director for art and culture, he fondly cited that that was the only job he ever applied for, and the only one he ever got. However it was not all smooth sailing as he did not get the job for another three years because it transpired that the then governor of Lagos State, Gen Jakande did not want to give the job to someone from outside Lagos. Then he was still at New Culture Studios, with Demas Nwoko. But following the coup in 1983, and the appointment of Colonel Mudasiru, the job became his because he was deemed the most qualified for the job at the time. Smiling he recalled the Late Chief Segun Olusola calling him to say someone in Lagos clearly wanted to give him a job because the wanted advert literally published and read like his personal resume, asking for 10 years experience in art and culture, and international exposure amongst other things. By then he had successfully taken a troupe to FESTAC 77, where working with him then was the current DG of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Akin Adejuwon. As Director of the council he would go on to work with and often help shape many of today ’s greats in theatre and film; Otunba Sola Fosudo, Mufu Onifade, Toyin Gbajumo, where they performed the play ‘Ori’ meaning head of destiny. The philosophical undertones of the play were that the greatness of the nation was key to having a ‘good head’ at its helm of leadership. On leaving the Lagos State Council Oba Gbenga Sonuga set up the International Centre

for the Art Lagos to promote Nigerian Art and Culture both around the continent and internationally. Chaired by the late Ambassador Chief Segun Olusola ICAL went on to stage many cultural interventions in London, the United States, Ethiopia and many others some funded by grants provided by the Ford Foundation. Reflecting on a life well lived the man we fondly call ‘Oba Art & Culture’ has indeed lived a full life, and a life of impact. He said ‘I am inspired by the new generation of artists, playwrights, and producers. Particularly with the focus on developing sustainable patronage, because art cannot survive without patronage, and culture cannot be preserved without being practiced and passed on to the next generation. He cited a few good examples such as the Terra Kulture, Beeta Universal, the new Nollywood, and Theatre in the Park, The Omenka Gallery, the centre for contemporary art & culture, and so many others. He said “The baton has truly been passed on but we must continue to build an area of art and culture in all the areas we build and develop. Much like the West End in London, Broadway in New York, Le Louvre in Paris, we need more areas where art and theatre, and culture can survive and thrive. Onikan was planned for that, with the National Gallery, National Museum, the MUSON Centre, in that area. A master plan to develop a cultural district is still very needed.” He continued “I hope to continue my series of lectures on art and culture, to help and foster the next generation, and propel the ideas and lessons needed to continue to have a good head, and a good nation”.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 61 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

On Soyinka’s New ‘Leap Of Faith’ Continued from page 60 to the wide publication in advertorials of his bruising candid positions on General Buhari’s dictatorial past - a kind of revisionist make-good burnishing a former harsh dictator ’s image? Cagily denying that he is not speaking of time as a dulling agent of painful memory Soyinka tells Nigerians that “ while facts remain constant, the environment evolves, and may play a tempering role in the very evocation of a record of the condemnable acts of governance.” Shaping his argument on why Buhari has become his Prince Charming and should be an acceptable product now he observes that, “Of the two however, one is representative of the immediate past, still present with us, and with an accumulation of negative baggage. The other is a remote past, justly resented, centrally implicated in grievous assaults against Nigerian humanity, with a landscape of broken lives that continues to lacerate collective memory. However – and this is the preponderant ‘however’ – is there such a phenomenon as a genuine “born-again”? Soyinka’s new position would have hugely benefited from his new principal had Buhari borrowed a leaf from a few African dictators that accepted their errors and recanted and were accepted

back by their folks. Some examples include - Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings of Ghana and Mathew Kerekou of the Benin Republic who publicly recanted their crimes against humanity during their tenures as dictators. They were subsequently forgiven and given democratic mandates. Buhari has not done the same thing and his body language suggests such a course is against his nature. The Nobel laureates reference to a “ t r a n s f o r m e d environment,” ostensibly meaning a democratic milieu does not hold much water. Here is why. German Chancellor Adolf Hitler was elected by democratic vote. General Obasanjo who has joined Soyinka in their new joint project almost deleted Odi and Zaki Biam under democratic environment. Egypt’s General Asisi, democratically elected hardly represents a shining example of democratic governance. Against the background of these facts, why should Buhari become a transformed man because he may become a tenant in Aso Rock? Soyinka further rather weakens his case when he proclaimed he had studied Buhari from a distance and come to the conclusion that he will be a good democratic ruler this time around. An intellectual of Soyinka’s repute ought to have delivered a much

better proposition. His words:”I have studied him from a distance, questioned those who have closely interacted with him, including his former running-mate, Pastor Bakare, and dissected his key utterances past and current. And my findings?A plausible transformation that comes close to that of another ex-military dictator, Mathew Kerekou of the Benin Republic.”. Soyinka with this rather tenuous and naïve position reinforces the accurate perception that his forte is truly drama and not realpolitiks and raises veiled issues about his true motive of antagonizing President Jonathan on the cusp of a crucial presidential poll. Democracy would lose its defining egalitarianism if it foreclosed freedom of choice and expression by its adherents. This enduring footing accommodates often unreasoned perspectives by forces that seek to diminish and divide. Against this backdrop, public figures who by dint of selfdiscipline and diligent application of the power of thought have achieved that delicate, firm balance between researched positions that informs and leverages society should be appreciated. It is within Soyinka’s right to decide who to vote for but he should not forget Dennis Brutus’ counsel that “writers must not live a lie.”

In Memory of Martin Luther echoes non-violent elections in Nigeria By PRISCA SAM DURU & VERA SAM ANYAGAFU DOCUMENTARY

he United States Consulate, Lagos, held its annual programme to mark the Martin Luther King Jr. Day, penultimate week. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday that celebrates the official Birthday of the renowned African American human rights activist, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King has remained a symbol of non-violent activism, a strategy through which his civil rights movement successfully protested racial discrimination in the federal and state laws of the United States of America. Soon after his assassination in 1968, the campaign for a federal holiday in Rev. King’s honour started and it was not until 1983, that President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law. As it is customary, a documentary film is screened to showcase the ideologies of the activist. In Memory of Martin Luther King Jr. was the title of documentary film that was screened to the delight of the mixed audience that attended the 2015 celebration. The event which was organised by the Public Affairs Section of the C M Y K

•Martin Luther King Jnr. Consulate, as usual, brought to the fore, the life and struggles of the late renowned activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr, for the emancipation of his people. The event which marked the 86th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., attracted people from different parts of Lagos who gathered at the consulate to remember and reflect on the life of this great black man whose non-violent struggles gave blacks the freedom they now enjoy in America. The programme also presented Luther as good model whose struggles are filled with lessons that Nigerians could learn from as they continue in the quest for credible elections as well as good governance. Screening of the documentary, In Memory of Martin Luther King which declared the programme open, exposed

the life of Martin Luther King as a major reference point in the political struggle of any nation. His speeches as well as some protests he organised, all contributed in sensitising Nigerians at the event, on the importance of ensuring that the country enjoys a non-violent election come February. T he documentary film features family members, friends and former classmates of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who relate their memories of the civil rights activist. They include; Coretta Scott King, Bill Cosby, Jimmy Carter, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Dick Gregory, Ralph Abernathy, Desmond Tutu, Edward Kennedy, Julian Bond and of course, Martin Luther King Jr. “Injustice anywhere threatens justice somewhere,” “the death of any man diminishes me because I am for mankind,” “an eye for an eye makes everyone blind,” “If you don’t overcome the fear of death, you are not free,” were some of the quotes of Martin Luther King, which are directly speaking to the conscience of Nigerians as the nation embarks on another vital exercise to ensure a smooth change of government. The Public Affairs Officer, Mrs Ronda Watson who piloted the event expressed gratitude to participants for sharing the ideologies of the social activist.

I will abolish multiple taxation in Abia — Otti BY AKOMA CHINWEOKE

he governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has reiterated his plan to create Ministry of Aba Affairs to hasten economic development of the deteriorating commercial city if voted into office on April 11. Otti who disclosed this during a recent business luncheon with members of Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), explained that such a ministry has become necessary to fast-track the development of the commercial city which he observed was currently in shambles. According to him, the planned ministry would be an initiative targeted at complimenting other agencies of government and to speedily tackle the numerous problems being experienced by residents and the business community in the city. “As most of you can attest, the infrastructural decay in Aba is alarming. Bad roads, blocked drainages, dilapidated market structures and poor city management. All these will be tackled once we are in government”, Otti declared. The forum afforded members of ACCIMA and other Aba indigenes to rob minds with the APGA’s candidates with a view to forging a symbiotic alliance to tackle the myriad of challenges facing business operations in the ancient city. Also at the event, the

•Alex

Otti

representative of Hotel Managers/owners, Chief Godwin Egbuchulam, asked how the gubernatorial aspirant intends to address the problem of multiple taxation, noting that it has become the bane of business growth in Aba in particular, and the state in general. The chief executive officer of Tonimas, Chief Anthony Enukaeme, who is also the president of ACCIMA, expressed confidence in Otti's blueprint to transform the entire state which according to him is in line with the dreams and aspiration of all Abians. However, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Aba Branch, Dr. Mike Ikejiaku, was particular about how the party plans to revive the state's ailing healthcare sector . He noted that, the current government in the state has incapacitated the sector as health workers are being owed salaries for about six months. Chief Godwin Egbuchulam who represented Hotel Managers/owners, also sought to know how Otti's government intends to end the problem of multiple taxation

if elected, lamenting that it has become the bane of business growth in Aba in particular, and the state in general. In his response, Otti disclosed his intention to build new specialist hospitals in the state and pay up outstanding debts owed not only health workers, but all civil servants in the state. Otti restated his promise to abolish all forms of multiple taxation in the state to give businesses a breathing space. He also declared his unflinching support for all non-indigenes plying their trade in the state, assuring that his government would offer them maximum protection without any discrimination. “As long as you live here, do business or work here, pay your tax as at when due, and you are contributing to the economy of the state, you are entitled to enjoy equal privileges. “The current government sacked civil servants that are not indigenes of this state with a flimsy excuse that they are taking jobs from the indigenes. I call that an inhuman decision. It also shows that they are bereft of ideas on how to create jobs. “With our blue print for the state, we will create jobs that will accommodate both indigenes and non-indigenes, open up our state to local and foreign investors by creating an enabling environment for business to thrive ", Otti promised. The governorship hopeful urged the participants to see it as a duty to vote for him and other APGA candidates in the forthcoming elections in the state, saying that APGA is the only party that can bring about the genuine economic transformation in the state.

NLBC, LCCI set to explore investment potentials

he NigeriaLithuania Business Council (NLBC), in collaboration with Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs has concluded arrangements to lead a business delegation to Lithuania. The visit aims at exploring potentials of Lithuania visà-vis export/import and investment opportunities; to provide excellent opportunities for Nigeria businesses and businessmen seeking to invest in lucrative European Union. The visit, earlier fixed for early October, 2014 was put on hold as a result of Ebola Virus Disease which raged the West-African sub-region at the time. The Council is working on a new date for the trip. Goodie M. Ibru, Honorary Consul, Republic of Lithuania in Nigeria, in his address at the occasion of Lithuanian National Day celebration held at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos, recently, said: “The Nigeria-Lithuania Business Council (NLBC) was registered in 2012. The Council has been able to provide a platform for activities that promote

economic, social, cultural co-operation and integration between members consisting nationals of both countries. “Lithuania is consistently becoming very visible in socio-economic life of Europe and the world over. Her economy is expected to maintain a growth rate of 3% in 2015 despite a fall in export to Russia, the major trading partner. Domestic demand will remain the main growth engine as employment and real disposable income rise”. According to him, “Lithuania has been among the fastest growing economies in the European Union and is ranked 24th in the world in the Ease of

Doing Business Index. One underlying government policy is to attract foreign investments, to develop export markets and to pursue broad economic reforms. Presently, Lithuania has diplomatic relations with 180 countries, with the latest addition of the Republic of Togo in September 26, 2014. On January 1, 2015, Lithuania adopted the euro as the official currency at the rate of EUR 1=LTL 3.4528, becoming the 19th member of the Eurozone. It is anticipated that the Euro introduction will boost Lithuania’s exports and attract more

investments”, Ibru said.

Ukori canvasses support for Diden

he secretary of Egbema Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, Campaign Group, Mr. Jude Ukori, has called on the people of Warri North local government area of Delta State, to vote enmasse for Hon. Michael Diden, the PDP candidate for Warri North constituency on April 11. In a statement yesterday, Ukori pointed out that considering Diden’s

unbiased and detribalised nature, the people of Warri North should expect quality and effective representation from him at the State House of Assembly. He expressed optimism that Diden and all PDP candidates will emerge victorious at the polls, urging Deltans to maintain the existing peace in the state.

PAGE 62— SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Malaga shock Barca at Camp Nou

ARCELONA’s winning streak was halted by Malaga with a 0-1 win at the Nou Camp yesterday in Spainsh La Liga game. Barcelona defender Alves’ poor back pass was all Malaga needed to seal a famous victory. Juanmi capitalised on slip to skip past the keeper, Bravo to tuck the ball into an empty net. And it was the least the visitors deserved after their defence managed to contain everything that the strike force of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez threw at them. It was largely one-way traffic after the goal with Rafinha having a shot blocked off the line while Andres Iniesta should have equalised after beating the offside trap but his header was straight at Carlos Kameni. Luis Enrique’s side failed to carve out a decent opportunity for most of the second period with their final ball letting them down. It was the Andalusians who should have found the net but Ricardo Horta scuffed his effort wide after a swift counter attack. The home’s side best opportunities fell to substitute Pedro late on but his ferocious effort hit the side netting, while Suarez’s half volley was well saved by

TWISTED...Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (L) vies with Malaga’s forward Samuel Castillejo (R) and Malaga’s midfielder Sergi Darder (L) during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Malaga CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Kameni. The Catalans passed up the opportunity to go top of the

table and instead remained a point behind league leaders Real Madrid, who

had the opportunity to extend their advantage to four points by winning at Elche this evening.

Liverpool can win at St Mary’s—Rogers L

IVERPOOL may trail Southampton by four points in the Barclays Premier League table, but Brendan Rodgers insists his side can head to St Mary ’s this weekend with confidence of earning a win.

The Reds have been beaten only once in their past 17 fixtures in all competitions and have not suffered a reversal in league football since the middle of December. Fresh from securing a slender advantage in their Europa

League tie against Besiktas, Rodgers’ charges are set for a journey to the home of the Saints Sunday afternoon. Ronald Koeman’s team currently hold fourth place in the standings as the race for a

Adebayor has no problem with me — Tottenham boss

OTTENHAM head coach Mauricio Pochettino insists he still has a “good relationship” with Emmanuel Adebayor, despite the striker not featuring in any of Spurs’ last five matches. Adebayor is unlikely even to make the bench for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League game against West Ham, to whom the

striker almost secured a January loan move before chairman Daniel Levy blocked the switch. The 30-year-old seems surplus to requirements under Pochettino given he has not played since coming off the bench in Tottenham’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Leicester almost a month ago. Pochettino said: “My relationship

Home Alone.. Emmanuel Adebayor cannot break into Tottenham’s starting 11. C M Y K

London Police hunt for Chelsea fans

with Ade? It’s a good relationship, the only problem is I need to pick 18 players for every game. “Now I am picking (Harry) Kane or (Roberto) Soldado but the relationship is good.” Adebayor’s absence has been overshadowed by the irrepressible form of Kane, who is expected to return to the Spurs starting line-up on Sunday after he was rested for Thursday night’s 1-1 draw with Fiorentina. Tottenham face a demanding schedule in the coming weeks, with six games in 17 days including next week’s return leg in Florence and the Capital One Cup final against Chelsea. “It’s a critical period as we have a lot of finals,” Pochettino said. “Sunday is a final, Thursday is a final, next Sunday is the Cup final. It’s true we have very tough games. We need all our energy and to be focused in every game.” Tottenham must try to juggle their cup commitments with the league, where they currently sit sixth and only three points off the top four.

Champions League qualification berth tightens ever more with each passing week. “The games are now being ticked off, and with 13 games to go it would be a big step for us to get the result,” the Liverpool manager said at his pre-match briefing today. Southampton have not won at home since beating Arsenal 2-0 on New Year’s Day and failed to score in their two most recent fixtures against Swansea and West Ham. “Do you think I’m thinking about losing a game? No way,” Koeman said. “I’m thinking about winning the game, I’m not negative. I’m surprised they have four points less than we have and to come closer they have to win.

OLICE are investigating racist chanting at St Pancras station by men thought to be Chelsea fans returning from a Champions League match in Paris. It comes after an incident of alleged racism by Chelsea supporters on the Paris Metro, when footage showed a black man being pushed from a train. The chanting in London happened on Wednesday evening, the day after the club’s 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain. British Transport Police say anyone with information should contact them. Chelsea have already barred five fans from attending Stamford Bridge following the earlier incident. It took place at Richelieu-Drouot station in the centre of the French capital on Tuesday ahead of the club’s 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain. Manager Jose Mourinho has said he was “ashamed” by the alleged racism. The Metropolitan Police has released CCTV images of three men they are looking for in connection with Tuesday’s incident. Chelsea captain John Terry on Saturday added his voice to the condemnation of the incident. “Football is a sport for everyone.” “That is one of the main reasons why we love it, and what happened on the Paris Metro was unacceptable. The club has reacted quickly to deal with the situation and will continue to do so.”

•Terry

Moyes eyes Ameobi

EWCASTLE United wing er, Sammy Ameobi, who is out of contract in the summer, is reportedly in talks with Real Sociedad over a move in the summer. Highly rated by Sociedad boss David Moyes, the 22-year-old can sign a pre-contract with the La-Liga side prior to joining in the summer but Newcastle will be entitled to compensation if the move does materialise, as he joined them at the age of 9. Despite having his best sea-

son so far for Newcastle, the club have been dithering in offering him a fresh deal and Moyes, who is also eyeing Burnley Danny Ings who is in a similar situation like Ameobi, is known to be a big admirer of the qualities of the former Nigeria Under-20 invitee. This season Ameobi has so far scored twice with five assists from 17 games, a big leap from previous seasons where he failed to score and failed to reach double digits in terms of appearances.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015, PAGE 63

Man City monitor Nwakali A FTER two games in Group A, the Emmanuel Amuneke Academy product has caught the eye of a number of high profile teams, and it appears The Citizens are in the driving seat for his signature. Manchester City have already opened a line of communication with Kelechi Nwakali’s camp regarding the offer of a preliminary contract. Should defending champions Nigeria qualify for the Fifa Under 17s, as widely expected, the Etihad Stadium outfit are aware the 16 - year - old’s stock will rise even further, and have taken the first step to snapping him up from

his nursery team. Kelechi Nwakali is skillful, has a good range of passing, and has an eye for a pass, which has drawn comparisons with ex Bolton Wanderers midfielder Austin Okocha, though he is faster than the retired Nigeria international. The Golden Eaglets skipper would welcome the chance to join the Nigerians on the books of Manchester City, including his elder brother Chidiebere Nwakali and Kelechi Iheanacho. He has found the back of the net in both matches played by the Nigeria Under 17s in the Republic of Niger.

STRIKING BALANCE...Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez (l) vies with Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha (r) during the English Premier League match at the Selhurst Park in London yesterday. Arsenal won 2-1.

Rio 2016: Babalola heads to Dubai for first Paralympics qualifier By Eddie Akalonu

ARA athletics sprinter, Hannah Babalola is determined on picking a ticket to the Rio 2016 Paralympics as she has concluded arrangements to participate at the 7th Fazaa International Athletics Competition in Dubai, which is the first in the series of qualification. Athletes will participate in four days of top class track and field-.events. Babalola said her move is to meet a personal dream of qualifying for the Paralympics on her own terms rather than wait for Nigeria to get things done as that might prove costly. “Let me start off on my own now that there is still time, “ she said Babalola told Sports Vanguard that she is participating with the assistance of her United States based club and contributions from public spirited Nigerians. “Having followed a planned training regime, I feel like putting it to test

C M Y K

by running in my new track- cycle which was a gift from my club when I was there for a three week training programme. “I want to see how far I can go .My intention is to qualify for the Rio Games. So, going out to compete among the best from other parts of the world is one

way to prove myself right,” she stated. Unfortunately her favourite 200m event has been omitted from the programme of the Dubai event. Hannah is now focused on running the 100m, 400m as well as 800m, if possible. “Because the 200m is off the event schedule, I am looking to-

wards adding 400m and 800m. Somehow I feel I should be lucky to make it in one of these events.” An International Paralympic Committee event, The 7th FAZAA International Athletics Competition, Dubai, United Arab Emirates began February 20 and will run through the 27th.

City win big as United crumble

ANCHESTER City recorded their biggest Premier League victory of the season to overwhelm Newcastle and cut Chelsea’s title lead to five points. Edin Dzeko won a penalty inside 30 seconds as he was fouled by Vurnon Anita, with Sergio Aguero scoring. City were 3-0 up after 21 minutes, with Samir Nasri firing a second into the top corner, before Dzeko chested down David Silva’s pass to add a third.

Silva scored twice in three minutes after half-time to complete the win. Manchester United suffered only their second Premier League defeat since November as Bafetimbi Gomis’s second-half goal gave Swansea victory. Ander Herrera’s low strike put United ahead, but the hosts responded immediately as Ki Sungyueng flicked in from Jonjo Shelvey’s cross. Louis van Gaal’s side dominated the second period but failed to score. Shelvey’s 73rd-minute

shot deflected off Gomis to give the Swans a first league double over United. Defeat is a setback for United’s Champions League hopes. Having lost only one of their last 19 matches in all competitions, United made three changes from their FA Cup win at Preston, with fit-again Robin van Persie the most notable player recalled. There was a more radical alt e r a t i o n f r o m Swansea, as manager Garry Monk switched to a midfield diamond for the first time in what

•Nwakali

Mayweather Continued from back page Mayweather vs Pacquiao on May 2, 2015 is a done deal. “This will be the biggest event in the history of the sport. Boxing fans and sports fans around the world will witness greatness on May 2.”

might have been a ploy to contain their illustrious opponents.

Eaglets Continued from back page added a second, before Patson Daka pulled one back for Zambia Nigeria finished top of Group A with 7 points, three clear of second placed Guinea that suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of hosts, Niger yesterday.

Pacquiao said: “I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight they have wanted for so many years. “They have waited long enough and they deserve it. It is an honour to be part of this historic event. “I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world.” Mayweather said “giving the fans what they want is always my main focus”.

Despite the defeat, Guinea qualified for the semi final and a ticket to the World Cup as well. Today, South Africa will take on Cameroon while Ivory Coast will face Mali for the remaining semi final berths. Four teams will represent Africa at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

AAG qualifier: Nigeria hammer Gabon N

IGERIA U23s spanked their counterparts from Gabon 4-1 in a first leg qualifier for the 2015 All Africa Games in Libreville on Saturday.

“We dominated the game from start to finish,” reported team spokesman Timi Ebikagbaro Ajayi Junior grabbed a brace in the second and 46th minute, while Oghenekaro Etebo also hit target in the 44th minute through a penalty. Substitute Peter Onyekachi wrapped up this big road win in the 88th minute. The hosts, who are the reigning African U23 champions, pulled a goal back in the 43rd minute. The return leg match will be played in Nigeria in a fortnight.

•Siasia

Mayweather, Pacquiao’s N49.8b mega fight for May 2 •Mayweather

•Pacquiao

Floyd Mayweather will fight Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on 2 May in what promises to

Eaglets secure World Cup ticket •Sink Junior Chipolopolo 3-1

IFA U-17 World Cup reigning champions, the Golden Eaglets yesterday secured a semi final berth at the ongoing African U-17 championship and a ticket to the 2015 U-17 FIFA World Cup billed for Chile later in the year. The Eaglets achieved the feat after a 3-1 thumping of the Junior Chipolopolo of Zambia in their final group match of the tournament in Niger. The victory will see Nigeria in Chile to defend the title she won at the 2013 world championship at the United Arab Emirates. Victor Osimhen gave Nigeria the lead in the 35th minute, before Kelechi Nwakali doubled the lead the just before the break.

Continues on page 63 ON COURSE: Golden Eaglets players celebrate their victory over Zambia and a ticket to the World Cup

Continues on pg 63

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Nobel-winning Archbishop (7-4) 5.Sailor (3) 7.Consumed (5) 8.Domesticates (5) 9.Ovum (3) 10.Electricity counting gadgets (6) 13.Highlander (4) 15.Poem (3) 17.One that contests (9) 20.Nigerian tribe (5) 22.Cereal (5) 24.Demoted (9) 27.Pig’s pen (3) 29.No one (4) 30.Sulks (6) 33.Away (3) 35.Presses (5) 36.Till (5) 37. Swine (3) 38. “The Man Who Saw Tomorrow” (11)

be the richest bout in the history of boxing. American Mayweather, 37, and Filipino Pacquiao, 36, are considered to be the best two fighters of their generation. Mayweather’s WBC and WBA welterweight titles and Pacquiao’s WBO belt will be on the line at the MGM Grand. Mayweather is unbeaten in 47 professional fights; Pacquiao has 57 wins and five losses from 64 contests. The fight is expected to generate as much as $250m (about N 49.8b). The most lucrative fight in history is thought to be Mayweather’s bout against Saul Alvarez in 2013, which made an estimated $149.3m. Mayweather-Pacquiao is also expected to break the record for pay-per-view buys in the United States. The current record of 2.4 million was set when Mayweather fought fellow American Oscar de la Hoya in 2007. Mayweather wrote on his webpage: “What the world has been waiting for has arrived.

DOWN 1.Sleeping vision (5) 2.Possessor (5) 3.Tax (4) 4.Depressing (9) 5.Argentinian dance (5) 6.Wash lightly (5) 11.Greek letter (3) 12.Distress call (1-1-1) 14.English boy’s name (5) 16.Obstacle (3) 17.Bovine animal (3) 18.Mindfulness (9) 19.Alarm (5) 21.Help (3) 23.Village house (3) 25.Gnome (3) 26.Vast age (3) 27.Condescend (5) 28.Youthful (5) 31.Circular (5) 32.Trades (5) 34.Old Russian King (4)

See solution on page 5

Cazorla, Giroud lift Gunners

RSENAL moved up to third in the Barclays Premier League with a hardfought 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. The Gunners went ahead through an early penalty from Santi Cazorla following a trip by Pape Souare on Danny Welbeck, which the Palace bench protested had been just outside the area. The England forward sent in a low, angled drive, which Speroni palmed out and Giroud was alert to get to the loose ball ahead of three defenders to stab home his 50th Arsenal goal. Palace boss Alan Pardew sent on Murray for Gayle and Shola Ameobi made his debut to replace Joe Ledley. Murray saw a late closerange header saved on the

line by Ospina, who was then beaten in another goalmouth scramble during five minutes of added time. Palace almost snatched a dramatic equaliser at the death as Ospina flapped at a left-wing cross, which Murray crashed against the base of the post with a flying header.

RESULTS African U-17 Championship Niger Nigeria

2 3

Guinea Zambia

1 1

EPL Aston Chelsea Crystal Hull S’derland Swansea Man City

1 1 1 1 0 2 5

Stoke Burnley Arsenal QPR Brom Man U N/Castle

2 1 2 1 0 1 0

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