CJN bows, agrees toswear-in Jombo-Ofor

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61759

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Two sisters die in Lagos building collapse

•Pgs.60&61

TRAGEDY—A two-storey building on Church Street, Jakande Estate Extension, Oke-Afa, Isolo collapsed, yesterday, in Lagos. Two sisters, Miss Bukky Coker (left) and Miss Toyin Coker (right) died in the incident. Photos: Bunmi Azeez.

CJN bows, agrees to swear-in Jombo-Ofor •Berates Senate over resolution

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

•Says she deserves commendation, not condemnation A

BUJA—THE Na tional Judicial Council, NJC, after an emergency meeting in

Abuja yesterday, persuaded the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar, to rescind her decision and swear-in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofor to the

Continues on page 5

MORE TROUBLE FOR BABALAKIN: FG tasks E-9 countries •P.29 on literacy

To face money laundering charges

Dr. Abubakar Olusola •P.17 Saraki...

I can spend more than eight years in office, •P.7 Jonathan tells court

THE HUB•P.19 C M Y K

Mr & Mrs

•P.5

Justice Muhktar

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

CJN bows, agrees to swear-in Jombo-Ofor Continues from page 1 Appeal Court Bench.

The council, which has former CJNs and exPresidents of the Court of Appeal and Nigerian Bar Association as members, regretted that the issue “has generated so much controversy in Nigeria, especially in the print and electronic media.”

The CJN had on November 5, declined to swear-in Justice JomboOfor alongside 11 other newly appointed Justices of the Appeal Court, following a petition challenging the state of origin declared by the judge, who was nominated under a slot reserved for Abia State.

Investigations by Vanguard had revealed that the CJN decided to stepdown her swearing-in following agitation from some quarters that going by the prevailing judicial policy in the country; she was not qualified to represent Abia State on the appellate court bench.

The petitioners had contended that though Justice Jombo-Ofor is currently serving under the Abia State judiciary, she lacked the requisite locus to take a slot meant for the state since she

was originally from Anambra State, notwithstanding the fact that she is married to a man from Abia State.

The embattled judge, who was asked to vacate the row reserved for the new justices shortly before the swearing-in ceremony was conducted, was said to have transferred her service from Anambra to Abia State after her marriage, and has served in the Abia State judiciary for over 14 years.

She is currently the Chief Judge of the State.

CJN not happy with Senate Meanwhile, a source who attended the meeting, yesterday, told Vanguard that the CJN, while conceding to administer oath of office on Justice JomboOfor, however expressed her displeasure over the way the Senate dabbled into the matter and issued a resolution without deeming it fit to hear her own side of the story.

It would be recalled that the Senate had af-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right – Abraham Lincoln.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Divine love makes us true to ourselves and to others. It makes us speak truly, think truly, and act truly. It makes us feel one with the whole universe. Divine love purifies our hearts and glorifies our being— Meher Baba

L

OVE is a feeling that keeps one uplifted and sometimes it comes to us in a most unexpected way. The heart must be open to recognise these moments. With a content sigh, I held my niece by the hands and stepped forward, and to my amazement, a beautiful white butterfly perched right at my face and I could feel this dainty creature right at the spot between the eyebrows. I am really laughing now and my niece is jumping about in excitement pointing at the butterfly. I believe it is trying to tell me something!

I said to my niece. It is saying, I love you! My five years old niece smiled and nodded in affirmation.

She probably did not understand much of what I was saying anyway, but someday she will, the most important thing is the feeling and beautiful energy of love in the moment, and I knew she felt it.

Life will bring us experiences in the seemingly every day events of our lives; the awareness to recognise these moments as divine blessings is a miracle of love to cherish.

ter its deliberations on November 7, ordered the CJN swear-in Justice Jombo-Ofor without further delay.

While debating on a motion moved by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and 107 others, the President of the upper legislative chamber, David Mark, described the decision of the CJN as unfortunate and endangering the sanctity of marriage.

Disclosing the decision of the CJN swear-in Justice Jumbo-Ofor, yesterday, the NJC, in a statement signed by its Deputy Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, maintained that “the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had, without any consultation with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is also the Chairman of the National Judicial Council, proceeded to pass a Resolution on November 7, 2012, to the following effect:“(a) That the Senate urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria to swear-in Honourable Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo as a Justice of the Court of Appeal; and “(b) That the Senate urged all Government Employing Agencies to note in terms of employing a married woman, shall lay claims to her State of origin and that of her husband in relation to the Federal Character Regulations.

“That the binding principles and formulae for the Distribution of all Cadres of Posts (S.I.23 of 1997) provide in Part II, Section 2 as follows:“A married woman shall continue to lay claim to her State of origin for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character formulae at the National level.

“That the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council had by letter dated November 5, 2012, duly written to Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to inform His Excellency of the matter of Honourable Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofor and the fact that she was not sworn-in on November 5, 2012, would be tabled before the National Judicial Council.

“That the Federal Judicial Service Commission and the National Judicial Council, being Federal

Executive Bodies established in pursuance of Section 153(1(i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, are bound and obliged to observe and obey the provisions of the Constitutional Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including the Federal Character Commission Act. “That the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is also bound and obliged to observe and obey the stipulations of the Constitution and Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including the Federal Character Commission Act; without prejudice to the undisputed power of the National Assembly to amend and\or repeal the said Act. “That the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council must be commended for exercising sufficient caution, diligence and maturity in the matter, especially

in the light of the documents, materials and other information available to her, and for taking the decision to put on hold the swearing-in of Justice Ifeoma JomboOfor as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, to await a Meeting of the National Judicial Council to review the matter in all its ramifications.

“And after full and dispassionate deliberations on the matter, council unanimously decided that Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofor be sworn-in as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.”

NJC silent on Salami Meantime, the council, yesterday, was silent on the prolonged suspension of the embattled President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, who has reportedly been mandated to withdraw all the suits he filed in court with a view to regaining his position for a period of threemonths after which he will proceed on compulsory retirement with full benefits.

MORE TROUBLE FOR BABALAKIN: To face money laundering charges

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH & WAHAB ABDULAH

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AGOS—MORE trouble came the way of the Bi-Courtney top shot, Dr. Wale Babalakin, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, began moves to formally charge him for alleged money laundering.

The filing of the 27count charge at a Lagos High Court by the antigraft agency, came barely two days after an aggrieved Federal Government terminated the Concession management contract it awarded to Bi-Courtney to construct and operate the strategic 125-km LagosIbadan Expressway.

Although the company has kicked against the cancellation of the job, the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, sounded defiant last night, saying the government was ready to meet Babalakin in court over the action, which he said was to save Ni-

gerian road users from avoidable suffering.

Vanguard learnt that although the charges were filed, no date had been fixed for the commencement of Babalakin’s trial.

It was gathered that the Bi-Courtney boss was being wanted in connection with the alleged role he played in helping a former governor in one of the Niger Delta states to launder over N2 billion, which the politician successfully moved to Mauritius and eventually used in acquiring a Bombardier aircraft, while in office.

There were indications last night that operatives of the anti-graft agency might have begun a manhunt for the lawyerturned businessman with interest in many areas of investments.

A source familiar with the charges that were filed against Babalakin, said: “We have filed 27 charges bordering on money laundering against the suspect and we may soon move against him.

“The suspect is wanted in connection with a transaction in

which he helped a former governor of Delta State to launder huge sums of money via a company in Mauritius and used the proceeds to acquire a Bombardier aircraft for his personal use.

“Specifically, he has to answer questions on money laundering against himself and conferring corrupt benefits on the former governor by helping to launder public funds,” the source explained.

Only on Monday, the Federal Government had terminated the road contract and gave it to two other firms -Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited- to handle speedily.

The government accused Bi-Courtney of serially breaching the terms of the concession agreement signed by both parties on May 26, 2009 under the late President Umaru Yar ’Adua administration.

But Bi-Courtney spokesman, Dipo Kehinde, said the government had been unfair to the company, insisting that it had kept its side of the agreement.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Anti-terrorism law: You are ill-informed, Senate tells IGP

BY HENRY UMORU

A

AWARD: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal (left), receiving a certificate and a plague from Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State when the state government presented an award to the Speaker in Sokoto.

Security Votes: EFCC, ICPC, 36 govs oppose suit zAs court fixes Feb 18 for judgement

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA — A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, fixed February 18, 2013, to deliver judgement on a suit asking it to declare the huge amount of monies usually deducted from statutory allocation by governors of the 36 states of the federation under the guise of ‘Security Votes’, as illegal, fraudulent and unconstitutional.

Justice Adamu Bello adjourned for judgement after he listened to preliminary objections entered against the suit by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, as well as objections from governors of the 36 states.

The plaintiff, Chief Nkereuwem Dofia Akpan, who is a constitutional lawyer, had in the suit he filed since 2010, prayed the court to, among other things, determine whether by virtue of the extant, sacrosanct and combined provisions of section 16(2) and section 120 of the 1999 constitution Cap C 23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, any of the defendants has the power, without lawful authority, to deduct monies from the statutory allocation made from the Federation Account to each or any of the states of the federation or the Federal Capital

Territory under the guise of “Security Vote.”

Besides, he urged the court to determine whether the policy of security vote is recognized either by the 1999 constitution or any other law for the time being in force in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Whether by section 205(d) of the 1999 constitution, the criminal deductions so made by the defendants is not fraudulent, illegal, void and unconstitutional and whether the 1st to 37th defendants are not to that extent in breach of their oath of office for bare violation of the constitution.”

As well as, “whether by the effects of section 39 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, the ICPC Act 2003 and the EFCC Act 2004, the 38th and 39th defendants cannot be compelled to commence the investigation of these illegal, fraudulent and unconstitutional deductions with a view to recovering such misappropriated monies to the Federation Account or such other accounts as the National Assembly may by simple resolution direct.”

EFCC, govs oppose suit Meanwhile, though the Governors of all the 36 states earlier challenged the competence of the suit, the EFCC and ICPC, yesterday, took turns to adduce reasons why the

suit should be dismissed in its entirety.

In a counter affidavit deposed to by one of its lawyers, James Neville Onu, EFCC branded the suit as “frivolous, unmeritorious and worthless.”

While urging the court to dismiss the action “inlimine”, EFCC, maintained that the plaintiff lacks the requisite locus standi to institute the action.

...ICPC, too Likewise, in its counter affidavit, the ICPC, through one of its lawyers, Ezeana Ijezie, maintained that the plaintiff failed to disclose any reasonable cause of action against the 36 states governors, insisting that it has no power to investigate how the defendants utilise the security votes they deduct from their state allocations.

It was the contention of the plaintiff that “the illegal ways and manners these monies are deducted and misappropriated by the Governors, including the Minister of FCT, amount to gross abuse of office.

“I verily believe that the 38th and 39th defendants (EFCC and ICPC) are statutorily enamoured with powers to investigate the 1st to 37th defendants for these sordid and fraudulent acts. I verily believe that this court can compel the 38th and 39th defendants to prosecute the 1st to 37th defendants once their immunities expire

upon leaving office at the end of their term or removal from office whichever comes earlier” he stated.

BUJA — THE Senate, yesterday, took a swipe at the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, stressing that he must have been ill-formed on the position of the antiterrorism law, just as it said the law already existed in the country.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, noted that the upper chamber was totally confused when the Inspector General of Police said there was no such law and as such the detained Boko Haram would not be put on trial, adding: "The Senate was surprised and flabbergasted” by the claim that there was no law to prosecute arrested suspected terrorists.

The Inspector-General of Police had on Tuesday said the Police could not put the detained members of Boko Haram on trial until the anti-terrorism bill which was before the National

Assembly was passed into law.

Abaribe, who noted that the Anti-Terrorism Prevention Bill was passed into law in 2011 and President Goodluck Jonathan did not delay in signing it into law, said: "Probably, the IGP was not properly briefed about the existence of a bill on terrorism that was passed more than a year ago." ...tasks Okonjo-Iweala

Also, yesterday, the Senate urged the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to as a matter of urgency factor in the Nigerian Prisons Service under the SURE- P Programme.

According to the Senate, it could be a win-win situation if only a portion of the spending by the government was reserved for prison inmates that would be set aside for the sewing of uniforms and thus boost production of goods and services.

Lagos-Ibadan road: We are ready to meet Bi-Courtney in court —FG zSays we adhered to contractual agreement

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA — THE Federal Government, yesterday, said it was ready to meet Bi-Courtney Consortium whose concession of the LagosIbadan Expressway was terminated on Monday in court if the company resorts to legal action to challenge the termination.

The Minister of Works, Chief Mike Onolememen, who stated this said the Federal Government observed the rules of disengagement as stated in the agreement between it and the consortium, adding that the Federal Government had repeatedly drawn BiCourtney's attention to remedy the situation to no avail.

The minister said: “That concession was governed by law, the agreement is the governing instrument for that concession. And the obligations of the parties were well spelt out in that agreement and at every point in time, every party was in the know as to what it was doing, either in conformity with the obligation in the agreement

or in breach of those obligations.

"As a party, the government at a time had to address a letter to BiCourtney detailing the serial breaches it had committed on that particular concession and inviting the company to remedy those breaches given the days of grace as provided for in the agreement, failing which government did not have to invite them again to another meeting to terminate it.

"It is one of the rights given to government as a guarantor in the concession to terminate when certain things go wrong in the section prescribed in the agreement. And that is precisely what government did. So they are free to go to court and government will meet them in the law court.”

On RCC On the fears being expressed about RCC's capability to handle the job, Onolememen said: “RCC is one of the contractors in the category that we are comfortable with. It is RCC

that did most of the very important roads in this country that have continued to provide easy movement for people.

"As we speak they are engaged on the BeninOre-Sagamu dualisation and they are doing very well there. They are also on the Abuja-Lokoja dualisation project on Section II and they are in various parts of the country even in the Niger Delta.

"I perceive that what people may be referring to is consequent on the alignment. For example, if you move from Abuja to Lokoja, you will see pockets of FADAMA drainages where some water just sieve from the country. One of the problems I had to deal with as minister was to redo that entire alignment in terms of detailed designs and specifications.

"Because abinitio when that particular contract was awarded in 2006, it was awarded just like any other road. Nobody took into cognisance the peculiarities of that particular alignment, in fact it was one of the reasons I had to create a new department of geotechnic, material and control."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—7

FG to rebuild bombed UN building with N5.2bn zOkays dualisation of LokojaOkene road

BY BEN AGANDE

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FEC MEETING: From left: Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and Vice President Namadi Sambo during the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

I can spend more than eight years in office, Jonathan tells court zSays nothing stops him from seeking re-election in 2015

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA — As insinuation over his possible intention to seek re-election in 2015 mounts, President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that contrary to the provision of the 1999 constitution, the tenure of an incumbent president can extend beyond four or eight years.

President Jonathan, who adduced the argument while responding to a fresh suit seeking to bar him from vying for presidency in 2015, maintained that those who were contesting his possible bid in the next presidential election, had failed to canvass any valid reason why he cannot contest.

The fresh suit was filed against him by a Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, Henry Amadi, who is equally a card carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The plaintiff is contending that Jonathan is not eligible to contest in 2015 on the grounds that by so doing he would be spending more than the maximum period of two terms of four years envisaged by the 1999 constitution.

The suit is similar to the previous one filed by another member of the PDP, Mr Cyriacus Njoku,

on March 20, 2012 before an Abuja High Court, which is equally seeking to stop Jonathan from contesting in 2015 on the premise that he is already in his second term in office.

Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi had earlier slated November 13, 2012 to deliver judgment on Njoku’s suit but subsequently adjourned indefinitely following his trip abroad.

Meanwhile, in the instant suit, Amadi named Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as defendants.

The plaintiff is asking the court to stop Jonathan from putting himself forward or participating as candidate for election to the office of the President at the end of his current term of office in 2015.

Amadi also asked the court to direct INEC not to accept Jonathan’s nomination as candidate of the PDP by 2015 because by so doing, Jonathan will hoist illegality in the polity since the oath of allegiance and office he will take if he wins will violate the two oaths of allegiance and office stipulated by the 1999 constitution.

Plaintiff lacks locus —Jonathan However, in a counteraffidavit filed on his behalf by Mr Ade

Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), Jonathan maintained that the court should divest itself of the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, arguing that the plaintiff lacks the locus to request court to stop him from contesting 2015 presidential election.

Jonathan said Amadi failed to disclose reasonable cause of action and that the plaintiff ’s claim was hypothetical and academic.

Jonathan averred that he took the first oath of office on May 6, 2010 following the death of erstwhile President Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua.

He said: ‘’The question that arises for determination is whether, having regard to the facts of this case, is he in his first or second term? In other words, given that the constitution prescribes a maximum of two terms of four years each totalling a maximum of eight years as President, is he eligible to run for re-election in 2015?

“If yes, that would mean that, if he wins, he would be in office for a period of more than eight years. On the other hand, if the answer is no, that would mean that he, for no fault of his, would be constrained to serve for a period of less than eight years.

“Given that between

May 6, 2010 and May 28, 2011 he held office for the unexpired term of office of Yar ’Adua following the death of the latter. Does the constitution contemplate that the period of about one year and three weeks would constitute his first term, a period of less than half of the constitutionally prescribed period of four years.”

Okeaya-Inneh argued that, “in resolving this issue, the court is invited to make a determination whether the period of May 6, 2010 to May 28, 2011 wherein Jonathan occupied the office of the President can in law be regarded as one term of office and relevance of the oath of office Jonathan took on May 6, 2010 in computing the tenure of office of Jonathan in line with sections 135 (1) and (2), 137 (1)(b), 140 (1) and (2) and 146(1) of the 1999 constitution.”

He argued that it was better with the political situation of Nigeria for Jonathan to spend nine years in office than to spend less than eight years.

He maintained: “This approach is also consistent with the time honoured canon of interpretation to the effect that if confronted with two interpretations, one of which would abridge a person’s right and another which would maintain or enhance a person’s rights, the former constitution yields to the later.”

BUJA — THE Federal Executive Council, FEC, chaired by the Vice President Namadi Sambo, yesterday, approved contracts worth N199.19 billion in various sectors of the economy.

Of this amount, road construction and rehabilitation across different geo-political zones of the country took the lion share of N176.13 billion while the construction of terminal building as well as control tower at the Yenagoa airport was approved at the cost of N13.91 billion while the reconstruction of the bombed United Nations Building in Abuja was approved for N5.2 billion.

Addressing State House correspondents at the end of council meeting, Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said the council took cognizance of the onset of the dry season in awarding the contracts for road constructions while the construction of the United Nations Building in Abuja is in fulfillment of government’s earlier promise to foot the bill for the reconstruction of the bombed building.

The Information Minister, who was flanked by the

Ministers of Works, Niger Delta Affairs and the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, also disclosed that council approved for the purchase of brand new Air Ambulance Cessna Ciation Sovereign Jet Aircraft (fully equipped and customized with emergency medical facilities) in the sum of $23,171,058.28, as the foreign currency content and N909,590,181.13 as the local currency content with a delivery period of 32 weeks.

Providing further explanation on the road contracts, Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said council approved the dualisation of the LokojaBenin road in four slots.

They include the ObajanaOkene at a total cost of N11,663,957,682.30 with a completion period of 24 months; Okene-Auchi at a cost of N11,086,276,140.36 with a completion period of 42 months; Auchi-Ehor at a cost of N11,659,588,909.69 and completion period of 40 months and Ehor-Benin at a cost of N11,679,997,440.71 with a completion period of 11 months.

Oil leak: ExxonMobil shuts in production

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

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AGOS — AFTER almost two weeks of battling oil leak at its Ibeno facility offshore Akwa Ibom State, the Nigerian unit USbased Oil giant, ExxonMobil, is forced to shut down production.

Refraining from disclosing how much production was affected in spite of prodding, the oil company in a statement, yesterday, “declared force majeure due to the difficulty in meeting projected liftings because of repair work on a section of pipeline affected in a November 9 oil release incident.”

Force majeure is a legal term that absorbs companies from meeting supply schedule on account of circumstances beyond its control.

As yet, the cause of the leak remains unknown as ExxonMobil has not said anything regarding its

preliminary investigations into the spill.

A statement by General Manager, Public & Government Affairs, Mr. Paul Arinze, said: “We are working to minimize downtime period and have notified appropriate regulatory agencies and purchasers. We regret any inconveniences this may cause our customers,” Breaking the news of the oil leak, ExxonMobil said the source of the leak was identified and the pipeline was isolated and shutdown, while also deploying emergency response personnel and equipment as well as notifying relevant regulatory authorities.

The authorities, including the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR; National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA; and the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment, were said to have been notified of the spill of approximately 200 barrels of oil.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Why we don't want Kalu in PDP —Orji, Senators, Reps zThe people have spoken — Bamanga Tukur

BY HENRY UMORU

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AGOS—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, political office holders and major party stakeholders from Abia State, yesterday, with one voice raised their opposition to alleged moves by former Governor Orji Kalu to return to the party.

The party stakeholders led by Governor Theodore Orji including all three senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly

belonging to the PDP from Abia State, told the PDP national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur that Kalu carries a major credibility baggage that would negatively affect the cohesion and unity of the party in the state.

The immediate past governor of the state who is presently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, the stakeholders said would neither add quality nor quantity to the

party’s fortunes in the state.

Orji who succeeded Kalu, and was elected in 2007 on the platform of Kalu’s PPA in supporting the decision to bar his predecessor, said Kalu’s return would be a distraction for the party in the state.

This is the second time that party stakeholders would be blocking Kalu’s purported re-entry to the party which he left in the months leading to the 2007 general election.

In 2010, the party

stakeholders then led by Chief Emeka Wogu, the Minister of Labour and Productivity had led a similar campaign to frustrate the reentry of the former governor to the party.

Wogu who was at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting and Chief Ojo Maduekwe, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada were not involved but are believed to be supportive of the action.

In the position paper presented to Tukur by the Na-

tional Vice-Chairman, South East, Col. Austin Akobondu, rtd, the party stakeholders said: “While our doors remain open for more reconciliation where needed and without prejudice to our commitment to ensuring a level- playing field for all members, there is unanimity that the readmission of any former member, whose presence would cause disaffection or return us to the battlefield of hostilities, would be stoutly resisted. ‘’Since his exit, PDP in Abia State has gone round the crisis cycle and

emerged from those experiences an entirely different entity which today celebrates a prevailing atmosphere of unanimity, being relieved of the common source of deep-seated animosities and resentment.

"You may have also heard it elsewhere that the exit of the former governor was the rallying point in reconciling aggrieved members and setting the party on a sounder electoral footing. If the rumours making the round presently, that he has been making surreptitious moves to be readmitted into the party’s fold are correct, then there will surely be cataclysmic consequences for the party in Abia. This controversial and wholly unnecessary move will reignite the fire of trench- warfare among otherwise reconciled members."

Also in his remarks, Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, said: ‘’Your Excellency, we have come with full hearts to show the world that we support you. Secondly, this is democracy.

My people have spoken and I don’t need to repeat what they have said."

Reacting to their position, national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who assured them that their remarks would not be discountenanced, said, that ‘’democracy is about choice. The people have spoken. People who talked here mentioned one thing: peace, harmony. That’s what I want. My mission is reconciliation without confrontation."

Passage

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N ITSEKIRI com munity leader and Olara-aja of Ureju, from the families of Ugbomo of Jakpa and Erefuluwa – Ureju, both in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, Pa Ejewino Aroufo, 96, is dead.

Late Pa Ejewino Aroufo is survived by many relations including Mr. Emmanuel Ejewino.

The burial date will be announced later by the family.

Late Pa Aroufo

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—9

3 crushed as container falls on car in Lagos

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

The accident which occurred at about 1.15p.m, was attributed to the bad road which has been a nightmare to commuters and other users of the road.

The containerized vehicle with registration number XT 339 AKD was said to be conveying

some goods when it lost control and fell on the car, with four occupants.

Three of the passengers died instantly, while the driver was in a critical condition.

The accident caused a heavy traffic while passers-by went on an immediate rescue

mission of the trapped persons, before officials of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and Lagos O FEWER than State Traffic three persons were Management Authourity, crushed to death LASTMA, came to the yesterday when a 40scene of the accident. feet containerized Three of the occupants vehicle fell on a Mazda pulled out from the car on the Badagry-Seme crushed car had already Expressway died. Vanguard learnt that the driver of the truck fled immediately the accident occurred.

Eye witnesses told Vanguard that the bad portion of the road has been left because of the on going reconstruction and that the danger has been there all along.

“For the fact that the road is no longer manageable, road users often drive against traffic to avoid container carrying trucks; now it has claimed lives,” exclaimed a regular road user The accident attracted a lot of condemnations of the government towards Compressed car with four passengers (three dead) under the 40-foot loaded its people, with an eyecontainer on Badagry Expressway, yesterday. Photo: Vera Samuel Anyagafu witness saying; “This is an indication that we are all driving on a time bomb. It could be I or you tomorrow” As at the time LASTMA officials arrived the scene of the accident with a towing van in order to lift the container off the compressed car, a large number good spirited Nigerians, who AGOS — THE exercise. are now in the closing swung into action almost organisers of the 18th “Initially, we had the stages. immediately the accident National Sports Festival training in their various “With this development, occurred, had already said on Wednesday that schools during their it is obvious that the evacuated the they were preparing extra-curricular hours. games are here and we passengers on board the 1,000 students to “Having gone through will treat Lagos and all car with registration entertain participants eight weeks of all forms Nigerians to a colourful number UK 641 KJA. and spectators with of rigorous training, we opening ceremony.” calisthenics at the Popoola said. opening ceremony of the event in Lagos on Nov. 27.

Tayo Popoola, Director of the Calisthenics Group, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the pupils were from three AGOS — MAZI Aworinde, former May Clinics Ltd and St. secondary schools in S a m Chairman of May Paul Senior Citizens Yaba, a suburb of the Lagos metropolis.

Ohuabunwa, the Clinics Ltd. Foundation, will also The schools are: Igbobi Chairman of Niemeth The event is slated for feature the College, Yaba; Queens Pharmaceutical Plc Wednesday, November presentation of the College, Onike and Eletu and Senator 28, 2012 at NECA biography of late Dr. Odibo Junior/Senior Olorunnimbe Mamora House, Plot A2, Aworinde and the School, Yaba. will be the Chairman Hakeem Balogun celebration of the 10th “We have been training these children for eight and Special Guest of Street, near Marwa year anniversary of St weeks before now in Honour respectively at Garden, Alausa, Lagos Paul’s Senior Citizens Foundation. calisthenics and they the 5th year memorial by 10:00a.m. lecture of late Elder The lecture, which is have been responding to IseOluwa jointly sponsored by all formations of the (Dr.)

N

EKO 2012:

Lagos trains 1,000 students for calisthenics L

Mamora, Ohuabunwa, for Aworinde Memorial Lecture L

Fashola’s wife condemns healthcare workers’ attitude

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

L

AGOS — WIFE of the Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola has identified negative attitude of healthcare providers in public health facilities as major factor fuelling low attendance in many government-owned hospitals.

The wife of the Governor, who spoke while flagging off the second round of this year ’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week in Lagos, called for attitudinal change of service providers in the public sector, particularly among the nurses and doctors.

Fashola, who noted the

need for a better approach to issues relating to life, stressed the importance of attitudinal change in the health sector in order to save more lives.

Continuing, she said: “This is not about nurses alone; it is about all of us.

Our attitude to work, our attitude to one another, and the way we talk and our approach to one another must be redefined. It is only in this part of the world that we employ people and still monitor them to make sure they do the job.”

She explained that the purpose of the weeklong programme was to create awareness among the people on the health care services.

28 year old arraigned for robbery

BY ONOZURE DANIA

A

28 year old man Sunday Ogabor Ebah, was yesterday arraigned, before an Ikeja Magistrate Court along with others now at large, on a three count charge of conspiracy, felony and robbery.

The police prosecutor E. J Nnamonu, told the court that Ebah on November 11, 2012, at about 2 p.m. at No. 3, Craig Street, Shomolu area of Lagos, conspired with others, to commit felony.

He said Ebah, while in company of five other

gangsters on December 22, 2011, on Bajulaiye Road, Shomolu, in Lagos, robbed Mr. Azeez Olamilekan of No. 25 Salami Street, Off Apata Shomolu area of Lagos, of his Nokia handset, valued at N25,000 and a cash sum of N30, 000.

He also allegedly robbed Mr. Segun Ademakinwa of his Nokia handset valued at N12, 000 and a cash sum of N20, 000.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate A.O. Komolafe, after granting him bail, adjourned the matter, till January 22, 2013 for further trial.

Education sector gets ‘free, best software’

BY STARRYS OBAZEI

L

AGOS — SOFTware development for the education sector that began silently at the University of Jos (Unijos) almost a decade ago, is gradually sizzling to burst into a national and global product.

Mr. Owen Iyoha, Director, Datasphir Solutions Ltd, a pioneer developer of the said soft-ware at Unijos, told newsmen that the software, "EduERPwhich will give digital ease to so many education-based procedures and operations," will be launced on November 28, at the University of Lagos.

The new soft-ware, Vanguard learnt, is ready for the market and it is free.

Speaking on EduERP application, Iyoha said: "EduERP will facilitate automated matriculation number registration, automated examination result grading, automated student hostel allocation, examination processing and Senate result report, fee payment interface and fee management system.”

He added: "Ths is the first of its kind from Nigeria. I believe we have the best software and it is free, absolutely free. We'll make do with consultancy for big firms and young developers."

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Cour t adjourns ruling to determine NPAN suit against APCON & IGP

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE & CHINENYE EZEAMANIE

From left: Chief Sharafadeen Alli, Chairman, Odu'a Investment; Mr. Adebayo Jimoh,GMD; Alhaji Tajudeen Ola Bello and Otunba Olajumoke Ogunkeyede, all directors, during the commissioning of Odu'a Investment Shopping Centre, at Idi-Ape, Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube

One dies as Customs boss escapes death in Ogun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

B E O K U TA — PANDEMONIUM broke out in Ajilete, Oke - Odan and Owode in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State yesterday following the alleged killing of one youth by Customs officer in the state Subsequently, some youths in the area threatened a reprisal attack on the Customs

officers in the area and have protested the wilful shooting of one of them identified as Seun to death.

According an eyewitness, the incident occurred on Saturday when the officer was on his way to Lagos from Idiroko border town area office and he allegedly stopped in the midst of the road and fired shots at Seun and others, claiming that they were assassins trailing him.

It was, however, gathered that, the officer was alone in his car but sensed that he was being trailed by some people which prompted him to call for reinforcement.

Vanguard checks revealed that the officer was waylaid when he got to Owode, subsequently causing a serious stir but, the Customs boss was reportedly able to manoeuvre out of the situation after allegedly killing one of the youths

Oyo schools are dilapidated – Ajimobi OLA AJAYI

I

B A D A N — GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said it would not be out of place to describe most secondary schools in the state as “ recreation centres for villagers just coming into town” due to their dilapidated conditions.

He said the secondary schools were not worthy to be regarded as such.

Ajimobi said this yesterday in his office during the courtesy visit paid on him by Queens’ School Old Girls Association, QSOGA. The governor was attesting to the complaints of the association that some buildings in the school needed urgent attention.

The association was led by its President,

Adebola Williams.

Ajimobi said: “We are unhappy about their level of dilapidation.

Some of them are no longer what we can call secondary schools, but recreation centres for villagers just coming

into town”.

He lamented that it would be unforgivable for him and others to allow schools that had produced great men and women to go to the cemetery of "once before”.

identified as Seun.

It was further gathered that, there was sporadic shooting by Customs officers who reportedly got to the scene shortly after their boss was waylaid and scared away the suspected smugglers.

But when contacted, the state Customs Public Relations Officer, Chris Ngige said there was an attempt on the life of their boss which he said was later foiled.

According to him, the vehicles used by the smugglers have been seized.

He said that, the Customs boss had visited the traditional rulers in the area where he solicited the support of the monarchs and their people in the cause of wagging war against smuggling.

When the state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi was contacted he said the Command was yet to be briefed about the matter.

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Justice Musa Kurya of a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned till Friday further hearing in the suit brought against Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, and the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, by Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN. Counsel for NPAN, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), told the court that it would be improper for the substantive suit to begin without allowing the 2nd defendant (IGP) to exercise his right to file his process within 30 days “On the substantive suit, the 2nd defendant has up till today (Wednesday) for his case. He was served on October 22, 2012 so they have up to the end of business today. That being so, the substantive suit is not ripe for hearing so that the 2nd defendant can be given a fair hearing,” Oyetibo said.

He argued that since it is a case instituted by originating summons and evidence is by affidavit, there is a guidance by the Supreme Court that both the objection and substantive suit should be taken together.

Citing the case of Senate President against Arthur Nzeribe (2004) NWLR, particularly page 274, Oyetibo urged the court not to take APCON’s motion since the matter has two parties.

He added: “My point is that we should not shut out the 2nd defendant because I will be the victim as a plaintiff. So I urge the Lordship to allow the 2nd defendant to have his time.”

However, counsel to

APCON, Mrs. Olapeju Banwo, submitted that “the preliminary objection was ripe for hearing while the originating summon was not, therefore it would be better to take the preliminary objection first and another day should be fixed for the originating summon”.

She said, “Let us take the preliminary objection now; allowing the two applications to be taken at the same time is foregoing our right. So it is better that we take the preliminary objection today and come another day for the originating summon.”

After listening to the argument of both counsel, Justice Kurya pointed out that the name of the 2nd defendant in the suit has not been struck out, saying “had it been that what is happening today (Wednesday) is taking place tomorrow (Thursday), I would have listened to Banwo because the door would have been shut against the 2nd defendant who has a right to file his process till the end of today.”

NPAN filed the suit following a code enacted

by APCON, which infringes on the right of members of the association to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinion and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

It was gathered that on June 7, 2012, a letter was issued by the Police to Vanguard, pursuant to a complaint by the 1 st defendant (APCON) of the violation by the media House of Article 21 of the Code. And in the course of Police investigation, invited persons were threatened with further arrest and prosecution for allegedly violating the provisions of the code.

Osun boosts jobs creation with honey, fish

O

SOGBO —AS part of its selfe m p l o y m e n t programmes, the government of Osun State has established a bee-keeping and honey production farm in Asi, Odo-Otin Local Government Council.

Launching the project,

the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said that the project tagged O’Honey under the Osun Queen Bee Rearing Apiary Project, has the capacity to train 600 persons annually.

He described the projects as another money-making business

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—11

NBC staff donate relief materials to 1,400 households

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

T

VISIT: His Royal Majesty, Air Vice Marshal, Lucky Ararile (rtd), Ovie of Umiagwha-Abraka Kingdom, Chief Friday Inomieso, Air Commodore Darlington Abdullahi (rtd), during a courtesy call to the monarch in his palace.

Local content policy: Dickson blasts oil industry players ....It's successful, Diezani, NNPC GMD, insist

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

E N A G O A — GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has faulted the implementation of the local content policy of the Federal Government, saying oil producing communities in the Niger Delta were yet to benefit from the policy.

However, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMaduake, and Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, differed in their submissions, describing the Nigerian Content Act policy as a success story.

Dickson, who spoke while declaring open the 2nd Practical Nigerian Content Conference in Yenagoa, said governors in the region had discovered a low percentage of indigenes of oil bearing communities involved in the implementation of the policy.

Neglect and devastation

Speaking on the topic, Local Content Policy and its impact on the national economy, Dickson said: “What we have discovered is a story of neglect and devastation. If you take a census of those involved in the implementation and ownership of oil well,

vessels and others, they are not from these devastated communities. ”The top players in the sourcing and lifting of crude from these devastated communities don’t have offices here in the Niger Delta. We have discovered that we produce the oil and these other states take the wealth at our own detriment. Some of these top operators become millionaires and develop other states but they breed militants, create unemployment and environmental degradation in the region.”

Dickson called on the oil multinationals and the Local Content Board, headed by Mr. Ernest Nwanpa to assist the governors of the Niger Delta as they pushed to solve the recurrent chal-

lenges of unemployment and the rising need to create wealth for youth empowerment in the region. ”What the people call oil bloc is somebody’s ancestral land,” he declared and stressed the need for more involvement of the local community in resources exploited on their land.

40 per cent local participation

In their speeches, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa, and Managing Director of the NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, stressed the need for improvement in the implementation of the policy.

He, however, said the NNPC had achieved over 40 per cent in the area of encouraging local participation in the oil and gas industry.

He said: “The participation of Nigerian Companies in the oil and gas business, especially the upstream segment has substantially increased from a meager 10 per cent before the enactment of the law to more than 30 per cent even in the deep offshore as recently demonstrated in the just commissioned Usan Deep Offshore Field development."

In her remarks, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani AlisonMadueke, described the signing of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 as arguably the most heralded development for the industry in the past few years.

Okada: Police, courier service operators breach ban in Delta

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

S A B A — B A R E LY three weeks after the ban on commercial motorcyclists, otherwise known as Okada riders, came into effect in Delta State, some security operatives, especially policemen, and courier service outriders, have started violating the ban with impunity, Vanguard investigation has shown.

State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, had recently said

the state Executive Council tacitly exempted officers on duty from the ban.

He also explained that the exemption was on the condition that such police officers must be in full uniform, wear helmet and should not carry passengers.

However, the story was entirely different when our reporter went round Asaba, the state capital, yesterday, as some riders merely put on Mobile Police trousers with T-shirts on top and without hel-

met.

Same applied to courier service outriders.

Commissioner of Transport, Mr. Ben Igbakpa, has however warned that anybody caught breaching the law should be ready to face the wrath of the law.

He said: “Some corporate bodies who are involved in courier services have applied for permit but none of the request have been granted as they have not been able to meet with the condition for such grant.”

O provide succour to victims of the recent flooding across the country, staff of Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, NBC, have donated relief materials for 1,400 households in four Internally Displaced Persons camps across the country.

A statement by the Head, Public Affairs and Communications, Mrs. Adeyanju Olomola, explained that NBC’s contribution to bring relief and succour to the flood victims underscored the company’s vision of being a trusted partner for

good in Nigeria.

She added that beyond providing the materials for the affected communities in Ihuike Ahoada and Ekpeye camp, Rivers State, Ibaje Camp, Kogi State, Yola North Camp, Adamawa State and Imoghene Camp, in Bayelsa State, the prayers of NBC staff were with their fellow citizens in all the flooded communities at this difficult time.

NBC staff under the company’s employee volunteer initiative, ‘Make a Difference’ led a relief effort that saw both the staff and company provide cash, food and vital materials to the people affected by the flood.

No solidarity visit to my office, Edo SSG warns

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—FOLLOW ING the charge by Governor Adams Oshiomhole to newly swornin Secretary to Edo State Government, SSG, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, to assist in the effort to take the state to the next level, the SSG yesterday banned solidarity visits in his office in order to allow him focus on his new job.

Ihonvbere told Vanguard: “My focus now is

hole had explained that his reason for appointing someone of Prof. Ihonvbere’s caliber as SSG was to help strengthen his cabinet because, according to him, “the task of a second term is more challenging and we need to do more for our people.”

However, Ihonvbere who told Vanguard that he did not want any distraction at this point in time, said: “I don’t want courtesy visits, no receptions for now to enable me focus and do my job."

Rivers PCRC holds annual confab

R

IVERS State chap ter of the Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, will today hold its 2012 annual conference.

The parley, with the theme Hard Drugs: A Threat to Community and National Security, will hold under the chairmanship of Chairman of National Drug

Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr. Ahmadu Giade.

PCRC Chairman, Mr. Austen Yong, said the conference would, among other things, look at the nexus between drug trafficking and insecurity in the country, with a view to remedying the situation through multi-sectoral collaboration.

Pa Douglas Obebara passes on @ 88

P

A Douglas Obebara of Okoroba Town, Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, is dead, aged 88.

A statement by Mr. Oronto N. Douglas on behalf of the family said a wake keep will hold on December 14, at Okoroba Town while an in-

terdenominational church service will take place at Community Secondary School, Okoroba Town, on Saturday, December 15, at 10:00am.

Interment will take place same day at Mission Cemetry, Okoroba Town, Nembe LGA., Bayelsa State, at 1:00pm.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Imo inauguates inspectorate team for free education

G

OVERNOR of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has inaugurated an inspectorate team that will supervise and ensure the success of free education programme in the state.

This is even as the governor launched a special programme tagged No Teachers, No School Programme, to ensure equitable distribution of teachers and effective staffing of schools in the state.

Speaking at the event in Owerri, Governor Okorocha reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure that free and qualitative education declared at all levels in the state does not only succeed but is sustained.

He disclosed that farreaching measures had been adopted towards restructuring the school system in line with the state government's Rescue Mission Agenda.

GCU Old Boys take stock

O TRIBUNAL: From right: Dr. Pius Odubu, Deputy Governor, Edo State, and Mr. Thomas Okosun, Chairman, Edo State Action Congress of Nigeria, briefing journalists after the sitting of Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Benin, yesterday. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike.

Community accuses oil firm of instigating violence in Delta

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—ODIMO DI community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State has alerted Delta State Security Council, DSSC, of imminent threat to the peace between the community and Ogulagha in the state, allegedly instigated by an oil company and other interested parties.

In a letter, dated November 9, addressed to the chairman, DSSC, chairman of Odimodi community, Chief Sunny Gbeya, said Nigerian Agip Oil Company,

NAOC, was causing unnecessary conflict between the two communities over the recent oil spillage from its Beniboye flow line.

He said the oil company was, by its action, working against the resolutions of Delta State Security Council and Delta State House of Assembly reached in 2004 and 2007 in respect of NAOC’s oil spills at Beniboye, and peace accord brokered 10 years ago between the communities by elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

In a similar letter, also sent to the Officer in-

Charge, OIC, Nigeria Navy, Forcados Terminal, the community said Agip zonal head of National Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, the army officer in charge of Forcados Area and Ogulagha community were deliberately provoking the people on the October 23 oil spill from the flow line.

He said the spill grossly polluted Odimodi communities, which promptly informed NOSDRA, but in breach of existing resolutions, the military provided gunboats for NAOC and representatives of NOSDRA and

Tribunal tells Airhiavbere to produce hole’s Counsel, led by all witnesses Niyi Akintola (SAN),

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—THE Gov ernorship Election Petition Tribunal in Edo State resumed sitting yesterday, amidst tight security, with the tribunal chairman, Justice Mu’azu Pindinga, asking the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), to hasten up the workings of the tribunal by making all his witnesses available.

The tribunal is hearing part of Airhiavbere’s petition that alleged irregularities in the July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state. It would

be recalled that the Appeal Court had penultimate week ordered the tribunal to commence hearing on the aspect of the petition that dealt with the educational qualification of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, which was earlier thrown out by the Tribunal.

However, Oshiom-

grilled the five witnesses brought before the tribunal by Airhiavbere for over five hours, as the witnesses made efforts to prove that the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, rigged the election that was adjudged by both local and international observers as the freest and fairest election in the country.

PUBLIC NOTICE

I Mr Joseph Onimowo hereby state that i purchased block LMB4flat3 Jakande estate Oke-afa Isolo lagos from Mr & Mrs Basola and Janet Oshinibi (Assignors) in the year 2007. In furtherance to execution of change of ownership with lagos state Development and property corporation (LSDPC), all effort to contact Mr & Mrs Basola and Janet Oshinibi since 2008 to confirm assignment of the above address property in my favour is to no avail. Hence this publication for LSDPC to take note.

Ogulagha to purportedly carry out a visit to the spill site, to the exclusion of Odimodi.

LD Boys Associa tion of Government College, Ughelli, GCUOBA, Lagos branch, will on December 2, this year, gather at the Banquet Hall, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, to compare notes on its achievements in half a decade.

A statement by Assistant Secretary, GCUOBA Lagos branch Luncheon Party Committee, Akeju Akintomiwa, stated that the association had in the last five years sup-

ported Delta State government by committing over N120 million to the provision of amenities in the college. The last project, according to the statement, is an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) laboratory valued at N23 million, which the association deliverd in partnership with Exxon-Mobil Nigeria Limited. The associaton had, in the past, also awarded scholarships to needy students of the college.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 13

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 15

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Defence Hqtrs demand apology from Reuters

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA—DEFENCE headquarters, yesterday, demanded an unreserved apology from Reuters International over the video clip of the news agency alleging that Nigerian soldiers with Joint Task Force killed unarmed civilians in Maiduguri.

It described the claims as not only spurious and malicious, but also aimed at discrediting the image of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The headquarters said the apology must be given the same level of publicity given the ‘malicious report.’

Colonel Mohammed Yerima, Director of Defence Information, addressed a joint media briefing that had in attendance Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Bola Koleoso, and Director of Airforce Public Relations, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas.

He said: “The attention of the DHQ has been drawn to a video clip released by Reuters International, alleging that a soldier filmed his colleagues while they were summarily executing civilians in Maiduguri, Borno State.

“In spite of the fact that Reuters has already withdrawn the malicious report, citing lack of authenticity, the DHQ wishes to protest in very strong terms this pattern of reportage by a section of the Nigerian media in which the time honoured practice of getting both

sides of the story are jettisoned on the alter of sensationalism.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to inform the media that after viewing the video clip and conducting search from our achieves, we want to state that the video clip is not new.

“It was shown on Al Jazeera network on February 4, 2010, alleging Nigerian army soldiers killing civilians in Jos. “As a result of the Al Jazeera network report, Directorate of Army Public Relations had cause to make a press release debunking the allegation which appeared in some Nigerian daily newspapers between February 4 and 8, 2010.

“The general public was reassured that the Nigerian soldiers were not the ones being depicted in the video clips.

“Contrary to Reuters report and video clip, the Nigerian Army does not use the type of vehicle shown on internal security operations and especially not in JTF operations.

“Also, the vegetation in the video clip is not vegetation obtainable in Maiduguri or in any arid region in Nigeria.”

Tribal clash kills seven, 14 houses razed in Nasarawa

BY ABEL ABOGONYE, with Agency Report

A

BOUT seven persons were, yesterday, reportedly killed and 14 houses burnt in the Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in renewed clashes between Koro and Eggon tribesmen.

Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Akeremale, confirmed the killing in Lafia, saying several houses were also destroyed by fire during the hostilities between the two tribes in Gwadanye area of Agyaragu. The constituency office of the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Elisha Agwadu, was among those razed.

Motorcycle trouble

Eyewitnesses said the fight started when an Eggon boy was arrested by a vigilante group for allegedly stealing a motorcycle.

Upon investigation it was discovered that other boys, who were Koro by tribe, were involved in the act but had escaped.

The Eggon boy was matched to the village chief ’s house in the com-

pany of a police officer.

Other Eggon people insisted that the rest of the suspects involved in the crime be arrested since the victim claimed he knew their hideouts.

The demand for the people of Angwan Yakubu to fish out the alleged culprit resulted in a fracas that led to the death of the seven persons and the burning of more than 14 houses. The crisis escalated leading to the killing of innocent people in their farms.

‘On top of the situation'

Meanwhile, Akeremale said security agencies were on top of the situation, adding that security personnel had been drafted to the troubled spot to ensure safety of lives and property.

At the time of this report, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 4, Mr. Michael Zuokumor, was on a oneday familiarisation visit to Nasarawa State.

Incidentally, Zuokumor

Bauchi civil servant sacked over Facebook comment

BY SUZAN EDEH

B

AUCHI—BAUCHI State Government has sacked a staff of the state Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Abbas Faggo, over alleged comments on his Facebook account about monumental corruption in the state.

Faggo was alleged to have specifically commented on the funding of the wedding ceremony of

the eldest son of Governor Isah Yuguda, Idris Yuguda, ostensibly with public funds.

The letter of Faggo’s sack, signed by one Ibrahim Shehu for the state Head of Civil Service, dated November 13, 2012, entitled Termination of Appointment, with reference number GO/ CSM/S/DIS/I/T.2, read in part: “I am directed to refer to the Civil Service Commission’s letter No

Drop in loan growth good for Nigerian banks—Fitch

BY OMOH GABRIEL

F

ITCH Rating Agency, yesterday, said the marked slowdown in loan growth in the Nigerian banking sector had reduced the pressure on asset quality and capital.

A statement on its

website said: “A more pedestrian pace of credit origination helps the banks avoid asset-quality problems and places less strain on capital.

“We expect loan growth to be subdued until H213 (second half of 2013), as the market adjusts to the

higher interest rates following the expiration of the inter-bank guarantee from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, last year.

“The higher interest rates reflect heightened lending risks in the interbank market and greater competition for funds.

“The 91-day Nigerian Treasury bill yield jumped to the 13-16 percent range in October 2011, having traded below 10 percent during the previous 12 months.

“The high interest rates helped stabilise the currency.”

C S C / P R O / s / 0 0 1 / T. V dated 1st November 2012, and to convey the commission’s approval for your suspension and termination of appointment from Bauchi State Service with effect from 10th October 2012 as your service is no longer required please.”

Before Faggo’s appointment was terminated, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Almustapha Suleiman, had asked the police to investigate and prosecute him for the alleged Facebook publication, which he described as “injurious falsehood and defamation to Yuguda’s administration.”

However, when the police arraigned Faggo, his defence counsel tore the charge sheets to shreds, while the presiding Chief Magistrate, Adamu Mohammed Kafin Madaki

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

had earlier in his address pleaded with warring factions and ethnic groups in the state to sheathe their swords and live together in peace.

He said: “I am here to strengthen peace and to boost the morale of the police officers in the state, who are charged with the responsibility of maintaining peace and order peace.”

Some of the casualties are currently receiving treatment at the specialist hospital in Lafia.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

Do you support creation of new states?(2)

I

think the call for creation of more states is senseless.

The states we have are already too many. Very few of them are viable.

The result of that is that federalism has been abolished because most of the states are not viable.— Prof Itse Sagay, Lawyer.

T

HE creation of new states would make the administration very effective. First, we have to look at whether the call for creation of new states has to do with landmark. I think there are other issues.— Dr. Onyeka Uwakwe, Lecturer.

I

F the creation of more states would bring about unity, fine. However, I suspect that after creating more states, people fight over who to rule. Personally, I do not think we need more states for now.— Mr. Emmanuel Iyoke, Businessman.

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HEN more states are created, corruption in governance proliferates, with the people’s welfare at the mercy of political office holders and their cronies. I am surprised to hear talks of creating more states.— Mr. Emmanuel Soji, Footballer.

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OST of the existing states are not viable.

Internallly-generated revenues are not anything to go by. They go cap in hand to Abuja to collect money. Creating more states will not solve any problem.— Mr. Olanrewaju Ogunlesi, Lawyer.

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HE call is unnecessary. Why don’t we judiciously utilise our God-given resources to engender national growth and development across the existing states, thereby improving the people’s lives?— Comrade Ikenna Asomba, Student.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 17

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as Senate Leader, whose NPN did not have the majority to pass legislation.

Saraki’s leadership helped to forge consensus that assisted in winning the consent of the UPN, NPP, PRP and GNPP in the Senate for major legislations of the Shagari administration.

Remarkable philanthropic legacy

Dr ar Olusola Saraki: I Dr.. Abubak Abubakar 1933-20 12 1933-201

First encouter

I

first met Dr. Saraki in 2002. The political crisis with the late Governor Lawal was reaching a head and I had resumed at DAILY TRUST as Editor a few months earlier, after resigning my job as GM KWTV. It was very funny really, because it was a political associate of Saraki’s from Kebbi State who arranged that first meeting.

KabiruTanimu would not understand why I had never met the political leader of my state.

I explained that certain peculiarities of Ilorin made it almost impossible for us to have met. But we had a tangential tiff at the commencement of the Lawal administration in 1999. When we reached Saraki’s Maitama residence that night, we discussed the political crisis in the state and several aspects of the history Ilorin. I told the venerable politician that I felt that he had been responsible for the choice which boomeranged in all our faces; but I also underlined that the coming battle had become everybody’s not just his own.

In the end, Saraki fought the battle of his life to oust Governor Lawal and for the first time, we had the political leader supremely triumphant, with his son, Bukola as gover nor; daughter, Gbemisola a senator and another son, Olaolu, eventually a Special Assistant in the presidency.

It was the finest moment for the old man, and those years from Bukola’s accession in 2003, represented the finest hours for the Saraki dynasty. If one individual dominated a political space so totally, this was its greatest expression;things came full circle for Dr.Saraki, because he effectively cashed the IOU from the people of Kwara State in general and the Ilorin Emirate in particular. After decades of serving the people; liberally giving of his resources to enthrone governors (and also dethroning them!); the nominations of several individuals to various elective positions; assisting the needy; providing succour to various communities, etc.; the people selflessly allowed the old man to take so much just for his own family! It was a remarkable “synergy ”, between the political leader and his children on the one hand and the people of the state on the other; it is unlikely ever to be replicated in the annals of politics, at least in Kwara State!

In all, I met Dr. Saraki three times in

The late Dr. Olusola Saraki his residence and each time it was tied up to issues of the politics of the state.

What struck me about the man each time we met was his warmth. Each meeting was in the setting of his study and because he was not in the more politically charged environment of his Ilorin home, which I never visited, I got the opportunity to size up the enigmatic personality a bit more closely. I had no doubts in my mind, that he took his place as political leader very seriously and over the years, had developed that remarkable ability to keep the followers on a tight leash which allowed his dominance of the political space to become part of the political consent which has entered the psyche of the vast majority of the people. It was a peculiar form of personality cult that sharply administers opprobrium to whoever falls out of line but had an underlining paternalism which had been oiled with the generous disposition of the old man.

In a society where consent and loyalty have a near-divine source, the mass of the people were drawn to the “magical realism” of the Saraki persona and the mythology of the political acumen and legendary generosity blended to create an overwhelming feeling of awe.

People whisper it amongst themselves that it was not a wise man that will oppose whatever Saraki wanted in politics and they have a long list of political casualties as credible deterrence.

Saraki's dominance

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hoever felt that it was only the hoi-polloi which fell for Saraki’s charm, has not completely understood the far-reaching essence of the late “strongman”. There are intellectuals I know, who would adduce grand metaphysical narratives to explain Saraki’s domination of the Kwara political space for decades. But I think one of the most enduring reasons for Saraki’s control was his superb understanding of the psyche of the people, which in turn, provided the access for their control. He made choices people could easily relate with and rallied to symbols, especially in Ilorin, such as Islam; the emirate

structure and belonging to N o r t h e r n Nigeria, which ensured that people almost instinctively trusted his judgment about wherever he made them go politically, with the belief that he was not likely to betray their core p o l i t i c a l loyalties. These are very central to the political dominance that he enjoyed for decades.

In all that I have written here, I have not talked about core political ideas that

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HE passing of Dr. Abubakar Olu sola Saraki, last week, triggered an outpouring of tributes from all over the country. The normal attitude to death in our society, where worldview is largely conditioned by the teachings of religion, is never to speak evil of the dead. We generally photo shop the lives of the dead and see only the good. That was one platform of tributes to Dr. Saraki. On the other hand, was also a sincere appreciation of the man’s lived experience and on balance, the impact that he made on existence; as one columnist argued, and I agree with him, greatness in an individual cannot be reduced only to his or her political acts. We might not share their political ideas but that difference will not reduce the greatness of the individual. Where Dr. Saraki was concerned, that was the truth. That he was an outstanding Nigerian was not in doubt; this has nothing to do with whether you agreed with his politics or his style of playing it. It was his greatness that eventually came to the fore; and it could not have been otherwise for a colossus who dominated his political environment so totally for decades!

n the week since he died, a lot of people in Ilorin have told me stories of the remarkable philanthropic legacy of Dr. Saraki. His ability to give of his immense wealth was truly legendary.

Nevertheless, there were circles in the state that vehemently rejected his politics or whatever he stood for. These included politicians that he consistently defeated over the decades. Many younger, middle class professionals often complained about his political domination and style but because they stayed aloof from the political process, the community lost the opportunity to get qualitative representation, especially at the national level. So for a long time, Dr. Saraki sent to the centre, people that represented the lowest common denominator and were therefore unable to meaningfully contribute to serious debates. The demographic reality has swung decisively in the direction of the younger, more educated and less patient segments of the population and it is part of the story, that Dr. Saraki’s political hegemony was beginning to be eclipsed at this stage of demographic shift in our

He said the late Dr. Saraki was a man of very open mind; generous heart and open doors.

That effectively summed up the man. He was a politician of outstanding ability to cultivate friendship, support and loyalties and those who knew the man very well, said he stayed loyal to his friendships

the late Dr. Saraki subscribed to, because I don’t know what those grand ideas really were! All through the years, I cannot recall ever hearing or reading the ideas that formed the basis of his political consciousness or praxis.

Nevertheless, he moved thousands of followers in directions, which, in the long run, served his political ends. This peculiar politics of the African “Big Man” or of the eternal “godfather ” found its best expression with Dr.Abubakar Olusola Saraki.

He belonged to hegemonic ruling class political tendencies all through his active political years, especially the NPN, SDP and PDP. But he also joined groups such as CNC and APP at certain points; and the last party he led was the non-starter called ACPN. It was on ACPN’s platform, that he was ruthlessly routed by Bukola in a gubernatorial contest, which became a spectacular finale of struggle for supremacy; Bukola forcibly snatched the mantle of leadership from his ailing father!

But Dr. Saraki was a consistent voice for democratic politics and he regularly lamented the erosion of the political party and party discipline in the current dispensation in the country.

He was a tireless campaigner during electioneering, and even in his last days, already ravaged by the cancer which claimed his life, Dr. Saraki maintained a punishing schedule of campaigning all over Kwara State. Even younger people found his schedule absolutely breathless in its pace! Many of those who have paid tribute to him, remember his ability to forge consensus during the Second Republic, 1979-1983,

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society.

But there is no gainsaying the fact, that Dr.Saraki will be sorely missed at so many levels: by the mass of his followers, especially the women, who trusted him implicitly and regularly voted for his candidates; the traditional institution that he served as Wazirin Ilorin, and members of the Nigerian political elite who envied and admired the man for his remarkable ability to nurture, hold and maintain his power base for so long. It is in fact a tribute to his ability in that respect, that placing his family at the heart of political power, was pooh-poohed by many in the past, but as we have seen in people like Obasanjo and Bola Tinubu, Saraki’s style has now become the favourite template of political control!

The TafidanKaiama, Nurudeen Muhammed, who was Saraki’s political foe for years, led a delegation of his community to pay a condolence visit to BukolaSaraki, a few days ago. He said the late Dr. Saraki was a man of very open mind; generous heart and open doors. That effectively summed up the man. He was a politician of outstanding ability to cultivate friendship, support and loyalties and those who knew the man very well, said he stayed loyal to his friendships. One thing that I can say about him, is that if you ever called the late Dr. Saraki and he was not available, no matter how long, he returned your call! That spoke volumes about his basic decency and respect for other people.

Those laying claims to being “leaders” today, need to shed their arrogance and learn from the real leader: Dr. Abubakar OlusolaSaraki, Wazirin Ilorin. Allah yajikansa.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 THERE is more to Kogi than the flood that devastated the state recently. The flood might have concealed the political bickering in the state, but as the waters recede, the state is back to the brinks.

It began with Governor Idris Wada being sworn-in by a Customary Court judge to the State House of Assembly, which has two factions, counting 12 and 13 each, with none able to form the quorum it progress. Chairman of the six-man Ad-Hoc requires to do its legislative business. Each Committee of the House of Represenclaims to be the authentic State House of tatives on the crisis, Mohammed Assembly.

Mourktar Ahmed, warned both factions to Former Speaker, Abdulahi Bello, who is stop meeting for legislative matters. If the contesting his removal, has relocated to war continues, the National Assembly may Abuja, where his accusers allege he gets press constitutional provisions - Section 11 support from those opposed to Governor (4) - that permit it to take over the Wada. His faction is unrelenting on his legislative functions of a State Assembly return to the position. in crisis. The only function it cannot Another faction that Momoh Lawal perform in that situation is the removal of Jimoh leads as Speaker, meets in a hotel, the Governor or Deputy Governor. where it undergoes motions of legislative As the politicians tend their ego, crucial business. The House of Representatives issues are left unattended. Victims of the in wading into the crisis sealed the flood disaster in the state would not get Assembly to stop either faction from adequate attention. Funds for their meeting there. upkeep are running low, but the Assembly The intervention is not making much is unavailable to make new approvals.

As K ogi F es s Kogi Fes estter ers

The State’s 2013 budget cannot be presented, there is no House for the Governor to lay the bill.

Why would the removal of the Speaker cause so much trouble for the Kogi State House of Assembly? In neighbouring Niger State, the House had three Speakers in two weeks, its work never stopped. Why is Kogi different?

Ego is one of the issues. The other is control of the state’s affairs. Governor Wada has his preference of Speaker to save his administration from unsavoury legislations while opposing legislators , claim that they are working for the independence of the legislative arm of government.

Governance is stalled. The intervention of the National Assembly may cause a legal dispute that can postpone the resumption of the House. The answer to the jam in Kogi State House of Assembly lies in politicians remembering that they were elected for the interests of the peoples not their blinkered considerations that see decisions from a prism of implications for the 2015 elections.

OPINION

BY OWEI LAKEMFA Continued from yesterday's pg 18

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HE crowds mobilised by the prodemocracy movement were so large that despite the enlistment of armed policemen, soldiers and thugs on the side of the Abacha-Arisekola-Adedibu rally, we easily put them to flight.

The enraged army arrested some of our comrades, including Lam Adesina, and branded them “Prisoners-Of-War ”, POWs, who had no right to bail or their day in court.

I did not meet Adesina again until four years later when he was Oyo State Governor, and I was part of a Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, delegation meeting the state government over a strike on minimum wage. After shaking hands with then NLC president, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, the governor enveloped me in his strong powerful arms as he would a long lost brother.

He told the NLC delegation that I was his “commander ” in the pro-democracy struggle against military rule. He recalled the counter rally that led to his being taken a POW. We laughed and the subsequent negotiations on the labour crisis were successful. That was also the last time we met.

In 2003, Lamidi Adedibu as the

Politics of Alalade, Adesina(2) ‘garrison commander ’ of the thuggish forces of Oyo State, and President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, conspired to deny Adesina a second term as governor, and subsequently, plunged the state into anarchy and bloodshed which did not end until 2011 when pro-Adesina politicians returned to power.

The politics of Alhaji Olusola Saraki, the strong man of Kwara State politics, was a cross between that of Adelabu and Adedibu; like the later, he regularly fed the poor masses and engaged in philanthropic actions to advance his political interests, and like Adelabu he engaged in populism and sophistry with a strong streak of nationalism.

In the Second Republic, most of us student leaders hated the ruling National Party of Nigeria, NPN, with a passion; it ran the country like a conquered territory and we could see it running the country aground. NPN over reached itself with its so-called moonslide electoral victory in 1983 when in cases like Anambra, Oyo and Ondo states governorship and

Esho,

Saraki

legislative seats were allocated to party loyalists. Saraki was in the conservative NPN leadership, so he was not in our good books

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ou can imagine my shock in 1990 when at a meeting of radicals chaired by Alao Aka-Bashorun, he suggested we approach Saraki for urgently needed funds to carry out an anti-military regime project. AkaBashorun was the well known leader of the Nigerian left. I asked him: “Which Saraki?” He said the same Olusola Saraki. He explained, to my astonishment, that Saraki was part of the radical Pan-Africanist Movement that sought the liberation of the Nigerian people. Aka-Bashorun said since Saraki was busy making money, the least he owed us who were still in the struggle was to provide us some funds. He picked up the phone, asked the respondent whether he was in Lagos, and told him we needed some funds and that he was on his way to collect the money. Aka-Bashor un actually brought Saraki’s donation! To me, this was a major lesson in political

and

Lam

engineering.

Saraki installed Governors: Adamu Attah, Cornelius Adebayo, Shabba Lafiagi, and Mohammed Alabi Lawal in Kwara State, before fixing his son, Bukola as governor for two terms. But when he decided to install his daughter, Gbemisola as successor to her brother, he failed as counter forces led by Bukola swept into power and the old man was demystified. He was forced into political retirement. It was like the proverbial fish being cooked in the same waters it considered its natural habitat.

So elders like General Mohammed Shuwa, Bode Alalade, Olusola Saraki, Kayode Esho and Lam Adesina have recently left us in droves; whatever their contributions are to the country is left for history to judge. But I have no doubt that the country they left behind did not meet their expectations. It is left for the rest of us to decide what contributions we want to make; for me, my choice is clear. History shall convict or absolve each of us.

Concluded *Mr. Lakemfa, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 19

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HE drama that is currently playing out in the media, involving two ‘heavyweight’ sons of the industrial town of Nnewi, in Anambra State, is becoming interesting by the day. From all indications, the Maduka/Ubah face-off does not appear to be an issue that will soon go away. The war (well, that’s what it is), is being fought in the law courts, and also in the electronic and print media, with indications that it would soon become a communal issue. It does appear, however, that the matter has passed the stage at which the traditional ruler of Nnewi and his cabinet can handle, contrary to what Dan Ulasi, who would like to be seen as a trouble-shooter in the ongoing war, hinted on "Sunrise", the Channels Television breakfast programme, a few days ago.

Ifeanyi Ubah, the chairman of Capital Oil, had, for several weeks, been in the news for the wrong reasons, namely, alleged involvement in the fuel subsidy scam, for which some oil marketers are currently standing trial. Ubah, it was alleged, had got the Federal Government to pay his company subsidy benefits for fuel it did not supply. And just when the public was trying to find answers to the whys and where-to-fores of the allegation, Cosmos Maduka, the president of the Coscharis

Group, came into the picture, raising the alarm to the effect that a brother, Ubah, whom he bailed out of trouble, had turned around to bite the finger that fed him and, in a curious twist, plotted a sinister move to put him (Maduka) in trouble.

Ubah has, since coming out of incarceration, been crying foul, alleging a grand design involving the Minister of Finance, Access Bank and, wait for it, Maduka, to run him out of business.

The point must be made that both men in the centre of the current war are what we usually refer to as ‘men of timber and caliber’ in the Nigerian economy.

One is an industrialist of no mean repute, with significant contributions to the growth of the Nigerian auto industry and the transport sub-sector, while the other is a major player in the downstream sector of the oil industry.

From what can easily be discerned, there was a business relationship involving Maduka and Ubah, over the importation of fuel. Maduka says he intervened to assist Ubah secure a facility from Access Bank of which he is a director, when no bank would grant him facility, on account of the alleged bad record he has across the financial sector. But even then, the Coscharis boss could only secure the facility by using his own name. And being the calculating risk taker that he is, he got Ubah

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to guarantee him, just in case a situation like we are witnessing today occurred. And because he isn’t a Mother Teresa, or a Santa Clause, Maduka, who can perceive the smell of money just like any other businessman, made sure he benefited from the business for which Ubah needed his assistance.

The Capital Oil owner, who is not known to have any connection whatsoever in Access Bank, on the other hand, says he helped Maduka secure a facility in Access Bank. Not only that, Ubah allegedly pledged many of his company’s assets, including a choice property on Banana Island, as collateral for the loan.

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ll went well with the business of importation of fuel, with the first six consignments delivered and the proceeds properly accounted for, and both parties smiled in satisfaction, well, until something happened to the seventh consignment! Maduka

Spare the rod and spoil PHCN?

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HERE has just been a major reenactment of the Amakiri Episode of 1975. Amakiri was a practicing journalist in the then Rivers State, when on the orders of the Military Governor of the State, Commander Alfred Diete Spiff, he was thoroughly flogged and his hair shaved perhaps with pieces of broken bottles.

Some 37 years later, the Business Manager of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Gwiwa Business Unit, Sokoto State, Moses Osigwe, an engineer, has just been flogged by Governor Aliyu Wamakko, for failing to provide light to his community.

The world is still one of different strokes for different folks. There were similarities, though. Both victims were adult workers, husbands and fathers. But while the Amakiri incident was condemned by all, Osigwe’s was hailed by many. In the case of Amakiri, people were, perhaps unwittingly, reacting against the military junta. Unwittingly too, people’s aggression for PHCN was quickly transferred to Osigwe. All those who slept in darkness on the eve of the incident, and those in areas that have not had electricity for long simply concluded that any treatment is good enough for PHCN. For us, any act of brutality is condemnable. In the civilized climes, corporal punishment has been totally outlawed. Even for the lower animals, there must be decent treatment. In England, for instance, try maltreating that dog or cat and you will see how the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, RSPCA, will descend on you. You will be lucky not to spend the rest of your life in prison.

We shall now look at the genesis of the current problem. For some time, Governor Wamakko has been worried that his people

have no light. He invited the PHCN official, Osigwe, to find out what was required to provide the much needed light. He was told that N17 million would be needed to procure a new transformer, cables and all the necessary items needed for installation.

This amount was quickly provided.

Still, the situation did not change. That was when the Governor invited the Business Manager to his office to ask why there was no improvement. When there was no satisfactory explanation from the Business Manager, the Governor gave him the flogging of his life.

Certainly, Gov. Wamakko cannot plead extreme provocation for his action much as it is sufficiently painful and even provocative for a person to be paying for service not rendered. At the political level, it can hardly be explained that a state governor has been unable to supply light to his own community. The general question on the lips of his people is, if their son is unable to give them light while in office, is it when he leaves office that he will do so?

Contrary to PHCN’s insistence that customers are not required to pay for the replacement or repair of their equipment, it is common practice that communities would normally contribute for the same purposes so that they would not remain in the dark.

PHCN’s insistence succeeds in leaving all such transactions behind the door in which there are no receipts and they remain confidence games in which those who would have reported the crime are at the centre of it.

All the same, resort to self-help is not an answer. Wamakko’s action may be akin to stoning every policeman you see because the police authority is not rendering the service you desire.

says one year after the vessel conveying the fuel was supposed to have berthed in Nigerian waters, following in the footsteps of the first six, there has been no trace of the ship, its cargo or the proceeds that should accrue from the sales.

He contends that even if Molue, the popular Lagos mass transit bus, was used to convey the fuel from its point of purchase, it would have arrived Nigeria a long time ago.

Ubah argues that the consignment arrived quite all right, was sold, and the proceeds deposited in the vaults of Access Bank, where they can never be traced, hinging this bizarre argument to the supposed machinations of Maduka and Access Bank.

The Maduka/Ubah saga is nothing other than a business transaction gone awry. It is typically what happens when transparency is in short supply in a business dealing or, for that matter, any dealing. In analysing the fallouts of the multi-million dollar fuel importation business that has now obviously fallen on its face, there is need to ask some salient questions.

With about 38 years active involvement in the Nigerian economy, Maduka is not known to have ventured into any business and failed. Indeed, he has been a pace setter in the different subsectors of the auto industry which he has been involved in. If he found attraction in the fuel importation business, why would he need to climb on Ubah’s back to achieve his aim? Who helped who? For a man whose name opens doors within and outside Nigeria, including financial institutions, why would Maduka need Ubah’s assistance to secure a loan facility in a bank in which he is a director?

It cannot be that Ubah has exclusive knowledge of the intricacies of fuel marketing, such

Apparently, the law is asking the P H C N Business M a n a g e r, Osigwe, to stop crying and begin to thank God that his case ended at the

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BY ALIN MOMOH

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Maduka/Ubah face-off: Questions, more questions!

The Maduka/ Ubah saga is nothing other than a business transaction gone awry; it is typically what happens when transparency is in short supply in a business dealing or, for that matter, any dealing

It is painful that PHCN is not living up to expectation; it is more painful that we still have leaders who live in the past where they believe that might is right

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“bulala” stage – he did not die. Ordinarily,

by Monday morning, he would have rushed to the next “charge and bail” lawyer to demand that Governor Wamakko meets them in court. But Osigwe and his lawyer will soon find that the Supreme Law of the land, the Nigerian Constitution, provides that for as long as the Governor is in office, he is immune from any civil or criminal prosecution.

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his is where some think that the President, Vice President, the Governor and his Deputy have, perhaps unwittingly been promoted above the law.

This issue is on the front burner in the ongoing Constitution review process across the country. Until it is changed, those executives can literally get away with murder, no thanks to a nation where laws are turned upside down. Elsewhere, the

that a Maduka would need his help to navigate the rough waters of the industry. If children of politicians and other money bags are using their fathers’ names to succeed in the sector, Maduka, who has been around for a long time, would hardly need Ubah to succeed.

Access bank is not a charitable organisation. Its first objective for being in existence is to make money. So, why would it connive with Maduka to withhold proceeds from a business for which it granted a loan; indeed, why would it hide the proceeds in its vaults, with the full knowledge of the borrower (in this case Maduka), while making the latter pay a monthly interest of almost N400 million? Something doesn’t look tidy here.

Did Ubah watch the AIT interview in which Maduka alleged that he is a bad sale among banks? I expected the Capital Oil boss to slam a libel suit on Maduka, with AIT joined as codefendants. But as I write this, the man has yet to take that action.

What is the interest of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Aig Imokhuede and Maduka in running Ubah out of business? Ubah did not say Maduka is seeking to take control of the downstream sector of the oil industry, nor did he reveal that the three own a company that is involved in the importation of fuel.

And if we have to contend with the bring-him-down syndrome that is common in Nigeria, are we to believe that the London court that has frozen Capital Oil’s assets worldwide in connection with the deal is also working in collaboration with Ubah’s adversaries to ruin him?

We are watching a battle whose end is certainly not in sight. *Mr. Momoh, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

immunity clause is the greatest guarantee that chief executives are not distracted from the serious business of governance, with frivolous court cases. But in Nigeria, it has been turned to a license to kill and to plunder the public treasury with impunity.

By way of using what you have to get what you want, the PHCN workers in the Kaduna zone have demanded an unreserved apology from Gov. Wamakko as well as the payment of reparation to Osigwe within seven days. The seven days notice has since expired and we hear that Wamakko has not moved an inch towards meeting their demands.

The cure for darkness is more darkness.

By the time this piece hits the news stand, the PHCN staff in the zone may have withdrawn what remains of their shaky services. When that happens, Wamakko may only have to approve the procurement of more fuel to power the several generating plants in and around Government House. All that the ordinary citizens get for their innocence are more smoke emission from the generating plants of the rich, more noise and more heat! For Wamakko, life goes on.

Where do we go from here? It is painful that PHCN is not living up to expectation; it is more painful that we still have leaders, here symbolized by Wamakko, who live in the past, where they believe that might is right; and it is most painful that in whichever direction we look, the end is not in sight. We see darkness. We see despair and despondency.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

On the tree that allegedly withered a day after the incident, he said: “That incident happened and the leaves all fell down”. When asked what could have caused it, he said that he was not a spiritualist to know, adding, however, that the development did not scare other staff as work was going on smoothly.

He alleged that even the staff knew that the deceased caused what happened to him, as he was on morning shift that particular day while the incident took place in the night. He said: “When I saw him in the night, I asked why he was still around.

Death in hotel swimming pool:

Manager, four others arrested

By JOHNBOSCO

AGBAKWURU, Calabar

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ONTROVERSY now sur rounds the alleged murder of master Wisdom Felix Edu, who until his death was a staff of Treasureland Hotels, Ediba Road, in Calabar Municipal Council of Cross River State. Curiously, the tree beside the swimming pool where his body was discovered was said to have ‘mysteriously’ withered within 24 hours after his death.

About five persons, including the manager of the hotel had been quizzed by the police over the incident but some of them were said to have been released after making their statements. Wisdom, as he was popularly known, was 19 years and a native of Adadama in Abi Local Government Area of the State. He lived at 4 Calabar Road, before his untimely and alleged gruesome murder on November 9, 2012.

Wisdom left for work on that fateful Friday without any inkling that it was going to be his final day on earth. A family source claimed that the corpse of the deceased was discovered early morning the next day by some naval officers who had lodged at the hotel. It had a deep cut on the head. Mr. Icha Mbotor, a relation to the de-

ceased, said he got the information about the death of Wisdom on Sunday morning when his sister, Ghada Francis Ekun, called him to break the sad news, informing that the corpse had been deposited at the Calabar General Hospital mortuary.

He said that when he got to the State Housing Police Station where the matter was reported, the story of Wisdom’s death was confirmed and that the picture taken by the police showed that the deceased had a deep cut on the head and a swollen mouth. Mbotor said that Wisdom was wearing a wrist watch, his jean trousers and boxer, but minus his shirt and shoes. He added that Wisdom’s flat stomach in the ‘shallow’ swimming pool which was about eight meters deep did not suggest he drowned.

Real picture He said: “Reaching the mortuary, we discovered that what we saw on the picture were real.

The hotel staff claimed that he drowned, but from our observation, he was killed and thrown into the pool.” He also alleged that when the navy personnel, who allegedly saw Wisdom’s corpse, drew atten-

Celebration of friend’s birthday •Wisdom Felix Edu...found dead in swimming pool tion to it, the hotel management allegedly claimed not to know the person and alerted the police.

“When we went to see the management, we were dismissed and they told us that the Police were waiting for us.

But getting to the State Housing Police Station, the DPO was not around and nobody connected to the case was seen, so we called the DPO who later came around 3pm on that Sunday; we got there about 8am. Our suspicion is that he was killed. If he had gone to swim, there should not have been cuts on his head and his hands would not have folded.

He was killed and thrown into the pool. He had complained the week before he died that he was no longer comfortable working there.

“The fact that they did not deem it necessary to contact the family of the deceased is suspicious and we strongly feel that the management have something to hide and given the standard of the hotel, there should be security officers around the hotel. A staff told us that there is a tree by the swimming pool of the hotel, but on the evening of the Sunday, the tree withered.”

The manager of the hotel, Mr. Mendie Udoh, described what happened as a natural death and that police were still investigating it to know exactly what led to the death of the staff. He said: “The incident that happened is just a natural death.

Police are still investigating it.

I may not know the cause but police have gone for autopsy.”

Group partners 2012 Carnival Queen Pageant

C

ARNIVAL Calabar Queen, CCQ, Pageant an initiative of Mrs Obioma Liyel Imokewife of the Cross River State Governor – has become a notable annual event since inception in 2007. An active component of the yearly 32-day Calabar Festival celebration, CCQ, has over the years carved a niche for itself; not only as a crowd puller of note, but a veritable platform for visionary business establishments and corporate organisations to showcase their brands and services.

Principally, the versatile balance of its humanitarian and entertainment profiles combine to give the CCQ initiative the edge and prominence it enjoys. Other topnotch organisations have always been on her tow as partners in the preceding years.

The 2012 edition is making a strong showing with VLISCO coming in as official partners. With headquarters in the Netherlands and a branch network in various African countries including Nigeria, Vlisco is noted for designing and producing colourful fashion fabrics that form an essential part of the lively West and Central African culture since 1846. It is credited as having a sense of the expressive and creative strength of African consumers and, for generations, has succeeded in surprising and inspiring her passionate clientele with unique designs.

Carnival Calabar Queen Pageant is a charity

event aimed at fund raising towards other humanitarian initiatives of the wife of Mrs Liyel Imoke, which include Destiny’s Child Centre, DCC – a resettlement home for erstwhile street children.

The event also serves to empower one blessed young girl who emerges winner and is crowned queen out of the numerous contestants from all over Nigeria.

Whereas the first runner–up instantly becomes the Face of Tourism for Cross River State, the Crowned Queen, for 12 months of her reign becomes the MACA Ambassador, who embarks on advocacy visits to secondary schools in the State, proclaiming abstinence and highlighting the dangers of pre–marital sex; one of which is the eventual child abandonment.

MACA (Mothers Against Child Abandonment), another humanitarian effort of Obioma has rescued abandoned babies from despicable locations around Calabar, the Cross River State capital and has built and furnished two refuge homes. One shelters rescued abandoned babies, while the other provides care for vulnerable teenage pregnant girls – all in the effort to stem the spate of child abandonment in the State.

As the official partner for the 2012 edition, Vlisco will showcase its stunning new ‘Parade of Charm’ collection. The range of coordinating fashion fabrics comes in sophisticated shades of black and grey, with geometric designs inspired by the sleek silhouettes of modern metropolitan architecture.

Carnival Calabar Queen

“He said that his friend was celebrating his birthday and that he was called to come and play music for them with the celebrant’s laptop. The event finished about 2am without any untoward incident. Three staff are being held. I went and reported the matter to the police who came and took the corpse to the mortuary. I was detained and later released.”

Meanwhile it was gathered that the autopsy carried out by the police showed the deceased had a deep cut which allegedly indicated that he may have been murdered.

But the State Police Public Relations Officer of the, DSP John Umoh, said that investigations were ongoing and that it was not proper to release information on the autopsy, adding that giving out the result of the autopsy was a way of drawing conclusion on the matter.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 21

toward a sustainable industrial sector.

Aganga, who was represented by the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom, noted that regional integration in Africa would boost trade within the continent and attract investment in the manufacturing sector.

“Africa is indeed endowed with a wealth of natural and mineral resources which if properly harnessed, would serve as an engine of economic growth and prosperity on the continent. It is, however, unfortunate that Africa has been very successful in integrating itself with the rest of the world, but has not been successful in integrating countries on the continent. The fragmentation of Africa in terms of trade is thus dramatic and resulting in the loss of billions of dollars of GDPs and millions of jobs that ought to have been created.”

From left: Mr Chris Umeh, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Bank of Industry; Ambassador Robin Sanders, former US Ambassadors to Nigeria and Mrs Bola Adesola, MD/CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria during an international seminar on Pan African Small and Medium Enterprises, in Lagos, Monday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Nigeria to remove barriers to intra-African trade — Aganga M

INISTER of Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, said in Abuja that Nigeria is set to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade to enhance intraAfrican trade and regional integration.

Aganga announced this at the commemoration of African Industrialisation Day (AID) with the theme: “Accelerating Industrialisation for Boosting Intra-African Trade’’.

AID is set aside by the Conference of

African Ministers of Industry (CAMI) under the aegis of the African Union Commission (AUC). It is used to focus attention on specific strategies to stimulate industrial development and the policy direction of Governments

He said the ministry has commenced the implementation of trade facilitation programmes and policies to ensure accelerated industrialisation and enhance free movement of goods within the continent. “Nigeria urgently needs to overcome the challenges of trade, mainly the free movement of goods and services to ensure accelerated industrialisation and facilitate growth within the region. The ministry is working with NEXIM Bank on the proposed sea link coaster ferry services along the West African coast to reduce the journey to less than one week and focusing on formalising informal trades along borders.’’

He noted that no nation has moved from a poor to a rich nation by relying mainly on exporting raw materials without having a vibrant manufacturing sector. Kandeh Yumkella, the Director General of UNIDO, said the organisation was committed to strengthening Africa’s trade capacities to enable it participate in the global economy.

CBN says it will implement Financial Literacy Framework in Q1, 2013

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it will implement a Financial Literacy Framework in the first quarter of 2013 to enhance financial inclusion of the unbanked.

Mrs Umma Dutse, Director of Consumer Protection Office (CPO), CBN, said this in Lagos.

banks.

Dutse said that the proposed implementation would enhance consumer protection and lead to higher financial inclusion of the unbanked.

The CBN, had in June, said that the proposed implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy was to reduce the number of Nigerians who had no access to financial services. It also said that it planned to reduce the unbanked from 46.3 percent to 20 percent by 2020.

HE Federal Government says it is partnering with Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to boost wealth and create jobs.

CBN said that priority was being given to designing of the framework to educate Nigerians and improve their understanding of financial products. It is also to develop their skills and confidence to become more aware of financial risks and opportunities. Dutse said that the plan was as a result of complaints from consumers of financial products of the

She said that CBN has created the CPO in the Financial Policy and Regulatory Department to enhance its

responsibility of consumer protection and make it more efficient and effective. The director said it has received and treated over three thousand complaints since the creation

of the department. According to her, this gave rise to refunds of over six billion naira by the banks as at October, 2012.

FG par tner partner tnerss SMEs on job creation T Mr. Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Trade and Investment, announced this at the SME-Live Banking Panel Forum in Lagos. Aganga said that the SMEs were the best vehicle for inclusive growth in any nation's economy. "If Nigeria is to achieve a 10 percent growth rate in the next decade, it needs a strong micro, small and medium enterprises sector" he noted.

The minister said that the government has formulated the right policies for the sector to achieve sustainable growth. "Today's micro-enterprises are inevitably the big enterprises of tomorrow, and might well become a multinational enterprise eventually, if given the support in finance and capacity

building,'' he said.

Aganga said that the partnership has reduced the cost of doing business and tackled the infrastructure challenges facing SME's .He stressed that the government was focused on creating enabling economic environment through sound macro-economic and structural policies, good infrastructure and fair competition.

He also said that the current administration "is providing necessary business support services for SME's including skills training, trade fairs and exhibitions, product research and development, among others.''

Amb. Sandas Robin, the Chief Executive Officer of the Food Security Education, Environment, Energy and Economies Development said that the programme provided avenue for entrepreneurs to exploit business opportunities.

143.85

-7.55

2,498.00

+17.00

19.93

-0.01

109.66

-2.04

86.78

-2.50

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.75 246.5013 198.2812 164.5226 1.8988 0.2797 233.5371 24.8274 41.2634 26.5802 236.3497

155.25 247.2977 198.9218 165.0542 1.9049 0.2897 234.2916 24.9081 41.3967 26.6661 237.1133

SELLING 155.75 248.0942 199.5625 165.5858 1.911 0.2997 235.0462 24.9888 41.53 26.752 237.877

CBN Exchange rate as at 21/11/20127

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

MRS Q3 financial falls below analysts’ expectation

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

A

From left: Director-General, Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mrs. Sola David-Borha and Head, Global Markets, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Sola Adegbesan at the signing of the agreement between Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited and the Debt Management Office on the appointment of Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers as a government stockbroker.

SEC approves Flour Mills, Bagco merger arrangement … Bagco shareholders to get N2.75 equivalent for one share

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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HE Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has given its approvalin-principle to the proposed business combination involving Flour Mills and Nigerian Bag Manufacturing Company Plc (Bagco) and its subsidiaries - Northern Bag Manufacturing Company Limited and Bagco Morpack Nigeria Limited.

The scheme of the merger will result in the transfer of all assets, liabilities and undertakings of Bagco and Bagco-North to Flour Mills, while the entire issued share capital of Bagco and BagcoNorth respectively would be cancelled.

Consequently, Flour Mills will become the surviving entity at the end of the merger process, while Bagco and Bagco-North will be dissolved without winding up.

In a notice filed, Tuesday, with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Flour Mills said that the respective board of directors of both companies has agreed that shareholders of Bagco will get one ordinary share of Flour Mills in exchange for 25 ordinary shares they previously held in Bagco or “or a cash consideration of N2.75 for each ordinary share of Bagco as at the Effective Date.”

The cash consideration of N2.75, according to the company, will represent 39 percent premium to Bagco’s closing share price as at 16th November 2012, and a 68 percent premium to Bagco’s closing share price as at 5th September 2012, the date prior

to announcement of the Transaction.

The companies had said that they intend to undertake the merger of their businesses in order to streamline their operations and reduce administrative costs.

Other reasons adduced by

the companies include the need to improve operating efficiency and capture the full synergies arising from the merger, which, in turn will result in a significant enhancement of shareholders’ value.

Stanbic’s appointment as FGN broker ’ill deepen bond market — David-Borha

T

BY MICHAEL EBOH

HE appointment of Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc as stockbroker to the Federal Government of Nigeria will translate into increased retail investors’ participation in primary and secondary markets of Federal Government bonds and ultimately help to deepen Nigeria’s bond market.

Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, said a major step towards attaining this goal is to specifically address the peculiar requirements of the retail segment, part of which includes undertaking focused awareness campaigns to ensure that the investing public is well informed about the workings of the bond

markets.

Speaking at the formal signing ceremony of the agreement between the stockbroking firm and the Debt Management Office in Abuja, David-Borha reiterated the company ’s long-term commitment to facilitating stability in Nigeria’s capital market, and the financial services industry in general.

“We identify and align ourselves completely with the strategic objective of this appointment. We know that it is a great responsibility and we are committed to increasing the pool of investors by addressing the retail segment and also to ensuring that the investing public is properly educated to understand the workings of the markets,” she said. She added that the company’s activities

will be guided by good corporate governance, transparency and global best practices.

Coming on the heel of the organisation’s appointment as market maker by The Nigerian Stock Exchange, David-Borha said the new appointment is a testament to the Stanbic IBTC group’s leadership in the various market segments.

In its capacity as FGN broker, the company will provide prices for FGN bonds on the floor of The Nigerian Stock Exchange and also act as an intermediary between the Debt Management Office, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, stockbrokers and other market players to ensure that all activities in FGN bonds and other FGN securities that may be listed in future are effected smoothly.

NALYSTS at Ar m Research have said that MRS Oil’s nine months financials where the company recorded N52.5 billion revenues was 5.2 percent below its expectation.

Arguing that challenges in the Oil and Gas sector weighed heavily on the company during the period, the analysts said that the result largely reflected a 22.5 percent reduction in quarter three sales to N14.5billion in continuation of quarter two’s trajectory.

Breakdown of the nine months financial statement for the period ended September, 2012, showed that the company ’s revenue fell by 1.14 percent to N52.5 billion from N53.14 billion recorded in equivalent period. Profit before tax slumped by significant 106.35 percent from N570.25 million in 2011 to negative position of N36.21 million, while profit after tax also fell by 144.72 percent from N80.97 million posted in 2011 to N36.21 million in the review period.

Cost of sales rose marginally to N49.13 billion to N48.71 billion, representing 0.85 percent decline. The size of the net assets also declined marginally by 0.91 percent to N23.21 billion from the previous N23.42 billion Arm Research said, “Like other players in the sector, we believe reduced PMS importation due to delayed PSF payments constrained volume sales, as the company probably rationalised available inventory in the period.

Stocks declined 65 percent to N7.9billion and PMS constitutes 19 percent of stock in the last three years and accounts for minus 72 percent of total revenue.

“In line with 2012 half year trend, gross margins contracted a further 20 basis points in quarter three to 6.5 percent following a marginal 80 basis points rise in COGS to N49.1billion, which in view of 49 percent rise in PMS price underscores weakness in volume throughput.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—23

How we achieved 24-hr service delivery – CAC Registrar General STORIES BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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HE Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) , Alhaji Bello Mahmud, has explained how the Commission met the 24 hours service delivery performance target, saying it was as a result of investment in ICT infrastructure.

It will be recalled that four months ago, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga signed a Performance Contract with directors, Chief executive officers of agencies and parastatals under his ministry and directed them to meet the targets as contained in their respective Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

“Apart from nicknaming me 24 hours, the Minister also made 24 hours service delivery

my only KPI. These two targets have been met,” said Mahmud during the commissioning of the 24-hour start-to-finish Alausa, Lagos office by the Minister, Olusegun Aganga.

ICT infrastructure is the key factor to the achievement of 24 hours service delivery in order to actaulioze this, the Commission embarked on a total upgrade of its Wide Area Network (WAN) to VSAT-based network to a more reliable fibre based system.

This was meant to improve availability and also enhance transactions.

A pilot scheme of six offices was undertaken, namely, the two Lagos Offices, Enbugu, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Kano.

This project geared towards connecting these offices and the Head office through fibre optic

was undertaken by Globacom Ltd. The two Lagos offices have been connected and ready for commissioning by the Minister.

In the nearest future, links to all the other 32 state offices will also be undertaken so that they can also operate at par with the Head Office and enable them to accept documents and process same up to certificate registration.

The Minister, however, described the acceptance of corporation documents and processing the certificates from start to finish within 24 hours, as a landmark achievement in the country’s investment climate reforms programme.

“This is encouraging in line with global best practices and useful for investors who would want to commence business urgently. The target is to ensure that companies

are registered within two hours in the nearest future.

“However, to show that we mean business and that we care about our customers, I direct that a complaints register be opened for anyone who is not able to get his company registered within 24 hours,” he said.

5,000 rushes, 10 won in Bournvita ‘Yummy Life promotion’

By TOHEEB IDRIS

F

IVE THOUSAND consumers participated in Cadbury Nigeria plc “Bournvita yummy life promo” which saw ten people emerge winners in the first phase of the draw held in Lagos.

Mr. Dele Anifowoshe said that the winner won between N100, 000, N250, 000, to N1million,

Cotton production: FG, WACOT sign MoU

T

HE Federal Government and the West African cotton company (WACOT) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cotton production. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina, who spoke at the event, reiterated the Federal Government’s promise to restore the past glory of the commodity.

Dr. Adeshina noted that employment generation from the textile industry has fallen from 700, 000 in the 1980s when the nation had over 175 textile mills in operation to 25, 000 in 2012.

The Minister also added that the industry ’s contribution to value addition had dropped significantly from 25% in 1980 to 5% in 2012.

respectively.

According to him, the promotion is packaged to appreciate and reward the company’s esteemed customers for their patronage and loyalty to the brand.

Mr. Anifowoshe said that the promo is to give back to our customers all across the country. “But much more important is the need to give back to our consumers, and today for us is a significant day, two weeks back we brought this promotion, and today, we are running the first set of draws, and the whole ideas is to come up with a very transparent process of selecting the winners in this promotion.”

He added that more critical is the day when we will present the winnings to winner across the country, and we believe that you will be with us on that day and be able to rejoice with those who will physically collect their cash reward from the Bournvita yummy life promotion.

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

NEXIM Bank targets N250bn capitalisation •Amended Act enters second reading

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

N

IGERIA Export Import Bank (NEXIM) said it would require about N250 billion capital base to effectively perform its role of promoting exports in order to diversify the nation’s economy.

Meanwhile the Bill to amend the Nexim Bank Act has passed the first reading in the House of Representatives, while the second reading will come up next week.

Speaking in Agbara Ogun State during an oversight inspection visit to Belloxxi Biscuits by members of the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency, Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Nexim Bank, Mr. Robberts Orya said that Beloxxi Biscuits is a green field company supported by the Bank in its efforts to encourage production for exportation. He said Beloxxi was supported by Nexim Bank with $3 million loan as seed capital, and its biscuit has today grown to became the largest biscuit manufacturer in sub-saharan Africa, employing over 1000 people.

“What industrialist in Nigeria needs is long term funding at low cost. And I think that is what is required from us to jump start our industrialisation. So we need long term funding, and I believe Nexim is in a vantage position to give those kinds of funds and do more than what we have done in Beloxxi”, Orya said.

He said that the Bank however needs more capital to play provide such long term funding. “If we have to look at the prospect of trade growth in Africa and in Nigeria

looking at the size of the economy, if the bank has N200 billion to N250 billion, it can make a lot of impact. When you look at the size of our

economy and some of the nonoil sectors that we have not even scratched that will just be a drop but it will still be a step forward if we are able to

From left: Group Head, Liability Product, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. John Akingbade; Manager, National Lottery Commission, Mr. Ita Calix; Brand Management and Communications, Mrs. Kate Edoho and CEO, Advalue, Branding, Marketing,Communications, Mr. Charles Monwuba, at the 4th draw of the onging Sterling Bank Saver’s Promo, in Lagos.

70 SMEs jostle for N326m Western Union, USAID funding facility

By FRANKLIN ALLI

S

EVENTYcompanies in the small and medium enterprises sector of the economy are competing to have a slice of Western Union Money Transfer and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) ‘s two million dollars (about N326 million) funding facility.

Babara Span, Vice Presidents, Global Public Affairs for Western Union, who disclosed this to VANGAUARD, in an interview during the Bank of Industry, Western Union, and USAID SMEs Live Banking Panel Forum held in Lagos, said that the 70 SMEs were drawn from Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises,

US investors slow into adoption of IFRS

BY CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

F

get between N200 billion and N250 billion in capitalisation”.

He said the bank is however also making efforts to access

funding from the international export agencies. “We have two shareholders, the CBN and Federal Ministry of Finance Incorporated, but apart from getting equity contribution from these two shareholders, we also use our own balance sheet, on the basis of the sovereign guarantee of the federal government of Nigeria, to access commercial credit lines from other Exim banks in the world.

INDINGS have shown that US investors expect that the country will eventually adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), but that the process will take time and need substantial investment in staff and training.

The research was conducted for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA, by Forbes Insights, surveying nearly 500 US-based investors.

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), an independent organisation

registered in the United States of America (UAS) but based in London, United Kingdom. They pronounce financial reporting standards that ideally would apply equally to financial reporting by public interest entities worldwide.

The research titled “IFRS in the US: An investor’s perspective,” revealed that 57 per cent of US investors expect that the SEC would one day require reporting under IFRS, with more investors agreeing than disagreeing that the long term benefits of adoption would outweigh the costs – 41 per cent against 29 per cent.

Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists including Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines as well as Nigerian Employers Consultative Association.

She disclosed that the 70 SMEs were qualified for participation in the different competition by the Enterprise Development Centre of the Lagos Business School Pan African University, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).

“Access to capital is one of the most difficult challenges faced by entrepreneurs doing business in Africa; through this one-of-a-kind event, SMEs operating in Nigeria and across sub-Sahara Africa will get direct access to financial institutions and technical resource partners,” she said.

LASG, ICAN seek FG intervention on IPSAS implementation

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

L

AGOS State Government (LASG) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) have called on the Federal Government to intervene towards the successful implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards IFRS/IPSAS. The call was made at the ongoing four-days Intensive National Workshop organized by the Lagos State Office of the Auditor-General for Local Governments and ICAN to train functionaries of Local Governments, Local Government Education Authorities and the Public Sector in Lagos State on the detailed workings, practical applications and implications, ahead of the full adoption of IPSAS in the public sector by 2013 and 2015 respectively.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—25

Prima Corporation set for competition with food, safety certification STORIES BY FRANKLIN ALLI

L

President, Nigeria Employer Consolitative Asssociation (NECA), Richard Uche; President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulwaheed Omar; Director General, NECA, Olusegun Oshinowo; OSH Expert, International Organization of Employers/ Guest Speaker, Janet Asherson and Omar during NSITF-NECA National Workplace Safety Awareness in Lagos on Tuesday.

AGOS–based Prima Corporation Limited (PCL) has emerged as the first company in the country to get ISO 22000 Food and Safety certification

by Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Tuesday.

“We are the first company in Nigeria to achieve ISO 22000 certification; this certification will help us to compete better in the Nige-

ria and in West Africa market,” said Somani Narendra , Marketing Director.

Reacting during receipt of the certificate on behalf of PCL management, from SON consultant, Tunji Timothy,Legal Consultant, Qualitex Consulting, he said that the certification was achieved as a result of rigorous training from SON’s staff coupled with commitment from the company’s staff.

He assured that in spite of the challenges of doing business, the certification would be sustained and will be renewed after three years, affirming “continuous improvement in our operation is our watchword.”

Rajiv Khanna, General Manager, enjoined the company’s staff to continued working together as a team in order to achieve better corporate performance in the fourth quarter of the year.

Lagos begins gas production from waste dumps

T

HE Managing Di rector, Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), Mr. Ola Oresanya, has stated that the State Government effort at turning solid waste into wealth is paying off, especially with the commencement of the landfill Gas Recovery and Utilization Project (LGRUP).

In this regard domestic wastes which used to pose a serious challenge are about to become a huge revenue earner for the State.

The project is being executed by LAWMA in partnership with the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) and the African Carbon Asset Development (ACAD).

It is meant to capture methane gas from waste and utilize it for electricity; prevent the release of Greenhouse gasses into the environment thereby reducing Lagos Carbon footprint; and ensure compliance with international standards on environmental governance.

LAWMA is in the process of implementing the second phase of the project under a consultancy contract. The first phase, which comprises pre-engineering design commenced in February 2011 and is expected to be completed within 12 to 18 mouths.

26 —VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Destination Inspection: Service provider seeks contract extension ... Says Customs cannot handle scanners STORIES BY IFEYINWA OBI

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HE only indigenous firm among the trio of service providers, Global Scansystems Limited, has called for the extension of the contract, claiming that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) lacks the capacity to assume full charge of the scheme from December 31, 2012.

Among others, under the terms of the contract awarded in 2005 for the re-introduced DIS,

Global Scansystems, Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited (CDIL) , and SGS Scanning Nigeria Limited, respectively, were expected in their respective lot to design, implement, operate and maintain a computerised risk management system that interfaces directly with the NCS through the Automated System of Customs Data-plus-plus (ASYCUDA ++) developed by the UNCTAD.

Similarly, the service providers were expected to provide scanning operations and build capacity for the Customs.

However, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Gobal Scansystems, Mr. Fred Udechukwu, said, while seeking an extension of the service providers’ contract, that the personnel of the NCS were not fully equipped to operate and maintain very complex

equipment, such as scanners, which require a lot of expertise and discipline in order to make the impending handover of the project to the Customs worthwhile.

Udechukwu barred his mind in a paper titled Destination Inspection: Which Way after December 2012, Global Scansystems Limited’s Perspective at a one-day seminar organised by the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) at the International Maritime Press Centre in Apapa.

Udechukwu, who was

represented by the company’s Operations Manager, Mr. Kenneth Ogbogu, stated that there is “a serious skill gap in the Nigeria Customs Service,” hence hindering its ability to take over the scanners at the end of this year.

“The officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service trained to take over from us are not fully equipped to operate and maintain very complex equipment like the scanners which requires a lot of expertise and discipline. This has serious health implications as uncontrolled x-ray dosages can be emitted into the atmosphere.

Also the maintenance of these scanners are

programmed and planned to prevent breakdown and its huge financial implications.

“There is a serious skill gap in the Nigeria Customs Service Until recently, they did not show sufficient interest in the DI scheme and training. This will have to be addressed and adequate training given to them both within and outside the country before we can comfortably hand over to the service,” The Global Scansystems boss said.

Udechukwu also said that Form M, which is a major transaction document, is not yet in electronic form/setting, claiming that it will take some time to harmonise the e-Form M document in the process.

Seme Customs command generates N6.58bn in 10 months ...seizes 317 contrabands

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he Seme Border Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that it contributed Not less than N6.58 billion revenue into the Federal Account from January to october this year.

This is even as the command disclosed that during the review period, it seized 317 contrabands which have a duty paid value of N142 million between January to October 2012.

The total revenue collected is about N1.9 billion less than N8.4 billion revenue target set for the command in 2012.

Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Othman Abdul Suleh, who disclosed this in a news conference at the border town of Seme, said that within one month (on September 3, 2012) of his assumption of office, the command was able to earned the sum of N773.42 million in contrast to the sum of N635.898 million collected in September 2011.

‘Though the revenue dipped in the month of

C M Y K

October with a collection of N13.180 million, yet it was an improvement over that of October 2011, which recorded revenue of N539.11 million,” he stated, assuring that the command would surpass its revenue target for the year.

Comptroller Suleh also disclosed that the command’s antismuggling strategies are working effectively as increasing number of people are being sensitised to turn away from smuggling to legitimate trade.

He said five out of the 22 suspects arrested have been convicted, while other cases are at various stages of investigation and prosecution.

According to him, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) compliant goods with CIF value of N6.559 billion were cleared in the command during the review period, even as revenue loss to the Federal Government as a result of the scheme’s concession is N1.844 billion, while the 1 p[ercent CISS revenue amount to N59.9 million

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 27

Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08026350360 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

LABAF: Nigeria on hot seat at Culture Picnic

By PRISCA SAM-DURU & VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

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UBBED the biggest cultural Picnic in Africa, the 14th Lagos Book and Art Festival(LABAF), which commenced on the 12th November, 2012, came to a memorable close last Sunday at Freedom Park, Lagos.

With theme ‘Narratives of Conflict’, the festival which was activity packed featured various sessions such as debates, conversations, reflections, workshops, performances, as well as several stands mounted by books exhibitors, visual artists and textile designers.

This year’s festival was dedicated to veteran artist Bruce Onabrakpeya, who recently turned 80. It also featured a pre-festival event which kick-started with a book trek to Quintessence gallery, Ikoyi Lagos on the 12th where a conversation was held around two books: Witness to Justice by Bishop Matthew Kukah and Roses and Bullets

by Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo.

The festival also had a Publisher’s Forum with theme; ‘Financing the Book Trade’, held on the 5th of November at the Goethe Institute, Lagos. The Forum was organized as a workshop for Nigerian publishers.

The festival colloquium which was part of the main festival events, indeed was the intellectual backbone of the three day event. The colloquium was woven around discussions on Bishop Matthew Kukah’s Witness to Justice which is a book that explores events surrounding Nigeria’s most ambitious attempt at addressing the ills of the past. Other books discussed were Akachi Ezeigbo’s Roses and Bullets which chronicles in a very emotive manner, her perspective of the Nigerian civil war. Also, Kayode Fayemi’s Out of the Shadows, and Wale Oshun’s Open Grave which are both riveting accounts of experiences during exile and battles to recovering the country from the jaws of the military

•Students displaying at LABAF Festival. were also discussed.

There were readings, reviews and discussions around the books by members of the panel which included Niran Okewole, Tade Ipadeola, Deji Toye and Prof Akachi Ezeigbo while Tunji Lardner moderated.

Dr Okewole pointed out that there is a lot more that Nigerians can gain by studying authors who were there when critical events took place. On Achebe’s controversial book, There Was A Country, he said that “Achebe recollects from his memory “and memory according to him, “has a way of rejecting and selecting materials which distinguishes the book under discussion from some of his previous books.”

He posited that there are different forms of narratives and that it is pos-

sible to look at Nigeria from a longitudinal narrative. But he however questioned if it is possible to have a grand narrative about Nigeria.

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ade Ipadeola noted that already, pirated copies of the book is fast selling while the publisher smiles to the bank showing that Nigerians read after all. The purpose of a book he pointed out is to clarify and not argue, but “Achebe knows how powerful his prose can be and so he decided to argue the unargueable”.

Professor Ezeigbo who maintained that she does not believe in a grand narrative because people are different and are free to interpret differently, stressed that any one is free to give subjective interpretation of issues.

2012 Abuja Carnival: FG to hosts 12 countries

By CALEB AYANSINA

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N an effort to promote its rich cultural diversity to the world, the Federal Government will play host to not less than 12 countries from four continents at the forthcoming 8th Edition of the Abuja Carnival.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved in its last meeting, November 24 - 27 for the Carnival with theme: ‘The Carnival of Peace and Harmony’, featuring minimum of fifteen events.

Briefing the Press last week in Abuja, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke said the carnival would be “a platform to boost the economy of Nigeria especially the informal sector of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, through the influx of tourists. ”The carnival as you know is to promote the unity and the diversity of Nigeria”. He said adding that”to

use the carnival as a platform for not just showcasing and promoting of our culture but also to show that culture is a major collateral in building unity among many people and invest in our culture in order to build a strong pillar in the promotion of unity, by bringing in other countries all over the world from different continents.”

According to the minister, twelve contries have confirmed their participation viz; Egypt, India, Trinindad and Tobago, China, South Africa, Cameron, Sudan, Botswana, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal.

Duke therefore appealed to schools within FCT to brace up for a competition in some areas of the creative industry to help encourage and develop their creative ingenuity.

The minister also canvassed for cooperation of both the students and the school authorities of those schools that will accommodate state contingents, pleading that such event could not be held without people’s involvement.

Nigerian civil war according to her, has generated a lot of controversies and many books have been written about it, so, “There is no grand text or narratives”. She said. Still on Achebe’s book, she corrected that people have been given opportunity to air their opinions and so have expressed their views about the civil war adding that she wrote Roses and Bullets from her own perspective due to what she witnessed as a teenager and emphasised the need for people to interpret their views from a subjective point of view based on fact.

She continued in her objective defence by arguing that why There Was A Country has generated a lot of controversy is because it is written by Prof Achebe adding that so many people have written more than what Achebe has written yet there was no noise about their works. “If you think that Achebe has not done well in his book, write your own after all people have rights to their own opinions”, she explained.

Prof Ezeigbo warned that this generation is beginning to make mistakes of the past, and because of this, maintained that people should have different perspectives and opinions. “We would dialogue till we make it right” She insisted.

At the end of the discourse, the panel agreed to the fact that the problem with Nigeria is failure of the elite to meet at a round table to find a way of restructuring the country.

Coming at a time when the country is faced with overwhelming challenges in form of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North, resurgence of kidnapping in the South East and the Niger Delta, political killings and most recently.

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

By KEVIN KRIEDEMANN

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NDREW Dosunmu’s Restless City was named Best Long Feature Film at the inaugural Colours of the Nile Film Festival, which ran in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 7-11 November 2012. The Nigerian film also won Best Cinematography.

The jury was made up of French/Tunisian filmmaker Karim Dridi; Ethiopian director Solomon BekeleWeya; South African producer Letebele Masemola-Jones; African Screens editor Don Dewale Omope; and IoanaFrederique Westhoff from the ACP Films Programme.

Praising Restless City for dealing with “a rarely-touched–upon subject” in “the struggles of African migration to the USA,” the jury said, “Told with care and attention to detail, the winning film shows a very high level of originality, high artistic merit, an innovative approach to storytelling and profound cinematographic flair.”

Speaking about the festival as a whole, the jury said, “The choice of films for the inaugural Colours of The Nile International Film Festival 2012, has been a compelling and visually inspiring cinematic feast from every corner of the African continent.”

Ambassador Xavier Marchal, the head of the European Union delegation to Ethiopia, spoke at the awards night, where he presented the Best African Short Film Award to Hisab by Ethiopia’s Ezra Wube. In his speech, the ambassador said, “The Colours of the Nile International Film Festival is making a new landscape in African cinema.”

While the films dealt with diverse subject matter, the jury was struck by a common thread – that of the displacement involved in migrant and immigrant lifestyles.

“This is perhaps not surprising, as it is very much a sign of the times throughout the world in which we live today,” said the jury. “Migration from one country to the other is something we can all relate to. It happens for a variety of reasons that ultimately lead to people seeking a better life forthemselves and their families. It is an issue that is top of the socio, economic and political agenda of most countries of the world.”

Other awards Best Short Film – Hisab by Ezra Wube (Ethiopia) The jury was struck by Hisab’s “highly original, innovative and creative way of depicting the hustle and bustle of life in a capital city.” Hisab “mixed live sound with artistic animation techniques and used animals that are a distinct part of life in the city to portray, in a humourous way, the behaviour of humans.”

Best Documentary Film: Voyage of Hope by Michel K. Zongo (Burkina Faso) The jury was “unanimously moved by the soberness and love with which the director goes on the journey from onecountry to another to trace the trail of his brother, who left the country for economical reasons 17 years ago and is rumoured to be dead.”

Best Screenplay: The Repentant by Merzak Allouachi (Algeria)

•An image from Resfless City.

Restless City: Nigerian film wins at Colours of the Nile Festival The jury was impressed with “how this story dealt with a very dramatic issue in contemporary Africa without the introduction of drama effects.”

They said The Repentant “epitomizes what a good film is about: a great story well told.”

Best Sound: 1Ž2 Revolution by Ka-

rim El Hakim and Omar Shargawi (Egypt)

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he jury says, “This award goes to an outstanding documentary, which worked with live sound recorded and adapted during a dramatic turn of events, while maintaining the

original tension of the environment as the action occurred.”

Best Soundtrack: Otelo Burning by Sara Blecher (South Africa) The jury felt Otelo Burning “deserved recognition for its superior and original soundtrack that adds to the visual appreciation of the film and firmly sets the story in the South African context.”

Best Actor: Kenneth Nkosi in Otelo Burning (South Africa) Although Kenneth Nkosi seems to have a minor part in Otelo Burning, the jury felt he “conveys, with tremendous strength and humility, his emotional frustrations and sadness about the dramatic course the lives of his belovedones has taken.”

Best Actress: Elizabeth Melaku in Scent of a Lemon (Ethiopia) The jury felt Elizabeth’s Melaku performance showed “highly remarkable and convincing screen acting” in her “transformation from a cheerful loving woman and caring wife to an introverted, bitter and struggling woman following unjustified societal pressure.”

Special mentions went to Abraham Gezahagne’s film Scent of a Lemon (Ethiopia); Theresa Traore-Dahlberg’s short film Taxi Sister (Senegal and Sweden); and Eric Miyeni’s documentary Mining For Change (South Africa).

CNIFF was made possible with the generous support of partners The Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Seagull Films; Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival; and Institut Francais/ Cinémathèque Afrique, as well as sponsors European Union; French Embassy Addis Ababa; French Embassy Kenya Alliance Ethio-Francaise; Italian Cultural Institution EUNIC; Egypt Air; Fana Broadcasting Corporation; NyalaInsurances Share Company; BGI Ethiopia; Timret Le Hiowt Ethiopia/Wise Up; BRC Tour and Travel and Tizez Hotel Addis Ababa.

Black Heritage Festival brings back Brazil

By PRISCA SAM-DURU

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S it continues its tour round countries , culture lovers in Nigeria will enjoy yet another opportunity of cultural extravaganza as Lagos State hosts the 2013 Lagos Black Heritage Festival (LBHF).

Still on the theme, The Black in the Mediterranean Blue, the 2013 edition which will have its focus on Bring Back Brazil, according to the festival consultant Professor Wole Soyinka, is to map out how Nigeria and Brazil influence each other.

Prof. Soyinka who spoke during a conference at Freedom Park, Lagos, disclosed that the festival will celebrate African creativity by featuring traditional and contemporary dances, music, art exhibition, photo exposition, drama, symposium and several other artistic and intellectual programmes.

Explaining reasons why Brazil is in focus, the Nobel laureate pointed out that “Our children do not understand why we have people who practice Nigerian cultures in Brazil, all they know is that in Brazil they have blacks who are descendants of slaves from Nigeria. They are astonished to see traditions of the Yoruba on streets of places such as Salvador during carnivals”, adding that the whole idea is to come and recover all enriching things the ancestors left behind.

H RH Erelu Dosumu Fernandez who is the festival chief host said that most of the cultures practiced in Brazil are of Yoruba origin. She expressed her

excitement about the festival adding that the title alone conjures peace, love, celebration, grandiose just as Brazil conjures Nigeria’s relationship with their culture.

She described Brazilians as promoters of the Nigerian cultures due to the way and manner they display with passion, most of the cultures and traditions of the Yoruba, stressing that they are more loyal than Nigerians and disclosed that plans are in place to bring cultural representatives from Brazil to come and show Nigerians during the festival, the need to appreciate their cultures.

This she added will be a continuous exercise.

•Prof Soyinka addressing the press at the occassion.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 29

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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he Federal Government has charged E-9 countries to consolidate on the gains of membership and ensure that member nations, individually and collectively, prioritize literacy in order to meet the 2015 Education for All (EFA) target.

E-9 countries are the nine most highly-populated countries with more than 60 per cent of the world’s population, over two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults and over half of the world’s out-of-school children. They are Nigeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan.

Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I, while handing over the Chairmanship of the E-9 countries to India's Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, at the 9th session in India, last week, tasked E-9 nations on the need to build on the modest gains of the association.

She further tasked the countries to prioritise literacy to ensure that il remains atop the nations’ collective agenda Launched in 1993, the E-9 Initiative has the objective of providing a forum for discussion of experiences in education, exchanging of best practices and monitoring of progress.

E-9 Ministers of Education also meet regularly to review their achievements and experiences in education, particularly EFA, and to debate selected themes of mutual interest.

Rufa’I, on assumption of office as the E-9 Chairperson in 2010, adopted the Abuja Framework for Action and Cooperation for the desired impact in the revitalisation of adult and youth literacy and placed literacy on the front burner of policy and decision making.

Under the leadership of Prof.

From left: Professor Pat Utomi, Guest Speaker; Mrs. Adeyemi Adenike, Lagos State NYSC Coordinator; Mrs. Ifeyinwa Okola, Camp Director; and Mr. Benson Evbuomwan, Marketing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills, at the Honeywell/NYSC cooking competition for Batch C corps members in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

FG charges E-9 countries to prioritize literacy Rufa’I, Nigeria attended and hosted high level group meetings of the E-9 nations, provided permanent delegates to UNESCO’s E-9 countries meeting, and meetings of E-9 Ministers in India and Paris, where member nations shared

ideas and reviewed progress made so far.

Other areas which the E-9 initiative helped Nigeria realise its objective on literacy control are in the promotion and use of minority languages for literacy along with the

primers developed in the three major languages of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

There is also an increase in advocacy among the states and the National Assembly through the introduction of Literacy Ambassadors

programme which would play an effective role in the promotion of literacy, especially among the disadvantaged groups in Nigeria.

The launch of the Access and Mass Literacy Campaign across the country increased the participation of more stakeholders, especially the private sectors’ interest and commitment to mass literacy and illiteracy reduction in the country.

While handing over to Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for Human Resources Development, India, Rufa’I stated that Nigeria had raised the profile of E-9 since she took over from Indonesia.

She called on member nations to work towards sustaining the momentum through more focused activities and the country level and collaboration beyond national frontiers.

Assured E-9 countries that Nigeria would continue to provide the necessary support and assistance whenever called upon, she called on member nations to extend the same measure of support to India just as they did to Nigeria.

UniAbuja students disrupt exams over non-accreditation of courses

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU & AMAKA ABAYOMI

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HE last is yet to be heard as students of the University of Abuja have disrupted their on-going examinations with the protest

of the non-accreditation of three programmes which led to their suspension by the federal government.

The programmes suspended about six months by are Engineering, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine; and the

students blame the university management for the delay in the accreditation process.

Only last week, the university took over the Veterinary Teaching Hospital building put at the cost of N41.8 million, and the accreditation team from the

Veterinary Council of Nigeria is expected to visit the university for the accreditation of the course.

The structure, ranked as the largest Veterinary Teaching Continues on page 30

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Education Stakeholders Produce Guides for Teaching Revised 9 —Year Basic — Page 30 Curriculum

Solutions to most diseases lie in the forests of Africa — Page 31

LASU VC presents scorecard 365 days after

— Page 28

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Community launches N100m education endowment fund

BRACED summit recommends re-introduction of history, civic education

BY DAYO ADESULU

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n an effort to entrench quality education throughout the region by a collective assessment of the education sub-sector, the BRACED Commission Governors Council held a 2Day summit in Port-Harcourt aimed at improving education at all levels, guaranting the production of sustainable human capital and an educated labour force, developing adequate and instructional information, communication and other technologies to drive the required change.

The Summit, which attracted over 752 participants, also had in attendance the Minister of Education, Prof.

Ruqayyatu Rufa'Í, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Federal Inspectorate Service; former Vice-President, World Bank, Africa Region, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; and some governors of BRACED states such as Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State.

After extensive discussion at the plenary and breakout sessions, the Summit deliberated on the following issues and the way forward.

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unding: Given the state of education in the region, it was agreed that the BRACED S t a t e s , comprisinf of oil producing states, should substantially increase their •Director - General, BRACED Commission Ambassador Joe annual budget on education and timely released of funds with budget competence commensurate to subjects to be taught in allocations. the level of schooling. primary and secondary The funds must be proactively Accordingly, it recommends schools. directed to activities that will that BRACED States should, lead to the educational without delay, put an end to asic and Secondary: The development by investing in automatic promotion at all Summit emphasises the education as against levels, institute measures to urgent need to pay greater spending in education. improve literacy, numeracy attention to basic and and life skills through periodic secondary education in order nfrastructure: The critical assessment of school effective- to improve the academic importance of ness, and using of measurable performance of students. infrastructural development learning outcomes.

The Summit called on state as the supporter of a It urged the BRACED States governments in the region to conducive teaching and to institutionalise a proper undertake an urgent and learning environment was quality assurance process comprehensive review of basic given due attention. that would monitor, evaluate education.

While commending the and assist teachers’ The Summit recommended efforts of the state effectiveness in schools. early childhood education, governments for providing which it pointed as a critical modern school buildings, it alue Orientation: In segment of a child’s education was recommended that more recognizing the declining and personality development. focus be given to the spread value orientation in schools, Comprehensive reading and functionality of the school the Summit recommends the programmes to ensure that buildings, especially for the reintroduc-tion of history and every child can read by the physically challenged and civic education as a way of third year of elementary disadvantaged learners. reinstating value back in the schooling. school system.

Establishment of clear tudent Poor Performance: It proposed that the region objectives for improving The Summit admits that should set up a process for the English fluency and products of the region’s development of curricula for mathematics proficiency. schools do not exhibit history and civic education as

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UniAbuja students disrupt exams Continues from page 29 Hospital in Nigeria, was handed over by the Chairman of the Committee on UniAbuja VTH, Dr. Suleiman Mohammed, to the VC, Professor James.

Sources said this triggered the protest as Engineering students felt their Faculty was being relegated to the background.

A 400-level engineering student said “It will be wrong for the university management to say that the students are not patient enough, considering that the promise was made since April by the Vice Chancellor.

“As I speak to you, there are no equipment in the laboratory and the facilities are not enough to even invite the relevant authorities for accreditation.”

The protesting students of University of Abuja However, the Information Officer of the university, Mr. Waziri Garba, said the university management has intensified efforts to ensure the accreditation of all the faculties as promised.

Though Garba noted that the accreditation of the Faculty of Engineering was capital intensive, he said they were

waiting for the Nigerian Universities Commission to commence resource verification.

In support of the protesting UniAbuja students is the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Dauda Mohammed, who said they have the

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N a bid to raise the educational standard of its youths, the people of Ididep community in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, under the aegis of Ididep Progressive Association, IPA, Lagos branch, has launched a N100 million education endowment fund.

According to the President of the association, Mr. Solomon Mkpese, the fund is a vision that seeks to build a fitting foundation to raise a network of future Ididep leaders who can compete with their peers globally to bring new ideas and creativity and committed to improving the general standard of beyond what we met.

On his part, chairman of the occasion and CEO of Leverage Investment Ltd, Elder Sam Bassey, said the purpose of going to school was to be creative, adding “education is very important.

He advised the youths not to go to school just for the certificate but to allow the school to pass through them so that they will be able become self dependent.

St. Kevin’s College celebrates 50th anniversary

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

backing of Nigerian students who are tired of these impasses that keeps paralyzing academic activities on the campus.

“We urge the Federal Government to call the university management and the Ministry of Education to order ahead of our planned relocation of the NANS secretariat to the University of Abuja in the next 48 hours.

This is planned to remain there until a resolution is found to the impasse that is threatening the continued existence of the University.

“We are disappointed at the attitude of the Ministry of Education towards correcting the anomalies that have resulted into this crisis, and we wish to categorically state that we will not allow any student to be illegally denied the right of their studentship as a result of certain incompetence on the part of the authorities of the University.”

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HE Old Boys Association of St. Kevin’s College Kokori Inland, has begun plans to commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the school.

The college, a first generation institution in the present Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State will turn 50 next year.

At an Old Boys’ meeting held recently, Dr. S. Onose, who presided over the meeting, said the event is worth celebrating.

He also stressed the need to elect national officers to pilot the affairs of the association.

Principal of the college, Rev. Fr. Okon, thanked the Old Boys for their unflinching commitment to the cause of the college and briefed them on the effort of his administration to restore the school to its glorious era.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 31

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

BRIEF

Crawford varsity partners Israeli institute

LASU VC presents scorecard 365 days after

•LASU School of Transport almost completed in 365 days

BY MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

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xactly one year after Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa assumed office as the 11th Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, massive development have sprung up in various sections of the university.

Penultimate Tuesday, the VC, while addressing jouralists at the University ’s Senate Chamber to mark his one year in office, averred the infrastructural and academic uplift recorded so far can be re-confirmed by a tour of the 27 year-old institution.

Before his appointment as VC in November 2011, the Professor of Forensic Pathology had been a Consultant Pathologist to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), and two-time Provost of Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja.

With the landmark achievement recorded at LASUCOM, with conducive lecture rooms, tele-lecture facilities, standard and well equipped laboratories, 24 hours service library, hostel facilities, 24 hours internet facilities, among others, hopes that he would replicate same as VC was not dashed.

Quadlife in a tour of facilities confirmed that a lot has occurred within the last 365 days in office of the VC. Meanwhile, Obafunwa had in the media briefing said: “On assumption of office last November, we looked at myriad of issues bordering on registration, exams, results, accommodation, the image of

the average LASU student and, indeed, the university itself, security which made us consider the aspect of trying to rebrand the university.”

On infrastructural development, the don said “in the last 12 months, the university has embarked on a number of projects which include seven storey Senate Building, four storey central library; a twin Faculty of Law lecture theatre, new School of Transport complex; Faculty of Management Sciences Complex, Faculty of Sciences Complex, Students’ Union Arcade, refurbishment of 3-in1 building and many other

projects that will change the architectural landscape of the main campus.

“Moreso, the administration completed some buildings which were eyesores on the main campus. Noteworthy is the new university auditorium which was made ready for use for the recently concluded 17th convocation ceremonies of the university.

"Also, the Teslim Olawale Elias Law Library has been completed ahead of the NUC re-accreditation exercise of L ASU Law Faculty,” he averred.

One other sector the VC made a giant stride is the

external system. Recall the Visitor to the university, Governor Babatunde Fashola, had recently scrapped the external campuses based on the recommendation of National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to the VC, this was a welcome development to restore the integrity of an average LASU graduate and respect for the certificate.

“When we took over, we had a number of these people in the external system. Students who you cannot describe as bonafide,” he reiterated.

When the administration took over, there were backlog of unmarked exam scripts.

The VC took the decision of bringing in a new Director of the External System, Dr. O.T. Abanikanda, to ensure that the backlogs of scripts were marked.

At the last convocation, about 27,000 students graduated of which over 14,000 were external students. That was the fallout of the fact that there hasn’t been convocation for years.

Having restructured the external system, “ we intend to replace it the Open Distance Learning. We had preliminary discussions with the NUC.

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

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rawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, is partnering with the Galilee International Management Institute, Israel, for a world class, agriculture, pharmaceutical and marketing companies.

The programme would attract the presence of Israeli management experts in the University to teach courses on high tech processes in banking operations, food, chemical and pharmaceutical process, insurance and risk management, telecommunication processes, and industrial management.

Further to this, all participants would proceed to Israel for a onemonth intensive course module in high tech components of various compulsory courses.

According to the Vice Chancellor, Crawford University, Professor S. A. Ayanlaja, this is going to be a highly beneficial program for all companies, organizations, and individuals, since Israel is known to be one of the best science-tech countries of the world.

JABU appoints new VC

BY DAYO JOHNSON, AKURE

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'Nigeria needs personal transformation'

BY VICTOR IGIRI, UNN

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he Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Oye, Ekiti State, Ven. Prof.

Chinedu Osita Nebo, has said that for Nigeria to achieve vision 2020, there is the need for personal transformation in all the citizens.

He posited this recently at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) during the memorial Anniversary Lecture of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, GCFR, PC, the Owelle of Onitsha, while presenting a lecture on 'Transformational Leadership and the Quest for the National Transformation'.

He decried the current state of insecurity, moral decadence and poverty, amongst others, in the

country which, according to him, is our 'national dilemma.'

According to him, there would be no transformation in Nigeria until the individuals are transformed.

“Nigeria is under a siege that holds us hostage and until we kill pleasures and look inwardly, national transformation would remain a mirage.

“We must transform our mindset in order to bring transformation in this nation.”

Nebo further added that Nigeria needs servant leaders like Nnamdi Azikiwe who would stand firm against all societal ills.

“Leadership is to lead right and to live right. The leaders of Nigeria should learn from Azikiwe and not just keep loathing public funds."

He said leaders must be competent and altruistic, incorruptible, passionate about vision, responsive to staff needs and must enlighten the public and make them see that they are owners of the government.

He said Nigeria is a failed nation because of the system practiced and that transformation can only come if leaders are accountable to the people.

Also speaking at the occasion, The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Onwuliri, said Nigeria can only be transformed if every Nigerian contributes in their own little ways where ever they find themselves and not just blame government officials.

new Chancellor, Pastor Oluwawemimo Odunaiya, has been appointed for the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State.

Pastor Odunaiya is to fill the vacuum left by HRM Oba Oladele Olashore, C.O.N., its pioneer Chancellor who donated an ultra-modern auditorium during his tenure.

The 74 year new Chancellor holds a B.Comm. Honours from the University of Liverpool, England, after which he qualified as member of the Institute of Chartered of Accountants in England and Wales in 1971.

He worked briefly with Coopers and Lybrand in Liverpool before returning to Nigeria to assume headship of his family business Oba-Nle-Aro Group of Companies involved in importation and sales of building

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22 , 2012 — 33

FUTA churns out 15 first class

BY DAYO JOHNSON, Akure

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BY LAJU ARENYEKA

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ines seem longer at the cafeteria now. Beads of sweat now cause an unusual stench in lecture halls, and even classrooms with fans seem to circulate a depressing blend of heat, smell and sweat. Summer break is just an expression to describe ‘July and August’, truth is: no school management will give you a holiday because of the sun.

Solution: You might have to take your own comfort into your own hands. Since school libraries have the best air conditioning, spend some more time there, and follow these simple fashion tips.

•Bright and beautiful: Now you have a perfect excuse to try colour blocking.

Darker colours absorb heat and could make it very obvious when you emit sweat.

But the lighter shades on the colour wheel will do your body a lot of good.

•‘Cotton’ is your candy: Cotton is the sweetest, sweatless good you can do yourself

Fashion shades for

the scorching heat in this season. Although many trendy clothes are made of chiffon and nylon, you can find cotton blouses that work just fine.

•Slim belts over wide belts: Wide belts will leave a patch of sweat on your clothes and a blast of heat just beneath. If you have to wear belts, go for slim ones instead.

•Shoe advice: This is the best time to wear sandals. Sandals aid proper ventilation for your feet and will help keep your selfrespect by not stinking when you take them off in class. If you must wear shoes, go for easily removable shoes and air them out often. Heels could be quite uncomfortable in the heat, except you don’t plan on walking much.

•The handkerchief is king: There’s nothing like a good old fashioned hanky. Keeping one or more handy is an indispensable fashion secret for the scorching heat. Facial wipes, tissues or towels can also be used.

•Sunshades: Before silly f a s h i o n trends made them an in house thing, sun shades w e r e designed as the name suggests: to shade you from the sun.

Now that you k n o w , embrace them!

•Hairstyle: Full braids, long weaveons, and short weave-ons without skull caps are hot this season. ‘Hot’ in the uncomfortable sweaty kind of way. If you’ve never taken that bold step to step out in your own hair, now could be the time. If not, just stick with big braids that aren’t too full or glue your weave-ons to a removable skull cap.

•Water: Drink loads of it, bathe in it, and wash your face with it as many times as you can.

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opnotch Writers Organization, a studentrun organization, last Thursday, set agog the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), to train and empower students on how to discover their natural

potentials.

Being the second edition, the programme was tagged: “Unlocking, Branding and Rebranding Your Potentials.”

It was aimed at grooming talents in areas such as arts and crafts, journalism and writing, while also featuring sessions on leadership and press journalism.

According to the Coordinator, Miss. Orija Ponmile, “the aim

of the training is to develop and improve skills in leadership, communication, writing, entrepreneurship, reporting and interviewing”.

Speaking on the topic, “Unlocking, Branding and Rebranding Your Potentials Through Press Journalism,” Mr. Tosin Adesile said there was a need to sensitize student journalists on the need to carry out their duties

UK govt to sponsor Nigerian students

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

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Group trains students on talent discovery

BY TOBI MAKINDE & JEMINIWA ADETOMIWA,UNILAG

VER 18,650 students have graduated from the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in the last 30 years.

Also, the university would confer honorary doctorate degree on Major General Theophilous Danjuma and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology, Ghana, Prof. Mineku Gyimah.

The Chairman of the ceremonial committee of the convocation, Prof. Adedayo Fasakin, said this at a press conference to herald the celebration of the university 30th year of existence and 24th convocation ceremony.

Fasaki said no fewer than 3,489 students would graduate at the 24th convocation ceremony.

A breakdown of the graduating students showed that 1,960 would be awarded first degree, 415 would get diploma, 738 post graduate diploma, 335 would be awarded masters degree, while 41 people would get doctorate degree.

According to him, out of the 1,960 first degree graduands, 15 graduated with first class, 561 with second class upper division, 998 with second class lower division, 331 with third class and 65 with pass.

diligently, and not compromise their standards for monetary gains.

“Presently, African mass media are going through a period of general loss of credibility. This is as a result of the shortage of honest, prolific, investigative and modern journalists.”

he global UK government 2012 scholarships programme is now open to support exceptional Nigeria students in various academic levels.

Operating in several countries world wide, the Chevening scholarships, which are funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisation, is aimed at awarding scholarships only to exceptional individuals with leadership potentials, giving them the opportunity to run a typical one year Master ’s degree in any subject and at any UK university.

According to the British High Commissioner (Acting), Giles Lever, “The scholarships aim to support UK foreign policy priorities by creating lasting positive relationships with future leaders, influencers and decision makers around the world.

The Chevening programme provides a unique opportunity for leaders of the future in Nigeria to build a global network of continuing professional significance.

34— Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Education stakeholders revise 9-year basic curriculum

BY DAYO ADESULU

BY MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

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A

Participants at the writing workshop on the new Teachers’ Guides with Prof. Godswill Obioma (7th from right) and other management staff of NERDC.

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or the purpose of ensuring an effective implementation of the newly revised 9-year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), teacher educators, curriculum development experts, content specialists, policy makers, school teachers and professionals from the private sector from all parts of the country gathered last week in Lagos to write Teachers Guides for each of the various subjects from primary to junior secondary schools.

The platform for the weeklong intellectual exercise was provided by the Nigerian Educational research and Development Council (NERDC) which has the responsibility of developing curricula, instructional materials like textbooks and Teachers Guides as well as training teachers on the use of the curriculum.

According to the Executive Secretary, NERDC, Professor Godswill Obioma, the development of Teachers Guides is very important because it enhances teachers’ ability to teach and relate well with their pupils as it guides them in evaluation.

He added that the development of the Teachers Guides is an innovation as curriculum development in the past was not accompanied by focused Teachers Guides.

The participants in the writing workshop were grouped into their different areas of subject specialization, with each group having six writers.

Each of the groups then worked on the conceptual framework for the Teachers Guides which was developed last month in Benin City and which outlined the units and components for the writing exercise.

The different units and components of the conceptual framework, according to Prof Obioma, include: understanding the revised curriculum; breaking of the curriculum into syllabus, scheme of work, unit of work, lesson plan and their preparation; modern teaching approaches and lesson plan; sample lesson planning based on modern teaching approaches; teaching of perceived difficult concepts in the subject areas; and resources for teaching and assessment of learning.

Obioma explained that the writing of the Teachers Guides was accomplished by fleshing up this outline with specific

Group prepares students for leadership

The products of this 9-year Basic Education Curriculum will be self-reliant, who will be job providers rather than job seekers

examples and guidelines that teachers at the primary and junior secondary schools could follow to effectively implement the revised curriculum.

“The eminent personalities at the workshop have successfully come up with draft copies of the Teachers Guides. The next steps will involve the critique and editorial workshops, which is important because the Teachers Guides are to be distributed to schools nationwide alongside the revised basic education curriculum early next year.

"This will be followed by the printing and subsequent

distribution of the Guides to all public schools through the state Ministries of Education.

Teachers will also be trained on the use of the Guides in all the six geo-political zones of the country.”

According to him, the development of the Teachers Guides is done in line with global best practices.

“The world is a global village, and in developing the Guides, we took a cue from advanced developing countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. We see these countries as our mentors and we also looked at how they did the alignment of

their curriculum. These two countries have achieved a lot in human capital development.

“Human capital development is central to the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. Education that meets the social and economic needs of the society is the fundamental vehicle that drives human development. It is the determination to achieve this national goal that informed the development of a functional curriculum by NERDC which has introduced trade/ entrepreneurial education and vocational and technical education.

"The products of this 9-year Basic Education Curriculum will be self-reliant, who will be job providers rather than job seekers. Based on the revised basic curriculum, pupils, from September 2013, will be offering pre-vocational studies.”

Adekunle Akinyemi, emphasized that CEEZEK Foundation “aims at meeting the reading needs of schools in Africa, with a first point of focus on Nigeria.

"Reading culture has faded out in schools,” Prof Akinyemi stressed, “and this is adversely affecting learning outcomes and general performance of students in public examinations.”

He emphasized that serious deliberate efforts must be made by concerned individuals and governments at all levels to bring back the lost glory of the Nigerian education system.

“If Nigeria gets it right in terms of quality education, Africa will make great progress in all spheres,” he concluded.

Prof. Biodun Akinpelu, the Proprietor and Principal Consultant to ZIKLAG Schools who received the book donations on behalf of ZIKLAG Schools thanked the CEEZEK Foundation for this unique gesture and promised to utilize the donated books for the advancement of education in Nigeria.

The Provost of ZIKLAG Schools, Mrs. Violet Akinyemi stressed that a major need of the school has been met through this gesture by CEEZEK Foundation.

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NGO donates books to school

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

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taff, students and pupils of ZIKLAG Schools, Ilogbo Eremi, in Olorunda LCDA of Lagos recently received boxes of books on various subjects from CEEZEK Foundation, a nongovernmental educational organisation based in Maryland, USA. Presenting the 38 boxes of books, the Executive Chairman of the Organisation, Prof.

s the call for proper leadership and involvement of teens with leadership skills combined with academics become louder, a Lagos based e d u c a t i o n a l management outfit, Standard Mandate International (SDI), has organized its annual l e a d e r s h i p development summit for students' leaders across secondary and primary schools.

The programme titled, 'Intelligent Leadership for Young Minds' held at the UNILAG Arts Theatre, saw over 500 students from 52 schools that subscribed for the programme.

Present at this year’s summit are,: Peace Gate Science Academy, Ijoko, Ogun State, Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Anthony, Lagos, Soundhope Private Academy, Ipaja, Dansol High School, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Cresent International School, Victoria Island, Oxbridge Tutorial College, GRA, Ikeja, among others.

Speaking on ’Managing Leadership with Study', Barrister Bisi Akin Arogunmati, noted that records have shown that students grapple with numerous academic drawbacks when asked to handle a position of leadership in schools, especially when the leadership position is recently acquired.

She said it requires careful and strategic steps to understand the delicate balance that exist between leadership and study, hence, students were taught the tools relevant to cope efficiently as others when saddled with added responsibilities as prefect, class captain, house, master and so on.

She maintainedng that nothing is better than being a good prefect and a brilliant student.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 35

involved in some chromosomal works and toxicity.

“A lot of these plants and drugs may be good and attending to the problem; but what we are not sure of are the side effects so my own aspect of research deals with the side effects which could be manageable if they are just ordinary side effects but if they affect the chromosomes or genes, then it is a big problem, so I do a lot of genotoxicity work to find out whether the genes are affected. If it affects the genes or chromosomes, it means it can be transferred from parents to children so it is important to me as a geneticist to look at the genotoxicity effect, whether plants, drugs

Moses Ndubuisi Nwakanma

BY EBELE ORAKPO

M

r. Moses Ndubuisi Nwakanma, a botanist, geneticist and environmental biologist, is a lecturer in the Department of Biological Science, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. In this chat with Vanguard Learning, Nwakanma whose interest is in medicinal plants like Moringa oleifera, called the Drumstick plant/ tree of life or Miracle tree, Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) and guava, says if we understand plants, we will be happier in our health. ‘If doctors go on strike as they did some time ago and you require medical attention, if you understand plants, it will not catch you off guard, but if you don’t, and you rely solely on orthodox medicine, it will be a problem, so that is why I concentrate on studying medicinal plants.’ Excerpts: According to Nwakanma who has worked extensively on moringa , bitterleaf and guava, moringa can be used against anxiety, depression, insomnia, skin infections, intestinal parasites etc. “If you rub the essential oil from the seed on your skin, it takes care of skin infections. It has a wide spectrum of actions.

Whether it is the leaf, or the seed, every part has something to offer, so I choose to call it miracle tree,” he said.

B i t t e r l e a f , ( Ve r n o n i a amygdalina) which has been a common feature in local herbal practice, is used to control diabetes, reduce high blood pressure and “we also found that it is indicated more recently against malaria and

Solutions to most diseases lie in the forests of Africa — Nwakanma

intestinal worms, just like moringa. So we got interested in some of these medicinal plants. Also, Dr Ofodile, (my present head of department) and I, looked at the antimicrobial activity of guava leaves. We also worked on moringa against malaria because malaria is a problem in the tropics, Nigeria to be specific. A lot of people are dying of malaria. It kills more than any other disease known in the tropics. According to WHO report, 80 per cent of these cases are in pregnant women called gestational malaria and infants. A lot of infants/children die of malaria so the fatality level is very high. Our research is therefore, centred on plants, to use plants to contribute to society with respect to treatment.”

As a result of having his second degree in Environmental Biology and Genetics, Nwakanma got

or any food material that gets into the body. So my work revolves around cell biology, genetics, and environmental biology and plants are a major

component of the environment,” he stated.

Continuing, Nwakanma said they looked at the rise in cases of hypertension, diabetes, stress, malaria and many other maladies in the society “and we hope to find most of the solutions in plants. If we must combat most of these diseases, then we must go back to plants. Our parents and our forefathers used them but then we say they were illiterates, but they knew plants, now we know a lot of things but we don’t know plants and the death toll has hit the roof. When they did not know much but knew plants, the death toll was less but we know a lot of book work now, yet we don’t know plants and death rate has gone very high. Our intention here is to call people back to plants.

Most of the solutions to different diseases lie in the forests of Africa so we are calling people back to plants, let us look at the natural products that God has given us. Most of the tablets we swallow come from plants but we now make synthetic products, analogues of the natural materials. So if we go back to the natural materials, we will be happier.”

Using bitter leaf to clean up polluted soil: “There are some other aspects of research, the environmental aspect particularly. Last year we did a research using bitter leaf to attempt to clean up an environment that was polluted with diesel and petrol (gasoline). The outcome was so interesting that the work was accepted and published by an international journal.

The toxic effect of diesel and gasoline polluted soil by Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf). Nwakanma 2011. We have also successfully done a similar type of work using crude oil and spent engine oil.

If you go to any mechanic workshop to service your car, they will drain the oil from the car and pour it in the

surroundings hoping that it will simply disappear or volatilize, but we have found out that more often than not, if you put crops in this soil, they may have problems producing optimally. Today, we hear about spills here and there, and it is causing a lot of problems, whether onshore or offshore, spills are spills and they can affect farmlands.

How do you clean up that polluted environment?

“Among many plants that have been tested before are cowpea and soybean, so we decided to test bitter leaf, whether it can be useful in such an area and the result at the moment is very promising.

You plant the stems of the bitter leaf on the polluted soil.

We d i d i t w i t h d i ff e r e n t concentrations, it uptakes the oil from the soil. You know as you are working, some also will be lost through leeching and other means, but we are interested in its ability to uptake. As a step further from what we did last time, we decided to look at the plant now and the total hydrocarbon content. We also looked at the total hydrocarbon content of the soil. The idea was to be able to make a definite statement on how much hydrocarbon was up-taken from that polluted soil. There are many mechanisms that plants use when they are doing phytoremediation. It could be by phyto-extraction, phytovolatilization etc., so we are trying to trace the pathway through which the bitter leaf uptakes and what it does with it. If anything can affect the chromosomes, it will affect the plant but in the one we did last year and the one we have done this year, we have seen the same pattern. It affects their mitotic processes, so the chromosomes are not able to complete their mitotic cycle, so over time, it is possible that the plant after taking up so much, may die.

Dep Gov tasks students on leadership

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

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agos State Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire has stressed the need for all round development of public school students in the state so as to produce individuals that are fit for the challenges of the global society.

Adefulire, who spoke at the third anniversary of the re-launch of uniform clubs in public schools in the state, noted that youth development was not

limited to educational pursuits but other extracurricular activities that would prepare them physically, emotionally and socially.

Addressing hundreds of students of various clubs, such as The Boys Scout, Brownie, Boys Brigade and Man-O-War, Adefulire said “the resuscitation of uniformed clubs in public schools will continue to provide allround and holistic education to our

children.

“Since its re-launch, the clubs have helped to rediscover and awaken some virtues such as discipline, obedience, honesty and leadership traits in our children, which are necessary to build an enduring and a progressive society.”

Adefulire charged the students to continue to be disciplined and contribute to the development of the state by being agents of change.

36 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

FG laments dearth of quality innovations in varsities

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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HE Federal Government has raised alarm over the substandard innovations being churned out from tertiary institutions across the country which is a direct result of poor research and innovations in the nation’s universities.

President Goodluck Jonathan, at the 2012 edition of National Education Innovations Exhibition in Abuja, lamented the dearth of home grown research in the educational system, a trend, he said, accounted for huge budgetary allocations to the sector in the past years, with a total of N409bn allocated to it in 2012.

Represented by the Minister of Education, Prof.

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

S

tudents of Loral International School, Igbesa campus, have been urged to consider studying business related courses while furthering their education as knowledge

Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, President Jonathan said for Nigeria to achieve its quest for a dynamic and economic driven society, stakeholders ought to entrench a system of innovations right from the basic school level.

Members of Boys’ Scout at the third anniversary of the relaunch of uniformed clubs in public schools in Lagos State.

Loral students encouraged to study business courses acquired from such courses would help them become self

Fashola tasks corps members on industry

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ife of Lagos State governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, has urged corps members to use the opportunity of their service year to discover themselves in the best entrepreneurial skill as there is no more white collar job anywhere.

Fashola, who charged corps members during a sensitisation programme on entrepreneurial development held at NYSC camp, IyanoIpaja, said: "entrepreneurship is sometimes in you, and until you discover it, it will not be active.”

She tasked the corps members to change their attitude towards entrepreneurship which she referred to as alternative skill.

Fashola who was challenging corps members to be industrious said that when she was working with the British

“My administration recognizes the challenges that the education sector has been facing over the years, it is for this reason that we have consistently continued to improve budgetary allocation to the sector"

Embassy, she used to bake cakes for sales, adding that anywhere you are, you should try to give your best.

Education, she pointed out, gives you information to make your choice.

Speaking in the same vein, the State Coordinator, NYSC Lagos State, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, said skill acquisition as of today in the NYSC camp is not optional but compulsory for all, adding that there is a structure in place whereby everybody must attend the skill acquisition programme for practical.

"Each corps member is encourage to choose any of the skills acquisition programme we have on camp. I discovered that from what we have on ground we can see that they are all exited with the programme because they know that that is where the solution of unemployment in Nigeria lies."

She maintained that the future of unemployment is not in the white collar job, but in entrepreneurship.

reliant in future.

A lecturer at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Mr. Ibironke Olukayode. gave this advice during the 2012 Business/ Technology week of the campus held recently at the school premises.

According to him, the study of business helps individuals develop key competencies, values and attitudes through the fostering of qualities such as initiative, resilience, resourcefulness and skills of problem solving, co-operation, decision-making, negotiation and communicating.

“Knowledge acquired in the field of business study aid self employment. This knowledge makes it easier and economical for graduates and practitioners in this field to go into entrepreneurship thus making them boss of their own and also employer of labour.

“This field of study offers people a variety of options to explore in the job market.

Those that studies business related courses would have various options in different sectors of the economy, that is, at the point of making a career choice or choosing a job line.”

Olukayode, a chattered accountant, noted that the world has become a global village, therefore, knowledge of information technology and the use of the internet could not be over emphasized.

SUCCESS RECIPE WITH

UDEME ARCHIBONG Personality: The container and the content

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HENEVER personality is mentioned, there are two sides of the coin which is the “container” and the “content”. Using an analogy; if a bottle of wine has a sophisticated, well designed and attractive bottle (container) but the wine (content) itself is bitter and sour, though people will be attracted to the bottle of wine but when they have a taste of the wine, they are repelled. Hence, the bottle of wine that had previously held their attention becomes a thing that they now distain.

On the other hand, if the bottle (container) is a mess and unattractive but the wine (content) itself is tasteful; people will be repelled although the wine is tasteful. The unattractiveness of the bottle had made the wine go unnoticed though it was palatable. Finally, if the bottle is appealing and the wine tasteful; people will be attracted to both the bottle and the wine. Consequently, the bottle of wine becomes admired and desirable by people.

Along the same vein, physical appearance connotes the container and our heart qualities are the content. Unlike the bottle of wine that is mass produced; an assemblage of identical product. You are a customized product with an originality that had never and will never be in existence.

From the beginning of time to infinity, no one has or will ever have the same fingerprint; voice nor match your features or personality. That proves that you are unique; one of a kind. Therefore, you become a failure or a mediocre to the extent to which you attempt to imitate or become like another person. You can learn from successful personalities you admire to enhance your uniqueness but never want to be like them.

Remember, when you are yourself; you are an original; the best the world has ever known but when you become like another, your value depreciates; you become an imitation; a second-rated citizen in the world.

Personality is the sum total of your outer and inner characteristics or qualities which sets you apart from others and determines the way you see yourself and the impression others have of you while attracting their goodwill or resistance to you as a person.

Personality is fundamentally made up of our external qualities (appearance) and our internal qualities which are basically our thoughts and this determine our character or behaviour.

People must get past your outward appearance before probing into your inner qualities. You are judged by your outward appearance and you also judge people by the same.

An unkempt and sloppy physical appearance without taste and appropriate dress sense will be repulsive even if the heart qualities are right and desirable. But if your physical appearance is attractive and your heart qualities are excellent, you will be the pivot of attraction and influence.

In maintaining an attractive outward appearance one should be clean and well groomed. Body odour and bad breath is a sure quality that puts off people. Therefore, there is a need to keep the body fresh and clean through regular bathe.

Let a clean mind reflect on a clean body. Your perfume or antiperspirant should not be overpowering. Hair should be neat and kept in good condition; clothes should be clean and pressed; shoes should be shined and the shoe heels should be properly maintained.

Dress appropriately for the occasion; buy the best quality clothes you can afford but let it be fitting on you. Dress to attract but never to conquer. Therefore, decency is the corner stone of a good dress sense. Stand tall, Walk tall, Put your shoulders back, and talk forcefully with conviction in a pleasant tone of voice.

Your dressing is never complete until you wear a smile on your face; the one that is from the heart, such smiles penetrates and melts hearts and make you irresistible. Make your outward appearance appealing so that people will care to know what you are on the inside.

Remember no product sells without the eye appeal; the eye appeal is the gateway for the buy appeal. Therefore, don’t sell yourself short.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 37

ask for?

Emmanuel, (29), Sur veyor, has been living alone for the last three years.

His wife insists she cannot endure a sexual relationship with him.

Why? His account:

When sex refuses to bind (3)

George, (42), Banker, tells the story of how his first marriage ended. His story: I felt sorry for my actions after that and tried to plead with her forgiveness but she just laid curled there, weeping. I fell asleep and didn’t know anything again until the morning.

I was surprised when after preparing for work, I realised that Boma had no intention of going to

the office that morning.

When I tried to make a casual joke of what had happened, Boma told me I would have myself to blame for what I’d done to her and our marriage. I didn’t think much of it at all. But a week after the incident, I returned home from

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H

i, a lot have been said about sex.

Its ordained by God for procreation and recreation between a man and his wife.

It has been described as the lubricating oil for a healthy,intimate relationship. Sex has also been ascribed some therapeutic and rejuvinating powers.

The more sex a couple has the better for them and their relationship.

However, this is not always the case in many relationships.

Sex, which ought to be freely given and enjoyed between a man and his wife may sometimes turn them into enemies, eventually destroying their otherwise great marriage and relationship.

In this article, our respondents share with us, their stories and how it affected their l i v e s .

Please, feel free to share your experience or that of someone you know with us too. It might be benefitial to someone out there.

Our address remains: The Human Angle, Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E-mail a d d r e s s : humananglepage@yahoo.com.

Happy reading!

come back home. It never happened. When the baby came, we were all very happy, believing that everything would be settled at that point, especially as it was a boy. But this did not happen. The naming ceremony was performed at my

She took one look at me and said I was too big and was sure it would not enter

work to discover Boma had parked some of her things and left.

She went back to her parents home and they received her. Just like that. My visit to their house that night yielded nothing as I did not even get to see her.

So did subsequent visits from my family.

About a month after Boma left our home, she sent a message that she was pregnant and would be staying at her parents till she gave birth to the baby. With this, I knew I was in for a long holiday.

Family and friends advised that I leave her alone and allow her sort herself out. It was not easy for me.

My experience in this union was nothing like I had envisaged it would be on marrying Boma. My joy and plans for an exclusive matrimony was ruined.

I imagined I could have been better off if I’d married one of my other girlfriends.

Sometimes, I felt as if God was punishing me for all I’d done before.

Other times, I will promise Him that I will never look at another woman again for as long as I live, if Boma would

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parents’ place and to everyone dismay, Boma insisted on returning with her parents back home. And that was it.

I eventually took another wife, officially, nine years after. Our son is now 16 years and in his final year in Secondary school.

Boma has not remarried till date and still lives in her parents house with her mother.

Her father died four years ago and left the house to them. It will become Boma’s after her mother ’s death. Her three other siblings have other houses.

By the second year after Boma left and I knew she was not coming, I started feeling resentment towards her.

I just didn’t understand what had happened between us and she did not offer any explanations too.

However, at her father’s one year memorial, she told me she just didn’t want to be married. She wanted to be single, live her life and serve God with her body. I always console myself with the fact that my suffering was not in vain.

We have a son together.

What more can anyone

Bola and I met at the Polytechnic. I had recently given my life to God at the time, while she was born into a born-again Christian home. I felt drawn to her right from the beginning.

Being more versed in the Scriptures, it was as if she was my guide and I leaned on her for direction. Simply put, she was in control right from the onset.

Sex was never an issue because of the faith we professed, even though it was not easy for me, having enjoyed the act in the past. So, we never gave in to temptation.

The problem began on our wedding night when Bola refused to submit herself for the sex. She took one look at me and said I was too big and was sure it would not enter. I thought it was a joke and even asked her if she had seen any before and how she knew it was too big.

It cannot be since the place was designed to be elastic and would even expand to fit in a baby’s head. Was I as big as a baby’s head? If not, then, I could not be too big.

But Bola would listen to no explanation. Since I respected and loved her so much, I had to give in and even promised to give her some time to come to terms with the idea first.

The honeymoon ended on this note. Nothing happened. By this time, I was already feeling ashamed of myself. It was obvious that we needed help but who can one turn to for that kind of assistance.

Would I need to be showing myself to them to determine if it was too big or not? I knew it was going to be a big problem and the only person I could confide in was my mum.

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•Dear readers, please note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests on the Lovezone that may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public.

Also note that we do not run any match-making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with anyone claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk.

Henceforth, only messages sent through the numbers readers want to be contacted on will be published.

This notice is necessary in order to serve you better in our refreshingly different style. To get your requests published, just text it to the code number 33055. For further enquiries, call 08026651636. Cheers!

More than just a fling

BY ONOZURE DANIA

D

O you know that most men decide if a woman is a “girlfriend material” within a few seconds of meeting her?

If you don’t know how to create the right first impression with a man, then you just might get thrown into the “just a friend” category for good.

That is why it’s important to understand what causes a man to be attracted to you at a deeper level from the on set.

It is not a rare thing for a woman to hear a man tell her that she was nothing more than a fling to him.

In many cases, this is communicated by actions, and this can hurt much more.

After all the time that you have both spent together, the realisation that you were nothing more than a fling to him can be bitter, painful and frustrating.

The sad part is that many women find themselves caught in a rut where they inevitably end up being a fling to a man.

The battle between the sexes has always escalated to new peaks with men and women being on a different wavelength of communication. You need to remember that men don’t always mean what they say and this is a very critical reason as to why many women end up being just a fling to a man.

Always keep in mind that men and women do not always communicate the same way. If a man views you as just a fling and if he has no scruples about it, then he will promise you the whole world but actually not mean any of it.

Do you also know that men think of women as relationship material or a cool girl, when they see that a woman understands something that other women can’t even see going on.

“Cool girls” exude positive emotional energy that men can relate to naturally, the kind of women who every man is inexplicably drawn

to, even if they don’t look like a supermodel.

Cool girls don’t exaggerate about what’s going on around them or what a man’s doing, unless they’re doing it as a joke or to make fun of a man in a playful way.

Cool girls don’t say everything that they’re feeling and experiencing.

They think before they speak. Cool girls don’t mention bad situations, issues or problems from the past unless it’s a total “must” or extremely important and they haven’t been able to talk about it yet.

They find the right time for them and their man to talk.

In other words, cool girls live in the present moment. Cool girls don’t try to force a man to talk about his feelings.

They know that it will only backfire and he’ll think she’s being needy and he’ll close off. In fact, it’s typical for most men to react with withdrawal or frustration to a woman who demonstrates these types of behaviour. So, let’s keep talking about some of the important personality traits when it comes to creating attraction with a man and growing towards something deeper.

Cool girls choose not to complain or talk about things for too long that are not other people’s responsibility or impossible for anyone to solve given the current situation. Cool girls bring funny, positive thoughts and feelings to situations to create an experience that men will want to have again and again.

Cool girls are willing to go with the flow when it comes to social things but make assertions when they have opinions and ideas.

Cool girls have options and things to do that keep them satisfied so they don’t feel like they’re left out if they ’re not invited to something and even if they do, they certainly don’t complain about it or even mention it.

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38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

I N S I D E

legal aid work in Motorcyclist ‘raped' Making Nigeria’s police stations

by HIV ladies —40 — 41

Eso through landmark cases — 39

Justice Eso, a giant among giants —Judge, Lawyers

By DAYO BENSON & BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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* Late Justice Kayode Eso Oputa, Nikky Tobi, Anyagholu, among others. They created standard that unfortunately has dropped and which may never be

,

EATH is a natural part of life.

Since we are all going to die, it is obvious that when and how do not matter, but the legacy that is left behind. This best describes the death of Justice Bobakayode Eso, whom a Lagos State High Court judge, Justice Ebenezer Adebajo, and senior lawyers see as “a giant among giants.”

Justice Adebajo said, “that is, a chapter has closed in the history of the judiciary in Nigeria. Without doubts, he was a giant among giants.

He is a man that I may say has done so well, such that he lived among kings.”

Justice Adebajo, who noted the relentless efforts of the late justice in maintaining discipline and protecting the integrity of his court, expressed shock on the announcement of Justice Eso’s death.

Former NBA President, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, pointed out that the late justice was a great mentor to him, apart from being his father’s professional colleague, adding that late Justice Eso played a great role in his life by getting him his first job in Lagos.

Agbakoba said, “Everyone knew he was a leading architect of judicial activism and participated in crucial decisions of the Supreme Court at the Zenith of glory. Justice Eso’s eternal contribution is contained in his epochal report on judicial corruption fittingly refferd to as The Eso’s Report.

His period at the Supreme Court was a golden moment with the Justice Oputa, the Justice Idigbe, among others. He was one of the best in the judiciary and he would be greatly missed. His was a life well spent.”

Similarly, human right activist and lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, lamented that the mighty iroko had fallen, saying “the legal titan and erudite jurist has gone the way of his ancestors. Nigeria has lost one of its greatest defining oracle of the bench.

Eso was a man of great scholarly depth, wide jurispudential knowledge and a most courageous, fearless, incorruptible and patriotic jurist of our time, whose years at the Supreme Court with that of Cicero cannot be forgotten.”

On his part, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, a Professor of Law, said “it is a big loss to the country. He epitomised integrity, honour and uprightness. He was among the jurists that created standard at the Supreme Court. His era was golden in the Supreme Court.

Some of his contemporaries are

Everyone knew he was a leading architect of judicial activism and participated in crucial decisions of the Supreme Court at the Zenith of glory

,

regained. In terms of moral, integrity and character, he stood for uprightness. A very big tree had fallen. It is a colossal loss to Nigeria.”

Chief Morah Ekwunoh, a legal practitioner, pointed out that the death of Justice Eso was like a burnt national archive or library, adding “all his revolutionary ideals, as encapsulated in judicial pronouncements and postretirement national roles, which he brought to bear, as a leading light,

during his time, particularly at the Supreme Court, and thereafter, till he died, appear to go in flames.”

Ekwunoh noted that the late judge represented Lord Denning of our time, as he introduced monumental judicial activism into our jurisprudence, which revolutionalised our judicial activism, adding “No lawyer worth his salt or onion sought vital judicial precedents, in aid of his case, without particularly seeking for the erudite pronouncements of Justice Kayode Eso, for guidance and direction.”

He stressed that on the personal side, the late judge epitomised excellence, which he, among countless others, benefitted from, on numerous occasions, saying “he will be greatly missed, though we thank God that he will still be speaking to, and guiding, the legal world, even from the grave, through his countless pronouncements, which dot all our notable Law Reports.”

Late Justice Eso, who died at the age of 87, was born on September 18, 1925 at Ilesa, in Osun State, Nigeria. He attended Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Law

with Hons Degree in Legal Science in 1953 and a Masters in 1956.

The late justice had stayed more in the United Kingdom than Nigeria after his retirement, returned home in October this year, to receive his country’s belated honor, Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON. He received LL.D honoris Causa, University of Ibadan: 1990, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka: 2001, respectively.

The late justice, father of Judicial Activism in Nigeria, was also decorated last December by civil society groups in Lagos, with the honor of the Defender of Anticorruption. His celebrated landmark judgments speak for themselves, for example, “The mystery gunman case, which is the trial of Wole Soyinka over his role in a broadcast, which the government of the defunct Western Region of Nigeria termed offensive. Justice Eso returned a verdict of not guilty on Soyinka, and shortly after the judgment, was transferred from Ibadan to Akure, then regarded as a rural station.”

Another celebrated case is that of Chief Obafemi Awolowo Vs Alhaji Shehu Shagari, in 1979, which remains green in Nigeria’s jurisprudence. The apex court in deciding the law relating to election cases had by a majority of 6-1, affirmed the election of Alhaji Shagari as duly elected President.

However, the courageous decision of Justice Eso in this case remains legendary. In his dissent opinion, Justice Eso held that at least twothird of 19 states could only be 13 and not 12 2/3.”

But like the saying “Death is the condition of higher and more fruitful life,” so late Justice Eso is wished, knowing that death was the only kept promise out of all life’s starts and ends, all there was at the end of the dusty road.

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 39

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

VANGUARD LAW IN PIX Lagos hosts 2nd Kuramo confab

Feedbac k eedback

Lagos State, recently, played host to the 2nd Kuramo Conference, with the theme “The Global Common Wealth.” The two days event brought together, top government functionaries, captains of industry from within and outside the country. Pictures by Bunmi Azeez.

Motorcyclist ‘raped' by HIV ladies

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HERE is a case of two ladies who boarded a commercial motorbike and when they got to a lonely spot they forced the bike to stop and forced the rider to have sex with them in-turn at gun point.

They were aware that they were HIV positive, how will the case be treated if they are apprehended?

Anonymous

It has been said on few occasions in this column that the law as it is on rape at present only contemplates that it is a male that is capable of committing the act against a female.

The scenario that you described, either real or imagined, has ingredients of rape in the eye of a right thinking ordinary person. But in the eye of the law it is unfortunately not so, at least for now.

Sometimes, the law is as it is and not the way it ought to be. That is why it is necessary to review some of our laws to reflect present challenges.

Those who drafted both the criminal and penal code probably did not anticipate that a time would come when females would sexually assault males physically. Curiously, one would have expected that the recent review of Lagos State Criminal Code would contemplate this and reflect it accordingly.

But this is not too late as law review is a continuous exercise.

Back to the instant case, there are elements of other criminal offences in the incident. If the runaway HIV positive ladies are apprehended by the police, they are likely to face prosecution for being in possession of arms unlawfully since you said the motorcyclist was stopped at point.

Also, they are likely to be charged with indecent sexual assault similarly, they may equally to be charged with attempted murder since there was an obvious threat to life of their victim. However, there is no law at the moment criminalizing willful spread of HIV by infected persons.

For the umpteenth time, will repeat the provisions of the criminal code and penal code on rape.

According to Section 282[1] of the Penal Code: “A man is said to commit rape when he has intercourse with a woman in any of the following circumstances: a, against her will; b, without her consent; c, with her consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death or of hurt; d, with her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married; e, with or without her consent, when she is under fourteen years of age or of unsound mind.”

Similarly, Section 357 of the Criminal code, Laws of the Federation: defines rape as: “Any person who has unlawful canal knowledge of a woman or girl without her consent or with her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threat or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false or fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act, or, in the case of married woman impersonating her husband is guilty of an offence which is called rape.”

From left: Prof. Paul Collier, Plenary Speaker; Prof.

Wole Soyinka, Chairman, The Kuramo Conference 2012; Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Conference Convener and Dr. Dambisa Moyo, plenary speaker.

From left: Mr. Fola Adeola and Mr. Supo Sasore, Chairman, Kuramo Conference Committee.

From left: Mr Femi Gbajabiamila; Mr. Adam Adedimeji, Law Editor, Daily Independent Newspapers and Prof. Pat Utomi.

From left: Mr. Williams Kalema, Managing Director of DCDM Adisory Services Uganda Limited, Mr. Babajide Ogundipe, Chairman, Lagos Arbitration Court and Mr. Akin Kekere-Ekun.

NIALS holds Fellows Lecture

Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, NIALS, held its Fellows’ Lecture in Abuja, recently.

The well attended event had in attendance, the country’s notable legal luminaries.

Judge Bola Ajibola, SAN (left) and DirectorGeneral NIALS Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN.

From left: Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN; Justice Adekeye, JSC rtd; Justice Kalgo, JSC rtd and Prof Amos Utuama, SAN, Deputy Governor of Delta State.

Chief Chris Uche, SAN (left) and Mr Dafe Akpedeye, SAN.

From left: Mr Fred Mayemite; Chief Judge, Delta State, Justice Z.A. Smith and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Delta State, Mr C. A. Ajuyah, SAN.

Rent payment after quit notice

Sir, I want you to educate tenants on the issue of quit notice. Wheather they need to pay for the period of months the quit notice will last because most tenants assume that when a quit notice is given to a tenant they will not pay for the period of months.Comrade Uche Goodluck Okonji.Estate Surveyor from Benin city Answer to this question will be provided next week please bear with us.

You can send your questions to dayobenson@yahoo.com or 08056180119 (text only)

From left: Prof Demola Popoola, Dr Valerie Azinge, Chief Jeo Gadzama, SAN and Mrs Rita ChrisGaruba.

Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN (left) and Prof. Clement Dakas, SAN.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 41

Making legal aid work in Nigeria’s police stations

BY STANLEY IBE

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URING its first year, the project reduced the number of pretrial detainees by 88.4 percent in Imo; 86.2 percent in Kaduna; 30.5 percent in Ondo; and 61 percent in Sokoto.

In February 2012, nearly 80 percent of Nigeria’s prison population was awaiting trial; nearly a quarter of those detainees had been held for at least one year. For a country of 160 million,

having almost 50,000 people locked in 227 prisons might not sound like too much of a problem. However, the unacceptably high proportion of unconvicted persons in prolonged prison confinement is very definitely a cause of concern.

Most of these detainees are held on a “holding charge”—a preliminary charge brought by the police and designed to extract a remand order from a local magistrate’s court, which in turn enables the police to

hold a suspect while criminal investigations continue. There are good reasons for this practice. Often, investigations are not completed within the maximum 48 hours of detention allowed under Nigeria’s constitution. The police are undermanned, over-worked and illequipped. Crime suspects may interfere with investigations, tamper with evidence or threaten witnesses.

But the actual practice of the holding charge in Nigeria makes a mockery of these

Oyerinde: Kudos to police

BY CHUKS MADUEKE

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HE police in Abuja, finally arraigned for armed robbery, the suspects earlier paraded by the Department of State Services, SSS, on August 1, in a televised press conference, before Justice E. A. Asemota of Oredo Magistrate Court, Benin City, Edo State. It will be recalled that in that press conference by SSS, the suspects were alleged to have on May 4, robbed and killed Olaitan Oyerinde, Principal Secretary to Edo State governor, Mr Adams Oshiomole at his residence, 65, 2nd Ugbor Road, G.R.A Benin City at 2am.

The suspects arraigned before the magistrate court included Mohammed Ibrahim Abdullahi, Raymond Onajite Origbo, Edeh Chikezie, Saidu Yakubu and others at large. The suspects pleaded not guilty to the armed robbery charge preferred against them and were granted bail while the case was adjourned to November 23.

This development rather brought to rest the intrigues and politics that had trailed the death of Oshiomole’s Principal Secretary, which gave vent to various shades of accusations and counteraccusations between the police and the SSS. Then on the other hand, between Oshiomole’s government and Peoples Democratic Party’s, PDP, leadership in Edo State since Oyerinde’s death occurred during the tensed build up to the last gubernatorial elections in Edo State.

Parading the six suspects over the murder while police investigation was still ongoing, the SSS had created the impression that it was running a parallel show when it was expected to close ranks with the police initially over the matter. Considering the sensitive nature of the agency to the overall security of the nation, the SSS is also expected not to be amenable to such hasty publicity stunts in its operations.

* The late Olaitan Oyerinde Is it likely that SSS paraded fake or perhaps innocent suspects in August in that widely televised media stunt?

Was the action a deliberate one or perhaps inefficiency and laxity by the secret security agency? Or was it a cover-up for some parochial and political interests?

However, it will be recalled that the police under the DIG “D”, Peter Y. Gana on May 4, immediately deployed an investigating team over the murder case. The police investigating team led by one Chris Ezike, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, FSARS, had painstakingly identified 18 different suspects.

Yet after careful analysis of the reconstruction of the crime scene and the confessional statements by these different 18 suspects, one had no doubt that the police had successfully cracked the Oyerinde murder case. By dint of hard work and routine investigation that saw the police team traversing Kano, Adamawa, Lagos and Benin, the initial success in the case came through the telephone

service providers that established the use and location of Oyerinde’s and his wife’s blackberry phones by the suspects. From there, a chain of other events followed that led to the arrest of the 18 suspects.

Evidently, some of these suspects were identified by Oyerinde’s wife and his security guard as those who raided their residence on May 4. Yet on the other hand, Oyerinde’s wife and the guard could not identify any of those suspects earlier paraded by the SSS. Kudos should, therefore, be given to the police for cracking the Oyerinde murder case despite the initial attempt by the SSS to bungle the matter at the outset. The investigating team led by Ezike should be commended for its diligence, commitment and courage in cracking the Oyerinde murder case thereby saving the country another round of national embarrassment and shame.

In fact, the Chris Ezike-led team should be promoted immediately to encourage efficiency and productivity in the force since the

reasons. Under the law, suspects may only be admitted to a prison on the orders of a court. But when a magistrate issues a remand order, the warrant does not include a date on which the suspect is to be brought back before the court by the police.

Effectively the detainees may be held at the pleasure of the state for indeterminate periods. This explains why many detainees languish in prison for years. Two recent cases illustrate this.

Sikiru Alade was arrested as a 30 year-old in March achievement was no mean feat considering the circumstances and intrigues surrounding it and perhaps considering too that such high profile murder cases in the past have remained unresolved.

Yet one of the factors that contributed to the team’s success was the professional, dispassionate and unbiased stance taken by its leadership over the matter. Although attempts were made to influence and vilify the team, yet it remained focused and dedicated to its duty. No doubt, the team should be celebrated and rewarded, especially over recording such a feat at a time the police force is perceived as some blight in our collective efforts to improve our global image and rating.

President Goodluck Jonathan should auspiciously institute a panel of inquiry to look into the circumstances that caused the initial friction between the police and the SSS in order to forestall such cases of inter-agency rivalry in future since it has been proven to negate the overall principles of national interest. Such has gradually assumed an alarming proportion in the polity. The president should also consider as a matter of urgency awarding national honours to the Chris Ezikeled investigating team.

Sincerely speaking, no garland is too much for the team.

Reliable sources have also quoted that this dynamic team led by Ezike have cracked the riddles surrounding the recent death in Lagos of a newly married man, Mr. Ugochukwu Ozuah. At the moment, five policemen are said to be in custody over the Ozuah murder awaiting the recommendations of an expert ballistician before the development is made public.

Consequently, the nation may miss another opportunity to be so reckoned in the comity of nations if the Chris Ezike-led police investigating team was not rewarded for this selfless service to the nation.

*Madueke, a journalist writes from Abuja.

2003 and detained awaiting trial on the orders of a Magistrate in Lagos, Nigeria. For over nine years thereafter, Sikiru was detained in a prison without being returned to Court for a trial or review of his detention. In June 2012, the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) invalidated his detention and ordered his release, in a case brought on his behalf by the Open Society Justice Initiative. He was finally released in October 2012, nearly 10 years after his initial detention on a holding charge.

Sikiru is not the only victim of this unfortunate travesty of justice. In 1990, Ernest was arrested and remanded on suspicion of involvement in an armed robbery. He was 18. Although the alleged victim of the crime did not exist and there were no witnesses, he remained incarcerated until one of our partners in Nigeria, the Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE) intervened to secure his release in 2008.

In both cases, as is usual in most criminal cases in Nigeria, the suspects allegedly committed a crime under state laws. The Nigeria Police Force, a federal institution, investigated the crimes. State magistrates courts remanded them in federal prisons. The interface between these federal and state institutions has traditionally been illdefined. As a result it is all too easy for detainees to fall between the cracks and end up forgotten by the justice system.

This does not have to continue. Nigeria’s 1991 Administration of Justice Commission Act theoretically created both state and national bodies tasked with improving links between the different criminal justice institutions. The national administration of justice commission includes the chief justice, the federal attorney general, the minister of internal affairs, the inspector general of Police, the director of prisons, and the president of the Nigerian Bar Association. Each state committee is similarly constituted by state level officials. The primary mandate of these bodies is the “general supervision of administration of justice,” which extends to ensuring maximum cooperation amongst justice institutions; the reduction of congestion in courts and prisons; and remarkably, ensuring that “persons awaiting trial are, as far as possible, not detained in prison custody.”

Regrettably, neither the national commission nor the state committees have ever been established as envisaged under this law.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

BITS MINILS holds 8th labour relations summit, fellowship award

Oshiomhole pays tribute to wife, Oyerinde, others at inauguration IT would not have come at a better time than the swearing-in ceremony for the second term of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the elected governor of Edo State, to pay glowing tribute to his late wife, Clara, his late private secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde among others who died prematurely during his first term.

Paying tributes to the late first lady of Edo State and the others, Comrade Oshiomole in a highly emotional remarks at the ceremony in Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, said "Allow me to pay a special tribute to my late wife, Clara, who stood by my side here on November 12, 2008 during my first inauguration.

Today even though she is not physically present, I feel her presence right here as I speak. Not only for the gift of the wonderful children that she gave birth and nurtured for me, but also for her wise counsel and unflinching support through thick and thin.

May her gentle soul continue to rest in peace, Amen."

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Alhaji Aliko Dangote at a reception after Governor Oshiomhole's second term inauguration.

Human capital development, training, re-training of workers, our priority— Oshiomhole

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

C

OMRADE Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, as President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, did not only fight for jobs, but for decent jobs as was witnessed in his anticasualisation campaigns. Now as Governor of Edo State, Comrade Oshiomhole, after positively impacting on the lives of people of Edo State directly through new roads, renovated schools, clinics, hospitals; water and electricity projects, mass transit buses, employment generation, paying wages as when due, but has given indication of plans for human capital development among others.

At his second term inauguration ceremony, Comrade Oshiomhole did not only assure that his government would deliver on all its promises and complete on-going projects, he equally declared “ we will continue to work on infrastructure, we plan, in the next four years, to place emphasis on promoting sustainable economic growth and development. Our Government will emphasize human capital development, training and retraining of teachers and public servants; promotion of agriculture for food production, employment and increased income to our farmers and rural dwellers; small and medium scale industrial development." " We shall continue to attract local and foreign investors to Edo State so as to create more

jobs for our people. We shall continue with to use Information and Communications Technology, ICT, and ensure that all forms of waste are eliminated in the public service. In collaboration with the security agencies, we shall continue to work hard, to ensure and assure the safety and security of our people.

,

STAKEHOLDERS in the Nigerian Industrial Relations System will converge at Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, Ilorin, Kwara State, for the 8th edition of its Annual National Labour Relations Summit and Fellowship Award. The program me holds on Thursday 29th November, 2012.

A statement by MINILS said "This year’s Labour Relations Summit with the main theme: “Social Policy, Labour Relations and the Transformation Agenda: Extending Social Protection in Nigeria” and focusing on the contribution of critical stakeholders in the Nigerian Industrial Relations towards the attainment of social protection standards and national transformation, is aimed at providing a platform for exchange of ideas by government, labour employers, academia, civil society and the international community on the emerging international best practices in extending social protection."

rural areas. Our government will put an end to the era of absentee local government chairmen and design propeople programmes to make life in the rural areas worth living.”

“On education, while we shall continue to rebuild school structures across the State, we intend to pay special attention to the content and context of the schools. No markets, drinking joints or hotels would be allowed around the established perimeters of our schools so as to curtail some social vices associated with exposure of our children. Teachers will be monitored to eliminate ghost teachers, lateness, and poor delivery. A special fund will be created to ensure retraining,

industries and farmers. We are aware that in some local governments, the impact of governance, policies and leadership at the local level has not been visible or felt by the people. We will conduct local government elections early next year. Our focus would be to ensure that qualified, committed,

Our goal is increase the gross domestic product (GDP) of Edo State, create jobs for our people and forge strong linkages between agriculture and industry

Our goal is to ensure that Edo State becomes a major investors’ haven in Nigeria and that our small and medium scale industries are fed with products from our agricultural initiatives.”

Jobs creation Explaining briefly, the governor said “Our goal is increase the gross domestic product (GDP) of Edo State, create jobs for our people and forge strong linkages between agriculture and industry. To achieve this, our government will provide substantial incentives such as provision of rural roads and other incentives to promote large scale commercial agriculture.

Emphasis will be placed on productive partnerships, processing and storage that will generate new opportunities for training and income to our small scale

,

exposed, capable and innovative candidates that will make the required difference in the lives of the people participate.”

Youths, women empowerment “We need men and women that will reinvigorate the communities, deploy resources carefully and strategically, complete ongoing projects, stimulate production, and initiate new realistic projects. This would stem migration to the rural areas and encourage productivity at the local levels.

Sectors such as health, youth and women empowerment, education, agriculture, rural industries, housing and security must take priority. The monitoring of the activities and performances of local governments will become a priority of government because it is not a crime to live in the

especially in the area of Information and Communication Technology, ICT. We will emphasize technical education geared towards skill for jobs. Our schools will be required to establish libraries and reading rooms with computers to broaden the world-views of our children and keep them at par with their contemporaries around the world.”

10, 000 jobs underway As part of the jobs creation agenda, a groundbreaking ceremony of a $2 billion fertilizer plant, the biggest in Africa to be sited in Agenebode, Edo State will be done before the end of January, next year. Disclosing this at a reception, in Benin City, as part of activities to mark the 2 nd term inauguration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said arrangements had been concluded for the ceremony this December or before the end of January 2013.

Alhaji Dangote said the company, expected to employ more than ten thousand people directly and indirectly, would be completed in three years.He said: “ yes we will build the biggest fertilizer plant in Africa here in Edo State. Comrade Oshiomhole has delivered on road, infrastructure, but now he’s going to deliver on job creation. We will partner with him to make sure he gives us a conducive environment to create jobs here in Edo State."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—43

21 states key into contributory pension scheme …14 others set to join STORIES BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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O fewer than 21 states have now fully embraced the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, a fall-out of the Pension Reform Act, PRA, 2004, which discontinued the flawed Pay As You Go, PAYG, scheme.

Similarly, 14 other states at various levels of enacting their CPS laws following a robust interaction with National Pension Commission, PenCom, the Federal Government appointed regulator for the industry. There were parts of a communiqué issued at the end of a one-day annual workshop for Labour, Insurance and Finance Correspondents as well as Business Editors and National Pension Commission, PenCom, interactive session in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. The Director-General of PenCom who attended the opening ceremony had earlier highlighted the objectives of organising the Workshop as providing a platform to interact with the general public through the media as well as discuss the Commission’s achievements, challenges and receive feedback on the performance in the supervision and regulation of pension matters in Nigeria.

According to the communiqué, participants who noted the efforts made so far

by PenCom in securing the

compliance of employers to the provisions of the PRA 2004, however saw the need for increased level of compliance and pledged support for PenCom to take appropriate measures, including legal action against defaulting employers.”

The communiqué said “The Commission continued to collaborate with state Governments in their efforts to implement the Contributory Pension Scheme and gained enormous support from sister regulatory agencies and the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) ensuring successful implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme in Nigeria. So far, 21 states have adopted the Contributory Pension Scheme while 14 others are at various levels of enacting their CPS laws.”

“The Contributory Pension Scheme has 5.28 million NigerianS registered with 54,558 retirees from the public and private sectors, who have received a total of N151.52 billion as lump s u m p a y m e n t s and about N1.77 billion as monthly pension.

Furthermore, assets worth N2.94 trillion have been accumulated as at the end of September, 2012. The Commission has successfully completed its goal to raise the Capital requirements for the Pension Fund Administrations, PFAs, from a minimum of N150 million to N1billion.

Director-General of PenCom, Mohammad Ahmad, Head, Capital Development and Emeka Onuora of the Corporate Affairs Unit during the workshop.

Trustfund carpets states over choice of PFAs for workers ...decries non-remittance of deducted funds

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BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

RUSTFUND Pensions Plc, has decried state government selection of Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, for workers without recourse to organised labour, lamenting that “the development does not speak well of the labour movement.”

Acting Managing Director of Trustfund Pensions, Mrs Helen Nneamaka DaSouza, equally bemoaned deduction of employees’ salaries by their employers without remitting same to the

Window for transfer from PFAs opens December

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n the issue of transfer from one PFA to another, the communiqué said “The Commission has issued the Regulation for the Transfer of Retirement Savings Account and the document is currently available on the Commission’s website.

Software is being developed to ensure a seamless transfer; the estimated date for opening of the transfer window is December, 2012.

The Guidelines for fund accounting had been issued in order to streamline record keeping in the pension industry. The Commission commenced the issuance of compliance certificates and had appointed agents to recover outstanding pension contributions with penalties.

The Regulation on Investment of Pension Fund Assets was expanded to include alternative asset classes as

part of the allowable investment outlets.”

“Four categories of multiple funds are being introduced including aggressive fund for young contributors and balanced fund for contributors under 50 years; retiree

fund for contributors above 50 years and the ethical fund based on Sharia Islamic principles. The Commission has attained an advanced stage in the establishment of functional zonal offices in the six geo-political zones.

PFAs, warning that the implication of such action was that upon retirement, the affected workers would get correct amount due to them.

Speaking at an interractive session with the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, in Abuja, Mrs DaSouza said labour had a vital role to play in ensuring that the contributions of its members were safe and secured noting that “those of us present as workers of today are the pensioners of tomorrow.”

She charged labour not only to oversee their fund but ensure it was well managed by the bodies responsible just as she said workers should be given opportunity to align with PFAs that they can trust.

According to her “All over the world, pension matters are union’s priority issues.The funds are workers’ contributions and the

beneficiaries are also workers, and irrespective of our current status, we must retire someday. We must not only oversee our fund, but also ensure that it is well m a n a g e d . We must reinvigorate our fight to allow workers exercise their right to freely choose a PFA where their interest can be fully protected. We must defend their freedom to align with a PFA that they can trust.”

She thanked the health workers for choosing Trustfund as their PFA, arguing that it was a generally accepted fact in the pension industry that Trustfund pensions remained a PFA that addressed workers’ concerns. ”This is because our operations are predicated on one belief that our most important asset in our quest for a unique service delivery is you.

Okoh, Primate of Church of Nigeria, laments plight of pensioners

A

RCHBISHOP Nicholas Okoh, the Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), has called on the Federal Government to address the plight of pensioners and inadequate healthcare of senior citizens.

Okoh made the appeal in a sermon at a thanksgiving service to mark the 70th birthday and retirement of Justice Olunfunlola Adekeye of the Supreme Court.

He described government’s efforts at alleviating the plight

of pensioners as still very inadequate.

“It is a disgrace that an old man of 80 years should be brought in a stretcher to receive his pension. Anyone who is in charge of pension issues in the country should do something about this. It is a disgrace,” he said.

He stressed that it was the duty of the executive, legislative and judicial arm of government to ensure that the country’s senior citizens were well catered for.

Okoh extolled Adekeye’s 40year “distinguished” career in the public service and retirement from the bench on October 22.

Adekeye is the first female Justice of the Supreme Court from the South West of Nigeria and current Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Jebba, Kwara.

The primate described her career in the nation’s judiciary as “no mean achievement for a woman’’.

“So many things would have

happened to bring about career accidents but God did not allow that.”

He also lauded the recent appointment of the first female Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Aloma Mukthar, who was present at the service.

He described her appointment as an honour to Nigerian women, noting that that her rise in the judiciary is “a journey that has been slow but steady”.

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 Bench in Nigeria today coupled with horizontal institutional problems that inhibit the effective administration of justice.

Apart from the fact that most of our laws are very obsolete, I’m sure most people here tonight will be amazed to hear that Nigerian judges still use long hands to record witness statements in a millennium technology, that majority of them are not computer literate, that we don’t have Court reporters to transcribe court proceedings, that we don’t utilize discovery procedure such as interrogatories and request for production of documents in our legal system, that we are just developing our alternative dispute resolution mechanism and it is non- existent in some states when I know that in recent times, United States courts have decided that they have the power to compel parties to engage in amicable resolution of disputes, even when they are unwilling.

Nigerian lawyers...yet to fully adapt to modern technology?

LAWYERS IN DIASPORA:

Collaborating for effective dispensation of justice in Nigeria (3) This is the concluding part of this discourse. The second part was published yesterday

By FEMI FALANA, SAN

W

HILE Corruption and rule of law cannot exist together in any society because corruption undermines the rule of law, the independence of the Judiciary and attacks the foundation of democratic institutions, the fight against corruption must be a concerted effort of both the Nigerian Bar Association, the BNLF and other organization of Nigerian lawyers in the Diaspora working together to eradicate the scourge from Nigeria.

As British-Nigeria lawyers, there are areas where you can utilize your privileged positions here to help in fighting corruption in Nigeria. For example,

FEMI FALANA, SAN we all know that Britain is the most preferred destination of choice for our politicians and their loot. While it is difficult for us in Nigeria to trace some of these ill gotten assets due to systemic failures and inadequate paper trail; however, the British legal system is more so-

phisticated and transparent. As a group, you can help in fighting corruption in Nigeria by investigating the accounts and property of these public officials in the UK and exposing them to the general public. You can even petition the EFCC in Nigeria or the British government, request for further investigation and prosecution of such corrupt leaders if elements of crime are found. Some of your colleagues from Francophone countries in Africa residing in western countries have utilized similar methods to expose their corrupt leaders some of which have led to criminal prosecution, conviction and forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth.

Just recently, President Jonathan received the reports of some committees which investigated the unprecedented mismanagement of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. The Petroleum Task Force headed by Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, a former chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has revealed that the nation is being shortchanged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and a cartel of oil companies to the tune of several billion of dollars.

As the powerful vested interests in the oil industry have held the government hostage the BNLF should collaborate with concerned civil society organizations in Nigeria to press for the full implementation of the recommendations of the Committee. Having failed to use Mr. Steve Oronsanye and Bernard Otti (who were bribed with appointments into the NNPC board during the sitting of the Com-

mittee) the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deizani Allison-Madueke will, in alliance with the multinational oil companies, attempt to influence the Federal Government not to stop the monumental corruption in the oil and gas industry being superintended by her. Since both members of the Committee are guilty of conflict of interest punishable under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act they are disabled from writing any minority report in the circumstance. Having compromised themselves the Federal Government should not allow them to pollute the credibility of the historic report.

Apart from lending its voice to the demand for the immediate resignation or removal of the Petroleum Minister the BNLF should help Nigeria to recover royalties of billions of dollars illegally withheld by multinational companies at a time when Nigeria is taking loans of hundreds of millions of dollars with dangerous conditionalities to fund the national budget.

Serious economic crimes The indicted companies should be exposed for committing serious economic crimes against the Nigerian people with a view to having them tried in the West since our legal system is not equipped to bring such powerful economic saboteurs to book. On no condition should the Jonathan Administration be allowed to sweep the profound findings of the Committee under the carpet.

Another sphere where the BNLF can collaborate with the

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is in the area of the Rule of Law initiative. According to the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative, countries that lack the rule of laws very often fail to meet the most basic needs of their populations. To this effect, the ABA’s Rule of Law Initiative has established its presence in over fifty countries and works with in-country partners to build sustainable institutions and society’s that deliver justice, foster economic opportunity and unsure respect for human rights. In the same fashion, your organization can partner with the Nigerian Bar Association for the attainment of the same objective in Nigeria.

The BNLF can also help with the Continuing Education of our lawyers and judges so as to bring them up to date with the

,

Nigerian legal system I have gone this far to paint the picture of the Nigerian legal system in order to let you know that Nigerian judges and lawyers are facing a lot of challenges that require our help if we are to fully realize the effective dispensation of justice, promotion and the enhancement of rule of law in Nigeria.

The Judges are fully stretchedmentally and physically and this to a large extent, account for the delay in the dispensation of justice in the country.

Stress at work is a barrier to achieving tranquility and efficiency- without composure and placidity, the legal mind cannot function effectively and operate optimally. such circumstances,

Nigerian judges still use long hands to record witness statements in a millennium technology

current developments in the law and speedy delivery of justice. The fact that continuing education for both lawyers and judges is crucial for the overall development of a legal system was underscored by the famous Lord Denning, a great scholar and jurist who once stated that: “law does not stand still, it moves continually, once this is recognized, then the task of the judge is put on a higher plain.

He must constantly seek to mould the law so as to serve the needs of time. He must not be a mere machine. A mere working mason, laying brick without thought for the overall design.

He must be an architect, thinking of the structure as a whole, building for society as a system of law, which is strong, durable and just. It is on his work that civilized society depends”.

The words of Lord Denning which were written several decades ago are as relevant today as they were then. Lack of continuing education is one of the problems facing the Bar and

,

the system is bound to be fraught with inefficiency and institutional hindrance. In today’s competitive, worldwide legal market; effective legal support requires a combination of continuing legal education, review of practice and procedure and improved legal capabilities, which are currently lacking in the Nigerian legal system.

As Nigerian lawyers abroad, the areas of support and cooperation with the Bench and Bar in Nigeria are limitless; but due to the time constraints, I would like to conclude here in the hope that I have only set the ball rolling in our collaborative efforts to promote judicial efficacy and rule of law in Nigeria.

I thank you for the singular honour you have bestowed on me to be present at this gathering of distinguished legal practitioners and to deliver this dinner speech.

•Femi Falana, SAN, presented the speech at the Gala Night by the British Nigeria Law Forum at Hilton London Docklands, U.K.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 45

46 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 47

From left: Izoma Philip Asiodu, President, Nigerian ConservaFrom left: Mr. Olowokere, Corporate Communications Manager, Nigerian Brewer- tion Foundation; his wife, Olajumoke and Dr. Gab Soyoye, at the ies, NB; Mr. Ibitayo Edufunke, Mr. Victor Famuyibo, Human Resources Director, NB Foundation's 2012 annual fund raising dinner dance in Lagos. Photo: and Dr. Richard Uche, President, NECA, at the presentation of an Ambulance to the Biodun Ogunleye.

Best Occupational and Health Practitioner, at the national workplace safety awareness day in lagos.

From left: Mr. Rejir Handa, Head, Glo world; Mr. Gebriel Olarenwaju, Head, 3g and Eletronics Sales; Mr. Ashitoh Tiwary, GM, Marketing Srategy and Ms. Chioma Akpota, Glo Ambassador, at a briefing on the Glo Bolt Data Bonus to Customers in Lagos. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

From left: Mr. Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Mr. Tobi Ashafa, Sen. Ganiyu Solomon and Sen. Femi Ojudu, at the Call- To-Bar reception for Tobi Ashafa in Abuja.

From left: Mr. Niyi Oguntoyinbo, CEO, Philly and Mools; Deputy Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan African University, Mrs. Nneka Okekearu; and Head, Business Segments, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Bidemi Ladipo, during the 2nd Students Entrepreneurship Dialogue of the Global Entrepreneurship Week in partnership with Etisalat Nigeria at Pan African University in Lagos.

From right: Mrs. Adebola Afun, Perm Sec, Lagos State Ministry of Environment; Dr. Taofeek Folami, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Environment, and Prof. Niyi Osuntogun, at the Two-Day Workshop on Climate Change, organised by the Lagos State Government and United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, in Lagos: Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

From left: Mr Hatem Hariri, Managing Director, Africa Avaya; Mr Charles Iyo, Territory Manager, Africa and Mr Cherian John, Head, Convergence and Infrastructure, Redington Nigeria, at a briefing in Lagos.

From left: National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Mr. Femi Adebayo; Commissioner, Lagos State Health Service Commission; Mrs. Kudi Ligali and Chairman, Association of Industral Pharmacists, NAIP, Dr. Lolu Ojo, at the luncheon in honour of high achievers in the pharmaceutical industry in Lagos.

48 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

CHARITY: From left— Mr. Lawal Dutsinma, National President, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM; Mrs. Oluwatoyin Yusuf, Brand Manager, Mortein, Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria; Mrs. Kike Williams, Head, Brand Communications; Mrs. Buki Orelaja, Head, Events and Platform, both of Chain Reactions Nigeria; and Mrs. Sarafina Otazi, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Bayelsa State, during the donation of Benckiser’s products to Bayelsa State flood victims in Yenagoa, Monday.

DRAWS: From left— Mr. Dele Anifowose, Marketing Director; Mr. Paul Udoehi, Sales Director and Mr. Emil Maskofian, Managing Director, all of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, at the Bournvita Yummy Life promo draws in Lagos.

Umeh lauds CAN's intervention in APGA crisis

BY TONY EDIKE NUGU—NATIONAL Chairman of All

Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, has accepted the mediation offer by the

South-East chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, following the crisis in the party.

OUTHS from 56 oil pro ducing communities under OPL275, in Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State, have vowed to shut down all oil facilities

belonging to Pan Ocean Oil Corporation in the area if the company attempts to remove the flow station originally mapped out at Obiayima in Abavo as

agreed by the host communities.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman/Managing Director of the Pan Ocean Corporation, by Ajayi Anambra and Christopher Okonye, the youths raised alarm of an alleged attempt to move the flow station to Owa Allidima, “a small enclave with no oil and gas deposit because some officers have compromised with some leaders from that area for selfish interest.”

The read in part: “We want to state here open and clear that the youths in OPL275 are prepared to force Pan Ocean out of its land and territories with every means necessary within our reach.

“Pan Ocean has refused to clear up this flow station issue even after we gave a second deadline to resolve the matter with the host communities.”

E Youths, oil firm on warpath over flow station location Y Akpabio budgets N533bn for 2013

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—GOVERNOR Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has presented over N533 billion budget for 2013 to the state House of Assembly.

The budget, christened Budget of Industrialisation and Consolidation, is predicated on oil benchmark of $75 per barrel at a production rate of 2.5 million barrels per day.

The projected recurrent revenue of N370.288 billion showed that N27.035

billion is from IGR; N38 billion from the statutory allocation; N289 billion from derivation fund, N3.254 billion from retained revenue from parastatals and N13 billion from VAT. The recurrent expenditure of N118,790 consists of N49.577 billion for personnel cost; N26.068 billion for overhead cost and N43.146 billion for consolidated revenue fund charges, including pensions, gratuities and public debts.

Firms accused of influencing confab on tobacco control

N

ETWORK for Ac countability of Tobacco Transnationals, NATT, has cautioned African delegates to the fifth session of the Conference of Parties, COP5, to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, FCTC, holding in Seoul, South Korea, to be wary of suggestions from industry-friendly delegates that could sidetrack talks

on strengthening key lifesaving provisions of the global treaty.

NATT caution is coming on the heels of the discovery of close allies of the International Tobacco Growers Association, ITGA, among the delegations discussing critical provisions of the treaty.

NATT Africa Spokesperson, Philip Jakpor, said: “We are not very comfort-

able with the infiltration of the talks by tobacco industry front men doing everything to frustrate the adoption of life-saving provisions of the treaty.

“Particularly worrisome are the presence of ITGA allies in the Zambian delegation and industry ploy to get the Kenyan representatives to softpedal on critical provisions of the FCTC.”

Ummeh had been on collision course with Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and widow of the late former Biafran warlord, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu.

Umeh said his acceptance to dialogue with Obi and Mrs. Ojukwu was borne out of his desire to ensure lasting peace in the party, which he described as the only platform open to the people of the South-East in particular and Nigerians in general to achieve their set goals.

He said he was concerned about the crisis bedevilling APGA, but expressed optimism that with the public declaration by CAN of its intention to wade into the matter, it would be amicably resolved.

The Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, is heading the CAN peace committee.

Umeh said: “My colleagues and I, including the non-Christians have agreed to present ourselves for dialogue. As a Christian, I believe that Jesus needs to walk through the hearts of all those involved in the crisis in APGA. “I believe that if CAN and those involved will agree to work together, the crisis in the party will be over.”

He commended the CAN leadership in the South-East, Ndigbo and Anglican clergy for consistently remaining passionate on issues affecting APGA. Rt. Rev. Chukwuma had, last week, urged warring factions in APGA to sheathe their swords in the overall interest of the party and the people of

Firm donates to Bayelsa flood victims

R

ECKITT Benckiser has donated its range of products to victims of the recent flooding in Bayelsa State. Items given out included Mortein Dettol, Harpic and other relief materials.

The gesture, according to the company, was aimed at complementing the various efforts by government and public-spirited organisations and individuals to bring relief to

the victims.

Speaking at the presentation of the products in Yenagoa, Brand Manager (Mortein), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Yusuf, said the donation was a further demonstration of the company’s belief in Nigeria and the people.

She said: “This gesture is simply to demonstrate again that the people are at the heart of what we do at all times.”

... as old students donate to Okigwe College

O

WERRI—OLD Stu dents of the Federal Government College, Okigwe, Imo State, have embarked on a N100 million water project in the institution.

President of the school’s Alumni Association, FGCOAA, Dr. Onumo Wilson, told

newsmen that the association had earlier completed and equipped a modern Information Technology Centre, ICT, with more than 40 new computers.

He said: “We also donated a new 40KVA electric generating set to power these computers.”

S-East youths make case for ASUBEB acting chair

S

OUTH-East Youth Movement of Nigeria, SEYM, has urged Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State to confirm the appointment of the Acting Chairman of Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, Sir Vincent Otikpa.

Rising from its two-day meeting in Enugu State,

the group described the Acting Chairman of the Board as an ingenious administrator, who had contributed immensely in bringing sanity to the education sector in the state.

In a five-point communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the group said: “Sir Otikpa is simple, humble and humane.”

Ugbomro gets new exco

T

HE newly-elected ex ecutives of Ugbomro Community Development Community, UCDC, Ugbomro, in Uwvie Local Government Area of Delta State, have been charged to be steadfast and committed to the development of the community.

High Chief Ambrose Olughor, traditional Prime

Minister of Ugbomro gave the charge while inaugurating the executives. He advised them to respect constituted authorities.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Raymond Onorame Olughor, President of the committee, thanked the leaders of the community for giving them the opportunity to serve.

Vanguard,

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 —49

Hamas, Israel agree Gaza ceasefire at Cairo talks At last, Israel and Hamas, yesterday at Cairo talks agreed a ceasefire brokered by Egypt on the eighth day of intensive Israeli fire on the Gaza Strip and militant rocket attacks out of the enclave, Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian sources said.

First word of the truce, according to report came from a Palestinian official who has knowledge of the negotiations in Cairo, where U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also pursuing peace efforts.

Asked whether a ceasefire deal had been reached, an Egyptian official in Cairo said: “Yes, and Egypt will announce it.”

Egyptian state TV had earlier said a news conference would be broadcast from President

Mohamed Mursi’s palace shortly.

Israeli sources said Israel had agreed to a truce, but would not lift its blockade of the Palestinian territory, which is run by the Islamist Hamas movement.

All the sources declined to be named or to give further details of the arrangements hammered out in Cairo.

More than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis have been killed in the fighting that began last Wednesday.

The ceasefire, if confirmed, was forged despite a bus bomb explosion that wounded 15 Israelis in Tel Aviv earlier in the day and despite more Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

After talks in Ramallah with Palestinian President

Mahmoud Abbas, Clinton held a second meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Egypt for discussions with Mursi, whose country has led mediation efforts.

In Tel Aviv, targeted by rockets from Gaza that either did not hit the city or were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome interceptor system, 15 people were wounded when a bus was blown up near the Defence Ministry and military headquarters.

The blast, which police said was caused by a bomb placed on the vehicle, touched off celebratory gunfire from militants in Gaza and had threatened to complicate truce efforts.

It was the first serious bombing in Israel’s

Israeli police survey the scene after explosion of a Tel Aviv bus blast yesterday commercial capital since 2006.

In Gaza, Israel struck more than 100 targets, including a cluster of Hamas government buildings, in attacks that

medical officials said killed 10 people, among them a 2-year-old boy.

Israel’s best-selling Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper had reported an emerging outline of a

ceasefire agreement that called for Egypt to announce a 72-hour ceasefire followed by further talks on long-term understandings.

50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

FAROUK-OTEDOLA SAGA:

Where is the House report?

MONTHS after the House of Representatives promised to get to the root of the cash for clearance scam involving one of its most prominent members, Farouk Lawan, indications are that the investigation is being swallowed up in a web of intrigues.. The moral authority of the House to stand in defence of the people or to scrutinize the actions of the executive arm is at risk.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

I

T was undoubtedly the spiciest scandal to smear the clean crisp image that Speaker Aminu Tambuwal had so much sought to build.

The narratives on television of a member of the House of Representatives discussing bribe with a subject under investigation shook the foundations of the parliament.

Rep. Lawan Farouk, a four-term member of the House of Representatives was tasked with leading the House investigation into arguably the biggest fraud to be revealed in the supply of domestic fuel.

The fuel subsidy scam in which trillions of naira were fraudulently claimed by real and fictitious fuel importers shook the foundations of the country.

It was as such not surprising that the House of Representatives constituted an ad-hoc committee to investigate the scandal.

Lawan, an experienced lawmaker was given the

•Farouk

•Otedola

assignment of leading the other members of the investigative panel.

While the public investigation lasted, many Nigerians hailed the inquisitive and probing gestures of the Lawan committee, which relentlessly harried the importers and others involved.

The findings and recommendations of the committee were damning. Many stakeholders and government organizations were found culpable. Remarkably, a number of principal officers of the

agencies of government involved in the scam were let off the hook by the Lawan report.

That set some tongues wagging, but the issue was still muted given the rapturous endorsement of the activities of the committee during the hearings.

It was not until later when stories about the exchange of dollars for clearance began to circulate that members of the House of Representatives began to express doubt about the sincerity of the Lawan report.

The House leadership was bold to limit the damage once the allegation that Lawan and the committee clerk, Boniface Emenalo, collected $620,000 bribe to clear oil magnate Femi Otedola, distilled into the public space.

It immediately removed Lawan from the leadership of the ad-hoc committee and also stripped him of his position as chairman of the House committee on Education.

The issue was further referred to the House Committee on Ethics for investigation.

Lawan and Otedola were invited to the investigation by the Ethics committee headed by Rep. Gambo Dan Musa.

The committee heard Lawan in camera but the effort to also hear Otedola in camera, was flatly rejected by the businessman leading to an embarrassing altercation between the Ethics Committee and Otedola.

Upon his refusal to address the committee in camera, the committee chairman, Musa lashed out at Otedola in a language that reportedly embarrassed the House and displeased the leadership.

“You cannot make an allegation and when you are being asked to substantiate, you now refuse to substantiate. What are you hiding”? Honourable Dan Musa asked when he briefed newsmen after Otedola walked out on the committee.

“He has told us that we are

hiding something that is why we don’t want to do it in public, rather we told him, he is the one hiding something by refusing to talk, by refusing to make a substantiation of his allegations.”

“He refused to say anything and he was just laughing. It was very stupid of him and we are not happy too” he said minutes after Otedola with his team of legal advisers left the committee hearing.

The question as to why the committee insisted on hearing Otedola and Lawan in secret remains a mystery and seriously eroded the confidence that many Nigerians had in the House committee. After months of the secret investigation it was announced few weeks ago that the committee has concluded its investigation and its report ready for the House.

Speaking to newsmen in the course of a press briefing by Rep. Zakari Mohammed House Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs and his Deputy, Rep. Victor Ogene, the latter had said that the report of the House investigations on Lawan would be presented after resumption.

“The findings of the committee would be made available as soon as the House resumes from its Sallah break,” Ogene had been quoted as saying.

The assertion had given the impression that the House would receive the report immediately after resumption from the Sallah break.

Clearing impressions But Ogene was to issue a clarification the following day to clear impressions created in the media that the report would definitely be presented on the day of the House resumption.

In the statement the Friday preceding the November 6, 2012 resumption, he said: “I have read several accounts of my interaction with the media at Thursday ’s weekly Press Briefing of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs and wish to make the following clarifications.

To state categorically, therefore, that the Report will be laid next week is not only erroneous, but patently misleading.”

What Ogene’s clarification inevitably implied was that the report was no longer a priority for the House.

Given the dithering procrastination of the House in considering the report, the high regard for the Tambuwal leadership would almost certainly be reduced as many come to make comparisons between the House action on the FaroukOtedola saga and other scandals that have smeared the House of Representatives in recent times.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 51

OLUSOLA SARAKI:

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & HENRY UMORU

A legacy earned!

THE political and marital legacy of the fallen Second Republic Senate leader, Senator Olusola Saraki continues to draw commendation from near and wide, including the very chamber from where he started his legacy.

S

ENATOR Olusola Saraki’s score in contemporary Nigerian politics is unprecedented. No Nigerian senator living or dead fathered two senators. But Senator Olusola Saraki who died last week was, however, not the usual run of the mill politician.

It is as such not surprising that his death has provoked an unprecedented outpouring of commendations on the legacy of the Illorin born politician.

Nigerians from all walks of life, poor and rich have been trooping to Illorin to pay their condolence to the family of the fallen politician, among whom are his children, Senators Gbemi Saraki and Bukola Saraki.

It was reflective of his political stature that in death Saraki brought together three of the country’s former Heads of State who in normal times would not walk the same path.

It was perhaps a coincidence when Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdusalami Abubakar converged at the palace of the Emir of Illorin during a condolence visit.

Even more remarkable was the touching lesson Gen. Babangida showed at the occasion when he refused to speak in deference to General Buhari, his one time Commander-in-Chief.

Calming influence

Political players •Olusola Saraki: The first of three Saraki Senators

,

“In military, we have our tradition of doing things. Gen. Buhari is our leader and he is the one to speak on our behalf,” Babangida said when he was given the microphone to speak.

Before his visit Gen. Babangida, himself, arguably one of Nigeria’s leading political players in and out of uniform, had in a statement following the death of the deceased politician said that the late Saraki gave him political notes.

It was a touching confession from one of the country ’s leading political craftsmen.

In the senate where the late Olusola made his name as Senate Leader between 1979 and 1983, the chamber has equally been overflowing in its tributes to the eldest of the Saraki senators.

The body in its sitting last Tuesday adopted a resolution urging the executive to name the Ilorin International Airport after the late Saraki. That is besides a 12 man delegation that is to visit the family of the

“He contributed immensely to the development of Kogi and Kwara States. He was passionate about the welfare of the people and they reciprocated because they believed he would champion their cause. ‘’I am proud to say am one of the political associates of the late Saraki. He was not a religious bigot. His politics cuts across.”

Senator Chris Anyanwu who monitored the late Saraki closely during her stint as the NTA Senate correspondent in the second republic described Saraki as a “successful politician by all standards.

Despite his educational background, he came down to the level of the common man.”

In a statement following Saraki’s death, Anyanwu had said: “Watching him from the Senate gallery in the Second Republic, I saw that several times when Nigeria could have been plunged into a crisis, he had a way with people. He was not hard but had a gentle way of persuading his colleagues to his point of view and pulling Nigeria back from the brink.

No Nigerian senator living or dead fathered two senators

•Adeyemi: Wants Illorin airport named after Oloye

Anyanwu: Covered him in the Second Republic

deceased politician.

Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba moved the motion to honour the first of the Saraki senators. Observing that the late Saraki lived a remarkable life, Ndoma-Egba

noted that “his charismatic personality till date defined the office of Senate Leader and gave it character, many years after he left the office as he remains easily the best and most known Senate Leader.”

,

However, the decisive amendment to rename the Illorin airport after Saraki was moved by Senator Smart Adeyemi who identified himself as one of the political disciples of Senator Saraki.

Adeyemi who noted that Saraki’s political legacy transcended Kwara State, said,

“At that time, he was a calming influence in the Senate. He was also, a people’s man; he carried his people with him.

Wherever he went, his people followed him. They followed him, not because he hoodwinked them, but because they genuinely lived him and he, in turn, groomed his people.”

In his own contribution, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, ACN, Osun Central noted that while he did not agree with the politics of the late Senator Saraki, he, however, found it easy to respect him, noting that Saraki made the saying true that there were good people in every party. Perhaps, also including the PDP he almost would have said.

He added that Saraki’s marriage to a Christian woman despite his devoted Islamic background exemplified a life that portrayed that Christians and Muslims can live together harmoniously.

Among other senators who spoke during the senate debate on the motion were Senators James Manager, Ganiyu Solomon and Abdul Ningi.

It was thus interesting that the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark would sum up the contributions thus: “It only shows what will happen if you live a good life, live for the ordinary people and you die well. Saraki has lived and died and he is gone but there are lessons to be learnt from his life and I think that that is important.”

52—Vanguard, THURSD AY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 THURSDA

Natural component of red wine could stop prostate cancer

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

R

ESVERATROL, a natural compound found in red wine, grape skins, blueberries, pomegranates and several other plants, could be key to curing aggressive prostate cancer, according to latest research.

Evidence has been found that the component, which has been found to benefit health in a myriad of ways prevents heart disease, helps keep weight under control, normalises cholesterol levels and may prevent diabetes and even help treat neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.

Studies by a University of Missouri scientist has uncovered ways resveratrol might be used to create a cure for even the most aggressive prostate cancers.

This study by Michael Nicholl, an Assistant Professor of Surgical Oncology, MU School of Medicine, was recently published in the Journal of Andrology and Cancer Science.

Other studies have noted that resveratrol made tumour cells more susceptible to chemotherapy, and we wanted to see if it had the same effect for radiation therapy.

When exposed to the compound, the tumour cells were more susceptible to radiation treatment. Nicholl found that when resveratrol was used along with radiation, up to 97 percent of all cancer tumour cells completely died -- an

extraordinarily higher percentage than treatment with radiation alone.

"It's important to note that this killed all types of prostate tumor cells, including aggressive tumour cells," Nicholl stated.

Resveratrol is available in foods and over-the-counter supplements. While Nicholl's research doesn't delve into whether the natural compound could prevent or treat any malignancies on its own, his findings do suggest that ingesting resveratrol might have an anti-cancer impact. In his press statement, he noted that the dosage needed to have an effect on tumour cells is so great that many

people would experience uncomfortable side effects if they consumed that much resveratrol. Note that he doesn't say "all people" might experience side effects or that those effects would be dangerous.

"It's very attractive as a therapeutic agent since it is a natural compound and something that most of us have consumed in our lifetimes," Nicholl said.

"We don't need a large dose at the site of the tumoru, but the body processes this compound so efficiently that a person needs to ingest a lot of resveratrol to make sure enough of it ends up at the tumoru site."

Branded generics make waves at GSK

I

N a move to help sanitise the African pharmaceutical market currently faced with a proliferation of unwholesome generic medicines, multinational pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, (GSK) has launched a range of generics to provide access to safe and quality medicines across the continent.

The company ’s Commercial Development Manager, Africa, Mr Jide Adeosun said the addition of the drugs has provided opportunity to enrich their portfolio with cardiovascular and oncology molecules. These brands cut across various categories: anti-infectives, cardiovascular, metabolic, gastroenterology, central nervous system and oncology.”

Prof. Udoma Mendie, a professor of pharmaceutics and Dean, School of pharmacy, University of Lagos described

the circulation of bad medicines in virtually all countries in the African continent as “the greatest sorrows of Africa” saying they are responsible for therapeutic failure in patients.

He cited studies across the African continent which revealed that several generic drugs in circulation either do not contain the same active ingredients as the original formulations or do not even contain any active ingredient at all.

According to him, no fewer than 53 percent of all generics of a very popular antibiotic (ceftriaxone), for instance, failed the specifications of the manufacturer of the original formulation when tested in line with the quality standards specified in European and US pharmacopoeias.

“One generic had 10 contraventions/ most common failures were clarity and presence of thiotriazinone, a degradation product; 53 percent contained over

fivetimes the number of particles found in (the original formulation) and 32 percent (11/34) of the products’ content was more than 10-fold. The Don also cited a study in Senegal which revealed that 95 percent of a generic antibiotic contained flour and no active pharmaceutical ingredients, while 90 percent of another, contained no active ingredient.

Prominent pharmacist and Managing Director of Jaykay Pharmacy in Lagos, Mr Jimi Agbaje observed that about 10 million lives could be saved every year in Africa and South-East Asia alone by improving access to medicines globally. He said the pharmaceutical industry in Africa is operating at only 50-60 percent capacity due to the high cost of capital, high energy costs, frequent interruptions in electricity supply and competition from cheap imports of generic medicines from India and China.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

M

Y pastor used me for sex. He knew that my husband and I have been trying to have children. One day, he said that God has chosen me for blessing and that I should come for prayer. We were in the room alone and from there, he started praying and touching me.

He told me that God has chosen him to help me father a baby and that I should accept God’s gift. The first time it happened, I did not know what to say or do. And then he started inviting me regularly for prayer after which he will conclude by having sex with me. Now my conscience tells me that this is wrong – Mary Dear Mary, your conscience is only just telling you now that this is wrong? I cannot believe this. Where has your conscience been all along? Your ‘pastor’ is not using you. He is a predator playing a sexual game and you played along.

You are a married adult woman. To let this criminal have sex with you while pretending not to know what is going on is an offence in itself. I know that you are desperate for a baby but not like this and you know it.

Go to the hospital for a thorough STD test because you may have contacted a disease from this man. And after that, go for a fertility test.

There are all kinds of drugs and medical procedures that can help you and your husband have a baby. And please report this criminal pastor to the police before he pounces on another desperate woman – Uche My husband has very weak erection and he is not ready to help himself. Even if I give him oral sex from now till tomorrow, he cannot get it up. If not that I am a godly woman, I would have cheated. I need your help – Justine Dear Justine, I understand that your husband is also overweight and diabetic. That is the cause of his problem. Diabetes has no cure so he can only use an erection supplement to make his erections strong. Libigrow supplement is good for diabetics and will help him a lot.

I also thank you for not cheating on him. Marriage is

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Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 53

54 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Rivers teachers recruitment of rancour:

RVHA vs Education Commissioner •How ministry breached the law

W

HEN in August, the Rivers State Government conducted recruitment examinations towards boosting the state’s teachers’ workforce with an estimated 13,000 fresh hands, the supervising Ministry of Education had thought the process it instituted for the exercise was perfect and exemplary.

The process in public view generated controversy from the very beginning, but Permanent Secretary to the Ministry, Dr. Richard Ofuru, who chaired the Recruitment Committee set up by the Education Commissioner, Alice Lawrence Nemi, had diffused the criticisms and allayed all fears, apparently not anticipating the consequences that laid ahead.

The major initial concern, among other worries, was the burden of a N1,300.00 every interested applicant had to pay as precondition to partake in the first stage recruitment examination as contained in the newspapers and broadcast advertisements of the existing staff vacancies.

Existing staff vacancies The public, including civil society group, Social Action, had profusely sought explanations on why jobless applicants had to pay for participation in a recruitment exercise for public offices. But Dr. Ofuru had countered such criticism as pointless.

In his defence, Dr. Ofuru said: “We are engaging JAMB, a tested hand, to conduct the recruitment exams to uphold credibility and transparency in the process. We want a process that is purely based on merit.”

To do that effectively, he noted it would cost a lot of money, adding that the money each candidate was asked to pay in form of a scratch card was not for the Ministry. It was what JAMB has asked for to process application, conduct the exams and timely release of results online. “There is nothing wrong in that,” he had explained.

Rivers Assembly summons commissioner, perm sec: If the

Education Ministry turned blind eye on public concerns over the exercise, it could not enjoy same liberty against the rage of the Rivers State House of Assembly, RVHA, on its reasoned inconsistencies with the exercise.

At the 79th sitting of the 7th Assembly (Tuesday 6th November), the House pointed to breach of the State Education Laws by the Education Commissioner, Nemi, in the manner the teachers’ recruitment was being carried out.

The dust raised was initiated in a motion by Hon. Ibiso Nwuche, representing Ahoada East Constituency, in conjunction with the House Committee on Education. On the strength of the motion and overwhelming argument in favour, the House held that in setting up a special committee to oversee the exercise, the Commissioner usurped the statutory powers of the State Universal Basic Education Board and that of the Senior Secondary Education as the authorities to fire and hire teachers in the state.

The House summoned the Commissioner and principal officials of the Ministry to appear before it within 24 hours to answer to charges of the perceived breach of the law. Speaker, Rt.

Map of Rivers State

sioner, Permanent Secretary and Director of Finance, DFA. The Commissioner said the recruitment process as instituted was not unilateral. She noted that apart from the fact that the Ministry had an executive go-ahead to do what it thought best to carry out an effective teachers’ recruitment, the committee so set up to handle the exercise and the decisions so far taken by the committee had the nod of Nemi: Summoned for *Amachree, Speaker, Rivers State both education boards *Alice allegedly undermining the law House of Assembly whose chairmen were members of the committee. The Commissioner ten- the situation. Since the House tional N55m has been approved dered two documents to back her suspended the exercise, my con- for another consultant to verify defence. “What has been done stituents who applied and are results of shortlisted applicant? waiting to be interviewed have Permanent Secretary, are you saybeen bombarding me with com- ing the boards are not competent enough to carry out these funcplaints.”

On the contrary, other respon- tions?”

Speaker saves the day: Giving dents rejected the House Leader’s argument, harping on Part the rage among majority of the 2 of the Senior Secondary School irritated members, the capacity Board and Section 16 of the UBE filled chambers was held in moLaws of Rivers State which en- mentary suspense when Speaktrust the responsibility to recruit er of the House moved to decide on the faceoff. He told the Comwith the recruitment was not in- on the boards. To the extent of missioner that it is the function the inconsistency of any excuse tended to undermine the law or with the law, Hon. Ewor stressed of the boards to recruit teachers. disrespect anyone. It was a dethat: “If the Commissioner did not “Hand over the exercise to the cision taken in best interest of have confidence in the capacity various boards. That is what the government which is spending of the boards to do their jobs as law says. That is what this hoso much to develop education stipulated by the law, all she nourable has decided you must and which you are a part of,” she needed to do was to raise the is- follow.” added, while also citing that the An appeal by Leader of the sue for them to be replaced if laws empowered her to make polfound wanting and not to usurp House, Hon. Chidi Lloyd to comicies for the development of edmit the decision to vote was overtheir roles.” ucation in the state Extended issues, revelations: ruled by the speaker who mainTaking the floor to give the first At the end of the grilling of the tained that decision on the quesresponse, Leader of the House, Commissioner, it became obvious tion and answer session be limHon. Chidi Lloyd representing ited to the supporting motion Emohua Constituency, said: “If there were more vexed issues in- which prayed the House to cause forming the summon than the indeed the boards have been the Commissioner to release the part of the process, then that pro- breach of the laws. Most irritat- process to the boards before the ing to some of the legislators was cess should be allowed to consuspension order is vacated. tinue. I see nothing wrong with the N1300 imposed on applicants

What has been done with the recruitment was not intended to undermine the law or disrespect anyone; it was a decision taken in best interest of government which is spending so much to develop education

,

BY WILSON YAFU, Port Harcourt

Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree, by the resolution on the motion, also ordered suspension of the recruitment exercise which had then reached interview and credentials verification for some shortlisted candidates after the JAMB conducted recruitment tests.

At the 81st Session: The Commissioner and officials of the Ministry who had failed to honour previous invitations of the House, finally appeared at the 81st session of the Assembly, hence the House did not have to invoke any warrant of arrest on them. Those who appeared at the session included the Commis-

who sought the job. It was discovered that over N50m was realised from over 40,000 thousand applicants as confirmed by Dr. Ofuru, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, who chaired the recruitment committee.

The House was further infuriated by Ofuru’s submission that the application fees were paid directly to JAMB. The summoned officials also confirmed that an additional N55m had been approved to engage another consultant to carry out the interview and verification of credentials of applicants shortlisted from the initial recruitment test.

The Chairman, House Committee on Education was compelled to ask Dr. Ofuru why: “(You) had an understanding with an external body to task and collect over N50m from jobless Rivers applicants seeking employment in the state, and there was no binding agreement on that?

“You mean to also tell this honourable Assembly that an addi-

,

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 55

56—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

ing and vomiting on the way.

He said while he was booking for the hotel room, Blessing disapppeared from his view, only to be found under the hotel staircase.

Denying ever forcing victim to bed, Nwogu claimed that Blessing was aware that he was having sex with her and that he took the photographs with the intention of showing her the next morning how she messed herself up.

Under cross examination, Nwogu identified the photographs and admitted taking them but that Jennifer Ike, the victim’s friend, had deleted those he took.

Jennifer, who saw her friend’s naked photographs on Nwogu’s digital camera and reported the case at Festac police station, also gave evidence.

Camera with naked photographs

•Convicted Princewill Nwogu being escorted into Kirikiri Maximum Prisons where he will serve his jail term

Magistrate jails Nwogu 16 years

By ONOZURE DANIA

N

EMESIS caught up with a middle aged man, Princewill Nwogu, after a Chief Magistrate court, sitting in Kirikiri, Lagos, sentenced him to 16 years imprisonment without an option of fine for raping of a 23 yearold girl and videoing his escapades with her.

Magistrate F. J. Adefioye, who presided over the matter, convicted Nwogu, after he found him guilty of the offences preferred against him.

Nwogu, who is a commercial bus driver, was alleged to have drugged, raped, videoed and taken shots of his victim, one Miss Blessing Sunday, 23, at Premier hotel, Festac

town, on March 17, 2012.

Nwogu, who faced a fourcount charge, one of which he was discharged by the court, was said to have subjected the victim to severe pains.

Blessing, who is an hair dresser, was said to have gone to see her friend, Constance, who was owing her some money, with a view to collecting the money but didn’t see her.

Fulfilment of devilish mission As she made to return home, she met Nwogu, who opted to give her a ride, unaware of what the convict was planning against her.To fulfill his devilish mission, the convict took

her to a joint, and drugged her through the wine he offered her. She drank and was unconscious till the following morning when she found herself in Premiere hotel wearing a man’s trousers. The convict, Nwogu, told her that her clothes got torn when they were about to take a bus.

The magistrate said the pictures and video shots taken by Nwogu showed how he had sex with Blessing’s lifeless body, opened her vagina at will and put saliva, and fondled her breast recklessly.

The magistrate also said that with the intention to ruin the girl’s life after drugging and taking her photographs, the convict showed it to his friends, adding that during

the defendant’s evidence, he said Blessing was his girlfriend who he went out with from 2008 to 2011, but lost contact with after some time.

The magistrate quoted the convict as saying that when he saw her again, she told him she went to the village because of the pregnancy she had for a police officer.

He said on that fateful day, Blessing said she wanted to eat Suya and he bought N1000 worth for her and that she had four bottles of Harp beer.

He explained that after having the drink, she told him

,

RAPING, FILMING OF NAKED WOMEN:

She said on getting to the station, she and the police officer went through the camera and discovered so many other girls that he had had such illicit affairs with and also snapped their nakedness.

The Magistrate said: “Jennifer who saw five shots of her own naked photographs, was able to identify Blessing Sunday and when the police asked her if she could get the girl, she said yes that she resides at 23 Road, Festac town.

“On getting to the police station, when Blessing saw her naked photos, she was grieved and wondered why Princewill would do such a thing to her. She was not aware of it until she got to the police station, before he (convict)was now arrested.”

Adefioye added that any man who strips any woman or girl commits an indecent act which is against the law.

Before passing judgment, Magistrate Adefioye said the magnitude of the offence the convict committed was too grievous and that he was not

,

Before passing judgment, Magistrate Adefioye said the magnitude of the offence the convict committed was too grievous and that he was not fit to live among the human race

that she wanted to go high (get intoxicated), adding that he gave her N200 to buy Indian hemp but escaped arrest in the process of buying it because her father is a police man.He told the court that between 11: 45pm and 2am, while he was taking Blessing to the hotel, she was stagger-

fit to live among the human race.

He described the convict as worst than a beast, who shouldn’t have been born by his parents.At about 11: 22am Nwogu, was taken to the Kirikiri Maximum Prison, where he is expected to serve his jail term.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Di Matteo defends selection S

ACKED Chelsea coach, Roberto Di Matteo does not regret dropping Fernando Torres to the bench for Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League 3-0 defeat against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday.

“I thought this was the team to beat Juventus but if the result is negative you always face repercussions.

“Torres, like all players who don’t start, was

Benitez gets Chelsea job C

HELSEA Wednes dayannounced that Rafael Benitez had been appointed their interim first team-manager until the end of the season after the European champions sacked Roberto di Matteo.

Di Matteo was fired after Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat by Juventus in Turin left Chelsea facing elimination at the group stage of the Champions League.

But within a matter of hours Roman Abramovich, Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner who has now sacked seven managers since buying the club in 2003, appointed former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, albeit in a caretaker capacity.

“Chelsea Football Club can confirm Rafael Benitez has been appointed interim first-team manager until the end of the season,” said a club statement.

“The owner (Abramov-

disappointed but he certainly has a future and we all have to pick ourselves up again.

“I wanted a different approach tonight and to move the three centrebacks around.

“Their first goal was lucky because of the deflection but we are conceding goals and we are working on it and you need to be solid defensively if you want to win games.”

•••Gullit slams Blues for sacking him

•Di Matteo

F

ORMER Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit was among those who expressed their sadness at the European champions’ decision to sack Roberto di Matteo as their boss on Wednesday. ”If you win something at Chelsea you get sacked,” Gullit, Chelsea manager from 1996 to 1998 when Italy midfielder di Matteo was still a player with the club, told Sky Sports. ”I’m very sad for

Robbie. I already had a very good feeling that when Robbie won the Champions League that maybe they (the Chelsea board) already had somebody else in the frame to take over. ”I don’t think they took any notice of the fact that Robbie could win it.

That was the reason I believe that they took so long to sign Robbie because they were looking for other people.''

•Abramovic

•Benitez

Ribery plays down Valencia draw

G

ERARD Pique hailed Lionel Messi’s brilliance in the wake of his two-goal display in Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League win on Tuesday evening.

“Messi was fantastic, like he always is. I think he is the best player in the world,” the defender was quoted as saying on the Uefa website. ”When you have this type of player you have to use him and this is what we do.

We play for him because he knows how to score and how to play and how to win and today it was the same.”

•Ribery

F

•Osaze result matters.

“I wanted to play after Southampton when I scored two. I didn’t start

ich) and the board believe that in Benitez we have a manager with significant experience at the highest level of football, who can come in and immediately help deliver our objectives.

The 52-year-old Spaniard is due to meet Chelsea’s players at the club’s training ground in Cobham, south of London, on Thursday.

Pique hails Messi magic

Wes k — Osaze estt Brom on trac track P

ETER Odemwingie claims West Bromwich Albion’s strikers have bought into Steve Clarke’s juggling act.

“Before Saturday ’s game he said he needs everyone because there will be consecutive games coming up,” said Odemwingie.

“He said from the stand to the bench is not far and from the bench to the pitch isn’t far. He has to manage that in a long season where we’re hoping to achieve something. It’s normal that sometimes you ask questions but only the

— 57

but we won, so what can I say?

“He is the manager and he decides what’s best.”

•Messi

RANCK Ribery has claimed that Bayern Munich’s 1-1 draw at Valencia should not be classed as a failure, but conceded that he would much rather have come away with all three points. ”I think we put ourselves in difficulty,” he told beIN Sport. “It started well for us but Valencia played very well, even with 10 men. ”But its not a catastrophe. We earned a good point and that was our goal. Now we will try to finish first. But at Bayern, it is natural that when you don’t win, you’re left a little saddened.

The 29-year-old made way for Mario Gomez in the latter stages of the contest, and admitted that was not feeling good physically. ”For me, it was hard tonight,” he added. “I had a lot of trouble. I spoke a little with the physios, but I’d rather not play through such pain again.”

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 59

60—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

The two storey that collapsed at the end of Church Street Jakande Estate Extension, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos State yesterday.

Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Building collapses in Lagos ByBY LEKE ADESERI, South West Regional Editor, EVELYN USMAN & BOSE ADELAJA

A

BUILDING located in Low Cost Housing Estate, otherwise called Jakande estate, in Oke-Ake-Afa, Isolo area of Lagos, collapsed, yesterday, killing two graduate sisters.

The mother of the dead girls, identified as Mrs Coker, a widow, who was brought out of the debris alive was, however, in coma yesterday. Affected were flats 2, 4 and 6 of the six flat low-

cost houses built over 30 years ago.

The building, Block M20, according to eye witnesses started showing cracks and sinking over a year ago. The tragic incident as gathered, occurred at about midnight causing a deafening sound. Vanguard gathered that while occupants in flats 2 and 4 managed to escape, those in flat 6 - Mrs Coker and her two children: Toyin, a graduate of the University of Lagos and her younger sister, Bukola, did not.

It was learnt that occupants of

the collapsed building apparently ignored the warning signs of imminent danger which had been evident since the past year.

Tenants in flats two and six reportedly moved out some months ago, only for owner of flat two to lease the flat out to new occupants.

After the incident, youths in the area reportedly began a rescue mission. The body of Mrs Coker in her unconscious state was said to be the first to be brought out from the debris at about 3am and was immediately rushed to the estate health centre. Bukola’s body, in her night gown was reportedly brought out at about 5am, while that of Toyin was brought out an hour later, stone dead.

When Vanguard arrived the scene at about 8am, officials of NEMA and neighbourhood watch were sighted.

Fire fighting vehicles arrived later.

I escaped death by whiskers – occupant Mother of two ladies killed in the building, Mrs. Coker

One of survivors, Omoniyi Eyitayo

One of the survivors and occupant of

flat 2, Amodu Iyetayo Omoniyi, told Vanguard: “I moved into the flat on September 2, 2012, though I occupy one of the rooms.

It was after I moved in that I discovered that the building had been marked for demolition. Two of the occupants called me to ask why I decided to pack into a building that had cracks and when I called the caretaker, he refused

H

e said: “This is a building that was constructed by government agent, Lagos State Property Development Corporation, LSDPC. You can imagine that the gauge of the iron is 16 m and 1 inch for a decking of two storey building . The builders, engineers and material testers must all be arrested and brought to book for causing the death of these two promising ladies.”

LG not aware of building state – Council boss Chairman of the Ejigbo Local

Last night when I came back from church, a spirit said I should touch the wall and immediately I did, part of the wall just fell to the extent that I could see outside from there. I became afraid. As if that was not enough, other parts started falling in bits

,

•Two graduate sisters killed •Mother injured, in coma •Signs of building distress started over a year ago —Neighbours •They ignored govt’s safety warning — LASEMA •1 trapped in another collapsed building in Dolphin Estate

of imminent collapse. But she said ‘okay, are you the people downstairs? Thank you.’

“I then went to my room collected my certificate and the cloth I was to put on today for the interview. At that time, the caretaker came in. When he saw the cracks, he decided to take us to a flat to pass the night. Immediately I stepped outside, I heard a deafening sound and our part of the building collapsed. I just thank God that I heeded the voice of reasoning.”

I never knew the collapse will be so soon – Caretaker The caretaker who simply gave his name as Ali, claimed he never knew the building would collapse this soon, when asked why he collected money from the new occupants in flat two. Vanguard gathered that following the cracks on the wall, the occupants had written several letters to the concerned quarters, only to be told that something would be done.

Mrs. Coker, a retired staff of Shell Oil Company, was one of the agitators for the reconstruction of the block. She was said to have refused to move to her other flats in the estate, until government came to effect repairs on the cracked building.

A community leader, Prince Prince Dimeji Gbadamosi, who expressed disdain over the incident blamed the government for the disaster.

to refund my money and assured me nothing would happen.

“Last night, (Tuesday), when I came back from church, a spirit said I should touch the wall and immediately I did, part of the wall just fell to the extent that I could see outside from there. I became afraid. As if that was not enough, other parts started falling in bits.

I called one of our flat-mates to inform him and we decided to call the agent.

“I went to bed hoping to wake up today to attend an interview.

But about 11pm, I woke up and went out, where I discovered that the third occupant of the flat could not even open his door. At that point, I heard a voice which said the building was going to collapse. Immediately I told my flat mates that we should leave the house. I went upstairs to tell the occupants (Mrs Coker and her daughters ) that there were signs

,

development Council, Kehinde Bamgbetan, who visited the scene to have a first hand assessment of the damage, said his office was never aware of the state of the building until the tragic incident.

He stated that the government and Lagos State Physical Planning and Urban Development would be inspecting other buildings in the estate that have similar problems and mark them for demolition, adding: "But I can not just take decision now on what to do with those affected because there has to be a meeting between the occupants and government. This building is supposed to be insured. If it is, then we will know the next step to take and if it is not, then we will ask Lagos Building and Investment Corporation, LBIC, what can be done."

Six other blocks marked for Continues on page 61

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012—61

One of the survivors Continues from page 60

demolition As at 10am, block numbers M16,12, 23, 24, 15 and 11 were marked for demolition with the occupants given 24-hour notice to vacate the buildings. It was gathered that block M11 was only re-built last year.

The 24-hour notice did not go down well with the affected occupants as they urged government to provide them with alternative shelter before they would move out.

One of them who simply gave his name as Funso said, "why would they just come now and ask us to leave in 24 hours.

Where do they expect us to go. Why is government fond of this fire brigade attitude? Where were the government officials when letters were sent to them by occupants of the affected building? All we are asking for is to be given time to pack move out, after-all everyone knows how difficult it is to get accommodation in Lagos.”

Building distressed for over a year – Neighbour A man who lives in the neighbourhood, Mr. Opeyemi Fagun, told Vanguard that they had noticed that the building was sinking gradually for about a year. He said the occupants had been warned to evacuate the building over a year ago when the walls started cracking, adding: “The building was already sinking, shaking with cracked walls and they had been warned to pack out. When we heard a huge bang and a cloud of dust, we ran out and heard screaming from inside the rubbles; so, we went to dig the people out with our bare hands. But our efforts were futile as the girls were already dead.”

Another neighbour, Kidochi Okonye, said that when they came out at about 12.

30 a.m. and saw what happened, they called the National Emergency Management Agency, the fire service and the Red Cross, but none of them came. He said that Red Cross officials eventually came by 6 a.m. when the dead sisters had been pulled out and they carried the corpses away.

One of the occupants of the first floor of

the collapsed building, who refused to disclose her name, said that they came in by 9 p.m. on Tuesday and saw that their decking had cracked badly.

“My brother went upstairs to warn the Cokers but they did not take heed to the warning and we decided not to sleep in that building. We were seated outside when we heard a bang and started screaming for help. It was so fast that I can’t describe it; I wish I could have helped them, but I just could not.”

Occupants ignored government’s safety warnings— LASEMA Mr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, said that occupants of a two-storey building had ignored government‘s safety warnings. OkeOsanyintolu who said the state government had conducted series of structural tests on the building explained that occupants had been repeatedly informed of its distressed state and the dangers in their continued habitation of the building.

He said: “This is the kind of disasters we have always tried to avoid, but unfortunately, some residents are not just cooperating with the state government at the expense of their safety. The results of the series of structural tests we conducted on the collapsed building showed that the structure was weak and not fit for habitation.

W

e had repeatedly warned the oc cupants of the dangers and asked them to leave but unfortunately, they ignored these warnings. This disaster is preventable. It would not have happened this way if the occupants had complied.”

1 trapped in another collapsed building Meanwhile, one person, a worker was trapped in another collapsed building, yesterday, at Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, also in Lagos. The building situated at 174 Corporation Drive, gave way in the afternoon and the worker was said to have been trapped when a part of the building gave way. LASEMA boss, Dr. Femi Osanyintolu, also confirmed the development and said his team moved to the scene after a distress call by neighbours.

There was, however, a conflicting account about the condition of Mrs Coker, yesterday. While eye witnesses said the women gave up the ghost around 2pm.

Dr. Osanyintolu said she was still under treatment "and the doctors have not officially informed me of her death."

Sympathisers at the scene of the two storey that collapsed at the end of Church Street Jakande Estate Extension, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos State yesterday.

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Continues from B/P Becks more than £350,000 a week to uproot wife Victoria and family from LA. But they face competition from Aussie clubs Melbourne Hearts and Adelaide United, France’s Paris Saint-Germain,

Beckham Brazil’s Botafogo, South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs and the New York Cosmos.

The clubs are less interested in Beckham’s ball skills than his ability to boost their global TV audience.

Chelsea

Continues from B/P right direction as we head into a vitally important part of the season.” read a Chelsea statement on the club’s website.

Former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and ex-Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez have emerged as the early favourites to replace Di Matteo. However, Harry Redknapp and former Stamford Bridge boss Jose Mourinho have also been mentioned as contenders for the position.

“The club faces a difficult task ahead in qualifying for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League as well as maintaining a strong challenge for the top of

C M Y K

the Premier League while competing in three other cup competitions.

“Our aim is to remain as competitive as possible and challenge strongly on all fronts. “The owner and the Board would like to thank Roberto for all he has done for the club since taking over in March.

“Roberto helped guide us to an historic Champions League victory and a seventh FA Cup. We will never forget the huge contribution he has made to this club’s history and he will always be welcome at Stamford Bridge.

“The club will be making an announcement shortly regarding a new first team manager.”

Sources in LA said Becks could easily make at least £12million from the deal.

One said: “It doesn’t matter he isn’t the greatest player any more. He makes clubs great in terms of sponsorship. A club could

pay him £500,000 a week and it would still be worth it.”

The biggest earner in football is 31-year-old Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, who is paid £345,000 a week by Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

Drogba Continues from B/P has submitted a request for authorisation to be registered outside an open registration period for a club on a loan basis.

“Our services are currently looking into the matter.”

Drogba, who quit Chelsea after scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final,

has been considering training with his former club during the Chinese Super League off-season — something Di Matteo said he would welcome prior to his own departure this morning.

Existing FIFA rules prevent Drogba from representing another club until January 1.

Casualty Continues from B/P match press conference before taking full responsibility for the result.

He said: “I’m responsible for the result. I’m responsible for the performance. It’s a negative evening for us.

“If anyone has to take

the blame, it’s me. I selected a team I was convinced was the right team to win against Juventus, or get at least a draw, so the blame belongs to me.”

He added: “I’m responsible for positive and negative results.

This is what I do.”

Eko Continues from B/P to touch down in Lagos on Sunday in readiness for the commencement of the festival next Tuesday.

The Loc boss, who is also Lagos State Deputy Governor, added that being an aquatic state, the torch will arrive through the sea and the state’s number one citizen, Governor Babatunde Fashola, would receive it.

“I want to say that by this Saturday, November 24, the unity torch will arrive Lagos through the sea and it will be received by Governor Babatunde Fashola amid pomp and pageantry because for us in Lagos, we are known as an aquatic state. It will take place at Marina where our cultural endowment will be on display for the people to enjoy,” she said.

The torch was received by the Ogun State Governor, Senator

Ibikunle Amosun on Tuesday having visited other states of the federation including the FCT. In Ogun, tit was received by the South West coordinator for the festival, Steve Olarinoye, who later handed it to the governor at the MKO Abiola international stadium Abeokuta The torch of unity was received with joy by the state executives led by the governor as well as sport lovers in the state.

Amosun said the torch symbolises love and unity and the spirit of sportsmanship amongst Nigerians.

He however, charged Team Ogun to excel in the competitions, with assurance that they would get the necessary encouragement to excel at the games.

The torch will sail from Ogun State to Lagos as its final destination for the festival.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012 — 63

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Beckham in £12m global tug of war

Chelsea sack Di Matteo

C

HELSEA manager Roberto Di Matteo has been sacked following a run of poor form.

The Italian won 24 of his 42 games in charge of the club but, after their 3-0 defeat to Juventus left them in danger of missing out on the knockout stages of the Champions League, Chelsea have decided to end his tenure.

“The team’s recent performances and results have not been good enough and the owner and the Board felt that a change was necessary now to keep the club moving in the

Continues on page 62 TODAY'S

D

Latest casualty

R

OBERTO Di Matteo has become the latest manager to fall victim to Roman Abramovich’s axe after risking the owner ’s wrath by dropping record signing Fernando

Torres for the Juventus game and radically overhauling his tactics.

Di Matteo had taken more than an hour to emerge for his post-

Continues on page 62

IDIER DROGBA has opened the door to a shock Premier League return after requesting permission to join another club outside the transfer window.

FIFA said it was considering a request from the Shanghai

PUZZLE

Shenhua striker on the same day as Drogba’s former side Chelsea sacked manager Roberto Di Matteo.

A FIFA statement read: “We can confirm that the player, Didier Drogba,

•Drogba

Continues on page 62 YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

Big-money clubs in China, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, America and France are now ready to break the bank to get the ex-England skipper.

Chinese football giants Shanghai Shenhua are said to be willing to pay Continues on page 62

AVING gone round the country in the last few weeks, the torch of unity for the 18 th National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012 will on Saturday arrives Lagos.

According to the

Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the torch, which began its journey from Abuja in September is expected Continues on page 62

Ek o 20 12 unity Eko 201 torch arrives Lagos H

Drogba returns!

D

AVID Beckham is at the centre of a £12million global tug of war that could make him football’s highest paid player.

Becks, 37, yesterday began a bidding battle as he confirmed he will leave current team Los Angeles Galaxy in ten days’ time.

ACROSS 3 Trunk (5) 9 Enmity (6) 10 Speaker (6) 11 Worship (5) 12 Wan (4) 15 Standard (4) 17 Lift (7) 20 Untruth (3) 21 Long (5) 23 Every (4) 25 Part (4) 26 Theme (5) 28 Guided (3) 30 Voted (7) 33 Thought (4) 35 Conceal (4) 36 Narcotic (5) 38 Reparation (6) 39 Seaman (6) 40 Dissuade (5)

DOWN 1 Form (5) 2 Musty (5) 3 Beverage (3) 4 Peculiarity (6) 5 Kind (4) 6 Mineral (3) 7 Seat (5) 8 Felony (5) 13 Maintained (7) 14 Expel (5) 16 Fastened (7) 18 Weird (5) 19 Stray (3) 22 Nick (5) 24 Pig (3) 27 Paragraph (6) 28 Shrub (5) 29 Postpone (5) 31 Name (5) 32 Disparage (5) 34 Recess (4) 36 Uneven (3) 37 Spoil (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Depict 2, Appear 9, Rinse 10, Despot 11, Salver 12, Panel 14, Cell 17, Nut 18, Meal 20, Treat 22, Giddy 23, Balloon 24, Adder 26, Tulip 29, Reel 30, Fat 32, Sate 33, Forum 35, Shiver 36, Modern 37, Acrid 38, Nature 39, Dented.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Deduct 2, Pestle 3, Crop 4, Titan 5, Asset 6, Peal 7, Envied 8, Rarely 13, Nuclear 15, Erode 16, Label 18, Minus 19, Admit 21, Tar 22, Got 24, Arisen 25, Desist 27, Lament 28, Penned 30, Force 31, Tumid 33, Fear 34, Mode.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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