Twist in Senate peace moves as senators form G77

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22/4/2016

2—SA TURD A Y Vanguard , APRIL 23, 2016 2—SATURD TURDA

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016 — 3

How states squandered FG bailout funds

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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OST of the 23 states that got bail out cash from the federal government for the settlement of arrears of workers’ salaries and emoluments, diverted the funds for other purposes, thereby defeating the purpose of the government’s effort to provide succour for the workers.

A comprehensive analysis carried out by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, ICPC, in conjunction with the Nigeria Labour Congress, revealed last night that many of the states deliberately lied that they were owing their workers huge debts when the reverse was the case.

A major feature of the analysis released by the ICPC and signed by its Commissioner for Public Enlightenment, indicated that many of the states failed to apply the amount received from the federal government to settle their indebtedness to their workers, leaving them enmeshed in huge arrears of salaries to the staff despite collecting the bailout cash.

A breakdown of the analysis indicates that out of the 27 states that applied for the fund, only 23 had been paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria as at the end of December 2015.

The benefiting states are: Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Ekiti, Katsina, Gombe, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Plateau, Sokoto, Kwara, Bayelsa and Imo. Others are: Enugu, Oyo, Delta, Kebbi and Zamfara.

Of particular concern to the ICPC, is the case of Zamfara State, which applied for N32.5bn but as at the time of collecting N10 billion from the federal government for workers’ arrears, the state was reportedly not indebted to any of its workers.

But after receiving the cash, the state government made overtures to its House of Assembly to approve the use of the money for the settlement of indebtedness to contractors and other purposes.

The House of Assembly thereafter approved the disbursement of the money as follows: *Outstanding of payment to 14 LGS of the State: N4,262,560,629.83 * Outstanding payment of fertilizer for 2014 farming season: N3,056,300,000.00 *Outstanding certificate for construction of BunC M Y K

gudu-Nahuche Kyabarawa Road 22.6Km: N265,256,342.76 * Outstanding certificate of Hostel Block at Abdu Gusau Polytechnic. T/ Mafara:N55,000,000.00 * Payment of outstanding cost of Vehicles supplied to State: N319,430,000.00 * Outstanding certificate of construction work at K/ Namoda Juma’at Mosque: N20,4 79,100.39 * Outstanding certificate of construction work at Emir ’s Palace. Gusau: N6,020,000.00 * Share of 14 Local Government Councils Bailout: N2,035,705,000.00.

In a different dimension of misuse, Imo State, which collected the sum of N26,806,430.000.00 from the CBN, paid the amount into two commercial banks and transferred part of the money into uses not related to workers salaries.

The ICPC said it discovered that N2 billion was lodged into a Government House Account, N2 billion paid into Imo State Project Account, while another N2 billion was lodged in a micro-finance bank and a ‘management fee’ of N21 million paid into an unspecified account out of the bailout fund received by the state. Similarly, Adamawa State got N9,578,360, 000.00 as bailout cash but disbursed only N2,378,360,000.00 with a balance of N7,200,000,000.00. According to the report, the state could not adduce any reason for the slow process of off-setting the debt as at the time of the report. However, the state claimed not to owe outstanding salaries as at September, 2015.

In the case of Bauchi State, the report shows that out of the N8.609.100.000.00 it received as bail-out fund, it d i s b u r s e d N8.4I4.088,383.26 with a balance of N95.011.616.74. The State claimed not to owe salaries as at September. 201 5.

Also, Benue State received N 12.503,439.787.

48 as bailout fund and disbursed N10,852.536.702.

96 with a balance of N 1.650.903.084.52. Analysis of the documents submitted revealed a double payment of N37,760,000.00 in favour of Office of the Deputy Governor. The ICPC said it was investigating the double payment to the Deputy Governor.

Cross River State is said to have received N7.856,400.000.00 as bailout fund and disbursed N3.140.883.040.77

St Gregory College 88/89 Set Old Boys Association held its Annual Reunion Meeting at the College premises in Lagos. Px Left Front Row: Mr Akin Akinsuroju,Mr Seidu Aigbedo, Rev Fr Mathew Ogunleru, Mr Leye PhillipsPresident of the Association, Mr Tony Nwanze, Mr Lanre Adeyehun and Mr Nelson Okonghai during the meeting Px Shola Oyelese with a balance of N4.715,516.959.23. However the State claimed not to have outstanding salaries to workers as at 19/11/2015.

Ekiti State according to the report, received N9.604.340.000.00 as bailout fund and disbursed N9.213.

816.252.44 with a balance of N390.613.747.

56. The State owed one month salary as at 28th October 2015.

Katsina State got Nl1, 086.630.000.00 as bailout fund and disbursed N2.512.214.530.71 with a balance of N8.574.415.469.29. The State claimed to have cleared all outstanding salaries as at 18lh February, 2016.

Gombe State got N11,000,000,000.00 and d i s b u r s e d N6,321.684.423.67 with a balance of N4,678,315,576.33. The state claimed it was not owing salaries as at September, 2015, according to the report.

Nasarawa State rec e i v e d N8,317.167.368.87 in two tranches of N3.956.047.519.60 and N4.361.119.848.27 as bailout fund and disb u r s e d N3.956.047.519.60 with a balance of N4.361.1 19.848.27. The State claimed not to have paid Local Government Workers’ salaries due to an on-going verification exercise.

Niger State received N4.396.810.000.00 as bailout fund and the entire amount was claimed to have been expended in off-setting salary debts.

Ondo State received N9.443.059.226.92 as bailout fund and disb u r s e d

N7.905.484.176.60 with a balance of N1,537.575.050.32. The State reportedly owed onemonth salary and several months arrears of gratuity/pension as at 30th September. 2015.

Osun State received N34.988.990.000.00 as bailout fund and disb u r s e d N18.677.224.582.20, leaving a balance of N16.311,765.418 billion as at November. 2015. The Commission said it was verifying allegations that Osun State public servants had only been paid salaries up to July 2015.

Ogun State claimed it received N18,916.208.664.86 as bailout fund and duly expended the entire sum for salary arrears and did not owe workers as at 9th October, 2015.

Plateau State received N5.357.570.000.00 as bailout fund and disbursed N5.330.589.061.15 with a balance of N26.980.938.85. The State

was owing two months salaries as at 30th September 2015.

Kwara State received the sum of N4.320.950.000.00 as bailout fund and disbursed N4,291.087.985.08 for staff salaries and emoluments with a balance of N29.862.014.92. The State claimed to have cleared all outstanding salaries as at 20th October. 2015.

Bayelsa State applied for the sum of N 1.285.000.000.00 and had concluded disbursement formalities but the Central Bank of Nigeria was yet to release the said fund to the State as at 18th December, 2015.

Enugu State was granted N10,174,238,681.19 as bailout fund as at 16th November 2015. Analysis of the documents submitted revealed that, the State disbursed N5, 967,238,681.19 from the bailout fund to settle domestic debts and claimed that funds for the payments of Staff salaries and emoluments was not

yet assessed.

Oyo State was granted N26,606,944,831.03 as bailout fund and disb u r s e d N25,495,292,422.63 with a balance of Nl, l 11.652.408.40. The State owes four months’ salaries as at 7 April. 2016.

Delta State has a total debt value accrued from Staff salaries and emoluments of N36,417,217,601.53. The State was granted N10,936,799,299.36 as bailout fund and disbursed N8,129,888,279.86 with a balance of N2,806,9I1,019.50. However, the state claimed not to owe salaries as at 24th November. 2015.

Kebbi State received N7.080.000.000.00 as bailout fund and disbursedN2,617,152,577.20 with a balance of N4,463,975,420.27. The State claimed to have cleared all outstanding arrears on salaries as at September. 2015.

States

Amount Collected

Amount Disbursed

Balance

Adamawa Bauchi Benue Cross River Ekiti Katsina Gombe Nasarawa Niger Ondo Osun Ogun Plateau Sokoto Kwara Imo Zamfara Enugu Oyo Delta Kebbi

N9,578,360,000.00 N8,609,100.000.00 N12,503,439,787.48 N7,856,400,000.00 N9,604,340,000.00 N11,086,630,000.00 N11,000,000,000.00 N8,317,167,368.87 N4,396,810,000.00 N9,443,059,226.92 N34,988,990,000.00 N18,916,208,664.86 N5,357,570,000.00 N10,093,370,000.00 N4,320,950.000.00 N26,806,430,000.00 N10,020,952,964.51 N10,174,238,681.19 N26,606,944,831.03 N10,936,799,299.36 N7,080,000,000.00

N2,378,360,000.00 N7,200,000,000.00 N8,414,088,383.26 N195,011,616.74 N10,852,536,702.96 N1,650,903,084.52 N3,140,883,040.77 N4,715,516,959.23 N9,213,816,252.44 N390,613,747.56 N2,512,214,530.71 N8,574,415,469.29 N6,321,684,423.67 N4,678,315,576.33 N3,956,047,519,.60 N4,361,119,848.27 N4,396,810,000.00 Nil N7,905,484,176.60 N1,537,575,050.32 N18,677,224,582.20 N16,311,765,418.00 N18,916,208,664.86 Nil N5,330,589,061.15 N26,980,938.85 Yet to disburse N4,291,087,985.08 N29,862,014.92 N6,021,017,810.00 N20,785,412,190.00 N10,020,751,072.98 N201,891.53 N5,967,238,681,19 N4,207,000,000.00 N25,495,292,422.63 N1,111,652,408.40 N8,129,888,279.86 N2,806,911,019.50 N2,617,152,577.20 N4,463,975,420.27

4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

Jonathan’s cousin moved to Lagos, detained again

By Abdulwahab Abdullah

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From left: Fatimah Dangote; Alimot Dangote; Alhassan Dantata; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Guardian Man of the Year 2015 with his award Alhaji Abdu Dantata; Maryam Dangote; Alhaji Sani Bello and Lady Maiden Ibru, Publisher, Guardian Newspaper during the Guardian Man of the Year Award 2015 held in Lagos. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

Court rejects Tarfa’s application

By Onozure Dania A Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere, held yesterday that it has the jurisdiction to entertain the charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC against a member of the inner bar, Mr Rickey Tarfa SAN. Tarfa had through his counsel, Mr Anthony Idigbe SAN,filed an application seeking to quash the charge against him.

In her ruling on Tarfa’s preliminary objection, Justice A.A. Akintoye, refused all the prayers he sought. She however reserved her

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decision till the end of trial on the prayer to declare that falsification of age was not an offence known to law.

He was arraigned on March 9, by the Anti-graft agency on a 27-counts charge bordering on refusal to declare assets, making false statement, offering gratification to public officer and failure to declare his assets in the Assets declaration Form.

Tarfa had pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on self recognizance.

At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, the

Judge while delivering her ruling, said that the Antigraft agency has the power to investigate and prosecute Tarfa.

“On the issue of the charge being an abuse of court process as argued by the defendant, I hold that the information contained in the charge before me is different from the one before my learned brother. In that charge what the defendant was charged with was obstructing EFCC officials from carrying out their lawful duties.

suspected cousin of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola has been ordered to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC by an Ikeja chief Magistrate, B. O. Osunsanmi pending the completion of investigation into an alleged diversion of $40 million dollars through One-Plus Holdings, a sister company of Kakatar Construction

Limited meant for securing oil pipelines.

The payment according to the EFCC, was said to have been made by the detained former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (red).

Aziboala has been in EFCC custody since 23rd of March 2016, while he challenged his detention by the commission .

He had approached the Federal Capital Territory High court for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights

UNILAG reopens

By Dayo Adesulu The Authorities of University of Lagos, UNILAG, yesterday in Lagos directed that full academic activities will resume on Monday, 2nd May, 2016 while examination will commence on 9th May. The Senate however urged students to visit the University website www.unilag.edu.ng and download the Undertaking and Indemnity Form.

Students are expected to complete the undertaking form and get it notarized, while “Parents and guardians

are to complete the Parents Indemnity Form. “It said : “Completed undertaking formwhichmustbenotarized and Parent’s Indemnity Form should be submitted at the various Departments and a clearance obtained. The clearance would be required to gain access into examination halls.

“Students accommodated in halls of residence are to obtain a clearance from the Departmental Officer which must be presented at the halls of residence to gain access into their rooms from Monday, 2nd May, 2016.

and was granted bail.

A new twist however transpired as Robert was moved from Abuja to Lagos by the EFCC only to be taken to the Lagos Magistrate court Ikeja asking for an order for his detention which was granted.

According to his counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, the unfortunate disregard of an order of court by the EFCC is an afront to his client and the constitution. It is unlawful and the commission should be called to order ”.

His counsel said, “ Robert ought to be enjoying the bail granted him by the FCT high court .

EFCC did not disclose this to the Lagos magistrate court, Justice Osunsanmmi. The EFCC had tried to extend the remand order from the magistrate court in the Federal Capital but had met a brick in the light of the subsisting order

by Justice Olasumbo of the Abuja High Court releasing him on bail.

The matter before the Lagos magistrate court was adjourned to 23rd May. Robert was however remanded at the EFCC custody.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016 — 5

Twist in Senate peace moves as senators form G77 •To remove EFCC from presidency control •Vow to back Saraki • To confront older senators over juicy committees

By Henry Umoru

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TRONG indications emerged early yesterday of a hardening of position by senators who have coalesced into a Group of 77 drawn from various parties and camps to protect what they have dubbed as the integrity of the Senate.

The new G77 which had its maiden meeting on Thursday night has meanwhile launched moves to extricate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC from the control of the presidency in the light of claims by the senators that it had become a tool of the administration.

The G77 comprising mostly of new senators it was gathered, also up in arms against older senators who they claim have monopolised the juicy committees of the Senate to the detriment of the newer ones.

The maiden meeting of the G77 was hosted by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio who incidentally was not at home at the beginning of the meeting.

The meeting monitored by Saturday Vanguard commenced shortly after 7.00 p.m. on Thursday and ended just before midnight following which some senators also broke up into groups.

36 senators were physically present at the meeting which inside sources disclosed has a membership roll of 77, almost all of them new senators. Remarkably, the group is also putting forward itself as a bulwark for the embattled Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki with members vowing to defend him against what they alleged as the persecution of the executive branch of government.

The formation of the new group came barely 24 hours after senators resolved in a closed session on Wednesday to put aside all acrimonies and project the institution as one. In that light the senators it was learnt resolved to withdraw all cases against the election of Saraki as the Senate President.

It was also resolved that as a sop to critics that the Senate would withdraw the amendment bill to the Code of Conduct Tribunal Act. However, that agreement ran into trouble at the G77 meeting on Thursday as senators in the group resolved to push forward an amendment bill to the law establishing the EFCC to among other things remove the president’s right as appointing power and transfer same to the C M Y K

National Judicial Council, NJC. Besides, the amendment aims to ensure that the minimum qualification for the office of executive chairman of the EFCC would be a Deputy Director General of Police, DIG. A senator from the former Bendel State is to present the amendment bill which would be expected to be fast tracked.

The senators at the Thursday meeting particularly lamented what they claimed as the way and manner the EFCC was being used to hound what they claimed as perceived opponents of the administration. The case of former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and his son was given as a particular instance at the meeting as it was claimed that the EFCC rushed to file charges without investigation.

As part of the amendment the EFCC would be compelled to finish investigations before filing charges against anyone, a source at the meeting disclosed.

Noting the determination of the new senators to get their

President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari (6r) and the Leader of delegation, Chief Philip Asiodu while the Head of Service to the Federation, Mrs. Winifred OyoIta (5r), and others look on during an audience the President granted the body of retired Permanent Secretaries at the State House, Abuja.

Photo by Abayomi Adeshida own entitlements in the chamber, a senator who attended the meeting told Saturday Vanguard that the group would frustrate what they described as the over ambitious nature of the older senators who are anointing themselves as those that will take over from the embattled Senate President, Senator Sar-

aki.

The source also disclosed that the G77 came into existence to frustrate any gang up against Senator Saraki’s leadership of the Senate.

Among those sighted at the meeting were Senators Samuel Anyanwu, PDP, Imo East; Clifford Ordia, PDP, Edo Central;

Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South; Ben Murray Bruce, PDP, Bayelsa East; Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West; Biodun Olujimi, PDP, Ekiti South; Isa Misau, APC, Bauchi Central, among others including Akpabio who came into the meeting not too long before it ended.

TSA: Over N2.7 trillion collected *As FG assures on payment of workers salaries *FG, states, LGs share N299.747 billion as Federal Allocation for the month of March

By Mike Ebonugwo

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T least N2.7 trillion has so far been collected on the Treasury Single Account, TSA, platform according to a release from the Office of the AccountantGeneral of the Federation, OAGF, which also gave assurance that the Federal Government is working out modalities to ensure that payment of Federal Government workers are paid early, in line with the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Making this disclosure during an interactive session with news men in Abuja, the AccountantGeneral of the Federation, AGF, Mr. Ahmed Idris, said the monies thus realised through the TSA platform belong to Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and meant for their operations and not for sharing or for any other purposes as being reported in some sections of the media.

Mr.Idris said that the TSA has helped government to have a firm and full control of its resources, blocking leakages, helping it to reduce the cost of borrowing and to monitor spending in the MDAs. He, therefore called on all organisations who have any problems on the operations of the TSA to come forward with their complaints, while assuring that the OAGF was committed to

resolving what-ever challenges they might have in line with best practices.

On the payment of workers salaries, the AGF informed that “there is a standing instruction from Mr. President for workers to be paid on or before 24 or 25 of every month,” adding that compliance has been hampered by the limited resources available to Government which can only be determined after the monthly FAAC meeting.

He, however, revealed that Government has taken further steps to make a provision that will accommodate salary payment even before FAAC, saying this is would be given a test this month.

Mr. Idris promised that his office is working assiduously to ensure that it complies with the directive of President Buhari to pay salaries on or before the 24th or 25th of every month, assuring that the necessary approval would be sought and gotten to ensure that this becomes a reality.

Meantime, the Federal Government, state governments and local government councils have shared a total of N299.747 billion as Federal Allocation for the month of March, 2016.

A Communique released by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, indicated that the Gross Revenue of N232.619 billion received for the month was lower than the N270.499 billion received in the previous month

by N37.880 billion.

While Shut-in and Shut-down of Production for repairs and maintenance continued during the period under review, there was, however, a slight increase in production of crude oil in December, 2015 but the resulting income was marginal due to a 10% drop in crude oil prices. The drop in the average price of Crude Oil from$43.40 in November to $39.04 in December 2015, according to the communique, resulted in a revenue loss of $22.55 million. Also, there was significant decline in incomes from Petroleum Profit Tax and Companies Income Tax. The communique also informed that distributable Statutory Revenue for the month is N232.619billion. The sum of N6.330 billion was refunded by the NNPC to FGN. Also, there is exchange gain of N2.894 billion which is proposed for distribution.

The total revenue distributable for the current month (including VAT) is N299.747 billion.

It gave the details of the Statutory Revenue distributable for the month of March 2016 as follow : Federal Government received N109.113billion (52.68%), States received N55.344billion ( 26.72%), and the Local Government Councils received N42.668 billion (20.60%), while the Oil Producing States received N19.750 billion as (13% of Mineral Revenue - Oil & Gas).

Furthermore, for the month of March, 2016, the gross revenue available for the Value Added Tax (VAT) was N64.234 billion as against N64.781billion distributed in the proceeding month, resulting in a decrease of N0.547 billion.

The breakdown of the Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution for the month is as follows : N64.234 billion out of which the Federal Government got N9.250 billion (15%), States got N30.833 billion (50%) and the Local Government Councils received N21.583 billion (35%).

Wike sacks LG Caretaker C’ttee

By Jimitota Onoyume

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OVERNOR Nyesom Wike has dissolved the 23 local government Caretaker Committees, directing that they hand over to the Head of Personnel Management, HPM in their various

councils,A statement signed by the media aide to the governor on Electronics, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu also asked the HPMs to compile list of staff in their councils being owed salaries and forward to his office.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

Delay in signing 2016 budget gives Nigeria bad image abroad — NECA *As NSITF, NECA plan Safe Workplace Intervention Programme

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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HE Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, has bemoaned the prolonged delay in signing and implementing the 2016 budget, saying that such development gives Nigeria bad image before the comity of nations.

This is just as the management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF and NECA have concluded plans to convene an interactive forum in July on Safe Workplace Intervention Programme, SWIP, to provide employers who have complaints about its services to ventilate their positions.

The Director-General of NECA, Segun Oshinowo, who lamented the delay in resolving the controversy on 2016 budget in an interview with journalists shortly after the Acting Managing Director of NSITF, Ismail Agaka visited him in his office, wondered why those responsible with the drafting and passing the budget would not complete and pass budget before the beginning of any fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the NSITF boss has called for the institutionalisation of corporate governance structures to boost its operations.

Agaka explained that, “Corporate governance is

a system, methods, processes and procedures that governs organizational businesses. Where there is a breakdown in the procedure, there would be negative impact not only on the organization, but also on other stakeholders who relate with the organization.

“It is no secret that not only NSITF, but also the public sector over the years

has witnessed this dysfunctional corporate governance. What we are therefore doing at the NSITF is in tandem with the change mantra of the present administration.”

The NECA DG while commenting on the impasses the non-passage of the 2016 appropriation bill has caused, explained that

such a development was an indictment on Nigerians as a people.

According to him, “The inability of the National Assembly and executive to produce the 2016 budget is saying something silently loud about our country. I think it is shameful that there is no budget four months into the year.

FG committed to rebuilding Nigeria Police Force — Osinbajo

By Kingsley Omonobi-Abuja.

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HE Federal Govern ment yesterday said it remains committed to addressing the challenges of inadequate funding, training and other challenges facing the Nigeria Police Force with a view to making it rise to its position as the lead security agency.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who made the pledge at the inaugural annual Inspector-General of Police’s Strategic Police management conference in Abuja with the theme ‘Custodial Violence & Strategic Police Management in Nigeria’ attributed the delay in the trial of cases to the attitude of the police towards confessional statements.

Represented by Dr. Yemi

Dipeolu, his Special Adviser on Economic Matters, the Vice President said promised that in view of the importance of the Police role in maintaining law and order, we will address the challenges of adequate funding, training and other challenges that you face.

“It is my view that the current way in which the police take confessional statements is the reason or one of the main causes in delay of trials” he said.

Osinbajo noted that in some cases, these confessional statements do more harm than good to the case of the prosecution.

He urged the police to take advantage of the new provisions in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, to record voluntary confessional statements on video or take it in the presence of a legal

counsel of the suspect.

Osinbajo also urged the Police Commanding Officers to monitor the behavior of officers in the field and at the station as this would determine the cooperation of the public.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami in his address said that the police needed the support of all Nigerians to discharge its constitutional roles.

He said that the police must be rebuilt to inspire confidence in every citizen pointing out that the present administration was committed to ensure that the police became a more humane and efficient institution in the country.

He urged police officers to desist from violating the rights of citizens and improve on their capacity.

Bus driver sentenced to death for stealing N68,000

BY PETER DURU, Makurdi

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Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Iorhemen Hwande has sentenced a bus driver, Tanko Inalegwu, to death by hanging for robbing his passengers of the sum of N68,000 at gun point.

Justice Hwande, in his ruling held that the prosecution proved before the court that the convict had on October 10th., 2013 conspired with others, now at large to rob their victims of various sums of money totalling N68,000.

He stated that the convict and his gang had conspired and pretended to be passengers in the commercial vehicles only to rob the unsuspecting victims at the old Customs House, North Bank, Makurdi after which they pushed out the three victims from the moving vehicle.

He maintained that the evidence tendered before the court showed clearly that the convict was a key player in the robbery contrary to his claim before the court.

Justice Hwande said the the confessional statement of the convict which was made to the Police provided enough ground for the verdict of the court and his conviction.

He held that the court was not convinced by the denial of the convict that he gave the confessional statement after being tortured by the police.

He stated that the witnesses called by the prosecutor convinced the court of the culpability of the convict who actually conspired with others to rob their innocent victims.

Ondo youths want guber slot

BY DAYO JOHNSON AKURE

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S the governorship election in Ondo state draws nearer, the Youth wing of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP weekend canvassed that the party’s candidate should be picked from the southern senatorial district of the state The youths under the aegis of Youth Solidarity Assembly noted that over the years the southern district has evolved a political culture of solidarity for a common cause as demonstrated in the electoral behaviours of the people.

A communique issued and signed by its Director of Press and Publicity, Ojo Ayokunle after its meeting held at Ore area of the state said the senatorial district should be given the slot. “That in year 2007, notwithstanding the incumbency of one of our own, the people of the district demonstrated unprecedented solidarity during the elections, in the Election Petitions Tribunals (as witnesses, lawyers), including our seasoned journalists and other public commentators which altogether brought the present administration in the state to power.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016 — 7

B-R-I-E-F-S Gunmen abduct Perm Sec in Osun

Nigeria loses 3% of GDP to road accidents yearly *FRSC loud on road safety, tells Nigerians to begin to use rear seat belts *Speed Limit Device coming soon

By Onochie Anibeze

H

E reeled out some challenges but exuded so much confidence that progress would be made.

How can Nigeria reduce the accident rates in our country?

How can commercial bus drivers, truck drivers and even private individuals show great discipline on our roads and save lives?

The Federal Road Safety Corps said that they are pulling all the strings and making all the efforts possible to bring sanity to our roads.

But they know that they may not achieve their objectives if the Nigerian road users are ignorant of the traffic rules, if drivers continue to overspeed and if people continue to overload the vehicles that convey people and goods to different destinations.

It was against this background that Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal led his team to address the mediayesterdayinLagos.He intends to be in other places to campaign too. He was

eloquent on his plans and implementation strategy.

However, he repeatedly charged the media on the role expected of them in the campaign to save lives on our roads.

“Nigeria loses 3 % of our GDP to road accidents annually and this runs into trillions of Naira,” Oyeyemi said in an interesting and serious presentation althoughspicedwithhumour.

“We need to save lives. We needthemediatohelp.There are campaigns that you will help to drum well to

Nigerians. We must begin to userearseatbelts.Doingthat saves lives. The drivers of vehicles that carry items that are over the weight capacity of their vehicles are courting death. There is also the danger of over-speeding.

Most of the accidents are caused by over-speeding and that’s why the speed limit device for commercial vehicles is very important. It will be done to save lives.

Transporters who have started using it rarely have accidents. The facts are there. We also need the

public to know that 122 is our road emergency number.

Everybody should know this number and call it in case of emergency on our roads. We need to popularise road safety ideals. Speed kills. Money cannot replace life. Safety on our roads is challenge all of us must join hands to achieve.” He spoke more on other issues.

Assistant Corps Marshal Nseobong Akpabio made some clarifications and Oyeyemi assured that their campaign for road safety will be sustained.

Africa now dumping ground for poisonous food — Minister •As FG assures continuation of cassava flour policy

By Gabriel Ewepu

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HE Minister of State, Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said African countries have become dumping ground for poi-

sonous food which are imported.

Lokpobiri made the assertion during a press conference at the weekend, where he stated that African countries had suffered serious setbacks in the agricultural sector as most

food exporters in Europe and Asia have taken advantage of the food crisis, poverty in Africa to ship in food not healthy for human consumption.

He also maintained that the Buhari-led administration will not accept that again in Nigeria, rather will massively invest in the sector and depend on local food producers and processors, because it will be good for the health of Nigerians and save huge money spent on food importation.

The Minister charged young people in the country to embark on agribusiness, because of the huge market and population of people, and also pledged support from the government and development partners to achieve it.

He said: “Africa over the years have become a dumping ground for poisonous food imported from Asia and other continents.

Nigeria alone is spending $20 billion annually on food importation.

“The food that passes through the border between Benin Republic and Nigeria are mostly deadly food. Benin Republic people don’t even eat them but allow those commodities to come into our country.

“The frozen chicken contains formalin preservation used for corpses, and the bags of rice from Asia have been in their warehouses for more than 15 years, and have lost nutritional value, which they ship down to Nigerians and other African countries to eat.

“Those countries where these commodities come from are intentionally frustrating our agricultural policies, programmes and farmers. It is an act to kill our economy. We cannot allow these things to continue because is killing our people.”

By Gbenga Olarinoye,OSOGBO

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HE Permanent Secretary of the Osun state Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunlumade was yesterday abducted by some yet-to-be identified gun wielding men.

The gunmen also kidnapped alongside Ogunlumade the Director, State Audit of the ministry, Mr. Tajudeen Badejoko, and the driver, Mr. Oladapo Ajani Arogundade at Obajana, along Lokoja-Okene in Kogi state.

The victims were said to have been kidnapped at gunpoint around 1:30pm on Friday.

But the Auditor General of the finance ministry who boarded the same vehicle with Ogunlumade and the Director was said to have escaped.

An impeccable source in the ministry who did not want his name in print told our correspondent that the kidnapped officials of the ministry were returning to Osogbo from Abuja, after a meeting in Abuja.

Oshiomhole builds 30-feet deep underground drainage system in Benin

By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has assured residents of Sokponba area of Benin City that the over 30-feet deep underground drainage project which is ongoing will bring a lasting solution to the problem of flooding in the area.

He also said his administration was determined to complete on-going road and drainage projects at the Second East Circular and Sokponba areas of the state capital. Already sections of the dual carriageway road on Second East has been asphalted.

Speaking during inspection of projects at the Second East Circular and Sokponba Roads in Benin City, Governor Oshiomhole said, the government was doing everything possible to ensure completion of the projects before the full rainy season.

Acchalla in festive mood as Igwe Nwokedi clocks 20 on throne

By Bashir Adefaka

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HE ancient kingdom of Achalla in Awka North Local GovernmentAreaofAnambraState,Wednesday,celebrated the 20 years on the throne of their traditional ruler, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi. The monarch ascended the throne as Uthokoneze of Achalla Kingdom on April 21, 1996.

Nwokedi between 1996 that he was installed and now has served as Chairman Anambra State Council of Traditional RulersandChairmanoftheEasternNigerianTraditionalRulers Forum. Igwe Nwokedi, is a veteran and key factor in the Nigerian journalism community starting off his career as sports writer, editor and rose to become Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The astute journalist rode on the ladder of journalism to become the Press Secretary to the Head of State during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo and was temporarily Press Secretary to President Shehu Shagari before moving to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as General Manager, Public Affairs. He remains in history as first Public Relations Manager of Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) which later became NEPA, PHCN before the power sector was sold by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

B-R-I-E-F-S

Why I insist Naira must not be further devalued — Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said that his reason for insisting on no further devaluation of Naira wasthattherecentonesnever paid Nigeria any good.

The president who spoke while meeting with members of the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries, led by Otunba Christopher Tugbobo at the presidential villa, Abuja stated that he was yet to be convinced by anyone on doing the contrary.

“When I was military Head of State, the IMF and the World Bank wanted us devalue the Naira and remove petrol subsidy but I stoodmygroundsforthegood of Nigeria.

“The Naira remained strong against the Dollar and other foreign currencies until I was removed from office in August, 1985 and it was devalued.

“But how many factories werebuiltandhowmanyjobs were created by the devaluation?

“That is why I’m still asking to be convinced today on the benefits of devaluation,” he said.

President Buhari also accepted the Council’s pledge of support for the successful implementation of his administration’s change agenda, especially in the priority areas of improving security, curbing corruption and revitalizing the national economy.

“I am glad you have rightly identified the key issues we campaigned on.

“We need a dynamic

bureaucracy which will not mislead us into taking wrong decisions,” the President said.

The Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretarieswasestablishedin 2004 to serve as a platform for retired permanent secretaries

to offer constructive advice to government on key policy issues. Also speaking, the Pioneer Chairman of the Council, Chief Philip Asiodu said that members of the council want the present Administration to succeed,

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HE Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria (AISSON) has said that building a robust and viable partnership with the Nigerian military would enhance the military’s capabilitytokeepNigeriasafe from internal and external threats.

Speaking in Lagos recently while presenting a leadership award to Major General Henry Edet, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Nigerian Army, the President of the Association, Dr. Ona Ekhomu said the value proposition of the partnership was “increased security skills, knowledge and abilities” for service members. Ekhomu urged the military chief to encourage army officers and

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University Don and expert in Rural Development Communication, Professor Kolawole Adebayo has warned that Nigeria faces the risk of dying rural life, ageing rural population, increasing rural dependence on urban incomes, among other things should it continues to neglect rural development.

Prof Kolawole Adebayo, a First Class degree alumnus and lecturer in the College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), who gave the warning while delivering the 52nd Inaugural Lecture of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State on Wednesday April 20, 2016 at the University’s Ceremonial Building, also warned that continuing neglect of rural areas may lead to implosion in urban areas, placing heavy toll on urban infrastructure, aggravating the prevalence of urban slums.

In his lecture titled, “Mercenaries and Merchants: The Dialectics of Rural Development in Nigeria, “ Prof Adebayo, who is also the University’s Director, Grants of Management, explaining that “a nation can attain agricultural development without rural development, but it is difficult to achieve rural development without agricultural development,” said available statistics show that since 1964 Nigeria has been witnessing a steady decline in rural populations and a steady rise in urban populations.

US reiterates commitment to ending terrorism in Nigeria

By Vera Samuel Anyagafu

President, Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria, AISSON, Dr. Ona Ekhomu (left) presenting Security Masterpiece Award to Major General I.H. Edet, GOC 81 Div in Lagos recently.

Massive military onslaught on Boko Haram:

Troops kill 30 terrorists, lose 2 men; free 198 hostages

By Kingsley Omonobi, Abuja.

F

OLLOWING massive air and land onslaught by Nigerian Airforce aircraft and soldiers of the Nigerian military, no fewer than 30 Boko Haram terrorists have been killed in several operations carried out in the North East to rid the area of remnants

of the terrorists.

In the ensuing battles that took place, two Civilian JTF members who accompanied the troops lost their lives, 198 captives made up mostly of women, children and the elderly who had been held hostage for months were rescued while several arms and ammunition belonging to the terrorists were

AISSON to partner military in national security

By Ishola Balogun

stressing that Nigeria had already lost many opportunities for progress.

“We are non-partisan. The interest of Nigeria is paramount to us and we are anxious that you should succeed,” Chief Asiodu told the President.

Nigeria faces risk of dying rural life, ageing rural population

men to enrol in recognized security certification programmes in order to obtain credentials that can demonstrate superior knowledge in security operation, security management and professional investigations.

He informed the military chief that in other countries such as the USA, military officers obtain Certified Protection Officer (CPO) designation, Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation and Professional

Certified Investigator (PCI) designation to enhance their professionalism and “create opportunities for postmilitary employment”.

In his response, General Edet said that cooperation and collaboration with a professional body like AISSON was a good example of civil – military cooperation. He urged the officers and members of AISSON to form a credible “think-tank” that can research critical security issues and proffer solutions

recovered. Giving details of the operation on Friday, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman said, “in continuation of clearance operations of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 7 Division in Operation LAFIYA DOLE have been making tremendous progress in their various areas of operational responsibilities.

“They were able to carry out clearance operations, raids and patrols that resulted in the killing of many suspected Boko Haram terrorists, arrests and rescue of persons, as well as recovery of arms and ammunitions.

“On Thursday, 21st April 2016, troops of 21 Brigade Nigerian Army carried out clearance operations at Bulari, Tori 1, 2 and 3 during which they successfully cleared the general area of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.’’

Maiduguri curfew of 9pm to 6am still in force — Army

T

HE Nigerian Army has reiterated that the curfew imposed in Maiduguri as a consequence of the Boko Haram terrorists activities in the North East, from 9pm to 6am

daily is still in place noting that violators will be dealt with.

In a statement signed

by Col Mustapha Anka, Deputy Director, Public Relations, the Army said, “It has come to the

notice of Headquarters 7 Division Nigerian Army Operation L AFIYA DOLE that some members of the public violate orders on curfew imposed in Maiduguri and environs.

T

HE US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Samantha Power, has stated that the US government remains committed to strengthening its partnership with Nigeria in combating Boko Haram.

Ambassador Power made this declaration at a high level meeting with the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, while expressing US government’s delight on effort by President Buhari in strengthening Nigeria’s military and progress in combating Boko Haram.

She also emphasized the need to complement a robust military campaign with sustained efforts to develop economic opportunities and strengthen governance, political inclusion, and respect for human rights, noting that this mirrored the Buhari administration’s priorities of security, economic growth, and democratic accountability.

DSS parades fake certificates syndicate cartel in Ilorin

By Demola Akinyemi

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HE Department of State Services (DSS) paraded yesterday in Ilorin, five suspects,including a female it alleged were members of a syndicate which specialised in the production and distribution of fake certificates from several higher institutions in the country as well as issuance of fake Indigeneship certificates from several local government areas of the state.

The arrest came on the heel of an ongoing inventory of workers on the payroll of the state government by a committee jointly chaired by Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed and the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold.

Director, Kwara State command of the DSS, Mr. Abdullahi Shinkafi, who briefed journalists on the latest arrest, said the prime suspect in the incident, identified as one Abdulmajeed Olaide, has jumped bail and is currently on the run.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016 —9

B-R-I-E-F-S

Scarcity: DPR gone to sleep as PMS sells for N150 per litre •Filling stations dispense at night D

C

RUDE oil prices hit a year-record high of $46 a barrel yesterday, giving Nigeria a buffer of $8 over its $38 a barrel 2016 budget benchmark, a feat, which it has not attained since January.

Specifically, Brent crude rose by 77 cents from a session low this morning to hit $46 a barrel by 7.50am UK time, while the US, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were up by 19 cents from $43.62 to $44.37 a barrel.

Crude oil prices have been rising since beginning of the week despite the failure of talks at the weekend between the world’s largest oil producing countries that were intended to tackle oversup-

T

Members of Arc. Oputa Ajie Free Medical/Benevolence Outreach to the poor and needy, in Aboh Ndokwa-East, Delta State in support of Governor Okowa and Hon. Osanebi’s good governance held recently in Delta State.

Gunmen kill Poly lecturer in Bori

ups.

Investigations carried out

by Saturday Vanguard also revealed that the defaulters of these ‘price in diversity’, in order to avoid been caught by DPR enforcers,

A

resume sales during late hours, between 6pm and 7pm.

While Conoil at Cele Bus stop, and other filling stations along Badagry Road continue to dispense

at the price of N150 to N220 per litre, some stations on Ikorodu Road like NIPCO, Total, Conoil and Forte Oil are selling but experiencing long queues.

Fuel crisis: 39.96m litres of fuel distributed nationwide •We now have 17 days sufficiency — NNPC •IPMAN C’ttee to check diversion to neighbouring countries

By Michael Eboh

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HE Nigerian Nationl Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, stated that over 1,118 truckloads of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, bearing about 39.958 million litres of the product have been deployed a

across the country.

Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr. Garba Muhammad also disclosed that the country has over 17 days sufficiency of fuel, which is over 680 million litres of the product, while nine vessels belonging to oil marketers and the NNPC

Crude prices hit $46 a Barrel record-year high shore crude oil production

By Ediri Ejoh with Agency report

By Lucky Oji HE Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, FISAN, has faulted the exclusion and non employment of Nigerian fitters in the ongoing construction of the $14 billion Dangote Oil Refinery, saying it is total violation of the country’s Local Content Act. FISAN, in a statement signed by its general secretary, Comrade Morrister Pius Idibra, also reaffirmed that Nigerian Fitters are competent and more qualified than most expatriates already engaged in the construction of the refinery, and called on Alhaji Aliko Dangote to ensure Nigerian fitters are employed.

Idibra, lamented that “ we have been informed that no single Nigerian fitter is working there, this is unacceptable, even when over 200 expatriate fitters have been engaged to the detriment of Nigerian fitters, Alhaji Dangote should not allow such to prevail”.

FISAN also faulted the Project Consultant for Dangote refinery, Mr. Babajide Shodoye, for allegedly saying Nigerian firms lack capacity to deliver, wondering if there are no competent fitters also in Nigeria.

By Ediri Ejoh & Iloaze Blessed-Odidi ESPITE series of assurances by the Federal Government to ease the plight of Nigerians over the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, generally known as petrol, succour may still be far from sight as the prices of this product continue to strive at N150 per litre at both major and independent marketers against the regulated price of N86.50 per litre. This simply puts to doubt the watchdog role of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR. Saturday Vanguard gathered that major marketers across the country have enjoyed the luxury of playing part in the sale of petrol at N150 per litre, which was earlier reported to have been the practice of independent marketers.

Specifically, filling stations visited by Saturday Vanguard either had their gates shut or gushed with desperate customers who had queued for hours to get the product at whatever cost.

However, stations including Forte Oil at Chemist Bus stop, Eterna at Alakija, Conoil at Free Niger, Bonjour and Total both at Agbara, Total and Mobil at Olodi-Apapa, Kirikiri Road, Apapa Road along Oyingbo etc., had their gates shut at the early hours of the morning, though with anxious motorists parked along the gates, unconsciously blocking other motorists, and causing traffic hold-

Nigerian fitters fault exclusion of members in Dangote refinery project

ply by freezing production.

Hope that the global crude oil prices will continue to rise was further boosted yesterday, as the United States (U.S.) on-

in the lower 48 states is expected to decline from an average of 7.41 million barrels per day (bpd) to 6.46 million bpd in 2016 and to 5.76 million bpd in 2017.

are currently discharging the product at various depots/jetties nationwide.

This was even as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Interim Committee on Reconciliation and Distribution disclosed that some unscrupulous marketers are engaged in the diversion of petrol to neighbouring countries.

In a statement signed by its Secretary, Engineer Lawson Ngoa, the IPMAN committee vowed to checkmate the unwholesome practices carried out by these persons and others who are into hoarding and diversion of the products, thereby, exacerbating the scarcity in Nigeria.

FG partners Japan over N2.17bn electricity supply facilities

By Iloaze BlessedOdidi with Agency report

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HE Federal Govern ment yesterday sealed a pact of $11m (N2.17bn) with the Japanese Government for an emergency improvement of electricity supply facilities in Abuja.

The project to be implemented by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency and the Ministry of Power is aimed at procur-

ing and installing power capacitor banks at the existing two sub-stations in Abuja and neighboring Nasarawa state.

This, according to the agreement, would decrease the transmission loss and assist in stabilizing power supply to approximately 7,000 households within the Federal Capital Territory.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, signed the pact on behalf

of the Federal Government while the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria Sadanobu Kusaoke, signed on behalf of his country.

Speaking at the event, Udoma said the pact marks the process for effective implementation of the electricity supply facilities grant project by the Japanese government.

He noted that the project has been designed to support Nigeria in promoting social-economic and infrastructural development.

By Jimitota Onoyume lecturer in the Rivers state owned Kenule Beeson Sarowiwa Polytechnic, Dr Vincent Eeebee has been reportedly assailants in his home town, Yeghe in Gokana local government area.

Vanguard gathered that his assassins trailed him from the Polytechnic to his home town on Thursday where they opened fire on him.

Community sources who spoke under condition of anonymity said a female who was in his car when the gunmen opened fire also reportedly died from stray bullets.

The development has heightened tension in Ogoni areas. The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad was yet to confirm the incident at press time.

Meantime, a student of the school said the remains of the late female who died alongside the lecturer was brought into the school campus yesterday “We heard the lecturer was shot dead in Yeghe community after work hours on Thursday. He was probably on his way back to Port Harcourt when the sad incident occurred. The female student who was also shot was brought to campus and the students were planning burial arrangements before I left the school”, the source said.

Ijaw youths set to embark on mass protest

By Samuel Oyadongha and Emem Idio

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PPARENTLY worried by the alleged non-compliance with the rules and regulations of Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board, youths in Bayelsa State are warming up for a showdown with the oil companies operating in the state. They are said to be getting set to embark on mass protests to headquarters of Shell Producing and Development Company, SPDC, in Port Harcourt and Lagos.

The state government had recently accused SPDC in particular of such huge negligence with reference to its Gbaran Ubie Integrated Oil and Gas Project in Gbaranmotu leading to the sealing of the facility.

It was gathered yesterday that the planned protest was sequel to the letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari by Governor Seriake Dickson, containing the alleged contraventions of extant laws of Bayelsa State by the oil and gas companies operating in the state resulting in loss of revenues.

10—SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

Don’t micro-

manage Nigeria; fire Minister of Youth and Sports now, Jimi Disu tells Buhari

• Disu

•It is absolut ely unf absolutely unfor tunatee that President or tunat Buhari in his own wisdom appointed that man a minister •Can he accompany President Buhari out of on’t people likee that? W Won’t the countr y dressing lik think he is a security detail?

•Buhari might think the Spor Sports Ministr tryy is a ts Minis tr dumping ground for any minister but that is the key to the future.

•Another minister that worries me is the Minister of Communications; Buhari apparently chose some of these people because of loyalty t o the par ty but he should realise that the kkey ey party for an anyy minis ministt er is per perff ormance •Even though Buhari is a fine gentleman, 50 times better than the other one, I think a combination of his age and the fact that governance has changed since he was Head of State 30 years ago, are really not helping matters

By Ishola Balogun & Juliet Ebirim

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s the relationship between the Presidency and the National Assembly remains frosty, veteran journalist and ace public commentator, Jimi Disu takes a swipe at the way government is being run, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari likes to micro-manage Nigeria and not working with modern trends.

He also strongly says that the Minister of Youth and Sports be fired for what he describes as his revolutionary-like dressing which he argues sends wrong signals to the youths. “We have been talking about how we can get our youths back into form, yet you have a Minister of Youth who dresses badly and the President

tolerates him.” Disu is always passionate about youth matters.

Hitting everything that is not nailed and remaining unapologetic, the Producer of the Jimi Disu Discourse speaks on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and other issues in this interview with Saturday Vanguard in his Surulere office. Excerpts: How would you describe your transformation from print to the electronic media and what impact do people say the Jimi Disu Discourse has made so far?

There’s really no transformation. What I am doing now is not really different from what I was doing before, except that unlike print which is written down as report, this one is

•President Buhari • Dalung

verbalized and it makes life easy for me. The only challenge is the spontaneity of being on air live, where you have to react quickly and make sure it comes out correct. The media has always been in me. Even when I was in primary school, we had a little school magazine then and I was a member of the editorial board. In secondary school, I was also part of the editorial board. After my A Levels, I worked with Daily Times for a while. I got my first job as an assistant editor in the Punch Newspapers when I was 24. It’s difficult for you to know what impact your programme is making from what people tell you. They will never tell you the truth because they’ll think it’s impolite.

What I know is that quite a lot of people hear me, but I honestly do not know what they are thinking.

So, I just do my best and once I’m sure, within my conscience, that what I’ve done is right, I’m okay. So, in truth, I can’t be boastful to tell you that this is the impact it has had from what people say.

Like most Nigerians, you were disappointed with the way former President Jonathan ran the country and you were happy when change came with the present Buhari administration.

But going by your recent comments on air, you appear disappointed. What excited you about Buhari in the first place and what is disappointing you now about his administration?

To be honest with you, I felt that the government of Jonathan was a mitigated disaster. I don’t know why God visited us with such a person. I do not say this to insult him. The man was just incompetent. Period! When I say these Continues on page 11

SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—11

•Obasanjo

•Shittu

•Jonathan

Another minister that worries me is the Minister of Communications; Buhari apparently chose some of these people because of lo ty loyyalty ttoo the par party Continues from page 10 things on radio, some people wonder. You can’t put the lives of 200 million people in jeopardy simply because you can’t tell one man the truth. The man was not fit for the job. We’ve been trying to trace the thesis of this gentleman, we can’t find it. If you ask for anybody’s thesis from a proper university, you’ll find it. The man wasn’t competent and I think God just wanted to punish us. Corruption was not Jonathan’s problem; it was incompetence. How do you just sign a paper and then say go and collect money from the Central Bank? How do you run a country like that? I worked at a high level position in Unilever and you don’t even run a company like that. It will end up in disaster. Jonathan’s government was a complete failure.

I have no apologies for the fact that I contributed to the exit of Jonathan. People say as a journalist, I shouldn’t have taken sides. I agree, but I was on the side of the truth. That’s my calling. I was trained to tell the truth at all times. I took sides with the truth. When the history of this country will be told, my name will occur in people’s minds, even if it’s not written down.

I’m not disappointed at Buhari. When the election came, we virtually had two options – Buhari or Jonathan. When you have an option, you have to choose one. I was happy that we could use Buhari to oust Jonathan, but I’m also a bit worried that after having stopped the bleeding, moving forward, I’ve always believed that we need a younger president for more than government purposes. Buhari is well read and has good intentions, but I wish we had a presidential system where we had a prime minister. In which case, Buhari will take hold of defense and other matters, while the Prime Minister will be the one to do the day-to-day administration of the country. I do not think Buhari will have that capacity for modern governance and it shows. In modern governance, you can’t micro-manage a country; you have to delegate. Your first function is to look for competent people. Do you think it was for nothing that President Obama appointed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State? The Secretary of State in American system is usually an alterpresident. That’s where I think Buhari’s shortcomings started showing. He even

Buhari is appearing as if he wasn’t ready for governance appointed himself as Oil Minister. You don’t build things around yourself; you build systems. You must be able to find somebody who can be the substantive Oil Minister. Look at the disaster we have now – one year of that same government, we don’t have fuel. You can’t continue to give excuses especially in the area of petroleum. You can’t still keep pointing fingers at Jonathan.

When are you going to stop doing that? Even though Buhari is a fine gentleman, 50 times better than the other one, I think a combination of his age and the fact that governance has changed since he was Head of State 30 years ago, are really not helping matters. Look at me; I’m 60 plus. At my age, I can’t successfully run a PR company again; the most I can be is a Chairman. It’s for the young people, 40 plus and all; they know all the new terms. Even in journalism, it would be foolhardy to tell me to come and edit a paper or set up a magazine. I can only be a consultant and give directions.

Is that why you are disappointed about this government?

I’m worried. Two positions worry me the most in this government – the Chief of Staff and the Secretary to the Government. Those two positions are very key. You can see what has happened with the way they handled the issue of the budget. When it comes to administration, you can’t fault President Obasanjo. I’m even a bit worried about one or two of the ministers. I wonder why it took President Buhari so long to come up with his cabinet members. Someone running for president and has been at it for so long, at the touch of a button should have a cabinet in his head. Buhari is appearing as if he wasn’t ready for governance.

It took him so long to put a cabinet together, a cabinet that most people had already formed in their minds. And that is why at the end of April, we still don’t have a budget. Look at the areas of the relationship between the Presidency and the National Assembly; it’s almost zero. It shouldn’t be! It’s because Buhari likes to micro-manage.

He doesn’t work with modern times. Buhari doesn’t want to sit with Saraki for whatever reason, but he has to. The country is not his personal fiefdom. People say,

it’s because he doesn’t trust them, that’s why he has to run things himself. If you don’t trust people, why do you think people should trust you. It’s not your personal empire; it belongs to the people. He must show some trust for others to trust him.

Some people will argue that some of the young leaders we had in the past also failed us, so do you think performance is out-rightly a function of age?

It’s not a function of age, but age is a determining factor. Let’s be honest with ourselves. For someone to lead a country, you need to be intelligent, bold and also look forward. At 72, you look backward. At my age, I think about the past. I don’t even look at the future. It’s just a natural attitude. There are certain things you can’t do at that age. Yes, we’ve had incompetent young people. I didn’t say young people are capable just because they are young. Age is not the only factor, but it has contributed.

The war against corruption appears to be targeted at politicians when the civil service, the customs and police engage in corrupt practices; has anything really changed in terms of anti-corruption crusade?

The problem with corruption in Nigeria is that close to 90% of the population have corrupt tendencies. Who are you going to use to fight this corruption, is it not the same Nigerians? What institution are you going to use?

It’s the police. Who will run the campaign and other programmes? It’s the civil servants. We can only try and from what he has done so far, we should give him credit. A lot of people say he has been partial in his corruption fight. He can’t fight everybody. He has to start from somewhere. The truth is when you set out a process like this, it can consume even the person who started it. This anticorruption fight has started a life of its own. It’s not only at the federal level. I don’t believe that

Continues on page 12

12—SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

Can he accompan accompanyy President Buhari out of the countr countryy dressing lik on’t people think he is a security de likee this? W Won’t dettail?

Continues from page 11 this corruption is only a PDP thing. The APC states are not any better and some are so blatant for all of us to see. When you look at the kind of money involved in a past government where a Chief of Staff was claimed to be getting N582 million cash every month, it is systemic corruption! I’ve never seen anything like it. I shudder when I think of what would have happened if Jonathan was still president today.

You’re passionate about issues concerning the youths. What do you think can be done to check the rising cases of cultism, kidnapping and other forms of crime in our society and of course in secondary schools and universities?

I feel so sorry for the youths of today. I thank God for Buhari’s intervention. When I heard that a students’ union was putting up a budget for the students’ union office in which they put up security votes, I wondered. That shows you that our youths are getting it wrong and I don’t blame them. The reason some of them go into cultism and other crimes is because they want to belong to a place where they think they’ll make financial or influential progress. These things went haywire at the time of President Ibrahim Babangida. I do not blame the youths for being desperate because that’s all they know. The only thing we can do

is change the orientation of this country itself. We don’t have a moral code anymore. I think over time, the youths themselves will realise that there’s only one path to honour and that’s through hard work.

Unfortunately, Nigeria is a conspiracy between the politicians, civil servants, the judiciary and religious bodies.

They have all failed us as a country. Even the churches have failed. They ought to be preaching morality, but all they do is preach prosperity.

Unfortunately, we’re so far behind as a nation and we misinterpret all the things that are happening around us in the developed world, not knowing that even the developed world are trying to take care of the decadence. Nowadays, it has become imperative for an 11year-old child to have a phone.

The moment he/she has a phone, he automatically has access to the internet and can watch virtually all the porn movies in this world. It’s a different world entirely and it’s going to be very tough to manage.

It is worrisome, but where did we get it wrong? Could it be because there were no good parenting or there were no role models?

Half of the role models we have now are criminals. There was a social revolution when Babangida took over and at that time most of the learned and

Can he accompany President Buhari out of the country like that? Won’t people think he was a security detail? The man’s dressing tolerated so far, gives an idea that all is not well with this country at the moment. To make it worse, he is a lawyer. Is he a clown? We need a minister who will be serious and set good example for the youths exposed people had been completely decimated. What we have now are new boys on the block and most of them have moral questions to answer.

Obviously, you cannot compare the parliament which I grew up to know in Nigeria to this National Assembly that has decided to buy utility vehicles for N36 million. If you need vehicle for committee functions, all you need is to have a pool of about 20 coastal buses. When the Committee on Aviation is going

on a tour, you can quickly put a memo to the Transport Department for the use of a bus at specified time and that is what we need to do. So, it means if 11 members of a committee want to go on a tour say in Ibadan, they will put 11 Jeeps on the road. Does that make sense? The mindset is completely warped. These people come from terrible poor backgrounds – I mean poverty of the mind not of money. If not for innate greed, the average Senator can dip his hands into his pocket and buy himself a vehicle. But people see public offices as avenue to acquire wealth for themselves. What the Babangida’s government produced for us in politics at that time was full of all sorts of corrupt people and that’s why we are where we are now. The way Nigeria was structured, the intellectual strength came from the West, the money and wealth came from the East and then power came from the North.

Every country must have intellectual elite. The old UPN was also part of the problem when they took over all the missionary schools which had very good standards. We’ve forgotten that all the people cannot be equal and we failed to provide for those who could not go to school. I ask myself that how can Yoruba produce a governor like Fayose? Look at Ekiti with all their knowledge and look at the governor they produced. A man who said in an interview that he had been a bus conductor and look at his behaviour. It is easier for you to judge. If you think what he is doing is fine, okay. But I am worried about a process which produced a governor like that, more so, in Ekiti. That should tell you something. You see, like Jakande said for example, that no common entrance; if you finished, you go to the next school. When in our own days, there was no automatic admission. The Lagos State Government later started remedial for admission into LASU. You don’t do remedial for admission into university; you either qualify or not. What they should have done was to set up Technical Colleges for those who are not disposed to going into the university and they can still make a breakthrough.

Imagine if we had properly set up Technical Colleges. Why do we run after Togolese any time we want to build a house? It is because they have properly run technical schools. So, it was the West that save the country intellectually. The gap between the first Yoruba lawyers and other contemporary lawyers is about 40 years. So, if the West had been a country on its own, and we had continued along the path that was set in the early 60s, we would not have had an intellectual fall out in the West.

The North believed that it was better to keep their people uneducated so that they would have very little aspiration and so, poverty started rising in the North. Unfortunately, by the time Babangida wanted to hand over power, he was handing over to military contractors.

Do you think the Youths and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung can be a role model to Continues on page 13

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Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—13

telling him to dress properly. You have over 200 million people to choose from. We are not short in supply of brilliant and disciplined people as ministers.

Another minister that worries me is the Minister of Communications. Buhari apparently chose some of these people because of loyalty to the party but he should realise that the key for any minister is performance. Even if a man does not greet you but once he can do the job, give it to him. That ministry should have been given to a more younger and technically advanced person.

Communication is very vibrant and needs someone who wants Nigeria to move very quickly rather than see himself as a gatekeeper for the government. I am also a bit worried about the Minister of Budget. If you like it or not, this mess was from his office. The ministry needs a seasoned technocrat who can reel out figures at any time. It is very technical; it is not only honesty.

Competency is also important.

Continues from page 12 our youths and what image do you capture in the way he dresses?

It is absolutely unfortunate that President Buhari in his own wisdom appointed that man a minister. He does not appear to me to be a serious or competent person.

How can you have a Minister of Youth and Sports that dresses like a revolutionary. We have been talking about how we can get our youths back into form, yet you have a Minister of Youths who dresses like a revolutionary and the President tolerates him. The man is a complete un-serious human being.

When you take up a public office, all your private nuances have to be put aside. We expect to have a Minister of Youths who will be a role model and an example to the youths. Is that man with a red beret a role model? Is he a good example to the youths? How does President Buhari feel when he comes into cabinet meeting and he dresses like that? All those who say “it doesn’t mean anything” do not know what they are talking about. If you were to employ somebody and he came dressing like that, would you employ him? Why didn’t he dress like that to the Senate during his screening? He wore a suit when he was going for screening. Instead of people to say the truth that this is not a good example to the youths, some say it doesn’t mean anything.

As far as I am concerned, he dresses irresponsibly. Can he accompany President Buhari out of the country like that? Won’t people think he was a security detail? The man’s dressing tolerated so far, gives an idea that all is not well with this country at the moment. To make it worse, he is a lawyer. Is he a clown? We need a minister who will be serious and set good example for the youths. I heard him say that he wants to be like the youths. It is a pity! My son cannot dress like that and hope to accompany me anywhere. I have warned the youths many times on radio that “don’t follow the example of that man.” Don’t think that was what made him minister. He became a minister by error. I was trained that if you take care of the minor details, the big ones will fit in properly. If a man at that level is so un-serious, in these hard times, to dress like that and say he is a minister, then we have a problem.

People have been saying in various media but Buhari is standing by him. We are going to move against him because some of us have been fighting for so long for this country to get to where it is today. We are not going to allow any human being who does not know what to do to ruin the future of our youths.

The Youth and Sports Minister should be in the forefront of youth development and set good example for the youths. When I was in the university, I dared not go home dressed like that. Some people want to rationalise it, comparing him to Wole Soyinka. They forget that Soyinka is an icon and like other icons, people all over the world and the society allow them be. By the same token, there are such positions you will not put such people into lest you will be sending wrong message. Brilliant as Fela was, can you make him a Minister of Youths?

I have told one or two persons in government that this does not do the image of this government well.

Can’t they increase his allowance so that he buys for himself a corporate dress to wear? It smacks of un-seriousness for you to have a

•Gov Ambode

‘Ambode had a ffaulty aulty ssttar artt but to be fair to him, he has picked up so well’

The way Nigeria was structured, the intellectual strength came from the West, the money and wealth came from the East and then power came from the North

public meeting and your minister turns out this way. I challenge him to a public debate to come and justify his dressing.

I also want those around the President to tell him that it is part of the indiscipline of the youths that has led us to where we are today. Youths during Babangida era are in government today and that is why you will have a lawmaker that always wants to buy a car of N36 million. It shows you that something is wrong with the mindset. With this man’s attitude, we are going down the valley again.

Aside from his dressing, don’t you think he has any good thing to offer as a minister?

In life, there are certain things that will make you to take the first step. Every time I look at

him, I feel disgusted and I don’t even care about what he does.

His dressing irritates me and I don’t see him as a seriousminded person. Therefore, I don’t pay attention to whatever he is doing. For God’s sake, if you have a more vibrant youth, I take interest in whatever he is doing. I take interest in what Fashola is doing not because he is in power but because of his intellectual capacity; look at his carriage, look at the beautiful piece he wrote on the trip to China. You will follow a man like that. Maybe they should add the Ministry of Youths to his loaded portfolios. Dalung has failed from his take-off point. I notice he goes from one problem to the other. The other day he was having a meeting and the NFF was fighting and he was supposed to be mediating, but somebody, maybe his aide, was tweeting the activities on a minute by minute basis and it was completely embarrassing.

Buhari might think the Sports Ministry is a dumping ground for any minister but that is the key to the future. It is equally as important as the Petroleum Ministry. Imagine if all our university students start dressing like that. We are trying to curb cultism and kidnapping and the man in charge of youths is sending a wrong signal. Even in the university that you don’t have a dress code, you will still look odd dressing like that. Do you also know that there is an unspoken law that you do not wear a red beret? Personally, I believe the man should be removed. It is not a question of

Are you monitoring the track record of Governor Ambode of Lagos State based on the promises he made in your programme?

Ambode had a faulty start but to be fair to him, he has picked up so well. He is not perfect but he shows a lot of promise. If there is one thing I like about Governor Ambode, it is the fact that he listens to the voice of the people; ironically more than his predecessor. Fashola, I believe, was a bit intellectually arrogant but people who are brilliant like him are always like that. Ambode listens. My major problem with him is those who are handling his exposure. I hope they don’t undo him. They are using tactics that are not fit for a problem. It is like using analogue system in a digital world. The world has changed from all these press conferences, even now that you have a social media. Two, the people want to see their leader, and they don’t want their leader thrust at them. So, the people handling him are over exposing him. The other day, you had a project: ‘Light-up Lagos’. You now had a ceremony to go and cut the tape for providing street light that we grew up to know in the ’60s. For me, he would have done the street light, and made an appearance like a frugal person, but they want to turn him into a showman, taking photograph with him rolling his sleeves. In modern governance, it does not make any impact. People know what is going on. Stop focusing on the man for two reasons. One, it will irritate the people, and he will see himself as a megalomania.

Gbenga Daniel tried it in Ogun and it failed him because it threw the people against him. There are some of them who are ready to give free advice. It pays me to have an environment to which I can make more money than to go for gifts from the Governor. Another thing about his handlers is that anybody who criticises the Governor is his enemy. That is not something that the Governor will live by; everybody can’t like him.

14—SA TURD AY 14—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

My connection with Ibori — Gov Okowa

•Whatever they say, I’m one of Uduaghan’s men •Gov. Okowa

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South & Festus Ahon

D

ELTA State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, has opened up on some vital political issues practically everybody in the state wants to know his stand. He spoke on his link with a former governor, Chief James Ibori, whose political image still comes out grand in the state and his long-lasting relationship with his predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, which until date has mystified many.

He also explained how he is managing the former Federal Commissioner for Information and one-man political army against his two predecessors, Chief Edwin Clark and the unassailable bond with his political father, ex- Minister of Information, Prof Sam Oyovbaire.

In the past 10 months, he has erased the fear of the Delta Central (Urhobo) Senatorial district that a governor of Delta North origin would marginalize the ethnic group, a development that has made others envious of Urhobo people in his government. How did he do it?

Governor Okowa came out forthright on the reasons and other matters. Excerpts.

Tell us how you met exgovernor, James Ibori, whose image still looms large in the politics of the state?

That was quite a long time.

There was Grassroots Democratic Movement, GDM, though a small party then during the Abacha time; then UNCP where we had the moneybags and big politicians, but somehow, some of us, the younger ones felt that we needed to create a new politics, that was in 1996 and we found ourselves joining the Grassroots Democratic Movement. Why, because the national chair then was also very young, so he was able to recruit some of us, who were young into the place and nobody actually believed in us. Therefore, it was in the Grassroots Democratic C M Y K

Whatever you say about him, one good thing about him is that he is somebody who is very liberal; he likes to bring people together Movement, what we called the GDM that I actually met Chief James Ibori in 1996.

We struggled hard, we were able to win five local governments out of the 25 in Delta state and people put us off, but we played good politics then even when we were quite young. I had been council chair before, so I understood what politics was.

He (Ibori) also had made an attempt to run before, people like Senators James Manager, Ighoyota Amori; it was a young crop of persons; all of us below 40 then that actually populated the place.

However, when the new political era was to start after the Abacha time, immediately we realized then that UNCP was going to be a major problem to us, we quickly teamed up with DPN, the Democratic Party of Nigeria and that gave us strength because they also had four local government areas and we had five, which made it nine. So we had improved on our strength, the combination actually gave us a very good strength, we formed what we called the Delta National Congress in Warri and that was the tool with which we went to link up with the G34 and then eventually joined the PDP. The rest is now history because we surprisingly took Delta State at

•Ibori that time.

Ibori had a special attraction for you; can you tell us what you think endeared you to him?

I think he found in me, somebody that is ready to work very hard at every point in time.

Everything I want to do, without trying to praise myself, I think I am always very committed to it, right from my youth. I know I was very committed in the campaigns through the GDM. When we came to the PDP, I was very committed. However, one thing too, he also saw in me somebody who will fight injustice at every point in time.

The thing was showing at the beginning of PDP when he had already promised that he would make me Deputy Governor then.

However, I just found that some people are oppressing others in my constituency, they could not speak their minds and people could not rise up to contest.

They wanted to anoint people and I rose up against that and when the party did its manoeuvring, I turned my back and said no, you cannot do this, and that was what led to the

•Uduaghan emergence of people like Nduka Irabor. Because they did not give him a chance to come in and I felt he was a strong character and someone that could represent us, in that process of fighting the authorities then, it became an issue.

Therefore, he (Ibori) saw in me someone with a very strong character. So I think that warmed us up because at every point in time, I always offered him the truth and told him what I thought was right and when things went wrong, others may speak politically, but I will speak based on the facts.

Senator Ighoyota Amori talked about a political family in the state, which Ibori is the head, are you part of it?

Of course, Ibori built the political family in Delta State in this current dispensation starting 1999. He was the first governor; he was a rallying point for everybody even some of them that have broken out now and trying to make waves in other party actually grew

Continues on page 15

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Vanguard , APRIL 23, 2016—15 —15

Continues from page 14 under him. I do not want to mention names, I am sure that you

know them. Whosoever and wherever they are, he built the political family that came up so strong in Delta State. Whatever you say about him, one good thing about him is that he is somebody who is very liberal; he likes to bring people together.

Every man will have his own bad past but I think he did many good, no matter what anybody says today.

Was there any understanding in the Ibori political family that you would succeed Governor Uduaghan or the race was open?

I think the race was open. When you say there is understanding, probably there was a formal meeting where we agreed that it must be me, no no. We did not have such a meeting. You know for a long time, he has not been within the state. I think that some people just assumed that having done the 2006 primaries in which I came out a strong second and decided to work in the best interest of the party, that I should be the next successor. However, talking about sitting down in a meeting to decide that this is the way it should be; we never had such a meeting.

During the last PDP primaries, I saw you as you sat and stood intermittently praying as voting was going on, what was going on in your mind at that moment?

I am somebody who believe strongly in my God and in the build-up to the primaries, my trust was just on God because I have seen all things that made me realize that man is not reliable. Too many things, somebody who knows most of all these things, my Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Ovie Agas, we went through a lot in the field and in all that, we put our trust in God. If it were the heart of man, I would probably not have gotten to this place. However, my God kept on telling me that this is what will

Whatever they say, I’m one of Uduaghan’s men

happen and even as I walked into that field that morning, I knew I was going to have victory no matter what they did. Nevertheless, I was praying while we were there so that God will avert any form of crisis or bloodshed because of the information and intelligence that we gathered.

What God told me Somehow, God revealed to me, apart from what people told me, He revealed to me personally that I was going to win the primaries after I had a three- day retreat with my wife. I actually prayed, asking God to tell me if I should continue or stop and I had a ministration. Therefore, I knew I was going to win; in fact, after that ministration, as far as I was concerned, everything was over because I knew that God spoke to me. When people were scared, I smiled through the entire process and we give God the glory for everything.

People say that Professor Sam Oyovbaire is like your political father...

(Cuts in) Yes, he is How did both of you strike the kind of bond that we see today?

I think over time he just grew to like my person. If you know him, he is a man with a very strong character and he is not somebody that can easily come out to commit himself to anybody. While in the Senate, I actually came back one day, I think that was towards the end of 2013 and took some of my friends, including my Secretary to the State Government and walked up to him to say daddy, I want to inform you that I want to run for the governorship of Delta State. He asked me some few questions, I answered him, and truly, he did not even hesitate, that very day he confirmed to me that he was going to be out there for me.

It was not something quite easy for a top Urhobo man to do but he committed himself to me that day.

We went to his Benin residence and right from that day, he started leading the group. First, they were

C M Y K

Even we talk occasionally, he calls me and offers me advice on what he thinks I should do and I also listen to him and by God’s grace, I am sure he would continue to be a father and continue to guide us in Delta State

not out there in the field but we held very close sessions to determine our programmes because he is a much-organized person. We would talk about the programme; develop what we wanted to do before we even started talking about the political strategy. From day one, he never hid himself, he is not that type of leader that will say okay, when the time comes we will do this, he was out there in the field of which I respect him a lot.

How are you managing Chief Edwin Clark; during Ibori, Uduaghan time, it was a lot of problem, but so far, we have not heard a word against you from Pa Clark, what is the magic?

Well, I give God thanks. You know that he is a man with a strong character, he sees me as a son. I may not be satisfying all that he may need, I may not have done all that he expects me to do,

but somehow he respects me as a son and I thank God for that.

However, I know that in the process of going forward, right from day one he was also one of those that believed that there was need for equity in his own part. When I went to consult him, he believed that for equity sake, there was need, it may not be me directly, but there was the need for every part of Delta to have a feel of governance of Delta.

When we kept on talking, I realized that he had some love for me. I think that I tried to build on that, I would not say I have seen him regularly, I wish I would be able to create time to meet him the more. With the stress of governance, I may not have been able to reach out to him in many things, but because he was part of the process and he understands the character of the person that I am, he offered me a lot of advice. Even we talk occasionally, he calls me and offers me advice on what he thinks I should do and I also listen to him and by God’s grace, I am sure he would continue to be a father and continue to guide us in Delta State.

What is the strategy, you have been able, I must say, to substantially erase the fear of the Delta Central, that is Urhobo that a Delta North Governor would marginalize them, how are you doing this?

You know, when you are sincere in all that you do, you begin to build that confidence in the minds of men. From the beginning, I did promise them, because the fears were there when we did campaign, that they should just give me a chance and they will find that people can hold onto their promises and people can be fair in all that they do. They expressed their reservations, but I think that seeing some characters, some of their sons that were with me then, they did realize that there was the need to give me a chance. I made promises to them

and I kept them when I won.

First, I told them that the Secretary to the State Government will come from Urhobo land and I had my reasons. Somehow, if you watch the secretaryship of the government, it has continued to move from one senatorial district to the other and I felt that for equity sake, if I was Secretary to the State Government, and it moved to South, to Macaulay, it was only fair that it should move back to Urhobos.

Therefore, I took that decision and immediately I came in, in fact, that was my first appointment, when I announced it, there was a lot of applause. That built confidence.

In all political appointments that we have made, I told all ethnic groups that we will not be partial.

Even in the projects that we have started. We did many roads in the Okpe area; we have started the Sapele township road dualization, which I promised during that period; the people are quite happy with it.

We started the Afiesere road, that is the Ughelli/Afiesere/Ufuoma road now, even with the very challenging circumstance, we continued with the Sector A of Ughelli/Asaba road dualization and we have also gone to inspect the Oteri road which is nearing completion.

I have watched you from a distance in the past two months, your comments about your predecessor; I must say you have spoken so highly of him but some people still say that secretly you are fighting him and that you are dislodging his men politically, what is the situation?

You know people will always talk; politicians will always talk, if they do not have anything to talk then definitely they will not be playing politics. Generally, people want to cause disaffection between people, but as far as I am concerned, he was my friend when he was commissioner, he was my friend when he was Governor and I was SSG and when I was in Senate and he was Governor, we remained friends. We remain friends despite whatever that may have taken place in the cause of the primaries, we remain friends but that was all politics and until today, we remain friends.

Many people that they will call “his men” are in government, because I do not know whom they call his men because I am one of his men. He was my Governor and I was the SSG, so I do not know how close you can be to somebody.

As Secretary, beyond the fact that we are family friends, I was Secretary to the Government of Delta State and when I went to the Senate, he was supportive of my cause in the Senate.

We only disagreed going into the primaries and thereafter we agreed, we worked together to move on. We relate very well, we talk to each other but he has not been essentially very much around, so you cannot see him all around me but when you look at the government, you will see his key men.

They may not be directly commissioners but they are also playing special roles as Special Advisers handling one post, because commissioner-ship cannot be about one person continuing to hold the office. If somebody has stayed eight years in his own cabinet, if you begin to recycle that same person all through it becomes a problem.

However, I do not really know what they want to see. Today, his younger brother is in my cabinet, I am sure you are aware of that, his younger brother is in my cabinet as a commissioner.

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

When its Central Bank Governor said £14 billion of oil revenues were missing, he was fired — while one state governor alone embezzled £50 million.

AFGHANISTAN UK aid: £1 78m a yyear ear £178m Corruption league table r anking: 1166 66 (Thir d mos (Third mostt corrupt of 1168 68 countries)

•Uhuru Kenyatta •Paul Kagame

B

ritain’s foreign aid budget keeps rising.

Currently at £12 billion a year, it is due to soar during David Cameron’s two terms as Prime Minister, to £16 billion by 2020.

As the Mail revealed yesterday, Britain pays £1 in every £7 of aid donated by rich countries — three times as much per head as the U.S. — •Joseph Kabila and much of it is being sent to the world’s most corrupt countries where despots line their own pockets and the outcry, but elsewhere the make life even worse for the poor. spending continues. Here, we Among the most egregious present the Mail’s guide to the recent examples was South 12 countries — the ‘dirty dozen’ Africa, where — even as the — where British taxpayers’ British government gave the money is most shockingly country £19 million a year to abused alleviate poverty — its President Jacob Zuma was spending £13 million of state funds improving NIGERIA his lavish home.

UK aid: £250m a year British Ministers have stopped Ranking: 136 direct aid to South Africa since

•Nawaz Sharif

British aid to Nigeria doubled under the Coalition and keeps rising, despite corruption and even a space programme.

Nigeria has some of the world’s highest-paid politicians, earning up to £1.4 million a year, more billionaires than Britain and is Africa’s biggest market for private planes, with annual sales of £1 billion.

The Afghan economy is reliant on aid, yet even International Development Secretary Justine Greening admits theft is endemic.

One U.S. audit found no government ministry could be trusted to prevent funds being stolen or wasted, while the UK watchdog has condemned weak controls and anticorruption measures.

Huge sums have been flown out of the country by corrupt politicians and businessmen — much of it made from drugs and some suspected of being siphoned off aid projects. At one point, more was leaving Afghanistan in cash than was being collected in taxes.

In 2009, a former vice president landed in Dubai with $52 million in cash, while government posts were said to be so lucrative they were sold. Investigations have linked family and associates of ex-President Hamid Karzai to a £90 million property empire.

BANGLADESH UK aid: £189m a year Ranking: joint 139

Anti-corruption group Transparency International calls politics in Bangladesh ‘a battle between established elites over state resources’, with health services riddled with extortion. Several of the country’s richest people are linked to politics, including Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the Prime Minister’s son, and Tarique Rahman, the British-based

Continues on page 17

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—17

Continues from page 16 son of a previous president.

Rahman was cleared of money-laundering three years ago, alleging the accusations were politically motivated, though his business partner was found guilty of taking kickbacks.

One MP, a member of the ruling family, increased his income 330-fold in five years.

Nigeria among countries tagged “the Dirty Dozen” for squandering aids

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO UK aid: £183m a year Ranking: 114 47

When Joseph Kabila took power in this war-torn nation aged 29 in 2001 after the murder of his father, he became the world’s youngest leader. Since then he is believed to have stashed away billions by flogging off Congo’s mineral wealth on the cheap in dodgy deals.

His twin sister’s holdings in a South Pacific tax haven were exposed by the Panama Papers leak. The President was accused of bribing MPs $100,000 each to back a law allowing him to circumvent restrictions over his term of office that would have ejected him out of office this year.

NEPAL UK aid: £81m a year Ranking: 130 Nepal has slipped down the corruption index, with one expert telling British MPs that politics there is ‘an extractive enterprise’ with absenteeism levels of 73 per cent in the health ministry.

Huge sums of aid were poured in to assist after last year’s earthquake, yet thousands of people remain in temporary shelters without water or electricity amid complaints of aid cash disappearing.

PAKISTAN UK aid: £538m a year 17 Ranking: 111 Even the pro-aid select

SOUTH SUDAN UK aid: £134m a year Ranking: 1163 63

Britain has been a big supporter of the world’s newest country, arguing aid will improve stability.

Experts say aid fuels conflict and corruption.

South Sudan has been shattered by savage fighting over oil revenues, with economic collapse and state coffers heavily plundered.

In 2012, just one year after the nation’s birth, President Salva Kiir accused his own officials of stealing almost £3 billion.

UGANDA UK aid: £92m a year Ranking: joint 139

President Yoweri Museveni — who travels in a 40-vehicle motorcade — has won his fifth election amid reports of intimidation, bribery and ballotbox stuffing.

Seven years ago, given £70 million in UK aid, he bought himself a Gulfstream jet. Later it emerged he bought six Russian fighter jets at twice the market rate and without parliamentary approval — for three times the annual spending on Uganda’s health service.

Museveni often hands out cash at rallies, once giving a sack containing £66,000 to a youth group.

•Robert Mugabe

ZIMBABWE UK aid: £66m a year Ranking: 150

KENYA UK aid: £129m a year Ranking: joint 139

Mega-rich President Uhuru Kenyatta, son of his nation’s first president, is from one of Kenya’s wealthiest families, with land holdings and business stakes worth £300 million.

He and his Vice President used witness intimidation to evade crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court over election violence.

Public services are notoriously corrupt. Kenyans pay up to 16 bribes a month to officials.

household.

•Salva Kiir

committee for international development complained of giving huge sums to a country where more than two-thirds of MPs do not bother filing tax returns.

Corruption and tax evasion is estimated to cost Pakistan about £100 million a day.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s children were linked to £7 million offshore dealings for four Park Lane properties by the Panama Papers. The billionaire businessman sparked outrage over travel expenses — including 17 trips to Britain — averaging £132,000 a month.

Former President Asif Ali Zardari was known as ‘Mr Ten Percent’, allegedly amassing a billion-pound property portfolio including a Surrey mansion set in 350 acres.

PALESTINE UK aid: £72m a year Ranking: n/a

Britain hands £25 million to the Palestinian Authority,

which pays convicted terrorists and their families ‘salaries’ that rise depending on the seriousness of the terrorist crimes they commit. Corruption is rampant in the occupied territories, with claims that one minister stole £120 million and accusations that the terror outfit Hamas took millions from reconstruction aid after Israeli attacks.

President Mahmoud Abbas is finishing off a £9 million palace near Ramallah with helipads, two swimming pools and a whirlpool spa. He reportedly stayed in a £1,800-a-night New York hotel.

The country is asking for £1 billion drought aid and its rulers claim to be Marxists, but those close to veteran President Robert Mugabe have plundered billions, largely from illicit diamond smuggling. One aide who died in suspicious circumstances was said to have left his wife £8 billion in his will.

The President’s wife, fighting rivals to succeed her ailing husband, is nicknamed ‘Gucci Grace’ due to her extravagant shopping trips to Singapore on which it is said she routinely takes $5 million in cash.

*Culled from Daily Mail

RWANDA UK aid: £66m a year Ranking: 44

This tiny central African nation has become an aid darling despite the bloodstained reputation of its iron man leader Paul Kagame and assassinations of rivals abroad.

The prickly President says corruption ‘kills a nation’. Yet he has two £30 million private jets (that have been lent to his friend Tony Blair) and a sprawling countryside estate.

When visiting New York he stayed in a swanky hotel costing £12,000 a night — a sum that would take the average Rwandan two decades to earn. Wife Jeannette is said to be the business brain in the

•President Mahmoud Abbas

18—SATURDAY

Vanguard , APRIL 23, 2016

MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN LAGOS

Pregnant woman found dead in front of lover’s house

•My hands are clean—Suspect

By Esther Onyegbula

A

n unknown lady identified as Adeola was, recently, found dead at No. 21, Oshoba Close, Itire, Lagos. The deceased who was said to be pregnant had come to visit her lover, one Raphael Agboola, on the 14th March 2016, before the unfortunate incident happened. Her lifeless body was found on a cushion outside the compound the next day.

Crime Guard gathered that the deceased whose family is yet to be located, had been in a relationship with Raphael, a 57- year -old welder for about three months. Trouble, however, started after Adeola who is about 25 year old told Raphael that she was pregnant for someone else.

It was learned that Raphael who was heartbroken by the development had sent Adeola out of his house. Thinking that Raphael would change his mind, Adeola had passed the night outside where her lifeless body was found.

Raphael became the prime suspect as detectives from Itire Police Division were alerted about the development.

On his path, the suspect says he knew nothing about her death and that he only met her one fateful day in January 2016, and that he had no canal knowledge of her.

His story He said, “I am from Kwara state. I met Adeosun while I was going to church on the first Sunday of the year in January 2016. I saw her walking along Wuraola bus stop in Mushin area of Lagos. I was attracted to her, so I stopped her and tried to woo her and she accepted. I gave her my house address to come and check on me later that day.

“She came that afternoon as agreed and during our discussion, I asked her where she was from and she told me Oyo State. I also asked her about her

parents and she told me they were both dead. I then asked her who she was living with, she told me she was living with an aunt. To prove to her that I really wanted a serious relationship, I told her I would want to see her aunt. We agreed to go there on the Thursday of same week. We exchanged phone numbers and I told her to call me on that Thursday so that I would know where to meet her and then proceed to her aunt’s house. After our discussion, she left. I did not even touch her that day.

Lover became elusive “Surprisingly, Thursday came and I heard nothing from Adeola. I called her later to know why she did not stick to our plan. She told me she was busy and could not make it. I saw reasons with her and told her it was not a problem and that we could always fix another time. The relationship continued on phone, but she never visited my house again. It was,

•The dead victim, Adeola

•The house were the victim died

•Suspect however, unusual when after sometime, her number was no longer going through.

I just took it as one of those things since I do not know her house or even have anyone to ask of her whereabout.

Re-appears “It was, however, amazing when on the 14th March, 2016, when I returned from work at about 7:30 p.m, my neighbour told me someone had been waiting to see me. I asked her who it was and she said it was a lady. I did not take my neighbour serious and even after she showed me where the person sat, I could not recognize the person. So, I walked straight into my apartment. I was praying when I noticed someone walk into my apartment. I chose to finish my prayer before attending to whoever it was. When I finished and

raised my head, I noticed it was Adeola.

I was surprised and asked her what brought her to my place since she did not bother to check on me all this while.

Pleads for help “She told me she was pregnant and needed help. I asked her who was responsible for the pregnancy and she told me the person ran away when he discovered she was pregnant. I then asked about her aunt she was living with, she told me her aunt had sent her packing after she discovered she was pregnant. I also noticed she had a terrible cough. So, I told her I could not help her situation. I asked her to go back home and beg her aunt. She left my house and I refreshed that night and went to bed.

Shocking discovery “It was, however, surprising when the next morning, at about 7a.m., one of my neighbours, a Muslim cleric informed me that the lady who came to look for me last night was lying dead on a cushion outside my compound. I rushed out and noticed she was the one. I was confused and could

not explain what had actually happened to her. My neighbours, however, alerted the Police at Itire division about what had happened. I was arrested and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (SCID) Panti Yaba.

My hands are clean “Sincerely, I have nothing to do with Adeola’s death. I did not kill her and did not even have the slightest clue that she did not leave that night. If I am vindicated, I obviously will stay off women because I have seen a lot. I have been married twice on different occasions and they both left me with my two children because I was not wealthy. I had kept to myself not until when I meet Adeola.”

Police call for help The police are, however, calling on members of the public to help trace the family of Adeola as they have not been able to locate any family member or friend of the deceased while police sources said investigation is on to ascertain the actually cause of her death.

SATURDAY

Vanguard , APRIL 23, 2016—19

I make more money stealing than hair biz — stylist

By Evelyn Usman & Faith Ake

S

hock and disbelief could best describe the expressions on the faces of customers at a popular hair dressing saloon in Ago, Okota area of Lagos, Tuesday, after one o f the stylists was arrested for allegedly vandalizing vehicle parts.

The 19-year-old suspect, Samuel Emmanuel, was alleged to have vandalized most of the customers cars right under their nose, without their knowledge. He usually went for the vehicle carriers and his target were usually Highlander SUVs. How he removed the carriers which are usually fixed on top of the SUV remains a mystery to those who have fallen victims , as the cars were usually parked right in front of the saloon.

Emmanuel is, however, not alone in this crime. Arrested alongside him, was Uchenna Nwosu, who specialized in removing chromes from parked vehicles, particularly Highlander SUV's and Toyota Corolla cars.

Crime Guard investigation revealed that their likes are spread in high brow areas where residents use Pathfinder SUV's, Toyota Corolla and other posh cars. The suspects

•Suspects Uchenna and Emmanuel confessed that they sold these parts at the popular Ladipo market in Mushin local government area, at give away prices.

One-man thieving squad When approached, 19-year-old Emmanuel revealed that he left his stylist work for this criminal job out of greed. He said “ I run a one-man squad. I do not have any partner. I was introduced into this business by a friend whom I approached to lend me some money. He took me out on operation once, to watch how he removed chromes from parked SUV's. We succeeded in stealing from six vehicles . At the end, he gave me N5000, an amount that takes me one or two weeks to make in the saloon. I started with the customer's cars and graduated to the neighborhood.

How I operate “What I do is, anytime I sight a Highlander SUV, I would wait until it is parked. Thereafter, I would act as if I was pressed and go close to the vehicle. First, I would unscrew the plastic knot before pulling it out.

Thereafter, I would take it to a safe place, keep it and come back next day for onward sale at Ladipo. Most times, vehicle owners would never take note until few days later . By then, they won't know where it got missing. I decided to leave my stylist work for this business after a while. I never knew I would be

caught so soon because I wanted to raise some money to buy equipment to open my own saloon. I only started three months ago. The owner of the vehicle I removed the carrier saw me climbing and raised an alarm . I sold a set of carrier for N10,000 at Ladipo market , “said the Senior Secondary School Certificate holder.

Second suspect speaks On his part, Uchenna Nwosu (36) said “I specialize in removing chromes from Highlander SUV's and Corolla cars. This is because they can be easily disposed at Ladipo. I sold to traders and at times, to hustlers. I sold a set of chrome for N4000 . It does not take a big deal to remove it. And it is not hard to sell since there are no inscriptions on them. Even if you see yours in the market, you will not be able to identify them because there are no marks or identification on them. I started it eight months ago because of hardship. I was a bus conductor until the owner of the bus sold it. I found it difficult to feed my family and was therefore, left with no choice than to take to this shady business, for I couldn't stand my baby crying for food. I knew it is bad to steal but I beg to be forgiven,” The suspects, according to Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni , would be charged to court

soon.

I raped friend's daughter 'cos of lack of money to patronize prostitutes — Suspect

By Evelyn Usman & Esther Onyegbula

H

e bowed in shame and self pity when approached, burying his face in his palms. When asked what brought him to the Lagos State Police Command , he burst into tears, still refusing to lift his face. After waiting endlessly for his response, he slowly lifted his head, with tears trickling down his cheeks. He spoke in an inaudible voice saying , “The devil pushed me to rape my late friend's daughter.”

Thirty-two year-old Nurudeen Oriyomi was arrested for allegedly defiling his late friend's 12-year-old daughter at Alhaji Yinusa street, Bariga, Lagos. The act took place in his oneroom apartment at about 2pm on April 9, 2016, while the girl was sent on an errand.

Information at Crime Guard's disposal had it that Oriyomi and the father of the primary five pupil were friends before the latter's demise two years ago. Since then, Oriyomi had reportedly been close to the family .

How it happened However, the relationship took a sinister dimension penultimate Thursday, after Oriyomi allegedly defiled the eldest child. The suspect, as gathered, stood in front of his house when he sighted the 12-year-old girl ( name withheld) passing-by. He called her and asked where she was going, before inviting her inside, pretending to send her on an errand. He ended up defiling her.

The burble burst But the burble burst five days later, after the girl's mother noticed she was walking with difficulty. She reportedly ignored her initially, apparently think-

ing she could have sustained the injury while playing. But she was attracted to the blood stain on her daughter's pant when she sat opposite her to relate activities of the day.

Apparently thinking she had started observing her monthly menstrual flow, she curiously asked her daughter, who revealed to her dismay, after much persuasion, that she was raped by 'brother' Nurudeen as he was popularly addressed. The primary school pupil further told her mother that when she wanted to shout during the act but Oriyomi gagged her and after that, gave her N50, with a stern warning not to disclose what happened to anyone.

Mother accosts suspect Unable to believe what she has just heard, the widow •Oriyomi intimated a neighbor who insisted that Oriyomi must be accosted .

He was said to have owned up

and begged passionately to be forgiven.

But the case was reported at Bariga division , consequent upon which he was arrested.

The case was later transferred to the gender Unit, Lagos state Police Command where operatives swung into action by taking the victim to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where a test conducted confirmed that her hymen had been broken .

Suspect blames devil for act Oriyomi was paraded among other alleged suspected criminals terrorizing Lagos State. In this interview with Crime Guard, he blamed his indulgence on the devil and hardship which he said made him unable to get money to patronize commercial sex workers.

Hear him; “ I am a visitor here because I raped my friend's daughter. I was actually sex- starved and was looking for every available means to ease myself. Before now, I used to patronize commercial sex workers any time I had such urge.

But on this day, I had no money to pay them (commercial sex worker) or to buy condom . I was just outside contemplating on what to do when I sighted her. I called her inside, asked her to pull her dress while I pulled her pant and had carnal knowledge of her.

When her mother came, I admitted and begged her to forgive me but I never knew she did not forgive me,” stated the suspect from Ilorin, Kwara state.

CP raises alarm over spate of rape Expressing worry over the spate of rape and defilement in the state, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, disclosed that the record of rape was alarming, citing Bariga area of the state as the area with the highest record of rape. He disclosed that the 12 year-old girl was traumatized and was being medically treated at Mirabel Medical Centre, Ikeja.

He, therefore, implored parents to be wary of those they keep their children with, especially females, stating that “if they can't take their children to where they go to, then they should learn to keep them in safe care. Shomolu, Bariga areas are known for that. We want the public to join hands in eradicating cases of defilement. This case is a wake up call to all parents, specially mothers who leave children in the hands of neighbors and family friends they are not sure of their character,”he said.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and the sin of cowardice

O

konjo Iweala, the famed technocrat , has returned to the pulpit. The gospel of good governance, like that of Christ, is easily preached. Technocrats come into public service in Nigeria brandishing reputations and clutching unto self righteousness.

But they often prove too sterile to affect the filth, and always leave as ineffectual as ordinary politicians.

Okonjo Iweala came richly credentialed. Iweala was hardworking. She was one of our best ministers. But she is perhaps oblivious of the concept of collective responsibility. And she was gutless.

She tamely supervised the squandering of national resources.

She has sauntered out of the wreckage with the gaiety of a bride.

She is now preaching her way to redemption. Grace abounds in Nigeria. The masses are too forgetful. Glory is milked for little achievements and hypocrisy is let loose to deflect blames for woeful failures. When Nigeria paid her debts and swelled her foreign reserves under Obasanjo, Iweala was exceptionally savvy. That was the impression. She concedes obliquely that Jonathan’s was an era of gross mismanagement but she won’t take any blames. She, the coordinator of the economy. They didn’t listen to her admonitions. And she stayed on coordinating!

There was “zero political will to save”. She says it oozing the

*Okonjo Iweala

Why can’t Okonjo Iweala keep quiet if she isn’t ready to tell the whole truth yet?

righteous indignation of a jilted seer proven right by disaster. It is supposed to be an exculpatory revelation. Obasanjo had managed to conjure some ‘political will’ .

But with Jonathan? No, it wasn’t him, it wasn’t Okonjo Iweala either. It must have been the special breed of greedy governors that unlucky Jonathan inherited. They drained all the “political will”. But you would think Okonjo Iweala’s insights won’t be that simplistic. That she must be too stricken , too sober, to tell trite tales. Because the federal government got almost 50% of oil boom revenues and Okonjo Iweala was coordinating minister. That arm of government later resorted to borrowing to pay salaries.

The bane of African politics isn’t academic insufficiency. No, good theories abound everywhere, even in Zimbabwe. Often it’s authoritarianism and gross inefficiency. But more often it is moral bankruptcy. It is immoral to be silent in the face of conspicuous evil. The political will to

enthrone rectitude is where the snare lies. So when technocrats come with abundance of academic talk and sermons about global best practices they are no more than soulless mercenaries. They get the perks of office, the privileges of power and do not bother about practical freedom and concrete empowerment of the poor. They mouth capitalist ideas but treat democratic ethics with contempt.

They will not stand against election rigging, they stay aloof, ready to serve whoever wins, however he wins. They will not fight corruption frontally, they pay lip service. “We are doing their best in the circumstance”.

Their characters are tested when their principals begin to subjugate national interests to private considerations. Corruption and theft of public resources will be clothed with the garments of lofty policies provided by technocrats. Nepotism, they cannot resist. The poor will be harangued about the virtue of sacrifice in nation building while monies meant to fight insurgency walk into private pockets. Flimsy poverty alleviation programmes that fatten only politicians will be trumpeted. A multitude of workshops and seminars to pretend to intellectualism will be thrown around. Spurious data would be spawn to deny the grim reality of life on the streets. They will close their eyes to absurdities like Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and join in mouthing gibberish like Transformation Agenda. They will wring their hands like Pilate. Yes, a finance minister will sign a memo that opens up the vault of the Central bank to the carting away of stacks of dollars to private homes, without compunction. Or was there? She sneaked in a dubious “my hand no dey inside” clause by reminding them of the need to render accounts.

She retained her sainthood, lapped up international awards. They never get fed up, technocrats, never get angry. They always play along.

Corrupt regimes love them. They lend them legitimacy. When in such governments they lose scrupulousness. Who would have thought that after the financial commonsense exhibited during the Obasanjo regime that prodigality would return with vengeance with

Iweala on the saddle? Okonjo Iweala attributes our present woes to recalcitrant governors. Iweala’s second stint was a chronicle of wastefulness.

Impunity institutionalized corruption and theft in public service. 350 million dollars Abacha stole came back to the country and was reported restolen under Iweala’s nose. Iweala had been in government long enough to know what happens during elections. Yet she crafted a memo seeking approval to ‘lend’ 350 million dollars to the NSA three weeks to the original date for national elections ostensibly for the procurement of arms.

Since politicians disregarded her, why didn’t Okonjo Iweala resign?

When the then CBN governor spoke about widespread looting , she was irritated. As irritated as she was when foreign journalists pestered her about Chibok girls. If Iweala had put the interest of the nation above the benefits of remaining a minister she would have easily resigned. She knew the country was clearly headed in the wrong direction . Her cowardice was even more baffling because she, apparently, did not need the job. Why are these technocrats never really patriotic beyond mouthing? “I have come to contribute my quota to national development?” And having failed pitiably as finance minister to do that which was most important , why is Okonjo Iweala not mourning?

Why is truthful sober reflection , an ingredient of intellectualism , so lacking amongst our political technocrats? Why can’t Okonjo Iweala keep quiet if she isn’t ready to tell the whole truth yet?

Okonjo Iweala, international civil servant, substantially immune to the troubles and potential fallouts of outspokenness at the highest levels.

She was in Aba campaigning for the return of Jonathan and the same set of circumstances she now cleverly refers to as ‘zero political will’. She has been one of our best ministers. And that is why our politics has remained a study in sycophancy.

Let the technocrats in Buhari’s government know that a president is not a deity. Their ultimate loyalty is to the nation. And sometimes the nation is best served by a principled noisy resignation.

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T

he 26th United States President, Theodore Roosevelt recognised that the vast natural resources of the United States were not limitless so should be managed carefully for the betterment of his people. He acknowledged that American citizens are the most valuable natural resources. To him protection of human health was central and valid for the conservation movement which he developed for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources.

America after Roosevelt continued with justice which is the act of applying or upholding the law. Protection of the environment and justice has therefore endured in the American dream of strong institutions that cannot be manipulated.

Upholding environmental protection and justice, the United States Government sued BP when it claimed BP pumped millions of barrels of oil into the Deep-water Horizon of Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010. BP’s oil well cement seal failed with resultant oil spill causing what was regarded as the worst environmental disaster in the United States.

Claims were that dolphins and whales, seabirds, fish, turtles, subsea vegetation and even sediment species were affected. Six years on scientists and environmentalists are still studying the long term effects on wildlife and habitats, people and the environment.

A judge ruled that BP was responsible for the release of 3.1 million barrels of oil. BP is paying a calculated $54billion including legal and cleanup costs, Clean water Act penalty, natural resource damages, economic claims to five states, 400 Local Governments claim, in what has been acclaimed the biggest pollution penalty in recorded history.

In Nigeria gory details and fairy tales abound as thousands of oil spills blight the Niger Delta.

Natural gas flaring and burning of associated natural gas produced with oil, have greatly contributed to environmental pollution. Also aging infrastructure, poor maintenance and illegal bunkering have all contributed to oil

C M Y K

Justice, Ogoniland remediation Et Al In Nigeria gory details and fairy tales abound as thousands of oil spills blight the Niger Delta spills and Eco systemic degradation.

The region’s communities have constantly and consistently blared tantaras yet the ecological miasmas from International Oil Companies (IOCs) have continued unabated.

Recrimination has made the Niger Delta people to be seen as crybabies in response to toxic oil and gas activities in the region.

Most IOCs have had cause spills to blame vandalism, and declare force majeure (a legal clause that allows a party not to satisfy contractual agreements because of circumstances beyond their control that prevent them from fulfilling contractual obligations) on oil shipments.

A UNDP report stated a total of 6817 oil spills between 1976 and 2001. Of the estimated 3million barrels recorded, 69 percent occurred offshore, a quarter in swamps and 6 percent on land. Unofficial sources put oil spills in tens of millions of barrels between 1958 and 2015.

Our laws stipulate that oil companies are responsible for containing and cleaning up

spills and returning affected areas to their prior state which is remediation. Many IOCs have cleverly divested from their onshore licence blocks with new assets purchasers and operators inheriting spills not completed by the Sales and Purchase Agreement dates.

Degradation from IOCs activities has continued unabated, unattended to, under reported and with elusive justice, communities now seek justice in offshore courts in the UK and The Hague. Global Issues Director of Amnesty International, Audrey Gaughran in 2015 said the Royal Dutch Shell reported 204 Niger Delta spills in 2014 while ENI reported 349 spills in Niger Delta in 2014, giving a total of 553 a contrast of only 10 spills across Europe between 1971 and 2011.

According to Gaughran, ‘’in any other country this would be a national emergency.

In Nigeria it appears to be a standard operating procedure for the oil industry. The human cost is horrific- people living with pollution everyday of their lives.”

To protest IOCs petroleum exploitation the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) in 1992 demanded royalties, damages and compensations, and immediate stoppage of environmental degradation. It got to a head that two Ogoni groups perceived as conspiratorial adversaries hounded each other.

Prominent playwright and environmental activist Kenule Saro Wiwa could not survive the hangman’s noose in the struggle.

The immediate past administration

mandated the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to assess the damage by petroleum exploration and production in Ogoniland. Their Report of August 4 2011 showed widespread contamination of drinking water, land, creeks and vital ecosystems.

The report called for emergency measures to combat immediate harm to communities from the pollution of drinking water, and an initial funding of US$1 billion to implement an environmental clean-up in Ogoniland.

There is also the promise that $10 million deposit be made by stakeholders for a Trust Fund.

President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2015 initiated moves on the Ogoni remediation and approved the composition of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees of Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) with members yet to be named. His UNEP Headquarters sideline visit in Nairobi on January 28 2016 was more than a hope that glimmered in hearts of environmentalists as he echoed the Ogoni report implementation.

We commend President Buhari’s efforts but a strong legal and regulatory framework is needed to identify who does what. One foresees an expectant blame culture between and among agencies brewing in the roles of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Department of Petroleum Resources.

The Pollution Control Department of the Ecological Fund Office is meant to supervise matters relating to General Environmental Pollution and Oil spillage and industrial pollution. There is also the Federal Ministry of Environment. This multiplicity of government Departments and Agencies all smattering with overlapping functions, would create a scenario of achieving results in the Ogoni debacle and elsewhere in good time extremely difficult if not impossible.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, APRIL 23, 2016 —

I

am not enamoured of the National Assembly in general and the Senate in particular. I think they are a bunch of greedy, over fed and over pampered individuals. In moments of exuberance and vain glory, they call themselves the people’s representatives. Maybe they are right in a way because they somewhat represent the basest of the instincts of the Nigerian people. The instincts of pay without labour, ethnic manipulation, self-interest and plain greed. But there are many good people in Nigeria: honest people who have achieved whatever they have achieved through hard work and fair play; people with integrity who want the very best for the country and her citizens and these lots don’t represent them. In fact, it is more apt to say they represent the Nigerian elite at its exploitative best.

Even the decent members tend to lose their voices once they get into the House.

If I have not written anything about the National Assembly despite its many provocative acts, it is because I find it extremely hard to be logical and rational when it comes to our National Assembly. Like I confessed, I am not enamoured of it and the antics of our ‘distinguished congressmen’ seem to defy logic and rationality. In the first place, whoever felt Nigeria needed a bi-cameral legislature did not take the psyche of the Nigerian politicians into consideration. Whoever decided we needed over 400 law makers with such huge allowances was insensitive to the poverty level in the country. Whoever made them accountable to no one was not schooled in the predisposition of the Nigerian elite towards impunity. The result is that we have a bloated, unwieldy, self-serving, over paid and under worked lot.

It did not just start last year. We once had a Senate President who said he was not in the senate to legislate poverty for himself. Such words from an otherwise intelligent man could only betray his contempt for the people that elected him. The musical chairs that followed his removal were not only self-serving, they showed the lust for power and the

titbits2012@yahoo.com

The people’s representatives hollowness in the so called congress is united in their intrigues hallowed chamber. And the man and lust for power and showed, if we who held forte in the eight years needed any proof, that there is really no preceding this current Assembly, difference between APC and PDP. So showed in words and body deep was the intrigue at the time of language that he never cared for choosing the officers that we almost had the poor. His state is one of the a PDP candidate as Senate President. We poorest in the country, but what need to make it clear that the majority of does it matter as long as he can Nigerians rejected PDP at the last polls have access to the luxurious and it cannot come back through the back entrapments around the world like door. It will have to wait for another three private jets, private golf courses, years at least. And it matters very little if helicopter landing pads and Saraki resigned or changed his cap. This luxurious homes. Such is the stuff senate has shown in the under hand way of our senate that the Petroleum it handled the budget and single Industry Bill (PIB) which was handedly inserted constituency to develop and regulate our project worth billions of naira, economic mainstay was in the sly way it tried to amend mired in geo-political tussle, the constitution in respects of grandstanding and greed the ACJ and CCB acts, in the and was never passed. Yet We surreptitious way it tried to frivolous bills like child don’t introduce the Social Media gag marriage and gay marriage bill, in the chauvinistic way it kept occupying the attention need full scuttled the Gender Equality of our honourable men and bill, that the more things women. The monumental time change, the more they remain corruption which had been legislators the same. discovered in the past year As we speak, the members would have been minimised are said to have allotted 108 if our legislators had applied luxury ca themselves to jobs they were elected rs to themselves at twice the cost to do. Instead, their ‘over sight despite public indignation and outcry functions’ were limited to foreign although this was lamely denied during trips and allowances and they the week. This works out as a car per would do anything to be put in person. We must remind ourselves that choice committees. The corrupt these people’s allowances have already rumps of some of them were been monetised. We must also remind exposed during the Ms Arume ourselves that these people live in a Otteh disclosures and fuel subsidy country where the poorest Civil Servants probes and quickly covered up. have not been paid their minimum wages But it gets worse. The current for six months in some states which

he story of Mrs. Ngozi Udebu, a teacher and T housewife, who died recently at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, Lagos,

occupied a bit of space in Vanguard during the week. I do not have all the details, but available information points to the misnomers that characterize health care delivery in Nigeria.

Saving lives is the prime duty of health care professionals, but this is not the situation in Nigeria.

Saving lives is secondary or further down the priority list of many health care professionals. In organised societies, if a case is emergency, money, procedures and protocols take the back seat. Saving the life of the victim takes Since he could not stitch it, he gave precedence. But here, getting a card, me antibiotics to prevent infection paying a deposit and other unnecessary until it healed. His prescription protocols come first before the patient turned out to be ineffective. On the gets treatment. The deceased’s grieving fourth day, I started vomiting blood. husband, Ausbet Udebu, said this much I was rushed to a popular hospital. in the Vanguard interview.

Even though my white singlet was The attitude of some Nigerian health red with blood, they insisted on care professionals to saving lives is very admission formalities of card, poor, but it is a reflection of our societal N100,000 deposit among others. By attitude to life generally, not just human the time we finished meeting all life. Boko Haram kills fellow human their conditions, there was no ENT beings without qualms; Fulani doctor to attend to me. My family herdsmen wipe out entire villages, and piled pressure on them before an slaughter fellow human beings the way ENT doctor finally showed up four they cannot slaughter their (ordinary) hours later. Anything could have cows. We destroy our forests and green happened before then and many vegetations as if the world is going to Nigerian families have lost loved end with this generation. When ones because of such formalities government plants grass along our and delays. roads we walk on the grass, instead of Our health care problem is hydrathe concrete sidewalks, until they wither headed. There is, for example, and die. Bad portions of our roads go poor funding of governmentunrepaired for months and years, owned health care institutions, causing accidents and claiming lives. poor conditions of service, Our value orientation is warped and unfriendly working environment, morbid. Why health care is different is obsolete equipment, among others; because it has to do with saving lives. but my concerns today are the That makes any anomaly unacceptable. contributions of health care The standard of care of health and care professionals to the sad situation. professionals must be premium, The attitude of Nigerian health especially in emergency cases. care professionals to life should be In 2005, I had an abscess in my palate. a lot better than what obtains in the Diagnosing it took a while, then the larger society. Their primary job is ENT doctor cut it open to off load all to save life and they should strive the pus and liquid trapped in there.

Nigeria’s killing fields

C M Y K

to save every life that comes their way as if their own life depends on it.

For instance, many innocent Nigerians have died from gunshot wounds because doctors would not treat them without a police report, even when the police said treat first and then report such cases.

Even if the police did not say so, a doctor who treasures life should treat a gunshot victim and contact the police thereafter.

What are they afraid of, detention? What is the big deal if they save lives and get detained in the process? Didn’t Jesus die to save them? (I am talking to the Christians among them).

Many health care professionals seem to have lost their value for life because they see death so often. But no matter how many deaths they see, every life must still be precious. Medical professionals should stop behaving as if they are made of steel. They are regular people like the rest of us and the death of their loved ones also destabilizes them. They should therefore not treat other people’s loved ones with levity.

Moreover they should live their Hippocratic Oath.

Indebtedness is one of the killers of businesses, so health care professionals have a responsibility to ensure patients pay for services. But they must strike a balance between business and saving lives. In cases of emergencies, they should save lives first and demand

21

include their constituencies. Yet, they reportedly allotted to themselves, a36million Naira car per person. It is worth mentioning that they did not go to Innoson to purchase made-inNigerian cars despite their hypocritical made in Nigeria bill they are trying to push out. A chart went out in the social media a few weeks ago which showed that the budget for the National Assembly is higher than those of at least 20 Nigerian states. Although I have not ascertained the veracity of the chart, it brings me to the question of just how much does a legislator earn and where the rest of the money goes.

Why would a thousand people have a financial allocation higher than that of a state no matter how small the state is?

If we expected soberness and dedication from these privileged people, we are sorely mistaken because they are always in the news for the wrong reasons. It is all about power, money and intrigues. Hardly about service. I will not say anything about the current Senate President because there is really little to say. In any case, he is having his day in court after much rigmarole. For me, there are no surprises. Just as there are little surprises in the other senators who see politics in everything and follow him to court. They forget that they were elected and therefore accountable to their constituencies. They forget that they are being paid, and handsomely too, to make laws for the betterment of the people, and each time they play the truant, the tax payers are being short changed. In another place and time, these people would be recalled as unworthy representatives.

The way out? We certainly do not need a bi-cameral legislature. It is a luxury no African country can afford.

We also don’t need full time legislators.

That’s another unaffordable luxury.

Their payment should rather be based on attendance and input. Then if they like, they can spend all their days in court in solidarity as long as I am not paying for it. Birds of the same feather tend to flock together after all. payment later. Unfortunately, many patients and their families have been most unfaithful, but that does not diminish the necessity to save lives.

This brings to fore the need to make health insurance more effective and widespread. Much of the distrust between patients and health care professionals would be eliminated if health insurance was widespread.

Health insurance, like other insurances, is bedeviled by illiteracy, low awareness, poverty and affordability. There is need for more awareness and the National Health Insurance Scheme and other such providers need to come up with convenient and affordable schemes.

They should put in place and perfect systems and processes to enable subscribers pay little sums daily or weekly. For example, telling a family struggling to provide basic necessities to pay a lump sum of N100,000 for health insurance is a tall order. But if you break it down, they might just be able to key in. A couple of such schemes are already running, but more awareness and accessibility need to be created.

I noticed that doctors who work in government health care facilities abroad also engage in practice outside their institutions, but I suspect the arrangement is well structured and formalized. In our own case, some health care professionals kill or make public health care institutions inefficient so that their private practices can flourish. The problem is not necessarily the PP (private practice), but robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Health care professional must put in their best so that when people lose their loved ones, they will be assured that the health care professionals did not cause or speed up the death. Our health care institutions must not be converted to killing fields.

22—SA TURD AY Vanguard , APRIL 23, 2016 22—SATURD TURDA

Y

ou may recall that the last National Assembly convened with some youthful members of the House of Representatives wondering dangerously aloud as to why they were considered the “lower” house to the Senate, the other arm of our bicameral legislature. I too pondered why.

Eventually, the wondering and the pondering generally faded into oblivion. For me, it was a lingering thought. What really makes one chamber superior to the other? Well, one of my young lawyer friends explained it very well; I thought, but it all merely brought out not so much the reason for the disparity in status, but rather it outlined what seemed like a superfluity in the existence of the two parallel arms of one legislative structure.

Of course, there are several other countries with bicameral legislatures in the world, but the organizations differ from one nation to another in terms of powers and responsibilities. Britain’s House of Lords, for instance, is different by nature from the House of Commons. Our own type borrows heavily from the American prototype in line with their presidential system of government. And we may start from that wasteful model to re-examine why we did not stay with the parliamentary mode we inherited from Britain.

Our resources are heavily drained by the top-heavy civil service arrangement occasioned by the

*a huge, hollow masquerade And even here, the pervasive rascally presidential form of government which conduct of this largely defectorenthrones bureaucracy on all aspects infested assemblage still fails to of governance in a gross manner that entirely cover its perverse character. suppresses our capital expenditure They are said to have split into two under our current disbursements. The groups, viz, those who will be allotted major contributor, away from the the first batch of jeeps, and then the operational core of the civil service, is others. The first group accommodates the legislature led by the Senate. Its the ones who are referred to as people remunerative receipts are mindof “like minds”, and then the others boggling, shrouded as they are from who, presumably, have their own public cognition. The perks run into a minds. Those with “like minds” humongous tally. The members are the identify themselves with the Senate law unto themselves, of course, having President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and his been bequeathed with powers of oversight on all others whilst “mind”; they openly most of their own excesses support him through his are tucked out of sight. present ordeal whilst the In plain view, at the others are on their own. moment however, is the Dr. Saraki is facing acquisition of brand new 108 numerous counts of wrongThe Senate Sport Utility vehicles to the doing before the Code of has shown Distinguished Senators. That Conduct Tribunal. He is, should indeed distinguish as we all concede, innocent that it them from the deprived until he is convicted after thrives in compatriots whom they claim trial. He has been having to serve whenever they are excess of its his day— in fact, days—in not on any of their extensive court, as the trial limped functions recesses. In vain have and stumbled over one members of civil society organizations and members of the public remonstrated with them about the sheer profligacy of the project. But, as far as it affects their mentality, it is a done deal. They are already planning how to buy them at the end of the session— at their own price, of course.

emmanuelaziken@vanguardngr.com 08052201189

When will the National Assembly walk the talk?

“What you don’t produce, you don’t deserve,” Senator Joseph Dada from Ogun State said in his contribution to the debate on the bill to amend the Public Procurement Act that is fashioned to promote locally produced goods penultimate Wednesday.

The bill sponsored by Senators Enyinninya Abaribe and Sam Egwu was enthusiastically supported by several senators among whom were Senators Ben Murray-Bruce, George Akume and even the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

Teasingly, Senator Akume lamented that the National Assembly had even failed to show the way by resorting to Toyota vehicles when there were locally manufactured vehicles. While they all canvassed the need to grow the local economy through patronising locally produced vehicles and goods, only one of them, however, was able to walk the talk on the issue. Senator Murray-Bruce, who claimed to have proudly purchased

legal hurdle to another. At the end of the day, as the lawyers are fond of saying, the court has now ruled that the case must be heard from day to day. It has not been good news to those people of “like minds” with someone accused of not properly declaring his assets as he should at the beginning of his term

ensure that the legacy he claims to have been achieved by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is not discarded after his term. To that end, Ogbemudia had floated the Edo Mass Movement, EMM, a body that had at one time drawn attention on account of the seriousness with which the movement was galvanising supporters. three locally made Innoson Even Comrade, it was alleged, had vehicles, said he had proved the to rush quietly to Ogbemudia to vehicles to be as good as the enquire the purpose and intent of foreign brands. Remarkably, as the body were not to torpedo his they spoke, not many Nigerians succession plans. Even more, at knew that 36 senators had the colloquium to mark quietly received 36 Toyota SUVs Ogbemudia’s last birthday celebraeach purchased at the whooping tion, Oshiomhole had openly cost of N35.1 million. So even asked Ogbemudia to step aside while many of them repeatedly from the political terrain having chorused the need to patronise achieved his well-envied mark. and promote locally made goods, Indeed, when Ogbemudia someour senators with the notable time ago pledged that he would exception of Murray-Bruce have support Oshiomhole’s candidate failed to walk the talk. many supposed that the former So when next a senator encouraction governor had finally been ages you to commit yourself to brought under Oshiomhole’s sway Nigeria, remember to point to and swagger. him where he and his colleagues But speaking to your corresponfailed to commit themselves to dent earlier this week, Ogbemudia Nigeria. seemed to backtrack on the assertion as he said that the EMM would surely intervene if the comrade’s choice does not meet the criteria he and his supporters The former governor of the old have drawn up.

Midwest Region and former He also told your correspondent of Bendel State, Brigadier Samuel how he had interviewed a number Osagbovia Ogbemudia has not of the leading aspirants across the hidden his determination to two parties for consideration.

Ogbemudia’s secret scrutiny

as a state governor a few years ago.

The time lapse really does not affect the potency of the indictment which is not subjected to a statute of limitations. All the same, his supporters are loud, and so also is he, in their imputations of a motive—which nobody can deny.

He was voted into the Senate by one party, but virtually imposed himself and his deputy (who is in another party) against the dictates of his party. Of course, the “empire” is bound to strike back!

His supporters have sought to adopt the highly improper ruse of amending the powers of the tribunal in his favour, openly and shamelessly. They have mishandled the Budget of the nation ostensibly to procure the intervention of President Muhmmadu Buhari to virtually cause a perversion of justice, or create a constitutional rupture as a reprisal for his appropriate neutrality on the matter. Well, if you know Buhari like I know Buhari, that kite won’t fly.

In the meantime, a number of senators deserted the Senate Chambers to show their solidarity with their president in court. His continued absence from the sessions, however, will raise another problem in the appointment of someone to act for him. The Nigerian Constitution is clear about that and prescribes that the Deputy President should normally step in when such a vacancy occurs. But these are not normal times, my friend.

Yet we need a touch of normalcy in our circumstances today. The House of Representatives more than fulfils our needs for law-making. The Senate has shown that it thrives in excess of its functions. That is the truth. This nation can live without it, without its profligacy, its intrigues and its hollow presence. It is no more than a huge masquerade we have fashioned for ourselves in an empty imitation of other climes.

Time out.

At 83, Ogbemudia has no room to manoeuvre on the issue as his decision would probably be his final testament on the political terrain.

The Senate Peace

After nearly two hours meeting behind closed doors, senators on Wednesday resolved to sheath their swords and put the interest of the nation above their selfish desires.

The senators who had been split between supporters of Senate President Bukola Saraki and those against him came out with a resolution to put all the issues that had divided them behind. It was in that light that they resolved to withdraw all court matters against the election of Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as presiding officers. As a quid pro quo, the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions which apparently had nailed one of Saraki’s most vehement antagonists, Senator Kabiru Marafa was also dropped from consideration that Wednesday.

However, given the depth of the enmity that had been sown sources in the Senate say that the Wednesday troubleshooting may not succeed. Those who took the Senate President to court it was learnt were still unwilling to withdraw their case. Even more, few doubt if Saraki after the humiliation he has been subjected to would ever forgive those who brought him to that point.

The gist is that the senators were coerced into finding peace based on the fear that a harm to Saraki could bring collateral damage on the party as it could open opportunity for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to take over the Senate.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—23

GRAFT IN OIL SECTOR:

All rulers since 1973 're culpable — Asobie •Nigeria loses $700m annually to poor record keeping •How FG can recover misappropriated, unremitted N7.1trn

By Michael Eboh ULERS of the country since 1973 R have a hand in the massive graft that has enveloped the oil and gas

industry in Nigeria.

According to former Chairman of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Professor Asisi Asobie, almost all of the leaders had been indicted of one form of malfeasance or the other in the petroleum sector by various reports.

Asobie's claim was in response to the various audit reports on the oil and gas industry and the report put together by the Nigerian Natural Resource Charter, NNRC and the National Resource Governance Institute, NRGI, which said that that country had lost N7.1 trillion oil revenue to illegal withdrawals by government agencies, poor record keeping and illicit payments among others.

Commenting on the findings of the report, he accused past presidents of the

country of participating in corruption in the oil sector, stating that almost all leaders of the country from 1973 had been by indicted of one form of malfeasance or the other in the petroleum sector by various reports.

NNRC and the NRGI, in the report presented in Abuja, titled, ‘Policy Dialogue on the Implementation of Key Recommendations of Past Oil Sector Investigative Reports’, also stated that the country was losing $700 million, about N140 billion, annually to poor record keeping, manual and analogue data storage in the petroleum sector.

Asobie also accused political parties of complicity in the rot in the petroleum industry and other sectors of the economy, stating specifically, that over the years, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had been a source of funding for political parties.

Although the political parties include fight against corruption in their manifesto, he said the truth of the matter is that they actually fund themselves through stealing public fund. “And that is the major problem. In other words, if you look at the NNPC, it has been the source of

•Asobie funding political parties all along and where they are not getting from NNPC, they are getting from other sources,” he said.

He continued: “The summary of what I said is that in fighting corruption anywhere in the oil and gas sector, the assumption is that there are principals that are above corruption and who, therefore, have an interest in implementing anticorruption measures. That theory is wrong in the Nigerian case because historically, it has been found through ad-hoc committees’ report and so on, that the very head of state, himself, is involved in the process, and that makes it even more difficult for the head of state to lead the fight.”

He maintained that for the country to be able to address the fraud in the oil sector, it should address the conflict of laws and conflict of policies in the sector, especially in disparities between the laws guiding

the activities of the NNPC and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He further lamented that using ad-hoc committees to investigate ?malfeasance and malpractice in the oil and gas sector is not healthy, particularly as the committees are dissolved after the investigation is concluded and the report submitted, ensuring that in most cases, the reports are not implemented.

Speaking in the same vein, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio, stated that transparency and accountability in the sector, though very important, are not enough, as the cititzenry have to do more to compel government to live up to its promises.

On his part, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim of Babcock University, disclosed that recommendations of most of the audit reports in the petroleum sector were not implemented because of political complicity, which involves people in power exploiting the system for their benefits.

He called on civil societies and organized labour to increase their citizen engagement, ensuring that issues raised in the various reports are understood by the generality of Nigerians, so that they can call for action and the implementation of the reports.

If the recommendations of the various audit reports on the oil and gas industry are implemented, the Federal Government would recover about N7.1 trillion, being misappropriated and unremitted funds from the petroleum sector.

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016 Edited by Ayo Onikoyi 08052201215

‘I‘I want want to to restore restore my my virginit virginity’

lessons from the movie, the storyline, cast and of course, the money involved.

What is that thing you would never be found doing?

That should be tying a wrapper round my boobs. I don’t even have a wrapper. The first and only time I wore one was during my son’s naming ceremony.

Doris Simeon on career, love, marriage and sex

S

BY ADEYERI ADERONKE

tunningly beautiful actress, Doris Simeon, needs no introduction in the industry because she’s one of the major household names in Nollywood, particularly in the Yoruba sector. The Papa Ajasco groomed thespian got embroiled in a scandal of a sort when she and her director husband separated a couple of years back. The separation made headlines for months, putting strain on the actress and her child, but like a conqueror, she survived and has since moved on with her life with candour and looking forward to building a new life for herself.

Not totally unexpected, it would seem the light-complexioned beauty has found love again, this, she had no scruple in telling Showtime Celebrity, adding, rather smugly, she is open to marriage anytime. Can she be blamed? We all remember the circumstances that led to her separation from her ex-husband, Daniel Ademinokan, who has now found comfort in the arms of another actress, Stella Damasus. Enjoy her: What are the things you dislike about being in the limelight?

I have been robbed of my private life. My life is always out there. Anyway, I really don’t care because I knew that would happen even before I got into limelight.

What were the things you felt would promote you in the industry?

Actually, I was looking forward to doing things outside the norm like being a female director, handling the camera etc.

These were parts of the production process where we hardly find women. But fortunately for me, I was pushed into acting and not just part of the crew who works behind the camera.

Well, have you been able to achieve your first dream?

I have been able to achieve some and I am still working on others. I directed a new film titled “The victim”. I am also a producer but still an amateur when it comes to handling the camera. Probably, I will have to take a course on that and also learn how to edit films.

Which is more challenging between being a producer and a director?

I would say directing is more difficult and less rewarding while producing is more rewarding with less work.

What's your take on the quality of films produced in Nigeria?

I am impressed. The quality of our films is more encouraging now compared to what was obtainable some years back.

Many of us are making quality and

C M Y K

Is it true that marketers impose some artists on producers?

Yes, it also depends on the producers who may or may not allow it. Personally, they have never imposed an artist on me. I know the best person for each role so I wouldn’t let marketers push me around.

competitive films.

How do you rate a movie as successful; by the money it generates, the number of people who view the movie, the awards it gets, or what?

I see a movie as successful by its impact on people and also the money I get from it. I will also consider the lessons from the movie.

Anything new from you?

I am currently working on a campaign-like movie that has to do with malaria. I intend creating awareness about malaria. A lot of children die of malaria in Africa due to ignorance. Self medication is not advised because it is malaria.

It is a serious illness that you need to see a doctor. Apart from this, I am also working on my TV series.

What is the television series about?

It’s going to be more of a sitcom. I noticed that we really don’t have continuity, so I wanted to start with that and that means working with a lot of script writers.

It seems Nollywood parades many single mothers, why?

People think we are the only ones going through this, which is not true. A lot of people out there also experience same thing but since they are not in the limelight, nobody knows about them.

What's your view on the increase in single parenthood?

I am not a supporter of single parenthood. I wasn’t taught or brought up that way but mine is a situation I find myself. I wouldn’t blame any one for it.

Every man or woman has the right to live their life the way they choose but I wouldn’t advise or support such.

•Shirley Oke Ofou

Have you ever regretted featuring in a movie?

Yes, I have. It happened sometime ago when I got a script and felt it was good.

But getting to the location, I discovered they wanted to use low quality equipment. Imagine shooting with camcorder camera and halogen light.

Obviously, such movie wouldn’t be good.

But luckily for me the film did not hit the market. It happened in 2004.

Why are Yoruba films poorly subtitled?

We have not been able to get the right people to do it for us. Again, most of us are always in a hurry to send our movies to the market.

What is the first thing you consider before accepting a script or producing a movie?

The first thing I consider is the moral

Do you regret being a single mother?

I have no regret at all. I have only learnt to be stronger.

So, how is life as a single woman?

I thank God. My career and business are going on well. The only difference for me is that I don’t have to run home to cook for a husband. Life is still the same. I am normal with no problem. Life goes on.

Is it true that men take advantage of single mothers?

It all depends on the woman. If you allow anyone take advantage of you, it’s your headache.

Any experience?

No.

Every man or woman has the right to live their life the way they choose but I wouldn’t advise or support such

Why do artists have issues with marketers?

I really can’t say but we can resurrect our cinema culture to reduce such misunderstanding.

Having more cinemas in the country will do. Engaging online TV would help too and also having more friendly markee trs and not those who would be angry just because their favourite artist is not in the film. I mean marketers who will appreciate a good job when they see one .

It went viral that you attended a Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries MFM church to get your husband ?

Were they there with me? I go to any church. I went there to pray to God. Thank God I was seen in a church and not with a herbalist.

How often do you see your son who clocked eight recently?

He stays with his dad. I really don’t want to say much about this because we are still in court.

What lessons did you learn from your previous marriage?

I want to be closer to God and put God first in everything I do.

Is there any man in the picture?

I never gave up on love. I have found love again in Jesus. I am married to my career right now. I am in a relationship anyway but I want to be private about it.

How soon should we expect the wedding bells?

He has to wait for me to achieve some things.

What's your relationship with Stella Damascus?

I have no business with her.

If you are producing a movie, can you invite Stella Damasuc as one of the casts?

Yes, I can, after all, she is an actress and money is involved. I can do business with an enemy provided it is strictly business.

Why her when I can always go for others?

Do you sometimes wish you were still with your ex-?

I don’t want him back. He is now in the past .

What does style mean to you ?

It means my person.

Having been separated from your husband but now in another relationship, how often do you have sex? (laughs) I want to restore my virginity. I never thought of it but that will be whenever my man wants it.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—25

By TOFARATI IGE 08068792241

Olamide

‘Durosoke’ rapper, Olamide, bared his fangs at the gossippeddler in 2014 when she published a story that he was expecting a baby with his longtime girlfriend.

Olamide took to his social media pages to vent that Linda never publicises any good thing that happens in his career, but she’s always eager to post negative news about him.

9ice

Alapomeji singer, 9ice is another entertainer that doesn’t think too highly of Linda. The lanky singer once issued a stern warning to the blogger never to post any of his songs without his permission.

He wrote, ‘I will kill…I will fight anybody that dares put my song on the internet for free.

Where was Linda Ikeji when I was out with my first album?

Linda Ikeji, who are you? I don’t even know her; Linda Ikeji, if you are expecting a dime from me; fa fa foul. You pay me before you upload my music.’

Celebrities who have fought with Linda Ikeji Following the macabre social media drama that played out between the ‘Pakurumo’ singer, Wizkid and top blogger, Linda Ikeji last week, we take a look at other celebrities that have been at daggers drawn with the blogger. pastor who presides over the Household of God Church supports Christians having tattoos.

Okotie later issued a public statement in which he wrote, ‘As you read this, a casual remark made by Rev. okotie in response to a parishioner ’s question on the propriety of Christians having tattoos was twisted to portray the man of God as endorsing the untoward practice. One Linda Ikeji used her blog to promote this falsehood…’

Tonto Dikeh

Newly-married actress, Tonto Dikeh, was also not pleased with the kind of stories Linda Ikeji publishes about her. She took to her Twitter page to address the issue. She wrote, ‘When will you grow up and learn? When really would you ever be happy enough to ignore the hate you feel inside? You’re suffering and I feel bad for you, but I’m praying for you.’

In another tweet, she wrote, ‘You choose not to write about my success, f**king big deal, but you reduce and embarrass yourself by picking fake news from fake accounts. You’re dying slowly…’

RMD

Veteran actor, Richard MofeDamijo (RMD), was incensed when Linda reported in 2012 that he built a N250million home in Ikeja.

Funke Akindele

In his reaction, RMD, who was a Commissioner in Delta State at the time, wrote, ‘It has been brought to my attention that one Linda Ikeji character who I understand is a gossip has put up a story about my N250m…I’d like to sound a warning to her to desist from fabricating stories about me and get a life…’

Jim Iyke

Jim Iyke, as we all know, takes no prisoners when he’s upset. When Linda published a story that didn’t go down well with him, he tweeted, ‘It’s my handle and my space. I do with it what I please. If that hermaphrodite witch, Linda and her lame employees don’t like it, then hug a transformer!’

Toke Makinwa

adio personality and party poper, Toke Makinwa, has also had some beef with Linda in

the past. Toke once took to her radio show to say, ‘I don’t think Linda Ikeji is a role model.

She’s a gossiper, she sells gossip.’

Yemi Solade

Handsome actor, Yemi Solade, called out Linda after she took pictures of his family from his social media page and posted it on her blog. The actor was so enraged about her act and he put her on blast. He wrote, ‘I posted pictures on Facebook and some funny Nigerians began writing stories from my pictures. I have to mention Linda Ikeji; it’s not fair…’

Leke Adeboye

Frontline cleric, Pastor E. A. Adeboye’s son, Leke, also had grievances with Linda, after she published a story that his wife was pregnant.

At the time of publishing the story, Leke and his wife had already welcomed their child.

He took to his Twitter page to write, ‘We done had the baby already. For real gist, follow me. Your source is slow and very unreliable.’

Popular and well-loved thespian, Funke Akindele didn’t find it funny when Linda reported in 2015 that a post on Funke’s Instagram page was poking fun at Toyin Aimakhu’s marital crisis.

Funke, who studied Law, thereafter threatened Linda to take down the post within 24 hours, or she would sue her.

Chris Okotie

When it comes to people who Linda Ikeji has stepped on their toes, it cuts beyond the entertainment industry.

Popular cleric, Chris Okotie, also had his fair share of ‘beef’ with Linda, when she published a story that the

Grammy award winner, Norman Brown, Yemi Sax, Femi Leye, others to perform live at jazz and culture festival

BY ADERONKE ADEYERI

T

he United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated April 30 as International Jazz Day to highlight, promote, and showcase the diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe through Jazz music. And to commerate this annual celebration, the Satchmo’s group has decided to storm Lagos with a five day event tagged “Satchmo’s Jazz and Culture Festival ‘’ bringing International jazz artistes from different countries into Nigeria ranging from Sunni Patterson, Rick Braun, Grammy Award-winning Norman Brown, Jon Scott, Carlo Rossi and the Organic Jam.

Also, at the event will beYemi Sax, Femi Leye, Imoleayo Balogun, Godwin Strings, and Saxtee.

Founder and CEO, Oludolapo Ajayi said, “This year ’s festival will also embrace fashion, film and spoken word events, and it will feature the 2nd August Agboola O’Browne Lecture. The event expected to be the highlight of the festival will encourage interaction between art, business and culture minded people while providing non-stop excitement for all age groups at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, Victoria Island between 27th April to 1st May”.

Satchmo’s Jazz and Culture Festival will take off with two Satchmo’s International Jazz day IJD Pre-

Countdown events; the first on April 27th in partnership with Industry Nite at Oriental Hotel, April 28th at Blowfish where attendees will enjoy live music and floetry. The main

International Jazz Day count down will follow on April 29th at Oriental Hotel. This event will set the stage for the UNESCO International Jazz Day Concert on 30th April 2016.

C M Y K

26—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

•Beatles

•Jackson 5

•Diana Ross

•Temptations

•Stevie Wonder •Michael Jackson

•Berry Gordy

T

of

oday’s popular music is colour blind. We don’t bother about the ethnicity

a singer when we hear a song we like. It really doesn’t matter.

Looking back, it’s astonishing to remember how recent a development that is, particularly in the U.S, where, until the late Fifties, the record charts were segregated into black rhythm-and-blues and white pop lists.

As Smokey Robinson of The Miracles would say: ‘If you were a black artist you could be singing Tiddlywinks and it was still a black rhythm-and-blues record. If you were white and sang the same song, it was pop.’

Your colour dictated which radio stations would play your record. And such prejudice did not apply only in the southern U.S states, where racism was institutionalised.

In the early Sixties, even in the northern city of Detroit, Michigan, a young black man called Berry Gordy would have to call ahead to a new restaurant to inquire as to whether it ‘served coloured people.’

Gordy wasn’t going to be stopped by racism. He wanted to make records and ‘sell music to all the people - white or black, Jews or gentiles, cops and robbers.’

And he would succeed so spectacularly that the record company he created, Motown, would, I believe, become one of the wrecking balls that helped smash a path through all kinds of racial barriers in the second half of the 20th century.

Gordy was working on a car assembly line in a Detroit factory C M Y K

•Marvin Gaye

Why Motown still keeps them dancing •The story of the greatest record label

The money Berry Gordy borrowed from his family to set up Motown records

when he decided to set up his own record label. It was 1959 and he was 29. Having co-written the hit Reet Petite for Jackie Wilson and You Got What It Takes for his friend Marv Johnson, for which he had received a pittance, he realised the prizes went to those who owned the means of production - the writing, recording, publishing, pressing and selling of the records.

Gordy knew that for real success he had to get his records played by white DJs for a white audience as well as a black one. So, streamlining his company like a car production line, he set two teams to work. The songwriters, singers and musicians were all black, while the promotion and distribution people were nearly all white.

It was business, and Gordy, though a handy boogie-woogie player and gifted at spotting talent, was a businessman.

He was shrewd, too. When untrue rumours got around that his business may have Mafia connections, he didn’t deny them.

Why? Because, he would laugh, it meant the middle men distributors would pay Motown a lot quicker should they think they may get an

unwelcome visit if they didn’t.

Success came quickly with the all-girl group The Marvelettes and their hit Please Mr Postman while Smokey Robinson’s music lessons in high school eventually led him and The Miracles to Gordy with Shop Around.

And then there was Mary Wells with the classic, million-selling My Guy. Poor Mary! She made the mistake of believing it was her voice that made her a star when actually it was the songs that Robinson wrote for her.

Leaving Motown in 1965, she never had another hit, while Robinson soon came up with a companion song for another Motown act, The Temptations My Girl. And there would be many more.

The record-buying teen-agers loved the records that Motown was putting out. As Gordy boasted, his label was ‘the sound of young America’. It was.

Motown’s success had been almost exclusively in the U.S., then Gordy got lucky when The Beatles chose to cover three Motown songs for their second album: You’ve Really Got A Hold

•Smokey Robinson On Me, Money and Please Mr Postman.

All Gordy needed now was glamour, and up popped Diana Ross and the Supremes with Where Did Our Love Go? and Baby Love.

From a tiny company where acts were recorded in a converted garage, Motown had mushroomed to become the biggest black-owned entertainment company in the U.S., with The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye following each other up the charts.

By the Seventies, however, Gordy was looking towards Hollywood as he steered his protege (and lover) Diana Ross to movie stardom with Lady Sings The Blues.

He finally moved his entire company to Los Angeles. Though Stevie Wonder albums still sold well, an era was over.

In 1988, Gordy sold the label for $61 million. It was a bargain, and the company was resold five years later for $301 million.

He kept the publishing side of the business until 1997, when it went for $320 million for 15,000 songs.

This is a beautifully illustrated and informative book, but as it is cowritten by Barney Ales, the man who sold the records, rather than Gordy, the man who made them, the emphasis is on business rather than art. I would like to have learned more about what went on in the hothouse of creativity that was Motown at its zenith, about who came up with the ideas for songs and arrangements and to know a little bit about the rivalries, jealousies and scandals that must inevitably have lurked in the background.

For that, I may have to wait for a different kind of book.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—27

Three years after his marriage saga, Solomon Akiyesi blasts haters

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OPULAR actor, Solomon Akiyesi who has suffered bad press after it was rumoured three years ago that he abandoned his 8month pregnant wife, Lilian Akiyesi, in Port Harcourt and came to Lagos, to marry his mistress, Uloma Agwu, can still hold his head high.

The embattled actor, during the week went down memory lane, blasting those who were behind the hateful news that almost ruined his career.

Akiyesi took to his Facebook page to blast his haters. He writes: “How could I have forgotten the anniversary of 13th of February when on that day, three years ago, I was accused of abandoning my “pregnant” wife in Port Harcourt to marry my “mistress” in Lagos. It was a day hell was let loose and the world fell at my feet in vituperation. It was a day the gates of hell was opened wide and I saw tender birds in my life become roaring lions as

Okey Bakassi, Jennifer Eliogu to host Daylight Leadership Awards

A

s the countdown to the maiden edition of Daylight Annual Leadership Awards, DALA 2016, commences, the organizers have announced actress Jennifer Eliogu and comedian Okey Bakassi as the hosts for the epoch event.

The high-octane awards ceremony holds on Sunday, May 22, at the prestigious Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. The organizers say Okey Bakassi and Jennifer Eliogu were unanimously selected to compère the event, following their track record as thespians who will bring their wealth of experiences to bear on making the historic awards night a huge success.

In a statement, the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief of Daylight.ng, Mr. Azuh Amatus, said the duo were painstakingly picked as hosts based on their pedigrees as accomplished comperes and entertainers. “The duo has anchored several high profile events within and outside Nigeria. They are thorough professionals and we are pleased and proud to work with them as DALA 2016 anchor persons. Bakassi is an actor, comedian and compere, while Eliogu is an actress, musician and compere.

They are multi-talented entertainers with global fan bases,” stated Azuh.

they bared their fangs, oiled and fine-tuned by the likes of Linda Ikeji and her fellow travellers on the way to perdition.

13th February 2013, was a day when the opportunity came for dogs who have been yearning to bite my flesh, to grab all they could off me... And exploiting their uniformed profession, they took it all from me. Home, wife, daughter and all.

And then, in their warped reasoning that wearing a pair of smelling khaki uniform means you have the power of life and death, they made attempt at my dignity. But that was where God stepped in to scream: “Touch not my anointed!” And then they have remained disillusioned confused, mesmerised, weak in the knees and brain ever.”

*Jennifer Eliogu

Award-winning telenovela, ‘La Hipocondriaca’ berths on wapTV

Nda-Isaiah elected PMAN Governor

E

ntertainment Editor of Leadership Newspapers, Solomon Nda-Isaiah has been elected the new Governor of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria,PMAN, FCT chapter.

He was unanimously endorsed by the members of the association as its general meeting held recently at Rita Lori Hotel, Garki, Abuja.

Nda-Isaiah, who was the former Deputy Governor of the union succeeded Mr. Collins Adeyemi following the resignation of the latter as the Governor.

In his acceptance speech, Nda-Isaiah promised to work diligently for the uplifting of the union, adding that the welfare of the members remains his major priority. He also stressed the need for bringing in all aggrieved members together so that the great association could get back its lost glory.

W

*A scene from La Hipocondríaca

At 54, Kanayo O Kanayo unveils KOKMA

T

By ANOZIE EGOLE

op Nollywood actor, Kanayo. O. Kanayo, recently celebrated his 54th birthday in grand style. He used the opportunity to officially unveil his long term goal of giving back to the society through his academy tagged, Kanayo. O. Kanayo Mentoring Academy, KOKMA. The veteran actor and UN ambassador of peace said that mentoring youths in all facets of life has been his long term goal and he is happy that he has officially unveiled the program.

Speaking about the event, the Imo Stateborn veteran actor said, “This project was due to be unveiled on March 1, 2012 which was my birthday. But because it fell on the same day Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu was to be buried, I decided to postpone it. That is why we have decided to officially unveil the C M Y K

project today. I have always had this dream of giving back to my society and I want to do so through mentoring of the young ones in our society today. I decided to do a thing of this nature due to what I have observed in our society today. There is a wide gap between what we had then as youths and what is obtained in our youths of today. I have once been a youth and I know what it takes. I want our youths to know that they can be whatever they wish to be in life through sheer determination, and they should not allow anything to sway them. This academy is coming to educate the youths to enable them discover their talents and harvest them. It is time our youths started looking for ways to improve our society instead of saying negative things about the society. It is not going to be a formal school. We have assembled a team which includes all areas of life and we will be going to public schools to enlighten the youths. It is going to be a face-to-face approach.”

APTV, the 24-hour Family Entertainment Channel, has just purchased the exclusive licence to air La Hipocondríaca (The Hypochondriac) Telenovela to its millions of viewers across Africa and Europe starting in May, 2016.

Produced in 2013, La Hipocondríaca is a very popular Spanish Telenovela, which tells the comedic story of Macarena (played by Stephanie Cayo), a hypochondriac who strongly believes that she will die soon. Her ‘dreams’ seem to come true when Dr. Alejandro (played by Ernesto Calzadilla) misdiagnosis her with only 6 more months to live, when in reality she has a long, healthy life ahead of her. What will happen when both discover the truth? In a situation like this, the best cure is love.

According to Wale Adenuga, MD of wapTV, “La Hipocondríaca Telenovela will air by 9:00 – 9:30pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday; with repeat broadcast at 2:00 – 2:30pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Viewers sure have a lot to look forward to; and coupled with wapTV’s extensive coverage area, this is surely an excellent opportunity for advertisers to reach their target audience and promote their products and services to enhance customer retention and increase market share.”

28—SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 23, 2016

Rotimi Agbana 08137741609

Actor, Damola Olatunji builds N60m naira hotel Actress, Abimbola Thomas is pregnant with ffir irirsst cchild hild N

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IGERIAN actor, producer and director, Damola Olatunji has completed the erection of a multimillion naira hotel in Sango-Otta, Ogun State. The edifice is said to be worth a whooping 60million naira. The award winning actor spoke

ollywood actress, film maker, event compere and CEO Bimbally Wine, Abimbola Thomas is reportedly pregnant with her first child. The versatile actress who has featured in very popular films like Funke Akindele’s Omo Ghetto is said to be excited about being a prospective mother, though the identity of the unborn child’s father is yet to be identified because she has kept everything about the pregnancy a secret. It is however suspected and rumored that her United States resident lover is responsible for the pregnancy. In addition to her profession as an Actress, Film Maker and Event Compere, Abimbola Thomas runs a Liquor store somewhere in Ikeja, Lagos.

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Falz, Bovi, reject MOPICON bill

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igerian entertainers who graced the 4th edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference held at the Landmark Convention Centre, Oniru, Lagos, on Wednesday, April 20th 2016, seriously criticized and rejected the proposed bill which advocates the formation of the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria (MOPICON). While speaking at the Conference, budding rap artiste and actor, Folarin ‘Falz’

Falana angrily shared his dissatisfaction on the proposed bill.

“How can you say if someone wants to post motion pictures on YouTube, Instagram or facebook they have to join a council? The MOPICON Bill is ridiculous” he queried. The bill was condemned by many entertainers because it suggests restriction of creativity. Popular comedian and actor, Bovi, shared the same reservation on the proposed bill. He suggested that the bill would limit the entertainment industry. The bill, which proposes a regulation of quality Nollywood film production was initiated 10 years ago, but was suspended because the proposers believed it was doctored.

on why he venture into the business of hospitality “Naturally, I’m a hospitable person and I love to make people around me comfortable and also, due to the nature of my career, I have been to hotels.

Therefore, going into hospitality

business for me is like doing what is part of me and what gives me joy.” The happily married actor and proud father of a lovely set of twins will officially commission the hotel in a few weeks time. Congratulations Mr. Damola.

2Face, Annie Idibia bag new endor sement deal endorsement

N

igerian multi-award winning hip-hop singer, songwriter and Hypertek Records boss, Innocent ‘2face’ Idibia, has been unveiled as the new African ambassador for alcoholic drink, Campari.

The announcement was officially made at the Nigerian Entertainment Conference, held at the Landmark Convention Center, Oniru, on April 20th, 2016. Head, Brand and Marketing, Mr. Abayomi Ajao revealed that over the years, foreign celebrities have been the company’s brand ambassador, but they have come to the realization that African celebrities should be their face here in

Africa to promote their products.

2face also made the announcement on his Instagram page, he shared a photo and wrote “New endorsement deal alert! Say hello to the new Campari ambassador.” In the same vein, while 2face was being unveiled as Campari’s brand ambassador, his wife, Annie Idibia also signed an endorsement deal with tea producers, Slim Tea. The actress, model and mother of two, expressed her excitement over the endorsement. “I am happy to be associated with the brand called Slim Tea. Through this partnership, I’m looking forward to helping many women on their weight loss journey,” she said. Congratulations to 2baba and Annie as they both smile to the bank.

Kunle Afolayan to premier new movie at 40,000f ve 40,000ftt abo above sea level

P

opular Nollywood actor, producer and director, Kunle Afolayan is set to premier his latest movie The CEO in a style never seen in the history of mankind. He intends to premier the movie onboard a plane, 40,000ft above the ground, with an after party on the same plane to crown the event.

The talented film maker broke the news of the unusual style of movie premier on his Instagram page. “1st of June 2016, The CEO special premier, red carpet at check in counter, cocktail party at the boarding gate into the plane, movie screen onboard the plane Lagos-

Paris, after party happens 40,000ft above the sea level.

It’s an event you don’t want to miss.” Kunle Afolayan is one out of many movie directors who is on top of his game, producing cutting edge movies such as October 1st, The figurine: Araromire and Phone Swap, movies that keep the audience glued to their sits.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—29

rom helping to relieve F backache to regulating temperatures between the sheets

and helping to prevent snoring, mattresses have become seriously high-tech these days. Now they can even help detect if a partner is cheating, reports The Daily Mail.

Costing £1,200, the Spanishdesigned ‘smartress’ allows mistrusting spouses who are away from home to check their smartphones to find out if the mattress is in use and how many people are on it.

The high-tech bed, which can be purchased with ‘upmost confidentiality’ and comes with a five year warranty, uses 24 ultrasonic sensors to detect ‘suspicious activity’, alerting the owner via a mobile app.

Its ‘Lover Detection System’ generates a 3D map to show which areas are receiving greater pressure and what movement is taking place, all in ‘real time’.

Described by developers as ‘foolproof’, the electronic genius behind the system is said to be undetectable as it is integrated within the mattress’s springs.

Jose Antonio Muinos, spokesman for makers Durmet, said: ‘We came up with the idea after we saw the figures on infidelity that said Spaniards were the most unfaithful in Europe.

‘It is a concept that will bring peace of mind to men and women, not just during the night but also during the day while they are out at work and the bed should really be being used.

‘On the outside it is just a normal looking and very comfortable mattress, but inside hides some cutting-edge technology.

INCREDIBLE:

Hi-tech mattress that can expose your cheating spouse

•Hi-tech: Spanish-designed mattress connects to app that tells you how many people are in your bed when you’re away. The 3D map integrated spring system is described as ‘foolproof’ by the designer (not pictured) ‘We think the mattress will do well internationally because it is the only one in the world that uses this technology and is

designed specifically for the objective of catching cheating partners.’

According to extramarital

WONDERFUL: Woman gives breast milk to

her dying dad to keep him alive

A

mum-of-two believes she gave her terminally ill father an extra year of life by feeding him her breast milk.

Helen Fitzsimmons, 40, pumped her one-year-old son’s milk and gave it to her father Arthur after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Arthur had already been fighting myeloma cancer - which affects bone marrow - for four years when he was told he also had prostate cancer in October 2013, reports the London Mirror.

Desperate to help, Helen started researching treatments and came across medical evidence which showed breast milk can boost the immune system.

After tentatively approaching the subject with mum Jean, Arthur told Helen: ‘Anything is worth a go.’

From then on her father would regularly drink her milk.

Helen, of Cheltenham, said: “The first time dad tasted my milk from a glass he drank it down in one go. He looked at me and smiled, then said ‘this tastes fine’.

“I know there are some people who may find this all a little strange but when someone you love is suffering you would do anything to help them.

“I’d found a way to help my dad and I took it. It gave him hope and he lived 16 months after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“That was a year longer than we expected after that and I’m sure it was my breast milk that helped.”

Arthur was diagnosed with myeloma cancer aged 68 in Arthur 2009, a slow-moving but •Helen Fitzsimmons with father, terminal cancer which raises protein levels, in turn lowering the decided on a whim. There was clear immune system and weakening the medical evidence that giving dad my bones. He was undergoing treatment breast milk may help him. with chemotherapy drugs when he was “Cassius was only a year old and I diagnosed with prostate cancer in was still feeding him so what harm October 2013.

Helen said: “It was absolutely crushing could it do? I started expressing and for us because dad was now dealing with freezing, then taking monthly supplies down to my dad in Devon.” two cancers. As a family we tried to stay Arthur’s battle with prostate cancer clam but we were so worried.” was proving tough, but the family It was then Helen, who was were left amazed when doctors told breastfeeding her son Cassius was just a them his protein levels - which kept year old, starting trawling the Internet rising due to his myeloma - had for treatment and found groundstopped increasing. breaking research into the power of Helen said: “In January 2014 dad breast milk. started drinking 2fl. oz of breast milk Research has shown that it boosts the a day and his protein levels stopped immune systems and babies that are breast-fed have lower blood pressure and increasing almost straight away.

“I wanted him to drink more so are less likely to be obese in later life. asked a friend to start donating her Swedish scientists discovered in 1995 milk too and he was soon taking 3fl that a protein in the milk appeared to oz. Incredibly, his protein levels then destroy cancer cells in the laboratory. actually started falling.

Another study found a different “He even joked mine was sweeter compound also destroyed skin warts after tasting both. triggered by the human papiloma virus “There’s nothing to suggest that and suggested it could have implications anything else other than the breast for treating cervical cancer. milk caused this to happen.

Helen said: “It wasn’t something I

affairs website Ashley Madison, Madrid has the highest rate of cheating spouses, closely followed by London.

The ‘smartress’ is not the first tool designed to catch lovecheats. The app mCouple was launched last year, which enables users to track almost every detail of their partner’s life. Users are given access to every phone call, text and email, and any activity on Skype or Facebook, as well as pictures and videos taken on their mobile. People can even record their partner’s mobile phone conversations – and track their movements using GPS technology.

The app was created by London-based firm mSpy, which stressed that users must gain consent before downloading the device on to their partner’s phone. A similar app, Couple Tracker, costs just 79p and sells itself as ‘the best affair and cheating prevention and detection mobile application’.

With more than five million downloads, the app includes GPS-tracking every half hour, full call history and a statistical overview of everyone commenting and liking their partner’s Facebook posts.

The ‘smartress’ is also not the first mattress with special inbuilt technology. Last month British designers created the Balluga bed.

The vibrating smart bed is made up of air-filled balls, covered in foam, and can tilt to relieve blocked airways and reduce snoring.

“In fact, when he later dropped to having just half an ounce of breast milk a day the levels raised again.”

Helen said Arthur ’s haematology doctors were “quite dismissive” of alternative therapies saying there was no proof any worked, but the family remain convinced the milk prolonged his life.

Helen said: “I truly believe that dad lived an extra 12 months because of the breast milk.

“Of course we can’t prove it medically but it gave him hope - and hope is so important in battling cancer.

“Dad had no qualms about taking it and knowing there were no side-effects was a bonus.

“He told me he was grateful and hoped that others would benefit from our story.

That’s why I’ve decided to tell people about our experience.”

Sadly, Helen’s dad eventually lost his fight for life in Easter last year - 16 months after first drinking her milk.

She said: “My only regret is that I didn’t realise the benefits of breast milk earlier.

“My daughter Harmony was only a few months old when dad was first diagnosed and I wish I’d started giving my dad milk back then.

“I realise that this may all seem a bit odd to others , but to me it was the most natural thing in the world. I had an opportunity to help the dad who raised me, who walked me down the aisle and who I loved very much.

“My hope now is that one day doctors embrace alternative therapies and treat them with the legitimacy they deserve.

“We are only starting to understand cancer and what may help fight it and I hope what happened to our family gives someone else hope.

“It was a privilege to be able to offer Dad some hope.

“It was wonderful to be able to repay him in my own special way for all the love he’d given me.”

30—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

08 1 1 6759 759 081 6759759

A father’s unconditional love

Chinese man has A demonstrated the greatest love a parent could give by looking after his bed-bound son for as long as 46 years.

At the age of 95, Xu Desong, from Lianyungang city in east

China, still feeds and massages his disabled son every day and gives him bed-baths as often as he can.

Xu, who was widowed in 1995, also does all the grocery shopping, cooking and washing up in the household of two. Xu Baoyin, 65,

‘It looks more like Colonel Gaddafi’

is the eldest of the three sons of Xu Desong. The man was paralysed at the age of 17 after being hit by an iron block on the spine while building a new house for his family.

The accident damaged Baoyin’s spine nerves and left him bedbound. Xu Desong had taken his son to seek medical attention in various hospitals in Shanghai, but the doctors were not able to treat him. Since there is no social benefits in China which allow severely disabled people to enjoy social care for free, Desong had to bring his son back to their tiny home. Since then, Desong and his wife took turns to look after bedridden Baoyin who needs help in all aspects of life, from eating, bathing, exercising to going to the toilet.

In 1995, Desong’s wife died from cerebral venous thrombosis, leaving Baoyin in the sole care of his father. Baoyin’s two younger

brothers, who have their own families elsewhere, reportedly also suffer from poor health and could not help with the caring of Baoyin.

For the past two decades, Desong - who has a pension of 3,000 Yuan (£311) a month - has tended the needs of his son all alone. He goes to the market to buy food, washing all clothes by hand, and cooks three meals a day. In order to help his son digest, Desong usually only cooks soft food, such as dumplings, noodles and congee.

He gives him bed-baths regularly and messages Baoyin to prevent his joints from stiffening.

As time goes by, Desong becomes more and more worried about the life of his son Baoyin after he passes away. But for now Desong said as long as he could move, he would not let his son suffer.

‘I hereby denounce the effects social media have on my children' social life gets shot to pieces.

T

IANT statues of the Queen and G Duke of Edinburgh have

been trolled online because they look nothing like them.

The 12ft terracotta tributes have drawn comparisons with mad dog dictator Colonel Gaddafi, kids classic the BFG and Olympian Fatima Whitbread.

Royals fan Ben Bennett has given the statues pride of place on his front lawn in Windsor, Berkshire and believes the Queen could have even seen them.

But the bizarre sculptures to mark Her Majesty’s 90th birthday have been widely mocked on social media. One Twitter user wrote: “A Windsor man has created this 12ft statue - but is it of HM The Queen, Colonel Gaddafi or Fatima Whitbread?”

Robert Martin added: “I’m sorry, but having a Col. Gaddafi lookalike beside Prince Phillip isn’t a great way of commemorating Maam’s birthday.”

Another tweeted: “Nice to see the #Queenat90 being honoured with this sculpture/topiary of Muammar Gaddafi and the B.F.G.” Mr Bennett stumbled across the statues of Prince Philip and the Queen at a house clearance in Chelsea, West London, several years ago.

The 83-year-old has placed them on his front lawn next to a red phone box and believes there is a chance the Queen could have seen them.

Mr Bennett said: “When I first had them, I was in the front room looking out of the window and I saw five or six Range Rovers pull up. I’m sure she came to have a look.”

He added: “We’ve been flooded with visitors coming to see them.

“When children have their picture taken with them, the funny thing is the children always stand to attention.

“They’ve given joy to hundreds and hundreds of people.”

RYING to spend quality time with someone who won’t give up staring at their phone is one of the most infuriating things to come out of the new Millennium.

So we kind of understand where this mother was coming from when she confiscated her kid’s phone, set up it up as a target on a tree, loaded a gun and blew it to smithereens.

A slight overreaction, true, but who hasn’t wanted to tear a smartphone out of someone’s claw and annihilate it at some point in their lives? In the video, her three glum children look on in dismay as their connection to Candy Crush, Facebook and a

Explaining the unusual move, the mother, from the southern USA, says: ‘My children’s lives are more important to me than any electronic on this earth.’

‘Contacting people they don’t know, being involved in drama they don’t need to be in, and being in trouble at school for having phones out.’ After accurately firing at the phone, she brings out a slegehammer and whacks it, just to make sure it is well and truly finished.

We’re somehow not sure they all went back into the house for a civilised family dinner after this – even without the phone for distraction.

SA TURD AY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016 — 31 SATURD TURDA

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Vict oria A dande shines @ 60 Victoria Adande

eing 60 must be a happy experience and looking ravishing and radiant at such diamond age must have a blissful feel about it even the people around could almost touch. For Victoria Bamidele Adande who celebrated her 60th birthday with family and friends at her Maryland Estate, Lagos recently, being 60 couldn’t have been more nostalgic and delightful. Photos by Akeem Salau

The celebrant Mrs Victoria Adande (3rd from right) in a group photograph with friends

Nigerians in US tto o talk par tner ship partner tnership DISCUSSION“Partnership with Nigeria: US View” held on Monday, March 28, 2016 at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) in Washington DC. This was part of the week-long activities including the Nuclear Security conference and the bi-national conference with President Muhammadu Buhari and some members of his cabinet.

Mrs Victoria Aganda, the celebrant (right), with Dr Atilade Olufemi Oshoniyi and Mrs Aderonke Oshoniyi.

L-R: Moderator Princeton N. Lyman, a USIP Senior Adviser and former US Ambassador to Nigeria (1986-1989); and current US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Linda ThomasGreenfield

L-R;Pastor Jide Somoye, Pastor (Mrs) Funke Somoye; Mrs Dupe Oredein and Dr Babs Oredein.

I

L-R; Mrs Omorisola Sofola; Mrs Idowu Ashiru; and Mrs Folurin Ashiru-Ejiwunmi

Iya Ewe of Ikeja land celebrates 90

t was fanfare and celebration galore at the home of Chief Deaconess (Mrs.) Christiana Ayodele Morohundiya Iya Ewe of Ikeja land in Lagos as the family and relations rolled out drum to celebrate her 90th birthday. There were plenty to eat and even take away.

L-R: Mrs. Okemute Olatunji-Albert, Mrs. Tokunbo Ogunjobi, the celebrant, Chief Deaconess (Mrs.) Christiana Ayodele Morohundiya JP, the Iya Ewe of Ikejaland and Chief (Yeye) Mojisola Abiola Ahonaruogho.

The Ahonaruoghos (L-R): High Chief Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, Chief (Yeye) Mojisola Abiola Ahonaruogho and Barrister Etahre Oladipupo Ahonaruogho C M Y K

L-R: Chief (Yeye) Mojisola Abiola Ahonaruogho and Chief Yetunde Ashabi Morohundiya.

L-R: Barrister Olubankole Awosika, the celebrant, Chief Deaconess (Mrs.) Christiana Ayodele Morohundiya, JP, the Iya Ewe of Ikejaland, High Chief (Dr.) Mrs. Winifred Adefolahan Awosika (OON) and Mrs. Olamide Awosika

Former INEC chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega; Publisher of Politics Governance (Prof.) Alex Atawa Akpodiete

R-L: Rev. (Prof.) Alex Atawa Akpodiete with Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi

L-R: Voice of America Hausa Reporter; Deputy Nigerian Ambassador to UN Usman Sarki; George Mason University Professor; Former INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega; President of the Center for Peace, law & Sustainable Development Prof. Alex Atawa Akpodiete, another participant, Voice of America Hausa Reporter.

32—SATURDAY

Vanguard,APRIL 23, 2016

Testing blood pressure in BOTH arms could save lives

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octors should take blood pressure readings in both arms of patients, experts say, after they found a difference was linked to a severe heart risk.

Those with just five points’ variation were twice as likely to have died from heart disease in the next eight years, a study revealed.

Time-pressed doctors and nurses rarely check both arms, the researchers said, despite guidelines recommending it.

Previous studies have already highlighted the significance of a discrepancy in blood pressure for patients already diagnosed with heart disease.

This is because it can indicate a blockage in a major artery on one side of the body.

But until now, no studies had been carried out on those yet to receive a diagnosis.

The new research, led by the University of Exeter, suggests that regularly recording blood pressure in both arms could be a cheap and simple way to raise a warning flag years before people displayed other symptoms.

The team – whose findings are published today in the British Journal of General Practice – tested 3,000 Scottish people aged between 50 and 70.

Participants were all healthy, with no symptoms of heart disease – but they had already been roughly identified as being at a higher risk because they had high blood pressure in their ankles.

Researchers measured each person’s blood pressure in both arms.

Readings are routinely expressed as two numbers: systolic—the upper number— and diastolic—the lower one.

The experts found that even a difference in systolic blood pressure measurements between the two arms of 5mm/ Hg was linked to almost double the risk of death from heartrelated disease over the next eight years.

Alarmingly, some 60 per cent of the test subjects exhibited this disparity in their readings.

Dr Chris Clark, a GP and senior lecturer at Exeter University Medical School, said: ‘Guidelines state that blood pressure should be measured in both arms when assessing patients for hypertension, but often this advice is not followed due to time constraints or lack of awareness. For accuracy— to

•Double check: Doctors should take blood pressure readings in both arms of patients, experts say overcome natural blood pressure fluctuations – it is important to test both arms simultaneously to confirm any difference.

‘However ... if one arm is tested before the other – with just a single pair of measures— it is still possible to identify nearly

all those who will prove to have an inter-arm difference on further testing.’

‘Suitable lifestyle advice

can then be targeted at individuals identified in this way and could make a difference to their future health.’

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Differences in blood pressure between arms has previously been linked with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease in those that already have the condition or are at very high risk.

‘But this study found that healthy people without pre-existing heart disease may also have an increased risk.

‘The findings support current guidance that blood pressure should be measured in both arms when assessing someone for hypertension.’

Culled from Dailymail

Diet Doctor

These ‘healthy’ eating habits are sabotaging your diet Drinking juice ust because juice is made from fruit doesn’t make it good for you. Juice, in general, has around 30g of sugar per cup.

Stay away from any liquids that have sugar.

Even smoothies need to be taken in moderation. Whether it’s an apple or an orange, get your fill of fruit from the fruit itself. You will get more fibre, vitamins and minerals from eating the fruit than if you were to drink the juice because of the processing. When making a smoothie, use no more than a half-cup of fruit and mix it with a protein source.

Banishing your favourite foods Do you love pizza and French fries but refuse to take even a nibble? Probably not the best idea in the long run as you’ll end up pitting good food vs. bad food and then it becomes this forbidden thing to have this piece of chocolate — or whatever that special food is — so when you do eat it, you almost binge on it. Learn to eat your favourite foods in moderation. Incorporate a cheat day once a week or allow yourself to eat what you want when you eat out at a nice dinner. It’s not something you should do every day, but it’s finding that happy place with food.

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Binging on nuts You probably know that it’s bad to eat a whole bag of potato or plantain chips in one sitting but did you know that the same rule applies to nuts, even though they’ve been touted as one of the best snacks out there? While nuts have tons of health benefits, they also have lots of calories.

Eating too many can put you on a dangerous road to weight gain.

Whether you’re adding nuts to a salad or just snacking on them, eat no more than what’s in the palm of your hand. Put them in little small bags if you buy a big bag of it, or buy the little pre-packaged portioned bags and keep those in your purse or nearby for a quick snack.

Drinking diet soda It’s best to avoid diet drinks altogether, especially those with aspartame, an artificial sweetener that can be up to 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners are so sweet they can make your taste for sweetness insatiable. Research even shows that increased diet soda consumption is linked to more bellyfat in older adults. Avoid, or at least cut back on, diet soda. Have a glass of iced tea or plain water with natural flavouring instead of diet soda. If you need a hint of sweetness, get a diffuser pitcher and mix fresh fruit or cucumbers to give water a little taste.

Skipping meals Hoping to cut calories by skipping meals? That tactic may actually make you hungrier and more likely to overeat later, says Watson. Meal skipping is the number one with patients on weight loss. To jumpstart your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day, start your morning with a healthy breakfast.

Breakfast doesn’t have to be a big deal. It can be as simple as Greek yogurt with a serving of fruit, or cottage cheese and some strawberries and some blueberries or a couple of eggs and a piece of toast. To stay fuller longer, eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.

Ignoring food labels Some foods that are advertised as healthy actually may be full of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. Enter flavoured oatmeal and some types of granola. A closer look at the label shows that certain brands are loaded with sugar. Even some salad dressings can have as much as two teaspoons of sugar per serving. Read food labels. A good rule of thumb is to avoid processed foods with ingredients that you can’t pronounce.

Flavoured yogurts All of those so-called “healthy” small cups of fruit yogurts are in fact rich with sugar and far from good for your wellbeing. Basically, you are eating a desert in a small cup, and eating yogurt for breakfast or a snack is quite bad. By doing this, you raise your blood sugar and dehydrate your body. If you like yogurt, buy the good old original yogurt or plain Greek and add a little flavour with a small amount of honey or some chunks of fresh fruit.

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016 — 33

(Text Only)

The Plough

Technique: ie flat on your back, take a deep breath and swing both legs backwards such that the toes touch the floor with the chin pressing against the chest. If you can't manage that it will do to let the legs hang some distance to the floor. In fact, you may even use a chair, resting the feet on it.

Once you assume the plough posture, your breathing should be normal. You may retain the pose for 10 seconds. Then bend the knees and gently roll down flat onto the floor.

The Deep Knee Bend

Technique: Get on your knees with the feet quite wide behind you. Firstly, lower your body down till your buttocks rest on the floor.

Then bending slightly to the left, place down your left elbow then right elbow and gently ease your back flat down on the floor.

Spread out your hands by Benefits: your sides. Breathe deeply This posture relieves and removes various and slowly as you retain diseases and complications off the back, spine the posture for 5 to 15 and shoulders as well as pains in the stomach seconds. and elbows. The spinal nerves are stimulated and better blood circulation is effected to the Benefits: abdominal orgains, the spinal column, the back The Deep Knee Bend tones the quadriceps (the front thigh and the back of the neck.

It relieves tension from the cervical (upper back) and shoulder regions. Excess fat from the abdomen, thighs and nips are also reduced.

On the mental front, it relieves insomnia and restless sleep. It enchances physical and mental relaxation.

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Plo The

Tone up at home

muscles) and burns fat in the thighs. It lubricates the ankle and knee joints.

•

nee eep K The D

ugh

•Raised Body Pose

•

Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island Lagos.

10.00am — 11.00am

Justice for All offers free legal advice to suspects

By Onozure Dania

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legal aid council Justice for All (J4A) has introduced a free Legal Advice Scheme to help suspects and victims receive free legal advice and support.

The programme which is supported by the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID), is set to ensure that suspects don’t stay in a detention more than the stipulated time before they are charged to court.

A member of the scheme, Mrs Grace Adenubi, informed reporters that in Lagos alone they have been able to visit detention centres to monitor how suspects are being treated and also to ensure that they are not kept beyond 48 hours without charge.

She said that the focus of the group is to improve public confidence, transparency and police accountability in the treatment of suspects and victims in police stations.

According to her, JusC M Y K

tice for All offers free legal advice through a cadre of local lawyers who are willing to provide pro bono services and regular visit to police sta-

tions.

Besides, the group ensures the protection of legal entitlements and human rights through the provision of this legal advice and establishing a state-wide scheme that covered all police stations.

Umeh, Obi’s bitterness lingers in church

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HE bitterness be tween former Chairman of APGA Chief Victor Umeh and former Anambra State Governor Mr Peter Obi persisted even in the house of God yesterday.

Mr Peter Obi attended the requiem mass for the late sister of Chief Umeh, Mrs Adaku Alado at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Aguluzigbo. After the mass conducted by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor Chief Umeh stood for the Vote of Thanks and and rejected Mr. Obi’s condolence visit, saying that his family deserved more than that.

The former Commissioner for Information under Mr. Peter Obi, Barr.

Joe Martins Uzodike described it as unfortunate.

Expressing surprise that even the officiating Min-

Bend

isters could not call him to his order, Barr. Uzodike said it was bad for the morality of the State.

Umeh was chairman of APGA when Obi was governor of the state on the platform of APGA.

Raised Body Pose

Technique: Lie face down with the hands straight ahead of you.

Keep the legs also straight behind you. Inhale deeply and raise the hands, chest, and legs off the floor.

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KPAN Integrity Group (EIG), a peace peace building body has pledged to partner security agencies to checkmate arms proliferation, recurring violence and killings that have almost turned Ekpan into ghost town in volatile Uvwie local government area, Delta state.

The group’s commitment is coming on the heels of a weekend of violence in Uvwie in which daughter

Benefits: The Raised Body Pose strengthens the entire musculature. Practiced regularly, it enhances vitality.

Saraki withdraws appointment of NASS Clerk *Says Fika misled him

By Henry Umoru, Emman Ovuakpori, Johnbosco Agbakwuru and Joseph Erunke

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HE crisis in the lead ership of the National Assembly bureaucracy took a new twist yesterday following a directive from Senate President Bukola Saraki to the National Assembly Service Commission, NASC to withdraw the appointment of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Sani Omolori as the acting Clerk of the Nation-

Group sues for peace as violence prevails in Uvwie communities

By Egufe Yafugborhi

Breathe normally in thisPose •Raised Body position for 5 to 7 seconds.

Rest and repeat.

of Chief Newton Agbofodoh, the Unuevworo (Traditional Head) in Ekpan was shot and wounded by suspected assassins while Chief Godwin Eselema, a community leader died over lingering communal violence in Ogborikoko since last week Wednesday.

At the birth of EIG in Ekpan, Innocent Adjenevure, President of the body said, “ The future for Ekpan youths is bleak unless likeminded peace builders join forces to reverse the reign of terror and criminality in the community.

al Assembly, CNA. Saraki, who is also the chairman of the National Assembly in the letter to the Chairman of NASC, Dr. Adamu Fika said he and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara were misled by Fika on the issue.

Saraki thus ordered the return to the status quo ante in the light of information that Mr. Ben Efeturi, the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, DCNA was qualified to step into the shoes of the retiring CNA, Alhaji Salisu Maikasua. No reason was given by Fika for bypassing Efeturi who had previously served as the Clerk of the Senate before his appointment as the DCNA for the number one civil service job in the National Assembly.

The CNA is the equivalent of the Head of Service in the main bureaucracy of the federal civil service and Mr. Efeturi whose service in the National Assembly draws back from the Second Republic National Assembly had been highly favoured for the job following the retirement of Maikasua.

Saraki’s letter directing the withdrawal of the letter

to Omolori was signed by his Chief of Staff, Senator Isa Galaudu and dated 21st April, 2016, with the headline, ‘Withdrawal of letter of appointment of Acting Clerk of National Assembly.’

He claimed that he and Speaker Dogara, were misled by Fika who allegedly told them during a meeting that the Deputy CNA, Benedict Efeturi was not qualified to emerge as CNA. The letter from Saraki read thus, “We present to you the compliments of the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON. Please recall that during your last meeting with the Senate President on April 20, 2016, the procedure of the appointment of the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly was discussed.

“The Commission was directed to follow due process and ensure that seniority is adhered to. Of course, Mr Benedict Efeturi who is Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly (DCNA) and who has previously acted as the Clerk of the National Assembly should be the first to be considered.

34—SA TURD AY Vanguard, APRIL 23 34—SATURD TURDA 23,, 2016

SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 23, 2016—35 Dear Julie, I am a woman of 28 and have gone through a lot in life to build myself. I am a working student and I train myself. Basically, I don’t have time for any relationship and because of that, I have hurt a lot of people. You have so much information and advice for those who want to start, maintain, or end a relationship; but then there are people like me. In fact, I have no desire to be in a relationship with anyone. Sometimes I work two jobs, and I like hanging out with my friends and family when I do have spare time. I’m not interested in the feelings, emotions, and time it takes to be in a relationship. I’ll have sex with anyone before I even think about holding their hand. Then afterward, the guy will usually end up getting his feelings hurt because I don’t want to date him. Is there anything strange or unhealthy about this? I know I look good but that is that. I don’t have time for love.

Omoni, Benin City Dear Omoni, Some people love to pair off like lovebirds while others like to fly solo.

There’s nothing wrong with savouring your independence, as long as you are honest with yourself and your partners about what you want and don’t want out of each connection, sexually and otherwise.

Dear Julie, I have been having a lot of trouble with my husband. It’s not necessarily trouble, but I’ve been unhappy for a long time. Lately, nothing seems good between us anymore. He doesn’t want to do anything. Our anniversary came and went without a card. So did Mother ’s Day and my birthday. We haven’t exchanged a hug or a kiss in I don’t know how long, and sex between us doesn’t even exist. What am I going to do? Please help.

Funmilayo, Lagos Dear Funmilayo, Being unhappy is trouble. Ups and downs are a natural aspect of all relationships, especially long-term

juliecoker100@yahoo.com

I love sex but I don’t want anything serious

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what shape your relationships will take. But you must also understand the place of culture in relationships especially in this part of the world.

People are naturally social beings, and we spend a great deal of our time interacting with others. Sharing life’s ups and downs with friends and family can bring a sense of closeness and fulfillment that can’t be found in your professional or academic life.

Likewise, some people enjoy romantic relationships for companionship, commitment, and physical and emotional intimacy.

Other people partner up out of fear

of being alone or pressure to “settle down.”

As you implied, society often puts a premium on romantic relationships. From age-old love stories to reality dating shows, pairing is portrayed as the romantic ideal. In our culture, marriage is a strong form of “social glue” that binds together individuals, families, and communities. However, there are many other expressions of love and togetherness that don’t require you to tie the knot.

To begin, it may be helpful to sort out your feelings, values, and desires related to sexuality and

My marriage is suffering relationships where some of the flash and dazzle subdues into the more sustained benefits like steadiness, trust, and reliability. But that certainly doesn’t mean you should live without happiness or the physical intimacies and affectionate gestures that can make love such a pleasure.

Rather than speculating about what may be going on with your husband, talking openly about your concerns could help clear the air. Have you told your husband how you’re feeling?

Have you asked him why he isn’t interested in doing things together, acknowledging important dates, and

why his lust seems to have faded? He may be under unusual pressure at work, having a physical problem that he’s not discussing, or experiencing a host of other challenging, embarrassing, or painful issues. Asking him what he’s feeling, how he’s experiencing the relationship, and then sharing your side of things might help you two come to a new understanding of the state of your marriage, and decide on a course of action to make things better.

Remember to try not to attack or accuse him, but to discuss diplomatically how you’ve been acting towards each other. Find a time when you can sit down quietly and calmly to talk about some of these things.

relationships.

For example, are you satisfied with your current social scene, or do you to want make more time for friends or dating? Do you wish you had a “special someone” or are you truly happy on your own? And lastly, what’s your take on sex without commitment? Do you feel comfortable getting it on and then heading out, or would you prefer to get to know each other a bit more, before and/or after? There are no right or wrong answers here, so go with what feels best for you.

The tricky part is that everyone brings their own preferences to the dinner table and the bedroom. As you’ve experienced, it can cause discomfort and hurt feelings when, after a roll in the hay, your sexy someone wants to take you out on a date and you’d rather part ways.

Since there’s no way to predict how your partner may feel, perhaps you could try being more upfront about your intentions. For example, before things really heat up, you could say something like, “I’m not looking for a relationship, but I’d still like to have some fun together.” Put into your own words, that warning gives your partner a fair heads-up about where you’d like the experience to go. All that being said, one-nightstand or even steady commitments is easier said than done.

Even a short fling requires some amount of time and effort, and it’s likely that emotions will come into play at one point or another.

You might want to start off by preparing your husband for a serious conversation. Some examples of relatively easy ways to start a conversation like this might be, “I love you and our marriage is really important to me, so I want to talk to you about some things I’ve noticed.” Or, “Would you be willing to talk with me about some things that have been hard for me recently?”

Often, acknowledging that a problem exists is a first major step towards solving it. You sound like you’re aware of aspects of your relationship you’d like to change, and that is a great place to begin. Sharing your feelings with your husband, and trying to come up with ways to create those changes can lead to a revitalized marriage with renewed sexiness, thoughtfulness, and affection.

Should I have this fling?

Aunty Julie, I am sexually attracted to a man at work and I’m married. The attraction is so strong and I must confirm the feeling is mutual. It has been difficult holding myself from him but he gave me occasional brushes that set my body on fire. I have had consultations with friends who advised me to save myself from future embarrassment by sticking to my man. I have acted on this, but need advice.

Teena, Port-Harcourt Dear Teena, I’ll presume that you want my opinion on whether you should continue this workplace dalliance.

Alas, sexual attraction in the workplace is readily combustible and

often hard to resist or extinguish once the fires start raging. Based on my work over the years as a therapist, let me highlight a few givens: these treats, especially when prolonged, rarely stay, neat, sweet and discrete and secondly, the married partner, despite assurances to the contrary, rarely leaves his or her spouse as guilt eventually becomes a disruptive third party making the rendezvous increasingly conflicted; neither lover is absolutely immune, whether married or single, and the married member is often acting out his or her anger toward the spouse with an affair; usually it’s better to confront the problems in your marriage, decide if you can or cannot make the marriage work and start over, sadder and wiser, in your marriage or on your own .

The Perfect Husband Several men are sitting around in the locker room of a private club after exercising, when suddenly a cell phone sitting on the bench rings. One of the men picks it up, and the following conversation ensues: “Hello?”

“Honey, it’s me. Are you at the club?”

“Yes.” “Great! I’m at the mall two blocks from where you are. I just saw a beautiful mink coat. It’s absolutely gorgeous!

Can I buy it?” “What’s the price?” “Only $1,500.00.”

“Okay, but for that price I want it with all the extras.”

“Great! But before we hang up, there’s something else…”

“Yes?” “It might seem like a lot, but I was reconciling your bank account and…I stopped by the real estate agent this morning and saw the house we looked at last year is on sale! Remember? The one with a pool, English garden, an acre of park area, beachfront property…”

C M Y K

Two examples come to mind. The first, a year long affair between a workingclass bank teller and a bank executive.

The teller had left her and his kids because of his emotional neglect. The two separated but did not divorce. The executive continued to live with his wife.

This relationship provided the teller a little tenderness which had been lacking much of her life. Eventually, missing the connection with his children, some improved communication with her husband, and having healed some childhood and marital wounds with the affair, the teller and her husband reunited. The affair ended without significant problem.

On the other hand, the second is a cautionary cybertale of two married

C O C K - T A L E S “How much are they asking?”

“Only $450,000…a magnificent price…and I see that we have that much in the bank…” “Well, then, go ahead and buy it, but only bid $420,000. Okay?” “Okay, sweetie…Thanks! I’ll see you later! I love you!”

“Bye…” The man hangs up, closes the phone flap, and yells, “Hey, does anybody know whose phone this is?”

Three Old Ladies Three old ladies are sitting in a cafe, chatting about various things. One lady says, “You know, I’m getting really forgetful.

This morning, I was standing at the top of the stairs, and I couldn’t remember whether I had just come up or was about to go down.”

The second lady says, “You think that’s bad? The other day, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, and I couldn’t remember whether I was going to bed or had just woken up!”

The third lady smiles smugly, “Well, my memory’s just as good

couples. Our protagonists are a man and a woman, both in their 40s, both unhappy in their respective marriages.

They meet on the Internet and soon progress to real life trysts during the man’s business travels. The woman’s husband eventually senses a problem.

He acknowledges that his insensitive and selfish ways have catalyzed his wife’s wandering. When he starts showing her more attentiveness and caring, the wife feels obligated to try to work things out with her husband. She fairly abruptly breaks off the extramarital liaison. How did I know?

Because the father of the man calls in a most anxious state. His son is near suicidal; the father pleads for me to intervene.

as it’s always been, knock on wood,” she says as she raps on the table. Then with a startled look on her face, she asks, “Who’s there?”

Squealing Like A Stuck Boyfriend A young girl and her boyfriend are driving down the road one day. Her boyfriend suggests that they play road games and that whoever loses has to strip. They play every game known to man and the girl loses every time. Soon she is bare naked. The boy takes a long look and runs off the road. They slide into a tree and the boy is trapped in the car. He yells to his girlfriend, “Quick, go get help!”

She says, “I can’t, I’m naked.”

He hands her a shoe to cover with. Desperately she covers her “lower parts” and runs to the road. She flags down a truck driver and yells, “Help me, my boyfriend is stuck.”

The truck driver replies, “Honey, if he’s that far gone, I don’t think we can get him out again!”

36—SA TURD AY 36—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, APRIL 23 23,, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

When the wife fights back dirty!

L

ately, I’d been regaling Dolapo, a former colleague’s FWB (friends with benefits) of decades, with tales of the escapades of some of my darling friends in recent months— especially in the last few weeks when a couple of them had virtually burnt their fingers with the spouses of their ‘bits-on-theside.’ A few weeks after one of them, Kadijat had her annual birthday bash, when she almost got into hot water when Rex, her husband, who travelled showed up, she visited Jake, her lover and the ‘co-sponsor’ of her party.

He had conveniently disappeared from the scene as soon as he saw Rex, to avoid any embarrassment. “It was the first time we would have a decent chat after the party/ Kadijat explained, “and we were theorizing on what could have happened if we’d been caught redhanded by Rex, when Jake’s wife virtually burst into his office. I’d seen her vaguely at one or two parties, sullenly looking my way as if daring me to say something untoward. But, what could I have to say to her? I scarcely knew her, though her face looked vaguely familiar. ‘Good afternoon’, to show up here ever she snapped as she breezed again. I have people in and sat down on the chair watching you, and if next to me, almost breathing you don’t want any fire. embarrassment, hands Jake was making a off my husband!’ It was a semblance of introduction very humiliating when she cut in: ‘I know experience. I didn’t senior Kadijat now, she was know how I made it to four years ahead of me in my car!” secondary school’. No Kadijat’s experience wonder she looked familiar. I jogged the memory of a instantly remembered she few friends who’d was one of the pests that experienced a similar were always making ‘affront’. Joko recalled trouble in the school dorm some years back when in those days. She was she’d gone to a constantly being punished thanksgiving party of by her seniors, myself Bob a boyfriend who’d inclusive. survived an attack by “How was I to handle this armed tricky situation? I tried to robbers. “I don’t often like make small talks and, in to dine with the enemy,” fairness to her, she tried to Joko said, “so 1 told Bob I be polite until she suddenly asked; ‘Senior Kadijat, what wasn’t interested in making his wife uncomfortable by are you doing in my husband’s office?’ She made me feel so old by her ‘senior’ tag even though Jake is only two years older than I am. I didn’t have an immediate answer but Jake quickly told his wife I was a friend’s sister. ‘I know whose sister she is,’ she sneered on the verge of being rude.

‘That still doesn’t explain why she is here. I also heard of her 50th birthday bash and A wife is a wife, the role you played in it. If no matter how you don’t mind, Senior Kadijat, I want to have a hard the word with my husband. I husband tries think you should leave.’ “ l was shocked but it was to convince obvious on whose side Jake you the was as he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. I marriage is now stood up in anger and as I in name only left, Jake’s wife’s threat rang after me: ‘Don’t bother C M Y K

showing up at such a private party. He assured me his wife didn’t know who I was, so I attended with a friend. The luncheon was self-sendee and as I hovered over the fried rice heating tantalizingly under a burner, Bob’s wife came over, pretending to see to the effective running of things.

Ignoring her, I took the serving

spoon and as I made to scoop some rice, she was at my side in a flash, pressing the spoon and my outstretched hand deep into the hot rice. I gave a painful yelp! What are you doing here?’she whispered furiously into my ears, trying not to make a scene. ‘Just put down your plate and walk out or you will be in deep trouble’. My friend was virtually shaking with nerves. Unfortunately, Bob was amongst friends and didn’t realise what was going on. My friend and I simply disappeared as quickly as we could! I’m sure Bob must have been told what

happened but when he called a few days later, he feigned annoyance at my leaving so quickly. I told him his wife virtually hounded us out of the party, and he sounded shocked. The swine! Of course, he later made up generously for the embarrassment but the fact remains you shouldn’t take a fight to the enemy’s camp. A wife is a wife, no matter how hard the husband tries to convince you the marriage is now in name only. She can never be ‘the other woman’, no matter how much in love you are with her husband—and no matter how the husband assures you she’s no threat to your relationship.”

I’m sure it was some of these hair-raising experiences that prompted Dolapo to invite six of my friends to a New Year gettogether recently. When I protested the year was well on its way, he said there was always a reason to have a good matter. And any time Dolapo extends his once-in-a-blue moon invitation, my friends jump. So, there we all were in our expensive ‘casuals’ with a handful of Dolapo’s friends trying to recapture their fading youths with clothes they must have borrowed off their grownup sons! It was whilst the conversation verged on the

antics of wives and their husbands’ girlfriends that Dolanp told me his wife wasn’t like that.

“How would you know?

Challenged Bisi, his FWB. I’d often tried my best to respect her by behaving like the good employee who had nothing but a professional affection for her boss and his wife.

She was at my wedding, remember? She even gave me one of the loveliest presents I got.”

He smiled wryly. “You believe that in a company as big as the one we both worked with, no one would have told my wife about us? When virtually everyone knew what was going on? Of course, she knew about our “little arrangement’, as she called it. She came to the office several times to see the type of relationship we had and even encouraged you to bring your ex-husband to the house under the pretext of being a caring big ‘Aunty.’ It was after you got married that she told me she knew I was bonking you, but didn’t mind because you were a sweet lady who wasn’t particularly interested in husband-snatching! On top of which you were polite and not confrontational”. Bisi was lost for words.

How to give your libido the boost

W

hat better period to discover your loss libido than the start of a New Year?

This second quarter, is a good time for anybody to start.

Following these steps is bound to make your love-life hottest ever!

Sexy Food: We all know about oysters—Casanova was a 40-aday man— and their lusty reputation is probably due to their high zinc contents. This mineral increases sperm production and reputedly sends your libido through the roof.

However, if you can’t stand slurping oysters; try turkey instead as that’s high in zinc too.

For pudding, nibble a banana— not only will it look naughty, but these fruits are believed to be aphrodisiacs; as they’re rich in the sexy chemical, bufotenine. Polish off your meals with chocolates, high in theobromine, a substance that fights fatigue to give you

staying power.

Sexy Exercises: Start taking regular exercise— two or three times a week for 15-20 minutes and your libido will receive the much needed kick up in the pants! It will also give you more confidence in your body and promote flexibility. Studies have also shown that exercise increased genital blood flow.

Sexy Supplements: Ginger is considered to be an aphrodisiac in African countries and also in traditional Chinese medicine. It’s a wellknown stimulant, it can improve your circulation and relieve flatulence!

Ginseng is another traditional remedy for a va-va-voom between the sheets, although there is no actual evidence for

this. Generations of Chinese couples swear by it, but if you’re pregnant, or on any medication, consult your doctor before use.

I flow energy is your problem, and you suspect that you’re not getting all the vitamins you need from your diet, then try taking a multivitamin supplement that contains 300 per cent of the recommended daily amounts of vitamins B and C, which are important for physical exercise and used up more quickly when you’re suffering from stress. When 20 women took it over a four-week period, one in three experienced ‘energy highs’, and all the women felt their energy levels had increased.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—37

YETUNDE AREBI Yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk tweeterhandle@yetundearebi 08054700825

Slut: Guilty or not?

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hey began as a fun loving pair, basking in their own world. For the two or so years it lasted, Kanye West and exgirlfriend, Amber Rose, were one of the most reported celebrity couples in the music industry in the USA, especially buffeted by their free-style lifestyle. The connection was powerful as they were publicly often seen doing their own things, from swigging bottles to wearing similar clothes and groping at each other. It was so obvious they were an item. Unfortunately, things went South and the relationship came to an end.

And though both have since gone on to other relationships, what has not ended between them is the war of words which has given rise, or rather, added muscle to the #SlutWalk movement. An unsolicited advice from Rose to one of the little Kardashian girls (Kanye’s in-laws), allegedly stoked the controversy, which ended with Kanye crossing the line. During an interview, Kanye took a swipe at Rose declaring that he would never have dated her if Kim, now his wife, had accepted to date him when he first approached her. He went further to say that after being with Rose, he had to take 30 baths before he could feel worthy enough to be with Kim. Rose would not let this pass without some bloodletting of her own, and so went on to reveal some secrets about Kanye’s sexual preferences.

A battle of love and shame that would spread to other casualties began.

Falling in and out of love has its peculiarities with individuals involved. It is not in all cases that the parties walk away on mutual terms, patting each other’s shoulders for a job well done. Depending on which note a relationship ends, the fallouts may be good or bad and of dire consequences.

Unfortunately, this is often targeted at the woman.

This is part of the male dominance, superiority and inequality, that has carved itself so deeply in our social psyche and often, affects the equation in relationships.

It is very easy for a woman to get labelled after a relationship, while the man, who might actually be the guilty one, walks away with his shoulders high and even a feather to his infamous cap. The most popular of these labels is the ‘slut’. Whenever I hear this word, I have mixed feelings, more positive than negative in most cases. For, if one digs deep, often, it is used to cover up rather than to reveal what actually went down between a pair. More worrisome for me is the fact that even women use this unkind word against one another when it suits them. So, who is a slut? What makes one a slut and another a saint? Is it the number of men a woman has had sex with? Is it with whom she has done it with? Could it have to do with how and where she’s had sex? Or does she become a slut simply because someone or some people say she is?

C M Y K

A woman who sleeps with many men is a slut (not necessarily for prostitution) just as another who sleeps with only one man and is brazen or brash about it is a slut According to Longman Dictionary, slut is an offensive word for a woman who has had many sexual partners. Also an offensive word for a lazy, untidy woman. A woman is sluttish if she also exhibits these traits. Wordnet also describes slut as a term used for a woman or girl who is considered to have loose sexual morals or who is sexually promiscuous. In a discussion with some male friends, we tried to analyse who a slut is or what makes a woman a slut, and they had the following to say. A woman who is greedy for male attention and company is a slut, even though she does not necessarily sleep with them. A woman who sleeps with many men is a slut (not necessarily for prostitution) just as another who sleeps with only one man and is brazen or brash about it is a slut. A woman who loves to flaunt her body and sexiness before men (flirting) is also slut. And their conclusion is that, most times, such women deserve what comes their way. (Hmm!) My take from this is that while it is a win-win for the man, the woman loses whichever side of the coin she chooses. This to me sums up why high sexual atrocities perpetuated against women are high, why the culprits get away with it most of the time and why victims are blamed for crimes against them.

I believe the answers are shrouded around the sexual act itself. Kindly share your views on this with me, please. There is no doubt that religion as well as, societal and moral values place a high premium on women in terms of sexual responsibility and expects that they remain chaste at all cost.

Regardless of our level of Westernisation, feminism and sexual revolution, young girls are still enjoined and appreciated in many societies to remain virgins until the wedding night. Once

married, women are also expected only to open their thighs for their husbands alone. The Bible condemns both fornication and adultery in the strongest terms while the Qur ’an places responsibility on women to guard the secrets of their men which God has kept in their care. For the sake of decency, harmonious and peaceful coexistence, societal and moral values are strict on issues of sexual conducts. In fact, to curtail such excesses, many communities implore certain checks and balances such as swearing to oaths by women and public disgrace of young girls and families founds to have been deflowered before the wedding night.

However, there is no doubt that the above is far from the reality of things today. Most relationships now thrive on sex and sexuality. In fact, without sex, most people don’t believe they are in a relationship. The sexual act has become a sort of sign of confirmation that a love relationship exists between a couple; thus, if we are dating, then we must have sex. Besides the need for casual sex, many in what they believe are serious relationships also insist on having sex, even if only once or twice before marriage to test sexual compatibility, as they say, while some others even insist on pregnancy as a condition to warrant or deserve marriage. Truth be told, very few couples find a way or get around sex before marriage. Sex has thus become a part of relationships that we cannot wish away. Yet, we forget that for the woman, sex is more complicated than for the man, and this has nothing to do with who enjoys it better. Before the average female decides to have sex with a male, a lot of consideration must have gone into it, no matter what anyone may think. From summoning up the courage to undress before another person which is no easy feat; due especially to trust issues, to psychologically giving of a part of one which cannot be recovered. The decision to have sex is a serious battle for any female. And when one considers the fact that not all relationships will end in marriage, and not all marriages will also last a lifetime, it calls for caution how we handle sex and sexual matters. That a man is permitted by society to bump around does not mean that he is not guilty of same and must not exercise caution in the pursuit of his amorous desires. People split for diverse reasons and depending on the circumstances leading to the separation, the lovers may remain friends or become sworn enemies. It is therefore not uncommon to find one person badmouthing the other and spreading false stories in order to score cheap points.

As usual, men are usually the culprits here and reason are not entirely hidden. A woman will become a slut if she plays too hard, or if she agrees after playing a very difficult and long waiting game.

This reminds me of a young undergraduate who almost dropped out of school simply because she discovered that a guy she finally accepted to date and slept with had actually taken out a bet on her with his friends. She became a target for slut shaming simply because some group of guys felt she was too cocky and arrogant and plotted to have her cut down. In a related story, a friend became an object for slut shaming when she discovered that the guy she was investing time and resources on was not even close to the man he portrayed himself to be. He had no business or financial potential, yet went around touting himself as a business man. Even the fleet of cars he drove about belonged to his parents and close friends whom he was simply living off on. On discovering that she had unveiled his mask, he went to town to slut shame her that he was dumping her because he was sure that she had other lovers and could not make a good wife. Only those who know him as the black sheep of the family knew it was a cover up for his uninspiring and unsuccessful life.

Women who slut shame other women often do so out of envy, jealousy, inability to decode what makes the target tick, the need to put the other woman down and the desire to outshine the other woman.

Excluding prostitution which is now becoming rather difficult to define in the face of contending issues and personae involved, the word slut, could be sharing a similar fate, especially considering the fact that it is more often used in derogatory terms to label, discredit or dishonour a woman, rather than the actual truth.

‘Strong Nigeria, Indonesia trade tie will strengthen both economies’ he recently concluded trade promotion tagged, T “Indonesian Solo Exhibition

2016” in Lagos was to promote a strong business tie between Indonesia and Nigeria as it was designed also to promote Indonesia’s superior products and cultures to the business community in Nigeria and West Africa in general.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador, the Republic of Indonesia toNigeria, H.E. Harry Purwanto, said, the huge market size has become a strength of the Nigeria market and largest market in West Africa, especially for consumer goods.

According to Purwanto, the exhibition is an effective forum for the promotion of Indonesian products from corporations or small businesses who have products that are export-oriented as well as a means to build a business network and expand market share abroad, especially in West Africa.

He said further that, this exhibition is to introduce good quality products from Indonesia to the Nigerian market, new innovation with affordable prices.

Since Nigeria had its independence, we share not only ideas but feeling of responsibility, contributing to each other to become fit and more secured for economic growth of development.

L-R: Johnson Agu, Chinonye Egeonu, Anne Jeboh and Christian Anozie, all from Employme.ng, Lagos.

On global issue, we always work collaboratively while trying to find solution to world problems.

However, Indonesia and Nigeria complement each other.

Now Indonesia is already achieving industrialisation by diversifying its economy. Before now, we used to rely on oil but today we are not and we urge Nigerians to start diversifying into non oil sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, education, health etc.

In addition, he said, these are the areas Indonesia focused when

they could not rely on oil and today, tourism alone in Indonesia is already creating about 25 -30 million jobs in tourism sector, and is contributing 15 percent of our economic earning.

According to him, Nigeria has very huge potentials, natural resources, population, human resources etc. What Nigeria need do is to develop good educational and health systems because globally the competition is on human resources, he said.

CELD unveils top 50 Nigerian women of power and influence at Abuja Confab entre for Economic and Leadership up, in line with this new development.

C Development (CELD), a frontline gender Highlights of the conference include the Nigeria Power development and leadership organization, in Women Awards aimed at celebrating the strength and rise conjunction with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC), shall be unveiling top 50 Nigerian Women of Power and Influence, as well as organizations impacting women empowerment and development in the country during its upcoming gender development conference in Abuja later this month.

CELD, alongside its strategic partners, is hosting the Nigeria Power Women Conference & Expo 2016 billed to hold from 26-27April 2016 at the Sheraton hotel, Abuja Nigeria – and is open to all women, lovers of women progress and development, as well as organizations whose products, policies and programmes positively uplift and empower Nigerian women.

This conference, which promises to be a power gathering of women and organizations from diverse spheres of the Nigerian experience is organized in commemoration of the 2016 International Women’s Day celebration and has as theme- “An Empowered Woman in the new Nigeria”.

Speaking, the Executive Director of the Centre, Mrs. Furo Giami said “this theme is apt as Nigeria is in the centre of novel transformations in the country’s evolution, as is evident by a brand new direction from a new government. Though this connotes brand new opportunities for the women folk, the exciting new recognition comes with new challenges for women.

The conference is expected to critically highlight the preparedness of Nigerian women in diverse sectors of the economy, to take up new roles, responsibilities, challenges and the opportunities that are bound to open

C M Y K

of Nigerian Women over various times and seasons; in contributing to the nation’s socio-economic development.

The awards will also honour Men and Institutions who have contributed immensely to the rise and strength of the Nigerian Woman; successfully engaging and supporting the economic development of women in all ramifications.

Unilever launches improved Sunlight 2-In-1 detergent aundry Day is about to get easier and more economical for Nigerians, with the unveiling of the new improved L Sunlight 2-in-1 detergent, which offers a unique fragrance that

gives bursts after bursts of freshness, an incomparable washing experience and prices as low as N10 per pack.

Gentle on clothes, yet tough on ingrained stains, the new improved Sunlight 2-in- 1 detergent is available in two variantsSunlight Spring Sensations and Sunlight Tropical Sensation.

With the brand re-launch, Unilever Nigeria is also introducing a 225g pack at N100 and a 25g pack at N10, to offer Nigerians more options.

Speaking at the launch, Brand Manager, Sunlight, Ojeabuo Akhiojemi, observed that Unilever has a tradition of commitment to customer satisfaction and will keep evolving ways to make laundry less stressful and more affordable for customers.

“We pay attention to the feedback we receive from customers about what they expect from their laundry detergent. A superior clean, an exciting fragrance, freshness and affordability are high on the list and we have ensured that the new Sunlight 2-in-1 meets all these requirements,” Akhiojemi said.

“The new improved Sunlight 2- in- 1 detergent offers a winning combination, as it has all the components of a gentle, yet effective detergent while offering a variety of pack sizes, suitable for everyone’s needs.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

38—SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 23, 2016

Emplo yme.ng empower Employme.ng empowerss job seek er or SMEs, seeker erss ffor entrepreneurial recruitment ollowing several challenges emerging from recruitment process in Nigeria, beginning from poor CV preparation and school curriculum F system that have affected many Nigerian graduates securing jobs and as

well competing favourably globally, employme.ng, an online HR firm which builds network of employable professionals and also keen in protecting them in the job market has been preparing and repositioning Nigerian job seekers for gainful employments through its trained network of employable professional scheme.

Head of Talents, employme.ng, Christian Anozie said, “What we are trying to do is get a pool of employable Nigerians that would be ready and easily available for quick hire for companies - SMEs, entrepreneurs, Blue chips, NGOs etc. in whatever capacity, be it part/full time, internship, adhoc, volunteering for specific projection and endeavours and then be a consultant on short term, medium or long term hire. www.employme.ng projects employable Nigerians for SMEs engagement thereby easing hiring processes for small firms.

“We target people who for one form or the other, the competitive labour market will make them not easily be seen for employment, so we evaluate them and decide suitable professional approach to help them fit both national and international. So, we invite them, look at their CV’s and interview them using global best practices in Human Resources. When we see their CV’s we now have first hand interviews with them. Thereafter, their qualification level would determine if we can put them on our online platform for employment or make recommendations for more improvement. It is a holistic approach that has achieved results both home and abroad.

However, the reason for the online platform is because most of the youths are always on social media, so we send out messages on social media. We have also done newspaper adverts, introduced our website to all the various media platforms, because that is where most of them submit their CV. We also reached out to National Youth Service Corps and other higher institutions in Lagos, as we educate students on where they can secure IT and holiday employment and are able to give their best to organizations while garnering experience even before they leave school.

Again, we decided to launch online because 60% to 70% of employeremployee engagement are done first online and that is the new direction of business, so virtual HR has come to stay. So we have to be at the media space so that organizations looking for them can get them online since that is the easiest place to get ready workforce. For Entrepreneurs’ and SMEs looking at credible Nigerians to employ, the method is easy, just go to the website, based on the profession, you look up at the list of people in that profession which we have evaluated and we feel they can give their best based on the global best practices in human resources.

Excitement as ‘share a feeling’ customized booth storms Benin

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he latest stop of the Coca-Cola ‘Share a Feeling’ campaign train was Benin City, where consumers got an opportunity to share in the fun of communicating their deepest feelings using personalized Coke cans.

The campaign train which kicked off activation from New Benin also touched down Upper Sakemba, School of Health, Dumez as well as the University of Benin where hundreds of the students including staff turned up to customize Coke cans for themselves, friends and loved ones.

Speaking, the Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Patricia Jemibewon said, “Like in the other cities where we have taken the campaign to, participation in the activation here in Benin is remarkable. We are happy that we are helping people communicate their feelings better, by enabling them to personalize their coke cans using their own words and choice smileys.”

Commending the campaign, Emeka Chike, a 300 level student of the university who customized a carton of Coke for his friends and family remarked, “I have been looking out for this opportunity since I heard about it. Am happy that the booth finally came down here for us to also share in the excitement.”

For her part, Mrs. Joy Ukporbar, a staff of UNIBEN who also visited the customization booth noted that the activation is refreshing as the school was just rounding off examination. “It feels good to have this to refresh us after the examinations. I can see a lot of my students excited to go home and present their loved ones with personalized coke cans. One even customized one for me. I love that the campaign encourages deep bonds among friends and loved ones,” she said.

Speaking also, Mike Efosa who runs a Saloon store ‘Mpire Saloon’ in the University remarked that the concept of the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign is exceptional and engaging. He said, “I just had my saloon customized on two Coke cans and it’s so cute to have ‘Mpire Saloon’ written on them. I will display it proudly in the Saloon.

SATURDAY Vanguard,

D

irector-General of the Bureau of Public Sector Reforms (BPSR), Dr Joe Abah in this interview with Favour Nnabugwu talks about how the federal government will tackle the contending disparity in civil and public service salaries, what went wrong with the 2016 national budget and reforms government have lined to executive in the next three years.

Excerpts What are the concrete reforms the Bureau has carried out so far?

One of the most significant things we have achieved is the introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information system (IPPIS) which has saved the government in the region of N185 billion so far, the IPPIS wielded out about 65,000 ghost workers.

We have started to link the bank verification numbers to IPPIS. This will expose about 23,000 fraudulent pay accounts. The federal government has put in place a monetization policy.

Government used to pay huge staff housing for people, pay for gardeners, cooks, watchmen and all that and the heavy payment became a big burden to government in the past but with the monetization policy in 2007, the cost was drastically reduced.

We have also put in place a tenure policy that means that anybody that stays for four years as permanent secretary or director can only do an additional four years before they leave, which would stop stagnation and enable people to advance their careers. It is four years renewable for permanent secretaries, eight years for directors. For the wider public service, we have seen huge improvements in things like regulation of fake drugs. As at 2000, 80 percent of the drugs bought in Lagos were fake and 41 percent nationally but it is now down to 4 percent nationwide.

What has delayed the merger of the ministries as was recommended last year?

The committee was set up to look at restructuring of all the ministries but we realised that the two weeks period given the committee was not enough to do that huge work and therefore focused on the six ministries that were affected by merger-the Power, Works and Housing, Interior, Information and Culture, Youth and Sports, Budget and National Planning, Transportation and Aviation.

The committee realised that work required technical organizational work because the work involves job descriptions, workforce plans, mandates and all of that. What the committee did was to do enough for the merged ministries to take off and then recommended that BPSR being the technical experts, should lead a team of technical experts from the Office of the Head of Service and the Office

We’ve chased out 65,000 ghosts from the Civil Service

— Abah, DG, BPSR

•Watch out for the new Public Service soon of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and l can assure that that work is going on now. We are actually in the ministries, every one of those ministries as we speak now, are doing more detailed technical work, after which we will then look at all the other ministries. We have a deadline of end of April to produce what we call the functional reviews which is called the functions of all the departments within each ministry, to make sure that we rid them of any duplication, to ensure that the functions of the ministries are contributing to the mandate and the vision this administration has for them.

Why is it difficult to get the exact number of civil servants in the country?

Who said? The number of civil servants in the country is 89,511. I agree that it changes on a monthly basis but l can tell you how many people were paid last month because every civil servant is on IPPIS. Although, people misunderstand the difference between the civil service and the public service. The public service is defined in the constitution as containing the army, the police, all the agencies and parastatals, the teachers, the legislators, the judiciary, those are all part of the wider public service. The civil service are those that work in the ministries. The wider federal public service is 1.9 million people but we expect that the figure will come down when we apply IPPIS across board. Our own estimate in the Bureau is not more than 1.3 million. But for civil servants, we have the exact figure down to the last number for each month.

What do think went wrong with the 2016 national budget?

It was a combination of factors.

The first is that we did not start the budgeting process on time so we had a combination of limited time to do the work and putting in place a new

•Joe Abah

system which takes a while to get used to. There were also some allegations of unwholesome practices by some people in the budget office, but government has acted swiftly on that by posting out the people involved. There were also issues of errors which were avoidable. A combination of those factors led to issues.

Why would a man work for 35 years in the civil service only to be told that his file is missing?

In every civil system, there may be occasional failures but it is not a normal practice that a man puts in 35 years and that his file is missing. In fact, it is almost impossible for that to happen because in each of these 35 years, he went for promotion exams, training etc. Where were you these 35 years for your file to be missing? It’s not a usual occurrence.

What reforms are Nigerians to expect in the next three years?

We actually expect that a lot of things would have changed. We expect that all the ministries would have been restructured to enable them deliver to Nigerians what government wants them to deliver. We expect that there would be a proper performance management

APRIL 23, 2016—39

system for the public service which means that people would be rewarded for good performance and sanctioned for poor performance and that things like promotion would be based on services you have been able to deliver according to the target that has been set and not on the civil or public service rules.

We will want to look at the issue of fairness in pay because we have a situation where somebody in a parastatal could be earning three or four times what somebody in another parastatal is earning for doing an identical job and we will see a more improved budgeting system that is focused on results and delivery. We will see a greater focus on the citizen because one of the things you find is that the public and the civil service in particular can be quite insular and inward looking.

We want to make sure that they are focused on what the citizens want not just what is happening in the secretariat. For all of these things, we have a 10-year strategy that we are following. And the strategy has been approved by the steering committee on reforms and will be ratified by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). We hope in the next two to three months, we will change the DNA of the public service. For too long, we have complained about things including public servants not being disciplined, not coming to work on time, delay in submitting files, now is the time to bite the bullet and do something about all of those issues.

The civil service must help to drive growth and wealth for the country.

We can no longer continue to rely on oil.

The disparity in salaries has been a major problem in the civil and public service, what is the Bureau doing about it?

I think the important thing is to make the salary fair across board because it is difficult to have a completely uniform salary because some people do more technical work than others, some people take on

certain hazards. The security agents for instance, could have a hazard allowance because they put their lives on the line for the rest of us but the issue is to have pay relativity so that a director of human resources in NCC should really earn the same as director of human resources in Ministry of Health because they do the same thing. It is just to make sure that there’s a fair relationship between pay. Every public servant should have a job description which he will be measured by. This will determine his success. If we have the job description, it will be evaluated by the experts at the Salaries and Wages Commission and Office of Head of Service.

40—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

By Clifford Ndujihe

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OME leading legal luminaries including former justices of the Supreme Court have advised Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Mr. Danladi Umar, to withdraw from presiding the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki over alleged false assets declaration to ensure fairness in the matter.

The legal giants, who picked holes in the Supreme Court judgement of February 5, 2016 giving the CCT jurisdiction in the Saraki trial, argued that the CCT is not a court of law under our Constitution and cannot be invested with criminal or quasicriminal jurisdiction.

Eminent lawyers, who shared this view included Justice Salisu Alfa Modibo Belgore (former Chief Justice of Nigeria; Justice George Oguntade (CFR), former Justice of the Supreme Court; Justice Samson Odemwingie Uwaifo, former Justice of the Supreme Court; Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN; Chief Nnoruka Udechukwu SAN; Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN; and Mr Olalekan Ojo among others.

The advice was part of the communiqué of the Conference on ‘The Code of Conduct enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and its crucial Importance in the fight against Corruption’ held in Lagos on March 24 by the Ben Nwabueze Centre, which was released, yesterday.

There was a mild drama at the CCT trial on Thursday as Danladi Umar, refused to hear the motion filed by Saraki's counsel on the CCT chairman's alleged bias. Umar dismissed the application asking him to disqualify himself from the case, saying “that motion as far as the tribunal is concerned is of no consequence; not worthy to be entertained and is hereby thrown away.”

However, the lawyers asked Umar to withdraw on account of the graft allegations against him

FALSE ASSETS DECLARATION:

Withdraw from Saraki's trial, Eminent lawyers advise Umar •Fault Supreme Court decision on CCT's jurisdiction •Belgore, Uwaifo, Oguntade, Nwabueze, Udechukwu, Ozekhome, others concur

•Saraki

•Umar

and the way he has handled the trial so far. They said the following in the communique: '' It is not reasonably to be supposed or be expected that Mr. Danladi Umar can be impartial or unbiased in adjudicating the case between the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) against Saraki. There can be no greater mockery of the whole notion of impartiality in any adjudicatory system than that Umar, with the threat of prosecution and removal from office for alleged corruption by the FRN hanging over his head, should have been allowed to adjudicate as presiding judge in the circumstances of this case.

''Bias on the part of Umar seems to be clearly manifest in all the circumstances surrounding the case.

The manner in which the trial was being conducted by Umar manifests also a certain overzealousness that suggests at least a real likelihood of bias on the part of Umar against Saraki or a lack of impartiality,'' they said.

Acknowledging ''unchallengeability of the judgement of the Supreme Court'' in the Saraki case delivered on February 5, 2016, they however said ''the Supreme Court decision on the issue of the jurisdiction of the CCT is inconsistent with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of

Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). ''The Supreme Court was wrong in holding that the Constitution itself invests the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) with a quasicriminal jurisdiction. The Code is, in its essential character, merely a body of rules designed to regulate the civil, not criminal, behaviour of public officers, much in the fashion of the Civil Service Rules. '' The CCT, not being so listed under Section 6(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) as a Court, has no power or jurisdiction, derived from the Constitution, to try, convict and impose punishment on persons for a criminal offence; the decision of the Supreme Court attributing such jurisdiction to it, as jurisdiction derived from the Constitution, is null and void under sections 1(3), 6 and 36 (13) of the Constitution; also any law made by the National Assembly that confers such jurisdiction on the CCT is null and void. The Supreme Court decision on the issue of the jurisdiction of the CCT has no basis in a law validly made by the National Assembly.''

They continued: ''The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act is glaringly unconstitutional and void because it duplicates relevant provisions of the Constitution, and because some of its provisions purport to vary the provisions of the Constitution. The CCT is not a court of law under our Constitution and cannot be invested with criminal or quasi-criminal jurisdiction. ''The initiation of the criminal prosecution against Dr. Saraki before the CCT by a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice at a time when there was no incumbent Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) is invalid and incompetent in law.''

Also, they urged that Saraki be given a fair hearing before a Court of Law where there would not be any likelihood of bias.

They also said that there is need to ensure that decisions of the Apex Court, as a court of last resort, are consistent with each other, and, above all, with the supreme law of the land, the Constitution, as well as with laws validly enacted by the legislature.

OBIANO:

Two years, too good •Governor Willie Obiano

By James Eze

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N Thursday March 17, 2016, Governor Willie Obiano marked his two years in office.

There were no ceremonies. Not even the usual state banquet or the solemn high mass. In fact, the governor kept a busy schedule on that day; commissioning the House of Assembly Complex and playing host to some important Nigerians, who happened to be visiting Anambra for the convocation ceremonies of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University and the Odumegwu

Ojukwu University. He later made a cameo appearance at the presentation of a collage of reports on his two-year administration strung together by a childhood friend in a book form.

The day was deliberately drained of ceremony, drained of meaning. It arrived unheralded and went by unnoticed, unmarked.

In doing so, Chief Obiano has deepened his enigma. And indeed, every-day, the governor of Anambra State makes it difficult for critics to typecast him; to pidgin-hole him. One recalls that when he ran for election, some people had dismissed him as a mere stooge who would wait for orders from his master. But in less than three months after he was sworn in, Obiano swiftly established himself as firmly in charge; not only of the law abiding citizens but of the outlaws and the brigands, stamping out crime from the state. Obiano is like a moving target to his critics - One moment, they paint the picture of a wasteful governor and the next day, they are forced to report that his prudence has stood Anambra out as the only state, along with Lagos, that paid March salary before Easter.

One moment they put up funny pictures of him

on Face back where he is fast asleep while standing on his feet (imagine that) and the next moment they are forced to acknowledge the three superb flyovers in Awka as worthy legacies of a hard working governor. And finally, when they hoped that he would roll out the drums to celebrate his two years of stellar performance, he withdrew into his shell and wiped away every hint of celebration in the entire state. Perplexity!

By keeping such a low profile on a day when everyone had expected him to roll out the drums, Governor Obiano had disappointed his critics. In a manner of speaking, he had wrenched the vuvuzela of mischief away from their lips. But he had also made a loud statement with his silence. He did not only re-enforce the atmosphere of seriousness that has marked his two years in office but he also symbolically drove home the message of austerity that reflects the general mood of the

country. Indeed, to any intelligent observer, Obiano’s two years in office are steeped in symbolisms and hidden meanings. While it is easy to see the flyovers and the gleaming roads across the state, his achievements actually stretch beyond physical infrastructure.

Most people who praise him for a job well done do not often remember for instance that Obiano is one of the few governors in Nigeria who have a very modern approach to governance. They may not be aware that he is one of the few who have clearly defined mission and vision statements and a concise blueprint for leading his state. Neither do most of them realise that there is not a single programme he has executed in the past two years that wasn’t conceived as a component of his blueprint. Obiano’s blueprint is so thoroughly put together that Chief Emeka Anyaoku paid glowing tributes to him in a recent function when he observed that “there are very few leaders who have strategic capacity. And there we have in Anambra State, a leader who has strategic capacity.” The highly revered statesman didn’t end with that acknowledgment but also thanked Obiano for giving him “the reason not only to be proud but to boast.” Those who know Anyaoku will remember that he is not given to a loud praise of Nigeria’s leaders.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23 , 2016—41

B-R-I-E-F-S

Ambode compensates two of or honesty offficer icerss ffor

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

Ok ada man shines at 20 16 Community Okada 201 Awards Night

By Jacob Ajom THE night of Sunday, April 17 was remarkable to residents of Omole Estate, Phase 1. It was a night when the high, the mighty and the down trodden came together at the Event Centre, located inside the estate to celebrate themselves and give honour to those who were deserving of honour. The tone for the night’s event was set by young aspiring comedians, led by the effervescent The Don whose rib-cracking jokes made every one forget the reality of Nigeria’s current worries, at least momentarily. It was the 2016 Omole Phase 1 Residents Association(O.P.R.A.) Dinner and Awards Night where hard work, resilience and philanthropy were recognised and duly rewarded. Chief Host of the event, Biodun Rufai, also the chairman of the Omole Phase 1 Residents Association was the happiest man on the night.

The occasion which was chaired by the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Alhaji Musiliu Olohuntele Folami. It was also graced by Honourable Kehinde Bamigbetan, Special Adviser to the Governor on community and Communications, while Princess Adegoke Orelope-Adefulire, a senior special adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goals was special guest.

The Guest Speaker, Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Lagos State, Honourable Wasiu Anifowose was

overwhelmed by the occasion as he expressed joy at the manner the estate was being run by the residents.

Numerous self-help projects had been executed. After listening to their complaints, most of which were commonplace, he promised to speedily facilitate the provision of a new transformer for the estate to improve the power supply. This drew wild applause from the audience.

Awards were given in various

categories, including Special Recognition Award, Opra Special Award, Opra Corporate Social Responsibility Award, Best Public School Award and Best Private School Award, among others.

But the award that ignited the loudest ovation was that given to Johnson Ogbu, who was adjudged the Best Okada Man of the Year in Omole Estate. He got a monetary reward attached to his award.

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•Chairman, Omole Phase 1 Residents Association, Arc. Biodun Rufai(2nd left -front row), joins hands with some of the dignitaries to cut the anniversary cake during the 2016 O.P.R.A. Dinner and Awards Night,

...As State prosecutes 3,373 public, civil litigation cases

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AGOS State Government has sentenced no fewer than 743 offenders to various terms of community service within a year across the Magisterial Districts of the state.

We gathered that sentence was aimed at addressing prison congestion in the state. The state government had earlier explained that the community service was a non-custodial sentence in the criminal justice system aimed at reducing prison congestion in the

state.

The government added that through the sentencing option, convicted offenders were allowed to serve their sentences within the community and not in prisons.

Meantime, the state government also disclosed that it was prosecuting 3,373 public and civil litigations cases in various courts, between Magistrate Courts and Supreme Courts of Nigeria.

This was contained in a publication made available by the state government to mark the first quarter of Year 2016, Town Hall Meeting of

the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration on administration of justice, held in Ikorodu recently.

The statistics, according to the state government represented the activities the Ministry of Justice between January, 20th and April 14th, this year.

According to Ministry of Justice’s record, “A total of 743 offenders were sentenced to various terms of community service across the magisterial districts thereby servicing as a means of prison decongestion.”

wmak er s, APC, dif oposed LG reforms: La Lawmak wmaker ers, difff er o ovv er pr proposed amendment

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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FTER much postponement and delays, both the Executive and Legislative arms of the Lagos State Government may have commenced preparations towards the conduct of free, fair, transparent and credible elections into the 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs, and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs across the state this year. Tentatively, the poll has been fixed for October this year.

However, earlier investigations by Vanguard revealed that some of the aspirants for the post of Executive Secretaries under the platform of APC, have been lobbying party leaders and political heavyweights in the society in order to pave way for

AGOS State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has compensated two police officers, Inspector Abiona Hezekiah and Sergeant Ogunbiyi Agbabu attached to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) for their honesty on duty.

The two policemen who recently recovered N5 million that fell-off a bullion van around Alausa, Ikeja, were compensated with commendation letters and a cash gift of N250, 000 each.

Meanwhile, the cash was later discovered after due investigation to have belonged to Skye Bank Plc. According to the Public Affairs of the unit, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, who represented the Governor commended the officers for their high sense of patriotism, honesty and integrity which they displayed during the course of their duties.

Traders dissociate selves from suit against market relocation

743 of o ser erms in communities offfender enderss tto servve jail tterms

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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their chairmanship aspiration or councillorship.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was believed to have set the tone for the campaigns with his mandatory two constructions of roads per each council annually. This initiative has no doubt won the hearts of many residents who have been commending the laudable project.

Political posters and handbills by aspirants across councils have been pasted in strategic places and distributed. Some have even resorted to commercial space on radio where they announced their achievements so far.

Also on Thursday, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, organised stakeholders’ forum where youths organisations,

media, Non-Governmental Organisatons, NGO, with theme: “Election Observer, Election monitors, Any synergy.” What control over Election Processes,? was held at Event Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.

Lagos State House of Assembly also said it was set to pass a bill to establish Local Government Economic Planning and Development Board for 57 councils in the state into law.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said the bill was aimed at harmonizing the economic potentials in the country and to promote harmony between each LG and LCDAs in other to promote and sustain the state economy especially from the grassroots.

IX traders associations in Okobaba Foreshore in Ebuta-Metta have dissociated themselves from a purported suit filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos by another “faceless” group, challenging their planned relocation to new Ultra Modern Sawmill Market in AgbowaIkosi, a suburb of Ikorodu by the Lagos State Government.

A group, which described itself as Timber Dealers, Sawyers, and Towing Vessel Owners, had through its lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, filed a suit on behalf of the stakeholders in Okobaba asking the court to restrain the state government from relocating them to Agbowa.

Addressing media at Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, six critical associations in Okobaba said apart from the fact that they were not contacted before the suit was purportedly filed on their behalf, they equally had no reason whatsoever to stop the good intention of the state government from coming to fruition.

The associations are Lagos Mainland Sawmillers Association, Association of Planing Machine Operators, Association of Engineers comprising Turners, Welders, Blacksmiths and Rewinders, Wooden Turners Association, Carpentry and Furniture Association and Photo Frame Association.

Devt projects: Lagos IGR will take care of shortfall in FG‘s allocation—Deputy speaker

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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OLLOWING shortfall in the monthly Federal Allocations to states, Deputy Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni has expressed confidence that the present administration in the state led by Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode would deliver on its electoral promises, particularly, on developmental projects through the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. Speaking at an event organised by members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere Local Government Area, Eshinlokun-Sanni, noted that the dwindling global oil prices which had affected federal allocations to states would not in any way affect Lagos State’s economy, as government had earlier prepared for the rainy season.

According to him, “Lagos State Government has long prepared for raining days, but the current administration led by Governor Akinwumi Ambode is committed to do more for Lagosians despite scarcity of funds.

42—SA TURD AY Vanguard, APRIL 23 42—SATURD TURDA 23,, 2016

Like Michael Jackson, like Prince

•Micheal Jackson and Prince performing on stage

Their lifestyles, their feuds and their biggest love affairs

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By Benjamin Njoku

n the 1980s, there were two names that dominated the world music scene: Michael Jackson and Prince. They were the musical superstars who jostled for supremacy in a golden age of pop. But despite being ‘musical geniuses’ and rivals of sorts, the two superstars shared similar love affairs that were better imagined than said.

While Michael Jackson who died on June 25, 2009, resulting from acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication at his home on North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, kept his affairs with women under wraps, Prince took his own overboard.

Reports had it that MJ had secret affairs with two women whom he “made out with” in the back of a limousine.

He was also said to have lived in fear of being secretly recorded, which inadvertently affected his love life. While he lived, the “King of Pop” was dogged by allegations of child molestation in his later years, and died just before launching a comeback tour in 2009.

However, an assistant to his former manager Sandy Gallin,Shana Mangatal once claimed she was the King of Pop’s gal pal for four years starting in 1990. “Michael’s a normal man who love women,” she was quoted as saying, adding “ He was the love of my life. When you look at him you don’t see the freakish appearance that comes through in pictures. I see his heart.”

But unlike Michael Jackson, Prince who died on Thursday was romantically linked to many celebrities, including Kim Basinger, Madonna, Sheila E. and Carmen Electra, but he was only married twice.

At 37, the Grammy award winner wedded his 22-year-old backup singer and dancer Mayte Garcia on Valentine’s Day in 1996.

According to reports, the former couple met six years earlier when Mayte was a 16-year-old dancing prodigy attending one of his concerts. After their

•Prince and his Ex-wife Mayte

nuptials, Garcia became pregnant with their first child, and Prince shared with ET the joy he felt during the experience.

“The most profound thing that has happened to me is the way I view women now,” Prince said in 1997. “Going through my wife’s pregnancy had a really powerful effect on me. It just gave me the utmost respect for all of women.”

Apart from having similar love stories, the two heavyweight musicians had one of the most epic rivalries in pop music history. Though they denied ever having a beef, tensions between the two superstars sometimes spilled over into public. One of such instance, recorded on grainy videotape, reportedly occurred in 1983 during a James Brown concert in Los Angeles.

At one point, the Godfather of Soul summoned Jackson to the stage. He promptly moonwalk across the stage and pulled off some impeccable Brown moves. Then Jackson whispered something to Brown, who demands that Prince join them.

The diminutive legend played a couple of licks on guitar and showed off some deft dance moves, but Jackson notably ignored him.

In 1985, Prince was criticized when he pulled out of contributing to Jackson’s song “We Are the World,” which raised money for famine-stricken Ethiopia.

In 1987, Jackson offered Prince a duet on his upcoming album “Bad,” but Prince declined.

Both born in 1958, the two singers came from very different backgrounds.

Whereas Jackson had been sculpted from his early childhood to become a pop sensation, Prince was a selfmade musician from Minneapolis.

The two showmen presented radically different images, with

Jackson cutting an iconic figure in his red leather jacket while Prince preferred thongs, ruffled blouses and overcoats.

Jackson’s pop seemed innocent and clean-cut, in contrast to Prince’s lewd lyrics and overtly sexual performances. One anecdote, recounted in the 2015 Jackson biography “MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson,” tells of a time in 2006 when Prince invited Jackson to his show in Las Vegas, then proceeded to walk into the audience, find Jackson and play “aggressive slap bass” very close to his face. “Prince has always

been a meanie. He’s just a big meanie,” Jackson supposedly complained afterwards. Prince was the only one of the pair to publicly criticize the other, singing in the 2004 song “Life ‘o’ The Party” that “My voice is getting higher/And Eye ain’t never had my nose done,” in a reference to Jackson, who had multiple plastic surgeries. But then, both MJ and Prince would be remembered for transforming pop music and pop culture in the world.

Prince was ‘my everything’, says Mayte Garcia

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he was the inspiration behind Prince’s hit “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” and now Mayte Garcia is mourning the loss of her former husband, Prince, whom she has described as “My ‘everything.’”

“I can’t even think of the words of what I’m feeling,” says Garcia, who also shared a photo herself with Prince that hangs in her home, in a statement through her manager Gladys Gonzalez. “This man was my everything; we had a family. I am beyond deeply saddened and devastated.” Garcia first met Prince in 1990 and was ultimately hired to dance on one of his tours. The singer-songwriter went on to produce an album for her and they wedded in 1996 in Minneapolis.

In 1996, Garcia and Prince lost a son, Gregory, a week after he was born to Pfeiffer syndrome,

a rare genetic disorder that affects the skull and bones in the hands and feet. They formally divorced in 2000. “I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally,” she continues. “He’s with our son now.”

The seven-time Grammy winner was found dead at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, according to the Carver County’s Sheriff Office, which is currently investigating the circumstances of his death.

“It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57,” his publicist confirmed.

“There are no further details as to the cause of death at this time.”

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, APRIL 23, 2016—43

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he name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runs into it and they are saved. Your only sure point of safety in life is in the Lord.

No matter the challenges, victories are available to you in His name. I see Him helping you out of that dilemma that has almost drowned you. Don’t trust in man, for the arm of flesh will fail you. Like David, refuse to trust in chariots and horses. Pharaoh and others trusted in them but were disappointed. Know that vain is the help of man but through God you shall do valiantly.

In Isa. 41:10-11, God said, “fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strife with thee shall perish”. If God be for you, who can be against you.

Thus, He says to you to fear not because He has not given you the spirit of fear but the Spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind. Trust God, He cannot lie. Fear has torment and it is the absent of faith. As long as there is fear, there is very little that God can do. Rise above the fear and enter into the strength of God that faileth not. His strength always prevails. The truth of the matter is that His strength is

available. He said, not to fear and that He will both strengthen and help you.

Surely God is wonderful.

Remember He said that all that is incensed against you shall be put to shame. Now look at what happened to the philistines who came against the Israelites, God’s covenant children. In 1 Sam. 7, the philistines as usual came against the Israelites

God will help you (III) thinking that it was business as usual but this time around, the Israelites called on God through His Prophet Samuel. God’s prophet simply told them to make up with God. When the Israelites obeyed, Samuel cried out to God on their behalf and God heard His intercession and helped the Israelites to defeat the philistines that always defeated them in time past. Please, permit me to say this to you. Sin of any kind does not exalt. It brings shame, defeat, pain, sorrow and sufferings. It shuts the door against the grace of God. It limits and frustrates the potential of a man. Great destinies have suffered shipwreck because of sin.

It is time to repent and turn away from it right now. The only reason why you probably are not walking victoriously might be because of the sin in your life. Satan can’t stop a man that is free

from sin. Jesus, said to Him, Satan you can find nothing of yours in me.

Imagine for a moment. The only reason why the Israelites were suffering in the hands of the philistines was because they had sin against God. Thus, sin must be hated with all of your being and at all cost.

Their sin shut the door against God’s help. Make up with God right now and you shall surely receive the help of God. The scripture says, “and as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thunder on that day upon the philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of mizpeh, and pursued the philistines, and smote them, until they came

For more details, contact us at Christ Reality Church, beside Gossard Hotel, opposite First Bank Sports Ground, Community Road, Satellite Town or P.O.Box, 3196, Yaba Lagos. Tel: 08023062635, 08168955932; 08033378769. Email: johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org.

Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, A/C Nos. 0005171407; Christ Reality Ministries, Zenith Bank A/C 1011711622.

Worship with us on Sundays, 1st Service: 7.45 am – 9:15am; 2nd service 9:15 – 11:30am. Wednesday World Revelation 6pm. Counseling days Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 11Am – 5pm daily or by appointment. Showers of blessing every 2nd - 4th Sat. of each month 6 a.m – 7.15am.

Court adjourns till May 16, suit by 92-yr-old widow seeking return of schools

By Innocent Anaba

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Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned till May 16 hearing in the suit by a 92-year- old widow, Mrs Roseline Ololo, seeking the return of her schools, Metropolitan College and Isolo Secondary school, by the Lagos State Government.

She founded the school in 1956.

At the hearing of the matter, yesterday, counsel to the applicant, Chief Malcoim Omirhobo informed the court that the respondents had been served with the processes, adding that there was proof of service.

He however said that the respondents were yet to file their responses.

The trial Judge, Justice Hadiza Shagari, subsequently adjourned till

C M Y K

under bethcar. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between mizpeh and shen and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, hitherto hath the Lord helped us “(1 Sam 7: 10-12). You can see that the moment they made up with God, God turned the table against their enemies. The Israelites were greatly helped by God and their enemies were put to shame. The scripture went further to say that the children of Israel recovered all that their enemies had taken from them.

Return back to God and the God that helped the Israelites to defeat their enemies and to recover what their enemies had stolen will also help you mightily and you shall recover your blessings. Know that God is not a respecter of persons. What He did for one He can do for another and much more. God help you and help our great nation Nigeria.

Have you given your life to Jesus? If not, please pray this prayer. Father, I come to you as I am. I invite Jesus into my life to be my personal Lord and Saviour. Wash me cleanse with the blood of Jesus and empower me with the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you Father for saving my soul and making me your child.

May 16 for hearing and ordered service of hearing notices on the respondents. Ma Ololo in the Fundamental Enforcement suit is suing for herself and her company, Akaix West Africa Limited.

Joined as respondents in the suit are: Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of Education, Lagos State Government, Lagos State Attorney General, and Lagos State Commissioner for Education.

She is praying the court for a declaration that the refusal by the Lagos State Government to return her

schools, is unjust, unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful.

In her affidavit, Ma Ololo averred that in 1940, she and her late husband, Mr Akaihieobi-Ololo Ogwuand moved from the Eastern part of Nigeria to the Lagos colony.

She said that in 1952, they both incorporated a company, Akaix Africa Ltd, in which name they established Metropolitan College.

According to her, “Via a letter with Ref No: CEO/ 18L/31/25 dated March 1, 1956 our company was granted permission by the

Federal Ministry of Education, to establish Metropolitan College of Commerce. The school for about 18 years of existence, was located at No 15 Banire St., Surulere in a rented apartment.

“In 1966, before the Nigeria/Biafran Civil war, we purchased over 8.17 hectares of land at the Atire-akari Isolo area of Lagos.”

She said that for expansion purposes and to move away from the thickly populated residential area of Surulere, they moved to the new site in 1974.

Man loses wife, five children to fire while in hospital between 9 and 2 years. ingly alerted.

By Umar Yusuf

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RAGEDY struck in the early hours of Friday morning when the entire family of six persons were completely wiped out by fire. The incident occurred in Malamre, a suburb of Jimeta, Adamawa State close to the Legislative Quarters, when the wife, an expectant mother, her three kids and younger sister of Mallam Abdullahi Umar went to sleep but never came up alive.

The children were aged

According to an eyewitness account, the fire which gutted the two-bed room apartment started from the lobby of the house and spread quickly to other rooms thereby trapping all the victims in one of the rooms they attempted to escape through. Mr. Mathew Megeli, whose apartment is directly facing the burnt house told Vanguard that at about 12.30am, the entire compound of about 40 tenants started noticing some smoke and other neighbours were accord-

Megeli added that when they rushed to the burning apartment, fire had almost engulfed all its department, thereby preventing any possible assistance to the trapped persons.

According to him, when the fire fighters arrived, it was too late as the entire department had been razed to rumbles.

Mr. Abdullahi Umar, the husband of the bereaved wife and father of the lost kids was on admission at the Specialist Hospital in Yola when the incident occurred.

“Over 150 million Nigerians now own a phone”

By Prince Okafor THE Country Managing Director, Accenture Nigeria, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, has disclosed that the number of phone users in the country has increased from about 0.5 million to 151.5 million in a space of thirteen years.

Mr. Yusuf who disclosed this at the Human Capital Summit Africa in Lagos, stated that “some years ago, Nigeria has about half a million telephone lines, but it currently has over 152,000,000 mobile phone subscribers. “Specifically in

Nigeria, there are more owners of mobile devices than people with bank account. And people spend more time on mobile devices than even reading books,” he added.

A human resource consultant, Olushola Ajani, who was a member of the organizing team told Saturday Vanguard that “one of the things that are influencing the future work is technology and mobility. If you look at most of the challenges we have in Nigeria, technology can actually enhance our productivity.”

2019 Polls: We'll only vote a performing party — Urhobo group

By Gab Ejuwa

P

RESIDENT of Urhobo Youths in Europe Forum, Comrade Emmanuel Ogheneruemu Sakpakpa has stated that the Urhobo people will only vote for a party that will deliver needed dividends of democracy to the people.

Sakpakpa who made this known in a statement, yesterday, also commended Senator Ovie OmoAgege over his promise of the take off of the Okwagbe Seaport project in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta

state. He urged Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to keep his promise of bringing foreign partners to finance the seaport project in ensuring that it becomes operational in no distance time.

According to Sakpakpa, “the gesture of the Senator is a very good one but he must set up monitoring team to ensure that once the project kicks start, there will be no break or abandonment before its completion because the seaport when completed will surely grow the economy of Okwagbe and its neighbouring communities”.

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

CAF Champions League:

Ikhana warns Enyimba to brace up for ‘war’

C

oach Kadiri Ikhana has warned Enyimba to be ready for the worst kind of treatment in the group stage of the CAF Champions

League.

The two-time champions in 2003 and 2004 sealed their place in the group stages after defeating Etoile du Sahel 4-3 on penalties in Sousse on Wednesday night..

The draw ceremony holds May 24 at the Cairo headquarters of CAF in Egypt.

Enyimba will be joined by seven other qualifiers in the draw, comprising Al Ahly of Egypt, Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca, Entente Setif of Algeria and Zamalek of Egypt.

Ivorien side ASEC Mimosa, AS Vita of Congo Democratic Republic and Zesco United complete the draw Ikhana, who coached Enyimba to win the trophy in 2003 said it was an important for the Aba side to know they will be up against the wall in their bid to win the trophy after their last triumph in 2004.

“Enyimba’s qualification to the group stage of the CAF Champions League at the expense of the Tunisian side, Etoile du Sahel is a huge achievement and we must say big congratulations to the side.

“Enyimba have succeeded in putting Nigeria’s name on the world map of top football playing nations. For some years now, no Nigerian club was able to qualify for the group stage of the Caf Champions League.

“Enyimba went to the lion’s den to the pull the qualification ticket from the mouth of Etoile du Sahel, it’s not a mean feat but a huge achievement for the entire country.

“But they must know that the journey would now be tougher and tortuous from now on and should therefore expect the worst kind of treatment when they are on the road to play. I believe they are wiser with the harrowing experience in Sousse in the hands of Etoile du Sahel and that should be a guide to them in prepare for the group stage hostilities,” he added.

International friendlies: Amapakabo: Eagles will bounce back R angers head coach, Imama Amapakabo has said he was confident that his close relationship with Coach Salisu Yusuf will steer Eagles

to victories in their upcoming international friendlies against Mali on May 27 and Luxembourg on May 1 The Super Eagles will play Mali at Stade Robert Dichon,

FA Cup semifinal:

Rouen, on May 27 while they face Luxembourg on May 1.

Amapakabo has been appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation to work with veteran tactician, Salisu

Man U will roll over Everton —Smalling

C

hris Smalling has suggested that Manchester United are well equipped to beat Everton at Wembley today and move into next month’s FA Cup final.

The Red Devils have been in excellent form as of late, winning five of

their last six games in all competitions - a 3-0 defeat at title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur being the only blemish.

Another plus has been the return of captain Wayne Rooney, who made his comeback in the quarter-final replay victory at West Ham United earlier this month.

“I’m looking forward to it because it’s going to be a great occasion,” Smalling told MUTV. “Hopefully we can do the job against Everton and get back there for a second visit [for the final].

“A lot of the lads have been coming back into the team in the last couple of games, and everyone’s getting fitter. The manager’s now in a great position to pick a strong team, and hopefully one that is ready to go out there and do the job on Saturday.”

Pellegrii unleashes Aguero on Stoke

M

Yusuf to take charge of Nigeria’s upcoming internationals against Mali and Luxembourg. “I feel honoured to be given this opportunity to serve in this capacity and I thank the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for this privilege. My relationship with Salisu and Boboye transcends friendship; we are more like brothers and I am sure that relationship can only work positively for the Super Eagles,” Amapakabo said.

“I will work hard with the other coaches and try to bring back the glory of Nigerian football. Salisu (Yusuf) is a very senior colleague who is every experienced and I know we will learn a lot from him,” he said.

B

anchester City will try to strengthen their position in the top four when they face Stoke City in a Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium today.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side are unbeaten in their last four league fixtures, while midtable Stoke have failed to win any of their last three games in the top flight.

Vincent Kompany is expected to play twice in five days as he made his return from a calf injury to start City ’s 1-1 drawwith Newcastle United on Tuesday night. The captain came through the match unscathed, as did Raheem Sterling, who came off the substitutes’ bench after recovering from a groin injury.

Pellegrini’s side may have one eye on their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, but they are back at the Etihad and have enough quality within the side to gain all three points over the Potters, who have not won any of their last three league games.

Chelsea eye win at Bournemouth

ournemouth’s first season in the top flight is almost over and victory this weekend against Chelsea would see them draw level on points with last year ’s champions.

That may not be as glamorous as it sounds given Chelsea’s nosedive this season, but the Cherries are all but guaranteed to be playing Premier League football again

next season.

Thibaut Courtois was sent off late on against City, so Asmir Begovic will start between the sticks for Chelsea.

Hiddink could welcome back Eden Hazard from a hip problem and may decide to make changes given the Blues’ first losing run in the league since he took over.

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 22, 2016

CAF Champions League:

Ikhana warns Enyimba to brace up for ‘war’

C

oach Kadiri Ikhana has warned Enyimba to be ready for the worst kind of treatment in the group stage of the CAF Champions

League.

The two-time champions in 2003 and 2004 sealed their place in the group stages after defeating Etoile du Sahel 4-3 on penalties in Sousse on Wednesday night..

The draw ceremony holds May 24 at the Cairo headquarters of CAF in Egypt.

Enyimba will be joined by seven other qualifiers in the draw, comprising Al Ahly of Egypt, Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca, Entente Setif of Algeria and Zamalek of Egypt.

Ivorien side ASEC Mimosa, AS Vita of Congo Democratic Republic and Zesco United complete the draw Ikhana, who coached Enyimba to win the trophy in 2003 said it was an important for the Aba side to know they will be up against the wall in their bid to win the trophy after their last triumph in 2004.

“Enyimba’s qualification to the group stage of the CAF Champions League at the expense of the Tunisian side, Etoile du Sahel is a huge achievement and we must say big congratulations to the side.

“Enyimba have succeeded in putting Nigeria’s name on the world map of top football playing nations. For some years now, no Nigerian club was able to qualify for the group stage of the Caf Champions League.

“Enyimba went to the lion’s den to the pull the qualification ticket from the mouth of Etoile du Sahel, it’s not a mean feat but a huge achievement for the entire country.

“But they must know that the journey would now be tougher and tortuous from now on and should therefore expect the worst kind of treatment when they are on the road to play. I believe they are wiser with the harrowing experience in Sousse in the hands of Etoile du Sahel and that should be a guide to them in prepare for the group stage hostilities,” he added.

International friendlies: Amapakabo: Eagles will bounce back R angers head coach, Imama Amapakabo has said he was confident that his close relationship with Coach Salisu Yusuf will steer Eagles

to victories in their upcoming international friendlies against Mali on May 27 and Luxembourg on May 1 The Super Eagles will play Mali at Stade Robert Dichon,

FA Cup semifinal:

Rouen, on May 27 while they face Luxembourg on May 1.

Amapakabo has been appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation to work with veteran tactician, Salisu

Man U will roll over Everton —Smalling

C

hris Smalling has suggested that Manchester United are well equipped to beat Everton at Wembley today and move into next month’s FA Cup final.

The Red Devils have been in excellent form as of late, winning five of

their last six games in all competitions - a 3-0 defeat at title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur being the only blemish.

Another plus has been the return of captain Wayne Rooney, who made his comeback in the quarter-final replay victory at West Ham United earlier this month.

“I’m looking forward to it because it’s going to be a great occasion,” Smalling told MUTV. “Hopefully we can do the job against Everton and get back there for a second visit [for the final].

“A lot of the lads have been coming back into the team in the last couple of games, and everyone’s getting fitter. The manager’s now in a great position to pick a strong team, and hopefully one that is ready to go out there and do the job on Saturday.”

Pellegrii unleashes Aguero on Stoke

M

Yusuf to take charge of Nigeria’s upcoming internationals against Mali and Luxembourg. “I feel honoured to be given this opportunity to serve in this capacity and I thank the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for this privilege. My relationship with Salisu and Boboye transcends friendship; we are more like brothers and I am sure that relationship can only work positively for the Super Eagles,” Amapakabo said.

“I will work hard with the other coaches and try to bring back the glory of Nigerian football. Salisu (Yusuf) is a very senior colleague who is every experienced and I know we will learn a lot from him,” he said.

B

anchester City will try to strengthen their position in the top four when they face Stoke City in a Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium today.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side are unbeaten in their last four league fixtures, while midtable Stoke have failed to win any of their last three games in the top flight.

Vincent Kompany is expected to play twice in five days as he made his return from a calf injury to start City ’s 1-1 drawwith Newcastle United on Tuesday night. The captain came through the match unscathed, as did Raheem Sterling, who came off the substitutes’ bench after recovering from a groin injury.

Pellegrini’s side may have one eye on their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, but they are back at the Etihad and have enough quality within the side to gain all three points over the Potters, who have not won any of their last three league games.

Chelsea eye win at Bournemouth

ournemouth’s first season in the top flight is almost over and victory this weekend against Chelsea would see them draw level on points with last year ’s champions.

That may not be as glamorous as it sounds given Chelsea’s nosedive this season, but the Cherries are all but guaranteed to be playing Premier League football again

next season.

Thibaut Courtois was sent off late on against City, so Asmir Begovic will start between the sticks for Chelsea.

Hiddink could welcome back Eden Hazard from a hip problem and may decide to make changes given the Blues’ first losing run in the league since he took over.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—45

I’ve slept with over 500 women •Wild confessions of Cricket star Tino Best •Tino Best is soon to bring out his autobiography, ‘Mind the Windows: My Story’.

Best is renowned for being one of the fastest bowlers ever to have played the game and has enjoyed an 11-year international career with the West Indies.

His ‘tell-all’ book is the story of a man never far from controversy, living life ‘in the fast lane’, both on and off the pitch.

Here, MailOnline has an exclusive extract...

I

love girls – and girls love me. I reckon I’m the best-looking baldheaded guy in the world. I joke about being the black Brad Pitt!

Everywhere I went as a cricketer, I’d talk to girls, date girls and sleep with girls. I reckon I’ve slept with anywhere between 500 and 650 girls, all around the world.

I had a beautiful baby called Tamani with my first love Melissa but things went bad with us. The lads had told me that, once I took wickets for Barbados, she’d come running back for me. I had done just that but she hadn’t. When she called it a day, I became a bit of a playboy. Put it this way: I was a man whore.

If I liked a girl, I’d go and talk to them – whoever it was. If I’d seen Beyonce and she was single, I’d have gone and introduced myself: ‘Hello, my name’s Tino. What’s yours?’ No girl intimidated me. I met a lot of girls at a place called The Boatyard in Barbados. I used to chill there with my team-mates Courtney Browne, Sulieman Benn, Floyd Reifer and Sherwin Campbell, who all played for the West Indies. It had a real cool vibe.

It wasn’t a nightclub, more a beach bar where you could have a drink, lounge and meet different people.

I was younger than the rest of my team-mates when I first arrived on the scene. I was handsome and single and girls liked that. They liked the fact there was no strings attached with me too.

I was desperate to impress the older lads when I got in the Barbados squad because we had a brotherhood together. I was the new kid on the block and I felt like I’d get points from the boys when I pulled a girl. It was a way of getting more respect and showing I was the man.

The Barbados and West Indies lads used to like a drink but there was no huge drinking culture. They never encouraged me to drink, put it that way, and I never felt pressurised. It was more of a social drink – one or two brandies – and it wouldn’t end up out on the p***. I used to train so hard that I couldn’t afford to fill myself with booze and throw that down the drain.

Risk the opportunity of playing for the West Indies? No chance, bro.

I’d pick and choose who I wanted to date. I used to go on five or six dates a week, all with different girls. So, yes, I was a man whore. I’d have to juggle them round. One on one day, another on another day. I was young and loving the lifestyle.

My mum said she didn’t mind me having lots of girls – if I was careful.

And there’s one thing I never did – I’d never lie to a girl. I’d always tell them straight: I don’t want a relationship and all I’m interested in is having fun. No relationship, no stress. It was one bit of advice Floyd always used to tell me. You don’t have to tell girls lies. Just be honest.

Once Melissa left, I didn’t like the thought of having to answer to someone.

I didn’t want to be steaming in for Barbados against Jamaica at Sabina Park, worrying if my wife or girlfriend was back home cheating while I was away. I have my whole life to find someone – cricket is a short career.

All the girls knew the score. They knew I was a travelling athlete and they knew I wasn’t husband material.

Marriage is not really encouraged in our society anyway. People tend to break up so much. You’ll spend a load of money building a million-dollar house, split up and the other half will want to have half the damn house. I always wanted to wait and. Even then.

It has to be the right girl. I’m not going to rush it.

We used to go on tour with the West Indies – and away with Barbados – and see how many girls we could enjoy. If I went to Australia and saw a nice-looking blonde, I’d want to date

The girls are great but the best thing about being a cricketer is the days on the field. Nothing can beat pulling on the whites of your country and going into battle. It’s a feeling like no other. them. If I went to South Africa and saw a gorgeous brunette, I’d want to go out for a bit with her. I always used to tease my team-mates and tell them that, if they didn’t play cricket, they wouldn’t get the girls. I’d get girls because I’m good looking, I’d joke!

We used to have competitions of who could shag the most girls on tour. I think my record, on an eleven-week tour to Australia in 2005, was more than forty. I was twenty four and I didn’t play a Test on that tour. The coach, Bennett King, didn’t fancy me one bit. He must have been the only one who didn’t! He made me watch the Test matches and I used to feel so frustrated. All I did was play the tour games.

But I was bowling fast – at night. I’d go out partying on my own, pick up a

girl and take her back to the hotel. I wasn’t out drinking much on those nights. I’d have a brandy but I would train and work so hard, so I didn’t want much alcohol. I knew drinking would undo all the hard work I was putting in. I’d always be fitter, faster and stronger than everyone else.

Nothing would get in the way of that.

I wanted girls – not alcohol.

I’d go out, pick up a couple of girls and take them back to our hotel. A plush hotel with a professional sportsman: the girls loved it.

Sometimes I’d take back four girls on one night! If that happened, I’d have to call one of the other lads for back-up to help me out.

I’ve had plenty of threesomes, or menages a trois, as I like to call them.

One night I had three girls at once.

That’s the most I’ve ever done stuff with. I wasn’t getting any play on the field in Australia – but I was at night.

The greatest night of my life was in 2004. I had my first menage a trois in the Crowne Plaza hotel in Birmingham. Wow. I went for dinner with two beautiful girls and took them back to my room. That blew my mind.

The most beautiful girls are the Australians. I think they are amazing.

They are really into their fitness and have amazing bodies. Did any of this affect my cricket? No, not at all. I don’t think it hindered me. There was noone who trained harder than me for Barbados or the West Indies. If I bring two girls back and have sex with them, I’ll still be out there first in the morning working hard. I was smart about it and didn’t get into any trouble. I respected that I played for my country and did everything I could – but I liked enjoying myself too.

I’d take girls back to hotel rooms but no-one would know. I’d still train my butt off and I wasn’t flaunting it about.

I’d move and walk about so slyly. In 2005 I told our coach, Bennett King, that I was heavily committed to my girlfriend back in Barbados – but I didn’t even have one! He’d seen me out with a few girls in Adelaide and I needed an excuse.

People used to know me in Barbados but it was different abroad. A lot of girls recognised me and said I was familiar but they thought I was an American who played American Football or something. That suited me.

I didn’t tell them I played cricket for the West Indies. They just knew I was a professional sportsman and thought I must have been on vacation.

There was a news story that came out in September 2015 when Chris Gayle went on Instagram to post about his strip club. He put up a picture and wrote, ‘From the pool to the strip club...if u don’t have a strip club at home, U ain’t a cricket ‘Player’ .. I always make sure my guest well entertained and feel like they are at home #LifeIsForLiving #DreamBig.’

Source: mailonline.com

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

Scandal hits

Drogba

•Chelsea legend under probe

A

•Drogba

C M Y K

scandal-hit charity backed by royalty, corporate giants and celebrities cynically exploited vulnerable African children for publicity, the Daily Mail has revealed.

The Didier Drogba Foundation – which is supported by Princess Beatrice and David Beckham – claimed to provide thousands of schoolchildren in the Ivory Coast with ‘the basic tools needed to get an education.’

But the Mail revealed that in at least one school, learning materials – including notebooks and pens – were only given to children who appeared in a promotional film.

The Foundation, set up by former Chelsea footballer Didier Drogba, also had 20 African orphans taken by bus to a mansion miles from their home, where photographs taken of them with the striker on Christmas Day for promotional pictures were later posted on Twitter.

The children had a festive lunch with the footballer and his wife and three children, were given presents and played for a few hours before being sent back.

The Mail also revealed that youngsters pictured with the Ivorian footballer in one of the charity’s main publicity photographs are not African beneficiaries of the Foundation, but child models from the UK. One of the youngsters is the grandson of renowned England and Arsenal footballer Ian Wright.

The Daily Mail had earlier revealed how the Didier Drogba Foundation is being investigated by the Charity Commission and the United Nations after reporters found it spent less than one per cent of money raised in the UK on good causes.

Since 2009, just £14,115 out of £1.7 million given by donors has been spent on charity projects.

Almost half a million pounds was spent on decadent fundraising parties in London, where celebrities were entertained by pop stars at top hotels.

The rest has been left languishing unused in bank accounts.

The revelations have stunned supporters of the charity run by world-renowned footballer Drogba, who is also a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

Britain’s charity watchdog has launched an investigation and its chief operating officer, David Holdsworth, said it has ‘serious concerns’ and would probe whether the Foundation ‘provided misleading information to

donors and the public.’

Minister for Civil Society Rob Wilson added that the allegations were ‘extremely worrying.’ There are also questions about millions of pounds in sponsorship earnings from global corporations Pepsi, Nike and Samsung, which Drogba claims have gone to the charity.

The funds were paid directly into an account in the Foundation’s name in the Ivory Coast, which is not subject to scrutiny by the Charity Commission.

The Foundation has declined to reveal whether the footballer paid any UK income tax on these sponsorship payments, made over six years while he was living in a £7 million mansion in Surrey and playing for Premiership side Chelsea.

The charity has become a renowned cause in the UK and backed by celebrities including U2 singer Bono and sporting giants such as Pele and Roger Federer.

It claims to have provided financial support across health and education in Africa for nearly a decade. As part of its fundraising drive, the charity has held four lavish balls for its millionaire donors at top London hotels like the Dorchester and the Grosvenor House.

Guests who have attended include Princess Beatrice, Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley.

Drogba’s publicists said the parties ‘raised over £1 million’ – but accounts filed to the Charity Commission show the Foundation actually made less than £250,000 profit from the balls.

And one cost so much to host that it actually lost the charity £71,706. In its first three-and-a-half years, no money raised in the UK was spent on charitable activities.

Meanwhile, the charity work carried out in the Ivory Coast was done at Drogba’s personal expense.

He claims this charity work has amounted to £2.94million.

This includes the cost of building a clinic in Ivory Coast, although it is not yet open.

All the work is understood to have been funded from an Ivorian bank account in the name of the Foundation into which Drogba says millions of pounds from his sponsorship earnings are paid.

Its accounts are not open to public scrutiny and the charity has refused to show them to the Mail. After the Mail published its investigation into the Didier Drogba Foundation recently, the footballer issued a statement saying the story was incorrect. He said: ‘The Foundation ... [has] all the documentation required by law both in the UK and the Ivory Coast. The Foundation’s work to date has been funded entirely by me through sponsorship earnings and

donations in the amount of 3.7 million euros [£2.94million].’

Among the projects he said the Foundation helped fund were the building of the charity’s first clinic, a mobile health unit, school bags and books, a dialysis machine and support to orphanages.

He added: ‘The £1.7 million from UK fundraising will be used to make the main clinic fully operational, including medical equipment, staff, medicine and running costs.’ Drogba recently said on TV in Canada: ‘All these projects I’m talking about have been financed by my sponsorship deals.

People need to understand that we not only need to organise charity events – so you need some funds there – but also I’m responsible for this money. So I’m not going to spend it just to spend it.

‘I know what I want to do and this money will be spent at the right time when it needed to be spent. I built one clinic, which is in Ivory Coast, and which is not functional now. But I built the clinic. It’s a concrete project. It’s really there.’

A spokesman for the Mail said: ‘The Daily Mail stands by every word of this important story which has prompted an investigation by the Charity Commission. The documents provided to us by the Didier Drogba Foundation failed to address the very serious questions posed by our journalists.’

All we got was a few sheep: The Mail went to the schools and orphanages in Africa that celebs thought they were helping - and found frustration and dismay After the Mail published its investigation into the Didier Drogba Foundation, the footballer insisted he had spent millions of pounds of his own money on a range of charity projects.

As part of the newspaper’s investigation, its journalists travelled to Ivory Coast to speak to the schools, orphanages and health centres the Foundation claims to have supported.

Their findings indicate what the charity has told its donors does not match the reality on the ground.

School bags that fell apart In an emotive video shown to celebrity donors last year, smiling children in the Ivory Coast are seen collecting Didier Drogba Foundation school bags and skipping to school with them on their backs.

Continues on page 47

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016—47

Continues from page 46 In the background, a charity coordinator declares that the Foundation ‘gave 5,000 schoolbags to young kids in school’. He adds: ‘To go to school, you need your pen to write and it’s not always affordable to all families.’

But the Mail has discovered that only those children who agreed to appear in the promotional video for the Foundation were given the school bags. In a school of 800 pupils, only the 55 who appeared on camera received them – and they were of such poor quality that days later they fell apart.

The headmistress of the school, in a rundown neighbourhood of Abidjan, the biggest city in Ivory Coast, said the bags were only given to one class of 55 pupils.

Braffou N’Guessan Adjoua said: ‘It was to reward them. It was only one class; it was not for all the pupils.’

Asked if they still had their bags, the schoolchildren laughed and said in unison: ‘It’s broken.’ Local education chief Sylvane Oppro said: ‘The bags are not of good quality. Drogba did not change anyone’s life.’

The bags were distributed at Lokoa 3 School by the Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO and mobile phone firm Orange as part of a campaign named The Heart School Kits Project. The other bags were donated to different schools across the region.

UNESCO admitted the bags were ‘not satisfactory’. A spokesman for Orange said it paid for some of the items in the kits, such as the notebooks.

Responding, Drogba confirmed that he funded The Heart School Kits by donating £49,000, adding: ‘I want to help children from the Ivory Coast become leaders of the next generation, actors, politicians, scientists, doctors, teachers and sportspeople, but you can only get there with education and healthcare.’

School funded by chocolate giant In February this year, the Didier Drogba Foundation announced a new primary school would be built in the Ivory Coast in Drogba’s name, in collaboration with Nestlé.

But the entire cost of building the school will be met by the chocolate giant, the Mail has found.

It is understood that Nestlé agreed to build the school in Drogba’s name in return for the footballer appearing in a promotional video announcing that the school was to be built in Ivory Coast. It is not known how the running costs will be funded and the Foundation declined to

comment on the agreement with Nestlé.

Orphanage offered Drogba’s picture In October 2013, Drogba tweeted about another orphanage in Ivory Coast. ‘Best moment of my short stay in Abidjan, this visit of an orphanage “Village S.O.S. Abobo”. My new family’, he wrote.

But Gisele Stephanie Nzickonan, the orphanage’s Communications and Fundraising Manager said: ‘He has never given money.’

Another fundraising manager at the orphanage said he contacted the Foundation and was told it would not give money but could possibly lend his ‘picture’ to the orphanage in support.

‘They said if I prepared an activity, he could look at how we could put his image on it,’ he said. ‘Perhaps his picture can bring some money, perhaps by saying that with Didier Drogba we are doing such and such an activity.

‘The football players, what have they done? They aren’t doing anything.’

Old, crumbling buildings The Drogba Foundation claims on its website to collaborate with and donate to an orphanage for girls in the town of Grand Bassam.

But the only record the institution can find of any donation is a cheque for just under £2,000 that Drogba gave in 2008.

The orphanage – for 125 girls aged six to 14 – is desperate for funds to renovate shoddy classrooms, which would cost only £8,900.

Marie-Cecile Ouattara, Director of the Grand Bassam Orphanage, said: ‘For years, we have been awaiting renovation. The water and electricity are cut-off from time to time. We even once had a fracture [during a power cut]. One of the girls broke her foot.’

Asked if the Foundation has donated funds to the orphanage, Mrs Ouattara said: ‘No, not since I’ve been here. I have been here since 2012.’ But she has thanked Drogba and his children for visiting the orphanage in the past, including last Christmas.

The director of the related boys orphanage in Bingerville said it had received some presents from the Foundation and ‘two or three sheep’ to be sacrificed for a Muslim festival.

‘Bussed to his mansion for a picture’ At the end of last year, Drogba posted a picture on Instagram of himself with Ivorian orphans. ‘Having fun with my kids. My family and I are blessed to have these kids as family; our home is your home. Merry Christmas to you all,’ he wrote, adding the hashtag ‘#orphansnomore’.

The Mail has since discovered that

Drogba had 20 orphans bussed to his mansion in Abidjan, where they had Christmas lunch with him and his family; he gave them each a present and was photographed playing with them. After a few hours, the orphans were bussed back to their orphanage, Pouponniere Yopougon.

Employees said they were very grateful to Drogba for playing with the children and giving them Christmas presents. It is not known whether the Foundation has donated any money to the orphanage.

Disabled children promised funds Drogba’s charity writes on its website that it collaborates with and donates to the Page Blanche Institution for disabled children.

The footballer has been photographed handing the children gifts. But the Foundation will not say how much it has given to the centre, in Abidjan.

When the Mail visited, a manager said Drogba had given a total of £5,730 but has not donated since 2012.

‘He organised Christmas for our children in 2012 when he insisted on being there and personally giving presents to our children,’ she said. ‘He took some photographs with our children. He kissed each child and then he left. That’s it.’

The manager said the institution – which looks after 35 disabled children – was grateful for the presents and donations. It is now trying to raise £800,000 for a new school and rehabilitation centre, and is hoping Drogba will help.

‘I spoke to him,’ she said. ‘He had tears in his eyes. He promised that he could help us to build. He has always been kind to us.’

Orphanage given a Christmas tree Donors have also been told Drogba’s foundation helps and donates to the Madame Houphouet-Boigny private orphanage for babies in Abidjan.

But when asked if Drogba had visited, the director said: ‘No, he gave a Christmas tree.’ She did not know if the Foundation had ever given money to her orphanage.

Medical treatment Before the UK foundation was set up, Drogba used the Ivorian charity account to fund medical treatment for a child named Yao, who had leukaemia.

Drogba met the boy on a visit to a hospital in Ivory Coast. He subsequently paid for him and his family to be flown to Switzerland,

Chelsea legend under probe

Drogba and Una Healy from The Saturdays, at the Foundation charity ball in 2010

One of the Abidjan schools where children received Drogba Foundation schoolbags, which fell apart with less than a few months use

where he received medical treatment.

Sadly, the boy died. Drogba paid for the repatriation of his body and the cost of his funeral.

Women’s group Four groups of women in Bouaflé in central Ivory Coast have been given £7,900 by the charity, which donated food items, a cassava grinder, a telephone booth, and footballs.

Clinic that isn’t open after six years Donors in the UK were told that a hospital – and up to five other clinics – built by the Foundation would transform the lives of Ivorians.

However, six years later, only one small clinic building has been constructed. It is empty and still not open. Patients will not be able to stay overnight, and it will have just ten treatment beds.

Drogba’s representatives say this clinic in Abidjan is a more appropriate way of providing healthcare and cost millions to build, with the footballer paying £2.5 million for the building to be constructed.

Mobile clinic that did one trial run Didier Drogba has also provided money for a mobile health truck which will screen children for congenital heart disease. The footballer’s representatives claim he spent £270,000 on this – and that it is ‘operational’ and already screening patients.

However, a charity called The Heart Fund – which built the mobile clinic – said the Foundation paid £172,000, while other patrons have also supported the project.

A spokesman for The Heart Fund said it was ‘technically operational’, but had only performed an initial trial for one day in December. The Foundation insists this is wrong, saying that Drogba paid for the mobile clinic in its entirety and it is operational.

A security guard at the clinic said during a visit that a ‘mobile hospital had arrived in Abidjan today’.

Didier Drogba and his Foundation did not comment on the specific allegations Daily Mail put to them, but the footballer has said that he has supported many other projects in Ivory Coast and that he has ‘a profound and sincere commitment’ to orphans in the country.

He added: ‘The Foundation’s work to date has been funded entirely by me through sponsorship earnings and donations in the amount of 3.7 million euros (£2.94 million). Projects funded have included supporting orphanages.’

*Culled from Daily Mirror

Drogba with kids

Drogba at the Foundation dinner

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SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 23, 2016

Scandal hits Drogba >> 46/47

I’ve slept with over 500 women >>45

International friendlies: Amapakabo:

Eagles will bounce back >>44

>>44

Today’s Fixtures

CROSS WORD PUZZLE Across 1 Malawi’s Vice President, Mr. Saulus – (7) 4 L.G.A in Imo State – (5) 7 Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo – (3) 8 Chairman/CEO, Brila Group, Dr. Larry – (7) 9 Congolese President, Mr. Denis – (7) 10 Chairman/CEO, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Mr. Franklin – (7) 13 Country in Africa – (4) 15 Amend – (6) 18 Former Chairman, Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nuhu – (6) 21 Ethnic Group in Nigeria – (4) 23 Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mrs. Christine – (7) 25 L.G.A in Ogun State – (7) 26 Leicester City Coach, Claudio – (7) 27 Igbo Word for “Head”? – (3) 28 Warning Device – (5) 29 Spanish “La Liga” Club-Side – (7)

Down 1 Egyptian Capital City – (5) 2 Honduras Currency – (7) 3 Former Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony – (6) 4 Benue State Capital – (7) 5 Special Adviser to the Presidency on Media & Publicity, Mr. Femi – (7) 6 L.G.A in Benue State – (7) 11 Prosecute – (3) 12 Land Measurement Unit – (4) 14 Region – (4) 15 Maldives Currency – (7) 16 Carnivorous Fish – (7) 17 Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Major-General Mohammed – (7) 19 Algeria “Desert Warriors” Attacking Midfielder, Yacine – (7) 20 Father – (3) 22 France “Les Bleus” Goalkeeper, Hugo – (6) 24 Former Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Bekes – (5)

EPL Man City Aston Villa Bournemouth Liverpool

v v v v

Stoke Southampton Chelsea Newcastle

12:45pm 3pm 3pm 3pm

FA Cup S/final Everton

v

Man Utd

5:15pm

SERIE A Inter Milan

v

Udinese

7:45pm

LA LIGA Rayo Vallecano v Real Madrid 3pm Atletico Madrid v Sporting Gijon 7:30pm Eibar v Deportivo 9:05pm BUNDESLIGA Cologne FC Ingolstadt 04 Hertha Berlin Stuttgart Wolfsburg Schalke

v v v v v v

SV Darmstadt 98 2:30pm Hannover 96 2:30pm Bayern Munich 2:30pm Dortmund 2:30pm FC Augsburg 2:30pm Bayer Leverkusen 5:30pm

LIGUE I Toulouse

v

Lyon

4:30pm

Solution on page 43

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Advert Dept Hotline: 01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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