Boko haram's "Accountant" caught with N4.5m cash by Vanguard Media Limited

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Boko Haram ‘accountant’ arrested with N4.5m cash Continued from page 1 and Zaria, last week, with N4.5 million cash belonging to the Islamist group when men of the JTF intercepted and arrested him. (Details in Story of the Week). Sunday Vanguard sources said he was travelling in a commuter bus as a cover. The arrest came barely two days after security agents tracked and killed Boko Haram spokesman, Abu Qaqa, in an operation in Kano. The Islamist group’s ‘accountant’, it was learnt, embarked on the journey which originated from Maiduguri, Borno State, to make cash transfers. The sources said his cover blew after he and another associate made some money transfers in Kano, an action that aroused the curiosity of bank

officials who alerted security agents. The associate was arrested but, by then, the ‘accountant’ was already on his way to Zaria. Subsequent manhunt yielded fruit as the ‘Boko Haram accountant’ was arrested in transit. The Islamist group’s kingpin, according to the sources, is under intense interrogation by security agents in Kano. Sunday Vanguard understood that the security services believe the arrest of the ‘accountant’ is a major breakthrough in the efforts to contain terrorism in the country. Boko Haram is believed to be behind deadly attacks in the northern part of the country.

Islamists fire averted in Yobe! *169 suspects ar rested, cur few imposed

O L L O W I N G intelligence report that Boko Haram had concluded plans to carry out coordinated attacks on churches, telecommunication facilities and prominent indigenes of Yobe State, the JTF in the state, yesterday, arrested about 169 people suspected to be members of the sect in Damaturu, the state capital. Sunday Vanguard gathered that in view of the sophisticated arms, IEDS, grenades and other weapons found as well as the suspicion that many more sect members and arms located in parts of the state, particularly the state capital, were yet to be recovered, the state government, last night, imposed a 24 hour-curfew throughout the state. According to security sources, the plan by the sect was to carry out coordinated attacks similar to the ones in Kano early this year that left over 50 dead and property worth several millions of naira destroyed.

It was gathered that out of the 169 suspects arrested, 79 persons were cleared after screening while the remaining, numbering 90, were to be moved to Abuja for further investigation. The curfew in the state started 10pm while and all roads in and out of the state were cordoned for security searches.

Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke(middle), his wife, Obioma and Deputy Governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham, cheering the Golden Eaglets to victory at the U.J.Esuene Stadium in Calabar....yesterday. BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

PERATIVES of the Joint Task Force JTF, in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, yesterday, invaded the Igbomotoru mangrove swamp in the Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State destroying about thirty illegal refinery camps. The soldiers backed by three gunboats and two water crafts, according to community sources, stormed the area at about 6 a.m. set the camps ablaze and destroyed the tools used by the illegal refinery operators in carrying out their nefarious trade.

JTF operatives storm Bayelsa creek, destroy 30 illegal refinery camps Also destroyed, it was learnt, were boats found at the camps believed to be used in transferring the alleged stolen crude and their illegally refined consignment to the main the river for onward shipment to their buyers. The military action, it was learnt, was part of the ongoing efforts by the authorities to stem the upsurge in crude oil theft and the booming

illegal refinery trade in the creek and waterways of the Delta. According to sources, heavily armed soldiers, backed by military gunboats and water crafts were sighted heading towards the area on Friday night ostensibly for a dawn raid on the camps being used as refinery base by the illegal refinery operators.

Arik Air resumes flight operations today BY LAWANI MUKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

RIK Air yesterday a n n o u n c e d resumption of its flight operations today. This is a fall out of the reconciliation meeting held with all the parties involved in the debts crisis that led to the disruption and subsequent suspension of Arik Air flight

SOLUTION

operations on Thursday. This was disclosed to aviation correspondents during a press briefing by the management of Arik Air at its corporate head office at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. The reconciliation meeting called by the Federal Government was presided over by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Pius Ayim, and had in attendance the Aviation

Minister, Princes Stella Oduah, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, Managing Directors of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Goerge Uresi and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Nnamdi Udoh. Also in attendance was the Chair man of Arik Air, Sir Joseph Arumemi Ikhide Chairman of Senate

Committee on Aviation Senator Hope Uzodinma and other stakeholders involved in the crisis. They deliberated on the issues involved and agreed that immediate settlement is the best option for the ailing aviation industry while permanent solutions to the issues would be worked out later. Consequent upon this, Arik Air announced immediate resumption of flight operations.

Subsidy protests: Jonathan alienated from reality— Soyinka

OBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has picked holes President Goodluck Jonathan’s comments that the anti-fuel subsidy removal protests, organised by civil society groups in Lagos last January following the removal of fuel subsidy, was manipulated by a class of people to embarrass his government. President Jonathan argued that the protests were not a true reflection of the position of the masses, because the sponsors hired top musicians and provided packed food and bottled water for the

protesters. In a statement entitled: ‘Not Again, Jonathan’, Soyinka said the President’s comments showed that he was “lamentably alienated” from the true pulse of the nation. He insisted the people had right to protest and kicked against the government’s use of soldiers to quell the protests. The statement in part read: “The most generous response that can be given to President Jonathan’s recent statement on the people’s fuel subsidy protest is that he is suffering from a bad conscience. The worst – which I fear is closer to the truth – is

that he is lamentably alienated from the true pulse of the nation, thanks perhaps to the poor, eager-to-please quality of his analysts, those who are supposed to provide him an accurate feel of the public mood. “Since I have had the opportunity to contest this perception of the protest with him directly, it is clear what kind of interpretative diet he prefers. The nation needs all the luck it can get. “The president sent in the army and shock Police squads to forcibly seize and occupy grounds from a demonstrating Continues on page 7

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‘Why INEC must get parties to comply with electoral law on primaries’ BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

NDEPENDENT Na tional Electoral Commission, INEC, has been told to ensure compliance with the Electoral Act on conduct of primary elections by the political parties. Former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Pastor Power Aginighan, who made the call in a statement, yesterday, accused the various political parties of flouting Section 85 of the Electoral Act, 2010 in their primary elections. Continuing, he urged INEC to sanction parties that fail to comply with the Electoral Act; enjoining the National Assembly to amend the act to force all political parties to comply with the provision on pri-

mary elections. Aginighan, who was also the immediate past Executive Director Finance and Administration of the NDDC, said most of the parties merely handpicked their executives. “I am bold to say that there is no party that has fully complied with this provision in the conduct of its congresses and primaries. At best, the provision has only been observed mainly in the breach. The impunity with which political parties violate this very important provision of the law is traceable to the lack of sanctions for non-compliance in the Act”, Aginighan stated. “This has led to the emergence of hand-picked executives from the ward to local government to state and national levels.

On Int’l Peace Day: FG appeals to Boko Haram, others to sheathe sword impact on the lives of its BY CALEB AYANSINA

HE Minister of Tour ism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, weekend, appealed to the Islamist group, Boko Haram, and others disenchanted with the nation to sheathe their sword and join the struggle for peaceful co-existence and nation building. Duke, while addressing a press conference to mark the 2012 International Peace Day in Abuja, noted that no development could be achieved in the atmosphere of chaos. Represented by his Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, the minister maintained that Nigeria is blessed with human and material resources, but it is so unfortunate that it could not

citizens due to corruption and insecurity. Speaking on this year theme: ‘Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future’, he said that “what rightly comes to mind is the need for sober reflection on the way and manner peace is truncated globally”. He continued, “I therefore use this platform to urge every Nigerian especially those who have been disenchanted with the Nation, to sheathe their swords, down their tools and arms and think of how to contribute to peaceful co-existence, harmonious living and nation building. “Our nation is at the threshold of history where our economy blossoms but could not impact on the lives of the masses because of insecurity, insurrection and insurrection and insurgency”.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission should conduct internal democracy compliance audit of all the political parties and direct all parties that have not complied with the provisions of Section 85 of the Electoral Act to do so without delay, failing which all executives and candidates of such parties should not be recognised. “The National Assembly should urgently amend the Electoral Act 2010 to provide for proscription of political parties that do not practice full blown internal democracy” .

Cross River dethrones Calabar paramount ruler •‘I remain the Muri Munene’ BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Calabar

MBATTLED para mount ruler of Efuts in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Muri Munene Effiong Mbukpa, was, on Friday afternoon, removed from the throne following a fresh selection of a new monarch, Prof. Itam Hogan Itam, as allegedly approved by the state government. But, in a swift reaction, Mbukpa said that he remained the paramount ruler, describing the alleged selection as a nullity and out of the tradition of the Efut land. Besides, the Efuts Combined Assembly, which claimed that, by the traditional of the Efuts, it was the assembly that has the right to conduct any selection of any Muri Munene said that there was no vacancy in the first place for anybody to contemplate filling any posi-

S-east’s many problems: ‘Government officials pretend all is well’ •Monarch, university don suggest BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

F the update on the activities of kidnappers in Abia State is anything to go by, Nigeria may not yet heave a sigh of relief. Last week, an Abian senior university lecturer said the situation was now worse that anybody that came out or sent his ward on errand after six o’clock in the evening in the state did so at his own peril. The university don anonymously said the situation had degenerated

solution to kidnapping

so much so that not a single government official was bold enough to speak on it. “The situation is that none of the governors of the South-east is bold to speak on the kidnapping menace because of the fear that doing so may be risking kidnap of his relations. “No one in Umuahia dares to go out after six o ‘clock. If you send your child out to go and buy you fuel or whatever after that time, you are doing

L-r; Shows the children of Late Engr Chief Teslim Olatunji Adebanjo, CEO, Iyasuna Power Engineers Group Ltd, they are Mrs Sola Banjo, Mrs Oluremi Ogunseye and Mr Babatunde Adebanjo, (The current CEO of the group) at the final rites socials of their father at Itako, Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State.

so at your own peril,” he lamented. At Achalla, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi gave reason for the acts of criminality that Igbo youths have perpetrated which, according to him, had for long now threatened the security of the region especially in Abia State. He however singled out his community, Achalla, as about the only community in the region with relative peace and crime free tendency.

tion. Secretary of the assembly, Ndabo Godwin Bassey, explained that the Mbukpa had been on the throne for about four years now and was recognized by Governor liyel Imoke on many occasions, adding that when the governor visited the palace during his electioneering campaign, he commended the Munene for maintain the peace in the area. He said that Mbukpa had performed all the traditional rites to mount the throne and that, according to the tradition of the Efuts, whoever performs the burial rites of the late monarch automatically takes over and that the rites had been done many years ago except otherwise somebody wants to exhume the corpse. According to him, “The only people who are qualified traditionally to vote or be voted for in the purported selection were the three Muris that did not come, the other five are not qualified and there has never been a time they are up to five that are qualified. “The two other persons there are challenging their suspension by the late Muri Munene in court and the court has pronounced that they cannot partake in any thing on selection. To start with, there is no vacancy there. It is the duty of the Efuts Combined Assembly to conduct selection where there is a vacancy. “It is also the conclave of qualified accredited Muris of the ancestral clans that select Munene, this one was conducted by government, there has

never been any place in the world where government conducts the selection of the traditional ruler.” The Cross River State government had, in a letter dated September 18, 2012, entitled, “Filling of the vacant stool of Muri Munene of the Efuts,” signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Liyel Imoke on Chieftaincy Affairs ‘Hon. John Eyikwaje’ directed that the purported vacant position of the Muri Munene be filled. The letter, addressed to the embattled monarch and seven other contestants, read: “Please be informed that His Excellency, the governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, has given approval for the filing of the vacant stool of Muri Munene of the Efuts in Calabar South Local Government Area.” Some Efuts indigenes claimed that the selection traditionally should be conducted at the palace of

NBA Minna valedictory service

GERIAN Bar Association(NBA) Minna branch tomorrow holds a valedictory court session for one of its members, Joseph Kolo, who died recently. The honour for Kolo, who was also the Legal Adviser, Congress For Progress Change (CPC), Niger State, will be held at the Niger State High Court 1, Minna.

the Muri Munene but it was gathered that it did not take place there as the palace for several months now had been under lock and key following the attack on Mbukpa by people suspected to be area boys who were allegedly hired by the opposition to take the place by force. It was gathered that the alleged filling of the vacant stool took place at the Calabar South Council secretariat instead of the palace and was supervised by the Secretary of Chieftaincy Affairs, Calabar South Local government Area, Charles Obo, under the watchful eyes of the Special Adviser to the Governor and the Chairman of Calabar South, Hon. Ekeng Henshaw.

Lagos Tenancy Law Discourse

EAL Estate Lawyers Association of Nigeria(RELAN) will on Tuesday, provide the platform for the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos(UNILAG), Prof. Imran Oluwole Smith(SAN), to speak on “Tenancy Law in the social context: The Lagos State Tenancy Law In V i e w ” . The event, tagged 2nd RELAN Breakfast RoundTable, holds at The Hotel Solitude, 2, T.Y Danjuma Street, off Ligali Ayorinde Road, Victoria Isaland, Lagos. RELAN President, Prof. Charles Udenze Ilegbune(SAN), will chair the RoundTable.

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Ex-militant leader ompolo, ffloats loats leader,, TTompolo, educational foundation BY EMMA AMAIZE

PPARENTLY dem onstrating that all about him is not bloodshed, ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has established an educational charity, the Tompolo Foundation, to provide education for the less privileged students in Warri, Delta State. The Director for Education, Tompolo Foundation, Brother Job Bebenimibo, said during a working visit to the education secretary, Warri South West local government area, Mr. Uyabrib-

inde Godspower, that, as a pilot plan, arrangements have been concluded to supply teaching aids and learning materials to some selected public schools in the council area. His words, “This is aimed at ensuring effective education for the disadvantaged pupils and students attending public schools in our society. “The chairman of the Tompolo Foundation, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, is very committed to making the foundation of our educational system in the ru-

ral areas where the less privileged pupils and students are mostly found an enviable one”. “ As a result, pupils in the affected public schools would be supplied with complete school uniforms, sport wears, textbooks, exercise books, school playground equipment (slide, seesaw, merry go round and swings) as well as teaching aids for the teachers to ensure effective teaching and learning process”. Responding, the education secretary stated that the development was a welcomed one.

Protesters demonstrating against the film which purports to mock Prophet Mohammed (SAW) in Kano yesterday

w tto o mak e poll peaceful, credible Ondo 2012: Ho How make – Akinrinade, candidates, INEC, others BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & DAYO JOHNSON

O halt the growing tension in Ondo State ahead of the October 20 governorship poll, the 13 candidates and their parties, National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, a former Chief of the Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade, and other stakeholders, weekend, agreed on strategies to make the election peaceful, free and fair. Rising from a sensitisation workshop for political parties and stakeholders in the governorship election organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, the stakeholders agreed to promote free and fair election

and insisted that the will of voters must prevail at the election. They also said the INEC should eschew bias in its operations and provide a level, playing field; all governorship candidates and parties should enlighten their supporters on the need to shun electoral malpractices; stakeholders must avoid and discourage use of violent language; and the media should avoid provocative reporting and ensure adequate and accurate coverage of the process. Among those who spoke at the parley are 11 of the 13 candidates and one deputy governorship candidate; Dr Hakeem BabaAhmed; Robina Namusisi (country director, IRI Nigeria, Mourtade Deme (DGD-UNDP) and leaders of the political parties. Jega, who was represented by the Commis-

sioner-in-Charge of Political Parties, Hajia Amina Zakari, urged all contestants and stakeholders to adhere to the rules of the game and observe strictly the 2010 Political Parties Code of Conduct, by shunning anti-democratic practices such as intimidation of other candidates and create enabling conditions for citizens to vote freely for their leaders. He stated that INEC was truly independent and would conduct credible elections in Ondo State. Akinrinade, who chaired the workshop, said that when an election was not free and fair, democracy would be eroded because bad and unwanted leaders would be foisted on the people. He also stressed that political killings and violence were not only antithetical to democracy but also satan-

Subsidy protests: Jonathan alienated from reality— Soyinka Continued from page 5 public, a violation of the people’s rights as entrenched in the constitution, a right – as it happens – that has been further consolidated by a pronouncement of the courts of law. This should be seen as a grave danger to democracy, and a warning. “Both the participants, and those who – myself included – even though unable to be present, lent both vocal and moral support to the demonstration, have been maligned and insulted by such reductionist reasoning. “The culture of public

protest appears to be alien territory to President Jonathan, which is somewhat surprising, considering the fact that he has not only lived in this nation as a citizen but served in various political offices. He has lived through the terror reign of Sanni Abacha whose ruthless misuse of the military and the secret service did not prevent demonstrations against perceived injustice and truncation of people’s rights. “Jonathan’s pronouncements truly boggle the mind. What is this obsession with bottled water, comedians and musical artists? Must

demonstrators drink water from the gutter? Is protest no longer viable when sympathizers cater to their needs, supply decent water and food rations? “And since when have entertainers been deemed a sign of unseriousness in a protest rally. Static or moving, demonstrators boost their morale in any way they can, including dancing and even minicarnivals. Sit-down occupation and hunger strikes are also legitimate public weaponry against unacceptable state conduct and policies”.

ic. Senator Obi had earlier set the template for the discourse, stating that the objective was to come up with far-reaching recommendations to ensure

free and fair elections that would be accepted by all. Baba-Ahmed, the keynote speaker, said that the Ondo election would be a test case in Nigeria’s march to free and

fair elections. Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who was the Special Guest of Honour, said free and fair election would strengthen the nation’s democracy and should not be compromised. He appealed to INEC not only to be as an unbiased arbiter but should also be “”evidently seen as clean in the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State”.

Sultan: Subordinat e religion tto o Subordinate Nigeria’s unity

he Sultan of Soko to, A lhaji Mu-

hammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, wants Nigerians to subordinate their religious beliefs to the nation’s unity. Alhaji Abubakar III, who gave the advice when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Godswill Akpabio at Governor ’s Lodge, Uyo, emphasised that unity and peace are panacea for the development of the country. The Sultan, who was in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital for the third Unity Conference of the SouthSouth and South-East Muslim UMMAH, remarked: ‘’The conference is an important one. Whether we are Christians or Muslims, we must live in peace with one another in whatever part of the country we find ourselves. If we are united, we would contribute better to the development of the country. So, we must put aside our differences and embrace peace and unity’’. Describing Akwa Ibom as a conference capital of Nigeria, he acknowledged that the governor has positively impacted the lives of people in the state and in the country, stating, ‘’We have seen your handwork in a particular manner and dealings. You are just and fair in what you do and I can see that government is working here. You have

stood out to be counted and would continue to be counted’’. Abubakar described Akpabio as a strong pillar in building a country known for peace and unity, and enjoined other Nigerians to emulate such exemplary leadership qualities as patience, humility, foresight and perseverance, among others. The governor called for unity and peace not just across the inter-faith but among the ethnic groups in the country. Akpabio said unity and

peace could be possible when Nigerians learn to work with people outside their faith and ethnic groups, remarking ‘’Intolerance breeds extremism, while the latter breeds conflict’’. He hinted that his administration has exemplified unity and tolerance through the appointment of his Aidede-Camp (ADC) from Bauchi State, Chief Security Officer (CSO) from Kogi State and his Orderly from Kaduna State.

Alleged illegal withdrawal of N15m:

Firm reports bank to CBN BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

ASTFOOD firm, Chiro Nigeria Limited, has petitioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over alleged illegal withdrawals totaling over N15 million from its account by a commercial bank , saying the action has crumbled its business. Addressing newsmen, yesterday, the chairman of the company, Felix Nwabueze, explained that Chiro, a franchisee of Mr. Biggs in Garki, Abuja, obtained a N60 million loan to expand the food business but rather than expand the company, the loan has grounded the business.

Disclosing that the terms and conditions of the loan taken in January 2011 include a prime lending rate (PLR) of 15% per annum, with the loan packaged expected to be repaid in 36months, Nwabueze s ai d, in October, 2011, the term of the loan was repackaged as N41, 666,666.67 term loan for 71 weeks but with the same terms and conditions. “To our utmost surprise, the bank applied 17 per cent per annum on the loan from commencement instead of 15 per cent per annum as contained in the offer. In addit ion to excess interest rate, we discovered other there w ere overcharges”, he said.

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Life Is A Tragedy For Those Who Feel, And A Comedy For Those Who Think —JEAN DE LA BRUYERE

Eki Igbinedion: We made

prostitution unattractive for Italy aly-bound girls

•'Life after leaving office as First Lady is tasking' I

t is no secret that prior to 1999, some persons were in the habit of sponsoring girls from Edo State to Europe for prostitution. The situation was so bad that some parents in Benin sold their properties in order to get their daughters abroad to make quick money from prostitution. The illicit trade became so competitive then that any family whose daughter is not abroad in Benin City will be seen as among those still living in the past. The situation became worrisome and embarrassing when the authorities in some of these European countries, particularly Italy and Spain, started deporting these girls back home. It was at this point that Eki Igbinedion, wife of the then governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, came in the saddle. Shortly after her husband was sworn-in as governor, she vowed to stop this illicit trade, particularly after when the issue started giving the state a bad name both at home and abroad. She set up Idia Renaissance, an outfit geared towards checking the activities of the sponsors of these girls which was like a cartel then. Eki Igbinedion visited Italy and Spain then where she met with some Edo girls counseling them on the need for them to stop the illicit trade and get decent jobs. Some of the girls were languishing in jail in Italy and she made frantic efforts to get them released and brought them back home. But she incurred the angst of some parents who wanted their children to remain there and make money for them. She was abused by some parents and her name was allegedly taken to some shrines because some of these families felt she was killing the business. Unpertubed, she even got the Edo House of Assembly then to pass a law prohibiting prostitution. She created a

niche for her self, infact she was known during her tenure as one of the most outstanding first ladies due to her programmes against human trafficking. However, many thought her activities against human trafficking would stop after her husband left office as governor of Edo State in 2007. But rather Idia Renaissance has expanded. Having fought human trafficking doggedly, she now focuses on indigent girls and even boys. The kids are trained in different vocations free of charge in the complex located along Ihama Road Benin City. Some of the girls who were recently deported

By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin City

because if I had listened to the threats then, I would have been distracted. And I would

Majority of these young people could have been languishing in one African or European country but they are here doing some thing good

from Mali also received assistance from Idia Renaissance through counseling and engaging them in different vocations available at the center. Sunday Vanguard met with Eki on Monday in Benin City to find out how she had been able to cope with the responsibility of taking care of the girls and how life has been with her after leaving office as the First Lady of Edo State. “I feel very grateful to God Almighty for giving me the grace to carry on. The determination, the compassion for the people and the job, I thank God that I have that

have derailed and lost focus but I never listened, I never lost focus and I was determined and I thank God we are here today. And we are still expanding, the children are still learning and people are being blessed”. Speaking further, she explained: “The center has been running very smoothly with the help of various organizations that identified with this project and they have seen the work. The sustenance of this NGO has been based on the solid foundation which has been laid in the past ten years. And that foundation is what we are building on today. As you can

see, training is going on in the center. We have girls who trained here, they graduated to become teachers themselves. People have come to identify with this project as a result of the hard work, the dedication of the staff who run the center. A bit of it is me but most of it is the collective effort of the workers. The collective effort of all these people coming together to share their vision, that is what has kept us. This project is a special calling from God and if you have a calling you pursue with zeal. What I am doing is not a job but it is passion, it is some thing that I am convinced in my spirit that it is making meaning in the lives of many young people in our state and country. And I am happy to do it and it gives me great pleasure to be able to do it. Most of our graduates in different places are making an income and making themselves useful to their families and the society. Majority of these young people could have been languishing in one African or European country but they are here doing some thing good. That gives me pleasure and

I think that is the most important thing because this is my strong way of serving humanity whether in government or out of government. So I derive a great deal of satisfaction from it and I know that a lot of blessings come from it. So what I am doing is a calling, it is not just an NGO touching the lives of young people, the downtrodden, the indigent children and those who need this opportunity and the opportunity has been given to them”. Admonishing First Ladies on the need to embark on projects they believe in, Mrs Igbinedion said: “My advice to fellow colleagues (former First Ladies) and those who are there now is to embark on projects that they totally believe in. They should not go into projects just because every body is doing it. You must have a conviction that you are doing what is right and it is what you want to do. Because when you enjoy what you are doing, you get fulfillment and you want to keep on going. With or without sponsorship, with or without people supporting you, you want to keep on going. It is part of you. So this project is my baby and it is like nursing your little baby and that is the way we have nursed this project and I thank God for the staff I have. The project has outlived the governmental Eki Igbinedion, it is now a project that many people have come to realize that it is here to stay”. Speaking also to Sunday Vanguard, the Vice President of Idia Renaissance, Mrs Esohe Oyenwense, said:

Continues on page 15

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 , PAGE 9

Gadgets, arms, ammunition, bombs allegedly recovered from the Boko Haram's communication centre by the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, Tuesday in Photos: Abdulsalam Muhammad Kano. Photo 2:Sect leader, Abubakar Shekau .

WAR ON TERROR

Victory against Boko Haram in sight? •How spokesman was tracked and killed •Sect’s alleged accountant arrested with N4.5m cash in Zaria •Islamist group fights back

This is an exclusive report of how men of the Department of State Service, DSS, and the Joint Task Force, JTF, tracked and killed Abu Qaqa, the dreaded spokesman of the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, last Monday, in a suburb of Kano State, North West Nigeria. Just two days later, the JTF arrested a man alleged to be the sect’s book keeper while in transit to make some money transfers. He was carrying N4.5 million. But it is also the story of how the sect fought back, killing more people to prove that it would not go away just like that.

By Jide Ajani ‘THE ACCOUNTANT’ comes to town

he commuters in the bus did not know they were traveling in the company of a high-prize suspect. They also did not know that the suspect was carrying N4.5million in cash. Perhaps had there been a thief with premonition of what the suspect was carrying, the latter may not have made it to the JTF road block. But the money was neatly packed in a sack and the suspect looked just like the commuter sitting next to you in an inter state commuter bus. At the road block, the suspect did not betray any emotions. The bus was just about entering Zaria from Kano. Once the bus was stopped, all the passengers on board were requested to disembark. The JTF men knew their suspect having received information about his mode of dressing, the nature of the bag he was carrying, his height

and other descriptive signs. The suspect had moved all the way from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital hours earlier. His first port of call was said to be Kano. Here, he was said to have entered a bank (names withheld) and made some money transfers to quite a number of persons and destinations. These transfers aroused the curiosity of the bank officials. He was in the company of another person. Between the time the bank officials made contact with the police and men of the JTF and a frenzied search commenced, the man alleged to be ‘THE ACCOUNTANT’ of the dreaded the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, had left Kano; but his counterpart, “a fairly younger person”, according to a JTF source, “ was apprehended and brought in for questioning. It was during intense interrogation that the man volunteered the information that his friend was actually ‘THE ACCOUNTANT’ of

Continues on page 9

PAGE 10—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

zPresident

Goodluck Jonathan,

Ita Ekpeyong...working too tane the scourge of terrorism

Dasuki Sambo and

How spokesman was tracked and killed Continued from page 9 Boko Haram”. Sunday Vanguard was informed by sources in Kano, Zaria and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, that the man in the custody of the JTF was the one who provided information about the description of his counterpart. It was these pieces of information that the JTF men in Zaria relied on to intercept the alleged ‘ACCOUNTANT’ When the vehicle was stopped at the road block, the commuters did not have any inkling of what was to happen next. “Everybody come down”, the JTF officer ’s voice thundered. This had become a normal exercise for most commuters traveling in most parts of the affected areas of the North where Boko Haram had shown its presence. The JTF men on duty identified their man and reached for him once he alighted. On him was N4.5million in cash. He was promptly arrested and taken away. He is presently in detention and said to be “making useful statements”, a source said. Every attempt by Sunday Vanguard to get the name of the alleged ‘ACCOUNTANT’ failed. Even a commitment to act strictly confidentially was rebuffed. The name of the

bank where the first money transfers were made in Kano and where the transfers were sent was not disclosed by the authorities. “We can not provide those details as the bank may become a target”, the source said. The arrest was carried out mid-day last Wednesday.

Abu Qaqa likely took off from Gombe State. Once information filtered in early that the group’s spokesman had been killed, the mood inside Aso Rock Presidential Villa was one of ecstasy. Qaqa, who had been elusive from the security agents, headed for Kano from Gombe

The operatives were very careful in taking possession of the woman and the children because she may have been wearing a suicide vest

THE KILLING OF QAQA

It may never be known whether he would have done it. For Abu Qaqa, had he known that the care for his wife would lead to his death, the decision to head back to Kano last Monday may have been shelved. Information pieced together from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, headquarters of the Department of State Service, DSS, Aso Rock Presidential Villa, also in Abuja, and Kano, suggest that

with the intention of getting a “needed medical help for the wife”, a very dependable security source volunteered. Unknown to Qaqa – just like most of the Boko Haram senior commanders – his movement was always being tracked. Mind you, earlier in the year when the DSS made some strategic arrests of some senior members of the sect, it was revealed that some super high-tech tracking devices purchased by the agency had made the tracking and arrests of some of the alleged terror

suspects possible. It was these same devices – even more sophisticated ones recently acquired – that aided the Department in last week’s successful operation. Qaqa, his wife and children, along with some members of the sect, proceeded from Gombe to Kano, through Jigawa. The Boko Haram’s spokesman’s wife needed medical attention and he believed that it was only in Kano that he could get the best of medical attention. All attempts by Sunday Vanguard to ascertain the exact form of medical attention that Qaqa’s wife needed, and for which he had to make the long distance movement from Gombe to Kano, proved abortive. And because the JTF operatives were tracking him, they knew exactly where to lay ambush. At Mariri, on the outskirts of Kano, the JTF operatives waited patiently. Relying on the tracking signals, they sighted the vehicle in which Qaqa and his family were traveling and opened fire. It was a risky and daring operation. Some other reports made claims which suggested that Qaqa was not the only adult male in the vehicle; that there were at least two other men who were said to be bodyguards. The operatives, it was re-

vealed, carefully evacuated the woman and the children in the car, while at the same time being mindful of any possibility of a suicide bombing attempt. “The operatives were very careful in taking possession of the woman and the children because she may have been wearing a suicide vest”, a source said. The woman was discovered to be Qaqa’s wife. And whereas she reportedly claimed that she was merely being escorted to Kano, “it was later established that the man killed in the vehicle was the husband and the trace equally established that he was our man”, the source disclosed. This happened last Monday morning. OTHER BREAKTHROUGHS It was gathered that it was during interrogation that the wife made some disclosures abouty locations that would later prove to be very useful to security operatives. For instance, it was during interrogation that the operatives got to know that a raid on the Hotoro area of Kano municipal would yield further breakthroughs. Therefore, a team of the Joint Task Force, JTF, stormed the hideout of the Boko Haram

Continues on page 11

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 , PAGE 11

Terror group fights back

zThe JTF soliders on duty

Continued from page 10 sect in Hotoro area of Kano municipality, Monday night, where one of the commanders of the group was killed, while two other members were arrested during the combat operation. Sunday Vanguard was told that the military action followed intelligence report indicating the presence of high profile sect members, who had been on the wanted list of security agents in the area. Our source further revealed that the daylight operation involving several infantry and counter-terrorism officers was swift and ended within half an hour. Sources, however, refused to divulge the identity of the “top commander” killed during the operation and those taken into custody, pointing out that “what matters at the moment is the success recorded during the military action”. Residents were apprehensive when a military helicopter was seen hovering the skyline of the city indicating a major military operation. But that was not all. THE SAFE HOUSES Sources in Abuja disclosed that the arrest of some commanders of Boko Haram sect during the Hotoro operation also yielded positive intelligence gathering results. It was through the confessions of the sect commanders arrested that the JTF men got to know of the safe houses. Two locations – poles apart and at extreme ends – were revealed as places where the sect’s safe houses were domiciled. One was located at Rimi-Kebe.

The other, at Rijiyar ’Zaki. Both houses reportedly belonged to Qaqa. The house at Rimi-Kebe was described by a source as very “loaded”. It was there that a cache of communications equipment comprising laptops, computer Central Processing Units, CPS, computer monitors, telephone handsets and the like were recove r e d . A statement by the spokesman of the JTF in Kano, Lt. Ikediche Iweha, titled, “Up-

bags of urea fertilizer, one elite dry cell 12v battery, one blue gate UPS, one stabilizer, 10 hand held Motorola radios and 5 battery chargers.” The JTF further said, “This latest encounter with the terrorist group has foiled its planned attack to wreak havoc on the good people of Kano State. It has equally further depleted the capacity of the terrorist group to operate. The JTF would like to use this medium to reiterate its resolve to continue to work assidu-

This latest encounter with the terrorist group has foiled its planned attack to wreak havoc on the good people of Kano State

date on capture of Boko Haram terrorists on September 17, 2012, said, “Following further operation in the suspects heavily wired IED hideout, the following items were recovered: Two AK 47 rifles, two pump action rifles, one berretta rifle, one smoke discharger, 433 rounds of 7.62 Nato ammunition, 80 rounds of 7.62 special ammunition, 2 AK 47 magazines, 36 prepared IEDs, 13 laptops, two motorcycles, four printers, one photocopier, one 33 slots zenith disc writer, one TG 3900Ez generator set, religious books, large quantity of CD plates, two decoders, two satellite dish, one 21'’ television set, one DVD player, 2

ously towards the protection of lives and property in the state. The relative peace which Kano enjoys today can be attributed to the collective effort and prayers of the good people of Kano State.” The JTF appealed to the general public to continue to volunteer information while assuring utmost confidentiality in dealing with such information. “Residents are therefore enjoined to go about their normal lawful business activity without any fear as security agents are ready and will respond swiftly to any treat to life and property in any part of the state,” it added. But the victory of the task

force, however, came on a day some terrorists, alleged to be Boko Haram members, killed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Borno State, Mr Zannah Mallam Gana, and a former Comptroller General of the Nigerian Prisons, Alhaji Ibrahim Jarma Katagun, in Bauchi. QAQA WITH MANY LIVES But this would not be the first time that Qaqa would be reported to have been apprehended by security agents. There were indications in mid-April, this year, via speculations, that the group may have silenced its self-styled spokesman and replacement for the arrested Abu Qaqa. Security sources disclosed that “Abu Qaqa” -11 may have been killed on the orders of the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau.

he leader of the sect came out to deny this vehemently. He may have been proved right with the killing of another top commander of the sect who was, last week, identified as the real Abu Qaqa. The report, which was denied earlier, speculated that a certain Mohammed Anwal Kontagora, who hailed from Kontagora, Niger State, may have also metamorphosed into and was also known as Abu Dardaa, Mohammed Shuaibu, Mohammed Bello, Abu Tiamiya and Abdulrahman Abdullahi. He was reportedly arrested in January this year. He reportedly took the name Abu Qaqa in February after the original Abu Qaqa was

alleged to have been arrested. Sources familiar with terrorists’ propaganda machinery however made Sunday Vanguard to understand that the sect may have mastered the art of deception by repeatedly using the generic name Abu Qaqa for its spokes person. “Don’t be surprised if tomorrow the sect comes out to deny that Abu Qaqa was killed; or when another statement is issued by the sect with another Abu Qaqa signing the statement. It is part of the mind games that the sect appears to have mastered. But, increasingly, the security agencies are also doing their bit to contain the dastardly acts of the sect”, one of the sources explained. JTF A very dependable intelligence source whom Sunday Vanguard approached with a view to having access into the inner workings of the JTF simply said “this is not the time to begin to discuss such matters”. The very senior intelligence source said: “When we are satisfied with the level of containment, then we can begin to write the history of who did what, where, when and how. But, for now, all I can tell you is that the JTF is made up of men of the DSS and military men. The DSS operatives provide the Intel after a recon and even, in most cases, make the initial movement into areas of engagement with the military providing the necessary back up – although there are times when the military go solo after being provided with Intel from the men of the DSS”.

PAGE 12 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 — PAGE 13

PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Slain NNPC staff:

Police arrest six suspects BY EVELYN USMAN

From left Dr. Aderonke Samuel; Dr. Ahmed Oloyo; Dr. Wellington Oyibo; Dr. Chikodi Anigbozu; Professor Albert Ebrehi; Dr. Abosede Olayinka; Professor Sade Ogunsola and Dr. Kofo Soyebo all of College of Medicine, University of Lagos during a Health Walk from the College, Idi-Araba to Teslim Balogun Stadium to celebrate 50th Anniversary of College of Medicine, University of Lagos, yesterday. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele.

MTN donates security vans to Ogun BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

TN Nigeria has donated five security vehicles to Ogun State government as a way of supporting the government in addressing security challenges in the state. The vehicles were donated through the MTN

Foundation Security Support Projects. The Director of the foundation, Prince Julius AdeluyiAdelusi, said the gesture is a token of the contribution of the foundation to complement the effort of the government in addressing security issues in the state. Adeluyi-Adelusi, a former Minister of Health, said

the donation would be the beginning of better and more fruitful relationship between MTN Foundation and the state government. He explained that the projects is part of the 292 projects across the country, saying Ogun is one of the beneficiaries of the 12 states that enjoyed from 60 security patrol vehicles.

olicemen attached to the InspectorGeneral of Police Special Task Force on AntiPipeline Vandalism Unit, Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, have arrested six suspected vandals in connection with last month’s attack on officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, at Arepo village, Ogun State, which led to the death of three NNPC staff. Since the attack during which the NNPC pipeline was set on fire, the bodies of the slain NNPC have not been recovered. But one of the arrested suspects, Imerepamu Ijebu Joel, according to the Unit’s boss, Mr Friday Ibadin, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, confessed during interrogation to know where the remains of the NNPC staff were buried. Detectives, he

explained, had been o n the trail of the suspected perpetrators of the dastardly act i n which other NNPC officials who managed to escape reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries. Acting on a tip off, Ibadin said a team of policemen, led by the Lagos sector commander, Onaghise Osayande, a Deputy Superintendent of

Police, stormed the Arepo NNPC pipeline where some vandals were caught at the verge of syphoning petroleum products from the pipeline they broke. A total of two hundred gallons of 25 litres filled with product suspected to be petrol and several empty gallons, he said, were recovered,with the suspects arrested in their attempt to escape.

Nwaomucha for burial Sept 29

Late Sunny Nwaomucha R Sunny Odalio nunu Nwaomucha of Ndemili, Utagba Uno, Ndokwa West Local Government Area,

Delta State, is dead. He was aged 60. He was a devout Christian, a philanthropist and a retired African Petroleum, AP, staff. According to the burial arrangements by Nwaomucha's family, service of songs will hold at his residence, Bendel Estate, Ugborikoko, Warri on 27th September while burial takes place at his hometown, Ndemili on 29th . He is survived by wife and 9 children.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 15

Eki Igbinedion: We made prostitution unattractive

‘Our leaders don’t read’

How did your career in journalism start? T is not coincidental that I am a journalist today. Decades ago, my father told me that I was going to be a journalist. In fact, he introduced me to journalism. My father, Archbishop I.M. Akinadewo, is a journalist, publisher, accountant, proprietor of schools, administrator, prophet and community leader. In the 70s, he was publishing four newspapers – Nigerian Monitor, Sekstape, Everybody’s and Sporting News - in Ibadan, the then capital of the defunct Western State. Later, we moved to Ondo. After my secondary school education in the early 80s in Ondo, he started publishing the Nigerian Monitor again and I was heavily involved in the production, editorial content, sales, advert and circulation. It was more or less a state newspaper, covering Ondo, Akure, Okitipupa, Owo, Akoko and some towns in the old Ondo State. There was a time I even edited the newspaper before going to the University of Lagos. So, what I am doing today about production deadline, exclusive stories and others are not new. You are launching your book soon and going through it, it is like a crusade against the rot in the society. What informed your kind of writing? As a Christian, I know that Isaiah 58 says: ‘Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgression’. Critics are like the engine room of any society. They must keep the machinery of the state running by pointing out vices in the society. So, you are a crusading cleric? Well, it runs in the family. My grandfather, who died in 1979, Saint B.A. Adekahunsi, was a crusading cleric. He was the Chairman of Spiritual Workers’ Union in the Western Region. If you get to Ondo town today and ask for the house of Baba Oluso (Shepherd father) in Sabo area, you cannot miss your way. Spiritually, God used him mightily to alleviate the suffering of the people and save the society from tormentors. He even took the spiritual battle to as far as

and that is why you are not publishing them? No, that is not the issue. If I get over 200 text messages on a particular column, you don’t expect me to publish all. I will just pick. Have you had any brushes with security agents? No. In writing a column, there Gabriel Folajimi Akinadewo is a way you can tell somebody to go to hell and Ghana. My father is doing he will look forward to the trip. same today in Ondo. We, the Because columnists want to children, grew up to know our sanitise the society does not father as a prophet. So, in my mean that we should be journalism career, I cannot but reckless. You can write on vices follow their footsteps. in the society without How come that despite touching on national security. crusade by columnists and What informed the title prophets, the society has not ‘Here Comes the changed? Commander-in-Chief ’? If we go down the Biblical The book has about 115 lane, there were just two columns and I picked the title persons in the Garden of from one of the columns. But Eden, a couple named Adam that is not to say that it is the best column. I wrote that column in the build up to the 2011 election when former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and others were trying to wrest power from President Goodluck Jonathan. I elaborated on the enormous power of the President in a country like Nigeria and why it would be difficult for them, given the reality we know, to remove him from Aso Rock. Are you saying that by that column, you supported Jonathan during the election? The column was a practical manifestation of the power and and Eve. They didn’t need to toil or labour. Everything was resources an incumbent would provided for them. Despite deploy to retain his seat. When God’s warning, they you read it, you will committed a crime. So, if only understand where I am two persons could commit a coming from. Which is the best of the 115 crime in a comfortable place like that, what do you expect columns? Readers will decide. of about 170 million people in Why publish the book now? Nigeria or more than seven A major tragedy of this billion people in the world? People must commit crimes society is that our leaders because God Himself in don’t read. Some have Genesis 1: 4 separated light attributed it to the coming of the internet and social media. from darkness. So, what has been the I disagree. If our leaders can develop the reading culture, I challenge? Well, as a journalist, writing think the society will be better a column is not easy. And for because, in this book, there is an editor to be writing a no aspect of our social, column is even more tasking. political, economic, spiritual You can’t just afford to write and cultural lives that is not anything because of your touched. Do you know that in Police New York readers and if you don’t satisfy the Department, there is a them, you know what that means. There was a time I was laundry section? Do we have really busy and I repeated my that in the Nigeria Police? previous columns for four How will you have a sane weeks. The text messages I got society when those mandated from some readers were to ensure that sane society are abusive. I have not deleted not psychologically balanced? them from my phone. I had to When you get to Ojota, Lagos, reply them, apologising in the you will see some area boys process. Also, all readers want collecting egunje (bribe) for their responses to be security agents. What is published. There are some responsible for that? This is a responses that cannot be country in which some people published, you understand have perpetual injunction, what I am saying. Some of which means nobody can these responses are libelous, arraign them. These are societal challenges that our so to say. Are you saying the readers leaders, if they can cultivate are wrong in their responses the habit of reading, will find solutions to through columns.

Gabriel Folajimi Akinadewo is the Editor of the Nigerian Compass . With experience spanning the defunct National Concord, The Comet, The Nation and now the Nigerian Compass, he is set to launch his book entitled, ‘Here Comes the Commanderin-Chief ’, a collection of his witty columns, on October 2 in Lagos. An alumnus of the University of Lagos who is widely travelled, Akinadewo speaks on how leaders should cultivate the habit of reading to change the society.

Critics are like the engine room of any society. They must keep the machinery of the state running by pointing out vices in the society

Continued from page 8 “ It has been good, although we have had our own challenges left and right. We started off in 1999 primarily with the aim of rehabilitating victims of human trafficking, girls who have been trafficked across borders as sexual hawkers. Secondly, Her Excellency, Mrs Eki Igbinedion, set up this center to help rehabilitate and empower these girls so that they will not fall victims to these vices any more. But over the years the center has expanded to now accommodate not only victims of human trafficking but indigent young girls who for one reason or the other cannot afford to acquire formal education but they are willing to work with their hands, they are willing to be productive persons, and then they come to the center and we train them on various vocations. And as time has gone on we have progressed from being a center that just train girls and send them out to now helping them acquire even some form of qualification. By that I mean that at the end of their training these girls are enrolled to write the NABTEB modular exams, at the end of which successful candidates certificates and diplomas are awarded and that gives them some credibility in the training they have received here. This we have done in the last five years”. Omina Oghor from Delta State, one of the beneficiaries, said, “I was brought here by a Youth Corper. I am from a poor home, I lost my dad two years ago and things became very difficult for my family. So, one Youth Corper came one day and told me that I could get help in Idia Renaissance. I have spent three months here now learning fashion designing. I thank God for this center because my life has changed. They provide food for us, brought back hope, if not I don’t know what life would have been like”. Chinyere from Enugu State also narrated her experience: “I am from a very poor background and I was attending a church. One day my pastor told me that I could come and learn work here. I lost my parents at a very tender age, so I have nobody to take care of me. But God provided this opportunity for me, I am learning a vocation that at the end of the day I can set up my own business and make money. Now I can sew trousers, baby clothes and a lot of things I can do now. I thank

God for what he has used Mrs Igbinedion to do in our lives”. Asked how the management has been able to cope with the number of indigent girls and the ones who were deported from abroad, Mrs Oyenwense explained: “I will say that we had a problem of sadly turning away people because our capacity is full. We have turned out not less than two hundred students at the end of each training and we train intensively for six months in every vocation. So in a year we pass out on the average four to five hundred students. We started off initially with three departments, the hair dressing department, the fashion and tailoring department and then the hotel and catering management department. The hair dressing department has further expanded the scope to include bead making and cosmetology. Just last year we opened a new department which trains young people in photography and video and camera use. By that training they are able to not only make films, they can edit productions, they can make documentaries using the video. Currently we have five departments. NAPTIP has been a major partner with Idia Renaissance because we have been combating human trafficking. Some times last year we received from NAPTIP thirty girls who were sent to the center to train in various vocational skills. These girls had their training from January to July 2012. They were girls accosted while on their way to Europe. They were brought back from Mali. About three hundred of them were brought back and Idia Renaissance helped to shelter and returned many of them to their families after which NAPTIP sent down thirty who were willing to acquire vocations in various skills. And as we are talking, quite a number of them have found jobs and they are working legally in the country now. We also helped them to get some money to start up a business in the form of micro credit facility. We have had instances where some of these girls will come here very hostile, very unfriendly because they see us as partnering with government to hinder their future. But by the time they come into the center we re-educate them that what is actually happening to them is that they are being helped so that they will protect their lives and dignity”.

Award: Egone congratulates Uduaghan

chieftain of ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Patrick A. Egone, has congratulated Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Dellta State, over the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, conferred on him by President Goodluck Jonathan. Egone, in a statement, also commended President Jonathan for recognizing the

contributions of Governor Uduaghan to the development of Nigeria and Delta State in particular. He noted that the people of Delta are grateful to Mr. President for the deserved honour bestowed on their Governor, saying it was honour on the people of Delta, as the award was merited considering Uduaghan’s laudable achievements.

PAGE 16—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

On 'being judgmental' standpoint, but are willing to celebrate the inanities and superstitions of religious orthodoxy. The pusillanimity of editors in this matter is quite understandable and, within certain limits, appropriate. Mentally deranged religious fanatics are very eager to kill anyone who challenges the fundamental tenets of their faith. Therefore, editors are very careful so that they would not be victims of fundamentalist reprisals. Aside from threat to

OMETIME ago, I wrote an essay in which I identified the fundamental source of religious violence in certain passages of The Holy Bible and The Holy Koran. Specifically, I argued that some of the doctrines, injunctions, and commandments in the two scriptures, if interpreted and followed strictly, would necessarily breed intolerance and violence. I supported my “unpopular ” thesis with several quotations from the two “holy” books. The editor of the newspaper to which I sent the article refused to publish it. Instead he sent me a mail stating that my view was “judgmental.” I was not totally surprised by his reaction. Since Iran’s spiritual leader, late Ayatollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa on the Indian novelist, Salman Rushdie, and the increasing tempo of violence and vandalism carried out by religious fundamentalists against individuals, organisations and countries they accuse of blasphemy and disrespect towards their religion, the prophet of that very religion and its “sacred” scripture, media houses in Nigeria especially have been very reluctant to publish essays critical of religion, no matter the soundness of the arguments marshalled to buttress such a critical

At this point, let me address the allegation of being “judgmental” in my view that numerous passages in The Holy Bible and The Holy Koran promote intolerance and religious violence

life, zealots are ready to destroy any media outfit that publishes “blasphemous” essays on religion. The wave of violence and destruction by Islamists in several countries to protest a film they considered blasphemous to the Muslim faith is a telling reminder that religion is a very sensitive issue concerning which the faithful are prepared to kill and destroy to maintain its alleged purity. That said, it must be observed that capitulation to the

Jumping rope

very long time ago, I discovered the game of double dutch; jumping rope. We would gather together in groups during the lunch break and get two long pieces of rope, one person would hold on to one end of each rope in either hand while another participant would hold the other two ends on the opposite end. They would then swing or skip the ropes over head and feet of whoever was jumping in between the fast swinging ropes and take turns till someone stumbled or got tired. As a young child, I found the game exciting and it was fun to compete with my friends but I tried it as an adult and I almost had a cardiac event. I didn't last for 5 minutes and I was panting, sweating and being laughed at by the youngsters I was trying to impress. This week I was reading

threats and bestiality of religious fundamentalists portends a serious danger to human civilisation as we know it, because it means surrendering our humanity to a bunch of misanthropes. Fear and suppression of well-reasoned opinions which contradict religious dogmas actually encourage extremists to perpetrate greater evils, thereby exacerbating the dangers posed to global peace and progress by religious intolerance. In my view, believers with more benign moderate views about their religion should be encouraged to speak out against religious fundamentalism.

the newspapers and I saw quite a lot of adults jumping rope, like me they were unsuited for the sport and their efforts in my view was unnecessary and pathetic at best. Since we all must have seen the papers and missed the sight of overweight adults sweating and panting, I should explain that I meant jumping rope in the metaphoric sense. Keeping up with the Jones' is a term that refers to the need to impress the society, an individual or a social group by doing things to raise their opinions or elicit their envy or admiration, it's a novel way of jumping rope. It always comes at great cost and more often than not serves no useful or viable purpose as those we seek to impress really don't care much. I had seen a huge newspaper and had walked away with the impression that someone must have just bundled 3 newspapers together to throw

For example, Islam is supposed to be a religion of peace. Unfortunately, peace-loving Muslims who constitute a vast majority of the followers of Prophet Mohammed, SAW, have allowed a relatively small band of extremists to dent the reputation of their faith. Here in Nigeria Muslim scholars and clerics are not doing enough to propagate the benign doctrines of Islam: they seem satisfied with blaming bad socio-economic and political conditions

away. I saw a similar sight the next day and was about to yell in exasperation to the helps about letting papers be read before being disposed when I realised no one had touched it; it was the real size of the newspaper. uriosity certainly got C the better of me and I sat down to attempt to read

the giant or is it fat newspaper. To my surprise it was full of congratulatory adverts; some people had been awarded national honours and their family and friends were understandably taking pages in the dailies to congratulate them. Its normal to see friends and families do such; some will even throw parties and send gifts to show how happy they are. This I understand and even expect but lately I have had to ask for some clarification about the nature and even design of some of those advertorials. It makes sense that a picture of the celebrant or honouree be large and follow some su-

likes of the person who made the judgment rather than fidelity to relevant facts. Clearly, the editor that rejected my essay on the scriptural basis of religious intolerance insinuated that my opinion was subjective – he failed to notice that his own reaction was judgmental too! Well, epistemologically speaking, we are always judgmental whenever we decide, conclude, or form an opinion on any issue whatsoever. Thus, mathematicians are judgmental in deciding that Pythagoras theorem about right-angled triangles is correct; physicists were judgmental when they concluded that Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity is better than Newton’s theory; majority of biologists were judgmental when they reached a consensus on the superiority of Darwin’s evolutionary theory vis-à-vis creationism. From the foregoing, it is wrong to interpret “being judgmental” as “being subjective” or as “allowing one’s likes and dislikes to supersede facts.” As rational, knowledge-seeking creatures, we must always pass judgment concerning the truth and falsity of propositions; we must reach decisions regarding the epistemological status of our beliefs. Being judgmental does not necessarily mean that facts are ignored or sacrificed for the sake of personal bias and prejudices. It simply means that the opinion expressed is discussable, justifiable. Unfortunately the editor, in failing to publish my essay, deprived readers the oppor-

tunity to debate an issue which has assumed a dangerous dimension in the life of every human being on the planet, that is, the ever growing possibility that hatred, violence and destructiveness stemming from religious fanaticism and intolerance may lead to the destruction of human civilisation as we know it today. Inasmuch as the need for safety is paramount, we should not always cringe with fear and anxiety because of the barbarous conduct of fanatics; we cannot hand over the world to lunatics simply because of their proneness to destructive behaviour. The best way to confront and defeat religious extremism, aside from ameliorating skewed socio-economic conditions that breed poverty, unemployment, and feelings of alienation and disillusionment – which means creating a humane society is to use every available means to spread enlightenment, tolerance and the critical attitude. The media, as the gadfly of society, cannot shirk its responsibility in this regard simply because of obsession with safety. The widespread attitude of treating religion differently, with awe and respect as if it is beyond the cannons of ratiocinative scrutiny and evidential support before a statement is accepted as true, which is the norm in other domains of discourse, is totally unwarranted. After all, believers and unbelievers alike are equal stakeholders in the preservation of our planet and sustenance of human civilisation in the spirit of tolerance, love and solidarity.

perfluous prose but I cant understand why there needs to be a picture of the person doing the congratulations with a biography and maybe small advert about them to boot. It smirks of insecurity and a need to fit in with the jones'; almost like trying to jump rope with a group of girls that don't know you or even like you. I had actually asked my better half why people used half the space of a congratulatory advert to talk about

planation makes sense apparently as I am told those being congratulated actually take note or at least their secretaries do and I guess trying to keep up with the Jones's can in a remote sense make one Jones!!

everyone is this. When do we get over wanting to be friends with the "happening(popular )kids"? The adverts can be dismissed as social and even corporate networking but how about living a life thats a tad too expensive to impress others? How do you explain parents who put their children in private schools they can ill afford just to fit in with a social group? Buy clothes and jewellry on credit just to keep appearances? There is no end to the amount of pressure people subject themselves just to fit in and I believe it all to be unnecessary and desperate even.

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

for spawning Islamic extremism. Of course poverty, unemployment, and feeling of alienation towards a “heartless” society contribute to the problem. But that is not the whole story: exclusivistic monotheistic religions whose doctrines are contained in “holy” books tend to breed intolerance and discrimination in their adherents against people with different beliefs for fear of contamination. For peaceful coexistence in a pluralistic country like ours, it is very important for the faithful to tolerate differences in religious beliefs, or even unbelief, by emphasising those parts of the “holy” scriptures that preach peace, love, forgiveness, mercy, oneness of humanity, and freedom from religious compulsion. At this point, let me address the allegation of being “judgmental” in my view that numerous passages in The Holy Bible and The Holy Koran promote intolerance and religious violence. The term ‘judgmental’ is derived from the word ‘judge,’ which has several meanings. In the context relevant to our discussion, “to judge” means “to compare facts in order to ascertain the truth: to form or pass an opinion: to decide: to estimate: to conclude.” Consequently, to be judgmental means to do any of the things listed above. In most cases, when someone or an opinion is described as “judgmental,” what is usually implied is that the person or opinion so described is subjective in the sense of expressing, or being an expression of, personal likes or dis-

ack in the university B we had a group of people we labeled as "I

must belong". They were those who spent their efforts, money and emotions on trying to penetrate and

The honest truth is that we really cant afford to impress billionaires with money or geniuses with glib frivolities

themselves and put their pictures to boot and his explanation was what gave me the idea for today's column. Apparently some of the people taking out the ads need to have their pictures there because those they are congratulating don't necessarily know them that well or even at all. So basically it's a networking tool; to associate with those who are already successful or at least to be seen to be a part of the clique of those in the know. The ex-

be accepted by the different cliques that existed. Initially we all wanted to be accepted and feel a sense of belonging and thats pretty natural but the ones I mean, never stopped. Most of us would move away from groups that didn't want us and form or find our own but some people will keep jumping the rope of conformity just to be accepted. They would be taunted and sometimes even humiliated but they trudged on and kept trying. My question to

care deeply about my I family and friends; I may even take out an ad-

vert to celebrate them and their achievements ( if my Ijebu instincts will allow me) but I feel no obligation to break the bank or even open my wallet to impress people who barely know me. The honest truth is that we really cant afford to impress billionaires with money or geniuses with glib frivolities. The best we can do is be true to ourselves, live within our means and pass values and not possessions to our children. Jumping rope for a child is fun, for an adult its too tasking and physically exhausting

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 17

October 1: Global Elderly Persons Day -- 2

Wall of silence We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."Albert Einstein

N the last couple of weeks, you could not have failed to notice the media frenzy on the health of Patience Goodluck Jonathan; especially with the spin doctors and all the presidents’ men diagnosing Patience ‘s health status with all sorts of prognosis. The Dubai media have now denied that Patience contracted food poisoning while she was on a trip there. So far, we know she was in Germany to remove her appendix, then the official line is that she has fibroids, it has been operated on and she is recovering in hospital. There were murmurs that some well-wishers band of governors were told they could not visit Patience but yet, Jonath-

an wants the nation to pray for his wife. This pattern is not new in the black community. If I generalise, I do apologise as it is my intention not to make a sweeping statement especially on this subject matter. One thing is clear: no matter what your status is - rich or poor, educated or illiterate - you do not want people to know your business. If you feel am evangelising here, please indulge me, I promise it will all make sense. We often deny we have a health problem, then eventually we accept that something may be wrong then, that malevolent force is at play and that someone is responsible for our ill-health. The pattern is worrying as we delay seeking help, medical help, instead we seek divine intervention. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to have strong religious

ing vainness, babbling drunkenness, or ant taint of vice whose strong corruption inhabits our frail blood”. Shakespeare . (VANGUARD BOOK p 103). I was at the U.I Staff Club on Friday, September 7, 2012, to meet a Christian publisher who had undertaken to print copies of the “QURAN: A-Z” book free of charge for the young Muslim

Major Akinyemi even went on to bag a First Class Honours in Electrical Engineering, perhaps, just to prove that he was not a dullard but a deeply patriotic fellow ready to lay everything on the line for his country

author. Instead, I found myself at the Staff Club among professors, names withheld, because they might be hounded for declaring themselves avid readers of SUNDAY VANGUARD on account of the “lectures” from Unijankara. Without doubt, it was the greatest day in my life since these columns started in I994. One Professor announced that he, accidentally, got the paper years ago and read how

have my promise there is no going back. At any rate, I have one former Prof on UI who will be disappointed if I sold out…. MAJOR AKINLOYE AKINYEMI (RTD), I954-20I2 – FAREWELL “Forgiveness to the injured does belong; for they ne’er pardon who had done the wrong”. John Dryden, I63I 7 0 0 . ( VA N G U A R D BOOK OG UOTATIONS p 63).

beliefs but what I have experienced in my line of work is that, we often misplace our priority when it comes to seeking medical assistance and this delay costs lives. As a health practitioner, specialising in Black minority health in South London, I find it frustrating that we, as a people, find it difficult to come forward and admit that we have health challenges and that we need help. The wall of silence is killing us more than the ailment that plagues us. We need to address this as a matter of urgency. Talking about health

dressers network, going into these places to provide free blood pressure monitoring,raising awareness about the big five;Diabetes, High blood pressure, Sickle cell, Breast and Prostate cancers, I found that we need to be more innovative, tactfully engage our people about taking care of their health.And due to the success of the health programme, I was approached by a leading teaching hospital, in particular, their breast care unit. They had a high number of woman from

and great-grandparents – ad infinitum. All we are asking is that on this October I, 20I2, that you join in honouring OUR parents; either through voluntary donation or by being there at the old Glover Hall, Customs Street, Lagos – the meeting place of our Founding Fathers. Chief (Dr 32 times) Emeka Anyaoku; Professor Wole Soyinka; Alhaji Maitama Sule, Chief Clarke, the Ijaw leader, Pa Samuel Ogbemudia, traditional rulers are all very much appreciated. Anyone I00 years and above and still “going……” is especially welcome; we may never get another chance to let them know how we feel about them. The notice is short, admittedly. But we had to wait to find out if the Federal Government planned any major event for that day which had been declared Elderly Persons Day. I will be there; hopefully, so will you. It is an informal gathering; few protocols; bring your own snacks and some for others; make it a picnic. We just want to let THEM – our Elders, know, we love them. THANKS TO UNIBADAN PROFESSORS “I hate ingratitude more in a man than ly-

ONOUR your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord, your God, has given you, (Bible, Exodus 20:12) “And your Lord has declared that you worship none but him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them, or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them. But address them in terms of honour ”. [AlIsra (17): 23]. God knows, we honour everybody else; even those who don’t deserve the respect. We have Children’s Day; as if there can be kids without parents. SWEET MOTHER by Mbaga remains a favourite song guaranteed to get even old people on the dance floor everywhere. We have Lover ’s Day; Veterans Day etc, etc. What we have never had is a day set aside to say “thank you” to the Elderly, meaning our parents, who, for better or worse are responsible for our presence here on earth. Among a few things the President, Professor, Policeman and pauper have in common is the fact that they all had parents and grandparents

Wada Nas (who was called Wada Nasty on this page), Abacha’s Mad Dog, singled me out, among columnists, for relentlessly attacking Abacha. That made me happy. It means they were reading me in Aso Rock. Prof has been with the page ever since; although like most readers during Abacha’s days he must have thought my mission was suicidal. And they told me about other Profs who were absent who were devoted readers. One, present, is an old Kings College fellow, a great sprinter, who recollected I was at Igbobi. Even, if there are only five U.I professors, that number is enough for me to say thanks. Professors are the most difficult people to convince on earth and to hold. And, you all

If the first lady cannot get specialist care in Nigeria, then what is the hope for ordinary Nigerians who cannot afford three square meals talk less of paying for medical treatment – might we add, abroad

in the black community is like trying to take blood from stone! When I come into a gathering and broach the subject of health care, it is like the parting of the waves, it is often felt, talking about ill health or related topics means that you are inviting ill-health upon yourself. In the years since I set up the barbers and hair-

the West African countries with breast cancer. What was disturbing was that they turned up with large tumours and expected it to be removed so they can go back home and resume their lives. When the surgeons tell them that the prognosis is very poor, they cannot compute the prognosis, they forbade the team to share the infor-

Why should I be writing a tribute to a fellow ten years younger than me? Two reasons, closely related, account for this. First, there was the statement of someone who knew him intimately who summarized his experience this way. “Very, very sad and painful. In death, his profile is higher than that of a General”. To this his classmates at Government College Ibadan, GCI, Femi Olugbile, Niran Akintola, and Sola Olugbesan, in the PUNCH of September I4, 20I2 , added this for posterity. “He was a purist and a dreamer; in the ambience of the Army he loved and lived for. Sadly, all of this would prove his undoing”. Then, I remembered having heard the story before from one of my junior cousins who was at GCI at the same time with this fellow who always wanted to be a soldier and nothing else – even though he was brilliant enough to be anything else; at a time when a military career was for bone-heads. He even went on to bag a First Class Honours in Electrical Engineering, perhaps, just to prove that he was not a dullard but a deeply patriotic fellow ready to lay everything on the line for his country. A mistake? And to prove that too, he went on to become a paratrooper. In any army, they are the elite of elite corps; those few individuals prepared to be dropped behind enemy lines and risk getting killed first in order to save thousands of their fellow soldiers. He won

just about every prize that came his way. That he ended his career as Major, is a story for another day. But, it demonstrated how, in Nigeria, being the brightest, the best and most patriotic might constitute a danger. The loss was more our own than his. Farewell, “Carter ” as my junior cousin called you repeatedly. This nation of ours is simply not ready for someone as nice as you. JUDICIAL “MURDERS” AND NIGERIAN POLITICS – I “Law is injustice codified…”, Noble Writer, c1750. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 120). Something absolutely reprehensible has happened in this country which has become inured to shocks. A High Court judge, name withheld until next week, had just about made the new Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN, appear like a hypocrite. Two weeks ago, the CJN had taken the Minister for Justice and Attorney General for the Federation, AGF, to task for not doing enough to get high profile corruption cases prosecuted. Few Nigerians will dispute those charges – the few, naturally, include the President’s spokesmen; whose duty it is to see white where everybody else sees black. We don’t begrudge them their pay; it is not easy to sell one’s conscience. Now, while that may be understandable for “come-and-eat” appointees to high office,

mation with their family (which is their right) so no one even in their close family knows, and therefore, cannot offer support. They stop coming to the hospital and start attending church, seeking a miracle cure. Shortly after they die and the community is left to make sense of the their loss and put meaning to their loss. Sadly these cases are not isolated. It is happening home and abroad on a daily basis. I had to explain to the Breast Care Team that they need to go out into the community and raise awareness about breast cancers and also make them understand the barriers that makes it difficult for these women. Erroneously it is believed that bad things only happen to bad people and such things as cancers do not happen to black people. That God forbid, no bad things happen to people who have faith; but it happens. Lastly that there is nothing the power of prayer will not cure. Of course, we do not confide in people. We have managed to set in place a programme that medic go into mosques, churches and hairdressers to demonstrate how to self-examine your

breast and provide information on what to do and where to get help. One of our many successes include a woman who, as a result of the programme was able to get help with the removal of a small tumour in one of her breasts. The silent killer is not the diseases that are prevalent in our society but the wall of silence we put up that prevents us from getting the help that we urgently need. The fact is, most of us don’t seek help for our health. We have a problem that is endemic in our society and experience has taught me that education is key to reducing the stigma, taboo and miscommunication to reduce the unnecessary deaths of young, old and productive people in our society. The wall of silence has to come down. Accepting one is sick is not a sign of weakness or lack of faith; on the contrary, it means that you are taking care of yourself in order for you to be around for your loved ones. We also need to nip this strong black woman myth in the bud. As a woman please, you put other people’s needs before yours and you neglect yours.

Continues on page 43

PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Aba lawyers: Protesters, politicians or patriots? situation, Aba might face imminent collapse. The protest was the second in recent times reportedly master minded by lawyers. In May this year, the lawyers had also organized a protest in Aba over their unhappiness with the activities of Justice Theresa Uzokwe, a judge of the Aba High Court. They accused the judge of treating lawyers with disrespect and disdain. Following a resolution, the lawyers proceeded to picket High Court 2 which she presided over. They then called for her

Protests against bad roads should hold regularly during the dry seasons, until the subject is addressed

immediate transfer from the city and threatened that if their demand was not met, they would continue to picket the court. The grudges of the modern protesters are not in the same shape as those of the Aba women of 1929, but some of the grievances ar-

Chinua Achebe: Memories of another country

HINUA Achebe’s much anticipated memoir, There Was A Country finally came, hot off the press from Penguin, but one cannot but feel that there is no second door into the book. There is rather a powerful familiarity with the subject of the story and the landscape of action in which that subject exists. If you were Chinua Achebe, already well known and well scrutinized, there would be high expectation for newer, more engaging, more startling detail in a well-storied life. But Achebe’s story seems all too well known to offer us any more than the current memoir. For those who already know the writer of Things Fall Apart, this book will emphasize and elucidate certain intricate or fuzzy details in the circumstances of his already wellknown life. For those who do not know much of Achebe’s life, fragments of which he has however revealed through his numerous autobiographical essays, these details in this new book would acquire a new life. Those seeking new revelations will be disappointed. What comes mostly out of this new work is certainly not the mnemonic energy of the grand autobiography,

but the subtle and graceful power of Achebe’s taut prose; his mastery of the form and economy of memorable language. Achebe does chronicle and preserve for us nonetheless a powerful memoir of a lost and increasingly ambiguous time. Achebesets the core of his life’s story in the rise and fall of another country; or to be more specific with the symbolism, in the birth of another life- the republic of Biafra – one of the greatest events of the 20th century, and in its death, one of the more tragic, more brutal events of the last century also. ut there is a span that B takes us also to the beginning at Ogidi in East-

ern Nigeria, where Chinua Achebe was born. Indeed he gestures to the necessity of that beginning in a very brief introductory statement in the book, and writes: “I begin this story with my own coming of age in an earlier and, in some respects, a more innocent time. I do this both to bring readers unfamiliar with this landscape into it at a human level and to be open about some of the sources of my own perspective.” There was a Country is structured as a four-part movement of stories. It

of a lawyer while he was still in his wig and robe. While all these arguments have their points, it is difficult to support the attitude of lawyers who do not switch-off their phones in court. It is a distractive and contemptuous act of indiscipline which a judge reserves the

seems like a deliberate and highly-thought, and wellwrought structure corresponding with the four Igbo market days – Afo, Nkwo, Eke, Orie (Oye) and the general four elemental structure of Igbo life and experience on which the balance of that world revolves and is consecrated. At every beginning, there is a cause, and Achebe establishes the moment of his shaping in the part he titles “Pioneers of a new Frontier.” It is the story of his own father ’s transitions, from an orphan to a missionary teacher, one of the

ISTORY records that in 1929, a massive riot against colonial maladministration was held in Aba. The protesters had many grudges. First, some idle young men were, in breach of culture, arbitrarily imposed on the people as warrant chiefs. Second, the people deprecated the harsh economic conditions of a depressed economy of the time featuring a fall in the prices of local goods like palm oil and kernel and an increase in the duties on foreign goods. Third, the colonial administration instituted an exploitative tax regime on the people. These were no doubt grave issues but the main significance of the Aba riots of 1929 was that it was led by rural women. Eight decades later, Aba has continued to play host to protesters. These days, they are no longer rural women but lawyers and mostly men. A few days back, a group of them protested against the deplorable state of roads in the city. The protesters who were also referred to as a coalition of human rights groups argued that if nothing was done to remedy the

ticulated against Justice Uzokwe are worrisome. To start with, she was alleged to have ordered a lawyer to remain standing for more than two hours behind the dock in the presence of litigants because his phone rang while the court was in session. For the same offence, she reportedly ordered an elderly lawyer to kneel down. In another case, the police was ordered by the judge to smash the handset of a lawyer. The lawyers were also professionally incensed that Justice Uzokwe did not give a chance to the accused to defend themselves before they were punished and described as standing the law on its head, the punishing

right to impose punishment upon. Pity, the nature, type and scope of punishments for such acts are not prescribed in any document making the subject purely discretionary. Thus one judge may choose to verbally warn an offender, while another may do differently. If however, such an archaic “Senior Prefect” type of punishment credited to the judge is true, it is only fair to recognize that a senior prefect can only function among students. This probably explains why the lawyers adopted a rather exuberant reaction by opting to picket a court as delinquent junior members of a trade union would do. It is also interesting to hear that having found the judge intolerable, the lawyers decided to harp on her transfer from Aba. Why would lawyers in one city, negotiate the movement of such a judge to their learned colleagues in another city? Put differently, why should lawyers seek to transfer a problem instead of solving it? In the same manner, the protest against bad roads in and around Aba is also intriguing. Anyone who watched the protest on television particularly the deplorable portion of the PortHacourt-Aba express way which is a federal road cannot oppose the protest. Indeed, an Aba resident told this writer on phone that most roads in Aba and other cities in Abia State are all bad which confirms that the State Government has also not done well. It would therefore have had a

greater impact if all the lawyers in that State were organized into the protest. As it is now, it appears as if Aba lawyers are patriots, while those in the other towns and cities are colluding with the government to defraud and dehumanize the people. At the same time, the Aba patriots appear to be acting in vain by forcefully demanding the construction of roads during the rains. Where were they before now? If their Governor was mistakenly elected in 2007 why was he re-elected in 2011? If the protesting lawyers do not have a political agenda against those presently in governments, they have better options to explore. For instance, the different sides of bad governance in our clime are too many to name; there is water everywhere, but none to drink; Medicare is awful- no drugs in hospitals sanitation is exceedingly poor etc. The patriots should consider taking government up on each aspect and at the appropriate time. Protests against bad roads should hold regularly during the dry seasons, until the subject is addressed. Otherwise, the lawyers should help the citizens to know their rights and how to use the due process of law to follow such rights to the end. Considering that elected office holders are in power at the pleasure of the electorate, it cannot amount to treason to mobilize unfavourable public opinion against a poor performer in government. Every day, we

hear of one misconduct or the other by an elected executive and everyone says he has immunity forgetting that opinion moulders can legally lobby the legislature to impeach him. Nigerians are also generally unaware that voters can demand the removal of a legislator from office through the recall principle in sections 69 and 110 of our constitution. All that needs to be done is to mobilize half of the registered voters in a constituency to sign a petition of loss of confidence in their law maker. According to the constitution, the chairman of our electoral body must within 90days of receiving the petition conduct a referendum which would remove the legislator if a simple majority of the voters affirm the petition. If Nigerians find patriots to mobilize them to take these steps which are approved by the constitution, all ‘Ghana must go’ legislators and executives without vision as well as bad governance would vanish in the twinkle of an eye. The other option is to wait till the next election to vote out of office those who could not perform and elect into office, persons of proven integrity with a track record of service. Unfortunately, the elites who should show the way usually do not register to vote. They only function as armchair critics who play to the gallery through fitful and intermittent demonstrations supposedly against poor governancean approach which does not fly.

cle, Udoh.” We certainly suspect that we have heard that story before of Isaiah Achebe and his generous uncle, the sagely Ozo Udoh Osinyi who had provided the early Christian missionaries in Ogidi with their first hospitality. However, Achebe fleshes out the fragments of that story a bit more in this memoir by providing a more dialectical interrogation of his own place within that relationship.

the disappearing world of Udo Osinyi, his father’s uncle, at that crossroads between which Achebe stands.We certainly see a bit more of Achebe’s mother in this memoir, but only just a glimpse, enough to give us, in one incident – the kolanut tree incident – her strength and resolve, and the forge from which Achebe claims the shaping of his own consciousness: “It is her peaceful determination to tackle barriers in her world that nailed down a very important element of my development – the willingness to bring change gently” Achebe writes. And there, we have Achebe’s philosophical measure of himself as an incrementalist rather than a revolutionary intellectual. The young Chinua first leaves home from Ogidi to Nekede, near Owerri, southerly of Ogidi, and in the Igbo heartland, to live with his older brother John, who was then a teacher at the Central School, Nekede in the 1940s. “Nekede was a treasure trove of Igbo culture” Achebe writes.

understand the Mbari as a celebration of life – or what he calls “art as celebration” – an echo of his earlier interrogation of it in Herbert M. Cole’s powerful study of Mbari in his, Mbari: Art and Life among the Owerri Igbo. Achebe writes here in broadstokes, and offers no new insight to enrich his earlier views of Mbari. A more detailed description of life at Nekede in those transitory years would have enriched the narrative of this memoir. From Nekede Achebe passed to the elite Government College Umuahia, and he also gives us broadstrokes of life at Umuahia shared with his close friends like the famous poet Chris Okigbo, C.C. Momah, Francis Egbuonu, Vincent Ike, BNC Uzochukwu, the remarkable Ekpo Etien Inyang among others, under remarkable and compelling teachers.

chebe’s father attends A the St. Paul’s Teachers College Awka by 1904, and his mother, Janet Anaenechi Iloegbunam, a recipient of the English elementary education under the famous missionary educator and evangelist at St. Monica’s Ogbunike, Edith Warner, a contemporary

We sense the deep scars of the war on Achebe in this melodic, threnodic, but measured narrative

pioneers of Christian evangelism and missionary education in Igboland in the early 20th century. “My father” Achebe writes, “was born in the last third of the nineteenth century, an era of great cultural, economic and religious upheaval in Igboland. His mother had died in her second childbirth, and his father, Achebe, a refugee from a bitter civil war, did not long survive his wife. And so my father was raised by his maternal un-

and collaborator of the famous Basden; and this makes them among the very few Igbo of their generation educated in the Western Christian tradition in Igboland at a powerfully transitional moment. This of course is significant – a significance which Achebe pays some heed certainly, but not enough, and only in the sense of his own dialectical navigation of that new world of Christianity and the west, embodied by his parents, and

mong Achebe’s dis A coveries was the Igbo Mbariculture and “the so-

phistication of Igbo phenomenological thought.” Mbari was the quadrennial ritual of collective creation, in which select members of the community were anointed by divination and kept in ritual seclusion through a period when they erect a mud museum of life dedicated to the earth goddess. This shrine of creativity and museum of the lived life is nonetheless allowed to decay and collapse back to nature. Achebe comes to

rom Umuahia to the F University College Ibadan, where he was admitted in the pioneer years to study medicine, Achebe, also in broadstrokes moves us to the bigger events of his life. Of these big events, the Biafra war – the Nigerian civil war- was to prove the most emblematic. Achebe spends parts 2 and 3 of There Was A Country treating this subject of war and peace, and part 4 treats the post war society, ending with an appendix, Brigadier Victor Banjo’s radio broadcast to the Midwest during the Biafra invasion of the Midwest and the failed crossing from Ore into the

Continues on 43

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 19

Having no girlfriend is making me depressed! Dear Rebecca

am 19, and in my final year in the sec ondary school. My problem is that I’m always nervous. This problem is so bad that I find it difficult to mix and discuss with my mates (both boys and girls). I’m al-

ways on my own, imagining things that can never happen. In fact, I feel I’m having mental problems and need to see a psychiatrist for advice but I don’t know any . Also, there is this girl I like very much. She lives few streets away from me. I’ve spoken to her a couple of times but I don’t know how to tell that I like her because I’m afraid she will turn me down. I keep thinking about her and this is beginning to affect my studies. Again, because I’m scared of talking to girls, I often masturbate to suppress my sexual urge. Although, I don’t like masturbating , I cant just stop the habit. All these problems are affecting me mentally and I feel depressed all the time. Please I need your advice

urgently. Olu, Ijebu-Ode REPL Y REPLY

EVERAL medical expects say that masturbation is a safe way for both men and women to relieve their sexual urge. It will not make you infertile neither will it harm your organ. However, it should not replace a relationship with a member of the opposite sex. Some married couples can practise it together at a time when sexual intercourse is awkward e.g . during pregnancy, or when illness makes intercourse impossible. Some religious bodies condemn it. Your shyness is very common among teenagers and even some young people in their twenties. Most people feel very awkward and insecure within, and they do not know how to relate to other people. They feel they would be rejected or laughed at, whatever they do. Some try to overcome the situation by being troublesome and extra forceful. Many bullies are very shy inwardly. One way of overcoming shyness is to be a good

listener. This of course means that you should make an effort to join a group of your age -mates of both sexes at gatherings. You don’t have to lead in the discussion or laugh loudly or boast. Just follow the conversation in a relaxed manner without feeling that you must say something. As you do this frequently you will make your own contribution without realizing it. If you have spoken to this girl you like a couple of times, it means you can exchange books, magazines, cassettes, etc. If she likes you, she would not mind relating to you this way. Send her greetings cards either for her birthday or for seasons greetings. Have several girls as casual friends this way so that you can get to study and understand them. Later when you find a girl you want a romantic relationship with, it would be easy to tell her, or give her a card, telling her you are fond of her. As you mix with girls, you will become more relaxed in their c o m p a n y . However, I would suggest you shelve the issue of girls and concentrate on your studies so that you can pass well and go on to have a glorious university education. Girls will always be there for you to date later. Now is the time roll up your sleeves and work. Good luck.

Raped daily by an in-law! Dear Rebecca

am an eighteen year old girl living with my aunty. An in-law of ours, a thirtytwo year old man, lives in the boys’ quarters. Whenever my aunty goes to work, he comes to force me to have sex with him. I hate this as we do it almost everyday. Sometimes, I refuse. What hurts more is that he is rude to me whenever people are around, in order to cover up. I don’t think he likes me, talk-less of loving me. Kindly advise me on what to do before somebody finds out or I get pregnant. Anonymous girl, Ibadan.

REPL Y REPLY

HAT do you both do? Is he jobless and are you waiting to go for further studies or learn a trade? It appears boredom is mainly responsible for this sex everyday business. How long has this been going on? What hold has this man over you? Why did you agree to start having sex with him? It can’t be just because he is an in-law. Your aunt may be married to his relative, but you are not. He has absolutely no right to touch you, let alone force you to have sex with him. Apart from greetings, I

don’t see what other dealings you should have with him. Even if you are the one who gives him his food, that should not lead to sex. You do your duties and you don’t behave or put yourself in a position which would encourage intimacy. You have a right, as a human being, over your body. Even a maid would not have consented to be having sex everyday with her master against her wish. She would leave. You seem helpless. Could it be that this man caught you in a compromising position, stealing, or perhaps having sex with somebody and he threatens to tell your aunt if

you don’t allow him sex ? Whatever the reason for allowing him sex up till now, tell him next time he comes that he should never come near you again, or you will scream out saying that he wants to rape you. If he threatens to reveal whatever ‘crime’ you have committed, ask him to go ahead. Don’t show any sign of fear or timidity. Stand up to him. Shout at him. Tell him you will report him to his own people, and that you are ready to let things come out into the open. This should frighten him, and he will leave you alone. Since he is a guest in that house, he will not want to cause trouble. Be prepared , however, to to tell the truth about whatever secret there may be between you. People may be angry, disappointed, etc, but you will be forgiven eventually, or you may have to leave your aunt; and start life elsewhere. Whatever the pain or inconvenience, you will move forward somehow, and have control over your body. Being raped everyday is not good for your health or self-respect. The man can bring you sexually transmitted diseases from other women, not to mention pregnancy which will totally mess up your life. Meanwhile what are you doing about your future? Sit up and get into action.

It’s hard to suppress this feeling! Dear Rebecca

AM a 29 year old year old male virgin who has chosen to remain so until marriage, due to religious principles. My problem is that I am psychologically troubled by the thought and feelings of having sex. I want to abide by my religious injunction on sex, but my emotional feelings are mounting by the day and I have thoughts of having sex. I don’t know how to keep my mind off this issue. Also, I have been looking for the book “Every Woman” which you recommended in one of your write-ups. How do I get it please?

Abdul, Nasarawa State. REPL Y REPLY

ELIGION plays a prominent role in the lives of many people and going against the doctrines we believe in, could mess up our happiness and bring on depression. So, since you believe that you should wait until your wedding night before breaking your virginity, I advise you stick to that. At 29 and a male who would like to get married and raise a family, your mind and body are bound to desire a woman. This is very normal. If you were not so bound to the doctrines of your reli-

gions sect, you would have found an outlet for your feelings by getting a consenting mature lady. I wouldn’t advise this because you would feel bad and guilty after the act, because you have broken your vows. Since it would be your first sexual experience, the guilt feelings may mar your sexual enjoyment for life and it may affect your performance in bed, a thing which is terribly important to the Africa man. So, wait patiently for your wedding night. If you have a girl friend let there be some body contact, like hugging, so that you can get used to touching a woman romantically. I hope your religions sect permits this. Hugs and kisses are important for a

dating couple who have marriage in mind. They help establish romance in the relationship and they are a harmless way of showing affection if you both stick to ‘no sex before marriage’. Managed properly, they can reduce that sexual tension and make you crave less sex. Waiting to hug your wife for the first time on your wedding day may be a bit stiff and awkward for both of you if you’ve never touched each other. You my not click and added to all the discomfort of first time sex, the physical side of your union may start on a wrong note, and the act which is

meant to be tender and enjoyable in marriage , will become traumatic as your bodies are not attuned. This won’t stop you having kids if you are destined to have them. What it could mean is sexual dissatisfaction in the home, and this could lead to adultery if care is not taken. Yes, you do need to know all you can about sex. The book EVERY WOMAN is published by SPECTRUM PUBLISHERS, Ibadan, and is an excellent source of information on the human body and reproduction. It is available in many good bookshops.

•All letters for publication on this page should be sent to: Dear Rebecca, Vanguard Media Ltd, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria. E-mail: dearrebecca2@yahoo.com

P AGE 20 — PA

SUND AY Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 23 , 2012 SUNDA

0808 066 0660 (Texts only!)

What really turns you wild in a lover?!

don't mean gorilla the brute - I mean gorilla of the male species! There are tonnes of things about a man that can turn a woman on. I’ve heard of some women who go weak at the knee when they clamp eyes on men in uniforms. For others, it’s men’s height or muscles or that inconsequential thing like the size of his wallet! As tor Jane, not only does she like burly men, she likes them with a lot of hair on! She was in my office for a natter when Raymond sauntered in. He services the office computers from time to time and had just finished when he called in for a chat. Jane’s eyes were on stalks when she saw him. So he was tall and all that, but he wasn’t really Adonis! The minute I introduced them, she was on like a rocket - chatting a minute to the dozen as if she’d known him all her life. What was the matter with her? A fairly cool single mother of two, here she was carrying on like a teenager in heat! Within minutes, they’d swapped phone numbers and Raymond left with a smirk! “What was all that about?” I asked Jane, a bit put out by her obvious play for Raymond. “Oh, aunty C, did you get a glimpse of his chest?” Chest? It was a man we were discussing here for goodness sake! “Yes, his chest,” she continued excitedly, “his shirt was partially opened and what I saw of his chest was extremely

hairy!” So? “I’ve always been a sucker for hair. I can’t think of anything else that excites me more than a hunk who’s covered in a thick layer of body hair. It all started when I was at the university and had sex for the first time. My boyfriend then was so hairy that I became transfixed at all that black hair covering his body - it made him look so masculine, powerful and virile! “Since then, I’ve always regarded even the hunkiest men as un-sexy if they don’t have hairy chests. Their smooth chests simply turn me off! I used to love cuddling up and restling my head on my ex’s chest, feeling the wiry hair tickling my cheeks. Let’s face it Aunty C, when you think of it, even when you’re madly in love, sex is a really primal, animal act - and being with such a gorilla of a man only made it feel more exciting and erotic. I was madly in love but it all ended two years later when he finished at the university. The long distance between us killed the love as he couldn’t afford to travel to see me. I was heart broken for a while but quickly resumed my hunt for a replacement after my heart break eased. I found it a major turn-off if I discovered a guy only had a few measly stray hairs on his chest. It made him seem like a mere boy, not a grown man. “Over the next few years,

I had some wonderful encounters with hairy men until my lust for them had virtually transformed into a fetish. I was a bit worried in case I met Mr. Right and he had no hair. Would it work? Would I really find him sexy? But I was in luck and my ex met all my wild expectations. Pity it didn’t work out but we were married tor close to ten years and I have two lovely kids to show for it. We still remain friends and for a while after the divorce, I still bonked him because of his hair appeal. “I haven’t been all that celibate after my divorce but I was still on the look out for Mr. ‘Bush’. I almost didn’t pop in this afternoon you know? But something kept on pushing me towards your office. Was it the hand of fate?” As soon as Raymond came in, I noticed the top buttons of his

Body Management

EGARDLESS of the reason for commencing a fitness regimen, there’s always one bonus to enjoy, namely, a more efficient body. It may have been a desire for more youthful proportions, to improve the posture, or increase energy levels that starts you off, but within a month, you will begin to notice all kinds of good things happening to you. If you exercise regularly, for instance, sleep will come easily, sound and refreshing, your appetite will improve, if it wasn’t good before, the sight gets sharper – people have been able to do much for their eye sight, they no longer required their glasses. Some others have been known to have improved on conditions like diabetes or problems with their kidneys. Exercise can also be undertaken for therapeutic purposes. In such cases the exercise must be very,

very moderately done. When the body begins to show marked improvement, then you can increase the intensity and duration of the exercise. It’s a fact of life that the body deteriorates quickly when we neglect it. But the situation

The Chair pose

can be arrested when we begin to take charge of the body. In man, it seems the instinct for proper body management has been lost. We eat far too much and too many meals per day. We have evolved a super culture around the palate. With the power of creativity we come up with all kinds of dishes fit for the gods. But having thrown moderation out the window, out eating habits have led to the doors of all kinds of diseases. We never seem to realise the urgency in balancing the body’s internal economy,

trendy patterned shirt was undone and a medallion was resting on the sexist nest of chest hair I’d seen for ages! I was instantly on fire, believe me. In fact, if he’d asked me to come with him that instant, I would have - with or without your approval! He’d promised to call. If he doesn’t, I’ll call him!” A few months later, who should call at the office but those love birds - Jane and Raymond! He’d come to have a look at a computer that was malfunctioning and Jane waited for him in my office. “Did you notice his hairy chest this time?”, she gushed as soon as he was out of ear-shot. I told her I didn’t. “Well, his hairy chest is on display,” she said.’”that man is a treasure! The first time he came to my flat, he’d already guessed how I felt about

we gorge ourselves to busting point. But being unable to deal totally with the wastes created by such inordinate quantities of food we ask for trouble. What is the place of exercise in all of this? Well, for starters, when we begin to exercise, we feel good inside. Remember, the hormone endorphin is released to achieve this. Secondly, exercise does seem to discipline the appetite and we don’t want to eat every minute of the day, anymore; with exercise, your body ’s need for nourishment becomes cultured. You don’t live to glorify greed! Many have done so and paid a very dear price. Save yourself of such loss. Try out the following: THE CHAIR Technique: Stand straight with the feet about two feet apart. Raise bodh hands to shoulder level and begin to lower the body by gradually bending the knee. You stay flatfooted

hairy men, so he took his shirt off after a few drinks. My goodness! It was like a forest in there! I was all over him. Subtility be dammed - I was panting for him. Soon we were snogging like mad and I virtually dragged him to the bedroom. When he took off his vest, the thick strip of hair running down his belly into his jeans made me so wild with desire. When we made love, I stayed on top all the time so I could clamp my eyes on his gorgeous chest! “Raymond was really amused when I commented his hairy chest turned me on. He felt honoured. Said it was sexy seeing me so turned on. Much later, he confessed that most of his previous lovers had disliked his hairiness. One had even volunteered to help him shave it off but he refused. I assured him I’d never ask him to do that. It would be like asking him to shorten his willie! I can’t really believe my luck even now - all that hair and a stud to boot!” Raymond guessed I must have been given a blow-byblow account of all that had happened between him and Jane but that didn’t seem to bother him. He looked almost cocky as he touched Jane affectionately and she jumped. My goodness! Do they still make them like Jane? And are there men out there who like hairy women? Lola’s man does,

though she finds it irritating. She runs a successful spa and has to look well groomed. “I thank my stars for being hair; she told me, “but I can’t be expected to advertise the fact all over my business premises. I have to keep well groomed and I shave off my pits as soon as they grow. But my man doesn’t like that. I find it a bit irritating that any man would find a bushy armpit sexy! I have met him halfway by not trimming my pubes too low. If it were left to him, the bushier the better in spite of the fact that he’d had his willy bruised by a few strands from time to time. I guess some people are just gluttons for punishment when it comes to enjoying sex!” “Have you noticed that there are women out there who have hairs all over their bodymore than a man’s?” asked Dele, 45, and married. He confessed he’d often found hairy women a turn on “That’s why I refused to date fair women when I was abroad”, he said. “You know dark hair shows easily on fair skin, so the white woman is always shaving off her body hair. But the darker ones don’t bother, and you can guess that if they’re hairy on the skin, they would be down below. I always drop those that shave and refuse not to like a hot potato!

till you can’t maintain the flat footedness anymore and then immediately tip-toe and continue your way downwards till your buttocks are resting on your heels. Keep the arms still at shoulder level. Count to 10. Now, start your way upwards. Be sure to remain tip-toe all the way up till you are completely straight. Remain on your toes for a count to 10 and then drop into your heels with the hands by your sides. Rest briefly and repeat. Benefits: The chair toughens the muscles of the legs and buttocks. People with fallen arches will find the practice of the chair beneficial. THE BRIDE Technique: Sit down with the hands on the floor behind you with the fingers pointing backwards. Take in a deep breath and

straighten the legs with the knees locked and the entire body supported by the hands and heels, raise it to form a bridge. Breathe normally as you stay in the pose for 5 to 10 seconds. Then lower the body, rest awhile and repeat. Benefits: The Bridge strengthens the arms, firms the muscles of the legs and buttocks. BACKWARD LEG RAISE Technique: Standing up straight bend down and put both hands flat on the floor. Now, raise your right leg high up into the air keeping the left leg staight and the knee locked. Remain in the posture for 10 to 15 seconds. Change legs and repeat. Benefits: The Leg Raise strengthens the leg, arm and abdominal muscles.

Yoga classes at 32 Ademola Adetokunbo TheBridge Victoria Island, Lagos, 9.10am on Saturdays

SUNDAY Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 21

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

Sadly, there will be other Cynthias A

heartwrenching as Cynthia Osokogu’s murder was, her case is by no means unique. Dating and social networking websites have become a sort of magnet for the type of confident tricksters that effortlessly lured Cynthia into an untimely death. A brilliant girl with impressive family pedigree, a sound education and with her feet firmly planted on the successful business ladder, she is the type of ‘catch’ these charlatans gun for. Make no mistake about it, they are ruthless thugs. Even the EFCC often admit their technological savvy leaves them scratching their heads most of the time. Electronic frauds are deeply rooted in Nigeria and it dates as far back as when it was invented. It’s netted victims from far and wide. Lately, the facebook and similar sites have added a branch to frauds usually commtted through previous websites designed so impressively experts are fooled. And these new sites are targeted at the ruthlessly ambitious who want to make it at all costs. Every opportunity it has, the British press had always drummed it into its readers that they should be wary of fraudsters from Nigeria and Ghana especially, who target people who are looking for love or business opportunities, and convince them to hand over money to achieve their aims. But would they listen? Some few months ago, Debbi Oswick, a 42 year old divorcee from Stevenage, Hertfordshire virtually emptied her life savings

to help a would-be-lover trapped in Nigeria and whose innocent daughter was kidnapped. A wellworn con line, but she fell for it. When she ran out of her own money, she turned to a rich brother who promptly smelt a rat and refused to help. “Both he (her brother) and my parents begged me not to send William another penny,” she recalled, “but I wouldn’t listen and wired him the £4,000 (about one million Naira) hoping it would buy some time with her daughter ’s kidnappers. Learning that, my parents called the police. They confirmed I was the victim of a cruel conman. Yet I was so caught up in the deception. I didn’t even believe them at first. “Gradually though, the awful truth began to sink in ..’William’ probably never even existed. Everything about him was lie. But not only did he steal my savings (about £8,000) and leave me in debt, he stole my heart .. :’ At least she got away with her life intact. The lifestyle of these conmen is jaw-dropping. And to keep such lifestyles, they would kill without any remorse. A few months ago, a reader, Mr. Olaosebikan was a bit miffed that I touched on men’s obsession with football in this column. “l trust you’ll sometime soon write an article on ‘How to cope with your woman’s obsession with DSTv’s African Magic’. Believe me, it’s worse than football mania ... “ But is it? With a chunk of the plot woven around these fraudsters and their lavish lifestyles, a lot of awareness could be drawn into their modus operandi. I used to scoff

at some of the Nollywood plots myself, but if parents could learn a lesson or two enough to warn their offsprings, some good could come off it. So when you click on to a website, let your senses be on alert. According to experts, a con artist may be a little good-looking. ‘A scammer will usually create a fictitious online profile and post a fake picture, often of a model. Popular occupations are engineers, construction or oilrig workers. His work frequently takes him abroad, so you never get to meet him in person. “He’s a fast worker, and will act swiftly to move your relationship to private e-mails and phone calls - but never via webcam where his true self would be revealed. His e-mails may be full of endearments - he calls you honey, baby, angelbut also bad grammar and spelling mistakes. Once you’re hooked emotionally, he gets you into dire financial straits - the result of one or more fictitious emergencies – and why he urgently needs funds sent to him. Do not be taken in!” Easier said than done. A few days ago, I watched with disgust as a

horrible looking hustler in his 20s held on amorously to a white woman more than old enough to be his grandmother, steering her through the Caustain roundabout traffic. What lies did he tell to bring her to these shores, I wondered sadly? Just as the wash-wash epidemic never goes away, so has electronics fraud come to stay. And as many as run away from the signals, there would be victims who would rush to have dinner with the devil, not giving a thought to its consequences! If you’re reading this, warn your teenage childrent o be face-book cautious – it could save a life. Is that partner your soul mate? He’s tall. He’s dark. He’s extremely handsome. And he wants to take you out. But before you go running off with what appears to be your Prince Charming, try asking him to fill in your specially designed questionnaire. Your future happiness could well depend on his answers. Apparently, we’ve been looking for love the wrong way.

than I pray for myself, anytime you are away I feel a part of me has left. I love you dearly. nwadukweanthonia@yahoo.com

The spice of my soul

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

The best thing in my life!

I carry you in my spirit always. I pray for you more

You are the spice of my soul,an angelic music of my heart. Oh! How I wish you can see d depth of my heart to know how deep I love you. Iwuorie Chidi, geochi171@yahoo.com 08064349445

Understanding love

Love is as old as the universe,but it is always new,because mind has failed to understand it,once you understand a thing it becomes old to you.but,Love is one thing that never became old be-

We’ve been relying on true romance to hit us like a bolt of lightening or we expect its raw animal passion to overwhelm us. When we should have been sussing out which men like the same TV programmes as we do, and are of the same mind when it comes to pets. The only way to find a love that lasts, say the experts, is to find a partner who shares your opinions on such everyday matters. “Society today goes about the matter of finding love in completely the wrong way”, says Dr. Glen Wilson, a psychologist at the University of London and coauthor of the Science of Love. “We tend to dismiss people who don’t fit the blueprint of perfection in our heads, but our research proves that true love is doomed unless we have a number of what appear to be mundane and obscure things in common”. As a result of his research, he has devised a simple quiz that reveal whether or not we have enough in common with a partner to enjoy a lasting relationship. He calls it his Com-

patibility Quotient, or CQ test. You can easily devise yours, taking into consideration IQs, appearance, sex drive, TV programmes, etc. Dr. Wilson found that while it is important to agree on a number of issues, from how we like to spend our free time to sexual fidelity, some are more vital to a good relationship than others. Different opinions on pornography and politics were most likely to spell disaster in any long term relationship. Women, he says, were eight times more likely to admit that their relationship was unhappy if their views on pornography are different from their partners’. And for men, the big issue was sexual experience whether their women were more or less experienced than they were” Such inequality in the bedroom spelt long term unhappiness for 40 per cent of men. Couples who liked the same food were three times more likely to stay happy than those who clashed on the subject and partners who liked to watch the same programmes on television were three and a half times more likely to stay happy. But interestingly, there was one area where it was better to disagree, and that was on the subject of alcohol. “Partnerships where one member drank heavily and the other abstained were deeply content. While other differences seemed to lead inevitably to unhappiness in long-term relationships, differences in drinking habits brought couple together”. So, the next time you meet a teetotaller and he offers to buy you a double brandy, accept. He could be the one!

cause it is beyond the imagination of minds....!

Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015.

My love

The university of love has thought me that true love is judged by what you can do/ give for love not what you can get/take from it. I have given you my heart, my joy, my time, my house, my life... tell me, what do you want from me? Tell me and I will do it. You are my charming princess, the only one I will always love. Kelechi Ndubisi kconeofafrica@yahoo.com, 08185515552

PAGE 22—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

THIS SEGMENT PRESENTS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS, IN A MANNER NEVER BEFORE EXPLORED, ON CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY MATTERS. THIS IS DEPARTMENT 'C'

Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho

ormer Minister of In terior and Chairman of Integrated Oil and Gas Ltd, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, narrates the story of his arrest by officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and a security firm headed by a former militant leader, for allegedly receiving stolen petroleum products in his tank farm. It was alleged that Integrated Oil and Gas received a vessel, ‘M.T. Grace’, laden with suspected stolen petroleum products that were intercepted by NIMASA and the firm’s officials. The former minister was released penultimate Friday night after officials of NIMASA and those of the firm invaded Integrated Oil and Gas corporate headquarters, Marine Road, Apapa where Iheanacho was arrested and kept for several hours at NIMASA before the matter was transferred to Lagos State Command of the State Security Service, SSS. The former minister told Sunday Vanguard his company was surprised by the invasion. In the course of the invasion, he said the intruders ransacked the tank farm complex manhandling the workers. At the end of the day, the former minister said four members of his staff were arrested and taken to NIMASA for interrogation and have since been transferred to the SSS office at Shangisha. He lamented that there was C M Y K

no formal notification on the cause of the attack nor the reason for the siege on the company’s business. During the course of his being held, the former minister said it was announced that the ‘Head of State’ was coming,

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

scourge of oil theft have been widely circulated. “I want to use this opportunity to categorically deny any link or involvement by my company to the scourge of oil theft in any guise, shape or form. “We have always established and operated our company with the best tenets of corporate governance and having in mind due regard for the requirements for integrity and accountability; and we have not and will never knowingly embark on a business transaction that is questionable”. According to Ihenacho, his tank farm remained under occupation by security forces. “We do not know what has happened to the integrity of our depot or its content. Mean-

The products stored in our tank farm are fully served by the availability of clearance documents which include navy clearance, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, clearance, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, clearance including those issued by NIMASA, our accuser

then an ex-militant leader and his associates surfaced. Reacting to allegation of receiving stolen petroleum products from the M.T. Grace vessel, Iheanacho said: “The products stored in our tank farm are fully served by the availability of clearance documents which include navy clearance, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, clearance, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, clearance including those issued by NIMASA, our accuser. “False and fractious reports originating undoubtedly from NIMASA and the ex-militant leader seeking to link me and my company with horrible

while four of our staff are still being held in detention,” he said. “We want to use this opportunity to call upon the security firm and NIMASA to vacate our tank farm forthwith so that we can enter therein to take early stock of the state of our facility and its content. “We also call upon MIMASA and the security firm’s authorities to remove the armed men which they have placed on board our vessels, the M.T. Providence, illegally and without our prior permission and authorization. The continued presence of the security firm’s armed guards on board our vessel without our permission

could well be interpreted as a vessel in the process or under seizure by pirates. “We call upon the national security establishment, the IGP, the DG, SSS, to take early measures to guarantee our personal safety and security and that of our families as we believe that our safety is currently in serious jeopardy. “The armed unit at NIMASA could very well be said to be a private army which is now being used for personal political purposes other than for Nigerian maritime capacity development.” The ex-militant leader had disclosed that the vessel ‘M. T. Grace’ was traced to the tank farm of Integrated Oil and Gas. He stated that whoever is involved in any form of economic sabotage will be brought to justice. To this, the former minister said some people wanted to destroy the business he spent years to build. “They tried to use the Aig Imoukuede’s Committee but they failed; now they are saying that they found stolen products in our facility,” Iheanacho said. “I did not buy any stolen product, I did not sell any stolen product and I did not receive any stolen product, they only used our facility for storage. We have the THROUGHPUT agreement document, NPA clearance, navy clearance, DPR clearance and NIMASA clearance of the vessel, M.T. Grace.” Meanwhile, the Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria, JEPTFON, on Tuesday, in Lagos, warned that its members will shut down their depots and tank farm facilities across the country within 24 hours if government failed to accede to its request to remove security operatives at the Integrated Oil and Gas Depot. It said, “The Association unanimously resolved that if NIMASA did not vacate the illegal and criminal brigandage of its invasion of the depot and facilities of Integrated Oil and Gas including their head office within 24 hours, it shall have no choice than to close down all depots in the country.”

Indeed, some of its members are currently assisting the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in distributing petroleum products by trucks around the country, pending when the corporation can resume pipeline distribution. Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, the Executive Secretary of JEPTFON, Enoch Kanawa, said members of the association summoned an emergency meeting where members deliberated extensively on the matter. At the end of the meeting, he said that JEPTFON members condemned in strong terms “the illegal and unlawful seizure of the Integrated Oil depot and offices, especially as it is only the DPR that is empowered by law to close down a tank farm, and not NIMASA. According to him, “The illegal and unlawful seizure of the depot and facilities of Integrated Oil and Gas Ltd and its head office is in total disregard to the safety and sensitive nature of such an enormous asset, we totally condemn this action by NIMASA”, he pointed out. “More worrisome is the physical torture of its Chairman, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, who was abducted and had to be rescued by the State Security Service, SSS. The arrest and detention of the company staff is abomination, as Nigeria is supposed to be a democratic nation where the rule of law holds sway.” Kanawa said that the association unanimously resolved to close down all depots in the country if NIMASA failed to vacate Integrated Oil and Gas depot at the close of work by Wednesday. But in a television interview, Callistus Obi, Executive Director, Maritme Labour, NIMASA, said the issue at hand “has international dimension”. Obi said a vessel belonging to a South American nation suffered a pirate attack and its content stolen and diverted. He also said the issue has become one that is very embarrassing to the nation.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 23

THIS SEGMENT PRESENTS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS, IN A MANNER NEVER BEFORE EXPLORED, ON CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY MATTERS. THIS IS DEPARTMENT 'C'

INCREASING CRIME WAVE

Monarch alleges police complicity *It's not true at all, says DPO

ESIDENTS of Oleh and Ozoro in Isoko South and Isoko North Local Government Areas of Delta State respectively have come under siege by in the past two months. Investigation by Sunday Vanguard showed that the people are troubled that the police, who were supposed to protect lives and property, may have been compromised by the brigands. Because of the worsening insecurity, commercial banks in the area were forced to shut down on a number of occasions.

Monarch calls for total overhaul

The Odiologbo (monarch) of Oleh Kingdom, HRM A.W.O Ovrawah Omogha I, in a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, urged the police boss to carry out a total overhauling of the Oleh Divisional Police Headquarters. He emphasized the need to effect changes from the headship of the division by bringing in officers who have zerotolerant for crime, adding, “There is no gainsaying that the totality of evidence and attitude of some of the officers on ground at the division are pointers to the fact that they have compromised standard.”

Final year student shot dead

Investigation by Sunday Vanguard showed that criminals were operating with reckless abandon in Oleh, Ozoro and environs. In one impudent attack, bandits stormed a hostel occupied by students of Delta State University at its Oleh campus, and shot dead a final year student of petroleum and gas engineering, Itobore Agoreyor. Agoeyor’s offence was that he had the temerity to demand for the SIM card of his phone from the gunmen, who robbed the entire students in the hostel of their phones, notebooks and undisclosed amount of money. A resident told this reporter, “As if there is no security, robbers have been moving from one student hostel to the other in Oleh in the past few months and also extended C M Y K

their operations to the community in general”. According to reports, armed robbers raided an electronics shop on Emore Road and carried out a house-to- house operation in Caps Street, Off Odoro Road for hours without response from the police.

Self-imposed curfew

“They robbed the entire street for three hours, shooting and destroying iron gates like ordinary robber”, he added. Before this, students holding fellowship sessions outside the school premises were attacked and the fear of armed robbers had made many residents to impose curfew on themselves. A student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “We are living with our hearts in our mouths in Oleh. No night passes in the past two weeks without you hearing about one robbery or the other. “And the fear is not only among the students, it per-

By Emma Amaize

findings in his petition, said the people, in a move to arrest insecurity in the town, effected a change in the headship of the Oleh vigilance group on August 2, 2012, after the members alleged that the leadership of the group was incompetent. He, however, asserted that some police officers appeared to be frustrating the fight against criminals. His words, “The change in the headship of the vigilante group would have paid off when another armed robbery incident took place in the early hours of Monday, August 6, but for its truncation by the police in Oleh, who deliberately fired shots at members of the Oleh vigilante group and, in the process, one Mr. Edafe George, the secretary to the Oleh vigilante group, narrowly escaped death. He was severely injured in the police onslaught. “Another worrisome dimension to this robbery incident, which showed that there is

Police aiding bandits

Oleh monarch, HRM Omoagha I, who corroborated our

hours, but they didn’t show up, while members of community’s vigilance group, on patrol, were reportedly barred from getting to the robbery scene to confront the armed robbers.

… Ignore distress calls

In a reaction to the allegations against the division, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Chris Sogbara, dismissed the points raised by the monarch, saying they were not true

vades the entire town. They are tormenting the entire residents of Oleh and we do not know what the police are doing”. It was learnt that the audacious robbers recently invaded a meeting, where some chiefs in Oleh were discussing the growing insecurity in the town and robbed them of valuables. “We are worried”, a resident informed Sunday Vanguard, “because we cannot see any concrete effort the police are making to curtail the situation”. Businesspersons are also fleeing from the community, while some villagers called for deployment of soldiers in Oleh to checkmate the bandits.

IGP Abubakar

a form of connivance between the police and the robbers, is the fact that members of the vigilante group from Irri, a neighbouring community to Oleh, who were coming on a rescue mission during the robbery incident, were sent back by the police at Iyanga Market junction”, he added.

Plan to raze police station averted

Recalling the robbery incident in which a final - year engineering student was killed by armed robbers, he said irate mob would have razed the Oleh police station, but for his intervention in conjunction with members of his cabinet and the provost of Delta State University, Oleh campus. He said the grouse of the people was that the police were alerted about the robbery incident , which lasted for two

According to him, “These are the scenarios, which played out during similar robbery incidents and occurrences in Ichofu Street, IDC Road, Odoro Road, among other streets in Oleh. Our major grouse is that distressed calls made to the police at Oleh Division were not always attended to as they always surfaced after the robbers had concluded their onslaught on my people.” The monarch, who accused the police of systematically disarming members of the vigilante team of the dane guns they were using in their operations, noted, “My IGP, I do not agree less with you in your comment recently in a newspaper that: ‘Policemen do fraternize with criminals.’ “I am in tandem with your directive that no policeman should spend more than two years in a duty post so as not to give room for unnecessary, undue and unholy familiarity alliance between them and criminals. For instance, in Oleh Division, we have officers who have stayed more than 10 years in the division.”

Cultists in charge in Ozoro

The story is not different at Ozoro, where police officers

were also said to be lackadaisical to their duties. Gunmen recently ran amok in the town, shooting a man, Mr. James Epete Athowhora, to death and injuring one Mr. Tony Ezeh . The Ozoro incident is believed to be the handiwork of cultists, who engaged the community’s vigilance group in a fierce gun battle in August. A source hinted that the cultists visited Athowhora at about 2.30 a.m. and shot him on the chest. Ezeh’s, undoing was that he encountered the cultists while trying to dispose of the remains of the deceased. They shot him in the process. We will flush out criminalsPolice spokesperson, Muka Spokesperson of Delta State Police Command, Mr Charles Muka, said he was aware of the killing of a student at Oleh and the police were investigating the incident. He, however, said he was not aware of the spate of attacks referred to by Sunday Vanguard and said he would find out if the incidents were reported to the police. Muka, nevertheless, did not forget to add that the police were determined to flush out bandits from the state.

DPO disagrees with monarch

In a reaction to the allegations against the division, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Chris Sogbara, dismissed the points raised by the monarch, saying they were not true.

PAGE 24—SUNDAY VANGUARD,SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Olympics 2016: Let’s start preparations now

news item appeared on the internet during this year ’s Olympic games in London, which exposed the length some countries, notably China this time, could go to grow sportsmen and women for success at competitions. “Chinese Diver Wu Minxia’s celebrations at winning a third Olympic gold medal were cut short after her family revealed the details of a devastating secret they had kept for several years. Her parents decided to withhold news of both the deaths of her grandparents, and of her mother’s long battle with breast cancer until after she won the 3m spring board in London, so as to not interfere with her diving career. ‘It was essential to tell this white lie, ‘ said her father, Wu Yuming. In China, athletes are often taken away from their families at a young age and placed in specialist training schools where they practise for hours every day. Wu began training daily at a diving camp at the age of 6. By the time she was 16, she had left home to be installed in a government aquatic sports institute. She has become one of her sport’s all time greats, but her father says the success has come at a high price to her personal life. The story of Wu’s family secret has generated huge discussion in China, where the pursuit of success has been chased by the government-backed sports national sports programme with unshakeable zeal, over the past two decades. Now, there seems to be a backlash against the win-at-all-costs mentality after the revelations about Wu followed fierce criticism from a national newspaper when a 17 year old weightlifter failed to medal. The Chinese government’s attitude towards the performances of its athletes is now coming under greater scrutiny than ever before. Messages of congratulations from the government to athletes through the State News agency have been sent only to gold medalists, not those winning silver or bronze.” This piece appeared at a time when China was leading at the medals table at the London games, so, maybe the writer was trying to explain what drives Chinese athletes to perform well. However, China was later overtaken by the U.S., who went on to place first in the number of gold medals their athletes won, and China took the second place. Comments on the Chinese government’s attitude towards winning at games at all costs, was roundly condemned by many of those who read that piece on the internet. Personally, I saw pulling young promising athletes away from their families to place them at specialist training schools, where they practise for hours every day, as cruel, as they lose their youth fast, when they miss the normal growing up of young people, and excellence at their chosen sport replaces family and social life. But on second thoughts, I must admit that I admire to some extent, the Chinese government’s attitude of preparedness, in catching its athletes young and grooming them for success. Some may say they’re not using the healthiest methods to achieve this, but then, this is no longer that golden age of long ago when most people took life so seriously that they were willing to put themselves through the

View-Point

Helen Ovbiagele Woman Editor

We should do what China and some other countries do about sports people they intend to field for competitions; that is, we should grow them so that they would have enough time to perfect their skills before qualifying to represent the country paces in order to achieve excellence, without anyone sitting on their necks. These days, there are so many frivolous distractions for young people that a hard stance is needed to get them aim for the top. This year’s Olympic games have come and gone. Nigeria participated in many of the events, but we didn’t win any medal. Naturally, we’re not happy about this at all. In our early years at school, teachers told us that ‘taking part in an event is the important thing, not necessarily winning.’ Maybe they said that in order not to make us feel too bad at not winning at inter-house sporting events, but that saying has no place in these modern times. You take part in a competition with the aim of winning; and not only that, winning well. We should now go back to the drawing board to analyze what went wrong for Nigeria at this year’s games. Questions that we the non-experts would ask are :- Did we have enough time to pick the best for each event? Where did we get them from? Private individuals, or scouts from the government’s Ministry of Sports? What sporting background and experience did they have? Who made the final selection of those who will represent the country? What was the criteria for this? Did those selected have time to train for the games? What was their form in the events they were put down to compete in? What were the terms negotiated with them or their agents, for their participation? How active are the scouts for talents in sports? Do they catch them young, going to sporting events in schools, colleges, universities, etc., pick those with talents, and recommend them to

the Sports body for grooming? Or, do we hastily put together a team, just before an international event? I’m sure there are other relevant questions that the experts would ask, in order to pinpoint the reasons for our dismal outing. There’s of course the hiccups about money. I read a piece ‘Nigerian official bitter over N2 billion Olympics money – Begs President Jonathan to restructure sports.’ In the piece, the anonymous official was alleged to have urged the President to restructure sports in Nigeria and make it more resultoriented, adding that the N2b was released so late that it didn’t help Nigeria’s preparation for the London Games. That means that badhandling of the release of money was a lack of preparedness which contributed to our no-show. Well, this should have been part of the decisions made long before the games. The sum of money to be given should have been worked out, and the date/dates it would be released, to meet the relevant ex-

penditure. More importantly, we should do what China and some other countries do about sports people they intend to field for competitions; that is, we should grow them so that they would have enough time to perfect their skills before qualifying to represent the country. Once the scouts find a young person with talent, the government should step in and take over his/her education, and train him/her for the event he/she shows promise in. Arrangements should be made with parents to release their wards for training in camps, so that they can be adequately groomed. This would ensure regular practice for many months, during which they compete locally and in the sub-region/continent, until they’re ripe enough for international competitions. This way, we would always have a reservoir of qualified sports people to choose from. Grooming sports people for selection for the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, should start immediately. File name – olympics postmortem – August 27, 2012.

LATEST INDIAN FASHION SUITS FREE.BRIDAL-SHOWER-THEMES

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 25

By DAUD OLATUNJI, ABEOKUTA

C M Y K

zThe

dead and injured being conveyed to hospital

FATAL FLIGHT

‘How I killed dozens fleeing from police bullion’ taken over seven bodies. The ambulance of the Ogun State Accident Team has also taken many corpses and more are still lying there”.

igeria Police was established to pro tect lives and property. What happened, last week, however, ran contrary to this creed as four persons in police uniform, operating in a bullion van, allegedly pursued a truck owned by a cement company, following which the driver lost control and rammed into some buses, crushing the passengers as well as some Okada riders and traders to death on Sagamu-Benin-Ore expressway. It was a gory spectacle: The wreckage of the vehicles and horrifying mangled human bodies littered the scene. Sympathisers beholding blood stains everywhere threw themselves to the ground; anxiety gripped many people who were searching for their loved ones. The accident, which claimed about 30 lives, occurred at the Mabolufon junction, Ijebu - Ode,Ogun State , also left dozens of people critically injured. Some of the victims, according to findings, were roadside traders and people who were waiting to board vehicles. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the remains of seven persons, including a pregnant woman, were deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital, Ijebu - Ode, while doctors battled to save the lives of over 20 persons said to be critically injured. An eye witness said the illfated truck, with registration number, EDO RRU 33 XA, was allegedly being chased by the policemen in the bullion van as the driver reportedly drove against the traffic. In a bid to evade arrest, the truck crushed the buses which had stopped for passengers to alight at the Ijebu Ode junction. All the passengers in one of the buses coming from one of the eastern states were killed on the spot. A traffic official with Ogun State agency, TRACE, disclosed that they were busy packing the corpses to the mortuary. “ The accident is pathetic. I have never witnessed such an ugly incident in my life. We have taken over 10 bodies to the mortuary, while the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, has

many attributed to the careless driving of the driver of the truck. The truck, laden with fertilizers, was nearly burnt by the

A bullion van with four policemen suddenly blocked me and asked me to park but I suspected they could be armed robbers. So, I did not stop. As I was running from them. I rammed into two buses and road side traders”.

Moments after the incident, some residents of nearby Ijebu Ode, Egbe, Atiba and Moraika, thronged the scene, lamenting the incident which

angry mob, but for the quick intervention of some policemen who were on the highway directing traffic. The affected buses, a blue

Mazda bus marked, Ondo KTP11 XA, and Toyota Hiace bus, marked, Lagos XW 530 GGE, had full load of passengers allegedly coming from Ondo. Meanwhile, Ogun State Police Command has denied being responsible for the auto mishap. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said the truck driver allegedly responsible for the accident had been arrested. Giving the driver’s name as Adeboye Adebayo, Adejobi said the driver caused the accident by entering the expressway from the Ikorodu axis of the road on top seed. The PRRO said it was in a bid by the driver to beat a bul-

lion van which was also on top speed along the express way that he rammed into oncoming vehicles. ‘’Putting the records straight, it was the bullion van (painted blue) that caused that accident”, he said. He added that Adebayo was making statement to the police on the incident. In the meantime, some survivors of the accident were facing threat of rejection by the management of the General Hospital, Ijebu Ode over failure to pay for treatment. When Sunday Vanguard visited the hospital, it was gathered that the critically injured victims were being rejected by the nurses on the grounds of payments. The visit however served as the saving grace for the survivors as the rejection was reversed. A deputy commissioner of police, Abdul Majeed Alli, who was on an on- the-spot assessment at the scene of the accident ,handed over an undisclosed amount of money to the management of the state owned hospital for the treatment of the victims. But the driver of the ill-fated truck accused some policemen of causing the accident. “A bullion van with four policemen suddenly blocked me and asked me to park but I suspected they could be armed robbers. So, I did not stop. As I was running from them. I rammed into two buses and road side traders”. The Ijebu zonal commander of TRACE, Commander Hamzat Tommy, confirmed that over 30 persons died in the accident, saying: “The number of the dead is about thirty something,a pregnant woman was involved. You need to see how the foetus rushed out, it was pathetic and gory. Young boys and girls were also involved, even Okada riders who we always advised not to stay on the expressway, see how some of them lost their lives because of what they wanted to eat. ”My boys worked till very late in the night, evacuating corpses from the scene.” Narrating how the accident happened, the Sector Commander of the FRSC, Ayobami Omiyale, said,”I was told that the truck lost control due to over speeding as it was gathered that the police were chasing the driver for driving against the traffic. In the process of escaping, the truck ran into the waiting buses and crushed the passengers to death.”

PAGE 26—SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Country News By Emma Amaize

new ones. However, we are in the localities with them, so as they move, we get information and move against them. This is why they are fighting us”. Information at the disposal of Sunday Vanguard showed that crude oil theft has actually reduced in the state.

HE thinking was that with the involvement of ex-militant leader and founder of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, in Oil Facilities Surveillance Limited, OFSL, a pipeline surveillance company, contracted by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to police oil pipelines in Delta State, oil thieves would scamper to their holes. However, that appears not to be the case, as oil thieves and their sponsors, whose thousands of illegal refineries were demolished by OFSL workers in different parts of the state, are proving intractable and have mobilized to fight back.

Bombshell

Oil thieves threaten us daily – Pondi zThe ex-militant leader’s men patrolling N-Delta waterways

Ex-militants, oil thieves battle deploy police officers, especially those in the Anti-Pipeline Vandalization Task Force to it. “You see these people are armed and by the terms of our contract, we do not carry arms, we get information and we go with the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta for now, but we need more security. The policemen we have with us now are not enough”. Sunday Vanguard that what would have been a fatal expedition for the unarmed security outfit was averted recently following a tactical decision of the operators of the outfit not to confront a crude oil bunkering syndicate in Escravos area of the state. Men of the Joint Task Force on the Niger-Delta, codenamed, Operation Pulo Shield, took up the gauntlet and recovered five loaded AK 47 rifles and 204 live ammunition in the residence of one of the kingpins, about two weeks ago. Pondi said it would have been disastrous if unarmed personnel of the company were deployed to burn down the illegal refineries of the syndicate.

Illegal refineries destroyed In the last one month, Pondi

General Manager of the company, Mr. Keston Pondi, said in Warri, last week, that oil thieves and barons were threatening the lives of top officials and workers of the company. He said formal reports were made in all cases to the office of Area Commander, Police, Warri. His words, “The lives of works of OFSL have been threatened on a daily basis by these criminals and sponsors who see their activities as legal and are resolved to fight to the last breathe any form of resistance. “We normally report the threats to the police authorities. Most of the threats come from unknown persons. They call us when we go for operation that we should leave their businesses alone or they would attack our families and us. There was an occasion in which one of them, a woman, came to the office to warn me that she would die with me”. Pondi continued: “However, with the effort and assistance of the Joint Task Force whose services were employed in most of our operations, we were able to succeed in the execution of our operations. The presence of these men who were always available at major locations was a strong impact in combating the physical threats that workers of OFSL are faced with. “It is imperative at this juncture to ask the Nigerian government to provide more Mobile police officers to the OFSL workers in order for them to carry out their job successfully”. He said the company had written police authorities to

“We normally report the threats to the police authorities. Most of the threats come from unknown persons. They call us when we go for operation that we should leave their businesses alone or they would attack our families and us

disclosed that 150 illegal refineries were destroyed in Isapama creek, 15 at Asugbu creek and 40 at Opumani creek. In August when he briefed reporters at Oporoza, the headquarters of OSFL in Warri South-West Local Government Area, he revealed that over 80 illegal refineries had been destroyed and he displayed bunkering materials,

On the claim by multinational oil companies that between 180, 000 -200,000 barrels of crude oil was lost daily to local oil bunkerers, he accused multinational oil companies of exaggerating the barrels of crude oil lost to crude oil thieves in a bid to continue defrauding the Federal Government on their actual production figures. He also stated emphatically that oil theft was been carried out in the high seas by highly placed people and oil companies that are in the habit of overstating lost barrels and challenged government to properly monitor the actual production by the oil companies and oil cabal. According to him, when the bubble would burst on Mr. Keston Pondi, GM, OFSL the cabal, it would be like the Colombia drug war. including speedboats confiscated from oil bunkerers. Threat to down tools

Oil theft reduced “We are not boasting, before we started, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation was getting just between 60-65 per cent of the crude oil pumped from Escravos to Warri, but now, they are getting almost 99 per cent. And the balance 1 per cent as one of officials told me may not really be as a result of theft, but could be as a result of some other technical matters”, the OSFL’ boss asserted. “Go and find out, before OFSL was contracted, NNPC was suffering between 25-35 per cent losses in Delta state, but after the company was engaged, NNPC is getting 99 per cent success, as oil bunkering is near zero in the state”. He said OSFL has practically chased the oil thieves out of business in the state, but they regrouping. “What is happening is that when we destroy their oil refineries in certain parts of the state, they move to an entirely new area to set up

Investigations by Sunday Vanguard, however, show that there is tension in the waterways over the threat of the OFSL to down tools. It was gathered that the company, which was incorporated in 2009 entered into a oneyear contract in February 2010, with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to provide security for oil pipelines and related properties in Delta state, but since the contract expired in February, 2012, it has not been renewed. Tompolo and other directors of the company have been paying the workers and footing other expenses with the hope that NNPC would renew the contract without much ado. In August, Pondi said OFSL would disengage the services of its 5,000-man workforce in three months if its contract was not renewed. A month has gone since the threat was made and he told Sunday Vanguard the company was standing on its ultimatum.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 27

Country News

Housewife: I wanted business charm, Alfa cast love spell on me By Adeola Adenuga

Osun Oshogbo: A festival of many colors

What you did not know about Osun Osogbo By Oyintiloye Olatunbosun

premises within the last one year. The he Osun Osogbo annual interna groove now has a befitting pavilion, which tional festival is a celebration of cul is currently at an advanced stage of comture and fulfillment of the pledge pletion. Also the road linking the sacred between a people and a goddess. It un- groove has been expanded to accommodate derscores a long history that revolves more vehicles and pave the way for traffic. The government has also made good its around early settlers of the town, Osogbo, promise of creating more access road to the who came very close to a river as a result of drought from their initial place of dwell- groove through opening up of a new road ing; hence they decided to settle in the thick that links it from Ogo-Oluwa section so that travelers from Ibadan can have access to forest. The water goddess, Osun, appeared to the groove without passing through Olathe great hunter, Olutimehin, who was the Iya area thereby reducing pressure on that leader of the team. Olutimehin explained axis of the road. Governance demands thoughtfulness and their reasons for settling at the river bank. innovations. This is the reason this year ’s However, the goddess asked them to move to a new ground. She also pledged to pro- festival is pitched to leverage on the crowd tect them, provide water for them and make pulling feature of the annual event to protheir women fertile in return for an offer of mote healthy living, especially awareness on the prevention of HIV-AIDS. It would sacrifice annually. Osun Osogbo stands tall of all the inter- be recalled that just last month, the ninenationally celebrated festivals in the world. teen international conference on HIV/AIDs It is highly venerated and most attended. took place at Washington D.C.,United One interesting attribute of the festival is States of America with a nine - point declathat it brings devotees of the deity from all ration to turn the tide of the disease togethover the world together annually, from Cuba er. It sought to build broad support for steps to Brazil, United States of America to Ja- to end the AIDS pandemic. maica, Canada to Spain, they come together to pay homage to the goddess, who they believe is the source of life. It is indeed not *Olatunbosun is Assistant Director (Comonly about merry making, but about social munity Forum), Bureau of Communication bond, culture and history.The government and Strategy, Governor’s Office, State of of the State of Osun has shown commit- Osun. Email:tunbosunmomi@yahoo.com ment to add needful value to the celebration, first by disabusing the minds of the people that the state culture and tradition is not fetish. It has also established the fact that this event, if properly managed and developed, is a big source of revenue for the state. In concrete terms, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration has improved the facili*Arugba... a maiden significant to Osun Oshogbo ties surrounding the celebration

36-year-old hairdresser, Adeola Fabiyi, told an Abeoku ta customary court sitting in Ake, that her husband, Alfa Kasumu, used charm to marry her. According to her, she couldn’t explain how she moved into his house and became his wife. Meanwhile, Kasumu, a muslim cleric, denied the allegation and said she is wayward. Adeola informed the court that it just dawned on her that her husband cast love spell on her when they met about 12 years ago through a friend who took her to his house when her hairdressing business was not booming. The applicant added that Kasumu helped her by doing a charm that made the business flourish and customers started trooping into her shop. ” I remember vividly that a man was dating me and l was two months pregnant then, but as soon as l moved into Kasumu’s house, the pregnancy disappeared”. She claimed that after she lost the pregnancy, she could not conceive again, saying her husband married three other women shortly after she moved out of his house. When asked how she realised that her husband used charm on her, Adeola responded that a close friend of Kasumu who was privy to the deed confessed to her. The applicant therefore urged the court to dissolve the marriage and beg kasumu on her behalf to release her from bondage, so that she can bear children. The respondent denied the allegation and told the court that Adeola is wayward and that’s what is responsible for her inability to conceive. He added that it was true that he had many wives, but he did not use charm to marry them. Meanwhile, the case was adjourned for further hearing.

‘Wayward wife keeps late nights’ By Adeola Adenuga and Oluwatobiloba Adeyemi

r. Fatai Nasirudeen, who was dragged before a Lagos customary court, for divorce over lack of care and other irreconcilable differences with his wife, Adenike, accused the wife of dating an Okada rider living in their neighbourhood. Fatai claimed to have got married to his wife 6 years ago, and their union is blessed with a child. He however alleged that his wife always kept late nights and she did not give him peace of mind. ”Though l reported the matter to her parents hoping that she would turn a new life, she did not show any sign of remorse”, the respondent stated. Fatai urged the court to dissolve the marriage. Earlier in her submission, Adenike informed that her husband had been highly temperamental, beating her at the slightest provocation. ”There was a day he accused me of stealing N75,000 from his wardrobe, capitalised on the accusation and stopped giving me feeding allowance”. The applicant denied amorous relationship with any Okada rider. ”Shortly after l packed out of his house, he came to apologise, hoping that he had a change of mind, but, unknown to me that he was there on a mission to kill the only child that bound us together”. She therefore urged the court to dissolve the marriage and grant her custody of the child. The court adjourned the case till October 9, 2012 for further hearing.

28 —SUNDAY, Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Remembrance mass for Pa Opado yin AlaoAk ala Opadoyin Alao-Ak Akala

With Ayo Onikoyi

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Braithwaite @ 79

ormer governor of Oyo state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala and his family shook the ancient town of Ogbomoso last weekend when they held a remembrance service for their late father, Pa Joshua Opadoyin Alao-Akala who passed on 60 years ago. At the First Baptist Church, Oke-elerin, Ogbomoso where the event took place, friends of the former governor graced the event which was by every inch a huge society affair.

t was a week of celebration for frontline politician n d revolutionary lawyer, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, who turned 79. One of many activities to mark the landmark include a lecture organised by Women Arise on Monday at the Airport Hotel Ikeja and the big one on Tuesday, which brought the President all the way from Abuja to Lagos. It was the public presentation of ‘The Jurisprudence of the Living Oracles’, a book authored by the celebrant. The venue was Yard 158 and it was a power packed audience. Photos by Bunmi Azeez a

Pres. Goodluck Jonathan presenting Braithwaite’s book

From left: Mrs Foyeke Alapo,Mrs Comfort Alao,Pastor(Mrs) Abimbola Alao and Mr Johnson Alao

From left: Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State , Jonathan, Braithwaite and his wife

Alao-Akala(right), a former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin (m) and Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi

From right: Oba Okunade Sijuade, the Ooni of Ife; Oba Riliwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos; King Jaja of Opobo; and Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, Obi of Onitsha

From left: Prof Soji Adejumo ,Registrar, WAEC; Prof Dibu Ojerinde; and a former Head of Service of Oyo State, Alhaja Iyabo Adeleke

Pastor Ayo Oristejiafor, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) (l), with Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General

Nuptial bliss for Chioma and Arinze Daughter of Ambassador Damian Emeka Obianigwe, Ezedioranma, Chief Executive Officer of Fano Shipping Limited, Lagos was recently betrothed to her heart-throb, Arinze Okeh, at their country home in Abor-Ihitte Owem in Orlu Local Government area of Imo State

Ambassador couple

Obianigiwe,

blessing

the

The couple: Arinze and Chioma

Lolo Obianigiwe and other members of the family C M Y K

SUNDAY, Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;29

Madam Mar Maryy Ogbeide laid tto o rest in style With Ayo Onikoyi

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High-socie ty outing ffor or lat e Oba Olashore High-society late

ince the demise of b a Oladele Olashore, encomiums have been pouring his way. At Our Saviourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos where a special was held in his honour on Wednesday, people from all walks of life graced the service, bringing to the fore how important and valued the monarch, banker and industrialist was in his lifetime. Photos by Sola Oyelese O

From left: Mr and Mrs Olumide Sofowora, Mr and Mrs Abimbola Olashore, and Mrs Yemi Olufunke Arokodare

L-R: Apostle Hayford Alile, Chief John Odeyemi and Chief Joseph Sanusi

Mr Bisi Oresanya, MD, First Bank (l), and Gen. Oladipo Diya (Rtd

L-R:Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (l) being welcomed by Mr Abimbola Olashore

t was a gathering of VIPs and family members, including children of the deceased when Madam Mary Omayirimi Ogbeide (nee Asagba of Amukpe Sapele), daughter of Odjegba Asagba of the great Orhoro royal family of Okpe Kingdom, Delta State, was buried last weekend in Sapele. After the interment, guests were treated to a lavish reception.

From left: Mr and Mrs Peter Agbonkonkon Ogbeide (son of the deceased), Mr Charles Idahosa and Gentleman Amegor.

Elder Peter Agbokonkon Ogbeide (son of the deceased) (l) and friends

Mr Ebenezer Koyejo (l) and Mr Emmanuel Ijewere

Investiture dinner for Merit Gordons Obua

Benin chiefs including the former Minister of State for Works, Dr Chris Ogienwonyi (3rd left)

n investiture dinner was recently held in honour of the Matron of Niger Delta Youth Movement, Mrs Merit Gordons Obua, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The investiture was carried out by the National Woman Leader of the group, Ambassador Marian Onuosah. Photos by Abayomi Adesida

Amb. Marian Onuosah decorating the Matron of the group, Mrs. Merit Gordons Obua A cross section of members of the Niger Delta Youth Movement C M Y K

Family members dancing Peter Agbonkonkon

with

Elder

PAGE 30 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 31

PAGE 32â&#x20AC;&#x201D;SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

M A I L B A G

All letters bearing writers' names and full addresses should be typed and forwarded to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, Kirikiri Canal, P. M. B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E-mail: sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com

Lagos State: Too many laws Dear Sir,

ARELY few months ago when the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola signed into law the Tenancy bill which many Lagosians applauded as a means of curbing the high cost of accommodation in the state. This tenancy law has not made any significant difference as house owners have failed to adhere to the laws.The state government has failed to monitor the compliance to the extent that Lagos landlords have increased their house rents from 50 percent to 95 percent. The ever-increasing population of Lagos State has prompted house owners to see their houses as hot cakes eventhough some of these houses are antediluvian and ramshackles. The population of Lagos is estimated to be about 18 million people while 20 percent of new comers come into the state on daily basis. Accommodation is one of the challenging factors in the state which 40 percent of the population resides in the state without comfortable places to lay their heads on. The Tenancy law is not respected by house owners rather compelling house seekers and searchers to consult Fashola to give them houses to stay. In Ajegunle,for instance, house owners have devised means to increase their houses which one-room apartment goes for N150,000, plus Agreement and commission, one- room self-contained goes for N320,000 plus AC, two-room

self contained goes for N450,.000 plus AC, two- bedroom flat goes for N600,000 plus AC and three-bedroom flat goes for N720,000 plus AC. None of these Landlords in Lagos State collect one-year rent anymore but rather demand for two to three years rent in favour of them. Since 2007 when Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola was sworn into power, over 50 percent laws have been made, only few are complied with by Lagosians.Some of these Lagos State officials have used this means to extort money from innocent lagosians and dubiously enriched themselves without qualms. The new Lagos State Traffic bills which were signed into law by Governor Babatunde Fashola initiated by the the Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaiye was a good stand to excessive nuisances and touts from our roads. The high rate of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state is nothing to write home about. Lagos State laws are always effective for only two weeks while the rest is history. Banning motorcyclists popularly known as Okada riders from our high ways is not new, though the prevailing robbery cases prompted Lagos State to stop Okada riders from plying high ways and others. The problem is that would Lagosians comply with these laws? Though many Laws have helped Lagos State to be sought after while sanity has gradually returned to the commercial city.

It is good these laws are revisited especially the tenancy law. 40 percent of Lagosians are living on bridges, uncompleted houses, locked-shops, and squatting with friends and relatives. Now Lagos State government wants to ban people from smoking in public places together with those that are selling local gins in unquestionable spots. This is a good move in the right direction, but people will still violate the laws. Most of these laws favour police and other security agencies in

the state. Even when LASG introduced the use of helmets by okada riders, how many of these okada riders obey those laws? It is not about making these laws but ability for Lagosians to comply it. At least two- third of Lagos residents has the new traffic laws which are mainly sold on our high ways by street hawkers.

Godday Odidi, Public Affairs analyst, 08063458693, 08058124798, @20 Oro Street Ajegunle Apapa.

Nigeria has no parliament Dear Sir,

HERE is this gross misconception commonplace in Nigeria even among sitting and ex-senators and members of the House in their references to the National Assembly as parliament. In the First Republic, Nigeria had a Parliamentary system of government. In Great Britain the prime minister heads the government while the Queen is the Head of State. So members of the National Assembly who are inviting the President and conjuring an analogy to Britain is an anomaly. Mr David Cameron is a member of the Commons (their parliament). Ghana has a parliament too, Germany has the Bundestag, Israel

has a Kneset, Russia has the Dima, the United States of America (USA) has Congress, et al while Nigeria has the National Assembly. Those who refer to the National Assembly either orally or in speech as parliament is nothing but a misnomer that is very nauseous. You may define parliament as a law making court with a variety of options in names However, the ultimate definition is what your constitution makes of it. The 1999 Constitution says the National Assembly is made up of the Senate and the House- the two in a combined session-joint sitting of the National Assembly. Away with any mostalgia.

Ben Etaghene is the editorial director of The Bulletin. benetaghene @yahoo.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 33

People don’t see the need to invest in teachers’ devt –Theresa Okafor By ESTHER ONYEGBULA Theresa Okafor is the Director, Quality Assurance and Research Development Agency Nigeria (QAARDAN), an NGO that provides training for educators, by looking into the quality of teachers, the quality of training and of students’ learning. This it does by aligning what happens in the Nigerian education sector with educational reforms in other countries. Discovering the huge gap and disparity in education and educational achievement in the country’s educational system, QAARDAN engages private and public schools to improve the quality of teachers, learning experience. A seasoned educationist, Mrs. Okafor obtained her first degree in English Education and Masters in Education Administration from the University of Lagos. She worked briefly with the Women’s Board before going to the United States where she worked at the Department of Public Information in New York. Upon her return to the Nigeria, she worked with Law Union as General Manager. Later, she worked with the British Council as the Education and Centre manager for three years. After that, she started her doctorate degree in Education at University of Nottingham in PHD Research Education. In this chat, Theresa Okafor sheds more lights on quality assurance in education, lack of educational infrastructures in school and implications of Nigerians pursuing education outside the country. Enjoy!!

Nigerian Open Universities, Common Wealth of Learning in Canada and the Government of Gambia. The government of Gambia is trying to set up a quality assurance framework to validate higher education in their country; so I am facilitating that framework, helping in its design and implementation, so it is all about education. Has lack of infrastructure contributed to the challenge in our educational system? What I think is wrong with the Nigerian educational system is not just the lack of infrastructure. The infrastructure is important, the teaching capacity, the human skill in terms of the learners to the educator ratio is also important, because the standard thing will be to have a teacher to at least forty students.Having an environment conducive for learning is important. But what is most important is the quality of teaching, the quality of the student’s experience and learning outcome. How can this be done? Teachers can actually maximize the resources they have at their disposal to ensure that at the end of the day learning, takes place. And that requires a lot of professional judgment on the part of the teacher. When the teacher puts a lot of effort in preparing the lesson and in deploying resources in the classroom that can get the students to see the relevance of

HY did you establish Q A A R D A N ?

When we discovered the huge gap and disparity in education and educational achievement in the system, we approached banks and corporate organizations and institutions. Guaranty Trust Bank responded but ran training for their adopted school which is St. George’s with us facilitating the training. But then we felt this was minimal in achieving the impact that we wanted, so, we decided to approach an international organization, Harambee, and they gave us some funding which enables us to run the training for teachers in 65 public schools free of charge in Nigeria. Have you been able to collaborate with the government on any of these training? Presently, we actually got the government to collaborate with us by getting us schools to work with. For instance, the Lagos State government responded by selecting fifteen schools which we have trained. We have done the first set of training for teachers in these schools and we are going to run subsequent trainings for them. Apart from that, we are organizing an international training for teachers, where we will be bringing resource persons from outside Nigeria to run training programmes for them. At the moment, we are working with the governments of Lagos, Anambra, Enugu and Rivers states with the education reform team because they are all involved in the Harambee project. I am also doing something with the

I believe that all the educational stakeholders, teachers, students, government and parents alike should take on the responsibilities in ensuring that everyone has the responsibility in shaping the future of our children

what is learnt in school and what happens outside school, you can be sure that achievement with improved success would be attained. That way, when the students have graduated, they are more likely to be self-reliant or get into paid employment because there have been a transition. This means that the school has succeeded in nurturing the talents that they have, or cultivating those talents that probably did not exist.

zTheresa Okafor ....Having an environment conducive for learning is important

That way, graduates can make a meaningful impact in the society. With the high rate of mass failures in WAEC, NECO, GCE and UTME would you say our curriculum is faulty or not detailed? Personally I think a curriculum is meant to be a guide. It is the responsibility of the teacher to give meaning to the curriculum, make it vibrant, dynamic and relevant. The curriculum should be seen as a framework where the teacher falls back while trying to bring in her knowledge of education to make the curriculum relevant. I do not like this blame game, where people blame the teachers, the government or the students. I believe that all the educational stakeholders, teachers, students, government and parents alike should take on the responsibilities in ensuring that everyone has the responsibility in shaping the future of our children. What would you say have been your challenges? The challenge I face is changing mindset, because people tend to think that teachers have to teach and not be developed continuously. So, getting schools to support teachers’ develop-

ment, or getting government or even donors to support teachers’ development is a huge challenge that I face because people don’t feel that there is a need to invest in teachers’ development. But at the same time, the responses have been good. At least with Harambee, government has been quite supportive to some extent and we are getting there gradually. What are the implications of Nigerians pursuing education outside the country? Unfortunately because of the falling and declining educational standard, many Nigerians are pursuing education outside the country in places like Ghana, UK, Canada, South Africa, etc. When many Nigerians pursue education outside the country, funds that should actually be within the country are taken outside the country. The interesting thing is that the educational budget is much less than the amount of money being invested in students to pursue education outside the country in places like US, Canada, UK, South Africa. Regrettably, this is happening massively because of our failed educational system. It has become glaring that something needs to be done in terms of quality of teachers, quality of teaching and quality of students’ experience.

PAGE 34— SUNDAY

VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

BY DELE SOBOWALE

EARS ago, almost forty now, at a course organized for the Middle Managers of Polaroid Corporation, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in 1972, one of the lecturers made the remark that for any policy change of direction, the leaders must, first of all, present the problems, as they see them to the followers. Only after obtaining a broad agreement about problem definition should leaders proceed to offering solutions; because, if people don’t accept the problem definition, they are likely to reject the solutions. The recent declaration of intention to release the N5,000 note by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the support given to the initiative by the Presidency, is a clear demonstration of what can happen when a government fails to elicit support for its problem definition before providing an answer. To illustrate what is involved here, there is a need to take a short trip into our history – the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, by the military government of General Babangida. With the benefit of hindsight, we can now conclude that the IBB administration had already decided to change the course of our economy by introducing more market determined intervention in the economy; to encourage more private sectorled policies; to privatise more of the sectors still under the grip of the public sector and to substantially deregulate the economy. Granted, these were in tandem with the conventional wisdom of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF, which were headed by economists belonging to the conservative group. It was also a time when the leading economies of the world – USA, Britain, Germany, Japan, France etc, were led by conservative politicians. Unfortunately, the rise of conservative economists at the World Bank and IMF coincided with the time when Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings were insufficient to finance our annual budgets and the country was defaulting on its debts. Honestly speaking, it was a sobering experience for a nation that had gone through the bonanza of unaccustomed oil wealth and had frittered it all away – with little development to show for it. At the risk of being accused of excusing IBB, 1986 was a year in which anyone who was the Head of State would have had to make a lot of difficult choices about the direction of an economy which was on the verge of collapse. IBB knew, instinctively, the nation he led. If he had announced the SAP without seemingly carrying the people along, his government might have been swept away earlier. Sensing

N5,000 BILL

When two wrongs make a right

Lamido Sanusi

the minefield in front, Babangida and his economic advisers then decided to organize a national debate – after carefully defining the options available to the nation – or, at least, the options they considered worthy of appraisal and recommendation. It was probably the widest form of consultation, if not the only one, ever undertaken in the country to determine the revolutionary change which would inevitably be introduced. It was an allcomers affair and the responses were carefully documented and organized.

“Leadership is the ability to define issues without aggravating the problems”. Warren Bennis, in The Unconscious Conspiracy. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 125).

By contrast, the announcement regarding the proposed introduction of the N5,000 currency was not preceded by any public discussion, instigated by the CBN and the Presidency, during which the problems, such as the escalating annual costs of issuing new notes, and the need to reduce them were raised. In short, the people were not aware there is a problem which needed to be solved and for which the issue of higher denomination would be the answer. Only a very popular government and a strong President could have got away with the impunity

Only a very popular government and a strong President could have got away with the impunity involved in proposing a N40 billion expenditure for “nothing”

There was no consensus; but there was sufficient cleavage which enabled the government to proceed on what most people felt was a predetermined outcome. Again, granted the implementation of SAP might be faulted and held responsible for the economic woes of the country later on. But, on one point IBB will forever be exonerated – we were consulted; or, at least a good show was made out of consultation on an economic programme which the majority of Nigerians deplore. Incidentally, virtually everybody agreed, at the time, that the economy was in dire straits and needed drastic measures to revive it. The bottom line was IBB received our broad consent about the problem definition.

involved in proposing a N40 billion expenditure for “nothing” – as even those prepared to give government the benefit of doubt regard the measure. As for the political opponents, who can find nothing good in any government initiative, this was a gift. It was like the fellow wanted to be hanged, who purchases a long rope and sits patiently under a tree. To these we must add the “activists” and those who bear grudges against the CBN Governor and the President. They have seized the opportunity to muddle up, in a grand manner, a measure that is neither right nor wrong until the framers of this new policy had laid out the objectives they intend to achieve and why they think

this is the best solution. So, we have ended up with two “wrongs” gravitating towards a “right” decision; which is unfortunate. At this point, the reader must forgive some blunt language; which will be directed at the government and its opponents without favour to either side. Years ago, the Manager of an American baseball team, after his team lost the seventeenth game in a row, in exasperation, asked, “Doesn’t anybody in this team know how to play this game?” President Jonathan, instead of bemoaning his self-imposed fate as the “most criticized Nigerian president”, should instead ask if anybody on his team knows how to play this complex game of governance. This is especially true of those in charge of his economic policy. In particular, he should worry about the two most senior – Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Governor of Central Bank. The former is in charge of fiscal policy; while the latter handles the monetary policy. Both policies are supposed to be complementary in order for the three basic goals of government’s economic policy to be achieved. The three key imperatives of economic policy remain, exchange rate stabilization (retain the value of the currency), interest rates management (seek to promote investments) and, as a result of the first two, achieve full employment; or close to it. Nigerians don’t know if the necessary collaboration between fiscal and monetary policy obtains in this government. But, one must be honest to note that the exchange rate has been stabilized, but interest rates still discourage investment and employment. One must also be candid to state that despite above 7% per annum growth in the last three years, while population increased by 3.2%, unemployment remained intractably high. Given that, probably, indisputable scenario, the CBN and the Federal Government owe it as primary duty to tell Nigerians how the new currency will either strengthen the naira, or, reduce interest rates and promote lending, or, increase employment opportunities. The first “wrong” step was taken by government – it failed to sell the benefits of the N40 billion expenditure. The second “ wrong” step was taken by those opposed to this policy direction. Expectedly, the first attack came from the political opposition and their National Publicity Secretaries. Others

followed closely. That too was unfortunate. To the best of my knowledge, none of the National Publicity Secretaries of the major opposition parties is an economist. Neither, for that matter, are majority of leaders of civil society groups. But for reasons (political, ethnic religious, personal, etc), too numerous to delay us here, they felt compelled to denounce the policy – even before knowing the objectives it is supposed to achieve. For instance, statements such as “it will increase inflation”, or, negate the cashless policy are baseless until one undertakes a rigorous study to find out how Nigerians will behave under a new regime of currencies. Incidentally, when Professor Soludo proposed redecimalisation of our currencies in 2007, a measure which would have made N100 our highest denomination, it was rejected because “it will promote inflation”, among other reasons. Clearly, this is illogical. If reducing induces inflation; increasing the size of the largest currency cannot also lead to the same result. As Richard est, of CNN would ask, “What the hell do you want?” H o w e v e r, if a prize for irresponsibility must be given out, then the recipients must be members of the National Assembly. To the best of my knowledge, the Executive Branch and the CBN have not yet sent any bill to the NASS seeking approval for the release of the new note as legal tender. Until then, they should have regarded all the noise as rumour. For the NASS, or a few individuals, to be issuing threats and warning the CBN to desist from an action, which it has not officially (to them that is) declared it is about to take, is presumptive. Maturity demands that the NASS should wait; let Jonathan and Sanusi release the N5,000 notes without their consent; then they should ALL, without exception, impeach the president and the new president will sack Sanusi. This joke had gone on long enough; we should stop it and move on to more serious matters. Way Forward Soludo’s introduction of coins and proposed redecimalisation cost the nation several billion naira before being scrapped. CBN has already spent undisclosed amounts, running into billions, on this new scheme. Before rejecting it, the NASS should ask for the full details. Then, postpone the launching; arrange for nationwide public hearings before deciding to throw the baby out with the birth water. Incidentally, I am personally in support of the introduction of the N5,000 bill for reasons which the CBN has not even stated. Jonathan and Sanusi denied us, though a tiny minority, who supported the move, to engage the vast majority of critics. The odds would be against us. But, who knows? We might have persuaded the NASS to support it also. This article was written before the President’s pronouncement stopping the N5,000 note project.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 35

Fuel scarcity may worsen if...—NUPENG *In Lagos, product sold at black market price

HE National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Worker (NUPENG) says the scarcity of petrol, which hit Lagos and other neighbouring states in the country, may persist if the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) does not put measures in place to urgently to repair the Arepo distribution pipeline vandalised recently by hoodlums. In the same vein, NUPENG urged NNPC and oil marketers to ensure massive importation of petroleum products, especially in the last quarter of the year, which is associated with increased economic activities and people travelling to other parts of the country, to prevent recurring problem of scarcity. The Western Zonal Chairman of NUPENG, Tokunbo Korodo, made this known, explaining that fuel scarcity, which took Lagosians unawares, has spread to Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Kwara , and may likely affect other areas if the distribution pipeline is not immediately repaired to boost the supply chain of the product. “We are aware that NNPC is making efforts to tackle the scarcity by evacuating products with trucks. That method may help to an extent but it can not be effective as distribution through the pipeline. For instance, the vandalised pipeline carries between 9 and 11 million litres of fuel on daily basis. So, evacuation of fuel by trucking cannot be efficient as the pipeline to meet the increasing demand by users”, he stressed. Meanwhile, the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple, in a statement, attributed current fuel scarcity to the shutdown of System 2B, a major pipeline that evacuates between nine to 11 million litres of petrol from Lagos to Ibadan , Ilorin and the North due to vandalism by oil thieves recently. He said, “The Corporation had stepped up distribution through tankers. I want to assure Nigerians that NNPC has stepped up fuel supply to marketers and distributors for effective and efficient supply of fuel to Nigerians. We have raised the daily supply of fuel from the Folawiyo Tank Farm from 150 tankers to 250 tankers, MRS from 100 to 200 tankers, Capital Oil to 300 tankers, NIPCO to 70 tankers and AITEO to 100 tankers. Fuel delivery and supply to Port Harcourt , Aba and Calabar had also been augmented and

that bridging to the North had equally enjoyed robust supply”. Sunday Business, during a visit to Arepo where the distribution pipeline was vandalised, gathered that it may take a little time for NNPC to fix the damaged pipeline as hoodlums in that area recently

abducted and killed some engineers assigned by the corporation to repair the facility previously. Also NNPC is trying to collaborate with security agencies in order to repair the pipeline to enhance product distribution to the affected states. Our investigations revealed that the

recent damage is not the first time the Arepo pipeline is being ruptured by oil thieves, as some individuals residing within the community, who spoke under anonymity, explained that vandals often open the pipeline to divert petroleum products. Some of the filling stations

Multi level marketing prepares people for retirement – FLP boss BY TONY NWANKWO

A self reliant programme, like Forever Living Products multilevel marketing, allows people to prepare for their retirement years by working hard today and enjoying the benefits later. Speaking after a spectacular performance at its just concluded International Super Rally, held in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, FLP Managing Director, Nigeria/Benin, Mr. Cornelius Tay, spoke on the exceptional performance of the country’s contingent at this year’s global gathering of nearly 8,000 FLP independent distributors from more than 150 countries. Excerpts: Nigeria’s Accomplishments at the Super Rally HAT happened in Phoenix, Arizona, USA during the 2012 Super Rally was simply incredible. It was Nigeria’s moment of glory, because at the time when our nation was not making any headlines at the London Olympics, with no medals for our participation, Nigeria was recording huge success stories before an international audience of multi level marketers. In a gathering of distributors of Forever Living Products from 155 countries around the world, Nigeria was recognized for her impressive performance in the field of multi-level marketing, thanks to the achievements of Forever Living Products (Nigeria) Limited. Nigeria was ranked Number One in the world on Total Sales Increase over a period of 12 months, calculated from 20112012. This is a special ranking used to determine the company with the most impressive growth in sales to date. Last year, Nigeria was No. 2. But this year, Nigeria had taken the 1st position as the most productive company in FLP globally. Another achievement was that in global sales in 2011. Among all the FLP countries across all continents, within the topmost five, Nigeria emerged 4 th worldwide. USA/Canada was Germany/Austria/ 5 th , Switzerland was 3rd, Japan was 2nd ..The 1st position went to Brazil. This was a remarkable achievement because in 2011, at a similar event in Washington DC, Nigeria was ranked No. 11. So, for us to come from the eleventh position to 4th is a

FLP Managing Director, Nigeria/Benin, Mr. Cornelius Tay with wife, Mrs. Caroline Tay, receiving award for World-Wide 4th Position in FLP just as Nigeria is rated the Best Improved Sales Country of 2012 from chairman, FLP International, Mr. Rex Maughan at the Super Rally, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

BY UDEME CLEMENT

monitored in Lagos include Total, Conoil and Mobil along Lagos-Ibadan Express Way , selling fuel amid long queues. Others include Total near Oshodi, Conoil at Chinese Village, Mobil at Gbagada and AP within Apapa. The outlets visited in Ifo local government area of Ogun State were AP, Oando and MRS. In MRS outlet located at Koye road, Olambe area, a disagreement ensued between the station manager and a driver who went to buy fuel but was turned down by the attendant, who explained that the station was opened for a particular individuals on private arrangement. This explains the activities of some station managers who capitalise on fuel scarcity to sell at the black market price.

It was not easy to see what I wanted the company to accomplish. So, we had initial resistance to some of the things I wanted to do

spectacular achievement within a year. This was an accomplishment that brought a lot of pride and good feelings from all the African nations. To see an African country challenge all the big names, all the big countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia in the Forever World brought Nigeria huge respect and was seen as an indication of how successful FLP operations have been managed in Nigeria in the past one year. Yet, another achievement was that Nigeria took home the award for “FLP Company with Good Standing” in terms of overall management and operational efficiency. This award is reserved for FLP countries that had exhibited prudent management and integrity on an annual basis. Another accomplishment of note is that among the world’s top 12 distributorships, Nigeria produced three. The message I am very humbled by our achievements so far. What has really happened is that the vision I had about this company, and what we could do with the concept of Forever multi level marketing, was shared by many

of the top distributors. Initially, it was very tough for them to see where I was going; what was in it for them. It was not easy to see what I wanted the company to accomplish. So, we had initial resistance to some of the things I wanted to do. When I stated four years ago the strategic changes that would be required to succeed, many of the distributors almost rebelled. They soon realised that it was in their own interest. So, basically, a number of things had to be put in place to prepare us for the journey to success. There was the vision. The vision was shared by active players who were the distributors. Rules were set. The distributors were told that they needed to stay within the policy of the company. And so there was discipline in the way we conducted the affairs of the company and the business. And

then, they were all given the right environment to be creative, to be strategic, to be the best that they can. And the combination of these things all prepared the ground for what you can call an explosion of the business. The Forever brand was strengthened, it was given its rightful position as a premium brand. The products were delivering their promises, people were enjoying each product. I am extremely humbled. And I am very grateful that the vision was right, the goals were set and they were realistic. I knew from the onset that we could do better, that we could challenge the best in the world, that we could make more money for our distributors and that more and more Nigerians could participate in our monthly bonus. Now we are paying bonus of N300 million every month. That is a lot of money in the pocket of Nigerians. I think all the appreciation should go to the hardworking distributors and I thank them for sharing my vision. Now, as we set out to accomplish even greater things, I am counting on their cooperation so that whatever the company accomplishes, they will also benefit from it. Nigeria’s performance reflects the ingenuity of our people; that when they decide to do something, they can do it very well. An organization or distributorship, that can create a market, knows precisely what it is doing and it will be successful.

From left: Mallam Ahmed Yusuf, Executive Director IT, and Operation, Unity Bank Plc, Mr Tunde Oyefolu, Chief Executive Officer, Plural Oil Limited, Mrs Yemi Adeyinka, Regional Manager, Unity Bank Plc, Ikeja Region and Mr Lanre Fagbohun, Executive Director, Lagos & West, Unity Bank Plc, during the 2nd National Draw of Unity Bank Aim & Win Promo, at Oregun, Lagos. PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi .

PAGE 36—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

We’re not ready for state police — Senator Bagudu •‘How Gov Dakingari is moving Kebbi forward’ Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi Central, Kebbi State) is a member of the Senate Constitution Review Committee as well as the chairman of the upper chamber Committee on Interior. In this interview, Bagudu speaks on the latest move to amend the Constitution and the politics of his home state.

ome can hardly be lieve that an unas suming person like you would be in politics. I don’t think Nigerian politics, is, in any way, different from politics in other climes, in the sense that it is driven by concerns to participate and do things differently. And since the resumption of politics in this republic in 1999, many people of goodwill have joined the political fray with a view to contributing to the development of the country, and it is quite interesting to note that the quality of the participants has been improving which of course has raised the quality of governance. I was a university lecturer. I worked in the banking sector and I was a private businessman, so coming into politics gave me a perspective that somebody who is totally a government person would not have. And I think the combination of my experiences has enabled me to see the Nigerian project much more better. The introduction of the N5000 bank note by the Central Bank of Nigeria is generating much controversy? About five years ago, we had a major currency restructuring where different currency notes were introduced; since then, we have moved to the use of electronic means of payment. Many Nigerians are using card than you have five years ago, debit, credit cards. Many Nigerian businesses are using the point of sale machine which is an alternative to cash. The Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced on a pilot basis the cashless initia-

tive in Lagos which is to be extended to other parts of the country. So, one would have thought that this is a very well thought out project and one can see the merits. And, therefore, the introduction of high denomination currency like the 5000 naira note does not appear to be in tandem with that well thought out policy. I think the reasoning behind the introduction of the 5000 naira note is not well articulated, certainly there was no enough consultation. A currency is a piece of paper or coin that is supposed to be trusted and people are going to use, so if you want to introduce it, just as the CBN has done before, you have to en-

By Wale Akinola

would have expected to see a more well developed argument on the issue and I think they have not been able to convince the people that the introduction of the higher denomination will not lead to some measure of devaluation of the currency because of the well founded argument about currency rounding up, that whenever you introduce a higher denomination, people tend to round up. Your governor is said to be a quiet person which is why he isn’t much in the media, or is it that he has resentment for the media? Certainly, the Kebbi State governor, under the leadership of Alhaji Saidu Nadamu Dankingari, does not resent the media because the government also has ministry of information, special adviser on media, we have friends in the media and we try as much as possible to put in the media what is really being done in Kebbi. But, sometimes, government is a balancing act, it involves spending of government money because you have

The first major task that was undertaken by the Dakingariled government was the education sector reform

gage the stakeholders, the Nigerian public, because once confidence in the currency is not there, it will endanger its acceptance. When Professor Charles Soludo was last talking about this issue at that time, what he was talking about was currency denomination size in which we would reduce the size of the currency note. I know that this is a different governor but Central Bank, I have worked there before, runs a very effective committee system that there is policy continuity irrespective of who the governor is. One

to place adverts, you pay honorarium for logistics which is an element that costs money too to government just like his ministry and, sometimes, because of pressing priorities, you are not putting as much money as you should to the media project but most of the laudable projects of the governor and his deputy have been in the press for a while. The first major task that was undertaken by the Dakingariled government was the education sector reform. The current INEC chairman, Professor Attairu Jega, who is also

Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu an illustrious son of Kebbi, was made to chair a committee which reviewed the education sector in the state and came up with policies very early in the administration of the government in 2007 and everything he has recommended is being implemented. A similar committee was set up, equally headed by an illustrious son of Kebbi, Professor Hamid, to review the health sector and that saw the creation of additional over 100 primary health care centres constructed, staff employed, equipment provided and, all over the state, you have free maternal health care and certainly the rural roads programme, to my mind, is one of the best in the country which was designed to ease evacuation and transportation of food items from the rural areas to the urban centres such that there is really no place in Kebbi now that I cannot access in four hours. On the social scene, one of the things that was done by the governor was the programme to rehabilitate all mentally challenged people, and he did it in the most modest way and he did not put it in the media because of the

thinking that it could expose such people to victimization. Currently, under the SUREP programme, among others, there is a proposed bill which will ease administration of the SURE funding with representation from all strata of society. All these programmes have helped to steer Kebbi as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria but it has not been without challenges because, in general, we know that the resources available to the state is inadequate and, therefore, among others, we want to see increased revenue allocation to the state government such that laudable programmes as they are being done presently can improve. But even at that, he is so quiet that even on national issues, he hardly talks. Is that a deliberate action? We have seen a lot of Nigerian public officials who you will describe as quiet or unassuming but very brilliant people. The late President Yar’Adua was one of such people. President Jonathan is one of such people, and may be when he was state governor, his comments on national is-

Continues on page 38

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 37

‘Now one percent of your salary is for industrial training’ The skill gap in the nation’s economy is evident in the fact that many Nigerians use expatriates from Asia and the neighbouring countries to undertake their technical works in the building, construction and industrial sectors. In this interview, the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Prof. Longmas Sambo Wapmuk, says his organisation has mapped out the strategy to bridge the gap. According to him, funding which has been its impediment over the years, has been addressed in the 2011 amendment of the ITF Act as it provides that one per cent of annual staff salaries must be paid by private companies and government organizations into the Fund. Excerpts:

Abuja Bureau Chief

hy was it neces sary to amend the ITF Act? On assumption of office as the Director General, I found out that there was a law establishing a Fund and, in this law, there was provision for collection of some money to sustain the activities of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF. And when I came in, the level of fund generation was very low. Apart from the fact that the budget of the ITF was between N3billion and N4 billion, the law stipulates that ITF should collect 1 per cent of firms and government agencies annual staff salary. Again, there is the reimbursement clause in the law as 60 % of the money collected from the organised private sector will be refunded to them if in the circumstance they train their staff within the period in question. Let’s take for example: If we collect N100, we are supposed to return N60 and retain the remaining N40 which will then be used to run the Fund’s activities and train the stakeholders. We found out that over the years, the money available for training has been very low and we thought that there was the need to improve the level of funding. When I came, I started by soliciting for money from government. I drew up a plan and followed it up by going to the supervising ministry, the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and many other places and found out that I could not generate any revenue from my efforts. So I decided to look inwards

to see areas of generating revenue if we are to function properly as provided for in the law setting us up. I found out that in the so many countries I visited, they have similar laws but there is no reimbursement clause because they use all the money to train. But in our own case we reimburse sixty percent to the industry and forty percent is left for us to pay our salaries and to do the training. Again, we found out that our country’s education system has somersaulted along the line because we forgot about the craft schools that existed in

By Emma Ujah,

We found out that over the years, the money available for training has been very low and we thought that there was the need to improve the level of funding

the past and concentrated on the grammar school type of education and we discovered that those who graduated from craft schools have reached retirement age and no new people to replace them, and, to make matters worse, most of our educational institutions do not have the equipment for students to carry out practical training and the ITF thought there was need to bridge this gap and we made proposals for the Act

setting us up to be amended so that we will be able to generate more money to establish the much needed skill centers and make a difference. And this was why we went ahead to amend the ITF Act 2011. How would you compare the level of training when you were not getting enough funds and now that funds have started coming? When I came on board, ITF had two industrial skills training centers and were making efforts to establish new ones. But it was difficult to get money to establish the new centers. My predecessor tried to buy equipment for the training centers both in Kano and Ikeja, Lagos, but the funds available to him were not adequate. He nevertheless, started the process. So every year little equipment is bought for these centers. But when I came in, I was fortunate to be part of a tour organised by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and this gave me an insight that my function really was tailored towards the technical areas and, since we came in, we tried to use the small money available to us for vocational training. The management tried to make an effort to allow the government to see some visible achievement and we decided to establish model skills acquisition center in Abuja, just behind the corporate headquarters, for government to see and this achievement would spur the administration to do more for us by increasing our funds. We also proposed something to government which we presented to stakeholders in May known as National Industrial

Prof. Longmas Sambo Wapmuk

Skills Development Programme (NISDP) which is an aspect of the national industrial development plan for the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment. This plan envisages that we will have industrial skills training centers in the thirty-six states of the federation and Abuja. And in each of these centers we have provision for training people in twenty-four trade areas. We have also made provision in this plan for Centers for Advance Skills Training for Employment (CASTE) and these are bigger centers that have provision for about forty five trade areas and these will be located in the six geo-political zones of the country. The essence is that those who graduate from other centers would be able to further increase their skills through these advance centers. How much does it take to establish each of these centers? The skill centers are very costly to establish because some equipment can cost up to N15m. We have estimated that the Industrial Skills Centers in the thirty-six states and Abuja will have provision for twentyfour trades and will cost about N3.5 billion, while the bigger ones, the advance skills centers in the six geo-political zones, will cost about N5.5 billion. So, if you cost it, you will realize it’s a lot of money. But we have envisaged that with our amended Act, we will be able to generate the required money over time to help us establish the centers. Have you started collecting

the money now? Yes, we have started collecting the money but the money we have collected so far is not much. This is because we are just implementing the legislation and there are so many things in the amended Act. If you look at section six of that law and subsection i to iii, they stipulate that: i) “Every employer having five or more employees in his establishment, or having less than five employees but with a turnover of 50 million Naira and above per annum, shall, in respect of each calendar year and or the prescribed date, contribute to the fund one percent of his total annual payroll” ii) “Any supplier or contractor or consultant bidding or soliciting contract(s), business(es), goods and services form any federal government Ministry, Department and agency(MDAs) as well as commercial, industrial and private entities must fulfill statutory obligations of his employees with respect to payment of his Training Contribution” iii) “Any liable organization, public or private including companies situate in the free trade zones requiring approval for expatriate quota and/or utilizing custom services in matters of export and import, must show proof of compliance with this Act in respect of payment of training contribution of his employees”.

PAGE 38—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

By Favour Nnabugwu

FCTA airlifts 3,000 pilgrims

‘How Gov Dakingari is moving Kebbi forward’ Continued from page 36

have enough personnel, equipment, then that is what we should be addressing. There are some people who were of the view that some states won’t have the resources to fund and manage a state police, some are of the view that having state police, what happens to the federal? Are you going to disband it? Or run in parallel with states? Some of us have expressed the view that reasons being given for the creation of state police are good but certainly not now. I believe we are not ripe given the security challenges we face, the reality of the Nigerian federation, we re not ready for state police.

Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu

sues did not hit the mainstream media as aggressively as some other governors did but certainly these are very brilliant people and they express their opinions, may be they are modest. You can really say a public official is shy except they are only shy when it borders on self promotion and certainly Saidu Dankingari is one of such that do not see the need to promote himself, he believes that his work and conduct in office will be noticed primarily by the people who elected him and, of course, those people should be able to judge what he does or does not do. And I believe that the people of Kebbi are generally proud, they are aware of what he is doing and approve his leadership style. Virtually everybody wrote off the PDP during the last year general elections. How was the party able to turn the table to remain as the ruling party? I think two elements are responsible. One, may be those analyse that were undertaken before the election were done by those people who could have been more informed. Sometimes we judge based on the reviews that we read and not based on factual evidence because I remember at that time, that some of us when we read the analyses by our friends in the media, even from some people we quite respect, we just laughed that where did they get this background information from? Why shouldn’t they just come over and find things out for themselves because we knew that the evidence on ground was such that we could not expect anything better than an outright win because the governor had performed excellently. What is your take on the issue of state police because the southern governors appear more in support of it while their northern counterparts are opposed to it? There are many people in the South who have expressed opinions for and against state police. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo came out to express his opinion among others. In the North also, there are people who are for it and some are against it. I remember the

When I was at Oko prison, I saw a case of somebody who was detained, a young man of 17, since 1997 on the order of a military administrator then, the last time he was in court was in 2004

former national security adviser, Umaru Shinkafi, writing an article in support of the creation of state police where as Gambo, a former Inspector General of Police, took a different view. So there is no unanimity, this issue is not region based. When the Senate held its retreat in Asaba, I am a member of the Constitutional Review Committee, there were three strands of issues debated. There are some people who believe that state police is good but the current reality is that if you have a state police, there is no assurance that it would not lead to fragmentation of the country. There are some people who believe police isn’t good because if the police has failed, then we should fix it. If it has failed because it does not

here is the issue of con gestion in the Nigerian prisons and dilapidated physical structures which iis why t is so easy for jail breaks like the recent one in Oko. What is the Senate doing in regard to this? The committee and indeed the entire Senate are concerned about the state of our prisons and we have started the process, we are in the third reading of the bill, to reform the prisons and those elements of the reform include making sure that whoever, unfortunately goes to prison in Nigeria should come out a better person, that means rehabilitated, trained so that he can be a better member of the society. The second element is that we have considered a number of motions in tandem with the prison reform bill about what to do with awaiting trial problem. It is the main problem of the prisons because of the about 50,000 population of the prisons, about 36,000 are awaiting trial. When I was at Oko prison, I saw a case of somebody who was detained, a young man of 17, since 1997 on the order of a military administrator then, the last time he was in court was in 2004. Another element is the infrastructure constraints that the prisons face. Sometimes, they don’t have vehicles, you can see somebody who misses a court date because that same morning that he was expected to honor the date, the vehicles of the prisons broke down, or they may even have many people going to different courts at the same time and the vehicles are not enough to convey them.

Arrangements have been concluded by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, to airlift over 3,000 pilgrims from Abuja for the 2012 Hajj in Saudi Arabia as the administration warns the pilgrims to adhere strictly to operational rules throughout their stay in the holy land. Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, said that the pilgrims would be accommodated in the new Permanent Hajj Camp built by the administration during the inauguration of the FCT 2012 Amirul Hajj Team in Abuja. The FCT 2012 Amirul Hajj Team is led by Gen. Abdullahi Bagudu Mamman (rtd) and has as members Alhaji Atiku Kurawa, Alhaji Mustapha Isma’il Khalifa and Alhaja Habeebat Babata-Sulaiman, as secretary. Akinjide said, “The FCTA has fast-tracked the completion of the permanent Hajj Camp along the Airport Road because of its proximity to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and in order not to disrupt the school calendar of the Secondary School used as temporary Hajj Camp in Gwagwalada. “In addition to serving as camp for FCT pilgrims, the permanent hajj camp will also serve neighbouring states of Kogi, Nasarawa and Benue for the airlifting of their pilgrims.” The minister charged the Amirul Hajj Team to ensure that the pilgrims adhere strictly to the operational guidelines and the laws of the host country governing the pilgrimage. She explained that the members of the Amirul Hajj Team were reappointed based on their credible performance last year. “We are all witnesses to the fact that the FCT Administration was commended by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to be the best in excellent service delivery in the country in Hajj Operations,” Akinjide stated. “We have retained the Team because of the stupendous work done in 2011. It is hoped that your reappointment will afford you the opportunity to evaluate the operation and bring-up areas of improvements as I can count on your forthrightness, dedication and dynamism”.

NDE boss warns youths against corruption

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Mallam Abubakar Mohammed, says the high level of corruption in the country was worrisome and urged Nigerian youths to rise up against it to guarantee a better tomorrow for the country. Speaking in Abuja, while receiving the national leadership of Society of Youth in Agriculture, SOYA, on a courtesy call, Abubakar tasked the youths to rise up against the menace which has crippled socio-economic development in the country.

‘Okada ban will worsen insecurity’

Commercial motorcycle operators in the country have warned that unless government reverses the decision on the ban of their operation, security problems confronting the nation would be difficult to tackle. They said the decision to ban their activities in Abuja and some states without alternative jobs have forced some of their members into engaging in heinous crimes. The motorcycle riders, popularly known as Okada, who spoke through Alhaji Mohammed Sani, National Chairman, Board of Trustee of the Amalgamated Commercial Motor-Cycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigerian, ACOMORAN, therefore appealed to the federal and the affected state governments to rescind the decision if they were committed to creating jobs and fighting insecurity.

Deforestation battle

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is battling deforestation in Abuja. The administration’s determination to deal with the scourge gave birth to a 25man committee to battle deforestation in the Federal Capital City (FCC) and the six area councils. The Minister of State in the FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, said that it was pertinent to have the committee to deal with deforestation now that the administration could still put it under check. According to her, “The effects of deforestation in FCT today cannot be over-emphasized since it is witnessed by all and sundry. It is evident in the increased FCT daily temperature in recent times. Few years ago, the highest daily temperature was as low as 27oc but now is between 34oc – 37oc in some months of the year”.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012— PAGE 39

2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

I’m flattered by reports — Sule Lamido

•Why governors should not pile debts for successors •’I, a rebel? Yes, a rebel with a cause Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State remains an individual of note on Nigeria’s political firmament. He has been working assiduously to transform the once poor and rural agrarian state. He was rewarded with a second mandate in 2011 with an even wider margin of support in an apparent show of appreciation by his people. Lamido’s name came up in the media last month as the possible PDP Presidential candidate already anointed for the 2015 election, a development, which instantly triggered serious political heat in the land. But in this interview, the governor says he feels flattered by the linkage of his name with the next presidential poll and speaks of what his administration has been doing to change the face of the state since his election in 2007.

eing a governor is a big deal in Nigeria; please do not say you dis-

agree? Well, I must say that I do not see any big deal in being the governor of a state. I am still myself and I continue to relate with the people the same way I have been dealing with them when I was a private individual. The only thing I have come to realise is that some people see governors as super human beings with so much powers and influence that they can do anything. It is not so. To me, governance is just a position of leadership to provide service for your people. It does not change anything in me. What I can say is that governors are not super humans. They have many challenges to grapple with and they need all the support and understanding of their people in order to succeed. So how are you managing without borrowing to run a state with a weak financial base? I have a simple philosophy or rule for or understanding of my role as a governor. The law provides that I am entitled to four years in office and I should not therefore be seen to be accumulating debt for the next gover-

nor. I am always conscious of the fact that if I begin to take loans it might be difficult for my successor to grapple with the development of the state. What I am saying is that you have no right to spend more than your income because somebody is going to take over

By Soni Daniel

needs to make a good soup and working out the cost of the ingredients and calculating it against his income or the strength of his purse before making the soup. In reality it is either you borrow money to cook an extra-ordinary soup or you eat what you can conveniently afford. While I am looking for ways and means to develop the state and make it one of the best in the country, I do not intend to borrow any money for that purpose. Why do you not want to talk about your modest achievements as a politician? The other way to answer that question is to ask why I wanted to be the governor of the state. Why was I elected? I am not doing anything new. I am working for the purpose I was elected. It is not something I should make noise about because the people who elected me to serve them must be given the best of what we can afford as a state. I am not a new person in this country and there is no amount

Sule knows who Sule is from the very beginning and Sule remains Sule till today. It is only the views of the people about me that keep changing. I know who I am and I keep to that despite the way I am being perceived by some persons or groups

from you after four years. That is why I have made it a policy that by the time I leave office as the governor of Jigawa State I will not leave behind a single kobo as debt. I don’t see any justification why as a governor I should go and borrow any money. If I cannot pay the money back during my time it means that the next governor will not have something to work with. Why should I eat into the income of the next governor? It is not right. A governor should act and behave as a good cook by determining what he really

of publicity that I can do to add any benefit to the citizens of Jigawa State. I prefer to work quietly for the state and allow God and the people to judge me after my tenure. So what has been your guiding principle in trying to develop the state? You see we are building a state that was forsaken. We made a mistake and we have to learn from our mistake, forget the past and make progress as a people. If we refuse to forget the past and work for ourselves we will

Governor Sule Lamido

have ourselves to blame in future. It is up to us. We have been destroying ourselves by ourselves and we have seen the consequences - the way we are seen by other Nigerians as people of Stone Age, uncivilized and primitive elements. So anybody who wanted to see a zoo came to Jigawa. When I came on board, I said to the people we must change the poor perception about us. I reasoned that if other Nigerians are making it we could also make it. So it is simply what we want to do for ourselves that can take us to the desired level. We have to work for our own pride, image, honour and reputation. We decided that we must bring Jigawa from whatever position to the fore and from below the sea level to the sea level, and then gain our vision and move forward. Most state governors name projects after themselves; why is yours different. It is not in my political culture and upbringing to begin to appropriate something which is for the public. The resources are theirs and the money we use for the projects is not mine, but that of the people. So it is wrong for me to put my name on those projects. Why should I? It is the support of the people, the various institutions - civil ser-

vants and others - who have made whatever achievement recorded so far possible. I am only one of the players in the development of the state providing leadership for many others in the background to move the state forward. A tree does not make a forest. There are many others who are working even harder than me and they are not mentioned either on radio or on television. You would be surprised to see that as late as 11 pm some people are still working in the state secretariat because of their strong belief that we should work more for the transformation of the state. Jigawa civil servants know and believe that they are not working for others but themselves. They see themselves more as partners than mere workers. They see the development of the state as a collective effort and they work for it as it is their personal business. So whether one works as a contractor, civil servant or teacher, there is something that is challenging and compelling them to put in more. So what you see in the state today is a product of collective effort and determination to succeed and not my personal effort. What I am doing in Jigawa

Continues on page 40

PAGE 40— SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

State is nothing spectacular. It is just the normal job a governor does. The difference may just be that my own priorities are different from others. The money I get is different from what others receive monthly. I use 65 percent of my income for salaries and I get about N3 billion per month. Jigawa State is a new state and whatever you see here is new compared to what obtains in the older states. So whatever I am doing here are things that other states must have put in place already. I am just trying to catch up with others and put in place the necessary institutions and structures to give our people what to work with. We have done over 1300 kilometres of roads here just to make the driving fun. I feel that driving in the state should be as smooth as what obtains in Europe. It is a very expensive undertaking but the benefits are enormous. I need to network the facilities that would provide the synergy for things to work well for the state.

pposition parties in Ni geria are really working hard against your party in preparation for 2015. Do you think they can go far? You see I have been a politician all my life and I am in a position to know if there is any real threat to my party or not. Which are the parties in this country that are threatening ours? I don’t see any threat from anywhere. Which of them is really an opposition party in Nigeria? None! Has the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, really emerged as a political party with strong followers? To me, CPC has no original followers in Nigeria. Today it is only PDP and other formations. In 1999, it was only PDP, APP and AD. Today it is only PDP and other formations. I repeat in 1999, there were only PDP, APP and AD. Ten years after it is only PDP and other later inventions. They are all inventions. So CPC has no original followership. People who have failed in other parties now converge as CPC. CPC is a centre for failures. There are suggestions that Nigeria should return to the parliamentary system of government. Would that solve our problems as a nation? You see Nigerians like to seek help from where there is none. Whatever you want to achieve you have to work for it. We just feel that by changing the system or things, we will get what we want. First Nigerians don’t seem to have the patience and discipline to work for what they want. Parliamentary system or any other system would not work without changing the mentality and attitude of Nigerians. There is growing agitation that power should shift to the C M Y K

Why governors should not pile debts for successors North in 2015. Where do you stand? Neither zoning nor whatever is the answer. What we really need in this country is for people to believe in themselves and their leaders for things to work well. By the time every Nigerian develops confidence in each other, trusts each other and supports one another then who becomes the president or governor would be immaterial. But because our culture is that of rich culture with poor people and because the resources of this country have not been properly applied we think it is the system which is denying us what we really need as a people. But once they apply the resources well for the overall benefit of the people and people are happy and feel a sense of belonging then there will be unity and development in this country. Once you are comfortable and prosperous you don’t give a damn to who your pres-

Continued from page 39

Nobody would want to fail his family. Everybody wants a good life. Everyone wants to be a decent human being, but if you feel abandoned by the system, and hopelessness begins to stare at you, there is the tendency to begin to look for self help. But we shall get it right as other nations have done. Why are northern governors opposed to state police at a time of national security challenge? You must understand the situation very well. State police is not something that can just be picked up like a product from the shop. There are procedures that can bring it about if need be. But the question is: Is that the answer to the nation’s many challenges? To me it is all about how we want our country to be. This feeling of ‘I want state police and I do not want state police’ is informed by the mind of the people and the fear that something is failing apparent-

You would be surprised to see that as late as 11 pm some people are still working in the state secretariat to contribute their quota. So what you see in the state today is a product of collective effort and determination to succeed and not my personal effort

ident or governor is. But because the system is so rotten while the country is so rich the people believe that changing the system or institution is the solution. Are you worried about this country? To be honest nothing worries me about this country. Nothing! Let me tell you, what is happening today in Nigeria is because we each try to transmit our personal pains and feelings on the country. To me we have enormous resources which should be properly harnessed for the people. Are you not even worried about the security challenges? Look, it will come and go. We know what it is. Any boy who is 18 or 19 and who feels that there is no future for him, there is no hope for a stable and comfortable life, is likely to commit a crime. But then when he feels that there is no future in the midst of wealth and opulence, there is frustration. Nobody would want to be a criminal.

ly because there is system failure in Nigeria. But if the system is functioning this attempt to resort to self help would not arise. Where there are strong institutions there would be no need to resort to the wrong things in a bid to succeed. This attempt to do what is wrong in order to survive would not be there. We have numerous challenges as a people. This is a country where people kidnap, bomb, kill and use human parts as if they were mere tools. These are things that are very despicable and should not be allowed in this country because no matter what we do we have a single country to live and work for. We should therefore begin to work to create a safe environment to ensure that there is trust and confidence. Although these things take time, but we must continue to build on them in order to succeed as a people. We shall overcome these challenges. Other nations rose above them over time. Your name is being men-

Governor Sule Lamido

tioned as the anointed PDP presidential candidate for the 2015 poll. What is the truth about it? To be honest with you, I feel flattered that in a country with over 160 million Nigerians, my humble self from a small village in Jigawa State is being talked about. Secondly, the issue of leadership in this country is something which is within the exclusive preserve of God, who gives power to whoever He wants at the time He chooses. Those who are here now were not there ten years ago and those who were there some years ago are no longer there. So no matter what happens someone will be in an office and a Nigerian must be there. And so to me what matters is let God give to Nigeria what is best for this country and it does not matter who he is. It could be any Nigerian. So be it.

any of those who used to associate you with opposition politics are surprised at the way you have dramatically changed since you became a governor Look, Sule knows who Sule is from the very beginning and Sule remains Sule till today. It is only the views of the people about me that keep changing. I know who I am and I keep to that despite the way I am being perceived by some persons or groups. What they think and say about me does not in any way change who I am. I know myself and your own view of me is different from who I am. Some people say I am even arrogant. Some say I was a rebel and so on. My response to them is yes, I was a rebel with a cause. I rebel at all times against injustice. I am a strong believer in human dignity because God has said that he made us in the best of form and anything done to diminish the human dignity is what I abhor. So I rebel against injustice and I have no apology if that is what people perceive to be a rebel-

lion. I think that one’s status in life should not be used as a criterion for treating the person in life because someone can choose to live a very simple life and still be respected as a human being. And to me, your social status or standing or your accumulation should not be a criteria for your grading or being degraded. But we seem to have lost our sense of human value in this country with an unprecedented clamour for wealth by the people. People now feel that when you have a lot of money and wealth you can be recognised and respected by society but to me it is the person you are that is most important. But in truth I was never a rebel per se. Rebellion against who? But let me say that we should not lose sight of the fact that in whatever we do we should be guided by human love, human compassion and self esteem, honour and dignity. But when you lower a man’s honour and dignity through squalor and poverty then you compel him to come and beg you have forced him to lower his human dignity. These are the things that I hate. So, my rebellion all along has been against injustice. Now perception of what people thought I was and what they think I am now is their own opinion because Sule has been Sule and Sule knows Sule very well and remains a friend and personal Sule. Those who know me they know that I remain honest, simple and straightforward at all times. The people who are coming from my political background do not see performance in office as a big deal. They don’t see that performance as a feat or a particular attribute, but as part of our upbringing and political formation and entire service to mankind. Leadership entails working for your people continuously, enhancing their wellbeing and dignity.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 41

A university for entrepreneurs only fashion design unit, hatchery, smoked fish section, cloth weaving, beads making, leather works, talking drum (Dundun), wire works, etc. According to the vice chancellor, all of these are to provide training for the students and members of the community. “Beyond having degree, even with your hands, you can be better off even when the jobs

OTHERED by the teeming number of graduates produced yearly by the Nigerian university system without adequate employment opportunities after graduation, Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, felt emphasis of the new Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, should be on entrepreneurial training and skill development for the students. He believed fervently that entrepreneurial education will considerably tackle the problem of graduate unemployment which is assuming catastrophic dimension in our country. “One major outstanding feature of this university is our emphasis on entrepreneurial education for our students,” said Professor Tolu Odugbemi, Vice-chancellor of OSUSTECH, on the occasion of the tour of facilities by journalists to the mini campus and main campus of the institution recently. He disclosed that students are being trained in over twentyvocational enterprises and skills aside from their normal academic pursuit to make them self-reliant, independent and job creators after their graduation from the university. “In this regard, every Wednesday of the week has been dedicated and made compulsory for all students to attend practical training in their chosen entrepreneurial skills.” Odugbemi paid tribute to the government of Ondo State, under the leadership of Mimiko, who has “provided the needed support to our young university by way of timely release of funds for capital, infrastructural and human development.” On academic activities, OSUSTECH has completed two uninterrupted academic sessions while the 2012/2013 session is scheduled to begin in October, 2012. Today, the university has 30 qualified academic staff – all Ph.D holders - and parade state-of-the art facilities and equipment. Between November and December 2010, after the Governing Council was inaugurated by the governor on 27 th September, 2010, the university completed admission processes into the ten NUC-approved programmes. The first matriculation of the first set of 98 students was held on Thursday, 3 rd March 2011, marking commencement of academic activities in the university. On research, the university is researching into critical areas that would solve its immediate needs and those of the surrounding communities. It has established the OSUSTECH Innovation Group (OIG) with the responsibility of coordinating various research efforts including

Tolu Odugbemi biogas, organic fertilizer, solar energy, soap and cosmetic research. There is OSUSTECH Farms to train students in practical agriculture moreso to encourage youths to take to agriculture and break dependency on oil as the major source of the nation’s revenue. The university has forty earthen fish ponds, forty-two fibre-glass tank ponds, poultry, piggery, goatry, palm oil mill, liquid soap and cosmetic factory, bottled and sachet water factory, bakery and confectionery, and fruit juice factory. Others are tailoring and

BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO

We pay attention to farming because every person needs to be well fed

are not there. We pay attention to farming because every person needs to be well fed.” Odugbemi explained that graduates of a modern university should be selfreliant, be employers and

creators of jobs. No alternative to entrepreneurial skills. “We encourage practicals. Our various projects that we’ve established are to complement the vision of making our students become self-reliant. It is compulsory to learn a trade here which makes us happy as this is the spirit of the governor ”. All the commercial and industrial ventures, manufacturing factories, agricultural farms are located on the main campus at Km 6, Okitipupa-Igbokoda Road occupying a vast expanse of land measuring several hectares. Already, about 10,000 yam tubers have been cultivated and being sold to outsiders. The palm oil mill has been producing, so too are the fish ponds. People are coming from various parts of the country including Abuja to purchase fish – both fresh and smoked. The 42 fibre glass tanks produce between 200 – 300 fishes of average and large sizes each. Also, the 40 earthen ponds produce as much, even if not more. OSUSTECH Oil is the favourite of the people, while the bakery and the confectionery outfits are

producing cassava bread, plantain chips, etc.. “We relate our science and technology to local and societal needs. We can improve, modify and be better hence we have experts in charge of all projects,” the Vice-Chancellor noted. The bottled and sachet water factory, pineapple drinks plant are all fully automated. Miss Henrietta A. King is the head of the Food Processing Factories section, she said about 3,000 bottles of water come out of the plant per hour. The university has a cultural troupe which is a blend of talented artistes drawn from various towns in yoruba land and students. The troupe provides cultural entertainments during university ceremonies and also available for the public to hire at engagement and social functions. Sporting activities are not left out as OSUSTECH students are currently engaged in football, lawn tennis, able tennis, badminton, athletics and other games. There is a sports centre almost completed to international standard at the main campus. “We want to produce world class footballers in the likes of Kanu. The university has provided N500,000 to develop football talents among our students,” Odugbemi said.

The road to housing for all in C-River BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

UBLIC servants in Cross River State will soon get succour from the increasing and uncontrollable rate of house rent in the state, especially in Calabar, the state capital. The state is more of a civil service state though government is making efforts to bring investors there. One of the problems facing residents in is high cost of living. Some have argued that the cost of living in Calabar is higher than what obtains in some commercial cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt and even the federal capital territory, Abuja. Among those who feel the impact of the high cost of living are public servants. It was observed that since the state started developing the tourism sites and coupled with the clean and green status of the state along side its peaceful posture, people come in droves to look for accommodation. Consequently it has not been rosy for public servants to secure affordable accommodation. Worried by the development, Governor Liyel Imoke, upon assumption of office, promised the state workforce that his administration would build houses for them. Besides, Imoke said that it was unacceptable that after meritorious service to their fatherland, some of them will not have a place to retire to or have a roof over their heads. He then embarked on a housing scheme. The first phase of the scheme

Some of the housing units of about 200 housing units is expected to be commissioned before the end of October. Although by the initial promise of government, the first phase was supposed to have been commissioned by the end of August. Speaking in an interview, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Mortgage Finance, Mr. Eddy Ogon, said that the administration had been able to reposition the development of the state in line with the governor ’s directives that it must finish and commission the first phase of the housing units this year. Ogon expressed optimism that the housing units would be commissioned by October, adding that completion work rate was about 75 to 80 percent. He said that what was left to be done was just the fittings as all the materials were hundred percent on ground. He said that out of the first

phase of 200 housing units, it remained about 13 units left to be roofed which he assured will be roofed before the end of August. Speaking on some of the challenges the project has had, the Special Adviser said, “Basically the initial setback had to do with the process which we started off the programme. The first developers we had did not have the capacity, which was sometime in 2007/2008 and then luckily we were able to discus and we brought Aso and AIDC.” He said that despite the delay, the project was on track and would be delivered by the end of October. According to him, the housing units consist of two bedrooms detached and semi-detached, and three bedroom detached and semi detached houses. On how the state civil servants who are over 20,000

would share the first phase of 200 housing units, Ogon said, “Well, let us put it this way, since the era of Brigadier UJ Esuene, there has been no effort of this magnitude to address the problem of housing. As you know, the National Housing Fund Act of 1992, when it came in was in an attempt to solve the problem of housing shortage for Nigerians and government employees especially. “What the governor has done with my mandate is an attempt to deal with this. For a thousand mile journey, you begin with one step. My mandate is to deliver 2, 500 houses in the next 24 to 30 months. If every government that comes in can do that, within the next four dispensations, we should be able to provide enough housing for everybody”.

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Standing ovation for the master politician at 79 zJonathan: He is a symbol of justice

He noted that national confab was the surest way to address the nations numerous socio-political, economic and structural problems including graft and insecurity, which he said worsen the plight of the people

Dr Tunji Braithwaite The professor enjoined judges to interpret laws in a way that would favour social justice. For those in power, he said not listening to public opinion was unjust and undemocratic. He cited instances where government failed to listen to public opinion to include refusal to convoke a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) and failure to fully return fuel subsidy as demanded by the citizenry recently.

Ninalowo noted that national confab was the surest way to address the nations numerous socio-political, economic and structural problems including graft and insecurity, which he said worsen the plight of the people. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) also praised Braithwaite and noted that Nigerians needed to talk to themselves more to make p r o g r e s s . He drew the attention of the

president to the mounting challenges of Lagosians, which he argued necessitates the state being accorded a special status because “Lagos has paid its dues in Nigeria” in terms of harbouring people from all over the country. Speaking at the event, Jonathan said Braithwaite had always been committed to justice and strongly believes that the law must deliver justice at all times. Describing the celebrant as a role

Gov Shema is carrying Katsina people along – Rumah Alhaji Sada Salisu Rumah is the Senior Special Assistant on Diplomatic and Society Relations to Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina State. By the virtue of his office, he is the governor’s chief public relations strategist and a peace maker. He worked to give a sense of belonging to nonindigenes in Katsina following which his principal used his experience as a lawyer of high repute to rename the Association of Non-Indigenes as Association of Indigenous Nigerians Resident in Katsina. By this, the nonindegenes are now entitled to free education, healthcare and all other things indegenes are entitled to in the state. In this inter view, Rumah speaks on his mandate. Excerpts: Recently you went on a state wide tour. What motivated the tour? T’S true that Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema has charged my office with the responsibility of sensitizing the people about government activities and

of belonging. It is also to make every one understand that despite our differences, God has ordained us to live together as brothers and sisters and we can do this comfortably once we are

Alhaji Sada Salisu Rumah bringing them closer to the government. We are doing our best to discharge this responsibility and the recent tour is part of this effort to build a bridge of understanding among the diverse peoples resident in Katsina State on the one hand and between the people and government on the other. During our tour of the thirty four local government areas, we made consultations, listened to their views and aspirations of the different ethnic, social, cultural and religious groups of Nigerians resident in the state. The aim was to make every Nigerian feel at home and have a sense

N his 28,861 days sojourn on earth, Tuesday, September 18, 2012 was a special day in the life of legal icon, social justice crusader and a former presidential candidate, Dr Tunji Braithwaite. It was a day that President Goodluck Jonathan led other eminent persons and monarchs from the six geo-political zones of the country to honour Braithwaite, who turned 79 years a day earlier. Although, the event was billed for 2 p.m, the venue of the ceremony, 158 Arena, along Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos was packed with dignitaries as early as 12 noon. Speaker after speaker at the occasion used the launch of a book, titled. “Jurisprudence of The Living Oracles’’, written by Braithwaite to eulogise him. Those who thronged the venue to honour Braithwaite include the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade (II); the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; King Daddison Jaja, the Jaja of Opobo; Emir of Illorin, Alhaji Sulu Gambari; Deji of Akure; Olofa of Offa; Gwon Gwon Jos and Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. Also in attendance at the occasion were Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth; Senators Musliu Obanikoro and Olorunimbe Mamora; Chief Ayo Adebanjo; retired Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; Dr Joe OkeiOdumakin and Sen. Ben Obi, one-time ACN Vice Presidential c a n d i d a t e . Dr Doyin Okupe, Dr Reuben Abati, Dr Olusegun Aganga, Minister for Trade and Investment; Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke; Prof George Obiozor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Dr Frederick Fasehun also came. There were also Mrs Annkio Briggs, Professor O.O Hunponu-Wusu, Professor H. O Adeyemi-Doro, Mrs Maiden Ibru, Odion Ajumogobia, Bishop George Bako, Onyeka Onwenu, Rachel Oniga, Erelu AbiolaDosumu and Wale Okunniyi. The floodgate of eulogies was opened by Professor Adebayo Ninalowo, Head, Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, who reviewed the book. He said by his conduct, legal practice and politics, Braithwaite had proved himself as a legal luminary, who fights for the betterment of human c o n d i t i o n s Reviewing the book, Ninalowo said the book was anchored on the actualisation of social justice, human rights and fairness. He explained: “Jurisprudence of Living Oracles” explores concepts such as the higher law that governs human society regardless of boundaries, the everlasting oracle that judges everything and everybody. It deals with methods by which justice may be achieved in a world regulated by laws, the flexibility and inflexibility of the law of God and the sources of God’s laws.”

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

model for the younger generation, he said the celebrant’s capacity for deep and original thinking were present in the book. The president assured that his administration would not ignore the calls for national dialogue and calls to grant Lagos a special status in view of the state’s mounting challenges and quantum contribution to the country’s economy. He said no federal administration could ignore Lagos, which he noted accounted for between 50-52 per cent of the nation’s economy. He urged the judiciary to combat graft conscientiously and ensure that justice was dispensed at all levels. Responding to the call by Fashola that Lagos should be granted a special status, the president promised that the Federal Government would continue to to work with the state to further uplift it and also work with leaders to change all parts of the country. In his comment, Braithwaite stressed the need for Nigerians to support Jonathan in his efforts to develop the country. ``When I visited the president six weeks ago, journalists accosted me and said ‘what have you come here to do?’ I told them I was there for the good of Nigeria. I am not diplomatic when it comes to issues affecting the welfare of the nation. I said President Jonathan is a president we should all suuport... This country will not disintegrate. I sincerely believe we will have a national dialogue to solve our problems. I am glad we have a listening president put there by the owner of the universe,” he s a i d . He said that the ``Jurisprudence of the Living Oracles’’ was first published in 1987 and he “decided to update it because of what is going on in the world t o d a y . ’ ’ He said that judges must allow themselves to be influenced by the “oracles” in order to do justice.

Our interaction will promote understanding among Nigerians from various parts of the country living in Katsina State

committed to mutual respect and understanding. We have conducted the first and second phases of the tour. We suspended the third phase because of the Ramadan Fasting. We intend to resume immediately and we are encouraged by the support of His Excellency

and the involvement of the Commissioners of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and of Information as well as the General Managers of the State Radio and Television which has made the tour a huge success. How do you think people will benefit from the tour? Our interaction will promote understanding among Nigerians from various parts of the country living in Katsina State. It will also reassure non-indigenes that they are accepted and at home in the state. We want to leave no one in doubt that Katsina State is truly the Home of Hospitality and, in our state, every one is involved in the effort to promote political, socioeconomic, religious and cultural harmony. Just as every one is involved, so also every one is equally entitled to the benefits of programmes and policies of government. That is why in Katsina, both indigenes and non-indigenes benefit from free education, free healthcare services for children under five years, pregnant and nursing mothers and treatment for diseases

Continues on page 23

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 43

Gov Shema is carrying Katsina people along – Rumah Continued from page 42 such a malaria and kidney problems. Another important component of the tour is to consolidate the peace and security in the state especially in the face of the security challenges faced in the country. We have enjoyed peace through prayers and deliberate effort to promote understanding among the people. Peace and security is important as an enabling environment for people to pursue their livelihood. Our vision is to create an environment in which both indigenes and non-indigenes in the state have equal opportunities and free hand to contribute to the economic, social and political development of the state. Some times peoples are masters of their fate as they tend to forget that the responsibility of shaping society in to the right path is an obligation for all. Here, the duty of government is to open the gate of success to its people. It’s the responsibility of the people to make good use of the opportunities. For example, the Governor Ibrahim S h e m a - l e d administration has

constructed the youths craft village to train youths in various skill a c q u i s i t i o n programmes. Youths are trained and then given working materials to set-up businesses on graduation. By doing this, government has created the opportunity. It is left to the youths to take advantage and become self reliant or to dispose the working materials provided to them by government at the gate of the training centre. You have shed light on Governor Ibrahim Shema administration’s effort toward empowering the youths. What is your department doing to complement this effort? Yes, the administration of Governor Ibrahim Shema has contributed immensely toward making the youths and other people in the state to become self-reliant. The government has improved agricultural activities through the provision of fertilizer, soft agricultural loans, farming implements and insecticides to farmers. These are geared to ensure food security. B u s i n e s s Apprenticeship Training Centres (BATC) have been established in some local governments to train youths in skills

and trades. Soft loans have been provided to small scale and medium traders. Even local business-men and women have benefited from government intervention. I mean what is your department doing to assist in this effort?. The department of Diplomacy and Societal Relations has opened a door to listen and act on complaints of inadequacy, cheating or abuse of office among g o v e r n m e n t organizations and staff. My office has received several complaints from the public regarding the formulation and implementation of g o v e r n m e n t programmes and policies. We have channeled such complaints and views of the people to the appropriate agencies for solutions. Secondly, this office has also been carrying out sensitization on the importance of peaceful co-existence among the people. This is important because peace is pivotal to the success of any government policy or programme, so we are assisting by promoting the enabling environment for government policies and programmes to succeed.

October 1: Global Elderly Persons Day -- 2 Continued from page 17 that sort of optical illusion is totally unacceptable in a judge – if this country deserves to last much longer. Judges perverting justice at Election Tribunals are just as bad, if not worse than armed robbers – who they convict. Hoodlums accost their victims one, or a few, at a time. Corrupt judges collaborate in robbing millions at once…. REPLIES “0803-304-9397 OCT I ELDERS DAY .May Allah grant you favours beyond ur efforts. Your Oct 1, idea is great”. Omotoso. P.S. Then join us at Glover Hall and bring some snacks. I will provide soft drinks and bottled water. Dele. “0704-175-6521 MAD DOGS Once a 1958 boy called a I944 a fool just to show his INFATILITY. Some Mad Dogs are eternally and incurably mad. 0803-708-5630 OBASANJO

Our thinking is that Obasanjo is few people’s favourite and I thank God I am one ..because he has achieved more for Nigeria than any former President. P.S. In the spirit of

Elders Day, OBJ gets a free ride today. But, can you ask him to send some fried chicken to Glover Hall on October I? I will be forever grateful to him and to you. Dele.

Chinua Achebe: Memories of another country Continued from page 18 West. There is no nostalgia to these events, only a powerful sense of tragedy. We sense the deep scars of the war on Achebe in this melodic, threnodic, but measured narrative.My one disappointment is in the missed opportunities to offer closer details to the unique moments of these experiences; more interpretive reading of the events in themselves, and a profounder analysis of the a priori situations of the histories in which the famed writer of Things Fall Apart participates. There is the feeling that Achebe gives us but the surfaces – a quick march through the sacred groves of his own era.

Even his paean to his generation – to those whom we quickly judge to be his closest peers – gives us but scant illuminations into their more fragile lives. And in the memoir, fragility is all. Nonetheless, There Was A Country offers us a powerful story interlaced with poetry, of an uncommon time – a time of innocence that quickly dissolved into the iron years of the postcolony. It is a great gift from the writer, Achebe, one of the greats of the 20th century, and it will add to the debate on the situation of Africa in the postcolonial moment seen through the powerful reflection of the memoir.

L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Chairman State Council of Obas, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji; and Chairman Ekiti State Social and Community Development Agency, EKSCDA, Chief Ibidapo Awojolu, during the distribution and presentation of cheques for community development projects to 26 communities in the state.

Christians join Muslims to protest anti-Islam film in Kano BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD, KANO

UNDREDS of Christians joined their Muslim counterparts in Kano, yesterday, in a street protest against the anti-Islam film by an American. The huge crowd had massed at the Masalacin Waje, Fagge general area from where they marched through Ibrahim Taiwo Road, and diverted to Abdullahi Wase down to K ano central mosque amidst heavy security that included tanks and armoured personnel carriers. The protesters, chanting anti American slogans, forced Kano to a stand-still as those who could not join the orderly protesters lined up the streets to identify with them. The Christians, dressed in Igbo attire to distinguishs themselves in the crowd that consisted women, young and old, carried placards with the inscriptions that included: “Death to America” “Death to Israel”. A leaflet circulated by the protesters, entitled, “Anti-Islam Film: We condemn blasphemy on our beloved Prophet”, accused Americans of deliberately provoking Muslims in order to label them terrorists. The protesters burned US President Barrack Obama’s effigy, the American flag and those of their Western allies and chanted, “Death to America”, during the protest that temporarily

shut down commercial activities and triggered traffic gridlock in a city already bugged down by military check points. Addressing the crowd at the open field of Kano central mosque, the leader of Shi’a movement in Kano, Sheik Muhammad Turi, explained that the street protest was staged to send a clear signal to America and its Western allies that Muslims, the world over, were ready to defend the symbol of

mankind. The fiery Muslim cleric called on the American and its allies to adopt measures that will protect the integrity, the culture, religion and values of other people, adding that “it’s the only way to convince the Muslim Umma that they are not aiding and abetting blasphemy “. The protest ended peacefully as there was no incident during and after the event that lasted four hours.

Flood: David Mark, in Lokoja, seeks intervention fund for states BY HENRY UMORU

OVED by the plight of victims in Lokoja, Kogi State, Senate President David Mark, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to provide intervention fund for states affected by flood. Speaking during his visit to the flood ravaged areas of Kabawa and Ganaja, Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, Mark noted that the fund, when provided by the Federal Government, would enable the states meet with the challenge of relocation of the victims. He donated N500,000 to the victims settled in the premises of a primary school. According to a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the Senate President said, “The effect of this flood is devastating. Although we thank God that the number of casualty in

Kogi is minimal. Notwithstanding, you are entitled to your descent living. The Kogi State government will collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure that you return to your homes as soon as the flood recedes and the rain subsides. “But I urge you not to be in a hurry to return home so that you do not develop water borne diseases. What I have witnessed in the state as a result of the flood is saddening. I never thought the situation was this unimaginable. I had earlier visited Benue State too. I can say that nobody has seen anything near this in the last 30 years. “I have seen the effect of the flood and I will contact the agencies responsible for situation like this so that they can come up with what could be done to help salvage this”. Governor Idris Wada described the visit to the flooded areas of the state by the Senate President as “a morale booster.”

PAGE 44 — SUND AY V ANGU ARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 SUNDA VANGU ANGUARD,

TERR ORISM: Jonathan should bare his tteeth eeth---Bishop Akinola TERRORISM: Why do you run away from rail line when the train is coming? It’s to defend not only your limbs, but also the integrity of your devotion. They say when you pursue a goat to the wall, it turns back to attack. It has never gotten to that and I pray it will never get to that. But we expect the government to do what a government should do. Somebody will say why don’t you cast out the demons behind Boko Haram? It is much more than that. A human spirit is involved, it’s not just demon. So the people are strong willed, strong headed, rebellious people. I believe with faith that there’s nothing God cannot do.

o you also agree that what is hap pening is a religious war? I don’t agree. Incidentally, the hierarchy of Islamic clerics are not in support of these people. I have heard the Sultan of Sokoto speaking against them loudly. I believe. It’s better to believe it’s not a religious war because a religious war is not a war that can be won easily. Of course the people are evil minded but I think they

*Bishop Taiwo AKINOLA BISHOP Taiwo Akinola is the President/founding pastor-general of Rhema Christian Church & Tower International, with headquarters in Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria and branches worldwide. The bishop who turned 54 on Friday, got born-again and found a new life in Christ on April 4, 1977 and has since been engaging grace to make full proof of his ministry to the greater glory of God. An authoritative bible teacher, Bishop Akinola has authored many inspiring titles in Christian literature, some of which have become recommended texts in some Bible Schools in Nigeria and parts of Europe. In this interview with SAM EYOBOKA, he spoke on insecurity in the country and more. Excerpts...

ir, do you agree that some of the societal decays are also prevalent in the Nigerian Church? Let it be said loudly, there are people committed to God, and devoted to the ideals of the Bible in this country, but it’s very unfortunate that some of these loud mouthed people who are contractors who appear to be louder than those who are genuine. It’s not perculiar to Nigerian churches. Its everywhere in the world. And it’s not perculiar to church either. It’s applicable to everything human and the Body of Christ is a human organization. Will you say that the Church has responded adequately to the nation's security situation? Unless we are calling for anarchy, the only thing expected from the church will be prayers. We can’t be carrying cutlasses and cudgels. What else do we do? There’s no day you don't read about one church leader saying something against the secu-

rity situation or the other. Like every service in this church, we pray for security situation. The people that are constitutionally saddled with the responsibility for keeping the peace and maintaining harmony in the land, is the government. They should be the ones to do more. Anything to the contrary will amount to calling for anarchy. If every Nigerian becomes a carrier of guns and cutlasses and whatever, that will no longer be the Nigeria of our prayer. When the government appears not to be responding to protect churches and Christians in the North, what is the Church supposed to do? Generally, you don’t open your eyes and allow everything to enter. You do everything you can to block them. We cannot now arm our members saying when they hear gunshots, they should begin to shoot. May it never come to that in Jesus name. Its only when people are pushed to the wall that they are obligated to defend themselves. Self defence is part of the law of life.

all and we lose all in that bid. I am yet to see a country that goes to a religious war and comes out unscathed. So we should be patient, believing God. This thing cannot continue. One way or the other, God will use one thing or the other, either explosion or implosion to end the siege. God said the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.

n one breadth you want Christians to be patient and at another you said President Goodluck Jonathan should bare his teeth..... (Laughs)… Well, I am saying the country should be patient in the sense that we cannot afford to go to war because we will all be the losers. They say a war does not ever have a joyous offspring. Nigerian public should be patient; but the government should show that it is stronger in will, in determination. That’s part of the orientation I’m talking about. Sometimes I don’t know what we expect government to do; should we say Jonathan should be

Commander-in-chief is a position of honour and dignity which comes with all latent power to enforce not only rule of law but ensure peace in the country also want to drag Nigeria into a religious war. Look at it again, are they not killing themselves? We have seen occasions when they attempted to bomb some mosques. Whatever it is, it is not crystal clear. I would rather think that it is more political than religious. What should Southern Christians do to support their counterparts in the north who are constantly target of the violence? Again, prayer support. And also a kind of moral boosting. They should know that we are feeling what they are feeling. Those of us who know people there, let’s call them and encourage them. We can encourage them, we can pray for them, we can show that we identify with their plight, but nothing more. We can’t raise an army to go and join them otherwise it becomes a free-for-

the one to carry a gun? No! He can mobilize, as the commander in chief. So patience for the populace, baring of teeth for the government. Israel will not accommodate it like that. America, considered to be the father of democracy, will not take it either. They will surround them up and flush them out. We may have to develop our intelligence system or whatever, put all the things that needs to be put in place, for our security operatives to work effectively. We must get the job done, but not by anarchy, because there’s no where we will run to. What’s your assessment of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the last two years? Sincerely, he has tried to do one thing he said he

would do; that is what they call rule of law. People see him as a weakling. Even the international media portray him as a weakling. Having acknowledged that himself, he should let his detractors know that he knows who he is. Like I said, a commander in chief is not an honorary award. It’s a position of honour and dignity which comes with all latent power to enforce not only rule of law but ensure peace in the country. He needs to wear a bolder outlook, be more decisive, take proactive actions to ensure security. Everybody gives it to him, he has done some more about rule of law, but he needs to show more strength. He had employed Dr. Doyin Okupe obviously to tackle his critics and Okupe had began to do a great work though people are calling for his sack. Just because they feel that Okupe is speaking some facts to defend the government. I believe that people should not just criticize without offering alternatives or solutions. When something is good, you say it’s good; but in Nigeria, anything that rises up, must be brought down just because you are in the opposition. Is there a future for this country? h, a glorious fu ture. In no time, the evils we are seeing will clear off. God will intervene because I am certain God loves this country. No country prays like Nigeria. China doesn’t pray, and things are not working. Let’s not forget, when a people pray God will intervene. Israelites were in Egypt for 430 years, but when God bailed them out, it was very very clear. Their salaries of 430 years was paid to them in one day. I believe Nigeria will be one of the nations that will be a standard of joy. I believe very strongly that people will be hustling for Nigerian visa. I know God will need just one man who is pragmatic enough, who is focused, who will not give a damn, who will just do what is right no matter what the opposition's cry. The opposition that is crying, they want to be there. When they get there, they will probably do worse.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012--- PAGE 45

Lagos West Baptist ends Lifeway confab

IT IS NOT SO WRITTEN

N his letter to the Corinthians, Paul found it necessary to answer his critics: “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:2). But this is far from the truth. Paul is an expert at distorting the word of God and at using scriptures deceitfully. When Paul says something is written in the Hebrew Scriptures, it is imperative to doublecheck to determine if it is indeed. So doing, we discover that many of Paul’s bible quotations are bogus. Paul says things are written when they are not. Or he says things are written which are clearly not written the way he presents them.

It is not written

or example, Paul says to the Eph esians: “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35). However, Jesus never said this. It is simply not written. Deceitfully, Paul gives the impression that he recalls this from memory when he never ever heard Jesus preach. Jesus did not preach at Ephesus, so it is disingenuous to ask the people there to remember what they were not told. It is actually more blessed to receive than to give. A man can only give what he has re-ceived. Woe unto that man who cannot receive the word of God; the foundation of all blessings. Here is another example of Paul fabricating scripture: “Therefore he says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’” (Ephesians 5:14). This socalled scripture is nonexistent in the bible. It is not written. Paul says God promised Abraham that he would be “the heir of the world.” (Romans 4:13). B u t n o where in the scriptures was such a promise ever made. God only promised Abraham the land of Canaan. (Genesis 17: 8). Paul says: “The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.” (Galatians 3:22). But there is no scripture that says this.

Paul quotes scriptures which do not exist as though they did Misrepresenting the law

aul also has a ten dency to fabricate his own Law of Moses. He says: “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.” (I Corinthians 14:34). But nowhere in the law does it say women must be silent in the synagogue. Paul says: “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes.” (1 Corinthians 7:39). This is equally false. The Law permits a man to divorce his wife, after which she is free to marry another man. She does not have to wait until he is dead. (Deuteronomy 24:1-2). In I Cornthians 9:9, Paul quotes Moses: “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” (Deuteronomy 25:4). However, he insists God is expressing concern there for men and not for oxen. He then uses this as the basis for making a bogus requirement for payment for preaching the gospel: “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” (1 Corinthians 9:11). However, God’s concern is about the heart of the farmer, and not his pocket. God reiterates this concern: “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” (Proverbs 12:10).

oses says: “Cursed is he who does not CONFIRM THE WORDS of this law by doing them.” (Deuteronomy 27:26). Paul distorts this to read: “Cursed is everyone who does not CONTINUE IN ALL THINGS which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” (Galatians 3:10). H e t h e n

uses this distortion to maintain it is impossible to obey the law. Moses says: “The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, THAT YOU MAY OBEY IT.” (Deuteronomy 30:14). Paul changes this to read: “‘the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (THAT IS, THE WORD OF FAITH WHICH WE PREACH).” (Romans 10:8). Thereby, he converts Moses true message about works of the law to a false message about the word of faith.

Misrepresenting the prophets

aul says: “It is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.’” (I Corinthians 1:19). But Isaiah neither speaks of the wise in general, nor of destroying their wisdom. He only refers to the prophets of biblical Israel, saying: “The wisdom of THEIR WISE MEN shall perish, and the understanding of THEIR PRUDENT MEN shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29: 14). God says: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes WILL NOT ACT HASTILY.” (Isaiah 28:16). But Paul misquotes this to read: “As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.’” (Romans 9: 33). Isaiah is talking about the fear of the Lord, but Paul misrepresents it as being about the law and faith. The sure foundation of Isaiah is turned to Paul’s “stumbling stone." Isaiah’s “ will not act hastily” is changed to “will not be put to shame.”

aul says: “The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live BY FAITH.’” (Romans 1:17). But it is not

so written. Habakkuk says instead: “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live BY HIS FAITH.” (Habakkuk 2:4). The deliberate omission of “his,” changes and distorts Habakkuk’s message. Habakkuk’s scripture is about works and not about faith. It simply means: “the just or righteous person shall live (as opposed to die) by his faithfulness or steadfastness to God.” Paul also deliberately misquotes David in order to establish ministerial positions in churches. David says men gave gifts to the Lord: “When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you RECEIVED gifts from men. (Psalm 68:18). But Paul changes this to say men received gifts from the Lord: “This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and GAVE gifts to men.’” (Ephesians 4:8). H e then uses this distortion as the basis for creating such unauthorised posts as pastors and teachers in churches. (Ephesians 4:11).

False assurance

saiah says: “‘The Redeemer will come to Zion, and TO THOSE WHO TURN FROM TRANSGRESSION IN JACOB.’” (Isaiah 59:20). Deceitfully, Paul changes this to: “‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and HE WILL TURN AWAY UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.’” (Romans 11:26). But Isaiah does not say the Redeemer will stop Israel from sinning. He says the Deliverer will go to those who stop sinning. Isaiah’s scripture is designed to spur the Israelites unto repentance. But Paul’s distortion gives them a false sense of complacency. When Protestants realised Catholicism upheld fiction, they revolted and called for reformation. This time, Christians must seek freedom from the shackles of Pauline deception, in order to embrace fully the truth of Christ. To paraphrase his own expression, Paul quotes scriptures which do not exist as though they did. (Romans 4:17).

HE fourth session of Lagos West Baptist Con ference's Lifeway International Conference, a bi-annual spiritual gathering of over 230 Baptist Churches existing in Lagos West Senatorial District of Lagos State, which started on Friday comes to an end today, reports SAM EYOBOKA. Addressing newsmen in Lagos at the Union Baptist Church, Agege, Lagos, chairman of Lagos West Baptist Conference, Rev. Jacob Aremu, said the 4th edition of the Lifeway International Conference, would be hosted by Maranatha Baptist Association, Araromi Baptist Church, Ejigbo, Lagos. The theme is; “Sharing Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness”; with inspiration from 2 Kings 7:1, adding "people whose hopes have been shattered are numerous in the society. They are hopeless because of situations they are grappling with. Lots of married people are hopeless because they have no children. Several students are hopeless because of failure in their educational performances; a lot of brilliant graduates from universities are hopeless because they are jobless; a lot of business people are hopeless because their businesses have gone down. Poverty has brought lots of people to a state of hopelessness. "As it happened in Samaria so shall it happen in Nigeria in general and Lagos State in particular. The Lord will intervene in people’s matters and cause awesome change to take place—He will give food to the hungry, job to the jobless, and success to those who fail in their endeavors. God, will also show the way to those who are confused or ignorant as to how to have eternal life in God," Aremu stated. The cleric maintained that the church will come with the message of hope to people, "the hope is hinged on what Jesus has promised those who believe him as their personal Lord and Savior." Dr. Aremu emphasised that the message of hope is for our country, explaining "it is true that situations in Nigeria are disturbing—there is high grade corruption, there is problem of insecurity, there is economic downturn, political ingenuity, religious persecution, covetousness and selfishness. All we know is that God will not allow this country to disintegrate. "He will intervene in our maters and restore our fame, peace, prosperity and hope. Our conviction is that time of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord; and all of us shall see when it finally happens," he added.

Christ Embassy reaches Warri homes with ROR

ARRI South Christ Embassy Church has launched the Reach out Nigeria campaign which entails the distribution of free copies of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s daily devotional, Rhapsodies of Reality come October 1, 2012 to every home. The gesture was made known in Warri, Delta State by Pastor Emma Akhuemokhan, Warri South zonal pastor during the launch of the programme. According to Pastor Akhuemokhan; “People are familiar with the fact that Nigeria belongs to us. We believe that there is something good in Nigeria, it is only Nigerians that can bring out the good through the knowledge of God. “Christ Embassy has therefore decided to reach every home with the good news of God that can change human beings. If we continue to live in this consciousness then we will overcome. When God takes over, we will overcome the myriad of problems confronting us," he added. He maintained that the Rhapsody of Realities has been translated into native languages so that no one will be left out. Also speaking, Bro. Patrick Emoekabu, chairman of the event said the security challenges and corruption "we face in the country will be a thing of the past if the word of God dwells in individuals, so we want the word to reach everyone; that is why we are giving free copies to celebrate our independence.

VLBC convention THE annual convention of Victory Life Bible Church, VLBC, Lagos district, holds between September 30 and October 7. District Pastor Sam Agbebi, said the programme with theme "Rehoboth" will feature prominent ministers like Apostle Lawrence Achudume, Bishop Jide Orire and Bishop Emma Isong among others. There will be a ministers' conference between October 3 and 5, 2012. Venue: Wola Makinde Crescent, off AIT Road, Alagbado, Lagos.

PAGE 46—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

VIEWPOINT BY BEN ETAGHENE VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

OLY Trinity Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Catholic School (now Umwiaghwa Primary School), Oria-Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State celebrated their centenary recently. Though the occasion was low keyed, the landmark date gave thrills and jubilation to the parishioners and products of the oldest establishments in the district. The day began with a High Mass celebrated by visiting Rev. Fr. Edmund Emakpor. The parish priest, Rev. Fr. Thaddeus Okpowodu, in a Trinitarian Jubilee message described “the occasion as a great opportunity and a privilege to occur in my time.” The journey to the centennial assemblage, in fact, began in 1909 with the arrival at Oria of three Rev. Frs. Mokoko, Kadogan and George from Sacred Heart Catholic Church now Sacred Heart Cathedral, Warri. And in 1910 while in the

The twin centennial in Delta heat and process of establishing the church, they also founded the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) School. That made the ceremony of that day twin centennial. According to Sir L.J.Imene, KSJI, member Laity Council of the parish, “Holy Trinity, Church, Oria was the second church in the old Delta Province after Warri,” a fact corroborated by Rev. Fr. Emakpor. Its firm and fast take off was a combination of some factors, the ripe environment, space accommodation, facilities and the easy converts the three Rev. Fathers worked with. These included the late Dominic Oboh Arawore, who later became the first head Christian of the church, a post he held for almost half a century, Ijirigho Esiri, Emefe Odjegba, who took over from Oboh Arawore, Augustine Efedje, Ogidiate Arawore, Efuahievwe Odjegba, Enakidi Etadaferua, et al.

After a few years, the thrio were recalled to Warri on vacation. But they never came back. While they were at Oria, there was one Esikwe who was paternally Aragba and maternally Oria. For some inexplicable reasons, he left for Aragba during this time.

Double celebration for a Catholic church and school

time. By then, other Catholic churches had sprang up. But the church at Oria was left without a priest. The priest at Eku moved to Okpara Inland. The only alternative was for the laity at Oria to go to Aragba which eventually became the head-

Worshippers today who have the parish priest, the catechist, knights, seminarians et al may not even be able to imagine what it was during the early part of the 20th century

Being that he had in imbided the word, when he got back to Aragba he was able to preach it to his people. Thus he spread the Bible message and established a church, when next reverend fathers were dispatched. Fr. George was posted to Aragba, while Kelly was posted to Eku where he stayed for some

quarters of the new parish. Worshippers today who have the parish priest, the catechist, knights, seminarians et al may not even be able to imagine what it was during the early part of the 20th century. At that time the head Christian, Dominic Oboh Arawore was the sole administrator ably at

poet, playwright, choir master. In 1948 when the eclipse of the moon occurred, he organized a townhall meeting to explain “ what it was all about.” to the community. Some early products of the school became some of the nation’s early civil servants, doctors, lawyers and surveyors. They include the late Chief Thomas Esiri , Chief Isaac Emore, O. Okoro, A. Dubre and Moses Emore. Today, many products of the school who are academics could be found all over the country, nay the world, a testimony to early education. As one Mr. I.B. Ogodogu, a Lagos based lawyers, himself a product of the school, put it, “I am fulfilled and overwhelmed that we are celebrating this centenary. This is where we cultivated our primary inspirations.” Some prominent church members and products of the school present at the occasion included Samson O. Onomwuodeke, Barr. Isaac . B. Ogodogu, Dr. A.O. Ekakitie, Jonathan A.S. Emayomi, Prof. E.A Inomiesa, Sir. L.T. Imene, Oni r ’ Emo, wife of the late Adakaji I, Mr. and Mrs. J. Obarakpo.

assisted by the headmaster as an integral body of the church. The school’s journey to maturity once it was founded in 1910 by Rev. Frs. Mokoko and Kadogan who were renowned school administrators was smooth though slow. Its growth was systematic in accordance with government regulations then. As the church was a premier place of worship in the area so also was the R.C.M School, Oria – Abraka with the name changed to Umwiahwa Primary School when the state government took over schools in the 1970s. Then the school ended at standard four. By 1946, the government granted it the license to proceed to a full elementary school with the power to read up to standard six. To mark this milestone achievement, the students marched round the town under one of the most prominent headmasters the school ever had, Mr. Michael Young. He was a sportsman

*Etaghene is the editorial director of The Bulletin

tion-Plan which I now tag, ’Nigeria’s Dream’, encompasses an entire gamut of diagnoses on what went wrong after Nigeria’s agriculture led in the world in terms of cash and food crops export in the first republic. Retrospectively, agricultural produce such as the groundnut pyramids, hide and skin, cocoa, palm oil, rubber, cotton, running into hundreds of millions of Naira which brought about the establishment of industries, basic infrastructure like schools, hospitals, clinics, boreholes, cement wells, courts, security formations, roads within the three regions, declined due to what some people termed as oil discovery in commercial quantity? Our founding fathers maximally utilised agriculture and laid a formidable foundation for all that we have today and beneficially mingled with the colonial masters but never sold our treas-

ures not to talk of abandoning farming. The team led by Adesina and Tijani at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture symbolizes sincerity of purpose for both youths and all small holder farmers. Let us embrace the current Action-Plan as the Nigerian dream to translate our vision from well crafted mission of treating agriculture as a business, using agriculture sector to aggressively create jobs, wealth and ensure food security by focusing on value chains where Nigeria has comparative advantage, developing strategic partnerships for market-led agriculture transformation with and local governments as well as collaboration with the private sector, farmer groups and civil society that targets the youth and women for equitable growth. *Adam is resident in Maraba, Nasarawa State.

Action plan for Agriculture BY MUHAMMAD ALKALI ADAM

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The bottom-up approach to governance.

HE agriculture sector under Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Alhaji Bukar Tijani and Dr. Ezekiel O. Oyemomi, the minister, minister of state and permanent secretary respectively has set in motion a mechanism to track performance of all units and departments including the substitution of 40 per cent cassava flour with wheat flour in bread baking and the value addiction programme on commodities such as rice, cassava, cocoa, sorghum, maize, oil palm, soybeans, cereals, fishery, tomato, cotton, poultry, seedlings, fertilizer, potato, horti-culture, etc. The development led the ministry to, apart

from re-inaugurating its Ministerial Service Compact commonly called ServiCom, a structure to checkmate Staff attitudes towards work and ensures quality service delivery at all times and places within the Ministry, embarked upon the decentralization policy of manning all the 36 states offices and the FCT with directors as well as six co-ordinating regional directors in the geo-political zones. With the coming on board of the present crop of ministers and technocrats across board, decisive policy frame works, programmes and directions are being churned out to enable President Goodluck Jonathan deliver on his campaign promises. And the current Agricultural Transformation Agenda, an offshoot of Mr President’s Transformation Programme, is adjudged as a perfect working document better called ‘Action Plan’ to

grow Nigeria’s agriculture. Government has rolled out Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) which came into being as a result of Federal Government disengagement on procurement and distribution of fertilizer and seedlings. This paves the way for the streamlining of the ewallet allocation of basic farm inputs to farmers via mobile phones.

VIEWPOINT

al prosperity? I heard somebody suggesting that the Federal Government hands-off on the whole gamut of agriculture perhaps due to what he felt that Nigeria never plans for her farmers? But courtesy of the Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council (ATIC) inaugurated by Mr President and simulated in the ministry with a thorough work plan spread over four years,

Our founding fathers maximally utilised agriculture and laid a formidable foundation for all that we have today and beneficially mingled with the colonial masters but never sold our treasures not to talk of abandoning farming

Do we now believe that as nobody plans to fail, there is absolute sense in advanced countries planning for their agricultur-

i.e, 2011-15, Nigeria has a plan to stand tall amongst her contemporaries. This is because the Ac-

Contribution of not more than 1,200 words should be sent to sundayvanguard@yahoo.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 47

TRIBUTE

Major Akinyemi: A tribute to our unsung hero and my comrade in arms and, above all, in Christ

It was during this incarceration that Akin’s tall and good looking body was literally sacrificed for his consistent stance against oppressive rule

under the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s watch. A CELEBRATION OF LIFE hus we must remember, that we are here to celebrate the physical life of a great soul. A ray of the light of the Holy Spirit which through the being named Akinloye, had many manifestations on earth. First as a son, brother and cousin, next as a brilliant student, an award winner and the best foreign officer cadet at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK; very warm friend, boy-friend, husband, and father. For a major part of his life, Akinloye served as a regular combatant officer and a signals communication expert. This was followed by service in defense and promotion of democracy in particular and human rights in general. And, finally, during the last twelve years, or thereabouts, of his biological life, Akin trained and was ordained a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. A MAN OF COURAGE AND TRANSPARENCY All through my over forty years of keeping in contact with Akin, he was always truthful, dutiful and compassionate. My first encounter with him was towards the end of the 1960s. This was during a military training bush camp in Igbo Ora. Then a slightly built teenager, Akin had attended the camp from Govern-

The late Major Akinloye Akinyemi ment College, Ibadan (GCI) where he was a secondary school army cadet. I was then a boy soldier, student of the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria. The happenstance of Akinloye and I first meeting must have come about because of a bridge builder who then connected NMS to GCI. The link was the NMS Commandant / Principal, Major General T. B. Ogundeko, an alumnus of GCI. Immediately after my commission into the Corps of Army Engineers, I went to the United Kingdom for my university education, where I occasionally met up with Akin, first, as a Sandhurst officer cadet, then, as a newly commissioned officer and student of the Royal Military College of Engineering, Shrivenham.

EST we forget, the soul whose form of incarna tion we used to address as Major Akinloye Akinyemi has risen. This needs to be remembered particularly by souls like ours, which are still subject to the physio-and psycho-logical laws of the physical bodies of our embodiments in particular, and to the time and place we find ourselves in general. In existential life and during his body’s dying experience, the Major was fearless. This is a quality that marked him out from the crowd. It is most likely that the dare-good paratrooper which he was, knew that it is only the biological body that dies. That is, far from there being annihilation, the dying phase is a period of the transition of the soul from temporal existence to eternal life. Whenever Major Akinloye was called for services in the defence and promotion of justice, truth and the welfare of the oppressed, he was, in relation to many Nigerian leaders, literally like an eagle or lion among goats. But whenever he found himself amongst these leaders being unrighteous, Akinloye became a sheep among wolves. Being unafraid of death and, above all, the liberation, God willing, of Akin’s soul to the boundless consciousness of Christ, are no mean feats. Thus I took a temporary hiatus from the writing of an intervention in the ongoing Nigeria’s constitutional reforms debate to quickly compose and rush out this eulogy to my very dear comrade. The proposed book to which I refer above is on the subject of a political-economic system which Akin and I have, for decades, prayed and acted to build in our country. Akin had often reminded me that restoring Nigeria to true democratic federalism is a task that must be done, as the fake democracy and federalism we are now promoting, will lead us to a fall. This is why the title of the forthcoming book is ‘True Federal Democracy or The Implosion Awaiting Us Nigerians’. Major Akinloye Akinyemi was a de-tribalised gentleman who loved humanity in general and Nigeria in particular. This is why I plead for this opportunity to correct any wrong impression any one has about our friend, and put on record the self-sacrifices which Major Akinyemi made for some of the democratic freedoms, and respect for human dignity, which we are beginning to taste in Nigeria. Major Akinyemi’s consistent struggle against the mis-use of our armed forces for ethnic, or selfish, interests needs to be emulated. The Major would not have allowed his military

unit to be used to cover up election rigging or thumb printing of ballot papers in private homes. Any unit commanded by Major Akinyemi’s type of army officer would not have stood idly by to see the Federal Police being used to attempt to unseat a duly elected Governor. This is in reference to the paramilitary coup attempt against former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige. These federal government abuses of power were all done

BY TONY NYIAM

Akinyemi made numerous sacrifices for the freedom we are now enjoying. This includes sacrificing every material thing he cherished. Major Akinyemi was twice incarcerated by two different rogue military regimes. These were juntas led by politicians-inuniforms who saw the Nigerian armed forces as tools to serve their selfish interests. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR ajor Akinyemi’s first incarceration was for being a conscientious objector. An objector to the then growing mis-use of our armed forces by some of our army bosses for their political and financial self aggrandizement. The epitome of an officer and gentleman detested military officers with vaulting political am-

Prior to the injection of Major Akinloye Akinyemi’s body with the poisonous virus, he was many times subjected to terrible sessions of excruciating torture

Since those early encounters, I had no doubt that this first class electronic engineering graduate was going to be an outstanding military officer. This he turned out to be. It is indeed, with some nostalgia that I can meaningfully recall Major Akinyemi’s attitude to military work. It was, to say the least, legendary. He always superseded the high standards and targets his Nigerian Army Signal Corps (NASC) and the Armed Forces in general, had set for their personnel. THE SELF-SACRIFICE Unknown to most of us Nigerians is the fact that Major

down into the dungeon of misguided marabout-led circles. We refused to mortgage our good consciences. The three of us, including a brilliant infantry officer of mixed Ondo (Yoruba) and Igbo extraction, Major Daniel Bamidele, and other officers who it may not be wise to mention now, expected a lot from General Ibrahim Babangida. Major Bamidele was another fine officer whose body was unnecessarily wasted. This was for accusations, which were not proved beyond reasonable doubt of involvement in a coup attempt. General Babangida had all the makings to have transformed Nigeria for good, as Generals Mustapha Kemal Ataturk did in Turkey and Park Chung-Lee did for South Koreans. The General started well until he allowed himself to be derailed by a combination of unrighteous influences, one of which Aso Rock exudes. Some of us IBB’s close advisers were hurt by the missed opportunity. Thus the rest is now history. It is important that note is taken of our conscientious objection, as our fears were in fact proved right by the annulment of Nigeria’s freest and fairest elections. There was indeed, a direct causative linkage between the abuses of military powers which we opposed, and the 12 June, 1993, presidential election annulment. AKINYEMI PREDICTED THE FUTURE Major Akinyemi was reputed for being an officer who saw tomorrow. He was one of the few officers that had strong premonitions about the dangers that would accompany the exploitation of a country’s national security agencies by a cabal of senior army officers for their own political-economic ends. STRUGGLE AGAINST DICTATORIAL RULE ajor Akinyemi’s second incarceration, alongside General Olusegun Obasanjo, was by the most authoritarian of Nigeria’s dictators, General Sani Abacha. It was during this incarceration that Akin’s tall and good looking body was literally sacrificed for his consistent stance against oppressive rule. Akin’s body was, like that of General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, injected with a poisonous virus. INJECTION WITH DISEASE-CAUSING VIRUS Major Akinyemi was held in captivity in the most unpleasant prison in Nigeria. This was because the prison location, Bama, is in one of the hottest and driest parts of Nigeria. One can only imagine what the son of the rich green Ifewara noble family would have first felt in this semi desert north-easternmost town. It was in Bama Prison that the notorious Doctor Death and his sadistic medical team, forcefully, injected Major Akinyemi with a chronic diseaseContinues on page 51

bition while still in service. The Major shared this objection with one of his best pals and course-mates, Major Gideon Orkar, and of course with this writer. Major Orkar is another of Nigeria’s unsung heroes. His selfless service we saw in action in the 22 April, 1990, pro-democracy putsch against an unelected military government. Majors Akinyemi and Orkar were my younger friends. The trio of us could be described as being part of a cadre of rising star officers close to the then military president. We were, however, clear headed, and loved God enough not to allow ourselves to be pulled

PAGE 48—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

chimeena@yahoo.com

Once Upon a Time in Africa BY PROFESSOR DON BURNESS

REVIEW

WO recent African memoirs, both published in London and New York in 2012, reflect on the continent’s self-mutilation since the heady days when independence from colonialism was viewed as morning yet on creation day. What followed independence has been season after season of anomy, to use the phrase of Wole Soyinka. Civil wars, the looting of national wealth by the few with power, economic decline, a culture of corruption and a mindless devotion to mediocrity - these are some of the roads Africa has traveled since 1957 when Ghana led by Kwame Nkrumah became the first African nation to gain so-called independence from European colonial rule. Since then there has followed a staggering historical irony – Africans, for centuries victims of the slave trade, have willfully chosen to flee their villages, their towns, to seek a better life in the very West that has dehumanized them and denied them humanity! They have willfully chosen to cross oceans red with the historical blood of evil. The two memoirs are My First Coup d’Etat and other stories from the lost decades of Africa by Ghanaian John Dramani Mahama and There Was a Country– A Personal History of Biafra by Nigerian man of letters Chinua Achebe. This is Mr. Mahama’s first book; on the front cover there is a comment by Chinua Achebe, “a much welcome work of immense relevance.” Both writers cite African proverbs, Achebe an lgbo proverb, Mahama an Akan proverb, that express the idea that without an understanding of the past, it is not possible to effectively confront the challenges we face in the present. Both men know that today is a product of all our yesterdays.

New species of ugliness

n the West today we race at full speed led by the god Progress, heading God knows where — we are on a darkling plain with ugliness everywhere. In fact, we honor ugliness — in music, in language, in culture. We have created a new species of ugliness — homo obesus! And we build citadels of ignorance and call it “globalization.” I am reminded of Bruegel’s painting at the Capidamonte in Napoli, The Blind leading the blind, Enlightened Europe, a center of art and music and literature and architecture, enlightened Europe with its great universities and technology not long ago built roads leading to Terezin and Auschwitz. The two world wars of the first half of the twentieth century cannot be passed off as several unfortunate chapters of recent European history. After all Danish writer Jens Christian Grondahl in his insightful and wise novel An Altered Light, captures Europe’s historical identity in his simple phrase, “Vienna, city of Mozart and Hitler.” A continent that has spent century after century hating Jews, killing Jews while having the nerve to go around the world to bring “civilization” must look in the mirror to see its true face. Dutch writer Harry Mulisch does this in The Discovery of Heaven. Hitler by himself did not kill the Jews. Hitler’s willing executioners, ordinary people, silently or not so silently applauded and

acquiesced. Even today from Malmo to Toulouse, different excuses to rationalize hatred of Jews. Blind Europe cannot create societies of justice,societies of brotherhood, societies expressed by Beethoven’s 9th symphony until Europe, not just Germany, faces its past honestly. Africa too has been unwilling to confront the darkness in the continent’s historical soul. What has happened in

Both writers ... express the idea that without an understanding of the past, it is not possible to effectively confront the challenges we face in the present

Africa since 1957 is a return to a centuries old pattern of madness and evil and intolerance and ignorance that seems to plague mankind nearly everywhere on this gloriously beautiful planet. After all until Africa openly faces the fact that Africans exploited other Africans, capturing and transporting and selling Africans as slaves to North Africa, to slave merchants from Europe and America, until this ugly truth is examined and recognized and admitted, abominations will continue. Dehumanizing Africans, be it through slavery or killing fields of Rwanda or Congo or Sudan or Angola or Biafra – this is sadly a pattern rooted in history. Europe at its best gives us French food, St. Francis, Mozart, Shakespeare and Michelangelo. Africa at its best gives us the magnificent bronzes of Benin, the elegance of the Makonde, the vibrant and celebratory colors of the marketplace, Nelson Mandela and Chinua Achebe. These two memoirs show the different faces of Africa and African history – and for this reason are seminal works. Mr. Mahama and Mr. Achebe dare to speak the truth. hen he wrote My First Coup d’Etat John Dramani Mahama had no idea that soon after its publication he would become President of Ghana. When democratically elected President John Atta Mills died of illness in July 2012, his vice-president, Mr. Mahama, became President. Mr. Mahama’s memoir is, in fact, both a

series of personal reminiscences and a national history of Ghana since independence. It is worth noting that he is a Christian from the predominantly Muslim North. Perhaps Mr. Mahama’s journey to wisdom and tolerance stems in part from his fluency in various languages including Ga, Twi, Gonga, Dagbani, Hausa, Russian and English. This is a man of culture and learning.

He was seven years old on 24 February 1966, when Ghana experienced its first coup d’etat. Kwame Nkrumah, who led the nation and the continent to independence, was in North Korea on a diplomatic mission when the military bludgeoned their way onto the national stage. This was the first in a series of military coups that promised stability and progress but produced terror, economic disaster and emigration. Ghana’s story is narrated in large part through the story of Mahama’s father, a member of Nkrumah’s government. In return for his genuine commitment to his country, his father was arrested, tortured and frustrated at every turn. A rich and successful businessman, he fled Ghana — living in Ivory Coast and Nigeria before settling as a refugee in London. John Dramani Mahama in his youth like Nkrumah was a fervent socialist. He majored in history at university and studied in a post graduate program in social psychology at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow. A father in London a son in Moscow — Africa in the 1970s and 80s! John Dramani Mahama learned a lot in Moscow; he discovered the essential truth that the belief in absolutes is a road to disaster. His blind faith in socialism had come face to face with socialist reality in The Soviet Union. He returned to Ghana with a flexible mind and a desire to be of service. Today Ghana stands as a success story in Africa, a model for the conti-

nent — there is a functioning democracy and a thriving economy. When a President dies, the vice-president takes over. No tanks in the street, no riots, no sense of crisis. Today Ghana offers hope to the rest of the continent. Surely Mr. Mahama knows that things do not usually work out as one hopes, but here is a chance for the man who as a boy fell in love with history and with literature to lead Ghana on its journey to a human and just and tolerant future. Nigeria, on the other hand, continues to be a failed state, a nation with enormous talent that can’t get its act together whether on the football field, in the political arena or the most trying and beleaguered road network on earth! In There Was a Country, Chinua Achebe recalls the paths of thunder that haunted and continue to haunt his country. The title of Achebe’s memoir could well be My First Coup d’Etat and the Lost Decades of Nigeria! The coup of 15 January 1966 (just six weeks before the coup in Ghana) started a downward spiral that led to a slaughter of Igbos (Achebe is an lgbo) living in the North, a slaughter Achebe rightfully calls a pogrom. When the Igbos, fearing for their existence, chose in 1967 to secede from Nigeria, they declared their new and independent country Biafra. The Igbos’ homeland lies in Southeastern Nigeria. The East is rich in oil and Nigeria refused to allow the East to secede. The Civil War lasted from 1967-1970. Millions of Igbos died. Since the end of the war which Nigeria won but the whole country has lost, a traveling masquerade of coups, counter coups and a fake democracy have looted the national wealth and brought chaos on a scale that Nigeria is famous for! In addition the centuries old conflict between the Muslim North and Christian South continues to this day with fanatical extremist Muslims seeking the destruction of the country and the establishment of sharia law.

early every Nigerian writer of importance – and there are lots of them, for this country seems to produce giant writers as well as giant yams – has looked at the Biafran War through novels, plays, poems and essays. Strangely, Nigeria’s and Africa’s most esteemed writer, Mr. Achebe, has been relatively silent. A book of poems, some essays. For forty years this memoir has been swimming in his mind. Now that he is onye okenya, an elder, he has written There Was a Country for future generations. This is also a personal as well as a national history. Achebe calls his book “a personal history”; it is and it isn’t. Achebe is a historian by instinct. The extensive footnotes give credence to the fact that There Was a Country is a scholarly work in the tradition of Igbo and Nigerian historians Kenneth Onwuka Dike (1917-1983) and Adiele Afigbo (1937-2009). Chinua Achebe’s latest book is a long lament, a lament for the death of people he loved, for the death of millions he did not know by name, the death of Nigeria’s dreams and perhaps mostly for the Igbo people who continue to be alienated in the land and country of their ancestors. “The Igbo were not and continue not to be reintegrated into Nigeria, one of the main reasons for the country’s continued backwardness in my estimation,” observes the prophet historian-storyteller. Excerpts from Prof. Don Burness review of There Was A Country by Acebe and My First Coupd’Etat by John Dramani .

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012, PAGE 49

chimeena@yahoo.com

opportuned to chair the Lagos chapter for three years is made up of visual art practitioners, it was established to engender the right professional standard among visual art practitioners in Nigeria. Even Revilo, is an art publishing company, in promoting art, apart from creating art, you also have to display your art and disseminate them for consumers, so its like a chain and all of these roles I have played and still play today are all intertwined and it only add to my experience and empowers me in serving the visual art sector to the best of my ability. The issue of a befitting gallery/museum for Nigeria is over due, what is your take on it? As the new SNA president, not only is it

Enwonwu set to re-brand SNA BY JAPHET ALAKAM INTERVIEW

Oliver Enwonwu is an artist and the son of late world-renowned artist and sculptor , Prof Ben Enwonwu. Though relatively young, he has seen it all in arts, he is the founder and executive director, The Ben Enwonwu Foundation, member, Advisory Board, The Art Exchange Limited, CEO Revilo, an art publishing company, director, Omenka Gallery, founder and editor, Omenka Magazine. He holds a first degree in biochemistry and post-graduate qualifications in applied geophysics and visual art all from the University of Lagos. Enwonwu who is currently serving his second term as the chairman of SNA Lagos chapter was last month elected as the national president of SNA. In this chat with art on Sunday, Enwonwu bares his mind on many issues facing the visual art in Nigeria. Excerpts.

ONGRATULATIONS on your victory last month, how do you feel been the national president of the SNA? I feel humbled because it is a big task ahead, been the SNA president you know, put a lot of responsibilities on your shoulder because it is a national association which has chapters in all the states in Nigeria including the FCT. I feel humbled because it is a big task ahead and I know that so I need to work as hard as possible to reposition our visual art sector and cater for the welfare of the artists in Nigeria as well as engendering the high professional standard among visual art practitioners in Nigeria. By your election, you have joined the college of presidents of the 49 year old body. What would you like to remembered for in the office? Along with those who has been there before me including Kolade Osinowo, Yusuf Grillo, Okpu Eze, Solomon Wangboje, Dele Jegede, Funke Ifeta, these are those who were there before me and they have been remembered for the great works they have done in building the association. I hope to continue in their foot steps, I hope to be remembered for serving the association and the Nigerian artists to the best of my abil-

ity. I hope as much as possible togive them a new constitution that best represent our aspirations in this dynamic time, I hope to deliver a new secretariat for our society that is befitting of our status as a 49 year old body, a secretariat where the artists can find succour. I also hope to increase the events exhibitions, national residency and networking opportunities that will better the welfare of the Nigeria artists. I want also to be remembered for re-branding the society, for raising the much required funding and giving the society good structure and a better foundation for our future goals and objectives. In the paper presented by Prince Yemisi Shyllon at the AGM in Uyo, he raised some critical issues about art which SNA as a body failed to address, like the case of the destruction af art works at MMA,Lagos, the VC that removed art works in his office etc, Now that you are in charge, how do you intend to address them ? While all the issues that Engineer Shyllon has raised are very pertinent issues, these things borders on our national pride and identity, it is a very sad time for Nigeria art. But I think that apart from the fact that SNA has failed, it is also our collective failure, it is our failure as artists, failure as SNA and failure of the Federal Government. In short it is our failure as Nigerians, for us to allow these sort of things to

Oliver Enwonwu - Photo by Micheal Sossou of the artists are still alive, they ought to be informed, its really a sad time for Nigeria art. And the story of the VC removing such an important work from his place of pride, if it is true, I think it is really bad if such a thing should be allowed to happen particularly in a citadel of learning. I also see no reason why the federal government should not be supporting arts because most countries of the world are known for their national museums, for instance museums of modern art in New York is known for that institution, same with Tate or Louvre in France. These are important issues that Shyllon has raised and I know that he is raising these issues because he wants those in the right places, who

We are going to act as the platform and a voice for the Nigeria art to make the government policy makers understand the issues on ground so that they begin to take our cultural heritage a bit more serious

happen means that we are not taking our cultural identity as a people seriously as it ought to because that is the defining element as a people. I think that it is our collective failure, and I believe that it is time we begin to look inwards to define ourselves better as a people and look at the collective strength of our togetherness as a people. The visual art and culture is one such way that many stronger and leading nations of the world today have identified themselves. I think these are hard times for Nigerians, I don’t see any reason why some of these works should not be incorporated into the design at the Airport and if they have to be moved, some

can actually bring up policies together to actually look into these issues.

s a body how would you address that? As a body, we are going to increase our advocacy, we are going to advocate by raising awareness to such issues for the typical Nigerian to see that their cultural heritage are not taking as seriously as it should be. We are going to partner with good Nigerians, major stakeholders, the press and others. We are going to act as the platform and a voice for the Nigeria art to make the government policy makers understand the issues on ground so that they begin to

take our cultural heritage a bit more serious. You are the chairman of Ben Enwonwu Foundation, chairman of Revilo, artist, Member Advisory Board of The Art Exchange and now the president of SNA. How would you combine the different jobs and still deliver? The beauty of my work in these other institutions is the fact that they are all intertwined. It is like a big machine, for example like in a hospital, the medical doctor plays their role, the nurses and the radiologist play theirs too and what they are all interested is in saving lives. The same way, these organisations I am lucky to be associated with are all in the promotion of visual arts. The Omenka gallery hold exhibition for established and emerging artists, owned by BEF, the foundation itself has an annual lecture in which policy makers are invited to deliver lecture on the role of art in shaping the society positively. SNA, itself, which I am

important, I think it bothers on national pride, and I think it is bad for us not to have at this time of our nationhood of over 50 years a befitting structure, because what we have on ground mainly are just administrative offices. And I think is high time government stopped paying lip service to arts because countries all around the world are known with their befitting structures and this is how they define themselves as a people. People can go into their national museums and reconstruct the history, the greatness of the country. I think it is very sad that at this time we do not have one that house or acts as a repository of our rich cultural heritage. Government need to wake up to the economic and tourism potentials of such an industry, if we spend much time in other sectors of the Nigerian economy, I think we will be better for it, if we do so in arts, apart from defining our selves as a people we will also gain from the potentials in terms of economic realities.

Top artists join Life in My City Festival

his year’s Life in My City Art Festival, an annual celebration of creativity and fresh talent in the Nigerian art landscape got a boost as nine prominent artists, teachers and curators signed on to the Local Organising Committee last Thursday at a ceremony overseen by Board of Trustees Chair and former Chairman of Union Bank of Nigeria Elder Kalu Uche Kalu. The LOC members include Obiora Anidi, a Lecturer at the Enugu State College of Education (Technical)and chairman of the Enugu State Art Council, Mr. Chris Afuba, advertising executive and art teacher at the University of Nigeria, Tayo Adenaike, sculptor and Head of the Art Department of the Enugu State College of Education (Technical) and Bona Ezudu, proprietor of Bona’s Art Gallery in Trans-Ekulu Enugu. Others are James Irabor of the Enugu Station of the Nigerian

Gallery of Art, Tochukwu Amano, Emeka Egwuibe, Uche Agonsi, and Tony Odeh. Elder Kalu tasked the members to benchmark the 6th edition of the Festival against the best such festivals across the world. He predicted that the festival is on the verge of exploding into a truly international art festival. He noted that as prominent practitioners and experienced art teachers, they were in very good standing to add value to the enlarged scope of the Festival for the benefit especially of the youth of Nigeria who were the primary targets and beneficiaries of the Festival’s outcomes.

ccording to Mr. Kevin Ejiofor, Executive Director, Life in My City offers the single largest exhibition of new works in visual arts featuring a broad exposition of works in five visual arts of painting, ceramics, textile, sculpture and photography.

PAGE 50— SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Romantic mood in Nature!

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Risk Mgt: Financial experts tasked on modern IT skills BY UDEME CLEMENT

INANCIAL ex perts and audi tors operating within the West African sub-region have been advised to embrace modern information technology tools for accounting, auditing and financial management to increase efficiency of their firm’s financial operations to minimise risks. The Director, Financial Sector Management, West African Institute for Financial and Economic M a n a g e m e n t (WAIFEM), Mr. Ousman Sowe, also former top official, Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Gambia, made this known in a chat with Journalists, at the opening ceremony of the regional course on computer applications in accounting, auditing and financial management, organised by the Institute in Lagos. Giving insight into the importance of modern information technology in financial management, he said, “The course was designed to

acquaint participants with modern financial information technology tools applied in accounting, auditing and financial management, even as it provides guidance on how to audit the critical risks of standard computer systems. In his keynote address, the Director Gen-

eral of WAIFEM, Prof. Akpan Ekpo said, “ The tasks of financial planning, mergers and acquisitions, working capital management, asset-based financing, investments and capital budgeting required the use of variety computer soft wares and hard wares for efficient infor-

mation management. It enables analysis of large volumes of data, which previous traditional methods could not cope with due to time and cost constraints. A well-designed CAATs audit will not be a sample but rather a complete review of all transactions. CAATs also allow auditors to easily test for specific risks such as unwarranted payments, duplicate vendors, invalid data and unexpected developments.”

From left; Mr Femi Kuti, Prof Wole Soyinka, Guest Speaker, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, celebrant, and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Preisdent ,Women Rise, during the lecture to mark the 79th birthday of Dr Tunji Braithwaite, with the theme; 'Corporate Gains and Human Deficit' Organised by Women Arise, at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Commissioner empowers Kwara people HE People of Ire podun local gov ernment area of Kwara State had cause to smile last weekend when their son Engr Nurudeen Demola Banu, the state commissioner for finance, brought dividends of democracy to their doorsteps. Ajase-Ipo, the political headquarters of the local government and venue of the ceremony, was filled to the brim as seas of heads of the beneficiaries,captains of industries,businessmen, bankers, friends and associates, politicians from far and near came to witness the ceremony being the second time in two years. The expression on their faces were crystal clear, as it simply read, this is our son in whom we are well pleased. Speaking with Sunday Vanguard on the motivation, Banu explained it was to give glory to God. He said,‘’In a situation like this, you need to realize that you are not the best; you should know

that God just want to bless you. I used to remember that those underprivileged people also have the rights to minimum standard of living. So it is incumbent on us who are holding political offices, who are fortunate to be comfortable to remember that these people also have the rights to good living too”. He thanked Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for the motivation and particularly recalled that their political leader in the state, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, now a serving senator, blazed the trail while serving as the governor when he mandated all the political office holders to do empowerment in their respective constituencies so that dividends of democracy could further get to the doorsteps of the people of the state. Since then, the commissioner noted,” all the political office holders in kwara have been doing that and this has further endeared our party to the people to the extent that anytime there is election, we always win”.

Comradeship to Akinloye was, above all, to the truth and integrity of one’s profession and faith. Thus he felt betrayed by close associates who, because of the pursuit of money, power and fame, allowed themselves to be compromised. One such betrayal that he felt very much was one of his close Sandhurst and Shrivenham peers. Akinloye could not understand why such a brilliant and hardworking officer allowed himself to become a goon of Sani Abacha’s regime. This was an officer whose kinsmen the Zuru people have for centuries been oppressed by a majority neighbouring ethnic group. For him to allow himself to be used to terrorise another minority ethno-nationality offended Akinloye very much. This we must finally remember: Major Akinyemi was no fluke. The Major came from a family of achievers. Apart from the world renowned Prof Akinyemi, Akinloye’s other siblings have all excelled in all their endeavours. In fact, the youngest of the brothers, Akinlolu who was always the contact between us and Akinloye when we could not easi-

ly reach him, is an enterprising business man. We Akinloye’s comrades thank Akinlolu, for steadfastly standing by the high ideals of his brother. May God continue to bless Major Akinyemi’s immediate and extended family. Akinloye was indeed a true son of his well educated and cultured parents. Like his pastor father and mother before him and his brothers and sisters who were beside him, Major Akinyemi had exceptional foresight. He was, as we have illustrated, of the progressive leadership strand. I only wish that we Nigerians, and the Yorubas in particular, knew well, this illustrious son of ours. Comrade Akinloye Akinyemi’s contributions to the progressive cause were not publicly known. This is because since his years of incarcerations, Akin preferred to act for the noble causes from behind the scenes. My final and dear wish is for my dear comrade Major Akinloye Akinyemi to rest in perfect peace, having played his part with courage and fortitude. Shanti ! Shalom !! Peace !!! *Nyiam is a retired colonel of the Nigerian Army

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI,

A tribute to our unsung hero causing virus. The evil team’s first approach was under the pretext of injecting prisoners against communicable diseases, which were common in prisons. Major Akinyemi did approach at least one member of the Justice Chukwudife Oputa Panel to lay his complaint. I am informed that His Eminence, Bishop Hassan Kukah did at the time counsel Akinloye. I do pray to confirm this meeting between the two wise-men when again I see the man of God. E X C R U C I AT I N G TORTURE Prior to the injection of Major Akinloye Akinyemi’s body with the poisonous virus, he was many times subjected to terrible sessions of excruciating torture. He occasionally, after such terrible sessions of torture, became shell-shocked. It was these occasions of looking confused that led a few superficial observers to think my dear comrade was, at times, of unsound mind. Such was the price Akinloye paid for you and me. Major Akinloye Akinyemi was not subjected to any undue torture in his first incarceration

during General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s regime. Thanks to General Tanko Ayuba, and even General Babangida, who ensured that the kind of inhuman experiences the Abacha regime’s goons subjected officers to did not take place. General Sani Abacha was, at a point, isolated from knowing what was going on in the prisons and detention centres, in his name. General Musa Shehu Yar ’Adua and Major Akinloye Akinyemi were tortured so many times for information. Being unable to break the spirit of these two fine officers, the goons then decided to finish them off by poisoning them. Both General Shehu Yar’ Adua and Major Akinyemi were used as guinea pigs of the Abacha regime’s biological warfare experiments. The difference between the two victims of the sadistic trials was that Akin’s body survived longer. Pastor Akinyemi’s faith in Christ Jesus, and the putting of the faith into action, enabled him to live for over ten years after the poisoning of his physiological system. There are some similar-

ities of faith-in-action between the experiences of Akin and another hero, the late publisher of the Guardian Newspaper, Alex Ibru. He too, because of his strong faith, endured for over ten years after the trauma of being shot by Abacha’s boys. It was during the extra years added to Akin’s terrestrial existence that he had the fortune of reaching a better understanding of Jesus’ teaching. Credit for this must go to the Redeemed Christian Church, under the able and humble shepherd, General Overseer Enoch Adejare

Continued from page 47

forces’ cell which operated within Nigeria. The operational efforts of Major Akinyemi, and other pro-democracy forces who operated covertly in Nigeria, were of immense importance. Their guerrilla war efforts complemented those of us in the unconventional military wing of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) operating from abroad. BETRAYALS It was actually the Akinloye Akinyemi’s close family friend and one of his Sandhurst officer cadet comrades

He felt betrayed by close associates who, because of the pursuit of money, power and fame, allowed themselves to be compromised

Adeboye. Why, it may be asked, was Akinloye Akinyemi jailed for a second time even when he had been retired from military service? Akin was incarcerated for being part of an underground special

who was the Judas. This was an officer who was later made an aide camp (ADC) to a General Officer Commanding (GOC). The Major as fate will have lost his life in the Nigerian Air Force C130 plane crash near Ejigbo.

PAGE 52—SUNDAY VANGUARD,SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Cole’s late strike gives it to Chelsea

SHLEY Cole was the unlikely hero as Chelsea scored a dramatic late winner to finally breach Stoke’s

resistance. The England defender stole in with five minutes remaining to prod in Juan Mata’s flick from

Ferguson writes Man Utd fans ahead Anfield cracker S

IR Alex Ferguson has written a letter to Manchester United supporters attending today’s game at Liverpool to ask that the rivalry between the sides does not cross into “personal hatred”. The fixture will be Liverpool’s first home game since the findings of an independent panel investigating the Hillsborough disaster were published. The United boss’s letter will be handed to away fans as they enter Anfield. In it he states: “Our great club stands with our great neighbours Liverpool.” Ferguson and numerous United supporters’ groups have released statements over the last week, condemning chants referring to the Hillsborough disaster. United will take an increased contingent to Anfield compared to the

same fixture last year, when they were handed a reduced allocation following complaints of fans blocking aisles. The letter in full

“Dear Supporter, “The great support you gave the team here last season has seen our allocation back up to nearfull levels. I want you to continue that progress today. “But today is about much more than not blocking gangways. Today is about thinking hard about what makes United the best club in the world. “Our rivalry with Liverpool is based on a determination to come out on top - a wish to see us crowned the best against a team that held that honour for so long. “It cannot and should never be based on personal hatred. Just ten days ago, we heard the terrible, damning truth about the deaths of 96

close-range and keep Chelsea top of the Premier League. Stoke had threatened to cause an upset when Jonathan Walters headed against Petr Cech’s crossbar before half-time. Stoke manager Tony Pulis threw Michael Owen on as he sensed victory, but it was Chelsea who snatched the points. Meanwhile Romelu Lukaku struck on his full debut as West Brom, without Osaze Odemwingie, deservedly

•Di Matteo continued their excellent start to the season. Lukaku collected Shane Long’s knock down before beating Alex McCarthy from 18 yards with 14 minutes remaining.

Anichebe’s goal spurs Everton to away win

•Ferguson fans who went to watch their team try and reach the FA Cup final and never came back. “What happened to them should wake the conscience of everyone connected with the game. “Our great club stands with our great

neighbours Liverpool today to remember that loss and pay tribute to their campaign for justice. I know I can count on you to stand with us in the best traditions of the best fans in the game. “Yours sincerely, Sir Alex Ferguson.”

VERTON ended Swansea City ’s unbeaten home record with a dominant display of power and precision in south Wales. Victor Anichebe gave Everton a controversial opener when he volleyed home after a suspicion of handball from Marouane Fellaini in the build-up. Kevin Mirallas finished a sweeping move on the second attempt to double the lead in a one-sided first half. Swansea defender Angel Rangel missed an open goal before Fellaini headed a third after Nathan Dyer’s red card.

Dyer, a second-half substitute for Swansea’s record signing Pablo Hernandez - who struggled on his full debut - lasted only 13 minutes after picking up a pair of yellow cards within a minute of each other. By then Everton were in full control and the home side were fortunate not to have conceded more than one goal in the second half. The visitors were sharper, hungrier and slicker from the first whistle as they maintained their proud record of never having lost to Swansea.

My mother’s death almost cost me my life —Okafor TANLEY Okafor is a N i g e r i a n philanthropist cum football lover based in Japan. He generously gave out electronic gadgets ranging from Samsung Galaxy Tab, Black Berry to iPAD to each member of the national U-20 Women’s team, the Falconets and their officials to the recently concluded FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan as part of his own way of appreciating the team’s excellent performance. In this interview with Grass to Grace, Okafor opens up on how he started in Japan, his most difficult moment in life and how he was able to succeed despite all odds. Excerpts! My love for soccer I started liking sports right from my childhood. Basically, I like sports but my passion lies more with soccer.

As a child, I always played street soccer with my neighbours and most times, using my shoes to make the goal post. I could also play football from morning to evening without minding if my parents would get angry

I could remember coming to Japan was not easy, especially trying to fix myself in an Asian system which is different from the system I was used to.

phone and the first thing she told me was to get hold of myself that our mother had gone to meet the Lord. For me, it was the darkest moment of my life, as I almost wanted to commit suicide. But I thank God for His mercies.

with me. People say I could have gone professional because of my love for football but I believe that in life, each person has his call and vocation. For me, playing professional football was never my calling but I like it as a fan and also a supporter.

Overcoming my trialsAlthough it wasn’t an easy situation but I believe in everything you do in life, put God first. God was my only resort then, alongside the fact that friends came to console me. And that is why till today, I don’t leave my house without praying or consulting God especially for his directives.

Tough beginning as a philanthropist in Japan Generally, life is tough but to succeed, you have to strive hard to get to the peak of your destiny even if their are many huddles. I could remember coming to Japan was not easy, especially trying to fix myself in an Asian system which is different from the system I was used to. First, learning their language was a problem I must confess but as a •Okafor Nigerian living far away from home, I told myself that the best I could do for myself was to strive hard. So I had to learn their language and I also tried to adjust from the Nigerian system and style to fit into their system. And by God’s grace am what I am today. Toughest moment in

life Surely, I have had various tough moments in my life, but the one that struck me most was when I lost my mother. My situation wasn’t pretty good as I hadn’t my freedom then in Japan. It was a shock when I heard the news that my mother died.

Her death was not the problem but the fact that I spoke to her on 24th of December then on the 27th I called again to know how she was fairing and how she celebrated her Christmas. Especially with the things I bought for her to use during the celebration. My sister picked the

Lesson learned The lesson learned is that no matter how difficult things appear to be, don’t give up. Advice Prayer is the key in any situation. Also pray until something happens. The fact that God doesn’t answer you today, doesn’t mean he won’t answer you tomorrow. All you need to do is to put your trust in Him because He is able.

SUNDAY Vanguard, September 23 , 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 53

PAGE 54 -- SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Don’t crucify Enyeama, Rufai begs Nigerians •Says goalkeepers are humans too IGERIA and Liberia have a score to settle when both countries meet in the second leg of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar on October 13. The first leg in Monrovia penultimate weekend ended 2-2. The result has left a sour taste in the mouths of most Nigerians who have characteristically, descended heavily on both the technical crew and players of the Super Eagles. One Super Eagles player under severe scrutiny has been goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, whose holler gifted Liberia the equaliser. Some critics have called for his relegation in Keshi’s pecking order. But former Eagles captain and first choice goalkeeper, Peter Rufai disagrees. He spoke with JACOB AJOM. Excerpts: Coach Stephen Keshi and his crew have come under severe criticisms since the Liberia match. Some have blamed him for using match-rusty players while others have said Keshi and his men were not just getting it right. Do you share in this opinion? Well, we are in a democratic world where

•Rufai

everybody is free to express whatever opinion he has on any given issue. But here we are talking football. I feel Nigerians should be careful on how they criticize their teams and what they say about their players. They should evaluate whatever they want to say before uttering such things out. It is what we say of our players that informs the way the outside world perceives them. We must evaluate what we say so as not to misjudge them before the outside world. One bad word about a particular player could destroy his career. As for Keshi, he has been doing a great job, so far. He has the experience, both as a player who played to the highest level and as a coach. He has proven his expertise even outside the shores of this country. I know he won’t disappoint. I do not have any iota of doubt that Keshi will lead the Eagles over the Lone Star of Liberia. I am too sure of that because Keshi is equal to the task. But the fear is that Keshi does not seem to have the quality of players that can carry out his plans. Most Nigerian players both

home and abroad have been described as “average players”, how then can the coach do his magic? I don’t want to agree with that assertion. You cannot say your children are not clever when you did not send them to school. The structures are not there for them to learn. That is why we must go back to the basics. The school system, where they were supposed to learn no longer serves its purpose. That is why we cannot blame them. We were up there and other nations who have the structures have caught up with us. Now there is that pressure on us because we have remained stagnant. We are not developing the structures. It is my belief that we still have the players here. What they need are developmental programmes, the types we had in our days. The

•Enyeama academy player in Nigeria wants to go and play abroad. Nobody wants to stay, learn and play here. What is on ground to hold them down? You and I know that in Nigeria, like any other country, you must pass

The national team coaches have definitely seen something in Enyeama that has made them keep faith in him

structures should be able to keep them here to mature before they start thinking of going abroad to play. That is what we at Staruf Football Academy are trying to do. Give the kids the basics of the game, combine it effectively with academics and nurture them to maturity. But the problem today is that, apart from the collapse of the educational structure, nobody is ready to learn. An average

through primary and secondary education before you can go to the university. If there were no set down rules and standards, then, university education would have been for every Dick, Tom and Harry. Our football structures are defective and that is why everybody wants to go and play abroad. If there were rules guiding the movement of players this would have been checked. Vincent Enyeama has

come under heavy criticisms for his error which gave Liberia a late equalizer in Monrovia. Some people have called for his outright drop from the team. What is your opinion? No. I disagree with those calling for his sack from the team. A goalkeeper is the pillar and perhaps the most important part of every football team. He is the beginning and the end of the team. The keeper must not lose focus. But we are all humans. Because we are humans one could have a bad day. It could happen to anybody. Even me, I had my bad days. I have been in his position before so I know what I am talking about. The loss in concentration for one second could result in a slip and it is all over. I know Keshi very well. He has no room for incompetence from his players. He is not one who will favour any player that is not good enough. He is there to ensure Nigeria gets back to where she rightly belongs in world football. Keshi wants Nigeria in South Africa and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. I don’t see

anything wrong in what he is doing at the moment. But critics have questioned his insistence on using Enyeama despite the fact that he had a season-long stay on the bench at his former French club. The coach kept using him at the expense of other more active goalkeepers. That Enyeama was being benched by his former French coach does not mean Keshi too must bench him in the national team. The national team coaches have definitely seen something in Enyeama that has made them keep faith in him. He is still one of our best hands for now. If anything, Keshi needed to encourage him to call off the bluff of the club coach. It gave Enyeama a sense of belonging and motivated him to better his performance as he had the national team to look up to. What most people do not know is that there is politics in football. For some reasons known only to them, some coaches are hardly impressed, no matter what one tries to do in training.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 — 55

Abuja St adium, our shame Extra Joss Football Cup debuts F By JACOB AJOM

orld renowned pharmaceutical company, Kalbe have floated a new annual inter-Local Government football championship, the Extra Joss Football Cup. Known for their long romance with sports, the company which is part of the Orange Drugs conglomerate had in the past sponsored the Brocold Table Tennis championship and the Bosco Football Tournament in Lagos. Speaking at the media

presentation Thursday, Director of Personnel, Orange Drugs, Ugochukwu Uchendu, said the Extra Joss football championship was an innovation aimed at discovering young talents who will develop to become stars for both clubs, state and country. “As responsible corporate entity, we are concerned over the dwindling fortunes in our sports and we believe in catching them young. By doing so, we believe Nigeria will be the better for it,” he said. A member of the Local

Organising Committee, Uthman Okunu explained that the Extra Joss Cup will be competed among 32 clubs representing the various Local Governments and Local Development Area Councils. “It will be a 32 team format of 8 groups and 4 teams per group. They will play a league format in the preliminaries,” Okunu explained. He informed that the draw will hold next week while the tournament kicks off on September 29th at the Legacy Pitch, National Stadium, Lagos.

Staruf Champion of Champions final for September 23 he 3rd Champion of emy and former captain football competition was T champions football of the Super Eagles, Pe- his own modest way of competition between ter Rufai said the tourna- giving back to the sociStaruf Football Academy U-13 and U-15 champions and the Lagos Football Association U-13 and U-15 champions comes up today, September 23 at the Campos Square football mini stadium, Lagos. Speaking on the competition which is in its third year, proprietor of the Staruf Football Acad-

ment will also feature parents in a penalty shootout competition. “Fans also have a chance of winning fabulous prizes like football kits and other items of interest as they would also be engaged in various competitions to create real fun,” Rufai said. He stated that the champion of champions

ety that he had benefited so much from. “I cannot thank my fatherland enough for what I have become. This competition is in a way, my humble way of saying thank you.” He called on football lovers to turn out en mass as there was something for every one.

We’re ready for Governor’s Cup – Egbuchunam P resident of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. Barrister Sam Egbuchunam has said that the club was ready to host the Premier tennis tournament in Nigeria, the Lagos Governor ’s Cup which comes up in October. He said the club had attained a commendable level of renovation on the playing since he as-

sumed office a few months ago.”We are 95 per cent ready for the Governor ’s Cup as we have refurbished our courts to international standard and we have also fixed the lighting and all the infrastructure required of a tournament of this standard,” Egbuchunam said. He said that the ongoing Chevron Tennis clinic

which will culminate in a mini tournament was part of a number of events the club would host before the end of the year. Events of the 18 th National Sports Festival will also be hosted by the club. “Indeed, we have a very busy schedule from now till end of the year,” Egbuchunam said.

es Sports Festival: Enugu dominat dominates in qualif ier qualifier ierss ball and hockey as well

t was almost a clean sweep for Enugu State at the just concluded zonal elimination for the 2012 National Sports Festival, tagged EKO 2012 holding in Lagos in November as it won seven slots from the available 10 slots contested in the South East Zone 1 held in Enugu from September 17 to 21. Zonal Coordinator of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Stanley

Okebugwu disclosed to Sunday Vanguard sports that Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra States took part in the competition for slots for team events like football, handball, basketball, volleyball, cricket and hockey. Enugu won the male and female slots in football, handball and basketball as well as the male slot in volleyball while took the slots for female events in volley-

as the male cricket slot, leaving Ebonyi with nothing to look forward to in team events at the sports festival. Today’s Matches Ghana v Germany 11am Mexico v New Zealand 11am Brazil v Japan 2pm Uruguay v China 2pm

our months ago, I wrote on this page, advising that it was too early in the day to allow the Abuja National Stadium, built a little over 10 years ago will billions of Naira belonging to impoverished tax payers, deteriorate. That was when I heard that the National Sports Commission, NSC was toying with the idea of sourcing for fertilizer to help nourish the grass of the playing turf, so that the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, could bring Super Eagles matches there. I reminded all that the Department of Facilities in the NSC whose responsibility it was to cater for the turf of the Abuja Stadium and all other National stadia scattered all over the country was not doing its work. But nobody seemed to take my word serious. Some weeks after, another news about the same stadium filtered in, that is there were plans to excavate the grass in the stadium and replace it with astro turf. The same astro turf dotting various stadia across the country, which most of our foreignbased players avoid to play on like a plague. Nigerians waited for the news to be denied but till now no denial from the managers of the edifice which was the pride of Nigerians in 2003 when the country hosted the All Africa Games. Africans from other countries marvelled at the beauty of the stadium and even the Senegalese-born president of athletics’ world governing body, IAAF, Lamine Diack whispered into the ears of Dan Ngerem, then president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, that Nigeria could comfortably bid to host African and world athletics championships there. However, nine years after, like every national infrastructure built with colossal amount of money, the Abuja National Stadium is already in a state of disrepair, going the same way of the National Stadium in Lagos, the pride of Nigerians which also hosted the 2nd All Africa Games in 1973. The Lagos stadium started with the excavation of the playing surface a couple of times before it was totally abandoned to assume the status of public toilet for social miscreants who troop into the arena on daily basis. The only portion that was rescued, was the section hired out to a business man who turned it into a huge kitchen for all kinds of menu as well as beer parlour for liquor consuming Nigerians. The place was almost burnt down early in the year when it was gutted by fire but for the quick

intervention of Nigerians who came to its rescue before the arrival of the ever snail-speed Fire Service. So it was a pain in the hearts of sports loving Nigerians when a picture of the sorry state of the Abuja Stadium with over grown weeds which can only serve as the abode of dangerous reptiles was splashed on the pages of newspapers a couple of days ago. Why in the name of God, are those whose duty it is to maintain the stadium, unable to discharge their avowed responsibility? What has happened to the money budgeted for its maintenance or nothing was voted for it? If like every other national property the stadium cannot be properly maintained, why not contract its maintenance to a private concern, to save the edifice from decaying. Must we keep wasting hard earned money because we don’t care or lack maintenance culture? It tells no good about us as a serious nation. I once mentioned how FIFA recommended the pitch of the IITA in Ibadan as one of the venues for teams training during inspection of facilities for the U-20 World Cup which the country hosted in 1999. That was after the IITA had asked the sports authorities then to jettison the idea of importing grass from Kenya for the National Stadium in Lagos. Apart from the IITA, there are several other corporate organisations who have playing fields that are well nurtured and kept lush green all year round, dry season and harmattan notwithstanding. They could be approached to lecture the NSC workers on how to maintain a pitch or could even be contracted to maintain it. The report that the Minister of Sports and Chairman, NSC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has demanded for explanation from Abubakar Mogaji, Director of Facilities of the NSC, charged with the responsibility of maintaining the pitch of the stadium is just not enough. For allowing the pitch to get to the stage it can no longer host matches, how much more turning into a forest and abode for dangerous reptiles calls for more serious sanctions than mere query. That the grass was quickly cut a few days later after the query is not an escape route for a serious offence as dereliction of duty. Mogaji’s department has brought shame on us as a sports nation. His department’s action once again attests to the growing concern about corruption in our country where huge sums are budgeted for projects and other assignments but vanishes into thin air and nothing is heard about it any more. Nigerians demand more than query to Mogaji from Abdullahi now.

Argentine professional, Alejandro Paloneque of Katsina Max Air turning with the ball in the opening game against Kaduna Trappco in the Nigerian Cup series of the MTN/Katsina’ 2012 polo.

SUNDAY Vanguard, September 23, 2012

No way, Liberia can’t beat Eagles — Rufai By JACOB AJOM

ORMER captain and first choice goalkeeper of the Super Eagles, Peter Rufai has doused fears raised by Nigerians over a possible upset by Liberia’s Lone Star when they come for the second leg of the Nations Cup qualifier in Calabar next month He also cautioned national team head coach, Stephen Keshi not to drop his current number one safe hands, Vincent Enyeama whose late error gifted Liberia an equaliser in the first leg of the 2013 AFCON qualifier in Monrovia a fortnight ago. Speaking in an interview with Sunday Vanguard Sports, the former Nigeria international said “the Liberia mistake is not enough reason to drop Enyeama fom the squad because it could happen to any one.” Rufai who kept for Nigeria in the 1994 and ’98 FIFA World Cups dismissed critics of coach Stephen Keshi who had kept faith in Enyeama despite the keeper ’s season long lack of action at his former club, Lille. “I have been between the posts before and I know what it means. His lack of action did not mean he had lost touch with goalkeeping. Enyeama remains one of our best and the coaches know what they get from him. There can be a lot of politics in club football. If his club decided to put him on the bench did not mean the national team coaches should do same. In fact, we must give him hope and encourage him so that he too can have some-

thing to look up to and maintain his standard as the country’s number one.” Rufai said it was understandable that some Nigerians were bitter about the first leg draw, pointing out that “in football anything can happen.

IGERIA’s Flamingoes and their Canadian counterparts played out a pulsating 1-1 draw in the Tofig Bahramov stadium, but the African side will feel they deserved all three points. The Nigerian girls dominated the first-half and coach Peter Dedevbo will be wondering how his side came in at the break without a goal to their name. Amandine Pierre-Louise’s one-on-one with Gift Andy was all that broke the early pressure. However the Flamingoes onslaught continued as they hit the woodwork three times before the break. Chinwendu Ihezuo rattled the bar with a head-

Even Barcelona and other great teams have had their bad days. When people do not get what they are expecting, they tend to talk in anger. But I will

plead that they look at issues holistically.” He doused the fear of an upset in Calabar from the Lone Star against the Super Eagles.

“No, no no. Liberia cannot beat the Super Eagles. I can bet with my last kobo that Coach Stephen Keshi will overcome. He has done it before. Liberia cannot stop us.”

RESULTS Swansea Chelsea Southampton West Brom West Ham Wigan N.Korea France Nigeria

11 0 1

0 1 4 1 1 1

Everton Stoke Aston Villa Reading Sunderland Fulham

3 0 1 0 1 2

U-17 World Cup Gambia 0 USA 0 Canada 1

U-17 World Cup: Flamingoes begin with a draw

Pleads for Enyeama

er after a short-corner routine, before Jiroro Ideke’s inswinging corner left Sheridan flapping as it cannoned off the car again. But Chidinma Edeji arguably had the best chance of the lot, arriving late onto a loose ball four yards out, hammering a shot onto the upright with Sheridan helpless. The trend continued after half-time, with Ihezuo hitting the post with another header, before Adeboyejo forced Sheridan into a full-length save. Then came the hammer blow. Substitute Nichelle Prince slipped in the lively Pierre-Louise, who charged into the area and fired ferociously past Andy.

CHALLENGED... Super Eagles Chelsea forward, Victor Moses being challenged by a Nambian opponent during one of their matches. He and his team-mates are expected to thwart plans by Lone Star of Liberia to upset them in the crucial second leg of the Nations Cup qualifier in Calabar next month. ACROSS 1. House of Reps Speaker (8) 5. Assistant (4) 7. Praise (5) 8. Upright (4) 9. Lantern (4) 11. Tradition (6) 13. Lagos masquerade (3) 15. Exclamation (2) 16. Pig’s nose (5) 18. Agent (3) 20. Glitters (6) 24. Forward (5) 25. Nigerian state (6) 27. Boring tool (3) 29. Ghanaian fabric (5) 31. Perform (2) 32. Oshiomhole’s state (3) 34. U.S. currency (6) 36. Vow (4) 38. Musical quality (4) 39. Inclination (5) 40. Eager (4) 41. Damages (8)

DOWN 1. Sample (5) 2. Niger state town (4) 3. Observe (5) 4. Lecture (6) 5. Everyone (3) 6. Use (6) 10. Inquires (4) 12. Carpet (3) 14. Colour (6) 15. Resistance unit (3) 17. Coax (4) 19. Rollicked (6) 21. Hatchet (3) 22. Satisfied (4) 23. Nigerian state (3) 26. Cry of derision (3) 27 . African country (6) 28. Endure (4) 29. Child (3) 30. Spoke (6) 31. Adorn (5) 33. Baking chambers (5) 35. Asterisk (4) 37. Possessed (3)

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