INEC gives North Fresh advantage by Vanguard Media Limited

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Amosun shuts Onabanjo Varsity, says students threatened him BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

HAIRMAN of the Northern Governors Forum and Niger State governor, Dr. Musa Babagida Aliyu, has said that the northern part of the country should not be seen as a parasite on other regions but as an integral part of Nigeria working for the progress and oneness. He said rather than be seen as parasite, northerners should be seen as very hard working and contributing to the development of the country in all aspects of life. Aliyu called on northerners not to harbor members of the Boko Haram, describing them as enemies of not only the North, Islam but also enemies of the country as a whole.

Ribadu’s fate uncertain as PDP NWC fails to consider waiver

Mr Ibrahim Fadipe, National Sales Coordinator, Globacom with the National President, National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW), Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, Head, Glo Gateway, Mr Steve Stretch and an Executive Member of NURTW at the launch of the Security Verified Identity Card(SVID) initiated by Globacom for members of NURTW across the nation On Thursday in Abuja.

will not tolerate any act that will disturb the peace of the state. “The students of the

university have continued to issue threats while rejecting all entreaties and concessions made by the government on their

various demands concerning the recently announced reduction of school fees”, Amosun said.

2015: APC, religious leaders, CDAs endorse Bamigbetan for House of Reps BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

EMBERS of the 74 Community D e v e l o p m e n t Associations, CDAs, in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Lagos as well as leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC), religious leaders in the council area have declared their support for the aspiration of the incumbent Chairman of the council, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan to contest election into the House of Representatives to represent, Oshodi-Isolo Constituency 2 in 2015. Most of the speakers, who attended the declaration rally at

North is not a parasite to any region – Gov Aliyu

GUN State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has ordered the closure of the state owned Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye following alleged threats by the students against his government. The governor directed the Governing Council of the institution to implement the order with immediately effect, saying it was done to forestall breakdown of law and order. Speaking through a statement signed by Secretary to State Government ,Taiwo Adeoluwa, the governor said the decision to shut the university was taken in the interest of peace and order. He warned parents of the students of the university to immediately call them to order , saying the government

LAST WEEK’S TOP STORIES

BY EMEM AKPAN AND OSENI NIMOTA ADEYEMISI

Ejigbo mini-stadium sports complex, described him as capable

of representing them well in the House of Representatives going

by his exemplary leadership qualities and antecedents.

Police investigate assassination attempt on NSCDC boss a press release issued, Commandant-General of BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI-ABUJA

HE police have c o m m e n c e d investigation into the alleged assassination attempt on the Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). A statement by DCP Emmanuel Ojukwu, on behalf of the Force PRO, to this effect, read, “The attention of the Nigeria Police has been drawn to

Friday, 22nd August, 2014 by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), CSC Emmanuel Okeh, in which he alleged that an unnamed police inspector ‘attempted to open fire’ on the

the NSCDC, Ade Abolurin, and over 200 of his committee members, i n c l u d i n g representatives of the ‘Nigerian Army, EFCC, ICPC and office of the Attorney-General of the Federation among others."

UPN Alleges PDP manipulation of voters registration in Delta

ELTA State Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria,

•L-R: Layi Onafowokan, Head Device & Terminals Etisalat Nigeria; Benjiamin Jiang, co-founder, Infinix Mobility Co, Ltd; and Sim Shagaya, CEO, Konga.Com, at the unveiling of New Infinix Zero Smartphone, held in Lagos.

Mr. Gabriel Mamuzo, has alleged PDP’s manipulation of the registration machines used by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Oshimili South Local Government Area in its favour. Mamuzo, who made this allegation yesterday at Asaba, the Delta State capital, also condemned the use of one registration machine in wards where INEC had more than three voting centers. He alleged that a machine in a collating center in the local government area was being dominated by members of the PDP.

HE prospect of the 2011 presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria,ACN, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, contesting the forthcoming gubernatorial primaries of the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was in jeopardy, following the failure of the PDP’s National Working Committee, NWC, to discuss a waiver for him. Besides Ribadu who joined the party recently, others likely to be affected include a former military governor of Lagos State, Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), and Marcus Gundiri, who recently returned to the party. 15 aspirants had collected the Expression of Interest Form to contest the PDP primaries for the governorship election that was triggered by the impeachment of Admiral Murtala Nyako last month. A source at the meeting of the NWC of the PDP said the issue of waiver was not discussed at the meeting. Prior to the meeting of the NWC, hopes were high for Ribadu, who had collected his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms that the issue would be discussed having applied for a waiver in line with Section 50 of the party’s constitution.

Ebola: Four cleared, discharged

OUR more people who had been undergoing treatment for the Ebola virus disease were discharged on Monday. The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chuukwu, made this know in a statement. According to him, the four discharged people consisted of two male doctors, a female nurse and a female patient. He explained that the three medical personnel participated in the treatment of the Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who was the first person to die of the disease in Nigeria.

Lagos doctors protest sacking

EMBERS of Lagos State Chapter, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) staged a protest at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, on Monday. They were protesting the sacking of 16,000 resident doctors across the country. The state chairman of the association, Dr. Tope Ojo, who addressed journalists, said the sacking of the resident doctors in all federal teaching hospital in the country could lead to the collapse of the health sector. The doctors also called for the removal of the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who they alleged to have misled the president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, into taking the decision. The Federal Government issued a directive on August 14, saying that residency training programme for doctors in its tertiary hospitals be suspended.

Nigerian woman causes Ebola scare in Germany

Nigerian woman showing symptoms of Ebola caused a scare after she fainted at a crowded job centre in Berlin, Germany on Tuesday. 600 visitors and officials of the job were quarantined and the areas were the event occurred were sealed off by emergency service officials. Also on Tuesday, the Ogun State Commissioner of Health, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, told journalists that two Guineas and one Nigerian were under EVD observation. He asked for their patience as they will be under observation for 21 days and the three men agreed to wait till no symptoms were traced. Odubanjo said Ebola is not a death sentence and people treated for the virus are free from any kind of sickness.

I have three years to live – Pope Francis

OR the Catholic faithful, Pope Francis says he has only three years to live. It is practically unheard of for a Catholic bishop to retire but nowadays, it is very common. Francis told journalists that resigning the papacy as his predecessor, Benedict XVI, did last year is also a possibility due to some nerve problem he has that requires treatment, even if it does not appeal to some theologians. Francis also addressed the issues surrounding the Catholic Church in China, a country which refuses to allow Catholic to officially recognise the spiritual leadership of the Vatican. Pope Francis told journalists he wanted dialogue with China in exchange for the Catholic Church to operate freely.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014 — PAGE 5

Gunmen kill three cops in Bauchi BY SUZAN EDEH

Army has placed orders for anti-Boko Haram ammunition — Minimah BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

HIEF of the Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, says the army would soon end the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern part of the country. Speaking at the 2 Brigade barracks, Port Harcourt, Minimah said the Federal Government had placed orders for military hardware, adding that when they arrive, soldiers would launch offensive against Boko Haram to bring its activities to an end. “The Federal Government has placed orders for equipment. As soon as they come in, we will launch a major offensive that will bring the madness, insurgency to an end, he said. According to him, the

army was making significant impact in the war against crude oil theft. “Our effort is ongoing, the bunkerers themselves are human, they are not ghosts. So while we are doing our best, they are devising news ways. But you will agree with me that the effort to checking this menace is more than ever. We can’t say we will stamp it out in one day, but then the greater part of pursuing the bunkerers is ongoing and that with time we will begin to see greater result.”, he said. When asked to speak on military presence was relevant during elections inspite of criticisms from some quarters, the COAS said, “I can’t answer that question because that is not why I have come here”. Meantime, Governor

THE THREE ENEMIES OF MAN —1

here are three basic enemies in our life we must fight against if we must make it. There are: (1) Regret over yesterday’s mistakes (2) Anxiety over tomorrow’s problem and (3) Ingratitude for the blessing of today. Many of us regret over yesterday’s mistake so much that we allow the unpleasant happenings of the previous day to overwhelm and deny us of the unpleasant joy that could accompany the sad event. That should not be. Our whole life must not be define by just one occurrence. There are a thousand and one deed that are capable of really defining who and what we are. So, we have no business condemning and convicting ourselves based on one incident.

Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has called for less visibility of the army during elections. The governor spoke when Minimah led top army officers on a courtesy visit to him at Government House, Port Harcourt. He further called on the army to assist the state in the fight against kidnapping. “The military needs to play lesser role in politics. I have said that severally. I am sure you will ensure that the relationship between the military, civilians and politicians is

cordial, such that the 2015 elections would not be controversial,” Amaechi said. “I want the 2nd Amphibious Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Bori Camp to work with us, because we need to stamp out kidnapping in Rivers State. There are competing economies in the country and the largest of all is Lagos while the second is Rivers State and if kidnapping continues, our economy will crash, unemployment will rise and we may not be able to compete with the comity of states.”

UNMEN have killed three policemen at a check point around Tilden Fulani village in Toro local government area of Bauchi State. It was gathered from security sources and officials of the local government that the incident occurred, on Friday, between 10:30 and 11:30pm. They said the slain policemen were killed at their duty post, a regular check point in the area. A security source in the local government said, “On that fateful night, five policemen went out on duty.

35 police officers missing after Borno insurgency attack BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

ORCE Headquarters, yesterday, confirmed that following the deadly attack by suspected Boko Haram fighters on the Mobile Police Training School, Gwoza, last week, 35 of its officers were still missing. The police, however, noted that search and rescue efforts had led to the recovery of scores of policemen, adding that the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, had ordered the tightening of security in police formations across the country to prevent future

2015: ‘1.8m Nigerians want Jonathan for second term ‘ BY OLA AJAYI, Ibadan

EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, said it had collected signatures of 1.8 million people from the South-west who wanted President Goodluck Jonathan to seek re-election come 2015 election. The number, according to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, was more than the names collected from the South-east. He said this while collecting a booklet that contained the names of the people during the Southwest rally organized by the Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN). which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan, yesterday. The rally was organised by several chieftains of the PDP from the South-west states, viz: Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States. In attendance at the event were the Chief of Staff to the President, Jones Arogbofa; Chief Bode George; Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, Minister of State, FCT, Minister of Police affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser to the

President on Niger Delta Affairs; Prince Buruji Kashamu, PDP South-west leader; Senator Iyiola Omisore; Otunba AdebayoAlao-Akala, former Governor of Oyo State; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole; and Engr. Seyi Makinde, PDP governorship aspirant; Mr. Ganiyu Olaoluwa; Yinka Taiwo; Captain Kuji Sele; Ebenezer Alabi and Engr. Bayo Dayo, PDP state chairmen from Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Ondo and Ogun States respectively. Arogbofa, while calling on people of the zone to join hands to give PDP resounding victory during

It was raining. Three of them remained at the check point in their vehicle while two of them went to eat in town. “Before those who went to eat came back, some gunmen had attacked and killed the three policemen in the vehicle and took away the rifle of one of them. Their corpses were evacuated to the mortuary at Toro General Hospital in Bauchi”. When contacted, the state police public relations officer, DSP Haruna Mohammed, said he was yet to get details of the attack,but will contact Sunday Vanguard after investigation.

the 2015 elections, said, “I want to call on my people to let’s work with unity of purpose and I can assure all of us that if we work together, the reward will be superlative. We worked for Mr. President in 2011 and we all can see that there’s no regret and this time around, we will not regret but have more and better reward”. Oloye Akinjide, in her remark, said anybody saying anything contrary was only deceiving him. According to her, the people of the zone would vote massively for President Jonathan come 2015 in order for the zone to have more dividends of democracy”.

attacks. A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Emmanuel Ojukwu, in this regard, said, “Following the attack launched by insurgents on the Gwoza Training camp of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (PMF), the InspectorGeneral of Police, Ag. IGP Suleiman Abba has since ordered the tightening of security around all police facilities in the country in addition to efforts made to further protect the lives of all people in Nigeria and their properties. “It will be recalled that a ferocious attack earlier launched on the Training camp by insurgents on 7th August, 2014 was repelled by the Police. “On 20th August, 2014, the attackers launched a fresh offensive that lasted for several hours where the policemen on duty engaged them in a fierce battle. “The search and rescue party launched immediately has located and brought to safety all Police officers in the Training College at the time of attack. “So far, thirty-five policemen who are still missing from the facility as a result of the latest attack are being searched for with very promising prospect of locating them. “While enjoining all citizens to remain calm and join hands with the security forces in the collective fight against insurgency, the IGP restates his determination to work closely with other security agencies to stem the tide of terrorism in the country.”

Ondo seeks voters registration extension

HE Ondo State government has called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Atahiru Jega , to extend the deadline for the on-going Continuous Voters’ Registration Exercise in the state by three days, to accommodate eligible voters in the state but have been unable to do so as a result of the inadequacies recorded in the course of the exercise. The government made the call through its Committee on INEC Voters Registration, Mr Clement Faboyede. The government appealed

to the INEC Chairman to ensure the deadline of the registration exercise is shifted so that a good number of residents in the state would be able to register and obtain their voter ’s card and perform their civic duties during the 2015 general elections. Faboyede, who addressed journalists alongside the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, noted that 98% of the capturing machines being used in the 2003 wards across the state were either faulty, slow or archaic and

expressed the fear that the level of performance of the exercise, if not corrected, would disenfranchise numerous youths of eligible voting age, adding that INEC must create additional voting units and provide more machines for the exercise. He also frowned at the lack of enough preparedness and training of adhoc staff for the exercise, observed that “ there is no way all the eligible voters can register as the effort put in place was not good enough for the stipulated time”.

PAGE 6 —SUNDAY VANGUARD,AUGUST 24, 2014

L-R: Representative of Marriott International, Ramzi Najjar; the Group Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Sifax Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi; his wife, Folashade; the MD/CEO of Dori Construction & Engineering Nig. Ltd., Chaim Zach; Pastor Owolabi; and Pastor Taiye Olayemi; during the ground breaking ceremony of the new Marriott Hotel, Ikeja.

Group tasks youths to be mentally alert

MIDST the celebration of this y e a r s ’ International Youth day (IYD), the Hope for Youth Development Initiative (HYDI), a youth based organisation in Nigeria

organised a day mentoring training cum seminar for not less than 200 youths at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu Campus. The event which took place in tune with the

special unveiling of the organisation witnessed renowned public speakers and educationist from different spheres in an interactive laden atmosphere. The theme for this year

IYD Celebration – Youth and Mental Health under the slogan “Mental Health Matters” was also emphasised. Delivering the welcome address was the Visionier of the Initiative, Comrade Ajibike Taofeek explained that the aim of the event was to sensitise the youths, stakeholders and the general public on the need to overcome the mental health stigma, knowing that Youths with mental health conditions can often experience stigma and discrimination, which in turn can lead to mental illness after been exposed for a longer period without any help. The former Rector of LASPOTECH, Mr Ayodeji Babatunde Iginla, noted that ‘the economic Situation in Nigeria resulting in youth unemployment and defective infrastructure has generated a lot of stress and hypertension in the youth of the country… The fact remains that only youths with stable mental health can sustain the environment’.

Olajumoke, Alaba Job extol Adefuye at 70

church auditorium has been donated to St Mary ’s Catholic Church Odolewu, Ogun State by elder statesman, Senator Anthony Adefuye as part of activities marking his weeklong 70th birthday. The celebrations took off with a press conference, highlighting the programmes slated for the occasion, which include the SOBAFEST/Adefuye 2014 Day, inter senatorial football tournament at campus stadium, Lagos, conferment of chieftaincy title of Sobaloju of the Source by Oba Okunade Sijuade, the Ooni of Ife. While extolling the virtues of the septuagenarian, Archbishop Emeritus of

Ibadan, Catholic Mission, Dr. Felix Alaba Job, called on Nigerians to appreciate God at all times. He eulogized Adefuye, describing him as ‘’God sent Messiah of our time’.’ Also at the event, Senator Bode Olajumoke referred to Adefuye as a consummate politician and elder statesman of note, whose life and contributions to God and humanity were geared to improve the lots of others, irrespective of political, religious, tribal or respective callings, to gainfully affect the fortunes of others. Similarly a former minster of Health, Prof. Mrs. Adenike Grange, saluted the very efforts of Senator Adefuye to improve his community.

LG primary: Ewu PDP leaders deny hand-picking candidate

HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, elders, leaders and ward chairmen in Ewu axis and Olomu in Ughelli South local government of Delta State, have denied claims by some aggrieved chairmanship aspirants from Ewu, Olomu and Ughievwen that the party leaders hand-picked candidate for the chairmanship election, saying that primary election was the most harmonious and transparent in the history of the council area. The aggrieved aspirants had given the state deputy g o v e r nor, P rof. A m o s Utuama and the leadership of the party in Ughelli South an ultimatum to reverse the choice of Mr Pa u l Etaga as the chairmanship candidate of the party. In a statement signed on behalf of the elders, leaders and executives of the party in the wards by Chiefs David Adasen, Abel Edijala, John Oguma, Milton Ohwovoriole and six other ward chairmen, they maintained that the publication was replete with falsehood and actuated by improper motive with intention of disparaging a well conducted primary. The leaders explained that a caucus meeting was convened by the deputy governor on August 6, 2014 where the modalities and guidelines for the conduct of the primary

were discussed, and it was agreed that constituency 1, Ughievwen should produce the House of Assembly while Constituency 11 , comprising Ewu axis and Olomu should produce the chairmanship candidate on a rotational basis and were mandated to harmonize their aspirants. They explained further, it was agreed between Olomu and Ewu axis that Ewu s hould produce the chairman, and when it was obvious that some aspirants namely, Amos Itihwe, Josephine Oduaran, Andrew Adushoke, Vincent Otidi and Monday Emuvahkpor were not comfortable with the arrangement, they were told to prepare for the primary, and the stage was set for the primary which took place on Saturday August 9, 2014. The aspirants turned up and participated in the primary at the Otujeremi Council Unity Hall under the supervision of DSIEC and security agencies in the full glare of the press. Mr Paul Etaga was voted for as the PDP candidate, and there was no disagreement or protest at the venue. Describing the allegation as unfortunate, they declared that “ we are at loss why the aggrieved aspirants now came up with allegation that the leadership of the party hand-picked a candidate”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014,PAGE 7

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

Govt, information management and security challenge Dear Sir,

OVERNMENT has no great er responsibility than the se curity and welfare of its people. To stand ready to meet that responsibility and protect our values should be foremost in the minds of those in leadership. Real leadership means standing by your principles and rallying other to join you. Based on that our actions against terrorism can best be described as poor. Far short, we still have no comprehensive strategy for victory, we must put in place a strategy to win. Today we face a global Jihadist movement of many groups from different sources with great agenda but all committed to assaulting free and open societies around the globe. Victory in the war against terror requires a combination of our determination, action and international cooperation. Even friends in the domestic media voiced trepidation, yesterday it was narrow escape from the bomb attack, tomorrow might be explosion kills 15 or 20, “another bomb rocking here and there”, instead of the much vaunted success in constructing rail, road from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, Lagos to Kano. Security as things stand should be top most on the agenda. Luck is the residue of design, but bad luck happens to people when they don’t know what they are doing. As things stand now there is doubt whether our nation shall achieve sufficient thrust in our forward progress or whether our nation shall falter and fall back into a fiery re-entry of the past, our active backers consisted of recipients of government contracts and sup-

plies. Football analogy tells us that the fourth quarter determines the game. The issue of Boko Haram would be one of the president’s liabilities during the forthcoming presidential election because we could not stop it Even in the case of abducted school girls the true story of what happened has not been fully relayed to us apart from rumors. The president should brace up for the expected onslaught (the coming election). Apart from security, President Jonathan is highly qualified on

the record of his continuing performance in office for re-election. Though some governors deserted PDP as a party, their action will not in any way affect the outcome of the presidential election or deny the president victory. It didn’t make a dent. He is not running as the chairman of governors forum. The president rode in promising efficiency and competence notwithstanding that his spokesmen were frequently unable to explain their proposals. However, one advise that the

presidebt should consult widely with his top officials before actingto avoid leaving them in the dark. To a vast majority of the citizens of this country, President Goodluck Jonathan is regarded as a beloved leader, one who holds their total trust and their continuing allegiance.

Cletus Okereke, A public affairs analyst, writes in from Anambra State.

An appeal to govt, JTF on Jesse security Dear Sir,

DJERHE kingdom,Jesse, Ethiope West Local Government Area, Delta State, is presently under attack by men of the underworld. Before now, the presence of the men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) had proved as a security bull walk to the hoodlums. Right now the Joint Task Force still have their check points at the entrance of the kingdom but the thieves have devised a new method of inflicting harm on the indigenes of the community. Apart from outright attack on their victims especially at night, they have added writing of letters to their would be victims ordering them to drop a certain amount of money at a designated place in the town. Recently, they robbed people in a compound with the intention of stealing the money a police officer brought home to erect his house. However, they miscalculated as the police officer com-

pleted his plan and left the town. As at the time of the report, thy have issued a letter to a businessman to drop N300,000 at a particular place failing which he would be dealt with. Residents of Jesse town are currently under siege of these hoodlums. The town has no efficient vigilante or youth body that can pose as check to this negative development that is currently creating fear in the minds of indigenes that had hitherto formed the habit of building houses outside the community. Jesse indigenes are presently and aggressively building personal and commercial houses in the kingdom but with this present upsurge of thieves making life unbearable to the residents, indigenes are scared to continue their investments in the town. The negative attitude of this few thieves is causing discouragement to the indigenes.

Residents of the town have pointed out that when the JTF was sent to the town,the hoodlums went into hiding adding that presently the thieves have made a daring and bold comeback not minding the presence of the JTF at the entrance of the Jesse community . It is the opinion of the people that an effective vigilante should be established in the town, that a credible youth body should be put in place to the assist the police and the JTF to patrol and monitor the activities of these hoodlums. They also appealed to the police and JTF to increase their patrol of the town. This can only be possible if the traditional and political leadership of the community rise up against the ugly trend. Evil should not be allowed to triumph over good. John Oderhor, writes in from Jesse, Delta State

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

The chicken and cow business in Enugu Government House

HE Igbo have a rather pithy saying about fortuitous revelations. It is good, they say, that the wind blows now and then, or so that men too would know that the chicken has an anus. The chicken indeed does have an anus, and there is evidence of this in the Enugu Government House where an impeachment saga has opened up some funny chicken business. The Deputy Governor, Mr. Onyebuchi Chukwu is under scrutiny by a legislative panel investigating him in an impeachment process. Let’s be clear, in this season of impeachments and counter impeachments, that the constitution provides that recourse as serious, deliberative process to determine that an individual with public responsibility is not in breach of a public trust. This happens if the continued stay in office of said individual jeopardizes the legitimacy or brings to disrepute the office they occupy, or brings to question, the fair and accountable representation demanded of a public trust – because no public office occupied under a constitutional government is a private liege. Such legitimacy is determined by a simple press of facts: has the person in ques-

tion abused any of the constitutional requirements regnant to the office he or she occupies? Is the individual accountable before the law of a breach of the rules of transparent conduct? Has the individual failed to fully account for his public and personal financial transactions as it relates to running a public office? Has the individual consciously abused the powers or privileges of office in pursuit of personal profit or personal vengeance? Impeachments are never easy processes. They should never be used as witch-hunts or the process itself would be called to question, as indeed would the very constitution which an impeachment hearing seeks to protect and uphold. Certainly, the 1999 constitution does not help matters, because it fails to strictly define the conditions for which an impeachment may happen and the removal of the Governor or the Deputy Governor of a state be carried out. It simply says that if any of these officials are in breach of the constitution; and if a case of “gross misconduct” is established against them by a two-third of the members of the House of Assembly in a

state such removal should be in effect. Now the term “gross misconduct” is far too general. It does leave the question open. The Federal Constitution of Nigeria of 1999 has too many flaws: aside from the fact that it is badly edited; that it has far too many typographical and grammat-

When did Government quarters, including the official lodge of the Governor of the state, turn to chicken farms and cow ranges?

ical errors unbecoming of a document of such record and weight; its provisions are frequently framed in unclear, ambiguous and contradictory language. I suspect that the draughtsmen who did that work had very weak backgrounds in the English language, and often left matters where they were incapable of finding the clear expressive term to liquefy the rhetorical charge of the Nigerian constitution. Thus, Onyebuchi Chukwu might fall under

Overcoming strongholds

VERYBODY prays; we pray in times of trouble, when there’s danger and when we really desire something! It’s almost second nature to pray! Praying means we agree that there is a higher power and we believe it can help us! We can tear down every imaginable stronghold with prayer but not all prayers are answered and that in itself could be a stronghold! No one is to blame as even students of theology hardly have the incontrovertible method of prayer but I have found that science and prayer are extremely compatible. Prayers are ineffective when they are reduced to a frantic and desperate cry, lacking focus and even faith! Just like agitated patients can’t be treated by psychiatrists till they are calm. The imagination brings up the worst possible scenarios in times of despair and prayers are rendered impotent. An effective prayer requires fo-

cus, calm and a complete surrender of our situations to a greater power! Remember “Cast your care”? Trusting absolutely that a greater power has the solutions that may not be obvious to us! In the Lord’s Prayer; the, most important request is “Let thy will be done”. Trying to draw a blue print for God on how he can help us is futile as His ways our not our ways in other words state the problem; leave the solution to God. Prayer is not only the process of kneeling and making supplication, it begins with a visualisation of our objective, just as a great artist sees his finished painting in his mind’s eye before he holds a brush! We must begin to see ourselves as who we desire to be and actively enact it in our mind; every fibre of our being must be impregnated with our goal! Remember prayer is futile without faith and faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen!

The human mind is most pliable when the conscious is submissive to the will of the subconscious! Your five con-

the razor of constitutional ambiguity, because he may indeed be guilty of the “gross misconduct” of raising his private chickens in the official residence allotted to him in the Deputy Governor’s lodge in Enugu – which is public property. Let us simply say, that his chicken business has come to roost. Onyebuchi Chukwu’s great offence under the rule of the thumb, because that is all we have to go with at this stage, is that in building chicken coops and cages on the grounds of a public property, he may have abused his privileges. Look at this way: the Deputy Governor’s lodge, being the property of the government and peoples of Enugu state

should never have been turned into a private chicken farm, for that not only reduces the dignity of the place, but it is conduct unbecoming a public servant to engage in a private business while in office. Allowing of course that the chickens evacuated from the Deputy Governors home, the alleged cause now of his impeachment were not for sale, but raised for private or domestic use, then that brings us to the question: the fact that in using a prop-

superimpose better imageries of our expectations! Fasting is a great tool, the mind is easily distracted by the energy the body expends on digestion. I am a firm believer in fasting; after a while the hunger pangs do give way but it is not meant to fight our strong or permissive will; its sole purpose is to create a more pliant conscious so the subconscious can take over! Fasting gives prayer more focus and the greatest minds have used it to great effect, remember Grandi Psychologists know that

We can tear down every imaginable stronghold with prayer but not all prayers are answered and that in itself could be a stronghold!

scious senses must be employed to see your destination, to taste, hear and feel it completely! The imagination must conform to our supplications! It’s no use praying for wealth and abundance when your imagination supplies you with a vivid imagery of lack! When such negative thoughts come and they sometimes do we must

the best time to recondition a mind is when the conscious is pliant and relaxed, they work with the subconscious! Monks spend time in seclusion, chanting and releasing every conscious thought, focussing only on their breathes to reach a higher plane of consciousness! Christians and Muslims alike understand the need for seclusion and abstinence from conscious dis-

erty properly zoned for a residential area for the dirty business of chickens, the Deputy governor has failed to comply with the basic town planning or zoning laws, under which the laws governing public health also fall. In other words, by creating a chicken farm at an industrial level in a strictly residential neighborhood, the Deputy Governor of Enugu state may have exposed the public to potential health risks and deadly hazards that come with the chicken disease, including of course the possibility of spreading the Chicken Anaemia Virus (CAV), the equivalent of the human AIDS in chickens, salmonella, the deadly Avian Flu virus, campylobacter enteritis, and a slew of other deadly diseases that can affect humans by being in close proximity to chicken farms. It is actually quite unbecoming for a public officer of the Deputy Governor ’s standing to engage in that kind of ignorant close-quartered farming of chickens at the risk of public health. But does that constitute that kind of “gross misconduct” for which he should be impeached? Certainly, no. Indeed, all he may really be liable for is a fine imposed on him by the Public Health Department like any other citizen breaking the residential zoning laws and public health codes of the city of Enugu. It is only when the Deputy Governor brazenly fails to pay the fines in obedience to the law, or uses his office to circumvent such a payment, or threatens other

public officials on collection duties with the weight of his office that he may be liable of “gross misconduct.” Not before. In any case, Mr Onyebuchi Chukwu added, in his defence, a new dimension to the claims: apparently, there is also Chicken and Cow business going on even in the Governors lodge in Enugu! It brings us to the question, which our friend Chuks Ugwuoke may wish to answer: what is going on in Enugu state? When did Government quarters, including the official lodge of the Governor of the state, turn to chicken farms and cow ranges? However, according to a government house spokesman, the Deputy Governor may have misrepresented the facts, because the Chicken and cows kept on the grounds of the Governor ’s lodge is an extension of a program by the state’s Ministry of Agriculture. It is from that collection that cows and chickens are slaughtered for the use of the Governor and his Deputy. This is not a laughing matter, but we must set our priorities right. The provisions made for the upkeep of Government House across Nigeria is in eloquent disregard of the conditions of the Nigerian people. That is the real meaning of “gross misconduct” – to feed fat on free government chicken and cows while hunger ravages the rest of Nigerians. This Chicken and cow business ought really to stop.

tractions to make contact with the divine and their efforts are always rewarded with great insight and an overall refreshing of their bodies and minds! For those who can’t invest in extensive and effective prayers or even seclusion, the Baudoin technique might be the answer! Charles Baudoin was a professor (psychotherapist) at the Rousseau institute in France .You condense your desire/prayer into a word or brief phrase and repeat it over and over again till you fall asleep, the few minutes of drowsiness before sleep mimics the state of hypnosis and he conducted successful experiments on patients who were healed of many mental and physical diseases! There are great words that one can autosuggest in the form of a lullaby just before sleep and I promise from experience they produce great results and do destroy many strongholds!! A good example is when facing Anxiety or Sorrow, say I have Peace and joy (envision yourself in peaceful serenity and utter joy; let this be your last waking thought. Keep at it till it comes to pass.) So as we all battle the unpleasant realities of terrorism, recession and the plague of Ebola, I come with the answer to all our fears. yes you guessed it; Preyer. To all those pessimists fearfully anticipating doomsday I dare suggest that

prayer, a conscious reprogramming of negativity to positivity will bring change from darkness to light. A little child in our situation will not worry and would probably escape into a place where fun and games would be possible even if they had a terminal disease. I am not a fan of Patrick Sawyer and his desperate actions put a whole nation at risk, but I can understand the fear and desperation that informed his actions.At this time he shouldn't be that Liberian, what he was, was human, flawed and afraid like all of us. For some reason he believed that in Nigeria he would be saved, forgetting that we didn't have a clue about this disease. I won't speak ill of the dead and while I am aggrieved that my fellow citizens have died because of him, I can only wish him rest. I am particularly sad that the very kind Dr Adadevoh has been infected and I am employing the tools of prayer for her healing as well as all those infected. Overcoming strongholds require faith strong enough that we start living in the realm of possibilities and even impossibilities, truth is some people in history survived greater plagues, greater terrorism and economic meltdowns, we will too.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014,PAGE 9

PAGE 10 —SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

A tale of two defectors: Fani-Kayode and Ribadu

honest politi cian, like a chaste prostitute, is almost an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms. Still there are a few who are passably honest and stay true to the ideals associated with them from start to finish. By contrast, the nation had witnessed a tragiccomical episode of two young politicians who in the space of a few years have turned themselves into political nuisances. Incidentally, unlike most Nigerians, I was among the first to detect the real persons from the facades to which others subscribed about Fani-Kayode and Ribadu. I had written nothing less than ten columns on the two in the past. The last two years of Obasanjo’s rule exposed them to thoughtful observers – even while superficial analysts were still taking them seriously. Let me

start by recounting a recent encounter with the “dandy duo” (as they would henceforth be called). A rolling stone, we learnt in our childhood, gathers no moss. That may be true. But, it acquires some experience which a stationary block will find it difficult to match. To say I am restless is to understate my habit. I doubt there is another columnist in Nigeria today who had covered twenty eight states of Nigeria in the last twelve months. That is my tally. It was on one of those trips which brought me in contact with the dandy duo. Mr. Sam NdahIsaiah, the only declared Presidential aspirant, was having a house warming function to which a few “friends” were invited – including the dandy duo and me. I arrived before they did. The two and a third fellow stormed into the premises a little late and quickly gathered all the attention. Soon, it was self-introduction time and there was applause aplenty for these two “strong pillars of the

APC” – as a young man sitting next to me called them. My answer to the young man and those on the same table with me was simple. “Sam and the APC obviously don’t recognize two Trojan horses when they gallop into their camp. Call me any name if Fani-Kayode and Ribadu are still with APC by December.” The young man and others

“A honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will remain bought.” Simon Cameron, c1860, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p190.

Is the PDP saying it cannot win in Adamawa without Ribadu who had never won any election in his life?

could not believe their ears. “You mean that after all the things Fani-Kayode and Ribadu had said about the PDP they will return to the party?” asked one of them. “They will return because they are on a mis-

Let him that would move the world first move himself

don't usually agree with IBB, but he recently made rather valid point that it is difficult to ignore; the use of soldiers during elections. I did mention exactly this concern last week that I feared that the FG is setting up a dangerous precedent and the fear of breeding future guns for hire. The Osun state was a washed with trucks full of soldiers, police and agents armed to the teeth. They have intimidated and harassed the ordinary people by their presence and actions all in disguise by the government that they were there to prevent rigging. It was obvious that government was using their presence as a tool of intimidation, submission and oppression. So, here IBB is saying exactly the

same and he is warning the government of misusing the military to serve their ulterior purpose and that they risk compromising the reputation of the military as they have already sullied the reputation of the police. He said that "I don't believe the military should supervise elections. I don't believe they should participate in them. I was already an officer in the Nigerian Army in the 60s and there was no military presence in the streets in those days but the police. I think it is high time we restored the glory of the force". And that "I am not sure military guys should be involved in these civic duties. It cannot continue like this. I don't believe the military guys should be seen on the streets," IBB argued that political leaders should be equal to the challenge of elections, even where the task appears

complex. And that: "Up till date, there are places that you need logistical support by the political leaders. For example, there are boats in

"It is hard to hear the truth from people who get paid to distort it." -- Sean S. Kamali

sion. It is only the leaders of the APC who are TOO STUPID to know they are being taken for a joyful ride on those two Trojan horses.” That was my reply. I neither had the time nor the inclination to elaborate at the time. But, because the young man called me last week after Ribadu followed Fani-Kayode back to PDP – after swallowing their own vomit, I will now briefly explain. Permit me to summarise before presenting the evidence. It is in their characters and one of them inherited his own political duplicity from a late father who was also a deadly politician in his days. Those of us who lived in the Western Region can testify to that. I have a personal testimony – which had been

kept a secret till now about late Chief Remi Fani-Kayode, QC. One day, I might write a book titled FANIKAYODE AND FANIKAYODE. It could be a comedy or a tragedy – depending on the reader’s mood. The other character was

ing that I agree with him. He should know as he has walked the walk. And it would be in the best interest of the FG to listen if not sooner or later the result of their action, will come and bite them in the proverbial. Of course, the FG, would like us believe that it was the presence of the military that assured a free and fair elections. They argued that their new approach shows their fresh determination for a better and transparent election. So their justification is that the two elections is indicative their approach to militarized the voting zones worked . They concluded that the heavy military presence has helped to prevent abuses, intimidation and harassment by those bent on creating mayhem. I am sure,

There is no doubt that Dr. Adadevoh was not only a dedicated, committed and competent doctor, but she also showed rare courage, rare sense of duty, service and patriotism to her country

the creeks of the Niger Delta. The boats can access remote villages and townships in that region, not the road, during the elections". He maintains that he does not believe the military should be seen on the street. He is right and it is shock-

those in their right mind would believe not believe them. Independent observers will disagree with FG's version of the truth. Contrary to IBB, The Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu

brought out of obscurity, as an Assistant Inspector General, AIG, of Police to fame (now notoriety) and prominence – when Obasanjo tapped him for the position of the first Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He started out on a fast track, but started derailing by 2005. Among his many unethical and unconstitutional measures were his use of the EFCC and police to shut down States Houses of Assembly and encourage such monstrosity as six House members in Plateau State impeaching eighteen members. Yet, Ribadu is said to be a lawyer. When he waded into the looting of the Petroleum Development Trust Fund, PDTF, it was to exonerate, despite overwhelming evidence, President Obasanjo who was later indicted by the Senate Committee probing the matter. [Read the details in my book -PDP: CORRUPTION INCORPORATED]. By the time he was dropped by Yar ’Adua, Ribadu had himself allegedly become a study in how public officers derail. Ribadu is fortunate that he lives in a nation of people who cannot remember what happened yesterday – let alone in 2005-7. So, when the “Progressives”, generally intelligent, but not wise, went for Ribadu to fly their flag in 2011, I was sure commonsense had taken a leave of absence among the leaders of the ACN. Perhaps

now, they will put on their thinking caps and stop grabbing at every floating object to save their political lives. The next question is: has the PDP got a bargain by this defection? Not bloody likely. Ribadu had disparaged the PDP and President Jonathan, so much, that only a party and a President lacking in self-respect and confidence will embrace him now. Is the PDP saying it cannot win in Adamawa without Ribadu who had never won any election in his life? Even his brand of “Mr Clean” does not sell very well in that state. He has never helped anybody there and nobody owes him a debt to repay. He is without any political value whatsoever in Adamawa…..

Obanikoro, is convinced that there is a role for the military to sustain in fair election processes. He said that "It is not militarization of the society if we have come to realize that with the military participating in the area of security during elections, we are getting an improved outcome. And he said "It makes good sense to study that and invest in it. As of now, the military are way ahead of other security agencies when it comes to the enforcement of law and order in this country," the minister argued. IBB knows what he is talking about and they do well to listen to him.

She was instrumental in ensuring that the index source of Ebola sufferer did not spread beyond Lagos. Sadly, she succumbed to the virulent disease after a long hard battle. We were all willing and praying for her to recover but it was not to be. Talking about her passing, the Minister for Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu accredited her effort: "Regrettably she lost her life to Ebola virus. Of course she contracted the disease from the Liberian-American who exported the disease to Nigeria in the course of treating that patient. Indeed she had to physically restrain this infected person from escaping from the hospital when the latter attempted to do so, having been communicated that he was Ebola-positive. Indeed, if that index case had escaped hospital at that stage it would have spelt disaster for Nigeria as many more persons would have been very difficult to track; and could have become primary contacts. There is no doubt that Dr. Adadevoh was not only a dedicated, committed and competent doctor, but she showed rare courage, rare sense of duty, service and patriotism to her country." We honour this brave woman and pray for her family and friends. There have been over 1,300 deaths from Ebola. Two Americans who contacted the Ebola virus in Liberia have made full recovery and discharged from hospital after been treated with an experimental drug.

We owe gratitude to Dr.Ameyo Adadevoh It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others." -- Dalai Lama XIV If there ever was a Nigerian, who embodied bravery and selflessness it is the Senior Consultant/Physician and Endocrinologist at First Consultant Hospital in Lagos, Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh. We all owe her a huge debt of gratitude. This woman did not shirk her clinical responsibility and she stopped the spread Ebola by her single act of bravery. We can only imagine what could have happened if this amazing woman had not stopped the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) by restraining LiberianAmerican Patrick Sawyer to his bed.

IN UYO—JUST IN TIME TO SEE A GREAT SHOW Rolling, as usual, I found myself in Uyo, early this week and on Wednesday August 20, 2014, the state stood still for Umana Umana, the former Secretary to the State Government, SSG, who celebrated his 55th birthday. Surprisingly, the mammoth crowd included people from all the three ethnic groups – Ibibio, Anang and Oron. Is a coalition of forces shaping up? Wait for more…. V i s i t : www.delesobowale.com or Visit: www.facebook.com/biolasobowale

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 11

we cannot equate the enforcement of electoral law with an insurrection which requires a military force to suppress. The Nigerian Police ought to be able to handle any electoral malpractice. There is thus no need to draft heavily armed military personnel to election venues where majority of the participants are harmless voters who are not at war but eager to elect the candidates of their choice.

AST week, the media was replete with trib utes marking the 73rd birthday anniversary of former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB). I was also thrilled by the interview he granted on the occasion where he made two profound and related pronouncements-one, that it is dangerous to involve the military in elections and the other, that the Nigerian Military would soon be compromised. Last year, some top army personnel and the leadership of our electoral body were not too happy with me for expressing similar opinions. Now that a personality like Babangida has publicly expressed the same “offending” opinions, I have no option than to ‘agree with IBB’. An election in Nigeria is obviously tedious because the lucrative nature of our ‘ winner- takes-all’ political system tends to oil all forms of mischief. As a result, securing our election process cannot be overstated. But

show in which a comedian claimed he got his wife to learn how to drive a trailer so that that she can get used to driving their ‘KEKE NAPEP’ car! For Nigerians to get used to free and fair elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not rely on the strange tradition of a physically enforced democratic ethos. Instead, the commission should use its status of independence to take charge of its mandate. It should cultivate the confidence of the people by op-

An election in Nigeria is obviously tedious because the lucrative nature of our ‘winner- takes-all’ political system tends to oil all forms of mischief. As a result, securing our election process cannot be overstated

The argument of some analysts that the atmosphere of peace which the military forcefully creates could assure some voters of safety stands logic on its head. It reminds one of a recent

erating efficiently. It should sustain its new vigour to end basic and routine problems such as the lateness of men and materials to election venues. Although interagency support could be

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

Truth, reason and nation building (3)

N fact, the delegates went further: they wanted a secession clause inserted in the new constitution that might be generated from the conference. But something remarkable happened after the governor of the region, Hassan Usman Katsina, came around: the delegates left hurriedly for the North their home base, and the conference was adjourned. Upon their return after consultations, they put forward a new proposal that contradicted the well-known position of Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and others, which favoured a political arrangement based on the separateness of Northern and Southern Nigeria. This time around, the Northern representatives wanted a strong and effective central government, complemented by reduced regional autonomy. In addition, they advocated creation of new states (an idea which Northern leaders had repeatedly turned down before), and agreed that secession need not be included in the constitution. Why did the North shift from its previous dislike of centralised governance and threats of secession to become its staunch advocate? In my view, there are two main reasons for the paradigm shift. The first and most important reason is economic: if each region became highly autonomous, then it had to depend largely on its own revenue,

which, in effect, meant that the North would have to pay back the huge loans used in constructing Kainji dam and Bornu railway extension. As a corollary, since virtually all the oil-bearing communities were domiciled in the Eastern region and crude oil export was gradually displacing agriculture as the major source of foreign revenue for the country, regional autonomy would further widen the economic gap between the North and the South, to the detriment of the former. Secondly, Northern leaders felt secure that due to the North's numerical superiority in the lower cadres of the military, its political interests will not be jeopardised by any type of unitary government comprising a strong central administration and weak federating states. Moreover, as usual British diplomats used their conspicuous influence in the North to convince its prominent political leaders that Britain did not support confederation for Nigeria. Of course, the constitutional conference failed, principally because of renewed mass killings of Easterners in the North, which created intense animosity between Northerners and Ndigbo, who were by far the biggest victims in the mayhem. It was obvious once again, that the idea of "One Nigeria" was probably an illusion based on a simplistic understanding of the entailments of nationhood and lack of apprecia-

tion by political and military leaders that extraordinary measures were needed to stop the slide into disintegration. A last ditch effort was made to save Nigeria from disaster in Aburi, Ghana, between January 4 and 5, 1967. Given his undoubted superior intellectual grasp of the thorny issues at stake, Ojukwu was able to secure an agreement, The Aburi Accord, that, if implemented, could have lessened the trauma and bad feelings of his compatriots in the East. The most important decision from the Aburi summit was that Nigeria should be governed as a confederation of regions for an indefinite interim period until tempers cooled down and a modicum of peace was restored. Unfortunately, Gowon and his cohorts did not implement the Aburi Accord due to their overarching egoism and survivalist instincts. That said, irrespective of gross distortions by revisionist historians, it is clear that Gowon's inability or plain refusal to implement the Accord gave credence to the conviction among the Igbo and other Easterners that Nigeria was no longer habitable for them. It is tempting to believe that Gowon and some leaders of the Northern establishment deliberately scuttled the Aburi rapprochement to compel Ojukwu to "do something." More specifically, Gowon probably

nel on the streets alone is an anomaly, asking them to man check points which exposes them to converting such posts to toll gates as policemen do, will no doubt dissuade them from high military ethical traditions. Some operatives will even find a way of being posted to checkpoints rather than fighting the current insurgency in the nation making it difficult for us to distance the rumoured military mutinies in the North East of the country from the civilianization of our soldiers. The stand of the Military High Command that the publicity of the purported refusal of deployment of soldiers to war zones is the act of an impostor may be correct but it is simplistic to stop at that. Is all well with our military? If yes, it is curious that the famous Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar has listed possible causes of what he calls “imminent service-wide revolt” to include “dubious recruitment method, poor training and equipment, lack of motivation and deployment of soldiers to purely police duty like checkpoints at which they are seen soliciting and receiving bribe”. Can such people fight a war? America does not think so judging by the testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, by its Air Force Chief of staff, Gen. Mark Welsh III, that the Nigerian military is, “quite frankly, becoming afraid to even en-

gage”. The revelation by a former British military attaché to Nigeria, Col. James Hall that in Mali last year, Nigerian peacekeepers, had to buy pick-up trucks while their armor kept breaking down is similarly instructive. Can we then blame wives of soldiers serving in Maiduguri who reportedly took to the streets the other day to protest a planned deployment of their husbands to reclaim Gwoza and other volatile areas which were seized by insurgents? How come such protests were not heard of during the dangerous days of ECOMOG deployments to Liberia and Sierra Leone? It will be good to examine the allegation of the protesters that their husbands are being sent to war zones without adequate weapons. To the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal who says the legislator does not tamper with military budgets, it is a great pity that soldiers who sacrifice their lives are not well cared for. The Speaker claimed that the last time he passed by the barracks in Bauchi, what he saw was an eyesore suggesting that “the welfare of our men is still unattended to”. We submit that it is time to care more for our military personnel, preserve their splendid isolation and prepare them not for election duties but for war in a world where attack is obviously the best form of defence.

suspected that Ojukwu was an ambitious man who would not miss an opportunity to lead a country. Therefore, at a press conference in January 26, 1967, Gowon presented a mutilated version of the Aburi Accord, which seemed to confirm the belief that his administration was not interested in establishing lasting peace between Easterners and their Northern compatriots based on the agreement hammered out in Ghana. A significant event that took place after the press conference was promulgation of decree 8 of March 17, 1967, which, according to Ojukwu and prominent leaders of Eastern region, did not reflect key decisions of the Aburi meeting. Ojukwu could not understand why Gowon was foot-dragging on the agreement reached,

economy and top echelons of the military. On the other hand, leaders of the Eastern region, including Ojukwu, misjudged the jihadist ambitions of key members of the Northern establishment, and overestimated the capacity of the region to withstand an all-out military confrontation with Gowon's government. Focusing now on the Biafran war itself and all the suffering, destruction and death associated with it, there is no doubt in my mind that both Gowon and Ojukwu bear the heaviest burden of blame for the tragedy. In the first place, Gowon was an illegitimate leader, for at the time of Ironsi's murder, there were senior military officers above him in the chain of military command that ought to be head of state in keeping with military tra-

eral military government headed by Gowon was unwilling to punish the criminals and compensate victims of what amounted to ethnic cleansing, it was better to create an independent country where they could live in peace and dignity. Now, the decision to secede was not Ojukwu's alone: it was informed by hyperbolic idealism of the people and authorised by a group which comprised some of the most distinguished citizens in Nigerian history, including Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Okpara, N.U. Akpan, Margaret Ekpo, Akanu Ibiam, Sam Mbakwe etc. But it must be remarked that Ojukwu, as governor of the Eastern region and preeminent leader of the Igbo, made some decisions that played into the hands of Gowon and his warmongering advisers. One of such bad decisions was his rejection of proposals for peace made by the National Conciliation Committee, led by Adetokumbo Ademola, which included Obafemi Awolowo and Sam Aluko. Again, Ojukwu declared the Republic of Biafra too quickly. Consider this: the Consultative Assembly of Chiefs and Elders, which met on 29 May 1967, publicly endorsed the clamour for secession. The assembly mandated Ojukwu to pull the East out of what they considered a defunct federation of Nigeria "at an early practicable date." Thus, the time line given by Eastern leaders of thought to the governor to declare independence for their region was flexible, and could have been appropriately interpreted by Ojukwu to mean "the next day," "in a week's time, " "one month from now," "one year from today" and so on. To be continued.

The most important decision from the Aburi summit was that Nigeria should be governed as a confederation of regions for an indefinite interim period until tempers cooled down and a modicum of peace was restored

I agree with IBB

useful sometimes, the commission needs to evolve a system that disallows other institutions that are propelled by materialism from soiling its work. Investing on technology is no doubt a more reliable option than the use of compromised law enforcement agents. For example, it was INEC’s plan ‘B’ and not security agencies that thwarted the attempt by unscrupulous persons to use software to rig the Osun election Besides, the law enforcement agencies have on several occasions proven to be part of INEC’s challenges. First, they can be overzealous as INEC found in Osun recently where its own officialswere arrested around 9p.m., on the eve of the election while on their way to their duty posts and were not released until about 6am the next day, a situation that almost disrupted the distribution of electoral materials in some areas. Second, the unfettered use of security agents in Osun exposed the inexplicable securing of election by masked security men with unknown identity. History having shown that the use of security agencies in elections compromises such agencies, the Military needs to be wary of the assignment. One great legacy that our present military leadership can bequeath to its successors is to halt the use of the military for mundane civil duties. If as IBB pointed out, seeing military person-

unless he (Gowon) had a hidden agenda. As we suggested a moment ago, it appears Gowon's actions indicated that he and some of his closest advisers were really hoping that Ojukwu would take a drastic decision, such as declaration of secession, which the federal government could then use as a pretext for military action against the East. Certainly, in their calculus, declaration of war against the secessionists would halt or possibly reverse the dominant role of Easterners in critical sectors of the Nigerian federation, especially in education, the

dition. In addition, non-implementation of the Aburi Accord sincerely and faithfully created a strong suspicion in leaders of the Eastern region that Gowon and his top advisers were not committed to peace and justice for the East anyway. However, Ojukwu seemed to have made up his mind that pulling the Eastern region out of Nigeria was the best option for his people. The emotional trauma and disillusionment of Ndigbo due to the pogroms provided fertile psychological soil for secessionist agitation among the people. Many of them felt that since the fed-

PAGE 12— SUNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, AUGUST 24, 2014

Boosting African talents through innovation: The SAP example

Robert Enslin, a member of the Executive Board of SAP SE and President of Global Customer Operations, at the world press conference last week at the World Trade Center, Johannesburg, South Africa during the announcement of $500 by SAP to upskill local African talents and drive innovation. BY EMEKA AGINAM

oreign Direct Investment plays an extraordinary and growing role in global business. It is usually characterized by new markets and marketing channels, access to new skills, technology and financing, among others. These amongst others benefits are what Nigeria and some other African countries stand to gain from the investment to be made by SAP. Just last week in Johannesburg, South Africa, Systems Applications and Products, SAP, in a world press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa announced plans to invest up to $500 million to accelerate innovation and growth in Africa. Apparently, the expansive opportunities within Africa have been the reason for the rise on the influx of FDI by the multinationals on the continent. Although governments are usually apprehensive of the implication of the presence of foreign firms to the nation’s growth and development, but by the time the announcement was there were convincing signals that SAP’s commitment to up skilllocal African talents through innovation was not in doubt. Benefiting countries: The African countries that will benefit from the pilot program will include Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Angola and Morocco. Goals of the investment: The goal, according to SAP, is to establish the African region as one of the company’s top-five growth markets globally. Much of the direct investment, the firm said will be outside South Africa, where SAP already has a solid footprint. The investment, according to SAP, is part of its vision of helping make Africa run better and improve the lives of Africans. Core goals: *Accelerating growth across five regions with hub anchors in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Angola and Morocco * Up-skilling next generation of IT leaders and professionals by training up to 10,000

consultants by 2020 in close collaboration with local governments and universities * Building on 22 years of experience, commitment and close collaboration with customers, partners, governments and universities throughout the African continent. The investment when fully concluded is expected to up-skill next generation of IT leaders and professionals by training consultants by 2020 in close collaboration with local governments and universities. Africa as important market: Listening to SAP Africa Executive leadership , one thing was clear. Africa, including Nigeria is the next big destination for SAP while investment groups and venture capital funds have taken notice of Africa's burgeoning IT market. However, the plan to invest$500 million to accelerate and grow local talents in the continent explains the potentials of the market. Potentials to leapfrog Speaking on the potentials of Africa as the next big destination, Robert Enslin, a member of the Executive Board of SAP SE and president of Global Customer Operations, told the gathering that Africa has the capacity to leapfrog with technology. With innovative solutions from SAP, Enslin with optimism said that, Africa has unique opportunity to succeed. Time for Africa to succeed: “This is time for Africa to succeed. We will use our cutting edge technologies to accelerate growth in the continent. With our current investment, amazing growth is expected in the continent. "The African market is unique in its growth potential and readiness to innovate. SAP's additional investment in the continent reflects SAP’s vision to help the world run better by delivering leading-edge innovation.” “In Africa, we plan to engage and invest in even more markets while helping build the appropriate talent base for the IT industry, and support our customers and partners by actively contributing toward crucial technology and business skills-sets and new

employment opportunities in Africa.” Growth plan: According to him, SAP Africa growth plan is built on the following pillars: *Accelerating industry growth in energy and natural resources, utilities, public sector, financial services and telecommunications in the core countries of South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Angola and Morocco. * Promoting innovation on the continent by accelerating the roll-out of core innovative SAP technology solutions that can help address the enormous resource challenges Africa is facing. Africa is in a unique position to absorb the latest technology innovations, including mobile, cloud and the flagship in-memory platform SAP HANA, as many businesses are not burdened with legacy systems already in place. * Enhancing small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) growth, which contributes 40 percent to Africa’s GDP, by selecting Kenya as the next market for the company ’s Emerging Entrepreneur Initiative, due to the strength and potential of the Kenyan market to grow and support a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, among others. Believing that African has potentials to leapfrog with innovative technology, the CEO of SAP, Africa, Pfungwa Serima, assured that the global market leader for business software was committed to creating innovative environment to building new solution for Africa. According to him, part of the investment will be on training the people of Africa, thereby creating opportunities to develop potential market. Skills for Africa Scholarship: At the event that also had an interactive sessions on SAP’s cloud computing and Big Data, Serima disclosed that SAP will launch the Skills for Africa Scholarship Programme in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Angola by the end of the year. “SAP Africa is leveraging its established presence and valued ecosystem relationships to immediately commence execution of this plan across the four key pillars that we believe will drive the greatest growth and impact for the continent” he said. For Mark Walker, Director, Insights and Vertical Industries, IDC Middle East, Africa and Turkey, IDC, this is the time for African government to use technology for economic development. According to him, “Innovative technologies such as mobility and the cloud are among the fastest growing IT segments and are already having a significant impact on businesses’ ability to grow and innovate. “We are facing a major turning point where we either embrace the cuttingedge or remain rooted in the past. Solid, forwardlooking investment plans will not only dramatically strengthen Africa’s ICT landscape, but also its ability to compete on a global scale."

‘Stallion rolls out vehicles built for Nigerian roads’

BY EMEM AKPAN

ultinational

conglomerate l l i o n group has rolled out light commercial vehicles and buses at its new state-ofthe-art assembly plant in Lagos State. The Stallion vehicles were built from completely-knockeddown components and designed for Nigerian roads. They will be available soon in their dealerships nationwide, Stallion Group Chairman, Mr. Suril Vaswani, said, yesterday. He said the induction of the leading auto brand is crucial to the National Automotive Industry Development Plan, which, essentially, seeks to position Nigeria among world class industrial economies and has been successfully achieved in other emerging countries. “We have integrated many proven metrics into this frame work and we are mindful of the six stages of development for a brand, each equating to a different marketing priority, starting with creating basic awareness and concluding with building c u s t o m e r l o y a l t y ” , Va s w a n i reasoned. He added that the Stallion’s initiative is an integrated vehicle manufacturing frame work that enables Stallion Group to produce high quality vehicles from knocked down components and with a view to ultimately grow into full fledge local manufacturing industries. An introductory price of N2.45million has meanwhile been introduced for Stallion Force LE (double cabin 4x4 pick-up) and N2.95million for Stallion Force SE pick-up while 16-seater Stallion Citibus S

Inside the assembly plant

Stallion vehicles, according to the company, are competitively priced to enable every potential buyer to purchase and own a vehicle is being introduced atN3.95million. Other Stallion made buses are Stallion Civicbus 29+1seater priced at N8.45m, Stallion Contibus 40+1 seater at N10.95m and Stallion Country bus available from 42 to 66 seater. The starting price of Stallion Country bus is N12.45m. Vaswani is convinced that the population of

Nigeria supports half a million vehicles annually, which is more than sufficient to sustain an emerging automotive industry. Stallion vehicles, according to the company, are competitively priced to enable every potential buyer to purchase and own a vehicle. The Stallion vehicle plant is coming on the heels of similar plants owned by the group, VON Automobile, Stallion Nissan Motors Nigeria and Hyundai Motors Nigeria plant. “These plants have created significant employment to stimulate industrial clusters such as original equipment manufacturers that includes steel plants, glass manufacturers, after market shops and transportation service providers which would lead to job creation and contribute significantly to the GDP,”the company said.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014, PPA AGE 13

Prologue

2015: NORTH VS SOUTH (1)

INEC gives North fresh advantage *70% of new polling units to North; South gets less than 30% *Stormy meeting of federal commissioners

• Voters on queue ....INEC in gambit

n what many are describing as a gambit with the potential for dangerous and unimaginable consequences, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, led by Professor Attahiru Jega, may have set itself up for opprobrium from a section of the Nigerian nation. Its recently announced 30,000 new Polling Units, PUs, has been distributed across the country. Yet, in a curious twist of logic, the cleaning of the Voter Register, VR, which has seen many states in the northern part of Nigeria lose ‘GHOST VOTERS’ in their millions, have been allocated a whopping 21,615 (twenty one thousand, six hundred and fifteen) PUs, as against a meagrely 8,412 (eight thousand, four hundred and twelve). This exclusive report brings C M Y K

out the dangerous game of political conspiracy that has been on at INEC and which Sunday Vanguard has carefully followed in the last two years. The findings are mind-boggling as there are cogent and verifiable reasons to suggest that the ever acrimonious North/South dichotomy may have become a guiding principle of administrative philosophy at INEC, a philosophy that may at once pour cold water on the hard-earned integrity of Jega. Therefore, how this academic of international repute got himself into this bind remains confounding.

GENERALLY

The devil is in the details. On paper, the provision and allocation of new Polling Units, PUs numbering over 30,000, may be desirable – at least in the light of the congestion at polling stations

BY JIDE AJANI

What has happened, however, is that Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, led by Professor Attahiru Jega, has insinuated itself into a dangerous political game which defies simple logic

during the 2011 general elections. But this provision is only desirable in so far as it reflects the realities on ground. What has happened, however, is that Nigeria’s

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, led by Professor Attahiru Jega, has insinuated itself into a dangerous political game which defies simple logic. After carrying out a cleaning exercise to sanitise the Voter Register, VR, an exercise which has reduced the total number of validly registered voters in the country, the selfsame INEC has gone ahead to allocate its new 30,000 PUs in such a manner that some states that had already lost so much to ghost registration still ended up getting more PUs.

A STORMY SESSION

First, the meeting! At a meeting of the federal commissioners of INEC on Tuesday, August 12, 2014, a very important matter was tabled. The matter had to do with the creation of additional

30,000 new PUs. INEC, in its wisdom, decided to, as it claimed, ease voting procedure because of the perceived congestion of voting centres. But the meeting, Sunday Vanguard was made to understand, ran into a storm when commissioners were told of the distribution of the PUs. In the document, in possession of Sunday Vanguard (see next page), which relates to the distribution of the PUs, there is a clear lopsidedness. What got some of the commissioners miffed was the preponderance of the allocation to the North as against what the South got. The commissioners were told that the sharing formular would be 85% proportionalbased and 121 PUs per state on the basis of equality. Sources at the meeting said

Continues on page 14

PAGE 14—SUND AY 14—SUNDA

Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

Continued from page 13

INEC gives North fresh advantage

•Professor Attahiru Jega

•President Goodluck Jonathan

QUESTIONS INEC MUST ANSWER

There were many questions: What was the basis for arriving at 85% and not 50 or 60 % proportion distribution? If as INEC indicated on the chart that some states were having excess polling units and not deserving of more polling units in relation to registered voters, why and where was the objectivity in allocating additional 121 polling units on the basis of equality to states ? How can INEC convince the public that this new polling units are not for the northern region when suddenly it abandoned its post business rule register that gave a more credible and more realistic total number of register used for the production of its Permanent Voters Card, C M Y K

PVC, the same used in Ekiti and Osun election and has now decided to use post Automated Finger Identification System, AFIS, register of voters data that has more unreliable data when it decided to create polling u n i t s ? Was it meant to disguise or mask the disproportionate allocation to a section of the country as shown by the allotted figures? If you have on paper polling units that should be populated with maximum of 500 voters and there is usually a presumption that all would turn up on Election Day on the basis of which INEC normally produces ballot papers, would this not be a smart way of returning votes based on these polling units that are physically on ground but do not have these voters? Is this proposal or decision an outcome of an agreement or consensus between the INEC decision management made up of the National Commissioners? That may not have been the case because, at the time of this report, Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that moves are still on at the Commission to get the

tempers flared; as commissioners from the South wanted to know the rationale behind the sharing. Some of the commissioners, it was gathered, “ wanted to know what was meant by 85% proportional distribution and 121 additional polling units for equality of states that were deemed to have excess!”

Whatever spiritual, political or ethno-religious force, that influenced the decision of INEC to seemingly surreptitiously engage in a twist of logic, would be difficult for many to understand

commissioners on the same page.

OH! INEC

Whatever spiritual, political or ethno-religious force, that influenced the decision of INEC to seemingly surreptitiously engage in a twist of logic, would be difficult for many to understand. For over two years, Sunday Vanguard has consistently and doggedly pointed out some perceptibly less than par political engineering module of administration that the Commission’s leadership was employing. In a few instances, the Commission applies the brakes, re-

assesses its operations and, where necessary, makes the necessary changes; and, at other times, pooh-poohs this medium’s intervention. However, because in the last couple of months, Sunday Vanguard had exclusively gotten and published the outcome of INEC’s seemingly altruistic effort at ensuring that a clean Voter Register, VR, is provided for Nigerians and, in the process, coming to terms with the realities of the exercise, there is a basis to pontificate on the intricacies of the voter population, the creation of new polling units and the architecture of the process that is expected to give Nigerians better, freer and

fairer elections as the years go by. Already, the true registered voters are about 57million and not 70.3 million that INEC declared in 2011 (examples of states like Zamfara with 49.3 % reduction after AFIS now to be given additional proposed over 1,000 polling units). The question to ask INEC is: Where are the human beings that would populate these polling units? Has INEC given a thought about the clear dangers of election rigging that this would lead to when you create on paper a maximum of 500 per polling units whereas physically on ground you do not have such human beings in existence in those polling units; but exist only on paper in which case it is easy for politicians to rig election by conniving with election officials to make returns of votes based on those polling units; this, given that INEC normally produces ballot paper for every voter on the register as well as result sheets for all polling units?

NEXT WEEK

Details of the implications of what |NEC has set in motion and the implications for the polity. And reactions

SUNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 15

85%

15%

ABIA

1,387,844

2,675

2,958

283

262

223

121

3,019

ADAMAWA

1,682,907

2,608

3,587

979

905

769

121

3,498

AKWA-IBOM

1,621,798

2,980

3,456

476

441

375

121

3,476

ANAMBRA

1,784,536

4,608

3,803

-805

121

4,729

BAUCHI

2,502,609

4,074

5,334

1,260

1,165

990

121

5,185

BAYELSA

590,679

1,804

1,259

-545

121

1,925

BENUE

2,340,718

3,688

4,988

1,300

1,203

1,023

121

4,832

BORNO

2,570,349

3,933

5,478

1,545

1,429

1,215

121

5,269

CROSS-RIVER

1,169,469

2,283

2,492

209

194

165

121

2,569

DELTA

2,044,372

3,624

4,357

733

678

576

121

4,321

EBONYI

1,020,011

1,785

2,174

389

360

306

121

2,212

EDO

1,593,488

2,627

3,396

769

711

604

121

3,352

EKITI

688,950

2,195

1,468

-727

121

2,316

ENUGU

1,313,128

2,958

2,799

-159

121

3,079

GOMBE

1,208,927

2,218

2,576

358

332

282

121

2,621

IMO

1,672,666

3,523

3,565

121

3,677

JIGAWA

1,817,087

3,527

3,873

346

320

272

121

3,920

KADUNA

3,743,815

5,101

7,979

2,878

2,662

2,263

121

7,485

KANO

4,751,818

8,074

10,127

2,053

1,899

1,614

121

9,809

KATSINA

2,928,046

4,901

6,240

1,339

1,239

1,053

121

6,075

KEBBI

1,459,734

2,398

3,111

713

659

560

121

3,079

KOGI

1,305,533

2,548

2,782

234

217

184

121

2,853

KWARA

1,125,035

1,872

2,398

526

486

413

121

2,406

LAGOS

5,426,391

8,462

11,565

3,103

2,870

2,440

121

11,023

NASARAWA

1,291,876

1,495

2,753

1,258

1,164

989

121

2,605

NIGER

2,427,081

3,185

5,173

1,988

1,838

1,562

121

4,868

OGUN

1,796,024

3,213

3,828

615

569

484

121

3,818

ONDO

1,472,237

3,009

3,138

129

119

101

121

3,231

OSUN

1,318,120

3,010

2,809

-201

121

3,131

OYO

2,487,132

4,783

5,301

518

479

407

121

5,311

PLATEAU

2,082,725

2,631

4,439

1,808

1,672

1,421

121

4,173

RIVERS

2,466,977

4,442

5,258

816

754

641

121

5,204

SOKOTO

2,113,698

3,035

4,505

1,470

1,359

1,155

121

4,311

TARABA

1,279,394

1,912

2,727

815

753

640

121

2,673

YOBE

1,203,324

1,714

2,565

851

787

669

121

2,504

ZAMFARA

1,802,301

2,516

3,841

1,325

1,226

1,042

121

3,679

FCT

892,628

562

1,902

1,340

1,240

1,054

146

1,762

TOTAL

70,383,427

119,973

150,000

30,027

25,525

4,502

150,000

64,688,014

32,464

PAGE 16, SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

THE KADUNA UL TIMA TIUM TTO O JONA THAN ULTIMA TIMATIUM JONATHAN

Between northern elders and Boko Haram BY KIIKPOYE K. AARON

•Chibok girls... kidnapped by insurgents

T the end of a recent meeting in Kaduna, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) issued a communiqué, which, among other things, contained an ultimatum to President Jonathan to secure the release of the abducted Chibok girls by the end of October 2014 or forfeit his 2015 re-election bid. Their logic is that by failing to secure the release of the girls, ‘Nigerians (read: the Northern Elders) would be left with the only conclusion that he had forfeited his right to ask for their mandate beyond 2015.’ Their diagnosis of the Boko Haram insurgency is, to say the least, bizarre. According to them, what fuels the Boko Haram insurgency is a ‘“lack of a strong will at the level of the Presidency, deep-seated corruption, incompetence in governments and in the management of security challenges.” I would contest this logic and argue instead that what fuels the Boko Haram insurgency is the political opportunism the North makes of Boko Haram. More to the point, a calm reading of the complicity so manifestly expressed in that Kaduna ultimatum validates the instincts of many nonnortherners, namely that the Boko Haram insurgency is inseparable from a larger northern agenda to frustrate President Jonathan and recapture power. While many have expressed ‘disappointment’, ‘shock’, ‘rage’, ‘disbelief ’ at the position of the Northern Elders Forum, my own reaction is one of relief- that at last, the North (with all due apologies to wellmeaning northerners) has made public what we have always known. This should be seen as a welcome development as it, at least, helps us to understand better the roots of Boko Haram. It is important to understand Boko Haram for, as the old saying goes, a problem identified is a problem half solved. Earlier scholarly and popular attempts at interpreting the Boko Haram terrorism, particularly those situated within the context of the theory of relative deprivation, have left unanswered a number of questions. In its simplest formulation, the theory of relative deprivation, in explaining

political violence, for which terrorism is a variant, seeks to advance the argument that instead of absolute deprivation, the key driver of political violence is the discrepancy, a gap between expected and achieved welfare. Put differently, political violence results from ‘collective discontent caused by a sense of relative deprivation’. It is ‘the tension that develops from a discrepancy between the ‘ought’ and the ‘is’ of collective value satisfaction …that disposes men to violence.’ Attempts at explaining political violence from the perspective of relative deprivation is not new- it dates back to ancient Greece, particularly in Aristotle’s attempt to explain revolution. Aristotle makes the point that ‘revolution is driven by a relative sense or feeling of inequality rather than an absolute measure.’ In modern times, the theory of relative deprivation became hugely popular with Ted Robert Gurr ’s publication of Why Men Rebel. Using the frustration-aggression mechanism originally developed by Dollard, Millard and colleagues, Gurr makes the point that ‘the anger induced by frustration is…a motivating force that disposes men to aggression….’ As it relates to the Boko Haram terrorism, the conditions of wrenching poverty in north eastern Nigeria, home of Boko Haram, have been explained away as the reason for the

It would do the North no good if the Niger Delta people harbour the feeling that Boko Haram is an instrument to harass their own out of power insurgency. But this interpretation of Boko Haram throws up a number of questions. Who made the North desperately poor? If Boko Haram is borne out of poverty, how may we explain the fact that Boko Haram terrorism is being prosecuted with sophisticated arsenals of war? The answers to some of these questions ought to be obvious but for analytical convenience, let us attempt them. Up until Nigeria’s 50th anniversary, she had been (mis)ruled for a cumulative 38 years by northern leaders, all of whom today belong to the NEF. What this means in effect is that those who now parade as northern leaders

should be held to account for the desperate poverty in the North. It is equally strange to realize that the North is suddenly waking up to see corruption in government. ’ If Boko Haram is a protest against conditions of deprivation, some prominent NEF members ought to be targets. From all appearances, Boko Haram and the NEF would seem to pursue a complementary mandate, namely, to harass President Jonathan out of the office he assumed by popular mandate of Nigerians and recapture power. Which explains why every effort by the President to fight Boko Haram has been frustrated by these elements. When he came hard on Boko Haram, and the terrorists were on the retreat, he was accused of human rights violation and a declaration of war against the North. The same NEF threatened to take President Jonathan and the then Chief of Army Staff to The Hague for war crimes. When he soft-pedalled in the light of these orchestrated vociferous criticisms, the ground was laid for the abduction of the Chibok girls. Now, he is accused of being weak and lacking the strong will necessary to end insurgency. We can be reasonably sure that should President Jonathan attempt a hurried and, God forbid, unsuccessful rescue operation that results in the death of the girls as well as the terrorists, he would be accused of ethnic and religious cleansing or war

crimes. Now he is being given an ultimatum to produce the girls - a task they are making hard for him to achieve by their tacit support for the terrorists- or abandon his 2015 re-election bid. This is utter claptrap and must be dismissed as such. It seems to me that while the Boko Haram terrorists are holding the Chibok girls hostage as negotiating bait for the release of its detained members, the NEF is holding 2015 re-election bid of Mr President hostage as its own negotiating bait. What must be clear to the North is that enlightened self-interest suggests a strong need to put a brake at harassing President Jonathan out of office. It would do the North no good if the Niger Delta people harbour the feeling that Boko Haram is an instrument to harass their own out of power. The Nigerian economy has moved on in spite of the Boko Haram insurgency. It sure will not move on in the event of a reemergence of an insurgency in the Niger Delta that enjoys the support of the political class. And one needs not be an ex-militant to say so. A word is enough, assuming it is taken seriously by the wise.

•Aaron is a Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Port Harcourt. He can be reached at kiikpoye.aaron@uniport.edu.ng

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 17

I need a wife,Martins Amaihe cries out

bb pin: 20C37A25

Face-off Blessing Egbe Vs Adokiye Kyrian Apparently, singer and now Nollywood actress, Adokiye Kyrian, should have no axe to grind with Nollywood actress and producer, Blessing Egbe, because the duo run with different packs and operate in different necks of their own wood. But Blessing, who was a banker, a model, actress and now producer, made some statements that didn't obviously go well with Adokiye, who felt Blessing should have been specific instead of generalising in her opinion of how single and married Nollywood actresses sleep around. Read them:

Single and married Nollywood actresses sleep around – Blessing Egbe

t isn't really clear what prompted Blessing to take to twitter recently to vent her frustration over what she considered as the promiscuous and wanton ways actresses conduct themselves these days. According to the Vow and After the Vow producer, most actresses sleep around for fame, roles and for the simple reason of just getting paid. In several of her tweets, she not only stated as an opinion she did so like an expert dissecting a situation she is very much at home with: “How desperate can one be in pursuit of fame and money? In the end, where will you end up? In hell or in heaven? Not all who call God are true. Sad!” she observed wryly. Then followed up more tersely, “ Single and married women sleeping with countless men to climb to the top! Please when you get there, what next please? Vanity, vanity, vanity Some say the competition is too stiff and must do the uncanny to stay abreast. Please if you don't have anything to offer, go and sell recharged cards. People now put all artistes under same umbrella. We are not respected because of some greedy, talent-less lot who flood the industry. Husbands skip a heartbeat whenever their wives are on location because of the dirt that goes on. Orgies in hotel rooms involving married couple. Acting is now the gateway to prostitution. People will do anything to have their faces on the screen because 'market go come and true true market plenty'” she declared. But more thoughtprovoking than her declarations are the intentions behind them. People have been wondering what got into Blessing. But it seems there is someone who may have a very good idea. It is none other than the enigmatic, seductive and enchanting Adokiye Kyrian.

•Adokiye Kyrian

•Blessing

easoned actor, Imo Stateborn Martins Amaihe has a script of life that has been headlined with good fortunes, at least, in his field of endeavour. As an actor, he has won many awards and only recently got a contract to feature in a Bollywood movie. No doubts, Martins has his eyes set on greatness. But his success on screen is chequered by his success with the ladies. “ After all I have achieved as an actor and in the world of movies and theatres I haven't found a woman I can settle down with. No woman has been able to capture my heart. So, I can say I am still searching for a wife material. I seek three major things in a woman. First, a woman that has the fear of God in her, a hard-working woman and a woman that's is full of respect. All the women I have seen ,want me because I am an actor but I am yet to see one who possesses the qualities I want” he told Potpourri in a chat recently. Since becoming a member of the AGN (Actors Guild of Nigeria) in 2002, he has produced, performed and acted in series of movies such as Silent Night, Face-off, Rampage on Campus, Cry of an Orphan (stage drama), The concubine ( a theater stage drama at the National Theater ), Black Friday (Only shows on theater) and many more. He has been featured in over 65 movies and was previously nominated for Best Teenage Actor in Thema Award in the year 2000 for the movie Silent Night and Best Upcoming Actor on stage drama in Encomium Entertainment Award in 2009.

No, face reason for your frustrations — Adokiye Kyrian S

eductively attractive and beautiful singer, Adokiye Kyrian, has come, seen and looking at the Nigeria's entertainment industry through the palms of her hands. Since dipping her feet in the glowing waters, Adokiye has been swimming in fame and fortune. Apart from her talent, which seems to be growing branches, Adokiye has displayed a kind of nature that doesn't take kindly to things shrouded in secrecy and mystery even though she is a bundle of mysteries herself. Now that she is a Nollywood actress, after her successful debut outing in Ogbanje and My Brother, My Enemy, Adokiye rightly felt Blessing Egbe's statement has a bit to do with her. If other actresses would not take on Blessing for her outbursts, not Adokiye. She feels the movie producer knows what she is talking about because, according to her, Blessing is speaking out of frustration. Hear her: “Blessing Egbe, It's okay to be mad or frustrated about something but the truth is, it's very wrong and bad to pour it all on the Innocents people too. I think you should face the reason for the frustration, one on one. Don't judge something you don't even understand. What you think is anathema to you, happens even everywhere, trust me. We just pray to God for changes and for a better society. It's wrong to judge. Or you do think the entertainers are the only ones consuming all the condoms that are entering into the Country? Don't make the good ones or the passionate ones feel bad because you have refused to face your problems appropriately. Don't be a teacher in this way. I know you are fighting with somebody. Address it appropriately. I hate to do this 'call out'” Typical Adokiye, but aren't there more questions than answers? She said she knows who Blessing was particularly addressing. Stay with Potpourri to find out more and who

•Martins Amaihe

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

I can't get married because others are — Imelda J B

enue State-born music damsel, Imelda Ada Okwori, whose stage name is Imelda J doesn't seem very much able to keep the air of controversies blowing her way. Since getting her name on track in the music field, the ebony beauty singer has had one controversy or the other trailing her. There was a time a rumour went wild that she had a secret wedding with music star, Jaywon, a Kennis Music deserter. Though she came out to dispel it vehemently, her situation was later complicated and made to look ridiculous when Jaywon's handlers came out to say Jaywon never even met the singer, to deride earlier statement by Imelda that she and Jaywon were close. Then, there was the issue of Governor Suswan. There were many reports linking her romantically with the governor. But she was able to squash that too, saying the governor was like a father to her. “You see, like I said, I am a very friendly person. I can't change that about me. Maybe it's one of the reasons. I am yet to discover why. And maybe because I am human or maybe they expect me to flaunt my boyfriend or brag about having a relationship. And because they don't see all of that, they assume and conclude on my behalf as soon as they see me getting close to any man”, she once told Vanguard Showtime in an interview. Imelda's claim to being a friendly person might have been •Imelda Ada misconstrued severally but she hasn't helped matters with her knack for hanging out with men. And it doesn't look like she is ready to do something about her status, at least, to change some certain perceptions about her. “ You know marriage no be small pikin thing. I still be pikin oh. Just kidding. When I see someone I can happily cope with for the rest of my life. Its a spirit to soul thing. I am not in a haste. I can't get married because others are getting married. I should get married when the time is ripe and God has the final say” she said. But the question is, when will Imelda settle down?

Naomi Mac outshines 5o ther o sta other therss tto stayy on `Star The Winner Is’ T he thrill, the frill and the suspense continue on `Star The Winner Is’ as six contestants jostle for a place in the semifinals . Contestants Oribhabor Amen, Joseph Udem, Salam Sadiq, Ifeoluwa Adediran, Nonso Iwuchukwu and Naomi Mac delivered a top class performance, giving the 101-

jury members a tough time to come up with who goes out and who goes in. But at the end of several duels, it was Naomi Mac who carried the day, advancing to the semifinals. 23-year-old Naomi Mac who describes herself as a product of grace, delivered a vocally flawless rendition

of All The Man I Need by Whitney Houston and went on to win the episode by taking jury members down memory lane with Agolo by Angelique Kidjo securing her own spot at the semifinals. The contestants ably represented Nigerian artistes like Flavour, Omawunmi, Wande Coal and others as they went indigenous in a bid to impress the 101-jury members for a shot at the mouth-watering grand prize. The final round of the episode proved a tough decision to crack as both contestants Naomi and Ifeoluwa pushed their vocal chords in a heated duel. However, Ifeoluwa made the smartest decision to walk away with 400,000 Naira when it was apparent that she did not win the round. Winning the episode brings amazingly vocally talented Naomi Mac closer to 10million Naira and a brand new car, joining Philip, Brenda, Happiness and Rhema in the semi final round.

Beautiful Nubia's message to African leaders B

eautiful Nubia, born Segun Akinlolu isn't a conventional singer. That much is obvious from his looks, his music and style. They say he sings what is called African folklore songs but the singer once confirmed to Potpourri that he is much more than that. He said he is a messenger and his songs, the message. Undoubtedly, Beautiful Nubia's songs are built on rich folkloric traditions and native wisdom but his message is universal in thrust and theme: “Value life, respect nature and learn to live in peace with others”. The music speaks for the voiceless and champions the dream of a balanced society where individuals are truly free and equal. It preaches love and tolerance but also urges people to stand and defend their rights when trampled upon anywhere in the world” says Wikipaedia on his profile. But there is another streak to the dreadlocks wearing Vet turned musician and that is of activism. He has lent his voice to many issues in the past. The latest one, which he sent through the Blackberry messenger, is his message to African leaders. Hear him: “Everything seems to be a source of joke and fun for the Nigerian. It could be a looming disaster like the 2015 elections, the President's wife's unforgivable and unfeeling public gaffes, politically sponsored bombings that spread fear and sadness, or an immediate concern such as the Ebola threat” he began. “What should make us cry seems to make us burst out in an orgy of mirth and backslapping revelry. As we speak, African leaders are busy making a mockery of themselves in Washington and selling the future to their eternal masters. The Powers of the West are good at telling you that Africa is rising when we all know the continent is sliding more backward than ever. And just before they got the leaders, the smart Americans hosted a bunch of young Africans who had been handpicked as future leaders of the continent. These ones then will become the agents who will work against their people in the years to come. So, we keep rolling our ‘nyashes’ to our pathetic pop music, celebrate our overrated "appointed" authors who speak the language of distraction, and follow the English Premier League with the kind of passion that some people put into national development. The West is selling a dud to our present leaders, and they have already lined up those who will take over and do their bidding in the future. So, let the laughter ring from Cape Town to Calabar, from Lilongwe to Lagos, from Zanaga to Zaria, from Jo'burg to Jos. “Africa Rising – O Ye!” Jokers” he said.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 19

TBS hosts Mega 3 Africa's biggest exhibition

xhibition Guru, the brain behind popular Wed Expo has concluded plans to host what has been touted as the biggest exhibition of any kind in Africa. According to Akin Eso, the CEO of Exhibition Guru, “Mega 3 will be a meeting point of sorts. It would be a meeting point for entertaining, networking, fun, business, makeup and style. We are going to be bringing our A-game on for the Expo. There would also be a stage where continuous content would be on supply. We plan to have over 200,000 people for the three

days. All exhibitors who have something to offer, will have a ready-made market. The Expos will be holding at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Lagos Island, on the 10th- 12th of October 2014. I will be expecting you.” Mega 3 will feature three Expos in the same venue at the same time. Wed Expo is for all those in the wedding and bridal industry, including wedding planners, bridal makeup artists, wholesalers and retailers of bridal accessories and event planners. The expo which has come to stay, also features a wedding reality show called ‘My Big Nigerian Wedding’

(MBNW). The reality show is for intending couples. Winners of the show are given a N15 million fairy tale-like wedding and a honeymoon package. Wine/spirits Expo is aimed at bringing together all those in the wine, and spirits industry. The expo is an avenue for caterers, wine connosieurs, stewards, event planners, wine distributors to meet, network, increase their knowledge of the industry, get up

to date information and expand their client base. Beauty Expo, is targeted towards the beauty and makeup industry. This expo is for makeup artists, hair dressers, beauticians, cosmetologists, beauty consultants and all those who are end users of beauty products. This event is to enable

participants expand their clientele base, get more information about the industry, meet and interact with authorities on beauty and makeup, amongst others. The expo is also to bring the international market to Nigerians and vice-versa.

Ali Nuhu shows off Walmart pictures

ur entertainers are definitely coming of age. They are no more the paupers who can't afford decent holidays. They now have much money and do all they have ever dreamt of. We saw how Aremu Afolayan painted the States red on his last trip, because he didn't spare us a minute as he splashed every moment on Instagram. He was at the CNN centre and made sure everyone knew about it. Now the Hausa actor, Ali Nuhu is doing the same, at least telling and showing us where and where he has been to in the States. Of course, the sights and sound are different from those you see and hear in Kano or Kaduna.

•CEO of Exhibition

Lynxx •Ali Nuhu

Afrocandy charges N7,000 for auditions?

Ruggedman, Maheeda onto something?

udith Mazagwu, known widely as Afrocandy, has been in the country from her US base for a while now, supposedly to set things in motion for her upcoming movie. Contrary to people's expectation and belief that she would be shooting a soft porn movie, Afrocandy has assured Potpourri that what she has in store is an epic movie. She did the audition for the movie at a hotel in Lagos weeks ago and it was reported that some 7 thousand wannabe actors came calling. However, a reliable source has told Potpourri each actor who turned up had to pay N7,000 to get a form for the audition.

•Afrocandy

utspoken rapper, Ruggedman has got many things going for him. His record label, music career and of course his libido, which seems to have a large heart. He has been linked to many damsels in the past. And just days ago he confessed his love for the Kedike singer, Chindinma. When he posted a picture of himself and Maheeda together in his studio with a caption: “Guess who dropped in to say hi, after all these years? My naughty girl (meaning Maheeda). The emphasis 'my naughty girl' does have a bit of a punch about it because we all know Ruggedman's hormones aren't as exactly tamed as Maheeda's lust for sex.

Lynxxx reveals another crush again

ich kid turned rapper, Chukie Edozien, known as Lynxx is another entertainer whose hormones has been acting up lately. Week in, week out, the rapper seems to discover new crush. He had openly declared he has a crush on Chidinma, Ashanti, and Genevieve. Now, the latest on his carnal radar is Lola Savage, distant cousin of Tiwa Savage. He recently wrote on Instagram “Y'all check out this dope video by my homegirl” with a luscious picture of Lola. Harmless, you might say, but we know where it almost always ends when Lynxxx starts referring to a girl as 'My homegirl'

PAGE 20 — SUNDAY VANGUARD,

AUGUST 24, 2014

you are not as funny as you used to, what is your comment? That is never true. It is only people without eyes that will say that. It is my God-given talent that can never wear out.

LIFE AFTER OMOLADUN

How did you feel during the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA crisis? It was a tough time for me. I have been traveling for years and something like that never happened. It is a setup but I do not know the culprits till date. Even after two days of not excreting cocaine as expected, I was not left off the hook. Some even said I used charms but if that is true many herbalists in Nigeria should be billionaires. I spent more than nineteen days sleeping on a couch for something I know nothing about.

Baba Suwe finds love again; to remarry soon *Tells his NDLEA story

abatunde Omidina known as Baba Suwe is a successful comedian better known for his exploits in Yoruba home videos. He is still arguably the most popular Yoruba comedian of his time. But Baba Suwe hasn't been having it easy. After the much publicised crisis with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA, he lost his wife, Omoladun, who was almost always his soul-mate, even in films. Baba Suwe talked with Potpourri, opening up his heart on a number of issues, Excerpts: When did you begin to act? I started acting at 18 when I dropped out of secondary school, then I was in form four. I developed the passion when Baba Mero and his group came to Children boarding school in Osogbo to act. After watching them, I got drums and other musical instrument, picked some guys in my street like Mufitau Ilumoka, Sola Taiwo and a host of others and formed a theater group. And that was what metamorphosed into the brand 'Baba Suwe' today. Are you saying you never went for any training? No, I didn't and I was not trained by anybody. I was born with the talent of putting smiles on faces, so I really did not need any training. Your first show? My first show was at Amuto playing ground, Lagos Island. Although it was a free show but I was so happy because it recorded a huge success. What was your first movie? I did not start with home videos rather I started with soap opera “Erin keke”. My first film was “Omo Lasan” by Mr Obalende. But the first film I produced was “Baoku” in the 90s. Some people believe you over act some scenes. Your comment? It is not my fault. Most times when I am on set, I make the director, film editor and a lot of others laugh that they forget to cut out the unnecessary parts. Some people have even confronted me that it is because

I didn't acquire any professional training is why I over act, but it is not true. Tell us your background? I am a special specie created by God. I hail from Igbgogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos State but born and bred on the Island. My father was an average Nigerian who was into trading of eyeglasses and my mother was a trader . I am the only child between my parents. My father had three wives. I dropped out of secondary school when I was in form four. Growing up for me was tough but fun. I enjoyed every bit of it because I was quite mischievous. As a teenage, I didn't really know the importance of education but thank God, I am managing well. I am also a different person from what you see on the screen, a quiet and easygoing person. As a child, who were you looking up to? Then I wanted to be like Michael Jackson who was known all over the world but now I know better. What has acting brought you.? Acting has brought me many good things that I can not say here. I do not think I would have done well in any other field. How have you been coping without a wife? It has not been easy but life must go on. I believe whatever happens has been preordained. The death of Omoladun was a great loss I cannot get over in this lifetime. She will remain my best companion. She understood me than any other person on planet earth. At times when we quarrel in the house, she would abuse me on set and that would mark the end of the issue. Any plan of remarrying? Yes . In fact pretty soon. Who is the lucky bride? You can't know her for now. She is not an actress because I can't marry an actress again. Are you insinuating Omoladun was not a good

•Baba Suwe

wife? No, I don't mean anything of such. What I mean is that I cannot get someone like Omoladun among the actresses again. Her good acting skills is one of the reasons I loved her but I have decided to check else where for love. After the death of Omoladun, your step daughter accused you of killing her mother? That is mere rumour. She later came out to say she never said that. We were all staying in the same building. Omoladun was hypertensive for a long time and I did my best as a husband, a friend, and colleague to

take adequate care of her. At a time she spent months at a hospital. The day the bad incident happened, I was about praying when I told my child to go wake Omoladun because we had an appointment. It was this child who ran out to call me and with the help of neighbors, we rushed her to the hospital. The doctor confirmed her death on arrival. Has her death affected your career? Not really. There are many people who can take her role but I miss her so much. After her death, I produced “Baba Jaiye” part two and it was a huge success. Would you say many competitors like Baba Latin, Baba Ijesa etc have taken over from you? No, Baba Latin and the rest can never render me useless. I have a good relationship with all of them especially Baba Latin. Everything in life is time. Many people now believe

What were you going to do at Paris before you were detained? I was suppose to meet the person who handles my family's ticketing abroad. The man wanted my presence at the naming ceremony of his new child. On that same day, I went to Nigerian Aviation Handling Company NAHCO'S office to get my cameras as I traveled to America a month earlier to get filming equipment like cameras and generator before heading to the Airport. I was also to be Master of Ceremony there. Now that your lawyer, Bamidele Aturu is dead, what is the next line of action? I really don't know what next to do but I believe his colleagues will not disappoint me. Do you believe you deserve the 25 million naira compensation? Yes I do. The crisis traveled so far that even if I use all the newspapers in Nigeria to say my own side of the story, some people will still not believe it. It almost killed me, tarnish my image and my career.

The Potpourri team Ayo Onikoyi, Editor Florence Amagiya Damilola Sholola Aderonke Adeyeri

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 21

Romance, food of love By Yetunde Arebi

EING romantic is not always very easy. For many people, once they've tried with the hearts and chocolate, they run out of steam and keeping up with romance becomes a very difficult task. Married couples and those in long term relationships may have it even more difficult as the routines of life and joggling with the various issues of family, work and friends can be overwhelming, taking time and energy. There are those who also believe that being romantic requires a lot of money which they do not have to spend. This is certainly not so. You do not have to rob the bank to be romantic as there are several things you can do for your partner that will not require you spending a kobo. You only need to put on your thinking cap. It is important that you put some thoughts in what you want to do. Once you get the grasp of it, you'll find out being romantic is not so difficult after all. One of the keys to being a successful romantic is knowing your partner. If you study your partners and learn about them, their personality, likes and dislikes, you will be able to easily do things they will really appreciate. Flowers and chocolate can make anyone smile, but the little surprises are likely to blow their minds out once a while. So, you need to be thoughtful when you plan to be romantic. I have a couple of ideas you can try out below. Everyone knows that red signifies romance. Red is the colour of passion and love and

Networking/ Sponsorship •Sandra, from Imo State and a student, needs a God fearing man who will sponsor her education. 08164940022, 08184913983 • Katherine, an undergraduate, needs a philanthropist, assistance to enable her pay her school and hostel fees. Account Name Katherine Joe, Accout Numbe r2070156876, Bank U.B.A. 07032584625, 08089203175 Links •Larry wants to link up with children of Mr. Obadan, former director of Gordon Motel at GRA Benin City. 08I3I2I6546 Friends

sex. When you give flowers, unless you know his or her favourite flowers, give roses. Red roses pleases, so, you don't pass the wrong message. Red roses mean "I love you" while yellow roses mean "let's be friends". Remember the song “do not say yes, when you mean to say no”. You can also give red teddy bears, red puppies, red socks to warm her feet on cold nights, red ribbons, red underwears, etc. Another important key to romance is called selective blind-

animals, sweets and confectionaries, spicy food and fuzzy drinks. The more ingenuity you put into it, the better and more assurance that you are indeed in love. Now, a lot of people are sometimes guilty of this gaff. It is important to remember special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or any other dates on your family or love calendar. If you think its only a date, then the tears, starring down and cold shoulders you are likely to get

If you study your partners and learn about them, their personality, likes and dislikes, you will be able to easily do things they will really appreciate

ness. Remember, love is blind. This simply means you must be blind to the faults of your partner. It is not romantic to acknowledge things that may be interpreted as faults in your partner. Even if it is very obvious, they must be said in a way that will not appear as if you are criticising them. Pick the dirt from her nose instead of telling her she has dirty nose, get the idea? raft out pet names for each other. This is very strategic and the more silly it sounds, the better for you. Think of cuddly, stuffed

when you forget will leave you in no doubt of its importance to your love life. Special dates give you the opportunity to tell your partner that you love and appreciate them and that they mean so much to you. Keep a reminder in your smart phone to help you keep track of important dates just in case you forget. Just as most men love to be waited on, women also love men that can do things for them, especially physical things like helping out with the chores. Being CEO at the office or the fact that you can afford to pay for helps does

•Tessy, 20, resides in Delta

•Randy, 23, needs interesting

state, needs female and male friends, which are God fearing. 08180024844 Searching Male

•Bravison, 23, from Delta

state, but resides at Abuja, needs a caring, friendly and outspoken female friend, aged 17-26. 07030407516, 07055429261 •Kingsley,22, resides in Delta state, needs a rich lady, for friendship, who can also assist him, in his education. 0 8 1 6 9 0 7 8 2 4 7 , 08169386722 • Prince, 23, resides in Calabar, needs a God fearing female friend, aged17-26, in Calabar or others state. 08134205216 •John, 26, handsome dark in complexion and tall, needs a friend. 08107437702 •Emily, 30, resides in Asaba, needs a matured lady, aged 35-45 for friendship. 08167640735, 08167640735

and sophisticated friends, aged 35-50. 07032056485 • Hilary, 26, resides in Enugu, needs an interesting and responsible female friend within Enugu. 08104309355 •Odos Sly, from Delta State, needs liberal Friends for membership into Liberal Theologians Christians association of Nigeria. 08065061134 Lovers Searching Female •Tina, 23, needs a guy, from Delta state, aged 33-39. 07069544079 •Vic, 24, a student, sexy, needs a sexy, strong and fun loving man, for a r e l a t i o n s h i p . 08107310599 •Josephine, 41, from lmo state, single, dark in complexion and resides at Onitsha, needs a God fearing

not mean that once a while, you cannot help out with the garrage or the plumbing work. Even if it is a supervisory role, it is still something and it shows you have an interest in what is going on in your private or family life. Besides, women just love to see some glistering sweat on those muscles. Practical ideas:

uy some wickedly cut underwear or those with special messages on it. Or better still, create your own design for you and your partner out of paper or cut out fabric. You'll get much fun peeling them off each other. Give your partner a massage. Yes, a visit to the spa once a while is fine, but a home massage comes with it own benefits. You may also give a pedicure and manicure, face treatment. A private strip tease show or lap dance is not a bad idea. All these will guarantee that the day will end on a very happy note. Put your literary skills into action. Write a love poem for your partner and place it in a conspicuous place so they can easily find it. You may also make a list of all the things you love about your partner and clip it on the refrigerator or picture board. Take things up a notch by recording yourself reciting the poem or reading out the list and put the CD in their car so they can listen to it as they drive. You may also record your favourite love songs for their listening pleasure as they drives. Add some naughty into your game by recording all those sweat and loving things you want to do to them during your private moment and set the tone for a romantic, sexy evening. I doubt people still do this for

man, aged 40-45 and from any part of East, for marriage.07060810401, 07052862232 •Chioma, 23, slim, fair in complexion and employed, needs a mentally matured and disciplined guy, who is loving, caring and who is a bonafied member of Jehovah’s Witnesses for a serious relationship. 08132080284 •Uzor, 33 5.7ft tall, and resides in Lagos, needs a tall man, from the eastern part of Nigeria who is a practicing Christian and very learned, for marriage. 08063853660 Searching Male

•Jude, 35, average height, fair in complexion and resides in Onitsha, needs a responsible lady,aged 25-27, for a relationship that can lead to marriage. 08039474051,08085571438, 791812889185

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from Delta state, needs beautiful, sexy and caring Searching Females ladies for any kind of relationship. 07038678547, 08182828871 Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in •Steven, from Cal abar, but or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does resides in Uyo, needs a single lady, aged from 18-25, for a so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking. serious relationship. Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of 08084694287 requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to A complete graduate gentleman enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For in his 50s, athletic, no bald hair, no pot belly, needs a well enquiries, text or call 08026651636 behaved God fearing, romantic,

DISCLAIMER!

entertainment of guests. You remember those days of keeping albums and bringing them out to show our friends when they come visiting? You can relive these on a private level between you and your partner. Get a box to keep all your special card, letters photographs and other love mementos. Bring them out on special occasions to help you relive those moments and share fond memories. A glass of wine and warm feet will help set the mood too. Besides being bold, daring, gusty or the need to make a statement, you will also need to have some free cash as newspaper advertisements don't come cheap these days. Place an ad in the newspapers declaring your love for your partner. Then take the newspaper, wrap it in a bow, and put a little note on it saying what page to check. You may send it ahead before he/she gets to the office if midweek. Try to do things together. You know, a family that prays together, stays together. Same goes for play and work. Engage in activities that will involve the two of you. If you and your loved one have been trying to start an exercise regimen individually, try doing it together. Go for walks, do Yoga, go to the gym. Try to do something that raises your adrenalin together. Take a dance class together. It is romantic and will get your blood pumping. These activities will sure keep your relationship fresh and give you new things to look forward to together. For more tips on this subject or answers to other relationship issues, you may reach me via email address: inthesunlovezone@yahoo.com. Do have a love filled week!

lively outspoken young unmarried, single mother or Orphan who will be willing to bear children with him, for a relationship, that will lead to marriage. 08099424551 •Tony, 27, from Asaba, needs a lady, aged 18-45, for a romantic relationship. 08068079008 •Necy, 26 , from Delta state, needs a girl aged 19-25 , for a relationship.07069050425 •Ovie, 26, from Delta state, needs an understanding girl, aged 20-25, for a serious relationship. 08166356708 Ricky, tall, matured, handsome, self employed, needs a fat tall employed lady for a relationship that will lead to marriage. 0 7 0 6 0 4 2 7 4 0 0 08028396531 Sugar Cares Searching Female •Funke, 5.9ft tall and sweet, needs a rich sugar daddy, aged 40-75, in lagos. •Mercy, 23, pretty, needs a wealthy sugar daddy. 08182197855 •Kate, 23, fair in complexion and pretty, needs a nice and caring sugar daddy that is financially buoyant, who will take care of her. 08032732565 •Shelina, 20, from Benin, needs a wealthy sugar daddy to take care of her financially. 07033785920

PAGE 22—SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

disguising as NGOs and service groups? We are committed to the values of integrity, trustworthiness and humanity. At the end of each tenure, an external auditor comes in to check our records of funds that were received and spent.Money is usually received through cheque, whatever amount is being withdrawn has invoices to show for it. Invoices and receipts are tendered back to the firm because it is their account and this is done on yearly basis.

By ANINO AGANBI

Mrs. Joe Nkiruka Ebo, Chairman Inner Wheel District 911, was born in the eastern part of Nigeria and obtained her basic education in Onitsha Inland Town. She proceeded to the United Kingdom where she obtained her higher degree in data processing and public administration. She started with Inner Wheel as the charter secretary, and grew to become its vice president and later the president. In this interview, she tells her story.

t what point in your life did you decide t o join a service like the International Inner Wheel? I joined the inner wheel in 1987, when the rotary club, Isolo, wanted to bring a charter to Okota. The men were invited to join and while they attended the first inaugural meeting, their wives were also called in. We were referred to as the rotary arms because we were not chattered. It is only after induction you become an inner wheel member. Was this inspiration from perhaps a passion for service to humanity or simply because your husband was a Rotarian and was it necessary for you to join the inner wheel? My husband was a member of the rotary club so I was called to the fold. Lots of women who didn’t have the passion to serve humanity left the club. Those of us that had the flair for helping the needy and less privileged forged ahead, even when our husbands stopped being active. So it was not just about being called to serve. Now you are going to be sworn in as the district chairman of Inner-wheel 911 district, what plans do you have for your tenure? I have a lot of plans one of which would be encouraging members who have been active through time . We would be visiting them individually instead of as a group. This way, I would be able to understand the problems if there are any. Our theme for this year is “light the path” which makes us torch bearers. At every meeting, there will be tests for blood sugar level and blood pressure especially if they do not have these things at home. We cannot just be talking about the less privileged when there are people within us who need help.

you take us r o u g h some of your intended projects planned for your tenure and which one is your star project? Let me start from the star project which is the sickle cell surgery for the indigent patients. We are working in colt

laboration with Sickle Cell Foundation; it was through their help we were able to get the list of patients who needed help. We use Igbobi orthopedic hospital for such surgical operations. For those have not been given the hip orthoclastic , their bone keep eating up and they end up not walking well, some of them even use wheel chairs. with this procedure, they will be able to work well. Some of these indigent patients do need two hip replacements. We need to go into remote areas such as secondary schools, market places. We should be able to have health talks relating to this issue in schools within Lagos and Ogun State. Our vocational centre is in Lagos, we also plan to visit the aged people and celebrate them because they are holding the stories of yesterday. We also

Can you tell us about some of the districts past projects? Like I said, the star project was one of the projects we had done in the past. we have done other projects like t he eye succor,burns, breast and cervical cancer test and awareness,women empowement and a host of others. Three years ago, we gave them trainings that lasted for nine months in our vocational centre, I happened to be the chairman of that empowerment scheme. et’s talk about the t h e m e for the year, how is it relevant to women and children in Lagos and Ogun state which you are supposed to be covering? This year’s theme is light the path. We aim on being of great help to families, especially women and children. So this year, we are the torch bearers to lighten up lives. We believe that our light will not go dim and our stars will keep shining. With the theme, we are going to eradicate darkness, violence, hatred and it will enable us look inward and realize that we need to give ourselves respect.

•Joe Nkiru Ebo

How we touch the lives of sickle cell indigents — Joe Nkiruka Ebo, Chairman Inner Wheel District 911 plan to create health awareness on hepatitis, cervical and prostrate cancer, provide educational support for orphans of HIV/AIDS and visit and distribute mosquito nets and clothes to three remote areas in Lagos.

man and what it entails. All of these projects I listed and gave to some people. Interestingly enough, in our country today, nobody would acknowledge such. Money could also come in through advertisement and felicitation.

How do you hope to raise funds for these projects? That is one area where we actually need divine help. I sent out proposal letters to individuals informing them that I need their help as the district chair-

Now, talking about fund raising, how accountable has the district been to donations received over the years because we seem to have a growing culture of money making ventures

What challenges do you presume? The main issue I am looking at although it might not be much of a challenge to me is the aspect of funds and raising funds but with God all things are possible.

We are going to eradicate darkness, violence, hatred and it will enable us look inward and realize that we need to give ourselves respect

By the end of your tenure which is for how long? What legacy do you hope to leave? My tenure would last for just a year and in that space of time I want to put smiles on the faces of people. I want people to look at this year as an unforgettable year, a year of light, make more friends, live happily and we resume ourselves in the way it is supposed to be, having sisterly love among women and inner wheel members. At the end of the day we want to look back and say we have done our best.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 23

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The best man who took the offer of the bride!

S soon as Jude set a date fr his mar riage a few years back, the first person he ran to was Saheed, his childhood friend. “We’d known each other for years and there was a no other option for best man for me”, Saheed explained. “Weeks later, we arranged to meet at our regular club where I introduced Motola, my fiancee to my best friend. As soon as Saheed clamped eyes on her, he seemed less keen on our union. `Are you sure she’s right for you?’ he asked dubiously as soon as she was out of ear-shot, `she’s a bit flirty. It’s likely she could be a cheater’. “I was thrown by this sudden mild hostility towards Motola. Saheed was ordinarily outgoing and friendly. Admitted Motola was a bit wild, but that’s what I loved about her. I quickly forgot this incident as we planned our forthcoming wedding. The morning of our big day, Saheed took me to his house for a quick drink to steady my nerves. He was in high spirit and I couldn’t have been happier to have my best mate at my side as I married my dream woman. The wedding went without a hitch and a couple of months later, friends threw us a wedding party. It was a fairly small one and I watched with pride as Saheed danced with my new wife. Motola put her arms round his neck and began

back of a car – it beggared belief! I confronted Emeka the next day but he didn’t have the decency to come clean. In my stupidity and because I love her, I tried to give my wife the benefit of the doubt. My best friend and my wife had done the dirty on me, but I still loved her. I told myself it was an accident. They just got carried away and she was probably drunk. I wanted to try and make it work for the sake of our helpless daughter.

gyrating slowly against his thighs. Snaking his arm round her waist, Saheed then leaned closer and whispered in her ear. She threw her head back and laughed. I felt a bit uneasy, but glad both of them were finally getting on. I mean, seeing them you never would have guessed he’d had his doubts about Motola. “We settled into married lift and were anxious to start a family. After months of disappointments, Motola got pregnant and eventually gave birth to our daughter. Only, rather than embracing motherhood, Motola was already struggling to cope. The maid was left to do most of the caring and as soon as she could get back to work, Motola blossomed again. Always impeccably dressed to work, she had excuses for coming home late – if it wasn’t an office party, it would be her shopping for foodstuffs. It broke my heart arriving home most evenings to find the maid struggling with juggling household chores and caring for our daughter.

things seemed rocky. The more I protested her late nights, the more daring she got. In the end I confided in Saheed, he’d known exactly what to do. The more I arranged for us to meet up, the more evasive he became. When I eventually cornered him, he showed no sympathy for what I was going through. `I told you she was an attentionseeker’, he reminded me. `I’ve never trusted her’.

henever I com plained, she al ways flared up, accusing me of trying to control her. But I wasn’t trying to control her, I just wanted us to spend some time together as a family. We’d only been married for over two years and already

ur daughter was nine months old when she went to a close friend’s hen party. She warned they’d planned it to be an all night do, and I shouldn’t wait up for her. She stumbled in the early hours but I couldn’t get anything out of her as she was

stark drunk. As she slept, her mobile lit up with a message from `Emeka’. Opening it, I felt sick. It was clear that Motola and his guy had had sex earlier that day – and wanted to do it again. As I went through more raunchy texts, it was obvious this had been going on for some time. I felt my whole world come crashing down. Who the heck was this `Emeka’? As I glanced at the number, I recognised it instantly. It was Saheed’s number – none other than the best man at our wedding! The friend I trusted most in the world. The mate who had warned me off Motola because he thought she was too flirty. “But how could he? Had Saheed wanted Motola for

himself all along? Hurt turned to anger as I furiously shook her awake. `Are you having sex with Emeka?’ I yelled but she wouldn’t confess. It was then I understood why some men beat up their wives. I got dressed, threatening to go after Emeka and she chased after me, shouting `what did you expect. You never let me go out!’ I turned and grabbed her by the throat, `

ow tell me what you two have been getting up to?’ I asked her. She then confessed to having sex with Emeka that evening at the back of his car! “I had to let go for her throat before I choked her to death. My wife and my best man going at it at the

adly, even after sticking by her, I found more messages from Emeka a few months later. They were still carrying on behind my back. This time, I simply went to her parents, told them what was going on and pleaded with them to remove her from my house before I killed her. After she left, one of our friends confronted Emeka and he had the nerve to tell him he wasn’t the only one in Motola’s life, that my wife had been with a lot of men in her time. If free rolls in the hay were on offer, why should he be the one to refuse? “I take each day as it comes. I’m trying to move on and forget all the hurt my wife and best man have caused me. My daughter seems to thrive better with my mum and I know we’ll both be fine without Motola and her lies”.

08052201867(Text Only)

AT is a necessary component of the human organism. It serves as source of energy; you need it to maintain proper body heat when the surrounding atmosphere takes a dip in temperature; it serves as a carrier for Vitamins A,D,E and K and it is also a source of energy. It is the excess of fat that is dangerous. With too much of fat, there obtains the situation where there is not enough skin area for the body to regain its optimum temperatures when there has been some vigorous activity. The fatter the person, the quicker it takes for the body’s temperature to rise and the longer it takes it to cool off. While the lean individual can race up a flight of stairs with very little effort, the same activity at the same peace will almost kill the fat person. The fat person pants too quickly in the body’s attempt to maintain the correct body heat. The action of the lungs is tied to that of the heart. When you have to breathe faster, the heart naturally beats faster. Too fast a heart C M Y K

Excess fat: Trimming it down! rate and the heart itself is denied of enough oxygenated blood for its own upkeep. The picture is clearer now as to why the fatter the person, the worse a state his heart will be in. Now you think you need to cut down on the amount of fat you’re carrying around. Good. But,the problem must be approached with caution. You must have a weight loss programme that your body can tolerate. Too great a pace and the attendant exhaustion might discourage you from trying anymore. The sensible thing to do is to modify the diet and introduce the kind of regimen that the body can take and not leave you feeling totally wiped out, as it were. As far as diet goes, I favour a breakfast of fruit and a lunch and dinner that has a lot of vegetables. Fruit being predigested leaves very little residue in the system. When you eat

fruit, you save enough energy, that way your body has enough power of its own to start dealing with all the toxins that have come about on account of an improper eating pattern. The practice of deep breathing will enable you cut down on a runaway appetite. When the appetite is unbridled, you can al-

The Triangle

most eat or feast to death. Come to think of it. The human being is about the only animal on earth that does not wait to be hungry before eating. Little wonder we seem to be the only creatures with weight problem. Animals fare much better as regards food. They only seem to have problems when we domesticate them, turn

them into pets. That way we spoil them and soon they become affected with all kinds of conditions. We should heed Hippocrates device that our food should be our medicine. So, you have resolved to deal with your excess fat. In that case, here are some exercises that will really help you achieve your goal of a sleek and efficient machinery of a body. * Parsvakonasana: Technique: Standing with feet about three feet apart bend the left knee to the same level with your hip. Keep the right leg straight with the foot placed horizontally to the left foot which is facing left ward. Leave the left hand open and placed next to the left foot. Straighten the right

hand and bring it down so that your bicep touches lightly your right ear. Stay in the posture for some 15 seconds and repeat on the other side. Benefit: The parsvakona-sana posture firms the thighs. It reduces fat on the sides and upper arms. * The Single leg raise: Lying flat on your belly place the hands by your side. With your chin on the floor, raise up the left leg to an angle of about 90 degrees from the floor. Hold the posture for about 10-15 seconds. Change legs and repeat. Benefits: This posture tones up the muscles of the legs. It firms the buttocks by reducing excess fat. It is also very helpful for people with backpain.

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

P AGE 24—SUND AY Vanguard , A UGUST 24 , 2014 SUNDA AUGUST

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Thinking of detoxing? Why it’s not such a good idea!

RE you one of the millions of people who, worn down or stressed out by modern life, have been seduced by myths that the recipe for glowing good health involve little more than sticking dodgy-looking patches on your skin or slugging down Aloe Vera and wheatgrass smoothie? Unfortunately, observed Professor Atan Boobies, a university toxiologist, “such a world only exists in the fairy tales peddled by the burgeoning detox industry. An industry where robust and exacting science is unapologetically dismissed in the whirl-wind and mind-boggling products and diets that extravagantly claim to cleanse the body and flush harmful toxins from our system. “As a toxicologist, I can say categorically that detox diets and products that claim to do the same are at best, a money-gorging waste of time and, at worst, can even make you ill. The science is not merely insubstantial. It is frankly implausible. It is also unnecessary ”. According to him, Mother Nature, boned by years of evolution has gifted the human body with a very efficient detoxing system of our own – in the form of the liver, kidneys and intestinal tract. Everyday, these three major organs breakdown and eliminate harmful substances from the body – some that come from our environment, and some that are by-products of natural chemical process in our body. We are further protected by an extremely efficient barrier between us and the environment: our skin. Together they form a detoxification system that is robust, sophisticated and versatile enough to withstand the normal levels of ‘impurities’ we put into our bodies. Yet we are constantly told by adverts

and the media that we must ‘detox’ from such things as caffeine and alcohol because they allegedly attack the body, which is defenceless in their wake. It is because of these supposition that a te4am of reputable scientists, including Professor Boobies, set out to investigate the outlandish health claims of numerous detox plans. Their results were published in the Making Sense of Chemicals guide published last year. “What worried me most is that some of the claims on products would be laughable if they weren’t cynically exploitative and potentially dangerous”, he observed. “Some detox products might actually cause health problems rather than solve them. For example, some detox tablets contain liquorice extract, which is recognised in medicine as a treatment for those suffering from constipation, since it can stimulate the gut – so those who take it could suffer from an upset stomach. “But worse than that, because liquorice lowers potassium in the body, it can also cause serious problems such as high blood pressure and fluid retention. Other products were simply pointless. For example, one detox patch claimed to help prevent a `stagnating lymphatic system’. Now, the lymphatic system which is responsible for draining fluids from tissues, is anything but stagnant: in fact, it circulates several pints of fluid each day. If it ever stagnated, it would cause inflammation of the lymph nodes, which is very painful. You’d know about it without needing a detox patch to tell you”, if you’re tempted to use gimmicks like this, Bobbies advice you make sure you read the small print beforehand. For example, the side-effects of a `detox footpatch; containing vinegar – which claims to help ar-

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"

Love is life

Love is caring, love is life, love is beyond imagina-

the wraps may make you do. But perspiration is not a major rout for removing harmful substances, so sweating more will have no effect. This wouldn’t make any difference.

thritis joints – include irritation of the skin. Another example are skin smothering detox wraps which you wear around your body (but not the head) for about half an hour at a time. The effect – especially if the material isn’t permeable enough – will be like wrapping the body in plastic which could irritate the skin and even cause swelling because fluid will not be able to circulate properly around the body. If kept on for a prolonged amount of time, this could lead to impaired circulation and even of blood clots. Besides, since one of the functions of our skin is to form a protective barrier against the outside world, toxicologists don’t see how some flimsy patches which look like wilting tea bags could do much good. Detox socks and patches worn on the feet are especially bizarre in their assertions that they can somehow magically flush the body of toxins. Tight socks could cause circulation problems – and prevent fluids from moving around the body – and sleeping in them at night might encourage athlete’s foot or other fungal infection because of the lack of breathability. Here, Professor Bobbies

gives his verdict on some of the most popular detox treatments … Foot Patches: Claim – Contain a natural crystal called tourmaline and wood vinegar to detox the body. Fact: The soles of the feet have the thickest skin so are the least likely place from which the extract toxins from the body – if extracting toxins in this way is possible. It is simply fanciful regardless of what these products contain, to suggest otherwise – not only is the skin too thick but the pads cover too tiny area. Lemon Maple Syrup: Claim – A drink made from organic natural tree-syrup, mixed with fresh lemon juice, water and a pinch of cayenne pepper, to dissolve mucus and waste, as well as having a stimulatory heating effect which speeds up the metabolism, helping it cleanse and eliminate toxins. Fact: There is nothing special in the syrup and lemon that you couldn’t get in the balanced diet and they will have no detoxifying effects. The cayenne may make you feel hot and sweaty. Epsom Salts Bath: Claim – An Epsom slats detox bath stimulates the lymph system, and encourages increased oxygen and blood

tion, love is you, love endures, love is a feeling that is beyond thought. Whichever the definition you think fit and proper just know that love never comes to kill, but to heal the numerous wounds which life or people must have caused. Love tends to put a long lasting smile to your face and not pains which a loving angel like you will remember and cry all night long. Love is sharing both in joy and sorrow. Love is beyond words. Baby, love is really you. Thanks for being there... I love you. Cheers James N Okonkwo (Freesoul)

flow to our body. Fact: A warm, relaxing bath can lower blood pressure and inhaling steam can have a relaxing effect. But there is no detoxing effect. Detox Tablets: Claim – A blend of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants including beta-carotene and Nacteylcysteine, to support the body’s natural eliminative processes. Fact: This wouldn’t have any impact at all. Nacteylcysteine would not be needed in a normal diet, which already contains similar substances. Added antioxidants are no use to those already on a balanced diet, and at very high levels, beta carotene has been linked to cancer. Detox Socks: Claim – These draw out and absorb stagnant lymph fluid, toxins and other impurities. Fact: Even if the socks did help remove toxins – which is implausible – they only cover a tiny fraction of the skin’s total surface area. And lymph fluid rarely stagnates. Body Wrap: Claim – Helps eliminate harmful toxins from your body and provide essential vitamins and minerals to your skin. Fact: Swearing is a natural process and that’s what

Foot Spa: Claim – An ‘Energizing cartridge’ creates a flow of electrous and a bio-energetic field into warm slated water to rebalance and harmonise by sending signals up through the lymph glands to stimulate the detox process. Fact – the skin – especially on the feet – is the least effective place to draw any thing from the body. If you could penetrate it to ‘send signals’ to the interior of the body, the effects would be catastrophic, because it would mean we could seriously alter the function of the body by signals through the skin. This would result in total imbalance of the body’s normal functions. This is War! (Humour) An isolated part of the country was being terrorised by a gang of ruthless bandits and people were fleeing their homes. In one village, all that remained was a young boy and his toothless, 85-year old Grandma. One morning, they were woken by a tremendous noise as the gang rode into town. “We want food”, they demanded of the young boy. “All I have left is one sausage and half a loaf of bread”, he said. “Then give it to us. War is war ”. “Drink”, they then shouted, “We want drink”. “There are only three bottles of beer left”, replied the boy. “Good, let’s have them now. War is War ”. “Women, bring us women”, they yelled later. “There’s only my grandma”, he said, pointing to the old hag who was smiling at them. “Well, ..er perhaps, we’ll forget about the women”, one of them said, looking at the horrible sight. “What do you mean?”, said the old woman crossly, “War is War!”.

ngesinaj@gmail.com +2348066043380

You mean so much to me

Atimes saying that I love you don't seems to be enough for me. This is the real reason why Iam searching for words and actions that will depict in clear manner what you mean to me. This is because you are the criminal that stole my heart with so much passion and affection. Thank God I caught you. Akachukwu Ferdinand, 08063819314

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014 — PAGE 25

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, AWKA

C M Y K

ANAMBRA CHURCH DEMOLITION ROW

Villagers, Anglicans go to war over land! the 2015 presidential election will surely be affected because Anglicans form almost half of the voters in the country. This is a church project that has gulped over N30 million and the money was contributed by widows, orphans and the less privileged only for some people to pull it down from the top to the foundation level”. Chancellor of the Diocese on the Niger, Mr. Nnamdi Ibegbu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, condemned the action and threatened that the Diocese would seek legal action against those who demolished the church building. According to him, the issue of the rightful owners of the premises that housed the demolished church building will be determined by a competent court of jurisdiction, even as he appealed to the Anglican

T is simply a situation that can be likened to the villagers battling God as villagers in Oze village, Nkwelle Ezunaka Oyi local government area of Anambra State battle Ebenezer Anglican Church in the town. Both parties claim ownership of the land on which the church demolished was built. Though there had been claims and counter claims over the rightful owner of the premises by the two parties, the dispute got to a head with members of the church discovering, to their amazement, that the church building, they had spent so much money to erect, was reduced to rubbles. Their first action was to embark on a peaceful demonstration to drive home their anger over the demolition and, apart from blaming the people of Nkwelle Ezunaka for the demolition, they accused the state government of encouraging the community to perpetrate the action. The protesters, who blocked the roads leading to the commercial city of Onitsha for several hours, brandished placards some of which read, “Rebuild our church now”; and “Governor Obiano, intervene in this matter and arrest the perpetrators of this evil act”. While the protest lasted, vehicular traffic along the popular 33 area of the city came to a halt as the demonstrators came from all the parishes in the Diocese on the Niger of the Anglican Communion. Speaking on behalf of the Diocese, Rev I.k Egbeonu said the state government’s silence on the matter signified conspiracy between government and those who perpetrated the act. He said the school compound, housing the demolished church building, was among the schools handed over to the church by the former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, adding that the statement credited to the community that the church took over the school by force was not true. He said: “We are calling on the state government to come and rebuild our church. We are also calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in this matter. If this is not done,

This is a church project that has gulped over N30 million and the money was contributed by widows, orphans and the less privileged only for some people to pull it down from the top to the foundation level

faithful in the area to remain calm. A member of the demolished Ebenezer Anglican Church, Oyolu Oze, Mr. Emma Ibeneme said they were still in shock, adding that they were surprised when they discovered that the church building, already roofed, had been reduced to rubbles by some people suspected to be agents of Nkwelle Ezunaka community. However, the President General of Nkwelle Ezeunanka community, Elder Chris Eluemuno, denied that the community had a hand in the demolition of the church building, explaining that the matter was already being handled by law enforcement agents. Arguing that nobody gave the school to the Anglican Church in the first place and that the church did not get any certificate of occupancy

on the land, Eluemune urged the Anglican Church to discontinue construction work going on at Oze village or be prepared for a showdown with the community. Worried by the allegation that the community was behind the demolition, the president general summoned a general meeting of the community during which they alleged that despite an order of the state government that status quo be maintained pending the completion of investigation by the panel set up by the state government, the Anglican Church continued to build on the disputed school premises. Going down memory lane, Eluomunor said the school, on which premises the demolished church situated, was built by Nkwelle Ezuunaka people in 1980

Continues on page 26

PAGE 26—SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

Tributes as Salvation Army chief retires BY EPHRAIM OSEJI

T was a rain of tributes re cently in Lagos for former Nigerian Leaders of the Salvation Army, Commissioners Mfon Jactor and Ime Akpan who retired after 45 years of meritorious service to the Corps worldwide. The event which was held at the Salvation Army, Lagos

*Angry Anglicans protesting the demolition

Villagers, Anglicans go to war over land! Continued from page 25 and handed over to Anambra State government, recalling that the Anglican Church started worshiping there more than10 years after the school was built. He said: “It was Chief G.U. Okeke, Chairman of GUO Group of Companies, who came to Nkwelle Ezunaka and pleaded that Anglican Church be allowed to worship there and promised that the church would never contest ownership. The Anglican Church reached an agreement with Nkwelle Ezeuaka that it would pay N20 annually for using the premises, an agreement the church has reneged on.” He expressed surprise that the church should be telling lies and wondered what the leaders preach to the ordinary people. The President General warned that his community would not fold its arms and allow anybody to come in and take its property unduly, stressing that if government was tired of managing the school, it should hand it over to the community which owned it. Shortly after the demolition, the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, in company of his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, who is an Anglican, visited C M Y K

the demolished church building. The governor later set up a panel of inquiry headed by the deputy governor to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the dispute between the community and the church. But the Anglican Church vowed never to cooperate with members of the panel of inquiry, accusing the deputy governor of not doing much to prevail on his boss, Obiano, to treat the Anglican Church equally with the Catholic Church. For two consecutive days, members of the church continued with their demonstration and urged security operatives not to attempt to stop them as they were prepared to spill their blood on the disputed land. As the protest continued, the Anambra State government issued a statement, urging the Anglican Church to give peace a chance. The statement, which was signed by the commissioner for information, culture and tourism, Chief Tony Onyima, read: “The attention of the Anambra State government has been drawn to the demonstration which took place in Onitsha over ownership of a primary school at Oyolu – Oze, Nkwelle – Ezunaka, in Oyi Local Government Area. “Government observes that

the Nkwelle Ezunaka community and the Anglican Communion are locked in a dispute over the ownership of the said Oyolu – Oze Primary School. “On receipt of reports of destruction of property, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano in the company of the Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke, visited the school site. His Excellency unequivocally condemned the wanton destruction of property by unknown persons. “Already, Governor Obiano had set up a six -man committee headed by the deputy governor to investigate the contending issues and submit a report on their findings within two weeks. “Government observes that the committee is presently only in the fourth day of its two -week time frame to present a report and calls on all parties to allow peace and due process to reign. “As a democratic and law– abiding government, the administration of His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano upholds the right of peaceful protests by citizens. However such protests must be within the ambit of the law. Government wishes to assure all citizens that it is committed to promotion of justice, peace and fair play and calls on all citizens to remain calm and law abiding.”

headquarters, Igbobi attracted distinguished Nigerians from all walks of life in an occasion that held for two days beginning with the festival of praise and thanksgiving on Saturday before culminating in the Thanksgiving service proper on Sunday The festival of praise was led by Lt Col. Friday Iyanam, Chief Secretary of the Salvation Nigerian Territory while the Thanksgiving service was conducted by Commissioners Joash and Florence Malabi, International Secretary for Africa and Zonal Secretary for Women Ministries of the Corps respectively who represented the Salvation Army General. In his reply to the tributes, Commissioner Mfon Akpan traced his entry into the Salvation Army and journey in the past 45 years, saying he was overwhelmingly grateful for all the tributes and accolades. According to him, “it is with joy and humility and thanks to God that we enter into retirement after more than four decades of devotion and service to God and the Salvation Army. It has been a wonderful privilege and blessing following Jesus Christ all the way. “Through these long years, we have known deep joy and many consolations in the midst of tribulations. In this time of retirement, our strongest feeling is one of love and gratitude. We thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has given us strength, that He considered us faithful appointing us to his service. We are very grateful that he covered our service with His overflowing love.” Akpan also recommended his successors, Lt Col. Godfrey and Diane Payne to the entire Corps pleading that they be given the same kind of cooperation and support that he received from officers and groups of the Corps during their time on the saddle Also speaking, Corps Sergeant Major Uche Iwuamadi described Commissioners Mfon and Ime Akpan as peaceloving people who brought unity and peace to the Territory of the Salvation Army, setting a record no other Nigerian Commissioners had set before. According to Iwuamadi, “aside from being one of the most experienced Corps leaders in Nigeria, he set some enviable records and giant strides. When he mounted the saddle about three years ago, we had been battling to complete the Ejigbo, Lagos Cathedral but his inspiration was enough to spur us to complete the job.” In a vote of thanks, Emmanuel Akpan, son of the retired Commissioners, described their parents as very “dedicated man and woman of God who inspired us and all around them.” Highlights of the event was the presentation of gifts, including cash to the retirees.

2015 guber: Group backs Obuh

HE youths under the Itsekiri Communities Youth Development Initiative,ICYDI, have backed the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Government House, Mr. Anthony Obuh, as the next Governor of the state The group in a statement in Warri, said that it declared its “unwavering support for Obuh 2015 governorship after careful consideration of his exemplary achievements and selfless leadership in the state’s transformation and in line with our consultation with political and community leaders and stakeholders in Delta”. The ICYDI statement signed by Prince Ojogor Oyebor Anderson, National President and Megbuliofor Gray Amaju, Secretary General, noted that Obuh is a trusted listener and productive thinker. “We call on all to join the Delta United for Obuh 2015 led by Chief Ayiri Emami in playing active part in ushering in a new dawn in the state, with continuity in development guaranteed as Obuh is part of the current transformation under Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan”, the body stated.

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 27

08116759757

Trapped in flood

HAD to vacate my residence because of this flood issue. It was becoming more of a death trap living here because I had to wear rain boots in my sitting room, kitchen and everywhere in the house because of the flood. And this was very risky as the ground became slippery because of the water. I couldn’t continue living there for fear of being electrocuted. While I was living there, I used to pump water out of the house with machine. It is really devastating watching the house I built with hard earned resources while in active service before I retired being destroyed by flood.” On this lamenting note, Alhaja Alabi captures the agony of residents of Community Road, off AgoPalace Way, Okota, Lagos State. As far as these residents are concerned, Lagos State government has been unfair to them on the provision of basic infrastructural facilities, especially roads and drainage system. According to them, Community Road, off AgoPalace Way and environs lack government presence. Accusing the government of neglecting the community, they said the road construction project, which began many years back, was stalled at Century Bus Stop, leaving most part of Ago-Palace Way undone. In separate chats with Sunday Vanguard, residents said the neglect of the area showed in all aspects of living such as bad roads and lack of drainage system. The worst hit areas are: Chris Harry Crescent (where residents wear rain boots in their living rooms), Austin Obuador Street, Femi Fatoyinbo Street, Ejike Udoye Crescent and Mike

LAGOS

Living inside flood! Maduabuchi Street. The residents called on the governor to intervene and rescue them from flood. Origin of problem Sunday Vanguard gathered that the problem started a few years back when development began in the community without people taking cognizance of flood with Omonile (indigenous land owners) selling every available piece of land even if they knew it will affect drainage flow. The situation was compounded along Ago-Palace Way. For instance, Chris Harry Crescent connects Ohafia Street but the land in between was later sold and buildings erected down the road preventing free flow of run-off rain water. Whenever it rains, the entire flood from Community Road empties into Chris Harry Crescent. Plight Alhaja Alabi, a landlady in the area, said: “You can see our plight; everywhere in the community is water-logged, there is no movement because there is no drainage. School children whose parents don’t have vehicles have to wade through these waters when going or returning from school. Tenants have all vacated their rented apartments, anybody you find living around this community is a landlord not a tenant. As I speak with you, some landlords have vacated their houses too. Tenants who rented shops can no longer open their shops because there is water inside their shops which

they keep bailing out. I can’t sleep in my house anymore because of the flood. I now sleep in my shop. All my tenants have parked out. Governor Fashola should please assist this community. The suffering has become unbearable. As law-abiding citizens, we should not be subjected to this manner of suffering after voting for him during the last election and I also pay tenement rate to government. If the flood is properly channeled we won’t be having these issues.” Another resident, Chief Azubuike, said, “We didn’t build houses here with the

By ESTHER ONYEGBULA

Harry water takes over homes

Walking in flood

own houses here are Igbo. We have heard government officials say they don’t have plans for this area but they have plans to generate revenue from the area. Things are not done that way. We are not demanding for road construction, all we are asking is drainage channels.” Community intervention Harry said that controlling the flood is a capital project and not something residents could do alone. “Every year, the community residents come together; contribute resources and sand fill the entire community. The

We didn’t build houses here with the mind of living inside flood like we are doing presently. In my compound, I wear rain boots. I park my car at the entrance of the other street

mind of living inside flood like we are doing presently. In my compound, I wear rain boots. I park my car at the entrance of the other street. The last time it rained, I discovered that water was coming from underneath into the main building. It is a pathetic situation. “We don’t want to believe that government has abandoned us here because majority of the people that

amount of granite underneath is unbelievable but, because of the marshy area, the granite keeps going under. So the residents have in their own little way done their best to tackle this situation to no avail. The only institution capable of putting an end to this scourge is government. “What we spend annually attempting to tackle this flood challenge runs into millions. We have not felt

government presence in the area. The only time government officials come around this community is when they are campaigning. They don’t consider our votes because if they do, they would intervene. I pay tax, land use charge to the same government that has done nothing to alleviate our plight.” Solution He continued: “We don’t mind partnering with government to end this menace. All we want is a drainage system that will channel the flood to the canal which is close by. If a drainage system is put in place, the flood problem along Ago-Palace Way would be a thing of the past. The challenge we are facing on Community Road is a fallout of the flood on Ago-Palace Way. The local government people are aware of our plight. Sometime ago, some stakeholders in the community had a meeting with the local government chairman and he gave them about three tipper loads of red sand which complicated issues when it rained. So it is not the filling of this place that is the problem. Community Road is a state government road. This road leads to Isheri. What we require is urgent government intervention to save this community from the scourge. Our properties and investments are wasting away. Once the flood is channeled to the canal, the entire problem would be dealt with.” C M Y K

PAGE 28 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;SUNDAY, Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

Burial fanfare ffor or Uw angue of W arri Uwangue Warri

even days final burial rites for Chief Bernard Edema OtuedonOkome, the Uwangue of Warri, ended with a thanksgiving service organized by his Lagosbased children led Mrs Patricia Arawore. The service was held at Catholic Church of Transfiguration Victoria Garden City ( VGC) and reception at the residence of Mrs Patricia Arawore. Photos by Oscar Ochiogu

L-R: Dr (Mrs) Ekwueme and Mrs Patricia Arawore. 1.

L-R: Yetunde Arobieke, Patricia Arawore and Remi Tinubu.

L-R: Uche Obi ,Temi Giwa,Toritse Arawore, Mide & Tomi Giwa.

Some of papaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children at the service of songs

L-R:Dr (Mrs) Margaret Obi, Mrs Grace Giwa and Senator Remi Tinubu.

Veronica Olukogbon laid to rest

he funeral mass service for the late Chief (Mrs) Veronica Olufunmilayo Olukogbon (nee Akinmuda) the Ajigbeda Kristi Onigbagbo of Ota, was held at St. Peters Catholic Church, Ota, Ogun State. Reception of guests followed at Ijamido Town Hall, Ota. Many prominent personalities graced the occasion. Photos by Bunmi Azeez

The chief mourner Capt. Albert Otuedon.

Havilah Group marks 14th year

r. Osaren Emokpae, chairman of the Havilah Group of Companies, along with his management staff and some directors of the company celebrated the 14th anniversary of the company at the Foursquare Gospel Church, Lakeview Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

From left:Mrs. Funke Olukogbon, Mr. Vincent Olukogbon, Mr. Adesola Olukogbon and Mrs. Laide Olukogbon.

From left: Mr. Ladipo Olukogbon, Mrs. Busola Olukogbon and Mrs. Funmi Olukogbon

From left: Mrs. Sunbo Ebetaleye, Miss. Susan Ebetaleye, Mrs. Funmilayo Adesegun, wife of Ogun state deputy governor and Mrs. Olapeju Adeniyi

From left: Chief [Mrs] Yetunde Arebi and Prince Segun Adesegun, deputy governor of Ogun state

Dr. Osaren Emokpae, chairman of the Havilah Group of Companies (first left), with management staff and some directors of the company

SUNDAY, Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 29

Presentation of The Niche Newspaper Faces at the public presentation of The Niche Newspaper held at Eko Hotel and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Anya O. Anya and wife, Inyang

A cross section of guests during the unveilling of the paper

National Chairman, APGA, Victor Umeh (left), General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, Supo Atobatele

Managing Director / Editor in Chief, The Niche, Ikechukwu Amaechi (left), and President, Guild of Editors, Femi Adeshina

PAGE 30 — SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014 — PAGE 31

C M Y K

PAGE 32 — SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

*Fred Eno

JUNE 12 CONTROVERSY

I did not betray Kokori —Fred Eno

*Says those close to Abiola sold him out *On MKO’s post-humous birthday: We have forsaken what he stood for Fred Eno was special assistant to the late Chief MKO Abiola, the undeclared winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. In this interview, he says he did not betray a former general secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Frank Kokori, during the struggle to revalidate the annulled 1993 election, contrary to the claim by Kokori. Eno tells his story of the June 12 struggle and the lessons he learnt. BY SONI DANIEL

ince August 1994, not much has been heard about you. Where have you been and what have you been doing? I have been around, lived in several countries. Upon my release from prison, I lived as a refugee for the first two years in Cameroun and then moved to the United States. Basically on the day of MKO Abiola’s death in detention, I had wanted to be close to the country and was shuttling between Cameroun and Cote D’ivore, hoping against all hope; I thought that one day he would be out and I would be in a position to be next to him but that did not happen. So, I moved to the U.S and worked as an editor for a magazine for three years and then began consulting for African HIV/AIDS Initiative, covering six countries-Nigeria, Cote D’Ivore, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya. So that kept me visiting all those places. C M Y K

In 2009, I moved to Ethiopia and moved to Switzerland in 2012. Meanwhile, I kept my home in Nigeria. I came in as I pleased. But it was not that anybody was pursuing you in any of these places or that you were in exile? No. Nobody pursued me in any way. I came home whenever I wanted. I lived in 2005 and 2007 in Lagos. I was living a normal life. Let me take you back to 1994 a period when you and others were actively involved in the struggle to sustain the Abiola mandate. What caused the collapse of the movement? I think the movement had been terribly fractured even in the course of his incarceration. You would also agree with me that the forces behind the annulment of his election and incarceration still held sway in the country and some would even argue that they still hold sway today. So you can see that there is still a very strong and a deliberate effort to make sure that what Abiola wished for

this country is not realised and this is beyond him. On the night of the dissolution of NUPENG, PENGASSAN and the NLC on August 17, 1994 by Gen. Abacha, where were you? I was in Lagos, continuing with the activities of making sure that the world knew about the grave injustice that had been done to Abiola and that it should not go unchallenged. And if you look at the story of the dissolution of those three major unions, it came barely 48 hours before a wave of arrests. So there was really very little time to pick the pieces and say these unions that were very supportive of our cause had now been dissolved: how do we help them? Even before we could catch our breathe and restructure, we too were also picked up. What was the relationship between you and Chief Frank Kokori in the coordination and implementation of the struggle? There is slight misnomer in most of these things. But the point is that Chief Kokori and other union leaders were functioning as part

of the bigger group - NADECO. I was the Special Assistant to Abiola, who was the principal figure in the struggle. At this time, Abiola had been arrested but I still continued in my role because. even behind bars, Abiola still had a cause and the structure to sustain it. And so, basically, when NADECO was created, I now had Chief Anthony Enahoro as my principal, who became the leader, who gave me instructions on what to do, who to deal and how to dispense funds and the issues to address to the world. On one side, he was the principal person I related with and he would say at certain time what to do for NUPENG, market women and other groups. I related with him and his assistants- Chief Cornelius Adebayo and Ayo Opadokun. I related with Chief Frank Kokori and other union leaders on the basis of what NADECO needed in the exercise of my role as SA to Abiola. So, to a certain extent, I attended meetings with them at various times. Cast your mind back to when you were arrested on August 17, 1994. Where were you at the time of the arrest, what were you doing and how were you arrested? When I read your Sunday Vanguard of August 10, 2014 and saw what was credited to Chief Frank Kokori, the first thing that came to my mind was that it was time to put a stop to what these people are trying to ascribe to me wrongly. Before I give you a breakdown of what happened that night, I want to state categorically that I owe an apology to no one let alone Kokori or Chief Segun Osoba, who I think is the principal actor

You can see that there is still a very strong and a deliberate effort to make sure that what Abiola wished for this country is not realised and this is beyond him in Kokori’s statement. I am saying so because this whole thing in Kokori’s book is about absolving Chief Osoba. But I want to give you a total breakdown of the events to totally debunk what has been written against me by Kokori. I know he wants to sell his book but I will tell you what happened. On August 19, 1994, I was doing my normal duty of coordinating the media organisations that had sensed this new urgency in the struggle following the proscription of the unions by the Abacha government. So I was doing my normal thing up to the time of my arrest two days after the proscription of the unions involved in the struggle. At about 6pm on that day, I drove into Chief MKO Abiola’s compound and his late wife, Kudirat, was livid with me because, apparently, she had known what had been going on with the

massive arrest of the leaders of the struggle including Chief Enahoro. Her anger was that I was exposing myself to danger by coming to the house at that time. She wanted me to leave the compound immediately and perhaps get some people to get me out if I needed help. But I told her that I was alone and that I needed to be around other people so that they would be a witness in case I was arrested. So I arranged an evening to have drinks with the correspondents of Newsweek Magazine, New York Times and a couple of foreign colleagues who had insisted that we should meet and talk. I set up the appointment with them at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja. At that time, Chief Enahoro had been arrested without my knowledge. I got to know about it for the first time from Kudirat. So, I decided to go to Sheraton where I had a room and one of my working offices. I had access to a lot of things I needed to do my work while in that hotel-a telephone line and some other working tools. On the way to Sheraton, I was stopped twice by people who knew me, insisting that I was being trailed by some unknown persons and my driver also insisted that we should not go there. But I asked the driver, ‘if we turn into any other road, what would happen if we are killed and the report of our killing turned into accident, armed robbery or anything?’ I told him to drive as fast as he could and get into Sheraton, and he did. At the entrance of Sheraton, some of the security men who were extremely sympathetic to our cause told us that the entire place was already filled with security men and I told them not to worry. I told them it would be better for me to be arrested in a public place than to be picked up in a secret location where nobody would know. As I got into the hotel, two cars pulled up. This was about 7.10pm. As I got into the main lobby of the hotel, I went to the left corner while my friends were sitting at the middle. So as I came out, they saw me first but I did not see them. They now got up and were walking towards me, so we basically met at the centre of the lobby. There were so many people there, including flight attendants who were coming in and going out of the hotel. As I stood with my friends and exchanging pleasantries, the first crowd of about six security officers approached us and asked whether I was Fred Eno? And I said yes. And they said I was under arrest with instruction from the Head of State and I said they could not just emerge like that and arrest me. It was at that moment that two of them raised their clothes and showed their Uzi sub-machine guns under. This development attracted a lot of attention of the guests at the hotel. Most of them stood up and were watching what was unfolding. The security men took me out of the hotel, bundled me into a waiting car and drove me to Shangisha. They squeezed me into the back of a 504 car with three others. There were three other cars with them. We got to Shangisha before 8 o’clock where I met Chief Enahoro, Gen. Akinrinade and Chief Cornelius Adebayo. The three of them were in the room they took me to and they left me with them. I was with them all through the night of the

Continues on page 33

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 33

‘Those close to Abiola sold him out’ Continued from page 32 19th. So, I don’t want to pick issues with anyone. If I had left them someone can say they took him to a separate room to make a phone call or whatever. No, no! I did not leave these three gentlemen. We were there and about an hour or so later, they brought in Prince Adeniyi Adele,, who had been arrested about an hour or a half after my arrest. But I was still in the company of these gentlemen. I was with them until very late in the night when they took us to another private house in Ikeja GRA and kept us there until 5am on the 20th and drove me down to Alagbon. That was the first time I was taken away from the company of these gentlemen. The first time I saw Chief Frank Kokori was when we were being transferred to Abuja. Chief Kokori, Prince Adele and I were moved the same time. So I had absolutely no access to telephone and even if I did I made no call to Kokori let alone using the word like betray. And I want to make this very clearly that I owe no apology to Kokori. Neither do I owe any apologies to anyone else. Let me quote an excerpt of the interview from Kokori’s book you are complaining about. “On the night of 19 and 20th of August 1994, a voice started calling me saying; please tell me where you are staying. It was Fred Eno. His request sounded strange because none of my callers has ever asked me to disclose my whereabouts”. If you were arrested as you have said and taken away at that time, how come that you still called Kokori. What did you use in calling him? I did not call him in the first place. It was not me who called him. I swear to God and I pray to Moshood Abiola in heaven that I did not make a phone call to Frank Kokori and I can tell you just from my own little access that those who are planting this story into Kokori’s head know those who betrayed Kokori, if he was even betrayed. They knew and used the fact that I was one person who would call Kokori at any time and he would respond given his role which I acknowledge and given my role, which he acknowledges in his book. They knew that relationship and used it and betrayed Kokori and those are the same people who are continuing to perpetrate this fallacy because they deliberately want to absolve themselves. There is something more that he said about you. Kokori said you had earlier told him that you would meet him at Niger Palace Hotel, Yaba by 11pm. But at the time he arrived there and waited for you, you did not show up and did not answer his call any more until 1 am when he was arrested as he went towards a white Mercedes Benz car that had been parked there apparently waiting for him. Why did you not show up to meet with Kokori after giving him an assurance to meet him? I did not have any appointment with Kokori on the said day. Look at the time he is reporting that

*Abiola we had an appointment. At that time he was talking about, I had already been arrested and taken away and locked up with Enahoro, Akinrinade and Adebayo. It goes back to what I was trying to say earlier. Look at the sequence and it does not just hold water and I really don’t want to overflog this point because to me it is totally unnecessary because it did not happen, at least to my knowledge. If that is the way he was arrested, so be it. What is even more interesting is that the people who arrested us are still alive. A good number of them, who carried out those arrests are still in service and, if this needs further clarification, Chief Kokori is alive and the person he i s mentioning here that did not betray him, Segun Osoba, is alive: they are big and important men who have access to all the sources of power in this country. Let them check and confirm who betrayed Kokori. As I said, for Chief Kokori, I have absolute respect for him and for the two years I lived in Lagos (2005 to 2007), I had occasion to go to Chief Kokori’s office to talk about this story, which has been going on for a long time. He mentioned it to me that he was surprised to get a rumour when he came out of prison accusing Segun Osoba of being behind his betrayal and went on to give a list of how Osoba had been assisting his family and all of that. But the story had been peddled about for a long time and deliberately so and part of it was because they thought that I would be the fall guy because they did not know where I was, they did not know what I was doing, I did not come around hanging around them to ask for favours and so they felt it was a good way to absolve themselves of the socalled “betrayal”. That is a very strong word to use. It is not in my character to betray anyone in life. I had several opportunities, which if they had, and when they had them, they betrayed. When I heard this for the first time, it was one of the security guards of Abiola, Isaac, may God bless his soul. We used to call him Gadaffi; he saw me in Lagos and ran to me and said where have you been because he had done everything possible to locate me to no avail. He told me I should take immediate steps to clear my name as people were saying I was

*Kokori the one who betrayed Kokori. I said it was not true and that there was no reason for me to clear my name when I did not do what they were accusing me of. I explained to him that one could only take steps to clear his name if his conscience was bothering him for what he had done wrong and that I did not do anything and that my conscience was clear about it. But at his prompting, he drove me in his car to somewhere in central Lagos and I walked into Kokori’s office and met him and narrated the sequence of events leading to my arrest and imprisonment on the same day he was arrested and that it was not possible for me to have betrayed him. I asked him if he believed the rumour making the rounds and he said he did not, but just that he had not had any information about my whereabouts. He said when he heard the story he knew that I could not have done it but that having been in prison for three years and having not heard from him he was worried. But I told him that I was equally in prison. I told him we were arrested the same day, flown to Abuja the same day and spent three months in detention in the SSS headquarters in Asokoro and did not see each other. We were moved from

Still on the June 12 struggle, can you say you did your very best to sustain it given your closeness to the late MKO Abiola and the events that unfolded after he was arrested and eventually he died? I gave my very best but wish I could do more because my best is not good if we did not achieve the desired goal. There is something I want to say because it is almost 20 years since the arrest of Chief MKO and it is Abiola’s birthday on August 24 (today). I think, for a country like ours, with what it has gone through and what it is still going through, there is time for serious soul-searching because one of the main components of our national anthem “that the labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain” is rather being observed in the breach. In other words, we are putting the labour of our real heroes past in vain. And whether it is the life of an individual or the life of a nation, when you put that in vain, it impacts on the way you conduct your life as an individual and as a nation. Why did you say so? Can you see where we are today in terms of religion and ethnicity, in terms of love for one another and in terms of unity? Everybody is telling you that 2015 cannot be the same like June 12, 1993 because religion and ethnicity have become an issue. Yes, it cannot be. But it takes just an individual, who values this country more than himself, to say ‘I am willing to sacrifice and prove that the Nigerian people can go beyond these things’, and that’s what drove Moshood Abiola; if we let that labour of his be in vain, then we should not be surprised where we are today. We have forsaken what this man stood for and reduced it to this petty ethnic politics and people wanting to climb one another and others trying to upstage others and reducing national i n t e r e s t to sectional interest and all that.

I thought I had made it clear to Chief Kokori that I did not betray him. Whatever else he had to deal with on who betrayed him and who did not betray him was his business, what he chose to put in his book is his business, who he chose to absolve is his business and who he chose to associate with is his business

Asokoro the same day and flown to Maiduguri where they took him to Bama and flew me back to Enugu Prison where I served for over three years. Having done all that explanations, I thought I had made it clear to Chief Kokori that I did not betray him. Whatever else he had to deal with on who betrayed him and who did not betray him was his business, what he chose to put in his book is his business, who he chose to absolve is his business and who he chose to associate with is his business.

That is what it is, really. Do you suspect in any way that anybody, dead or alive, tried to betray you in the course of the struggle to validate Abiola’s mandate? Again, betrayal is a strong word. But I want to say this and this came up as a result of the interrogations while I was in detention. I realised that confidential conversations, general activities when the chief was at home and when he was arrested and things that I had a s s u m e d would remain within the confines

of his own house, were readily available to the security forces who were interrogating me. Were you shocked? It was very shocking and, to that extent, I would not rule out betrayal but I am not one who l i v e s and carries grudges. I still believe that what I did and whatever little role I played was not for Abiola to be president but for a Nigeria I want to be a citizen of. And for that reason, I owe absolutely no apology to anyone. From all that happened before, during and after the arrest and death of Abiola, do you have any lesson which you have learnt? If there is a lesson, the biggest of them all for me is to believe in myself because that has driven me to dust myself up, believe in the things I believe, in God first, doing the things that I felt drove me there. And in a very private way, I am still doing that as we speak because I am not one of those who would jump up and say I am doing Jonathan’s campaign or APC’s campaign. Now, I do things for the country in my private way as a citizen. If anybody recognizes it and pats me on the back, I say ‘thank you’, if no one does, I carry on. It is that belief in myself and those things that I learned in that process, which I think are still lacking and are part of the problems we are facing now. That is what drives me and that is what I believe is the lesson learnt from that past and defining the way I relate with my country and those in power today as a private c i t i z e n . What are you doing now? Do we just refer to you as Fred Eno, a private citizen of Nigeria? I run or belong to a structure called International Crisis Communicators Network and we do all sorts of intervention media wise and we help in telling an African story in terms of how our conflicts manifest, where we go wrong, offer opportunities for countries to see and understand that we have to be able to define our own problems ourselves first, and then begin resolving them before we start inviting others, even if others are coming in at the same time. And you see the case of the Central African Republic crisis, which should not have gotten to where it is today, you see that of the South Sudan and so on. There were early ways of intervention. For Nigeria, the lesson I have learnt is what is guiding me so deeply now to make sure that every opportunity I get, I reach out to the democratically elected government and make suggestions in private capacity and say this is what I saw in the past and these are my suggestions as to how you can go about them today. Have you tried to offer such suggestions to Nigeria? I am doing so, not even trying. Have you met Mr. President to offer such? I do as I say in a very private capacity. I try to reach out to those close to me in the administration. I have friends who work with the administration-brilliant, hardworking, dedicated and patriotic guys who know me and who know that I put it as it is. How they use it-whether they use it or not, I have done my duty.

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

Inevitability of the return of ATM service charge, by Prof Ekpo .Says $ 9.38billion external debt must finance viable projects BY UDEME CLEMENT

HE West African Institute for Financial and Eco nomic Management (WAIFEM) has gained international recognition for capacity building targeted at economic growth and development within and outside the West African sub-region. WAIFEM is currently in the news for strategic capacity building programmes designed to foster growth and regional integration among member-countries. Since its establishment on 22 July, 1996, by the Central Banks of five Anglophone West African countries, namely, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, WAIFEM has trained over 14,000 senior policy makers from Central Banks in the sub-region, Ministries of Finance, Planning, Budget office and relevant public institutions involved in economic management. People often come from South Africa, Malawi and Latin American countries for WAIFEM’s training. The institute has also trained parliamentarians, members of the civil society organisations (CSOs), journalists in both electronic and print media, among other media practitioners in the region. The Director General of WAIFEM, Akpan Ekpo, a professor of economics, spoke on the approval of a new five-year strategic plan for WAIFEM, the move by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to re-introduce service charge of N65 for withdrawal from other banks Automated Teller Machines (ATM) from September 1, 2014, N1.3billion National Power Sector Apprenticeship Fund, the economic implications of Nigeria’s $9.38billion rising foreign and $48billion domestic debts Since you took over as the Director General of WAIFEM, what measures have you put in place to improve on the existing structures you met on ground? Since I came on board in 2009, we have been able to bring in more donors, which include Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), a United Nations Commission for Africa based in Ethiopia. World Trade Organisation (WTO), an international organisation based in Geneva, and De-la-rue, based in United Kingdom (UK). We also signed a project-3 contract with African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), based in Zimbabwe. Aside from bringing in more donors, WAIFEM also successfully established two new Units, such as, Research Unit and Business Developing Unit (BDU). The Research Unit undertakes research on issues emanating from training programmes and BDU targets capacity building at the private sector. Your scholar’s programme is

also a dominant issue in the news. Can you give us more insight into what this programme entails? It is a visiting scholar’s programme, where renowned scholars can attach themselves with WAIFEM for six months to carry out research on issues relating to regional economic integration. We also have what is called Doctorial Students Fellowship, for students doing PhD, to come to WAIFEM, spend not more than six months, to understudy what WAIFEM does and also present their own research papers. Can you give us statistical estimate on the number of people who have benefits from WAIFEM’s capacity building programmes? Our capacity building is strategic for economic growth and development within and outside the sub-region. For instance, WAIFEM has trained over 14,000 senior policy makers from Central Banks in the sub-region, ministries of Finance, Planning, Budget office and relevant public institutions involved in economic management. We also trained parliamentarians, members of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Journalists in both electronic and print media, among other media practitioners in the region. Going forward, the Board recently approved 5-year strategic plan, which will run from 2015 to 2019. So, from next year, WAIFEM without forsaking its core mandate will begin to offer Diploma and certificate courses for duration of between three to six months, in areas of Banking Supervision

Prof. Akpan Ekpo stitutions like World Bank, IMF, African Development Bank (ADB), Debt Relief International (DRI), Common Wealth Secretariat among others. What structures are you putting in place to ensure high level of success for the new 5-year strategic plan approved for 2015 to 2019? WAIFEM has done a thorough research on the programme. We have already developed the models for banking supervision and public debt management courses. Some of our partners include African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), International Monetary Fund Institute (IMF), World Bank, African Development

Nothing wrong in borrowing to finance viable projects provided such projects will pay the debt in the long-run. The country must have the capacity to manage the debts. At the federal level, there is the capacity to manage our debts and Public Debt Management. The method of delivery will be elearning and face-to face approach. The programmes will be opened to all qualified persons within the region and outside Africa. WAIFEM will issue Diploma in collaboration with United Nations Institute for Technology and Research (UNITAR). It will interest you to know that all our independent and International assessors engaged by donors and Board of governors have rated WAIFEM as a centre of excellence in training and capacity building. In our training programmes, we collaborate with world class in-

Bank, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec), African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Debt Relief International (DRI)/Development Finance International (DFI), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and De-la-rue. So far, what are your challenges? Finding how to reduce dependence on donors, knowing that at some point donors fatigue may set in. Trying to ensure that the BDU succeeds as a source of funding and bidding for projects

(consultancies). Let me appreciate the owners of WAIFEM, especially the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for tremendous and continuous support towards the organisation. They provided not just needed funds but positive direction for the Institute to follow. Our BDU is good for both private and public sectors development. The BDU offers short term courses in all areas of economy beneficial to private sector, at cost recovery rates. Our resource persons are of the highest quality and can stand globally. Aside from the subregion, people usually come from South Africa, Malawi and Latin American countries for our training programmes. Last year, Nigeria’s external debt was $6.7billion, but few days ago, the Debt Management Office (DMO), disclosed that external debt has increased by 40 per cent from $6.7billion to $9.38billion in 2014, while domestic debt stands at N8.9trillion ($48billion). What is your take on this? My position is that there is nothing wrong in borrowing to finance viable projects provided such projects will pay the debt in the long-run. The country must have the capacity to manage the debts. At the federal level, there is the capacity to manage our debts. If most of the debts are to finance infrastructure development, then there is no problem, because of the positive multiplier effects of such expenditure on the economy both in the medium and long terms. My worry is whether states have the capacity to manage their debts, because the issue of debt sustainability is crucial in debt management. It is also good to caution that though we are yet to hit the threshold of 26 percent external debt/GDP ratio, which at present is 12.51 percent, there is the need to encourage private sector borrowing. Government should, if it has to borrow to exploit windows in the African Development Bank and other multilateral institutions for concession-

ary rates. This again may become difficult given our present status as a middle income country. The funds from debt should be prudently utilised to finance infrastructure and other capital projects so that future generations do not abuse us when we are in our graves. The National Economic Council (NEC), recently approved N1.3 billion for manpower development and training of 3,700 trainees under the National Power Sector Apprenticeship Scheme (NAPSAS). Do you think this will bring solution to the perennial power crisis in the country? So much emphasis is placed on monetary allocation but the results are not coming. We see too much emphasis on commissioning of projects with very little results in terms of power supply. We hope that in the election year, there will be a balance between economic activities and politics. If politics dominate, even the marginal increase we have achieved will be eroded, that is why we need a balance. As a Professor of Economics, how will you assess Nigeria’s economy currently? Well, the economy has only achieved marginal increase, but as 2015, which is the election year approaches, government should manage the fiscal aspect prudently to avoid a rise in inflation rate. In terms of the economy, the problems of rising unemployment, especially among youths, poverty, epileptic power supply and dearth of infrastructure still persist. The CBN has concluded plans to re-introduce service charge of N65 for withdrawal from other banks Automated Teller Machines (ATM) from September 1, 2014. Do you think this is what the banking public really expect from the current CBN’s management? I support CBN on the move to reintroduce service charge for ATM on inter-bank transactions, because this is a common practice globally. When people use ATM of another bank for withdrawal, they should be made to pay charges. So, I believe the decision by the apex bank is a step in the right direction. However, lending rate is still very high and many people, especially investors are concerned about lending rate. The CBN should focus on bringing down interest rate for industries to thrive. The apex bank said it will bring down lending rate gradually, but I prefer a more interventionist approach, where the CBN “forces” down the interest rate since the macro-economic fundamentals are moving in the right direction. The economy is growing at 5.45 percent after the re-basing, inflation rate stands at single digit of 8.2 percent, exchange rate is relatively stable, deficit Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio is less than 3 percent, foreign reserve is increasing and can finance six months of imports. The recently announced mortgage financing to boost the housing sector is a good initiative and must be implemented as soon as possible. Government should work the talk, not talking the work. The citizens are the ones to give verdict on how the economy is performing and not ministers and other government officials.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 35

‘The support the automotive industry needs’ BY Favour Nnabugwu

this place without borrowing any kobo from anybody and you can see that in less than three years in business, we are not doing badly. By the grace of God, in the next three years, we will be in another level. We started with about 5 people but now we have about 30 people on our pay roll. We have all the sections; we have mechanical section, electrical section, body and panel beating section, auto paint section, tyre service centre.

Mr Hassan Yunusa Musawa, a mechanical engineer and Chief Executive Officer of Auto Beauty Services, in this interview, says the cost of doing business in Nigeria is high as a result of electricity problem. Musawa also talks about the need for government to come to the aid of auto industry and why it is necessary for mechanics across the country to update with the changing technology in the auto sector. Excerpts:

So what are the challenges in the industry? The major challenge is government policies and inconsistency of the policies. Today the government will say this, tomorrow another government

HAT’S business like in the automotive industry?

The auto industry in Nigeria is a very lucrative business. It is a capital intensive sector that consists of so many things yet it is one of the major employers of labour and contributes to the GDP of any nation that so cherishes it. What is your take on the reform going on in the industry? We are 100 per cent at home with the new policy on the automobile industry. We believe this policy is eventually going to be good in organising the economy. It is going to create more job opportunities and open up a lot other windows of opportunities. Would the current state of power in the country not hinder the auto industry? Electricity is one of the major challenges we have in this country. As you are aware, the Federal Government has done a lot to improve the power situation in the country but that notwithstanding, power is a major problem. There is need for companies to be established in clusters. There would be a cluster in Lagos, another one in Enugu, Kano and Kaduna respectively. So those places are to be prepared for the industry and those who have indicated interest would be located in these areas and would have access to power. Even if there is a problem, and they provide alternative, then government would give a further concession to lower their production cost. Government says the electricity problem is as a result of gas shortage? But what we are after is just to see light; whatever they have to do is their responsibility to

Mr Hassan Yunusa Musawa get it done. If government can give light, I can confidently tell you that it will solve more than 70 percent of Nigeria’s problems and automatically improve the quality of life. If I want to increase the salary of my workers and I look at the money I am spending on diesel alone, it breaks my heart. But if we can get constant power supply, their welfare package will increase because what I spend on diesel can be added to their salaries. Going by what is happening, it is like government is depriving them of what they are suppose to gain. If they are supposed to get promotion every 2 or 4 years now, it is not possible. How much do you spend on fuel or diesel per week? We spend a minimum of 500 litres every week, that should be about 2 to 3 drums which is about N40,000 per drum. We are talking about spending close to N120,000 every week on diesel alone; so in a month, we spent between N400,000 and N500,000 on diesel. Majority of today’s mechanics are too backward for modern vehicles. What have you done to train your workers? That is where government is supposed to come in because there are too many quacks. When you say mechanic, the conclusion is that the man is an illiterate, even myself at times, they call me mechanic but I am happy to be called a mechanic. I don’t care because it is my field, maybe because you don’t know the difference between a mechanic and an engineer, but once someone has a problem with

Government should come up with policies that will help people that have the zeal because business is all about focus, dedication and consistency his car, he just looks for a mechanic; so who ever helps to put your car in order is a mechanic. But the issue is that government is supposed to sensitise our students right from secondary school, let them combine skill acquisition with education not only in the auto industry, so they can make good use of their hands to make money. There is money in the industry. Do you have to wait for government to do that? Government is the key in any economic development anywhere in the world, it is the government that brings out policies and people follow those policies. Has your company approached the Bank of Industry and it was turned down? We didn’t make any attempt because you know in a business like ours, many banks approached us when we started newly but I know the problem of collecting money from bank just to start a business, that business may collapse if care is not taken. You will just be working for the bank indirectly. It is better you start the business small and when you grow you look for loan from bank. I established

will come and say the exact opposite. The issue of finance is also another problem because the auto industry is a capital intensive business; government can make the banks to finance, to give loans in a single digit. It is only in Nigeria and other third world countries that you find people paying the complete amount to own a car. Imagine bringing N3m from your boot to buy a car, you can’t get it anywhere. You need credit facility line where you negotiate with your bank or with the car sellers, so you pay instalmentally over a period of time, a very flexible system but in Nigeria it is not like that. Did you ever aspire to establish your own company? As a fresh graduate of mechanical engineering 14 years back, I joined the automobile industry because it is in line with what I studied in the university. So I developed interest while in the university that l would not work for anybody, be it in government or private sector, for a maximum of 10 years and God answered my prayers Ordinarily, a northerner like

you would have been surrounded by his people in a company like this, yet you have a mix of tribes, why is that so? There is no federal character here; it is an issue of who knows what, who can add value to this company. Even if spirits come from heaven and know they can fix one or two things, we will employ them. What we are after and concerned about is value and growth. Unless I opened an employee’s file I don’t know his state of origin, I don’t care wherever he comes from provided he is adding value. Where do you hope to be in the next five years? In the next five years, we expect to go very far, reconstruct our workshop, build our showroom here that is why you see this space we are using as a parking lot now. We plan to open offices in the six-geo political zone as a starting point before we spread further. Why did you choose to be in Kubwa? Setting up this business in Kubwa is not an issue because if someone can take his car to Jos or Kaduna for auto services then he can as well bring it to Kubwa which is about 10 to 15 minutes drive from wherever you are in Abuja. The important thing is for people to know that they can get whatever they are going to Jos or Kaduna for in Kubwa. What is your advice to government on the way forward? Government should come up with policies that will help people that have the zeal because business is all about focus, dedication and consistency. So for people that have those qualities, government should identify with them, even if they have to go round and search for them and assist them in harnessing such business zeal and reduce the level of unemployment. It is not everybody that must work in the government and the money you make in business, you can’t make it in the government work unless you want to steal but if you are going to work judiciously to earn a living. Above all, government should put in more effort on power. it is by the grace of God businesses like ours, are surviving, the diesel you buy in a month is close to the money you are spending on salaries.

PAGE 36—SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014 Nigeria begins to collect tax from churches, Nigeria will end because God will remove his hand from this nation and that will be the final blow. Prophetically, I am saying God will remove his hand from this nation and the system will go down. Do you know why? Remember Russia, at a time stood against God and what happened? Russia came down. Russia was a super power nation but never had regard for God. Today, it is at the mercy of America. There is enough money in this country that politicians have squandered. The church is not the problem in Nigeria. Corruption is. The day that bill is signed into law , before six months, you will realise that God will remove his hand from Nigeria .. You know why? Nigeria is the only place that prayer is the only thing keeping us. Nigeria is the only place where prayer is working. We are interceding that there should be no anarchy. They are saying pastors are buying private jets. Let me ask, don ‘t government officials own private jets? What is the big deal about men of God owning private jets? They say churches have universities. Yes, but there are many people these churches are sponsoring without coming out to tell the public . They also ask why learning in the churchowned universities is not free of charge. It is because the lecturers have to be paid. If you pay peanuts as salary, its monkeys that will show up. If you want to hire professors, then you must pay professors’ salary.

BY EVELYN USMAN

everend Ben Eragbai , popularly known as the Jesus soldier, is the General Overseer of Divine Appointment Ministry, Lagos. In this interview, he condemns the recommendation by members of the National Conference to pass into law payment of tax by churches and mosques. Eragbai, who recently turned 50, also reminiscences on his days at the shrine of the late musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

In what way would you say the church has helped intercede for the country, with regard to the present security situation? It is the prayer that is keeping Nigeria. Do you know, for instance, that it is God that made members of Boko Haram sect to kidnap Chibok students so that the world can be against them. Before this time, we tried to get the attention of the world but nobody was listening and Boko Haram went ahead slaughtering people. Even when they attacked the United Nations building, Thisday Newspaper house, the Police headquarters, among other places, the sect was not labeled a terrorist group, until the school girls were abducted . Now, the United States, Isreal and other countries are interested in fighting this scourge.God is at work. We are praying for the children and I am certain that they will be released.

How has life been in the last 50 years? It has been so interesting in the sense that God has been my helper, because life without Christ is a life of crisis. By the grace of God, I have been able to put crisis behind me from the day I accepted Jesus into my life in 1989, that was when I graduated from the university. God has been faithful. I have never known a better last year but a better tomorrow according to Proverbs 4: 18 which states that the path of the just shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.

What was the turning point of your life The turning point of my life was in the 80s, when I attended a particular crusade organised by Arch. Bishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory. I remember going there with my girlfriend and a group of friends. I ended up giving my life to God but, when we went back to campus, I derailed . But a seed was sown into my life and I believe that was the seed God capitalized on to make me what I am today. You smoked marijuana and its likes but succeeded in coming out of it. Now that you are a preacher of the gospel, aren’t you concerned about youths who indulge in smoking marijuana and the resultant effect on their health? I want to say God has been faithful because through me a lot of bad boys are now in church. Some of them today are pastors, some are in the ushering department and others in the choir because they heard my testimony . I personally remember one young man who stormed this place in the company of some social miscreants, to stop work while the building was under construction. I drove in that day and saw someone showing him a photograph of me in Fela shrine. Do you know from that day, the young man gave his life to Christ and I personally prayed for him? Even armed robbers have turned a new leaf by listening to my testimony. One of such was during my television programme . A young man who said he hated listening to men of God was about going out for a robbery operation when he heard me sharing my testimony on the screen. He said he decided to listen but that at a point, he stood up to switch off the television, only to hear me say, ‘don’t touch that dial!’ He said he was shocked and wondered if I was monitoring him. Again, h e said he heard me saying ‘don’t go with bad gang, don’t go and join them to rob because you may not make it back’. He said that was to be his first operation but he never went. I remember him calling me to pray for him. He called some years later and said he was in Bible school.

Rev Eragbai

How did you meet your wife? As a matter of fact I didnt know she was going to be my wife because she was working in the camera department of the church. When it was time for me to marry, she was not even in the church, she was outside the country. I was not ready to get married but was more interested in doing God’s work. I remember that my father in the Lord, Rev Felix Omobude, who is the present President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, sat me down and said it was time for me to marry. I was afraid because I thought if I had a wife the anointing will stop. Aside that, I asked myself, where is the woman because I had many of them hunting for me. Most came with gifts. It was so terrible that I always left my office open to ensure my secretary was seeing me. I remember one of the ladies coming into the office at a time and held my legs saying, ‘ man of God, what did I do to you? God has spoken, why are you not talking?’. I had to call my secretary to take the lady out of my office and that was the last day she came to church. Others did not take such violent approach. A particular one would always sit in front of the church to the extent that a a group of deaconesses came and said ‘daddy, why are you not looking at that girl that worships very well’. Actually, when she would be worshiping, she would be crying and rolling on the floor. They said she was a perfect match for me and that she was beautiful but I ended up chasing the group away. The main reason of my being scared was because of my rough background and I was not ready to go back to it at all. If you talked about girl friend, I have had both white and black girlfriends, back in those days. Now that I am in the kingdom I told myself I was not going to live same life. At a point, Rev. Omobude gave me a time to get married and the question was, how to talk to the ladies because those days, I wooed ladies under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. The big question was how to walk up to a member of my church and tell . The man gave him a gun and, on that night her I wanted to marry her. he met us, he was sent to do surveillance of At a point, I remember I had a member the area before the gang would strike. Today, who was very gentle but was not in the that man is a pastor. The police could not change him, neither could the prison. But the country. I said, okay, since this one is not in church did. That is why any time I hear them Nigeria I could call and talk to her on phone since I won’t have to see her eye- ball to eyesay the church should pay tax, I get angry... ball. So, I picked the phone called her, I said my daughter how are you , she said fine .I What is your take on the said God bless you and dropped the phone. recommendation by the Confab on the Few days later, I called her again and told payment of tax by religious bodies? her there was something important I had to I am totally against the church paying tax. discuss with her, she asked what it was, I In America for instance, when you give offering in the church, it is given to you as tax said, em.... and dropped the phone. At a point, I summoned courage and called deduction and, at the end of the year, again and asked her if she would be government gives tax rebate to churches. interested in marrying a pastor . She asked That is a nation that regards God,even who the pastor was and I said,’ what if it was though America may not be a righteous me and that was how it started and today, nation. she is here as my better half. I want to state here, as a prophet, that if

Fela’s shrine testimony changing lives — Eragbai *‘Taxing the Church will have grave consequences’ Another instance was when I was preaching in Onipanu area. At that time, we had this horn speaker outside and since we were at the bus-stop, this young man said something told him to come and join us inside, instead of waiting outside, so that people won’t suspect him. He said he was waiting to give information to members of his gang. I had almost finished preaching when he came in and he heard me say, ‘there was an armed robber who was about to go for an operation’ and that I said God is saying ‘don’t go because if you do, you may never make it back alive’. He said he wondered how I knew he was present in the midst of thousands of persons. After the programme, I saw one lanky guy kneeling before me as said pastor ‘I am the one you spoke about’.. To ascertain his claim, he gave me a telephone number to call and when I did, it turned out to be the number of a pastor who is his younger brother . When I mentioned the young man’s name, the pastor exclaimed and advised me not to have anything to do with the person, that he was an armed robber and had been disowned by the family. After the conversation, we rehabilitated him; he told us he was sent to prison for a crime he never committed. He was awaiting trial for three and a half years. During this period, he met an armed robbery kingpin who showed him care. He said this armed robbery kingpin was the first to be released and after three years, some human rights group facilitated his own release. But he ended up staying with the robbery kingpin whom he met in prison, when his family disowned him

How would you describe growing up? I come from a humble background where poverty was the order of the day. But God has helped me to impact my family positively. Growing up was in the barracks. We moved from place to place because then, Nigeria had finished fighting civil war. . Early stage was characterized with moving from one place to another because my sister’s husband whom I stayed with was always on transfer. I had a humble background that led to where I am today. I did not know God then. I smoked marijuana with the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. That is how bad it was. I would leave the University of Benin for Lagos, just to participate in Friday yabis night with the late Fela. But today, God has been faithful and knowing God has really redefined my life.

Do you know, for instance, that it is God that made members of Boko Haram sect to kidnap Chibok students so that the world can be against them

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 37

AFTERMA TH OF NA TIONAL CONF ERENCE FTERMATH NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Our problem with‘new Constitution’, by Gov. Kwankwanso *’APC’s calculations for 2015' the forest, many of them in

overnor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State insists a plan to extend the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan through the outcome of the National Conference is in the offing, but says it will not see the light of day. He also speaks, in this interview, on the plans of his party, the APC, for Nigeria in 2015. What is your view on the problem in the National Conference over endorsement of a new Constitution? In my last chat with you, when I mentioned the issue of a new Constitution and the confab, many people thought it was a joke; but this is a very bitter reality. Today (Wednesday), immediately after Council meeting, I received calls from northern delegates attending the National Conference in Abuja that the issue of new Constitution 2014 is now a reality in the confab. Of course, all people who love this country and really understand the situation we are today, and the consequencies, of a brand new Constitution which Aso Rock Villa wants to use to start eight years, begining from 2015, certainly, it is a very dangerous development. Let me take this opportunity to thank all those who have rejected the issue of new Constitution; let me also take the opportunity to thank the National Assembly because they were the ones who have received earlier plan by those at the Villa to have one single term of six years beginning from 2015, which they rejected. Now to succeed, they are smuggling it into the confab. I believe that the delegates, whether from the North or South; Christians or Muslims; Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa or any other tribe should help in rejecting that Constitution, because that will not help this country. That is why we told our delegates very clearly that they owe this country a duty by rejecting that new Constitution. We have seen some of the contents of the new Constitution,

I believe that the delegates, whether from the North or South; Christians or Muslims; Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa or any other tribe should help in rejecting that Constitution, because that will not help this country

BY ABDULSALAM MOHAMMED

the issue of six-year single term resurfaced after it was kicked out like polio and Ebola by the National Assembly. We also have the issue of 50 per cent derivation, the scrapping of 774 local governments, listing of additional 18 states, and limiting of Ministers to 18. The only good thing that I saw here is the limiting of Ministers to 18. Now, we hope that those pretending to be representing us there in Abuja will have no place when they come back. They have to remain there in Abuja or we will send them to the Almajiri schools being built by Jonathan. I believe that all of us should

join hands and save this country. It is difficult to know their thinking in Abuja; I think they are too high in the air, they don’t know what is happening on the ground. The story of the higher it goes, the cooler it becomes, maybe, applies to the situation in Abuja today. Those who are very high are in cool atmosphere, while the masses are very much suffering from poverty. Illiteracy is killing this part of the country; and, of course, the issue of insecurity. Everyday, people are being killed and maimed, everyday, properties are being destroyed. As we sit here, displaced Nigerians in Borno are taking refuge in

Cameroon, many in Chad, and also thousands in Niger Republic; and what we are talking about is to extend the tenure of Jonathan to life presidency! It is very sad that this thing is happening. I am one of those who have travelled across the world or have the opportunity to read; Nigeria’s history, geography and, of course, political situations across the world. What is happening today in Nigeria, if 10 per cent of it happens anywhere, that leadership cannot stand. We are very happy here with what we are doing for the people of the state; but we are very angry because we have read the minds of our people and know they are not happy with what Aso Rock Villa is doing. They seem not to care, they seem not to understand, they are very busy in the air, working for themselves and helping themselves to steal forever. I always remind people that when the insurgency happened in the North-east, little did many people know that one day, it will come to this part of the country. We have it here, it is also in the North-central, and now it is crossing over to the South. I am sure that you are aware that some parts of this country now have flags other than the green-white-green. This is unprecedented. Any Constitution other than the 1999 Constitution should be rejected because any thing less than that is an instrument designed by those who think it will help them, but it will not. As a major player in the opposition, what steps are you likely to take to ensure that the new Constitution does not see the light of the day? One of the steps is what we are doing here. We want to make our position very

Continues on page 38

Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014,

Continued from page 37 clear to them and the entire world, especially our friends across the world, that we believe that what is happening now is very dangerous not only to Nigeria, but also to our neighbours; and I believe the consequences will cut across the continent. That is why I want to take this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to shun the division that we are seeing in Abuja. There is division on the basis of North and South, Christians and Muslims, tribe. The keyword is divide-and-rule, and I don’t think that will help. And the information I have which is not correct—that many people are saying those who are not supporting the new Constitution are the minorities and that whether we like it or not, tomorrow, they will push it to Nigerians; and the next thing is to start a kangaroo referendum. They will cook the figures like they did in Ekiti and force themselves on us. I don’t think that is good enough. I appreciate the elasticity of Nigerians, but I think that elasticity has a limit. When you keep on pulling and pulling, there will come a time when it will not take anymore. That is why I think the good people of this country should speak because the consequences, as many people are now seeing, will affect everybody. Your party, the APC, just won the Osun governorship election. What do you think your victory is signalling ahead of the 2015 general elections? Well, my party has won the election. My opinion and the opinion of my party is that we won the Ekiti governorship election; and that is why the party is in court. The experience we had in Ekiti worked for us in Osun because people came enmasse and defended their votes and that is exactly what is going to happen in 2015. People will vote, and not only vote, they will also stay and defend their votes. Let me thank the social media. Those who have cooperated with us and those who have supported us as a party and that made it very very difficult for anybody to change the real figures. If they had done that in Ekiti, I am sure they wouldn’t have had the chance to rig us out. But, to us, the Ekiti experience is a lesson; and also that of Osun, we have learnt from our mistakes. INEC is improving and I hope the security agencies should also improve. We always tell them that instead of militarizing Ekiti and Osun, they should go to southern Borno and do

APC’s 2015 calculations,by Gov. Kwankwaso their job there so that we can have free and fair elections and also a peaceful country. So, we are happy that people of Osun and Ekiti came enmasse to vote for APC, and I am sure, given an opportunity again, especially in Adamawa, where they used the executive power from Abuja to force Nyako out of office because of his opinion, when the elections come, people will come out enmasse and support APC so that we can have a peaceful North-east, free from what we are seeing now as emergency in the region; so that people can continue their normal businesses, people can come down from the rocks and hills and forests to go to their towns and villages. In that part of the country, nobody is talking about education, nobody is talking about agriculture, nobody is talking about business, people are talking about survival—what to eat and how to see tomorrow. These are the things that, by the grace of God, APC will provide in 2015. From what is happening, there are indications that 2015 may be violent. What is your prayer? Our prayer is not only about 2015. We are also praying for this president to take the ship to the shores of 2015. I think we are more concerned about that because the way things are going now, the way people are dying, the way people are being kicked out of their homes; I believe it is not the best; and I believe that

Nigerians are being taken for granted. And we hope that 2015 is going to be peaceful and we will do everything possible to ensure that it is peaceful from our own end because we believe that everybody wants a united Nigeria where an Igbo man will continue to stay in Kano. If you go close to the airport, you will see a whole area that we call New Enugu. It is looking like any part of Abuja. We are very happy that we have Igbo here; and we hope one day, we will have New Kano in Enugu, New Kano in Port Harcourt, New Sokoto in Adamawa, and so on and so fort. Here we are working to

PAGE 38 — SUND AY SUNDA

that we all should see ourselves as brothers irrespective of our religions or where we come from. Fani Kayode is out of APC, now it is Nuhu Ribadu. What have you done to stop Ribadu and does it not worry you that people considered to be higly placed in the APC are defecting at this time? Well, it doesn’t worry me. It is something that we should expect. I wasn’t in APC. I left PDP because I realized it was not a place I should be. And, of course, those who were in ACN, CPC, ANPP and APGA who are now in APC, they would have moved and don’t forget we are dealing with a

It is unfortunate that so many mistakes are being made by the leadership of our party in Adamawa State

integrate our people, we are together as Muslims and Christians, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba—we are one and the same. We are all Nigerians. That is what we want in this country and that is the best way we can have peace. Otherwise, by the time every party like they are doing begins to divide, I don’t think that will be good. During democracy, all these tendencies tend to go down; while unity of people based on political parties will come up and that is why I preach

Kwankwaso... our party has learnt from Ekiti, Osun elections

government that has accumulated so much money to the extent that they see everybody and attach price tag on him. I believe that not everybody will be on this side and stay long including your humble self—and maybe, they don’t know you, otherwise, when they start dangling some dollars, you begin to wonder whether you stay or go. That is not the issue, the issue I believe is the people. Some of us are lucky in the sense that we have so many people behind us. So, we are so heavy that it is not an issue for us to be flying from one pole to another. And once we dcecide to do it, we do all the arithematic, we do all the calculations that are necessary so that we can go with almost 100 per cent and that is what we have done here in Kano. So, there is limitation, but those who do it—it is very simple because they believe that there wives and children are behind them. It is very easy for them to change position. You see, in politics, you don’t sit down and start looking around and be chasing luck—where can I get it? Create it! Stay where you are and work hard. You don’t have to win elections all the time. I contested election 12 times (including primary and secondary elections), and I lost one— that is the general election of 2003. It was a big lesson for me. I learnt so much, I was humbled and I am very proud of that particular election—one out of 12; because I believe any

politician who has never won election or never lost election is not a complete politician—you need to win, you need to lose election; with that, you have to know how to manage success, you have to know how to manage failure. That is the position under which I believe we will continue to work together as progressives so as to make this country better for all of us. What is the APC doing to sustain political jibes from the ruling party via impeachment of APC governors using the states Houses of Assembly? It is unfortunate that so many mistakes are being made by the leadership of our partyt in Adamawa State. They got it very easy there; and that is why they wanted to replicate the same thing using security agencies, using money, using all sorts of things— intimidation, blackmail. I am happy that it failed in Nasarawa State; and I want to congratulate the young men and women who have decided to chase away the state Assembly members. I am very happy that they chased them out and I hope they chased them far to where they belong—that is the Villa. That is good for them because I don’t believe they have the state in mind, I don’t believe they have the country in mind. What they want was what they saw in Adamawa. Now, if you have to amend the Constitution of Nigeria, I think the people should check this area of the state Assembly impeaching governors for themselves. A Speaker is sacking a governor who was elected by over 20 local government areas, to give to himself the office of someone who was elected by only one local government area! I think these are the things that should be changed in the Constitution at the appropriate time—I mean these weaknesses that Abuja is exploiting. So, I hope this does not work anywhere amymore because people are begining to call the man (President Jonathan) Mr. Impeacher; and that is not a good name for somebody at that level. There are many other issues in the polity. Look at what is happening in Edo State, look at what is happening in Rivers State. As long as you are an APC governor, you stand the risk of being attacked by the EFCC, security agent; but no matter how big a crook is in PDP, he is being sheltered, he is protected—everybody is behind him, he is ‘being clapped foe to continue, that he is doing well; and that is why many people, especially with those tendencies, cannot stand in any other place other than under them for protection.

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014 , PAGE 39

.....CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY occasion, continued, “We have had challenges across the army in the immediate and past seven years about proliferation of uniforms, standardization of uniforms and the sources of the uniforms. I just have the opportunity and I think I should contribute to correcting this. Then I said, henceforth, we should, as much as possible, have our uniform from one source and it must be a local source. That was the decision I took. “Uniforms will now be sewn (by the army). No more giving out of yards and so you should know your size because uniforms are not being sewn in sizes: small; medium; large, extra large; extra extra large; then of course, extra extra extra large (laughs). All these efforts will boost local economy, it will boost self reliance and it is in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government. Because the company that is the source, Woolen Nigeria & Synthetic Company, they are not going to bring Indians here. The local content is there. They have 400 staff on their employ who are Nigerians, while only five come from India. To me, 400 staff translate to 400 families because as a staff, you either have a wife or husband. “Like I said, hundred percent of the company’s raw material is cotton and the cotton is available here in Nigeria. The farmers make money through the selling of their products and so the whole thing is

BOKO HARAM Army moves against insurgents’ use of uniform BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

he Nigerian Army has commissioned an ultramodern Nigerian Army Ordnance Tailoring Factory in Lagos. Major-General A. A. Martins, whose Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps (NAOC) transformational effort brought about the new tailoring factory, said the idea was strictly in compliance with the Chief of the Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah’s transformational programmes. The COAS’ mission, he had made clear upon assumption of office, is to reposition the army in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the Commander-inChief of the Federal Republic. The proposal by the Commandant, NAOC, Martins, for the upgrading of the Ordnance Ancillary Services Department, established in 1993, to an ultra modern tailoring factory, Minimah said, was one of such. The upgraded department, having been commissioned, Martins said, would henceforth be known as Nigerian Army C M Y K

Ordnance Tailoring Factory. This factory is also supposed to manage eight other factories located at the Nigerian Army Divisions all over the country. And these are under a Commander, Brigadier-General A. Akintade, who told this reporter in his office after the event that the tailoring factory had the strength to satisfy the uniform needs of the army and the rest uniform-wearing members of the nation’s security and traffic organizations. The tailoring factory, Akintade said, would run three shifts of 250 tailors per shift plus supporting staff like security, cleaners and the rest thereby providing employment for over one thousand persons per day. This concept by Martins is not the first to come by his administrative prowess; Nigerian Army College of Logistics was one place he had also played innovative roles that contributed immensely to resolving the ongoing security challenges facing the nation. At a time, during the General Azubuike Ihejirika’s era, when security challenges appeared to have gone a step beyond the police and was facing the

armed forces shoulder-toshoulder, the Nigerian Army devised tactics, from time to time, to get at the route of the challenges bone-to-bone, intelligence-to-intelligence and logistics-to-logistics. That precisely was what the Nigerian Army College of Logistics, under the leadership of Martins, who was then commandant, braced up to do, which was done by first upgrading the training impact in the officers and staff of the forces regarding Logistics Management Course 10/2012 and Logistics Staff Course 9/ 2012. At NAOC, Martins wanted to make a mark and then, he came up with the idea of establishing the tailoring factory, which he said was in line with the transformational programmes initiated by Minimah which the COAS made clear that he wanted to do to reposition and turn out a brand new Nigerian Army as his own contribution to the Federal Government transformation agenda. In his address during the commissioning, Minimah said, “I stand here before you this morning to commission the

Nigerian Army Ordnance Tailoring Factory and also, by extension, see what the tailoring factory is doing. And I want to say, with all sincerity, that I am so much impressed with all that I have seen here today. This is the dividends of continuity. When a right precedence is set, subsequent regimes should continue with it.” Earlier in his welcome address, Martins had told his visitor that the NAOC tailoring factory was capable of cutting

intertwined to a cycle of economic growth and growth of the GDP. So, when you go outside to source, it is longer because of the bureaucracy of foreign exchange, drain on nation’s economic foreign reserve; time for shipment from there to this end and other inadequacies and the high cost of importation. And, by so doing, you are growing the economy of other countries, creating employment for other people in other countries and

I want to say, with all sincerity, that I am so much impressed with all that I have seen here today. This is the dividends of continuity. When a right precedence is set, subsequent regimes should continue with it

2,500-pair of uniforms in six hours, that is, 10,000-pairs in 24 hours through the newly acquired computerized cutting machine, which he said was made possible through the support of the COAS. Minimah, in his speech at the

more people being made to survive outside Nigeria. Why must we not do our own? That is just why I am doing this. Agreed, some people will say they are of low quality but if they do not do it, over and over again, how do they improve?”

PAGE 40 — SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

BOKO HARAM

learning seem to be experiencing a deepseated malaise, leading often to long-drawn strikes rarely seen elsewhere in the world. Sending our children to read abroad as many well-to-do families now do is not a panacea, since majority of Nigerian parents cannot afford that. All Nigerian youths have right to affordable quality education within the country, proffered by academic staff happy with their jobs, and the nation has the means to provide for it. Finally, your Excellency, please make mandatory, the national identity card and the registration of all births and deaths in the country. This, over time, would generate reliable demographic data needed to place our future national head counts on a sound scientific footing, thereby minimizing contention. These actions would constitute a great legacy from you to Nigeria.”

Why it was difficult to negotiate — Igah BY EPHRAIM OSEJI

r Emmanuel Igah is the Managing Director, Phobos International, Abuja/ Paris. In this interview, he speaks on insurgency, how it affects investments, the image of Nigeria abroad and what President Goodluck Jonathan should be doing. One of your areas of competencies is negotiation. Negotiating with Boko Haram was a key demand by the Islamist group to release the Chibok girls. Do you think govt was right to have rejected the demand? Boko Haram demanded the release of nearly 100 of their men who are currently held in detention. This is an unacceptable starting point in any eventual negotiation. We all know what happened when a Boko Haram activist was released from detention following pressures from various quarters - he later became the brain behind the first bombing of Nyanya motor park in the outskirts of the federal capital, Abuja, which claimed dozens of lives. At this point, Boko Haram believes it has the upper hand and so can dictate the tune. For any meaningful negotiation to take place, the Federal Government must first regain the military initiative and break the backbone of Boko Haram. This is taking time to happen even with the support of the international coalition now on ground for the past two months, but we will get there. The increased politicization of the Boko Haram issue (and the Chibok abducted girls crisis) against the back drop of the forthcoming 2015 general elections may not be helping matters. The government was able to negotiate an end to the Niger delta militancy because its leaders put on the table, clear-cut demands regarding resource distribution, environment and development of Niger Delta region, where the oil comes from. The challenge with Boko Haram is that it is difficult for the government to negotiate with a bunch of irrational extremists demanding that the country do away with so-called western education, which they consider sinful. Let’s talk about Nigerian’s image in the international community in the wake of the Boko Haram activities? Sustained bomb attacks, wanton killings and kidnappings by Boko Haram insurgents have driven the image of Nigeria in the international scene to low ebbs. The impression is created that the country is in a state of full-blown inter-religious war, whereas, the great majority of Nigerians live and work together harmoniously in spite of the nation’s religious and ethnic diversity. Government should embark on a well articulated image building drive in the international community, through effective communication, articulating the policies and programmes being implemented to accelerate development, and highlighting

C M Y K

DR Emmanuel Igah the immense opportunities available for foreign investors. I think government understands this imperative and is already taking some steps in this direction. How does insurgency affect foreign direct investment in Nigeria? Nigeria topped African countries as Foreign Direct Investment destination in the last three years with FDI inflow exceeding 7 billion USD annually, a laudable performance. Although the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, assured at the World Economic Forum held in Abuja this year that FDI has not been reduced by insecurity in the North-East, the fact is that Nigeria should be doing much better if the insecurity factor was not there. Prospective investors, particularly, may adopt a waitand-see attitude or be tempted to divert their investments to other countries perceived as safer. And when the decision to invest in Nigeria is finally made, they may not want to put their stakes in the northern part of the country due to huge over head costs of security. This penalizes the North, where Foreign Direct Investment is badly needed to create jobs and spur development, as well as facilitate the eradication of poverty. In spite of government efforts to revive the economy, the common man still does not feel the impact. What do you think is wrong with government programmes? It is mainly an issue of governance and the vision of leadership for the collective good of the entire people of the nation. The Federal Government’s directive fixing minimum wage at 18,000 Naira per month, for example, is not being implemented by many state governments. This measure would have gone a long way to better the lot of the common man. Nigeria also has to grapple with unemployment affecting its teeming youths, even graduates of science and engineering disciplines, which shouldn’t be the case at this stage of its development. Among the factors hampering the success of government policies and programmes is insufficient commitment of the actors at various stages of the implementation process to achieving all the goals fixed; secondly, government programmes may not adequately integrate projects with high multiplier or trickle-down effects, such as agricultural and infrastructural projects. For instance, over the decades, emphasis has been placed on the elitist air transport to the detriment of rail and road transport infrastructures, more beneficial to the masses. The focus by the present administration on agricultural reform and the revitalization of our moribund railway system, just at the SURE-P (Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment

Programme), is a most welcome development. Finally, we can’t run away from mentioning the impact of unbridled corruption, which may deprive government programmes of substantial parts of the resources needed to achieve total success, but this has been the bane of Nigeria’s development over several decades. We have the Vision 20:2020 that is supposed to take us to the level such that we will be among the 20 most developed nations by the year 2020 that is six years away. Do you think the realization of the goal is realistic? It would be hard for Nigeria to meet its Vision 2020 goal of becoming one of the world’s 20 largest economies, with just six more years to go. However, the country has made appreciable strides and the prospects of economic growth are good. Nigeria’s economic growth would have hit the double digits by now if the challenges militating against progress had been surmounted. We have talked about the security situation which is an immediate priority. Another major challenge is the critical situation of power supply which heavily impacts the manufacturing sector, with industries running well below installed capacities, as well as commercial businesses. However, the on-going restructuring of the power sector, if well managed, may yield tangible results in good time to get us closer to the Vision 2020 target. Furthermore, government should see the estimated needs of over 17 million housing units as an opportunity to re-energize the economy towards achieving its Vision 2020 ambition and breaking the jinx of unemployment. If you meet President Goodluck Jonathan today, what will you tell him about Nigeria’s development. There would be a lot to tell the President, but my words to His Excellency would focus on three vital issues as follows: “Mr President, Nigeria got its development wrong the day it turned its back on agriculture, in the advent of the oil boom of the seventies. Today, less than half of Nigeria’s over 97 million hectares of cultivable land are being exploited. I would encourage your Excellency to vigorously pursue your Transformation Agenda for the agricultural sector, and establish a robust agro-allied industry, which is the first economic sector in a developed country like France. Secondly, Mr President, coming from the academia, Nigerians look up to you to consider seriously the state of our educational system, education being the bedrock of development. The quality of education has been declining generally and our schools and institutions of higher

You are also expert in population, why do you think census is such a controversial issue in Nigeria? Population census has always been a controversial issue in Nigeria because population is a factor in the creation of local government areas, which in turn determines the number of legislative seats allocated the states in the National Assembly. It also, by virtue of the number of local government areas, influences the revenue allocation to the states, notwithstanding the derivation fund set aside specifically for the oil-producing states. Population was a parameter in the administrative structuring of the nation into regions, provinces and districts in the colonial era, just as in the successive processes of creation of states and local government areas in post-independence federalism. In this context, states and local governments would want to see themselves well placed in the population ranking. Nigeria was recently rated as Africa’s biggest economy overtaking S/Africa. How do we take advantage of the large economy to benefit the average Nigerian? Three keywords articulate the answer to this question: “empowerment”,” inclusion” and “equity”. Government has to empower the people to be full actors of Nigeria’s economic growth, not only to reinforce it and make it sustainable, but, in return, for the population to benefit from the prosperity in the process. Government needs to create an enabling environment for businesses small, medium or big to thrive, so that more jobs can be generated to get our teeming unemployed youths into the economic system in an inclusive approach. Besides, governance should be sensitive to the need for equity. Our leaders must understand that all Nigerians are entitled to partake in the nation’s wealth and get a fair reward for the input they make into this wealth and national development. For instance, is it normal that some states or institutions would refuse to implement the minimum wage policy which is a way towards a more equitable redistribution of the nation’s wealth? How did you start up in life, to the point you are today! I hail from Otukpo in Benue State. After my secondary education in Government Secondary School, Kuru, and advanced level studies, I secured a French-Nigerian Government joint scholarship to study Architecture in France in the late seventies. This took me to learn and master French language, making me fluently bilingual in English and French. After returning home to accomplish my National Youth Service in Abuja and lecturing in Kaduna Polytechnic, I went back to France and later obtained my Doctorate degree in Economic Geography and Development Planning in University of Paris-Sorbonne, Paris. I later rounded off my education with a Master of Business Administration from the International School of Management (Paris/New York). My professional career has been essentially international, covering Africa, the Middle East, Europe and America, etc, with engagements with international organizations like the United Nations, UNESCO and the European Union. I have been also actively involved in developing scientific, cultural and economic relations between France and Nigeria.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 41

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

N homes where domestic violence occurs, children risk suffering physical abuse themselves. Each year, an estimated minimum of 3.3 million children witness domestic violence. Exposing children to domestic violence has a powerful and profound impact on their lives and hopes for the future. Those children not only watch one parent violently assaulting another, they often hear the distressing sounds of violence, or may be aware of it from many tell-tale signs. That was experience of Benedict, the first son of Nsini Christina, 38, whose husband of 14 years and father of her children severely battered her 29 months ago. The marriage, which would have clocked 14 years on July 29, produced two sons: Benedict, 14, and his junior brother, 9. Benedict felt so bad about his father ’s regular beating of his mother, but was helpless to do anything. The boy, who was 12 then, said, “I really feel bad about my dad. The whole thing is affecting me. I wish that my brother, my mum and l will go to my grandmother’s place to stay rather than going back to my father ’s house”. Nsini claimed to have escaped death by whiskers in the hands of her husband on Saturday, March 31, 2012 between 2 a.m and 4.30 a.m at Kwali Street, Kubwa, Abuja, when her husband allegedly, brought out a machete from his car and

KUBWA DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

My husband nearly beheaded me — Nsini, mother of two •Struggles to cater for two children after recuperation

•Nsini, flanked by her children

He went out and brought a Fulani machete from the car. When he came into the house with the machete, l asked if he wanted to scare me. He told me he would kill me and nobody would ask him attempted to cut off her head. “He went out and brought a Fulani smachete from the car. When he came into the house with the machete, l asked if he wanted to scare me. He told me he would kill me and nobody would ask him. And he meant it”, she narrated. “He wanted to behead me. l closed my eyes and tried to protect my head with my hands. In the process, he cut my hands and other parts of my body; blood was gushing out. I was screaming for help from neighbours. l called out to my children in case l did not survive it so they could tell

the story of how their father killed me”. She continued, “All that didn’t move him as he kept dealing machete blows on me. I tried in that state to run out of the living room but he locked the door and put the key in his pocket. I was crying, telling him that l was dying and needed urgent medical attention, he didn’t bulge. “Neighbours forced the door open and took me to hospital. I didn’t recover until several months later. “He used to beat me before then, a situation that forced me to leave for my parents house after which he came and started begging me to come back. My parents

refused but l told them l could not stay with them with my two children, hence I needed to return to my husband. Then l returned to him. “That was in 2006. He promised not to beat me again. He didn’t beat me for a while. Later, he resumed the beating. I could not tell anybody, not even my parents because they had warned me not to go back to him. “Secondly, he was treating me like a slave or a house maid who could not talk or question him. Anytime I tried to force myself to talk to him, he would not answer and when he eventually answered, he would shout at me”.Nsini, whose husband has since abandoned his children to her, felt that if she must remain alive to look after the children, she would have to run far away from him. The mother of two told Sunday Vanguard it has not been easy shouldering the responsibilities of the kids all alone including paying school fees. She however,

finds solace in the children who have continued to show appreciation through brilliant academic performance. “I believe that the best way to be healed is to let go of the past, and that is exactly what I have done. I have forgiven him (husband) so Jesus Christ can heal me completely”, Nsini said. “He has refused to attend to the needs of his children, maybe he wants me to suffer so that I may have a change of mind and come back to him but he is wrong. The more life pushes at me, I push back. For now, there is no plan to go back to him because I believe he has not changed. I wouldn’t want to risk my life for anything. All I am asking from him is to support me to train his children”. Nsini said Project Alert on Violence Against Women (PAVAW) traced her to Calabar where she went to recuperate after she was discharged from an hospital in Abuja and gave her a job and accommodation in Lagos.

“The Executive Director met me when I was recuperating in Calabar in 2012 after the ugly incident and offered to give me a chance to start afresh. I can’t thank her enough because God used her to give me the strength to survive, she is a big sister to me now”, she said. “The job has also opened my eyes to know that a lot of women are dying in silence. It has also given me an opportunity to counsel and support other women that are going through domestic violence. I now know the legal frame work both local and international that are in place to protect women against harm and assault”. Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, President of PAVAW, said there was need to sensitise the public, teach our women and bring up our young girls to believe in themselves. “We need to change the social pattern. Everybody; man, woman and child must know that as a human being, she has a fundamental human right and besides, if you are dead, you are not a wife anymore. You are a dead body”, she stated. “It is not love and it is not just a husband and wife issue. It is domestic violence and should be tackled decisively. “Men pick objects and throw at their wives. A lot of women in the name of marriage are being tortured on a daily basis. “Psychological torture is even worse. You can’t see the wound but it is there and the person is almost going mad. Nobody, man, woman or child, should live in an abusive environment or condition whereby every second of your life, you are living in fear. I’m challenging Nigerians to come out bold and tell their stories. “

PAGE 42 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

Gov, godfather in battle for Borno •The genesis of the rift between Shettima and Modu Sheriff, by Bwala, ex-commissioner

By Olalekan Bilesanmi

ince he was relieved of his position as Commissioner for Information in Borno State, INUWA BWALA has maintained a low profile.In this interview, he alleges a plot to denigrate a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu, by linking him with Boko Haram, while telling the story of his experience in government: You have seldomly spoken since your exit as commissioner. How is life outside office? As you may be aware, I have been in and out of political office since 2001 when I was appointed Special Adviser to the former Governor of Borno State, the late Mala Kachalla. I was the pioneer occupant of that office in the state and in Nasarawa State under Senator Abdullahi Adamu. I was invited by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to become his Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, before I was called into the cabinet of Kashim Shettima. Getting into or leaving office is not a new thing to me. Above this, I have an attitude to public office by always being ready to leave the moment I get appointed into it. I foresaw my sack long before it came, and was prepared for it. It may sound denigrating the way it was announced, as if I committed one heinous offence, but those who knew what was going on will agree with me that I merely paid the price of loyalty. I have since put that behind me and I am pursuing other endeavors. As you can see I look even fresher than when I was in office and I give God the glory. People are curious to know what really happened as we had the impression that you were amongst the most valuable assets to the government given your experiences. I would have loved to keep my peace and ruminate in silence; even though I may have been personally hurt by the manner I was sacked. I have met the governor on two occasions after my exit and he tried making me understand how he was misled into asking me to leave. I was humbled when he personally apologized to me, and resolved to let matters lie. But the truth is that, against the background of the deepening rift between the governor and our leader, former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, whom I am perceived to be close to, and for which Governor Shettima was not comfortable with, the stage seemed long set

*Bwala... I refused to be used to fight Sheriff for my departure. I admit that I have been close to Sheriff, and I have no regrets. I have a principle of trying to keep relationships with my bosses, long after we part. I did not want to go against that principle, that was why I refused to team up with others against Ali Modu Sheriff. I was under tremendous pressure to abandon him, and align forces with some people who he had problems with in the past. I tried my best in seeing that we stayed together as a group, and not engage in unnecessary acrimony, but people with an axe to grind with Sheriff had hijacked the governor, to the effect that he could not see anything good in Sheriff, even as his benefactor. Some of us were torn between the devil and the deep blue sea; having to choose whether to betray Ali Sheriff and enjoy the patronage of Governor Kashim Shettima, or stick to Sheriff and sink into oblivion. It was unfortunate that we allowed people who added no political value to the entire process to influence Governor Shettima, to the extent of dictating to him what he should do. Even beyond that, I had my own problems with the governor, which made him to hate me. Oftentimes he remind me that even as a commissioner, there was another commissioner he held in higher esteem and wanted me to pay homage to. At every point, he would remind me that I am a minority, a non believer, and does not belong. I have always revolted at each point he did that, but I knew that deep down, he was bent on undoing me. The opportunity presented itself

when I went for the holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and, while there, I disagreed with some officials over the welfare of pilgrims. On my return, they told the governor all imaginable obscenities about me, including that I called the governor names. And without even waiting to hear from me, he took that decision, to satisfy them and fulfill his own long term agenda. The truth is that I never belonged, as my principal felt I was forced on him by Senator Sheriff. He never wanted me to be his commissioner, as he had

aides, it then became clear that I had overstayed my welcome. I hanged on, and I continued doing my best, but not as my colleagues know me to be doing before. Having worked with three other governors before him, it was not possible to accuse me of failing in my duties, and he needed an alibi to fulfill an agenda that turned out to be longer than I imagined. What are the underlying currents firing the rift between your two former bosses, and what specific things did Shettima do to indicate he was fighting his former boss? I don’t think you have the space to capture the full story, but in a nutshell, I think Governor Shettima is being ungrateful, and most uncharitable to his mentor and political godfather, Ali Modu Sheriff. In his seeming desperation for a second term, he felt he needed to build his political machinery, and in doing so, he has to take people from Sheriff. In doing that he feels his benefactor must first kiss the dust. He surrounded himself with people who urged him on to fight his boss and the rest is now history. Some of us have tried making peace between them in the past, Shettima attempts to undo his boss. From the start, he always made us understand that having left government, Sheriff was on his own, and those of us who served under him did not owe him any further loyalty or service. He gave me the impression that with the resources available to government we could join forces against Ali Sheriff and push him into political oblivion. At every point, Kashim Shettima was planning to rubbish his benefactor. He started lavishing money on people, forgetting that politics transcends money. I cannot remember one incident at which Sheriff showed signs of fighting back. From the very onset of Governor Shettima’s administration, there have been plans to denigrate Sheriff. This is evident in Shettima’s romance with people believed to have

It was unfortunate that we allowed people who added no political value to the entire process to influence Governor Shettima, to the extent of dictating to him what he should do his own plans which I may not have fitted into. I suppose, his problems with his own boss, Sheriff, started even long before it was noticed. We tried denying that there was a friction, but we knew we were playing the ostrich. I was accommodated for as long as I could deploy my goodwill in the media to the advantage of the government. When I began to see and know more than I ought to know, the logical thing to do was to put me aside, and that was what happened. When we newly came on board, the relationship looked cozy as each tried to impress the other that we were friends, but the undercurrents were very much at play. When I was eventually asked to surrender my schedules to his

one axe or the other to grind with Sheriff. Shettima personally told me that I should never defend Ali Sheriff in the media any time he was attacked. He mentioned it that he expected me to rather coordinate media propaganda defending his own positions, outside the normal schedules and N10 million was provided for some time and later stopped when I showed signs of reluctance. Several attempts have been made to convince me that I will be better off if I joined the forces against Sheriff. From all indications the plans to denigrate Senator Ali Modu Sheriff by linking him with Boko Haram. What is your position on this blame game going on about

Boko Haram and the attempts to link Sheriff with the group? Even Ali Sheriff’s enemies will concede to him that he left legacies for the government of Kashim Shettima to build upon. It is on record that he left behind over N60 billion in the coffers at the time of his departure. It is also a truism that all the projects Kashim is laying claims to having executed were actually undertaken by Sheriff. We know that he took far reaching initiatives to contain Boko Haram even from the point of its outbreak, by extraditing the original brains behind radical Islamism. He set up the Operation Flush to specifically control the menace and even banned the group from preaching publicly. On the other hand, Kashim Shettima’s leadership has been an era of lamentations, self pity, blame shift, kleptomania and deception, without any concrete initiative to complement Federal Government efforts to address the issue. Sheriff is known to have bequeathed to us a robust political structure that we could have used to safeguard our future political outings, but we squandered that too. On our part, as stakeholders, we must stop politicizing this very delicate matter. I am sure the moves to batter Ali Sheriff have more to do with politics than with finding solutions to the problem. What have the experiences been serving as government spokesman in Borno which has been the theatre of war of the Boko Haram insurgency? It was very tasking and challenging. One needed to balance between the attitude of a traumatized citizenry with the mentality of a merciless sect, and present positions that will tend not to cause further problems. I tried to balance between the perception amongst some people that I was a renegade in the government of my own state, and my own position as a stakeholder who helped to put the government in place. As you perhaps know, I came in at a time everybody was afraid of even mentioning the name of Boko Haram, because it was the height of the selective and targeted killings of individuals. I came in at the time of delivery of threat letters and bullets to individuals. It was also the time Christians were particularly more vulnerable. But I persevered and survived the tackles. At the time I took over, there was mutual suspicion amongst citizens, against the background that some of the killings were masterminded from within. These are some of the facts I lived with until my sack. I had seen so much and was at the verge of knowing things I ought not know, hence my unceremonious exit.To further compound issues, I was left at the mercy of that volatile environment, as I was never given a place to hibernate like other appointees. Until I left, I never had anywhere to hide, rather I was moving from one hotel to another, trying to cover my tracks. Most of the time, I had to move to Marama my home town to ease off tension.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 43

BY ABEL DANIEL

asarawa State House of Assembly remains dogged in its bid to impeach Governor Tanko Almakura over the 16 allegations levelled against him. It had been thought that the impeachment saga was over when the probe panel raised by the state chief judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, dismissed the charges and acquitted Almakura. The assembly after the resumption to plenary on Monday is sounding it out loud and clear that it is not yet uhuru for Almakura and APC supporters who may have been sending congratulatory messages on radio and newspaper over what the governor and his followers described as ‘victory of the rule of law’. While resuming on Monday from recess to the fourth section of the fourth assembly, the leader of the House, Hon. Godiya Akwashiki, representing Nasarawa Eggon North Constituency, raised a motion on public hearing compelling the Speaker to kick-start the frsh motion on impeachment. Akwashiki, who drew the attention of the House to Section 188 Sub Section 5 of the Constitution, said the action of the state chief judge in constituting a panel as directed by the assembly to investigate the allegations levelled against the governor contradicted that section. Akwashiki alleged that Dikko knowingly recruited some members of the panel who were card carrying members of a political party, and some office holders who were relations of the accused. This, he stated, made such members to imbibe the spirit of partisanship and the spirit of relationship in their dispensing of justice and fair hearing not accorded to the other party. He referred the House to Section 7 of the Constitution on the body responsible for the disciplinary of members of the judiciary. “I therefore crave the indulgence of the House to write to the National Judicial Council, NJC, to investigate the activities of the chief judge of Nasarawa State in the setting up of the panel of investigation”, Akwashiki stated. The motion was seconded by Hon. Yahaya Usman, Deputy Leader of the House and member representing Umasha/Ogha constituency. Subsequently, the Speaker, Ahmed Musa, directed the Clerk of the House to forward a petition to the C M Y K

SECOND IMPEACHMENT BID

Will Almakura fall this time? •Lawmakers drag NJC into fray NJC within 24 hours to act accordingly. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House on Committee on Information and Security, Hon. Baba Ibaku, debunked the allegation that some top PDP leaders in and outside the state have been bribed by Almakura to the tune of N700million to frustrate the effort of the assembly over the impeachment. A source told Sunday Vanguard that the assembly is relying so much on the NJC to suspend the state chief judge over an allegation that he was given N100million by the Nasarawa State government as bribe and the panel members were paid N400million each as against the N150, 000 meant to be paid to each

A source told Sunday Vanguard that the assembly is relying so much on the NJC to suspend the state chief judge

member per sitting. The APC has, in the meantime, condemned the renewed plan by the Nasarawa House to impeach Almakura, saying the lawmakers were bent on thumbing their nose at the Constitution in their desperation to remove the governor, “ who has been cleared of the charges against him by a duly constituted impeachment panel.” In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said it would amount to an illegality for the lawmakers to draft a vacation judge, as it has been reported, to set up another panel to probe the same 16 allegations over which Almakura has been absolved of any

wrongdoing. APC also said the governor cannot be impeached on the basis of the same allegations, noting that if indeed the lawmakers want to follow the Constitution, they will have to find a new set of alleged impeachable offences against him, notify him appropriately and then forward their request to the chief judge, not to a vacation judge. In a related development, the spokesman of the House, Ibaku, berated the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Yaku Abdullamid Kwara, over his comments on the resolve of the lawmakers to write a petition to the NJC over the activities of the chief judge. Kwara had, at press conference a day before the assembly sitting, condemned the resolve of the House to call for the investigation of the activities of the CJ, arguing that the action was against the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution. Ibaku regretted that Almakura’s spokesman was the same person who wanted the lawmakers to impeach the governor within three months of his assumption of office when he was nobody to Almakura then, and now could speak against the constitutional action of the assembly members for the simple fact that he is now earning N200, 000 as an appointee of the governor”.

PAGE 44 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

Sheepish wolves Who exactly is a Christian? Paul says: “They are not all Israel who are of Israel.” (Romans 9:6). By the same token, they are not all Christians who are Christians. All Christians profess belief in Jesus. But most Christians do not follow his doctrine. Many do not even know what Jesus’ doctrine entails. When you tell them, they shout: “Heresy!” Using Paul’s erroneous standards, many Christians define a Christian as someone who believes in Jesus. However, some Jews who professed

CHRISTIANS ARE NOT THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD light to all mankind.” (John belief in Jesus turned out to be sons of the devil. (John 8:31/ 44). Jesus did not say his followers will be identified by their hypocrisy and grandstanding. Instead, he says: “You will know them by what they do.” (Matthew 7:16). When some Jews insisted they were sons of Abraham, Jesus said to them: “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did.” (John 8:39). Spiritual sons must do the works of their father, and not merely profess his faith. However, Christians profess the faith of Jesus but disdain God’s ways.

Satanic evangelism Several years ago, a Christian acquaintance with a common law wife and three daughters literally disappeared. His family did not hear from him for three years. When he finally showed up just as suddenly as he had left, I button-holed him and asked where he had been all this long while; in utter neglect of his family. His response threw me for a loop. “Evangelism!” he declared exuberantly, “evangelism!” “What do you mean?” I wondered. “I have been doing evangelism,” he replied, smiling mischievously at me. So I asked him: “What kind of evangelism are you doing that precludes taking care of your family?” That man’s perspective is symptomatic of a general Christian malaise. We try to bring people to Christ through

BLOGGER became so exasperated with my criticism of the Christian Church; he decided to launch what would be the definitive counter-attack. “Femi Aribisala,” he declared triumphantly, “is not a Christian!” When I thought about this, I concluded that, using the same logic, the prophets of Israel were not Israelites. This is God’s mandate for his prophets: “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1). Those who had a problem with this killed the prophets. I have been killed time-and-again by Christians; but the Lord always raises me from the dead. If my criticism of apostate Christianity disqualifies me as a Christian, then most Nigerians can no longer be Nigerians. Indeed, where two or three Nigerians are gathered, you can be sure we are busy criticising our dear country. However, Nigerians criticise Nigeria because we are Nigerians and not because we are not. Jesus says: “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” (Revelation 3:19).

Christians today are the people who betray Jesus; but with a kiss

preaching that contradicts the life we live. But Jesus warns: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). Christians are pompous “fishers of men.” We tell men: “Today might be the last day of the rest of your life. Accept Jesus before it is too late.” But we don’t live like people preoccupied with eternal life. We have heard of Jesus but don’t know him. We have read about him but don’t follow him. We talk the highfalutin talk and walk the hypocritical walk.

1:4). It is the exemplary life of Jesus that makes him the light of men. In his light, we see light. (Psalm 36:9). But Christians are not particularly interested in the life of Jesus. We only take refuge in self-serving principles about his allegedly vicarious death. Instead of being preoccupied with the godly life Jesus lived; we sing and dance about the death he died. Jesus says: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). The life Jesus gives comes from his life. It does not come from his death. Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6). The way, the truth and the life do not come from Jesus’ death; they come from practical details of the virtuous life Jesus lived and taught.

Light of the World

defines a Christian as a righteous person. As a matter of fact, Christians would rather be the rich of the world than the light of the world. However, the rich man who flies around in a jetplane like Oritsejafor and Adeboye cannot be the light of this world. At best, he is the envy of the world. Light is not a friend, but an adversary, of darkness. Light dispels darkness because it is implacably opposed to it. But Christians are not fundamentally different from nonChristians. We have the same values and seek the same worldly objects. Such differentials as exist are inconsequential. We go to church, read the bible, quote some scriptures, and pray “in the name of Jesus.” But these are dead religious rituals. They don’t make us the light of the world. Christians don’t even know what Jesus expects us to be. We don’t because we are not who we are supposed to be. Jesus does not say his disciples should be the light of the world. He says they are the light of the world. We either are or we are not; and the truth is that Christians today are not. Indeed, we are any but. There is one way to describe the Christians of today: we are the people who betray Jesus; but with a kiss. Christians display few good works before men. We are not known as people of integrity who, like Jesus, are loving, gracious, compassionate, merciful and forgiving. We vehemently decry the Boko Haram but are rabid Boko Haramites in speech and prayer. We claim to be followers of Jesus but despise his righteous ways. We are only deceiving ourselves. Jesus warns: “If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!” (Matthew 6:23).

Jesus is very contemptuous of our kind of evangelism-driven faith. He says: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.” (Matthew 23:15). John says of Jesus: “Eternal life is in him, and this life gives

Jesus says to his disciples: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16). The light of the world is not about the faith of Christians. It is about our works. But one thing is certain: Christians today are not known for our works. I know no one that

spokesman for Nigeria, and an advocate of balanced Christianity. To contribute his quota to national development, he started the Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture in 2000 and the lecture has grown to become a major contributor to government policies as it brings together seasoned men and women to discuss burning national issues. Also to encourage the writing skills of children in secondary school and to help them become solution providers to the nation. In 2012, he was honoured with a national award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) by the Federal Government. Bishop Okonkwo is married to Bishop Peace Okonkwo and they are blessed with a daughter, Uche.

*Elder Tunji Fasina (l) and Senior Pastor of New Life and Hope in Christ Jesus Ministry, Evangelist Temitope Fasina during the ministry's first year anniversary/thanksgiving service at Ayetoro Itele in Ogun State.

Living faith

Mike Okonkwo clocks 69

OCTOR Mike Okonkwo, former National Vice President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the presiding bishop of TREM will be 69 on September 6, 2014. Some of the activities lined up to mark the occasion include the 15th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture with the theme; “The power of your vote---a catalyst for a stable and united Nigeria", under the chairmanship of Ambassador George Obiozor with Prof. Akin Oyebode as the guest speaker and the presentation of gifts to the winners of the 11 th Mike Okonwko National Essay Competition for Secondary School Students on September 4 at the Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos. On August 30, the finals of Mike Okonkwo Soccer Tourna-

ment between Maryland United Football Club of Maryland and Current Football Club of Gbagada at Yaba College of Technology Sports ground Yaba, Lagos at 12 noon while on Sunday, September 7, there will be a special thanksgiving service at the TREM headquarters, Obanikoro Anthony Oke, Gbagada Expressway, Lagos to round up the celebration of Dr. Mike Okonkwo at 69. Dr. Okonkwo, presiding bishop of TREM a.k.a. Power in the Word with over 200 branches in Nigeria and across the globe. He is an apostle to this generation, whose life has impacted millions around the world. A father to many, and a pastor to pastors across the globe, Dr. Okonkwo is also a dynamic conference speaker, crusade evangelist, a national

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 45

Osun is temporary setback; PDP will capture S-west in 2015 — Senator Balogun •Says no democracy in Oyo of ten of the contractors patronised by government are from Lagos. That is not development, what you are running now is not democracy in Oyo State, you are running contractocracy. Go and find out the meaning. Democracy is supposed to cater for the needs of the people, but when it is destroying the needs of the people and caters for the minority called contractors, that is not democracy, that is not development.

BY OLALEKAN BILESANMI

enator Lekan Balogun represented Oyo West at the Senate between 1999 and 2003. A member of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, Oyo Chapter, the Osi-Olubadan (third in hierarchy to the Olubadan throne), in this interview, is definite on the chances of his party in next year’s gubernatorial election in Oyo, asserting that because of the anti-people policies of the All Progressives Congress, APC- led government in the state, Governor Abiola Ajimobi would be the last APC governor in the state. He also speaks on the PDP visa-vis the 2015 polls in the South-west.

Are the contractors doing the job? That is not the issue. You can’t even define the socalled development. And I am sure you are trying to provoke me to saying things that you want to hear. I said out of 10 contractors, nine are from outside the state, do you call that development?

Before now, the PDP said it was going to win the Osun election, just as it won the Ekiti election. What do you have to say now that you lost? We are still gathering materials as to what happened during the election, because we were so sure we would win, and the data we have show the election itself was highly controversial. Various allegations were being made against the APC. I don’t want to talk about the allegations on the pages of newspapers. As I said, it is highly controversial.

When the party won in Ekiti, the defeated governor promptly congratulated the winner. Why not now in Osun? That was an exception. The Ekiti governor who was defeated is a highly educated man, a gentleman, a cultured and civilized man. That is the way it should be. It appears your party’s claim of capturing the South-west is no longer feasible. What is not feasible? We were so sure we would win in Ekiti, and we won. We were so sure of winning in Osun and now that we did not win there, particularly with all these

At the initial stage, you supported this administration, why the sudden change of mind?. What is sudden about that? After three years? Do you call that sudden? Please use another word, certainly sudden is out of it. I watched closely for three years. Remember I once told you that we were watching the administration closely and that, at the appropriate time, we shall make our comments known.

•Senator Lekan Balogun ...Ajimobi my junior brother is a bad governor allegations coming out, it is a battle not totally lost. Southwest is a clear PDP area in the country. What do you mean it is not possible to recapture South-west? For instance, I am very sure we will win in Oyo State in 2015. Oyo is going the way of the PDP in 2015. With the divisions you have here and there? Why are you talking like someone who does not know the variables and dynamics of politics? How do conflicts of individual aspirations become division? Everybody is still in the PDP. By the time it dawns on you that you are out again for another four years in Oyo, everybody will be reconciled. All of us the elder-statesmen are not taking sides any more, we are trying to reconcile, we are looking beyond the primaries and the immediate and I think we are going to

That is in the eyes of the PDP. I am not talking as a PDP man. I am talking as a political scientist. Ordinarily as a democrat , I would believe that whoever wins should be congratulated but because of the facts emanating from the election, I think we should be through with those facts first before any other thing.

You seem to be saying this because you are in the opposition party? No, far from it. When my party was ruling during the Akala era, 1 criticized them openly. I even encouraged people to work with Ajimobi. I am a political scientist.

Contractors are smiling home while the ordinary people are made to cry and thrown into emotional confusion

succeed at the end of the day. Are you sure PDP would be in government in 2015? In Oyo State, yes, PDP will be in government. What makes you so sure especially in the face of the development strides the incumbent government has brought to the state. What has it done? Tell me

what it has done. Contractors are smiling home while the ordinary people are made to cry and thrown into emotional confusion. You demolished the husband’s shop where he is doing tailoring and the wife’s shop who is selling, the children are sent away from school because they cannot afford school fees and you call that development? What kind of development? And nine out

But you are close to this governor? On a personal level, he is my aburo (junior brother). So why not call him to order if indeed he is executing anti-development projects? He won’t listen. He was not even making himself available in the last one and a half years. If he is not ready to listen to advice, what do you do? It is like you are bitter and you are ready to take him out through your party. No, through the votes of the people, through the ballot box, through the ordinary people who have suffered Continues on page 46

PAGE 46—SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

BY DAPO AKINREFON

AJOR-GENERAL Philip Onyekweli (rtd), an Ndokwa leader, in this interview, argues that the agitation for power shift to Delta North in 2015 is justifiable. He also speaks on the ultimatum given by the Northern Elders Forum to President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the release of the abducted Chibok girls or forget 2015 among other issues. Excerpts:

2 0 1 5 : Our case for Delta North, by Gen Onyekweli (rtd)

With the National Conference over, what is your take on the resolutions taken at the conference? Would you say it ended on a good note? Certainly. I personally believe it ended on a good note given the hard combative positions of various groups and individuals that tended to polarise the conference into North / South boxing match. Luckily the conferees put the nation above little interest groups to the admiration of Nigerians. From events it would appear Jonathan transformation agenda is on course on this and I will say well done. But do you think the president has the political will to implement to resolutions taken at the conference because we have had previous conference where implementation becomes a problem? Mr President has exhibited good enough political will in the first instance by creating enabling platform for Nigerians of diverse interest to dialogue on contentious issues. His position now is to one pass the recommendations to legislate by amending the 1999 Constitution to provide for referendum , which most Nigerians will prefer (We the people) or include the recommendations in the on going amendments .Whichever way Nigerians want a change to issues that are making governance purposeful. We all want Nigeria to move on to greater height in unison. The level of insecurity in the country is getting worrisome especially with the failure of the Federal government to ensure the release of the abducted Chibok girls. What is your take on this? Yes the Chibok Girls return which has lingered for long is of great concern to all. They are Nigerians and our

But many are of the view that the governor is not disposed to the idea of power shift. Do you think so? Our amiable governor is a beneficiary of power shift and is the No 1 leader in the shift agenda because it is the actualisation of Delta Agenda which includes Delta without oil .We support his efforts.

•MAJOR-GENERAL Philip Onyekweli (rtd) ... too early to back one candidate children. Approach to this serious issue most be carefully considered for the lives of the girls. While I agree that people should not forget the girls, it is pertinent that various security considerations ate weighed. They will be released but not at the danger of their lives. Still on the Chibok girls, the Northern Elders Forum has given President Goodluck Jonathan till end of October to secure the release of the girls or forget about 2015? How do you see this threat? The so called Northern Elders Forum have some people I respect. I doubt if they are speaking for the people of the North. They do not have anyone’s mandate. They contributed to the woes of their region and are still doing so. They must find solution to contentious

issues in their area and join effort with the rest of Nigerians to find lasting solutions for the uplift meet of their teaming young ones. Majority of our people in the North do not support their stand. They support the government and will support the constitutional position for presidential election. Jonathan is eminently qualified to seek for second term .If wants to contest he will coast home on the vote of all including the North. How do you see the controversy over power shift heating up Delta state? No political heat is being generated .What is going on is expected for the struggle and gain attention. Power shift is for equity, justice, fair play and unity. All sections of the polity know this and support it.

Some people are of the view that the Ndokwa agitation for power shift is against the interest of Delta North. Is this true? How can Ndokwa Agenda be against the interest of Delta North? We belong in the Senatorial District and indeed most positioned, advantageously to get the nod to seek for the post of the Delta State Governor. We have capable sons and daughters to contest for the plum position. Comparatively, we are peaceful people and endowed enough to provide leadership that is most acceptable for con census and move Delta forward in support of what governor Uduaghan is doing. Having said this, is the Ndokwa nation backing any particular individual for governorship race? Because various aspirants, from other senatorial zones, have thrown their hats into the ring, it will be in appropriate to start early backing one can did ate. All sections in Delta North are doing same .We are wildly consulting. Anything short will be construed as imposition. We are confident that Delta North will produce the candidate and Ndokwa is best qualified and acceptable to do so.

‘Osun is temporary setback; PDP will capture S-west in 2015’ Continued from page 45

under his administration. It is the contractors that would vote for him, not the people, that is the consequence of running anti-people government. Remember I said nine out of 10 contractors are from outside the state, even the contractors, not all of them will vote for him. But it is not as if the Akala administration fared better than this administration. Why are you comparing it with Akala government? Of course, Akala had his own short comings too. Why is it now wrong to talk about this other government because he is my aburo? He is not doing well as far as I am concerned when it comes to the interest of the people. I have enormous data but we are not ready for that yet.

In your permutation, you think PDP will win in 2015? I am not thinking. I am sure PDP will win in 2015. I am certain about it. When Akala was not doing well, I criticized him and I predicted the outcome of the election, so why is it now a crime to criticize this government?

Many aspirants particulalrly from your party are already campaigning for the office of the governor, this array of aspirants, some have said would further polarize the party the more. When you have conflicts of aspirations, that is what usually happens. What is available is one. And everybody wants it. There would be immediate conflicts of aspirations.

election. I just told you everybody is tired of the Ajimobi four years. Everybody is tired of being in the cold. And so those who are aspiring for the office, it will get to a point where it will be obvious that it would be better to support the other person because he has a better chance. Nobody wants to stay in the cold for another four years. The way Ajimobi has dealt with everybody with the use of power, nobody wants to remain outside for another four years. He has used power like a man who has no fear of God, no fear of previous relationship, no respect for the emotional life of the people. Let the party throw up somebody at the primaries, we would rally round him.

Will that not work against your party eventually? We will not carry that to the

Regarding the 2015 presidential election, some leadership of the North say

the end to the insurgency is the only way it can support the candidature of the president, that is if he decides to run. What do you think? The president is my choice and my man any day and anytime because he is highly educated and he is from the minority part of the country. He is not from any of the tripods creating problems in this country. It should be easier for him to harmonize the country. But I also think his ministers are his problem and the sooner he realizes that and deals with them the better. This is a serious problem, even beyond the insurgency issue. Some of us have been silent on these ministers and they are operating as if they are higher than the people. Your minister is not available to the citizens of this country, can you imagine? What kind of

minister are you? They will affect his prospect in whatever plans to renew his presidency. Why would anybody work for selfalienation if in 2,3 years a minister does not even make herself or himself available to talk about issues in her office. Do you want to renew the term of another four years alienation? The president must deal with those ministers. I am talking about experience I have here. He should deal with them in order to strengthen the structure of government. Yes, insurgency is an issue, our girls are still in the hands of the terrorists for the past three months, so I urge him to do something about all the issues. What is your take on the recently concluded National Conference? As usual, pure jamboree

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 47

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

ith the over 200 kidnapped Chibok girls still missing, and frequent bombings in northern Nigeria, it goes without saying that insecurity is the greatest challenge facing Nigeria today. In the light of this, many have traced the root cause of the insecurity to the opposition parties simply playing politics. National Vice Chairman, South East of the All Progressive Congress, APC, and Abia State gubernatorial aspirant, Dr. Nyerere Anyim, says instead of playing the blame game, Nigerians should come together and bring an end to the current wave of insecurity. He also speaks on the future of Abia and the possibility of an Igbo president. Members of the PDP, as well as other statesmen have been reported to be clamouring that the next governor of Abia State must come from Abia South. What are your thoughts on this? It is not important where the next governor is coming from, what is important is the kind of person such individual is. In Abia State, Abia North senatorial zone has produced governor who ruled for eight years, the Abia Central is where the incumbent governor is from and is on the verge of completing his eight years term. Then the Abia South, where you have people who

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

bukun Tony Ashamu is a like a proverbial child who has learnt how to wash his hands well to be qualified to dine with the elders. Born into the famous Ashamu family in Oyo, he combines the dynamism of the youths with the wisdom of the elders. This is why he was accepted by all and sundry in his constituency when disclosed his intention to enter into politics. Ashamu, who has declared his intention to contest the Oyo Central senatorial seat, come 2015 examined the state of things in Oyo State and the positive impact the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi has had on the development of the state within the last three years. According to him, Ajimobi’s developmental accomplishments has not only returned the lost glory of the “Pace Setter” state, but has made it an envy of other states. “His landmark achievements which dot the 33 councils of the state are not ones observed in the speeches of politicians and dreams of the constituents, but seen by all, even his political opponents”, Asamu said. “Within three years, development, which has

We shouldn’t blame insecurity on opposition parties — Anyim are eminently qualified to govern the state. So it is not a question of playing politics about where the next governor is coming from. Equity demands that Abia North, having taken the shot, Central having taken the shot, it is the turn of Abia South where we have people who are equally qualified to govern the state. The Abia APC Integrity Group has in the recent past accused you and Chief Ikechi Emenike of trying to factionalize APC in Abia. Can you give some insight as to the issues that prompted this statement? In as much as I will acknowledge that there are challenges that the APC is facing in Abia, which are challenges that are surmountable, there is nothing like APC Integrity Group in Abia, so whoever is parading himself as belonging to such is not recognized. What happened is that the issue of Chief Emenike and the issue of factionalisation in Abia APC is something we have to really look at to deduce what is actually happening. Who is Chief Emenike? What does he want in APC? If you have somebody who comes to an organisation and decides to

keep mute on the matter until the APC at the national level decides to say something on the happenings within the party in Abia State.

•Dr. Nyerere Anyim run a parallel structure within the organisation, the person should be suspected of having a hidden agenda. What I am trying to say is that I am not forming any faction in the APC; I am working with APC genuinely registered members in Abia. So whatever people are saying about faction or no faction, I am not bothered about that. I would rather

What do you think can be done to ensure free and fair elections in 2015? Free and fair election is the best thing that can happen to Nigeria as a nation come 2015. I believe INEC is capable of conducting a free and fair election if they so wish. While we are talking about INEC and free and fair elections, we need to also consider the people themselves. If Nigerians agree that they want the elections to be free and fair, it will so be. They are the electorate, they are the ones to go and vote; it is what they want to happen that will happen. So we don’t keep on calling INEC as if the people will be locked up in their rooms while INEC will produce results. The people for us to

Ajimobi has returned Oyo to path of glory — Ashamu eluded the state for long due bad governance, is finally availing itself to Oyo indigenes, thanks to our technocrat and eloquent governor, Ajimobi. But one is not surprised, given the governor’s background and track record. He had his university education in the United States of America, where he bagged a degree in business administration and finance from the State University New York, in Buffalo, New York.“ The senatorial hopeful, contesting on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), said Ajimobi was passionate about his country that rather than remain in the United States like most of his peers did then, and since 1977, has been contributing to nation-building thus serving as a positive influence to the Nigerian people. The performance of the governor, as Ashamu put it, was not unexpected, because before going to the Senate, he

•Tony Ashamu had established the first and the largest free vocational training centre in Oyo State, offering training in computer engineering, computer operations, telephone engineering, fashion designing, hair dressing, tie and dye to youths. So far, the center has produced over 16,000 students free of charge, who have all gone on to gain

employment in banks and many industries in Nigeria. The centre has been recognized and certified both as a partner and training center by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). “Ajimobi is a great leader who sees beyond today. He is a true pace setter for leadership in our very own Pace Setter state. He has empowered people of Oyo, while transforming Oyo into a world class economy. Governor Ajimobi can simply be qualified as one of the best performing governors in our country quite frankly, Nigeria needs more of him. No doubt, His Excellency has earned our salute as one of the worthy sons of our great state.” One critical question, which many have asked is: Where did Oyo, which used to rank as the leading light, not only in Nigeria but Africa got it wrong that it was plagued with inept leadership before the coming of the present administration? Ashamu was quick to add

beckon on are the Nigerian masses. Opposition parties have been said to be behind the spate of insecurity in the country, to make the country ungovernable for the ruling PDP. What do have to say in this regard? I just want to say that it is unfortunate, because our people should be more realistic on issues that have to do with us as a nation. That I am in a different party from my brother does not make him or her my enemy. Look at the bombings; do they kill members of a particular party or religion? Instead of us to come together and see how we can put an end to such ills, all we do is trade blames and propaganda in the name of politics. It wrong and is sheer wickedness to play politics with issues that border around the security, lives and property of our people. From an objective point of view, would you say that the PDP 15-year rule in Abia has had no positive effect in the state? If I say for the 15 years they have ruled in Abia, there is nothing they have done, that will not be true; they have tried but what they have done is not good enough. that Oyo has never lacked worthy sons in its history citing the Late Chief Emmanuel Oyedele Ashamu, as one of them. He however averred that these worthy sons never bothered to venture into politics thus leaving the development of the state in the hands of mediocre who hijacked the state’s politics and left the citizens worse off. He said: “If you will recall, the late Ashamu was wealthy land owner and Oyo chief who was prominent in the Nigerian business sector in the 1960s to the 80s, Ashamu rose to become one of most prominent businessmen in Africa, with interests in agriculture, banking, transportation and real estate. A devout Christian, Chief Ashamu was the patriarch of a large extended family and known as a revered leader in his community. He impacted lives and created employment through his business ventures that cut across the various sectors. “Chief Ashamu was a pharmacist by training and was later the owner of Industrial Chemists Ltd, Lagos, among many other prosperous businesses. He was on the board of directors for Oke-Afa Farms and the Nigerian Explosives and Plastic Company, all of which he had majority shareholding.

PAGE 48—SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City

s Edo State politicians prepare for the 2015 general elections, what is obviously in their minds in the big one which is the governorship election that comes up in 2016. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, buoyed by the recent victory of the PDP in Ekiti State, had boasted, through its state chairman, that the PDP’s ousting of the APC government in Ekiti will be replicated in Edo come 2016. But the APC described that as a tall dream owing to the fact that the Adams Oshiomhole-led APC administration had transformed the state through its massive infrastructural development which the PDP failed to do in its ten years administration of the state. It is no longer news that the APC had its crisis which led to the defection of some of its leaders to the PDP. As a result, the problem seems to be over because Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu who left the party for the PDP was the only headache the APC had due to his governorship ambition. The resolve in the Edo APC now is that they have all agreed with the governor to focus on the National and State Assembly elections before strategies for the 2016 governorship election will commence. For Edo PDP, led by Chief Dan Orbih (Kulukulu 1 of Africa), it tactically avoided congresses in order to do away with crisis ahead of the 2015 elections. But anyone who has been following the activities of the PDP in the state and the personalities involved knows that postponing the state congresses is like postposing the evil day. The party currently operates in three blocs. The first is led by the National Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih; another is led by the former Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadohme; while the other is led by the Benin billionaire, Captain Hosa Okunbor. And these leaders are from the Central, North and South senatorial districts of the state. Under the Okunbor bloc, you have powerful groups like those of Senator Ehigie Uzamere and Pastor Ize-Iyamu. Former governor of the state Chief Lucky Igbinedion is like the general overseer on this bloc but he has since remained neutral and watch as events unfold. But as expected, Anenih is watching and monitoring the activities of these leaders so as to check their excesses. The members of the PDP in the state must belong to any of these groups to survive else you will be a loner and that is why nominations for the party in 2015 will be very fierce. For instance, in Edo Central where Anenih hails from, the National Assembly members, all PDP, have decided to go for third term, a situation that is brewing crisis in the party currently. Some PDP loyalists in Edo Central are not happy that the trio of Senator

•Ogbemudia

•Anenih

performed as Minister for Works, is expected to take a shot at the governorship if it is ceded to Edo Central. He will be a good candidate for the PDP but he needs to get himself closer to people in other senatorial districts and not his Central District alone. Imasuagbon, who is also from Central like Onolemenmen, has carved a niche for himself through his annual distribution of rice to the less privileged in the state. He is popular in the state with his nick name, Rice Armada, and he can pull a surprise if the guber primary of the PDP is free and fair. The Binis strength While the fragmentation of the party is a little better in the Central, the situation in Edo South PDP should be a serious worry to the leadership of the party.

•Oghiadohme

•Okunbor

Inside Edo PDP ahead of 2015, 2016 •Anenih, Ogbemudia, Oghiadohme, Okunbor to decide candidates’ fate Odion Ugbesia, Friday Itulah (Esan North East and South East Federal constituency)and Patrick Ikhariale (Igueben,Esan Central and West Federal constituency)have indicated interest to return to the National Assembly for a third term. It was learnt that there are some loyalists of the party such as Clifford Ordia who has been angling for the Senate but he was asked to be patient until after Ugbesia. You also have a former Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, a grassroots politician who was assured of the House of Representatives seat after Itulah, but as it seems, his ambition may hit the wall if the PDP leaders succumb to the third term ambition of Itulah. Though Sunday Vanguard learnt that Anenih’s position is that they will all go for primaries, but there is this fear that he may be backing the trio due to their unflinching loyalty. But that may backfire because some of these leaders who have waited patiently all these years may decide to defect to the APC rather than wait for another four years. And that is exactly what the APC is waiting for after it lost some members to the PDP.

The members of the PDP in the state must belong to any of these groups to survive else you will be a loner and that is why nominations for the party in 2015 will be very fierce

And the fear is that if Ugbesia is not supported for a third term, he will work against the governorship ambition of the current Minister of Works. Arch. Mike Onolemenmen. While another governorship aspirant of the party, Mr Kenneth Imasuagbon, is said to be backing Ugbesia for Senate, Onolemenmen is alleged to be backing Ordia for the Senate. But Anenih would not want to offend Ugbesia, who is known as a master in the politics of the state and that will be a great challenge for Ordia who many in the Central agree should be the PDP senatorial flag bearer due to his contributions and loyalty to the party all these years. However, Onolemenmen, who has

This area is where the Binis are and they enjoy the highest in terms of population in Edo. No one can become a governor without the backing of the Binis. In this area, you have governorship aspirants such as the ex-army general, Gen Charles Airiavbere, who ran against Governor Oshiomhole in 2012, his cousin Senator Ehigie Uzamere, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, a former NNDC Commissioner in the state, Chief Solomon Edebiri and many will not be surprised to see the former Deputy Governor of the state, Lucky Imasuen, join the race. The argument of the Bini leaders in the PDP is that the governorship ticket should be

ceded to them so as to stand a chance to face whoever the APC is going to throw up. But as it seems Anenih is not comfortable with it due to his dealings with some of the aspirants from the South. The only person he may be comfortable with, as Sunday Vanguard, learnt is Edebiri but his thinking as it is being speculated, is that he may pair him as deputy to Onolemenmen. And due to the fact that people like Uzamere, Ize-Iyamu, Airhiavbere and Iduoriyemwen know it may be difficult to get Anenih’s backing, they have taken their destiny in their own hands by finding their ways straight to the Presidency. Uzamere, who dumped the APC for the PDP early this year, clinched the NDDC slot from Anenih and Oshiomhole through his closeness with former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and President Goodluck Jonathan. He is an old war horse in the politics of the state being the only senator in Edo South to clinch second term ticket. He is banking on such connections to also pick the PDP guber ticket which will not come as a surprise if it happens. After he suffered defeat in the hands of Oshiomhole, Airhiavbere moved to Abuja and had worked in several capacities in the Presidency. He is expected to receive the support of Oghiadohme who is having a running battle with Anenih. Naturally, Oghiadohme is expected to be the leader of the PDP in Edo North after the demise of Alhaji Inu Umoru, but forces loyal to Anenin in Edo North imposed Alhaji Kassim Ozeto as the leader. Oghiadohme’s sin was that while he was Chief of Staff to the President, he used his position to favour some persons who are said to be anti-Anenih while Anenih’s own list of board members were bastardized. And for Ize-Iyamu, he is a smart politician that cannot be underestimated. He is working in tandem with Okunbor and through Captain he can reach the Presidency. But he is being watched closely by PDP leaders since his defection to the PDP. And if the rumour that the PDP may not give the ticket to any of new comers is true, then Pastor and Uzamere will have a problem. Iduoriyenkemwen is equally a close friend of the president and he will definitely wants to exploit that. He is young and possesses the qualities of Ayo Fayose and if the PDP hierarchy wants to do what they did in Ekiti, they will give the ticket to him or Imasuen who is currently the chairman of SURE-P in Edo. Imasuen is also expected to use that link to get the president’s backing for governorship. Fierce battle But either way it goes, Anenih must give his blessings and if his own power in the Presidency supersedes that of the aspirants, most of the aspirants in the South can as well forget their ambitions and think of something else.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 49

2015: Why Jonathan should run with Sambo — Senator Braimoh BY OLAYINKA AJAYI Senator Yisa Braimoh (Edo North from 2007-2011) has been a recurring decimal in the nation’s political arena since the illfated third republic. He was a running mate on the National Republican Convention (NRC) gubernatorial ticket in Edo State in 1991; and was in the botched Abacha transition programme leader of the National Congress Party of Nigeria (NCPN). In this interview, he speaks, among others, on the achievements of the President Jonathan administration, the president’s second term in office and why Vice President Namadi Sambo should be retained on the re-election ticket. Excerpts:

OW would you rate the performance of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration since stepping in the saddle on May 29, 2011? Performance of successive governments in this country, talking about concrete achievements, is an open book that every Nigerian is able to see and read. Even for those who cannot read, they can see Jonathan’s performance all around, evident in the large numbers of critical physical infrastructure like roads, rail lines and remodeled airports, among others. I will talk briefly and in general about these achievements: for instance, a total of 2000 kilometers of road were built or rehabilitated as at the end of 2013-the highest in a single year by any government; in the health sector, 1500 primary healthcare facilities have been refurbished and supplied with essential drugs while several teaching hospitals and medical centres have been rehabilitated and modernized; in the aviation sector, it is evident that for the first time in over three decades, all 22 federally-owned airports across the country are being remodeled, resulting in improved passenger experience while for the first time also, five modern international passenger terminals are being constructed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu. In fact, obsolete power infrastructure is being replaced/upgraded across major airports in the country while there has been installation of cutting-edge navigational aids and Instruments Landing Systems (ILS), including runway lights and Total Radar Coverage (TRACON) in order to

enhance air safety. In the agriculture sector, although it may not be visible to the eye, four decades of corruption in fertilizer and seed distribution has ended with direct access by farmers, thereby saving the government N25 billion in 2012 alone. There are many more achievements, resulting largely in the nation’s rebased economy with a GDP of $510 billion, which has made Nigeria’s economy the biggest on the continent of Africa and 26th in the world. Does his performance put him in a good stead to win the nomination of his partythe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the 2015 presidential election? Oh yes! The president will clinch the ticket of the party hands down based on his record of performance. There is no question about that; and history is also on his side. Since 1999 up till now, sitting presidents enjoy a huge head-start over other aspirants. Olusegun Obasanjo enjoyed that in 2003 when he was seeking for his second term in office. It is not going to be different with Jonathan. Like many Nigerians, I want him to seek reelection. In any case, the choice is his as he has the right of first refusal. But I can tell you that feelers from the grapevine are indicative of Jonathan’s readiness to exhaust his constitutionally-circumscribed right to contest in 2015. After all, he had recently hinted of the possibility of throwing his hat in the ring to defend his position by seeking the votes of Nigerians for mandate renewal next year. I agree with him when he said during his last media chat that he is the defending champion and that pressure should be on the opposition elements to present their candidate. I am very confident that in 2015, Jonathan will lead the PDP to victory in the presidential election and other levels of elections in the country. The president is sharply-focused and he is incrementally delivering on his agenda to transform Nigeria despite the politically-motivated Boko Haram insurgency in the northern part. The insurgency was calculated to make Nigeria ungovernable and to largely distract the president, but to the chagrin of the forces of evil, the president has successfully taken on the responsibility of ending the insurgency and restoring peace in the north of the country. Some forces in the PDP have been

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

quietly plotting for a presidential ticket without Vice President Namadi Sambo as the running mate. Will a change of running mate for the 2015 presidential contest be necessary? Jonathan-Namadi Sambo ticket is a winning ticket any day. Do you change a winning team? To change a winning team, especially after it has been tried, tested and found to be solid, is to engage in a very bad gamble. The team won in 2011 when it had not done much that it could comprehensively flaunt before Nigerians. I expect a more emphatic victory now that it has its imprimatur in a good number of achievements. Apart from the large-scale achievements of the Jonathan administration, I personally would like to locate and identify the peaceful ambience in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa as very important in the process of driving the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan government. Sambo must be commended for his humility and loyalty to the President. I make bold to say now and for all times that Sambo is an archetypical, humble and loyal vice president. He has shown incredible commitment to the success of the administration by investing massive support for the President, the Federal Government and our great party, the

2015: Ahmed in the Kwara people’s court

TAKEHOLDERS in Kwara South have urged the leadership of All Peoples Congress (APC)to present Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for second term in 2015 gubernatorial election. The stakeholders, which include artisans, market men and women, students, teachers,NULGE, farmers,CAN, imams, the Fulanis, transporters, community development associations nonpolitical stakeholders among others made the demand when the Forum of Kwara South Political Appointees, met them in town hall meetings to sensitise them on voters registration cards ahead of 2015 general elections. So far, the Forum have met stakeholders in town hall meetings in Osi, Iloffa, Share, Igbaja, OmuAran, Offa,and Esie among others. Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters,Comrade Bisi Fakayode, who anchored the programme, also coordinated the invitation of spokespersons of the stakeholders who took turns to commend the government for various gestures extended to them over the years and, like Oliver Twist also asked for more. The Senior Special Adviser on

•Senator Yisa Braimoh

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is calm and does not show that he is desperate for power. I learnt that he was practically cajoled by former Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to run for the governorship seat in Kaduna State. He was applying himself to governance in the state when in 2010, President Jonathan nominated him to be his Vice President after he (Jonathan) was sworn in as president following the death of then President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He is the kind of vice president I would run with over and again if I were the president and had the opportunity of multiple terms of office. The feelers from the political terrain in Edo State do not give room for comfort. Why is the political class trying to turn the State upside down? Contrary to your take, it is actually one man who is trying to turn my State of Edo upside down; and that one man is Governor Adams Oshiomhole. In the face of the crumbling and dwindling fortunes of his Party, the APC and Government, Oshiomhole has become increasingly desperate for survival. It is very obvious that PDP’s continuing harvest of decamping APC leaders across board in Edo state is a direct result of Oshiomhole’s policy reversals, bad governance, persistent dictatorial tendencies and surprisingly negative political godfatherism. The governor has suddenly become a victim of his multiple errors of omission, commission and political miscalculations: for example, disenfranchising very many APC leaders by not allowing free and fair primaries in the conduct of the recent APC Congresses. The APC tree in the State is now left standing without any branches. The people and electorate have now realised that Oshiomhole took them on a sentimental journey with nothing to show as political dividends except propaganda which does not put food on any table. Not a single industry has been facilitated in Edo State by Oshiomhole’s government for the teeming unemployed youths of the state. No doubt that the coast is now clear for PDP to take over the State Assembly in 2015 and Osadebey Avenue in 2016. The elements who helped to reinforce Oshiomhole’s hold on the State have left him. Many of them are now in the PDP: leaders like Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Chief Tom Ikimi, Senator Ehigie Uzamere, Hon West Idahosa, Chief Usman Shagaddy, Hon Abubakar Momoh, Chief Stanley Odidi, Hon Eshishie, members of the State House of Assembly, Commissioners and Special Advisers, and so many others. Edo will find its rhythm once again when PDP steps in the saddle of governance in the State in 2016.

•Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed Media and Communications to the governor, Dr Muideen Akorede, was also on ground in Off a to add colour to the ceremony. Political appointees took turns at various venues to clarify controversial issues raised against the administration by the stakeholders after the talk on voters registration cards and also gave assurances on the way forward. The Chairman of Kwara South Political Appointees Forum and Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Nurudeen Banu, addressing the mammoth crowd of the stakeholders in the

townhall of Omuaran, headquarters of Irepodun local government, explained the need for them to ensure that they get their permanent voter’s card before the expiration of the deadline. Banu, who listed the achievements of the Ahmed administration, explained the need for the people to continue to vote for the APC-led government in Kwara. The commissioner, at Esie townhall, told the stakeholders how the state administration, despite the shortfall of N1b in monthly allocations from the federation account since August last year, has continued to meet the aspirations of the people. “We pay N10 on gratuity monthly, N100 monthly for pensioners, and spend about N600m to pay salaries. We are doing all these without sacking any of our workers,we even on monthly basis recruit workers through our QuickWin programme while we also sustain

and improve our infrastructures,”he added. Banu particularly pointed out that the International Vocational Centre sited in Ajase-Ipo which will soon be completed will open abundant job opportunities for people of the area and indeed the state urging them to continue to support the administration of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. The NCWS in OmuAran also lent its support for the second term of the governor, describing him as a good ambassador. The NCWS spokesperson, Mrs Victoria Abidoye, who commended the governor for the Jerusalem and Mecca slots given members of the association, pleaded for subvention for the society to enable it run effectively. Mr Niyi Aransiola, who spoke on behalf of the artisans in OmuAran, lamented that they were not getting enough patronage from the state government in terms of contracts, and urged the state administration to ensure

remarkable increase in electricity supply and tar their deplorable roads in order help their businesses. The farmers in Omuaran, who spoke through Mr Joseph Adeoti, also commended Ahmed’s administration for making fertiliser available to them but lamented that it’s expensive. The chairman of the Okada riders in OmuAran,Mr Joseph Bamidele, told the political appointees that it was because government was not doing much that made members of the association to do more than other unions. The Commissioner for Information, Prince Tunji Morounfoye, who was always quick to remind the crowd of the many achievements of the government and radio programmes where callers concern on government’s activities were always clarified, appreciated the stakeholders demand for second term for Ahmed.

Page 50— SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

T was eagerly awaited. The start of England’s Barclays Premier League, that is. Fans of the Barclays Premier League in Nigeria looked towards 16 August like it was Christmas Day. The streets, pubs and everywhere there are football fans fizzed with excitement. At Harbour Point, an events facility in Victoria, Island, Lagos, the excitement was feverish. It was the venue of Football Season Kick-Off, an event organised by DStv, exclusive providers of football content in Nigeria and Africa in general, to flag off the 2014/15 soccer season. As early as 11am, football fans had started arriving the venue, most of them in the replica shirts of their favourite teams. With a sizeable crowd expected and the potential for handshakes and hugs, the organisers did well to provide hand sanitisers to everyone coming in as a way of checking the

VIEWPOINT

Joseph praised DStv for providing a good backdrop for match viewing and specially commended the pay TV company for being conscious of the threat of Ebola, which necessitated the provision of hand sanitisers

confines , fans were greeted with eight giant television sets provided by Samsung, one of the sponsors of the event. The others were Globacom, wakanow.com and Guinness Nigeria plc. As the crowd grew, the atmosphere became more raucous, yielding a free trade zone of banters, boasts and of course, an ample quantity of illwill for any club viewed as a rival to the club each fan supports. Neutrality had no place. Foot-

VIEWPOINT BY OLUFEMI ANIBABA TRIBUTE IN BRIEF Celebrating Lagos House Speaker on his birthday

EW weeks after becoming a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji started showing the brilliant stuff he was made of right on the floor of the House during debates, particularly on germane issues affecting the state. There was therefore little doubt that he knew what he wanted and he was ready to make his mark as a lawmaker in a state known for its leading role in the struggle for democratic rule. He was the lawmaker who moved a motion in 2003 that resulted in a resolution of the House requesting the Federal Government to accord Lagos a special status, before the issue was taken up at the National Assembly by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) federal legislators. When he became the Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties & Inter-government

of good-natured jibes. The loss, treated as a setback rather than disaster, did not ruin the day’s fun for many United fans at the event. Samson Duru, a United fan, said he was disappointed by the result and performance of his team, but was compensated by the atmosphere in which he watched the match. “DStv gave us a great place to start the season. Being among fans of other clubs, sharing jokes and having fun, is a great experience. Wish we could do this weekly, but United have to win every match to make me enjoy it every week. Hearing rival fans making jest of us is hard to take,” said Duru. Sarah Adebiyi, an Arsenal fan, was similarly thrilled about the viewing experience. “This is just nice. You can see that everybody is happy that the season is here. DStv did well to get us together in this lovely place and put is in the mood for the season,” she gushed. Where does she think her club will finish this season? “Champions”, she said with a chuckle. “We have Sanchez (Alexis) now. Ozil will get better. We pray that Ramsey is not injured,” she added. We shall

The Adigwe factor in Delta North

BY EMMA FEJOKWU VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF aspirant for Delta-North in 2015. Pay b ack time for a lawmakHe is a leader with unique qualer ities of leadership and committed ON. Pascal Adigwe, onetime House of Representatives member for Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency apostolic zeal, at the delivery of government, individual and corporate citizenship, has, no doubt, endeared him to his people and also lifted him up to the level of an economic missioner and community developer. Adigwe, from Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South local government area of Delta State, is, today, under the platform of PDP, senatorial

ball doesn’t do in-between very well. Fans are closer to tribal gangs than objective observers. The air was so thick with partisanship that you could bottle it. But it was expressed with civility. Going by replica shirts, Manchester United fans appeared to be in the majority, not overwhelmingly. Next to them were Chelsea and Arsenal fans. Then, Liverpool fans. About four persons came in Manchester City strip, puncturing the assumption that the new superpowers in England have no overseas fans. What the sight of City strips did to the heads of Manchester United fans could not be gauged. The global United fan base was convinced by their former manager, Alex Ferguson, to view City as “noisy neighbours”. By the time the first match of the season, Manchester United vs Swansea, ended, United fans at the event were the quiet neighbours. Swansea did what fans of United rivals in the crowd hoped for, not expected. Swansea beat United 2-1 on their patch, a result that earned United fans, who had hoped for a bright start under Louis van Gaal, plenty

to offering selfless service to humanity, and concerned about societal progress which he believes is only achievable through openness. Adigwe can best be described as an unusual Nigerian interested in the age-old perception of the citizen representative of all good things. The story of the contributors to the growth of the PDP in Delta State and beyond can never be complete without the mention of Adigwe who from a survey was found to

Adigwe can best be described as an unusual Nigerian interested in the age-old perception of the citizen representative of all good things

be the most qualified person to occupy the Delta-North senatorial seat come 2015.

The aspirant, whose middle name, Nwaoranine, means “The child of all”, strikes a bell amongst the people. He is indeed a shining light who should be appreciated and given the support he deserves to become the next Delta-North senator. He has remained committed to the PDP, hence, he, among all those who contested with him when he sought to become the House of Representatives member for Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency, got the ticket with overwhelming vote counts to defeat his opponents. Adigwe sees politics as an enterprise for common good and an

see. Wale Joseph, another Arsenal fan, spoke before the UnitedSwansea match started. Cradling a can of Harp beer provided by Guinness, he wished United would lose and it happened. Joseph praised DStv for providing a good backdrop for match viewing and specially commended the pay TV company for being conscious of the threat of Ebola, which necessitated the provision of hand sanitisers. Tunji Babalola, one of the very few Manchester City fans on parade, said he was happy that Football Season Kick-Off has made him realise that he is not alone in his support of the club in Nigeria. “I lived in Manchester as a child and grew up supporting City. Years back, I was laughed at a lot. We were not doing well and many people could not imagine why I’d be supporting city. I thought I was the only Nigerian supporter of City until I got here and saw others, though not many. We will grow in number because we will keep winning. We have the players and the money to buy more if required,” he said with barely disguised boast.

•Coker is a football fan. avenue towards creating an integrated development which will bring the desired government to the doorsteps of the people. Peaceful co-existence irrespective of tribe or religion has remained a vital focus point in the ongoing consultations with leaders, stakeholders and other relevant members of PDP by Adigwe, hence, at one of his consultation visits, he was honoured with the title of “Ambassador of Peace”. Due to his contributions to nation-building and the dividends of democracy attracted by Adigwe, the only way for the PDP in DeltaNorth to pay him back is by supporting his senatorial ambition. •Fejokwu is a political analyst based in Asaba

At 56, Ikuforiji ready for the next level Relations, Ikuforiji organized a historic conference on the relationship between the states and federal government, how it ought to be and how disagreements between the two levels of government can be resolved legally and politically. He was the first and only state top official elected twice into the House of Assembly from Epe. He was also the first lawmaker elected Speaker thrice from the state. He was elected Speaker for the third time in June, 2011 after being elected into the Assembly from Ikeja constituency 1 during the 2011 elections. Through his leadership as the Speaker, he changed the negative perception of lawmakers by the Executive arm to positive one. And from January, 2006 members of the state executive council were forced to accord the lawmakers enough respect and recognition, either at a public function or private engagement. To instill discipline as well as maintain corrupt-free record in public finance, the Speaker in-

spread of the Ebola Virus Disease. Inside Harbour Point’s posh

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Football Season Kick-Off, an event organised by DStv to usher in the new season in Europe, delivers fun aplenty to fans

When the season kicked off

VIEWPOINT BY BUNMI COKER

He was the first and only state top official elected twice into the House of Assembly from Epe. He was also the first lawmaker elected Speaker thrice from the state

augurated a new standing committee of the House known as Anti-corruption Committee. Besides, he organized the first-ever Town Hall Meetings in each of the 20 old local councils where honourable members met with members of all the 40 constituencies in the state in 2009. The Assembly under Ikuforiji

realized that people must also be involved in matters that concern them and that the lawmakers needed a feedback forum, hence the holding of the meetings. In other words, since the people are targets of development, constituents freely expressed their ideas, feelings and opinions on how the state is being governed at the forum. Lagos lawmakers were able to know the manner in which governance in the state was assessed in the area of road construction, provision of water, free education, health, rural development, etc. and report on the findings was prepared by the Assembly and sent to the governor for the preparation of 2010 budget. In Epe, his home town, he built a block of four classrooms at St. Patrick Primary School in honour of retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice George Oguntade, who incidentally was an ex-pupil of the school. He also equipped the science laboratory of his alma mater, Epe Grammar School with scientific materials

worth millions of naira. Needless to say that he has also contributed in no small way to the development of Epe and its people. Prior to the 2011 general elections when uncertainty was hanging in the air and many members of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) were leaving the party in droves, it was Ikuforiji who became the rallying point. And being a pragmatist, it was not difficult for him to be the needed “umbrella that did not fold up when it rains”, for members who at that time were dire in need of leadership. Thus, as Ikuforiji, the longest Speaker in the history of Lagos State, clocks 56 today, one can only wish him well with good health and continued God’s guidance and blessings. It would also be auspicious to say that given his experience, achievements and leadership qualities, he has more to offer the state in the years ahead.

•Anibaba, a public affairs analyst, lives in Lagos.

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014—PAGE 51 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

‘How not to re-position Nigeria’s cultural industry’ •NICO graduates over 70 students By JAPHET ALAKAM CULTURE

•Prof Effiong Etim Johnson, guest lecturer of the topic was because it has been observed that cultural industries have dislocated from their places of prominence or relevance . He identified some of the flaws mitigating against the development of cultural industries as unhealthy attitude to the implementation of cultural

ulture is the totality of the way of life evolved by a people in their attempt to meet the challenges of living in their environment ... “If life’s meanings hinge on culture which expresses itself in social, political, economic , aesthetic and religious , organisational and identity dimensions of the Nigerian people as convincingly known and engraved in the cultural policy, why then should culture miss the apex priority of developmental pursuit or why should people bring up a system that stifle people’s co-essence?” These were some of the questions put up by Professor Effiong Etim Johnson, guest lecturer at 5th NICO Annual Public/Convocation Lecture held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos. The convocation ceremony was later held the following day at the Cinema hall 2 of the National theatre, Iganmu where over 70 graduands were awarded degrees. In the dramatised lecture which was attended by many stakeholders in the culture industry, with the topic: Repositioning Nigeria’s Cultural Industries for Economic Empowerment and Social Security,•the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State lecturer, blamed the government and stakeholders in the culture industry for their failure to provide an enabling environment for the development of culture in the country. He stated that the choice

•Dr Barclays Foubiri Ayokoroma, Executive Secretary of NICO

ues contained in Nigerian cultures, arguing that, if you want people to get the real meaning of what the indigenous culture says, you have to present it in the vernacular. Education is a big cultural industry, but a situation where millions of Nigerian students are schooling outside the country is

A vibrant cultural industry will tremendously mitigate youth unemployment and curb the security challenges facing Nigeria today

policies, not providing a conducive environment for education, the insecurity in the country, the quick turn over syndrome of of textile industries , the taste for foreign made goods, amongst others. On the way forward, he laid emphasis on the indispensability of indigenous language as a vehicle to convey full meaning of the repository of rich val-

not good, they loose the culture, millions of Naira gone and others, governments should provide enabling environments for the thriving of the arts at all levels of the country’s educational training, academies, arts galleries, museums, sanctuaries and indeed wherever genuine arts practices are carried out. He condemned the purported plan to sell the National thea-

tre, pointing out that instead of that ,the National theatre , the National troupes and other relevant agencies should be equipped to position themselves in a way to promote national development. He added that if Nigeria repositions arts and humanities related subjects in the educational curricular of primary, secondary and tertiary schools, fundamental changes will be instituted in the Nigerian society Professor Johnson advocated that Nigeria must look beyond oil and tasked them to invest wisely in the tourism industry as if well developed it can become one of the highest foreign exchange earners in the country. He also suggested that there is need to rake up interest and in re-engineering the Nigerian mind set on the need to make preference for Nigerian cultural dresses. The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cul-

Oct ogenarian’s antit ode tto o the Y oruba ffading ading Octogenarian’s antitode Yoruba folklore By DOTUN IBIWOYE PRESENTATION

n a quest to depict the Yoruba values and culture, as it affects the daily existence of a people, who are loosing their identity due to education and globalisation, two books, ‘The quest for rare leaf and other Yoruba tales’ and ‘ Yoruba love stories’ which will serve as a guide to the daily issues confronting the present generation was recently presented to the public. Authored by an 82 years old chartered insurance practitioner, Olabode Ogunlana, the book translates the Yoruba folklore oral tradition that dates back to centuries into English, making it appealing to the modern readers irrespective of their cultural

backgrounds. The book also contains five traditional legends and six other more recent stories. Ogunlana stated that to turn his knack for proverbial story telling into writing, he made a lot of sacrifices which the younger generation today would ordinarily shy away from, after a 50-year long and successful career as a chartered insurer, the octogenarian proceeded to Buckingham University, United Kingdom, for a postgraduate course in the humanities where he refined his story writing skills. He affirmed that the the publication of the two books was his own little way of reversing the decline of interest in the Yoruba culture and expressed happiness that he was blazing a trail by publishing ancient stories which have over the years been transmuted orally.

According to former President of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr Lugard Aimiuwu, the book is a major contribution to literature in Nigeria and certainly an eye opener to all those who are looking for indicator of intellectual wealth. “The first thing that the book says to me is that it is inspirational in nature. It is a challenge to Nigerians to read, to study, to research, to document. That way it is the relay race. the older ones can hand over the relay barton to generations from time to time. For a man above 80 years old to have expended so much time, used so much energy, expended so much resources, to achieve this is like a dream come true, he said He added: “Everything that removes around people, either young or old has do deal with the feeling of self worth. If your

perception of self and the assessment of your worth is low, you want to become something that you are not, you want to be something higher. What do you do? You aspire be something which another person is”. he dignitaries in at tendance at the book presentation held at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos, are : The Rt Revd (Dr) Olubayo. O Obijole and Dr (Mrs) Foluke Adagbada, the book reviewers, Chief Michael Omolayole, Bishop of Ile Ife, Isaac Odubolu, Dr Lugard Aimiuwu Chief Ajibola Ogunshola (former Charman Punch), Dr. Yemisi Kuforiji, Amb. Ade Adekuoye, Prof Osato GiwaOsagie, Olorogun Sunny Kuku, Mrs. Olayinka Ajayi, wife of late GOK Ajayi

tural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, earlier in his address called on Nigerians to take advantage of the cultural dimension of development for the muchneeded advancement, not only in governance and the democratic process, but in every area of our national life, if the country must stand tall in the comity of nations. He pointed out that the NICO Lecture Series was fast becoming, a veritable platform for scholars to express quantum of intellectual ideas in cultural administration, thus making every NICO Lecture, •”the Inaugural after the Inaugural.”• Choice of topic Earlier on in his Opening Remark, the Chairman of the occasion and Director-General of Centre for Management Development (CMD), Dr. Kabir Usman, who applauded the choice of topic for this year’s NICO Lecture, said that a vibrant cultural industry will tremendously mitigate youth unemployment and curb the security challenges facing Nigeria today; and that, repositioning Nigeria’s cultural industries will serve as a catalyst for the rapid socio-economic development of the country, in line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.• The lecture, which was organised to herald the convocation ceremony for graduands of the Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma in Cultural Administration programmes of NICO Training School, Lagos, for the 2012/2013 Academic Session, was the 2nd in the Convocation Lecture Series. The event was graced by Culture and Tourism minister , Edem Duke represented by Martins Adaji, Artistic director of National troupe, Dr Kabir Usman, Prof Olu Obafemi, Prof Dipo Kalejaiye, Prof Emmanuel Sani Danuduara, Mr Lawal , Prof Ogaba Otteh, Bridget Yerima, Director, Training school and Pa Amudo amongst others.

PAGE 52—SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

Another episode of Trauma...no vendetta, violence on stage

“

•A scene from Another episode of Trauma furthering the evil course, Joseph begins to secretly him, attacks and kills all his gather arms and ammunition. family members, including his pregnant wife. Unable to bear his ill fate, Joseph commits suicide. Important storyline with a topical subject, ‘’Another episodes of Trauma” reaches out to members of the dreaded He launches out at his target Boko Haram members to group, using the guerilla sheathe their swords since warfare. Unfortunately, he is violence has done the nation caught in the web, as the much harm. Also, affected opposing group overpowers

It reaches out to dreaded Boko Haram members to sheathe their swords since violence has done the nation much harm

and his wife. His marriage is threatened as he suffers psychological imbalance that creates tension in his home, work and society. Bent on

groups and individuals may want to resort to prayers in addition to encouraging people to imbibe virtues rather than resort to vendetta. Not too bad an outing for the theatre house. The actors gave good accounts of themselves. Mariam especially, was at her best as she exhibited some element of proficiency thereby, making up for some lapses from Joseph's performance.

Nightmare Daydream: Ogunbiyi’s artistic view of Chibok Girls By CHRIS ONUOHA VISUAL

hat if they find the girls? Isn’t the missing girl’s thing a bit overdone? How does such a catastrophic event become so finite? How do media headlines and topic trending a social media categorically restrict the attention spans of masses? Unending are the posers. However, coming into terms with the complexities of the circumstance propelled Temitayo Ogunbiyi to channel her taught towards the particular gender in question. Meanwhile, the attention generated by this catastrophe is so overwhelming at a point that there seems to be bias notions as to ascertain if the girls were truly abducted, if BokoHaram, as an elusive entity do really exists, or if the federal might could not guarantee the safety of her citizenry. All these are imbued in what Ogunbiyi called Nightmare’s Daydream. As these physical and psychological war rages on, with promises unaccomplished from the government side, over 300 innocent and tender girls are forcefully abducted from their schools to a labyrinth, stripped of their innocence, conditioned to weird philosophy and forced to marry according to the laws of Islam. It is such a dehumanizing act by these heinous insurgents whose Islamic ideology is still questionable, yet ravaging a once peaceful terrain with no clear intent. Saddened by this prevalent

situations caused by this insurgents and unanswered threats to mankind, Tayo Ogunbiyi made a statement when she organized a solo art exhibition at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos titled: A Nightmare’s Daydream. This week long exhibition that ran from August 2nd – 19th,2014, not only geared towards the unending clarion call from the concerned public to end the insurgency, but as well presents the situation in a visual expression that •Some of the works on display forms her exhibition. ble human right activists who These questions and inter- have spoken since the girls actions inform her current were abducted and also

HE saying that it is easy to create war but difficult to make peace, is easily forgotten each time there’s disagreement between two parties. This explains the reason individuals, families and nations have not stopped experiencing violence all over the world. In its efforts toward encouraging a non-violence approach to addressing issues in addition to kicking against vendetta, Live Theatre in one of its numerous stage plays which holds every last Sunday of the month, thrilled lagosians with a play titled, “Another Episode Of Trauma”. Another Episode of Trauma, which was staged at the New Unity Centre, Ikeja, GRA, Lagos, was written by Temiloluwa Fosudo, directed by Sylvester Obieze and produced by Adenugba Oluwanishola for Davidhouse Multimedia. It warns individuals who deliberately instil ill feelings into others with the view to fanning war because of what they stand to gain, to reconsider their actions, as war affects everybody including those not directly involved. The play also underscores the importance of having a responsive and responsible government that has the good of the people at heart. Another Episode Of Trauma” narrates the story of Joseph, whose younger sister was murdered in the northern part of Nigeria, during her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Joseph, unable to come to terms with why the country has fallen short of its responsibility to protect its citizens as well as why Boko Haram insurgency has all in the name of religion, been unleashing mayhem on Nigerians, forcing many to an early grave, embraces vendetta as respite. He begins to attack the group with his newspaper articles and cartoons, earning for himself, fame and followers. Among his followers is Toni who is also, agitating for change. Both become united in one course which is to change the p o l i t y, t h o u g h t h r o u g h different means. While Joseph chooses the radical approach, Toni adopts the n o n v i o l e n t m e t h o d to achieve political change. On getting wind of her

husband’s mission, Mariam pleads with Joseph to reconsider his stance on radicalism and leave vengeance in the hands of vengence for God. He refuses to heed his wife’s advice having made up his mind to avenge his sister’s death. Things however take a bitter turn when Joseph’s move for vendetta sets him against Toni

By PRISCA SAM-DURU DRAMA

It is an effort to encourage the education of Nigerian girls and thereby counter the action of those who are working to the contrary

project which comprises visual art exhibition and a scholarship fund, 300girls. It is an effort to encourage the education of Nigeria girls and thereby counter the action of those who are working to the contrary. The exhibition which was adorned in Ogunbiyi’s classic style began with selected text and image-based content which she archived since MidMay, using the content to construct and dream futures for the missing Chibok girls and this was based on information available to her through public domain; their possessions in photographs, the lives of revered women and formida-

through the words uttered by their parents who still nurture dreams for this missing girls. The numbers of works on display were relatively small but the impact of the exhibit speaks volume with strong message to the discerning public. Some of the works are “Happy Dream House Dreamt from a Desk,Fueling the American Table,Crown and Costume in Glory” amongst others. Looking at the style and approach engaged by Ogunbiyi, one may think it is purely an informative exposition than saleable materials but she refutes by saying “The response has been really enthusiastic because people has picked

some works I would never guess they should be interested in, especially judging from the kind of art we are used to in the country.” Tayo Ogunbiyi is a contemporary artist who works with various media; drawing, paintings and installation but with particular interest in projects that goes beyond exhibitions. Expressing her style, she said, “I often create a limited exhibition items to accompany my exhibition because I believe that art need to exist in the everyday life to get into the everyday phase. My kind of art goes beyond exhibition; I do more to portray that in my numerous exhibitions. In this particular one which is the first that is part of the project called 300girls, I created a website called 300girls.com. This site will archive all the exhibition and project that takes place as part of the initiatives. The idea behind the 300girls centered on the situation surrounding the abduction of the Chibok girls”.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014— PAGE 53

•Mantu

•Odumakin

CONFAB RESOLUTIONS

which the president can implement but the fundamental ones about the structure of the country require constitutional amendment. Some of us are persuaded that we need a new constitution that will be autochthonous. The conference was split into two: pro-federal delegates and pro-feudal delegates. The pro-federal delegates are those who believe that for this country to move forward, we must have true federalism and run a proper country that grants autonomy to people and gives the right to do things. The pro-feudal people are those who believe that things should continue the way it is, nothing should change. “Those who drafted the Electoral Act 2010 have more wisdom than those who drafted the 1999 Constitution. In the Electoral Act 2010, Section 2, Powers of INEC, it was stated that INEC can conduct referendum on any subject pursuant to the provisions of the 1999 constitution, any other law or an Act of the National Assembly. So INEC can conduct a referendum based on the decisions we arrived at the conference to have a new constitution. “So, on fundamental issues, the president should set up the process for referendum. The people should determine whether or not they want state police, new states, local governments to go back to the states, etc. Once the people agree and the new constitution is approved, they can now go to the National Assembly to promulgate the new constitution and repeal the existing constitution. People ascribe a lot of powers to the National Assembly as if they are the ones to give us a new constitution. No! They are lawmakers. It is the people that should determine how they should be constituted.”

Referendum, the new constitution question and other options T

O ensure that the farr e a c h i n g recommendations of the just concluded National Conference do not go the way of past conferences, eminent persons have proffered ways to get the 22-volume report implemented. The recommendations include implementing some of the recommendations as government policy, considering others in the National Assembly ’s ongoing Constitution amendment, and converting the confab’s proposed amendments on the 1999 Constitution into a brand new Constitution through a referendum. The National Conference, on Thursday, submitted its final report to President Goodluck Jonathan, who vowed to implement the recommendations in consultation with the Council of State and the National Assembly. Among those who spoke on the way forward are Afenifere spokesman and a delegate, Mr Yinka Odumakin; a former Deputy Senate President and confab delegate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu; National Chairman of the United Progressive Party UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, and Deputy Secretary General of the Igbo Leaders of Thought, ILT, Evangelist Elliot Uko. Recommendations The conference adopted by consensus about 600 resolutions and made a series of recommendations. The recommendations include creation of 18 additional states, adoption of modified

presidential system of government that integrates the parliamentary and presidential systems, part-time bi-cameral legislature at all levels, reintroduction of the old National Anthem, removal of immunity clause for criminal offences, independent candidacy and abrogation of the local government as a tier of government, of State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECs, and of sponsorship of Christian and Muslim pilgrimages to the holy lands. Sharing of the funds to the Federation Account among the three tiers of government should be: Federal Government (42.5 per cent), state governments (35 per cent) and local governments (22.5 per cent); in the modified presidential system, the president shall pick the vice president from the legislature and select not more than 18 ministers from the six geo political zones and not more than 30 per cent of his ministers from outside the legislature; president should reduce cost of governance by pruning the number of political appointees and using staff of ministries where necessary; presidential power should rotate between the North and the South and among the six geo-political zones while the governorship will rotate among the three senatorial districts in a state. With local governments no longer the third tier of government, the federal and states are now the only tiers of government. States can now create as many local governments as they want. The Joint State/Local Government Account is to be scrapped and a State RMAFC established with representatives of LG and a Chairman nominated by the gover nor. The Constitution

should fix the tenure for local government councils at three years. The conference also recommended that special courts should handle corruption cases in view of undue prolongation in the trial and prosecution of corruption cases in the regular courts; retention of land tenure in the Constitution but with an amendment to take care of concerns, particularly compensation in Section 29 (4) of the Act to read “land owners should determine the price and value of their land based on open market value. We must go to referendum — Uko

By CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

yeoman’s job; they tried to create a better Nigeria. If the report is dutifully implemented it will create a better Nigeria. But the report falls short of our six regions suggestion. It is the sixregional structure that will save and develop Nigeria. The 36state structure will not grow Nigeria because the states always run to Abuja for money, which are spent on political office holders; there nothing left to industrialise Nigeria and create jobs. Without industries you cannot create jobs; without jobs the economy cannot grow. The economies of countries like China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, etc, are based on industrialisation and job creation.

Some of the resolutions are policy issues, which the president can implement but the fundamental ones about the structure of the country require constitutional amendment

Reacting to the recommendations, Uko whose group, ILT, opposed the modalities for convening the confab said the conference did well, saying if the recommendations were implemented could change the fortunes of Nigeria. He suggested that a referendum should be conducted to ratify the decisions. However, he said by not recommending six regions as the basis of federating, it might be difficult for the country to come of out socio-economic and development doldrums. His words: “I must confess, all the 20 committees did well. I am impressed that they did a

“Today, we have 40 million unemployed people. In six to 10 years time, it will be 100 million at the rate we are going. We are moving around in vicious cycle. Only the six-regional structure will create the environment for a healthy rivalry among the regions, which will lead to growth and development. All the same, we hope that the report will be ratified at a referendum because failure to that will be shooting down Nigeria.” INEC can conduct referendum —Odumakin how the report A sked could be made to count in the affairs of the country, Odumakin said: “Some of the resolutions are policy issues,

No constitutional provision for referendum —Mantu speaking, Mantu A lso said there are two options to give the report the force of law. “One is for Mr. President to send this draft amendment constitution by way of an executive bill to the National Assembly and the National Assembly will now employ due process of lawmaking and promulgate those areas affected by act of parliament. And those that will be affected by the amendment, they will now go through the due process of amending the constitution. Number two is by way of referendum. To go by way of referendum, the National Assembly also must provide for that because right now the National Assembly is currently amending the 1999 Constitution. So, what they have to do is to provide for referendum in the 1999 constitution which is not there now. There is nowhere in the Constitution that provides for a referendum. So, the National Assembly must now provide for a referendum in the on-going constitution amendment so that they will spell out how a referendum will be conducted,” he said. Okorie suggests two-pronged approach On his part, Okorie agreed the delegates “achieved some modest successes here and there”, and urged government to be quick in implementing the report. On how the recommendations should be adopted, he said, “The one that is left for government to be resolved should be resolved as quickly as possible. I also now expect that government should present an executive bill to the National Assembly, not to debate the provisions of the recommendations, but to simply approve a referendum, so that there will be a legal backing to the conference and then that referendum will now give the recommendation and the constitution arising from it the legitimacy that it requires to become the people’s constitution.”

PAGE 54, SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014

MTN WGC: A boost for Nigerian golf, says Ikpoki M

TN Nigeria boss Mike Ikpoki has observed that his company’s consistent sponsorship of golf in Nigeria has offered a lot of opportunities to budding golfers and brought about a lot of improvement to the sport in the country. For the past seven years, the telecommunication giant has sponsored the World Gofers Championships in Nigeria. This has made many would- be amateur players to register and take their golf lessons. Many have improved on their handicaps. Many players who were on handicap 20-25 are now playing 0-5 handicap. Apart from players improving their games, the various activities that precede each golf tournament have become veritable networking platforms to interact, and some of these interactions have translated into mutually beneficial, long lasting relationships. These have been the case since the leading ICT and telecommunication company took over the title sponsorship of the WGC in 2007. Recently, golfers of repute from around the South West region of the country drove into Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate for the South West Regional Qualifier of the 2014 MTN World Golfers Championship. The medal-format tournament teed off at about 8am, after the early morning rain had ceased and the course was playable. Flight after flight, players took to the course in contest for the lim-

Full Swing... Femi Olagbenro rolling with the MTN golf ited ticket to the finals, with the sun mildly shinning over the turf until sometime past noon when a heavy downpour came drenching the players. Considering the intensity of the rains, the players had to stop their rounds; as a result of this, everyone was scored by what he recorded at the frontnine only. Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, which took place after the tournament, Mr. Ikpoki expressed satisfaction at the large turn out he met on arrival at the host club. This is because aside

the fact that it was quite a distance from the regular golfing hubs, it was also a rainy day. He wittily remarked that the MTN brand, like the game of Golf is all about relationships that must be nurtured come rain or shine. According to him, “One of our core values is relationship; we strive to build and sustain relationship with our customers, clients, trade partners and all stakeholders. Golfers are some of our key stakeholders, so we hold them in high esteem. That is the rea-

son we have been doing this every year to help us forge stronger bond with them all,” he stated. At the end of the game, winners were emerged in the various categories. In the 0-5 category, Tim Ayomike, Handicap 2, won with a 37 net score while Olaitan Muyideen, Handicap 1, trailed him closely with a 38 net. Handicap 2 player, Remi Olukoya won the second runner-up position with 40 net score. Also featured at the event was the golf clinic where pros Bashi-

ru Bakare and Femi Olagbenro took non-golfing staff, guests and trade partners of MTN through basic golf lessons. Just last weekend, of the top Nigerian golfers who converged on the Port Harcourt Club, for the Eastern Qualifiers of the World Golfers Championship, thirteen players have qualified for the national finals billed for Le’Meridian Ibom, Akwa Ibom State between September 12th -14th, 2014. The excitement and buzz created by the tournament engulfed the entire Garden City as over one hundred players filed out with their respective teams to the tee – off point, throwing banters at each other while cleverly nursing an ambition for a slot at the Eastern Regional Qualifiers. The gentlemen’s passion for their favourite game came to the fore as scores of business and political bigwigs teed-off to compete for the 15 slots up for grabs at the qualifiers. The MTN World Golfers Championship national final is billed for the Ibom Golf Course Akwa Ibom State from 12th – 14th September, 2014, after the regional qualifiers. Each regional qualifier will see 15 golfers qualify for the national finals. Winners in the national finals will represent Nigeria at the World Golfers Championship slated for Durban, South Africa, later in the year. Meanwhile, Northern Regional Qualifiers of the tournament began yesterdayat the IBB Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

Costa continues scoring start I

N-FORM Diego Costa scored on his competitive Stamford Bridge debut as Chelsea beat Leicester 2-0 in the Premier League. The 25-year-old Spain striker, who cost the Blues £32million when they signed him from Atletico Madrid earlier this summer, grabbed the opening goal of the

game from six yards out in the 63rd minute on Saturday after good work down the right by Oscar and Branislav Ivanovic. That took Costa’s goal tally in a Chelsea shirt to six, having netted against Olimpija Ljubljana, Fenerbahce and Real Sociedad (two) in pre-season and

in the 3-1 win at Burnley last Monday night. Eden Hazard doubled the home side’s advantage on 77 minutes when he cut into the box off the left wing after a Cesc Fabregas pass and fired in a shot that was deflected past Kasper Schmeichel by Wes Morgan’s heel.

Barca, Liverpool bicker over Suarez transfer

IVERPOOL were doomed to lose Luis Suarez after the World Cup finals in Brazil - bite or no bite - and the player himself knew that Barcelona were ready to trigger his £75m buyout clause. And to add insult to injury for Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, Barca are now claiming that they got the Uruguayan hit man at a knock-down price, £10m below the trigger amount, although sources at Merseyside are adamant that they got the full amount. “That’s not true,” was the terse response from a senior Anfield source but Barca vice president Jordi Mestre, has other ideas. The fee for Suarez had been widely reported as £75m, C M Y K

but Mestre said: “Suarez’s transfer cost • 81m (£65m).” “Our negotiations started some time ago before the World Cup,” Mestre said. “£75m was the original price, we negotiated it down to £65m, which was down to two factors, the skill of those negotiating and Luis’ willingness to join Barcelona.” “He had significant offers, better offers, but he always said he is a Barca fan.” Suarez has revealed that he was worried that his hugely controversial biting incident involving Italian stopper Giorgio Chiellini would scupper the move which confirms that he knew he he was on the way out of Anfield before he even landed in Brazil.

•Suarez

SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 24, 2014, PAGE 55

Ebola: Our ordeal in China, Nigerian juniors speak BY BEN EFE

IGERIAN junior athletes have been speaking on their botched mission to the Youth Olympic Games going on in Nanjing, China. The kids were withdrawn from the YOG by the sports ministry, after they were subjected to discrimination, because of the rampaging Ebola virus in West African States of Liberia, Guinea, Sierra-Leon and lately, Nigeria. The athletes lamented that the organisers of the Games, whose actions were also backed by the International Olympics Committee lacked understanding and what they did was tantamount to racial discrimination. They reasoned that China had its own share

of SARS epidemic and no one restricted their athletes from participating in the games that were held in that period. Sprinter, Mercy Ntiabong said bitterly,: “We were kept in a separate room. Every day we were subjected to all kinds of medical tests. They will come and ask us questions like are you feeling feverish? Are you having any kind of headache or do you feel like vomiting? “It was too much. The harassment even started before we touched down in China. During our flight to Nanjing they were asking us too many questions. “The last straw was when they told us that our wrestler couldn’t compete. That was when the Nigerian officials told us that we have to go

NFF Congress Continued from back page Chairman of NFF Technical Committee, Chris Green is one of those insisting on Warri. He gave his reasons. “We have to respect our regulations and rules so that we don’t become a laughing stock before FIFA and the comity of nations.” Green said given the confusion that had visited Nigerian football of late and in order to allow for a credible elections to the executive committee, the NFF wrote to FIFA to allow them hold the congress and shift the elections to a later date According to Green, FIFA replied and fixed a 2-week extension. “We don’t want inconsistencies that will make us look stupid before FIFA .” he said.”We will not command intergrity before the international community. Much as we respect our leaders and government, it is important for us not to mock our country before international bodies with our inconsistencies.” Furthermore, Green said, apart from FIFA agreeing to the venue and date for the congress, the NFF had finalised all arrangements for the Congress to hold in Warri after a meeting with the Secretary to the fedaral Government last night. The source said during the last NFF Congress which held in Warri, delegates paid a courtesy call to the Olu of Warri, one of the highest ranked royalties in the country, who told them to feel free to return to Warri any time they wished. The delegates

agreed to return. Both the Olu of Warri and the Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan had agreed and were ready to receive the delegates. It will therefore, be a wrong step, a slap in the faces of the Olu of Warri and the Governor to now change the venue in the last minute.”

Falconets Continued from back page Maren Meinert’s side are a formidable unit, however, and have barely put a foot wrong at Canada 2014. Making the most of their opportunities in front of goal, they saw off a strong France side in the last four and now have their sights set on repeating their 2010 final win on home soil, one that saw the Germans lift the U-20 Women’s World Cup trophy for a second time. To achieve that, they will almost certainly need Meike Kamper to maintain her fine form and blunt the threat posed by the lethal Oshoala. Meanwhile, Korea DPR will take on France in the third place play-off. Buoyed by their victorious campaigns at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Azerbaijan 2012 and the UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship Wales 2013, France arrived in Canada full of confidence. But despite turning on the style and creating more chances than their opponents in most of their games, Les Bleuettes became increasingly goal-shy, paying the price for their erratic finishing against the Germans.

GOOD TO BE HOME AGAIN... Tobiloba Amusa and Praise Idamadudu sharing a moment before they were sent back home from China.

home and all the athletes totally agreed in unison.” Tobiloba Amusan continued: It was like hell. Everywhere we went they kept us under watch. It wasn’t a good thing for sports. We went to china to compete and it was sad that we couldn’t participate be-

cause of the Ebola. I was really prepared to win a medal in the 100m hurdles.” The athletes were paid $1,900 dollars. It was good that they paid us. Our officials were very supportive; it wasn’t about the money we just wanted to compete.”

TAN charges Falconets to crush Germany

HEAD of the final female U20 FIFA female World Cup between Nigeria and Germany taking place in Canada this afternoon, a non-governmental organization, the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria(TAN), has joined football fans across the globe to pray and wish the Falconets victory against known longtime rival Germany, charging them to crush the Europeans and bring the trophy home for the first time in Africa TAN who gave the charge while congratulating the Falconets for reaching the final of the tournament for the second time in a row by crushing North Korea by 6-2 in the semi final Wednesday urged the the NIgerians girls to go out there in Canada today and beat the German girls in revenge of the 2010 final which they lost to the same Germans by 2-0. It will be recalled that the Germans as host country in 2010 won the female U-20 World Cup on home soil by beating the Falconets by 2-0. TAN is however optimistic of a sweet revenge in Canada because according to the group’s spokesman, Dr Udenta O. Udenta, the Falconets have tremendously improved over the years with the girls gaining more experience and exposure.

Gabros offers to end NFF crisis

ORMER vice chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Chief Gabriel Chukwuma is the solution to the ending crisis rocking Ni-

Russia 2006 champions Korea DPR will be looking to striker Ri Un-Sim to fire them to third place. Her duel with France centre-half and captain Griedge M’Bock Bathy, herself a potent goal threat, could prove decisive.

Libya withdraw Continued from back page would put on the 2017 edition, which South Africa had originally been due to host. On Saturday, however, it was announced that Libya would once again have to withdraw after officials from the country met with Issa Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). A statement on CAF’s official website confirmed the news and that the search for a replacement host will now begin. “The designation of the host for this competition will be made according to the statutory provisions of CAF, especially in conformity with articles 27 to 47 of the Regulations Governing the Application of CAF Statutes,” the statement read.

gerian football, his aid and coordinator of Gabros International FC of Nnewi, Olisa Onuchuwku has posited. Speaking at a media parley in Lagos during the week, Onuchukwu, a retired footballer and agent lamented that things shouldn’t have degenerated if the various stakeholders had listened to the cries of Chief Chukwuma ten years ago. He stated that the recent fire incident at the NFF secretariat threw Chief Chukwuma off balance and felt deeply pained by the unending crisis rocking Nigerian football. The coordinator added that the billionaire business mogul was ready to offer himself to proffer a lasting solution to the crisis rocking Nigerian football. “Chief Chukwuma foresaw the crisis 10 years ago when he resigned his membership from the NFF, stressing that as someone with deep knowledge of the cause of the crisis, he has offered to proffer solutions to the constant problems if consulted by the people at the helms of affairs of sports in the country. Onuchukwu said Chief Chukwuma is a gifted strategist as evidenced by his continued sponsorship of Gabros FC for over 20 years. “Chief Chukwuma is a knowledgeable football guru

•Chief Chukwuma and one of the real stakeholders of Nigerian football. Therefore, I’m calling on the Honourable Minister of Sports to take a bold step now and save the game from total annihilation by sending a powered delegation of other stakeholders to consult Chief Chukwuma to proffer the lasting solution to the endless crisis,” Onuchukwu said.

Chelsea Continued from back page The result meant Arsenal stayed third in the early-season table with four points from two games although their run of six successive league victories, which started after they lost 3-0 at Everton in April, came to an end. Chelsea, who beat Leicester City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, and Swansea City, who sank Burnley 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium, head the standings with six points.

SUNDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 24, 2014

time is up NFF Congress: Minister, Your delegates go, Adebiyi disagree over venue tells Maigari, T others HE unfolding drama sur rounding the 2014 Elective Congress of the Nigeria Foot-

ball Federation, originally scheduled for Tuesday, August 26 in Warri, has assumed an

intriguing dimension that has seen the once strong and united body of Nigerian football torn into fragments. Feelers from the Glass House, Abuja informed that the Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Dr Tammy Danagogo who had earlier directed that the congress be held in Kaduna, and not Warri which the NFF Executive Committee had approved, has again directed for yet another change of venue. This time, the Minister want the congress moved to Abuja and not Kaduna. The date, however, remains the same, Tuesday, August 26. Already, the minister has invited some of the delegates to Abuja, we were told. As expected, the Minister’s directive has not gone down well with majority of delegates, as some of them are insisting on holding the congress in Warri, Delta State. Thirty out of the 44 delegates are insisting on Warri.

—p.63

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Libya withdraw from hosting Africa Cup of Nations

CELEBRATION: Super Faconets top shot, Asisat Oshoala lifts a team-mate while Courtrey Dike (l) looks on

FIFA U-20 Women’s W/Cup: Falconets set to rule the world •Eye history against Germany •Kick-off time 12 am

HE final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 comes up tonight at the Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada. The match is a repeat of the 2010 showpiece between the then hosts Germany and Nigeria. That game went the way of the European side, an outcome the inform Nigerians will be aiming to avenge to tonight. This is the fourth time the ultra-consistent Germans

have reached the final of the competition and the third in a row, though the Super Falconets can also lay claim to being a powerhouse in this age group, having checked into their second final in the last three tournaments. Given those impressive records, tonight’s showdown will reveal much about the balance of power in the women’s youth game. Nigeria’s 6-2 defeat of Korea

EPL RESULTS Aston Villa Chelsea Crystal Palace Southampton Swansea Everton

0 2 1 0 1 2

Newcastle Leicester City West Ham West Brom Burnley Arsenal

0 0 3 0 0 2

Dolphins Gombe Pillars Sunshine

0 2 1 2

NPPL LEAGUE Sharks Crown FC Abia Warriors Rangers

0 0 0 1

TODAY’S MATCHES Hull City Tottenham Sunderland

vs vs vs

Stoke City QPR Man United

1:30pm 1:30pm 4:00pm

DPR was the biggest win ever seen in the semi-finals of the competition and saw their attacking spearhead Asisat Oshoala become only the third player to score four goals in a match in the history of the competition. The rampant Nigerians have made a habit of scor-

ing early and then overwhelming their rivals with their strength and speed, a winning formula they will be out to repeat against the Germans.

IBYA have withdrawn from hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, citing the unstable security situation in the country. Initially due to host the tournament in 2013, Libya were forced to pull out of staging it in 2011, due to political upheaval. South Africa were named as replacement hosts following an agreement that Libya

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Chelsea go top, Arsenal force draw

RSENAL scored twice in the last seven minutes to escape with a 2-2 draw at Everton on Saturday after the home side had largely dominated the Premier League encounter at Goodison Park. Aaron Ramsey scored after

83 minutes and substitute Olivier Giroud planted home a header in the 90th to cancel out the lead Everton held after first-half goals from Seamus Coleman and Steven Naismith.

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•Issa Hayatou

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

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

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