Our position on Rivers crisis— Presidency

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61932

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

FORCED CONVERSION TO ISLAM Child marriage supporters blackmailed us My daughter not the only to have their way—Mark 53 one at Etsu Nupe's Palace

—Pastor Uzoechina

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Our position on Rivers crisis— Presidency

BY HENRY UMORU

•Presidency not involved in state's crisis •Developments in Rivers not threat to democracy •State is peaceful; problems are internal, local •Northern govs grandstanding

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BUJA—THE Presi dency yesterday declared that the crisis in Rivers State does not pose any threat to the nation’s democracy. It said Nigeria remains peaceful and cannot in any way be threatened by political developments in the State.

Addressing newsmen Continues on page 5

•P.29

COLUMNISTS:

Is'haq Modibbo Kawu•P.17

OCHEREOME NNANNA•P.19

Josef

Omorotionmwan •P.19

Mr & Mrs

RAMADAN—People waiting to collect foodstuff and materials being distributed by wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Hajia Aisha Yuguda for Iftar as Ramadan assistance in Bauchi, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Why I went to Rivers Assembly — Amaechi C M Y K

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Health Minister resigns

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2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 —3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

C M Y K

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25,2013

Couple docked for impersonating NAFDAC officials

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—FOR allegedly impersonating officials of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), a couple, Mr and Mrs Frederick and Ayobami Famiyesin, were yesterday docked at an Akure Magistrate Court.

The couple, according to the prosecuting Police witness, Isha Atanegbe, have defrauded the people of Okitipupa in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State of millions of naira pretending to be officials of NAFDAC. Aged between 42 and 52 years, the accused persons gave out fake appointments to unsuspecting people in the council area, thereby committing an offence contrary to laws of the state.

The charge read: “That you Famiyesin Ayobami and Famiyesin Fredrick sometimes in the month of October 2012 at Okitipupa, in the Akure Magistrate District did conspire together to commit felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code cap b36, vol 1 laws of Ondo state of Nigeria 2006.

The duo were also accused of taking N200,000.00 and N1million from Ogungbemi Damilola and Melehan Temidayo “ with the promise that you will secure appointments for them at NAFDAC, an offence punishable under 419 of the criminal code cap 36, vol 1 laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.”

At the resumed hearing of the case, yesterday , Mr B. Simeon represented NAFDAC while Messrs Jide Italoye and O. J Ikudaisi represented the accused.

Sranded persons numbering about 70 allegedly dumped at the upper axis of Onitsha, Anambra State at about 3:20 a.m. by unknown persons, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN. zSee story on page 14.

How US inserted tracking device in my body —Citizen Ajomale

BY INNOCENT ANABA

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AGOS — A NIGERIAN, Jacob Ajomale, who alleged that he was maltreated by the United States’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, officers, by forcefully inserting a tracking device (chip) in his body through his anus, has petitioned the United Nations Council on Human Rights over alleged inhuman treatment meted to him.

Ajomale through his lawyer , Mr Femi Falana, SAN, claimed that the chip was inserted in him in December 2010.

Falana in the petition to the UN, is urging the world body to direct the United States to remove the tracking device from Ajomale’s

the United States since April 12, 1997 with a visiting visa and became a permanent resident in February 2008, and never had any criminal record all through the period.

According to him, on January 22, 2009, he travelled to Nigeria for his father’s burial and on his way back, he was arrested on February 5, 2009 by one officer,Derrick, at the BWI Airport in Baltimore, Maryland, kept in a cold room for nine hours, where he was tortured in order to make an incriminating statement of using falsified passport in 2001.

He was subsequently arHis arrest raigned, tried, convicted and senAjomale had averred in an affi- tenced to six months imprisonment at the DC jail and Rivers davit that he has been living in body with immediate effect.

Besides, Ajomale has also sued United Airlines and the Nigerian Minister of Internal Affairs before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, demanding $100 million and N100 million damages for the violation of his fundamental rights to dignity of human person and right to mental and physical health as guaranteed by Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution and Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.

Police identify dead woman in Lagos hotel room

BY EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — THE Police in Lagos have identified the married woman whose corpse was discovered inside a hotel room in Igando area of Lagos, weekend, as Glory Abbey.

The deceased, as gathered, was taken to the hotel located on 11, Otunba Oladokun Street by Lanre bus-stop by a young man whose identity was yet to be ascertained at press time.

This is just as investigation,

according to P olice sources, showed that the body parts of the late Glory were intact against widespread rumours that some parts were missing.

Glory, as gathered, slumped during love making. Rather than rushing her to the hospital, the unidentified young man reportedly sneaked out of the room, abandoning her.

A staff of the hotel who spoke on condition of anonymity told Vanguard that the lovers walked into the hotel where they booked a room last Fri-

day. About two hours later, the young man was said to have walked out, informing the receptionist that he was going to get something outside.

Apprehension reportedly set in after Glory was discovered lying stone dead by one of the room service attendants, who raised alarm that alerted the hotel manager simply identified as Saliu.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said: “ About 0810

hours, one Glor y, a lodger at the Kings of Queen Hotel was found dead in one of the hotel rooms. The corpse has been deposited at the Isolo General Hospital for autopsy.”

Police sources said effort was still on to arrest the deceased’s lover. It was gathered that although he was initially contacted on phone where he told policemen he would show up at the station, he never did.

When his number was dialed, yesterday, it was switched off.

Correction Centre, all in North Carolina.

Second arrest According to Ajomale, he was released back to the community on August 11, 2009 at 7pm, after being cleared by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, but surprisingly, he was ar rested again by the same officer,Derrick, on August 15, 2009 on the ground that his release from detention was a mistake.

He said: “While in detention at Worchester Detention Centre Snow Hill, Maryland, an ICE officer, William Malone told me I could be released but it was going to cost me money. I told my lawyer about it who reported to senior ICE officers. Investigation was carried out and Officer Michelle Rawlings interrogated me and promised to get back to me, which she never did. Afterwards I became the target of all the officers.

“I was hospitalised on July 12, 2010 at Atlantic hospital for sinusitis and body weakness, but was discharged without adequate treatment. I was maltreated by three officers, who flung me on an empty steel bed, and I put in a grievance report concerning the issue. In A ugust, 2010, I was moved to Frederick Detention Centre, Maryland, and the same aggression continued against my person. I felt some vibration on my bed and reported to the authorities but no action was taken."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

N19.4 BILLION WATER CONTRACT—From left: Director, Satellite Town Development Agency (STDA), Tukur Ibrahim; Permanent Secretary, FCT, Engr. John Chukwu; Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and Managing Director of SCC Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Yuval Levy, exchanging documents during the signing of N19.4 billion Agreement between the FCTA and SCC for the provision of water to Karshi Satellite Town in FCT, Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Our position on Rivers crisis — Presidency Continues from page 1 in Abuja yesterday, Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, said Rivers State is peaceful and calm with residents going about their activities under peaceful atmosphere.

The position of the Presidency on develop-

ments in Rivers State icame in spite of the lingering political logjam in the state that resulted in near-impeachment of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly , Otelemaba Amachree and a free-for-all in the House penultimate week. The House Leader, Chidi Lloyd; and two other lawmakers — Michael Chinda

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Life is lived forward but understood backward, not all things can be understood, because as the scripture says, we understand in parts…; you can look backward from time to time but more forward, whatever you do, keep moving.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul. For just as the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men —Thomas Merton

T

O be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything – For we do have everything because we have the gift of life and every other thing is an additional blessing given to us. Every breath we draw is a gift of divine love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces when we are grateful in all things.

In these wise words of Merton, gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted; is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of life. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.”

Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business.

What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbours worthy.

and Martins Amahule sustained injuries during the fracas.

The Presidency also carpeted the five Northern governors who paid solidarity visit to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, saying they were more interested in political maneuvering and grandstanding at the expense of the well-being of the people in their states. It however commended another set of governors from the South West who paid a similar visit to Governor Amaechi for their statesmanlike advice to the governor towards finding a lasting solution to the political crisis.

Northern govs spreading fear

Okupe said: “W e are compelled to react to the unfolding political drama emanating from recent activities of some governors from the Northern part concerning political developments in Rivers State.

These political moves, which are clearly intended to create fear , despair and a sense of apprehension among the citizenry are grossly unfounded, misplaced and a deliberate oversensationalization of the situation.

“We, therefore, wish to state as follows: Insinuations and statements suggesting that Rivers State is on fire are grossly unfounded. So

far, as is evident to every discerning observer of political developments, the state is calm and peaceful. Residents of the state continue to go about their various businesses, religious, social and political activities under peaceful atmosphere. A key pointer to the prevailing peace in the state is the fact that Governor Amaechi, the Chief Executive and Chief Security Officer of the state, felt confident enough to travel to the United Kingdom on official assignment. It is doubtful he would have had the luxury of leaving the country if his state is in turmoil as is being canvassed.

“The situation in Rivers State is purely a localized political matter and has no dangerous or far-reaching consequences for the peace and security of the nation. Since our return to democratic rule in 1999, it is on record that not less than 12 states have witnessed incidents of attempted impeachment of speakers of houses of assembly in Nigeria and none has posed any threat to peace and security in the country even when our democracy was not this established.

“Developments in Rivers State do not pose any threat to our democracy.

Our democracy remains robust, alive and well. In politics as in every sphere of human activity, different shades of opinion on issues are not uncommon within the polity but often get resolved either politically or through legal channels. It is, therefore, disingenuous for anyone to suggest that the political disagreement in Rivers State would imperil and ultimately derail our democracy.

The Ogun State example

“We recall that in Ogun State in 2010 after series of sustained fracas and attempts at impeachment and counter impeachment, the Inspector General of P olice locked up the House of Assembly for several months. In all that time, nobody in the whole country suggested that the situation was a threat to our nascent democracy, and no state governor went on any solidarity visit.

“Nigeria is not in any

way in disarray. As is the case in every country of the world, there may be conflicts of ideas and interests here and there, which in itself is the beauty of democracy and should not by any means be construed to mean that there is chaos in the country or that Nigeria is tilting towards anarchy as some people have claimed. Nigeria remains peaceful and is not and cannot in any way be threatened by political developments in Rivers State.

“It is clear that one of the most potent threats to our corporate existence and sovereignty since independence has been the Boko Haram insurgency. This menace has been confronted frontally with strong determination and focus, which has led to decisive action that has brought about the containment of the menace by the Nigerian military and other security agencies. Most reasonable Nigerians would have expected these governors to be deeply concerned and appreciative of the laudable efforts of the Federal Government, which has brought reprieve from fear as well as comfort and solace not only to the people of the affected areas but also to the entire nation and international community.

"Surprisingly, they appear to be more interested in political maneuvering and grandstanding at the expense of the well-being of the people in their states and the stability of the nation at large”.

The Nigeria Governors' Forum

The Presidency also argued that the issue of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) was like the political development in Rivers State which remains essen-

tially an affair of the 36 state governors. According to it “the outcome of elections in the body is inconsequential to the orderly governance of the Nigerian state by the Presidency. The choice of who becomes leader of the body clearly has no significant ramification on the wider political calculation of who becomes President of the country as events in our recent history bear out.

"We note that the chairman of the NGF in 2011 was clearly at odds with the President. He contested and lost the party’s presidential primaries to the incumbent President of the country who went ahead to be elected President by the overwhelming majority of Nigerians. It is clear therefore that occupying the chairmanship of the NGF does not in any way confer any political influence or advantage as regards who becomes President of the country, neither will it be of any major political significance in the 2015 presidential race as is being bandied about erroneously."

On S-West govs “We note with satisfaction and appreciation, the subsequent visit by five governors and two deputy governors including Governors Fayemi, Fashola, Aregbesola, Ajimobi and Amosun, who demon strated high and commendable sense of patriotism and genuine concern for the nation, with very conciliatory disposition and statesmanlike advise to Governor Amaechi towards finding a lasting solution to the political disagreements between the governor and members of the state’s House of Assembly.

“We want to assure Nigerians that the Presidency is not involved in the dispute in Rivers State."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—7

Ibadan strange fish is octopus —Police

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN — THE Oyo State police command, yesterday, paraded the strange fish that almost caused stampede in Ibadan, Tuesday.

While dismissing some reports that claimed the strange looking creature was a mermaid, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, said it was actually an octopus.

He further stated that the creature was strange to residents of Ibadan because they were not living in the riverine area.

The CP said: “I think it was an octopus and not a mermaid as claimed by some reports.” He urged the people to remain calm as the story around the discovery of a mermaid was not true.

The fish vendor, Mrs. Ramota Salawu, who first saw the octopus, lamented her ordeal with some miscreants who insisted that she must produce the ‘mermaid’ she was hiding in her house.

Police arrest 6 cow thieves in Katsina

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Mrs. Ramota Salawu, the fish seller.

According to her, the mob destroyed her property including her business. She denied seeing any mermaid as claimed by the surging crowd.

She said: “They beat my children and destroyed my property.

I showed this creature to them

The octopus.

that I never saw any mermaid.

“Even Osun river goddess adherents came saying they had to perform some rituals but I told them I was not an Osun worshipper and that I don’t know anything about mermaids. Later, the

police had to rescue me from them.”

Also, Permanent Secretary, Culture and T ourism, Mr. Bunmi Babalola, said as far as he was concerned, the creature was an octopus.

Four family members burnt to death in Osun

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

that the entire house was affected.

The NSCDC member said: “We have been to the scene and found SOGBO — RESIDENTS of out that the incident happened Kajola-Ijesha in Atakumosa as a result of the return of power West Local Government Area of to the house by the Power HoldOsun State were thrown into ing Company of Nigeria, PHCN. mourning following the death of There was no light when the famfour members of a family who ily slept but the high voltage were burnt to death in a mid night power came at midnight and inferno that razed their house, Monday night.

Those who lost their lives were the father, mother and two of their children, while two other children who went for night prayers escaped.

BY ONOZURE DANIA Property, including furniture, electronics, cooking utensils and AGOS — A 25-year-old other household materials were scav-enger, Mundansol burnt in the inferno.

An officer of the Nigeria Secu- Abubakar, and one other, were yesterday arraigned before a rity and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, who preferred anonym- Lagos Magistrate's court sitity, said the fire was caused as a ting in Ikeja, for allegedly result of power surge, stressing stealing an iron bed, belong-

O

caused the incident.”

It was learnt that the two children who escaped the fire incident were at a vigil, and encouraged other members of the family to attend the prayer programme but they declined.

The state's Deputy Gover nor, Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori, who visited the scene of the incident ex-

pressed shock and concern at the death of the four family members, promising that the state government would take care of the remaining two children.

Tomori who gave some undisclosed amount to the eldest child of the deceased parents admonished the residents of Kajola to be vigilant.

Two scavengers arraigned for stealing iron bed

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ing to the police college.

T h e d e fendant a n d o n e other Umaru Abdulahi,21, w h o were

docked before Magistrate Abimbola Oshodi-Makanju, are facing a two-count charge of breach of peace and stealing, preferred against them by the police.

The police prosecutor , Inspector Samson Ekikere, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offence on July 20, 2013, at about 3 pm at senior police officers quarters in GRA Ikeja area of Lagos.

He said the accused conducted themselves in a manner likely to breach the peace of the college by entering into the police college to steal iron bed valued at

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

The bad state of Memudu Street, Orile Iganmu, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

This is to inform the general public that the title document C of O to a parcel of land at Zone G, Plot 16, Foreshore Estate, Banana Island belonging to Chief Alabi Oni, C.E.O. Atlantic Acquisitions Ltd, registered as No 8, page 8, at volume 88, Federal Land Registry, Ikoyi, is missing and efforts to trace it proved futile. General public please take note.

Signed: Chief Alabi Oni

N50,000.

According to the prosecutor, the offence committed is punishable under sections 166, 285, No. 11 Vol 44, laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

However, when the charge was read to the defendants, who reside at 17, Kobere Street, Ojota area of Lagos, they pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate OshodiMakanju, granted the defendants bail, in the sum of N50,000 each, with one responsible surety each in like sum and adjourned the case to August 21.

ATSINA — THE Police Command in Katsina State, yesterday, said it ar rested a Nigerien, Bade Yusuf and five others, for allegedly stealing 96 cows in parts of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Muhammad Hurdi, made this known at a press briefing in Katsina.

Hurdi said the suspects were apprehended by the police patrol teams in Kaita, Sabuwa, Faskari, Kafur and Safana Local Government Areas.

He said the police had also recovered 96 cows in their possession.

The commissioner said the suspects were arrested following intelligent reports, adding that they made confessional statements that the animals were stolen.

He said that the suspects had been charged to court to serve as deterrent to others.

Hurdi said the police had also arrested seven persons for alleged robbery on Sheme-Faskari and Kafur-Malumfashi roads.

He said six locallymade guns, a toy gun, two military-like caps, police-like beret, 11 mobile phones, three motorcycles, sticks and other dangerous weapons were recovered from them.

Hurdi also said the suspects had made confessional statement for the alleged crime.

He said the police would continue to work with members of the public and with other security agents to rid the state of criminal elements.

CHANGE OF NAME UZOMA— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzoma Chinenye Sara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ihedoro Chinenye Sarah . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

BY UDUMA KALU, with agency report

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OVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has said that he visited the state House of Assembly on the day of the crisis to rescue some lawmakers, who were being attacked because the police assigned to the assembly had been compromised.

Speaking, yesterday , at Chatham House in Central London, where hundreds of Rivers indigenes and students came to support him, Amaechi said the crises began when it was suspected that he had higher political ambitions for 2015.

He delivered a speech entitled Reform and Resource Governance in Nigeria.

He said the current political crisis involving him was based on the assumption that “I want to run for 2015 elections. But again, there is no law that criminalises ambition in Nigeria.

It is sad because people do everything to bring you down.

“If this crisis continues, one group will lose and that is the people of Rivers State. Should the state suffer for the so-called ambition of the governor?”

Amaechi said even when he had not declared for any position, the impact of the clampdown was that several projects in Rivers State had been put on ice by Federal Government.

Impact on Rivers

He said: “For instance, we have two helicopters to monitor security that they have refused permission to be brought into the country and they have frustrated plans we have to open a syringe manufacturing factory in Rivers State.

“Even if they have an issue with me, why should the whole of Rivers State suffer? We have numerous projects for which we have signed agreements with Federal Government to introduce and implement.

“But since this crisis began they have suspended all of them and the people feeling it are the ordinary people of Rivers State.”

Students, who came to for the event said they were there to show appreciation for the good work their governor was doing.

Many of the students were beneficiaries of the governor’s scholarship scheme designed to improve manpower in the state.

Chaired by the British MP, Richard Fuller, Vice Chairman of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nigeria in the House of Commons, the session was part of Chatham House’s African dialogue series.

Chatham House, home of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, regularly invites Nigerian politicians to the UK to participate in its discussions about how the African continent is developing.

Amaechi on Rivers’ crisis

Amaechi stressed that the current crisis in Rivers State threat-

MEDALS: President Goodluck Jonathan (middle); Mrs Bada, widow of the Captain of the 2000 Sydney Olympics Captain, Sunday Bada (3rd left) and other members of the team, during the medals presentation at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Why I visited Rivers Assembly zSays FG brings down anyone with ambition ens security, and that some of the disbanded militant groups have now been revived and are being used to cause mayhem and protest against his government.

He added that on the day there was fracas in the Rivers State House of Assembly , many of the thugs were brought in with the connivance of the police commissioner.

He said: “I used to be the Speaker of the House and the law is that you are not even allowed to bring your walking stick in when entering.

“How did these people manage to bring in thugs, weapons, a fake mace and cause mayhem while the police were not only looking on but aid-

ing them?”

He said that the violence started long before the recording seen on Youtube, when five assemblymen smuggled a fake mace into the House and used hoodlums to create chaos.

Lists achievements

According to the gover nor, after the Police Commissioner refused to do anything about it, he went there with his security detail and it was they who eventually restored order.

Outlining a catalogue of achievements his administration had recorded since assuming office in 2007, Governor Amaechi said they included infrastructure projects, agricultural plantations,

sending hundreds of students on scholarship to the UK and Canada and massive funding of education.

He pointed out that 500 primary schools have been built in Rivers State during his tenure and 250 more will be commissioned starting from October.

He said: “The academic structure we inherited was very bad as many children could not stay in school and those who did got a very poor education.

“We are building schools and uniforms, sandals, bags and books are free, while we have built 60 health centres and 70 more will be commissioned before December.

“We send 300 students every

year to the UK and Canada on scholarship and we have established palm oil and banana plantations that employ workers.

“By the end of our tenure, we would have laid the foundation for a more robust and less oildependent economy in Rivers State.”

Noting that Rivers State had the second largest economy in Nigeria, the governor said he was of the opinion that good political leadership could improve things further.

However, he added that the political culture in Nigeria, where politicians believe they are doing the people a favour, is a huge impediment as is the refusal of certain people to leave the political scene.

Clark, S'South elders to T ukur: Expel Amaechi if...

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA—FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, some South-South elders and stakeholders have urged the leadership of the P eoples Democratic Party, PDP to expel Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State if he did not resign honourably from the party.

Calling on Amaechi to resign from the PDP, they said his resignation would enable him concentrate on his war of acrimony against the leadership of the PDP, adding that if failed to resign as a member

of the party, the national leadership of the PDP should expel him from the party to restore sanity to the PDP as well as serve as deterrent to other ‘’renegade members.’’

Clark and the South-South elders made the call after assessing the state of the nation particularly with regard to the lingering crisis in Rivers States.

The elders also took a swipe at the some of the Northern governors who visited governor Ameachi as well as the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka saying: ‘’W e find it difficult to understand why Nigerians, including those acclaimed to be academ-

ics of international repute and serving governors have decided to fan the embers of disrespect, arrogance, and absolute insolence of Governor Chibuike Amaechi. ‘’We cannot comprehend the basis of the meddlesomeness of particularly some Northern Governors and busy body professors who have decided to carry the banner of the Rivers State internal crisis on their heads. When Gov . Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, uncouth, illmannered, reminiscent of chequered upbringing, derogatorily undermines President Goodluck Jonathan, and unruly labels him as an “authoritarian dictator” it is seen

by these disgruntled apologists to be within the frame of normal political discourse. But when the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan makes an innocuous comment on the Rivers State crisis, these professors use the most virulent despicable grammar in the lexicon of Nobel laureates to qualify her.

It is fictile, untraditional and unethical for a man to publicly insult another man’s wife as Africans. It is therefore confounding to see a supposed role model and responsible “husband” in the mould of our obtrusive professor to throw decency in the winds to publicly denigrate and disparage the First Lady, Dame Patience

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 — 9

Health Minister, Pate resigns zTakes up professorship at Duke varsity, US

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—MINISTER of State, Health, Dr .

Muhammed Pate, voluntarily resigned yesterday.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who has since accepted the resignation, said the new appointment by Dr .

Pate was an indication that his choice of members of cabinet was a well thought out decision.

In his resignation letter, Pate said he was leaving the cabinet to assume the position of Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, USA. According to the Minister , in his new capacity, he would participate in a universitywide Africa initiative and will also serve as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in W ashington DC. Although he is leaving the cabinet, P ate indicated his willingness to continue to serve on part-time basis as the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication and the public-private coalition for Saving One Million Lives Initiative.

a minister.

He said: “The minister’s new commitment is seen by the President and his cabinet as good news. It is a further proof that this cabinet is full of stars.

“The cabinet is full of very distinguished men and women; people with not only national but also international recognition.

“The President congratulated the minister and accepted his offer to continue to serve on a part-time basis as honourary adviser.

“It is a positive development that we have people who are recognised globally. Pate has served this country for five years, first as the Chief Executive of NHPDH and later Minister of State, Health.

“His work is appreciated worldwide. His appointment a plus for the administration and the country.”

Aide resigns

Meanwhile, there were indications, yesterday, evening that another aide to President Goodluck Jonathan has resigned his position from the cabinet.

Though it was not clear if the president has accepted the resignation, it was gathered that the Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters and also Member/ Secretary, Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, Committee, Akachukwu Nwankpo also turned in his resignation to the President.

His resignation, if confirmed is coming on the heels of a similar action by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Ali Pate whose resignation took effect from yesterday.

A source at the presidential villa told Vanguard that Nwankpo resigned his appointment to contest the forth-

coming gubernatorial elections in Anambra State.

Mr. Nwankpo was Senior Special Assistant (Special Projects) to the President (2010 – 2011); and was the Secretary, Presidential Action Committee on Power that developed the Presidential Action Plan on Power before being appointed the Secretary of the Presidential Task Force on Power that developed the Roadmap on Power Sector R eform (2010 – 2011).

As an aide to the V ice President (2007- 2010), he was a Senior Special Assistant (Special Duties) responsible for the Niger Delta issues where he led the effort to develop the Niger Delta Amnesty programme.

Subsequently, he became the Desk Officer on Nigeria Integrated Power P rojects, NIPP, where he supported the V ice President in his efforts to resuscitate the NIPP projects after a two-year interruption.

Offers par t-time service

He told the president in the letter: “As we have discussed, I wish to offer the continuation of my service on part-time basis as chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication and the publicprivate coalition for Saving One Million Lives Initiative, if you agree, in fulfillment of my previous commitments to see to conclusion of these important national priorities.

“This may entail an honorary advisory role, reporting directly to you on, at least, quarterly basis.”

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents that in accepting the minister’s resignation, Jonathan was highly elated that his star-studded cabinet was attracting required global attention, adding that the President saw Dr. Pate’s appointment as a plus for the administration and the country.

‘Jonathan's happy’

Abati said Jonathan commended Pate for the integrity and competence he brought on board, while carrying out his duties first as the Chief Executive of National Primary Health Care Development Agency and later as

INAUGURATION: From left— Professor Jerry Gana, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Special National Convention Planning Committee; his Deputy, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, and Secretary, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, during the inauguration of the committee in Abuja, yesterday.

Obasanjo denies reports of removal as AU Observer

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

F

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, brushed aside reports that he had been dropped from the African Union, AU, Observer Mission to Zimbabwe’s forthcoming general elections.

Speaking on telephone from China, where he is presently on a private mission, Obasanjo debunked the speculations, saying that he was headed for his assignment to Zimbabwe as head of the AU Observer Mission to monitor the July 31 elections.

Obasanjo was recently named at the head of a 60-man observer mission for the Zimbabwean election by chairperson of AU Commission, Dr .

Nkosazana DlaminiZuma.

The international observer mission also includes one time governor of Abia State, Dr . Orji Uzor Kalu.

Reports, earlier yesterday, had alleged that Obasanjo had been dropped both as leader and team member of the observer mission.

An e-mail message to the AU secretariat on the issue had not been replied at press time, yesterday.

Asked if he was still going to Zimbabwe yesterday, on telephone, Obasanjo quipped: ”Who said I am not going?”

... as NMA lauds Pate, tasks Jonathan on replacement

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

N

IGERIAN Medical Association, NMA, has lauded the voluntary resignation of Minister of State for Health, Dr .

Muhammed Pate, over his appointment as a Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, USA, and as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC. The association has called on President Goodluck

Jonathan to appoint a fit, proper, competent and capable replacement of the ilk of Dr .

Pate as the ne xt Minister of State for Health.

A statement by the President of the association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said: “While NMA rejoices with him over this appointment, NMA is, however, pained that this came at a time when Nigeria’s health sector is already beginning to show signs of progress from his purposeful leadership and that of the Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu."

The statement added that NMA was consoled by the fact that Pate excellently epitomised the leadership attributes and qualities of medical practitioners by exhibiting commendable altruistic and selfless leadership, integrity, clarity of purpose, knowledge, capacity and competence in the execution of his responsibilities as Minister of State for Health.

It said: “The Association wishes Dr Mohammed P ate success in his new appointment and calls on President Goodluck Ebele

Jonathan to appoint a fit, proper, competent and capable replacement of the ilk of Dr .

Mohammed Pate.

“Not one below his level of training and expertise, experience, administrative competence and far-reaching practical understanding of the structure and workings of the Nigerian Health sector as the new Minister of State for Health to compliment the on-going efforts at actualising the transformation agenda of Mr. President in the health sector.”

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Nigerian heads MTN Nigeria

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

F

OR THE first time MTN has appointed a Nigerian, Mr. Michael Ikpoki, to head its Nigerian operation as Chief Executive Officer. Ikpoki until this appointment was the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of MTN Ghana.

He replaces Brett Goschen, who now becomes MTN Group Chief Financial Officer and Executive Financial Director.

Ikpoki was appointed CEO of MTN Ghana in April 2011 from his position then as Executive of MTN Nigeria’s Sales and Distribution channel. He joined MTN in 2001 as a regulatory advisor after a six-year stint with the Nigerian Communications Commission’s legal division.

Ikpoki, a seasoned business executive, has an academic profile that includes General Management Programme at Harvard Business School; Sales, from INSEAD Business School; Finance and Analytics, from Lagos Business School and L.LB from Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

No plans to confront LASTMA

— Airport Bus Operators

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

L

AGOS — AIRPORT Limousine Bus Operators, ALBO, branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, has denied allegation that members are planning to confront the Lagos State Traffic Management A uthority, LASTMA, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport.

Speaking with newsmen, Chairman of ALBO, Mr. Ilyas Ibrahim, insisted that since the inception of his administration as the chairman of the group on March 25, 2013, members and the LASTMA had been having a cordial relationship.

According to him, the purported interview by Mr. Adesina Babatunde, who claimed to be the immediate past chairman of ALBO that the group would wage a war against LASTMA officials, was planned to rubbish his administration, and dissociated his group from the said report.

Lagos loses N3.75bn tourism revenue in 5 yrs, says Commissioner contended that only NTDC could regulate, register, license and grade the hospitality industry.

According to Holloway , “the question relates to consumption AGOS — Lagos State Gov tax and if you will recall that the ernment, yesterday, said it ruling by the apex court also covlost over N3.75billion revenue ers the consumption tax. from hotel licensing in the last “It was done for the hotels regsix years as a result of the court istration, grading licensing on case by the Federal Government one hand and on the other in 2007. hand it was also hotel occupancy and the consumption tax.

“The ruling by the court covers all I must stress that this whole thing is not meant to make money or how much the state will make.

“Specifically, our main interest is to structure the performance of the industry rather than how much we intend to gain. ”But specifically, I will give you a bump pack figure of what may have been lost.

“We stopped collecting funds from the NTDC or sharing funds with NTDC in July, 2007.

“In Lagos for instance, we believe that we have on the average about 3, 000 outlets. The big ones may be about 20, we have the midrange and the smaller ones.

“But if we were to take MEETING: From left, Group Managing Director of Odu'a Investment Group of Companies, an average of registration Alhaji Jimoh Adebayo; Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Chief Tokunbo Omisore, fee which is about N250, and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at a meeting on Development Agenda for Western 000 in a year multiply by 3, 000 and multiply that by Nigeria Commission, DAWN, at the Cocoa House Dugbe, Ibadan. Photo: Dare Fasube 6.

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI, DOTUN IBIWOYE & OLOWOOPEJO MONSUR

L

Until the Supreme Court judgment on Friday, the Federal Government had claimed that only the Nigeria T ourism Development Corporation, NTDC, could regulate, register, license and grade the hospitality industry.

Commissioners for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations as well as Information and Strategy,

Oladisun Holloway and Lateef IBirogba, respectively , announced this at a briefing yesterday on last Friday judgment by the Supreme Court over the control of tourism and hotel regulation.

The Supreme Court had on Friday, dismissed the case by the Federal Government in which it

Mimiko absent as S-West govs converge in badan

.I was not invited — Mimiko

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN — GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko, of Ondo State, yesterday, boycotted the commissioning of the office of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission which other governors in the South W est zone attended.

Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Raji Fashola (Lagos), and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) attended the meeting.

The Director General, Dawn Commission, Dipo Famakinwa, said all the governors were invited, saying that he could not say what prevented Mimiko from attending.

Governor Ajimobi said “all the governors in the South-West belong to the council of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN Commission.

“All the governors were invited, but you can’t really say why a particular governor was absent.

“Some of those who came must have made a lot of sacrifices. W e expect that the Ondo State governor would be at the next meeting slated for August.

“I don’t want us to look at it as a Yoruba thing, but as a development taking place in the western part of Nigeria because we need the strength of ever ybody. The development of our states is not going to be by the Y oruba alone.”

While speaking after a brief closed door meeting, Ajimobi said: ”What we have done today

is first of all the inauguration of the Dawn Commission office. We are having sub-committees that will go deeper into all the areas of development.

Reacting to the allegation that he boycotted the meeting, Dr .

Olusegun Mimiko, through his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade said he did not receive any invite to the meeting in question and that it was a deliberate attempt on the part of the convener of the meeting to do so.

He said: “Recall that Governor Mimiko was represented by a commissioner at a similar meeting held over a year ago, but a Southwest Governor seized the opportunity of the meeting to attack the person of Governor

Mimiko.

“Even when his action was roundly condemned and was cautioned by well meaning individuals present at the event, yet, the vituperation continued.

“The incident will, however, not discourage Governor Mimiko to be present at a gathering where issues that affect the people of Ondo State, who gave him the mandate to represent them, would be discussed.

“It should also be noted that such deliberate exclusion does not reduce the importance of the enviable position of Ondo State in Nigeria in general and the Southwest region in particular.

“And any deliberate attempt to undermine the position of the state will fail.”

OIL SUBSIDY SCAM: Arisekola Alao’s son, 2 others forged documents — Witness

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAHI

L

AGOS — AN Economic and Financial CrimesCommission’s, EFCC, witness, Mr .

Oliver Chineke, yesterday, before an Ikeja High Court, gave an account on how three oil marketers, including Abdullahi Alao, son of an Ibadan business mo-

gul, Alhaji Arisekola Alao, allegedly forged documents to obtain N1.1 billion fuel subsidy payment from the Federal Government.

The prosecution witness who was led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Mr. Francis Usani, also named Opeyemi Ajuyah and Olarenwaju Olalusi and their companies; Majope Investment

Limited and Axenergy Limited as accomplices.

The witness, a former Lagos branch manager of Q and Q Control Marine Services Nigeria Limited, told Justice Lateefat Okunnu, that his company was contracted by Oando Oil and Gas Plc, to inspect the quantity of petroleum products brought by a vessel, MT Brave on behalf of

Majope Investment Ltd. However, while being crossexamined by the defence counsel, Messrs Oludare Falana, O. Awonuga and D.A. A wosika, Chineke admitted that there was no way he could ( as a supervisor)verify the genuineness of report submitted by company’s surveyor.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY

25, 2013—11

Seme Customs makes 527

Fayemi, Adeyeye disagree over Ekiti PDP mayhem

21 suspects

zACN, gov fanning anarchy in Ekiti – Adeyeye zAllegation malicious, baseless – Gov Fayemi

seizures, arrests

BY GODWIN ORITSE

IN a bid to curtail the activities of smugglers, the Seme border Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded an increase of 52.82% percent of seizure in the first half of this year 2013.

The command recorded a total number of 527 seizures as s against 172 seizures in the preceding year.

Besides the impressive seizure, the Command also raked in a total of N3.98billion, while N3.87billion was generated as revenue in 2012.

Commenting on the revenue, yesterday, Customs Area Comptroller, Controller Othman Abdu Saleh said that the Command would have collected much more than what it recorded.

Ogun CJ frees 51 awaiting trial prisoners

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA — RE PRIEVE has come the way of 51 awaiting trial inmates at the five prison formations across the three senatorial districts of Ogun State as the state Chief Judge, Justice T okunbo Olopade granted amnesty to the inmates in a bid to de-congest the prisons in the state.

Justice Olopade while addressing newsmen disclosed that 25 inmates were set free at the Ibara Prison in Abeokuta, eight at Ijebu-Ode , one in Sagamu prison , four in Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government and 13 in Oba prison in Obafemi - Owode Local Government Area of the state.

Fake Fayose’s posters flood Ado Ekiti

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO EKITI — POST ERS of the former governor of Ekiti State,Mr Ayo Fayose claiming that he was no longer interested in contesting for the 2014 gubernatorial election in the state yesterday flooded the streets of Ado Ekiti, the state capital The party has been enmeshed in controversy over a move to adopt a consensus candidate for the 2014 governorship election ,while his supporters have been clamoring for the conduct of primary to pick the candidate

of the dire consequences of the incessant attacks on PDP members by thugs sponsored by the Dr. Kayode Fayemi led ACN government in the state, saying, “what they are inviting to the state is anarchy.”

He described the attack on members of the PDP in EfonAlaaye since Monday as worrisome, adding that such persistent attacks on law abiding members of the party was capable of throwing the state into chaos if allowed to continue.

A statement by the Director General of Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement, P AAM, Hon. Bisi Kolawole, alleged that ACN thugs led by the party ’s Youth Leader in Efon Local Government, Segun Alanaka attacked

members of the PDP who were holding a ward meeting.

The statement read in part: “Over 150 people, including aged men and women were already gathered for a meeting in Efon-Alaaye on Monday when the thugs invaded the venue with guns, matchetes and other dangerous weapons.

“They inflicted various degrees of injuries on Ward 9 Chairman of our party, Odunayo Ojo, Jide Fakorede, Ward 5 Youth leader; Ayodele Gbenga , Yemi Ajanaku, Wole Aladejare, K ayode Bolarinwa (a.k.a. Oba Aro), Odunayo Adeniji, among others.

“A policeman was also macheted while trying to arrest the thugs while the wind screen of a police Hilux van was

smashed.

"Also damaged were three vehicles, one of them a Nissan Altima belonging to Y emi HERE WAS a sharp disa Ajanaku, with one of the tyres greement, yesterday, bedeflated by gun-shot. tween Ekiti State gover nor, “It is, however, worrisome that Kayode Fayemi and anAfenifere despite that Segun Alanaka and chieftain and Peoples Democratic some of his men were arrested, Party, PDP, governorship aspirant the attack is still going on unain Ekiti State, Prince Adedayo bated with the thugs being led Adeyeye over cause of incessant by a certain Gbenga Owolesu attacks on members of the state and Kunle Stainless.

PDP. “It should be noted that we have While Adeyeye believes Fayemi heard it on good authority that and his ruling Action Congress Governor Fayemi had instructed of Nigeria, ACN, are the ones reCaretaker Chairmen in the 16 sponsible for the attacks on the local councils in the state to moopposition, Governor Fayemi bilise thugs in their domain to asked him to look in the direction disrupt any gathering of the PDP of his party, the PDP. and Michael Opeyemi Bamidele Prince Adeyeye actually warned faction of the ACN. But in a swift reaction, Governor Fayemi through his Chief P ress Secretary, Mr Yinka Olabode said: “There is no iota of truth in the allegation. It is baseless and quite malicious.

Prince Adeyeye should look in the direction of his party PDP for the alleged attack.

“It is a common knowledge that the various factions of PDP in Ekiti State are at war with one another . the factional war reached its climax last week when guns and other dangerous weapons were used by PDP members to attack one another.

“So, it will be highly irresponsible for Adeyeye and his cohorts in PDP to allege that their members were INSPECTION: Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-To- attacked by ACN thugs, mori, and others, inspecting removal of illegal structures, at Fakunle area of Osogbo, as part of while they know that each the on-going urban renewal/beautification projects of nine cities in the state, yesterday of the faction of the PDP is out to dislodge the other.

“The PDP should go and put its house in order and stay clear of actions that are The state Ministry of Health, while Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South capable of affecting the

BY DAUD OLATUNJI tracing the source of the disease to council areas as being sources of the peace of the state. poor level of hygiene added that it outbreak ”with poor sanitation, par- “We also call on the po BEOKUTA — FIVE per had moved to stem the outbreak in ticularly faecal waste management.” lice and other relevant sesons have reportedly lost two communities in the state Soyinka said, “there was a sud- curity agencies in the state their lives following an outbreak The State Commissioner for den upsurge in cases of gastroen- to keep an eye on the PDP of Cholera in Abeokuta South and Health Dr. Olaokun Soyinka who teritis in some communities in North local government areas of as the party is responsible confirmed the incident also named Abeokuta, first noted on Friday, July for violent acts in the state."

Ogun State.

The state government which conth firmed the outbreak, however , claimed that only one person died as a result of poor hygiene on the part of the residents.

N5million every 10 days; five win- promo.

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU But, Vanguard findings revealed "Two lucky winners will cart ners of N1million each will that, the incident was linked to a home N5million every 10 days emerge every 10 days, while septic tank which spilled its conLOBACOM, YESTER- about 50 lucky winners will take while five winners of N1million DAY, launched a new N500 home N25,000 daily. tent into major water sources in the each will emerge every 10 days. area, thereby contaminating them. million consumer promo to re"In addition, 50 lucky winners Also 200 subscribers will win as prepara- N10,000 every day. will take home N25,000 daily Fear has however, gripped resi- ward its subscribers th while 200 customers will win Announcing the promo at its dents of Abeokuta who are report- tions to its 10 year anniversary corporate headquarters in Lagos, N10,000 every day. edly apprehensive about drink- heightens.

The new promo called the Glo "This means that winners will ing water from water pipes in their 'Recharge to Stardom,' is offering Globacom’s National Sales Cooremerge every day till the end of dinator (Channels), Mr .

Kemi areas. subscribers the opportunity of win- Kaka, said that prepaid and post- the promo,” he said.

An unconfirmed report has it that ning various prizes ranging from paid Glo subscribers who reGlo said that to win any of the the number of deaths from the out- N10,000 to the grand prize of N25 charge with N200 and above dur- cash rewards below N1million, break may be more than what was million in the next 100 days, just ing the promo period could win subscribers must recharge a miniby making a minimum recharge any of the prizes. reported. mum of N200 every day to stand According to him, “the grand a chance of winning N10,000 and The state government in a press on their phones. statement issued yesterday, admit- The promo is structured in a way prize of N25million will be won N25,000 daily. ted that only one person had died. that two lucky subscribers will win by a customer at the end of the

BY ADELEKE ADESERI, South West Regional Editor

T

Cholera outbreak kills 5 in Ogun

A

Glo begins N500m 10 anniversary reward promo for subscribers

G

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

LG commission threatens directors BYEGUFEYAFUG-

P

BORHI

ORT HARCOURT— THE Local Government Service Commission in Rivers State has vowed to sack uncommitted directors in its fold.

Chairman of the commission, Azubuike Nmerukini read the riot act to directors in the 23 local government areas in Rivers State, currently undergoing a training on Effective Management Strategies for Sustained Service Delivery in the Local Government System. The event is on-going in Port Harcourt.

Nmerukini frowned at the laxity and poor commitment to work and shallow skills among the local government staff, especially among management staff, warning that it would no longer be business as usual as “those not ready to conform will be shown the way out.”

On the part of the commission, he said series of training and retraining programmes were being organised to redouble the skills of staff for effective service delivery as soon as a need for training was identified.

PDP ‘ll never die, it will outlive us —TUKUR A

BY HENRY UMORU

B U J A — N AT I O N A L Chairman of P eoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday, said that the party will not die, as it has come to stay as an institution despite threats from some quarters that the party will be buried by some of its members.

Tukur said that lik e democracy as propounded by Socrates, which outlived him and became universally acceptable, PDP will outlive those he ac-

cused as wishing it premature death and gain more recognition worldwide as the largest political party in the black Africa.

to help reform and remodel them into being politically and socially civil in their public utterances, mode of dressing, social comportment and the norms of the society as against Tukur speaks their past indoctrination and behaviour.

In a statement by his Special ‘’This lacuna in our political Assistant, Media, Prince structure has allowed elected Oliver Okpala, he said: “It is governors to behave and talk in unfortunate that in Nigeria, ways that desecrate the sanctity like in other advanced counof the office of governor of states tries, orientation courses, semi- that they were elected to hold.” nars and retreats are not organised for elected governors Five PDP governors

It will be recalled that five PDP governors on Monday in Minna, Niger State, after their visit to former Military Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalam Abubakar, had said that if their consultations aimed at saving the party failed, the party would be buried.

Jerry Gana committee

Also yesterday, the leadership of the party inaugurated the Professor Jerry Gana-led Special National Convention Planning Committee, a month after it was put in place by the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party.

Inaugurating the committee, Alhaji Tukur agreed with the dates fixed by the convention national planning committee for the mini convention and South West congress to hold on August 31 and 24 respectively.

It will be recalled that following a friction between the party leadership and the committee, Tukur had last week ordered the committee to halt all preparations ahead of the convention and South West Congress, which it had earlier announced would hold on A ugust 30 and 24 respectively. The party cited anomalies and breaches of the party’s constitution by the comVISIT: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (left) and Mallam Abdul Fattah Enabulele, mittee.

Chief Imam of Benin and Chairman, League of Imams, Edo State, during a visit to the Tukur, who affir med that the governor in Benin City. convention and South West Congress would hold as scheduled by the committee, urged them to ensure a free and fair convention. He asked them to make loyalty, patriotism the hallmark of their work.

In his response, the chairman of the convention committee, Ijaw elders from the central

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA Prof.

Gana said that the 14 subzone, it will be recalled met weekE N A G O A — F A C T S end in Yenagoa and resolved to committees were expected to submit their reports next week emerged, yesterday, that no lead a delegation to meet with fewer than 60 aspirants have other nationalities in the country Thursday, adding that the committee would start work immesought the support of Governor to ensure a safer and more acSeriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, ceptable decision for the re-elec- diately and urged members to report everyday to the office. and other prominent Ijaw leadtion of President Jonathan. ers ahead of the August 10 National Convention of the Ijaw Youth Council, IY C, worldwide slated for Yenagoa.

Out of the aspirants, 12 had signified their intention to contest the position of President of IYC, which was zoned to the Central Zone of devastated on the news of the

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA Ijaw nation (Bayelsa State).

ORT HARCOURT—WIFE death of Mrs. Obah, mother Among those identified as leadof the Rivers State gover- of Nigerian F irst L ady, who ing aspirants include the former nor, Dame Judith Amaechi has died in a motor accident on IYC National Secretary General, commiserated with the coun- Elele Road, on her way to Udens Eradiri, the former Chair- try ’s F irst L ady, Dame P a- Bayelsa State, adding man of the Central Zone, Jonathan tience Jonathan over the death “Mama Oba’s death occurred Lokpobiri. of her mother , Mrs. Charity when her motherly role and Most of the presidential aspirwealth of experience was Oba. ants it was learnt had embarked Mrs. Amaechi in a statement needed for our nation’s buildon aggressive lobbying to conby her Media Assistant, Dike ing.” vince the Bayelsa State governor Bekwele said that the death of The governor’s wife prayed and other Ijaw leaders of their sin- Mrs. Oba was indeed a great the Almighty God to grant cerity and determination to work loss to Rivers State in particu- Mrs. Patience Jonathan and for the Ijaw nation and aspirations lar, especially the Obah’s fam- the Oba’s family in Rivers of President Goodluck Jonathan ily and the nation at large.

State, the fortitude to bear the in 2015.

She said that she was very irreparable loss.

Aspirants woo Dickson, Ijaw leaders over IYC election

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Amaechi’s wife commiserates with First Lady over mother’s death

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 —13

C M Y K

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

2 killed in Ebonyi PDP councillorship primaries

BY PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI—AT least two youths were shot dead in last T uesday ’s P eoples Democratic P arty, PDP , councillorship primaries conducted across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State, as violence trailed the exercise.

The victims, Kalu Ogbu and Ibom Agwu Kama, were killed in Ekoli Edda and Afikpo South local government areas.

A source told Vanguard that the one of the victims was allegedly shot by a chairmanship aspirant of Afikpo South LGA (name withheld) who was not cleared to contest the election.

It was learnt that the aspirant, a candidate of a popular business mogul and politician in the area (name withheld) allegedly stormed the venue of the councillorship primaries with some hoodlums and shot sporadically to scare electorate away.

It was learned that stray bullets hit one of his supporters, who was later confirmed dead.

APGA crisis: Obi denies placing advert to spite Jonathan

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—GOVERNOR of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has dissociated his administration from advertisement placed in some newspapers alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan stabbed him on the back over the Court of Appeal decision on the leadership crisis in All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. In a statement, Obi, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, described the allegation as another plot by enemies of progress to cause disaffection between two friends.

The statement read: “ Our attention has been drawn to an advertorial in some newspapers, alleging that President Jonathan Goodluck Jonathan stabbed our governor, Mr. Peter Obi on the back for allowing the Court of Appeal to enter judgment against him on APGA matter".

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Igbo presidency not feasible in 2015 — NZERIBE zSays Jonathan must face PDP primaries

BY HENRY UMORU BUJA—AHEAD of the 2015 Presidential election, Senator Arthur Nzeribe, yesterday, asked his kinsmen, the Igbos, to jettison the idea of producing the next president, saying it would not be feasible because of lack of unity in the zone.

According to him, the Igbos are not just ready to produce the country’s president.

He also said if the P eoples Democratic Party, PDP must get it right and move away from its present crises, the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, members of the National Working Committee, NWC must go, adding that ‘’the PDP must clear the desk, including Bamanga Tukur, to get it right.”

The Oguta-born maverick politician from Orlu, Imo State, told his people bluntly that before they sought the exalted position, they must first put their house in order by speaking in unison.

Nzeribe, who based his position on previous unsuccessful attempts by the Igbos to what he called endemic disarray amongst Igbo politicians, said: “Until we start speaking with one voice, we cannot get the P residency. We should not try it now, we are not just ready for anything like that, we must first put our house in order.”

He also warned that ahead of 2015 elections, Nigerians must note that the country was bigger than anybody, ir respective of status, adding that politicians must, therefore, put their selfish interest in their handbags to save the country.

Speaking on the presidential primaries of the P eoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Nzeribe noted that those advocating that President Goodluck Jonathan must not go through the rigour of primaries to emerge as the Presidential candidate were only raising their personal opinion on the matter, stressing that he must present himself with others for the party’s presidential primaries.

Drumming support for President Jonathan, Nzeribe said: ‘’It is the personal opinion of those who said President Jonathan must not go through primary election, he must present himself for that, I can bet that President Goodluck Jonathan will win at the People Democratic Party, PDP, primaries”.

He, however, supported last week’s position of the Senate during the vote on the 1999 Constitution review, especially where the call for local government autonomy was

A

jettisoned.

Advocates abolition of LGAs He said local governments should be abolished as they were not achieving their set objectives of meeting the yearnings of the people, adding that he was in total support of decisions taken by the senators during the debate and the voting process.

The former senator, however, urged all those who left the party to return and embrace the on-going reconciliatory overtures, with a view to repositioning the PDP.

Urges Jonathan to develop the South East Senator Nzeribe called on President Jonathan to help in the development of the Eastern part of the country as he had not really impacted on the people in the area of roads, adding that the people wanted good roads, Onitsha Bridge, among others.

He said despite the lack of party manifesto in the PDP , the President was using his personal initiative to produce results.

The veteran politician, who titled his address: “We Must Not Allow Doomsday Prediction About Nigeria To Come True,”

however, described the declaration of state of emergency in Adamawa, Bor no and Y obe states by President Jonathan as “necessary and obviously the only reasonable option left to dissuade the doomsday prophets of Nigeria’s disintegration from having a field day”.

He said: “What is needed now is for stakeholders in the Nigerian project to give maximum support to Mr. President in his effort at bringing to an end activities of the insurgents. The critical stakeholders in the affected areas should on their part, corporate maximally with the President to achieve the goal of emergency rule".

Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, flanked by Mr and Mrs. Andre Lima, Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria during an event at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

70 persons 'deported' to Onitsha from Lagos

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

brought into the city by the Lagos State government.

Some of them said they had WKA—NO fewer than 70 persons allegedly deported been in detention for many by the Lagos State government years before they were finally were sighted in the commercial released and put in a trailer and city of Onitsha yesterday, some brought to Onitsha.

An eyewitness said when he non-Igbo speaking. saw the trailer stop at night, he It was the second time such initially thought it was carrying human cargo was dropped in contraband goods and perhaps the town this year.

Vanguard gathered that they wanted to beat the customs officials by using early morning were brought in a trailer and escorted by a police patrol van to come into Onitsha, adding with heavily armed police men that he was shocked to see which, after discharging them human beings were forced out of the lorry. at the popular Upper Iweka The eyewitness, who simply flyover at about 3.20am, made a gave his name as John, said: “I U–turn and headed back to was woken up by the light from Lagos.

Many of them showed signs the police escort van when it of lunacy as they could not say reached the fly over . I noticed that a trailer was coming behind their names and home towns, the police patrol van and while a few others who could suddenly the trailer stopped and speak claimed that they were

A

they began to ask these people to come down.

“It was then I noticed that there were some people who could not alight from the trailer on their own and the driver and some policemen helped them and brought them down. Immediately after dropping them, the lorry and the police van made a “U” turn and headed back to Head Bridge".

“When the day broke, I saw about 70 persons that looked malnourished, some of them were already insane.”

According to him, some of the people who looked healthy started running into the commercial city after they were brought into the town, while the apparently insane ones stayed till the day break when residents of the city came to catch a glimpse of them and started buying food and other consumables for them.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—15

Rivers Assembly crisis: Why Lloyd answered IG's summon zMay be arraigned for attempted murder

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA—INDICATIONS emerged, yesterday, that leader of Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd, reported to Police headquarters in Abuja for interrogation because his attempt to flee the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos was foiled.

Lloyd reported to the police six days after he was summoned.

These details emerged as Vanguard gathered that the House leader may be arraigned for attempted murder among other charges, following the severity of attacks perpetrated on his injured House of Assembly colleague.

Lloyd allegedly the arrow-head of the team that battered a member of the Assembly as seen on television during the fracas in the house, was said to have travelled to Lagos after the IG’s summons, preparatory to jetting out of the country.

Police, however, got wind of the plan to escape through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and issued an alert both to the Airport P olice Commissioner and border patrol teams, to arrest him if he showed up at any of the outposts.

Vanguard was told that the House leader got wind of the alert to arrest him at the airport or border and decided to report to the Force headquarters for interrogation.

The Police issued a release disclosing that Mr Chidi Lloyd, who reported on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at Force Headquarters, was being interrogated in connection with the Rivers House of Assembly crisis.

The statement signed by CSP Frank Mba, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, reads: “The House Leader of Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Llyod, on Tuesday reported at F orce Headquarters, Abuja, in response to a summon earlier issued by the police.

“The Hon member who arrived Force headquarters at about 4 pm, in company of his lawyers, is currently helping P olice investigators to unravel circumstances surrounding the crisis that occurred in the House of Assembly.

“The lawmaker has commendably so far, shown a high level of cooperation with police detectives.

Meanwhile, his interrogation is still ongoing.”

The statement recalled that the force had on July 17, 2013, summoned Llyod and two others to report to the Force CID to explain their roles in the current crisis in Rivers House of Assembly, especially, as shown in some video

footages by the media.

It also stated the IG’s

commendation of the people of

LAUNCH—From left: National Sales Coordinator, Globacom Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Kemi Kaka; Glo Ambassador, Waje Iruobe, Ego Ogbaru, Bez Idakula, all Glo Ambassadors and head of Gloworld, Mr. Atanu Mukhirjee, at the launch of glo recharge to stardom promo at Mike Adenuga Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola.

ADC petitions INEC over APC's slogan, threatens legal action

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—THE African Democratic Congress, ADC, has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, accusing the yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress, APC, of using its slogan, “Change”.

Besides, there are indications that the All Progressives Congress, APC, would be registered in two weeks, after its leaders said the association had met conditions for registration as a party.

National Publicity Secretary of

ADC, Chief Anayo Arinze, who disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja, threatened that the party would drag APC to court should it fail to drop the slogan.

He said: “It has come to our notice that the yet to be registered All Progressive Congress, APC, is using our slogan, "Change". The NWC has quickly resolved to write the INEC to properly advise APC promoters to avoid identity crisis.

“ADC was registered in 2006 with the slogan, “ADC Change!

ADC Change!! AD & C:

Change for better Nigeria.”

In another development, the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, have announced fees for expression of interest form in compliance with the time table released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the November 16 governorship elections in Anambra State.

While APGA pegged its expression of interest form at N2 million for prospective aspirants, the ADC puts its own at N5 million.

ICPC nabs PHCN official over N100,000 bribe

BY CALEB AYANSINA

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BUJA—THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has arrested a top official of the P ower Holding Companies of Nigeria, PHCN, Engineer Omololu Olusesi Gabriel, for allegedly demanding a bribe of N100, 000 from his customer to install two transformers.

Omololu, Principal Manager, PHCN Abuja Distribution Company Wuse Zone 4, was arrested in a sting operation, following a petition against him.

An impeccable source at the commission, who preferred anonymity, told Vanguard that the petitioner had formally applied to purchase and install two transformers, a 100 KVA/ 33/0.415 KV and a 50 KVA/33/ 0.415 KV, and had filed his application through the Principal Manager (PC and M) at the said PHCN office.

The source alleged that Omololu on receiving the application, demanded a bribe of N100, 000 for the release of the transformers, of which one of the transformers had been released upon the part payment of N50,000 by the petitioner.

Infuriated by Omololu’s insistence on collecting the balance of N50, 000 as condition to release the second transformer, the petitioner turned to ICPC for succour, and the Commission consequently arrested the suspect as he collected marked money as balance.

Mr Omololu’s schedule of duties as a public officer includes, among others, protection of PHCN installations, testing of electrical equipment and preparation of permission letter for release of transformers, none of which required demand for a fee from customers.

'N935bn security vote better used for roads, others'

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

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BUJA — CHAIRMAN , Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Smart Adeyemi, has said the N935 billion budgeted for security last year could have helped to restore the nation’s educational sector , repair the bad road networks and create jobs for unemployed youths.

Senator Smart stated this at the flag-off of construction works on 12 railway stations under the first phase of the project.

He stressed that the money would have gone a long way in solving some of the challenges the nation was currently facing.

He said: “But I must say this, the challenges this government, led by President Goodluck Jonathan, had been through is more than any challenge any past government had ever passed through since independence".

FCTA signs N19.4bn deal for water supply

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

A

BUJA—TO ensure adequate water supply in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, has signed a N19.438 billion agreement with SCC Nigeria Limited for the construction of a new water supply scheme at Karshi Satellite Town of the FCT. Minister of State for FCT , Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, and the Permanent Secretary, FCT, Engr. John Obinna Chukwu, signed on behalf of the FCT Administration, while the Managing Director of SCC Nigeria Limited, Mr .

Yuval Levy, signed for the contractor.

Akinjide explained that the water project would address water scarcity within Karshi and its environs.

She said: “The water supply project, which will provide potable water and irrigation to growing suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is estimated to cost N19,438,012,125 with a completion period of 30 months".

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16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

FORCED CONVERSION TO ISLAM: My daughter not the only one at Etsu Nupe’s palace —Uzoechina

selecting a man of her choice whom she will want to marry as her partner.”

Appeal

Consequently, Uzoechina got his lawyer , Anthony Agbonlahor, to appeal the ruling. The lawyer also petitioned the Chief Judge of Niger State, complaining about the conduct of the judge of the Sharia Court 1, Justice his daughter but was told that Abdulkadir Idris, saying that she was now under the custhe court had no right to take tody of the Sharia Court. custody of the girl.

The Sharia Court 1 said it He said: “ Contrary to the arrived at the decision because principle of natural justice visthe girl claimed her father a-vis fair hearing, our client could kill her following her was not served either with the change of faith. It also said that court summons/processes or the defendant (P astor hearing notice. The case was Uzoechina) shunned an invi- filed on March 4; the case was tation to appear before it to heard March 4 and judgment defend himself , adding: “ At delivered on the same day. In this juncture, this honourable fact, judgment was also excourt hereby orders that the ecuted on the same date. The custody of the plaintiff be en- question is: why the urtrusted in the hand of Etsu gency?”

Nupe for the time being and Responding to the allegathe Etsu Nupe should employ tions, the Bida Emirate reporta qualified Islamic scholar who edly accused Uzoechina of will be teaching her and show- distorting facts and insisted ing her what the Islamic cus- that the Etsu Nupe should not toms is all about and the plain- be blamed for the girl’s voltiff can even be watching and untary decision.

zSharia court to rule on appeal Aug 1

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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BUJA—APART from his daughter, Miss Charity (Aisha) Uzoechina, P astor Raymond Uzoechina has called on security agencies to investigate activities at the palace of the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, to ensure that many people there had not been forced to convert to Islam and held against their will.

“Apart from my daughter , there are so many people at the palace. There is need for the police to investigate and ensure that the people are not suffering the fate of my daughter,” P astor Uzoechina told Vanguard on phone, yesterday.

He spoke ahead of the A ugust 1, 2013 expected ruling of the Bida Sharia Court 1 on whether or not 24-year-old Charity (Aisha) Uzoechina should be released to her parents.

Charity left their Abuja home to further her studies at the Federal P olytechnic, Bida, Niger State recently. According to reports, she has not returned home since March. She has allegedly been at the palace of the Etsu Nupe on her own volition after converting to Islam and changing her name to Aisha.

Pastor Uzoechina is claiming that his daughter was kidnapped and hypnotised and could never abandon the Christian faith for Islam. But the Etsu Nupe argued otherwise and produced legal documents where his daughter said she had converted to Islam and alleged that his father could kill her for the action hence the need to seek protection from the P alace and the Sharia Court, which the court granted.

Consequently, the Etsu Nupe refused to release the lady to Uzoechina, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, citing the sharia court ruling.

Asked how far the matter had gone, the pastor said: “They (sharia court) have fixed Thursday, August 1 for ruling on our appeal that they don’t have jurisdiction. Y ou can’t judge a Christian in a Muslim court. I am appealing to them to vacate the judgment because they don’t have jurisdiction.”

How can I kill my

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daughter?

On allegations that he could kill his daughter over conversion from Christianity to Islam, he said: That is not true. My daughter cannot make that allegation. Why should I kill her? We asked them to bring her to the court so that my lawyer can cross-examine her but they refused.

“If she has converted to Islam, must she practice at the Etsu Nupe’s palace? Is Etsu Nupe the chief security officer now? They should not separate me from my daughter. She has stayed in the palace for six months. If they say I will harm her, let them release her to the Inspector General of P olice, leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN or ask me to write an undertaking.

Why is my daughter still under Etsu Nupe’s enclave? I am only talking about my daughter; there are so many people at the palace. There is need for the police to investigate and ensure that other people are not suffering the fate of my daughter. They did not allow my wife to see my daughter when she visited the palace.”

It said in a statement that Miss Uzoechina approached the monarch for protection over her change of faith from Christianity to Islam on February 15.

“The royal father invited the father of the girl for talks, with the hope of reconciling them. On March 2, the father came to the palace and was taken before His Royal Highness. It was at His Royal Highness chamber that the father came face to face with his daughter. A fter discussions with the girl and her father, the Etsu Nupe asked the girl to go back home with her father to resolve the matter as a family.

“The girl refused to go home with her father fearing that the father may harm her going by the encounter at the Etsu Nupe’s palace. The girl left the palace and approached a court in Bida for protection, a request which the court granted the girl.

The girl has since been in the custody of the court in Bida.

Her reason was that her father insulted her and she was scared that he may harm her because of his utterances during their short meeting.”

Genesis of the matter Pastor Uzoechina said the matter, which is now causing a big row among the Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor-led CAN, the Bida Emirate and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, started on March 1 and 2 when he got a call from an aide of the emir, asking him to come to the palace.

At the palace in Bida, he said he met his daughter with two other women. “The man said these women brought my daughter to the palace that she has embraced Islam and she has also been withdrawn from school. Those women even claimed they have taken her through the rudiments of Islam and have started looking for a school for her. At this juncture, I demanded that I am going home with her . But the man declined, saying only the emir has the power to allow the girl go with me. They took me to the emir but the emir refused my plea, saying I should come back next week.”

On March 4, he said two people who claimed to be from the Bida Sharia Court emerged with his daughter with a folded paper and asked him to sign but he refused. He tried to take

BURIAL: From left: Chairman, Brass LNG Limited and former Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Jackson Gaius-Obaseki; High Chief R. Osunde; Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production, NNPC, Mr. Abiye Membere and former GMD, NNPC, Mr. Chamberlain Oyibo, at the burial of Membere's father, late Elder Henderson Membere, in his home town, Abonema, Rivers State.

Omega Ministries Iaunches TV station in Edo

B

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN CITY—A multi-bil lion naira cable satellite Television station, owned by the General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, was commissioned in Benin City, yesterday.

The event which was attended by top politicians including Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who was represented by the Rivers State

Commissioner for Health, Samson P arker, captains of industry, Nollywood actors and actresses, also witnessed the end of the nine-year-old feud between the former President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ejike Asiegbu and his colleague, Kanayo O.Kanayo.

However, in his address during the commissioning, Apostle Suleman said that the idea of setting up the station was based on the mandate he had

from God to produce people of fire and enviable destinies.

He said: “We have a mandate to wipe out tears from people all over the world, through the revelation of the Word, manifestation of God’s power and reality of the Holy Spirit.”

Governor Amaechi who was represented at the occasion, commended the wisdom behind the setting up of the TV station by the church.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 — 17

“People are saying that the PDP is dead or about to die a concerned person like me will remain in the party till it dies and give it a befitting burial. If PDP will die, let it die in our hands so we will give it a befitting burial and mourn her.” – Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako.

power will nudge them back to political realism, akin to a wedding between a feuding couple: each is fed up but none can or dares walk out! But before that realisation, we are guaranteed a lot of absurdities.

For example, PDP just set up a “ reconciliation” committee composed of Jonathan sidekicks HE late Chief Mobolaji and headed by his number one Bank-Anthony must be Man Friday, Seriake Dickson. He turning in his grave! It was on previously added much Niger Igbosere Road in Lagos, if I recall Delta petrol to the raging political properly, that he established his fire, by serially abusing Jonathan undertaking business in old “enemies” in the recent past.

Lagos. It was appropriately How then does he function as named “THE SYMP ATHETIC reconciler-in-chief?

UNDERTAKERS”. I don’t know Meanwhile, Nigeria bleeds if the business is still thriving, 400,000 barrels of crude oil because far more aggressive everyday, while Jonathan undertakers entered the morbid continues to pay billions of naira business, reflective of the arrival monthly to Niger Delta thugs of vulgar money and its vulgar “protecting” pipelines to facilitate display in Nigeria, including the continued oil theft, almost like a preparation of the dead for the vital component of Jonathan’s final rites!

“Transformation Agenda”.

We can lament the passing of Jonathan needs an extra term in Sir Bank- Anthony ’s more 2015, to ensure that his Niger *Governor Dickson Seriake dignified business approach, but Delta constituency achieves recent rumblings in Nigerian *Prof. Jerry Gana “Resource Control” by politics come with noise, blood and subterfuge, through the Let us be clear about it; all the patrimony since 1999. The duel- continuing oil-theft regime. This tears. Cloak-and-dagger is at the Nyako comes to fore. He to-the-death will weaken the heart of politics, except that the represents the “Undertak er” tendencies within the PDP are backdrop plus a threatening party further; yet, I get a sneak PDP took vulgarity and cut throat faction within the huge basket of embattled. Nigerians will give political death emboldens the feeling that, when all is said and to a height that should shame that scorpions that the PDP has always everything to chase away the “Undertakers” of Murtala done, they will somehow paper most shameless of contraptions, been, as Chief Sunday Awoniyi party that has systematically Nyako’s corner of the political institued underdevelopment and over the crack and pull from the boxing ring. Seconds Out! Bring Africa’s largest vote-rigging once observed. After years of precipice. The fear of loss of injecting political poison into the pillaging of our national monstrosity, the PDP! on the political caskets!!

Nigerian political society and We have ar rived at a critical juncture on the route to 2015; the ingesting collateral poisoning themselves, including gloves have fallen and the pugilists are revealing very ugly DELIBERATELY herding the As a growing child of the 1960s, fact, the preparation commences RETURNED to Abuja from bare knuckles. The struggle is for people of Northern Nigeria to I recall the special atmosphere Ilorin via Kaduna, on several days before, and it was about us in the lead to the month Monday.

I had been away for one of the reminders that the holy I get a sneak feeling that, when all is said and nine days. It is one of my annual and I think it was Ramadan, month was approaching. There done, they will somehow paper over the crack rituals to spend at least a week which first triggered my was a competition to construct the back home during Ramadan. This consciousness about the most colourful and most intricate and pull from the precipice. The fear of loss is a most special period in Ilorin incredible energy of women in mosque, which often stayed of power will nudge them back to political and I return attempting to catch our communities. They fast just months after Ramadan; children realism, akin to a wedding between a feuding a whiff of the colour and taste of like the men, but they cooked all then simulated the prayers that the community which moulded day, as the men either rested or took place inside the real couple: each is fed up but none can or dares my life and which has retained a attended Tafsir in the mosques. mosques. walk out! remarkable sense of its piety and The cooking continued during There was not much in terms of Sahur, early in the morning, while material wealth then, but people traditions, rooted in Islam.

As I have written repeatedly on in between, they attended readily shared the little they had the soulless soul of the PDP and Northern Cameroun, with their sermons in the night, which and even the poorest families President Goodluck Jonathan’s opportunistic support of Jonathan this page, my forefathers were usually lasted beyond midnight. seemed to get a lot, in the spirit corner, is the red cor ner of in 2011, Nyako and his colleagues Jihadist Islamic scholars with in the “Undertakers” faction of the roots in the old empires of W est Women just never seemed to find of Ramadan. What was lost in mischief, that brought together PDP are now on an offensive.

Africa (called Bilad as-Sudan, in respite, and Ramadan magnified Ilorin, that I have continued to the most eye popping and They will stop Jonathan by all their roles especially. medieval times). In Ilorin, lament, was the way bands of strangest bedfellows: old men young musicians (they were Tukur, Anenih and EK Clarke; the means, including hastening the Ramadan has always brought out death of the behemoth holding the best of the people’s fidelity to Probing weaknesses called AJIWERE) would roam the eternal AGIP Jerry Gana and Nigeria in bearhug, the PDP . They their religious traditions. But of the adversary entire community each night, sundry political flotsam and are importing political caskets, but even within the context of the singing really beautiful songs to jetsam. They are confident, as For the children, we engaged wake people up for Sahur. There someone once mischievously unlike Sir Bank-Anthony, they are month, a lot has evolved with noted, that their PDP faction can UNSYMPATHETIC undertakers many old ways having died out. in a game that has all but become was a finale, which brought the extinct today, called EPA OKUTA best AJIWERE to a night of seamlessly “merge” with INEC for the PDP. The solution finally As the saying goes, if you wait long enough, everything (a kind of bean used to make what competition to select the best and the security agencies to show discovered the problem on the turf of Nigerian politics! changes! must be an Ilorin-only delicacy musician for the year , at the muscle. This is where Murtala Emir’s palace. called KANGU! I loved it from Some of the great musicians of childhood and up till my mother’s the past included YE-BOBO; death in 2009, she would ADISA; SAKA DANFO and purchase and send to me in AST Sunday, Alhaji Abubakar Lah, Shettiman Ilorin died. He was in his late 90s and was in fact, the Abuja). The game had a AREMU (SECOND oldest surviving alumnus of the famous Barewa College, Zaria. I think it was in 2002 that I conductedsophistication about it, that I still DIVISION!). A couple of years and published a lengthy interview with Alhaji Lah, as Editor of DAILY TRUST; it alerted the hierarchy of recall today, because it taught ago, with the fundamentalist BOBA, the Barewa old boys association, that he was still alive and was their oldest member . I was in practically every element of religious revival that caught the Ilorin up till early Monday morning but somehow missed the story of his passing. I only discovered on warfare: defence; attack; Muslim world, Ilorin was also Monday night, back in Abuja, as I check ed a local Ilorin website for stories of happenings in the community . preparing fortresses, building brought into the sweep. Religious I had a very close relationship with the incredibly modest old man, who had played a central role in the alliances and probing the scholars convinced the emirate education of many generations of people all over Norther n Nigeria. He spoke many languages: Yoruba, weaknesses of the adversar y. hierarchy to stop the musical Hausa, Nupe, Fulfulde and English, amongst several others. extravaganza; they substituted Children will gather from near The late Lamidon Adamawa was one of the oldest monarchs in the North, but had in fact been a studentand far, around my family ’s with recitations of the Qur’an and of the late Alhaji Abubakar Lah. A few years ago, the Emir of Ilorin told me an interesting stor y. There had mosque. that musical tradition gradually been a meeting of Northern Emirs in Kaduna and the late Lamido inquired about the late Alhaji Lah. He Often, they had accompanied withered away! was alive, hale and hearty, the Emir of Ilorin told the L amido. A few months down the line, Alhaji L ah was their grandfathers to attend Tafsir I have returned for a nine-day made head of a delegation to Adamawa, where he met his old student, the Lamido and other former at the mosque; while the elderly stay to catch a whiff of this truly students, after over sixty years. Alhaji Abubakar Lah was a repository of the history of his times and as thecarried on their religious remarkable month in the Ilorin famous Malian historian, Professor Hampate Ba once said, an old man or woman in Africa, was the business, children engaged because it offers a poignant repository of the history of our peoples, and everytime they die, it was the equivalence of the burning of themselves in that game. There moment of connection with forces a library. With Alhaji Abubakar Lah’s death, Ilorin, the North and Nigeria, lost a remarkable son who was also the tradition of children which helped to provide some of contributed, especially in those early years that we have continued to valorize as our golden age. May constructing their own mosques the building blocks of my Allah forgive his sins and grant him Aljanna. Allah ya jikan Shettiman Ilorin, Alhaji Abubakar Lah. during Ramadan. As a matter of consciousness.

T

The PDP f inds i ts u nder tak er ndertak taker erss

Ilorin: The eternal colour and taste of Ramadan

I

,

,

The passing of Alhaji Abubakar Lah, Shettiman Ilorin

L

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18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 AFTER all the efforts to get the Freedom of Information Act, FoIA, it is frustrating to most parties that the media are not using the Act to improve public access to information. It is easy to blame the media journalists for not being enterprising. Many have taken that curious position, without recognising defects in the FoIA. The FoIA is not for journalists alone. The misconception it would grant journalists excessive powers, for the benefit of the media, to the detriment of the larger society, was mostly responsible for the 12 years the bill was tossed round the National Assembly.

It is the same misunderstanding that totally excluded the most critical aspects of our national life, the economy and environment, from the purview of the FoIA. They are seen as “national interests” to be protected from the media’s scrutiny.

FoIA gives every Nigerian the right to hold our governments accountable. Most of the accountability focus is on the government in Abuja though transparency is on vacation at all levels of government.

The media have constitutionally stated roles that the FoIA whittled down. Section

BY ISSA AREMU

I

"

AM not sick, I am old," remarked Madiba in Joahannesburg late January in year 2011. That was after his admission in a Johannesburg hospital for some "specialised tests" . Undoubtedly the former South African President had faced a number of health challenges in recent times, notably "respiratory infections". Health challenges are certainly not unconnected to the condition at the notorious Robben Island prison in the 1980s, where the legendary leader contracted tuberculosis.

This nonetheless, Mandela's remark two years ago, remains a worthy reminder that a man in his 90s is definitely not young even if not haunted by any affliction.

Nelson Mandela turned 95 on July 18.

The occassion of Mandela Day (an annual international day commendably adopted by the United Nations) offers an opportunity to re-echo the old freedom fighter that he is truly old not necessarily sick. Or better still to remind ourselves that Madiba suffers a natural inevitabe illness; old age and that other ailments are mere compliments. This message assumes much relevance today because not few of his millions of admirers (including yours comradely) almost gave in to despair and some agonising since he was admitted more than a month in the hospital with all the attendant global hysteria. It is ever refreshing to read that Mandela is responding to treatment in a condition that is "critical but stable" . However , the admirers of the global icon must know that

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If F oIA Will W or k FoIA ork 22 of the Constitution states, “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.”

Section 22 is in Chapter II, which captures the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy. Among its most famous and most ignored portions are Section 14 (2) (a) sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority; (b) the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government: and (c) the

OPINION Mandela @ 95; agonise not

participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

The same system that excluded its important sectors from scrutiny finds pleasure in criticising journalists for not using the FoIA. The same system that recognises only sections of the Constitution that favour it criticises non-implementation of FoIA. Professor Chidi Odinkalu, Chairman of Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission, in recent remarks said a combination of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act and FoIA creates rights with respect to information on fiscal and environmental management. He is partially rights.

Rights these Acts provide are token. The economy and environment are protected from the powers of the FoIA. Moreover, attitudes that guide implementation of the FoIA tend to see the media as enemies of society.

To fulfil its constitutional roles, the media should work harder to rein governments into obeying the Constitution. FoIA is insufficient arsenal for that battle.

jailed him for 27 years and for being a symbol of reconciliation in a nation polarized along ethnic, racial and class cleavages. Though South Africa still himself called "wasted" 27 years in prison. remains a polarized country(largely immortality is not the way of Nelson Mandela; what matters in the final analysis In a 1996 documentar y, Mandela said: between thr rich and the poor), the Mandela "Death is something inevitable. When a is Mandela's deeds. Immortality belongs brand links all the polarities in the country man has done what he considers to be his together and reminds each of the to God! Let's celeberate his life and not agonise over his failing health. There are duty to his people and his country, he can contending elements of the virtues of rest in peace. I believe I have made that as many quotable quotes of Nelson sacrifice, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Mandela on the inevitability of death and effort and that is , therefore , why I will sleep This is his greatest legacy to South Africa his preparedness for it perhaps as much as for... eternity". in particular and to humanity in general.

And that is precisely what UN Mandela Remember Malala the 15-year-old his quotable quotes on life, freedom and Day is all about: let's put up some efforts liberty.

Pakistani girl who on October 9, 2012, The famous speech by Neldon Mandela for our people and country so that we can escaped assassination attempt by the sleep for eter nity. The main objective of was at the 1964 Rivonia T rial which Talibans. She was actually shot "on the left Mandela Day is to inspire individuals to sentenced him and others to life side of her forehead." Remarkably in her imprisonment for daring to overthrow the take action to help change the world for the speech to the United Nations last week to hated apartheid order. That historic speech better, and in doing so build a global mark her 16th birthday (witnessed by UN alluded to the inevitability of death as much movement for public good. Ultimately the secretary-General and former British Prime day seeks to empower communities as the desirability of freedom and liberty.

Minister, Gordon Brown), Malala said she everywhere". At 95 Nelson Mandela even had since forgiven the assassins. According Witness him: "During my lifetime I have on a sick bed remains a living moral dedicated myself to this struggle of the to Malala, the inspiration for nonAfrican people. I have fought against White authority with such global outreach that vengeance and compassion comes from many a canonized saint hardly covered. domination, and I have fought against "...from Muhammad-the prophet of mercy, Black domination. I have cherished the ideal Let's us note that there are scores of retired Jesus christ and Lord Buddha and.... the and even serving heads of states or "Kingof a democratic and free society in which legacy of change that she said she kongs" of some states like Robert Mugabe all persons live together in harmony and Iinherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which of Zimbabwe whose birthdays and even Mandela and Muhammad Ali Jinnah".

I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs health conditions are of no positive Malala was not even born when in 1990 be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to relevance to humanity than the cronies Nelson Mandela was released from prison, die." It is a great paradox of fate that though around them. What then makes Nelson yet his deeds with respect to forgiveness has Mandela special? It is remarkable that he prepared to die, he indeed actually captured the imagination of Malala so realised the vision of a free and democratic though Mandela was the President of South young! We were enjoined to spend 67 South Africa though with personal sacrifices Africa from 1994 to 1999, he is less minutes to do something positive to serve of 27 years in prison. Hundreds of thousands remembered for his presidency ( which he humanity as part of Mandela Day. killed during apartheid were actually not commendably left after an eventful one term , not third term!). His enduring legacy *Mr. Aremu is Vice President, Nigeria as 'lucky" as Nelson Mandela as it was a luck to come out alive after what Mandela was his unique ability to forgive those who Labour Congress.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013— 19

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fortunes of the region.

As at 1966 when the first coup took place, the 1963 Republican Constitution, which vested resource control in the various regions, was in effect. Had the “Igbo coup” not taken place, Eastern Region would have, by 1975, had enough resources to build a society comparable to today’s Gulf economic miracles, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and others. The oil boom was about to explode.

Nobody saw it coming, except the British ex-colonial masters. When they saw it they prevailed on Gowon to stand and fight to keep support of some world powers, Nigeria one and be in control of came together to push the Igbo the oil resources coming the way people off the political centre stage. of Nigeria. Gowon started The perceived hatred of the Igbo dissuading the North from their was not the only factor that led to call to secede from Nigeria. The the grand gang-up. In truth, no North, which was shouting A “ raba! major ethnic or regional group was Group led by Chief Obafemi beloved by their neighbours within Awolowo. There was hatred galore. Araba!! (secession) only in March Regional Minorities hated their 1967 started chorusing that and outside their regions in the jostling for power and the upper domineering Majority and allied Nigeria was “an indivisible and with Majorities from other regions indissoluble one nation under hand when the colonialists left. to sabotage them, while each God” in September the same year.

The Minorities of the former Once the war ended, the Western Region also detested the regional Majority hated its rivals while sitting heavily on their resources of the country were Yorubas, whom they accused of centralised. By 1979 when we were excluding them from the spoils of regional Minorities. bigger, more lucrative ushering in a civilian government, power in Ibadan. Majority of them incentive was responsible the presidential system of continued to vote for the National for the successful multinational government was adopted, whereby Council of Nigerian Citizens, gang-up that led to the defeat of the centralised economy and NCNC, throughout the First politics of the North-controlled Republic. They had their own Mid the Igbo: the oil wealth of the military were enshrined into a West Region created out of the old Eastern Region. Long before independence, the East was the constitution that was virtually Western R egion in 1963. In gratitude they voted for the NCNC, poorest region, while the West was rendered impossible to amend.

With the Igbos pushed out, the land which produced the first Premier, the richest due to their cocoa wealth. The North was also quite of the Eastern Minorities from Chief Dennis Osadebay. where the oil was exploited And in the North, the Middle Belt wealthy because of their many became war booty . The first Christian Minorities actually took agricultural products such as up armed struggle in the Tiv and groundnuts, cotton and livestock. attempt by the Minorities to But the discovery of oil in protest the situation ended in the Plateau areas against HausaFulani domination and allied with commercial quantities in Oloibiri summary trial and hanging of Ken and other parts of the Eastern Saro-Wiwa and his fellow Ogoni the Southern political parties, Region was set to change the activists by the General Sani such as NCNC and the Action

Generals of the unjust war (2)

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EFORE I proceed, let me recap the essentials of the first part of this essay . I described the Nigerian civil war as an “unjust war”. It follows that the ex-military officers who gathered last week in Lagos to launch General Godwin Isama-Alabi’s book, including their comrades living or dead, were soldiers of this injustice.

I noted that the immediate causes of the civil war were the “Igbo coup” of January 15, 1965 and Col. Ojukwu’s declaration of secession. I also mentioned that the remote causes included the rapid emergence of the Igbo people to, in 30 years of exposure to Western education and civilisation, become a dominant force both in their native Eastern Region and the nation at large.

Their inability to manage their new-found success, coupled with the impatience of their idealistic young military officers over the corrupt, inefficient and clannish ways of the ruling establishment spearheaded by the North, led to actions that prematurely terminated their manifest destiny.

The rest of the countr y, with the

Since the war ended, the oil wealth of the former Eastern Region has fed, not only the nation but also kept the top generals of the North and West and their civilian partners and aristocrats in great opulence

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priorities and pay greater attention to education.

For instance, salvation originally realised that the country should remains a be treated as a unit of development in which personal issue. the strongest shall uplift the weakest and The sponsor of they shall both move on together. many people to At the base line, we have this year’s table the holy land on pilgrimage may itself not eliminated by the two extremes of merit and of scores at the National Common Entrance the quota system. We must realise that no be offensive, but it becomes rather Examination for all the states of the lamentable alongside the continued poor matter what we do, everyone cannot get Federation, which has fully accepted the placement in the Ivy League Schools. All principle of federal character and the the same, government has a duty to ensure inherent concepts of quota and there is a classroom for every student to compensatory treatment. This table shows We must realise that no that sit and a teacher to teach him. Here, we think that while candidates from Zamfara and that there is no alternative to the provision Yobe states could be admitted with as low as matter what we do, of community colleges where there will be two points, their counterparts from Anambra open enrolment for all. everyone cannot get State can only be admitted with 139 points Yes, what we are discussing here is capital and higher. placement in the Ivy intensive, and highly so. In any event, this Because of the accident of geography,that lofty goal is attainable, if only we can plan League Schools; all the candidate from Anambra State who scores more and steal less.

138 points has to watch helplessly as he is same, government has a In this journey, we shall not be deterred by unaccepted in the Unity Schools while his the not-so-easily attainable goal of full friend from Zamfara State with two points duty to ensure that there is employment, which would include the proudly walks into the same Unity Schools. provision of jobs to graduates from the a classroom for every The quota system such as we are faced system. The goal of full employment is with here has been attacked at various fronts, student to sit and a teacher laudable and it is an integral part of the including the fact that the presence of less responsibilities of a good government. But to teach him able and ill-prepared students in a class where this is not immediately attainable, as cannot but retard and depress the level of we now have, we must also contend with the classroom teaching and participation. An obvious fact that education, too, has its performance of their children in schools instructor who wishes to reach all his students intrinsic value. Besides the employment would have no choice but to seek the lowest because of poor funding. value of education, an educated citizenry is common denominator, thus further sinking easier to govern and in the final analysis, society without problems is a nonthe standard of our already deteriorating for society at large, an educated prostitute existent society. There must be educational system. is better than her illiterate counterpart It is time to invite Albert Einstein (1879- problems and there must be people to solve because among other things, the former 1955): “Everybody is a genius. But if you them. We have demonstrated that whichever would be more likely to observe the rules of judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it mode of admission is accepted, there are hygiene and less likely to be a liberal donor will spend its entire life believing that it is associated problems. Individual institutions of sexually-transmitted diseases. An stupid”. Our Northern youths are not stupid. must be left with the task of working out educated taxi driver is also better than the internal mechanisms for dealing with the uneducated one for obvious reasons.

Neither can we accept the sweeping problems associated with their choices! generalisation that they are of lower Need we remind the Federal Government The cure for democracy is more Intelligence Quotient, IQ, but what must be of the familiar cliché: If you think education democracy. We cannot wish away the done immediately is for the Northern is expensive, try ignorance? Time is of the problems associated with the candidates essence! leaders to sit down and rearrange their

Merit, quota system and all that UR sense of democracy may be warped.

There is still a large group of Nigerian youths who are deprived of freedom to learn because of poverty or prejudice or the absence of adequate educational facilities.

And as citizens of a democratic society whose moral premise is that each individual has a right to that education that will permit him to achieve his maximum growth as a person, our duty is to work for , and support, whatever measures of reconstruction we deem necessary to remove the social obstacles to freedom of learning.

It is morally binding on us all to study these problems and proffer solutions to them. The world over, all universities worthy of the name are already doing so.

It admits of open failure that more than 53 years of our nominal independence, we are still engaged at the level of the elemental politics of cut-off marks to our secondary and tertiary institutions of learning.

Never has one had a better cause to doubt if the government is still making efforts to “direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels”, as enshrined in Section 18 of the country ’s Constitution. In our search here, no approach is entirely wrong.

Sometimes, we talk of merit as if that is the panacea to all the problems besetting our educational system – just as our first generation universities are currently doing, when they refuse to bend backwards a little to accept candidates who have scored lower than the cut-off mark of 200 points.

Invariably, what this does is to open itself to the opportunity for a university to accept say 1000 students from Abia State while allowing only three students from say Zamfara State. It does violence to the principle of F ederal Character, which

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Abacha regime on November 10, 1994. It took an armed struggle

by Ijaw militants between 1998 and 2009 for the Minorities to win the derivation concessions as well as the right to produce the incumbent president of Nigeria.

Since the war ended, the oil wealth of the former Eastern Region has fed, not only the nation but also kept the top generals of the North and W est and their civilian partners and aristocrats in great opulence. They are the major owners of the oil wells, oil services and both legal and illegal oil bunkering outfits, often using local and international small fries as fronts. The old North and W est have benefitted from the oil wealth of the old East far more than the East itself. It was used to develop Lagos and environs as the former capital of Nigeria. It is also being used to develop Abuja and environs as the capital of Nigeria, which some Northerners are now claiming as part of their region.

In terms of federal presence, there is ver y little in P ort Harcourt to show it is an oil city.

All manners of tricks were devised to make sure that the North, which led the civil war, got the lion’s share in every aspect of national cake sharing (including seven states in the North West) while the South East, the war ’s loser got the least (five states). But when it comes to qualifications to benefit from the federation, the North always gets the smallest cutoff points while the East is saddled with the highest.

From the look of things, this could become a permanent feature of Nigerian affairs. It does not seem as though anyone is prepared to put an end to it.

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20— VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 — 21

First US citizen detained as China phar ma probe spreads

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he first U.S. citizen has been detained in China in connection with probes sparked by an unfolding corruption scandal in the drugs industr y, as China widens the range of international firms and staff under the spotlight. P olice have also questioned two further Chinese employees from drug maker, AstraZeneca in Shanghai, after a local sales representative was taken away for questioning earlier.

China’s health ministry said 39 hospital staff would be punished for taking bribes from drug companies. The unnamed American is the first U.S. citizen to be detained in connection with the investigations, and the second foreign national, after a British risk consultant linked with GlaxoSmithKline was held last week. GSK has been accused by China of funneling up to 3 billion yuan ($489 million) to travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors and officials.

“We are aware that a U.S. citizen has been detained in Shanghai. We are in contact with the individual and are providing all appropriate consular assistance,” U.S. embassy spokesman, Nolan Barkhouse, said on Tuesday, when asked about the involvement of U.S. citizens in the widening probe.

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Dankwambbo (left) and Chairman, Forte Oil, Mr. Femi Otedola during investment drive to Beijing, China. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

NSIA, IFC sign MoU on Nigeria’s infrastructure financing

BY MICHAEL EBOH

T

HE Nigerian Sovereign Investment A uthority, NSIA, yesterday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Finance Corporation, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to develop, finance, and implement infrastructure projects.

The partnership, according to

0.5

2,351.00

+3.00

16.34

-0.06

108.42

INVESTMENT DRIVE: Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State (middle) flanked by his Gombe State counterpart, Ibrahim

+0.27

107.15 +0.21 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL

SELLING

DOLLAR 154.76 155.26 155.76 POUNDS 237.3245 238.0912 238.858 EURO 203.9118 204.5706 205.2294 FRANC 164.5858 165.1175 165.6493 YEN 1.5456 1.5506 1.5556 CFA 0.2916 0.3016 0.3116 WAUA 232.7708 233.5229 234.2749 RENMINBI 25.2129 25.2948 25.3768 RIYA 41.2638 41.3971 41.5305 KRONA 27.3374 27.4258 27.5141 SDR 233.4555 234.2097 234.964

CBN Exchange rate as at 24/07/2013

a statement by the IFC, will contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth, boost jobs creation and social development.

The IFC further stated that the partnership will help mobilise public and private resources that will open the Nigerian market for infrastructure investments in sectors such as housing, healthcare, transport, power and gas.

“In addition, the partnership will include co-project development on some projects, as well as IFC providing other support to the NSIA, given IFC’s global expertise and experience on infrastructure develop-

ment,” the statement noted.

Commenting on the development, Uche Orji, Managing Director, NSIA, said, “Our agreement with IFC reflects NSIA’s commitment to enhance partnerships with the private sector that deliver on our s hared aspiration of developing infrastructure projects more effectively in Nigeria.

“Through this collaboration with IFC, NSIA is better positioned to fulfill its mandate of developing infrastructure projects, while attracting global investors.”

Also speaking, Solomon Adegbie-Quaynor, IFC Coun-

try Manager for Nigeria, said, “Infrastructure is a priority focus area for IFC. IFC aims to help increase access to basic infrastructure services in Nigeria by structuring commercially viable projects, facilitating private investments, and building partnerships that enhance infrastructure financing.

“We believe that our partnership with NSIA will bring development to the broader infrastructure sector and foster sustainable economic growth for Nigeria.”

The Federal Government of Nigeria through an Act of the National Assembly (the NSIA

Act 2011) established the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). The objective of the NSIA is to promote fiscal stability, build a savings base for future generations of Nigerians and enhance the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure. The NSIA ’s investments are made through three distinct funds: the Stabilization Fund, the Future Generations Fund, and the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund.

Investments made under the MOU with IFC will be made through the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund.

NSITF pays N200m to injur ed workers

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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HE National Social In surance Tr ust F und, NSITF, said that over N200 million has been paid to some of its clients that were injured in their various work places since the establishment of Employees Compensation Scheme.

The Managing Director of NSITF, Alhaji Abubakar Munir, who disclosed this

during the inauguration of the Independent Investment Committee, of the trust fund said about N500 million was to be paid; after verifications, over N200 million had been paid.

Alhaji Abubakar said, “The NSITF has paid over N200 million to injured workers from various sectors, who sustained all kinds of work place injuries since the scheme began. We paid this sum out of about N500 million claims we re-

ceived. It was after vetting and going through the processes that we paid N200 million out of the sum.

“We have registered over 35,000 employers. The Federal Government has also been making its contributions and we have many states coming on board very soon. W e have well over 500,000 employees covered under the scheme. We have been settling claims that we have received so far. ”

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

BRIEFS

Ecobank opens affiliate in South Sudan

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RETREAT: From left: Senator Bukola Saraki; Executive Director (Corporate Services), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC); Mrs Omolola Abiola-Edewor; Senator Anthony Adeniyi; Senator Bassey Edet Otu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions and Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, NDIC MD/CE at a retreat for the Senate Committee on the proposed amendment to the NDIC Act 2006, in Lagos.

CBN cautions banks over appointment of chief compliance officers Stories By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned banks over appointment of chief compliance officers.

In a circular titled, “Statues of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks”, the apex bank frowned at the practice where banks refuse to appoint substantive chief compliance officers.

The circular signed by Acting Director, Financial P olicy and R egulation department, Mr. Nwaoha I.T said, “ Available information has revealed that some banks, discount houses and development banks do not have substantive chief compliance officers

and that the officers, who occupy such positions in these institutions are doing so in an acting capacity and for a long period of time.

“We, therefore, wish to state that these practices have neglected the following on the appointment of chief compliance officers: The CBN dated 8th August, 2002, which directed the affected financial institutions to appoint chief compliance officers, not below the grade of General Manager to, among other things, enforce the provision of the relevant acts and circulars of money laundering at various levels of your institutions; and Section 9(1) of the money laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) which requires them to designate, at management level, chief

compliance officers in their head offices and branches, who have the relevant competence, authority and independence to implement their institutions, AML/CFT compliance programme. This requirement is reiterated by section 1.40 of the AML/ CTF regulation, 2009 (as amended), issued by the CBN. “Pursuant to the above, you are requested to forward the particulars of your current chief compliance officers and the letters of approval obtained from Banking Supervision Department, CBN, to the acting director, financial policy and regulation department, not later than two weeks from the date of this letter .

A nil submission is required in cases of non-compliance, please.”

Heritage Bank of fers concessionar y funding suppor t to SMEs H

ERITAGE Bank has offered funding support to small and medium enterprises at concessionary interest rate.

Executive Director, Ivory Banking, Heritage Bank, Mary Akpobome, disclosed this during the unveiling of the Heritage Bank SME Clinic in Lagos.

Responding to enquiries from one of the SME participants at the event about the interest rate and collateral conditions, Mar y said, “W e don’t charge commercial interest rate on loans to SMEs because we have a special fund dedicated to lending to SMEs.” She also explained that Heritage Bank do give moratorium to SMEs for loan repayment, but the length and

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terms of the moratorium depends on the nature of the SMEs customer.

Corroborating this, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Heritage Bank, said that the bank does not require collateral from its SME customers.

“Borrowing as SMEs, you may not be able to produce the kind of collateral required for your kind of business, but when you are on our scheme, it becomes easy because our collective effort will secure your business. We just want you to go on this journey with us to feel comfortable that we are not just waking up to say join us and do this, we are working behind the scene to make sure we address those issues that are key.”

The bank used the event to unveil its

Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Banking suite to the banking public. Among other things its offers, the Heritage MSME Banking offers to SMEs operators Zero Commission on Turnover (COT), free electronic Banking transactions, concessionary interest rate on loans and overdrafts. It also offers a pot pouri of credit facilities namely working overdraft, secured over draft, temporary over draft, finance leases, invoice discounting and local purchasing other financing.

Prior to developing the Heritage Bank MSME Banking suit, the bank established a MSME Clinic through which it offers free financial advisory services to address perceived capacity needs of SMEs .

COBANK Transnational I n c o r p o r a t e d ( E c o b a n k G r o u p ) has announced the opening of its South Sudan banking affiliate. This new banking affiliate, the 34th on the African continent, offers the opportunity to support the youngest African state in addressing the challenges in regards to its development. Ecobank South Sudan has effectively started operations on 10 July 2013 and offers the suite of products and services of the Group to individuals, SMEs, multinationals and institutions.

Thierry Tanoh, the Group Chief Executive, said: “We are very excited to have obtained the authorisation of South Sudanese authorities to operate in this countr y, which holds a huge potential for financial intermediation. Our presence in four of its six bordering countries, namely Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, is a unique advantage to contribute to the development and integration of South Sudan young republic.”

Diamond Bank partners Rivers on wealth creation, pover ty reduction

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iamond Bank Plc has partnered with the Rivers State government on wealth creation and poverty reduction summit 2013 with the theme “Developing an Effective Comprehensive Framework for Wealth Creation and P overty Reduction in Rivers State.”

The event, which was held recently in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, is an initiative of the state government, through the Rivers State Office of the New Partnership for A frica’s Development (NEPAD) and the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA).

It was facilitated by notable speakers among who were H.E. Jose Maria Figueres, Former President, Republic of Costa Rica; Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of R epresentatives; Dr. Mostaq Ahmed, Founder ICMSE and Mrs. Shimite Katung, President, NQBWA. Other facilitators included Dr .

Alex Otti, GMD/CEO of Diamond Bank, Prof. Patrick Utomi, Founder/ CEO, Centre for V alues in Leadership, Dr. Patrick Kormawa, Country Representative, UNIDO and Prof Kevin Urama, Director , ATPS while Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Executive Governor, Rivers State was the special guest of honour.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY J ULY 25, 2 5, 2013 2 013—— 2 3

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY , ,JULY 25, 2013

Stakeholders call for harmonisation of trade policies

BY NAOMI UZOR

I

N D U S T R Y stakeholders have called for synchronisation of monetary, fiscal and trade policies that will make the manufacturing sector to really operate at its full capacity and contribute positively to the economic development of the country.

They also called on the government to tackle the incursion of Chinese into small vendor businesses in the country which is taking businesses out of Nigerians.

Baring their minds on how to grow the country’s economy at the 41st Annual General Meeting of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the stakeholders said trade-offs that usually results from combination of policies should be properly weighed and resolved so as to grow the manufacturing base of the economy.

Acting Director General, MAN, Mr. Rasheed Adegbenro, said government should remain committed to good governance and sustain the current reforms in order to engender stability in the political and economic terrains as these are capable of winning investors confidence. ”Given our level of development, there is need to take concrete actions against trade malpractices such as dumping, smuggling, counterfeiting and un-

der-invoicing among others,” he said.

According to him, there is the need for greater collaboration between industry and the various research institu tes and the universities to ensure proper and adequate harvesting of research products of the institutions and to make education and training very relevant to the needs of the manufacturing sector.

He called for the revisit of the erstwhile technical training centres structured to produce artisans and technicians required as middle level manpower in manufacturing.

President of MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu, noted that there is need for government to tackle the incursion of Chinese into small vendor businesses such as retail trading, textile and electronics . ”More worrisome is the faking and passing off that are carried out in the process of importing their wares.

This is gradually taking businesses out of Nigerians. While we appreciate Chinese investment in the coun-

try, we do not think they should be allowed to venture into distributive trade. W e therefore urge the federal government to look into this situation” he said.

Jamodu explained that Nigeria faces a

s i g n i f i c a n t infrastructure gap which is a major bottleneck to the productivity of the private sector and businesses generally.

He said the countr y’s infrastructure deficiency is evident in

INISTER of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, has revealed that a National Policy that would require the government and the private sector to patronise registered Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) is on the way in the country.

This is coming on the heels of the Federal Government plans to fasttrack the establishment of

countries that have set standards by prioritizing their expenditure to favour development of infrastructure which correspondingly have put them in the league of industrialized nations” he said.

LAUNCHING: Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Bimbola Ashiru; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga and Governor Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun State, inspecting products displayed by SMEs at the launch of the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) and inauguration of the Ogun State Council on MSMEs, in Abeokuta.

FG commends SON as it launches local social responsibility practices

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE & NAOMI UZOR

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EDERAL Government has reiterated its commitment towards the implementation of ISO 26000 as Standard Organisation of Nigeria

launches guidance standard on Social Responsibility practices in the country.

The launch was done by SON in collaboration with her knowledge partner , Thistle Praxis Consulting (TPC) recently in Lagos.The Social Responsibility Standard is an internationally-adopted

industrial standards, aimed at improving the quality of lives as well as social interactions of citizens, especially in developing nations.

Minister of Industr y, Trade and Investments, Dr Olusegun Aganga, who was represented at the event by Mr Jim Obaze of

FG plans legislation that’ll encourage MSMEs

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number of areas- like power, port ser vice, road network, transportation among others. ”Currently, we believe the expenditure on infrastructure needs to be stepped up, so that the nation can catch up with

vibrant and efficient venture and equity capital organisations that will help provide cheap funds for MSMES across the country.

Mr. Olusegun Aganga made this known at the launch of the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) and inauguration of the Ogun State Council on MSMEs in Abeokuta during the week.

The programme, which was organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises

Development Agency of Nigeria(SMEDAN), in partnership with the Ogun State Government, is in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan.

Aganga explained that the next item on the plan was to come up with a National Policy that would require the government and the private sector to patronise registered MSMEs. ”This is because the government and the private sector are the major drivers of

expenditure. Therefore, I believe that if we all work together, we will be able to leverage MSMEs to make the desired positive impact on the lives of the Nigerian people whom we are called to serve,” he noted.

While revealing plans to build a new sector called Venture Capital and private equity sector to support small and growing businesses in Nigeria, Aganga said there will soon be laws to that effects.

Nigeria Reporting Standards of Nigeria gave the assurance during the launch of the Standard in Lagos state said the process, which hitherto had been adopted by different countries of the world several years ago, was adopted in Nigeria in 2010, noting that it is an important instrument to strengthen democracy as well as ensuring social dialogue. ”It will be very useful as a more objective reference of what is expected from companies and Organisations as a whole regarding their sociallyresponsible performance, which goes beyond compliance with the law and philanthropic practices”, he stated.

According to the Minister, the federal government in line with its transformation agenda is prepared to provide necessary support and encouragement for its ministries, departments and

agencies to ensure due application of the standards a guide in their social responsibility bahaviours.

While noting that one of the challenges of the SON, which is the custodian of the standards, is creating necessary awareness for the policy, Aganga urged the agency to develop training modules on the standard and paying more attention to small and medium scale enterprises.

Responding, the Director General, SON, Dr Joseph Odumodu noted that the introduction of ISO 26000 Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility in Nigeria is designed to benchmark behaviuorial patterns of corporate bodies in line with international standard practice. ”With this, we will benchmark behaviours of different organisations in both private and public sectors.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY J ULY 25, 2 5, 2013 2 013—— 2 5

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

No accurate data on por t facilities in Nigeria– Report Stories by Godwin Oritse

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HERE are indications that Nigeria does not have accurate report on the number of port facilities that currently exit in the country.

The United States Coast Guard report on Nigeria’s compliance with the International Ship and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code noted that Nigeria as a contracting government to the convention does not know the total number of facilities

where the code applies.

According to the report, Nigeria has not been able to set security levels for its port facilities due to the fact that it does not know the number of these facilities.

The report read in part “It is unclear as to whether the contracting government is aware of the total number of port facilities to which ISPS applies and that requires approved Port Facility Security Assessment and Plans (PFSA) and (PFSP).”

There are three security levels in the ISPS Code and Nigeria is currently operating only security level one in most of the facilities across the country.

Explaining these levels to Vanguard, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Hassan Bello, said that security one is the normal security measures that are put in place to guard against breaches.

Security level two according to Bello, is putting additional

AWARDS: Senior Special Assistant on Maritime to the President, Mr Gbenga Leke Oyewole (left) and Director-General, NIMASA, Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi during a visit to the Port of Cape Town as part of African Maritime and Energy (AME) awards ceremony, in South Africa.

Firm decries blockade of port access road by Customs overtime cargoes P

ORT and Cargo Handling S ervices has decried the continuous blockade of the port access road, warning that if urgent measures were not taken, it could lead to port congestion.

Speaking to newsmen, Managing Director of P ort and Cargo Handling Services, Mr. John Jenkins said the only way to its terminal had been taken over by the vehicles and goods seized by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Jenkins s aid his management team had done everything possible to make Customs see reasons for the access road to be cleared, adding that obstruction of their portion of the road was the major challenge facing their operations.

He further warned that a permanent solution needs to be found to the situation as it has reduced their efficiency and is giving a bad impression of the firm to its various public. The P ort and Cargo boss also disclosed that a plan

to construct a new exit gate has been submitted with a view to getting out of the service lane. Besides the issue of the common user access road, another major challenge

the terminal is grappling with is the non-connectivity to public light adding that their operations have been running on generators since they took over the terminal.

measures to wade off any likely breaches around such facilities while level three is a situation when you are aware of a security breach and a facility is expected to put measures in place that will either stop the breach or minimise the effect.

Speaking to Vanguard on the implication of Nigeria’s lack of preparedness, Mr . Ona Ekhomu said that the country continues to play politics to the detriment of good governance.

Ekhomu explained that there was too much reliance on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to implement the ISPS Code adding that the agency is not serious about the issue.

He said that there has been an increase in the number of attacks on vessels in and around Nigeria’s territorial waters adding that because of how porous some of these facilities are terrorism can occur or be facilitated.

The security expert noted that ineffective patrolling, enforcement and prosecution seem to be a major problem working against the nation’s effort to implement to ISPS Code.

He said “You need to be able to monitor your facilities and operators of these facilities so that people can play by the rule.

“Nigeria has suddenly become oil theft capital of the world and this development has given the Americans something to worry about”.

Shippers’ Council seeks increased cooperation between Nigeria, UK

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

N

IGERIAN Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called for increased cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) in the area of shipping and transportation.

Making the call in Lagos while paying host to Uk’s Director of Trade and Investment, Mik e Purves, its Executive Secretary and Chief Ex ecutive Officer, Hassan Bello, stressed the readiness of the Council to promote a viable shipping trade in the country.

Bello noted that the above is capable of attracting investors to the

maritime industry stressing that the Council is actively promoting a multi-modal transport system.

The Shippers Council boss who commended the Director for the courtesy visit, stated that some of the projects being designed by the Council for this purpose include the Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and Container Freight Stations (CFSs) and T ruck Transit Parks (TTPS) in designated locations in the country. Bello further explained that the establishment of ICDs and CFSs would in addition to decongesting the ports, also provide employment opportunities as it is capable of attracting other subsidiary service providers.

He also pointed out that the ICD Project if properly harnessed would open more trade corridors between Nigeria and its landlocked neighbours and called on the UK investors to take advantage of opportunities provided by this project.

The Council helmsman reminded his guest of the long standing business re lationship between the Council and the UK Trade and Investment and further disclosed that the Council had done extensive survey for the establishment of TTPs on Public Private Partnership arrangement.

Over 2,000 over time vehicles abandoned at PTML ter minal APPARENTLY choked by the sheer number of imported vehicles that have been abandoned at its terminal by their owners since 2008, the management of P ort and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) last week cried out to the government to free its facilities of these unwanted cargoes.

Speaking through its General Manager; Mr Tunde Keshinro, the PTML told a gathering of stakeholders last week Thursday at Tin Can Island port that it was prepared to grant owners of the abandoned used vehicles a 75 per cent waiver on demurrage. He however said that this is applicable only to vehicles imported between 2008 up to 2012.

He also called on the Federal Government to intervene and authourise the auctioning of overtime cargoes in the terminal, even as he confirmed that there are more than 2, 000 overtime vehicles that have been abandoned within its terminal that need to be auctioned out.

Keshinro stated that the company has been battling the issue for about two years.

NRC begins container movement by rail to Kano, Kaduna

I

N a bid to decongest the roads of container-laden trailers, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it will commence haulage of containers from Lagos to Kaduna and Kano States in August. The NRC’s Head of Public Relations Department, Mr David Ndakotsu, said in Lagos that arrangements had been concluded to transport containers from APM Terminals at Apapa Port to container depots in Kaduna and Kano. “As from August, we will start the haulage of containers from APM T erminals in Apapa Port to the container depots of Inland Container Nigeria Ltd. in Kaduna and Kano States.

“The initiative is in furtherance of the corporation’s public-private partnership.”

Ndakotsu also said an agreement had been signed with a company for the weekly haulage of its bran and wheat flour from Lagos to Kaduna— under the programme.

“About 436 tonnes of the products are expected to be freighted weekly from Apapa to Kaduna. The service will commence before the end of July,” the NRC spokesman added.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—27

By JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

L

EADERS of Nigeria La bour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, have threatened to mobilize members against the Senate over bi to remove labour from the exclusive list and deregulate the national minimum wage.

The Senate in voting on amendments of the constitution had overwhelmingly voted for the removal of minimum wage from the exclusive list as it is currently in the constitution which has now drawn the ire of the labour.

President of NLC, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, and the newly elected President of the TUC, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama at a briefing in Abuja, criticized the proposed decentralization of minimum wage by the senate, describing the action as “selfserving and anti-people.”

According to NLC and TUC “Our Senate has become self serving and anti-people. Never in the history of this country, not even in the military era, have we witnessed such charade and travesty on the popular wish of the people as was displayed at the Senate.

“You will recall that the outcome of a nationwide constituency consultation carried out by the House of Representatives before debates commenced on the amendments, the Nigerian people had overwhelmingly said capital NO! to the removal of the National Minimum Wage from the Exclusive to Concurrent List in the Constitution."

“It is rather scandalous for the Senate who are representatives of the people to beat their chest and declare that their act which goes against the grain of the people’s interest is ‘making history’ and ‘maturing democracy. At this juncture, it is pertinent to further expose the lack of understanding of our Senators on the concept of national minimum wage."

"Without recourse to history and basic appreciation of global practices, the distinguished members of the upper chambers assumed that a minimum wage is a review normally carried out by the Federal and State governments., oblivious of the historical and global concept of minimum wage being a benchmark to ensure that vulnerable workers, particularly the unorganized and the unskilled are not unduly exploited by ravenous, selfish and greedy employers and money bags."

My vision for TUC—Kaigama COMRADE Bobboi Bala Kaigama, is the recently elected President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC. In this interview with Labour Vanguard, Kaigama, who is also the President General of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, speaks on his vision for TUC among others. Excerpts

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE & VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

W

HAT is your vision for TUC and what difference do you intend to make?

First and foremost, we appreciate the fact that God has brought us this far though the process was not easy but we give glory to God. Like I did say, when I was revealing my programme of action for TUC, I hinged on the needs first and foremost to consolidate on the gains of my predecessor. I intend to build the TUC secretariat and operate it to a standard of a labour centre. I intend to improve on the transport project of Comrade Peter Esele. Right now it is concentrated in Lagos and Abuja, we are looking at the possibility of extending that scheme to other states of the federation, so that workers at the state level will have a feel of this.

Do you think the union has the capacity to manage the transport company, taking a cue from the experience of NLC? We are not managing the buses ourselves, we leased them out.

There is a company that is managing it on our behalf and servicing the loan on our behalf and the company has been doing well. W e are pleased with the performance of the company so far.

Housing project We will develop on that and then I have this housing project as part of the vision. If you know , right now, in this countr y, housing is next to food and water you drink.

Nigeria workers have been put under strenuous conditions. The landlords have not been so fair to Nigerian workers. So, we want to get ourselves engaged in housing development and we have gone far. Immediately after my election, we prepared memorandum of understanding (MoU) with certain developers, national and international of housing developers. Very soon we will meet with the minister of Federal Capital Territory and select state governments in the first phase so that we will get land and commence the development of housing project.

We believe it will go a long way in reducing the housing deficit being experienced by Nigerian workers.

How do you place this alongside Federal Housing Scheme run by the Federal Mortgage Bank?

We have been having a kind of war with the federal mortgage

if you do that, you are on your own, the union will not be part of it.

What is your take in the parity controversy between the University graduate and Technology graduate in the civil service?

It is something we have been trying to see how we can go about it. It has gone to the national Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, it has gone to the National Council on Establishment and in fact, the National Council of Education has considered all this. But you know the difference in the curriculum between the graduate of university and the polytechnic is the concern now.

So, the federal ministry of education is trying to work out a scenario that would balance the situation. So, we are waiting for the outcome of that technical committee that it is working on the isComrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama sue. So, it is not as if we are sitting and we are not doing anybank particularly we in the public not a problem of mobilizing our thing. sector. We strongly believe that the members. All the time strikes we So, it is a matter of interest to have called in this country, Abuja your union? federal mortgage bank has not and all the states have been parbeen fair to us. They collect our Of course, yes. It is of interest money and we are not beneficia- ticipating. So, the mobilization to us. ries. Before the election, the fed- has been on and our members are Since the election, how far eral mortgage bank had a meet- fully mobilized. have you gone to reconcile some ing with me because knowing the programme of action I have, they I intend to improve on the transport decided to meet with me and our project of Comrade Peter Esele. Right colleagues in Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. W e have an MoU. now it is concentrated in Lagos and AbuPart of this is that, the federal ja, we are looking at possibility of extendhousing programme and the law establishing it, is anti workers. You ing that scheme to the other states of the can imagine, workers are the confederations tributors to that fund, a 100 percent . Federal government has no You said they are poorly paid, contribution and workers don’t there is this serious allegation that aggrieved opponents who might have a representation on the board senior civil servants are very have felt bad over the outcome of the Federal Mortgaged Bank. corrupt and that most of the of the election?

Well, it is not an issue of reconSo, they choose what they want to houses in Abuja are owned by ciliation, but what we are trying do with the funds without repre- them, how true is this? sentative of contributors.

That is a hypothesis which is yet to do, is to see how we make the “losers” to be an integral part of So, you want to push for an to be proven because if you say amendment? senior civil servants are corrupt , I the administration. Everybody has We are pushing for amendment. do not know where such ideal is his own idea. I sold my own idea In fact, we have gone far . They coming from? Anyway, we will love and it was embracedby the delhave made a proposal that NLC a situation where such allegations egates. So, that is not to say my and TUC are going to be on the will be proved. F or now, we opponents did not havelaudable board. So, at least the interest of strongly believe that senior civil ideas that can be acceptable, that the workers will be represented. servants are technocratswho re- can enhance the trade union cenSenior civil servants tend to be spect the rules; the civil service tre, so we are putting our heads very difficult to mobilize, do you rules. That is not to say you can- together. We are friends and members of the same family. So, have an awareness programme not have select few that can be because it is believed that they are deviant, people who are out to we would meet with them, including my friend Comrade Ogun. very comfortable and are hard- make money and can connive ly found them in organized la- with politicians. How many of the If there are certain ideas he has bour rallies? politicians do we have relative to that are not incorporated in my I stand to be corrected because the population of this country? vision, I assure you we are going when you say they are very com- They are the select few that are to incorporate that He ( Ogun) is a member of National Executive fortable I do not understand what enjoying the economy of this you mean by comfort because they country. So, we will not be sur- Council, NEC. So, we are still the same and there arefora where we are the least paid in the economy prised if the select few of civil meet and we synergize. So, there of this country. You cannot com- servant are involved in those is no victor no vanquish as far as pare their pay with their counter- things. We are saying and will parts in the private sector. So, it is keep singing it to their ears that I am concerned.

,

Labour moves against Senate over planned decentralization of minimum wage

,

28—Vanguard,THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

CONTRIBUTORY PENSION:

PENCOM commends Niger State

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

N

ATIONAL Pension Commission, PenCom, has said only Niger State had fully complied with the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, in the North Central zone of the country, and appealed to other states in the zone to adopt the scheme to avail their employees of its benefits.

This came as the commission opened the North Central zonal office in Ilorin, Kwara State, bringing to two the zonal offices so far opened by P enCom in its drive to effectively regulate the implementation of CPS in the country .

The commission had earlier inaugurated the Calabar zonal office to cover the South-South zone.

According to a statement by Emeka Onuora, PenCom's head of Communication Unit, Acting Director General of the *Pensioners on queue (Inset) Gov Babangida Aliyu of Commission, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Ama- Niger State zu who spoke at the opening of the North Retirement Savings Accounts balances Ilorin, open, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Central zonal office in Ilorin, Kwara commended PenCom for opening the North State, lamented that that only Niger State to part-finance the acquisition of lowCentral Office, noting that the initiative cost houses, adding that “It is our exhad fully complied with the CPS in the would remove the need for the people from North Central zone and appealed to other pectation that when they eventually the zone travelling to Abuja on pension matcome on stream, these facilities would states in the zone to embrace the scheme ters. He added that Kwara State governbe availed to states that have fully imin the interest of workers. . ment had concluded arrangements for the She disclosed that the Commission was plemented the scheme”. take off of CPS in the state, once the bill Declaring the office located on Aderecurrently exploring the possibility of alwas passed into law by the state assembly . mi Adeleye Street, off Fate Road, GRA, lowing contributors to utilize part of their

The statement said, “the Commission embarked on the establishment of zonal offices in all the six geopolitical zones of the country in a bid to decentralize its activities and bring it closer to the contributors and retirees. With the Commission’s presence in the North Central zone, it expects all stakeholders to avail themselves of its services by visiting its office to make enquiries, lodge complaints, and seek education to the Contributory Pension Scheme and request for sensitization and awareness on pension and related matters.”

The Vice Chairman of the House Committee on P ension, Samson Okwu, who commended the achievements of the CPS within its 8 years of existence, urged state governments in the zone to embrace the scheme.

Similarly, Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Issa Aremu, insisted that the old pension scheme (Pay As You Go) system must give way to the CPS where the future of pension in this country lies. He urged PenCom to ensure compliance by employers of labour, noting that those who don’t comply must be sanctioned.

Other zonal offices of the Commission are located at A wka for South-East, Lagos for South West, Gombe for North-East, Kano for North West and Calabar for SouthSouth.

Why we support amendment of Pension Reform Act, 2004 — PenCom Continues from last week This is a continuation of the National Pension Commission ( PENCOM) tpresentation to the Senate and House of Representatives committee on pension.

PENCOM spells out its reasons for an amendment of Pension Act 2004. iii.Utilization of Pension Funds for National Development (Ss. 85 – 91 of the Bill) There is a consensus amongst stakeholders that the PRA should facilitate the optimal utilization of pool of funds generated by the CPS towards national development.

Accordingly, provisions have been inserted in the Bill such that the sphere of permissible investment instruments would be expanded to accommodate initiatives for national development, such as investment in the real sector, including infrastructure and housing development while at the same time ensuring the safety of pension fund assets. iv.Membership of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on the Board of PenCom (S.19(2)(c)(iv) of the Bill) In view of the emergence of the T rade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) as a major labour centre and stakeholder of the CPS, there is a proposal in the PRA 2013 Bill to expand the membership of the governing Board of PenCom to include a representative of the TUC. This seeks to balance the number of representation on the Board of the Commission between employer-based institutions and labour unions. v. Access to Benefits in Event of Loss of Job (S. 16(5) of the Bill) Due to complains received mainly from the labour unions, the PRA 2013 has re-

Acting Director-General of PenCom, Chinalo Anohu-Amazu

duced the waiting period for accessing benefits in the event of loss of job from six (6) months to four (4) months. vi.Prohibition of Conflict of Interest Situations (S. 19(5) & (6) of the Bill) The PRA 2013 Bill seeks to prohibit members of the Board of PenCom or their related parties from owning shares in operator companies. This is in order to remove conflict of interest situations and entrench the principles of good corporate governance. vii.Corrective Actions on Failing Licensed Operators (S. 98 of the Bill) Section 54 of the PRA 2004 only provides for revocation of licences of pension operators but does not provide for other interim remedial measures that may be taken by PenCom to resolve identified challenges in

licensed operators. The Bill seeks to empower PenCom to take prompt corrective actions on failing licensed operators, thereby further fortifying the pension assets against mismanagement and/or systemic risks. viii.Review of the Penalties and Sanctions (Ss. 91 – 104 of the Bill) The sanctions currently provided under the PRA 2004 are no longer sufficient deterrents against infractions of the PRA 2004. Furthermore, there are currently more sophisticated mode of diversion of pension assets, such as diversion and/or non-disclosure of interests and commissions accruable to pension fund assets, which were not addressed by the PRA 2004. Consequently, the Bill seeks to create new offences and provide for stiffer penalties that will serve as deterrence against mismanagement or diversion of pension funds assets under any guise, as well as other infractions of the provisions of the Act. ix.Opening of Nominal RSA for Employees that Failed to do so (S. 11(5) of the Bill) Section 11(5) of the PRA 2004 compels employers to deduct pension contributions and remit same within seven days from the day of payment of salary but is silent on what an employer should do in the event that an employee refuses to open an RSA. Consequently, the Bill seek to make provision that would compel an employer to open a T emporary Retirement Savings Account (TRSA) on behalf of an employee that failed to open an RSA within three (3) months of assumption of duty.

x.Duties of Certain Offices to Ensure Funding of the Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund (RBBRF) Account for Payment of FGN’s Pension Obligations (S. 39 of the Bill) The PRA 2004 only provides for the issuance of Retirement Benefits Bond and its redemption but does not assign responsibilities to specific offices to ensure implementation. Accordingly, the Bill now seeks to provide for the specific roles of the Budget Office of the Federation and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation with respect to providing funds for the redemption of Retirement Benefits Bonds for payment of the accrued rights of employees of the Federal Government who transited to the CPS. xi. Appropriate Funding of the Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund (RBBRF) Account (S. 39 of the Bill) One of the major challenges of the implementation of the CPS for the federal public sector is that the fund set aside by the Government to pay the accrued rights for past service is hardly sufficient.

Consequently, the Bill seeks to amend Section 29(2) of the PRA 2004 to indicate that the 5% deduction of monthly FGN wage bill should rather be a minimum amount and the Commission should determine and advise the Federal Government as well as the FCT Administration, on appropriate rates, from time to time, that is sufficient to address the projected yearly pension liability of the Government.

Continues next week

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 — 29

learning@vanguardngr.com

4 shut varsities to reopen

BY DAYO ADESULU

F

OUR of 20 illegal degree-awarding institutions shut down in May by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will be re-opened, ICPC chairman, Barr. Ekpo Nta has said.

He said: “The Commission is taking every legitimate step to ensure that only the indicted individuals are prosecuted. Arrangements are also being finalised to ensure the re-opening of four institutions earlier closed down and also to ensure that their names are delisted from NUC’s list of illegal universities.” He, however, declined to mentionthose among the 20 institutions that will be reopened.

Speaking during an interactive session held withnewsmen in Abuja, Nta stated that the exercise which was carried out by nine teams of enforcement officers between 16th and 21st of May, 2013 in Lagos, Abia, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi,

— ICPC boss

•As Nta vows to sanitise education sector

Continues on page 30

Chairman, ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta (middle), flanked by the secretary, Mr. Elvis Ogiafa (left) and a member of the Commission, Prof. Olu Aina during an interactive session with newsmen, in Abuja.

Delta, Edo, Kano, Nassarawa, Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Osun, Benue and Plateau states and the FCT, was successful. He

noted that the ICPC embarked on the University System Study and Review (USSR)exercise based on the

numerous complaints and petitions received by the Commission as they relate to operations of the university sys-

Girl-child marriage threatens education — Experts

BY LAJU ARENYEKA & EKEMINI EYOH

S

OCIAL media was awash last weekend with news that the Senate had signed a ‘child marriage act’ into law, legalizing marriage for girls under the age of 18.

Although lawmakers have corrected this notion, saying that the section stated above only relevant to “renunciation of citizenship” alone, the ruckus has created ample opportunity for well meaning Nigerians to campaign for education for the girl-child instead of under-aged marriage.

With the highest number of out-of-school children-about 10.5 million, about 6 million of whom are girls, the reasons for such campaigns are not farfetched. “Child mar riage, from available statistics, ultimately hampers the efforts C M Y K

tem in Nigeria.

The ICPC boss who explained that part of the duty of ICPC is to prevent corruption said the commission has recorded another achievement with the closure of 20 illegal degree-awarding mills, including those with acclaimed foreign affiliation without proof. These illegal institutions, according to him, are out of the identified 41 illegal degree mills.

Explaining what informed the initiation of USSR, he said it was established to ensure that the tertiary institutions in Nigeria meet the basics of higher education management and conform to international best practices. He added that the essence of these exercises is to help the tertiary education sub-sector in Nigeria witness better structured policies and procedures and consequently , attain improved service delivery, achieve global standards,

WHAT THE LAWS SAY Right of a child to free, compulsory and universal primary education

— Section 2 (15) of the Child Rights Act signed by 16 states in Nigeria)

Akwa Ibom hosts 2013 NNPC/Mobil/ STAN Science contest —Page 35

Congenital syphilis, cause of many deaths in Nigeria - Egbuna

"Any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age."

— Section 29 (4b) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. of these young adolescents from acquiring an education, as sooner than later, they find it difficult to combine the onerous responsibilities of being a wife and mother, with schooling,” says Maryam Wais, chairperson of the Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative (IWEI). The IWEI boss, continuing on the dire consequences of early marriage on education said: “They drop out, if they have not been removed for the purpose of marriage, in the first place. Consequently , 70.8% of young women aged

20-29 in the North West zone are unable to read or write.

Due to the fact that these girls are deprived so early of an education (including the access to information and knowledge), they remain bereft of the purchasing power necessary for an adequate diet, healthcare, skills, or even recourse to support in emergencies, all of which would enable them rise above the circumstances of abject poverty . It is paradoxical that Muslims like Senator Yerima would rather their wives and daughters be

treated by female medical personnel if they fall ill, and yet they are, by continuously advocating for child marriage, deliberately closing the avenues for girls to aspire to such professions.”

In 2003, Nigeria adopted the Child Rights Act to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Although this law was passed at the Federal level, it is only effective if State Assemblies also enact it. To date, only 16 of the countr y ’s 36 States

Continues on page 30

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The major help you need in life lies in you —Page 34

30 —VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

quality education and value in the system.

Said he, “Instead of rushing into endless investigations ICPC invoked the provisions of Section 6 (b-d) of its enabling Act, to undertake a comprehensive study and review of the Nigerian University system in order to get at the root causes of the infractions and effect sustainable preventive mechanisms.”

His words: “Taking cognisance of the professional and far-reaching requirements of this national reformation agenda, a protocol for cooperation and collaboration in the planning and execution of the project was established between ICPC, the National Universities Commission (NUC) the key regulator, and other stakeholders such as TETFUND. The over three months exercise, which is intended to help improve the delivery of quality education, especially at the university level, improve the climate for transparency and accountability in the same system and ensure delivery of a world class performance, revealed disturbing findings. Key amongst the vices was the disregard for and abuse of stipulated rules, policies and procedures in terms of admissions, examination management, recruitment, promotions, contracts awards, infrastructure, etc. which, based on the findings, remained the most serious challenge plaguing the system.

Some by-products of our studies and interactions with NUC revealed that there are proliferation of illegal degree awarding entities which take entrepreneurial advantage of access deficiencies into approved universities.

4 shut varsities to reopen It also disclosed the operation of un-accredited programmes and courses by approved institutions which result in the products not having access to the NYSC and postgraduate programmes.

At this point it must be made clear that ICPC is not seeking to regulate the tertiary education system as an alternate regulator to NUC. Our role is limited strictly to correcting and preventing corruption-prone processes and procedures as provided for in Section 6 (b-d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000. At the conclusion of the System Review exercise, a new standard and system of operation would be established which the universities must follow and any deviation thereafter will attract prosecution.

Education plays a key role

in national development, particularly in a country like ours with high level of illiteracy and imperatives of change.

The same is true of all other Nigerians occupying various positions in every sector of the economy. The tr uth is that whatever quality education we provide for the citizenry will impact positively on our national development.

ICPC is conscious of the attempts by all stakeholders, especially in the academic sector, of retur ning our uni-

,

Continues from page 29

versities to centres of excellence and we shall do our own bit by helping the various systems achieve this objective.

Our System Reviews were done in partnership with the University community in order to fashion out a sustainable climate of accountability and equity. As a matter of fact, some Institutions have on their own invited us to assist in reviewing some of the processes having recognised the benefits to be reaped thereof.

At this point it must be made clear that ICPC is not seeking to regulate the tertiary education system as an alternate regulator to NUC

,

I want to acknowledge here and with a high sense of appreciation too that the System Study has enjoyed overwhelming support of the National University Commission (NUC) and other stakeholders.

Babcock Varsity High School holds graduation

B

ABCOCK University High School has announced its18 th graduation ceremony slated today at the school premises at 9am.

This was disclosed in a statement by the principal of the school, Elder Timothy Adetayo. He noted that the Education Director of W est Central African Division of Seventh-day Adventist Church, Abijan, Cote D’voire, Professor Chiemena Ikonne will be the guest speaker at the event.

Dr Ayo Ogunsan, Chairman, Executive Trainers, Prince Adesoji Adewunmi, Supervisor for Chieftancy, Orile Agege Local Government, Ambassador John Okomodu, Admin Secretary/Member, FCT Abuja Area Council Service Commission, Mr Chris Pan, Management Development Institute Singapore and Mrs Ajoke Ogunsan, CEO Executive Trainers at the Ongoing Training in Singapore

Girl-child marriage threatens education — Experts Continues from page 29 have passed the Act. The National Coordinator , Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Mr. Hassan Soweto believes that the issue is not just with the institution of laws, but instead with the implementation. Soweto said: “Even though it is true that there aren’t adequate laws in place to ensure the right to education for the Nigerian child, and protect the girl child against early marriage, the laws in place are not being properly implemented. More than half of the 10.5 million out of school kids in the country are girls. Girl child marriage is largely a poverty escape mechanism. A lot of people might attach religion

to it, but such people simply use religion as a cloak. The issue usually is that a lot of parents especially in northern Nigeria cannot afford to cater for themselves or their children. That is why they give their children out in marriage at such a young age.

This is rarely the case with privileged families. Early child marriage is a threat to education, health and the human right of the girl child, but it cannot be stopped until the right infrastructure and facilities are put in place and poverty is a thing of the past.”

Nationwide, 20% of girls are married before age 15. In the Northwest of the country, 48% of girls are married before age 15. W orse of all, 27% of married girls aged 15-19 are

in polygamous marriages, and most of these child brides are also not in school.

According to the United Nations P opulation F und (UNPFA), “only two per cent of 15–19-year-old married girls are in school, compared to 69 percent of unmarried girls. Some 73 per cent of married girls compared to 8 percent of unmarried girls received no schooling, and three out of four married girls cannot read at all.”

S

enator Ahmed Y erima, former Zamfara State governor who represents this troubled region in the Senate was quoted as saying that: “Nigeria has many uncountable problems and none of them is early

marriage. As a matter of fact, early marriage is the solution to about half of our problems.”

Although there are doubts as per the veracity of this quote, there are wide spread reports that Yerima married a 13-yearold from Egypt in 2009.

If, however, the millennium development goals are anything to go by , it seems next to impossible to imagine early marriage and solution in the same sentence. MDGs 1, (relating to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger), 2 (on education), 4 (on reducing child mortality), 5 (on maternal health), 6 (on combating diseases) are unlikely to be met as a result of this. W ais argued that: “Deprivations of formal and non-formal education

translate, at such an early age, into restrictions on mobility , domestic burdens, the denial of sundry freedoms in respect of survival, development and participation, as well as the loss of adolescent years.

Indeed, children of young, uneducated mothers are also less likely to attain high levels of education, perpetuating cycles of low literacy and limited livelihood opportunities. Child marriage, therefore, ultimately deprives societies of the intellectual and financial/livelihood contributions of girls, and of their offspring. It is no wonder then that the North continues to portray such poor ratings in almost all aspects of human endeavour.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 — 31

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT “ORIGINALLY, we must have had similar skull and facial fea tures as the rest of the races of the world, till syphilis crept in unnoticed into our national life centuries ago to cause these de formities in addition to the on going high morbidity and mor tality.” This was the assertion of Dr. William Egbuna, Chief Consultant Physician/Medical Director, Egbuna Adazia Hos pital, Onitsha. Egbuna spoke with Vanguard in Onitsha on his studies and ob servations over the years and says that most Nigerians have congenital syphilis, the under lying cause of most of the ail ments that fuel medical tourism. Excerpts:

A

ccording to Egbuna, from intensive, alert observa tions and study, he came to the recognition that “almost every Nigerian has congenital syphilis but occasionally , you find one in 100 who has escaped it.

Syphilis must have stolen into our national life at least two centuries ago because right from the new born Nigerian baby, to the elderly that I see in my prac tice that has taken me from London to Liverpool, Lagos to Onitsha, most have congenital syphilis.”

Transmission/Stigmata: “The normal transmission of syphilis is through sexual in tercourse but an infected mother can transmit it to the child in the womb through the placenta so when the child is born, he already has syphilis.

That is called congenital syphilis (CS). Once the syphilis germ (Treponema pallidum) gets into the body, it penetrates all the body tissues - bones, brain, me ninges, spinal cord, vertebrae, heart, lungs, liver , kidneys, stomach, intestines, especially the large intestine and gonads. It systematically and gradually damages these organs and that is what is killing most people in Nigeria.”

He stated that when an older child gets what is called late measles, it is not measles but

Congenital syphilis, cause of many deaths in Nigeria — William Egbuna ... Major cause of fibroid, infertility, heart, kidney failure

the secondary rash of syphilis.

At the tertiary stage, the rash (pimple) appears on the face, chest and back. “In CS, the pri mary stage is in the womb (the point of contact), while a few weeks or months after birth, the rashes appear (secondary stage). Then the pimples occur between the ages of 11 and 14 years. Changes also occur in the bones which are permanent and are called the stigmata of congenital syphilis.

“This discovery took me 30 years of intensive study, obser vations and inspiration to ar rive at, yet, this condition is easily preventable and treat able in the early stages, and even in the later stages. When it is done with skill and expertise, most of the organs have regenerative power and will recover but the problem is that we don’t even recognise it.”

Speaking on the stigmata, Egbuna said physicians should look out for flat cheeks, protruding jaws, flat nose bridges, Hutchinson’s teeth (open teeth), pimples in teen agers and adults etc., as they point to CS. He said once all or some of these are present, the physician should suspect syphilis as the underlying cause of whatever the patient presents with. He said syphi litic pneumonia had been mistaken for pneumoccocal pneumonia and in older pa tients, it had been mistaken for lung cancer .

“Such have gone for surgery abroad only to discover it was not cancer. A child was booked for brain surgery because of a splitting headache and vomiting resem bling headache from brain tumour. The neurosur geon opened the brain and found no tumor. If only he knew about syphilis of the brain, he would have diagnosed it with-

shame the much impugned typhoid/malaria in children, hy pertension, diabetes, high blood cholesterol etc. T oday, a few weeks old baby shows ul trasound evidence of chronic hepatitis and pyelonephritis which occurred while in the womb.

“Advanced countries don’t have this problem because they have long since eradicated syphilis from their national life.”

*Dr. William Egbuna out sur gery because the child had the stigmata,” he said, regretting that “although it is a well documented knowledge in medicine all over the world, we have missed it in Nigeria because we grew up recognis ing our looks as normal. The Nigerian look is distorted by syphilis. Apart from damaging the bones, the germ penetrates all the soft organs. It puts to

Syphilis and fibroid: ‘The syphilis germ attacks the womb that is just growing and maturing, the womb reacts by producing fibroid tissues (muscle tissues). By the age of 25 30 years, a third of the women that have not started having children have small to moderate fibroids. I have not seen any woman with fibroids who does not have the stigmata of CS. When the germ attacks the ovaries, it forms cysts and you have polycystic disease of the ovary leading to ovary failure and infertility. Syphilis is the highest

cause of infertil ity in both males and females in Nigeria.”

BCG and Syphilis: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a vaccine against tu berculosis (TB) prepared from a strain of the attenuated live TB germ. “The com monly sick Nigerian child from infancy to about 9 or 10 years has catarrh, dry cough, recur rent fever , headaches, abdomi nal pains, chest pain and dys pnoea. On examination, virtu ally all of them have marked supraclavicular, axilliar y and cer vical lymph nodes, more marked on the side of the BCG vaccination. This clinical pic ture including abnormal chest X-ray responds to Anti- TB regime.

However, one question remains unanswered, especially for the infants, that is, the source of the tuberculosis infection.

“Remember these children are given BCG inoculation at birth or soon after. Again, we recog nise that in Nigeria, BCG has failed to protect from TB. Also we have facts that most of our children have congenital syphilis which undermines the immune state, just lik e HIV. A careful assessment of these facts and the clinical picture will strongly suggest that what we are dealing with in the Nigerian child is BCG infection in association with CS. “In paediatric practice, we treat both the BCG infection and syphilis with excellent result! Note that when a Ni gerian adult acquires HIV in fection subsequently, these same lymph nodes, especially the supraclavicular ones, are the first to reappear!” he said, advising that BCG should be stopped entirely, while the issue of syphilis endemicity in Nigeria should be investi gated and resolved by the au thorities.

Centagon wins Most Performing School in Nigeria award

O

NE of the top rated schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Centagon International School penultimate week was honoured with the award of Most Performing School in Nigeria by the organisers of the Nigeria Advancement Award (NADVA) The ceremony which took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja was attended by the crème de la crème of the society The school which is located at Mississipi Street, Maitama, Abuja is reputed for its English and American curriculum.

The school principal, Mr. Thomas Hunt was present to receive the award on behalf of the school, he thanked the organisers for honouring Centagon and promised not to relent in ensuring the school remained one of the

best in the countr y. A ccording to the organisers of the award, Centagon did not just emerge based on their judgments, the general public participated by voting for the winner among the nominees, by sending text messages to a dedicated line through Glo, MTN, Etisalat and Airtel and after the votes were counted and in synergy with the assessment of experts from the educational sector, the school emerged as the best performing school.

The organisers added that Centagon’s ability to take the school at par with worldclass schools and its uncompromising attributes in giving its students high quality education, training them to be first among equals *Centagon International School Principal, Mr. Thomas Hunt and other staff of the school displaying the plaque of the best school in Nigeria and future leaders, culminated to its emerwon recently. gence.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—33

Anglican varsity takes off next year in Abuja P

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will on Friday July 26 be bestowed with the National Education Merit Award for his love and promotion of educational develop-

ment in the country by the Anglican Church Diocese of Kubwa.

Meantime, the authorities of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Diocese of Kubwa have announced that the Anglican University, Abu-

ja, will start full academic programmes in 2014 with courses on sciences and social sciences.

The Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko who disclosed this to Vanguard said that President Jonathan, Chief

advertising. Make usually applies to machines, equipment and cars.

Examples: What brand of detergent do you prefer?

Which brand of tooth paste do you use?

What make is your car?

Which make of washingmachine do you use?

Frequently confused words

Br and Brand

- Make

Brand as a noun has a similar meaning with make in one of its meanings.

Brand means ‘a type of product manufactured by a particular company; a trade mark.’ Make in its noun form is ‘a particular type of

C M Y K

product made by one company’. Thus, make is (usually a manufacturer’s) brand. Nonetheless, brand and make are often used in different contexts. Brand is used especially of food and small household goods. It is also used a lot in

But - However - Although But is used likehowever and although to mean ‘in spite of this/that, to show contrast between two clauses or two sentences, to explain why something did not happen or why you did not do something’ e.g. I’d like to watch the programme but I’m too busy.

Note the following: 1.

But is used in writing but very frequent in speaking.

Ernest Shonekan, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Most R ev. Peter Akinola, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Ms. Ama Pepple, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma and Prof. Jerry Gana will be recognised with the award for their giant strides in educational development in Nigeria.

He said presentation of the award will take place at the second session of the second synod slated for Friday, adding that there will be a five billion naira (N5bn) launch for the Anglican University project.

The cleric decried the closure

of universities as a result of the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and said that the development should give concern to every Nigerian instead of spending energy on the artificial crisis the political class has brought in the polity especially the crisis in Rivers State.

He said; “What should worry us now is the closure of universities. Government should compulsorily give scholarship to every citizen in this country.

The oil money should be properly used to educate Nigerian children.”

In writing, but is not usually found at the beginning of a sentence e.g. I went to the library but found no current books there. Love allbut trust a few. In spok en English, however, but is often used at the beginning of a sentence e.g. He read the report. But he didn’t believe it. It’s time to go for lunch. But it’s only eleven o’clock.

2. However is used in formal writing often with a comma after it if it begins a sentence; commas before and after it if in the middle of a sentence.

Examples: Children are usually

harmless. They can, however, be a nuisance.

They played well. However, they still lost the game.

3.

But or however is not used in a main clause to complete the sense in a subordinate clause beginning with although e.g. Although he is hardworking, he is poor. NOT Although he is hardworking but he is poor orAlthough he is hardworking, however, he is poor.

4.

Although can be used at the beginning of a sentence or a subordinate clause e.g. Although they sang well, they did not win a prize.

zCONTINUES NEXT WEEK. Send requests/problems to Gabriel Osoba, Ph.D, Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo, through Editor, Teach Yourself English, Vanguard Newspapers, PMB. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or email: editor@vanguardngr.com &

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Qualities of champion necessary for success says, Unique Height Principal T

HE Principal, Unique Heights Junior and Se-nior High School, Lagos Mrs Oluwasfunmilayo Olatunbode has charged students to put on characteristics of a champion stating that champion is not only found in sporting events but also in academia. th Speaking at the 16 valedictory and prize giving day ceremony held at the school

premises, Olatunbode who spoke on ‘ Champion’ outlined seven qualities of a champion.

She admitted that not everybody can be a champion., but many, even most of us have the capacity to do something exceptionally well because we all have a gift. “We all have what it takes to be a champion and even if we do not end up being a champion when we apply what champions apply, we would come out better than we currently

are,” she said.

She posited that being a champion has little to do with natural physique or natural intellect but has much to do with character, attitude and the positive mind set that can be discovered and developed.

According to her, everyone can improve and be better .

Championship is balancing the art of the attributes elicited by champions.

Her words: “ These seven

*From left: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin), Prof. Babajide Alo, outgoing Registrar, Mr. Oluwarotimi Shodimu, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Prof. Jerry Gana, incoming Registrar, Dr. Taiwo Folashade Ipaye, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahamon Bello at the announcement of the appointment of the new Registrar of the University of Lagos last week

C M Y K

attributes will s u r e l y improve on the dexterity of everyone if applied as we proceed to the next level of our lives.

Strive: Striving as a concept brings success. It is more than wanting to be the best; it means as the best, you should not drop. It is an attitude that illustrates that the individual is as much competing with himself or herself as with others.

Striving is the product of a spirit that dares for g r e a t e r heights. It could mean a state of dissatisfaction with oneself.

Creativity: This is the ability to invent and develop.

‘Champions are creative people, with an analytical capability that is free to harness. They are innovative, can push to a new frontier and they are n o n conventional p e o p l e .

Creative p e o p l e challenge the parameters of what we call status quo, they ask profound questions that make them think critically.

The major help you need in life lies in you

O

NCE upon a time, there lived the Medicis who were the wealthiest and most powerful family of Italy at the time.

The Medicis commissioned Michelangelo to create a statue for the main square in Florence and immediately Michelangelo set his mind to accomplish this goal. After two years of intense search Michelangelo discovered a huge slab of marble on a side street of Florence covered with dirt, overgrown with weeds.

Amazingly, he had treaded this street several times never discovering the marble, but on that particular day he looked more closely and looked beyond the apparent into the potential embedded in it. Michelangelo began to envision the statue of David in its entirety in the block of marble. This also could be evident in human lives, many people have become so familiar with their lives that they “walk” pass themselves never discovering the limitless wealth or potentials that lie dormant. Moreover, to fuel this ignorance those closest to us have been so accustomed to us that they do not “see” the greatness in us. Burdened with this ignorance we look outside ourselves for the success we seek; we fail to understand that all that we have ever needed to become a success lies inside of us. The major help we need in life lies within us but it tak es a demand to mak e it a reality.

Success demands preparation; it demands a self-discovery; it demands a mentality. And until you meet the demand of success you can never command success.

The sculptor uncovered the dirt from the marble and hauled it to his studio; he began to work on the marble. He engaged in the arduous task of hammering and chiselling and it took two

,

By DAYO ADESULU

All we need to do is to look beyond the apparent into the kind of person we can become. An in-depth look at ourselves will reveal to us untapped treasures and infinite wealth yet to be explored

,

years of work to create the rough outline of the statue. He spent another two years polishing and sanding before the statue was complete. Finally, the work was completed and the once ordinary marble became a marvel to behold. Thousands of people from all over Italy gathered in the main square to behold this masterpiece. When it was unveiled; people cheered. Women fainted. The sight was awesome and people were gripped in wonder at the “breathtaking” masterpiece. And immediately, Michelangelo was recognized as the greatest sculptor of his age. Michelangelo was asked how he was able to create such a masterpiece, he replied by saying that he saw the David complete and perfect in the marble. All he had to do was to remove everything that was not the David, and there lies the secret of success. After several hundreds of years, the statute of David is perceived as the most beautiful piece of sculptor in the world.

We are the sculptor of our destinies and the master of our fate. The big question is; are we going to sculpt our lives into a masterpiece that will outlive us? Or are we going to allow the vagaries of circumstance, conditioning and our environment to shape our lives by default into a pitiable state bombarded by failure? Just like the marble was buried in dirt and overgrown with weeds, our potentials are buried beneath weaknesses, faults and failures. All we need to do is to look beyond the apparent into the kind of person we can become. An in-depth look at ourselves will reveal to us untapped treasures and infinite wealth yet to be explored; but it takes a diligent search within to discover it. As Michelangelo saw the statue of David in its entirety, we should have a mental picture of the kind of person we want to be; what we want to do with our lives and what we want to have in the course of destiny. We must allow this ideal to grow within us and we must work on it to make it a reality; removing everything that is not in harmony with your mental picture.

To access the help that lies within; it takes discipline; unwavering focus; wisdom; and facing the challenges of life; fighting to win and never giving up on your ideal.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—35

Lagos One-day-governor commends Dufil for investing in education

By PRISCA SAM-DURU

T

HE winner of the In domie 2013, National Spelling Bee Competition, Master, Boadley Juwon Afolarin, who emerged this year ’s One-day-governor, on Monday, July 22nd, paid a courtesy call to the corporate headquarters of Dufil Prima Foods, major sponsor of the annual spelling Bee competition.

Master Boadley’s courtesy call, which is the first of his official visit, was intended to say thank you to Dufil Prima Foods for its huge support of the Spelling Bee competition.

The One-day-governor was accompanied by state executives and other media partners who took turns, in commending the company for its unrelenting support of the National spelling Bee competition and education as a whole.

Speaking during the

ucational sector in Nigeria”.

He added, “ the purpose of this media parley is for Journalists to re-orientate parents and visit, Afolarin thanked sor of the competition. students because the desDufil Prima Foods Plc, “This contest would peration of parents to get makers of Indomie noo- encourage other children admission for their childles for ensuring that the to Work harder in other dren is contributing to grand finale of the com- to make an impact by the problems on ground. petition was a huge suc- reading and taking their According to him, When cess. studies seriously . I parents begin to send Afolarin further ex- would also like to use their 16-17 years stupressed appreciation to this medium to implore dents to stay alone in Dufil,saying he was im- other corporate organizaUkraine to learn a new pressed with Indomie, tions to partner with the language before admisfor partnering with the government so as to ension, what do you expect Lagos State Government sure that there is a confrom them. by being the title spon- tinuous boost in the ed-

L-R: The Managing Director/CEO, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Deepak Singhal; One Day Governor and 2013 winner of the Lagos State/ Indomie Spelling Competition, Master Boadley Juwon Afolarin and the Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju during the courtesy visit of the One Day Governor to Dufil Head Office, Surulere

Akwa Ibom hosts 2013 NNPC/Mobil/STAN Science contest

P

RIMARY and secondary school pupils from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will put their knowledge of science subjects to a test at this year ’s NNPC/ Mobil/STAN National Science Quiz and Projects Competition.

Preliminaries of the annual competition, which seeks to encourage the study of science subjects, will hold from 12th to 15th August, 2013, at Community Secondary School, Aka Offot, Uyo, AkwaIbom State. The finals will hold at MbohoMkparawa Ibibio Hall, UdoUdoma Avenue, Uyo on Friday 16th August.

The competition is an initiative of the Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (STAN) and has been enjoying financial support from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), who have been the title sponsors since its inception 18 years ago.

MPN is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Speaking on the forthcoming event, the General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arinze, said that MPN has sustained its support for the project over the years because of its philosophy of promoting and sustaining students’ interest in the study of science-based subjects at their early stages of development in primary and secondary schools.

In his words, “The National Science Quiz project aligns with ExxonMobil’s belief that investments in education, especially science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, benefits the country and serves as a catalyst for economic and technological development.

36—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Education: Greatest investment parents owe kids

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU

P

ARENTS have been advised to invest in their children/wards' education as by so doing, they are laying solid foundation for a brighter future for them.

Rev. Peter Williams gave the advice during the valedictory service and prize giving day ceremony held at Cuddly Kids School, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos last Friday, in honour of the school’s 2013 class of long achievers as well as staff of the school who have made remarkable impact in the education of the pupils.

Rev Williams noted that “The greatest thing parents owe children is education, I am glad that Nigeria is no longer in the era of disparity between male and

female children with regard to their education. So, I advise parents to invest in their children/ward’s future. No amount spent on a child’s education is wasted, therefore, whatever it takes to make a child useful in future must be done.”

He charged the pupils to always listen to their parents/teachers and follow instruction as this would determine how successful they will be in future.

He advised them to form the habit of reading a lot which will help broaden their knowledge. On the need to maintain the good image of the school, Rev Williams reminded the outgoing pupils of the fact that they are carrying the image of Cuddly Kids, stressing that they should strive to be good ambassadors of

the school and the nation as well.

The Reverend also advised teachers to see their jobs as responding to God’s instruction on caring for people adding that, “every teacher who teaches a child very well would definitely be proud of such individual if he/she ends up becoming great in future. So, every teacher should try as much as possible to teach the children well.”

The event which held at the school premises featured drama presentation, cultural dances, songs, choreography and issuance of awards to the outing pupils for outstanding performances in academics and general conduct during their learning period.

Earlier in her welcome speech, the Director of the

school Mrs Anuri Obijiaku stated that it will be an overstatement to explain the need for a well rounded education for the children, adding that It is obviously the best investment to make in their lives.

According to her , “the school is built on the tenets of communicating unrivalled and diversified education to dominant leaders of tomor row, yielded to knowledge and innovation with diligence, thereby, enabling them excel and shine beyond here without much effort.”

She thanked parents for their cooperation and feedback as such partnership she noted has served as a mirror in terms of helping the school make necessary improvements geared towards moulding future leaders.

Face the future with confidence, don tells graduands

By EKEMINI EYOH

S

ECONDARY school graduands have been urged to have “ realistic visions” for themselves because the future is unpredictable, saying adequate preparations would avert fear.

This was the advice given by Dr . Kehinde Ayoola, guest speaker during the 15th graduation ceremony of Excel College, Wednesday.

Speaking on “Becoming tomorrow’s leader,” Dr. Ayoola described the occasion as that which marks the “attainment of a significant milestone” in the academic journey of the teenagers.

“Write down your visions, keep them before you at all times and review them as the need arises. Be true to yourselves by having realistic and attainable ambitions. Remember you do not have control over location, time and resources; hence your life’s goals should align with the resources and opportunities at your disposal.”

He urged the outgoing students to be disciplined, focused, have tough personal constitutions in order to be able to ward off bad company that triggers ill behaviours and be bold to launch into new spheres to enhance their chances of elevation on life’s success ladders.

The educationist also indulged the students not to be dependent only on their areas of specialization but to widen their horizons by acquiring vocational skills like baking, horticulture and the rest outside the classrooms.

The school principal, Mrs. K. O . Ok e who pspoke on the completion of the students’ secondary education as another of the college’s success story,said the students would encounter travails and challenges but that the qualities and trainings that have been iimpacted in them would help them through.

Airtel adopts primary school in Cross River

By AMAKA ABAYOMI

L

eading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has adopted the Presbyterian Primary School 2, Ediba in Abi LG of Cross River State in its bid to advance primary education in the state.

The adopted school is part of Airtel’s umbrella CSR program which focuses on the education of underprivileged children in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education. It also aims at uplifting the standard of primary education across Nigeria.

Speaking on the initiative, Airtel’s MD/CEO, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said the telecoms operator is committed to its strategic partnerships with governments and organizations to uplift the standard of primary education in the country.

The Presbyterian Primary School 2 was adopted last year and reconstructed while pupils and teachers of the school were provided a conducive learning environment equipped with modern facilities and teaching aids by providing branded school bags, text books, note books and uniforms for the students as well as furniture for members of staff.

Since its flag off the Adopt-A-School programme, Airtel has committed millions of naira in providing ultra-modern blocks of classrooms, offices and lavatory facilities in schools in Lagos and Ogun States.

7 VANGU ARD, THURSD AY, JUL Y 2 5 , 2 0 1 3—3 —37 ANGUARD, 01

I N S I D E

The Supr eme Cour t’s appr oach to locus standi (3) — Page 40

Onalaja: Oracle of Soyinka, Lekwot and Ajagbemokeferi turns 80 — Page 38

•David Mark •Funmi Falana

Child marriage and the constitution controversial clause be deleted from the Constitution. Having married a 13-year old Egyptian child in 2010 in contravention of the Child’s Rights Act, 2003 without sanction Senator Yerima was encouraged to lobby the Senate not to delete section 29(4)(b) of the Constitution which has recognized child marriage.

In rejecting the recommendation the Senators did not advert their minds to section 42 of the Constitution which has abolished discrimination on the basis of political opinion, places of origin, ethnicity, sex or religion. The Senate failed to appreciate that the Child’s Right Act, 2003 has prescribed 18 years as the minimum age of marriage in Nigeria in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child which was ratified by Nigeria in 2001.The attention of legislators who believe in child marriage should be drawn to section 23 of the Child’s Right Act which provides as follows: “A person –Who marries a child; or To whom a child is betrothed; or Who promotes the marriage of a child; or Who betroths a child commits an offence and is liable on conviction to religion of Islam. a fine of N500,000.00 or imprisonperson who made the declaration The Senator led his colleagues to ment to a term of 5-year or both such shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria. believe that once a girl child is term and imprisonment.”

(3)The President may withhold the married she automatically metamorThe Child’s Rights Act which is registration of any declaration made phose into an adult to the extent that applicable in the Federal Capital under subsection (1) of this section if- she is capable to make an informed Territory has been adopted in 24 The declaration is made during any decision on renunciation of her states. Apart from Enugu State in the way in which Nigeria is physically citizenship.

South all the other States that have involved; orSurprisingly, the Senate agreed refused to adopt the Child’s Right In his opinion, it is otherwise with the misleading contribution of Act are in the northern parts of the contrary to public policy.

Senator Yerima and proceeded to vote country. These States are: (1) Sokoto, (4)For the purposes of subsection(1) against the recommendation that the

BY FUNMI FALANA

of this section. ‘Full age’ means the age of eighteen years and above. Any woman who is married shall be T is common knowledge that the deemed to be of full age” National Assembly has comIt is pertinent to note that section menced the process of reviewing the Constitution of the Federal Republic 29(4)(a) of the Constitution defines “full age” to mean the age of eighteen of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. Last week, the Senate resolved to amend years and above. However, in recognition of child marriage section Section 29 of the Constitution per29(4)(b) of the Constitution states that taining to Renunciation of Citizen“any woman who is married shall be ship. The said section provides as deemed to be of full age”. follows: The Constitution Review Committee “29(1)Any citizen of full age who of the Senate had rightly recommendwishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration ed that Section 29(4)(b) of the Constitution be deleted as citizenship has in the prescribed manner for the no bearing on gender. In his contriburenunciation. tion to the debate on the matter (2)The President shall cause the Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima argued declaration made under subsection(1) of this section to be registered against the removal of the clause on the ground that it is against the and upon such registration, the

I

The Senator led his colleagues to believe that once a girl child is married she automatically metamorphose into an adult to the extent that she is capable to make an informed decision on renunciation of her citizenship

(2) Kebbi, (3) Zamfara, (4) Katsina, (5) Kano, (6) Kaduna, (7) Bauchi, (8) Gombe, (9) Yobe, (10) Borno, (11) Adamawa and (12) Enugu. The Child’s Right laws have been passed in Ebonyi, Kogi and Niger States but the laws are awaiting Governors’ assent. We are compelled to make this disclosure as section 15 of the Child’s Right Act has imposed a duty on the government to provide free and compulsory education from primary to junior secondary school for every child.

Thus, by not adopting the Child’s Right Act the aforementioned States have continued to promote child marriage, child labour, illiteracy and ignorance in the country.

Looking at Section 29(4)(b), it will be discovered that the judicial interpretation of that section goes beyond child marriage. Regrettably, the interpretation of that section is that,

Continues on page 39

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EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Onalaja: Reknowned retired Appeal Court Justice turns 80 J

UST two weeks ago in the ancient city of Ibadan, Oyo State, there was a bloody clash between the followers of the popular traditional masquerade, Oloolu and some street boys. This incidence reminds meof the same clash between Alhaji Azeez Ajagbemo-keferi, an Islamic religious leader and followers of Oloolu in the mid 60s.

The crisis led to the arraignment of the Islamic leader for assaulting the masquerade before a High Court in Ibadan. A lawyer who was less than 10 years old at the bar then brilliantly and successfully defended Alhaji Ajagbemokeferi. Late Justice Ogunkeye upheld the arguments of the lawyer.

Yesterday, the lawyer under reference turned 80. I hereby present Honourable Justice MoronkejiOmotayoOnalaja, JCA,OFR , immediate past Chairman, Council of Legal Education and the former Chancellor of Ibadan Diocese, Anglican Communion.

As a private legal practitioner, Onalaja , a son of Daniel TekumoOnajaja who served in the Army during the Second World War in Burma and Sierra Leone and Susannah SegilolaOnalaja JP, also defended successfully Professor Soyanwo, who was charged with obstructing Chief S.L Akintola former Premier of Western Nigeria. The accused(Prof. Soyanwo) was discharged by reason that a moving vehicle could not constitute an obstruction.

Young Onalaja was

also in the group of lawyers that successfully defended now Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, for alleged robbery of a radio tape at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation(now FRCN), Ibadan. Other members of the defence team were : S.O Ige, Bola Ige, OlajideOlatawura, KayodeSomolu and MoronfoluOlakunrin. The acquittal of Soyinka earned the judge, Justice KayodeEso of blessed memory, a transfer to Akure, a town then regarded as ‘’ rural ‘’.This has been well documented by Soyinka himself in one of his numerous booksThe Mystery Gunman and in ‘KayodeEso: The Making of A Judge’, by J.F.Ade. Ajayi and Yemi Akinseye George, pgs.144150,362.

Onalajawas an active member of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) from 1960 until his appointment as a judge on September 8 1980 by former Governor Lateef Jakande of Lagos State.

One of the cases he decided while on the bench at the Lagos High Court and which I covered as a Judicial Reporter was the case of the Registered Trustees of the Constitution of the Rights Project(CRP) (Applicant) against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Secretary of Justice(Respondents), with suit number M/102/ 93. This judgment unveiled Onalaja as a member of the tribe of Judicial Activism popularized by Lord Denning(MR) , Justice Eso, Justice PatsAcholonu, and Justice Emmanuel Ayoola.

our decree. He knocked down the decree and Lekwot and his kinsmen were let off the hook.

According to the Profile of Justice Onalaja published by late Chief GaniFawehinmi(SAN)’s Nigerian Weekly Law Report(NWLR( (2005) 16 NWLR Part 951 of November 14, 2005,he continued to churn out ‘’monumental principles of law while on the Bench of the Court of Appeal.For example in Military Administrator, Gbolahan Gbadamosi Imo State V Nwauwa(1997)2 Briefly, the signifideath . Under the NWLR(Pt.490)675 the Decree, there was no cance of the verdictright of appeal to appel- Supreme Court upheld saved Major General his minority dissenting late court against the ZamaniLekwot(rtd) and opinion. In Bronik decision of the tribunal. his Zango-Kataf kinsAny person convicted by Motors Ltd V Wema men from the hangBank Ltd, the Tribunal could only man’s noose.Following (Unreported)(LD/404/ appeal to the Armed the communal distur80)which went to the bance that took place in Forces Ruling Supreme Court where Council(AFRC) for Zango- Kataf between Onalaja , J’s decision mitigation .

Katafs and the Hausawas upheld(1983)1 It was against this Fulani in Kaduna State SCNLR 296). background that CRP in 1992, the Military The influential law under Clement NwankPresident, General report further described wo filed the action before Ibrahim Babangida Onalajaas ‘’ humane, a Lagos High Court. constituted the Judicial When the governmentre- pious and approachable, Tribunal on Civil and ceived the originating but firm and above Communal Disturbance summons it raised a board. Onalaja is well (Special Tribunal) preliminary objection admired and respected Decree No.2 of by all echelons of the legal profession and Under the decree, there was no indeed everyone who right of appeal to appellate court have come into contact against the decision of the tribunal. with or his work. At the session for Any person convicted by the Tribu- valedictory his retirement from the nal could only appeal to the Armed Court of Appeal Bench, Forces Ruling Council(AFRC) for not less than forty six(46) Senior Advocates mitigation . of Nigeria were there to honour him, among 1987(Cap.53, Laws of the asking for the dismissal other legal luminaries, the highest gathering yet Federation of Nigeria)as of the suit for lack of at any single occasion. locus standi of the amended by Civil applicants and that the Disturbance(Special Such was the warmth, court lacked jurisdiction, personality and magnetTribunal)Amendment )Decree .43 of 1992 to try having been ousted by ic pull of this icon.” those accused of having the Decree. Faced with ‘’He breathes Law. He this matter without instigated/perpetrated writes Law. He espouses precedent, Onalaja held Law with passion. His the disturbances. The that the African Charter seemingly quenchless Tribunal headed by which preserves jurisJustice Benedict.O. thirst and love for the diction of our courts, Okadi-gbo(rtd), tried profession is legendary overrides the ouster of Lekwot and six others. and hardly surpassable. jurisdiction clauses in They were sentenced to He was an erudite, firm

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BY GBOLAHAN GBADAMOSI

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and a great judge. His place in history is assured as one of the great influences on the development of the legal profession and the administration of justice in Nigeria. His work will remain indelible and, certainly, long after he would have passed on will continue to address generations of lawyers, scholars and his enlightened fellow countrymen,” NWLR concluded.

He had his LL.B and LL.M there before he was called to the English Bar at Temple on June 16 1959, a year later he was called to the Nigerian Bar. Justice Onalaja was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1993 from where he bowed out with honour and dignity on July 24 2003 upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70. A Founding Editor, Nigerian Monthly Law Reports(1964-1980) and later its Consulting Editor ; Consulting Editor, University of Ibadan Law Journal, Consulting Editor, Property Law Journal, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan as well as University of Lagos.

Resource Person, Advanced Course in Practice and Procedure, Nigerian Advanced Legal Studies(NIALS), where he was also made a Fellow. He was also a prolific writer . All his papers delivered in the course of his judicial career were documented in a book- ‘ Commentaries from The Bench(1998-2003) Parts 1-4’.

He is the sponsor of the Judicial Reporting Category of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence(DAME).

Lord Denning after receiving a copy of Onalaja’s ‘Commentaries From the Bench’, on November 20th, 1992 wrote to express his gratitude in these words: ‘’ Iam afraid I may not have written to thank you for the ‘Commentaries from the Bench’ which you sent to me as long as May.I have kept it by me and have been reading it again. Iam most interested in the profile of the author showing all you have done in and for law in Africa, and I would like to thank you greatly for it.”

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—39

How NCC secures 40 piracy convictions — DG STORIES BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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HE Nigerian Copy right Commission, NCC, has secured 40 convictions against different copyright offenders between January 2011 and June 2013.

Disclosing this at the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja, NCC Director-General, Mr. Afam Ezekude, in a report revealed that the Commission secured 3 convictions against pirates in 2011, 26 in 2012 and 11 between January and June, 2013.

According to the report, the pirates were sentenced to various terms, including imprisonment without option of fine, in some instances.

In a recent development, the Federal High Court Ikoyi convicted and sentenced three pirates to various jail terms, including imprisonment, in some instances, without the option of fine for the infringement of the book, “The Accidental Public Servant” written

by Mallam Nasir El Rufai.

Ezekude also disclosed that Justice Idris of the Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos, on May 6, 2013, in charge No: FHC/L/159C/13 sentenced Nwoke Isreal to one year imprisonment, without option of fine, on a two count charge of having in

possession and selling pirated copies of the book.

He added: “Justice Yunusa also of the Federal High Court Ikoyi, on May 10, 2013, in Charge No FHC/L/ 158C/13 sentenced another book pirate, Ifeanyichukwu Nweke, to six months imprisonment with an option of

N1, 000.00 (one thousand Naira) fine for each count on a similar two count charge of infringing the same book.”

According to him, similarly, on a twocount charge of having in possession and selling pirated copies of the book, Justice Saidu of the same court, on

Commission in major outlets in Lagos, following complaints earlier received from the right owner.

The Commission had on May 8, 2013, raided a printing press in Gbagada, a notorious piracy haven, and confiscated an estimated Four Million Naira (4,000,000.00) worth of

suspected pirated books of various titles owned by different publishers.

While assuring stakeholders of the Commission’s resolve in the fight against piracy, Ezekude urged them to be more proactive in supporting it’s enforcement and prosecution activities.

Constitution amendment: Agbakoba calls for establishment of Christian cour ts

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ORMER President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has called for provision to be made for the establishment of Christian/Ecclesiastical Courts in the present Constitution alteration process.

In a letter to the Senate President, Senator David Mark, Agbakoba pointed out that Islamic and Customary practitioners are well recognized and accommodated in the Constitution by the establishment of the Customary and Islamic court systems in Sections 260, 265, 275 and 280 but no corresponding provision is made for Christians or Ecclesiastical Courts.

“I am a Christian and Catholic by faith. I have read the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and have observed that no provision is made for Chris-

of little or no knowledge of Ecclesiastical law and jurisprudence,” he added.

Agbakoba posited that the none existence of a Constitutional platform for Christians to have their religious/ spiritual affairs adjudicated by persons adequately learned in Ecclesiastical laws/ biblical jurisprudence violates Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution.

“Nigeria is a multi religious country and faith is personal. I believe matters of faith Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, should not be contions 260, 265, 275 and tained in the Constitutians to have their 280 but no correspond- tion as provided by religious/ spiritual Section 10 which ing provision is made affairs adjudicated by for Christians or Ecclesi- prohibits state religion. persons adequately But if we must retain learned in Ecclesiastical astical Courts. customary and Islamic Christians are forced laws/ biblical jurisprulaw systems, I have to resort to Customary dence. and High Courts which nothing against this, “Islamic and Customare manned by persons then provision must be ary practitioners are well recognized and accommodated in the Constitution by the establishment of the Customary and Islamic cordance with extant court systems in Secconditions of service HE National Indus trial Court in Lagos for staff of the defendant (PENGASSAN),” has adjourned to he asserted.

October 9, 2013 for At the last adjourned hearing of suit against date, counsel to PENPetroleum And Natural In the light of the GASSAN, Mr Dele foregoing we call on the Gas Senior Staff Ogunji, had asked the Association of Nigeria Senate to review its court for time to settle dangerous position and (PENGASSAN), by Mr with the claimant.

Douglas Atagamhen, vote for the deletion of However, when the over payment of his Section 29(4)(b) from matter came up last entitlement after he was the Constitution. We Thursday, the claimant sacked. also call on the 12 informed the court that Atagamhen, who States that have not PENGASSAN stopped gained employment adopted the Child’s showing up for with PENGASSAN in Right Act, 2003 to do so settlement.

February 2001and without any further Objecting to the worked as senior delay. Finally, we call claimant’s claim, on the Attorney-General organisation secretary Ogunji argued that in kaduna zone, is of the Federation and there was no settleMinister of Justice, Mr. praying the court to order the association to ment again after Mohammed Adoke having paid the pay N8.3m as net sum SAN to ensure that claimant his entitlefor his entitlement.

Senator Ahmed Sani ment.

“Having worked for Yerima is prosecuted for ”The claimant has the defendant associaviolating section 23 of collected above the Child’s Right Act by tion from February, N2.6million. Our 2001, I am entitled to marrying a 13-year old position is that he has be fully remunerated Egyptian girl in 2010. gotten all his for the period in ac-

Child marriage and the constitution

Continues from page 37 any girl child who is married is deemed to be an adult and can therefore be presumed to have criminal liabilities, contractual liability, right to vote, capacity to sue and be sued since she is presumed to be of full age!!

Nigeria, like most other countries has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child since 2001. Therefore, Nigeria has an obligation to give effect to this Convention.

Nigeria can therefore not derogate from it by making contradictory municipal laws.

May 22, 2013 sentenced Akamu Chibueze to three months imprisonment, in charge No: FHC/L/ 149C/13, for both counts without any option of fine to run concurrently.

It was gathered that the convictions were sequel to anti-piracy operations carried out by operatives of the

From the investigation conducted by the Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA) we found that protagonists of child marriage in Nigeria do not allow their children to engage in child marriage as they are in special schools at home and abroad when they are under 18 years of age.

Apart from disrupting the education of the girl child early marriage constitutes a danger to her health. It has been medically ascertained that incidence of Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF) is prevalent among girl children forced into early marriage.

made for Christian / Ecclesiastical Courts” he said.

The senior advocate stressed that it may be an oversight that the present system violates Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution which prohibits discrimination on account of religion.

Agbakoba stated: “I have attached for your consideration a draft bill for the establishment of the Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for the Federal Capital Territory Abuja as received from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). I have also forwarded a copy of this letter and draft bill to the Attorney General of the Federation.

However, if after seven (7) days, issues raised are not addressed; I will initiate legal proceedings.”

NIC to hear suit against PENGASSAN Oct 9 entitlement, there is no

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other settlement. We are here in this society for the protection of rights,” Ogunji said.

It was gathered that the claimant started having problem with PENGASSAN after he allegedly applied for a two-year study leave and travelled to do a postgraduate course (Master in Business Admission) in Strayer University, Virginia, USA. Atagamhen averred that PENGASSAN General Secretary gave him conditional approval for his study leave, after reiterating that he (claimant) could not be granted leave with pay but assured him that he would be assisted by the payment of his furniture and housing allowances during the period of his leave.

40— VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

The Supreme Court’s approach to locus standi (3)

BY LAWRENCE ATSEGBUA Continues from last week which include the legal capacity of the parties to the litigation. The Constitutional provisions on locus standi are contained in sections 6(6)(b), 46(1) and 272(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Section 46(1) provides that “any person who alleges that any of the provision of this chapter has been, is being or likely to be contravened in any state in relation to him may apply to the high court in that state for redress. This section relates to fundamental rights contained in chapter IV of the Constitution. Also in section 272(1), a state High Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine any civil proceedings in which the existence or

extent of a legal right, power, duty, liability, privilege, interest, obligation or claim is in issue or to hear and determine any criminal proceedings involving or relating to any penalty, forfeiture, punishment or other liability in respect of an offence committed by any person.

The Supreme Court adopted a restrictive approach to locus standi in both the Adesanya and the Olufosoye cases, and it is in the light of this approach that the decision in Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Akilu and Togun has to be considered. It is useful at this stage to look at the jurisprudence surrounding the issue of locus standi, with special regard to English law.

The rules on locus standi in England preceding Order 53 of the Rules of the Supreme Court which now gov-

•CJN, Justice Aloma Muhktar erns the issue, displayed a considerable diversity both within each particular judicial remedy and between them, as is demonstrated by the simpler requirements when seeking certiorari or prohibition as compared to mandamus. Where an

individual seeking mandamus had to show that a legal interest had been infringed, a person seeking certiorari simply had to show sufficient interest or be a person aggrieved.

The rules which applied to the remedies of injunction and declaration required that

the plaintiff show that the interference with the public right was also an interference with a private right. Alternatively, if no private rights had been interfered with, the plaintiff had to show special damage. If the individual failed to fulfill either of these two requirements, he had to make a request to the Attorney General.

Although there is no written Constitution nor a provision similar to Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the courts in England have tended to adopt a liberal attitude towards locus standi as is demonstrated by the statement of Lord Denning M.R. in Attorney-General Ex Rel. McWhirter v. Independent broadcasting Authority (1973) 2 WLR 344 at 375, “… I regard it as a matter of high constitu-

Required proof for criminal allegations: A critique

BY AKINTAYO IWILADE

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HIS piece high lights thoughts on a fundamental statutory misconception that has underlined the treatment of criminal allegations made in election petition proceedings in Nigeria. It engages the historical rationale for the requirement that criminal allegations must be proved beyond reasonable doubt and argues that such is incongruous with election petitions and other variants of civil proceedings.

It is elementary, yet fundamental, that every criminal allegation must be proved beyond all reasonable doubt to ground a conviction.

This much is at the heart of many cultures’ developed theories of criminal justice.

However, England’s William Blackstone was the person recorded to have said; “better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer”. Lord Sankey, of the English House of Lords, subsequently summarised the core postulation through his famous ‘Golden Thread’ speech that: “Throughout the web of the English Criminal Law, one golden thread is always to be seen, that

it is the duty of the prosecution to prove the prisoner’s guilt….If at the end of and on the whole of the case, there is a reasonable doubt, created by the evidence given by either the prosecution or the prisoner,…..the prosecution has not made out the case and the prisoner is entitled to an acquittal. No matter what the charge and where the trial, the principle that the prosecution must prove the guilt of the prisoner is part of the Common Law of England and no attempt to whittle it down can be enter-

Akintayo Iwilade State and those who arrogated and wielded its powers. The bloody contestations arguably produced human rights documents like the Magna Carta 1213, the Bill of Rights, the American Declaration of

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No matter what the charge and where the trial, the principle that the prosecution must prove the guilt of the prisoner is part of the Common Law of England

tained” Woolmington v DPP (1935) AC 462.

Here, the point must be made that the evolvement of such strict standards was never a product of voluntary benevolence from the old English State.

Rather, the evolvement reflects an enduring byproduct of centuries of bloody mass agitations against arbitrary arrests, detentions and convictions, carried out by the

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Independence 1776, etc.

The contents of these have since been reproduced into several National Constitutions and other documents of Universal significance, like the United Nations Declaration of Human and Peoples Rights of 1948. Suffice to say therefore, that the ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ doctrine evolved from unrelenting human

struggles against the arbitrary exercise of powers by the State and its agents.

Instructively, the singular rationale, for the requirement of proving criminal allegations beyond reasonable doubt, was grounded in the social justice imperative of averting the possible tragedies of making innocent people suffer, often irreparably, from State-administered punishments, over ‘crimes’ they did not commit. The ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ rule was therefore created for nothing, other than ensuring that “only guilty persons are convicted by the State”.

Understandably, Nigeria’s formalized jurisprudence have followed in the tradition espoused by England’s Common Law theorists.

Section 138(1) of the old Evidence Act explicitly codified the ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt doctrine’ and it appears to be the statutory foundation upon which Nigerian case laws, on the extent of the applicability of the ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt principle’, evolved over the years.

Consequently, there have been thousands of cases where it has been repeatedly held that the standard of proof in criminal proceedings

tional principle that if there is good ground for supposing that a government department or a public authority is transgressing the law, or is about to transgress it, in a way that offends or injures thousands of Her Majesty’s subjects, then in the last resort any of those offended or injured can draw it to the attention of the courts of law and seek to have the law enforced…”

The liberal attitude to be found in the English courts towards locus standi is tempered by the discretionary nature of the remedies involved, and the exercise of the discretion by the judiciary, ensuring that those whose claims are undeserved are not successful. The issue of locu standi in England is now governed by Section 31(3) of the Supreme Court Act 1981, and Order 53, rule 3(5) of the Rules of the Supreme Court. Order 53, rule 3(5) provides that: “No application for judicial review shall be made unless the leave of the High Court has been obtained in accordance with the rules of court; and the court shall not grant leave to make such an application unless it considers that the applicant has a sufficient interest in the matter to which the application relates.”

The House of Lord was called upon to interpret this provision in the case of R v. Inland Revenue Commissioners, Ex. P. National Federation of self-Employed and Small Businesses Ltd,[1982] AC 617. The action involved casual labour employed by Fleet Street newspapers.

Such labourers were in the habit of adopting fictitious names to avoid paying income tax.

The Inland Revenue Commission (the “I.R.C.”) concluded an agreement with relevant trade unions, labourers and employers, that, if tax returns for the previous two years were filed, payment of all taxes owed for the period prior to this would not be enforced.

must be ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’.

But conversely, in civil proceedings, the standard of proof is that of ‘preponderance of evidence upon the balance of probabilities’.

The adjudicator is required to place the admissible evidence of the contending sides on an imaginary scale and thereafter, give judgment in favour of the side on which the scale weighs positively heavier (A.R Mogaji & Ors v. R. Odofin (1978) 4 S.C. 91, etc).

However, by Section 135(1) of the Evidence Act, 2011, the statutory requirement is that where there is an allegation of crime in civil proceedings, it must be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

While the logic of its continued application to criminal proceedings remain near faultless, even if sometimes occasioning ‘unintended injustice’, the extension of the same stringent standard of proof, to criminal allegations made in civil proceedings (and shockingly, even Election Petitions), suggests a gross legislative and jurisprudential misconception of the origination and core essence of the ‘proof To be continued beyond reasonable doubt Professor Atsegbua is principle’.

Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Benin.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 — 41

Senator Yerima, underaged marriages and Constitutional Review (2) Maryam Uwais in this concluding part of the piece argues that child marriage deprives societies of the intellectual and financial livelihood contributions of girls and of their offspring

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ANY of these adolescents are married off to men much older than they , and because of the associated power differentials, this singular factor impedes communication between them, with the girl having no negotiation skills in crucial decision-making that may affect her life. Having lost out on these critical life opportunities, these married adolescents can never aspire to living as meaningful and productive members of society. Not being able to participate actively in the community translates to their losing out completely on benefitting from economic activity and earning a decent income.

Many of these girls remain excluded from community life, having been separated from peers and family members by marriage. Depression sets in. A life of diminished opportunities. The community loses out completely; the economy cannot improve where half its population is stuck in this rut.

Child marriage, from available statistics, ultimately hampers the efforts of these young adolescents from acquiring an education, as sooner than later, they find it difficult to combine the onerous responsibilities of being a wife and mother, with schooling. They drop out, if they have not been removed for the purpose of marriage, in the first place. Conse-

stances of abject poverty. It is paradoxical that Muslims like Senator Yerima would rather their wives and daughters be treated by female medical personnel if they fall ill, and yet they are, by continuously advocating for child marriage, deliberately closing the avenues for girls to aspire to such professions.

Deprivations of formal and non-formal education translate, at such an early age, into restrictionson mobility, domestic burdens, the denial of sundry freedoms in respect of survival, development and participation, as well as the loss of adolescent years. Indeed, children of young, uneducated mothers are also less likely to attain high levels of education, perpetuating cycles of low literacy and limited livelihood opportunities. Child marriage, therefore, ultimately deprives societies of the intellectual and financial/ livelihood contributions of girls, and of their offspring. It is no wonder then that the North continues to portray such poor ratings in almost all aspects of human endeavour.

Implications of child marriage As a consequence, MDGs 1 (relating to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger), 2 (on education), 4 (on reducing child mortality), 5 (on maternal health), 6 (on combating diseases) remain unattainable goals (at least in Northern Nigeria), if we cannot confront the consequences and implications of child marriage.

Evidently, the geography of povMAR Y AM UW AIS MARY UWAIS erty requires a coherent and urquently, 70.8 per cent of young gent Northern strategy and a sowomen aged 20-29 in the North lution to the instability that has West zone are unable to read or bedeviled the region in recent write. Due to the fact that these years. Against this background of girls are deprived so early of an grim data, we can ill afford to play education (including the access politics with the obvious deficiento information and knowledge) cies in our human capital. The they remain bereft of the purchas- North, as an intrinsic part of Niing power necessary for an ade- geria needs to improve on all quate diet, healthcare, skills, or fronts, to impact positively on even recourse to support in emer- Nigeria’s progress and support gencies, all of which would en- its growth. Since child marriage able them rise above the circum- has all these devastating and di-

Map of Nigeria

Requisite knowledge Having acquired the requisite knowledge and expertise (including the capacity to weigh the various views in the particular sphere of learning in the context of our times), these Jurists would also need to have imbibed, at the barest minimum, the attributes of humility, compassion, reflection, wisdom, self-restraint, diligence, objectivity, along with piety . Our learned Scholars must stand up and be heard, rather than remain silent on matters that so adverseSenator Ahmed Yerima ly affect us as individuals, as a region, a Nation and as members of a global community , which minishing implications, surely tor Yerima, being conscious of challenges paradoxically controtheir grave responsibilities to prochecking the increase in the pracvert the deeper meaning and purhibit harm and to enjoin good in tice can only trigger and catalyze our own context, should actually pose of the Shari’a. positive growth, in so many diBack to the issue in contention, mensions. It is certainly not man- discourage this devaluing and it is important to commend the belittling practice of early mardatory in Islam that girls must be thinking behind the decision to riage, in the public good, for the married off as minors, so to keep insisting that this practice must protection of the vulnerable and delete the constitutional clause remain sacrosanct, given the backIt is certainly not mandatory in Islam that ground of needs in Northern Nigeria, is incongruous, even ungirls must be married off as minors, so to der the Shari’a. Where a practice keep insisting that this practice must remain is determined to be merely permissible and not mandatory, it is sacrosanct, given the background of needs in considered practicable and enNorthern Nigeria, is incongruous tirely feasible within Islamic jurisprudence, to discourage or pro- the realization of social benefits. that seeks to lumber even an ‘inhibit it, where it is found to be so To enable our girls attain their harmful to individuals and to the fullest possible potential is defi- tellectually immature’ girl, where community. Countries such as Ye- nitely a target that Senator Yeri- married, with the grave responmen, Egypt, Morocco, T unisia, ma should also be working pas- sibility of the power to renounce her citizenship, thereby elevating Algeria, Somalia and Bangsionately towards, along with the the subject of citizenship to the ladesh, with majority or high rest of Nigerians who yearn for a level whereby both men and womMuslim populations have set a better future. en have similar responsibilities, minimum age for marriage as 18, Indeed, the overriding objecwithout discrimination. It is hoped in the acknowledgment that there tives of the Sharia include the that ultimately, members of the are serious social, physical and promotion of human dignity, jus- Senate would reflect deeply on mental health risks associated tice, compassion, the removal of the implications of their recent with child marriages. This prohardship, the prevention of harm, gressive step became necessary, the realization of the lawful ben- actionand revisit their decision to retain the contentious clause, if in that these indisputable facts efits of the people, and the eduplaced a heavy burden on the ac- cation of the individual by incul- only to ensure that every Nigericountable and God-fearing lead- cating in him a sense of self dis- an citizenof full age, without disership in majority Muslim coun- cipline and restraint, which aims tinction, is subjected to similar standards and responsibilities untries, to protect the vulnerable in are by no means exclusive. All der the provisions of our Constitheir midst. else may be adapted to achieve tution.

It is, therefore, not unreasonthese ends, which measures may •Maryam Uwais, MFR, is able to expect that educated elite encompass matters of concern not Chairperson, Isa Wali Empowerand public figures such as Sena- only to law but also to economic ment Initiative, Kano

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By MARYAM UWAIS

development, administration and politics. For those that reflect, the hardship that these little girls experience, where married off and divorced soon after, so wantonly, is certainly unacceptable within the faith.

Although the fundamentals of faith and the practical pillars on which they stand remain immutable in principle, they may be interpreted and justified at the level of implementation in the exercise of public good. This process must of need be carried out solely by persons learned and eminently qualified to speak on the subject matter in question. We must always bear in mind that the ‘appropriation’ of divine authority in religious interpretation is best left to Scholars learned in Islamic legal philosophy and analytical reasoning.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013— 43

Media guru, Chidi Amuta clocks 60 TRIBUTE

dation member, Editorial Board, The Guardian; Chairman, Editorial Board and Editorial AdBY PRINCE OSUAGWU viser, The Daily T imes Group ETERAN Journalist, Dr and, until 1999, Chief ExecuChidi Amuta, is 60 today. tive, The Post Express.

At The Post Express, he pio Though Amuta is not throwing neered internet publishing in a party to celebrate this mileNigerian journalism by estabstone, it is almost impossible to let the day go without high- lishing The Post Express as the lighting some of the activities first Nigerian newspaper to be that shaped today’s journalism, reached by e-mail and the first Nigerian business to own a which the famous author of website on the internet. In adPrince of the Niger, is part of. dition, he used his wide interBorn in Nigeria on July 24, national media contacts to es1953, Amuta has spent more than 20 years in public commu- tablish strategic relationships nication and journalism. Dur- between The Post Express and ing this period, he has held se- major world publications like nior editorial positions as foun- The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the Inter-

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national Herald Tribune.

In his jour nalism career, a proud Amuta will always tell you that he conducted interviews with key world leaders like former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher of Britain, late President Francois Mitterand of France, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Dauda Jawara of the Gambia, Laurent Kabila of Democratic Republic of Congo, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria among other top diplomats and government ministers around the world.

Obviously a prolific and ac-

complished writer and stylist, Amuta has written articles and columns for major newspapers in Nigeria and abroad in addition to authoring three major academic and historical books including The Theory of African Literature.

He currently Chidi Amuta writes an occasional column for ThisDay Newspapers in Lagos, Nigeria.

Prior to coming into journalism, he taught Literature and Communications Strategies for over a decade at the University of Ife, UNIFE (Obafemi Awolowo University , OAU) and University of Port Harcourt. As a literature lecturer, he established a leading name in the radical/Marxist tradition of criticism as evidenced in his numerous publications in that field.

He was briefly the founding director of the Rural Development Programme in the old Imo State. His versatility in almost every field is, however, not a coincidence. Amuta holds a First Class honours degree and a Doctor of Philosophy from the O AU, specialising at different times in Education, African Literature, Sociology of Culture and Communication.

Public policy strategies He also did a host of courses and training in public policy strategies and intelligence in universities and think-tanks around the world including the influential Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Currently, Amuta is the Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Wilson & Weizmann Associates Ltd, a Media and Information warehousing company as well as Outcomes, an international Public Affairs and Policy Consulting company with head office in Lagos and affiliate offices in London, Atlanta and the United Arab Emirates. In the area of public policy and perception strategy, he has consulted for governments and multilateral agencies in Africa and the Middle East. Celebrating this milestone with him included his illustrious children and a wonderful family among many Nigerians who have been affected by his style of writing.

44 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

18 aviation students get N96m scholarship

Uduaghan visits attacked Itsekiri communities, sues for peace

BY EMMA ARUBI

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—DELTA State Government, yesterday, disbursed over N96 million as scholarship to 18 aviation students for the 2012 academic year.

Speaking during the award ceremony, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said: “My administration places emphasis on this scheme to create a pool of trained and competent manpower of Deltans to be key players in the aviation sector.”

Speaking through the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, Uduaghan said: “This will certainly help create more vibrant aviation sector and further promote the growth of businesses in the state.

“This year, we also approved N199.99 million as scholarship for 38 wouldbe beneficiaries of the scheme."

Burial

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RS Theresa Juwah of the Ogbueshi Fredrick family of Asaba, Delta State, 87, in dead.

She will be buried July 25.

She was a retired Chief Inspector of Education in former Bendel State.

She is survived by children and grandchildren.

Late Mrs Juwah.

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ARRI—GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has described the recent attacks on some Itsekiri communities in the Benin River axis of Delta State, as very unfortunate and charged the people to maintain the peace and put the sad incident behind them.

Uduaghan, while inspecting some of the affected communities in W arri North Local Government Area, said: “The state government is interested in the cause of the fresh crisis with a view to finding a permanent solution to same.”

The governor, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Gover nment, Mr. Ovuozorie Macaulay, said: “We will not pretend over what happened. The incident is an unfortunate one. W e never expected it to happen again after what we went through a few years ago.”

Uduaghan, who visited Eghoro, Obaghoro, Gbokoda and Tebu also said that the government would look into the immediate and long term solutions to the crisis.

He said: “We will do everything to restore damaged property, including the buildings razed down. A lot has been put in place to ensure safety of all in the affected communities and be rest assured that you are protected now more than ever before.”

Chairman of Itsekiri Oil and Gas Producing Impacted Communities Development Committee, IRDC, Chief Emami Ayairimi, said: “What happened is ungodly and unfortunate. IRDC will support government in the rebuilding of the affected communities.

“We will do ever ything to assist government in our little

way. I want to tell my Itsekiri brothers and sisters that they should continue to live in

peace with the Ijaw in our midst as they are our brothers and sisters.

... as Delta communities allege encroachment by Edo

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

Chief Abel Idigu, who spoke on behalf of the communities, SABA—TEN Delta State said: “There has been a longcommunities sharing borstanding issue about boundary ders with Edo State, have alleged adjustment between Edo and encroachment by Edo neighDelta states . bours, and called for urgent in“National Boundary Commistervention to avert unpleasant sion had intervened in 2007, consequences. when we met with them and they The placard-carrying protesters asked that the status quo be from Umutu, Eku, Umuegwamaintained.

Abraka, Orhuarivie-Abraka, “We were surprised recently to Obiaruku, Mosogar, Jesse, Owa- see Edo State officials planting Abbi, Oghara and Umuaja beacons on the affected land with marched to Government House armed security men. This is why in Asaba. we are here to inform the state

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government of what is happening.”

Addressing the protesters on behalf of thegovernor, Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Government House and P rotocol, Mr. Tony Obuh, said: “I thank you for the peaceful way you have handled this boundary dispute.

“This issue is critical to you and the state government. I will advise that you put your grievances into writing to enable government handle the matter well. I promise you that government will give it urgent attention.”

ERA, MOSOP demand transparency in oil sector

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

Pump, an anti-corruption advocacy aimed at tracking corrupORT HARCOURT—ENVI- tion in Nigeria’s petroleum inRONMENTAL Rights A c- dustry.

At the event, which was graced tion, ERA and Movement for the Survival of Ogoni P eople, by representatives of civil sociMOSOP, have vowed to tak e to ety groups, community-based the streets against the Nigerian organisations and Friends of the state to achieve accountability and Earth Nigeria, FoEN, the groups transparency in the country’s ex- said that Nigeria loses nearly 500,000 barrels of crude oil per tractive industry.

ERA and MOSOP underscored day, costing the country nearly this commitment, yesterday , in $8 billion dollars anually.

Executive Director of ERA, Port Harcourt, Rivers State with the launch of Publish What You Dr. Godwin Ojo, on his part

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said Nigeria was endowed with abundant natural resources, but was unable to utilise same for the wellbeing of citizens owing to “lack of transparency and accountability.”

MOSOP leader, Legbosi Saro Pyagbara, said: “Even if it involves matching on the streets, we will do so to ensure accountability, especially to enable the oil producing communities know how many barrels are being pumped from their environment.”

Professionals threaten court action over CMD post

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ONCERNED Progressive Professionals has threatened to take legal action against Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, over alleged refusal to announce the substantive Chief Medical Director, CMD, of Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi, Anambra

State.

CPP had alleged that there was confusion over who was the authentic CMD of the health institution, which it claimed had crippled activities at the hospital and had called on the minister to publish or allow the publication of the substantive CMD as a way

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

“There is no need to ask the Ijaw to move out of our communities.”

of solving the problem.

The group noted that the refusal of Chukwu to announce the substantive CMD had not made it easy for the three frontrunners in the contest, Dr . Ogonna Oguejifori, Dr. Obi Nwosu and Dr. Anthony Igwegbe, who are all laying claims to the position.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (nwamad@yahoo.com)

What's your take on early marriage? (2)

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T is morally wrong.

The girl-child needs adequate education, better health care and a secured future. These things are not achievable with under-age marriage. We must know that teenagers deserve a better life from adults. — Miss Anastasia Ezeka, Public Relations.

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IRST, it is senseless for such an issue to come up as a matter for discussion at the Senate. Is this what we pay them for? Marriage is a contract. Once you are in, it is not easy to come out. A child cannot handle that. — Mr. Kelechi Chidiobi, Businessman.

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say a big NO to child marriage. It may not be wrong to say that this practice is common in the North and majority of the Senators are from the North. This is why no Southern senator voted in favour of the bill. Children should be protected.— Mr. Ekene Adichie, Student.

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RE Nigerians surprised? Don’t the people that voted in favour of it already children as wives at home? In computer, there is a terminology known as Garbage-in Garbageout and that is what we have just seen. — Miss Ilokoli Augusta, Communicator.

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HAT portion of the constitution should be urgently amended. Nigerians should protest against this cruel act that will not benefit our children. We must all say “No” to child marriage in whatever guise. — Miss Sandra Anyian, Businesswoman.

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HE future of the new generation we are looking up to is about to be thwarted.

They are children not brides, so Nigerians should totally reject such menace. I am completely against it as a woman and as a citizen.— Miss Vivian Stephen, Student.

45— Vanguard , THURSDAY , JULY 25,

2013

Dickson carpets oil firms over poor standards

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA

Y

E N AG OA — B AY E L S A State gover nor, Mr .

Seriake Dickson, yesterday , berated multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta for not conforming to international standards and best practices in their operations in the country.

He warned that his administration would not hesitate to join forces with other stakeholders in championing for environmental rights and justice in the countr y, if the international oil companies, IOCs fail to retrace their steps.

Dickson who spoke in Yenagoa, when the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Ambassador Bert Ronhaar paid him a courtesy visit, observed that the double standards by multinational oil companies contributes significantly to the devastation of the environment and impoverishment of the people of the region.

The governor lamented the brazen manner resources of the Niger Delta are expropriated, noting that the level of environmental degradation occasioned by the operations of IOCs places the region in

Patani LG boss slams NASS BYEMMAAMAIZE ARRI—CHAIRMAN of Patani Local Gover nment Area, Delta State, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, has condemned the National Assembly over supposed hijack of the Rivers State House of Assembly, rights of the girl-child and rejection of financial autonomy for Local Governments in the country.

Similarly, National Coordinator of Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, Mr .

Oghenejabor Ikimi, who spoke to Vanguard, described the conduct of the federal lawmakers as ridiculous.

Meanwhile, Ekiyor, has rendered account of his stewardship in the last seven months to the people of Patani council.

Ekiyor, for mer national president of the Ijaw Y outh Council, IYC, during a town hall meeting in Patani, said that the council received a total of N716, 239 million as statutory allocation, while N78.953 million came from the Excess Crude Account.

He gave details of how the money was expended on capital projects, free medical care, payment of salaries, social services and environmental sanitation, adding that he was determined to transform the council to an enviable height and vowed to continue to follow due process in the execution of projects, government policies and programmes.

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a precarious situation.

“The ecosystem and livelihood of people in the Niger Delta have been negatively impacted as a result of oil exploration and exploitation activities over the years.”

He said: There are frightening scientific predictions that if urgent steps are not taken, most of the communities in the Niger Delta will be wiped away in the next couple of years.”

Recalling that Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum Company struck oil in commercial quantities in Oloibiri in Bayelsa State in 1956, he noted with regret that today, the place was bereft of any meaningful development.

“We have major issues of how to combat flooding, erosion of our communities and damaged ecosystem. There is now a disconnect arising from decades of what is perceived to be the nonchalant

attitude by the international oil companies.

“The communities now see the companies as buccaneers, who do not care about them and their conditions. Their (IOCs) concern is only the oil and not the people’s well-being. Their activities here are such that you have double standards in terms of adherence to environmental rules, regulations and procedures.”

SWEARING IN: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left) congratulating Dr. Emibra Agbeotu, as a member of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, after taking the oath of office in Government House Annex, Warri, yesterday.

Edo govt denies signing another execution warrant signed the death warrants of two more prisoners on death row in GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE the state.

ENIN CITY—EDO State “We wish to inform the general Government, yesterday, public that the governor, did not described as spurious, a report sign such death warrants and that that the state gover nor, Mr the news item is false in its enAdams Oshiomhole has signed tirety. We advise the general pubthe death warrants of two more lic to ignore the said news item death row prisoners, saying that as it is the figment of the imagiit was another attempt by misnation of the authors intended to chief makers to rubbish the im- cause disaffection against the govage of the governor. ernor and Government of Edo The government in astatement State. said that the misleading report “However, we wish to state that appeared on the scroll bar of the the governor will not shy away 7:00pm Prime News of Tuesday, from carrying his constitutional July 23, 2013, of the Nigerian duties when the need arises,” it Television Authority, NTA, Benin stated.

Network Centre to the effect that Meanwhile, Islamic clerics in Governor Oshiomhole, had Edo State, have thrown their

weight behind the recent execution of condemned criminals in Edo State, saying that it was in accordance with the laws of God. Led by the Chief Imam of Benin and Chairman League of Imams in Edo State, Mallam Abdul Enabulele, the clerics also hailed the governor for frowning at the same sex marriage proposal of some European countries.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the gover nor, yesterday, the Chief Imam, who led other Imams in the state to the Government House in Benin City, commended the governor for abiding by the dictates of the constitution of the country and his readiness to uphold and support the African value system.

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sensitisation of Isoko people on the need to support Obielum’s governorship project.

Enahoro lauded Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for his developmental strides in the state, especially the rehabilitation and construction of public primary and post-primary schools in Isokoland.

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM &

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Isoko group endorses Obielum for Delta guber election State said the other agenda mobilisation, recruitment and ZORO—A POLITICAL association, the Isoko Political R ebirth, has endorsed the candidature of Chief Godswill Obielum for the Deltla State governorship position in 2015.

The group which gave the endorsement at its meeting in at Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta

was the political situation in Isoko ethnic nationality in particular and Delta State in general.

Chairman of the group, Chief Michael Enahoro, in a statement, urged Deltans to support and work for the aspiration and candidature of Obielum, adding that the group has commenced mass

Group lauds DESOPADEC on projects

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—A politi cal pressure group, Iyede Community Patriots, has commended the commissioner representing Isoko ethnic nationality on the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr Joseph Ogeh over the equitable distribution and execution of projects in Isoko North and South Local Government Areas of the state.

The group in a statement by its Chairman and secretary, Mr Jonathan Umukoro and Mr Isaac Atikueke respectively said; “Ogeh has brought his experience as an Architect and consultant to the fore in carrying out his duties as commissioner in DESOPADEC. “Ogeh had ensured that projects were distributed to all communities in Isoko land and the level of performance and execution has been wonderful. We therefore, thank Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Ovuzorie Macaulay for the appointment of Ogeh as a commissioner in the commission.”

NIDPRODEV seeks end to Warri North crisis

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ARRI—A non governmental organisation, Niger Delta Professional for Development, NIDPRODEV, has called on militants in the Niger Delta region to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue as a way of resolving their social political differences.

Regretting the killings in the region by militants, the group said that the killings and burning of property were not the best way of resolving perceived political differences, insisting that only dialogue can bring about peace in the region.

Ms. Ifeoma Olisakwe, who spoke for the group, praised the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force, the Joint Task F orce, JTF, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps in working to quell crisis in the region.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

APGA's crisis 'll not affect electoral fortunes — Obi's aide

Orji pledges to implement rotation of guber in 2015

BY ENYIM ENYIM

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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NITSHA—SPECIAL Adviser to Governor Peter Obi on Inter-party Relations, Chief Ben Obi, yesterday, said the protracted crisis in the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, as a result of the faceoff between the governor and National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, would not affect the electoral fortunes of the party in the governorship polls in the state.

His comment came as Anambra State chairman of the party, Mr. Egwuoyibo Okoye, vowed not to vacate office, despite the Enugu Court of Appeal ruling that sacked the Maxi Okwu-led faction of the party.

Monarchs okay Igbo-Eze North LG boss for re-election

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RADITIONAL rulers in Igbo-Eze North council area of Enugu State have endorsed the incumbent chairman of the council, Mr . Bonaventure Onuh, for a second term in office, insisting it was the best way to tame the current growing political tension in the area.

They appealed to politicians in the area to exercise restraint in the handling of the present wranglings over issues relating to the 2015 elections in the state to maintain peace within the local government area.

Stating that Onuh had in his first tenure tried to reach out to communities in the local council in terms of projects execution, the monarchs in a statement said there was no reason he should be denied the opportunity of going for a second term in office.

Oko Poly old students host rector

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HE Federal Polytechnic Oko Old Students Association, FEPOSA, Lagos chapter will on Saturday, July 27, 2013 organised a dinner in honour of the school’s Rector, Professor Godwin Onu. The dinner is billed to hold at D’ Palms Airport Hotel, Ajao Estate, Lagos The meeting will also focus on students welfare and building a stronger , united and recognised Alumnai Association.

VISIT—From left: Sen. Hajiya Aisha Al Hassan, member, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Sen. Abba Ibrahim, Chairman, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Commissioner for Work and Infrastructure, Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, vice chairman of the committee, Mr. Ade Ipaye, Commissioner for Justice and Sen. Simeon Ajibola, another member, during the committee's visit to Gov. Fashola in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

FG gets $400,000 from World Bank for water, sanitation

BY FUNMI OLASUPO

the resources.

“The terms of World Bank law BUJA—THE World Bank to pay back this loan is 30 years has approved $400,000 repayment period with 5 years million for Federal Government grace period so no payment to develop water and sanitation until then.” programme.

The Permanent Secretar y, World Bank representative on Federal Ministr y of W ater Water and Sanitation Resources, Alhaji Baba Umar Programme, WSP, in Nigeria, Faruk, disclosed that the overall Mr. Ale xander Danilenk o, economic loss in Africa alone due disclosed this yesterday in Abuja to lack of access to safe water during the 2nd training workshop and basic sanitation was on water agencies’ performance estimated at $28.4 billion a year , assessment and benchmarking which is around 5 percent of in Nigeria.

GDP. He said: “This means that this Faruk, who was represented is the very first stage of the by the Director of Human reform system and the next step Resources, Mr . A deboye of water reform will be to provide Adeoye, said: “ Our nation

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continues to have the lion share of this loss due to our peculiar situation and the more we delay in addressing our water challenges the more the loss we will continue to suffer.

“United Nations World Water Development has reported has that “the overall economic loss in the Africa alone due to lack of access to safe water and basic sanitation is estimated at $28.4 billion a year which is around 5 percent of GDP. “We are mindful that our water sector is growing despite all difficulties, but the growth should be commensurate with the demand of the countr y’s population growth".

NULGE condemns senate's r ejection of LGs' autonomy

BY ENYIM ENYIM

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NITSHA—NIGERIA Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, yesterday, condemned rejection of direct funding to local governments by the Senate.

NULGE’s reaction came as it has started mobilising for the recall of some senators who voted against the direct funding.

President of the union in Anambra State, Mr . Jer ry Nnubia, dropped the hint while speaking with Vanguard.

The Senate Constitution Review Committee in its report, had recommended direct funding for local governments but the Senate voted against it.

Nnubia, who described the development as sad and unhealthy for the local government system in the country, said the Senate decision was not only fraught with selfishness but also

undemocratic.

He said: “There is no doubt that what the senate did was based on selfish interest. Some of the senators want to be

governors in their respective states and they want to hijack local government funds as many past and present governors had been doing.

Rotary Club of Ikoyi inducts Akinbami as president

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HE Rotary Club of Ikoyi District 9110, Nigeria, is to install Rotarian Frank Loye Akinbami as the 29th President of the club and the Board of Directors. The event comes up on Saturday, July 27, 2013, at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Rotarian Frank Loye Akinbami is a Marketing Manager with Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. He holds a B.sc degree in computer science from the University of Lagos, with a postgraduate certificate in micro-

informatics maintenance from UNESCO-inter governmental informatics Agency. He also has a master ’s degree in management from Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye.

The installation event would be chaired by Engr .

Chris Okonkwo, General Manager Ikeja Electric Distribution Company , Alausa and Engr .A.A. Osideinde, General Manager Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc. Corporate Headquarter, Abuja is the Guest Speaker.

MUAHIA— GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has promised to ensure that Abia Charter of Equity which prescribed power rotation in the state was implemented.

According to him, the Abia Charter of Equity remains sacrosanct and will be implemented in the interest of peace and equity in the state.

The governor’s position has, therefore, raised the hope of Ukwa/Ngwa political bloc of possibly producing the next governor of the state in 2015.

Governor Orji, who spoke when he received in audience traditional rulers from Isiala Ngwa South Local Government, who paid him a visit, assured that power would rotate to Ukwa/Ngwa bloc.

The royal fathers, led by chairman of the Isiala Ngwa Council of Traditional R ulers, Eze Solomon Nwosu, had come to express appreciation at the ongoing transformation of the state and also remind him not to forget them.

Anambra guber aspirant promises to tackle insecurity if...

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governorship aspirant, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday , expressed his preparedness to tackle insecurity and unemployment if he was given the mandate to pilot the affairs of the state.

Alex Obiogbolu stated this during an interactive session he had with youth leaders in the state.

The governorship aspirant noted that the rate of unemployment in Anambra State was not acceptable, adding that drastic measures must be initiated to stem the tide to prevent future calamity of insecurity.

He declared that his administration would in the first 100 days provide purposeful engagement for 15,000 unemployed and under employed youth.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—47

COMMISSIONING: Commissioner for Education, Cross River State, Prof. Offiong E. Offiong (left), and Regional Operations Director, Airtel Nigeria, Godfrey Efeurhobo, during the commissioning of Airtel’s adopted school, Presbyterian Primary School 2, Ediba, Cross River State.

LAUNCH: From left: Mrs. Fehintola Mustapha, General Manager, Customer-care walk-in; Mr. Kola Oyeyemi, General Manager, Consumer Marketing; Mr. Larry Annetfs, Chief Marketing Officer; Ngoma Nwoye, General Manager, Innovation and Product Development, and Mr. Bayo Adekanbi, General Manager, Business Intelligence, all of MTN, during the launch of MTN APP Developer Challenge, in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola,Photo editor.

VISIT: Sheik Ahmed Gunmi (left) with Major Hamza Al-mustapha (right), during his 'thank you' visit to the islamic scholar in Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

INVESTITURE: Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, wife of Oyo State governor (left), being decorated by Mrs. Anka Uko, Deputy Chief Commissioner, Nigerian Girls Guide Association, Western Zone, and Mrs. Folasade Tonye Brown, State Commissioner, Oyo State Girls Guide (middle), during the investiture of Mrs. Ajimobi, as Patron of the Nigerian Girls Guide Association in Oyo State. Photo: Dare Fasube

VISIT: From left, the MD/CEO, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Deepak Singhal; One Day Governor and 2013 winner of the Lagos State/ Indomie Spelling Competition, Master Boadley Afolarin, and Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, during courtesy visit of the One Day Governor to Dufil Head Office, Surulere Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

BRIEFING: Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Anthony I. Ashiedu (left); Information Commissioner, Chike Ogeah (middle), and State Chairman, Delta Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Norbert Chiazor, during a Mid-Term Media Briefing of the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, in Asaba.

Photo: Nath Onojake

ANNIVERSARY: From left, Mr. Atanda Owoade, guest of honour; Mrs. Ibidun Oke, Miss Tumininu Ogundare, receiving certificate from proprietor of Annabel School, Mr. Adewale Falade; Mrs. Oluwatoyin Dosumu, and Mr. Ayodeji Ademosu, MC, during the Annabel Nursery School Celebration's 10th Anniversary, in Lagos.

Photo: Diran Oshe C M Y K

WORKSHOP: From left, Learning Advisor, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Clementina Mezebi; MD, Danvic Concept International Nigeria, Mayowa Afe, and Senior Public Affairs Coordinator, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Ernest Omo-ojo, during the train-the-trainer geosciences workshop for lecturers in universities, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

CONFERENCE: From left, Sefia Emuejevoke, General Sales Agency Manager, RwandAir; Lilian Kyatengwa, Senior Manager, Sales, and Hafeez Balogun, Country Manager, during the press conference for the airline's "fly and Win" promo, in lagos.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

RAMADAN TALK

Kano govt moves to eradicate street begging

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

Feeding the poor, profitable venture with no risk

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K

ANO—KANO State Government is to train 485 physically challenged persons in selected trades as part of efforts to eradicate street begging.

The Director-General of the state Hisba Board, Alhaji Abba Sufi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday, in Kano. Sufi said that those to be trained were evacuated from 45 streets in the city, where they were begging for alms.

He said that the training would enable the affected persons to be selfreliant. He added that the government was determined to discourage the less privileged from street begging.

Sufi assured that the government would give the beneficiaries some amounts of money to start businesses at the end of the training.

LECTURE—From right: The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh with the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Guest Lecturer; and Commandant, AFIT, Air Vice Marshal John Olusola Oshoniyi at the 42nd AFIT Graduation Lecture at the Oluseyi Petinrin Hall,NAF Base,Kaduna, yesterday. Photo:Olu Ajayi.

Youths on rampage as 12 die in Benue auto crash

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI—IRATE youths of Tyo Mu, an outskirt of Makurdi town, yesterday, bar ricaded the ever busy Makurdi-Gboko highway after 12 members of the

JONATHAN 2015: N-Delta reaches out to S-W est

BY CHARLES MGBOLU

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AGOS—AHEAD of 2015 elections, a delegation from the Niger Delta, led by Elder Timi Ogoriba and Comrade Joseph Evah of the Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, recently paid a visit to the founder of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC; Dr. F redrick F asheun and Otunba Gani Adams; National Coordinator of OPC in Lagos to harmonies their political goals towards the reelection of President Jonathan.

The Niger Delta group addressed the press after meeting the OPC leaders at two separate closed door sessions.

Elder Ogoriba said: “We have found a brother here in Fasheun.We are here to solidarise with him and thank him. Our group seek to help Jonathan go in for another term and we have found an ally in Fasheun who consistently fights for the minority in this C M Y K

country.”

Dr Fasheun thanked the group for the visit stating this was the ‘One Nigeria’ he had always spoken about when tribe and religion lay no barrier in the building blocks of nationhood.

Gani Adams emerged after the meeting insisting it was not a political sitting. “Our meeting centred on the general interest of the nation. We discussed security and economic gains in the country amongst other issues.

It is not an endorsement for Jonathan”, he said.

Evah on his part, reacted to feelers from certain northern elements who do not want the President to re-run in the general elections.

He said: “ People are fighting for their right and interest and we understand. The same northerners supported us when they insisted that after the death of Yaradua, Jonathan must not remain the acting President, along the line we believe they will reason with us”.

community were crushed in a ghastly auto accident.

The angry mob barricaded the highway with stones, fallen trees, electric poles and other objects, hindering free flow of traffic on the highway for several hours.

Vanguard gathered from eyewitnesses that three of the victims were crushed last Tuesday, while nine others were killed few days ago on the same spot.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the community , Emmanuel Ingyough, lamented that “so far the community has lost about 12 persons to road accidents in the last one month.

"The driver of one of the vehicles, a Volvo station wagon, that hit and killed people on T uesday, took to his heels abandoning the dam-

aged vehicle.”

According to him, another car had hit an elderly man, Orkuma Ukagye in the early hours of Tuesday, “ who later died at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Makurdi.

"Those that died on the spot included Iorundu Angbem and a tractor operator who was simply identified as Jaki, but the only surviving victim, Iorbume Ingyough was still receiving treatment at the FMC, Makurdi.”

Emmanuel lamented that the aggrieved members of the community were forced to protest the recklessness of some motorists who daily ply the ever busy highway, saying, “we’re only registering our pains and the need for the authorities to do something about the recurrent avoidable deaths we have been recording in our community.”

ASTING for a couple of days might be all it takes to understand the suffering of those who go without food in their own way of life.

Understanding the plight of the poor is one part of what Ramadan is meant to achieve. We are therefore reminded severally both in the Qur’an and hadith that giving food to fasting Muslim is a great deed in the month. Some of the penance for kafarah; and remedies for the aged who cannot fast or the terminally ill person who cannot fast is to feed the poor. That shows how much Allah values putting food at the table of the poor. Abundant rewards awaits anyone who feeds a fasting Muslim for sahur or iftar just as there are devine benefits for those who share their wealth with others during the month or after.

H

ow much better it would be if we could let others see the beauty of the message of Islam by the way of giving. W e should not allow this special month to go without a good account of what we have added in somebody’s life. We need to be asking ourselves all the time especially how we are going to benefit maximally from the holy month. What are we going to do to make the most of Ramadan?

Surely, it is a profitable venture in which there is no risk, but fat rewards. There are rewards in this life and the hereafter for giving charity at any moment. This is also not talking about the personal satisfaction one will derive from such act. The receivers of your charity will also connect with you spiritually and both parties will be happy.

It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Hell Fire, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.”

I

t is not too late to step up the act in this month of generosity and kindness. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Charity reduces nothing from one’s wealth.’ He also said, ‘Protect yourselves against Hell even if it be with a slice of a date.”

Allah says, “And they give (others) preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be successful.” (Al-Hashr: 9).

We can bring light and hope into the lives of many people who have none. Islam is the natural religion that considers all social class. Many in the world know nothing about Islam, except for the images of violence by those elements who do not show traits of believers.

By way of giving, we can change that misconception. By our giving for Allah’s sake, we can teach the world how beautiful Islam really is.

Maybe our giving could also help us to be better Muslims.

3m people trained on skills acquisition

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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BUJA—THE Di rector-General of National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Mallam Abubakar Mohammed, yesterday said that about three million Nigerians had been trained and empowered on different skills acquisition.

Mohammed, who dis-

closed this in his address at the inauguration of the Governing Board of NDE in Abuja, said that the directorate was established with the mandate of designing and implementing programmes to combat unemployment and articulate policies aimed at developing work programmes with labour intensive potentials.

The DG said that under the National Open Apprenticeship Scheme, NOAS, of the Vocational Skills Development Department, the NDE had engaged Master T rainers all over the country, noting that the presence of the directorate in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory had been tremendously felt

— NDE boss

through the implementation of its numerous programmes.

Inaugurating the Governing Board, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, said the problem of unemployment had increasingly come to be identified as one of the serious socio-economic problems currently confronting the country.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—49

Nigerians need more than new Consulate in China

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

I

RRESPECTIVE of the fact that the much talked about new Consulate to be built in China’s southern commercial city , Guangzhou, is a welcome development for Nigerians residing in that part of the world due to its numerous advantages, Nigerians in China have come out to say that there are much more biting challenges confronting them.

Although, a teeming number of them were elated over the approval of a new Consulate, as it would

eventually save them the unfriendly journey of having to travel from Guangzhou to Beijing to pursue consular services, others felt the approval has long overstretched and needed not be rejoiced over.

Speaking via telephone, a China based Nigerian businessman, F abian Ezeago, who was at President Jonathan’s reception at the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing, was embittered that the embassy officials denied Nigerians the opportunity to establish the realities of their condition in China to the President.

Fabia said: “We would have

been delighted if we had succeeded in making the President understand that we are stuck in China’s stringent policies, which do not permit Nigerians resident in China to bring their families to live with them, including several other consular issues in relation to visa extension, etc.

Aside the new Consulate, Nigerians in China desire to be relieved of the frustration from policies that make it cumbersome for them to process entry permit to unite with their families, while in China.”

Another Nigerian businessman in China, who simply identified himself as

Onwa, said: “Any policy that separates families by reason of their immigration status, is against the international laws of marriage and as such, I see no reason why Nigerians are summarily singled out whenever it comes to visa policies in countries of residence. I am a frequent traveller to China, and of all the population of Nigerians in China, business group constitutes about 75 per cent with a growing number of students within the average of 10 per cent and other mixed crowd of fortune seekers. So Nigerians should not be made to pass through all

these rigorous terrain, especially at this time that harmonious cooperation levels between the two great countries appears to be crucial.”

Also, Nigerian community president, Emma Ojukwu, who was also at the event frowned at the various levels of harassment that Nigerians receive on daily basis in China. He called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the plight of Nigerians in China, since Nigerians contribute enormously to China’s economic growth.

His words: “Nigerians should have preeminence on issues that concern their well being in China, since they contribute enormously to China’s economic development. It is important for Nigeria government to hasten up any plan targetted towards ensuring that Nigerians in China are assisted where necessary, with better consular services from the Chinese embassy officials. This is an issue that should act as a uniting force between Nigeria and China, as well as help Nigerians build a very strong mutual relationship in both family and business communities with the Chinese authority.”

US satisfied with bi-lateral relation with Nigeria Hawkins

By VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU & PRISCA SAM-DURU

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HE United States Consul General, Jeffery Hawkins, has expressed satisfaction in the bi-lateral relationship between his country and the government of Nigeria.

Announcing U.S effort in most social and economic assistance to Nigeria, Hawkins highlighted areas that his country intends to further strengthen binational ties with Nigeria in key areas through various c o m m u n i t y development programmes.

He said: “ As a country that believes and stands on unity in diversity, we are happy to communicate to countries near and far, this is among the values that have kept us going for the past 237 years.

We also take pride in t h e s e accomplishments, which is why we shall continue to collaborate with countries, mostly Nigeria, to foster unity, progression.”

50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 —51

C M Y K

52— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 52—Vanguard,

July 6, 2013!

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I! On July 6, 2013, I must have been the happiest girl on planet earth!

I finally began to travel on the path I have always dreamed of walking. The dream of being an author of books.

The presentation of my “first” book, Youth, Sex and Wellbeing took place at the Afe Babalola Auditorium, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.

I was overjoyed. It was a dream come true, for, right from a very young age, I had nursed the dream of writing.

While in Preparatory and Secondary Schools, both at Aunty Ayo, South West, Ikoyi, Lagos, I wrote scripts upon scripts of stories mostly based on romantic fantasies and challenges of growing up, with the intention of sending them for publication in the United Kingdom by the publishers of Mills and Boon.

I was a voracious reader and together with my friends, Toyin Awopeju, Bimbo Banwo, Biola Onagoruwa, Folusho Ajakaiye, we cleaned out the shelves at Glendora Book Store, Falomo Shopping Center on a weekly basis.

Kofo Kuye was not so keen, but we managed to drag her along most of the time. Books were cheap and affordable, same for Magazines and Comics and one also had the advantage of sharing and exchanging books with friends with similar passion.

it was a bit difficult for me to decide on which story should make the book or not. Besides, a compilation would not fulfill that nagging need in me to counsel and hopefully make a difference, no matter how little in the life of someone out there. After all, what is the thrill in a story which teaches no lesson?

Thus, the concept adopted in Youth, Sex and Wellbeing was conceived.

Why write about sex? Sex and sexuality remains one of the most complex acts of human existence.

In spite of the extensive studies on the issue, man still finds it difficult to understand the me-

favour and/or casual sex.

Premarital sex remains the most dangerous form of sexual activity for any society and calls for serious concern from all quarters since it usually involves young people.

Worrisome is the fact that while many parents and guardians may be aware of their children’s sexual activities, quite a number of them turn a blind eye, while some others prefer to pay lip service to the issues involved.

Nigerian society and government have done very little to assist young people in achieving and living a healthy sex life.

Despite our high level of religious display and proclamations,

chanics of the human anatomy and how to conquer its challenges and make it work for him.

Today, though awareness about sex, sexuality and sex education has increased greatly from what it used to be a couple of years ago, young people and indeed, many adults have remained trapped in a void created mostly by man-inflicted or invented clogs such as religion, economy, morality, unfettered information and legislations.

From my interaction with people over the years, I have come to the conclusion that most sexually active Nigerians are least prepared for the huge challenge and responsibility that sex requires.

Of all the various groups of people, the most vulnerable are perhaps those involved in relationships where their partners are unfaithful and those who engage in high risk sexual behaviours, including rape, prostitution, sex for

same is not reflective of our society. Poor economic situation, low self esteem, moral, religious and societal values, corruption, unemployment, lack of social welfare programmes and infrastructure, all work against the interest of young people in Nigeria.

Nigerian leaders and indeed her people hide under religion and morality to shy away from tackling the challenges of reproductive health issues, especially the reviewing of abortion laws, provision of special youth clinics, provision of social welfare schemes for young people as well as upholding the rights of the girl-child.

It is however disheartening to note that it is the same older people who prey on young people’s vulnerability to their advantage.

This book is an attempt to bring to the fore, the implications of high risk sexual behaviour especially as it affects young people, as well as to appeal to the conscience of all concerned to do

Similar passion It was great fun and I still have some of those manuscripts. So, though it has been a long time coming, it felt so good to finally step into my very owndream.

Incidentally, a few close friends have since been asking why I have been calling Youth, Sex and Wellbeing my first book, when indeed, I had authored another book way back 2007.

The truth is, I was commissioned to write that book, a compilation of newspaper stories on the government of His Excellency, Dr. Sam Egwu, former governor of Eboyin State, (1999-2007), titled, Egwu in the Eye of the Media. Perhaps it is for this reason that I do not refer to it as my first book.

Youth, Sex and Wellbeing is a combination of my works as a counselor as well as extracts from my writings in The Human Angle Column, thus, a book close to myheart.

Like all newspaper writers, compiling one’s works into a book form for posterity is of paramount desire. However, after writing The Human Angle column, twice weekly for almost 20 years,

Relationship mixed with love and hatred

By ONOZURE DANIA

D

O you know that when a love re lationship turns sour, bitter can creep in and this may turn to hatred towards our partner? Often, this feeling may be coming from our own life experience or from other people’s life experience.

Before you can love another person and get into a relationship with anyone, you need to first love yourself.

You must be able to love yourself and be happy with yourself as you are, and you are not expecting that your lover or partner will make you happy or expect the relationship to give you love and happiness.

To love yourself, you need to be able to accept yourself as you are in the present moment.

If you can not accept yourself as you are, or don’t know how to love yourself, how is it possible for you to accept other people as they are and know how to love other people as they are?

If you are not peaceful and have no love within you, how can you share peace and love with others? You will be very disappointed by your own expectation and the relationship will definitely turn sour and bitter.

If you expect your lover or partner or the relationship to give you love and happiness, to make you happy and be loved, it’s because nobody and no relationship can give you love and happiness.

Love and happiness comes from within ourselves, loving ourselves as we are and accepting ourselves as we are, whether

what is right for young people in Nigeria.

I must express my profound gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this book and its presentation a reality.

God will grant you the grace and mercy to fulfill your dreams and destiny. I am greatly indebted to our very own dear Uncle Sam who provided me the platform and opportunity to express myself. I thank all my colleagues,

we are in a relationship with someone or not. If we don’t have love in ourselves and are not happy with our own self as we are, and trying to get love and happiness from other people or from relationship to get rid of the incompleteness and emptiness in us, then no matter how much our partner loves us and is nice to us, we will never be satisfied and happy.

At the beginning of a relationship, two people must be in love with each other and decide to be in a relationship sharing life together. But, as time goes by, impermanence strikes, physicalcondition changes, appearance changes,abilities change,mentality changes,things change, environment changes, the state of mind changes, feelings change, hormones change, likes and dislikes change, what we want and don’t want change.

After spending some time together getting to know each other deeper, exposing our real personality in front of our partner, we realize that we don’t really like or love our partner as much as before, because we start to see the qualities in our partner that we don’t like. The feeling of love become lesser and lesser, and one day, it’s completely gone.

We are not in love with him or her anymore. It’s heartbreaking for our partner to know that we are not in love with them anymore because if they are still in love with us, they might get upset and be angry with us and they have the rights and should be allowed to be upset and angry with us.

friends and family for their love, support and encouragement over the years, many of them always ready and willing to provide props when I cannot stand on my feet.

Its been a long time coming and I thank Almighty God for the break!

To Him be all the glory and honour.

Youth, sex and Wellbeing will be available at book stores near you soon!

To becontinued C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013—53

Child marriage supporters blackmailed us to have their way—Mark •Says but for religious link, Section 29(4)(b) would have been killed •Assures that Senate will revisit controversial clause •CAN plans to mobilize Nigerians on protest •Archbishop Martins say it’s inhuman •Leave marriage age at 18 —PAN

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BUJA—SENATE P resi dent, David Mark, yesterday, said proponents of Section 29 (4)(b) in the constitution hid under religious guise to get the section sail through during last week’s clause-by-clause voting in the on-going constitution amendment process. He said it was time Nigerians shunned religion when dealing with sensitive issues if the country must forge ahead.

Already, the Christian Association of Nigerian, CAN, has concluded plans to mobilize Nigerians to protest the non-amendment of provisions of the Constitution, just as the Paediatric Association of Nigeria, P AN, has called for immediate reinstatement of the age of marriage to 18 years.

Religious sentiment Mark, said but for religious sentiment that was injected into the voting period, the section in question which tends to support underage marriage, would have been completely deleted from the nation’s constitution.

He regretted that rather than being praised, the upper legislative chamber was being vilified over its bold attempt to have the controversial clause removed from the country’s law book.

Speaking, yesterday, while hosting the leadership of some women groups, under the aegis of Gender and Constitution Reform Network, GECORN, which stormed the National Assembly in protest over the controversial section, the Senate President lamented non-appreciation of the Senate for attempting to delete the said portion which he noted had been in the Nigerian Constitution since 1979.

“The good of the country is for everybody and not for a particular religious sect. Let me also talk to my brothers and sisters who are senators, who were probably blackmailed. That is the fact, because it is in the open that I can-

•Constitutional Amendment: Members of the House of Representatives waiting for the result of the manual voting on Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Constitutional Amendment last night.

not also hide it and nobody can hide it. They were simply blackmailed, and on that day , if they didn’t do what they did, nobody knows the outcome or how the consequences would be today, because the people outside can say this man, you are Muslim and didn’t vote for something that is of Islamic interest. If we don’t hit the nail squarely on the head, we may never get it right.”

Even as he regretted that the Red Chamber could not secure the 73 votes required to delete it, he, nonetheless, assured that it was not yet over with the controversial clause, saying in no time, the Senate would revisit the issue with a view to getting it expunged from the constitution.

Mark stated: “It didn’t go through because of other tangential issues that were brought in on the floor of the Senate, total inconsequential issues, unconnected issues that were brought in. We wanted to remove it but it failed, we were a total of 101 and 85 voted and I think about six or so abstained. There was hardly any dissenting votes but once it got mixed up with so many other issues, it didn’t get the required 73 votes anymore”.

Noting that the public was castigating the Senate over the issue based on ignorance, he said: “So, first of all, I think the castigation outside is done out of misunderstanding. This is because a religious connotation was brought into it, which is a very sensitive issue and you must agree with me that in this country, we tr y as much as possible not to bring issues that involves faith to the floor of the Senate. indeed the chamber. We keep religion completely out of it because what is good for a Christian is also good for a Muslim."

Earlier, spok esperson of the group and Executive Secretary of Women’s Right A dvancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA, Mrs. Saudautu Shehu Mahdi, said they were in the Senate not only to register their displeasure over last Tuesday’s Senate’s voting supporting the retention of

Section 29 (4)(b), but to call on the National Assembly , as a whole to revisit the issue with a view to deleting it completely from the constitution.

Sandwiched between Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, and the former Minister of Education, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, Mrs Mahdi said “citizenship is and must remain gender-neutral and safeguarded from any cultural, religious or social interpretations or connotations”. She add-

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By SAM EYOBOKA, SOLA OGUNDIPE, HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

honestly. It’s a great disappointment. It’s totally against normal human justice. Children don’t know anything; they can’t fight for themselves. So we’ll fight for them. If the National Assembly of a country can vote for adults to sleep with children, your own children; it just reflects and shows the condition of the nation.

“If it is true that the Senate first voted to say that only girls above 18 should be married; and then that vote was turned down by Mr. Yerima, and that was overturned;

Any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age — Section 29 (4b) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution

ed: “The harm of maintaining Section 29(4)(b),which is open to manipulation arising from its ambiguity, far outweighs any arguable benefits a few females might arguably obtain”.

CAN plans national protest Meanwhile, attempts by the Senate to placate Nigerians notwithstanding, the Christian Association of Nigerian, CAN, is planning to call out Nigerians to protest the non-amendment of the controversial provision of Section 29 (4b) of the 1999 Constitution, just as the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos describes the endorsement of child marriage as inhuman.

National President, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who spoke to Vanguard in Lagos before he jetted out of the country, described the Senate’s endorsement of child marriage as a shame, adding “the only solution is for Nigerians to cry out.”

He wondered whether Nigerians had been too brutalized “that we have no voice anymore to cry out, because it’s like we are so used to wrong things that everybody just accepts it when it comes.

So is this the way we are going to accept this again? I hope not,

,

and later they now voted that even children should be married…if it is true, I think it is one of the greatest shames of the century for Nigeria as a nation. Not just the National Assembly because the National Assembly is a reflection of Nigeria; it is a shame. It’s a disgrace. I feel ashamed to call myself a Nigerian. There are places I will go into right now and I don’t know what I’m going to do, especially those of us that travel around the world."

Also speaking through the Director of Social Communications, Very Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins, called on the law makers to quickly rethink and rescind their decision and show some respect for the wishes of the people. He said: “Failure to do this would lend credence to the popular belief that their junketing around the nation under the guise of receiving grassroots opinion on constitutional amendment was another ruse for wasting time and the nation’s resources.”

Archbishop Martins added that any attempt by the Senate to hold on to its present position would mean giving consent to an obnoxious provision that found its way into a military-engineered constitution which deprive many a girl-

child the right to grow into healthy and productive adults. He said that retaining that provision of the 1999 constitution would amount to endorsing a provision that robs children of their childhood.

Leave marriage age at 18, PAN pleads In a related development, the Paediatric Association of Nigeria, PAN, has called for called for immediate reinstatement of the age of marriage at 18 years in the country.

Expressing shock over the retention of the controversial Section 29 (4b) of the 1999 Constitution, in the new Federal constitution proposal, to the effect that the age of marriage which has been traditionally put at 18 years has been expunged, PAN National President, Professor Adebiyi Olowu and the National Secretary, Dr. Jerome Elusiyan, argued that the according to the United Nations convention to which Nigeria is a signatory, 18 years remained the age of maturity.

Tthe duo noted in a statement: “It is no surprise that the age of 18 years is also the age that adulthood begins and the age at which an individual is allowed to vote, drive and own bank account among others.”

PAN stated: “Our Association takes this as an abuse of the right of the child to which our country is a signatory and expresses its readiness to join forces with well meaning Nigerians and other interest groups to ensure the reinstatement of 18 years as the age of marriage in Nigeria. This amendment in the marriage act if allowed will make Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of nations.”

It warned that the medical consequences of Girl Child Marriage which includes development of Vesico-Vaginal Fistula,VVF, low birth weight, birth asphyxia among others should strongly be a deterrent to this act that is universally condemnable.

54— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

STORIES BY JAPHET ALAKAM

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Dissecting El Anatsui’s midcar eer survey at Br ooklyn Museum

HOSE who think that great contemporary art comes only from developed countries in the West, or from cities in fastgrowing parts of China, India or Latin America, should make a re think as Anatsui’s immense and astonishing creations have revealed that Africa is very much a continent to reckon with, artistically speaking.

Viewers are free to visit the Brooklyn Museum whereGravity and Grace: Monumental Works, a breath-taking solo exhibition by unarguably Africa’s most celebrated contemporary artist, El Anatsui is showing.

The ongoing show which will run until August 4, features over One of the works by El Anatsui 30 works in metal and wood that of use, reflecting his own transform appropriated objects and floor sculptures, widely into site-specific sculptures. considered to represent the apex nomadic background. Gravity and Grace responds to a long Anatsui converts found materials of Anatsui’s career . The metal history of innovations in abstract Gravity and Grace responds to a long art and performance, building upon cross-cultural exchange history of innovations in abstract art and among Africa, Europe, and the performance, building upon crossAmericas and presenting works in a wholly new, African medium cultural exchange among Africa, Europe, Born in Ghana and and the Americas currently working in Nigeria, into a new type of media that lies Anatsui is best known for his between sculpture and painting, wall works, created with bottle vibrant large-scale sculptures caps from a distillery in Nsukka, combining aesthetic traditions made from common discarded from his birth country, Ghana; his are pieced together to form materials. By folding thousands colorful, textured hangings that home in Nsukka, Nigeria; and of foil liquor bottle tops in several the global history of abstraction. take on radically new shapes with distinct ways, arranging them each installation. Anatsui is capIncluded in the exhibition are and connecting them together twelve recent monumental wall tivated by his materials’ history into sheets, he is able to trans-

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form what once was garbage into beautiful works that appear to flow like textiles and burst with color like abstract painting.

For other pieces, he takes used metal printing plates and combines them into standing stones reminiscent of Stonehenge. And for others, he connects the caps from milk containers into glorious serpentine rivers of gold and silver. Carved wooden pieces and works on paper round out the exhibit, and show Anatsui’s artistry with more traditional mediums and techniques.

Lola Shoneyin bids to complement book festivals in Nigeria N its bid to promote literacy and a sustainable reading culture and support schools in developing reading spaces in Nigeria especially among the youths, renowned author, Lola Shoneyin, through her foundation, the Book Buzz Foundation is set to complement the efforts of existing book festivals with the hosting of new art and book festivals in Nigeria.

The new art and literary festival known as Ake Arts and Book Festival (AABF) is scheduled to run from November 19-24, in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State .

The six day cultural, art and literary festival with the theme “The Shadow of Memory” seeks to explore the impact of Africa’s rich but chequered past on the present, and the extent to which this has been captured in African literature and the arts. The festival which will be graced by Noble Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka will also witness the presence of about 103 local and international quest artists that will impact knowledge to the participants during the festival.

In a media parley with art writers in Lagos, Lola Shoneyin disclosed that all necessary arrangements have been put in place for the hosting of the

maiden edition of the festival .

Highlighting some of the events of the festival, festival coordinator stated that there will be workshops, master classes ranging from creating graphic novels to effective editing, panels with discussions on the representation of women in African Literature and the realities of Post-conflict

African societies, book chats, book fair, an art exhibition and more.

These will include readings, master classes, workshops, performances and talks delivered by both Nigerian and international authors, thinkers, poets, filmmakers, actors, artists and academics. Events will also include schools visits, a stage play, film showings, a musical

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The six day cultural, art and literary festival seeks to explore the impact of Africa’s rich but chequered past on the present

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Lola Shoneyin

concert, library openings and a comprehensive book fair to which pupils, publishers and book buyers will

Chimamanda Adichie wins American Prize

be invited. Members of the public will be invited to participate in these events to promote social inclusion.

Discussions will touch important issues such as the public and individual perception of nationhood and how truly free freedom of expression is in Africa. More targeted themes such as women’s rights and child literacy will also be addressed, as a way of examining how the arts can contribute to development in these areas.

The author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s wives said, “ we are launching 10 books at the festival and we are collaborating with Bounty Press to ensure that all the books written by our visiting authors are available at the festival bookstores.”

The festival will afford writers, poets, designers and manufacturers cherish the opportunity to showcase their arts-related work, their books, their inventions and their products.

It will also feature writing competitions for children’ which will be open to children of 11-16 years and the winning 400-word story will be published as a picture book and will be avail-

HIMAMANDAimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s third novel, Americanah has been awarded the 2013 Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for fiction.

The Heartland Prize is a literary prize created in 1988 by the Chicago Tribune Newspaper.

According to Elizabeth Taylor, Literary Editor of The Chicago Tribune, the prize is awarded yearly in two categories — fiction and non-fiction, to books concerned with American issues, causes and concerns.

“We loved Americanah. It’s a powerful, resonant novel and we would be delighted to celebrate it and try to share it with a wider audience,” Taylor w r o t e .

“I’m very pleased,” Adichie said on receiving news of the prize. “You never know what will happen when you write a novel. For me, a Nigerian, to have written this book which is partly about America, and to receive this quintessentially American prize means that I have said something about America seen through Nigerian eyes that Americans find interesting. I take that as a wonderful compliment. It reminds me of the ability of literature to make us become briefly alive in bodies not our own.”

Past fiction winners of the Heartland Prize include Jonathan France for his novel Freedom, and Marilynne Robinson for her novelGilead.

The prize will be awarded on November 3, 2013 at an event hosted in partnership with the Chicago Humanities Festival in Chicago.

Chimamanda Adichie able for purchase at the Ake Arts & Book Festival.”

AABF is supported by W orld Bank, while the events will also be supported and jointly funded

by Shell Nigeria Ltd, Chevron, the British Council, Goethe Institute, British Airways, Channels TV and the Ekiti State Government.

Vanguard, THURSD AY, Y, JULY 2 5, 2 013 —55

Best care essential for breast health

US tackles fake anti-malaria drugs with $73m

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

BY VERA SAMUELANYAGAFU

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NE of the best ways to take care of breasts to prevent ill health particularly breast cancer is proper breast care.

Breast care is essential for every woman regardless of her age. Here are simple care tips ways every woman can adopt.

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Maintain healthy weight

Being overweight can increase risk of developing breast cancer as well as reduce chances of surviving it. A healthy lifestyle can keep your breasts healthy.

Regular exercise

Exercise can shape your breasts and improve blood circulation. Aim to exercise for 45 minutes to an hour five days a week. Exercise help to maintain body weight; body weight and breast shape are co-related. Exercising will keep your body and breasts fit, but will not increase breast size.

Massage

Massage helps blood circulation. Massage clockwise and then anti-clockwise using your fingers.

• Good breast care prevents signs of ageing and is essential for early detection of breast cancer.

Banish alcohol

Self-Examination

Breast Self Examination, BSE, is vital. In the shower raise one arm and with the other hand softly massage your breasts in circular movements.

Wear the right bra

Bras have to be the right size and type. Medical experts say tight and ill-fitting bras can restrict air supply and blood flow. This can lead to breast cancer. Mak e sure your bras are the right size, cup-wise and frame-wise.

Research has shown that two drinks a day could increase breast cancer risk by 21 percent.

Instead, try swapping wine for fresh grapes. Resveratrol, found in the skin of grapes, helps reduce estrogen levels, which in turn reduce syour risk

Eat vegetables

A low-fat diet can do a lot to reduce your risk, but for even more protection, add some cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, to your plate.

They contain sulforaphane, which is believed to help prevent cancer cells from multiplying. For an extra dose of cancer-fighting power, eat them raw.

Get checked

Have a clinical breast exam at least every three years and annual examinations and mammograms starting at age 40. Women with a family history should begin screening 10 years prior to the family member's age of diagnosis.

HE U.S Department of States has released a total of $73 million to fight fake antimalaria medication in Nigeria through its recently launched counterfeit anti-malaria medication awareness.

“The awareness programme organised in collaboration with Nigeria’s’ Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration (ACC), is expected to reach an estimated 39 million people in 11 target States.

U.S. Acting Consul General, Dehab Ghebreab said it is one of the US government’s major foreign assistance objectives to reduce the high level of counterfeit and sub-standard medicines in Nigeria market.

Dehab said the U.S. Department of State provided the resources to continue to mitigate the devastating impact fake and substandard anti-malaria medications in Nigeria.

She urged all stakeholders to join hands in safeguarding global pharmaceutical supply chains, and cut down on the alarming number of deaths from counterfeit anti-malaria medications.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

G

OOD day sir. My name is Mr. Michael. Please sir each time sperm comes out with urine while I am toileting in the toilet. Could this be a medical problem?

Dear Michael, if you are experiencing a whitish discharge when you are urinating, it is definitely not sperm. You have an infection. Go quickly and see a doctor for proper medical tests and treatment– Uche I have had diabetes for some time now and it has ruined my sex life. My erection is so weak that penetration is impossible. My doctors have tried for me without success. I will appreciate your help as I am still a young man with a young wife. Thank you – Olalekan Lekan hello and sorry for your diabetes. Although some erection supplements are typically not good for diabetic people, there is hope for you. You can use Sex Voltz. It is okay for diabetics and gives very strong erections and improved stamina. One capsule of Sex Voltz will also work for as long as three days. I believe this is the best solution for you right now – Uche I had surgery three years ago and since then, I have not been able to get an erection. I have tried all kinds of medication and taken Viagra but nothing has worked. Can you help? – Moses Dear Moses, I am sorry about this. If Viagra did not work for you, I wouldn’t recommend wasting money on more supplements. I suggest wearing an artificial penis for intercourse instead. It is called a Penile Extension and it comes in sizes of six, eight and ten inches. Penile Extensions are realistic looking, firm like a real erection and will help you fulfil your sexual obligations to your wife. Sorry again and good luck – Uche I just got into a new relationship about seven months ago and things are looking promising. My fiancée and I are interested in proper sex education that will help our future marriage succeed. Thank you – Yemi That’s great planning Yemi. First of all, you need

something that can enable you understand women so that you can give her exactly what she wants. For that I recommend the movie Incredible Orgasms. And then you need a movie that will teach you variety so that you don’t do the same things over and over again. For that I recommend Advanced Sexual Techniques and Positions. And finally, a book that will help both of you in romance and adult sexuality in general, I recommend getting Tantric Sex for Busy Couples. It is a great read – Uche Have you ever heard of this vibrator that can be blown up to any size so that one doesn’t have to worry about buying different sizes of dildo? I am interested in it and I also need something to help with arousal and dryness. Thanks – Esther Esther that is a very rare dildo but we have it. It is called the Inflatable Stud. For your arousal, you can get the new Cleopatra’s Secret Female Arousal gel.

It will stop the vaginal dryness, arouse you and is flavoured so is perfect for oral sex too – Uche I have a penis like a five year old. Is there any kind of enlargement that can help? Samuel Samuel, if you take the usual supplements, the results will still not be satisfactory because of how small you are. The best thing for you will be to wear a penis extension during intercourse. I also recommend regular penis enlargement exercises with a good penis pump such as the Jack Pump. Do this every day and within months of constant use, you will notice some growth.

You can also combine this pump with an enlargement supplement like Extenze Plus for best results – Uche That’s it for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08191978308 or 08027901621 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

56 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 — 57

British royal baby named George Alexander Louis

B

RITAIN’S new prince has been named George Alexander Louis.

Palace officials said Wednesday that the 2day-old baby and thirdin-line to the throne will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.

Earlier in the day , the baby met his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.His parents — Prince William and Kate — then brought him to Kate’s parents in their village near London — pretty much like any regular family.

After the frenzy and the flashguns, Britain’s new royal baby and his parents spent W ednesday out of the media spotlight.

But for how long?

The prince is the most famous infant on Earth, and as a future British king he faces a lifetime of celebrity.Palace officials say Prince William and his wife Kate are spending “private and quiet time for them to get to know their son” - and, perhaps, to figure out ways to shield him from intense public and media interest. At least the rela-

tionship got off to a good start. The baby slept through his first photo op outside London’s St. Mary’s Hospital, while his parents beamed as they chatted easily with reporters. For a royal family that has had a fraught relationship with the media, it was a positive sign. ”I thought, is this an Oscar-winning performance?” said Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine. “But I think they were so genuinely overjoyed that they wanted to show off the baby.”

4 killed in Pakistani attack A

T least four people have been killed and more than 30 wounded in a bomb attack targeting government intelligence offices in southern Pakistan, officials say.

At least four people have been killed and more than 30 injured in an apparent bomb attack on government security agencies in P akistan’s Sindh province.

Gunmen detonated four bombs near the offices of the Pakistani intelligence

agency and other security forces in the town of Sukkur, state TV reports.

Sporadic gunfire was reportedly heard in the area following the explosions.

Sukkur is located some 500km (310 miles) northeast of Karachi, the main city in Sindh province.

Up to seven attackers stormed the heavily guarded compound on Wednesday, officials said.

The gunmen seized control of one of the govern-

ment buildings while another office was still under fire, according to the state-run Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV).

The roof of a third building was reported to have collapsed, with people feared trapped beneath the rubble.

Police sent reinforcements to the area, officials said, adding that it was not yet clear who was behind the assault

•Kate, Prince William and their baby

S/Sudan president fires cabinet

S

OUTH Sudan’s Pres ident Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed Vice President Riek Machar Teny, along with all his cabinet ministers.

Heavily armed South Sudanese troops and police guarded key government institutions in the capital Juba Wednesday, as radio broadcasts called for calm after the suspension. “[Kiir] has taken the power struggle to a whole other level,” Sara Pantuliano, head of the humanitarian policy

Africa under funds health, war ns UN watchdog

T

WELVE years after African governments pledged in the Abuja declaration to allocate at least 15% of their annual budgets to healthcare by 2015, just six countries have met this goal.

Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, T ogo and Zambia have hit the target, and five other countries are spending at least 13% of their annual budgets on health, according to data compiled by the UN World Health Organisation (WHO).

While on aggregate spending on health has increased, up to 10.6% from 8.8%, about a quarter of African Union (AU) member states have regressed and are spending less than in 2001, the data shows.

Recently, the AU held another special summit on HIV and Aids, tuberculosis (TB) and malar-

ia in Abuja, Nigeria, dubbed Abuja+12, which provided an opportunity for African governments and other stakeholders to review progress made and to discuss what should be

done to ensure health funding targets are met before 2015.

“A renewed and bold commitment here in Abuja is essential as, drawing from experiences in the Aids response, we

know that smart investments will save lives, create jobs, reinvigorate communities and further boost economic growth in Africa,” said Michel Sidibé.

group at the Overseas Development Institute, told Al Jazeera. “We are going to see big confrontation in the next few days.” Kiir had issued a presidential decree on Tuesday which also removed all deputy ministers of the government, local media reported.

“President Kiir wants to make a major reshuffle, so from the vice president downwards, all national

ministers and deputy ministers have been removed,” Barnaba Marial Benjamin, told AFP news agency.

Benjamin was, until his suspension on T uesday, the information minister and government spokesman. The move has been called a “reshuffle”, and has been expected, but there have been no appointments to replace those dismissed.

BRIEFS Bulgaria: parliament under siege

S

IX weeks of largely peaceful antigovernment protests in Bulgaria turned violent on Wednesday when demonstrators laid siege to parliament, threw stones and clashed with police evacuating the building.

For more than 40 days,

thousands of mainly young middle-class protesters in the capital Sofia have been venting their disgust with a political class seen as corrupt and ineffectual and demanding the resignation of a government only months old.

Mexico violence leaves 22 dead

V

IOLENT clashes across the Mexican state of Michoacan killed at least 20 gunmen and two federal police officers, the government said.

Gunmen blocked roads

and ambushed police patrols in at least six different areas of Michoacan on Tuesday, the interior department said in a statement.

US votes to limit NSA surveillance

T •Protesters at the Bulgarian parliament yesterday.

HE White House, Con gress and the National Security Agency were bracing for a pivotal and unpredictable vote on Wednesday on the future of domestic mass surveillance in the US. Debate was due to begin

on Wednesday after noon on an amendment tabled by congressman Justin Amash, a two-term libertarian Republican from Michigan, that would prevent the NSA from collecting bulk phone records on millions of Americans.

58 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25,

2013

I’m not ready to go at 82 — Nwabueze Constitutional lawyer and elder statesman, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, recently gathered some of society’s most erudite personalities at the launch of his autobiography. The gathering was not short of testimonies of Nwabueze’s remarkable steps on earth.

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

A

T 82, legal luminar y and elder statesman, Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN) has left his footprints on the sands of time through active law teaching and practice and sociopolitical interventions in the polity.

However, the er udite constitutional lawyer , who helped a host of African countries to develop their judicial systems, says he is yet to finish his mission on earth. He is praying the God Almighty to preserve his life for five years or more, to enable him continue the fight towards transforming Nigeria into a better place for all.

Nwabueze prayed penultimate Thursday at the presentation of his two-volume autobiography titled: “Ben Nwabueze, His Life, Works, T imes- An Autobiography,” in Lagos.

The chairman of The Patriots, who is partially incapacitated with age and ill-health said: “The fact that I’m incapacitated by illness, which makes me not strong to stand on my feet to address this gathering doesn’t mean that I’m ready to go. I hope to live up to 90 years.”

Explaining the importance of the event, the octogenarian said: “I’m not here mainly because of the presentation of my autobiography, but because of my

*Prof. Ben Nwabueze, author (right) and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Special Guest of Honour, during the public presentation of Nwabueze's autobiograpgy in Lagos. the years wanted to wipe-off our traditional culture, which it has described as unworthy. Our preoccupation today is to see how we can solve this problem; how we can coalesce the 389 ethnic groups that we have in Nigeria.”

,

Anyaoku said that Prof. Nwabueze’s dint of hard work, commitment and professionalism got him the task of drafting a constitution for Kenya in 1992, joy to see and re-unite with those I have not seen for a very long time. If not for my children, this autobiography wouldn’t have been made possible.

My children kept on pressing on me to write about myself. It even came to a point that when they returned from London, they got me a big note and ball pen, saying ‘daddy, you can’t escape from writing about yourself.’

When the pressure heightened, I had to bow-in for their superior argument.”

Nigeria’s major problem: After 52 years of the countr y ’s independence, Nwabueze attributed Nigeria’s stunted political and economic status to conflict of cultures. “What Nigeria is suffering today is what one can call conflict of cultures.

The colonial culture had over

,

On 100 years of the amalgamation of northern and southern protectorates to form Nigeria, he picked holes in what he described as much noise being made by the Federal Government about the event.

Dismissing the ongoing celebration as insignificant, he said: “What is the significance of the amalgamation to us? As Nigerians, our sole duty and challenge is to chart ways on how to transform and save Nigeria.

Nobody else from outside Nigeria can save it.”

Rain of tributes: Eminent persons at the event showered tributes on Nwabueze. Among the personalities were Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former secretary-general of the British Commonwealth; Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, national chairman of the All

Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and chairman of the occasion; Prof. Anya O. Anya, President of Ndigbo in Lagos; HRM Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha; Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd), former military governor of Lagos State; Mr. Ade Ipaye, Lagos Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola; Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) and Eze Ndi Igbo of Lagos, Eze Hyacinth Ohazulike.

There were also Brigadier General Godwin Alabi-Isama (rtd.); Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); and Prof.

Chidi Odinkalu, who reviewed the book.

In his remarks, Onu described Nwabueze as “an erudite scholar, outstanding lawyer , prolific author , a fine administrator, a tireless philanthropist, and above all, a man of peace who fought for the unity and integration of his people.”

Nwabueze singlehandedly drafted Kenya constitution —Anyaoku On his part, Chief Emeka Anyaoku described Nwabueze as a great Nigerian, who had all his life fought for the

emancipation of Nigeria and some African countries from corruption and poor governance.

Recalling with nostalgia, his long-standing friendship with the author, Anyaoku said that P rof.

Nwabueze’s dint of hard work, commitment and professionalism got him the task of drafting a constitution for Kenya in 1992, which eventually led to Kenya’s adoption of a multiparty political system as opposed to a one-party system.

Multiparty democracy He said: “In 1992, when I was still the Commonwealth secretary-general, I advised the then Kenya president that his country should move from a oneparty system to a multiparty democracy.

He asked who will do the tedious job, and I suggested Prof.

Ben Nwabueze to him, because I knew he possessed what it took to achieve that feat. It’s on record that Prof. Nwabueze singlehandedly drafted the Kenyan constitution, which saw the country move from a one-party system to a multiparty democracy.

With this book, I believe it’s Prof.

Nwabueze’s continuous love and commitment to make the country a better place for all.”

Nwabueze, a mentor —

Achebe

For HRM Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, he saw in Prof.

Nwabueze “a mentor and a charismatic leader who showed exceptional leadership qualities, while he was the secretarygeneral of Ohanaeze Ndigbo

We ‘re proud of Nwabueze — Fashola On his part, Governor Fashola, who was represented by Mr.Ade Ipaye, said the state was proud and privileged to have Prof.

Nwabueze as a resident.

“In our constant quest for true federalism in Lagos State, we have always consulted Prof.

Nwabueze’s works for citation.

Because of his quest for a greater Nigeria and his consistent advocacy for a better Nigeria, we are proud to be here today to felicitate and honour him.”

“I must confess that we are privileged and proud that Prof.

Nwabueze is a resident in Lagos.

We pray God Almighty to continue to preserve his life for us, so that we will continue to tap from his wealth of wisdom and experience.”

Meanwhile, in his review, Prof.

Chidi Odinkalu said Nwabueze’s major objective was to make his readers learn from his life, works and times. “He achieved this through the use of simple narratives,” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 —59

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60 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Ronaldo’s fr ee kick breaks boy’s wrist F

OOTIE superstar Cristiano Ronaldo left a Brit fan aged 11 in agony — by smashing his wrist with a free kick.

Schoolboy Charlie Silverwood had been taken to see his team Bournemouth host Real Madrid in a friendly.

His dad DUCKED as the £80million ex-Man United forward’s wayward 35-yard rocket scorched into the stands — breaking his son’s wrist in two places.

The lad was so determined not to miss the action he kept watching for the remaining 84 minutes — before going to hospital where X-rays revealed his double fracture.

He faced an operation before being plastered.

Yesterday Charlie admitted: “It was very painful. I’ve told friends and they cannot believe it. Ronaldo is the world’s most expensive player — and he broke my arm.”

The youngster, from Christchurch in Dorset, added: “I could see the ball coming towards me.

It curled past the post and was going to hit my face — so I had to block it with my hand. My dad was sat next to me and ducked out of the way so I took the full force.”

His father Lee, also a Bournemouth fan, said: “It all happened in a blur.

“One minute we were watching Ronaldo stand over the ball and the next it was flying towards Charlie.

“It must have been travelling at a rate of knots and hit Charlie right on the wrist.”

Ronaldo, 28, went on to score twice as the Spanish giants — who were paid £750,000 to appear in Sunday ’s exhibition game — battered the Championship side 6-0.

One of his goals at the Cherries’ Goldsands Stadium — in front of a capacity 12,000 crowd who paid up to £60 a

Double fracture ... footie fan Charlie Silverwood, 11 ticket — came from a similar trademark free kick.

Bournemouth gave Charlie — who will be in

plaster for the entire sixweek school holiday — a Real Madrid shirt signed

by Ronaldo and his teammates to “cheer him

Power ... Ronaldo scores for Real Madrid up”.

He also got a ball signed by the Bournemouth team.

The lad’s dad said: “It is a game Charlie will never

forget.”

Real Madrid spokesman Juan Camilo Andrade said: “We will be donating a memento to Charlie.”

Arsenal bid £40m plus £1 for Suárez Arsenal have reinforced their determination to sign Luis Suárez with a clubrecord bid of £40m plus £1

for the Liverpool strik er.

The offer was rejected out of hand by Liverpool but Suárez could push for

talks over a sensational move to the Emirates Stadium, if he so desires.

Liverpool were angered

by Arsenal’s second bid for the 26-year-old when it arrived on T uesday and remain adamant it will not trigger the release of their prized asset. The Arsenal chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, was informed by his Anfield counterpart, Ian Ayre, that Liverpool would not consider a sum of £40m for Suárez when he lodged an opening offer of £30m plus £5m in add-ons.

But that has not deterred Arsenal from returning, a fortnight later, with an offer that activates a clause in Suárez’s contract by one pound. Under the terms of a contract signed in August, Liverpool must inform last season’s leading goalscorer of a club’s interest once they receive a bid of more than £40m.

Anfield officials were due to fulfil that obligation to the Uruguay international following Liverpool’s preseason friendly against Melbourne Victory .

•Mikel

Jose: I’m not scar ed to use Mikel

J

•Suarez

OSE MOURINHO says he is not scared of pitching his Chelsea kids against Manchester City’s big-money buys.

City have spent more than £83million this summer on Stevan Jovetic, Alvaro Negredo, Fernandinho and Jesus Navas.

But Mourinho is ready to use his Stamford

Bridge boys in the title race.

The manager said: “Any time I had young players with conditions to become top players and play for the first team, I did it.

“At Porto, Carlos Alberto is still the youngest player to score a goal in a Champions League final.

“In Italy — Davide Santon. He is now at

Newcastle but at 17 he was playing for me at Inter against Man United in the last-16 of the Champions League.

“Here at Chelsea it was Claude Makelele on the bench and John Obi Mikel, at 18 years old, playing.

“So any time I have the chance, I’m not afraid to go for it.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 —61

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62 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Afrobasket: D’Tigers storm Orlando for final preparatory camp

F

RESH from a third place finish at the Stankovic Continental tournament in China, the national Men’s basketball team, D’Tigers players head for Orlando, Florida in the United States where the final Afrobasket preparatory camp opens to-

day.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation had held screening camps in Abuja and Los Angeles in for the China trip and those who stood out have been earmarked for the next phase of preparations. Already Mark Men-

Olympic heroes Continues from BP The team members include late Bada, represented by his wife; Clement Chukwu; Jude Monye; Fidelis Gadzama; Aniefiok Udobong; and Nduka Nwanze.

Bada’s wife was full of tears throughout the short ceremony.

Their handlers, that got the N7 million each, are Innocent Egbunike and Solomon Abari.

The team had initially

won the Silver medal in the Olympic Games, behind the U.S. The medal was recently upgraded to Gold by the International Olympics Committee after the United States team was stripped of the Gold medal following doping charges.

A member of the U.S. team, late Antonio Pettigrew, had confessed to having taken performance enhancing drugs at the time of the games.

tors forwards Stanley Gumut and Abdul Yahaya are in Orlando to join the rest of the US-based players some of whom were earlier excused to tidy up their contract status or try

out with NBA teams.

Some of the regular players expected in camp are the Aminu brothers, Alade and Al Farouk, Ike Diogu, Derrick Obasohan,Chamberlain

Eagles Continues from BP Gambo Mohammed of Kano Pillars who could not travel due to injury. Gambo opened scoring in the first leg. Another injured striker, Haruna Babalo of El K anemi Warriors was also dropped.

Keshi would however , bank on the versatility of Afcon 2013 hero, Sunday Mba, striker Ezekiel Mbah whose commendable performance in the first leg helped the Eagles record a convincing win over the Ivorians and other players like Ifeanyi Ede

who capped his debut with Eagles fourth goal in Kaduna. Flying Eagles and Rangers of Enugu striker, Alhaji Gero also made the trip to Abidjan, so, the Nigeria coach will not lack strikers.

In the defence the dependable figures like Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Solomon Kwambe, Chibuzor Okonkwo and Benjamin Francis all made the trip. Captain Chigozie Agbim will man the post.

The match comes up on Saturday in Abidjan.

Oguchi, Olumide Oyedeji, Mike Umeh as

well as new-comers Andy Ogide and Stan Okoye.

Commonwealth champ Continues from BP feet. He was dumbfounded as to what happened to him when reporters on ground sought to know from him what caused his defeat.

In contrast, Delta state’s Tamara attributed his feat as an act of God made easy by hard training. ” In fact it was really God’s doing and also a result of hard work. I give God all the glory and I pray to win the final place to earn call up for the Commonwealth Games camping ahead of 2014 Games in Canada”, he said.

By his defeat, Agbonebare has been eliminated from the Greco Roman style of wrestling and would only have the opportunity of fighting his way back to reckoning in the men’s free style event which begins

later today .

Speaking on the upset, the technical director of the Nigeria W restling Federation, Sir Damien Ohaike said it was a good development for the sport.

He said if champions are not defeated by upcoming wrestlers, it means the federation is not doing well, adding that more there will be more upsets as the competition progresses.

He said, “that ïs good for thé sport. It shows that the federation is working and I am sure that more will fall before the end of the championship.”

He however stated that Agbonebare’s defeat does not mean the door to being called to the camp is shut at him. “He still has the opportunity of making it in freestyle."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013 —63

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 25 , 2013

Eagles depart for Abidjan

BY JACOB AJOM

T

HE senior national team, the Super Eagles will jet out this morning to Ivory Coast economic and commercial city of Abidjan to keep a date with the Ivory Coast national team, the Elephants in the reverse leg of the African

Better late than never

N5m, N7m, national awards P for Olympic heroes

REWARD: President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by Sunday Bada's widow, Adesumbo and Aniefiok Udo-Obong with other members of the victorious quartet at the State House yesterday.

RESIDENT Good luck Jonathan yesterday honoured the Nigerian 4x400m men relay team that won gold at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

The team only recently got its gold medal after Olympic organisers stripped the former winners, USA, of the gold medal.

Each of the six team members, led by late Sunday Bada, got N5 million while their two coaches got N7 million each.

All of them are also to get National Honours soon, the president promised.

The reward comes 13 years after Nigeria’s participation in the Sydney Olympics in Australia.

Continues on Page 62

Nations Championship coming up this weekend.

The Nigerians are carrying a 4-1 goal advantage from the first leg played in Kaduna, July 6.

Coach Stephen Keshi is taking a strong squad to the West African nation but will miss the services of lethal striker, Continues on Page 62

Shocker for C’Wealth champ!

BY SOLOMON NWOKE, Warri

T

HE maiden Chief E K Clark Open W r e s t l i n g Championship in Warri recorded a major upset in its first day of competition in the Greco Roman category, 96 kg weight class as the Commonwealth Games Champion, Joe A g b o n i b a r e representing Edo State was defeated by Delta State’s Soso Tamara 7-0.

Agbonebare was so dazed by the Eko 2012 gold medalist that it took his state wrestling officials sometime to bring him back to his Continues on Page 62

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Fragment (5) 7 Tie (6) 9 Vehicle (3) 10 Spasm (3) 12 Comical (5) 13 Wicked (4) 15 Destined (5) 17 Pulveriser (6) 19 Nobleman (4) 20 Duleet (5) 22 Taxi (3) 24 Recommenced (7) 27 Friend (3) 28 Passage (5) 31 So (4) 33 Loft (6) 35 Box (5) 37 Clump (4) 38 Debate (5) 39 Finish (3) 41 Circuit (3) 42 Repudiate (6) 43 Bulge (5)

DOWN 1 Tension (6) 2 Streak (6) 3 Still (3) 4 Secure (4) 5 Unrefined (5) 6 Extraordinary (8) 8 Fissure (4) 11 Reckon (9) 14 Ogle (4) 16 Side (4) 18 Tread (4) 21 Retreat (8) 23 Endure (4) 25 Legend (4) 26 Regimen (4) 29 Coma (6) 30 Scope (6) 32 Oar (5) 34 Tear (4) 36 Genuine (4) 40 Delve (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Brow 4, Pal 6, Bite 9, Ore 10, Obedient 11, W ear 14, Aim 16, Grief 19, Luscious 21, Lusty 23, Strength 24, Lapse 27, Yaw 31, Mule 33, Overhaul 34, Sea 35, Meat 36, Key 37, Dupe.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 2, Robe 3, Wide 4, Previous 5, Sloth 6, Bower 7, Ire 8, Tease 12, Fail 13, Usurp 14, Ail 15, Musty 17, Image 18, Fight 20, Strategy 22, Y ew 25, Amuse 26, Sweat 28, Soak 29, Shed 30, Pulp 32, Lea.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.