Tinubu Blasts Buhari's Minister

C M Y K

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NEITI Executive Secretary, Mr Waziri Adio, explaining a point to the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir elRufai, who paid a courtesy call at NEITI office last week in Abuja.

From left: Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, Ven . Abel Ajibodu, , Rt. Revd. Praise Omole , Ven Olugbenga O.. Fagbemi, Rt. Revd (Dr) and Mrs James Odedeji , and Mrs Esther Ajibodu, during the 2016 Jesus Festival , organised by Diocese of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria (AnglicanCommunion) , at Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, yesterday. (Inset) Members praising the Lord at the occasion. Photo by Diran Oshe.

FUEL SCARCITY: Tinubu blasts Buhari’s minister “Kachikwu’s flippancy was out-of-line. He was basically telling Nigerians that they should be lucky that they are getting the inadequate supply they now suffer…”

PPARENTLY appalled by his seeming lack of emA pathy and manifest arro-

gance, a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, lampooned Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State, Petroleum, for telling Nigerians that he “was not trained as a magician”, a reference to the lingering fuel scarcity that appears to be defying efforts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Tinubu, who is not known for flippancy, wondered why a public servant would talk down on those he was meant to serve, charging: “Kachikwu’s flippancy was out-of-line.

He was basically telling Nigerians that they should be lucky that they are getting the inadequate supply they now suffer and that they should just be quiet and endure the shortage for several weeks more”.

The ten paragraph statement, titled: “KACHIKWU NEEDS TO KNOW THAT RESPECT AND GOOD PERFORMANCE WILL DO WHAT MAGIC CANNOT”, dripping with venomous pillory, nevertheless, attempted to inspire hope that, whereas tough times were here, “we must all realize that they would be even harder and much darker would be the immediate horizon had we al-

lowed the venal, kleptocracy of the PDP to continue to lord over the land solely for their selfish benefit and not for the common good.”

The APC leader went on: “I am confident that President Buhari and this government can resolve the issues that press us. From establishing full security and safety to staking a claim to true economic prosperity and fairness, this government shall salvage our national pride and purpose”.

Tinubu’s statement reads: “1.The art of governance is difficult and complex, especially during trying times.

The steep reduction in global oil prices from over 100 dollars per barrel to roughly 40 presents a hard challenge. We can no longer afford past practices. Nigeria now requires creative reform, materially changing the substance of national economic policy as well as the objectives of that policy and how the policy is presented to the people. Therein lies the essence of progressive democratic governance.

“2.The Buhari administration represents the last best hope we have to install such governance in Nigeria and avert the catastrophe that would have befallen us had the prior government remained in place. Had the nation continued with the spendthrift corruption and vagabond economic policies of that administration, we would have soon experienced such a collision with the harsh consequences of that government’s malign ways that our

very institutions of government may have been distorted beyond fixture and repair.

“3.In this effort, there may be no economic matter more difficult to unravel and more sensitive to the purse of the average person than the current fuel scarcity. Even here I am confident of progress because I know the commitment of the president to resolving this matter. I make no attempt to hide it. I am an avid and partisan supporter of this government and of the progressive policies of the party, the APC, upon which this government is based.

“4. With that I do reserve the right and the duty as a Nigerian to voice my opinion when I believe a member of this government has strayed from the progressive calling required of this administration.

I do this because my greater devotion and love are for this nation and its people. Party and politics fall secondary.

“5.Much public ire has been drawn to the statement made by minister of state Ibe kachikwu that he was not trained as a magician and that basically Nigerians should count themselves fortunate that the NNPC under his stewardship has been able to bring in the amount of petrol fuel it is currently doing.

“6.Perhaps the statement by Kachikwu was made in a moment of unguarded frustration or was an awkward attempt at a joke. Whatever the motive, it was untimely and offputting. The remark did not sit well with the Nigerian people; they were as right to feel insulted as the Minister was wrong to have said such a thing. The fuel shortage is severely biting for the average person. They are forced to remain in lines far too long, for too much time, to pay too much money for too little fuel.

This is no joking matter. Livelihoods and people’s welfare are at stake. With so much on the line, Kachikwu’s flippancy was out-of-line. He was basically telling Nigerians that they should be lucky that they are getting the inadequate supply they now suffer and that they should just be quiet and endure the shortage for several weeks more.

“7.Kachikwu’s intervention was unhelpful. It panicked and disappointed the public as to the duration of the crisis. It insulted the people by

its tonality. He spoke with the imperious nature of a member of the elitist government the people voted out last year and not the progressive one they voted in. Kachikwu must be reminded that he was not coerced to take this job.

He accepted the job and its responsibilities knowingly.

He also must remember that he does not own NNPC. This also is not a private company that owes nothing to the public except the duty of fair dealing. He is a public servant. The seat he sits upon is owned by Nigerians not by him. The company he runs is owned by Nigerians not by him. They are his boss. He is not theirs.

Power is vested in the people.

He is a mere custodian or agent of their will. In talking to us in such a manner, he committed an act of insubordination. If he had talked so cavalierly to his boss in the private sector, he would have been reprimanded or worse.

If wise, the man should refrain from such interjections in the future.

“8.As his ultimate bosses, the people have a right to demand the requisite performance and respect from him. He should apologize for treating them so lightly in this instance. His portfolio

being a strategically important one, he needs to reestablish the correct relationship with the public. They no longer feel he is working for their optimal benefit as their servant. Instead, he seems to be standing above them, telling them to take it or leave it. For his policies and stint in office to be successful and a help to this government, he must have the support and belief of the people at this tough time. He must talk to them in a way that they believe he seeks their best interest and understands the hardship weighing upon them. He must ask them to work with him and perhaps to endure a bit longer but with the knowledge that he is working to resolve this matter as fast as he can and as permanently as possible. That he is dedicated to the position that once these current lines are gone that never again shall they reappear as long as he has any influence in the matter. To do this, requires no magic nor training in that strange craft.

It requires empathy, compassion and the willpower to forge a better Nigeria. These must be the common trademarks of those serving in a progressive government for

these attributes are integral parts of the spirit and ideals upon which the APC was founded. Upon such notions was this administration voted into office by the Nigerian people in the operation of their sovereign will to seek a national leadership that would pursue their interests to the utmost and give them every fair chance to live in a better Nigeria.

“9.Even though times are hard we must all realize that they would be even harder and much darker would be the immediate horizon had we allowed the venal, kleptocracy of the PDP to continue to lord over the land solely for their selfish benefit and not for the common good.

“10. I am confident that President Buhari and this government can resolve the issues that press us. From establishing full security and safety to staking a claim to true economic prosperity and fairness, this government shall salvage our national pride and purpose.

“Let all of us, in and out, of government never forget this.

If we adhere to this remembrance, we shall see that magic will not be needed to bring the progress we seek.

AS SCARCITY GROUNDS EASTER TRAVELLERS …

Black market booms, petrol sells for N180 per litre available by bus operators

By Akoma Chinweoke & Olayinka Ajayi S petrol scarcity bites A harder across the country, hawkers of the product,

popularly called black marketers, are recording a boom in business.

Sunday Vanguard investigation revealed that a litre of petrol, which officially should sell for N86.50, now sells for N180 and above at the black market.

Bad enough, further investigation on the fuel situation in Lagos metropolis showed that most filling stations were not selling as they remained shut, having run out of stock due to acute shortage of the product at the depots. Many families, who wished to travel for Easter celebrations, also shelved the idea as it ap-

peared there was no quick fix to the problem.

Also, prices of goods soared, a situation attributed to the petrol crisis while marketers blamed the situation on government’s decision to make the NNPC the sole importer of petrol.

Some of the stations in Lagos closed to motorists in the past one week include Mobil, MRS , AP, Oando and NNPC franchise stations among others.

Officials at the filling stations argued that the issue of forex restriction had also led to huge disruption of supply of the product to their stations.

Although many motor parks in Lagos metropolis were filled with large crowds of intending travellers for Easter celebrations, only few vehicles were made

despite the hike in fares which rose up to 50 percent.

For instance, the transport fare of N3,500 from Lagos to Onitsha went up to between N4,500 and N5,500 by bus.

The situation left many passengers stranded at Ojota, Maza Maza and Ojuelegba parks. One of the passengers, who simply identified himself as Papa Ejima, while sharing his experience, said, “The price of everything is getting out of hand. I am not really impressed by government efforts aimed at addressing the problem. Even the transporters have run out of ideas on how to handle the situation. The few travellers who can afford the high fares still cannot get vehicles to travel due to acute fuel scarcity. I just can’t understand

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PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

EASTER

Better days ahead, Buhari assures *Ambode, Amosun, Okowa, Emerhor, others preach humility

By Our reporters

P

RESIDENT Muham madu Buhari used the occasion of Easter celebrations, yesterday, to reassure Nigerians that his administration will deliver on its change agenda.

Buhari explained that this government had not derailed from the promise he made during electioneering campaign, pointing out that, with the passage of the 2016 Budget, better days are ahead.

Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) also preached unity, love and tolerance.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio; leader of Delta State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olorogun Otega Emerhor; (Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and its governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Otunba Gbenga Otolorin Elegbeleye, also greeted Christians on the celebrations.

In his Easter message, Buhari said: “The National Assembly has just passed the 2016 Budget. I assure all Nigerians that we will do our utmost best to ensure that the budget, the first since my election as President, is efficiently and successfully implemented towards achieving our objective of faster economic growth and development.

“I thank the vast majority of Nigerians for their patience and understanding in the first ten months of this administration.

“As we go forward, I assure you all that we are working very hard to overcome the challenges we encountered on assumption of office. We are moving on with an unshaken resolve and determination to deliver on the mandate you gave us on March 28, last year.”

While recalling with regrets the orgy of violence and political killings that characterized the past, the President said his administration would not accept the vice, saying that security agencies had been repositioned to fight them.

Atiku, in his own message, enjoined Nigerians to be strong amidst current difficulties, assuring that better times would soon come.

In the statement released in Abuja by the Atiku Media Office, the former VP said that the message of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection was a perfect analogy for the current situation in Nigeria today encouraging Nigerians not to lose hope.

Ambode called on Nigerians to collectively imbibe the spirit of unity, tolerance and peaceful co-existence as panacea for overcoming the na-

tion’s current challenges.

In his Easter message to Lagosians, he said such fundamental values would go a long way in promoting and strengthening the foundation of love, peace and harmony in the society adding that the season should serve as a reminder to all of the selflessness, love, sacrifice and tolerance of Jesus Christ throughout His earthly sojourn.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the Lagos governor said, “Remembering that foundation is particularly meaningful this Easter because our nation is facing challenges that we can overcome if we choose to, by exercising collective tolerance and be ready to make sacrifices”.

Amosun urged Christians to pattern their lives after Jesus Christ.

In his Easter message, the Ogun State Governor urged Christians and indeed all Nigerians to learn from the life of selfless service and love lived by Jesus Christ.

He said this was exemplified by the sacrifice made by Christ when he was crucified.

Okowa charged Christians to emulate the humility of Jesus Christ.

In his Easter message to the people of Delta, the governor said in spite of his heavenly endowments, Jesus Christ took up the cross in utter obedience to God’s will.

In the goodwill message, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, he said the society would be a better place if adherents of Christianity imbibe the spirit of love and sacrifice, which according to him, is the bedrock of Christianity.

Obiano called on Christians to use the opportunity provided by Easter to re-establish the presence of God in their lives.

In his message, the Anambra governor observed that the complex challenges facing modern Christians had seriously eroded the values that once sustained the essence of mankind and weakened the connection between them and Jesus Christ and called for rigorous self-interrogation and re-awakening.

Ahmed urged Nigerians, irrespective of religious and ethnic backgrounds, to do something different and meaningful to move Nigeria forward.

In his Easter message, signed by the Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, the Kwara governor called on Nigerians to use the opportunity of being alive with the freedom to optimise God given potentials to make life more meaningful for the less priv-

ileged neighbours.

The PDP called on Nigerians to use the occasion of Easter to renew the bond of love, forgiveness and peaceful co-existence, irrespective of religious, ethnic and political persuasions.

In a statement in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisah Metuh, quoted the Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff as calling on Nigerians to use the occasion to overcome bitterness and division.

Former President of the Senate David Mark called for a peaceful, harmonious and United Nigeria where brotherly love reigns.

In his message, he maintained that such virtues as religious tolerance and good neighbourliness were strategic for peaceful co-existence and meaningful development.

Akpabio, in his message, felicitated with Christian faithful, charging them to continue living in love and harmony.

Fayemi felicitated with Christians and Nigerians in general for witnessing another Easter season, urging them to always uphold the virtues of love and sacrifice which are the hallmark of the Easter celebration.

The Minister, in his Easter goodwill message, signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, also called on Nigerians to make ample use of the opportunity of the season for sober reflection.

Emerhor commended the spiritual commitments and intensive prayers of the nation’s Christians and spiritual leaders.

The Delta APC leader’s message released in Abuja by his Director of Media and Political Communication, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, said Easter is a period of self spiritual assessment by every Christian and offers greater and better opportunities for positive adjustments in our relationship with the “HOLY TRINITY” as well as setting new agenda for spiritual upliftment to achieve individual and national divine destiny.

Elegbeleye described Easter as a good time to reflect that our country is one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world.

The former DG of the National Sports Commission, and firm believer of an egalitarian Ondo State stated further, “By the grace of God, our beloved nation, Nigeria will move forward despite all challenges. Let us all pray this Easter, that God Almighty, who has brought us this far, will continue to bless our nation as we march onward towards the fulfilment of our collective vision of a truly united, strong and prosperous nation. Happy Easter to you all”.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun and leaders of Ogun State labour during a meeting at Governor ’s Office Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. PHOTO

BY WUNMI AKINOLA

From left: Special Adviser, Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment, (Lagos Global), Prof. Ademola Abass; Lagos State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, Commissioner for Waterfront, Mr. Ade Akinsanya, and his Transportation Ministry, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, during a sensitization for MDAs in Lagos on Overseas Affairs and Investment, at the Lagos House, Ikeja. Photo by Bunmi Azeez

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Alfred Adewale Martins; his Anglican counterpart, Archbishop Ephraim Ademowo; and General Superintendent, Assemblies of God, Nigeria, Rev. Chief Okoroafor have assured Nigerians that God will answer their prayers.

In his Easter message, signed by the Director of So-

cial Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, Martins, while noting that millions of Nigerians are currently going through excruciating hardship occasioned by current economic reality, assured that the down-turn was only a temporal challenge that was surmountable with prayer and purposeful lead-

ership by those at the helm of affairs.

Ademowo said it was time for our leaders to demonstrate the fear of God and consult Him on the affairs of Nigeria.

Okoroafor, in a sermon titled Christ is Risen, said the resurrection of Christ is essential to the Christian faith for without it Christian religion means nothing.

Omo-Agege sues for peace in Aladja, Ogbe-Ijoh OLLOWING the outbreak last week of F inter-communal violence between Aladja and OgbeIjoh in Delta State over what appears to be land disputes, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central Senatorial District in the Senate, has appealed to all persons involved in the outbreak of hostilities to de-

escalate the situation and embrace peace. A statement by his office, yesterday, said “Senator Omo-Agege strongly believes that the historical bonds of brotherhood shared by our people in both Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh should be protected rather than strained by incessant

challenges. He holds the firm view that violence and bloodshed do not resolve challenges but they rather compound them. He thinks that whatever the issues may be, ultimately they must be handled in civilised manners, particularly given the strong marital and filial ties between both communities.”

Fuel scarcity: DPR orders massive truck-out of products

By Michael Eboh

T

HE Department of Pe troleum Resources, DPR, yesterday,read the riot act to oil marketers, ordering depots with petroleum products to commence massive truck out of the products to petrol stations across the country.

The DPR, in a statement its Director, Petroleum Resources, Mr. Mordecai Ladan, also directed petrol stations in strategic locations to operate on a 24 hour

basis throughout the Easter holidays and beyond.

Ladan said the DPR had constituted special intelligence monitoring teams nationwide to ensure prompt delivery of petroleum products to filling stations, adding that the teams would enforce government-approved price regime and ensure the right quantity and quality of products are dispensed.

He said, “The DPR, hereby, directs All depots with liftable petroleum products

to truck out massively to designated filling stations as programmed while all filling stations in strategic locations shall continue to operate 24 hours during the Easter holidays.”

He further warned that the N2 milion sanction against fuel depots found engaging in overpricing of petroleum products and N100,000 per dispensing pump sanction against filling stations found to be selling above the regulated price and other related offences are still in force.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016 — PAGE 7

Kano midnight fire razes 4,000 shops

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

F

IRE, yesterday, de stroyed over 4,000 shops at Abubakar Rimi

Market, Sabon Gari, Kano.

The midnight inferno, allegedly triggered by power surge, reduced to ash property worth mil-

Youths, women protest in Ilorin over Saraki’s trial at CCT

By Demola Akinyemi

H

UNDREDS of youths and women in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, yesterday, took to the streets, protesting the way the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has been handling the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki over alleged false declaration of assets.

The protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Youths On CCT, alleged that the tribunal’s last Thursday ruling was leaked on the social media, about six hours before it was read by Justice Umar Danladi.

The state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani, while addressing the protesters, lamented that, from what has tran-

spired so far at the tribunal, there was no need guessing that Saraki’s trial is a political set-up.

He told the protesters, most of whom carried placards with various inscriptions denouncing the CCT, that his party found it difficult to believe that the judgment read by the tribunal’s Chairman had actually been read by people on the social media as early as 4.00am, while the judgment was delivered at 10.30am, about six hours later.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “The judgment of CCT on Saraki is already on the social media by 4am on the Day of Judgment by Umaru Danladi”, “Saraki’s case is political”, “CCT has two laws, one for Tinubu and one other Nigerians”.

lions of naira.

But Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) distanced itself from the unfortunate incident.

Briefing reporters, KEDCO Chief Customer Relations Officer, Abubakar Yusuf, said the market feeder was out of circuit at the time of the incident Yusuf explained: “Our transformer located with-

in the market is intact and it is there for anyone to examine and pass judgement”.

Eyewitnesses told Sunday Vanguard that the fire, which started around 12:00 midnight lasted till 12 noon, yesterday.

At the last count, over 4,000 shops that occupied half of the entire stretch of the market was reduced to ashes.

Efforts by the state Fire

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

T

HE member represent ing Ihiala Federal Constituency of Anambra State, Rep Emeka Anohu, has told President Muhammadu Buhari to disclose how much has so far been recov-

ered from looted funds and where the monies are domiciled.

The lawmaker also s advised the President to dialogue with those agitating for Biafran Republic to arrest any political unrest that could emanate from the agitation.

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard in Abuja, Anohu,

is when prostate gland enlargement occurs mostly because of the rapid growth of the central portion. The major implication here is that as the tissuesinthecentralareaenlarge, they compress the urethra and partly block the flow of urine.

Men who have difficulty in urinating most likely have prostate enlargement problem.

Suffice it to say that prostate enlargement is a disease of elderlymen.Itcausesseverepain, anxiety, discomfort and loss of consciousness. It has posed a global challenge to medical experts.

A prostate case not detected early enough can degenerate to

who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, wondered where the recovered loots including the repatriated ones, were domiciled as there had not been any account by government on the total recovered loot and repatriated funds.

He said, “”All the money repatriated, where are the monies, how much so far repatriated and recovered?

Nigerians need to know, we don’t know where they are keeping the money.”

Describing the Biafra agitation as a “topic that is totally fragile in Nigeria,” he noted that under the laws of the land, there was provision for peaceful demonstration and agitation for self determination guaranteed by the United Nations in which Nigeria subscribed to.

Rep petitions police service commission on alleged forgery

By Angela Okpe

PROSTATE TEST: A MUST FOR EVERY MAN AT 40 rostate enlargement is on the prowl, taking its toll on the health of the menfolk. The prostate Research Institute in the United States of America, in a report, said that among every six men, two are likely to suffer from the disease which, if not diagnosed early and effectively treatedcandegeneratetoprostate cancer. Research has also confirmed that in Africa, the rate of prostate enlargement and cancer is relatively high.

Apparently worried by the dangers of the ailment, orthodox medical practitioners have been able to achieve maximum result.

But the Managing Director of Qumas Herbs Nigeria Ltd, a trado-medical expert, Dr. Olasunkanmi Azeez says that herbal medicine has a quick remedy for the disease. In this interview, Azeez, who is the chairman, Herbal Therapy Society of Nigeria, Lagos state chapter, stresses that application of special herbal therapy against prostate enlargement and prostate cancer can provide remedy for the ailments.

P R O S T A T E ENLARGEMENT, A KILLER DISEASE This ailment is common among the male folk and very dangeroustotheirhealthbecause of its complications and effects. It affects the male organ known as prostate gland which produces semen, the male coloured fluid that nourishes and transports sperms during ejaculation.

Prostate gland is located beneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra that is the tube that drains urinefromthebladder.Whenever it becomes enlarged, the prostate would begin to wield pressure on the urethra and make urination difficult. This is common among men in their 40s and above when theywitnessprostategrowth.This

Kano State Government through the Commissioner of Environment, Alhaji Ali Bukar Makoda, suspended the monthly environmental sanitation exercise to enable firefighters from neighbouring states lend a helping hand to curtail the fire.

A victim, Ali Kofar Mata, told Sunday Vanguard: “We have lost our life savings to the fire and I don’t know where we are going to start from”.

FG should account for recovered loot — Lawmaker

vice Commission (PSC), Chief Mike Okiro, asking the PSC to investigate the The member represent- police on the bid to dising Udi/Ezeagu Federal miss the legal advice of the Constituency of Enugu Director, Public ProsecuState in the House of Rep- tion (DPP) of the Federal resentatives, Hon. Dennis Ministry of Justice, which Amadi, has petitioned the stated that a case of forgChairman of Police Ser- ery was established against suspected beneficiaries of a crime.

The DPP, in the legal

By Yommy Dauda The way out with HRH Oba (Dr.) Qumas, Onidun of Igbo Idun, Kwara State advice, had asked the po-

P

Service and a private company that mobilised men and resources to combat the fire early enough were unsuccessful.

Armed security deployed to the scene were equally overwhelmed as desperate individuals struggled to salvaged what remained of their shop in a chaotic situation.

A new generation bank situated within the market was said to have been affected by the fire.

prostate cancer. Reports have confirmed that men in their 40s and 50s are dying of prostate problems. Men in this age bracket are expected to go for tests particularly prostate scan, to confirm their status and go for earlyinterventionifitisconfirmed that they are having prostate enlargement challenge.

CAUSES Diverse causes account for prostate enlargement.

In most cases, doctors find it difficult to diagnose the causes.

But it cannot be unconnected with ageing and changes in the ratio of male hormone testosterone level that stimulates prostate growth.

lice to take the case file of a former member of House of Representative, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, and two others to the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Enugu State for prosecution since the alleged forgery was said to have been committed in Enugu.

The police took the case file to the Attorney General and Commissioner

for Justice, Enugu State who commenced prosecution of Ozomgbachi and others on December 9, 2015.

In the petition, Amadi said he was worried that such matter which took the police over six months to investigate, submitted case file to the DPP and which the suspects were being prosecuted, is now being asked for retrieval.

Black market booms, petrol sells for N180 per litre Continued on page 5 the kind of country that we are running”.

Meanwhile, Engr.Martin Onovo, a petroleum engineer

and the 2015 presidential candidate, National Conscience Party {NCP}, has said that petrol scarcity has not defied appropriate solution, adding that government can-

not take the wrong decisions and expect the right answers.

According to him, supply of petroleum products is basic, stressing that a simple ‘petroleum products supply management system’ will ensure super-adequate supply and eliminate scarcity. “But an appropriate ‘petroleum products supply management system’ for Nigeria can only come from an effective Federal Government. Simply, anything that constrains supply of petroleum products can cause scarcity. These constraints include bureaucratic delays, policy uncertainties and somersaults, banking restrictions, strikes and industrial crisis, corruption, incompetence, etc. An appropriate ‘petroleum products supply management system’ for Nigeria will have clear objectives, scope, roles and responsibilities, procedures, preventive systems, verification systems, correction systems, feedback and update provisions, etc. This is basic and simple in modern management best practices.”The way-forward is simple. Restore and increase domestic refining capacity through refining plant maintenance and upgrade programs. This will boost national productivity, increase employment, strengthen the Naira and increase our GDP. In the interim, engage only competent engineering managers to develop and oversee a ‘petroleum products supply management system’ to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products from foreign sources.”

PAGE 8 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 9

rexmarinus@hotmail.com

Backing Buhari

B

ola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos, and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for all Nigerians to rally behind President Muhammadu Buhari in his bid to “clear the rot he inherited.” This call was reportedly made at the Usmanu Danfodio University where Tinubu was honored with an honorary “Doctor of Business Administration,” by the Congregation of the University at its convocation. “There is much to fix” declared Mr. Tinubu. “President Buhari is committed to fixing them. But he needs your support and patience. We must stand beside him, or else we may be knocked down and not stand at all.”

Bola Tinubu’s call sounds eerily familiar.

It was the same call, in the exact tenor and language, made to Nigerians in the 1980s, when the military took over the government of Nigeria by force. First it was Buhari himself. Then Babangida. Then the relay.

They all said to Nigerians, “stand with us, sacrifice, let us clear the rot.” Every administration has been clearing a rot since 1967 and seem only to leave more rot to be cleared after they leave. Nigerians have

always been asked to sacrifice and understand.

The odd thing is Nigerians have been forced to make sacrifice, and have never benefited from these sacrifice. Those who come blaring the horn of patriotism and sacrifice, end up masterminding the liquidation of Nigeria.

Anyway, not to stray too far from the creases, Tinubu’s call is the call of reason. But might it not be too late in the day? Here’s the situation. President Buhari lost a great opportunity to rally Nigerians, and unify the country at the beginning of his presidency.

Buhari arrived power after a hotly contested election. Yes, the nation was divided. The elections were fiercely fought, and too many harsh words had been exchanged, and hard stances had been made, but former President Jonathan did the finest thing for which posterity will be very kind to him: he stepped up to the plate, and conceded the election, and urged his supporters, and all Nigerians to rally to the new president. He was always clear that his ambition was not worth a single Nigerian life, and on the day of the elections, he made good his words. He chose honour over power.

His gesture was exactly what president Muhammadu Buhari should have built on, to unify the country after a divisive campaign, and rally the nation to his vision and his program. He had a great opportunity to clearly position himself as a unifier of Nigerians, and prepare Nigerian for the challenges that he might face, and on the need to shelve their differences for the moment, and return to the work of nation building in the interest of all Nigerians. For weeks after his election, Nigerians waited for him. That was when he should have established his grounds, built a broader national coalition, and made wider strategic contact beyond his comfort zone.

Many of us were ready to help this president rise to the occasion. But it became quickly clear that President Buhari was not thinking in broad terms.

His worldview was clearly too narrow for a nation like Nigeria, and for a challenge as unique as the current situation. He should not have been shocked by what he came to meet in office. He should have come with some policy frameworks.

First, it was clear to anybody who followed and understood global trends, from the last two years at least, that there was going to be a major slump in the price of oil.

It is shocking that the APC as a party, on whose platform Buhari arrived, had no Economic Policy Council, which should have fed their candidate all the data and all the economic intelligence by which he should have shaped his early economic policy from the get go. APC still has no such body. The party simply

exists only on paper, and has very little organogram, and Buhari arrived power on the whim of a capricious electorate that had no idea what change it was seeking, only that it wanted some kind of change. Buhari promised Nigerians change, as we now see, based on capricious premise. His first promise

It is not up to Nigerians to rally behind the president.

It is up to this president to begin to close all ranks, and reach out to all Nigerians, and be the president of all Nigeria

was to curb corruption. Let me say a little about corruption in Nigeria: the fact that president Buhari uses and retains his official driver after hours on the account of Nigerian taxpayers, for instance, would be considered corruption in very many parts of the saner world.

The fact that Nigerian tax payers expend billions in feeding the president and his personal guests in Aso Rock would be considered corrupt in many parts of the world.

Certain privileges which this president continues to enjoy and take for granted might be considered corrupt practices in many other parts

of the world. President Buhari came to office, on the pledge that he would change things, and fight corruption.

Yet he has never considered some of these fundamental aspects of the national culture of corruption: the perquisites of the office of the president. Neither has he presented the National Assembly with any clearcut reform proposal that would reposition the public service, create a leaner, more efficient federal bureaucracy, and close the sources of the leakages that continue right under his watch.

There would never be corruption in Nigeria if the civil service worked, and if it recruited and trained the best Nigerians based on merit, rather than on quota, and secure in their tenure, and so capable of containing the audacities of the transient and political arm of the state.

The president fights corruption like a fire brigade putting out spontaneous and selective fire. So, Nigerians have grown weary and distrustful of his declarations about corruption. The president says he inherited an empty treasury.

Obasanjo reveals that he had over $30 billion left by Jonathan, and that he was lucky because when he came in 1999, oil was at $19 per barrel. Buhari has oil selling at $43 and ought not be raising economic alarm.

Buhari’s first moves, a most illogical and illadvised one, was to alienate the South-East and the South-South of Nigeria; and frankly most of the South of Nigeria.

From the moment he

SocialEtiquette

personal hygiene.

Remember your manners when you have finished using any equipment, it is always important that you spend a few extra seconds wiping down sweaty areas of the equipment you just used.

Some people don’t mind using their towels but a good gym would provide disposable tissues with a spray sanitizer. They are usually placed in many parts of the gym, I recommend you spray your equipment before wiping it down.

Doing this in the presence of others will earn you more respect.

With Janet Adetu

info@etiquetteconsortium.com JSK Etiquette & Image Training Janet@JSKEtiquette JSK Etiquette Consortium

In The Gym Etiquette (Part1)

T

he new craze for being and staying healthy has become a bug. Whether your staying healthy is by going to the gym regularly, watching what you eat or managing a healthy lifestyle, it is has become a must for everyone.

In a bid to portray success you find yourself juggling so many things all at the same time, where multi-tasking has become a talent and an art for the savvy person.

When doing this you find that it is so easy to forget your codes of conduct, respect and consideration for others. Then what do you think happens? Eventually you end up throwing your very own posture, polish and presence out of the window.

How do you think you fair in the gym, at the spa, on the tennis court or even on the golf course?

I have highlighted below some steps to consider as best etiquette strategies for being a healthy person in these public health places: the gym. This article is divided into three parts 1 - 3 for easy reading.

Don’t take these public places for granted, it speaks to the kind of person you are and the image you ultimately create that is unique to you and you alone.

Not so many people can find the precious time to spend at the gym, for many reasons be it because of school runs, work distance, resumption time, proximity to the gym and the inability to create the time.

Does that sound familiar to you?

For those who have taken the bold step of discipline to ensure that at least once a week they try to attend an aerobics class or a Zumba class or for mere exercising the following effective guidelines will assist you in being and behaving at your best.

1. Towel Yours or Their’s I have discovered that not everyone brings a towel along to the gym, maybe they feel they don’t sweat much therefore see no need for it. It is important that in preparing for the gym you take your personal towel and preferably your own

made that statement in the United States that he would favor those who voted him over those who voted against him. The president drew a powerful line on the sand.

Nigeria was no longer his constituency. He further lost the opportunity to unify Nigerians around him when he made the appointments into the presidential staff, and it was clear that the president, even though it was his right, and his call, to appoint his personal staff, has no intention of making a national appeal.

He found no people in other parts of Nigeria, that he knew, and trusted enough to appoint into his presidential office.

He made a powerful statement. The president’s statements or lack thereof made it clear that he did not think the support, or interest of the East – a crucial segment of Nigeriacounted for anything. He chose to alienate one of the most powerful zones of the country: the East of Nigeria is not a place the president should want as his enemies because the East, though it is not obvious yet to Buhari, has strategic capacity. This President wasted the first opportunity to unify Nigerians when Jonathan conceded; he did it a second time when he made his appointments.

It is not up to Nigerians to rally behind the president. It is up to this president to begin to close all ranks, and reach out to all Nigerians, and be the president of all Nigeria. At the moment, a vast chunk of extremely alienated Nigerians do not trust him, and the number is growing.

Buhari’s presidency is at the risk of stagnation if he fails to make the necessary moves.

bottle of water. Some gyms provide that service of fresh towels but this is not common in private gyms, you are likely to see this more within the hotel gyms.

If towels are provided ensure you take one for your personal usage. Once you use a towel remember to dispose of it by throwing it into the used towels basket.

Never leave them on equipment or lying on the

floor. If it is your personal towel keep all your belongings to yourself.

2. Sweat Attack I personally prefer gyms that are air conditioner free, that way one is not breathing in artificial air. When windows are open there is an avenue for body heat to travel out properly and fresh air to come in. A good workout involves a raised pulse and

heart rate, during exercise you are bound to sweat, this is a good sign because it shows your exercise routine is working on you.

Some people however do sweat extra profusely and at times it may not be a very pleasant sight especially if you can see bowls of sweat all over the machine. Wipe your sweat regularly while exercising this is for your own

3. Dominating your favourite Machine Some people find that they are more comfortable on a specific machine and therefore won’t bother to try anything else. For instance the treadmill is a favourite for many especially for walking, it can be stress free, others may be quite comfortable on the bicycle.

Whichever the machine be careful how you hug on to it too much. Since it is not your personal equipment, timing your usage must be done with consideration for other users. Most gyms that are generally busy during peak hours will peg the usage time at 20 minutes maximum per user. If you see this notification it is only polite to adhere to the rules of the gym.

Watch out for Part 2.

PAGE 10 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 11

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

OLU OF WARRI RENEWS CHIEFTAINCY TITLE OF CHIEF ELEMI REWANE

Chief Elemi Rewane, presenting her traditional title sword to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Okenwoli.

Ogiame Ikenwoli, receiving the sword.

The Olu of Warri, flanked

by Chief Rewane and other chiefs.

The monarch putting traditional title beads on Chief Elemi Rewane.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016 PAGE 13

RETREAT

Buhari govt in search of new economic ideas

•President Muhammadu Buhari addressing participants at the retreat

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

H

e didn’t fancy the word “summit”.

Similarly, “conference” or “dialogue”did not also seem appropriate to him. And so, he settled for “retreat”, which was a smart way to go to avoid dissent. Smartly also, he tied the retreat to the aprons of the National Economic Council, NEC, a body of governors which he, as Vice President, chairs. Read the insider’s account of how the government of All Progressives Congress, APC, C M Y K

may be searching for new economic ideas.

Unless the Federal Government of the All Progressive Congress, APC, agrees that something is wrong with its party’s manifesto, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would have the Herculean task of telling to Nigerians the reason for the two-day retreat of the National Economic Council, NEC, held last week.

Like a building plan, the manifesto of a political party is the template, the compass, the thought-out plan upon which the ship of governance is steered. But in the case of APC, there appears to be a question mark. It is like the party, through its government, is currently fishing for ideas to chart an economic direction or, better still, sell some ideas it already has. And so, to actualize this, the

meeting, nay the retreat, was convoked.

But yet again, the Vice President is a clever man. With the employment of retreat, he was able to pull together all state governors irrespective of their political leanings. In attendance were the 22 governors of the APC, 13 governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and one All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, governor. In the same vein, he brought in members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for the retreat. NEC and FEC are two different streams. While the NEC has the Vice President, state governors and the CBN governor as members, FEC has the President, his Vice, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and the ministers as members.

To further accentuate his dream, Osinbajo assigned special task to the Chairman of the Governors Forum and governor of Zamfara

State, Abdulazz Yari.

The VP’s office had earlier in a statement announced the objective of the retreat: “The objective of the NEC retreat is to provide a forum for in-depth discussions on the policy actions which States and the Federal Government can consider in order to stimulate local production, cut costs and enhance public revenues among other measures aimed at stimulating the economy.”

For some critics of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, the two-day event, held at the old Banquet Hall

Continues on page 14

PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

Buhari go vt in sear govt searcch of new economic ideas

*President Buhari, flanked by retreat attendees

Continued from page 13 of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, between last Monday and Tuesday, created certain impressions. One: Where is the APC manifesto? Two: What has gone wrong with the government? Three: Were they fishing for ideas to run the government and informing other co-drivers of the economy of the harsh economic realities of the present time and the need to take proactive measures? Apart from its persistence on the anti-corruption and anti-terrorism wars, the government, many think, has vacillated on the economy and country’s prosperity plans.

Buhari at the meeting Buhari delivered the keynote address at the retreat. He identified some major challenges bedeviling the country. To the President, electricity was one issue clogging the wheel of progress. Aware of this, Buhari announced that his government would work to boost power generation capacity to at least 3,500 mega watts before the end of the year.

Over all, he pledged to reach 10,000 megawatts by 2019.

Other key areas the President challenged the retreat on included: Agriculture, housing, manufacturing and healthcare.

Outcome Winding up on Tuesday, the retreat announced its resolutions. The first, which came from the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, was that N350 billion would be injected into the economy to rebound it as soon as the 2016 national budget comes into effect.

She said: “We deliberated extensively on the drop in revenue particularly as to how it affects the state government and their ability to pay salaries and obligations. The general resolve of the house and consensus was that there was a need to bring in more cost efficiency in their operations. In particular to look at the setting up of the efficiency unit within the state governments, to rationalise expenditure and of course to increase IGR. To that end, there was a need to generate data because data is the basis of any revenue collecting efforts.

“The Federal and state inland revenue services collaborate to do joint audits to invest in

revenue, relevant technology and efforts to improve collection.

There is a need to develop incentives for both federal and state revenue generating agencies to ensure that there is an alignment of interest. There is a focus at state level on property and consumption taxes to help in improving revenue in a fair manner. Tax payer education must be intensified and to expand the tax base and ensure that there is a buy-in in the revenue collection agencies from the populace.

“State governors were encouraged where possible to rationalize numbers of commissioners and general political appointees and in addition cost control measures to be identified and implemented on an on-going basis and there was a sharing of best practices from a number of states that could be applied elsewhere.

“From the federal ministry of finance in anticipation of the approval of the budget , we have virtually lined up about N350billion which we would be pumping into the Nigerian economy in the forth coming months. We explained our rational and the processes that we have put in place, safe guards to ensure that this money actually achieves the desired objective which is to stimulate the economy.

“We are already discussing with some of the contractors who will be paid these monies and the objectives from the overall criteria is how many Nigerians would be re-engaged. We are specifically looking at contractors who have laid off staff and how many Nigerians are you going to put back to work as a result of this money that we are planning to release and we believe that this would bring significant economic activity” .

The retreat also discussed the condition of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, saying that there was current plan to get a legislative approval and also access N58 billion Naira to rehabilitate the worst classroom.

“We also discussed UBEC and the need to get legislative approval to change the need for counterpart funding on the part of state governments which we feel is putting them further into debt, to reduce that requirement from a temporary period to 10% from the current 50% and that will release an estimated 58

Each state government is encouraged to identify at least two agricultural crops in which they have comparative advantage and will open up rural and feeder roads to facilitate transportation of agricultural produce

billion Naira that is currently unaccessed and it was discussed that with that money we could possibly address around 1,000 of the worst classrooms in each of the 36 states and rehabilitate them and of course this would also create jobs and economic activity”, she said.

On a similar note, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, stated that the NEC had resolved to focus on agriculture.

He said: “At this retreat, we resolved to work together, the federal government and the state to meet the challenges of the economy. We resolved to look at the immediate ways of increasing revenues at the states as well as the federal level.

“We resolved that we will concentrate our effort in diversifying revenue sources particularly, we will concentrate on revamping agriculture which is key. We resolved to set national target for self-sufficiency in a number of identified crops.

“We also resolved that working toegther with the states that by the end of 2018, we will be self-sufficient in rice. That means we are going to expand rice cultivation in very many states to ensure that we can achieve that by 2018. We also resolve that we will work together to achieve selfsufficiency in wheat production in 2019.

“Each state government is encouraged to identify at least two agricultural crops in which they have comparative advantage and will open up rural and feeder roads to facilitate transportation of agricultural produce.

“We also resolved that the Ministry of Solid Minerals will complete and present the solid minerals development raod maps. This framework will address the issues of illegal mining, licences, taxes and royalties and these we presented at the 31 of march 2016.

“We also resolve to increase investment in infrastructure and to explore public private partnership to resolve this.”

Infrastructure and human investment were also two major issues at the retreat, according to Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano.

“In infrastructure and services, both federal and state governments would collaborate to develop infrastructure delivery plan considering current financial capabilities driven principally by the goal of improvement of the quality of life for the populace; develop financing model for infrastructure projects; integrate training and job creation components in infrastructure projects; implement empowerment and

entrepreneurship policies to foster inclusive growth”, Obiano stated Investing in our people “Federal and state governments to work collaboratively to ensure sustainability of the school feeding and other social protection programmes; Cooperation from the States’ Ministries of Education and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEBs) for the Teacher Corp program; Provide logistics support on the proposed upgrade of 75 existing National Directorate of Employment (NDE) facilities (across the various States) to Empowerment Centers; Cooperation and coordination with the States on their specific job creation efforts “Stategovernment support on identified needs such as infrastructure and/or space for innovation hubs; support for artisan training, scoping and support for existing artisan cultures, use of existing training facilities; institutionalize a single register as a platform for targeting the authentic poorest and vulnerable for safety net programs; for government, donor agency, organizations or individuals; and creating a delivery mechanism that ensures efficient, consistent timely and direct payments in the remotest parts of the country; boost productivity and financial inclusion for the poorest and most vulnerable”.

Kudos and knocks Sunday Vanguard spoke with the governors of Delta and Ekiti States as well as some other Nigerians on the likely impact of the retreat.

It was rewarding—Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor Firstly, I think it was essentially rewarding. We had the ministers and some other guests talking to us concerning the plan of action of the federal government and how they think they can partner with the States. It also gave us the opportunity to interact with each other and I also think that it is important going in that direction because we need to create a common course between the federal government and the government at the lower level and I think that what we took through yesterday is good enough and some of our colleagues felt there was a need to have invited persons from the private sector to speak to us. Not actually to be part of the process but to speak to us so that we would have a good understanding about the business climate and how it could be improved.

Essentially, going down through the first day, we had a rewarding day.

Economy is on tenterhooks—Mr. Yusuf Ali, SAN I am optimist. I pray we derive benefit from it. We can’t afford to be slip shod about our economy now. We are on economic tenterhooks.

I do not attach much value to it -Dr. Chekwas Okorie, National Chairman, United Progressives Party, UPP I have not paid much attention to the ongoing NEC retreat mainly because I do not attach much value to it in terms of the capacity to provide feasible and robust economic road map and agenda.

Bottom line It doesn’t matter the nomenclature the event bore. What matters most is the result of such meetings. Now, that quite a number of resolutions had been reached, Nigerians anxiously await their concrete implementations especially in the president Buhari’s promise of increasing the megawatts of electricity. Otherwise, the retreat may have ended up as a talk shop, raising questions on whether APC ever had a manifesto.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 15

He speaks like somebody who has guts. To him, no argument can dent the rightness of his position on the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari. Yet, he tells you he is not confrontational. He claims he has prioritized governance with a view to putting the welfare of the people first. Perhaps, this is the reason he was reelected after staying out of power for eight years. In this interview in Abuja, Mr. Ayo Fayose, Ekiti State governor, says Buhari is not technically equipped to better the lot of Nigerians.

He also speaks on the retreat by the National Economic Council (NEC).

Excerpts:

O

n the National Economic Council, NEC, retreat in Abuja It is a good idea if we do not have the same rhetorics. We all know where the problem is, where the problem is coming from. The reality is that we need a change of attitude.

That’s what we need. No matter what you say, the ministers, the governors, some are two-term governors, some are leaders of this country before, like Chief Audu Ogbeh, they know where the problem lies and what they need to do to tackle it. The attitude of everybody must change; from the President to the last man in government and beyond government. If you want to dispense justice, for instance, you must dispense it equally. If you want to fight corruption, you must fight it equitably. If we are talking about restructuring our economy, the economy is not all about itself. There are other parameters. If you oppress me, I will not be favourably disposed to the programmes you are offering me. But the moment the president of the country becomes everybody’s father, his agenda and the agenda for the nation will be pushed by all parties and stakeholders.

So we have had a lot of these things.

We have been through such a gathering (economic retreat) but, at the end of the day, will it not be the same old rhetorics, same strategies? Is it not a diversionary move to make Nigerians think you are working on the economy? Meanwhile, this is a government that was elected almost one year ago, but which doesn’t know what it is doing, doesn’t know what it wants, doesn’t know why it got there; maybe it wanted power but not to put Nigeria on the path of prosperity. So, it is a good idea that we should talk about the economy of the country, but I think the driver should know the direction more than the passengers. But he doesn’t know; he is just fishing. He is fishing for ideas on how to run Nigeria.

With due respect, people may not like the way I am saying it right now, but they have to come to terms with reality. You can’t grow more than your pastor. You can’t grow more than your MD under the same roof. He is limited by old age. He is limited by academic competence and he is limited by exposure. If you can’t grow more than your pastor, what do you offer? Meanwhile, everybody has to look up to the President. So with his APC family, they ought to have had an economic team, economic master C M Y K

My problem with Buhari,

by Gov. Fayose

•Says economic retreat shows APC is ill-equipped to govern

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU plan for Nigeria. They would have set the direction. There are indicators of an economy. Indicators of an economy will tell you what will happen next year; will tell you that next year, there will be drop in rain for farming and that we must build irrigation. It will tell you, there are going to be issues that could make the economy get gloomy. That is why we have technology. That is why we have advanced information. That is why you have specialists. The President is the President. He is not the Minister for Finance. He is not the technical adviser. I was reading in the papers

where someone said that the ministers of the President are incompetent or something like that, but I am not condemning them. I am only saying that the President himself had two months before being sworn-in. Since he came, the dollar has risen from 200 naira to almost 400 Naira. I don’t blame him for the drop in oil price, but the fact is that I blame him for not being proactive to finding solution to those challenges. Second, we should ask the President why Nigerians are suffering under him more than ever before. Look at electricity tariff. In most cases, people will never get supply of electricity; they get it maybe once a month. Yet, they get what we call estimated bills. The people are so disenchanted. The people are not

happy. There was this international body that said findings showed that Nigerians are unhappy more than ever before. Something must be causing all that. If you look at that last six elections across the federation, APC has not won and it shows people are saying, ‘Have we not missed the road?’ The fact remains that when a disease catches up with you, you will not know until it is about terminating your life. If you look at the violence greeting our elections now, it will amaze you, it will give you concern. Even the worst of (former President|) Jonathan, abuse him, say what you want, but he promised there will be free and fair elections and he delivered, even against himself. If this was the kind of violence that greeted Buhari’s election, would he ever be President? No! Nigerians don’t know party, they know their stomach. They know their business. They know their economy. Let’s look back and imagine that so many middle class businesses are gone. Look at me with a daughter abroad and somebody says my daughter can’t get maintenance money in dollars anymore. The education of my children has come to a halt after building such a child to year three in the university. This is an indicator of incompetence, a clueless administration. Sometimes, APC people might have clues but the President doesn’t have. He has no clue. You see these things, people are afraid to say it.

You have been very critical of this administration and the President. Do Continues on page 16

PAGE 16— SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

Continued from page 15 you have any personal...?

Everything I have said is backed with facts and figures. It is not about being critical of this administration. I didn’t start today. I started before the 2015 elections. I told Nigerians not to vote for him (Buhari). I was a young man of 24, 25 years when Buhari was the Head of State of this country. The Yoruba man will say, ‘If you have taken a medicine that works for you, please give me’. We took a medicine which kills. Anybody that is 40 years old today that voted for Buhari doesn’t know Buhari because, from 1984 to date, it will be 32 years. So, a guy of eight years won’t say he knows Buhari clearly. So, add that eight years to 32 years, that is 40 years, they voted for a man they never knew. So, if you remove people from the age bracket of 18 – 40 and remove the votes from Buhari’s votes, you will know that he couldn’t have won the election. I am not critical of anybody.

When APC is talking about me, they say whatever they want to say but I defeated them in all elections even when they call it militarization, even when they say Fayose is controversial; in every battle I will win them. Even when you have over taken, like after my impeachment, by His grace, they were over taken again and lambasted by the Supreme Court. There is a difference between vendetta and the reality on the ground. If I am incompetent, Ekiti people will not vote for me eight years after.

Let’s look at PDP politics. A few days ago, the Chairman of the PDP said you were one of those responsible for his appointment. Are you happy with what you are seeing weeks after?

I didn’t work for Sheriff like that. I worked for the truth. I worked for someone I believe has what it takes to lead our party. Party politics is not book politics. Party politics is being realistic. Life in itself is about being realistic. Sheriff and myself were not close friends and we were not enemies either. We didn’t see often.

We were not in and out with each other. We have never been in the same political party, but everybody that came, we engaged them one after the other. Because of the presentation of Aliyu Amodu Sheriff, I supported him. That is the truth. There was a particular question they asked him; ‘if the party needs N5 million before the governors can be reached, would you still be able to support it? If there is a meeting in Lagos or somewhere else and there is no commercial flight and you have to get there, would you have to call the governors saying, please, borrow me your aircraft or send me some money to get one’. Second, they asked him, ‘This issue of Boko Haram you are being linked with, don’t you think it is going to be against your person in the public domain’ and he said, how, ‘How can a man be linked to Boko Haram and still be walking around, never charged to any court in Nigeria? And, above all in a way, I am an in-law to Mr. President. He is fighting Boko Haram now. Will he ask himself to marry a Boko Haram person or a relative to Boko Haram?’ These are logical things and I was convinced in my heart and I said, ‘ I will stand by you’ and my yes is my yes and my no

'Economic retreat shows APC is illequipped to govern'

is no. If I am with you I am with you and if I have issues against you, I will go there and tell you to your face.

And the gentleman has just been there for a few weeks; so what would anybody have done in a party in this period? We have to be realistic. He needs time and, even in his three months, he can only do very little, but it is better than a man who has no clue at all.

God is angry. God isn’t happy. How can you be cutting people down?

You go to Rivers and kill people, you go to Akwa Ibom and kill people, you go to Bayelsa, you kill people, incarcerate innocent people. God is angry with Buhari

But why were people against him when he was nominated?

Why were people against me when I wanted to be governor of Ekiti State?

Because they knew I will defeat them.

When you see the lion, you run. Why are people against the lion? Why don’t they keep lions in their houses?

Because the lion is the king. They know what you represent. They know who you are. Remember when I wanted to do my primary, there was this consensus idea. About 26 aspirants said they wanted consensus, ‘take one of us’ and I said ‘I want to face all of you’. The Bible says the righteous are as bold as a lion. The whole of the kingdom at that time and all the chiefs of the clans were against Daniel. Does it mean Daniel was wrong? The plotting against Jesus Christ, does it mean Jesus Christ was wrong? That is not a measure of people being against you. When people are against me, I get things done better. It makes things easy for me. It showcases me and makes the whole world know Fayose is there.

Our style can’t be the same.

is his opinion. It doesn’t outweigh the opinion of the majority. I am in Ekiti, you can’t decide for me. In Ondo, you can’t decide for Mimiko. Other leaders are in their various states, you can’t decide for them. The party will do the zoning. When the party comes up with the zoning, a decision will be taken.

On party chairmanship and presidential candidate slot I don’t know the people that came.

Senator Buruji Kashamu can never, in his own capacity, make that statement for the Yoruba people. He is a friend? I love him so much but the fact remains that I take exception to that statement.

First, the zoning committee is yet to be constituted. Let me round it up by saying it his opinion and, even if you don’t like it to come to the South-West, there is no good Yoruba leader that know the best of things will be coming to your zone and you say you don’t want. Kashamu is my friend, but I take exception to that statement and I have told him in person and he said he was going to do a rejoinder. So his opinion

On the speculation that the Chairman wants to elongate his tenure I don’t know what you mean by elongation. There are constitutional provisions that say your tenure starts from this period to that period, and there is a body that ratifies that which is the NEC and you can’t act outside the NEC provisions. But I don’t want to be misquoted. As at today, except there is a zoning, nobody can say you can’t contest an election. As at today and until an agreeable zoning formula has been reached, you can’t come out and say someone can’t contest. I don’t want to be misquoted. Quote it the way I have said it. What Buruji said and I take exception and I am glad he

said it is his opinion? One, there is nobody that anything good will be coming to his zone, if truly he is a leader from that zone, that will be opposed to such a thing. So far, we haven’t zoned it and if we haven’t zoned, the constitution doesn’t bar people from contesting that office. If anybody wants to contest, he can contest, but when the party now meets, takes a position, ratified by NEC, it becomes a law that we all have to obey.

What chances does PDP have in 2019?

What chances do you have to live till tomorrow? A lot of people blabbing today, who told them they will be alive at that time? Who is telling our oppressors that they will be there by tomorrow; that it won’t be me that will be there by that time? You understand, we have seen so many things in this country. I am the longest serving Nigerian governor. I served in Obasanjo’s administration. I served in Jonathan’s and I am serving in Buhari’s administration now. You see, I am not a small boy that anyone toys around with. You want to try me with impeachment, they have done it before. You want to try me with state of emergency, they have done it before.

You want to clamp someone in prison, they have done it before. I am an experienced man. I am fearless.

The reason is that greater is He that is in me than he that is in them. And let me remind you, if they have another person that they will join with Buhari to get more forces, they will bow to this Force here. I am telling you the truth.

Power doesn’t come from anywhere.

God rules in the affairs of men.

Oppressing, bringing and cutting people down, dropping people, taking their blood on the ground, God is angry. God isn’t happy. How can you be cutting people down? You go to Rivers and kill people, you go to Akwa Ibom and kill people, you go to Bayelsa, you kill people, incarcerate innocent people. God is angry with Buhari. You can’t continue to take the blood of the innocent. Look at my predictions for 2016 for Nigeria, everything has come to pass. This is a different ball game. He that will take me, he that will go against me must first of all defeat God. C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH, 27, 2016, PAGE 17

Stop wondering where you “stand” with him!

BY ONOZURE DANIA

D

oes your man tell you that he loves you or loves spending time with you, but he hasn’t made a real commitment to you yet?

If so, you may be feeling a little anxious about the future of your relationship.

Networking/ Sponsorship •Laura, 19, from Delta state, lost her mum last month, needs kind Nigerians to sponsor her education.

07036747799 •Osagie, 28, handsome and a graduate from Edo state, but resides in Abuja, needs a woman to establish him financially in life and also take him as her son.

07067399441,08051844359

Friends Searching Male

•Chibike, 50, neat and presentable, needs a beautiful, lady, aged 28-35, forfriendship.

08133212277 •Skelly, 25, from Rivers state, needs a truthful, sincere and single female friend who is fair in complexion, from Rivers state, aged 18-20.

08068988945 •Goodluck, 25, a student and resides in Sapele, needs a lady who is also s student, aged 25-30, who is either fat, slim, beautiful, dark in complexion, for friendship, in Sapele.08122341161

Lovers Searching Female

•Tessy, 23, sexy and busty, needs a man to make her feel like a real woman.

08144692028 •Vinny, 26, tall, dark, sexy, intelligent, bold, creative in bed needs a mature caring man aged 40 and above who knows how to pamper a lady for a serious relationship.

08139699443 •Jenny, 23, from Warri Delta state, needs a man for a serious relationship, aged 3037.

08127412662, 08134634331 •Jane, 26, hot and busty, needs a hot man, for a relationship.08068684663 •Blessing, 41, single mother of three and resides in Ekpoma, Edo state, needs a mature man, aged 50-70, who is wealthy, loving, caring and generous, who can take care of her and her

Have you ever been in a happy relationship with a man, and even though things were going well you started to worry about where it’s all going?

This worrying usually starts around the time when you feel that you’re connecting and starting to have strong

feelings for him, you’ve naturally become exclusive with him and assume he’s exclusive with you, too.

You have a great time when you’re together, he’s introduced you to his friends and maybe even some of his family he’s met your friends, you’ve spent some holidays

children.07010629459 •Barbie, 22, chocolate in complexion, tall, busty, alluring body and protruding back side, needs a mature man in Port Harcourt, aged 45 and above to love, care and support her financially.

08062817420 •Gloria, 32, a single mother of one, needs a man that is God fearing, employed, a single father with not more than a child aged 34-38, for marriage Whatsapp.

09056718702 •Adaobi, 30, resides in Aba, needs a born again man, aged 30-39, for a serious relationship, that can lead to marriage.

07038701381

good backside for a relationship.07069001922 •Jude, 27, from Delta state, Warri precisely, needs a responsible lady, aged 2230, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage.

07060484666 •Leo, 50, resides in Benin, needs a caring, sexy and romantic lady, aged 25-40, for a relationship.

08090805399 •B, 55, resides in Sapele, Delta state, needs a second wife, who is at the stage of child bearing, fair, dark in complexion, for marriage.

09028386818 •Kell, tall, chocolate in complexion, a graduate and employed, needs a sweet, sexy, sensible straight forward lady, for a relationship.08097036972, 08038278229 •Felix, 27, from Delta state, needs a beautiful, romantic, humble and influential lady, for a serious relationship.

07038678547,08182828871 •Sonny, 25, dark in complexion, form Rivers state, needs a pretty and caring lady, aged 18-28, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage.

07065204174,08080636958 •Kevin, 43, Ijaw by tribe, from Bayelsa state, needs a lady, aged 18-35, who which to get married into a polygamy family.

08104227518 •Dare, 26, dark in complexion, 6ft tall, caring and an artiste, who resides in Lagos, needs a beautiful lady who is rich and ready for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage.

07019288384 •Darlington, 40, a businessman, from Anambra state, needs an employed lady, for marriage.08133597010 •Ifeanyi, a businessman, resides in Lagos, needs a God fearing lady, aged 3540, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage.

08032342634 •Pascal, 50, average height, fair in complexion, handsome, Ibo and a contractor, needs a lady, who is employed and ready for marriage, aged 40-48.

Searching Male

•Louis, 24, fair in complexion, good looking and resides in Anambra state, needs a pretty lady, aged 18-23, for a relationship, in Anambra.

08095868652 •Peter, 23, needs a good looking lady, aged 18 and above, for a romantic relationship.08169146095 •Samson, 37, resides in Port Harcourt, needs a God fearing lady, for a relationship that will lead to marriage, aged 28-32.

08074583599 •Uyi, 32, from Benin Edo state, needs a lady, for a relationship that will lead to marriage. 08034385239 •Joshua, 50, employed, fun to be with, jovial, very sensitive, likes surprises and natural things, needs a lady, for a serious relationship.08028138737 •Pete, 24, tall, slim, romantic, caring and very jovial, needs a lady who is adventurous, aged 16-20 for a romantic and fun fill affair.

07067446977 •Dimitri, 30, tall, dark in complexion and handsome, needs a lady, who resides in Kaduna, for a romantic relationship.08069133057 •Harry, 25, tall and handsome, needs a hot, pretty and busty lady, aged 20-45, for a relationship.

08084617435 •Bj, a businessman, in Benin, needs a lady, aged 18-23, that is busty with

DISCLAIMER! Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking.

Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For enquiries, text or call 08026651636

together, celebrated birthdays and special occasions, went on weekend trips.

It just keeps getting better and better and it feels really good to be so “in sync” with a guy, but it isn’t long before it dawns on you, you have a very special connection and you want it to last, and because it’s so good, you start to think that maybe you’ve finally found your Mr. Right.That’s why you’re anxious about something going

wrong, or about him suddenly “changing his mind” about you.

Maybe that sort of thing happened to you before, or maybe you’ve been hearing too many “horror stories” from friends who have experienced this.

So even though things are going “great” and you’re really connecting, you’re also beginning to freak out just a little.

08035536778 •Gabriel, 39, a businessman, needs a lady, aged 35-38, for marriage.

08100009058 •Tayo, well educated, tall, good looking and comfortable, needs a fair in complexion, educated and average-sized Ibo lady to love, single, widowed or divorced.08026358638 •Great, 38, from Delta state but resides in Benin, needs a God fearing lady, for marriage, aged 33- 35.

08073932554,08165698888 •Dima, a hardworking, from Delta state, needs a lady, for a serious relationship, that might lead to marriage, aged 20-30.08057585312, 07037672449 •Jay, 25, dark in complexion, from Delta state, needs a pretty lady, aged 20 and above for a sexual relationship. 08101754129 •Chinwuba, an Ibo man, needs a beautiful Ibo lady, aged 22-25, for marriage, within 6 months.

0 8 1 0 3 5 5 6 6 8 6 , 08133212277,08036110961 •Joe, needs a lady who is busty, for relationship.

07057031005, 08153870252 •Emma, needs a good and loving lady, who resides in PH. 07062526452 •David, 25, needs a lady, aged 20-29, for a relationship, that can lead to marriage. 09034230527 •Ademola, 35, resides in Lagos, needs a lady for a serious relationship.

07065789706 •Ikenna, 33, fair in completion and from Abia state, needs a tall lady, that is employed or into business, for a relationship, that will lead to marriage, aged 24-31.

07060765699 •John, 30, from Imo state, awaiting NYSC, needs a caring and employed lady, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage, aged 30-35.

08030847277, 07086438109 •Ifeanyi, a businessman, resides in Lagos, needs a God fearing lady, aged 35-40, for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage.

08032342634 •Okey, 54, tall, fair in complexion, slim and resides in Onitsha, needs a dark in complexion, slim, tall, busty and sexy lady, aged 20-30, for a romantic relationship.08033989449

08024332729 •Jeffson, 40, a student, needs a sugar mummy, who is caring and can help him get an accommodation, for a serious relationship, aged 3656. 08030878475 •Henry, 26, from Warri, needs a rich, caring and God fearing sugar mummy.

08093280824,08066418725 •Rodney, 25, resides in Delta state, needs a caring, sexy, romantic and rich sugar mummy. 08134337494 •Denis, 37, fair in complexion, handsome and a graduate, needs a pretty and dark in complexion sugar mummy, aged 39-50, for a r e l a t i o n s h i p .

09023701914,08073667869 •Samuel, from Delta state Ugheli, needs a sugar mummy. 09038260470 •Prince, 35, tall, dark in complexion and from Benin, needs a very cute and powerful sugar mummy.

08055104416,08055515843 •Gabriel, employed, from Imo but resides in Lagos, needs a sugar mummy, that is ready to take care of him.

07037842149,09085021137 •Fuji 32, handsome, sexy and resides in Effurun Warri, needs a spoilt sexy hot sugar mummy. 09028095578 •Mike, tall and dark in complexion, needs a sugar m u m m y. 0 8 1 6 8 0 8 0 1 4 6 , 08182332354 •Emmanuel, 27, tall, fair in complexion, slim and resides in Imo state, needs a sugar mummy, for a relationship.08035299581, 08173178732 •Raji, 42, needs a nice sugar mummy, in Lagos, that can take care of him, for a relationship.08033974810, 08087764222 •Danny, 30, resides in Abuja, needs a God fearing, caring, sexy and romantic sugar mummy, aged 35-50 for a serious relationship.

09098655145,08030794860 •Richard, 36, resides in Lagos, needs a beautiful, caring, generous, sexy and vibrant romantic sugar Mummy. 09086714744 •Emmanuel, resides in Akwa Ibom state, needs a sugar mummy, aged 40-50, that can take care of him. 08088302414 •Hector, dark in complexion, from PH, needs a sugar mummy, aged 45-65, for a romantic relationship.

08037772283 •Paschal, 20, needs a lady or sugar mummy from 32 to 48 big or small for relationship 08104450756 •Dare, resides in Benin, needs an educated sugar mummy residence in Benin.

08095224112

Sugar Cares Searching Male

•Denilson, 29, resides in Abuja, needs a sugar mummy in Abuja.

PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

The big debate: Why being unmarried by choice is a growing trend with professional women

S

“

how me a married woman over the age of 35 and I’ll show you some-body who has been told that she’s ‘too fussy ’ more times than she’ll care to remember,” so said Stella in her reaction to last week’s debate on happy spinsters. In her reaction to Kate Bolick’s controversial book titled Spinster: Making A Life Of One’s Own, Stella completely disagreed with with Taiwo’s view in this column last week where she moaned it was no fun being a spinster. She continued: “In the bizarre and baffling world of human relationships, being choosy about the person you want to spend your life with is considered a bad thing. You can be fussy about your choice of sofa, or where to go on holiday but when it comes to the single most important decision you’ll ever make in your life, the message seems to be just settle down.

Anything is better than nothing as long as you don’t end up on the shelf.

“I clearly recall in my mid 30s (when I was just perching on the shelf but not beyond rescue) dating a man I had doubts about. He was nice enough but wasn’t much fun and seldom made me laugh. I lost count of the number of friends and relatives who urged me to ignore the fact that he was a little dull because ‘I was getting on in life and he had a good job.’ ‘You’ve got your friends to have fun with. He’ll get snapped up if you let him go’ was the consensus. Well, I did let him go and they were right - he was snapped up. I wondered then if I

would later regret some of the decisions I made about boyfriends. Now at 49 years old, I can say I don’t.

“I’m glad and rather proud that I didn’t allow myself to feel pressured or panicked into being with somebody who didn’t feel right, as so many of my friends did.

In fact, the very same women who urged me to be less fussy are now the ones who tell me how much they envy my life.

They’re the ones stuck at home with moody teenagers who are not likely to leave home until they’re 30, and a boring, lazy husband they don’t seem to even like, let alone love. I have freedom, a good amount of disposable income and only myself to please.

“According to statistics, about one in four women in urban areas will be single by the time they hit 40. It’s crazy to think it’s because none had the opportunity to mar ry.

Today ’s modem, selfsupporting woman

Y

OUR column to express your loving thoughts in words to your sweetheart. Don’t be shy. Let it flow and let him or her know how dearly you feel.

Write now in not more than 75 words to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E.mail: sunlovenotes@yahoo.com Please mark your envelope: “LOVE NOTES"

DEAR P. SQUARE,

I want to ask * WHY E BE SAY * una wan

doesn’t feel the need to get married out of duty, fear or social pressure.

Like all the unmarried women 1 know, I’m not anti-marriage, I’m just anti ‘any old marriage’.

The question I’m asked most often is whether I worry about growing old alone with no children to look after me. Yes I do.

But having children doesn’t mean they will be on hand to take care of you as I’ve recently witnessed with one elderly neighbour who hasn’t seen nor heard of her son, an only child, since her stroke last year.

A lot of friends who gave their blood and sweat for their children’s foreign education now have children who sneer at coming back home for anything - except maybe quickly come home for their parents’ funeral then leg it back as quickly as they could.

“The good news is that once you are over 45, the pep talks about being too fussy tail off. The bad news is.this is when the

pity kicks in. Yet all my spinster friends in their 40s and 50s are strong, feisty women who are still as proudly fussy as they ever were. Sadly, some people just can’t seem to make their peace with the idea that a woman can be unmarried and happy.

But as I look at friends trapped in miserable marriages, I rather feel the joke is on them”, she concluded.

“As a little girl, I dreamed of a white wedding dress. It wasn’t until 1 actually ordered one, 30 years later, that 1 realised the truth - 1 didn’t want to be anyone’s wife,” said Mandy, a 45 year old solicitor. “As soon as he made one silly mistake, I called off my wedding ten years ago in what 1 now realise was an act of self-sabotage. Since then, every failed attempt at a romantic relationship has only confirmed the suspicion 1 had then - for me, marriage would be like forcing a round peg into a square hole.”

split after all these years?

Because you guys seem to have forgotten that there is * NO ONE LIKE YOU * in Africa, and you also forgot that God used * IFUNANYA* to make it a * POSSIBILITY * for you guys to be * UNLIMITED * today. I feel so bad over your latest * STORY* because * I LOVE YOU* and I urge you guys to deal with your present situation * PERSONALLY * and do not let your * BEAUTIFUL ONYINYEs make you split. Don’t forget that they are only there to * CHOP YOUR MONEY. I know that * E NO EASY but you guys should try not to get

Reacting to Kate Bolick’s engrossing memoir, she said: “I am more convinced than ever that being unmarried by choice is a growing and legitimate trend. When the author eulogises the ‘extravagant pleasures’ of being alone, she speaks for so many women who are solo not because we’ve been passed over by men - but because we have passed men over. We are capable, high-earning women who are opting for a life alone because we prefer it. Alone, not lonely.

There’s a difference. The other day, I woke up, got myself a cup of coffee before driving to my office. When I got home, 1 had a lovely takeaway that I popped into the oven which I2 watered down with a good wine.

After dinner, I went through a brief or two before making a cup of herbal tea. I then slipped between the crisp sheets of my king-sized bed with my giant teddy beside me. Perfection.

“If you ask me how that same day would have passed with any of last three ex-boyfriends, my answer would be somewhat tedious, very stressfully, and with hidden tears of frustration. I would have been drawn into a dozen logistical nightmares over accommodating his life before I could even think about mine. He would have wanted a far more complicated dinner than a take-away.

Pounded yam maybe and I hate that stuff We would have then watched a boring programme until the early hours, too bored and fed up with each other to even try to have sex. Now, I ask you, what’s in it for me to

live like that?

“I suppose, you would say, companionship or the joy of children. The problem is I have never had a great yearning for babies and my friends make great companions.

People say ‘Oh, but what will you do when you’re old?’ But whenever I’ve been ill, boyfriends have been useless. I have always ended up texting a girlfriend for help.

Men are so selfish that whatever happens in a woman’s day, it’s all about what he wants for dinner - it’s called open - beak syndrome!

“As for the financial position, I get the impression that as girls achieve more academically, increasing number of women are earning more than most men they date. That is a double-edged sword, as women are finding themselves the target of gold-diggers. Men have suffered this for centuries, of course, but whenever I meet a penniless man, I find myself thinking ‘Not so fast, loverboy’.

I haven’t been careful all my life so that I can be taken for a ride, as have several female friends.

“The fact is that women are evolving. We would look back one day and think it was ridiculous we used to feel pressured into marriage. Women are more independent than men, the stronger sex when it comes to both caring and crises. Isn’t it the lionesses of the pack who do most of the hunting?

Maybe marriage made sense in the days when women couldn’t own property or vote. But now we are financially independent and free to achieve more than ever in our working lives. So why on earth would we shackle ourselves to someone who is constantly asking ‘ what’s for dinner?’

involved in any * BIZZY BODY because it will only lead to more * DANGER in your career, Omo WAHALA go dey and your fans will no longer be able to dance * ALINGO again. Settle the problems you guys are having, coz * E GET AS E DEY DO ME anytime I hear say you guys want to * BREAK IT . I also heard that you brought *OGA POLICE into the matter. I want you guys to be * MORE THAN A FRIEND to avoid any *TEMPTATION which will lead to * GAME OVER, we are hoping to hear your * TESTIMONY. •Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 19

Europeans wrongly see Igboland as a region for criminals — Ebede, NICE leader •’Our damage control efforts, fact-finding visit to Anambra’ A delegation of the Nigerian Igbo Community in Europe ,NICE , an organization of Igbos living in Europe, led by its International President, Chief Chris Ebede, embarked on a fact-finding mission to Anambra State. The one- week tour was inspired by information gaining momentum in Europe that the region was in steady decline due to long years of neglect by the Federal Government and lack of honest and people-oriented leadership.

Sunday Vanguard spoke with the leader of the six-man delegation, Chief Chris Ebede. Excerpts:

BY AKOMA CHINWEOKE hat is the Nigerian Igbo Community in Europe, NICE , about?

Igbos in Europe, with international headquarters in the United Kingdom, is the brain child of Chief Ebede and now one of the leading Igbo organizations in Europe and the Diaspora . The organization was formed in 2003 with an initial membership of 20 persons of both genders embracing academics, business people, students and religious ministers residing in London. However, in the past one decade, following sustained membership and enlightenment campaign, the organization has grown rapidly with about 250 members resident in various countries across Europe including the United Kingdom, France,Germany Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Russia, Denmark and the Netherlands.

More national chapters are due to be inaugurated this year. The vision of the organization was to constitute an organ of Igbos in Europe which would not only serve as the voice of Ndigbo but also provide a tool to promote the image of Nigeria.

The organization holds its international biennial annual conference (convention) in London while national chapters hold their annual conferences in their respective countries usually in November or December of each year and is also affiliated to Igbo organizations in the Diaspora as well as to some panAfrican groups with similar vision. It also has a strong link with major British and European governmental and nongovernmental social, economic, political and religious which provide the platform for the dissemination of information about Ndigbo and Nigeria.

governance style of the governors in spite of bogus claims of achievements. This report was tabled at the organization’s biennial annual conference/convention in November last year and this did not go well with us.

Consequently, the conference resolve to send a fact-finding delegation to the South-East to investigate the situation on ground. Due to some logistic challenges, the organization restricted this first mission to only Anambra State, using it as a pilot project. The Anambra tour was carried out without the prior knowledge of the state governor or any other group in the state. This strategy was adopted to ensure a free and uninhibited information gathering and pre-empt possible hijack of the mission by the government or other vested interests. Even at the end of the investigation, the delegation did not make its mission formally known to the government for the same purpose. So, the entire exercise was carried out anonymously in the sense that the areas and projects visited by the delegation were done as a sightseeing visit by ordinary citizens of Igboland.

Prior to the visit, members of the delegation had undertaken a study of newspapers and noted the various programmes and projects undertaken by Governor Willie Obiano as well as claims of achievements made by his administration. The delegation also studied the party manifestos and election promises of the incumbent party and governor. These formed the basis of the delegation’s investigation and assessment.

The investigation took the delegation to several parts of the state with a copious pictorial and video clips of many of the projects visited although security agents prevented the taking of photographs or shooting videos at some sites.

Why are you on a fact-fact finding mission to the SouthEast, Anambra State in particular?

The fact-fact finding mission to Nigeria, Anambra State in particular, was motivated by some negative report circulating in the United Kingdom and some countries in Europe to the effect that there is a steady degeneration of social and economic infrastructure in the south-eastern states occasioned first by the neglect of the zone by the Federal government and secondly by the poor and dishonest leadership and

So, what are the high points of the Anambra tour?

One of the high points was in the area of security which was one of the major points of negative report about the SouthEast in the United Kingdom and Europe. The picture was that the South-East, Anambra State in particular, was Nigeria’s most insecure zone and a no-go area for visitors to Nigeria as it is a haven for armed robbers, kidnappers, advanced fee fraudsters and ritual murderers.

Another negative report was abysmal lack of employment generation facilities especially

W

*Chief Chris Ebede

The picture was that the South-East, Anambra State in particular, was Nigeria’s most insecure zone and a no-go area for visitors to Nigeria as it is a haven for armed robbers, kidnappers, advanced fee fraudsters and ritual murderers for youths in the zone which has exacerbated the rate of crime in the zone which, in this case, was true in the recent past in Anambra State, resulting, among other repercussions, in our people residing outside the state,those in diaspora not visiting home to contribute to the development of the state. The first part of call by the delegation was the Upper Iweka area of Onitsha which had been reported as the major base of crime and criminals in Anambra from where they launched out to other parts of the state.

Following claims of achievements by the state government in the area of crime reduction and the clearing of Upper Iweka area of criminals, the delegation undertook a visit to the area where it confirmed government’s claim and found Upper Iweka a totally changed place with a new serene and erotic view, complete with a security surveillance CCTV to match. With this achievement, Willie Obiono has not only endeared himself to Ndi Anambra and left giant footprints in the sands of time, he has also proved wrong the negative propaganda in Europe and other parts of the international community that good governance and leadership are lacking in Nigeria.

Buoyed up by the excitement of this visit and the tremendous record of achievement, members of the delegation had some kind of pre-sentiment that our factfinding mission was bound to witness more records of achievements as indeed reflected by the general development scenario that greeted us as we drove through the market and streets of Onitsha. Another remarkable

aspect of the fact-finding mission, was the team’s observation of the principle of continuity in project execution by the present administration, which is a clear departure from what is obtained in the southeastern states under successive administrations whereby projects initiated by an administration are abandoned by succeeding ones in favour of new projects, thus creating a vicious circle and huge deposit of abandoned projects which translates to a waste of billions of tax payers money. During his campaign, Obiano enunciated what he called the 3Cs paradigm which stands for Continue, Complete and Commission, and which emphasizes the need to continue the act of purposeful leadership that former Governor Obi started. As is there for all to see, the Obiano administration has kept faith with his campaign promise of continuity, namely to continue, complete and commission all the projects inherited from his predecessor.

Today, there is hardly any project inherited from the immediate past administration that has been abandoned, with a number of them completed and commissioned.

Were you impressed with what you saw and how can your mission promote the culture of good governance in the region?

The delegation’s initial premonition turned out true in all the places visited, as members deciphered from the general euphoric mood of people wherever they went. As we drove through well built roads as well as several ongoing ones, we saw newly built hospitals, health centers, flyovers, shopping malls and several other indices of good governance and people-oriented leadership. Others place visited by the delegation include the Onitsha Industrial Park, Onitsha Shopping Mall, which is a world class shopping and entertainment portfolio under public-private-partnership initiative with Africa Capital Alliance comprising ShopRite, a cinema and several global retail outlets and the Onitsha Hotel project with a world class 3,000 seater convention centre being handled by the Cardinal Developers and Trust Limited for the state government at the cost of $75m to complete. The delegation also visited the project site of over 200 luxury flats and town houses in Onitsha GRA and the proposed Radisson

Blu Hotel site and the rehabilitated Onitsha General Hospital and its newly commissioned ultra-modern diagnostic center. From Onitsha, we drove to the Technology Incubation Center in Nnewi where the Obiano administration is currently equipping 500 youths with lifeenhancing skills under a twomonths training crash programme in various technological skills after which they are given the start-up capital to begin their own businesses. This translates to 500 youths being trained in the programme every two months which will build up a pool of talents that will drive the new revolutionary dreams of the administration. Another major index of good governance and leadership. We also inspected the Coscharis Road in Nnewi and the Nnewi industrial park, both constructed by the State government and also the Richbon Automotive plant Ozubulu which was attracted by the State government and flagged off in March last year, and which is investing over $50million.

But one basic procedure is that NICE will process and disseminate these findings throughout Europe in form of a special documentary on the administration of governor Willie Obiano through its information network links including the social media and other internet media platforms, using the Anambra State as a case study to dispel and counter the false negative propaganda against the South Eastand Nigeria in Europe.“Already, plans are underway to organize a special honours programme for Governor Obiano either in Anambra State or at NICE international headquarters, London. Also NICE will have to send a special invitation to the governor to visit London for the ceremony which will be attended by all national chapters of the organisation. We will also ensure that the Mayor of London , Secretary of State for International Development and Nigerians members of Parliament in Britain attend the occasion which will serve as a major image promotion programme for Nigeria and the South East in particular. These measures will serve as inspiration for other governors and political leaders from the South East as the NICE intends to visit other states in the region in due course for similar fact finding mission.

PAGE 20— SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

I will bring my business experience to bear on the work of God — Tay

BY TONY NWANKWO

As Country Manager / Managing Director of Forever Living Products (Nigeria and Benin Republic), Mr. Cornelius Tay, had a large dose of commitment to a network of thousands of FLP business owners in two countries. For seven years, he stomped the Nigerian landscape like a colossus, driving competition in the multi-level marketing industry underground and positioning Forever brand as not only the best in Africa, in terms of sales, management and organisation, but sending shock waves across the world by moving the Nigeria/Benin entity from the 14th in global sales ranking in 2008 to the 3rd position by 2014. But he had to go after that achievement, he said at the end of that year, to devote more time to his wife, Caroline Olabisi, children and grand children. But then , in the life of men like Mr. Tay, only GOD has the final say. So, when early this year, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced that 168 men, and their wives, have been “called” to serve as Mission Presidents across the world Corn e l i u s Tay was listed and assigned to serve in Nigeria. This calling he reveres with passion, humility and fulfilment. “This is what I have prayed for since I joined the Church in 1998. I have always looked forward to a time when I could be called to devote my talents, my resources and my time to proclaim the Gospel of our Saviour, Jesus Christ and talk about the endless love of GOD for all people”.

In this interview, Mr Ta y says he would spend the next three years to serve as Mission President, providing leadership for hundreds of missionaries of The Church and engaging in full time proselyting work alongside young missionaries in his mission area. As he spoke, one could see joy and fulfilment in a man who, not long ago, traversed the Nigerian country from Lagos to Abuja, Calabar to Ibadan, and Port Harcourt to Enugu training, motivating business owners and encouraging thousands to succeed in their MLM business activities.

From speaking at Success Showcase events, providing joy, fun and wealth to millions across the country, this people loving marketing professional has finally found his ultimate passion. Excerpts:

T

he Deseret News, based in Salt Lake City, Utah USA published in January the announcement of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, naming you as one of 168 new Mission Presidents of the Church called to serve worldwide. How did this happen?

The announcement that was

•Mr. Cornelius Tay made at the beginning of this year, and published by the Deseret News, in Salt Lake City, and online came from the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose responsibility it is to prayerfully consider, c h o o s e a n d a s sign new Mission Presidents to serve from time to time as part of the missionary programme of The Church worldwide. What this means is that a new set of 168 Mission Presidents will continue the great missionary work of the LDS Church across the world. These people are going to be engaged in missionary activities and helping thousands of young full time missionaries from different countries around the world to carry out their missionary activities of inviting all to come unto Jesus Christ and helping families find happiness through the Gospel of Christ. The First Presidency of the Church, in the U.S. Headquarters, and the Apostles who work with them have prayerfully considered these 168 persons, and they had concluded that these are the people that GOD wants at this time to help push the missionary work of the Church forward in various countries.

And it means that these people must now detach from their normal private activities and take this as full time assignment. As for me, it is a humbling feeling that I have been considered worthy to do this. It is something I had always prayed will come at one time or the other in my life; that I will be able to devote all my talents, my resources and my time to help in the work of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people

GOD is going to unfold His work for this nation. We must engage in well doing to benefit from the blessings in store for us.

That is my thinking wherever I am asked to go. Basically, that is what this is all about. That, for the next three years, I will be engaged in full time missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am very grateful that the opportunity is being extended to me and I also believe that it is GOD’s will that this is what I shall be doing.

The way you say it, this is purely religious work. You just retired from Forever Living Products (Nigeria / Benin Republic), where within a few years you raised the stakes, guiding the company from the 14th position in global sales to the 3rd position by 2014. FLP Nigeria remained Africa’s first, since 2009 and throughout the years you managed the company. Did this impact on your

present assignment from the Church?

One of the reasons I considered this new assignment divine, and GOD’s will for me, is because a few years back, I had decided that I will bring my professional career in advertising and marketing management to a close in recognition of my 40 years in that line of business. I started my career when I left the University of Ibadan in 1975 and went straight to my first advertising and marketing communications appointment as Client Service Manager at ROD Publicity Limited, one of the earliest indigenous advertising companies in Nigeria. And from there, I made my modest impact in the Nigerian and international accounts advertising industry. I switched my career in 1990, when I founded CT&A Direct Marketing Limited, which enabled many companies to utilise integrated marketing communications to build brands more effectively. And by 2007, I was approached to manage one of the leading multi-level marketing companies in the world, when I took on the assignment to become Country Manager / Managing Director of Forever Living Products International Inc. for Nigeria and Benin Republic. So, by 2015 I had given 40 years of my life to this line of business. It was therefore not surprising that I had to retire in 2015 to spend more time with my family – my wife, children and grand children, and to begin writing; because I have a lot to share. So, basically, it was time for me to move on to something else. I believe that every experience that one has gained in one’s career will always be helpful. Even when I retired in 2015, I set up Cornelius Tay and Associates (the consulting arm of CT&A) to help people with marketing and management issues. Since I left Forever, I have been offering free professional marketing and management advice to companies and individuals who approached me. It is something that we call “Consult for Free” service. And anyone who wanted to know how to do business in Nigeria or promote products or services or build brands, I encouraged them to approach CT& A and through that platform we are able to offer them guidance on a pro bono basis.

Now, I am leaving all of that and I am going to be working for Christ, talking to everyone about the great love GOD has for this world and all people. I am going to be devoting the rest of my life in the service of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. And I believe that this is what will give people everywhere the ultimate happiness that the world is searching for.

How did they choose you?

Since the announcement was made, and people have seen it on the internet, people have wondered: How were you appointed? This is not like a professional appointment. As a

member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you do not seek or aspire for positions. You are called by revelation. That means that the Prophet of the Church had spoken GOD’s wish for me to do this work at this time. This means that the leadership of the Church has considered one worthy enough to carry out this specific assignment that is related to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it is not surprising that the men and women of the Church who are called to serve, without pay, accept to serve. This is because from the very beginning, on the way to become members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they understand that they would devote themselves to the Savior, Jesus Christ and seek opportunities to draw nearer Him through service and devotion. So, you don’t have to apply to serve your Redeemer in the Church of Christ, because GOD knows who He will need in any given time to advance the work of the Saviour. And when you belong to a Church where its activities and programs are driven by revelation, when the prophet of the Church and the First Presidency of the Church approach you to do something, you must know that is the will of God concerning you. For me, this the essence of pure religion.

That is practising the religion of Christ. It is a practical demonstration of your faith in Jesus Christ that you will leave everything at a point in your life and go do the work of God. How do you intend to reach out to areas where the Church is not on ground in Nigeria?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is doing very well in Nigeria. And personally, I believe that GOD has not finished His work with Nigeria yet. GOD has a lot more to do with this country. And one of the reasons why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so strongly planted in Nigeria and growing all over the country right now, is because the opportunity is being given for more and more Nigerians to understand the Church, to relate with the Church, and to learn about the Gospel of the Saviour, Jesus Christ, that has been restored for this present time. As more people freely accept the invitation to become more knowledgeable in the things of GOD and to seek the power that is available to everyone who believes in the Saviour, Jesus Christ and declare their willingness to follow Him, the more likely the fullness of the love of GOD people will experience in homes and communities everywhere. I have no doubt that GOD has not finished His work with Nigeria. GOD is going to unfold His work for this nation. We must engage in well doing to benefit from the blessings in store for us. That is my thinking.

SUNDAY VANGUARD,MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 21

With Ebun Sessou & Dolapo Majekodunmi

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hief (Mrs.) Olufunmilayo Ogunbadejo is the pioneer of Aso Oke in Nigeria, through one of the branches of Tisbee Nigeria Limited. With her style, she has carved a niche for herself in her choice of career. She took Aso Oke to a new level with her elegant brands. In this interview, she narrates how she started Aso Oke business with N15,000. Today, the business has expanded beyond the shores of Nigeria. She now exports Aso Oke. Starting Life Born on February 12, 1946 to the family of late Pa and Ma Obasanya in Lagos, I had primary and secondary education at St. Paul’s Breadfruit school and New Era Girls’ Secondary School, Lagos respectively.

After my secondary school, I took up a clerical job at the Administration General’s Office, Lagos.

In 1968, I got married to Engineer Tayo Ogunbadejo.

In pursuit of greener pasture, I proceeded with my husband to Canada under the Canadian Common Wealth Scholarship and got admitted to Fanshawe College of Business Education, London. I graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor’s degree in secretarial administration.

My desire was to study nursing which was a core course in those days. I thought I could go for nursing but the Canadians insisted I must have my first degree before applying for nursing or any of their medical courses.

After my secretarial administration studies, I decided to be on part-time, doing my businesses to assist my husband.

With the little money I saved, we were able to take care of our children. After my husband got his PhD, we decided to come back to Nigeria.

My husband was called to resume work at the Federal Ministry of Works where he had worked before. While he was at the ministry, he had applied for teaching appointment at various institutions. He was called to Yaba College of Technology as lecturer.

Later, he moved to Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro as pioneer Rector.

Life was rosy and my husband insisted I should no longer work.

So I was taking care of my children. The first thing I learnt was driving so that I could take my children to school. My husband was going to Ilaro every Monday and coming back every Friday. So we were just weekend husband and wife for the eight years he spent at Ilaro The Aso Oke Business?

I have done many businesses before starting Aso Oke. I don’t believe in idleness. So, I was busy doing things including catering. I was also running a supermarket.

In 1993, I started the Aso Oke. The journey to the Aso Oke started when I went to Agege to buy some things. On my way, I met a boy holding a pair of Aso Oke and I called him. I loved nice things and so couldn’t not take my eyes off the Aso Oke. The boy told me he was into making of Aso Oke. I told him to follow me home and to sell the material to me which he did. I

I started multimillion naira Aso Oke export business with N15,000 —Ogunbadejo also told him to come back. He said he was from Senegal. I wanted to engage him to be making Aso Oke for me while I did the drawing and sketching.

Unfortunately he did not come back. When my husband came back from Ilaro, I told him I wanted to venture into Aso Oke, and he obliged me. Fortunately, the boy surfaced after some years.

We cemented our agreement on the Aso Oke business. We started the business and people started patronizing me.

I started the business in my parlour with N15,000. When the business started gaining patronage, the boy told me he was going back to school, that he could not continue to work for me.

His father took up the job based on his recommendation and we continued. Later, we moved from my parlour to a bigger place. My husband and my daughter helped in the sale of the the product and business progressed. My daughter who was a scientist also joined me in the business.

She likes drawing and she knows how to combine colours.

Today, my two daughter are fully involved in the Aso Oke business. Tisbee Nigeria Limited has become a household name. It is incorporated.

My husband and I have

In any business, you are bound to face challenges.

There were times we mixed colours which we didn’t like

Chief (Mrs.) Olufunmilayo Ogunbadejo

succeeded in making all our children as directors in all our businesses.

Learning on the job?

I did not learn how to make Aso Oke but I have some books that I read. I also learnt how to set stripes of thread that go into the lump.

Challenges In any business, you are bound to face challenges. There were times we mixed colours which we didn’t like. Then, we had to start all over again. Some persons might request for the exact colour of the bag or shoe they are wearing which might be difficult.

Another challenge is the exchange rate. Also, there are lots of fake materials in the market.

The demand for Aso Oke Aso Oke is still in vogue. It is our traditional attire. Government of Nigeria should encourage people who are into the Aso Oke business.

How she met her husband It was divine intervention. I met my husband through his friend who was my lesson teacher. He was teaching Mathematics and Biology. We were living in the same compound in Onibudo.

They were in the same University.

One day, they visited their friend in Lagos. My parents and I were coming from church. Then, my teacher told me to come and see him. I thought he wanted to scorn me for not doing well in my studies. So I quickly went and met him. To my surprise, I saw his friends in his room and he started introducing them to me one after the other. Then, I quickly responded that we were just coming back from church, that I would come back. I was not happy and I went back to warn him against such act. He said I should relax. He told me what happened in their hostel; how they cast ballot on me to know who will marry me. And because he was a bookworm, nobody thought he could win. He eventually won.

That was around 1964. He lived at Somolu where my classmate was living. He was sending letter through my colleague to me. After his graduation, he started working with the ministry of works. I was working at the Administration General’s Office, Lagos. He became fun of me. He never saw me but he was writing letters to me. After a while, we agreed to marry each other. We

knew each other in 1966 and married in 1968.

Nigeria in her 20s Nigeria in my 20s? We had a nice time. My parents used to take us to Learners to buy shoes and sandals. We were well treated. We enjoyed a peaceful atmosphere.

Then, nobody dares propose to us without our parent’s consent. We knew each other, unlike what is obtainable now. There is fear in the land now. Immoralities, indecent dressing, and rape, among others, have taken over the land. You can no longer trust anybody. In those days, we were all friends, we mingled and organise parties. We respected our parents and honoured God. Our school teachers were like our demigods but the children of this generation are indisciplined. I believe parents should stand up to their duties. I believe what has contributed to the decline in moral standard is the emergence of technology. An average student don not know mathematics, neither can he or she construct good English. And that is why there is mass failure in both Mathematics and English.

Fashion and style In those days, fashion was relative. We were cautioned on how we dressed. We were moderate in our dressing. But now, fashion has been bastardized.

Secret of good looking I don’t know, but I thank God. I’m just blessed with good health. I am cautious of what I eat and drink. I don’t drink alcoholic drinks. I don’t take too much oil.

We grill our food and we started that when we were in Canada.

What is her best food?

I don’t have a special food. I eat anything I like. I take ogi and moi-moi or oath and moi-moi. I don’t take eba or rice in the morning. I can eat rice in the afternoon and I eat only twice in a day. And go to bed with a cup of tea.

How she relaxes I trek within the house more than six times daily. I maximise the use of my brain.

What is her hobby?

I love listening to music and dancing. I read newspapers and listen to news to know the happenings around the world.

Any regret in life?

I don’t have any regret in life.

My husband is a disciplinarian.

He does not tolerate indolence.

He dislikes people who do not know mathematics. He thought me Chemistry. As a lady, I learnt to how do many things including baking, cooking and sewing.

Achievements My greatest achievement is that my children have taken on the job.

It is my joy that my children are involved in the business.

Her aspirations At 70 years, I still pray to God for more strength and to continue to serve him and also help humanity. I pray God would make me strong and help me enjoy good health.

What she would wish herself I pray God to continue to give me good health and sound mind to be able to impact humanity. I want to give God more and more of my lifetime.

Advice to women Women should be supportive in their homes. My husband never knew the worth of the clothe he wears, neither does he knows where the clothes are sold. I do all the shopping in the house.

P AGE 22— SUND AY Vanguard , MARCH 27 , 2016 SUNDA

Taking the pain of betrayal to the mistress’ doorsteps!

H

ow do you handle betrayal? When the ‘love of your life’ is discovered to be the heart-throb of another, how do you handle the two-faced partner that means so much to you? Lesley, a mother of two divorcee was more or less over the trauma of her divorce and was making appreciable progress in her profession when she got chatting with one of their regular suppliers of drugs at a party. “Mike was 11 years older and as we chatted we discovered we had a lot in common. We had the same taste in music and loved good food and wine,” said Lesley.

When I told him about the trauma of my divorce, he told me: ‘I know just how you’re feeling. My own marriage is a very unfortunate situation. My wife and I live in the same house but we’re separated. There’s no sex involved. We stay together because of our two teenage children.”

“It turned out that Mike was getting divorced too. I was rather pleased to hear it and it seemed he intended to make the most of being single again. After a few dates, we saw each other two or three times a week and sometimes, he slept over at weekend. We even had a couple of weekends away and I continued to fall in love with him.

Hard. There was just one thing worrying me. Mike was getting divorced from his wife but showed no sign of either sending her packing or moving out of their house. But he assured me I was the only one for him. He continued to be very affectionate whilst showering me with presents. “As soon as my divorce is through,” he told me, ‘I’ll move

out and we’ll be together all the time.’

“I was still basking in this loving relationship the afternoon I came home and a neighbour handed me a handwritten note a woman had left for me. As I read it, my hands began to tremble. It read ... ‘I thought you should know that Mike, who you have been seeing, has been my partner for the past six years. So back off.’

The note was signed by a woman who called herself, Tessy. I felt sick. I rang Mike right away at his office and read the note to him. ‘Who is this Tessy?’ I asked.

He was silent for a while.

Eventually he said: ‘I was seeing her a long time ago. It’s all over but she can’t seem to let go.’

“I wasn’t sure what to think about it all. But a few days later,

Mike came round with a CD by my favourite singer. ‘Every time I play it, I think of you,’ he said. I was touched and we picked up from where we left off. A few months later, I was discussing Mike with a close friend and I mentioned Tessy. She was sure she was the same woman that lived on the same estate as she did. She described Tessy’s residence. That weekend, I was listening to the CD Mike had brought when this powerful urge overcame me. I got into my car and drove to the estate this Tessy lived. I didn’t know what I was expecting to find until I saw it. As I cruised down the road, I saw Mike’s shiny SUV parked outside a house. I pulled over, stormed up to the door and

started knocking. It opened to reveal a pretty oman.

“I didn’t wait for an invitation.

I pushed past her and marched straight into the living room.

Loverboy was sitting on the sofa and when he saw me his jaw dropped open in surprise. ‘You rotten lying two-timming scumbag,’ I shouted at him. He sprang to his feet as I turned to leave. ‘It’s not what you think,’ he whined. I drew back my hand but before I could slap him, I felt this pain suddenly explode on one of my cheeks. Tessy had punched me and I fell out of the front door. She slammed the door in my face. I was deeply hurt. I felt humiliated, but more than anything, I was angry. Tessy was obviously not a figure from the past.

“When I got home, my humiliating experience still haunted me. I opened a bottle of red wine to calm my nerves. As I polished off the bottle, an image of Mike and Tessy kept popping into my head. I wondered if he had left her house. I decided to find out. It was foolish of me but I wasn’t thinking rationally. That late at night, I drove back to Tessy’s house. Mike’s SUV was still there. I got out of my car and hammered on the front door.

Eventually, there was a noise overhead and a window flew open. A head popped out. It was Tessy’s. “Go .away, he doesn’t want to see you,” she hissed, she ducked back in and slammed the window shut. I wasn’t having that. I climbed on the roof of my car and shouted for Mike to be a man and come out. All along the street houses lit up and puzzled faces appeared at the windows, Mike too peeped to see what was going on.

“After a while, fierce-looking security guards came round and threatened to deal with me if I didn’t leave the premises. My humiliation was complete. I was sure I:d heard the end of Mike but I was wrong. One day, I answered my phone to a familiar voice. ‘Look,’ Mike said, ‘I think we should become an item again.’ I switched off the phone.

“Not long after, I was reading one of the soft-sells when I saw a photograph of Mike, coming out of another woman’s house. I shook my head in disbelief. Just how many women is he capable of stringing along at one go?

Now I’m getting on with my life.

I’ve had enough of the rat!”

08052201867(Text Only)

Life-saving exercises The Bow echnique: Lying on your belly, bend both knees and with the legs up in the air hold the feet with the corresponding hands.

Lift up the chest and stretch out with the elbows straightened out. Hold the pose for a slow count to 10. Rest and repeat.

T

The Triangle: Technique: Standing with feet about 3 feet apart, bend the left knee to the same level

with your hip. Keep the right leg straight with the foot placed horizontally to the left foot which is facing leftward.

Leave the left hand open and placed next to the left foot.

Straighten the right hand and bring it down so that your bicep touches lightly your right ear.

Stay in the posture for some 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Benefits: The triangle posture firms the thighs. It reduces fat on the sides and upper arms.

* The Bow

THE LEGS AND ARMS RAISE TECHNIQUE: Sit on the floor and raising both legs high up stretch out the arms in the slightly arched. Stay in the posture between 5 to 10 seconds and drop the feet gently to the floor again, rest a while and repeat.

BENEFITS: This exercise strengthens the muscles of the thighs and abdomen. It prevents a pot belly.

* The Leg Raise

Yoga Classes STARTED Physical Therapy Centre

* The Triangle Pose

@ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

10.00am — 11.00am on Saturdays

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 23

AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215

Lucy Lawrence celebrates 70 amid pomp

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Lions Club holds Elders/ Founders Day DISTRICT 404B1 of the Lions International Club, penultimate Friday, remembered their founding fathers in a day tagged ‘’Elders/Founder ’s’’ day at Abeokuta, Ogun State. Elders/Founder ’s day is an annual event set aside in remembrance and celebration of the Lions International Club founder, Melvin Jones. It is also a day to recognise and celebrate outstanding Lions who have distinguished themselves in Lionism and service to humanity.

adam Lucy Tsetosan Lawrence, twin sister to Cecilia Ibru celebrated her 70th birthday on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 with a thanksgiving service at the Yaba Baptist Church, Yaba, Lagos, in the company of her children, their spouses and a good number of family friends.

Mrs Lawrence in her younger years was a model who was well known for the Satina cream advert as well as being Miss Shell in the early 70s. Even at 70, her beauty can still be seen as clear as day.

Photos by Biodun Ogunleye

L-R: Otunba Kayode Abayomi (son-in-law), Mrs Audrey Abayomi, daughter, Mr Andrew Adidi, son and Mrs Lucy Tsetosan Lawrence, celebrant.

Mrs Lucy Tsetosan Lawrence

L-R: Aare Leke Adebesin, Comrade Niyi Osoba representing Sen. Buruji Kashamu, Alhaja Sikirat, representing the Iya Oloja General, Chief (Mrs) Folashade Tinubu Ojo, District Governor Omolola Anobili, father of the day, Olumide Osunsina and wife, PID. H.O.B Lawal, 2nd Vice District Governor Oyewunmi.

L-R:Mrs Sharon Adidi, Dr Francis Sido, Mr Edwin Sido and Edward Sido

L-R: Lion Aare Leke Adebesin, Chairman Elders/ Founders Day committee, presenting the ''Emerging Leadership Award' to Lion Rasheedat Usman while others watch.

L-R: Miss Mabel Emeka, Dr John Kayoma and Mr Bulus Sambo.

L-R: Okiemute Desi, Evang. Divine Yugbovwre and Pastor Ray Efe Yugbovwre

L-R: District Governor Omolola Anobili presenting the ''Community Service Award'' to Otunba Olumide Osunsina and wife.

Cocktail for participants of the Lagos Polo Club Presidents Cup at the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Joshua Suleiman, Director, Marketing The Apapa/Surulere (PFN) Women and Communications, Babcock Conference tagged ‘’Let Us Exalt University, celebrated his birthday with Him’’ took place March 18, 2016. colleagues recently

Ace Artiste and MTN Ambassador, Sound Sultan, Adetokunbo Laoye, Lagos Polo Club President, Ayo Olashoju, Lagos Polo Club Captain and Dola Bamgboye, Sponsorship Manager, MTN

Mr Joshua Suleiman (2nd left), flanked by Mr Waleola Apata (left), Ms Josphine Akarue and Mr Godwin Nwakwere, all of Babcock University

L-R: Mrs Ifeoluwa and Mrs Funmilayo Lawrence, both daughters-in-law and another guest.

L-R: Apostle Okwuonu Enyinnaya, Mrs Moyin (Dear Mother), Bukky Wright, Rev (Mrs) Odiete, Rev (Dr) Ephraim Ifionu, Pastor Goodness, Mr David Nnaji, Rev (Mrs) Glory Akpabio and Dr (Mrs) Irene Clark.

PAGE 24, SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

I am reincarnation of the sexy goddess,Venus, Sefiya boasts

Ten Things we learnt from P-Square’s

By Kehinde Ajose without doubt, is a talented and Sefiya, sexy singer, who has continually shown that she is hungry for

greatness. The light-skinned singer ended 2015 by releasing her song titled Mumu Button.

In a chat with Potpourri, she reveals what inspired the song and why she considers herself a reincarnation of a sexy goddess.

“We have that one person in our life who knows how to make us melt emotionally. What such people do is they seem to possess the ability to press a button and literally we melt.

With that line of thought, I decided to put together the song Mumu button. I cannot categorically say I am a sex symbol, it’s all about how fans perceive you.

But if they have been saying that, what can I say differently?

Sefiya is a reincarnation of the sexy goddess, Venus.”

Saga

By TOFARATI IGE

A

lot has been said about the recent spat between brothers and entertainers, Peter and Paul Okoye of P-Square, and their elder brother and former manager, Jude ‘Engees’ Okoye.

The brothers severally took themselves to the cleaners, leading to many fans pleading with them to sheathe their swords and come back together as one big family. Others encouraged their split, and advised them to go their different ways and separate business from family.

At the end of the day, the brothers have apparently mended fences, and they recently apologized to their fans for the ‘misunderstanding.’

Many believe that the whole episode was just a publicity stunt and an expensive prank indulged by the brothers to shore up their relevance and perhaps promote their new record labels and artistes. In this piece, we list 10 things we learnt from the saga.

1. Never take them serious again.

2. They crave attention, and would sacrifice anything to get it 3. Their parents’ death have further set them apart from one another.

4. There is no unity among the brothers and may still eventually break up 5. Peter is the aggressor, and will always be the warring partner in the group 6. Jude is a problem; he seems to •Princess Jolie and always be at the centre of all Chizzi Alichie their issues 7. Stop blaming their wives; they have nothing to do with it 8. Cynthia Morgan doesn’t have the attention of all the brothers 9. The brothers have divided all their properties.

10. Their fans have specific favourites.

•Sefiya

Chizzy Alichi, Princess Jolie play butt catchup game W

hen actresses are on location they get up to all sorts of games to while away time and generally to get to know each other better. On most occasions, they never know or hear of one another, so, more often than not, locations provide a nice spot for movie stars to get to know one another and for those who have known one another before, a really comfy time to catch on old times.

For upcoming Nollywood stars, Chizzy Alichi and Princess Jolie, meeting up on location afforded them the opportunity to play a weird kind of game- butt catchup game! Should they have to tell us anything?

Pictures, as they say, speak in words.

Illbliss speaks on Chidinma’s exit from Capital Hill Records

By TOFARATI IGE ‘ hat Igbo Boy’ rapper, Tobechukwu Melvin Ejiofor aka Ill Bliss has finally spoken on ‘Kedike’ singer, Chidinma’s exit from Capital Hill Records/The Goretti Company, which he co-owns with video director, Clarence Peters. According to him, there is nothing unusual about Chidinma ditching her former record label.

In his words, ‘It’s normal human nature. People need to disagree in life. Sometimes, vision and directions differ, and people choose new directions. It’s part of the business; nothing lasts forever really. Even marriages break up. When artistes get more ambitious and they want to move on, you can only bless them and let them go.’ When we sought to know if Chidinma was loyal to the label during her stay, Ill Bliss answered, ‘She was absolutely loyal. What’s important is that Capital Hill continues to make history.’ On what he has been up to recently, he said, ‘I released a new single about a month ago called ‘Nku’ which features Flavour and Storm Rex. I’m also working on my fourth album titled ‘Illygati.’ I’ve worked with people like Harrysong, Phyno, among others.

Illygati is a nickname that people call me on the street; it’s coined from Ill Bliss. My albums are titled in unique ways, and I decided to still follow the trend.’

T

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. STOP! C M Y K

•Chidinma and Illbliss

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 25 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

Free concert as Hard Rock Cafe lands in Lagos

H

ard Rock Café International, officially opened its doors in Victoria Island, Lagos, with its grand opening celebration on Friday, March 11, 2016. The event kicked off with a live performance by Banky W alongside superstar DJ Exclusive who thrilled guests as they wrapped up the night with great music. A press conference highlighting the opening was held prior to the free concert featuring local Hard Rock partner Sanjay Mahtani, Hard Rock International executives from the United States and Europe, including Hamish Dodds (President and CEO), Antonio Bautista (Sr. Vice President, Franchise Operations), Anibal Fernandez (Area Vice President, Franchise Development and Operations - EMEA). In addition to the unforgettable live concert, the grand opening celebration hosted by TV personality, Ozzy Agu featured Hard Rock’s famous guitar smash and a starstudded red ceremony with Banky W, DJ Exclusive, Seyi Shay, Sasha P, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Bryan Okwara, Sound Sultan, Shaydee, Vaavaa Voom, Lisa Folawiyo, Elohor Aisien, Nobel Igwe, Titi and Oscar Oyinsan, Destiny Amaka, Rich Tanksley, Marcy Dolapo Oni, DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Zeez, international music video director, Director X and many more celebrities including International VIP guests were present to commemorate the much anticipated opening of Hard Rock Café, Lagos.

“The grand opening of Hard Rock Cafe, Lagos, marks our third location in Africa, and we could think of no better way to celebrate than with an exclusive, live concert to commemorate this milestone and great addition to the local music and dining scene.

Lagos is such a lively city with a very rich R&B and hip hop music heritage, which aligns perfectly with Hard Rock’s DNA. We congratulate our partners, SJM with whom we have already opened multiple successful cafes in India, for supporting us and welcoming us into the community.” says Anibal Fernandez, Area Vice President for Hard Rock International.

•Hard Rock Cafe

Ozonna Soludo, ex CBN gov’s son set to storm Nigerian music scene star is shining brightly in the Nigerian Anew entertainment firmament, and he is none other than Ozonna, a Nigerian born, London raised and New York-based genius in the art

Malaika, 9ice, Atorise, others for Lere Easter Bash

esidents of Surulere, Lagos and its R environs are in for a good time this Easter holidays, as Concept Eventpro

Limited, a leading events company, is planning a show tagged Lere Easter Bash aimed at giving fun-loving Nigerians another great moment to enjoy pulsating music from some of their music idols. The event will feature top music stars like Fuji musician, Suleiman Alao Malaika; Hip-hop sensation, 9ice; Lanre Teriba, aka Atorise, as well as many budding singers drawn from all genres of music on Easter Sunday, with DJ Humility, DJ Top and Olalakeside serenading on the turntable.

According to Fatai Balogun, CEO,Concept Eventpro Limited, “ The concept is a bigger and better packaged show for lovers of music, dance, comedy and scintillating choreographic displays in the convivial atmosphere of the Eagles Club on Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere, Lagos. It promises to be the mother of all shows this Easter period The show, which is organised in partnership with the telecommunication giant, MTN, is also endorsed by a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Olusola Elliot. Other sponsors are Montage Cable Network, R&A City Hotel, Orisun Tvand Nigezie

C M Y K

•Ozonna

and craft of music. The 22-year-old is a son of the world renowned Professor of Economics and ex-governor of the CBN, Prof.

Chukwuma Charles Soludo. He studied at the Institute of Contemporary Music, London, and is using this medium to herald his intentions to bless his fans and lovers of quality music in Nigeria with his unique sounds by bringing it home.

Ozonna has performed all through London, opening for the likes of Chrystal Fighters, Kyla La Grange, We Have Band, and Alice Gold. It wasn’t until he released his free promo single “Me & You On Top,” which got him on rotation in six U.S. markets and featured on over 400 major blogs, and has received nearly 1 million hits across YouTube channels. His first show in New York was hosted by Atlantic Records executive Rahim Wright.

Responding to questions from journalists on what genre of music Ozonna does, his Country Manager, Chuddy Anene stated, “Ozonna does an arresting fusion of pop, dance, African rhythms and other world music influences. He is blessed with an ability to skillfully blend diverse rhythms, penning insightful lyrics and vocals ranging from bass to falsetto. Ozonna showcases those rare talents on his debut five-song suite Extended Play (EP) titled “Believe It to See It”. The EP contains tracks like the inspiring- “Believe It, To See It” track, the feel good- “We Glow”, the love themed- “Wonderland”, the social commentary- “Corrupt Mind” and the life affirming- “Smile”.

Striker Entertainment record label berths in Nigeria

triker Entertainment record label owned by S Isokpehi Obas John, popularly known as Striker has finally landed in Nigeria from its base

9ice

hear us, SUNMO= a Yoruba words for coming closer and I got to drink). We are shooting the video in Nigeria to add Nigerian flavour to it. We are also working in Uganda. According to the Edo State-born businessman, his plan to extend what he is doing with LONG JOHN in the beats while we are on the look out for raw talents that will in Uganda to Nigeria is informed by his resolve also come on board. Our launching and to promote young talents. “I want to search out unveiling with the press will be in April and promote young talents in Nigeria and 2016 and it will be massive because empower them, and I want to use this platform Nigerian music has gone global and Striker ‘Striker Entertainment’ to achieve these objectives. It has cost me millions of naira, Entertainment wants to be part of it. we have our studios in Uganda. We are partnering with Mr Ifetayo Adeniyi of Megastar Magazine and Ben.tv London to handle our media PR because Striker Entertainment will be a break from the norms in terms of artistes welfare and giving back to society. I have done it in Uganda by the grace of God so I am back in my own country to do it again.” he says.

Speaking about his achievements, he says “ We have one of the finest artiste in Uganda on our label right now, his real names are Striker Raymond Kaizia a.k.a BIG TRIL (Born Into Greatness To Rise Into Legend). His video has been trending on MTV BASE and he has recorded four singles (Pretty Girls, Batowolila which means they can

PAGE 26—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

All new Elantra takes on Corolla, Civic T

HE all-new Hyundai Elantra continues to offer ambitious styling, value proposition with improved quality reputation and fuel economy to provoke arch Japanese rivals like Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic.

Restyled for 2016 model year, the sixth generation Elantra receives numerous changes including Hyundai’s fluidic design inspiration, cosmetic modifications inside and out, upgraded infotainment, quieter cabin, powerful engine and larger headlamps that wraps around the side of the body with a signature hexagonal grille that helps identify it as part of the Hyundai family.

Hyundai isn’t slowing its car development and the Elantra is a proof. First remodelled in 2011 through 2014, the Elantra has since then undergone remarkable makeovers, returning with an inspiring 2016 model that delivers tremendous economy without sacrificing performance and comfort.

Depending on what you want in a family sedan, the new Hyundai Elantra promises more and indeed represent a pretty good value, adding large number of standard features and niceties like Bluetooth, rearview camera, better road handling, roomy trunk, new front and rear ends with LED fillips around the headlamps.

Offering a five-year or 100,000km warranty coverage plus keyless ignition and entry; immobiliser, sporttuned suspension and sharp styling, the Elantra ranks among best looking sedan in its class.

Standard features include 16-inch alloy wheels, folding electric outside mirrors, full power accessories, airconditioning, cruise control, a trip computer, tilt-andtelescoping steering wheel, 60/40-split-folding rear seats, fog lamps and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player - satellite radio and a USB/iPod interface.

Hyundai Motors Nigeria Head of Sales and Marketing Jatin Nadkarni who explained this details in his product presentation affirmed that the Elantra is Hyundai’s best selling model ever since the fourth generation model debuted in 2006.

The new Elantra is powered by two engine variants a 2.0 MPI four-cylinder engine capable of producing 156bhp @ 6,200rpm and 1.6 MPI fourcylinder churning out 127.5bhp

@ 6,300rpm, both mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Standard safety features in all

2016 Hyundai Elantra sedans are antilock disc brakes, hillstart assist, stability and traction control, driver and passenger

side including side airbags, rear-view camera, Blue Link emergency telematics system that provides services such as

remote access, emergency assistance, theft recovery and geo-fencing (allowing parents to set limits for teenage drivers.)

Expert commends TNL on RAV4 recall T

HE recent announcement

by Toyota Nigeria Limited to recall 900 units of the RAV4 Compact Sports Utility Vehicle, has been commended by an auto industry expert, Dr. Oscar Odiboh.

Dr. Odiboh a highly respected auto industry commentator in a statement to Vanguard said the development brings joy to the automobile owners throughout the country.

Toyota Managing Director, Mr. Kunle Ade Ojo recently addressed a press conference to announce a special campaign to recall 900 units of RAV4 vehicles produced from 2006 to 2012 to correct a rear seat problem which Toyota engineer discovered not quite long ago.

According to him, the issue has to do with the metal frame of the two exterior seats of the RAV4.

“When you wear your seatbelt, in the event of an accident, the seatbelt takes you back. There is possibility for the seatbelt to cut due to the contact with the metal frame of the seat.

To prevent this, Toyota Motor Corporation Japan directed its representative in Nigeria, TNL to recall all the RAV4 sold within the period and install a rubber protector to cover the metal and prevent the belt from cutting.

According to the Toyota Managing Director, Toyota dealers across the country will

soon commence work on this on all the 900 units sold through their dealerships.

He disclosed that Toyota user who did not acquire their vehicles from their dealerships would not enjoy from this campaign which is at no cost to the RAV4 owners, adding that this was why they always encourage Nigerians to buy from accredited dealer in the event of problems like this, so that they can enjoy from the campaign.

“We always encourage customers to buy vehicles from accredited dealers. The vehicles that were not bought from us might not benefit from this campaign except if Toyota Motor Corporation asked us to do so.

This pattern of auto recall communication is in line with international best practices which any responsible automobile company in Nigeria should emulate

Reacting to this gesture by Toyota Nigeria Limited, Dr. Odiboh said the development is a win for often shortchanged customers, a signpost of the maturity of an industry player as well as an assurance of a brighter future for its business.

While announcing the recall of the RAV4, the Company’s management explained what the problem is, the danger it poses, the duration of time required for the replacement of the faulty part, saying that all its dealers have been briefed and their technicians trained and set to fix the vehicle. This pattern of auto recall communication is in line with international best practices which any responsible automobile company in Nigeria should emulate.

There is no doubt that auto recall is long overdue in Nigeria, a country which imports virtually all brands of vehicles either as brand new or used. In the past fifty years, the recall system has been an integral part of auto manufacturing, sales and marketing worldwide; it has been used to address the compelling fallibility of technology, whilst raising the bar of safety and quality assurances. Auto recall is an action taken to correct noticeable post production disorder in a vehicle and such an action is stamped as an emergency. Auto recall is not the

seizing of the faulty vehicle from the owner. Neither is it an attempt to deny the owner’s timely use of his mobile property.

Before recalls are announced, the identified faulty part is mass produced, sent to all dealerships whose technicians are trained to replace the worrisome part within minutes. Thus, when the recalled vehicle drives in, it is attended to in a jiffy. The resultant effect is the extension of the life expectancy of the vehicle, an increase in customers’ loyalty, additional value of service offer and many other sweet advantages that bring relief to the auto owners. Automobile manufacturers in Europe, America and Asia know and understand the need for recall and therefore wire it, as a strategic component, into their auto businesses. They transfer recalls to all their dealerships or distributorships, which in turn, transmit the benefits to their local customers. However, such benefits have eluded automobile owners in Nigeria who, in many cases, spend more money for the same vehicular specifications than their counterparts in other countries. Twelve out of the fifteen auto brands that have been recalled by their manufacturers in the past thirty years are established brands in Nigeria but none extended past recall benefits to their local customers within the same period.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 27

28 states shun Contributory Pension Scheme to workers’ detriment – NLC President Wabba

•Sa arif •Sayys electricity ttarif arifff hik hikee will not ssttand

By Wale Akinola

F

actional Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Ayuba Wabba, in this interview, speaks on issues in the polity. Excerpts: How do you describe the last one year of being in the saddle as the NLC President?

It has been tough and very challenging, but we thank God that we have been able to cope. We came in at a time of serious economic crisis when workers interests are being threatened by irregular salary payments, retrenchment and some other unfriendly things, but NLC has been able to stabilize things.Our major goal is to protect and defend the interests of workers and that is what we have been doing, and we will continue to do so.

What is your reaction to the state of the economy which has taken a downward turn?

The poor state of the economy has been a source of concern to everybody.

The organized labour, the populace and other stakeholders are all worried, and everybody believes that something must be urgently done by government to improve the situation.

What has made things worse is the slump in oil prices which has now dealt a serious blow to our economy.

For many people, what we should be discussing is the way out of the quagmire. That is fine. But while attempts are being made at proffering solution, we must not forget to ask ourselves the question, how did we get here? And could this situation have been avoided or less biting if the right things have been done?

To answer these questions, I strongly believe that the present situation would not have been serious like this if we had done the right things in the past.

For instance, there was a time crude oil was selling for about 140 dollars per barrel, and money was coming into the nation’s treasury. But when this money was coming in, our leaders should have known that they needed to save for the rainy days.

Life is not a bed of roses, it is full of ups and downs. Other countries that were wiser, they were saving during the period of boom in oil sales. Even during the biblical era, in the time of plenty, people were wise as they saved for the rainy day, and when famine came, the people didn’t suffer as they had gathered enough to take care of their needs.

Nigerians should blame the leadership that failed to do the right thing during the time of surplus.

Now, what do you think is the way

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out?

There is no problem without a solution, and that is why I’m happy with the idea of economic summit that is being canvassed. I support the idea. Let all the stakeholders, including government and the organized labour meet and proffer solutions that will help to make naira strong again.

The economic summit should be convened as quickly as possible.

Again, I believe that government should have a strong economic management team to advise from time to time on issues relating to the economy and welfare of Nigerians.

Government should create more job opportunities. When industries are established, it promotes local production, and also boost exports.

Exporting products will also help to boost the naira.

The move to increase electricity tariff by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has become a source of concern to Nigerians. What is the NLC doing about the situation?

We will not allow any injustice against Nigerians to stay. We have expressed our opposition to the tariff increase which we believe is not only unfair but also amounts to an act of oppression.

It is a fraud to ask Nigerians to pay for darkness, and this was the reason we organized a nationwide protest against electricity distribution companies. We must be God-fearing in whatever we are doing. How can these people increase tariff when there has been no improvement in electricity supply? Many communities, industries and other electricity consumers are bitterly complaining against poor services by these distribution companies.

I want to assure Nigerians that we will not let them down. NLC leadership will not fold its hands and allow Nigerians to be cheated.

The Trade Union Congress, TUC, your counterpart labour centre, recently demanded wage increase for workers, and it can be recalled that the NLC, under your leadership, made a similar demand earlier this year. Do you think that call is realistic in view of the current economic crisis facing the nation?

Where there is a will, there will always be a way.

State governors can afford to pay any increment, what they need is to be prudent in their management of resources.

What takes away a large chunk of the allocation to state government is

not civil servants wage bill.

Look at the number of political appointees by many of the state governors, you will discover that the high wages being paid these people, and other projects, most of which don’t have impact on the lives of the people, are the real money guzzlers.

The lavish lifestyles of some of the governors also need to be checked.

Do you know that some of them keep lions, snakes, elephants as pets.

Imagine what it takes to feed a lion in a month. It is far more than the N18,000 minimum wage which many of the governors are claiming they can’t afford to pay workers.

The take-home pay of an average Nigerian worker today is not sufficient to take care of his needs. To rub salt upon injury, many civil servants are being owed arrears of salaries running into months. My quarrel with our leaders is this, why is it that it is the Nigerian workers that must be made the sacrificial lambs?

The present leadership of the NLC is determined to correct these wrongs.

We were recently in Owerri, Imo State where we had to intervene when Governor Okorocha sacked 5,000 civil servants? Our intervention led to the reinstatement of the workers.

Imagine what would have been the consequence if the NLC leadership had not intervened?

NLC leadership believes in dialogue, but where people fail to reason with us on issues that affect the well-being of workers, we have no other alternative than to act to show that not only can we bark, we can also bite. But like I said, we believe in constructive dialogue until we are pushed to the wall.

Some state governments are still owing workers despite receiving bail-out from the Federal Government. What is the NLC doing to make the governors pay the workers?

The NLC leadership has been moving round the country to hold dialogue with the governors on the need to pay the outstanding wages, and they are cooperating with us. But for those who prove stubborn, we set time limits, after which we will then mobilize against them.

What is the NLC doing about the plight of pensioners?

One of the legacies of the misrule of the preceding years is the incidence of irregular and non-payment of our retired civil servants and senior citizens. While salaries were being owed for up to nine months, the situation of the pensioners were worse as many states were in arrears of pension payment for 12 months or more.

NLC leadership believes in dialogue, but where people fail to reason with us on issues that affect the wellbeing of workers, we have no other alternative than to act to show that not only can we bark, we can also bite

This sorry situation is against the background of virtually all recent past and serving governors awarding themselves scandalous and end of tenure benefits while members of the legislature immorally award themselves outrageous retirement benefits running into hundreds of millions of naira for serving their states for a tenure of four years.

While the Contributory Pension Scheme, first introduced in 2004 and amended in July 2014, seeks to provide long term solution to our pension crisis, many of the states have not made efforts for their civil servants to join the scheme. As at April 30, 2015, only eight states had commenced remittances to contributions into the Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) of their workers, while another six states have commenced funding of their retirement benefit bond redemption fund accounts.

NLC can no longer afford to tolerate the situation and the congress has now decided to work with the State Councils to engage state governments to pay up pension arrears of their retired employees, and to conclude arrangements to join the Contributory Pension Scheme as provided for in the Pensions Reform Act of 2014.

In the same vein, we shall mobilize for all employers to pay the new pensions contribution of 18 per cent of total pay which came into effect with the signing of the new Pension Act into law in July 2014.

How do you react to the situation in the country which has been described as alarming?

The unemployment crisis in the country is assuming a frightening dimension as there is hardly any household in the country where there is not at least two to three long-term unemployed persons several years, after they had completed their schooling. We will continue to dialogue with government and its various agencies on how the government of President Buhari intends to actualize its programme or promise of creating three million jobs annually.

We shall also canvass that government at all levels embark on labour intensive alternatives in their development strategies as a conscious way of utilizing available human resources.

Do you support the call for a reduction in the salary and other emoluments of National Assembly members?

It is shocking that our lawmakers at the national level will continue with the ostentatious standards they have set for themselves.

For instance, the planned purchase of 496 exotic cars costing several billions of naira, after getting car allowances, is not only outrageous but a mark of the manifest insensitivity of our legislators in the period of severe famine in the land.

How can we, poor working people, millions of the unemployed and the poor masses, be expected to tighten our belts, while those supposedly elected by us to manage and provide succor for our collective well-being intend to live like emperors at a time that our economy is facing serious challenges?

PAGE 28—SUNDAY

Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

08116759757

FG urged to enforce ban on importation of frozen foods

'Vandals attack ex-govt building, cart away bureau de change operator's $45,000, N9.5m cash' C

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

A

former government building, located in Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos, has reportedly been attacked by hoodlums who allegedly carted away $45,000 and N9.5 million kept in a safe in the building by a bureau de change operator.

The attack was said to be the second within three weeks. A source claimed the first attack took place on February 21.

Some of the victims alleged that the vandalisation could be traced to their dispute with the new owners of the building over their continued tenancy.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the building, everything was in ruins.

An eye witness, Aliyu Isa, narrating the incident, said: “The first time the suspected vandals came on February 21, it was a Sunday. And they didn't come during day time.

One of the police officers guarding a nearly bank challenged them after they claimed to have been deployed from Area B Division of the police. The police officer wanted to know why they chose to visit the building in the night and not wearing police uniform if they were acting legally. They left.”

It was gathered that trouble had started sometime in April 2014 over the property , said to be owned by a state government development and property outfit before it was acquired by the new owners.

Suspecting that the change of ownership documents presented by the new owners may not be valid, the tenants allegedly went to the state liaison office in Lagos to confirm the authenticity. But the officials at the liasion office, it was learnt, pledged to get back to them but did not.

One of the victims, whose office was allegedly destroyed, Charles Nwakiti, CEO of Cargo Inspection and Freight LTD, told his story, “On Sunday February 21, some suspected hoodlums came here and removed the roof of the offices behind the building. Yesterday (Wednesday), I received a call at about 9 pm that some people with police officers were vandalising our offices.

We went to the police station to lodge a report. But before I returned to the building housing my office among others, the suspected hoodlums had vandalised and looted our offices.

“Apart from stealing digital C M Y K

equipment used for cargo inspection, the hoodlums also carted away a safe in my office containing $45,000, and N9.5 m kept by a friend who is a bureau de change operator.”

The beleagured tenants are alleging that the vandalisation may not be unconnected with the move by the new owners to force them out of the building. “They first vandalised the downside of the building on Sunday, February 21 and the upper part of the building on Wednesday night,”Nwakiti stated.

“I have been a tenant in this building for the past 19 years. A state government was the original owner of the property; we rented the estate from them. Like other tenants, I pay my rent yearly. In April 2014, they gave us a letter notifying us of the change of ownership.

The following day, Saturday, the new owners brought a quit notice. The quit notice did not consider that the occupants rent was yet to expire. With the quit notice, all the tenants occupying the building went into negotiation with the new owners for them to extend our stay.

They asked us to pay N300, 000 each for 12 months to enable us get a place. That N300, 000 lapsed on December 31, 2015.”

Explaining further, Nwakiti noted that, as a group , the tenants went to court because they felt they needed more time to relocate. “We

Apart from stealing digital equipment used for cargo inspection, the hoodlums also carted away a safe in my office containing $45,000, and N9.5 m kept by a friend who is a bureau de change operator

eventually got a court injunction to stay whatever action the new owners had in stock. But rather than honour the court processes, they took the law into their hands and destroyed our properties. This building in question was allegedly bought by a serving senator,”he added.

It was learned that the case was reported at Area B Command, Apapa, Lagos whose officers were said to be investigating the incident.

hief Executive Officer of Animal Network Limited, Dr. Everard Kasimanwuna, has called on youths in Delta State to take advantage of the state government's wealth and job creation to go into farming.“Kasimanwuna, who made the call during the 2016 edition of the Agro Delta sensitisation workshop for livestock and poultry farmers, held in Asaba,stressed the need for more standardization of livestock and poultry farms in Nigeria to enable it meet the increasing demands for her produce.

Urging government to enforce the ban on importation of frozen foods and other farm produce, he argued that that the livestock market should not be a place where "people just come and leave anytime".

He said: “Policies like importation of poultry products should be“enforced. Imagine what will happen if government decides to put a ban on all supermarkets or eateries that patronize imported poultry products, imagine the boom for local farmers. It will create enough local content for local farmers. People will want to do business because they have an already market for it.

“Take another example, if government can enforce the registration of all farmers, it will help us keep a track record of their progress. Of course we understand that the livestock market is like an open market where everybody comes in and goes because there are no regulations.

“What Animal Network does is to show livestock farmers the right path to follow. We are like the watchdog in the livestock industry. We know that there are a lot of lies and propaganda out there, our business is just to tell them the truth. We empower them with knowledge; our seminars and workshop are targeted at changing the mindset of farmers.

We understand that farmers lack two things; ?financial records and heart held management and that is what we are doing today, teaching them how to do that.”

Aginighan faults Senate Committee on NDDC project

A

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

former acting Managing Director, Ni ger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Pastor Power Aginighan, has called on the Senate Committee on Niger Delta to focus on its oversight functions, saying its stop work order on a project in the region was abusive.

Aginighan, in a statement in Port Harcourt, said the Senate Committee should not play to the gallery, insisting that its action amounted to the usurpation of the powers of the Federal Executive Council.

The former NDDC acting Managing Director believed the Senate Committee should rather submit its observation to appropriate government agencies for actions, stressing that the National Assembly has no role in execution of government projects, “The effective performance of oversight function by the Legislature over the executive arm of government should aim at ensuring that the citizens are not shortchanged in the implementation of the various projects of government. It is proper for the National Assembly to send their observations during oversight visits to the appropriate government agencies for necessary action. National Assembly has no role in the execution of any government contract as it is not awarding authority”, he stated.

“I therefore call on the Senate Committee on Niger Delta to concentrate on the oversight function, advise the NDDC Management if need be on observed lapses and submit their report the Senate to which it is responsible. The Committee should avoid unnecessarily playing to the gallery by issuing unenforceable directives to any contractor.”

He further appealed to the National Assembly and the Federal Government to release the arrears of N800 billion owed the NDDC.

•Chairman of Onuesoke Foundation, Chief Sunny Onuesokewith children during his Foundation’s visit to various schools in Delta State.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 29

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Cleric laments incarceration of 8-monthold-baby in prison, frees inmates

By Ayo Onikoyi

I

n the spirit of Easter, the President of the Nigerian Women in Clergy, Nonnie Robertson, visited Suleja prison and set some prisoners free.

The occasion coincided with the birthday of the cleric, who is also the Overseer of the New Wine Ministries World Wide. According to her, it struck her on the eve of her birthday that some captives were held in different prisons across the country, some of whom might have committed petty crimes, and were thrown into the prisons after failing to meet their bail conditions or pay the fine set for their release. She said her effort was in line with the dominant message of the season which urges men of goodwill to try to ‘set the captives free.’

She lamented the incarceration of an eight-month-old - baby whom she said was in prison because her mother had committed a crime which ordinarily wouldn’t have taken her to prison. Nonnie further lamented that she was moved to tears seeing the condition this woman and her

President of the Nigerian Women in Clergy, Nonnie Robertson, addressing some of the inmates during her visit to Suleja prison child were subjected to. She lamented the imprisonment of other children, saying they were in prison, not because of their own crime but a crime their parents committed.

She asked why children should be incarcerated as well as their parents.

''There is an eight-month-old baby in this prison. I asked myself why? What was the crime?

The mother is incarcerated! And you know what it means for a child to grow up in prison environment where there is no good food, no clothing, no baby food, and no good medical

care. Is a child who grows up in that kind of environment not condemned for life?”, the Overseer said..

“I was really shocked when I saw the eight month- old-baby. The woman lives on dry food, that is, garri that outsiders provide for them. They don’t give them food. They depend on what people take to them. That is what they share among them and they drink garri even in the morning with little or no sugar. You can just imagine!

There are many children living in this condition in Nigerian prisons but people would not know. There are issues. I weep for this country”.

Speaking on why she decided to visit the prison when top on the nation’s

agenda are gender issues, she said, “I always like to do things differently. I heard about what I could describe as ‘forgotten’ victims in Nigerian prisons; though I didn’t take it seriously because I was not led by the spirit; I prayed over it and few, days to my birthday, God asked me to visit prisons. The first prison that came to my mind was Kuje prison, because, ignorantly, I thought that was the only prison around. But we later went to Suleja prison and we met inmates whose cases were poverty-driven crimes. Some are there serving jail terms with the options of N5, 000 to N15, 000 fines but they can’t afford it and nobody to help. This is why I call them the 'forgotten victims'. We have people that have looted billions of naira in this country, yet they have their freedom and sailing around the world. This is sad”.

NGO seeks implementation of 35% affirmation action for women

By Festus Ahon & Ochuko Akuopha xecutive Director, Global E Peace Development, GPD, a non-governmental

organization, Mr. Ebruke Esike, has charged the political class to respect resolution 1325 of the United Nations Security Council which provides for 35% affirmative action for women in terms of political offices.“Speaking at a three-day Workshop Training for Peace Club Facilitators and Community Theatre at Kwale in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, Esike stressed the need for “the playing field to become straight, so that people can participate”, saying: “When the electoral process is devoid of violence, women will win elections; I am very convinced about this.”

CAC Chapel of Solution celebrates 18th anniversary The grand finale of the 18th anniversary of Christ Apostolic Church, a.k.a. Chapel of Solution, holds today at the church auditorium on 49/51 Adenekan Street, Alakuko.

According to the church founder, Pastor (Dr) T. T. Lawal, the anniversary, holding under the theme, “Divine Compensation”, will feature special songs ministration, special prayers for Nigeria with Prophet David Aregbesola as guest speaker.

C M Y K

He said the workshop, organized by GPD with support from Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, NSRP, was aimed at helping people to express concerns in communities with “issues of rape, trauma challenges and added: “With this, we will be able to stimulate women to become champions in their

communities, even in community governance , so that they can better negotiate and support women efforts to grow their communities.”“He listed the participating six communities to include Agbarha-Otor and Uwheru; Agbasa-Warri and Ekrurode; Ashaka and Ibrede in Ughelli North, Warri South and Ndokwa East Local

Government Area of the state.““To ensure the visibility and implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325, we are mobilizing women, boys and girls to push forward for the domestication of the bill to prevent violation of people’s rights, particularly the bill on abuse of people and also support the National Action Plan as developed by the Nigerian government that lies on five Ps, Promotion,

Prevention, Participation, Prosecution and Prevention of conflicts in communities.”

Esike. who described the abduction of Ese Oruru as a violation of her human right, said: “ Because she has been recovered from the people who abducted her, what she need to undergo now is trauma healing to bring her out of the tension she is right now and stabilize her. I also want prosecution of those persons who are involved in her ordeal.”

Discount card targets 23 million students, Youth Corps members

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n automated discount card with the capacity to subsidise expenses of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and students in tertiary institutions, known as Nigerian Student and Youth Corper Discount Card (NSYCDC), has been launched in Abuja by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.

The Speaker, who was represented by the Chief Whip, Alhaji Alhassan Ado Doguwa, disclosed that NSYCDC is targeting about 23 million youths.

He said the discount card, an initiative of The Bridge Concept, would go a long way in curbing the challenges faced by students and youth corps members, due to the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

“This initiative is about to give adequate attention to what we have been talking about; that is the welfare of students and corps members

without taking action. If we keep talking about it without taking action, then it is mere lip service,” he said. Also speaking, the initiator of the concept, and Chairman, The Bridge Concept Nigeria Ltd., Hon. Bimbo Daramola, said the initiative had received endorsement of the

Committee of Vice Chancellors and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

“The effect of our current economic realities on our youths is harsh, so it is our responsibility to look for safety nets to shield them from crimes and criminality. While doing that we should not lose focus on how to empower the students and youth

corps members to keep from deviant behaviours. That was what brought the idea of this online discount platform,” he said.

Already, over 35,000 partners, including students and corps members' are benefitting from the initiative in the Federal Capital Territory alone, with plans to extend to other parts of the country immediately after this launch.

Fuel scarcity: Group exonerates Buhari, Kachikwu

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he Niger Delta Oil Communities Agenda, NIDOCA, yesterday, said those criticizing President Muhammadu Buhari, and Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum and Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, over the present fuel scarcity in the country were not being sincere, knowing full well that Nigerians are suffering from the failure of the past administration and inces-

sant attacks on oil pipelines by suspected militants.

In a statement by Comrade Emmanuel Akpovoka, Secretary-General and Mr. Clement Komboye, Director of Publicity, in Warri, Delta State, the group appealed to Nigerians to be patient with NNPC to resolve the temporary fuel shortage, assuring that when the refineries come on full operations the refined products would be surplus and readily available for Ngerians.

It, however, commended NNPC for its ability to improve on the importation of refined

products to 100 percent, especially now that the 445 barrels usually allocated for crude swap was being used to service about 55 percent of importation of refined products.

According to the group, "the recent attacks on major oil pipelines in Delta State by suspected militants had caused some damage and setback forcing NNPC to shutdown the refineries which is a major cause of the fuel shortage”.

“Our youths should desist from vandalisation of government assets in the region and support President Buhari, to enable him achieve his plans for the region".

PAGE 30 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

Buhari’s all stick and no carrots government “Brute force without wisdom falls under its own weight”.

Horace, 65-8BC. VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 63. ne of the “bad” habits of professional economists is the tendency to quantify virtually everything. They develop metrics for assessing real human experiences in a manner that reveals certain truths which might be hidden from others.

Like most Nigerians, it was clear to me, as a strong supporter of Buhari, long before the 2015 presidential elections that we might be electing a military-style disciplinarian. After all, the best guess regarding what a person would do in a given situation is provided by his performance when placed in a similar situation in the past. In January 1984, Buhari became the Head of State after a coup planned and successfully executed by others.

Thereafter, he and the Chief of Staff, Supreme

O

Headquarter, late MajorGeneral Tunde Idiagbon, unleashed the most draconian regime Nigeria had ever experienced until Abacha’s more murderous one.

Incidentally, of all the military leaders in their set, only Buhari could be trusted by Abacha to work with him as Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF. Those of us who remembered the lopsidedness of the allocation of funds between North and South will not readily agree that it was a great accomplishment. We have forgiven but not forgotten what happened.

We expected Buhari to be a stern disciplinarian as civilian president. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” – as everybody knows. But, we also assumed that we missed the chance to see the benevolent side of the man because his former “All Stick and no Carrots” regime was short-lived. To be quite candid there was no lasting legacy from that regime other than the

Our message remains equality for all—Mrs Florence Ajimobi 'We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own. - Ben Sweetland

F

or the last couple of weeks, I have dedicated my page to the health and social issues of the nation and this week is the last of the series. I extended an invitation to the wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi because I heard good things about the health programme, ABC Health Care in Oyo State which she initiated in 2012.

I wanted to know more about the programme and what inspires her. Mrs Florence Ajimobi, is a daughter of a Lebanese father and a Nigerian mother. She had her secondary education in Ibadan, and of course, she has been married to the governor of Oyo State for over three decades.She is very attuned to the needs of the people of Oyo State, in health and social care.

Mrs Ajimobi describes herself as:"someone with every sense of modesty and truthfulness, a God-fearing

One of the greatest challenges many women face is with their health. A lot of women in an attempt to make ends meet forget totally to pay attention to their health and even those that choose to, most times cannot afford the cost person and I must be quick to say that, this is beyond the usual cliché that people are so quick to use when asked to describe themselves. In all honesty, I am in total awe of God and the magnificence of His ways. I always wonder how such a big and mighty God could take cognizance of small and insignificant me.

I have seen Him move on my behalf on so many occasions and I cannot but acknowledge that indeed I have a great awareness of Him in my heart and this guides my relationships with other people. In addition to this, I am a perfectionist, a

had been presented to the public as one of the “culprits” who he vowed will be punished. How much time is required to spot where the budget was padded and who did them?

The emphasis on punishment has become so common that the question can be asked if Buhari thinks that arrest, detention and imprisonment of offenders is the sole business of government.

“If you can keep your head while others around you are losing theirs…you

will be a man my boy” said Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936.

But good old Ruddy could be wrong; you might be keeping your head because you don’t have a good grasp of the situation. In sharp contrast to the fast and easy answers about punishment of miscreants, Buhari had been very silent and almost unconcerned about the economy and how it is affecting the lives of 170 million Nigerians. The only statement credited to him about the economy was totally wrong. He claimed that the Nigerian economy is the fastest growing in Africa and one of the fastest in the world. That shows how totally divorced from reality our leader is. It is understandable.

He and his Ministers and assistants have no problem – they have well-paid jobs and there is free food in the Aso restaurant. The same cannot be said about millions of Nigerians – including the employed who are owed salaries by their employers. Public servants in most states are in a fix and riots might soon break out in some states on account of mounting unpaid s a l a r i e s .

Simultaneously, prices of goods and services are going up and his own government has added some surcharges to peoples’ expenses. The Federal government’s budget is in a mess and the outcome is doubtful.

Perhaps out of desperation, Professor Wole Soyinka proposed an economic summit or

conference (what’s in a name?) to address what concerns most people in this country – their means of livelihood. It was shocking that the government had to be prodded to undertake something which other governments globally take as routine. As if to prove that the economy was not considered important enough, a panel was established.

Then, a date set; and no summit was started on due date. That is the peoples’ carrot they are toying with.

What is coming through in all these is a government lacking in compassion; it provides neither psychological nor physical sustenance to the people. History might be repeating itself in one aspect. From January 1984 to 1985, Buhari and Idiagbon also ran a selfrighteous government without compassion. In the end, even their colleagues in the armed forces had enough; and the rest is history…..

COMING SOON – SENATE DOMINATED

BY PDP. “Thanks for Fortune and her treacherous wheel.

That suffers no estate on earth to feel secure.”

Geoffrey Chaucer, 13421400. VBQ 65.

If the “All Stick and no Carrot” approach to governance continues, Nigerians can expect the Senate to return to the PDP any time soon. APC now has a slim majority of four. Three, names withheld, are poised to move immediately.

Another two or three might join them…..

and the girl child more especially. We are battered, humiliated, violated and life goes on. Women die daily in their numbers because no one cares.

I am driven by my passion to make a difference. The status quo cannot continue, something must give and very soon too," she added.

As they say, a society is measured by the way, they treat their most vulnerable citizens.

The maternal health in Nigeria, is very poor and mortality rate is 32 .31 per 100 total population aged 15-59 in 2015, this is not good at all. As this is the case, then we need the likes of Mrs Ajimobi and the ABC health initiative up and down the country. Imagine the difference that would make in the lives of many people who could not afford the costs of health care. This is the main reason, why I like the cut of this woman's gib and the fact that, she and her team have been able to make such a difference in such a short time is quite remarkable.

She told me the reasons why she set up the health programme and what she was trying to achieve by the health programme:"The health programme is an offspring of my passion for women and children. One of the greatest challenges many women face is with their health. A lot of women in an attempt to make ends meet forget totally to pay attention to their health and even those that choose to, most times cannot afford the cost.

With Access to Basic (medical) Care (ABC) Foundation the aim is to complement the efforts of the state government in making quality healthcare available and accessible to all

without leaving a deep hole in their pockets. with this in mind, it is developing and sustaining health care for the future. The ABC medical Foundation ensures healthcare for people in the various local government areas of Oyo State".

She went on:" that the ABC Foundation Hub is kitted out to world standard screening equipment for cervical cancer as well as equipment for mammogram and sonogram and a state of the art diagnostic laboratory all manned by highly skilled professionals. We get referrals from clinics within and outside the state because we have earned a reputation of perfection and also because these screening services are almost free which you cannot get anywhere else in the state.

To take the health message closer to the people, there are mobile clinics scattered all over the local governments within the state where primary health care services are provided at no cost at all to the patients".

I wanted to know if the health initiative caters for specific target group? she said that:"Well, although the clinics cater to everyone, my main target group is the women. They are the ones who take care of everyone and forget to take care of themselves. I want to make it as easy as A-B-C , no pun intended, for them to have access to quality healthcare".

Asked if the ABC health programme has made a difference. She tells me:

"Honestly, I wish you could take time out for opinion sampling within the state but since that is not likely to happen, I can confidently say with every sense of responsibility that the Access to Basic Care Foundation has made a huge difference in the state. We currently have 10 fully operational clinics that attend to an average of 500 people each, every week.

That’s about 5000 patients in a week. If we multiply that by 4 weeks, that is an average of 20,000 people in a month. If that is not called making a difference, I don’t know what is. People now know that they don’t need money to access primary health care and that ABC will take care of them".

As with such innovative health initiative, I wanted to know that,is it the case of here today and gone tomorrow and is the programme sustainable?

"ABC Foundation is a nongovernmental organisation and so even though I am the wife of the governor of Oyo State, we receive absolutely no funding from the state. We have survived so far on donations from people and organisations who believe in us and who share our dream and our passion and as long as we continue to be passionate, committed and transparent in all our affairs, we will always have people who will lend their support to keep this dream alive. We also hope that in good time, we will also be able to access international funding and thus extend the scope of our activities in the health sector." she replied.

monthly sanitation exercise. So eager were they to whack everybody on the head they hardly found time to introduce any programme designed to make life worth living for Nigerians.

With his second coming as a civilian president, supported by others who we thought understood the meaning of democracy, it was expected that his government, this time, would serve the people a mixture of the discipline needed to set Nigeria right again after sixteen woeful years under Obasanjo, Yar ’Adua and mostly Jonathan and compassion. Ten months into his four years and what we are witnessing is a government that is all stick and no carrots. The point was made about quantifying everything. At first, the tendency was unnoticeable.

But, gradually, it became so obvious it could no longer be ignored.

More than his so-called body language is his choice of words and the frequency. Words like vandals, culprits, looters, saboteurs etc. With every one of those attached to, usually unnamed individuals, the president declares that they will be punished, dealt with etc.

Harsh words, and perhaps deserved by some people if they are identified. But, not once in the month of March was it announced that President Buhari sent a condolence message to the leaders of Agatu in one instance or to Governor Ambode of Lagos State after the building collapse which claimed many lives.

Granted a presidential condolence message

would not revive the dead.

But, it would tell the people of Nigeria that they have a leader who cares about their lives – wretched as those lives might be. What is even more disturbing is the fact that having declared the unnamed individuals saboteurs, Nigerians waited for weeks or months for the broad accusation to be substantiated. Yet no proof emerges. The allegation that the 2016 Budget was padded was made by Buhari on February 23, 2016. Till today, not a single person

goal-setter and a goal getter.

I am quite compassionate with a very selfless spirit. No one is perfect and I would say my shortcoming is that, I don’t have a large storehouse of patience. When I want things done, I want them done as soon as yesterday!"

She is not kidding, from what I have been told and I have read about the ABC health initiative, this was no mean feat. The progress she has made in advancing community based health care in Oyo State, can only be done when someone has a strong determination and not doing things in half measures. It takes a certain person with high standards to pull this off within the time frame.

I wanted to know if there are any advice given to her and that she lives by? "I take my ultimate advice from the Holy Bible from the two greatest laws as laid down by our perfect example, Jesus Christ and that is to love my God with all my strength, with all my heart and with all my mind and also to love my neighbour as myself. As long as one stays within the ambit of these two laws, all will be well," she replied.

As a busy mother of five, a grandmother of three and the first lady of Oyo State, does she have any interests and what drives her?

"I have very keen interest in advancing the cause of women and children because they are more likely to be vulnerable and have less power,inequality and are more often than not unable speak for themselves. The culture of silence has wreaked a lot of havoc on our women

The allegation that the 2016 Budget was padded was made by Buhari on February 23, 2016. Till today, not a single person had been presented to the public as one of the “culprits” who he vowed will be punished. How much time is required to spot where the budget was padded and who did them?

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 31 organization are in short supply. If NTA can be funded to acquire such basic working tools, it will function like Al Jazeera whose operatives donot possess superior academic and professional backgrounds making it unnecessary to invite Al

NTA’s problem is not structure but govt control N

igerian veteran broadcasters must have been amused by reports in the media last week that Government was making efforts to restructure the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and other publiclyfunded media establishments to enhance their performance.

According to the reports, the nation’s Information Minister, Lai Mohammed made a request to the Doha based Al Jazeera Television to collaborate with his ministry in the area of capacity building for journalists in public-owned media organizations, especially the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). It is not a new attempt.

During the Obasanjo administration the BBC was similarly mobilized. But are ‘Structure’ and ‘Training’ the problems of the NTA? The organization runs the ‘staff and line’ structure in which departments headed by executives are directly responsible to a superior

officer. This enhances departmental autonomy and interdepartmental collaboration. As for training, Al Jazeera does not possess any skills that are unknown to the NTA. Indeed, NTA has a full Directorate of Training and Capacity Building. It also has a Television College which by design runs university degree programmes in the relevant fields of media and communication.

Thus, what NTA is in dire need of is neither structure nor training.

Rather, the organization is bogged down by a number of issues among which is inadequate resources, both human and material. As DirectorGeneral of that service, this writer received a zero capital allocation every year from 2003-8. The situation is yet to change till today as vehicles, cameras, computers, editing facilities and other modern technologies which can facilitate the work of the PhD,Depar tment of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758

An unbeliever's interpretation of Easter (2)

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he Gospels disagree on basic issues, such as the identities of those who accompanied Judas when he purportedly betrayed Jesus, the manner in which Jesus was arrested, the bearer of the cross and the inscription on it, the time Jesus was crucified, how Jesus died and his last comments, and on the events connected with his resurrection and ascension.

For starters, Matthew and Mark claim that Judas, in the company of armed multitude from the chief priests and elders of the people, came to Gethsemane to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:47-48; Mark 14: 43-45). But in St. Luke’s version, an undifferentiated multitude was involved (Luke, 22: 47). Luke (22: 5054) and John (18 :10-12) report that the ear of the high priest’s servant was chopped off before Jesus was arrested, but Matthew (26: 50-51) and Mark (14: 46-48) indicate that it happened after the arrest.

The Holy Bible claims, in Matthew 27: 3-7, that Judas later changed his mind after betraying Jesus and returned the thirty pieces of silver he collected as bribe to the chief priests and elders who refused to take them back. He then left the money in the temple, went away and hanged himself. Then, the “chief priests and elders took counsel and bought with the sum the Potter’s

field where strangers would be buried.” This important incident was omitted in the other three Gospels.

However, in the Acts of Apostles supposedly written

by St. Luke, Peter, citing David’s prophecy in the Old Testament, reports that Judas himself bought the field with the reward of iniquity, and falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out (Acts 1: 16-18). Concerning the narrative about who carried the cross on which Jesus was allegedly crucified, Matthew 27: 32, Mark 15: 21, and Luke 23: 26 assert that one Simon, a native of Cyrene, was compelled to carry the cross to Golgotha. But in John 19: 17, Jesus himself carried the cross to the crucifixion spot.

Aside from discrepancies in the actual inscription put on the cross during the crucifixion, the Gospels disagree on what happened when Jesus was crucified alongside two thieves. Thus, Matthew and Mark, in chapters 27: 44 and 15: 3132 respectively, report that the thieves also participated in mocking Jesus, whereas in Luke 23: 39-42, we read that one of them reviled Jesus but was rebuked by the other thief who begged Jesus saying “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Meanwhile, St.

What NTA is in dire need of is neither structure nor training. Rather, the organization is bogged down by a number of issues among which is inadequate resources, both human and material Jazeera to help NTA. In terms of human resources NTA is hardly allowed to recruit the best applicants into its fold. About 70% of those who pass recruitment tests organized by the station are usually not recruited; instead, they are replaced by nominees of the Executive and Legislative arms of government. Hence, the October 18, 2009 editorial of the Guardian, asserted that John’s Gospel omitted this important conversation.

Accurate report of the time a special or an extraordinary event actually happened is extremely important because, among other things, it provides a crucial clue for determining whether the event really occurred. If there is conflict in the accounts of the actual time such an incident allegedly took place long ago, especially if there is no incontrovertible material evidence to back any of those accounts, the rational response is to suspend judgement about the event in question because it is logically possible that the stories are false. In Mark’s Gospel (15: 25), Jesus was crucified on the third hour, but in John, it was about the sixth hour when Pilate delivered Jesus to the Jews for crucifixion. Matthew and Luke were not specific on this issue: both merely noted that from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (Matt. 27: 45; Luke 23: 44). Who laid the corpse of Jesus on the tomb?

Matthew, Mark and Luke affirm that a rich man called Joseph of Arimathea, who had earlier been permitted by Pilate to take Jesus’ body away, wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid it in his new tomb (Matt, 27: 58-60; Mark, 15: 43-46 and Luke, 23: 51-53). But in John 19: 38-42, Joseph did not do it alone; he was assisted by Nicodemus.

There are also discrepancies in the stories connected to the resurrection of Jesus. In Matthew 28: 1, Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” were the first to visit Jesus’ tomb, while Mark 16: 1 names Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome. Luke was not explicit. He states, in chapter 24: 1, that the women who came with Jesus from Galilee visited

“the Nigeria Television Authority, (NTA) is arguably the largest of its type in Africa, but it is yet to have the operational freedom required to maximise its potentials.” Indeed, far back in 2003, i inherited a large number of architects, builders, town planners, nurses and other operatives that were not the system’s priority but that were imposed on the station by people in the corridors of political power.

Such well connected workers were also forcibly deployed to the ‘juicy’ cities of Abuja and Lagos. At a point, the number of drivers doubled the number of vehicles in the Lagos station. This trend of ‘tele-guiding’ is probably the NTA’s most intractable problem The NTA is never able to meet its mandate of impartiality due mainly to ownership control. For the 1979 elections, its pioneer Director General, Vincent Maduka said so. Musa Mayaki who served as Acting Director General of the station during the Jonathan administration lamented government’s unending meddlesomeness. Even during the military era, NTA was coerced into transmitting infamous materials like “the key that opens all doors”, “the Cap that fits” and “the 2 million man march.” Painfully, many Nigerians are fond of chastising NTA for such irrational transmission but no one holds the Bull by the

horn to deprecate government’s misuse of the peoples’ channel. Not many are aware that the Information Minister is empowered by law to give directives to the NTA to which it must comply. As a result, some ministers give directives that suit their political parties not withstanding that the directives are not in the interest of the public. If NTA executives are cowards, what about judges, traditional rulers and even the military that were coerced or compromised to favour the ruling party during the 2015 elections?

How NTA’s Chief Executive is hired and fired is similarly intriguing.

Political considerations rather than merit often play vital roles in the appointment. This has a major implication for the stability of the organisation as many departmental heads and indeed non-staff while lobbying for the Chief Executive’s position make it hard for the medium to attain a unity of direction. There are also cases where politicians elevate their kith and kin in the system over and above their previous professional superiors-an unwholesome politicisation of technocracy.

Even the federal character principle which is often used to validate such supersession is only manipulated to negate national integration. Last month, Chief Executives of NTA and some other Parastatals were relieved of their jobs without any reasons given as if their fortunes were

tied to those of the political party in power. Though some had not completed their tenures they were dismissed when government had not penciled down those it has faith in to take over the organizations. If the plan was to put malleable people in office, Al Jazeera does not do that meaning that it is our government that needs to learn how Al Jazeera is treated by its own government.

Bearing in mind that Minister Lai’s request was made to Al Jazeera’s Chief Executive, Dr Mostafa Souag, it is easy to deduce that whereas Al Jazeera is in charge of its operations, it is our minister that controls NTA. The All Progressives Congress (APC) was a victim of government control of the media when as the opposition party it was denied political coverage in 2015. Minister Lai who was the APC publicity secretary that personally suffered the discrimination should take advantage of his experience to halt it. To do so, he needs to use the best NTA career staff on ground and not party loyalists to build a viable station thereby actualizing President Buhari’s desire for strong societal institutions that can keep society going.

Many Nigerians love the exogenous but a local station that is well managed can do well. In any case, Al Jazeera can hardly help NTA because to run a full TV station like the NTA is not same as to run a purely news outfit which Al Jazeera is.

the sepulchre early in the morning on the first day of the week. John reports that Mary Magdalene went alone. Now, unlike the story in the other Gospels, John claims that Mary Magdalene, on seeing that the stone covering the entrance to the burial tomb of Jesus had been rolled away, ran to Simon Peter and other disciples and

Salome brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body, they saw a young man, not an angel, sitting on the right side of the tomb (Ch. 16: 1-5). In Luke chapter 24: 3-4, when the women entered the sepulchre, two men in shining garments stood by them. John’s Gospel describes how the distraught and lachrymal Mary Magdalene saw two angels sitting in the sepulchre, one at the head and the other at the feet where Jesus was laid (Ch. 20: 11-12).

Presenting more contradictions in Gospels’ account of the arrest, trial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth would elongate our discourse considerably. Still, we must examine the final moments when Jesus parted from his disciples for good. In Matthew 28: 16-20, Jesus met with his disciples for the last time at a mountain located in Galilee, and instructed them on what to do after his departure. Mark informs us that after Jesus had charged the disciples to go and preach the gospel to every creature, he was “received up in heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Ch. 16:15-19). Luke narrates how Jesus appeared in the midst of his disciples in Jerusalem, not in Galilee as Matthew claims. He then led them out as far as Bethany and blessed them.

Now, as he blessed them, he departed and was carried up into heaven (Ch. 24: 33-51).

In the Gospel of St. John, the story of Jesus’ final encounter with his disciples contains an interesting twist not found in the other three Gospels, concerning a possible second betrayal (Ch. 21:21-22). However, there was no mention of Jesus ascending into heaven.

From the foregoing, and other conflicting narratives in the Gospels pertaining to Jesus, from his arrest through his trial and crucifixion to his

resurrection and final departure not presented here, it is evident that the historical basis of Easter rests on a very shaky foundation. The varied accounts of the same events in the New Testament, if examined critically without the blinkers and obscurantism of faith, lead to profound scepticism about the most significant belief in Christianity, namely, the redeeming mission of Jesus through his alleged agonising death and resurrection. Actually, an overwhelming majority of New Testament scholars are aware that there is hardly any evidence corroborating the stories concerning the life and activities of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels.

More significantly, there is no iota of good reason to believe in the weird and outlandish notion of Original Sin, which necessitates the painful death of Jesus (if indeed such a person existed) or anyone else for the salvation of humanity. Now, most Christians do not realise that the earliest Gospel, that of St. Mark, was written about fifty years after the events it purports to report took place. The remaining were compiled from seventy to a hundred years after. None of the Gospel writers was an eyewitness to the events he wrote about: in fact, it is virtually impossible to ascertain the actual authors of the texts. Kurt Eichenwald remarks that in the last hundred years or so, tens of thousands of manuscripts related to the New Testament have been discovered, dating back centuries. From these findings, there is no doubt that later versions of the books differ significantly from earlier ones, and copies made in the same period differ from one another in important details. To be concluded.

None of the Gospel writers was an eyewitness to the events he wrote about: in fact, it is virtually impossible to ascertain the actual authors of the texts

informed them of what happened (Ch. 20: 1-2).

According to Matthew 28: 1-6, on the first day of the week after Sabbath, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled the stone from the door, and sat on it.

His countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white like snow. The angel addressed Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who came to see the sepulchre: “Fear not, for I know you came to see Jesus who was crucified. He is not here.” The remaining three Gospels said nothing about an earthquake. Mark says that when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and

PAGE 32—SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

Danladi Umar

Danladi Umar: A judge and his controversies

By Tope Ajayi

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HE on-going case against Senate President Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), has, at every point, continued to reveal surprises. The latest one was Thursday’s admission by the Chairman, Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar, that the tribunal, under his leadership, erroneously delivered its 2011 verdict that discharged former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Umar made the revelation while giving a ruling in a motion filed by Saraki’s lead counsel, Mr. Kanu Agabi, SAN, challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal on the grounds that the condition for filing the case was not fulfilled. Agabi had contended that, on the basis that Saraki was not given the opportunity to either admit in writing or deny the alleged inconsistencies in the asset declaration form he filled in 2003 when he was Governor of Kwara State, the charges should be quashed as it was done in the Tinubu case.

The CCT Chairman, however, refused Agabi’s prayer, saying the proviso in Section 3 (d) of the CCB and Tribunal Act has been negated by Paragraph 3 (e) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. While noting that Tinubu was tried under the same Constitution and law, which are still in operation till date, Umar admitted that the tribunal took an erroneous

C M Y K

decision in the earlier case. He said: “The judgment in the Tinubu case was delivered par in curiam. The tribunal has since realized that the decision it made in the case between FRN vs Tinubu was in error and has clearly departed from it”.

Umar’s reversal of himself in the CCT’s verdict in the Tinubu case throws up a series of concerns with strong implications for the reputation of the CCT as a judicial institution of government and, by extension, the integrity and credibility of

Subjecting Umar’s ruling on the Saraki trial to rigorous legal interpretation reveals that once again, the CCT Chair is treading a new path of error just as he did in the Tinubu trial

the Nigerian judicial system in its entirety.

First, what kind of judge admits to giving a judgment in error? Was he influenced at the time he delivered this judgment? Was he under duress?

What has changed in our laws?

Was it not the same 1999 Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act that were used in the trial of Tinubu?

What should even be more worrying is the casual manner with which Umar declared that his ruling five years ago was a mistake. Why, one would ask, did it take Umar five years, and another case to realize that he made a mistake? Let us assume, for the purpose of argument, that Umar’s ruling in the Tinubu case was truly a mistake as he claimed. Let us also assume that the ruling he gave then was a capital punishment that had been executed. Is this the way he would so cynically dismiss it as an error just to fulfill a current political expediency?

Since the ruling, last Thursday, several lawyers, who were outraged by the ruling, have roundly condemned it. One legal opinion is that the CCT is not competent to reverse itself on its earlier judgment as only a court of higher jurisdiction can reverse a ruling by the CCT. In this case, only the Appeal Court, in the first instance, can reverse or nullify a flawed judgment by the CCT not the CCT itself. It is only the Supreme Court, being an apex court of the land, that has the power to reverse itself.

Legal interpretation Umar held that the failure of

the Code of Conduct Bureau to meet certain conditions precedent before putting Saraki on trial was not weighty enough to discharge him and strike out the trial. He said Section 3(d) of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Act, which made it a requirement for any defendant to be invited for confirmation or denial of discrepancies in the assets form, had been overtaken by the provision of Section 3 (e) of the 1999 Constitution.

According to the CCT Chair, Section 3 (e) of the 1999 Constitution had rendered the condition precedent contained in the CCB Act unconstitutional, null and void because the provisions of the CCB Act were inconsistent with the Constitution. Umar further said that the failure of the CCB to invite the defendant in the instant case had not ousted the jurisdiction of the tribunal. Certainly, these are very contentious claims at best.

Subjecting Umar’s ruling on the Saraki trial to rigorous legal interpretation reveals that once again, the CCT Chair is treading a new path of error just as he did in the Tinubu trial. It has been pointed out that his recourse to Paragraph 3 (e), of the Third Paragraph of the 1999 Constitution, as the tribunal’s basis for not adhering to Section 3 (D) of the CCT Act, smacks of ignorance or mischief. It is argued that if the judge had gone further down to Section 3 (g), he would have found that there is nothing in the part of the Constitution that he was citing that contradicts Section 3(d) of the CCBT Act. Paragraph 3 (e) of the Constitution’s Third Schedule states

that the Bureau shall have power to “receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law in relation thereto, investigate the complaint and, where appropriate, refer such matters to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”

Paragraph 3 (g) however states that the Bureau shall “carry out such other functions as may be conferred upon it by the National Assembly.”

With an Act being a piece of legislation enacted by the National Assembly, the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, in Section 3, clearly spells out in detail the functions of the CCB/CCT to receive assets declarations by public officers; examine such assets and ensure that they comply with the law; retain custody of such assets declarations; and most importantly: “receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of sections 20 to 25 of this Act.” The last clause is also premised on the fact that “provided that if the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary.”

What this means is that the Act resulted from the powers granted the National Assembly by the same constitution and therefore both are not contradictory but complementary.

Regardless of the legal arguments, which would continue to rage in the days ahead, what was crystal clear from the ruling on Thursday was that Umar stumbled, stuttered and fumbled through the judgment as if he was seeing it for the first time. The way he stuttered through the ruling could only evoke another sad occasion during the last general elections when the returning officer for the elections in Rivers State, a vice chancellor, could not read the results even though he claimed to have written it himself. No surprise that the election was eventually cancelled.

Grave concerns Again, if indeed the issues highlighted here are to be given serious considerations, they pose grave concerns on the credibility of the CCT and why such an institution vested with far-reaching powers should not be subjected to the whims and caprices of just anybody. You certainly cannot speak clearly if you have food in your mouth, or a sword dangling on your neck.

It should be noted that the powers of the tribunal are so enormous that they hardly give room for errors, deliberate, contrived or otherwise. For example, once a person is successfully convicted by the CCT, that person has to fully serve his punishment as the prerogative of mercy or any power of pardon does not apply to convictions by the tribunal.

Moreover, the powers of the Attorney General to enter a plea of nolle prosequi to discontinue any criminal case at any stage does not operate in cases before the CCT. All these powers make the need to preserve and protect the integrity, character and credibility of the CCT even more imperative.

That the CCT Chairman admitted error, especially the manner he did, leaves much to be desired.

*Ajayi is a public affairs analyst

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 33

•Emefiele, CBN Governor

Emefiele's Torrid Time at the CBN

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

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rom oil crash to TSA (Treasury Single Account), to JP Morgan, it has evidently been a trying time for the Nigerian financial sector. It has therefore been a very busy year and a half for the policy managers at the Central Bank of Nigeria. How effectively has the apex bank managed what is arguably one of the most difficult periods in Nigeria’s economic history? Has the bank shown sufficient capacity to manage the crisis in terms of the policy options, given the prevailing policy environment? What are the steps it has taken so far? How have the indicators stacked up in response to the steps taken?

Vulnerabilities, buffers and conditions precedent A survey of the countries most affected by the fall in oil prices indicate that the conditions that prevailed in each country at the time the crisis hit determined the severity of impact. Like most or all oildependent economies, Nigeria’s external vulnerability was high, representing the high degree of dependence on oil as primary source of foreign exchange. But unlike most, our buffers were low showing the low level of savings overtime from record oil revenues. When oil prices began their dramatic tumble in June 2014, Nigeria’s foreign reserves placed the country in the bottom half of the top 20 oil exporters, even though Nigeria is one of the top five earners.

To be fair, there is little to hold the present leadership responsible for the poor management of our reserves that left the economy so terribly exposed and little prepared for the crisis. In the six years that passed since the last global financial crisis, the foreign reserve, which once stood at $62 billion, failed to record a net increase in volume. In fact the flow was negative and stock depleted further by almost a quarter in the year leading up to June 2014, when the current leadership of the apex bank took over the affairs of the bank. It was,

incidentally, the same moment that oil prices began to tumble. Talk about negative providence.

Of course, nobody, including the CBN leadership, had the time to complain about what was not done in the boom years to prepare us for this crisis. The very urgent task was to get on with the job at hand.

Expectations and policy choices Reaction by the CBN to worsening foreign exchange shortages seemed at the time like a series of panicky, uncoordinated response to a crisis that was overwhelming in its sheer scale and intensity. With time, though, it became clear that the widely derided ‘demand management’ was neither so unorthodox nor wrongheaded as we first imagined. In its Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report in 2015, the World Bank had reported that in the wake of the crash in oil prices, exporting countries were largely expected to curb imports owing to limited supply of forex.

Thus, in a way, the choice of rationing forex wasn’t really a ‘choice’ in the true sense of the word.

The decision by JP Morgan, the US investment banking firm, to delist Nigeria from its Emerging Market Government Bond Index (GBI-EM) presented its own set of problems. It was not difficult even for those with only a conversational knowledge of the economy to recognize what we saw at the time as signs of an ailing economy gasping for its last breath. It (JP Morgan’s announcement) was without question the kind of bad news that only begets more bad news, heaping more misery on the country. To be sure, JP Morgan was complaining, more specifically, about a lack of liquidity and ‘transparency in the foreign exchange market’. So besides having to contend with the growing

Reaction by the CBN to worsening foreign exchange shortages seemed at the time like a series of panicky, uncoordinated response to a crisis that was overwhelming in its sheer scale and intensity

problem of dwindling forex (especially since the import bill was escalating) there was a liquidity problem which has its own colossal inflation and interest rate implication for the economy.

It is not clear how much of a problem the liquidity issue was posing for monetary policy until JP Morgan sounded the alarm, or what the apex bank was doing to deal with the problem, but there was no doubt that this ‘new’ problem with its potential effect that could accelerate a full blown financial crisis needed a more immediate intervention. It has now come to light that the bank had deployed something similar to what economists call ‘quantitative easing’ to address liquidly. Yet, monetary policy also needs to be tightened to control inflation and contain capital outflow.

The proof of the pudding It is easier for the policy wonks to debate the soundness of these policy instruments a priori, but for the uninitiated, we are only able to discuss the effectiveness of these policies ex post, that is after the fact. Starting with the TSA and JP Morgan, it is something of a miracle that, six months on, the aftermath looks very unrecognizable from the massive rumpus that both events generated – about banks running out of funds to lend to businesses, interest rates hitting the roof, money deposit institutions closing shop, investors exiting in droves. At the moment there is an apparent ‘credit squeeze’ on the private sector, but obviously not for reason of poor liquidity in the system. The evidence from available data shows that there is a “surfeit of liquidity”, but with most bank lending activities characterized by credit to the public sector. Of course this is one more headache that the apex

bank will have to deal with.

As for the situation with capital flow, the stock market lost 28% of its value in 2015. But then, less than 5% of the decline occurred in the last quarter of the year, indicating that there was little or negligible ‘JP Morgan effect’ in that sector.

The inflation monster, for all practical purposes, seemed to have been kept within coping limits. For most of the countries hardest hit by this crisis, inflation has ranged anywhere from 12% to 108%. Nigeria is somewhere around 9.6%.

Devaluation, no magic bullet, certainly not the only bullet Yet, the big elephant in the room has been whether the central bank should remove all pegs and allow the naira to flow freely as market forces direct. The calls have become very strident especially from Western media analysts who believe that the naira needs to find its ‘true value’ somewhere around the 250/dollar mark, so that foreign investors can be assured of the true dollar value of their investment. However, the CBN has elected instead to keep the peg, but review periodically to determine what it considers appropriate for macroeconomic stability. It has determined that rate to be currently N199/dollar, about the midpoint between the original rate and the speculated market value. The CBN says it aims to stabilize the market first, and then move towards greater flexibility.

Again for the uninitiated, the arguments seem respectively tenable.

But then what does the umpire say? A recent report published by the IMF, titled Global implications of lower oil prices, argues that “complete deregulation does not necessarily solve the problem, as it helps only partly to lessen the external and fiscal impact of lower dollar oil prices”. But even the ‘part’ solution has its own caveat – it would occur only if “there are no foreign exchange mismatches resulting, for instance, from a high degree of dollarization.” So what option for policy? The report believes that “a country with a fixed exchange rate regime would need to considerably tighten macro policies (especially fiscal policy), if it wants to maintain its current peg”.

With this report, it became clear why the CBN had opted instead for a ‘dedollarization’ policy in the first place, as it is obviously a root problem. The decision to eventually suspend direct forex sale to BDCs, requiring them instead to source for forex from autonomous sources may have been to address the concerns by JP Morgan and co of ‘transparency in the foreign exchange market’.

Not forgetting, monetary policy is a twin The very close complementarity between monetary and fiscal policy seems to have defined the CBN’s own policy boundaries. For instance the bank’s credit policies should reflect considerably government’s growth projections and priority sectors. Inclusive growth should also determine how much of the relevant indicators it wishes to place entirely at the mercy of the market.

Most of the pieces don’t fall into place until the budget becomes a working document.

While the jury may still be out on some of the steps taken by the CBN to combat the effect of this crisis, the task confronting the apex bank is best captured in the IMF report referenced earlier in this article. It notes that in the wake of the crisis, “Central banks will have to balance the need to support growth against the need to maintain stable inflation and investor confidence in the currency”. It means therefore that the issues are not so straightforwardly simple as they first appear to the rest of us.

As for the CBN, it must demonstrate that it is at least applying the right remedies. So far, the bank appears to have shown enough capacity to see us through this crisis.

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

BY FUNMI AJUMOBI

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teacher made headlines, last week, when he was accused of molesting a JSS 2 girl in boarding house. The presumed mother of the girl, who simply identified herself as Chinyere, narrated her story in the social media. The Management of Queen’s School dismissed the allegation, while also exonerating the teacher. The presumed mother said: “I would like to report the Management of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos. As I write, the Principal and Vice Principals have, over a month now, deliberately suppressed several complaints of sexual harassment which my daughter and some other students have consistently reported to their class teacher, their Year Head, the Head of Department of the accused teacher and the Principal’s Office.

“My daughter is in JSS 2, second term at Queen’s College. During their visiting day in first term, she complained to me that there is an integrated science teacher, Mr Oshifala, who has been harassing her and some other students. I asked her if the man had touched her and she said no, he only tells them that they are looking beautiful and he wants to marry them. I dismissed her complaint as typical compliments from a teacher.

“However, two weeks later, on Thursday, she called me late at night and she was crying bitterly. I could barely hear what she was saying until after I had calmed her down. I myself was scared, wondering what had happened. She told me then that this same Mr Oshifala, who, by the way, lives in the boarding house area, had cornered her on her way back from easing herself just before lights out. She told me that he called her and she thought he wanted to punish her for leaving her dorm room when it was almost lights out. But when she got closer to him, he was smelling of alcohol and she ran away from him.

But he ran after her and grabbed her and tried to kiss her while touching her private part. She started screaming and then students started coming out; so he left her and pretended to punish her. But the students already know his ways, so they started booing him until the house mistress came out and chased them inside, telling them to be quiet and that nothing was actually going on. I told my daughter to calm down and prayed with her and I told her not to leave her dorm room unless with another student.

“I got to the school first thing the next day and spoke with the house mistress who C M Y K

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Storm in Queen’s College confirmed to me that the story was true. but she warned me that Mr Oshifala is a favourite of the Vice Principal, Mrs Kayode. I spoke to a couple of other teachers and they all confirmed this story and Mr Oshifala’s tendencies. The teachers also mentioned that he had been reported before at the Abuja Headquarters for sexual harassment and he was almost sacked until he begged this same Vice Principal who quashed the complaints.

“I went to the Vice Principal myself and complained to her about my daughter’s issue.

Mrs Kayode and another Vice Principal, Mrs Njoku, were both in the room when I entered. From the looks on their faces, I knew my daughter was telling the truth. Mrs Njoku soon left and it was just me and Mrs Kayode. She then told me (and these are her words) that even though my daughter was telling the truth, Oshifala is her man and he does a lot of work for her and there is nothing me or anyone can do to move him out of the school.

She also turned around to threaten me that if I liked, I could go to Abuja to report, nothing would happen. And that I should not forget that this is a government school; so, instead of her or Mr Oshifala being sacked, my daughter would be dismissed.

As I type this, I have already found another school for my daughter. She has left the boarding house and, once their exams are over, she

Meanwhile, Queen’s School Management refuted the allegation that a parent showed up to report such a case would leave Queen’s College.

She told me that this Mr Oshifala sees her every time she has class in the labs but she never goes there alone, only when her friends are with her. She says he always tells her that her mother tried to report him, but in the end she is the one who would leave the school while he would remain.

“These people wanted to traumatize my daughter!!

They know this man is a child molester and yet they keep him not only in the school but also in the boarding house area where these young girls live. He is free to roam about at night drunk as a skunk and no one does anything because of his connections.

“Even worse, they now have young men as security guards

who, some parents have even complained at the last PTA meeting are already harassing their daughters.

I beg you to please expose these people. They think they are bigger than just one parent, but I know one day their time will come.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any more details. I hope their evil deeds come to light and they get the punishment they deserve”.

Meanwhile, Queen’s School Management refuted the allegation that a parent showed up to report such a case. The number the presumed parent, Chinyere, left was called in the presence of journalists, at a briefing, but a lady, who identified herself as Tope, picked the call, and said she did not know anything about the Queen’s College case and she did not report anything.

It was also clear that Mr Oshifala lives in Ogba, Agege area of Lagos and not in the school compound contrary to the claim that he lives in school area of Lagos teaches the senior class biology and not junior class.

Cover up Trying to rationalise the story, a top staff member of the school told Sunday Vanguard the issue of child molestation has always been raised anytime a new Principal assumes office in Queen’s College. According to her, 12 years ago, a woman in Oshifala’s dept, who was the Chairman of a staff organisation in the school,

had issue with him when she wanted Oshifala to cover her up after embezzling money but he refused. The woman was said to have promised to destroy him for not cooperating with her and exposing the secret between the duo.

The woman then allegedly instigated two students to report to the Management that Mr Oshifala was sexually molesting them. The case went viral. But the girls were thoroughly interrogated, during which they opened up that it was the woman who told them to lie against the teacher.

The top staff member said she was convinced that someone was bent on destroying Oshifala.

It was learnt that Oshifala is a senior staff member on level 14 and a young teacher who is loved not only by students but also by the junior staff. He is said to be the Chairman of the Co-operative Staff Union and popularly called Obama of Queen’s College. Anytime there is teachers award or other awards, students and staff vote for him, but to some staff, its like questioning him if he is the only teacher in Queen’s College.

Investigation is on-going into the sexual harassment issue as the Federal Ministry of Education has summoned the Principal of the school to Abuja, while the Old Girls of Queen’s College too have opened a forum for report on abuse of students. NGOs are also investigating.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 35

PAGE 36— SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016 PAGE 37

Buhari/INEC:An AnEndangered Endangered Buhari/INEC: Polity And And Failure Failure Foretold Foretold Polity •Rivers election crisis and the complicity of the electoral umpire •Card reader: How APC and PDP politicians fooled Nigerians

•Voters waiting for materials at the RAC at Abalama, Asari Toru local government area That President Muhammadu Buhari has admitted failure in the three elections conducted under his watch only confirms Sunday Vanguard’s insistence that the era of free, fair and credible elections may have gone for good. And whereas the drumbeats of war, which came from both the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were enough to elicit the type of outcome witnessed in the Rivers State re-run elections, the less than efficient activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, introduced a dangerous dimension, to further inflame an already combustible situation. This report will show that the President’s condescending disposition towards INEC, is partly responsible for the shambles being witnessed, just as it would point out why, if these inconclusive elections are anything to go by, the APC Federal Government may be suggesting to Nigerians that it is not interested in free, fair and credible elections. Read the facts as they speak for themselves.

BY JIDE AJANI

HISTORY OF RIVERS ELECTIONS, RESULT SHEETS AND INEVITABLE VIOLENCE

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or those who do not know, the current political crisis in Rivers State is a carry-over of the PDP leadership crisis in that state.

It would be recalled that the crisis over who controls the PDP in

Rivers was actually lost by the former Gov. Rotimi Amaechi group on account of the fact that, during the election to choose the party’s state executive, a group had the original copy of the election result whereas the outcome of the proper election was recorded on a photocopy or duplicate. In the court case that ensued, the original result sheet was tendered with the name of the current Chairman, Mr. Felix Obuah, as the winner of the election, hence, the court declared him

as the duly elected Chairman.

This was one of the underlying reasons that led to Amaechi’s exit from the PDP to the APC, since his former Chief of Staff and then Federal Minister, Nyesom Wike, had taken over the control of the PDP machinery in the state.

Since then, the quest for control of election result sheet became a significant strategy known by politicians.

For that reason, in the 2015 gen-

Compounding the issue even more, key political stakeholders in the state were shocked to hear that, in very adversarial elections, INEC sent some flawed but unchecked sensitive election documents with no water-mark into the field

eral elections, the entire hoopla in Rivers was about the alleged absence of original “result sheets” at the polling units. In fact, it was the non-availability of the original result sheets that frustrated Amaechi - who had been cheated once such that he walked away from the polling station when his insistence on seeing the original result sheets met a brick wall.

Once again, this was the main issue in the recently partly conducted and partly suspended elections in Rivers - in the LGAs where elections were suspended, there were allegations that both ballot papers and result sheets were snatched by politicians.

Compounding the issue even more, key political stakeholders in the state were shocked to hear that, in very adversarial elections, INEC sent some flawed but unchecked sensitive election documents with no water-mark into the field.

Naturally, this further heightened distrust and confusion; and it also left a lot of questions about the organizational abilities of the current INEC leadership.

SUPREME COURT DECISION ON CARD READER; HOW POLITICAL PARTIES CONSPIRE TO

EMBOLDEN ELECTION RIGGING AND VIOLENCE Another factor, which has not helped the seeming disarray in INEC, is the legal status of the card reader, an election tool for authenticating or validating the identity of voters in the voter register.

The unintended consequence of the refusal or failure of the highest court in the land to accord legal effects to the use of the card reader (even though the court curiously commended it as a good innovation that would sanitize the electoral process in Nigeria) has emboldened politicians to regress to the old ways of using violent means to snatch ballot papers, and, more importantly, original election result sheets. In commandeering these election materials, they allocate votes to themselves, particularly in areas that have been used to election rigging.

These loopholes created by legal uncertainty, is what played out in Rivers; hence politicians went all out to get the result sheets, regardless of the stage-by-stage procedures that should determine what would be inputted into the result sheets.

Where card readers are used dili-

Continues on page 38

PAGE 38—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

River or al umpire Riverss election crisis and the complicity of the elect elector oral Continued from page 37 gently and the authenticated voters recorded, election results must corroborate the records of validated voters, giving election riggers very little room for result manipulation, as these varying pieces of evidence must add up in court if scrutinized.

Unfortunately, the prevaricating and hesitant leadership of INEC; after Jega’s exit, has been unable to make the case forcefully in the various tribunals for strengthening this pivotal role which the card reader is meant to play, in limiting the illegal conduct of political parties by empowering voters.

CARD READER: HOW APC AND PDP POLITICIANS FOOLED NIGERIANS Prior to the 2015 elections, the impression in the public domain was that it was the ruling party (PDP) that was afraid of the use of the card reader.

However, Sunday Vanguard investigation into why it was only in the 2015 elections - since 1999 - that the nation was not given a new Electoral Act, despite the repeated altruistic claim by INEC, that it had made submission to the 7th Assembly, of some sections of the Act that needed to be amended to accommodate its innovation, revealed - and, shockingly so - how Nigerians were fooled through a grand conspiracy by politicians of both the APC and PDP, who concealed from the public new amendments titled, “Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2015) signed by the Clerk of the National Assembly, on March 26, 2015, two days to the March 28 presidential election and the governorship/state Houses of Assembly elections that took place in April, 2015. These amendments would have guided the conduct of the 2015 elections and the election tribunals.

These amendments of the principal Act, obtained by Sunday Vanguard from the National Assembly, contains a provision that not only empowers INEC but also secures and accommodates the use of the card reader.

They categorically state in the amendment of Section 52 with a new Subsection “2”: “Voting at an election under this Act shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission” . This provision expressly and explicitly leaves the method of “authentication of voters” to be determined

by INEC. The questions now are: Why were these amendments hidden from the INEC and the general public all through the period that election petitions were on-going in various tribunals up till the Supreme Court?

How could it be explained that even members of the APC in the National Assembly could have been ignorant of this and, therefore, by commission, be part of this conspiracy if it was actually true that it was PDP members that had hesitation over the use of the card reader? Have these findings not confirmed what Nigerians have been saying that both the APC and PDP politicians are the same and could work together to undermine whatever they consider may affect their political fortune even though it will empower the Nigerian people such as the card reader benefits?

WHY ELECTIONS WILL REMAIN CHAOTIC AND INCONCLUSIVE No organization can perform beyond the capacity and knowledge of its key decision makers and management. Prior to the Prof. Attahiru Jega transition, INEC was carrying out series of innovations - like the PVC and the card reader.

Now, by doing away completely with credible actors who

•Corps members leaving the RAC at Kalabari National College, Buguma brought the innovations into INEC, and instituting this “half Board” where, mind you, only Hajia Amina Zakari remains the principal link to institutional management memory - most of the new people have no clue about such innovations and may not be on the same page with her as revealed by an insider privy to a recent meeting where majority supported a position contrary to Madam Zakari’s view.

For the record, Sunday Vanguard’s position, regarding the brouhaha over Madam Zakari’s appointment, in acting capacity, was based purely on legality and constitutionality and never about her competence. At the meeting in question, Madam Zakari’s point of view was actually what ought to be the right thing to be done, regarding a decision to shift dates fixed for the conduct of election requiring engaging affected stakeholders.

There was no proper hand-over process and detailed briefing to the new INEC leadership by the Jega regime that initiated these innovations. This chasm has obviously affected the performance of the current Commission as exemplified by a series of inconclusive and controversial elections that have been witnessed so far.

Besides, some of those recently appointed as representing some zones came as a shock to some Nigerians because of the alleged cobwebs in past public records, some of which elicit disdain from internal and external stakeholders. For instance, some insiders in INEC revealed that a National Commissioner, who was supposed to be in his zone to supervise election two weeks ago, as well as the Rivers’ election, was in Kenya and in Italy, when these elections were conducted, leaving a very pressing INEC assignment unattended to, for foreign trips.

HOW IT BEGAN WITH THE EXIT OF JEGA The loss of independence of INEC, the electoral chaos and erosion of credibility currently besetting the election management body is easily foreseeable by any political analyst. It follows the first interference with the internal administration of INEC, occasioned by President Muhammadu Buhari’s reversal of the internal administrative procedure of the Commission, which occurred when the President appointed Madam Zakari, a National Commissioner, as “Acting Chairperson” of INEC, a title and position unknown to the Constitution as a power exercisable by the President; moreover,this was also done without recourse to the Council of State and the Senate as required by the Constitution. Many observers believe that Buhari made a mistake, with his knee-jerk action thereby creating, rightly or wrongly, the impression that INEC is at his beck

Beyond the deficiency of the Commission’s institutional structures that have been engendered by the current government, there is a grim realization of a growing lack of confidence on the part of the public in the procedures of INEC that appears to have gone to the dogs under unsure, hesitant and apparently nonautonomous leadership

and call. It is a well-established principle by administrative gurus that “structure follows strategy”.

Having signaled this as its intended strategy, political stakeholders began to watch the nature of the institutional structures the Presidency will erect at INEC to ensure “command and control” instead of “autonomy, distance and deference” as envisioned by the Constitution.

For months, civil society groups and opposition parties raised the red flag but nothing changed. Sunday Vanguard was consistent in maintaining that the non-challant attitude of the Buhari regime to electoral institutions in Nigeria was not just shocking, but also unbecoming for a government that is the beneficiary of the process of free, fair and credible elections that were conducted by some individuals with integrity and honour, and which made it possible for the opposition to win the 2015 presidential election.

It was clear from the outset that the Buhari regime intended to “kick-theladder” with which it climbed to power after three attempts, by making it inaccessible to others as noted above with the controversial appointment of a relation as Acting-Chairperson of the Commission. The latter issue impacted negatively and terribly eroded the credibility and autonomy of INEC, as political stakeholders pummeled the portents of such a move.

Not done with this controversial issue, the President ignored the statutory requirement to constitute a full 13member Board of INEC, a constitutional matter that Sunday Vanguard severally reported, until a legal authority in Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, reiterated the contents and letters of one of the publications and reminded the Federal Government of an extant court judgment, in which Mr Falana himself was a counsel, pointing out that Buhari was dealing a dirty slap on the 1999 Constitution. In the aforesaid suit, a court affirmed that the minimum constitutional 1/3 (5) quorum of members, determined only from a full 13-member Board of INEC, shall take decisions needed to make the conduct of elections legal. In response to this legal advisory, the President only made halfhearted attempts to meet this judicial order/interpretation and the constitutional requirement in Section 159 of the Constitution, by appointing six new people, making a total of seven members, instead of constituting the full Board of INEC - and to this day, nothing has been done and the constitution of the Board of INEC remains inconclusive.

At the state level, the situation is worse, to the extent that, as of the time of this report, more than 22 states, if not more, have no Resident Electoral Commissioners and these sensitive offices are in the hands of civil servants

called Administrative Secretaries, in breach of the constitutional provision under Paragragph 14(3) of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution which states unequivocally:”There shall be for each state of the federation and the federal capital territory, Abuja, a Resident Electoral Commissioner...”

It appears from the observation of some stakeholders that, the President believes he is saving money by failing to properly constitute such statutory institutions; a few political observers have scoffed at this notion, pointing out that the aim of government is public benefit and public welfare, not profit or stupendous savings of funds while public institutions degenerate.

Furthermore, in global body management literature, the election body is an important national institution that is not toyed with because of its implications for political stability and national development. This school of thought pointed out that Buhari failed to realize that, if elections had failed in 2015, the citizens and politicians, by now, will be busy hiding in the bush from bullets and machetes, rather than expressing concerns about the economy. This is why electoral scholars are insisting that the process of election begins with the erection of constitutional structures and institutions which enable elections; whereas, conversely, election fraud could begin with interference or inaction, to do what is required to position the election management body to properly discharge its responsibilities.

GROWING LOSS OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN INEC AND ITS PROCEDURES Beyond the deficiency of the Commission’s institutional structures that have been engendered by the current government, there is a grim realization of a growing lack of confidence on the part of the public in the procedures of INEC that appears to have gone to the dogs under unsure, hesitant and apparently non-autonomous leadership. This is unlike the Jega regime that was so trusted by the Nigerian people (though not without human frailties), that elections could be postponed on the eve of polls, yet Nigerians would accept without distrust because the people believed in the sanctity of the process and, therefore, had credible expectations in the outcome.

This emerging procedural uncertainty, or even decay, was first noticed in the Kogi election, when INEC declared an election inconclusive based on improbable statistics. It purported that the number of voters in the areas where election was canceled were significant enough to impact the extant result at that time.

Whereas, the actual number of possible voters, when determined by the number of voters with PVC, was not enough to make a difference in the declared result. As of the time the APC governorship candidate, Abubakar Audu, died, the declared result showed that the difference between him and the next candidate, Idris Wada, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, far exceeded the number of voters with PVC in the areas with canceled election. It is common and accepted fact that, no voter without a PVC can vote by extant electoral laws in Nigeria. Worse still, it is even questionable if INEC, as constituted before the Kogi election, had powers to conduct elections. How INEC came to the decision which declared the election inconclusive at that point is now a matter of legal contest.

But given that even the current INEC Board is not properly legally constituted and only a legally constituted Board of INEC comprising not less than five members determined from 13 and not five or six out of seven, the legality of the decision to conduct the Kogi election is likely to have been questionable. It is left to the tribunal to examine the Board resolutions, the atten-

Continues on page 39

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016 PAGE 39

Is INEC under Buhari becoming a shadow of itself?

Continued from page 38 dance list and the quorum where such a decision was taken, because it may be difficult to find anywhere in the electoral law where “half a Board”of INEC, instead of the constitutionally envisioned 13 members, is empowered to conduct elections.

Further decay of INEC processes was on display again in Bayelsa State, as the Commission floundered to explain its limitations in not providing electoral materials as and when due, to some constituencies, despite a very long notice given for the election. This led to another inconclusive election carried over from 2015 to 2016, when the exercise was concluded, after so many lives had been lost.

Although failure of election security arrangements has been given as the principal cause, the prevailing atmosphere before the election was perceived, rightly or wrongly by key stakeholders, suggested that INEC may skew the

process to favor a party.

Take, for instance, the issue of quality control and how documents were printed without INEC officers ensuring sanity at the printing level? How were the documents packed and sealed without INEC officials?

When the materials were received in Rivers State, INEC officials, party agents, the state Police Commissioner and the DPOs at LGAs were supposed to scrutinize the electoral materials. So, how did they get to the field without these controls? These procedural shortcomings exemplify the litany of shortcomings now bedeviling the Commission as its credibility continues to erode. Dependable sources in INEC offices in Rivers hinted that the Commission lost every claim to neutrality, when both the REC and Administrative Secretary, who worked together in Delta State in the 2015 elections, where the issue of tampering with result sheets days before elections was an issue, were both brought to Rivers State to conduct the re-run.

Sunday Vanguard discovered, during investigations, that, in a petition

party.

Therefore, with what appeared to be a fragmented leadership at the state level of INEC, and with its management at such counter-poised influences, violence was bound to occur because stakeholders already knew the direction of the sympathy of officials of the Commission in the state.

More significantly, if the Commission is unable to organize elections in states at a time, can it be trusted to organize general elections? Why is it that the Chairman, who declared, on the day he assumed offices that “INEC work is the easiest job to do” and, who wondered why people have been unable to rise up to the occasion, is now floundering? It shows that, indeed, those who consider Jega and his team’s monumental accomplishments as an easy task must be finding out that, as far as elections are concerned,

“talk is cheaper than action”.

IS INEC UNDER BUHARI BECOMING A SHADOW OF ITSELF? Any lingering doubt that INEC is becoming a distant shadow of the organization under Jega faded as INEC again conducted another inconclusive elections in Rivers State.

These make the third inconclusive elections conducted by the Commission under the Buhari regime. This trend, since the exit of the Jonathan administration era of peaceful conduct of credible elections - exceptional in its own way, since the return of democracy in 1999 - has created doubts in the minds of Nigerians on the commitment of the Buhari regime to free, fair and credible elections.

Many Nigerians and members of the international election observergroups are intensely concerned that free, fair and credible elections that were witnessed in 2011 and more so in 2015 - and, that was almost being taken for granted - are gradually regressing under the Buhari government, with all that the situation portends for the future of Nigeria’s democracy.

In particular, fears are being expressed - while significant doubt is being created in the minds of Nigerians as the 2019 general elections approach - that the APC government is not committed to democracy and the rule of law, given the shoddy and condescending way the current regime has related with INEC. This is why the Buhari regime must sit up and make amends to the degeneration of INEC or face possible infamy in 2019.

•Vanguard correspondent Jimitota Onoyume in military helmet, vest on election duty court invited journalists to join soldiers go round to monitor the polls.

The Brigade Commander, BrigThe state government adier General Stephenson Olabanhas set up a judicial ji, told his men to allow the journalists decide the areas to visit. The commission, headed by journalists resolved to go to some Justice Monima of the flash point areas.

The heavilly armed convoy of the Danagogo, to investigate soldiers and journalists left the brigade headquarters at about 10 killings during the rerun a.m, heading to Asari Toru local elections government area. Spokesman for the Brigade, Captain Lazarus Eli, led the term.

Our convoy was on its way to Ikwerre local government area when some of us started receiving calls from news sources in Buguma of violence. There were allegations of shooting in Buguma which resulted in the death of one person. Another call came in that a chieftain of one of the political parties alArmy monitors elections with legedly left his ward to create problem at Abalama, a situation that journalists On the day of the elections, the resulted in the death of one person 2 Amphibious Brigade, Port Har- in the area.

Our convoy headed to Ikwerre local government area. On our way we saw a violent scene at Ward 4, Unit 8, Rumuodumayan in Obio Akpor local government area.

An APC and his PDP rival reportedly inflicted matchet cuts on each other. Theophilus Ndamartins of APC, who had a blood stained singlet on, said he was stabbed by a PDP member, while a PDP member, whose singlet was also stained with blood , Mr Chile Ekwe, alleged that he too was stabbed by suspected APC thugs, At Ikwerre local government area, there were heavy presence of soldiers in Ubima, Ozuoha, Omagwa and several communities we drove through. The soldiers kept their distance from polling units while policemen, who were not armed, were seen standing around polling units.

Voters in the polling units visited were orderly. We returned to the barracks at about 230pm to file our stories.

Sunday Vanguard later gathered that there was trouble at the collation centre in Isiokpo in Ikwerre local government area. Some politicians said there were attempts to hijack the process by some persons they styled fake soldiers until genuine military men came to save the process.

There was also allegation of attempt to hijack results sheets by one of the political parties.

In a related development, there have been conflicting calls from the political class on the elections. While the APC leadership wanted the rerun elections cancelled, the PDP said INEC should release the results for the local government areas where collation had been concluded and results announced.

The state government has set up a judicial commission, headed by Justice Monima Danagogo, to investigate killings during the rerun elections.

A bus conveying election materials from the RAC at Kalabari National College, Buguma sent to Chairman Jega before the election in Delta dated March 31, 2015, disclosures were made of how “…in the course of collecting the materials to be used for the presidential and National Assembly elections, it was discovered that a parcel containing materials, particularly the original result sheets to be used for the governorship election fixed for April 11, 2015 in Delta State, had been opened and several of the result sheets littered the floor of the vault”, This same REC, now moved to Rivers, was alleged to have sidetracked the operations department by becoming solely responsible for the shortlisting of election ad-hoc staff, while the Administrative Secretary, on the other hand, was alleged to be under the influence of a National Commissioner from the East and both of them were pursuing the agenda of a political

The Rivers debacle

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, could not conclude penultimate Saturday’s rerun elections for some seats in the national and Rivers State House of Assemblies in Rivers State, citing violence and threat to lives in eight local government areas.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, in a statement, listed Andoni, Bonny, Tai, Eleme, Gokhana, Khana, Etche and AsariToru as the LGAs where elections were suspended.

The electoral body released results for nine state constituencies and one House of Representatives constituency with the All Progressives Congress, APC, winning only the Opobo state constituency seat.

The elections were allegedly marred by violence in some parts of the state. A corps member , Mr Samuel Okonta, was killed by suspected political thugs in Orashi axis. Two others reportedly lost their lives in Asari Toru local government. In Ogoni axis, two persons were allegedly shot dead. One other person was shot dead in Obio Akpor local government area of the state.

Blames game There has been condemnation of the killings that trailed the elections. The political class and INEC traded blames over the violence.

While the Commission accused the political class of desperation which necesitated the violence, politicians believed shoddy arrangment of the electoral body created suspicion that gave room for the violence.

For instance, voting materials were said to be still at some RAC centres at about 2 pm for elections that were to have been concluded

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by 2pm in polling units with results declared.

At several polling units in Port Harcourt, the state capital, voting did not start until about 1pm. Governor Nyesom Wike accused INEC of shoddy preparations after casting his vote in his Rumiprikom village.

The delay in distribution of materials to several polling units heightened tension and swelled suspicion among party supporters.

Some feared that the electoral body may have traded the materials.

There were also allegations of fake materials in some polling units.

This situation was largely at the root of the crisis in Bodo, headquarters of Gokana local government area.

Secretary to Rivers State government, Mr Kenneth Kobani, said he had altercation with soldiers deployed to the area over alleged fake election materials. According to him, he noticed some of the materials brought to the RAC in his area were fake and, as at 2pm, the materials had not even left the centre.

He said he was arrested by the soldiers on ground because he allegedly challenged the attempt to use the fake materials for the elections.

Politicians divided Politicians were divided on the role of soldiers and police deployed for the elections. Some accused the security agencies of being behind some of the killings. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in a statement by its Rivers State Chairman, Mr Felix Obua, accused the military of providing cover for APC members to hijack materials, saying some members of the PDP suffered for challenging the soldiers. On its part, the APC alleged that the police aided the PDP to rig the elections.

Meantime, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, and the army, in separate statements, dismissed the allegations against their men as untrue.

PAGE 40—SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

STORIES BY UDEME CLEMENT

T

he issues on persistent petrol scarcity are far from being over as the Minister of Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachichwu openly declared that the scarcity will continue till May, 2016. When Sunday Vanguard visited some depots in Apapa area of Lagos, the officials said they were out of fuel, while few of them said they had low stock of product.

In a chat with Sunday Vanguard, the former National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Tunji Adeniji, stressed that fuel scarcity will not end unless government removes the monopoly of importation from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and creates a level playing field for independent oil marketers to bring in product. “We need more product to meet the increasing consumption demand of the people. This is imperative because NNPC does not have the facilities to adequately supply fuel across the entire country. At present, those of us independent oil marketers have been grounded in the business because we do not have supply of fuel.”

On if Major oil marketers get more fuel supply than Independent marketers, he said, “Only NNPC is supplying fuel now to Major oil marketers and Independent marketers as well, and the supply is not equitable.

So, it is not a matter of being a Major oil marketer or Independent marketer. The reality is that, there is no supply of product. That is why it is scarce

•Inset: Mr. Tunji Adeniji,

No end in sight to petrol scarcity —Ex-IPMAN President .Says govt’s plan to create 3million jobs not realisable unless… and queues are everywhere.

About government building more refineries, he explained, “The issue of refinery can not be addressed without appropriate pricing mechanism being put in place. Also, refinery issue can not be successfully tackled without full deregulation of the downstream sector. Deregulation will pave the way for investors to analyse the cost of building a

refinery and other things in involved in running a refining plant. Building a refinery requires huge investment and it is often done for commercial purpose, and not for social service. Frankly, no private investor will build a refinery without appropriate pricing of petroleum products that will enable him to recoup his

investment in the long-run. So, we must face the reality”.

On if government’s plan to create 3million jobs in three years is realisable, he added, “It depends on what they want and the key sectors they are going to explore.

For me, creating 3million jobs at the federal level within a period of three years is not realisable, except in a sector like

agriculture. That means, government must give a directive for all the 36 states in the country to join in agricultural projects, in order to create such number of jobs. Unless that is done, I do not think it is achievable. For instance, we stakeholders with the level of investments estimated at about N17trillion have not been able to create 3millilon jobs.

‘Importers of rice through land borders risk imprisonment’

T

he Federal Government through Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has banned rice importation through land borders across the country, warning that any importer caught bringing rice into Nigeria through the borders risk seizure of his goods, prosecution and imprisonment.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller Ogunkua Tope, made this known, stressing that the ban became necessary as many importers were using the land borders as avenue to smuggle

in rice, thereby evading payment of appropriate import duty, which has a telling effect on government’s revenue. “All rice importers and the public must note that importation as well as payment of duty on rice through the land borders has been banned with effect from March, 25, 2016.

Genuine importers are encouraged to bring in rice only through the seaports. This Command must implement zero tolerance for rice import through the land borders to the letter”, he said.

Ogunkua further revealed that his

Command has recorded 30 detentions and 10 seizures within a short period. “The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures made this month is N19.7million. He stressed, “The Command continues to make conscientious efforts at improving on the past records. Our team intercepted a trailer truck with registration number, LSR 933XB, along Osogbo axis, loaded with 400 bags of imported rice and 290 gallons of vegetable oil. A Toyota Dyna truck with chassis number JT 732 BU8807000288 was also arrested along Fiditi area of

Oyo, as it was smuggled into the country without payment of duty.

Other seizures include, 30 bags of imported rice intercepted along Ighoho/Adafila axis of the Command on a Sunday, 20 bags of imported rice seized along Igbeti axis around smugglers dump site in the forest within Igbeti area. A Volvo truck with registration number KWL 777AH, fully loaded with fairly used tyres and other prohibited goods was arrested based on intelligence report received by our Command”.

He went on, “The Command has

intensified its sensitization campaigns, which has enhanced the level of voluntary payment of duty on imported vehicles from stakeholders.

This month alone, a total of 110 vehicles paid duty through the Command, which raked N15.9million into government’s coffers. I wish to reiterate that our Command is here to facilitate trade and would like to encourage all genuine importers to continue with their legitimate business, while economic saboteurs will have the long hand of the law to deal with”.

Partnership, key to successful business — Sir Celestine Okeke

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

S

ir Celestine Okeke is an indigene of Oketiti, in Idemili South local government area of Anambra State. He has lived and carried out his business in Aba for a very long time. Celestine had his primary education in Aba and travelled to Rivers State for his secondary school, but could not continue to tertiary level due to financial constraints. He, however, surmounted the obstacle and today, he owns a booming logistics company and has become of the major distributors of Guinness Nigeria Plc, as well as other drink companies. He is the MD/CEO of Celestine Okeke & Sons Enterprises based in Aba, Abia State. He spoke to Vanguard on the sideline of the Guinness Nigeria Distributors’ Conference and talked about his 30 years of experience in the distribution and retail business and other issues confronting the growth of entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

Why did you start this business?

“I started this business purely for my family at a subsistence level. It was a very low scale venture at the beginning.

I had no idea whatsoever that it would grow into what it has become. And for this, I’m grateful to God. We even have a branch in Ikot-Ekpene, in Cross Rivers

State and have plans to expand. But it wasn’t easy getting here. I didn’t start with big brands like Guinness at first. We started getting our supplies with malt drinks from inception. From there, we now moved into Guinness and started growing in the value chain. We then got to a point where we needed financial help. And so, we approached Guinness, which provided credit facility for us. Soon, we were able to approach banks for loan facilities and we have been making progress since then.

Experience as a Guinness Nigeria distributor The distribution of drinks was not the very first venture we started with. We tried our hands at some petty businesses before we became distributors for DN Maltex. This is immediately after the civil war.

It wasn’t very easy as I did so many things to survive. At some point, I was a truck pusher on the streets of Aba. I later started selling provisions with some of the money made from my truck pushing

Mr. Celestine Okeke and wife, Rose business and then got married.

A few years later, I got the opportunity to be a malt drinks distributor which I embraced.

When I saw the potentials of growth, I took on the Guinness distributorship and it has been a good experience from there on. On the business side, we have faced some challenges.

There is the big problem of extortion by local government employees.

Role partnership has played in growing your business There is no way you can succeed in business without a strong partnership. It plays a

very important and key role. If you want to raise funds, a good partnership helps you to achieve it. But then, a key issue that stands out in partnership is integrity. This value is the glue that holds partnerships together.

If your yes is yes, it means that your partner can always trust you to deliver on your promises, and that will prompt them to support you with everything that you need. This has been the way that we have operated with Guinness Nigeria.

Launch of initiative to prevent sale of alcohol to underage persons by Guinness Nigeria Plc. It’s a move that is consistent with what Guinness Nigeria Plc preaches. When you sign up to work for them, they first educate you about the code of conduct that you must be guided by. We already know that to consume its alcoholic drinks, you must be above the age of 18. As such, we also don’t sell to people below this age. We insist that they go and bring the owner of the business or someone who is older to enable them purchase goods at our

store. Guinness encourages people to drink with moderation and responsibly too.

Assessment of distribution and logistics business in Nigeria When we started, we would stay at our outlets and make heavy sales.

People were coming to us to buy drinks. But today, everything has changed. Now, everybody wants to stay in their shop or outlet and expect that the drinks will be delivered to them. It’s not a bad thing but working in a place like Aba, without good roads, it has been very tough.

Honestly, the experience with this new trend hasn’t been very pleasant.

This is because every day, you need to keep working the vans and the bad roads haven’t made life easy. If we lived in a city where the roads were good and things are working, maybe life would be much better. If you have a van in those places, it might have a lifespan of 4-5 years before you start to make major repairs. But here in Nigeria, once you buy a new van, not even tokunbo, within six months, you start working on the van. We have also noticed that everything has changed to mobile sales in this business.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 41

PAGE 42

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016,

Adolor of Uromi, Anthony Enahoro’s Title the sheer accidental offer of the Adolor title to him, Onolimemen was best known in Uromi as a protégé of Chief Tony Anenih, another of my kinsmen, through my maternal grandmother.

Such are the complexities of Uromi society that what may seem an advantage in one district could be seriously disadvantageous in another Onolimemen will need more than a godfather to appease the restiveness brewing against him in certain quarters in Uromi. That is why I appeal to the Onogie and members of his Traditional Council of Chiefs who may have committed themselves to this misdirection to find their way out of the hole they’ve dug themselves into.

They cannot win.

BY PETER ENAHORO

I

T has come to the knowl edge of the immediate and extended family of the late Chief Anthony Eronmosele Enahoro, Adolor of Onewa/ Adolor of Uromi, that the Onogie of Uromi proposes to invest a former Minister of Works, Mr Michael Onolimemen, with the title of Adolor of Uromi at a ceremony on Easter Monday.

I advise the would-be recipient once more, as I’d previously done in private, that the title of Adolor of Uromi is hereditary and subject to the rule of primogeniture.

The Enahoro family respectfully and most emphatically appeals to those invited to the Easter Monday event not to inadvertently give support to the ceremony.

I continue to urge all who, by text message and email, have pledged their support that it is our intention to counter this initiative with a peaceful resolution. We know also that there are political elements in the issue whose approval is predicated on their belief that only by erasing the memory of Chief Anthony Enahoro can their own legacy enjoy a lease in Uromi.

It is narrated here, in its full some ingloriousness with reluctance, because until my hand was forced to issue this statement, the Enahoro family strove to keep a lid on an artificially framed crisis deliberately created to pervert the legitimate succession to Tony’s title of Adolor of Uromi.

Tony is no longer with us. It is my duty to lay the facts bare to the people of Uromi; indeed to Nigerians at large, to whose causes he gave himself, his family and even his health at times when it was fragile.

We members of his immediate family may be chided for not reacting immediately when rumours began to circulate that the succession to what we knew to be a hereditary title — a hereditary title that is subject to ages-old rules of primogeniture — was being given to somebody outside the family. Here a history of the title becomes necessary.

Tony was in his late 20s or early 30s when he became a star in the cabinet of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group Western Region government.

Newspapers fondly branded him “Stormy Petrel of the Action Group”. He quickly became one of the leader’s favourites.

Politics, being what it is, he was resented by some colleagues who reached into their pockets to play the ethnic card. It was a time of an explosion of honorary chieftaincy title awards to political leaders by traditional rulers seeking favours from newly enthroned political decision makers with patronage galore to dispense.

Tony was plain “Mr Enahoro” for the wrong reason, in an Assembly packed with newly elevated chiefs laden with coral beads in varying degrees of relevance. Snipers, who did not know the system in Tony’s Uromi homeland, among the Esan clan, tended to snub the young Minister at social gatherings. What they did not

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Another title

•Chief Anthony Enahoro know was that Tony, who could trace his lineage back to the first Onogie of Uromi in the Eleventh Century AD, was excluded from the chieftaincy class by custom, being an “Omi-Erhanme” (royal aristocrat). His mother was the daughter of Onogie Ogbidi Okojie, the last in modern history of Uromi’s warrior princes. Tony’s father was a great-grandson of Onogie Okolo father and immediate predecessor of Ogbidi.

Oba Akenzua’s permission Tony reported his growing annoyance in Ibadan to his uncle, Prince Uwagbale, the reigning Onogie. It was agreed that an exception to the rule be made for him; hence a suitable chieftaincy title was sought for Omi-Erhanme Tony Enahoro.

Someone came up with “Adolor”. The name best summed up Tony’s service to his people. Close English language translations are “he who sews” as in tailoring; “repairer” as in reconstruction or “redeemer”. There was a hitch, however. Adolor was the name of one of the most effective Obas of Benin and custom forbade anyone to use the name of an Oba living or dead in the kingdom.

Permission of Oba Akenzua, father of the present paramount ruler, was sought and granted to Tony. It was a personal favour

by Oba Akenzua whose sympathy toward the opposition NCNC, the AG’s bitter political enemy, was well-known in NCNC-voting Benin City.

Tony may have had a foresight of a future that no one else apparently foresaw at the time.

He became Adolor not only of Uromi but also, separately, albeit simultaneously, Adolor of Onewa, his paternal family village in the federated principality of 21 “villages” that make up Uromi, today a local government in its own right. The attempt to foist a candidate from a village other than acknowledge the Adolor of Onewa as Adolor of Uromi was another point to the issue at hand.

A 1979 Government Gazette of Bendel State, which inherited the authority of the Midwest

Regional Government, which inherited it’s authority from the Western Regional Government, the governing administration at the time Tony was created Adolor of Uromi, is clear on the structure of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs in the State. In the Second Schedule (Section 39 (2) ) of the Edict, it lists the Adolor of Onewa and the Adolor of Uromi among the 48 Uromi Traditional Chiefs.

No other village has a chief bearing the title Adolor. Furthermore, it places the Adolor of Uromi in third place at the top of the list.

It is obvious that the newly installed stool was consciously intended to occupy a highly placed position in the hierarchy.

The incumbent Onogie of Uromi maintains that the Adolor of Uromi title is honorary, which would be extraordinary protocol — that an honorary chief would be promoted third in rank, above holders of ancient titles with territorial responsibilities at that.

The time came, however, that somebody was reportedly found to dislodge Tony’s legitimate heir, my nephew, Kenneth Enahoro. In the sleight-of-hand manner in which the matter was handled, official confirmation was not made until the week before this Easter weekend. It was an ambush. It made the chances of mounting a public outcry incredibly tight.

The time came, however, that somebody was reportedly found to dislodge Tony’s legitimate heir, my nephew, Kenneth Enahoro

Reward

I had thought it fortunate that a well-meaning intermediary brought me together with Mr Michael Onolimemen, the Onogie’s choice of a new Adolor of Uromi. The man had served in President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as Minister of Works, which speaks volumes.

One of the endearing good fortunes of not meeting certain Nigerians face-to-face is that you can live happily in a peaceful delusion. Onolimemen sounded on the phone like a man in whose mouth butter would not melt. I have never set eyes on him, but he’s a fine talker on telephone!

He said he’d been in the US completing his doctorate thesis.

On the day of his return home, a convoy of cars waited to escort him home. Instead of heading toward his Ivue-Uromi village, the lead car surprised him by driving straight to the royal palace. Awaiting him was the Onogie attended by his chiefs.

The Onogie told the former Minister of Works that Uromi was grateful for all the wonders he had performed in the principality. In recognition of the achievements, he would be rewarded with the chieftaincy title of Adolor of Uromi.

On the contrary, when I gave a brief history of how the title came into being, my new friend sounded vexed. He told me of his last encounter with Tony.

He’d had a fulfilling day listening to Tony’s wisdoms. He said he would phone the Onogie and make clear he would not be involved in what now suddenly seemed to him a move against the memory of the late Chief Enahoro.

Onolimemen is an aspiring politician. He had nursed a thought of governorship of Edo State. Provided he played his cards right when he was in the Ministry of Works, why not? A chieftaincy title would be an added fillip. And Adolor of Uromi: Tony Enahoro’s title?

Brilliant!

I have only recently learned of Onolimemen’s connection with my extended family. His daughter, I’m told, is married to the son of one of our myriad royal family first cousins. Until

One person who can put an end to the anomaly that is going on is Onolimemen simply by picking his phone and calling the Onogie.

His admirers can create another title for him in an instant. Uromi must treat the memory of it’s proudest son this way.

Our newspaper commentators quite rightly complain of the paucity of role models in Nigeria. Tony Enahoro was a role model – jailed three times in his young days by the British colonial masters; kept in detention, sentenced to 15 years years’ imprisonment after independence for which he had given so much of his young days and more, harassed by one military regime after another, twice forced to flee abroad in self-exile where, on the first occasion, he suffered the humiliation of prison detention in England, but, on a second time, he continued the struggle in NADECO, and we should not forget the role he played in keeping Nigeria together before and during the Civil War. You may call it a colourful life. I say my brother never gave up on Nigeria right up to his death.

It is appropriate that he is immortalised in Benin City, the capital of Edo, his home state, with the House of Assembly complex named after him; appropriate that one of Abuja’s residential crescents named in his honour; and appropriate also that the Lagos State government named a sprawling residential estate in its capital, a city he loved, in his honour. His name is irrevocably enshrined in British law under the Fugitive Offender’s Act which today benefits fugitives arriving in Britain, who have escaped political persecution in their Commonwealth country.

At his funeral, six years ago, glowing tributes were paid to him not only in “In Memoriam” columns but also in the impressive turn out of leaders at his graveside. Let the voices of those leaders ring out again, this time with hurt and outrage.

Invitation is out to VIPs to present themselves at the ceremony planned for Easter Monday in Uromi. If that still goes ahead, those VIPs who turn up cannot escape a charge that they have given moral support to a ceremony that hurts the memory of Anthony Enahoro.

Anthony Enahoro was proud of his home town. Now let Uromi show that it is proud of his memory.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

The Church and Dasukigate

VIEWPOINT

By Femi Bello

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The way forward Nigeria's economy

for

“A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars, it’s where the richusepublictransport”-GustavoPetro.

E have read President Muhammadu Buhari’s battle W againstgrexvenalium(venalcrowd),as Rev. Chris Okotie wrote in his famous, widelycirculatedarticle.Thiswriterhas, however, noticed that the fall-out of the anti-graftwaristheon-goingresistance by foreign exchange users, especially importers,towakeuptothefactthatthis government would not condone the dollarization of the economy, which started more than two decades ago.

Thedollarisnotournationalcurrency,

VIEWPOINT

By Chris Esiaba

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The gains of patronizing made-in-Nigeria goods

F

OR a long time, Senate President Bukola Saraki has been going to plenary adorning global brands in terms of leathers and fabric.

But on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, he went to plenary wearing made-inAba fabric. This official action is the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria.

With the single act of buying foreign brands, we together as a people export our hard earned foreign exchange. By thatact,wekeepfactoriesinforeignlands running.

If we patronize our own goods, the pressure on the CBN for the dollar will drop and funds will be freed to develop our roads, railways, the energy sector,

VIEWPOINT

By Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Taming insur gents, kidnappers, etc.

C

OUNTER-terrorism, antikidnapping and anti-corruption efforts have been result-oriented and far-reachingsincethepresentInspectorGeneral of Police, IGP, Mr Solomon Arase, came on board.

Nigerians woke up late last year to be informed of the recordbreaking capture of the two masterminds of the Abuja bomb blasts. The IGP said then that the suspects were apprehended in failed attacks in the FCT. They were responsible for the three suicide attacks in the satellite towns of Kuje and Nyanya in October 2014, which killed 18 people and injured 41.

Recovered from the suspects were

VIEWPOINT

By Mercy Damilola Oguntade

and we should not cry over its scarcity more than the Americans who own it.

The dollar should not in fact be a legal tender in Nigeria, as the naira is not in the United States. In the early-mid 70’s, thisnairawasoncethecardinalcurrency which the western currencies were measured against, but our weak economy, import dependent mentality, luxurioustasteandpervasivecorruption have decimated its might. President Buhari’s policy, with respect to the procurement of foreign exchange is intended to encourage us to break with this culture, and look inwards.

Okotie wrote in one of his articles titled:“Aroadmaptonationalrecovery”, which I read on his Facebook page: “Napoleon Bonaparte was said to have pointedtowardsChinaandsaid,‘There lies a sleeping giant.’ The Emperor added glibly that when it awakes, the

W

ofcrudeoil,wenowhavetoprospectour solid minerals, according to the President. We have to return to mechanizedagriculture,mining,services andindustrialization;whichareournew hope.Nigeriawillwelcomeinvestments in these areas, we will appreciate an inflow of more resources and expertise to help achieve our objective of economic diversification,thePresidentsaidrecently.

His economic objectives are clear enough, but ‘dollar businessmen’, who prefer that Nigeria remains a dumping ground for Asian products will never agree to look inwards and be creative.

As Buhari’s government of change breaks with the mold of rudderless leadership of the recent past, his foreign tripsmustresultinachievinghisobjective ofgrowingtheeconomybyopeningnew markets for industrial growth. For this to happen there must be a massive

SARAKI: Taking the lead in economic revitalisation the health ministry, educational institutions and other areas of immense national importance.

In theory and perhaps in visible practice, Nigeria can achieve an exchange rate of close to one dollar to fiftynairaifNigeriansdecidetopatronize the local industries first in all their purchases, giving the imported items only a second position. We do not need Ms Christine Langarde of the IMF to draw a graph and find its tangent before we achieve this. She will wake up one morning, tune to CNN and be bombarded by the good news, it is fifty naira to one dollar. This is distant but definitely not behind the dome of the earth.

In this race, the choice is ours. In the matter of preference between foreign goods and the local ones, no one should come up with the old worn out

distractiononquality.Withourowneyes, wearewitnessestodaytotheprogressing improvement in the quality of goods coming from China. That excuse lacks the necessary bony skeleton. Recent history has denied it any legs and foothold. The quality of our goods will improve with patronage.

WhatthenisthisobsessionofNigerians with imported items even from ‘hell’?

Last year, a relative of mine travelled to Atlanta, Georgia in the US. Off she went to a restaurant at Wellington Street forlunch.Shewenttherewithherfriend, a black South African. My relative wore long braided hair, the natural Nigerian handmade style. There, both met two white Brazilian girls, wearing their natural Brazilian hair, long, light brown, silky and blowing with the wind.

Soon, a black Nigerian girl wearing hair came in and took her seat.

The Brazilian girls shifted every attention to the Nigerian girl with Brazilian hair, looking at her with disapproval. From their restless body languageandgesticulations,myrelative deduced they said wow! What’s she wearing on her head? The Nigerian girl with Brazilian hair noticed everything.

She was hit. She did not order for food.

She fiddled with her phone.

The Brazilian girls now moved to my relative’s table and said to her. ‘Hi! Your hair is fine. Is it heavy? Can we touch it?

It is a crown. What’s the name? It is beautiful!’

The Nigerian girl with Brazilian hair was not involved in any discussion. She waslonely.Shegotupandleft.Thatnight, she removed the Brazilian hair and went Nigerian.Seenthenextday,shesaidshe thought people would mistake that Brazilian hair for her natural one. She

Arase’s counter-insurgency, anti-kidnap and anti-corruption efforts 12 prepared and primed “homemade” explosives, concealed in soft drink cans, 20 electronic detonator parts and a large quantity of bomb making equipment. Credit should be given to the IGP for his crimebursting tactics which have paid off greatly to enhance the image of the police.

Nigerians will not forget in a hurry how the former presidential candidate and Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae, was kidnapped by herdsmen and rescued by the IGP team.

How the IGP led the police to arrest the robbery kingpin who terrorized Agbarra, Ikorodu and Festac towns of Lagos is still being talked about till date. The IGP special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) trailed them to a hide-out in

Benin City, Edo State.

Arase is walking the talk and doing as promised because he is leading the police by example as he spearheads most of these operations personally to make sure the perpetrators are brought to book.

The rescue of the abducted Lagos school girls without ransom being paid is yet another giant stride and a feather on the crime bursting cap of the IGP. February 29, 2016 will remain ever green in the heart of Nigerians, after six harrowing days in the custody of kidnappers, the three abducted students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, Lagos breathed the air of freedom as the girls were rescued in Imota, on the outskirts of Ikorodu, after the intricate police moves that started with the arrest of

Skills and Leadership

is self-sufficient; however, there is still VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Antidote to poverty and a large room open to treating the topic of entrepreneurship. The promise that unemployment HEN John C Maxwell titled his book, “Talent Is Never Enough”, he certainly purposed in his thoughtful heart that there is something that should accompany talents in order that the talented deliver correctly.

It is a norm these days for wellmeaning individuals and organisations to campaign for skill acquisition.

Even the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) initiated the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative .m __ Dio teach skills to graduates. By its name, the initiative

worldwouldtakenotice.Thatstatement has turned out to be a prophecy fulfilled.

The giant has since woken up, and has become the world’s second largest economy behind the United States. It is projected that the middle kingdom would overtake the U.S by 2035 as the world’s No.1 economic power. “…Inthe1930s,theUnitedStateswas inasimilardiresituationwhenPresident FranklinD.RooseveltdesignedtheNew Deal as a response to the Great Depression.AftertheSecondWorldWar, the U.S. again launched the Marshall PlantorebuildadevastatedEurope.That plan revived a Europe that was in ruins after Hitler’s rampaging army of occupation was finally defeated…”

OkotiebelievesBuhariistryingtorebuild Nigeria as he continues to war against thevenalcrowd.

Withthedownturnoftheglobalprices

the acquisition of a skill is the ultimate antidote to poverty and unemployment will never come to fruition if the essentials of leadership are not known by the trainee.

Drafting an elaborate business plan is a foremost step to be taken before setting up any business. Orrlya minute number of skilled persons ensure this and as a result are able to combat market uncertainties that typically come at some seasons during business.

The business plan will not only state the vision and- objectives of the entrepreneur for the business, it is also helpful when seeking investors in business.

This is not to say that the Tie and Dye art has a narrow chance for success but knowing one’s target customers is a foremost discovery to embark on for every business. A good entrepreneur must define those to whom s/he will offer their services.

This knowledge which includes the details of the target customers’ lifestyle will guide the design features of the product so as to suit customers’ peculiar needs.

Much as this ought to be adhered to, it is not the case of every skilled person in the nation today and so,we have a handful of skilled people who are not performing at their optimum because of little information.

In order to salvage the situation at hand, we as a people have to embark

Page 43

investment and capital flow into the country. This can only take place when the potential investors feel that their investmentsaresafeandtheirreturnon investmentisguaranteed.

Building of local content and strengtheningsmallandmediumscale industries with financial support mechanisms is an imperative, while curbingunnecessaryavenueswhichthe dollarsaboteursusetosiphonourforex, like expenditures on luxuries: A luxury tax would curb this. Also, reducing capital flight and repatriation of profits by foreign investors, with offers which make it re-investment a more lucrative decision will help reduce our forex demands. Expenditure of needless foreign travels needs to be addressed.

Then can we really be on the way to a better tomorrow.

*Bello is of the Kaduna State chapter of FRESH Party thought it would fit, like a jig-saw. It did not. Instead, it betrayed fashion and cultural inferiority. This is our faith and our lot. It is only fair and timely we listen and tow the line of Senator Ben Murray Bruce of the made-in-Nigeria fame and SenatorEnyinnayaAbaribeofthemadein-Aba project. Fortunately, the whole project falls into the plan of Abia State government which is already busy working on access roads to Ariaria Market, the industrial cluster of leather works and textile craftsmanship.

Saraki appeared beautiful that Wednesday as he took his steps into the Senate chamber adorned in made-inAba outfit. He looked wonderful. I have no doubt in my mind that the governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, and his cabinetwillrisetotheoccasionandcarve out a day soonest for everyone in the state to adorn made-in-Aba dresses, shoes, belts and bags.

*Esiaba Chris writes from Lagos state.

The journey to revamp and refocus the police for effective performance must start immediately, according to the IGP, and he decided to refocus, re-organize and realign the force to the citizens expectations.

In addition, with support from President Muhammadu Buhari, over 2,400 specially trained and well equipped patrol officers have been deployed under the scheme. Plans are aground to expand the fleet and personnel of the safer highway patrol teams and to expand their operational coverage with a view to filling the void created by the order to dismantle road blocks nationwide and advance the concept of reassurance and visibility policing which are critical components for the IGP policing vision.

one of the suspects.

Nigerians should not be surprised by the response of the IGP to the Agatu crisis as Arase visited to mediate between indigenes and herdsmen in Benue State to stop the wanton destruction of lives and property. This unique role played by the IGP is a new development in fighting terrorism and boundary disputes.

When the IGP came on board on April 22, 2015, anti-corruption was one of the six-point policy plan initiated by him to uproot corrupt practices in the force and reinvent the police for better service delivery comparable with the 21st century policing across the globe. The morale of the policemen was at its lowest ebb while the trust reposed in it by citizens was also in a very bad

*Aigbegbele is of Citizens Watch Nigeria (CWN) and a consummate brand strategist.

on a deliberate inclusion of practical leadership training in our formal and informal institutions whether privately owned or governmental.

The training will touch on market and competitive trends, financials, implementation plan for the business, vision and objectives, the art of book keeping, and profitable habits for an entrepreneur. In skill acquisition centres, towards the end of the training, a minimum period of 4weeks should be given solely to practically teach in the principles of leadership and entrepreneurship. A reduction of theoretical training will not only ensure the enjoyment of the exercise but a retention of it which will result in its enactment in business. The trainees could be organized into teams and given tasks which will be both collaborative and self-implemented.

However, the team spirit must not be absent in the design of the tasks

assigned but each individual must be active in order to achieve success as a team.

Rope courses and outdoor activities that will teach discipline, persistence and hard work must be added to the course so that total effectiveness in the participants is groomed and made ready. The leadership and entrepreneurship training can then be crowned by making each participant to draft a statement that will partially serve as their business plan. Upon reviewing it, they can be guided by their teachers regarding the strengths or weakness detected in their drafts. I believe that until we follow this procedure in our skill acquisition endeavours nationwide, we will only affect a tiny significance on our nation’s economy.

•Oguntade can be reached via damilola-em@yahoo.com @MercyOguntade on twitter.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 27, 2016

E

ASTER is not a Chris tian holiday. The word Easter is not even scriptural; it does not exist in true translations of the bible. Easter was smuggled into the King James Bible in Acts 12:4, where it was substituted for the original word; “Passover:” “When (Herod) had apprehended (Peter), he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

As a matter of fact, the word Easter only appears in the King James Version of English bible translations. It does not exist in any other English bible translation. Even the King James Version was forced to remove it from its revised version, known as the New King James Version.

Queen of Heaven Most Christians are unaware that Easter is a pagan festival surreptitiously merged with Christianity.

Noah’s son, Ham, married a woman called Ashtoreth. In some cultures, Ashtoreth is called Ishtar, which is transliterated in English as Easter.

Ashtoreth made herself “the Queen of Heaven;” the goddess of fertility and became an object of worship. This idol worship of Ashtoreth, later camouflaged in Christendom as Easter, is specifically forbidden in the scriptures.

God says: “The women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? Do they not provoke themselves, to the shame of their own faces?

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, my anger and my fury will be poured out on this place.” (Jeremiah 7:17-

moon; which is consecrated by pagans as Ishtar’s Sunday.

This signifies the astronomical arrival of spring. The pagan belief is that the sun dies at winter (Christmas) and is reborn at spring (Easter).

Good Saturday

CHRIS TIANS SHOULD NO TE EAS TER CHRISTIANS NOTT CELEBRA CELEBRATE EASTER 20).

God punished Israel for succumbing to the worship of Ashtoreth (Ishtar): “They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So he delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them.” (Judges 2:13-14).

Accordingly, Samuel counselled Israel to forsake Ashtoreth (Ishtar) worship: “Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, ‘If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:3).

Sun worship Ham and Ashtoreth gave birth to a son called Nimrod.

After Ham’s death, Nimrod married Ashtoreth; his own mother, and became a powerful king of ancient Babylon.

When Nimrod was also killed, Ashtoreth deified him as sungod or life-giver. Indeed, Easter means “movement towards the rising sun.” It pertains to the religious rites of people who worship the sun and the signs of the heavens.

Sun worship is expressly

Most Christians are unaware that Easter is a pagan festival surreptitiously merged with Christianity forbidden in the scriptures.

Ezekiel says: “I was then led into the temple's inner courtyard, where I saw about 25 men standing near the entrance, between the porch and the altar. Their backs were to the LORD’s temple, and they were bowing down to the rising sun. God said, ‘Ezekiel, it's bad enough that the people of Judah are doing these disgusting things.’”

(Ezekiel 8:16-17).

Nevertheless, following this pagan tradition, “Sunrise Services” are conducted on Easter Sunday mornings in many Christian denominations.

Hot crossed buns In Western Europe, it is traditional to eat hot-crossed buns on Easter Sunday morning. This is where we get the limerick: “Hot crossed buns; hot crossed buns. One a-penny, two a-penny, hot crossed buns.”

These small sweet buns are usually decorated with solar crosses made of white icing.

They were consecrated in ancient Greece to the goddess of the sunrise. In ancient Babylon , the buns were of-

Church unveils parish for social reformers

T

HE Living Waters Un limited Church (LWUC) has started a new parish in Lekki, Lag-os to raise an army of prof-essionals committed to fighting corruption in the nation.

No fewer than 100 people from different sectors att-ended the inaugural service where they enlisted in the campaign to rid the nation of every form of corruption.

General Overseer of the church, Rev. Ladi Thomps-on, told the congregation that Christians have a resp-onsibility to engineer change and social reform-ations in their communities, stressing that the nation was approaching a crossroad where governmental efforts to save Nigeria will not do but the resolve of Christians committed to serving as change agents Thompson, who runs the popular Macedonian Ini-tiative (MI) for persecuted Christians in the North, said what Nigeria needs is the Clapham model respon-sible for the abolition of slave trade in Great Britain. The Clapham saints, a group of social reformers in the Church of England operated from a tiny com-munity in London from 1790-1830 with William Wilberforce as the spear-head.

“Armed with nothing more than prayers and the will to reform Britain, the famous Clapham Sect met and worked together until slave

trade was abolished.

"Today Nigeria is at a similar crossroad and God directed us to start a parish in Lekki that would serve as a nesting and training ground for Nigerian equivalents of William Wilberforce, Zachary Mac-auly, Fowell Buxton, Han-nah Moore and other affluent families that chose to lift the banner of God’s word instead of joining in the extreme profits of the im-moral human slave trade.”

Thompson said the parish christened Lekki Clapham is poised to have the same effect in the polity of the nation.

Dr. Adejumobi Otekunrin, a pastor in the church, lamented that the health sector has been crippled by lack of value for human lives, pointing out that it was callous and inhuman to still have laws that require med-ical workers to obtain poli-ce permit

before treating gunshot victims.

Otekunrin said: “Even if they are criminals, human-ity demands that they are saved first then brought to justice.

But if we just leave them to die, it shows we are of the devil because Jesus saves, not kill.”

Tunji Osinulu, an ass-ociate pastor and a real est-ate consultant who was in-structed by God to return to Nigeria four years ago from the US, could not hide his disgust at the degeneration in the society and the seem-ing apathy of church goers to the gradual meltdown of society.

“The peculiar gospel of the kingdom of God preached by Jesus Christ is the only known solution to the type of darkness in Nig-eria and it is only those who seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness that can understand the first principles of the oracles

GKS ends conferences

T

HE God's Kingdom Society (GKS), began her conferences last Friday with the Youth Fellowship, Women Fellowship, Urhobo National, Igbo National, Isoko National and Yoruba National.

The Laity Conference held yesterday with the chairman of the Laity, Brother Love Ojakovo addressing conference on: "Unity---An effective tool for growth and development of new Jerusalem" as well as reviewing all the

activities and projects of the Laity in the proceeding and ratify the recommendations of Laity Co-ordinating Officers meeting earlier in the year.

All the conferences were declared open by Brother Godwin Ifeacho, the chairman of the Executive Board of the Church who presented goodwill addresses. A special thanksgiving service will round the conference activities today at GKS Service Hall, Salem City, Warri.

fered to the Queen of Heaven; the goddess of Easter.

Pagan Lent After the death of Nimrod, Ashtoreth (Ishtar) gave birth to Tammuz, a son she claimed was Nimrod reborn. When Tammuz was killed by a wild boar, Ashtoreth instituted an annual ritual of 40 days of mourning for Baal worshippers, when no meat was allowed to be eaten. This pagan tradition of “ weeping for Tammuz” is specifically proscribed in the scriptures.

God said to Ezekiel: “Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that they are doing.” So he brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD'S house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.”

(Ezekiel 8:13-14).

Nevertheless, weeping for Tammuz has been absorbed into Christianity by the institution of Lent; a 40-day period of fasting and prayer observed in some Christian denominations as a prelude to Easter. Just like Easter, Lent is not scriptural. Neither the word nor the custom exist in the bible. Lent begins, accord-

ing to Christian tradition, on Ash Wednesday; which is also pagan. The ashes were said to be the seed of the Indian fire god, Agni, deemed to have the power to forgive sins.

Easter egg Because of their prolific nature in reproduction, rabbits were associated with Ishtar, the goddess of fertility.

This is where Christians borrowed the tradition of the Easter bunny. Ancient Babylonians believed an egg fell into the Euphrates River from the moon. Queen Ishtar was apparently "hatched" from this egg. This moon egg was called Ishtar’s egg; which became in Christendom Easter egg.

Shifting date Have you noticed that your birthday falls on different days from year to year? So how come the celebration of Easter always falls on Friday and on Sunday? Moreover, unlike your birthday, the date for Easter changes from year to year. Sometimes it is in March; sometimes in April.

Easter moves from year to year because the date has nothing to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus but with the changing cycles of the moon. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first Vernal Equinox full

Good Friday is also a misnomer. Jesus was not crucified on a Friday. The week in which he was crucified contained two Sabbaths and he was crucified on a Wednesday. The following Thursday was a high Sabbath day; the first day of unleavened bread.

Jesus did not resurrect on a Sunday. He resurrected on a Saturday, which was a regular weekly Sabbath day different from the high Sabbath of the preceding Thursday.

Mary Magdalene discovered the empty tomb on Sunday morning, while it was still dark. Christians should realise that from Friday evening to Sunday morning does not constitute three days and three nights in the grave, but one day and two nights.

The decision to change the day of the resurrection to Sunday was simply a continuation of the Babylonian tradition. Nimrod was ostensibly resurrected on a Sunday; a day devoted to worshipping the sun. By AD 321, Constantine established Sunday as part of the official state religion, and the Sabbath was statutorily changed from Saturday to Sunday.

Christians should desist from celebrating Easter: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity.’” (Jeremiah 10:23).

SJCCG to upgrade its Bible College to a varsity

L-R: Wife of General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Folu Adeboye, wife of CAN president, Pastor Helen Oritsejafor, General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor during a surprise visit to the Word of Life Bible Church, Warri last Sunday for the concluding service of Daughters of Sarah annual convention.

P

LANS have reached advanced stage to transform the Gateway Bible College, the training division of St. Joseph’s Chosen Church of God, SJCCG, to a degree awarding institution. The church had already acquired some 207 hectares of land in Obadan in Edo State which is in excess of what the National University Commiss-ion requires to approve the esta-blishment of a university.

These facts were disclosed Saturday, March 12, 2016 by the visitor of the college, Apostle Hayford Alile and the chairman of the college’s Board of Manage-ment,

Elder (Dr.) Clement Alile at the 16th Matriculation and 15th convocation ceremony in Benin City where 24 students graduated and 42 men and women matri-culated for the two-year pro-gramme.

According to the Spiritual Leader, “we are living in an era when Christianity has lost its moral mandate and mission; a season when the gospel message, the good news of the kingdom is audaciously perverted. What we have in abundance today is the excessive marketing of flesh and carnality on the pulpit disguised as unction, the predominance of bizarre reverberations, a false gospel, and the preaching of another Jesus Christ.

“This new unwholesome trend has eaten deep into the fabrics of our Christendom.

To this end, the present day church is dying due to lack of sound bible teachers and strong church leaders with indelible character. There is no doubt that the Christian faith is struggling with its values, respect and dignity,” he stated.

Elder Alile, a pioneer Secretary to Edo State Government, SSG, and Head of Service, HOS, averred that the theological college was marching on towards actualizing her vision and mandate, adding “we have made great strides towards the mandate of transforming into a University at Obadan. The processes are ongoing and I must say that the Board remains undaunted and relentless in actualizing this mandate.”

According to him, efforts have been made to have the operational efficiency of the college through the procurement of computer peripherals and other office equipment, stressing that when the university is established, the Gateway Bible College would be a faculty where you will have a dean or a College of Religious Studies where you would have a provost.

“The establishment of a university is not an overnight thing. It’s a process".

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016, PAGE 45

How states can overcome economic challenges — Kola Ajayi, Ekiti APC gov aspirant

By Yinka Ajayi

KOLE

Ajayi, a scientist turned lawyer, contested the Ekiti State governorship election in 2014 on the platform of Accord Party.

He has now decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In this interview, Ajayi speaks on governance at the state level, the state of the nation and other national issues.

What is your view of the current anti corruption crusade of the Federal Government?

It is a step in the right direction and I believe the government of President Buhari is very sincere about its fight against corruption.

The plague called corruption has eaten deep into our body fabric in this country that it has negatively affected all facets of life. It will be good if all the various institutions concerned with anti corruption brace up for the challenge and I believe the National Assembly should key into this vision too. So far so good, the President is doing a lot in this regard and he is also living by example. There are various cases of corruption that we hear now in the country. Take for example the lady in charge of pension of innocent old people. She was reported to be earning 60 million naira salary a month. This is most unacceptable and appalling in a country where an average Nigerian is not sure of his daily bread and am sure there are more of these hidden cases in every high places in the country.

My fear now is that will it last? I

mean after this government’s tenure, will the various institutions currently combatting corruption still maintain the focus? Will there be that political will as we are having now. I believe all stakeholders in this crusade should think more of an enduring anti corruption crusade that will be institutionalised in every sector to prevent the repeat of the ugly scenario we are having now.

Another area the Government should focus on is masses orientation because an average Nigerian believes everybody going into politics is going to steal hence they must take a pound of flesh during campaign. This will in turn lead to a recycled poverty in view of the principle of return on investment.

Hence, it is my belief a proper legistation that will stipulate stiff penalty on voters inducement should be effected in the Electoral Act. To me this is the major cause of poverty in Nigeria.

Recently, the rerun election in Rivers State was characterized with unprecedented violence.

It was a sad situation seen a beheaded man standing on his feet

State governments should embark on programs that would create wealth and generate employment outside the civil service.

Kola Ajayi...youths should be gainfully engaged. all because of desperate people seeking power. The event that turned out in the state showed that we have not really learnt our lessons in this country. My expectation is that by now Nigerian should be able to organise election in a civilised manner where people conduct themselves peacefully.

To stem this ugly developments, the Nigerian youth should be gainfully engaged and given the necessary attention and orientation by the government. I am very sure plans are under way in this regard because if a man sees himself as a potential leader he won’t allow himself to be used as a common fodder in political thuggery. I believe that the security agencies should also align fully with their responsibilities of protecting lives and properties of the citizenry without compromise.

The economy of the country seems to be drowning. What is your take?

My view on this is that it takes time to heal a stenching wound. The economy of Nigeria has been subjected to a lot of mismanagement by previous governments where stealing was done by everybody and with impunity. There was also too much reliance on oil and unfortunately during the windfall there was no measure of reserve.

Everything was squandered and with that situation it will take time to finally get the way out. I believe President Buhari is doing a lot in terms of healing the already messed up economy. It is true there is hardship, of course it is inevitable, because we have to pay dearly for the recklessness of the past governments to get things back on track.

Obaseki unfolds agenda on power *Odubu flags-off campaign in April

By Simon Ebegbulem

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S aspirants of the All Progressives Congress(APC)inEdoStatebattle for the delegates of their party ahead of the September 10 governorship election, an aspirant of the party and Chairman of the state Economic and Strategic Team, Mr Godwin Obaseki, says if elected as governor, his administration will capitalize on the foundation laid by Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the power sector to provide stable electricity for the people of the state in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, Sunday Vanguard was reliably informed, has concludedplanstokickoffhiscampaignin April,expressingoptimismthattheleadership of the party will provide a levelplaying field for all aspirants. It was learntthatOdubu,knownforhisloyalty to his boss, is quite disappointed that he is not enjoying the backing of Oshiomhole.

Obaseki, who disclosed his plans on electricity at a seminar organised by EdoAccordInitiative,tagged:“EdoUnited: Edo State in the eye of the present economic downturn/the future”, said withtheAzuraPowerPlant,attractedby the Oshiomhole administration and other power projects, the issue of power outage will be a thing of the past in the nearest future in the state.

WhileurgingdelegatesoftheAPCto back his aspiration, he stressed that the onlywaytoachievethedreamofstable powersupplyinEdoistosupportacandidate with the vision and aspiration of Oshiomhole which, according to him, herepresents.

“Ifyouhavetakennoteofwhatishappening in Edo, before Governor Oshiomhole, there was nothing on ground.

The PDP said Edo was a poor and civil servicestate.Theycouldn’tbuildroads, schoolsorfactories.But inthelastseven years, we have tried. At least, you can drive from Airport Road down to Ugbowo without traffic and bad roads. So if you want to go to farm in Anagbette in Edo North, there is road to take you tothefarm;before,therewasnoroadto that place. One thing that this government has started that the people will not see until two years time is electricity. Government has encouraged people to come and generate electricity for Edo. As we speak, our investors have started building big electricity plants acrossthestatethatwillgenerateabout 450 megawatts each. The total electricity we consume in Edo is about 100 but these people are building a plant that will generate 450 each. So by the end of 2017, we will have enough electricity for Edo”, the aspirant stated.

“Now, Oshiomhole has built roads,

•Obaseki receiving a campaign banner. we have refurbished schools, we have brought investors, and the next stage willbetobuildindustries.Wehaveasked investors to come and build industries

The total electricity we consume in Edo is about 100 but these people are building a plant that will generate 450 each. So by the end of 2017, we will have enough electricity for Edo

because we have roads, good schools, electricity,waterandothersocialamenitiesthattheyneedtoruntheindustries.

And many have started coming, we must encourage them. The youths shouldn’t drag government land with thembecausetheywantmoney.Ifthere isnosecurity,theywouldn’tstay.Somy messagefortheyouthstoday,especially community development associations, is that when investors want land tosetupindustries,welcomethemand notexploitthembecausetheyarebringing jobs.

“The other area that government is working is on and the area I believe we will grow when I become governor is agriculture,butbecausethereisforeign exchange, we always want to import.

We spend almost $500 million to import chicken annually to this country; we spend almost $2billion dollars to import rice and even milk we spend $500 million to import. Can’t we grow

It is therefore cherry to note that the present administration is diversifying from oil and looking into other areas like agriculture, solid minerals e.t.c Coming to the state level now, it is a known fact that some states are not able to meet up with their commitment to the workers and the people. What is your view?

Well, I believe it is still as a result of over indulgence of Federal Allocation where free monies are being shared. The present situation in the economy has put state governments into a lot of financial embarrassment in view of the fall in the price of oil in the international market. All the same I can see that there are a lot of misplaced priorities in the affairs of states. Some of them are embarking on gargantuan capital projects that is not of direct economy value to the people. To me this is not the best.

State governments should embark on programs that would create wealth and generate employment outside the civil service. They should encourage investors to come in and utilize the abundant natural resources prevalent in their states by guaranteeing peace and tranquility.

From my own personal research, I discovered that a lot of states are so blessed that they can feed the entire nation and also do enough exports to generate money. I remember the time Lagos State Local Government Allocation was stopped by the Federal Government, yet the state was still running its Local Governments because it had put in place programs that are self sustaining taking advantage of the various economic variables that abound in Lagos.

Your message to Nigerians My message to Nigerians is that they should exercise patience and believe in the country and the leadership. Our people, especially the youth, should desist from being used as common fodder in perpetrating violence because God holds greater future for them.

Nigerian shall be great again. rice in Edo; can’t we rear chicken and fish in Edo? But now those things we used to import are no longer possible because of foreign exchange. It is an opportunity for us to begin to create industries and, when I take over government, the first thing I will do is to help peopleinvest.

“WhenIbecomegovernor,Ineednot to worry because I have the capacity to bring work and investment to Edo. I know two years is a long time, but how are we going to survive before then? If we say things are bad in the state, we should go to some other states, some states have not paid salaries for over three months.Weshouldmakesurewe provide micro finance for small businesses. So, for people who want to set up businesses, government has facilitiesthroughmicrofinancebankwhere peoplecantakeloanatlowinterest rate to start and 60 per cent of this money is for women sponsored businesses. The way it will work is to join cooperatives and, if you save a little, you take to the micro finance bank and they will give the cooperative much more on top. Up to N500, 000 for individuals and up to N5,000,000forcooperativesandthese cooperativestheymakesuretheyknow how you buy, sell and how you are going to pay back”.

Onhispart,theChairmanoftheEdo Accord initiative, Mr Idahosa Dennis, said, “We have seen the vision of Godwin Obaseki as a very brilliant one for the people of Edo and, having been a member of the state exco, I know his contribution to the achievements of AdamsOshiomholeandIknowifheis electedasthegovernorofEdo,thestate will be greater that people will make referenceto”.

46 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

After 99 caps, Dede quits Falcons

By Ben Efe

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99 Alive... Precious Dede keeping it real with the Super Falcons.

ONG standing Super Falcons goalkeeper, Precious Dede has tipped Ibubeleye Whyte and Christy Ohiaeriaku to do well with the national women team, after she hung her boots.

Dede known for her breathless goal-bound saves said she was through with intentional football, after manning the post for the Super Falcons for 15 years. Though she is still one of the best goalkeepers around she did not specify what her new line of work will be, after being unattached to any club for the past three years.

“I feel that I have tried after 15 years with the national team.

For me that is a very good record, and it was about time I left the stage for the younger ones. They are equally good, they can carry on”.

Dede disclosed that she decided to quit after the African Women Nations Cup 2014 in Namibia, which the Super Falcons won, without dropping any point. But Dede was prevailed upon to stay until after the World Cup in Canada, where the Super Falcons found themselves in a tight group, they pulled a 3-3 draw with Sweden, before losing to USA 1-0 and Australia 2-0. “ I wanted to quit before the last World Cup, but I was asked

Rio 2016: AFN chase relay slots

By Ben Efe

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THLETICS Federation of Nigeria officials are gearing up for the task of qualifying Nigerian teams for the relay events of the Rio 2016

Olympic Games.

This is coming after Nigeria’s team to the World Indoor championships in Portland Oregon, fell short of expectations. It is only Nigeria women 4x400m quartet that has

AFCON: We were lucky against Eagles – Cuper

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GYPT coach Hector Cuper believes that the Pharaohs were lucky to snatch the late equaliser against Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, and vows to amend the mistakes ahead of Tuesday’s second test.

“I can’t deny that we were lucky to score the equaliser against Nigeria, but it was a reward for our performance through the whole match,” Cuper told Egyptian reporters after the match.

AS Roma winger Mohamed Salah netted in stoppage time on Friday night as Egypt secured a precious 1-1 draw away to Nigeria that kept them at the top of their group in the qualifiers.

The valuable draw put Egypt in a comfortable position before they host the Super Eagles in the second of a double-header at Alexandria’s Borg El-Arab Stadium on Tuesday.

“Nigeria is a strong team with excellent players who have a winning mentality as they play for big European clubs,” Argentinean boss Cuper explained.

“We delivered an outstanding performance in the first half, but we had some faults in the second and we didn’t maintain the same level.

Cuper

booked their place, while the men 4x400m, the women and men 4x100m squads are yet to find their spot.

“Our outing in Portland is a clarion call for us to work harder. It is only our women’s 4x400m that have qualified for the Olympics relay events. We are going to do everything possible to see that our athletes put up good performances individually ahead of the Rio 2016 Games,” Professor Ken Anugweje who is medical director of the federation.

But one of the athletes who was with the team in Portland, called on the federation and the sports ministry to find a way of motivating the athletes towards the task of posting a good preparation for the Olympics.

“How can we be training without being paid allowances?

Even the last world indoor championships we attended we weren’t paid a dime, whereas the other athletes we competed with in Portland are well motivated.

“This is an Olympic year and we haven’t done much in preparations. So nobody should blame the athletes if they failed to win any medal at the Olympics,” said the athlete.

to come back and play”, she added.

She lamented that it was a pity the Super Falcons did not live up to expectations in Canada 2015 as the team was in a fine form. “ It was very disappointing because I’d thought we had what it took to get as far as the

final or even the semis, but I thank God though.”

Dede was one match shy of making it a 100 caps for the Super Falcons, but feels satisfied with her achievement with the team. She was in four women World Cup, three Olympic Games and four AWC, which she won in 2010 and 2014.

FIFA U17 WWC: Flamingoes wrap up qualification

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IGERIA booked her place in the FIFA Under-17 Women World Cup billed for next year in Jordan, after dismissing South Africa with a 1-0 win yesterday at the Makhulong stadium.

Nigeria’s captain Rasheedat th Ajibade in the 28 minute, scored the only goal of the match to gove the Flamingoes

a 7-0 aggregate win.

The girls now await the draws for tournament billed to kick off in September 30. The Flamingos have not gone past the 2nd round at the world cup, they’d be a sense of optimism with the current squad as there exist some hope for a change in fortune when they arrive Jordan.

Lagos Sports family honours Tinubu

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S top Nigerian politician and the Asiwaju of Lagos, Bola Ahmed Tinubu clocks 64, the Lagos sports family has planned to honour him in a special way with a novelty football match.

The event scheduled for today March 27, at the Campos Mini Stadium on Lagos Island will feature a team of Nigerian ex internationals who will be up against a selection of the Executive Council and top functionaries of the Lagos State Government.

Among the stars to be on parade are Mutiu Adepoju, Gbenga Okunowo, Etim Esin, Yisa Sofoluwe, Joseph Yobo, Henry Nwosu, Taribo West, Ifeanyi Udeze, Peter Rufai and Austin Okocha.

They will be coordinated by Tajudeen Disu while Joe E r i c o , Tu n d e D i s u a n d Joseph Dosu will form the coaching crew. Coaches Shuaibu Amodu and Austin Equavoen are also expected to be in the crew.

Lost In the Crowd... Nigerian women, Regina George and Margaret Bamgbose during the World Indoor women 4x400m race.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016 — 47

AFCON 2017 ticket redeemable — Igali

*As Ladipo blames Oboabana for Egypt goal

By Patrick Omorodion

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LYMPIC gold medallist and president of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Dr. Daniel Igali has affirmed his believe in the Super Eagles qualification for the 2017 Africa Nations Cup in Gabon.

Igali said that with what the team tutored by Samson Siasia played in Kaduna, he was optimistic they can beat Egypt or at least hold them to a draw in Alexandria on Tuesday.

“I was disappointed yesterday after we allowed the Egyptian to equalise in a match we were supposed to win. Our boys just went to sleep and the Egyptians took advantage of it.

Just imagine a defender raising his hand to attract the referee’s attention. The time he used in raising his hands he could have closed up on the Egyptian who could have attempted to dribble him and allow the goalkeeper to

Eagles to face 20,000 Egyptian fans

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ORE than 40,000 specta tors witnessed the encounter between the Super Eagles and the Pharaohs of Egypt at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna on Friday evening. It is envisaged that 20,000 Egyptian fans will be permitted into the Borg El Arab Stadium on Tuesday to cheer their national team as they take on the Eagles in the return leg of the double header 2017 Afcon qualifiers.

The Egyptian FA had written to the government to increase the number of spectators to be allowed into the stadium from 10,000 to 20,000 and the request was approved.

This means the coach Samson Siasia tutored team have to be at their best to overcome the expected tantrums from the overzealous Egyptian soccer fans known for their vociferous and indefatigable nature. Already, tickets for the encounter have been sold out.

come close.

They didn’t understand themselves well in the first half as they made faulty passes. In the second half they started playing very well. We now have a good team”he stressed.

He however, added that “with what the players displayed yesterday (Friday), I believe they can beat them or at least play a draw in Egypt. We have a team now, all they just need is concentrate, “ he surmised.

Meanwhile President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr Rafiu Ladipo blamed Super Eagles defender for the Egyptian goal.

According to him, “our boys blundered. Oboabona shouldn’t have stood up after falling. He should have stayed put on the ground there and allow the referee call in the medicals and by that way allow the time to tick away, “ he said. He added that “fair play is at the discretion of the referee and the players should have known that, “ stressing however that “ I am glad that we have a team now that can stand any opponent.”

na state government allowed fans free entry. “Nigeria will most likely be penalised by CAF for poor crowd control even though there was no major incident before, during or after the match,” said a leading football official, who requested anonymity. “Sanctions for such a shortcoming would be a fine and a warning,” he added. Another official said the police failed to stop the crowd gaining access to the stadium even when it

Etebo: Scorer of Nigeria’s lone goal in the first leg

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Nigeria Continued from backpage

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GOtv Boxing Night 6: Fijabi wins N1m again OXING rave, Olaide “Fija born” Fijabi, Friday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos won the N1 million cash prize for the best boxer at the sixth edition of the GOtv Boxing Night. Fijabi, a second time winner of the prize, defeated Djamiou Ekekpo of the Republic of Benin via a technical knockout in the sixth of the scheduled 12round West African light welterweight title fight.His aggression and speed were the tools that gave him victory.

Fijabi said his next target is to become the African champion.

“I am not yet satisfied. I feel like punching on and on. Ekekpo couldn’t take my punches. Whoever is holding the African light welterweight title, I, Fijaborn is coming to claim it” he said.

In the other big fight, Nigeria’s Abolaji ‘Afonja Warrior’ Rasheed knocked out Adjei Sowah of Ghana in the third of their 12-round contest to win the West African mid-

was clear that the capacity was overstretched. Many spectators watched the 1-1 draw from inside the seating perimeter while police, some on horses, patrolled. Other fans climbed a floodlights pylon to watch the clash of the former African champions. In 2009, poor crowd control in Abidjan caused 19 deaths before a 2010 World Cup qualifier between hosts Ivory Coast and Malawi.

A stampede at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana in 2001 resulted in 127 deaths. This time no major disaster occurred, as the two teams drew 1-1.

NPFL: Rangers, Enyimba rumble in Enugu

Fijabi (r) throws right jab into his opponent’s face during the encounter dleweight title. him out in the first round of their Former best boxer of the GOtv six-round national lightweight Boxing Night Otto ‘Joe Boy’ Jo- challenge bout. Jimoh’s father , seph made light work of Hogan widely known as Atomic Bomb, Jimoh Jnr. Son of boxing was in attendance. legend,Hogan Jimoh,knocking

Mikel Continued from backpage Nations,” said Obi, one of Nigeria’s outstanding players when they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa three years ago.

The midfield enforcer insisted there was no reason to panic following Friday’s draw, and pointed to the fact that there are still three more matches left in the campaign.

“We have to go to Alexandria and fight with everything we have.

There are still matches to play and we have confidence that we will earn the ticket. We also call on Nigerians to believe in the team and continue to support us.”

After the clash with the Pharaohs in Alexandria on Tuesday, the Eagles will travel to Nd’jamena to battle the Le Sao of Chad in the first week of June, before hosting Tanzania in the final round of the series in the first week of September.

NFF top shots have confirmed that the players and officials will now travel to Alexandria on Monday aboard a chartered flight, as against an earlier arrangement to fly the delegation aboard Egypt Air. The team will fly direct to Alexandria and have the official training at the match venue on Monday evening, before Tuesday’s match.

T promises to be another ex citing Super Sunday in the Nigeria Professional Football League with two derby games to look forward to.

Table toppers, Rangers who were undone by Lobi Stars of Makurdi midweek will entertain Enyimba in the Oriental Derby at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu.

The Flying Antelopes who saw their six games unbeaten streak ended by Lobi Stars in midweek will be out to pick maximum points in this tie to cement their place at the top.

The Coal City side will also want to avenge their 2-1 loss to Enyimba in Enugu last term.

Enyimba have struggled in the NPFL this season and are currently in 17th place though they still have four outstanding games.

At the Akure Township Stadium, Sunshine Stars and Shooting Stars will clash in the South West Derby.

The home side are without a win this season and will take inspiration from their 0-0 midweek away draw against Rivers United in Port Harcourt. 3SC on the other hand have failed to pick a point on their travels.

Fourth-placed Kano Pillars and FC IfeanyiUbah will do battle at Sani Abacha Stadium.

Pillars have won all their home games this term, but face a stiff test with their opponents having some highly rated foreigners in their ranks.

Warri Wolves who just appointed Dutchman Ard Sluis as their technical adviser will take on Lobi Stars in Warri, while Elkanemi Warriors tackle Nasarawa United in Katsina. T

cracker Continued from backpage tered flight instead of a regular commercial flight.

The NFF had in a statement following the Super Eagles 1 – 1 draw against the Pharaohs on Friday confirmed that the travelling plans for the team had been altered. The statement read in part, “Our travel plans to Alexandria, Egypt have been modified. We’ll now travel via chartered flight from Abuja Monday. Thanks for your support,” the NFF stated.

It would be recalled that former NFA secretary general, Alhaji Sani Ahmed Toro raised the alarm over NFF’s decision to fly the Super Eagles on a commercial flight to Egypt and worse still, on Egypt Air which could backfire considering that their team was playing against the Eagles in a crucial qualifier.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 27, 2016

Afcon qualifier: Nigeria risk fine over poor crowd control

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IGERIA could face African Football Confederation (CAF) sanctions for allowing too many spectators into

TOWER OF BABEL: Over 40,000 supporters crammed into Nigeria’s Ahmadu Bello Stadium which has a total capacity of 25,000

the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna Friday for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt.

An estimated 40,000

crowd was inside the 25,000-capacity northern Nigeria venue when the match kicked off after the KaduContinues on pg 47

Some fans took to sitting on top of rooftops in order to get a view of the Super Eagles play on Friday

2017 Afcon qualifier: We’ve to fight like never before — Mikel CObi has charged ikel the

Super Eagles to give everything when they face

HELSEA star M

FIXTURES Today’s matches NPFL Abia Worriors v Tornadoes El Kanemi v Nasarawa Enugu v Enyimba Heartland v Giwa Ikorodu Utd v Dolphins Pillars v Ifeanyi Ubah Plateau Utd v MFM FC Sunshine v Shooting Warri Wolves v Lobi Wikki v Akwa (All matches begin at 4.00pm)

Results Afcon 2017 Qualifiers DR Congo Mauritius Seychelles Burundi Cameroun

2 1 2 1 2

Angola Rwanda Lesotho Namibia South Africa

0 0 0 3 2

Egypt for the second time in four days in Alexandria in their quest to qualify Nigeria for next year’s AFCON in Gabon.

Egypt remain top of their qualifying group with seven points, two points more than Nigeria, after a 1-1 draw in Kaduna on Friday.

Mikel said the Eagles have to fight harder than they have ever done to snatch the three points at the Borg El-Arab Stadium in the Mediterranean coast.

“It’s a massive battle that we are going for, and there should be no illusion about it. We have to face reality, and everyone has to give more than 100 per cent because we just have to qualify for the Cup of

Continues on pg 47 Eagles' Captain Mikel Obi (l) outplays an Egyptian opponent during the first leg in Kaduna

Alexandria cracker: Ifeanyi Ubah to the rescue *Offers NFF loan for chattered flight

By Patrick Omorodion, who was in Kaduna

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T is now revealed that the Nigeria Football

See solution on page 5

Flamingoes qualify for U-17 Women W/Cup, Pg 46

Federation, NFF could not have changed the Super Eagles travel plan to Alexandria, Egypt without the support of extra funds.

Sources close to the NFF disclosed in Abuja yesterday that the football governing body got a loan from billionaire businessman and proprietor of Ifeanyi Ubah

Football Club, Chief Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.

The source would, however, not disclose how much the loan amounted to and the conditions attached to it but said that the most important thing was that the NFF are able to move the team to Egypt by a more dignified way and on a chat

Continues on pg 47

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