Jonathan to NASS: You'relaying landmines for me

...towards aa better better life life for for the the people people ...towards

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VOL. 25: NO. 61828

ONLINE || www.vanguardngr.com www.vanguardngr.com ONLINE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

N150

POPE BENEDICT'S LAST AUDIENCE

...and bows out ...last blessing

Pope Benedict XVI held the last audience of his pontificate in St Peter's Square, yesterday, on the eve of his historic resignation as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. Photo: AFP.

Jonathan to NASS: You're laying landmines for me To forward supplementary budget immediately Lawmakers resolute on zero budget for SEC Nigerian economy not in danger — Presidency COLUMNISTS: Is'haq •P.17 Modibbo Kawu OCHEREOME NNANNA •P.19

THE HUB •P.19

Jonathan can contest in 2015 —Tukur •P gs 30 &3 1

•Pg. 8

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

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BUJA — SIXTYNINE days after the National Assembly passed the 2013 Appropriation Bill, President Goodluck Jonathan reluctantly signed it into law fearing

that it was replete with landmines, it was gathered.

Jonathan’s major grouse with the budget, which he refused to sign since it was transmitted to him on January 14, 2013, is that the lawmakers may use the Continues on page 5

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013 — 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

ECOWAS SUMMIT: Heads of State and Government of Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, after the opening session of their 42nd ordinary summit in Yamoussoukro, Cote d'Ivoire, yesterday: Photo: State House.

Jonathan to NASS: You're laying landmines for me Continues from Page 1

landmines as weapon to assault him and his administration if he fails to implement the budget to the letter.

Vanguard gathered from competent sources that of particular worry to Jonathan is a clause in the budget, which states: “That the National Assembly is authorised by law to monitor and ensure that the Executive implements the budget to the letter as passed by legislature.”

One of the sources pointed out that although the clause is not a new one in the budget document, the

Presidency was wary of the National Assembly members, particularly those from the House of Representatives, whose leadership, it believes, has been infiltrated by members of the opposition, who could exploit any loophole to impeach the President.

Jonathan, it was learnt, had confronted the leadership of the National Assembly and asked them to choose between outright return of the controversial fiscal bill to them or reaching a compromise on a supplementary budget.

President’s

LIFEWORDS

S

BY PASTOR ITUAH

UCCESS is no accident. It is hard work, per severance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do – Pele. You too can succeed.

TAKE HEART

Y

BY ELLA RANDLE

OU’RE going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by. It’s actions, not words that matter — Nicholas Spark.

Every moment is awareness and the privilege to choose the next thought is very profound but it is going beyond to living from the heart that makes it an awesome experience for me.

When you think about it, this ability is within the grasps of our reach. The choice to feel beautiful, to express loving thoughts and to exhale joy and laughter! This transformation is ever expanding and it comes with it, a most exhilarating feeling of love.

A sweet thing is easy to admire, sweet words are easy to come by, but a sweet friend is rare and when we find special friendship, we nurture and naturally care a lot .

This much I know, a friend is like a lovely song, always endearing and meaningful, but the greater illumination is the choice to love and the freedom to do so without a tinge ...this is beautiful affection and devotion, a better expression of love.

reservations The President’s reservations about the document and the need to sort out irreconcilable differences with the lawmakers accounted for the secret signing of the budget by Jonathan as opposed to the open tradition of doing so.

State House correspondents, who had gathered in the conference room of the President’s office, were asked to leave and await a statement on the signing of the budget following a last minute brief meeting between members of the Economic Team on one hand and the leadership of the National Assembly on the other, with Jonathan in another room.

The brief parley, it was gathered, was to enable the two parties to make concessions on contentious areas of the budget, which did not, however, yield any significant shift of hardened positions by both parties.

Jonathan rejects rollover of 2012 constituency projects It was learnt that while the President reluctantly accepted the $79 per barrel oil benchmark and the zero allocation budget to the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, on the understanding that the commission could still generate and fund its operations from the stock market, he rebuffed the lawmakers’

condition that their 2012 constituency projects be rolled over into the current budget.

It is the rollover of the projects that caused serious distortion to the budget, forcing the President to withhold his assent to it for more than two months.

Jonathan is said to have argued that doing so would stall the implementation of the budget and cause more hardship in the land. He was also said to have argued that it would pave the way for Nigerians to blame him for non-performance, thereby affecting the image of his administration, as the 2015 election draws closer.

Instead of taking the unfinished projects into the 2013 budget in addition to the new ones suggested by the lawmakers, the President suggested that the National Assembly members should forward the list of such projects to the Ministry of Special Duties for implementation, a demand the lawmakers resentfully acquiesced.

It was understood that what the President did to the budget on Tuesday night in the name of signing the 2013 budget into law, was more of a ceremonial function to nip in the bud the threat by the more radical House of Representatives to veto him and cause more friction between them and the Presidency while “an acceptable budget” would soon be sent to the National Assembly by way of a

supplementary budget by the President. ...to

forward supplementary budget immediately

Based on the understanding reached by both parties, the Presidency is expected to use the opportunity of the supplementary budget to expunge items inserted by the National Assembly, which the Executive believes it cannot implement rather than openly accuse the lawmakers of padding the fiscal document.

In the same spirit, the lawmakers are to accord the supplementary budget an accelerated passage for the President to sign once it is transmitted to him, unlike the painful delay which attended the current fiscal bill.

The President had distanced himself from the 2013 budget when the National Assembly added N63 billion to the figure presented to them and months of several meetings on the matter did not produce any result even with the passage of the 30-day deadline set by the law.

But on Tuesday, the House of Representatives, which is regarded as the hotbed of opposition by the government, threatened to begin the process of overriding the President on the budget, only for Jonathan to announce that he had signed the fiscal bill into law with a proviso that it would be sent back to the National Assembly "for further legislative work.”

Nigerian economy not in danger —Presidency Meanwhile, the Presidency has declared

that contrary to the claims of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the nation’s economy was not in danger as all globally recognized indices indicate that the Nigerian economy was stable and on an upward beat.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, described the claim by the ACN as lacking in substance and running contrary to the verdicts of reputable international rating agencies.

According to the Presidency spokesman, "contrary to the claim of the ACN that the cost of producing a barrel of oil had 'skyrocketed' to $35 in 2012 from $4 in 2002, the actual cost of production stands at approximately $17 per barrel.

"The cost of oil production per barrel had never risen as high as the opposition claims. Even at the height of restiveness in the Niger Delta area and its consequent effect on the upstream oil sector, the per barrel cost of oil production in Nigeria never rose above $18.

When compared with $50 and $70 per barrel spent on production of shale oil by the United States of America, the cost of producing oil in Nigeria which is $17 per barrel as well as a prevailing sale price of over $100 per barrel does not support the alarming claim of the opposition.

FG tackling crude oil theft "The second leg upon which the ACN based its wrong assertions is similarly laden with deceptive undertones.

For a fact, there are

Continues on page 51

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Defence hqtrs to Boko Haram: Make use of official communication channel

We didn't kill any student of Nasarawa varsity — Army

...deploys 1,200 soldiers in Mali

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BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

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BUJA—FOLLOWING the conditions given by the Boko Haram sect through ‘YouTube’ for the release of kidnapped French citizens, the Defence Headquarters, yesterday advised the Boko Haram to make use of its official communication channels if it wanted to have any interaction with the apex security apparatus.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters said that over 1,200 officers and men of the Armed Forces have been deployed to the African-led International Support Mission to Mali, AFISMA. “The last batch comprising of 162 troops will be airlifted to Mali today by the Nigerian Air Force while the Charlie aircraft provided by the British Government will equally airlift support equipment to the operation, side by side our own C-130.”

A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Col Mohammed Yerima, on the Boko Haram demand however, noted that it does not react to publications or demands through ‘YouTube’.

Yerima’s statement read: “The Defence headquarters wishes to make the following clarifications regarding the video clip on YouTube purportedly released by Boko Haram in which it listed conditions for the release of the French family it is holding hostage.

“The Defence headquarters do not make official response to video on the YouTube. If the Boko Haram group wishes to express concern about their members being held, they ought to have channelled their demands through the JTF telephone help lines which they are conversant with. The numbers are 08064174066, 08154429346 and 07064174066.”

Boko Haram claimed recently that the French nationals will be released only when their members, including women being held by the military authorities are released from detention.

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

BUJA —THE Nigerian Army has denied reports that its troops killed four students of the Nasarawa State University who were protesting poor state of infrastructure in the institution, adding that its soldiers did not shoot any of the students during the protest.

Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Attahiru made this known after the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, received the Indian Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Krishna Singh, in his office.

His words: “On February 25, 2013, students of Nasarawa State University came out en mass and barricaded the Keffi-Akwanga expressway, which is part of the 177 Guards Battalion patrol routes. This road was blocked with logs of wood and burning tyres which hampered vehicular movement, leaving travellers stranded for hours and numerous vehicles damaged by the violent crowd.

“It was also reported that the irate crowd were looting travellers' belongings and throwing stones, bottles and metal objects at the security operatives. However, it is believed that the protest was hijacked by some hoodlums and cult members who are students of the university.

“As a result, the violent crowd burnt down two vehicles at the Police station located across the campus and seized a tanker loaded with fuel with the intention of burning down the Police station.

Attempt to burn police stattion “The combined efforts of 177 Guards Battalion with others security operatives prevented the hoodlums from this act. The violent action of the crowd led to three soldiers of 177 Guards Battalion sustaining various degrees of injuries from the stones, bottles and metals thrown at them.

“It is important to note that the combined efforts of the troops in conjunction with other security agencies assisted in dispersing the crowd and removing the blockades from the road to ease movement of vehicles. Presently, law and order have been restored in the area and troops are closely monitoring the situation.”

Asked why soldiers were called in to quell a students’ riot, Attahiru said: “You are aware of the problem of communal clashes in Nasarawa State. Troops are on patrol to checkmate the killings and violence, so the Vice Chancellor did not need to invite sol-

diers on patrol who ran into the blockade on a major highway and were engaging in violence.

“In any case, let me repeat, our

troops did not shoot any student during the protest. We are very well trained professionals. Since we did not use live ammunitions,

I do not know how we would have shot anybody. Our troops were not in any way involved in the shooting.”

Senator Chris Ngige (left) and other members of Senate Committee on Police Affairs, National Security and Intelligence investigating the discovery of corpses at Ezu River after holding a closed door session with some traditional rulers in Amansea community of Anambra State, yesterday.

....Killing unacceptable, reprehensive—NLC

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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IGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, said the murder of four students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi by soldiers drafted to the school to quell protest by students over non-availability of water was shocking, unacceptable and reprehensible.

NLC in a statement by its President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, said these avoidable killings of young and defenseless people left a sour taste in the mouth, arguing that this brutal tactics by soldiers was a throwback to the past the nation would be better off without.

Comrade Omar said: “The right to dissent or protest is a constitutional right and not a privilege to be given by any god-head.

What the students were doing therefore was in the exercise of that right from which not only them would benefit.

"If however, it was the considered opinion of the law enforcement agents that the students had crossed the red line in the exercise of that right, the professional and proper thing was to have been guided by the rules of engagement and not to have engaged in a senseless slaughter.

"It is bad enough that our utilities on which huge sums of money are spent do not work. To kill those who insist that they work,

which in our view, is ensuring accountability, is double jeopardy.

“We want to be emphatic. No amount of cruelty or mindless violence visited on the weak and the defenseless will stop protests

in our land. Our students were part of the struggle that restored democracy in our land, and should not be treated as irritants who do not know the difference between right and wrong".

Nasarawa Assembly to probe alleged murder of students

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EANWHILE, the Na sarawa State House of Assembly yesterday set up committee to investigate the killing of students at the Nasarawa State University during the students’ protest on Monday.

The students were allegedly killed by soldiers deployed to quell the protest over lack of water on campus.

The house’s decision followed the motion by Mr Mohammed Ibaku (PDP-Udege) under the matter of public interest.

The lawmaker said that students had their fundamental human rights to protest against water scarcity on campus.

He said: “What happened in Keffi leading to the killing of the students was unfortunate, uncalled for and ungodly.

“The students have the right to protest against lack of water as it is legitimate.

“It is better to use the police to maintain law and order when students are protesting than to use the military personnel.

“I condemn the killing of the

students in its totality, the perpetrators of the act will not go unpunished,” he added Mr Dogara Sa’aka (PDP-Kokona–East) seconded the motion, saying the investigation would identify the perpetrators of the act and recommend appropriate punishments Sa’ aka said that water was essential to human life, adding that “he who provides water provides life.

He queried the rationale behind sending soldiers to the university’s campus in place of the police.

The motion was unanimously adopted by house for the constitution of the probe committee.

The Speaker of the house, Alhaji Musa Ahmed, directs the House Committees on Education, Security and Water Resources to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the incident.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the house observed a one-minute silence for those who lost their lives during the protest.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—7

How gunmen killed Commander Ibrahim — Kano CP

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

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ANO—KANO State police command yesterday gave an insight to how some unidentified gunmen killed Commander, Mobile Police 9 Unit, Dahiru Ibrahim at his private residence located at Sabuwar Gandu on Monday.

The Commissioner of Police, Musa Daura said that “Ibrahim was not with his escorts at the time of the incident”, adding that “the tragic incident was a fulfiment of destiny.”

According to him, “the incident occured after the police top management meeting of which the slain officer was in attendance.

Unknown to him, assailants were laying siege at his private residence. The assailants opened fire on him at close range when he alighted from his car to open the gate to his private residence and he slumped and died instantly.

We deployed personnel to the scene of the crime on short notice, cordoned off the area for stop and search that led to the arrest of suspects. Those in our custody are undergoing interogation. We will leave no stone unturned in our quest to arrest and bring to

justice perpetrators of this heinous crime against humanity.”

Meantime, there is now uneasy calm in the state following the

killing of the senior police officer, as the city had witnessed increased activties on criminal hide outs by security agents. Sporadic

shooting was heard in the neighborhood of Ungwa-Uku area yesterday, forcing residents to stay in dooor.

PUBLIC HEARING ON OYERINDE’S DEATH: From left: Counsel to Governor Adams Oshiomole, Mr. Femi Falana; Governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo State and others, during the Public Hearing by Public Compliants Committee of House of Representatives on Oyerinde’s death, at the National Assembly, Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Police nab 3 for allegedly stealing 10 day old baby Arrest fake currency dealer

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU—THE police in Enugu have arrested three persons, including a lady for allegedly stealing a 10-day old baby.

The suspects were arrested by the anti-kidnap unit of the state police command following the alarm raised by the mother of the child, identified as Chinenye Egwu from Oduma in Aninri local Government Area of the state.

Vanguard gathered that the plan to steal the baby boy was hatched by the suspects and others now at large after the woman put to bed and it was discovered that she had a male child and none of her relations was present.

She was said to have registered with the private hospital where she attended ante-natal before delivering her baby on February 10.

“The woman told the police that after delivering the baby she was in a very good condition and her baby was also healthy. But suddenly one of the nurses gave her an injection and she went into a deep sleep. When she woke up the baby had disappeared. Upon inquiry from the nurses about the child's hereabouts she was told that the baby had some problems and was taken away.

“Their explanation was not clear

to her as she demanded to see the baby but when they failed to produce him that day she became suspicious that the hospital staff might be up to something funny.

She insisted that the baby must be produced but along the line, one of the suspects approached her and made an offer of N46,000 for the woman to forget about the baby.

“When she refused the offer, she was threatened by one of them, a development that forced her to raise an alarm and subsequently contacted the police. She identified one of the suspects, who was picked up by the police while two other members of the gang were later apprehended,” the source narrated.

However, the child was recovered in the course of the investigation by the detectives but the suspects whom the police identified as Nwandi Chinenye (female), Friday Ude and Sylvester Ozollo, are currently being interrogated.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, advised members of the public to beware of the type of hospitals they send pregnant women for delivery to prevent such occurrence in future.

In another development, the police said a suspect who gave

his name as Kenneth Ugwu had been apprehended for allegedly trading on fake currency.

He was reportedly arrested by the Nsukka Police Division on February 20 after a report that he

was seen at Eha Alumona with 28 pieces of fake N1,000 note.

The PPRO said the fake currency was recovered from the suspect’s house when it was searched during investigations.

Community ostracizes councillor ...accuses him of anti-community activities

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

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SUKKA—THERE was ten sion at Nsukka, Enugu State, as a councillor representing one of the communities in the local government was ostracized and mourned alive over alleged gross anti-community activities.

The lawmaker faced multiple problems as youths in his community threatened to recall him if he continued to indulge in the alleged anti-community activities.

Vanguard gathered that the embattled councillor had allegedly been in running battles with members of his community since he was inaugurated and had allegedly boasted to the traditional ruler of the community that he was political head of the area, a statement the community considered as spiteful on the monarch.

Sources in the community further said that they had tolerated the actions of the councillor enough but he refused to change hence the decision to ostracize and carry out his funeral activities while he was still alive.

“He was never the choice of the community to be elected a councillor but the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had its way by imposing him on us. Since then, he had vowed to deal with the community,’’ the sources told Vanguard, adding that the councillor resorted to the use of police to harrass the people through false and frivolous reports against the people. ’’He has no respect for anybody in the community, having insulted our monarch, among others.

We carried out his funeral rites according to our tradition to enable us forget about him".

We know the rigours involved

EFCC to arraign company director for alleged fraud

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU—THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, South East Zonal office, Enugu has concluded arrangement to arraign the Mega Assets Managers Ltd and its Managing Director, Adedapo Solanke at the Federal High Court Enugu for alleged criminal diversion of funds, obtaining money under false pretences and issuance of dud cheques.

Vanguard learnt that different groups and organisations had written petitions to the EFCC, alleging non-payments of interests on their investments and payback of capitals invested.

The anti-graft agency said in a statement issued by its Enugu Zonal office and signed by Nwanyinma Okeanu that the fund managers took in more than they could chew.

According to the statement, the petitioners alleged that the Managing Director issued dud cheques to aggrieved customers numbering over 130 persons in a bid to stall his arrest.

In the course of investigations by the EFCC, the company’s Managing Director, was arrested at the office of Mega Assets in Ilorin and brought to Enugu zonal office for further investigations.

Group condemns extra-judicial killing in Kogi

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BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

OKOJA—THE Ebira Youth Congress, EYC, Kogi State has condemned alleged extra judicial killings in the Central Senatorial District of the state.

EYC said that the latest of such murders was the killing of the 30-year-old Grace Abata Ejeogu in Okene Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement jointly signed by the President General and the Deputy Secretary General, Gomina Kadir and Azimazi Sheidu respectively the congress said that it was particularly disturbing that the said killing was allegedly masterminded by a group of masked military men ostensibly on peace mission in Ebiraland.

8—Vanguard , THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA—AHEAD of 2015 presidential election, National Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday, said there was nothing wrong if the party presents President Goodluck Jonathan for the election, just as he challenged other opposition political parties to forward theirs if they have.

He also said the party will soon commence the electronic registration of its members, which was jettisoned by the governors elected on the platform of the party during the tenure of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, saying it would help PDP have a central database of all its members.

Tukur, who also denied reports that the presidency and the party were behind the problems of Chibuike Amaechi, said: “No, we are not behind it.

They have an arrangement of two year tenure for their chairman. So, neither the party leadership nor Mr. President is against Amaechi or whoever they elect as their leader for NGF.” Answering questions from journalists in Abuja yesterday, Tukur, who was however not specific on the date of commencement of the exercise, stressed that necessary machinery have been put in place for the e-registration exercise.

Jonathan can contest in 2015— Tukur Says Presidency, PDP not after Amaechi whereby you tend to melt your people and put them together.

“Mind you, Nigeria is fast moving as a regional power and you cannot achieve that until you have a strong and stable government. Therefore, the NGF is very healthy because we all have to be collectively clear with ourselves; and if we understand our differences, then we can work together better.

On Aliyu’s comment

“We have people from the opposition with different opinions, but if they are working together in terms of agreeing on common good, to that effect I can tell you that the NGF is an important forum.”

On the declaration of Niger State governor and Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Babangida Aliyu that President Jonathan was behind this with intention of supplanting the larger body, the NGF, Tukur said: “Well, it is an opinion. It doesn’t mean that all our governors agree with him.

“He can say so but I have explained to you as the chairman of this party that they are all my governors.

We may not share the same position on the formation of PDP Governors Forum. But I have explained to you our intention, as a party. We want our governors to come together.”

When asked on views by

some eminent Nigerians, who have dismissed the Governors’ Forum as a threat to democracy, Tukur said: “Well, if you say people are criticising them, it is politics. It is an opinion. People can criticise. That was why I took my time to explain to you the basis of our action.”

PDP NEC meeting, Buhari’s allegation

On why there was no National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting, he said: “We are going to have our caucus, and then we shall have our NEC meeting. It is part of the structures of our party and we follow due process in line with the structures in our party.

“That is the only way we

can continue to keep in touch with our members, from the lowest level to the highest. We are going to do that.”

On General Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that PDP doesn’t need any merger, because it has already merged with Police, INEC, the judiciary and Pension Fund, he said: “I don’t think one need to react to this kind of statement.

“I think the best thing to do is to ask for evidence. If you cannot show evidence, there is no need to react. I can only react to things that are factual, not rumours, not antics.”

On Adamawa crisis, Tukur said: “There is crisis in Adamawa? What crisis? If there is crisis in Adamawa, please, tell me.”

PDP Governors' Forum

When asked if the PDP Governors’ Forum was not formed to weaken the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, as well as actualise President Jonathan’s second term ambition, the PDP National Chairman noted that the forum was not the platform for selecting candidates for elections.

He said: “Let me tell you, in politics there is a lot of misinformation and people tend to interpret issues from different view points.

“Jonathan is now the President and belongs to the PDP so what is wrong in the party presenting him? The other parties can equally present their candidates if they have any.

“The Governors’ Forum is not for selecting a candidate; we have got our own system in doing that. Candidates are not elected at Governors’ Forum.”

On e-registration, Tukur said: “It is currently in the works and we are going to commence it for sure. We are now in the age of technology whereby things are no longer done manually. So I can assure you that very soon we will commence the e-registration of our members to have a common membership database.”

Tukur, who noted that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum was playing an important role in the development of Nigeria, said: “I think the Nigerian Governors’ Forum is very healthy and I can tell you why.

“Look at Nigeria with different ethnic, religious coloration and economic balancing. We need this kind of situation

VISIT: Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Agriculture, BoA (right), and Dr. Muhammed Sa'ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, when the bank’s management team paid a courtesy call on the Sultan in Sokoto.

NDIC pays N90.13bn to Wonder Banks' depositors

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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ADUNA—NIGERIAN Depositors Insurance Corporation, NDIC, has paid about N90.13 billion to depositors in 48 Deposit Money Banks, DMBs, in liquidation, as at the end of last year.

Managing Director, MD, of the Corporation, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, disclosed this yesterday at the ongoing Kaduna International Trade Fair.

The MD, who was represented by the Director, Research Policy and International Relations of NDIC, Dr. Jacob Afolabi, also warned that it was not possible for any form of deposit money bank to get 100 percent return on deposit within a few months, and warned on the

dangers of putting money in such banks, now referred to as “ wonder banks.”

He said: “It is on record that the NDIC had paid a cumulative amount of N90.13 billion to depositors of 48 Deposit Money Banks in liquidation as at December 31, 2012 as against N80.18 billion paid to depositors as at December 31st, 2011, representing an increase of about N10 billion.

“Similarly, a total sum of N2.50 billion had been paid to depositors of the 103 closed Micro Finance Banks, MFBs, as at December 31, 2012 as against N2.25 billion that was paid to the insured depositors of closed MFBs as at the end of same period in 2011.

“Also, the cumulative liq-

uidation dividend payment to shareholders of Alpha Merchant Bank, Nigeria Merchant Bank and Pan African Bank (in-liquidation) stood at N373.04 million, N620 million and N293 million, respectively, during the period.

“This was in addition to the settlements of the depositors and creditors of the three Banks.”

According to him, the NDIC is relentless in pursuing a safe banking space for all forms of depositors and encourage Nigerians to take advantage of the new regulations protecting their investments.

On Wonder Banks, he said: “There is no way you get 100 percent return on your money in a few months, say

three months in any of our Deposit Finance Institution, any kind of bank in Nigeria.

“It is not just possible, unless you are trading in cocaine, which you all know is illegal. The public should know that any person who opens such a business and so entices you, he is designing a scheme to defraud you from the onset.

“You would, most of the times, lose your capital and your expected interest. People should not patronise Wonder Banks. They are not real.

We have arrested some of the owners that we could find.”

Meanwhile, the trade fair, yesterday, recorded a low turn out running for the sixth day.

This was attributed to the insecurity that has bedevilled Kaduna since 2011.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—9

‘Nigeria's economy is strong’

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INISTER of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has replied critics of the Nigerian economy, saying the economy is buoyant and strong.

Okonjo-Iweala, in a message put on social media, yesterday, dismissed reports of the poor performance of the economy and the management of the excess crude revenue.

Her statement came few days after former American President, Bill Clinton, indicted the Federal Government for not using the huge revenue realised from crude oil exports to positively impact on the lives of Nigerians.

Mr. Clinton had, weekend, expressed disappointment that his inclusion of Nigeria a few years ago among 10 countries that were well positioned to emerge as the world’s greatest economies has been proved wrong with the visible lack of progress in recent times, despite the huge resources at its disposal.

Okonjo-Iweala, however, argued that such views were misleading as the economy was healthy, with other indices, including inflation and foreign reserves, showing positive levels of performances.

In the statement entitled Federal Ministry of Finance Clarifications on the State of the Economy, the Excess Crude Account and Related Issues, signed by Okonjo-Iweala and pasted on Facebook and Twitter, the Finance Minister said: “It is essential that Nigerians understand the exact position of the economy and the integrity of these important government accounts.

“This note aims to provide some facts for Nigerians on these issues, to clarify the exact position, and finally to put these concerns to rest.”

Apart from Mr. Clinton, some former public officials, including a Minister of Education under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Oby Ezekwesili, have criticised Nigeria’s management of the Excess Crude Account.

PRESENTATION: From left— Alhaji Femi Okunnu, celebrant and former Federal Commissioner for Works; Alhaja Latefat Okunnu, his wife and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State; and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General, at a public presentation of books by Alhaji Okunnu, entitled Torch Bearers of Islam in Lagos State at NIIA auditorium Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

They're after me, Aliyu cries out

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

G

OVERNOR Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, has alleged clandestine plans by people close to the Presidency to enroll him into an imaginary conspiracy.

Governor Aliyu made the disclosure, yesterday, a day after he was suddenly summoned to the presidential villa in Abuja, allegedly on issues bothering on his recent assertions.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Danladi Ndayebo, alleged that “hawks” in Abuja have concluded plans to print posters and portraits of him with the message 2015: Vote Babangida Aliyu for President with the import of arousing the anger of the party against him.

The portraits are to be followed with what he alleged as a media campaign directed at impugning his integrity and loyalty to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The allegations followed the standoff between Governor Aliyu and partisans of the president, which was upon the governor ’s declaration that President Jonathan signed a one-term agreement with northern governors. That agreement had not been produced.

Governor Aliyu was also reported to have stoutly stood in defence of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, during the recent crisis that

shadowed the aborted election of a new chairman of the governors’ body.

Governor Aliyu, however, pledged yesterday to be a law-abiding member of the party, saying that he was conscious of the party’s directive against the commencement of presidential election campaigns.

He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Aliyu has

not declared for the presidency.

“If anything, he is at the moment focused on delivering on the mandate given to him by the people of Niger State and would not be distracted.”

Aliyu said God is the ultimate decider of who becomes what, just as he cautioned Nigerians to be wary of persons who may want to dis-

credit others for selfish gains.

Aliyu said he remains committed to his present assignment and would not be distracted by any devious plot by mischief-makers.

He reiterated his commitment to the ongoing efforts at re-engineering the state to achieve its vision of becoming one of the top three most developed state economies by the year 2020.

Ado Bayero, 2 sons return

BY BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

K

ANO—EMIR of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, returned home from London, yesterday evening, aboard a presidential jet which touched down at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 6.50pm.

Those who were at the airport to welcome him include government functionaries, traditional title holders, businessmen and artisans.

Ado Bayero, looking healthy, stayed briefly at the presidential wing of the airport where he received a retinue of his subjects.

Amid tight security, the 19th Fulani emir and his two sons were later conveyed to his palace as the crowd chanted Allahu Akbar (God is Great).

The emir was flown abroad on January 21 this year for medical treatment with his two sons, Sanusi Ado Bayero and Aminu Ado Bayero following an attack on his convoy where he lost his driver

and three royal guards.

Action Congress of Nigeria chieftain, Alhaji Bashir Gentile, told Vanguard: “Kano is happy for his return and we

shall remain committed in our prayers for Allah’s mercy.

“As you can see, the emir is hale and hearty and we remain grateful to Allah.”

Nigeria loses N8trn to illegal gold mining

BY FAVOUR NNBAUGWU

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BUJA—FEDERAL Gov ernment said, yesterday, that the country had lost $50 billion (N8 trillion) through illegal mining and exportation of unprocessed gold to neighbouring countries in the last 24 months.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Linus Awute, made this disclosure in an interview with Vanguard at the Nigerian-Brazil Investment forum in Abuja.

He said: “What the country loses to illegal mining is tre-

mendous. But the truth is that the amount of gold that left this country because of the illegal mining activities is more than $50 billion in the last two years.

“The amount of unprocessed gold that has left this country through the neighbouring countries, Ghana in particular, and being processes in Ashanti gold is enormous.”

The Permanent Secretary said the activity of the illegal miners was beyond control, but assured that government had put measures in place to address the problem head-long.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FUBRUARY 28, 2013

Clinton: Fashola slams PDP Says party lacking in global trend

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, described Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as amateurish party, lacking in global development and trend.

Fashola spoke against the backdrop of allegation by Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, that the visit of former President of the United States of America, USA, at the inauguration of Eko Atlantic City Project, as part of the State gov-

ernment’s propaganda.

Speaking at the commemoration of his 2,100 days in office, at Alausa, Fashola said: “I thought I have seen the worst that our political opponent here could produce. But that party seems never to be ashamed of rolling in the mud.

“I accept also that they have demonstrated a lot of amateurish and that is what is on display.

They are behind global development and trend. If they follow development, they will know that

former President Bill Clinton immediately after he left office launched global initiative to help provide support for environmental sustainability, waste management and others.

“Eko Atlantic City project was one of the projects that won award in New York in 2012. But because the Clinton initiative is a globally recognised organisation, it is not as dysfunctional as the PDP, Clinton was going around the world to see what was going on around the world. That was why Clinton came to Lagos to see our project. I think that this occasion was too important for such amateurish discussion.”

FG installs 3 power sub-stations Mr. James Olotu, Managin Lagos

L

BY MICHAEL EBOH

AGOS—THE Federal Government, yesterday, gave a boost to power supply in the country with the acquisition and installation of three units of 15 MVA (Megavolt Ampere) injection sub-stations in Lagos.

Speaking during the commissioning of the three new 15 MVA sub-stations and switchgears panel in Yaba, Orile-Coker and Kirikiri substations in Lagos.

ing Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, NDPHC, promoters of the National Independent Power projects, NIPP, said the project was part of the Federal Government’s transformation agenda, which placed emphasis on improved power generation and supply among others.

Olotu said there were currently about 491 power projects across the country, while about 40 of the projects had been completed.

Covenant varsity: Court adjourns student’s expulsion suit

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS—JUSTICE Mobolaji Ojo of Ogun State High Court sitting in Otta has fixed March 27, 2013 for Judgement in the suit filed by Vwamhi Longji Felix, challenging his illegal expulsion by the Covenant University, for allegedly watching pornography and circular music in his laptop.

At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, the prosecuting counsel Segun Fatoki, told the court that Felix was allegedly expelled without an opportunity of a proper hearing or viewing the evidence in accordance with the standard practice as guaranteed by the constitution of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, for the determination of the following questions.

In his originating summon brought in pursuant to order 3 rules 5,6 and 8 of the Ogun State High Court civil procedure rules 2008,he asked the court to declare that invasion of the claimant room by the set of people claimed to be acting on behalf of the Dean, Student Affairs was a violation of Section 44 of Chapter 4 of the student Handbook of the Covenant University, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights as ratified.

According to him, section 35 and 36 of the constitution of the Federal Repub-

lic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, the court or administrative panel or tribunal, public or private, the rights and obligations of a Nigerian Citizen ought to derogate from the Nigerian constitution.

He said in determining the fate of a student of the university by either the dean student affairs or the student’s disciplinary committee, the provision, as expressed or implied by the students handbook 2010/2014 ought not be strictly followed.

Felix, in his 24 paragraphs affidavit to support his claim, stated that before he was expelled his parents had spent not less than N10 million on his school fees and other expenses.

Newswatch suit: Jimoh Ibrahim owes me N30m, Ray Ekpu tells court

BY INNOCENT ANABA

L

AGOS—FORMER Chief Executive Officer of Newswatch Communications Limited, Mr. Ray Ekpu, yesterday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, that only a part of his retirement benefits was paid to him, after Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim

acquired majority shares of the company.

At the resumed hearing in the suit by two minority shareholders, Mr. Nuhu Wada and Prof. Jibril Aminu, who are challenging the method through which Ibrahim acquired the majority shareholding of the company, Ekpu under cross-examination by Ibrahim’s counsel, said that Ibrahim cheated him by refusing to pay him a balance of N30 million of his retirement benefits.

“The sum of N79 million was paid to me out of N109 million. During his meeting with me and four other directors, he called on the accountant who read the figures to us. The figures were less than what we expected to be paid and we had since submitted our request for regularisation to the board on May 5,

2011.

“When we told him that the figures were less than what we expected, he said that was the only money available. He just paid us what he wanted and still insisted on collecting 10 per cent as tax, the receipt of which he never gave us,” he told the court.

Ekpu said efforts to make Ibrahim to pay the balance through correspondences yielded no result, while defence counsel, tendered as exhibits, copies of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, containing the names of other companies under the Newswatch group.

The MoU also disclosed how much was paid to other directors.

Further hearing in the matter, was adjourned till March 18.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 —11

Senate moves to end unlawful detention Expresses concern over poor state of Prisons The poor are mostly affected —Mark

BY HENRY UMORU &

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JOSEPH ERUNKE

BUJA—MOVED by the dehumanizing condition which inmates were subjected to in the nation’s prisons, the Senate has begun the process of putting an end to unlawful detention of persons.

The Lawmakers will also amended Nigeria’s Criminal Justice Act to make it mandatory for the Comptroller General of Prisons to send monthly roaster of prison inmates to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and states Chief Judges.

According to the Senators, when the chief law officer receives the roasters, he will order the release of inmates who have been unnecessarily detained without trials beyond the required two to three months in line with the constitution from the date of arrest.

ferred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human and Legal Matters and Internal Affairs with two weeks to report back to the general house.

In the debate, Senator Omoworare noted that if passed, the Bill would arrest the nagging national issue of prison congestion which he said, had defied almost every regime and attendant administrative policies in the country.

Omoworare said: ‘’The disheartening bleak truth is that our prisons host almost 70 per cent of inmates who are awaiting trial. A worrisome fact conceded by Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, and globally echoed and lamented by Amnesty International. The agonizing statistics which the Minister admitted recently revealed that 30,000 or over 65 per cent of over 46,000 inmates of prisons across

the country are awaiting trial.

“This disturbing detention of persons is tantamount to an infringement of the fundamental rights as ordained in our constitution. The overpopulation of the prisons have largely been responsible for the incessant jail breaks in Nigeria and with this comes the attendant security risk to our nation as both convicted and awaiting trial inmates disappear into thin air.”

Mark on the poor

Senate President David Mark while noting that the poor and the low class persons in the country suffer unlawful detention, however described the bill as a beautiful one which should be treated as quickly as possible.

Mark said: “This is a beautiful Bill, it should be treated as quickly as possible so that it can be

passed on time. It is regrettable that it is only the low levelled people that are affected by this, it is not fair when they are kept for so long, it is even worse and inhuman to keep people in detention for too long.”

The accused

‘’Section 35 (4/5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) categorically provides that an accused must be brought before a Court within a reasonable time or be released from custody within two to three months from the date of arrest - a provision that has been largely unimplemented.

Some senators who contributed to the debate, regretted that 70 per cent of persons locked up in Nigerian prisons were awaiting trial, hence the need for the amendment.

Senator Odion Ugbesia, PDP, Edo Central, argued that the bill had financial implication for the senate contrary to the position of the sponsor of the bill.

Resolutions

These were some of the resolutions reached yesterday during discussions by the Senators on the Bill for “An Act to amend Criminal Justice (Release from Custody, Special Provisions Act CAP C40 of the Federation of Nigeria 2004,‘’ sponsored by Senator Babajide Omoworare, ACN, Osun East, scaled through the second reading. It was re-

Ex-commissioners back Mimiko to develop Ondo

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OBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has been named winner of the maiden edition of Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, an initiative of Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.

The presentation of the award takes place on March 6, 2013.

The foundation said the emergence of Prof Soyinka as the winner, passed through a rigorous process by panel of eminent Nigerians.

A statement by the Executive Director of the foundation, Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, said the presentation of the prize which consists of a plaque, medal and the certificate of award would be presented at the ceremony expected to draw wide array of distinguished Nigerians.

She said: “Former Head of State and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Awolowo Foundation, General Yakubu Gowon, will chair the occasion while Guests of Honour includes former Heads of State, State Governors, Royal fathers and other distinguished Nigerians. The event will also include showcasing of the spirit of excellence and outstanding leadership attributes which Chief ObafemiAwolowostoodfor.”

Oba Gbadebo lauds Globacom

BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—THIRTEEN former commissioners in the State Executive Council of Ondo State, yesterday, assured that the second term of Governor Olusegun Mimiko would further bring unprecedented development to the state.

The group who under the aegis of G13 served in the first cabinet between 2009 and 2011, insisted after their meeting, that contrary to the wide argument that second term governors do not perform, Mimiko would not relax in developing the state.

Its chairman, Alhaji Sikiru Basaru, told newsmen that the group was still loyal and committed to the governor ’s success.

Soyinka bags Awolowo Prize for Leadership

PRESENTATION: From left: Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Security Matters, Mr. Adekunle Amos; Director of Coordination, Armed Forces Command of Staff College, Jaji, Brig.

Gen. Caster Oyebade; Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Osun State, Mr. Sunday Akere; Brig. Gen. Ademoh Salihu and Special Adviser to the Governor on Federal Matters, Mrs Idiat Babalola, at the presentation on the State of Osun by Syndicate 8 Senior Course 35 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, Tuesday.

Oke alleges irregularities in Ondo guber election

BY DAYO JOHNSON KURE—THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last governorship election in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, yesterday, opened his case before the

A

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Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure challenging the Victory of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Oke in his petition before the tribunal alleged that the October 20 governorship election in the state was marred with irregularities in areas won by Dr. Mimiko.

He prayed the tribunal to nullify the result as declared

by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and order fresh election in the state.

At the commencement of the matter, one of the witnesses called by Oke, Julius Elusiyan, told the tribunal that he signed the result sheet under duress.

Elusiyan, who was the agent

of the party in Odigbo, said he voted after he was accredited by officials of INEC. The witness under cross examination by Ifedayo Adedipe SAN, counsel to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, said he signed form EC8A after being pressurised to do so.

Elusiyan however claimed that some of the voters that came to the unit where he worked as agents were not accredited, while some were fully accredited.

Also another witness, Kunle Joseph from Igbara-Oke in Ifedore local government area of the state, said he voted on the day of election without being accredited.

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LAKE and Para mount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has described Globacom as a responsive, reliable, people-friendly telecommunication operator which keeps its promises.

Oba Gbadebo spoke in Abeokuta on the second day of the ongoing 2013 Lisabi Festival while launching the Lisabi Special SIM cards exclusively designed for all Egba indigenes by Globacom in response to a request by the paramount ruler.

Oba Gbadebo said: “I am happy that Globacom has honoured all Egba sons and daughters by speedily granting the request which I made a few days ago during the presentation of Lisabi Festival Sponsorship cheques. I am convinced that it is a listening organisation and should desire all our loyalty.”

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Stakeholders blame increase in rape cases on public attitude

BY CHIOMA OBINNA, CHARLYNE IKPE, RACHAEL OLAYINWOLA & BUSOLA LIKOLO

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TA K E H O L D E R S working in the area of violence against women have blamed the growing incidence of rape on public attitude towards victims, even as they identified law courts as the greatest challenge to ensuring justice for victims.

In 2012 alone, the Office of Public Defender in Lagos State reported a total of 427 rape cases.

Speaking at a monthly roundtable organised by Journalists Against AIDS, JAAIDS, the Executive Director of Media Concern Initiatives, MEDIACON, Dr. Princess Olufemi-Kayode, regretted that in Nigeria, most victims were blamed for being raped instead of receiving support from the public.

Olufemi-Kayode, who lamented that no day passes without a case of rape in most parts of the country, urged Nigerians in communities where rape cases occur to change their mindset of always blaming rape victims.

On her part, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Ngozi Braide, lamented that the greatest challenge to ensuring justice for rape victims remains the court.

Braide also identified lack of support for rape victims as another major factor that impedes their victory in court.

She explained how derogatory questions from lawyers weaken victims’ ability to prove their cases in the court of law, calling on women groups to show more support for rape victims.

She said: “Many of these culprits are discharged or given less punishment due to the fact that most victims abandon their cases midway as a result of stigma, discrimination and lack of support from parents and other family members.”

Jonathan, Amaechi friction: Rivers youths threaten to dump PDP

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ORT HARCOURT— SOME youths in Rivers State, under the aegis of Rivers Youths Democratic Movement, RYDM, have threatened to dump Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for emergent All Progressives Congress, APC, over perceived determination by President Goodluck Jonathan to frustrate Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s ambition in 2015.

Leader of the group, Mr. Jackson Manna, who spoke after a meeting of the youths in Port Harcourt, yesterday, said Rivers youths might also be compelled to impress on Governor Amaechi to defect to APC to advance his 2015 political interest unless President Jonathan resolved his differences with the governor.

RYDM cautioned that rather than see Amaechi as a threat to his political interest in next general elections, President Jonathan should

close ranks with the governor, who they believe meant well for the president and the entire South-South region.

He said: “We gave President Jonathan the highest votes during the last general elections,

but his fight against Amaechi is a fight against our votes in 2015. We will ask Amaechi to dump PDP and join APC, where we will give him our total support if the squabble is not rested.”

INSPECTION: Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (middle), with some officials inspecting the drainage on Ikot Ekpene/ Ogbor Hill Road, in Aba.

Unemployed graduates in Bayelsa give Dickson 30-day ultimatum

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA—UNEMPLOYED youths in Bayelsa State, under the aegis of Unemployed Graduates Forum, have issued a 30-day ultimatum to the state government to create 70,000 jobs for unemployed youths in the state.

The group warned that it might be forced to mobilise the army of unemployed youths in the state for a massive occupy Bayelsa protest across the state, if the government failed to meet its demand.

The group is calling on the state government to creat 20,000 jobs for graduates and 50,000 jobs for skilled and unskilled labour with incentives to stimulate employment generation.

The group said its members came out in large number to vote for Governor Seriake Dickson in the last governorship election to restore the hope of the people.

Acting State Coordinator of the group, Mr. Binaebi Oyeghe, in a statement, called on Governor Dickson to intervene in their plight, as they struggled daily with economic hardship, emotional and psychological anguish.

He said: “We are not fortunate

to live in a society that operates a welfare state where unemployed persons are assured of social security and receive a token unemployment benefit from government.”

The statement condemned the placing of embargo on employment by the state, describing same as a retrogressive policy.

“The blatant refusal of government to create opportunities for the large army of unemployed persons is a gross violation of our human rights as enshrined in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as we have the right to work, and choice of employment," he said.

NNPC loses N3.6bn to Arepo pipeline vandalisation

BY SEBASTINE OBASI

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IGERIAN National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, might have lost N3.6 billion in the six weeks of the latest vandalism of its System 2B Pipeline at Arepo, in Ogun State. Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, gave the indication, when he visited the site of the damaged pipeline, currently undergoing repairs.

He said their position followed signals that the Presidency and national leadership of PDP had moved to displace Amaechi as Chairman of Nigerian Governors' Forum.

Yakubu told journalists after inspecting the repairs, that the corporation was losing close to N600 million weekly as a result of the damage to the pipelines, which occurred on January 13, 2013.

He also said that vandals responsible for the damage of the fuel pipeline, which transports refined petroleum products from the Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos through the western states to Kwara State, will not be able to tamper with the pipelines again.

According to him, the corpo-

ration employed the services of ENIKKOM, a reputable indigenous company, which changed the configuration of the pipelines in the area to make them inaccessible to vandals.

He said the pipelines had been given more depth, while an observation tower had been put in place to enable security personnel have adequate view of the environment, to keep the vandals at bay, while the military continuously patrolled the area.

Delta pre-empts flood disaster, builds relief camps

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—FOLLOWING warnings from Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, of another massive flood this year, especially in the Niger Delta region, Delta State Government has commenced the building of relief camps that would eventually accommodate those that might be displaced, if the disaster eventually occurs.

State Commissioner for Environment, Chief Frank Omare, who briefed newsmen in Asaba, yesterday, said the building of the camps was part of the proactive measures being taken by the state government to avoid being overwhelmed, as this time around, it will not allow public schools to be turned into camps.

He said: “The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had predicted that there will be heavy and massive rains this year. Arising from that, we were invited to Abuja for two days and expectedly, the Ministry of Environment will inform all the local government areas, so that we can be ready for the challenge of the impending flooding."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—13

Oyerinde: Police covering up culprits, Oshiomhole insists

BY OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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DO State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, insisted that the Nigeria Police was shielding murder suspects involved in last year’s killing of his late Principal Private Secretary, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde. Oshiomhole, who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, which held an investigative hearing on Oshiomhole’s allegations against the role of the Police in the murder case, said it was embarrassing that two security agencies working under the same government arrived at two conflicting conclusions on the case.

In his presentation, Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, alleged that the gun that was used to kill Oyerinde, was later traced to Esigie Police Station in Benin City.

He said that since last year, the Edo State Police Command had refused to produce the officer that the gun was issued to on the ground that he was involved in an international assignment.

Said he: “Since they had accepted that the chief suspect in this case was in their custody, no other explanation presented to cover this fact is acceptable.”

He stated that the Po-

lice violated laid down procedure in criminal investigation by submitting the case file to the federal Director of Public Prosecution instead of Edo State DPP. Mr. O. Olatigbe, a Deputy Director at the Federal Ministry of Justice, who represented the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, admitted that the Ministry was in a dilemma as to whether it should rely on the report of the Police or Department of State Security, DSS. Olatigbe said that the ministry found itself in the dilemma due to the fact that the Nigeria Police Force and DSS that investigated the murder

case submitted two conflicting reports and paraded two different sets of suspects.

Another highpoint of the public hearing was the claim by DSS and Police, that they had arrested self-confessed culprits, who took part in the murder.

In his submission, Director -General of DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, gave a very detailed account of the organisation’s findings, adding that his officers arrested one Lawal Abubakar, who was in possession of the late Oyerinde’s phone. He also said another suspect named Abdullahi, also in the custody of DSS, admitted shooting Olaitan to death although unintentionally.

Court orders reinstatement of LG Vice Chairman in Rivers

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME ORT HARCOURT—JUSTICE Omereji George of a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, has ordered the legislative assembly of Ahoada East Local Government Area to reinstate the Vice Chairman of the council, Mr. Britain Ewor and all his entitlements and emoluments paid to him.

Justice Omereji, meantime, convicted the leader of the legislative arm, Mr. Emeka Godwin and three other principal of-

P

ficers for allegedly disobeying a court order restraining them from impeaching the Vice Chairman of the council.

The others were the Deputy Leader, Mr. Goodlive Whiegbe; the Chief Whip, Mr. Onwudiwe Abraham and the Clerk of the legislative arm, Mr. Aaron Odum.

The court, said Ewor's impeachment, after a court order on June 27, 2012 restraining them from going ahead with same, was an affront on the court and thus contemptuous.

Senate drills NDDC boss, contractors

BY HENRY UMORU BUJA—THE Senate, yesterday, condemned the management of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, over what it termed its failure to know and identify some of its contractors, just as it warned that serious action must be taken for projects in the Niger Delta region to work.

The Senate also threatened that if the Management of NDDC, was not prepared to know the contractors that carry out projects for the commission, as lawmakers, they were ready to carry out the job, adding that the region was yearning for development.

Speaking in Abuja,

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when the Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Christian Oboh; the Executive Director, Projects; the Group Managing Director of Fountain Construction and Company Limited, FCC, Emilio Magoni and other management staff appeared before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Chairman of the Committee, Senator James Manager, (Delta South), frowned at the Commission’s failure to monitor and evaluate the construction companies hence the abandoned projects in the zone.

Senator Manager, however, set up a threemember committee with Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (PDP, Bayelsa

West) as Chairman, and to represent the SouthSouth and other members are Senator Hope Uzodinma (PDP, Imo West for South-East) and Senator Boluwaji Kunlere (LP, Ondo for SouthWest) while the Committee is saddled with the responsibility of having an interface with NDDC, the contractors and the people of the zone, where the projects are sited and it was given three weeks to submit its report.

Senator Manager said: “We will set up a small committee to meet with you to find a solution to this mess. The new committee is expected to turn in its report in three weeks.”

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Lagos journalists to host S/West B Zone NUJ

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IGERIA UNION of Journalists , NUJ , Lagos State council, will host the meeting of the South West (B) Zone of the union from Saturday , March 2, 2013, in Ikeja, Lagos The quarterly meeting, which is to be attended by the National President of the union, Mallam Mohammed Garba, national officers in the zone, zonal officers and Chairmen and Secretaries of Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osun state councils of the union, will take place at Ladi Lawal Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja Lagos State Commissioner for Information and National Orientation , Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, will formally declare the meeting open on March 1 while his counterpart in the Environment Ministry, Mr Tunji Bello, is expected to chair the occasion Others expected to grace the opening ceremony include the Director-General of Lagos state Records and Archives Bureau, Mr. Bolaji Uthman, Special Adviser (Media) to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Hakeem Bello, Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan and former Chairmen and Secretaries of Lagos NUJ

Ezu River mystery dead: 2 Senate c’ttees return for further investigations

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—THE two Senate Committees on Police Affairs and National intelligence and Security returned to Anambra State, yesterday, to continue investigations on the mysterious Ezu River dead bodies on the Amansea border town between Enugu and

Okonkwo and the site where the victims were buried on the bank of Ezu River before commencing a public sitting at the Government House, Awka.

Yesterday, they also interacted with stakeholders, including traditional rulers of Omambala Union at the palace of the traditional ruler of Amansea, Igwe Okonkwo,

From left: Mrs. Phil Okoroafor, Principal Consultant, Kanu Cardiac Hospital Project; Mr. Nwankwo Kanu, Founder, Kanu Heart Foundation and Mr. Mike Omeri, Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, receiving some newsletters from Mr. Kanu, during a courtesy visit to NOA Corporate Headquarters, in Abuja.

before driving to the State Headquarters of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government area., It was not clear at the time of this report why the committees came back to the state barely two weeks after holding a public hearing on the matter at the Government House in Awka during which heads of security operatives and government officials testified.

However, leader of the investigating team and chairman of the committee on police affairs, Senator Paulinus Nwagu, dismissed insinuations that members of the committees were withholding certain information concerning the Ezu River debacle.

According to him “As representatives of the people, we have nothing to hide”, Senator Nwagu told reporters after the meeting at Amansea, adding however that this time around, they would be talking to the people in camera because of what he described as the fear of the unknown.

People are afraid to talk to the committee members in public on what happened in Ezu River and that is why we decided to make it a private thing

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Pope Benedict bows out says being a Pope was a burden BEN AGANDE, Yamoussokro, Ivory Coast

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MOTIONS AND applauds were on displays yesterday as Pope Benedict XVI made final general appearance to 150,000 people who gathered at the St. Peter’s Square, to say “Grazie!” – “Thank you.” to the crowd toting

Kanu, Akintola to conduct The Nation raffle draw Thousand of readers sent in FORMER SUPER Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu, and popular actress, Miss Bimbo Akintola, are special guests as draw for Buy The Nation and Sporting Life raffle entries holds today, in Lagos.

A statement yesterday by Mr. Soji Omotunde, General Manager (Training and Development), said the two celebrities would be joined by the officials of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and Lagos State Lotteries Board at the event slated for noon at the headquarters of The Nation on Fatai Atere Way, Matori..

The promo, was held between October 2012 and January 21, requesting readers to cut 90 promo pages and send in to be qualified to participate in the draw.

Anambra states.

The senators, comprising Paulinus Nwagu, Chairman of Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Mohammed Magoro, Chairman of National Security and Intelligence, Solomon Ewuga, Mohammed Sami Sani, Chris Ngige and Shaaba Lafiagi had on February 12, 2013, visited the traditional ruler of Amansea, Igwe Keneth

entries from among whom the winners will emerge today.

The star prizes are two brand new salon cars. There are also consolation prizes which include home theatres, refrigerators, microwave ovens, radios and pressing irons.

banners with the same inscription.

Today is the final day of his eight year Papacy which took a dramatic turn when he announced two weeks ago that he would step down by the end of the month. He will meet with 115 cardinals this morning for a final time. The focus of the meeting will be on the election of a new pope.

Most of the cardinals from around the world will meet with Pope Benedict XVI, before he flies out with helicopter to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.

Pope Benedict XVI will stay at Castel Gandolfo for about two weeks, while his apartment inside Vatican City is set up. The apartment is believed to be in a monastery.

With chants of “Benedetto!”

erupting from the crowd, the mood was far more buoyant than during the Pope’s final Sunday blessing. Pope Benedict had said he decided to retire after realising that, at 85, he simply didn’t have the “strength of mind or body” to carry on.

Pope Benedict who becomes the Bishop of Rome Emeritus from today thanked the people for respecting his decision to resign on grounds of failing strength and ailing health, but more important, reminding them that “it was time for a younger man to lead the Catholic Church into the future.

“To love the church means also to have the courage to take difficult, painful decisions, always keeping the good of the church

Nigeria airlits last batch of AFISMA troops

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INISTER OF State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada revealed that the deployment of about 1,200 Nigerian troops to Mali as part of the Economic Community of West African States-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) had been completed with the airlift of the last contingent yesterday.

Speaking in an interview in Yamoussokro, Ivory Coast

where she is attending the 42nd session of ECOWAS meeting, Mrs. Obada expressed happiness that Nigeria had fulfilled its international obligation in the deployment of troops.

According to her, “as we speak today, the last batch of 138 men have gone to Mali and we have only 20 left who are protecting and guarding equipment on ground and, of course, today our C130 has already

landed in Bamako with the equipment of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“I also want to let you know that even the British Government has been very kind.

They have provided us with transportation to also move our equipment to Mali. I think that aircraft will be on ground by 5 p.m. in Mali”.

in mind, not oneself,” Benedict said to thundering applause.

Reports said Pope Benedict clearly enjoyed the crowds, as he took a long victory lap around the square in an open-sided car and stopping to kiss and bless half a dozen children handed to him by his secretary.

The outgoing Pope said he “never felt alone on the job but It was a great burden that God placed on his shoulders as a Pope.”

According to him when he was elected Pope on April 19, 2005, he questioned if God truly wanted it. “‘It’s a great burden that you’ve placed on my shoulders,’” He thanked his cardinals and colleagues for their guidance and for “understanding and respecting this important decision.”.

He recalled the joy and the light of his papacy and said that he saw a church that was alive.

He will lay aside the red “shoes of the fisherman” that have been part of his papal attire and wear brown loafers given to him by shoemakers during a trip to Leon, Mexico last year. He will wear a “simple white cassock”, Lombardi said.

His lead seal and his ring of office, known as the “ring of the fisherman”, will be destroyed according to Church rules, just as if he had died.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013 — 15

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Attacks on my book ’ll not change facts —El-Rufai .Says another book on the way

Britain warns against travel to North after Islamist raids

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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AGOS — FORMER Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,FCT, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has said that

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RITAIN HAS warned its citizens in Nigeria to stay away from northern parts of the country where Islamist militants have threatened to attack and abduct nationals from Western countries The warning came against the background of the threats by Islamist groups which posted their threats on the Internet.

A statement from the foreign office, advised “against all-but-essential travel” to Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states.

Britain upped its travel risk ratings on Wednesday, advising against any travel to Bauchi State and Okene city in southern Kogi State where militants last month attacked Nigerian troops who were bound for Mali to counter an Islamist insurgency.

Britain put Ansaru on its official “terrorist group” list in November , saying it was aligned with al Qaeda and was behind the abduction of a Briton and an Italian killed last year during a failed rescue attempt.

Western governments are concerned the militants may link up with groups elsewhere in the region, including al Qaeda’s North African wing AQIM, especially given the conflict in nearby Mali. France sent troops to Mali last month to help oust Islamist rebels.

attacks on him following his newly published book, would not change the message of the book, saying the contents were facts that happened.

He said this against the backdrop of criticisms from some former public office holders, who described the contents of the book as misleading.

Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, Niger State Governor, cutting the tape, during the commissioning of 1000 tricycles and mass transit buses, at the Trade Fair Complex, Minna. With him, (1st left): Hon Ahmed Musa Ibeto,Deputy Governor and Hon. Abubakar Garba Mohammed, Commissioner for Transport (1st right), at the occasion.

El-Rufai, who said this, yesterday, in Lagos at the public presentation of the book entitled: ‘The Accidental Public Servant’, disclosed that the concluding part of the book would soon be published.

His words: ‘’I hope this book will inspire others to write books because the country deserves to know how the government works and worked.

“I did not write about their girlfriends, I only wrote about what happened in government and my experience. And this is what I think we should be doing in this country.

“They have been attacking me on the issues in the book, but they will not change anything in the book because those are things that happened.”

Also speaking at the event,Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly, challenged those, who are uncomfortable with the book to write theirs, adding that Nigerians need the book to fix all that is wrong with the nation.

Glo dazzles at Kaduna Trade Fair We are the preferred network in Nigeria —Glo rep

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LOBACOM, A key participant in the 34th Kaduna International Trade Fair, has been using the ongoing trade fair to enlighten telecoms subscribers about the new pocket-friendly tariffs it launched recently.

The 34th Kaduna International Trade Fair, which opened last Friday, has drawn participants from every segment of the nation’s economy.

Globacom’s Divisional

Director for North 1, Mr. Ibrahim Fadipe, said that the fair has afforded the company the opportunity “to educate our numerous subscribers in the Northern part of the country about our new pocket-friendly tariffs.

"Our presence here has also afforded the people around Kaduna an additional opportunity to have a one-on-one experience of our other products and services.”

Fadipe noted that

Globacom was not new to Kaduna Trade Fair, adding that the “ number of participants that have called at our pavilion is an indication that Globacom is the preferred network in Nigeria and we assure all our subscribers that we will continue to delight you by developing products and services that will add value to your lives.”

Fadipe said with the new tariff regime introduced by the company, the Glo

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

Infinito, Gista, Hi-Flyer and Talk Free, would allow subscribers on those platforms to make on-net and off-net calls for as low as 5k/second and 18k/second respectively.

Besides the new tariff plans, the telecommunications outfit has also been displaying its new Internet modem, Glo Bolt, reputed for its high speed data processing capability, the Glo router and the bundle package with Samsung Note iii and Note ii at the fair.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

Does love exist without money?

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HERE there is no money, I do not think there will be love.

In fact, young people feel more of lust for one another than love because love deals with the inner mind. Love only exists between husband and wife. — Miss Ogunwale Nofisat, Student

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T may be arguably said that love exists without money. Love is a deep feeling that you have for the other person, regardless of status, religion, age, literacy or colour. I do not believe that there can be love at first sight. —Miss Sewanu Ajose, Student

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HERE can be love without money, if the love is genuine. I can love somebody who has no money because it is something that is unconditional. Everything about love itself is Christ, giving all that He had. —Miss Eniola Carew, Entrepreneur

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believe that there can be love without money. With love, one should really be satisfied with what he/she has.

What I am trying to say is that, love is just loving people for who they are and not for what you can get. —Miss Boluwatife Olatinwo, Student

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OU can love without money. Love is wide and it is compromising in certain areas.The greatest love is from God. Sometimes as human beings, it is hard for us to love. Love helps us as humans to understand one another. — Miss Fola Balogun, Singer.

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HE way I see it is that we humans do not really love because we love based on material things; so there cannot be love without money.

The author of love itself is God, who in spite of our mess still loves us.

—Mr. Promise Pizzy, Student

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013— 17

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Operation clear all opposition In this situation, the set objective is to clear all opposition to Jonathan’s ambition in respect of the 2015 election. Political know-how to achieve this ambition has been left to two old men in their 80s. The opposition has been clearly demarcated and the fight is already being taken to them in a big way.

Obasanjo is being de-robed in the open, with the removal of his lieutenants from the party hierarchy; the Nigerian Governors Forum is to be undermined from within and without, in order to end its role as a redoubt of opposition or a platform for governors like Rotimi Amaechi who is accused of nursing a presidential ambition on a joint ticket with Sule Lamido; then others will be picked off one after the other, including the recently leaked plan to remove individuals like Atiku Abubakar from the BOT, following a script that is written through Jerry Gana.

We are in the midst of what promises to be one of the most bitter political fights in a very long time in Nigeria’s political history. The battle within the C M Y K

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E was the “most natural” choice for the position. Chief Tony Anenih, is the “new” Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees. The old dinosaur is back to where he loves the most: as the central figure, inside the smoke-filled, inner recess of PDP politics.

The man that was disgraced from his perch a few years ago by Obasanjo, has finally returned to inherit the position which the old despot abandoned hurriedly as his stranglehold on the political process seemed to be loosening. It is revenge time in Nigerian politics and there will be no prisoners taken!

For President Goodluck Jonathan, the party is far too broken and he hasn’t the requisite experience to mend it not to talk of bend it, in the direction which satisfies his ambition to become the PDP candidate in 2015.

The emergence of adversaries from the different tendencies within the party means that this ambition has become a source of serious tension. Who better to recruit to fix things than the ultimate “fixer-in-chief ”, Tony Anenih?

It is testimony to the rottenness of Nigerian politics, that it is the like of Tony Anenih that must still be reached to provide solutions to contemporary political problems. In a national where 75 percent of citizens are under the age of thirty-five, politics remains the monopoly of its political Neanderthals.

This colonial-era policeman has become the legend in the neo-colonial political order that has singularly been central to the underdevelopment of Nigeria, while enriching those who have played by the rules set by Tony Anenih and his group. Tony Anenih was described by Nasir El-Rufai, in his new book “THE ACCIDENTAL PUBLIC SERVANT”, as “one of the project managers of the third term effort” and further more, El-Rufai said of “Mister-Fix-It”, that “he believed so much in the power of money to modify the principles and actions of political actors”.

It is this man of no known ideals or principles but expediency and political brinkmanship, who thrives only in the context of dominant political tendencies able to wield state power, money, cunning and ruthlessness to achieve set objectives, that is back at the heart of PDP politicking.

Chief Tony Anenih: The political dinosaur returns be received in audience included serving ministers; members of the National Assembly; party hacks and sundry flotsam and jetsam of Nigerian political society. In my presence, Tony Anenih received calls from governors; gave directives to one governor, to see him in the company of his party chairman; many of the Chief Tony Anenih: Back on the block. people who came in search of favours PDP needs to be joined early because prostrated fully on their bellies in front the emergence of the All Progressive of the Fixer-In-Chief. It was clear to Congress (APC), is seen as a major me that this was a really powerful challenge which must not be political operative, who gets things underrated. The political Mandarins done. The myth was very much the of the PDP, like Tony Anenih are aware essence of the man. It took Obasanjo that President Jonathan cannot go to to dent the myth, when as part of the Nigerian people on the basis of revenge for failure of Third Term, even his record of performance. a “Project Manager ” like Anenih, As I have written elsewhere, I have could not escape the old despot’s only ever met Tony Anenih once and wrath. He was knocked off his perch that was in January 2006. The only as BOT Chairman. The man found a game in town was the Third Term temporary respite under Yar’adua but Agenda. The old dinosaur was with Jonathan he has completely been holding court in the expansive settings returned to the heart of intrigues. For of his Asokoro residence. Waiting to

The truth for me is that Tony Anenih has resided for too long in the inner recesses of the cloak-and-dagger world of politics.

Within that stuffy, hot-as-hell redoubt, what they cook is conspiracy against the best interests of the Nigerian people

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Tony Anenih, this must be one of his finest political moments.

In the evening that I met Tony Anenih in 2006, it struck me that not even the old man wanted to be seen as a “bad man”. He assured me that he is a much misunderstood man who stands for goodness. He rolled out a long list of friends that he has made all over Nigeria and when he asked where I came from, he named as a friend my cousin, Justice SMA Belgore.

I nevertheless left the man unconvinced about the content, value and direction of his politics. The truth for me is that Tony Anenih has resided for too long in the inner recesses of the cloak-and-dagger world of politics.

Within that stuffy, hot-as-hell redoubt, what they cook is conspiracy against the best interests of the Nigerian people. The broken and dysfunctional country in our hands today, is testimony to the politics which Tony Anenih has represented since 1999. He is back to his perch as PDP’s BOT Chairman, but that will only deepen Nigeria’s problems.

The Nigerian political elite's deep-seat inferiority complex

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AST Friday, February 22nd, 2013, THE NATION newspaper carried on its front page a picture of leading members of the nation’s political elite, ruling party and opposition, in a photoop with former American President Bill Clinton, and a host of foreign contractors, during the dedication of Eko Atlantic 5, 000, 000 square meters of reclaimed land for Eko Atlantic City.

It was without doubt a major development project that all can be proud of, but what I find worrisome is the deep-seated inferiority complex that drives these politicians desperately to want to be seen in the company of imperialist politicians, like Bill Clinton.

In that picture, Bola Tinubu, the selfstyled “progressive” opposition leader snuggled close to Clinton and was grinning from ear-to-ear, in obvious satisfaction at the “privilege”.

It was the same Tinubu who lied about a gold card invitation from Barack Obama to attend the National Convention of the US Democratic Party, as “leader of Nigeria’s opposition”. To further the lie, he got a picture of himself clapping and grinning heartily at the Convention, to be published in newspapers.

That inferiority complex was a central baggage of the transition to civil rule in 1999. Obasanjo became a past master at dropping the names of leading

Western politicians as I noticed repeatedly on the various occasions I attended events at the Aso villa, when I edited DAILY TRUST newspapers. His administration constantly fawned at emissaries from Western nations, but especially those from the United States; and public policies became subservient to what pleased the imperialist nations.

The height of absurdity was when Obasanjo threw out his Army Chief, General Victor Malu, for his opposition to American domination of our security interests.

Imperialist reprimand This subservience has deepened ever since. Umaru Yar’adua described a visit to George Bush’s White House, in 2007, as the greatest event of his life. These politicians who treat Nigerians with disdain shake like leaves at any form of imperialist reprimand. Obasanjo appointed Lynda Chalker to head a Nigerian presidential investment body.

The reactionary woman was a minister of the Conservative Margaret Thatcher administration, notorious for its antiAfrican foreign policy. Jonathan has also copied from the Obasanjo script by appointing a presidential body on agriculture made up of foreigners who have no relevance to the agricultural

fate of Nigeria.

Just as I was thinking about the groveling lack of self respect of the thieving crop of politicians that rule us today, I went back on the net to watch the documentary produced during the 1960s visit to the USA by Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

The popular narrative in the media is to describe him as “conservative”, but the dignity with which he carried himself wherever he went, was far superior to the slave-like, subservient, ear-to-ear grin of Tinubu; the clueless befuddlement of Jonathan or the selfdeprecating assertion of Umaru Yar’adua.

This crop of politicians is deficient in honour; and not organically linked to the best interests of the Nigerian people.

They wrongly assume that acceptance by imperialist politicians is superior to genuine affection of the Nigerian people.

In truth, they know that the Nigerian people loathe them for the crimes they have continued to commit against them.

But groveling lack of self respect and complete surrender to Western Imperialist politicians cannot trump genuine acceptance by the Nigerian people. This is what heroes like Murtala Muhammed demonstrated while in power.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 TODAY marks the end of the reign of Pope Benedict XVI as the head of the Catholic Church, in a manner like no other.

We are witnessing the end of an epoch which last took place 598 years ago – a living Pope is acceding his office. The speed of the decision and the implications (complications) have left clergy, laity and observers confounded.

We may not see this event in a long time or as the uncertainties of life continue, it may become common to resign, citing any of the numerous reasons that could limit his capacities to function or loss of interest in the office.

These are trying times for all parties – plus bystanders- as the Catholic Church grapples with the realities of life in the 21st century. If this incident happened in another century, fewer would have had a stake in it or realised its implications for their faith.

We wish the outgoing Pontiff well, especially, in line with his decision to live a prayerful life in a secluded monastery. It takes the noblest of mind to know when to

Arios! Pope Benedict XVI

quit and to understand that it takes courage to forgo power, influence and authority over billions of people, who literally swore by his name.

Pope Benedict XVI has displayed extreme courage to exit from office gracefully.

The sleazy tales that rocked the Catholic Church may have tainted his tenure, but the Bishop of Rome Emeritus, his new moniker, has played his part in the theatre of life.

Would there be another Bishop of Rome Emeritus?

As Benedict XVI begins a new life dedicated to God in prayer, priests and the Catholic Church need his prayers. The stormy allegations against the papacy may

not go away quickly, nor would the speculations about causes of his hasty departure.

The church cannot be oblivious of its environment and the reality of life in contemporary times. The new pope should do a serious rethink of the state of the church, purge it of its internal bad influences, and get the clergy to obey various oaths of service that they have taken.

Those who cannot cope with such discipline should leave pronto. The exposures and scandals among men of God and financial breaches at the Bank of Vatican are embarrassments to say the least.

They blighted the image of the Catholic Church yet the depth of the rot may not clear up soon.

What would the Catholic Church be without celibacy of its clergy? Debates are mounting on the issue, but more than anything, the new pope would be fully occupied with the changing times which would remain more questioning of the church’s ways, hoping for changes.

OPINION

BY BEN NKEMACHOR & JUDE NNADOZIE

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HE recently announced Ministry of Agriculture’s plan to distribute 10 million mobile phones to rural farmers has generated a lot of debate and criticisms. For Many Nigerians, it is a controversial gesture and a misplacement of priorities.

For the avoidance of doubt, mobile phone technology in farming practices has been in use in many developing parts of the world such as in Asia, South America, Eastern Europe, and Southern and Eastern Africa, and it has yielded and is yielding enormous benefits for the countries there. So, it should be a welcome idea that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is introducing it in Nigeria.

What ought to be of serious concern to Nigerians is the manner in which this policy is introduced, how it will run, and a glimpse of the big picture it is expected to paint. *Why distribute phones to farmers? *Who is going to pay for these phones? *Who funds the farmers’ air time? *What are the criteria for selecting who gets the phones?

These, and several other questions, are legitimate, and the government ought to have answered them while planning the introduction of the policy. We hope this is not a case of putting the cart before the horse.

Though there is no available statistic on the mobile phone penetration among rural

Nigeria and ten million mobile phones for farmers communities, there is no doubt that a large proportion of the population in those areas do have access to mobile phones. So, the first imperative would have been to organise those farmers who already have access to mobile phones and harness and extract the benefits derived in farming with mobile phones and thereby create a miniature picture of what the broader phone distribution would accomplish.

Secondly, create the antecedents that made some farmers have phones around those who do not so that they can get these phones just like their contemporaries. This can be done through the encouragement of farmer groups and cooperatives. Through these groups and cooperatives, government agencies can reach, educate, train stakeholders and implement the new mobile technology approach to farming.

Moreover, a working model of mobile phone-powered farming will entice other farmers to key in.

Generally, the fear is for this policy not to become a journey to nowhere. Distributing phones without the appropriate ground work might not yield a beneficial farming practice that will last very long.

A Plus Resources Ltd, a UK based consultancy firm and the Initiative for

Diaspora Knowledge Transfer, an Abuja based think-tank is proposing and advocating the Agri-Hubs model to the Ministry of Agriculture in pursuit of its Agricultural Transformation Agenda (See Vanguard Newspaper 19th October 2012: Agricultural-transformation-agenda: Acase-for-agri-hubs). The use of mobile technology in agriculture is an integral component of the agri-hubs concept as being proposed.

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he mobile networks technology is a unique and unparalleled opportunity to give rural small farm holders access to information that could transform their farming experiences. Instant updates on weather, crop prices, inputs availability, market and financial information can considerably improve their productivity and negotiating positions. There are already a couple of branded commercial SMS services to farmers like the “Nokia Life” and the Reuters Market Light”, etc, which are subscription based. The challenge in this is that as conditions are often different between regions and groups, allpurpose, blanket services as those available at the moment do not always provide the most accurate and most useful information

to local farmers. To harness the full benefits of the mobile networks technology, the development of mobile telephone applications with local contents (e.g. language) that capture and share the farmers existing experiences is required.

To avoid falling into the trap of a “topdown” style of information delivery, the mobile telephony farming should be made to work as a collaborative tool. The farmers should be able to input or send information or feedback to the relevant agencies based on their real life, on-field situations.

Farmers should be able to enter data and provide information like varieties sown, yields and fertilizer applications, etc, which could be shared with peers to improve groups’ productivities. There should be immense collaboration among the various agencies: MDAs, research, educational, financial institutions and ICT outfits for the project to succeed.

Some level of training and enlightenment will also be required on the part of the farmers in order to enjoy the full potentials of this policy approach. The farmers are more likely to trust information provided by agencies that value their own inputs.

As time goes by, and as the agencies continue to work with the farmers, the more likely it becomes that they will know better the history, conditions and challenges of the areas, hence are able to provide a more accurate and useful information.

Messr Achor & Nnadozie, agric experts, wrote from the UK.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—19

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O much hot air is being wasted on the speculated “agreement” allegedly signed by President Goodluck Jonathan promising the North he would do a single term.

The Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr Babangida Aliyu, recently resumed commotion over the issue, without showing evidence of the pact.

The Presidency is vague on the matter. Reuben Abati, presidential spokesman, says it is a distraction, while the Political Adviser to the President, Ahmed Gulak, oscillates from “I am not aware” to “I hope they will not produce a forged document”. The impression I am getting from the presidential quarters is that even if such a pact exists, they will ignore it; GEJ will run for a second term.

Many commentators are of the view that if the President signed such a deal he should respect it.

For them, it is a path of honour, and a president’s word should be his bond. Oh yeah?

Let someone answer this important question: Since when

did pacts count among Nigerian power brokers? As far as I am concerned, the foundation for the current dispensation was laid, not in 1960 but as from July 1966. That was when the rapidly expiring ruling class of today swept into power following the overthrow and murder of General Thomas Aguiyi Ironsi. President Jonathan was sponsored to power by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a great pillar of that ruling establishment. To that extent, Jonathan being a beneficiary of that establishment is running on its fuel; the last leg of its 46 yearold marathon. So, on what basis should he be expected to honour an agreement to cede power after one term? What moral platform will Northern leaders, who are instinctive pact-breakers, stand on to demand respect for pacts?

Let me recall at least two epochal pacts they broke and since then Nigeria has never been the same again.

The first one was the famous Aburi Accord, which General

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Yakubu Gowon signed on behalf of the North-controlled Federal Military Government while Col Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu signed for his breakaway Republic of Biafra in Ghana. Had they respected that pact, it would not only have prevented the outbreak of the civil war, it would also have given the nation a balanced federation and an opportunity for peaceful and stable development.

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t would have corrected the imbalances left behind by the colonial masters. Every region would have grown at its own pace amidst healthy competition. We would long have stopped questioning the basis for our national unity. But respecting that pact would have ruined the North’s single-minded determination to emasculate Igbos and seize the oil resources of the Eastern Region.

The second pact also happened

Which way, Nigeria? (I)

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E shall keep remembering Charles Dickens (1812–1870). He might have been one of those who, in the early days, saw tomorrow. We are almost convinced that when he engaged himself in the superlative degree of comparison, close to a century and half ago, Dickens was already seeing the Nigeria of today.

One cannot get bored listening to the telling paragraph of his Tale of Two Cities: it was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief; it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…. In the particular case of Nigeria, we have attempted to add, it was the land of plenty, it was the land of stoic lack; it was a land of extreme religiosity and a land totally immersed in crime and criminality.

While we were encouraging ourselves over what science has achieved in the past few years, at least in the area of making everything – good and evil – easy for humanity, we almost forgot that everything has become a lot more difficult for the Nigerian. If he must go to school, he must do so in tears and excruciating pains. He knows from the beginning that he will eventually graduate into unemployment.

After the ordeal of going through school, he must enroll in the NYSC programme from which only the lucky ones return alive.

Many have been consumed by the Boko Haram debacle.

Before we were aware of what was happening, the bribe-for-job initiative had been institutionalised and there is nothing anyone can do about it this late hour. The system is already so tightly entrenched and

properly internalised that no one can break it anymore.

While we are yet focusing on the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Department of Immigration, the bribe-forjob scam is pervasive all through the Federation. The Federal Civil Service Commission and the Department of Immigration where the National Assembly is currently concentrating may be mere scapegoats – a clear case of the dog in whose mouth you have seen some excrement, whereas all dogs eat shit (Excuse my French).

It was the season of Christmas 2010. This friend of ours came calling from a neighbouring state. She was visibly happy.

Why? She quickly announced that she was now in very good terms with the Chairman of their State Local Government Service Commission and that she has been allocated five slots in their recruitment exercise. The slots were N200, 000 each.

Apart from raising the N1 million for the five slots, she was also able to pay another N500, 000 for two other slots from another colleague who was unable to take advantage of his own allotted slots.

I confronted her. “Is that why you are happy, that you have been able to purchase appointment opportunities?” She retorted: “Yes o. These are people who graduated many years ago and they couldn’t find jobs.

They have been depending on my lean resources for everything. Besides, do you know how these appointments have suddenly increased my rating in the village and our family setting? I am so happy.”

She then opened up and informed me that the routine promotions now go for as much as N200, 000 – 500, 000. Deployment to areas considered as blue chips, say in the Customs, attract between N5 million and N10 million.

shortly after the Aburi Accord was violated. I want to quote copiously from an epochal cover story published in the February 24, 2013 edition of THE NEWS Magazine anchored by Demola Awoyokun, its London Correspondent. It was titled: "American Secret Papers: The Biafra Story". Reports the magazine: “According to a secret cable (dated 24th/08/67) sent by Dr Martin Hellenbrand, American Ambassador in East Germany, to his counterpart in Lagos, MCK Ajuluchukwu, Ojukwu’s Special Envoy met Soviet Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexandr Romanov in June 1967. Romanov said that for the USSR to recognise Biafra and supply arms the latter had to nationalise the oil industry.

Ojukwu refused, saying that he had no money to reimburse the oil companies and that Biafrans did not have the expertise to run the oil installations.

“A month later Anthony Enahoro, Federal Commissioner for Information and Labour, went to Moscow, signed a cultural agreement with Moscow and promised to nationalise the oil industry, including all its allied industries once they got arms to recapture them from the Biafrans.

Within days, 15 MIG’s arrived in sections in Ikeja and Kano Airports, awaiting assemblage.

There was no nationalisation”.

The Federal Government simply used the old-fashioned “419” (an option Ojukwu with conscience and character, had shunned) to obtain by false pretense, the war planes it used to turn the tide of the war in its own favour. After the war though, the FMG used the Ajaokuta Steel Complex to compensate the Soviets; a $6 billion investment that remains

bogged down under its own fraudulent and blood-soaked origins.

All the Northern leaders now pussyfooting behind the scenes waiting for Jonathan to do what they never did when the ball was in their court had benefited immensely from the betrayal of the two above-mentioned pacts when the war ended in favour of the federal coalition. Some got juicy posts and dispensed favours like little gods. Many got oil wells.

Some, power drunk, gloated to other Nigerians that the Presidency was “ not for sale”. I once interviewed Dr Umaru Dikko just after the Abacha Political Conference in 1996. I teasingly asked him whether he still stood by his notion that the presidency was not for sale. He replied boastfully: “Yes! We don’t sell it!”

If Jonathan did sign a pact and now refuses to abide by it, that won’t be honourable. But he will not be the first to do it. Not only that, he will be doing it to a section of Nigeria that climbed back to power on the debris of broken pacts and reigned for over 40 years on serial abuse of the rights of other Nigerians. I will not be losing my sleep over that. Whoever wants equity must come with clean hands.

Besides, why should the President, simply because he found himself in a vulnerable position at that time, be forced to sign a pact that would favour only a section of the country – an unholy pact? I am not interested. If there is going to be such a deal it must be in the overall interest of all Nigerians.

Right now, for me, President Jonathan must put more weight on his constitutional right to reelection. If we say yes he gets it. If we say no he goes home.

The bribefor-job scam is not only in government.

It is also widespread in commerce and industry.

It is in cash or

,

Since when did pacts count in Nigeria?

If Jonathan did sign a pact and now refuses to abide by it, that won’t be honourable; but he will not be the first to do it; not only that, he will be doing it to a section of Nigeria that climbed back to power on the debris of broken pacts and reigned for over 40 years on serial abuse of the rights of other Nigerians

The bribe-for-job scam is not only in government; it is also widespread in commerce and industry; it is in cash or kind, with sex forming a major component

,

kind, with sex forming a major component.

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his column declines jurisdiction on the decision of the role of the Church in all this. For all we know, some churches have since become the high ground for evil.

On the final day, many men of God will have a lot of explaining to do.

The 419ers have moved vigorously into the centre of it all. The unlucky applicants have yielded their bodies and/or money and no job was forthcoming. And the scam goes largely unreported. After all, it remains a con game in which those who would have reported the crime are part of it.

Their agents are all over the place. They prey on the innocence of these young

applicants. Just last week, this writer got a phone call and the following conversation ensued: Caller: “Hello. Do you remember me? I am your friend, Mr. X, the one in Warri; who uses a blue Honda car. I work in the personnel department of Chevron…” Me: “Ok. I can’t quite remember but is anything the matter?

What’s guan?” Caller: “Do you want to work in Chevron?” Me: Has the MD resigned? What other position can I occupy there? Do you really know me?

Caller: “Don’t you have children who need jobs? Today is the last day. The pay is N180, 000 per month. You work for two weeks and take two weeks off ”. Me: “You go waka go front. See how you have betrayed yourself so cheaply? Those who know me are aware that my children are employers of labour and their drivers already earn a lot more than what you are now canvassing for Chevron!” That was the point at which I cut off the phone. How many unemployed youths can so strongly resist the devil so that he will flee?

The bottom-line is that when a man buys a job, it is cash-and-carry. It may not matter much that he is blind, deaf and dumb or lame. Standard is compromised.

He comes into the service in a culture of corruption, which must be perpetuated.

From the very beginning, productivity, efficiency and discipline are sentenced to death. That’s why we are still where we are and there is no reason for hope! Which way, Nigeria?

20—Vanguard , THURSDAY THURSDAY,, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013

Force were on Monday February 4, shot dead in an early morning ambush mounted by suspected sea pirates along the AngiamaEtelibiri waterways of Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Also shot dead in the gun battle with the sea pirates was an unidentified civilian, while another civilian, identified as the driver of the attacked barge, was reportedly taken away.

Authorities of the Joint Military Task Force in Yenagoa confirmed that the military personnel and other causalities of the attack were detailed on official escort of an oil barge belonging to the Sterling Global Oil Services.

LAMENTATION OF WIDOW OF EX-NAVAL STAFF:

Alleges conspiracy of silence over hubby’s death M

RS Mosunmola Ashaye was in a pensive mood that Thursday, as she sat on a sofa, staring at her sympathisers as if one of them would announce the miraculous resurrection of her husband, a retired naval officer. Alas, this was never to be for the father of four, who was slain on Monday February 4, during a gun battle with sea pirates in Bayelsa State in the course of his official duty.

Her grief was compounded by the fact that the news of her husband’s death was broken to her through what she described

as “a chance telephone conversation” with an unidentified fellow. That was three days after the deceased, who joined the company about three years ago, was killed in active service.

Narrating her ordeal to Vanguard Metro, VM, she said her husband, Otunba Oladeinde Oladipo Ashaye, a Convoy Commander with Sterling Global Oil Services, came home for his break and was reluctant to report back to work on January 28, 2013. But when he received a summon from the company to report to work immediately, he had no choice but to join his team. He

Unidentified official •The late Otunba Ashaye reluctantly left Ogun State for Warri, oblivious that death was knocking at his door.

About 5am of Monday February 4, the 49-year-old Otunba called his wife on phone to know if all was well with the family, forebodingly adding thus: ’’I don’t know what is happening in our company O, a colleague slept and died in his sleep today …’’.

Disturbed by this disclosure, Mosunmola called her husband around 10am but got no

Monarch appeals to FG to upgrade Uvwie to Police Area Command

BY SAM EYOBOKA & AMBROSE OLOGIDE

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RADITIONAL ruler of Uvwie Kingdom in Delta State and the Ovie of Uvwie, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, has appealed to the Federal Government to make his kingdom a Police Area Command.

The traditional ruler whose appeal was contained in his address during the interdenominational church service marking his fifth coronation anniversary at the permanent palace of the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, GRA, Effurun, also appealed to both the state and federal governments to rehabilitate the road leading to the university town of Ugbomro.

The Uvwie monarch had earlier in his address highlighted his numerous achievements since he ascended the thrown.

He said though crime has reduced drastically in the area but there is an urgent need for the upgrade to forestall the general state of insecurity in the Niger Delta. He also called on sons, daughters, friends of Uvwie and governments to con-

tribute to the completion of the leadership which, he noted, permanent palace project has brought tremendous which he said is about 70 per peace and development to the cent complete. area.

The occasion featured praise The chairmen of Publicity and worship and gospel mes- Sub-Committee of the coronasages by renowned clerics, in- tion anniversary planning cluding the Anglican Bishop of committee noted that the conWarri Diocese, Rt. Rev. C. E. ferment of chieftaincy titles is Ide and a Catholic priest, Rev. a call to serve.

Father Tani-Maria Ozele amongst others.

Meanwhile, a total of 19 persons, including distinguished sons, daughters and friends of Uvwie Kingdom were conferred with chieftaincy titles by the Ovie of Uvwie as part of activities marking his fifth coronation anniversary at the palace of Ovie of Uvwie.

Speaking to newsmen at the occasion, Mr. Sunday Okwowe hailed the monarch for his visionary style of •HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom

response. It remained so for two days and she became more worried. On Wednesday, she repeated the call and an unidentified person responded thus: ‘’Madam, what is your relationship with the owner of this number’’? She identified herself as the wife and the voice asked further: ‘’Where are you presently, is anybody with you’’? She answered that she was alone and the voice dropped the bombshell: ‘’Well, I am sorry to inform you that your husband died three days ago...’’.

This widow thought she was watching a movie until her voice attracted her neighbours who

,

BY BOSE ADELAJA

Few days ago, a relation tried to locate the company’s head office located at 254 Etim Inyang Crescent, Victoria Island, but found the place under lock and key, although an unidentified official of the company claimed it has relocated to Kwale in Delta State.

VM was informed by those in a position to know that the attack of the convoy was a set-up as the whereabout of the boat driver is unknown, although reports claimed he was taken away by the sea pirates.

As at the time of filing this report, the company has not met with the deceased’s family for funeral arrangement. The bereaved family has also not been informed of any compensation or entitlement even as it claims to be aware that the company

Where are you presently, is anybody with you? She answered that she was alone and the voice dropped the bombshell: ‘’Well, I am sorry to inform you that your husband died three days ago...”

rushed to her house and the news spread in the neighbouhood.

One of the sympathisers, Shepherd Oluwaseun Ale, said the deceased was well loved by both young and old. ‘’Otunba was loving and caring,’’ he said amidst tears.

The Ashayes who hail from Iperu, Ogun State, had lived in Abule-Egba, Lagos State for a long time before relocating to Joju, Ifo-Ota local government, Ogun State last December.

It would be recalled that Ashaye and three serving personnel of the Joint Military Task

,

deducted pension savings from the deceased’s wages.

The widow claimed the company told her on phone of its plan to move the corpse to Ogun State for burial but ‘’the company has not sent any representative to commiserate with us.”

“My husband would have been 50 years old in July. He told me he did not feel like going to work, but somebody called him from office that the convoy was ready and there was nobody to handle that assignment. On that fateful February 4, he led the convoy to the IC; unfortunately he was attacked on his way back. They said he died on February 4 but I was not informed of this until the day I called and the news was broken to me,” she lamented.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 — 21

BY LAJA THOMAS

T

he Nigerian-American Chambers of Commerce, NACC,said it will map-out strategies to increase trade with American and more importantly grow the non-oil trade by 25 to 30 per cent in 2015.

The National President, NACC, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, disclosed this at the 2013 Annual Dinner Dance held at the official residence of the America High Commission, in Lagos last weekend.

In his welcome address at the 2nd edition of the annual dinner dance, Mazi

NACC pledges to grow nonoil trade by 30% in 2015 Ohuabunwa said: “There is no gainsaying that we at NACC remain resolute at creating an enabling environment for promoting cordial business relationship between businesses in Nigeria and the United States of America, USA. We cannot but applaud President Obama’s valued fo-

cus on increasing trade ties and general economic development of sub-Saharan Africa. Our nation remains one of the leading suppliers of oil to the United States. It is not enough to stop there. We will not relet on pursuing expanded and positive busines opportunities that will benefit

our dear countries and their citizenry. At the home front, we will continue to provide members with training, educational and robust networking opportunities, accumulate business and trade intelligence as well as other allied services about doing business

L-R: Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power, Mr. Dagogo Jack; Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Chris Akamnonu, during the team’s inspection tour of distribution projects in Lagos… recently.

Lagos lawmak er tigat ow lawmaker erss ttoo inves investigat tigatee mar markket rrow

BY EBUN SESSOU

-2.45

143.5

2,141.00 -3.00 17.83 112.55

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA

154.75 234.4463 202.3666 166.2906 1.6822 0.2949 234.1857 24.8398 41.2623 27.1244

155.25 235.2038 203.0204 166.8279 1.6877 0.3049 234.9423 24.9205 41.3956 27.212

-0.18 -1.89

SELLING 155.75 235.9613 203.6743 167.3651 1.6931 0.3149 235.699 25.0012 41.5289 27.2997

CBN Exchange rate as at 27/02/2013

M

embers of the Embroidery Dealers Association of Nigeria and Association of Nigeria Marketers and some market women and men in their hundreds besieged the Lagos State House of Assembly protesting against alleged Chinese’s exploitation that has crippled their businesses in the State.

With their several placards reading “No more Chinese in the markets” “Fashola and Jonathan come to our rescue”, don’t let Chinese exploitation kill us”, the people claimed that Chinese’s exploitation has made it difficult for their busi-

nesses to strive again.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Rt. Honourable Adeyemi Ikuforiji has directed the Assembly’s Committee on Commerce and Industry to immediately commence an investigation into an alleged sharp practices perpetrated

by Chinese businessmen in Lagos Markets.

Commending the traders for not resulting to violence during the protest, he assured them of the House’s readiness to resolve the matter.

In his words: “It is the duty of the Assembly to protect the interest of our constituents in whatever situation at all times”. And the Government has always been responsive and will continue to make traders comfortable in our markets”.

While giving directive on investigation into the matter, Ikuforiji urged the traders to

remain calm until the Committee reports its finding to the House.

Earlier, the Leader of the traders, Alhaja Risikat Odumosu had appealed to the Speaker to stop what she described as “exploitative policy of the Chinese in Lagos markets”.

“We want to tell you that the Chinese have taken over our shops, giving out shops at rents beyond the reach of the tenants. We therefore need your assistance and prompt action. We are suffering in silence but want it broken now”, Odumosu said.

The market leader, who lamented that the traders are absolutely powerless informed the Speaker that shop rents have been increased from N50,000 to N3million. According to her, the effect of the rent regimes has made the traders bankrupt. She thereafter appealed to the speaker to rescue the markets from foreign control.

in Nigeria and across the Atlantic.”

Mazi Ohuabunwa added that, “The Annual Dinner Dance has therefore brought us together once again with all intents and purposes to be truly memorable for all our members, friends and guests of the chambers. Apart from the huge networking opportunities it will provide, it is also a great re-union for our members to renew their commitment and foster a buy-in culture for the programmes and activities of the chambers noting that, “these programmes include business luncheons/breakfast meetings, seminars, Nigerian American Business-Men Day, Independence Lecture, Members’ Corporate Night, and Trade Missions, with particular reference to Trade Mission, 2013 is actually a trade mission year and preparations are indeed advanced. From April 20, I will be leading our delegation to the US with business working days in Washington DC, Pittsburg, Atlanta and Detroit, Michigan. In line with or sectoral-focus initiatives, the sectors under focus this year are agriculture, transportation, healthcare, information technology and security, hospitality and tourism. It, indeed, promises to be rewarding and fruitful.

Explaining further, he said: “it will interest you to know that we are also raising funds for the Chamber’s permanent secretariat which is long overdue. Our overall intention is to promote a very vibrant chamber that actively engages all the relevant stakeholders for a win-win partnership not only in Lagos but across Nigeria. Currently we have state chapter of six states (Oyo, Ogun, Rivers, Imo, Kaduna and Abuja). Plans are on to revive dormant chapters as well as expand to other states in the country.” Adding that, “we cannot but deeply appreciate the Consulate and the US Mission in Nigeria for their support and cooperation as we embark on this journey of relevance. This is therefore calling on all member afresh, friends, guests, corporate Nigeria and indeed all well wishers of Nigeria’s oldest and foremost bi-lateral chamber of commerce to support us and keep supporting us all the way; definitely beyond tonight.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Consul-General of the United States in Nigeria, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, who was represented by its deputy, Mr. Fred Armand said, “the United States sees Nigeria as partners in business and leader in the sub-Saharan Africa.

Therefore, there is need to deepen democracy in Nigeria by engaging the civil society group and politicians so that Nigeria can flourish in business and continue to play leadership role across Africa.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Sustainable banking principles:

CBN gives September deadline for implementation

By PETER EGWUATU

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has given banks operating in the country up to September 2013 to commence implementation of Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP) .

The CBN said that it will give incentives to banks who adopt the sustainable banking principles while those who did not will be panalised accordingly.

In his remark at the Risk Managers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) Quarterly Roundtable Meeting held on Tuesday in Lagos, Special Adviser to the CBN Governor, Folakemi Fatogbe , who was represented by Mr Joseph Angaye commends RIMAN for organizing the lecture on NSBP for banks. The CBN attaches great importance to this principles and would want the banks to learn and adopt the principles.

Banks that have not adopted the NSBP now should quickly do so as the apex bank will give incentives to banks that have complied and those who did not comply will be panalised.”

The Guest Speaker at the RIMAN Quarterly Meeting, Carey Bohjanem, encouraged banks to take environmental issues seriously in considering their risk management. According to her, Nigerian banks that are yet to implement the banking principles should collaborate with those that have implemented theirs and seek ways to assess and manage

the environmental and social risks associated with such investment activities.”

She noted that banks in Nigeria through the Banker ’s Committee were given the

Segun Aganga, Minister of Trade & Investment (middle) flanked by Henry Egbiki, Regional Managing Partner, Ernst & Young (EY) (Right) and Bunmi Akinde, Senior Partner, Advisory, Ernst & Young, during EY Management Team visit to the Minister in Abuja.

I

t will be recalled that the CBN recently issued a circular on banks intimating them on the banking principles adopted in July 2012.The principles consist of nine over-arching Principles such as : Managing environmental and Social risk in business decisions; Managing the bank’s own environment and social footprint; Safeguarding human rights; Promoting women’s economic participation /empowerment ; Promoting financial inclusion of communities and groups with limited or no access to the formal financial sector; Meeting the imperatives for good governance, transparency and accountability; Supporting capacity building in the sector; Promoting Collaborative partnership to accelerate sector progress and Reporting to take stock of sector progress and attendant needs.

CBN extends cash-less policy to Rivers, Ogun States from July 1

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will extend the cashless policy to Rivers and Ogun States from st July 1 this year.

The decision to extend the cashless project to these states was made at the last Bankers’ Committee Meeting held in Abuja.

The CBN had earlier announced that the policy will take off from July 1 in four

Olive MfB poised to enhance credit disbursement

…emerges most consistent microfinance bank

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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task of developing principles to guide the management of Environmental and Social

Risks inherent in financing.

According to her, The committee came up with what is now known as the “The Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles” to drive long-term sustainable growth whilst focusing on development priorities, safeguarding the environment and our people, and delivering measurable benefits to society and the real economy.”

LIVE Microfinance Bank said it is poised to increase its effort at poverty alleviation through improved credit disbursement to the active poor within Lagos State in the current year.

This is even as the bank has clinched the 2012 most consistent microfinance institutions in Lagos State.

The Managing Director/CEO of Olive MFB, Mr. Eniola Agbesoyin, who spoke while receiving the most prestigious Bank of the Year Award, organised by Solkem Entertainment in Lagos, said the bank aimed to not only improve on giving its customers satisfying banking

experience, but to double its outreach within the year.

He said, “The award is a stepping stone for us to improve in whatever we are doing. Our aim in 2013 is to double our outreach, to double our impact especially as it relates to active poor.

We are expecting to do much more than we have done in 2012. We believe that in 2013, we will excel in all area of our business like in financial literacy, credit disbursement, among others.” He further stated that the bank would continue to seek innovative ways of offering its stakeholders exceptional service, while thanking the bank’s customers for their continuous patronage and tremendous support over the years.

additional states after the Lagos pilot scheme. The states are Kano, Anambra and Abia States as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) .

CBN’s Head, Shared Services, Chidi Umeano said the aforementioned states and the FCT were chosen because of the large volume of cash transactions in some of their major cities such as Aba, Kano, Port Harcourt and Onitsha among others.

The cashless policy, whose implementation began in Lagos in January, last year, is aimed at reducing the dominance of cash in the system. The policy specifies penal charges for individuals and corporate organizations that want to withdraw or lodge cash above prescribed limits.

Under the policy, the CBN pegged the daily cumulative cash withdrawal or deposit limit for individual accounts at N500, 000 per day and N3 million per day for corporate accounts.

Umeano explained that the policy earlier planned to be implemented in other states in January 2013 was deferred

due to some infrastructural challenges. He said the CBN is also being careful to ensure that it makes use of resources in a smart way.

This was corroborated by the CBN Deputy Governor Operations, Mr. Tunde Lemo. who explained: “When we talk about nationwide roll-out, we are also being careful to ensure that we make use of resources in a smart way.

Cash doesn’t flow in the same volume in every state of the federation. What we would do in July is to look at those other market clusters where large volumes are transacted and add them to Lagos”.

The Deputy Governor added: “It is cheaper that way because resources needed to cover the entire 923 square kilometres in Nigeria are huge. But you can achieve almost the same thing by looking at the pattern of cash distribution and you can cover about 90 per cent of that by adding about more locations to Lagos. “That is basically what we want to do. We would get those clusters and add them to Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—23

Legal frame work for ICDs operation ready soon

B-r-i-e-f-s

NIMAREX boss assures of maritime devt

BY EDIRI EJOH

V

ICE Chairman of the Nigeria Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) 2013 Planning Committee, Barrister (Mrs) Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi, has stressed her optimism for the commencement of the development of Nigerian maritime industry this year.

Onyema-Orakwusi made this known in Lagos when she addressed a press conference on plans to host the international maritime conference and exhibition in Nigeria this year.

According to her, “A lot of us are certainly not excited about events in the sector since independence but we are not in despair. There are a lot of plans to open up the sector this year. The

l-r: National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, Mrs. Onumajuru; wife of late former Vice President of MARAN, Blessing Onumajuru; and President of MARAAN, Bolaji Akinola, when some members of MARAN visited ANLCA to show appreciation for Shittu’s award of scholarship to the first child of the late journalist.

STORIES BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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HE federal govern ment is working out the legal frame work that will make the operation of Inland Container Depots (ICDs) across the country effectively operational.

Disclosing this to Vanguard in an exclusive interview in Lagos, Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, said that the federal ministry of transport is working at issuing the appropriate legal framework for the operations of these ICDs. As a result, the Shippers’Council boss noted that ICDs will soon become operational. He pointed out that the ICDs are supposed to solve once for all the perennial issue of port congestions.

Bello said government intention is to “place Nigeria strategically as not only a partner but an important and serious member of the world economy as far as transportation is concerned, this is because things are been done in according to accepted practices and international standards. Secondly, what is happening in the transportation industry is the diversification of the economy from oil to other sources.

Through the ICDs we promote exports of non oil commodities, agricultural commodities so that we

don’t become a monoeconomic country, relying only on oil and gas.

Thirdly, there is employment content. In all these things, the railway will employ many people, the port will similarly employ people, the ICDs and the waterways will also be sources of employment.”

He explained that government is set to transform the nation’s economy for the better and improve its international trade through effective transport system.

This decision is responsible for government’s focus on the development of the railways and the connection of same to the nation’s ports.

He said that the transport system of any soci-

ety reflex the seriousness of such society for the development of its economy.

Bello explained that “the federal government is using transportation to emphasis its seriousness to international trade and those pointers or indictors are the entry points.

Nigerian ports are now competitive, there are in the process of being the preferred ports by importers not only in Nigeria but also in the neighboring landlocked countries.

This is a process that started many years ago and the fruits of that process will be enjoyed

by Nigerians, are being actually enjoyed by Nigerian.”

He pointed out that the rehabilitation of the rail-

ways for the carriage of passengers and goods is a pointer to this fact, knowing that the railways have been comatose for a very long time.

In his words, “As a matter of fact, the government has seen the importance of transportation so much so that the is a taskforce on port reforms which is headed by Prof.

Precious Monye, its also anchored by the finance minister and the coordinating minister of the economy, DR. Ngozi Iweala, the minister of transport, Sen. Idris Umar are constantly in Lagos trying to find permanent solution to the port access road.”

Capacity devt: NIMASA set to disburse ship repairs loan F

OLLOWING recent complains by some local ship owners on the seeming like of interest of the management of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to come to their aid in terms of soft loan for ship maintenance despite agreement reached, NIMASA’s management has put in place repayment condition before disbursement.

This was made known by the agency’s Director General, Patrick

Akpobolokemi who was represented by Barrister Obi Callistus, at a Joint Technical Committee on Indigenous Capacity Building Development between NIMASA and Indigenous Ship owners Association of Nigeria (ISAN) in Lagos.

He explained that the committee which was set up 2011 at the instance of NIMASA to interface between the agency and the local ship owners and to encourage them to do business in the country.

Akpobolokemi added that 21 vessels had been

short listed for repairs, saying that they would be inspected by ship surveyors before taken to ship yards for repairs.

He added that the cost of repairs would be paid by the agency, noting that conditions for repayment would e discussed in the next meeting with the committee.

The director general declared that no single hull vessels would be repaired because they have been phased out by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Presidential Committee set up last year by President Jonathan to chart a roadmap and create the path for sustainable development of the Maritime Industry has concluded its assignment and we have assurances that the Committee’s recommendations will be implemented by government this year.

“We are also not resting on our oars at NIMAREX. We have a public-private partnership in place to open up the sector and what we’re doing at NIMAREX is not just talk shop. We are spearheading a silent revolution which will also begin to yield fruits this year ”, the NIMAREX Vice Chairman stated.

Sifax Group holds long service award for five staff

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IFAX Group, a major player in the nation’s maritime industry, has rewarded five of its staff who have served the Group meritoriously for 10 years at a long service award in Lagos.

The awardees were Mrs. Gladys Onuoha, Mrs. Evelyn Elue, Mr. Tajudeen Yisua, Mr. Solomon Fatoyinbo and Mr. Olarenwaju Agbabiaka.

Speaking at the event held at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of Sifax Group, who was represented by Dr. Rogers, Consul General of Republic of Djibouti, said

the long service award was an opportunity for Sifax Group to celebrate commitment, painstaking effort, happiness and challenges as well as acknowledging the spirit to serve among staff.

Dr. Afolabi, who maintained that the awardees had worked hard to attain this feat, challenged other staff to put in their best for the overall growth of the Group.

Earlier in his speech, Dr. Phil Ofulue, Executive Director, Administration, said the occasion was put in place in recognition of outstanding contribution of the awardees to the Group for 10 years.

Transport Minister wins Maritime Man of the Year

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HE Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has emerged the Maritime Man of the Year 2012 in the annual Maritime Industry Merit Awards (MIMA).

The industry award which was organised by Maritime Media Limited is to reward excellence in the maritime industry.

Umar emerged from a tightly contested voting process with 261 votes, to win the 16th Edition of the Maritime Industry’s Most Coveted Award.

The other three candidates who were nominated for the award, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Gov-

ernor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote all got 255 votes respectively to tie in second place.

With the endorsement of Senator Idris Umar as the Maritime Man of the Year 2012, stakeholders and the general public has confirmed his efforts towards sustainable development and expedient innovations in the administration of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Winners of other categories are the Most Promising Maritime Personality for 2013 and Life time Achievement Award.

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

E-registration: SON’s new way of tackling substandard products

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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STORIES BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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•Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga ,Chief Kola Jamodu, President (MAN) and Engr. (Mrs.) Florence Seriki, Group MD (Omatek) during the inspection of Omatek factory in Oregun, Lagos State.

For instance, we are selling electronic parts like remote controls; if you come to my shop, we have about 300 types of

,

AST week Wednesday, the Oramiyan Hall of the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, was filled to the brim. The occasion was the launch of electronic product registration, (eproduct) by Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

The launch of the technology was a success as more than 250 manufacturing firms including importers from different sectors of the economy, immediately endorsed the database.

Before now, registration of product was carried out manually by the organisation. During this period, a lot of challenges were met, thus making the process cumbersome and inefficient. To address these challenges, the management of the organisation introduced the e-product scheme.

“After 20th February, 2013, no more manual filling; our staff will help you to get registered.

Just come with all relevant documents, “Dr. Joseph Odumodu, SON Director General, told participants.

Odumodu told the gathering that the introduction of the eproduct platform was necessitated by the fact that there are only 1,500 people in SON. “We can’t chase around every product in Nigeria but with the e- product system, we need to know what product is out there in the market. And the only way to know what’s out there in the market is to create a database for it. With the e-products system, I’ll be able to know which product is out there in the market, am able to know who brought the product to Nigeria.

A cross section of participants who spoke to Vanguard, were excited about the scheme. Here are some comments they made: Chibueze Ibeneweta, Chairman, Electronic Dealers Association, Mushin, Lagos: “The intention of government to introduce e-products registration is a good idea but the way they are going about it, I don’t think they are really prepare to successfully implement the exercise.

I am of this view because “they could not provide enduring answers to most of the questions asked by stakeholders.

Dangote begins training of block makers, bricklayers

1,500 people in SON can’t police every product in Nigeria

,

remote controls, by the time you import these things from China, how do you register them? If the purpose of government is to

standardise goods in Nigeria, they should register these products as brand instead of registering them one by one. Another point is the tenure for registration.

One year is too short.

NAFDAC is giving five years and SON, is giving one year; before you complete the process, five months is gone.”

Representative of Ranona Ltd, Rosemary Okegbare also praised the initiative, saying: “It’s a welcome development.

SON is making sure that the country is not a dumping ground for substandard products.

SON also wants to

ensure that consumers enjoy quality products which everybody is clamouring for.” She too was of the view that one year is just too short for the exercise. “I know how it is when they started with MANCAP. If a company has 20 products, do you think under one month they are registered, their certificate will be ready?

Telling us that under one month you will get it, I don’t think it is feasible; SON had better stretch the exercise to three or four years. If they make it four years it‘ll benefit everybody.”

Industries, manufacturing must be encouraged — Aganga

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

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HE industry sector in the country must be encouraged, especially in manufacturing, to rate number one industry in Africa, Minister of Trade and Investment Mr. Olusegun Aganga has said.

Aganga said this during his visit to Omatek new factory in Lagos, stressing that the cement industry in Nigeria saves no less N210 billion monthly in terms of foreign exchange for the country.

He noted that the achievements in the cement industry, can be replicated in other industries, stating, “today, some say we rely only on oil, yes we rely

on oil because we have oil as source of revenue, oil revenue company’s are those who pay custom duties, cost of operation taxes, it is the companies that do well that make up company’s that pay taxes, if you do not empower them to generate fund and be comfortable, you can not diversify the economy that is the implication for economic development and that is why industrial development is key with the economic transformation of a nation and that is why the President of the country has made it clear that we give priority to industries and manufacturing for the next two years.”

In addition, he said that the Nigeria industrial revolution plan

which is based on the areas where we have comparative advantage and ideally to look into the industry sector and encouraged them to become the number one in Africa.

The revolution plan according to him, has been done in the cement industry, however, he pointed out that it can be replicated in other industry.

“We were producing two million tons of cement in 2002, today we have capacity to produce 28.8 million tons per annum.

“That industry (cement) is saving Nigeria a minimum of N210 billion every month in terms of foreign exchange, we have to work on the price to reduce the price in terms of availability.”

ANGOTE Cement PLC has commenced training of people in block industries business including bricklayers across the country so that they can mould quality products and thus stop building collapses.

“Sofar I have covered 15 states carrying out pratical training to block makers. Am still going to cover more states before the end of this year. Out target is to reach 8,835 block makers this year,” said Johnson Olaniyi, Regional Manager Marketing Services.

Briefing journalists during a collaborative meeting with Block and Concrete Makers Association in Lagos State, he said that beyond giving these artisans tools for working like shovels, wheelbarrows ,rainboots and other equipment, the c o m p a n y

hascommenced training and re training them on the right usage of Dangote cement.

“Everyday we move closer to the end users, we have trained personnel who move from one location to the others; we want people to mold not just block but the right block with the right usage of Dangite cement.

Dangote is concerened about building collapses here and there. We have depots and trained staff that move from one location to the other to ensure that they are giving the right training.”

Responding, Segun Banjoko, Chairman Block and Concrete Makers, lauded the company for the initiative. He said that the essence of the meeting was collaboration between the cement manufactures and his association for frutiful relatuionship.

How govt can generate 3.5m jobs from key sectors — AIAE

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FRICAN Institute for Applied Economics (AIAE) has released a research reports on how the Federal Government can meet its target of generating 3.5 million jobs from key sectors of the economy.

These sectors are Manufacturing, Agriculture, Solid Minerals, Aviation, housing /construction and the entertainment industry.

Speaking yesterday during the public presentation of the reports, three fellows of the Institute who conducted the research said that a wellarticulated fiscal and monetary policy for these sectors is at the heart of attaining government’s job creation targets.

The researchers (Dr. Chukwuma Agu, Dr. Hyacinth Ichoku and and Dr. John Ataguba), pointed out that as commendable as government’s efforts to provide 3.5 million jobs from these sectors is ,attainment of the target would be a mirage without a well-articulated industrial policy.

The research commissioned by African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) further showed that public sector has been crowding out the private sector, stressing that the

much talked about growth in Nigeria is ‘non pro-poor growth’ since the sectors that are growing still leave many unemployed.

The event was attended by stakeholders mostly from the south east region which include, Professor Stella Okunna, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Anambra State, Dr. Paul Nwadukwe who r e p r e s e n t e d Commissioner for Agricultural and Rural Development, Anambra State, Chief Ikye Odoemalam who represented Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Abia State, Mr. Charles Ugwuonah State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, who represented the Permanent Secretary, and Organized Private Sector, the academic community, and others.

The Executive Director of AIAE, Dr. Ifediora Amobi said the Institute would continue to open its platform for organisations and bodies to discuss topical social and economic issues capable of advancing the course of the economy.

“The work also examines the impact of sector of employment and selected demographic indicators at the household level on poverty.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 — 25

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26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

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VANGU ARD, THURSD AY, FEBRU ARY 28, 2013— 27 ANGUARD, THURSDA FEBRUARY

months... By the time they call us to look after cancer it’s stretching towards the end whereas when they call us to look after a stroke or dementia it could be there for years and years.

Do you find that you get attached to some of them?

I remember a 90 year oldshe finally died at about 92 or 94and they got used to one or two of the staff . She was fond of her beer and wine. Mama was safe to drink a glass of wine a day but she was drinking like two a day, drinking two bottles of beer so there was this day I went and spoke to Mama: “ your children are worried”. She said they should allow her to do it.”

Old people need special care —Prof. Olu Akinyanju AS life expectancy rates in our urban areas reach an all time high, minimal government infrastructure for geriatric care has left a huge void in the healthcare market. It is this void that the clinic of Professor Olu Akinyanju seeks to fill with their quality private homecare services for the responsible in our midst who care about their aged but unfortunately do not have the time to give this care themselves.

A Physician and Haematologist, professor Akinyanju is better known as the Founder & Chairman of the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria. He is also a Member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Advisory Panel of the Human Genetics Programme and a Medical Advisor to the American Embassy. He speaks to Morenike Taire.

OW did you conceive the idea of providing home care services to old people? in those days they didn’t have mobile phones so you just couldn’t say, Mummy, how are you today? My mother was strictly independent; she ran a little shop. My mother came here to live with us. She was in her 80s and gradually gradually we found we had to have somebody.

My mother in law too. She was almost 90.

Would you say now that with better telecommunications technology there is now less need for this kind of care?

I don’t think so. If you had a mobile phone of course you will be able to communicate with your mother everyday but who gets up to cook? You just get to know maybe faster.

Some of our clients, their children are maybe in America, they are in Lagos so they happy to have somebody to look after mother. It’s not only old people. One time a man had a baby but the mother died during pregnancy so the man didn’t know what to do with it really so we had to come in. we looked after that baby in his house for two years or so. I don’t know whether he found a relation or married another wife. We had a girl who couldn’t walk because she had

Prof. Olu Akinyanju something in the spinal chord. She was lying down, she couldn’t use the legs, hardly use the arms. We have situations like that when we had to look after younger people.

Do you have an old people’s facility, like a Home?

No we don’t. I know a fellow who has just started because that’s a whole new thing.

When we were looking after my mother and so on, because we were busy, nobody would have time to say oh Mama,...

What are you going to eat?

Or have you had your bath?

Things that she could do before.

Giving injection

Home care C M Y K

Sometimes people might need you only for the day; they will be back in the evening and then they can take over.

Does the care you render include medical care ?

Yes, up to a point. They may have their own doctor, retain him but we have to know what the doctor has prescribed so we know when to give him injection and so on and if we find any aspect we can handle we get our doctors in.

On the whole, in the

cultural sense, how do people react to having nursing care in the home?

Many people want to but

,

H

Doing what she enjoys What else do you want me to do? The only thing I have left is just my beer. All my friends are gone. They used to take her in the car and drive around to give her breeze.

Just a change...

She was still able to do that but she said : “if this is what will kill me, let it” so I said okay, don’t worry, leave Mama alone. Let her do what she enjoys.

I felt attached to her. When she died my staff were given aso-ebi Do you also provide psychological care? Like in

One time a man had a baby but the mother died during pregnancy so the man didn’t know what to do with it really so we had to come in. We looked after that baby in his house for two years or so

may not be able to afford it because it’s not a housegirl now. Sometimes they have dementia.

Like the former British Prime Minister Raegan in America also had it. There was a time he couldn’t recognize his wife.

He can just wee-wee (urinate) in that corner, forgetting that there’s a toilet there. They need care, they need understanding. And they can live for very very long . There are people who have stroke, just because of the stroke they can’t move well. Some have cancer.

Towards the end cancer may render them disabled in a way. Those ones don’t live long at all- 4 weeks, 2

,

the case of dementia, for the family?

Sometimes we have to call in specialists to talk to our staff and we bring psychologists to see the family so that they will accept it that this is not a curse on you or your family but just as your heart may fail, the kidney may fail, the brain fails sometimes.

Any part of us can go. It may be your knee that is difficult but if it’s your brain that failed then you are in a situation where you’ll see somebody and say, who are you?

Because you genuinely can no longer recognize people because your brain is not functioning as it should

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—29

learning@vanguardngr.com

Ex-NUC scribe, Lagos SUBEB boss seek better training for teachers

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

From L-R: Otunba Bjorg Lawal-Solarin, former National President, Soroptimist International of Nigeria; Prof(Mrs.)Pat Black, President, Soroptimist International; Prof.

Babajide Alo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics; Okanlawon Oladipo Adedeji, Acting University Librarian; Mrs.Funmilola Braimoh, National President, Soroptimist Internationa and Mrs.Norma Jackson Steele during Pat Black’s visit to the Braille Centre built by Soroptimist International of Eko at the University of Lagos recently. Pix by Josephine Igbinovia.

T

EACHERS are major players in any education setting and their place in the scheme of things in education sector cannot be underestimated. Since no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers, there is need to accord teachers priority attention in order to raise their professional quality to facilitate attainment of education goals.

Sadly, Nigerian teachers have been blamed for most of the woes in the education sector, and the quality of teaching personnel in most of our schools across the nation calls for worry.

There have been complaints about poor quality of teachers in our classrooms nationwide, especially as teachers have been entrusted with the transmission of advice, wisdom and acquisition of key knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours that learners need to be useful in society and the economy.

According to the ‘Education Road-map (2009)’, as of 2009, 38.75% of the teachers didn’t possess NCE or higher education, while 21.6% of teachers were not qualified to teach at the senior secondary level. In polytechnics and colleges of education, only 44 per cent of the required number of teachers was available around the same period and the shortfall of required teachers in the universities was 39%.

Also, over 60% of teachers in the universities were junior academic staff which shouldn’t have exceeded 45%. This indicated a shortage of senior and more experienced lecturers. Similarly, over 40% of lecturers in the polytechnics didn’t possess the master ’s

degree, which is the minimum qualification for teaching.

Going by the Nigerian Education Sector Diagnosis: a Platform for Re-engineering the Education Sector (2007), 94% of professors in the university system aren’t professionally qualified

teachers, while 32% had no teaching qualifications as teacher trainers in 1999/2000.

As shocking as this may sound, the Commissioner for Education, Kaduna State, Alhaji Usman Mohammed, revealed that ,300 teachers in Kaduna failed in tests

generally set for primary four pupils.

“A total of 1,599 teachers selected from across the state were given primary four tests in Mathematics and Basic literacy, and only one of them scored 75%, 250 scored

between 50 to 75% and 1,300 scored below 25%.

“The same examination was conducted for 1,800 primary school pupils but a larger percent of them failed woefully. We are not surprised at their performance because Continues on page 34

Experts make case for quality education, slam govt for sector decadence

BY DAYO ADESULU

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HE problems bedeviling the education sector in Nigeria have been traced by experts to our government nonchalant attitude to learn from other countries which had similar education and economic challenges but solved their problems through quality education delivered to the citizenry. Mr Ayo Oyoze Baje, former Editorial Page Editor

FG inaugurates board of four universities NUC blames poor ranking of Nigerian varsities on stakeholders

of the defunct Daily Times and member, Editorial Board of Independent Newspapers Ltd, lamented the decadence in the sector saying, Nigeria should be challenged that India, which was at par with us at independence has become the destination for medical tourism, patronised by our political bigwigs even with the slightest headache. He noted that the same can be said of the Asian Tigers who have gone ahead to

FASMicro provides farm intelligence, quantifies air pollutants via phones

become the globe’s industrial hub. He pointed out that when the auto market was taken over by the more compact and fueling efficient cars from Asia in the 80s, the US government sent its scientists to understudy their revolutionary technology and learn from them but Nigeria never learn good things from other countries of the world.

Baje who spoke on the occasion of a book launch on: “How to be a Successful Student” held at Reelmix Hall Eko FM, Ikeja said, the problems bedeviling the sector are many and worrisome as our government are not making concrete efforts to confront them headlong. He said our problem started when both the state and federal levels gave low budgetary allocation to the education sector.He gave a shoking revelation that the in 2002 the figure of high number of school aged children out of school was comparable to that of Bangladesh and some war torn countries, confirming

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30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Lawmaker distributes 70 UTME forms

FG inaugurates board of four universities

BY EBUN SESSOU

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…As Senate, NUC, others applaud quality of members

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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HE Federal Government has inaugurated the governing boards of four federal universities even as Senate, the Nigerian Universities Commission and others applauded government on the calibre and quality of members of the boards.

The four universities which boards were inaugurated in Abuja last weekend include the University of Lagos, UNILAG; Federal University of Agriculture, Umuduike; University of Benin, Benin and the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. Minister of Education, Prof.

Ruqquayat Ahmed Rufa’i at the inauguration of the governing councils charged members of the board to dissociate themselves from any means of enrichment but rather put in their best to see that they leave their footprints in the sands of time.

“Governing council members should take note that their appointments are not a means for self aggrandizement and self enrichment but a call to service to humanity. Council should not be lured to run the award of ‘Honourary degrees or ‘Fellows” as chieftaincy title affairs. The sanctity and integrity of the institutions should be foremost in deciding on who should be conferred with these awards.

“I charge you therefore to work very hard so that during your tenure, the transformation agenda of this administration under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, will not only be given attention but would be tangible in these institutions.”

Those appointed for the University of Lagos are Prof.

Jerry Gana, Chairman; Dr. Monday Ohoni, member; Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, member; Dr. Garba Usman

Tetenji, SAN, member; and Mr Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager/Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Newspapers as member.

Chairing the board of UNIBEN is Senator Effiong Dickson Bob with Jamila Fakik; J.K.A Gazama, SAN; Chief Samuel Edohoeket and Arch. Shettima Mohammed Sale as members.

Members of the council for the University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State include Prof. Anya O. Anya, chairman, while Chief Chris Iroegbe; Rasheed Kola Ojikutu, Ph.D; and Mr Akinboro Muyiwa are members.

Chairman of the board of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is Prof. Rowland Ndoma-Egba, chairman, while the other members are Moses Otazi; Omoyele Daniel; Hon. Tijjani Goni Guzamala and Sunday Ibrahim Ameh, SAN. Prof. Ahmed Rufa’i said government is aware of the challenges facing the nation’s tertiary institutions and therefore urged the new governing board to brace up and bring their wealth of experience to bear in the new assignments.

“The sector is at present beset with some challenges

• General Manager/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Media, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, a member of the University of Lagos Governing Council welcoming Unilag Chairman, Prof. Jerry Gana during the inauguration of the board in Abuja. Photo by Favour Nnabugwu

which have incapacitated the sector from achieving its set goals within the record time. These challenges include inadequate human resource and physical infrastructure; unstable academic calendar, general insecurity, examination malpractice, inadequate space for teeming population seeking admission into tertiary institutions, decline in academic standards, poor management of funds and human resources as well as many others which have impacted negatively on the development of tertiary education in Nigeria.

“I admit that these challenges did not come overnight, but an outcome of a long time of neglect and poor management. Consequently, the present government is tackling these challenges head-long, In fact, the government has continued to increase the budgetary provision for the education sector.”

Speaking on behalf of the new councils, Unilag chairman, Prof. Jerry Gana thanked the Federal Government for the opportunity given to them to serve, stating that the new council will do their best in the discharge of their duties.

“We shall do our very best by the grace of God to give effective leadership with integrity, fairness, justice and honour to the various universities.”

He reiterated, “as men and women of caliber, we shall do our very best to be fair, to be just and to be honourable in our various universities. And we shall be guided by the laws and statutes of the universities.”

Prof Gana also commended President Jonathan for retaining the name of the University of Lagos.

Nigeria rules at World Youth Scrabble Championship

BY EBELE ORAKPO

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PART from making their mark in the game of football, Nigeria has also made her mark in the game of scrabble, the brain harmonizer.

At the 2012 World Youth Scrabble Championship held in December at Birmingham, UK, Pese Alo of Hallmark School, Alausa, Lagos, emerged the overall champion in the Under-10 category while Tobi Fasuyi of Chrisland College, Idimu, emerged the highest ranking youth player in Africa.

Nigeria was represented at the event by Chibudom Ihejirika (Chrisland School, Opebi); Tobi Fasuyi; Pese Alo and Mofe Lawal (Hallmark School Alausa); Dara and Dimimu Olayanju (Greenspring Second-

*Pese Alo doing his thing at the championship ary School, Ilupeju) and their coach, Mr. Chioma Kelechi Samson, a senior facilitator at the Protégé Centre.

The event had over 60 school children from across the world including the US, UK, Australia, Thailand, UAE, etc.

The next event comes up in December 2013 in Dubai.

N a bid to encourage students to further their education and also promote learning culture in the State, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dayo Fafunmi has given out 70 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms to 70 students who had just completed their Secondary School Certificate Examination, SSCE and who wish to further their education.

Speaking on the procurement of UTME forms for students, Fafunmi who represents Ifako-Ijaye constituency 1, said, it was aimed at improving the standards of education and to compliment government’s effort in providing qualitative education to the younger ones in the society.

According to him, “Education is the best legacy that can improve the standard of living of any individual who is ready to make a difference and this has worked for me as a legislator.

“Without education nothing can be achieved. The UTME forms that were given out to the students were to improve on the qualitative and sound education of our Youths”.

Schools urged to develop, encourage children sports

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N an effort to develop the spirit of friendliness and healthy competitions among school children, schools have been advised to use sports as a tool for this purpose, as it will not only enhance physical fitness and mental alertness, it will further create a rewarding and prospective future.

The chairman of Lagooz schools, Orile-Agege, Otunba Yomi Otubela (FCMA) made the plea at the schools’ 2013 sports festival held at Agege stadium on Thursday, an occasion where he also commended the state governor, Babatunde Fashola for the development of grassroots sports in the state. ” The modern facilities in the Agege stadium and others in the state are a demonstration of his commitment to sports development. I therefore charge other school owners in the community to take advantage of these wonderful facilities for their sporting events” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—31

NUC blames poor ranking of Nigerian varsities on stakeholders

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

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EEPLY concerned by the dwindling standards and poor ranking of Nigerian universities globally, Professor Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), has blamed stakeholders in the education sector, noting that the future is bleak if they refuse to do the needful and ensure that education is prosecuted in a globally compliant manner, whilst taking into consideration the nation’s history and need for rapid economic, industrial and ethical development.

Speaking on Quality Assurance and the Challenges of Mandate Delivery in Nigerian Universities, at the 18th Convocation Lecture of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Prof. Okojie, who was represented by Prof.

Adebisi Balogun, former ViceChancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, pointed majorly at poor funding, dearth of modern physical infrastructure, non-robust staff development policy, leadership and governance, the proliferation of universities and sharp practices, security issues on campuses, research, innovation and development, avid unionization, internationalization, challenge of entrepreneurship and vocational training, use of ICT and other social media platforms and promotion criteria, as damning challenges to effective mandate delivery in the nation’s education sector.

… says 57% of teaching staff are without PhD

Prof Adebisi Balogun, who represented Prof. Julius Okojie and Prof Sena Bakre, LASU Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at the convocation lecture The humble beginning Chronicling the history of Nigerian universities and their roles in personal and national socio-economic development, Okojie said; “It is important to note that the university system in Nigeria has grown in leaps and bounds.

The number of universities has increased from five in 1962 to 128 in 2013, comprising 40 federal, 38 state and 50 private universities. The

newest additions are the Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State, and the three new federal universities at Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara.”

Where we got it all wrong “There is no doubt that the increase in the number of universities has thrown up some regulatory challenges. There has been growing concern over the quality of graduates as they are perceived to be

your intended meaning.

Confused Words M

ANY users of English in Nigeria often confuse words that are similar in sound but are totally different in meaning. The following are among the commonly C M Y K

confused words: cue and queue; ascent, assent; dyeing dying.

Each of the homophones has its own spelling, meaning and origin.

Use the one that will convey

Cue - queue.

Cue means (i) “something that an actor does or says as a signal to another actor to do or say something”. (2) “an event, action, or a statement that tells somebody indirectly that they should do something”. (3) “a long thin stick that you use for hitting the ball in games such as snooker, pool (billiards)’ Queue refers to ‘a line of people/persons waiting for something in a shop or similar place’.

Examples: I took his silence as my cue to leave his office.

•CONTINUES Next week.

lacking in skills sets required for the work of life, and their relevance to overall national and regional developments.

The poor ranking of our universities and hence lack of global competitiveness, is another major concern.”

Decrying the global poor ranking of the nation’s universities, the NUC boss recalled with nostalgia, “As the organisation, administration and leadership of a university is hinged upon the actualisation of its mandate of teaching, research and community service, the period preceding independence and post-independence gave rise to agitations for the establishment of universities as instruments of regional development, agent of modernisation, social mobilisation and economic growth.

“The University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos were established on this premise. These universities flourished on the tradition of high standards and international core values and they identified with local values and culture. Thus, between 1960 and 1980, cherished global academic core values were entrenched and institutionalized in the Nigerian university system.”

Adding that after two decades, the Nigerian university system gradually began to crumble under the weights of social, political and economic challenges, the Professor of Forestry averred; “Some of these challenges affecting the delivery of quality mandates in

State Governors should take a cue from Governor Babatunde Fashola to make positive impact in their administration.

There was a long queue for tickets at the National Stadium.

Please, join the queue!

Dyeing - dying Dyeing and dying are two different words with different meanings. Dyeing refers to ‘colouring’ while dying means ‘expiring’, not likely to live much longer.” Do not confuse the spelling of each of the two words.

Examples: Some old people

our university system are self inflicted (internally created), some externally created, while a number of them are inflicted on the system as a response to the universities’ external environment. Today, our university system is struggling to regain its lost glory. For example, the Universities of Ibadan, Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, which are ranked amongst the global best in the 1970’s are now struggling to find places among the best 10 in Africa.”

On poor funding and management Okojie, who was former Vice-Chancellor of University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), while opining that poor funding affects the facilities to be provided for effective teaching, learning and research activities, which in turn predict students’ performances, also held that the management of the available funds and resources must also be brought to fore.

His words; “Funding affects the type of teaching staff that can be engaged to undertake teaching and this definitely affects student performance.

Funding has effect on the recruitment level, the quality of staff, training and retention of staff. For example, 66% of the federal budget to education in 2012 was allocated to the universities and other academic centres to cover personnel cost overhead and capital costs.

The Federal Government has committed 8.4% of the total budget to education.

like to dye their hair.

No attempt was made to rescue the man when he was dying.

Ascent - assent Ascent means “a way up to the top of something”; assent, `an approval of a plan or suggestion; to officially give permission for something’.

Examples: He has a rapid ascent in his career.

“By the provision of Section 58 (4) and 5 of the Constitution of Nigeria, the President can no long assent to any Bill passed by the National Assembly, 30 days after it had been transmitted to him.”

Send requests/problems to Gabriel Osoba, Ph.D, Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo, through Editor, Teach Yourself English, Vanguard Newspapers, PMB. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or email: editor@vanguardngr.com & gabosoba002@yahoo.co

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

The girl+dress equation

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

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OW more than ever before, the dress is the symbol of campus fashion.

Comfortable, smart and in a variety of styles, it’s difficult not to look beautiful in the right dress…as soon as you figure out what that is. Now just how do you choose the right dress?

•Length: If you’re tall with beautiful legs, you don’t have to go the whole nine fabric yards, something just on the knees will do. But if you’re feeling modest, long fitted, dresses give you an hour glass shape that is to die for.

If you aren’t on the tall side but you’re petite, you could also follow suit. If you’re not too tall, with some flesh on your bones, don’t sweat it, short and smart is your best shot.

•Colour: That’s the thing about colours-you don’t know what to think until you’re

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looking at it. So experiment with different colours and be sure to ask your fashion trendy friends for advice.

•Occasion: Don’t wear your evening dress to class or a maxi dress to a formal

occasion. To ensure that you aren’t over dressed or under dressed, ensure that your

dress suits the occasion.

Look great and dress , the runway is yours girl!

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—33

As certificates gather dust…

BY LAJU ARENYEKA From his very first day at school, the Nigerian student realizes just how important first position is. The person who recites ABCs the best wins the teacher’s favour, and the best math student becomes head boy. The struggle to get into the higher institution is soon overtaken by the fight to graduate with a first class degree or a second class upper. Just when these ‘outstanding’ grades do nothing to stand them out in the world of work, many graduates troop to Postgraduate schools within and outside the country for the added advantage. However, if last year’s Dangote situation where 6 PhD holders and 704 Masters Degree holders applied to be truck drivers at the Dangote group is anything to go by, then one is left to ponder on the continued craze for higher certificates.

In the quest for answers, who better to ask than Nigerians pursuing post graduate programmes? “The Nigerian situation is operation ‘show your certificate’ and many jobs seekers are playing along,” said Tunde Adejumo, an executive in a manufacturing industry who is pursuing a Masters degree in Public Administration. “It is common knowledge now that the first degree has been lowered to the status of the secondary school certificate,” he said, “bachelors’ degree holders are turning out in their numbers, so we that are already in the labour market have to do something to stand out.” Gozie Phillip is another post graduate student who feels that he must protect his job by staying in academic shape; an Estate Surveyor pursing a Masters degree in Facility Management, he said: “I’m doing my Masters degree to upgrade myself at my place of work. I have a BSc., but so do the new employees at my place of work. It will seem as if we are on the same level, and that could be quite threatening to my employment status.”

Adding, he said: “When I’m done with my Masters degree, I’d be qualified to get a better paying job. That is just the way our society it, the more the degrees, the better the opportunities. In some aspects, what I’m learning is somewhat relevant to my job, but it is the certificate that is more important to me.” Esther C M Y K

Asua Okolie (m), winner of the swimming competition, with other winners at the inter-house sports competition of Chrisland School, VGC. Elueme, an M.Sc. student of Mass Communication represents the view of millions of Nigerian graduates that getting a Masters degree will improve her chances of getting a job.

“Considering the economic situation in the country right now where you have massive unemployment statistics, one sees having a Masters Degree as a strategic step towards getting a job. Most jobs that I’ve tried applying to online have as their requirements a masters degree as an added advantage. It seems like they are telling you that if you don’t have that added qualification, you will most likely not be shortlisted for an interview or chosen for the job. I think a time is coming when perhaps more than Masters degree will be the minimum qualification for getting a good job. The trend is just to get as many degrees as possible.”

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ccording to Prof. Charles Ogbulogo, the Dean of the school of post graduate studies Covenant University, “the reason for seeker a post graduate degree should not just be job placement. It should be about expanding the frontiers of knowledge and research. During the first

degree the emphasis is on how familiar students are with the structure of knowledge in an area, during the Masters

degree, we focus on how familiar students are with trends and literature in the field, and the Doctorate programme is the time to make your own contribution to learning. It is just a pity that the typical Nigerian sees a higher degree as a meal ticket.

With seemingly better job opportunities for people with higher degrees outside the country, it is fast becoming a cliché for Nigerian analysts to scream ‘brain-drain’, but for the thousands of educated elites who find the greener pastures they seek outside the country, it is a ‘smart move.’

The importance of higher certificates seems to be important to already educated Nigerians home and abroad as according to a recent report by the Houston Chronicle,immigrants have the highest levels of education in Houston and in the United States of America in general, surpassing whites and Asians, according to a Census data bolstered by an analysis of 13 annual Houston-area surveys, the reports.

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ccording to a 2006 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 17 per cent of all Nigerians in the US hold a Master ’s degree, four per cent hold a doctorate and 37

per cent have a bachelor ’s degree. In comparison, eight per cent of the white population in the U.S. hold a Master ’s degrees, one per cent hold a doctorate and 19 per cent have a bachelor ’s degrees.

Nkechi Udoh, who is pursuing a Masters degree in Sociology says that this is her second Masters degree. Her words: “I’m doing this primarily because I want to go into the academics, and then also for the usual reason.

Everybody needs better paying conditions, so if earning more degrees will provide that, why not? The way everybody is going now, there is so much emphasis on paper qualifications in our country and everyone is rushing to get post graduate degree because that is what employers are looking for. It is a sad situation for our society because what happens is that everybody goes to get a post graduate degree whether they want to or not all because employers are asking. A lot of people are now going to get additional degrees regardless of their interests, and it is sad because their interests are what they will excel at in the long run. A lot of interests are jettisoned just for paper qualifications because one has to survive. “

How NANS Can Be Functional

BY DHIKRULLAH AKINOLA, OAU

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AST week, students, politicians and other stakeholders gathered at the Abuja International Conference Centre, Abuja as the National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS), inaugurated its 27th Executive.

Unlike in the past when non-students have emerged Presidents, Yinka Gbadebo, the new NANS president is a Diploma student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The event was spectacular in its entirety as students and dignitaries from all walks of the country and beyond, as early as 10: am besieged the venue, adjacent to Radio House, Abuja to catch a glimpse of the new president.

Immediately the gate was opened for the new president who was Secretary General of the same association in 2004 when he was an undergraduate at the then University of Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University), the arena became charged as security-men, especially men of the State Security Services found it hectic to control the crowd.

The entrance of Governor Anayo Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; Senior Special Assistant to the president on

Youths and Students matters who represented President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; Federal Road Maintenance Agency {FERMA) who was honored as the Grand Patron and honourary membership of the association; Vice-Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, (ABUAD), Prof. Sidi Osho; and Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Sen. Ayoade Hamzat Adeseun added colour to the event.

In his inaugural lecture, Governor Okorocha who spoke extempore, described the country as a rich nation with poor citizens, adding that there is nothing wrong with Nigeria but with Nigerians.

“Can we say education is the reason why many of us are poor? He asserted that everybody is an executive cashier; from the federal level to the local government level, saying that they don’t have innovation to produce but to spend. Nigerian youths, he noted, are too lazy. “We want to make quick wealth. It is a shame to hawk recharge cards in Nigeria but we take pride in washing dead bodies, sleeping in poultry and other inhuman works abroad.”

He observed that he was always sad when he sees youths roaming the streets. Usefulness starts when a man is informed. “There is something God has created in you to do and that is what education seeks to answer.”

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Ex-NUC scribe, Lagos SUBEB boss seek ...

Continues from page 29

how can they know it when their teachers don’t even know it.”

Little wonder our education system is characterized by low quality output and inefficiency as illustrated by the low performance of students in national examinations.

Worried by crisis in the education sector which is principally on account of teacher quality and quantity deficits, experts have posited the need for continuous training of teachers to align them

with the current reforms in the basic education sector for improved performance and learning outcome for pupils.

Pointing out that the quest to improve teachers’ output led to the school improvement programme, the Chairperson, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Gbolahan Daodu, said only skilled personnel that would impart the right knowledge and improve learning outcomes would complement the huge

investment being made in the sector.

“The free basic education policy of the state government in public schools and billions of naira invested by this administration in the repair and installation of e d u c a t i o n a l infrastructure would amount to naught without the necessary manpower to properly utilize the structures and equipment.

“The approach of retraining, mentoring and coaching teachers in the public primary schools has

strengthened school leadership and management, improved teachers quality through in-service training and continuous mentoring, increased community participation in school governance and education quality.”

For Nigeria to achieve any improvement in its education sector, a former Executive Secretary, National U n i v e r s i t i e s Commission, NUC, Professor Munzali Jibril, said teaching must be made the profession of first choice through continuous

training and re-training, attractive remuneration, welfare and conditions of service.

“The crisis in our education sector is a crisis of teachers as evidenced by mass failure in national examinations.

The fundamental problem of teachers and teaching in Nigeria is that it is now a profession of last resort and quality can’t be found or sustained where only those who have no other choice join the teaching profession.”

On the way forward, Jibril suggested that for

Exper ts quality...

make

Continues from page 29

the statistic of the Education Minister, Professor Ruqqayat Rufai that 17 million children of school age are presently out of school in Nigeria.

The Veteran journalist and popular public affairs analyst on television who slams the government over the low teacher to students/ pupils ratio said: “Though the United Nations recommended one teacher to twentyfive students, ours in the region is between 80 and 100.” He added that poor quality of teachers at both the primary and secondary level is one of the causative agents as at least 50 per cent of teachers engaged in Nigeria’s public and private educational institutions are unqualified and unprofessional.

According to him, the result is that pupils are exposed to teachers who do not have basic literacy competency and who cannot prepare lesson notes; shallow in subject matter and poor in classroom management and controls.

“Many faculties of education in tertiary institutions virtually rely on force or compulsion to get fresh students as less than 2 per cent of JAMB candidates apply for courses in education.

The situation of teachers and teaching profession in Nigeria contrast sharply with what obtains in other parts of the world where the teaching profession is regarded with honour C M Y K

there to be any a p p r e c i a b l e improvement in the quality of teachers and teaching in the sector, there is the need to raise the status of the profession to become the destination of first choice.

“This can be achieved by raising teachers’ salaries at all levels to, at least, 10% above their counterparts in the civil service and by improving conditions of service to achieve parity with, or superiority over, similar and competing professions.”

case

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and pride,” he said.

Baje who once taught as a classroom teacher for over two decade pointed out that poor remuneration of teachers is another area our government need to look into, stressing that teachers remuneration remain very poor. To secure a salary enhancement of any type, he noted that our government will have to wait until teachers embark on many month of strike action.

Quoting Professor Charles Aworh, Head Department of Food Technology, University of Ibadan and National President of Ibadan Grammer School, he said that what will rescue the nation’s education system is a return to boarding system adding that it would instill discipline, encourage harmonious co-existence and inculcate in the students the proper management of their time.

On our education plicy, he said our governments have been inconsistent slaming the policy flip-flops on education from 7-5-2-3/ 4 to 6-3-3-4 adding that with this, our education curriculum is deficient of entrepreneural studies which has led to the churning out of graduates job seekers instead of job creating citizens.

Consequently, he said is the mass exodus of Nigerian students to other countries with Ghana benefitting by a whopping sum of N160 billion in three tertiary institutions in 2012 alone adding:

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—35

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT T

BY EBELE ORAKPO

O make Nigeria food-secure in compliance with Goal 1 of the Millennium Development Goals (Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger), there is need for improved crop yield and capacity-building amongst farmers. To this end, First Atlantic Semiconductors & Microelectronics (FASMicro), an Owerri-based electronics company has come up with some technological solutions to make farmers more productive and ensure food security in Nigeria.

In this chat with Vanguard Learning, founder of FASMicro, Dr. Ndubuisi Ekekwe, a graduate of Federal University of Technology Owerri, currently a professor of engineering in Carnegie Mellon University, USA, and Engr. Ekele Eke, the company’s Engineering Manager, say they want to ‘take the guesswork out of farming by providing data and intelligence that will make farmers see themselves as business people, empower cities, citizens and help leaders know the amount of air pollutants by simply texting a phone number,’ adding that until Nigeria develops hardware capability, it will not utilise the full opportunities that ICT offers. Excerpts:

*CO2 level being displayed on phone *FA1050X

FASMicro provides farm intelligence, quantifies air pollutants via phones •Know the amount of air pollutants via cell phone

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FarmMeter and EnviroMeter: ccording to Ekekwe, the core of the technology is the FA1050X, a board that powers two applications, FarmMeter and EnviroMeter. He invented the FA1050X as a PhD student in Johns Hopkins University, USA. “It incorporates intelligent control engines that guarantee reliability under extreme conditions, and remote sensing and is protected partly, by US Patent No Dr. Ndubuisi Ekekwe US20080247735. Light weight, GSM interface, and easy operation make FA1050X op pollution map and pertinent reports. ideal data-acquisition system for Imagine what will happen in this coungas, temperature, humidity, light, try if the policy-makers have hard data and wind.” on the level of pollution in the NigerExplaining further, Ekekwe said Delta. Today, no one knows and we plan the FarmMeter takes the guesswork to change that." out of farming. “With this technoloAlso speaking, FASMicro’s Engineergy, a farmer is provided data about ing Manager, Ekele Eke, said EnviroMthe soil and farm conditions right on his or her cell phone. What we eter and FarmMeter have GSM moddid was build special sensors that ule interface which enables communimeasure humidity, nitrogen, potascation with simple phone. Just send sium, etc., in the soil as well as wind SMS to a number and within seconds, speed and direction, and link them you get the data. If you want historical up with electronics. When installed, data, a link will be provided where you provided there is a GSM network can download it. We guarantee data rein the area, the farmer can query it liability from this technology by more and get all the data he needs via than 99.99%. It is simple mathematical cell phones. A farmer could wake modeling. There are people that want up in the morning and quickly to work with office products like Excel; check via his phone if it rained last our technology ensures you can export night in a farm many miles away. them.”

He does not have to take the long walk to the farm to verify things. he Design Also, individual farmers may not “FA1050X detects and captures any have to spend on this technology; type of gas.

For example, it has the caa group of farmers like co-operatives pacity to capture and provide real time can use one as it provides data over amount of CO2 in a city. For energy coma good geographic spread,” he panies or city governments interested said. in estimating the amount of CO2 in the On the EnviroMeter, the reair, our technology is developed for searcher said; “The EnviroMeter is such a need. We help you collect CO2 to make sure that our political over a period of time, using our distribleaders are discussing global uted CO2 -sensors, across your villages warming with data. Today, no one or cities. We will help you analyze the knows how much of the air is poldata and quantify impacts on human luted in our cities. When the Envihealth. With these results, policymakroMeter is mounted in a city, anyers can make decisions and appropriate one can text a number and right steps taken. on the phone will get the amount “A set of collector stations installed in of carbon dioxide (CO2) in that a town will be used to capture the data, place. Using that data, we devel-

I am sure we have the manpower to feed Nigeria but until science visits agriculture in Nigeria, farmers will continue to under-perform

which will periodically be sent to a central server for inclusion in the database.

The collected data are locally saved for fault tolerance purposes. If the network connection is not available, then saved data can be read from the collector stations by an operator. In case of a network failure, the collector stations will be read once a day, which means that

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they should be able to store the data locally at least for 24 hours. Also for sake of fault tolerance, data will be read once a day to provide comparison between transmitted data and lift possible transmission errors,” said Eke. Said the researchers, “FA1050X consists of three main modules - Gas sensor module which

produces an analog output signal, GSM modem, the Zigbee Network which provides the possibility to build mesh networks in a given area and USART to USB communication to send data by using a USB cable between computing module and the main station. This is only used for maintenance, or in regions where no GSM network is available, as in far away farms.”

They noted that these technologies will change the face of agriculture in the country. “Across this country, many farmers are working with no intelligence, living in the illusion that what worked in 1960 is still possible today."

King’s College PTA rolls out N250m projects

BY DAYO ADESULU & AMAKA ABAYOMI

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HE Parents Teachers Association, King’s College, has disclosed plans for the body to execute N250 million worth of projects in the school in the next few months.

Speaking with Vanguard Learning after a meeting held for students at the school hall on how parents could help their children overcome lateness to school, the PTA Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Oriakhi, said that if they have good financial support, the projects, which includes a 5-storey hostel accommodation for the students, will be completed by March ending and commissioned by the first week in April.

“These projects, which are currently on-going at the Lagos Island campus, would be replicated in the Victoria Island campus. There is a critical shortage of accommodation on the campus which demands the urgent attention of stakeholders. The hostel, which is now at the third floor, would address the issue is accommodation shortage in the school. Presently, boarding students eat in batches because the dinning hall is too small

to accommodate everyone at the same time.

Oriakhi, who described the King’s College’s PTA as the biggest in Nigeria, urged the parents to play their roles in assisting the school as government can’t do it alone.

Explaining some of the efforts of the PTA, the Chairman pointed out that the PTA employed the services of 36 teachers whom they pay on monthly basis to supplement the present teaching strength of the school.

“Though it is not the business of the PTA to employ teachers but we employed these teachers to arrest this peculiar situation.”

According to the Chairman, some of the programmes designed for the students include: an oversea excursion where they are expected to visit places in the UK and other places of the world that will add value to their knowledge.

Also, April 23, 2013 has been slated as the health and safety week for the students, adding that arrangement has been made to partner with health organisation who will give students practical knowledge on health education. According to him, such programme will help our students to have sound mind and healthy lives.

36—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Indomie announces 2013 national PGD scholarship

FG flays VCs, Registrars over staff appointments

By Favour Nnabugwu

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he Federal Government has warned the vicechancellors and registrars of the 12 new federal universities against appointing staff on sentiment but on due process.

The Minister of Education, Prof.

Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I while briefing the vice-chancellors and registrars of the three new universities recently, cautioned that the sanctity and integrity of the university system should be foremost in deciding who should be appointed to various positions in their universities.

According to the minister, “as vicechancellors, you are expected to liaise with the state government to secure the title documents (Deeds) of their permanent sites and take-off sites. You should also work with the National Implementation

Committee which is responsible for the overall monitoring of the projects.

“You should also seek assistance from the state government and private individuals towards the smooth take-off of the academic activities in your universities.”

She also tasked them to always prioritize the needs of the institutions within the available budgetary provision while warning that extreme caution must be taken in the appointments of members of staff, adding that the appointments

must follow due process and federal character principles must be strictly adhered to.

The minister said the invitation of the VCs and Registrars of the nine universities to the inauguration of the new three varsities was intentional.

20 scholars write on Obasanjo legacy

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi, flanked by the National President, Old Students Association, Comprehensive High School, Ayetoro, Fredrick Deji Osibogun, Pa Akinfenwa, former principal, and members of the association at the 50th anniversary cake of the school

More facilities for tertiary institutions under way —Amosun

BY DAYO ADESULU

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Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles, has announced the commencement of their 2013 Indomie National Post Graduate Nutrition Scholarship Awards which is a focal part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative in the area of educational empowerment in Nigeria.

The 2013 edition is the fifth of the laudable CSR initiative instituted in 2009 for Nigerian students studying Nutrition and Dietetics at masters’ degree level with the aim of assisting the training of high level Nutrition and Dietetics manpower in the country.

According to the Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, the scholarship scheme was initiated due to the fact that the company identified a wide knowledge gap in Nutrition and Dietetics and as such decided to take the challenge to build man power capacity in that regards.

He also stated that the company is collaborating with select Nigerian universities in the training and empowerment of high level nutrition and dietetics professionals, who in turn will produce a significant number of highly trained nutritionists that will guide the way for optimum nutrition for all Nigerians.

GUN State Government has reiterated its commitment to within the next two years provide additional infrastructure in all its tertiary institutions in order to make learning more conducive to students.

The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Yusuph Olaniyonu who stated this while featuring on a live Television programme in Abeokuta titled ‘New Dawn’ said the initiative will be Public Private Partnership (PPP) driven.

The Commissioner who spoke on: ‘Update of infrastructural development in Ogun State’ noted that the idea was to ensure conducive environment is created in and outside the campuses.

He said reduction in school fees and provision of mass transits buses to the tertiary institutions are part of steps taken by the government to make live bearable for both students and their parents.

On the proposed model school, the Commissioner who assured that admission will take effect from September said the process of admitting students into the schools would be made flexible.

Part of activities to be enjoyed by students, according to him are, hostel facilities, mass transit buses, technical workshops, a multipurpose hall, standard

football pitch and laboratories amongst others.

In addition, he said students, will be admitted to the school, irrespective of their religion or political affiliation.

“What the present administration led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun is

doing is to ensure that sound and qualitative education is given to every qualified citizens of the State, irrespective of their political leaning or religious belief ” olaniyonu said

Take note of unapproved schools, Cridy School raises alarm

BY MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

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call out has been made to the Federal government of Nigeria and the Lagos State government to react judiciously against the trend of unapproved [but operating] schools in the country and in Lagos State specifically.

Mrs. Edith Odiaka, the Proprietress of Cridy Children’s School, Abule Osun, gave this nudge during the school’s 2ndannual inter-house sports competition held recently at Amuwo grammar school stadium, Agboju.

“We are going to make a call here to the Federal and the State government of the day to please intervene in this issue of unapproved schools because it is giving

us cause of worry in Cridy Children’s School,” the proprietress echoed.

“This crusade started in Lagos State some short years back but to our dismay it was not carried to a logical conclusion. The case has always been that a man or a woman wakes up, opens a shop and brands it a school but of course since times are hard, parents who want their child to go to where they will pay N2,500, throng these substandard schools which in turn pose a limitless challenge to our society.

o fewer than 20 eminent scholars including former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, Bishop Mathew Kukah among others have teamed up to publish a book entitled “Olusegun Obasanjo: The Presidential Legacy 1999 till 2007”.

Former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela wrote the forward of the book which had 20 well researched chapters.

The management of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) disclosed this in Abeokuta, while announcing the activities scheduled for the five-day event and celebration of the 76th birthday of the former president and his legacy in Africa.

Addressing a press conference , the leader of the Obasanjo Legacy Book Projecst, Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe and Alhaji Ahmed Joda, said the book is “a quasi – historical efforts, richly illustrated and constitutes a dispassionate appraisal” of the former president’s eight year tenure at the helms of affairs of Nigeria.

Akinkugbe explained that the book would afford many critics of the Obasanjo administration the opportunity to frankly assess his leadership and stewardship as in gold or in garbage.

“The complexity of the character, as well as those factors that formed the fulcrum for policy formulations of Obasanjo’s administration between 1999 till 2007 will be unveiled in a book that will be launched and presented to the public on March 5th, 2013.”

He further stated that though many publications exist around Obasanjo, the book was well researched and was forwarded by the former president of South Africa, Dr. Nelson Mandela.

“It quintessentially blazes an untrodden path in the political history of an African nation through that period.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—37

I N S I D E

River corpses: NBA demands judicial commission of enquiry

Economy, Politics and Human Rights: Whither Nigeria? (6) — 38

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SANs, lawyers, hail NJC for retiring alleged 'corrupt' judges

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

NATIONAL Judicial Council, NJC, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, last week after its emergency meeting in Abuja, recommended the retirement of two judges of the high court. The council accused Justices Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court and Thomas Naron of the Plateau State High Court for gross misconducts, contrary to their oaths of office. Specifically, they accused Justice Archibong of lacking “full grasp of the law and procedure of the court.”

They also accused Justice Naron of making “constant and regular voice calls and exchange of mms and sms (text) messages" with one of the lead counsel to one of the parties to the suit in the 2007 Osun State gubernatorial Election petitionTribunal contrary to the Code of Conduct for judicial officers vide section 292(1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

In what appears to be wielding of the big stick against corrupt judges, the NJC also warned that it will not hesitate to do away with other bad eggs in the system.

Several lawyers, including senior members of the bar have reacted to the decision of the council. Majority of those who spoke with Vanguard Law & Human Rights hailed the decision taken by NJC. Excerpts: Prof Itse Sagay, SAN NJC’s decision on the compulsory retirement of Justice Thomos Naron of

question whether Kalejaiye is fit to practice in the legal profession because that is a very serious situation of the ethics of the legal profession. There is no question about that. Infact, it is a frontal attack on the whole basis of justice and the rule of law.

Obviously something has to be done about him.

Mr Tani Molajo, SAN Viewed from its widest perspective, the supervisory function of the NJC is our most

The maintenance of the highest standard of judicial integrity is the surest safeguard against the disintegration of the fabric of society

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Plateau State High Court, who chaired the first Osun State Election, was a good one, since found guilty by separate committees that were set up by the judicial body to probe allegations of judicial misconduct.

It is a good one for NJC and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Muktar.

On Justice C. Archibong’s case, the facts were not stated, so I cannot comment on that.

But it is very logical that Mr Kunle Kalejaye, SAN, should be brought under the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA Disciplinary Committee, if found guilty of corrupting a judge by those illegal contacts that were made. That raises reasonable

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effective assurance that the constitutional guarantee of our fundamental freedoms will not become a dead letter; a sterile assertion signifying nothing. Of particular relevance is the promise of fair hearing before a court constituted in such a way as to guarantee its independence and impartiality. There is just no room for corrupt judges.

Indeed, the maintenance of the highest standard of judicial integrity is the surest safeguard against the disintegration of the fabric of society. When the citizenry loses confidence in the capacity of our judges to do justice without fear of favour, the temptation of self help becomes irresistible.

Besides, the corruption within the judiciary strengthens corruption outside the judiciary and if left unaddressed breeds corruption in both places. Having said all this, I must sound a respectful note of caution. I am of the firm view that a judicial error of law or even a misapprehension of facts, in the absence of evidence of corruption, is a ground of appeal not a ground for removal of a judge. In summary, making due allowance for my last comment, I commend the NJC for its good work on this occasion.

Mr Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN I just want to say that the recommendation of NJC, ordinarily, it is almost like a directive. But until the process is completed, the President gives final approval. It may be a bit premature to comment on the affected personalities.

But on the procedure, I have every reason that all the requirement of fair hearing have been employed. And if anything is left to be done, I am not aware of that. Just that the confirmation of our process of keeping the judicial officers is still working.

Whoever have grudges with the justice system should follow the due process of those who probably kick off the complaints against the affected judicial officers in this case.

Chief Morah Ekwunoh The NJC, by its salutary actions, appears to appreciate that except and until corruption, which is the cancerous sore

thumb of our justice system, is removed through the most urgent surgery, it will, in geometrical progression, destroy the system.

It is hoped that the President, to whom the NBC’s recommendations for the judges’ retirement were forwarded, will act fast on same, in order to send strong message to others of their ilk that days of brazen corruption and perversion of justice are over, for ever.

The actions of NJC, in taking the bull by the horns, will ,certainly, improve the image of the justice system in the eyes of the public, which image has been battered by such ridiculous judgments and rulings as witnessed in long and unbroken chain of cases, as those involving Mr Tafa Balogun, Mrs Cecilia Ibru, Mr Lucky Igbinedion, Chief Diepreye Alamieseigha and, of late, “celebrated” Mr John Haruna.

In the case of Justice Achibong, I saw this scenario coming in 2007, when l appeared before His Lordship against the Federal Government in a human trafficking case (FHC/330c/2007:FGN Vs Blessing Peter & Anor).

Notwithstanding the erroneous pleas of “Guilty” and” Not Guilty” respectively by the two accused persons, before my arrival in court, and before I could conclude application for change of “Guilty” plea to “Not Guilty,” His Lordship not only, suo muto, discharged and acquitted the duo, but passed serious restriction on the prosecuting Federal Government Agency, National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, in the following terms: “I will advise NAPTIP to focus on the older persons. There is no need for an agency of the Federal Government compound the misfortune of young persons with the tragedy of criminal prosecution.”

Though the order of discharge and acquittal was in my clients’ favour, I was astounded.

Continues on page 38

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

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Book Title: Deregulation Law, Economics and Politics Editors: Epiphany Azinge and Bolaji Owasanoye Publisher: Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Pages: 230 Chapters: 9 Reviewer: Laura Ani Part 2 They further assert the need to underscore that deregulation of the banking sector is a desideratum for our national economy but can only be effective if the necessary checks in the form of appropriate and effective structures are put in place, until that is done the main benefits that can arise from deregulation will not be accomplished.

The Chapter on Deregulation: The Politics of Funding and Increasing Local Content in Broadcasting by Bankole

Sodipo is intellectually stimulating. The chapter deals with the issues of broadcast financing, the production of local content on our Nigeria’s airwaves and the politics surrounding decision making on issues of broadcasting at the state and federal levels.

The author advocates that laws must be made, implemented and administered with the aim of having positive impacts on the promotion of information, education, entertainment and sports through broadcasting.

He concludes by saying that the Nigerian broadcasting commission needs to play a more pro-active role and intervene by way of making or enforcing regulations rather than leave things to market forces. Further the level of local content across all genre of broadcast must increase and as the NBC is replete with provisions that oblige broadcasters to develop or at least broadcast more local content.

Book Review

Deregulation and Economic Growth in Nigeria: A prognosis by Adebisi Arewa, argues that deregulation, privatisation and transfer of ownership from the public sector to the private sector is a sufficient condition but not necessary to induce optimality, he further posits

that deregulation and privatisation of industries must be complemented by considerable monitoring by the appropriate regulatory agency and legal framework with built in enforcement of best practices.

The article concludes that Nigeria still awaits true deregulation of POC’s in an manner devoid of corruption and political interference and deregulation may not be as clear cut as it seems as he believes that the benefits and dividends of deregulation in terms of quality of services rendered and their effectiveness is yet to be enjoyed by Nigerians.

CONCLUSION The deregulation of the Nigerian economy as discussed extensively in this book no doubt exposes its capitalist nature. Deregulation has meant higher prices of the most essential commodities with job insecurities and other such downsides dating back to the implementation of SAP in 1986. Though the deregulation

of an economy may have been successful in developed countries it may likely have not brought about the intended purpose in developing countries. It remains to be seen whether regulation has benefited us or has been a curse.

The Editorial and typography is excellent, there are hardly any errors in this book and this shows the meticulous editing achieved in this book.

The packaging is indeed attractive and the Institutes press being the best in Nigeria has delivered another book of high printing quality.

RECOMMENDATIONS This book is very edifying and informative and leaves room for future debates. It provides very constructive analysis on several questions bordering our economy and would serve as a scholarly contribution to knowledge. I therefore recommend this book to Policy Makers, Practioners, Academics, Lawyers and indeed the general public.

River corpses: NBA demands judicial commission of enquiry

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

N

ATIONAL Executive Committee, NEC, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a high-powered Presidential Judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the cause of death, source and identity of the floating corpses discovered on Ezu River between Anambra and Enugu States.

In a communiqué at the end of its monthly NEC meeting in Makurdi, Benue State, NBA noted that on January 19, about 40 corpses were found floating in a river in Anambra State, adding that nobody had come to claim any of the said floating corpses and there was no report of communal clashes or any boat mishap in or around the communities in both concerned states.

“The NEC viewed with serious concern, the discovery of floating corpses in Ezu River, Amansea/Awka, Anambra State and called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, to set up a high-powered Presidential Judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the cause of death, source and identity of the floating corpses with a view to bringing any person(s) behind their death to book” the communiqué stated.

NBA said that the floating corpses amounted to gross human rights violation, and a degradation of human life.

Consequently, the association considered the possible human rights violations involved in the incident and the urgent global importance of getting to the root of the matter.

A committee, set up by NBA

President, Chief Okey Wali, in order to monitor the incident and report to the NEC, noted that they swung into action immediately after its inauguration on February 29. The committee, had the First VicePresident of the NBA Mr. O. J. Erhabor as chairman and

former chairman of Abakaliki branch, Mr. Anthony Oka as secretary.

Erhabor in its interim report explained that the committee visited some places and had interviews with the traditional Ruler of Amansea Community Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo and the Police Public Relations

Officer (PPRO) Anambra State Police Command, Emeka Chukwuemeka.

He said: “The committee interviewed several persons from Amansea community, who witnessed the incident firsthand before stakeholders came to the scene before arriving at the interim report.”

Meanwhile, NBA at its NEC meeting approved the bid by Cross River State to host the 2013 Annual General Conference (AGC) of the association in Calabar. NEC also approved the theme “Law, Leadership and Challenges of Nationhood in the 21st Century Nigeria”.

SANs, lawyers, hail NJC for retiring alleged 'corrupt' judges •Continues from page 37 NJC should keep down its feet on the disciplinary accelerator, as there are still other bad eggs within the justice system that urgently need similar treatment.

Mr Monday Ubani- Chairman, NBA Ikeja branch This is a healthy development for the judiciary. It is thumbs up for the NJC and the new CJN. Nigerians will be happy to know that NJC as a regulatory body over the judiciary is still alive and ready to wield its hammer over erring justices of various courts in Nigeria. They are advised to

beef up their searchlight as more bad eggs in the judiciary need to be shown the way out of the institution.

Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN It is a right signal to Nigerians, that it cannot be a business as usual. The signal must be sent that judiciary cannot afford to habour men and women of questionable moral or character and we must also make the point clearly that that is one arm of government we cannot afford to toil with. This especially in the midst of madness going on in this country the judiciary must be supported to rid the system of cor-

ruption.

Also, the other two arms of government must take a cue from this buy wielding the system of corrupt officials to show the world that the country is ready to uphold justice and equity.

Femi Falana, SAN Justice Muktar deserves commendation for plucking up the courage to determine the matter in spite of the desperate moves of certain powerful forces to cover up the judicial scandal.

No doubt, these actions are in line with the with the undertaking made to Nigerians during the

screening of Justice Muktar before the Senate. The NJC has sent a clear message that the days of judicial impunity are over.

We call on President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Jonah Jang to approve the retirement of Justice Archbong and Justice Naaron respectively as recommended by the NJC. We also called on NBA to collaborate with the NJC to purge the Bar and the Bench of corrupt lawyers and judges to reposition the Judiciary to discharge its constitutional duties to Nigerians.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—39

Economy, Politics and Human Rights: Whither Nigeria? (6)

VANGUARD LAW IN PIX NBA holds NEC in Makurdi

Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, held its National Executive Council, NEC meeting in Makurdi, Benue State, recently.

BY CHIDI ODINKALU

Odinkalu continues this week with this article on Economy, Politics and Human Rights: Whither Nigeria?

I

N the period since then, the popularity of the IED has grown exponentially almost in inverse proportion to the capacity of the country’s legal institutions to deal with it.

Dele Giwa’s murder occurred shortly after the completion of the reorganisation of Nigeria’s security services by the then military “President”, Ibrahim Babangida. He was allegedly informed before accepting it that the parcel whose explosion in his hands caused his death was from “the Commander-in-Chief ”. After his death, the then government appeared prepared to do everything within and beyond its powers to frustrate the discovery of the truth about who killed him.

Columnist and journalism teacher, Olatunji Dare, whose brother, a policeman, was the investigating Police Officer into Dele Giwa’s murder, continues the narrative from here: My brother Herbert Tunde Dare, a deputy commissioner of police with the Special Branch, had been assigned to the investigation. Soon after he began investigations with his accustomed energy and commitment – failure was not in his dictionary — he was transferred from Lagos to Kaduna but kept on the case.

Preliminary report He had been summoned to Lagos to file a preliminary report on his investigations.

He had planned to return to Kaduna the same way he had travelled to Lagos: by air. But at the last minute, the police authorities came up with an assignment that warranted his returning by road. Somewhere between Jebba and Mokwa, in Niger State, he was killed in a curious accident. Announcing his death, the police said he had lost control of his car while trying to overtake another vehicle and crashed. He had died instantly.

26 Bola Ige, People, Politics, and Politicians of Nigeria, 1940-197, p. 143.

(1995) © CAO 2013. Check against delivery. Draft 16 The wreck of the car he was alleged to be driving was never produced. The police said a driver and an aide assigned to him were injured in the accident but had been treated at an unidentified hospital and dis-

•Chidi Odinkalu charged.27 Dele Giwa’s lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, who tried to ensure accountability for his murder, suffered serial detention, official persecution and even prosecution for his troubles.

An arbitrary state was about to be succeeded by a criminal one.

In 1994, shortly after taking over power, General Sani Abacha established a multitude of security agencies. In all, he licensed 16 of them under his Chief Security Officer (CSO).28 Among these, a “CounterTerrorism Agency” under the command of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Zakari Biu, was established to watch over reputed regime enemies.

Left: Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State and NBA, President Okey Wali, SAN.

Left: Chairman, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ABUCCIMA, Otunba Dele Oye, former General Secretary NBA, Mr Ibrahim Eddy Mark and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Benue State, Mr Alex Odum.

Left: Justice Amina Augie of Court of Appeal, Mr Emeka Obegolu, General Secretary, NBA and Deacon Dele Adesina, SAN, former General Secretary of NBA.

Left: Mr D. Ezeigwe and Director, Membership and Bar Services, NBA and Mrs. Adaeze Ibekie.

Advocates for democracy Another entity, the “Strike Force” undertook operations to eliminate such people. Advocates for democracy and human rights became terrorists.

Such entities as the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Committee or the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR); Campaign for Democracy (CD); and the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) became enemies of the State. Their leaders and their associates were targeted for persecution or elimination.

Some met untimely, unexplained or violent death. While he was busy at this, General Abacha also managed to appropriate to himself an estimated 3-5% of the country ’s GDP, including “$2.3 billion from the treasury, awarded contracts worth $1 billion to front companies and taken $1 billion in bribes from foreign contractors.”29 We lacked the institutions to find out how much or make him accountable.

Around the same time, the word “terrorist” crept into the agitation in the Niger Delta. By 1994, the activists of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP) were described in some quarters as “terrorists”.

•To be continued

* Cross section of participants

Mrs Funke Adekoya, SAN and Mrs Boma Ozobia, President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

NIALS holds training course on Nuclear Law Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, NIALS, recently held the 3rd Training Course on Nuclear Law and Regulation in Nigeria at the University of Lagos, Unilag, campus of the Institute.

Left: Prof Edwin Nwogugu and Prof Owasanoye representing Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, Director General of NIALS.

Left: NIALS Secretary, Mr James Bathnna and Acting Librarian, Mr Enem Uwem

Left: Prof Alimi Awah of NIALS and Mr Christian Onyemaka of NNRA Southwest Office, Lagos.

Left: Dr Idris and NNRA Head Southwest Zonal Office Abdulhadi Abdullahi

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—41

42 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

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43 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

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44 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Lawmaker lauds Rivers First Lady

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MEMBER of Riv ers State House of Assembly, Mr. Andrew Miller, has described Mrs. Judith Ameachi, wife of the state governor, as God-sent to the down trodden in the state, particularly in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of the state.

Miller, representing Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, said only God fearing people like the First Lady can feel the agony of the less privileged and take steps to ameliorate their pains.

Mrs. Amaechi donated N1 million for economic empowerment of women in the council.

He said: “Who is not happy with the performance of the governor? He has turned the fortunes of the state around since he came on board. The leadership of Governor Rotimi Ameachi has never failed the people, especially in areas of development, self empowerment, security, employment, and uniting the people of the state."

Delta Speaker warns against quest for material wealth

N

IGERIANS have been advised to de-emphasise the quest for material wealth and concentrate more on service to God and humanity.

Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, gave the advice in Asaba, at a thanksgiving service to mark his 44th birthday.

He drew attention to the vanity of life and stressed the need to give thanks to God daily for every achievement in one’s life.

He attributed his achievements to the benevolence of God and urged politicians to always acknowledge the supremacy of God in order to succeed in life.

He asked for forgiveness from those he might have offended in the course of carrying out his duties and called on the political class to unite towards the development of Delta State.

Villagers shut down NPDC flow station in Delta

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—ANGRY villagers in Diebiri and Batan communities in Delta State have shut down the Batan flow station in OML 42, operated by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, over alleged pollution, compensation and other disagreements with the company.

Chairman, Diebiri Governing Council, Mr. Samuel Ako, who confirmed the shutdown of the company’s flow station, said: “Our action was occasioned by NPDC’s failure to pay compensation, carry out clean-up, remediation and re-vegetation of our environment arising from equipment failure which led to the oil spill of July 5, 2012.

“The company also refused to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with us on agreed issues despite the notice given them by the community. This was why Batan flow station was shut down on February 23, by Diebiri and Batan communities.

“NPDC, instead of dialoguing with the communities involved to resume operations, took different steps to cause divide and rule, disunity among leaders and the people of Diebiri and Batan communities.

“They also threatened to employ the services of security agents to deal with leaders of the communities. We do not want to experience another crisis occasioned by oil companies in this part of the

GUINNESS WATER OF LIFE PROJECT: From left: Professor Amos Utuama, Deputy Governor, Delta State, presenting a gift to Mr. Seni Adetu, Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, during a courtesy visit to Government House, as part of proceedings during the commissioning of Guinness Water of Life Project, in Oza Nogogo community, Delta State.

Release our leaders from prison, community begs Delta govt

T

HE people of Uweye community in Uzere Kingdom of Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, have called on the state government to intervene in the lingering crisis rocking the community and release their leaders, who were arrested and are being kept at Kwale prison.

Uweye community, in a statement by Pa James Ukeko and four others, accused the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Oleh Police station, of compromising his official position, leading to the arrest and detention of the leaders of the community at

Kwale prison.

The statement recalled that the community leaders in council resolved to lease one of their lakes to private harvesters so as to raise funds and consequently, the sum of N500,000 was realised and shared among all stakeholders in Uzere Kingdom, but on February 14, 2013 some persons allegedly entered and stole fish from the lake.

He said, the people were apprehended and brought to the town by the forest security guards and on the orders of the leaders of the community, they were handed over to the police, but the next day, the police arbitrarily released the suspects.

“On February 20, 2013 some Uweye community leaders, who were at a Delta State High Court, Oleh over a lingering matter concerning the community were arrested by the police in the court premises and all attempts to get them released were rebuffed by the DPO. “Despite an appeal by the Chairman of the local government area, Engr Goodluck Idele, for their release, the DPO went ahead and charged them to court on trumped up charges of attempted murder leading to their being remanded at Kwale prisons.”

FG urged to prosecute perpetrators of Odi massacre

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE

A

CCESS to Justice, a civil society group, has said that the perpetrators of the genocide committed against the people of Odi in Bayelsa State in 1999 should be brought to justice, in spite of the recent court judgment.

It will be recalled that Justice Lambo Akanbi of a Federal High Court, Port Har-

Niger Delta, that is why we are urging the government to intervene.”

He said the community had notified Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, Warri, of the development and urged the committee to call NPDC to order.

court, Rivers State, had ordered the Federal Government to pay N37.6 billion as compensation to the people of Odi for the invasion of their community, 12 years ago on the orders of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Executive Director, Access to Justice, Mr. Joseph Otteh, in a statement said that the court judgment was predicated on the need to curb the excesses of the executive and to send a clear message

that the days of tyranny were gone forever. He said: “Since 1999, the genocide against Odi community had been held up by those who perpetrated the abuses as a benchmark of how government should deal decisively with communal restiveness and agitation, and the fact that thousands of innocent people lost their loved ones, were maimed and lost everything they had, including their dignity and sense of self-worth mattered so little."

My vision for Delta Poly —Rector

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—RECTOR of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Dr. Jacob Oboreh, has said that his dream was to build a modern Polytechnic with modern infrastructures that befit the state.

Oboreh, who spoke to Vanguard, said: “There are 10 auditoriums with a sitting capacity of 400 being constructed simultaneously. Two have been completed with furniture, while the other eight will be completed by the end of April this year.

“Actually, I didn't want to speak on these projects, but to send my report card directly to my governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan through my ministry.

“We have also completed an ICT centre with over 160 computers for students’ registration and browsing. Academic standard in the Polytechnic has improved tremendously; lecturers now comply with their time tables. Our health centre is now very functional, operating 24 hours to cater for staff and students’ health needs. As I speak, we are also going into private partnership to build a hostel complex of 1,000 rooms."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 —45

Customary court judge to close courts in hostile Edo communities

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN — CHIEF Judge of Edo State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Peter Isibor, has threatened to close down any customary court in a community that is hostile and antagonistic to the court and its workers.

The threat by Justice Isibor was sequel to the invasion by youths of the palace of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella in Estako Central Local Government Area, who also invaded the court, which shares a common boundary with the palace to vent their anger.

The youths, it was learnt vandalised ceiling fans, louvre windows and furniture inside the court.

The grouse of the youths was that President of the Court gave judgment that was against an indigene of the town at Otuo.

Insisting that “the development was worrisome and must be stopped,” Justice Isibor, however, promised to look into their case.

Bayelsa dissolves butcher association

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA— BAYELSA State House of Assembly, yesterday, waded in the crisis rocking the State Association of Cattle Dealers and Livestock Sellers over alleged illegal collection of levies and refusal to register indigenes as members.

It also announced the ban on activities of the association, pending its proper registration with the state government.

The butchers and livestock dealers had in the last few weeks confronted the state government over issues of multiple taxes and revenue collected on livestock slaughtered daily for consumption in Yenagoa.

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Uzere people told to sheathe their swords

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—WORRIED by the recent crisis in Uzere, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, during which houses were burnt in the community, the community’s Peace and Reconciliation Committee, yesterday, appealed to the warring parties to sheathe their swords in the interest of peace and unity.

Uzere Kingdom had been engulfed in crisis, which led to the deaths of some indigenes and burning of

several houses. The crisis forced the embattled Uzere monarch, HRM Isaac Udogri into self exile in December 2011.

The committee in a statement by its Secretary, Mrs. Rhoda Ukpedor, said: “We are surprised

at the recent breakdown of peace and order at Uzere, even when a reconciliation committee is in place.

“The committee commiserates with all those who lost their dear ones and

Our marginalisation in Warri Council must stop —Egbema Ijaw

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

Ijaw in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, have said the alleged political marginalisation and manipulation of Egbema Ijaw people should be corrected

ahead of 2015 general elections, for peace to reign in the state.

Speaking through former Labour Party, LP, candidate, for Warri North State Constituency in 2011 general

From left: Mr. Mike Onolememen, Minister of Works; Mr. Labaran Maku, Minister of Information and Communication and Mr. Christopher Adesotu, Edo State PDP Vice Chairman, during TownHall Meeting organised by Good Governance Tour, in Benin City. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike

PDP chairman in Holland predicts victory for party in 2015

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

L

AGOS — CHAIRMAN of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Overijssel, Holland, Mr. Austin Majajah, has predicted a resounding victory for the party in the 2015 general elections.

Majajah, said that merger by opposition parties to defeat the party will not affect its chances, noting that most of the leaders of such parties were former members of PDP, who were on temporary break from the ruling party.

Majajah spoke in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, weekend said: “Our chances of winning the 2015 general elections still remain bright. The All Progressive Congress, APC, which they call mega party, is no threat to our party.

"We are still expecting to see who and what makes it mega but as for now, it is not different from the existing opposition parties that are

property and appeal to all stakeholders to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of Uzere clan, Isoko nation and Delta State.”

even mostly controlled by PDP members, who took temporary exit from the party.

“However, our party is also working out strategies to meet future exigencies and I can tell you that both the tangible and intangible achievements of the current administration will become more glaring by 2015 to shoot the party far beyond the 2015 general elections.

“I know that it will only take few bold steps by the President, and some giant strides by his government and the so-called APC will become irrelevant.

Nigerians no longer bother about party but good governance and effective

democracy.

"So, I will say that given the sheer determination and level of commitment of the current administration to move the country forward, Nigerians will in the nearest future begin to applaud the altruism of President Goodluck Jonathan.

"And once this administration fully wins the hearts of citizens through its achievements, there will be no need for them to look at the direction of a party, whose foundation started cracking from birth. I can assure you that PDP will lead this country beyond 2015."

elections, Mr. Adanse Felix, they said since the creation of the council over 21 years ago, the Ijaws had not occupied any elective or appointive position.

They said “all such positions were the exclusive reserve of the Itsekiri people to the exclusion of the Egbema people, who are also part and parcel of the council. The Ijaws are always edged out at every election.

"This was too much for the Ijaws to bear, hence in 2011, we took the bull by the horn to challenge this by contesting for the Delta State House of Assembly on the platform of Labour Party, in the Warri North constituency.

But the poll was manipulated against us.

"Our question is: Are the Ijaws not human beings?

Why the oppression and injustice?”

Recently, a group, Egbemas for Positive Change, came up with a possible resolution to the political impasse, suggesting that all elective and appointive positions should be equally shared between the Egbema people and the Itsekiris on 50:50 basis.

It said anything short of this arrangement shall spell doom for the locality. “Based on the position of the group, and to avert any crisis that would result from the threat of the group, we wish to sincerely appeal to well placed individuals with conscience, and most especially Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to look into this issue with a view to correcting these grievous anomalies, imbalance, marginalisation against the Ijaw people in Warri North council. The Ijaws will never accept the second-class-citizen status in their council any further.”

NMA advocates 6-year jail for fake medical practitioners

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

P

ORT HARCOURT — Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Rivers State, has advocated a six year jail term for quacks in medical practice in the state.

Rivers State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Ibitorokoemi Koruba, said, yesterday, that such a drastic regulation had become necessary to instil confidence n the Nigerian health care system.

He said NMA was

disturbed by the dangers posed by the presence of charlatans to effective health care delivery in the country and had been critical in fishing out quacks in the medical field both in the public and private sectors in the state.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

NB declares N55.6bn profit for 2012 LAGOS — NIGERIAN Breweries Plc has declared a profit of N55.6 billion for the 2012 financial year. The unaudited and provisional result released, weekend, showed that the company made a turnover of N252.6 billion as against N211 billion declared for the previous year.

A statement by the board revealed that the company maintained its leadership position in the market in spite of the challenging operating environment in 2012.

Results from the company ’s operating activities grew by 13.4 per cent while profit for the year was impacted by high financing costs arising from investments in plant expansion as well as working capital.

The statement signed by Mr Uaboi Agbebaku, Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, said the board had recommended the payment of a total dividend of N22,688,113,296, that is, N3.00 per ordinary share of 50 kobo each.

Lawyer counsels on effect, causes of Hepatitis B

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WERRI — THE people of Aghahara Nsu, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, have been advised to be conscious of the causes, effect and prevention of Hepatitis B virus.

The advice was given by the President of the community town union, Mike Onyekachi, a lawyer, at a one-day seminar on healthy living.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Anthony Azuine, the guest lecturer, advised that appropriate care must be taken to avoid the deadly disease which he said infected about one third of the world population.

The event, first of its kind in the area, was described by Onyekachi as a move to a "new dawn" in the community as it would not only enlightened the people on the danger of Hepatitis B Virus, but would lead to adequate preventive measures that would enhance healthy living in the community.

Court dismisses suit against INEC over deregistration of parties

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA — A Federal High Court sitting in Awka, yesterday, dismissed the suit filed by an Onitsha-based human rights activist and legal practitioner, Mr. Jezie Ekejiuba, against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Attorney General of the Federation over the deregistration of some political parties in the country for lack of merit.

Ekejiuba had in suit No.FHC/ CS/620/2011 challenged the action of INEC, arguing that the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, did not empower the electoral umpire to deregister political parties.

In dismissing the matter, however, the presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, ruled that by the provisions of Section 153, sub-section (1) f (2), paragraphs 15 (b) and (i) of the Constitution and the provision of Section 78 (7) of the Electoral Act, 2010, INEC had powers to regulate the activities of political parties.

According to the judge, "paragraph 15 (b) of the constitution provides that the commission shall have power to register political parties in

accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, while paragraph 15(i) went further to provide that the commission shall carry out such other functions as may be conferred upon it by an Act of the National Assembly. " The plaintiff, Ekejiuba, who was

in court, said he would appeal the judgment, arguing that the court conferred undue powers on INEC because carrying out such other functions did not mean the same thing as having the power to deregister political parties.

It would be recalled that

Vice President Namadi Sambo (right); Labour Minister, Chief Emeka Wogu (left); Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomen (2nd left) and others as the Vice President arrived to chair the review meeting on Community Services, Women and Youth Empowerment under the SURE-P Programme of the Federal Government at the State House, Abuja, Tuesday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Ihonvbere kicks against formation of PDP Govs' Forum

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ENIN — THE crisis rocking the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, that led to the creation of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors’ Forum, has not been handled properly, the Secretary to Edo State Government, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, has said.

According to him, “the best way to have handled it was through dialogue and exchange of ideas instead of the factionalization of the Governors’ Forum.”

Ihonvbere spoke during a courtesy call by the Vice Chancellor of Western Delta University, Oghara, Professor P.G. Hugbo, saying: “My foray into government and politics was to see how to move out of my theory and research in political science and socio-sciences into the practice of it but you will not believe my experience when I begin to talk about it.

"Not one of the principles and rules of politics as a game operates in Nigeria. This is like walking blind-folded and inventing the rule by the hour depending on where you find yourself.

"There is no country in history that has succeeded in that way; you don’t like an organ and you create another one within that one. When people begin to operate in that pedestal politics, you know they are not serious about governance and not interested in going anywhere.

The best way to handle the crisis

Ekejiuba dragged INEC to court when it deregistered seven political parties on August 18, 2011 and as the matter was still pending in court, the Commission deregistered 28 more political parties on December 6, 2012.

is to dialogue and exchange ideas instead of creating another within it.”

Reacting to a request by the university authority to be its guest lecturer during its first convocation ceremony, Ihonvbere said: "It is very difficult for an academic to reject an invitation like this. We university people are different people, we never cease to engage in learning, publication, comment service, managing students from different

backgrounds and constantly renewing ourselves to impact on people. ”There is a kind of spirit driving us without fraternity and that is the knowledge and ideas that unite us wherever we find ourselves. Any opportunity to contribute to knowledge and speak to young people who are living in a kind of society like Nigeria cannot be rejected especially with persons with social conscience."

Court orders IGP, 2 others to pay lawyer N25.5m as damages

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI — AN Owerri High Court presided over by Justice Nonyerem Okoronkwo, has ordered the Inspector General of Police to pay a Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mr. Emeka Ozoani, N25.2 million instead of the N50 billion sought as aggravated damages for assault and humiliation.

Delivering the judgment that lasted nearly two hours, yesterday, Justice Okoronkwo said others who are to jointly and severally pay the bill include the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 9 Umuahia and Julius Berger Plc. The High Court Judge agreed that Ozoani simply acted as

counsel to Mrs. Philomena Ugo, a staff of Imo State University, Owerri, irrespective of his relationship to the woman.

“The police have no hiding place under the law, in this matter before me. The arrest or attempted arrest of a lawyer stepping out of a courtroom, which attracted lawyers and the state Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Benjamin Njemanze is most disgraceful,” Okoronkwo said.

Okoronkwo wondered why Julius Berger Plc, through their lawyer, turned round to accuse counsel and client of forging documents earlier tendered in court and no objections raised during trial in suit, HOW/581/ 2007 earlier decided by Hon. Justice Ngozi Benardine Ukoha.

Work to resume on Apapa regeneration project, March

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS — GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, has assured residents that work will resume on the suspended Apapa regeneration project in March.

The exercise was recently suspended following alleged failure of the Federal Government to honour its part of the project.

Reacting to a question by Vanguard on the next action following the seeming abandonment of the project, Fashola said: “On Apapa regeneration project, yes, it is true that we stopped work there. We plan to do a network of the busiest 11 roads within the Apapa Industrial and Government Reservation Area, GRA. "We thought that all the roads would have been done by now, until we saw that the Federal Government was unable to manage the busiest activities in the port. All the tanker and trailer drivers have turned the newly constructed roads into parking space, so we had to stop and reassess the roads. But I am happy to inform you that before the end of the first quarter, March, we will resume our rehabilitation work on Apapa regeneration project."

Vanguard , THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 —47

WELCOME: Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State arriving the state after his recuperation.

LIGHTING: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State performing the switching on ceremony of light on the seven-kilometre Ikorodu-Jibowu Flyover-Maryland Underpass (Independence Tunnel).

OPENING: From left— Chief Jude Evergreen

Onyedum, Managing Director, Evergreen International Service; his wife, Ogechi; Mr. Boniface Nwabuko, Head of Human Resources; and Mrs. Georgina Ezekwem, National Customer Service Manager, both of Mouka Limited, during the opening of Mouka's ultra-modern outlet in Alagbado, Lagos, Tuesday.

PRESENTATION:

From left— Mr. Segun Adeyemo, winner of DStv reward; Mr. Mayo Okunola, General Manager, DStv; and Mr. Segun Fayose, Head of Public Relations, MultiChoice Nigeria, during the presentation of $10,000 to winner at MultiChoice Nigeria head office in Lagos.

PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

BRIEFING: From left— Pastor Ben Chiadika,

Resident Pastor, Glory Christian Ministries, GCM, Odi-Olowo; Dr. Iruofagha James, Convener and General Overseer, GCM, and Pastor Yemisi Duggal, Pastor, GCM Satellite Branch, during a briefing heralding GCM's 2013 Glory Summit.

AWARD:

From left— Mr. Kestin Pondi, GM Oil Facility Surveillance Limited; Mr. Ben Dunno, immediate past Chairman, Warri Correspondents Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and Dr. Clarkson, at the presentation of award to Mr. Pondi by Mr. Dunno on behalf of Fenog Nig. Ltd. PHOTO: Akpokona Omafuaire.

WORKSHOP: From left— Prof. Tola Atinmo, Chairman, Centre for Health Education and Population, CHEPON; Mr. Colman Akinwolere, representing Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB; Dr. Samuel Adenekan, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Nigeria Plc, and Dr. Folusho Onagoruwa of CHEPON, during the Nestle Nigeria Plc's Healthy Kids Teachers workshop in Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

C M Y K

POLO: From right— Mr. Dola Bamgboye, MTN Event and Sponsorship Manager; Mr. Habib Fasinro, President, Lagos Polo Club; Mrs. Oyinade Adegbite of Guaranty Trust Bank Communication and External Affairs; and Mr. Tade Oyinlola, Ericsson Nigeria Polo Tournament Manager, at the joint press conference by co-sponsors of 2013 Lagos Polo Club in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

PEACE: Front row— Mr. Collins Olorogun (3rd left), Transition Committee Chair-

man, Bomadi Local Government; Mr. Obale Abonema, Secretary to the LG (2nd right), and other members of the Security Council after a peaceful resolution of Ekamtagbene crisis in Bomadi.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

BoA restates commitment to boost food production

BY ABDALLAH ELKUREBE

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OKOTO—THE Bank of Agriculture, BoA, has stated its readiness to promote Agricultural Biotechnology for food production.

Managing Director of the bank, Dr. M u h a m m a d u Santuraki, told Vanguard in an interview in Sokoto, yesterday, that the BoA would continue to support “biotechnology for food.”

According to him, although it was an emerging field in the country, biotechnology had attracted the attention of the bank.

He said: ”Biotechnology is an emerging field in Nigeria and this is an area that has attracted our attention. In fact, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with the Biotechnology Institute and we are working with them to see how we can promote biotechnology.”

On how the bank intended to support biotechnology, he said: “It also depends on how you look at biotechnology because people come to me to say they want to borrow money to grow crops for fuel. That is good but that is not the mandate we are supporting right now. Because we are trying to grow crops for food now.”

Bauchi youths protest non-release of 7 foreigners B

BY SUZAN EDEH

AUCHI—AS security agents intensified efforts to rescue the seven foreigners abducted from Bauchi State, hundreds of youths in Jama’re Local Government Area of the state, yesterday, took to the streets to protest the non-release of the foreigners by their abductors.

The demonstrators also appealed to the state government to fish out perpetrators of the dastardly act with the aim of meting out appropriate punishments to them.

The youths who carried placards, some which read, “Jama’re youths call for the release of seven foreigners’’ and ‘’Bauchi State government, fish out the kidnappers,’’ marched to the palace of the Emir, Alhaji Ahmed Wabi, to express their displeasure over the development.

They condenmed the kidnap incident, saying that the construction company that the foreigners worked for, created employment opportunities for over 400 youths in the community while 300 others were employed from other states of the federation.

Speaking during the protest, the Chairman of

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commodation for non-indigenous staff as well as transport services among other numerous services. We want to also use this medium to sympathise with the management of the company over the death of the security guard who was killed during the unfortunate incident.”

While appealing to the group

that claimed responsibility for the kidnap of the foreigners to consider the pligths of the youths who had lost their jobs, the chairman urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of the kidnapped expatriates as soon as possible to enable the construction company continue with its projects.

INSPECTION: From left: Acting Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Professor Charles Onocha; Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, and Mr. Emeka Woke, during the Minister’s inspection of Federal Government Library project, at Federal Government Girls College, Benin, Edo State.

....As govt moves to replace striking teachers

B

BY SUZAN EDEH

AUCHI—THE Bauchi State Government has concluded arrangements to recruit about 5,000 teachers to replace the striking secondary school teachers in the state.

Katsina to study Jigawa justice reform programme on ADR

BY ALIYU DANGIDA UTSE—A six-man delega tion from Katsina State was in Jigawa State to study the state’s justice sector reform programme as it affects Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR. The delegation which was led

by Justice Abdullahi Yusuf explained that they were in the state having been satisfied with the way the reform has yielded positive impact in solving civil cases.

Justice Yusuf said: “We are satisfied with the state’s justice sector reform programme which we believe is ever ready to accommodate any challenges which has to do with mediation and application of alternative ways in the settlement of dis-

Jama’re Youth Council, Hassan Usman, said the company had uplifted the standard of living of the people and as such, the state government should intervene by ensuring that the kidnapped foreigners were rescued.

He said: “Apart from the fact that the company has created jobs for youths in the community, it has also provided ac-

putes among people which may lead to reduction of civil cases in various courts.’’

Justice Yusuf stated further that the delegation will submit its report to Katsina State Government for the full implementation of similar programme which will ensure justice especially at the grassroots level.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Jigawa State Justice Sector and Law Reforms Commission, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, explained that the commission was paying great emphasis on the settlement of disputes between people through mediation as an alternative way than going to court especially in civil cases.

This is coming against the backdrop of the face-off between the state government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, over alleged irregular deductions of their allowances by the government.

The union called out its members on strike following the decision by the government to unilaterally deduct allowances of civil servants and public officers to fund some of its programmes.

Already the Teaching Service Commission has said it had so far received more than 20,000 applications from applicants to be employed as teachers in secondary schools in the state.

Chairman of the Commission, Yahaya Baba, said: “The state government is making plans to replace any secondary school teacher who fails to resume duties. Already, the Ministry of Education had requested for 3,000 new teachers while the state Education Board also requested for 2,000 teachers, bringing the total number of needed teachers to 5,000.

“We have no option than to terminate their appointments

and replace them with those we have on ground. The commision will ensure that they are paid all their entilements and other retirement benefits.”

He however, noted that the commission was waiting for further directives from the state government on when to start terminating the appointments of the striking school teachers because according to him, ‘’no teacher can hold the govern-

ment to ransom.’’

Baba said the state government deducted the allowances of both public and civil servants in the state because of its dwindling resources.

He lamented that parents and students had been suffering because of the selfish interests of the striking teachers, pointing out that their actions had jeopardised the educational sector in the state.

Group tasks Jonathan on marginalisation of S-West

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HRISTIAN Welfare Initia tive, CWI, a political arm of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has expressed sadness and utmost concern over what it called the marginalization of the South Western part of Nigeria by the Jonathan administration.

In a statement in Lagos, the national president of CWI, Archbishop Magnus Atilade,said: “When we studied the figure of last presidential election in 2011, region by region, South-West region overwhelmingly voted for president Jonathan.

“Infact, Jonathan won in five states in South-West convincingly and in Osun State, he was placed second with a little margin to Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN’s, candidate.

“With the analysis at our disposal, we are not happy with this marginalization and we say without mincing words that the marginalization is very unfair and uncalled for. We want this anomaly to be corrected now for equity, oneness of Nigeria, and fairplay. We ask the President to treat the matter with the urgency it deserved. “

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013 — 49

African countries to beef up security at gulf of Guinea

BY EVELYN USMAN

FIFTEEN African countries have agreed to harmonize their strategies to beefing up security in the gulf of Guinea which has become the hot bed for pirate and other related crimes.

This was the outcome of a multinational sea exercise which began yesterday in the Gulf of Guinea.

This year ’s exercise, according to a statement signed by spokesman for the Western Naval Command, Lieutenant Commander Jerry Omodara, focused majorly on counter piracy and maritime security operations, adding that the exercise also included a wide variety of training for participating countries such as sea boarding, air operation, communication drills and regional

information sharing.

Cameroon Minister of Defence, Mr Mebe Edgard Alain, who made the call during the opening ceremony of the exercise codenamed ‘ Exercise Obangame

Express 2013’, noted that “in the face of alarming rise in maritime security, the regional forces need to enhance strategic and tactical capabilities”, explaining that maritime security was a -prerequisites for attracting investment,

promoting trade and continuing economic development.

A total of 15 countries namely; Nigeria, Ghana,Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Cote d’ Ivorian, Equatorial Guinea,

France, Gabon, Netherlands, Republic of Congo,, Sao Tome and Principe, Spain, Togo and the United States are taking part in the exercise.

However, only ten countries have ships

participating in the exercise which would end today.

Among them are two Nigerian Navy Ships;NNS THUNDER and NNS BURUTU as well as Nigerian Air Force maritime patrol Aircraft.

Britain warns citizens against travel to North Nigeria B

RITAIN has warned its citizens in Nigeria to stay away from northern parts of the West African country where Islamist militants have threaten to attack and abduct nationals from Western countries.

S p e c i f i c a l l y mentioned in the travel advisory were Okene, Kogi state and Bauchi, in Bauchi State , which have seen increases in attacks on Western citizens. The warning came against the

background of the threats

by Islamist groups which posted their threats on the internet.

A statement from the foreign office, advised “against all-but-essential travel” to Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa and Katsina States. Britain upped its travel risk ratings on Wednesday, advising against any travel to Bauchi State and Okene city in southern Kogi State where militants last month attacked Nigerian troops who were bound

for Mali to counter an Islamist insurgency.

Britain put Ansaru on its official “terrorist group” list in November , saying it was aligned with al Qaeda and was behind the abduction of a Briton and an Italian killed last year during a failed rescue attempt.

Western governments are concerned the militants may link up with groups elsewhere in the region, including al Qaeda’s North African wing AQIM,

especially given the conflict in nearby Mali.

France sent troops to Mali last month to help oust Islamist rebels.

The group had warned that it would target French citizens in response to the military campaign that it launched on the AlQaeda link Islamist groups in Mali. It will be recalled that gunmen killed a security guard and abducted a Briton, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese workers

after storming the compound of Lebanese construction firm Setraco on February 16.

It was the worst case of foreigners being kidnapped in the Nigeria since an insurgency by Islamist militants intensified two years ago.

The group’s full name is Jama’atu Ansarul Musilimina Fi Biladis Sudan, which roughly translates as “Vanguards for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa”.

50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013—51

Why Nigeria, US don’t share Intelligence •Says Informants in Nigerian govt

BY DEVLIN BARRETT & MUSA IBRAHIM

West African colony of Mali. “We HE shooting clattered on for 30 say to the minutes, residents of this dusty president of town say, and when it ended, four France, we militants holding a German engineer are the hostage were dead. So were the jihadists engineer, and four innocent who people bystanders. In vast West Africa, a new refer to as front-line region in the battle against B o k o al Qaeda, Nigeria is America’s Map of West Africa Haram,” the strategic linchpin, its military one the turbanU.S. counts on to help contain the shrouded man said. “We are fighting powers involving themselves,” said spread of Islamic militancy. Yet the war that he has declared on Mr. Campbell, now a senior fellow Nigeria has rebuffed American Islam.” at the Council on Foreign Relations. attempts to train that military, whose French officials said they were Doyin Okupe, senior special history of shooting freely has U.S. analyzing the video and considering assistant to Nigerian President officials concerned that soldiers here the difficulties in either entrusting Goodluck Jonathan, agreed that fuel the very militancy they are Nigerian soldiers to rescue their “Nigeria sees itself as a regional supposed to counter. citizens or staging a rescue raid in a power in Africa. It’s the dominant It is just one example of the limits to foreign land. Such kidnappings, like force, really. Nigeria is a very proud what is now American policy for the attack in Algeria, show how nation. We feel that to subjugate our policing troubled parts of the world: extremist groups are leapfrogging military under another world power to rely as much as possible on local borders. would be to really compromise our partners. The U.S. and Nigerian Boko Haram has fought alongside integrity.” authorities don’t fully trust each other, the regional al Qaeda affiliate known He said Nigeria is willing to let limiting cooperation against the threat. as al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Western nations supply equipment, And U.S. officials say they are wary or AQIM, according to residents of “but we might not be too of sharing highly sensitive Mali. Hundreds of self-identified predisposed to subjugating our intelligence with the Nigerian Boko Haram fighters last year learned forces to undergo training under government and security services for to fire shoulder-mounted weapons at another military.” fear it can’t be safeguarded. Nigerian an AQIM-affiliated training camp in Washington has struggled for officials concede militants have Timbuktu, Mali, said a cook who fed years to cement close ties with the informants within the government them and neighbors who watched Nigerian army. The U.S. military’s and security forces. them. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Africa Command invited the For the U.S., though, cooperation Shekau spent much of last year in Nigerian military seven years ago with Nigeria is unavoidable. The Mali, according to a senior Nigeria to participate in Operation country is America’s largest African security adviser.

Flintlock, an annual multinational trading partner and fifth-largest oil In Boko Haram “you have a group counterterrorism exercise. Nigerian supplier. Some 30,000 Americans that’s becoming increasingly efficient generals balked at sending a large work here. Nigeria has by far the increasingly on regional powers. contingent of soldiers. biggest army in a region where al The U.S. later proposed setting up The Nigerians regard themselves as the hegemons a specialized counterterrorism unit within the Nigerian military, but it of West Africa, and they are traditionally suspicious foundered, according to U.S. of other powers involving themselves officials.

After a Nigerian recruited by an al Qaeda branch tried to blow up Qaeda has kidnapped scores of “It can’t just be the United States. It an airliner approaching Detroit on Westerners, trained local militants to can’t just be Europe. It’s got to be the Christmas 2009, the U.S. ramped rig car bombs and waged war across African nations as well joining in this up its approach.

Since the thwarted an expanse of Mali the size of Texas. effort,” departing Defense Secretary attack, the U.S. has been working Last month, al Qaeda-linked Leon Panetta said in an interview. The with Nigeria on creating an extremists’ attack on a natural-gas new national-security team President “intelligence fusion center” for rapid plant in faraway Algeria left at least Barack Obama has chosen is sharing of information collected by 37 foreigners dead. expected to embrace a light-footprint various Nigerian security services, In Nigeria, a homegrown Islamic approach that relies on special forces, say State Department officials. extremist group loosely called Boko drones and local partners to combat U.S. military officials see this as Haram has for years attacked churches terrorism, officials say. an important first step to see and schools. The name translates as Mr. Panetta brushed aside doubts whether the Nigerians can handle “Western education is sin.” Now, the about relying on Nigerian forces. “You security threats themselves. After sect’s followers are joining a broader can’t give up on this thing,” he said. two years of effort, the plan has only holy war, led by al Qaeda and “It’s really important for the African inched forward, owing to mistrust financed by kidnappings. On nations to be able to develop their among agencies and fighting over February 16, militants in the north capabilities. I don’t think we should funding, officials in both countries abducted seven mostly European just assume that we can’t do that.” say. Nigerian officials have construction workers.

John Campbell, a former U.S. acknowledged that Boko Haram Three days later, gunmen crossed ambassador to Nigeria, said Nigeria has a web of informants within the into neighbouring Cameroon to is the African country of the greatest government and security services, kidnap a family of French tourists strategic importance to the U.S., but inhibiting closer cooperation with outside an elephant park. The family has sought to keep the American the U.S. appeared in a YouTube video posted military at arm’s length. “The Originally entitled ‘On Terror’s this week, its four children squirming Nigerians regard themselves as the New Front Line, Mistrust Blunts U.S. on camera, as a spokesman read a hegemons of West Africa, and they Strategy’, this piece was published message for France, which last month are traditionally suspicious of other yesterday by Wall Street Journal attacked al Qaeda fighters in its former

T

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Jonathan to NASS: You're laying landmines for me Continues from Page 5

incidents of crude oil theft which had existed for several decades before this administration came on board. However, the truth is that this is currently being tackled through pro active steps by the government. The opposition is most probably aware of the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan recently secured the cooperation of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and French President on measures to prevent refineries in Europe from buying crude oil stolen from Nigeria.

“Similarly, the Jonathan administration has provided more and better surveillance boats for the Nigerian Navy to enhance patrol of our coastal waters.

This has resulted in arrest of several vessels engaged in oil theft and these were well reported in the Nigerian print and electronic media.”

The Presidency drew the attention of the opposition to the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, currently before the National Assembly which it says was conceived by President Jonathan to provide for best practice processes for acreage availability, bidding and awards and, therefore, address the problems of dwindling oil and gas e x p l o r a t o r y opportunities, and corruption among other problems in the sector.

It added that the need to diversify the Nigerian economy and reduce dependence on oil had also been the driving force of the Federal Government’s massive investment in agriculture in a manner unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria.

He said: “In the year 2012 alone, the agricultural sector accounted for over 75 per cent of all non-oil export; the highest output in 25 years.”

Need to reduce cost of governance While agreeing that

there is indeed a need to reduce the cost of governance at all tiers of government in Nigeria, the statement explained that President Jonathan had shown practical commitment through a reduction in recurrent expenditure from 74 per cent in 2011 to 71 per cent in 2012 and 68 per cent in the 2013 budget ,adding that the medium term target is to reach 60 per cent recurrent expenditure.

The statement said it was of concern that a political party, individual or any organisation worth its salt would chose to ignore the positive rating of the Nigerian economy by reputable international rating agencies in the last one and a half years of the J o n a t h a n administration but rather conjure imaginary figures to make wild claims.

Negative verdict on economy “One wonders if the ACN would have ignored the ratings by Fitch, Standard & Poor ’s, Moody’s and JP Morgan if those bodies had turned in a negative verdict on the Nigerian economy.

The only conclusion one can draw from this is that the opposition has once again chosen the myopic and jaundiced path of public policy analysis rather than base its assessment on verifiable, objective indices. Unfortunately, a matter as sensitive as a nation’s economy ought not to be subjected to this fashion of blind politicking.”

While assuring Nigerians that the Federal Government remains committed to implementing sound economic policies and development of the nation’s infrastructure, the Presidency urged politicians to exhibit statesmanship in addressing issues of critical nature rather than seeking to score cheap points in desperate manner.

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52—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

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ALL him the most-sought after political bride of the South-West geo-political zone and you may be right. At a time of massive political alignment and re-alignment ahead of the 2015 elections, Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, is emerging as a rallying point of sorts, if the substance of politicians and eminent Nigerians, who converged on Akure for his second term inauguration, weekend, was anything go by.

From all parts of the country, all roads literarily led to Akure, the Ondo State Capital between last Thursday and Saturday as people congregated for the series of activities mapped out for Mimiko’s historic second inauguration.

The jinx breaker Re-elected on the banner of the Labour Party, LP, he broke the jinx of inability of incumbents to win and consummate re-elections in the Sunshine State. Since the creation of Ondo state in 1976, no civilian governor has served for more than four years.

Although, the first civilian governor, late Chief Adekunle Ajasin of the Unity Party of Nigeria won a second term after a bitter political battle with the National Party of Nigeria, NPN, in the Second Republic, his mandate was truncated by the return of the military three monthsafter his second coming. And since 1999, no governor has ever won a second term in office in the state. Late Chief Adebayo Adefarati’s second term bid was truncated by Olusegun Agagu, while he (Agagu) also failed to

* Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Sehinde Kumuyi; Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko; and his wife; Oluwakemi, during the swearing-in of Mimiko as the state governor in Akure on Sunday.

Mimiko: The South-West political bride begins second term Scramble for South-West Now, the scramble for the political soul of the South-West has started even though the 2015 elections are 27 months away.

ACN, which is hammering out a merger with three other parties – All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP; Congress for Progressive, CPC; and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, wants

,

Our major focus shall be on an aggressive drive at job creation for our teeming youths through innovative and durable programmes that will engender sustainable livelihood

return, having lost to the incumbent, Olusegun Mimiko.

Agagu lost out to Mimiko through a court process that invalidated his return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mimiko won his re-election under interesting circumstances. He weathered two-pronged attacks from the leading political parties in the land – Peoples Democratic Party, PDP (ruling party at the centre) and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN (the dominant party in the South-West with five of the six states) and emerged unscathed.

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to retain the South-West and also expand its political coast to other parts of the country including the presidency with the merged platform, All Progressive Congress, APC. ACN is also pursuing regional integration of the South-West, which will be incomplete without Ondo State, a major resources oasis of the zone. On its part, the PDP that lost control of the zone in 2007 is mounting a come-back bid.

Thus, any of the parties that successfully woos Mimiko to its side will stand a better chance of actualizing its SouthWest political dreams in 2015.

One way or the other, Mimiko has traversed these parties in the last 12 years. He started out as a chieftain of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) that later became the bedrock of the ACN in 1999 and later decamped to the PDP where he was made a minister. En route the 2007 polls, he quit the PDP for LP to realize his governorship ambition, when he was denied the PDP ticket.

Mimiko: The beautiful political bride Given his achievements, which have transformed the Ondo landscape in the last four years, and for which the electorate handed him a fresh four year term, it is therefore not surprising that a host of eminent Nigerians and politicians from the leading parties chose to identify with Mimiko last weekend. Sources said their presence was also part of efforts to woo him to their camps.

The polity has been awash with reports of PDP wooing him to serve as its arrowhead in the battle for South-West. There are also speculations of the ACN seeking his hand for the SouthWest regional integration effort.

The presence of top shots of these parties at the events organized for Mimiko’s swearing-in ceremony indicates that there is no smoke

without fire.

First, they were at the Inauguration Lecture delivered

by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi at the Cultural centre, Akure on the morning of Saturday February 23. The lecture was titled: “Leadership, Democracy and Development; A Paradigm Relationship.”

Investment potentials They also returned to the Cultural Centre in the evening for the premiere of the movie: Asogbodilu (transforming a forest into a city). Written and produced by Tunde Babalola.

The film chronicles Mimiko’s achievements in the last 48 months and showcases the state’s investment potentials.

And on Sunday afternoon, they converged at the Democracy Park to witness the swearingin of Mimiko and his Deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi.

The roll call Eminent Nigerians who attended the events included ACN governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun State, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Segun Adesegun. CPC governor, Alhaji Tanko Al’ Makura of Nassarawa State was also present.

Others were Governor Peter

Obi (APGA) of Anambra State; Theodore Orji (PDP) of Abia State; Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu; former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; former Governor Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo State; and former Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State.

There were also former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose; former Plateau State Deputy Governor, Mrs Paullen Tallen; Chief Great Ogboru; LP National Chairman, Dan Nwanyanwu; Dr Olu Agunloye; Business mogul, Aliko Dangote; Oba Otudeko; Dr Tunji Braithwaite; Professor Bolaji Akinyemi; General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd); Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo; Brigadier Dayo Olukoya; Chief Michael Ade Ojo, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi (Rtd); Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC Founder, OPC National Cocoordinator, Otunba Ganiyu Adams; Dr Frederick Fasehun; former Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke (jnr); Afenifere leaders – Chiefs Ayo Adebanjo and Olu Falae.

Among the personalities were Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade; Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida; Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Adesimbo Kiladejo; Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Akinruntan and Emir of

Continues on page 53

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—53

The PIB is anti-Nigerian PROF. FESTUS IYAYI, Head of Department, Business Administration at the University of Benin and former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in this interview attributed the rot in the Nigerian Universities to the Babangida regime which he accused of systematically killing university education and his verdict: no Nigerian university will attain a world raking in the midst of squalor, lack of facilities and poor funding. He also welcomes the merger of opposition parties, but added that the emerging party must have an ideology and vision on how to develop the country, just as he derides the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB as anti-Nigerian. Excerpts

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

N

EXT year, Nigeria will be celebrating 100years of amalgamation of the North and South by Lord Lugard .

Is this worth celebrating?

I believe that the bringing together of the Protectorates of Southern and Northern Nigeria and the Colony of Lagos into one Nigeria is a blessing. America is a country of hundreds of millions of people, China is over one billion, so, the diversity is like creating a rainbow and for a rainbow to occur, there has to been unity, there has to been cohesion, there has to be a feeling of oneness.

What has happened in Nigeria is that in 1914 Lugard said, let us amalgamate and

made progress, there is no visionary leadership, we don’t have a ruling class in the true sense of the world; a ruling class creates wealth; wants to make the country powerful. A ruling class anchors itself in production.

What is your position on the Petroleum Industry Bill which is already pitching the North against the South?

The PIB is anti-Nigerian, not just anti-North or anti-South. I saw the original PIB that was drawn up. It had many nationalist elements: - it will be controlled by Nigerians; it will have local sourcing of materials and involvement of communities. All that has gone because Shell and the multinational oil companies made sure that the provisions

,

We have not created a nation; we have a country, we don’t have a nation

create one Nigeria, but from 1914 till now, we have not created a nation; we have a country, we don’t have a nation. A nation has the psychology of oneness; a country is just a territory that is inhabited by different people who do not share a sense of common destiny.

That is what Nigeria currently is. So, in terms of facilities and concrete achievements, there is nothing to celebrate after almost a hundred years. But in terms of being one country with one name, it is something we should learn to protect All this talk about break up Nigeria will not work; even if it works, once you break up the country, the constituent parts that have been broken will also wants to break away.

Go the South- West and see the relationship between Oyo and Osun states, how they are fighting over the University at Ogbomosho. It is not important whether you are from the same race or not, it is the economic interest of the members of the ruling class through their behavior.

In Nigeria, the Hausa/Fulani ruling elite, the Yoruba ruling elite, the Edo ruling elite, the Igbo ruling elite all want to kill each other for the share of what they get from the national cake.

And that is why, we have not

,

that benefit Nigerians were removed. What you have now is nothing but a shell, the content is no longer there. And off-course, people will then read ethnic sentiments into it: the North there is no benefits to us, the South will say there is no benefit to us.

Communities are not involved; they are aliens to what is happening. The original bill took care of the environment, the remediation, provided the process where the remediation process can take place with the involvement of the communities.

All those things have been

removed. The bill is meant to benefit all the major oil companies in Nigeria, which is why the fight between the North and the South. It is not about Nigeria, it is the ruling class quarrel that we see all the time. It is not about the progress of the country at all.

On the merger of opposition political parties I hope it works, I hope it works. I think that they have taken a major step that will indicate for once that a merger will. If you have a strong opposition, then, the governments of the day will behave, if you have a very weak opposition, then the government in power will do what they like. There are no negotiations, no debates because the government in power just dictates.

And I hope that people will not be going to succumb later because what the PDP will do is to sponsor people into the merger party who will then come later and say we are no longer part of it. They have a right to do that because it is a war; a war about how to share the national resources, that is all they are about.

Why are Nigerian universities missing out among the top ranked universities in the world?

If you don’t fund a system, you don’t provide for the facilities, nothing can happen.

We have laboratories where people are using kerosene stoves, all kinds of devices for experiments and in many places, no experiments but skeletal chemistry, skeletal

*Iyayi physics, yet they award them degrees in chemistry and physics.

They also indicate that they have practical because they now have what they call, the Theory of Practical, you do practical in theory and not in practice.

Jonathan administration This is very strange. That study is there and it is before the Jonathan administration, Jonathan himself has sat down with his ministers on the report and expressed surprise at the findings.

Then, the qualities of teachers and students have also declined over the years.

If you want to create conditions in your country by saying look, we are Nigerians and have a Nigerian university, it will not work because the University is an open book and its results are available to every other person across the world.

So, if you don’t have resources, you don’t have journals, you don’t have good students and teachers, you don’t have good laboratories,

you cannot have good results that you will publish in top journals in the world which then will attract a high level of ranking.

The destruction of the University in Nigeria began with Babangida who when they first came, stopped the feeding of students, then that teachers were not teaching what they were paid and did all kinds of things.

Then, lecturers fled the country and then, they systematically killed the university system so as to make Nigeria amenable to exploitation, to be controlled by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.

This is because the ruling elites in Nigeria are servants of imperialism.

Buhari resisted it, he told the Americans that they should do counter trade rather than take your loan, but Babangida came and said what counter trade?

Americans came in up to the point now that the World Bank is (now) in Aso Rock. It had never happened before in history that the World Bank officials now occupy Aso Rock.

Mimiko: The South-West political bride begins second term Continues from page 52 Tsonga, Shehu Yahaya.

Mimiko’s pledge Speaking after his swearingin as the fifth democratically elected governor of the state, Mimiko, mindful of people of diverse political affiliations surrounding him, promised to pursue patriotic corporation across party lines to ensure growth and development of the country.

On regional integration, he said: “We are convinced that the totality of the concept of

progressivism, which the late sage (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) represented, is about using the instrumentality of government to make choices on behalf of the majority of our people.

“To us, being progressive means democratisation of access to fundamentals of good living.”

Recounting some of his achievements in the last four years such as massive investment in road construction, education, healthcare, agriculture and 644

community nominated projects across the state, mega primary schools, mother and child hospitals (Abiye), etc, the governor vowed to continue to enhance the quality of life of Ondo people, whom he saluted for re-electing him.

Mimiko, however, warned that in the next four years political office holders in the state “must cease from looking at government and service as a goldmine.

He said the on-going International Events Centre,

The Dome, would be completed this year while the state’s residency card, ‘Kaadi Igbe Ayo’ would be launched next month.

Mimiko also commended President Goodluck Jonathan “for guaranteeing the ambiance for a free, fair and peaceful election (in Ondo State) through the timely and most responsible deployment of security operatives” and prayed “for more grace and strength for Mr. President to take our nation unto greater heights.”

54 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Bits

Bourgeois take over trade unions

FG, RAPSON to create 300,000 jobs

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

F

LOWLINESS is young ambition’s ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend.— William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar.

O

VER the years a new trend of leaders has been emerging in trade unions with the sole aim to use the platform for personal aggrandisement. They are what can be regarded as bourgeoisie labour leaders.

While some few trade unions and associations still maintain a resemblance of the principles of the trade unions which gave rise to the slogan: “an injury to one, is an injury to all,” many labour leaders in both public and private sectors, as well as those that cover the two, have turned the unions into an avenue for promoting personal ambitions.

Their lifestyles have made nonsense of the very essence of their calling. They live ostentatious lives and parade several personal aides including security. Who pays for these aides?

Investigation revealed that they abuse

Omar servant of workers has in turn become super masters.

In these unions or associations, where the General Secretary is semi god and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, everything about the union revolves round him. Where the President is a maximum ruler, nothing works when he is not in the office. When he is in the office, he exhibits master servantrelationship with the secretariat staff including the General Secretary.

Nobody questions him, he takes

,

Investigations uncovered that these leaders use officials of the Ministry of Labour either ignorantly or through compromise to get their unions constitutions amended for personal greed

their offices in several ways. They compromise the positions by using their positions to get favour, contracts, and other business opportunities from employers which ultimately make them look the other way while the workers they are supposed to be responsible to go through one form of abuse, denial and the other.

Labour Vanguard findings revealed that while they are getting richer, not only the unions are losing relevance the ordinary workers have been the worse for it. It is also an open secret that in every negotiations especially for retrenchments or redundancies, the leaders smile to the banks.

To show the level of rot, some even invite employers and top officials of government to commission their private houses.

Their mode of operations has not only weakened the unions, but sadly worsened the plight of workers.

While some General Secretaries have become semi gods, some Presidents have simply become maximum rulers.

In the unions or senior staff associations where the General Secretary or Secretary General, depending on the title, employed as

Esele

,

decision without consultation and acts as if the union belongs to him.

In one of the unions where the President is a maximum ruler, Labour Vanguard was informed of some occasions where secretariat staff salaries and wages could not be paid for weeks because the President did not come to the office. As a maximum ruler, whatever he says is law. Not even other elected officers can challenge him.

Labour Vanguard investigations uncovered that these leaders use officials of the Ministry of Labour either ignorantly or through compromise to get their unions constitutions amended for personal greed. So, this class of semi god General Secretaries and maximum ruler presidents has taken over the unions.

Strange to trade unions: Speaking on the development, former General Secretary of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Ser vices Employees, AUPCTRE, Comrade Sylvester O.Z. Ejiofoh, told Labour Vanguard that “the issues is not about the extent the elected office

bearers of unions or the full time officials of the unions have taken over control of any particular union. First, none of these two should take over control in the sense in which it is being discussed.

Trade union leadership historically and globally is a collective leadership style in the overall interest of the employees, the members of the unions who are the actual owners of the union. What you are raising is that, yes, it has been with us for a long time. In some unions, appointed officials become highly aristocratic. In which case, they administer the union in their own interest.

In some other unions, the elected officials manifest proprietor mentality, again, in their own interest. Both categories do not emphasis the interest of workers or members of the union.

Social movement But trade union does not exist in a vacuum. Trade union is supposed to be a social movement. If all leadership cadres of the union, elected or appointed, conceptualize the union as a social movement, in which case there will be no room for aristocratic leadership or proprietor leadership. That is the issue. You know, as organization grows over time, they either lose the culture that essentially promotes the attainment of its objectives, or they accentuate such culture.

But you know like in Nigeria, we have virtually lost all institutions. We have institutional crisis in this countr y.

Political parties, governmental even corporate institutions are dysfunctional. Trade unions are supposed to pose counter culture, being a movement for social change, could become victims.

Full interview wiht SOZ Ejiofoh on these bourgeois labour leaders will be published in subsequent edition of L abour Vanguard. It is an interesting read. Keep a date.

BY CHRIS OCHAI

EDERAL Government has kicked off a process that could generate over 300,000 jobs for unemployed Nigerians as it inaugurated committee on installation of surveillance and traffic cameras and other equipment in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. The scheme, a Private Public Partnership, PPP, drive is between Federal Government and Risk and Accident Prevention Society of Nigeria, RAPSON, will enable the use of scientific approach in risk and accident management as obtained in other advanced countries of the world.

Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Ethics and Value, Dr Sarah Jubril, while inaugurating the Implementation Committee on the National Traffic Camera Surveillance and Safety Certification scheme, said the project was part of the government transformation agenda aimed at improving the quality of the life of Nigerians.

Dr. Jubril lamented the attitude of Nigerians on the highway and advised against over-speeding, saying “this project identifies with the yearnings of the people. It is an effort to prevent chaos and insecurity.”

In his address, Chairman of RAPSON, Ben Odohofre, said apart from guaranteeing safety of lives, the programme had job creation drive as part of the benefits.He said: “The partnership mandates the RAPSON to provide comprehensive safety certification for all persons in the public and private sector and foreigners who shall be inducted into strategic functions that require substantial safety measures.”

He said to deliver on the project and on schedule, RAPSON would commence visual testing and certification immediately after deployment and installation of cameras and other equipment in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, from June 2013.According to him, “in all, 10,000 units of smart cameras and 14, 000 memory sensors will be deployed nationwide for the implementation of the scheme.”

Odohofre added that the scheme would also enhance the nation’s image globally as one of the few countries that was implementing the United Nation’s resolution on global partnership between governments, private sector and NGOs.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013—55

5 reasons you may need to drink up for energy W

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

HAT are you drinking is a ques tion often followed by “ why are you drinking it?”

Logically, if you know what you are drinking, it can be assumed that you know why you are drinking it.

If you are swallowing a formulation that includes a mixture of caffeine and sugar combined with smaller amounts of substances, most notably guarana, ginseng, and taurine, then it is a safe bet you have read the label on the container and you are aware of the benefits or otherwise of your energy drink.

But just in case you are not aware whether or not your favourite energy beverage really does “energise” the body or sharpen the mind, the key point is to be aware of the nature of the ingredients in the drinks and their potential health effects.

Caffeine Caffeine is a main ingredient of coffee, cola drinks, kolanut and chocolates. It is also present in energy drinks. Many contain the equivalent in caffeine of about two regular cups of coffee.

Although caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can also raise blood pressure and heart rate, it also tends to boost brain activity after 20 minutes of consumption.

Of course, if you combine that with other caffeinated beverages throughout the day, then the sum total stimulation could cause headaches, sleep-

lessness, or nausea.

On the other hand, if you're not a regular coffee or cola drinker and you are battling high blood pressure, it is best you steer clear of the occasional energy drink.

Ginseng Ginseng is an extract made from the

mance, but this does most consumers utilise it for . On the contrary, it may boost brainpower.

Ginseng works by increasing the uptake of blood glucose by cells in the brain and elsewhere. However, the right amount is essential. The recom-

• Most people consume energy drinks to “energise the body” and “sharpen the mind”, but health experts say moderation is key.

root of the ginseng plant. It is that root crop that increases energy and decrease stress in the body. It is present in most teas just as it can be found as an added ingredient in many energy drinks. Physicians warn that Ginseng doesn't enhance physical perfor-

mended optimum is at least 200 mg.

Generally the amount of ginseng is minimal, so harmful effects are unlikely.

Taurine Taurine is an amino acid the body produces naturally for regulation of the

heart beat, muscle contractions and energy levels.It acts as a neurotransmitter—a chemical messenger that allows cells to communicate with one another.

Scientists aren't sure, but believe taurine might behave more like a sedative than a stimulant. Taurine is fine in small doses, but dieticians say heavy consumption is not advised.

There's no strong evidence to support its role as an energy booster,.

B vitamins The “B” vitamins are found naturally in certain foods such as turkey, bananas, liver and peppers, and they help in the conversion of food to energy. The B supplements are often found in energy drinks to act as a source of energy.

The B vitamins along with guarana, and ginseng are among the most familiar “energy boosters”.

Sugar Glucose or sucrose is another ingredient often seen on energy drink labels, is a combination of fructose (natural sugar found in fruit) and glucose.

Many energy drinks contain at least 50 grams of glucose or sucrose.

Basically, the human body runs mainly on glucose. The end product of food is glucose so topping off with a glucose-rich drink should theoretically provide an instant boost. Where glucose won't help, however, is with fatigue from too little sleep. In addition, persons with sugar management issues need to minimise sugar intake.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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Kindly recommend what will bring back my libido.

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definitely need all the help you can get from these supplements – Uche Hello, I will like to find out what product will be most helpful and cost effective for someone who ejaculates too early and a lady who cannot climax and also gets tired easily – Charles Charles you can wear a penis sleeve during intercourse or you can apply a delay cream to prevent premature ejaculation. I recommend the Nasstoys Penis Extender Sleeve. It will enable you last longer, make your penis look bigger and stimulate your partner for quicker orgasms too. And for your woman, first she needs a libido supplement and an energy booster. Get her Cockstar for Women supplement and Libigirl performance enhancer and energy drink. She will also need an orgasm gel like the 69 Nipple and Clit Arousal Gel and Erotic Stud vibrator. With all of these, your problems will be effectively taken care of – Uche My wife and I are in our early forties. We are healthy, good looking and have no performance problems. The only problem is that we hardly have sex since our three children. Our whole life is about our work and family. I want to have fun again. Please recommend something that can help us achieve this goal. Thanks – Solomon Hello Solomon, both of you just need something that will enable you focus on romance and sex two or three times a week and nothing does that better than adult movies. So get a feature film like Reign of Terra or Crazy about You. They will do the trick – Uche That’s it for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

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56 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08026350360 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

rected by Wole Oguntokun held at the Underground Car Park, Grip Am, a humourous classic play written by legendary Nigerian playwright Ola Rotimi, held at Pentaque Area of Eko Hotels,and 14th Tale written by the Nigerian playwright, poet and actor, Ellams staged at the Casa Chianti Restaurant.

In the pidgin English comedy titled Grip Am , an experimental reworking of Ola Rotimi’s classic play directed by Deleke Gbo-

The play revolves around a scatter-brained trickster Siaman Oluwole Moses(Chairman) who uses his wits to cone his greedy landlord and even Mr death into giving him and his ever-belligerent wife eternal reprieve.

In The Waiting Room, a thriller of sorts directed by Wole Oguntokun from Renegade Theatre , the audience were treated to a dramatic story of life that involved four people, two men and two women and it tells individuals

,

For the 50 minutes the play lasted, the audience were relieved of their stress as it brought back memories of those stories that were told during tales by moonlight

A scene from Grip Am, one of the plays performed during the festival

Echoes from Lagos festival of plays I

BY JAPHET ALAKAM

T was another weekend of entertainment last week as theatre lovers in and around Lagos were held spell bound with plethora of performances that cut across a number of unconventional spaces in the city of Lagos during the Lagos theatre festival 2013.

The festival which featured diverse performances across Lagos, held at the Presidential Suites, Pentanque Area, Casa Chianti Restaurant and the Car Park, all at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos. It was put together by British Council Nigeria in conjunction with three of Nigeria ‘s most exciting theatre companies; Renegade Theatre, Black Soul Performance Company, House of Tales and award-winning British-Nigerian actor, Inua Ellams.

For every initiative, there is always a goal, and for the festival organisers, the aim of the festival tagged,"The Lagos Theatre Festival 2013", was to bring theatre to an even wider range of art consumers so as to create a platform for theatre, away from conventional theatre spaces.

And that goal was achieved as the plays were performed on natural environments different from the normal theatre spaces that have good settings, light, music, costumes, colours and other theatrical and other stage elements that characterise a normal stage.

And the audience were made

to move from one venue to the other at the end of each play to watch another play. Despite all these, the organisers succeeded in their little experimentation as the four plays were performed at the mapped out venues. Also,the

people that turned up for the two days had no regret at all.

The four plays performed were Shattered, a play written by Bode Asiyanbi. It held at the Presidential Suite, The Waiting Room written, produced and di-

,

lade and produced by Black Soul Performance Company’s production, the audience were gripped with laughter as they saw how Mr Chairman tricked his landlord and Mr death into submitting to his demands.

Performed at the gardens at the Pentaque Area of Eko Hotels, the venue suited the play as the trees in the gardens served as props, while the two stools, a paddle, coconut, big stool and two pieces of Bonga fish were all used as props in the play.

For the 50 minutes the play lasted, the audience were relieved of their stress as it brought back memories of those stories that were told during tales by moonlight and they laughed away their sorrows at least for a while.

to be honest and always follow the right way of life.

Unlike Grip am where trickery works for Mr chairman, in Waiting room it was not so as it shows a place where luck will save no one; where natural cunning and innate intelligence must be put to the ultimate test.

Starring Sunkanmi Adebayo, (Keshi) Anike Alli- Hakeem, (Kera) Rotimi Fakunle (Don Flexy) and Jumoke Bello (Aduke), the characters in the play find themselves locked in a room courtesy of different invitations and while waiting in the room, they thought of many things and when it dawned on them that they could not help their condition, they submitted

12-yr-old debuts with short stories

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU

L

AST week launch of a debut nov el, titled “Jacky The Hardworking Spider”, authored by Glory Osandatuwa, was to Nigerians, a strong indication that another Nobel Laureate may have been born in Nigeria, and this time, from Warri in Delta State.

Glory Osandatuwa, a 12 year- old, JSS 2 student of Preston International School, Akure, Ondo State, elicited loud ovation during the book launch, after she read excerpts from her novel.

“The Hardworking Spider” would serve as a moral boost for young generation because at the end of each chapter, there is a section on morals and a set of comprehension questions drawn for readers. The book also contains a mini glossary of words and a ‘do you know?’ session that explains concepts that may be new to other young minds.

Glory’s book launch which held at Great Hall, Chevron Recreation Centre, Warri, attracted people from all walks of life as well as the cream of the society in Warri and environs.

The launch was well attended by dignitaries such as Mrs Sheila Roli Uduaghan, the Wife of the Delta State governor, Hon.Matthew Mofe Edema, a

Little Glory Osandatuwa reading from her novel

former Chairman of Warri South L.G.A., Elder (Engr.) Theo Odigie (JP), Dr Mark Erumi the Chaplain of Warri Kingdom, among others.

In his review, Dr Tony Akpokene, Managing Director of Flomat Books Ltd, expressed a high optimism that the author is a budding talent that would grow into the stature of great Nigerian authors like Chmamanda Ngozi Adichie and Chinua Achebe. Dr Akpokene commended her parents Mr and Mrs Jolo-

mi Osandatuwa for their effort in discovering her talent and urged other parents to do same so that Nigeria could boast of great writers in future.

A literary scholar, author and promoter of children’s literature, Pastor Ulisanmi Edukugho noted that Glory’s work is one of the many exciting collection of children’s literature in Warri which hold great promises. According to him, “Glory is particularly lucky to have parents who spotted her talent and decided to nuture and develop it”.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013 — 57

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBUARY, 28, 2013

Married but living single(3) I

transportation money to wherever I went, paid my hospital bills, feeds me and I live with them. So why would her son be slaving away in the cold for me to lavish his money here. I did not want her to know I’d heard her, so I crept back to my room. I realised for the first time that I was living with a wicked mother-in-law. I was scared, shaken and confused at the same time.

I did not know who to confide in especially as I had been warned by a few friends to rethink some of my decisions concerning Kole. I guess it was from that moment on that the relationship became strained between us.

I became suspicious of everything she did concerning me.The

Kole had promised to catch the next flight to Nigeria as soon as the baby was born. He wanted to be around for the naming ceremony, he’d said. This was however not to be. He did not attend the ceremony. He told me his boss refused to give him permission after the colleague who would relieve him of his duty had an emergency call from his mother who lives in another State. My daughter was named without him being present and I was not happy. However, I had no idea that more serious matters lay ahead for me. Kole came to Nigeria for our daughter’s 41 days outing ceremony and stayed for a week.

Perhaps because of the pressure of the baby and the fact we could not

By this time, people had started asking me questions I could not really answer convincingly even though I had thought I had answers to; they wanted to know why I was not traveling to the USA to have the baby especially since we claim that the baby would be Kole’s first child

,

HI! T is the dream of every wom an to find her own Prince charming, get married and be called Mrs. It is a dream they have harboured in their hearts since they were little. And when that husband comes in a package wrapped with success, the promise of life abroad and access to the good things of life, many women are likely to throw caution to the winds. Unfortunately for some, reality may sometimes be different from dreams and they find themselves trapped in between two worlds, neither married, nor single. We will be taking the story of three women who are trapped in unions with guys who reside outside the country.

Below, we continue the narratives of Arike, (30), mother and graduate as she shares the story of how she became a single parent living with her in-laws.

There was not much for me to do with money as I was attending ante-natal clinics with their family doctor and Kole’s parents paid all expenses. So, eventually the money Kole sent was just for personal stuff.

One day, I went to the bank to pick up my Western Union and all I got was a 100 Dollars. I was surprised and had to call to confirm the amount. He did not pick his call, so I just collected it and returned home. Later that evening, Kole returned my call and told he was sorry but that I will have to manage it as he was a bit broke.

It all meant nothing to me until a few days later when I overheard my mother-in-law speaking with someone on the phone. How she got to know the amount of money Kole sends to me monthly was a surprise. Did he discuss everything between us with his mum?

The intriguing part of the conversation was that she did not understand what I was doing with all the money except perhaps sending it to my wretched family.’

According to her, she gives me

My answer to that was that he wanted to perfect my papers so we will both join him when everything was ready. My mother insisted that Kole should have just applied for holiday visa so I could give birth abroad. The more I spoke to him about my parent’s concerns, the colder the relationship became between us.

,

more suspicious I became, the more questions and complaints I had for Kole and the more everything depressed me. Even my friends and family began to notice that there was something wrong. I had to bear everything in silence. Kole became more distant as the months progressed.

My mother-in-law traveled twice to the USA in the course of my pregnancy, one to go for medical check up and the other to shop for the baby.I could not go because I did not have traveling documents.

By this time, people had started asking me questions I could not really answer convincingly even though I had thought I had answers to. They wanted to know why I was not traveling to the USA to have the baby especially since we claim that the baby would be Kole’s first child. At his age, he ought to be over excited and eager to provide the best for the child.

be intimate, things did not seem right between us.

For some reason, I had a feeling that he spent more time with his mother than he did with me throughout the week. Though we had no quarrel, it was obvious that things had changed for the worse and I had no clue what it was. I felt offended by Kole and his mum, but there was no way I could convince him of what I felt they were doing to me. The whole thing finally came to a head shortly after he returned to the USA. My younger sister called me one day to tell me she had something very urgent and important to discuss with me. When she arrived, she looked very worried and heartbroken. She told me that I must believe whatever it was she tells me because she is my sister and would never deliberately hurt me.

To be continued

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Also note that we do not run any match-making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with anyone claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk.

Henceforth, only messages sent through the numbers readers want to be contacted on will be published.

This notice is necessary in order to serve you better in our refreshingly different style. To get your requests published, just text it to the code number 33055. For further enquiries, call 08026651636. Cheers!

— 59

Reasons good women are still single

BY ONOZURE DANIA

D

O you know why good ladies are still single? It’s because a lot of ladies act like a bitch. I’m not trying to use that term in a general and disrespectful way. I am using it in a very specific and factual way.

You have so many women who walk around with this nasty, stuck up attitude and they have the nerve to wonder why they struggle with finding the right man.

Some of them even cover it up by proclaiming to be a “diva”, too “classy”, or that they are just speaking their mind. In reality they just act like a bitch.

Some people might say, well I see plenty of women like that married or in relationships. Don’t be fooled, she was not completely showing that side in the beginning. Why? Because she is a smart bitch! Either way, being a negative person is not going to help you find love.

Most of the men may still go after you for an affair but if you learn to fix that attitude then you will start to attract the right kind of man in your life.

Ladies who blames men for everything will remain single. You cannot refuse to make yourself accountable for your actions and then blame everything on the man, insisting that it is his fault.

Once he acts right, then you will have no problem falling in line too. First of all, I agree that men have contributed so much to the issues in relationships and women in general. Men do have a responsibility to step up and do better.

The thing is, if women are not willing to “step up” as well, then men will continue to have an issue and

women will continue to find themselves on their own.If you are not prepared to look in the mirror then you will never realize the flaws you have and that needs improvement. So next time you want to put it all on men, check yourself and accept that you have a choice to do better and truly be one of the good women out there.

If you always think that your looks will carry you through life. The thing is, ok you are beautiful and have a nice body, great! But the problem is, if a man talks to you and finds out that there is nothing else to you then why would he bother wanting to make you his woman. He will still want an affair with you; an affair is always an option for a man, that’s it.

Men may be more superficial than women but most of them still want a woman who has some kind of personality. Make yourself a better rounded fun individual and more men will want to make you their own.

Many single women reading this remain single or in dead-end relationships because you have been hurt in your past. This hurt can be from a previous relationship, previous situation with a man or sexual abuse. Some of the first six reasons I listed are just manifestations of that same hurt you are holding on to.

You now operate with walls up to protect you but it is those same walls that continue to block the blessings you deserve to receive. I understand how difficult it can be to move on from these things, but if you are ever to move in the right direction as well as into a new healthy relationship, you must begin with for-

for a relationship, call my number.08066973506, 08029051212 •Blondy, 38, employed and from Delta state, needs a girl or a lady, aged 27-36, that is employed or in to business, aged 50 and above.08022214070 •Jp, resides in Warri, needs a nice and beautiful lady, aged 22-,25, for a serious relationship.

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60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Ayew brothers quit Black Stars B

ROTHERS Andre and Jordan Ayew have quit international football at the ages of 23 and 21 respectively.

The duo, who both play for French side Marseille, say they are taking a temporary break as their disagreements with the Ghanaian FA (GFA) intensify.

Andre was dropped from the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after a disagreement over his reporting time while Jordan was simply overlooked.

Both have hinted that these Nations Cup calls influenced their decision.

Sons of Ghana legend Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew, Andre, who is popularly known as ‘Dede’, and Jordan wrote separate letters to the GFA to inform the body of their resignations.

“My decision to withdraw my services from the national team results from a number of issues or matters that have occurred quite recently, especially

with regard to my relationship with the management team of the senior national team,” said Andre.

“These matters have so affected me emotionally and psychologically that I am unable presently to offer the best of my services to my dear nation.”

Meanwhile, Jordan says he is quitting so that he can play well at club level and “obtain the quality, experience and stature necessary for a call-up to play in the national team”.

Jordan made his Ghana debut three years ago but was controversially overlooked for this year’s Nations Cup, despite being in fine form at club level.

“In the position for which my services are required for the national team, I have been ranked way behind several players as not to merit a place in the team on occasions when it mattered,” he claimed.

•Andre and Jordan Ayew

Wheelchair Basketball: Ochei dreams Rio 2016 Paralympics debut T

HE national patron of the Nigerian Wheelchair Basketball Federation, Rt Hon (Engr) Victor Ochei FNSE, has assured enthusiasts of the necessary support in en-

•Hon. Ochei hands the trophy to the victorious Lagos State Team captain at the end of the Ochei Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Lagos.

suring that Nigeria makes a debut in the game at the Rio-De Janiero 2016 Paralympics games in Brazil.

He gave this pledge recently in Lagos at finals of the 2nd Victor Ochei International Wheelchair Basketball competition where Lagos State beat defending champions Delta state.

Hon Ochei, who is also the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly revealed that in ensuring the actualisation of this dream, he will bring his sphere of contact to bear on the scheme which he described as purely humanitarian, adding that the competition would serve as the spring board for discovering talents who will fly Nigeria’s flag at the Paralympics.

He maintained that his resolve to sponsor the

MTN/Lagos Int'l Polo Tournament: Ibadan Mapo in bright start

I

BADAN Mapo recorded a 7-3 win over Kano Dala to go top of the table in the Dansa Cup as the 2013 Lagos Polo International Tournament galloped off yesterday at the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi.

Nurudeen Akibu set the team comprising Femi Awolaja, Kanyinsola Owoeye and Salisu Umaru on a winning path guiding the ball for almost 50 yards as he outpaced

Usman Mohammed.

Babiru Bello drew Dala level soon after but Owoeye was to restore his side’s advantage hitting a 20-yead shot. Usman Mohammed leveled the tie again for a 2-2 scoreline to end an entertaining first chukka.

Awolaja converted a penalty at the start of the second chukka and it was followed up by Owoeye’s goal as Mapo’s class soon reflect as they close the

game with a 7-3 scoreline.

The day’s second game which was also in the Dansa Cup saw a revenge of some sort for Kano as Ibah defeated Eleyele 53 to move to second place in the group. Three matches are on the card for Thursday with the Lagos Ericsson vs Lagos Ironclad/Hurstlers and Kano Titans vs Lagos Goodfellows/Ark the eyecatching clashes.

M e a n w h i l e telecommunication firm

MTN one of the major sponsors of the tournament said they are sure that this years’ tournament will live up to expectations owing to the standard displayed on the opening day.

MTN Event and S p o n s o r s h i p ManagerDolapo Bamgboye said the desire to excel and claim glory by the teams have led to a higher standard in performance.

annual competition, stems from the need to give the physically challenged a sense of belonging and provide the platform to show case their potentials in a society that had erroneously classified them as despondent.

The legislator expressed his profound gratitude to those who graced the occasion, especially members of the

Delta State Legislature, adding that their presence conformed with his notion that ‘’ it takes men and women of nobility to appreciate that there is indeed ability in disability”.

He therefore enjoined good spirited individuals and corporate Nigeria to join hands in making sure that Nigeria participates in the wheelchair basketball event at the Rio 2016 Olympiad.

Zenith splashes N20m on Women Basketball League

BY JACOB AJOM

T

HE Nigeria Basketball Federation yesterday in Lagos received a N20 million cheque from Zenith Bank as total sponsorship fund for the 2013 season of the Zenith Women Basketball League which dunks off March 23 in Abuja.

According to the President of the NBBF, Tijani Umar, this year’s edition will witness a lot of innovations as both the organisers and the title sponsors had agreed to introduce a new format.

“We both resolved to reinvent the league and make it more rewarding for our mutual benefit,” Umar stated yesterday in Lagos.

Head of Zenith Bank’s Philanthropy, Marcel Okeke said his

organisation felt honoured to have been allowed to identify with the Women basketball league, a programme they have sponsored for the past eight years. “We as a bank are gender sensitive,” he said, adding, “everybody talks about male soccer but we felt the women folk cannot be denied to play their own part in the nation’s sports revolution, hence our decision to sponsor the women league.”

The new season will see to the introduction of two groups of eight teams each. Each group will play a league format and teams will be graded according to matches won and points gathered.

The first phase will take place in Abuja, the second and third phases will hold in Asaba and Lagos respectively.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 — 61

Shittu: No regrets over Afcon miss

M

I L LWA L L defender Danny Shittu has said he has no regrets turning down Nigeria’s invitation on their way to winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa earlier this month.

Coach Stephen Keshi had called up the 32 yearold defender, who played in the Super Eagles’ 2010 World Cup squad, for final camping in Faro, Portugal, but it was turned down. He also played at the 2008 and 2010 editions of the Afcon in Ghana and Angola.

Nigeria went on to win their third African title with a team of 17 debutants at the tournament.

“Maybe if I were 20 or 21, I would have regrets.

But there have been a lot of decisions in my life where it’s either turned out good, but I won’t say bad. Even if I had known that Nigeria [would] win the Nations Cup,” Shittu told samumukoro.com.

“At that time, it was the best decision for me to stay. Up till today I still don’t regret making that decision. Obviously players who maybe wouldn’t have played if I

Top seeds advance at Adeboye U-20 National T/Tennis Championship

A

LL the top seeded players had easy passage in the knockout stage of the maiden Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye National U-20 Table Tennis Championship with the round of 16 expected to commence today.

The top four seeded players in the men’s event, Ojo Onaolapo, Olawale Fagbamila, Olajide Omotayo and Azeez Ogunlade thrashed their opponents to berth in the last 16 of the championship.

Like their male counterparts, the top seeded female players like Funke Hassan and

AYC: Flying Eagles tackle Tunisia

N

IGERIA’s national Under-20 football team, the Flying Eagles, will play against its Tunisia counterpart as well as Esperance football club of Tunis this week in continuation of its preparations for the 2013 African Youth Championship (AYC), to be played in Algeria 16-30 March.

The Flying Eagles, who are the African Champions, will take on Tunisia at the Esperance training ground in the capital city of Tunis Thursday, and will battle

the club three days later at the same venue, the private Nation newspaper reported Monday.

More friendlies have been lined up for the Nigerian team before its departure for the tournament.

Last week, the Flying Eagles played two friendlies against their Egyptian counterparts in the capital city of Cairo, winning one (3-1) and drawing the other (0-0).

At the 2013 AYC, Nigeria is in group B with Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon.

Ameobi in Keshi's plan Continues from BP ing ability, he came in with this togetherness that says we are together wherever you might have come from.

“When he talked to the boys, they listened and I said wow – this is what I am looking for on the field. Somebody who can talk for me on the field because I know when I was playing as a captain – I know what I do.

“And we talked and he was really ready to come

was there got to play.

“And who knows, I could have played and we may not have won it.

So I always believe that everything happens for a reason.

but whatever he had in his contract denied him from coming,” Keshi added.

Keshi also said that he will invite Obafemi Martins for the Super Eagles in the future but he must be ready to come.

“Martins wasn’t ready for the Cup of Nations but he is still part of the group.

“And when he gets his next call-up, if he wants to come, we will see how it goes,” Keshi concluded.

Fatimo Kazeem also advanced to the round of 16 of the competition, which attracted over 150 players from 25 states of the federation.

According to the chief referee of the competition, John Peters, the tourney has been impressive with the players displaying lots of skills to the admiration of the fans.

L-R: Former Nigeria international, Victor Ikpeba,(3rd Left) Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs. Sola David-Borha,(4th Left) and Marketing and TV Director, CAF, Mr. Amr Shaheen, (3rd Right) and the Children of the Home during a visit as part of the AFCON trophy tour of Nigeria courtesy of Standard Bank Group, on Wednesday. Px Joe Akintola Photo Editor

Why we embarked on Afcon trophy tour — Stanbic IBTC

T

HE children of the Patrick Speech and Languages Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, had every reason to aspire to achieve the immense possibilities derivable from unleashing their human potential after witnessing live, the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations trophy won by Nigeria in South Africa recently..

At a visit to the Centre, during which the children had a rare opportunity to see the

Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Stanbic IBTC said the decision to embark on a Trophy Tour, showcases its resolve to provide everyone with the chance to participate meaningfully in the world around them.

Also present at the centre was Mr. Amr Shaheen, Marketing and TV Director, Confederation of African Football.Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, stated that Standard Bank’s

32 countries to storm Warri Continues from BP only two athletes representing them.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria secretarygeneral Maria Wophil said that more countries are still been expected to register for the Championships.

“Our estimate is that about 500 athletes will be in War ri. This is huge. We are still expecting more entries as the deadline closes on March 4,” she said.

Delta State Sports Commission Chairman and head of the Local Organising Committee, Mr. Pinnick Amaju said that Delta was working hard to ensure a successful hosting of the championships. He added that it will be one of best organised

athletics events the continent has ever witnessed. The CAA, during an inspection visit in Warri had urged Delta to set a standard in the hosting of the maiden AYC. While inaugurating the LOC Delta State gover nor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan urged the committee to make a good show of hosting the championships. He stated that during the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2009, Warri was denied the opportunity of being one of the host cities because of “perceived security fears”. “ We want to use the AYC to show the world that Warri is a perfectly safe city to visit,”

sponsorship of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the continental showpiece tournament is in recognition of the link

between aspiration and achievement, hence the Group’s commitment to the long-term development of the continent and its people.

Obafemi

Continues from BP

Cadena SER that he was not happy with life at the La Liga club and had already spoken with the Sounders about joining them ahead of the start of the new MLS season in early March.

“I am not happy at Levante,” Martins said.

“I have spoken about this with the club. It is not about money, but something which is not being fulfilled. I want to go. [The Sounders] have spoken with me, and made me a good offer. I have discussed it with Levante and am waiting on their reply.”

Levante are not keen to sell Obafemi, who has scored nine goals in 25 games this season, for anything less than the €3 million release clause within the contract signed when he joined on a free transfer from Russian club Rubin Kazan last summer. The club used its official twitter account on Tuesday to state this view.

“Levante are not going to negotiate the exit of any player at this moment and if an offer arrives it must meet the release clause,” said the tweet.

Messi Continues from BP defense, and he has now been laid low with fever.

“Leo Messi was missing from this morning’s training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.

The Argentinian has gone down with a fever and is feeling generally unwell,” a statement on the club’s website reads.

“The first team doctors went to his home to check up on his

condition, and gave him the appropriate medication and told him he should get some rest.

“The squad has been given Thursday off, and the hope is that Messi will be well enough to join Friday afternoon’s session, the last before traveling to Madrid for the Liga Clasico at the Bernabeu.”

Messi has netted 38 goals in 25 La Liga appearances so far this term.

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2013 — 63

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

32 countries to storm Warri for Athletics championships O

VER 421 athletes from 32 countries have so far confirmed their participation at the maiden African Athletics Youth Championships billed for March 27-31

Ameobi, Martins still in Keshi’s plan N

IGERIANS may have forgiven Shola Ameobi for declining a place in the Super Eagles team that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Cup but the coach of the team from his words may give another chance to the Newcastle striker as the team starts preparation for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in March.

Keshi said on a television programme that he sees a bit of himself in the striker who made his debut against Venezuela last year.

“I think I need Shola Ameobi because Ameobi coming for the Venezuela game – you could see a different presence in the locker room,” Keshi told SuperSport.

“He came with a coach Continues on Page 61

in Warri, Delta State.

The Championships are open to athletes who are under-17 as at this year. Confederation of Africa Athletics CAA confirmed Nigeria as the hosts last year, at its congress in Porto Novo, Benin Republic. Some of the countries that have registered include traditional athletics nations like South

Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia and Algeria.

Hosts, Nigeria have the highest number of entry with 80 athletes.

Ethiopia have the second largest delegation with 42 athletes, South Africa is coming with 30 athletes, while Cape Verde, Guinea, Zimbabwe and Comoros Islands have

Continues on Page 61

Messi catches ‘Real fever’ L

IONEL Messi was absent from Barcelona’s training session on Wednesday due to illness and was visited at his home by club doctors.

The forward played the full 90 minutes of Barca’s 3-1 Copa del Rey loss against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening, but failed to impress as he was kept quiet by the Madrid

Continues on Page 61

PUZZLE

•Messi

Obafemi: I’m not happy in Spain L

RONALDO: His brace helped Real beat Barcelona 3-1 at Nou Camp, Tuesday night

EVANTE striker Obafemi Martins says he wants to leave for MLS side Seattle

Sounders as a move would be in the best interests of all concerned.

Obafemi, 28, told Spanish radio station

Continues on Page 61

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

•AFN expects 500 athletes

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Figurine (6) 5 Counsel (6) 8 Memento (8) 9 Remit (4) 10 Wager (3) 12 Quarrel (5) 15 Fixed (3) 17 Sick (3) 18 Consume (3) 19 Newt (3) 20 Fragrance (5) 21 Stretch (3) 22 Purpose (3) 23 Observe (3) 24 Clamour (3) 26 Happening (5) 29 Rodent (3) 33 Nothing (4) 34 Saviour (8) 35 Delight (6) 36 Hatred (6)

DOWN 2 Subject (5) 3 Stumble (4) 4 Senior (5) 5 Missile (5) 6 Urn (4) 7 Boat (5) 10 Mix (5) 11 Giant (5) 12 Censure (5) 13 Solitary (5) 14 Smallest (5) 15 Guide (5) 16 Handle (5) 25 Perfect (5) 27 Poetry (5) 28 Elbow (5) 30 Vigilant (5) 31 Roster (4) 32 Period (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Fine 4, War 6, Life 8, Litter 9, Nature 10, Dog 12, Stern 14, Rebel 15, Eager 18, Bridge 20, Astute 24, Tenor 26, Offer 28, Dance 30, Tea 32, Gazebo 33, Twelve 34, Unit 35, Sum 36, Yarn.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Idiot 3, Entered 4, Ward 6, Lithe 7, Fervent 11, One 12, Sob 13, Nag 16, Get 17, Ran 19, Refrain 21, Sod 22, Tragedy 23, Ewe 25, Eye 27, Elect 29, Cover 30, Toss 31, Atom.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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