Nigeria under siege—Tukur

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61848

Petrobras to pull out of Nigerian oil •P.9 blocs

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

N150

Oluwole Awolowo dies at 70

•P.16

Nigeria under siege •Today there is fear every where; churches are be-

ing burnt, Mosques are being attacked, United Nations building bombed, motor parks are being bombed, people cannot go to motor parks again to travel for fear of being attacked; security installations such as police stations, prisons are being burnt down and inmates released at will, nobody knows the next target of attack

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—Tukur

BY HENRY UMORU, JOSEPH ERUNKE & UMAR YUSUF

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OLA— NATIONAL Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday, declared that Ni-

geria was under siege following incessant attacks in parts of the country by terrorist groups.

He spoke as the Senate tasked the Service Chiefs and Heads of Security Agencies to immediately find solution to the secu-

Continues on Page 5

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COLUMNISTS:

Is'haq Modibbo Kawu

•P.17

OCHEREOME NNANNA

•P.19

Josef Omorotionmwan •P.19

Mr & Mrs

NO MORE WAR—Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, presenting a gift to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, during a visit to Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday. See Story on Page 13.

Diamond Bank opens shop in London •P.11

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim (middle) and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Sabundu Badeh (left) shortly after an interactive Session between members of the Senate and Service Chiefs at the National Assembly Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Nigeria under siege — Tukur Continues from page 1 rity challenges.

The PDP chairman spoke on the state of the nation at his country home in Jada Local Government of Adamawa State shortly after visiting Ganye Local Government Area and in Abuja.

Tukur was in Adamawa to condole with the people of Ganye over the recent terrorist attack which left 25 persons dead and scores of others wounded. He warned that the nation

might become ungovernable unless urgent steps were taken to arrest the situation.

Tukur, who assessed the level of damage done to the town, described the incident as not only unfortunate but also condemnable.

According to Tukur, the level of the attack on Ganye showed that evil was contesting against good in the country, as the attackers unleashed mayhem on the people irrespective of their religion or economic sta-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

In this very moment lies the seed for your entire future. Think of what you can do right now to nourish it and start it growing. If you think right, it will grow right.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

you judge another person you do not W define them. You merely define yourself as someone who needs to judge HEN

— Wayne Dyer

Dyer states succinctly that all blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won’t succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy.

“With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing.”

There is a beautiful saying that, “you get to choose.”

“You have to choose the best, every day, without compromise guided by your own virtue and highest ambition”.

tus.

“This is evil opposing good; here are people who attack Mosques, Churches, markets, banks, motor parks, police stations without considering who is there.

Surely, our nation is under siege. It is not the question of PDP, ACN, CPC or any political party or religion. The truth is that Nigeria is under siege, therefore all of us must come together and face this challenge.

"The attackers have not spared any part of the country especially the northern states while other parts of the country are facing another form of evil associated with kidnapping”, he said.

He lamented that no community in Nigeria was spared of any form of insecurity challenge or the other.

Tukur also acknowledged that PDP should take responsibility for the insecurity because it was the ruling party in the country, but he was quick to add that the situation needed collaborative effort by everyone to tackle.

Tukur said that if there was no Nigeria, there would be no political parties, the media or any other organization, saying it was because of this that people must stand up together and confront the evil of insecurity.

He also spoke about security challenges at his Wuse 2 private resi-

dence in Abuja and urged all opposition parties, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Organised Labour, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs and others to come together and fight what he described as evil.

His word: “Today there is fear everywhere, churches are being burnt, Mosques are being attacked, United Nations building bombed, motor parks are being bombed, people cannot go to motor parks again to travel for fear of being attacked; security installations such as police stations, prisons are being burnt down and inmates released at will, nobody knows the next target of attack.

"It is not about the PDP or President Goodluck Jonathan; this is a matter that should be of concern to everybody irrespective of political, ethnic or religious affiliations, the opposition, the labour movement, religious leaders, traditional rulers. We all have to come together to fight the evil that is now manifesting everywhere in our land; those perpetuating this evil are within us in the society, it is not a matter of Mr President or the PDP-led Federal Government alone.”

Find solution to the security challenges — Senate

Meanwhile, worried by the continued security challenge in the country, the Senate yesterday asked the Service Chiefs to, as a matter of urgency, find a lasting solution to it within the shortest possible time.

Vanguard gathered that the Senate told the Service chiefs at the closed-door meeting, which lasted for six hours that if they failed to find solution to the problem with the level it was going, the unity of the country would be threatened and there might be no Nigeria.

The Senate also asked the Service Chiefs to cast their minds back to the days of the Civil war and imagine what would happen if the country was again pushed into such war.

A source also told Vanguard that Senators who spoke at the meeting with security heads and service chiefs also expressed worry over the activities of members of the Boko Haram, which have led to the killing of many and destruction of property worth millions and promised to ensure that a solution to it was found.

Following the meeting, the motion on late Professor Chinua Achebe by Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige, ACN, Anambra Central, was stepped down.

The security meeting was attended by President of the Senate, Senator David Mark and other Senators. At the meeting were Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa’ad Ola Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Barde.

Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar was, however, absent but he was represented by Deputy Inspector General, Administration, Mr. Suleiman Fakai.

Senate President Mark led other senators out at 4.31pm.

Speaking with Journalists after the meeting, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia South said: “The intention was to be able to find out what the problems are and also to be able to work with the security agencies to find possible resolution to the very serious security problems we have.”

When asked further on the outcome of the meeting, which lasted hours, Senator Abaribe noted that the Senate was impressed with the outcome of the interaction, especially the commitment of the security agents to tackle the problem of terrorism.

He said: “We are satisfied with the level of interaction and the commitment of the security agencies to make Nigeria a far safer nation.

“We are also calling on all Nigerians to cooperate with them to help us resolve the issue. We promised that we will continue to have regular interactions with security agencies and this is one of those interactions.”

The Senate Spokesperson who declined most of the questions by Journalists on whether alternative security strategy was reached as recommended by the Senate recently and the issue of amnesty, stressed that it was not for the Senate to reach any resolution on security options or to discuss amnesty with security agencies.

“But we are satisfied with the level of interaction we had with the security agencies.”

He insisted that any other option was a policy decision that should be made by the Presidency, adding that the length of time spent in the meeting was informed by the issues discussed.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Policemen allegedly kill two NSCDC officers in Lagos Set free pipeline vandals Police ID card, service pistol, walkie-talkie recovered at scene As NSCDC officers attack policemen in Alausa

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AGOS — TWO officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,NSCDC, were allegedly killed in the early hours of yesterday, in Ikorodu area of Lagos, during a shoot-out with a police team.

The deceased identified as Assistant Inspector Gabriel Adaji and Inspector Innocent Akegbe, reportedly went on a raid around Konu area of Ikorodu in the company of five other colleagues.

Their mission, Vanguard learnt, was to effect the arrest of some pipeline vandals said to be operating on a broken pipeline.

They were said to have made some arrests, recovered some exhibits and were on their way to their office when they were accosted by a team of policemen allegedly led by one Inspector Sunday Gabriel, attached to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

How they were killed

There were, however, different accounts of how the NSCDC officers met their untimely death.

A version of the account from NSCDC sources alleged that their officers were ambushed by the team of policemen who were contacted on phone by the arrested vandals.

According to NSCDC sources, “Immediately the Police got wind of the information, they ambushed the officers and opened fire on their patrol vehicles, killing two while others ran for dear lives with gunshot wounds. The vandals were immediately released by the policemen.

“On seeing that they were policemen, men of the corps refused to fire a single shot but could only express shock that a sister agency which ordinarily should assist in fighting crime and other criminality were the ones aiding them while the vandals continue to flourish in crime.”

Another version of the account had it that the policemen queried the NSCDC men for invading the area at such time (3 a.m.) without informing them.

This reportedly led to a verbal confrontation as the NSCDC officials maintained that they needed no clearance from the Police, since they were also carrying out their statutory responsibilities.

“After the raid, as the officials were driving along the expressway, they were first accosted by a team of Mobile Policemen. An argument ensued as one of the policemen said they had no right to operate in the

BY EVELYN USMAN

area. But the NSCDC men explained that it was their duty to protect all government facilities including oil pipelines.

"After sometime, our men left but unknown to them, a team of policemen had laid ambush ahead. The policemen opened fire on our men, killing two and injuring five. The policemen then fled,” another NSCDC sources said.

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Lagos Police Command reacts

However, in a statement by the Lagos State Police Command and signed by its spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, the command said: “The Lagos State Command wishes to use this medium to put the record straight on what actually transpired at Isawo-Ikorodu between the NSCDC and the Police.

"At about 0145hrs of date, there was a distress call from DM security PPMC, Mosimi that they were experiencing drop in pressure on the pipeline. The Unit Commander in charge of Konu immediately pulled out his men on Konu axis under Inspector Sunday Gabriel to proceed to the scene.

"As they were approaching, they heard sound of serious gun firing in their area of pipeline coverage and the Inspector instructed his men to proceed to that direction as it could be the activities of vandals. Upon arrival, they saw a group of Civil Defence Corps men coming out from the direction where the shooting was earlier heard. The NSCDC men challenged the Policemen who were about four in number on what their mission was in the area, saying that it was their sole responsibility (Civil Defence) to protect pipelines.

"Therefore, it was shocking that at about 0400hrs, the Civil Defence Corps Commandant called the Police Commander, Mosimi to say that he lost two of his men and their corpses have been deposited at the mortuary.

Up till now, the pistol of Inspector Sunday Gabriel who was badly beaten and stabbed by the NSCDC officials including his other accoutrements are still with NSCDC. "Subsequently, far away in Alausa, Ikeja, at about 0800hrs today (yesterday), the NSCDC officials abducted and assaulted three Policemen namely: Sgt Charles Igiebor, Cpl Ekun Julius and Cpl Okoro Charles who went for National ID card registration exercise. They also started attacking Policemen on sight in

Items purportedly recovered at the scene. other parts of the state.

"The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command immediately went on air to warn Policemen not to engage in any form of confrontation with the NSCDC officials.

"However, investigation into the matter has commenced while Lagosians are advised to maintain peace and remain

,

BY EVELYN USMAN

Robbery suspect killed during gun duel with Police

The NSCDC succeeded in disarming the Police team leader Inspector Sunday Gabriel, handcuffed him, collected his service pistol, walkie-talkie, and Police ID card

,

calm."

IG orders arrest of Police team

Vanguard reliably gathered that when news of the shoot-out reached both organisations hierarchy, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Manko, to personally wade into the matter.

Consequently, Manko was said to have ordered the arrest of the

team of policemen on duty around the area. It was also gathered that one NSCDC official who was present at the scene was whisked alongside the policemen,to the state command headquarters, Ikeja,where investigation was said to be on going as at 3 p.m, yesterday.

NSCDC officers protest killing of colleagues

When the news filtered into the Corps office at Alausa, Ikeja, some personnel reportedly took to the streets, attacking policemen who were oblivious of the incident.

Eye witnesses said two policemen were beaten to stupor and dragged into the Corps’ office. At a point, a senior officer reportedly came out and ordered his men inside.

NSCDC boss tasks personnel

Meanwhile, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC Dr. Ade Abolurin, yesterday, in Abuja, charged men of the anti-vandal squad to maintain a working relationship with other security agencies in tackling the issue of vandalism and oil theft.

Abolurin in a statement signed by the corps spokesman, Okeh Emmanuel,urged the personnel to remain resolute and dogged in their drive towards fighting the illicit act to a standstill without compromise.

AGOS — P O L I C E M E N attached to Dolphin division, Ikoyi, yesterday, engaged a five-man robbery gang in a shootout, which left one of the robbery suspects dead, and three others arrested.

Report said the gang was operating in an estate around Ikoyi where they carried out a house-tohouse raid, dispossessing their victims of cash, phones and other valuables.

Policemen from the division, said to have been contacted by one of the residents, stormed the area and on sighting them, the robbers reportedly opened fire during which one of them was gunned down.

Attempt by three suspected members of the gang to escape in their operational vehicle failed as they were reportedly left behind following their inability to catch up with the vehicle.

Delta stops salaries of principal, 46 teachers for absenteeism

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA — A Principal of a secondary school and 46 other teachers and non teaching staff, mostly located in remote villages are in soup as the Delta State Commissioner for Education has ordered for the immediate stoppage of their salaries for absenteeism, following unscheduled visit to the schools.

State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, said he had “directed the Permanent Secretary, Post Primary Education Board, to immediately stop the salaries of 47 teaching and non-teaching staff of two secondary schools for absenting themselves from school.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—7

2 shot dead in renewed communal conflict in Enugu

BY TONY EDIKE

E

The items recovered from the car

Police recover weapons of war in Kano

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

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ANO — SAVE for the timely intervention of the Police, the ancient city of Kano would have been engulfed in another massive explosion that would have caused loss of lives and property.

The Kano State Police Commissioner, Mr Musa Daura, yesterday, told newsmen that but police intervention led to the discovery of a Golf 3 car loaded with arms, ammunition and explosives.

Daura told newsmen that occupants of the Golf vehicle had opened fire on a Police patrol van, but drew back when it dawned them that the fire power of the police was getting stronger than theirs. The Police Commissioner said there was no casualty on the side of the police.

The CP said: “On Tuesday, March 26, 2013, at about 213 hours, based on a tip-off, our men intercepted a Golf 3 motor vehicle with number plate AG 701 KTN in a village near Kano. The occupants of the vehicle on sighting the patrol vehicle opened fire and immediately, our men responded with superior power, which made the occupants of the car to abandon it and escape with bullet wounds.”

According to the Police, the intention of the occupants of the

car was to cause havoc, noting: “The intention of these hoodlums was to cause havoc and destabilize peace which would have led to economic and social sabotage in Kano State.

"However, my men sealed off the area with a view to identifying and arrest the fleeing suspects.

We are urging members of the

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA — THE peace of Odi town in the KolokumaOpokuma council area was violated, Tuesday night, as unknown gunmen kidnapped the mother of Bayelsa Commissioner for Local Government and Rural Development, James Dugo.

It was gathered that the commissioner’s mother, Madam Comfort Dugo, was whisked away from her family residence by a three-man armed gang who stormed the town in a speed boat.

This is the second reported case of kidnapping in the predominantly riverine state after Governor Seriake Dickson signed into law death penalty for kidnappers in the state.

Dugo was chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party

...says she smuggled drugs for love

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AGOS — OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday, arrested a 33-year-old Senegalese woman with 680 grammes of heroin and cocaine hidden in her private parts at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos while attempting to board an Arik Air flight to Dakar.

The suspect, Miss Kamara Oumou, claimed that she smuggled the drugs for the love she had for her Nigerian

The items recovered from the car included, AK-47 rifle, assault rifle, 238 live ammunition, rocket launcher, AK 47 magazines, seven Turkey oil can stuffed with remote-controlled bombs, two cylinder remote-controlled devices, 14 hand grenades, four rolls of wire connector and 12 power sources.

Gunmen kidnap Bayelsa commissioner’s mother

33-yr-old suspect hides drugs in private part

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

public to continue to support the command and other security agencies in the state to restore the peace and tranquility we have been enjoying in the state for decades.

“We also have to contribute in whatever capacity to unmask the criminals in the state and reduce crimes to the barest minimum.”

boyfriend.

Miss Oumou with Senegalese international passport number 400680371 was apprehended by officials of the anti-narcotics agency during the outward screening of passengers at the airport.

Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar said the suspect used industrial tape in sticking three parcels of cocaine weighing 515 grammes on her waist while six wraps of heroin weighing 165 grammes were inserted in her private parts.

in the state before his appointment as a commissioner

by Governor Dickson in 2012.

Though no group has claimed responsibility for her abduction, it was learnt that the 68-year-old woman may have been

kidnapped to fleece her son.

Dugo, who confirmed the kidnap of his mother to newsmen in Yenagoa, yesterday, said they were yet to establish contact with the kidnappers.

NUGU—TWO natives of Oruku have been shot dead allegedly by gunmen from neighbouring Umuode community in a fresh gun battle which commenced since Sunday.

The two victims, according to sources, are Anthony Obinna Nwatu and Charly Iyiagwo, both from Oruku.

They were allegedly shot around the disputed boundary between Oruku and Umuode by some youths said to be armed with AK47 rifles.

Nwatu was reportedly shot while plucking mangoes few metres away from Professor Barth Nnaji’s house when he was identified as an Oruku native and allegedly gunned down by fighters from the neighbouring community.

Vanguard gathered that the two communities had been under serious tension since the first shooting last weekend.

Court strikes out dismissed student’s suit against Covenant varsity Urges varsity to recall the student

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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TA — AN Ogun High Court sitting in Ota, yesterday, urged the Covenant University to recall a student who was recently expelled for being in possession of pornographic materials saved in his laptop.

Justice Mobolaji Ojo, in a judgment dismissed the suit filed by 20-year-old Longji Felix Vwamhi, a 400 level student of Information and Communication Technology Department, challenging the university over his expulsion for lack of merit.

The Covenant University, its Vice Chancellor and Chancellor are the first, second and third defendants, respectively while Felix’s mother, Mrs Indo Felix Vwamhi of House 13, Mbora Estate, Abuja is a co-plaintiff in the suit.

Justice Ojo said that the student needs encouragement to complete his education having spent four years, urging the university authority to tamper justice with mercy considering the fact that the country needs scientists that the student would have become.

The judge also stated that the

school authority should reconsider the letter of passionate appeal written by the student’s father to review the decision of the Student Disciplinary Committee to avert possible miscarriage of justice and colossal human and material wastage.

In his judgment, the court found that the student indeed violated the university regulations as contained in chapter 4 section 35 of its student hand book which prohibits public display or possession of pornographic films or photograph.

Ojo pointed out that the student also admitted being in possession of the laptop containing the pornographic materials and sharing same laptop with friends in the school.

He, however, stated that the panel set up by the university to try the student did not violate section 36 of the 1999 constitution as amended and the principles of “Audi Alterem Partem and Nemo Judex in Causa Sua ”that one cannot be a judge in his case.

According to him, the claimant did not state categorically that the chairman of the panel was

biased being the Dean of Students Affairs whose staff investigated the student in question.

The Judge also faulted the claimant’s counsel for his inability to file counter affidavit against the issues raised by the respondents, adding that, in a situation where the party to a dispute could not file counter affidavit it would be assumed he admitted.

After the judgment, counsel to the defendants, Mr Felix Agbanwu, expressed his gratitude to the court for “a well scholarly judgment” and promised to relate the advice of the court to recall the student to the university authority immediately.

Similarly, Mr Segun Fatoki, counsel to the claimant, also expressed willingness to follow the court advice to the university to logical conclusion for possible recall of the student in the interest of humanity.

It would be recalled that the student was expelled on November 27, 2012 following the outcome of the disciplinary committee set up by the university which found him guilty of being in possession of pornographic materials and indecent dressing.

8—Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

FG okays construction of 13 road projects

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—THE Feder al Executive Council, yesterday, ratified president’s anticipatory approval for the award of contracts for the construction/rehabilitation of 13 roads nationwide.

Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, who disclosed this after the Federal Executive Council meeting noted that the contracts which are for the sum of N47,813,407,007:35 are in two categories, B and C. He said the contract include the rehabilitation of Vandeikya- Obudu Cattle Ranch road phase 1 in Benue State in the sum of N3,296,177,230.50 with a completion period of 12 months.

Others include the Construction of MbaiseNgwa road in Imo/Abia states with bridges at Imo River phase 1 in the sum of N2,943,534,543.18 with a completion period of 30 months; the Construction of Abriba-Arochukwu-Ohafia road in Abia State phase 1 in the sum of N2,265,982,372.50 with a completion period of 24 months.

Also ratified by the FEC, the minister added was the contract for the rehabilitation of Makurdi-Gboko road phase 1; Wannune-Yandev section in Benue State in the sum of N3,297,761,006.93 with a completion period of 24 months; contract for the construction of Ohafia Abia State-Oso Ebonyi State road in the sum of N2,293,965,030.00 with a completion period of 18 months and the contract for the rehabilitation of Section 1A of SokotoTambuwal-Jega-Kontagora road phase 1 in Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger States in the sum of N10,559,745,000.00 with a completion period of 48 months.

The last contract awarded under category B was for the reconstruction of Section 1 of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-KontagoraMakera phase 1 road in the sum of N8,968,809,507.63 with a completion period of 24 months.

Subsidy scam: EFCC secures order to repatriate funds from UK Why we 've special interest in Nigeria—Britain

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

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BUJA—SHREWD Nige rian fuel importers who have hidden stolen money in British banks may soon lick their wounds, as the slush funds may be repatriated to Nigeria on the order of the courts.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured a restraining order on the United Kingdom, UK, accounts of fraudsters of fuel subsidy regime and is merely formalizing ways to getting the funds forfeited to Nigeria.

Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde announced the development when the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Andrew Pocock, paid a visit to the Commission in Abuja.

Lamorde described the restraining order secured by the Commission in the UK as as a result of the “wonderful relationship” the Commission has enjoyed and still enjoying from the UK. He told the British envoy, “we want to use this opportunity to thank your staff for the wonderful relationship we have enjoyed. Recently, we have had support in respect of the fuel subsidy investigation.

“The UK-sponsored Justice 4 All, J4ALL, paid for forensic accountant that assisted the Commission on the investigation that nailed those accused in the fuel subsidy fraud. The UK authorities helped to restrain some funds belonging to the fuel subsidy suspects in the UK. “We are formalizing ways to get the funds forfeited and repatriated to Nigeria. We want the support to continue”, Lamorde declared.

L a m o r d e thanked the UK government for the wonderful support and cooperation that the country had extended to Nigeria since the inception of the commission and said that the EFCC

would not disappoint in the fight against graft.

“From the inception of the EFCC, if there is any country that has supported EFCC, it’s the UK. The EFCC has benefited not only in terms of joint tactical and operational activities like collaboration with the Interpol, City of London police, Serious Organised Crime Agency, SOCA, but also in the area of capacity building.

Worried about corruption in Nigeria Explaining Britain’s special interest in Nigeria, Dr. Pocock, who was accompanied on the visit by Hooman Nouruzi, Steve Foster and Catherine Weiss, said that his

country sees a future in Nigeria.

According to Pocock, “this interest in Nigeria is not only because we are friends of Nigeria, partners of Nigeria but we see a future in this country that is extra ordinary; Nigeria is one of those countries with great potentials”.

He, however, described corruption in Nigeria as ‘something that has impacted negatively on the lives of Nigerians, the government and economy of the country on a daily basis.

According to the envoy, with over 30 years of military rule in Nigeria, public infrastructure, tendering, allocation and delivery system have been at its lowest ebb.

Corruption has trippled cost of infrastructure He said that because of corruption in allocation and delivery process, cost of infrastructure in Nigeria has been three times higher than it ought to be. This he said was responsible for the poor service delivery to the Nigeria people.

“After 30 years, Nigeria has not been able to improve on the 5,000 megawatts generation of electricity supply. You can see the direct consequences of the impact of corruption in the Nigeria economy and the Nigeria state”.

Mr Pocock, however, said that if Nigeria got it right in the power sector privatization programme, “the country is going to be on the verge of an industrial revolution because it is going to boost its productivity and GDP to at least 40 percent”.

LAWMA VISITS VANGUARD—From left; Mr Eze Anaba, Deputy Editor, Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager Publication/ Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Ola Oresanya, Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, and Prof. Tunde Ogunsanwo, Consultant for LAWMA, during a visit to Vanguard Newspaper by management of Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—9

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU, MICHAEL EBOH, SEBASTINE OBASI & KUNLE KALEJAYE, WITH AGENCY REPORT

Pension assets hit N3.2trn — Oteh

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EDERAL GOVERNMENT’S drive to attract new investments to the country's petroleum industry has suffered a major setback, as Brazilian oil major, Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Petrobras, yesterday, commenced moves to sell off its stake in some Nigerian oil blocs valued at $5 billion or N795 billion.

The sale of the oil blocs is expected to bring about an increase in the presence of Asian oil majors in Nigeria, following interest in increasing their portfolios through the acquisition of additional production assets.

Divesting from the oil blocks will help the company concentrate more on exploration activities in a vast deep sea region off the coast of Brazil known as the subsalt, believed to contain dozens of billions of barrels of high quality oil.

Losses to Nigeria The planned divestment of N795 billion is about 16 per cent of Nigeria’s 2013 budget, which is N4.98 trillion.

The amount is more than the sum allocated to power, works, health and agricultural and rural development.

The total amount allocated to these four sectors is N618.4 billion, with power getting N74.26 billion; health – N279.23 billion; works – N183.5 billion; agricultural and rural development – N81.41 billion.

Also, the amount is bigger than the N668.56 billion allocated for security and higher than the N426.53 billion allocated to the education sector.

Ironically, the Brazillian President Dilma Vana Rousseff, visited Nigeria in February to discuss economic ties with President Goodluck Jonathan, during which discussions focused on concerns about the slide in Petrobras’ operations and the Brazilian government’s rising debt levels that could jeopardise the oil company’s investment grade credit rating.

Apparently, discussions between the two parties could not strengthen economic relationships as expected in view of this divestment.

In addition, Vanguard also learnt that the company has relinquished two oil blocs, Oil Prospecting Licence, OPL 315 and OPL 324 in the Niger Delta, after unsuccessful oil find.

The two blocks were awarded during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the company had spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the assets without striking oil.

Company sources told Vanguard that the parent company in Brazil has closed down its business unit, which oversees its operations worldwide.

Reasons for divestment Sources further disclosed that the

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

D

VISIT TO THE VATICAN—Senate President, David Mark, (4th left), Mrs Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Akwa Ibom State governor (3rd left), Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (2nd right), Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State (2nd left) and other dignitaries at the Vatican.

Petrobras to pull out from Nigerian oil blocs divestment will help the company redirect its investment towards higher return activities such as exploration and production to finance a five-year, $236.7-billion capital spending plan.

According to sources close to the deal, the auction of the oil blocs, which will commence around May 2013, is expected to help the company raise cash and carry out its capital spending plan.

Petrobras has already contracted Standard Chartered Bank to oversee the process of the sale with oil majors in Asia, said to be interested in the acquisition of the blocs.

Petrobras holds eight per cent stake in the offshore Agbami bloc located in Oil Mining Lease, 127, operated by United States energy major, Chevron and a 20 per cent share of the offshore Akpo project in 130, operated by French oil firm, Total.

Crude oil production from the Agbami field began in 2008.

Output from the project can reach 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) and it holds estimated reserves of 900 million barrels.

Akpo began production in 2009, and has plateau output of 175,000 barrels per day of light condensate oil and nine million cubic metres of gas.

It has proved and probable reserves of 620 million barrels of condensate and more than 28 billion cubic metres of gas.

Chief Executive Officer, Petrobras, Ms Maria das Graças Foster, set a goal for asset sales of $9.9 billion this year, hoping it would free up cash, avert the sale of new shares, reduce debt and protect the company’s investment-grade ratings.

She said the plan should help Petrobras more than double current production by the start of

next decade, to about 5.2 million barrels of oil and natural gas equivalent a day, and help Brazil become self-sufficient in refined products as well as crude oil.

In its previous five-year plan, announced last year, Petrobras had hoped to sell about $15 billion of assets to help finance capital spending.

But as it rushed to sell assets, the company found potential buyers reluctant to pay top dollar for projects such as its oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

However, Standard Chartered and Petrobras declined comment.

Vanguard also discovered that the decision to close shop in Nigeria may not be unconnected with the new offshore pre-salt oil find, discovered in the deep water about 125 miles off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

The newly discovered oil field is expected to yield about 35 billion barrels of recoverable oil equivalent, more than double Brazil’s existing reserves.

“Subsalt discoveries that have been evaluated so far suggest a volume of recoverable oil more than double Brazil’s proven reserves. That means we could have three times our reserves just with the volumes that have already been evaluated,” said Marco Anthonio Martins Almeida, secretary of oil and gas at Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy.

He also said that the BM-S8 block operated by Petrobras in the Santos Basin alone likely has 1 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Petrobras said it found good-quality oil in the Carcara well in the block located in the Santos Basin, on January 2, this year.

According to Petrobras, the new subsalt oil discovery opens

a new exploration frontier in the Santos Basin. It stated that the first well drilled in the offshore BM-S050 bloc, dubbed Sagitario, was found to contain high-quality oil. Petrobras operates the bloc with a 60 percent stake. Petrobras is spending about $237 billion through 2016 to develop the subsalt area, with crude oil production from the region expected to increase in 2014.

Partners respond The General Manager, Government, Policy and Public Affairs, operator of Agbami field, Mr. Deji Haastrup, in an email response to Vanguard’s enquiry, said, “As a general rule, we do not comment on matters such as this.”

Also, Total, the operator of the Akpo field, did not respond, neither did Ms Tumini Green, the spokeswoman for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, the principal partner in the two assets.

Preparing for the divestment Ahead of the planned divestment, Vanguard also gathered that Petrobras, located at the imposing SAPETRO building on Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos, failed to renew its rent, after its expiration in December.

Buoyed by the subsalt oil discovery, Vanguard learnt that Petrobras decided to close shop in Nigeria where it has spent a lot of money without commensurate financial returns.

But its decision to quit has not gone down well with labour union which is threatening legal action.

IRECTOR-GENER AL, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, has said that the total pension assets of the National Pensions Commission, PenCom, stood at N3.2 trillion.

Oteh, who disclosed this during the capital market committee’s first quarter news conference in Lagos, said that the figure translated to $20 billion, adding that 13 per cent of the figure, representing N416 billion, was invested in the Nigerian capital market.

She further disclosed that the pension commission was committed to the development of the Nigerian capital market.

The SEC director-general said that the new investment structure would be introduced for pension funds in the second quarter of 2013, adding that the commission would soon launch two new trading platforms for the National Association of Securities Dealers to trade in unlisted securities and bonds to broaden capital market activities.

Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, yesterday said there is no evidence that Ecobank has replaced the shares worth N11 million to Avil Securities Ltd. Director-General, SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, disclosed this at a briefing in Lagos, said the Commission had yet to receive any formal letter from the bank.

Also the Federal Government is to sell 70 per cent of the Abuja Commodity Exchange to the public while it retains 30 per cent ownership.

Oteh also disclosed that the value of shares traded on the Nigeria stock Exchange, NSE, is now dominated by local investors with 61 per cent, while foreign investors account for 39 per cent.

It would be recalled that the Commission last week suspended Ecobank from capital market activities for its role in a complaint by Avil Services Limited.

Oteh described the action of Ecobank as irritating, adding that the Commission finds it surprising that a bank like Ecobank could behave the way it has done.

Executive Commissioner, Legal and Enforcement SEC, Sa’adatu Bello said that the Commission has not received any evidence that Ecobank has paid the money.

10—Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Rev Adeleke launches book

Fashola meets with stakeholders over aliens' invasion of Lagos

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HE launch of a book, You are born to win, authored by Reverend Lekan Adeleke, Associate Pastor, The Shepherd’s Flock International Church, SFIC, will hold on Sunday.

The event, scheduled for 12.30pm at SFIC, 18 Shogunle Street (behind Etiebet’s Place) Abule Onigbagbo, Bank Anthony way, Ikeja, will be chaired by the Managing Director, Vintage Press Limited (Publisher of The Nation newspapers), Mr. Victor Ifijeh.

Chairman, Misty Kay Ventures Limited (Oil and Gas), Architect Dayo Adegbite will attend as the Special Guest of Honour, while the Chief Executive Officer, Goshen BDC, Sola Awoleye is expected as the Chief Launcher.

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, met with men of the Neighbourhood

Watch, a security outfit the state created, and stakeholders in the security sector over increasing security threat in state in the wake of recent arrest of some terror suspects.

It would be recalled that

men of Operation Messa, OP MESSA, and officials of the Department of State Security, DSS, at a joint operation last week, arrested two terror suspects in Ijora Badia area of Lagos.

Since, more suspects were

‘What he told us'

UN WOMEN: From left— Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Head, Corporate Communications, Access Bank Plc; George Kell, Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact; and Bolaji Agbede, Head, Group HR, Access Bank Plc, at the just-concluded fifth annual United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles Event in New York.

Police arraign father, son for calling LASTMA officials kidnappers

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—OGUN State Police Command has arraigned a man, Kudaisi Kamoru, and his son, Sulaiman Kamoru, before an Abeokuta magistrate court, for accusing two officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, of attempt to kidnap them.

Transition

M

R. Samuel Ayo Amu, former Assistant General Manager, Administration, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, is dead.

He died in Lagos last month aged 74.

The family has announced funeral arrangement for April 11 and 12 in Lagos.

Late Mr. S. A. Amu.

said to have been apprehended, while some illegal aliens with questionable characters were arrested for further investigation.

The closed-door meeting held at Lagos State Television, LTV, Ikeja, premises, was also attended by hundreds of representatives of communities from the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas, LCDAs, and National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.

According to the court charged sheet, the duo were arraigned for allegedly beating one Tijani Rasaq and Ibironke Mustapha in Abeokuta on February 18 and allegedly called them kidnappers.

They were said to have committed breach of peace in the state, malicious damage, unlawful assault, willful and unlawful damage of Buba and Sokoto, valued at N10,000, property of Tijani Rasaq, raining of curses and accusing the officials of being kidnappers.

Counsel to the accused, Dr. Femi Jolaosho, accused police of conspiring with LASTMA to intimidate his client, who he said had sued LASTMA and two others for N50 million damage for causing permanent impairment of his left leg.

According to him, “my client had sued Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Attorney-General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Works in the state for N50 million over his permanent impairment caused by officials of LASTMA on May 6, 2010.

Jolaosho said the two officials of LASTMA, on February 18, 2013, allegedly disguised as customers to Mr. Sulaiman Kamoru and allegedly lured him to Panseke in Abeokuta metropolis to supply

granite before he reportedly raised alarm following their suspicious movement.

The defendants counsel said: “The LASTMA officials were arrested and taken to Lafenwa Police station where they were granted bail.”

However, Magistrate I. O. Olayinka, who granted the accused bail in the sum of N150,000 with one surety, who must be a resident of Ogun State and has evidence of payment of tax, adjourned the case till April 22.

One of those who attended the meeting told Vanguard: “Governor Babatunde Fashola urged us to continue to be vigilant and security conscious always.

“The governor also urged us to spread the gospel of vigilance and security consciousness when we get back to our various neighbourhoods.

"He also advised us that any strange movement of people or abandoned vehicles in our communities should be reported to security agencies immediately.”

Another CDA official, who spoke in confidence said: “The governor explained that a timely phone call or tip-offs to security personnel in the state would aid the arrest of anyone who may want to perpetrate evil in their community.

“The only assistance we can do for the security personnel in the state is to assist the law enforcement agents in the provision of surveillance information and tip-offs, which can give clues about criminal activities.”

Senate advocates death penalty for oil thieves

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA—SENATE, yester day, said it was prepared to back capital punishment for oil thieves and those engaged in bunkering if it would solve the problem of pipeline vandalism.

Inaugurating the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, at the Senate Conference Room, Senate President David Mark, said that there was no bigger punishment that could be meted out to oil thieves in Nigeria than capital punishment.

Mark said he would not hesitate to append his signature to any law that could recommend death penalty for oil bunkerers as he regretted that Nigeria had lost so much revenue in recent times due largely to illegal

oil bunkering, adding “oil theft deserves capital punishment.”

While charging the committee to recommend ways of curbing oil bunkering, Mark insisted that “the law must have a huge punishment on those that steal our oil to serve as a deterrent to other people who plan on stealing our oil.

“The Bill must also ensure that the current rate of oil theft in the country is minimised to the barest minimum.

"It seems we are having a bad name internationally because of the rate of oil theft in the country. Oil theft deserves capital punishment.

“If it is the public wish, I will endorse a death penalty for oil thieves, if it will stop oil theft and bunkering. It is an unusual situation so it deserves an unusual remedy and drastic punishment.”

Senator Mark assured that

the Senate would do everything possible to ensure the PIB was given serious and accelerated attention.

He said: “We are taking this bill seriously. The world is changing so fast. So is the petroleum industry. This is not a new bill but a review of the bill to meet with international best practices.

“Nigerians are patriotic enough to know that what we are doing is in the best interest of all Nigerians. We have to update the bill so that we can encourage investors. The bill is a win-win situation for all the parties involved."

Mark appealed to Nigerians to cooperate with the committee by coming forward with ways on how to reposition the country’s oil sector, adding that members of the four jointcommittees were not only men of proven integrity, but with the interest of Nigeria at heart.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—11

Diamond Bank opens shop in London D

IAMOND Bank Plc has secured the approval of the Financial Services Authority, FSA, United Kingdom, UK, to own and operate a bank in the UK. In a statement by the bank, its Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Alex Otti, said the bank was pleased with the approval as it signals the conclusion of a process that started months ago.

Dr. Otti said: “We at Diamond Bank are delighted to secure the affirmation of FSA for our bid to set up a UK subsidiary to enable us offer wholesale financial services, including facilitating international trade to new and existing clients.

“This approval also provides a unique opportunity for Diamond Bank to establish its presence in London, which is a hub for finance and banking activities in Europe.”

It will be recalled that following the approval given by shareholders at the last Annual General Meeting in May 2012, the CEO had hinted during the second quarter 2012 investors conference call in July 2012, that the bank was determined to lev-

erage on its international banking license with the acquisition of a niche bank in Europe.

Having realised the goal, Otti said: “This acquisition is

another milestone in our drive to become the leading financial institution in Nigeria.

“We welcome staff and customers of the new acquisition

into the Diamond fold with our promise of unparalleled customer experience, which has become our practice across our locations nationwide and the West African coast.”

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HE 2015 presidential ticket of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, remains open to all eligible members of the party, Chief Anthony Anenih, Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the party assured yesterday as he took the olive branch to Minna, Niger State.

Anenih, who led a delegation of the BoT to reconciliation talks with Governor Babangida Aliyu, spoke to reassure the state governor that there was no plan to push those opposed to a second term for President Goodluck

Jonathan out of the party.

Anenih’s assurance came as senior party officials in Abuja assured that Anenih’s reconciliation visits to state governors was not divergent from the just-concluded tour by the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and members of the National Working Committee, NWC.

Accusations

Anenih’s visit to Aliyu, chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF, followed strong sentiments by some of the party’s governors against perceptions that the 2015 presidential ticket had been ced-

BY OMOH GABRIEL

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PDP 2015 presidential ticket open to all— Anenih

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor &WOLE MOSADOMI

Union Bank restrategises on service delivery

ed to Jonathan and misgivings in the states about the alleged one-man show of the party ’s national chairman, Tukur.

The misgivings of the governors climaxed in the boycott of the one year anniversary lunch of the Tukur-led NWC in Abuja last Sunday.

Aliyu particularly had alleged that President Jonathan signed a pact to serve for one full term with governors ahead of the 2015 presidential election. President Jonathan’s aides have, however, denied knowledge of any such agreement.

Roll call

Yesterday, the issues were

discussed in closed and open sessions between stakeholders from Niger State and the Anenih delegation that comprised three former national chairmen, Senator Barnabas Gemade, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd.), Alhaji Abubakar Baraje; former BoT Secretary, Professor Jerry Gana; former deputy national chairman, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun; secretary of the BoT Wali Jibrin, Senator Jim Nwobodo, among others.

Aliyu in his welcome remarks had assured Anenih and visiting members of the BoT that none of the PDP governors was eager to leave the party unless the party pushed them out.

He nevertheless, tasked the party to ensure that things were done properly as he frowned against the alleged breaches by the party’s national leadership.

Though the 2005 presidential ticket was not openly mentioned, perceptions that it had been ceded to President Jonathan inevitably forced Anenih to reassure the governor and other stake-

ROUP Managing Director of Union Bank, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, has said the focus of the new look Union Bank is to deliver service at the best level possible.

He made the promise at an interactive session with journalists at the bank’s head office in Lagos.

He said Union Bank would significantly grow its customer base by optimising the potential of existing large customer base and targeting new segments of the market through innovative products, efficient, reliable technologies and amenable banking ambience.

The bank’s Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, Mrs Oyinkan Adewale, was also in attendance.

Providing insights into the immediate growth plan for the bank, Emuwa, who recently took over as the helmsman, said the bank would strive to generate growth by strengthening existing customer loyalty and business relationships, while seeking to win new generation of customers through trendy and reliable services and products.

According to him, while the bank did not plan to physically expand locally or internationally this year, it would maximise the opportunities in its large customer base.

Court orders textile firm to pay workers N128m L AGOS—LAGOS Division of National Industrial Court, NIC, has ordered the management of Gaskiya Textile Mill Kano, to immediately pay N128,394,220.33 to its former workers and National Union of Textile and Garment, Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, for legitimate gratuity and outstanding union dues.

The court, presided over by Justice F. L. Kola-Olalere, upheld earlier ruling of Industrial Arbitration Panel, AIP, which in 2010 ruled against the management of the company for unilaterally shutting down the company in 2005 without paying the workers their entitlements.

At a briefing yesterday in Lagos, NUTGTWN, while commending NIC under the leadership of its President,

Justice Babatunde Adejumo, called on the apex industrial court to ensure the enforcement the judgment.

Speaking on behalf of the union, its President, Dele Hunsu, said NIC also awarded the cost of N30,000 against the management of Gaskiya Textile Mills Plc, Kano, explaining that “Gaskiya Textile Mill unilaterally closed down operation in 2005 without settlement of the entitlements of the workers as well as outstanding union dues.

“When all entreaties to management to settle her liabilities to the workers and the union failed, the union petitioned the then Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Hassan Muhammed Lawal who promptly referred the matter to the Industrial Arbitration Panel, IAP, in January 2008.”

12 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—13

Delta LG Secreteries assure on cooperation with chairmen

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—SECRETARIES of Delta State local government transition committees, under the aegis of Forum of Local Government Transition Committee Secretaries, yesterday, pledged to work in harmony with their respective chairmen in the interest of peace and development of the local government system.

The secretaries said the transition committee, as constituted by the state government, was committed to the overall development of the grassroots.

The forum, in a statement by its chairman, Mr. Isaac Atikueke, commended the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, for his development strides in the state.

Orubebe urges govs' cooperation for N-Delta devt

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— MINISTER of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has called for cooperation between Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and his ministry to development in the Niger Delta region.

Orubebe, when he presented the Niger Delta Action Plan to Governor Amaechi at Government House, Port Harcourt, said he had also visited the governors of Cross of River, Akwa Ibom, and Imo States before coming to Rivers.

He urged Governor Amaechi to use his wealth of experience in governance to assist in achieving development in the region.

He said: “Our visit is to handover the Niger Delta Action Plan to you, and appeal that you work with us as a team to do those things that should be done for our people and Nigerians generally.

“You have been in govern-

ment for some time, and so you have adequate experience to add value to our thoughts and processes, so that collectively, we can move forward.

“The Niger Delta Action Plan will take care of issues of abandoned projects because there is continuity and I shared this thought with our governors and stakeholders in the Niger Del-

ta. If we collectively agree on the pathway, it will also tackle the issues of duplication of projects, and equally conserve resources to do other things we need to do.”

Promising that the East-West Road will be completed by December next year, the minister, said the Federal Government had approved a council

on the region that would enable stakeholders meet periodically on development related matters.

On his part, Governor Amaechi described the Niger Delta Action Plan as a step in the right direction, adding that it would provide a road map for the development of the region.

NDDC must do more for N-Delta people —Oba of Benin

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—THE Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, yesterday, charged the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to live up to expectation by ensuring the development of the Niger Delta region.

Though the Oba noted that the commission had improved since the coming of the current administration under Dr. Christian Oboh, he stressed the need for the commission to do more in order to justify the reasons for

its creation.

He spoke when the Edo State Commissioner on the board of NDDC, Mr. Henry Okhuarobo, paid him a congratulatory visit at the palace, on the occasion of his 34th coronation anniversary.

The Oba, who spoke through the Nobabor of Benin Kingdom, Chief Osemwengie Otegheken, said that NDDC should embark more in developmental projects in the region, tasking it to create employment opportunities for the youths of the region.

He said: “We were all happy when NDDC was created

but people are worried that not much development had been achieved. Though we are seeing improvements, we need more so as to justify the reasons for its creation. We want development in the Niger Delta and we should get it through NDDC, which is saddled with that responsibility.”

Speaking earlier, Okhuarobo thanked the monarch for his continuous prayers and support and assured that Edo State would benefit from several projects, which had been lined up by the commission.

14— Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

FG sells Omotosho Power Plant to Chinese investors

BY EMMA UJAH

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HE FEDERAL government has sold the Omotosho Power Plant to China National Machinery and Equipment Import and Export Corporation, CMEC, under a debtequity swap arrangement.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, said

in a statement in Abuja, yesterday that it had sent an offer letter to CMEC-Pacific in respect of a Power Purchase Agreement, PPA, for the sale of Omotosho power plant.

“Presenting the offer letter to the Chairman of CMEC-Pacific, Adeleke Adedeji, the acting Director General of the BPE, Mr. Benjamin Ezra

Face-off: NAF probes assault on PHCN workers '...culprits must be punished'

BY SONI DANIEl, Regional Editor, North

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HE NIGERIAN Air Force said yesterday it had begun investigation into the assault of some distribution and transmission workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, at Ipesu-Ijesa and Ijesa town in Osun State, which had led to the disruption of electricity in the affected areas for many weeks.

As a first step towards appeasing the aggrieved workers, who have vowed not to restore power to the towns until the culprits were fished out and punished, the NAF has written a formal letter to the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company with a strong promise to get to the root of the matter.

A copy of the letter dated March 19, 2013 with reference No. NAFIS/315/HQ, and signed by the Commandant of the Nigerian Air Force, Ipetu-Ijesa, Osun State, Air Commodore C. T. Gudi, was addressed to the Managing Director of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. B.M. Oyesiku.

A copy of the letter, which was obtained by Vanguard last night, acknowledged the report of the attack on the staff of the company by some NAF officers lodged by the company on March 12, 2013.

NAF said: “The institute has initiated investigation into the alleged brutality of our patrol team on your personnel and our findings and action taken will be duly communicated to you."

Dikki, said that it was in fulfillment of the decision of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) which approved the sale at its last meeting which held February 28, 2013.

“NCP had approved that CMEC -Pacific p a y s USD$217,531,507.79 for the power plant.

However, the net total amount accruable to the Federal Government for the plant would be USD$ 82,336,179.42 given that USD$30,325,386 would be deducted from the capital cost for the construction of a switch yard for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN,” the bureau said.

Phase 1 of Omotosho power plant, which has a capacity of 335MW, was constructed at the cost of $166, 724, 578 under a turnkey contract in 2002.

The Federal Government funded 35% of the cost ,while the balance of 65% was financed through vendor financing provided by CMEC at an interest rate of 6% per annum.

It was initially conceived that the power project after completion, would operate commercially and the proceeds from the sales of electricity used for the repayment of the vendor financing and interest payment.

Man kills uncle at masquerade festival

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SUKKA — PANDEMONIUM broke out at Nguru village in Nsukka, Enugu State, on Tuesday when a man shot his uncle dead at a masquerade festival.

Boniface Ukwueze was shot dead by his nephew, Chekwube Ukwueze, during the Omabe masquerade festival, according to an eyewitness.

A member of the community, who pleaded anonymity, said that the accident brought the festival to a sudden end.

He said people were dancing and celebrating with the masquerades when Chekwube, who was holding a dane gun, hit his leg on a stone and in the process of falling touched the trigger which killed the deceased.

“When we celebrate the masquerade festival, some people usually carry dane guns and shoot into the air to

add spice to the celebration.

“We have been doing this festival since our forefathers but it is unfortunate that this year’s turned into a tragedy. It was an accidental discharge, the nephew had no intention of killing his uncle,” he said.

Speaking on the tragedy, the councillor representing the area in Nsukka LGA, Mr. Nick Obayi, described it as unfortunate, noting that the community handed over the suspect to the police to avoid massive arrest.

“We know it was an accidental discharge, so the community will work closely with the police to ensure that the matter is resolved amicably.

“It was an accident. The nephew had no intention of killing the uncle. We decided to hand him over to the police to avoid massive arrest,” he said.

Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia State (right), being welcomed from his trip to the United States by his deputy, Sir Emeka Ananaba, at the Sam Mbakwe airport, Owerri.

Army reads riot act in Imo

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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HE 34 Brigade Gar rison, Nigerian Army, Obinze, has warned that it will henceforth not take kindly to any person or group spotting military insignia within its area of jurisdiction.

The Commander, Brigadier-General Modibo Alkali, read the riot act while flagging off this

year ’s Annual Range Classification, involving 342 Artillery Regiment, Elele and 34 Artillery Brigade Garrison, Obinze.

“This warning has become absolutely necessary, following reports that some criminally minded individuals now use these military insignia to commit all manner of crimes in our area of jurisdiction,” Alkali said.

He was particularly irked that some dare devil kidnappers that recently kidnapped and killed an Oguta hotelier, Mr. Emeka Aseme, reportedly wore military uniform.

“I must warn people using military insignia to desist from such act. Nobody has a right to use them or pose as military men. Such human beings mess up the image of the Nigerian Army,” he said.

NIPP projects to be completed

by June — MD, NDPHC

BY TONY EDIKE

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U G U — Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd, NDPHC, Mr. James Olotu, has assured of the commitment of all stakeholders in the power sector to meet up withthe June 2013 deadline set by the Federal Government to complete ongoing National Independent Power Projects, NIPPs, in different parts of the country.

Olotu, who gave the assurance, yesterday, while commissioning two NIPP substations at Eke and old Trade Fair site, both in Enugu State, said the government’s desire to fully stabilize the power sector would be realized by the end of the year when the 10 new power generation stations under construction would have been completed, with 4,774 megawatts added to the national grid.

He stated that although the NIPP projects were initially delayed for nearly three years, owing to the probe of the power

sector, the Federal Government had rolled out machinery to ensure the projects were completed in time.

“The NIPP projects as we all know was initiated in 2005, the contracts were then awarded; but you are all aware of the delays we had during the probe panel days, which kept us away for almost three

years. We are back and the projects are now being delivered.

“His Excellence the Vice President, Namadi Sambo made it clear the last time we met with him that the federal government want all NIPP projects completed

by June this year, and this is just the testimony of our commitment to meeting that deadline.

Glo brings world’s biggest singing reality TV show to Africa ...N24m star prize offered

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HE WORLD’S number one music singing talent reality TV show, “The X Factor ”, has berthed in Africa for the first time on the shores of Nigeria, courtesy of the leading telecommunications company, Globacom. The show was unveiled on Wednesday night at the GET Arena, Lekki, Lagos, confirming Globacom as the leading force connecting youths to their entertainment passion.

The ultimate winner of the spectacular show will cart home a princely sum

of $150,000 (N24million), the biggest purse among current reality TV shows.

He will also win a recording contract with the internationally acclaimed Sony Music for the recording of an album and professional management of the winning individual or group.

According to the company’s Group Chief Operating Officer (GCOO), Mohamed Jameel, Glo is proud to be the catalyst that brought about this development.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 15

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Awolowo, Tribune publisher, dies

By DAPO AKINREFON & DAUD OLATUNJI

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HIEF Oluwole Awolowo, publisher of the Tribune titles, is dead, aged 70 years old.

A statement by the Managing Director/ Editor -in- Chief of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Mr Edward Dickson said, yesterday: “We announce the final home call of the Publisher/ Vice Chairman of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Pls, Publishers of the Tribune titles, Chief Awolowo. He was 70 years old.

Chief Awolowo died 5.40pm Nigerian time at Wellington hospital, St Johnswood, London following complications arising from a car crash that occurred on September 30, 2006.

“He had been in and out of hospital, home and abroad, since he was involved in the ghastly accident seven years ago on the Lagos- Ibadan expressway.

“Despite his health challenges following the accident, Chief Awolowo devoted his life to the service of God and was deeply involved in evangelical activities. In

Oluwole Awolowo

the past four years, he authored a Christian column, OBA’S LECTERN, in the Sunday Tribune. “He fought a good fight and has gone to rest with his Maker. We ask for prayers at this most trying time for the Awolowo family and for the ANN Plc”.

In his reaction, Governor Ibikunle Amosun described his death as “a sad occurrence which thrown the state into mourning”. According to the governor, “the death is made

worse by the fact that he is survived by his mother, Chief H I D Awolowo. The sympathy goes to the entire Awolowo family as the state mourns his death”.

Also reacting to Awolowo’s death, PAN-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere said his death was a big pain and loss to followers of the sage, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Afenifere, in a statement by its publicity secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said “The entire Afenifere family mourns the passing away of the scion of our illustrious leader’s family, Chief Oluwole Awolowo .His death is big pain and loss to all of us who are followers of the sage.

We pray that the Almighty will strengthen our Mama and the entire family in this difficult moment. May his amiable soul rest in perfect peace.”

Oluwole, had been in and out of illness of recent. Between 2011 and 2012 he was on admission for about a year at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State. He left the

Sectarian clashes in Plateau kill 23

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E C TA R I A N CLASHES in volatile central Nigeria have left 23 people dead last week, in a region where bitter ethnic disputes have killed thousands in recent years,

the military told AFP Wednesday.

Details of the March 20 and 21 attacks were slow to emerge from Plateau State, which falls on the dividing line between Nigeria’s

Kwara gov threatens to revoke contracts behind completion schedule

BY DEMOLAAKINYEM

I

LORIN — THE Governor of Kwara State, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has warned that contractors who fail to complete projects on schedule would be sanctioned.

He said decision to revoke such projects became necessary because his administration’s programmes which were structured with specific funds and completion time frames.

Ahmed spoke yesterday in an interview with journalists after inspecting the Offa General Hospital now undergoing rehabilitation; Amberi Water Booster Station; Erin-Ile-Ilemona Road and Irra Road, all in Kwara South Senatorial District.

He therefore,advised contractors who were unable to meet their contractual terms on completion of projects due to funds to either be more

proactive or have such contracts revoked.

At the Offa General Hospital, Ahmed, who was happy with the level of work done, assured the people of the community that the hospital would be equipped with modern equipment to enhance healthcare delivery in the area.

He however, asked the people to embrace peace with a pledge that his administration had youth friendly programmes designed to engender job creation and empowerment. ”The youths should always bear it in mind that peace is essential for the attainment of progress and development in any society,” he counselled.

The governor also assured the people of Ajasse-Ipo in Irepodun LGA that with the completion of Amberi Booster Station, water challenges in the town would soon become a thing of the past

mostly Christian south and predominately Muslim north.

Military spokesman Lt. Jude Akpa said that 11 members of the mainly Muslim Fulani ethnic group, known largely as nomadic herders, were killed on March 20 after crossing to the land belonging to members of a Christian tribe called the Ataka.

The next day, Fulani gunmen reportedly returned to the same area of Riyom district and carried out a reprisal attack.

“On the 20th, the 11 people killed were Fulani...and on the 21st the 12 were known as Ataka,” he said.

Feuds over land and political rights have killed about 4,000 people in Plateau since 2001, the International Crisis Group said in a report last year.

The area’s Christian ethnic groups consider themselves indigenes and accuse Muslim herders from the north of trying to appropriate wide swatches of land.

The state has consistently been led by Christian politicians, with Fulani groups claiming they have been denied basic rights, including the ability to formally own land.

Nigeria’s constitution grants enhanced rights to those designated indigenes, giving Plateau’s Christians better access to public education and public sector employment.

hospital barely seven months ago.

Before the long admission, he was initially admitted for recurring pains from a forgotten accident episode. But the development deteriorated and warranted intensive care to be managed.

The situation at a point degenerated to a state that tales of death made the rounds- but the ailing publisher survived the odds.

However, seven months of the dramatic recovery, the heir of the family of the legendary Yoruba leader and sage - Chief Obafemi

Awolowo, kicked the bucket.

Born on December 3, 1942 to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Mama Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, he attended the prestigious Ibadan Grammar School in Oyo State and the Leighton Park School, Reading, Berdshire, England.

He was also at the famous Leeds College of Commerce where he read Business Studies.

Among other places, he worked in the Nigerian Tobacco Company, Ibadan; the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation; and the Nigerian Television Service, Lagos.

Polio: Nine WPV cases recorded in four states and FCT

BY ABDALLAH EL-KUREBE

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OKOTO—NINE cases of the Wild Polio Virus have been recorded in four states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, from January this year to date, the Executive Secretary, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Ado Mohammed has said.

This was even as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111, also said that some traditional rulers would meet with Bill Gates in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate, in April to discuss the way forward over the eradication of the disease.

Both Abubakar and Mohammed spoke in Sokoto yesterday while briefing newsmen shortly after the first quarter of 2013

meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on PHC delivery.

Apart from the FCT, the states include Nasarrawa, Bauchi, Borno and Yobe.

Mohammed however, said there was remarkable improvement when compared to the 29 cases recorded within the same period last year. ”Even in the hitherto sanctuaries of the cases, progress had been achieved. This is courtesy of the involvement of the traditional rulers that are actively involved in the fight against polio,” Mohammed said, adding that efforts were on to provide solutions to some of the formidable security challenges affecting the campaign against polio in some parts of the north.

ECOWAS, others pursue low impact of Mali crisis BY VICTORIA OJEME, with Agency reports

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OMMISSIONER for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman yesterday said ECOWAS was working hand in hand with the United Nations with the African Union with other international humanitarian agencies to ensure that the crisis in Mali impact less on the ordinary people.

This came as British troops have arrived in Mali as part of an EU mission to train local forces fighting Islamist insurgents, the Ministry of Defence in London announced yesterday.

The team of 40 will help develop the

Malian armed forces’ infantry and artillery skills, among about 500 troops from 22 European Union countries.

British ministers have stressed they will not join French troops in fighting back the Al-Qaeda-linked extremists who seized control in northern Mali.

Twenty-one members of 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment arrived in Bamako on Tuesday, and they will be joined later by members of the 45 Commando Royal Marines and 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery units.

“Through this mission we will support the Malian government to counter the violent insurgency that has not only disrupted their country, but which also poses a clear threat to our national interests here in the

UK,” Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said.

Mrs Suleiman disclosed this yesterday in her office when the Director General National Orientation Agency Dr. Mike Omeri, paid her a courtesy call in her office to discuss on issues to promote peace in West Africa.

British support to the mission in Mali — including assistance with training, logistics and surveillance — highlights the impressive flexibility of our armed forces.

“British troops will not deploy in a combat role but, through training the Malian armed forces, we can assist in restoring order and denying terrorists a safe haven in the country.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013— 17

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,

Y earliest encounter with Chinua Achebe was not the usual “suspect”; his trailblazing work, Things Fall Apart. That came a bit later.

I had my earliest encounter with Africa’s greatest writer, with Chike And The River. It was set in Onitsha, against the backdrop of the majestic River Niger. I had grown up literally on that river ’s banks and learnt to swim in it; saw it carry away several people; ate from its rich resource of fish and turtle; witnessed how its peoples traded on huge canoes and boats and even remember vividly today, mythical tales about the powers of a river which dominated the lives of its peoples from the Futa Djallon right into the Nigerian creeks. Achebe’s extraordinary power as a storyteller speaking to children, created a remarkable sense of drama and excitement when I first read the work in 1972. The fact that he was talking about our great river, but setting his store against a human experience in the sprawling market town of Onitsha, far removed from the laid back reality of Jebba, made it even more compelling for my young mind.

As I said, Things Fall Apart came later and it became part of the necessary ensemble of readings that assisted us to understand the conflicts which the entire baggage of colonialism, including its spiritual, religious element, impacted upon the African personality. It took the genius of Achebe to write Things Fall Apart, but the Africa of late colonialism and the whole sweep of anti-colonial

Chinua Achebe's undying place in our memories

Prof.Chinua Achebe struggle had provided the backdrop for the great ouvre. Achebe possessed that incredible ability to untangle the theme of his works in an accessible and lucid manner and for me that unpretentious approachability enhanced the

A broadcasting miscellany

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OR those who follow the emergence of new broadcasting outfits with excitement, like me, they wont have failed to notice that a new station is broadcasting on 92..5 FM, out of Keffi, in Nasarawa state and can be heard very clearly in the FCT. It belongs to the radio arm of the Nasarawa State Broadcasting Corporation. And without sounding too immodest, I have played a small role in the emergence of the radio. At the onset of the Almakura administration in 2011, he had invited me to assist in auditing the entire media infrastructure in Nasarawa state as well as proffering suggestions on how best to reposition them. I did a fact finding tour of these establishments and then suggested that he prioritises the turn around of the broadcasting outfits. My perspective was informed by the fact that his was the only CPCrun state in the country. He needed the state’s media resources to tell his story and to also receive feedback from the people, whose expectations of the administration were incredibly high!

I suggested that his broadcast procurement should be cutting edge and given the surfeit of dilletantes in the business, it was very vital to go for companies with the track record of performance. That was as far as my own brief went. A couple of months later, I heard that the contracts had been signed and that Almakura decided to berth with Lucky Omoluwa’s Pinnacle Communications/ Harris Corporation combo. In my mind, I knew that he took the right decision given the incredible record of broadcast procurement success they have garnered over the years; delivery was on target and the 92.5FM outfit is the first of deliveries that include television. When all these come on

stream,Nasarawa state will have one of the best broadcasting outfits in Nigeria and I think it would certainly be a legacy that Governor Tanko AlMakura can be proud of into the future.

It is also instructive, that the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON) has also become more active in recent months, with Segun Olaleye’s appointment as Executive Secretary, and especially as Nigeria draws ever closer to the digitisation of broadcasting, by 2015. It will be a revolutionary development which should impact on broadcasting at levels that we might not even be able to envisage now. But a couple of weeks ago, BON organised a two-day workshop on “Understanding Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting”, which was well attended by broadcast managers and others. It was equally instructive to note, that the workshop was solely sponsored by Omoluwa’s Pinnacle Communications Limited. It was a very commendable example of a company in the field of broadcast procurement, helping to sponsor the more subtle and nuanced issues of deepening knowledge about the future of broadcasting, which is already dawning upon us.

That is the type of social responsibility that private sector groups must do more often for the development of various aspects of our national life. I have spent the past eleven years editing newspapers, chairing editorial boards and writing columns and other articles; but broadcasting was and remains my first love. That is why I never stop following developments in the field and when there are green shoots of growth as we have witnessed in Nasarawa and with BON, we should acknowledge them.

enjoyment of the message that he was sending to the listener. His realism was one that could be mobilised in the cause of the African condition which dominated his works over the decades. Last October, I did a two-part column on the very controversial book on his Biafran experience There Was A Country. It was clear to me that we were not likely to accept conclusions he drew out the tragic experiences of the 1960s in Nigeria, which culminated in the secession of Biafra. It was also true, that the experience and his role within it, burnt an imprimatur on his consciousness which made it difficult for him to accept post-Biafran, Nigerian citizenship again, for a long time. In my view, the book was cathartic and a final return to Nigerian citizenship, with all the contradictions that they conveyed. It is significant that he had entered the Nigerian politics of the Second Republic, 19791983, as a member of Aminu Kano’s People Redemption Party (PRP), which was the most radical, left wing party of that period. I think that spoke volumes about the radical direction he felt Nigeria had to take, to find the liberation it deserved.

Even at the human level, there was something modest about the man, despite his worldacclaimed success as a pioneer and writer.

That modesty came to the fore when he responded to the adversity of losing the ability to walk after an accident

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Chinua Achebe was Africa’s greatest writer by a mile, and it was not for nothing that Nelson Mandela said of him, that he was the writer, whose company broke the walls of imprisonment. His pioneering example cannot be over-praised for the incredible effect it would have on the literary landscape of our continent.

One of my favourite African writers is NgugiWaThiong’o of Kenya and reading his essays we cannot escape his admiration for Achebe. Even at the human level, there was something modest about the man, despite his world-acclaimed success as a pioneer and writer. That modesty came to the fore when he responded to the adversity of losing the ability to walk after an accident. He did not want to be pitied, reminding that there were people born deformed. He had walked for sixty years anyway and if he was confined to a wheelchair in his latter years, he was going to deal with it.

And he did! He never stopped contributing to the betterment of our world from his wheelchair, since his great brain continued to function until he breathed his last. His works will endure through the ages and Chinua Achebe has found a worthy space in our hearts forever!

PDP’s me tamor phosis: FFrrom metamor tamorphosis: do-or-die tto o all out w ar war

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ELLOW Nigerians please be on the lookout. PDP is changing tack. It has undergone a metamorphosis. Not even “do-or-die” can approximate its desire to retain power. Times have changed in Nigeria and the Neanderthal “Ogas at the top”, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the colonial-era policeman, Chief Tony Anenih have their jobs cut out. The umbrella is torn; the scorpions are stinging themselves to death inside their basket of troubles; the candidate-tobe in 2015 has alienated the nation with an uninspiring record of service so far; the Niger Delta people whose “turn” it is have abused others to a point where they are gradually becoming the sole owners of a shell of a party, that the PDP is gradually becoming. And despite their huffing and puffing; the threats and abuses, politics remains a game of numbers! The numbers do not reside in the Niger Delta, unfortunately. And to worsen matters, the opposition seemed to have discovered the ability to unite at a time that Nigerians are yearning for a different direction in their lives. The emergence of APC has become such a potent and potential cure for the nation’s political headache, that the PDP is scared stiff. Fatigue has set in in the nation and after 14 years under the torn and leaky umbrella, things are scattering. As Fela would have inimitably put it, OVERTAKE DON OVERTAKE OVERTAKE! The PDP boat which Goodluck Jonathan had threatened to sink in 2010, is listing dangerously today. The governors are not amenable to the much-vaunted reconciliation drive. But the party chairman’s eyes are firmly on the ball. Never mind that the old man is not as firm as he was all those years ago. He still has fire in his belly. That was why he announced so honestly, that for his party, 2015 will be an all-out-war. But Baba Bamanga Tukur would have re-written Clausewitz’ treatise on war, by being a general able to win a war, when his troops are threatening to desert. Maybe the heavy financial war chest of the PDP will be enough to gather political stragglers to throw into a last-ditched battle for 2015. What about a liberal helping of political Viagra, given that we are dealing with an expired political manhood as well? May you live in interesting times, as the old Chinese curse says; those times are here! Please stay tuned, as we say in broadcasting.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 DURING 2010 Bauchi attack, there were complaints about a break down of intelligence. Residents insisted that it was worse.

There seemed to have been outright ignoring of petitions people filed with the security agencies about Boko Haram. Not much seems to have changed as clinical execution of recent jail breaks testified.

A strong scent of sabotage swirls round these jail breaks as well as the attacks. We warned in 2010 Boko Haram could attack other prisons, in other cities. Did government act?

“We are saddened by the insecurity in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Borno State and the continuous killings in Jos, Plateau State,” Minister of Information Labaran Maku said then.

“Mr. President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is very concerned and has vowed to beef up security in the country. The Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, in collaboration with other security agencies, is doing everything possible to fish out the evil perpetrators. The Federal Government is ready to bring them to justice because security agencies have been deployed to these (crises) States and the work is going to be round the clock.” Where are the results?

The myriad of internal problems aside,

Insecurity - What The President Can Do Nigeria was paradoxically on the threshold of economic ascendancy by 2010. She was ranked the 39th strongest and the third fastest growing economy in the world.

With the terrorists taking on foreigners and the internal upheavals their attacks are capable of causing, Nigeria would have to deal with its security challenges quickly, before her economy suffers more adversity.

The focus might be on terrorists in the North East, but other crimes like armed robberies are on the increase. The attention on bombings have made the security agencies to ignore the rising incidents of attacks on our highways even in broad daylight.

Almost all points of the Lagos — Ibadan Expressway are unsafe no matter the time.

The Benin — Sagamu Expressway has many points where armed robbers freely operate.

Highways leading to Abuja, from different parts of the country suffer similar attacks.

Kidnapping is becoming more wide spread.

More needs to be done at the level of intelligence gathering. Some past security breaches left Nigerians wondering about the roles of the various security agencies.

Intelligence gathering should include solutions to the challenges.

The President must attend to the elongating queue of the unemployed. He should embark on programmes that can create jobs.

Government’s actions and spending should reflect a concern for the people, many of who are suffering.

Among the things that the President can immediately do is past paced development of infrastructure to enhance the security of lives and property.

Nigerians want peace. They know that security is critical to attain the greatness that awaits our country. They would embrace the search for peace, when government is willing to seek their partnership through programmes that reflect “that the security and welfare of the people” are “the primary purpose of government.”

OPINION

BY ISAIAH OSIFO

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USTICE Mudashiru Oniyangi of a Federal High Court in Nigeria, on March 1, 2013, in a well publicised judgement, held that the incumbent President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan can contest for the office of President in the 2015 presidential election.

The learned Judge held that in the eyes of the law, President Jonathan’s tenure commenced on May 29, 2011, saying he only assumed the presidential seat in 2010 following the demise of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who, he said, only contested and won the 2007 presidential election. The learned Judge borrowed the ‘doctrine of necessity’ from the Nigeria National Assembly as the justification for the assumption of the office of the President of Nigeria by President Jonathan on May 6, 2010. Consequently, the Judge ruled that the President was on his first tenure of four years.

Justice Mudashiru referred to the earlier tenure in which President Jonathan exercised presidential power as the tenure of the late President Yar ’Adua. The questions arising from this are as follows: Was the earlier tenure personal to the late President Yar’Adua? Would Yar’Adua have been qualified to contest the 2007 presidential election without the inclusion of President Jonathan as his Vice President?

In other words, can any elected President

Can an elected president more than eight years in Nigeria qualify to contest presidential election without the inclusion of a Vice Presidential candidate? Was the ticket of the late President Yar’Adua not joint with present President as the Vice Presidential candidate? If the earlier four-year tenure of the late President Yar’Adua was personal to him, why did Nigerians not give the unexpired one and half years of the tenure of the late President to his wife or any of his children? Borrowing the ‘doctrine of necessity’ from the legislature as a basis for the Judge arriving at his decision equally raises a question whether the assumption of the office of the President

by President Jonathan was a gift from the legislative ‘doctrine of necessity’ or it was a gift from the National Assembly to President Jonathan to assume presidential office? The tenure of the office of the President of Nigeria is provided for in Sections 135 (1) (a) (b) (c) (d), 135 (2) (a) (b), and 135 (3).

Section 135, (2) (b), states: “The President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date, when in any other case, the person last elected to that office under this Constitution took the oath of allegiance

spend

and oath of office”.

The above provision is applicable to the case of the late President Yar’Adua and the incumbent President Jonathan. The Constitution intends that President Jonathan should complete the tenure of the late President Yar’Adua. There was no provision made to add more years for President Jonathan to make his separate four years. Neither the Constitution nor the Judge made reference to the Constitution providing for President Jonathan’s one and half years in office as the President of Nigeria before his election in 2011. The reliance on the ‘doctrine of necessity’ or the explanation that it was to complete the tenure of the late President Yar ’Adua cannot hold as it did not provide any Constitutional answer for President Jonathan’s one and half years in office.

W

hat is clear by the Constitutional provision is that Jonathan assumed the office of the President of Nigeria at the demise of the late President Yar ’Adua because he was the Vice President of Nigeria who won as Vice President by the joint Presidential ticket between him and the late President Yar ’Adua. Neither the

benevolence of the National Assembly nor the attempt to moralise the ‘doctrine of necessity’ gave President Jonathan the authority to assume the office of the President of Nigeria at the demise of the late President Yar’Adua.

Section 135 (3) makes a provision under which the tenure of an elected President can be extended. The section states as follows: “If the federation is at war in which the territory of Nigeria is physically involved and the President considers that is not practicable to hold elections, the National Assembly may by resolution extend the period of four years. No such extension shall exceed a period of six months at any one time”.

The provision of Section 136 (1) (2) shows the intention of the law makers as to the tenure of an elected President. The said Section 136 (1) states that: “If a person elected as President dies before taking and subscribing to the oath of allegiance and the oath of office, or is for any reason whatsoever unable to be sworn in, the person elected with him as Vice President shall be sworn in as President, and he shall nominate a new Vice President who shall be appointed by the new President with the approval by a simple majority of the National Assembly at a joint sitting”.

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 *Mr. Osifo, a student of philosophy, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 19

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AYELSA is a place of great puzzle and intrigue for me. I find this state and its people rather exotic. Any time I have an opportunity to be in Bayelsa State I never pass it up. If you ask the Correspondent of Vanguard newspapers in Yenagoa, Sam Oyadongha, who is a full-blooded Ijaw man but hails from Patani in Delta State, he’ll tell you it is because of the rich banga soup which I have found nowhere else.

Before 1996 when the late General Sani Abacha created the state, that part of Ijaw land was hopelessly lost to “civilisation”. But the creation of the state and the concomitant approval of 13 per cent derivation from oil resources

by Abacha, which eventually found its way into the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, brought what was once known as Poto-poto (muddy) State onto the centre-stage of Nigerian politics and power.

Today, one of its illustrious sons, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is the President, Commander-in-Chief of

the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Indeed, Abacha is a hero of Bayelsa as he is of other states he created in 1996, such as Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa and Zamfara. Each of these states was the most backward in their respective six geopolitical zones. But today, Bayelsa is economically the richest (being one of the nation’s “oil majors”) and politically the most powerful(being the home state of the incumbent President of Nigeria).

So, when President Jonathan extended a state pardon to his predecessor, DSP Alamieyeseigha, the entire country and the world out there were indignant. But in Bayelsa State, the very opposite of an outrage took place. The streets of Yenagoa, the state capital, were jammed with jubilant Bayelsans.

Alamieyeseigha reportedly stole their money when he was the governor. He was caught in London and detained for money laundering. He jumped bail, disguised as a woman and

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returned to his gubernatorial seat in Yenagoa. The then President Olusegun Obasanjo, who had been looking for his head over his fraternisation with his sworn enemy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, unleashed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, attack dogs on Alams. He was impeached, arrested, tried, convicted and jailed.

But for Bayelsans, all this did not matter. Alamieyeseigha is their hero; the “Governor General of Ijaw Nation”. When he was in power, he did not “chop alone”. He allowed his commissioners, top

DMITTEDLY, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Kidnapping has been with man from time.

In our younger days, at the shout of “Gbomo gbomo”, every child ran inside and locked the door. Gbomo gbomo were the kidnappers of that time who did not carry out their trade for ransom. They took away children for rituals. They were petty traders but along the line, they also stole available children.

In the tradition of Gbomo gbomo, the Federal Government of Nigeria is on rampage, looking for roads to steal. It could be that they deal on other items and projects but in Edo State, their major specialisation is on roads, good roads. The reader will recollect that this was what spurred us into doing the work titled, "Stealing by Sign Posts". Since the appearance of the work in this Column on December 29, 2011, which sparked off a lot of controversy at the time, they slowed down to allow the dust settle.

It is necessary to pause a little and find out if the reader has been to that part of Benin City called Five-Junction, so called because it is a confluence where the roads coming from Lagos, Iyaro, Wire Road, TV Road, and New Lagos Road, all converge.

Until the arrival of the Oshiomhole administration, it was the worst part of the town. The area was water-logged and the roads had the biggest potholes (rather, pig holes!) imaginable. At that time, each time it showered, at a single drop of water, the whole place was impassable. Traffic was held up for hours unend. It provided a nightmare for motorists and other road users.

Then came the Oshiomhole administration, which took on the area head long and gave it a 360 degree turn-around.

The worst became the best. It is a sight to behold. It provides the type of wonder which some British men saw when they visited

his was the man whose pardon they were celebrating. Truly, a Bayelsa son was President of Nigeria! The world out there just did not understand it. Abacha is Bayelsa’s hero for granting them “independence”, while Alamieyeseigha is their hero for plugging the Bayelsa elite into the benefits of their oil resources for the first time in their difficult history. They see this man as the person who, basically, helped in creating the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency. The President himself also sees him in the same light. The world is free to see Alamieyeseigha in any other light. That is their problem.

Another thing I found very intriguing in my many visits to Bayelsa State was the identity of our President, a man who is gradually becoming more of an enigma rather than being better understood after nearly three

Nwaka’s father for burial March 30

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HIEF Ogbonna Inem, a retired sea merchant and father of our close friend, Hon Nwaka Ogbonna Inem, will be committed to mother earth on Saturday, March 30, 2013 at his family compound, Omaghuzo Ameke, Abiriba. He was aged 87. Nwaka’s friends, wellwishers and associates from all corners of the country are storming Abiriba in full force to bid good bye to a man who spread fun, humour and laughter and lived life to the fullest till his last day.

Only falsehood will set you free

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France and surmised, “See Paris and die”.

Apart from the major road, about 15 adjourning streets and arteries have been carefully revamped and properly manicured to fit the standard of roads found anywhere in the world. If you think the road is good, just wait till the flood lights go on at night. When the streets were newly commissioned, children were playing football on them till midnight. That’s what propelled the inhabitants of the area to vow that no a single vote of theirs will be denied the ACN at any election.

If only the Federal Government understood this, they would work instead of going about “kidnapping” state projects. In the Gbomo gbomo tradition, the Federal Government was at its best during the socalled Good Governance Tour in Edo State.

They came; they saw; and they kidnapped.

The team passed through the Five-Junction and other areas of the State in absolute bewilderment. In the evening of the last day, they collected themselves in a hotel in the GRA in what they termed a Town Hall meeting. The meeting had in attendance, a cluster of their party men. Then it was time to announce to the audience that the FiveJunction project was for the Federal Government. The Works Minister received a standing ovation on behalf of the Federal Government.

Of course, this was irritating to the Oshiomhole administration, which had decided that it was not in the best interest of the tax-payer who already sees what he is doing to pay a heavy bill for others to come and inform the people what the administration is doing. The projects speak for themselves. All the same, the administration was not going to open its eyes and watch others claim credit for its achievements.

years of his ascent to our presidential throne. As you may remember, I covered the presidential election in Otuoke, the President’s hometown in Bayelsa State. Due to strenuous efforts in several quarters (including the President’s) to make it clear that he was not an Igbo man as his middle name, “Ebele”, seemed to suggest, I wanted to find out the Ijaw meaning of “Ebele”, especially as it is the only native name in the President’s nomenclature: Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. I scoured the length and breadth of Otuoke, interviewed President Jonathan’s kinsmen and elders. I came out basically drawing blank.

Most people said they did not know the meaning of “Ebele”.

While some suggested that it meant “fire”, a respondent even opined it meant “musical instrument”. One of the President’s kinsmen, after initially saying he was not sure what it meant, concluded that the name “must have come from Ibo people”. Mind you, even if the name had come from “Ibo people” that does not necessarily mean such a person is of Igbo ancestry or roots.

I consider my search for “Ebele” inconclusive, and I will continue it at the earliest opportunity until I get convincing answers.

Now (at long last) let me address the main subject of this article: Governor Seriake Dickson’s threat to declare war against rumours, WAR, in his state. He had served notice that come the last week of March, he would set up a high powered committee to “deal with” the damaging effects of rumour mongering in Bayelsa. Due to space constraints, we will devote the whole of the next edition of this column to that subject, God willing. Meanwhile, HAPPY BLESSED EASTER!

First thing the following morning, a visibly e n r a g e d C o m r a d e Oshiomhole was at the FiveJunction. He was not happy that the Contracting

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Gov Dickson’s wrong WAR (1)

Abacha is Bayelsa’s hero for granting them “independence”, while Alamieyeseigha is their hero for plugging the Bayelsa elite into the benefits of their oil resources for the first time in their difficult history

officials and civil servants to help themselves. In fact, he was in the habit of telling off appointees who failed “do well for themselves”.

Hotels and big mansions sprang up all over Yenagoa, and most of them belonged to Bayelsans in public or political offices.

Alamieyeseigha “empowered” them and supported the “boys” fighting the country and the foreign oil companies in the creeks.

Edo State, which is in a hurry to develop, must now devote a good part of the resources that would have gone into further development to avoidable labelling of projects, all because gbomo gbomo is hanging around

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Firm, Reynolds Construction Company, RCC, did not provide enough signs to show who owned the project. Not to worry. The Company’s Project Manager, Mr. Yaniv Dabar, was on hand to explain the situation.

Hear him: “Edo State Government is doing Five-Junction. The road, the erosion control, beautification and street lights at the FiveJunction are being financed and executed by the Edo State Government.”

D

abar should have realised that it is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss. He should have known that under the PDP administration, only falsehood can set one free. For telling the truth, he must be punished. We hear that Dabar’s truth was what made him a persona non grata. He

was apparently bundled into the next available plane and repatriated to his country. If it is a coincidence, it must be a great one. A witch cried all night and the following morning, a baby died. Do we need a soothsayer to explain the cause of the baby’s death? The company has since issued a flimsy statement that Dabar travelled home on vacation.

Unknown to the Federal Government, these are the small things that go into equation when deciding where the scale shall fall in judging a country. Again, President Jonathan has carved out a niche for himself: The most criticised politician in the entire globe and he is enjoying it. This tradition must be sustained. This explains why when he is not busy granting unpardonable pardons, his men are busy kidnapping state projects.

In all this, why would he not remain the most criticised? This is one man whose administration has kept demonstrating a penchant for the disobedience of law. In which other country would an administration openly ask its functionaries to brazenly disobey a law duly enacted by the National Assembly, as the Budget Office, Ministry of Finance, has just done with the 2013 Appropriation Act? Kidnap, under any guise, is contemptible.

Edo State, which is in a hurry to develop, must now devote a good part of the resources that would have gone into further development to avoidable labeling of projects, all because Gbomo gbomo is hanging around.

20 —Vanguard , THURSDAY THURSDAY,, MARCH 28, 2013

*Some of the female ex-militants undergoing rehabilitation training

TALES FROM REPENTANT FEMALE MILITANTS:

We were as daring as the men ••Their transition from militants to graduates of creative education

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OST Nigerians probably never knew that there was the female wing of militants or freedom fighters, as some youths who delved into militancy in the Niger Delta region, preferred to be addressed.

Veronica (not her real name) told Vanguard Metro, VM, during her graduation ceremony from the Centre for Creative Arts Education, CREATE run by popular Nollywood actress, Hilda Dokubo, that she was in charge of the armoury in one of the camps.

According to Veronica, her job on the duty chart at the defunct militant camp was to take stock of every weapon that left the armoury and when they came in.

She said she was recruited into the camp by her boyfriend.

Nelly, also not her real name, said she acted as a spy on security men for her camp. The graduates, all 50 females, had one story or the other to tell on their roles in their various militant camps before the advent of the Federal Government amnesty programme for repentant militants. They said they were now at peace with themselves since they embraced the amnesty programme.

Meantime, the Executive Director of CREATE, Hilda Dokubo, said it was not easy getting the female wing of the militants on the amnesty programme. According to her, the ladies were apparently not in the list of those to be disarmed, demobilized and rehabilitated. This probably was because nobody imagined ladies played active roles in the militancy struggle. The understanding in some circles was that militancy was entirely an all male affair.

Platoon of militants For Linda (also not her real name), militancy was not entirely a male thing. She said there were occasions she led a platoon of militants, adding that not too long after she joined the camp she was promoted to the rank of ‘Brigadier General’ for her courage and swiftness. She said she was likely the only female ‘Brigadier General ‘in any defunct militant camp in the whole of the Niger Delta region.

Dokubo said it took extra effort on the part of her organisation to get the females listed in the amnesty programme, after which 50 of them were recruited for the first phase of one year training

in various skills, character and all other necessary areas required for proper rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

According to her, the girls literally had little or no knowledge of Western education, adding that her instructors had to start teaching them from A, B, C. “So with chalk and slates we helped them write A to Z, identify A to Z, pronounce them, read them by their sounds and by the way everyone else reads them. We also taught them how to write from one to ten all the way to a thousand. Most of them couldn’t even identify their names if they saw it; so we also taught them how to spell their names by the sound of their names. And before they left here, every single one of them could write their names, identify their names even when it was written by somebody else, sign steady signatures that they never could sign before, go to the bank on their own, do transactions in the bank on their own, be able to count their money before, during and after purchase.

“We taught them skills, but for me what was most important that I think we gave them was value for life and value for who they are and making them understand that they can be the best of whatever they choose to be. We taught

them two major areas of skills and I will say them the way NABTEB (National Business and Technical Examination Board) described them. One was animal husbandry, which we call Integrated Agriculture and the other one was Creative Arts Craft, classified into decorative and accessories. For the husbandry we did snailry, fishery and poultry and we actually started from hatching to processing because in the

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BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, Port Harcourt

age them ready for sale and we did that and that was how we took it all the way to processing. So from hatching the eggs of the chickens, the fish and the snails we took them all the way to processing, ready for market.

“Some of the trainees when they graduated left here to get actual employment and we are having to call back five of the women who did agric to send them to farms to help train people on how to do this preservation I talked about. In a way we have also gotten employment for five of the 25 in the agric class; we ourselves are retaining three of our best as training assistants who are going to stay and work with us. We believe they will serve as good mentors and motivators for the new intakes. Some of the bead works you see there

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They said they were now at peace with themselves since they embraced the amnesty programme

course of training them we took them to existing farms to see how farms are and to ask the owners what their major challenges were.

“For the fish farms we found out that the major challenge was how to market the product. So a lot of time they sold them in a hurry because after they get to a certain size if you don’t dispose them they die and that becomes a loss to you. Then we came back and said we must deal with that challenge and what will be our best way to deal with it. We then agreed on processing; let’s dry these fish and chickens, let’s clean these snails and let’s pack-

(pointing at some beads) were done by them, the rug on the floor, all those bags (pointing at them), were done by them. We do a lot of bead and wire works, fabric works, our bed sheets, duvets and so many others, were all produced by these women; they have become professionals and anyone wanting to engage them can really do so.

“Whilst we were training them an organisation had an events management training and I decided to send 10 of them. Out of those 10 who went for that professional session, seven got certificates of excellence that was more than a pass mark.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 21

CBN, NAICOM frustrating timely release of financial statements — Quoted companies

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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OP executives of quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, have blamed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, Financial Reporting Council of Nigerian, FRCN and other primary regulators

for the delay in the submission of their financial statements.

Over 160 representatives of different quoted companies, including Chief Finance Officers, Company Secretaries and Managing Directors, that converged at the launch of NSE Issuer Portal - X-Issuer - on Tuesday, said that some of these primary regulators withhold financial statements

submitted to them for review longer than necessary, even beyond the stipulated 90 days for submission of such accounts to the NSE. They noted that it was important that the NSE review upward the 90 days deadline required for companies to submit their financial statement at the end of each accounting year, while also saying that

there is need to wave sanctions for defaulters in view of the negative role played by CBN and others.

According to them, the time lag between review of submitted results to the various primary regulators of quoted companies and subsequent release to the NSE should be taken into consideration.

They added that it is even a

From left: Newly elected President of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, CIPM, Mr. Victor Famuyibo, who is also HR Director, NB Plc; Mr. Abiola Popoola, outgoing President and Dr. Oladimeji Alo, Chairman, CIPM Electoral Committee, shortly after the presidential election of the institute at the 44th AGM, in Lagos.

IASeminars collaborates with Deloitte Nigeria to offer IFRS training

ITF talks tough over remittances of annual payroll from employers

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Needs N148bn for skills training centres in 36 states

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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HE Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has called on employers in both public and private sector of the economy to start remitting one percent of their annual payroll as training contribution to the Fund as stipulated by the law.

According to section 6:1 of the Financial Institutions & Contracting Firms, every employer having either five or more employees in his establishment or having less than five employees but with a turnover of N50 million and above per annum shall in respect of each calendar year and / or the prescribed date, contribute to the Fund one percent of his total annual payroll.

Director General of ITF, Professor Longman Sambo Wapmuk, who disclosed this during a meeting with Port Operators in Lagos, said that compliance with the directive by companies will enable the Fund to have enough money to implement various projects under the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

challenge accessing the NSE’s website sometimes, saying that it might pose a problem to the use of the newly introduced X-Issuer to upload results.

“There appears to be disconnect between the NSE and other primary regulators on issues bordering on timely submission of financial statements. It appears that the NSE is only interested in sanctioning companies even if it is obvious that the problem is not from them. It is important that you (NSE) meet with others to straighten things out,” they said.

A representative of one of the banks present at the launch also said, “In my bank, we held our Board meeting since January this year, and submitted our result to the CBN for review and approval. As I speak now, the CBN is yet is complete the audit so that we can submit to the NSE and we cannot submit it without approval from the CBN.

He stated that the Fund needs N148 billion over the next three years to construct at least four world class skills training centres annually across the country, and to train 1.2 million employable youths annually in technical vocational skills.

“It cost N4 billion to construct a world class skills training centre in each state,” he said.

In a paper, ”Accelerating Nigeria’s Development and Economic Growth: Imperative for Technical Vocational Skills in Nigeria,” he explained that description of one percent of annual payroll means is: “The sum total of all basic pay, allowance, and other entitlements, payable within and outside Nigeria to any employee in an establishment, public or private.

“Such as basic pay, domestic staff allowance, overtime, employees share of profits, housing/rent allowance, casual worker’s wages, furniture/motor vehicle grant/allowance, utility allowance, transport/motor vehicle grant/ allowance, meal subsidy, Director’s fee/remuneration, entertainment allowance, bonuses, leave allowance, commission, other benefits (cash o kind) and acting allowance.

137.5

1.9

2,148.00 +18.00 17.8

-0.17

108.66 +0.49 95.90 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.75 234.5236 198.9157 163.0149 1.6435 0.2865 232.0334 24.9138 41.2634 26.6889 233.069

155.25 235.2814 199.5584 163.5416 1.6488 0.2965 232.7831 24.9947 41.3967 26.7751 233.822

+1.09 SELLING 155.75 236.0391 200.2011 164.0683 1.6541 0.3065 233.5328 25.0757 41.53 26.8613 234.5751

CBN Exchange rate as at 27/03/2013

ASEMINARS (a UK-based company specialising in international accounting seminars around the world) and Akintola Williams Deloitte (one of the largest professional services firms in Nigeria) are pleased to announce their collaboration in training courses on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

“IASeminars is proud to be working with Deloitte to service the IFRS training needs of Nigeria and of the wider African market” said Marc Gardiner, CEO of IASeminars. “Having provided IFRS and other financial training over the last 10 years to many clients in Europe and North America, we look forward to being of service to an African clientele”.

“We are pleased to be working with IASeminars to provide a comprehensive range of IFRS training solutions,” said Oduware Uwadiae, Partner - IFRS Services, Deloitte West & Central Africa.

“Deloitte’s technical IFRS knowledge added to the IASeminars international training expertise represents a premium IFRS education opportunity for the West African market.”

Under this arrangement, a wide range of IFRS courses have been scheduled in a number of African locations, as well as abroad and also online. Topics available include IFRS Immersion, US GAAP to IFRS comparison, IFRS Updates, and industry-specific courses such as Oil and Gas, Financial Services, and Public Sector Accounting, IPSAS.

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

We are not surprised at retention of MPR at 12% — FBN Capital

BY PETER EGWUATU

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BN Capital, a subsidiary of First Bank Nigeria Limited has said that it was not a surprised when the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, left its Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 12.0 % this month of March, 2013.

In reaction to the retention of 12 % benchmark for interest rate, the FBN Capital said “ This was the overwhelming consensus in the market, and was our call.”

The committee voted by nine votes to three to hold both the policy rate and the cash reserve requirement (CRR) for banks at 12.0%, and their liquidity ratio at 30%.

“In January, two of the ten members of the MPC in attendance had voted for a cut of 25bps in the policy rate.

Some readers (but not FBN Capital) might see the committee’s latest dark threats that easing would wait for fiscal and structural reforms, and wonder whether it will ever relax its stance” FBN stated.

On inflation, the FBN stated that the communiqué ended with the claim that there are currently no inflationary concerns. It somehow contrived to argue that the return of single-digit inflation in January reflected both base effects and the committee’s tightening since Q3

2010. We hope that the personal statements of MPC members will share the CBN’s own forecasts and we conclude that the committee does not wish to encourage bullish commentary in the market.”

According to FBN, “There is more promising global outlook. The committee found that prospects had improved in the past two

months and singled out emerging Asia. It lauded the monetary and fiscal easing in China for its boost to investment in infrastructure.” On some issues with fiscal policy, the company observed that MPC restated its reservations about the fiscal stance. It highlighted the dangers inherent in the National Assembly ’s oil price threshold of US$79/b in the

2013 budget, which was signed into law by the president in late February.

According to FBN, “Party almost over for FGN bondholders. We see yield compression on the more liquid FGN bonds of up to 100 bps in first half 2013. Movements in the foreign exchange (fx) market suggest a cooling of interest on the part of the offshore investor.”

Mr Tony Elumelu (middle); Nigeria 50 Award winner, Mr. Arjan Mirchandani of Euro Global Food & Distilleries (left) and Minister of ndustry, Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga at the weekend in Lagos.

Heritage Bank targets 16 branches by June

BY PETER EGWUATU

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HE newest entry to the Nigerian banking industry, Heritage Bank is expected to grow by 13 more branches by June 2013 from three branches it started with.

The Managing Director/ CEO, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo disclosed this at an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to him, “We are targeting to have 16 branches by June and from there we will grow further.

Although, having many branches is not the ultimate because we are going to use technology to drive our business. There is mobile money, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and online banking transaction all driven by technology. We will

deploy adequate technology as point of presence matters a lot.”

Continuing, he said, “Our vision is simple, today we might look small, we want to be a bank that people would be able to associate with.

Our bank is the type that is interested in people to grow.

We are interested in generation and to leave a legacy. We want a situation where our name will speak for us.”

While answering the question on the bank’s niche, Sekobo, said, “There are a lot of value and opportunities in the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) . Most banks don’t have the skill to mentor this scale of business.

Money is not the first thing to get business right, there are things that must be put in

place first before money, so we intend to work with the SMEs and nurture them so that as they grow we also grow with them. We would like to see the SMEs grow and become household name like the Dangote, Femi Otedola etc.

When asked about the level of revalidation of account exercise of former customer of Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN), the Heritage Bank boss said, “ The people that attended for the verification were not large . We had about 95 per cent retention of customers, while five per cent took away their money. One of such customers who retained his money revealed that the show of integrity by Heritage Bank has convinced him to opt for retaining his old SGBN

account with the new bank.

However, our intention was to pay everybody who is ready to collect his or her money.

Management made adequate arrangement for everybody and we have the financial strength to pay everybody because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) helped us with funds as loans to enable us pay the N21 billion deposit liability we met. Even for those customers who are yet to come for verification, we have dedicated two centres, one for Abuja and Lagos for such people to show we are serious and our staff are there to attend to them. We dont coerced people to retain their account rather we counsel them and tell them the benefit they will get from us by time they continue banking with us and many trusted us when they saw the sincerity in us.

BRIEF:

MoneyGram rewards customers in Share Passion & Win Big promo

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lobal money transfer giant, MoneyGram International, has rounded off this year ’s edition of its ‘Share-the-Passion & WinBig’ consumer promo with a public draw where seventy customers of its Agent Banks in the country emerged winners. The promo ran from January 19 to February 28 and offered MoneyGram customers who received money through any of the agent banks during the promo period a chance to enter for draws and win prizes ranging from smart phones to plasma TVs. Out of the seventy winners that emerged at the draw which used a transparent, technology driven process that treated a pool of 135,000 transaction entries from MoneyGram’s twelve agent banks in the country, twenty won plasma TVs while fifty others won Samsung Galaxy smart phones The event which held at the Oceanview Restaurant on Wednesday March 20 was witnessed by MoneyGram officials, representatives of agent banks, officials of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Advertising Practitioners Council (APCON), journalists and some invited guests.

In a brief remark, MoneyGram’s Regional Director, North and West Africa, Francois Peyret, described the Nigerian market as a key receiver corridor in Africa just as he congratulated the country for winning the recently concluded 2013 AFCON tournament, thereby restating her generally acknowledged position as giant of Africa.

He said MoneyGram would continue to create programmes and events aimed at delighting, empowering and promoting Nigerians’ dream of self realization, adding that a cardinal business principle of MoneyGram is to continue to align with every event and opportunity that promises to promote the passion, wellbeing and happiness of its host communities.

“MoneyGram will continue to bring closer to members of our host communities opportunities to help them realize their dreams and derive joy from their passions.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 23

learning@vanguardngr.com

Low enrolment in technical schools: The cracks in the 6-3-3-4 system

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI, FAVOUR NNABUGWU & LAJU ARENYEKA

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ECHNICAL and vocational education is an important stream of the educational system in many societies due to its impact on diversified human resources development. But in Nigeria, little or no attention is being paid to this aspect. With more than 167 technical colleges nationwide whose enrollment is below capacity, stakeholders have continued to worry over the lack of attention paid to this section of the sector and its implications for national manpower development.

According to an education expert, Mr. Victor Dike, technical education is a planned programme of learning experiences that begins with exploration of career options, supports basic academic and life skills, and enables achievement of high academic standards, leadership, preparation for industry-defined work, and advanced and continuing education.

To ensure that Nigerian students are given equal opportunities to pursue their educational goals, the academically inclined ones are encouraged to proceed to senior secondary or grammar school, those commercially inclined can go to commercial school, while the technically inclined ones are encouraged to go to technical colleges.

But due to the public’s misunderstanding of the rationale behind this policy, which is to ensure their inclusiveness, a lot of parents see commercial and technical colleges as inferior to conventional secondary schools, and thus, would not want their wards to attend such institutions.

Explaining the reason for the low enrollment of students into technical colleges, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council, NERDC, Professor Godswill Obioma, said they were given ‘a stigma of inferiority, resulting in the everincreasing registration of students into secondary

Already Used on Tuesday

*A cross section of secondary school students at the first stage of the Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition NASSMAC, last weekend.

schools.

“The reasoning was that if a child goes to technical school, he’ll become a carpenter or something like that, and this is responsible for the high number of students in the conventional secondary schools. But at the end of the day, a lot of them come out without competencies and functioning skills needed for survival.

“The challenge we had in revising the curriculum was to seek the best ways to enable the youths acquire functioning skills of survival, whether they further their education or not.”

Accordingly, the revised curriculum for the senior secondary school now incorporates technical and

entrepreneurship subjects which are compulsory for everybody. Thus, it is hoped that by 2014, the first batch of students with these skills

would be graduating from secondary schools with the required skills for survival and economic growth.

Arguing that technical

schools are well funded, especially those sited in the state, Lagos State Ministry of Education sources say they are better equipped to churn out qualified employers of labour.

“These colleges, especially the ones in Lagos, aren’t inferior to secondary schools.

In fact, technical college students are more intelligent than their counterparts in secondary schools because they have to make use of their hands and creative parts of their brains to execute the practical aspect of their studies.

“The truth is that these schools are not only for those that are not academically inclined and are not inferior to secondary schools because you have to be talented and intelligent to get into one.”

Vanguard Learning investigation reveals that the Lagos State Government is tailoring the education system to enable it identify students suitable for technical colleges right from primary school, and help develop their talents through proper guidance and counselling. The ultimate goal is to prepare them for the outside world and make them employers of labour.

Speaking at a different occasion, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye

Continues on pg 24

JAMB set for 2013 UTME

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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S part of its efforts to conduct the 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has prepared itself for a hitch-free exam as 166 coordinators for Computer-Based Test (CBT) and Paper Pencil Test (PPT) scheduled for April 27 across the nation held a meeting ahead of the examination.

The coordinators are senior and experienced staff drawn from 190 coordinating tertiary institutions across the country.

How young writers, artists can tap into theirPage 27 creativity

The meeting was designed to keep the coordinators abreast of 2013 UTME features, its expectations and their roles towards ensuring the success of the examination.

Declaring the training open, the Registrar (JAMB), Professor ‘Dibu Ojerinde charged the coordinators to see their engagement as a national call and service to their fatherland.

He noted that in the smooth administration of any examination, the quality and role of examination officials cannot be over-

LUTH Nephrologists test 800 UNILAG students, staff for kidney Page 28 Page 28 damage

Continues on pg 24

Scientist makes ar tif icial dialy sis artif tificial dialysis machine Page 31

24 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

*Beneficiaries of the LUCINMA computer trianing programme with Executive Secretary, Mrs. Lucy Jonah (standing -middle) at the ceremony.

OAU set to join global Ivy League institutions — VC

BY DAYO ADESULU

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ICE-CHANCELLOR of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU ) , Professor Bamitale Omole, has said that the institution is hoping to catch up with the Ivy League institutions in the world in the nearest future.

In their quest to achieve this, Omole, who inaugurated the board at the Vigeo Heirs Holdings, Ikoyi, to help attract private sector funding said; “With business magnate, Mr. Victor Osibodu, and other distinguished alumni managing the OAU, the institution will catch up with the Ivy

League universities in the world.”

According to him, universities like Cambridge, Harvard and Yale are successful because their endowments run into billions of dollars used for research and provision of facilities in the institutions. The VC maintained that for OAU to survive and for it to continue to invest in infrastructural development and maintenance, it has to find out the practices in other top ranking universities in the world, especially on the issue of what these universities had done to attract the kind of global attention they are enjoying in

Professor Bamitale Omole terms of research and funding.

Omole explained that in 2011, the University of Oxford got £3.9bn as endowment

while the University of Cambridge received £4.3bn. Harvard got $30.435bn in 2012; Yale received $19.3bn while Stanford got $17.036 bn in the same year.

He said; “It is this attempt at adopting the modalities and methodologies of what these great universities are doing to sustain, and even improve their leadership positions in the comity of world universities that led us to the adoption of what is referred to as Institutional Advancement/Development Office model as is done in very successful universities abroad where the synergy between the university, alumni, philanthropists, friends of the university and donors, is very dynamic and very close.”

Accepting the challenge, the chairman of the board, Mr. Victor Osibodu, said the board expects to achieve the set objectives by building a platform to operate independent of university funds and operations; building a network by connecting with all members of the alumni and sustaining their interest; building value for donors by rewarding their efforts and set goals.

Other distinguished alumni inaugurated were: Mr. Isola Awodehin (SAN), Mr. Gboyega Fatimilehin, founder, Diya Fatimilehin Estate Surveyors, Mrs. Gloria Essien-Danner, retired Executive Director, Exxon Mobil, Alhaji Adeola Shokunbi, President, Great Ife Alumni Association, Mr. Isaac Orolugbagbe, and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Omole who will act as vice-chairman.

Low enrolment in technical schools Continues from pg 23 disclosed that the state government is committed to the development of technical and vocational education in the state so as to prepare the youths for the challenges of the global economy.

“In the past year, 159 trainees have graduated in modern auto-diagnosis and were awarded certificates of diagnosis, competence in auto-diagnosis and working knowledge in auto diagnosis.

Over 2,000 youths in Lagos State have benefited from the Samsung Electronics Engineering Academy established at Government Technical College, Agidingbi.

“We have trained 20 master

trainers through the entrepreneurship training programmes and five business clinics have been created in each of our technical colleges across the state to assist our students/trainees to prepare business plans, link them up with microfinance banks and encourage young business owners to develop the habit of proper record keeping.”

But despite the numerous benefits of technical education to national development, a seasoned educationist and Principal of Kings College, Otunba Oladele Peju, has called for the reversal of the policy, which he said is a ‘fundamental error.’

“The JSS-3 class is supposed to be a terminal one for those that can’t progress to the senior class, but what we have

today is 100 per cent transition. The UBE law needs to be updated and made to fit the reality on ground, and rather than having the 6-3-3-4, we can have the 6-6-4 system of education.”

Though most of the junior secondary students that Vanguard Learning spoke with said they’ll never attend a technical school, a visit to some technical colleges revealed that students seem less disciplined and the dress code less enforced than students of secondary schools.

Adeola Marcus is studying catering in a technical college.

Unlike the normal procedure of resuming technical school after JSS3, she began her technical studies after finishing secondary school.

“I did it to apply the skills and since I couldn’t get a job after secondary school, I decided to come here. In my department, we have no qualms about practical classes at all. I’ve learnt how to make so many dishes and snacks and almost ready to establish my catering business.”

Joshua Orizu who studies automobile engineering says he has no regrets toeing the technical college path.

"We are being taught how to repair cars. We use actual cars for our practical, and I can repair the engine of any car, if given the chance. If there’s enough money, when I’m done I would like to go to a polytechnic or university to study automobile engineering.”

JAMB set for 2013 UTME Continues on pg 23 emphasized.

“JAMB experience has shown that result blackout, incomplete results and other problems occur as a result of certain shortcomings often discovered either on the part of the candidate or on the part of other stakeholders right from the stage of registration of candidates to the conduct of the examination.

“It is against this backdrop that the Board deems it necessary to conduct this training for her examination officials.”

Professor Ojerinde pointed out that the purpose of training was to provide comprehensive information on the role of the UTME coordinators, supervisors, centre coordinators, assistant coordinators, invigilators, technical staff and attendants, for the smooth conduct of the 2013 UTME. In an address of welcome, the Acting Director, Test Administration Department, Dr. Yusuf Lawal commended the Registrar for the various initiatives and achievements recorded since he came on board as the helmsman.

Dr. Lawal pointed out that “Between 2007 when Professor ‘Dibu Ojerinde was appointed as the Registrar of JAMB and now, we have recorded a number of achievements too numerous to mention but it will not be out of place, because of its direct relevance to our activity of today to recall with some sense of satisfaction that Professor Ojerinde introduced the UTME in 2010. On the heels of this, we are here in 2013 celebrating the introduction of ComputerBased Test .”

“We congratulate the registrar and chief executive, management team and staff of the board for the general innovations that have practically taken the board to the next stage of development.”

He said the ComputerBased Test mode will be conducted alongside two other modes, that is, Dual Based Test (DBT) and the traditional Paper and Pencil Test (PPT).

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 25

How young writers, artists can tap into their creativity — Stakeholders

•Young writers who attended the NOAH’s ARK Creative Safari event.

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

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R. Emenike Johnson is a 24-year-old final year Mass Communication student in one of the nation’s universities. Right from childhood, he has had this flair and passion for writing.

He has the innate potential and skills that make a good writer.

Johnson has oftentimes professed his dream of becoming one of the country’s great writers like late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe; Nobel Laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka; novelist Elechi Amadi, poet and playwright, John Pepper Clark, and poet Christopher Okigbo; playright, Ola Rotimi, Chimamanda Adichie, and

others who have written their names in gold in the literary world.

Unfortunately for Johnson who has done no fewer than 10 works on fiction and nonfiction, drama and poetry, he is yet to publish any. His thought is that someday, may be in the near future, a big corporate organisation or wealthy individual will discover him and sponsor the publishing of his creative works.

Having spent four years in the university and developed such beautiful ideas without taking them to the final consumers - the readers, Johnson’s chances of making impact in the knowledgebased economy, and at the

same time redeeming himself from the league of unemployed graduates after his graduation, becomes slim.

There are innumerable teenagers and youths out there, who like Johnson, are good creative writers and artists, but who also live with the same perception. They wait for the “right” time which seems not to come and thus have most of their creative works lost by omission or commission.

It is against this backdrop that in commemoration of its 5thAnniversary, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, a leading advertising agency in the country, last Thursday, for the first time, brought together notable writers, publishers,

authors, journalists, broadcasters, public relations and advertising experts, artists, comedians, photographers and academics at Tera Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos, in order to sensitize young writers and artists on how they could tap into their creative talents while in school for self development.

Tagged Creative Safari, the event had two sessions where names like Jumoke Verissimo, author and winner of Carlos Idize Ahmad Award; Kelechi Amadi Obi, photographer and publisher of Mania Magazines; Itah Hozaife, Chief Executive Officer of Ink Marks Limited; Sesan Adeniji, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of My Streetz Media; Nnamdi Ndu of CHINI

ROUND UP

ROUND OFF

‘To round something off’ is ‘to finish an activity, or complete something in a good or suitable way’.

‘To round somebody or something up’ is ‘to find and gather together people, animals or things’. Do not confuse round up which means ‘to gather

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They only sponsor writers

OOU holds special colloquium on education

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S part of activities marking the 30 th anniversary celebrations of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, the institution will on Thursday April 4, 2013 hold a special colloquium on education with the theme, Nigeria Tertiary Education in Crisis: The Way Forward.

Speaking on the theme, the institution’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Segun Oshin stated that the choice of the theme was born out of the fact that the deterioration of our tertiary education has reached a stage that calls for urgent attention from all stakeholders.

Prof. Craig Mahoney, Chief Executive, Higher Education, UK and Prof. Dominic Fobih, member of Parliament and former Cabinet Minister of Education, Ghana, will be keynote speakers while Prof. Yakub Mamud, former Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Tax Fund will be the lead speaker.

There will also be a panel of discussants to do justice to the topic.

together or arrest’ with round off which means ‘to finish’.

Frequently Confused Words

Productions; Tosin Martins, an artist and others, took turns to enlighten the young writers and artists on how they could utilise their Godgiven creative potentials, thereby becoming productive and worthy ambassadors of their parents and the nation at large.

In his contributions, Nnamdi Ndu, while decrying the growing unemployment rate in the country, averred that young writers should no longer wait for the so-called big sponsors to come and sponsor their creative works, but to put it together in print, no matter how small, in order to derive intellectual and economic satisfaction.

“It has been discovered that most corporate organisations and wealthy individuals in the country today, do not encourage the creativity of young writers and upcoming artists by means of sponsorship."

Examples.

1. The police rounded up a group of teenagers suspected to be criminals.

2. He rounded off the essay by concluding that “As far as qualitative leadership is concerned in some parts of Africa, ’The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born’”.

3. Professor Iwediran rounded off the lecture at 5.00pm.

Note that round up also means ‘a summary of the most important parts of a particular subject, especially the news’.

DON’T MENTION IT Don’t mention it is used to respond to appreciation.

It is a polite response when somebody has thanked you. It is incorrect to say ‘Don’t mention’. ‘Don’t

mention’ must be followed by ‘it’. The acceptable idiom is ‘Don’t mention it’. ‘Not at all’ or ‘You’re welcome’ are also used to politely accept thanks i.e. as a polite reply when somebody thanks you for something.

Examples.

1. A. Thanks for your thoughtfulness!

B. Don’t mention it.

2. A. Thanks for your help!

B. You’re welcome.

3. A. Thank you for your warm welcome!

B. Not at all.

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

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

LUTH nephrologists test 800 UNILAG students, staff for kidney damage

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

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orried by increasing cases of kidney diseases recorded across the country, the Renal Unit, Department of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), IdiAraba, Lagos, penultimate Thursday, got no fewer than 800 students and staff of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), tested for early signs of kidney damage. As the unit joined the rest of the world in marking the World Kidney Day held annually on March 14, they, however, called on government at all levels to make health care affordable in the country, if incidences of kidney damages would be reduced.

Speaking to Quadlife shortly after a Sensitization Walk within the university campus, Dr. Braimoh Rotimi, Consultant Nephrologist at the Department of Medicine, LUTH, said that the public awareness campaign and screening exercise became imperative as kidney problems are on the increase in Nigeria just like it is in other parts of the world.

He said; “Bothered by the increasing incidences of kidney damages leading to loss of lives annually, there are few things we can do in order to preserve our kidneys.

One of such things will be our blood pressure. It is important to regularly or at least check our blood pressure every three months to see whether it is increasing or normal.

The second is to check our blood sugar.

It’s advisable not to take more than two or three bottles of minerals in a week because, excess sugar intake leads to diabetes mellitus, which largely contributes to kidney damages. It’s important to check them regularly to see if they are rising. If they are rising, something needs to be done quickly to prevent kidney

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Consultant Nephrologists from Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, marking the 2013 World Kidney Day at University of Lagos, damages.”

However, Rotimi said these factors were instrumental to the theme of this year’s World Kidney Day tagged: Kidneys for Life; Stop Acute Kidney Injury. The nephrologist disclosed that other factors

that could cause kidney damage are “vomiting, watery stool, hypertension, excessive consumption of alcohol, sugary and junk foods, salty foods, herbal drugs (agbo), stooling, diarrhoea and pain

relievers taken when one is tired. These things are so common, but they could actually lead to kidney damages if not detected earlier. So I advise people to exercise regularly, at least jogging or brisk walking will go a long way,” he said.

Etisalat thrills UNICAL students

BY STANLEY UCHEGBU, UNICAL

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T was a thrilling week at the University of Calabar when the Etisalat Telecommunication Network stormed the institution to empower the students on initiatives which will inspire them to operate at their peak for outstanding achievements in their various endeavours.

The event, held at the university's International Conference Centre was well attended by the students and also featured one of the top 10 public speakers in Nigeria and also an author and president of Fifth Gear Plus Consulting, Mr. Niyi Adesanya.

No sooner had the students filed into the expansive hall, well decorated with etisalat logo and ribbons, than the programme started.

A comedian, Bash, opened the ceremony with a rib- cracking joke that had the students glued to their seats in.

In his welcome address, Prof. Eyong U Eyong thanked Etisalat for recognising the students across Nigeria knowing full well that the country

is theirs.

He charged the students to use the values they had acquired in the lecture to improve their academic pursuit and stressed that they should adopt the entrepreneurship skills which they have received to explore their environment to be useful.

A cross session of students at the programme.

BAC, ISA accreditation excites Peacock College

P

EACOCK College, United Kingdom has received the International Student Association accreditation to deliver professional and academic degree and postgraduate programmes.

The UK-based college, which was started by a Nigerian, Chief Segun Phillips, in 2012, has also been approved as a candidate for accreditation by the British Accreditation Council for Independen Further and Higher Education.

Consequently, the institution is now qualified to offer certificate, diploma and degree programmes in its main campus in London.

The college Principal, Mr. Zenon Adamek, a Briton, in an online statement, said the feat was as a result of the institution’s hard work and willingness for development.

“The college team is drawing upon the experience and expertise of academics, professionals working in the pertinent industries and colleagues with wealth of practice and knowledge to deliver professional academic programmes in Business Management, Health and Social Care, Hospitality Travel and Tours and Information Technology,” he stated.

He added that these programmes would be delivered as certificate, diploma and extended diploma all at level 4 to 7 of UK National Occupation Standards.

Level 4 to 7 certificate of the UK NOS is an equivalent of first and second degrees in Nigeria. The implication of ISA accreditation, Phillips said, was that the college could now award first degrees and professional degrees at postgraduate level.

On the importance of the ISA accreditation, Adamek stated that ISA qualifications, which are accepted in UK universities, would give a pathway to students to progress to Master ’s degree programmes in British institutions.

He added that the college was set up to enable students to gain new knowledge and skills that are crucial to professional and academic success.

“Peacock College, UK will start delivering these programmes from March, this year from our campus in UK but plans are underway to have centres in Nigeria or to start online delivery for those who cannot travel to the UK,” he stated.

Asked whether the college has sought the approval of the National Universities Commission for the programmes in the country, Phillips said that would not be a problem since both the ISA and BAC accreditation enjoy global acceptability.

“But as a responsible institution, I’m sure that if we have been able to pass the strict accreditation guidelines in the UK, doing so here, I believe, should not be a problem,” Phillips said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—27

When Prof Oladipo taught a lesson on climate change…

Science students get new leaders

BY DHIKRUAKINOLA, OAU

T

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

I

Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo

,

f you thought climate change was some distant phenomenon happening in a far away country, think again. Prof.

Emmanuel Oladipo, once thought so too.

“When I was a young postgraduate student at the University of Toronto in 1975,” he said, “ we started talking about climate change.

"It never occurred to me that the same challenges we faced there were being faced back home; this was because in my mind’s eye, the yams and fruits were still as big as ever.

"However, five or six years later, I returned home and found out how much things had changed. The yams were not as big as before, and the soil in my father’s cocoa farm could no longer produce; negative results were beginning to evolve from the land’s reduced ability to develop.”

Oladipo, who is a Professor of Geography at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, spoke at a training on knowledge management and capacity building for Non Governmental Organizations, themed: Understanding and negotiating Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) for sustainable development.

The training, which was organised by the Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme (GEFSGP), in association with the Legal Research and Resource Development Center (LRRDC), witnessed the presence of various environmentally- based NGOs. Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, the Executive Director, LRRDC, speaking on the rationale behind the training, said; “NGOs must understand that negotiation skills are not just necessary at the international level but are also relevant at the most basic levels.

"The data gathering done at the community levels goes a long way in influencing policies and government decisions at the national levels.

"Mrs. Ibironke Olubamishe, the National Director, (GEF-SGP)

The world we are living in is dear to everyone; we must nurture it in such a way that it plays its role of giving us air, water and food

,

added that the training was set up so that NGOs can replicate their results at a higher level, and foster advocacy that can be used either at the local government or state level.

“Many of these NGOs have had good results and have won national and international awards.

The question is, how do we translate these results to build advocacy in Nigeria?”

Oladipo said that the country still has a long way to go in securing the environment as environmental issues are still not taken as a very serious challenge within our development framework.

“Nigeria is a country that practises what I refer to as “fire brigade” approach. When something happens, then we try to address it. A typical example is the flood of last year.

"What is important is to see environment as our only means of livelihood, and if we do not use it well, it can also be a means of our perishing. We must take

environment into cognizance and give it the recognition it requires, whether in the area of budgeting, or in management.

“If care is not taken, young ones may not have the opportunity to enjoy a good global environment.

The world we are living in is dear to everyone; we must nurture it in such a way that it plays its role of giving us air, water and food.

"We need to take the sustainable development approach; as much as we want to ride good cars, and get oil from the ground, we must balance the art of living well with protecting the environment. We must balance the demand for our natural resources from the developed world with protecting our future."

Proffering solutions on achieving environmental integrity in the outcome of climate change, he said: “The first step is to accept the reality that climate change is real, and that we are not talking of longterm changes, we are talking of short-term extreme events that could affect us.

"If we accept this, it means that we must agree to deal with it. So the only way to achieve integrity in this area is to mainstream climate change as part of our development process.

"For instance, you can see what Lagos State is doing, that every year, even before the rains come, they are already anticipating that there will be flood. By anticipating this, the next step is to make sure that all the drains are already cleared before it starts to rain.”

Oladipo, who is one of Nigeria’s foremost negotiators on environmental issues, said that negotiations are attempts by the world to reach a common consensus or agreement on certain issues that affect the world.

HE Nigerian Association of Science Students, NASS, Adeyemi College of Education (affiliated to the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) chapter, has elected new set of leaders who will direct the affairs of the association in the next academic session.

The announcement of MoshoodBabatunde Adebayo as winner of the election was greeted with wild jubilation, even at his alma mater, Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, EACOED, Oyo. Adebayo shed tears, saying that he would have been more proud if his father,, a late human rights activist, was still alive.

It would be recalled that Com. Adebayo contested for the presidential seat of the EACOED Students’ Union Government in 2008 but the election was cancelled by the school's administration as the election was not properly handled. Weeks after, his father who was a human rights activist was gunned down at his Oyo residence by yet-to-be identified assailants.

UNICAL swears in new students’ leaders

BY STANLEY UCHEGBU, UNICAL

T

HE management of University of Calabar has officially sworn in the newly elected members of the Students’ Union Government that will pilot its affairs for the next academic session.

The swearing-in ceremony which was held at the old senate building of the institution had in attendance the ViceChancellor, Prof. James Epoke, Dean of the Students’ Affairs, Prof. Eyong U. Eyong, Information Officer of the University, Mr. Eyo Effiong, Chairman, Calabar University Electoral Commission, Dr. Idaka Idaka, Barrister Odiah, outgoing SUG President, Amb. Ayi Ekpenyong, Speaker, House of Parliament, Sen. Olayi Emmanuel and other dignitaries including students.

Presenting his opening remark, Prof.

Eyong felicitated with the newly elected executive members and their opponents during the electioneering process. He immensely thanked those who contributed to the success of the election, stressing that the management will need maximum cooperation and support from the executives. He further noted that the management is ready to work hand in hand with them in order to build up the institution.

The CUECO, through its chairman, Dr. Idaka Idaka presented the new executive members for the official oath-taking. The oath of office was first administered to the president followed by his executive members.

Before conferring on them the constitutional powers, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. James Epoke said he had no interest in nominating any presidential candidate.

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Proper soil management, a must for food security —Soil scientists

BY EBELE ORAKPO

S

OIL scientists have called for proper soil and crop nutrition management in addressing issues of environmental quality and land degradation if the progress already achieved in combating food insecurity must be sustained; noting that “achieving food security (availability, accessibility and affordability) in the 21 st Century can only be realised through proper soil and crop nutrition management backed by effective and implementable government policies.

This was contained in a communiqué released at the end of the 37th conference of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN) held in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital from March 11 to 15. Tagged Solid State 2013, the theme of the conference which attracted over 400 soil scientists, farmers, policymakers, environmentalists and students from across the country and beyond, was Soil Science, Environmental Management and Food

Security.

In an address delivered at the opening ceremony, Hon. Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Bukar Tijani, urged the scientists not just to present papers but to present papers that will stand international scrutiny and add value to the lives of the people, noting that the outcome of researches should be transferable and transmittable. He called for synergy between researchers and farmers.

At the end of the conference which saw participants presenting about 250 papers in the areas of soil survey, classification, evaluation and land use management, soil fertility and fertilizer technology, soil chemistry and microbiology, amongst others, a communiqué signed by the National President of the society, Prof. Victor Chude and the Secretary, Prof. J. Adediran, SSSN resolved as follows; “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should, as a matter of urgency, resuscitate the National Soil Survey Programme with the view to

*Alhaji Bukar Tijani, Minister of State for Agriculture providing quality data for proper planning and utilisation of the nation’s soil resources.

SSSN has the expertise and is willing to partner with government in this regard.

“There is the urgent need for the National Assembly to expedite action on the Nigerian Soil Science Institute bill (currently before the Assembly) that will holistically address the soil resources and crop nutrition management problems as well as the environmental challenges of the country.

“Government should consider urgently the critical need to upgrade the soil research laboratories in research

institutes, colleges of agriculture and universities with state-of-the art equipment to facilitate capacity-building and enhance soil, crop nutrient and environmental quality assessment and monitoring.

“As a step towards ensuring food security and environmental integrity, and also in line with the current global trends in Information Technology, government is requested to expedite action on the actualisation of the National Soil Survey Programme, a crucial database for the Nigerian Soil Information Service (NSIS) which in turn is a component part of the African Soil Information Service (AfSIS). This reemphasizes the need for SSSN to be fully involved in the execution of the National Soil Survey Programme.”

In a keynote address entitled: Soil degradation, food security and climate change, Prof.

Emmanuel Oladipo of the Department of Geography, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, underscored the importance of soil to human existence. “Do you know that there are more living

individual organisms in a tablespoon of soil than there are people on the earth; almost all of the antibiotics we take to help us fight infections were obtained from soil microorganisms; agriculture is the only essential industry on earth; over 90% of the world’s food comes from soil; soil is a nonrenewable natural resource; putting clay on your face in the form of a mud mask is done to cleanse the pores in the skin?” he asked.

Other speakers were Prof.

Rattan Lal, Ohio State University, USA; Prof. Ivara Esu, University of Calabar; Prof. David N. Sasseville of AgriGuardian, USA and the Director, Agricultural Land Resources, Mr. M. M. Mshelia, represented by Mr. Olatunji O. Ojuola.

The society commended the Federal Government for the bold step in the transformation agenda to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria particularly in the area of food and nutrition security through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Burning the midnight candle: Students prepare for WASSCE

BY LAJU ARENYEKA & QUEEN ISIBOR

T

he West African Senior School Certificate Exams, WASSCE, is undoubtedly the most revered qualifying examinations by secondary school leavers.

Popularly called ‘WAEC’ after its administrators, the West African Examinations Council, thousands of SS3 students including their counterparts who failed in the previous year, join the bandwagon of West African students to battle for at least credit level passes in five subjects including Mathematics and English.

For them, the fear of WAEC is the beginning of wisdom.

The reasons for this are not far-fetched. Last year, of the 1,672,224 candidates who sat for the May/June WASSCE in Nigeria, only 649,156 (38.81 per cent) obtained credit in five subjects, including English and Mathematics.

Although the overall performance left much to be desired, it was still a 37.27 per cent increase over the 2011 results.

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*From left: Dr. Duro Aina, Mr. Abiodun Toki, Mrs. Jelilat Lasaki, Mrs. Clementina Doregos (Proprietress) and Mr. Olatokunbo Doregos (Executive Director – DPA) at the 16th speech making and prize-giving day of Doregos Private Academy, Ipaja, Lagos.

To improve on this trend, an educationist at Queens College Yaba, Mrs. Fashola advised students to sit down and read through their notes at least seven hours before examinations. Her words: “They should be disciplined enough to study at least six or seven hours a day, and

forget about going to cinemas, partying and watching television. They should also attempt past questions.”

A lot of students are already taking their destiny in their hands. Preparing for the forthcoming examinations, Kelechi David said he has been reading through the

night every night. He said that having written the examinations several times previously, he couldn’t make mathematics. Kelechi said: My major challenge is that I am confused about what direction to target my reading, I don’t know where to start.”

Another candidate, Jessica Mpamugo said she has been doing the normal routine of burning the midnight candle.

She stressed that this is her second time of writing the examinations, adding that she sat for the October/November examinations but did not pass physics.

Chinenye Ezenwa said by the grace of God, she is trying her best to ensure that she passes with flying colours. “I have been studying harder than usual and going to extra lessons,” she said. “I believe I have studied about 75% of my subjects.” Nwaeze Chidera who attends a secondary school in Lagos also said that he is about 60% ready for the examinations.

Meanwhile, a whole new industry is engaged in the WAEC business. CDs and books containing past questions are now hot cakes, as lesson centres have emerged in every corner.

Now, more than ever, students are desperate to make all their papers; The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has said it would soon stop the registration of external students by schools.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—29

BY EBELE ORAKPO

although it is just at the laboratory stage,” he said.

“Usually, before you begin to think of testing a product on people, it has to pass certain stages. We started with the use of smaller mammals, then moved on to larger mammals like monkeys and gradually, to gorillas and chimpanzees which are closer to humans.

After that, you can then begin to think of serious medical tests, first on people that have actually lost all hope and so on.

You can see how crude it looks.

We are looking for assistance right now to support this research work so that eventually, it will go a long way in saving lives.

This machine is going to be very cheap because eventually, the cost will not be up to N50,000 and maintenance will be in Nigeria because the technology is indigenous. It will save Nigeria a lot of foreign exchange. We are not going to have to fly people out to UK or US just to undergo dialysis.

The materials used are all locally sourced. What we need now is financial support to complete the project,” he stated.

M

r. Eyiowuawi Abiola is a lecturer at the Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State and an associate member of the Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology. At the 12th National Council on Science and Technology Meeting and Exhibition held in Ibadan recently, Eyiowuawi spoke to Vanguard Learning on one of his innovations, Artificial Human Kidney Dialysis machine. Excerpts:

The idea:

T

Solution:

“I reduced the whole system C M Y K

*Mr. Eyiowuawi Abiola showing off his innovative work

Artificial dialysis machine to save many lives

,

he idea behind the research into the dialysis machine, according to Mr. Eyiowuawi , a chartered technologist, came as a result of the upsurge in cases of kidney disease in which many lose their lives because of the high cost of dialysis and transplantation. A kidney patient undergoing dialysis in Nigeria will need between N25,000 and N30,000 per session which amounts to N75,000 or N90,000 a week.

Not many can afford that.

“Often, you see on the pages of newspapers people seeking financial assistance to do dialysis.”

Eyiowuawi said he was inspired by diabetics and insulin injection to come up with something for kidney patients. “Diabetics for instance, are trained to inject themselves with insulin before getting medical attention. The whole dialysis machine is so large and the process of getting it is very complex so I tried to reduce the whole thing to a small unit such that a kidney patient could be trained to operate it.

"He could dialyze himself if properly trained and even if he is unable to do that, a nurse nearby could be invited to help him. That will go a long way in prolonging a lot of lives because most people, because of the cost, end up waiting until the disease gets to the final stage where they will need transplantation.

Besides the cost of transplantation, which is very high, there is also the psychological aspect. People are not willing to donate their kidneys to others,” he stated.

“Every human being is endowed with a pair of kidneys expected to last him a lifetime but because of our lifestyle, the kind of food we eat, the way we mismanage drugs and concoctions, people end up damaging their kidneys. Actually, one is expected to find this ailment in the aged but now, you see it in young people of productive age.“

You can see how crude it looks; we are looking for assistance right now to support this research work so that eventually, it will go a long way in saving lives

into a small unit and tested it by collecting some blood samples of mammals like rats and rabbits and inside the blood sample; there was urine and other wastes (basically large amount of ammonia and nitrogen-based compounds).

The job of the kidney is to filter toxic wastes and urine out of the blood and return the clean blood into the circulatory system. The sample was run through the system with some dialysate, there was collection in Compartment A that is reddish in colour (colour of blood).

The sample inside Compartment A was tested and we found that the ammonia and nitrogen compounds in the sample

,

were very low compared to what was passed into the system initially. The content of Compartment B was analysed and it was basically ammonia and nitrogen-based compounds which indicates urine and it is not reddish in colour like the other sample.

That means automatically that separation had taken place.

What came out was the waste product, urea and the rest of them that we expected. It means this principle has worked

Ruskat wins Manufacturer of the Year award

BY EBELE ORAKPO

R

USKAT Medical Equipment Corporation, a US-based outfit owned by a Nigerian pediatrician, Dr. Steve Ayanrouh of the Hospital-In-A-Box fame, has been selected as the Manufacturer of the Year for the 2013 Minority Extraordinary Awards in El Paso, Texas, USA. In a letter sent to the company and made available to Vanguard, El Paso MBDA Business Center, operated by the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the organisers, said “the 2013 Extraordinary Minority Awards (EMA) –The Series is to honour minority small business owners for their diversity and success in the El Paso business community.”

Lagos rewards Nigerite over CSR on education

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

L

AGOS State Government last week presented Corporate Social Responsibility Award to Nigerite Ltd, a leading building component manufacturing and marketing company, in recognition of its unflinching support for the state’s “Support our Schools Initiative.”

Presenting the award at a well attended breakfast meeting, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the award was a way of showing appreciation to the company for its contributions to the state’s educational development which are already being felt.

“We are gathered here to reward and show

appreciation to companies and individuals who have contributed to our initiative ‘Support our schools initiative.”

He stated that the state is creating a platform whereby private individuals, NGOs and corporate organisations can actively participate in uplifting schools in Lagos State through donations, thereby participating in bringing up future leaders.

The Marketing Director, Nigerite Limited, Toyin Gbede, said that his organization is grateful to Lagos State government for recognizing the little effort by Nigerite in moving education sector forward in Lagos State.

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

12 public primary school teachers get computer appreciation scholarship

BY DAYO ADESULU

N

O fewer than 12 public primary school teachers drawn from Bariga and Shomolu communities in Lagos State were empowered last Saturday with three months free computer appreciation scholarship programme by L U C I N M A .

Mrs. Ukor Princess Mokolo, founder of LUCINMA Women Development Centre, while delivering a speech at the graduation ceremony tagged: Lucinma Computer Literacy for Educators’ (LUCOLITE) said that the programme was designed to equip educators with current information technology tips, tools and critical computer literacy skills to simplify their tasks of inspiring and empowering students.

Mokolo who spoke through the Executive Secretary of the centre, Mrs. Lucy Jonah, added that the initiative to empower the 12 awardees was driven by a deep passion for human development and commitment to

positively impact on the lives of teachers, maintaining that the beneficiaries who once saw computer as a mere technology not only operate computers now but apply it for effective delivery of their duties as moulders of future leaders.

According to her, the

programme provides valuable information, skills, tools and resources to enhance classroom administrative tasks, handout/syllabus preparation and timely updates, presentations, research and access to global best practices in the use of information technology for improving teaching and

training delivery and education outcomes.

Her words; “LUCOLITE is designed to equip educators; teachers, lecturers and trainers with relevant information technology tools and critical computer literacy skills to simplify their tasks of inspiring and empowering learners to achieve excellence.”

*HRH Eze Eunan Eke, Okpo 1 Of Umuokpo Kingdom, Owerri, West LGA, Imo State, presenting the cup to the winners of the march past, Miss Bello Latifat, representing Blue House at the Royal Group of Schools' inter-house sports competition. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

NAPPS, govt partners in progress — Otubela

A

N educationist and Chairman of Lagooz Schools, Otunba Abayomi Otubela, has described the relationship of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and the government as a very progressive one that, if sustained and improved upon, will take education to the desired level.

He made the remark while briefing journalists on the role of NAPPS in the education sector, where he disclosed that the association has succeeded in filling the gap where the government could not meet up in the area of funding, personnel and infrastructure among others.

“We have come a long way. We have been able to accommodate the large population of

school age children that the government could not give admission, as you know, it is the f u n d a m e n t a l responsibility of the government to give minimum education to all children. This is why we want the government to see us as

partners and not competitors.”

A

ccording to O t u b e l a , government should give the members of the association tax relief, reduce the rate of the annual operating licence and design a

financial facility for private school operators in the country.

These, he claims, will reduce the rate of examination malpractice in schools because a school that is financially strong will afford good salaries and quality learning.

Blue House shines at Skylight sports meet

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LUE House have won the eighth inter-house sports meet of Skylight Schools, Ikola Ipaja, Lagos, held at the sports centre of Anglican Comprehensive High School, Ipaja.

Blue House came out tops with 300 points, ahead of Yellow House with 289 point. Red House came third with 273 points while Green House got 261 points to place 4th.

In some of the events decided, Blue House made it a clean sweep of medals as Kafayat Onasanya claimed gold in the 800 meters girls’

final, while her housemates, Aishat Ojeyemi and Chioma Anumaka, finished second and third respectively.

In his welcome address, Director of the school, Richard Taiwo, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the athletes and urged parents to encourage their children to take sports as a profession.

“Sports play a vital role in nation-building and help to check civil unrest. One of the reasons why there is peace in most advanced countries is that the youths are kept busy through sports which provide employment and better life for them.”

The mind: A bush or a garden?

T

he mind could be likened to a bush or a garden depending on the use to which it is put. The bush is a disorganized natural system that is allowed to run wild. The bush is exposed to all kinds of influences that may want to gain entrance into it without restriction.

The bush is an inaccurate system that misrepresents nature in its chaotic form; it is an embodiment of falsehood that is a deviation of the way things really are. The reverse is the case in regards to the garden.

The garden is a natural system that is well planned and organized; the crops planted in it are deliberately chosen and specifically mapped out in the soil.

The garden is well guarded; protected from intruders such as weeds that may choke the crops in it. It is a well nourished and nurtured system that demands attention.

The mind left to itself turns into a bush where it is receptive to all kinds of influences and harbour all kinds of negativity. A life filled with error and negativity is the product of a mind filled with error and negativity because the thoughts have been allowed to run wild.

“As a man thinks in his heart so is he” implies that you are what you think; you can’t rise higher or go lower than the level of your thoughts.

The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the quality of your thoughts.

Success or failure in life is a product of your dominant thoughts. Thoughts are creative; you are constantly creating the conditions of your life by your thoughts.

Poverty thoughts produce poverty conditions; thoughts of good health produce a healthy body; thoughts of evil produce a vile character; good thoughts produce an impeccable behaviour; prosperity thoughts produces abundance.

Accurate thoughts are fundamental prerequisite for a successful life. Success is the reserve of those who plan and organize for it.

Accurate thinkers are effective in their pursuits because they separate the facts from mere information and also recognize and utilize relevant facts and ignore irrelevant facts which make them achieve more with less effort.

Accurate thinkers are those who develop a definite habit of thoughts which is positive and constructive in nature which aids them in the fulfilment of their definite purpose in life.

One of the greatest discoveries of the human race that will elevate your destiny from ordinary to an extraordinary one is to know that a mind left unguarded is destructive in the nature of thoughts it releases and readily tears down any traceable success while building a failure-ridden life.

You must also understand that the mind can be controlled, guided and directed to positive and constructive purposes. In fact, the mind is the only thing you have absolute control over and is continually moulding your life and fashioning your destiny.

You must be aware that every accomplishment or success achieved is the product of deliberately chosen thoughts constructively channelled and organized to a definite purpose.

Unfortunately, the majority of people go through life held captive by negative feelings, emotions, passions, prejudices, false beliefs and habits that wreck havoc in their lives and keeps them perpetually bound in failure chains. Remember, the enemy without cannot hurt you when you overcome the enemy within.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28 , 2013 — 31 ifychimexs@yahoo.com

Vol 01

No. 15

MARCH, 2013

www.vanguardngr.com

Customs 2012 revenue boosted by N90bn underpayments —Abdullahi

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Makarfi and the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde.

C

OMPTROLLER General of Customs (CGC), Dikko Inde Abdullahi has reiterated the readiness of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to take over the Destination Inspection service provided by the four Service Providers when their extended contracts expire in June, some three months away.

He said the Customs Service’s 2012 revenue was boosted by N90 billion underpayment it collected from the Risk Assessment Reports (RARs) issued by the Service Providers in the review year.

Speaking when he received members of the Senate Committee on Finance in his office in Abuja, Dikko assured that the agency would maintain its present momentum of revenue collections.

,

Stories by Ifeyinwa Obi

Total collections increased to N850 billion in 2012, out of which N90 billion came from underpayments. This represents over 10 percent of our total collections for the year

He said that in 2011, total revenue collected was N779 billion, adding: “Total collections increased to N850 billion in 2012, out of which N90 billion came from underpayments.

This represents over 10 percent of our total collections for the year. We can then imagine the situation if Customs were to be fully in charge.”

He also said that the agency was in high spirit because its full statutory function was about to be restored after about 40 years it had been

,

watching ‘the so called foreign experts’ do their jobs and take away huge sums of Nigeria’s meager resources.

Dikko said the agency made massive investments in human capital since he assumed office, “part of which includes the establishment of a world class Command and Staff College to provide middle and senior level management capacity building programmes for the Service.

The comptroller general Continues on page 33

... Develops web based application to guide import, export I

N an apparent attempt to consolidate on its modernization efforts for eventual take-over from the Service providers in June, the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, has developed a webbased application to provide information and guidance for international trade business processors in the areas of import, export and transit trade.

The portal, www.nigeriatradehub.gov.ng a nonrestrictive online medium, is an intuitive and interactive platform for classifying goods.

National Public Relations Officer of NCS, Wale Adeniyi, said in a statement that trade processors were enabled to find exact Harmonized System Codes (HS Codes) required for related tariffs and duties.

Adeniyi said this would enhance compliance by traders and avail them the required information on tariff in areas like the prohibited items and taxes/levies due for payment upon

Continues on page 32

32 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28 , 2013

... Develops web based application to guide import, export Continues from page 31 importation.

He said: “The application is also designed to touch on the aspect of trade facilitation such that trade processors can access information from all related government agencies. Guidelines and procedures for obtaining permits, licences and certificates of specified commodity and country of origin that a trade will require for business processing is available on the portal.

“Nigeria Trade Hub portal further allows traders to convert currencies to exchange rates set by the Central Bank of Nigeria on a monthly basis, make payments, simulate tax and access the CPC Code.

“The development of the portal was achieved through dedication of the Nigeria Customs Service technical partners, nominated officers of the Service and our stakeholders/partners.”

•Comptroller Jibrin, Z.A., Custom Area Controller P.T.M.L. Command Nigeria Custom Service

PTML command warns fraudulent importers ... generates over N5b in January 2013

,

I

T is not going to be business as usual again for fraudulent importers as the Nigerian Customs Service, PTML Area, Apapa Command Lagos has warned the importing public that tough time awaits fraudulent Importers. He said he would fish them out.

As part of the public awareness campaign by the service, the comptroller .PTML Command, Alhaji Zakari Jibrin, said the command has adopted several measures to curb fraudulent practices among

During the period under review, the Command witnessed good and healthy relationship with the other agencies and stakeholders

importers and agents.

The measures include: •Prompt payment of customs duty •Payment of Customs duty to only government

,

approved banks •Always patronize genuine licensed Customs agents for the clearing and forwarding of consignments •Avoid the use of touts in clearing your

consignments.

•War against unholy practices is on. Expose defaulters • Concealment, evasion of Custom’s Duty is an offence and can lead to imprisonment.

•Use of fake clearing documents is a crime and perpetrators will be Prosecuted accordingly.

•False declaration of goods will lead to outright seizure.

Ensure Accurate declarations always.

•Importation of contraband goods is too dangerous and cancerous to the economy.

•Avoid importation of prohibited goods through the borders •Report all cases of extortions or demand for gratification to the Area Controller.

•Always use PTML Command for easy clearance of goods which guarantees 100 percent security.

Relationship with agencies, stakeholders: Comptroller Zakari Jibrin said the leadership skills and determination on the part of the highly motivated officers steered the command’s ship back on course.

“During the period under review, the Command witnessed good and healthy relationship with the other agencies and stakeholders.

This is attributable to the regular meeting between the management and stakeholders on one hand and the service providers on the

Continues on page 34

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28 , 2013 — 33

Customs 2012 revenue boosted by N90bn underpayments

•The new Customs management quarters

Continues from page 31 added that the agency had begun an ICT revolution with the complete transformation of its operational processes to a regime of e-Customs operations from manifest submission to cargo exit. This he said, was followed with recent massive recruitment of over 7000 young graduates, some of them with IT background to bridge existing generation gap in the agency.

He also said that the agency had developed a new application system known as the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) to replace the

•The new PAAR Centre

RAR currently issued by Service Providers; even as a new interactive Portal, known as the NIGERIA TRADE HUB, that provides online information and guidance about imports and exports to the international business community had been launched.

The Customs boss stressed that the agency now boasts “a highly motivated and trained workforce, fully ready to take over what belongs to Nigerians after over 40 years of watching the so called foreign experts.”

He further told the senators that his management had done so much in the area of staff welfare, as it has constructed management staff quarters; corporate headquarters and modern staff clinic. He said massive accommodation for Junior and middle cadre officers; while a hanger and state of the art printing press had been provided.

He thanked the lawmakers for sharing the agency’s belief of the agency that the review of the Customs Act is a critical part of the modernization of the agency. “We, therefore, thank you for the pace and quality of work done so far on the CEMA amendments,” he said.

Ogun Command records 1,084 seizures, hauls N5.316bn revenue T

he anti-smuggling efforts of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) last year netted 1,084 seizures, with duty paid value (DPV) of N694,087,462.00 “These seizures include, vehicles, rice, frozen poultry products, second hand shoes and clothes, textile materials, PMS (Fuel), Cannabis sativa (Indian hemp), vegetable oil and a spectacular seizure of Bulldozer Excavator just made a couple of days ago,” the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Ade Dosunmu, said while briefing journalists on activities of the Command.

Dosumu said: “How can anyone imagine that he can

smuggle within the frontiers of this border a bulldozer, a caterpillar on a truck train into this country.”

He went on: “Sometimes, you wonder how economic saboteurs in the country think that they can just smuggle anything into the country. This goes to tell you that sometimes, what we deal with.

Some people actually go outside the ordinary to do what is impossible.

“Since September 5, 2012, that I assumed office as the Area Controller of this Command, I was able to connect and partner with the traditional institutions, youth and community leaders of the borderline communities. These relationships have been so

well-managed that they have paid off. The incidences of attacks on officers by smugglers and youths from these communities have drastically reduced, because youths of these communities

have become informants to our operation officers. This has helped to boost our revenue collection occasioned by the intensified anti-smuggling campaign.”

The command, according to

him, posted the sum of N5,316,329,645.02, as against the N3,677,214,589.47 revenue recorded in 2011.

The CAC noted that the

Continues on page 34

Customs launches reflective jackets at Lagos Airport

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HE Murtala Muhammed International Airport Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) has introduced new reflective jackets for its personnel.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Charles Edike, said that the jackets would help in checking incessant cases of impersonation of Customs personnel at the airport.

The reflective jackets, according to Edike,

will enable passengers at the airport to identify and relate with only genuine personnel for Customs clearance.

“There have been so many cases of impersonation of officers at the airport.

Passengers have been relating with some people that claim to be working for Customs whereas they are not officers,” the CAC said.

34 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28 , 2013

s g a b 1 1 7 , 1 s e z i e s NCS a w a m a d A n i e c i r of W

HILE maintaining zero tolerance on smugglers, the Customs anti-smuggling operatives in Jemita, Yola, Adamawa State have swooped on two large wooden boats that were fully loaded with 1,711 bags of rice, 105 bags sugar and 85 jerry-cans of vegetable oil smuggled through Damare waterside, Jemita-Yola.

The Deputy Public Relations Officer HQ in a statement said that smugglers of rice have continued to lose millions of naira to interception and seizures of goods by the

Customs anti-smuggling operatives in Jemita, Yola, Adamawa State.

Leader of Headquarter antismuggling team, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Hassan Shallangwa said, improved logistics, robust welfare by the CGC and increasing willingness of Nigerians to give information to operatives is yielding positive results.

He said based on a tip off, his team swooped on two large wooden boats that were fully loaded with rice, sugar and jerry-cans of vegetable oil

smuggled through Damare waterside, Jemita-Yola.

Shallangwa said with intelligence network across the country and co-operation of communities, it has become increasingly unwise for any business man/woman to embark on smuggling that will end in loss of wealth and even a possible jail term.

Seized items, according to him, have been deposited in the Government warehouse while the CGC has directed through investigation to track down the fleeing smugglers.

Customs intercepts contraband worth 133.7m in one month T

HE Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service impounded 303 contraband goods and arrested 10 suspects last month.

The seized items have a Duty Paid Value of N133.7 million.

This is against 108 seizures valued at N112.2 million and 39 suspects arrested in the corresponding period of 2012.

Public Relations Officer of the unit, Mr. Uche Ejesieme said the feat in the volume of seizures recorded was as a result of the approach used by the command in apprehending the smugglers.

“We have been able to employ the concept of risk management, profiling

coupled with the use of informants to apprehend these smugglers. That is why there is a bumber leap in the

number of seizures we recorded last month”, Ejesieme said.

He said most of the suspects

have been charged to court while investigation was still ongoing with some of the suspects.

Ogun Command records 1,084 seizures, hals N5.316bn revenue Continues from page 33 Command’s 2011 revenue collection is a cumulative difference of N1.7billion, compared to the amount recorded in 2012.

“In the month of January, 2013 alone, the Command had a record revenue collection of N568,371,344.48, as against N381,753,378.66 recorded in the same period in 2012. This is remarkable as this mark of revenue collection has never been attained in

the Command,” he said.

On welfare, the CAC disclosed that his administration has established an X-Ray machine in the Customs Clinic at Idiroko. He added that with the clinic, the Customs Secondary and Primary schools, as well as the Junior and Senior Officers’ Mess and the Armoury have all been renovated and painted.

Dosunmu said: “Under my administration, I have created over an acre of land for all imported cars

Seizures

PTML command warns fraudulent importers Continues from page 32 other ” he said.

Revenue generation:

In spite of the drop in the volume of importation during the second half of the year 2012, the Command, he said generated a total revenue of N71, 267,589,007. 00 as against the sum of N51.,264,053,039.00 in 2011.

This according to him, showed an increase of N20,003,535,698.00 or 39% increase, adding that a total of N43,835,737,872.00 went into the Federation Account while N27,431,851,135.00 went into the Non Federation Account.

Similarly, for the month ended January 2013, the command

The items impounded include hand bags, shoes, rice, and groundnut oil among others.

generated a total N5,958,202,874.00 billion

Anti-Smuggling:

of

Although the level of compliance by importers has been convincing, he said that in the area of antismuggling, the Command did not fair less.

Jibrin said: “A total of 18 seizures were made in 2012 showing an increase over the previous year. A breakdown shows that eight of the containers were 40ft while seven were 20ft containers.

“Also a total of three vehicles were seized. 2x40ft of the containers was handed over to the NAFDAC as it was carrying fake drugs while 3x20ft was also handed over to National Copyright

Commission whose duty it is to check pirated books all in the spirit of Inter-Departmental Cooperation. The area comptroller has promised an improvement in both revenue and Anti-smuggling drive of the command. Relationship with other agencies, stakeholders and service providers will remain a priority but for the fraudulent importers the controller has warned that though time awaits them. My officers and men will smoke you out if you don’t leave PTML.” Revenue target for 2013: According to him, the Custom PTML Area Command Apapa is expected to generate N90 billion, assuring that adequate measures have been put in place to curb leakages.

landed from across the border with Benin for duty payment,” Noting the hazards of the Customs operations, Dosumu added: “In the course of our operations we have had some of our officers wounded in the interdiction of smuggling by smugglers. But that has not dampened our spirit to confront the smugglers and do the job as mandated by Customs law.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—35

FG committed to growing local industries — Aganga T

HE Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the growth and development of local industries by placing emphasis on local patronage as the key enabler of growth in the Nigerian manufacturing sector.

This, according to a statement, signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the minister on C o r p o r a t e Communications, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo, is contrary to the interpretation given to the minister’s absence at the Senate hearing on local patronage on Monday.

The statement said, “in actual fact, Aganga had, since his assumption of duty as the minister in charge of the ministry, pursued policies and programmes directed specifically at growing the economy through industrialisation and

backward integration with passionate support for local industries.”

It added, “The Local Patronage Bill, when passed into law, will go a long way to protect Nigerian manufacturers, boost capacity utilisation of local industries, increase the productivity and export of Made-inNigeria goods, create jobs , generate wealth and save foreign exchange for the country.

“It is in this regard that the passage of the Local Patronage Bill, which has passed the second reading at the Senate, becomes very important to the ministry, considering the efforts by the ministry to create enough market for local industries to thrive. The ministry’s low quality representation at the hearing, as observed by the Senate, was due to a communication gap in the ministry, which is highly regretted.

To fast-track the reorientation of Nigerians

Dangote cement commended for low emission

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

T

ANZANIAN Minis ter of Environment, Terezya Pius Louga Huvisa has commended Dangote Cement for the low emission level at its plants and efforts being made to green its operational areas at all its cement plants.

The Environment Minister from Tanzania, who is the current president of the African Ministers forum for the Environment visited the Ibese and Obajana cement plants as well as Dangote Sugar refinery at Apapa, saying she was satisfied with efforts being made by the organisation to green its operational areas in line with the RIO plus 2010.

Louga Huvisa commended Dangote cement over the pollution abatement mechanism in place in all the plants she visited and hope same tempo shall be maintained in the proposed cement plant for her country.

She said she never believed it when she was told in Dar Es Salaam

that Dangote Cement’s emission level of 30 mg is far below that of the EU which is 50mg.

In a related development, the Group’s subsidiaries participated at the just concluded Enugu International Trade fair. This was part of their strategies to expand market share, reach more customers and consolidate their leadership in their respective sectors.

In a statement, the company said participation at the trade fair has enable them to extend their reach to more customers and offer them opportunities to have a feel of the improved quality of the products from the Dangote stable.

“The Group’s exploits at the Enugu Trade Fair came on the heels of the recent Kaduna International Trade fair, where it won many awards in different categories which the company described as testimonies of its commitment to offering value added services to Nigerians through the production of quality goods,” said the statement.

towards the patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products and also showcase the potential of Nigeria’s local industries, the ministry, through one of its parastatals, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development

Agency of Nigeria, is already working with the private sector to implement its grass-roots based One-LGA-OneProduct initiative [OLOP].

This is to serve as a complementary bottom-

up multi-stakeholders development and investment platform for the creation of jobs and generation of wealth in the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria, in addition to galvanising and harnessing the

potential of the informal sector of the economy.

Aganga said, “Local patronage is, in fact, one of the enablers of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, which the ministry recently kicked off.

From left: Dr Herbert Ajayi, National President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture NACCIMA; Mustafa Sever, Vice Minister of Economy, Turkey; Mr Mustafa Pulat, Turkish Ambassador in Nigeria; Mr Disun Holloway, Commissioner for Tourism and InterGovernmental Relations representing Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Chief John Odeyemi, former President of NACCIMA at the opening of ECOWAS-Turkish Export Products fair, in Lagos,Tuesday.

NACCIMA calls for joint venture investments between Nigeria, Turkey

BY NAOMI UZOR

N

I G E R I A N Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has called for joint venture investments between Turkey businessmen and their Nigerian counterparts as a way of addressing trade imbalances between the two countries.

Dr. Ademola Ajayi, NACCIMA President, made the call in Lagos during TURKISH export products fair at Eko Hotel & Suites.

“In recent past the trade volume between Turkey and Nigeria has tremendously improved.

As at 2012, the trade volume between the two countries stood at US$1.3 billion. ”Even though the trade statistics revealed that the balance of trade between the two countries is in favour of Turkey, the fact remains that the existence and continuous annual growth in the volume of trade between both countries is a testimony of the trust, reliability and confidence both countries have in each other and in

their products and services. It is believed that more meaningful business relationship can still be ex-

plored to improve the trade between Nigeria and Turkey, as well as their share of trade with other

D-8 countries, which stood at over three per cent and over 20 per cent respectively in 2011" he said.

BRIEFS

UK puncture-proof tyre sealant arrives Nigerian market

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VER four decades after it was designed by the United Kingdom to address issues of tyre puncture in the British Armed Forces and related industries, Oko Puncture Free Sealant has finally been introduced into the Nigerian market.

Chief Executive Officer, Autosecure, Mr.Niyi Idowu, who is the exclusive distributor of the sealant in Nigeria, disclosed this to journalists at a briefing in Lagos recently.

“Made of an aqueous and glycol-based solu-

tion containing diverse advanced sealant ingredients that are held in suspension, Oko stays liquid and coats the inside of the tubes or tyre thread.

When a hole is made, Oko immediately fills it and hardens”, he informed.

Human development firm harps on personnel training

A

human development firm, Vision and Talent has emphasised the need for continuous training of sales personnel so as to equip them with skills needed to enable them contribute to the growth of their organisation’s top and bottom line figures.

Speaking during a workshop on sales excellence organised by the company in Lagos, Paul Uduak, the Managing Director of the company, said it is necessary that marketers

are routinely stretched to deliver on their assigned Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs) both by product lines and by value.

AIAE explains name change to AfrHeritage

A

FRICAN Institute for Applied Economics (AIAE) has explained why its name has been changed to African (AfriHeritage).

The change takes effect from April 1, 2013. The rebranding process will however take about 12 months. A statement from the Institute, said the

change from AIAE to AfriHeritage is in line with expansion of the of the Institute to go beyond applied economics and accommodate politics, good governance, foreign relations and other sectors to promote rapid and broad-based sociopolitical and development in Nigeria.

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Rep gets kudos over constituency projects

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OMADI—MEMBER representing Patani/Bomadi Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Nicholas Mutu, has been commended by Unique Committee of Friends in Politics, for his developmental projects in his constituency.

Speaking with newsmen at Bomadi, headquarters of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, president of the group, Mr Dennis Alade, said that after a keen observation of the lawmaker ’s performance back home, the group had decided to commend him for having the people at heart through his developmental strides coupled with his empowerment projects in both Bomadi and Patani.

He said: “I thank Mutu for the constituency projects he had embarked upon so far in Bomadi and Patani. One of the aims of our group is to assess the performance level of political leaders from the area and we have seen that he had embarked on development projects, empowered both the youth and the elderly."

Oil firm empowers youths in Delta

A

N oil marketing firm in Delta State, Total Nig. Plc, has empowered three youths in Koko, Warri North Local Government Area, with starter packs. The gesture, according to the Corporate Affairs Manager of the company, Mr. Albert Mabiaku, who stood in for the Managing Director, Mr. Francois Boussagol, was a measure of its corporate social responsibility to the people of the area.

He said no fewer than 33 Koko youths had so far benefited from the youth empowerment scheme conceived in 2006 to check youth restiveness in the area.

Also speaking on the occasion, the chief host of the event, Mr. M. Adubor, the new Koko Plant Manager, attested to an existing healthy working relationship between Total and the people of Koko.

N-Delta'll support Jonathan for 2015 if ...

—Ekiyor

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—FORMER President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, yesterday, said the people of Niger Delta would support President Goodluck Jonathan for a second tenure but on the condition that the East-West Road was delivered before 2015.

Speaking at Asaba, Delta State, Ekiyor, said: “The decision for Jonathan to run in 2015 is not mine, it is not for anybody to decide. But the decision for him to remain in office is Nigerians'.

“We either vote him in or vote him out, that is not his to make but the decision to run at all is his to make. So all the hue and cry is the blackmail in politics, people just blackmail one another for cheap popularity. He was acting president and then president by dint of death of his boss but he became substantive president elected in 2011 and therefore, has the right to run a second term in 2015.

“I have been an ardent supporter of Jonathan ever

since he emerged and we will continue to support him but if in 2015 our East/West Road is not delivered, the challenges of Nigerians are still there, then he does not have the moral right to say that he wants to contest because clearly stated and without compromise, the Ni-

ger Delta deserves more than it is getting.

“We produce everything that runs this country on its wheels and we demand that we should be treated as such.

This is possible everywhere.

Go to Texas, Silicon Valley or anywhere, people who produce things benefit more,

INSPECTION: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (middle), Mr. Clem Agba, Commissioner for Environment (left) and Mr. Osarodion Ogie, Commissioner for Works, during the governor's inspection of Oko-Ogba Road, in Benin City.

Delta Varsity VC vows to expel cultists

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—VICE Chancellor of Delta State University, Abraka, Professor Eric Arubayi, has vowed to expel any student caught indulging in cult activities.

Arubayi, during the matriculation of 7,658 students, said cult activities remained banned in the university's campuses. He said: “It had been discovered that some registered associations have been infiltrated by cultists, who use such bodies as a cover to carry out vendetta against their perceived opponents.

“Our searchlight is, therefore, being beamed on these organisations with the aim of flushing out the miscreants.

As a student, you should comport yourself diligently, observe the rules and regulations of this University and refrain from activities which are inimical to the growth of intellectualism.”

Congratulating the matriculating students, he said they were lucky to have been selected by the school for this year’s academic session and enjoined them to shun vices that could jeopardise the completion of their studies and the attainment of their life dreams.

“The school will remain fo-

cused in its pursuit of academic excellence and pursuit of the prudent management of the resources of the university.

“I enjoin the students to follow noble paths and conduct themselves in a way that will promote the good of the University. Out of 49, 000 students that applied for admission for the year, only 7,658 were duly cleared and registered.

“The University has continued to do well in the National Universities Commission’s accreditation exercise, with 93 per cent accreditation status for all its undergraduate programmes," he added.

We don't interfere in communities’ He explained that EGCDC elections —Chevron is one of eight regional comBY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—CHEVRON Nigeria Limited, CNL, operator of the NNPC/ Chevron Joint Venture, has said that it does not interfere in the in-house procedure of host communities selecting their leaders and representatives.

General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Deji Haastrup, in a statement, said: “Chevron has a strong partnership with com-

like Dubai. Nigeria cannot be different.

“Not even the threat of Boko Haram or the threat of political grandstanding. Interestingly, every other Nigerian, including myself, can vie for the office of the President; it is a matter of who Nigerians will vote for."

munities in the areas of its operations. We support their aspirations and respect the communities’ traditions. We do not interfere in their internal processes for selecting their leaders and representatives or in their internal affairs.”

Haastrup said the clarification became necessary in view of reports, alleging that Chevron officials were interfering in the election of representatives for the Egbema-Gbaramatu Central Development Committee, EGCDC.

munity development organisations (Regional Development Committees) established under the Chevron-pioneered participatory community engagement model, known as the Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU. “In keeping with the principles of the GMoU and in line with Chevron policy of noninterference in the internal affairs of communities, elections into these Regional Development Committees are entirely the affairs of the communities concerned,” he added

Bayelsa releases N302m for WAEC/NECO fees

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N a bid to push through its free education policy, Bayelsa State Government has released N302 million for the payment of the 2012/2013 West African Examination Council, WAEC and National Examination Council, NECO, examination fees for students in the state.

Presenting the cheque to the Commissioner for Education, Chief Salo Adikumo, at Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson explained that part of the fund was meant for the procurement of science materials needed for the conduct of the May/June O’ level examinations.

Governor Dickson, who reiterated his administration’s commitment towards revamping the education sub-sector, warned parents and guardians to be wary of extortionists, as government attaches seriousness to its free education policy for primary and secondary schools in the state.

Urging education authorities to resist the temptation of extortion and racketeering, the governor called on the students to justify government’s investment in their education.

46— Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Nigeria to begin vaccine production — NAFDAC

Nwokedi backs Ajibola over solution to Boko Haram menace .Says Alams, Diya, Olanrewaju’s pardon in order

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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HE DIRECTORGENERAL of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, yesterday, said the country was set to begin local production of routine immunisation vaccines for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis/ whooping cough (DPT), polio, measles and yellow fever.

At present, Nigeria depends 100 per cent on United Nation Children’s Fund, UNICEF, for vaccine supplies, which according to the Federal Ministry of Health, stands at over N648 billion ($4 billion) annually.

I’ll work for the good of Anambra people — Presidential aide

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA — SPECIAL Adviser to the President on Technical Matters, Nze Akachukwu Nwanpko, has promised to continue working for the good of Anambra State to ensure development of the state.

Nwankpo, who spoke after he was conferred with the traditional title of Ogobuchi (Great inlaw) by traditional rulers of Olu Clan at Igbariam in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, promised that he would not relent in ensuring that whatever was due to the state from the Federal Government reached the people.

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AGOS — TRADITIONAL ruler and former Press Secretary to the Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, during

the military era, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi, has lent his voice to the call by Prince Bola Ajibola, SAN, on President Goodluck Jonathan to go in search of Boko Haram with a view to restoring peace, harmony

Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President (right) and HRM Emmanuel Sideso, Ovie of Uvwie kingdom, at the 6th National Development Summit of Nigerian Traditional Rulers, in Abuja.

IGERIANS HAVE been charged to be steadfast in their prayers for enduring peace and virile economy.

The charge was made by Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Oluwamuyiwa Oladipo, who represented Governor Ibikunle

Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; former Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya; former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju and others, saying it was in order.

Prince Bola Ajibola, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, had in an interview published in Vanguard, Monday, told President Goodluck Jonathan that, “It is government’s place to go round to see to the peace and development of a nation and ensure that social justice is maintained and sustained in every part of the nation.”

He said since the Boko Haram could not be fighting for nothing, the President should go and look for them, if that would solve the problem.

In his comments, Igwe Nwokedi said Ajibola, as a big time jurist and experienced Nigerian icon who had played roles in many crisis resolutions in the country, had spoken correctly about the way out of the situation.

No internal problem in PDP — Gov Orji Says govs did not boycott Tukur’s programme

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA — ABIA State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, declared yesterday, that ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had no internal problem.

He also denied that PDP governors boycotted the one year anniversary celebration organised by the Bamanga Tukur led executive of the party.

Orji, who spoke to reporters in Umuahia shortly after he returned from his trip to

the United States of America, explained that PDP governors did not boycott the anniversary of the party’s leadership but blamed the poor attendance by PDP governors on inadequate notice.

“It is not correct to say that PDP governors boycotted the

Ezeife advocates self-defence for Igbo in north

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

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ORMER GOVERNOR of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has called for a special security arrangement for the protection of Igbo people living in the North of the country.

Ezeife, who spoke against the backdrop of recent bombing of a bus park in Kano, which led to the death of scores of people, said the time was ripe for the Igbo to begin to defend themselves against attacks.

In a message to Vanguard, yesterday, the former presidential adviser

Nigerians charged to pray for nation’s leaders

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and stability in the polity.

Igwe Nwokedi spoke in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, in Lagos, yesterday, even as he, again, reiterated his earlier position on the pardon for former governor of Bayelsa State,

Amosun of Ogun State at the 22nd annual synod Diocese of Remo, Ogun State, with the theme: “If the Lord had not been on our side,” recently.

The commissioner also enjoined Nigerians to pray for their leaders and others in place of authority for

improved economic situation of the nation.

He urged the congregation to assist the governments at all levels with constructive criticisms and proffer meaningful solutions to move the country forward.

on political affairs described the Kano incident as a major attack targeted at the Igbo.

He, however, warned that, in the event that the canvassed self-defence became operational, the people must use it only for defensive reasons.

He called on the government and security agencies in the country to recognise the necessity to enable the Igbo to now begin to defend themselves against attacks in order to drastically reduce cases of mass killings that had mainly put Igbo people at the receiving end in the Arewa Land.

Ezeife said: “The Kano bombing is latest major targeted attack on the Igbo.

ceremony. The notice did not go round. It is also not correct to say that the governors are running away from PDP. “The governors are still strong members of PDP and PDP is still very strong. PDP has no problem within its house,” Orji explained.

He said what was happening currently in the party was what usually happened in a big family that would make it stronger at last.

The governor also disclosed that he used his trip to the USA to discuss with potential investors in different sectors of the state and expressed the hope that some of them would soon be visiting the state for feasibility studies.

On local government elections, Governor Orji assured that the state would conduct one but did not say when.

The governor spoke on the unraveling of the celebrated gang-rape incident wrongly linked to the state university, ABSU, saying the shame now was on those who maligned the state without proper investigation of the incident.

He commended the police for doing a good job in unraveling the ugly incident.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 47

FRIENDSHIP— From left: Roseleen Folarin, Past National Asst Secretary; Funlola BuraimohAdemuyewo, National President; Cordelia Barber, President and Doyin Akin-Bankole, Federation Councillor Nigeria during the friendship evening of Soroptimist International Nigeria Association, SINA. Photo: Akeem Salau.

BRIEFING—From left: Mr Obabiyi Fagade, Brand Manager, Star, Nigerian Breweries PLC; Mr Walter Drenth, Marketing Director and Mr Edem Vindah, Corporate Media/PR Manager at a briefing on the Star League-Text and Play promo. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

REUNION—From left: Ikpo, Aziken, Momodu, Garuba, Amadi, Okoli, Osamgbi, Agbelogode, Jamgbadi, Oboh, Ugah and Mordi at the 30 year reunion of Edo College Old Boys Association, Benin, Class of 83, at Zasarii Di Lusso Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

TOUR— Mr. Charles Esiovwa, Acting General Manager, Delta Development and Property Authority, DDPA; Chief Paulinus Akpeki, Delta State Commissioner for Housing and others, during the commissioner ’s tour of the proposed site for DDPA Housing Estate, in Ibusa Road, Asaba, Delta State.

LAUNCH— From left: Izzat Kittaneh, Director Business Management &Pricing Customer Unit Middle East & Africa Sony; Mrs Joe Okuna,Head Enforcement & Compliance, National Lottery Regulatory Commission; Younes Cherkaoui, Marketing Manager Africa Sony and Fidelis Ajibogun, Ag. Assitance Director/Coordinator, National Lottery Regulatory Commission during the launch of new Sony Android at Oriental Hotel Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

SMART CARE—From left: Mr Emmanuel Amlai, DG Consumer Protection Council; Mr Brovo Kim, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa; Mrs Ngozika Obidike, Head, CPC Lagos Office, and Mr Raymond Olatokun during Samsung Open Smart Care Centre at Ojuelegba Road Surulere, Lagos yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

LAUNCH—From left: Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria, Thabo Mabe; National President, Nigerian Dental Association, Dr. Olurotimi Olojede; Brand Building Director, David Okeme; and Category Manager, Oral Care, Vivian Ihaza; both of Unilever Nigeria, at the launch of Close Up fire-freeze in Lagos.

PROMO—From left: Mr. Toluwa Oyetayo, Advert and Promo Manager, Tantalizers Plc, Engr. Ken Obi, winner of the Tantalizers 25th Customer Promotion being congratulated by the Satellite Town Outlet Manager, Mrs. Doyin Eqwakide.

SYMPOSIUM—Mr Dele Olukayode, South West Branch Manager, Nestle and Prof. Abiola Okunlola, representing the Chairman during a symposium in Ibadan. Photo: Dare Fasube.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Soldiers beat Police corporal to coma in Bauchi

Jigawa can't afford another College of education — Wakili

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI—A PO LICE Corporal was, yesterday, beaten to coma by four soldiers in Bauchi State following a minor misunderstanding between the army and the police in the state.

The policeman, Abbas Haladu was said to have met the soldiers who barricaded the entrance leading to the Emir ’s palace near the Roundabout at about 7am when they descended on him, beating him mercilessly.

Vanguard gathered that Haladu’s left hand was reportedly broken by the soldiers allegedly led by a Sergeant.

According to sources,the soldiers had barricaded the road at about 8pm on Tuesday as a security measure to forestall any breakdown of law and order. It was learnt that Cpl Haladu who was in mufti was stopped from going to the Emir’s palace where he was posted to commence duty for the day.

Trouble started for the corporal when he was asked by the soldiers to identify himself which he did, but the soldiers on duty who were already reportedly angry insisted that he would not pass through the barricade to the Emir’s palace.

Anyaoku marks 80th birthday Saturday

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IGNITARIES from all walks of life will on Saturday, March 30, 2013, converge on Orimili, Okpuno Ire Obosi, Anambra State, ancestral home of former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku as he and his family celebrate two landmark events: His 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, Bunmi and his recent attainment of 80 years of age.

The double event will start with a thanksgiving service at St Andrews Anglican Church, Obosi, to be presided by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, His Grace Most Rev Nicolas Okoh.

BY ALIYU DANGIDA

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VISIT—The Governor of Niger State, Dr Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu(left), presenting a gift to the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Nnamdi T. Okorie-Affia during a courtesy visit to the Governor in Government House, Minna, yesterday.

FRSC to deploy 33,000 road marshals for Easter celebrations

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI —THE Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Osita Chidoka has said that the Commission would deploy 33,000 Road Marshals and Special Marshals to monitor vehicular movements across the country during the forthcoming Easter celebrations.

Chidoka said that the men and officers of the commission had already been mobilized for the task adding, “the figure is made up of the 18,000 staff of the Commission and 15,000 Special Marshals.”

He spoke, yesterday, while fielding questions from newsmen in Makurdi shortly after addressing officers and men of the command, stressing that the commission would do everything possible to ensure safety on the roads during the festivities.

He however, advised road users to be conscious of the rights of other motorists by observing traffic rules to reduce carnage on the roads.

Earlier, while addressing his officers and men of the Makurdi Command, Chidoka said that the Commission had commenced the weeding of corrupt officials, warning that any of them caught extorting money from members of the public would be fired.

He said: “We all know

that our work is critical to the well-being of the society because we do what is required

by God to save lives. Therefore our uniforms cannot be weapons of extortions. And it is not for making money from motorists and members of the public; we have therefore started the weeding of our officials caught engaged in any form of corrupt prac-

tices on our roads. ”It will no more be business as usual because times have changed and we must all strive to uphold the integrity of the corps at all times and we must go a step further to make conscious efforts to improve on relationship with our customers who are members of the public,” he stressed.

Ex-Bauchi gov drags Yuguda to court

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI—FORMER Governor of Bauchi State, Ahmed Adamu Muazu has sued his successor, Governor Isa Yuguda following his indictment by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry as well as the White Paper report of the state government which accepted the recommendations of the commission.

The state government had in its White Paper on the issue, accepted the recommendations that ordered the former Governor, Mu’azu, to refund over N2bn to the treasury of Bauchi State Government and barred the former Governor from holding any public office for 10 years.

Joined in the suit against Yuguda were the Bauchi State Government, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Judi-

cial Commission of Inquiry, and Justice Bitrus Sanga who headed the commission of inquiry, A Non-Governmental Organization, the Watch Dog on Leadership Development led by Muhammad Gambo has however, filed an application asking to be joined in the case as an interested party. Mu’azu who was represented by his Counsel, Mustapha Ahmed and Nasiru Balan asked the court to set aside the said indictments in the white paper as well as for an order to set aside all the legal actions taken by the state government against the former governor.

In his submissions, Counsel to the NGO, Mr. Sale Bakaro told the court that as concerned citizens of the state, they were interested in the case because the Judicial Commission of Inquiry asked Muazu to refund N2 billion to the government coffers.

UTSE—JIGAWA State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Haruna Wakili has said that the government had no sufficient fund to establish additional College of education.

The explanation came about four months after Governor Sule Lamido announced in his 2013 Budget Speech that about N20 billion was carried over from the 2012 budget.

Speaking to newsmen in Dutse, the state capital, Professor Wakili explained that the state was among the two that had only one college of education and without any state university, adding that the present administration was committed towards improving the standard of education at all levels.

NDS slams FG's plan to transform Abuja

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AGOS—THE Niger Delta Surveillance (NDS) has registered its grievance over the decision of the Federal Government to transform Abuja into one the most beautiful cities in the world. In a statement signed by its President, Mr. Boma Johnbull, the group accused the federal government of insensitivity and insincerity to the plight of the Niger Delta area and its people.

It decried what it called the “growing neglect of the region’s environment, the deplorable state of infrastructural and social amenities, the dehumanisng nature of the well being of the people which has reached its clima.

Johnbull also reiterated that all the human, technological and financial resources required to put Abuja on the global scene should be replicated in the Niger Delta.

LITERATURE AND ETHNICITY:

Is literature shaped by the cultural contexts of the authors? (3) Being the concluding instalment of the last keynote address CHINUA ACHEBE presented at the 2011 Garden City Literary Festival in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

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HE Nigeria-Biafra war changed the course of Nigeria. One can summarize the conflict as one precipitated by the bile of ethnic hatred. It was such a cataclysmic experience that for me, virtually changed the history of Africa and the history of Nigeria. Everything I had known before, all the optimism had to be rethought. For me, this

C M Y K

traumatic event changed my writing for a time, which found expression in a different genre poetry.

Since the war, Nigerians have been subjected to a clique of military and civilian adventurers and a political class that have exploited the ethnic divisions in Nigeria.

This group, unfortunately, has been

completely corrupted spearheading the enormous transfer of the country’s wealth into private bank accounts, a wholesale theft of the national resources needed for all kinds of things - for health, for education, for roads. The result has been that the nation’s infrastructure was left to disintegrate unleashing untold suffering on millions of innocent people.

This development has been made easy by Nigerian

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—49 academics who have presided works - if they had based their over the liquidation of the actions on principle rather than university system and the rise of on opportunity, Nigeria would a culture of anti-intellectualism not be in this predicament. But in Nigeria. One of the ways we Nigerian leaders, beginning have done it is our obsession for with the military dictators, looked office. Twenty-five years ago, around and saw that they could university professors were held buy intellectuals. in very high esteem. Today, I Anybody who called himself don’t think anybody thinks very president would immediately much of them, and quite frankly, find everyone lining up outside I think it is our own making. his home or his office to be made What happens when a university minister of this or that. And this vice-chancellor in Nigeria is is what they have exploited about to leave office? You ought they have exploited the divisions, to see the trips made up and the ethnic and religious down to government houses in sectionalization in the country.

Abuja, begging for cabinet You have leaders who see positions. nothing wrong in inciting What upsets me is that this religious conflict between entire mess Nigeria finds itself Christians and Muslims. It’s all in was quite avoidable. The simply to retain power. So you leadership appears not to really find now a different kind of care for the welfare of the country alienation. and its people. If a political class In the past in Igbo land, if - including intellectuals, something kept happening and university professors, and people happening, or if somebody kept like that, who have read all the failing and failing, the people books and know how the world would go and consult an oracle.

They call it Iju Ase. In the modern world, the systems that cause these failures are examined. But frankly, I would suggest that Nigeria has decided to put merit aside and bring up whatever considerations, and that is one of the things that happened to us. And the modern world has not been created on considerations outside of merit.

I despair over Nigeria daily. On the missed opportunities of Nigeria: the fact that nobody has had the imagination to say, ‘Look I’m going to transcend all this ethnic pettiness and become the leader of modern Nigeria’ because this is important for Africa, this is important for the world. So, let’s stop all this nonsense about religion, about tribe and so on. Let’s organize Nigeria and make it a working entity so that it can fulfill its mission in the world.

There is a great deal of work for the Nigerian writer - indeed all writers. If the society is healthy, the writer’s job is limited which is not the situation in Nigeria. On the other hand, if a society is ill the writer has a responsibility to point it out even if it produces headaches in the halls of power! The role of the writer in a society such as ours besieged with many pathologies - ethnic bigotry, political ineptitude, corruption, and the cult of mediocrity - is not an easy or rigid one. Nigerian writers can choose to turn away from the reality of Nigeria’s intimidating complexity or conquer its mystery by battling with it.

I hope we all choose the latter.

•Achebe was David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies, Brown University, Rhode Island, USA Concluded

50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—51

0805618011 dayobenson@yahoo.com

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Website has placed NBA on global pedestal' — 52

Much ado about Alamieyeseigha’s pardon — 53

Farouk Lawan: Posers over absence of Otedola statement — 53

African countries must meet criteria to host confab — IBA President human rights and judicial independence in Syria. Coincidentally, it was the week that popular uprisings started to spread across the country. Four months later the IBAHRI published a 140-page report, entitled Human Rights Lawyers and Defenders in Syria: A Watershed for the Rule of Law. The Report documents political interference in the courts, an overall lack of judicial independence in the country, and the repression of freedoms of the people in Syria and of lawyers trying to assert them.

These lawyers were found to be subject to intense scrutiny and harassment by security officials and were prosecuted by the Syrian authorities, which had resorted to using broad provisions of the Penal Code to clampdown on anyone who dared to speak out against the state.

A BRITON, Michael Reynolds was re cently elected new President of the International Bar Association(IBA). A former Vice- President, Secretary- General, Chair of the Legal Practice Division(LPD) and Chair, of the Anti-Trust and Trade Law Committee of the IBA, will be in office for two years..

Reynolds, a Visiting Professor in European Law at the University of Durham, Director and Founding member of IBA’s Global Forum in this interview conducted online, spoke on his vision for global lawyers, plan to visit Nigeria, criteria for appointing QC or SAN, IBA’s involvement in Syria among others.

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HAT are your vision and challenges for the global legal association?

Put simply, my vision is to continue to build the IBA and to increase and strengthen the ties of the legal profession across the globe. We are at a time in world development when connectivity is greater than at any time previously. This provides the opportunity for lawyers in all jurisdictions to contribute towards practical improvements in how the world Michael Reynolds works. Nations have legal systems which can differ significantly, and cultural differences that can world the IBA would be able to translate make business transactions and general all literature into all of the world’s interchanges between states difficult. The languages, but unfortunately this is not IBA is uniquely placed to help overcome feasible. That said, I would like to see the these particular challenges, because it IBA become more culturally diverse and brings together legal practitioners from this is happening already with many of across the world to discuss and promote our materials being translated into other the harmonisation of laws across borders languages and conferences taking place to ease transactions and increase under- in places like Japan, Russia and Brazil standing between people. Another impor- where other languages are used as well tant and constant challenge is ensuring as English.

,

,

Part of the reasons that North Africa’s legal practitioners have not been particularly active in the IBA is probably due to a language barrier

that younger lawyers from across the globe develop their careers internationally, that they broaden their knowledge and meet their peers particularly to exchange ideas and experiences and create international connections.

In your acceptance speech, you promised to strengthen IBA’s engagement with legal profession all over the world including Africa. But why have legal practitioners from North Africa not been active in the activities of the IBA? Part of the reasons that North Africa’s legal practitioners have not been particularly active in the IBA is probably due to a language barrier. The working language of the IBA is English while the majority of North African countries are Arabic speaking. However, more countries are recognising English as the language of international business, as are a number of lawyers from North Africa. In an ideal

What are the criteria for choosing a hosting country? Looking at IBA’s hosting calendar, the hosting rights have been fixed up till 2016 or 2017. When will again after South Africa 2002?

The criteria to be met by countries wanting to host the IBA Annual Conference, as you would expect, are high.

International delegates attending the event have high-level expectations, and as a responsible event organiser these must be kept at the forefront of considerations when deciding host venues. Any city is welcome to bid to host the event, but it is essential that the necessary infrastructure is in place, including a conference centre which can accommodate the thousands of international lawyers that will attend the Conference, venues large enough to hold the opening and closing parties and law firm receptions throughout the week, good transportation links in terms of internation-

Violent repression

al flights and taxis, and a sufficient number of five-star hotels and restaurants. If a city believes that it can meet the necessary criteria, then, along with other cities it should bid. There are currently no bids received from African cities for the years ahead. The venues for 2019 and 2020 are open and if an African jurisdiction wants to make a proposal it would be welcome but the criteria must be met.

Considering the number of Nigerian delegates at the yearly conference, when will you visit Nigeria?

The IBA is very fortunate to have the loyal support of the Nigerian legal profession which is very much in evidence at the Annual Conference. I am aware that discussions are on-going with the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to encourage greater participation of Nigerian IBA members in the overall activities of the IBA, particularly within the work of the specialist IBA Committees. Although at this point dates have not yet been fixed for a meeting with the NBA leadership in Nigeria, I hope to do so at some point within the second year of my tenure.

Long before the open conflict in Syria, IBA set up a Human Right Committee to assess situations including the visit to Alleppo, where are we on the grave situation now vis-a-vis the rights violation?

What role can IBA play in resolving the conflict?

In 2011, from 19 to 26 March the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) convened a fact-finding delegation to visit Damascus and Aleppo to investigate the situation in relation to

As the situation in Syria deteriorated and violent repression against protesters and deaths escalated, so did arrests and detention of numerous human rights lawyers.

The IBA called on the Syrian regime to engage in a genuine process of reform to improve the rights of the Syrian people, reminded Syria of its obligations under international instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights and called on the Syrian Government to comply with these obligations without delay. In June 2012 after no satisfactory response had been received from the Syrian Bar association to a letter from the IBA Council, the Council voted unanimously to expel the Syrian Bar Association from the IBA because it had failed in its vital role to uphold the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, and to work to protect its members from persecution and improper restrictions

Continues on page 52

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

52—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

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'Website has placed NBA on global pedestal'

BY DAYO BENSON

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AWYERS have commended the Nigerian Bar Associatioon, NBA, for launching its website and portal.

The event which took place at the NBA national secretariat in Abuja, according to lawyers would bring about bring an end to quackery and place NBA on the same pedestal with sister organizations globally.

Commenting on the achievement, NBA president, Chief Okey Wali SAN said: “ We thank God, it was part of what we promised our colleagues when we came to office, that we will give them a modern and professionalised secretariat. It was not good enough that our col-

LEFT: Emek a Obegolu, NBA Sec-Gen., Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, NBA President and Mr. Austine Alegeh SAN, at the event. leagues were not interacting is where we should be.” with the secretariat and getting Speaking further, he said: information about what was “The next thing is the compuhappening. This is 2013 and terisation of the secretariat itself what we are witnessing today because right now, you can find

out that a lot of analogue and manual operations are going on at the secretariat, so, we want computerise the operations of the secretariat fully. I have already directed the consultants who set up the portal for us to move to that stage very quickly.”

Chairman, NBA Database Committee, Mr Augustine Alegeh SAN, which conceptualizes and nurtured the portal, said: “First, I will like to say that the launching of the portal today is as the result of the hard work put in by two presidents, one past president and the current president, who had worked assiduously to see that we get this portal.

“The portal for the NBA is a world talk shop where you can

African country must meet criteria to host IBA Continues from page 51 and infringements. However, the IBA sincerely hopes to see the Syrian Bar take steps to support and uphold the rule of law in its country. It is somewhat beyond the IBA to attempt to resolve armed conflicts, but the IBAHRI undertakes post-conflict capacity building in the justice sector and we will re-engage once the fighting stops, as we did in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example.

Would you support capital punishment for anyone found guilty of rape in view of the India gang rape case?

There is no doubt that the brutal rape and subsequent death of the 23 year-old student you refer to in India was horrific. However, in line with the UN General Assembly resolutions of recent years, and the practice of most countries in the world, I am a firm believer that the death penalty should be abolished, worldwide.

Miscarriages of justice There have been far too many miscarriages of justice, where innocent people have been executed by states. In 2008 the Council of the IBAHRI passed a Resolution calling for such abolition and it continues to work in regard of this aim, recommending that all states take steps towards imposing a moratorium.

The US President, Barack Obama, was a Senator from Chicago when the IBA held its annual conference in 2006 in Chicago. Now that another city in the USA, Boston, is warming up to host this year’s conference will you extend an invitation to President Obama to attend, being a legal practitioner including his wife, Michelle?

It would indeed be wonderful to have either Michelle or Barack Obama attend the IBA’s 2013 Annual Conference taking place from the 6th-11th October in Boston. We are currently organising

the roster of speakers for the Conference, and have yet to make any announcements, but I know you will find it a most impressive list.

What is the synergy between IBA and United Nation (UN)?

Or where can we classify IBA in UN’s structure?

Both the IBA and UN are truly global bodies with inclusivity at the centre of their ideology. When the IBA was established in 1947, towards the end of hostilities of World War II, and shortly after the founding of the UN, it was believed that a ‘Bar of the World’ could make a contribution to postwar reconstruction and assist in bringing about world-wide stability, understanding and peace.

These ambitions are still at the core of the work carried out by each organisation. Recently, I was due to meet with the UN’s Secretary-General to discuss issues of common interest to both of our organisations, particularly issues relating to the rule of law and climate justice, an issue that will be high on my list of priorities during my tenure as IBA President.

However, a rescheduling of the meeting meant that I was unable

to be in New York at that particular time. My predecessor, Akira Kawamura, and fellow IBA Officers were able to meet with Mr Ban, as well as Patricia O’ Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs. Our organisations will continue to strengthen ties and work together on areas of mutual concern.

With your wealth of experience in European Anti-Trust practice, what is your advice to lawyers in Africa on the same issue?

There is no doubt that as economic development in Africa soars ahead there will be a great move in many of the African countries for a comprehensive antitrust law as we have in most other parts of the world. South Africa already has a very well developed antitrust law and tough enforcement. COMESA has set up a regional antitrust authority in Lilongwe Malawi which has already promulgated regulations for the notification of mergers for advance clearance.

So antitrust will become a rapidly developing area of legal practice across Africa and the African law firms will need to organise

and equip themselves for the inevitable client demands in this crucial sector.

United Kingdom and Nigeria have provision for appointment of senior lawyers to a privileged status as Queen Counsel (QC) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) respectively. In your view don’t you think the privilege status is a violation of rights of other lawyers?

How individual countries and bars choose to structure the legal profession is a matter for each and the IBA represents a wide variety of structures through its member bars. Wherever there are appointments or titles which are seen to confer seniority or to denote excellence, the important universal principle is to ensure that the processes by which recognition is granted are proper and are seen to have the support of the profession and the wider public. Pride and excellence in one’s profession is something that all professionals should aspire to regardless of suffixes. Distinction will always be recognised by peers, anyway.

do everything, it has put the NBA at the same pedestal with similar international organizations like the International Bar Association (IBA), Law Society of England, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, (CLA) and so on.

“We are now at that same level where people from anywhere can log in, pay Bar Practicing Fees (BPF), think of how many people we have in America, Europe, Asia, etc, who will like to pay, but cannot travel out to come and pay. All those people, can now make payments from the comfort of their homes, for conferences, you don’t need to go to the newspapers any more, you go the website.

“If you go the website, you will see the date of the conference, and you can register right away.

Once you are verified and you click on your name, the amount you are to pay for that will show all automated. So, we are grateful to this administration that has pushed this project. It is indeed a very important day in the modernisation of the NBA.” The technical partner to the project, Mr. Asawo Ibifuro said: “I feel elated that my organization, Cinfores Limited, is partnering with the NBA to actually come up with a world class membership portal, the first of its kind in this part of the world. This is to butress the commitment of the current leadership of the NBA in ensuring that best global practices are followed in its programmes and activities, this definitely, is a right step in the right direction.”

Chairman NBA Technical Committee on Conference Planning, Chief Joe Agin SAN said: “This is indeed a great stride.

The president has kept his campaign promise to give us a modern and digital Bar . My brother silk, Augustine Alegeh SAN has worked very hard and assiduously day and night to deliver on this onerous assignment.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 —53

Much ado about Alamieyeseigha’s pardon I

REMEMBER a football team called ‘Sahara Storms of Sokoto’. It was once a force in the local football scene in Nigeria. In those days, during the usual debate that accompanies a game of football, one of the spectators asked a thought provoking question: ‘why this team be Sahara storms?” The debate which lasted for the duration of the match included an argument as to whether a team which called itself ‘Sahara storms would not blast so much sand into the eyes of the opposing team to the extent of making a fair contest impossible. It is my humble view that most of those who are opposed to the grant of a pardon to Chief Diepriye Alamieyeseigha have generated so much heat that makes a fair debate almost impossible.

Let us quickly examine the background to the former Governor’s saga. Democracy was in the air in 1998 and Chief Alamieyeseigha, just as so many other Nigerians, indicated his interest in occupying the Government House in Yenagoa.

He won the general election held in 1999 and was subsequently sworn in as Governor.

He survived a pre-election dis-

pute and a turbo charged election petition and served out his first term of four years.

D.S.P Alamieyeseigha presented himself at the polls for the renewal of his electoral mandate in 2003 and he again won handsomely. Thereafter, something went wrong and his political fortunes nosedived. He was impeached and left Government House in handcuffs having been held under house arrest for a few days prior to the impeachment see Alamieyeseigha v. Igoniwari (No.2) (2007) 7 NWLR (pt.1034) 524. That •Awa Kalu, SAN case serves as a reminder of what transpired in the impeach- nection with property found to ment saga involving the present be connected with unjust enbeneficiary of the President’s in- richment. What subsequently strument of pardon. It is need- followed his arrest, trial and conless to recount the circumstanc- viction, is probably, the most es surrounding the impeach- sustained opprobrium any perment but it is sufficient to recall son can possibly suffer in the that midway into his second public domain. It is against this term of office, he was evicted background that the merits or from the office of Governor of demerits of the pardon may be Bayelsa State. He was charged examined. on several counts, tried and By virtue of section 212 of the convicted as a result of which 1999 Constitution, a State Govhe was sentenced to a term of ernor may grant any persons imprisonment which he concerned with or convicted of dutifully served – on terms any offence created by any law sanctioned by the trial court. An of a state pardon, either free, or order of forfeiture was made subject to lawful conditions, against property belonging to Subsection 2 of that section diChief Alamieyeseigha in con- rects that the power shall be

exercised by the Governor after consultation with such advisory council of the state on prerogative of mercy as may be established by the law of the state. I recall that in my home State (Abia), there is an elaborate law which stipulates the guidelines for the exercise of the Governor’s powers. As a matter of fact, the provisions of that law with regard to the membership of the State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy evinces a clear inten-

,

BY AWA KALU

spect of several applications for clemency, pardon or other forms of reprieve (used loosely) anchored on medical considerations. On innumerable occasions, the committee sought the views of the applicant’s relations and overall community to determine whether the convict’s kith and kin were willing to reabsorb and to reintegrate him within the fabric of the family and community at large. Even an applicant’s prison records were

By virtue of section 212 of the 1999 Constitution, a State Governor may grant any persons concerned with or convicted of any offence created by any law of a state pardon, either free, or subject to lawful conditions

tion on the face of the law that the power is not to be exercised capriciously, frivolously or for reasons that are not subordinated to the public interest. The law for example, requires a medical Doctor to be a member of the committee. From my experience as Chairman of that committee over a long period, the Doctor’s inclusion in the membership of the committee had telling consequences in re-

,

resorted to for a determination of his/her suitability for the exercise in his favour of any of the prescriptions in section 212 of the Constitution. I do not recall any instance when the Governor turned down or overruled the committee’s positive recommendation inviting him to incline towards applying his ‘milk of human kindness’ for the supposed good of the applicant convict.

To be continued

Farouk Lawan: Posers over absence of Otedola's statement

BY INNOCENT ANABA

T

HE refusal of prosecution to tender statement made by Chairman of Zenon Oil and Gas Limited, Mr Femi Otedola, at the on-going trial of Mr Farouk Lawan, former chairman of the House of Reps Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, has raised questions on the need for the prosecution to afford the accused opportunity to defend himself.

It is trite law that in criminal prosecution, the accused is presented with the entire document to be relied upon in prosecuting him, as the introduction of same mid-way into trial is seen as trial by ambush, which the apex court in a lot of authorities had condemned.

It will be recalled that Lawan had pleaded not guilty to the charges and had been granted bail by the trial judge, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, while further hearing was adjourned till April 10.

In most jurisdiction, by way of front loading, parties in civil or criminal matters are mandated to provide all documents, statement, exhibits or witnesses they intend to rely on forehand, so that parties are not taken unaware and to reduce the time wasted in court by litigants seeking an adjournment to reply to same, when they are in-

troduced midway into trial.

But the Otedola’ statement, which formed the bedrock of the allegation against Lawan and Emenalo Boniface, the Secretary of the Committee, as it was based on his complaint that the duo are being prosecuted for offences of corruption, is curiously missing from the proof of evidence.

One may query, is it the prosecution’s view that tendering Otedola’s statement in court would cause irreparable damage to its case?

Interestingly, Otedola had been listed as one of the witnesses in the trial, though his statement is yet to be tendered in court, as same is also not in the proof of evidence.

Government had claimed that there were sting operation that nailed Lawan. Also operatives of Department of State Security, DSS, who were said to have carried out the sting operation, were also not listed as witnesses in the case, while the video clips from the sting operation has not been tendered in court.

It was gathered from a source, who took part in the investigation, that Otedola contradicted himself; hence the prosecution felt that his statement would not help its case and had refused to tender same.

It will be recalled that Lawan was the first to report the at-

tempt to bribe members of the committee to security agencies and had reported the matter to the House committee on Narcotics and Financial Crimes.

The issue then is, what would anyone who wanted to collect bribe report the case to EFCC and the House Committee on Money Laundering? Could it

also be the case that Otedola is the proper person to be prosecuted for initiating the bribery process?

Though one cannot be seen to be in support of corruption; it is however important to note that a lot of Nigerians, are beginning to feel that the Lawan’s case is a clear case of the exec-

utive may be trying to muzzle the House of Representatives.

Also to testify in Lawan’s case is Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, as he will testify that Lawan came to his office sometimes in April, 2012 and reported to him that there were some fuel marketers who wanted to bribe him.

Land tussle: Family alleges police harrassment

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULLAH

T

HE family of Oduwole of Ishashi, Ibeshe, Ikorodu area of Lagos state has challenged one Mr Bashiru Olaide, who claimed to be the owner of a parcel of land at Megun village, which has become a subject of litigation in recent times.

In a counter claim filed in a suit pending before an Ikorodu High Court, the Oduwole family led by Mr Tabura Anifowoshe and Mrs Bola Kalejaye, said any other person laying claim to the land in dispute outside Oduwole descendant family “is a land speculator.”

Mr Bashiru Olaide, had dragged some members of the family to court challenging their authority and claim over the said large expanse of land measuring about 66.436 acres situated in Megun village and Ishashi

in Ikorodu, which he claimed to be its own.

The controversies surrounding the land, according to Oduwole family had allegedly caused them lots of harassment, intimidation, threat to their life and use of police by the claimant to scare them away from their father’s land.

However, in an interview with the Olubeshe, Oba Abayomi Ogunsanya, said there has never been any dispute over land tussle in the community in recent times.

According to him, though there are some disagreements over land matters, but it never degenerated to a serious fisticuff, except court actions.

In their 66-paragraphs counter claim to the suit by Mr Olaide, the Oduwole family prayed the court to declare that they are the persons entitled to the customary right of occupancy over the land situated at Megun Village,

Ashashi, Ibeshe via Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos.

They also prayed the court to declare that they are the persons entitled to exercise acts of ownership and absolute control of the land and that the alleged “forcible entry of the claimant into counter claimants’ said land and purported erection of fence thereon were wrongful and illegal.”

The family also wants the court to declare that issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy dated October 5, 2011 in favour of the claimant with respect to the disputed land was wrongful, illegal and fraudulent.

Hence, they are urging the court to set aside the purported purchase of the land, and the C of O dated October 5, 2011 at land registry, Alausa, Ikeja in favour of the claimant, as well as N1 million general damages for alleged trespass on the land.

54— Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2013

helped by the reinvigoration of the internal revenue generation base. At inception the internally generated revenue was estimated to be about N100 million monthly.

Now the administration has reportedly through the blockage of leakages and other devices pushed the generation to more than N600 million with the target of realising at least N1 billion monthly before year end.

Also as part of its revenue generation efforts, the administration is putting its energies towards the revival of its tourist infrastructure.

Ekiti: Fayemi's activism on ground TWO years into office, Governor Kayode Fayemi has in the mind of many moved Ekiti State forward. But success in governance is only one yardstick ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election next year.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

G

IVEN his reputation as a former journalist and subsequently, one of the continent’s leading personalities in the civil society movement, it was not surprising that Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s first achievements in office would include pushing the enactment of laws promoting good governance.

Besides becoming the first governor to sign a domesticated Freedom of Information Bill, FOI, Ekiti State under Fayemi, has also enacted the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Public Private Partnership law. The laws passed within the first two years of Dr. Fayemi’s stewardship were reflective of the governor ’s promise at his belated inauguration in November 2010.

“My eight-point agenda would be pursued with vigour and life would be more abundant for our people.

Governance shall not only be transparent and accountable but the good of our people would be the template”, the governor had said.

It was in line with that transparency mantra that Dr. Fayemi turned out to be the only governor in his time to publish his assets declaration form at his inauguration. It

Global acclaim

•Fayemi. practically touch the lives of the citizenry in the state.

The Fayemi administration has been especially felt in the area of road constructions given the spate of dualisations and rehabilitation of many roads in the state.

The governor remarkably, took off from where he met his

,

Dr. Fayemi’s efforts nonetheless, his efforts are apparently not universally appreciated and even among some of his kith and kin in the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN

indeed turned out to be a joke in some newsrooms when it was published that the governor ’s assets were less than those of his deputy, herself a former banker.

However, if the governor ’s pronunciation had remained in the realm of talk as many suppose it is with many intellectuals and civil society activists, it would not have been totally surprising.

Dr. Fayemi has, however, moved beyond chatter to

,

predecessor, Engr. Segun Oni who laid the foundation for a few road projects.

While the governor has completed several road projects with underground culverts and positioned traffic lights for traffic control, as at press time at least 16 major roads were at advanced stages of completion in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti.

However, Governor Fayemi has moved beyond the expectation of many with the

ground-breaking infrastructure projects. In one instance, the former Ado-Ekiti prison is being turned into a Civic centre which is expected to also have an art gallery and a modern library.

The administration has also touched the citizenry in other ways besides infrastructure.

One of the most remarkable schemes of the Fayemi administration in the area of human capital development is the regular monthly payment of N5,000 to the elderly. The social security scheme has to some degree helped to empower otherwise less endowed elderly citizens.

At least 20,000 elderly indigenes who are 65 years and above are involved in the scheme.

Also in the area of human capital development is the administration’s provision of laptop computers to students of the state’s publicly owned secondary schools. The aim is to build up the computer literacy skills of the younger generation to position them to compete in the knowledge

driven international economy.

The scheme was flagged off last year with the distribution of 33,000 solar powered computers to students in a project the administration is partnering with Samsung and Microsoft. ”Now that the goal is realized, it is the beginning of the fulfillment of our campaign promise to make Ekiti the ICT capital of Nigeria”, the governor said at the flagging off of the computer distribution scheme in Ikere-Ekiti last year.

The schemes of the administration have been

The Ikogosi Water Spring which has been globally acclaimed for its ability to produce cold and hot water is being revived as a tourist attraction with the added appendages of good lodging and conference facilities.

Dr. Fayemi’s efforts nonetheless, his efforts are apparently not universally appreciated and even among some of his kith and kin in the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. The increasing divergence of opinion on the performance of Dr. Fayemi especially among the elite class could be a snare for the governor ahead of the forthcoming 2014 gubernatorial election.

Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, a member of the party in the House of Representatives and remarkably, one of the governor ’s a r d e n t supporters in his struggle to realise the gubernatorial mandate has l a t e l y expressed misgivings on t h e administration’s achievements. While not openly condemning the governor, Bamidele has recently faulted the blanket endorsement given the incumbent by his colleagues in the National Assembly and some stakeholders with the affirmation that more could have been done.

While Bamidele could be a trouble from home, the greater trouble could come in the shape of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP which is still trying to find its bearing after its exit from power in 2010.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—55

Chinua Achebe TRIBUTE

By EDDIE MBADIWE

V

OLUMES have already been written and a lot more is still to come on the life and times of Professor Chinua Achebe. His works will last as long as English literature with an African slant is taught worldwide. Chinua’s death has reemphasised what I always told my students. The only person who can immortalise you is YOU and you better do it in your lifetime. Chinua will be certainly pleased with all the encomia and sometimes controversy following his glorious exit. This exit looks like it was pre-planned.

I read Things Fall Apart not as compulsory study at Government Secondary School, Owerri many years ago. Since then I have also read other books by Achebe, notably Anthills of the Savannah, Arrow of God, The Trouble with Nigeria and his latest There was a country.

Being a scientist and not an artist, I consider myself not qualified to write a critique of Achebe’s work. However, I know that at various times since leaving Ibadan, I have been present at discussions by other Ibadan alumnae artists including my friends Prof. IsidoreOkpewho (now living in the States); late

Flora Nwapa (trailblazer); late Dr. Stanley Macebuh (first class mind). One thing that nobody can dispute is that Achebe planted African literature solidly, prominently and permanentlyon the world stage.

This tribute is different from the myriad of what I call the ‘protocol ones’ that have filled our newspapers in recent days. This has a personal angle. When I graduated from Ibadan, the drums of the civil war were already rumbling loud and clear. It was a few months later that the shells started landing in Gakem and OboloAfor. The full blown war saw me working for Research and Production in Biafra. When the war ended, I did a brief stint with Imperial Chemical Industries, Apapa, which I found monotonous.

Scars of war I was lucky thereafter to land a job as Assistant Lecturer in Biochemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. At that time, the scars of war were very visible all over Nsukka and the University was in dire straits financially. The university seemed to be dithering. Chinua was professor in the department of English. It was in this staid and boring environment that a group of pro-active lecturers -

•Prof. Chinua Achebe Chimere Ikoku, Ikenna Nzimiro, Mang Obasi, Chinua Achebe, Emmanuel Obiechina, Okey Emordi, started producing an inhouse magazine called Nsukka Scope. The mission of the scope was to move UNN forward as quickly as possible and by all means.

After the first publication, Chimere Ikoku invited me to join the group and that was my first close contact with Chinua Achebe who was editor. Nsukkascope was red-hot potato which got snatched up as soon as it hit the newsstand. I found that the editor, Chinua, was very particular about time and deadlines for submission of scripts. This presumably was a carry-over from his student days at Government College, Umuahia. He also had an eye for details and a commitment to a better university working environment. He spoke passionately about the potential

stored up at Nsukka. UNN was the melting pot of all those who had fled from Ibadan, Lagos and to a lesser extent Zaria at the outbreak of hostilities.

UNN being an insular university more or less at land’s end, life on campus sometimes got boring to put it mildly. The young lecturers from time to time put together social events.

One cannot remember seeing Chinua at any of those. He was so engrossed with his work. I can also count on my fingers, the number of times I saw him at the Senior Staff Club. I should know because I was the social secretary.

Next close-up My next close-up with Chinua was when politics returned. We used to meet and discuss at the chancellor’s lodge - New Haven Enugu. The chancellor of course was Dr. Arthur Nwankwo who was very prominent in Aminu Kano’s PRP. Chinua had very strong views about the direction Nigeria should go but his romance with politics yielded no dividends. The chancellor’s lodge was a hot bed of renaissance politics and among other regular visitors were late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka

Odumegwu Ojukwu, Professor George Obiozor, et al.

Soon after this, his terrible car accident happened and he was flown first to England and later the United States. One is thankful that Chinua survived that crash to be able to continue writing though now from a wheel chair. Anybody who did not have the resources and connections available to Achebe would have surely died from that crash. It was that bad. Our paths did not cross after that for I left for the U.K for my self-improvement.

Some four years ago, Professor Godson Osuji as co-ordinator got in touch with me and others and proposed what we now call ‘PROFESSOR AGU OGAN DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES’. This is like a pay-back return to UNN by lecturers and students of Biochemistry who either worked with or passed through Professor Ogan. Many of these were now professors in different part of the world.

Professor Osuji requested that I contact Chinua to becChairman of the series. Of course, we all knew Chinua would not be physically present but I still made the call. Chinua in his characteristic soft-spoken, modest way thanked us for what he said was a noble and novel idea. Accordingly to him, it was uncharacteristic of Nigerians to want to give back for having passed through a place, the claim is that their strength pulled them.

To be concluded

56 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08056180157 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

Ogbuefi Achebe’s songs to immortality I

T is said that “if you don’t want to be forgotten as soon as you die, you either write something worth reading or do something worth writhing about.” That is the number one law of immortality.

So, even before his demise on March 22nd 2013, far away in the United States of America, Professor Chinualumogu Albert Achebe, the Ogbuefi of narrative prose in Africa, had engraved his name on the marble of the immortal, by sheer dint of his hard work and by the affirmation of his chi, which said yes and even when he was on the path of committing career suicide.

Only Achebe would understand how fortunate he was to have escaped the fate of his main protagonist in No Longer At Ease, Obi Okonkwo.

Greater honour There is no doubt that encomiums will endlessly pour in for Achebe, whose works cut across all ages and surely one of the few Nigerians who uplifted the image of their fatherland.

Beyond the hypocritical gambit of wanting to be identified among those who eulogised Achebe in death, there can be no greater honour to the man than to uphold those ideals that he espoused in his life, his literary works, and political activism.

Born in Ogidi, Anambra State on November 16, 1930, Prof.

Achebe impacted positively on humanity, during the 82 years that he spent on earth, leaving behind, indelible foot prints that cannot be quantified in fat bank accounts or huge investments.

As a young man, Achebe was a voracious reader and was nicknamed the“Dictionary.”At Government College, Umuahia, he came in contact with the works of Shakespeare, Dickens, Robert Louis Stevenson and Jonathan Swift among others.

While at the University College Ibadan, he met his future wife Christine Okoli who gave him four children, his friend, Christopher Okigbo, who was killed during the Biafra war and other writers like Wole Soyinka, Flora Nwapa, J.P. Clarke,etc.

On his graduation from the University College Ibadan in 1953, Achebe worked as a radio producer at the Nigerian Broad-

casting Corporation before he went to London where he worked at the British Broadcasting Corp.

His path to immortality was paved with such classical works like Things Fall Apart,(1958), which he took its title from William Butler Yeats’ poem: “The Second Coming.” The book is reputed to have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 50 languages.

No Longer At Ease (1960) and Arrow of God. (1964), A Man of the People” (1966), Girls At War,(1972), Beware Soul Brothers, (1971), a collection of Poems, “The Anthills of Savannah,” (1987) and his memoir, There Was A Country, (2012).

Other works include; Chike and The River, a novelette, Morning Yet On Creation Day, a critical work on African literature and The Trouble With Nigeria (1983), a pamphlet on Nigeria’s political and leadership failures which has remained a reference material for all those seeking answers to the problem of governance in Nigeria. All these were vintage literary and critical works from Achebe’s creative mind.

In No Longer At Ease, the main character Obi Okonkwo, the grand son of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, was used to deal with the theme of corruption in public service.

A man of the people was clas-

,

By HUGO ODIOGOR

Late Prof. Chinua Achebe the Darwinist mindset of Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” and Joyce Cary in “Mister Johnson”. The conflict of cultures and worldviews were no more eloquent than Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilisation.

At the time most eminent Nigerians lobbied to be nominated and bestowed with national honours, Prof. Achebe, twice, re-

Achebe refused to follow the stereotypes that the whiteman expects from African writers, tales of failures, under achievements, inferior creatures for which the white man came to redeem the black man from

sic portrayal of the political behaviour and culture in Nigeria as an evolving independent country. The endemic corruption in the polity, heralded the collapse of the first republic and the subsequent out break of the Nigerian civil war from1967-1970.

The country has seen series of military rules and the mismanagement that have followed this political aberration, which formed the theme for The Anthills of Savannah, issued in 1987.

This was Achebe’s contribution to the problems of military rule in Nigeria and its devastation on the psyche of the nation. Achebe was a known critic of Western literature about Africa, especially

,

jected such recognitions from the Federal Government in protest over acts of political brigandage and unbridled corruption in his fatherland.

Achebe was more than a literary person and that is an aspect of his life that he shared with Professor Wole Soyinka, Political activism, Achebe was a progressive minded politician and he became involved in partisan politics in 1983 when he became a running mate of late Malam Aminu Kano of the Peoples Redemption Party. It was a party that had ultra radical philosophy which Nigerians do not understand.

The PRP performed poorly as

it took a fourth position in the 1983 presidential election. A disillusioned Achebe chronicled his experience in the political terrain and encounter with the ruling political elites in his highly polemic book entitled: The Trouble with Nigeria. As a political actor, Chinua Achebe identified with progressive minded people like late Malam Aminu Kano of the Peoples Redemption Party, whom he ran with as vice presidential candidate in 1983.

Peoples Redemption Party was a party that had ultra radical philosophy to empower the poor, but Nigerians did not understand what the party stood for, consequently, it performed poorly in the presidential elections to the frustrations of Prof. Achebe.

His memoir “There Was a Country,” became controversial for the comments he made about the role of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Nigerian civil war. The book earned enemies especially among Yoruba intellectuals who saw the book as an anti-climax of Achebe’ literary odyssey. His demise just 161 days after the release of that book has been seen in some circles as a justification of the anti-climax theory.

But beyond that aspect of the civil war, the book essentially captured Achebe’s personal history, especially early upbringing, the conflict between the Chris-

tian religion of his parents and the retreating, older religion, his artistic career, the events that took place in defunct Biafra, the role played by some key actors and himself as peace envoy, seeking food and relief support for starving women and children.

But by a strange twist of fate, an auto accident in 1990, paralyzed him from the waist down and forced him to live his final years in New York City before he joined Brown University in 2009 as a professor of languages and literature. This gave the whiteman, acting on God’s behalf, the opportunity to keep Achebe in his land and tap his brain to the maximum.

Achebe was critical of the whiteman’s world view of Africa and its people, but he was not a racist. Achebe refused to follow the stereotypes that the whiteman expects from African writers, tales of failures, under achievements, inferior creatures for which the white man came to redeem the black man from.

Perhaps, that disqualified him from the Nobel Prize award, but Achebe received other numerous awards in literature, including the Man Booker International Prize in 2007. Chief Ebenezar Babatope was among the fierce critics of Achebe for his denunciation of the actions of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the civil war, that provoked the Yoruba national group, but as Chief Babatope observed in his tribute, Prof Achebe was a forthright and patriotic Nigeria and his criticisms of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo would not diminish his credential as a literary giant and a worthy patriotic Nigerian who meant well for his fatherland.

Ardent loyalist Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party and an ardent loyalist of Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was among the first to attack Prof.

Achebe for his comments on late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, said the death of Prof Chinua Achebe is a great loss to Nigeria, “because he was not only a profound intellectual, but also a progressive intellectual and a political actor. While he was at University of Nigeria Nsukka, Achebe was among the intellectuals that published the Nsukka Scope which took up progressive social issues and even outside the academia, the late Prof Achebe aligned with progressive forces.

He provoked healthy controversies because he was a forthright and patriotic Nigerian. Going by all these testimonies, one can only add that for the Ogbuefi of African literature, it is morning yet on creation day. Ko’ emesie.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 —57

Adekoya’s recital of Isabella’s birth pang

T

HE novel Isabella Testimo ny By Esther Adekoya begins on an interesting note, in a hospital ward with the scene of a woman in pains, and about to give birth. We are let into the back and forth of conversation between the attending nurse and Isabella’s husband, Michael. The conversation is written in an easy prose which makes it quite believable.

The reader can relate to what is happening because the narrative, unfortunately represents a typical attitude of some medical personnel in our familiar environment. Medical staff especially nurses, in this part of our world never seem to be sympathetic to women in labour pains as it is believed to be common to all mothers and should be borne by the person going through it with nobility and patience. The writer’s use of simple prose and descriptive style really helps the reader to share in Isabella and Michael’s near-birth experiences. The reader is also intimated about the behavioral tendencies of pregnant women as regards to craving for foods. This behaviour is typical of expectant mothers the world over.

the loss of the mother’s life, during or after childbirth. We also better appreciate a man’s way of reasoning which is logical as opposed to a woman’s emotional considerations.

The conflict between Isabella and Michael helps to come to the realization that previous disagreements were Predicament never properly thrashed out. They both of the couple harbor some measure of resentment of the other’s earlier stance and decisions.

The book is very informative and eduThe need for counseling when a percative in the sense that the predicament son is hurt is brought to the fore, the of the couple opens up an aspect of necessity of seeking and receiving dimedical challenges that beset marriag- vine help from God through people es thereby causing it to be so shaken around you is also introduced. even to its very roots.

Dr Steve and Matron Stella’s willingThrough the chapters of the novel, Is- ness to go the extra mile to help Michael abella and Michael‘s emotional state and Isabella overcome their problems and well being is stretched to the limits. affirms the principle that offering help The reader thus becomes so drawn to to those around you will bring about solutions to one's own Isabella’s past experience enproblems.

Though Dr Steve ables us to better understand the and Stella had fact that there is no life that cannot worked together in the same environbe redeemed ment they never considered the fact that their plight, which is fundamentally, they might be suitable for one another. resultant from the complexity of per- They set apart their own peculiar cirsonal, individual beliefs and convic- cumstances to attend to their patients. tions.

Their mature Christian background Isabella chooses to stop taking her and painful experiences in their past birth control prescription without due seemed to have prepared them for the consultation with her husband or her blessing ahead. They were divinely doctor because she sees no reason to matched together by divine guidance. continue to do so. This brings about a The book is very insightful and a somajor conflict that brings about hurtful lution in itself. We become aware of the words, negative emotions, and even futility of a life lived without Christ, the though they try to get past their hurt, it danger this portends, the vanity of fofesters and almost causes the marriage cusing on ephemeral things such as to fall apart irretrievably. wanting to be accepted by everyone A great message is passed across at around you, pursuit of political power, this point. No part of a whole/partner- fame without caring to consider if any ship which in this case, a marriage, strings are attached or not should embark on their personal agenThe redemptive power of salvation da which excludes the other or goes through Christ Jesus is the emphasis against the belief of the other person. after we see the dangers and futility of All decisions no matter the religious con- doing otherwise. Isabella’s past expevictions, superstitions, disagreement, rience enables us to better understand suspicions, must be brought out to the the fact that there is no life that cannot open and discussed properly so as to be redeemed. The love of God through reach a compromise or otherwise.

Jesus is real and never discriminates.

We are further enlightened on the pos- The overall message of the book is one sible strain that the challenges miscar- of hope to all who feel hopeless, forgotriages, stillbirths, even the danger of ten and misjudged.

,

,

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Nosbrite promotes effective teeth cleansing

BY CHARLYNE IKPE

T

IPS to good oral habit include the following are essential to good healthcare.

Brushing Experts advice three minutes brushing of teeth twice a day. Effective brushing must clean each outer tooth surface, inner tooth surface, and the flat chewing surfaces of the back teeth. To clean the outer and inner surfaces, the toothbrush should be held at a 45-degree angle against the gums and

moved back and forth in short strokes (not more than one tooth width distance).

To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, the toothbrush should be held vertically and the bristles at the tip (called the toe of the brush) moved gently up and down against each tooth.

To clean the chewing surfaces of the large back teeth, the brush should be held flat and moved back and forth.

Finally, the tongue should also be brushed using a back-to-front sweeping motion to remove food particles and bacteria that may sour the breath.

Toothbrushes should be replaced every three months. Look for tooth-brushes with soft, nylon, rounded bristles in a size and shape that allows them to reach

Optometrist blames dry eye disease on climate change

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

I

NCREASING prevalence of Dry Eye Syndrome, DES, is as a result of on climate change and ozone layer depletion, the Nigerian Optometric Association, Lagos State branch, has confirmed.

DES also known as Keratoconjuctivitis Sicca (KCS) is a condition that affects the individual tear film layers, lipid, aqueous and mucin layers and have recently become pronounced especially for contact lens users in recent times.

Speaking during the Association’s Annual Conference tagged: “Dry Eye Syndrome: Challenges in Diagnosis and Management”, the State Chairman, Dr. Eniola Ajayi noted that climate change

and ozone layer depletion with possible attendant effects on the external portions of the eye made it necessary for theNOA to look closely at the differential diagnosis for more accurate management.

“Dry as the name implies mean your eye is dry, but many times eye is comforted by wetness. The eye actually tears to wet the eyes. Even when you have dry eye you may be watery, this is the contradiction in terms of dry eye syndrome. When the eye is dry there is a signal that goes to the brain to wet the eyes so in the process the eye begins to water.”

Ajayi, who is also Ekiti State Commissioner for Environment, said DES is

difficult to diagnose even for professionals because it is very difficult to pick.

“That is why we are looking at the challenges in diagnosis and looking at effective ways to diagnose it. Is it just the palliative by putting drugs on the eye or can we use capsules that can actually help build the tears from within and give a more helpful handling to the eye?.”

Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr Jide Idris said optometrists are part of the state’s workforce, stressing that they drive the Save a Sight or Vision Corridor programme where there is optical chart on the wall for people to assess their sight by themselves.

all tooth surfaces easily.

Flossing Flossing after each meal helps prevent gum disease by removing food particles and plaque at below the gum line as well as between teeth Users of tobacco, caffeine and alcohol who are more prone to oral challenges and cancer also benefit immensely from Nosbrite toothpaste and lozenges through the power of Bowman Birk Inhibitor (BBI) which is an established anticancer molecule.

For instance, Nosbrite toothpaste helps prevent oral cancer and the lozenges compliment with oral freshness with just a pop of the caplet in the mouth rich in menthol. Nosbrite lozenges also prevent breast and prostate cancer. Other benefits of Nosbrite lozenges includes cells regeneration (protect liver) through Phosphatidylcholine in it, relief cough and cold. Nosbrite lozenges is sugar free suitable for all. Product Manager, Nosak healthcare Ltd.Pharm.

Alex Meseko, states that the toothpaste components are Triclosan (anti bacteria anti fungi agent), Potassium nitrate (to reduce pain due to sensitive tooth), Bowman Birk Inhibitor BBI (anti cancer molecule) and Fluoride (anti plaque).

“All these components confer uniqueness on the toothpaste and thereby make it toothpaste with a difference that guarantees total oral care.”

The lozenges contain Bowman Birk Inhibitor, Phosphatidylcholine, Menthol and Peppermint oil all approved by the Nigerian Dental Association.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

ELLO Uche, my wife and I have a great sex life.

Infact, our sex life is a bit too good to be real. We have sex every day, sometimes up to three or four times a day. But I cannot help but wonder if too much sex can negatively affect someone’s health? Thanks – James Dear James, most people will want to be in your shoes.

For as long as there is proper lubrication and you and your wife take breaks between sexual sessions, then you are fine. There are no risks at all infact on the contrary, there are a whole lot of benefits to regular sexual intercourse and here are some of them: Reduction of Anxiety: A 2010 study published in the science journal Plus One, showed that regular sexual intercourse relaxes the body and reduces anxiety. In this study, the people who had the most sexual intercourse had lower blood pressure when performing stressful tasks.

Increase in happiness: A 2004 study published in the American Economic review found that the happiest people were usually the ones who had the most sex. This is due to the happiness hormones endorphins, dopamine and serotonin released into the body during sexual activity to make us happy. Considering how stressful our world is, happiness is a really big deal and hard to come by.

Boosts Immunity: Studies have also shown that people who had regular sex had higher levels of the anti-body immunoglobulin A, a chemical which is one of the body’s first defences against infections.

Soothes Your Pain: During orgasms, females are capable of much greater pain tolerance than at any other time in their daily lives. So sex is indeed a way to escape from mental and physical pain.

Reduces Prostrate Cancer Risks: Studies have also shown that men with very active sex lives will benefit greatly when they get older because they stand a much lower risk of developing prostate cancer, a diseases quite common among older men.

So James, you have every reason to be happy with the regular sex you are having. It seems like you have a

truck load of benefits coming your way both in the long and short term – Uche I have been married for 14years now and my husband and I hardly have sex anymore. I suspect he has a girlfriend. I know I am getting older but I want my husband to desire me again – Felicia Dear Felicia, he may or may not have a girlfriend. But let us focus on the things you can do to improve your love life. If you no longer have sex because you hardly feel like it, then you will need a libido booster like Cockstar For Women. If he is the one with libido problems, then he needs the Explosive Thunder supplement for men. If excitement is what is lacking in your relationship, movies can help you. Look for educational adult films such as Advanced Sexual Techniques and Positions and Great Sex for a Life Time. Having sex in unusual places and wearing the right Lingerie can also help revive sexual excitement in a relationship.

Visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com for more sexual ideas – Uche I am a regular reader of your column and until recently, I could not perform for more than one round of intercourse. I heard about Explosive Thunder and tried it.

Right now, I perform as many times as my wife wants and my erections are harder too. Keep it up Uche - Stanley I have never had an orgasm and that is why I don’t enjoy sex – Martha Martha with a Vibrator and an Orgasm Gel, an orgasm is the easiest thing in the world. Get these two and your sexual experiences will never be the same again – 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. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria.

For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013—59

Bits Adams Oshiomhole clicks Diamond

NECA raises alarm over high rate of unemployment BYVICTORAHIUMA-YOUNG

N

IGERIA Employers Consultative Association, NECA, has once warned of the dangers posed by the high rate of unemployment in the country, saying the high level of unemployment rate poses serious security threat to everybody and a disincentive to attracting foreign direct investment to the country..

Director-General of NECA, Mr. Segun Osinowo, in an interview with Labour Vanguard, argued that in any society where the level of unemployment was very high and the people were impoverished, they could not really be assured of a meaningful life expectancy rate.

According to him: “The unemployed are supposed to be the consumers of the products that are being produced in the economy. That is why when some Nigerians parade our large population as an advantage, I will just say to myself, how I wish they know what they are talking about. A nation of 50 million citizens that are well empowered that have access to quality life is much better market than a nation of 170 impoverished and poor people. So, on the face of it, our numerical strength in terms of our population might seem to be an advantage, but for it to really be an advantage, that number must be empowered in terms of their spending

Segun Osinowo, NECA DirectorGeneral power, their disposable income. That is why, first from the perspective of growth and development promotion, the high level of unemployment is a big threat to development of this country because they lack the purchasing power to support our industrial base.”

“Take the US economy as an example, the biggest contributor to the US growth rate is the consumer expenditure. The biggest variable that contributes to the US growth rate is the consumer expenditure that is why any re-

gime in America will easily get jittery, if the Americans cannot get jobs. They know the implication of that for the entirety of their economy.

The same thing is good for us, but people here have not seen that connection. Secondly, the high unemployment rate poses serious security threat to everybody and it also a disincentive to attracting foreign direct investment to the country. No matter the returns you may want to promise people, they are looking at the safety of their investments and the safety of their investments include the safety of the life of the people they are bringing to protect the investments. The high level of unemployment has the tendency of discouraging foreign investors to come into this environment.”

“The issue of unemployment is connected to issue of poverty rate in this environment.

The higher the rate of unemployment, the bigger will be the circle and bigger will be the incident of poverty which itself could be linked to our life expectancy rate. In any society where the level of unemployment is very high and they are impoverished, they cannot really be assured of a meaningful life expectancy rate. Statistics are there for you to really see the correlation between countries that actually carry high life expectancy and the level of unemployment in those environments.

C

omrade Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole turns 60 on Thursday, April 4, 2013 Oshiomhole, the first labour leader to be elected into an executive position was a two time president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. Presently, the Governor of Edo state, he was a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (IL0). Vanguard, the newspaper that has consistently covered Oshiomhole for over two decades will on April 4, honour the Comrade Governor with a special publication. Be a part of this historic publication. For participation your call Mrs Funmi Komolafe on 0802-314-5562 or Victor Ahiuma-Young on 0803334-8923

 Oshiomhole

Task before ILLO as perm sec

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

T

HE recent appointment of Dr. Celement Illoh as permanent secretary, federal ministry of labour and productivity, can best be described as a round peg in a round hole.

Why? It is because in that last 25 years, all permanent secretaries appointed for that ministry were civil servants from other ministries. Before now, officers in the ministry who get appointed as permanent secretary are always moved to another ministr but D r. Illoh’s is different because he has been in that ministry of quite a long time, before his recent appointment.

As an officer in that ministry, he knows that the ministry of labour is more than handling strikes. One of his predecessors in office, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo- Agary moved that ministry to another level. So what are the challenges before Dr. Illoh?

First, is that he needs to ensure that the federal government gets to appreciate the role of the ministry of labour and fund it better.

Funding is crucial to the activities of that ministry. With the appointment of Dr. Clement Illoh, a well groomed professional, the Factories Inspec-

tion Division needs to be taken more seriously. The ministry must put an end to the maiming of Nigerian workers by so called foreign investors. All complaints lying in files in the ministry must be taken seriously.

The International Labour Organisation ( ILO) has repeatedly made it clear that Nigeria isn’t doing enough in that area.

Social Dialogue- The ministry of labour cannot succeed without social dialogue. The ministry must promote social diClement Illoh alogue. The three social partners, workers, employers and government must have confidence in the min- formal sector. In the area of Productivitiy, the ministry must set good existry of labour.

Labour Exchange- The ministry amples. Workers in that ministry must must activate its labour exchang- be empowered to be productive. They es. Employers of Labour must must set the pace.

The ministry of labour must also enbe persuaded to use the labour exchanges for recruitment. That is the sure that the impact of the National only way, young, Nigerians who do not Productivity Centre is felt in every ashave the “Nigerian connection” can se- pect of the nation’s economy.

International- The new permacure jobs. The ministry under Dr. Ilnent secretary must ensure that the loh must also get the government to adequately fund the National Direc- ministry lives up to its international torate of Employment ( NDE) in order obligation. We must pay our dues at to create job opportunities in the in- the International Labour Organisa-

tion ( ILO) and pay arrears of salaries owed staff of the ministry’s office in Geneva, Switzerland. A situation where officers are not paid allowances for several months must stop.

It never used to be like this.

Dr. Illoh as a career officer in the ministry of labour must ensure that justice is done.

During the handing over, Dr. Illoh was quoted as saying, “Most people think of Paradigm shift from the angle of adversarial labour industrial relation.

It is a total package that concerns a shift of labour administration which deals on employment, productivity, industrial relation, social security and skills development among others. We are going to pursue these shifts to a successful end. All of us will be happy, we will be happy because there will be activities and we will not allow you to go empty handed”. He must match his words with action.

Meanwhile, Ms. Theresa Braimoh , another career officer in the ministry of labour has been appointed Director, Productivity and Measurement.

Labour Vanguard congratulates the newly appointed officers.

60 —

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Inyanya to perform at AYAC Warri 2013 Televeras joins AYAC 2013 opening ceremony T

•4 gold medals up for grabs today STORIES BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

T

HE opening ceremony of Africa Youth Athletics Championships will, as usual, be the first spectacle fans will behold when the continental show kicks off at the Warri Township Stadium today. This will be at 2 pm.

Popular artist, Inyanya of All I WANT IS YOUR WAIST fame will perform at the opening ceremony

that will be brief. There would be cultural displays and a historic relay that will depict a transition from the past generation to the present and then to the f u t u r e .

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan will declare the championship open.

Immediately after this, 100m, arguably the most exciting event of track and field will start. The heats for the boys and girls will be followed by Long Jump for girls.

Shot Put, Boys,

Ebewele

Continues from BP

former national Decathlon champion and now a veteran coach has described as an ‘’Antelope.’’

Seigha Porbeni, another veteran in track and field was the first to comment on the emerging star and said that ‘’a great potential who could take the sprints by storm is born.’’

His name is Divine Oduduru. He was born on October 7, 1996, few months after Chioma Ajunwa won Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medal in Atlanta ’96, the same venue where Mary Onyali and Falilat Ogunkoya picked bronze each in 200m and 400m respectively.

Divine ran 10.51 seconds at the Olokoya Under 18 competition last month. It was one of the few races he did on tartan tracks. He still trains on a hard surface in Asaba where he goes to school at West End secondary School. But before arriving Warri here with the Nigerian team Divine was subjected to high training on the tartan tracks of University of PortHacourt. ’’He will likely lower his time here in Warri,’’ Porbeni said of the 17year-old. ’’Some of our seniors are running 10.3 and 10.4 and if at this youth level he is running 10.5 with a possibility of running 10.4 soon, it means that a star is in the making,’’ AFN

President, Solomon Ogba s a i d . ’Divine has become slightly aware of the previews on him but he is still taking it easy, hoping to up the ante after writing his GCE Exams. ’’I’m still in secondary school now. After writing my exams I will concentrate on the tracks and I hope to return good times,’’ he told this reporter at the Excel Hotel base of the Nigerian team. ’’I hope to be better.

Right now, I train on hard surface and only train on tartan track from time to time when I go to places like Oghara. There’s no tartan track in Asaba where I live and go to school. When I leave school I’ll run better, God willing.’’

He was excited that he got a mention in a national daily and took a copy of Vanguard last Monday, hoping to show it to his parents. The story was on Porbeni identifying him as a good potential. Warri may earn him more media attention if he wins here.

Ismaila Yusuf is another athlete that the vice President of AFN, Jide Josaih said would also become a star. ’’Watch out for him in the 200m,’’ Jide said.

The games begin today and the fans will have a lot to cheer till Sunday when the championships will end.

Hurdles, Pole Vault, 800m, Discus will all follow. The interesting thing about today is that four gold medals will be up for grabs this afternoon. The final of Pole Vault, Discus and 3,000 all for girls and Long Jump for Boys will come up this afternoon.

The information was released by Commodore Omatseye Nesiama as related to him after the meeting of technical officials for the championships yesterday.

This is good for Africa – Moroccan official Tijani Hammou is a Track and Field Area Technical

Official from Morocco.

He is among the foreign technical officials who will be officiating throughout the Africa Youth Athletics Championships that start today in Warri. He bared his mind on the championships while doing his accreditation. ’’The championship is good for Africa. It will help our athletes. It is the first edition in Africa but Europe and America and other parts of the world have had championships of this nature for long. It is part of the reason why they are doing better than us. I’m happy that we have started this. We are in Nigeria with a lot of expectations from this athletes. This may be the beginning for many of the stars of tomorrow,’’ Tijani said.

•Governor Uduaghan

NFF

Continues from BP championship trophy in Algeria.

After the Flying Eagles fell 2-0 to Egypt Tuesday, leader of delegation and member of the executive committee of the NFF, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh told Sports Vanguard that all the team need was fresh additions in the attack.

“You saw the match yourself, the players played well but in every match there must be a winner and a loser. But how well you play is seen from how many goals you score. It was unfortunate that the players did not convert their chances as the Egyptians who had three chances and converted two.”

He pointed out that what worked against the

Flying Eagles in their match with Egypt was the individual play of some players. “Instead of them to play as a team everybody wanted to play and score, seeking individual glory. There is need to inject new players into the team before the World Cup because right now this crop of players cannot achieve much if the team remains the same.”

On coach Obuh, he said, “Coach John Obuh and his crew have done very well in their assignment. He is an experienced coach. He was with the Nigeria U17 team when we hosted the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup and he did very well by taking them to the final. He was asked to handle the U-20 for continuity.

ELEVERAS, an oil and gas company yesterday doled out N10m to be part of the Africa Youth Athletics Championships otherwise known as AYAC Warri 2010. ’’We share in the vision of Delta State in many aspects especially in the area of sports development,’’ Igho Sanomi, the Chief Executive Officer of the company told Amaju Pinnick while presenting the cheque to him.

Sanomi said that AYAC Warri 2013 being the maiden edition of the continental championships it was important that his company joined to be part of history of the event.

Pinnick commended the company for their role in sports and said their contribution to the Warri event would go a long way in making it a huge success.

Sunday Mba Continues from BP tee set up by the NFF on the matter.

Having established that the player was transferred from Enyimba FC of Aba to Rangers in December 2006, loaned to Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt and duly returned to Rangers, the Committee also affirmed that Rangers gave a ‘provisional clearance’ to the footballer to play for Warri Wolves between 2011 and 2013, but the player left Warri Wolves without any documentation back to Enugu Rangers and in fact was registered for the 2013 CAF Champions League by the Coal City club.

Although the Committee established that the player no longer wishes to continue to play for Warri Wolves, it slammed

the unhealthy and unwholesome practice in the Nigeria League whereby verbal agreements, Against proper documentation, hold sway. It indicted the clubs thus: “Transfer and loan fees meant for player transactions were not written down in clear terms and club accounts were found not to have been used for most transactions, which promotes unhealthy dealings in player transfers.”

The Committee concluded: “Based on the available information as presented by the Nigeria Professional Football League Management Committee on the Club Status of Player Sunday Mba...the player is currently having his contractual obligations to Warri Wolves.”

Obuh Continues from BP problems. We have really seen our mistakes and they came up again today(Tuesday) as this match would have been wrapped up in the first half. We were not able to get it done just because of attitude and tactical indiscipline as displayed by a few of my players. Thank God, like I said, we are still on course; we will deal with those problems appropriately.”

The loss to Egypt, a team the Flying Eagles defeated 3-0 in a pretournament tune up match, right in Cairo has more than ever, called for radical steps to bring the team back on

stream.

Obuh agreed entirely.

“Definitely,” he started, “there are bound to be changes. It is not going to be business as usual because if you leave it to the players who are here, you will not get anything serious from them. We have to look out for some people who will come and help fortify the team. If I find people who are more tactically disciplined than the ones I have at the moment, there is no reason why I would not take them. This is nobody’s home where you do what you like.

They have really tried their best but they need to step up their game,” Obuh said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 61

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 — 63

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

We were tactically naive •Obuh cries over F-Eagles defeat •Says there will be changes

BY JACOB AJOM, Algeria

F

LYING Eagles coach, John Obuh has said hé would not take his players to the

AYAC Warri 2013:

Ebewele spots an ‘Antelope’ in Oduduru

slaughter slab because they lost to Egypt in the semi final of the 2013 African Youth Championship on Tuesday in Ain Temouchent, Algeria.

In à post match chat with Sports Vanguard at Éden hotel, Oran, the coach said, “I would not say I was totally disappointed in this

Sunday Mba: NFF orders Wolves, Rangers to agree on transfer fee today

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

T

T

HE city of Warri will be exciting to sports fans today when athletes from over 20 African countries hit the track and field of the Warri Township Stadium in search of honours in the maiden edition of The Africa Youth Athletics Championships.

First class facilities have been provided for the athletes. It is the time for them to display the potential in them. In the Nigerian team are talents that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria hopes can become Ol-

ANTELOPE — Oduduru ympic athletes. And prominent among them is a school boy that Brown Ebewele, a Continues on Page 60

Ethiopians arrive for Warri 2013. Photo: Henry Unini

NFF backs Obuh

T

HE Nigeria in strong defence of team failed to defend F o o t b a l l Flying Eagles coach the African Youth Federation has risen John Obuh whose Continues on Page 60

PUZZLE

HE Nigeria Foot ball Federation has ordered Nigeria Premier League clubs, Warri Wolves and Enugu Rangers to agree on a transfer fee for Super Eagles’ attacking midfielder Sunday Mba before the close of work today.

“Failure of the two clubs to reach a reasonable conclusion on the fee will compel the NFF to fix such a transfer fee

by Friday, 29th March, which must be paid on the agreed terms before the player is cleared to play for his preferred club and continue his career,” said a statement by the Ad-hoc Commit-

Continues on Page 60

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

tournament because, we at least, qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup holding in Istanbul, Turkey later this year.

There are so many problems that —Page 55really need urgent attention and it is only when you are on course that you will be able to correct those problems.

“If we had not qualified, we would not have been in a position to correct those Continues on Page 60

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Chasm (5) 9 Fester (6) 10 Active (6) 11Bowl (5) 12 Grit (4) 15 Shape (4) 17 Orator (7) 20 Route (3) 21 Kingdom (5) 23 Spool (4) 25 Light (4) 26 Object (5) 28 Welcome (3) 30 Glowing (7) 33 Curve (4) 35 Dumb (4) 36 Larceny (5) 38 Paradise (6) 39 Mourn (6) 40 Crawl (5)

DOWN 1 Stupid (5) 2 Silly (5) 3 Vestment (3) 4 Glass (6) 5 Slender (4) 6 Transgression (3) 7 Under (5) 8 Dwarf (5) 13 Authorise (7) 14 Stunned (5) 16 Rearing (7) 18 Reappear (5) 19 Sick (3) 22 Principle (5) 24 Guided (3) 27 Lottery (6) 28 Concerning (5) 29 Messenger (5) 31 Drill (5) 32 Cogs (5) 34 Singe (4) 36 Spasm (3) 37 Faucet (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Excess 5, Bottom 9, Other 10, Cupola 11, Lariat 12, Droll 14, Rant 17, Eve 18, Move 20, Tight 22, Aided 23, Roaring 24, Elbow 26, Throb 29, Mere 30, Jug 32, Tame 33, Tunic 35, Ardour 36, Purist 37, Boost 38, Keeper 39, Yellow.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Coping 3, Sold 4, Stare 5, Belle 6, Oral 7, Tripod 8, Matted 13, Overrun 15, Aisle 16, Throe 18, Might 19, Venom 21, Tow 22, Ant 24, Embark 25, Bridge 27, Racial 28, Bestow 30, Juror 31, Gipsy 33, Tube 34, Cute.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.