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We’ve ensured water-tight security for corpers working for INEC — NYSC boss By Levinus Nwabughiogu
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S the nation goes to the polls today, the DirectorGeneral of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi has said that adequate security has been put in place for the safety of the corps members who are working as Adhoc staff for the elections. Olawumi also declared that over 168,000 corps were participating in the exercise across the country. According to him, the number dropped from 240,000 after participation in the polls was made voluntary. The DG who spoke in Abuja as part of the activities to mark his first year in office added that a Distress Call Center has also been opened at national secretariat of the Scheme. He said: “I need to make it clear that we signed an MOU with INEC in 2010 for corps members to take part as ad-hoc staff in the conduct of elections. Since then, corps members have been taking part and contributing so much to improving our elections. “A dimension that was introduced late last year is that we are no longer the ones who submit names of corps members to INEC. INEC opened their portal and asked interested corps members to register and they registered. They were not forced. They registered on their own volition. “That was why from the over 240,000 corps members that we have only about 168,000 registered which means close to 80,000 did not register. It should be noted that the corps members were not forced and what that means is that any parent who does not want his or her child to take part must have told the child not to register. “Yes it is voluntary. They registered on their own. Not only that, in the course of registration, they supplied information as to where they are serving and where they want to be during the election. “That means, if a corps member is serving in Anambra State and the parents live in Oyo State, when asked where he or she would like to participate during the elections, the corps member could fill Oyo State. So these are things that have been done as part of security measures. “We have documented all the contacts of security agencies in all local government areas in Nigeria. And we made these contacts available to all corps members in those areas. Then in the headquarters here, we keep a record of all those contacts because we have a Distress Call Centre which we have reinvigorated to cope with whatever challenges that might arise during the elecC M Y K
tions. “Through that Distress Call Centre, once a corps member is in distress and he or she calls, we immediately identify the location and we inform the closest security agency within the location to rescue the corps member. We have also compiled the addresses of all the Corpers Lodges across the country which have been made available to security agencies in all those areas. “We have also issued out directives that all our Local Government Inspectors will not take part in the elections. Their sole duty on that day is the security of corps members. We have approached INEC and they are going to provide logistical support in each of the local government areas for easy monitoring and rescue operation on the day of the elections.” Reacting to concerns in some quarters that some corps members who work as polling agents usually compromise election standards and connive with desperate politicians or party agents to rig elections, Olawumi said that they had been sensitized sufficiently against any electoral fraud, saying that apart from the punitive measures stipulated in the constitution, NYSC Scheme also has its internal mechanism to discipline any erring members.
President Goodluck Jonathan performing the Ground Breaking ceremony of the Gas Industrial City, Ogidigben and Deep Sea Port Gbaramatu, Delta State,Thursday. With him are Gov Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta (middle); Mr Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investment, (left); Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum Resources, (2nd left) and others.
West tto o battlef ields, Polls: Don’t turn SoutSout-W battlefields, Oodua Coalition warns By Bashir Adefaka
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HE Oodua National Coalition, a pressure group in Yorubaland, has warned against any act of violence in any part of the region during and after the
WAEC opens complaints centre ffor or Nigerian candidates By Dayo Adesulu
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ANDIDATES of West African Examinations Council, WAEC, having academic difficulties can now breath a sigh of relief as WAEC Nigeria has commissioned a Customer Service Centre donated by Media Concepts International Limited to attend to students complaints. Speaking at the commissioning of the CSC Thursday at WAEC National Office Yaba, Lagos, the Head of Nigeria Office, Mr Charles Eguridu said: “ CSC was built to provide a quick response to students and candidates of WAEC in Nigeria having one form of challenge or the other.” According to him, the customer service will add values
to the Nigerian Students education, promising that such gesture will also be established in all the WAEC zones in Nigeria. He said that the centre which was computerized, will foster interaction between students and WAEC across the country. The donor, Managing Director, Media Concept International Limited, Mr Agbeyo Tope said that the Customer Service Centre will help students interact with WAEC promptly irrespective of their geographical location. He said: “Our objective for constructing and furnishing this centre is to help the Council achieve its overall customer relationship management strategy which is in synch with WAEC’s strategic plan.
general elections. The group at a gathering to end a ‘ walk for peace’ from Maryland to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, on Wednesday, stated that it would not fold its arms and watch the Yorubaland being destroyed. The forum provided the Yoruba and their brethren from the Itsekiri land the opportunity to meet and express their heartfelt concern about the political and economic conditions in the country. Speaking to Saturday Vanguard during the gathering attended by eminent activists of Yoruba extraction, Comrade Ayo Opadokun, a lawyer, said there were rumours making the rounds on how some groups were going to turn Yorubaland to a battlefield. He said: “We have come to let everybody be sure that we are committed to self determination. We are committed to the rule of law and committed to free and fair credible election.” He also
pleaded with the people that they should stand firm against anybody trying to use the Yoruba as an instrument for carrying out evil practices during the elections. Opadokun advised the people to vote for the right candidates, adding that the Yoruba self-determination group would not allow anybody to cause trouble in the land. “No matter how many falsehood they have told the Nigerians, they will not succeed here with us. Yoruba will always stand out because they are the head of black people in the world,” he said. Bemoaning the hard life system in the country, former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Comrade Wale Adeoye said while some people were ready to fight for the rights of brothers, others were headstrong at denying them of same. Other speakers at the gathering included Comrade Awosanmi Olasunmi and Comrade Tunde Adeleke.
Emir urges politicians tto o accept election results in good faith
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HE Emir of Wamba in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Musa Nagogo, on Thursday urged politicians to accept the outcome of the March 28 and April 11 elections in good faith. Nagogo made the call during an interview with newsmen at Wamba Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. “Leadership as an act of God; God gives power to whoever he
wishes. The electorate should vote for God-fearing leaders in the interest of peace and development. “As a traditional ruler, my role is to preach peace, unity and to advise my subjects and other Nigerians to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation. “No nation or society can
develop in an atmosphere of rancour and confusion. The security challenges facing some parts of the country have affected the socio-economic development of the country”, he said. According to him, as the general elections draw near, the people of Nasarawa State and indeed every Nigerian should shun violence and resist
to be used by selfish individuals to make trouble. Nagogo called on populace to pray for successful and peaceful elections. He urged youths to always respect constituted authorities, be law abiding and engage in meaningful ventures in order to contribute their quota to national development.
SATURDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 28, 2015----3
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4—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
ELECTION BLUES
KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED
COMPILED BY
DADA ADEKOLA
08052201913
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—5
By Ikeddy ISIGUZO, Chairman Editorial Board
Elections Like No
Other
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O two elections are alike, but the 2015 general elections would defy compartmentalisation in more ways. We have two presidential candidates who have clawed their ways into the consciousness of an electorate that thought it had seen it all. There are at least another 12 candidates on the log. Nigerians are so consumed by the ultimate price that they may forget hat today, we would also vote for 109 Senators, and 360 members of the House of Representatives, together they should rein in the President. What are these legislators telling us? Are their positions less important than the presidency? Are our eyes on the ball for the money or the menu? I am assuming there is a difference. Whatever it is, we are discovering bold campaigns in their fullness – form, format and formation. It would appear we are living in a new Nigeria, on our way to a newer Nigeria. If we thought we knew a thing about corruption, for instance, the stridency in condemning it, and some of the raised voices fluster Nigerians. We seem not to know ourselves enough, or during elections we become new beings for new reasons. The campaigns of name calling became remarkable for naming the looters of Nigeria, no longer in familiar innuendoes. How much could have gone into these campaigns and the sources of the funds bother discerning Nigerians. Desperation for power shows in ways that foreclose adherence to the Electoral Act which places a ceiling of N1 billion on the campaign expenses of a presidential candidate. According to Section 91 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (amended), “The maximum election expenses to be incurred by a candidate at a presidential election shall be one billion Naira
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6—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
•Test run of the Card Reader Machine
Elections Like No Other Continues from page 5 (N1, 000, 000,000).” The amount could not have covered cost of only television messages for the major candidates, though the law excludes costs of the primaries. Vehicles, staff, mobilisation, logistics, and security cost billions of Naira, even for governorship candidates, who are entitled to a mere total expenditure of N200 million! Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should monitor campaign expenses. INEC does not, nor does it execute its 397-word mandate in Sections 225 and 226 of the 1999 Constitution (amended) for INEC to present annual audit of party finances to the National Assembly. These laxities have their places in today’s remarkable contest of contrasting approaches in which bounds both sides found shared values in breaking the law with incremental recklessness. Who would believe that Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (amended) exists? It states, “No association, other than a political party, shall canvass for votes for any candidate at any election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election expenses of any candidate at an election.” Associations, groups, unions - most purposely formed for the elections - have made their voices heard. They lead the campaigns and most times drown the candidates.
Again INEC has ignored these groups, ignored the law and egged impunity to higher decibels. Evidences of the pollutions from the groups include usurping political spaces and successfully helping candidates to break the expenses the law imposes. There are also further damages to the environment through millions of handbills, posters, banners, and billboards that litter Nigeria, preaching “change” and “transformation”. “Change” and “transformation” have been elevated to such timbre that there are minimal concerns about the content of their promises, if any. The frenzy of waiting for the winner has overtaken considerations of the shape in which Nigeria would limp to the finishing line of this long race by May 29, the terminal date for all administrations that have ruled us since 2011, a year some remember for the uniqueness of its elections. It was the year that marked, with huge hues, the beginning of last minute election postponements in Nigeria in an embarrassing scale and saliency. While some Nigerians were voting, Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman, was announcing the postponement of the election on national television. The postponement of the 2015 elections, blamed on other reasons, has evoked fears of contraptions that could mar democracy. Hopefully, the votes would address them. These elections were postponed by six weeks, yet they are all built only on hope:
that INEC is ready, that the card readers would work, that the results would be credible (meaning that the losing party would accept them), that conduct at the poll booths and after would be peaceful. Hope is all that we can do, as INEC has managed to shift the blames to all, including voters. Finally, INEC is conducting the election that reflects what Jega has been telling Nigerians since he arrived at the job in 2011. He called stand alone elections he conducted in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Cross River, Kogi, Imo, Ondo, Osun, and Plateau States experiments. The ultimate experiment holds today with the permanent voter ’s card, the card reader, and the aside (which could be a major determinant of the results), the incident form. INEC, parties, candidates, experts, and voters have only “guess” knowledge of how these apparatuses of the election work. The fate of Nigerians is locked in this experiment and all they can do is pray, hope, and wait for the outcome of the most expensive experiment (not just the billions of Naira) in our history. It is not for nothing that these days we resort to generous use of the refrain, “There is God o,” which someone, who should know, donated to our national repertory, maybe, for times when hope, in all its expansiveness, is inadequate.
Buhari’s case for presidency
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—7
•How he emer ged as APC’s emerged presidential candidate •His Pr of ile Prof ofile •His Message BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU
F
inally, the D-Day is here. Nigerians have waited so long for it. It is a day of a great decision via elections. Nigeria’s presidency is the soul of the contest which has obviously been narrowed between Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and General Mohammadu Buhari. Who carries the day? The answer is just hours away. Read the profile of General Buhari, how he emerged the candidate of opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, the formation of party and the issues that have made Buhari hopeful of becoming Nigeria’s next president. When the date for the Presidential election was announced over a year by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, many thought, it was so far a day that would never come. Just when it was almost time, it was postponed, thereby giving more nightmares to many Nigerian who had patiently waited for it. But six weeks after the controversial shift, Nigerians can behold the day. It is finally here. It is the Election Day which would usher in a new era of political governance in Nigeria. The first phase of the exercise would be elections into the office of president of the federal republic of Nigeria and the members of the National Assembly in both chambersSenate and the House of Representatives scheduled to hold today. Next two weeks would be for the governorship and state houses of assembly. But while the election into the National Assembly is considered serious, that of the president is considered more sensitive and serious. Giving the build ups so far, everyone has got the impression that it would be keenly contested. Though efforts were made to stop the postponement by especially members of the opposition, the powers-that-be eventfully had their way, citing security concerns in the north eastern part of the country as the major reason for the shift. Essentially, two gladiators are in the great contest. This does not, however, undermine the participation of some other political parties. As at the time of filing this report, there were 14 presidential candidates in all but two of them stand obvious: They are the frontrunners. President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and General Mohammdu Buhari of the emerging All Progressives Congress, APC. Both men are not greenhorns in the political arena. They have tasted power and so know what it is. While Jonathan rose through a civil political pedestal from the cradle of a deputy governor in his home Bayelsa State in 1999, later governor, Vice President, Acting President and President; Buhari criss-crossed the military flanks in the family of Nigerian Army, rising from a commissioned officer to a military administrator otherwise Governor and peaked to the Head of State in 1983. So, they both know what political power is. But besides the political knowledge, something else is unique about them and thus defines their relationship. Jonathan and Buhari are overtly political parallels. They have never
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•Buhari
8—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
•Buhari
How he emerged as APC presidential candidate Continues from page 7 been allies. While Jonathan got lucky with the ruling party since his entry days, Buhari has consistently and persistently tried luck with the opposition since 2003. They first met in 2011 when they squared up for the presidential contest. The odds then favored Jonathan while Buhari stalked hard along some 12 million votes. After four years, both are back to the trenches. Have things changed? Would Jonathan’s second missionary journey’s appeal be heeded by Nigerians or would they give a nod to Buhari who is now making the appeal for the fourth time? These are all the questions that have their answers tucked in the womb of some hours from now. But then, who is General Mohammadu Buahri? The man Mohammadu Buhari Buhari does not need introduction in the Nigerian political firmament. He is a retired soldier and former Head of State from Daura, Katsina State who benefited from 1983 military coup but was toppled in another coup in 1985. He also held other positions assigned to him by the government which included the chairmanship of the outlawed Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF. But in 2003, he formally launched into partisan politics, contesting the presidential seat with the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. One peculiar thing about Buhari is that he has always been in the opposition. First, he ran under the defunct All Nigerians Peoples Party, ANPP. He, again faced late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007 presidential election and later formed the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC in 2010 under which he contested for president in 2011, polled about 12 million votes but lost to incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP. His party, CPC, was one of the political parties that fused with three others to form the All Progressives Congress, APC. According to most analysts, determination, simplicity, technical competence, courage, selflessness, forthrightness and foresight with unrepentant hate for corruption among others virtues are what have endured
many Nigerians to him. Besides, Buhari is arguably a poor man when compared with his contemporaries within the military and political scenes. He had occupied positions but never compromised his principles and never used such positions to enrich himself. But even as this goes, many see Buhari as a religious bigot which has been his albatross. This is why most people have refused to stop playing back some statements credited to the him mostly on religious lines. How he emerged as APC presidential candidate Unlike the PDP’s coronation of President Goodluck Jonathan at the Eagles Square, Abuja, APC’s Buhari faced a touch primary election. It was a very rigorous process which kept him and indeed every other stakeholder in the exercise awake all night in Lagos between 10 and 11 December 2014. Venue of the primary election was the Teslim Balogun Stadium and the contestants outside Buhari were the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, incumbent governors of Kano and Imo States, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and Chief Rochas Okorocha respectively and the publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah. At first, not many people thought that with the nova riche like the former Vice President Atiku and the rest of power-welding Kwankwaso and Okorocha plus the media chief, Isaiah, that Buhari, a pensioner would sweep the votes of the delegates the way he did. delegates votes. Many expected him to win but not overwhelmingly. He did. And eventually, Buhari cruised home to victory with a total of 3, 430 votes. The details of other results were: Kwankwaso 974 votes, Atiku 954 votes, Okoroacha 624 votes and Isaiah getting paltry 10 votes. His acceptance speech Buhari pledged to fight corruption and religious intolerance amongst other things. The speech which is dissected below is adjudged memorable by most analysts whether Buhari wins or not. No dividing line between Christians and Muslims Hear him: “My nomination is not because I am better than any of the other contestants. I see it as a tribute and mark of confidence to carry the torch as we all join hands to rescue our dear country Nigeria, from those who have led us into the current
state of insecurity, poverty, sectarian divide and hopelessness among our people. “I stand before you today to ask that you join me in a common cause. My call to you is not to realize the personal fulfillment of one man. This Common Cause is nothing less than the love for our nation and concern for its present condition. And a resolve to make things better for Nigeria. “What I say today is for all Nigerians: Christian and Muslim, Southern and Northern, rich and poor, young and old, man and woman. We are all citizens of Nigeria. There is no dividing line among us that I care to honour. Either we advance as one or fail altogether.” Perhaps, the implication of this is that there is a changed man who is now more determined and committed to a national cause. What PDP has failed to do for Nigerians Buhari was not done. Again, hear him make more commitment while lashing out to failed leaders. “My choice and my colleagues’ choice and wish is that we progress together. Preserving the nation’s future is a scared obligation to all of us in this party. Leaders should be wholly committed to fulfilling this obligation otherwise they have no business being leaders. “Sadly, the current administration does not believe in this obligation. By their actions they are leading us to calamity. “At International Conferences, the Nigerian delegation is usually among the largest but at the same time the least effective. Our president should have the status and the voice of Africa’s largest nation. But in political influence we are among the weakest. “Shall we at home continue to live in a condition where the Power Holding Company and its successors seem only to have the power to hold us in darkness? “Shall we continue in a situation where 250 of our daughters have been abducted and the government has been unable to rescue them or provide credible information about what steps they are taking? “Shall we live in a nation where several people were trampled to death in search of jobs in a stadium
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How APC was formed
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—9 Change is imperative if we are to avoid the impending national failure. Poor leadership placed us in the ditch. Continuation of poor leadership will only dig a deeper trench for all of us to fall in”, Buhari said. How APC was formed. What later became APC was made possible by the conglomeration of the hitherto, Nigeria’s three major opposition parties namely, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) - and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in February 2013. On July 31, 2013, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, formerly registered the party. APC initially didn’t have all the boost until the coming of five governors who deserted the existing ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for it in November 2013. The development was later to attract 37 members of House of Representatives and also a handful of Senators from the senate who defected to the party a month later. Since then, the party has continued to grow. The campaign issues
•Buhari
Continues from page 8 and yet no one has taken responsibility for the tragedy? “Shall we live in a nation where the ranks of the poor swell and their poverty increase while the consorts of the powerful enjoy unprecedented wealth? The lives of the poor are bled dry while those of the powerful soak in excessive abundance. “My answers to these questions are “No, No, No, No!” It is time to close this demeaning chapter in our nation’s history”, he said. My words, my bond—Buhari Indeed, many are the challenges militating against the realization of a new Nigeria. But General Buhari on that day made a pact with Nigerians that if voted into office as the next president, he would do a new thing in an encompassing five critical areas of Nigeria’s national life. He said: “I ask that you join this effort, not for me, but to establish a better land for all of us. I understand and accept the hard challenge ahead. When all is said and done, let it be written that Muhammadu Buhari gave his all for this nation. As such, I make these five pledges regarding the government if we are elected next February; * We will govern Nigeria honestly, in accordance with the constitution. * We will strive to secure the country and efficiently manage the economy. * We will strive to attack poverty through broadly-shared economic growth and attacking corruption through impartial application of the law. * We will tolerate no religious, regional, ethnic or gender bias in our government. * We will return Nigeria to a position of international respect through patriotic foreign policy. * We will choose the best Nigerians for the right jobs. Our government will be committed to the cause of the common man. Whether you are a Christian from Bayelsa State or a Muslim from Katsina State, you are first and foremost a Nigerian in my eyes. I shall treat you equally as my people, my national family, my brothers and sisters. There can be no genuine love of our country without loving all its people in our diversity.”
He continued: “Just as APC stands as a new party for a new Nigeria, our government will institute new policies to realise the new Nigeria. “We shall institute just policies that afford people the dignity of work and pay them a living wage for their sweat and toil. We intend to do this by instituting a national industrial policy, coupled with a national employment directive, that together shall revive and expand our manufacturing sector, creating jobs for our urban population and decreasing our reliance on expensive foreign imports. “We shall implement a national infrastructure master plan that will provide construction and related jobs across the land. Furthermore, by improving our transportation infrastructure through road, rail and port construction we expand the outer bounds of economic growth as no economy can grow beyond the capacity of its infrastructure. “Agriculture remains the backbone of the economy. Our government, when elected, will establish an agricultural policy that provides farmers a dignified living through improved inputs, improved extension services, access to credit and price support mechanisms. “On corruption, the government will enhance EFCC’s powers to investigate independently. Moreover, we intend to plug the holes in NNPC accounting. There will no longer be two sets of books, one for public consumption and another for insiders who profit from this slick fraud. In an APC government, the public will know how much NNPC makes and where all the money goes. “No longer shall illegal flows of massive sums leave these shores to finance other economies. While our people languish in poverty, we effectively give financial aid to nations that is not justified. I am sick of this. It must stop. The money saved will finance jobs, health care and the provision of social safety net for the needy, weak and vulnerable of our land. “We will be a compassionate government, for out of compassion arises the truest forms of wealth and progress a society can attain. We shall open the door to tertiary education to excellent students who otherwise could not afford it. Pregnant and poor women and children shall be entitled to basic health care. “This is a Nigeria that I envisage but it is a far cry from the Nigeria that is now.
For the APC, PDP’s weaknesses are their strength. Though there are a number of issues, three majorly stand out to be APC strength-base. The strength is found in the pervasive insecurity in the land especially in the north eastern hemisphere of the country which the PDP government has failed to completely stamp out. The next one is corruption. To most people, corruption is really ubiquitous in the country especially within the corridors of power. The allegation of financial embezzlement is legion and so, APC feels that Buhari would work to stamp out corruption if voted into power. Unemployment also comes very handy. It could be recalled that many youth lost their lives at the recruitment test conducted by the Nigerian immigration Service, NIS, in 2014. This, the opposition, holds as evidence of joblessness in Nigeria despite federal government claims of creation of millions of jobs. Last line Whatever may be the outcome of the today’s elections, one thing stands sure: that Nigeria will be either the winner or the loser. It is certainly not PDP/ Jonathan or APC/Buhari. And for this reason to prevail, it behoves the political actors and the rest of Nigerians to eschew all parochial interests and pursue national interest by first accepting the verdict of INEC. The apparent aggression which is resolvable in courts can come later. But will this be the case or would Nigerians be treated to the ugly meals of violence and trepidation? The reality or otherwise of all these would be determined in the hours ahead.
10—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
Presidential election:
Finally, Nigeria decides today
Party; Ganiyu Galadima and Balarabe Ahmed of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN; Rafiu Salau and Clinton Cliff Akuchie for Alliance for Democracy, AD and Godson Okoye and Haruna Adamu, for United Democratic Party, UDP. Others are Nani Ibrahim Ahmad and Obianuju Murphy-Uzohue of African Democratic Congress, Martin Onovo and Ibrahim Mohammed of National Conscience Party, NCP, Tunde Anifowoshe-Kelani and Paul Ishaka Ofomile of Action Alliance and Chekwas Okorie and Bello Umar of United Progressive Party. The Labour Party, LP, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, have already adopted the PDP candidate, Goodluck Jonathan as their candidate as well.
BY CHIOMA GABRIEL
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oday is the D-day! Nigerians are trooping out en-masse to elect the next Nigerian president, Senators and members of the House of Representatives for the next four years. As early as 7 am, eligible voters are expected to to be at their polling units for accreditation through the card reader to clear voters for the voting proper. Fourteen political parties and presidential candidates of these parties are gunning for Nigeria’s coveted number one seat and leading the pack are incumbent President Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Ab initio, the presidential and national assembly elections were meant to hold on February 14, 2015 but just a week before they were originally due, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced a six-week postponement. The security question triggered of by the activities of Boko Haram Islamists in the north-east put security at the centre of the election campaigns and both parties clashed over how to handle the insurgency in Nigeria. INEC was also appeared not ready as many Nigerians were yet to collect their permanent voters cards. In the past, elections have been marred by violence and allegations of vote-rigging and since parties began campaigning in midNovember, both the ruling and opposition camps have reported violent attacks against their supporters. Severally, there were reported clashes between rival supporters of both parties leaving blood and tears in the trail. In today’s election, security forces are also coming out en-masse to closely observe the voting process to avoid violence and bloodletting. Indeed, anxiety is high today. The country has a fragmented political class. The economic situation is uncertain, oil prices are falling and the naira has been devalued. Stomach infrastructure is a new vocabulary in the political dictionary. With these prevailing circumstances, many are expressing nostalgia for the 2015
elections. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised a clean ballot. All 14 candidates have signed an agreement binding them to credible and non-violent elections. Official campaigning ended two days before polling day.
THE CANDIDATES The ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s candidates are President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Namadi Sambo, while the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, has Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo as presidential and vice presidential candidates. Others are Oluremi Sonaiya and Saidu Bobboi for Kowa Party; Ambrose Albert and Haruna Shaba for Hope Democratic
In today’s election, security forces are also coming out enmasse to closely observe the voting process to avoid violence and bloodletting
HOW WINNERS CAN EMERGE Of all the candidates, only Messrs. Jonathan and Buhari were candidates in the last election in 2011. To win in the first round, a candidate needs more than 50% of the national vote and at least 25% of the votes in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states. PERMANENT VOTERS CARD For the first time, Permanent Voters’ Cards are being used in Nigeria. The INEC said more than 80% of eligible voters have obtained their biometric PVCs. The minimum voting age is 18. POLLING STATIONS For more credibility, an extra 30,027 polling stations have been set up, bringing the total to 150,000 nationwide. Polls, according to INEC, are expected to commence at 0800 local time (0700GMT). All voters must be present at their designated polling station by 1300 local time (1200GMT) at the latest to be allowed to cast their ballot. Polls will close when the last person in the queue has voted. The Nigeria Police said over 360,000 police officers and sniffer dogs will be deployed at strategic areas. The presence of international and local observers has also been approved by INEC to monitor the elections, although the European Union says its observers will not be deployed in the north-east due to security concerns. The national Assembly amended the electoral law on January 15 to allow an estimated one million displaced people by the insurgency to cast their votes. Over the years, governance under civilian rule had been dominated by the predominately Muslim north until 1999 when President Olusegun Obasanjo, a Southern Christian broke the jinx at the onset of the fourth republic. Ever since, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has remained
in power with Jonathan breaking the power sharing principle after Yar’Adua’s demise. In 2011, Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari were the main candidates for the election. Buhari won all of the predominately Muslim states while Jonathan won the rest (with one exception). For years, Nigeria’s voting process has been dominated by allegations and counter allegations of rigging. But voting has gotten better with more polling stations open on time and supplied with ballots than ever before. The main candidates and their areas of strength Once again, today’s presidential election pits incumbent Jonathan against a familiar foe, General Muhammadu Buhari. But with the fractured political parties and INEC’s new e-voting pattern, election rigging should be more difficult. Fourteen presidential candidates are recognised by the Independent Electoral Commission as bonafide contestants in the election but only Goodluck Jonathan and Gen Buhari have a realistic chance of winning. Incumbent President Goodluck Azikiwe Ebele Jonathan is seeking a second four-
year term but his party, the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, is currently facing the toughest challenge since the civilian rule was restored in 1999 in the person of Gen Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Jonathan’s strength in today’s election is expected from the predominantly Christian South. However, his government has been fiercely criticized for its failure to combat Boko Haram in the northeast until recently when the combined forces from Nigeria, Cameroun, Niger and Chad made a headway in tackling the insurgents and recovering most of the towns in the North East occupied by the terrorists . General Buhari of the All Progressive Congress, APC, who appears to be a serial contestant has lost the last three elections but he has a great follower ship this time
around with even some sections of the media predicting he could win this time. The former military leader has described the PDP’s 16-year rule as “a disaster for the country and its citizens”. In his base in the Muslimdominated North, General Buhari is perceived to be extremely popular. Due to the trending security issue, Gen Buhari has made security a priority during his presidential election campaign, promising to crush Boko Haram within months. General Buhari had publicly denounced Boko Haram repeatedly, branding them “bigots masquerading as Muslims.” Last year July, he reportedly survived an attack on his convoy allegedly carried out by the group. While the Nigerian military and their African neighbours continue to battle Boko Haram, the fears that elections mighty not hold in the North east are now completely out of the picture as election are scheduled to hold in every state across Nigeria today. Political observers and supporters of Gen Buhari are also optimistic that he will do well in the south-west especially in the commercial capital Lagos. However, former Niger Delta militants in the oil-rich south are routing for Jonathan and threatened violence if General Buhari wins. However, the results of 2015 are not fore-ordained, as they have been in previous elections. There are question marks on several issues including holding elections in the war-torn cities of the North East and how the over one million internally displaced persons in those cities can vote. How would Nigerian refugees in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger vote? Political parties have penchant for rejecting elections and that means that no matter which candidate is declared the winner, there would still be grounds for the loser to reject the results.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—11
•President Goodluck Jonathan
Whatever we had done in the past , we’ll triple it PDP: From The Beginning BY HENRY UMORU
F
ollowing the setting up of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in 1998 by the then Head of State, General Abdulsami Abubabar and the appointment of late Justice Ephraim Akpata as the Chairman, federal Government’s announcement that democratic elections would be held the following year, ending 16 years of military rule in the second republic, the doors for political activities were opened for politicians with euphoria. Politicians, associates and stakeholders then began to meet to plan the formation of political parties that would present candidates for the 1999 Presidential and general elections. As a prelude to the formation of what is now called the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, there was a meeting of the G4 in the Kaduna house of former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Adamu Ciroma. With him at the meeting were Late Abubakar Rimi; Alhaji Sule Lamido and former
Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana in attendance. Late Chief Solomon Lar joined and later became a meeting of the G-5. The issue was the need to put in place a party that would form the government and the need to intimate other Nigerians of their plans which then led to the expansion of G5 to G18 and they reached out to former Vice President Alex Ekwueme. The meeting later took place at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja with Professor Jerry Gana; Late Abubakar Rimi; former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita; the Second Republic governor of the old Plateau State, Late Chief Solomon Lar; Late Chief Bola Ige; Chief Jim Nwobodo; Chief Richard Akinjide; Alhaji Sule Lamido; Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Air Commodore Dan Suleiman; Chief Don Etiebet; Alabo Graham- Douglas, among others in attendance. Dr. Ekwueme became the Chairman with Jerry Gana as the Secretary. Following plans by late General Sanni Abacha to metamorphose from Military head of State to Civilian President with groups calling on him to come out, the G18 put in place a very stiff opposition
against the late military junta. G18 then wrote a very strong letter to Abacha, criticising him and kicking against his moves, saying that he could not be a civilian president and when the letter was to be published, one of the G18 members withdrew, thereby bringing the number to G17. With the expansion of membership from G18 to G34 later, it became imperative to shift the venue of the meeting from Sheraton room 641 to a large office in Wuse 2 which is the present day office of the Peoples Democratic Institute, PDI and that formed the first Headquarters of the PDP following its registration in 1998. Now, their office is at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5. It will move later to its permanent office at the Central Business Area when completed. Soon after its registration, there was a problem which led to the breakaway of some core Yoruba members like late Chief Ige. They left PDP to form the Alliance for Democracy, AD while some very powerful personalities like Late Dr. Olusola Saraki, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, among others formed the All Peoples Party, APP. For the 1999 elections, Chief Akpata’s INEC registered the PDP, AD and the APP as political parties as the parties met the legal requirement with active offices in 24 out of 36 states. With its coming on board, the PDP had broad membership drawn from traditional chiefs, academics, businessmen, retired military officers, especially popular with the army, as some retired senior officers later joined, including Olusegun Obasanjo, a former military leader of Nigeria (1976–79). He joined the party soon after its inception. In the 1999 elections the PDP won a majority of seats in the legislature
Continues on page 12
12—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
‘PDP will rule Nigeria for 100 years, boast party men’
•Barnabas Gemade Continues from page 11 and Obasanjo was elected president. In the 2003 elections, the party secured 59 percent of the Chairmanship and Counselorship seats in 774 local government areas in the country. The PDP then won 21 out of the 36 governorship seats. They had 59 out of the 109 senate seats and 206 out of the 348 in the House of Representatives. The party maintained a legislative majority and Obasanjo was reelected president. The PDP had an unofficial policy of rotating the presidency between candidates from the predominantly Christian south and the predominantly Muslim north. In 2007 the party’s candidate was late Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua, a Muslim and the governor of the northern state of Katsina with his Vice presidential candidate as Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian and the then governor of Bayelsa state. Yar ’Adua was declared the winner of the 2007 presidential election, even as international observers strongly condemned the election as being marred by voting irregularities and fraud which the late president attested to. In 2010 power shifted to Jonathan, who assumed the role of acting president in February after Yar ’Adua fell ill; he was subsequently sworn in as the President following Yar ’Adua’s death in May, 2010. Jonathan’s announcement in September about his intention to run in the 2011 presidential election generated much controversy leading into the PDP’s presidential primaries, held in January 2011. Following Jonathan’s readiness to contest the 2011 Presidential election, there was the emergence of the Mallam Adamu Ciroma led Northern Political Leaders’ Forum, NPLF, a group that was vehemently opposed to Jonathan’s Presidential ambition and at the end of the day, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged the consensus candidate for the north to face Jonathan at the primaries. Jonathan defeated Atiku Abubakar. All is now history. Jonathan was victorious in the country’s 2011 presidential election, which was deemed largely free and fair by international observers. PDP’s PAST NATIONAL CHAIRMEN With his role in the formation of the PDP at its embryonic stage, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme became the first protem national chairman, the position he held for about three months following which he stepped down for his Presidential ambition on the platform of the party. After him was Chief Solomon Lar, the
•Audu Ogbeh
•Sunday Awoniyi
Second Republic governor of the old Plateau State. Lar conducted the first national convention of the party in Jos where Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo rtd defeated Ekwueme to fly the party’s presidential ticket in the 1999 election. He was in office as national chairman until November 1999 when Chief Barnabas Gemade became the national chairman, having defeated Chief Sunday Awoniyi to emerge the first elected national chairman of the party. Gemade, served out his two year term, but his attempt to seek re-election in 2011 was stiffly resisted by Obasanjo who replaced him with Chief Audu Ogbeh. Ogbeh who was elected for four years following the adoption of amendments to the party constitution allowing party officials to serve for four years, did not complete the term because he fell out with the then President as he became critical of Obasanjo’s administration. Ogbeh who is now a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC was forced to resign as PDP National Chairman. He was replaced by Col. Ahmadu Ali, first in acting capacity and was subsequently elected at the national convention in 2005. At the end of his tenure in 2008 and following the zoning of the office of national chairman to the Southeast, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, who originally was a member of the opposition All Peoples Party, APP emerged as a consensus candidate. Ogbulafor from Abia State was also forced to step down in May, 2010 and a replacement was found for him in the person of the pioneer National Secretary of the party, Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo who hails from Enugu State. Amidst the intrigues that occurred, Nwodo was also forced to resign and the then Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Haliru Mohammed from Kebbi became the Acting National Chairman and following his
•Vincent Ogbulafor
appointment as Minister of Defence, the then National Secretary, Abubakar Kawu Baraje then became the Acting National Chairman. Alhaji Kawu Baraje served as national chairman until the election of Dr. Bamanga Tukur in March 2012. Tukur continued from where Nwodo stopped in his re-engineering efforts. He pledged to sustain the eregistration project as part of his efforts to remove the party from the grips of the governors. Tukur quite unlike his predecessors also had the infamous reputation of severally quarreling with his National Working Committee, NWC members. With the in - house quarrels, Tukur was forced to resign and former Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Muazu stepped in January, 2014. PDP WILL RULE NIGERIA FOR 100 YEARS, BOAST PARTY MEN Since 1999, the PDP has been in power administering the country, with its leaders boasting of ruling Nigeria for one hundred years. First it was the former National Chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor who said the party would rule for sixty years, then the present National Chairman, Adamu Muazu and National Vice Chairman, North West, Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure increased the years the PDP would rule to one hundred years. HOW JONATHAN EMERGED AS PDP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Prior to the formal declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan for his re- election bid, the National Executive Committee, NEC of the PDP at its 66th NEC meeting adopted him as the party’s sole Presidential candidate for February 14 Presidential election. The party’s highest body explained that the move became imperative because no serious party would change a winning team, saying that President Jonathan has performed well with his transformation agenda. As a preclude to the adoption of President Jonathan by NEC, Governor of Niger State and Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, Muazu
Continues on page 13
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—13
•Adamu Mu'azu
How Jonathan emerged as PDP presidential candidate Continues from page 12 Babangida Aliyu who spoke first and on behalf of all the PDP governors told NEC members that at the meeting of the governors at the Akwa Ibom Governor ’s Lodge, Asokoro, the governors had unanimously endorsed President Jonathan as the party’s sole candidate for this year’s election without any dissenting voice. President Goodluck Jonathan who accepted the endorsement as the sole candidate by all the organs of the party, said that he was really humbled, overwhelmed and promised not to disappoint the PDP governors, the leaders, stakeholders and members of the party. He said, “Let me really say that the events of yesterday, starting with BoT meeting last night, what just happened today, with the various motions adopting me as sole candidate of the party have really humbled me. “Let me specially thank our governors that initiated that action, let me thank members of BoT, let me thank the senate president and members of the National Assembly, let me appreciate the PDP women for their position and the NEC. Adopting me as the sole candidate of the party has humbled. me; I am totally overwhelmed. Although House of Representatives started it, governors intervention was like an atomic bomb. I commend all departments of the NEC. “I am so overwhelmed that I lack words to express myself. I leave it for another day. For today, for you to have that kind of confidence, I am extremely challenged. It means that whatever we had done in the past years, we’ll triple it. That is the only C M Y K
way Nigerians will appreciate it. I promise I will not disappoint you.” With the arrangement, the party fenced out other aspirants as only one presidential form was said to have been printed because for the first time, the PDP gave a sitting president, the right of first refusal. Governor Sule Lamido who was rumoured to be interested in going for the position, however jettisoned the idea. Even after the endorsement of Jonathan, there were efforts by son of Nigeria’s late prime minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr Abdul Jelil to purchase expression of interest and nomination forms. He was frustrated as the doors were closed behind him. He was later cajoled to step down which he did to allow for the President the sole presidential candidate of the PDP. Another Presidential aspirant , Mrs Zainab Duke- Abiola was also denied the opportunity of purchasing the forms to contest the Presidential election. PDP NEW MANIFESTO At the convention, the PDP approved a new manifesto to guide all the organs of the party. The 38- page manifesto which shall be for a period of four years from 2015 to 2019, would serve as a working document for the party and the government formed by the party, even as the party also approved its amended Constitution. CAMPAIGNS Ahead of the elections, the PDP decided to flag off its campaign rallies in Lagos, the APC State where the National leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu resides and since then it has been a very hectic exercise of criss- crossing the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal capital showcasing to Nigerians what it has done as a party, what it intends to do for Nigerians if voted today.
When the campaigns started, the party dissipated energy on Buhari and rarely addressed issues. Buhari’s certificates, his age, his health, his family, his past as a military dictator, among others reared their heads, the campaigns were more of abuses just as the Director, Media and Publicity, Chief Femi- Fani Kayode continually accused the presidential candidate of the APC of lying under oath and asked him to present himself to the nearest police station. But as the campaign train of the PDP moved to other parts of the country like Kogi, Kaduna, Akure, Porthatcourt, Ibadan; Lafia; Osogbo; Katsina; Kano; Ilorin; Jalingo; Calabar; Benin; Uyo; Makurdi; Gusau; Bauchi; Abakaliki; Owerri; Abeokuta, Sokoto; Kebbi; Jos; Enugu; Abuja, President Jonathan and leaders of the party began to raise issues, began to tell Nigerians what it has done as a party and what it plans to do after the elections. In other states, he called for peace among party leaders like in Ondo State when he urged the governor, Olusegun Mimiko, former National Legal Adviser of PDP, Chief Olusola Oke, business mogul, Jimoh Ibrahim to sheathe their swords and work in unison. As PDP was still on with its Campaigns with two states and the FCT left, INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega on Saturday, February 7, 2015, Invoked the provisions of the following in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended: Section 76(2), Section 116(2), Section 132(2), Section178(2) and Section 25 of the Electoral Act 2010 as Amended, and announced the shifting of dates of the polls. The shift for a period of six weeks, came after weeks of anxiety, tension, despondency, allegation and counter allegation as well as INEC’s series of meetings with political stakeholders. Jega who gave a plethora of reasons why the Commission had to change the dates, stressed that the postponement of the election then became imperative against the backdrop of the security situation in the country, just as he disclosed that the security agencies had said they could not guarantee the safety of INEC staff, election materials and the electorate, and that since the electoral body could not compromise the safety of its staff, the election had to be shifted. Although INEC appeared not ready the party in government pushed for the postponement. Jega who explained that the poll shift would among other things, allow extra time for a newly constituted multinational force to secure the North-East, which was being ravaged by members of the Boko Haram sect. According to the INEC boss, the Presidential and National Assembly elections earlier slated for Saturday, February 14, 2015, will now hold on Saturday, March 28, 2015 while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly will hold on April 11, 2015. The shift of date gave room for PDP to campaign more especially as it appeared they faced gloomy day. They cried out over alleged imbalance in the distribution of Permanent Voters Card, PVCs and complained about the use of the Smart Card Readers ( SCRs).
14—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
•Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi and wife distributing Jollof rice to the people before the Ekiti election
STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE
The newest vocabulary in Nigeria’s political dictionary By CHIOMA GABRIEL
S
tomach infrastructure, a new vocabulary quietly crept into our political dictionary in this dispensation. The vocabulary crept into Nigeria’s political lexicon after the Ekiti governorship election when voters were given gifts of bags of rice and other foodstuffs to vote in certain directions. Distributing foodstuff during campaigns in Nigeria did not start with the Ekiti election. It has been happening in many parts of the country but it was heightened during the Ekiti election. Politicians have started handing over to Nigerians, the dividends of democracy in cash. The naira is becoming worthless and ordinary citizens are parading dollar notes, courtesy of politicians. Nigeria appears to be sliding down to the dark days in roller skates. Men are beginning to live by appetite
alone and nowadays, men celebrate being given fish to eat, as against being taught how to fish. Advocates of stomach infrastructure believe that government cannot be investing heavily on infrastructure when the stomach is empty. To them, both development and stomach upgrade could be done side by side. After losing to Fayose with a wide margin in the last Ekiti gubernatorial election, the All Progressives Congress candidate and former Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi accused Fayose of dwelling mostly on stomach infrastructure instead of focusing on infrastructural development and other people-oriented- programmes. Political parties usually mobilize their members to sell
•Youths after collecting their bags of rice in Ekiti state C M Y K
their standard-bearers to the electorates and it is not an easy task to organize several meetings or mobilize people to attend their rallies/campaigns. The easiest way to gather these crowds for these events is through stomach infrastructure. Use what you have to get what you want appears to be the cache. Hence during religious festivals and campaigns, politicians personally go about the city distributing bags of rice, chicken and physical cash.
Politicians have started handing over to Nigerians, the dividends of democracy in cash. The naira is becoming worthless and ordinary citizens are parading dollar notes, courtesy of politicians
During and after the last gubernatorial election in Ekiti state, the current governor, Ayodele Fayose personally distributed goodies to Ekiti people. Fayemi did same too. Fayose reportedly distributed about 80,000 chickens, 100,000 bags of rice and cash gifts to the people of Ekiti State under the stomach infrastructure progamme of his administration for the last Christmas celebration. The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Tinubu also personally distributed stomach infrastructure to Lagos residents during the yuletide. After Asiwaju Tinubu distributed his own funded by his NGO, it was perceived to have political undertones and the then PDP Secretary in Ekiti state, Dr Tope Aluko accused him of copying Fayose’s stomach infrastructure initiative. According to Aluko, “Tinubu distributed 2,000 bags of rice, vegetable oil, sugar and little cash to people from various parts of Lagos State. They abused us for providing immediate succour for our people. They described stomach infrastructure as an insult to Ekiti people. They said it does not add value to the people; that it diminishes their self-esteem, self-worth and that it denigrates what politics ought to be
Continues on page 15
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—15
•Former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu giving out bags of rice, salt, vegetable oil, T-shirts and cash to many residents of the state
The newest vocabulary in Nigeria’s political dictionary Continues from page 14 about. “However, their party leader in Lagos has adopted the same concept of stomach infrastructure by personally sharing food items to people. After condemning the concept, isn’t it rather too late that the APC people are just realising that poverty should be addressed by providing immediate succour? “Poverty is poverty; it knows no religion and it has no tribal mark; and it affects everyone.” Dr Aluko further said that the Fayose-led government would never shy away from the people’s welfare. “Fayose will continue to run peoples government. He will continue to identify with the masses by putting food on their tables. Most importantly, Fayose will provide gainful employment for the youths and assist traders with soft loans so that they can feed themselves,”he said. Many serving political office holders would reveal that every day of the week, from dawn to dusk, their political supporters, constituents and allies besiege their homes and offices for one support or the other. These people are not meeting their political representatives to advocate for bills to be passed on their communities need, but for their own personal needs. They demand for payment of school fees of their children, funds to help them pay their house rent, support towards the new bride they are about to take, assistance towards the funerals they need to organize and other mundane and personal requests. In the South-West, two Nigerian politicians, both deceased, used the weapon of feeding their loyalists to win votes. Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu and Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki perfected this manner of politicking. Adedibu was prominent in Oyo state and was popularly called the strong man of Ibadan politics and promoter of ‘Amala’ politics. Saraki was the strongman of Kwara politics and these were kingmakers. They played key roles in the emergency of governors and other political office holders in their states of Oyo and Kwara respectively. By providing food for the hungry, they were able to buy their loyalty and use their influence to win elections for their proteges. But not many understood that these politicians were doing so at the expense of physical infrastructure like
Nigerians, like the biblical Esau are selling their birthrights for a mesh of porridge. They are selling the destiny of their future generation to daredevil politicians. Hard work has ceased to be the watchword as instant political gains have taken the centre stage. It is now ‘money for hand, vote for ground’ and the citizenry who benefit from these largesse are prepared to kill for it
the schools, hospitals, roads, electricity, water and other dividends of democracy. Nigerian politicians who are unwilling to share money openly or secretly to buy support are regarded as non starters and rookies in politics. For their supporters, making such demands is their own way of securing dividends of democracy. The millions of Naira these political office holders get as salaries and allowances are known to all. These constituents think that if they do not get their share from the contestants during the electioneering period, they may never see their representatives again until the next election. Unfortunately, this phenomenon poses a grave danger to the survival of Nigerian democracy. Yet, the electorate would turn around to complain about roads in bad conditions after years of continuous democracy, the problems of power, unemployment and security, among others. The Nigerian voter is still asking to be given fish to eat instead of being taught how to fish. However, stomach infrastructure does not give automatic electoral victory at elections. Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan claimed his administration has succeeded in cutting the widespread poverty in the country by at least 50 per cent, adding that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, fully subscribes to the principle of “stomach infrastructure”. He said the PDP believes in stomach infrastructure because the party must ensure that there was food security and job creation in the country. The president said that any leader who claimed not to believe in stomach infrastructure was not ready to lead, as
“you cannot lead hungry people.” Democracy during campaigns appears to be measured through what is distributed to the citizenry by politicians. Designer bags of rice bearing the insignia of politicians have flooded the communities. Welfare and provision of basic amenities such as good roads, electricity, water as well as employment generation, security of lives and property have taken the back seats , yet, these are the issues the citizenry complain the most about. So much money has gone round during the campaigns to today’s election. From traditional rulers to the common man, money sharing became the game. It was dollar reign in many areas. Nigerians, like the biblical Esau are selling their birthrights for a mesh of porridge. They are selling the destiny of their future generation to dare-devil politicians. Hard work has ceased to be the watchword as instant political gains have taken the centre stage. It is now ‘money for hand, vote for ground’ and the citizenry who benefit from these largesse are prepared to kill for it. Foot soldiers of political leaders connect with the electorates to know their opinions and wants and often times, these foot soldiers advise their party candidates on what to do for the masses and it is always first thing first, stomach infrastructure. All the political parties are as guilty as charged.
People queuing to cash after collecting their small bags of rice before Ekiti election C M Y K
16—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE
The man
Goodluck Jonathan PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is Nigeria’s 14th Head of State. Born on November 20, 1957 at Ogbia, Bayelsa State, he attended St. Stephens Primary School Otuoke (1961-65), St. Michaels Primary School Oloibiri (1966-69), Mater Dei High School Imiringi (1971-77) and the University of PortHarcourt (1977-81), (1983-84) and (1987-95). He holds a B.Sc Hons Zoology (1981), M.Sc Hydrobiology and Fisferies Biology (1984 and PhD in Zoology (1995). Goodluck Jonathan worked with the Customs and Excise (1975-77). He also worked as an Inspector in the Rivers State Ministry of Education (1983-83). He was a lecturer with the Rivers State College of Education (1983-93) and Assistant Director with OMPADEC (1993-98). Jonathan joined politics in 1998 and in his first outing was elected as deputy governor of Bayelsa State in 1999. Less than six years later, he was sworn in as governor on December 9, 2005 following the impeachment of Governor Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha. At a time he was preparing to deepen his reign as governor, he was nominated as a vice presidential candidate to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Ádua on the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and they won the 2007 presidential polls. He served as Vice President for less than three years. Once again, as fate would have it, he was constitutionally proclaimed the Acting President on February 7, 2010 following Yar ’Adua’s protracted ill-health and President in May 2010 following Yar ’Adua’s death. He contested the 2011 presidential election on the platform of the PDP beating Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Mr Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) who were his major opponents.
Jonathan’s main achievements
* Reconstruction of federal roads (25,000 kilometres) across the country * Renovating 22 airports across the country making the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu an international airport . * Giant strides in agriculture with Nigeria being the highest producer of cassava in the world today according to FAO records. *Revamping the auto industry with vehicles now being manufactured in Nigeria by an indigenous firm, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company. Other global players like Nissan, Peugeot and Hyundai are following in this direction. * Setting aside Intervention funds to revamp most sectors of the economy including automotive, manufacturing, entertainment, agriculture, power, aviation, pharmaceutical companies, hotel and leisure. *Rebasing the GDP and revamping Nigeria’s economy which is today rated as the largest economy in Africa. * Established Almajiri system of Education and 14 additional federal universities across the geo-political zones of the country. *Effective checking of Ebola through collaboration of the Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos and Rivers State governments among others. *Deepening of Democracy through emphasis on greater freedom as well as free and fair elections. *Presentation of roadmap for power sector reform. C M Y K
The man
Muhammadu Buhari Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was Nigeria’s seventh head of state (December 31, 1983 – August 27, 1985). Born on December 17, 1942, he joined the Nigeria Army in 1962, attending the Nigerian Military Training College the same year. He attended Mons Officer Cadets School in Aldershot, England; Defence Services Staff College, Wellington in 1973 and United States War College Pennsylvania. Buhari was commissioned a Lieutenant in the army in January 1966. In his chequered military career, he was the Commander Second Infantry Battalion (1965-67), Brigade Second Sector Infantry Division in 1967 and Third Infantry Brigade (1967-68). He was appointed the Brigade Major/ Commandant 31 Infantry Brigade (1970-71) and AdjutantGeneral of the First Infantry Division Headquarters (197172). Other high positions he held at different times included Acting Director, Transport and Supply of the Nigerian Army Supply Corps and Transport Headquarters; Military Secretary, Army Headquarters and Member, Supreme Military Council (1978-79); GOC, 4th Infantry Division (1980-1981), 2nd Mechanized Infantry Division (1981) and 3rd Armoured Division (1981-1983). Buhari was appointed the Military Governor of North Eastern State following the General Murtala Mohammed Coup. Upon Murtala’s death, General Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources. Following the military coup of December 31, 1983, which overthrew the civilian regime of President Shehu Shagari, he became the head of state. He was in turn toppled by a palace coup in August 1985. During the government of late General Sani Abacha, he was appointed the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). With the return of civil rule, General Buhari contested the 2003 presidential election on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) against General Obasanjo and lost. He also lost the 2007 presidential election to late President Umaru Yar ’Adua. In 2011, he contested the presidential election on the banner of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and lost to President Goodluck Jonathan. He is now on his fourth attempt to become Nigeria’s top leader.
Buhari’s main accomplishments
* Introduced War Against Indiscipline on March 20, 1984 to ensure discipline in the polity. * Embarked on ferocious anti corruption crusade jailing many politicians for many years *He secured oil production concessions from OPEC and Nigeria increased her quota from 1.3m to 1.45m barrels a day. * Took drastic monetary control measures to check currency trafficking *Procured new airbuses for Nigeria Airways. *Economic measures promoting local productions were initiated. Import duty waivers were for only essential products while the existing import duty regime was reviewed from between zero and 500 percent between 5percent and 200percent. This was to strike balance.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—17
PRESIDENCY PRESIDENCY::
•Nigerians waiting to cast their votes
Will opposition break the jinx today? •Will Nigeria join the ranks of Ghana, Senegal, Lesotho, Mali, etc? BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE
M
AIN opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is going into today’s presidential and National Assembly elections with two goals in mind. The first is to win the presidential election and the second is to corner two-thirds of the 109 senatorial and 360 House of Representatives seats to enable the party run a seamless administration as from May 29, 2015. In the history of elections in Nigeria, no ruling party has lost power at the centre. A number of incumbent governors have failed to get re-election mandate. Oyo State is a good example where no incumbent has been re-elected. However, at the national level, the ruling or leading party has always had the upper hand. At his lecture on February 26 at Chatham House, London, APC Presidential Candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), enthused that he was on his way to victory and Nigeria could join the ranks of African countries where the opposition won presidential elections and successfully took over as a plus for the growing democratisation of the African continent. Experience in some African countries Senegal, Mauritius, Ghana, Mali, Cote D’ Ivoire Lesotho and Benin Republic are some of the countries where some incumbents and ruling parties lost presidential elections to the opposition. Senegal In Senegal, there was outrage over the eligibility of President Abdoulaye Wade for a third mandate with regard to the 2012 presidential elections. On February 26, 2012, the Senegalese electorate went to the polls amid heightened political tension over the Constitutional Court’s ruling that allowed President Wade to run for a third term. The election was inconclusive with Wade winning about 35 percent of the votes while ex-Prime Minister Macky Sall finished second with 26.58 percent. There was a run-off on March 25, 2012 where Macky Sall resoundingly defeated Abdoulaye Wade. It was the second time in 11 years that Senegalese voters removed an incumbent president from office. Most of the defeated first round candidates endorsed Sall in the run-off. Abdoulaye Wade acknowledged defeat and congratulated Sall on his victory prior to the release of official
provisional results. Ghana Ghana has had the unique scenario of allowing their presidents two terms and switching to the opposition. After transmuting into a civilian president, Ghanaian electorate allowed Jerry Rawlings and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) to do two-term of eight years. Once Rawlings completed his constitutional and maximum term of eight years in 2000, Ghanaians voted in the opposition National Peoples Party (NPP) with John Kuffuor as President. He too did two terms and the voters returned NDC in 2008 with Atta Mills as president. Atta Mills died in office, prompting John Mahama, his vice to be sworn-in as president to complete his tenure. Mahama stood for and won his own election on the platform of the NDC in 2012. In all the elections, there was smooth hand-over to the opposition. The prevailing two-term per party scenario will be put to test in 2016 when Mahama is expected to seek re-election. If he wins, the NDC will be in the saddle for three straight terms and the jinx will be broken. Lesotho In Lesotho, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili’s newly-formed Democratic Congress (DC) faced its first electoral test in the May 26, 2012 polls. The primary opposition challengers were the All Basotho Convention (ABC) led by Tom Thabane and the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), which Mosisili and his supporters deserted in February. Final results gave the DC 48 seats, followed by the ABC with 30, the LCD 26, and several smaller parties splitting the remainder. With no party obtaining the 61-seat majority necessary to form a government, the opposition parties seized the opportunity to end Mosisili’s 14-year rule. The ABC, LCD, and Basotho National Party (BNP) agreed to form a coalition government. The election marked the first time that power had peacefully passed from an incumbent government to the opposition. Under the agreement, Thabane became Prime Minister and the post of Deputy Prime Minister went to LCD leader Mothethoa Metsing. Benin Republic In Benin Republic, long time and veteran leader, Mathieu Kérékou was made to bite the dust in 1991 after a long reign. Born
September 2, 1933, Kérékou was president from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of 1990. He was defeated in the 1991 presidential election but was returned to the presidency in the 1996 election and controversially reelected in 2001. Cote D’ Ivoire In Cote D’ Ivoire, the opposition won but the ruling party refused to handover peacefully leading to deadly conflicts. The conflict that followed former President Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to cede power after losing the 2010 presidential polls led to more than 3,000 deaths and the displacement of nearly one million Ivorians. It ended with Gbagbo’s arrest and the inauguration of the internationally recognized presidential winner, Alassane Ouattara. The development rekindled politically motivated disputes over nationality and ethnicity. Will APC do it in Nigeria? For the first time in a long while, Nigeria is witnessing what most observers consider a very tight race between the PDP and opposition APC. The development has forced the party in government to be on their toes, criss-crossing the length and breadth of the country consulting and campaigning with the President spending more times in South West that has the potential to determine who wins. Leaders of both parties have been locked in claims and counter-claims on their chances of winning. However, President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP enjoys power of incumbency which has been to the advantage of his party since reintroduction of democracy in 1999. This trend which appeared to be slipping before the postponement before the election date postponement will be tested today against APC, arguably the biggest mega opposition ever in Nigeria. It is to be seen whether or not the ruling party would maintain the tradition in a free and fair election or lose the mandate for the first time to the opposition. And if it loses, will the ruling party cede power peacefully? And will APC accept defeat and give peace a chance if it loses? Time will tell but LET THERE BE PEACE. C M Y K
18—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
PRESIDENTIAL C ANDID ATES AND THEIR PPAR AR TIES CANDID ANDIDA ARTIES Names of Candidates
Office
JCI SEN. TUNDE ANIFOWOSE-KELANI COMRADE ISHAKA PAUL OFEMILE
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
AA AA
MALE MALE
RAFIU SALAU AKUCHIE CLINTON CLIFF
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
AD AD
M M
ALH. GANIYU O. GALADIMA OJENGBEDE OLUREMI FARIDA
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
ACPN ACPN
M F
HND PGD
DR. MANI IBRAHIM AHMAD OBIANUJU MURPHY-UZOHUE
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
ADC ADC
MALE MALE
PHD PHD
AYENI MUSA ADEBAYO ANTHONY FAITH OLOGBOSERE
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
APA APA
M F
MUHAMMADU BUHARI YEMI OSINBAJO
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
APC APC
MALE MALE
CHIEF SAM EKE HASSANA HASSAN
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
CPP CPP
M F
HIGH CHIEF AMBROSE N. ALBERT OWURU ALHAJI HARUNA YAHAYA SHABA
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
HOPE HOPE
M M
LLB, BL, PGD HND
COMFORT OLUREMI SONAIYA ALH. SEIDU BOBBOI
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
KOWA KOWA
F M
PH.D B.A
CHIEF MARTIN ONOVO IBRAHIM MOHAMMED
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
NCP NCP
MALE MALE
MSC HND
GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN ARC. MOHAMMED NAMADI SAMBO
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
PDP PDP
M M
ALLAGOA KELVIN CHINEDU ARABAMHEN MARY
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
PPN PPN
M F
GODSON MGBODILE OHAENYEM OKOYE HARUNAADAMU
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
UDP UDP
MALE MALE
LLB, BL NCE
CHIEF (DR.) CHEKWAS OKORIE BARR. BELLO UMAR
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
UPP UPP
MALE MALE
PHD BA
950 CONTES S JOS TLE CONTESTTANT ANTS JOSTLE FOR 1109 09 SEN ATORIAL SEA SENA SEATTS ...3, 939 fight for 360 Reps seat By CHIOMA GABRIEL Nigerians will also today elect the candidates to occupy the 109 seats in the Senate of the National Assembly of Nigeria. The 36 states of the federation are each divided in three senatorial districts, each electing one senator while the Federal Capital Territory elects only one senator. Today, 950 senatorial candidates from the registered political parties will fight to occupy the 109 seats in the upper house of Senate. Elections to the Lower House of House of Representatives representing the Federal Constituencies across the 36 states of Nigeria will also hold pari-pasu with the presidential and senatorial elections. Three thousand, nine hundred and thirty-nine, (3, 939 ) contestants across the 26 registered political parties will today jostle to occupy the 360 Federal Constituency seats at the polls. SENATE CLEARS INEC Elections to the National Assembly are as tough as the presidential election. But the senate recently expressed confidence on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) readiness to conduct free, fair and credible elections. The Senate President, David Mark, disclosed this when the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, briefed the House and demonstrated how the card reader would be used. Mark also expressed satisfaction at the demonstration of the card reader and the level of preparedness of INEC, saying that the demonstration was beneficial. “We have so much confidence that you will organise free, fair and credible elections; indeed all of us who are standing for election in the Senate will like to come back. “We will like to win our election but we want to win in free, fair and credible elections. I can say that nobody seated here wants to come back through the back door. “It is for us to assist you to conduct free, fair and credible elections and whatever we can do between now and the date you have chosen for us to go for the elections, we will not hesitate to do. “I believe that you have benefited from this interaction; we have also benefited. “A number of issues have been raised and they are pointers to the way you will like to look at the administrative and technical issues that have also been raised.’’ C M Y K
Gender
Party
Qualification
Age
BED HND 58 64
SSCE B.SC
B.SC (HONS) B.SC
45
WASC LLB, BL 44 46
PHD NUR CERT & M.W
PHD (ZOOLOGY) M.SC (ARCH) 46 35
B.SC SSCE
NA A NATT ASSEMBL ASSEMBLYY SEA SEATT S IN 36 SSTTATES AND FCT FCT,, ABUJ ABUJA State 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37
Senatorial seats
Abia State Adamawa State Akwa-Ibom State Anambra State Bauchi State Bayelsa State Benue State Borno State Cross River State Delta State Ebonyi State Edo State Ekiti State Enugu State Gombe State Imo State Jigawa State Kaduna State Kano State Katsina State Kebbi State Kogi State Kwara State Lagos State Nasarawa State Niger State Ogun State Ondo State Osun State Oyo State3 Plateau State Rivers State Sokoto State Taraba State Yobe State Zamfara State FCT
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 14 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 109
House of Rep 8 8 10 11 12 5 11 10 8 10 6 9 6 8 6 10 11 16 24 15 8 9 6 24 5 10 9 9 9 8 13 11 6 6 7 2 360
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—19
What to expect at the Polling Centre •HOW TO VOTE BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA
A
voter on arriving the polling station on Saturday will meet a team of between four and five
polling officers. The voter will, on arrival, join the queue for accreditation and when it gets to his or her turn, the voter will handover the Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC to an assistant presiding officer, APO, whose duty it is to check the authenticity of
WHA ATHAN AND BUHARI WHATT JON JONA ARE PROMISING NIGERIANS JONATHAN Security Promises to do “everything humanly possible” to combat Boko Haram. Seeks greater regional and international cooperation to tackle the insurgency, terrorism, piracy and organised crime.
Economy Says he will continue with his economic blueprint known as the "2011-2015 Transformation agenda". Views economic diversification as a key step towards addressing the fall in global oil prices.
BUHARI Says the government has been ineffective and lacks the willpower to fight Boko Haram. Pledges to end the insurgency within months if elected.
Says government's economic policies have worsened the lives of Nigerians. Promises to pick "competent hands" to run the economy. Pledges to tackle poverty by closing the wealth gap through shared economic growth.
Corruption Says "we are fighting corruption. It is not by publicly jailing people. Yes, we believe in suppressing corruption, but our emphasis is in prevention."
Says one of his key priorities is to wipe out corruption. "If Nigeria doesn't kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria".
Employment Promises to create 2 million jobs each year. Launched YouWIN scheme for young entrepreneurs and Sure-P initiative aimed at helping graduates find jobs.
Infrastructure Credits his administration with reviving the railway system and improving road infrastructure.
Promises to create 20,000 jobs per state, totalling 720,000. Pledges support for the agricultural sector and soft loans for small manufacturers to boost job creation. Pledges to complete stalled road projects and improve infrastructural development nationwide.
Energy
Says government's privatization of the power generation and distribution companies will ensure regular power supplies in the future.
Favours exploration of non-oil sector. Says economic diversification key to addressing falling global oil prices.
the card using the card reader. The card reader will prop up the bio-data of the voter including his picture and fingerprints if they are genuine. If they are not, the prospective voter is advised to immediately leave the polling area as the rules require the presiding officer to immediately handover the person to the police if he or she refuses to leave. If the card reader authenticates the voter as having a valid INEC voter’s card, he will be taken through the next step of the accreditation process which is the biometrics. This is done by placing either the index finger or thumb at the top of the card reader for the purpose of matching the fingerprint with the one embedded in the voter card. If it matches, the card reader will pop up a sound to affirm so. However, if the card reader does not read the finger print, the presiding officer will issue the prospective voter an incident form where the voter will put down his or her details. At the end of accreditation officially by 1.00 pm, voting will begin and the supervisory presiding officer and his assistants will then arrange the voters in an orderly manner starting from the first person to arrive the voting area. The voter will mention the number which was given to him or her during the accreditation and this will guide the presiding officer to check the INEC register to cross check that it was still the same person that was accredited that has turned up to vote. If confirmed that the person was the same person accredited earlier, the presiding officer will issue him a ballot paper to go and exercise his franchise. The Assistant Polling Officer (APO) who has the responsibility of issuing the ballot papers to the voter will issue three ballot papers, one red for the presidential; black for the Senate election and green for the House of Representatives election. At the end of the voting, the INEC officials would first ensure that all the ballot papers for the three elective offices are sorted together. Ballots that were mistakenly put in the wrong boxes would be sorted into the correct boxes and then the votes for each of the candidates would be counted. At the end of the exercise, the results would be displayed in a conspicuous place around the station while a copy would be taken to the collation center at the ward level.
20—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
FEAR OF VIOLENCE:
Learning from our past experience •How to make polls credible, peaceful
•Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & CHARLES KUMOLU
A
RGUABLY, today’s presidential and National Assembly elections can pass for the keenest exercise in the history of elections in Nigeria. For the first time a coalition of diverse political parties sank their differences and coalesced into a mega party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the sole aim of pushing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of Aso Rock, the Presidential villa. Faced with a very serious challenge for the first time in 16 years, the PDP has come out in full force countering the moves of the APC and wooing the electorate. Thus, the APC and PDP’s claims and counter-claims, accusations and counter-accusations, ahead of the elections, have heated up the polity leading to palpable fears of violence before, during and after polls. The fears dove-tailed into the debate on whether or not the military should be deployed for the polls. A Lagos Federal High Court, on Monday, ruled that it is unconstitutional to deploy the military to monitor elections, which it held is the function of the police. The
•Chief Obafemi Awolowo ruling generated further controversies with some saying that the ruling is in order while others countered that the President has the power to deploy the military to ensure security during the exercises. All said and done, the polity is turbo-charged for what may pass as the most hotly contested and closest elections in Nigeria’s democratic history. And the outcome will show whether democracy has been consolidated or otherwise. Today’s election is the 10th in the series of general elections the country has held since 1959. It is also the fifth since the restoration of democracy in 1999 after a long spell of military rule. The history of general elections in Nigeria, pre-dated the country’s independence, given that polls had been held at regional levels before the nation attained independence from Britain on October 1, 1960. Since 1959 federal elections, presidential polls were held in the following years: 1964/1965, 1979, 1983, 1993, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. But for the 1959 exercise that was held during colonial administration, the elections of 1979, 1993 and 1999 were conducted by military regimes, while the 1964/65, 2003, 2007 and 2011 took place during civilian administrations.
•Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa Like today’s exercise, issues that border on crisis of succession, credibility of the electoral process and volatile political climate, remarkably shaped the outcome of these contests. An in depth look highlights how these elections shaped the nation’s democratic journey.
1959: Coalition government
Known as 1959 federal elections, about seven political parties including independent candidates participated in that parliamentary election. The parties that took part were the National Council of Nigerians and Cameroon, NCNC; Action Group; Northern Peoples Congress, NPC; Northern Elements Progressive Union, NEPU; Mabolaje Grand Alliance; Igala Union; Igbira Tribal Union and Niger Delta Congress. The NPC emerged the winner of the contest that was held on December 12, 1959 by winning 134 seats out of 312 seats in the House of Representatives. The turnout for that election that ushered Nigeria into independence in 1960 was 79.5 per cent. Notably, key regional politicians,
Continues on page 50
The NPC emerged the winner of the contest that was held on December 12, 1959 by winning 134 seats out of 312 seats in the House of Representatives. The turnout for that election that ushered Nigeria into independence in 1960 was 79.5 per cent
SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, MARCH 28, 2015 —
J
A prayer for Nigeria, my country Yet it is a day that fills many with trepidation because the stakes have been raised to an unprecedented height. The polity has been heated almost to a boiling point. It is as if some people are determined to waste the country if they cannot have their way—a phrase a friend uses often these days is ‘There was a country’. Or, like the drunken passengers, feel Nigeria will always survive irrespective of the knocks she receives. Last week Monday, I found myself in a gridlock trying to get to Ikeja from the 3rd Mainland Bridge. A journey of 30 minutes took over three hours. It turned out the OPC (Oduduwa
,
ust picture this scene. A bus full of people of different ages and nationalities, is parked at the slope of a hill, a few meters from the sea. The sea waves are gentle as they caress the base of the hill. The sea looks calm but deep. But not so calm are the people inside the bus who appear to be picnicking and revelling. The music is loud and the voices are louder. A few are drunk; many are fast getting to the inebriated state. Some are even fondling and carousing. Such is the wildness, the abandonment in the air. Suddenly, two pairs of hands reach out over the shoulder of the driver to take control of the steering. The driver ’s attempt to wade off the drunken hands is weak as he too is enjoying the moment. Fortunately, the ignition is switched off. The party continues amidst the cacophony of voices. Is there dissent in the babel? Hard to tell. Then suddenly, a hand releases the hand brake and the bus eases down the hill. Slowly, imperceptibly at first, then ever so slightly, the bus gathers speed. The eyes of a few onlookers widen as they take in the unfolding horror. But the passengers, the picnickers are lost to their inebriated world, completely unaware of the looming catastrophe. A vehicle is equipped with two brakes, hand and leg. A simple action on either could have halted the descent; but the driver is confused and the passengers, especially the vocal ones, feel indestructible. And so the descent into the indifferent belly of the deep sea continues apace…. This is the imagery that comes to mind when I think of Nigeria these days. It is a country on the path to selfdestruction but which seems completely unaware of the damage it is doing to itself. So many institutions, so many controls have been tampered with. Today is Decision time. A day all of us should be happy that the months of often bitter campaigns are finally coming to an end and we will have a chance to sift the wheat from the chaff.
few days earlier. But the issue goes beyond the removal of Jega as unfortunate as that is. The issue is that we have a party that appears to be so desperate that it is throwing decency to the winds. The plan to remove Jega so late in the day, is not decent. The spurious court cases ala Nzeribe’s ABN are not decent. The alleged inducement of traditional rulers is not decent. The alleged inducement of the clergy is not decent. And certainly not decent is the alleged inducement of the youths. These are our future. The reality now is that we have a party which controls the leadership of OPC in the South-West, the leadership of MASSOP in the South-East, the
Today is Decision time
People’s Congress) were out demonstrating and campaigning for the removal of the INEC boss. This was less than two weeks to the election. And the major offence seems that Mr Jega wants to eliminate rigging by insisting on card readers. And so the OPC, under the watchful eyes of police, became wanton. They carried dangerous weapons, blocked major roads, drove on one way and on BRT lanes. They led as it were, an unpopular crusade in a hostile territory because they were emboldened by security and their dangerous weapons. MASSOP, its Igbo counterpart had had its own a
,
leadership of a faction of MEND in the South-South – in short, all the ethnic militias in the entire South. It also controls according to Aljazeera, mercenaries in the North-East. On top of this it controls the leadership of the Police and Armed Forces. We have never had the situation before in Nigeria where both OPC and MASSOP sleep on the same bed with the Federal Government forces. The party also controls the Federal purse. We can only pray that the hawks in the party will not be too trigger happy because they have enormous capacities for mayhem should the election not favour them.
T
oday, Nigerians go to the polls to elect a president to run the affairs of this country for another four years, beginning from May 29, 2015. Although a handful of candidates are vying for the top seat, it is a straight contest between the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I am one of the most relieved people to see today, even though I am still watching with bated breath. So much hate and venom have been spewed in the mass media and social media, especially in the last three months. I rights of women and other witnessed presidential elections groups, disadvantaged groups, among many campaigns in 1979, 1983, 1993, 1999, others. These are the basic issues 2003, 2007 and 2011, none has been that affect virtually every Nigerian as divisive and hate-filled as this family. You experience them every year ’s. day, so you do not need any expert All over the world, including advice to make up your mind. Are advanced democracies like the you satisfied with Jonathan’s United States and the United performance in the last six years or Kingdom, mudslinging is part of you believe Buhari will do better? politics. It is a war for political Assessing Jonathan is easy because power—and economic power in some he has been in the saddle for the last climes, including ours —and all is six years. If you like you can stretch fare and square. So it is no surprise it to 16 years to include his time as that the attacks are vicious and deputy governor, governor, vice president and acting president. All unrelenting. eligible voters were born before he ut a few individuals went beyond came to power. Buhari’s assessment is not as decent and acceptable limits. Also, in the efforts to undermine one straight forward. He became military another, real issues that affect the governor, petroleum minister and Nigerian people were most times military head of state before the bulk relegated and non-issues given of voters were born. He left his last public office as Petroleum Trust Fund prominence. Ours is still an evolving society so chairman about 17 years ago when I will leave sophisticated and advance the youngest eligible voters were still issues and focus on the basic issues too young to understand their to families: food, shelter and clothing. environment. So beyond what they Then we have security, education, personally know of Buhari from employment, power supply, recent events and utterances, they transportation, management of our must rely on third party accounts commonwealth, social security for which mean some interference from the aged and other vulnerable their sources. But take a decision all voters must. In doing this voters
Per our civic duty erfform yyour
B
C M Y K
should also consider the choice of the running mates. Jonathan was vice president when he came to Abuja in 2007. Today he is president. The office of the vice presidential candidate is very important. Go out there and vote your choice based on who you think can make life more meaningful for you and your family. In doing this, however, ignore unnecessary sentiments. I do not think, for instance, that age is an issue in this year ’s presidential elections. Both candidates are within acceptable age brackets and other presidents of their ages have done remarkably well in other countries. I do not also believe religion is an issue. Religion is a personal matter between you and your creator. In the Nigeria of today, nobody, and I mean no single individual, can forcefully convert all Nigerians to his religion. It is impossible. rovided both candidates meet P the minimum academic qualification as enshrined in the
Nigerian Constitution, I do not also believe academic education is an issue. We are talking of dealing with real life situations, not paper qualifications. Aliko Dangote’s companies sometime ago advertised
21
Unfortunately, the signs are not too good. We saw the impunity in Ekiti and the abuses that the Army can be put to. We saw the impunity with OPC in Lagos and the abuses that it can lead to. We also saw the impunity in Rivers where every attempt by the opposition to hold a rally in Okirika had led to violence. We saw the impunity in Kwara when the convoy that had the wives of Buhari and Osinbajo were attacked. Acts like these lead to more violent acts if they are not investigated and the culprits brought to book. Instead, one of the alleged actors in the Ekitigate has been rewarded with a ministerial post. It is sad, so very sad. The closest person to this party’s contestant, his wife is not helping matters. She has been most personal in her campaigns. Contrast that with the campaign of the wife of the other contestant. They say out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. She has been contemptuous of her husband’s rival whom she once described as brain dead, geriatric etc. She had been contemptuous of the North which she said “born pickins anyhow without caring for them”. She was contemptuous of opposition and supportive of violence when she said anybody that mentions ‘change’ should be stoned. If her views represent the thinking of her husband, then it is most unfortunate. It is frightening that somebody with her views and temperament is so close to the custodian of the kind of powers I had earlier mentioned. Remember the verse in Ray Charles evergreen song ‘Heaven help us all’? It says, ‘heaven help the boy who won’t reach 21. Heaven help the man who gives that boy a gun. Heaven help us all’. As we go to the polls today, my prayer is for the hawks to let peace reign. My prayer is for the driver to recollect himself and pull the brakes before the bus plunges into the river. The sea is deep and there might be no survivors. I will end with a line from the same song. ‘Heaven help the people with their backs against the wall. Heaven help us all’. for drivers where many graduates including doctorate degree holders applied. Dangote has no university degree. Mr. Cosmas Maduka of Coscharis employs 100s of graduates. He does not even have a school leaving certificate. Finally, do not vote because of religious, regional or ethnic affiliations. Poverty knows no religion or ethnicity. Vote for the man who can get the job done and make life more secure and meaningful, in your judgment. I thank God for card readers and I am praying earnestly that the hitches will be minimal. Many people do not seem to appreciate the importance of the card readers. Since 1999 elections, our votes have not always counted. That is why our elected officials do what they like; they are not accountable to us because they did not get there with our votes. But the card reader will make our votes count. We will then have the powers to retain incumbents whose performances we are satisfied with and inject new blood where majority of us think necessary. hank God also the major parties and INEC said agreed that T voters can wait some distance from
the polling unit the votes are counted, contrary to the directive of the inspector general of police. In addition, from experience I suggest soldiers should not be too far away to help keep trouble makers and desperate politicians who want to subvert the will of the people at bay. There are too many illegal arms and ammunitions in circulation. Families performing their civic responsibility should not come to harm; they need some form of protection which the military is better equipped to provide. But they must not be used to subvert the will of the majority.
22—SA TURD AY Vanguard , MARCH 28, 2015 22—SATURD TURDA
T
here was a time when Nigerians actually enjoyed politics. The rules were clear, though some of them were still being developed to keep up with the fast pace of our development as a nation. But it was a level playing ground on the pitch and the game was conducted with a finesse matched by a high sense of decorum. The players were mature men who knew the worth of material wealth as against the value of humanity. They made their choices and each left his mark. It was so thrilling to watch the passing scene in those days, especially after the exploits of Herbert Macaulay, both in London during the historic Esugbayi case, and after he returned and later began his intensive tussle with the Richard’s Constitution. And then Nnamdi Azikiwe took over the baton and publicly berated the white colonialists any time they fell out of line. Ah, Zik! The music in the thunder of his rolling words, his towering intellectual height, the overwhelming appeal of his public address and the sheer magnificence of his physical presence captivated all the young ones who blossomed under the glow of his influence, and went on to found a nationalist party named for him—-The Zikist Movement. One of them was Harry Nwanna , a lively , courageous soul who returned to his Maker a few years ago. Hairy was among the so-called “agitators” who were sentenced to terms of imprisonment by the colonial government for fighting for our independence. Only a few of them have been remembered by those who •Prof. Attahiru Jega are in charge of national INEC Chairman honours. But that is our country. Zik virtually had everything going his way in the ‘forties especially towards the end, and into the early fifties, because he
This special da y! day!
,
Every Nigerian has his or her part to play. The argument about the deployment of the military would arise if we were law-biding citizens, but we are not in all honesty
was almost isolated from challenge. The sketchy opposition he faced was from kindred spirits, like H.O.Davies with whom he had earlier charted the course of the Nigeria Youth Movement. There were several jousts between the two redoubtable nationalists in the newspapers they controlled— Zik, the West African Pilot, and HOD the Daily Service. The newspaper encounters came to a peak with a series of point-andcounterpoint exchanges, which Zik led off with his own captioned, “Political Reminiscences”, while HOD riposted with his “Political Panorama”. These exchanges could very well be characterized as “political literature”, with both sides treating their readers to a sumptuous cascade of delicious prose
,
and cogent information. They were both masters of sophisticated wit and humour. It was all totally free of acrimony, like a healthy debate, but the tide changed with the emergence of other forces which challenged the leadership, though not directly the course, of national progress. There was first the Action Group in the West, and then the Northern People’s Congress to the North. Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello the Sardauna of Sokoto, squared their shoulders against Azikiwe’s pre-eminence and claimed a rightful share of the direction of the nation’s advancement. Awolowo was the quintessential intellectual, forthright, analytical and self-
assured. The Sardauna was celebrated, totally focused and fully in control. They were an awesome twosome. These gentlemen and the different kinds of followership from which they drew strengths were to establish a triumvirate of power centre from which the country may never be free. It has always been comfortable identifying our structure along the “three main languages of Nigeria - Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba.” Ironically, the extensive military occupation of the country was partially responsible for breaking the mould of that thinking process, when appointments into leadership positions gradually deviated from the pattern of the “sole majority” of the nation’s ethnic groupings to embrace the “minorities.” The political scene has passed through a lot of changes. Assassinations once featured prominently
in the proceedings. The sub-culture of “coup de etat” seems to have been fortunately abandoned. Women are now finding space to play a prominent role. But along the way, the political process has picked up some legacy from the military mode of address which has only been mildly affected by time....like, “ with immediate effect”, for instance— an ugly phrase sometimes still applied to the actualization of an ugly action. Some other disquieting baggage was dropped by the military occupation from one administration to another, whilst that form of government was in vogue in the regional enclave of West Africa. One was the “stay put” syndrome. After the anguish of military rule, the citizens of this country firmly rejected the third-term proposition when Olusegun Obasanjo sought to remain in the saddle as the president beyond the constitutional term of two administrations. The supposition that President Goodluck
Jonathan had exhausted his own two-term allotment also created ill-feelings at the beginning of his present tenure until a court judgment ruled in his favour. But that seems to have laid the foundation for the disaffection of elements of the North which has lasted through this term of office. It has also heightened the tenor of opposition from those who insisted that the presidency should have stayed in the North in keeping with the arrangement of zoning in a particular political party. That did not happen. And so we are as we are today, on the brink of another experience in the ordering of our national life along the norms of democracy. This nation has never seen the tone of desperation on all sides in a season of political campaign, as has been witnessed during these past few months. There have been defections from one political party to another. There has been a series of falling out between close associates and friends. There have been acrimonious statements flying from one corner to another. The atmosphere is fully charged and the tension mounts with every moment. All the political parties have individually and collectively pledged their loyalty to the cause of non-violence. From Ghana to the United States, Presidents and Heads of State have taken time to plead for a “free, fair and credible” election. President Barrack Obama went a dimension further to ask for a “safe” one. Every Nigerian has his or her part to play. The argument about the deployment of the military would arise if we were lawbiding citizens, but we are not in all honesty. That is why the Inspector-General of Police says one thing and the law courts are saying the opposite. The point at issue is what a voter should do after casting his vote. The police say he should head for his house. The law courts in two separate pronouncements, say he need not go anywhere; it is within his right as a citizen to stay around the voting Centre. But the IGP is adamant. He says you will be arrested for “loitering” if you do that. Let us then wrap it all up by saying, go out and vote, and please go back home thereafter. No one needs any undue confrontation with the police on this special day. Time out.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—23 not reputed for cowardice. Faint hearted Tele Ikuru , fearful of the future, has sneaked away. Mole or coward or chameleon? That was cold, KGB like. Rivers is on the edge , it’s a winner takes all scenario. Where are the elders?
Bode George Bode George contemplates life in exile but need he worry? Except the Ekiti matter and Koro can sleep well. But what happens to Brigadier Momoh? He can plead he was obeying superior orders but since that didn’t fetch Mustapha much, I wonder how that will save his endangered career. He may have to swap places with Capt koli. One comes out and the other goes into hiding. For Marilyn Ogar and her DSS , I will reserve my comments. Retirement beckons on many if power changes hands and others will learn one or two things about neutrality and decency. AIG Mbu knows he is exposed. The military chiefs won’t wait but they may have to find Baba’s certificate before leaving and if they can’t, I recommend a “tactical withdrawal”.
Ugoegbujo@gmail.com
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he Bible says that on that day of judgment , there shall be gnashing of teeth. Some will embrace weeping and wailing and mourning seeking to soothe their troubled souls. March 28 is a judgment day without the crushing unforgiving finality of the biblical last day. The day when men’s deeds shall be judged and the judgment of their countrymen shall be their fate. And like all judgments , the implications may fall far and near. There will be revelations because not all obsequiousness and servility mean loyalty. Many will be disappointed. Did the holy book not warn of the futility of putting trust in men? Even chariots and soldiers cannot not be trusted. Money! Money!! money!!! Money answereth all things . Especially dollars and pounds. But the heart of man is desperately wicked, and I add , infinitely cunning, and no one can know it. Some of the dollars they have been sharing may have fallen on stones and thorns and will bear no fruit. Some have sold their birthrights for mere mess of porridge but in Nigeria where ‘omoniles’ sell one land title many times to many people, it’s not impossible that some of these political Esaus have eaten from many and different Jacobs. You can claim you are a cultural organization , make all the noises about self determination and end up a bunch of vigilantes. And before you become totally irrelevant you can grovel at the feet of the master to get some crumbs in pipeline protection contract and declare support for continuity. And you wont be alone. OPC is not alone. Afenifere, OPC, MASSOB Afenifere, immortal, puritanical, was once cultural . Now they have emerged from near extinction to embrace continuity. They may not be delusional but why pretend to be speaking for the Yoruba? Pecuniary benefits? Igbos say the flutist is entitled to the privilege of clearing of his nose. But since they are supposed to be men of principle, they had to find the cloak of constitutional conference and restructuring to cover their nakedness. The day when their works shall be weighed is at hand. OPC appears rejuvenated or rather intoxicated by the flirtation with the sugar laden spirit of continuity and we know that money can destroy the understanding of the wise. If we sympathise with them because the economy has dealt bad cards to many, what shall will say of people supposedly ‘moving’ for the survival of Biafra who are agitating for peaceful elections without card readers in Nigeria? What have these Matchete wielding men who are , uniquely, the only group, perpetually being hounded and tried for treason , got to do with elections in Nigeria and transformation agenda? MASSOB , like Ohaneze donated their birthrights, ex gratia, in advance, without negotiations. They are so naïve that they are firmly in a ‘lose lose’ situation. Short sighted opportunism. Prostitution , political or otherwise, in being an enterprise of flimsy engagements allows the whore to switch typically superficial loyalties effortlessly. So Ohaneze may never be at the table , they are too shortsighted for such a lofty aspiration , but they have the requisite shamelessness to always hang around every table for the crumbs. Okupe, Fani Kayode You listen to Okupe yelling , beating C M Y K
March The 28th :
The Day Of Reckoning
Namedina Sambo Namedina Sambo may head to his ‘hometown’ Medina for more courses in Koranic recitations. A Buhari victory will definitely hand over Kaduna to Malam El Rufai and Sambo will have neither Abuja nor Kaduna nor Kano nor Lagos to nurse his soul. A victory by the ‘Christian crusaders’ may damage irreparably the political ambitions of this “ budding Islamic cleric”.
his chest vigorously , swearing that they will never hand over to Buhari , you begin to wonder if Nigeria is his father’s private estate. But if you understand why servants never want their masters to lose their jobs you would appreciate the precarious positions of some of these men. For these agents of fair weather politics , life in the opposition is return to oblivion. And for some it could even be more perilous. You don’t switch parties, make enemies of your erstwhile friends only to have those friends superintend your criminal trial. Fani kayode is not on the ballot but his political neck is on the guillotine. He has been malicious , relentlessly uncouth and deliriously loquacious . He is entitled to desperation. He was hired like a mercenary, hired despite his short comings, to do a hatchet job. It will not be advisable , though , to fall into the hands of 73 year old ridiculed man who has a reputation for cold, firm , handling of high profile criminal suspects . With Fani kayode , however, another determined potentially neck breaking but shameless back somersault to the APC cannot be ruled out. Politics devoid of convictions, principles and boundaries . Peripathetic jobbery. Fayose Lets keep that Ekiti tape aside . One day we may get to know what “ INEC soft copies” really means. Fayose has done his best for Jonathan. Olorun , he has tried. And whatever comes he will take it. The first lady could not put it better when he warned Ekiti people to vote Goodluck so she wouldn’t have to take food to Fayose in prison. Fayose’s fate is tied to Goodluck in more ways than one. If PDP fails on the 28th it’s unlikely he will get a majority in the house subsequently to stave off the sword of impeachment that has dangled precariously over
Father Mbaka Mbaka has suspended gatherings on the Adoration ground. He claims someone plans to assassinate him. If that fellow wins then he may need a transfer to the Vatican. I suspect he is not ready to go to heaven yet. But if he returned the other illicit gift bag and its unholy contents to Ekwerenmadu, why also return the other cash that had entered the offertory bag? Has that not become God’s money regardless of who the dishonorable donor is? And wouldn’t God’s children in any motherless babies home anywhere in Enugu have need for that money . Isn’t it even true that these monies belong to all of us and more to those children?
his head since he assumed office. Its one thing to sustain , through violence, the charade of signing ‘bills’ passed by only 5 renegade legislators of a 20 member house but its another to survive a day with in the hands of a non diaper wearing impatient president who is now fairly convinced that you may be a mentally deranged criminal suspect. In the event of a PDP loss, fate has positioned Fayose to cry more than the bereaved. Not of sympathy but of pain and doom.
Adeshina Adesina should be retained by whoever wins to continue his good works. But Buruji Kashamu knows his enemies at the hill top in Abeokuta and knows that though they may be old , they are unforgiving. They may ask for Buruji’s scalp and Buhari’s legendary dislike for certain kinds of offenders may compound his woes.
Rochas Okorocha Rochas knows that If Jonathan wins he is in clear and present danger. Most political bigwigs in Imo are now back to PDP and are bent on unseating him. Jonathan’s victory will be, for him, a political set back of monumental proportion. If Jonathan wins, the mourning can as well begin for him and his supporters. His good works may not save him from the tide of the momentum that will build against him. Is he in the wrong party? On the flip side, APC will retain Imo and make inroads into the east if Buhari wins . Rotimi Amaechi Amaechi’s circumstance is similar to Rochas’. In a sense he needs a Buhari victory more than Buhari. Amaechi,
the cat with nine lives, risks a return to life in exile. Where else can a ‘son’ who has been disowned by a ‘mother ’ who seeks to skin him lay his head? Accra is always close but London is not afar off. Mama peace whose quest for peace doesn’t not begin at her Okrika hometown is a formidable, relentless and irrepressible force . Mama’s political ‘collabo’ with the ebullient Wike, the erstwhile minister of education , whose speeches bring to mind the humming of a bulldozer and whose eyes always blare with viciousness, has left men of charity worrying for Amaechi. But the Lion of Ubima is
OPC appears rejuvenated or rather intoxicated by the flirtation with the sugar laden spirit of continuity and we know that money can destroy the understanding of the wise
Jega Jega , whom the ruling party has spent a fortune discrediting, marches on to the finishing line with a single minded obstinacy of a warrior. His officials and materials must arrive polling booths on time before the PDP passes a vote of no confidence on him that day. If the card readers work as planned , Jega becomes a hero. The card readers should work if only to save Jega from his traducers.
Waziri Ibrahim Ordinarily it should end with a ‘no victor no vanquished’ party. Unfortunately Waziri Ibrahim, died many years ago and left no apostles. Politics without bitterness died with him. The day of Judgment is upon us. The beginning of a new Era. Oh Lord , apocalypse we want not but peace, power and jobs we pray thee.
24—SATURDAY
Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
I did something like that with the late Muna Obiekwe in a movie called Agonized but it’s not yet out. He was my boyfriend in the movie.
Kiki Opuru torn between culture and sexuality in acting
Have you ever been attracted, or had a crush on any actor you’ve worked with? No, I haven’t.
Says, “My body is precious” BY DAMILOLA SHOLOLA
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iki Opuru is a fast-rising actress in Nollywood and she has appeared in over 20 movies including The Baby, Island Babes, Daddy’s Girl, and Yankee Student, to name a few. Even though she has captivating sex appeals, the cute and vivacious actress prefers to tow the line of caution when interpreting scripts in order not to come into conflict with her Nigerian culture. In this exclusive interview, she talks about her career, life, and more:
How did you get into acting? I went to an acting school called Manex Movie Academy. It was from there I got into it. I have this passion for acting; I like to see myself on TV, people telling me we saw you on TV and all that. So that was how I started. What movie shot you to limelight? The movie that brought me out was Daddy’s Girl.
sexual scene in it, would you do it? As an artist, I would do it because it’s my job but it depends on the story. This is Nollywood so there should be a limit because of our culture. Can you wear a bikini in a movie? No I can’t do that. My body is precious.
Who do you look forward to working with? Mercy Johnson. She gives me joy whenever she’s acting. Another person is Majid Michel; I can’t wait to act with him. You have a crush on him? I don’t have a crush on him but he’s a wonderful actor, that’s why I want to work with him.
Can you kiss in a movie?
Are you cur rently relationship? I love my privacy.
How do you get into character when you see a script? After reading the script, you picture the character you’re acting and you put yourself into that character. Let’s say I’m acting as a prostitute, I should have that imagination of a prostitute; how they behave, how they think, how they dress, then you fit yourself into that character and you’re good to go. Can you play a very daring or challenging role in a movie? Yes, I would love to do that. I have done it once in Island Babes; that was the first time. They gave me a role to act like an Indian goddess. It was so challenging because I had never done something like that before. They just called me immediately and asked me to do it. I checked the script and it was full of incantations, invocations and all that. I was so taken aback at first I thought I would not be able to do it but I gave it my best shot. I thank God it came out well
•Kiki Opuru
C M Y K
How do you view sex? Sex is a gift from God and it is meant for married people. What of people who are single and want to mingle? Wait upon the Lord.
Sex is a gift from God and it is meant for married people
What is it that attracts you to a man? I like my privacy. What is the most important lesson you’ve learnt so far since you got into Nollywood? Be yourself, don’t listen to gossip, just be yourself; be focused and know what you want for yourself. Have you ever played as a prostitute? Not a prostitute but a ‘runs girl’ in a movie called My Regret.
Have you ever been faced with challenges like sexual harassment and all that? To me, I would say no because I have my manager who does everything for me. He would just call me and say “Kiki, come and pick your script, I know you can do this”. If I’m qualified for the role then I do it and if I’m not qualified, another person takes over.
If they give you a story that has a
any
What are your hobbies? I love singing, I love eating and I love dancing. Every morning I dance to keep fit because I don’t go to the gym.
What is the first thing you look out for in a script? The first thing I look out for is the storyline because the storyline matters a lot.
Which movie did you enjoy working on the set most? Mixed Feelings. It is a movie I want everybody to watch. The twist in the movie is killing. I won’t say I did my best but at least I am impressed with what I did.
in
As an actress, how do you want people to see you? I want people to see me as someone who is responsible; not a wild girl. Do you do anything else apart from acting? I am into make-up, I’m into beauty world. We do hair, nails, massage and all that.
•Kiki Opuru
What more should people expect from you? They should expect to see the best from me; I’m going to make them proud.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28 28, 2015—25
Suge Knight collapses in court after bail set at $25 Million A
merican record producer and music executive Suge Knight, allegedly collapsed in court after a judge set his bail at $25 million over a murder in a fatal hit-and-run. His attorney Matt Fletcher said” He was dripping sweat, like someone poured a bucket of water on him”. “He wiped the sweat off his head and said, ‘I haven’t had my medication.’” Presently, he is currently being evaluated and details regarding his condition are unknown. Recall that the Death Row Records cofounder was once accused of running down two men in Compton on Jan. 29 and killing one of them. He has pleaded not guilty and claims that he was acting out of self-defence after he was attacked following a dispute at a film shoot.
Mar vin Ga Marvin Gayye’s family set to stop “Blurred Lines”
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aye’s children have filed an injunction in court to prevent the copying, distributing and performing of the hit song featuring Pharrell, Robin Thicke and T.I. Recall that Pharrell and Thicke were ordered to pay nearly $7.4 million to three of Gaye’s children after a jury determined last week that the performers copied elements of the R&B icon’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.” Also,the injunction against “Blurred Lines” could give Gaye’s family leverage to negotiate for royalties and other concessions, such as song writing credits. “With the digital age upon us, the threat of greater infringement looms for every artiste,” the family said in a statement released on Wednesday. “It is our wish that our dad’s legacy, and all great music, past, present, and future, be enjoyed and protected, with the knowledge that adhering to copyright standards assures our musical treasures will always be valued.”
Keyshia Cole apologises for blasting husband on Instagram
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t appears Keyshia Cole and hubbies Daniel Gibson are back on good terms, after weeks of feuding via social media. Recall that the R&B singer took to her Twitter and Instagram accounts earlier this month to accuse Gibson of being unfaithful. It started with Cole calling him out on Instagram while at his video shoot for talking to another woman. She took a photo of his phone and posted it, saying, “I guess the starting over as ‘Friends’ thing doesn’t work. How could you invite me to a video shoot, but you’re trying to mess with the ‘love interest’ while your wife is there!” But the ongoing back-and-forth between the two seems to have come to an amicable end, as Keyshia recently apologized to her husband saying, “Everything is not for everybody. Gib is a great father. I’m just ready to put this all behind me/begin my healing process for once and for all,” she then captioned the photo of their son.
C M Y K
Angelina Jo lie has ovaries, fa llopian tub es removed to cut cancer risk
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scar-winnin undergone g actress Angelina Jolie, has a preventiv her ovaries e surg of reducin and fallopian tubes re ery by having gh moved in h opes According er risk of cancer. to a write up Times, the in fi th a mutation lmmaker and philan e New York increases h of the BRCA1 gen thropist carries e and ovaria er risk of developin , this sharply g breast ca n cancer. ncer Recall tha and her ma t her mother died of o cancer, wh ternal grandmother a varian cancer, ls ic an inherite h seems to be a stro o had ovarian d have her he , genetic risk that le ng evidence of d the same faalthy breasts remove the actress to d to try to a te. void “I went th o th e r w o m rough what I imagin myself to st e n h a v e fe lt ,” s h e e thousands of w no reason ay calm, to be strong ro te . “ I to ld to , th in k I wouldn’t and that I had children gro liv w “The beau up and to meet my grae to see my ti fu ndchildren l th ing about life is that .” suc w h a t y o u there is so much cla h moments in ri polarizing li v e fo r a n d w h a t ty. You know , and it is p m eaceful,” sh a tt e rs . It is e wrote.
26 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
By KEHINDE AJOSE By 08024212530 AYO ONIKOYI, 08052201215
Top trending videos an BY KEHINDE AJOSE Like the splendour of an art work, a music video is meant to attract, engage and appeal to the viewers. Over the years,the Nigerian music industry has seen the different shades of music videos being released to compliment songs, but only a few raise the bar and become points of reference. In no particular order, here are the top 10 music videos ruling the scene, with details and concepts behind them.
German jui
Falila Ketan - Olamide
Gift- Iyanya featuring D on Jazzy
WojuSavageKiss Daniel fea and Da vido turing Tiwa
Collabo Don jazz- P-square featu y ring
how to dance. Nonetheless, the video continues to trend ceaselessly, probably, for the sweetness of the song rather than the artistry displayed in the video.
Falila Ketan- Olamide irected by Unlimited L.A ,the song reminds you of the innovative Galala music, but there is nothing unusual about the visiuals. First off, the video opens with a lady who alights from a taxi on her way to the night club. When she gets there, she is being hailed by Olamide for her twerking ability. Several sexual connotations were expressed in the song, but nothing to show for it in the video. Most Nigerian videos are filled with night club concepts with people dancing and popping champagnes,this can be improved on. It has guest appearances from YBNL crew and actress Eniola Badmus.
D Ololufe- Fla vour featurin g Chidinma
Gift- Iyanya featuring Don Jazzy ltough the video is colourful and appealing to the eyes, there isn’t much more that is extraordinary about the video. It revolves around Iyanya giving gifts to his love interests and nothing more. One would have expected a catchy story line built around the already colorful video. Shot in South Africa, the video lacked depth and can get the viewers bored easily with Don jazzy sitting in front of a wrapped gift alluding to the title of the song. The only engaging part can be said to be a scene where Iyanya teaches Don Jazzy
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Ololufe- Flavour featuring Chidinma irected by Godfather productions, this video seems too perfect, similar to something made in the laboratory. It’s the brainchild of someone who thought outside the box. Unlike many love songs, with boring images, this one creates something different. The white themed video is simple ,yet extraordinary. Every shot, costume and location expresses the director’s attention to details. It will be difficult for the viewers to get uninterested because each scene compliments one
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another blending with the message of the song. Although the video received a lot of criticism, because of the kissing scene, the overall quality of the video was nothing short of supberb. It was shot in Cape town , South Africa
German juice- Cynthia Morgan F a video is about visual appeal alone, then this clip will be on the top spot. The combined directorial aptitude of Clarence Peters and Jude Okoye makes it an excellent one. Shot on a sunny and summerthemed location, the video parades a host of pretty girls with big bums all flaunting their endowments just as the message of the song implies. In terms of concept, there is nothing different about the video. Psquare and Phyno makes a guest appearance in the video.
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Ojuelegba- Wizkid irected by Clarence Peters, this smash hit song is accompanied by a weak music video. It was shot in Ojuelegba, a buistling area of Lagos where Wizkid was discovered. The video immediately engages you from the beginning. It features a bus with a conductor calling out to passengers to board his bus to Ojuelgeba. The elements, however don’t add up as it progresses. A dining scene was blended alongside some wrongly interpreted scenes. Clarence should have done better.
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SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015 —27
By KEHINDE AJOSE 08024212530
nd their catchy details
ice- Cynthia Morgan
Ojuel egbaWizki d
Marry Yemi A me- Falz fe at lade an d Poe uring
Temperature -Yemi Alade featuring Dil
200 million Mumu- Lagbaja
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the song has. Kiss Daniel can be seen dancing with beautiful models, no storyline, no depth .The duo of Tiwa Savage and Davido also tried to impress by miming the song. A leaf should have been borrowed from Dr Sid’s Surulere video.
Woju- Kiss Daniel featuring Tiwa Savage and Davido irected by Adasa Cookey Remember that Kiss Daniel stole our hearts when he released the afropop song Woju. Since then, the dude has continued to headline shows. On the flipside, the music video lacks the magic
Marry me- Falz featuring Yemi Alade and Poe IRECTED by Mex, listening to this song already gives you an idea of what the video should look like. The director didn’t disappoint with the delivery and interpretation of the video. Its a traditional wedding themed video reminiscent of Sunny Neji’s Oruka.The song is a humorous tune that captures the desperation young ladies desirous of getting married at all cost go through. Yemi Alade and Falz played the role so well that one will believe they are engaged, on their way to the altar. Though the video was shot in Lagos late last year by Mex, it deserves the rave reviews its been
Collabo- P-square featuring Don jazzy irected by Clarence Peters, this video pushes the audience into an instant wave of excitement .This is as a result of its interpretation, storyline and camera quality. P Square and Don jazzy are lost in thoughts about their lustful desire for a lady. The video has a corporate setting with every character dressed in a corporate outfit , which makes the video more believable. The drama expressed in this visuals makes it a video one will love to see over and over again.
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Temperature -Yemi Alade featuring Dil EMPERATURE, directed by Ovie Etseyatse leaves some room for improvement. Yemi Alade is known to deliver well on love songs, but this video seem to be the same old stuff we see in love themed visuals. The video has an aesthetic that will keep you glued but doesn’t make up for it with the story line. In the video, the Johnny crooner can be seen going back and forth about her love interest saying he makes her temperature rise. There is nothing outstanding about the video.
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getting. It’s not only engaging but dramatic with a catchy storyline. It exemplifies what a music video should look like
200 million MumuLagbaja agbaja is not a rookie where the business of music is concerned. He further pushed the envelope with the visuals of this satirical song 200 million Mumu. Lagbaja treads the path of conscious music and the state of the nation. He directly throws jabs at Olusegun Obasanjo and his failed 3rd term agenda. According to him: “Undoubtedly, we the people are to blame for our woes. The “leaders” have discovered that they can get away with anything”.Because of our docile Mumurity as uncritical and comatose minions, because we never stand up to them and demand probity”.In an era where socially conscious songs are fast becoming hard to find, Lagbaja still upholds what he is known for.
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28—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
Emeka Ike versus AGN:
I've been justified — Emeka Ike
*Alleges threats to his life *Says he spent over N10m pursuing the case
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HE Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, last week nullified the election that produced Ibinabo Fiberesima as the President of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) in 2012. Since that judgment was delivered, the industry has been thrown into confusion, even as Ibinabo has stormed the Court of Appeal to challenge the judgment. HVP went after Emeka Ike, one of the principal actors in the matter during the week, as he vented his anger on the sacked President of the guild. He vows to ensure that the court order is executed despite all odds, alleging, however, that his life is currently being threatened for fighting for justice. What’s the position of things at the moment? Nothing has changed about the Federal High Court verdict voiding the election that brought Ibinabo Fiberesima into office as the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, and the sacking of members of the Board of Trustees of the Guild. That’s the position for now. Has the court order been obeyed by your opponents? They will not obey the court order and they are not obeying the verdict of the court of law. They are even calling the court ruling "kangaroo." What an impunity! They are yet to obey the court order. I’m hearing that she has gone to Court of Appeal, and if Ibinabo has appealed the matter, common sense demands that she should keep quiet and watch things unfold. Who’s advising her as well as her sponsors? She has appealed the matter, fine! But the appeal has not been granted, whether there will be a stay of execution or not. It’s just a notice, but I have an order. I am the legitimate President of AGN as we speak now. I don’t know who is giving Ibinabo the wrong impression that the court did not pronounce me the President of AGN. If the Chief of Staff of Mr. President goes to court on behalf of the C M Y K
the blackmailings and invasion of my privacy; I have not said Ibinabo has five children from five men, neither have I reminded her that she has a case to answer with the Lagos State government. I’m not saying anything that has to do with her personal life. But I am telling her that she’s no longer the President of AGN, and that those people who are doing everything to secure her position are doing so because of their own personal gains. The young actors and actresses are being disenfranchised. It’s only for the few who would pay Ibinabo’s game, and among the few, the list keeps dropping as another new list emerges. So, it’s a case of ‘use and dump’, which is the normal game in politics. If she is introducing the same in the entertainment industry, we have to resist it. What have you done about the threat to your life? I have made complains to the law enforcement agency and they will invite them very soon. I am crying out that Ibinabo and her followers want to kill me.
government and wins the judgement against the opposition, would you say he did it in isolation? It’s an issue of the excos, and one of my excos who happens to be my treasurer went to court to obtain a judgement against Ibinabo. So, it’s a victory for all. What’s the way forward? We have to proceed with everything we can to make them understand that the rule of law is sacrosanct. No matter the amount of money they have to throw around, the rule of law must prevail in this matter. They must obey the court order, and where they refused to do so, we will use all legal means to bring them to submission. We are not afraid of what they can do. In fact, the worse they can do is to pump bullets into our bodies. They are already threatening our lives. They even told my wife that she should either advise her husband or become a widow. Are they planning to kill me? Of course, I am not afraid to die fighting for justice. I am not scared of the things that the evil men can do to the physical body because the soul is more superior than the physical body. If they think they can take the body away, I have made my point. This judgement has justified me despite all the scandalous things they have said about me on the pages of newspapers; all
No matter the amount of money they have to throw around, the rule of law must prevail in this matter. They must obey the court order, and where they refused to do so, we will use all legal means to bring them to submission
Last week, Segun Arinze suggested that the industry should declare you persona non grata? That shows the depth of his knowledge. On what bases will you declare somebody a persona non grata? That I got a judgment and that I am right in my claims. If you don’t have enough facts to persecute the case, you’d better withdraw. Don’t call for assistance or begin to attract sympathy. This is not about me, but it’s about the aspiring actors who have been disenfranchised. You don’t make people feel that you are connected enough to disobey the court order. It’s only a stain on your personality. Since last week, I have been receiving congratulatory messages from the elders of the industry. They have been thanking me for liberating them from the strongholds of Ibinabo and members of the Board of Trustees. Have you not heard about a lot of irregularities going on in the Guild? Where are all the monies they are making in the name of the Guild? Where is the office space? Two-bedroom apartment located somewhere in Surulere, and the apartment has been there before Ibinabo assumed office. So, what has she achieved since she came into office? That she facilitated
Chike Byran’s travel to India for kidney transplant; Was that the only achievement she has recorded with all the monies she’s making in the name of the Guild. Where are the papers for the parcels of lands she collected on behalf of the guild in Abuja, Lagos, Anambra among other cities? But people believe Ibinabo's admininstration has transformed the guild? Mention one actor or actress that has been insured. How is the health insurance working? Which company insured us and where are the papers? All these things are empty claims. That she assisted Prince James Uche and other ailing actors financially: I also assisted Prince James Uche from my personal purse, and I did not make noise about it. I also contributed to Emeka Ojukwu, when he had a problem too. A leader must have a programme of action. Tell me, which programme has pursued since she came on board? The only thing she has done is that of exposing us to the government because of her relationship with the government in power. But then, the closeness is not properly harnessed, because the financial gifts the government in power is giving to the industry through Ibinabo is not reaching the grassroots. Then what are we talking about. What’s your dream for AGN? My dream is to see an AGN where every member has a pride of place in the guild; Where issues affecting the guild will be addressed by the members themselves, and allowing the leadership to implement whatever decision they have arrived at. From 2007, when this case was first instituted, till date, can you put a figure to what you have spent so far? There is no figure whatever that can make justice achievable to a common man on the street. But I can tell you, I have spend well over N10 to N12 million on this matter. For instance, since last week, all my state chairmen have been in Lagos on my bill. It has happened like that over ten times.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015 — 29
The final battle!
You didn’t get any judgment against us — AGN BoT
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EANWHILE reacting to the Federal High Court judgment during the week, at a press conference held at the guild’s secretariat in Surulere, Lagos, the Board of Trustees,BoT, of the guild,declared that Emeka Ike did not get any judgment or victory against its members. Speaking through its Chairman, Prince Ifeanyi Dike, the Board maintained that Emeka Ike cannot be the President of the guild because he was not joined in the suit with St Maradona Mikevine, in which judgement was delivered on last Monday. Hear him: “We have decided to talk to the press concerning what have been dished out by Emeka Ike concerning his litigation with the members of the Board of Trustees of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Emeka Ike has been telling the world that he has won his case against the Board of Trustees of the guild, and that he has been declared the President of the body. We need to correct this falsehood deliberately being peddled around obviously for political gains of the bearer of the false information.” “The truth is that Emeka Ike did not get any judgement or victory against members of the BoT of AGN. His case is suit number FHC/L/CS/365/2011 and it is still pending before Honourable Justice Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Lagos. It has been adjourned to Thursday, April 16, 2015 for hearing of the objection filed by Emeka Ike against the appearance of our new counsel in the matter. If the case is still pending in court, how can the same court
*Prince Dike,flanked by Sunny McDon, the Secretary to the Board, and the BoT’s lawyer, Nnaemeka Amaechina at the event.
declare him to be the President without deciding the matter finally? This is the central issue for resolution in that case.” Continuing, Prince Dike, who was flanked by Sunny McDon, the Secretary to the Board, and the BoT’s lawyer, Nnaemeka Amaechina said, “The truth is that another case filed by St Maradona Mikevine Johnson V Board of Trustees of the Actors Guild of Nigeria suit number FHC/L/CS/734/ 2012 was decided by the court on March 16, 2015. In that case, the court ruled among other things that the term of office of the members of the BoT of AGN has expired. We have since appealed against that decision. “One of the planks of our complaint is that the members of the BoT, whose tenure was declared to have expired, were not made parties to that action. Despite this complaint, the court, in its infinite wisdom, found against us and we have appealed to the Court of Appeal against that decision.” “Apart from appealing, we have also filed motion for stay of execution. The implication of filing stay is that the court judgment has not become operative until the motion for stay is decided either in our favour or against us.Despite this motion, which is pending, Emeka Ike has been sending thugs to unleash violence in order to take over the office of the president of AGN. This is lawlessness in its extremity. In this case, Emeka Ike did not get judgement to start with. Assuming he got judgement, he cannot execute it by himself or through thugs but through court officials, whose responsibility it is to do so. He cannot take laws into his own hands. The fact remains that he did not get judgement, so, he cannot execute any judgement.” Dike, however, revealed that Emeka Ike ceased to be a member of the guild since 2009, when they published a disclaimer on him in the Daily Sun, adding that “Even in the action filed by Emeka Ike, he is contending that 17, Ajao Road is not the office of AGN. We wonder why he should come here now to seek to cause commotion.”
Today’s Presidential election:
Our expectations! BY JULIET EBIRIM
As Nigerians go to the polls today to elect the man who will pilot the affairs of the nation for the next four years, we bring to you the expectations of some of our entertainers...
Let the genuine candidate emerge --Kehinde Bankole
Today is the D-day, I expect that a genuine candidate will emerge the next president of Nigeria. This generation should ask the older generation who are more knowledgeable about the country’s political terrain: the two major presidential candidates and their parties. They are the ones who can supply the facts with which we can base our decisions and choice of candidate.
I'm yet to decide who I 'll vote for... --Lurrenz Onuzulike
I expect to see the best candidate emerge winner, and for the election to be free and fair. I’m still undecided about who to vote for, because all the political parties are fabricating lies about the achievements of their candidates.
We need a peaceful election --Halima Abubakar We need a peaceful election. It should also be fair and acceptable to all. I pray that the elections will be devoid of violence and will usher in the best leader.
I want the seating president back --John Okafor (aka Mr. Ibu) We are asking God for a free and fair election. I also wish the South-South victory so that the seating president will come back for his well-deserved second term in office.
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Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
Cancer surgery: a diary
WO years ago I wrote about my choice to have a preventive double mastectomy. A simple blood test had revealed that I carried a mutation in the BRCA1 gene. It gave me an estimated 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer. I lost my mother, grandmother and aunt to cancer. I wanted other women at risk to know about the options. I promised to follow up with any information that could be useful, including about my next preventive surgery, the removal of my ovaries and fallopian tubes. I had been planning this for some time. It is a less complex surgery than the mastectomy, but its effects are more severe. It puts a woman into forced menopause. So I was readying myself physically and emotionally, discussing options with doctors, researching alternative medicine, and mapping my hormones for estrogen or progesterone replacement. But I felt I still had months to make the date. Then two weeks ago I got a call from my doctor with blood-test results. “Your CA125 is normal,” he said. I breathed a sigh of relief. That test measures the amount of the protein CA125 in the blood, and is used to monitor ovarian cancer. I have it every year because of my family history. But that wasn’t all. He went on. “There are a number of inflammatory markers that are elevated, and taken together they could be a sign of early cancer.” I took a pause. “CA-125 has a 50 to 75 percent chance of missing •Nursing mother ovarian cancer at early grounded in her choices stages,” he said. He wanted me to see the surgeon working to stay calm and focused. immediately to check my The day of the results came. The ovaries. PET/CT scan looked clear, and the I went through what I tumor test was negative. I was full imagine thousands of other of happiness, although the women have felt. I told radioactive tracer meant I couldn’t myself to stay calm, to be hug my children. There was still a strong, and that I had no chance of early stage cancer, but reason to think I wouldn’t that was minor compared with a live to see my children grow full-blown tumor. To my relief, I still up and to meet my had the option of removing my grandchildren. ovaries and fallopian tubes and I chose to do it. called my husband in I did not do this solely because I France, who was on a carry the BRCA1 gene mutation, and plane within hours. The I want other women to hear this. A beautiful thing about such positive BRCA test does not mean a moments in life is that there leap to surgery. I have spoken to many is so much clarity. You know doctors, surgeons and naturopaths. what you live for and what There are other options. Some women matters. It is polarizing, and take birth control pills or rely on it is peaceful. alternative medicines combined with That same day I went to frequent checks. There is more than see the surgeon, who had one way to deal with any health issue. treated my mother. I last The most important thing is to learn saw her the day my mother about the options and choose what is passed away, and she right for you personally. teared up when she saw me: In my case, the Eastern and Western “You look just like her.” I doctors I met agreed that surgery to broke down. But we smiled remove my tubes and ovaries was the at each other and agreed we best option, because on top of the were there to deal with any BRCA gene, three women in my problem, so “let’s get on family have died from cancer. My with it.” doctors indicated I should have Nothing in the preventive surgery about a decade examination or ultrasound before the earliest onset of cancer in was concerning. I was my female relatives. My mother ’s relieved that if it was cancer, ovarian cancer was diagnosed when it was most likely in the she was 49. I’m 39. early stages. If it was Last week, I had the procedure: a somewhere else in my body, laparoscopic bilateral salpingoI would know in five days. I oophorectomy. There was a small passed those five days in a benign tumor on one ovary, but no haze, attending my signs of cancer in any of the tissues. children’s soccer game, and
I
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I have a little clear patch that contains bio-identical estrogen. A progesterone IUD was inserted in my uterus. It will help me maintain a hormonal balance, but more important it will help prevent uterine cancer. I chose to keep my uterus because cancer in that location is not part of my family history. It is not possible to remove all risk, and the fact is I remain prone to cancer. I will look for natural ways to strengthen my
immune system. I feel feminine, and grounded in the choices I am making for myself and my family. I know my children will never have to say, “Mom died of ovarian cancer.” Regardless of the hormone replacements I’m taking, I am now in menopause. I will not be able to have any more children, and I expect some physical changes. But I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I am strong but because this is a part of life. It is nothing to be feared. I feel deeply for women for whom this moment comes very early in life, before they have had their children. Their situation is far harder than mine. I inquired and found out that there are options for women to remove their fallopian tubes but keep their ovaries, and so retain the ability to bear children and not go into menopause. I hope they can be aware of that. It is not easy to make these decisions. But it is possible to take control and tackle head-on any health issue. You can seek advice, learn about the options and make choices that are right for you. Knowledge is power.
•Weighing options of health challege
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32— SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
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HERE have been arguments over when Nollywood came into existence. In your own view, when did the film industry emerge in Nigeria ? Nollywood is more than 20 years old as against what people think. They make reference to Living in Bondage (1992) which was not the pioneer film in Nigeria. I produced Asiri nla that same year. Film production in Nigeria started in the 60s but most of the films were documentaries. Do you mind taking us down the memory lane? Professor Wole Soyinka produced Kongi Harvest which did not have a commercial viability then. Commercialised film-making in Nigeria started in 1976 with Ajani Ogun produced by Dr. Ola Balogun . This film experimented on the already existing Yoruba theater created by the likes of Herbert Ogunde, Baba Sala, Duro Ladipo, Kolawole Ogunmola , Ogungbe, etc. who were as at that time,acting on stage. Ajani Ogun was in celluloid and that was the first film that started the revolution of filmmaking in Nigeria. Other films like Ija Ominira, Aiye, etc. also followed suit. The process of film production could not be completed in Nigeria because our laboratories lacked the equipment needed for the post production, so many producers had to travel abroad. In 1985 when the economic Structural Adjustment Programme of the country started, many film producers could not make enough money to travel abroad for the post production of films. Along the line, Alade Aromire broke the jinx and produced a film using
a video projector. Although the production was of low quality, it recorded a huge success like the celluloid. After this, I produced Asiri Nla and Adebayo Salami produced Asewo to re meka in 1992 to improve on the low quality. Tunde Kelani followed with Ti oluwa nile. And that started the second revolution, improving on what was on ground. In the late 90s the third revolution started. Living in Bondage by Kenneth Nnebue & Okechukwu Ogunjiofor started the incursion of other tribes into the industry. Kenneth Nnebue had produced Aje niya mi and other films for NEK Videos before Living in Bondage. Living in Bondage did have its impact on the Nigeria film industry, in terms of equipment, post production etc., but can never be a point of reference when thinking about when Nollywood came into existence. You started acting when many parents did not believe in the industry. How did you manage? I started acting professionally in 1964 at age 10. But I starred in a professional production which was even before film production. My parents were not happy with my choice of career just
like other parents. But I was rascally as a child. I engaged in things that many of my mates never could dare. My parents felt I was to be entertained as a royal prince and not the other way round. What do you think influenced your choice of career? My passion for acting. Also, I lived in the same vicinity with Papa Hubert Ogunde on the Island and had some of his children as friends. I used to admire how people shouted his name whenever he drove round the street and I prayed to be like him. So, when the opportunity came, even as a child, I grabbed it with both hands. What do you think you would have become if you didn’t go acting? Sincerely, I don’t know if I could have succeeded outside the creative world. Acting and entertainment is my calling. What are the things you consider before accepting roles? I have gotten to a stage where I cannot afford to be part of a bad production. The first thing I consider is the quality of the script. I also put who the producer is into consideration. A bad producer will only deliver a bad production because he will not be able to get able hands to work with. The director and the caliber of actors and actresses invited to narrate the story are also other factors to consider. Which film sold you to the world? One film doesn’t bring an actor to limelight rather continuity does. When people see a particular face in good productions, they will note the face and as time goes on, they will reckon with the face. And that is
•Prince Jide Kosoko C M Y K
Why I tu t a polyg
— Jide K
says, Living in Bond reference point in h
Perhaps, one of the most popular ve right now who has as much presence films is no other than Prince Jide Kos around for more than six decades. He colleagues to be a chameleon when i translate his roles. In this engaging interview, the Princ chronicles the history of film producti art of acting. By ADERONKE ADEYERI how the fame comes. That is why I detest some of my colleagues who believe they can turn one actor to a celebrity overnight. A continuous process of quality film productions brought me to limelight. You are an authority in the film industry, a role model to many actors and actresses, one of the pioneers in the industry, one of the few Nigerians who have been able to participate both in Yoruba and English films. What does all these mean to you? They mean dedication, hard work and most importantly, God’s blessing. And how has your work affected your life? It has robbed me of my privacy. The moment you become a public figure, your life becomes other people’s business. You have to pretend to be a gentleman even when you are a rascal. We learn to stagemanage our lives even when we are not on set. Many of us have learnt to live a fake life to suit and keep our fans, people who see us as role models. How have you been managing your role as a father, husband, actor, role model, etc., over the years? These are different sectors of my life. I know my responsibility as a father. I have eight of my kids who have graduated from the University. I make the money from being an actor to play my role as a father and husband. I try my best to remain focused and hardworking to remain a role model to many people.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015 — 33
urned turned gamist
Kosoko
dage can never be a history of Nollywood
eteran actors in the movie industry in the Yoruba films as in English soko. He is an actor who has been e is so talented he is considered by it comes to assuming characters to
ce of Kosoko Royal Family of Lagos ons in Nigeria, his family, and the
One thing led to the other and I got two women again. So being a polygamist was not intentional but God’s design which I do not have a right over.
Some of your children and fans were not happy when you took two wives. What’s your comment? I never envisaged being a polygamist though I am a product of one. My parents didn’t support it too. My first wife was a business woman. I craved for somebody who was in the same field with me. In those days, the best advice you got was from your better half and that was how the second woman came to be. Along the line, I lost the two to childbirths within 11months interval. I had seven children as at that time, so I didn’t plan remarrying or having more children again. But after much persuasion from my doctor and relatives, I decided to have a woman with the agreement of not having more children but a complete African woman will not agree to that. One thing led to the other and I got two women again. So being a polygamist was not intentional but God’s design over which I do not have power. Do you mind sharing those things that led to your marrying two women again? The situation that surrounded marrying my wives made me go for the two. What has been the worst thing ever written about you and how did you react? Bad reporting is just bad. I can’t place my hand on the worst. I have decided not to react because I believe I am bigger than them. Also, the more I react, the more copies they sell. I need not cry over split milk at this level. Many are of the opinion that actors are very promiscuous. What’s your take on that? That is far from the truth. In fact, our’s is one of the professions whose members are very disciplined. People tend to make noise out of everything we do as public figures. That is not to say we do not date or sleep with each other. The profession is a blessed one and people should please see the good side of our profession too. We educate, entertain, admonish, enlighten the world through our artistic works. What is new in your plate? I am working on a movie titled Kobiowu meaning measurement. It is like a semi-epic movie and I intend shooting by April. The Nigeria film industry has more than one professional body. Do you think having an umbrella body to regulate the profession will be better? I think so. Associations are being regulated by a guild in every nation of the world. And their guilds are under a council which serves as the executive. Just like some people believe that the National Film and Video Censors Board are regulating
the film industry in Nigeria, this is not true because that is outside their jurisdiction. The film industry needs a body managed by the film-makers and not a parastatal owned by the government. The National Film and Video Censors Board classify our films but they do not serve as a regulatory body. We need our own council and an umbrella body which will soon emerge. Are you as funny in real life as you
are in movies? Life itself is a stage; it is just natural, it comes with the genes. I won’t call myself a comedian, but an actor must be versatile. You act any role given to you, you act the script you are given. Some people would say “Jide Kosoko, you are a crossover artiste, you act in English movies and you also act in Yoruba movies.” It is the script that I’m given that I act. How many children do you have? I can’t be precise but my children are more than a dozen. C M Y K
34—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
JESUS CHRIST :
The Anatomical And Physiological Details Of 6 Hours Of Pain And Death By Crucifixion: BY DR. C. TRUMAN DAVIS
A
s we go into the Holy Week of the Lenton season, we bring to you a physician’s analysis of the last six hours before Jesus Christ passed on from the crucification. It is from New Wine Magazine, April 1982 and was originally published in Arizona Medicine Magazine, March 1965, Arizona Medical Association. Crucifixion was invented by the Persians in 300 BC, and perfected by the Romans in 100 BC. 1,It is the most painful death ever invented by man and is where we get our term “excruciating.” 2,It was reserved primarily for the most vicious of male criminals. Jesus refused the anaesthetic wine which was offered to Him by the Roman soldiers because of His promise in Matthew 26: 29, “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” 3,Jesus was stripped naked and His clothing divided by the Roman guards. This was in fulfilment of Psalm 22:18, “They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” 4,The Crucifixion of Jesus guaranteed a horrific, slow, painful death. Having been nailed the Cross, Jesus now had an impossible anatomical position to maintain. 5,Jesus’ knees were flexed at about 45 degrees, and He was forced to bear His weight with the muscles of His thigh, which is not an anatomical position which is possible to maintain for more than a few minutes without severe cramp in the muscles of the thigh and calf. 6,Jesus’ weight was borne on His feet, with nails driven through them. As the strength of the muscles of Jesus’ lower limbs tired, the weight of His body had to be transferred to His wrists, His arms, and His shoulders. 7,Within a few minutes of being placed on the Cross, Jesus’ shoulders were dislocated. Minutes later Jesus’ elbows and wrists became dislocated. 8,The result of these upper limb dislocations is that His arms were 9 inches longer than normal, as clearly shown on the Shroud. 9,In addition prophecy was fulfilled in Psalm 22:14, “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint.” 10,After Jesus’ wrists, elbows, and shoulders were dislocated, the weight of His body on his upper limbs caused traction forces on the Pectoralis Major muscles of His chest wall. 11,These traction forces caused His rib cage to be pulled upwards and outwards, in a most unnatural state. His chest wall was permanently in a position of maximal respiratory inspiration. In order to exhale, Jesus was physiologically required to force His body. 12,In order to breathe out, Jesus had to push down on the nails in His feet to raise His body, and allow His rib cage to move downwards and inwards to expire air from His lungs. 13,His lungs were in a resting position of constant maximum inspiration. Crucifixion is a medical catastrophe. 14,The problem was that Jesus could not easily push down on the nails in His feet because the muscles of His legs, bent at 45 degrees, were Continues on page 35 C M Y K
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following His beatings and falls. 35,Jesus was already very dehydrated, and His blood pressure fell alarmingly. 36,His blood pressure was probably about 80/50. 37,He was in First Degree Shock, with Hypovolaemia (low blood volume), Tachycardia (excessively fast Heart Rate), Tachypnoea (excessively fast Respiratory Rate), and Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
JESUS CHRIS omical And Ph CHRISTT : The Anat Anatomical Phyysiological De ain And Death By Crucif ixion: Dettails Of 6 Hour Hourss Of PPain Crucifixion: Continued from page 34
extremely fatigued, in severe cramp, and in an anatomically compromised position. 15,Unlike all Hollywood movies about the Crucifixion, the victim was extremely active. The crucified victim was physiologically forced to move up and down the cross, a distance of about 12 inches, in order to breathe. 16,The process of respiration caused excruciating pain, mixed with the absolute terror of asphyxiation. 17,As the six hours of the Crucifixion wore on, Jesus was less and less able to bear His weight on His legs, as His thigh and calf muscles became increasingly exhausted. There was increasing dislocation of His wrists, elbows and shoulders, and further elevation of His chest wall, making His breathing more and more difficult Within minutes of crucifixion Jesus became severely dyspnoeic (short of breath). 18,His movements up and down the Cross to breathe caused excruciating pain in His wrist, His feet, and His dislocated elbows and shoulders. 19,The movements became less frequent as Jesus became increasingly exhausted, but the terror of imminent death by asphyxiation forced Him to continue in His efforts to breathe. 20,Jesus’ lower limb muscles
Jesus died so that ordinary people like you and me could go to Heaven
developed excruciating cramp from the effort of pushing down on His legs, to raise His body, so that He could breathe out, in their anatomically compromised position. 21,The pain from His two shattered median nerves in His wrists exploded with every movement. 22,Jesus was covered in blood and sweat. 23,The blood was a result of the Scourging that nearly killed Him, and the sweat as a result of His violent involuntary attempts to effort to expire air from His lungs. Throughout all this He was completely naked, and the leaders of the Jews, the crowds, and the thieves on both sides of Him were jeering, swearing and laughing at Him. In addition, Jesus’ own mother was watching. 24,Physiologically, Jesus’ body was undergoing a series of catastrophic and terminal events. 25,Because Jesus could not maintain adequate ventilation of His lungs, He was now in a state of hypoventilation (inadequate ventilation). 26,His blood oxygen level began to fall, and He developed Hypoxia (low blood oxygen). In addition, because of His restricted respiratory movements, His blood carbon dioxide (CO2) level began to rise, a condition known as Hypercapnia. 27,This rising CO2 level stimulated His heart to beat faster in order to increase the delivery of oxygen, and the removal of CO2
28,The Respiratory Centre in Jesus’ brain sent urgent messages to his lungs to breathe faster, and Jesus began to pant. 29,Jesus’ physiological reflexes demanded that He took deeper breaths, and He involuntarily moved up and down the Cross much faster, despite the excruciating pain. The agonising movements spontaneously started several times a minute, to the delight of the crowd who jeered Him, the Roman soldiers, and the Sanhedrin. 30,However, due to the nailing of Jesus to the Cross and His increasing exhaustion, He was unable to provide more oxygen to His oxygen starved body. 31,The twin forces of Hypoxia (too little oxygen) and Hypercapnia (too much CO2) caused His heart to beat faster and faster, and Jesus developed Tachycardia. 32,Jesus’ heart beat faster and faster, and His pulse rate was probably about 220 beats/ minute, the maximum normally sustainable. 33,Jesus had drunk nothing for 15 hours, since 6 pm the previous evening. Jesus had endured a scourging which nearly killed Him. 34,He was bleeding from all over His body following the Scourging, the crown of thorns, the nails in His wrists and feet, and the lacerations
38,By about noon Jesus’ heart probably began to fail. 39,Jesus’ lungs probably began to fill up with Pulmonary Oedema. 40,This only served to exacerbate His breathing, which was already severely compromised. 41,Jesus was in Heart Failure and Respiratory Failure. 42,Jesus said, “I thirst” because His body was crying out for fluids. 43,Jesus was in desperate need of an intravenous infusion of blood and plasma to save His life 44,Jesus could not breathe properly and was slowly suffocating to death. 45,At this stage Jesus probably developed a Haemopericardium. 46,Plasma and blood gathered in the space around His heart, called the Pericardium. 47,This fluid around His heart caused Cardiac Tamponade (fluid around His heart, which prevented Jesus’ heart from beating properly). 48,Because of the increasing physiological demands on Jesus’ heart, and the advanced state of Haemopericardium, Jesus probably eventually sustained Cardiac Rupture. His heart literally burst. This was probably the cause of His death. 49,To slow the process of death the soldiers put a small wooden seat on the Cross, which would allow Jesus the “privilege” of bearing His weight on his sacrum. 50,The effect of this was that it could take up to nine days to die on a Cross. 51,When the Romans wanted to expedite death they would simply break the legs of the victim, causing the victim to
suffocate in a matter of minutes. This was called Crucifragrum. 52,At three o’clock in the afternoon Jesus said, “Tetelastai,” meaning, “It is finished.” At that moment, He gave up His Spirit, and He died. 53,When the soldiers came to Jesus to break His legs, He was already dead. Not a bone of His body was broken, in fulfilment of prophecy (above). 54,Jesus died after six hours of the most excruciating and
terrifying torture ever invented. 55,Jesus died so that ordinary people like you and me could go to Heaven.
36 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
C M Y K
SATURDAY
Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—37
Aqau Vneck t-shirt
Jeweled flat sandals
Pair of knee length jeans
Cotton outdoor hat
Sasha foldover cross body bag
Election day style Anne
I
f you’ve been wearing suits and other formal clothes Monday to Friday, today presents an opportunity to dress down. And nothing spells dress down than a pair of jeans trousers or jeans dress. A summer floral dress will also pull the trick for you. With the general elections starting today, carefully pick out what you’d wear. A walk to your polling booth will require a pair flat sandal. It will also help your feet while you are on the queue to cast your vote. Beat the heat with a base ball cap or floppy hat. Add instant glamour with a floppy hat. Today, we put together two looks that will interest you.
Fastrack sunglasses
Asos Catarzi floppy hat
Becky
Denim skirt dress C M Y K
Cross-body bag
Studio 9 Red Flat Sandals
38—SATURDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 28, 2015
Christian
My fathe
3
5 years from being the first Nigerian to lift the African Nations Cup trophy at the National Stadium in Lagos, Christian Chukwu, the former Eagles captain tells JOHN EGBOKHAN that the rewards for playing soccer before their historic feat in 1980 were oranges and lucozade drinks. Chukwu, who was named the best player of the 1980 AFCON and played in three consecutive African Cup of Nations from 1976 to 1980 also recounts how his father called him a vagabond child for daring to opt for a career in football. He spoke at Nnewi during the league match between Ifeanyi Uba United and Enugu Rangers. Excerpts
me a va opting f
hat is your assessment of the state of the league? W As you can see, we have
started our leagues, which is now growing gradually, and I am sure that before we get to the half-way stage of the season, our players, our teams, our coaches would have put their acts together to give fans better football. You can see that the crowd is gradually coming out to watch the matches, which is the most important thing in the development of our league. When our matches start attracting the right kind of crowd, the sponsorship will come and the game itself will be very interesting, exciting and attractive. Moving from the league to the national team, there is a vacuum in the Eagles top hierarchy as no substantive coach has been appointed long after we crashed out of the 2014 World Cup and the contract of coach Stephen Keshi ended last July. How worried are you and have you ever seen such a thing like this before? I’ve not seen such a thing like this at the national team. That they would be without a coach for about nine months is amazing. But I think that the Nigeria Football Federation should be in control of this because we voted them in to handle the game and I believe that they know what they are doing but we are all having our fears that up till now, we have not gotten our national teach coach. I don’t know or understand what the problem is that the NFF is yet to appoint a coach for the senior national team. If they do not want the former coach to continue, they should get another person to take charge but they are leaving us in a state of confusion. We don’t know what is happening. It’s not compulsory that it must be Keshi. And if they want to give it to Keshi they should stop wasting time. The federation should be decisive. Can this long delay affect the preparations of the Super Eagles for the 2017 African Nations Cup as the qualifying race starts soon? Of course, the delay is not good for the team because if we had a coach in place by now
C M Y K
•Chukwu
the coach would be going round for matches for the national team. If we had a coach in place, he would be going around to watch league matches in the country, to select players. By watching matches regularly, he will not have to rely on others to know who to invite for matches. But if you name a coach one or two months before the start of a qualifying campaign things will be pretty difficult at least at that initial stage. 35 years ago, you led the Eagles to win their first Nations Cup trophy at the National Stadium in Lagos. 35 years on, we have won two additional titles. 35 years after, many of your co-heroes are no longer alive? What has it been like for you all these years? Glory be to God for His mercy, for making some of us to still be alive, despite all the challenges here and there and I can tell you that 35 years ago, our football changed in the country because after that Nations Cup triumph, our football changed, our players started going to Europe, we started having professionalism, players stated getting good contracts and the game started to grow. And I am happy that our players are getting good deals from football and hope to still be alive to see the time when the clubs will stand on their own and start running independently and stop running to government cap in hand for money because that is not the way it should be. We should start doing it the way it is done in Europe, where Nigerians can be owners of clubs by buying shares in their favourite teams or some big money people pulling resources together to make it a huge business. We should have passed the level of government
If we had a coach in place, he would be going around to watch league matches in the country, to select players. By watching matches regularly, he will not have to rely on others to know who to invite for matches. But if you name a coach one or two months before the start of a qualifying campaign things will be pretty difficult at least at that initial stage
(L to R) Captain Christian Ch Nigeria won 4-0 at home. Go running clubs. I think we need to start having private individual or private sector ownership of teams in the league. Look at what is happening here with Ifeanyi Uba ownership of Gabros and you can see the new injection of life into the team and see the turnout of fans here against Rangers. That is the way it should be. But if government handles a team, at times, appointments are not made on merit. You can see in Lagos they have lots of facilities and well run clubs like Ikoyi Club, Lagos Lawn Tennis Club and Lagos Country Clubs. Is government involved in those clubs? No. If those clubs were to won football clubs you would see how professional they will run them. In Egypt and some parts of North Africa such clubs own football, basketball and even volleyball clubs. We wish one day that we will get there. Turning to something personal sir, Chairman
Christian Chukwu... Cuts in: Chairman Onochie pikin How did the name chairman come about? You should ask the late Ernest Okonkwo, may his soul rest in peace. He’s not alive for one to ask him... He named me Chairman Christian Chukwu, he also gave Emmanuel Okala a nickname, the same for Adokiye Amiesimaka, Odegbami and so on like Quicksilver Sylvanus Okpala. So it’s the creativity in the late Ernest Okonkwo that made him to give us those names. Ernest was special. And the name has stuck like an identity card for you... Yes, it’s part of of us now. Some people say my own is unique if abbreviated, it is CCC, but it is coincidental as it just happened like that, maybe
Chwukwu:
SATURDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 28, 2015—39
er once dubbed
agabond for for football
Can you take us to that day that you lifted the National Cup trophy in 1980? It was a very long day because we had come so close to winning the trophy in the past. We won bronze in Addis Ababa, another bronze in Ghana and in 1980, when we won the Nations Cup, we were due for the trophy and when the tournament came to Nigeria in 1980, we said we would not let this opportunity pass us by, and with God on our side and the new government coming in to give us the support, we were able to achieve the ultimate result. It was a great feeling lifting the cup. Shehu Shagari, the President was there and we saw how happy we made him and the entire country. It was great and will remain unforgettable.
hukwu, Godwin Iwelumo and Reserves Gil Ifechukwu. odwin had one goal and one assist. it was because of the way he saw me play in the field, taking charge of the defence, psyching up colleagues and how I tried to make sure that things went well for the team. How were you able to achieve that balance in the team? I think it was because we were born with football from childhood. It was not something that I forced myself into. It’s a talent given to me by my God and thank God, I was able to make good use of it and everything went as God planned them to be. It’s not my own making but God’s doing because then, our parents did not allow us to play football. If you played football then, our parents would tag you a vagabond then. Just like the comedians now, there was a time people did not regard them well. But look at how successful they are today. There was a time people felt that footballers would not be
useful. Despite these negative perspective, we were able to outwit our parents because then if they heard you were playing football, you were in trouble. My dad could not believe that all I wanted to do was to play football and make a career out of it. It was unbelievable to him. He was not happy. However, at a certain stage when it was clear I had no other plans he calmed although he was still against it. He tried to allow me have my way especially after playing in the Academicals and joining Enugu Rangers. When I joined Rangers, my mother who had
I cannot stop what God has given to you. Son, you have my blessing
supported my dad now changed. She gave up and tried to encourage me to do what I felt was good for me. It was still a little bit difficult because my dad was still not happy. But eventually, he said ok, go on. ‘I cannot stop what God has given to you. Son, you have my blessing.’ Then, there wasn’t big money in football. There was popularity but not money. Before joining Rangers, you were appreciated after each great game with Lucozade and oranges. And when we started playing club football and really became popular money wasn’t still there. We did not know the value of the name we were making. We became household names but we did not have money that matched or even came close to the popularity we had, no money to match our labour on the pitch. But the goodwill of people was awesome which was important. We were celebrated and honoured everywhere. And these things were more than money. Good name is great, you know. The goodwill could also yield money. There are people with money but no good name, not even goodwill. I thank God that my father saw a little bit of the goodwill before he passed on. I may not have money but I still have that name ‘Chairman’ and I thank God for it. I thank God for everything.
•Chukwu
Do you think that with our potentials that we should have won more than three AFCON trophies? I think so because we were always there but at the dying minutes, as football is, we would lose. That was what happened in Addis Ababa and Ghana but in Nigeria, we were fortunate to get the cup. In Senegal ’92 everybody agreed we were the best team. I was then the coach assisting Westerhof. We were arguably the best team but we ended up with another bronze. Maroc ’88 we had a good team too. C M Y K
40—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015 round 30 people gathered in San Francisco on Saturday to take part in the sixth annual World Naked Bike Ride by pedaling through city streets completely in the nude. Along with rides in cities across the globe, the cyclists were demonstrating in protest of the world’s dependence on oil. To ensure their message was heard, the f r e e w h e e l i n g demonstrators whizzed past such tourist hot spots as Fisherman’s Wharf, the Marina, Embarcadero and the Haight. ‘Tens of thousands of naked bike riders are protesting the global dependency of our society and economies at the hands of the oil cartels,’ reads the announcement on the World Naked Bike Ride the group rode in Facebook. ‘We want to emphasize solidarity with Brazil, the harm this Australia, New Zealand dependency causes to and other cities across Southern our environment, the businesses and social Hemisphere. It was the first of four such naked lives.’ According to the page, rides held each naked
A
08 116759 759 081 6759759
Feeling a draft?
‘They’re going to eat him!’:
P
ope Francis was mobbed by a group of starstruck nuns during his visit to Naples Cathedral, prompting a cardinal to exclaim: ‘They are going to eat him!’ The cloistered nuns, who usually observe the rules of ‘papal enclosure and rarely leave their nunneries, were let out of their convents for the special occasion. But to the pontiff ’s bewilderment, the overly excited women swarmed him during his pastoral visit and needed to be reined in by the Archbishop of Naples. Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe urged the ‘sisters’ - who stood to applaud the pontiff as he made his entrance and then inundated him with gifts C M Y K
- to restrain themselves through a microphone, the Telegraph reported.
bike riding season. ‘We want to endorse more bike riding and our nudity expresses our vulnerability to these matters. It also draws attention to our cause,’ reads the group’s
Facebook. The post also counseled that, despite 2015 marking two years since San Francisco’s controversial nudity ban, no one has been cited during a naked ride.
He said: ‘Sisters… Later… well would you look at that.’ And to the
amusement of those in the building, he joked: ‘And these are the cloistered ones. Just imagine the noncloistered ones.’ He then added: ‘They are going to eat him! Sisters, sisters!’ During his one-day visit to Naples yesterday, the Argentine pontiff visited the cathedral to visit priests and religious leaders. As he toured some of the city’s poorest areas, where the mafia reign, hundred of thousands gathered for a glimpse. But only a few managed to get as much quality time with Pope Francis as the nuns, from seven different closed convents, who had acquired special permission to attend the service.
M
ore than 6,000 Chinese university hopefuls take entrance exam after boom in teens wanting to study subject Their task seemed simple enough - to sketch and paint a still life of items you might find in a kitchen. But demonstrating your artistic prowess when working against the clock and competing against 6,000 others cannot be easy. That’s exactly what these art university hopefuls had to do when they flocked into an international convention center in the eastern Chinese city of Ji’nan yesterday. Row upon row of aspiring artists filled the enormous hall and could be seen sketching and painting determinedly in their bid to earn a coveted place at Shandong University of Art & Design. The young rivals, armed with identical easels and palettes, sat
An arm tis ts! armyy of ar artis tists! on stools facing forward while invigilators navigated their way through narrow aisles. Many candidates could be seen peering nervously around the room in their search for that place-earning inspiration. Others were pictured focusing intently on their work as the seconds ticked away. What they produced was a variety of interpretations of a kitchen unit scene - with many
opting for a kettle surrounded by scattered fruit and vegetables. Others produced pots, saucepans and bottles of wine - many of them sketches of high quality. The popularity of art studies has soared in the Shandong province and overcrowded entrance exams like this are now commonplace.
tises Russian beauty adver advertises for a man to get her pregnant
R
ussian beauty advertises for a man to get her pregnant because she was fed up with her mother nagging her about not having grandchildren... and, funnily enough, she is swamped with offers A Russian beauty has advertised for a man to get her pregnant - because she was fed up with her mother nagging her about not having grandchildren. Elena Komleva, from Cheliabinsk in southern Russia, placed the advert on a social media website - and was soon flooded with offers. The 29-year-old toenail painting artist described it as a ‘contest’ adding that her mother would select the winning candidate. Taking to her Vkontakt page - the equivalent of a Facebook profile - she wrote: ‘My mother needs grandchildren to give them all the baby clothes she has been collecting. But nobody wants to marry me yet. ‘So, if you are young,
strong and healthy drop me a line. ‘My mother will be in charge of selecting the candidates and announcing the winner. She knows what I need.’ She has already been inundated with offers from men, with many posting replies to her advert. Yuri Yuriev, 28, said: ‘Hmm, a woman in need - I am here to help.’ Kuzma Tretiakov, 25, said: ‘I’m young, strong and healthy and ready to go.’ She says she is now sorting through the applicants and shortlisting them - with her mother.
SA TURD AY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015 — 41 SATURD TURDA
Special moments at ESUT 16th convocation
E
Vice Chancellors from other Universities during the procession.
nugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) 16th convocation ceremony was held Saturday, 21st March 2015 at Esut Convocation Ground, Agbani, Enugu State. The well attended and colourful ceremony was graced by Enugu State Deputy Governor, Rev.Ralph Nwoye, Amb.(Dr) Hassan Adamu (Wakili Adamawa), Dr.Chillo Offiah, Pro Chancellor,ViceChancellor, Prof. Cyprian Onyeji, former Inspector General of Police, Mr Onovo, former ministers for Power and Petroleum, Prof. Barth Nnaji and Prof Jubril Aminu and Dr.Joseph Odumodu, DG, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON delivered the 16th Convocation Lecture. Honourary degrees were awarded to four distinguished Nigerians, namely; Barr. David Ogbodo, Amb. Adamu Aliyu, Mr Nicholas Ugochukwu and Pharm (Mrs) Ukamaka Okoye.
R-L: Prof. C. Onyeji, Vice Chancellor, ESUT welcomes the Deputy Gov. Enugu State, Rev. Ralph Nwoye.
L-R: Enugu State Deputy Gov., Rev. Ralph Nwoye after a courtesy visit by ESUT Pro-Chancellor Amb.H. Adamu with Prof. Onyeji, Dr. Offiah.(1) L-R Fmr. (IG) Mr Onovo,Prof. B. Nnaji,Barr. C. Igbokwe,Prof C. Onyeji, Prof. J. Aminu, Amb. H. Adamu, Dr. C. Offiah,Barr. Ogbodo(1).
L-R: Sir D. Ogbodo, Amb. Adamu Aliyu, Pharm. (Mrs.) Okoye and Mr. N. Okoye, all Hon. Degree Awardees.
Sir A. Okafor, Barr. C. Igbokwe, Amb. Hassan Adamu, Dr. Offiah and Prof Onyeji at the com. of Namadi Sambo Lib. at ESUT
Rev. Ralph Nwoye, Deputy Gov. Enugu State, Amb. H. Adamu, Prof. Onyeji, Hon. Degree Awardees and other Principal Officers
L-R: Dr. J. Odumodu DG,SON, Guest Lecturer at the 16th ESUT Convoc. Lecture, Dr. Offiah, Petroleum Min. Prof. C. Nebo, Dr. Adamu &the VC
L-R: Sir A. Okafor, Barr. C. Igbokwe, Amb. Hassan Adamu, Dr. Offiah and Prof Onyeji at the commissioning of Namadi Sambo Libary at ESUT
42—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
ANOTHER SCIENCE BREAKTHROUGH S
Miracle Cancer
cientists are having extraordinary success treating cancer with new vaccines they believe could be a ‘game-changer’ in the battle against the disease. They have worked out how to teach the body’s immune system to identify cancer cells, allowing patients to be primed to destroy cancer. In one case an American woman given just weeks to live was cleared of advanced blood cancer. She is still alive three years later, and her doctor says she is not a one-off. British researchers are now working on a related approach. Both methods involve taking T-cells, which fight infection, and giving them the ability to recognise a special tag on the surface of cancer cells, called the WT1 protein. The research is being carried out on patients with leukaemia. But the scientists hope their vaccines will eventually be used to fight many types of cancer, including that of breast, bowel and prostate – whose cells tend to have WT1 on their surfaces. There is even talk of ‘IDENTIFYING’ MARKER ON a ‘universal cancer THE CANCER CELL IS KEY vaccine’ among some scientists, although •The treatments aim to help the the researchers immune system seek out and themselves believe destroy cancer cells that is unlikely. •They do this by giving T-cells Over the past three the ability to detect a key marker years, specialist called WT1 Guenther Koehne, of •WT1 is a protein found on the the Memorial Sloan surface of the cells of many types of Kettering Cancer cancer Center in New York, •T-cells are a type of white blood has treated 15 cell, which fight infections or plasma cell threats leukaemia patients with T-cells taught to •An infusion of donor stem cells – recognise cancer. which can transform into T-cells – The disease can be may also be used to boost the treated with immune system. chemotherapy-like
Vaccine on the way!
drugs but it tends to keep returning. All 15 were expected to die within months given normal treatment. But following his regime, Dr Koehne revealed ‘about half ’ were still alive. He said: ‘I strongly feel this is a game-changer. Before treatment, I talked to these patients and they said to me: “I have no choice, let’s try this.” They had extremely limited life expectancy. A year later, they call me from work and say they are too busy to see me. That’s really happening.’ His treatment involves taking bone marrow from a donor and splitting it into stem cells and T-cells. The patient receives the stem cells straight away but the T-cells are sensitised to WT1 in the lab by exposing them to fragments of the protein. The T-cells are then given to the patient in a series of injections over several months. Dr Koehne’s first patient, graphic designer Ruth Lacey, 64, underwent the procedure in 2012 after being so ill following a relapse and intensive chemotherapy that she was ‘comatose’. But after receiving the stem cells and four T-cell doses, her cancer was reduced to undetectable levels. Dr Koehne said that seeing her ‘in good health and in complete remission’ was ‘clearly an extraordinary experience’. In the British study, led by Dr Emma Morris – a haematologist at University College London and the Royal Free Hospital, T-cells from up to 20 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia or chronic myeloid leukaemia are to be extracted, inserted with DNA so they recognise WT1, and then put back again. ‘Most people have immune cells which can’t recognise cancer cells, which is one of the major problems with tackling the disease,’ Dr Morris explained. ‘We have genetically engineered patients’ C M Y K
‘It’s a wonder that I’m still here...’ Three years ago, Ruth Lacey, was on death’s door having relapsed with an aggressive version of myeloma, a form of blood cancer. She was put in touch with Dr Guenther Koehne at New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who suggested the vaccine. First, she was given stem cells from her brother Walter’s bone marrow. Next, his T-cells were exposed to WT1 protein. Finally, she received the cells in a series of injections.
immune cells so they develop receptors for the WT1 protein, making them much better at recognising leukaemia cells.’ One patient has already received an infusion containing genetically engineered’ Tcells and there are others whose cells are being prepared. The DNA is transferred into the T-cells using a ‘dummy’ virus that does not cause an infection. These then provide the blueprint to build the WT1 receptor. In the short term, doctors are looking to see if these super-immune cells will be powerful enough to stop leukaemia patients from relapsing after chemotherapy. But scientists also hope this approach might work to help treat a range of other cancers too. Dr Morris, whose research with Professor Hans Stauss has been funded by the charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and government body Cell Therapy Catapult, said: ‘We could potentially use it
At first, recovery was slow. But within two months she began to feel ‘consistently better’ and was allowed home. Book designer Mrs Lacey, 64, from Newburyport, Massachusetts, said the treatment meant she was well enough to garden, walk her dog, and go canoeing. Last summer she did relapse, but she is in remission again thanks to a new drug. Dr Koehne is also considering another T-cell injection. Ms Lacey said: ‘It’s a wonder, a miracle that I’m still here.’
in ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and patients with prostate or colon cancer too.’ She said the approach should produce less side effects than chemotherapy and provide longer-term protection than drugs, which are flushed out of the body in days or weeks, because immune cells have a ‘memory’, persisting at low levels in case a threat reemerges. The hope is that the genetically engineered T-cells will do this with cancer, said Dr Morris, ‘multiplying again if needed – like an army ready to be reactivated’. However, Dr Kat Arney of Cancer Research UK, struck a note of caution: ‘These treatments are still in the early stages of clinical trials, and although some people have had great responses, they haven’t worked for everyone.’ Culled from Daily Mail
SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA
T
he elections are here at last! There have been speculations on whether or not the elections will take place. Well, as my father would say, “Providence takes care of fools.” If I am one of the fools that populate the entire universe, then I am grateful to providence. If I am not, then … I am still grateful to providence for helping all of us take care of some of us, the very difficult amongst us. For this reason I say, thanks providence. A fool is generally a person of low intelligence or one who is incapable of tame judgment. Often times, we refer to some people derogatorily as fools and boldly challenged by opponents on some times, too, we go what were considered important on to out rightly insult personal and national issues. Some others by branding them of the issues were addressed and fools. In such a case the some are still waiting to be treated. French views of “the I believe that the electorate has idiot or the imbecile” enough information to consider in making the choice of who to vote. would come to mind. Nigeria has a date with Party members, we salute you for March 28, 2015, that baring it all. The electorate is very being a date itself. The grateful to you. Having done this, I go to the day has been long awaited and now that we second point. Fellow voters! May I can behold it face to face have your ears. We have a date with and eyeball to eyeball, it destiny. It is up to us to grab our is important for us to own destiny and pilot it to our domesticate and subdue desired destination. As each person that day to our proceeds to perform this important advantage, so that when civic responsibility on Saturday we shall discuss that March 28, 2015, there is need to be date in the future, we bold, careful, vigilant and wise. will do so with a sense Most of all, please let us be of pride. Now how do we obedient, in other words, lawdo this? Remember abiding. Messages and jingles have Providence and the Fool. challenged, insulted, assaulted, However, if the fool soothed and comforted us in persists in his folly, the varying degrees. We have been able patience of Providence to make and unmake our minds concerning parties and individuals; may be on trial. First, we must we have even engaged our friends congratulate ourselves and colleagues in arguments and for having come thus far, have sometimes neared boiling most times, protected by points; we have been angered by providence. We have statements and dispositions and witnessed, perhaps for several other developments during the first time, a very the campaigns; now it is all over. animated campaign by The March 28 summary act draws the political parties, the curtain. We must cast our votes. especially the two major Everybody, do come out and vote. parties. During the The card in our hands is like a campaigns, a lot missile, we must release it after we happened; both positive have slotted in the potent weapon, and negative. Groups which is the ballot paper. Next, there are conflicting and individuals were
Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015 — 43
Providence takes care of fools! instructions on what to do after casting our ballots. While some say we stay and wait until the ballots are counted and results released; others, including the law enforcement agencies say we should go after casting our ballot. I have to advise; by the standard of common sense, please, fellow Nigerians, let us go after casting our votes. It is constitutional; it is safe; it is decent to do so. Although it is not unconstitutional to stay back after, but in order to avoid getting into mischief, home is the best place to be next. When that is the case, we will not get into the temptation of arguments with oppositions and possible blow outs. President Goodluck Jonathan has consistently said that his ambition or that of any other politician is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. That is one of the greatest statements I have ever heard in my lifetime as a Nigerian. For this reason, it is my sincere submission that as much as possible we try to reciprocate by not making our “blood” available for politicians. There will be party representatives at the polling stations and their presence is enough to protect the interest of the parties. Maintenance of peace is desirable. It will be our gain to stay out of trouble. The entire world is focused on us. The United Nations, the European Union, and quite recently, the President of the United States of American, have all expressed deep concern over the elections in our country. All their comments and actions and
reactions are informed by a suspicion that things may not go well. They have probably watched the fierce electioneering campaigns and observed both the desperation and bitterness of our politicians and eventually deduced a possible crisis. We can disappoint them by consciously saying no to everything that is capable of erupting chaos, confusion or mayhem during and immediately after the elections. The elections are like a serious game. Winners and losers must emerge. Contestants should bear this in mind and brace up with the truth about their endeavours. Mr. President has assured all of us that he will accept the verdict of the INEC. Although we have not obtained the same assurance from the other parties but I believe that the leaders of those parties are honourable and are likely to do so too. For instance Gen. Mohammadu Buhari has lost elections before and despite pockets of postelection riots and destruction, the party that was declared winner eventually set up the government. This time, because of the crucial nature of the elections; because the elections are capable of strengthening or
destroying our hard earned democracy, we need concrete assurance that verdicts must be respected and claims and objections should be constitutionally handled. Supporters, know you not (let me sound like an evangelist) that contestants don’t get into physical combat? If that is the case, why then should you cry more than the bereaved? Please let us behave like them. Since contestants are not likely to be present after voting to monitor INEC official, why should supporters do so? Since contestants are not likely to be violent after they lose, why should supporters do so? Anything that the contestants are likely to avoid, by all means, supporters also avoid. Let us not fight for any of them. Need I remind everyone that when they get into office, everything will “change.” Promises will change, acquaintances will change, language will change and even total disposition will change. Now, before I conclude, fellow Nigerians, join me to obtain an assurance from all contestants, especially the leaders of the major political parties that if anyone loses, he should show magnanimity and within 24 hours of the declaration of the results make his pronouncement of acceptance of the verdict and congratulate the winner. He should also go ahead to discourage violence of any kind in his favour. If the contestant is vocal and sincere about post-election peace, there will be peace indeed. I think asking for this is not asking for too much. Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria.
(Text Only)
Spread Eagle
Body po wer: Floor pla pow er:Floor playy postures
Technique:
Sit down and spread the legs as far wide apart as possible and keeping the trunk very upright place the hands on the shins and breath normally for 10 to 15 seconds. Rest and repeat. Benefits: The Spread Eagle stretches both the harmstrings and inner thigh muscles. It helps tone up the muscles of the abdomen and also impoves the posture. C M Y K
•Spread Eagle(lying)
The Locust
•The Locust
L o c u s t Technique: Lie flat on your belly,and with hands formed into fists,tuck them underneat you as depicted. Breathe in,and with the knees locked,raise both legs up as high as you can.
Benefits: This pose strengthens the muscles of the back,the butocks,legs and hands.
Yoga Classes STARTED @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays
44—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
went ahead to coordinate more other high profile kidnappings in Lagos and other parts of the country where they got hundreds of millions as ransom. It was learnt that the gang was headed by one Evans, a notorious kidnapper terrorizing Anambra State but who relocated to Ghana when Anambra, his home state became too hot for him to operate in. Government and the Police in Anambra State were said to have launched a manhunt for him and one of his colleagues, known as Hutch –Man, when their activities became highly unbearable. Their buildings were destroyed and their relatives were ostracised in the society. While in Ghana, Evans and Hutch-Man formed a new gang in Lagos with three others. Their modus was to enter into the country quietly, carry out some kidnappings and disappear into thin air. Chief Obianodo’s attack was one of their operations but unfortunately, Hutch-Man and two others met their doom in that operation, while Evans escaped.
BY IFEANYI OKOLIE
B
arely two years after prominent transporter, Chief Vincent Obianodo, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of The Young Shall Grow Motors narrowly escaped death, when his convoy was attacked by some gunmen in Festac Town, the police in Lagos State, recently arrested some suspects who revealed the real motive behind the attack. The suspects also exposed not just the identity of the leader of the gang that carried out the operation but also made startling revelations about the kingpin who is regarded in police circles as the most notorious kidnapping expert in the country. Three suspects allegedly linked to the attack that occurred on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, which also left four persons dead including two of the gunmen, a police officer and C M Y K
Chief Obianodo’s driver, while he sustained bullet wounds, are currently being interrogated at the Special Anti-Robbery Sqaud, SARS, Ikeja. REAL MOTIVE FOR ATTACK ON YOUNG SHALL GROW They disclosed that the attack on Chief Obianodo which many speculated to be an assassination attempt, was actually an attempted kidnap which was foiled by his police guards. It was gathered that the kidnappers weren’t expecting any form of resistance from his guards as they accosted his convoy on 22 Road Festac Town. “They had expected the policemen guarding the chief to run for cover when they accosted them and opened fire on his convoy. But surprisingly, a policeman guarding the Chief put up a fight and engaged the kidnappers in a shoot-out, killing
ESCAPADES OF EVANS, LEADER OF THE GANG Sources at the Lagos State Police Command disclosed to Crime Guard that Evans, after the death of HutchMan, succeeded in forming a new but highly sophisticated gang, which has successfully coordinated several high profile kidnappings in Lagos and other parts of the country, collecting ransoms in hundreds of millions of naira. Most of his victims are said to be prominent citizens and business executives based in Lagos. They are usually threatened not to report the case to the police upon their release. That was why most of the cases were not reported to the police for fear of reprisal by Evans and his deadly gang.
two at the spot while one other died before they fled,” police sources explained. INVESTIGATIONS STALLED Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident commenced immediately after the attack. Policemen at the Area E, Command, Festac, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred made little progress in unearthing the true motive behind the attack. Thereafter, the case was hurriedly transferred to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FEDSARS, Adeniji Adele, Lagos, amid allegations of interference and cover-ups. HOW THEY SHIFTED BASE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY Crime Guard gathered that reasonable progress was made at the FEDARS in taking out the gang behind the kidnapping but they also
Police sources described Evans as the most notorious kidnapper operating in Lagos at the moment, stating that he has over 20 boys working for him in Lagos alone
EVANS, THE SUPPER RICH KIDNAPPER AND HIS STRATEGY Police sources described Evans as the most notorious kidnapper operating in Lagos at the moment, stating that he has over 20 boys working for him in Lagos alone. The source added that Evans could easily pick out his targets as he is very rich with properties in choice areas in Lagos. “He displays lots of wealth. He has properties in Lekki and Ajah and he drives expensive cars around town making it possible for him to blend easily with the rich in the society. When he picks out a victim, he sends a team to monitor the movement of that victim. When he thinks it’s ripe for him to strike, he would deploy another team to
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—45
attack and kidnap his victim. After carrying out their operation, they usually blindfold their victims after which they are taken to unknown destinations within the state where they are detained and ransoms are demanded before their release. After their freedom, the victims are warned never to alert the police or members of their families would be attacked. At the moment, no one knows Evans whereabouts because he has plenty of cash and can easily move in and out of the country,” police sources hinted. CONFESSIONS GALORE BY SUSPECTS The suspects identified as Victor Anamalechi, Nnamdi John and Chukwuma Kingsley are currently helping the operatives in their investigation. One of them,Chukwuma Kingsley,34, a native of Isele-Ukwu in Delta State, who was arrested recently, in connection with the kidnap of two oil moguls in Lagos state, Chief Idowu Coker, the Director of Dapsey Oil, who paid N20 million ransom and Alhaji Fashola Hammed, who was rescued from the kidnappers den without ‘paying ransom, confessed to Crime Guard how he became a criminal. According to him “I ventured into crime in 2012 after I lost my job at the company where I worked as a security man. I am married with four children. I travelled to Indonesia with the little money I saved from my salary. When I got there, I fell ill and I returned back to the country. Things became very difficult for me and my family. While I was searching for help, I met one Ike, who was an old friend and I asked for assistance. He told me that he was into car vandalism and I could join him if I had the gut. For the fact that I could barely fend for my wife and four children, I decided to join him. We did a couple of jobs together. ATTACK ON FILLING STATIONS Later, some of his friends who specialised in petrol station burglary invited me to join them. I followed them to raid a number of fillings stations on high ways and we stole a lot of money. When we attack a filling station at night, we will break into it, ransack the place and collect all the money and valuables we could lay our hands on. After a while, some filling stations started engaging the services of armed security men and this made our job difficult. Ike, Alhaji and Victor, who are the leaders of the gang provided the arms we used while Nnamdi John, brought two Ak 47 rifles and some police uniforms to us. ‘’We would disguise as policemen on duty and when we get to a filling station with armed guard, we will arrest the security, tire him up and rob the place. The money we were making from that operation became too small for us. Victor then suggested that we should start robbing ATM and fast food joints. Our first ATM and fast
Shocking exploits of notorious kidnap/robbery gang food robbery was in Ogun State . We realised N400,000 from the operation. The second operation was at a bank in Okene in Kogi State, but while we were trying to open the vault of the ATM, our burner got spoilt and we stopped working and returned back to Lagos. Before we attack any bank, a member of our gang will survey the place to make sure that there are no armed policemen on guard at the bank. If the place is clear, we will strike. Our most lucrative operation then was in a bank in Ogun state where we found over N 15 million from the ATM vault and later we robbed a filling station and collected N3.5million, which was their sales for the weekend. I bought a car with my share of the loot, but days after that operation, we had a problem. We attempted to rob an ATM in Ogun State, but there were lots of vigilante men around the area, then we decided to abort the operation and returned to Lagos. POLICE AMBUSH AT IGANDO AND DISBANDMENT ‘’We drove in through Abeokuta Road and when we got to Ibah on LASU-Igando Road, some policemen accosted us and we ran in different directions for safety but I abandoned my car. After that incident, we disbanded the group for fear of being arrested. Ike travelled out of the country, Victor who had a shop in Alaba International Market went back to his business, while I became a taxi driver. Nnamdi lives in Ikotun and also has a shop at Alaba International Market. We were still hanging out regularly. We normally meet in hotels and local bars. A day after the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors was attacked, I tried reaching Nnamdi through his cell phone but his line was not connecting. I didn’t know that he took part in that operation but I was only calling him so that we would hang out. I tried for four days, his line didn’t connect but on the fifth day, he called and asked that we should meet in one of the hotels around our area. STORY OF ESCAPE FROM YOUNG SHALL GROW OPERATION When we met, he told me that he was lucky to be alive. I asked him what happened. He told me that he was part of the gang that attacked the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors. I was surprised because we were not into kidnapping and he also didn’t discourse such plan with me. He then explained that one of his friends called Sudo, who is based in Ghana, linked him to the gang and they wanted to use his AK 47 rifles for the operation. He said he met the gang which includes; Hutch-Man, Evans, Acko and one other he did not know his name in Igando and they planned how to carry out the attack. He later explained that Evans didn’t tell him that there would be an exchange of gunfire and he was
not prepared. He said they accosted the man with their black Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, and they shot at the vehicle carrying the man but some policemen following him shot back at them and killed Hutch-Man and Acko at the spot. According to him, they also shot at their SUV as they made to escape and the bullet hit the unidentified man in their vehicle. He told me that he drove the vehicle and the body of the dead man to the hotel where they planned the operation in Igando and left the dead body for Evans to take care of. UNMASKING THE KINGPIN, EVANS There and then, I advised him to be careful while dealing with Evans because Evans is a dangerous criminal. We once lived in the same building 14 years ago and he was a notorious drug baron. At a time, we forced our landlord to evict him from our building because we were scared he could get us into trouble. After that discussion, he told me that he was going to leave the country to avoid being arrested by the police. But few months later, I learnt he was arrested for truck diversion and was taken to prison. THEN EVANS CALLED..... ‘’I was still doing my taxi job and making little money from it. Then, suddenly, I received a call from Evans. I was surprised he had my phone number and he asked if I had a car, I told him I didn’t and he asked if I could get someone I trusted who could do a job for him, I said yes. Ike was in the country then and he was driving a Toyota Sienna space bus. I took him to Evans and we met at Festac Town. He told us to trail a car for him and he would pay us N3 million. We agreed and he said we should wait for his call. Two weeks later, he called and said we should drive down to Trade Fair Complex, wait under the bridge and look out for a car. He gave us the registration number and colour of the car. He also gave our numbers to somebody who would call and tell us when our target will leave his shop.” FORMATION OF NEW GANG AND ALIMOSHSO RAID Ike got angry because that wasn’t the agreement. He told me that Evans collected N15million as ransom. Ike started calling him and he stopped picking his calls and changed his number. Ike went back to Ghana and I went back to my business. One month later, Ike called me and said he has concluded plans to form his own kidnap gang. He said he has found someone who has contacts of rich people we could kidnap within Alimoshun area. We met at Igando and he told me that he has also rented an apartment which we will use as our den. Our first victim was Dabsy. I did the surveillance while Ike and two other boys carried out the operation. The man was kept in our den and we demanded a ransom of N30million. He paid N20milliom. We collected the ransom at Governors Road, Ikotun and I got N3million as my share. I bought a Toyota Camry with my share and used the remaining to take care of
myself. Few weeks later, the guy who gave us the information of our first victim brought another job. The victim this time is called Alhaji Fashola. I waited for him at Isheri roundabout and when I sighted him, I contacted Ike and doubled crossed him in traffic and broke his wind screen with the butt of my gun and abducted him. We took him to our den but days later, SARS operatives stormed the house, rescued him and arrested me. Ike managed to escape,” he narrated.
Before we attack any bank, a member of our gang will survey the place to make sure that there are no armed policemen on guard at the bank
ANOTHER SUSPECT OPENS UP The third suspect,Nnamdi John, 35,a native of Abia State in his confessions said he got his two Ak47 rifles from his friend who was killed in Kano State during a robbery operation. “I came to Lagos in 2006 from Okene, Kogi State. I was brought in by a man who was selling used television sets in Okene. I came to Lagos with N90,000 and I was selling used phones at Alaba International market. After a while, I ventured into musical instruments with the money I made from selling used phones. I rented a shop and things were moving fine for me. In 2011, I met one guy known as Okute at a drinking spot in Ojo and he was spending so much money. We became friends and he gave me his car to keep for him. He would call me some time to bring the car when ever he needed it and when he is through with the car, he will return it to me and dash me N50,000. I didn’t know what he was doing with the car until one day when the car had a flat tire and I went to fix it. He saw me and was very upset. I was surprised why he was so upset with me over a minor issue. CAR AS AMOURY Then he told me that he has guns inside the car and nobody must know about it. One month after that incident, he called and said that he wanted to travel to Kano State. That was the last time I heard from him. Later, news came in that members of his gang went for an operation in Kano and he was gunned down. One of his friends who knew that the guns were in the car contacted me and said I could make money with the guns. He brought a job at Alakija where we got N90 million. My share from that operation was N59 million. I built a house and bought a Sports Utility Vehicle with part of the money. I then invested the remaining into my business and travelled to Japan and started importing musical instruments. People were surprised by my sudden wealth but they didn’t know how I made it. The first set of importations I did went well but the last one didn’t go well. There were lots of debts so,I stopped importing. Later on, my business folded up and I went back into robbery. I joined Kingsley and his gang and we raided banks, filling Stations and ATM. Subsequently, I met Evans and we attempted to kidnap the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors. That operation was so bloody and I decided never to venture into kidnapping again,”he stated.
46—SATURDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 28, 2015
juliecoker100@yahoo.com
My marriage is suffering Dear Julie, I have been having a lot of trouble with my husband. It’s not necessarily trouble, but I’ve been unhappy for a long time. Lately, nothing seems good between us anymore. He doesn’t want to do anything. Our anniversary came and went without a card. So did Mother’s Day and my birthday. We haven’t exchanged a hug
or a kiss in I don’t know how long, and sex between us doesn’t even exist. What am I going to do? Please help. Funmilayo, Lagos Dear Funmilayo, Being unhappy is trouble. Ups and downs are a natural aspect of all relationships, especially long-term relationships where some of the flash and dazzle subdues into
the more sustained benefits like steadiness, trust, and reliability. But that certainly doesn’t mean you should live without happiness or the physical intimacies and affectionate gestures that can make love such a pleasure. Rather than speculating about what may be going on with your husband, talking openly about your concerns could help clear the air. Have you told your husband how you’re feeling? Have you asked him why he isn’t interested in doing things together, acknowledging important dates, and why his lust seems to have faded? He may be under unusual pressure at work, having a physical problem that he’s not discussing, or experiencing a host of other challenging, embarrassing, or painful issues. Asking him what he’s feeling, how he’s experiencing the relationship, and then sharing your side of things might help you two come to a new understanding of the state of your marriage, and decide on a course of action to make things better. Remember to try not to attack or accuse him, but to discuss
Should I have this fling? Aunty Julie, I am sexually attracted to a man at work and I’m married. The attraction is so strong and I must confirm the feeling is mutual. It has been difficult holding myself from him but he gave me occasional brushes that set my body on fire. I have had consultations with friends who advised me to save myself from future embarrassment by sticking to my man. I have acted on this, but need advice. Teena, Port-Harcourt Dear Teena, I’ll presume that you want my opinion on whether you should continue this workplace dalliance. Alas, sexual attraction in the workplace is readily combustible and often hard to resist or extinguish once the fires start raging. Based on my work over the years as a therapist, let me highlight a few givens: these treats, especially when prolonged, rarely stay, neat, sweet and discrete and secondly, the married partner, despite assurances to the contrary, rarely leaves his or her spouse as guilt eventually becomes a disruptive third party making the rendezvous increasingly conflicted; neither lover is absolutely immune, whether married or single, and the married member is often acting out his or her anger toward the spouse with an affair; usually it’s better to confront the problems in your marriage, decide if you can or cannot make the marriage work and start over, sadder and wiser, in your marriage or on your own . Two examples come to mind. The first, a year long affair between a working-class bank teller and a bank executive. The teller had left her and his kids because of his
emotional neglect. The two separated but did not divorce. The executive continued to live with his wife. This relationship provided the teller a little tenderness which had been lacking much of her life. Eventually, missing the connection with his children, some improved communication with her husband, and having
healed some childhood and marital wounds with the affair, the teller and her husband reunited. The affair ended without significant problem. On the other hand, the second is a cautionary cybertale of two married couples. Our protagonists are a man and a woman, both in their 40s, both unhappy in their respective marriages. They meet on the
diplomatically how you’ve been acting towards each other. Find a time when you can sit down quietly and calmly to talk about some of these things. You might want to start off by preparing your husband for a serious conversation. Some examples of relatively easy ways to start a conversation like this might be, “I love you and our marriage is really important to me, so I want to talk to you about some things I’ve noticed.” Or, “Would you be willing to talk with me about some things that have been hard for me recently?” Often, acknowledging that a problem exists is a first major step towards solving it. You sound like you’re aware of aspects of your relationship you’d like to change, and that is a great place to begin. Sharing your feelings with your husband, and trying to come up with ways to create those changes can lead to a revitalized marriage with renewed sexiness, thoughtfulness, and affection.
Internet and soon progress to real life trysts during the man’s business travels. The woman’s husband eventually senses a problem. He acknowledges that his insensitive and selfish ways have catalyzed his wife’s wandering. When he starts showing her more attentiveness and caring, the wife feels obligated to try to work things out with her husband. She fairly abruptly breaks off the extramarital liaison. How did I know? Because the father of the man calls in a most anxious state. His son is near suicidal; the father pleads for me to intervene.
I love sex but I don’t want anything serious Dear Julie, I am a woman of 28 and have gone through a lot in life to build myself. I am a working student and I train myself. Basically, I don’t have time for any relationship and because of that, I have hurt a lot of people. You have so much information and advice for those who want to start, maintain, or end a relationship; but then there are people like me. In fact, I have no desire to be in a relationship with anyone. Sometimes I work two jobs, and I like hanging out with my friends and family when I do have spare time. I’m not interested in the feelings, emotions, and time it takes to be in a relationship. I’ll have sex with anyone before I even think about holding their hand. Then afterward, the guy will usually end up getting his feelings hurt because I don’t want to date him. Is there anything strange or unhealthy about this? I know I look good but that is that. I don’t have time for love. Omoni, Benin City Dear Omoni, Some people love to pair off like lovebirds while others like to fly solo. There’s nothing wrong with savouring your independence, as long as you are honest with yourself and your partners about what you want and don’t want out of each connection, sexually and
The Perfect Husband Several men are sitting around in the locker room of a private club after exercising, when suddenly a cell phone sitting on the bench rings. One of the men picks it up, and the following conversation ensues: “Hello?” “Honey, it’s me. Are you at the club?” “Yes.” “Great! I’m at the mall two blocks from where you are. I just saw a beautiful mink coat. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Can I buy it?” “What’s the price?” “Only $1,500.00.” “Okay, but for that price I want it with all the extras.” “Great! But before we hang up, there’s something else…” “Yes?” “It might seem like a lot, but I was reconciling your bank account
otherwise. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what shape your relationships will take. But you must also understand the place of culture in relationships especially in this part of the world. People are naturally social beings, and we spend a great deal of our time interacting with others. Sharing life’s ups and downs with friends and family can bring a sense of closeness and fulfillment that can’t be found in your professional or academic life. Likewise, some people enjoy romantic relationships for companionship, commitment, and physical and emotional intimacy. Other people partner up out of fear of being alone or pressure to “settle down.” As you implied, society often puts a premium on romantic relationships. From age-old love stories to reality dating shows, pairing is portrayed as the romantic ideal. In our culture, marriage is a strong form of “social glue” that binds together individuals, families, and communities. However, there are many other expressions of love and togetherness that don’t require you to tie the knot. To begin, it may be helpful to sort out your feelings, values, and desires related to sexuality and relationships. For example, are you satisfied with your current social scene, or do you to
C O C K - T A L E S and…I stopped by the real estate agent this morning and saw the house we looked at last year is on sale! Remember? The one with a pool, English garden, an acre of park area, beachfront property…” “How much are they asking?” “Only $450,000…a magnificent price…and I see that we have that much in the bank…” “Well, then, go ahead and buy it, but only bid $420,000. Okay?” “Okay, sweetie…Thanks! I’ll see you later! I love you!” “Bye…” The man hangs up, closes the phone flap, and yells, “Hey, does anybody know whose phone this is?” Three Old Ladies
want make more time for friends or dating? Do you wish you had a “special someone” or are you truly happy on your own? And lastly, what’s your take on sex without commitment? Do you feel comfortable getting it on and then heading out, or would you prefer to get to know each other a bit more, before and/or after? There are no right or wrong answers here, so go with what feels best for you. The tricky part is that everyone brings their own preferences to the dinner table and the bedroom. As you’ve experienced, it can cause discomfort and hurt feelings when, after a roll in the hay, your sexy someone wants to take you out on a date and you’d rather part ways. Since there’s no way to predict how your partner may feel, perhaps you could try being more upfront about your intentions. For example, before things really heat up, you could say something like, “I’m not looking for a relationship, but I’d still like to have some fun together.” Put into your own words, that warning gives your partner a fair heads-up about where you’d like the experience to go. All that being said, one-nightstand or even steady commitments is easier said than done. Even a short fling requires some amount of time and effort, and it’s likely that emotions will come into play at one point or another.
Three old ladies are sitting in a cafe, chatting about various things. One lady says, “You know, I’m getting really forgetful. This morning, I was standing at the top of the stairs, and I couldn’t remember whether I had just come up or was about to go down.” The second lady says, “You think that’s bad? The other day, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, and I couldn’t remember whether I was going to bed or had just woken up!” The third lady smiles smugly, “Well, my memory’s just as good as it’s always been, knock on wood,” she says as she raps on the table. Then with a startled look on her face, she asks, “Who’s there?”
SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA
Vanguard, MARCH 28 28,, 2015—47
bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
Yon can be healthy with less than an 8-hour sleep everyday I
T’S been tagged the most amazing remedy—sleep. Scientific findings tell you it helps you live longer and boosts your immune system. It puts you in a great mood, reduces your risk of everything from heart disease to diabetes— and it’s completely free. It has no side-effects and is available to everyone. “Taking steps to get a better night’s sleep could be the most important decision you would ever make,” says an expert, “Maybe you live with a world champion snorer or a sheet hogger; perhaps you toss and turn until the wee hours. Now is the time to get things sorted out, because recent research has found that the right amount of sleep can have an enormous effect on your long-term health -— not just on how you feel the next mor ning. According to a sleep expert, Dr. Neil Stanley: “A good night’s sleep every night is just as important as diet and exercise. If you get a poor diet every day, that has a long-term consequences. Exactly the same is true of sleep, but these days we know that it’s not just a matter of getting eight hours sleep. Avoiding health risks is about getting the right amount of sleep for you. Having less sleep than you need —or more —- is the problem.” Back in the 1990s a team of American researchers studied
listening to a CD of whale sounds will somehow magically give you a solid 12 hours of sleep from now on, you could make the biggest and best lifestyle change ever —- and all you need to do is lie still and relax. You don’t need eight hours:- Worried because you’re not getting the amount of sleep your mum insisted on? Don’t panic, says Dr. Stanley. “The media says everyone needs eight hours, but that’s just not true. The amount of sleep people require varies a great deal —- it can be from three to 1 1 hours, though most of us find that we need seven to eight hours.
Sleep is the most selfish thing you can do.
,
the sleep patterns of 459 female subjects aged between 50 and 81. Then they tracked them down 14 years later to see how many of them were still in good health. They found out that those who slept for five to six and a half hours a night had the best survival rate. Those who had less than five hours sleep or more than six and a half hours had the worst. The lesson? Too little sleep won’t increase your life’s span —- but neither will too much. The expert advises it’s time to throw out everything you thought you knew about sleep —- that you need eight hours every single night just to function; that those who need more sleep are lazy or boring; and that sticking a lavender bag under your pillow or
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If you’re a three -hour-a night person and you believe the hype and try to get eight, you’ll be spending five hours a night trying to have something you’re never going to get. If you’re only getting eight, you are profoundly sleepdeprived. So how do you work out the amount of sleep that’s right for you? “Scientifically,” says Dr. Stanley; it is very complex to work out your actual biological sleep need. But there’s a simple technique —- do you feel awake during the day? If you do, you’re getting enough sleep. If you don’t, you’re not,” Dr. Stanley then tries
to punch holes in some sleep myths: Bin the lavender and ditch the carmomile:- We all know the standard advice for getting a good night’s sleep—Milky hot drinks, herbal preparations such as chamomile tea, lavender pillows, and getting rid of the TV in the bedroom. But Dr. Stanley says there’s only one thing that will work; being relaxed in mind and body. And how you achieve that state is up to you. “I hate the taste of chamomile,” he says, “I don’t like the smell of lavender, and listening to relaxing whale music just make me laugh, I’ve heard people eating bananas late at night because they’re supposed to help you sleep, or that a milky drink helps you. Well, milk, bananas, turkey and
bread all contain tryptophan, a chemical that helps your body produce melatonin, a hormone that tells your body it is night time. But there is no evidence whatsoever that eating a small amount of tryptophan will help you sleep. The value of making a milky drink is that it’s a wind-down ritual —- nobody ever did the vacuuming while boiling up some milk. You need to find your own ritual that helps you and nothing should be off limits. If having the TV on when you go to sleep helps you, that’s fine.” Sleep is sexy —”Let’s face it,” says Stanley. “In today’s 24hour society, sleeping is not regarded as a valuable way to spend your time. Margaret Thatcher famously only got four hours a night —- and this is somehow good? There’s no implication that getting a good night’s sleep is a desirable, sexy thing. It’s negative. I personally need nine and a half hours’ sleep, I go to bed at nine every night and get up at half past six. If you stand up and say that in front of an audience, they look at you as though you’re a friendless boring person. But if you say you eat your five-a-day or do your 10,000 steps, they all applaud and say, ‘Well done!’ We need to change the way we think about sleep, it’s been scientifically proved that getting the right amount of sleep won’t just make you feel better—it’s great for your skin and can even help you diet successfully.”
Be a selfish sleeper: fed up with your snoring partner? You’re not alone. A new survey discovered that one in four couples sleep in separate beds because one of them has an ‘unbearable’ night-time habit —-and snoring was top on the list. Another problem which affected six out of 10 couples, was hugging the duvet, followed by restlessness. According to Dr. Stanley: “A standard double bed is 4ft 6in wide. A standard child’s single bed is 3ft wide, so each of you sharing a double bed has nine inches less to sleep in than a child has! And when you’re both snoring and dreaming and hogging the duvet, no wonder you’re not sleeping well. Of course some people like the feeling of safety and security that cosleeping brings. But separate beds or bedrooms shouldn’t be off limits as a discussion. A lot of people say they Danish’ their partners to the back bedroom. Well, my wife and I don’t sleep together —she has her own bedroom. But she’s not ‘banished’. That’s where she goes to sleep. It’s perfectly possible to have your own sleeping space and still have your intimacy. But sleep is the most selfish thing you can do. You can’t share your sleep with anyone. So don’t be scared of sleeping separately.”
Could cure for that impotence be as simple as this ? this?
S
ome 15 years into their marriage, Sina discovered he’d lost all interest in lovemaking. “At first I thought it would be temporary”, he confessed, “but when my wife threatened to leave after years of being sexually frustrated, I decided to do something about it. So the next time I travelled, I complained to my doctor who referred me to a clinic dealing with psychosexual problems. After a few
questions, the therapist at the clinic told me: ‘I think your testosterone level may be low. That would be an explanation for your lack of energy and poor sex drive. “Blood tests were then taken. The results, which came a month later, confirmed I had a hormone imbalance. A normal testosterone level is around 20. Mine was nine. “I was relieved when he assured me my problem was treatable. I was then given a
hormone gel to rub between my shoulders. It’s absorbed through the skin and within two weeks of smearing it in, I was like a floppy toy with new batteries —-I came to life with renewed zip and vigour. “I was virtually unstoppable—- and I’m still going strong after two years.” Which buttress the point I’ve always made that no one should be afraid to seek medical help no matter how trivial they think their ailment is.
48—SATURDAY
Vanguard , MARCH 28, 2015
YETUNDE AREBI
mother ’s wrapper and dancing to her tunes in almost all things. She said his mother had over pampered him and turned him into a girl. She said that after reading the responses of readers from all over the world on their problem, she was now convinced that she was not the one with the problem but her husband of three years (at the time) who had refused to grow up and live up to his responsibilities.
Vibrator wife: the way the cookie crumbles Hi!
A
few days ago, I received a call from “Worried guy”. It was simply to inform me that his wife has packed out of their matrimonial home after four years of marriage. I was not sure if I felt relieved or sad by the news. I had seen it coming for a while now but kept hoping that things would not degenerate to such a level. In the last couple of months, a series of developments had taken place that had caused me to think that a separation, even if temporary, might help douse all the tension in their home. For regular readers of this page, worried guy needs very little introduction. He is the guy who brought about most of the frenetic discussions about sex toys on the Nigerian internet discussion groups when he reported catching his wife with a vibrator on their matrimonial bed. Hundreds of responses were sent in by readers to help counsel him, some quite informative and educative, some rather stiff in the typical Nigerian style laced with hypocrisy and religion, while others were simply hilarious! The messages still running in hundreds have remained inexhaustible due to space constraints. Let me briefly refresh our memory on worried guy and his wife. Worried guy is a young banker, with a budding career and typical young born again Christian. He is married to a young lady, a teacher with a similar background in Christianity. At least, so it seemed until he came home early one evening to find her masturbating on their bed with a vibrator. Naturally, she denied ownership and insisted she was only trying to experiment with it, after a discussion on its usage with some female friends. And though she pleaded and promised not to engage in such a debasing unchristianlike action again, he caught her with it a second and third time. It was only after this that she C M Y K
confessed to being the owner of the sex toy and that she could not do without it as it has become her best friend. She thereafter revealed that she was not enjoying their sex life and since all her subtle attempts to let him see things differently had failed, she had no choice but to help herself out. She wanted her husband to look the other way if he could not partake in her pleasure game, insisting that it had nothing to do with their marriage and cannot have any negative effect on it. Naturally, it would be a bit difficult to find a guy who would pretend that its business as usual, after such a discovery. Which was where this platform came in. At the time, he did not want to share his discovery with his mother, insisting that it might mean the end of the marriage. At the same time, talking to their pastor meant that the whole church congregation might hear about it, making them the butt of jokes, as had been the case for some couples who had reported their matrimonial problems to some elders in their church. He wanted readers to assist them as he felt safer his identity would remain anonymous. Interestingly, responses to worried guy’s story were huge, in fact, I still receive messages and demands for update on the story almost on a weekly basis. In counselling worried guy I had to meet the woman at the centre of it all. Madam had a lot to say in defence of her actions too. She insisted that worried guy had no time for her. Had very little knowledge about sex and did not show any sign of interest in changing his views and approach to the issue. She accused him of refusing to grow up and still hanging on to his
She thereafter revealed that she was not enjoying their sex life and since all her subtle attempts to let him see things differently had failed, she had no choice but to help herself out
Hmm! I must confess that it was a tough one for me indeed. We were arrived at some possible solutions. Wifey must find something very useful to do with all the spare time on her hands, such as taking up a hobby, vocation or getting her Master’s degree. Worried guy must make a very concerted effort to change from his old ways, such as climbing down from his very high horse of sexual morality and ignorance; be a husband and not a baby brother; especially desisting from falling asleep over meals and having his wife wash his hands and put him to bed, while also improving his physical well-being and fitness as well as broadening his knowledge on sex and related matters. However, as with all counselling processes, the most important aspect is the resolve of the subjects to take decisions and implement steps to actualise proffered solutions to the problems. The buck would always end with them. Which is what has now happened. Shortly after the Christmas holidays, worried guy, unable to deal with all the issues surrounding their marriage and sex life, in a moment of weakness, divulged his wife’s secret to his dotting mother. Alarmed that such a “sinful and wayward act” could be going on in her son’s life, she refused to listen to any entreaties, stormed the flat and confronted the wife. Worried guy’s sisters were briefed and they naturally supported their mother. The wife’s parents were informed and when all pleadings fell on deaf ears, they informed the church. Eventually, a big scandal that could have been avoided as it was already being managed, finally erupted. Worried guy’s mother is insisting that a “common prostitute who had aborted all her children” would not remain in her innocent son’s house, wasting his time and money. Recall that their four years marriage has remained childless. Yours truly received some flacks too from this angry mother, and so did the several hundreds who advised worried guy to bear his cross and manage the situation as his wife was a good woman. After all, she could have sought her satisfaction in some other men’s arms. I am still convinced that we could not have all been wrong on this matter. It is just the motherly love and instinct to protect her only son that has overwhelmed her. Perhaps, in another few weeks or months, she may review the situation and change her mind. The separation might also be an opportunity for wifey to review her action, resolve in her mind to desist from succumbing to the lure of the flesh and find the will power to do so. This might be the important key to saving this marriage or any other marriage she might contract in future. But for now, that’s the way the cookies crumble, as the saying goes. Do have a wonderful weekend! Remember that you may reach me via e mail address yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk or inthesunlovezone@yahoo.com if you wish to counsel worried guy in this new development, or share your views/opinions on any other issue raised on this page. Will be glad to read from you. cheers!
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—49 BY LAJU IREN 07017860213 ELLEJAYMEDIA@YAHOO.CO.UK
ABU students unveil ‘Made in Nigeria’ car
CAMPUS GISTS
Stories by LAJU IREN
What we expect from the next President—Students BY LAJU IREN, MAXMILLAN ANOSIKE & DAMILOLA AKINGBADE
T
oday is Election Day. Today, Nigerians will decide who will be at helm of the nation’s affairs for the next four years. Nigerian youths, who form a major part of the nation’s population, are a great determinant in the outcome of the elections. Although for now, no one can say for sure whether President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, or General Muhammadu Buhari will win the elections, Saturday School Life, SSL, sought the views of Nigerian students to find out what they expect from the next President as well as whether they will play an active role in deciding who he will be. While some seemed very enthusiastic about their preferred candidate, others opted to stay home and enjoy the day. Julius Amaike falls in the former category, he told our reporters that he was not ready to stay at home and expect things to change in this country. His words: ‘‘I am going to vote because it is my right and also my vote will determine the fate of the country and I know that the person I have in mind will be able to make more changes. If not due to the security challenges in the country I would have loved to be at the polling unit till the votes are counted but since I can’t do that, I would rather go home and wait to hear the outcome on television. My expectations for the next President is on youth empowerment and a better life for the less privileged.’’ Evans Atulomah is also leaving nothing to chance. He said: ‘‘I am definitely going to vote because this is another chance for us as citizens of this country to take our destinies into our own
hands. I will definitely take advantage of this right. After I cast my vote, I will be there till all the votes are counted. Unfortunately I don’t have car, I would have followed the officials of the Independent National Electoral Committee, INEC and stayed there until the winner is announced.’’ Onu Prisca, who studies in the eastern part of the country is undecided about a candidate, and as a result, will stay home today. She told our reporters: ‘‘ I am not going to vote because I don’t have any candidate in mind. On the day of the elections, movement is quite restricted, so I’ll just stay home and follow the news.’’ She however has demands on whoever wins the race. Her words: ‘‘Whoever becomes President must be someone who will not leave the people behind, and be able to defend the country in any circumstance. Olalere Adeola, another student who attends a tertiary institution in the South West, says that he has been disenfranchised because he was unable to collect his Permanent Voters Card, PVC. He however looks on the bright side and adds: ‘‘At least, I will be at home to get some rest rather than be under the sun stressing myself. In the end, whoever God has confirmed will take over. I just pray that whoever it is has the interest of the masses at heart. Taire Odafe-Bernd is yet another university student who is not voting. She says she would have loved to, but could not get her voters card because she was out of town during registration. Although she has a preferred candidate in mind, she says her plans are ‘‘to watch movies all day, and listen for the results later.’’
Schools vacate for elections
Although it was not mandated by the Government, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions around the country are currently on holidays in the wake of the 2015 elections beginning today. Stakeholders who spoke to Saturday School Life, SSL, said that although they are hopeful for a serene environment during and after the elections, it is in the best interest of students to stay home.
ABU students unveil ‘Made in Nigeria’ car The students of Mechanical Engineering Department of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, over the weekend, unveiled an energy efficient and environment friendly “Made in Nigeria car”. According to University authorities, the car is expected to use one gallon of fuel to cover 100km. The Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Dr Mohammed Dauda, told newsmen after a demonstration drive around the campus that the car would participate in the Shell Eco Marathon Competition in Netherlands later in the year.
SCHOOL CRACKS Isaac Newton Physics Teacher: “Isaac Newton was sitting under a tree when an apple fell on his head and he discovered gravity. Isn’t that wonderful?” Student: “Yes sir, if he had been sitting in class looking at books like us, he wouldn’t have discovered anything.” God is watching The students were lined up in the cafeteria for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: “Take only ONE. God is watching.” Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, “Take all you want. God is watching the apples.” Go slow Teacher: “Why are you late, Joseph?” Joseph: “Because of a sign down the road.” Teacher: “What does a sign have to do with you being late?” Joseph: “The sign said, ‘School Ahead, Go Slow!'”
50—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
•Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu
•General Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida Continues from page 20 Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who at that time were no longer premiers of their regions, participated in that election. A distinguishing aspect of that exercise was that the inability of the NPC to win the required seats, prevented the party from forming the government alone, hence, the formation of a coalition of political parties. The parties involved in that arrangement were the NPC, NCNC and NEPU. While the NPC produced the Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar TafawaBalewa, NCNC had the ceremonial President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The Action Group became the opposition party and kept the government on its toes.
196 4/65: 964/65: Wild wild West
At the end of the first term of the First Republic, another election was scheduled to hold on December 30, 1964. The opposition of the AG elicited response from the central government. The ruling coalition also had internal disagreements. And as a result of massive boycott in some parts of Western, Midwestern and Eastern regions, the elections were not held until March 18, 1965. It was an election that took the country to the brink and even kickstarted the crisis that eventually snowballed into the 30-month Nigeria/Biafra war. The participating parties were the NPC,NCNC, Action Group, Northern Progressive Front, Midwest Democratic Front, Dynamic Party, Republican Party, Socialist Workers
•Alhaji Shehu Shagari
•Alhaji Bashir Tofa and Farmers Party, Niger Delta Congress and Independents. The outcome was a victory for the NPC which won 162 of the 312 seats in the House of Representatives, while the NNA alliance had a total of 198 seats. Given that the election was reportedly marked by high incidence of manipulation and violence, the crisis surrounding the disputed result was among the reasons adduced by late Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu for toppling Balewa’s government. The crisis started in the Western region leading to wanton destruction of lives and property in what came to be known as the ‘ wild wild West’ and ‘operation we-tie.’ The country did not recover from the mayhem and it became one of the reasons some young military hotheads cited for staging the first coup of January 15, 1966, which in turn led to the July 1966 second coup, further instability and massive killings in the North and eventually the civil war when the Eastern Region seceded to form the Republic of Biafra. The zenith of the crises was the 30-month civil war of 196770 during which about two million lives were wasted.
1979: The 112 2 two-third imbroglio
After the civil war, the General Yakubu Gowon military government promised to hand-over to civilians in 1976. However, in 1975 he said the transition to civil rule was no longer feasible. The comment led to the General Murtala Mohammed coup. Murtala was killed about six months later on February 13, 1976 and his successor, General Olusegun
•Aminu Kanu
•Chief Moshood Abiola Obasanjo promised to continue with the 1979 hand-over date. Upon the publishing of the 1979 draft constitution by the Constituent Assembly, the Olusegun Obasanjo regime lifted the ban on politics on September 21, 1978. It was a move that relaunched most First Republic politicians into the political scene. The parties that participated in that election were the National Party of Nigeria, NPN; Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN; Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP; Great Nigeria Peoples Party, GNPP; Nigeria Advanced Party, NAP; and Peoples Redemption Party, PRP. Presidential candidates that contested were Alhaji Shehu Shagari of NPN, Azikiwe of NPP, Obafemi Awolowo of UPN, Aminu Kanu of PRP and Adamu Waziri of GNPP. At the end of the election that was held on August 11, 1979, Shagari had 5,668,857 votes representing 33 percent of the total votes. Awolowo of the UPN scored 4,916,651 votes which was 29.18 percent of the total votes, while NPP’s Azikiwe scored 2,822, 523 votes representing 16.75 percent. PRP’s 1,732, 11 was 10.28 percent of the general votes while GNPP had 1,686, 489 which was 10.02 percent of the votes. The election result was disputed because of the argument that NPN did not meet the constitutional specification that the winner should have not only the majority of votes, but at least 25 percent of votes cast in two-third of the 19 states. Even though the controversy over the outcome of the polls was resolved by the Supreme Court, what constituted two-third of 19 states as stated in that judgement was still in Continues on page 51
Given that the election was reportedly marked by high incidence of manipulation and violence, the crisis surrounding the disputed result was among the reasons adduced by late Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu for toppling Balewa’s government
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—51
•General Muhammadu Buhari
*Sani Abacha
Continues from page 50 dispute.
1983: Moonslide vict or victor oryy
The 1983 election, which the opposition dismissed as massively rigged for the ruling NPN was indeed a walk over. President Shagari trounced his main opponents, Awolowo (UPN) and Azikiwe (NPP) with a very wide margin that the NPN dubbed its victory as ‘moon slide.’ The military thereafter seized power again. Buhari emerged Head of State and in another coup, General Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida overthrew him and became Nigeria’s first military President. His planned transition to democracy appeared long.
1993: FFrees rees reestt and fairest election
Regarded as a watershed in Nigeria’s political history, the June 12, 1993 election was the first election since the December 31 1983 toppling of the Shagari Administration by the Major General Muhammadu Buhari military coup. Supervised by the defunct National Electoral Commission, NEC, under the leadership of Prof Humphrey Nwosu, only two parties, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and National Republican Convention, NRC, participated.
•Chief Ernest Shonekan
•Olusegun Obasanjo
While Chief Moshood Abiola flew the flag of SDP, Alhaji Bashir Tofa represented the NRC. In a keenly contested election in which Nigerians shunned ethnic and religious sentiments, Abiola was on the way to winning the polls with eight million votes while Tofa had about six million when the General Ibrahim Babangida military regime stopped further announcement of results and annulled the election. The five-year crisis emanating from the annulment of the election took the nation to the brink. Babangida had to step aside from power and handed over to an interim government headed by Abiola’s kinsman, Chief Ernest Shonekan, who was pushed aside by General Sani Abacha, three months later. The June 12 elections recorded a number of firsts in the annals of electioneering in the country. It was the first time only two candidates ran the presidential race. It was also the first time that presidential candidates participated in a live television debate. It was an election that broke ethnic and religious barriers. The election was adjudged the most credible in Nigeria’s history. Today, the date of that election can pass for a memorial day, given the significance of the election in the nation’s political trajectory. A host of eminent Nigerians from all parts of the country especially the South-West sustained the struggle for the ‘actualisation of June 12.’ When Abacha died on June 8, 1998 and General Abdulsalami Abubakar
•Umara Yar'Ádua
•Abdulsalami Abubakar
took over, the head of state announced a short transition programme. Abiola was to die in detention on July 7, 1998. Within a space of one month, the country was on the journey to civil rule and reached her destination on May 29, 1999.
1999: Killing the ghost of June 12
Held on February 27, 1999, it was the last election to be conducted the military. The election ushered in the current civil rule after 16 years of military rule. The exercise was held under an atmosphere of uncertainty and high expectation. Following what was collectively considered as the need to address the injustice of annulling the June 12, 1993 polls and assuage the South-West geo-political zone, the Yoruba produced the two presidential candidates General Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae, who ran the race. The participating political parties were the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Alliance for Democracy/ All Peoples Party, AD/APP. With a voter turnout of 52 percent, the election was won by PDP’s Obasanjo, who had 62.78 percent of the votes with a total votes cast of 18, 738,144, while Falae of the AD/APP alliance had 11, 110,287 votes representing 37.22 percent of the total votes.
Continues on page 52
In a keenly contested election in which Nigerians shunned ethnic and religious sentiments, Abiola was on the way to winning the polls with eight million votes while Tofa had about six million when the General Ibrahim Babangida military regime stopped further announcement of results and annulled the election
52—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
• Polling agents getting instructions from British officials for Dec. 12 1959 elections in Lagos.
Continues from page 51
2003: All comer s’ comers’ af afff air
This election that was held on April 19, 2003 was the first to be organised by a civilian administration in 15 years. Unlike others before it, no fewer than 20 political parties fielded candidates. Obasanjo defeated his closest rival Gen Muhammadu Buhari with 24, 456,140 votes which was 61.94 percent of the total votes. However, the exercise was clouded by high rate of electoral fraud, making nearly all opposition parties to refuse recognizing the result.
200 7: Do-or -die 2007 Do-or-die election
The 2007 contest was the first time the nation experienced civilian to civilian transition. Doubts that the election may not hold were punctured by the May 16, 2006 rejection of Obasanjo’s alleged Third Term plot by the Senate. The Senate voted to block a constitutional amendment which would have allowed Obasanjo to serve more than two terms in office. With that, the stage was set for the transition which culminated into the
presidential election of April 21, 2007. One take-away of the election was Obasanjo’s comment that the exercise was a do-or-die affair for the PDP. Out of the 25 political parties that participated, the PDP’s Alhaji Umar Yar’Adua won the election with 24,638,063 votes. He got 69.60 percent of the total number of votes. Yar’Adua’s victory was trailed by so many credibility questions. Yar Ádua admitted that the elections were flawed and set up an electoral reform panel headed by Justice Muhammadu Uwais to hammer out solutions to the country’s perennial electoral challenges.
20 11: Breathe 201 of fresh air
For Nigerians, the 2011 election was the first time there was so much interest in the electoral process. Even though no fewer than 20 parties took part, the race was dominated by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and Buhari of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.Adjudged one of the most credible elections in Nigeria’s history, Jonathan won with 22,495,187 votes representing 58.89 per cent. His closest rival, Buhari scored 12,214,853 which was 31.98 percent of the total votes. Jonathan rode on the back of support from most parts of the
country, who opposed the manner he was being treated by a cabal in the seat of power before and after President Umaru Yar ’Adua’s death. However, before the election many northern leaders argued that the presidency should have been zoned to the North after eight years of Obasanjo from the South. Violence broke out in Bauchi and Kaduna after the polls and about 1000 persons including youth corpers on election duty were killed. And since then, the country has weathered a wave of insurgency and terrorism from the Boko Haram sect with over 13,000 lives lost. Boko Haram captured most towns of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states until the latest onslaught of the Armed forces with support from Niger, Chad and Cameroun. Giving the huge human and material costs of combating the insurgency, today’s election must not be a do-or-die affair. Those who will lose the election should not make the country ungovernable through violent change. The country will have credible and peaceful election if all the stakeholders do the needful in the interest of the country. The INEC and security agencies must be unbiased. Voters must come out to exercise their franchise and every vote must count. Elections have brought us problems in the past. May this not be so. May we not only say Amen to this but also ensure peace reigns.
The country will have credible and peaceful election if all the stakeholders do the needful in the interest of the country
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—53
LUTH made me a widower, Father of four cries out •Wants N50m compensation from hospital •A post-mortem will be performed to ascertain cause of her death — LUTH •Rights group kick
•Adeyemi Oduyoye
BY EBUN SESSOU “They have killed my wife, they have taken away my source of happiness.” Adeyemi Oduyoye, a printer, it was a monumental loss, in fact his greatest loss in life ever. The traumatic transition from husband to widower, from a co-parent to a single parent, caring for fourmonth old baby and three other children may compound the range of emotions for the rest of his life. Oduyoye says he lost his lovely wife in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, as a result of his inability to pay the N1.382, 700 hospital bill. Folake Oduyoye, 35, was admitted September 17 following complications from a caesarian section carried out on her in a private hospital. After a couple of weeks in LUTH, she was discharged but unable to go home because of her husband’s inability to pay the bill. She was detained and within the period developed other complications. Even as she battled another F
C M Y K
or
complication in the hospital, Saturday Vanguard gathered that she was not attended to on the excuse that she was yet to defray the initial medical bill. Her condition grew from bad to worse until she passed on 45 days after. Folake’s husband, Oduyoye narrated his story to Saturday Vanguard. “I don’t know where to start from. I demand justice for the death of my wife in the hands of the management of LUTH. My wife was a fashion designer. She was using the business to support the family. She was everything I got. LUTH must pay me N50 million as compensation for killing my wife,” he cried out. “Folake developed complications after she put to bed at Midas Touch Hospital, a private hospital in Aguda, Surulere, Lagos. She was referred to and admitted in LUTH. But, she died at LUTH, because she was abandoned by the management of the hospital. “At the time my wife needed medical support, I was financially crippled to pay the hospital bills and the management of LUTH
refused to treat her. They also refused to release her for me to go for treatment elsewhere. So, she died. “She delivered the baby through a Caesarean Session. Although the surgery was successful, it was discovered that she had infection (Posterior Reversible Encephelopathic Syndrome) a few days later. So, she was referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba, Lagos, on September 7, 2014, at Accident and Emergency, (A and E) Ward, where she was admitted. We paid for the tests conducted and bought drugs.” “Later, she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where she was treated for three days. She was later transferred to the theatre for surgery and we were told to pay N250 000. “We paid the N250 000 on September 10, 2014 before she was taken back to the ICU. We also paid for all the drugs prescribed for her. There were times I bought drugs worth N35,000 and N25,000 on a daily basis. I also paid for series of tests including X-ray and scan conducted. At other times I bought drugs worth between N8,000, N6,000 and N3,000. “She was kept in the ICU for 31 days. She was treated and was fine and was then transferred to Ward 4 where she spent two weeks. “She was discharged on October 31, 2014. She gave me the discharge letter and said I should go and pay at the blood bank. “Patients or their relatives were required to pay some money at the blood bank before they would be given any bill. At the blood bank, I was asked to pay N54,000 which I did.
I don’t know where to start from
“Before then, we had donated nine pints of blood by nine different people who were my family members. We were told by the management of LUTH that anyone who donated a pint of blood in LUTH would also pay N6,000 for screening of the blood. “I paid for the screening of those pints of blood. I was also told my wife was given nine pints of blood. We donated blood and paid for the screening. But, if you do not use the blood, you will still pay for screening. “I later went to the spillover department for clearance and later went to the Assessor and I was given a receipt of the hospital
Continues on pg 54
•Folake Oduyoye
54—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
Á post-mortem will be performed to ascertain cause of her death — LUTH'
which according to him amounted to N1.5 million. He stated that the family of the woman paid only N300, 000 and requested for a waiver of N1.2 million. “However, the condition of Oduyoye suddenly became poor and she died of pulmonic complications on Dec.13. A postmortem examination will be performed to ascertain cause of her death,” he said.
Continues from page 53 bill. They gave me a bill of N1, 382,700, regardless of all the money I already paid for drugs, tests and scan. “At that point, I went to the Acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr. Chris Bode for a waiver. At first, I did not see him but after several attempts I met him. “Surprisingly, when I saw him, he did not allow me to make my request. He asked if I wanted him to give me money. Without mincing words, “I told him about my ugly situation and I appealed for a waiver and structured payment to offset the balance monthly. I also told him how I paid N300 000 leaving a balance of N1, 082,700 to pay in installments. I even wrote a letter dated 11th November, 2014 to that effect. But instead of showing some compassion, he told me to go and pay the money and walked out on me. “I did not relent. I wrote another letter for “Bill Appeal” where I appreciated all the people who had helped in saving my wife. “I also pleaded for her to be discharged so as to be properly taken care of. At that time, I noticed that she had developed another health problem and nobody was attending to her any longer. “I gave a copy of the letter to the CMD’s Secretary who advised me to take it to the CMD’s office. The letter was received on November 5, 2014. They signed for it and told me they would deliver it to the CMD. “There was no response from the CMD’s office, so I went back the third day. Unfortunately, I was told nothing was done. “I went to the social worker who told me that the letter must have been attended to. “The next day, I went there, but still, nothing happened. All attempts were to no avail. I was also telling them about the state of my wife’s health and how urgently she needed help. “And I was pleading with them to allow my wife to go for treatment elsewhere but they ignored me. They were no longer treating her because they said she had been discharged. So, she was abandoned. While I was going up and down for the review of the bill, her condition grew from bad to worse. She developed a severe cough and when I pleaded with a doctor to treat her, he told me that they had discharged her; that there C M Y K
•Timileyin
was nothing he could do to help. “Then, I ran back to the management for help because her condition was getting worse. They did not listen to me. They even used security men to monitor me and other patients thinking we wanted to run away. I met the Chief Matron and complained about my wife’s condition, but she did not attend to her. “Folake was detained in the hospital for 44 days after she had been discharged. Even when I complained to the CMD, he said he was not the doctor; that I should go and meet the doctor who attended to my wife. “When they finally agreed to my terms, the social worker said I should go and bring a guarantor but warned that I should not bring anybody from outside the hospital. I brought a lawyer. He was rejected. That was the time nurses were on strike. A few days later, my wife died. “From October 31, 2014, the day she was discharged, till December 13, 2014, the day she died around 2 am, no doctor, or nurse attended to her. “It was the management of LUTH
that killed my wife. They even told me not to carry her corpse. I need justice. Saturday Vanguard met with the Public Relation Officer of LUTH, Mrs. Hope Nwoholo, who said the issue had been put to rest and that the family had carried the corpse. But, it was another story completely, when the family staged a protest on Thursday, January 29, 2015 in LUTH after they had received the corpse. Until her death, Folake, 35, was a lover of children, and her baby was just eight days old when the whole problem began. Her elder sister has been taking care of the baby, Vanguard learnt. LUTH reacts Prof. Chris Bode, the Acting Chief Medical Director of LUTH, said that the Folake was admitted unconscious as an emergency case on Sept. 17, following complications from a caesarian operation performed in a private hospital. He said that numerous surgeries, specialised tests, interventions, dialysis, drugs and other consumables were committed in treating the deceased
Folake was detained in the hospital for 44 days after she had been discharged. Even when I complained to the CMD, he said he was not the doctor; that I should go and meet the doctor who attended to my wife
Civil rights groups react The groups, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and Women Arise for Change Initiative in a walk against what they termed, “Stop needless death of women giving birth” vehemently condemned detention of women whose husbands are financially incapable of paying hospital bills. During the walk, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the WARDC Executive Director, described the woman’s death as one of the many unnecessary and preventable deaths that occurred in the country. Akiyode-Afolabi said that 144 Nigerian women died daily as a result of maternal complications. “It is very unfortunate that Folake died in LUTH after she was detained for 43 days because she could not pay her hospital bill of about N1.4 million. “This is contrary to Sections 32 and 35 of the Nigerian Constitution. (Section 32 is about power to make regulations while Section 35 is on right to personal liberty). “Over 100 women are being detained in LUTH and some other hospitals across the country, because they cannot pay their hospital bills. Also, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, the President, Women Arise Initiative, urged the three-tiers of government to give priority attention to the health of women and children. According to her, Nigeria ranks second in the list of countries with high rate of maternal mortality. “Our walk today is to prove that we are tired of losing our women to maternal death and hospital negligence. She urged review of the National Health Insurance Scheme to ensure that it would care better for the health of Nigerian women. In his contribution, Ayodele Adesanmi, Media Relation Development Communications Networks, condemned detention of women, medical negligence as well as insensitivity of healthcare workers. According to him, “Government should be accountable to its promises. People should not die as a result of child birth. Human right should be taken as priority,” Adesanmi said.
SATURDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 28, 2015----55
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isturbed by years of non infrastructural decay and poor economic development in his state, Ebonyi which over the years had denied the youths gainful employments and also turned them into street and highway hawkers in Nigeria, Chief Solomon Ogbonna, the youngest prolific artwork collector, culture and great traditionalist, in this interview with Saturday Vanguard Business, frowned at the inability of successive government in the state to develop Ebonyi. Against this backdrop,he implored Ndigbo both home and diaspora to unite as on indivisible force before thinking of ruling Nigeria. Excerpts: At the moment, Ebonyi people are seriously clamouring for infrastructural development as a means to end hawking among their youths, do you agree with them? It’s quiet unfortunate and shameful that if you are driving along the streets in Lagos particularly on highways and you approach any of those hawkers’ they The prolific Artwork collector, Chief Solomon Ogbonna (Udochia Ndi Igbo), Chairman, Aguene will tell you they are from Art Foundation, exchanging pleasantries with former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, at Ebonyi state. Also, if you Nupe Day. decide to communicate to them in their language, they will respond accordingly, an indication that confirms their honesty. I’m disappointed and angry with those who had governed the state, particularly, with their self-centredness. They were only concerned with immediate members of their families, taking their children abroad for education and holidays with state allocations meant for infrastructural development, job creation, follow my directives considering my skill acquisition, youth empowerment experience on Igbo artwork, Yoruba, Benin achieve. I don’t know how people can be wicked among others. These are laudable projects and Hausa artworks. Before now, I have been to their citizens. Ironically most of these that would take the state to advance level clamouring for government assistance to government officials had made several trips to if government had actually invested in build a museum centre and a workshop for abroad and see how government over there developed their countries, but some of our leaders them. that would attract tourism in Ebonyi are not ready to apply what they saw there. There are a lot of job opportunities Ebonyi artwork as this would help to create jobs for From what you are seeing, do you see the state government can explore in order to state This singular effort had been rebuffed chances of Igbos ruling Nigeria? reduce unemployment and stop hawking youths. past governors. At the moment, the only With God all things are possible. Our people which has become a culture among Ebonyi by place that looks as if human beings are living are intelligent, educated, wise and exposed. But youths mainly because past leadership is government house. Other places are the self-centred attitude in them causes disunity refused to create jobs for them. Government horrible sight. The worse place in Benin among them. With disunity in their midst, it should be held responsible for this Republic could be compared to Ebonyi state. will be difficult for Ndigbo to rule Nigeria if they deprivation of gainful employment among Today, Ebonyi state record the highest can’t unite themselves because unity is power youths. If you visit Ebonyi state now, you number of teenage hawkers in major cities in and without it you can’t achieve a purpose. The can’t find owned or established by Nigeria. There is no reasonable impact on issue is that, the Anambra indigene will be government that can provide jobs, be it economic development. Those who had skilled or unskilled labour. Moreso, the state governored the state had only succeeded in claiming superiority over Enugu indigene. This does not have any recreation centre that enriching themselves and their cronies. Go superiority complex has rub-off-on virtually all would enable youths develop their talents to Ebonyi hotel formerly Moritel hotel which the eastern states. So when you don’t unite, how for competitions both nationally or was bought from former vice President, Alex do you form a good family to speak with one voice. Before you lead a people, you must put internationally. Most people who have been your house in order. One peculiar characteristics I’m an artwork collector not an artist. Akwueme. there for years, most of earn N25,000 of Igbos is that they worship past heroes. For But atleast, I sketch for my artist before he working N30,000 monthly. Some of them are instance, Odimegwu Ojukwu, relation to goes on with his artistic work. Most of them to married. What can that paltry sum of money
Ebon yi records huge number of Ebonyi teenage ha wk er hawk wker erss in Nigeria ---Ogbonna Sa ys, Ndigbo can’t rule Nigeria no w Says, now
Ojukwu, those past wealthy men who had made name 50 years ago still hold sway till date. If you are not from those lineages, an Igboman in leadership will not want to listen to you or even come closer. The success of the Yoruba is because they respect their culture which is embedded in their language. Irrespective of your status when you approach Yoruba leaders in their language, they welcome you and listen your message but it’s not so with Igbos. It must be those wealthy ones. This should not be so. We must listen to everybody before we draw conclusion. Somebody like me as an artwork collector, I stand to be corrected, there is no Igboman that has African artwork more than me presently, both ancient, modern, in bronze, bead and other artifice. Recently, I presented one of the most expensive masterpiece artwork to the President’s wife including Pius Anyim. But I’m not a proud man. As an artwork collector, I have sponsored more than 500 Nigerians to international art exhibitions and empowerment programme in Nigeria to promote unity as one Nigeria and human race. But during this period I had difficulties in making contact to see the President. All the Igbos I approached before then will first want to know whether I’m from Azikiwe family or from Anambra before they could render any help. Whether anybody believe it not, President Goodluck Jonathan is God’s sent to Nigeria and he is God-fearing. I pray he wins again to continue the good work. Today, I give kudos to persons like Ebutu Ukaiwe, being one among others who is unique and accommodating without discrimination in his dealing with fellow human being. Peter Obi has a listening hears and is humble even if he is not going to adhere to your advice, but he listens. As a building developer, how do you see housing scheme in the country? I’m a developer. But can any government that attempt what Jakende did in terms of housing scheme in Lagos. He built housing estates for the masses, and till date, the masses are still enjoying it. I want a government that can replicate that feat so that the increasing population of Nigerian citizens can have shelta at affordable rates. But the challenge is that some people in government who have stored money for themselves would want a plot of land in Parkview and Lekki to go for N1b so that they will be the class that would have assess to such areas. And it doesn’t bother them whether the common people are living in Cotonou, spending all their salaries on transport to their work places in Lagos. They will push the masses to Ijebu Ode and other areas and at the end of it all, you will be left without savings at the end of every month. Majority of these people were pushed to remote areas with their children engaging in hawking in Lagos streets, prostituting in order to pay school fees. There is no effort to provide low housing scheme for the masses. Look at all the estates built by Jakende targeted at the masses.
ICA set to shore up Nigeria’s economy through credit management base
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he newly elected Institute of Credit Administration President/ Chairman of the 3rd Governing Council of the same body and Managing Director, Mobil Oil Nigeria, Plc., Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, unequivocally stated during the induction of new members in Lagos that the council for effective credit management in Nigeria will advocate empowering the economy to create wealth and jobs through advocacy and enlightenment about the role of credit, infrastructures necessary for sound credit system, business character that encourage credit availability, government initiatives that facilitate access to credit, lenders attitude to borrowers. Oyebanji said, there must be abundance of credit availability in monetary and trade terms to fuel exports of made-in-Nigeria goods, as a major driver of the economy. Nigeria must engage free market economy in order to achieve remarkable overall resilience in economic activity, employment and fiscal performance. According to him, ICA has a pivotal role to play as a catalyst for the business
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community through necessary credit management tools and provision of information, which would mitigate organisation’s vulnerability to bankruptcy, pointing out that while credit facilitates economic growth, misuse of credit can also debilitate. Credit should be based on needs, not solely wants. In addition, Dr. Luka Marne, who discussed on the causes of credit failure said, inadequate understanding of applicant’s business structure/cycle is one of the reasons credit fail. He also that improper customer profiling, improper monitoring system, poor credit appraisal, fund mismatch I.e using short term fund for long term project. Marne said, change in monetary/economic policy I.e interest rate, inflation etc is tantamount in causing credit failure in business. He also said that natural disasters, economic recession like we had few years ago, poor money management and financial illiteracy among others. In the same vein, G.R.E Ozulumba, why discussing on why people and organisations default in credit obligations agree that there is need to properly ascertain customers’
requests but unfortunately, many customers cannot differentiate the facilities meant for working capital and those meant for fixed assets. He advised further that customers with doubtful integrity should not benefit from banking facilities as they will not meet their credit
obligations to avoid default of any kind. Ozulumba said that lack of well organised and aggressive debt recovery teams creates atmosphere that make many debtors not to take the banks serious.
Some of the top 30 contestants during the theatre audition at O M G ’s Dream Studio, recently.
56—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
•Miss Nigeria, Ezinne Akudo Anyaoha
Miss Nigeria provides safe haven for rape victims BY JULIET EBIRIM
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ne night on campus, a friend of mine returned to the hostel in tears, her clothes were in shreds and she looked battered. We were preparing for exams, so she had gone to read. On her way back, she was accosted by an unknown guy who dragged her to a lonely spot and raped her. It took a lot for her to confide in me and admit that she’s been raped”. According to 24-year-old Miss Nigeria, Ezinne Akudo Anyaoha who recently launched her Rape Crisis Center ‘The Eight Foundation’, the above incident awoke a desire in her to provide help, hope and healing to those affected by sexual violence.. While speaking to pressmen at the launching of the foundation on Monday 23rd of March, 2015, the beauty queen said the foundation is dedicated to promoting the needs of women and girls who are victims of sexual assault. “We live in a world where women are abused daily and they are unable to speak up.
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One out of four women experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. This crime can take place at anytime and can happen to anyone regardless of tribe, religion or social class. Sadly, the society’s response to this heinous crime has led victims to believe that silence is the best option.
However, speaking up is our greatest weapon in this fight against sexual violence. We hope to give a new beginning to victims of this menace, hence the name ‘Eight Foundation’. The number ‘Eight’ signifies a ‘New beginning’”. The Eight Foundation is a non-governmental, non-
The Foundation provides free services in the areas of Crisis Response, Medical Care, Counseling & Support, Court Advocacy, Education & Outreach with the support of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, The Domestic and Sexual Violence response team and the Mirabel Center
political and non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the needs of women and girls who have experienced sexual violence by providing them with the necessary medical care and social rehabilitation. It also educates and raise awareness and understanding of sexual violence in the society. “Sexual violence can happen to anyone and it has devastating short and longterm consequences on the physical and emotional wellbeing of affected persons. It cuts across social barriers, ethnicity and religion. No one deserves or asks for it to happen. This organization was founded as a safe haven and is committed to ensuring that every victim is treated with dignity, kindness, love and with utmost professionalism. It is very difficult to speak up but we promise to listen, care for them and stand with them”. She added. Also, the marketing manager of EasyTaxi, Mr Femi Fajemisin spoke on their partnership with the foundation. “The Eight foundation is all about the rehabilitation of rape victims and sexually abused women and girls. EasyTaxi as a transport solution is all about safety and convenience and since most of our clients and customers are women, we felt it was important to be part of the cause, so as to help protect our women”. The Foundation provides free services in the areas of Crisis Response, Medical Care, Counseling & Support, Court Advocacy, Education & Outreach with the support of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, The Domestic and Sexual Violence response team and the Mirabel Center.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015—57
BY FUNMI MOROHUNFOLU
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motions, very strong ones at that, have dominated public reaction to the 20 per cent hike in subscription rates of various bouquets announced by MultiChoice, the country’s leading pay-TV provider. To say I was surprised by the public reaction to the announcement, made on 1 March and scheduled to take effect on 1 April, is to show ignorance on how people react to hikes in prices of goods and services. It is a fact that emotions are part of the human make-up and we should expect expressions of such. However, it is also a fact that emotion and reason have a history of estrangement. It is precisely because of the less than cordial relationship between emotion and reason that the reaction to the hike has been marked by disbelief and anger. That anger has birthed what has been dressed up as an ideological movement to free Nigerians from the shackles of exploitation. A widely circulated Blackberry Messenger broadcast, heavy on demagogue vocabulary, calls for a boycott of MultiChoice’s DStv and GOtv services from 1 April. “Enough is enough,” it says in rousing activist language, before demanding a pay-as-you-watch regime as well as lower subscription tariffs as MultiChoice offers in South Africa. The broadcast message also claims that MultiChoice subscribers in Nigeria number two million, a figure for which it cites no evidence or source. On social media platforms and internet discussion forums, the
How not to treat an industry leader reaction has not been different, with the same set of claims being recited like a religious mantra. In simple terms, a faith position has been taken. Faith, especially the variety accompanied by zealotry, and logic are not a mutual admiration society. But has MultiChoice really singled out Nigeria for exploitation, as being claimed? Is anger the appropriate reaction to an organisation that provides essential service to the people? I prefer to take a step back and reflect. Before presenting the outcome of my reflection, I need to say that I am in the category of those who want rock-bottom subscription rates. Left to me, I would pay nothing for the top class content that MultiChoice brings to my living room. That said, I will now make a few submissions in the hope that a little more understanding will be achieved. First, it is untrue that Nigeria is the only country where subscription rates have been increased. It is done in South Africa yearly and the country happened to be the first the new rates were announced. The new rates have since been announced in other countries. That is that. The claim that MultiChoice has two million subscribers is unsubstantiated. I do not have their subscriber figures, but I do think what can be asserted without evidence could and should be dismissed, as speculation, without evidence.
Pay-as-you-watch? That does not exist anywhere in the pay-TV world. Not in South Africa, as claimed by the author of the Blackberry Messenger broadcast; not in Ghana, UK, US or Papua New Guinea. What is available is pay-per-view, PPV, which is considerably more expensive because it demands that you pay for the broadcast of one-off events, notably sports or entertainment, in addition to paying for regular payTV service. Do Nigerians pay more for MultiChoice services than other African countries? No. Currently, Zimbabweans pay the equivalent of $72, Zambians $81, Tanzanians $81.18, Kenyans $82, Mozambicans, $81 and Ghanaians $78.5 for the premium bouquet. Nigerians pay $72.46. Is there a monopoly, represented by MultiChoice, as claimed? Again, no. There is StarSat, which recently won the rights to broadcast games from the German Bundesliga. We also have Consat, ACTV, MyTV, Montage TV and many others. Many others have come and gone, including HiTV, whose bid for pre-eminence floundered on account of inability to renew the rights it won to broadcast premium sporting content. That DStv got to the party first is not in doubt. That it tied up the most appealing content is similarly not in doubt. That is business, not crime. Therefore, calling on government to institute some price control measures in pay-TV, to me, is
The costs of these services are determined by prevailing situations in the market
bizarre, given that this is democratic country that runs a free market economy. As yet, I haven’t seen an agitation that the prices of toothpaste, beer, bread, suya, hotel rooms, mattresses, furniture and phones be reviewed downwards. There has been no campaign to get government to legislate what carpenters, doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals charge for their services. The costs of these services are determined by prevailing situations in the market. A major driver of the pay-TV model is sporting content which, as we know, does not come cheap. For example, the broadcast deal for the Barclays Premier League, signed a few months ago, showed a 70 per cent jump in cost. If MultiChoice still wants to keep broadcasting that content when the deal kicks in next year, it must fork out more money. Sky Sports, which took a lion’s share of the deal by paying over 4billion pounds, did not pay that amount to sell to vendors at loss. Sky has also hinted that its subscribers will have to pay more to keep watching and subscribers, understandably disappointed, have not called on the British Parliament to put a handbrake on Sky’s plan to hike subscription. Television economics is a subject or reason, not emotion.
Morohunfolu, a financial analyst, lives in Port Harcourt.
2015: The choice before Deltans BY GABRIEL UMUKORO
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n many ways, Delta state is a microcosm of Nigeria. Just like Nigeria, it is an ethnically diverse state with different ethnic nationalities and many languages spoken. Similarly, Delta state boasts of immense natural and human resources. Apart from producing 35% of the nation’s crude oil, the state is blessed with abundant natural resources such as arable land, rich rain forest, and a sprawling coastline that is a goldmine for the fishing industry. In addition, Delta state is one state that has the potential to develop different deep sea ports in Warri, Koko, Sapele, Bomadi, and Burutu. In short, Delta State is a state of limitless possibilities, an investors’ haven waiting to be explored. There was a time in this country when Delta, as part of the defunct BeninDelta province (Bendel), was first in everything – be it sports, industries, or education. Those days seem to be fading into the background. The younger generation has only seen flashes of the glory days of yore. Despite the appreciable infrastructural development of the last 16 years, Delta is currently confronted with a restive youth population, floundering economy, comatose industrial sector, and untapped agricultural potentials. What the state needs now is a strong and visionary leader that will harness and manage the vast potentials of the state in such a way as to reclaim the glory of Delta and turn it into the Dubai of Nigeria. It is not rocket science. The resources are there for any leader with vision, knowledge, C M Y K
strength of character, and the requisite experience to translate into total transformation of the state in all sectors. With the crash in the oil price and the fluctuating fortunes of the Nigerian economy, the need for a strong and capable leader that will successfully build on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s legacy of Delta Beyond Oil becomes all the more imperative. Otherwise Delta as we know it now will become a shadow of its past. The next governor of the state must possess a sense of vision, requisite knowledge and experience, and be a rallying point for all Deltans if he is to succeed in governing a complex state like Delta. Without prejudice to other candidates that may be contesting the April 11 election, it can safely be argued that the race to Unity House is a threehorse one involving PDP’s Ifeanyi Okowa, APC’s Ortega Emerhor and Great Ogboru of the Labour Party. Of the three, Senator Okowa is undoubtedly the front runner given his political pedigree and the fact that the PDP is the ruling party in the state. However, both Emerhor and Ogboru are expected to give him a run for his money given their impressive
credentials garnered in the private sector. Ogboru in particular is expected to mount a serious challenge to Okowa given his strong showing in the two previous governorship elections in the state. However, suffice it to say that with just a few weeks to the elections not a few are disappointed with Ogboru and Emerhor. Both candidates have not been able to articulate their vision for the state and present their social contract with the people. They frequently talk about ending “16 years of PDP misrule.” But we are not told how they will achieve that. There are yet to provide us with a political or economic template that is specific, credible, and measurable to enable us make an informed choice. Meanwhile, Okowa has the stated vision of making Delta state “the pacesetter in the Nigerian federation by building an enduring legacy of wealth and prosperity.” With the campaign theme of “Prosperity for all Deltans,” the distinguished senator has developed a blueprint for the transformation of the state encapsulated in his five-point agenda with the acronym S.M.A.R.T., which refers to strategic wealth creation, meaningful peace building, agricultural
reforms and Industrialisation, relevant health and education policies, and transformed environment through massive urban renewal Senator Okowa also enjoys a distinct advantage when it comes to the matter of requisite knowledge and experience for the job. To be sure, the political profiles of both Emerhor and Ogboru have been on the rise in recent years and they both possess strong credentials as private business people. However, managing a private business and running a government are two different things, each requiring a different skill-set and mind-set. Experience is one thing you cannot buy in the market; you have to earn it. When it comes to governing a difficult state like Delta you must be well schooled in the art of politics and governance, which Okowa has in great supply. He has been a local government secretary and chairman, a three-time commissioner in the state and Secretary to the State government. As a serving senator he is currently the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health. His experience in the executive and legislative arms of government coupled with his credentials as a grassroots politician certainly puts him in a vantage position. It has to be said that Delta needs a tested and trust hand to manage its affairs in
view of the challenges ahead. This is certainly not the time to experiment. Finally, Delta state needs a governor that is completely detribalised. The next governor of the state must be someone who will be able to rise above ethnic sentiments and be a rallying point for the different ethnic groups. He must be a personality with the charisma and the strength of character to leverage the rich cultural diversity of the people and turn it into a major advantage. In this regard, I must say that Emerhor and Ogboru have, again, not impressed me. I am at a loss as to why each of them is determined to be identified as the legitimate Urhobo candidate. How do you expect to run as the Urhobo candidate in a culturally diverse state like Delta and not expect to alienate the other ethnic groups? On the contrary, Okowa currently cuts the image of a detribalised and unifying personality. Affirming that he is a “Deltan at heart” he recently made the point that “any person aspiring to lead our people cannot, and should not, present himself as the candidate of a particular ethnic group. We must continue to build bridges of unity and love across one Delta.” That is the spirit of statesmanship that any person aspiring to be the governor of Delta state must possess. Delta no dey carry last! * Umukoro writes from Warri.
58—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
hardly find a foreign participant or exhibitor in this fair. “How can the nation’s industrialisation, investment inflow and employment generation be achieved with this shabby structures and facilities in the fair?. The idea of deepening efforts for market oriented and committed policy reform for the improvement of our business environment to support and encourage the manufacturing/ industrial sector and particularly to ensure that our products compete effectively in the international market may be elusive.
BY FRANCIS IGATA
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NUGU—People of the south-east geopolitical zone have lashed out to the Federal Government over its failure to construct the permanent site of the Enugu International Trade Fair Complex, six years on. The federal government had designated Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu, International Trade Fair Complexes since 1992 but had completely constructed that of Lagos and Kaduna,
leaving Enugu untouched. Saturday Vanguard’s visit to the fair located along Enugu-Ontisha expressway showed that the efficacy of the fair has ebbed copiously even as shanties and makeshift tents dotted the entire landscape. Bushes had taken over parts of the site. There was no sanitary facility where participants and guests can ease themselves at the fair. The consequence is better imagined. The offensive odour from surroundings make a statement. The abandoned water borehole with over head tank lie prostrate and rusty at the right hand corner of the entrance gate. ECCIMA In his opening address at the ongoing 26th Enugu International Trade Fair last Friday, the President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ECCIMA, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoye,said.”Since we
•Abandoned Enugu Trade Fair Complex
6 Years on:
Ndigbo lament abandoned Enugu Int’l Trade Fair •Tell Jonathan; Do to Enugu what you have done in Lagos and Kaduna commenced the hosting of the fair here,six years ago, we have been striving to improve on the facilities in the complex. “We are once more appealing to the Federal Government to set aside adequate fund for the direct award of contract to a competent contractor to
complete the development of the Enugu International Trade Fair Complex just as was done in Kaduna and Lagos. PARTICIPANT CRIES A participant at the fair, Mr. Christopher Ozonweke regretted that,”The flair of the fair has been lost. Go round and check. You will
APC will regre ting the regrett suppor supporting car d reader card —Sen Smart Adeyemi BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN
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ormer journalist and now politician, Senator Smart Adeyemi, PDP Kogi West in this interview reviews developments in the polity in the days leading to the elections. Excerpts: Is it really true that the PDP is afraid of this general election? I think that cannot be true for a government that is in power to be afraid of elections. But I think the opponents must have something to say in order to get the attention of the electorates. But be that as it may, those are part of the propaganda and blackmail of the aggrieved former members of the PDP who constitute themselves into a political party now called the APC. I hold the strong view that Nigerians are now more convinced, more than ever before of the fact that the PDP is actually ready for elections. If I may ask, where is the APC now? After the postponement, they’ve gone underground, they are confused, they are in disarray; they lack focus now. They have exhausted all their manipulations and propaganda to the point that they have nothing to say about
the ruling party any longer. On the other hand, the PDP is forging ahead more than ever before. Nigerians are starting to appreciate all the achievements recorded so far, the transformation agenda of this administration which cuts across virtually all the sectors and I hold the view that come the 28th of March, the PDP is going to win not just the presidential election but we are going to have majority members of the National Assembly. This is going to be so because as I speak to you today, the opposition has nothing to offer. As a matter of fact, they are stuck already. They are off the radar. So you think the APC cannot fight corruption? The APC is not in a position to even fight corruption. In fact, if you are looking for corrupt people, you should go to APC. How can you give what you don’t have or how can you take away what you are living with? If you tell me that PDP is bad party, that is your own perception, but I will tell you that APC is even worse than PDP. *Adeyemi
If you want to give us the performance rating of President Jonathan compared to other civilian governments before him what would be the score? I stand here and I stand to be quoted that I do not know of any civilian
It is unfair and a complete disregard to Ndigbo for Jonathan to abandon the construction of the site
APC Spokesperson of APC,South-East geopolitical zone,Mr. Osita Okechukwu wondered,”why President Goodluck Jonathan should treat Ndigbo with levity”. His words:”The 26th Enugu International Trade Fair is ongoing now. Every year,the organisers of the fair keep appealing to Jonathan, to construct the permanent site as was done in Lagos and Kaduna. “In this country,we have three major ethnic nationalities,Igbo,Hausa and Yoruba. The citing of the three international trade fair complexes to Lagos,Kaduna and Enugu represents the regional structure of the country and is meant to engender even economic growth of the regions. “For the PDP-led government to have abandoned the Enugu trade fair in ruins is a testament to the entrenched marginalisation Ndigbo has suffered in the past 16 years. “I was at the opening ceremony of the fair last Friday,a typical Ogbete Main Market here in Enugu is far better than the fair. The efficacy and objective for which the fair was construed has been lost because all the stands are makeshift or shanties. “Is that the kind of fair that will attract foreign participation? It is unfair and a complete disregard to Ndigbo for Jonathan to abandon the construction of the site. Its time for our people to rout this PDP government that has not shown any sign of love to our people.”
Goodluck Jonathan because he fought the worst war, that is fighting insurgency and suicide bombers.
•Senator Smart Adeyemi administration that you can compare his achievements in the area of infrastructural facilities, in the area of social amenities, in the area of expanding and galvanizing socio-economic activities than Goodluck Jonathan. Yes, I agree with you equally that there has not been any President that had the misfortune of fighting the worst war any administration will fight. Goodluck Jonathan fought the worst war. In fact, Goodluck Jonathan should be crowned as a Field Marshall of Nigeria. If there is any Field Marshall that should be appreciated in Nigeria, it’s
Is the PDP afraid of Card Readers? The card reader will work against the APC than the PDP. The card reader will be an advantage to the PDP because the PDP has not been involved in the manipulation of card readers. The PDP is not cloning PVCs; PDP has not been involved in the purchase of cards. PDP has not been involved in asking a particular tribe not to be given cards in some States. It’s the APC that are doing that and they will be shocked that they will not be able to use those cards. It’s the APC that is acquiring cards through backdoors believing that they will use them. So, if the card reader will be used for the reason that Jega has told us, it is welcomed. The card reader will reveal a lot of fraudulent acts of the opposition. The PDP has not really bothered about doing anything under the table to win the election because there is just no reason for it. It’s the opposition – those who are desperate in APC. The desperadoes they are the people who are involved. The APC has realized that the card reader, more than ever before will come to affect them. Now, they are coming to realize that. Has any of the security agents arrested officials of PDP for cloning cards? Have we forgotten so soon that in some States, trucks were arrested carrying PVC cards? They were States of APC. It’s not PDP State. We will see what will happen to them because they will be so ashamed of themselves. They will be drenched in such manner that to come out will be a problem for them. (Ojo Esin APC ti fe ro)When people are making noise and when people come together, you ask for what purpose? If your coming together is not for good, you will fail. The coming together of APC, all those you see in APC, they came together out of grievances and selfish interests. As from 30th of March, they will start decamping back to PDP. They will come back home. These are people who are just out to champion their business cause. Let nobody deceive you.
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28 28, 2015—59
T
he local content policy of the Federal Government received a boost Wednesday with the formal handing over of Shell’s equity in OML 29 to a local oil and gas firm, Aiteo, thereby increasing the participation of indigenous companies in the upstream sub-sector of the oil and gas industry. Speaking at a brief ceremony to mark the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Aiteo for the transfer of Shell’s equity in OML 29 to the latter, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Joseph T. Dawha, described the event as a milestone in the quest of the Federal Government to develop the capacity of Nigerians and Nigerian companies to play leading roles in every sector of the oil and gas industry as encapsulated in the Nigerian Content Development Act. Also speaking in a similar vein, the Managing Director of SPDC and Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, described the event as a major step towards the fulfillment of “the nation’s aspiration of growing indigenous participation in
FG’s local content policy receives major boost •…As Aiteo Signs MoU with Shell on Acquisition of Its Equity in OML 29
The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Joseph T. Dawha (right), congratulating the Chairman of Aiteo Group, Mr. Benedict Peters (left) and the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, on the successful conclusion of the deal transfering Shell's equity to Aiteo after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday. the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry”. He described OML 29 as one of the biggest onshore oil blocks that Shell has ever divested in the country. “One of the key reasons we are divesting some of our assets in the country is to grow indigenous participation in the industry. With the
divestment of OML 29, one of our biggest blocks to Aiteo, the local content development in the country has received a major boost,” Okunbor said. The Shell boss who put the value of the oil bock at $2.56 billion also disclosed that it has an average production capacity of 43, 000 barrels per day with a potential to grow
beyond its current capacity in the nearest feature. In his remarks, the Chairman of Aiteo Group, Mr. Benedict Peters described the ceremony as a significant landmark that will help the company achieve its aspiration of participating in the entire value chains of the oil and gas industry.
“To us in Aiteo, this event brings a capping to our aspirations, visions and our dreams. It has also brought tremendous value to our balance sheet. The reality of the asset is that it is the largest on-shore assets that Shell has ever divested,” he stated. He expressed optimism that with the acquisition, the company will add significant value to the oil and gas industry and the nation’s economy, adding that “The Local Content Act made us who we are today, without it companies like us will never have made it to this particular level”. He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for providing the enabling environment for indigenous companies to compete and grow in the oil and gas industry through the Local Content Act. “We thank the President and the Minister of Petroleum Resources who have driven the local content policy that has given birth to the Nigeria of our dream,” Peters said. The event was witnessed by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha and other members of Top Management of the Corporation. NNPC is the senior partner in the OML 29 Joint Venture. Other partners include Total and Agip.
Drama as bandits use Baboon to rob victim of N.23m also running with the baboon towards the opposite direction and he went after him. On realising that n interesting drama played the victim was coming after him, the out in Lagos recently, after suspect took some of the money from some criminals who were the bag and threw it at the victim with two baboons waylaid a man as who immediately bent down to pick he was coming out from the bank at the naira notes which littered the Ogba area of the state. The floor, a move the suspect capitalised unsuspecting victim who withdrew on to escape into a waiting vehicle the sum of N230,000 from the bank with his baboon. was shocked when he stepped out It was learnt that as soon as the only to see some roughly dressed suspect and his baboon got into the young men with two giant-sized waiting vehicle, the driver zoomed baboons starring at him menacingly. off abandoning the baboon and his Without blinking an eyelid, the man colleague identified as Mohamed took to his heels, abandoning his bag Nafiu and at the crime scene. An of money. Crime Guard angry mob that was gathered that the attracted to the scene bandits used their nearly lynched both baboons to scare the Mohammed and the victim after driving baboon but the fierce close to the banking looking baboon stood premises with an Crime Guard gathered stoutly in defence of his unregistered Nissan that the bandits used their master and succeeded Primera. It was baboons to scare the in warding off intending learnt that two of the attacks, till policemen suspects alighted victim after driving close who were earlier from the vehicle with to the banking premises invited arrived the scene two baboons and with an unregistered and apprehended the ambushed the man Nissan Primera suspect. as he was coming SUSPECT’S out of the banking hall after ACCOUNT withdrawing the money from his Confessing to the crime, Mohamed account. The victim reportedly was Nafiu told Crime Guard : “I am from frightened and dropped the nylon bag Gdala Local Government Area in containing the cash on the ground and Kano state. I am married with two ran for dear life. children. I am a farmer but later, I began to sell herbal medicines for DRAMA AS FLEEING SUSPECT Malaria, typhoid, hypertension and SPRAY CASH body pains. After a while, I decided While running, the victim to relocate to Lagos to enable me discovered that the suspects who took have more patronage. But before I the nylon containing his cash was came to Lagos, I bought a baby BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA
A
•The suspect and his baboon baboon as a pet that was a year and eighteen months and started training him. I came to Lagos almost ten years ago with the baboon and used it for entertainment and for showmanship while selling my herbal medicine. It was during that period that I met Nura, the leader of the gang, who also has a baboon. He was the person that brought the idea of using the baboon to frighten and rob victims. After the first operation, I quit selling my herbal medicine because it was not as lucrative as robbing. I have participated in over ten robbery operations using baboon within Lagos.’’
MODE OF OPERATION “We use the two baboons each time we want to rob victims. Nura and I would alight from the vehicle with the baboons while a hired driver will be on the alert to drive off. We purposely hire different vehicles for the operation so that we would not be traced. We pay the driver in advance before each operation and also pay him after each operation. Usually, we operate in areas where we assume victims will be in possession of cash and where it will be easy to escape after the operation, like: banks and shopping malls. The baboons have been trained to scare victims and snatch their valuables and they do whatsoever we tell them to do. We pay each hired driver based on the time contracted because of the risk involved, once the time is up, he zooms off with or without us. Also before the operation, we agree on the amount, we give the driver advance payment for fuel then pay up after the job. I met Nura in Lagos several years back and my fortunes changed as I was constantly having cash with me. Immediately I saw the police officers, I surrendered myself to them and also assisted the officers in hand- cuffing the baboon. Crime Guard learnt that the case was still under investigation and efforts are currently in top gear to arrest those who are on the run.
60 — SATURDAY
Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
Women should rise up as nation builders —HRH Erelu Dosumu BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA
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RH Erelu Abiola Dosumu is one of the few Nigerian women aging gracefully, like a newly crowned beauty queen; she naturally pulls the attention of many at social events as she strutted in her trademark all-white regalia. A renowned advocate of Good governance and women empowerment, Erelu is also the co-ordinator of Coalition for Concerned Women for Good Governance (CCWGG) a project of ERAF foundation put set up to educate women on political issues as its affects them, monitor elected candidates in office and instill accountability in elected officials. In a recent chat at the second interactive session with aspirants of registered political parties, women’s organizations and other stakeholders she talks about the need for women to add value in their environment, the importance of voting leaders with integrity and other sundry issues. Why this interactive session with women This session is a clarion call for women to wake up from their slumber and rise up to the responsibility as nation builders. Our children have turned out the way we brought them up; some of them are definitely guilty of wrong doings. It is time we gird our loins and save the situation. Women constitute the greater percentage of the actual voters on election’s day and we are the ones who will queue endlessly in the rain and sun to cast our votes. If violence should erupt we are the first to be affected by loosing our goods and our wares, even our husbands, sons and daughters (we have heard of young girls being used suicide bombers), I can go on and on. Why then do we want to give up our enormous powers in return for a loaf of bread or at best N5000? When you will not see those politicians that bribed you with pittance for another four years when they are seeking re-election. Even when you are lucky to come across them with that period they will not feel obliged to attend to
your needs because you have been paid for services rendered. What is the crux of this discussion? Of course the crux of today’s discussion is not different from what we have been doing. It is a follow up of the various enlightenment sessions that we have been carrying out with the women and the political aspirants seeking political office. The main purpose of the event is for the women to interact with the aspirants, not just the gubernatorial candidates but also the senatorial candidates. We need to be assured that when the senators get to Abuja, they won’t be pursuing their own agenda but will fight for the people and put structures in place to make our desires sustainable. Like the bill for the girl child needs a lot to back it up, as an instrument that makes it sustainable so that successive government would have a basis to continue to make policies not just things in the air. Women need to interact with these aspirants; most times we often take them for granted by not focusing attention on them but they are the pushers in all of these matters and national development. Most people allege that politicians seek political office to enrich themselves and not to serve the masses, what is your take on that? Well, unfortunately we all know these things we see politicians who were either jobless or lived moderate lives within three months of getting into public office become laws and lords, high and mighty, adorning themselves with exuberant attires and jewelleries, when they are supposed to solve the problems of the people, identify with the people and make yourself accessible. But because they appear like lords, kings and queens they immediately become unapproachable, thereby making it difficult for those they are supposed to serve to reach out to them. Why women must endeavour to add value I am one that believes that women should control their environment. They should work hard, earn their respect and not wait for token
•Erelu Abiola Dosumu
It is okay for people to say we have achieved 30% affirmative action, but I strongly believe that is not the point appointment. Because by the time they are given token appointment they have no choice to listen and jump at the master’s voice. It is okay for people to say we have achieved 30% affirmative action, but I strongly believe that is not the point. The point is that women should be empowered economically wherever they find themselves. Women should be in charge, be in control and add value to the society. What is your score card for women occupy political office presently? They have tried but I think they can do better. I want to see more women go into political offices from the position of strength as achievers themselves in their respective field not because they are representing the interest of those who appointed them. I said it earlier on that people should not wait to be appointed by anybody because then they will have to
dance to the tune of whosoever appointed them and most time they don’t have the freehand to perform. They can only perform within the opportunity that is given to them. What is your take on the level of political intolerance eating up our polity? Political tolerance is very important especially for a country like ours with so much cultural and ethnic diversity. Which is why we are all complaining about the violence, lies and propaganda everywhere but I think it is a healthy development. Whatsoever negative things they do today would come back to hunt them.This will make them more careful. Having learnt this from the electioneering campaign and I hope that politicians have learnt their lessons too. On election postponement
Some people said yes,others said no because of the postponement of the elections from the previous dates to the new dates but what I think the shift of the new dates has done is that it has shed more light on some of the lies that other people have lied to gain advantage, on the violence and other issues, the truth is coming out and people now know better as lies can’t be sustained for too long. At the end of the day truth will catch up and over take it that is exactly what is happening now. Our politicians no doubt are learning a lot from all these. Advice to women I urge women to collect their PVC and guard it jealously; it is your veritable instrument to ensure the best leaders emerge for Nigeria. Do not sell it for a loaf of bread which will be your only democracy dividend for four years until the next elections. Choose wisely a leader that will build on the gains of our past leaders. Vote for leaders that will ensure the integrity of Nigeria and protect the oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria, leaders that will ginger and encourage national pride in all Nigerians, leaders that will be true representatives of all that is good and positive about our states and nation as a whole, leaders that will showcase us for what we are, a nation of brilliant, enterprising people who are basically peaceful and keepers of their brothers.
SATURDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 28, 2015----61
C M Y K
62—SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
C M Y K
SATURDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 28, 2015 — 63
Financier of Ifeanyi Uba Football Club has set the pace in the short time he entered into sports.
Ifeanyi Uba unites ex-internationals, plans for new stadium BY JOHN EGBOKHAN
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NEWI, the commercial city of Anambra State was a place to behold last Sunday. It had all the trappings that made it special for soccer fans. The ever famous Rangers International were in town for a league match. And their opponents were the new kids on the soccer block – Ifeanyi Uba FC, the club owned by oil tycoon, Ifeanyi Uba. The Nnewi businessman is pulling strings to bring life to his home matches. He invites stars to grace the occasion. That attracts some fans to the stadium. Last Sunday, Uba hosted a number of Nigerian stars. First Nigerian to lift the African Nations Cup Christian Chukwu was there. His teammate, Emmanuel Okala was there. The Quicksilver of Nigerian football, Sylvanus Okpala joined. Eagles coach Daniel Amokachi was prominent. There were other stars like Nwimo who attended. Ifeanyi Uba FC have only played two home matches and stars were part of the game. Uba, the founder and chairman of Capital Oil and Gas, recently acquired Premier league new boys, Gabros from his original founder, Gabriel Chukwuma and has been making the right moves to strengthen the team for the challenges ahead. The league is just three weeks old and Uba’s team have won two matches and lost one, a good beginning for a side, just coming from the nationwide division one league. At their most recent league engagement last Sunday at the Gabros Stadium in Nnewi, they defeated Rangers International 1-0 to step up their drive to give the likes of Kano Pillars and Enyimba a run for their money. Though the game
•Okala against Rangers lived up to its top billing in terms of good performance, the thrill of the day was the side attraction of seeing the likes of Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Okala and Sylvanus Okala come together under the same roof to watch a match and later share a meal and drinks in the company of their host. At the stadium, the trio exchanged warm embraces with the chief host, who ushered them to their seats in the VIP section. Once comfortably seated, the trio of Chukwu, Okala and Okpala soaked in the fun of the game, moving with every deft and subtle
•Chairman moves of the players, gasping in agony at every missed chance and gesticulating in wide surprise at wrong passes made. For these soccer greats, the game is what they have known and having all played for Rangers International, the sight of seeing their club lose was not a good one, even though, they were magnanimous in defeat. “This is what football is all about. A team must lose or draw and on this day, Rangers lost. There is no big deal in losing because a loser today can be the winner tomorrow ”, Chukwu, who also coached the Super Eagles told
Saturday Vanguard Sports. He heaped encomiums on Uba for venturing into private-sector club ownership, stating that the era of government’s ownership of teams was no longer fashionable in developed countries. “What Ifeanyi Uba is doing with this team is highly commendable because we have many rich Nigerians, who are not doing anything to support the development of the game, especially the league. “To have a vibrant league, you need individual or corporate sponsorship, which is what drives leagues in England and Spain. I am very happy with this new movement started by Ifeanyi Uba and you can see that the crowd is also coming out to enjoy good football on a day that Liverpool and Manchester United were playing. “It is obvious that we love our league and when I see someone contributing to the development of the league, I just can’t help but to identify with that person”, added the former Rangers captain. Over at his plush residence and having
Iniesta: I’m the leader of Spain
A
NDRÉS Iniesta dreams of putting the Spain team back “where we deserve to be”. His track record with Spain: “Both with Barcelona as well as here, I’m achieving impressive figures. It’s a cause of great satisfaction. I want to continue enjoying myself with the national team. I want to win titles again with Spain and put us back where we deserve to be. To equal Raúl on caps is quite incredible and to beat him, even more so.” Playing next to Isco: “Isco and I could play together. No problem there. If Del Bosque thinks it’s the thing to do, we could be together on the pitch. Isco has unique talent. He is very young and because of his age, he could come to be a leading player at Real Madrid.”
•Iniesta
Uba feted the exinternationals, comprising current stand-in Eagles coach, Daniel Amokachi, Uba said he was always going to identify with former Nigerian greats because of their service to the motherland. “These men rendered selfless sacrifice to the country and for me to have them under my roof is a great honour. The heroes of our football must be celebrated because they did what others were not able to do. It is good to identify with our soccer heroes”, said Uba, who had much earlier at the Gabros Stadium told reporters the reason for acquiring Gabros from Gabriel Chukwuma. “It came out of love and the need to give back to my people because my people love football and my investment in the game is good for the youths and will enhance the growth of our league. I will continue to support football development. This is just the beginning, there is still much that we can do, just wait and see what we will do in the next few months”, said Uba. He promised that a temporary stadium where the team would be
playing their matches before the completion of their state of the art international stadium will be built. “In 60 days time, I promise that our temporary stadium for the team to play their matches will be ready. That temporary stadium will afterward be used as our training pitch when the main stadium is built”, Uba said.
•Okpala
SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 28, 2015
CHRISTIAN CHWUKWU: My father once dubbed me a vagabond for playing football
As Nigeria battle South Africa tomorrow:
Mashaba vows to compound Eagles woes
>>38--39
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fter steering South Africa to a 3-1 defeat of Swaziland, Coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has boasted that the Super Eagles would suffer a similar fate in the hands of the Bafana Bafana in t o m o r r o w ’ s international friendly match at the Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit. South Africa are riding on a crest-wave of renewed soccer optimism following the thumping of Swaziland on Wednesday, with fans of the former apartheid state hailing the boys for their strong show of performance away from home. The win in Swaziland somehow made up for their shock exit at the last African Cup of Nations and with the team facing old rivals Nigeria tomorrow, Coach Mashaba, while noting that the Eagles want to avenge their failure to qualify for the last AFCON in the hands of South Africa, said that he was sure that his troops can come up with the goods that will see them emerge winners. “Of course the Nigerians are still feeling bitter after we knocked them out,” said the tactician. “To them, it’s payback time. Of course they still want to show us that they are still the best when comes to football in Africa.” Mashaba admits that it will be difficult to plan for the game against a Super Eagles outfit that has made significant
*Mashaba
*Amokachi changes since the two sides last met in a 2-2 AFCON qualifying draw back in November 2014. “Like I always say, you challenge teams based on what you have seen in the past, but unfortunately when you get to this because it’s a practice match, they don’t bring what you expect,” the coach continued. “But we are not going to believe that is going to be an easy game, it’s going to be a tough match. We will definitely again put up a strong side in this game and our players must be prepared to compete and get the victory against the Nigerians”. After 11 games between both countries, Nigeria have only lost to South Africa on one occasion, with three matches, including the most recent, both ending in draws.
*Hlatshwayo
*Enyeama
CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1)Ukraine President, Oleksandr – (9) 6)Insect (3) 8)Yoruba Word for “Fish”?(3) 9)England Premier League Club (5) 11)Frozen Water (3) 12)Zamfara State Capital (5) 13)Country in Africa (5) 15)L.G.A in Borno State (5) 17)Container (3) 19)Haitian Currency (6) 20)Public Relations Officer, The Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Mr. Emmanuel – (6) 21)Igbo Girl’s Name (3) 23)Spain & Napoli FC Goalkeeper, Pepe – (5) 26)Wikki Tourists Striker, Rabiu – (5) 28)Former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Buba – (5) 29)Workshop Tool (3) 30)Greek Alphabet (5) 33)Assistance (3) 34)President, World Bank Group, Mr. Jim Yong – (3) 35)Former President, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief
Onyema – (9) DOWN 1)Hebrew Alphabet (3) 2)Equipment (3) 4)Bahhamas Capital City (6) 5)Solar Planet (5) 6)Oman Currency Unit (5) 7)The Oba of Benin, HRH Omo N’Oba Akpolokpolo – (9) 10)L.G.A in Taraba State (3) 13)Former Super Eagles Coach, Karl – (9) 14)Nauru Capital City (5) 16)Major Ethnic Group in Nigeria (5) 17)Beverage (3) 18)Venomous Snake (3) 22)Belgium Prime Minister, Mr. Elio – (2,4) 24)Muslim Faith (5) 25)Super Eagles Coach, Shaibu – (5) 26)Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex – (5) 27)Small Bird (3) 31)Albanian Currency (3) 32)Super Falconets (U-19) Goalkeeper, Amina – (3)
Solution on page 63
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