Senate wants special courts for terrorists

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61654

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Oshiomhole, Airhavbere, others clash in Edo guber debate Pg.12

21 killed as gunmen, JTF clash in Kano, Yobe —P.5

Senate wants special courts for terrorists •Accuses politicians, clerics of fuelling state of insecurity •Urges support for communities affected by terror attacks •Says govt, sect members should embrace dialogue

BY HENRY UMORU

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YO- THE Senate, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to immediately set up Special Courts for terrorism crimes if activities of members of the Boko Haram sect that have been engaging in bombings leading to massive loss of lives and wanton destruction of property must end.

Rising from its retreat yesterday, the senate also called on the Federal Government to strengthen those laws relating to insecurity and terrorism, adding that there was also the need for the enactment of a witness protection law as that would help encourage citizens to volunteer useful information about perpetra

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Mr & Mrs

KADUNA AFTER CURFEW—Scene at a security check point on Yakubu Gowon Way, following relaxation of 24-hour curfew in Kaduna yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Access Bank's ratings soar —P.6

An engagement with President Jonathan —P. 17

4th Vanguard’s Children —P.9 Conference

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Senate wants special courts for terrorists Continues from Page 1 tors of violence.

The Senate while promising to support the federal government in increased funding for security agencies with greater focus on intelligence gathering, however, stressed the need for the Federal Government to intensify measures to create more employment opportunities, reduce poverty and inequality.

Politicians, clerics fuelling insecurity The Senate also accused some clerics and politicians of aggravating the security situation in the country through hate and divisive utterances.

The Retreat with the theme, “the National Assembly and National Security: Securing the future for Development” was held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State with all the senators, some former Senators and resource persons in attendance.

In a communiqué is-

sued at the end of the retreat, the senators agreed that a law to monitor and regulate preaching should be enacted and that all Nigerians must be educated and enlightened on this as part of moves to ensure unity and to be resolute and focused in building a stronger country.

Part of the communiqué which was read by the Deputy Senate leader, Senator Abdul Ningi read: “That the Federal Government should create special courts for terrorism crimes; that the war on corruption should be intensified from all quarters; that the Federal government should enhance bilateral and multilateral networking in curbing terrorism.

“Governments at all levels are called upon to increase support to communities that are affected by environmental degradation through the effective deployment and use of Ecological Fund, even as it resolved to take judicious actions in facilitating the imple-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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HEN all seems to break down around us and when we do not know which way to turn, at least we can look up to heaven and know that our help comes from above.

We might not be able to trust our own hearts, but thankfully we can trust the one who made them. He truly really never fails.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

The fear-determined persons go about putting out the sun in other people. This happens when we focus on other people’s faults and weaknesses. If you are ruled by fear, you not only go about putting out the light of others, you also extinguish your own light — John McMurray

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HE English psychoanalyst McMurray spoke of people being either ‘fear-determined’ or ‘lovedetermined’. The fear-determined have no sun in themselves and go about putting out the sun in other people. Whereas the love-determined are the people who are really alive, of whom it can be said that they possess eternal life as a well within them perpetually springing.

Here are the thoughts that put out your own sun: “No use trying!”, “I’m hopeless at that!”, “I’ll never learn!”, “This is too difficult!” And when you look at others and their perceived talent and success, you may feel envy – which is really a wish to extinguish the light of others.

There is a saying which sums it aptly: “As your heart’s capacity for love and kindness grows, you’ll find a great fullness of being, discover a warm kinship with all beings, and reveal the radiant heart within.

mentation of the resolutions of the 2012 retreat.”

In order to perform effectively and guide against rubbishing the image of the upper chamber, the Senate resolved to strengthen its will and independence to perform oversight functions more effectively by avoiding areas of compromise with Ministries, Departments and agencies of government, MDAs. Part of the resolution was: “That good and effective governance must be entrenched through effective implementation and monitoring of appropriation laws; that the government should increase its logistic supports for Borno State and other states affected by security challenges.”

In the communiqué issued, the observations were “that effec-

tive national security is crucial for meaningful sustainable development in Nigeria; that there is a collapse of positive value and allegiance to national symbol and core values; that causes of the current waves of insecurity are multifaceted and include among other things poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, ethnicity, religion, etc.

“The current level of insecurity has impacted negatively on the Nigerian economy and especially the northern part; that issues of justice, corruption, and parliamentary oversight require greater attention in order to enhance effective national security.

“The various efforts of the Federal Government in curtailing the current insecurity in the country are noted and commendable; that countering terrorism and insecurity in the

country require new legislation and re-examination of existing legal framework on security.

“Partnering with the international community to curb incidences of insecurity and terrorism is imperative especially given the international dimensions and connections of terrorist organisation; that in addition to the current measures being pursued by government there is need for dialogue as a feasible

solution to addressing and resolving the Boko Haram attacks while the sect should be encouraged to embrace dialogue, as there is a need to re-examine how the judiciary adjudicates on cases of terrorism.

“That States with the severest environmental degradation seem to have been worst hit by security challenges; and that the security challenges facing Nigeria, though enormous. are surmountable.”

21 killed as gunmen, JTF clash in Kano, Yobe

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD & NDAHI MARAMA

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ANO—NO fewer than 17 Islamist militants were killed, yesterday, in Kano after two days of sustained exchange of fire between the militants and security agents. Four others were also reportedly killed in Damaturu, Yobe State capital. It was gathered that three undergraduates were among those arrested by security agents.

The gunmen had reportedly launched an operation, attacking seven targets with explosives and assault rifles in Kano during the attack that lasted about 12 hours. The military Joint Task Force, JTF, reportedly killed two of the attackers in Damaturu, while one was arrested in the 30-minute fierce battle that later spread to the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, premises.

It was alleged that a group of unknown gunmen, suspected to be ter-

rorists, had earlier attacked a police out-post in Sabon Fegi ward in the metropolis, killing two civilians. A woman and her child were hit by stray bullets during the exchange of gunfire between the gunmen and men of JTF. Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris told newsmen in Kano that the gunmen attacked their targets with explosives and assault riffles, adding that no fewer than 14 Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, were defused by the Bomb Disposal Unit of the police command during the gunfight.

He said: “Some extremists launched an attack with bombs and assault rifles on Dala Police Station, Jakara Police Barracks, Goron Dutse Division, Panshekara Division, 52 Squadron Mobile Police Unit, Challawa; and also planted bombs at the Junior Secondary School, Sabuwar Doka in Ungogo Local Government.

“The extremists, who were about 30, attacked policemen on duty with assault rifles and IEDs, and the policemen gallantly repelled the attacks.”

He added that the ‘’extremists’’ also attacked the Goron Dutse Prison yard, but the policemen on duty repelled their attacks successfully. He said no damage was done to the prisons, even as the situation was now under control.

The police boss, however, revealed that the command lost a police Sergeant just as another sergeant sustained injuries.

According to him, items recovered from the religious extremists included five assault rifles, 220 live ammunition, five vehicles, three motorcycles, large quantities of drugs and syringes, and N100,000 cash.

The Commissioner, however, commended the people of the state for their cooperation with law enforcement agencies and urged them not to relent in providing

useful information.

However, commenting on the incident in Damaturu, the Yobe State Police Commissioner, Patrick Egbuniwe, said in a telephone interview yesterday that “there were attacks on a police and military posts by suspected gunmen, where two civilians were killed in the Sabon Fegi ward and the Federal Polytechnic staff quarters.”

He said there were still some assailants hiding among the communities in the metropolis, warning that the police and JTF would continue to raid such hideouts, which pose increased security threats to lives and property in the state.

He said there was no casualty during Tuesday’s attacks on the part of men of the JTF and police, urging the residents to always cooperate with security agents, by providing useful information on the hideouts and modus operandi of terrorists in their midst.

6—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Access Bank’s ratings soar ...4 others maintain stable outlook

By PETER EGWUATU

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President Goodluck Jonathan closely followed by Vcie President Namadi Sambo as he arrived for the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Insecurity: We want national dialogue now —Eminent Nigerians zWarn against further delay

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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AGOS — EMINENT Nigerians converged, yesterday, on Lagos and warned against further delay in the convocation of a national dialogue. They gave the warning at the inaugural meeting of the National Dialogue Steering Committee convened by the National Summit Group, NSG. Prominent Nigerians present at the meeting include Second Republic Presidential Adviser to former President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai; protem chairman of the group and former Minister of Information, Chief John Nwodo; former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah; Alhaja Ganiyat Fawehinmi; founder of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr Fredrick Fasehun; former Minister of Avaition, Alabo Graham Douglas; former Secretary General of Yoruba Council of Elders, Chief Yinka Olajide and Chief Ralph Obiora among others. Representatives from each of the six geopolitical zones were unanimous on the need to convene a national dialogue.

Insecurity must be addressed—Uranta In his remarks, secretary of the NSG, Mr Tony Uranta, expressed worry over security situation in the country and stressed the need to address such issues.

In addition, he explained that the steering committee was facilitated to convene

a national dialogue aimed at addressing pressing issues facing the country.

Current structure threatens unity —Nwodo Protem chairman of the NSG, Chief John Nwodo, argued that “as long as the present structure of the Nigerian nation persists, it will threaten the unity, peace and rapid development in the country.”

Speaking further, Nwodo explained that the inaugural meeting of the steering committee would address issues such as “a programme of activities to realise our agreed objective; a strategy for raising funds for the sustainance of the activities of the steering committee that will give it objectivity; provide identification of groups with similar objectives as ways and means of collaborating with such groups.”

Expressing worry over the growing insecurity in the country, the former minister said: “As we meet today (yesterday), the security situation which worried us at our first meeting, has worsened.

Our national situation is a clarion call for all patriotic Nigerians to rise and make meaningful contributions for a peaceful and speedy resolution of our national crisis.”

We welcome a national dialogue —Yakassai Tanko Yakassai who spoke on behalf of the North-West, threw his

weight behind the convocation of a national dialogue but pointed out that it must be done in conformity with the 1999 Constitution.

The elder statesman, who maintained that the country had a lot to gain if it convenes a national conference said the NorthWest was prepared to give its full support for any conference that would address the problems facing the country.

He said: “We are in support of a national dialogue; we welcome a national dialogue because Nigeria has everything to gain.”

1999 Constitution is defective —Fasehun On his part, founder of OPC, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, who spoke for the South West, picked holes in the 1999 Constitution, describing it as defective.

While he advocated a Peoples Constitution, he

said: “You cannot continue to operate on a defective constitution. Nigeria cannot continue to operate a constitution put together by a few military officers. We need a people’s constitution because the 1999 Constitution cannot represent the wishes of Nigerians.”

We must stop rhetorics —Graham Douglas Speaking on behalf of the South-South zone, Alabo Graham Douglas said it was time Nigerians stopped rhetorics and convened a national conference to restructure the country.

According to him, “we must immediately stop rhetorics and begin the process of restructuring the nation. The Federal Government should spearhead the national dialogue as it has the capacity of getting everybody involved.”

AGOS — THREE rating agencies which include Fitch, Standard and Poors (S&P) and Nigeria’s Agusto & Co have upgraded Access Bank Plc ratings to a new high, while four other top Nigerian banks maintained stable outlook.

The improved ratings, according to the agencies, were attributed to the Banks’ improved market position, strong capitalization, and strong liquidity profile; enhanced distribution network and expanded client base.

Specifically, Fitch, a UKbased rating agency, upgraded the bank’s longterm Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘B’ from ‘B-’ while the bank’s national longterm rating was upgraded to ‘A-(nga)’ from ‘BBB(nga)’; and outlook upgraded to stable from its positive status. Fitch upgrade of Access Bank is an incredible three notches up.

In the same vein, S&P (Standard and Poors), one of the world’s most reputable rating agencies, upgraded its long-term Nigerian national-scale rating to ‘ngA’ from ‘ngA-’ with its outlook raised from ‘negative’ to ‘stable’ while Agusto & Co, Nigeria’s leading rating agency, upgraded its ‘BBB’ rating of the Bank to ‘A-’; still maintaining its ‘stable’ rating of the bank’s outlook.

This development lays credence to the timeliness of the recent banking reform which has undoubtedly strengthened the Nigerian banking landscape.

Outside the subsidiaries of foreign banks present in the

Nigerian market which carry the ratings of their parent banks, the ratings of the five largest banks in Nigeria— FirstBank, Zenith, GTBank, Access Bank and United Bank for Africa—are not materially different from one another as they all maintain ‘stable outlook’ in their ratings.

This could be taken to mean a tacit classification of the nation’s banking industry with these five occupying Tier 1 position; riding on their financial strength, market capitalization, branch network, customer base, quality of their risk management framework and governance structure.

According to opinions expressed on Access Bank by one of the rating agencies, “Access Bank’s funding has been strengthened by an enlarged branch network following consolidation, which has availed the Bank a vast pool of low-cost deposit.

“In the year under review, local currency deposits grew by 114 per cent to N871 billion. Deposits adequately funded the loan book and Access Bank’s liquidity ratio stood at 74 per cent as at December 31, 2011, well above the regulatory minimum of 30 per cent.”

Meanwhile, Moody’s Global Banking Managing Director, Greg Bauer, has attributed the recent downgrade of some of the world’s financial institutions to global meltdown.

According to him, “all of the banks affected by the actions have significant exposure to the volatility and risk of outsized losses inherent to capital markets activities.

31,556 foreigners denied entry into Nigeria

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BUJA — THE N i g e r i a n Immigration Service, NIS, has denied 31,556 foreigners entry into the country between January and May 2012.

According to the Public Relations Officer of NIS, Mr Joachim Olumba, the service refused the foreigners visas following a Federal Government order on closure of the nation’s borders.

President Goodluck Jonathan had ordered the closure of some of the

country ’s borders on December 31, 2011, when he declared a state of emergency in some local government areas in the North.

Olumba said 5,603 illegal immigrants were also repatriated from the country during the period under review, adding that discussions were on between the immigration service and other relevant agencies to remove settlement areas around the country’s borders.

He said: "The aim is to

build new communities for settlement so as to give the people a sense of belonging as their relocation is important to resolving the current security challenges in the country.”

He also stressed the need to resettle and empower border settlers to discourage their involvement in illegal activities in the area.

He noted that people living along the borderlines were frustrating efforts by the

service to control illegal movement of people and contraband in the border.

The immigration service is also exploring a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to tackle challenges in the management of the country ’s borders, revealed Mr Olumba.

“The arrangement will entail the construction of border plazas with high technology migration facilities, offices and barracks for security operatives,” he explained.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—7

Obasanjo wants bribe givers, takers punished

BY UDUMA KALU WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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AGOS — AGAINST the backdrop of the bribery allegation between a member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan and business mogul, Femi Otedola, over the fuel subsidy report, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has said both the giver and taker of bribe must be punished.

Speaking to the The Guardian of London, Obasanjo said fighting corruption in Nigeria was not a one-night affair.

His words: “Fighting corruption is not a onenight affair. The givers of most of the corruption in Africa are from outside Africa. They do in Africa (things) they would not do in their own countries. In my part of the world, we have a saying that the man who carries a pot of palm oil from the ceiling is not the only thief. He has an accomplice in the man who helps him to bring it down.

The giver and the taker are criminals, and they should be treated as such.”

Obasanjo told the newspaper that instead of saying Nigerian leaders

lack accountability, the paper should say they are corrupt.

“You are being euphemistic when you say lack of accountability. Call it corruption. There is no part of the world where corruption is absolutely eliminated. But (in other countries) corruption has not been a way of life. When you are found, you are dealt with. And that’s what we need.”

Obasanjo was in the UK to promote investment in Nigeria.

The former president who is working as a roving ambassador, facilitating firms’ entry into Nigeria and the rest of Africa said he believed that positive examples of business success would encourage avaricious minds to look for more legitimate routes to wealth.

He said: “I still believe in the opportunities that Africa affords to make legitimate money. Africa is one place I believe that if you are courageous enough, you get the money, you can invest and get 25 per cent return on your investment annually. There aren’t many places in the world where you can get that return.”

FEC okays N12.14bn contract for maritime security

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA — THE Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday, approved contracts totalling N12.14billion for maritime security as well as for the provision of boats to ease movement along the country’s coastal areas.

A breakdown of the contract indicates that N8.325 billion was earmarked for land reclamation in AbamNnuju-Igbiri-Oba-OjimbaOkujagu-Ama water front and resident supervision consultancy services work.

Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, who briefed State House correspondents after yesterday ’s meeting alongside his Transport colleague, Senator Idris Umar, said of the amount, N3.238 billion was for the purchase of six security boats. He added and that N1.48 billion ($9.43m) was for the purchase of two 17 manta MK ASD and one 32M manta MK ASD worth N1.57 billion ($10.451m).

He said the purchase of three fast moving security boats was approved for N233.625 million while

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another N321.510 million was for the procurement of four fast moving 40-45 passengers’ water bus to ease movement of people around the country.

Other approval by the council was N236.666 million for the procurement of 12/10 cutter suctions dredger with ancillary equipment.

Explaining the rational for the contracts, Senator Idris said there was a compelling need to beef up security around the country ’s coastal areas in line with international guidelines and security regime required for enhanced comfort to shipping.

On the land reclamation, Umar noted that government was committed to reversing the situation where sea erosion had claimed a substantial part of the Okrika land mass.

He said when completed, the project would significantly address the rural poverty with presence for infrastructural development.

Speaking on the passengers’ boat, the minister said it was aimed at promoting movement along inland water ways.

From right: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Uche Ekwunife; Micah Umoh and Ganama Titsi, all committee members, during a meeting with telecom companies and NESREA, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

AP shareholders drag Dangote to S-Court zChallenge his return as NSE President

BY INNOCENT ANABA

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AGOS — AFRICAN Petroleum, AP, Plc shareholders have asked the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which made way for Alhaji Aliko Dangote to resume as President of Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. Justice Muhammed Liman of a Federal High Court, Lagos, had

nullified Dangote’s election as NSE President, after it held that the August 5 election was in clear disobedience to an order of August 4, 2009, directing parties to maintain status quo in a suit by some aggrieved shareholders of AP Plc against Dangote, a stock broking firm, Nova Finance and Securities Limited, and others on allegation that AP’s share prices were

manipulated.

Dangote had appealed against the lower court decision and urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the ruling of the lower court.

In its judgment, the Court of Appeal set aside the decision of the lower court and held that there was no basis for the decision of the lower court.

The aggrieved AP s h a r e h o l d e r s , dissatisfied with the

$3m bribe scandal: Lawan plotting to challenge arrest, interrogation

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

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BUJA — I N D I C AT I O N S have emerged in Abuja that as the embattled former Chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy regime, Farouk Lawan, continues to delay on his promise to return the $620,000 bribe money allegedly collected from the oil magnate, Femi Otedola, he is busy assembling a crack team of lawyers to take on investigators of the Special Task Force and fight his way out.

Lawan who was at the Force Headquarters, yesterday, was said to have baffled investigators with the usual promise that he would bring the money

even when such talk has so far yielded nothing.

Sources told Vanguard that the Police, having grown wary of Lawan’s antics, are suspecting that he is trying to play a fast one on the investigators as it has emerged he was trying to buy time to enable him challenge his arrest, detention and continuous appearance before the Police every two days.

Reporting to the police every 48 hours is one of the conditions given to him for his bail, which he has been honouring accordingly.Sources, however, revealed that while Lawan is pleading for time, the police may be left with no other option than to charge him to court since it is getting clearer by the day that the money can

no longer be retrieved from him.

The source added that Lawan’s decision to collect the $120,000 given to the secretary of the committee, Boniface Emenalo, made the Police smell a rat that he didn’t want any trace of the money, to prevent its being used as evidence against him.

Meanwhile, Farouk Lawan has continued to insist that he gave proceeds of the bribery allegation to the House Committee Chairman on Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Mr. Adams Jagaba, who has since denied the claims.

Jagaba has also written to the Police investigating team to indicate that he knows nothing about the money and detectives have said it may be adopted as his own statement.

appellate court decision, and the resumption of office as NSE President

by Dangote, through their counsel, Mr Onyebuchi Aniakor, have asked the apex court to set aside the judgment, contending that the appellate court erred in law, in proceeding in the face of the undisputed facts on the record to hold, that "the order to maintain status quo had no basis. The pleadings, as stated in the originating summons, showed that there was nothing done at that point in the proceedings that could worsen the position of the plaintiffs.”

The AP shareholders are further contending that the Court of Appeal erred in law in proceeding, as they so did, to substitute and/or set aside the trial court’s exercise of its discretion and to replace same with the lower court’s own discretion contrary to the settled legal principles and the law and in the absence of any lawful or justifiable ground.

The shareholders have, meanwhile, asked the Court of Appeal to restrain Alhaji Dangote from howsoever taking any step and/or further step to occupy and/or assume the duties, rights and perquisites of President of NSE, whether in pursuance of the decision of the Court of Appeal delivered in this appeal, or otherwise, pending the hearing and final determination of the appeal at the Supreme Court against the decision of the Court of Appeal in this appeal, delivered on June 15, 2012.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Billboard damages 2 cars in Onitsha

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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DINNER—From left: Chief Ojo Maduekwe, his wfe, Mrs Ucha Maduekwe, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and his wife, Mrs Ebere Ihedioha during a dinner in honour of Ojo Maduekwe in Abuja.

Court sacks monarch in Anambra zI remain traditional ruler, says sacked monarch

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—AN Anambra High Court sitting at Otuocha, Anambra East local government area of the state has sacked the traditional ruler of Nteje community in Oyi local government area, Igwe Roland Odegbo for lacking constitutional backing to mount the throne.

In the judgment delivered by the presiding judge, Justice Ifeanyi Nweze in a suit brought before the court by Dr. Charles Aduaka challenging the selection and the subsequent coronation of Igwe Odegbo and issuance of certificate of recognition by the Anambra State government, the court invalidated the exercise and ordered the parties to return to the status quo.

The judgment, which elicited mixed reactions in the community was a result of a fierce legal battle between the plaintiff, Dr. Aduaka and the embattled monarch.

After listening to both parties, Justice Nweze granted an order of mandatory injunction setting aside the recognition of Igwe Odegbo by the Anambra State government.

Justice Nweze further granted an order of mandatory injunction setting aside the issuance and acceptance of the certificate of recognition earlier issued the embattled traditional ruler by the state government and any act or acts made in furtherance of the said acceptance by the defendant.

The judge also set aside the coronation of Igwe Odegbo as the Igwe Agborgu II of Nteje on the ground that he (Odegbo) resorted to self help while

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the case was still pending before the court.

“The 1st defendant is hereby restrained from parading, holding himself out and or in any manner whatsoever acting as the traditional ruler, Igwe Agborgu II of Nteje, pending the hearing and determination of this suit.

It will be recalled that Aduaka had approached the court to interpret his purported replacement as the Igwe-elect of Nteje after constitutional exercise for the selection of the traditional ruler of the community

and therefore, sought an order restraining the defendant from parading himself or presenting himself or allowing himself to be presented as person selected as Igwe elect.

Reacting to the judgment, Igwe Rowland Odegbo through his counsel, Chief Obi Ulasi, SAN, insisted that he is still the Igwe of the community, adding, “the people of Nteje selected him as their traditional ruler and his opponent who is a staff of a Federal agency has refused to let peace to reign.”

WKA—TWO vehicles were severely damaged and a house slightly torched when a giant billboard mounted at the Upper New Market area of the commercial city of Onitsha fell after a heavy rain storm.

An eyewitness said the noise jolted many residents of the city, adding that it would have caused more damages if the incident had occurred during the day, especially as the area usually witnesses heavy vehicular traffic.

However, officials of the Anambra Signage and Advertisement Agency, ANSAA, said yesterday that they suspected sabotage as owners of the billboard had been having a running battle with the agency over the positioning of the board.

Managing director of ANSAA, Mr. Fidel Ndubuisi told newsmen that Anambra State government was worried about the incident, adding that the agency had invited members of the Outdoor Advertisers Association of Nigeria, OAAN, for a meeting to discuss the matter so as to avoid future occurrence.

He said when the inci-

dent occured, the agency dispatched its engineers to assess the situation, explaining that they came up

with disturbing revelation that bolts used in holding the metals together were removed.

Enugu police to investigate death of PHCN staff

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NUGU—ENUGU State Police Command yesterday said it is investigating the death of a Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Mr Ben Okoro, at Awha in Ezeagu Local Government Area.

The command announced this in a statement by its

spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, in Enugu.

Okoro, who worked at the Aguobuowa Unit, was found dead under a high tension cable on June 20.

The police vowed to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the PHCN

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—9

Briefly

Fire guts NIMASA' Hq

BY GODFREY BIVBERE, GODWIN ORITSE & DAVID EBEATERHESAGUA

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AGOS—ACTIVITIES at the headquarters of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,NIMASA, Apapa, Lagos, were paralysed in the early hours of yesterday, as fire gutted the second floor of the building.

The entire 10-floor building would have been destroyed by the fire, but for the timely intervention of men of the Federal Fire Service who quickly saved the situation .

Eyewitness accounts attributed the fire to faulty electrical appliances while some others said it was an electrical surge that affected an air-conditioning unit on the second floor. This quickly spread to adjoining cubicles and offices, destroying office equipment and personal effects of fleeing staff.

There were reports of staff trapped on the floor due to on-going repair works, though there was no loss of life.

Meanwhile, the agency’s management asked its staff to go home for the day as a result of the incident.

Head of Public Relations for the agency, Hajia Lami Tumaka, could not corroborate the reports of the purported source of the fire.

She said such speculations would be disregarded.

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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KEJA—KEY officials in Lagos State’s transport sector, yesterday, gave joint explanation of alternate routes residents will be expected to use during the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge.

Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and Mr Aderemi Ibirogba, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, did a joint briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.

Also present were; Mr. Ganiyu Johnson, Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Works and Infrastructure and Mr. Gbenga Akintola, Director of the state’s Pub-

THIRD MAINLAND BRIDGE REPAIRS

Lagos rolls out list of alternate routes zGives reasons for urgent repairs zResolves face-off with FRSC in traffic management lic Works Corporation.

Hamzat, who stressed that anxiety generated by the planned repairs of the bridge was unnecessary, said the maintenance work was also to ensure its durability and make it serve residents better.

According to him, though, the bridge would be partially closed during the repair period, from July to November, adequate measures had been put in place by the state government to manage traffic.

He said: “Everybody says we don‘t have maintenance culture. This is maintenance culture. The bridge needs to be maintained and this is what is happening.

“When the bridge, which has eight expansion joints, was constructed, it was constructed as two structures hanging on one. One will notice that when vehicles get to these joints, the bridge vibrates.

“And, as more vehicles pass through these joints,

Diversion routes

NATIONAL INTEREST AT STAKE: From left, Mrs. R. Ben-Ohagbue; Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, Founder /President, Oodua People's Congress, OPC and Mr. Baba Gana Bunu at the inaugural national meeting of National Dialogue Steering Committee convened by National Summit Group, in Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Atuche's trial: Defence witness faults EFCC's witness

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & MICHAEL OLADEPO

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KEJA—AN Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, witness in the on-going trial of the former managing director of defunct Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Mr. Francis Atuche and two others, David Olom Nkpe was, yesterday, contradicted with the statement of another prosecution witness.

At the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court, the defence counsel, Mr. Anthony Idigbe, SAN, confronted the witness with the inconsistency which allegedly tainted a statement made by another prosecution witness.

Atuche is standing trial C M Y K

the bridge compresses.

So, the repair work that is going to be done is to strengthen the joints in order for it to function properly.

“The maintenance work is very necessary. It is actually for the safety of its users and the durability of the bridge.“ Hamzat said the impact of the repair on traffic would be reduced compared to 2008,when a similar repair works was done owing to some road infrastructure that had since been put in place.

alongside his wife, Elizabeth, and a former director of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu, over alleged stealing of over N25.7 billion belonging to defunct Bank PHB (now Key Stone Bank).

While being crossed-examined by the defence lawyer, the witness, who is a field detective in the bank fraud investigative department of EFCC, confirmed that the statement made by one of their witnesses, Peter Ololo, was inconsistent.

Ololo, had in his first statement to the anti-graft commission, tagged Exhibit P191, before the court, admitted to getting another loan facility of N5 billion from defunct Bank PHB, adding that he can only supply details when he checks the documents in his office, but in another statement three

days later, tagged Exhibit P193, Ololo stated that he does not know anything about the transactions.

In his additional statement, Ololo also stated that his company had an arrangement with the bank to buy shares in nominee names for defunct Bank PHB to be managed by Falcon Securities, though he had earlier stated that his company was not aware of all the transactions until he got a statement of account indicating the transactions.

The businessman had claimed that Atuche had granted loans to his companies without their request or knowledge.

Ololo had claimed that a loan facility of N4 billion was granted to his company, Petosan Oil and Gas Limited in Sept. 2007, which he never applied

for.

Confronted with some cheques which were admitted as exhibits before the court, Nkpe confirmed that loan proceeds were transferred to accounts controlled by Ololo, adding that Ololo issued some cheques in favour of Bank PHB public offer.

The witness, when questioned, also confirmed that in their investigations, Ololo never claimed not to have signed the cheques or that he was coerced to sign the checks. “Not to my knowledge. He never told us he was forced to sign the cheques.”

The EFCC witness said investigations indeed, revealed that there was a deferral policy on ground in the bank and that Ololo never disputed signing account opening forms.

According to Hamzat, the road linking Yaba to Oyingbo, down to Funsho Williams Avenue is one of the strategic roads that had been provided by the government in the last five years.

The commissioner assured that more roads would be worked on by the government before the closure to ease traffic during the period.

Also speaking on the arrangement, Opeifa said the government had evolved a comprehensive traffic management plan to ensure that the impact of the repairs on traffic was minimal.

He said a good number of the state‘s traffic officials were deployed to the different routes identified for diversions around the bridge to ensure that the plan worked.

He said: “The traffic management strategy is structured around the current use of the bridge.

And, the direction of flow of vehicular traffic determines the diversion strategy.

“We have also examined

other roads that would be used during the period and we have structured our strategy towards these roads.

“The road will be closed between 00:00am and 12:00 pm. These are the times of diversion and these are the critical times. During these times, there will be two scenarios.

“In the morning that is between 00:00am and 12:00pm, when coming from the Island to the Mainland, at AdenijiAdele, one is expected to divert to Carter Bridge.

“When one gets to Carter Bridge, one is expected to proceed to Iddo, where the redistribution will happen.

“From Iddo, one can proceed to Herbert Macaulay Way down to Jibowu and link either Agege Motor Road or Ikorodu Road. ''Also, from Iddo, one may like to link Ijora Olopa, one will need to link Eko Bridge and from that bridge one can get to Funsho Williams Avenue. “ From Funsho Williams Avenue, between Ojuelegba and Moshalasi, one can decide to use either Ikorodu Road or Agege Motor Road to link other parts of the mainland. “ Ibirogba said the new Lagos Traffic Radio would provide comprehensive traffic information during the repair period to also help manage traffic.

He urged residents not to entertain fears about the repair of the bridge, assuring that the government would do its best to ensure its impact on traffic was minimal.

Vanguard's Children's confab holds today in Lagos

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HE 4th Vanguard’s Children’s Conference, organized by Vanguard Newspapers, holds today at Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, by 10.am.

The conference's theme is Child Abuse: Enforcing the Child’s Rights for a Peaceful Nation.

Chief Guest of Honour at the event is Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, while the Mother of the Day is the

First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola.

According to the management of Vanguard Newspapers, the conference is organised annually to draw the attention of government, non-government organisations and other stakeholders in the Nigerian entity to the plight of Nigerian children, who are the future leaders, as well as create adequate awareness, monitoring and implementation of the Child Right Law in Nigeria.

10—V anguard, THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012 10—Vanguard, THURSDA

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—11

Court orders Police to pay N20m over unlawful murder in Delta

BY EMMAAMAIZE

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ARRI—A DELTA State High Court sitting at Otor-Udu, has ordered the Nigeria Police to pay N20 million damage for the wrongful killing of Gideon Ovikpokpo, who was shot dead by mobile policemen at a police checkpoint in Delta State, two days to his wedding in September 2008 on the pretext that he was an armed robber.

Trial judge, Justice F. Azinge, in her judgment in the case brought by Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, on behalf of the Ovikpokpo family, said: “I hereby award a sum of N20 million to the claimants to be paid by the defendants jointly and severally, being damages suffered by the claimants as a result of the wrongful, unlawful and gruesome murder of late Engr. Gideon Ovikpokpo by the defendants and/or mobile policemen under their control, supervision and employment on September 8, 2008, at 7pm, at a police check point by Sedco Junction, Kolokolo Area of Delta

State.”

The plaintiff was represented by Pa Bluff Ovikpokpo, while the defendants were the Commander of the Quick Response Squad, Ogunu and four others.

The court said: “The unlawful and gruesome murder of late Engr.

Ovikpokpo by the

defendants and/or mobile policemen under their control, supervision and employment on September 8, 2008 at 7pm at a police check point by Sedco Junction, Kolokolo Area on the pretext that he was an armed robber is a wrongful act and ultra vires the powers of the

defendants.

“An order is hereby made directing the defendants to tender an unreserved apology to the claimants and the Ovikpokpo family resident at Ekete Inland Ekete, Delta State in the Vanguard Newspapers, absolving the late Engr Ovikpokpo of being an armed robber.”

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G B O R — FOLLOWING the apprehension in Abavo, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, which led to the deployment of anti-riot policemen and soldiers during the week, the monarch, HRM Uche Irenuma, has summoned a meeting of all stakeholders for today.

The peace meeting is consequent upon Tuesday’s parley between warring factions in the community with Delta State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who advised the monarch to dialogue with his subjects and make peace with them.

A prominent leader of the opposing faction and member of the royal family, Mr Martin Jegbefume, however, told Vanguard, yesterday, “I am not attending the meeting.

Abavo is a peaceful place, but it is the monarch that is causing trouble, calling meeting to tell us a lot of lies will not solve the problem.

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE ENIN—AHEAD of the July 14, governorship election in Edo State, former governor of the defunct Mid-West State and a member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia has expressed his “soft spot” for Governor Adams Oshiomhole, insisting that the governor was working hard to develop the state and uplift the people’s standard of living.

He also said that contrary to the belief by some people that he had expired politically, he

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would continue to be very active politically until death.

Speaking with Vanguard shortly after receiving a delegation of the League of Like-Minded Traditional Chiefs and Enigie from Edo South Senatorial zone, he said: “I have a soft spot for Oshiomhole because he is working, but that does not remove me from my party, PDP. Although some may say that Ogbemudia has expired, I will remain in politics until God calls me.

“All I want is somebody who will develop Edo South, Edo State to the glory of God and to the benefit of its children.”

Nigeria's first female Ambassador for held in her honour at burial Saturday

BY FESTUS AHON

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From left: Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Edem Duke; Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan; Secretary General, UNWTO, Taleb Rifai and wife of Cross River State Governor, Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke, at the presentation of award to the First Lady by Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation for her ‘examplary support for women and youths in tourism' during the presidential dinner in honour of delegates attending the ongoing UNWTO Commission for Africa holding in Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State.

Monarch summons peace meeting over Abavo crisis

BY EMMAAMAIZE

Why I have soft spot for Oshiomhole —Ogbemudia

“He has to do the right thing by stepping down for the incoming king for peace to reign.

I read his comments that the probleminAbavohadnothingto do with kingship, is not the truth.

The truth is that we want him to step down,” he added.

Jegbefume noted that he was not sharing oil money with anybody and so, it was wrong for the monarch to

say that the problem in the community was caused by those who demanded for patronage and contracts from the oil company but were not given.

Group raises alarm over rising death state, urged the Federal of Nigerian youths in deserts the Government to come to the

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY—THE United Returnees Foundation Against Illegal Desert Migration, URFAIDM, has raised concern over alleged increase in the number of Nigerian youths, who are found dead in the deserts while attempting to travel out illegally.

The group appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to support measures and policies aimed at discouraging Nigerian youths against illegal desert migration by providing employment for them.

President of the Foundation, Mr Solomon Okoduwa, who commended Governor

Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State for his agricultural scheme, which he provided for the Libyan returnees in

aid of Nigerians, who fled the North African country, during the crisis by providing them employment.

N200m lifeline for ICE

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY—EDO State Government is to spend N200 million on upgrading facilities at the state’s Institute of Continuing Education, ICE, in Benin City.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who stated this at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Institute, yesterday, said the money would be given to the Institute in two instalment, to be spent on areas of critical need with the first

N100million coming between September and October this year.

He noted that the school had realised and fulfilled the vision of its founding founder, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, by turning out graduates, who are doing well in all spheres of human endeavour.

O s h i o m h o l e congratulated Dr. Ogbemudia on establishing the institute to meet the educational needs of the people of the then Bendel State.

GHELLI—THE remains of the first Nigeria’s female Ambassador, Mrs Elizabeth Ogbon-Day, would be laid to rest on Saturday at her home town, Ogoni-Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State.

Service of songs would be held at 44, Water Resources Road residence of the late Ambassador, who died on May 6, 2012, aged 62.

According to a statement

by OnaAgori-Iwe and Prince Godwin Ogbon, an open air service would be

Ogoni-Olomu on June 30, 2012 followed by entertainment of guests.

“The late Ambassador Ogbon-Day is a descendant of the Ogbon Royal Family of Olomu Kingdom. She was very active politically and contested the primaries of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 2007 for the highest office of the land, the presidency, alongside the late President Yar’Adua, Dr. Peter Odili, Chief Sarah Jubrin and a host of others.

She was appointed Ambassador by former President Shehu Shagari to the Philippines.”

Edo guber: NGOs fault INEC on selection of observers

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BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE E N I N —

CONFERENCE of Non G o v e r n m e n t a l Organisations in Edo State, CONGOs, yesterday, in Benin, raised alarm on what it described as the untidy preparations by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the selection of observers, who will monitor the July 14, governorship elections in the state.

In a statement by Jude

Obasanmi and Destiny Enabulele, President and Secretary respectively, the group said, “whereas there was a need for the monitoring of the elections by non governmental and civil society organisations, we are compelled to draw the attention of Nigerians, especially people of Edo State to a grand and glaring plan to exclude grassroots and Edo State-based organisations from observing the election by INEC.

Ighoraye lauds Delta kerosene scheme

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E O P L E S DEMOCRATIC Party, PDP, chairman in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, Olorogun Cosmos Ighoraye has lauded the Delta State Direct-Kero Scheme, describing it as the best programme for the common man in the state.

Ighoraye, who spoke during the distribution of kerosene by the state

government at the AdaneOkpe Primary School, Orerokpe, was marvelled at the turnout of the interested persons despite the short notice, saying it shows that the programmewaswellappreciated by the people.

He noted that the programme will go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the people because 90 percent of the people in the council use kerosene on daily basis.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Appoint Okiro or Col Umar as Defence Minister, Tsav urges Jonathan

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BRIEFING: Mr. Chike Ogeah, Delta State Commissioner for Information (right) and Comrade Gloria Okolugbo, Commissioner, Directorate for Multilateral Relations, at a briefing in Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

AGOS—FORMER Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a credible Nigerian with security background as Defence Minister.

Tsav in a statement on Wednesday, said that either Col. Abubakar Umar or former Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Sir Mike Okiro are suitable and credible Nigerians who should head the Defence Ministry, adding that ‘’whoever should be appointed

Gunmen kill Rivers' ANPP chair

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— CHAIRMAN of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in Rivers State, Mr. Julius Nwaofu, has been reportedly killed by unknown gunmen.

Confirming the development, son of the deceased, Mr Chima Nwaofu, said the killers only made away with the mother's bag and mobile

phone, adding that the family has recovered the phone. He said his father was killed at 7pm on Tuesday in Omagwa area of the state.

He said they immediately reported the sad incident to Isiokpo Police station.

Meantime, governorship candidate of ANPP in Edo State, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has condemned

the brutal murder. Chief Edebiri who spoke to Vanguard on phone, called for a thorough investigation into the matter.

He said that effort should be made to apprehend those behind the brutal murder.

When contacted, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, said the Police was investigating the

development. He said information available to the Police was that he was a clergyman, adding that he was reportedly shot before the wife.

Also spokesman of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in the state, Mr. Jerry Needam, lamented the killing. He urged the Police to unearth those behind the murder.

Oshiomhole, Airhavbere, others clash in Edo guber debate

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY—IT was war of words, yesterday, at the Edo State governorship debate organised in Benin City by Nigeria Elections Debate Group, NEDG, as the candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere engaged themselves over the running of the state.

Meanwhile, some of the candidates, commended the modest efforts of the

state government in repositioning the state, but stressed the need for more to be done, which was why they were in the race, because they believed they had better plans to improve on what was on ground.

Candidate of ACN, Governor Oshiomhole and his PDP counterpart, Gen. Aihriavbere, tackled themselves in the areas of security and employment as Airhaivbere and All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, candidate, Solomon Edebiri, argued that the industries in the state had been ran underground.

Oshiomhole was quick to

note that the PDP government from 1999 till when he took over power in 2008, destroyed the industries and the agricultural sector in the state, adding that even the Edo Line, which they blamed his government for its collapse was ran down

by PDP government.

On rural electrification, the candidate of National Conscience Party, NCP, Mr. Paul Orunwense, while acknowledging the state government’s effort in this area, said: “With all respect to Oshiomhole, there is still a lot to be done,” while Mr. Roland Izebuwa of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, said, “despite what Oshiomhole

has done, there were still communities that need to be given light.”

However, candidate of PDP, General Charles Airhiavbere blamed failures in the state on past leadership from 1999 to 2007.

On health, Prince Frank Ukonga of Social Democratic Mega Party, SDMP, said: “We are not here to run down anybody, Adams Oshiomhole has done well in the area of healthcare. He has already started well by giving free medical services to citizens of 60 years and above.”

OnlytheLabourCandidate,Mr Andrew Igwemoh was absent at thedebatewhichwillendonJuly 5.

Defence Minister should have military or police records. He should be a person who should stand firm by whatever he is saying. Somebody who can draw the respect and honour of Nigerians.’’

According to Tsav, ‘’such a Nigerian should be somebody who is known to have good records either in the military or in the police, who will not look at faces of p e o p l e .

“Col.AbubakarUmarisasuitable person. He is upright and bold.

He left the army because of what the military did to late M.K.O. Abiola.Heisnotlikesomeofthese peoplewhocondemncorruption in the day and accept it at night. ‘’MikeOkiroknowshisjobvery well. He is also upright. He is a

goodmaterial.Heperformedvery wellwhenhewasCommissioner of Police, Lagos State and even as IGP. ’’The Boko Haram started being noticed when he was IGP.There is too much politicking in the police, yet Okiro performed very well.Heissomebodywhowillnot look at faces of people to bend the r u l e s . ’’If this country must return to its past glory they must appoint the right person into positions. But if theybringsomebodywhoknows nothing about security, then we are postponing the evil’s day.”

He regretted that, the former DefenceMinister,DrHaliruBello, knew nothing about security as he was Veterinary Doctor who became Comptroller-General of Customs.

Lawmaker faults FG's deal with oil firms on gas flaring

BY EMMAAMAIZE &

AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE.

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A R R I — CHAIRMAN, House of Representatives Committee on Gas Resources, Mr Ewa Eko, said, yesterday, that the Federal Government got it wrong when it signed agreement with multinational oil companies, to end gas flaring without providing necessary infrastructure.

He spoke when he fielded questions from newsmen during an oversight visit to Nigeria Gas Company, NGC, Warri, Delta State by members of the committee.

Eko observed that

infrastructural shortage was the cause of the unabated gas flaring by oil companies, adding that the end was now at sight.

He said: “On the continued gas flare, I think we get it wrong, when the country entered into agreement with the International Oil Companies, IOC. They were exploring for oil, we must take note of that.

Along the exploration, they found aggregate gas; they have to flare it, now that we are ready and appreciate the importance of gas, we must fight to get the infrastructure and that is the key issue. We have started providing for the infrastructure and we need to know how far we can go."

Edebiri, others endorse Oshiomhole's 2nd term bid

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY— AHEAD the July 14 governorship election in Edo State, a group of veteran politicians in the state, Otu-EdeOseghe has thrown its weight behind the re-election bid of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The group led by the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David

Edebiri, declared their support while presenting 500 campaign vests to the governor at Government House, Benin, as part of their contribution to his re-election bid, they said they believed that Oshiomhole was eminently qualified to re-contest the position, following his “outstanding performance in the past three and half years.”

Chief Edebiri said: “contrary to what the opposition parties and some unpatriotic individuals would want the world to believe, you have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that you a visionary leader and pragmatic leader of the people. You have imparted positively on the lives of Edo people with the numerous people-oriented projects your administrationhadexecutedand still executing in all parts of the state.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—13

Kaduna govt denounces video of corpses

BY EMEKA MAMAH

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PPARENTLY miffed by the circulation of a video of dead bodies allegedly occasioned by the crises in the state two weeks ago, Kaduna State government, yesterday, vowed to deal ruthlessly with trouble makers.

President of Kadunabased Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, CRCN, Mr. Shehu Sani, also lamented over the incident, which he described as the use of modern technology in aiding religious violence in Northern Nigeria, saying

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“the gory and horrific photographs of victims of suicide bombings and reprisal attacks shared through Blackberry in Kaduna aided in fueling tension, and also encouraged violence.”

The state government added that the background and accent of speakers in the films were imported to re-kindle hatred as well as ethnic and religious crises.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Governor Patrick Yakowa, Mr. Reuben Buhari, entitled Malicious video in circu-

lation, yesterday, said: “The video, which showed grim pictures of dead bodies was aimed at portraying the state in bad light in a bid to truncate the peace-building efforts of the government.

“The attention of the Kaduna State Government has been drawn to a one-minute video clandestinely being circulated within Kaduna State by some faceless people.

“The content of the video, which shows grim images of a heap of dead bodies being handled by

security forces, is basically meant to deliberately tarnish the image of the state, truncate the peace-building process in place and pitch adherents of our two major religions against each other.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is pertinent to mention that the scene in the video was not shot in Kaduna State as can be seen from the abundance of neem trees in the background and the accent of some of the people in the video, which is completely alien to the people of Kaduna.

“The police van in the background also shows that it is not from Kaduna State.

“If anyone comes in contact with the video he/she should ignore it as it is a deliberate effort by certain individuals to rekindle and fan the embers of religious and ethnic differences amongst inhabitants of our state.

“The good citizens of Kaduna State are enjoined not to play into the hands of these people who are bent on further creating enmity and division among us for their own devilish goals.”

CRCN President, Mr.

Sani, said: ‘’Information and Communication Technology, ICT, is aiding and abetting religious violence and insurgency in Northern parts of Nigeria.

“These are the facts: Text messages have become easy avenues for incitement, warmongering and spread of rumour that seriously inflame religious violence.

“Muslims and Christians, northerners and southerners have turned social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter into provocative platforms and theater of abuse and insults against each other.”

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Osun earmarks N8bn for urban renewal

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O From left,Alex Okoh, Chairman, Resource Intermediaries Limited, RIL; Weyinmi Jermide, Director, and Kelvin Balogun, MD, Coca Cola, at RIL Outsourcing Expo, in Lagos, yesterday.

Ondo guber: Oke emerges PDP consensus candidate

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—AHEAD of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State, the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, adopted the immediate past National Legal Adviser of the party, Chief Olusola Oke, as its consensus candidate.

At a briefing, in Akure, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Ebenezer Alabi, said the party agreed on the consensus agreement to avoid the post-crisis that usually trail party primaries.

Alabi said the 90-member committee comprising

five each from all the 18 council areas of the state put in place by the party to screen the aspirants, submitted their report and another committee representing one each from the council met and agreed on Oke. Oke defeated other aspirants which included the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Victor Olabimtan; former Head of Service, Mr. Alaba Isijola; a 41-yearold business mogul, Moyosola NiranOladunni; former Military administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Prince Joseph Adewusi; former Commissioner for Health, Dr.

Drug: Oyo NDLEA nabs 68

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN—FOUR fe males were among the 68 hard drug suspects arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Oyo State Command, in the last six months.

The total weight of the illicit drugs seized was 5,611.340kg,the organisa-

tion's Commander, Mr. Suleiman Jadi, said yesterday, in Ibadan. He said: “Among those arrested are Kehinde Wahab, 36, (male), and Francis Edogbon, 42 (male). They were arrested in connection with 1,268kg of cannabis sativa intercepted by our officers at Igbo-Ora in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State.”

Dare Bada; Mr. Ajibola Adeyeye; Mr. Mackson Medoye and Mr. Demola Ijabiyi, a former campaign manager of former governor, Chief Adekunle Ajasin and business mogul, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

SOGBO—OSUN State Government said, yesterday, that it has earmarked N8 billion for the renewal of nine major cities in the state, under its Urban Renewal Project, aimed at beautifying all the nine zonal headquarters in the state.

The cities to benefit from the project, according to the Chairman, Osun State Urban Renewal project, OSURP, Professor Babatunde Agbola, are Osogbo, Ikirun, Ejigbo, Iwo, Ikire, Ede, Ilesa, IlaOrangun and Ile-Ife. Agbola, who said the project had commenced at the palaces in the cities, noted that the aim of the government was to ensure total beautification of one kilometre radius to the palaces of the affected cities.

Ogun denies taking foreign loan for school project

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—OGUN State Government, yesterday, denied taking loan through ‘contract financing’ to fund construction of 26 model schools in the state, saying, they were being funded by the government.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr. Tunji Abimbola, said this while responding to questions during an on-thespot-visit to Kobape and Onijanganjangan sites of the model schools in Abeokuta North and South local government areas.

He said: “I wish to clarify that the schools are being fully financed from the

purse of the government and not be any contractor.

We won’t owe any company or individual on these schools.

Apparently reacting to the allegation in some quarters that the model schools were being financed through the ‘contractor-financing’ initiative of the government, Abimbola said it was not true.

He said: “The schools would be free in line with the free education policy of the government; all students can attend it, whether they are children of the rich or the poor.”

Ojora for burial

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R. Nurudeen Ojora, (a.k.a.

SABU), a scion of the Ojora Family of Lagos, is dead.

He died on May 22, aged 85.

In a statement by Mr. Akeem Ojora, the family said his final burial would hold on Saturday, June 30, at 70b, Alayabiagba Street, Ajegunle-Apapa, Lagos.

He is survived by a widow, many children and granchildren.

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A house on fire

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n the other hand, I knew that Nigerians were very disappointed that President Jonathan still left to attend the Rio plus 10 summit; they were not amused, that our president acted rather like the absurd man in the proverb, whose house was on fire, but chose to run after bush rats; I think it was Chinua Achebe that made that apt usage of the proverb. The heightening violence of Boko Haram and the new trend of reprisal killings was threatening to lead Nigeria on the road to hell; and as has become usual here, forces seeking to dismember the country are emboldened, while normally rational priests like Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah became sufficiently worried to publicly fear that the killings of recent days point in the frightening direction of a religious war! The glaring absence of leadership in the country was made even clearer by the gratuitously insulting statement from the Information Minister, Labaran Maku, that the President could run Nigeria from wherever! So Goodluck Jonathan joined his erstwhile boss, the late Umaru Yar’adua as well as Saminu Turaki the maverick former governor of Jigawa State, in governance by disappearance, at a time when visibility of leadership was precisely what we need in the country!

An engagement with President Jonathan This was the backdrop to my acceptance to be part of the media team that was to interview President Jonathan on Sunday. And by the same Friday night, the dramatic background was further heightened, with the sacking of the Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Muhammed and the seemingly untouchable National Security Adviser, Andrew Owoye Azazi! With hindsight, it seemed clear that Azazi’s days were numbered.

Last week, I made a reference to the media campaign which he or circles around him had launched, against Northern groups that were allegedly working to ensure his removal.

As was usual in such things in Nigeria, an effort was made to mobilise a regional/ethnic constituency to save the NSA’s job. The campaigners even reminded us that since the NSA was responsible for the safety of the presidential fleet of aircraft, Azazi was the best person to safeguard them, apparently because he was from the same area as the President!

That is the level of degeneracy of the social space in our country today. The campaigners could not save Azazi’s very lucrative perch atop the security

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T didn’t take a long time for me to accept to participate in the Third Presidential Media Chat, when Reuben Abati, Special Adviser on Media to President Goodluck Jonathan, called on Friday evening. I had just escaped the 24HR curfew in Kaduna, still shaken from the experience of the week in the city; the bombings in the churches; reprisal killings and the uncertainties and rumours which followed in their wake.

Locked behind the gated house I live in, I couldn’t stop thinking about the traumatic effect these events will have on patterns of life our children will be obliged to live in the years ahead. How can children brought up in this atmosphere flower? This atmosphere of uncertainties; fear of violence; a nation suffering the ailments ours carries like an emblem and the lack of surety even about its future! These were thoughts I personally wrestled with during the curfew and the boredom I broke with doing the internet and playing football with my children on the one hand.

President's labour

M President Goodluck Jonathan in the past, might have been a brilliant military officer, but was obviously deficient in his understanding of the social context which gave rise to the Boko Haram insurgency. He became the symbol of a security complex that increasingly became discredited in its handling of the security threat.

Many people, especially in the North, increasingly believed that the security forces had become sucked into the problem and were in fact participating in the violence themselves!

They needed to justify the huge sums appropriated for security

I came to the conclusion that Nigerians must collectively help the President to succeed for the sake of all of us, because the alternative of failure cannot and must not be contemplated

apparatus! In truth, the man was a goner! He had said controversial things about the PDP’s role in the emergence of violence. Similarly, the man carried on as if he was an alternate president of Nigeria, and as I have noted on this page

Goodluck Jonathan. We were very clear in our minds that the main topics were the security issues around Boko Haram; corruption; the economy, especially issues of youth unemployment; the scandal in the NASS woven around the oil subsidy probe; issues of politics, especially the 2015 election; the refusal by the President to publicly declare his assets; governance challenges and we also decided to incorporate questions from the online news outfit, PREMIUM TIMES. We were also aware that there was the need to find out why the President decided to travel to Rio De Janeiro, while the country burnt!

The more things remain same

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in the budget and therefore had very little reason to end the country’s security crisis!

So by Sunday afternoon, the team of interviewers met for the first time, to examine the various areas we would like to interrogate with President

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had participated in these presidential chats, during the Obasanjo presidency and the details about security clearance; the attention to details; the possibilities that some technical detail might be lost, etc. have remained the same. In Nigeria, the more things changed, the more they remained the same.

As usual a coterie of officials was around the president: ministers, aides of all descriptions and when the programme ended,

Femi Fani-Kayode's 'Good Muslim, Bad Muslim'

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OOD MUSLIM, BAD MUSLIM is the title of Mahmood Mamdani’s very seminal study of the attitude to Islam in the imperialist world.

The collapse of the Soviet Union ended a form of challenge to imperialist hegemony; Islam became the new enemy, under the canopy of a ‘clash of civilizations’. So Muslims became segmented into ‘good’ or ‘bad’, on the basis of attitude to the interests of imperialism. This heightened with 9-11 and the launch of a ‘ war on terror ’. Well, from within the certainties of the lunatic fringe of the Nigerian socio-political space, Femi Fani-Kayode has also launched a local variant of the

‘good Muslim’ ‘bad Muslim’ narrative, in an article: ‘Difference Between A Muslim And An Islamist’, published in THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, June 24, 2012.

Fani-Kayode’s thesis is related to the Boko Haram insurgency.

For Femi, “the solution to the Boko Haram problem is simple.

They must be utterly crushed by the Nigerian State and certainly not negotiated with…there can never be dialogue, compromise or any form of negotiation with terrorists…There can be no compromise with those that seek to forcefully establish a 17th Century Islamic fundamentalist caliphate in our country (17th Century?!)”.

like the choir in one of the mushrooming evangelical churches, all chorused that the President had done very well; it was a fantastic performance, and so on! Governance is all about flattery and the hypocritical massaging of the ego of the big man; it happens in all political cultures but the Nigerian variant is particularly sickening! But I have gotten ahead of myself. A few minutes to the broadcast hour of 1900HRS, the President walked into the set. The last time I saw the man was during Ramadan last year, when I had been invited, along with other media people, to break our fast with the President. As it turned out, the interview went on schedule and in the end the president’s responses to some of our questions have become a talking point in the media, including in social media circles.

And there is a handy template to deal with Fani-Kayode’s ‘simple’ matter: “President Olusegun Obasanjo did this decisively and with ruthless efficiency in the town of Odi in the Niger Delta area…with remarkable success…The casualties in terms of human life were extremely high but the point was made…Why can’t the same solution not be applied to the Boko Haram problem by the Jonathan administration? What is the fear?

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hy should the same treatment not be meted out to any city or community in our country that grants the foot soldiers of Boko Haram covert support, safe haven, sanctuary

or shelter?” The ‘Odi treatment’ should be visited upon Maiduguri, Damaturu, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano and Kaduna! But if these cities will not be leveled like Odi, Femi Fani-Kayode said “ we should reject the concept of a united Nigeria and begin to renegotiate the terms of our union”. This clown was a minister under Obasanjo and still has a case to answer about funds which disappeared under his watch. But away from power, he has discovered that Nigeria is an “unworkable union”! Thank God that Nigeria’s fate will not be decided on the lunatic fringe wherein Femi Fani-Kayode resides!

any people have asked me what I thought of President Jonathan, after the close encounter of a two-hour interview. Naturally enough, I tried to gauge the man’s emotional responses and general ‘body language’, a phrase which almost became the theme of our engagement.

I think the President laboured honestly to put across his ideas but he didn’t succeed in convincing me of his understanding of the complexity of the issues he has chosen to tackle on behalf of Nigerians. Take the Boko Haram issue, for instance, I think he was locked in a mindset, about “Boko Haram and their sponsors” which he repeated severally; yet, there hasn’t been any meaningful effort to unmask these “sponsors”. The social context of the rise of the insurgency is clearly lost on him! And I was bemused by the way he defended the overbearing influence of “Government Approved Billionaires”, like Femi Otedola and Aliko Dangote, in the process of politics and governance in the country. Jonathan just couldn’t see the need for the necessary detachment of the apparatus of state from the interests of the multibillionaires that donate handsomely to presidential and PDP fund raisings! He was also unconvincing on reasons why he has refused to go the Borno and Yobe states. The most scandalous aspect of the responses for me was the way he seemed to allow an overflow of emotions, when I asked why he refused to publicly declare his asset. Nigerians were appalled by that performance especially! I left the set, believing that ours is a very modest president and a likeable individual, stripped of his role in the process of power. But the problem is that we are not dealing with the persona of an ordinary individual, but the manner that a politician impacts on our lives as a country. From that perspective, there is a lot to be worried about. I came to the conclusion that Nigerians must collectively help the President to succeed for the sake of all of us, because the alternative of failure cannot and must not be contemplated. The whole idea is not to let this mammy wagon conveying all of us, to run into a ravine, with our, well, very challenged driver!

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18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY , JUNE 28, 2012 THE 2012 Children’s Day, the 58th Children’s Day since the United Nations Assembly declared it in 1954, was unique. It fell on a Sunday, so it passed without embarrassments governments would have endured about their neglect of children.

Children, according to our leaders, are tomorrow’s leaders. Concerns about them are always postponed. Nothing shows the neglect of the Nigerian child better than the reluctance of some States to pass the Child Rights Act, CRA, nine years after it became law. The illegality of State Houses of Assembly having to evaluate a federal law is one case our fiery lawyers shun. One of the goals of CRA is the elimination or at leas hild labour leastt reduction of cchild labour,, one of the biggest forms of child abuse.

Child labourers include house helps, apprentices, refuse collectors, hawkers, street traders, market/shop assistants, bus conductors, motor park touts, ‘porters’, beggars for themselves or aides to blind or handicapped adult

Our Children – Their Present

beggars. The CRA rates exploitative labour as a violation of a child’s rights.

Section 28 states, “Subject to this Act, no child shall be a. subjected to any forced or exploitative labour; or b. employed to work in any capacity except where he is employed by a member of his family on light work of an agricultural, horticultural or domestic character; or c. required, in any case to lift, carry or move anything so heavy as likely to adversely affect his physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development; or d. employed as a domestic help outside his home or family environment".

Provisions in subsections (3) and (4) punish individual offenders with a fine

of N50, 000 or five years’ imprisonment or both, while a body corporate and all its members will be liable on conviction to a fine of N250, 000.

The CRA prohibits child marriages and betrothals. In Section 2 1 , no per son 21 person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage and any such marriage is null and void. Under Section 22: "(1) No parent, guardian or any other person shall betroth a child to any person. (2) A betrothal in contravention of subsection (1) of this section is null and void".

The provisions are in the Criminal and Penal Codes, and carry a life term on conviction, but are not enforced.

If States implemented the CRA, Nigerians would be celebrating the progress of the child. We care for the child with words. It is not too late to create a future for the child (and nation).

Vanguard again draws the attention of the nation to the importance of the child at its 4th Annual Children’s Conference.

It is time to act on CRA.

OPINION

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BY JOHN AINOFENOKHAI

T is now apparent that Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s achievements are not worth much in the burgeoning politicking that presages the July 14 governorship election in Edo State. Otherwise, he would not be running helter-skelter shopping for and procuring black market endorsements with public funds at the detriment of our collective patrimony.

Before the commencement of campaigns for the forthcoming governorship poll, Oshiomhole had, in his characteristic swagger, declared that his achievements would campaign for him. He had even waxed figurative when he said the caterpillars and/ or tractors would bear testimony of the construction work he has done.

He had carried on with a strut that had tended to convince innocent watchers of the political development in Edo State that the governorship election would be a one-horse race: between Oshiomhole and Oshiomhole. But all these, like a pack of cards, have collapsed in the face of the Comrade-Governor. It would not have been so if he had run Edo State on the platforms of equity, transparency and accountability.

Whereas, Oshiomhole was heralded by an eminent journalist and son of Edo State, Nosa Igiebor, in his seminal opinion in Tell of June 13, 2005 entitled: “After Igbinedion, What Next?” After assessing the capacities of those jostling to succeed Igbinedion, Igiebor had posited thus: “But there is one nonaspirant whose formidable credentials would make him an effective governor. Adams Oshiomhole, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress and an illustrious ambassador of the state. I do not know if C M Y K

The tragedy of governance in Edo the ‘people’s president’ has any political ambition, and I do not have his mandate to make a case for his candidacy. Nonetheless, Oshiomhole as governor of Edo State is an eminently sensible and attractive proposition, and one that every Edo indigene should seriously consider.

“He has served well and he continues to serve Nigeria well. Presently, he would be needed to serve his people. As a social activist and the most outstanding labour leader since Pa Michael Imoudu, his antecedents are well known. And he commands a deep moral authority that would always impel him to stand with and fight for the people. Even more significantly, his status and reputation earned through hard work and an unshakeable belief in the nobility of defending the interests of the people transcends ethnic, religious and social divide.

“There is another compelling reason why his governorship would be hugely beneficial-the need to arrest the state’s spiral into a state of relative backwardness in the past two decades. He can certainly provide the kind of leadership suffused with a vision and an acute sense of purpose that has made Duke and a few other governors successful.

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urthermore, his connections locally and globally and his demonstrable ability to bond with people from all social strata and communicate and mobilize effectively would help to attract serious investors and investments to the state. And this is most important:

He would not abuse his mandate and betray the trust of the people as many politicians do today”.

The Igiebor proposition was informed by the nonperformance of the Lucky Igbinedion administration, which was in the saddle from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007. As far back as June 2005, Igiebor had, understandably, reached a number of conclusions.

Read him: “Many Edo people dismiss the Igbinedion government as an embarrassing failure while not a few put it down as a monumental tragedy for the state. Such assessments may seem very harsh but they are grounded on the fact that there are very little concrete achievements the government can boast of in six years…”. He had also declared: “By 2007, Edo State would have had eight wasted years of lack of any discernible development, and it would be at the most critical juncture of its evolution as a state.

By then, it could no longer afford the luxury of having a governor who would be hostage to his own interest and that of a select group”.

Igiebor was very right about his assessment of the Igbinedion years. It is on record that as governor, Igbinedion did so little for the state in terms of infrastructure development. But time has proved Igiebor wrong on his prophetic proposition(s) about an Oshiomhole governorship. This is the misfortune of investing so much hope and trust in leadership that ends up disappointingly. This is the tragedy of governance in Edo. It has become a culture of monumental waste, misappropriation and sheer maladministration.

For those who have keenly followed the Continues tomorrow *Mr. Ainofenkhai, a political analyst, wrote from Anambra State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—19

, GEJ and his ‘abusers’ W

HEN President Goodluck Jonathan returned from his controversial Brazil trip where he attended the Earth Summit, he took a commendable consequential step: by speaking to the nation through a Presidential Media Chat. It was a consequential step in that things had piled up and Nigerians needed to hear from him why he did certain things or refrained from doing certain things or did certain things the way he did them, or whether he was prepared or not to do certain things.

Like millions of others around the country and beyond, my pals and I decided to watch every minute of the chat instead of the quarter final of the Euro soccer championship between England and Italy last Sunday evening. It pays to listen whenever the President speaks, even if, like our President, he is not exactly Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan or Rev Dr Innocent Chukwuma, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu who delivered a powerful funeral oration in Enugu during Ikemba Chukwuemeka Odumegwu

Ojukwu’s burial on March 1, 2012.

I must confess that his performance in terms of delivery was way above what we have seen of him in the past. For instance, he neatly parried the question of whether he would respond to the “summon” of the National Assembly over the security situation in the country. He said addressing the nation through the National Assembly was a normal part of democracy and therefore “no big deal”.

To me, dragging the President to the House of Reps to answer questions (even in a closed session) on how he is dealing with the terrorist insurrection is a little bit gross. I don’t see a president going to disclose security details to a large crowd of 360 people, whose real individual interests and loyalties can only be guessed at.

No security adviser would permit that. The only time I envisage the President would respond to such “summons” is probably when he is under an impeachment trial as we saw with former American President Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.

Whenever a president or governor begins to put his policies to work, particularly when such policies would bring about changes in the ways people are used to living their lives, his performance rating will plummet; when he succeeds, the rating will jump again

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And I think he was being sensational when he alluded to being “abused”. He said abusing him has now become “a big business”. I wonder how one can get rich by abusing a president.

Show me the business and I will go into it. I want to remind President Jonathan that every coin has two sides: the obverse and the reverse. Being in public office is often likened to taking a psychotropic drug, such as marijuana (which I smoked only once when I was cajoled into it by fellow students in the 1980s), opium, hashish, heroin crack and coke. There is always the high and then the low.

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remember about barely a year ago when GEJ was swimming in the ocean of goodwill, having just been sworn-in after winning his

first election ever. His election is touted to be the second freest and fairest only bested by the annulled Abiola one of June 12, 1993. The romance continued until when the administration decided to withdraw the subsidy on petrol in January 2012. Many of those who shouted “Hosanna in the highest” now started shouting “crucify him, crucify him”. Such is life.

Whenever a president or governor begins to put his policies to work, particularly when such policies would bring about changes in the ways people are used to living their lives, his performance rating will plummet. When he succeeds, the rating will jump again.

GEJ is very fortunate in that most of the people who are “abusing” him are his real friends who want him to succeed. They want him to be a strong and effective leader able to crush Islamist insurgents and any other insurgents that seek to undermine the unity and progress of our country. They want him to succeed in the electricity rehabilitation project, to improve the economy and create jobs, transform our infrastructure and restore the health and educational sectors. By the time he excels Nigerians will be happy to give him a new mandate wholeheartedly in 2015. Only few are enemies who clap when he makes mistakes (such as offering to dialogue with terrorists).

GEJ did not maximise the opportunity to tell Nigerians how he was transforming the economy.

For instance, about the railways, he simply told his interviewer: “You should be commending us” without giving us the reason to do so. No facts, no figures, no expatiation. Same with agriculture where he only made the cogent point that fertilizer profiteering has

been annihilated. It is a reflection of this administration’s general lacklustre attitude to public communication.

There has been a steady decline in the art of public speaking or communication among our people, and this manifests both at the level of leadership and our children. Ask your child to recite a memory verse and he/she will immediately freeze and begin to spew out words like a toy parrot.

Listen to our legislators. Many of them are unable to “captivate” the audience. The art of parliamentary oratory plummeted after the eradication of the Westminster system of government when Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Chief Samuel Akintola dazzled audiences inside and outside the parliament with their oratorical skills.

Some of our finest presidential communicators since the end of the civil war were General Murtala Mohammed, President Shehu Shagari, General Ibrahim Babangida and President Olusegun Obasanjo as an elected president. These were educated from the 1950s into the 1960s when the school system properly equipped the youth with interpersonal communicative skills. It is difficult to see an American educated person who cannot neatly put his meaning across.

We have a lot of work to do in restoring the art of public speaking both in English and vernacular. A Nigerian should be able to speak the English and his mother tongue (and perhaps other Nigerian languages) with easy skill. Enough of putting ourselves through a grind just because we want to listen to our leaders!

These endless futile probes N the real world, the aviation industry has been developed into excellence to the extent that plane crashes have become a rarity. But because of our poor maintenance culture-cum-corruption, Nigeria is now the undisputed plane crash capital of the world, having recorded 13 plane crashes in the past decade – with two within 24 hours: the Allied Air cargo plane, which crash-landed in Accra, Ghana, after overshooting the runway and hitting a bus on the street, killing at least 10 people, in the evening of June 2, 2012 and the Dana Air crash at the Iju area of Lagos in the morning of June 3, 2012, which claimed the lives of at least 153 passengers. I am not easily given to pessimism but all available indicators point to the ugly fact that the future is bleak and dismal. As more of the planes attain retirement age, many of them are likely to fall.

Like the rest of us, our leaders have lost fate in the system they helped to create. The only difference, though, is that they are able to purchase safety at all cost. Soon after the last batch of crashes, a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who had lost fate in local flights had to travel from Abuja to Lagos to attend one of these endless conferences the following day.

He flew to London’s Heathrow Airport and from there, he took a direct flight to Lagos. Instead of Abuja-Lagos-Abuja, his round trip was Abuja-London-LagosLondon-Abuja. It sounds abnormal but that’s what the rich ones now do. And it is the clear trend for the future.

Whatever aspect of life one is talking about, the investigations that follow the expected failure is an insult on our collective psyche. From the very beginning, the investigations are

planned to fail. They succeed in making every serious person look stupid. When they push you to the wrong edge, they make you look like you are always defending the offenders in society. Our penal system is so fragile that it permits our being easily swayed off course.

Entrapment has become our new stock-in-trade. A few examples here will do: Recently, we set out to seek solution to our putrid energy system. Midstream, we suddenly changed course.

The Elumelu Committee, which was at first the hunter, became the hunted.

Elumelu became the issue. Meanwhile, we abandoned the original direction of seeking solution to our epileptic power supply in a way that seemed to suggest that the new crime was a solution to the old.

Certainly, bribery has become a way of life in our society but that does not remove it from the criminality index. If anyone accepts a bribe in the course of carrying out his official responsibilities, he should be punished commensurately.

If the offender needs to be beheaded, so be it. But by all means, let the new crime, which is a by-product of the original problem not replace that original problem.

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e woke up one morning to find that our equity market was in shambles. We must investigate. The House of Representatives Committee on the Capital Market came handy for that purpose. As would be expected, the House Committee soon ran into muddy waters when the Committee was said to have been compromised. To my mind, the new development should keep our judicial branch of government sufficiently busy. They should punish all those who were compromised in the

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Bribery has become a way of life in our society but that does not remove it from the criminality index; if anyone accepts a bribe, he should be punished commensurately

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course of the Committee's assignment and the House must still go ahead to get to the root of the rot in the equity market. But in our case, as soon as a new problem arises, we would bury the old issue and begin to pursue the new problem until that one too runs into another hitch. And the probe never ends.

Yes, there was an ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives which was charged with the responsibility for investigating shoddy deals on the fuel subsidy issue. The House adopted the report of that committee. We agreed that the committee did a good job, working virtually 25 hours a day, sometimes under the candle light when PHCN struck. It was clear that the nation suffered incalculable losses in the hands of those Shylocks. What Nigerians saw

live on public television should not be sacrificed on the altar of a private recording. That Farouk Lawan helped himself to some hard currencies does not mean that our missing petroleum subsidy money has been found. The Committee report should not die!

Fortunately, while Farouk Lawan is yet alive, he is alleged to have accepted some bribe dollars during the investigation. The determination here is for the judiciary or the criminal justice system should move in and do its work without jeopardizing the report of the committee.

Nigeria we hate (oops, we hail) thee.

The world is watching us. This entire rumble in the jungle only leads to one end – self help! For instance, the Judiciary – the most enlightened, most educated and supposedly most cultured branch of government – could have been watching. At a point, it remembers that it is made up of men and women who have blood running in their veins. At that point, judgements could be labelled, “For sale to the highest bidder”. Let the spoilt world spoil! What moral right would we have to complain that the judiciary is corrupt, when we are, indeed, the authors and finishers of corruption? Any wonder, then, that we are still where we are? And there is no hope! All we are seeing may be beyond corruption; it may be a deliberate effort to make the already rich still richer. And that’s what they now define as neocapitalism, the Nigerian style.

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 21

Nigeria, emerging economies risk losing N37trn over eurozone crisis

BY CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

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OUNTRIES in Africa and other emerging markets risk losing N37.1 trillion ($238 billion) between 2012 and 2013 due to continued deepening of the crisis in the Euro zone, says analysts at Partnership Investment Company Plc said in their weekly economic report.

According to the analysts, it is therefore very crucial to diversify the Nigerian economy in order to reduce the shock associated with a volatile global market.

“Economies across Africa and the developing world risk a decline in exports, investment, remittances and aid as a result of the continued crisis affecting Europe. The developing world is expected to bear a cumulative output loss of $238 billion over 20122013 because of the continued deepening of the crisis in the euro area.

“We maintain the need to diversify the economy in order to reduce the shock associated with a volatile global market. Nigeria needs to begin to leverage on its huge population to create local demand for locally produced goods.

“Also, emphasis should be on foreign direct investment in the areas of comparative advantage rather than portfolio investments which do not really add value in the long run,” they said.

The analysts expressed dismay that despite inflation easing to 12.7 per cent in May, from 12.9 per cent the previous month, the Nigerian economy still faces challenges in fiscal and monetary management, adding that the lack of fiscal discipline in public expenditure pattern and massive leakages in the system threatens the efficiency of public finances.

They said further that the foreign

reserves which have risen in the last few weeks may start to retreat due to foreign exchange equilibrium pressure, just as the dwindling price of crude oil in the international market as well as the falling demand due to contraction in the global economy pose real threats.

Looking at activities in the capital market, they said that liquidity squeeze led to weak activities in the stock market last week. “The volume of trans-action was the lowest in several weeks. The performance indicators however surged upwards

due to the activities of some strategic institutional investors which saw the appreciation in the price of some highly capitalized stocks such as Nigerian Breweries, Zenith Bank and First Bank.”

Taking a cursory look at the banking sub-sector, the report said the banking sector has been grappling with several regulatory and operational issues in the last few years. Coming from the financial sector turmoil which began in 2008, several new policies put in place by the regulator jolted the operators but has helped to make the

industry more stable.

“With a combined value of over $40 billion in 2008, the market value of the banks has shrunk to about $13.3 billion, following the capital market exit frenzy that followed the market rally up until March 2008. However, recent market downturn has eroded the subsector’s share of the Nigerian stock market. Sectoral market capitalization which stood at N1.87 trillion in mid February and rose to N2.12 trillion as at April 20 has dropped to N2.05 trillion or 30 per cent of total market capitalisation.”

From right: Mrs Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, MD/CEO, Zenith Insurance; Mr. Chuks Igumbor, CEO, Zenith Life Assurance; Olatayo Dolapo Talabi, Head, Travel & Retail Unit; Michael Hansen, Head, Sales & Development, ihi BUPA; Line Møller Sørensen, Account Manager, ihi BUPA; Dr. Niyi Adekeye, MD, Bricon Global Consualt and Abigail Simon-Hart, Executive Director, Bricon Global Consult at the launch of new Travel Insurance Products by Zenith Insurance and ihi BUPA, in Lagos.

Seafarers accuse NIMASA of private running of manning agencies

BY GODWIN ORITSE

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EMBERS of the seafarers branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have accused officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency of running and managing manning agencies to the detriment of crewmen in Nigeria.

The seafarers disclosed that most of the manning agencies in the Niger Delta region of the country are owned by the officials of NIMASA who in turn engage their unqualified and untrained relatives.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting to celebrate the World seafarers’ day in Warri yesterday, Deputy President General of the Union, Comrade Henry Odey warned the official involved in such activities saying that “the

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reaction of the Union will be unpalatable if the trend continues”.

Odey noted that NIMASA is so particular about training of seafarers while it is neglecting the employment of the trained seafarers on ground.

“Those of who run manning agencies, you know yourselves, we are appealing to you to desist from such activities before it is too late.

“NIMASA is so particular about training, what has it done the ones that have trained so far”the MUWN deputy President General queried.

He stated that the Union has made several moves to see the Director General of the agency but has not been successful to pin him down to a meeting.

Speaking in similar vein, Comrade Goodtime Okoro explained that out of the over 5,000 seafarers that are currently without job placement only

a hundred of them have engaged through the effort of the union.

Okoro further explained that when ever issue affecting seafarers are reported to NIMASA, the reports are not given attention.

The seafarers opined that there is a cabal within the agency that is working very to undermine the growth and progress of the local seafarers.

He noted that NIMASA does not have a pool for crew men but that individuals have seafarers’ pools who crews are engaged.

He stated “Those who have the agency’s permit to manage these private pools are actually officials of NIMASA. “If you know what is going on you will find that NIMASA’s pools are not working and this development has given the foreigners the opportunity to come into coastal waters to make money.

157.15

+1.25

2,103.00

+1.00

19.83

+0.08

90.19 78.37

-0.79 -1.39

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING CFA KRONER EURO POUNDS RIYAL SDR FRANC DOLLAR WAUA YEN RENMINBI

0.281 26.1448 194.415 241.6905 41.3023 234.6115 161.8093 154.9 235.3924 1.9285 24.3338

0.291 26.2292 195.0426 242.4707 41.4356 235.3688 162.3316 155.4 236.1522 1.9348 24.4128

0.301 26.3136 195.6701 243.2508 41.5689 236.1261 162.8539 155.9 236.912 1.941 24.4918

CBN Exchange rate as at 27/06/2012

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Return of domestic institutions ’ll boost NSE ASI — Analysts

By CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

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HE emergence of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF, and the opening of transfer windows in the pension funds industry are expected to drive domestic asset demand with positive effects on equities in 2012, says Asset and Resource Management (ARM) Company Ltd. In its 2012 half year report, the company said that for Nigerian equities, it expects institutional investors

will become active market participants in 2012 and expects domestic institutional activity to emerge as one of the primary drivers of NSEASI performance going forward.

“In 2011, interest among domestic institutional investors whittled by relatively high bond yields, a factor which was compounded by relatively poor dividend yields and increased uncertainty, especially in the banking sector.

“However, where foreign investor interest

kept multinational blue chips relatively shielded from market declines in 2011, we believe less favoured segments could retake the initiative in 2012 on the back of domestic institutional activity. This trend could be driven along two major tracks.

“First, we believe the deepening of domestic capital formation could underpin demand for equities.

On the regulatory front, we believe the opening of the transfer window in the pension funds industry, which will

likely see investors gravitating towards larger administrators who generally have a larger risk appetite, will spur greater demand for equities.

More importantly, we expect the emergence of the SWF and the accumulation of a new base of institutional assets around this initiative to drive domestic asset demand with positive effects on equities,” the report said The report noted that the overall poor performance of the

From left: Prof Ayo Ogunye, Vice President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering; Mr. Bashir Patel, Guest Speaker; Dr.E. J. Amana, President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering; Prince Adeluyi Adelusi; Dr. Emmmanuel Ekuwem, GMD/CEO Teledom Group and Chief Bola Akingbade, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN at the President’s Dinner /Technology Evening organised by the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

SBA Communications to buy tower sites for $1.45bn C

ELLPHONE tower operator SBA Communications Corp will buy 3,252 tower sites in the United States and Puerto Rico from privately held TowerCo for about $1.45 billion to take advantage of explosive growth in data traffic from users of mobile devices such as Apple Inc’s iPhone and iPad. SBA, which has a market value of $6.64 billion, is the smallest of the three major U.S. tower companies but it is growing quickly as competition among existing participants is limited and entry barriers are high.

The purchase, for $1.2 billion in cash and 4.6 million SBA shares, will boost SBA’s tower count to more than 15,000.

SBA said the deal would immediately add to adjusted funds from operations after it closes in the fourth quarter.

“We expect the TowerCo assets will produce about $155 million to $160 million in leasing revenue and $93 million to $95 million tower cash flow for the calendar year 2013,” Chief Financial Officer Brendan Cavanagh said in a conference call.

A tower can host antennas for multiple operators, resulting in

lower costs for clients and more profit for the tower owner.

“We believe the TowerCo assets are high quality, well located and have ample capacity for additional tenants,” SBA Chief Executive Jeffrey Stoops said in a statement.

Stoops noted that “a fair amount” of TowerCo’s revenue comes from Sprint Nextel’s Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDen), which the No. 3 U.S. mobile provider is in the process of decommissioning but that this was not a major concern.

Sprint said in May that

it plans to cease service on the iDEN as early as June 30, 2013 as part of a series of network updates designed to offer next generation network capabilities.

While Sprint’s iDen leases expire between 2015 and 2018, Stoops said there would be no decommissioning until 2015.

After the deal, Sprint’s contribution to SBA’s revenue will increase to 27 percent from 23 percent, he said.

Both the companies count AT&T Inc, TMobile USA and Verizon Wireless among their customers.

NSEASI in 2011 was punctuated by marked preference for traditional defensives, especially in Q3, where the index’s abysmal 18.4 per cent decline corresponded with similar movements in global equities.

However, for many sectors, poor equity performance belied robust operational performance. ARM believes these considerations will likely set the tone for 2012.

The company further stated that foreign investors played an increasingly important role in Nigerian equities in 2011 as domestic institutional investors retreated and retail influence on equity market yet to recover from the effects of the market’s slump in 2008/ 9. However, the impact of this shift was largely negative in 2011 as domestic equity market performance reflected global economic turbulence to a greater extent than it did domestic developments.

“Incidentally we see in this, tailwinds for equity market performance in 2012. In particular, after

protracted uncertainty in global outlook as a result of the European credit crisis, we believe the global environment is beginning to clarify as investors become more attuned to and reconciled with European—and broader developed market— weakness.

“As the edge of uncertainty recedes we expect unanticipated improvements in economic data in the US and Europe to help stabilize investor confidence and drive interest in risk assets in 2012. In this regard, emerging and frontier markets will likely feature as prominent winners, receiving renewed attention in the light of more robust economic fundamentals that have been amply demonstrated by significant shifts in credit ratings relative to developed markets. We expect strong corporate performance and growth prospects amongst emerging market equities to underpin performance as market globalization re-enters its promising new

ICC Nigeria holds 13th AGM, introduces new members

T

HE International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Nigeria will hold her 13th Annual General Meeting and the introduction ceremony for new members on Thursday 5th July 2012 at the Metropolitan Club, 15, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to the statement signed by the Secretary General, ICC Nigeria, Mrs. Olubunmi Osuntuyi, the ICCN Annual General Meeting is being sponsored by Guinness Nigeria Plc. She further ascertained that the traditional Post AGM Talk would be delivered by Mr. Bismarck Rewane, an Economic Analyst and Managing Partner of Financial Derivatives Company Ltd, a firm that deals majorly on economic research.

Amongst others, Mr. Rewane’s presentation will dwell on the Nigerian Economic Outlook and its

Implication for Business.

The event will provide an excellent opportunity to members to network and gain more insights into the reform programmes.

The Chief Host Mr. Babatunde Savage Chairman of the ICC Nigeria together with other Board members will formally welcome all the new members from last AGM into the C h a m b e r. T h e n e w members include C o n s o l i d a t e d Hallmark Insurance Plc, Dikko Mahmoud (Solicitors), Kerilbert Holdings Ltd, Joseph Akinwunmi & Co, TVL Consulting, Deutsche Bank ( B . T. International Nigeria Ltd), Legal partnership Consult, The Institute o f Tr ade Finance Management and Practice of Nigeria, Institute of Customs Agents Affairs and Conflict Resolutions, YBO Legal and Funmi Roberts & Co.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 23

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24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, JUNE 28, 2012

Stakeholders appraise FG’s job creation initiatives

BY MICHAEL EBOH

T

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Mr Segun Oduyemi, Commercial Director, West, Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC (left) presenting the star prize of a car to Mrs Modupe Olubunmi of Oke-Ijebu SSD in Akure.

2007. The global youth unemployment rate, at 12.7 per cent, remains a full percentage point higher than the pre-crisis level. Globally, young people are nearly three times as likely as adults to be unemployed.

In addition, an estimated 6.4 million young people have given up hope of finding a job and have dropped out of the labour market altogether.”

Back home, experts have warned that Nigeria is not immune from the global unemployment scourge going by the recent unemployment figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics, in which it raised the alarm over the worsening incidence of poverty and unemployment across Nigeria despite the country’s abundant human and natural

,

HE Federal Government of Nigeria’s efforts at reviving the economy through improvement employment generation have received the commendation of stakeholders in the economy, saying that creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive is a sure-fire strategy that will create jobs and reduce the increasing rate of unemployment to the barest minimum.

“The Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, has already inaugurated a committee comprising MAN and other stakeholders to review the nation’s industrial policy, which will drive the country’s industrial revolution.

“The new industrial policy will go a long way in fast-tracking Nigeria’s march to industrialisation, create jobs and generate wealth for our country,” says Chief Kola Jamodu, National President, Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria.

Also commenting on the efforts made so far by some agencies and parastatals under the Ministry of Trade and Investment to create jobs, the Director-General, SMEDAN, Alhaji Umar Nadada, said, “Small and Medium Enterprises are the drivers of economic growth and job creation. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, a National database of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was created within the last one year in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics.”

Apart from the near alarming spate of unemployment in Nigeria, experts are of the view that a major consequence of the global economic crisis is the worsening unemployment rate across the global economy.

According to statistics from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), after three years of continuous crisis conditions in the global labour markets and against the prospect of a further deterioration of economic activities across the world, there is currently a backlog of global unemployment of 200 million people – an increase of 27 million people since the economic crisis began about three years ago.

In its report titled, “Global Employment Trend 2012”, released last month, the ILO stated that nearly 75 million young people around the world are without jobs, an increase of more than four million since 2007. Specifically, the report said, “In 2011, 74.8 million youth aged 15–24 were unemployed, an increase of more than four million since

or 99.284 million Nigerians in 2010,” the NBS said.

Similarly, the number of unemployed Nigerians, according to NBS, has risen astronomically from 12.3 per cent in 2006, to 23.9 per cent in 2011.

However, Jamodu, who was speaking at the inauguration of the committee for the formulation of the new industrial policy framework, said the revitalisation of the manufacturing sector was the panacea for tackling the nation’s unemployment problem, adding that the recent Industrial Revolution Plan embarked upon by the Ministry of Trade and Investment was a right step in the right direction.

He said, “The Minister of Trade and Investment,

Experts have warned that Nigeria is not immune from the global unemployment scourge going by the recent unemployment figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics, in which it raised the alarm over the worsening incidence of poverty and unemployment across Nigeria

resources. According to the NBS, the incidence of poverty in Nigeria has deteriorated within the last eight years.

“In 2004, Nigeria’s relative poverty measurement stood at 54.4 per cent but increased to 69 per cent or 112.518 million Nigerians in 2010. Using the absolute poverty measure, 54.7 per cent of Nigerians were living in poverty in 2004 but this increased to 60.9 per cent

,

Olusegun Aganga, has already inaugurated a committee comprising MAN and other stakeholders to review the nation’s industrial policy, which will drive the country ’s industrial revolution. This initiative couldn’t have come at a better time than now. It is a right step in the right direction.

Without a clear-cut policy on different sectors of the economy, it is difficult for you

as a manufacturer to make long-term investment decisions. Therefore, the new industrial policy will go a long way in fast-tracking Nigeria’s march to industrialisation, create jobs and generate wealth for our country. We will do everything to support the initiative.”

Explaining the focus of the Industrial Revolution Plan, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, pointed out that the Plan was based on areas where the country had comparative and competitive advantage, adding that the government had embarked on far-reaching reforms aimed at improving the business climate and making Nigeria the preferred investment hub in Africa and globally.

He said, “For us as a country, manufacturing is very important because it solves three critical problems: it solves the problem of GDP growth, unemployment and balance of payment. Also, manufacturing is critical to wealth creation. If we are going to move from a poor nation to a rich country, industrialisation holds the key because it has the potential for unlocking the wealth of our country.”

Commenting on the various government’s initiatives, Chief Chuku Nwachukwu, National President, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, said the number of jobs being created through the initiatives of the Ministry of Trade and Investment under Aganga, was a phenomenal feat given the situation before he assumed office.

He stressed that the SME funding initiatives of the ministry and its partnership with NASSI had resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NASSI and First Bank Nigeria Plc, for the provision of loans to smallscale industrialists at a single digit interest rate, adding that the initiative would help many businesses to expand their operations and create additional jobs to reduce the nation’s growing unemployment rate.

Also, Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, commended the efforts of the Ministry of Trade and Investment towards poverty alleviation and employment generation.

“The Ministry of Trade and Investment is the key ministry to be supported because it is critical to poverty reduction, economic diversification, industrial revolution, job creation, wealth generation and economic transformation and we have the right man at the helm of affairs,” the Governor said.

BRIEFS Lisabi Mills to support FG's food security drive

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

A

N indigenous manufacturing company, Lisabi Mills Limited, has stressed that it will continue to support Government’s effort to achieve national food security through expanded output of local manufacturers.

Speaking during its Distributors Award Ceremony held in Ikeja, Lagos, Lisabi’s Managing Director, Mr Shex Ladipo, said the company would also increase output of local manufacturers, employment generation, research and development, as well as advocacy for effective agricultural development policies.

He said: “The Company wishes to recognize its distributors who achieved outstanding performance during the last financial year.

On September 16, 2008 Gold’s Custard received the NIS/ MANCAP Certification from the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), making it the first in Nigeria to receive this product certification and thereby confirming that Gold’s Custard market leadership derives from product quality.”

WAHL targets reduction in unemployment

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE

T

HE Global Special Projects Manager of WAHL Clipper U.S, Mr. Bob Thomas, has disclosed that the 20th edition of the national barbing contest will have a positive impact in the Nigerian economy and help reduce unemployment.

In an interview with Vanguard, Thomas noted that although the Nigerian market is emerging, the competition will have numerous benefits, adding that apart from the hair and hairclippers it is getting more organised daily.

The annual barbing contest which has been organized by Green Mbadiwe Limited, rewards the best barbers in the country with gifts and establishes other contestant with capital and entrepreneurial skills.

According to Thomas, Nigeria has also been a good market for the Wahl brand, adding that over 250,000 fake clippers have been confiscated and destroyed with the aid of the Nigerian authorities.

“The 20 th edition of the barbing competition which has been organized by our exclusive distributor, J Green Mbadiwe & Sons Ltd, will have a positive impact in the Nigerian economy.

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26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 27

zPresident Goodluck Jonathan

zMr Nyesom Wike

zProfessor Ruqqayat Rufai

CONFUSION IN EDUCATION:

9-3-4, 6-3-3-4, 1-6-3-4, British, American or which curriculum?

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI, DAYO ADESULU, LAJU ARENYEKA & AISHA MOHAMMED TIFFIN

"T

HEY say I’m in Basic One, but all I know is that I’m in Primary One,” the little boy who spoke to Vanguard Learning said.

It doesn’t seem far-fetched that a six-year-old should be confused because of the mumbojumbo of half baked policies that our educational system has been at the mercy of, over the years. As it is, stakeholders on both sides of the classroom, as well as those who built the classrooms are perplexed.

The 6-3-3-4 system of education, which was introduced in 1982 to replace the 6-5-4 system, according to experts, was designed to inject functionality into the Nigerian school system, by producing graduates who would be able to make use of their hands, head and the heart (the 3Hs of education). The idea was to have six years of primary

education, three years of junior secondary education, another three years of either technical education for those who were more interested in learning a trade or three years of senior secondary school for those who were more academically inclined. The last four years of the 6-3-3-4 system is for tertiary education.

Enter 9-3-4 system

The policy was changed about 24 years later when the then Minister for Education, Dr. Obi Ezekwesili heralded the 9-3-4 system coupled with the privatization of unity schools, hitherto known as Federal Government Colleges. The effect of this change, apart from the havoc wreaked on the already unstable unity schools, was in name only. It was the 63-3-4 system in short form, and the earlier synonym soon replaced the former. A system that even President Goodluck

Reward for Nigerian teachers still in heaven

— Page 28

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Jonathan, in October 2010, while speaking at a national stakeholders’ meeting on the education sector, said had failed and called on its proponents to apologise to Nigerians.

According to the Policy Advisor, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), Mr. Wale Samuel: “The problem of implementation of 6-3-3-4 is partly due to non-availability of personnel, materials, funds and administrative will. This programme has failed to achieve much not solely because of lack of human and material resources but largely due to poor implementation.”

Education Minister comes with1-6-3-3-4

However, taking a second look at the system, incumbent Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i proposed to the National Assembly (NASS), the need to revert to the old system of 6-33-4, but with a modification that

would include Early Childhood Education (ECE). In the manner of her predecessors, she also christened the system hence the name 1-6-3-3-4.

However, without relevant structures and facilities to back up such renaming ceremonies, the education system is naturally taking a turn for the worst. Visits to many technical colleges around the country will reveal

students who have gone through senior secondary schools enrolling in technical colleges, as an alternative means to get entry into tertiary institutions. Even those interested in the actual technicality complain of the lack of infrastructure to do much practical learning.

All sorts of curricula have come out to play on the field of education, which many wealthy Nigerians, combining their quest for quality with a touch of anything Western, have embraced on behalf of their children. Some students in such schools even bypass the standard entrance examination organized by the West African Examination Council (WAEC), and the National Examination Council (NECO), and write international examinations only.

Continues on Page 35

NUC axes monotechnics, specialised varsities zBans part-time programmes

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

I

F recent pronouncements by the Federal Government is anything to go by, specialised universities and monotechnics nationwide will have to diversify or broaden their base of instruction if they are to remain in business. Minister of Education, Prof Ruqquayat

Rufa’I said that government’s new decision was to diversify and expand operations of those instituions while maintaining their specialty and focus.

It would be recalled that federal government had scrapped all specialised universities and monotechnics

Continues on Page 30

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Malaria control in Nigeria threatened by insecticide resistance — Dr. Sam Awolola

— Page 37

A tale of four corps members — Page 34 — Page 31

28— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

NUC bans parttime programmes Continues from page 27

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI & DAUD OLATUNJI

"W

E demand payment of our 27 per cent arrears in salaries.”

“We need to be paid our duty post allowance.”

“Government has failed to provide teaching aids and instructional materials to teach these children.”

“We are not promoted as at when due”.

These are some of the challenges which teachers across the nation say are hindering them from effectively teaching.

Across Nigeria, the chorus is the same: the three tiers of government have neglected the education sector and teachers. What they fail to understand is that given the role of education in national development and the role teachers play in nurturing the minds and hearts of the youths, it is expected that teachers, being in charge of students in their formative stages, deserve to be treated better than they are presently.

The plight of Nigeria's teachers is pitiful as many of them have died of hunger while waiting to be paid their entitlements, turning them into beggars and rendering them destitute. Little wonder the standard of education keeps dwindling by the day and government does little or nothing to salvage the situation, yet expects the teachers to perform miracles.

Vanguard Learning went to talk to stakeholders and their responses were pathetic.

Human capacity

According to an Education Secretary, who declined to disclose his name, the major challenge hindering effective teaching in Nigeria is lack of human capacity as a lot of these teachers are out of touch with modern teaching

*Some teachers and parents at the recently held joint meeting of the Public Primary Schools Headteachers and Parents Forum by the Ministry of Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board.

Nigeria's teachers wait on God for better work conditions methods.

“There is the need to groom the needed critical mass of teachers who are equipped with up-to-date teaching techniques to effectively impart knowledge. This is because times have changed and there is the need for these teachers to continually update their knowledge through training and retraining.

“Population explosion, especially in Lagos, is another issue which has to be tackled soon, else, government’s efforts in improving education would amount to naught.”

Parents’ roles

Teachers blame parents for not complementing their efforts by ensuring that their children revise their notes, do their homework, and resume school on time.

“Parents encourage their children not to resume school on time, thereby, delaying the teachers’ work. They also don’t ensure that their children revise their school work and do their home work, thereby, compounding the situation. Parents also harass us when we beat their wards.”

Better incentives,

national honours

If there is one thing the teachers agree on, it is the Federal Government’s deliberate attempt at excluding them from the national merit awards while recognising politicians who make little or no contributions to national development.

Aside this, they lamented the failure of government to pay their peculiar allowances, provide teaching aids and instructional materials in schools for teachers and lack of facility in the staff rooms have demoralised them.

Continues on page 35

‘Nigerian students not as bad as portrayed’

BY DAYO ADESULU

M

r Fred Swaniker, the co-founder, A f r i c a n Leadership Academy, Johannesburg has debunked claims by some education stakeholders in Nigeria that the sector is in comatose, saying that he discovered that in examinations conducted amongst African students, Nigerians do come first.

“We get about 3,000 applicants every year from Nigeria alone, out of these, only top 100 students are chosen to come to the academy and out of the 100, Corona comes first.

This year, out of the top 35 from the country that we

showcased, five came from Corona. Also, the highest number of graduating students came from Corona.

Corona students did not only come first in Nigeria but also in the African continent,” he said.

*Graduating students of Corona Secondary School, Agbara.

in the country.

The minister said: “The Federal Government has concluded arrangements that there will no longer be monotechnics or universities with single courses or specialised universities. All monotechnics and specialised universities will have to diversify and expand. We may maintain our specialty and focus.”

The Federal Government has also barred private polytechnics from running programmes not approved by the NBTE or affiliating with other institutions for the purposes of the award of the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma certificates.

She had warned polytechnics against the establishment of satellite campuses and study centres across the country, warning that those who violated the rule would be shut down or risk losing their operational licences.

“We have received reports that some private polytechnics have established satellite campuses or study centres. Some have also entered into affiliation with unapproved institutions to award ND and HND. “May I remind you that satellite campuses and study centres were banned by the Federal Government in 2001.

Private polytechnics are also not allowed to affiliate with other institutions for purposes of award of the ND or HND”.

“Any private polytechnic that engages in such illegal activities risks losing its operational licence. There are also reports of private polytechnics offering programmes that are not approved by the NBTE; it is illegal for any private polytechnic to admit students into any programme that has no approval from NBTE. “Act CAP E3 does not empower any approved private polytechnic to make

He disclosed this during Corona Secondary School, Agbara, Ogun State graduation and valedictory service of 2012 held at the school premises.

Swaniker who said that he sees the youths of our country as the future leaders who will turn things around, urged the students not to place their focus on amassing wealth but to be willing to serve their society. “Nigerians are looking at you for the desired future change,” he said.

He, however charged the students to set a high standard for themselves and not to pattern their lives after what they see around them. “Don’t be

satisfied because you need to be the best,” he admonished them.

The guest speaker, pointed out that Corona students should see themselves as privileged students who should be grateful to God and their parents for giving them quality education, charging them to use every given opportunity to help the less privileged in the society get this kind of education.

In order to fulfill your goals, Swaniker added, “students must begin to do something positive at their tender age and start with a very small project.”

On her part, Director, Corona Schools, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo pointed out that what the school has been striving to achieve over the years has been to educate the total child, saying: “We want our students to be intellectually active, physically, verbally, socially and academically competent.”

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30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 31

How honorary are our honorary degrees W

hen the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai’, last January, at the meeting of ViceChancellors of Federal Universities, Rectors and Provosts of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, condemned the proliferation of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigerian tertiary institutions, her caution was greeted with mixed feelings.

In her argument, the minister had said that apart from the preponderance of the awards, government is concerned with the eligibility criteria and the credibility of the recipients which have both diminished its real essence, thereby tarnishing the image of the nation’s education sector.

She then called on vicechancellors to restore the good tradition and avoid making it an all comers affair as convocation ceremonies are all about graduating students, which should take pre-eminence, even as she held that activities such as traditional dances, fundraising and establishment of endowment funds should be scrapped from convocation ceremonies.

Amidst these mixed feelings, the question remains: How honorary are the honorary degrees continually conferred on politicians and business moguls by our institutions of learning.

Succinctly, honorary degree or honoris causa (Latin) before now, is an academic degree

,

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

Until we begin to see an improvement in the quality of life of the people, I cannot reconcile the award of honorary degrees with the level of under development in the society

,

conferred “for the sake of the honour ” on an individual whom a university or other degree-awarding institution has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations.

Such an individual or individuals have distinguished themselves by their positive contributions to a specific field, or to the society in general, even though they might have no prior connection with the academic institution honouring them.

Moreso, prior to this time, ivory towers in the country nominate several persons each year for honorary degrees. These nominees usually go through several committees before receiving approval. Those who are nominated are generally not

Hallmark School walks for charity

BY EBELE ORAKPO

H

Gov. Babatunde Fashola

told until a formal approval and invitation are made. Even, individuals who were once conferred with academic degrees were usually stripped of it, when found culpable of questionable character in future (not in Nigeria, but should be so).

Even though the Minister is still contemplating on suspending the conferment of these awards by federal tertiary institutions, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has done so, thereby dashing the hopes of politicians and business moguls, who hope to be conferred with honorary awards by the Lagos State University (LASU).

Fashola had during the 17th convocation ceremony of L ASU, held recently, announced the indefinite suspension of the conferment of honorary award on any person by authorities of the university, saying the award had been desecrated in recent times.

Fashola said he had ordered LASU Governing Council to suspend the conferment of honorary award as part of measure towards improving the standard of the institution and restoring the value of honorary award by ensuring that only deserving persons were bestowed same.

According to him, the award

had been abused as many now wait for the award before contributing to the development of the society.

He said it was inappropriate for any university, whose products are struggling to measure up to globally accepted minimum educational standards to be in the business of conferring honorary degrees on any category of people in the s o c i e t y, n o m a t t e r h o w deserving.

According to him, such awards are conferred as a way of honouring contribution to specific fields of human endeavour or contributions to the society in general.“Can we truly say that all the honorary degrees in the society that we have awarded in L a w, Engineering, Philosophy, Economics, Agriculture, among others, are truly reflective of the value added?”

While condemning the increasing appetite for any type of title among members of the society, he said the award would be suspended “until we begin to see an improvement in the quality of life of the people.

"I cannot reconcile the award of honorary degrees with the level of under development in the society.”

Have you been to an exhibition of paintings by Nigerian artists?

Genevieve Nnaji is one of Nigeria’s most loved artists.

He is one of the artistes listed to perform in the musical show.

Frequently Confused Words Artist – Artiste The two words – artist and artiste – are easily confused. Artist refers to ‘a creative person; someone who produces art; someone who draws or paints; a professional performer, especially a singer, dancer or actor; someone whose work shows sensitivity and imagination’. An artiste is ‘a professional entertainer, a public performer (a dancer or singer) a professional actor’. Pay attention to the spellings and shades of meaning of the two words.

Examples: C M Y K

Canvas – Canvass It is easy to confuse canvas with canvass. The two words are not the same. It is important to note the difference in spelling and meaning. Canvas is a ‘strong, heavy cloth used to make bags, tents, shoes, sails etc; a heavy closely woven fabric’. A canvas is also ‘the piece of cloth on which an oil painting is done or the oil painting itself.’ Canvass means ‘to try to persuade people to vote for a political party, politician or support a plan.’ It also means ‘to ask people how they feel about some thing in order to get their opinion’.

Examples: Life is a great big canvas ; throw all the paint you can at it. – Danny Kaye.

Politicians often canvass for votes during election period.

allmark School Ikeja last Saturday embarked on a charity walk in aid of a public primary school in Iju area of Lagos State. The walk which took off from the school premises in Agidingbi Ikeja, saw participants, comprising parents, teachers from in and outside the school, and some pupils, walking through Jakande Road, to Ogba and on to Ojodu Berger and back to the school.

Speaking with Vanguard during the event, the Director of the school, Mrs. Meg Nwobia said the charity walk was all about helping school children who are not as privileged as children in Hallmark School. She said: “We found out that there are children who are not as privileged as the children we have here so the Parent-Teacher Association decided that we should adopt a school and make the life of those children a bit enjoyable.

"After searching for a suitable school, they found Iju Primary School I suitable and decided to sink a borehole for the school.

There are about six schools on that premises and only one of them has water.”

Also speaking, wife of the chairman of Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government, Pastor (Mrs) Modupe Oke noted that many people were yet to understand what the charity walk was all about adding that they will understand when the projects for which the walk was undertaken, will be launched.

Mrs. Yetunde Atoyebi, a parent, saw the whole exercise as a way of giving back to society while Mrs. Joke Daniju, also a parent said they embarked on the project "because government cannot do it alone."

Anyone – Any one Do not confuse anyone with any one. Anyone is an indefinite pronoun. It refers to any person but does not say exactly who. Any one is an adjective phrase. It refers to specific but unidentified individuals or things. The distinction between anyone and any one and others like anybody, any body, nobody and no body is noteworthy.

Examples If anyone sees Moyo, ask him to call me.

Anyone could become Nigeria’s President!

Any one of your children, if he/she doesn’t have good upbringing, could turn out to be a criminal.

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

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 33

OAU students protest compressed examination time-table KEMI BUSARI, OAU

T

HIS is not the best of time in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, as students are protesting the restructuring of their examination time-table.

According to them, the timetable has been restructured to end earlier than previously scheduled.

The Harmattan semester

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examination which was slated to start on the 18th of June and end 13th of July has been drawn back to end on the 2nd of July 2012 (two weeks).

The protest which commenced by the mobilisation of students in various halls of residence on Saturday, the 16th of June, proceeded to the university senate building where a congress was held.

Part of the decisions of the congress which was submitted

to the university management in a letter include; the reversal of the ‘slim-fitted’ time-table, the unconditional reinstatement of the students union and the improvement in the general welfare of students.

The university management in response to this letter after a brief meeting made it known that the information about the ‘collapse of examination to two weeks are not true and should be discountenanced’

The circular signed by the university registrar, O.A Ogunruku stated clearly the reasons for the management’s actions. "The position of the university administration is that departments had been advised to look into their time-tables with a view to adjusting this in respect of certain courses that are flung as a result of lack of venue which are now being provided such that the affected students can complete their

examinations along with their colleagues."

A cross section of students interviewed most of whom will prefer anonymity expressed dissatisfaction on the ‘tsunamicious time-table.’

Most of them who spoke grievingly lamented on the bad results of last semester ’s examination which they attributed to the compressed time-table of then.

As it stands, the institution runs on a status of uncertainty as the students are not reneging on their position. It would also be recalled that last semester ’s examination was also compressed because of the ASUU strike which ended in February 2012.

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

NYSC Lagos State honours award:

A tale of four corps members

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

A

FTER nearly a year of service to their fatherland, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Batch B Division, gathered in their thousands recently in different states across the federation for their passing out ceremony.

The Governor of Lagos State Gov. Babatunde Raji Fashola, in his address read by the Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Wale Ahmed, commended the corps members for their efforts at some developmental projects which they undertook in their various communities. According to the governor, “the patriotism and selfless service towards the attainment of the objectives for which the scheme was established about 40 years ago are quite commendable.”

Lagos State alone housed about 9100 corps members in the 2011/ 2012 Batch C Division.

Four of them were awarded the prestigious State Honours award, while 33 received certificates of commendation and attestation. According to the state coordinator, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, disciplinary measures of remobilisation were meted upon 19 corps members, who absconded during the course of service while 53 have an extension ranging from two weeks to two months.

‘State C M Y K

Honours’

Awardees At a time when one year of compulsory youth service for graduates has become distasteful to some, a thing of indifference to some others, and an opportunity for professional internship to those posted to the nation’s commercial capital, Lagos State honoured four corps members for looking beyond their own personal interest to foster development.

The four recipients of the State Honours award include Otto Orondom Harmony, Oyelaja Olusola Olayenu, Emuveyan Tejiri, and Amaeze Ugochukwu.

Otto during his compulsory service year, championed among other projects the “Neta-child project,” donated hundreds of mosquito nets to hundreds of families in Makoko area of the state.

He also carried out what he termed the Slum-toschool project where he championed a scholarship scheme for 118 orphans from Alakoto area of Lagos State. Otto donated about 500 novels and books to underprivileged children and established M i l l e n n i u m Development Growth (MDG) clubs in two secondary schools. The 25-year-old graduate of Human Anatomy from the University of Port Harcourt also established a rehabilitation home for ex-sex workers and supplied land from the Makoko community to NYSC for the establishment of a

primary school.

Speaking on his inspiration, Otto said: “Lagos is a very developed place that is why I was shocked to find a community called Makoko while I was moving along the Third Mainland bridge one day. It’s a slum where people live in shanties just above the water.

Naturally, I was inspired to do something about it.” When asked whether he had been motivated because he expected an award, Otto replied: “I wasn’t even aware at first of any awards. So the award wasn’t an inspiration for me.”

One of Emuveyan’s numerous projects was to sink a borehole for the residents of Taiwo Street Idiaraba. She also renovated a classroom into a modern library for students of Golden Secondary School and donated about 50 nets to different families on World Malaria Day. The graduate of the University of Lagos also trained over 600 people in five different communities on MDGs. According to Emuveyan: “The inspiration for my project came about so many years ago because I schooled around that place and realised that there was such a dire need for clean water.

That was why I sank a borehole for them.”

Speaking on her challenges, she said: “One major challenge I encountered was the fact that it takes a while for people to actually believe in you and in what you are doing."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—35

BRIEFS

BY DAYO ADESULU

A

fter a stiff contest between some schools in Lagos, Akanni Yusuf, student of Jubilee Model Senior Secondary School, Coker, Surulere emerged winner of the MTN Spelling Bee competition.

This was announced at the closing of 21 Days Y’ello Care programme held at the Golden Plaza, Ikoyi.

The Human Resource Executive, MTN, Mrs Amina Oyagbola at the end of 21 days programme where volunteer staff went to schools to teach students, said that the initiative is an annual event that provides an opportunity for MTNers to make a collective contribution to the communities where they have been working for years.

Speaking on the overview of staff teaching events of the last 21 days, Oyagbola noted that the activities were inspiring as the aims of promoting a reading culture among school children, providing necessary educational materials to students to empower learning and promoting gender equality in education by investing in the education of the girl-child, were fulfilled based on responses from students across visited schools.

She said to achieve the goal,

MTN spelling bee winner emerges six reading clubs were set up in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, 15 libraries were upgraded in schools across various regions of the country and teaching activities were

held in 67 schools across Nigeria.

Oyagbola added that six secondary schools in Lagos participated in the Y’ello Spelling Bee competition,

*From left: General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Funmi Omogbenigun with Akanni Yusuf, a student of Jubilee Model Senior Secondary School,Coker, Surulere, winner of Spelling Bee competition organised

by MTN atthe closing of 21 Days of Y’ello Care.

Confusion over system, curriculum: Continues from page 27

‘They're all the same’

For the Chairman, State Universal Basic Education, (SUBEB) Mrs. Gbolahan Daodu, there is really no difference between the 6-3-34 and 9-3-4 because the 9-34, which is Basic 1-9 is the same thing as Primary 1-6 and JSS 1-3.

“What government is emphasising is that by the time a child has gone through those nine years of schooling and is still not academically sound, then that child would proceed for vocational or technical studies.

“Government is doing its best in the provision of quality education by supplying textbooks in over five core subjects to both primary and secondary schools. The only problem is the inconsistency in our policy implementation.”

Blaming the inconsistency in implementation of policies for the confusion over what system to practice, the Principal, Caleb International College, Mrs. Julie Falodun, said the implementation of the 6-3-3-4 system would go a long way in lifting the standard of education in C M Y K

Nigeria.

“What the 6-3-3-4 system is meant to do, if implemented, is help guide a child such that if a child is not academically sound after the JSS3 class, such a child would be guided to go for technical or vocational studies. This way, he would have a brighter future.

“This is one of the reasons a lot of school children are confused and don’t do well academically, and if not for some good private schools that help guide them, only God knows what would become of them.”

‘We are confused’

Mrs. Fola Oluyide Ukachi, proprietress and educationist said that we Nigerians spend time on things that are not relevant or important.

According to her, “We are distracted, confused and disorganized so much that we don’t anything work and that is the problem we have as a nation take for example the United State of America they have had their grade system in place for years. They are not changing it and it’s working and so it is in other developed countries of the world. But in our nation we adopt a system today and after like five or seven years later we want to

dump and pick another one instead of consolidating it..”

Mr. Festus Ogunmola, who teaches in a private school in northern Nigeria had this to say: “The curriculum thing is just a name, they still use the same books and materials. The

noting: “Special schools, vocational and technical schools were also not left out of the event. Some of the schools visited include Pacelli School for the Blind and Patrick School/Language Centre for People with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Commenting on the various contributions of MTN Staff towards Y’ello Care, she noted that over 2500 MTNers signed up for activities for this year’s Y’ello Care, saying that about N600,000 has been raised toward the Girl-Child Education Pledge, urging those who are yet to pledge to do so.

Her words: “Over the past years, MTNers have joined forces with agencies of federal and state governments, various non-governmental organisations and notable personalities to raise public awareness about various social and environmental issues. According to her, some of the areas they have focused on in the past include the fight against malaria, providing care to the sick, orphans and those living with disability, as well as promoting environmental responsibility through tree planting, and beautifying the environment through painting and sanitation.”

Oyagbola, however, thanked the State Ministries of Education, Universal Basic Education Board, Proact Educational Services and other stakeholders who made the programme a success. government is not consistent in this policy change, and many schools cannot afford to keep on restructuring every time a new policy is in place.”

Ogunmola continued by saying that “Policy makers don’t do any in depth assessment before they arrive at their decisions.” He also advised them to research on what kind of policy is most

Nigerian Turkish College graduates 47

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

T

he Nigerian Turkish International College (NTIC), Ogun State, recently held its 7th graduation/ valedictory ceremony for 47 students that have completed their secondary education at the college.

The event also served as an opportunity for the school to reward some teachers and students who distinguished themselves in their duties and academics during the outgoing academic session.

Praising their outstanding performance, Principal of the college, Mr. Fatih Keshin, said the graduands are a remarkable set especially as it is the set with the highest number of scholarship students.

“Aside being the set with the highest number of scholarship students, they are very competitive. These two factors combined with their exemplary showings, have given us the hope that their WAEC results will surpass all the results we have had in the past.”

Tasking the graduands on the need to set personal goals, the Guest Speaker and Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. John Odubela, said doing so would set them on the path of success.

workable on the Nigerian terrain, and to stick with it.

The effect of this disparity hits the educational system where it hurts the most: on the children of Nigeria. Many of whom cannot define 6-3-3-4 or 9-3-4, but on whom the effects of constant policy change will speak for a long time.

NUC bans part-time programmes Continues from page 28 any award without due approval by the NBTE. Any institution that engages in such illegal offering of programmes also risks losing its operational licence.”

Similarly, in exercise of its regulatory function in the ducational sector, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has banned part-time programmes in all universities.

Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, who disclosed this in Abuja while announcing the accreditation of 30 out of the 31 programmes run by the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, said the step was aimed at rationalising the activities as well as ensuring that best practices and standards are maintained.

Giving reasons for the ban on part-time programmes, Prof Okojie said it was because of illegal operations by some of the institutions and over-bloated number of students during admission process. He said that until the ban is lifted, admission into part-time programmes will not exceed 20 per cent of a university ’s total intake adding that lectures for all part-time programmes will be restricted to university campuses only.

His words: “For now, all part-time programmes are suspended; we are going to streamline them. In effect, we should not have more than 20 per cent of the total students population on part-time programmes. All part-time programmes must be located on campus, we don’t want satellite campuses again.”

He emphasised that regulation is the major part of the commission’s activities and NUC will not hesitate to wield its big stick on any institution that dares to go against its rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, NUC has announced the accreditation of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Announcing the result of the accreditation visit which was conducted in March this year, Prof Okojie said only Nursing Science was denied accreditation for using a 10year old curriculum. The 26 programmes representing 83.9 per cent was given interim accreditation while four courses representing 12.9 per cent of the programmes was given full accreditation.

36—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

NB ttak ak es Beyond the School Initiative ttoo BSHS akes S

TUDENTS of Baptist Senior High School, Obanikoro, last week undertook an enduring course as Nigerian Breweries Plc took Beyond the School, its career guidance programme to the school.

In the first leg of presentations to students in Lagos State in 2012 on June 13, SS1 and SS2 students of the school were excited with the captivating and informative career talk delivered by the Project Champion, Mrs. Clementine Vervelde Murekatete.

She advised students to discover their abilities, talents and areas of interest, and be ready to take advantage of their chosen careers in future.

Murekatete said the students must believe in themselves and stand up boldly to challenges they might encounter in their career pathway. She also admonished parents represented by Pastor Samuel Adekunle, chairman, School-Based Community Relations Committee, to allow the children to make career choices themselves with their vital input and advice.

Beyond the School Initiative put together for senior secondary school students in

selected public schools, is one of Nigerian Breweries’ intervention programmes to uplift the quality of education in Nigeria, as part of its corporate social responsibility agenda.

It is designed to expose students to career options and factors they need to consider before making a career choice.

The initiative is also to help students to improve their

reading habit and underpin the importance of reading in career goal achievement.

As part of the initiative, Nigerian Breweries donated books to the school.

Students hold fashion day F ROM onset, matching colours has been the style for fashionconscious students. However, for sometime now, there has been a paradigm shift as colour-blocking, popularly known as “colour riot” is in vogue.

Colour-blocking is combining different colours that complement and support one another. In other words, it means wearing an outfit made up of “solid blocks of colours”.

The students of Lagos State University in a bid to appreciate the rapid growing trend, organised a fashion day with the fashionable name: Colour Riot Day at the popular location of the varsity called Abe Igi (under the trees).

Speaking to Quadlife on the significance of the celebration, a 400 level student of History and

International Relations Studies, Ibrahim Adenike said it is a tradition.

“This gathering is a tradition that has been marked by students.” It is more of a fun- filled means of socializing with others.

The event manager, Ayinde

Oluwafemi explained that it has always been done by final-year students of the school.

He went further to say that “it is countdown activities; it is not the only celebration as Old School Day, among others, is yet to come.

*Some of the students in their colour-riot attires.

College matriculates freshmen

BY EMMANUEL SHEBBS & DAVIDSON MADUAGWU, UNICAL

C

ROSS River State College of Education, Akamkpa recently conducted matriculation for new students of the institution.

The event had in attendance prominent personalities who came down to the low land of Akamkpa city to grace the occasion.

In his address, the Provost of the school, Prof. Owan Enoch described the event as a great one indeed. He said that it has been his wish to contribute to the lives of the young people of the land and as such, he would not ignore an opportunity to keep them on the right path of life.

Prof. Enoch advised the newly admitted students to always express their academic potentials and prowess anywhere they find themselves.

He said, ‘’as students, you should endeavour to challenge yourselves."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—37

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Mail to: ebellistic@yahoo.co.uk

Malaria control under threat from insecticide resistance — SAM AWOLOLA

By EBELE ORAKPO

N

A

ccording to Dr Awolola, the three main processes in malaria control are prevention, treatment and the possibility of having a vaccine against malaria but in NIMR, the focus is on prevention.

“When you talk of prevention, you are talking of how to prevent people from getting infected with malaria; how to prevent transmission from mosquito to human. We focus on preventing mosquitoes from infecting people with malaria through three major ways: Use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets impregnated with insecticide.

They can last up to three years; spraying the houses with WHO-approved insecticides done by trained personnel. When a house is adequately sprayed, the insecticide repels mosquitoes because it has excito-repellent effect. It also kills those that are stubborn and land on the sprayed wall. This is done every six months or at least once a year depending on the epidemiology of malaria in that environment. The third aspect is larva source management. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and before they become adults, they pass through some phases and at that level, you can catch them. Larva source management has two portions – larviciding, ie applying insecticide to the larva and pupa stages.

The other aspect is environmental management.

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Female Anopheles mosquito taking a blood meal *Dr. Sam Awolola....you cannot get malaria eliminated without focusing more on the vector Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and such water can be cleared or made to flow and all the larvae will be killed. If your gutters are flowing, the water will carry the larvae along and destroy them. Also, some areas of vegetation support the breeding of mosquitoes. We clear those vegetations. All these make up environmental management.

So environmental management plus larviciding are put together as larva source management,” he stated.

He said using protective clothing or aerosol in houses

,

igerians have become so at home with malaria that they feel it is no longer a threat but scientists believe that it is still a very big threat to man today. Statistics show that worldwide, it kills more than 1.2 million people annually.

Prevention, they say, is better than cure so researchers at the Department of Public Health, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) are working hard to see that malaria is eradicated by eliminating the vehicle through which the malaria parasite is transmitted to man, the female anopheles mosquito. In this chat with Dr. Sam Awolola, head of the Department of Public Health, NIMR, he says all the efforts will come to naught if proper policies are not put in place.

Excerpts:

With insecticide resistance, we are in for it unless we put our house in order to ensure that our interventions are evidencebased

,

do not make much impact when it comes to reducing malaria morbidity and mortality.

Vector resistance: Awolola noted that their research in the last 10 years has shown clearly that there is a lot of resistance to public health insecticides used for malaria vector control in Nigeria. Due to continuous use of the four classes of chemical insecticides (pyrethroids, carbamates, organophosphates and

organochlorines), the mosquitoes were subjected to a lot of pressure and over the years, they adapted to the environment so well that they have now become resistant to the insecticides.

“Mosquitoes react to an insecticide in two main ways: One is by trying to metabolise (decay) it using some chemical enzymes so that it becomes non-toxic. Another way is mutation. The mosquito gets in touch with the insecticide through its integument (legs, wings), it then changes the configuration of the gene that recognises the insecticide so that the site of recognition of the mosquito changes and the insecticide becomes ineffective. For the insecticide to be effective, the site of recognition with the mosquito must be identical. So immediately the mosquito changes the site of recognition, the whole system changes and the mosquito is able to survive.

If that happens, the mosquito has mutated because genes are involved.

The gene is a heritable material which means that the next generation of mosquitoes will be resistant to the insecticide because it has passed the gene to them and that gene will continue in that population. We, therefore, have an insecticide-resistant gene in the population and the next set of mosquitoes from that line, whether they have been exposed before or not, will be resistant to insecticides. You know that 350 mosquitoes can come out from one set of eggs. So if out of the 350, 100 survive and have a blood meal and are able to lay eggs, they will go on to produce another 350

mosquitoes each, and there will be an exponential increment in the number of mosquitoes that will be resistant in that population.

That is how resistance spreads.

Way forward: Dr. Awolola advised that all interventions must be evidence-based for them to be effective. “This means that before the intervention, you must have sufficient evidence to show that it will work. You must have collected some baseline information prior to the intervention, but unfortunately, that is not done inNigeria. But things have started changing at the national level because people have seen that you can spend millions of naira and it goes down the drain if you don’t do these things. We want to scale up our intervention, to have an ambitious coverage.

So if you don’t get these fundamental bases of malaria control, then you are running your programme on a faulty start and you will end up having faulty results and

faulty intervention and then malaria continues to stay with us.

"With insecticide resistance, we are in for it unless we put our house in order to ensure that our interventions are evidence-based.”

He advocated the practice of rotational use of insecticide, saying that “ when you identify that the mosquito is resistant to a particular insecticide, you use another class of insecticides becuse the classes have different target sites. But that can be done when you have a programme that is systematic, pragmatic and evidencebased where information are gathered by think-tanks and fuelled into the national bowl for use to formulate policies.”

He noted that there is still a gap between research and policy which needs to be bridged. Harping on the need for surveillance systems that will be able to monitor resistance, he said: “By now, we should have in each geopolitical zone, a centre where they monitor mosquito resistance because malaria is a big issue. People say that all the time but the will to actually do something about it is not there so we need to put that in place because if that is not in place, sooner or later, these chemicals will become useless, worthless and the issue of malaria becomes more difficult to control, the intervention will no longer be effective and it will be rejected.

"Our research has shown clearly that the resistance issue has continued to increase in Nigeria and if measures are not in place to ensure that it is curtailed, sooner or later, you will see that all these interventions will fail so government needs to put a structure in place, a structure which I refer to as a roadmap to malaria elimination.

That roadmap should be a policy statement from the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Control Programme and we will have a policy in place towards malaria elimination and this roadmap has to be well structured. It is not something that will happen in two or five years, it might not happen in 10 years but you have timelines and milestones and indicators to show progress.

Insecticide resistance is one key issue here; you cannot get malaria eliminated without focusing more on the vectors,” he said.

I can change the world

*Members of the PTA and some pupils of Hallmark School during a charity walk, weekend, in aid of a public school in Iju, Lagos. Inset is the Director, Mrs Meg Nwobia.

38 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

D

r Tosanwumi Vincent Otakunefor, is a university don who had his education both in Nigeria and overseas. He is the founder and executive secretary of Alpha Education which emerged sequel to his observations in the educational sector in Nigeria.

As an expert in education who has been in system in the early 50’s to date, in this interview with our reporter speaks on sundry issues bedeviling the sector and suggested ways to stem the downward trends.

Excerpt: How will you compare the educational system of the 60s, 70s, and the 80s to the system we are currently operating now in Nigeria?

I am privileged to have experienced the different educational systems operating in Nigeria for over five decades both as a student and as a teacher. Education in Nigeria has experienced significant changes over the years, descending from its glorious heights in the 60s and 70s to the current state of decadence in the last two decades. It has witnessed a period of governmental bewilderment in terms of policy trust and management. Policy changes during this period have resulted in the abandonment of the Higher School Certificate, the introduction of JAMB, the change in the academic calendar from the January to December to September to May/June, the elongation of the secondary school programme from five to six years with one additional year to create the 6-3-3-4 system with the production of illiterate graduates as the ultimate outcome. The government’s dream of transforming the educational system of the nation has been shattered by the continuing decline in the performances in the public examinations notwithstanding all the efforts of the government to stabilize the system. It appears the system has totally collapsed.

The operators seem to be in a state of total confusion, literarily stupefied by the magnitude of the disaster, and watching helplessly as the calamity unfolding in the educational system threatens to engulf every aspect of our national life. It has become a national disaster that warrants the declaration of a national emergency!

Are you saying that the standard has declined?

That is a gross understatement. I am saying the standard has crashed!

Now our graduates cannot read and write.

Our teachers do not know what to

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First class degree holders now count money in our banks — OTAKUNEFOR teach. Some of our first class degree holders (the very best the system can produce) cannot pass interviews. Our medical laboratories cannot diagnose malaria correctly. Nigerians now go to India to get their appendix removed. First class degree holders are now required to count money in our banks. Nigerian welders are being trained abroad to work at home. Do we need an Indian prophet to tell you that the standard has crashed?

Very soon our fishermen, cattle rearers, tailors and carpenters will need to train in India to be able to serve Nigerians Nigerians have lost confidence in themselves and in their country.

The standards have been severely compromised in Nigeria today.

I still remember when I was in primary school that the pass mark was 50%, now it is 40%.

When I started teaching at the University of Port Harcourt in 1981, a student needed to attain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) to obtain a second class lowers degree and a 4.0 CGPA to obtain a merit class upper degree.

Today, the same student needs a CGPA of 2.5 and 3.5 only to obtain second class lower and second class upper degrees respectively, and this is officially approved by the National University Commission (NUC)! For the ordinary people on the street, the above values translate to a D+ and a C+ respectively, that is, 45+ and 50+ percent average performance. These figures are obtained after disregarding grades in eight to ten courses where students perform woefully. I wonder what the average grades would be if all their grades are taken into consideration in the computation of their final degrees. On top of this, the students do not need to pass all courses to graduate anymore in spite of the high incidence of individual and corporate examination fraud.

You don’t need a soothsayer to tell you that the standards in our educational system have been bastardized by those who were supposed to uphold it!

What is your view on illegal fees in Nigerian schools?

What impact does it have on

the quality of education?

Collection of illegal fees by some elements in the school system has effectively reintroduced the schools fees that were abolished by the introduction of the universal basic education programme and in effect, the burden on the parents and guardians which the programme originally sought to remove.

It is one of the manifestations of the hydra headed monster called corruption that has ravaged every facet of Nigerian life. Illegal fees have been introduced in all tiers of education in Nigeria.

There are fees for terminal examinations, report cards, books and practical examinations. There are illegal fees collected for every external examination both in the primary and secondary

,

BY DAYO ADESULU

*Dr Tosanwumi Vincent Otakunefor efforts of the government to provide free and qualitative education for every school age Nigerian child for personal illegal gains.

What can you say about the quality of teachers engaged in these frauds?

Teaching jobs in Nigeria are not secured by the most qualified applicants. It is usually cash and carry and most of the vacancies are gulped up by the highest bidders or through specially allocated quotas. There are quotas for this political big wig or that administrator. Even the clerk in the ministry of

They have far worse grades in their teaching subjects; how do you expect them to be suddenly transformed into good teachers? You cannot give what you do not have

,

schools. Parents pay between N10,000 and N30,000 for the West African School Certificate Examination and the same amount for the National Examination Council (NECO) examination. I am sure no parent knows the legal amount that should be paid for any of these examinations. There are fees collected just to see the results of external examinations taken and to collect the certificates when they finally arrive. There are fees for PTAs, for sports, and occasionally even for officially sanctioned examination malpractice.

The implication of all these illegal fees is that the universal basic education is no longer free and hence not universal. Kids are sent home for nonpayment of any of these illegal fees, and hence miss the few classes that are taught. It amounts to thwarting the laudable

education may have his own quota which he sells to the highest bidder without batting an eye lid. By the time all the quotas are filled, there may scarcely be any vacancies left for those who are knowledgeable in the subject they are applying to teach. You may just be lucky if some of those quotas contain a few qualified teachers. To make matters worse, many of those hired in this manner also secured their degrees by doubtful means and are not averse to propagating themselves using the same well rehearsed methods.

Are you then saying that there is corruption in the educational sector, especially in the employment of teachers?

Yes! Corruption and incompetence in the educational sector are the main causes of the current trend in the educational sector. It is a reflection of the general trend of corruption in virtually every facet of our national life. It

has affected different sectors of the educational system including funding, administration, and supervision. It is also responsible for the phenomenon of ghost teachers.

How did we arrive here?

The majority of teachers produced by the teachers training colleges and universities are not knowledgeable in their subject areas. Most of them have below average academic performance when they were students. They have far worse grades in their teaching subjects. How do you expect them to be suddenly transformed into good teachers? You cannot give what you do not have.

How can this be?

Let me put it bluntly; to begin with, the students that are being trained as teachers are of very poor quality, the curriculum that produces them is defective, their trainers are of low quality with very low output, and the processes that generate the new teachers are fraught with grave malpractices at virtually every level. I will like to elaborate further on the admission.

The quality of students admitted into our teachers training institutions is very low.

The students admitted to read education in our colleges and universities did not want to read education in the first place and are not interested in teaching.

Most importantly, they are not even qualified for admission, let alone to teach our aspiring children at the primary and secondary school levels. These facts become obvious if one looks at the list of students subscribing to education in any of the nation’s universities. The number of candidates admitted is higher than the total number of candidates that applied to the faculty through JAMB, and usually less than ten percent of these applicant score at least a 40% in the post unified tertiary matriculation examination.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—39

dayobenson@yahoo.com I N S I D E

Courts'refusal to grant adjournment not denial of fair hearing (3) — Pg 40

Counsel Corner: What constitute stealing? — Pg 41

INSECURITY: Decentralization of the police system imperative — Pg 42

SANs divided over Reps' summon of the President

By DAYO BENSON, ABDULWAHAB ABDULLAH & BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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AST week’s decision of House of Representatives to summon President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before it over security situation in the country, particularly the north, has spawned fresh Constitutional questions in legal circles.

One is whether the 1999 Constitution as amended vests such power on the lower legislative chamber. Another is the Constitutional basis of such a summon vis-à-vis the time honoured doctrine of ‘Separation of Powers’ as enshrined in the grun norm.

Against the backdrop of worsening insecurity in some parts of the north occasioned by incessant bombing of churches and other killings, the latest being Kaduna and Damaturu penultimate Sunday, the House of Representatives had asked President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before it and explain steps being taken to tackle the situation.

Following critical comments that trailed the summon, in some quarters, the House insisted it has power under Section 89 (1) (c) of the Constitution.

According to the Section, “for the

•Agbakoba (SAN)

•Oyetibo (SAN)

attendance of any person who after having been summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so and does not excuse such failure, refusal or neglect to the satisfaction of the House or the committee in question.”

However, Section 308 of the Constitution provides immunity for the President. Senior Advocates of Nigeria spoken to expressed their views on the issue.

It is wrong in law- Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) I think it is a wrong move because in

Summon legally correct but breaches protocol- Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) The House of Representatives have the power to summon the President to appear before it because the Constitution of Nigeria, Section 88, gives the House of Representatives power to exercise oversight function over any person. And of course, that any person in the provision of Section 88 would include the President.

Technically speaking, the House of Representatives has that kind of power.

But in my own personal view, it is inappropriate for the House of Representatives to summon the President in the manner they have done. I think it breaks protocol because no matter the tension within the House of Representatives and the President, which we all know is going on, the President still remains the number one citizen. And generally by diplomatic protocol, the President makes an invitation to the House that he wants to come and address them.

In the United States of America, the President addresses the congress on January 20 so that while the law supports what the House has done. In my own personal view which may not be right, I think it is distasteful for the House of Representatives to summon the President of Nigeria, who is the number one citizen.

If the President had been invited, that would be, perhaps, more acceptable. But I personally feel that it is wrong to summon the President because in that sense the House may also summon the Chief Justice of Nigeria to appear before the House and then we will begin to ask the

It is inappropriate for the House of Representatives to summon the President in the manner they have done

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purposes of any investigation under Section 88 of this Constitution and subject to the provisions thereof, the Senate or the House of Representatives or a committee appointed in accordance with Section 62 of this Constitution shall have power to summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place or produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control, and examine him as a witness and require him to produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control, subject to all just exceptions.”

Sub-section 1(d) provides for power of the House to compel the attendance of anyone that fails to appear when summoned. The Sub-section reads “in the event a person fails to appear, the Senate or House of Representatives shall issue a warrant to compel the C M Y K

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my view, it affects the whole idea of power. Even though they have oversight responsibility over the executive, there is no doubt about that.

But they should invite appointees of the President, not the President who like themselves is elected and head of the executive.

I think it is wrong, it is not done. For the House of Representatives to invite the President to a committee meeting, in order to tell him to explain and cross-examine him and all that. That is why the President has ministers, chairmen of various agencies. Those are the people they should call, not the President himself.

It is wrong in terms of the dignity of the office. It is wrong in law in the sense that the President is an elected person, who leads a separate arm of government. So they have no right to summon him.

•Clarke (SAN) question “how far does the House have power to look into the other tiers of government (Legislature, Judiciary and Executive)?” And I don’t know whether the judiciary can summon the Speaker of the House. I don’t know whether the President can summon the Speaker without the House saying that he cannot do so.

So if the purpose of the summon was to shed light on issue that require clarification, then I would say that an invitation to the President to come is unacceptable. But the summons under Section 88 of the Constitution to the President, in the way that the House would summon any other Nigerian is unacceptable to me. I think it breached protocol. And while it is legally correct, it was improper for the House of Representatives to do so.

And that is why we have Section 308 of the Constitution. The immunity clause is provided in the Constitution, not for the person, but

Continues on page 42

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

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Courts' refusal to grant adjournment not denial of fair hearing (3) Continues from last week

AUGUSTINE I. ODIGWE V JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION, DELTA STATE COURTOF APPEAL (BENIN DIVISION) AMIRU SANUSI JCA (Presided and Read the Lead Judgment) GEORGE OLADEINDE SHOREMI JCA OYEBISI FOLAYEMI OMOLEYE JCA

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RDINARILY, where a trial court fails or neglects to observe any of the above mentioned preconditions of fair hearing enumerated above, it can be said to be in serious breach of the concept or principles of fair hearing under section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. In the present case, throughout the duration of the trial up to 2 February, 2006, the parties took part in the proceedings. Similarly, on 2 February 2006 when the motion to relist was moved, both parties were present likewise on 28 February 2006 when the ruling of the lower court refusing relisting of the suit was delivered. In my view, both parties were afforded opportunity to argue the two motions without any hindrance.

Although I have made my stand on the trial court’s refusal to grant the application for adjournment, the denial or refusal to grant such adjournment cannot be grant the adjournment, the trial court simply exercised its discretion.

Exercise of discretion by a court rightly or wrongly cannot always he regard to tantamount to denial of fair hearing once the conditions as adumbrated above are duly observed.

Exercise of discretion Similarly, the lower court’s refusal to grant the application to relist rightly or wrongly is also an exercise of discretion by the court and such court has inherent power to do so. The fact that partie’s application or suit is refused or dismissed or struck out could not be termed as a denial or breach of fair hearing. The determination of a suit or an application by a court of law is within its precinct and the court in doing so must take a stand i.e. to grant or allow or refuse it. Any stand taken by such trial court in such regard cannot be regarded by the looser as a denial or breach of fair hearing provided the principles of fair hearing mentioned above have been duly observed.”

Propriety of court relisting a suit struck out for want of diligent prosecution Where a court strikes out a suit for want of diligent prosecution, a prompt and timeous application to relist same should be liberally considered and granted so as to give the party a second chance to ventilate its grievances especially where such party shows considerable remorse. In the instant case, the trial court erred by refusing to relist the suit struck out by it. [P. 1937, paras. F - G] Duty of court to do justice and avoid technicalities C M Y K

Courts are enjoined to dispose of matters on the merit and not to scuffle them on alter of technicality as the latter approach tends to smack of highhandedness. In the instant case, the trial court erred by refusing to grant the application for adjournment sought by the plaintiff which was not intended to delay the court or overreach the defendant. [P. 1937, para. F] •Propriety of court relisting suit struck out and discretionary powers therefor-

A suit struck out by a court may be relisted by it, if the circumstances warrant doing so.

Such application to restore the suit will be by motion on notice.

The court therefore has the discretion whether or not to relist the suit depending on the ground upon which the suit was struck out and other circumstances of the case. [Pp. 1936- 1937, paras. G - A] •Proper approach of court in consideration of application for adjournment and guiding principles therefor –

Application for adjournment by parties should always be given liberal consideration except where the application for adjournment was made without any justifiable reason or was made on flimsy reason or ground or where it is aimed at delaying the court’s proceeding which such delay could jeopardise the interest of the adverse party or aimed at overreaching him or where previous applications for adjournment were repeatedly made by the applicant without just course. The court should not rigidly refuse same. Before a court refuses application for adjournment, it is proper for it to look into some circumstances. A court has the discretionary power to refuse granting an application for adjournment only where it is apparent that the party making such application for adjournment

either engages on dilatory tactics or is making efforts to frustrate the trial proceedings of the court and thereby making it impossible for the trial to come to an end. In such case, such party can be said to be involving due process to defeat justice being done to the other party. The court in such circumstance can be justified in refusing an adjournment. It is not every application for adjournment that should be granted. Each case must be treated according to its special peculiarity. In the instant case, the adjournment sought by the plaintiff’s counsel was not calculated to overreach the defendant or slow down proceedings, therefore, the trial court erred by refusing the application. [P. 1935, pa-as. B C, E - G]

To be continued

INSECURITY: Decentralization of the police system imperative — Lagos State Solicitor General try the decentralization of the police system in Nigeria than not trying it at all, adding that if there had been state police OLLOWING concerns since 1999, the issue of over recent bombing in security would have been Kaduna and other parts of enhanced.

Northern states, Lagos State “This perhaps underscores Solicitor General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN) and other lawyers the clamor for the decentralization of the police reiterated the call for state system in Nigeria. When policing in order to address people who know one another the situation, stressing that very well are made to police decentralization of the police themselves, this kind of force should be given a trial. situation we find ourselves In his words: “It is quite might not have arisen. Maybe unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this state in with the constitutional amendment, if not the Police this country and it seems that Act, should make room for the security agencies and the policing to the local entity in government that is to be in the state” he said. control of security both locally The Lagos State Solicitor and the entire federation is General, however, expressed totally incapable of addressing fear that state policing may be the situation.And this calls for used by politicians in total reorganization of the achieving selfish gains that project NIGERIA.” Pedro noted that it is better to would negate the essence of

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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the whole idea, adding “there should be check and balancethe National Assembly should put in place for such policing and it is not necessary that the state policemen should be armed but they should be trained with communication gadgets.

“When one looks at it, if state police have been established long time ago, where the indigenes of a community are allowed to police themselves, those people in the North would have been handling security matters by themselves, which may work well instead of calling a federal policeman who probably is not from the state” Pedro stated.

Constitution amendment will hinder its urgency — Chief Ekwunor Another lawyer, Chief MorahEkwunor who

described himself as Legal Consultant, said state policing would rather aggravate the current issue disrupting activities in some northern states, adding that there is likely to be some political manipulations involved.

“If the president says Boko Haram is everywhere, including the Federal Executive Council, what will happen if every state has its police with variegated parties and interests in control, with their manipulative proclivities” he queried.

Ekwunor noted that the time it will take to carry out constitutional amendment as to bring into being the state police vis-à-vis the urgency of the situation is another kettle of fish entirely.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—41

Vanguard L aw In Pix Law

NAILS holds workshop in Legislative Strategic Planning

What constitute stealing?

I WORK as marketing officer in a well established company. The nature of my job involves handling of company’s money at times. I have had course to take from such money when I am in dire need at times . I often return it as soon as posssible . There was an occasion the company required the money which I received from a client. Unfortunately , I had used part of it, so I had to tell a lie. A friend told me my action amounted to stealing. So I want to know if my friend is right — Jude

Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies, NIALS, recently organised a three-day training workshop in Legislative Strategic Planning and Management at the University of Lagos, campus of the Institute in Lagos. PHOTOS BY INNOCENT ANABA.

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WOULD like to answer this question purely from the point of law. Reason is that there are certain act which amount to stealing which most people are not aware of and taken for granted .There are also some act which do not necessary fall within legal meaning of stealing but which people assume them to be. Section 382- 384 of the criminal code dwell extensively on acts that the law regard as stealing . According to the criminal code, “A person who fraudulently take anything capable of being stolen or fraudulently converts to his own use or to the use of any other person anything capable of being stolen, is said to steal that thing.

(2) A Person who takes or converts anything capable of being stolen is deemed to do so fraudulently if he does so with any of the following intcnts: (a) an intent permanently to deprive the owner of the thing of it; (b) an intent permanently to deprive any person who has any special property in the thing of such property; (c) an intent to use the thing as a pledge or security; (d) an intent to part with it on a condition as to its return which the person taking or converting it may be unable to perform; (e) an intent to deal with it in such-a manner that-it cannot be returned in the condition in which it was at the time of the taking conversion; (f) in the case of money, an intent to use it at the will of the person who takes or converts it, although he may intend afterwards to repay the· amount to the owner.

(3) The taking or conversion may be fraudulent. Although it is effected without secrecy or attempt at concealment.

(4) In the case of conversion. It is immaterial whether the thing converted is taken for the purpose of conversion, or whether it is at the time of the conversion in the possession of the person who converts it. It is also inmaterial that the person who converts the property is the holder of a power of attorney for the disposition of it, or is otherwise authorised to dispose of the property. .

(5) When a thing converted has been lost by the owner and found by person who converts it, the conversion is not deemed to be fraudulent if at the time of the conversion, the person taking or converting the thing does not know who is the owner and believes on reasonable grounds that the owner cannot be discovered.

(6) A person shall not be deemed to take a thing unless he moves the thing or causes it to move.

384. (1) When a factor or agent pledges or gives a lien on any goods or document of title to goods entrusted to him for the purpose of sale or otherwise for any sum of money not greater than the amount due to him from his principal at the time of pledging or giving the lien, together with the amount of any bill of exchange or promissory note accepted or made by him for or on account of his principal, such dealing with the goods or document of title is not deemed to be stealing.

(2)When a servant, contrary to his master’s orders, takes from his possession any food in order that it may be given to an animal, belonging to or in the possession of his master, such taking is not deemed to be stealing.

385. When a person receives, either alone or jointly with another person, any money or valuable security or a power of attorney for the sale, mortgage, pledge, or other disposition, of any property, whether capable of being stolen or not, with a direction in either case that such money or any part thereof, or any other money received in exchange for it, or any part thereof, or the proceeds or any part of the proceeds of such security, or of such mortgage, pledge, or other disposition, shall be applied to any purpose or paid to any person specified in the direction, such money and proceeds are deemed to be the property of the person from whom the money, security, or power of attorney, was received until the direction has been complied with; Provided that if the person receiving the money, security, or power of attorney, and the person from whom he receives it, ordinarily deal with each other on such terms that in the absence of any special direction all money paid to the· former on account of the latter would be properly treated as an item in a debtor and creditor account between them, the former cannot be charged with stealing the money or any such proceeds unless the direction is in writing.

You can send your questions to dayobenson@yahoo.com or 08056180119 (text only) C M Y K

L-R: Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, Director General, NIALS and Dr Yusuf Dadem of the Nigerian Law School.

L-R: Mr James Bathnna, NIALS’s Secretaty and Prof.

Bolaji Owasanoye.

L-R: NIALS Librarian, Mrs Ufuoma Lamikanra and Visiting Prof Mike Ikhariale.

L-R: Prof Animi Awah and Mrs Ngozi Udombara.

L-R: Dr N. Aniekwu and Mr Bambo Adewopo.

L-R: Dr Chinyere Ani and Mrs Senapon JerryImahiagbe.

L-R: Mrs Esther Ekong and Mr Alfred Akingbodore.

L-R: Mr Okay Agu and Mrs Vivian Madu.

L-R: Mr Adjeke John and Mrs Glory Abido.

L-R: Mr Eledi Jefferson and Prince Justin Dibie.

42 —VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

The Supreme Court doctrine in the interpretation and construction of statutes (4) Continues from last week HE rule of construction of Acts of Parliament is that they should be construed according to the intent of the Parliament which passed the Act. If the word of the statute are in themselves precise and unambiguous then no more can be necessary than to expound those words in the natural and ordinary sense.

The words themselves alone, do in such a case, best declare the intention of the law giver. (b)The Golden Rule: The best known statement of the rule is to be found in the judgment of Parker, B. in Becke v. Smith. He said: It is a very useful rule in the construction of a statue to adhere to the ordinary meaning of the words used, and to the grammatical construction, unless that is at variance with the intention of the

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legislature to be collected from the statute itself, or leads to any manifest absurdity or repugnance, in which case the language may be varied or modified so as to avoid such inconvenience, but no further.

The practical effect of the application of the golden rule is that where a statutory provision is capable of more than one interpretation, the court should adopt the interpretation that produces the least absurd result.

A major criticism according to Walker and Walker of the golden rule is that its application is inherently subjective.

They argued that the judge who decides that a literal interpretation is contrary to the intention of the legislature is ipso facto, ascertaining the intention of the legislature from some source or sources other than the stature itself, and is strictly, beyond his judicial

•CJN, Dahiru Musdapher function.

Again, in Awolowo v. Shagari, Eso, JSC said. The golden rule can only be invoked when there is internal disharmony in the statute, not in cases in which the literal interpretation would

produce results which are absurd or inconvenient for other reasons…. The golden rule allows for a departure from the literal rule when the application of the statutory words in the ordinary sense would be repugnant to or inconsistent with some other provisions in the statute or even when it would lead to what the court considers to be an absurdity.

The usual consequence of applying the golden rule is that words which are in the statute are ignored or words which are not there are read in. The golden rule is therefore meant to ensure justice which would otherwise not have been done on an application of the literal rule. © The Mischief Rule: The mischief rule is also often referred to as the rule in Heydon’s Case. The rule was defined as: Four things are to be discussed and considered: (1) What was the common law before the making of the Act: (2) What was the mischief and defect for which the common law did not provide; (2)

Tö be continued.

SANs divided over Reps' summon of the President Continues from page 39 to protect the office of the President and Governor, from debasement and defilement, in particular some people who will use the fact that it has summon the President to court anyhow.

They lack Constitutional power to do so — Robert Clarke (SAN) The House of Representatives does not have any power to summon the President to appear before it. The Constitution guarantees ‘Separation of Power’. The only time the President visits the parliament is to present its budget and that is the mandatory provision of the Constitution. Outside that, the House of Representatives have no constitutional power to order the President to come and make a representation on matters. I don’t think they have the power.

The security of the country is vested in the Presidency. It is not a legislative matter at all. It is the sole directory of the President to maintain the security of the country. If by lapses the House of Representatives now wants explanation, it will send for his Minister of Defence. They don’t have the power. Security matters are not within the competence of National Assembly at all.

Their duty is to make laws and to see that those laws are carried out by the executive. So when we are talking about carrying out an executive task, maintenance of security, it is the duty of the President. They can only pass rules to suggest, but the President is not bound by it.

President needs not appear in person — Emeka Ngige (SAN) The House of Representatives, like any other legislative House, has the power to summon any government official, including the President. It is the same Constitution that gives the legislature power to invite, and has equally given the President power to execute its function through aides, ministers and other offsets in C M Y K

•Prof Sagay government.

So where they invite the President to come and discuss issues about security, the President is entitled to send his National security adviser, or the Attorney General of police or any of the Service Chiefs.

Unless there is specific legislation or provision in the Constitution that compels personal attendance or personal presence of the President to be discharged of a particular function.

Like in America where the Constitution specifically provides that at a certain date in any given year, the President can address both chamber of the congress and discuss things of the Union. It is something that the President has to come or his Vice President, if the President is incapacitated. We don’t have such

provision in Nigeria Constitution, under any other status.

Members of the House of Representatives may be deferring under the apprehension of there power to invite any public officer. Yes they can invite, but the President is not bound to appear in person. The President can honour it, by sending special representative. If he likes to appear in person, he can equally appear.

I remember during the period of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, the House summoned him when Ghali Na’Abba was Speaker and Obasanjo did not appear in person.

He sent one of his personal aides. So to me, that is the essence of Presidential system of government.

The President can appear through his officers or his ministers.

The House has power to summon the President but he may not appear in person because it is just like an invitee.

House can’t summon him —Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) The House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot lawfully issue a summons to the President of the Federation to appear before it or before any of its Committee.

Although Section 89(1 )(c) of the Constitution empowers the Senate and House of Representatives or any of their Committees to “summon” any person in Nigeria to give evidence at

Alleged dud cheques: Prosecutor absence stalls arraignment

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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HE absence of prosecuting counsel in the case against one Christopher Ononugo and Patani Onovwobote, before a Lagos State High Court, over alleged issuing of dud cheque, has stalled the matter.

When the matter came up, the court

was informed that the prosecuting counsel was held up in traffic and the matter was adjourned till September 9, 2012.

It was also gathered that contrary to earlier report, the duo, Christopher Ononugo and Patani Onovwobote, were yet to be arraigned before Justice Candide Johnson and their charges yet to be read to them.

any place or produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control for the purposes of any investigation being carried out under Section 88 of the Constitution, and it is incontestable that the President is a person in Nigeria, the nature of the power exercisable under Section 89(1 )(c) is revealed by Section 89(1 )(d) and circumscribed by Section 308(1) of the Constitution.

Section 89(1 )(d) of the Constitution reveals the nature of the power exercisable under Section 89(1 )(c) to be a compulsive power in that the latter provision further empowers the Senate and House of Representatives to issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after having been summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so and does not excuse such failure, refusal or neglect to the satisfaction of the House or the Committee in question.

A combined reading of Section 89(1 )(d) and 89(1 )(c) of the Constitution would show that the categories of persons who can be summoned under Section 89(1 )(c) must be those against whom a warrant can be issued to compel their attendance if they failed to do so.

Under Section 308(1 )(b) of the Constitution, the President enjoys immunity from any Criminal or Civil Process by reason of which he cannot be arrested or imprisoned during his period of office in pursuance of the process of any court or “otherwise”.

The latter expression - “otherwise” covers the process of the National Assembly.

The law does not normally give a power that cannot be enforced. In so far as the President cannot be arrested for refusal to obey a Summons issued by the House of Representatives, it would not serve any legal purpose to issue a Summons that cannot be enforced.

In the light of the clear provisions of the Constitution on this subject, it would be in the interest of our nascent democracy for the House to put an end to the unnecessary constitutional controversy.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—43

Bafyau, a different approach to unionism AST Saturday, Comrade Paschal Bafyau, a former President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, was laid to rest in his home town, Lamorde in Adamawa state.

Bafyau was perhaps the most controversial president NLC has had in its 34 years history. Indeed his controversial role predates the birth of the current NLC which took off in 1978.

Comrade Paschal Bafyau was one of the union leaders who wrote a petition to the military government against the NLC which union leaders voluntarily formed after the Apena Declaration for unity in the Labour movement.

Consequently, the military disbanded that NLC and put in place the Adebiyi Tribunal in 1976 following which the trade unions were restructured in 1977 and also gave birth to the present NLC in 1978.

Beyond the controversial role he played, Bafyau became the General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Railwaymen (popularly called Iron men).

Given the labour orientation of Labour Leader No. 1, Chief Michael Imoudu to railway workers, anyone who was not militant in style could not lead railway workers. Paschal Bafyau led the railway workers on series of strikes.

Labour Vanguard recall seeing him addressed this group of militant workers many times at the railway compound in Ebute Metta, Lagos. One equally saw the militant workers match to the union’s secretariat anytime they were aggrieved. In most cases it was over unpaid salaries.

In 1988, Bafyau was nominated president of the NLC following a motion moved by the then General Secretary of the Nigerian Nurses and Midwives Association, NNAMM, Moses Olabode .

The meeting was hosted by the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, NUFBTE, in its cooperative multipurpose house at Tonode street, Ikeja. NUFBTE then had Chief Adebayo Kazeem as its acting General Secretary and Stephen Osidipe as President. Those who played prominent roles at that meeting included Bafyau’s friend, Comrade Sylvester Ejiofoh, ( SOZ). Their position was that Bafyau would be acceptable to the Democrats and the Progressives.

These were the two groups whose ideological differences caused a deep internal rift within the NLC and the military made a forceful intervention by dissolving the executive and took over the NLC with the appointment of an administrator.

However, the International Labour Organisation and other groups pressurized the military to democratize the NLC. Prior to the election of a new leadership for the NLC, labour leaders decided to produce a leader acceptable to both groups and that was how Paschal Bafyau emerged.

Late Comrade Paschal Bafyau

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BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

Paschal though he and his union belonged to the Progressive camp in the NLC, his style was closer to that of the Democrats who believed in free enterprise

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Somehow, the rumour mill took over and claimed that Paschal Bafyau was a candidate imposed on the NLC by the military. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Workers cannot be apolitical Paschal though he and his union belonged to the Progressive camp in the NLC, his style was closer to that of the Democrats who believed in free enterprise.

He believed that workers cannot be apolitical. To him, workers must form a Labour Party and contest for power but to do this, Labour must be on a sound financial footing.

So, how does labour become a politically relevant without financial independence? His style was that Labour should calmly get whatever it could from the military and use such to fight for political power.

As president of the NLC, he retained educational programme for workers and played a prominent role in mainstreaming women into trade unionism.

His union deployed late Comrade M.E. Kolagbodi to work with John

Odah in the education department and their efforts helped to mainstream women into the trade unions.

It is also on record that under Bafyau in the NLC, Nigerian workers got a 100% raise in the national minimum wage without a national strike. How? NLC demanded an increase in the national minimum wage and the Government of General Ibrahim directed the then minister of labour, late Alhaji Abubakar Umar to negotiate with labour.

The minister hired a consultant who told him not to worry that he would stall the negotiation. Unknown to the consultant, Comrade Bafyau had been consulting with the hierarchy of the military government as a result of which military president, General Ibrahim Babangida raised the national minimum wage from N125 per month to N250 per month.

Also the present structure of the trade unions which reduced the number of trade unions from 42 to 29 was initiated by Bafayau.

As NLC president, he made it a point of duty to visit all industrial unions. While doing this, he found that some unions were weak and unviable; hence he suggested a merger of unions. Though some skeptical labour bureaucrats did not want to lose their positions, others accepted the proposals and today the unions are better off.

Comrade Bafyau would also be remembered for his role in making the federal military government accept that terminal benefits of civil servants be calculated not just on the basis of basic pay but total emolument inclusive of fringe benefits.

June 12 issue Perhaps the most controversial point of his career was the June 12, 1993 annulment and the role that labour should play. He was not prepared to drag the NLC into politics but the peoples’ expectation was very high. Though NLC un-

der Bafyau was not in the forefront of the June 12 struggle, an affiliate, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, which had Chief Frank Kokori as General Secretary, was ready to fight for the people. NUPENG fought along with its counterpart, Petroleum and Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN. Irrespective of Bafyau’s position, the military government of General Abacha dissolved the leadership of the NLC in 1994 which was what he wanted to avoid.

NLC under the leadership of Bafyau founded Labour Transport Service and got the management of Railways to give the NLC a secretariat for the transport company. His leadership also laid the foundation of the 12 storey Labour House in Abuja. The foundation was laid by Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida on May 1, 1992.

Bafyau’s critics called him names for receiving donations from the military government for the construction of Labour House.

His response was simple “whose money is it? Is it not Nigeria workers who created the nation’s fortunes?” The truth of course is that the building project was financed by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund and not the military government. General Babagida only made a donation. Under his leadership, the NLC established the Labour Party in 1989 and also founded the defunct Labour Bank, LACON. On a personal note, Comrade Paschal Bafyau was a kind and generous person.

He could give out his last note if any Comrade was in need. He genuinely shared the pains of others. Bafyau made a distinction between personal relation and official relationship.

Once he disagreed with this writer when I wrote in Labour Vanguard that he had not business jostling to be Chief M.K.O Abiola’s running mate when he had just been elected for a second term as NLC president. He was unhappy about this more so when defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, opted for Babagana Kingibe instead of him.

Nonetheless, he made a visit to our home and insisted that I must prepare tea for him, because he had come to visit his friend; my husband. Of course that was the end of our ‘quarrel’.

It was therefore no surprise that thousands of workers saw him to his last resting place in Lamorde in Adamawa state.

One thing that must have made Paschal unhappy before he died is the collapse of labour unity in the Nigeria Labour Congress. Things had fallen apart so much that some industrial unions have pulled out of the NLC. Paschal has come and gone but what future is there for the labour movement indeed the NLC?

Labour plots assault on Mainstreet Bank over sack

O

RGANISED labour is planning a mas sive assault on Mainstreet Bank Plc, formerly Afribank Plc, over the sack of no fewer than 800 workers.

It was gathered that leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, have begun strategizing and mobilizing allies to confront the management of the bank should it fail to recall the sacked workers; an action labour considered illegal and unprocedural.

Labour Vanguard gathered that out of the 800 affected staff, over 650 were members of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, affiliated to TUC, while the rest were members of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Employees, NUBIFIE, affiliated to NLC. It was also gathered that the management last week Friday just logged the affected workers out the bank’s network, denied them access to their offices and asked to wait for their termination letters through their email boxes.

44 — Vanguard, THURSDAY,

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

T

HE Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, has raked in a total of 16 billion US Dollars since kick-off in 2004, the Director-General of National Pension Commission, PenCom, Mr. Mohammed Ahmad, has announced.

Mr. Ahamd who spoke at the meeting of the Migrant Workers’ Working Group of the International Social Security Association, in Abuja, Nigeria, said this is equivalent to N2.6 Trillion.

The Director-General who explained that the meeting provided provide an opportunity for the participants to discuss issues on the protection and portability of retirement benefits of Migrant Workers within and across the West African Sub-Region, noted that the two-day meeting would not have come at a better time.

According to him, “the issues on retirement benefits of migrant workers than amidst the rising number of migrant workers due to the various bilateral and multilateral agreements on the movement of people, goods and services across countries. The West-Africa Sub-Region has witnessed

JUNE 28, 2012

Pension funds hit $16bn …African countries study Nigeria’s pension reform system tered contributor right from inception. Retirees have the option of procuring Programmed Withdrawal or purchasing Life Annuity as a way of accessing their retirement benefits from their RSAs. However, migrant workers are allowed to transfer the full content of their RSAs to their countries of choice on retirement.”

Mr. Ahmad said it is well known to us that many pension schemes are not as flexible, meaning “portability of the retirement benefits of the affected employees may not be possible. Indeed in some casDirector-General of National Pension Commission, PenCom, Mr. Mohammed Ahmad, Commissioner for Inspectorate/Enforcement unit, Dr Musa Ibrahim and Comrade Issa es, the workers are employed Aremu, General Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of as contract staff with contract salaries that are slightly highNigeria, NUTGTWN, at a PenCom programme. er than the benefits of the eman annual average growth ment benefits for every mi- 2004 that allowed employees ployees that could benefit from rate of 1.8 percent in the num- grant worker in the Sub-Re- of both the public and private some form of pension arrangeber of migrant workers be- gion, facilitate the transfer of sectors to open Retirement ments. The former employees tween 2005 and 2010, which these benefits as and when Savings Accounts, RSA, in are not entitled to any retireproportionally represented 2.8 due and provide adequate which they accumulate assets ment benefits. This bias has percent of the total population protection to the pension as- for payment of pension after since been corrected in Nigethey retire from their various ria by the introduction of the of the Sub-Region. Thus, this sets of this class of workers. meeting should focus in iden“It will be recalled that Ni- employments. This system CPS, which allows every emtifying ways that would en- geria introduced the Contrib- made it possible to isolate the ployee to register an RSA and sure the provision of retire- utory Pension Scheme, CPS, in pension assets of every regis- have his/her retirement benefits remitted on monthly basis.

This step taken by Nigeria solved not only the above problems and other logistics associated with retirement benefits, but also generated a pool of log term funds for economic development.”

The security operative denied without delay”. In a letter ad- been paid yet this is far from the “So far, about N2.6 trillion, the newsmen access into the dressed to the Head of the Civ- truth. The Pension Department equivalent to over $16 billion office of PRTT despite proper il Service of the Federation, by at the Office of Head of the has been generated under the the Secretary of the Sector Com- Civil Service of the Federation Scheme and had been investidentification.

All entreaties to Akinmodiro rade Clement Ogunrinde, the has used all that would have ed in various sectors of the to either allow the journalists retirees said “All we want is an been used to alleviate the suf- economy. The Scheme had creaccess or inform officials of the immediate solution where pen- fering of pensioners to go into ated institutional investors and PRTT of their presence fell on sioners would be paid today. public relations jamboree and generated direct employment We are dying by the day. shadow-fighting.” deaf ears. as well as provided business When contacted over the de- opportunities to third party It was at this stage that Some of us are partially alive, Joshua attempted to copy Ak- sick, hungry and devastated. velopment, Mr Tope Ajakaiye, service providers. Our apinmodiro’s name but got a raw Where is conscience of the the Deputy Director in-charge proach had already been studdeal as he was descended on nation which your office rep- of Press and Public Relations ied by some sister African and rough-handled by the se- resents when elder statesmen at the Head of Service of the countries such as Ghana, and women are dying in this Federation, referred news- Malawi and Tanzania in order curity operative.

Akinmodiro also attempted to man-made format after serving men to the Office of the PRTT to understand the systems and attack other reporters who re- this nation while earning sti- Chairman whom he said was procedures with a view to fulpends?” responsible for addressing all ly implementing same or part corded the incident.

“It is disheartening to hear issues relating to the plight of thereof for their countries.”

The incident led to a heated verbal exchange between the on air that pensioners have the protesting pensioners. journalists and security operatives attached to office of PRTT Chairman.

Earlier on scores of the pensioners had under the umbrella body of Federal Civil Service and Productivity, Mr Ayang KWA Ibom House of had worked in the public ser- Akanimo, presented the report Pensioners Sector, Abuja -a unit Assembly has passed the vice of the state, received retire- of the committee to the house of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, besieged the Office of the bill for establishing a contribu- ment benefits promptly. for consideration.

He said the scheme would Head of Service demanding tory pension scheme for emThe house dissolved into the ployees in the public service. assist improvident individuals committee of the whole and payment of their benefits.

They also displayed placards The Speaker of the House, Mr to save for their old age. considered the bill clause by The bill would also establish clause. Mrs Ekaete Okon, the with several inscriptions such Samuel Ikon, made the fact “Previous and present pension known on Tuesday, saying that a uniform set of rules and reg- Deputy House Leader, moved administrators and managers the scheme would be jointly ulations for the administration the motion that the house as a are worse than armed robbers”; funded by the employees and and payment of retirement ben- committee of the whole adopt efits in the state.

“Head of Service, please save their employers. the report and that the bill be Ikon said that the bill would Earlier, the Chairman of the read for the third time and the soul of the elderly”; “Pay us all our outstanding arrears ensure that every person ,who House Committee on Labour passed.

Security men attack journalists …As pensioners protest unpaid benefits

T

HE growing intolerance by Security operatives attached to the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, Alhaji Abdulrahman Maina, of journalists, has taken a dangerous twist as they have resorted to physical attacks on pressmen.

In fact, some journalists on Tuesday June 12, got more than what they bargained for at the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, when one of the security operative attached to Alhaji Maina pounced on them in the course of their duty.

Specifically, one of them in Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, uniform with a name tag bearing “Akinmodiro” had physically assaulted Pastor Joshua of Leadership Newspaper, for attempting to write his name.

He held Joshua by the wrist and forcefully pulled off his watch in the ensuing scuffle.

Joshua and other journalists had earlier informed Akinmodiro that they wanted to speak with Maina over allegations by protesting pensioners that the PRTT Chairman had denied them access to his office to express their grievances over alleged maltreatment they had been exposed to since they retired from service.

A-Ibom Assembly passes contributory pension scheme bill

A

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—45

BY OGBONNA AMADI Entertainment Editor amadi_o@yahoo.com

Flavour, P-Square rock PH as Amstel Showtime hits town F

or months, tension had been high, not only in the state but also in the neighbouring states. The anticipation was for another activation platform from the stables of the Nigerian Breweries PLC and makers of premium low-sugar drink, Amstel Malta.

Port had Harcourt missed out

•Flavour

A

on the fun lat year when the maiden edition of the Amstel Malta Showtime moved across four cities: Owerri, Enugu, Abuja and Lagos. So on Friday, June 15, 2012, Port Harcourt bubbled as it got ready for the Amstel Malta Showtime.

With Flavour and P-Square leading the cream of artistes on the line up, it was dream come true for fans of the musicians. Little wonder Rivers State was in a frenzy. .

But Amstel Malta Showtime was not all about music stars alone. It was also an opportunity for young aspiring talents to showcase their skills in singing, dancing and comedy competitions. The fate of the contestants were decided by the audience via voice votes.

The evening got off to a slow start with the audience trooping into the Atrium Hall, Port Harcourt, venue of the event. Made up of students from the local Universities and other tertiary institutions from outside the state, it was a

YEAR ago, DJ John Quick was scheduled to spin at a party when he got the news - Michael Jackson was dead.

So instead of playing the hits of the moment, the Harlem event turned into an impromptu tribute to the King of Pop. ”It was the first time I’ve ever seen grown people crying and dancing at the same time,” he said.

On Friday, the first anniversary of the King of Pop’s death, Quick will once again play Michael Jackson tunes, at the club Taj in Manhattan, but he expects a more cheerful party this time. ”They wanna celebrate his life and music,” he said. “His albums are like timelines in your life. You can remember what you were doing ... when ‘Thriller ’ came out.”

The Taj party will be part of the global celebration of Jackson’s brilliant but troubled life. Jackson died at age 50 as he was preparing for comeback concerts in London.

In that city, a memorial was unveiled Thursday to a gaggle of press who packed the foyer of London’s Lyric Theatre, the site of an impromptu wake following the pop superstar’s death last year.

Perri Luc Kiely, 14, a member of the dance troupe Diversity, pulled back a pair of dark purple curtains to reveal a small plaque featuring a young Jackson with a wide, beaming smile. Applause and the bright flashes of cameras erupted. ”He influenced me and the whole group so much, and it was just a real big honor to be able to do that,” Perri said.

moment to unwind after the academic stress of the week.

The show kicked off with a Darey ‘Art’ Alade performance.

The ‘Banikudi’ crooner gave the teeming crowd a tip of what was to •P-Square be expected in the night, with his brief but exciting much more competitive. It was performance. He certainly set a straight fight between the the tempo for what was to be a hip-swinging Sharon breathtaking event.

Robinson, a final year Theatre Then it was time for the Arts student of the University rookies to show what they were Of Port Harcourt and Iye made of. With the competition Kachi, a 300 level student of over, Nonso Eze, a 400 level the Federal University of student of Microbiology from Technology, Owerri. Finally, University Of Port Harcourt the audience settled for Iye and Obialo Chijioke Nwosu, Kachi who was crowned from the Federal University of winner.

Technology, Owerri, were For their efforts, each of the clearly the crowd favourites three winners walked away following their stand out with brand new iPads, displays in the Comedy and N500,000 cash and an allSinging categories, expense paid trip for two to respectively Lagos. The first and second The dance competition was runners up in each category

Fans plan big for late Michael Jackson With the foyer packed to the brim with photographers, videographers and journalists, fans stood on the street and peered in, capturing the moment with their camera phones.

Leanne Irving, 20, traveled seven hours by bus from her home in northern England to be able to attend the memorial events. ”An absolute inspiration. I would love to be like him and dance like him. He inspires everything I want to do in life and everything I want to achieve,” said Irving, an aspiring performance artist.

In Hong Kong, Jackson imitators performed to the late singer’s classics at a suburban mall Thursday. Four-year-old Wang Yiming danced to “Dangerous” wearing Jackson’s trademark black fedora hat, a black suit with a silver armband and white socks.

While festive celebrations like parties are expected on Friday, there will also be somber remembrances. In Gary, Ind., Jackson’s

were not forgotten. They went home with N250,000 and N100,000 respectively.

Thereafter, it was Showtime, as the first main act of the day, Flavour took the stage. The crowd could barely stay on their seats as they danced and sang along with him during his performance.

Spurred on by the audience, Flavour certainly didn’t disappoint. The Enugu State born artiste was certainly in his elements.

The ante was raised as screams of ecstasy rented the air when the duo of Peter and Paul Okoye took to the stage.

The twin act showed why they are arguably Nigerians biggest music acts at the moment, with an impressive performance that was as energetic as it was entertaining.

Singing competition

•Late MJ

hometown, there will be a tribute at the Jackson home; city officials said they expected Michael’s mother Katherine and his niece Genevieve to show up, along with thousands of others.

Fans are also expected to gather at Forest Lawn cemetery outside of Los Angeles, where he is buried.

Katherine Jackson has thrown her support behind a “Forever Michael” fan

There was also a cameo appearance by May D as the trio performed the song, ‘Chop My Money’ together. Obialo Chijioke Nwosu winner of the singing competition had the privilege of performing with P Square. The talented rapper was not fazed by the stars as he gave a good account of himself.

Nonso Eze, winner of the comedy category also performed on stage with ace comedian, Senator, while the best dancer of the night, Iye Kachi did his own bit with the scintillating dance group, Outrage.

Up next is Benin, another city where the Amstel Malta Showtime train will berth for the first time on July 27. Stars expected to perform are Naeto C and Wiz Kid while ace comedian, Buchi, will deliver the hilarious jokes.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

I,

Most times, because of the nature of our African family setting, it is quite natural that at some point, we will have one or two relatives living with us for myriad reasons. They may come from the wife’s family or the husband’s.

When these live-in relatives come from both sides, it I assumed that they relate with each other as members of the same family because of the bond existing between the couple they live with.

Thus, in most cases, no one really pays special attention to their activities. However, failure to do this has sometimes been the undoing of some couples.

The story you are about to read happened to a couple who say they are grateful because they were able to nip the monster in the bud before anything terrible could happen. The wife has a young, distant niece who lives with them while the husband too has a young nephew who comes around regularly to visit the family and would sometimes stay over for a few days.

The boy being older and more enlightened had seduced the young girl and a relationship of deceit had ensued between them.

The couple say they can ’ t imagine what would have happened but for the timely discovery of a family member.

Nkese, (45) a Teacher and business woman shares her story: “Ndidi is my niece, the

daughter of an Aunty in the village. I brought her to Lagos so that she could help me take care of the house and the children when we are not around. I had also promised her parents that she would learn a trade as soon as possible.

She turned out to be a very good and efficient housekeeper and everyone loved her, especially my husband and the children.

Ndidi was 14 years old when she came to Lagos, though one might find that difficult to believe because of her small stature.

Nobody can really tell precisely for how long it had been going on. But it was my younger sister who caught them at it one afternoon. She said she had stopped by at the house to drop something for me. When she got to the house, the windows were shut and the curtains drawn too.

It was quite unusual because Ndidi should be at home. We never allow her go off on her own except on local errands and at no time do we ever leave our house empty.

My sister then pressed the bell and started banging the doors and the windows hard. She said she was sure she heard voices that sounded like the Radio was on, so, she concluded that Ndidi must have fallen asleep.

Finally, Ndidi answered and my sister said she listened as she made frantic movements around the house before coming to open the door.

Immediately, she said she suspected that something was amiss because she also saw my brother-in-law (my husband’s nephew)

sitting quietly in a corner chair in the living room. She asked him what he was doing in the house at such an odd time.

He replied that he was in the neighbourhood and just dropped by to say hello. She asked them if that was the reason they had locked themselves up in the house and took so much time to answer the door.

She said she kept her cool, but only told them that we will hear about it all when we come home from work in the evening.

When she told me the following day in the office, I could not

,

H

In-laws in love!!!

truth because I would have to send her back to her mother in the village as I could not trust her anymore. Of course, she did not want to go back to the village, she was already enjoying the luxury and other advantages attached to living in Lagos.

This was when she decided to open up to us.

She said it was true that my sister saw them together and that she and brother Sunny were lovers.

She said they had been dating for some time though she could not tell for sure how long that had been. She described how the relationship started. How he had come to her in the kitchen one evening while everyone was in the living room.

He had told her that he really loved her and would like to marry her when he finished from the University. She said he had been very nice to her and was always buying her gifts, sweets and ice-cream. She told us that he normally comes around when we

She described how the relationship started,how he had come to her in the kitchen one evening while everyone was in the living room, he had told her that he really loved her and would like to marry her when he finished from the university

believe it.

The two of them had never showed any affection of that sort towards each other. If such a thing was going on, I felt that we would have noticed a few things, probably things they did carelessly.

That evening, I informed my husband about the development and naturally, he too would not believe it. We then decided to call Ndidi for questioning. At first, she would not tell the truth.

She kept on denying all that my sister had related to me, weeping and calling God to witness.

But after I allowed her calm down a little, I told her that it was unfortunate that she refused to tell me the

,

had gone out for the day.

Actually, there are always three of us in the house, that is me, Ndidi and my husband. The children are all in a boarding school, so they are never around until the holidays.

He had started by fondling her breasts and then other things had followed. I asked her why she did not inform us that she had already found a husband. She said it was brother Sunny ’s (as she calls him) idea that they should keep it a secret until they were ready to get married.

He told her that we would not like the relationship and would try to stop them from seeing each other.

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She confessed that she cannot say when they had been sleeping together, but that it had been quite some time.

I asked her if she knew the repercussions of her actions, stressing that she could be pregnant.

She told us that she was aware of that fact, but that brother Sunny had assured her that she had nothing to fear as he was using something which could not make her pregnant. I asked her what it was and she said she did not know as he never showed it to her.

The next day, we sent for Sunny, but he did not show up until the weekend giving the excuse that he was very busy. As one would expect, Sunny denied everything that Ndidi said.

Though guilt was written all over his face and it was very obvious that he was uncomfortable. But he put up a bold show even as Ndidi kept on telling him to his face that he was a liar in between tears. All he could say was “Ah me, me? Aunty don’t mind her, it is a lie. Ndidi is a liar.”

When Ndidi could not take it anymore, she ran into the room and produced some of the gifts that Sunny had given to her. They were petty, stupid things like pants, bras, lipstick, nail polish and other silly things that I had never even seen her use.

Still, Sunny kept on calling her a liar, an ingrate, and a spoiler.

He would turn to us, asking if we would believe him capable of all that she had said.

How could he, an undergraduate, stoop so low as to start dating a village girl?

I probably would have found it hard to believe, but for the fact that Ndidi had proved her case beyond any reasonable doubt. She even went on to describe how they used to have sex on the couch at the end of the living room where the kids normally play when they are not in their own room.

That night, my husband and I decided to send Ndidi back go her

mother in the village before anything serious happens. But first, we had to take her to the doctor’s so as to be sure that she was not pregnant as that would be another problem for us.

We bought her clothes, shoes and some other lady’s stuff which I felt she might need. We then gave her N50,000 for her parents towards her vocational training, with a promise that we would continue to send more from time to time.

We however refused to give them any explanations, advising that it was better to hear it all from their daughter.

My husband and sister had convinced me that it was the best thing to do in order to avoid trouble. But what has never failed to puzzle me is the fact that Sunny, a university undergraduate, who had access to as many girls as he wanted, could stoop so low to do what he did.

It was a big shame and though he would not admit his guilt, we all knew he had done all that the girl had said. I could not believe that Sunny could do such a thing to me when he knew how much I loved him and what his actions meant. To me, he had simply taken advantage of the girl because of her naivety.

And this hurt me.

I had always been on Sunny’s side, taken him as my own brother, even when my husband accuses him of reckless behaviour.

Now, I no longer welcome him in my home as I am not sure of what he can do to my children too.”

P.S. Have you or someone you know of had a similar experience? Perhaps, you have a comment/ opinion/view on the story you just read?

Please write and share it with us. Send your contributions to: The Human Angle, Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007 Apapa, Lagos, or our email address: humananglepage@yahoo.com

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Vanguard, THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012 —47 THURSDA

C M Y K

48— Vanguard,

THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDA

C M Y K

Vanguard,

THURSD AY , JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDA

— 49

Assad mobilises for war

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YRIAN president Bashir Assad yesterday said his country is in a state of war as gunmen stormed a pro-government Syrian TV channel headquarters in Damascus, bombing buildings and shooting dead three employees, in one of the boldest attacks yet on a symbol of the authoritarian state.

President Bashar alAssad declared that his country was “at war ” while U.S. intelligence officials said the Syrian government was “holding fairly firm” and digging in for a long struggle against rebel forces who are getting stronger.

This came amid the diplomatic offensive by Russian president Vladmir Putin who left Israel for Iran, urging all the parties in the conflict to show restraint. The situation in Syria is getting intense with Turkey re-

broadcasting shortly after the attack that killed three journalists and four security guards, displaying bullet holes in its two-storey concrete building and pools of blood on the floor.

One building was almost entirely destroyed.

“I heard a small explosion then a huge explosion and gunmen ran in.

Thousands of Syrians demonstrating against the Assad regime. porting the Syrian downing of its war plane in its territorial waters.

Turkey has reported to NATO and being a member of NATO, the Syrian attack could provoke NATO intervention under the phylosophy that an attack on one is an attack o all. There

are causes for tension between Syria and Turkey which has become a safe haven for defectors and families fleeing the conflict. President Assad told his cabinet on Tuesday that the country is at war and all national effort should be put in place to restore peace

The dawn attack on Ikhbariya television’s offices, located 20 km (15 miles) south of the capital, as well as overnight fighting on the outskirts of Damascus showed 16 months of violence now rapidly encroaching on the city.

Ikhbariya resumed

Immigration policy gives Obama lead in poll P RESIDENT Barack Obama has staked out a clear lead in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida - three battleground states in the November 6 U.S. election - over his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, a poll released on Wednesday showed.

The Quinnipiac University survey, taken just days after Obama’s immigration policy announcement on June 15, also found strong support in all three states for the order allowing some illegal immigrants brought to the country as children to

•Obama avoid deportation.

Overall, the poll found Obama ahead of Romney by 9 percentage points in Ohio (47 percent to 38 percent), 6 percentage points in Pennsylvania

(45 percent to 39 percent) and 4 percentage points in Florida (45 percent to 41 percent). The poll showed Obama holding a big lead among women, younger voters and blacks in the three states.

The results are outside the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percent. Last month, Ohio and Florida had been too close to call, and Obama had led Pennsylvania by an even larger margin of 8 percentage points, according to the poll of nearly 3,700 voters. The three states may be criti-

Morsi widens consultation on unity govt

I

SLAMIST Presidentelect Mohamed Mursi began talks with groups nervous about where he will take Egypt after the generals who have ruled since Hosni Mubarak’s fall make way for the republic’s first civilian leader.

Among Mursi’s first visitors as president may be U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Cairo airport officials said they had been told she would start a twoday trip to Egypt on Saturday. A U.S. embassy official said he could not

confirm it.

Clinton, who has already congratulated Mursi on his election win, sidestepped a question on plans to go to Cairo during a news conference in the Finnish capital Helsinki.

However, she encouraged Mursi to bring diverse groups into his government, mentioning Coptic Christians, secular-minded Egyptians and young people.

“We hope that full democracy is understood to be more than an elec-

tion,” she said. “One election does not a democracy make. “That’s just the beginning of the hard work and the hard work requires pluralism, respecting the rights of minorities, independent judiciary (and) independent media...” Clinton said.

Clinton promised support for a democratic transition in Egypt, a firm U.S. ally and a recipient of billions of dollars in U.S. aid since it signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.

cal to winning the presidential election, and “no one has won the White House since 1960 without taking at least two of them,” Quinnipiac said.

They ransacked the offices and entirely destroyed the newsroom,” an employee who works at the offices in the town of Drousha told state media at the scene. Syrian media are tightly regulated by the Ministry of Information. Although Ikhbariya is privately owned, opponents of Assad say it is a government mouthpiece.

43 TTanzanian anzanian migrants suffocate

N

O fewer than 43 immigrants from Ethiopian and Somali were found dead in a truck in central Tanzania, having perished from asphyxiation, the deputy interior minister said. “They died of suffocation and had no food,” Pereira Silima said on Tuesday.

“There were more than 100 people in the truck,” a local administration official told AFP news agency. The bodies were discovered in Dodoma province, about 400km west of Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania’s state television said the bodies

were thrown off the truck and dumped in the bush after the driver of the truck realised some of the people he was smuggling had perished. Those who survived are receiving medical treatment and being questioned by police. In December, 20 Somali immigrants were found dead in Tanzania.

Foreign ministry spokesman Isaac Nantanga said at the time that an increasing number of Ethiopians and Somalis were crossing the country to make their way to South Africa, the continent’s top economy.

Queen Elizabeth shakes hand with ex-IRA rebel

B

RITAIN’S Queen Elizabeth shook the hand of former IRA guerrilla commander Martin McGuinness for the first time on Wednesday, drawing a line under a conflict that cost the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, including that of her cousin.

The meeting with McGuinness, who is now the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, comes 14 years after the Irish Republican Army ended its war against British rule in the province, and is one of the last big milestones in a peace process whose success has been studied around the world.

The queen met McGuinness, Northern Ireland’s Unionist first minister Peter Robinson and Irish President Michael D.Higgins for just under 10 minutes

British monarch Queen Elizabeth shaking hand with Mr. McGuinness, a former member of IRA behind closed doors in a theatre in a leafy sub-

urb of Belfast cordoned off by hundreds of police.

Debt: Germany rebuffs emergency plea

O

N the eve of a cru cial summit that could determine the future of the euro zone, German Chancellor Angela Merkel brushed aside increasingly shrill calls from Spain and Italy on Wednesday for emergency action to lower their soaring borrow-

ing costs. European Union leaders go into the twoday meeting yesterday more openly divided than at any time since a stillwidening debt crisis erupted in early 2010 after Greece revealed its deficit and debt were far higher than reported.

50 — V anguard, THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012 Vanguard, THURSDA

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 51

52 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Vanguard, THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 53 THURSDA

54—

Vanguard anguard,,

THURSD AY , JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDA

YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

LIBRA; Similar to yesterday but, today more emphasis’ll be on money. Thus those of you who are more financially ambitious’ll have better and rewarding day than others. However that is not to say you should neglect your health.

SCORPIO; Positive things are happening from (and around) you. The more enterprising you are the better for you today. And some of you will be mixing business & pleasure without harm. Lovers can have their way moderately.

SAGITTARIUS; This is your day when things’ll go according to your plans. And you’re advised to hit very hard not minding minor pressure from your base.

CAPRICORN; Once again success would come if you experiment with good ideas rightly at the right time.

Those of you travelling are in for an exciting day.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

HEN last did you see your doctor?

W Do you even have a doctor? I can hear you say you are not sick, so you do not need the service of a doctor. Fine! But do you need to see your doctor during emergency time alone when you may not be able to tell the doctor the his-

See the doctor? torical facts behind your ailment? You need a doctor in these days of sudden death. In this age of cardiac arrest, you need proper and constant management of your health. Normally, ailments don’t

TERROR MUDA

just get worse if only we pay attention to the little signs of our body. Experience has shown that emergency cases had accumulated over a long period. Go for check-up. Check your blood pressure regularly.

in “Never say goodbye”

Ensure it’s not above acceptable level. Reduce your tension. Stop worrying. The world will not collapse on your head today. You are not the only one with problems. Everyone has ones fair share of the challenge of this world.

See the doctor. Create time to go for regular check-ups. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine.

By Kola Fayemi

AQUARIUS; Early part of the day may bring you good opportunity along your business/business lines. Work and your health must be taken very seriously PISCES; Like yesterday the Moon will operate from your Star sign again to the betterment of your cause.

Think of both your immediate and far future now.

ARIES You can still count on the supports of your tried and trusted friends. But it’s imperative you keep secrets as much as you can positively do.

TAURUS; The more receptive and willing you are to give and take co-operation the better for you today.

It’s wrong of you to neglect your friends in need now.

GEMINI; You’ll have the needed opportunity to consolidate on progress you have recorded yesterday along your career/business lines. Try to work harder.

CANCER; Element of luck will work favourably for you. Therefore you’re advised to expand the scope of your tentacle for better results. It’s another fairly favourable day for lovers who are more enterprising today.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

LEO; Joining forces with other people is not a sin but it’s important everybody knows the clear term of the venture , be it of short or longer duration. Be very practical.

VIRGO; Many of you’ll travel either physically or within your mind; whichever one you’re involved with the out come will be favourable. Be more receptive, especially if your priority is commercial success. Take your new ideas more seriously today.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007, ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF AQUARIUS Aquarius is ruled by freedom loving Uranus-the planet of unpredictability, eccentricity and genius.

Aquarius is friendly, loving, hopeful and very altruistic in nature. That is why they are nice persons who truly care for others, especially the less fortunate ones. They are loyal friend willing to belong to powerful social clubs or reasonable community.

The quality of Aquarius is fixed. That means it is important for them to watch the way they change their minds on important issues; Uranus factor makes all Aquarius natives freedom loving and whoever tries to impose any idea on you will be resented The element of Aquarius is the air. That makes you an intelligent person with fair share of sense of humour. Aquarius is the star sign that rules considerable social influence, and the natives of this star have better chances to have at least some influential friends. Then, Aquarians are truly good friends and bad enemies; it is not in the best interest of anybody to frustrate an Aquarian..

Aquarius being a scientific sign. Aquarians can be inventive. Any Aquarian who falls to take his sudden flashes of ideas seriously is doom (to fail eventually) because, Uranus the ruler of Aquarius, usually bring success to Aquarians unexpectedly through ideas that come suddenly, and unexpected luck usually accompany their sudden inspiration and/or ideas.

The most dangerous weak points of Aquarian are the tendencies to procrastinate things and willingness to take opponents or enemies for granted I mean you must not believe that some body you might have had heated argument with will not try to undermine your progress after what will look like intervention of peace makers.

VIRGINIA

Commen3

dadadekola@yahoo.com

by Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—55

Bauchi generates N6bn internal revenue in one year

BY SUSAN EDEH

B

AUCHI—BAUCHI State Board of Internal Revenue, BSBIR, yesterday said it generated about N6 billion between May 2011 and June this year.

The BSBIR also said it was implementing the electronic tax payer-registration system in the state to bring about 150,000 new tax payers from the informal sector before the end of this y e a r .

Chairman of the Board, Mu’azu Musa made this known while briefing newsmen on achievements of his board in the last one

y e a r .

Musa said, “we are making it mandatory that every tax payer must have an identification number. We have instructed corporate organisations that henceforth, any individual or organisation that wishes to transact business with them must have tax payers registration cards. ’’We are doing this to have information of everybody that pays tax. We want to know who they are and what they do for a living and already we have reached an advanced stage on the issue of the electronic tax payers’ registration.’’

Delta govt urged to recruit more teachers

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—CHAIR MAN of the Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria, AOPSHON, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr Vincent Enayemo, yesterday urged the state government to recruit more teachers to replace retired or deceased o n e s .

Enayemao also asked the

government to take over the management and funding of primary education to put an end to problems bedeviling primary school teachers in the state.

He spoke during a one day seminar organised by the association, and decried the discrepancy between primary and secondary school graduate teachers which he said made it impossible for primary school teachers to be promoted beyond level 14.

FG, firm to establish new refinery in Bayelsa

A

BUJA—FEDERAL Government and Epic Refinery and Petrochemical Industries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to establish a refinery that could create 100,000 new jobs.

Dr. Samuel Ortom, the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, signed on behalf of the Federal Government while Mr Barango Wenke signed for Epic Ref i n e r y .

Wenke, who is the Managing Director of the company, said the firm would inject 7.5 million dollars into

the project.

According to Wenke, the plant will refine 100,000 barrels of oil per day and will be located at Oporoma in Bayelsa State.

The managing director said the project would be executed in conjunction with the company’s technical partners, Sino Asia Energy Group Company Ltd, S A E .

He said: “The impact of this project can never be over emphasised with an anticipated creation of over 100,000 jobs and more than180 petrol stations across the nation".

Nigerian leaders asked to be agents of change

N

IGERIAN leaders have been charged to be agents of meaningful change with adequate translation and effective use of their talents, time and treasure to improve the lots of the society and the nation.

The remark was made by 2011/2012 Rotary governor, Rotary International, Kenny Ejakpomewhe, at a dinner and award night, held at Ogun State Government

House, Abeokuta.

According to him, efforts must be geared towards the education and application of the Rotary International’s Four-Way Test into the fabrics of the society to serve as antidote against crimes and other vices.

Ejakpomewhe called on Nigerians to “be their brother’s keepers, through genuine partnership with the Rotary International and other viable NGOs.

HEALTH TALK—From left: Prof Osato Giwa Osagie, Chairman, Medical Sub-Committee, Mr Richard Giwa Osagie, Chairman, Ikoyi Club 1938, Dr Mosunmade Faderin and Dr Tunji Funsho, Guest Speaker during health talk organised by Ikoyi Club 1938. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Robbers raid banks in Taraba, cart away large sums of money J

ALINGO, TARABA— RESIDENTS of Wukari in Taraba State had a sleepless night on Tuesday, as gunmen suspected to be robbers raided three commercial banks in the town and carted away large sums of money.

The Police Commissioner in Taraba, Alhaji Ibrahim Maishanu, who confirmed the robbery in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday,

said the operation lasted for three hours.

Maishanu said his men were still gathering information on the robbery.

The police commissioner said no death or injuries were recorded in the attack, which took place on Tuesday between 9 p.m. midn i g h t .

The commissioner said the police had commenced investigation into the raid on the banks, adding that de-

tails of the investigation would be made available to newsmen later.

Mr Danazumi Agbu, the Chairman, Wukari Local Government Council, who also spoke to NAN confirmed that explosives and gun shots were heard from the direction of the banks late in the night.

He said the sound threw the residents, who thought Boko Haram gunmen had invaded their area, into

p

a n i c .

Miss Naomi Nanjo, a resident of the area, told NAN that she and several families spent their night inside the bush because they suspected the incident to be an invasion by Boko Haram.

“We returned to our houses at about 5 a.m. after confirming that they were thieves and not Boko Haram,” Naomi said.

Edo poll: We've been receiving threatening phone calls — ANPP candidate

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT— AHEAD of the July 14 governorship election in Edo State, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Chief Solomon Edebiri has raised alarm over what he described as strange and threatening telephone calls to some top members of his campaign team by unknown people.

Edebiri who spoke in an interview with Vanguard in Port Harcourt said the situation had made him to beef up security around himself and his campaign team.

He, however, appealed to the political class in the state to eschew violence and promote peace.

According to him, his administration would focus on providing free and qualitative primary and secondary education to the people if elected.

Edebiri added that his

government would reduce school fees at the stateowned Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma from the current rate to N18,000, and that he would revive moribund industries in the

s t a t e .

The ANPP flag bearer also promised to lay emphasis on the agricultural sector and asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct

a credible governorship election, through proper monitoring of its field workers to ensure that they do not compromise standard in the course of their operations.

Yakowa hails Dasuki, Yakubu's appointment

BY EMEKA MAMAH

G

OVERNOR Patrick Ya kowa of Kaduna State has described the apponitment of both the National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, rtd, and Mr Andrew Yakubu as the new Group Managing Director, GMD, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, as richly deserving, saying it would reinvigorate the fight against security challenges confronting the country as well as propel the NNPC to greater heights.

He spoke through his External Media Consultant, Emma Ado in an interview

with Vanguard in Lagos y e s t e r d a y .

Yakowa described Dasuki as one of the silent heroes of our democracy, having confronted late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, which led to his compulsory retirement from the Army and exile, adding that ‘’Kaduna State looks forward to working with the new NSA to overcome the security problems facing the state’’ According to him, like every other northerner, Dasuki understands the challenges facing the north and the urgent task of overcoming them.

On Yakubu, he said, ‘’he is a thorough NNPC bred,

understands the desire of President Goodluck Jonathan to drive the much needed reforms in the oil industry.

"For the people of Kaduna State, who are just putting the ugly incidence of the crises of two weeks ago behind them, the appointment is a healing balm of the possibilities that the state holds out. We want to celebrate him, so that the world would know that Kaduna State is not all about negative stories. ’’His appointment is based on merrit and competence, having held so many top positions in the establishment.’’

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

*Oshiomhole: ACN candidate

*Edebiri: ANPP candidate

EDO GUBER:

The battle beyond the election THE forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State is a battle that will not only direct the course and content of governance in the State, but also redefine the political relevance of a few powerful men in the state.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

J

ULY 14, 2012 is a date set in history for the people of Edo State. For the state with the moniker, Heartbeat of the Nation, it is expected that the forthcoming gubernatorial election due on that historic day could turn out to be momentous for the long term future of the state.

The incumbent, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, flying the banner of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN is pitched in battle against six other candidates with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) proving to be the most formidable of the lot.

The other candidates include Chief Solomon Edebiri, All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Andrew Igwemoh, Labour Party; Frank Ukonga, Social Mega Democratic Party and Roland Izevbuwa, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC. But beyond the vote on that day is the unseen battle for the future of the state which has inevitably crystallised into a battle between the old order and the new order as incontestably being fashioned

by Comrade Oshiomhole.

It is as such not surprising that Oshiomhole has throughout his campaign repeatedly portrayed the battle of July 14 as that between him and the old order.

He has almost succeeded in portraying the old order to be that C M Y K

championed by the godfather, a tag he has successfully put on the erstwhile Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Anthony Anenih otherwise known to his supporters as the leader.

The July 14 gubernatorial election is taking place almost four years after Oshiomhole’s victory at the Court of Appeal.

The court had in November, 2008 overturned the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC that the PDP’s Prof. Osehrienmen Osunbor as the winner of the April 2007 gubernatorial election.

The court declaration was significant for all parties. Anenih and his associates who fought Osunbor as governor over the control of the PDP structure for most of 2008 were said not to be too sad with the exit of their one time political associate. Indeed, there were reports of associates of Anenih popping champagne following the court judgment. It was a sort of bitter-sweet affair for Anenih and Osunbor given that Osunbor was before his gubernatorial ascent seen in political circles as a godson of Anenih.

Remarkably, Anenih and Oshiomhole got on to a good start following Comrade Oshiomhole’s inauguration as governor that November.

However, things soon became awry for the duo after Oshiomhole accused Anenih of

interfering with the state’s budgetary proposals.

“Anenih was a man who was not elected, but approved my first budget. He deleted money meant for the purchase of buses, building of schools and other infrastructural development from the budget,” the Comrade Governor told a delegation of former PDP members who crossed over to the ACN last April. Even though Anenih is not on the ballot, Oshiomhole and the ACN often overlook the real candidate to cast the election as that between the incumbent and Anenih.

Campaigning and drumming Airhiavbere and his running mate, Mr. Johnson Abolagba a former member of the House of Representatives, have nevertheless been going about campaigning and drumming what they allege to be the failures of the Oshiomhole administration.

Their insinuations have been fiercely matched if not overwhelmed by the strong wave of support for Oshiomhole from across the state including from within the ranks of the PDP. The nomination of Airhiavbere, a former General who left the Army just a little over a year ago was the first crisis to have hit the PDP. His choice ahead of other entrenched aspirants such as Mr.

*Airhiavbere: PDP candidate Kenneth Imasuagbon, famously known as the Rice Man for his distribution of rice to the needy during festivities, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere a former Presidential Adviser on Project Monitoring and Osunbor, the former governor almost paralysed the party as they alleged that the nomination process was crooked in the favour of Airhiavbere.

The choice of Abolagba, a staunch loyalist of Anenih as the PDP running mate worsened matters as it was further seen as a way of entrenching Anenih’s hold on the party in the state. Not surprisingly, since the nomination exercise almost four

from the minority Edo North senatorial district with a voting strength of about 25% of the total votes is not something the Oshiomhole camp is not totally unwary of. Recollection is made of the 1983 election when the Binis overwhelmingly voted for Ogbemudia against Ambrosse Alli who is believed to have performed well, even if not in the same scale as Oshiomhole.

However, the argument in support of Bini bias for Airhiavbere is quickly countered by several other factors. The first is that Airhiavbere is no Ogbemudia who had a track record of performance as a

Though Anenih is not on the ballot, Oshiomhole and the ACN often overlook the real candidate to cast the election as that between the incumbent and Anenih

,

56 — Vanguard,

months ago, none of the aspirants has come out to actively support Airhiavbere.

Ihonvbere has joined the ACN while Osunbor even though still a member of the PDP has by his body movement showed his preference for Oshiomhole.

Imasuagbon with his own remarkable following among the youths has remained largely unenthusiastic about the choices facing the state on July 14.

Airhiavbere is believed to have been chosen purportedly as a carrot to win the support of the Bini speaking region of the State who have more than 52 per cent of the population.

The calculation of the PDP hierarchy as espoused by an internal research commissioned by the party is that “the PDP will garner 25 per cent of votes from the Edo North, where Oshiomhole come from; 70 per cent from the Edo Central, Chief Tony Anenih’s area; and will win Edo South by 60 per cent.”

The prospects of ethnic bias against Oshiomhole who comes

,

Military Governor. Airhiavbere’s record of service has even come under attack from his community who in publications earlier this year disclaimed him.

Even more than that is the array of prominent Bini Chiefs and politicians who are marshalling the Oshiomhole campaign. The undiluted endorsement of the revered palace of the Oba of Benin for Oshiomhole has also not been disguised.

Several Bini chiefs including the Chief Priest, Chief Nosa Ishekure have endorsed Oshiomhole and dismissed any idea of a Bini agenda saying that Oshiomhole’s performance in office has made him unassailable.

What could have been a third factor as represented by the other political parties has yet to pick up. Chief Edebiri who is flying the banner of the ANPP but with the support of the Conference of Progressive Political Parties, CPPP has yet to score with his message that “both the ACN and the PDP have failed.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 — 57

58 — V anguard, THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012 Vanguard, THURSDA

Eat corn and boost your kidney function T HE freshly harvested corn emits a mouthwatering aroma from the pot or roasting grill. When cooked with beans, it gives it an entirely different flavour, making beans consumption an unforgettable experience.

Corn is a good source of energy-producing vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and phosphorus; heart-healthy folate and dietary fiber; and free radical-scavenging vitamin C and manganese. Antioxidant phytonutrients are provided by all varieties of corn. The exact phytonutrient combination, however, depends on the variety itself. Yellow corn is richer in

eatrightconsult@yahoo.com 08091276796

with Funke Oshifuye tothenic acid present in corn helps with the physiological functions of the body.

Owing to the presence of thiamin, corn has been said to help in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Corn has also been found to be helpful in treating kidney

problems, including renal dysfunction.

Regular consumption of corn, in moderate quantities, has been associated with better cardiovascular health. The betacryptoxanthin in corn makes it good for the health of the lungs and may even help prevent lung cancer. The insoluble fibre present in corn makes it useful for people with digestive ailments like haemorrhoids and constipation.

While corn is a staple vegetable for many people, some may worry about the effects of eating corn and being diabetic.

Fortunately for people with diabetes, corn is a nutrient-rich food classified as a starch on the Diabetes Food Pyramid,

along with grains, potatoes, peas and beans. With a glycemic index (GI) of 42, corn is also classified as a low-GI food, meaning that corn raises blood sugar by a relatively small amount. The healthy effects of eating corn may be negated, however, by consuming the wrong type of corn products. The most common negative effects of eating corn products come from high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener made from corn and commonly found in processed foods.

A combination of glucose and fructose, high fructose corn syrup may not raise blood sugar level as much as regular sugar does, but unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate the release of insulin or the hormone leptin, which triggers satiety.

Diamond Helix pledges improve health care for Nigerians

N

carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin.

The high amount of fibre present in corn helps lower cholesterol levels and also reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Corn, if consumed in moderate quantities, has been seen to be beneficial for those suffering from diabetes. Being rich in folate, corn helps the generation of new cells, especially important before and during pregnancy. Those suffering from anaemia have shown positive effects after consuming corn. The pan-

IGERIAN patients seeking for better medical service will now heavy a sigh of relief with the emergence of Diamond Helix, a medical assistance company based in Lagos.

Currently, Diamond Helix is collaborating with other foreign health bodies aimed at addressing critical issues and lapses in the nation’s healthcare sector.

The collaboration will also provide possible solutions that would bridge specific gaps in the health care delivery of the country, thereby giving the sector a facelift.

In a chat with newsmen in Lagos, the Managing Director / Chief Executive of Diamond Helix, Dr. Ufuoma Okotete in Lagos noted that the company major focus was in the area of patients counseling, provide platforms for global healthcare brainstorming as well as

provide doctor referral base within and outside Nigeria.

Okotete noted that the healthcare sector is a very sensitive one that must not be handled with levity.

She pledged that Diamond Helix would not compromise quality healthcare delivery for substandard services.

Diamond Helix boss further disclosed that the company also provide air and land emergency evacuation services worldwide, medical tourism, medical personal provision and continue medical advancement and education.

“We also offer world class medical training and support services to processionals. Healthcare services are dynamic in nature which requires update knowledge and skills in meeting the rapidly evolving needs of the sector.

We (Nigerians) cannot be static. We need

to catch up with the moving train”. She stated. She however opined that every Nigerian is entitled to quality, and affordable healthcare service. According to her, “Information technology, IT should be embraced by every stakeholder and experts in the field. This has also been integrated into Diamond Helix Package.”

•Dr. Ufuoma Okotete

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

HAVE been dating my boyfriend for two years now and I will like to marry him someday. We are virtually living together already. But I am surprised that he will not accept money from me. With the right kind of investment, his business will grow and he will enter the big league. But he will not let me help him. I am concerned because we have a future together and his success is my success too - Funke Dear Funke, men have their pride to protect. Yes it is true that if he takes your money, his business will grow faster and he will succeed sooner. But a man’s fear when it comes to things like this is that if the relationship does not work out, very often the woman will ask the man to give her back everything she gave to him including the underwear that he is wearing.

A lot of women act this way and it is humiliating for men. So don’t be surprised by his reaction. My advice to you is to wait till you get married and then try again.

Marital bonds are strong and compelling. Assure him that you will not make trouble in the future or treat him with disrespect because you gave him money. That will give him the confidence to accept your financial assistance – Uche Sir what do you recommend? My marriage is breaking up because I cannot perform well. My penis grows soft easily. There is no prolonged and good hardness and I ejaculate fast. I can only go for one round and of course I cannot get her to orgasm – Musa Musa for some reason, your body is unable to maintain adequate and consistent blood flow to your penile tissues and that is why your erection is weak. Erectile dysfunction can be cause by a variety of illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, neurological disorders, cardiovascular disorders, atherosclerosis and multiple sclerosis. Prescription drugs such as antihistamines, tranquilizers, appetite suppressants and anti-depressants can also cause this and so can prostate cancer surgery and bladder removal surgery. You also did not mention your age because old age also causes

erectile dysfunction. As men get older, their bodies and organs begin to shrink including their veins. This shrinking of the blood vessels restricts blood flow to the penis thereby causing weak or no erection.

I am hoping you have no serious illness behind this.

Try taking an erection supplement. It helps a lot. Natural herbal supplements such as Sex Volts and Libigrow help facilitate greater blood flow to the penis for very strong erections. These supplements also give energy and erections on demand for several rounds of performance. As for your premature ejaculation, using a delay cream during intercourse will reduce your sensitivity and help you last longer.

I write about them almost every week and delay creams such as Emperor’s Delay Cream and Rock Hard Delay Cream are very good for this. Once your performances improve, your wife will be more satisfied. You can also get her a vibrator and an orgasm gel to aid her satisfaction. Ask for Jelly Chocolate Vibrator and Tingle Gel Orgasm Lubricant – Uche Please do you do match making? I need to get married – Dupe Visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com, click on dating and register. That is a free dating service we offer and you might get lucky and meet someone. But make sure to post a nice and decent picture of yourself and be interesting. That way people will take you seriously - Uche Thank you sir for the Mega Me Penis Enlarger. I didn’t think it would work at first but my organ is bigger and my erections are stronger too. Well done – Stanley You are welcome. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can call 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—59

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08026350360 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

Bead making and Ornamentation in Nigeria

By APPOLOS OZIOGU IBEBABUCHI

B

EADS are small, round and perforated objects which are usually strung to form necklaces or bracelets or attached to garments or articles of clothing for decorative effect. Beads are made of a great variety of materials namely: glass, copper, wood, silver, brass aluminum, bone, horn, shell, coral, pearl, jet, amber, mineral, including precious stones, ceramics and plastics.

They are at times curved, painted or enameled. And they are usually made in many different shapes, sizes and colours. There are different types of beads. There is a translucent blue tubular bead which is called “Segi” or “Popo”.

Besides this, we have the opaque and red bead called “Iyun”. The Segi bead is one of the oldest local beads in Nigeria.

It was among the oldest local beads excavated in vast quantities from the tomb of an Oba at a site near Ife. It is said that the oldest red stone beads early used in ancient Benin Kingdom were brought from Ife by Prince Oranmiyan, the son of Oduduwa.

There is also locally made bead called Akori or Aggrey mostly used by Benin people, which is made from blue coral by Benin craftsmen. Coral bead has remained popular among the people of Niger Delta areas of Nigeria as part of the regalia worn by the rulers and kings.

There are beads called “Akka” and “Erinala” which are local ornaments worn in Bida, a city noted for its flourishing beadwork industry. The Akka bead is of different colours: light green; darkbrown, dark-red; blue and white.

The “Erinla” has striped colours.

Bead-making is an ancient craft universally practised among

C M Y K

the various ethnic groups of Nigeria dating to antiquity. Nok culture provides evidence of the earliest civilization in Nigeria with some of its terra-cotta figures depicting human beings, wearing what are presumably strings of stone beads around the necks, wrists and ankles.

It is also said that a large quantity of beads was recovered from the tomb of a priest-king dated 9th century from the Igbo-Ukwu excavation. At Ilesha in the present Osun State, a necklace of red stone beads was among the treasures excavated at the tomb of an Oba.

Bead making industry At Ile-Ife too, some archaeological finds have been uncovered.

It is the red beads that the British archaeologist, Leo Frobenius saw in 1909 at the archaeological site at Wagadougon which he called “The beads of Illifians”.

Ile-Ife has been known as a famous city for bead making. It is said that the wife of Oduduwa, Olokun Senaide established the art of glass bead-making in the ancient city of the Ile-Ife, and Igbo-Olokun (Olokun Grave) is known to be her work-shop which covers some acres of land as long as 12 acres. Bida is noted for its flourishing bead-making industries for years. In Bida, craftsmen are famous for glass beads. They make the glass beads from discarded coloured glass which they melt down and form into beads.

They also make their glass beads from a mixture of quartz, sand, chalk and natron. Besides Bida, cities like Ilorin, Kano and Vere in Adamawa are famous for local bead-making in Nigeria.

The method of boring the

A Bead sample

beads is said to have originated from old Oyo, and it requires a special skill. It involves a grinding stone. Thus, the hard red stone is bored into holes necessary for stringing up the beads.

Once the beads are bored, they are polished. Polishing the beads demands some skill and patience. The red stone beads have different names such as Agate, Akun and Jasper.

Today, bead workers use old jars, plates and bottles of medicines, pomade and drinks to make beads. They may be more than one or two or three bead workers in a small round house with triangular windows as their workshop. They prepare the fire and make it hot enough to melt the glass.

The glass is first of all heated in a clay bowl until it becomes sticky and then a blob of halfmelted glass is put on to an iron rod which is rotated with the left hand and the glass is shaped with iron tongs held in the right hand.

Sometimes, the bead worker adds glass of a contrasting colour to make the outside of the beads to form strips.

Beads function as an important part of personal ornamentation.

They are used for decorative as well as protective purposes like amulets or charms and as a sign of social status among the chiefs and kings.

For many decades, beads have been used in Nigeria by people of various ethnic groups.

They are used as necklaces and bracelets. In the past if not to the present, waist-beads are used as an important form of adornment for women and girls.

Little girls may wear nothing else but waistbeads till they reach the age of puberty.

Women too, married or single wear waist-beads under their wrappers or gowns to emphasize their hips as generously proportioned hip is assumed to enhance feminine beauty. Female artists, performing certain cultural dances also wear costumes that have waist-beads as a prominent feature.

Splendid Literature call for papers

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HE Splendid Literature and Culture Foundation calls for submissions of entries from eligible young Nigerian writers, aged 11 to 21, of children’s literature from all over the country for the Splendid Literature and Culture Foundation Series.

The body , a non profit making organisation with the aim of promoting young writers by making sure that books written by them that will entertain, enlighten and appeal to children of ages 8 to 12 readers are published.

The submission of entries opened on the 24th of May, 2012 and will end on 31st July. The entry is open to only young writers resident in Nigeria and their stories should have strong Nigeria/African content. All entrants’ works must be original, unaided and unpublished works of fiction in English as Plays and poems are not eligible.

The work should be between 3000- 3500 words, typewritten and double spaced and should be sent to the foundation's office at Surulere. All scripts received will be reviewed by a panel of Judges and the best six (6) will be selected for publication.

Ekanpou Enewaridideke brings back the book to Oyangbene Community

I

T was a great day last week for Delta State born writer and activist, Ekanpou Enewaridideke as he unvelled his new five books in Oyangbene community of Burukutu Local Government Area of the State.

The versatile award winning author, who also saddles his other social and community responsibilities as the national President of Ijaw People Congress was the proud winner of the 2004 Isidore Okpewho prize for literature with his book, The Road to Ken Saro Wiwa.

Last week’s public presentation of the five new books went further to authenticate Enewaridideke as one of the committed sons of the Niger Delta, who like his patron peers; Gabriel Okra, late Ken Saro Wiwa, Tanure Ojaide, Isidore Okpewho, John Peppe Clark and Nimmo Bassey, who adopted the power of creative writing and expression as a veritable platform of engaging and confronting

social, political and environmental injustices.

The books unveiled were: A Sail in the Dark, novel, The Wanted Man in Camp Four, play, You Must Leave Ekameta Tomorrow, play, A Family of Imbeciles, play and Sandbanks in the River Forcados,a collection of poems that was named the first runner-up of Tanure Ojaide’s prize for poetry in 2004.

Unveiling the five books in Oyangbene community, the apparently excited writer says :"In a world rendered perpetually disorderly, chaotic, absurd, precipitous and ideologically bloated by our own actions, we need a deliberate reconnection with the primordial simple past, generational regeneration and paradigm shift.

This is only available in creative works fired by this consciousness. This is what I have labored into my new books."

He saw the unveiling of his books in Oyangbene community as a viable grassroots springboard for the realization of the much-coveted generational paradigm shift adding that it would inspire the grassroots people to develop the culture of reading and writing which is a clear propagation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign of BRING BACK THE BOOK.

Vanguard, THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012—61 THURSDA

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62—V anguard, THURSD AY, JUNE 28, 2012 62—Vanguard, THURSDA

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63 —

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

What Keshi must understand — MD Abubakar Abdullahi, Fashola unveil icons for Eko 2012

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

I

NSPECTOR General of Police, M D Abubaka has called on Nigerians to be patient with Stephen Keshi’s Eagles, saying “it’s only in Nigeria that somebody will be appointed today and tomorrow people want immediate results.”

Abubaka insisted such immediate results don’t follow in sports which he said takes planning, training and implementation before “you reap the seeds that you have sown.

Abubaka was the Guest of Honour in Saturday’s Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda which Eagles won 2-0 and qualified for the group stage of the qualifiers.

After failing to qualify for the last Nations Cup the so called mighty Eagles were condemned to play the preliminary qualifier against Rwanda. ”With up to five to six local boys playing in every match we should get the picture of what Keshi and the Federation are doing and support them. Building a team

does not take days or months. And they have been around only for some months now.

However, I agree that we should begin to see some sparks but we will not be encouraging them if we don’t support their programme because they want the best for Nigeria.

Nobody says foreignbased players should be shut-out. If a blend of players from Europe and the ones at home is the best for us us why should we not encourage it? I just want to say that fantastic results will not come overnight. But as we are winning a few matches let the concentration be high. If there are distractions then concentration will not be high and it will affect results.”

Abubakar however reminded Keshi that Nigerians were not against him but just expressing their nature which he should also understand and respect.

Abubaka was one a member of Nigeria Football Association. He thanked the Eagles for not letting down on a day he was Guest of Honour

They are afriad of Italy Continues from BP have to be careful to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2006,” said the Juventus midfielder.

The two sides met at the same stage of the World Cup in Germany six years ago and Italy won 2-0 — Pirlo’s stunning pass setting up their first in the final stages of extra-time — before going on to beat France on penalties in the final.

Italy also triumphed over West Germany in the 1970 World Cup semifinal and the final in 1982.

While Italy came into the tournament in the midst of a crisis of form and confidence as well as surrounded by ugly matchfixing headlines, they have steadily improved during the competition.

And Pirlo believes they just need to continue playing the same way and success will come.

“We’ll play in the same way because it’s the only way we know. We’ll try to have possession and make the most of our strengths.

“Germany play differently to England, they play C M Y K

(rather than just defend) and can create chances but we’re ready, we’ve come here to win the Euros.

“We’re strong in every department but it’s not just been in this competition, it was the same in other years.

“It will be a great game and worthy of a semifinal.”

Italy have always played after Germany throughout the tournament meaning they had the chance to watch their opponents’ matches and Pirlo has been impressed with Mesut Ozil.

“We’ve seen all their games because they played before us so we were all in front of the television.

“They’re a great team, in the last 20 years they’ve reached six semifinals, they always go far.

“They’re a great team but we’ve studied them.

“They have many great players but Ozil is very important both for Germany and Real Madrid."

M

•M.D. Abubakar

Onyedinma predicts women dominance in Africa

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HE Chairperson of the Nigeria Women League Board Chief (Mrs.) Dilichukwu Onyedinma has expressed optimism on the abilities of the Nigeria Women Teams to continue its dominance of the Women Football in Africa, despite the efforts been made by other African countries.

The NFF Board member who spoke on the backdrop of the fears been expressed by many Nigerians following the

barren draw played by the Super Falcons last weekend in a friendly match against the Bayana Bayana of South Africa.

Quoting her word, the NFF Executive Committee Member said “we are not ignorant of the fact that many of the African countries are fastly developing their Women football. The way the game is developing in the various African countries shows that they are now brazing with trends in the game.

Eagles Continues from BP the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Abuja,” David Omigie of DanJan Sports said. ”The NFF have agreed that the country will present a strong side as coach Stephen Keshi continue his development process. ”The Arsenal manager [Arsene Wenger] will also use this game to showcase his full squad for the 2012/2013 football s e a s o n . ” The London club traditionally hosts an annual pre-season tournament at the Emirates Stadium, but they opted to postpone the event for a year because of the 2012 London Olympics.

The visit to Nigeria will conclude Arsenal’s preseason tour after playing in both China and Malaysia in July.

On their official website

Arsenal said: “The club last visited Africa during a tour to South Africa in July 1993, and is returning as a result of the fantastic support which exists for the team, not only in Nigeria, but across the entire contin e n t . ” Meanwhile, DanJan Sports also revealed that tickets for the upcoming friendly match with Nigeria will go on sale from July 4 across outlets to be announced s o o n .

In July 2008, they brought two other English clubs, Manchester United and Portsmouth, to the Nigerian capital Abuja for a pre-season f r i e n d l y .

As well as the match between the two, Portsmouth also played against Nigeria Premier League side Kano Pillars.

I N I S T E R

of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State will today ( T h u r s d a y ) unveil the icons for the 18thNational Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012.

The Minister, who returned to the country yesterday from the ongoing African Athletics Championships in Port Novo, Benin Republic is the special guest of honour while Governor Fashola is the chief host.

The icons - mascot, logo and website for the sporting fiesta holding on November this year will be made public by the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

For the LOC Secretary General, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, the event would a f f o r d corporate companies to identify with the fiesta with the aim to harness

•Abdullahi Bolaji the marketing opportunities the competition would offer.

The official unveiling of what we have termed “the icons of Eko 2012 will be unveiled by Governor Fashola and the Sports Minister today. The icons are the logo, mascot, and the official website which the festival will be identified and will give character to the event. We are also using the event, as an opportunity to reach out to the corporate sector, as the Governor will be speaking to them a n d a little documentary that will highlight the marketing opportunities that are available for corporate partners will be shown.

Lagos Lawn Tennis Club revives Nigeria Masters

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

N

EWLY elected Pres ident of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Barr.

Osita Egbuchunam has said that plans are on to revive the Nigerian Tennis Masters, a competition for the top eight players in country in November.

Speaking yesterday in Onikan, Egbuchunam, who weekend floored Arc. Gbolahan Oki in a free and fair polls, said that his administration was poised to return the club to its very glorious best, by upgrading the facilities to international standard to host national and international tennis competitions, which the nation’s players would profit from.

Egbuchunam said that he was willing to sponsor the Masters with his own

fund if sponsors were not found, as a way of showing his commitment to the development of Nigerian tennis, which he lamented as being nowhere at the present time.

“Nigerian tennis is nowhere now. And for us to go it going, we need a lot of approaches, a lot of tournaments and a lot of training. On our part at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, we are going to resurrect the Nigeria Masters for the best eight players in the country. This is besides the in-house tournaments for juniors and seniors that we intend to run.

“But the underlying thing is to get the game going again. We are going to look for sponsors for he tournament but if there is none, I am going to sponsor it because my commitment to tennis development is deep."

Benin officials Continues from BP up for the accommodation shortfall.

“It was total chaos and if not for our quick thinking it would have been much

worse. However, things have gotten better and our athletes are well rested and are ready to compete,” said AFN vice president Jide Josiah.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

African Athletics Championships:

Benin officials unsettle Nigerian athletes TOUGH ••• Greek Grigoris Makos (right) acrobatically battles for the ball with Germany’s Sami Khedira during the Euro 2012quarter-final match on June 22 at the Gdansk Arena. Germany won 4-2.

PHOTO: AFP

BY BEN EFE, Port Novo

A

THLETICS Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba brought out the ‘Warri side’ of him, before Nigerian athletes could be given a d e q u a t e accommodation here at the Africa Championships, which began yesterday in Port Novo, Benin Republic.

The Nigerian delegation arrived here only to find out that only six rooms have been made available for the 44 athletes representing Nigeria. The athletes lumbered around until 4.am on Tuesday before they could be fed and housed.

It took the intervention

of the Benin Republic sports minister for Nigeria to be given a d e q u a t e accommodation; this was after Ogba engaged the Local organizing Committee officials in a shouting match.

Even at that the AFN boss had to cough out 23, 000 dollars to make

Continues on Page 63

Arsenal to play Eagles in Abuja

E

NGLISH Premier League club Arsenal will play the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a pre-season match in Abuja on 5 August.

It will be the first time the Gunners have

Germans out to break Italian jinx — P.62

They are afraid of Italy — Pirlo I

TALIAN playmaker Andrea Pirlo believes Euro 2012 semifinal opponents Germany are running scared ahead of their TODAY'S

clash with Italy in Warsaw on Thursday.

Germany have never beaten Italy in a competitive match, losing three times and

PUZZLES

drawing as many in World Cup Finals and E u r o p e a n Championships.

They also met in a World Cup qualifier in YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

1962 with the game ending in a draw.

And Pirlo, 33, believes that history will give Italy the edge.

“Germany are

•Okagbare

definitely scared of us, they know we can create difficulties for them given what’s happened in the past and they will Continues on Page 63

played in the West African country.

Nigeria ranked 60th in the latest Fifa rankings face Arsenal who finished third in the English top flight last season.

According to promoters, DanJan Sports, agreement has been finalised with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). ”We are delighted to announce that Arsenal Football Club will face

Continues on Page 63

Today: S/final Fixture

Germany v Italy 7:45pm

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Cut (5) 5 Previous (6) 8 Tender (5) 10 Disprove (6) 11 Revise (4) 14 Simpler (6) 15 Relaxation (7) 18 Couch (3) 19 Tavern (3) 21 Notch (4) 23 Beneath (5) 24 Tolerate (4) 27 Jewel (3) 29 Vehicle (3) 31 Discussed (7) 32 See-saw (6) 34 Ceremony (4) 35 Foolishness (6) 38 Fire-raising (5) 39 Athlete (6) 40 Fresher (5)

DOWN 2 Untruth (3) 3 Track (6) 4 Newt (3) 5 Liberated (4) 6 Elevated (6) 7 Rue (6) 9 Dreading (7) 12 Fish (3) 13 Season (4) 16 Border (4) 17 Finished (5) 20 Retribution (7) 22 Title (4) 24 Fuss (6) 25 Declare (4) 26 Portion (6) 28 Nautical (6) 30 Entrap (3) 33 Breed (4) 36 Fellow (3) 37 Hint (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 1, Resume 5, Ever 8, Borne 9, Air 10, Soon 11, Team 12, Anger 13, Edited 16, Disc 18, Emit 20, Yes 22, Fit 23, Dig 24, Pert 25, Fret 28, Daring 30, Tract 32, Unit 33, Urge 34, Ape 35, Newly 36, Sped 37, Stayed.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Reader 2, Strainer 3, Massed 4, Connected 5, Entered 6, Veer 7, Ramp 8, Boa 14, Difficult 15, Rid 17, Sir 19, Military 20, Yen 21, Started 26, Talent 27, Agreed 29, Fuss 30, Tine 31, Try.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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