Crisis in Taraba over Suntai

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61956

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

6 Stowaway survival, a miracle

Okorocha, Catholic doctors at war over abortion law 14 — Aviation experts

Crisis in Taraba over Suntai WHAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS

“Whenever the governor transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration to the contrary, such functions shall be discharged by the Deputy Governor as Acting Governor”.Section 190, 1999 Constitution

•He must address lawmakers first — Speaker •No, he can resume immediately — Majority Leader •Falana urges IGP to investigate Suntai's letter

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH, SAM EYOBOKA, ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & JOHN MKOM

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BUJA—A LETTER sent in by the recuperating Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, to the State House of Assembly intiContinues on Page 3

COLUMNISTS:

The revolution is crime •P.17 ....Femi Aribisala writes on Tuesdays

ROTIMI FASAN •P.19 DEAR BUNMI •P.42

Mr & Mrs

DELTA @ 22— President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, left, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, his wife, Roli, and Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama, during a thanksgiving service to mark the 22nd anniversary of the creation of Delta State at the Living Faith Church, Warri, yesterday.

2015: Nobody can stop Jonathan — Clark C M Y K

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2—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Dangote shops for $3.3bn to finance $9bn refinery

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ANGOTE Group said, yesterday, it will borrow $3.3 billion to build a $9 billion oil refinery and petrochemical complex.

The Nigerian group, with interests ranging from cement to oil and gas, also said it was seeking a further $2.25 billion from development funds for the project, into which it would put $3.5 billion of its own equity.

The loan will be signed with financiers on September 4, it said in statement. Owner of the group, Aliko Dangote, divulged plans for the refinery in April.

The Dangote Group makes up 30 percent of Nigeria’s bourse.

Dangote told Reuters then that the refinery will have a capacity of around 400,000 barrels a day by late 2016, almost doubling Nigeria’s refining capacity.

“We are not resting on our oars,” group spokesman, Anthony Chiejina said, adding that the complex, including petrochemical and fertilizer plants, “could be the single largest contribution to this government’s economic transformation agenda.”

Nigeria currently has the capacity to produce some 445,000 barrels per day among four refineries, but they operate below that, owing to decades of mismanagement.

Nigeria relies on subsidised imports for 80 percent of fuel needs.

Dangote says the refinery will still be profitable, although industry experts say that would only be the case if the government guarantees crude supplies at well below the market rate— or subsidises his end-product.

18 YEARS AFTER: Eminent Nigerians want Saro-Wiwa immortalised Aferakeya said: “Ken SaroWiwa was fighting during a military junta. If he had fought during a democratic rule, he would have become the president of Nigeria.

“He fought for the oppressed and development of Nigeria not just Ogoniland.”

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE, PRISCA SAM-DURU & IKENNA ASOMBA

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F the late environmental rights activist and leader of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Ken Saro-Wiwa was alive, he would be 72 years old on October 10.

Eighteen years after he was executed with eight other Ogoni leaders by the military government of late General Sani Abacha, eminent Nigerians said, yesterday, that the issues he fought for, such as underdevelopment, marginalisation of minority ethnic groups and devastation of the environment have not been resolved.

They spoke at the 72nd posthumous birthday and launch of a book entitled The 3-Dimensions of the Ogoni Revolution and the Unanswered Questions, organised in Saro-Wiwa’s honour by the Niger Delta Youth Movement, NDYM; Middle Belt Youth League, MBYL; Ogoni Solidarity Forum, OSF and Ogoni Economic Forum, OEF. They also urged the Federal Government to immortalise Saro-Wiwa just like the Americans have done to Martin Luther King, Jnr.

Roll call

Among eminent persons at the occasion, who extolled the virtues of the late environmental

Kenule ‘Ken' Beeson Saro-Wiwa (October 10, 1941 – November 10, 1995): Writer, television producer, environmental activist, winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize. activist were Chief A.K. Horsefall; Ambassador Dan Suleiman; Mr Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers; Senator Adego Aferakeya, who chaired the event; Jimi Agbaje and former Assistant Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service, Chief Bassey Charles (rtd.).

Other are Dr. Eugene Okolocha, Mr. Odia Ofeimum, Chief Mike Nweilaghi, OEF chairman; Ogbo Mmuen Kpagane, book author and Abuka Onalo, President-General, United Middle Belt Youth Congress, UMBYC.

He lives on— Aferakeya

Senator Aferakeya said although Ken Saro-Wiwa was

dead, he is still alive because he was an actor and that actors never die.

He proposed that just like the United States of America has a day set aside to celebrate Martin Luther King (Jnr) for his struggles towards liberation of the blacks in America, Nigeria should also declare a day for Saro-Wiwa for his struggles towards liberation of the Ogoni people.

He said: “We are here to celebrate an icon not only in Ogoniland but in Nigeria.

Ogoniland must continue to grow and carry its history from generation to generation.”

He added that there were so many books written on the lives and times of Ken SaroWiwa, advising that people should read about the patriotic Nigerian, who died fighting a just cause.

PDP VISIT: From left— Chief Ishola Filani, former Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caretaker Committee, South-West; Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, PDP National Chairman; Engr. Deji Doherty, Acting Chairman, South-West, PDP; Mr. Ola Kukoyi, Ogun State PDP Chieftain, and Prince Buruji Kashemu, PDP chieftain, during the PDP Chairman's visit to Lagos.

Rivers Sports Commissioner, Igwe shot

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT — THE Commissioner for Sports in Rivers State, Mr. Fred Igwe, was shot on Sunday by suspected assassins.

Details at press time were

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still hazy, but the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Angela Agabe, confirmed the development to Vanguard, yesterday.

She said the commissioner was responding to treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state, adding that some un-

known gunmen opened fire on him at Akpajo area of the state.

She also said she was yet to get details on the incident.

Another source told Vanguard that the commissioner was in a Toyota Corolla with plate number GCG 11, when

the gunmen overtook his vehicle around Akpajo area, and opened fire on him.

The source ruled out robbery, adding that the gunmen acted as assassins.

According to the source, the incident happened at about 8:15p.m. on Sunday.

Don blames faulty federalism on elite

In his paper entitled Minority Groups in Nigeria: Issues and Perspectives, Dr. Doki Jeff, a lecturer at the University of Jos, Plateau State, blamed the continual marginalisation of minority ethnic groups, such as the Niger Delta and Middle Belt, on the fact that Nigeria does not have a solid constitutional approach that can promote an inclusive framework for the management of its diversity.

He said: “The ruthless primitive accumulation of wealth by the ruling elite, massive unemployment, intolerable gap between the rich and poor, hunger, poverty, disease and a general lack of basic amenities, are inequalities that pose a major threat to true federalism and peaceful co-existence among the various ethnic groups.”

He fought for Nigeria —Ofeimum

On his part, Odia Ofeimum described Saro-Wiwa as a man that loved his people so much that he wanted to free them from oppression.

He said: “He was prepared to sacrifice himself to make it happen.

“He genuinely believed that all Nigerians, not only the Ogoni people, should be in control and enjoy the collective resources of the country; being part of the governance of their own lives, so that nobody will impose on them harsh leadership that they don’t deserve.

“Unfortunately, most Nigerians at that time were myopic and they saw the struggle as only what the Ogoni want. But it was actually what all Nigerians want. And unless we have this, we won’t have a country.”

Book's author

The author of the book, Mr. Ogbo Kpagane, said Ogoni, which has the best crude oil, the Bonny Light, has for a long time been neglected by the Federal Government and the world could not understand and appreciate them as a people and their struggle to realise the three dimensions of life.

Kpagane noted that the three dimensions of life include identity, autonomy and development and every nation has to live these dimensions of life.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—3

POCKET CARTOON

the House of Assembly to work for the interest of the state at all times.

HOODLUMS—Gov Al-Makura of Nasarawa State in the midst of security agents as hoodlums battle their way to attack House members, yesterday in Lafia. Inset: one of the hoodlums being prevented from asaulting lawmakers. Photos: Daniel Abel.

pleted the required action.

“The Taraba State House of Assembly does not need anything other than the hard copy with the governor’s authentic signature and there is no need to discuss it at the plenary,” the House Leader explained.

But barely two hours after the press conference by the Majority Leader, the Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa, also addressed the media in his office and insisted that the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, remains the Acting Governor until Suntai addresses them on his state of health.

Section 190 of the 1999 Constitution states: “Whenever the governor transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration to the contrary, such functions shall be discharged by the Deputy Governor as Acting Governor”.

Hordes of Suntai’s supporters believe that the governor has fulfilled the constitutional provision by writing the Speaker and informing the lawmakers of his readiness to return to his seat, thereby compelling the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, who has been acting as governor, to return to his position with immediate effect.

He must address the House — Speaker

Falana urges IG to investigate Suntai’s letter

Although Tsokwa acknowledged the receipt of the letter sent in by Suntai, he nonetheless made it clear that the letter must first be deliberated upon by members at plenary before the governor could resume.

Tsokwa said: "Governor Suntai should come and address the House of Assembly before we decide on his resumption. The letter is with us and it has to be debated at plenary,” the Speaker told journalists.

While pleading with the people to remain calm and law-abiding, the Speaker assured them of the readiness of

Meanwhile, Lagos lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the letter purportedly written by the Suntai to the State House of Assembly on his intention to resume duty.

In the petition dated August 27, 2013, with the title: "Request for Investigation to confirm the Authenticity of the letter of Intention to Resume work”, the lawyer said the letter may eventually turn out to be fake.

Falana said: “Following the involvement of Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State in

Crisis in Taraba over Suntai Continues from Page 1 mating them of his intention to resume work, has split the lawmakers along political lines.

The undercurrent also brought to the fore the divided loyalty between those in support of Suntai, who returned to the country on Sunday

and his deputy, Garba Umar, who has acted as governor in the last 10 months.

While the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Haruna Tsokwa, asked the governor to come and address them at plenary as a condition for resuming, the Major-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Making a commitment to handle every moment of your life with an excellent attitude is everything; it makes a big difference.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

One of your greatest powers is ... your imagination — William James

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ILLIAM James was a philosopher and one of the leading thinkers a century ago. He said this about the power of the mind: “Anything you may hold firmly in your imagination can be yours.” He believed there was tremendous power in imagination and wrote in length about how humans can bring about significant positive changes in their attitudes, behaviours and relationships by first holding a vivid image of their best selves, or the person they want to become, in their imagination.

Neuroscience is just now discovering that there are biological reasons for this phenomenon William James talked about so long ago. But here is the point: Do you want to excel at some endeavour? Do you want to improve your outlook? Is there a skill you’d like to perfect? Do you want better relationships? Or would you like to replace your fear of something, such as speaking in public or heading up a project, with more confidence and courage?

"If so, then mental practice, holding a vivid image of what you want in your mind, is as important as physical practice. The time you spend “seeing” in your mind what you are trying to accomplish actually helps to bring it to pass.

Steve Goodier sums it beautifully: “I don’t mean we have to sit down and imagine something for an hour every day. It’s as simple as holding a vivid mental picture of what you truly desire and returning to it as often as possible.”

ity Leader, Mr. Joseph Albasu Kunini, asked the governor to start work with immediate effect.

Kunini had addressed a press conference in Jalingo earlier, yesterday, during which he said that there was no need to table the letter sent in by Suntai to the plenary for deliberation since the constitution did not stipulate such as a requirement.

He therefore gave the nod to the governor to resume work based on his claim that he was fit enough to carry on with the task of administering the state.

Kunini, who doubles as the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, explained that the governor was free to resume work having transmitted a letter confirming his fitness and readiness to resume work.

“There is no room in the Nigerian Constitution for the House to deliberate on the letter once it has been transmitted to the House by the governor,” Kunini told journalists.

“To us, the governor has complied with the provision of the law by sending the letter to us through his Special Adviser on Legal Matters.

The letter from the governor was received by the Clerk of the Taraba Assembly and promptly handed over to the Speaker and that com-

What the constitution says

a plane crash in Yola on October 25, 2012, His Excellency arrived Nigeria on August 25, 2013 having undergone 10 months of treatment in Germany and the United States of America.

“Barely a day after his return, a letter was delivered to the Taraba State House of Assembly purportedly written by the Governor, declaring his fitness and intention to resume office immediately.

“In the letter written by the Governor to the State House of Assembly, he claimed to have fully recovered from the injuries he sustained in the plane crash of October 25, 2012 without affording the public a copy of his medical report of mental and physical fitness.

“We, therefore, urge you in the interest of the people of Taraba State and Nigeria as a whole to use your good offices to cause a detailed investigation to confirm the authenticity of the letter of intention sent by the Governor to the House of Assembly as there are several allegations within and outside Taraba State that the letter of intention may have been forged by the governor ’s handlers.

“Please take notice in the event that our demand is not acceded to within three days inclusive of the day of receipt of this letter, we shall not hesitate to approach the law court to mandate your office to carry out its constitutional duty”, he added.

Suntai not fit to continue —Eyienyien Also a senatorial aspirant in Edo State, E g h e o m h a n r e Eyienyien has called on the Taraba State House of Assembly to immediately declare the state governor who returned to the country at the weekend incapacitated and unable to perform his duties as the state governor.

4—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

ANAMBRA: PDP moves against Uba brothers

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor & HENRY UMORU

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EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, moved to prosecute officials and chieftains of the party involved in the organisation of the parallel governorship primaries in Anambra State, even as it summoned two of the Uba brothers allegedly involved in the contest.

Senator Andy Uba, chairman of the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and his brother, Chief Chris Uba, a political kingmaker in the state were, yesterday, summoned to appear before the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, today to defend themselves on their involvement in the alleged primaries.

The Uba brothers are to appear alongside some of their political associates, including Mr. Ejike Oguebego, chairman of the parallel faction, which organised the alleged illegal primary; Chief Benji Udeozor, who preceded him as chairman of the Uba-led faction and Mrs. Tonia Nwankwu, PDP zonal Woman Leader.

The invitation to the five followed their alleged organisation of a governorship primary parallel to the official PDP contest last Saturday.

Senator Andy Uba had emerged as the winner of the primary.

NBA CONFAB: From left— Alhaji Atiku Abubarka, Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, Justice S. M. A. Belgore, former Chief Justice of the Federation and Chairman of the occasion, and Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives, at the opening ceremony of the 53rd annual general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Calabar, yesterday.

EU envoy tasks FG on anti-corruption fight

BY VICTORIA OJEME

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BUJA—OUTGOING European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. David MacRea, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to take anti-corruption fight seriously.

He told newsmen in Abuja, “Nigeria has to deal seriously with what is known as immunity clause.

It seems just few offenders are being punished, while the real people who commit the offence get away with it.

“It is regrettable that corruption in Nigeria is not going down and it is affecting the entire country. People are looting and stealing the nation’s resources, and it is very sad.

“However, I am not saying that Nigeria is the worst country, because you still find so many good things in Nigeria. I am also happy that the government is taking

very serious steps to deal with the issue of corruption.”

Commenting on the EU Aid Donation to Nigeria , MacRea decried the delay over the execution of projects in the country.

He said: “Many projects take too long to execute because this does not go down well with some of these villagers, whom these projects are being targeted for and they end up waiting for too long.

‘Impunity is serious’

“The aim of these aid donations is to make things happen in the rural areas, but when some wait for two to three years for a project that would have been done for maybe six months, they tend not to know the value of it.

“Corruption is a serious challenge,” Mr. Macrae said. “Impunity is serious. It does not care how high a person is. The point is that it is more important that the high people are brought to justice or punished when they do bad things.

“But it seems it is the small

people that get punished. The big fraudsters get away with it. And that cannot possibly be right.”

Macrae said having lived in the country throughout the period of his tour of duty, he has known the country long enough to know that there are a lot of good Nigerians around the world, with about 45,000 working in America and about two million living in the U.K.

‘I’ve been around’

Acknowledging Nigeria as a very important factor in Africa, Mr. Macrae said having lived and worked in East Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, Gambia, Senegal and Chad, he never knew enough about Africa until he came to Nigeria.

He said: “I had not worked in Nigeria before. What I used to say was that if I retired then, I had known a lot about Africa. But, with what I know today, you cannot say you have known Africa enough if you have not been to Nigeria.

“Nigeria is such an important element in Africa that you have to be here to really understand

We have information from Boko Haram commanders— C'ttee

BY LUKA BINNIYAT & MAYEN ETIM

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ADUNA—THE Presidential Committee on the Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts in Northern Nigeria, otherwise called the Boko Haram Anmnesty Committee, yesterday, disclosed that it had been able to procure critical information from Boko Haram commanders on the field on their style and the issues involved.

Chairman of the Committee,

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Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, spoke when he led members of the committee on a visit to the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, led by its Chairman, Board of Trustee, BoT, Lt.-Gen. Jerry Useni (rtd.) in Kaduna.

Turaki revealed how the committee was able to convince the sect leaders to enter into serious negotiations with it and how the committee succeeded in securing the release of detained women and children.

The Committee chairman said their negotiation, which started on a shaky note, had blossomed into full discussion with the insurgents both in detention and with active field commanders and other top hierarchy of the Islamist sect, which bloody campaign to foist Islamic rule on Nigeria, has led to an estimated death of 4,000 people, mostly in Northern part of Nigeria.

Turaki, who is also Minister of Special Duties, however, did not confirm or deny the alleged

death of the acclaimed leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, citing security concerns as the reason.

Turaki said: “We believe that once there is insecurity in any part of Nigeria, then the whole Nigerian nation should be concerned; must be concerned and is indeed concerned.

“Nigerians have come out to show concern on the issue of insurgency arising from activities of members of the Boko Haram, particularly in the north-eastern part of this country and its breakaway faction known as Ansaru.”

Africa fully. Nigeria is such a diversity of people, with 250 different ethnic groups. They are quite different in languages, customs and culture.

“If you go to Anambra, it is not the same situation with Kano or Jigawa. If you go to Lagos, it is a different story of an incredible city or megapolis.

“If you look at the constructions that are taking place in Abuja, it is such an incredible range of experiences in Nigeria.

On culture

“There is such a tremendously rich culture, and such dynamism in the business community. These are the things I treasure to take away about Nigeria. It is a tremendous country.

“These are the things that make Nigerians to be proud to be Nigerians. In spite of the things I talked about Nigeria earlier, it is also a great pride being a Nigerian.”

He identified sanity in the judicial system as crucial in tackling the issue of impunity in the country, expressing regrets that since 2012, politicians have already started talking about the next election in 2015.

2015 elections

He said: “In the last six to eight months, people have started talking about who wants to take over the next government.

“It is a distraction to talk about such issues at this time when the effort should go into making things happen, delivering services, putting in place necessary infrastructure to tackle issues like the crude oil theft.”

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —5

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Court remands 4 for allegedly dumping 2 children in stream

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI — THE Bauchi State Chief Magistrate's court has remanded four suspects who allegedly dumped two children in Dumi stream, in Bauchi Local Government Area.

It was recently reported that two children were dumped inside a stream by unknown persons in Bauchi. One of the children died while the other survived.

The four suspects including the parents of the children were arrested by the Police and arraigned in court.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Amos Ukpe, had filed two separate cases over the incident.

In the first case, he charged the four suspects with criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, contrary to sections 221 and 96 of the penal code.

Ukpe also charged the parents of the child who survived for criminal conspiracy and abandonment, contrary to sections 96 and237 of the penal code.

The prosecutor told the court that a ward head of Gwallaga, Mallam Dandada Ahmadu reported to the Bauchi Township police station that a woman called Sakina Ibrahim of Dajin Village in Tafawa Balewa Local Government who claimed to be a herbalist told the two parents that their children were not normal human beings and advised them to dump them in the stream so that they will drown to which the parents complied.

Inspector Ukpe said: “When the herbalist in company of the parents took the children and dumped them inside stream in Dumi village, one of the children, Adamu Suleiman Danjuma (two years) survived and was rescued by good Samaritans while the other boy, Aliyu Suleiman Haruna (four years old) got drowned and died in the stream.

Stowaway survival a miracle —Aviation experts zAs group volunteers to pay his fees through varsity

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

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AGOS — EXPERTS in the aviation industry have expressed surprise over the survival of a teenager stowaway, DanielOikhena, who hid in the wheel well of Arik Air aircraft used for flight W3 544 from Benin Airport to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos.

It will be recalled that the teenager apparently sneaked into the aircraft main wheel well at the Benin Airport after he had beaten security checks at the airport, but he was arrested by Arik Air personnel and handed over to Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, security upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed. Airport, Lagos when he came out of hiding.

Speaking on how Daniel could have survived at the nose wheel of the aircraft, an aviation expert and Managing Director of Belujane Consult, Mr. Chris Aligbe said there was no expert in the aviation industry that could give a satisfactory explanation to what happened, stressing that the boy’s survival was indeed miraculous.

He further noted that the boy’s survival could be as a result of the short distance that the plane flew, noting that from Benin to Lagos airport was just 35 minutes of flight time.

He said that the aircraft did not ascend high into the sky as it only flew at 10,000 feet above sea level.

Aligbe, however, stressed that if the distance was a long haul flight, like from Lagos to London, the teenager would have frozen to death, stressing that the higher an aircraft ascends into the sky, the cooler the nose wheel apartment becomes.

He said that was the major reason why people that stowed away from Lagos to other parts of the world are found dead upon arrival at their destination.

In such cases he said, the airline staff often found the corpses of such people on landing.

It was a miracle

He said: “There is no aviation experts that can give you a satisfactory explanation on the incident. The nostril of the aircraft is not designed for anybody to stay in. The boy’s survival was miraculously done by God because the aircraft could have crushed the boy when the plane was retracting its tyres.”

“Although the hole is a bit wide, it is not meant for anybody to stay in. There is no scientific explanation to it, there is no aviation expert or technology that could explain how that boy survived onboard that aircraft.”

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ENIN-CITY — THE Na tional Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, joint campus committee, Delta State axis has said that the police abruptly ended the protest which was organsed to call on Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and Federal Government to end the ASUU strike in the

interest of all.

According to the students, police on Okpanam Road, last Thursday, fired gunshots and canisters of tear gas at students and journalists alike, leaving one Agagbe Ochuko Emmanuel critically injured. He is currently recuperating at the hospital.

Speaking on the issue, yesterday, Chairman of NANS-JCC Delta axis, Prince Koyoyo Uhrorho said the protest was

"We sincerely willing to offer him the scholarship to encourage thousands of teenagers who are cerebral and ambitious. The leaders in Nigeria fail on their part to see the potential of the little boy. Therefore, De Raufs takes up the responsibility to safe the future of this great boy and not turning him to criminal."

He survived because of his size —Ore Also speaking, Chairman of Aviation Round Table, ART, Captain Dele Ore, explained that the boy survived because of his size and more so, the flight was for a short distance which was not more than 10,000 feet.

Ore said based on the small size of the boy, he was not crushed to death on the wheels where he hid himself.

The ART chairman further said had the flight been a place like United States of America, the plane would have flown above 25,000- 35000 feet, the boy would have died in five minutes because the place he hid himself was not a pressurized area.

Group volunteers to sponsor his education Meantime, De Raufs, a volunteer group extolling the virtues of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State, has volunteered to sponsor 15-year-old stowaway teenager, Daniel Oikhena, who hid in the tyre compartment of Arik Air flight from Benin to Lagos.

In a statement signed by the Director General of the group, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, the group is ready to give scholarship to Daniel up to university level and help him realise his dream of travelling by air legiti-

How police aborted protest against ASUU strike ... injure student

BY TOMMY ANADUAKA

mately.

Shittu said: "Genius and ambitious citizen of our country must not be suffocated on the alter of political and bureaucratic enforcement. The little boy’s ambition should be nurtured through qualitative education, and the group is ready to give the boy all the necessary support to make his dream a reality.

never sponsored by anybody as claimed by the Delta State Police Command, adding that the letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police, CP, notifying him of the protest was billed for last Thursday and not this week as claimed by the Delta State CP. The students have, therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident which occurred on August 22.

Daniel Oikhena

Family of 3 perish in Makurdi's mystery fire

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI — AN early hour mysterious fire, yesterday, claimed the lives of a man, his wife and four-yearold daughter along the ever busy Katsina-Ala Street, in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness that the victims, Terhemba Makaar, a senior official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and his two family members were roasted in the inferno before help could reach them.

According to the witness, Mrs. Terwase Ormye, who is a neighbour to the victims, “the fire started at about 2 am.

We were suddenly woken by shouts of 'fire' from the house.

“We heard someone screaming 'help me! help me! The flame and smoke were too much and the house had only one door with burglary proof so it became very difficult for anyone to go in and rescue them.

“While some of us were

busy pouring water on the building to put out the fire, the few hands available struggled to break a portion of the house when the inferno was still raging.

“Unfortunately, when youths in the area succeeded in breaking into the house, Mrs. Makaar and her fouryear-old daughter had already been burnt beyond recognition while their father who though suffered little burns had already been choked to death.

"Their only son, nine-yearold Aondugu Makaar, was rescued and immediately rushed to Saint Theresa Hospital, Makurdi where he is currently receiving treatment and in stable condition.”

Cause of the fire On the cause of the fire, the witness said: “It could be as a result of power surge because it was barely 30 minutes after the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, restored electricity to the area when the fire started."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—7

How police arrested man in NSA’s office

BY UJU MBANUSI

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AGOS — IN the middle of last month, 55-year-old Chief Emmanuel Okereke agreed to honour an invitation from the National Security Adviser’s office in Abuja where he was reportedly arrested and detained for allegedly operating an illegal organisation, National Task-force, NATFORCE, as the director.

Speaking with his wife, Obianuju, Vanguard gathered: “Okereke had on the said day, at about 2 pm, received a call in response to a request he earlier made for audience with the National Security Adviser.

“He honoured the invitation, but on getting to the place, he did not meet the people he was to have the meeting with.

“As he made to leave, he was asked to accompany an unnamed Police Commissioner to the Force Headquarters in Abuja. He did and on getting there, they told him he was under arrest for operating an illegal organisation.

“This was despite the Federal High Court's judgment that NATFORCE was a legal organisation.

“From there, he was transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad office at Graki, Abuja, and has been in detention since then."

NATFORCE Secretary, Kingsley Chikezie, also told Vanguard that the organisation was inaugurated July 16, 2010 by the

then Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, and then National Security Adviser, Aliu Gusau, to combat illegal importation of goods, arms/ ammunition and live weapons.

He said: “This is a duty the organisation duly performed until the current Minister of Finance assumed office and disbanded the task force, purportedly acting on a petition from the Nigeria Customs Service to the National Security Adviser.

“The task force challenged the purported disbandment in court.

The Federal High Court, Abuja in a judgment set aside the disbandment, declaring that the task force is a legal public/partnership.

"After the judgment, the task force wrote to the National Security Adviser and all security agencies informing them of the judgment.

“It was a surprise to us when last Thursday, Chief Okereke went to honour a meeting with the NSA and was arrested for allegedly operating an illegal organisation, despite the court judgment in favour of NATFORCE. “Two of our members who came from other states to see the director in detention were equally arrested and detained.

“We were later informed he was arrested and detained by the Inspector General of Police’s special squad on terrorism and heinous crimes.”

It was gathered that efforts to effect the release of Chief Emmanuel Okereke have proved abortive.

BY EVELYN USMAN

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Chief Emmanuel Okereke

Two die, one injured as building collapses in Abuja

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

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BUJA — TWO people were feared dead in a building collapse, yesterday, in Abuja while another person was critically injured and receiving treatment in the hospital.

According to Information Officer of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr. Sani Datti, three people were casting concrete at an uncompleted

building behind Dunes Plaza in Maitaima, Abuja, when suddenly the concrete collapsed and trapped them.

After the relevant emergency agencies rescued the trapped workers, two people were feared

dead and one person was critically injured and was rushed to the hospital.

The two people that died are Hamza and Friday, while Ganiyu Akande who was critically injured had been taken to the hospital.

Man nabbed for allegedly impregnating, aborting for teenager

By EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — POLICEMEN at Igando division, Lagos have arrested a 42-year- old man for allegedly impregnating and aborting a two-monthold pregnancy of a teenager in Igando area of Lagos..

The suspect identified as Rasak Isho, a married man, was alleged to have impregnated the 17-year-old who lives in the same area with him.

Trouble, as gathered, started for the teenager after she reportedly missed her monthly circle. She reportedly expressed her fears to Isho, who told her to exercise patience.

The father of three was said to have later taken the teenager to an undisclosed hospital where the pregnancy was allegedly aborted.

But the bubble burst after she reportedly took ill and on inquiry by her parents, opened up on what happened, consequent upon which the Police.

At the station, Isho reportedly admitted to having a re-

lationship with the teenager for six months, begging not to let his wife know.

Although the teenager claimed to have been raped at the station but Isho denied, saying she consented to his advances, adding that while wooing her, she told him she was 19 years.

“She never told me she was 17 years. She said she was 19 and that she was a 100-level student at the Delta State University, Abraka. We started dating six months ago. When I approached her, she gave in and never refused my sexual advances.

"I swear I did not rape her. I have begged her parents to forgive me, that I will never do that again. It was temptation and the handiwork of Satan.

Please, my wife must not hear of this ” The case, according to police sources, has been charged to the Ejigbo magistrate's court from where it was transferred to a family court in Ikeja, on discovering that the case involved a teenager.

A fuel tanker in flames, yesterday, in Ibadan. Photo: Dare Fasube.

Abducted dredging workers in Bayelsa regain freedom

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

5 arrested as OPC, police clash in Lagos

ENAGOA — REPRIEVE came the way of five kidnapped workers attached to an indigenous dredging firm, Beks Kimse Nig Ltd, following their rescue by men of the Police antikidnapping team in the Nembe coastal area of Bayelsa State.

The workers who were seized last Friday by armed men at a dredging site in the creeks of Opuama in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area were reportedly abandoned in the Nembe creek, Monday evening, by their captors.

Though it could not be confirmed if ransom was paid before they were released, their kidnap-

pers had demanded N30 million ransom.

The dredging firm is handling NDDC-sponsored shore protection and reclamation work at the erosion-troubled riverside town of Opuama.

It was learnt that some top former militant leaders from the Southern Ijaw council area were contacted and they in turn reached out to contacts in the creeks who claimed the suspected kidnappers were known miscreants terrorizing the area.

The suspected kidnappers were alleged to have also attacked some passenger boats and contract staff of some oil majors, including the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

AGOS — PANDEMONIUM broke out, yesterday, at Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos, following a clash between policemen and suspected members of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC. Trouble, as gathered, started after some policemen on stopand-search flagged down the OPC vehicle which was moving towards Agege area for an event.

An eye witness who identified himself as Timothy, said: “The policemen fired tear gas canisters which choked some of the OPC members. Others still managed to flee the scene in their vehicles.

"But some of those affected by the tear gas were arrested and handcuffed at the end of the altercation which lasted about an hour.”

Contacted, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said five persons, among them a female were arrested.

Describing the incident as disturbance of public peace, Braide said: “It was a case of disturbance of public peace/ assault on police officers.

“At about 11.30 am, hoodlums numbering over 300 masquerading as OPC members launched an unprovoked attack on policemen on rescue mission and dislodged them.

“Five of them, Paul Adeola, Kemi Ajayi, a female; Sunday Oguniyi, Kazeem Oloyede and one Austin were arrested in two Volkswagen buses with number plates XY 31 GGE; XT 29 FKJ and one Nissan saloon car with number plate DU 721 GGE and an unregistered Toyota Camry car were recovered from them.”

However, when one of the factional leaders of OPC, Otunba Gani Adams was contacted, he said those involved in the rift did not belong to his faction.

According to him, “those who clashed with the police are never our members. Our findings revealed that they are launching a political party called Unity Party at Amao Street in Agege today (yesterday). It was on their way to the place that they clashed with the police.

“We were in Osun Osogbo last week and throughout our stay there, there was no report of any violence.

“We have never clashed with any law enforcement agency.

The national leaders of OPC are with me where we are holding the national coordinators’ meeting."

8— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —9

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Nigeria won’t disintegrate —Badejo

BY OLAYINKA LATONA

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AGOS—FORMER Gen-eral Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Reverend Wilson Badejo, yesterday, dismissed insinuations that Nigeria might disintegrate in 2015, saying the country would be at peace beyond that year.

Speaking during the 4th annual convocation of Foursquare Gospel Church, Egbe District, Lagos, with the theme Greater Harvest, Badejo identified high level corruption, insecurity, unemployment and infrastructure decay as some of the major challenges confronting Nigeria.

He said: “The Nigerian nation will not disintegrate as 2015 will usher in a new era of socio-economic development in the life of the nation. We must not relent in praying for our country.”

US boosts NDLEA with tech equipment

BY LAWANI MIKAIRU

N

ATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday, received technical equipment from United States Consul General, Lagos, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins, for the establishment of a centre for intelligence sharing.

According to Ofoyeju Mitchell, Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Hawkins described Nigeria as a great partner of the United States in drug control.

The US envoy, who spoke while presenting the technical equipment to the agency, said the equipment would be used in the establishment of a centre for intelligence sharing between the two countries.

According to him, “NDLEA is a great partner for the United States in drug control. The United States embarks on serious war against narcotics and we are proud to contribute in developing the capacity of the NDLEA through the establishment of a Centre for intelligence sharing.”

PRESENTATION: From left: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Obas, Oba Idowu Adamo Babalola (Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti) and Speaker, State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, during the inauguration of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and presentation of vehicles, in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

Lagos Assembly approves N7.5bn supplementary budget

BY OLOWOOPEJO MONSURUDEEN

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AGOS—THE Lagos State House of Assembly, yesterday, approved N7.5 billion supplementary budget to increase the 2013 budget from N499.605 billion to N507.105 billion.

The lawmakers also approved for the executive, the buy-back of Lekki Concession Company, LCC, the concessionaire handling the 49.63 kilometre Eti-Osa-Lekki -Epe expressway.

The approvals were made after an emergency plenary session to address the letter sent by Governor Babatunde Fashola, to bridge the financial gap that arose a few months after the 2013 budget was signed into law.

The approvals followed after a question and answer session with the commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning, Finance and Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ben

Akabueze, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi and Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, respectively, who were invited to defend the request of the state government.

Speaking after approving the supplementary budget, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said purchase of the LCC will afford the state govern-

ment the opportunity to take full ownership of the entire contract including the decision to collect toll on the ever busy road. On his part, Gbeleyi, while addressing the House, said: “The figure of the buyout is about N15 billion. N6.8 billion would be paid by the state government to service the debt obligation. We have

....As oil spill victims abandon homes

BY SEBASTINE OBASI

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AGOS—RESIDENTS of Aminatu Ilo Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, where oil spillage occurred last weekend, have abandoned their apartments for fear of being molested by security agents.

When Vanguard visited the street, yesterday, it was deserted as only a few people were seen.

The gates of the buildings on numbers 17 and 30 on the street where the spillage was recorded

were still locked.

Ayo Oke, who claimed to be one of the residents, said many of them had gone into hiding for fear of being arrested.

According to him, “The arrest of the landlord of the house where the spillage was noticed has instilled fear on the people.

This is because the man noticed the spillage and reported to the Police. He was arrested along with some members of his household. Who knows the next person to be arrested? That is why many of us are in hiding. The

Nigeria still far from achieving MDGs on health —NCH

BY CHIOMA OBINNA, ESTHER ONYEBULA & MODINAT AMUSAT

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AGOS—THE 56th meeting of the National Council on Health, NCH, has opened in Lagos, with a declaration that Nigeria is still far from achieving the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, on health ahead of the 2015 deadline.

made provision to pay N3.5 billion to the third party liability. With this, there would not be anyone holding shares in the company except the state government.”

Similarly, Hamzat said “ with the buy-back, the state government now owns the company one hundred per cent.”

NCH, which is the gathering of health policy makers in the country, equally rated the health sector across the federation low.

Speaking at the opening of the technical session, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said despite the achievements made so far in the health sector, the indices were still not cheering indicating that Ni-

geria was far from where it should be.

While acknowledging government’s efforts and the enormous challenges to Nigeria’s environment, he said: “We have huge population on our hands, high poverty among the people and the issue of available quality care.

Our goal is to satisfy the people but once they complain, then it means we have more work to do.”

government should resolve the issue quickly.”

Efforts to speak with the Depot Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Ejigbo, Dr. Tola Balogun, were unsuccessful.

However, in an earlier statement, Balogun said two samples of the leakage had been taken for laboratory test to ascertain the true nature of the spill.

He also said the spill was discovered in a well belonging to one Adedeji Ogunba, who reported to the police at Ejigbo when he noticed it, saying officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, last Saturday, stormed the affected compounds and arrested the people, including a pregnant woman.

The recent oil spill is not the first in the area, as Baruwa Community, in Alimosho Local Government Area also experienced similar occurences in May 2012.

Though an unconfirmed report had it that there were more than 300 boreholes and wells dug in Baruwa in the past decade, the water found in those boreholes and wells were said to be contaminated with petroleum products from oil leaks.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—11

Ogun 2015: PPN ex-guber candidate leads scores to LP z9 lawmakers storm registration exercise in Abeokuta

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—NO fewer than nine lawmakers in Ogun State stormed the Labour Party Secretariat in Adatan area of Abeokuta, yesterday, where the registration exercise of the new members of the party held to announce their defection to the party.

The defectors, who included two federal lawmakers and seven state assembly members, were formerly members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN. The lawmakers who defected were, a member of the House of Representatives who represents Yewa South/Ipoia constituency, Abiodun Akinlade; his counterpart from Imeko-Afon/Yewa North constituency, Rasaki Adewusi and former Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly of Assembly, Remmy Hassan, representing Odogbolu constituency; Samson Onademuren, represent-

ing Ijebu North-East and Khadihat Adeleye-Oladipo representing Ifo constituency 11, were members of the defunct ACN before their defection.

Also on the list of the defectors were, Joseph Adegbesan, representing Ijebu North; Simeon Adeleye from ImekoAfon and John Obafemi, from Remo North, all members of the PPN before they announced their defection to the Labour Party, while Abiodun Akovoyon from Ipokia, who was a member of the PDP, was among the defectors.

Apart from the lawmakers a, former governorship candi-

date of the PPN, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, also defected to the Labour Party in the state.

The ceremony also witnessed the inauguration of some steering committees to run the affairs of the party.

Addressing the faithful, the Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Joseph Akinlaja, pledged that the party would turn around the sociopolitical status of the state by 2015.

Akinlaja noted that the party had been in existence in the state with little strength, insisting that it is waxing stronger.

He added that the coming

together of members of the defunct ACN, PPN and PDP would bring about total change which the people desired.

Akinlaja also urged members of the party to come out enmass and register with the party from the ward to the state levels.

He said, “The event of today is a very big step towards administering Ogun State from 2015. We still need more people in the party, so all of us should go to our various wards and start the process of how our great party will oust the present administration in the state."

Ondo monarch flays community's alleged exclusion from NDDC positions

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—THE Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria,

TROMPCON, Oba Lawrence Omowole, has kicked against the alleged exclusion of some states in the region from occupying key positions in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. Key positions, according to him, include that of Managing Director, MD, and Executive Directors Finance and Projects EDFP. Oba Omowole, in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan and made available to newsmen in Akure, decried the situation whereby the positions have

circulated exclusively among Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa states.

The traditional ruler said that among the four states, some of them, since inception of the Commission in 2000, have held the position of MD and the two EDF twice, while other states have been excluded.

Oba Omowole said among the four states, Delta has held the position of the MD and twice, the EDF; Bayelsa the MD and EDF; Akwa Ibom held the position of EDP twice and Rivers, those of MD and EDP. He said that Ondo State has been excluded from the two positions despite being the fifth highest oil producing state in the country.

Oba Omowole, who is the Amapetu of Mahin kingdom in the oil producing area of Ondo State, said Ondo state should be considered for the position of “Managing Director or in the least the Executive Director, Projects.”

Oyo Assembly passes bill for state bonds

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN—THE Oyo State House of Assembly has passed into law a bill for the Oyo State Bonds, Notes and other Securities Issuance, 2013.

The bill was passed into law during the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, after consideration of a report of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Finance and Appropriation, presented by the Committee Chairman, Mr. Olusegun Olaleye.

According to a statement by the Press Officer, Oyo State House of Assembly, Lekan Kolade, after the consideration and passage of the bill, the Speaker, commended the committee for doing a thorough job.

She added that the lawmakers in the 7th Assembly took cognisance of the fact that they are representatives of the citizens of the state, hence, the need to scrutinize the expenses of government to ensure prudence and accountability.

5 injured as fuel tanker bursts into flames in Oyo

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN—FIVE persons were seriously injured, yesterday, in Ibadan when a fuel tanker burst into flames at Orogun junction in the city.

Though there were unconfirmed reports that three persons died, the firemen that rushed the victims to the hospital said nobody died in the incident.

According to information gathered, the fuel tanker caught fire when the fuel it was carrying was being transferred to another tanker.

The inferno also burnt about eight shops and two Sport Utility Vehicles. The incident that reportedly happened around 1pm forced vehicle owners who had parked by the roadside to hurriedly evacuate their vehicles.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Ozekhome: Tension grips community as kidnappers zBishop Kukah urges youths to renounce blood money demand N150m

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY — THERE is tension in Iviukwe, ancestral home of the human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), following reports that his suspected kidnappers may have contacted the family, demanding the sum of N150 million as ransom with an ultimatum to pay within three days.

This is as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, yesterday, condemned the kidnapping of Chief Ozekhome and urged youths to renounce evil acts for the sake of the nation’s future.

But in a reaction, elder brother of Chief Ozekhome, High Chief Pius Ozekhome, said nobody had been contacted in the family, contrary to conversations in the social media.

Similarly, suspected kidnappers of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Attanatius Ugbome, who was abducted same day at Ehor, on Benin-Auchi Road as Ozekhome, are demanding N100million as ransom.

There are indications that it was the same set of kidnappers

that abducted Ozekhome and his driver that are holding Ugbome.

News that the suspected kidnappers are demanding the sum of N150 million prompted Iviuke youths to embark on a peaceful protest in Benin City, yesterday, appealing to the kidnappers to release him.

Spokesperson of the protesting youths, Issa Adidi pointed out that Chief Ozekhome had been on the side of the masses and had worked tirelessly to give voice to the voiceless, and wondered why he should be subjected to his current predicament.

“We are not giving ultimatum to the kidnappers, but we are appealing for him to be released unconditionally, considering how he has helped the poor in our society.

“For most of us, we feel he does not deserve what he is experiencing now due to his persistent agitation for good governance in the country. So we are appealing that God should touch their hearts and free our brother,” he said.

However, a Police source said the Police command was not aware of any ransom demand by the kidnappers, saying “all we

Chief Ozekhome care about is for them to be released unhurt.”

It was learnt however, that Ugbome’s family was contacted last Sunday but there had been no further contact since then.

A family source told Vanguard: “We are worried because of his health condition that requires constant attention.

“He is a good person and not a money-bag; they should please release him unconditionally. He has no money and that is why we are appealing to them to leave him.”

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, yesterday,

condemned the kidnapping of Chief Mike Ozekhome and urged youths to renounce evil acts for the sake of the nations’ future.

In a statement sent to Vanguard by email, Kukah expressed shock over the kidnap of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who, he said, had joined a growing club of unfortunate and innocent citizens who were daily preyed upon by a hapless generation of conscionable young citizens of “our dear country.”

Kukah said: “Sure, these are sad times for our country, but the kidnapping of Mr. Ozekhome carries a distinctive ironic ring to it. Here is a fine gentleman in every sense of the word, a hard working professional who has worked assiduously with his bare hands right up to the top of his profession.

“His patriotism and deep commitment to justice saw him at the fore-front of the fight against tyranny and dictatorship in the darkest days of our country.

“He sacrificed his life, family and career and was a victim of some of the ugliest phases of the brutality of those in power.

“He did all these to give our country in particular and a new

generation of young Nigerians a better future.

“I believe the future of our youth does not depend on the blood money that comes from kidnapping.

“I believe that this blood money can only erect a house of cards for now. They should renounce this criminality and turn to pursuing legacies they can proudly hand over to their children tomorrow.”

Agric workshop at Ibusa

BY TOMMY ANADUAKA

A

FIVE-DAY training agric workshop on “Seed Certificate and Quality Control Activities” for Youth Corps members drawn from the six states of the South-South geopolitical zone, has opened at the Directorate’s Zonal Office, Ibusa, Delta State.

Declaring open the workshop, director in the National Agricultural Seeds Council, Mr. Thaddeus Umolu, stated that agriculture had been a veritable resource for driving the nation’s economy, adding that it had contributed immensely to the growth of the economy.

Vanguar WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—13

SERVICE: From left, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor , Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, his wife, Roli, and Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama, during a service marking the 22nd anniversary of the creation of Delta State, at Living Faith Church, Water Resources, Warri.

Delta State at 22: We have surmounted our challenges, says Gov Uduaghan

BY EMMA ARUBI

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ARRI — The Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, said, yesterday, that his administration has surmounted most of the challenges

Gunmen shoot Rivers commissioner for Sports shot

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT — THE Commissioner for Sports in Rivers State, Mr. Fred Igwe, was shot on Sunday by suspected assassins.

Details at press time were still hazy, but the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Angela Agabe, confirmed the development to Vanguard, yesterday. She said the commissioner was responding to treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state, adding that some unknown gunmen opened fire on him at Akpajo area of the state.

She also said she was yet to get details on the incident.

Another source told Vanguard that the commissioner was in a Toyota Corolla with registration number GCG 11 when the gunmen overtook his vehicle around Akpajo area, and opened fire directly on him.

facing the state, noting, however, that he cannot do the job of developing the state alone.

Governor Uduaghan, who called on other arms of government to effectively carry out their functions made the remarks during an interdenominational thanksgiving service at the Living Faith Church (a.k.a Winners Chapel), Warri, Delta State to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of Delta State’s creation.

He said for the state to move forward, all hands must be on deck, stressing that despite challenges the state is facing, it will emerge stronger.

“As a state we have moved very fast and in those 22 years we had our challenges. But with prayers we are overcoming most of those challenges.

“The state that was associated with violence before is now associated with peace,” the governor said.

He assured the people that the future of the state is much brighter than before, adding that in terms of peace and security, the state is doing well compared with other states in the country.

On the upcoming Delta Central senatorial election, occasioned by the sudden demise of Senator Pius Ehwerido, Governor Uduaghan urged all aspirants to be peaceful in their campaigns as only one person will emerge winner.

“I can see many of you here. Make your campaigns peacefully and make it non-violent because it is only one person that can win the election,” he said.

Group accuses UNICAL of N3bn fraud James Epoke, dismissed zNo scam here, says V-C

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

A

BUJA—THE Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has accused the authorities of University of Calabar of N3 billion contract scam and urged the Federal Government to investigate the allegation in order to bring bite to its anti-graft war.

But the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof.

the scam allegation, saying it only existed in the imagination of those making it.

Prof. Epoke said due process was followed in the award of contracts and that those that did not follow the due process were disqualified.

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Okorocha, Catholic doctors at war over abortion law

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—IMO State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, and Catholic Medical Practitioners Association are at daggers-drawn over the abortion bill the former just signed into law.

The law, among others, permits women to procure abortion at will.

Sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing Ahiazu Mbaise state constituency, Mrs. Adekunle Ihuoma, the law is to be cited as “Imo State of Nigeria, Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law Number 12 of 2012”.

According to the new law, every woman shall have the right to enjoy reproductive rights, including rights to medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest and where the continued pregnancy endangers the life or the physical, mental, psychological or emotional health of the mother.

The law also stipulates that “every woman shall have the right to take decisions about her health needs and requirements.”

The law was very specific that a woman “shall have the right to determine the processes concerning reproduction in her body.”

Okorocha also approved that every woman should have a right to health, which should be understood to mean enjoyment of the highest level of physical, mental and social well-being and healthcare services.

These provisions include everything relating to family planning.

Chairman, Catholic Medical Practitioners Association, Dr. Phillip Njemanze, has reacted angrily to the law, arguing that “the law is anti-God, dehumanizing and totally unacceptable to the association.

“The law is devastating.

With its signing into law by Governor Okorocha, abortion has been legalized in the state and anybody, just anybody can now ask for abortion as a right in the state.”

C M Y K

Nobody can stop Jonathan from contesting 2015 election — CLARK

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—AHEAD of 2015 Presidential election, former Federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, reiterated that nobody in Nigeria can stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting.

The elder statesman who noted that Nigeria belongs to all and no tribe can boast of its superiority over others, stressed that it was not speculation that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will adopt President Jonathan as its sole candidate.

Speaking when he received a delegation of second Republic House of Representatives members who paid him a visit at his Asokoro residence in Abuja, Chief Clark maintained that Nigerian citizens were equal and can aspire to the highest office in this country, adding that the person should remain in office in line with the Constitution of the country.

According to him, in civilised democracies where the minority and majority ethnic groups exist, it has never been the prerogative of the majority ethnic group to lord it over the minorities.

He said: “For instance, in Great Britain from whom we got our independence, there are the English, the Welsh and the Scottish. The English are the majority, followed by the Scottish and then the Welsh. Each of these ethnic groups has produced the Prime Minister of Great Britain based on the quality of the candidate. In fact, in recent times the Scottish has come to produce more Prime Ministers than the English who are the majority.”

Chief Clark who noted that it was the constitutional right of President Jonathan to contest for re-election in 2015, said, “The Constitution provided for two terms. In 1979, Shehu Shagari from the North was president until 1983 when he got his second term but Buhari for reasons best known to them, they thought that at the end of his second ruling he will hand over to Ekwueme or to Akinloye.

They then staged a coup and drove him (Shagari) away and imprisoned all the politicians. Who took over? Another Northerner. “ The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides for two tenures of four years each after two democratically conducted elections. Apart from the illegality of the purported agreement with the northern state governors, such a mindset violates the letter and spirit of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

There is no speculation that the PDP is planning to impose President Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party in the upcoming convention.

“The practice in democratic presidential system of government is that an incumbent president remains the sole candidate of a political party at the party’s convention, if he or she is willing to contest for a second term in office. This is the practice in the United States of America from where

Nigeria copied her own model of the presidential system of government.

“When the American type of presidential system was adopted in Nigeria in 1978/ 1979, former President Shehu Shagari was the sole candidate of the National Party of Nigeria, NPN, when he chose to run for

a second tenure in the 1983 Presidential election. Or do you think there was dearth of qualified candidates in that era? Note that in the words of Dr. K. O. Mbadiwe, ‘the NPN had many men of timber and calibre who were ready to contest the presidential primaries if Alhaji Shehu Shagari had not indicated his intention to contest.’

CELEBRATION—From left: Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, his wife, Mercy Orji, Sir Emeka Ananaba, Deputy Governor and his wife, Nene Ananaba, during the celebration of 22nd anniversary of the creation of Abia State at Umuahia Township Stadium.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—15

FG, Chinese firm sign $500m deal on power transmission

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—THE Federal Government, yesterday, signed a $500 million Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with a Chinese firm, Xian Electric Engineering Company Limited, to ensure expansion of power transmission network across the country.

The firm, Xian Electronic according to the MoU, shall be solely responsible for the funding of the projects from the Chinese financing bank through the Government of China.

Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who signed the MoU on behalf of the Federal Government in Abuja, said the funding source was from the Chinese Exim Bank.

He said the Chinese Exim Bank would give the country concessionary loan in this regard.

Professor Nebo said: “I think it is the best possible interest we are going to get.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has negotiated this and brought it to the Chinese Exim Bank during the presidential state visit to China. So we are very comfortable with having concessionaire loan and having very little interest to pay for it.”

Summary of the projects which, according to the minister, will take off immediately, include the electric firm to liaise and collaborate with stakeholder agencies of the Federal Government for the conduct of necessary studies required for the successful execution of the projects.

The deal also covered the provision of adequate training for Nigerians workforce and support local content policy of the Federal Government as may be agreed by the parties.

The Ministry of Power on its part, is to facilitate the acquisition of relevant data and reports towards the conduct of required technical and economic studies for the projects by the TCN as well as facilitate the identification and acquisition of suitable parcels of land and right of way for the execution of the projects.

C M Y K

ONDO GUBER: Mimiko, others know fate tomorrow A

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

BUJA—THE Supreme Court, yesterday, slated tomorrow (Thursday) to deliver judgment on two separate appeals seeking to sack Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State from office.

A seven-man panel of justices of the apex court, led by Justice Walter Onnoghen, fixed the date after they heard reasons from candidates of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the August 27, 2012 election, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olusola Oke, on why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should be compelled to conduct a fresh election in Ondo State.

Sequel to an application by counsel to Governor Mimiko, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, the Supreme Court struck out the name of ACN from the matter on the premise that it had gone into extinction, having been subsumed into the newly registered All Progressives Congress, APC. After the case was called up for hearing yesterday, Olanipekun, relying on the provision of Order 8 Rule 9 sub Rule 2 of the apex court procedure rules, as well as on section 124(1) of the Evidence Act, urged the court to take judicial notice that the second appellant in the matter, ACN, “is dead”.

“It is a notorious fact that the second appellant has become extinct, it is dead! There is no political party in Nigeria today known as ACN. We urge your lordships, pursuant to the rules of this court, to strike out the name of the second appellant from this matter,” Olanipekun submitted.

Similarly, counsel to the Labour Party, Mr Yusuf Ali, SAN, and that of INEC, Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, maintained that ACN threw away its right of appeal when it decided to discard its identity and enter into merger to become APC. Though counsel to the defunct ACN, Mr Wole Aina, initially insisted that the respondents failed to adduce any evidence with which to convince the court that the party was no longer in existence, he, however, subsequently pleaded the apex court panel to use APC and substitute the name of his client in the appeal, a prayer that was refused.

INEC further relied on the provisions of paragraph 14(1) (2) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, amended, and contended that ACN cannot be substituted with APC, noting that such action would amount to an amendment of the main appeal.

Counsel to the ACN, Aina, insisted that Section 97 of the Electoral Act and Section 109(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution, allowed a person elected under merged political parties to still retain his seat, saying such right should

inure to his client in the instant case. In their ruling, the apex court panel refused the application for substitution.

According to Justice

Onnoghen, “We have carefully gone through the provision of the sections of the constitution and schedule cited by parties; we are of the view that reliance

of the appellant on Section 109(1) (g) and 97 of the Electoral Act does not avail to the appellant as the section deals with candidates in an election and not the party."

AGM—From left: Chidi Okezie, Company Secretary, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited; Sola David-Borha, Chairman Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited and Olumide Oyetan, Cheif Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management, at the 2013 Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau.

NBA tackles CBN on directives to report client payments above $1,000

BY INNOCENT ANABA

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ETERMINED not to comply with the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for lawyers to report their clients who make payments above $1,000 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, said it had gone to court to challenge the order.

The CBN had issued the directive as part of government’s measures to combat terrorism and money laundering.

Mr Okey Wali, SAN, at the

plenary in the on-going annual conference of the association in Calabar, Cross River State, said: “We are willing to join the fight against terrorism and money laundering, but not at the expense of the independence of the bar.”

He said NBA went to court because while it does not support money laundering, lawyers will not be blackmailed into submitting to external control.

“We will not succumb to being regulated from the outside,” he added.

According to the directive, lawyers are expected to report

transactions above $1,000 to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering, SCUML, of the EFCC, in line with the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 and Terrorism Prevention Act 2011, while Section 5 of the anti-money laundering law states that if a lawyer defaults in reporting, the CBN Governor can withdraw their licence.

The NBA president said: “The law says what we as lawyers cannot accept. We couldn’t understand how the CBN governor will withdraw my licence from me from outside the bar. It is also in conflict with our laws on solicitor-client relationships.”

EFCC detains 17 suspects over N1.7bn Oyo pension fund

BY SONI DANIEL

N

O fewer than 17 suspects have been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in connection with the stealing of N1.7 billion meant for the payment of primary school retirees in Oyo State.

The commission said in Abuja, yesterday, that the members of the syndicate were picked up in separate operations by its operatives.

Among the key suspects picked up were: Muili Hakeem Aderemi, former Executive Secretary, Oyo State Local

Government Pension Board and Iyabo Giwa, former Treasurer, Oyo State Local Government Pension Board.

Others were: Adeshina Jimoh Ayoade, former cashier, Oyo State Local Government Pension Board; Oguntayo Banji, former Internal Auditor, Oyo State Local Government Pension Board and Adebiyi Olasunbo Musendiq, former Admin Officer, Oyo State Local Government Pension Board.

Also in EFCC custody are: Muili Adedamola; Salewa Adedeji; Kareem Rasheed; Johnson Bosede; Adeduntan

Johnson; Olomide Olaide; Oyebamiji Akinlolu; Adewale Kehinde; Saka M. Ikeola; Oluokun Funmilayo; Oyetunji Taiwo and Olujimi Philip Adebayo.

According to a statement by the commission signed by its Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, all the pension offices in the 33 LGAs in Oyo state were affected by the scam.

Investigation showed that Oyo Pensions Board got a total of N4, 140,020,501.72 from the federal and state governments between 2010 and 2011, of which the syndicate made away with N1, 711,894,667.05.

16—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Kwara govt begins maternal, child health programme in LG’s

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

I

L O R I N — K WA R A State Ministry of H e a l t h , has commenced its maternal, neo-natal and child health programme across the 16 local government areas of the state in its bid to provide health care services to children and pregnant women in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Kayode Issa, announced this yesterday at one of the centres in Ilorin.

According to him, “In Kwara State as at today, we have up to 5,000 children from zero to five years, while we have about 120,000 women of child bearing age.

“With this we are looking at covering up to 500,000 both children ages zero to five and the pregnant women. Government is targeting children between age zero to five years and pregnant women because we are going to provide iron foliage to prevent the death of women resulting from anaemia in pregnancy.”

Stakeholders seek postponement of CBN’s cashless policy in Kano

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAM-

MAD A N O — STAKEHOLDERS in Kano, yesterday, unanimously demanded for the postponement of the implementation of Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy in the state.

They spoke during a sensitisation seminar to flag off the policy in the commercial city of Northern Nigeria.

Speaking, Alhaji Garba Musa, Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, said the emerging development in the financial sector will worsen the already bad situation in running of his ministry.

His words: “We are today confronted with a lot of hiccups in the payment of compensations to farmers whose lands government had acquired for developmental projects across the state.”

While lauding the policy which he said will eliminate corruption in the system, he insisted: “Yet we need time to sensitise our people who are mostly peasants and rural dwellers on the merits of the new policy. Today we have hundreds of farmers whose farmlands were taken over by government for developmental projects, and as a person in charge of all payments of their compensations, I know how difficult it is paying them because of this policy.

“Though, cashless policy is a very good one, I think we need

K

enough time here to sensitize our people for the policy to succeed.”

Ahmad Muhammad, a Kano businessman, in his contribution

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: From left: Gwom Rwey of Zawan, Chief Christopher Mancha; Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State and Catholic Archbishop of Jos and President, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, at the 11th General Assembly of the Catholic Archdiocese in Jos, yesterday.

Arewa youths laud Jonathan on sack of Youth Devt Minister

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH ADUNA—A day af ter the Youth Development Minister, Inuwa Abdulkadir, was sacked, Arewa youths, yesterday, hailed the decision as a welcome development and praised President Goodluck Jonathan for removing the Minister.

The youths, under the aegis of Arewa Youth Fo-

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rum, AYF, said the former minister did not deserve to occupy his position any longer, having lost touch with issues relating to youth welfare and development.

National President of AYF, Alhaji Gambo Gujungu, made the position of the youths known while reacting to the removal of Abdulkadir in an interview with Vanguard.

According to Gujungu,

Abdulkadir refused to listen to advice by wellmeaning youth groups in the north on how to tackle the myriad of challenges confronting them on a daily basis.

“We see the sack of the minister by President Jonathan as a welcome development,” Gujungu said, adding that it could not have come at a better time than it did.

Germany, Trinidad & Tobago to promote Nigeria’s tourism, culture culture, arts, music and

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—THE Ger man government and its counterpart from Trinidad & Tobago, have expressed readiness to partner with non-governmental organizations, NGOs, in Nigeria, to promote arts and culture with a view to boosting tourism in the three countries.

German deputy Head of Mission to Nigeria, Mr.

C M Y K

Klemens Momkees and the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago to Nigeria, Nyahuma Obika, spoke in Benin City, Edo State, when Niger Delta activist and Philanthropist, Mr. Patrick Eholor, hosted them.

They were in the city at the instance of the Arala of the kingdom, Prince Omo Osula Arala-Ogiugo’s NGO, for the promotion of

posited that “Nigerian banks still lack requisite financial structure to support the policy, stressing that introduction and implementation of same in the state will no doubt visit untold hardship on the

people. Most ATM machines in the state are not working and there is heightened fear of cyber scams associated with the policy and unless and until the CBN stamped out the lapses, chances are that this new policy would fail here.”

tourism in the country and in the Diaspora.

Speaking, Eholor stressed the historical background of the Benin kingdom and that of the United Kingdom, describing Benin kingdom and UK as the only two kingdoms in the world with rich background, adding that their historical back ground had impacted positively to the growth of democracy in the world.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—17

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Powerless Nigerians

What indeed can Nigerians do about the policies of a military government or, indeed, any government for that matter? The official answer is: “absolutely nothing!” Nigerians are deemed powerless and are held with obvious contempt by our leaders. We never seem inclined to fight for our rights.

Sister-Africans like the Algerians and the Zimbabweans fought for their independence.

Nigerians did not. When the price of bread went through the roof in Egypt in 1977, there was widespread rioting. But in Nigeria, the naira has had a free-fall from an exchangerate of 1.60 naira to one dollar in 1986; to the present 0.0062 naira to one dollar. In spite of the devastating effect on the price of bread, there have been no bread-riots in Nigeria.

When an election was annulled in Algeria in 1991, the denied victors went to the trenches and fought a lengthy guerilla-war that cost over 200,000 lives. But when an election was annulled in Nigeria in 1993, we did not fight.

When the military overthrow an elected government in Nigeria, we accept it without contradiction. It merely provides a welcome opportunity for the musical chairs of new political appointments.

Poverty and profligacy

Today, Nigeria earns over $100 billion a year. The economy is said to be growing at over 6.5% per annum. Nevertheless, there is galloping unemployment. Those in public employment are owed back salaries; while pensioners are owed their pensions. The PHCN suffers from chronic epilepsy, leaving the country in gross darkness. There is a relay-race of strikes, from NUPENG to tanker-drivers, to ASUP, to university lecturers, to health workers. With the growing ban of okada riders nationwide, some Nigerians are now forced to walk to work.

Many can hardly afford a square meal a day.

In the midst of this hardship, rich Nigerians are busy flaunting their stolen wealth. They are buying summer-houses in Dubai; building hotels in Lagos; buying yachts in New Orleans; celebrating birthday parties in Seychelles; marrying wives in the Bahamas.

Our pastors have become mega. They now fly around in private jets, drive in a cortege of "Jeeps" and preach “the gospel” while cruising down the Atlantic with the “crème de la crème.” House on the Rock flew in Tony Blair, for mer Prime-Minister of Britain, just to dedicate a spanking N5 billion church-building in

The revolution is crime Lagos. The Redeemed Christian Church of God called for dubious billion-naira donors in order to build a three-kilometre long and wide church auditorium on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Revolution-ready

Seeing the writing on the wall, many are convinced Nigeria is now ripe for a violent revolution. We have seen “the Arab spring” in the Middle East. They believe “a Nigerian summer ” is also on the horizon. Recently, Pastor T.B. Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nations lent his voice to those predicting that a revolution in Nigeria is in the offing.

During a televised broadcast on August 11, 2013, he declared: “I am seeing a revolution. I am seeing people take to the street. At the beginning of that protest, it might be stopped.

Eventually, it will become so big that it cannot be stopped.”

T.B. Joshua is known for making curiously accurate predictions. He reportedly predicted the death of the former President of Zambia, Levy Mwanawasa, in 2008. He is also said to have predicted the election of John Atta Mills as President of Ghana that same year. But is it true that a revolution is just around the corner in Nigeria? Is it true that Nigeria is more than ready for its own homegrown social and political upheaval?

I don’t think so! There is no revolution coming in Nigeria for the simple reason that the revolution already came a long time ago. It came in a way that defied our political science textbooks. Maybe that accounts for our failure to recognise it. In the Nigeria of today, the revolution is crime.

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N January 1987, as a mem ber of “Vice-President” Augustus Aikhomu’s delegation to the meeting of the Africa Fund Committee of the Non-aligned Countries, held in New Delhi, India, I engaged the “Vice-President” in a discussion on Nigerian politics. I cannot recall now the exact subject-matter, but I remember saying at some juncture: “Nigerians won’t stand for that, Sir.” The “Vice-President” became visibly irritated: “What are they going to do?” he asked pointedly. “What can they do about it?”

Those were the days when peace of mind could be bought with hypocritical acts of philanthropy; some smallchange is thrown at a few beggars.

One or two vagrants are fed with crumbs from the table; but that just won’t do any more; it is karma time

generalised criminality from top to bottom.

In Nigeria, corrupt publicofficials have murdered sleep.

They live the barricaded life.

Their walls are concrete and electrocuted. Their bodyguards are armed to the teeth.

Their cars are smoke-screened.

Their agbadas are bulletproofed. Their children are home-schooled for fear of kidnappers. Even their mothers and grandmothers are under lock-and-key in the villages.

Those were the days when peace of mind could be bought with hypocritical acts of philanthropy. Some small-change is thrown at a few beggars.

One or two vagrants are fed with crumbs from the table.

But that just won’t do any more. It is karma time.

Enter Boko Haram

This revolutionary criminality has found its most profound expression in the Boko Haram, a virulent terrorist scourge that now holds the country hostage.

In spite of the fact that Northerners have ruled Nigeria for not less than 37 out of a total

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They have pocketed a considerable amount of public funds.

They have awarded themselves choice oil-blocks. They have literally privatized a number of public enterprises to themselves. But they have done precious little to develop the North. All these provide fertile ground for Boko Haram to flourish. To date, innocent men, women and children are senselessly murdered in the North by this group of marauders, without discernible probable cause.

On May 3, 2013, Shettima Ali Munguno, 87 year-old former Petroleum Minister of Nigeria, was also abducted by the Boko Haram. But then, surprisingly, he was promptly released without ransom. Many speculated that he must be a Boko Haram sympathiser to have been so favoured. But I am of a different persuasion.

I am convinced the Shettima was released because his curriculum vitae were read to the Boko Haram. They then discovered that they had mistakenly kidnapped the wrong man.

Karma time

There is a revolution already underway in Nigeria. The revolutionaries are armed-robbers, pen-robbers, “OPC”, “Bakassi boys”, “area-boys”, “yahoo-yahoo boys” and 419 scammers. They are moneygrubbing market-women, carpenters, plumbers, doctors and university lecturers. National treasuries are being emptied. Banks are getting robbed. Homes are being burgled. Oil pipelines are being vandalised. Everybody is grabbing his share of the national cake. Everybody is busy ripping-off everyone else.

From the policeman who holds car-owners hostage for “happy weekend” gratifications, to the mechanic who uses fake spare-parts; to the pharmacist who sells expired drugs; Nigeria is now a country of

•Shettima-Ali-Monguno 53 years of independence, the North remains the most impoverished part of the country. It is full of uneducated and unemployed youth. The public health system has collapsed.

The educational system is bankrupt. The pervasive feature is grinding poverty among the rank-and-file.

Northern politicians have done well for themselves.

I remember when the Shettima was in government.

He had the national reputation of being scrupulously honest.

It was widely acknowledged that he would never steal public funds. In fact, there was a rumour that his people hated him at the time for that very reason. Why should everyone be a thief at the federal level and only the representative of Borno is clean? His people

wanted a representative thief in Lagos. Therefore, when a chorus of Nigerians appealed to the Boko Haram on the basis of the impeccable credentials of the Shettima, he was promptly released. He is not the kind of person the Boko Haram revolution is against.

Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the current Governor of Borno State, gave this testimony about Shettima Ali Munguno: “Those who help orphans and the poor have special place before Allah and this makes our elder statesman, Shettima Ali Monguno, a special person before Allah because over the years, he has dedicated his lifetime to catering for the orphans, widows and the needy.

He feeds them, clothes them, takes care of their health and other social needs. He is a righteous old man as all humans can testify, leaving Allah to be the judge; he is associated with honesty and integrity. This means Allah cannot be happy with anyone that hurts this good servant of his.”

Be afraid

The message is clear: The Shettima Ali Mungunos of Nigeria have nothing to fear.

But the corrupt politicians who have grown fat by stealing public funds; the jet-setting mega-pastors who make merchandise of men; they need to be very afraid. There is a target on their foreheads.

Fear will continue to surround them on every side.

In Nigeria, the pauperised many have sent a memo to the criminally-rich few: “We will not allow you to enjoy your illgotten gains in peace. We will hound you and pursue you everywhere you go. When you buy your Hummers, we will snatch them. When you send your children to expensive schools, we will kidnap them. When you retreat to your billion-naira homes, you will have to sleep with one eye open. With every knock, you will panic and tremble fearing it could be nemesis at the door.”

Professor Osita Eze, the late Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, told me an interesting, probably apocryphal, story.

He said when the late president of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua, was brought back home on his sick bed from Saudi Arabia in the dead of night in February 2010, a contingent of armed soldiers surrounded the house of another prominent member of government in Abuja. In panic, the man quickly phoned his godfather, a former president of Nigeria, to seek advice as to what to do. The former president said to him: “Let me make some enquiries and then call you back.”

The former president then dropped the phone, got into his private jet, and quickly ran away to Togo.

OUR ERROR Yesterday's column, "Chronic pain treatment in Nigeria" by Dr Femi Ogunyemi was erroneously credited to Femi Aribisala. The error is regretted.---Editor

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 HOW and why a teenage stowaway, Daniel Oikhena, was able to fly from Benin City in the tyre hold of an aircraft to Lagos should be of more concern than the frenzy exchange of blames among those responsible for the incident.

The 15-year-old disembarked from the wheel well of an Arik flight on Saturday to the consternation of those at the scene.

Oikhena, on his part, was shocked that he landed in Lagos not America, which he had dreamt of visiting.

Security agencies are quizzing the boy and his mother. They have enough reasons to worry about the incident. In plain terms, there were enough breaches to have compromised the security of airport operations in Benin City, Lagos or more places.

The explanations that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, gave in blaming Arik, is at best puerile. FAAN said passengers who saw Oikhena pass without exiting at the other side of the aircraft brought the matter to the attention of Arik pilots who reported to the control tower, yet

Lax Air por Airpor portt Security Arik operated the flight.

How plausible is it for passengers, presumably on the window side of an aircraft, to see the other side, again through the window side, to monitor the movements of a teenager? What sustained their attention on the teenager? How could passengers see the teenager and airport security did not see him?

Were FAAN security personnel off duty when he made his way to the aircraft?

Everyone moving around special airport areas has an “on duty” identity card, did Oikhena have one? In addition to the card, people on “tarmac operations” wear reflective aprons, was Oikhena wearing

one? He could not have got into the aircraft without assistance of insiders.

FAAN was so strict about these guidelines that it once denied Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole access to the tarmac. His convoy did not pass the security checks that could have permitted him access to the tarmac.

We applauded FAAN then for its adherence to the rules. What has changed?

Two cases of stowaways preceded this. In March 2010, a corpse was found in the nose wheel compartment of the United States carrier, Delta Airline, Boeing B777 aircraft parked at the Lagos airport. Last October, a dead body was found in the wheel well of an Arik flight that returned from New York.

Airport security is a complex web of agencies but FAAN has overall responsibility for land security at airports.

Its security critically failed, again.

FAAN’s lethargic response suggests a poor understanding of the vast implications of the incident. Suppose Oikhena was wired with bombs? FAAN should tell Nigeria what happened and measures to stop repeats.

OPINION

BY EDDIE MBADIWE

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HE Advanced Learners Oxford Dictionary defines honour as great respect and admiration. The debate about what is and what is not honourable has raged through the ages and will continue to have currency as long as man inhabits planet earth.

Can honour be relative or is it environmentally determined? A good number of people are of the view that practitioners in Nigeria public life, and these include civil servants, the judiciary, politicians, members of the Armed Forces, are not capable of operating in an honourable manner. Is the nation therefore doomed?For if honour is lost everything is lost, as the hackneyed saying goes. They go further to buttress their view point by quoting the various political party marriages and alliances which dissolve even before the ink dries on the dotted lines they were signed. Honour, like truth, must be constant.

The recently INEC-registered All Progressives Congress, APC, will be an acid test if honour still exists. It is time to debunk the myth that in politics anything goes.

A number of the top brass of the Nigerian military had their polishing schools abroad and a large percentage in the United Kingdom. The military in the UK have a high social profile and standing and are generally referred to as officers and gentlemen whose words are their bonds.

Public service with honour For the better part of our life as a nation since independence, the governance of this country has been 57 percent military and the rest pure civilian with a sprinkling of the Obasanjo eight years of more Agbada than Khaki government. I am not part of the blame game but one would like to know where we missed the honour train, for this seems to be at the root of our problems.

The earlier crop of Sandhurst-trained officers of the Nigerian Army performed along lines which could be described as altruistic, although their end results got enveloped in clouds of controversy.

Honour is the foundation for any progress; even among robbers it is enforced rigidly as this story illustrates. “Some robbers in their line of business stopped one of the night luxury buses operating between Onitsha and Lagos. All passengers were ordered to surrender all valuables as was the usual practice. At the end of the operation, the 'Boyz Commander ’ did a quick check on the passengers to estimate their take for the night and each passenger was quickly asked to say what had been given up. It happened that a gold watch was taken from a lady but no gold watch was returned to the general pool. The commander summoned his 'Ahoy’ boys and the robber who had stolen the gold watch was identified and sentenced to

summary execution for being 'one of the people spoiling Nigeria'’’. This is military justice of honour among thieves.

The question that needs addressing is whether a country can make meaningful progress if there is a dearth of honour among those running her affairs. You hear this all the time that in politics anything goes. Must it necessarily be so?

This leads to another dimension which concerns the health status of public officers and public knowledge. The late President Umaru Musa Y’Ardua was ill for a long time and most Nigerians did not equate the slow pace of governance to his ill health because they were completely ignorant of the seriousness of his ailment.

Contrast this with the recent illness of former American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who had a blood clot in her veins.

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he whole world literally followed on television the movement of the clot through X-rays, MRI scans, etc. When there was a possibility of the clot domiciling itself on her brain, there were serious medical discussions about the resultant effects on world diplomacy. This might be stretching it to the extreme but it is necessary to strike a balance between the rights of the citizens to privacy and that of the public to be informed.

Information shrouded in secrecy only leads to rumours, gossips, innuendos and sometimes national instability.

I commend the maturity of the RansomeKuti family, for when Fela died his elder brother Olikoye openly informed the nation that Fela’s death was linked to AIDS-related causes.

During the last World War, Japanese soldiers would honourably commit harakiri than be caught alive by Allied Forces.

Honour was second god to them.

It has been said that corruption thrives in Nigeria because as a nation we are completely depleted of honour and shame has no meaning. Odium and opprobrium are no longer part of the political lexicon.

It has become the norm for people who are jailed for stealing hefty amounts of public funds to be celebrated by their communities on release from prison as conquering gladiators. This is called rehabilitation of a favourite son. Some have received the ultimate which is Presidential pardon.

The thrust of this contribution is to stimulate discourse, for unless we have honour and integrity in the conduct of our personal lives, it is virtually impossible to transmit these to the national scene. The task is indeed herculean and the time to start is now, so help us God.

*Dr. Mbadiwe, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013— —19

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HEN I wrote those series I had no idea that two months down the line ASUU would embark on a paralysing strike that would do serious violence to the academic calendar. One doesn’t need to be prophetic, Godspower Oyewolestyle, to see our public universities are headed for the rocks. Their problems which daily stare us in the face will not and cannot be resolved by the fast increasing private universities, many of which invariably depend on academics from their public counterparts to fully meet their accreditation requirements. Those who imagine the private universities can succeed where the public universities have failed are only taking a short time view of the situation. Although much more business-like and often better managed and maintained, they are by far too few and too expensive to take care of the educational demands of the armies of school leavers matriculated every year.

While one believes that there is too much emphasis on university education at the expense of traditional technical education of the sort provided by polytechnics and trade guilds, it is a matter of time

before the private universities many of which appear prone to lower standards in order to attract more applicants and generally tend to shun out far too many first class graduates- it’s a matter of time before they too get overwhelmed by the pressure of demand. That’s even in the unlikely event that most Nigerians can afford and therefore prefer them to the publicly-owned institutions.

Until the middle class and society as a whole gets richer enough to afford private education for those qualified, university education would still largely be provided by public institutions. Which is why the public universities have to be better resourced. And this is not a new thing.

Some of our universities like Ibadan, then Ife, Nsukka and ABU used to be among the best in the commonwealth with scholars from every part of the world. A number of my teachers in the public secondary schools I attended were foreigners, from England, India, Pakistan and the Philippines, etc, to say nothing of Ghana. At the university, it was normal to see many of these scholars from other countries either as permanent staff or visiting researchers. This is no longer the

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case. It is a measure of how low we’ve fallen out of the league of countries that provide meaningful university education that our universities today suffer from the most despicable and pernicious form of in-breeding. The politics of survival and ethnic and/ or political balancing determines which students are offered admission and which lecturers are hired. It’s even shaping the curriculum in certain instances!

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ost of the students, teaching and non-teaching personnel in Nigerian universities today, are from the local communities. But for reason of desperation due to severe shortfall in available spaces which forces some to move out of their ‘catchment areas’, it is increasingly difficult to find people going out of their immediate localities to seek university education to say nothing of filling teaching openings where such are available to ‘non-indigenes’.

This is nowhere helped by the violent campaign against so-called Western education in many parts of the North.

You have to be a son or daughter of ‘the soil’ to make your way in the treacherous terrain of contemporary academia. In the private institutions,

Peter Obi, why neglect Enugwu-Ukwu

BY SAM EKPE

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NUGWU-UKWU, the clan head of Umunri clan is located on big hills within the Central Senatorial District of Anambra State. This historic town has produced human and material resources that played leading roles in the economic and political history of Old Eastern Region of Nigeria. For instance, a pioneer construction company, Eastern General Contractors Ltd, EGC, founded by its indigenes, the late Chiefs D. A. Nwandu and D. O. Okafor Oba I and Whum III of Enugwu Ukwu respectively built virtually all the infrastructure in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. As the reputable contractors who played leading roles in the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens , NCNC, and devoted substantial sums of money to the party, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Dr. M. I. Okpara found them trustworthy and willing allies in the development of the Region when they served as Premier between 1954 and 1966.

Arising from these leading roles, Chief Nwandu who later became Oba I of Enugwu Ukwu was appointed the first Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria representing the Old Eastern Region of Nigeria. He was also later elected Mayor of Enugu in the First Republic.

Other indigenes of the town who played leading roles in the construction industry and political life of Nigeria include Chief R. O. Nkwocha, Chief FGN Okoye, Chukwuemeka Udenze, Chief Moses Obiekwe, Chief D.O. Nkwonta, Chief Peter Okoye (all late) and R.N. Okeke, Ezuo Enugwu Ukwu na Umunri. However, the indigene of the town who played the greatest role in the political history of Nigeria was His

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Royal Majesty Igwe Osita Agwuna III, Igwe Umunri na Eze Enugwu Ukwu who passed on a few years ago. It was Igwe Agwuna who delivered the lecture titled: "A Call for Revolution" in Lagos during the struggle for Independence under the auspices of the Zikist Movement. For their roles in the Movement, himself, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Mokwugo Okoye and others were arrested, tried and sent to various terms of imprisonment. It still remains a matter of deep regret that this big masquerade in the political history of Nigeria died unsung and unappreciated by the nation he gave so much to.

All approaches to the Federal Government to give him a belated but richly deserved National Honour, even if posthumous, have received negative response. Yet we delight in our sing-song of the labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain. Who is deceiving who? A governor with sense of history and heroism will not allow this continued act of omission or commission on a very worthy indigene of his state. Yet the state governor is an acknowledged friend and ally of President Goodluck Jonathan and his government.

Enugwu Ukwu indigenes have also blazed the trail in community development projects from the old Eastern Region of Nigeria, to East Central State and the present Anambra State.

The first General Hospital in the Region built by a community was opened in 1962. Similarly Enugwu Ukwu women in the same year contributed 72,000 pounds for the construction of a water scheme, the first in the region by a community. A few years later, about six indigenes of the town built a post office for the use of the indigenes and residents. In 1982 the Enugwu-Ukwu Civic Centre, a gigantic edifice

you must profess particular religions or belong in particular denominations in the event you can afford the relatively high fees to gain admission.

Many of today’s universities lack and cannot afford the facilities available in Nigerian secondary schools of the 1970s and 80s. The cliché that these universities are glorified secondary schools deserves close examination to appreciate the enormity of the problem we are faced with. The near-total collapse of infrastructure with its manifestation in laboratories that are almost bare, shorn of necessary equipment and chemicals and/or reagents to perform experiments; library shelves that are coated in dusts, mildewed and outdated literature; poorly ventilated offices and lecture rooms (nobody talks of theatres anymore) with damaged roofs that expose their occupants to the elements- noisy offices and classrooms with puddles of rainwater mixed with human and animal faeces, powered by noisy generators that emit noxious fumes that make any meaningful research or study impossible- this is the picture of rot that pervades our universities.

Electricity is rationed and is available for less than ten hours in a whole week. A vicious circle that sucks alike brutal and brutalised lecturers and students into its vortex is created. Lecturers have been reduced to mere classroom teachers.

Salaries are delayed or irregular; research funds are grossly inadequate where they are available and lecturers are compelled to obtain bank loans to fund their own research and attend conferences even while carrying killing workloads involving students crammed into classes meant for a fifth of the population in it. Aside all of this, they still have to face the indignity of appearing before very disrespectful and uncouth foreign embassy staff that routinely deny them travel visas to attend international conferences where local conferences are rare and

,

ASUU and Abuja: ‘No agreement today; no agreement tomorrow’ (2)

The politics of survival and ethnic and/or political balancing determines which students are offered admission and which lecturers are hired; it’s even shaping the curriculum in certain instances!

In spite of the very huge population of Enugwu Ukwu and the enormous human capital available in the community, none of its members has been found worthy of appointment into the State Executive Council

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and first of its kind in the state was opened.

This complex served as the first House of Assembly for the newly created Anambra State in 1991.

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ne would expect that the efforts of a community whose indigenes are ever ready and willing to partner with government in the provision of amenities will be appreciated and encouraged. Regrettably, the community has been having a raw deal in the hands of various governments of Anambra State.

In spite of the very huge population of Enugwu Ukwu (it was a one town state constituency in the Second Republic), and the enormous human capital available in the community, none of its members has been found worthy of appointment into the State Executive Council or even Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairman in the past nearly eight years except one flash in the pan at the inception of the Peter Obi administration. A recent appointment of a retired Permanent Secretary as Special Adviser is mere tokenism. The Enugwu Ukwu

are often convened by cronies with an eye to meet the demands for promotion. There is hardly time for relaxed study or sustained reflection, the kind that gives birth to profound insight and discoveries. Scholarship is now a quest for survival, an economic struggle to recoup personal funds invested in academic activities.

Thus after working non-stop for six or more years in the very deplorable environments of our universities, lecturers look forward to their sabbatical. But sabbaticals are no longer what they used to be, a break from the demands of regular work routine, time to regain spent energy and engage in easy research, reflection and maybe light teaching.

Now, sabbaticals are opportunities for fully paid but very rigorous teaching engagements in equally parlous local university environments. This is the practical demand of individual economy. At the end of such sabbaticals, academics return to their regular jobs nowhere improved but more spent, enervated and on edge than they were before the sabbatical. The campus environments are like open market bazaars. There are only dirt roads and footpaths, no paved roads. A concrete jungle of uncompleted, collapsing or collapsed buildings with cracked, unpainted walls that are grimy from lack of maintenance.

The grasses are shaggy, there are no lawns and where they exist they have since turned wild bushes of thistles and thorns. Nobody talks of recreation facilities where libraries and laboratories are empty. The only recreation available is the dangerous kind: prostitution and cheap sex that often trigger bitter and violent confrontations among student terrorists called cultists and local bandits. Robbery, rape and binge drinking are commonplace activities here.

Concluded

community deserves much more than that.

About two or three people who held brief tenure as members of the State Executive Council in the goverments of Dr. Mbadinuju and Chris Ngige were appointed on their personal relationship with the governors. Since Governor Peter Obi mounted the saddle in the past seven and half years, the Enugwu-Ukwu people have been wondering what sin they committed that the Governor is punishing them for. As far as he is concerned the people of Enugwu-Ukwu do not exist. Only a few months ago, the Governor opened the Nawfia byepass, a link off the Awka-Onitsha Expressway to the Old Road. All the neighbouring towns along the express road have bye pass to the Old Road except EnugwuUkwu. Anambra, Umuokpu, Nawfia, Abagana and so on. The Enugwu-Ukwu people have on many occasions humbly requested the Governor to give us this very important link from the express road to the Old Road. He has failed, neglected, refused to do this. Instead the state government continues to toy with the destiny of Enugwu Ukwu by appointing, dissolving and re-appointing different caretaker committees for the town, a situation that creates more confusion than harmonious existence among the indigenes. These obvious acts of neglect and abandonment of Enugwu Ukwu Community by the different administrations concepts of Anambra State since 1991, and especially that of Governor Peter Obi are deeply regrettable but the good people of the community believe that no condition is permanent and that after the darkness comes the glorious dawn. Their yoke under Governor Obi will be over in some month’s time. The Enugwu Ukwu community however assures Governor Obi that the Enugwu Ukwu bye pass will become a reality after he leaves office. The community will then be in a position to tell him “This man is not our God”. *Mr. Ekpe, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja.

20— Vanguard ,

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 28 , 2013

Debate of the masses

We have very long way most of them go to to go! (2) closer, Lagos and these people

BY EBELE ORAKPO

Continues from last week

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*Some suspected vandals paraded last Friday by the SCDC in Lagos. INSET: Adewusi Dayo, Lagos State Commandant

We’re winning war against oil thieves, vandals but...

— NSCDC Commandant Pipeline vandalism and oil theft has been on the increase in parts of the country, including Lagos. It is a challenge the relevant security agencies have been battling to put in check. In Lagos, for instance, the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, popularly known as Civil Defence, is said to have risen to the occasion in clamping down on the activities of these vandals and oil thieves, resulting in several arrests made in recent time. The State Commandant of the Corps, Mr Adesuyi Clement Dayo, during a recent chat with Vanguard Metro informed of efforts by the Command in tackling the problem in the state and the attendant challenges: lion annually due to vandalism and oil theft. This is not a good development as it affects our

‘

We are winning the war against vandalism; I believe the vandals are getting the message that it is not going to be business as usual

economy,” he stated.

On the steps taken by the Command to combat the oil thieves and vandals and put them out of business, the Commandant stated that surveillance was mounted on some of the key areas where illegal operations were carried out. He added that efforts had also been intensified in building a relationship of

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INCE I resumed duty here at the Lagos State Command a couple of months back, it has been very challenging in the sense that I work in a new environment. I also work in a place where vandalism is the order of the day.

“The current state of vandalism in Lagos State is worrisome, because every day these criminals come up with one form of trick or the other. For instance, the last case we handled involved what is known as warehousing. The vandals are now bold enough to rent warehouses where they store these products. This is alarming because if the situation should continue in this trend, then there is trouble.

“Statistically the country loses close to $7 mil-

trust with the communities where pipelines pass through. “ This has helped in getting information on these illegal activities.

It has also created a more favourable ground for us to deal with these information squarely,” he said Mr Dayo also informed on the recent arrests made by the Command along the Badagry/ Seme and Owode border axis where 10 suspected

smugglers were apprehended at a petrol station that was reportedly notorious for accepting and selling illegal petroleum products to suspected smugglers.

“I believe we are definitely winning the war against vandalism. We make arrests on a daily basis; we are sending signals to these van-

dals. As you can see today, we were able to arrest two trucks each loaded with 33,000 litres of PMS; we were able to arrest 10 suspects and at same time seize seven vehicles. So on a daily basis we are winning the war against vandalism.

I believe the vandals are getting the message that it is not going to be business as usual”.

He also has reason to appeal to the Lagos State government to come to their aid by providing patrol vehicles to enable them meet up with the challenges of covering the vast axis where illegal activities are believed to thrive.

“The challenges we face here in Lagos State Command is logistics.

We are talking about covering seven major axes that need to be patrolled on a daily basis, but we don’t have enough vehicles. So this is an area we are appealing to the state government to come to our rescue. We are ready to do our best, but we don’t have enough patrol vehicles. Hopefully, we believe that the state government will listen to us, because we have a listening Governor.”

RE you preaching ethnicity again?” asked Gbenga as the debate in the Obalendebound commercial bus raged on.

Replied Austin: “Hell, no! We are proffering solutions to the congestion in some states. Lagos is already over-congested while some towns in the South-East (SE) are sparsely populated and others congested. A youth corps member from the South-West was posted to a town in the SE. She said she was surprised at what she saw – beautiful, gigantic modern buildings, some more beautiful than you find in so-called mega cities, but many of them unoccupied! Meanwhile, the owners may be somewhere in Lagos living in a room and parlour apartment and paying through their nose. It doesn’t make sense,” said Kaycee.

“Well, it perfectly makes sense because that is where his business thrives, courtesy of the high population density and civil servants, bankers, oil industry and telecom workers who have the means to patronise them. If he relocates to his state, he will lose most of his customers. Lagos is overpopulated and public infrastructure seem to be overwhelmed right now because it was a former federal capital with heavy Federal Government presence so federal civil servants moved to Lagos.

Naturally, contractors, banks and other businesses had to move if they must survive,” replied Gbenga.

“To be honest, the Federal Government has not been fair to the SE. No seaport, only recently did they get an international airport. So all this while, if someone wants to travel outside the country, he must either go to Lagos or Abuja, and since Lagos is

travel a lot. So I think what Lagos and other overcongested states should be calling for is decentralisation of government presence. I believe that if the SE has a seaport and a functional standard international airport, I don’t see someone from Onitsha or Aba or Owerri travelling all the way to Lagos or Abuja to get a visa or board a flight or going all the way to Lagos to clear his goods.

“So for now, all that movement is a necessary evil. Reminds me of a man that was always at loggerheads with his wife. A friend of his advised him that instead of the woman sending him to an early grave, he should send her packing and he replied that the woman was a very necessary evil. So until there’s an alternative, these cities will continue to be congested, period!” stated Iyke.

“Some people say that Igbos are very unfriendly and an Igbo man will never sell his land to another person,” quipped Bayo.

Said Austin: “You and I know that is not true. If you are bold enough to go there and find a piece of land that is for sale and you want to buy, once you can pay the price, they will sell. As for Igbos being unfriendly, I totally disagree with you. An average Igbo person will treat a stranger better than a fellow Igbo.

An Igbo man will rather help a non-Igbo in his domain than help his brother. They have this thing in them that makes them feel protective over a stranger because they see the stranger as being all alone so they do everything to make him comfortable. Since he knows you don’t understand the language, he speaks the one you understand so you are not left out. This is unlike most tribes in Nigeria.

Anyway, there are bad people everywhere. The average African is accommodating, friendly, loving and kind but there are a few exceptions.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 — 21

Minister restates FG’s commitment to develop statistical system

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INISTER of National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to the growth and development of the Nigerian statistical system.

Usman said this at the stakeholders’ workshop on the “Rebasing of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)”, organised by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Abuja. He said statistics was imperative as the full realisation of sectoral goal targets in the Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:2020 policy depended on the availability of timely and reliable statistics. According to him, the purpose of rebasing Nigeria’s GDP is to measure changes that occurred from 1990 to date.

“Nigeria’s GDP estimates are compiled, using the three approaches such as production, income and expenditure. Each of these approaches accounts for the nation’s output from different perspectives of economic activity. Several important indicators that can be derived from GDP estimates includes: per capital GDP, fiscal deficit to GDP ratio, debt-GDP ratio, tax-GDP ratio, oil and non-oil GDP and sectoral contribution to GDP,” Usman said.

From left: Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power, Engr. Beks DagogoJack and the Permanent Secretary, Power, Amb. Godknows Igali after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Aso Villa, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

MAN tasks states, FG on multiple taxation

BY ADEMOLA AKINYEMI

F

ORMER Minister of Industry and National President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr Kola Jamodu, has urged federal and state governments to urgently remove the bottleneck of multiple taxation and provide infrastructure that will support manufacturing industries with a view to returning the country to full industrialisation.

Jamodu said this in Ilorin during a familiarisation visit of the national executive -0.20 members of the 11.30 association to +6.00 2,426.00 industries in Kwara State, which include +0.16 KAM Industries, 16.44 United Foam, R A J R A B Pharmaceutical 109.92 -0.23 company and Forgo Battery industries, 104.65 -0.46 among others. The MAN boss noted that CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING it is only through industrialisation that DOLLAR 154.76 155.26 155.76 STERLING 240.8994 241.6777 242.456 the unemployment EURO 206.9141 207.5826 208.2511 problems in the FRANC 167.4892 168.0303 168.5714 country can be YEN 1.5689 1.574 1.5791 solved. His words, “if CFA 0.2953 0.3053 0.3153 WAUA 234.2687 235.0256 235.7825 we mean very well RENMINBI 25.2776 25.3597 25.4418 for this country on the RIYAL 41.2638 41.3971 41.5305 need to generate KRONA 27.7382 27.8279 27.9175 employment, such SDR 235.2971 236.0573 236.8175 can only be done if manufacturing CBN Exchange rate as at 27/08/2013

industries are assisted and revived through infrastructural development.”

He said available records have shown that 23 out of every 100 Nigerian are unemployed, stressing that the trend should be urgently redressed. He also explained that the number of unemployed is largely made up of people between the age of 20 to 27, adding that this is the reason why government at all levels need to join hands with manufacturers to solve unemployment problem in the country.

Jamodu further said that the agricultural produce in the country should not be exported

without adding value to them.

He noted that such move will lead to providing jobs for citizens, and urged government to fashion out policies that would favour establishment of industries in the country.

He said the association has about 2,500 members and that about 70 percent of industries in the country are located in Lagos, Ogun and South Eastern parts of the country, adding that government should accelerate the provision of gas pipeline to encourage establishment of manufacturing industries and their sustenance in other parts of the country.

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, assured the

manufacturers of the state government’s readiness to create incentives that will encourage manufacturing industries to flourish in the state. He said the state will also design policy that will grant tax holiday to manufacturing industries in the state, adding that all bottlenecks will be removed.

Earlier in her address, Chairperson of Kwara and Kogi states chapter of the association, Princess Omolola Olobayo, said the essence of the visit is for the association to evaluate the industrial development in the state. She urged members of the association to continue to be committed to the drive of providing employment to the teaming unemployed youths in the country.

Islamic finance body, IILM, sells $490m Sukuk

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CONSORTIUM of central banks from Asia, Middle East and Africa has taken a first step towards developing a cross-border market in Islamic financial instruments by issuing a $490 million Sukuk. The threemonth Islamic bonds, denominated in U.S. dollars, were issued by the Malaysia-based International Islamic Liquidity Management Corp (IILM). Its debut issue was fully subscribed, the IILM said in a statement.

Islamic finance, which obeys religious principles such as a ban on interest payments, has grown

rapidly since the global financial crisis and is now estimated to have well over $1 trillion of assets around the world.

But its expansion has been limited by a shortage of highly liquid, investment-grade financial instruments, which Islamic banks can trade to manage their short-term funding needs. The IILM, founded by the central banks in 2010, aims to address that weakness by issuing Sukuk, which banks can trade across borders. The IILM Sukuk received a high A-1 credit rating from Standard & Poor’s, and the

IILM has said it plans to increase its issuance eventually to as much as $3 billion.

The Sukuk, priced at 30 basis points over the London Interbank Offered Rate, was auctioned off to seven institutions from around the world: Kuwait Finance House, Europe’s KBL Private Bankers, Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Qatar National Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and AlBaraka Turk, which is the Turkish unit of Bahrain’s AlBaraka Banking Group.

22—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Risks you are exposed to and how you can manage them (2)

BRIEFS

Elements that make risks insurable

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Private individuals should operate microinsurance firms — Soladoye

CONTINUES FROM LAST WEEK

1. It must be fortuitous in nature For a risk to be insurable, there must be an element of uncertainty whereby the unfortunate may happen or may not happen. That uncertainty element allows the insurer to predict by the use of the law of large numbers and probability theory, that from a homogenous group transferring their risks, a given percentage might incur losses, and from the contribution of the homogenous group, the insurer can compensate the few amongst them. If it were to be certain that all of them will suffer a loss, what amount of provision can any Insurer make? The Insurer would rather be making more than 100% provision leaving the Insured or risk transferor exposed to the payment of an uneconomic or unreasonable premium.

2. There must be insurable interest The risk must also have an insurable interest element. By insurable interest, we mean the legal relationship possessed by that person willing to buy insurance or transferring the risk in the subject matter of the insurance contract, to the extent that if the risk happens, he or she will suffer financially. For example if a lady bought a bag for N10,000, and If at the bus stop a thief suddenly snatched it and ran away, she would have suffered to the extent of N10,000. The insurable interest in that bag, is what she suffered financially(i.e N10,000.00) by theft of the bag.

From the above illustration, one can see the theft risk resulting in a financial loss of N10,000.00 being the value of the lady’s bag and which therefore makes it insurable. If there was no insurable interest ab-initio, then the risk of theft to which the lady and her bag were exposed will not be insurable.

You must always find yourself in a legally recognised position that will expose you to some financial loss if the subject matter of the insurance contract is destroyed or lost either as a result of fire, theft or accident.

3. Public policy It must not be against public policy to insure against any risk, e.g gambling, court fines and penalties. For example, if one is charged for committing any criminal act, the risk of any fine or penalty imposed following conviction cannot be transferred or insured. It is not done. It would be against public policy for such things to be legalized or encouraged. It could also lead to disorder on a large scale in the society, thereby exposing people to unnecessary danger. For example, If anyone kills and can insure against whatever damage or fines that will be imposed, then the crime of killing people on the grounds that insurance cover can be procured will create insecurity in the society .

Benefits of insurance You will appreciate that if not for insurance, probably there will not have been any economy, because all facets of our lives are exposed to one risk or the other. Insurance has therefore remained one of the modern methods by which risk can be handled or treated.

How can risk be handled?

Risk transfer mechanism The most modern and scientific way of handling an insurable risk is by transferring it to a professional risk carrier, that is, to an insurance firm.

That is the best way to insure against your risk which will give you peace of mind. If one wants

By Dr. Wole Adetimehin, Managing Director, Jully Insurance Brokers and Immediate Past President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN

to venture into a business and there is no insurance protection, such ventures will not be secured. That is why when one is venturing into a business, and an approach is made to the bank, it is not uncommon for the bank to demand for your insurance as part of their collateral. So insurance all over the world , is the most modern and scientific way of handling risk (i.e Risk transfer mechanism.)

Another method of handling your risk is by self-insurance.

This is the practice when one decides to retain or carry his risks and the consequential financial effects by himself. If over time, one can define his risk exposures, and can conclude that in the last three years, I have suffered this amount of loss in naira terms, and, in another three/ four years, if that trend continues or persists, one can choose to bear the risk and the consequences. Going by this experience, one can therefore set aside a small budget or savings from which to meet losses in the event of any unfortunate incident.

ippines, they have three tiers of insurance system, just like what we have in the banking sector. The national level, which is the first tier operation, has its capital base, state has its and the local government, has its capital base too.

If we do this, insurance will get to everywhere in Nigeria.”

Soladoye noted that the insurance industry needs a treat from without, stressing that the treat would come when the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, appreciates the fact that insurance should not be distributed only through the traditional distribution channel.

It will be recalled that NAICOM said it will soon release the guidelines that would help unlock the over N60 billion microinsurance untapped opportunities in the country. It was gathered that NAICOM is putting finishing touches to ensure the release of the much anticipated guidelines that would help deepen the retail market and take insurance to the grassroots.

The operational guidelines are expected to strengthen the collaboration between insurers and micro finance banks which are anxiously waiting to leverage on it to secure the loans granted to their customers.

Another method is risk avoidance Here you can choose to avoid risk but it retards development. If you want to avoid the risk of accident, you won’t leave your house.

So you have restricted yourself to accident in the house which can be minimal or if one wants to avoid motor accident, you don’t go on the high way or join any transport, nor drive any motor vehicle. One can see by implications that one’s movement is restricted, while you cannot pursue any venture or achieve progress or growth.

Captive insurance Another example is for a group of companies that can do self-insurance to come together and put in place a captive insurance arrangement whereby all members of the group can contribute to the common or central pool , from which any member of the group can be compensated in the event of a loss.

The way forward My advice is that people should recognize the existence of risk in all human endeavors and pursue pragmatic steps to handle their risk exposures. So it could be a combination of methods, either by risk transfer, that is buying insurance or you retaining some of the risks yourself (Self Insurance). It is not the best policy not to embrace insurance. It will also not portray any managerial prudence for any one or a corporate body not to operate a functional insurance philosophy.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

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ANAGING Director of Riskguard-Africa Nigeria Limited, Mr. Yemi Soladoye, has suggested that experienced private individuals with little capital should be allowed to participate in the microinsurance business.

According to Soladoye, there is an urgent need for the nation to have three tiers of insurance practice - underwriters, brokers and microinsurance operators, adding that the system would really help take insurance to the grassroots.

He said, “If NAICOM opens the doors for retail business, what it gets from the over N200 billion that is generated now by operators will be multiplied by five. For example, let NAICOM urge all insurance journalists that have been on ground for the past three years, to bring their application to run a micro-insurance company with statutory capital of a car, rent a room and parlour, have a fan not an air-conditioner and the total cost must not be beyond N1 million, including application fee of N25,000 and renewal fee of N5,000. That will open up the industry.

“In countries like the Phil-

From left: Segun Balogun, MD; Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, chairman, and Mary Agha, company secretary, all of Wapic Insurance Plc, at the 54th annual general meeting of the company in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

Deacon Segun Ajibola, 2nd Vice President CIBN (left); and Mr. Tay Kay Luan, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Bankers, Malaysia and Guest Speaker, during the Fellowship Award to mark the 50th annversary of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigerian (CIBN), in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 — 23

FG complies with ‘no premium, no cover’ policy — NAICOM STORIES BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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provides insurance cover without collecting the premium would be liable to a penalty of N500, 000 or lose its license.

The Commission noted that all insurance covers shall only be provided on a strict ‘no premium, no cover ’ basis. It maintained that only cover for which payment has been received directly by the insurer or indirectly through a duly licensed insurance broker

shall be recognised as income in the books of the insurer.

NAICOM said any insurer who grants cover without having premium in advance or premium receipt notification from the relevant insurance broker shall be liable to a penalty of N500, 000 in respect of each cover so granted, and in addition, may be a ground for suspension of the license of the insurer.

It said irrespective of period of insurance, insurers shall ensure that at any point they have received directly or indirectly, through the insurance broker the full premium in advance for cover being granted.

NAICOM noted that all brokers should within 48 hours of receiving premiums on behalf of any insurer; notify the insurer in writing in each case

OMMISSIONER for In surance, Mr. Fola Daniel has said that the federal government has complied 100 per cent with the ‘no premium, no cover’ policy on insurance accounts.

Daniel said that the biggest test of the ‘no premium, no cover’ was the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) account, which generated over $70 million (N11.36 billion), and was paid before the renewal date.

He said, “On government accounts, I think there is 100 per cent compliance. The biggest test of the ‘no premium, no cover’ was the NNPC account, which generated over $70 million, and was paid promptly.

“The effective date for renewal of NNPC’s account was April 1 and the premium was paid on March 30. So I do not know of any government account where somebody will breach the law.”

It will be recalled From left: Sade Kilaso, Executive Director, Human Resources; Bola Adesola, Managing Directhat NAICOM had on tor/CEO (CIBN Honorary Fellow); David Adepoju, Head, Global Markets and Callistus Obetta, January 1, warned that Chief Information Officer, all of Standard Chartered Bank, at the CIBN investiture, in Lagos. any underwriter that

Banks and health funds drive growth of cyber crime cover T

HE cyber risk insurance market is growing steadily, with financial institutions such as health funds and smaller banks among the first adopters, according to Zurich Head of Financial Institutions Asia-Pacific Damian Lynch.

“They are the ones who are most interested,” he said at a financial institutions forum hosted by Zurich in Sydney last week.

“They say they not only have all your financial information, but they also have all your medical information. So they have a whole lot of confidential information, which if stolen can lead to all sorts of consequences.” Cyber risk cover entered the market about 13 years ago but is only now taking off, Lynch said.

In 2011 Zurich released its security and privacy protection product – covering first-party liability and third-party loss – and its commercial crime policy

for business. Both cover against the increasing risks of cyber crime.

“We’re getting some traction with this now at Zurich,” Lynch said. “It’s the thing most people want to discuss. I get asked to talk about cyber cover more than anything. So I think there’s potential there. I think

the way it’s taking off here gives me cause for optimism that this is a market. It’s cutting-edge at the moment.”

Fraud risk is of particular concern in some countries, according to Lynch, adding “I am responsible for a book of business that includes all of Asia, where fraud is the main thing I worry about for financial institutions.

Some countries are just inher-

ently safer and some are not.

We have had some pretty serious fraud losses paid in Asia, that’s for sure.” Ernst & Young partner and fraud specialist Rob Locke says record levels of fraud were reported globally last year, and economic pressures such as higher unemployment and flattening business management structures will continue the trend.

CIIN seeks growth of insurance industry P

RESIDENT of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Mr. Fatai Lawal, has called for more cooperation among insurance operators to engender growth and development in the industry.

He gave the admonition at a picnic organised by the institute last week at Eleko Beach in Lagos, adding that operators should endeavour to attend programmes organised by the institute.

Lawal took time to meet the operators made up of underwriters, brokers and reinsurers and encouraged them to continue to lend their support to the industry. He also used

the opportunity to encourage the friends and family members who accompanied the operators to embrace insurance.

He noted that the picnic is a platform meant to enliven operators having been stressed by their daily chores. He added that the situation in the economy does not give room for people to relax; hence, the picnic helps to create atmosphere of relaxation for operators, their friends and families.

He said the event is a boost to awareness drive and impacts the industry greatly as friends and family members of the operators who participate get to know more about insurance.

of the receipt of such premium, adding that all such notification shall be accompanied by the broker ’s credit notes, acknowledging indebtedness to the insurer.

It maintained that upon the receipt of such credit notes, the insurer shall issue cover and forward the policy documents along with the related debt notes to the broker.

Insurers fail to meet rogue trader risk — Zurich R

OGUE traders such as Nick Leeson pose a major threat to financial institutions but insurers struggle to offer adequate cover for such cases, according to Zurich Head of Financial Institutions Asia-Pacific Damian Lynch.

“If Leeson’s bank Barings had bought a policy – if it had been available – it still would have gone under because we would not have been able to provide enough capacity to mitigate the bank’s exposure,” he told a Zurich financial institutions forum in Sydney last week. It is a hard risk to underwrite because the exposure is so large and the sums involved become “very high, very fast”.

Leeson cost Barings more than $1.3 billion in losses during the 1990s, while former Societe Generale trader Jerome Kerviel has been ordered to repay $7.2 billion after one of the world’s biggest trading frauds in 2008.

Institutions often do not have the right type or degree of cover, Lynch said.

“There was a lot of talk about cover for unauthorised trading when it first came out and we thought it might be something that was really of value to the customers. I am not convinced about it yet.”

Clients might buy $100 million or $150 million of cover but this will not match losses from a serious fraud.

“It’s extremely complex cover. It’s very technical and I think we could do a better job as an industry of perhaps trying to simplify it a little bit.”

After a large number of losses from trading scandals, the global financial crisis has affected the market, underwriters have backed away and premiums have risen.

“At Zurich, the products we have offered for unauthorised trading have not been the runaway success for us or our customers that we hoped,” Lynch said.

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Budgets, project execution and budget performance From left: Second Deputy National President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mrs. Alaba Lawson; Director-General, African Affairs in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Amb. Yoshifumi Okamura; Director, Asia & Pacific of Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Adekumbi Osunaike; Director General of NACCIMA, Dr. John Isemede and Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Ambassador Godwin Agbo at the Nigeria-Japan Business Meeting held in Lagos.

FG out with alternative financing soon — DMO

BY PETER EGWUATU

T

HE Debt Management Office, DMO, has revealed that the Federal Government will soon come out with modalities for alternative financing in order to reduce borrowing from both internal and external sources.

Director General, DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, who revealed this said, “Government is already working on alternative financing sources and generally the non-interest financing products including the Sukuk. “ According to him, “Just recently, there was a workshop in Abuja organised by the Africa Development Bank, ADB, which involved other African countries and we deliberated on how to go forward. So Nigeria is seriously working on establishing the necessary frameworks for tapping into alternative sources of funding; including Sukuk like I mentioned earlier. Nigeria is going to take advantage of all available and appropriate sources. At the Abuja forum, I did say that it should not be taken that development alternative financing should be restricted to government just as in the conventional

debt instruments whereby we are encouraging the private sector to take advantage. We are also for the noninterest financing, including Sukuk, while encouraging the private sector to play the lead role. It’s not for government to start issuing sovereign Sukuks, at the appropriate time, they will do that. The private sector should understand this new financing alternative so they could take advantage of this.”

When asked if there is a possibility of providing enhancement for Nigerian corporates, Nwankwo said, “There are various credit enhancement that are already in place, for instance, the partial risk guaranty offered by the World Bank Group and this usually comes through the Ministry of Finance. I’m aware there are a couple of projects seeking funding through this alternative.

There are arrangements in place if some foreign investors, possibly in collaboration with Nigerian partners, want to invest in the country, and they need some form of political guaranty, that can be assessed from the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a member of the World Bank Group.”

Heineken to acquire 57% stake in Champion Breweries

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM with Agency Report

H

EINEKEN, the parent company of Nigerian Breweries Plc, has disclosed plans agreed to acquire a 57 percent equity stake in Champion Breweries Plc from Consolidated Breweries Plc, which is majorly owned by the Dutch beer maker.

Raysun Nigeria, a wholly owned Heineken unit, will acquire 513 million shares from Consolidated Breweries subject to regulatory approval, Amsterdam-based Heineken said in a statement.

According to Heineken, the reorganisation will optimise Consolidated Breweries’ operations by C M Y K

reducing excess production capacity it no longer needs.

Raysun can adequately meet lossmaking Champion Breweries’ financing and restructuring needs, the company said.

A pep into the six months financial results for the period ended 31st July, 2013, filed with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, showed that Champion posted a loss after tax of N758 million ($4.7 million) for the six months through June, compared with loss of N806 million in 2012.

Revenue rose to N327 million from N281 million in the same period of 2012. The stock declined 10 percent to N15.68 per share at the end of transaction on Monday 26th August, 2013.

available. Thus, a government’s performance should be based on the quality of social infrastructure it provides and the value the public derive from using the social infrastructure.

In this respect, the Lagos State Government, LASG, should be commended for its policy of building its roads with a crushed stone base above the earthfill before the road surface is made with asphalt. The roads being built now should remain serviceable for several years from now. This should be the standard for road building everywhere in Nigeria. The value of any social infrastructure encompasses its costs and how it functions in use. The Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority, LAMATA, in a recent television programme indicated that it had carried out traffic surveys on roads it had constructed and it was found that travel times on these roads had reduced significantly. This is a good example of how value can be delivered on social

,

A

budget is an estimate of the amounts of money to be received and amounts of money to be spent for carrying out the objectives of an organisation or government over a specified period of time, usually a year.

The budget identifies the activities that would be carried out, when each activity would commence and end, the costs of the resources that would be applied for each activity and the source of funds to meet the costs.

The performance of a manufacturing/ commercial organisation is usually set out in a statement of comprehensive income after the organisation’s activities have been carried out for the year. The statement of comprehensive income identifies the revenue from which the cost of sales is deducted to give the gross profit. Other operating income is added to the gross profit while marketing, distribution and administrative expenses are deducted to arrive at the operating profit. The profit for the year that is attributable to the owners of the organisation is obtained after deductions for finance costs and taxation. The organisation also gives a statement of its financial position in which it sets out its assets and liabilities at the end of the year.

Financial statements are usually published by governments that have raised funds from the capital market in Nigeria. The statement of the government’s consolidated revenue fund identifies internally generated fund, statutory allocation, value added tax and other revenue that make up the total revenue. The basic expenditure is made up of personnel cost, pensions and gratuity, consolidated revenue fund charges, overhead cost, grants and contribution. The surplus of consolidated revenue fund over basic expenditure is transferred to the capital development fund.

Capital receipts plus transfers from the consolidated revenue fund make up the capital development fund which is applied for the provision and maintenance of social infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water supply, power supply, schools, hospitals and other public buildings. The government’s financial statement does not include these fixed assets but is limited to what can be described as current assets and liabilities.

A manufacturing/commercial organisation in addition to making a profit provides for the depreciation of its fixed assets and in the process allows for the replacement of its fixed assets from its operating profit. For example, computing equipment is usually depreciated over a period of three years by manufacturing/commercial organisations and such equipment can be replaced at the end of the three-year period. If, however, government builds a road which breaks up and has to be resurfaced three years after its completion, that government cannot readily increase the social infrastructure

I would like to suggest that as an act of giving value to the population both the executive and legislative arms of government should agree to provide at least N80 billion for the reconstruction of the Lagos to Ibadan Expressway in the 2014 budget.

,

infrastructure projects.

The reports of a significant drop in government revenues from crude oil sales should give us the impetus to examine how best to apply the diminished revenues in order to obtain optimal value. Contracts for the reconstruction of the Lagos to Ibadan expressway were reported to have been awarded recently for a sum of about N170billion with a completion period of 4years. More recently, there have been reports that the Federal Ministry of Works, FMW, has current commitments on road contracts of about N1,630 billion.

The capital budget for FMW for 2013 has been given as N141billion of which N42 billion had been released to FMW at the time of the report. FMW also has 25 highway projects under the 2013 budget and there exists the possibility of other new projects being added in 2014. The spread of the available resources over so many projects would leave us with many uncompleted projects. I would like to suggest that as an act of giving value to the population both the executive and legislative arms of government should agree to provide at least N80 billion for the reconstruction of the Lagos to Ibadan Expressway in the 2014 budget.

To be continued

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—25

DIARY

Select ICT events zITEXPO West 2013. Holds 27-29 Aug 2013 in Las Vegas, USA.

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

zDesign & Manufacturing Midwest 2013. Holds 10-12 Sep 2013 in Chicago, USA.

Satellite technology fetches Nigeria N116bn

zMiddle East Telco World Summit 2013. Holds 23-24 Sep 2013 in Dubai, UAE.

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

D

zP & T EXPO COMM CHINA 2013. Holds 24-28 Sep 2013 in Beijing, China. zCRM-expo 2013.

Holds 24-26 Sep 2013 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Preview

New inventions shaping life and living

Malaria detection through electricity

A new microfluidic device relies on the electrical properties of the infected cells to detect the disease in its early stages. Developed by a team at MIT, the device is based on the knowledge that once a red blood cell is infected by the malaria parasite, it becomes more magnetic and rigid. By cell types at different stages of disease, the team was able to combine measurements of the differences in electrical signals into an index called a delta, which in turn made the different signals of infected cells and uninfected cells clearer.

The MIT team plans to investigate the possibility of using the device to detect other diseases based on electrical changes in the cells.

I N S I D E C M Y K

MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP END OF LIFE 1: From left, Ade Famoti, Acting Director, Enterprise and Partner Group, Microsoft Nigeria; Abiodun Ogunjobi, Head, Marketing at Ha-Shem Network Services Limited; Awawu Olumide-Sojinrin, Acting Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, and Oluyomi Alarape, Director, Solutions & Sales Datacenter Specialist at Microsoft Nigeria during a press conference to announce End of Support for Microsoft Windows XP and Office 2003, in Lagos.

BROADBAND:

FG moves to streamline pricing of rights of way

BY EMEKA AGINAM

M

INISTER of Communica tion Technology, Mrs . Omobola Johnson has disclosed that the Federal government was working to remove any bottlenecks to the speedy roll out of infrastructure, collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Works to streamline and standardize the processes and pricing of Right-of-Way (ROW) on Federal Highways across the country.

This is as the national broadband strategy and roadmap developed by a Presidential Committee to facilitate the achievement of fivefold increase in broadband penetration by 2017 has been submitted and approved by the federal government.

Union Bank deploys Samsung's Bank of the Future solution

The Minister in her keynote address at the just concluded second National Council on Communication Technology held in in Akure, the Ondo State said that has been adopted by the National Council of Works and is now applicable to state highways as well. “ The National Economic Council last month formally endorsed these guidelines and has also committed to streamlining

and standardising the levies that are charged on telecoms infrastructure.

Working with the Ministry of Environment we have finally been able to align the NESREA and NCC regulations on base stations.

“These are extremely significant achievements and milsetones as they have established the predictability of the cost of infrastructure development in the ICT sector,

State governments have more complete knowledge of their localities and can work closely with service providers in their respective states to identify where and what kinds of servicesshould be made available and where there are under-served and unserved areas

Nokia takes on Android battle with Lumia windows phone

ITAN partners Pinnacle to promote Nigerian pavilion at GITEX 2013

reduced the cost of network deployment by ensuring that for every naira that is spent on infrastructure more is spent on actual infrastructure and less on administration and taxes, as well as shortened the period for application processing.

“I know that these guidelines have been discussed in the last few days and it is my expectation that you will all work with us to ensure that these guidelines are adhered to at the state level," she explained.

According to Johnson, the efforts being made by the Federal Government will not yield optimum results without active participation of the states and local governments adding that there was need to Continues on page 28

IRECTOR-General of National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, Prof. Seidu Onailo Mohammed says Communication Satellite is making a huge remittance to the economy by raking in about $90 billion in 2011 alone, comprising Satellite Television, Satellite radio and broadband.

In addition, he said that about $16 billion revenue also accrued to the industry in the same year.

Prof. Mohammed disclosed this at the weekend, during a lecture on Communication Satellite in Commemoration of the Launch of the first Communication Satellite in Nigeria organized by NASRDA in Abuja.

Prof. Mohammed said that Communication Satellite is a multi-billion dollars industry that gives high returns on investments, which must be tapped by both government and private sector to drive enhance their operations.

He said that the launch of Syncom” in July 26, 1963, symbolized the beginning of technological revolutions across the globe through the application of Space Science Technology. ‘‘As scientists, research organizations and Nigerians, this historic occasion is unique to us in several ways, following various landmark experiments carried out after its successful launch. ‘‘Ladies and gentlemen, it will interest you that it is exactly fifty years today, when the historic telephone conversation between the then American president John Kennedy and Nigerian Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa

Continues on page 28

Digital migration to free N380bn worth of spectrum

26— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Union Bank deploys Samsung's Bank of the Future solution

BY EMEKA AGINAM

S

AMSUNG Electron ics West Africa, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Company Limited, has delivered a cutting edge customer experience solutions that is expected to revolutionize banking transactions, leveraging on contemporary technology.

The solution Samsung “Bank of the Future” Solution,was unveiled by Union Bank last week in Lagos.

The bank of the future is an interactive self-service solution that focuses on gaining an in-depth knowledge of the individual customers of the bank to meet their unique needs. The solution ensures that customers are well informed and better engaged whenever they come into the banking halls and are promptly attended to, living them with a unique customer experience that is deeplysatisfying.

Speaking at the launch of the prototype, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, who spoke at the launch of the new product said the Samsung “Bank of the Future” Solution will differentiate Union Bank from the rest and create a niche for the bank.

Customers coming into the banking hall, he explained will be well informed about operations, and various products of-

ferings in a way they will not easily forget.

“Union Bank has identified the need to create a new way of banking, with real focus on the customer, leveraging retail design principles and identified opportunities from new technologies. BOF solution will enhance functional experience of banking and information gathering for the customer and accommodating a suite of contemporary technology options designed to increase efficiency and speed for the customer experience and turnaround time”, he said.

Key components of the Samsung “Bank of the Future” Solution includes: Media All in One Kiosk; a single user electronic touch-screen information point.

The content links the reality of the local branch service offer and spatial experience of the bank with the broader nationwide Union Bank media presence.

The content and the range of digital display material are animated and filmic and convey a sense of life, change and interest that is greater than purely static messages.

The kiosk engage customer in an intimate way rather than addressing them as though they were in a football stadium, customers could actually request for credit card, debit card, open a bank account and request for loan or consumer products.

MTN offers easy recharge with VTU plus

BY JOY OBOMASE

M

TN Nigeria has repackaged its virtual airtime top up package which gives subscribers the comfort of recharging their phones at home or in their offices.

Unveiling the VTU Plus product in Lagos, Mr. Omatsola Barrow, MTN Sales and distribution Executive said the Virtual Top Up (VTU) is an airtime recharge mechanism that allows a VTU vendor (VTU seller) top up MTN subscriber account without the use of a short code, adding that VTU enables one to buy and sell air time with one’s phone without the 12 digit recharge PINs. He noted that VTU Plus is another innovation from MTN . VTU Plus allows the retailer to sell VTU air time as well as data bundles, blackberry subscriptions and logical PINs.

VTU Plus is said to be important to MTN trade partners as it would enable them make one single payment for Stock but be able to sell 48 different MTN products and services; enable effective tracking and monitoring of sales by both MTN and Trade Partners; ensure safe keeping of unsold stock in Electronic format, reduce cost of Inventory; increase speed of distribution of products and services to the end users; eliminate losses in theft of stock and eliminate cost of cost of warehousing, staff, storage etc.

Barrow however noted that VTU Plus is an Electronic Voucher Distribution platform and a strategic direct to retail tool, which has the advantage of a paperless environment and has no need for thermal POS paper. He warned that the solution is not a payment platform.

Things appear to be looking up for Nokia and its Lumia series of Windows Phone devices as its latest series, Lumia 925 marks the first time when the mobile device maker has used metal in its Lumia portfolio. The latest series being a solid mix of hardware and software, the phone maker is banking on its camera state-of-art technology to give it the edge over other leading brands like Apple iPhone 5 , TECNO , Samsung Galaxy S4 among others.

The Lumia 925 is compatible with 3G and 4G networks.

Software For phone geeks who seek the best in the mobile phone ecosystem, Lumia 925 series f Windows Phone 8 is the option. With its thinner design, high-resolution screen, and excellent camera capabilities , the Lumia 925 runs on Windows Phone 8 operating system and comes with what Nokia calls the Amber update on top.

The Lumia 925 introduces Nokia Smart Cam that takes a burst shot and then allows users do things like remove objects, add motion blur, change faces in a group shot to get the best face for every individual or create an action shot.

Interestingly, this tools tools are user friendly, making it easy for users

Nokia takes on Android battle with Lumia windows phone

to play around with photos.

For one thing, the phone maker has packed Smart Camera application which includes an array of photo editing features, including the ability to choose between the best shot in a series of shots and the best facial expression after you’ve taken a group or portrait photo.

The Smart Camera app is a part of the forthcoming Amber update for the rest of Nokia’s Windows Phone 8-based

smartphones, but Lumia 925 users have immediate access to these features and more.

The 925’s inclusion of extra apps for photo editing is a nice touch considering the mess that is the Windows Phone Marketplace, but some of the Smart Camera’s abilities will take a bit of adjusting to.

Key features •The world’s most advanced lens technology and Nokia imaging software on the Nokia

Lumia 925 delivers the best low light images.

•The new Nokia Smart Camera captures 10 high quality images at one click for powerful new creative possibilities, such as Best Shot, Action Shot, and Motion Focus •Nokia Lumia 925 features a metal frame around the body for antenna functionality, appeal and robustness.

•Comes with the world’s only fully integrated and true offline maps experience from the HERE location suite.

•Offers access to a world of music available to stream or download with Nokia Music.

• *Being made available as an update Nokia original accessories •Camera: PureView 8.7 MP with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Autofocus, short pulse high power dual LED flash, most advanced lens technology, 1080p HD video at 30fps with OIS. Includes Nokia Smart Camera mode. Secondary camera: HD 1.2MP wide angle.

— Emeka Aginam

UN e-learning boss speaks aT ISPON conference

BY EMEKA AGINAM

N

IGERIA may sub stantially improve her global ICT rating and benefit immensely on foreign direct investment (FDI) as the United Nation Chair on e-Learning, Professor Emeritus Tapio Varis has accepted to deliver the keynote at the 2013 National Software Conference and Competition organized by the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) in partnership with the Government of CrossRiver State.

However, Prof. Tapio is currently promoting the conference internationally in USA, Europe, Japan and Africa, at the highest level of Intellectual knowledge Domain.

The event is slated to hold between 22-23 October, 2013 at the Tinapa Knowledge City, Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State with the Theme: “Software Strategies for Retooling the Workforce Having secured the acknowledgment of UNCTAD on her development efforts in the Nigeria Software Ecosystem, the ISPON President,

GLO OPENING: Ekiti State Commissioner for Information & Civic Orientation, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo cuts the tape to declare open the Ado-Ekiti Gloworld shop over the weekend, while Globacom’s Regional Sales Manager (Activation) Ekiti State, Mr. Kayode Akano (left) and Regional Sales Manager (Recharge), Ekiti State, Mr. Tunji Omoworare look on.

Chris Uwaje said that arrangements have put in place to host Prof. Varis and other an estimated array of 850 ICT audience including International/ ECOWAS ICT Experts, Nigerian ICT Professionals/Engineers, Hot-Head Coders/Software-Developers, Government Policy makers from Federal and State MDAs, Lecturers

and Researchers, Venture Capitalists, Students of Computer Science related courses from tertiary institutions around the federation, ICT Journalists and other stakeholders.

Accordingly, Dr. Engr.

Ernest Ndukwe, Former EVC of NCC & Chairman Open Media Group, Prof.

Pat Utomi , founder, Center for Values in Leadership, Hon. Amb. Nkoyo

Toyo – Member Federal House of Representatives, Engr. Alfred Okoigun , MD/CEO Arco Petrochemicals Ltd, Barbara James – founder Henshaw Capital Partners, Prof. Charles Ayo, VC Covenant University and Prof. Musbau Akanji , VC FUT Minna. among other dignitaries that are expected to discuss papers.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —27

28—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

ITAN partners Pinnacle to promote Nigerian pavilion at GITEX 2013

BY ADEKUNLE ADEKOYA

T

HE Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN) is partnering with US based Pinnacle International Consulting, LLC, to organize the first Nigerian Pavilion at GITEX Technology Week holding October 20-24 this year inside the Dubai World Trade Center, UAE. GITEX Technology is the premier Technology event in the Middle East and south East Asia (MEASA), which now occupies over 78,000 sqm of space, and saw Infocomm and ITU (International Telecommunication Union) collocate with it in 2012. More than 150, 000 trade visitors and exhibitors from 144 countries attended Gitex 2012 which recorded over 25,000 visitors from Africa. Over 20,000 C-Level visitors at the event last year; $1,2million was the average value per order placed during the event and 92% of the exhibitors met their ROI expectations.

The Nigerian Pavilion at the GITEX Technology Week, 2013 has been conceived with the aim of further promoting Nigerian ICT companies to ultimately explore mutually beneficial partnerships that will advance the cause of the country’s ICT sector with prospects of boosting the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow into the country. The Nigerian Pavilion will be drawing high level participation from among federal and state governments; private companies and other stakeholders geared at further promoting ‘Brand Nigeria’ to the international investing community.

“We at ITAN are proud to promote Nigerian creativity and entrepreneurship to the outside world.

We believe this platform will further join government’s efforts at showcasing our local content and also help the industry to position itself for offshore investment more so that Gitex is one of the biggest ICT tradeshows on the globe. To have a Nigerian Pavilion showcasing Nigeria’s own ICT efforts is an opportunity all stakeholders must be committed to,” said President of ITAN, Mrs. Florence Seriki in Lagos.

Seriki is also the Group Managing Director of Omatek Computer Ventures Plc. ITAN is an association of over 350 Information Technology driven companies in Nigeria.

"Nigeria has got the potential to lead the African region in the area of ICT. Every window to showcase its drive and in-country opportunity must be

used to invite investment and partnerships that will improve its local capacity," said Mr. Akande Ojo, CEO of Pinnacle International. Pinnacle which is based in Iowa, USA with presence in Nigeria, Dubai, specializes in promoting investment in Nigeria as well as aligning financial and International business opportunity linkages for Nigeria-based

companies with the aim of creating Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and increasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria. Pinnacle is being represented on the Gitex Project in Nigeria by its media partner and advisors: Knowhow Media International, owners of IT Edge News and www.itedgenews.com.

RELAUNCH: From left, Amina Oyagbola, Human Resources Executive; Omatsola Barrow, S&D Executive and Akin Braithwaite, Customer Relations Executive, all of MTN, at the relaunch of MTN Virtual Top Up (VTU) Plus, in Lagos.

Satellite technology fetches Nigeria N116bn Continues from Page 25

FUTURE AWARDS: From left, Awawu Olumide-Sojinrin, Acting Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria; Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings; Suleiman Shaibu of Microsoft Nigeria and Olayinka Oni, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Nigeria during CON hosting of nominees for the African Young person award of the Future Africa Award project, in Lagos.

DONATION: From left, Joseph Oke, Director Computer Services, WAEC; Idowu Omoya, Director of Works, WAEC; Dupe Oyeduntan, Director of Finance, WAEC; Kester Ekekwe, Senior Deputy Registrar Test Admin. WAEC; Mike Olajide, Executive Director, Sidmach Technologies Nig. Ltd; Charles Eguridu, Head of National Office, WAEC; Hassan Alao, Managing Director, Sidmach Technologies Nig. Ltd; Bennett Nwogu and Jovita Agwu, representatives of Samsung Electronics West Africa; Olayinka Ajibade, Senior Deputy Registrar Test Development, WAEC, and Stephen Taiwo, Director of Administration, WAEC during the presentation of Samsung Printers to WAEC by Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited.

Balewa was recorded through Syncom2 Satellite,’’ he said.

For him, the conversation between the two leaders was more than a phone call, noting that it was the first two way call across the Atlantic between Heads of State via satellite in global history.

It was reported that the two leaders in their conversations, exchanged pleasantries, briefly mentioned the nuclear weapon’s test ban treaty which was signed that year and spoke on a boxing match in which Nigerian middle weight boxer, late Dick Tiger had retained his title against an American.

Apart from the successful experiment, the DG also noted that NASA further used the seventy eight pound Syncom2 Satellite launched on Delta rocket B booster from Cape Canaveral in the United States, to conduct a number of engineering tests to proof and practically demonstrate the numerous benefits of Communication Satellite to mankind.

According to him, there are approximately 1,107 Satellite providing civilians communication and another 792 supporting military communications, some seven hundred of them are in geosynchro-

nous orbit.

He called on the private sector show commitment in using Communication Satellite, since the international telecommunications are increasingly competitive in the global markets with rapid changes to technological capacities. ‘‘it is note worthy that the Economic Intelligence Unit in the United States published that in 2012 alone, Nigeria lost in call drops that could have been avoided and remedied by modern communication Satellites. ‘‘Nigeria’s involvement in this experimental exercise was not a mere conincidence or share luck in recognition of our unique and strategic positions as a people. ‘‘The Nigerian Space programme is not only in tandem with the dream and inspiration of our forefathers but it is also in fulfilment of the role expected of us as a nation as a key player in global affairs. ‘‘It is in recognition of this fact that, the National Space Research and Development Agency has continued to keep faith with destiny and recall with nostalgia the 1063 event and sees the unique experience as a challenge to transforming the Nigerian Space agenda into realities,’’ he stated.

FG moves to streamline pricing of rights of way Continues from Page 25

address the important issue of the role of the states in many of the initiatives put in place at the federal level.

Common areas of interest, according to her will include the implementation of the National Broadband plan, National Policy on ICT, Digital and financial inclusion, local content framework, use of frequency spectrum

and National Strategic Egovernment framework and collection of data on ICT sector.

“There is no doubt that the states and local governments are in a good position to contribute their quota in this respect. State governments have more complete knowledge of their localities and can work closely with service providers in their respective states to identify

where and what kinds of servicesshould be made available and where there are under-served and unserved areas.

“States are also in a better position to obtain the most accurate data possible on use of broadband and to continuously update and refresh the data provided by service providers to make it more and more accurate over time. States can imple-

ment independent verification programs to confirm service availability and actual experienced upload and download speeds” she further explained.

Four things, according to the Minister define mandate for this industry.

“We have to connect Nigeria with a ubiquitous physical fibre, satellite and microwave telecommunications network that

reaches the nooks and crannies of this country.

“We have to connect Nigerians through the wide ownership of cost effective devices or access to devices where people can still not afford them and we have to aggressivley drive the participation of Nigerians in ICT businesses and improve local and domestic value add in the sector.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—29

ZTE clinches 5% of global smartphone market

FG kick-starts work on silicon valley project

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

T

HE Federal gov ernment on Monday, says work is to commence at the proposed Silicon Valley at Sheda Science and Technology Complex, SHETSCO with a feasibility studies to begin this month.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Okon Ewa Bassey stated this at a one day stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja.

He also disclosed that Nigeria had received a

$7 million offer from the World Technopolis Association, Poland for waste to wealth facility at the technology park.

The money according to him, would be used to convert all the technology and e-wastes from the park into wealth.

He said that the transformation of the Technology park had become imperative to enable the country catch up with other technologically advanced countries in the world. ‘‘The need to catch up with other advanced

countries of the is the immediate impetus for the country’s desire to establish the SHETSCO Silicon Valley, as a platform for developing and harnessing the potentials of job and wealth creation, technological advancement and economic development of Nigeria, and more importantly to become the main hub for technological inventions, development and manufacturing both for Nigeria and African regional market,’’ said the minister.

As part of efforts aimed at fast-tracking the development process, the minister said he had secured the assistance of the World Technopolis Association, WTA at the 8th WTA General Assembly in Poland for the establishment of the SHETSCo Silicon Valley.

In addition to this, he said that the ministry had signed a memorandum of understanding, MoU with the President, Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. G.P Bud, Peterson this month.

C

HINESE communi cations equipment maker, ZTE, shipped 11.5 million smartphones in the second quarter, a year-on-year increase of 79%, vaulting the maker of Grand S and Grand Memo to fourth position globally with 5% market share, according to data from research company Strategy Analytics.

The strong sales performance, which made ZTE the highest-placed Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is built on the company’s commitment to design excellence and customer satisfaction.

ZTE will leverage its strengthening position in the global smartphone

market to develop products focused on three key segments: 4G, high-end devices, and phones based on newer platforms such as Intel chipsets and the Firefox operating system.

To fuel ZTE’s development of high-performance products, the company plans to unveil its selfdeveloped chipset to power 4G devices at the PT/ EXPO COMM CHINA 2013 conference in Beijing in September. The ZTE chipset will be the first in the industry to attain 4G standards in communications and data throughput, heralding a breakthrough in 4G technology globally.

Since ZTE began its strategy revamp in mobile devices in 2011, the company has evolved its product lineup, offering flagship devices such as Grand Memo, Grand S, N986 and U988s for the high-end market, and diversifying from lower-cost products such as ZTE Blade and ZTE Skate.

ZTE has one of the industry’s most comprehensive range of Android products, featuring devices with 4-inch, 5-inch and 5.7 inch HD displays, in addition to 5 megapixel, 8 megapixel and 13 megapixel cameras.

Through the company’s collaboration with Intel and Firefox, ZTE is wellpositioned to take advantage of the growth in the non-Android segment of the global smartphone market. In July, ZTE and Intel jointly launched the GEEK smartphone, powered by Intel’s 2.0GHz dual-core Atom processor Z2580, with Intel’s hyperthreading technology and Turbo Boost feature providing superior multitasking performance and power efficiency. The GEEK smartphone further strengthened ZTE’s partnership with Intel, after the two companies collaborated to offer the Grand X IN smartphone in 2012.

This year, ZTE and Firefox collaborated to offer the ZTE Open, featuring open Web technology and support for HTML 5 applications in a new operating platform. As the first Firefox phone, and featuring ZTE’s intelligent offline search technology, ZTE Open has first-mover advantage and generated positive user reviews from customers.

ZTE will continue to execute its multi-pronged product strategy, based on the well-proven “Purchasing Management Model” concept, to maintain healthy and sustainable growth in the smartphone business, and deliver positive financial returns.

30—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Digital migration to free N380bn worth of spectrum

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

Why we dropped price in Uyo, by GoTV

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

D

IRECT-to-Home cable channel, GoTV recently launched its services in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, dropping cost of its equipment acquisition to N6,900 for residents in the state.

The current single price offer of just N6, 900, according to GoTV, includes a GOtv decoder, GOtenna (outdoor antenna) and one month subscription to GOtv Plus. However, the company said the dropping of price for the people of

Uyo became necessary to ensure that many people in the ancient town prepare ahead of Nigeria;s migration to digital services before 2015.

The company describes itself as an African business that is constantly striving to meet the needs of television audiences in Nigeria.

According to the company’s General Manager, MrsElizabeth Amkpa, “ahead of the Analogue Switch off scheduled for June 2015 in Nigeria, GOtv now provides a range of options for the

people to select from which are affordable, accessible and relevant to all television lovers.

GOtv was launched on the latest DVB-T2 technology, which means there is no need to replace or upgrade your decoder, you are on the latest technology”, she added.

She also stated that “We at GOtv are constantly innovating to ensure we continue to deliver the best possible digital television to Nigeria. We come from a solid corpo-

rate background and family – MultiChoice, which has a proud legacy of 20 years of providing the best digital television to Africa. So, not only are we passionate about digital television, we are also passionate about Africa.

Besides the price reduction, GoTV also launch two brand new channels, Telemundo and Planet Radio TV and as well activated a new service bouquet - GOtv Open in Uyo.

A

FTER assessing the value of spectrums to be left behind when on digital platforms would migrate to digital platform as Nigeria set the 2015 target, a Nigerian broadcast engineer has put the figure at above N380bn.

This revenue is expected to accrue to the country by re-allocating the spectrums to the telecom operators who would put them into other uses that would benefit the Nigerian subscribers.

To that extent, the country has been advised to religiously apply all preparations to joining other countries of the world to migrate to digital broadcasting come 2015.

As experts in the broadcast sector gathered weekend in Abuja to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of NTA/Startimes TV joint partnership, chairman of Fatora Consult Ltd, Engr. Edward Amana said that Nigeria could earn up to $2 billion (N380 billion) revenue from digital broadcasting if properly managed Amana, a former director of engineering at the NTA, who was a guest lecturer at the event, said that the revenue could be called digital dividend as it would be possible from frequency sale in the spectrum that would have been freed up in digital broadcasting.

According to him, " the spectrum gain after the

transition can be used for mobile Broadband. This will enable broadband penetration into the rural areas, with its attendant benefits.

“Properly managed, the sale of this leftover spectrum by auction should yield over $2 billion US dollars, over N308 billion.”

He also contended that the digital dividend will generate thousands of jobs for the youth of Nigeria adding that “it will enable more channels of diverse programming, giving the viewer more choice, possibility of multi-lingual delivery of programmes and better quality pictures and sound.”

Earlier the Acting Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Musa Maiyaki had promised that the authority would fully digitalize its services by June 2014 ahead of the international requirement for 2015.

Mayaki, said so far, NTA has digitalized in 32 states of the federation adding that experience had shown that truly,one frequency for over twenty channels over stretches the capacity resulting in freezing of transmission.

The Director NTA-Star TV Network Ltd., Maxwell P. Loko said it was appropriate to work in order to drum mobile television and handset television in the StarTimes Network in the digital arena so as to celebrate the 3-year anniversary.

Security gaps eliminated in German online booking systems, says envoy

BY EMEKA AGINAM

W

HILE foreign Mis sions in Nigeria battle the activities of touts in interfering in visa application processes, the Acting Consul General, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Nigeria Jörg Steckhan has disclosed that security gaps have been eliminated and possibilities for touts to interfere have been reduced to the barest minimum in online booking system for visa appointments as introduced in December 2012 The Consul General in a e-mail to Vanguard Hi-Tech said that the system was introduced to facilitate the booking of appointments and to organize the allocation of appointments more efficiently.

“The current system is an amended version of the online booking system which was in place until C M Y K

2009. Security gaps have been eliminated and possibilities for touts to interfere have been reduced to a minimum extend.

“The current online appointment booking system is based on a software of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany which is used worldwide. However, not every German mission is using the online booking system, depending on regional requirements and local demand for visa appointments” he explained.

When booking an appointment, he further explained that each applicant is required to state full name, passport number and email address, after which the applicant will receive an automatic confirmation email with the appointment date and time which he/she has to present at the entrance gate in order to be admitted to the premises of the Consulate General.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —31

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 — 33

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Ugbade happy to have Mexico in Eaglets’ group

PATRICK OMORODION’S AFROBASKET DIARY

N

A

DUKA Ugbade, one of the Assistant Coaches of the Golden Eaglets, has expressed joy at having Mexico— FIFA U-17 World Cup defending champions— in the same Group F as Nigeria.

The group also includes Sweden and Iraq at the competition billed for the United

•Ugbade

‘Enemies’ everywhere

Arab Emirates (UAE) from Oct. 17 to Nov. 8.

Ugbade, the Eaglets skipper at the maiden edition of the U-17 World Cup in China in 1985, told NAN on telephone that the group would be keenly contested.

“Matches in the group will be keenly contested like it is the World Cup itself.

“It is good having the defending champions fighting for placement alongside the Eaglets in the group stages: because keenly contested matches will be displayed all through the group matches.

“The group matches are not going to be easy because it is like a preview to the tournament and what you see at the group stages is the exact of the championship,” Ugbade said.

He said the Eaglets would not allow its failure to feature in the last edition of the competition to affect its preparation and performance.

part from the injury worries for both the coaches and medical team of Team Nigeria at the on-going 2013 Afrobasket in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, their seems to be ‘enemies’ lying in wait for the Olumide Oyedeji/Ike Diogu co-captained team.

From coaches to players of the Central Africa Republic team, it is a warning of revenge when both sides battle today here. The talk is worse because both teams stay at the same Ibis Hotel in the Plateau area of Abidjan.

What is their grouse?

Central Africa Republic, CAR, say they want to avenge the ‘whipping’ the Nigerian team gave them in the same competition in Madagascar two years ago.

•Ideye

Olumide turns language instructor

W

Laudrup set to move for Odemwingie

S

WANSEA City manager Michael Laudrup has admitted he is interested in a move for West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie. The Dane is keen to provide competition for close-season signing Wilfried Bony up-front after releasing Luke Moore and telling Leroy Lita he is free to find a new club.

And Odemwingie could fit the bill, with the Nigeria international not featuring in Steve Clarke’s matchday squad for West Brom’s first two Premier League fixtures.

“We want to add one more who can give us that in a certain part of the game or in certain games,” Laudrup said.

“And he (Odemwingie) is a player with pace who knows the league.” Odemwingie has been frozen out of the first-team picture at The Hawthorns after

I’ll shame my critics, says Ideye

Udinese FC President commends Amosun’s Wife

P

RESIDENT of Udinese Football Club, Mr. Giampaolo Pozzo has commended the Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun for discovering football talents in youngsters and taking it upon herself to expose them to international opportunities.

Twenty-two talented players of Uplift Football Team discovered during UPLIFTing Under-15 Grassroot Football

NIGERIA/MALAWI W/CUP QUALIFIER

•Odemwingie angling for a move to QPR in January. He moved to West Brom from Russian Premier League outfit Lokomotiv Moscow in August 2010.

programme organised by the wife of the governor in April 2013 are currently undergoing a two-week Summer football internship at Udinese FC in Italy. Speaking shorty after meeting with Mrs. Amosun at Udinese Stadio Frivli located in Udine in Italy, Pozzo described the initiative of the wife of the governor to develop grass-root footballers as “giant vision” which should be supported.

•Oguchi

M

UCH vilified Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye has said that he will shame his critics who have vilified him for some belowpar showings for Nigeria.

The Dynamo Kiev striker came under the hammer after he struggled in front of goal at the recent FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. ”My passion to play and do well for my country is as strong as ever before, I don’t want to be bothered about the critics.

I am a professional and I know the best way to answer the critics is to concentrate and do well. I will definitely do that at the best time,”

Ideye said.

Ideye has been invited for a crucial 2014 World Cup

qualifier against Malawi on September 7 in Calabar and he is confident of a good outing. ”I am ready as ever to contribute my quota to see that we win the match. I am a team player, the success of the team comes first, but at times I get blamed for

missing chances but I will get better,” Ideye promised.

“I am not ready to defend myself on the pages of newspaper, but the coaches know my contribution to the team and I will keep giving my best till things get better.

I am always there to make Nigeria proud.”

Governor Akpabio lauds Mobil for sports development initiative

T

HE Akwa Ibom State government is all praise for the grass roots development initiative of MPN, Operator of the NNPC/ MPN Joint Venture.

Speaking in Uyo on Saturday, during the closing ceremony of the two week Athletics Holiday camping programme of 165 students of the state, Governor Godswill Akpabio said Mobil deserves commendation for “ its consistency in the grass roots

sports development over a decade in the state” In a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Governor of the State, Her Honour Lady Valerie Ebe, the Governor noted that Mobil’s gesture has contributed in no small gesture to the overall development of sports in the state and Nigeria at large.

Governor Akpabio stressed that introducing the camping exercise for the talents discovered in the previous

championships shows that the organizers did not only go after talents from the grass roots but were also interested in the developing the young talents to attain international status, maintaining that the exercise took another dimension compared to the previous years.

“I acknowledge the numerous community development programmes which serve as a way of giving back to the society.

ith the exception of a few players like Ike Somtochukwu Diogu, Chamberlain Nnameka Oguchi and Ben Chukwukelu who have visited Nigeria once or twice, other players in Team Nigeria here are coming for the first time.

A stroll into the Nigerian camp will make a nonNigerian think he is in the camp of America’s Dream Team or any other team in the NBA. You have to really strain your ears to hear what they are saying. Olumide Oyedeji was home trained before he joined the USA train for the NBA draft. But he now plays in China. At the restaurant one evening, he couldn’t help but stop Abdulwahab Alade Aminu, the older of the Aminu brothers in the team when he miss-pronounced his name Olumide-de.

“That is not how to pronounce the name,” Olumide yelled. He went on to teach him, but Alade couldn’t get it right. Neither could he pronounce his own middle name, Alade..

Diogu and Uzoh got theirs right. Diogu could also say odimma(it’s fine) when asked kedu(how are you) in Ibo. Uzoh is fun to be with as he mimick his Ibo brothers well.

I later found out that he watches Nollywood films a lot the US.

Jollof rice with stew?

S

ince we arrived Abidjan for the Afrobasket, Team Nigeria players and officials have not tasted any Nigeria

delicacy as our menu has always been continental with the hard French bread to support it. My oga at the top, Tony fineboy Ubani was a fan of the French bread in Tunisia in 2004 when we went there for the Africa Nations Cup. Without butter on it, you risk losing your teeth but I don’t know why Ubani fell in love with it. Thank God I learnt to eat it very well after watching Tony closely. These players are also enjoying the bread here.

I decided to ask Richard Oruche, now in POP after fracturing his left foot, which Nigerian food he loved best and he responded “oh I love my Jollof rice with stew.”

Jollof rice with stew? I thought that was not the normal way as the delicacy was already with stew. Gladys and Dupe at the Canal, Vanguard’s restaurant, are always quick to tell you that.

He didn’t end there as he reeled out other foods like dodo, eba with egusi soup and surprisingly, amala.

Amala? Can you prepare it, I asked him. “Oh men, it’s not difficult at all. Just boil water and stir the powder in it,” he said. That must be semovita

he was talking about because I know amala is not that easy to prepare.

Phone drama at training

N

igerian players have been very free here, tweeting, chatting and exchanging pleasantries with everybody. When you see them joking, you will remember the life of students who take life very easy.

On Sunday, as usual, they went out for a morning workout preparatory to the evening’s crucial game against Cameroon at the Felix Houphouet Boigny University. The two injured players, Richard Oruche and Andy Ogide, who now walk with the aid of crutches, joined and sat on the bench watching.

At the end of training, Oruche, who is still sulking over his inability to show his shooting skill in the competition, took to the court, in crutches, to shoot from the perimeter, and he did fairly well despite his injury.

While doing this, he left his expensive handset on the bench. He forgot to take it as

the players made for the bus taking them to the hotel but suddenly realised that he left his phone on the bench during training.

He never saw it when he got there and the guards and team assistants who were there denied seeing it. The coaching crew, the players, Francis Gbiri, the NBBF Secretary General and this reporter started a frantic search for it everywhere including the assistants’ pockets to no avail.

Every bit of equipment in a corner of the hall was turned upside down but to no avail.

We even went outside the hall thinking that the thief may have thrown it through the door or window and yet no success. Relief however, came the way of Oruche, his teammates and the police officer attached to them when suddenly, Olumide Oyedeji went into the dressing room and behold there it was lying on one of the lockers.

The assistants, who were the suspects, all denied knowledge of it. To the team, that was irrelevant since the phone was recovered but we all took one lesson away from there, be watchful henceforth.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 — 33

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Ugbade happy to have Mexico in Eaglets’ group

PATRICK OMORODION’S AFROBASKET DIARY

N

A

DUKA Ugbade, one of the Assistant Coaches of the Golden Eaglets, has expressed joy at having Mexico— FIFA U-17 World Cup defending champions— in the same Group F as Nigeria.

The group also includes Sweden and Iraq at the competition billed for the United

•Ugbade

‘Enemies’ everywhere

Arab Emirates (UAE) from Oct. 17 to Nov. 8.

Ugbade, the Eaglets skipper at the maiden edition of the U-17 World Cup in China in 1985, told NAN on telephone that the group would be keenly contested.

“Matches in the group will be keenly contested like it is the World Cup itself.

“It is good having the defending champions fighting for placement alongside the Eaglets in the group stages: because keenly contested matches will be displayed all through the group matches.

“The group matches are not going to be easy because it is like a preview to the tournament and what you see at the group stages is the exact of the championship,” Ugbade said.

He said the Eaglets would not allow its failure to feature in the last edition of the competition to affect its preparation and performance.

part from the injury worries for both the coaches and medical team of Team Nigeria at the on-going 2013 Afrobasket in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, their seems to be ‘enemies’ lying in wait for the Olumide Oyedeji/Ike Diogu co-captained team.

From coaches to players of the Central Africa Republic team, it is a warning of revenge when both sides battle today here. The talk is worse because both teams stay at the same Ibis Hotel in the Plateau area of Abidjan.

What is their grouse?

Central Africa Republic, CAR, say they want to avenge the ‘whipping’ the Nigerian team gave them in the same competition in Madagascar two years ago.

•Ideye

Olumide turns language instructor

W

Laudrup set to move for Odemwingie

S

WANSEA City manager Michael Laudrup has admitted he is interested in a move for West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie. The Dane is keen to provide competition for close-season signing Wilfried Bony up-front after releasing Luke Moore and telling Leroy Lita he is free to find a new club.

And Odemwingie could fit the bill, with the Nigeria international not featuring in Steve Clarke’s matchday squad for West Brom’s first two Premier League fixtures.

“We want to add one more who can give us that in a certain part of the game or in certain games,” Laudrup said.

“And he (Odemwingie) is a player with pace who knows the league.” Odemwingie has been frozen out of the first-team picture at The Hawthorns after

I’ll shame my critics, says Ideye

Udinese FC President commends Amosun’s Wife

P

RESIDENT of Udinese Football Club, Mr. Giampaolo Pozzo has commended the Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun for discovering football talents in youngsters and taking it upon herself to expose them to international opportunities.

Twenty-two talented players of Uplift Football Team discovered during UPLIFTing Under-15 Grassroot Football

NIGERIA/MALAWI W/CUP QUALIFIER

•Odemwingie angling for a move to QPR in January. He moved to West Brom from Russian Premier League outfit Lokomotiv Moscow in August 2010.

programme organised by the wife of the governor in April 2013 are currently undergoing a two-week Summer football internship at Udinese FC in Italy. Speaking shorty after meeting with Mrs. Amosun at Udinese Stadio Frivli located in Udine in Italy, Pozzo described the initiative of the wife of the governor to develop grass-root footballers as “giant vision” which should be supported.

•Oguchi

M

UCH vilified Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye has said that he will shame his critics who have vilified him for some belowpar showings for Nigeria.

The Dynamo Kiev striker came under the hammer after he struggled in front of goal at the recent FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. ”My passion to play and do well for my country is as strong as ever before, I don’t want to be bothered about the critics.

I am a professional and I know the best way to answer the critics is to concentrate and do well. I will definitely do that at the best time,”

Ideye said.

Ideye has been invited for a crucial 2014 World Cup

qualifier against Malawi on September 7 in Calabar and he is confident of a good outing. ”I am ready as ever to contribute my quota to see that we win the match. I am a team player, the success of the team comes first, but at times I get blamed for

missing chances but I will get better,” Ideye promised.

“I am not ready to defend myself on the pages of newspaper, but the coaches know my contribution to the team and I will keep giving my best till things get better.

I am always there to make Nigeria proud.”

Governor Akpabio lauds Mobil for sports development initiative

T

HE Akwa Ibom State government is all praise for the grass roots development initiative of MPN, Operator of the NNPC/ MPN Joint Venture.

Speaking in Uyo on Saturday, during the closing ceremony of the two week Athletics Holiday camping programme of 165 students of the state, Governor Godswill Akpabio said Mobil deserves commendation for “ its consistency in the grass roots

sports development over a decade in the state” In a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Governor of the State, Her Honour Lady Valerie Ebe, the Governor noted that Mobil’s gesture has contributed in no small gesture to the overall development of sports in the state and Nigeria at large.

Governor Akpabio stressed that introducing the camping exercise for the talents discovered in the previous

championships shows that the organizers did not only go after talents from the grass roots but were also interested in the developing the young talents to attain international status, maintaining that the exercise took another dimension compared to the previous years.

“I acknowledge the numerous community development programmes which serve as a way of giving back to the society.

ith the exception of a few players like Ike Somtochukwu Diogu, Chamberlain Nnameka Oguchi and Ben Chukwukelu who have visited Nigeria once or twice, other players in Team Nigeria here are coming for the first time.

A stroll into the Nigerian camp will make a nonNigerian think he is in the camp of America’s Dream Team or any other team in the NBA. You have to really strain your ears to hear what they are saying. Olumide Oyedeji was home trained before he joined the USA train for the NBA draft. But he now plays in China. At the restaurant one evening, he couldn’t help but stop Abdulwahab Alade Aminu, the older of the Aminu brothers in the team when he miss-pronounced his name Olumide-de.

“That is not how to pronounce the name,” Olumide yelled. He went on to teach him, but Alade couldn’t get it right. Neither could he pronounce his own middle name, Alade..

Diogu and Uzoh got theirs right. Diogu could also say odimma(it’s fine) when asked kedu(how are you) in Ibo. Uzoh is fun to be with as he mimick his Ibo brothers well.

I later found out that he watches Nollywood films a lot the US.

Jollof rice with stew?

S

ince we arrived Abidjan for the Afrobasket, Team Nigeria players and officials have not tasted any Nigeria

delicacy as our menu has always been continental with the hard French bread to support it. My oga at the top, Tony fineboy Ubani was a fan of the French bread in Tunisia in 2004 when we went there for the Africa Nations Cup. Without butter on it, you risk losing your teeth but I don’t know why Ubani fell in love with it. Thank God I learnt to eat it very well after watching Tony closely. These players are also enjoying the bread here.

I decided to ask Richard Oruche, now in POP after fracturing his left foot, which Nigerian food he loved best and he responded “oh I love my Jollof rice with stew.”

Jollof rice with stew? I thought that was not the normal way as the delicacy was already with stew. Gladys and Dupe at the Canal, Vanguard’s restaurant, are always quick to tell you that.

He didn’t end there as he reeled out other foods like dodo, eba with egusi soup and surprisingly, amala.

Amala? Can you prepare it, I asked him. “Oh men, it’s not difficult at all. Just boil water and stir the powder in it,” he said. That must be semovita

he was talking about because I know amala is not that easy to prepare.

Phone drama at training

N

igerian players have been very free here, tweeting, chatting and exchanging pleasantries with everybody. When you see them joking, you will remember the life of students who take life very easy.

On Sunday, as usual, they went out for a morning workout preparatory to the evening’s crucial game against Cameroon at the Felix Houphouet Boigny University. The two injured players, Richard Oruche and Andy Ogide, who now walk with the aid of crutches, joined and sat on the bench watching.

At the end of training, Oruche, who is still sulking over his inability to show his shooting skill in the competition, took to the court, in crutches, to shoot from the perimeter, and he did fairly well despite his injury.

While doing this, he left his expensive handset on the bench. He forgot to take it as

the players made for the bus taking them to the hotel but suddenly realised that he left his phone on the bench during training.

He never saw it when he got there and the guards and team assistants who were there denied seeing it. The coaching crew, the players, Francis Gbiri, the NBBF Secretary General and this reporter started a frantic search for it everywhere including the assistants’ pockets to no avail.

Every bit of equipment in a corner of the hall was turned upside down but to no avail.

We even went outside the hall thinking that the thief may have thrown it through the door or window and yet no success. Relief however, came the way of Oruche, his teammates and the police officer attached to them when suddenly, Olumide Oyedeji went into the dressing room and behold there it was lying on one of the lockers.

The assistants, who were the suspects, all denied knowledge of it. To the team, that was irrelevant since the phone was recovered but we all took one lesson away from there, be watchful henceforth.

34—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —35

My plans and prospects — Nwoye COMRADE Tony Nwoye, the former student activist emerged as the candidate of the PDP for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections at the primaries conducted last weekend. Following his nomination, he spoke to Vanguard in a brief interview. Excerpts:

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

C

AN we know the significance of your victory at the polls?

My victory confirms that power belongs to God. We campaigned across the wards in the 21 local government areas and left the rest to God. And that confirms to us that President Jonathan and the national leadership led by Bamanga Tukur are committed to internal democracy in the party. It confirms that the president did not interfere with the PDP primaries in Anambra.

PDP members in Anambra State felt that this man who is

you think it has implications for your candidacy?

There were no parallel primaries. The Supreme Court in one of its judgments said something in that direction. You talk of parallel when two things are equal.

You can't describe a fraudulent exercise as primaries.

The Supreme Court has said that if a state conducted its primaries, it amounts to a fraud. It affirmed that only the national working committee has the power to conduct primaries. We had notable party chieftains who attended the primaries that produced me. We had Governor Shema, Senator Ndoma Egba among others, who were in

,

PDP members in Anambra State felt that this man who is a former state Chairman should be given a chance, my people at the grassroots helped me to convince and mobilise people for my victory

a former state chairman should be given a chance. My people at the grassroots helped me to convince and mobilise people for my victory.

Given that two parallel primaries where held and another factional candidate Senator Andy Uba emerged, on the strength of this don’t

•Nwoye: We will win

,

attendance. All these men of proven integrity gathered together at the police headquarters and x-rayed the whole situation before going to the field. How can someone now claim to have emerged as candidate through a fraudulent process? Who were the delegates that elected him?

The PDP national working committee is equal to the task.

We are also equal to the task here in Anambra.

How did they elect their delegates? They bought forms from the national secretariat, appeared before the screening panel and when the panel now went to work at the Ekwueme Square they preferred to go to a different place where nobody will oppose them and claimed to have had primaries.

What do you make of claims in some quarters that your emergence was programmed to pave way for Senator Uba given that you emerged ahead of other leading contenders?

How could that be possible?

Under what basis? How can someone with my background be programmed to win? The people saying that are APC and APGA because their conclusion was that Uba or Ukachkwu would hijack the PDP ticket.

Separating the men from the boys

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

W

ITH the primaries of the various political parties that that will contest for the November 16 governorship being concluded, the wheat has been separated from the chaff and the men from the boys.

At least 32 aspirants indicated interest in the contest in the three major parties, APGA, APC and PDP and by Monday, a pointer to the line up had emerged.

While PDP picked Comrade Tony Nwoye and APGA picked Chief Willie Obiano, the APC is now said to be generally inclined towards former governor of the state, Senator Chris Ngige in the primaries scheduled for September 2.

Other political parties that C M Y K

•Ubah: Labour

•Obiano: APGA

•Ngige: APC

have picked their candidates include PPA, which picked Mrs. Ngozi Ulasi and KOWA

Party which picked Chief Denis Oguguo. The Labour Party, LP, will pick Mr. Ifeanyi

Ubah today during its primaries.

Permutations have already

They know that once someone of our caliber and from our background becomes the candidate, it would not be an easy ride for them. Their fear is because of the voting pattern especially in Anambra North. We have seven local governments in Anambra North in addition to Awka north.

All we need to do is to stop APC from rigging in Idemili and stop the governor from rigging in Anaocha.

That ends the election. The same forces who are causing confusion were the ones that conspired to stop me from going to the House of Representatives after my victory.

If INEC decides to stand its grounds on the recognition of the Uba faction, what will you do?

They can not do that. They can not. They wrote a letter that they recognized Oguebego but that is different from having primaries.

Let us assume that they recognised Oguebego.. But Oguebego is not the one to conduct primaries. The National Headquarters recgnised Ken Emeakayi as the state chairman. INEC can not try it. Prof Jega dares not to try it.

What do we expect from you in the days ahead?

We expect total reconciliation. We are already reaching out to our brothers who contested but failed.

Only one person can be governor. So we shall all witness the healing process.

started regarding what would be the outcome of the election in view of the places the candidates come from.

Obiano and Nwoye are both from the Omambala section of Anambra North and analysts believe that their choice of deputies would go a long way to determining who, between them, would win the election in November.

There were indications yesterday that APGA may pick Obiano’s deputy from Anambra South, while PDP is likely to pick a deputy from Anambra Central.

Surprisingly, none of those who participated in the primaries is being considered for deputy by the two political parties.

If Ngige, who is from Anambra Central, picks his running mate from Anambra North, the battle line would have been drawn.

36—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Nyako’s fights GOVERNOR Murtala Nyako was trained to fight as a military man. He has seemingly carried on as a civilian politician with brushes here and there.

His latest brawl is, however, amusing.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

G

IVEN his military background, Governor Murtala Nyako’s many brushes with many bloody civilians within the Adamawa political landscape may not have been surprising.

After his advent in 2007, Governor Nyako had cause to spar with many of his political benefactors including the once powerful political kingmaker, Senator Jibril Aminu who battled several other political aspirants to ensure the realization of Nyako’s political aspiration as governor.

Among those Governor Nyako has battled since his advent are former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar, the PDP establishment, the presidency among others. In many of the cases, supporters of the governor were able to showcase reasons for what they adduced for his fight against his traducers.

In fighting Senator Aminu, it was seen in some quarters as a war of liberation for the governor who was seen as living in the shadows of the famous senator famed as the linkman who with the collaboration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, took the PDP from the grip of former Vice-President Abubakar to himself.

In the case of the fight with General Buba Marwa, it was seen as a rivalry contest, supposedly in the sense that Marwa was before the 2007 election, regarded as the most formidable candidate to succeed the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Boni Haruna.

Even though Nyako’s problems with Tukur form the nucleus of the problems between the five “ rebel” governors of the PDP against Tukur and the presidency, many are not removed from the fact that at the core of the problem are alleged differences between Nyako and Tukur over succession in Adamawa in the forthcoming general elections.

Nyako is said to be displeased with the alleged efforts of Tukur to use his position as national chairman of the party to position his son, Awaal to become the next governor of the state. That is irrespective of the qualification of Awaal, a C M Y K

•Nyako: Fighting on separate fronts former member of the House of Representatives.

Ahead of the last national convention of the PDP it was no news that Nyako was openly against the election of Tukur, a candidate from his state for the eminent position.

Remarkably, no reason was given for the objection. Some felt it to be a carryover of the deep suspicion that flows between some national

chairmen of the PDP and their home governors.

It was reflective of that continuing antagonism that the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government, Mr. Kobis Aris was recently quoted in the media as disparaging the achievements of Tukur as National Chairman.

“Tell me anything good that has come out of the party since he became the chairman.

Rather he has brought the party to ridicule”, he said.

However, the face-off between Nyako and his domestic traducers is now being taken to another dimension with reports in the media of a face-off between Nyako and the incumbent Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Alex Badeh.

At the centre of the brewing controversy is the alleged antagonism between the state administration and the state’s number one military export, Badeh.

That controversy was underpinned in a press statement where Nyako challenged the air chief to a contest in the political arena.

“For Alex Badeh, we have tremendous respect for him but let him know that he is supposed to be a military man not a politician but he is politically romancing with the PDP National chairman (and) to say the least this action is very wrong,” Nyako said in a recent press statement articulated by his Director of Press, Mr. Ahmed Sajoh.

Continuing, he said: “He has the right to relate with him as a prominent son of the state but not political romance to the extent of allowing himself to be seen as his political associate but he if he wants to play politics let him resign his appointment and join us in the political battlefield of Adamawa.”

The assertion follows concerns by stakeholders in the state over the alleged failure of the Nyako administration to accord Badeh some recognition as air chief. It is cast against the fact that Nyako was himself a

former service chief, having been chief of naval staff in the Babangida administration.

Those sympathetic to the feelings of the air chief point to the fact that since Badeh was appointed air chief, he has not been formally received by the governor of his home state.

That is against the reception that was given his contemporaries appointed about the same time with him.

Such feelings of non appreciation of the appointment are further stoked by the suspicion of Badeh collaborating with Nyako’s enemies against his administration. Is Badeh really against Nyako or partnering with Nyako’s enemies to fight the administration?

That has not been proved but what is increasingly clear is the allegation in some quarters that some projects attracted to the state by Badeh may have rubbed sensitive political sides of the administration.

Among the projects are the establishment of an Air Force College and the reactivation of the Air Force Strike Force Base.

The Air Force College project which was commenced about five months ago is said to be in an advanced stage of completion.

Given the goodwill being enjoyed by the air chief and the cordiality between him and the several enemies of the governor it is feared by Nyako’s associates that Badeh may be habouring political ambitions for himself or siding with Nyako’s enemies to ground the governor.

2015: When S-South leaders rose again for Jonathan SOUTH-South leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP met in Calabar last Saturday. The outcome of the meeting was as predicted: a ringing endorsement for a second term for their famous son, President Goodluck Jonathan.

BY FESTUS AHON THE meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, SouthSouth expanded zonal executive committee meeting last Saturday was an opportunity for party chieftains to again reiterate their backing for a second term for President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was an opportunity for regional party chieftains to articulate what they claimed as the laudable achievements of the president and his transformation agenda.

The meeting, in Calabar, Cross River State started at 2:46 pm at the lodge of the Cross River State Governor.

Present were Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, Chief of Staff to

the president, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Tony Anenih, Chairman Board of Trustees of the party, Governors Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, National Executive Committee members, National Working Committee members, Senators, House of Representative members, Houses of Assembly Speakers, PDP State chairmen in the six states of the South South, Board of Trustees members of the party from the zone and Zonal Executive Committee members.

The president in his speech read by Ogadomhe was appreciative of the sizeable

•Jonathan

presence of chieftains saying “Empty vessels makes the loudest noise. We members of the PDP remain one united family,” as he articulated some achievements of the administration.

Anenih on his part said; “there is nobody in the country who is an adult who does not know the importance of the zone,” adding that “any responsible person from the zone understand what it means to support President Goodluck Jonathan. We must promote what we have.”

Noting the achievements of the Jonathan administration, Anineh said the president would be given an option of first refusal during the PDP presidential primary. He explained that delegates would vote “ yes or no but if the President does not have the simple majority, it would be thrown open.”

Governor Liyel Imoke on his Continues on page 37

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —37

Child marriage, Yerima is wrong — Suleiman Apostle Johnson Suleman is the founder of the Auchi, Edo State-based Omega Ministries. In this interview, he gives his views on some national issues. Excerpts:

BY KELECHI AZUBUIKE

R

ECENTLY, the Senate passed the bill seeking that under aged married girls be regarded as adults, thereby encouraging girl child marriage. What is your opinion on the matter?

One of the major problems of Nigerian government which has adversely affected the Nigerian people is that we push the cart before the horse.

We have issues bothering the lives and development of Nigerians and Nigeria to tackle, but rather than nipping them in the bud we are addressing relegated and inconsequential issues.

Nigeria is not an Islamic country. Nigeria can never be an Islamic country. If somebody is talking from an Islamic point of view he should not pin it on Nigeria. He is free to have his personal views. There are no Christian views passed into law, because we live in a multi religious and plural society.

If you look at section 23 of the Child Rights Act, it says any man

betrothed to an under aged girl should pay a fine of N500,000 or sentence to jail or both. So, when we now have pedophiles in Government who now impose their private lifestyles on the public space, it is sad. What they did is simply a reflection of their private lifestyles. Are they saying if a girl is 13 she should be married?

There is so much VVF all over the North, and for them to privately mess up the girl child is enough. But to further imprison and hoodwink them with such Act is an absurdity that will not hold.

Most Nigerians even question the fact whether any of these Senators like Senator Yerima, can marry out their 13 year old child?

The issue is that Senator Yerima should be arrested. When he got married to an under aged girl in Egypt, he was escorted there by some senators.

But in case they have forgotten, Islam says when you marry a girl under 18 years, you do not touch her until she is 18 years. It is when she is 18 years that you will

•Suleman: Senator Yerima should be arrested have access to her body. Is he saying he has not touched that little girl now?

They are just being ritualistic and barbaric. Even if Yerima can give his daughter out at age 13, that does not justify it. I will not

be surprised if a man like Yerima gives his daughter out at 10 years. He definitely has no respect for womanhood.

What is your opinion on the agitation for power shift?

Nigeria is not owned by a

PDP: Assessing Metuh’s era as spokesman

BY VINCENT OKPALAEKE

T

HE easiest way to measure the 15-month tenure of Chief Olisa Metuh as the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is to gauge the results of the creativity that generated not only activities, but enervated the external communication of the ruling party and brought its operations on the same page with modern professional nuances.

It would be recalled that Metuh was one of the members of the National Working Committee of the PDP that resigned their positions two months ago in order to regularize their elections at the special national convention scheduled for August 31, 2013.

The saying that greatness is usually fired by an ambitious zeal to excel and that successful organizations are the makings of great minds is in every sense true with the tenure of Olisa Metuh as the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP. He came with the brilliance of a philosopher.

And this philosophical leaning, combined with lofty ideas and youthful strength energized and elevated the publicity of the ruling party to what an analyst once described as “ moving away from a hitherto lethargy of a defensive ruling party to a proactive pounding of the vociferous opposition ACN

•Metuh

on issues of facts and figures.”

His consummate administrative skill, encapsulated in openness and democratization of intellectualism gingered an outbreak of skills and ideas which drastically changed the battered image of the party. It was Metuh’s efficiency that revived the PDP as a “ people oriented , issue based and democratic political party.”

His strategy was to positively put the PDP in the subconscious as a political party whose pluses far outweigh the minuses often exploited by the opposition.

Through this, he succeeded in retrieving the numerous achievements of his party, hitherto unsung in a polity,

gripped and intimidated by the vicious propaganda of the opposition.

He thus re-established the preeminent position of the PDP as a party mindful of the expectations of over one hundred and 60 million Nigerians entrusted to its care.

He explored and enthroned the core values of the PDP once more in the public square.

He premised his advocacy regime on what looks like the following.

First is that though the PDP has not achieved all, it has achieved a lot to constantly earn the trust of Nigerians.

Similarly, that far from being an enclave of saints, PDP is a congregation of ordinary mortals who could err and seek correction. At the base verily, is that the PDP is the masses and

the masses, the owner of PDP. The leadership must therefore at every time be on their side. A few of his public statements and their consequences are illustrative enough.

The result of his perfect understanding of the dynamics of public relations, whose finesse expresses better in doing than in saying, paid off in many respects.

In December 2012, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, he brought together the Zonal and State Publicity and Organising Secretaries of the PDP as well as relevant staff members of the national secretariat in a seminarworkshop, the type of which was last organized in 2001 under the Gemade leadership.

For some of these officers who came face to face for the first time with the national leadership of the party, the experience was edifying as was memorable; a first hand opportunity to interface

secluded few. Nigeria is not a private enterprise where people will say it is my turn or your turn.

I don•ft believe in zoning.

The present administration has done its best, but it is not good enough. It is not what was expected by Nigerians. They expected things to be far better than this. We hoped for something higher.

When President Jonathan told Nigerians he had no shoes they expected that when he comes to power he will remember the shoeless. Sadly, the shoe of the average Nigerian is now in his kitty. I believe God will give us a good leader. But if you ask me, I don•ft think President Jonathan should run. But it is his constitutional right to run, if he wishes.

What is the way forward for Nigeria?

The way forward is to drop ambition for service. We have rulers in Nigeria and not leaders and leadership is not position but personality. Hence leadership is not just sitting on one high chair.

It is the man not the office that is a leader.

We should have people who are ready to serve Nigeria. In the past we had rulers stealing millions, but now they steal in trillions. with colleagues from other parts of the country as well as contribute to the running of their party at the centre.

His brief stay as Publicity Secretary would not have been successful without the reorganization of the publicity directorate out of which he created four special units of Research, Media Surveillance, Social Media and Nigerian Languages to ensure effective service delivery.

Though the Umbrella, the official news magazine of the PDP is as old as the party, he rebranded it into an international medium, robust in content and layout. Besides, for the first time in the fifteen years old history of the party, Metuh secured a befitting media centre with modern information and communication facilities for the press corps reporting the activities of the party.

•Okpalaeke is a member of the NEC of the PDP.

2015: When S-South leaders rose again for Jonathan Continues from page 36

part commended the National Vice Chairman of the zone, Dr Steve Oru for putting the party together in the zone, adding that; “the gathering of today represents Mr President who is from the zone. This zone is the

strength and pillar of the PDP in Nigeria.” Insisting that they cannot as a zone compromise the presidency in 2015, he said there was no rumbling in any state in the zone. He told the people not to compromise the strength of the zone, adding that the zone

would exercise all its rights come 2015.

Also speaking, National Vice Chairman of the party in the zone, Dr Steve Oru said; “No doubt we have done well as a party in delivering the dividends of democracy to our people, an uncommon feat in any political system.”

38 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Kidnap saga: Conflicting tale of demolition of a widow’s home •Widow alleges conspiracy, accuses traditional ruler •My hands are clean— traditional ruler

L

OCATING Madam Josephine Obilom from Abia Omuma autonomous community in Oru East local council area of Imo State soon after the news of her plight filtered into Owerri, was not very easy. This reporter traversed some local council areas in Orlu senatorial zone before finally locating the 40-year-old widow at Akata community, where she and two of her children are taking refuge.

On meeting her, it was obvious she had an interesting and pathetic story to tell. When eventually she began narrating her tale of woe, it was intermittently punctured by uncontrollable sobs. Her eyes became red as a flood of tears rolled freely down her cheeks.

For this reporter, patience was the key.

According to her, she got married to her husband when he lost his first wife. She had four children for the man, two boys and two girls, before he died in 2003. She informed she had single-handedly been training her children since her husband’s death. When the going became very tough after her husband died, some men in the community wanted to take advantage of her sorry situation and started making amorous advances to her.

Traits of stubbornness Madam Josephine not only affirmed that her late husband built a 12-room family house more than 15 years before she was married into the Obilom family, but also took Vanguard Features, VF, to the ruins that was once her beautiful family home.

Continuing, she confirmed that when she started noticing traits of stubbornness in her son, Uchenna, she promptly reported him to the traditional ruler, Eze Thaddeus Ukachukwu.

“I recall complaining to the traditional ruler (Eze Ukachukwu) about my son’s stubbornness. I did this about two or three times before the unforeseen happened about April this year,” the widow recounted with grief.

Madam Obilom also recalled that “one evening, I was told that five boys, including my son, Uchenna, were arrested by the

Eze Thaddeus Ukachukwu

vigilante group in our market, Orie Omuma”.

The police, she said, came one day with her son to search the entire house, adding that “nothing incriminating was recovered from the house but the police still took the boy away and I have not set my eyes on Uchenna thereafter”.

Continuing, Madam Obilom said: “I am not aware and was never told that there was any criminal act the evening my son and others were arrested in the market place. I am not aware that he has been charged to any court for any known criminal act”.

While saying that the whole thing about her son has continued to be shrouded in mystery as her son is still missing till the time of the interview, Madam Obilom insists that somebody must be held to give account of her son’s whereabouts.

Continuing, the aggrieved widow recalled that she was still trying to come to terms with her son’s whereabouts when a group of armed men, suspected to be policemen, came to their home, allegedly on the instruction or express permission of the traditional ruler, with a bulldozer and demolished the family house. “I was not allowed to remove any pin from the house.

exile.”

A villager s p e a k s : Confirming this development to VF, a villager who spoke on strict grounds of anonymity, said that “the five boys were arrested in front of Mr. Augustine Mba’s beer parlour located in Orie Omuma”.

The villager equally recalled that “Augustine Mba’s son, who only visited from his school to collect pocket money from his father that evening, was also arrested”, adding that “this boy ’s whereabouts equally remains a mystery till date”.

He also denied Madam Josephine Obilom knowledge of any attempt to commit Today, I have not seen my son any criminal act on the day the and I am homeless. I am now five boys were picked up or prior forced to move from one home to to their alleged arrest by Imo another in search of where my Security Network. He was of the children and I can lay our heads. view that those who arrested or The traditional ruler has equally are keeping the boys should be surveyed the land on which the forced to release them family house once stood with a view to possibly appropriating it I am not aware and was never told that for whatever reason,” the there was any criminal act the evening my aggrieved woman charged.

First son of Obilom reacts son and others were arrested in the market “I am Chukwuzitere Obilom, place the first son and head of Obilom’s family. Traditionally, I rightly own the house that was unconditionally or press charges leader of the group, attempted demolished. I am self- employed on them in any court of the land. to drag the vehicle into the Njaba and resident in Benin, Edo State.

What the villager equally found River but the police overpowered My late mother is from Benin. to be a double standard on the him and shot him and took the My parents built the house 20 part of the royal father was that rest to Owerri. years ago. We are five from my the family house of his nephew, “Uchenna Obilom, a boy with late mother’s side. My parents ThankGod Ukachukwu, was not only his left hand, was one of the were buried in the compound pulled down like in the case of five caught. My nephew, that has been destroyed. the Obiloms.

ThankGod Ukachukwu and their My step mother called one day “Granted that the parents of the leader whom I don’t know, was to say that the house had been royal father’s nephew are dead, from Okporo in Orlu Local demolished. On very close we are not aware that their family Government Area. On reaching investigation, I found that my house was pulled down by the the State Police Command, the half brother was allegedly group that unceremoniously suspects were told that if they tell arrested in the market square sacked the widow and her the truth, they would be allowed with some others. children from their ancestral to go and they confessed.

I also found out that no kidnap home,” the man fumed.

“In their confession, they victim was traced to the house Contacted for his reaction on admitted committing the crimes on or before the date of the young his alleged involvement in the in the community, including the man’s arrest and no stolen matter, the royal father was able killing and kidnapping. They property was recovered from the to give a graphic account in his also confessed that I would have house. It is therefore baffling why defence. been the next if they had not been the house was demolished and Eze Thaddeus Ukachukwu caught because my family is in the entire household forced into reacts: “I lived in the United Continues on page 39

,

By CHIDI NKWOPARA

States of America with my family, where I worked and retired before coming back home to take over the throne after the death of my father. “Two years ago when I travelled to the US for medical check up, there were a lot of reports of killing and kidnapping in my community. About seven people were reportedly killed.

“When I came back, I decided to confront the problem head-on, as I had lost my workers. The chairman of the vigilante group resigned due to the problem. My people were going to neighbouring villages at night for refuge because of fear.

“I made some research the way Igbos do their things. My personal investigation revealed that the problem could be handled in a native way. I made a personal financial commitment of N1 million and I was assured that the crime would stop and anybody who made an attempt would be caught.

“At about 8pm one day, a group of people brought somebody, who was naked to my palace, saying he was caught snatching a bag a few poles from my place.

On interrogation, the suspect said he came from Mgbidi and I handed him over to the police.

“After a few days, there was an attempted kidnapping at the market square. The suspects were ready to go and they got caught by Imo Security Network.

The operatives suspected them due to their movement.

“Imo Security Network recovered all kinds of equipment and ammunition, some AK 47 guns and magazines. The police were contacted and they came from Owerri to pick them up that night.

“As the police was taking them to Owerri, very close to Njaba Bridge, one of the boys, the

,

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 — 39

A widow’s ballard the US and my in-laws have money. But as God would have it, they were caught.

“It was also revealed that this Obilom whose house was demolished, was making N1 million in every operation. He used to keep the kidnapped victim and collects N1 million per victim. One of the kidnapped victims from Umutanze, the traditional ruler of Umutanze, confirmed he overheard them at a funeral ceremony he attended that the next place would be in Omuma, which was myself.

“So, anybody who saw what happened during that period and feel sorry for these individuals that were caught is just making my people unhappy. After the arrest, people came from Owerri to demolish the house. I don’t know them. They did not come to my house.

Arrest and edmolition They went straight to the place and pulled down the house.

ThankGod Ukachukwu’s house that was at the foundation level, was also demolished and the blocks broken to pieces. After the arrest and demolition, people were happy because there has been no robbery and kidnapping.

Who demolished the widow’s house?

I do not know where they came from but they are government officials. One of my guards went to ask them if the Eze knew about their mission and they said no. They even rough-handled him. So, if you ask me if they are tall or short, I don’t know. I am very happy with the event in my domain.

The law says if you are caught for kidnapping and the government certifies that you are a kidnapper, your house would be pulled down. The socalled widow was there when all the kidnapped victims were being kept in her house.

I called her to this palace with her son and she denied that anything was happening. She only admitted that her son was just stubborn. All the while, they have been disturbing my community but now that they have been caught, let them face the music. One of them was my cousin, ThankGod. He had a house under construction and the house was pulled down. I was told that one of the suspects has about N16 million in his account.

Plan to appropriate widow’s land: Somebody suggested that we can go over there (the widow’s family house) and survey the place and later

apply to the government to let us use the place for motor park.

So we went and surveyed the two sites and right now, we are trying to liaise with the government on whether we can get the place. Because the law says if a place is demolished, it belongs to the government. No individual can build in the place.

In a nutshell, I don’t have any ulterior motive. I don’t even know if government will allow us to use the place or not. I don’t have anything to do with it personally and that decision can be revoked tomorrow and we will forfeit the money we spent to do the survey.

The Obiloms (house) was cut down because the kidnapped victims were kept there. The Eze of Umutanze was kept there too. So, I am in support of tearing the place down because the place is a stone throw to the palace and this kind of thing was happening and nobody knew. You can get more information from SARS (Special Anti Robbery Squad). I don’t know what orders they have and I did not ask after what they were doing.

Where are the suspects now?Uchenna Obilom, ThankdGod Ukachukwu and the others have not come back since their arrest. Whether they are dead or alive, we do not know. What we know is that there is peace in the place. What happened was what usually happen to kidnappers. The kidnappers have been kidnapped.

Police angle: When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the police had no hand in the demolition of the widow’s family home.

“The group was involved in one of the deadliest attacks in Imo State. Uchenna Obilom alias One Arm General, is the second in command to a 15man deadly kidnapping squad that attacked the Niger Plaza Hotel, Oguta on February 24, 2013 and the process, they shot and killed the owner of the hotel and two policemen.

“The gang were dressed in military uniform, while heavily armed with sophisticated weapon. They took the two AK 47 rifles of the dead police officers and wen away. Police commenced investigations immediately and within six hours, one of them, who was found in blood-stained dress, was arrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“The subject under reference here and some members of the gang were engaged in a very serious gun battle with the police. In the course of this action, some of them sustained serious and varying degrees of bullet wounds.”

Students...talking peace?

Security challenge: When students talk peace with images

By TAYE OBATERU

JOS the capital city of Plateau State recently witnessed a frenzy as over 2000 students from various higher institutions enlivened the city with colourful displays. Apart from exhibiting their talents, the students also had a chance to learn from experts, interact and test their capabilities at an international film festival. The maiden edition of the International Students Film Festival was a collaboration among the University of Jos, University of Lagos and the National Film Institute, Jos with support from World Bank's StepB Project.

With the theme, "Moving Images: Talking Peace" which was designed to enhance students'knowledge in practical skills in film and other areas of multi-media studies, drew participants from within Nigeria, the West African sub region and India.

Held at the National Film Institute, NFI, Jos, the film festival took the city by storm as participants regaled the city with colorful parades in form of a road show. Apart from affording students who made entries to compete in various categories, participants enriched their knowledge in various aspects of film making at the Master Classes and other sessions during which experts in film took them through various modules.

A pre-festival press briefing by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, NFC, who is the Chairman, Governing Council of NFI, Dr. Danjuma Dadu, gave an insight into what to expect as he reeled out the objectives of the festival.

According to him, the four-day festival was to expose students

to international standards on film production, foster interaction with using such medium as film, only industry professionals, improve aim at stimulating their creative skills through Master classes, capacities. In this manner they reward excellence and promote are also contributing to ensuring best practices. a peaceful environment for The opening ceremony was themselves." colourful with performances by President of Marwah Studios, various groups, including the New Delhi, India, Dr. Sandep UNIJOS Cultural Dance Troupe Marwah at the pre-festival and speeches which set the tone briefing said it was one of the for subsequent sessions. Vice- best ways to promote peace in the Chancellor of University of Jos world, expressing pleasure for Professor Hayward Mafuyai, being in Nigeria which he said while describing the festival as had become the second largest timely, challenged film makers to film producing country in the project integrity and other values world. "I have always believed that can positively transform the that films are the ambassadors of country. He believed that Nigeria any country. They are the best had what it takes to be among source of national and the best in the world in film international relations," he making. stressed.

In a joint message, the In this manner they are f e s t i v a l directors, Dr. Tor also contributing to Iorapuu who is ensuring a peaceful H e a d , Department of environment for themselves Theatre and Film Arts, University of Jos and Marwah in Masters Class later, Mr. James George of the National noted that the aim of making Film Institute described the movies is for business and festival as one of the most passion for the job. He said significant aspects of the World Bollywood (the Indian Film Bank STEP-B tripartite Industry) had become number partnership for the Centre for one in the world because of the Excellence for Multimedia large population patronising Technology and films. He said about 15 million Cinematography involving the Indians watch cinema everyday three institutions. while more than three and a half According to them: “The theme million people work in the Indian of the festival: ‘Moving Images: film industry. Former NFC Talking Peace’ makes the Managing Director, Dr. Hyginus gathering more apt. But even Ekwuazi, in a presentation, more significant, is the choice of identified piracy and lack of Plateau State. censorship as the major “Getting students to creatively challenges facing Nigeria's film engage with topical and and sued for more actions to sometimes difficult issues such as enable the country achieve her conflict, peace building and potentials in the sector. terrorism, or even social trends

,

Continues from page 38

,

40—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—41

I have never conducted a burial service----Rev. Oyeyemi REVEREND Ebenezer Oyeyemi, who was called into the Lord's Vineyard over 30 years ago, is the General Overseer of Oasis Christian Centre, Egbeda, Lagos which he started 12 years ago. The church will be 12 years come September 12, 2013. In this interview with WAHAB ABDULAH, Dr Oyeyemi speaks on his call, his ministry and prosperity preaching by men of God among others. Excerpts....

O

ASIS Christian Centre, OCC, will be 12 years in September. How has it been?

I thank God because when I look back, it's been so wonderful, it has been so good. The Lord has been good to us and I can see the hand of God as we are being taken into one glory to another.

When we began 12 years ago, precisely on the 12th of September, 2001, in my sitting room with myself, my wife, my mother, two of my brother's children and two other women that followed me from my former church. We were just eight. That shows that the church is growing and the Lord is truly working in the church, so I have nothing to regret.

You have said many times that since the beginning of the ministry you have never conducted burial service. How have you achieved this?

That is true. I am fond of saying that I don’t know how to conduct funeral service; not that we were not taught back in the Seminary how to *Reverend Ebenezer Oyeyemi conduct burial service, but everything about God rest on faith and without faith, part of the gospel of the Lord their growth is slow. This is not you cannot please God. If He Jesus Christ. Let us look at the God’s plan for the church. has called you to preach salva- word, Salvation. Salvation, Are you in support of men tion, to preach holiness or pros- healing, deliverance, protec- of God acquiring private jets? perity, there is need for you to tion are taking from one Greek Yes and no. You see life is in always exercise faith to block word, ‘Soso’ or ‘So de so.’ It phases and men are in sizes. the devil. means heal and to deliver. The When you look at the responMany churches now preach preachers that focus on pros- sibilities being shouldered by prosperity instead of salvation. perity are using it as a strategy some of these men of God, I How do you see this develop- to get people into their minis- think there is need for those ment? tries after which they start un- who can afford it to acquire priIt depends from what per- leashing the true word of God vate jets. If a church believes it spective we are looking at the to them. When you look at other has enough to acquire such a issue of prosperity. Prosperity churches that are not preach- thing let them go ahead. has always been an integral ing prosperity, you discover that

2013 Christian pilgrimage: FG inaugurates 8-man security committee

By CALEB AYANSINA

T

HE Federal Government has inaugurated an eightman sub-committee to plan and strategize security measures for a successful 2013 Christian Pilgrimage Exercise.

Inaugurating the committee in Abuja, the executive secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr. John Kennedy Opara explained that the challenge of insecurity necessitated the creation of the committee.

Opara encouraged them not to compromise in spite of ob-

stacles that might come their way.

NCPC helmsman urged the members of the committee to always trust in the Lord, noting that "with God all things are possible".

In his words: “Men who trust in the Lord get to their destination. Security men wait in vain expect God guides the place, you should be able to stand and say that I have done what my father sent me”.

Responding, the chairman of the committee, Elder Dogara Akut, who is also the Federal Commissioner North-West,

promised that the committee would put in their best to ensure that the task given to them is carried out efficiently.

Akut who stressed the need for all hands to be on deck, for the desired result to be recorded, insisted, “all security personnel should be involved in all the operations of the commission during the exercise”.

The eight-man sub-committee is drawn from four security agencies namely; Nigeria Intelligence Agency, State Security Service, Immigration and FAAN.

UACC ends annual conference

U

NITED Apostolic Church of Christ (UACC) recently ended its annual supreme executive council meeting at the UACC headquarters, 5, Tesi Street, Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos State.

General overseer of the church, Archbishop Moses Fayehun described the 3-day conference as eventful and memorable,

revealing that the church has been experiencing tremendous progress and achievements, noting that it has come of age.

In his words: “Our deliber-ation this year was aimed at ways to sustain the height we have attained and improve on our achievements so far. Above all we are to appreciate God for His mercy and protection upon every

member of the church.”

The minister in charge of UACC headquarters, Rev. Victoria Olorunyomi expresed gratitude to God "who made it possible for us to have a successful conference. Far-reaching decisions were taking which I believe would bring about positive impact on both the church and members”.

L-r:Former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, wife of Ogun State deputy governor and her husband, Prince & Mrs. Segun Adesegun, Primate of Church of the Lord (Aladura) worldwide, Most Rev. Okikiola Ositelu and the church's Public Relations Officer, Rev. Bunmi Badejo, during the grand finale of Tabieorar 2013.

Tabieorar 2013 ends amidst testimonies

I

T was a moment of prayers, intercessions, thanksgiving and testimonies as members and well wishers of the Church of the Lord (Aladura) Worldwide gathered at the church's pilgrimage ground popularly known as Mount Tabieorar located at the Ogere Remo, Ogun State section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. The all night programme with a theme: “It is well” started at about 4.00 p.m. with a large crowd of worshippers from all over the nation, neighbouring countries and overseas in attendance to witness the grand finale of the church programme.

Worshippers gathered at various points on the praying ground offering prayers to God even before the commencement of the programme while some are busy buying different inspirational materials.

According to the church tradition, the festival was declared open with music supplied by the Youth Ministry, Music Ministry and the Evangelical Ministry of TCLAW till 7.30 p.m. when the worshippers observed a short break in preparation for the second part of the programme.

Participants both young and old were ushered in for the second part with Taiwo and Kehinde Adegbodu, the famous gospel musicians ministering in songs and followed with singing of different hymns, reading of Psalms, paying of vows, giving spiritual food, sermon, and release of the 13 blessings by the The Church leader, Most Rev. Okikiola Ositelu.

Various scriptures The Primate of the church, Most Rev. Ositelu in his sermon admonished the saints and Christians alike to be firmly rooted in Christ, noting that all good benefit can only be found in Christ through those who faithfully seek him.

Quoting various scriptures, Ositelu said Christians ought to be humble and obedient to God, explaining that half measure obedience cannot be allowed by God as He demanded total obedience from man.

On the state of the nation, the Baba Aladura urged Christians not to be discouraged despite the challenges confronting the nation. He added that Nigerians should have faith and hope in the country, noting that Nigerians should not relent in praying for the country and it will be well with Nigeria.

In his words: “Christians should be strong and courageous because there is a lot of task ahead and all we need to do is to obey God’s commandment, put our trust in Him. We might not understand the way God operates yet let not our heart be troubled. Let us worry less and pray more”.

Reading out the Primate's welcome address in different languages and dialects, the church's PRO, Rev. Bunmi Badejo urged participants to key into the programme with an open mind to receive from God. As the festival came to an end with different musical tones, Ositelu announced that a baby boy was delivered during the programme.

Destiny Revival Church is two

A

CTIVITIES marking the second anniversary of Destiny Revival Church, Chapel of Praise, Abesan Estate in Ipaja area of Lagos kick off today. The 3-day programme begin at

5.00 p.m. each day with a Theme; 'This is the finger of God'. Topics for each day include: 'You shall not go empty handed'; 'Baptism of Holy Ghost Fire' and 'Prophet Night'.

42—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

She is too fetish

He refuses to leave his wife Dear Bunmi, I've been with my fiance for two years. I thought I was happy until I met a man at work. He’s married and has a young son. But he said things were not going well and we began an affair. Very soon, we found out we wanted more than just sex. We talked about leaving our partners and setting down together.

Then his wife found out

about us. To his surprise, she didn’t call an end to the marriage. She told him instead that if he left her for me, she wouldn’t let him see his son.

So, he’s staying with her for the sake of his child. Is it possible for his wife to deny him access to his son? I just can’t cope without him. But I know he won’t leave his wife if that means losing his child.

Agnes, by e-mail

I can't marry this two-timer Dear Bunmi, I am in a real mess. A few months ago, I met this girl at one of my friend’s place and he introduced her as his girlfriend. Shortly after, I ran into her and she told me she’d broken off with my friend. She then asked for my address and I gave it to her. I was surprised when she turned up at my place a few days later.

In no time at all, we started a relationship. My friend visited after we started sleeping together and was shocked and angry to find her in my place.

He called me a lot of unprintable names for snatching his girlfriend. He denied they’d broken up and that they still sleep together.

This girl has just told me she’s pregnant, I gave her money for an abortion but she rushed to report me to my parents that I wanted to endanger her life. My parents

who have been nagging me to get married said she should move in with me.

I don’t love this girl and I certainly don’t want to marry her. I’m not even sure the baby is mine but I don’t want to go against my parents. The girl is a hairdresser and I’m an executive officer. How do I get rid of her?

Matthew, by e-mail.

Dear Matthew, You should have thought about her status before you took her to your bed knowing she was once sleeping with your friend. You said she was available.

Well, now she’s available for you to look after as the mother of your child. You must admit you were a bit reckless hopping into bed with her.

Your best bet is to let the baby arrive and if you’re still not sure it’s yours, you can do a paternity test.

Dear Agnes, A woman who is lonely in her relationship can easily find a man who is willing to give her the intimacy, sex and affection that she feels denied. If he has a wife his new lover will find an excuse that makes betraying that woman seem somehow quite acceptable. Otherwise, guilt gets in the way of the two lovers enjoying their adultery. The man’s desire though is for an additional bed partner - not a substitute for his wife. If the man’s lover presses him to leave his wife, they face a moment of truth.

Your lover has decided that he will not leave his wife for someone else’s fiancee. Blaming her allows him to avoid admitting that his loyalty to his wife and child is too great to abandon them. Do you want to break up someone else’s family? Happiness is uneasily built on the sadness and loss of others.

Do you imagine that if this man deserted his wife and son, just seeing that hurt child occasionally would somehow make his and your behaviour unacceptable? Children need full-time mums and dads. Yes, an unscrupulous way to obstruct a man’s access to his children. That’s not the issue here. If you feel that your relationship with your fiance is in any way unsatisfactory, then face that problem honestly. Don’t continue to deceive him - and don’t again toy with another woman’s husband.

My mum sides with my first wife Dear Bunmi, Some years back, I took a second wife. My first wife and I have three children between us. But it was always understood that being a Muslim and coming from a polygamous home, I might take a second wife. When I eventually did, my first wife took an unhealthy dislike to this poor girl because she’s had a kid for her previous husband. Well, I was a father of three too!

The long and short of it is that I was retrenched and couldn’t afford two homes. I told my wife we would all have to live under the same roof and she hit the roof! She said that would happen over her dead body.

She’s made appreciable progress in her job. She then moved out before the date I said the second wife was mov-

ing in and my mother who had all along been living with us moved in with her!

It was like a betrayal. She said she had always lived with us, was used to my first three children and didn’t want to entrust their welfare to a maid.

Moreover, she said she was so used to looking after her own grandchildren she wouldn’t know how to look after a stranger ’s child, her way of showing her disapproval for this new wife of mine. I have threatened her but she remained adamant.

She has settled into this new flat with my first wife but this is wrong. She is my mother and I want her with me. How can I make her see that her loyalty should be to her son?

Kenneth, by e-mail Dear Kenneth,

Since you haven’t divorced your first wife, she’s still very much your responsibility, along with her children. I don’t see any reason why your poor mother should be forced to take your side. She might be your mother but she’s grandmother to the three children.

Count your lucky stars as very few wives get along with their mothers-in-law, let alone want to live with them without their sons in residence!

Your decision doesn’t have to be abided with by your wife or your mother.

It is a free world, remember, and they are adults! Just as you have all the time in the world to enjoy your second marriage, so does your first wife have the right to enjoy her peace of mind which thankfully she can afford.

Dear Bunmi, For some time now, I have noticed that I always have diarrhoea whenever I eat at home. A few weeks ago, my house-boy confided in me that he always noticed my wife putting funny-looking concoctions into the stew and vegetable soup she always cooks for me.

A few days after this revelation, I heard her reciting some incantations on my bed when she thought I was fast asleep.

I immediately opened my eyes and accused her of trying to charm me. She promptly denied it. She said I was having a nightmare.

When I opened her wardrobe after she’d gone out the next day, I was shocked at all the juju I found there. If I’m not careful, this woman will kill me. I was married before and never experienced any-

thing like this. Should I send her packing?

Lamidi, by e-mail Dear Lamidi, Have you called your wife to ask her what the matter really was? She might not feel secured in the relationship and might have resorted to these concoctions as desperate measures to win your love.

She couldn’t be planning to hurt you, surely? Most second wives are known to have a complex about their husband’s first wives. You need to have an open discussion of her fears with her.

Then, together you should throw all these suspicious looking stuffs away and encourage her always to come to you whenever she needs re-assurance.

‘

Since you haven’t divorced your first wife, she’s still very much your responsibility, along with her children. I don’t see any reason why your poor mother should be forced to take your side. She might be your mother but she’s grandmother to the three children.

’

He wants to call it quits Dear Bunmi, I’ve been with my partner for five years and I thought our love was solid. Now he tells me he’s not sure he wants to be with me. He won’t tell me what’s wrong and insists he’s not cheating. I really love him and he says he cares for me. Do you think I should move on or give him space in case he changes his mind?

Donna by e-mail Dear Donna, You should hang in there if and when a long-term relationship hits crisis - even if for just a while. In the meantime, give each other space - clinging on will just drive you further apart but fix a date a few

weeks away to meet. Work out what you want but don’t let loneliness make you see your relationship with rose-tinted glasses. Face up to what was bad.

When you meet again, don’t play games. If you want him back, say so. If you don’t, be equally clear. Sadly, even if only one of you is certain they want to split up, then it’s the end of the relationship. Accept that and start to move on. But if you’re both unsure, get counselling - preferably as a couple, but if not, by yourself.

This will help you clarify what each of you wants. If you decide to get back together, counselling is also a good idea to avoid ending up in crisis again.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —43

44—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Tompolo Foundation trains science teachers

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

A R R I — TOMPOLO Foundation, a charity group founded by exmilitant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, A.K.A. Tompolo, yesterday, commenced a two-week capacity training for 50 secondary school science teachers in Warri North, South and South-West local government areas of Delta State.

Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, said the N7 million scholarship programme was to equip the teachers to effectively use the laboratory equipment, books and other items donated to schools in the riverside areas He said: “The Tompolo Foundation is aligning itself with the UNESCO views on the need for students to receive science education from able science teachers.”

Launch

A

N events and entertainment centre, Event Galleria, has been launched in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.

A 250-capacity conference hall, 1,800-capacity events centre and multimedia equipment are some of the state-of-theart facilities available at the Galleria.

Opposition abusing freedom of expression, says Jonathan

BY INNOCENT ANABA

T

HE Federal Government has accused opposition political parties in the country of abusing the freedom of thought and conscience guaranteed in the constitution to threaten the unity of the country.

President Goodluck Jonathan made the accusation at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, conference in Calabar, Cross River State.

The President, who was represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), said: “The quest for power and determination of certain persons and sections of the country to wrestle power from the incumbent political office holders have led to the issuance of all manner of threats with grave implications for our national unity.

“These constitutional rights have unwittingly become tools in the hands of politicians in the polity.”

Jonathan’s accusation came as Senate President, David Mark, represented by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), called on those angling for a sovereign national conference to forget about it in the meantime, adding that it was not feasible.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubukar and House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, also spoke on the state of the nation at the event, even as Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State called on the people to hold governments at all level accountable.

President Jonathan said: “Democracy and liberalism that it engenders in the political space have also brought about its own challenges, especially to the unity and corporate existence of our nation.

“The freedom of expression, association and freedom of thought

and conscience guaranteed by the Constitution, have unwittingly become tools in the hands of politicians and their associates to promote division, hatred, and discontentment in the polity.”

... lists challenges

The President said despite effort of past governments, the country was still faced with multiple challenges.

He identified some of them as how to ensure the security of lives and property in the face of increasing global terrorism, how to protect people’s rights and liberties in the midst of competing social norms, and how to achieve economic development and improvement in living conditions.

He said: “Another major challenge to our nationhood is how

to improve on the living conditions of our people. Our Constitution clearly provides that security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“Although this administration has unveiled a programme of action to deal with these issues, it is obvious that success can only be achieved with concerted efforts from the public and private sectors to deal with these developmental challenges.”

Tambuwal, Atiku speak

The Speaker, Mr. Tambuwal, said: “In the face of stupendous wealth, resources and potential with which we could build a united nation of prosperous people, we are indirectly but gradually building two nations

... as DDP loses members to PDP in Isoko

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—AT least 40 persons have decamped from Democratic Peoples’ Party, DPP, to Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, at Otor-Igho in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Receiving the decampees at the community’s town hall,

Ward Chairman, Mr. Goddy Ogorugba, urged them to be faithful and committed to PDP to strengthen the party ahead of the upcoming local government election in the state.

He said: “For the party to recognise and identify you as a member, you must uphold the interest and ideology of the party at all times.”

While expressing delight with the decision of the 40

persons to team up with PDP, he advised them to strive to make positive impact towards the uplifting the party.

Responding on behalf of the decampees, Mr. Gabriel Otobo thanked the PDP leadership for accepting them into their fold, assuring that they would uphold the party’s rules and regulations and work relentlessly to strengthen the party in the area.

Urhobo youths endorse Idonor for Delta Central

BY GODWIN OGHRE

U

RHOBO youths, under the aegis of Ewu Political Movement, EPM, have presented Mr. Daniel Idonor as replacement for late Senator Pius Ehwerido, who until his death on June 30, represented Delta Central senatorial

district in the National Assembly.

While urging the entire Urhobo nation, traditional rulers, leaders of thought and the political class to consider giving automatic ticket to Idonor, the group said this became necessary following the 90 days replacement ultima-

tum by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. National President of the group, Mr. Nathaniel Okhoro, said that Daniel Idonor, having been in the Presidency for well over 10 years as a media practitioner, was qualified to fill the vacant senatorial seat.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

in one.

“There is a nation of prosperity and affluence on the one hand and another nation of poverty and squalor on the other. Yet our desire and expectation is nation building.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar decried what he called a consistent and progressive marginalisation of the vast majority of Nigerians.

The discrimination, he said, is as a result of policies which encourage “inequitable interpersonal and inter-regional distribution of opportunities.”

This, he said, “has created situations that propagate rural poverty, urban squalor and general discontent on the one hand, indiscipline, corruption, ostentatious living on the other and social tension and insecurity on the whole.”

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On ‘deportation' of Igbo

S for me, I love it.

Our Igbo governors should wake up from sleep and put good industries in the land. A lot of good brains are being wasted in other states.

Let Igbo return home and invest in their fatherland and not in another man’s land.— Miss Chinonye Chinny, Student.

A

Y view is that Nigeria is a lie. The country needs to divide. It will ensure even development. As for the deportation, it’s wrong to deport anybody within Nigeria as long as that person is a legal and bonafide citizen.— Mr. Abiodun Aremu, Computer Instructor.

M

F we must accept the truth, we must support Governor Babatunde Fashola to keep Lagos clean. If littering the streets with destitute is good, then every state should take care of their own. For now, let every destitute remain in his/ her states.— Miss Akinkunmi Horlar, Student.

I

HE dumping of some people at Onitsha bridge head is totally unfair. How is the Lagos State Government sure that the people they brought into Anambra State are all from the state?

This act shows that Nigeria is no more a united country.— Mr. Duru Ifeanyi, Businessman.

T

I

T is high time Igbo learned their lesson.

Any Igbo man that is putting all his eggs in Lagos will one day cry home and somebody like me will not answer him. Is it not Igbo that are building the mansions and industries in Lagos?— Mrs Ifeoma Ayambuba, Businesswoman.

AGOS State Government did not mean it the way people are taking it. We have seen government’s projects: repairing roads, drainage, railways, and so on. So the government does not want anything that will disturb the state.— Miss Sandy Faith, Student.

L

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—45

Group flays Northern opposition against Jonathan's 2015 Presidency

Manager docked for alleged theft of N10m

BY ONOZURE DANIA

L

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—A pressure group, Grassroots Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan, GCGJ, yesterday, lashed out at the Arewa Consultative Forum and the Northern Elders Forum over their stance on the President’s second term bid.

The group in a statement by its National President and Secretary, Comrade Gabriel Akpude and Comrade Levi Okoronkwo, said: “The Arewa consultative forum as an opposition to Mr. President has no moral right to tell Jonathan not to contest the 2015 general election.

“The same Arewa Consultative Forum and Northern Elders Forum, whose spokesperson has been mounting vitrolic attacks on the office and the person of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, using both local and international media on why Dr Goodluck Jonathan should not run in 2015".

Ocean Marine Tankers commissions 2 vessels

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—AN indigenous company, Ocean Marine Tankers Limited, OMT, has commissioned two crude oil sea tankers, MT IGBINOSA and MT ABIOLA, in Warri, Delta State.

President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Special Adviser, Maritime, Mr. Olugbenga Oyewole, acknowledged the giant stride of the company and urged other investors to take similar step.

He said before the advent of OMT tankers, foreigners flaunted their capacity in the face of Nigerians, dominated the shipping sector, adding that with the newest accomplishment, the country’s freight charges have reduced automatically by $60, 000 a day.

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba, who commissioned the two ships, urged the crew to adhere to the tenets of safe navigation at all times.

VISIT—From left: President Goodluck Jonathan being decorated with Anioma regalia by the Chairman, Anioma Congress, Chief Benjamin Elue; Secretary, Mr Dan Okeyi and the Asagba of Asaba, Professor Chike Edozie, during their visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Rights groups, students protest ASUU strike in Edo zAccuse govt of insensitivity as FG begs ASUU

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA & SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY—ECONOMIC activities ground to a halt for over one hour in Benin City, yesterday, as a coalition of civil society organisations and students protested against the attitude of the Federal Government to the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. The protest came as President Goodluck Jonathan appealed to he leadership of ASUU to call off the strike.

The placard-carrying groups, including Concerned Nigerian Students, Coalition of Edo Youths Organisation, Edo Youth Congress, Edo State Students, Comrade Across the Nation, South-South Youth League and Edo Youth for Good Government, described the Federal Government’s seeming refusal to meet the demands of ASUU as wicked and expressed support for ASUU. The protesters, who brandished placards, some of which read, “we are Nigerian undergraduates unemployed,” “Education is a right,” “Federal Government answer ASUU,” said the present impasse in FG/ASUU talk breakdown should be blamed on government.

Former ASUU chairman, University of Benin chapter, Dr Kashetu Ilavbare, who was sighted around the protesters, said the presence of some of ASUU members was to guide the protesters to prevent them from taking laws into their hands.

A contingent of policemen from the Edo State Police Command was observed at strategic points and this

was to ensure that the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.

Ilavbare said: “We don’t have anything to do with them, but we got information they were on the road, so we came to guide them, so that they will not destroy; to make it peaceful.

“You can see they are rational people. There is need for infrastructure both in the schools and outside, so that is why we are trying to ensure they don’t go on the rampage.”

The protesters in a statement read by Omobude Agho, called on patriotic Nigerians to support the action and enlighten parents and others on why they were agitating.

The statement read in part: “Investigations have shown that the issues at stake are far and above the demand for higher wages. ASUU went on strike because the Federal Government has failed to honour the agreement that it entered into with ASUU in 2009.

“This agreement provided for government funding of quality higher education for Nigerians. Provision of teaching and learning facilities, laboratory equipment for science students and research grants, payment of earned allowances, retirement age and progressive increase in annual budgetary allocation to the educational sector of 26 per cent, which is the UN standard.”

Meanwhile, President Jonathan has called on the leadership of ASUU to call off the on-going strike embarked

by the union.

The President made the appeal in a message delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, at the commissioning of projects at the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO. The President said: “There is no justification for the strike as government as shown enough commitment to the cause of tertiary education in Nigeria. I appeal to ASUU leadership to call off the strike as keeping the students at home is not in the best interest of the nation.

“No government in the world can release the amount of money ASUU leadership is asking for in one installment.”

He, however, reiterated government’s commitment to enhance the quality of university education in the country.

The President further disclosed that government had released N100 billion for infrastructural development in the nation’s universities and another N30 billion as earned allowances for the academic staff.

He expressed delight for the completion of the projects, adding that they were coming at a time some other institutions were crying for improvement in infrastructure.

President Jonatha added: “I would like to assure Nigerians that more funds would be released periodically for infrastructural development in schools. I am optimistic that ASUU will soon call off the strike.”

AGOS—A manager of a filling station was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, for allegedly stealing N10 million.

The suspect, Oluwagbenga Ajobi, 22, who resides at Egbeda , is facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, alteration and forgery, preferred against him by the police.

Ajobi, who was the manger of Al- Moruff filling station, was docked before Magistrate Eniola Fabamwo.

Police prosecutor, ASP, Barth Nwaokoye, said the defendant, committed the alleged offence between January and June 2013, at AlMoruff filling sation located at Orelope, in Egbeda area of Lagos.

He said the defendant conspired with others at large with intent to alter the company’s voucher.

Nwaokoye told the court that the defendant forged the company’s director ’s signature to steal the alleged sum.

The prosecutor also claimed that Ajobi stole the sum of N10 million belonging to AlMoruff filling station.

According to the prosecutor, the offence committed was punishable under section 409, 333, (2) (a) and 361 (1) (a), 363 (3) (1) and 285 (8) of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria 2011.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the fourcount charge levelled against him.

Anniversary

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OUNG Christian Fellowship, YCF, of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Ikate, Surulere, Lagos celebrates its 50th year anniversary and golden jubilee on Sunday, September 1, 2013.

The anniversary committee chairman, Bro Fola Ibiyemi said the week long activities include charity visit to Atunda-Olu School for the physically and mentally challenged children, health talk on stress management and thanksgiving service at church and reception at New Great Hall, LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos.

The anniversary project is the launch of a N6 million new church altar.

46—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Culture, tool for devt, says REP

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FG urged to assist domestic airlines in securing aviation fuel

BY UDUMA KALU

MEMBER of the House of Representatives, Professor Chudi Uwazurike, has identified culture as a very important tool for development of Nigeria.

To this end, the lawmaker is planning an Okigwe South Cultural Festival for the celebration of people’s heritage such as foods, arts and craft etc.

Uwazurike made this known at this year ’s Ezumezu Obowu, an intellectual and New Yam celebration of the community, organised by Obowu Development Association, ODA, the umbrella socio-cultural organisation of entire Obowu people, Meatime, PresidentGeneral of ODA, Okenze Ben-Glad Okonkwo, asked the state government to tar the road to the group’s secretariat, adding that the community would erect a statute for the charismatic governor of old Imo State, the late Sam Mbakwe, in its headquarters. It will also build a Hall of Fame for those that helped to develop the community.

Passage

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ADAM SUSANAH Ajolade Odusote (nee Dina), aged 107, is dead. She died on July 25, 2013.

There will be a wakekeep on Friday, August 30, at her residence, Oke Mosa Street, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.

She will be buried at the Christian Cemetery, OkeAgbo, after a funeral service on August 31, at St. John’s African Church, Oke-Agbo.

She is survived by children, great grand children and other relations, including a Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mrs. Kemi Oni, CEO, Multi-purpose Oil Services Ltd and chairman, Lagos State Medical Guild, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote.

Late Susanah Odusote

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

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AGOS—DOMESTIC air lines in the country have appealed to the federal government to assist them with adequate supply of aviation fuel, otherwise known as JET-A1, lamenting that insufficient supply was impeding seamless operations.

Managing Director, MedVied Airlines, Mr. Munir Bankole, spoke for the airlines at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, yesterday, when he took delivery of an additional Boeing 737-500 plane from France.

He pointed out that the lack of aviation fuel to power the aircraft was one of the major problems that most airlines operators in the aviation industry were currently grappling with.

Bankole appealed to the government to give major fuel suppliers some window that will make the products easily accessible and available to airlines operators in the country.

He said: “For us, it is a national assignment, so you will help me tell President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Petroleum. It is a national issue, so we don’t want to talk as Medview, we want to talk in general with other operators.

“It affects not only Medview Airlines, it affects other operators because we need the government to come to our aid so that government can give those major fuel suppliers some window to get full accessibil-

Offiah joins Oji River LG chairmanship race

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JI—VICE-CHAIRMAN of Oji River Local Government Area in Enugu State, Sir Ephraim Offia, has joined the race for the chairmanship position of the council area in the forthcoming local government election in the state.

A rally at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state party secretariat on Monday, confirmed the speculation that Offiah is the peoples choice for the chairmanship position in the November 2013 election.

Addressing his supporters at the PDP office, Offia assured them that if elected, his administration would take the council to the next level by embarking on people-oriented policies and projects.

This, he said, would be easy to achieve, considering the fact that the state governor, Sullivan Chime, had been magnanimous not to tamper with the local government funds.

He said: When I came the first time, I was told to wait and the second time, I was also told to still wait and the crowd here today has waited for this day and I express my interest and desire to contest for the chairmanship position in the coming council election. I thank you for believing in me and I promise that if elected, I will not let the you down.”

ity of the product because it is very difficult to find outside.”

Speaking on the airline’s operations on the domestic scene, Alhaji Bankole said Medview had airlifted over 250,000 passengers within nine months of its emergence, adding that the acquisition of the additional aircraft was paramount to the airline as it would

further service its anticipated new routes.

He stressed that because of the high passengers’ patronage at the moment, the airlines needed more aircraft to meet the demand, adding that explained the reason for the additional aircraft.

Bankole said: “We are going to expand to Port-Harcourt and

Abuja, we also are expanding to Enugu. For our domestic operations, the traffic load has been very heavy, I want to say categorically, we move close to 1,300, 1,400 passengers on daily bases, so on our traffic monthly, we have been between 30,000 and 35,000 passengers monthly.”

SIGNING: From left: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh; Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Akpobololkemi and Director, Legal, Mrs. Rita Uruakpa, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between NIMASA and the Airforce for the promotion of maritime safety and security on the nation’s waterways in Abuja. Photo: Sunday Aghaeze.

2015 Enugu guber: I’m under pressure to contest —PMT BOSS He also urged Ohanaeze Ndi

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

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SUKKA—EVANGELIST Samuel Onyishi, Chief Executive Officer of the Peace Mass Transit Limited, PMT, has said he might consider the pressure being mounted on him by his people to run for the state governorship election in 2015.

In an interview with journalists, Onyishi shortly after he was conferred with chieftaincy title of “Ochiri-Ozua Ndi Igbo” by the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, Enugu State chapter at his residence in Enugu, said pressure was being mounted on him by his people to run for the 2015 gubernatorial race in the state Aside the pressure from his people, the transport mogul said he

was eminently qualified to contest for the 2015 governorship election as he was from the area where his party, the PDP, had zoned the governorship for the state come 2015.

He said: “I am from Enugu North senatorial zone where the governorship has been zoned to, and by this arraignment by PDP, I am qualified to contest the 2015 governorship election.

“God has raised me for my people but I cannot say I have made up my mind yet. Even with all the pressure, I am still seeking the face of God.” The transport magnate applauded the quality programmes of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, Enugu State chapter, and promised to always support them.

Igbo national to emulate Enugu State chapter “I urge Ohaneze national to copy from what the Enugu State chapter is doing in the area of upholding the tenets of Igbo traditional institution,” he said.

On the conferment of the chieftaincy title on him, Onyishi said he was humbled by it, adding that the programmes credited to him as achievements were what God called him to do and promised to do more to uplift humanity In a remark, the Chairman of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, Enugu State chapter, Chief Eric Ebeh, extolled the contributions of Evangelist Sam Maduka Onyishi to the growth and promotion of Igbo language.

LG polls: Community demands rotation It canvassed the rotation of the of council seat chairmanship position of the

E

BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—AHEAD of the No vember local council elections in Enugu State, Ugwuaji Awkunanaw, a community in the state, is asking to be given opportunity to produce the chairman of Enugu South local government council.

The community also appealed to former senate president, Senator Ken Nnamani, former governor of

old Anambra State, Sen. Jim Nwobodo, as well as House of Representatives member, Offor Chukwuegbo, and incumbent chairman of the council, Ozo Nwabueze Okafor, to use their positions to ensure that this was done.

The community articulated its aspirations in a communiqué issued at the end of a town hall meeting held over the weekend.

Enugu South local council among the four indigenous communities that make up the local government, namely Amechi, Ugwuaji, Obeagu and Akwuke.

The community, while insisting that it is their turn to produce the chairman of the council, pointed out that Amechi and Obeagu had been occupying the seat since the local government was created in 1991.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—47

PARTY: From left, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN, Mr. Larry Annetts; evicted MTN Project Fame's contestant, Mrs. Janet Ayoka; hip-hop king, Tuface Idibia, and another Project Fame product, Praiz, at the Eviction Party, in honour of Janet Ayoka, at Rumours Nite Club, G.R.A., Ikeja.

INVESTITURE: Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Mr. Ladi Balogun (left), receiving certificate from the President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, Mr. Segun Aina, after his investiture as a fellow of the institute, in Lagos.

WORKSHOP: From left, Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa; Special Business and Projects Executive, Anita Obot; Bank Manager, Mr. Jide Dada, both of Heritage Bank, and DirectorGeneral, National Mathematical Centre, Prof.

Adewale Solarin, at stakeholders' workshop on Shetsco Silicon Valley project, in Abuja.

CONFERENCE: Managing Director of Access Bank, Aigboje AigImoukhuede (left), and Director, Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Tony Ojobo, at the just-ended All Nigerian Editors' Conference, in Asaba, Delta State.

BIRTHDAY: Former Chief of General Staff, Nigerian Army, Lt. Gen. Oladipupo Diya (rtd), with Senator Gbenga Ashafa, at the 69th birthday of Senator Adefuye, in Lekki, Lagos.

ACTIVATION: Mr. Benson Ajayi, MD/CEO, LCC (left), and Mr. Sesan Ogunro, MD, Spot-On-Media, during the activation of Digital Water Screen, in Lagos.

FUNERAL: The Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Lady Valerie Ebe (middle), flanked by, from left, Senator Ita Enang, and the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bassey Albert, during the funeral service of the immediate past Transition Committee Chairman of Ibiono Ibom Local Government Council, late Mrs. Hannah Essien, conducted by the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, at the Council Headquarters, Okoita.

FLAG-OFF: From left, Alhaji Kau Baraje, Chairman Board of Directors, NRC, Engr. Adeseyi Sijuade, MD/CE NRC and Charles Edike, Apapa Customs Area 1 controller during the NRC flagoff ceremony of the container traffic train at Apapa Port.

BIRTHDAY: From left, Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State, former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi (the celebrant) and the chairman, the Yeriman Zazzau, Alhaji Munir Jafaru, at the 57th birthday celebration of Senator Makarfi, at Asaa Pyramid Hotel, Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi

48—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Lagosians excited over Digital Water Screen

BRIEFS World Bank, CBN, others discuss SMEs

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ORLD Bank, Cen tral Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Bank of Industry, BOI, among other Nigerian banks will today discuss the activities in the Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs in Nigeria.

A statement by the Director, Public Relations / Membership Services, Nigerian Association of Small And Medium Enterprises, NASME, Mr. Nerus Ekezie, said the association was concerned by numerous challenges facing MSMEs in Nigeria.

Adeboye, new ministers pray in Lagos

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HE General Over seer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, will Sunday, hold a special prayer programme tagged: “Ignite 2013” with Youths in Lagos state and all newly ordained ministers of the church.

The programme according to the Assistant Pastor-in-charge of social responsibility, Throne of Grace Parish, Pastor Goke Aniyeloye, would hold at the church national headquarters in Ebute-Meta, Lagos by 8am.

Kiibati holds convention

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CTIVITIES mark ing the annual international convention of Power Pentecostal Church (Kiibati) worldwide have begun.

The event which started on Sunday, August, 25, and will run through Sunday, September, 1, 2013 at the church headquarters, Okota-Isolo, Lagos, is with the theme “Increase in Favour.

According to the convention planning committee chairman, Pastor Adeleke Adeseri, the eight-day convention programme would impact positively on members and nation, stressing that Nigeria would increase in God’s favour.

He said founder/president of the church, Bishop Bolanle Odeleke and other ministers of God would be ministering during the convention.

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RETREAT—From left: The Group Managing Director of The New Nigerian Development Company, Dr Ahmed Musa Muhammed; Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Amb Nuhu Bajoga; Governor of Niger State, Dr Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu and the Chairman, NNDC, Prof Halidu I. Abubakar, during the opening ceremony of a three-day management strategy retreat, held at Hamdala Hotel, Kaduna.

CAN begs ASUU, health workers to suspend strike

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI —BAUCHI State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, to sacrifice their interests and consider the plight of the masses who are victims of ongoing strikes.

State Secretary of CAN, Rev. Joshau Rai Mains, who made the appeal, yesterday, in an interview in Bauchi, lamented that education and health sectors in the country were in shambles and if nothing was done to salvage the situation, Nigerians would be worse for it.

Joshau argued that continuous strikes were not healthy for the development of the country, as such the striking unions should reconsider their stance and call off the strikes.

He said: “The health and education sectors are very important in the development of any country and if these two sectors are grounded, how can we progress in the country? You will never hear a time that the health and education sectors in developed countries are going

on strikes because these countries know how vital these sectors are.

"In Nigeria, the reverse is the case; every sector of the country, once they are pursuing their personal interests, they forget about the plight of the common man.

“The Medical and Health Workers union in the country should reconsider the dis-

tress the strike has put patients in. I know this strike might have led to the death of some people, who did not get urgent medical attention.”

The group called on the Federal Government to be sincere in implementing its agreement with the two unions so that the workers could return to work.

Removing Tukur won't solve PDP's problems — Zayam

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI —A CHIEF TAIN of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bashir Zayam, has warned that removing the National Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, will not solve the problems of the party ahead 2015 general election.

Alhaji Bukar who is the

Assistant Publicity Secretary of PDP, Bauchi State Chapter, spoke, yesterday, at a briefing in Bauchi. He said: “Removing Bamanga Tukur cannot solve the problems of PDP. If you remove him today and appoint another person tomorrow, some people may not welcome the ideas and programmes of the new leader hundred per cent.

Tukur is a leader who is ap-

NANS plans protest to end ASUU strike

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AGOS—NATIONAL Asso ciation of Nigerian Students, NANS, plans to hold a nationwide protest as a last resort to force the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to end the protracted strike of university lecturers.

NANS’ President, Yinka Gbadebo, responding to allegations that the students’ body was not bothered by the 60-day-old strike, said the union had been

AGOS—SPOT- ONMEDIA caused quite a stir at the weekend at the live activation of Digital Water Screen held at the Lagoon Front, near the popular Fish Market under the new bridge linking the Law School with Falomo on Lagos Island.

Traffic was brought to a crawl as motorists, pedestrians and commuters struggled to catch a glimpse of the digital water advertising, the first of its kind in Africa.

The spectators were amused at the pictures and logos of corporate bodies being projected on water jet which serves as the canvas.

This is another format for outdoor advertising which provides a unique canvas for a variety of projected media like digital video projection, laser graphics and large format slide projection. It offers good blend of art and technology with a natural canvas.

LASAA’s Business Development manager, Mr. Siraj Bello who represented the company’s Managing Director, Mr. George Kayode Noah at the event, said the company will be utilizing the acres of water space in Lagos as well as the darkness in the evenings for the project.

employing other matured approaches to appeal to both the government and ASUU. According to him, “NANS is not relaxed but we have decided to take approaches that don’t require us to make noise. We have been meeting with executive members of ASUU, the Nigerian Universities Commission, Minister of Education and the FG. We have also written to

meet with the universities NEEDS Implementation Committee chairman and Governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswan. If we don’t receive any response by the end of the week, we would issue an ultimatum and take it up from there.

“I have been consulting with all SUG leaders in the affected schools so that we would speak with one voice."

pointed by God to lead the party. He did not force himself to become the National Chairman of the party because he went through a legitimate process and won his election”.

According to him, every leader had his own challenges, hence such challenges should be addressed with patience, dialogue and understanding and not agitating for his removal from office.

“People should understand that PDP is a big party and once you have a big party, you are going to have challenges.

It is the ability to manage those challenges that will determine how far you can go in the future.

"So, we are hopeful that we are going to surmount them and work as a team towards 2015. I don’t see anything out of the ordinary going on in the PDP. In PDP dialogue is one of the ways we resolve our differences. When we meet, we understand each other ’s language as a family and suggestions are accommodated.”

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —49

50— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013—51

Anthony Oye Cukwurah, pioneer in law of international boundaries (1934-2013) TRIB UTE TRIBUTE

BY CHIDI ANSELM ODINKALU & SONI AJALA

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•Prof. Anthony Oye Cukwurah relations. He was the author of The International Status of the South-West African (1962) and The Law and the Nursing Profession (1991). Nigeria’s present leaders and their aspiring successors would do well to read his Anarchism and Anarchist Tendencies in Nigeria (2004).

Oye Cukwurah graduated as the best student at the Bar examinations, and was duly called and enrolled as Barrister of the Kings Inn, Dublin, Republic of Ireland in 1961 and the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in 1962 respectively. He later proceeded to The Hague Academy of International Law for a post-doctoral research where he was tutored by BhoutrosBhoutros Ghali, who later became Secretary-General of the

His path-breaking Ph.D thesis on the Settlement of Boundary Disputes in International Law , remains unquestionably the leading authority on the international law of boundary settlements B.C.L and LL.B degree and University of Manchester, England, where he obtained a Ph.D. Inspired by the challenges of post-colonial settlements in Africa, his path-breaking Ph.D thesis on the Settlement of Boundary Disputes in International Law published by the Manchester University Press in 1967, remains unquestionably the leading authority on the international law of boundary settlements, nearly half a century after it was issued. In 1991, he complemented this with another book on The Management of Inter-State Boundaries and Borderlands in Nigeria.

Oye Cukwurah had to his credit over 50 published works in law, jurisprudence, international boundary adjudication, peace and conflict resolution, theology, human rights and international

Seeds of hope and harvests of despair (3) Bashorun Randle in this concluding part of the discourse argues that the economy was doing well

A

S Nigeria prepared to finally cede control of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula in August 2013, one of the principal actors in the protracted legal dispute over the territory passed on.

Anthony Oye Cukwurah, a law professor who died on July 12, 2013 at the age of 79 was a distinguished university administrator, public servant, a pioneering African scholar of international law, and Africa’s foremost expert in the arcane area of the law of international boundaries. Long before the word became a title or conferment, Ben Wortley, the famous Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Manchester who supervised his Doctoral research described Oye Cukwurah in 1966 as a “distinguished” Nigerian.

One of the co-counsel in the Bakassi case, Professor Cukwurah’s unique expertise was in the study of international boundaries. His book on The Settlement of Boundary Disputes in International Law was copiously relied on as authority by both sides in the Bakassi case.

At the time of his death, he was working on a book on the Bakassi case.

Born on April 30, 1934, in Abatete, Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State, young Oye Cukwurah attended the African College, Onitsha and the famous Christ the King College, (CKC) Onitsha, between 1949 1953.Thereafter, he studied Law at the prestigious University College, Dublin Eire obtaining

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION:

,

United Nations.

Back in Nigeria, Oye Cukwurah taught several generations of lawyers over more than five decades of teaching and research in various universities and institutions, thirty-two years of which he spent as a professor of law. Some of the institutions in which he taught included: the University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Imo State University, University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, and the University of Abuja. In 1981, he pioneered the establishment of the College of Business Administration and Legal Studies at the Imo State University as Professor and Dean.

From 1990-1992 he was the Third Ime Umanah Professor of Law at the University of Uyo. At his death, Oye Cukwurah was also Professor and Dean of law at the University of Abuja.

Oye Cukwurah arrived at Imo

State University in 1981 from an already storied career in international law. Following his Doctoral work at Manchester, Oye Cukwurah was headhunted by the legendary Professor LCB Gower to join the pioneer staff of the Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he was part of the foundation staff until 1965, when he transferred his services to the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC).

At UNEC, Oye Cukwurah was the staff adviser to the University of Nigeria Law Students team that represented Nigeria and won first prize in 1974 Phillip Jessup Moot Court competition in Washington DC, United States. He rose to the position of Reader and Associate Professor in Law. His students included former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

At the Imo State University, Oye Cukwurah showed brilliance and exceptional acumen in pioneering a law faculty with very limited resources. The genius of his success was in assembling an outstanding faculty of excellent teachers and minds, including former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Osita Eze, now of blessed memory.

Other members of the faculty whom he mentored into outstanding academics included Awa U. Kalu, SAN; Dr. Max Nduaguibe; Professor Enyinnaya Nwauche; Professor Emeka Chianu; Professor Ernest Ojukwu; Eze Duruiheoma, SAN; and Obidi Umeh.

As Dean of Law of the young University, Oye Cukwurah pioneered new experiments in legal teaching. He introduced the Legal Clinic in 1981 for the first time into legal education in Nigeria.

To be concluded

HE entire hall was overcast with gloom until our Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy doused the tension: She vigorously denied that she ever said that the Nigerian economy will shut down by September if the National Assembly failed to pass President Goodluck Jonathan’s amendment proposals to the 2013 budget.

She insisted that the economy is strong, robust, and that despite what she called “short time challenges”, due to oil theft, the government was focused on resolving the problem and soon the several pipelines that have been shut will be restored to their full capacity. The finance minister insisted that she had warned that the government will not be able to pay salaries if the appropriation was not passed, insisting that it was a fact, urging that time should not be wasted on discussing “misleading headlines”. She also denied the allegation that she was working to pit the National Assembly against the executive arm of government.

The National Assembly had on Tuesday accused OkonjoIweala of deepening the row between the executive and the legislature over the 2013 budget amendment proposals.

The House of Representatives had summoned her to appear before its joint committees on appropriation/finance and legislative compliance on Tuesday, next week, to “throw light on her utterances.”

The Senate spokesman, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said they did not take Okonjo-Iweala’s comments kindly. According to him, the National Assembly found the statement by the minister that the government would shut down if the budget

BASHORUN J.K.RANDLE amendment proposals were not considered unacceptable. He noted that because of the volume of the proposals sent by the president, more time to study them and make a good judgment was required.

Abaribe said, “We find it not to our liking when a comment is made that tends to say that government will shut down if

the National Assembly doesn’t do anything. We do not agree with that”.

Okonjo-Iweala said, “At no point in time did I say that the government is going to shut down or the country will shut down. The economy is strong, it is robust, we have our short term challenges, as you know we are dealing with reduced revenue due to the issue of oil theft which Mr President is focusing on and is solving.

There is a committee of governors that he and the vice president have set up to try and deal with this issue.

We are confident that we will be dealing with it and bringing several pipelines that have shut down back into play when we work with oil companies.

What I did say is that we will not be able to pay salaries and that is a very different situation from, we are talking about. So this was a very misleading headline from a newspaper and we should not spend the time of the National Assembly to debate on non-issues. At no time did I say the country is going to shut down. I said we will not be able to pay salaries and that remains a fact.

Cordial working relationships “It is absolutely untrue, we are not pitching anyone against anyone, we have been working with Senators and House of Representatives members in a very cordial manner. We are working with them. This headline was put out mischievously, but that was not the correct or appropriate headline. We are working with them because we do have to solve the problems that will enable us to move forward and it is being done in a collegial manner. So this is why the media has to be careful about the type of headlines they put on.”

During the lunch break that followed, we headed for the Bay Tree Hotel in Burford, which nestles in the centre of the Cotswold – ever resplendent in its glory in utter defiance of the epigram by the Frenchman, Serge Gainsbourg: “Ugliness is superior to beauty because it lasts longer.”

“No” is no in both English and French - beauty and serenity are superior to ugliness and turmoil.

Bashorun J.K. Randle is Chairman & Chief Executive JK Randle Professional Services Chartered Accountants “X KPMG HOUSE”One King Ologunkutere Street Park View Ikoyi

C M Y K

52— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —53

54 — Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

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HERE is no gainsaying that it is rare in our present day world to hear of a man staking his life to save the life of another; especially with the recurrent unwarranted coldblooded killings of innocent citizens in parts of the country.

But the action of a middleaged man in Makurdi has clearly shown that there are still Nigerians who are prepared to lay down their lives to save the live of another.

For Michael Anthony, an electrician by profession, his decision to dare death, by plunging into a raging fire to save a 13-month-old baby from being consumed in an unfortunate inferno in his neighborhood, stands him out as a true Nigerian that our nation craves for.

He is today bed-ridden and wriggling in pains after he damned all consequences and jumped into a raging inferno to save the baby, only to get trapped in the building. But for the grace of God, he wouldn’t have been alive to tell his story.

When Crime Alert visited the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, the good Samaritan was seen lying motionless at the intensive care unit of the hospital, wrapped in layers of boundages as he groans in pains.

Though people daily throng the hospital to catch a glimpse of this exceptional Nigerian, his condition calls for speedy

Michael Anthony lying critically Ill at the BSUTH

NARROW ESCAPE FOR GOOD SAMARITAN

Who plunged into raging infe save 13-month-old baby the house and given the intensity of the spreading fire, nobody was ready to risk his life

,

,

I was able to locate her in one of the rooms where she was trapped; I picked her up and managed to throw her out of one of the windows from where neighbors took her away

intervention of public spirited and well- meaning Nigerians to help his poor parents foot his bill and also seek better healthcare for him, anywhere possible.

Narrating his story to Crime Alert in a tardy voice, he said he had just come back from church and was at home that evening around the Benue state owner/occupier housing estate, along the popular Abu King ShuluwaRoad, when a sudden fire engulfed a neighbour ’s house while the owners of the house were out.

According to him, “the fire started that evening without anybody noticing it; before anyone knew what was happening, the inferno had spread like wild fire, engulfing the entire house. At the point, people in the neighborhood made desperate efforts to rescue three children from the fire but the inferno intensified.

“Unfortunately, we were still hearing the cry of a baby from

His father, Anthony Anthony

in order to save the crying baby that was trapped in the building.

Though people had already

made telephone calls to the state fire service, it became obvious that the baby might be consumed if nothing urgent was done to save her.

“There was wailing and crying by the helpless neighbours who were shouting for help to rescue the baby but no one was ready to take the risk because at that point, it was as if the entire building would cave in and collapse on the crying baby. It was at that point

that I summoned courage, said a word of prayer and dashed into the raging fire because I could no more stand the cry of the dying baby.

“I was able to locate her in one of the rooms where she was trapped; I picked her up and managed to throw her out of one of the windows from where neighbours took her away. But from that point, part of the roof of the house collapsed on me, and it became difficult to trace

my way out of the engulfed house and the windows of the building had burglary proof and I couldn’t squeeze myself out. I thought it was all over for me because part of my cloths and body were already on fire and I was gradually choking and was no longer seeing the outside of the building.

“All I was hearing at that point was people shouting that I was dead and no one attempted to come near. But I kept praying

How Police in Enugu killed kidnap suspect, rescued victim

By CHINENYEH OZOR, Nsukka

E

NUGU State Police Command has rescued one Faith Omobriowo who was kidnapped at Nru, Nsukka local government area, Enugu State on August 8, 2013 by unknown gunmen, killing one of the kidnap gang on the spot.

Another suspect said to have taken active part in the killing of a popular human rights activist, Papa Nsukka, early this year in the University town, was also reportedly arrested by the police when they stormed the residence of the deceased suspect at Ede-Oballa, an

outskirt of the town.

An eyewitness told Crime Alert that police laid ambush for the suspects at Old Army Barracks, Nsukka where the suspects had gone to collect the ransom of N2.5m as demanded by the kidnappers from her relations.

According to the source, the two suspects had arrived on a Motorcycle to collect the ransom before the police swooped on them. The leader of the gang identified as Obiora Agbo was killed on the spot the other suspect escaped.

Investigation by Crime Alert revealed that the deceased suspect was an ex-convict from Agbani town in Nsukka who relocated to the nearby village, Ede-Oballa after he was

released from prison custody.

When contacted, the Police spokesman in Enugu State Command, Mr Ebere Amarizu confirmed the incident saying the victim was later rescued at Ohebe village in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu state. According to Amarizu, luck ran against the two kidnap suspects while coming to collect the ransom dropped for them by relations of the victim having made arrangements with the police. “Agbo was gunned down while trying to run away after picking the ransom.”

Amarizu further revealed that after the incident at Nsukka and based on information made available to the police, detectives stormed Ohebe village in Udenu LG where

Omobriowo was being held by her abductors explaining that the kidnappers exchanged gun battle with the police before their victim could be rescued.

“Police has intensified efforts to ensure that the fleeing kidnap suspects are arrested and prosecuted. We urge the public to always alert the police of any strange happenings and criminal activities in their areas,” he stated.

It will be recalled that one Ifeanyichukwu Okafor had earlier been arrested in connection with the alleged kidnap of the victim on 18/8/ 2013 along Ozalla Road axis of Nkanu West of the state following the operatives’ trail of the suspect in connection with the offense.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

—55

Mysterious disappearance of wife and 2 kids •Ex-Sergeant raises alarm

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

A

The saved baby and her mother

The burnt house

erno to ...pleads for assistance over medical bills and reminding God that since I only came to save an innocent baby from a horrendous death, my life should also be spared.

Though at that instance, parts of my body were already on fire but I managed to push forward with all the strength within me, and I finally made it out miraculously.

“At this time I was completely exhausted and could hardly recognize anybody and in

serious pains since my body had already started burning.

Luckily, my parents and other onlookers rushed me to this hospital were I am presently receiving treatment.”

While being grateful to God, Micheal urged well-meaning Nigerians to come to his aid lamenting that his poor parents might not be able to foot his medical bills and also sponsor the surgery that he might

undergo in the coming days.

Crime Alert also gathered from Micheal’s father, Mr. Anthony Anthony, a trader from Enugu state, who acknowledged that the action that was taken by his son to save the life of the baby was highly commendable and a trait every Nigerian should possess.

“I have no regrets for the action my son took to save the little baby; in fact every Nigeria should learn from this singular action. We must all learn to be our brothers keeper irrespective of who and what you are. My only plea is that Nigerians should please not allow my son to die from the burns he had suffered. He is in so much pains and we lack the finance to take care of him. If that is done, I’ll be a satisfied man and Michael will also be happy and not regret that he put his life on the line to save an innocent life.”

Cyber Crime: Nigeria Air force develops curriculum

BY PETER DURU,MAKURDI

T

HE Nigeria Air Force, NAF, has developed a curriculum to fight espionage, cyber and Information and Communication Technology crime in any party of the country.

The Commandant of the Nigerian Air Force School of Air Intelligence, Gp. Capt. Benson Omoyungbo stated this at the combined graduation ceremony of the Document Security Course 5 and the Basic Intelligence Course 17 of the school in Makurdi.

While recalling the recent hacking and infiltration of the computer system of the Army headquarters, Gp. Capt Benson said “the graduands of the

Document Security Course of the school have been prepared to arrest such security threats in the course of their duties.

“Let me bring to our notice that the intelligence community in Nigeria, especially the Nigeria Air Force Intelligence Directorate, is committed everyday to provide the nuance and multidisciplinary intelligence to all and sundry.

It was on this note that the school has been organizing Document Security Courses for the administrative personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”

“We want to assure the Chief of Air Staff that we are committed to maintaining the highest educational standards and we’ll continue to deliver

world class programmes that prepares our graduates for higher assignments in complex and dynamic environment.”

The Air Force boss disclosed that among the 40 officers graduating from the Document Security Course 5 and the Basic Intelligence Course 17 were 12 female officers who exemplified themselves in their course of study.

In his speech, the Air Officer Commanding Training and Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Isiyaku Umar urged the graduands to imbibe what they learnt in the school in order to safeguard the national security and integrity of our country from being compromised or jeopardized.

through the night because he was ill. The following morning, I gave my wife money to go and get drugs for the baby, but she insisted she was going to take him to the church.

“I had no other option but to follow them. So, myself, my wife and the two kids headed for the church. After prayers by the Pastor, we were given buckets of holy water to go and take our bath in the bathroom. I first bathed our first daughter, Promise, and after clothing her, I asked her to go and meet her mother inside the church, as I wanted to take my bath with the blessed water, before she

52- year -old retired Sergeant with 242 Recce Battalion, Ibereko Barracks, Badagry, Mathew Lulu, is still trying to come to terms with the incident that happened on July 15th, 2013, when his wife and two children went missing from a church premises at Aradagun area of BadagryLagos.

Crime Alert gathered that the 23- year-old mother of two identified as Christiana Lulu, left their Baba Arunah Street, Bush Estate, AradagunBadagry on the said day, in the company of Mathew, her husband and their two children to Christ Apostolic Church in Aradagun area of Badagry for prayers for their 3month- old child who took ill. After a prayer session, they were reportedly asked to go for a bath with some holy water.

Mathew Lulu narrates his ordeal: “In the afternoon of Monday, July 15, 2013, I started looking for my wife whom I took to a Christ Apostolic Church in •Mrs. Christiana Lulu and her daughter Aradagun, Bayo Promise Bus/stop, Badagry, so that the Pastor can pray for our 3- month -old would bath Akinyala, who is baby who was ill. It all sick and then take her own happened barely two months bath. After I finished taking when my father in-law came my bath, I went straight into to pick his daughter and our the church to find out that my two kids because she is wife and two kids were no partially insane. During this where to be found. period, she usually strays out Immediately, I ran outside to of the father’s house, but on look for them, but I couldn’t all occasions, she was see them. When I asked the captured by family members Carpenter who operates a and neighbours. workshop opposite the church, “On Sunday, July 14, 2013, he told me that he saw a exactly two months and two woman and her kids walk pass weeks that she and the him not quite long. All my children stayed with her efforts to trace them that very father, the father brought her day was fruitless,” lamented and the children back to me. Lulu.

The father told me that he had Lulu said that the Badagry to bring them back because he Police Division has been will be on a two-day duty at informed of the incident and the Power Holding Company search is still ongoing. This is of Nigeria (PHCN) office in even as he pleaded with good Badagry Round-About, where Nigerian citizens to report to he works as a security man. So the nearest Police Station, if that day, our baby cried all the wife and kids are found.

56—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

Mission of the five northern governors Dear Sir,

H

OW do we describe the mission of the ‘five’ governors that went the length and breadth of the country consulting? Could it be likened to the mission of the 70 in biblical perspective who were sent after Jesus discovered that the harvest was ready but the labourers were few? But even at that, the 70 were sent and with an instruction by their master. So, who are these’ five’?

On what mission? Who sent them and in whose interest?

The five governors on mission

They proceeded to visit IBB’s Hilltop in Niger state where they were regarded as patriotic citizens. Well, somebody would have to tell us the ingredients for measuring patriotism. This is not funny!

Two of Nigeria’s past leaders are now living at hilltops. Who knows whether Goodluck’s would be at the creek top in Bayelsa?

Back to the stage, in Rivers state, the’ five’ met one of their strong disciples, Chibuike Amaechi. Although they met a stiff resistance to their gospels

,

My finding shows that the five governors who have abandoned their constitutional roles and their immediate mandates, have some political undertone or ulterior motives

are: Babangida Aliyu, Sule Lamido, Rabiu Kwankwarso, Mutala Nyako and Aliu Magatakarda. According to them they were on a strong and committed mission to salvage Nigeria from its political and economic woes. They kickstarted the missionary journey from the south-west where coincidentally, they met President Goodluck Jonathan at Obasanjo’s Hilltop, but curiously, they avoided him.

,

and were to be stoned to death before security men intervened.

They were accused of fuelling the crisis in the zone but claimed to have come on a solidarity visit. They later landed in Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s compound for the same mission. Yakubu Gowon and others were next to receive the missionaries.

Nigerians would want to know the sponsors of these apostles. If they were sent by

the PDP Board of Trustees or NEC to mediate in their internal crisis, the party wouldn’t have rejected the mission in the first place.

Settling political differences as we all know , has a methodology. It is either a committee is set up or the waring party members are invited to the party secretariat where issues are resolved.

Where do the five governors belong? My finding shows that the five governors who have abandoned their constitutional roles and their immediate mandates, have some political undertone or ulterior motives. Starting from Nyako of Adamawa, he has been having some internal squabbles with the PDP

Lecturers should make their books available in bookshops Dear Sir,

H

IGHER institution lectures, especially the junior ones are now in the business of writing books. This phenomenon, to all intents and purposes, underscores the government determination to brother, don’t mean well for him. They will abandon him in future because they are fighting for the interest of their region and party. Gov. Ameachi should not allow his ego to ruin his political career.

Nkechi 08038761506

When President Goodluck Jonathan killed the zoning arrangement in PDP, Speaker Tambuwal emerged. Now, five members of the House of Reps can impeach a Speaker! So, it equally means that five senators can also impeach Mr. President and vice- versa.

Let the President and his wife continue to write the scripts as alleged for those recalcitrant Rivers state lawmakers. We are watching.

Okey Brown Ajaegbo 07037527400

First Lady and her excesses

Dame Patience Jonathan was in River State recently to allegedly carry out a hatchet job for her husband. Her visit was more than the attendance of a wedding ceremony of a relative and commissioning of projects.

It has also opened our understanding as to why the Commissioner of Police in the state is becoming bigger than the Governor and the alleged rude manner of Hon.Bipi,

(who is said to be a relative of the first lady) in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

What a shame!

Bukky 0810582233

1999 Constitution amendment

I wish to remind our highly respected Senate President of his strong promise to Nigeri-

,

Zoning and Rivers State crisis

I wish to remind our highly respected Senate President of his strong promise to Nigerians that a peoples’ constitution will emerge after the amendment; With that assurance one had expected the inputs of Nigerians to the amendment to have prevailed

Nigerian Governors Forum crisis

NGF has turned into a political party. It’s true that Gov. Amaechi won the election but the way he is been used by the north and opposition to fight the president is worrisome.

These opposition and northern governors now see Gov. Amaechi as the president of Nigeria. This development is very unhealthy for our democracy. Gov. Amaechi should beware because those pushing him to fight his

Chairman over the control of Niger state. He is also nursing a presidential ambition. This is confirmed by his posters that have flooded every where in Adamawa, even though he denied the posters as the handiwork of some unscrupulous elements. That might be one of his reason for Tukur ‘must go’ song and a threat to leave the party along with his supporters. Babangida Aliyu and Sule Lamido are both nurturing presidential ambitions and this vision can not be achieved with Jonathan staying put in Aso Rock.

Alifia Sunday Ibadan Oyo state 08035850876

,

ans that peoples’ constitution will emerge after the amendment. With that assurance, one had expected the inputs of Nigerians to the amendment to have prevailed.

It is indeed sad that members of the National Assembly of about 469( an infinitesimal percentage of our population) are in their usual way, trying to impose their selfish and parochial interest on the about 160 million Nigerians.

Single tenure for president

be at par with other advanced climes in the year 2020. It would among other things reduce the much dependence on works produced by foreign authors.

Much as I commend them on this feat, I suggest that these books should be widely circulated to bookshops within and governors, removal of immunity clause, full autonomy for LGs, scrapping of SIEC and No to State Police are among the wishes of Nigerians as they spoke on November, 10, 2012 in their respective 360 Federal constituencies. Let the will of Nigerians be done and nothing else.

D.T. Gbe 08102641979

Gov. Fashola and bad roads in Lagos state

It is more than four years now that the construction of the 10 lane- road from OrileIganmu to Mile 2, and from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko started.

Residents were excited, not minding the demolition of houses and business outfits since it will benefit the masses.

Governor Fashola should give

and outside the country for the benefit of students and other intending to gain admission into higher institutions.

Some of these lecturers made it mandatory for their students to buy such books. Failure to do so, would lead to either failure or low grades by the offending students. This writeup is therefore intended to bring this ugly development to the knowledge of the authorities.

More worrisome is that these books are never sold in bookshops in the country, probably because they are of poor quality, especially in their binding and pagination. A critical look at this scenario would reveal that this set of lectures are on the business of making money at the expense of their students.

If the government is serious on the attainment of 20: 2020 target, all irregularities in our higher institutions should be tackled headlong in order to flush them out from our system.

Stakeholders should investigate this allegation and endeavour to put an end to it if confirmed. . Achieving this aim would reduce, in no small measure the prevailing high cost of tuition. More importantly, it would help to expose the students to reading other books not authored by their lecturers with a view to widening their knowledge in their individual disciplines..

Nkemakolam Gabriel Port Harcourt 08072257360. this project the kind of attention he gave to LekkiAjah road and other road projects in the state. Residents are going through hellplying the expressway.

From Mile 2 to Iyana- Iba, close to Lagos State University, the road is so bad that for a journey of just 30minutes ,one will end up spending seven hours and more.

CCECC has not helped matters as there are potholes everywhere and they seem not to bother about it.

When it rains, the masses trek all the way from Alakija to Volkswagen before boarding another vehicle to their various destinations. Enough of these suffering, Gov Babatunde Fashola should drive on this road from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko to experience what we go through everyday.

Blessing 08034899325

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS 1.You have to know when to stop and let go of somethings for they say "A stubborn fly follows the corpse to the grave"

Simon Adewale08056180103, Lagos State .

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. You will be paid N100.00 for every saying published. Address your sayings to: The Co-ordinator, Sayings of Our Elders,Vanguard Media Ltd., PMB 1007, Apapa,

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 — 57

US, allies ready to strike Syria for use of nerve gas •US army awaits Obama’s order •UK, France, ready to battle Assad •Russia, China oppose military action

U

NITED States and its Western allies have expressed their readiness to strike Syria’s President Bashir Al Assad for allegedly using chemical weapon against defenceless civilian population in the country’s intractable civil war.

But Russia and China swiftly restated their opposition to any such move. United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry described the use of chemical weapon

by Syria as moral obscenity while Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said: “ American forces are “ready” to launch strikes on Syria if President Barack Obama chooses to order an attack.

Mr Hagel told the BBC that:”We have moved assets in place to be able to fulfill and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take,” On his side, Secretary of State Kerry said “there is “undeniable” proof that Syria used chemical weapons”.

The UK Parliament is to be recalled tomorrow to

discuss possible responses. Prime Minister David Cameron said the world could not stand idly by after seeing appalling scenes of death and suffering caused by suspected chemical weapons attacks.

French President Francois Hollande said France was “ ready to punish” whoever was behind the attack, and had decided to increase military support for Syria’s main opposition.

Diplomatic sources said the US, UK and France now have the larger task of building as wide a coalition as possible to support limited military action. A spokesman for UK Prime Minister David Cameron says the UK is making contingency plans for military action in Syria.

Mr Cameron has cut short his holiday and returned to London to deal with the Syrian crisis.

Meanwhile, Russia and China have stepped up their warnings against military intervention in Syria, with Moscow saying any such action would have “catastrophic

consequences” for the region. Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich has called on the international community to show “prudence” over the crisis and observe international law.

“Attempts to bypass the Security Council, once again to create artificial groundless excuses for a military intervention in the region are fraught with new suffering in Syria and c a t a s t r o p h i c consequences for other countries of the Middle East and North Africa,” he

A US fighter jet in combat readiness in the Middle East

said in a statement.

A good number of Syrians, in particular those supporting the regime, believe the visit of the UN chemical weapons

T

assistance last month following an influx of people.

It also refused to allow a tanker which rescued 102 African migrants to dock in Malta in August, despite instructions from the European Commission that it had a duty to do so on humanitarian grounds.

But Italy let the tanker moor off the Sicilian port of Syracuse instead.

Local media said the latest group of arrivals in Malta was the first since more than 1,000 migrants arrived on the island in July, making it a record month.

A spokesman for the AFM said it became aware of the distressed boat at about 12.15

evidence being unearthed, proving that chemical weapons have been used against civilians by the Syrian regime.

Darfur peacekeepers missing in Sudan floods

F

OUR peacekeepers are missing in Sudan’s Darfur region after being swept away by floods, a UN official has said.

The peacekeepers were escorting an aid convoy when a “powerful current” swept them away, Rania Abdulrahman told the BBC. Another two peacekeepers were found alive by a rescue

team, she said. This is even as more than 300,000 people across Sudan have been affected by floods that have killed nearly 50 people in August, the World Health Organization has said.

The region around the capital Khartoum had been particularly badly hit and was experiencing the worst floods in 25 years, it said.

The joint United

Malta rescues 84 migrants from stricken dinghy HE Maltese military has rescued 84 migrants from a dinghy floating adrift on rough seas, according to officials.

The 77 men and seven women were found about 81 nautical miles off the south coast of Malta and brought ashore, the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) said.

Meanwhile, a cargo ship flying an Italian flag rescued 109 migrants coming from Libya, reports said.

Thousands of migrants heading for Europe arrive in Malta and Italy each year, often on unseaworthy boats.

The Maltese government called on the European Union for

investigation team is nothing but a move to justify a military attack on Syria. The opposition, however, thinks that these visits will lead to some

(10:00 GMT) on Monday.

The AFM went to its assistance, finding it to be powerless and adrift in rough seas.

Its patrol boat brought the final passengers ashore at 09:00 (07:00 GMT) the next day. Noone was believed to be injured.

The migrants reportedly came from

mostly African countries such as Nigeria and Eritrea, as well as Syria, according to Maltese media.

Meanwhile, a cargo ship named Celia picked up another 109 migrants - reportedly including women and children after their boat was seen struggling in high seas some some 30 nautical miles from the north African coast.

Tunisia bans Salafist group

T

UNISIA has designated the hardline Salafist Ansar alSharia movement a “terrorist group”, blaming it for the killing of two secular politicians.

PM Ali Larayedh said he had proof it was behind the killings of Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi, which plunged Tunisia into political turmoil.

Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Unamid, is one of the largest in the world, with about 20,000 soldiers and police.

The peacekeepers were en route to Misterei, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) south-west of the regional capital Geneina, with a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy when a flash flood hit, Ms Abdulrahman said.

“The incident occurred while the peacekeepers attempted to pull out their truck which was stuck in the mud of a river valley,” she said.

The seven WFP staff members who were in the convoy - five Sudanese and two foreigners - are all safe, WFP spokeswoman Amor Almagro told AFP news agency.

The UN has not released the nationality of the missing peacekeepers.

In August last year three peacekeepers from Tanzania drowned after their armoured vehicle became stranded while crossing a swollen river in Sudan, UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon reported to the Security Council last year.

Gaddafi’s son faces trial next month

T

HE son and the spy chief of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have been charged with murder in relation to Libya’s 2011 civil war and will stand trial next month.

The prosecutor general Abdel Qader Radwan said on Sunday the trial of the two - Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam and the deposed leader ’s spy chief Abdullah elSenoussi - will start on September 19.

The two faces charges over alleged crimes

committed during Gaddafi’s 42-year rule and during the eightmonth civil war that deposed him.

Last February, the International Criminal Court had ruled that Libya cannot give Gaddadfi’s son a fair trial and asked authorities to hand him over to The Hague-based court.

Libya wants to prosecute him at home, where he might face the death penalty, rather than hand him to the ICC where he could only receive a jail sentence.

58—Vanguard 58—Vanguard,,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA; Happenings within your working arena’ll give genuine cause to smile and with efforts on your part you’re in for a rewarding day. Take advantage of your sex-appeal to enhance your love life. Experiment with ideas creatively.

SCORPIO ; Creativity may take front in what’s happening within your base of operation and the best for you is to join them. Lovers are fairly favoured.

SAGITTARIUS ; Tomorrow is your great day. Yet your being creative today can earn you un-expected good result at the end of the day. Be family minded now.

CAPRICORN ; Needed solution to challenges along your career/business lines will come through your being creative. Prepare to take good advice on your finances.

AQUARIUS; If you take unusual ideas coming to your mind today more seriously, thins’ll work favourably for you. The more financially ambitious you’re the better.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

W

HY is Nigeria under attack from all manner of persons and people today? And to think that these are Nigerians, makes it the more appalling! Let us spare a thought for Nigeria this once. I have no doubt you

Nigeria: Spare a thought - 1 may have a thousand and one reasons why you should put Nigeria under such stress but have you thought about the implications of your action or inaction? Is throwing away the baby with the bath water the

solution to the problem?

Nigeria is blessed.

Nigeria is the only country where you don’t need a visa or residential permit to live. Nigeria is the only country where

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

you can freely express yourself and no one will threaten you with deportation. Nigeria is where it pleased God to deposit you in this planet earth and for a purpose. And have you discovered that purpose...?

By Lanre Kehinde

PISCES; The Moon in your Star sign favours aggressive approach in a favourable way. Here is a day Artist among you can create master piece. Be steadfast.

ARIES You’ll have much to gain if you’re more cooperative and embrace creative ideas of your close associates. And it’s good to be friendly, loving and caring.

TAURUS ; Aggressive approach is not what you need at work now, but creative approach. You’ve got nothing to lose if you take good advice from your friends.

GEMINI ; Whatever anybody says about your ambition and desire success will crown your efforts today. The more creative you are the better for your cause. And lovers can make it an exciting and happy day. Show your sex appeal and be loving.

CANCER; Your ideas are brilliant and if you blend them creatively the sky’ll be the limit. Let people within your home base know that you truly care for them.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic”

By Andy Akman

LEO; It does not matter who initiates creative idea that lead to success what is important is you should not be left in the cold all alone. The more co-operative you are the better for you. Don’t ignore your magnetic seappeal.

VIRGO.; Good luck and happiness indicated for you today. But then, the scope of your success’ll depend on how co-operative and creative you are both with your loved one and at work. Prepare to take good advice especially from younger person(s).

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,

Basic characteristics of Capricorn Because they rarely day dream, Capricorn natives are set of practical people. This is because Capricorn is ruled by Saturn - the planet of career, sceptical and material things Although, the spirit of pessimism often times tempt the Capricorn born people, to succeed they will need to develop strong will that is indispensable to achievements of higher order because, series of challenges will come his/her way before he/she finally makes it to the top. Most natives of Capricorn are forced to shoulder many responsibilities early in life. Career building comes first in their priority lists which often leads to enviable career achievements that guarantee recognition. And another name for Capricorn is PATIENCE. Yet, he/she can appear mean in the business circle. And tell you that seriousness and business are synonymous. Above all, they are endowed with leadership capacity.

Capricorn ‘s quality is cardinal, element is the earth. The cardinal aspect makes a natural leader with strong ability for hard work. Natives of cardinal signs crave for action and strongly desire prominence and often times make success of their love of action and desire for importance through relentless efforts.

The earthly connection with Capricorn further confirms innate ability for hard work and practicality . Saturn is the planet of hard task, delay, depression, frustration, frustration but reward after so much struggles. Being a difficult teacher, Saturn usually takes its natives through many different tasks, challenges and delay. All these are meant to teach them virtues of patience and hard work.

However, Saturn usually brings its natives recognition and reward.

The cautious side of Saturn always manifest in all Capricorn born people thus, but it is necessary for them to watch that side of their characteristics as they often push their cautious side too far and most of the time it results to black mood.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28 28,, 2013 — 59

Beware! Anger hurts you more than you know

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

H

OW often do you get angry? Anger often comes upon us suddenly and before we know it we have yelled at someone. Have you ever considered other options than getting angry? Do you really enjoy getting angry? Getting angry is like drinking poison or being stuck in glue; it can arise out of nowhere and often overstays its welcome.

Anger can make enemies out of friends or family, and depression is often its bedfellow. Our physical body gets tight; breath shortens, while mind and emotions get twisted. Anger is an unwanted guest that moves into our homes leaving us unable to carry on with life as normal, constantly appearing and reappearing in our heads.

Many have described anger as a single match that can burn an entire forest. It hurts, causes pain and anguish, it can leave people feeling like they’ve been run over by a truck. Even justified anger is full of venom.

However experts in anger management say it is

possible to deal with the intruder, that steals away our joy and sanity. It is not as if we can just stop anger — it’s usually way too powerful and arises quickly, in a flash, out of nowhere. There is no point in repressing or denying it as it will just make itself known in another way and will gain strength.

There are occasional times when anger can be used consciously, without the accompanying emotional turmoil. Experts advised that individuals keep their emotions in their pocket and use them when appropriate. But such times are rare. More often it is a reaction of the ego-mind demanding immediate release.

If expressing anger causes all this angst then is it possible to turn it around? Perhaps the best way is by staying fully present and aware of whatever is being felt.

This means seeing it, naming it, breathing into it, while keeping the heart open and the belly soft. Pay attention and see if the anger is actually a cry for help or love, and keep breathing. Through meditation we learn to just watch and not react.

There is need for us to make friends with the whole of ourselves just as we are, which includes witnessing and knowing anger. It grounds us in basic sanity so we can be aware of our feelings and not get swept away by

in awareness and mindfulness. That way we make friends with any arising feelings and have a breath’s pause before the urgent need to express them also arises.

When we lose connectedness with each other

it or not. This is important, as the alternative is being overcome with rejection, grief, or loneliness. But the reconnection needed is really to ourselves, to the truth of who we are, and to our heart.

Idris sets agenda for 56th National Council on Health

BY ESTHER ONYEBULA

L

• Anger is an unwanted guest that moves into homes leaving owners of the homes unable to carry on with their lives as normal them. There is a half way place between expressing anger and repressing it, a place where we can rest

there is a deep longing to reconnect, to come back to our meeting place, whether we are aware of

If we are a victim and have become paralyzed with fear, experts say we apply meditation tech-

Benue partners Bio Organics to combat malnutrition

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O tackle the problems of malnutrition, infant mortality and other health challenges common to women and children, the Benue State Government is collaborating with Bio-Organics Nutrient Systems Limited, a foremost supplier of vitamins and minerals premixes to the food and beverage industry in Nigeria, to purchase and distribute its food fortification product Enrich to families in the state.

Benue State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Orduen Abunku, at a meeting held with the management of Bio-Organics Nutrient System Limited, said the state has established partnership with Bio-Organics Nutrient Systems Limited in order to tackle malnutrition, as well as reduce child and maternal mortality in the state.

He said the partnership became necessary

because the state government realised that malnutrition is a problem for Benue State and Nigeria at large.

Noting that the food fortification product has the seal of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, GAIN based on a UNICEF-approved formulation, he said: “I am excited to be here on behalf of His Excellency and government of Benue State to see this product for myself, to see the process of production and to verify everything about it. I read about the benefits of this product from WHO, UNICEF and GAIN publication before I came here. So I have background information about this product.”

CEO, Bio-Organics Nutrient Systems Limited, Dr Kenny Acholonu, said the concept of Enrich, was developed by a Professor in Canada, about 15 years ago, and

nique to help us get in touch with our anger, and we can learn to defend and stand up for ourselves and create boundaries. Meditation, according to experts will take you from anxiety to serenity, from chaos to peace, from anger to compassion.

every country tried to produce their own.

Acholonu noted that the World Health Organisation report showed that

more than 2 billion people all over the world are estimated to be deficient of key vitamins and mineral, particularly vitamin

A, iron and zinc. Malnutrition contributes to half of death of children under-5 years in Nigeria.

• L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Bio-Organics Ltd, Dr. Kenny Acholonu; Benue State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Orduen Abunku; Marketing Director Bio-Organics Ltd, Mr Ola Oloke and Snr S.A to Benue State Gov Hon. Terkaa Mamwoo, KSM, during the presentation of Enrich micronutrients food powder to the commissioner recently.

AGOS Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris has urged members of the technical committee of the of 56th National Council on Health (NCH) to work tirelessly in order to finalize the working papers preparatory for the full councilin-session on Thursday 29th, 2013. The NCH gathering is the highest advisory and policy making body on health in Nigeria and a key driver of healthcare delivery processes, systems and outputs in the country.

Idris who spoke at the flagging-off of the technical session of the 56th National Council on Health urged participants to pay attention to the theme of the NCH which is ‘Health Sector, Now and Beyond 2015’ and the sub themes which are ‘Public Health Emergencies and Mutual Accountability for Results’ as they would set agenda for the next NCH meetings in the coming years.

“As you take stock of implementation of the resolutions of the 55th NCH meeting, acknowledging and highlighting achievements and shortcomings, I urge you to pay attention to this meeting theme ‘Health Sector, Now and Beyond 2015’ and the sub themes, ‘Public Health Emergencies and Mutual Accountability for Results. This is even more so as these would set the agenda for the next NVH meetings in the coming years”.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013

A receiv es Sainfiet’s complaint Racism Row: FIF FIFA receives

Eaglets’ coach comfortable with Under-17 World Cup draw

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IFA has confirmed to BBC Sport that it has received an official complaint from the Football Association of Malawi over comments made by Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi.

Football’s world governing body added ‘please understand that we cannot comment any further at this stage.’

Fam want action taken over what it calls ‘racist’ remarks by Keshi aimed at their Belgian coach Tom Sainfiet.

“We feel the racist remarks by Mr Keshi are not acceptable,” Fam’s general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda told BBC Sport.

“We thought it was a personal attack on our coach and we had to defend him regardless of skin.

“We felt we should help our coach and at the same time put a stop to the racist remarks from Mr Keshi.

“We have sent evidence of what Keshi said and we hope Fifa will come up with some measures to control Mr Keshi.”

The case concerns comments Keshi made in reaction to Malawi’s calls to have a crucial 2014 World Cup qualifier between the two nations moved from the city of Calabar on security grounds.

In the phone interview aired on UK-based African TV show, , Keshi said: “I think the coach of Malawi is crazy.

“If he wants to talk to Fifa, he should go back to Belgium. He is not an African person, he is a white dude, he should go back to Belgium.”

Neither Keshi nor the Nigeria Football Federation have reacted to the complaint made by Saintfiet and Fam. The World Cup qualifier in Calabar will decide who advances to the final round of playoffs for Africa.

African champions Nigeria need just a draw to progress while Malawi must win if they are to go through.

•Keshi

Lagos Int’l T/Tennis Classics: ITTF boss commends LOC

BY BLESSING OKUDO

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HE executive vice president of the International Table Tennis Federation, Cherif Hajem has commended the Local Organising Committee of the Lagos International Table Tennis Classics for putting up what he described as “a flawless tournament”.

Speaking yesterday in an interview with the media at Teslim Balogun stadium, Cherif Hajem said “I’m happy and surprised that within four weeks the committee has organised a competition of this

Rooney Continues from BP signal the close of Chelsea’s interest after José Mourinho stated on Monday evening that Rooney had to make formal his wish to leave within 48 hours or the prospective deal would be over.

Although the striker has never said why he wanted to leave the champions, Rooney ’s relationship with United had broken down, after Sir Alex Ferguson, the former manager, played him out of position, dropped him for key games last season and claimed Rooney had

HE Technical Adviser of the Golden Eaglets, Manu Garba, on Monday said that he was comfortable with the 2013 FIFA Under17 World Cup draw.

Garba who spoke to newsmen in Uyo immediately after the draw, said that the draw pitched Nigeria with Mexico, Iraq and Sweden in Group F. The ceremony for the draw was conducted by former CAF Secretary General Mr Mustapha Fahmy at the Hotel Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in the UAE.

asked for a transfer.

Mourinho appeared to concede defeat in his pursuit of Rooney after Chelsea’s 0-0 draw with United at Old Trafford.

“We are not silly to try something if somebody didn’t start it. So I think it is time for the good of everyone to finish the story. For one side, for the other side,” he said.

“It depends on this [Rooney’s decision]. It depends on his reaction and his feelings. If now he doesn’t want to leave, we are out of the thing.

But we need to know. We need to know what is happening.”

•Hajem magnitude”.

Reviewing the development of table

•Oshodi tennis in the continent, the ITTF executive vice president said “We are

Evra: Chelsea played for draw

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ANCHESTER United defender Patrice Evra has accused Chelsea of playing for a draw at Old Trafford on Monday night.

The two sides played out a 0-0 draw in the first big clash of the season between two title contenders.

Evra believes United could take some positives out of the game, but felt Jose Mourinho set up Chelsea not to lose after starting without a recognised striker in his starting line-up.

“We should create more chances is the only thing I can say,” Evra told Sky Sports News.

“The positive thing is we didn’t concede a goal, Chelsea didn’t create any really dangerous chances.

“The way they come to Old Trafford playing without a striker I don’t think Mourinho was wanting to win that game, maybe he was looking for a draw.

“We should create more chances to win the game and the night would be perfect.

“I can say we look really fit, all the lads did a hard job.

“It was not easy and we keep going until the end because we want to win.”

growing step by step.

We should have many players among the first 100 in the world. We have had players who won medals in the World Junior Championships.

As regards the standard of play, he said “the standard is good.

We have the African and Mediterranean Games champion Omar Assar of Egypt, the Tunisian champion and other top players from Nigeria, Congo, Italy among other countries here.

The standard is okay”.

The coach said that the Golden Eaglets had been picked as the second team and would have the honour of playing the group’s opening game against the defending champions, Mexico, who were also the reigning CONCACAF champions.

He said that the team’s work had been cut short, expressing confidence that that his wards would scale the hurdle and progress from the group.

Ajala celebrates!

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OLOMON Ajala made history in the Nigeria Telecoms Games (NTG) when he emerged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in his very first year of playing in the tournament and says his presence was the Talisman that made Etisalat win their very first football gold in the tournament.

Etisalat lost the last two finals to rivals, MTN even after having beaten the Yellow Boys in the group game of the 2012 edition.

But in a twist of fate, Etisalat were beaten 4-0 on the opening day of the 2013 edition against MTN only to reverse the result with a 1-0 win on Sunday to lift the trophy in the presence of their Chairman, Hakeem Bello-Osagie.

Black Stars Continues from BP Muntari.

Essien has not played for Ghana since facing Congo in June 2011 .

He then took a break from international football to concentrate in his club career following some serious injuries.

The 30-year-old has returned to play for Chelsea in the English Premier League this season after spending last season on loan at Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Boateng and both Ayew brothers wrote to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) last week to officially rescind their decisions to retire from international football.

The GFA had also accepted a written

apology from Muntari for an incident in the dressing room following the 2-0 win over Lesotho in June, despite this Appiah has not called on his services.

DR Congo-based defender Richard Kissi Boateng is also included after being cleared by Fifa to play, following his red card in June’s 31 win in Sudan in a 2014 qualifier.

The squad will begin a training camp for the Zambia match, as well as a friendly in Japan four days later, in Kumasi on 2 September.

The Black Stars know a draw on 6 September will take them through to the final round of World Cup play-offs.

Zambia must win the match in Kumasi if they are to progress.

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VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 —63

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28 , 2013

US Open: Williams sends Schiavone packing

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RACISM ROW:

FIFA receives Sainfiet’s complaint

ERENA Williams looked every inch the title favourite as she powered past Francesca Schiavone in the first round of the US Open.

The pair opened the night session on Arthur Ashe, with top seed Williams beginning the defence of the trophy she won for a fourth time 12 months ago.

The 31-year-old has won eight titles already this season, including the

•See story on P.60

•Keshi

French Open, and former Roland Garros champion Schiavone simply had no answer.

She won just six points in the first set as Williams sent the ball flying to all corners of the court with immense power and precision.

For a long time it looked like Schiavone would not win a single game as Williams made it 10 games in a row.

•Sainfiet

Black Stars recall Essien, Boateng, Ayew

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HANA coach Kwesi Appiah has recalled Michael Essien, KevinPrince Boateng and Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew for his 26-man squad to face Zambia in next month’s 2014 World Cup qualifier.

But there is no place on the list for Marseille’s Jordan Ayew or AC Milan’s Sulley

Continues on Page 60

Rooney ‘ll not hand transfer request

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AYNE Rooney has decided against lodging a formal transfer request with Manchester United, bringing to an end to the summer-long saga regarding his future.

The move should also

Continues on Page 60

•Rooney

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

•RED HOT••• Serena

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Trite (5) 5 Outskirts (6) 8 Rib (5) 10 Hired (6) 11 Telephoned (4) 14 Ending (6) 15 Odd (7) 18 Permit (3) 19 Fruit (3) 21 Bargain (4) 23 Happen (5) 24 Flutter (4) 27 Wander (3) 29 Pep (3) 31 Veto (7) 32 Worshipped (6) 34 Decline (4) 35 Resident (6) 38 Contradict (5) 39 Strip (6) 40 Previous (5)

DOWN 2 Wonder (3) 3 Testify (6) 4 Shelter (3) 5 Slave (4) 6 Barred (6) 7 Happened (6) 9 Progress (7) 12 Sicken (3) 13 Entrance (4) 16 Spike (4) 17 Money (5) 20 Confusion (7) 22 Expectant (4) 24 Dreaded (6) 25 Confess (4) 26 Corsair (6) 28 Gavel (6) 30 Males (3) 33 Obligation (4) 36 Pinch (3) 37 Also (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Mobile 5, Save 8, Smock 9, Nil 10, Coop 11, Rite 12, Token 13, Tinged 16, Rift 18, Crib 20, Fen 22, Sea 23, Hit 24, Fade 25,Tend, 28, Tether 30, Alarm 32, Hole 33, Tale 34, Fry 35, Acted 36, Mist 37, Stolid.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 1, Minute 2, Balanced 3, Locker 4, Important 5, Screech 6, Akin 7, Ever 8, Sot 14, Distorted 15, Fit 17, Fee 19, Rightful 20, Fat 21, Neglect 26, Desert 27, Frayed 29, Sham 30, Alas 31, Mad.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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