Suicide bomber hits another Kaduna church

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61741

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N150

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

KADUNA CHURCH BOMBED

NASS 'll create more •P.7 states — Mark Itsekiri Education Trust rakes in N16.5m •P.11

BOMBED—Scene and victims of the suicide bomb attack on St. Rita's Catholic Church, Kaduna, yesterday. More photos on Page 14.

Zuma urges S-African investment in Bayelsa

Suicide bomber hits another Kaduna church

•P.11

•8 killed, 145 injured — NEMA •Six of my children were injured, but I had a premonition •Women, children worst hit — Archbishop •PG.17

OCHEREOME NNANNA

David Mark’s neo-Zikist intentions •P.41

BY BEN AGANDE, LUKA BINNIYAT, EMMA OVUAKPORIE & LAIDE AKINBOADE

a suicide bomber, driving a black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) rammed through the fence of St

ADUNA— IT was another black Sunday, yesterday, as eight persons were killed and 145 others injured after

Continues on Page 5

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RIVERS JAIL BREAK: 80 of my subjects

One dead, 11 injured •P 12

Four inmates escape

beheaded in Tiv/Fulani crisis, monarch cries out •P.7

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 — 3

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4—Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

THE ITSEKIRI EDUCATION TRUST INAUGURATION His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwase II, Olu of Warri, inaugurated a nine-member Itsekiri Education Trust in Warri, weekend. PHOTOS: Akpokona Omafuaire.

Members of the Itsekiri Education Trust led by Dr. Mark Erumi (left).

A cross section of Warri chiefs.

Mr. Lawrence Ukubeyinje and Engr. Tony Onuwaje.

HRM Ogiame Atuwatse II, Olu of Warri, inaugurating the committee of Itsekiri Education Trust.

From left— Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Speaker Delta State House of Assembly, and Chairman of the occasion; Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, Commissioner for Basic and Primary Education, representing Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, and Olorogun John Oguma, Udu of Olomu Kingdom.

From right— Engr. Alex Neyin, Prof. Nesin Omatseye and Prof. Godwin Yomere.

From left— Mr. Solomon Areyinka, Sir Emma Abigor, Engr. Austin Oboroegbeyi and Dr. Julius Oritsejafor.

Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, Commissioner for Basic (right) and Primary Education and Dr. S. Tonwe.

A cross section of Itsekiri elite.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

Suicide bomber hits another Kaduna church Continues from page 1 Rita’s Catholic Church, Bardarwa, in the northern part of Kaduna metropolis, setting off an explosion.

Meanwhile, Christian youths in Sabo, Television Village, Maraban Rido surbubs of Kaduna immediately mobilised to take on Muslims, but Christian elders and local community leaders went from street to street pleading for restraint, as the Police and the military later arrived to keep them off the streets.

Also, Muslim youths in their strong holds, of Tudun Wada, Rigassa and Kawo were said to have armed themselves in readiness for any possible reprisals from Christians.

An Air Force Helicopter hovered low over the city, ostensibly to monitor the situation, while fear of possible curfew gripped residents.

Bomber deserves our pity — Kaduna Catholic Archbishop The Catholic ArchBishop of Kaduna, Mathew Man’Oso Ndagoso, who spoke to newsmen at St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, where

14 injured worshippers were being treated for various wounds, said the bomber deserved pity and mercy since he was only testing the credibility of the Faith of Christians.

Said Ndagoso: “What happened was unfortunate, being the second time that the Catholic Church, and the third time churches were bombed in Kaduna State. Once again, as Christians and as Catholics, we are challenged to deliver our own faith to witness. I think we are even called to witness our faith as more credible and to bear the message of the Bible to those who hate us. We must by this incident, strengthen our faith, because in difficult times like these, it is easy for some people to start thinking about the non-existence of God. Because they will wonder why God should allow things to happen this way. But that should not be it all.

“I have not been able to go to the church scene, because the security agencies said that it is not yet safe for me to go there. But I have spoken to those who were in the Church. I have spoken to the Reverend Fa-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Loneliness and the feeling of being uncared for and unwanted is the most terrible poverty— Mother Teresa of Calcutta. There is someone near you that you could help with a hug.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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R. Alexander Eben, a Harvard neurosurgeon, nearly died four years ago from a deadly meningitis infection attack on his brain that plunged him deep into a week-long coma.

Brain scans showed his entire cortex - the parts of the brain that give us consciousness, thought, memory and understanding - was not functioning.

Doctors gave him little chance to live and told his family that if he did survive he’d probably be braindamaged for the rest of his life.

Alexander wrote of his experiences in his latest publication “proof of heaven”.

According to him: “For me, it’s become clear that the best way to look at it is to turn it around and realize that consciousness exists in a much richer form, free and independent of the brain, which has everything to do with the eternity of our souls and the fact that our awareness, our consciousness, our soul, our spirit, does not depend on the existence of the brain in the physical universe.

In fact, it’s freed up to a much richer knowing when we’re outside.” Soul exists beyond eternity and the significance of this experience is this, life is not just another random walk, we here to give and receive divine love toward mastery of ourselves and true our divinity.

ther conducting the mass. From what I heard, I thank God, because it could have been worse.

Children are major victims “I have gone to virtually all the hospitals that the injured were taken to for treatment. And the saddest thing, I must say here, is that children are the major victims.

The impact of the explosion happened where the children were seated. That is why a lot of the injured were children. In the five hospitals we have visited so far, most of the victims were children. Therefore, you begin to wonder if a human being in his full senses could do such a thing. Honestly, as a person, I believe that the person who could carry out such wickedness, deserves our pity and mercy. He has only tested the integrity of our Faith; these kind of people are not in their senses. How could a human being, who claims to be working for any kind of god, go to a place where people are worshiping God with a bomb and do this kind of thing? I know we are in difficult times, but my advice to all Christians and my fellow Catholics in Kaduna State is that difficult situations do not make us less Christians.

In the same vein, difficult situations do not make us less human. No matter how difficult the situation is, my appeal to Catholic youths and all our Christian brethren is ‘never, never retaliate’.

Two wrongs can never, and will never make a right. We know that there are few individuals who want to plunge this country into difficult situation. And they would stop at nothing.

So, my appeal to the majority of Nigerians who believe in the unity and preservation of this country is that we must come together and never give these people the chance because good will always override evil. This is our belief as Christians. God has not abandoned us. We must find salvation through the way of the Cross.

“I have gone round Barrau Dikko, and I was

shown two dead bodies.

I was with the Chairman of the Church Council and he told me that only these two bodies are in the mortuary. One died on the way to the hospital, and the other at the hospital. I was told that there were two dead bodies still in the church. That was about two hours ago when I spoke to my officials. I was told that the two bodies were left so that the injured could be evacuated quicker. So I have confirmed two deaths, and reliably informed that two worshipers’ bodies are still in the church.

But the injured, they are all over the hospitals I visited.

“I cannot confirm to you the number of injured, but they are many. Yes, many. I have been at Barau Dikko Hospital, 44 Army Referral Hospital, Garkuwa Hospital and MultiClinic and now I am at St Gerard’s. Except at Multi-Clinic, where Rev. Fada Sunny Bonni is the only victim, all the others had many injured ones. Just that I did not count the numbers.

“The priest was celebrating mass when it happened. I have spoken to him and he told me that the bombing took place at the kiss-oflove (Catholic high point of the Eucharist).

Contrary to rumours, Fada Bonni is alive and I have seen him and spoken to him. He is from Bassa in Adamawa State, and I have been getting so many calls from there with his people asking if he is okay”

Victims recount ordeal At St. Gerard’s Catholic Hospital, where the PRO of the Hospital Mr. Sunday Ali confirmed that 14 injured persons, mostly children were being treated, one of the injured recounted her experience.

Rita Ejiro (Mrs), 30 from Benue State who was injured with her four children said: “I closed my eyes, opened it to just see a jeep crashing through the church” She spoke to Vanguard on her hospital bed, with some of the wounded children beside her.

“The Mass starts by 7am. By 9,am we were having the Holy Communion prayers. I closed my eyes. As I opened it, I heard some noise and I saw a Jeep crashing into the church.

Then there was an explosion. Glasses entered my body and I didn’t even know it then, because I was concerned for my four children. I was holding one of my children's hand. I found two, but could not find the other, because of the confusion. Later we found him. He had more injuries. His condition is more critical than mine and his brothers. He is now at the Children ward now. The explosion was much, because it brought down part of the church. The body of the bomber, I am told, is now hanging on the wall of the Church. Our Reverend Father is alive, and I even saw him drive himself outside the church. Unlike some other Sundays where you saw at least two Policemen with guns and some Civil Defence people outside the Church, this time I did not see any when I came to mass.

Our Cadet boys who usually help, most of them went to camp. So the place was like that when I came. I don’t know if Police later came when I was inside the Church.”

I saw women, children screaming for help —Markus Ishaya (25) from Kaduna State: “The priest was saying the Communion prayers, and was almost done.

Then there was something like a loud roar.

Then something hit the wall of the church and entered. I heard an explosion, then another.

Everybody started running. There was blood over my body when I

came out. It was when I came out that I discovered I had fractured this arm. And there were pieces of glass in my body. I saw many injured people. Children, women screaming for help. I saw more seriously injured people taken away in Road Safety vehicles. But I don’t know if anyone lost his life. I was also brought here not too long ago. When I came to church, I only saw two of our cadets with metal detectors. I did not see any soldier or police, unlike other days. If they came later, I don’t know.

I heard an explosion, I didn’t know what happened later —Jacinta Oko (24) from Imo State, had shrapnel wounds over her body “I came to Church as usual. I was concentrating on the blessing of the Holy Communion when I saw a black car force its way into the Church. As I made to run, like the rest, I heard an explosion. I don’t know what happened after. I just woke up here.

I praise God for his mercy. There are many things that have penetrated my body. I have wounds all over me.

Six of my children are injured, but I had a premonition —Kyauta Auta, mother of 8-year old Elvis Auta, who lay critically hurt: “I was away in Abuja worshiping in a Church.

Somehow tears started flowing from my eyes.

There was no reason for it. After a while, the tears would flow again. Then when I turned, I noticed that my husband had slipped away. I went for Continues on page 43

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

EFCC prosecutes 160 graft cases, convicts 30 in 6 months

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

BUJA — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, boasted last night, that it prosecuted over 160 financial crimes-related cases within the first six months in office of its current chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde.

The commission said it also convicted no fewer than 30 crime suspects,

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among them those implicated in the mega scam that rocked the nation’s oil industry last year.

The EFCC made the declaration in a statement in Abuja by its Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, while reacting to claims by a columnist with an online medium criticising Lamorde and his commission of not doing enough to fight rising graft in the country.

In the article entitled

"EFCC: From Hope to Hogwash," the author concluded that for not rendering its 2011 account to the National Assembly as demanded by the law setting up the agency, Lamorde and the system which he runs have failed to live up to the expectations of Nigerians.

But the commission spokesman disagreed with the submission, claiming that Lamorde had done his job transparently and reinvigorated a near comatose system, leading to

the restoration of hope and confidence by its international partners, who had abandoned the commission in the past due to non-performance.

Uwujaren said: “Everything the EFCC Chairman has done since he took the reins of the commission’s leadership has been tailored towards restoring the commission’s moral and professional integrity.

“From recalling some of the crack investigators who were asked to leave the commission in its meltdown

years, investigating and prosecuting officers with integrity issues, to running integrity checks on all serving officers. Lamorde has had one thing in mind: Restoring the professional health of the commission.

“The result of this initiative is evident even to cynics. Many of the international partners that abandoned the commission in its testy years are back.

The commission now enjoys the confidence of law enforcement organisations around the globe, opening up fresh windows of

cooperation and collaboration that have strengthened the fight against economic crimes and corruption in Nigeria.

“There is no promise Lamorde has made concerning his current job which he has abandoned.

Of course, those who have been carried away by the theatrics and drama that the commission had come to be associated with in the recent past may find it difficult to appreciate the professionalism of the EFCC under Lamorde."

Jang appeals to striking LG workers

BY TAYE OBATERU

OS— GOVERNOR Jonah Jang of Plateau State has again appealed to striking local government workers to call off their six months old strike in the interest of the future of pupils in public schools.

He said the strike which had kept children in public schools at home could put the future of the pupils who are mostly children of the less privileged in jeopardy.

He made the appeal at the conferment of a traditional title of Jarumi (Koghorong) Mwaghavul on the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof.

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Bad portion at Mile 2 bus stop along Oshodi-Apapa expressway, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Ochekpe solicits partnership between FG, states on water supply

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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OS — MINISTER of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, has called for strong partnership between the federal, state and local governments in the provision, rehabilitation, treatment and management of water supply in the country.

Ochekpe who spoke in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, during an inspection of the Greater Jos-Bukuru Water Supply Project by the Committee on Good Governance led by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said the provision of water supply to the populace was the mandate of all tiers of government.

Inspecting the facility constructed by the Plateau State Government but currently under rehabilitation, the minister noted that governance was about providing facilities, maintenance and rehabilitation

whenever they become obsolete, stressing that government has to provide effective service especially as the population increases.

She said: “What the Plateau State Government was doing was rehabilitating the treatment plant and reticulation facilities, that is to expand and replace old pipes to get more water to the communities.

For us at the federal level,

we are excited with what Plateau State Government is doing because to provide potable water to all communities across the country we must have a strong partnership between the states and the Federal Government and it is very encouraging that Plateau State Government is coming strong on this.”

The minister urged other states to emulate the Plateau State Government

and join hands with the Federal Government to ensure greater access to water by citizens.

Conducting the Good Governance team round the project, Plateau State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Idi Waziri, said since 1981, there had not been any major repair on the water supply treatment plant until the coming of the present administration.

Eid-el-Kabir: Makinde hails Muslims, preaches religious tolerance

BY SAM EYOBOKA

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AGOS — AS Muslims in Nigeria celebrate this year’s Eidel-Kabir, Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Sunday Ola Makinde, has called on all people of faith to embrace the principles of tolerance.

In his Sallah goodwill message made available by the church’s Media

and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, Makinde said among many other components, that tolerance plays a major role in nation-building.

His words: “I use this opportunity to felicitate with our Muslim brothers and sisters in Nigeria and around the world on the celebration of this year ’s Eid-el-Kabir, a festival that all Muslims

are commanded to celebrate in joy and happiness by Allah Almighty Himself.

“This in itself portrays its importance. And that is why I will also like to preach to all people of faith to embrace peace and religious tolerance so that the joy and happiness which this festival stands for will be enjoyed by all and sundry.

Sonni Tyoden, in Mangu on Saturday.

Represented by Secretary to the State Government, Prof.

Shedrack Best, the governor urged the teachers to reopen the schools to allow the pupils return to learn, adding that the bulk of people in high places today were products of public schools.

He said: “Let us save the grass from suffering by suspending this strike so that our pupils can get education.”

The governor viewed the honour done to the former vice chancellor whom he described as a forward looking academic, who achieved a lot for the state during his tenure, as well deserved.

Imoke assures flood victims of resettlement ALABAR — THE people of Agwagune in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State have been assured of proper resettlement to a new site following the recent flooding which devastated the entire community.

Governor Liyel Imoke who disclosed this during an on-the-spot inspection of some of the flood devastated communities across the state, yesterday, maintained that the Agwagune community which had suffered flooding along side landslide year-in yearout, needed to be relocated to a safer ground where they could go on with their socioeconomic activities.

Imoke promised to

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deliver the permanent site as well as the construction of link road to the area (AbiniAgwagune road) before the expiration of his tenure, saying because the community was very dear to his heart, as he would work assiduously for the timely completion of the resettlement site as their new town.

While charging them to cooperate with relevant government agents who will be coming to the area to provide temporary relief to them, said the development of the new area would be in accordance with specifications that would be provided by members of the community as owners of the project.

He said it would be devoid of undue government influence.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—7

Why rights violations are high in Nigeria —NHRC boss

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

BUJA — HUMAN rights violations have continued to be on the increase in Nigeria because majority of Nigerians are not yet aware of their rights and privileges, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Prof. Ben Angwe, has said.

Angwe, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard in Abuja, yesterday, said the rights of Nigerians would continuously be trampled upon by malevolent forces as long as individuals and groups were not aware of what they were legally entitled to.

The NHRC boss noted that from the commission’s finding, the poor and the elite in the society were ignorant of their rights and privileges and were, therefore, not in a position to seek redress even when they were wronged.

Angwe said: “In a situation where most people are not even aware of their rights, it makes it very difficult for us to be able to protect them.

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The United Bank for Africa, UBA, Plaza, Breadfruit Street, Lagos, gutted by fire, weekend. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

N-Assembly 'll create more states —Mark Says it will address marginalisation Condemns renewed attacks on churches

BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA — SENATE President David Mark, yesterday, said the National Assembly would create additional states, just as he stressed that the move was desirable for the country as it would help address marginalisation.

Mark, who noted that creation of additional states would bring government closer to the people, said: “Creation of additional states can only make government closer to the people contrary to the view in certain quarters that we do not need additional states in the federation.”

Meanwhile, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, Mark condemned the renewed attack against places of worship particularly the attack on St. Rita's Catholic Church, K aduna, yesterday, adding that it was never too late for perpetrators of the dastardly act to repent from their sinful acts against God. Mark, who spoke at the Ojude-Oba Festival 2012 in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, expressed support for the agitation for the creation of Ijebu State out of the present Ogun State, noting that new states would address the issue of marginalisation being canvassed in many parts of the country today.

Describing this year ’s edition of Ojude-Oba festival as a thanksgiving

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for the good health of Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Mark said as a nation of diverse cultures, we must take advantage of our diversity by using our culture as a symbol of unity.

He urged Nigerians to come together and emphasise those things that bind us together as a nation.

Earlier, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State who commended the bond of

unity among the indigenes and residents of the state, assured that his administration would continue to work for the development of Ogun State and her people.

In his welcome address, Oba Adetona urged the National Assembly to address the alleged injustice against Ijebu people by ensuring the creation of Ijebu State, arguing that Ijebu was one of the original 24 provinces of Nigeria that is yet to become a state.

He said: “We have been on this issue of creation of Ijebu State since 1975.

The justification for it is abundantly clear. The most worrisome aspect of it was the total neglect of Ijebu community in the state creation exercises that have taken place.

“It is lamentable that Ijebu, which in the colonial era was one of the 24 provinces that made up Nigeria, cannot today boast of being counted as one of the 36 states that presently constitute the country.”

Monarch accuses Nasarawa govt of complicity in Tiv/Fulani crisis Says 80 of his subjects beheaded, slaughtered

BY PETER DURU

AKURDI— PARAMOUNT ruler of Nagi Kingdom in Benue State, Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomste, has claimed that the raging conflict between native Tiv farmers and invading Fulani herdsmen, has led to the beheading and slaughtering of more than 80 of his subjects just as he alleged the complicity of Nasarawa State government in the bloodbath.

Abomste also alleged that the neighbouring Nasarawa State government was deliberately frustrating efforts by the Benue Sate government at finding lasting solutions to the recurrent carnage along the Benue-Nasarawa border communities.

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Addressing newsmen, yesterday, in Makurdi on the recent attacks on Tiv communities in Benue and Nasarawa States, the paramount ruler regretted that “the invading herdsmen are doing these with the tacit support of some government officials."

He said: “How can anybody explain that these invading Fulani mercenaries maintain bases in communities in Nasarawa State which they use as launching pad against Tiv farmers in Benue and Nasarawa states yet the state government and the security agencies in that state feign ignorance of their activities.

“They invade our communities in canoes provided them by the indigenous community, because we all know that

Fulanis don’t go in canoes.

These mercenaries are killing our people and sacking our communities and everyone is turning a blind eye.

“Regrettably, the recent unfortunate development which has seen the beheading and slaughtering of my people has completely made nonsense of the recommendations of the joint peace committee set up bythe Benue and Nasaraawa State governments.”

The paramount ruler also regretted that the House of Representatives committee set up to investigate the recurrent conflict had failed to carry our its task to a logical conclusion, advising that the Federal Government step up action to stem the recurrent killings.

People need to know where their rights begin and end so that they can begin to respect those of others in this country.

“When I talk about people not knowing their rights I am not just talking about poor people, I am talking about even the educated and well placed Nigerians. The elite are still not aware of their rights.”

The NHRC boss said in a bid to reverse the high level of ignorance exhibited by Nigerians on human rights issues, the commission had begun a serious sensitisation programme aimed at changing the attitude of Nigerians towards their rights.

He said: “First, the commission has started a process of translating the provisions of the Constitution and the relevant instruments regarding the rights of Nigerians into some major languages. These will be distributed free to all Nigerians.

“We are also having town hall meetings where the people are educated on their rights. A few days ago, we inaugurated Human Rights Education programme in schools."

Public office holders tasked on public health facilities

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE AGOS — FORTUNES of healthcare delivery in Nigeria would take a turn for the better if public office holders utilised public medical facilities in the country more judiciously than they do currently.

The patronage of public health care institutions by public office holders would also boost the level of confidence in the nation’s healthcare system as well as tackle the problem of underutilisation of facilities and equipment.

Chief Medical Director, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Olusanya Adejuyigbe, who made the assertions, argued that it was only through patronage of public officers that public hospitals in Nigeria could enjoy the dual advantage of being appreciated and its leaders would see need to

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invest more in local infrastructure and human resources.

In a chat, Adejuyigbe opined that 95 per cent of people travelling abroad were not going strictly for medical reasons, adding: ”Many people go out not because of medical reasons alone and sometimes they will not want to voice out why they go out for the treatment."

He said a lot of women decide to have their babies abroad not because babies cannot be delivered in Nigeria, but because they might want to increase the likelihood of wanting their babies to acquire foreign passports in future.

He said: “That is not medical reason. Lot of people migrate for medical treatment not because of incompetence or lack of equipment but for varieties of reasons. I cannot say we have all the infrastructure and personnel on ground to take care of all medical conditions."

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

THE RAGE OF FLOOD Flood victims head for home as deluge recedes in Delta

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA SABA—SOME flood victims in Delta North senatorial district of Delta State, comprising Asaba, Ashaka, Illah, Abala and Kwale, are returning home in trickles following reports that the flood is receding in their areas.

This came as reports from Delta Central and Delta South said the two senatorial districts witnessed great flooding in the last few days, displacing several persons.

State Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Dr. Tony Nwaka, in an interview in

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Asaba, cautioned that “those living within the riverine areas should not be in a hurry to return home now because there is need to find out the state of such structures to ascertain their safety. Some of the victims, like those living within the upland, whose houses were flooded, I understand, have gone to clean up their houses as the flood is receding.

“But while the flood is gradually receding in some places in the North, Delta South and Central have been experiencing serious impact in the last few days. We have just opened a new camp at Udu area.”

Edo House Majority Leader donates to flood victims

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE ENIN—RELIEF materi als worth over N3 million were, weekend, donated to victims of flood disaster in Estako-Central and EstakoEast Local Government Areas of Edo State by the Majority Leader of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Phillip Shuaibu.

The lawmaker, who visited the camps housing the flood victims in the two local government areas with members of his family, also went with musicians to entertain the flood victims, saying that was his own “ way of showing the victims love and to let them know that they are not alone even during Salah celebration.”

While urging public spirited Nigerians and organizations, irrespective of their ethnic and political affiliations to

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donate and give succor to the displaced, he noted that although the affected local government councils were not parts of his political constituency, he needed to make the people feel love in the face of their present circumstances.

He said: “I must tell you that your pains are our pain, just as your tears are ours. You must not despair, the hope that has kept you alive till today must remain with you as we all fight to sort things out.

You are not alone in this situation; we will all fight this out together and smile as well at the end of the day.”

Among the items donated were bags of rice, ground nut oil, palm oil, cartons of noodles, and cartons of maggi and bags of salt.

Speaking, his wife, Mrs. Mariam Shuaibu, advised the victims not to rush back home until government gave the go-ahead.

PRESENTATION: From right: Mr. Mok Ifeanyi, Member Cathedral Co-operative Society; Deacon Anthony Nwanti, Delta State Director, S.E.M.A. and Mr. Paul Orukhamarha, member, Red Cross, during the presentation of relief materials to flood victims at St Patrick College Camp, Asaba.

Patani General Hospital morgue not affected by flood —Delta govt ...says corpses were not washed away ELTA State Government, yesterday, denied reports that corpses in Patani General Hospital morgue were washed away by the flood that swept through the town and other parts of the state recently.

Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, said although Patani was one of the areas affected by the flood, the General Hospital was never flooded, and that corpses could not have been washed away when there was no flood.

He explained: “At the onset of the flood, every commissioner and public office holder was deployed in their areas of origin to monitor and coordinate relief efforts at the instance of the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

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Flood victims in Delta protest alleged ill-treatment

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—HUNDREDS of flood victims at the Ughelli camp, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, protested what they described as ill-treatment allegedly meted on them by some unnamed officials of the camp.

The protesting flood victims numbering over 300, from Odorubu, Patani, Ohoro, Uduophori, Bresegha, Uwheru, Bulu-Angiama, Abare, among other communities, stormed the palace of HRM Wilson Ojakovo, Oharisi III, the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, at about 8.30 am, peacefully, to register their

g r i e v a n c e s .

Speaking on behalf of the protesters at the palace, Mrs. Grace Etabuko, alleged that despite the regular provision of food and other relief materials by the state government, individuals, churches and corporate bodies, they were not given food promptly, alleging that in most cases they took breakfast at 3pm and dinner at 10pm.

Etabuko said: “Yesterday (Saturday) it was the wife of the Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mrs Basil Ganagana, who brought food to us at about 3pm before we had our breakfast. And because we did not eat on time, a wom-

an who complained to one of those in charge of food was beaten up by police officers.

She is presently receiving treatment at the hospital.”

Similarly, another flood victim, Mr Diamond Ikpesivwe, urged the camp leaders and the monarch to come to their aid by ensuring that those charged with the responsibility of providing food were removed and replaced by more competent hands.

The member representing Ughelli North Constituency I in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Samuel Mariere, and the State Commissioner for DESOPADEC, Mr. Tonye Timi, who is also the camp commandant, pleaded with the protesters to go back and remain calm.

“Thus, top officials of the state government and officials of organisations charged with providing relief to internally displaced persons maintained a hands-on approach to the management of the flood.

"In line with the directive, Mr. Timi Tonye, Commissioner for Special Duties, who hails from Patani Local Government Area, has virtually been living in the area since the onset of the floods.

“He remains on ground and has been coordinating relief efforts. The report gave the impression that there was a fresh surge of floods in the Patani area.

“This is far from the truth.

On the contrary, the floods have been receding in the past two weeks as Delta State Government gears up for the second phase of the flood management – rebuilding the affected areas.

“Mr. Tonye, who oversees Delta State Oil Producing Areas Commission, DESOPADEC, has attested to the fact that the morgue in Patani was never flooded while services are gradually resuming at the General Hospital.

“Similarly, Dr. Joseph Otumara, Delta State Commissioner for Health, has been actively involved in the management of the flood through the provision of requisite medical services in the displaced people’s camps.

“At the peak of the floods, no such report was lodged nor did any resident of Patani or any part of the state complain about the washing of dead bodies off any mortuary.

“At no time were the entire premises of the General Hos-

pital, Patani, overrun by flood.

Rather, the road leading to the hospital and the Doctors’ Quarters were the only flooded areas. The main hospital compound was not affected.

In effect, the morgue and other critical service areas were NOT flooded.

“The mortuary attendant at the hospital, Mr. Kenny Edios, confirmed that the hospital was evacuated due to the flooding of the access road and Doctors’ Quarters.

“He affirmed that the mortuary and other major facilities in the hospital remained intact, even as the flood has been receding, paving way for the resumption of normal service delivery. Mr. Edios made it clear that two elderly people that passed on at the peak of the flood were embalmed and deposited at the morgue in Patani General Hospital.

“Mr. Edios confirmed that there were 42 bodies at the morgue in the General Hospital, Patani, before the advent of the floods. He affirmed that the bodies are all accounted for and none had to be relocated.

“In putting the records straight, we are not suggesting that there are no health challenges in the aftermath of the flood. The health challenges are still enormous.

“We also acknowledge the fact that our people have displayed uncommon valour and improvisation as they sought to cope with the ravaging floods. The Government of Delta State has provided and continues to provide adequate relief and basic facilities for all internally displaced persons."

Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 —9

Lawyers condemn high rate of divorce in Nigeria

L

AGOS —SOME lawyers in Lagos at the weekend expressed concern over the increasing rate of divorce in Nigeria.

The lawyers expressed their views in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria.

Mr. Olalekan Ojo, of Ojo and Company Law Firm, said that intolerance, infidelity and battery were the major factors responsible for divorces.

“The court should always make an effort to re-unite the couple rather than dissolve the marriage,” he said.

He said that most children from broken homes roam the streets and indulged in unlawful activities.

He advised the government at all levels, parents and religious leaders to join

hands and find ways of stemming the tide of divorces.

Another lawyer, Mr. Ayo ogunlade, said that the reasons for marriage failure were insincerity, unfaithfulness, incompatibility and immaturity.

“Couples should always engage in dialogue in resolving issues, be open to each other and avoid influence of family and friends.

Mr. Olakunle Ajayi of Olakunle Ajayi and Company Law Firm, attributed the high rate of marriage failure to desertion, sex-starvation and dishonesty.

He advised people going into marriage to first of all take the pain to understand what the relationship entailed before going into it.

“No marriage is perfect; it is the couple that will make it work.

Ladipo traders decry leader’s detention

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

L

AGOS — FRESH crisis seems to be brewing at the popular Ladipo auto market in Mushin area of Lagos State, as traders, mostly of Igbo extraction, under the Association of AguyiIronsi Market Traders, have raised alarm over last Tuesday arrest and continued detention of their President, Mr. Jonathan Okoli by the State Security Service, SSS. The group, however, called on Governor Babatunde Fashola and Inspector General of Police to intervene in the matter with a sense of urgency. Mr. Ifeanyi Chukwulobe, Principal Staff Officer, Legal to the

arrested leader, stated this yesterday, at Papa Ajao, Mushin.

According to Chukwulobe; “Last Tuesday, Okolie received a call from one Rechason, who claimed to be an SSS, that their officer wanted to see him for questioning over a petition.

“He went to their office and they took him to Commissioner of Police, CP, L agos Command with a petition written by one CP, Sherifat Faponda Disu.

“The president was later detained at Criminal Investigation Department, C. I. D, Panti, over alleged security threat against genuine traders, which is a blatant lie aimed.

From left: Mrs. Derin Disu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business District, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, Lagos State Governor, being conducted round by Dr. Wale Ahmed, Commissioner for Special Duties, (4th left), during the Governor's visit to the Euro-Asia Plaza, a five-storey commercial building engulfed by an inferno on Breadfruit Street, Lagos weekend. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

We lost over N1.2bn goods to UBA Plaza fire – Occupants

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO with agency reports

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AGOS — OCCUpants of the UBA Plaza on Lagos Island, which was razed in an early evening fire on Saturday, lost goods estimated at over N1.2 billion in the incident.

Mr. Greg Azubuogu, Chairman of the Plaza, who spoke on behalf of

its occupants, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria yesterday in Lagos.

He said that the fivestorey building on Breadfruit Street, Lagos Island, housed a branch of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, warehouses, shops and offices.

Azubuogu, who owns a shop in the plaza, said that the fire may have

10 drown in Lagos boat mishap .LASEMA recovers 5 bodies

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

NO FEWER than 10 persons yesterday drowned, when a passenger boat capsized in Ojo River, in OtoAwori Local Council Development Area, LCDA. It would be recalled that last February, similar incident occurred in the council

with five passengers, mainly school pupils, drowning.

Vanguard learnt that the boat capsized at about 11:00 a.m., due to the high tide experienced at the early hours of the day, following the rainfall which occurred late on Saturday.

Confirming the report, the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management

Lagos NMA laments increase in unregistered facilities

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

L

AGOS — LAGOS State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association has raised alarm over the increasing number of unregistered health facilities in the state, blaming what it described as ‘invasion of charlatans’ on the failure of regulation by concerned state agencies.

The State Chairman of

NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile who spoke in Lagos during the associations’ annual Physician Week with the theme: “Prescription of medicines in Nigeria – abuse and implication for the health of Nigerians”, regretted that many Lagosians have fallen victims of these fake facilities.

Faduyile who noted that the duty of hospital regulation and

been caused by a spark from electrical wires in the building.

“I think that it is an electrical spark that caused the fire because Saturday was a weekend and a holiday.

“We take preventive measures whenever we were closing for the day at the plaza.

“We normally switched off the control switch, but the fire started from the

registration falls within the purview of the state governments while practice falls within the jurisdiction of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, lamented that thousands of facilities in the city of Lagos are manned by quacks.

Faduyile called for urgent attention to regulation of the facilities in Lagos as many Lagosians are

being defrauded day and night either as orthodox clinics or alternative medical clinics.

He stressed the need for the state regulatory body, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, to intensify effort towards ensuring effective monitoring of the facilities with a view to saving Lagosians of preventable deaths or medical complications.

Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said that five bodies have since been recovered from the river.

Oke-Osanyintolu explained “the boat was en route Imude from IdoOluwo, a riverine community in Oto-Awori LCDA. According to him; “Immediately the agency was contacted, it deployed its search and rescue team to the scene of the incident. And since then, five bodies have been recovered from the river.”

Although he did not disclose the names of those whose bodies were recovered, he said that the five were aged between 10 and 16 years respectively.

When vanguard contacted the Baale of Ido-Oluwo, he declined comments, saying he was yet to be briefed properly on the cause of the incident.

warehouse on the fourth floor.

“It is like the cartons in the warehouse aided the spark, as well as the spread of the fire,” he said.

Azubuogu recalled that the fire was noticed at about 4 p.m., noting that before any aid could come, it had spread to other parts of the plaza.

The chairman, who sells shoes and bags in the plaza, said he lost about N15 million in the incident. He appealed to Lagos State Government to come to their aid.

As at yesterday evening, policemen and officials of other security agencies were still trying to prevent hoodlums from looting some wares salvaged from the plaza.

Meantime, the St Paul’s Catholic Church on Breadfruit Street situated directly behind the affected building could not hold their usual Sunday Mass as the area was cordoned off by security personnel in order to ensure safety.

Some of the worshippers who turned out for service were turned backed by the security personnel.

Governor Babatunde Fashola has ordered that the building be cordoned off, appealed to the traders to stay off the building for a while in order to enable the emergency authorities carry out proper investigation and also determine the structural integrity of the property.

10—Vanguard ,

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29,

2012

Man 62, allegedly defiles 10 year old step daughter

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

From left: Alhaji. Sheu Batuta, Alhaji. Abdulhakeem Yayi Akorede, Chief Imam of Akure; Alhaji Ahmad Aladesawe, Chairman, League of Imams and Alfas, Ondo State and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo State governor, during a visit to Ondo State governor, at the Government House, Akure.

Mark pledges support for Ijebu State

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—THE Senate President, Senator David Mark yesterday pledged his support for the actualisation of IjebuState. If it becomes a reality it will be carved out of Ogun State.

Mark who stated this while speaking at this year annual 2012 Ojude-Oba festival held at Ijebu-Ode Ogun State said that one of the ways to achieve rapid development in the country is when more states were created.

The Senate President who was reacting to the plea of the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona on the need for Ijebu State, said he had received various delegations from agitators of state creation, saying that one of the highest delegations was from Ijebuland.

He said: “I support the creation of Ijebu State, the National Assembly must work to actualise it, we know that it is through it that government can move closer to the people, and I pledged that when next I shall be coming here, the dream would have been actualised.”

The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun who spoke at the occasion highlighted the significance of Ojude Oba,which he said represented the rich

culture, dynamic tradition and accommodating spirits of Ijebu people.

He said: “This is because history tells us that the festival started with an Islamic cleric, alongside members of his family, paying a courtesy call on the Awujale as a way of showing appreciation to the traditional ruler for allowing Islam to grow peacefully in Ijebu Ode. “Ojude Oba is one of the best advertisements for our culture in Ogun State and is a prominent feature in the national cultural calendar. That is why it is annually witnessed by people, from all walks of life, across the country and beyond”.

Earlier, the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona. claimed that Ijebuland had been the most marginalised province since the existence of the country.

He said “it is the only province that existed since 1975 that is yet to be converted to a state, while other provinces had been divided into two or more states” Awujale however said the alleged injustice would be corrected if Ijebu State is created.

Present were; deputy governor of the State, Mr.Segun Adesegun, Senators Olorunimbe Mamora, Gbenga Kaka, and Gbenga Obadara, Also in attendance were the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle.

BEOKUTA — A 10-year old girl (name withheld) has accused her 62-year-old step father Mr. Alabi Ibrahim of habitually having carnal knowledge of her.

The primary six pupil disclosed this yesterday, lamenting that she had lost count on number of times her step father had intercourse with her at their residence at Opara Estate, Aiyetoro Road in Abeokuta.

Vanguard gathered that the act was revealed when the girl ignorantly shared her experience

Four perish in Ogun auto crash

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA — FOUR persons were killed yesterday in an auto crash which occurred in front of the Ogun State Governor ’s Office, on Kobape Road, in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Vanguard gathered that, the accident involved a Toyota Tundra Sports Utility Van, SUV, with registration number Lagos FC 787LND and Nissan Primeria Car with registration number Lagos FZ 914 LSR. The SUV was reportedly coming from the Sagamu end of the expressway on a high speed but suddenly swerved and climbed a median and crushed the car and its six occupants on the other side of the road.

An eye witness told Vanguard that the driver of the SUV, who was reportedly on a high speed, suddenly applied his break when he approached a bump in front of the Governor ’s Office.

The source further said that, the driver then lost control and rammed into the Sagamu bound car which was on the other side and killing the driver and three other occupants instantly.

At the scene of the accident, symphatizers used axes to cut the car in order to free the mangled bodies of the victims.

Speaking with

newsmen at the accident scene, the team leader of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, Mr.Oladele Badmos said that, apart from those that died instantly, others who sustained injuries were in critical condition and have been rushed to Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Idi-aba, Abeokuta , while the dead have also been deposited in the

hospital’s morgue He blamed the accident on the driver of the SUV whom he was said to be on a high speed when he suddenly realised there was a speed breaker ahead.

Badmos said:“The driver immediately applied brake, and lost control before forcing its way to the other lane, causing the death of some occupants of the other car.

with her siblings who then hinted her mother.

It was further learnt that the mother, Mrs. Adiat Ibrahim, subsequently reported her husband’s immorality to the police in Abeokuta.

Vanguard learnt that the suspect, however, bolted when police detectives went after him in OnikolObo area.

Narrating her ordeal, the victim claimed that each time her step father had sex with her, he usually threatened to kill her if she told anybody about it.

She said; “Daddy always came to me when Mummy was not at home, and warned me not to tell anybody, so that I wouldn’t die”.

When contacted, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed the incident.

He described the action of the man as barbaric, promising that the police will thoroughly investigate the matter towards possibly charging the suspect to court for defilement.

“The police totally condemn the act. He will not be spared. The man will be charged to court, after a thorough investigation,” Adejobi assured.

Road transport boss killed over N100 park levy

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE —THE branch chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, in one of the parks in Ondo town, Ondo State, Ebenezer Adedeji, has been murdered over an argument on the payment of N100 daily ticket.

Adedeji, it was learnt was over the weekend hacked down by a man, believed to be an Okada rider in the community whose identity was not known at press time The deceased was said to have accosted the suspect at Shora Street in the town and demanded for N100 being the money for the daily ticket of the association.

An argument was said to have ensued between

the suspect and the deceased.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect left the scene, abandoned his motorcycle on the spot and left for his house only to return with a cutlass.

Unknown to the deceased, he was said to have gone for a meeting of the association in the area.

But the suspect after returning learnt that the deceased had left the scene following which he traced him to the meeting.

On getting to the meeting he discovered that the deceased had not arrived there, he therefore reportedly laid ambush for him at the entrance of the venue of the meeting where on arrival he allegedly attacked his victim with

the cutlass.

The suspect who fled after killing the deceased was pursued and later arrested by the traders in the area and subsequently handed over to the police The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of the station, Chief David Ehighale, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.

Ehighale said that the suspect had been transferred to the homicide section at the Ondo State Police Command headquarters in Akure, for further investigation.

The DPO added that the remains of the deceased has been deposited at the Ondo State Specialist Hospital at Ondo town.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—11

Zuma urges S-African investment in Bayelsa OUTH African Pres ident, Jacob Zuma, has lauded Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State for enthroning probity and accountability in the governance culture of the state.

He also eulogized the governor for investing heavily in infrastructure and urged top investors in South Africa to take advantage of the conducive business environment provided by Governor Dickson to invest in the littoral state.

The President, whose praise is coming for the second time in less than one year, spoke when the governor paid him a courtesy visit in his of-

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VISIT: Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (left) and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, during a recent visit by the Bayelsa State governor.

Itsekiri Education Trust rakes in N16.5m

fice in Pretoria last weekend.

He also expressed the willingness of the South African Government to sign a memorandum of agreement with Infrastructure Development Cooperation, IDC, of South Africa in November on capacity building.

Relishing the bond between Governor Dickson and Bayelsans, President Zuma enjoined the governor to sustain his love for his people.

According to him, “a politician must always be in touch with his people because politics starts and ends with them.”

He promised to visit

Shell sacks 17 NUPENG officials sacked on October 22, in

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

Itsekiri focused, committed —Uduaghan

BY EMMA ARUBI ARRI—A NINEMEMBER Itsekiri Education Trust was, yesterday, inaugurated by His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse II, the Olu of Warri, in his palace in Warri, Delta State.

He charged all Itsekiri and other well meaning persons to key into the legacy programme which raked in a total of N16.5 million at the weekend.

Chairman of the occasion and Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, who commended the Itsekiri monarch and Warri National Council for instituting the Education Trust for the benefit of the people, pledged to be part of the Trust.

He said: “I will bequeath education as a legacy to the younger generation.”

He charged management of the Trust to ensure the sustenance of the body through quality service, adding that he would be proud to tell beneficiaries of the programme that he was a contributor to their educational attainment.

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Itsekiri focused and committed Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was represented by his Commissioner for Basic and Higher Education, Prof.

Patrick Muoboghare, stated that Itsekiri, through the Trust, had only re-enacted their nature in educational philanthropy.

According to him, it was through such ventures that Hussey College, Warri, was established many years ago.

Governor Uduaghan said the Itsekiri were a people focused and committed to any chosen course and set goal. He commended Warri National Council for the lofty initiative, pleading that the initiative should be sustained.

The nine-member Trust, has Dr. Mark Erumi, Chaplain of Warri Kingdom, as Chairman, with Professors Alele Williams, Gabriel Yo-

mere, Omatseye and Doris Afejuku as members.

Others include Engineers Alex Neyin and Akperi, Chief Nelson Utieyone, while Mr. Lawrence Ukubeyinje is Secretary.

Inauguration The Olu of Warri, Atuwatse II, CON, inaugurated the Trust at precisely 3.50pm. Thereafter, the members took the oath of allegiance, pledging to discharge their function diligently with the fear of God. Chairman of Warri National Council and spokesperson for the Olu, Chief Brown Mene, gave reason for the setting up of the Education

Trust.

“It will provide such assistance that would ensure that no child would be hindered from reaching the utmost that his learning capacity and drive could take him.”

He paid glowing tribute to members of the Itsekiri Progress Club for their wonderful contributions to the success and realisation of the dream.

In a brief remark, the Olu of Warri said Itsekiri children now have cause to smile as their education pursuit had been guaranteed for life.

He thanked all those that worked assiduously to ensure the success of the Education Trust and called for proper funding of the body.

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O R T H A R COURT—NO fewer than 17 officials of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, including the caretaker committee chairman, have been sacked by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, in what NUPENG described as an act of victimisation.

In a swift reaction, NUPENG demanded immediate reinstatement of the union officials to avoid industrial unrest in the already restive petroleum industry and tension in the country.

Vanguard gathered that the officials were

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—FOLLOW ING the alleged fraud that trailed the recruitment of 500 teachers in Edo State, the governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, has relieved the Chairman of the Post Primary Education Board, Dr. Odein Monday, of his duties.

Vanguard was reliably informed that allegation of

bribery marred the exercise which eventually brought into questioning the qualification of those who were announced to have passed the interview.

It would be recalled that in order to promote science education in schools in the state, the governor had directed the Post Primary Education Board to recruit 500 teachers who are majors in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics,

an exercise which SPDC management claimed was part of its disinvestment and outsourcing of the department where they worked.

NUPENG and the management of SPDC have been at loggerheads for some time now following the union’s suspension and subsequent expulsion of its former SPDC branch chairman over alleged anti-union activities in connivance with the management of SPDC. Reacting to the sack, NUPENG demanded that its SPDC caretaker committee chairman, Comrade Enomate Kingsley, and 16 other Union members affected by the sack be immediately reinstated in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.

Group urges NDDC to probe abandoned project in Delta

Oshiomhole sacks PPEB Chairman I over alleged fraud English, Agricultural Science and other science related subjects.

Vanguard was informed that one of the top members of the Board was given marked money unknown to him. It was also learnt that some Ministry officials may have been involved in the scandal but the state Commissioner for Education, Mr Ekpenisi Omorotionwan who confirmed the removal of chairman of the Board, said he was not aware of the involvement of any Ministry official.

Bayelsa State next year.

The governor was in South Africa to interact with top investors and sign letters of cooperation with Naidoo and Associates Consulting Engineers and Construction Management Company and the Black Business Council which represents the 5th African Black Business Community. The governor also inspected the Bayelsa Development Corporation office billed to be commissioned in January. Governor Dickson thanked President Zuma for offering credible leadership to South Africans.

BY DAPO AKINERFON

JAW Peoples Con gress, IPC, has called on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to probe an abandoned road pavement project in Ayakoromo area of Delta State.

In a statement by its National President, Mr. Ekanpou Ekewaridideke, the group explained that though the Ayakoromo pavement road job, in Burutu Local Government Area of the state had long been awarded to a contractor

by NDDC, the contractor handling the project had failed to commence work.

The group alleged that the contractor had been mobilised by NDDC to embark on the project but “the contractor appears to have absconded as the Ayakoromo community people have not seen the contractor since the news of the mobilisation reached them”.

IPC also called on the Managing Director of NDDC to call the contractor to order, saying “ we are extending this call to the chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC to use his statutory power to compel the invisible Ayakoromo pavement road contractor to return to site.”

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

Petrol sells at N120 per litre in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

ENAGOA—A LI TRE of petrol is now being sold at N120 per litre at filling stations in Yenagoa and its environs by independent marketers in Bayelsa State, due partly to what an insider blamed on the parlous state of the East-West Road and paltry quota allotted the state by the Department of Petroleum Resources depot, in Port Harcourt.

With the Patani flank of the East-West Road in Delta State and the Ahoada-Mbiama axis in Rivers State, cut off by flood, Bayelsa State has been literally cut off from the rest of the country, prompting the state government to direct con-

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THANKSGIVING SERVICE: From right: Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State; his wife Judith; former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme; his wife Beatrice and Senator Magnus Abe (behind), at the 80th birthday thanksgiving service in honour of Dr. Ekwueme, at St Paul's Cathedral, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Jailbreak in Ahoada, Rivers: One feared dead, four allegedly escape

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HAR COURT—ONE person was feared dead and four other inmates allegedly escaped on Saturday during a riotous scene at the Federal Prison, Ahoada, Rivers State Vanguard gathered that nine other inmates whose attempt to also break loose was foiled by security operatives, sustained injuries.

When contacted, State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ben Ugwuegbulam, confirmed the jailbreak attempt, but quickly added that no inmate escaped.

According to him, the Police, in conjunction with other security operatives, foiled the escape bid by the inmates.

He said two of the prisoners who made frantic effort to escape through the ceiling were shot.

He said: “At about 1700hrs, inmates of Federal Prison Ahoada attempted breaking out unlawfully from custody.

Ahoada Police Area Command swiftly mobilised to the scene and together with other security agencies cordoned off the entire perimeter of the prison. Consequently the escaping inmates retreated to the confines of the prisons.

“Two of the inmates that tried to escape

through the ceiling were shot at to prevent their escape and were fatally wounded in the process.

No escape was recorded."

Meanwhile, sources within the prison confirmed the escape of four inmates adding that nine were injured while one was killed.

The sources said trouble started on Saturday when warders returned to the prison with some of the prisoners they allegedly took out to fetch fire wood and water.

The prisoners, according to the sources, sud-

denly resisted effort by the warders to lock them in their cells.

In the heat of the pandemonium, the sources said, the prisoners forced the ATM cell open and this immediately triggered tension in the prison as inmates made frantic efforts to scale the fence.

The sources said the timely arrival of security operatives who shot sporadically to stop the prisoners from fleeing saved the situation.

Vanguard gathered that before the situation finally came under con-

trol, four of the prisoners had escaped, one died, while nine others reportedly sustained injuries.

Another source told Vanguard that the attempted jailbreak looked like an action the prisoners had been contemplating.

Vanguard gathered that security operatives had been put on alert in the area about a possible jailbreak plan by inmates but nobody knew when they were to strike, and that explained the timely arrival of security operatives.

Soldiers kill two suspected kidnappers in Delta

BY EMMA AMAIZE ARRI—SOL DIERS of the Nigerian Army, 3 Battalion, Effurun Barracks, near Warri, Delta State, have shot dead two suspected hired assassins and kidnappers in broad daylight at Ekpan, in Uvwie Local Government Area.

Commander, 3 Battalion, Lt. Col Ifeanyi Otu, who confirmed the killing, told Vanguard that soldiers gunned the suspects down while they were escaping with a bag stuffed with papers, which they thought was the N10 million ransom they had demanded from

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a victim, Chief Jonathan Governor.

But, apparently unfamiliar with the circumstances surrounding the death of the suspects, Niger Delta People Salvation Front/Niger Delta People Volunteer Force, NDPSF/NDPVF, led by activist, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, weekend, alleged that the Joint Task Force murdered a top member of the group and renowned musician, Mr. Tony Omoro.

Lt Col Otu, however, explained that the suspects, Fidelis Amani and Tony Omoro, called and sent threat messages with an Airtel number to

Chief Governor, telling him that a woman paid them N1 million to kill him if he failed to pay a ransom of N10 million.

The victim was alarmed by the threat, and unknown to the criminals, he contacted senior officers of the battalion, who contrived a plan for him to play along with them.

He said: “On October 23, at about 0910hours, a report of the activities of hired assassins was lodged at our office by Chief Jonathan Governor of Ekpan.

“He said that two persons called him and sent threat messages with an Airtel number that a woman paid them N1 million to kill Governor if he did not pay a ransom of N10 million."

struction giant, Julius Berger, to intervene in the Ahoada-Mbiama axis, a development which helped improve vehicular movement on the route.

But the state, it was reliably learnt, will continue to experience short fall in the product due largely to the epileptic supply chain.

The state, according to informed sources, is allocated only five trucks daily, which most times do not get to the state.

Marketers in the state, it was learnt, are compelled to source for the product in the open market in Port Harcourt with some of them travelling as far as Lagos to source for fuel from private farm tank owners if they must keep their filling stations running.

Oil communities, DESOPADEC suit continues Nov 14

BY EMMA AMAIZE

ARRI—THE legal tussle between Itsekiri Host Communities and Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, over alleged reckless diversion of N1 billion meant for development of host communities, continues November 14, before a Delta State High Court sitting in Warri and presided over by Justice Marshal Umukoro.

The Itsekiri oil and gas producing communities had dragged the state’s oil agency to court for expending money meant for their development on renovation of Police Barracks in Warri and Warri Club, both government and private concerns well outside the specific

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mandate of the commission.

Chairman of Itsekiri Host Communities, Prince Ikenwoli Emiko, insisted, under cross-examination by defence counsel, M. E. Sadjere, that the plaintiffs decided to go to court because the commission failed to settle the matter amicably, even after the current chairman, Mr. Oritsuwa Kpogho, who was head of Finance Department, at the time, waded into the matter.

Asked if he was unaware that all the monies allocated to the commission was not meant for Itsekiri ethnic group alone, Prince Emiko, who answered in the affirmative, maintained that they were in court to redress the marginalisation against his people.

Privatisation: Rep allays fears of PHCN workers

BY FESTUS AHON

HAIRMAN, House of Representatives Committee on Power, Mr. Patrick Ighale, has assured Power Holding Company, PHCN, workers of job security.

Ighale gave the assurance when members of the committee visited Ughelli Power Plc, to assess the level of project executed under the 2012 budget.

He said; “Privatisation or not, those in the pow-

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er sector are those whose interest will always be protected by the legislature,” adding that “job security should not be an issue unless government has designed the entire process to fail.”

He commended PHCN workers for their doggedness over the years, pointing out that the same challenges faced

by NITEL, Nigerian Railway, Nigerian Airways and others that led to their collapse or privatization were faced by the power sector.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—13

EFCC probes alleged frauds in Anambra LGs

BY TONY EDIKE NUGU—THE Eco nomic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced investigations into the finances of local governments in Anambra State, following series of petitions from the state alleging mismanagement of funds by the caretaker committees set up by Governor Peter Obi to oversee the affairs of the councils.

The petitions from Anambra State, said to have flooded the zonal office of the anti-graft agency in Enugu, according to sources, centered on fraud in most of the 21 local government areas, which had

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been under the caretaker administration since the inception of Obi’s administration.

One of such petitions to the EFCC, obtained by Vanguard, was written by 12 members of Njikoka Local Government Transition Committee, including four supervisors, who alleged that the Transition Committee Chairman, Dazza Udeozor, Head of Service, Dr. C.M. Afunugo, and Treasurer, Mr. Andy Orakwelu, perpetrated fraud running into millions of Naira through payment for unapproved and unexecuted projects, among others.

The 12 petitioners, who

were surprisingly relieved of their appointments by Governor Obi in September, apparently for raising the fraud alarm in their petition to EFCC, dated June 8, 2012, said the looting of Njikoka local government treasury “came to light during the oversight visit to the local government by Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Political, Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters on Monday, April 14, 2012, based on very exacting questions posed to the trio of the Transition Chairman, the HOS and the Treasurer.”

Under the approval and supervision of the Transition Committee chairman, Mr. Udeozor, who was retained

by Governor Obi after sacking the 12 members in September, the F and G approved a bill for the reactivation of borehole in Njikoka local government secretariat at the sum of N637,500 but the treasurer allegedly claimed N1,900,000 as the amount spent on the project.

They alleged that public fund amounting to N1.3 million was not accounted for.

They also cited the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, building project jointly funded by the local and state governments which was approved for N20 million but was fraudulently beefed up to N31 million without the knowledge of the F and G.

INVESTITURE: Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (right), receiving a souvenir from His Eminence, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria after his investiture and dedication as a Knight of John Wesley, KJW, at the Methodist Theological Institute Chaplaincy, Umuahia as the secretary of conference, Methodist church Nigeria, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Raphael Opoko looks on, weekend.

Ekwueme, a patriotic Nigerian —Amaechi P ORT HARCOURT— Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi, has described former VicePresident of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme, as a patriotic Nigerian who contributed immensely to promote unity and development in the country.

Amaechi spoke, yesterday, at a special thanksgiving service in honour of the former Vice President to mark his 80th Birthday at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Port Harcourt.

He said: “I don’t see ethnicity in you (Ekwueme). If others have seen, I never see it in you, so we as Nigerians owe you a lot in that regard.

“Let me tell you that there are those of us who admire

you even at the party meetings and one of the things we admire you for is your level of patriotism.”

Governor Amaechi explained that at 80, Ekwueme was still fit to dip into his competences and experiences to add value to the Nigerian society.

“An opportunity has opened up now, and that opportunity is the forthcoming constitutional amendment, and as usual Nigerians have started dealing with cosmetics not reality of power distribution, structure of the country, but reality of sharing what and who is what.

“I think I will join you in asking fundamental questions, it is important that we ensure the unity of the

country in a way to move the nation forward, and I will join you in that,” he said.

On his part, Alex Ekwueme,

thanked the Rivers State governor and all well-meaning Nigerians who turned out in their numbers to honour him.

Group tasks Chime on devt JI-RIVER PRO GRESSIVE Action, OPA, has asked Enugu State government of Sullivan Chime to pay more attention to rural development in the state.

In a statement by its Director of Media and Research, Mr. Anene Chukwu, the group said the current Enugu State government had not done enough for rural areas in the state.

The group decried the lack of roads and other basic infrastructure in Oji

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River Council of the state, despite the array of politicians and leaders from the council supporting and working for Chime’s government.

Going down memory lane, the group recalled that the only visible road the governor was trying to construct in the council in five years of his administration was flagged off two years ago, lamenting that not even one kilometer of the road had been successfully tarred.

Abia govt accuses opposition of raising false alarm MUAHIA— ABIA State Government has described the insinuation by some people that the governor was not doing enough on rehabilitation and construction of roads as an old story emanating from agents posing as opposition group as uncharitable, saying they were being economical with the truth.

It accused the opposition of raising false alarm, noting that the immediate past government was asleep while others were developing their states for which reason the incumbent governor was saddled with the burden of starting afresh to develop the state.

A statement by Mr. Ben Onyechere, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication, said: “The opposition in Diaspora has imbibed the culture of always raising false alarm where none exists. The dissemination of falsehood has the capacity to dissuade investors as much as it can mislead the public.

“They have denied that there are no such projects as women and youth empowerment neither will they admit the existence of conducive and secured environment for businesses to thrive and construction of

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numerous projects which speak for themselves.

“They can never talk about the establishment of new capital city in Umuahia, where the new government house is located, not far from the new international and industial markets, which are nearly completed."

Fuel scarcity worsens in Enugu

BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—THE people of Enugu State have been experiencing severe scarcity of petroleum products, particularly Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly called petrol, which now sells between N120 and N125 per litre at stations owned by independent marketers.

The price hike has lasted for one month but while the major marketers always lack products with their stations under lock, the independent marketers usually have enough products on daily basis, which they sell at cut-throat prices, with the motorists and other buyers purchasing with grudges.

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14—Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

Reps release guidelines for constitution review

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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BUJA—ARRANGEMENTS have been concluded to flag off the Peoples’ Public Sessions on the review of the 1999 Constitution across the 360 federal constituencies in the country.

The move is the initiative of the House of Representatives to achieve a more participatory, inclu-

sive and transparent review of the constitution.

Also, a tentative template of the issues to be discussed and voted on at the sessions had been produced by the House of Representatives to serve only as a guide, as each Federal Constituency is free to indicate in its report other issues they considered as requiring amendment or inclusion in the constitution.

‘NASS is no rubber-stamp'

Issues that have been identified in the template include, among others, recognition of the six zonal structure; creation of states; structure, funding and creation of local governments; residency, citizenship and indigeneship question; justiciability of economic and social rights; fiscal provisions; independence of states legislatures and amendments of the exclusive legislative list to devolve more powers to the states.

... as Saraki bemoans absence of law on oil spill He said: “All we are whether a spillage is

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI LORIN—CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, and Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, Senator Abubakar Saraki, has vowed to ensure that the country enforced the law on oil spill when one was eventually enacted.

Saraki also told newsmen in Ilorin that there was need for a disaster management template that will ensure that aid to disaster victims got to them at the right time.

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asking for is that if you can respect the lives of others in another country, why not Nigeria?

The law is meant to prevent what they call the punitive aspect.

“Also, the law will lead to a lot of stability in the oil-producing region, because being the source of oil should not mean being disadvantaged.

“We need to agree as a country to begin to do the right thing and once the oil companies know that we are serious, they too will buckle up.

“In fairness to them, today in Nigeria, there is no law that sanctions spillage, whereas if you go to a country like USA,

through sabotage or not, once it happens, there is a way of calculating what you will pay. That type of law makes you to do everything necessary to secure your pipes.”

Senator Saraki said it was unacceptable that the same oil companies operating in the NigerDelta, who obey laws in other countries in Europe and America, tend to look the other way whenever they were involved in oil spills in the country.

Saraki dismissed allegations by some oil companies that the proposed bill on oil spillage, which he was championing, was punitive.

Others are fiscal federalism; abolition of states electoral commissions; removal of immunity clause; establishment of state police; zoning and power sharing; terms of office of the President and governors, regarding whether they should be for a single term of five, six or seven years or a renewable term of four years; independent candidacy; voting age; improved representation for women; rights of persons with disability; voting rights for Nigerians in diaspora; a unicameral National Assembly; presidential or parliamentary system of government; role for traditional rulers in the Constitution and further electoral reforms.

According to the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Ad hoc Committee on the Review of the constitution, Emeka Ihedioha, the sessions will bring the process of constitution review closer to the people and will extend to all the nooks, crannies, villages, communities, grassroots and towns throughout Nigeria.

Guidelines for the conduct of the sessions indicate that speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, will perform the flag-off ceremony for the sessions on Thursday, November 8.

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA—DEPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday, took a swipe at Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, warning him to know the limits.

Senator Ekweremadu, who noted that senators were neither rubber-stamp nor illiterates as alleged by the Presidential aide, said if Gulak’s understanding of the role of the legislature in a democracy was to rubberstamp everything brought by the executive, he should wake up to the realities of how things were done.

He said if Gulak, as Speaker of Adamawa State

House of Assembly, rubberstamped everything the executive sent to the House, the National Assembly would not act in like manner.

Ekweremadu, in a statement, yesterday, by Okey Ozoani, his Special Adviser on Political Matters, said: “To put matters straight, the Deputy President of the Senate, while speaking on The Political Ideology of the Great Zik of Africa and Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria, at the 2nd Zik Annual Lecture Series organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Awka, stressed that the 21st century Nigeria needed knowledgeable leadership at all levels.”

Justice Adekeye retires

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI BUJA—CHIEF Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, will, Wednesday, conduct a valedictory court session in honour of Justice Olufunlola Adekeye, who retires from the Supreme Court.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, the apex court said the event will hold at the main court auditorium of the Supreme Court.

A statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Infor-

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mation, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Festus Akande, said: “Hon. Justice Adekeye clocks the mandatory retirement age of 70 years on October 28.

“She became a High Court Judge in June 1987 and was elevated to the Court of Appeal Bench in November, 1998.

“She was the Presiding Justice in the Ilorin Division of Court of Appeal between 2008 and 2009; and was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court on March 12, 2009.”

SUICIDE BOMBER ATTACKS ST. RITA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, KADUNA

Bombed St. Rita's Catholic Church.

ABOVE AND BELOW: Victims of the St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Angwan Yero, Malali Village, suicide bomb attack receiving treatment at Garkuwan Hospital, Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTOS: Olu Ajayi.

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RIGHT: Remains of the suicide bomber's car.

BELOW: Survivors

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 — 15

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16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 RURAL Nigeria, ordinarily, does not have the best conditions for sustainable living. When the tasking conditions bear extra burdens from the worst flooding in more than four decades, the results are the stories of woes from different parts of Nigeria.

Only a few States were spared stories of devastations with the etching impact they have created in communities that were barely surviving. How would children born in these conditions survive? How would the communities return to normalcy, when the waters recede and the trickles of benevolence they are getting runs dry?

These communities need more help. Our appeal goes to anyone – individuals and organisations - that can muster assistance, for the various communities, to intervene. Their circumstances are too gloomy for them to contemplate the future. Many of them are hanging on the slim hope that they would recover anything from homes, farms and other businesses that have been under water for weeks.

It is a vain hope, yet they cannot live without hope – the hope that the floods will not return,

BY AKINTOLA OMIGBODUN

HE current floods being experienced along the River Benue and River Niger should not be allowed to occur in future. A new operations regime that will ensure safe operations at dams and their associated reservoirs should be put in place for all dams in Nigeria. Dam owners/operators in Nigeria include the River Basins Development Authorities, RBDAs, PHCN successor companies, State Water Boards/Corporations. The Federal Ministry of Environment held a round-table meeting with dam owners/operators in Abuja on May 23, 2012 and I addressed the participants at this gathering on the role and responsibilities of dam owners/operators in flood early warning system operations. Dam owners/ operators were told that their primary responsibility was to exercise control over the water behind their dams such that in years of heavy rainfall and for singular rainfall events, water going past the dam does not damage dam infrastructure or create floods.

In the first place, dams should not store water that is not required. One of the problems with dams under the control of the RBDAs is that some of them are designed for electric power generation but the existing law, the River Basins Development Authorities Act, does not include electric power generation in the functions of each Authority. Thus the budgets of the RBDAs cannot include funds for power generation and distribution. Besides amendments to the law to permit RBDAs to generate and distribute electricity, procedures for safe

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More Help For Flood Victims hope that they will get assistance to live again, hope that they have a future, for them and their children.

Some of the loudest voices heard on the matter these days are from opportunists, attention seekers, politicians, and some who have identified flooding as the only news worthy item.

They have no concerns about the victims.

They want their faces in the media, exploiting the plight of the displaced. Yet as the smiling (or mock concerned faces) dominate the media, there are disturbing stories of hunger, illnesses, rapes and other crimes in the camps.

Everything is in short supply, especially in

OPINION Preventing future

places where the already inadequate relief materials from governments have been allegedly diverted, or outrightly stolen, confirming earlier fears about the N17.6 billion intervention fund the Federal Government provided to ameliorate the plight of flood victims.

The challenges that have resulted with providing food and emergency shelter for victims, paint gloomier pictures of what await them when they return to what used to be their homes. Where will they get funds for reconstruction of their homes and their lives?

How do people who were too poor to live survive after the flood has washed away the most basic means of their existence?

We have an emergency in our hands. Unless we treat the situation with such profundity, neither the victims nor those ready to assist them would understand that the re-building would be a slow process that would task our commitment to rural Nigeria whose ravaging poverty receives dismissive treatment.

The flood can help Nigeria to pull some out of poverty, if she decides to tackle the disaster decisively.

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operations of dams such that floods are not inflicted on interests and communities downstream of dams should also be specified in the law. Communities downstream of a dam should be allowed by law to jointly monitor water levels behind the dam with the RBDA. The release of water from Lagdo Dam on the River Benue in Cameroon leads to floods each year along the River Benue, both in Cameroon and in Nigeria.

Again, it is emphasized that water which is not required should not be stored behind a dam. The Cameroonian authorities should be approached to lower the critical operating water level in the Lagdo dam by 8m from 216m above sea level to 208m above sea level. With respect to Kainji Dam, PHCN has been operating this dam for over 40 years and PHCN should by now have a good hydrological model for operations at the dam. Water entering Kainji Lake takes an average of 76 days before going past the dam. Some of the water reaching Kainji Lake takes about six months to arrive at the lake from Guinea. It should be possible to plan water release from Kainji Lake such that there are no significant floods in areas downstream of the dam.

The floods that occurred along the River Ogun in Lagos State and Ogun State during 2007, 2010 and 2011 should also not be allowed to occur again. The Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority should lower the critical operating water level at Oyan Dam by 4m from 63m above sea level to 59m

from

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above sea level. Gates should also be provided at the Ikere Gorge Dam on the River Ogun as this will lead to better control of water releases into the main channel of the River Ogun.

An assessment of flood risk along the River Ogun in Lagos State and Ogun State shows that water release from Oyan Dam in the region of 10,000 million litres per day leads to the formation of a lake on the river between Magbon and Hate, that is between latitude 6°49’30" N and 6°48’00" N. A second channel takes off from this lake to the east of the main channel of the River Ogun and this channel carries water directly to the concrete viaduct on the Lagos to Ibadan Expressway at latitude 6°40’00", then onwards into River Owuru which flows into Majidun Creek which discharges the water into the Lagos Lagoon. The flood path from the main channel of River Ogun and the lake covers parts of Ogun State and Lagos State; it is over 27km long and it is up to 4km wide in places. It is, therefore, necessary to plug the second channel and other channels along the River Ogun through appropriate embankment construction. Flood control studies should be carried out from Oyan Dam to Lagos Lagoon which studies will assess the needs of communities along the River Ogun, especially Abeokuta metropolitan area.

*Dr. Omigbodun, an environmental expert, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—41

ENATE President, David Bonaventure Mark, seems to be rapidly shedding his military political establishment’s ideological feathers. A former influential “IBB Boy” between 1985 and 1993, Mark, in latter years, seems to be repenting of some of the odious legacies of the internal colonialist policies the establishment forced down the throat of the nation in the 1999 Constitution before they vacated power.

The other day, following the Mubi slaughter of 42 students and other similar grisly slayings by the increasing army of malcontents around the country, Mark told his colleague senators and a listening nation that he was now in favour of introduction state police, as the current policing system has proved grossly incapable of apprehending the scale of violent criminality that lives with us today.

It is common knowledge that most political figures from the military era, particularly those from the North, always kick against any notion of decentralising police functions because of their fear that they could form the embryos of new threats to disintegrate Nigeria.

In far away Quebec, Canada, last Monday, October 22, 2012 in his address at the 127th Inter Parliamentary Union, IPU, Assembly, Mark addressed the theme: “Citizenship, Identity, Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in a Globalised World”, with the progressive view that he would push for the replacement of “State of Origin” with “State of Residency” in the impending Constitution amendment exercise.

Said he, to journalists: “Let’s forget the business of state of origin and go to state of residence. Once you are resident in a place and you perform your civic responsibilities for the period, there is no reason why you should not benefit, provided, of course, you don’t claim dual residency”.

I call this a Zikist agenda, because Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, right from its days under the leadership of Dr Herbert Macaulay, had dreamed of an independent Nigeria where the citizens would “forget their differences” and build a nation where everyone would be proud to belong; a model of patriotic dynamism out of Africa and a toast of the Black world.

He had as associates outside the NCNC another political party in the North named the Northern Elements Progressive Union, NEPU, led by Malam Aminu Kano and his followers.

out of political relevance, the regionalists in the Nigerian Army started as from 1967 to split Nigeria into states and local governments to give local elites the platforms for the freeloading on Nigeria’s oil wealth (the National Cake).

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Born of the demon Thus was born the demon of “state of origin”, which created the indigene/settler dichotomy among Nigerian citizens. This is the singular detractor to our national integration because a Nigerian can live all his life in a part of the country other than his place of ethnic roots and yet live like a foreigner in his own country. He will pay taxes, yet his children will not benefit from be allowed to control the Western Region state government free education and cell of it. He eventually founded the Action bursary awards, which are reserved for Group, which had the primary mission of ““indigenes”. He can register and vote, but taking over the West and launching out to cannot be voted for. He and his family will other parts. In the North, Alhaji Ahmadu be counted as part of the local population Bello and his group were deeply concerned of his state of residency, and yet when the of what Zik would do with Islam and the federal allocation that comes as a result of North if he assumed leadership at the population density arrives he and his independence. They hijacked the Northern family are discriminated against.

In spite of his contributions to the Peoples Congress, NPC, an unabashed regional party. With the West and the North development of the state, he and his family now in the hands of regionalists, the are frequently harassed, displaced and NCNC and its nationalist vision were often killed by mobs incited by local thwarted and reduced to the regional politicians against enterprising “settlers”.

Mark’s intentions are noble. Without fringes. Awolowo popularised the agitation g i v i n g Senate president, David Mark Nigerians a sense of b e l o n g i n g The NCNC was a truly national party, wherever they where Igbos produced elected officers in live the country Lagos and parts of the old Western Region, will never and people from the Mid West and Yorubas become a nation. won election in Port Harcourt. A Fulani It will never be man, Alhaji Umaru Altine, a staunch u n i t e d . member of the Zikist Movement who went Nigerians have to jail in defence of zero tolerance to British been raised on a colonialism, was elected the first Mayor diet of ethnic Enugu. and sectional Zik's fellow travellers: But Zik’s fellow dichotomies for more than 70 years. States travellers in the fight against British rule for creation of states for the Minorities.

It was from these stimuli that the struggle and local governments have been did not share his dreams. When Obafemi Awolowo returned from England, his by local elites to take control of the political established to institutionalise national vision was to become part of a national space within their areas became popular. disunity. We all are now tribalists and political movement, but only if he would As soon as the nationalists were pushed sectionalists at heart. It is in our blood. Even if Mark gets the support of his colleagues to push through the reform, it might merely exacerbate the hostility of “indigenes” against “settlers”, and local politicians S you read this piece, I will be in New York City, USA, my self-chosen might respond with more incitement to primary staging post for coverage of the American presidential and other violence.

However, we commend the Senate elections tied thereto. I will move around quite a bit, touching base in Washington for sure. I will endeavour to look out for story angles that are relevant to us in President for standing by this nationalist agenda and hope he will not be Nigeria in our practice of the presidential system. STAY WITH THE BEST! discouraged by the odds.

David Mark’s neo-Zikist intentions

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Mark’s intentions are noble; without giving Nigerians a sense of belonging wherever they live the country will never become a nation; it will never be united; Nigerians have been raised on a diet of ethnic and sectional dichotomies for more than 70 years

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Off to New York City

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OPINION Climate change: Any impact on Nigeria?

By NGENE UCHE

LIMATE change is a worldwide phenomenon but a second look at the topic suggests that Nigeria may be immune from it. Impact as used may be negative or positive or a combination. A literal definition of climate states that it is the general weather conditions prevailing in an area such as Nigeria over a period of time.

In effect, climate change will mean a change in such weather condition for a particular location over time.

What therefore is climate change; can Nigeria be affected; what impact has it on Nigeria? How can we mitigate the negative impact and ensure that climate change/ global warming does not have disastrous consequence on Nigeria? Giving answers to these questions are at best guesstimate as no one can be definitive about them, but we still need to start thinking about them today to find answers to tomorrow’s challenges.

What then is climate change? This can be looked at as the continuing change of the

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earth’s climate, which, in time past, was seen to be caused by natural causes. However, the term ‘climate change’ today is generally used when referring to the change in our climate which has been observed since the early part of the 20th century. The changes which are seen over recent years and those which are predicted over the next century are thought to be mainly due to human behaviour rather than due to natural changes in the atmosphere.

What causes this change cannot be treated in isolation without looking at greenhouse effect which is caused by the release of destructive gases by human action which in turn brings about the warming of the earth surface by increase in the earth’s temperature. The increase in temperature in turn causes the melting of ice which contributes to the rise in sea level among other disastrous consequences.

Arising from this, is the question: Can Nigeria be affected by the global climate change? In this regard an example may suffice. The drought of the 1970s that swept

most of the Sahel region of Africa left the region, including Nigeria, with general water resources issues. The consequence of that are the low agricultural output, limited water supply and inadequate water reserve for power generation which the region is associated with. Again the increasing flooding in the coastal and non-coastal regions of the country is indicative of the expected effect of climate change. There are two extremes of the expected challenges of the climate change in Nigeria,viz, increase in rainy and dry seasons with each lasting approximately six months on the average, that is, April to October and October to March, respectively.

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igeria daily temperature average differs according to location and period of the year. Average temperature ranges from 25oC in the southern coast to 40oC in the north. A rise in temperature of between 1.4oC to 5.8oC by 2100 according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, will have serious negative

effect on the socio-economic wellbeing of the country in the following ways: increase in amount of rains and number of rainy days -flooding in the coastal areas, higher risk of 100years flooding occurring at shorter intervals; *landslides especially in erosion prone areas; *high temperature in the north will cause increase health issues such as meningitis, cataracts, malaria and yellow fever etc *desertification will increase and more droughts which encourage locusts and white flies, which in turn will affect food and water supply; *high cost of construction especially in the coastal areas; *deforestation as a result of relocating of people from the flood affected areas of the coast; *change in land use in the coast may have drastic effect on agricultural output and hence livelihood; *Dr. Uche, a civil/sstructural engineer, wrote from Sapele Delta State.

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

S you read this piece, former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, might be on his way to the home of another prominent monarch. In the last couple of weeks, he has embarked on crosscountry visitations, preaching good governance, leadership and now Igbo integration. From Ife where he visited the Ooni, through Owerri where he was guest to the Chairman of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Ilonmuanya and Okigwe where he called at the home of the leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, it has been travel galore for the former governor who has been in hibernation for a while now.

He is making a ceremony out of the visitations. Yet, the cases await him in court. His track records run before him like an anxious forerunner.

Having kept mum and physically away from the globally celebrated funeral of Dim Emeka Ojukwu which lasted for over three months, people had conjectured that, perhaps, Kalu must have been sick or highly psychologically devastated in his self-inflicted confinement. It is uncharacteristic of him to keep away from such moments. He looks for such great

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moments to shine. But, since after being banished to Siberia and forced into an untimely political menopause by the liberation forces led by the Ochendo of Abia, the ex-governor has been living like a recluse, cocooned in solitary confinement. He has been nursing his wounds with dignified silence.

Today, Kalu might be thinking that it is time to re-launch himself, to step out of his enclave. Like the ancient mystical phoenix, he has emerged from hibernation to take on a new life. And in this calculated mission of self re-invention, he has found a good strategy in the crosscountry visitations. But, as he travels, there is a dark shadow trailing him. There is a heavy load of moral burden hanging over him like the sword of Damocles. His preachments about leadership have ended as a self-directed sarcasm, a kind of self-mockery.

His clamour for Igbo integration or is it Igbo president is the same old gamji that climaxed with his speech at the palace of the monarch of Enugu Ukwu in Anambra State, entitled: "I am the Face of the New Igbo", but which ended with the monumental “somersault” of 2003 when his second term bid was under threat.

The main irony or humour in the current moves by Kalu is that his case is still pending with the EFCC. He is being prosecuted for alleged

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abuse of office and embezzlement of public funds. Where the law is allowed to run its course, Kalu could be behind bars, serving long years of jail terms with hard labour.

Unlike his co-travellers who are facing trial by the EFCC, like the former governors of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna, Chimaraoke Nnamani of Enugu State, and Ahmed Tinubu, he is the only one with the effrontery and temerity of embarking on this open grandstanding. Others have chosen the honourable path of, at least, maintaining a dignified silence.

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t would seem, by this gimmick, that Kalu is bereft of any sense of honour. How can somebody who threw Abia State backward for 12 agonising years have the moral guts to talk about leadership? How

A case for Niger Delta indigenous oil refineries

BY MAGNUS ONYIBE N elementary economics class,we were taught that the preponderance of natural resources in certain locations is one of the major considerations for locating extractive industries in the area.This justified the presence of a huge array of textile mills in Kaduna,a stone throw from Funtua in Northern Nigeria where cotton farming was endemic .It also underscores the existence of Onyeama Coal Mines in Enugu ,where huge deposits of coal are buried under the earth crust, just as it is the reason for siting cocoa producing factories in Lagos-lbadan axis where it is the commonest cash crop in that region.In those good old days, the textile mills and the coal mines were veritable providers of jobs for Northerners and Easterners who loath to venture far afield to Lagos where factories were more abundant with corresponding ample job opportunities.

Interestingly, the situation at that time was such that both big and small textile ,cocoa and coal mines thrived successfully without any threat to one another. Correspondingly, in the Niger Delta where oil/gas deposits were discovered in 1959,refineries and petrochemical industries are located in Port Harcourt in Rivers State and Warri in Delta State.But contrary to the situation in the North, South East and South West where cotton,coal and cocoa were strictly private business, oil exploration is conducted under stringent control of government via the enactment of the Petroleum Act in 1969.

So, apart from the huge state-owned oil/ gas firms run by the behemoth, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, no smaller firms were allowed to operate in the exploration and refining of crude oil in Nigeria at the initial stages.The monopoly subsisted until distributorship permits were granted local operators when the refineries came on stream and oil/gas exploration licenses were, several years after, granted indigenous firms like Dubri Oil, Muni

I

Pulo,Consolidated oil ,Midwest oil, SEPTA and a host of others which are now profitably mining marginal fields hitherto neglected by multi-national firms.Disappointingly,the last time Nigeria built a refinery was in 1989' which is 24 years ago in Kaduna, while the first refinery was built in 1965 in Port Harcourt.

Now Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke has just informed the National Assembly that tax payers funds in excess of N251 billion (or $1.9 billion) has been earmarked for turn around maintenance of the three ageing refineries which is more or less trying to revive the dead.It has been argued by some that 18 licenses were issued for refineries establishment in 2002 and none has taken off till date but my counter-argument is that the licenses were issued to firms with business plans for replication of the four already existing monstrosities in terms of capital outlay and refining capacity which is mission impossible in a country where access to capital is highly limited,more so as the market is yet to be completely deregulated for market-driven prices.

Another difference is that what is being advocated in this article is not licenses for start up or green business but licensing for grey businesses which in other words are going-concerns.

Also worthy of note is the fact that the socalled "crude" refineries are still sprouting like mushrooms despite constant attacks from JTF and this suggests that they are serving a niche market -a relevant fact which can't be ignored.Obviously, the impropriety of consigning critical oil/gas assets to government and foreigners alone at the expense of indigenous investors is reflected in the dilapidated state of our refineries, leading to reliance on imported fuel which the recent petrol subsidy scam, resulting in excess of N2 trillion loss this year alone, is a by-product.Thankfully, the AlisonMadueke-led Petroleum Ministry, in 2010, introduced the local content policy which

can somebody whose eight-year tenure as governor was characterised by recklessness have the peace to mention the word leadership? The truth is that the Nigerian public is fully aware of Kalu’s antecedents and therefore cannot be deceived by the present tricks. But, the major blame goes to the EFCC which has slumbered on these cases and have, in the circumstance, given the room for this insult on our sensibilities as a nation.

As a reminder, Kalu’s trajectory in the political corridors of Abia State remains the worst tragedy that befell Abia people. It was an ugly throwback to the gains humanity has made through the ages. Today, his successor, Governor Theodore Orji has organised the house scattered by him. Governor Orji has struggled to bring decorum to the State after those locust years of Kalu. During his eight-year reign, Kalu elevated recklessness into statecraft. Within this period, he expended three deputy governors, 262 commissioners and countless number of transitional chairmen.

Everything was a game. The ‘ wonder roads’ he brought Obasanjo, Atiku, N’Abba and other personalities to commission in Aba could not last one year. He could not bring in one crane to construct a single outstanding public building in Abia State.

He rather introduced a new lexicon to the political dictionary of Nigeria known as mamacracy.

It was a system where his deputy, Speaker of the House of Assembly, traditional rulers, commissioners,

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BY GODWIN ADINDU

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EFCC and Kalu's new sermons

Kalu might be thinking that it is time to re-launch himself; but as he travels, there is a dark shadow trailing him, a heavy load of moral burden hanging over him like the sword of Damocles

Having recorded appreciable measure of success in exploration, refining oil locally by Nigerians may be an innovative way of creating employment and boosting the economy of the Niger Delta

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simply stipulates that contracts in the oil/ gas business must be awarded wholly or in partnership with willing Nigerian investors with capacity to deliver.The visible gains from the partial liberalisation of the sector are technology transfer benefits,more indigenous oil/gas firms in the upstream sector now doting the landscape and more of the proceeds from that sector being retained in Nigerian banks as opposed to financial institutions in London,Paris and New York.

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ut succinctly, the policy shifts that brought indigenous investors into oil/ gas industry, first as explorers and currently as major contractors have been salutary and therefore should be extended into other areas such as refining that still remains exclusive to the Federal Government and her foreign partners.Sadly, as lofty as the idea of getting indigenes involved in small scale petroleum refining appears,it is not captured in the draft Petroleum Industry Bill,PIB, which is currently receiving legislative attention. Rather than encourage indigenous small scale investors, international oil companies,IOCs, like Shell,Chevron,Exxon-Mobil and Total Fina Elf as well as AGIP maybe compelled to establish refineries as pre-condition for retaining their oil blocks and if the current body language of the IOCs is anything to go by, building a refinery in Nigeria is not their priority.Since the big players are not keen

permanent secretaries and anybody of worth must take instruction from his mother. This way, he humiliated and dehumanised respectable elders, stakeholders and even men of God all of whom must go and ‘see’ his mother before they could do any meaningful business with government. From his mother’s enclave at Nweke Street in Aba, Kalu ran the State.

Abians and indeed, the whole world are not in a hurry to forget his reign of terror orchestrated by his special terror group known as Bakassi, a murderous outfit that killed and maimed countless souls extra-judicially for mostly political reasons. The highpoint of the activities of this group came when 40 people died after being locked up overnight in an abandoned shipping container in Aba. For this case, his Chief Security Officer was detained at Kuje prisons.

This is just a little of the history that Kalu has in his kitty as he embarks on his cross-country visitations. It is obvious he is merely trying to clean up by association. He is trying to pull the wool through the eyes of discerning publics. He seems to think that Nigerians are caught by a collective amnesia as to have suddenly forgotten his spiral ring of controversies and all the notorieties associated with him EFCC should therefore accelerate the case on Kalu and save us from this grievous insult on our sensibilities. *Mr. Adindu, a social critic, wrote from tAbia State.

for the reason that refining is not as lucrative as extracting crude oil from the earth crust and with a joint venture agreement that favours them to boot,who will fill the gap?The indigenous operators whose local oil refineries have been operating under the radar have been filling the gap but are presently being destroyed daily in the Niger Delta by the Joint Military Task Force,JTF, at such an alarming rate that could further accelerate the impoverishment of the embattled people of the region which the Federal Government amnesty programme was meant to ameliorate.

Ostensibly,the reason for destroying the refineries is that they are illegal and are allegedly responsible for the increasing rate of crude oil theft.While such allegations may be partially true, it does not appear to me that those small scale refineries have the capacity to refine the volume of theft that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy,Ngozi Okonjo Iweala was referring to when she raised alarm that crude oil theft could negatively impact our country's economic fundamentals this year.

Clearly, our crude oil theft has international dimension to it and effective maritime security, including the establishment of coastal guards serving the dual purpose of creating employment for Nigerians and blocking further theft are worthy of consideration. As for the alleged theft by small scale refinery operators, licensing and allocating crude oil to them could stem the tide of theft as people rarely steal what they have legitimate access to.Not allowing small oil refineries in Nigeria might have a been a policy borne out of the overbearing influence of the IOCs much the same way they persuaded government to cap marginal oil/gas fields which are now being profitably explored by indigenous investors after a long period of being fallow.Having recorded appreciable measure of success in the exploration and contracting aspects, refining oil locally by Nigerians may be an innovative way of creating employment and boosting the economy of the Niger Delta.

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 *Mr. Onyibe, a development strategist, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—43

THE 2012 OJUDE OBA FESTIVAL HRM Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Awujale of Ijebuland, celebrated the 2012 Ojude Oba Festival at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, yesterday. PHOTOS: Shola Oyelese and Wumi Akinola.

From left— Senator 'Gbenga Ashafa, Senator David Mark and Senator 'Gbenga Obadara.

From left— Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Oba Adetona and Senator David Mark, President of the Senate, at the festival.

A cross section of Obaleke Okunrin on parade.

Balogun Kuku House and Balogun Alatise House on parade.

Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, Olu and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland (left) and Otunba Subomi Balogun.

NEWS

Suicide bomber hits another Kaduna church Continues from page 5 my phone and discovered that I had over twenty calls. It was when I went outside and placed some calls that I discovered what happened. So we had to rush down to Kaduna.

My six children were attending the Church with my relations. Six of them were injured. Three were not so injured. But they were very hurt. That is Elvis. You can see how he is doing. But by the grace of God, he will be alright. Oh! God help us!

8 killed, 145 injured, says NEMA The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), yesterday, in Kaduna said eight persons lost their lives at the St. Rita’s Catholic Church suicide bomb attack.

A statement signed by NEMA’s Kaduna Zonal Public Relations Officer,

Aliyu Muhammed, said that 145 others were injured in the attack.

It said that the corpses of the victims had been deposited at various hospitals in the city.

According to the statement, four of the corpses have been deposited at Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital; three at 44 Military Hospital, while one has been deposited at the Garkuwa Specialist Hospital.

The statement said that 81 injured persons were receiving treatment at Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, while 35 others were being treated at 44 Military Hospital.

It said that 15 injured persons were also receiving treatment at St. Gerard’s Hospital with five among them under critical condition.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Adenaike had in a telephone interview with NAN earlier said that only three persons were

killed with seven others injured.

Adenaike said that the victims included the lone bomber and two worshippers “a man and a woman’’.

He said that seven others were receiving medical attention at various facilities within the city, with two under critical condition.

KDSG calls for calm The Kaduna State Government has called for calm and urged the people to ignore rumours of reprisal attacks for the church bombing earlier in the day.

In a statement in Kaduna, Mr Reuben Buhari, Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Governor Patrick Yakowa, said that anyone caught spreading such false information would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He, however, condoled

with those who lost their loved ones and property in the blast.

Buhari stressed that the security agencies were on top of the situation and assured residents of adequate security.

Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal condemn attack President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, yesterday, condemned the attack, describing the act as “barbaric, cruel and uncalled for.”

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati quoted the president as saying that “it is obvious that these people do not mean well for Nigeria and its unity and development,” The statement added: “President Jonathan noted that the apparent objective of the criminal and unpatriotic elements and forces behind the attack is to set back the progress the Administra-

tion has made in the fight against terrorism in the country.

“The President however, expressed confidence that the war against terrorism would become more unrelenting as the nation would never give in to the forces of terror and retardation.”

Give peace a chance —David Mark The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has condemned yesterday’s bombing in Kaduna saying the perpetrators of violence must stop the senseless killings.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, Mark said that the “Kaduna bombing is disheartening, embarrassing and condemnable.

We don’t deserve this.

This is inhuman and alien to us.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,

has strongly condemned the attack on St. Rita’s Catholic Church, in Kaduna.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said that the attack on innocent worshippers and other bystanders was both callous and senseless.

Kaduna Govt to settle victims’ medical bill The Kaduna State Government on Sunday pledged to settle the medical bills of all the 145 victims of St. Rita’s Catholic Church attack in Kaduna.

The State Deputy Gov., Alhaji Mukhtar Yero made the pledge, when he visited some of the victims currently on admission in four hospitals in the city.

Yero condemned the attack and assured that the government was committed to the protection of lives and property of residents.

44—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

REVENUE SHARING:

50% derivation ‘ll stimulate hard work, devt — Stella Omu •Disempowerment of women hinders nation's growth SENATOR Stella Omu, former Senate Chief Whip and a retired Deputy Comptroller General, DCG of Prisons in this interview speaks on burning national issues including the flood in many parts of the country, the Boko Haram menace, state police and why women must be empowered in all sectors. Excerpts:

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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HAT is your reaction to the handover of Bakassi to Cameroun?

This issue of Bakassi is a complicated thing. I believe that the people concerned should be allowed to say where they want to belong. That is why a plebiscite could have been proper for them to say exactly where they want to go to.

What is your take on the Niger Delta question?

Many people get it wrong because they just look at oil and what they want to benefit from it. And some of them just look at it and say people from the South want to get everything and run away with it. It is not so. It is not correct.

They don’t want to think about people living in that area and how the exploration of oil is affecting the people living in that area.

Houses built in the Niger Delta If you look at the houses built in the Niger Delta area, every minute people are dying because of pollution. In fact, I am so afraid that in about 20 years from now something might happen to our children.

If you look at what is happening to the houses there, then you now think about the children, the human beings that are going to be born years to come, how it will be. And that is why people keep on talking about 50 per cent derivation.

Derivation was 50 percent before and it was because we wanted to fight the civil war that it was abrogated. Now we have finished fighting that war and we are now fighting the war on poverty. We are fighting the war of poor health. We are fighting the war of unemployment in Niger Delta.

That is why the issue of the 50 percent derivation should be brought back so that those that the oil exploration is killing

gradually will have money to take care of themselves.

Look at what oil subsidy is doing. All those who are benefiting from the oil subsidy, are they Niger Deltans? Niger Deltans are dying everyday from oil exploration while other people are busy looting and taking away the money. So it could have been nice for everybody to have his own and pay tax to the Federal Government. There is no part of Nigeria that God did not bless but oil has made us to be so lazy that nobody wants to look inwards to develop what he or she has.

So to me, the issues of 13 per cent derivation and offshore/ onshore dichotomy are not the question. The question is let everybody develop the wealth in his own area and pay tax to the Federal Government and that is what will make us to work hard.

Are you satisfied with the top positions presently occupied by women in the country?

It depends on how you look at it. One, two or three women?

That is not the thing. We are talking about a population of 160 million and by the goodwill of President Goodluck Jonathan we are able to reach 30 per cent now in the government. We are saying open the door for everybody not necessarily in government, everywhere, anywhere there is activity taking place, give women chances. Women understand by nature that a man is the head. It is the men who do not understand it. And because a woman understands that the husband is the head, a woman will not allow her husband or son to fail. That is why you see women working so hard to ensure that their husbands do not fail. They also ensure that their sons do not fail. Some men get it wrong they think that the woman is trying to compete with men.

On state police When they talk about state police, I normally advocate for

•Omu: 50 percent derivation should be brought back

community policing.

Community policing will lead to a situation where the DPO will call a town hall meeting to find out what is happening in the community and so on. From there, information will be getting to him; not for him to sit in his office and not knowing what is happening.

But for corrupt practices, state police could have been the best thing. Now, everybody is afraid that the governors will misuse the police and so on and so forth. But to me, the governors are not going to be there for ever. I believe that as our democracy grows, things will not be as they are today where godfathers are choosing people and are playing the roles they are playing. Once our democracy is strengthened, I believe state police should be the answer, the right thing.

Not only the state police even the prison service. You know we talked about the derivation thing, every state will be able to manage according to its own strength. If you can pay 1000

policemen then you keep 1000 policemen and pay them properly.

What are your thoughts on the 2015 governorship race in Delta My advice is that let the best material be voted for; the person, who will manage Delta State intelligently to make Delta State the most prosperous state in the country How can that be done with godfatherism?

We can when everybody is allowed to cast his or her vote.

When everybody vote and the votes count that is the end of godfatherism.

Like what I have said, if the best man or the best woman comes, our children who have left universities can get jobs, the sick ones can be properly treated in the hospitals; there will be food on the table for everyone.

Is President Jonathan treating Boko Haram with kid gloves?

No, no! The way President Jonathan is handling it, I am

sure that very soon, the issue of Boko Haram will be a thing of the past.

There are many ways of handling an issue. He feels his own style will give the country a better result.

Do you think the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA did a good job in handling the recent flooding situation in the country?

I must say that NEMA did a good job by warning; some governments also tried their best to ensure that they made arrangement for flood victims. When you talk about flooding there are some areas in this country that are used to flooding and these people know how to manage their lives especially in the riverine areas.

For instance, I remember when I was young, during the flood season, they built very high platforms so when the flood approached, the people all moved to the platforms and stayed there until the flood came down.I used the experience because when the flood was approaching my house, we built platforms all over the house, the sitting room and everywhere instead of transferring properties to camps and all that. All the properties were raised in the house and then it is now left for the individuals to take refuge.

Assisting flood victims They are different ways of handling these flood victims.

You may want to assist by carrying all the victims to a camp; empower victims, who have places in upland areas to relocate, etc. In Delta State like Isoko area where I come from you ask them (victims) do you have anywhere in Ughelli or Warri where you can go to? If they say yes, you can now transport them to where they want to go to and give them some stipends that would enable them live there until the flood recedes.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—45

S/EAST LAWMAKERS:

Brains, brawns or moneybags? reported to have stated that “The world is moving at a neck-breaking speed; new N May 2006, at the heat of the schools of thoughts and technological Third Term, a serving Senator of the evolutions are consistently and drastically Federal Republic of Nigeria, told his changing the way we do things, while colleagues that “My constituents, my also availing leaders of unlimited family and I support tenure elongation opportunities and myriads of options to of four more years for the President and take their countries to greater heights, and my governor.” But that was not the issue. Nigeria cannot be an exception; modern The wahala was that in summing up leaders must be indeed be his contribution, Senator Christopher knowledgeable enough to discern the Nshi, a renowned rice farmer direction the global society is moving, the representing Ebonyi State told his opportunities that lie ahead, and embarrassed colleagues and certainly a galvanise their societies to blaze the trail bewildered world in a live broadcast and not trail the blaze leaders”.

It could also be recalled that debate: “Mr. President (of the Senate, Ekweremadu’s Committee on that is), I am finished”.

Thinking he did not capture Senator Constitution Review had during the last Nshi’s comment correctly or maybe constitution amendment exercise tried to giving him the opportunity to redeem raise the educational qualification himself and the Senate by extension, the benchmarks set by the constitution for the Senate President had asked him if he President, Vice President, Governor, was really sure he was finished. For the Deputy Governor as well as Federal and second consecutive time, Senator Nshi State legislators from Senior Secondary confirmed to an already laughing and School Certificate/equivalent to tertiary education in line with the emerging rolling Senate that “I am finished”.

And indeed, by way of prophesy modern day realities. It was passed by occasioned by very poor command of the Senate, but died in the lower chamber.

Meanwhile, whereas the South East grammar, Senator Nshi’s political career was finished from that day. Such was cannot be said to be the only guilty the drama of the absurd staged by a geopolitical zone in churning out less than qualified leaders, it is obvious Ekweremadu was A review of the quality of the particularly peeved that even if you pardon some debates so far is an open other parts if they send just embarrassment to the entire anybody, certainly not the East. As our fathers country, and a sad comment on South taught us, you do not go to Nigeria’s education system a market of birds and return home with just any bird, let Senator of South East extraction, a region alone the vulture. Not when you have that has continued to produce top flyers the eagle, the sparrow and other birds of in every sphere of human endeavour glory and strength. Yes, what has both in Nigeria and all over the world. happened to leadership recruitment in It was no doubt the national the South East should give every Igbo embarrassments such as Senator Nshi’s son and daughter a cause to worry. that Reuben Abati had, while concluding For instance, we have witnessed in this his post-mortem of the first week of the country where a “Senator” Alhponsus Third Term Debate, written in his Igbeke, a man we the people of Anambra Guardian Newspaper column of May know his story like broad daylight, 12, 2006: displaced Senator Joy Emodi, an “If anything has been gained, experienced politician, educationist, however, in the last week, the Third Term lawyer, a member of the 1994/1995 debates in the National Assembly have Constitution Conference, and in fact, the shown the quality if men and women in First Igbo female Senator. the legislature. Parliament is traditionally We also saw at a time even in Enugu a place for the display of reason and State, when taxi drivers and stark elocution. How on earth did we vote for illiterates were sent to represent Enugu these characters who lack debating skill, in the 2005 National Political Reform these men who can hardly express Conference. You begin to wonder what themselves? It was as such remarkable had happened to retired Supreme Court that Senator Ike Ekweremadu, ever juggernauts like Justice Nnaemeka Agu unwavering in saying in the open what or the Aniagolus or the Onos Nwangwos most public office holders would prefer at the time. to murmur in their bedrooms or beer One can continue naming names. palours stirred the hornet’s nest on the However, my intent is not to disparage quality of leadership from the anybody, but to re-echo Ekweremadu’s community level to federal level over wake up call on Ndigbo. As Ndigbo often time. say, ‘Abada nwere onye o na-ekwesi”.

Speaking at the 2nd Zik Annual That is, wrappers look better on some Lecture Series entitled “The Leadership waists than others. While the masses of Ideology of the Great Zik of Africa and the people will clap for Ekweremadu for the Challenges of Leadership in speaking up as the highest political office Nigeria” in Awka, recently, he was holder of South East extraction, some reported to have lamented that despite members of the political class might as being among the most educationally well call for his head. But the truth is that, advanced parts of Nigeria, the South like the native malaria concoction, truth East still sends intellectually poor and might be bitter. But in the end, it does a less than its first-eleven to the National lot of good to the system. Let us listen to Assembly. On the decay of leadership our son. It is a wake-up call. Ndigbo, unu and the imperatives of reviving mukwa anya e? knowledgeable leadership which Zik *Okechi Molokwu writes from UNIZIK, was a renowned icon, Ekweremadu was Awka

BY OKECHI MOLOKWU

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Supporters of the main opposition candidate in Sierra Leonian November 17th presidential elections, Brig. Gen. Maada Bio (rtd) of the Sierra Leone People's Party during a large street party to drum up support for their candidate on Abadeen Road, Freetown, Sierra Leone, weekend. Photo:Abayomi Adeshida

Uduaghan denies reports on flooding of morgue

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L-r: South West Chairman, PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; South West Vice Chairman, Chief Segun Oni; Minister of State, FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; and Minister of Police Affairs; Caleb Olubolade at the Caucus meeting of PDP in the South West at Ibadan on Saturday. Photo:Dare Fasube

L-r:Brand Manager, High Value Segment, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Kelvin Orifa; winner of the 2012 MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week, Joshua Udiminue; and creative director Style House Files, Mrs. Omoyemi Akerele; at the Final of the 2012 MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week in Lagos, weekend. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

L-r: Guest artiste and gospel musician, Sis. Tope Alabi with wife of the chairman, at the third Diocese of Lagos West, Methodist Church Nigeria festival of hymns and songs planning committee, Lady Olulanu Ayoola at the Opebi cathedral, Lagos L-R:First prize winner, 10th Year Raffle Draw of Supa Strikas Comic Nigeria, Olufemi Eleyinmi; Publisher, Supa Strikas Comic Nigeria, Mr. Tomi Davies; Third prize winner, Nnam Tochukwu and the second prize winner, Mustapha Temitope during the 10th Year Raffle Draw of Supa Strikas Comic Nigeria in Lagos

ELTA State govern ment, yesterday, denied reports that corpses in General Hospital morgue, Patani, were washed away by the flood that swept through the town and other parts of the state recently.

Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, said although Patani was one of the areas affected by the flood, the General Hospital was never flooded, and that corpses could not have been washed away when there was no flood.

He explained: “At the onset of the flood, every commissioner and public office holder had been deployed to their areas of origin to monitor and coordinate relief efforts at the instance of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Governor of Delta State.

“Thus, top officials of the state government and officials of organizations charged with providing relief to internally displaced persons maintained a hands-on approach to the management of the flood. In line with the directive, Mr. Timi Tonye, Commissioner for Special Duties, who hails from Patani Local Government Area, has virtually been living in the area since the onset of the floods."

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46—Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

*Flooded part of the Niger Delta...but when will the construction work on the East West road be completed?

Orubebe not cause of the flooding

By F. U. OSAMOR

O

UR attention has been drawn to the photo news captioned: River Godsday Orubebe, published on the front page and page 15 of the Vanguard Newspaper, Thursday, October 25, 2012 edition. Ordinarily, we would have not responded to the photo news as it affects the sections of the East West Road but dragging the Minister’s name into the issue is, to say the least malicious and detrimental to the image of the Minister and the ministry.

The gale of flooding which ravaged some communities across the country few weeks ago have been an issue of concern to all Nigerians including the Minister who had visited the sections affected by this flood and the various camps and communities.

His on the spot inspection of the havoc wrecked by the flood had been well reported in the electronic and print media.

We wish to recall that the Min-

ister, during his on the spot assessment tour of the affected areas, sympathised with the various communities while imploring them to be law abiding and not to resort to violence. He also informed them that the Federal Government was very concerned about their plight in taking stock in conjunction with the state government to move relief materials in order to ameliorate their sufferings.

Devastated sections The caption of your photo news sends a damaging message to the readers implying that the Minister of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, was the cause of the flooding that devastated sections of the East West Road. The people must be informed that there are sections of East West Road which are more upland that were not affected by the flood. However, the heavy rains at the end

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EAST-WEST ROAD:

were displaced, Saint Patrick’s College, Asaba.

64,473 injured These all tell vivid stories of the and killed 148. impact of a natural disaster that The Internally befell most parts of Nigeria.

Displaced Peo- Now to imply that the flooding ple, IDPs, are ei- of some sections of the East West ther living Road was due to the non-comwith families or pletion of the dualisation project in makeshift is unacceptable.

We are aware of the orchestratcamps. All the six g e o - p o l i t i c a l ed attempts by faceless political zones in the forces hiding behind the media country are af- to malign the person of the Hon. fected, which in- Minister. We are therefore not cluded Adama- surprised that the incidence of the wa, Katsina, Bau- flooding has provided another chi, Plateau, Be- opportunity for these political nue, Kogi, Bayel- opportunists to pour their vensa, Edo, Port Har- om on a man who is busy fashcourt, Delta to ioning ways and structures to raise funds for the completion of mention a few.

To suggest that the East West Road and numerMinister of the Niger Delta, Godsday the East West road ous other on-going development Orubebe was the hardest projects in the region.

The Minister on numerous fora hit by the flood is of August, coupled with water not quite true since other federal had cried out about the challenge that were released from Lagdo highways were affected by the of dwindling budgetary allocadam in Cameroon, Kainji and flood. For example, the Abuja- tion/releases to the execution of Jebba dams led to serious floods Lokoja Expressway had to be the Ministry’s development in most parts of the country. This closed for vehicular traffic for projects in the region particularsad incident left many people, It can be observed that the major especially, inhabitants of the affected areas in harrowing and challenge faced by the Ministry from agonizing state. inception till date is that of inadeIt was sorrowful as lives, several hectares of farmland, crops quate funding and release of funds and property worth billions of Naira were lost to the devastatwith which to execute major projects ing flood. The 2012 rainy season in the region in Nigeria has become a curse instead of blessings usually as- nearly two weeks. Even as at this ly the East West Road. For exsociated with the season for a day, the Banda axis of the ex- ample, at take off in 2009, the country like Nigeria, which is an pressway which was height of the approved Budget Allocation to agrarian country. It was night- flash flood is still partially closed the Ministry was N96 billion mare for millions of Nigerians, to traffic. This calls to mind the while the actual release was N94 even as it is worse than earlier visual of the Minister of Aviation billion with a short fall of N2 bilyears. This flood has destroyed who had to travel by canoe to lion. In 2010, budget allocation river banks and infrastructure, inspect her flooded home in An- was N145.2 billion while the acwhich culminated to loss of prop- ambra State; to the closure of the tual release was N58.8 billion erty and livestock and flash floods Asaba-Okwe road and the camp- with a short fall of N86.3 bilin many areas. By end of Sep- ing of displaced persons due to lion. In 2011 budget allocation tember, over 134,371 people the flooding on the compound of Continues on page 47

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Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012— 47

Orubebe not cause of the flooding Continues from page 46

President Jonathan and the floods

By REUBEN ABATI

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ARRING any other devel opment of equally impactful effect, the great event of the year 2012 for Nigerians would probably be the floods that submerged many communities across the country, forcing a rude awakening about the reality of climate change and Nigeria’s share of this global phenomenon.

Which is ironic in one sense more than any other, for when President Jonathan travelled to Rio de Janeiro to attend the Earth Summit, known as Rio+20, in June, many had criticized him for paying attention to “an irrelevant subject.”

The principal lesson lies in how Nigeria shares with the rest of the world, the increasing challenge of climate change and its consequences, described in the Rio+20 document as “an immediate and urgent global priority.” The floods were caused, according to the experts, by excess rainfall, which resulted in the overflooding of Rivers Benue and Niger and their tributaries, from Taraba, to Adamawa, Kogi, all the way to the states of Southern Nigeria. Natural disasters had always seemed to the average Nigerian like something that affects other people, and seen on CNN, and if there had been any knowledge of floods, it was regarded as something rare, occurring as a marginal reminder of the Biblical Flood.

Conflict between man and nature But this year, the floods reminded us all of how vulnerable our lives have become, and the sameness of both the rich and the poor in the face of natural disaster. Houses were submerged, farmlands were flooded, persons were displaced; the rich and the poor cried. This conflict between man and nature playing out on our shores, underscored the pivotal place of environmental challenges in the unmaking of human habitats.

With water, an indispensable resource unleashing its power, the ordinariness of every man was exposed. Steven Solomon writes sentiently in his book Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization (2010), that “by grasping the lessons of water’s pivotal role on our destiny, we will be better prepared to cope with the crisis about to engulf us all.” That pivotal role is ambiguous. We had failed to pay attention to this. In many of the affected communities, houses had been built on riverbeds, along flood plains, and reclaimed land, and for decades, persons had gotten used to living in those places, naturally and successfully, having no reason whatsoever to imagine the kind of tragedy that crept upon the land this year.

When the floods finally recede, many of the affected houses

President Goodluck Jonathan

would no longer be habitable: adjustments have to be made by both people and the authorities.

In the meantime, we can look back, with pleasure, on the quality leadership that was demonstrated in managing the effect of the floods and in providing immediate relief for the affected persons. The incident brought government closer to the people; it highlighted the value of strategic institutions such as the National Emergency Management Agency, which deployed human and material resources nationwide, and worked with other agencies such as the Red Cross, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the state governments to ameliorate the people’s suffering. Deservedly, NEMA has received fulsome praise for its efforts. Needless to state that NEMA and other government agencies were responding to a strong charge from the very top, for as the flooding occurred, President Jonathan immediately directed that all relief measures should be mobilized to assist the states and the people.

and were actively providing feeding, accommodation and health services. Further, President Jonathan constituted a National Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee co-chaired

by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, to raise funds to complement government’s efforts in assisting the flood victims, and to mobilise the general public to support the initiative. With these steps, the administration had pushed the management of the flood crisis to the level of high national priority, generating nationwide empathy in the process.

In addition, President Jonathan announced that he and Vice President Namadi Sambo will visit the affected states. In the week that followed, Nigerians saw their President, without his trademark attire. This had given way to simple shirt and trouser, rolled up sleeves, and a face cap. The President travelled to Kogi, Rivers, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Taraba, Adamawa, and Benue states. He went from one camp to the other, identifying with the people, empathizing with them. He listened to their stories. He shared their agony.

His own village in Bayelsa had also been submerged. When he went home to his village, Otuoke, he met his compound flooded up to chest level.

In Kogi, he was told that a man who took a loan for his farm, and had lost everything, contemplated suicide. Everywhere he went,

Inhabitants of Ahoada in Rivers State...crossing a flooded federal highway

The moment called for leadership. And the President took charge as expected.

He also promptly set up an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee led by the Minister of Environment to go round the country to assess the extent of the floods. That Committee presented its interim report to the President at a meeting attended by state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly.

The following day, President Jonathan addressed the nation and announced a 17.6 billion Naira relief fund for all the states, which was immediately made available for their use.

All the affected states had set up displaced persons’ camps

the President took a message of hope, advising the victims not to commit suicide, but to remain confident that with government on their side, there is hope. Together with the state governors, he thanked the relief agencies and all the persons who had come to the rescue of the victims.

He didn’t listen to official versions alone; he personally invited spokespersons of displaced persons to lay their concerns before him. There had been a baby boom in many of the camps: women who had given birth in the camps brought their babies to the President. He carried the babies, and posed for photographs with them and their Continues on page 50

was N58 billion but the actual release was N35.6 billion, which resulted to a short fall of N16.3 billion.

It must be borne in mind that the East West Road comprises four sections running from Section 1:WarriKaiama in Delta and Bayelsa States which is 87 kilometres; Section II, 101km Kaiama-Port Harcourt road, in Bayelsa and Rivers States; Section III Port Harcourt-Eket, which covers 99 km and section IV Eket-Oron, Akwa Ibom State which covers 50 kilometres. Some of these sections have reached a fairly advanced stage which has brought the average completion stage to over 51 per cent.

The total budgetary allocation to the Ministry between 2009 and 2011 was N299 billion, while the actual releases stood at only N188 billion. The total shortfall for the three years was N104 billion. It can be observed that the major challenge faced by the Ministry from inception till date is that of inadequate funding and release of funds with which to execute major projects in the region. With regards to the 2012 budget proposal, the ministry got approved ceiling of N59.72 billion as capital and recurrent by the Budget office of the Federation.

The ministry is getting a paltry N59.72 billion as budgetary allocation for 2012, in spite of other ongoing projects, with the East West road dualisation projects alone requiring over N200 billion to be completed. However, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, recently rekindled the hope of the people in the region when he said, the multi-billion contracts for dualisation of the East West project would be completed by December 2014. Elder Orubebe who gave the assurance at a news briefing on the progress of ongoing projects in the region, said that all necessary steps that would fast track the completion of the projects have been put in place.

Budgetary provision to the ministry According to him, a total of N156 billion has so far been spent on the East-West Road project and that another N193.8 billion is needed to complete the project, which has attained average 51 per cent completion.

Noting that the budgetary provision to the ministry could not cover the total cost of the project, Orubebe said the ministry, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice and the Debt Management Office were working in collaboration with financial institutions to ensure accelerated funding of the road projects.

He said: “In order to complete the project by 2014 according to the programme of work and cash flow projections for the four sections, the additional funds required in 2012 is N34.4b, while funds required for 2013 will be N86.5 and funds finally required for 2014 will be N50 billion. From Sure-P budget for the ministry, the sum of N21.7billion is to be utilized for the East-West Road project this year. Going by these appropriations, it is not likely that these funds will be enough to complete the project by December 2014.”

To augment these sources a Collaborative Framework has been fashioned by the Ministry and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, to set up a structure which will be used to raise and pool funds from which the Ministry can draw for the completion of the East West Road and other projects in the region. For this purpose, an all stakeholders conference which will involve the governors and governments of the nine states of the Niger Delta region, traditional rulers/opinion leaders, NGOs, Federal Ministry of Finance, National Planning Commission, Members of the National Assembly and other donor agencies is scheduled to hold in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital in November 2012.

It is most unfortunate that the Vanguard Newspaper which had in the past published reports enumerating the challenges facing the Ministry would suddenly indulge in championing the mischievous ploys to malign the person of the Minister and bring the good works of the Ministry into disrepute.

•Osammor is the Director ,Press & Public Relations of the Niger Delta Ministry.

48—Vanguard, MONDAY,

OCTOBER 29, 2012

Researchers figure out 3D shape of novel TB drug

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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• Before Rotary’s PolioPlus programme began in 1985, polio paralysed more than 1,000 children a day. Someday, the world hopes to retire World Polio Day. It is working hard to make that day come soon. Photo courtesy Rotary International.

ESEARCHERS at Johns Hopkins have figured out the three-dimensional shape of the protein responsible for creating unique bonds within the cell wall of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis.

The bonds make the bacteria resistant to currently available drug therapies, contributing to the alarming rise of these superbacteria throughout the world.

With the protein structure in hand, the scientists say, drug designers have a clear way forward for weakening the cell wall and killing these deadly bacteria. Their results are

World Polio Day 2012:

Countdown to eradication of a crippling disorder

By SOLA OGUNDIPE

N 1988, 200 countries and 20 million volunteers joined forces in the global effort to end polio. At that time, more than 350,000 children in 125 countries were paralysed by the disease.

Twenty four years later, the world is still acting decisively against polio. All over the planet, optimism of a polio free world in the near future is palpable.

The world achieved a landmark on October 24, 2012 - this year's World Polio Day. That day, there were the fewest number of new polio cases in the fewest districts in the fewest countries than ever before witnessed.

In the last year, the number of new cases of polio declined by 64 percent (from 489 at this time in 2011 to 175 this year). To be exact, the number of new polio cases globally in 2012 (as of October 20) was 175 (compared to 650 for the whole of 2011).

This number represents the fewest number of new cases in the fewest districts in the fewest countries in the world. Great progress.

World Polio Day 2012, was the first World Polio Day since India was removed from the list of countries with active transmission of the wild poliovirus.

India, which up till January 13, 2011, was one of the last four

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polio endemic countries, became polio-free and has remained so for almost 20 months.

This was also the first World Polio Day that only in three countries - Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has polio transmission never been stopped.

There were at least 125 countries in which the virus was circulating when the global war against polio kicked off two decades ago.

So far, there have been zero outbreaks in West Africa, down from outbreaks in four countries and 51 cases in 2011. Pakistan reported 44 polio cases, down from 118 cases in 2011, while cases in Afghanistan are down more than 35 percent from 2011.

In the last year, only five cases of polio have been recorded outside Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria - a 98 percent reduction from 2011.

Polio eradication partners around the world are optimistic of these developments which, they say, have opened up a historic opportunity to complete polio eradication in the remaining endemic countries.

The story gets better, but hardly presents the entire picture of the world's success against one of the most crippling disorders known.

It has been a hard-won series

Sitting for too long is unhealthy NEW study led by the University of Leicester, in association with colleagues at Loughborough University, has discovered that sitting for long periods increases risk of diabetes, heart disease and death.

The study, which combined the results of 18 studies and included a total of 794,577 participants, was published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association of the Study of Diabetes.

The research which showed that those who sat for long periods of time have a higher chance in their risk of diabetes, heart-disease and death were independent of any individual physical exercise undertaken, suggesting that even if an individual meets the physical activity guidelines, their health may still be at risk if they sit for long periods of time during the day.

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of unprecedented successes, but the battle is far from over because there are significant downsides.

Challenges abound in various guises ranging from funding shortfalls for routine immunisation campaigns, and reinfection in previously free countries, to sustained leadership and accountability and security of vaccination teams to reach children in the most difficult areas.

The case of Nigeria, in particular, stands out. The West African country is the only polio endemic country where increasing number of wild polio virus cases have been recorded in the last year. There were 97 new cases of wild polio infection compared to 37 - almost triple what it was exactly one year ago.

But since World Polio Day 2011,

there has been more cause to cheer than to jeer. So much has been accomplished since the Global Polio Eradication Initiative declaration of an "emergency for global public health" and implementation of polio eradication campaign through national emergency programmes effectively run by Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

With an effective global polio programme in place and real progress being made, the world remains optimistic of a once-ina-generation opportunity to end polio forever and to leave in its place stronger health systems that can deliver life-saving vaccines to protect all children from vaccine-preventable diseases.

The world has started and can only advance to finish the job.

reported in a paper published in Structure.

Commenting on the findings, Professor and Director of the Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, L. Mario Amzel, said: “We've known for a while that this protein would make a good drug target, but without a structural model, drug discovery is like blindly choosing random objects to fit into a small hole of unknown shape and size. The results of our study have removed the blindfold.

The team used a technique called X-ray crystallography to scatter radiation off a specially prepared portion of the enzyme that forms the unique molecular bonds within the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

They then used information about the direction and intensity of the radiation scattered to build a 3-D model of the arrangement of atoms in the enzyme.

Dr. Mario A. Bianchet, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Johns Hopkins and a member of the research team, says the challenge of TB infection is that most of the long and costly standard drug treatment is just to get rid of the roughly 1 percent of bacteria that persist after the first week of a patient's treatment.

"The 'persisters' resist in part because of unique bonds within their cell walls. Their cell walls form a thick, three-layered boundary between the bacteria and the outside world, including a middle layer of interlocking molecules, called peptidoglycans, that form a network resembling a chain-link fence," says Bianchet.

Nigerians urged to imbibe positive lifestyle

By SAM EYOBOKA

EALTHY Living and Wom en Empowerment Initiative, HELWEI, has urged Nigerians to be conscious of their eating habits to ensure quality health.

The Executive Director, Ebere Okey-Onyema, at a seminar in Lagos to mark the World Food Day, with the theme; "Your Food, Your Health: Key to Productivity" said “people must eat right and live right.”

Addressing a large crowd of cooperatives and professionals from various fields of endeavour, Okey-Onyema urged them to take charge of their health through adequate nutrition and positive lifestyle even in their pursuit of profit, noting that the major causes of illnesses and untimely deaths in the country include unhygienic lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits.

“Have you ever wondered how quite a number of Okinawa Island people have been able to live

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•Healthy diet is part of positive lifestyle. more than 100 years of diseasefree life? It has been proven scientifically, that the secret of their highest life expectancy is as a result of their incredible knowledge of nutritional facts in the food they eat. People from this tiny Japanese island eat nutrient rich, low calorie diet that is composed of low fat, low sugar, small quantity of fish but lots of vegetables and fruits.”

Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Health, D.O. Akinola, said when healthy eating habits and personal hygiene culture are imbibed, fewer persons would patronise the medical centres.

Chairman, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Adekunle Olushola Israel, said Nigerians needed constant health education to check some unhealthy practices that impact negatively on their health.

Lending her voice to the campaign, Executive Director, Women’s Rights & Health Project, Bose Iro-Nsi, said the harsh economic situation in the country had placed a huge responsibility on the shoulders of women, urging them to seek avenues of improving their finances.

Folake Oyebanjo, Fidelity Bank, branch leader, Egbeda, Lagos, assured women organisations of the bank’s willingness to grant loans to ensure the expansion of their businesses.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 — 49

50—Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

President Jonathan and the floods Continues from page 47 mothers, the most impressive being a photograph of the President with four new-born babies and their mothers at the Makurdi camp.

But the visit to the various camps was not without the touch of occasional comedy. In one of the states for example, one gentleman who felt that the spokesperson for the victims did not convey their feelings fully enough insisted on having a say in the matter. Some officials tried to prevent his intrusion. But when it was President Jonathan’s turn to speak, he collected the microphone and took it straight to the agitated fellow. Speak! It was with much ceremony that the man proceeded to narrate how people who were not affected by the floods were thronging the displaced persons’ camp to collect food meant for the victims and how this was already causing problems.

He wanted the authorities to share the money that had been sent to the states by the Federal Government, directly among the victims in order to shut out non-victims who want “to shorten their ration”. President Jonathan deplored the cruel activities of those seeking to profit from other people’s misfortune, but patiently, he told the man that he had not come to discuss food, because all the state governments according to reports were doing a lot to assist the victims,

floods, fears were expressed about the possibility of drought in the coming year. President Jonathan promptly directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to intervene, and a National Flood Recovery Production Plan was immediately launched.

Under this plan, the Federal Government is providing high-yielding, flood-resistant seedlings and fertilisers for farmers, technical assistance and other incentives to boost the national yield, as well as releases from the national strategic grains reserves. The Ministry of Agriculture has since allayed fears of a food crisis, noting that the bulk of the country’s farmlands remain unaffected.

Similarly, the Federal Ministries of Works, Water Resources, Health and the Environment have been directed to design other relief plans. In all of these, the Federal Government is collaborating with the state governments. The Ministers travelled to each state ahead of the President with their teams, and they were on the ground to provide necessary information.

In the few states where there is no State Emergency Management Agency, President Jonathan has asked NEMA to work with the state governments to set up such agencies to further strengthen the country’s preparedness to tackle emergencies.

When the floods occurred, there were also reports of a certain Cameroonian connection to wit that due to excess volume of water caused by excess rainfall, the Cameroonian authorities had released water from Lagdo dam; some other dams in Nigeria also had to be emptied raising the hydrological level in many places.

Fact: the floods were predicted as far back as March by the relevant agencies. But we all took the predictions for granted. We are all such lucky people we often imagine that the worst cannot happen here. Even when government advises the people accordingly about likely dangers, the natural response is to resist official wisdom and insist that in a democracy, the people have a right to everything including self-immolation. To prevent artificial contributions to the effect of climate change, nonetheless, the administration has taken the additional step of reviewing available infrastructure that can serve the purpose.

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President Jonathan has brought to the delivery of all these measures, passion, action and commitment

and nobody would die anyway in any of the camps because of food. While government is providing necessary short term relief, the Administration is more concerned about how the people will manage their lives after the flood, how to prevent the outbreak of any kind of epidemic, how to rehabilitate the affected persons and how to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.

Indeed, there has been so much preoccupation with the “sharing”of either food or money, and journalistic nitpicking over the ecological fund, whereas the Jonathan administration’s response to the crisis is much broader and comprehensive comprising short, medium and long-term measures. From the outset, the President had ordered an informed, multi-perspective analysis of the incident and its aftermath to guide interventions.

A mapping of the affected areas has been done, the nature and extent of the damage has been properly studied; engineers have been dispatched to the states to assess the infrastructural impact of the floods. On all his visits to the states, President Jonathan was accompanied by the House Committee Chairman on Environment, Hon. Uche Ekwunife and the chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Clever Ikisikpo.

He was also joined by the Director of Army Engineering, whose department had gone round to assess the damage and was providing the President with preliminary engineering analysis. Bridges linking communities collapsed, roads were washed away. Public infrastructures in the affected communities need to be fixed, and the military was also called in to help. In the wake of the

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o this end, President Jonathan has directed that the dredging of Rivers Niger and Benue be expedited. He has also visited the Kashimbila Dam in Takum LGA, Taraba State, which is under construction. The buffer dam is designed to provide power and irrigation services, but more importantly to hold water released from Lake Nyos in Cameroon with a holding capacity of 18 million cubic litres. There are plans also, as part of long term intervention measures to build dams on the River Benue as well as dykes in identified vulnerable plains.

President Jonathan has brought to the delivery of all these measures, passion, action and commitment. He asked the engineers in charge of the Kashimbila Dam when they think they are likely to complete the dam. “2013 sir!” He told them he hopes the promise will be kept because the nation cannot wait. The promptitude with which he has personally attended to the flood crisis has been commended by many an observer; the actual truth is that this is the nature and character of the man that Nigerians chose as their President in April 2011.

Dr Abati is Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to President Goodluck Jonathan

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012—51

Ondo guber: Our loss no cause for misery —ACN legislators

BY EMMANUELAZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR AGOS—SENATORS and members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, yesterday, said that the setback suffered by the party in Ondo State gubernatorial election should not be a cause for misery.

The legislators in a statement made available to Vanguard equally praised what they described as the political foresight of the party national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu praising him and the leadership for the insight in finding and selecting Rotimi Akeredolu as the party’s candidate in the election.

While pledging unflinching loyalty to Tinubu, the ACN legislators also lauded the party’s candidates in the gubernatorial election saying that they fought gallantly despite what they claimed as irregularities that marred the polls.

The statement issued on behalf of the ACN legislators by Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa, the Secretary of the ACN Senate Caucus also commended the party’s national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and national leadership for steering the party in what they described as a clear direction.

While noting what they described as the sacrificial leadership and commitment to the growth of democracy in the country of Asiwaju Tinubu, the party’s federal legislators said: “Asiwaju Tinubu has always given his all to

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the cause of our party. No sacrifice has been too big for him to make to promote the interest of the party. This is surely a measure of his commitment to the growth of democracy in Nigeria as a vehicle for promoting stability and rapid socio-economic transformation. We reaffirm our

total confidence in Asiwaju’s inspirational and invigorating leadership.” ”All members of our party in Ondo State deserve commendation for t h e i r loyalty and steadfastness. There is no cause for despondency at the current development.

The ACN has come alive in Ondo State and the party can only keep growing stronger. We equally laud our candidates, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and Dr. Paul Akintelure for carrying our party flag with integrity, commitment and credibility.”

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BY SIMON EBEGBULEM ENIN CITY—A Phil anthropic organisation in Edo State, under the aegis of Oshiomhole Peoples Brigade, weekend, introduced soup kitchens for flood victims in different camps in Edo North senatorial district of the state.

Unveiling the programme at the Ekperi Grammar School flood victims camp, Coordinator of the group, Athanasius Ugbome, said

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the group decided to initiate the idea in order to ensure that victims are well fed.

He said: “We have had stories of victims complaining in some camps in Delta State that they are being starved, we don’t want that to happen here. We are glad our Comrade Governor has made some commitments so we need to assist the state government by ensuring that our brothers and sisters are well fed.”

Orphanage holds Joy Night AGOS—WITH t h e issue of child abandonment on the streets becoming worrisome especially in Lagos State, Little Saints Orphanage, yesterday, brought together various artists for its Joy Night as a means of raising funds to maintain its orphanage.

The event which featured various artists took place at the Premium Hall, Strong Tower House located at Palm Grove, Lagos.

The programme tagged: “Joy Night” was aimed at bringing about family entertainment with a humanitarian edge even as the organisers explained that “proceeds of the show will

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Osula of Benin kingdom, Chief Iyekeroetin Osula JP, paying homage to the Oba of Benin, Omo n’ Oba n’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediawa during the Ekponmwan-Edohia chieftancy rights (thanksgiving) at the Oba’s palace in Benin, weekend.

go to Little Saints Orphanage for maintenance, education and healthcare”.

According to the orphanage, “one of our major sources of funding has been through organising musical concerts. Joy night is one of our exciting music events, where guests are treated to a delicious three course meal in a relaxed atmosphere and entertained through music by variety of popula celebrities, gifted artistes, dancers and comedians. This has been an ideal avenue for the compassionate friends of the Little Saints Orphanage to see firsthand, the progress of the vision.”

Oritsejafor, others for Benin convention today

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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Special Adviser on Education to the Governor of Ogun State, Mr Tunji Abimbola (2nd left), Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Globacom, Mrs Ben Ayede (right); Chief Fassy Yusuf, representing Awujale of Ijebuland (2nd right); Head, Business Solutions, Globacom, Mr Folu Aderibigbe (middle) and Alhaja F. M. Kareem, principal of the college, at the commissioning of a block of classrooms donated by Globacom to Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu Ode to mark this year's Ojude Oba festival.

Visafone begins BlackBerry smartphones Visafone Communica- Wepener said: “We are pre-booking today tion Limited, have proud to support the NigeAGOS—THE planned pre-booking announced by Visafone Communication Limited during a joint press conference held in Lagos with officials of Research In Motion, RIM, for the sale of BlackBerry smartphones in Visafone’s 88 shops nationwide begins today.

Already, existing and prospective customers

Group introduces soup kitchens for flood victims in Edo

who have long awaited the launch of the first Code Division and Multiple Access, CDMA, BlackBerry smartphones on the network are excited at the new model of smartphones on offer and its promised superior quality of service.

It will be recalled that, Research In Motion, RIM, Canada-based makers of BlackBerry smartphones and

signed an agreement for the launch of BlackBerry services in Nigeria on Visafone’s Code Division and Multiple Access, CDMA, mobile network.

This feat marked first-time availability of CDMA BlackBerry smartphones in the Europe, Middle East and Africa, EMEA, region, and it is a first in Nigeria.

The Regional Director for RIM in East, Central and West Africa, Mr. Waldi

rian mobile industry with the first-time availability of CDMA BlackBerry smartphones in Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Our partnership with Visafone demonstrates RIM’s commitment to working with key partners in Africa to bring the widest range of BlackBerry services to people that want to be connected across the continent.”

ENIN CITY— PRESIDENT of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and other men of God will today (Monday) storm Benin City for the commencement of the 2012 annual convention of the New Covenant Gospel Church, Benin City, Edo State .

The seven-day annual convention with the Theme: “Possessing the Kingdom,” will also attract other men of God such as Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Bishop

Simeon Okah, Dr Carl Conley and it is expected to attract over one hundred thousand worshippers from Europe and Africa, according to the General Superintendent of the New Covenant Gospel Church, Rev.Dr Felix Omobude.

Describing the annual convention as the hallmark of Church activities in a given year, Dr. Omobude noted that the spiritual programme will afford the men of God who will grace the occasion the opportunity to give a new direction to the flock.

Group lauds Ondo guber polls KURE—A pro-de mocracy group, Orange Family Initiative, OFI, has lauded the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, for the peaceful conduct of the recent Ondo State gubernatorial elections and also congratulated the Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko on his re-election.

A statement by its Director-General, Dr. Lanre Adeleye, said: “With the conduct of the recent election we can authoritatively

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say it is evident that the promasses policies of the Labour Party administration in Ondo State have been compensated by massive turnout of voters in favour of the party in the just-concluded gubernatorial election."

Adeleye, emphasised that the impact of the Labour Party has on lives of majority of Ondo State people over time has been undeniable and this has made the governor prevailed over his political rivals.

52 — Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

Syrian air strikes truncate truce S

YRIAN jets bom barded Sunni Muslim regions in Damascus and across the country on Sunday, activists said, as President Bashar al-Assad kept up air strikes against rebels despite a U.N.-brokered truce that now appears to be in tatters.

“The ceasefire is practically over. Damascus has been under brutal air raids since day one and •Rubbles from the air strikes on rebel held areas in Syria.

Greece arrests editor for ‘Lagarde list’ leak REEK police ar rested the editor of a weekly magazine for publishing a list of more than 2,000 names of wealthy Greeks who have placed money in Swiss bank accounts, police said.

The so-called “Lagarde List”, which led to the arrest of editor Costas Vaxevanis yesterday, was given to Greece by French authorities in 2010 with names to be probed for possible tax evasion has been a topic of heated speculation in the Greek media.

It is named after International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde, who was French finance minister when the list was handed over.

The “Hot Doc” magazine published the list of 2,059 names, including some well-known business and political figures, o n Saturday. The magazine said it had been sent the list anonymously. Author-

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ities did not confirm if the list was authentic.

A prosecutor ordered the arrest of Vaxevanis on Saturday for violating laws on releasing private data and he was arrested Sunday, police said. He

was released pending trial after appearing before a prosecutor yesterday.

“He published a list of names without special permission and violated the law on personal data,” a police official

U.S. debt-ceiling increase could be headed for a Wall Streetrattling showdown in 2013 if Congress, as expected, shuns a quick and easy fix at the end of this year in favor of another round of lastminute brinkmanship.

Regardless of who wins the November 6 elections, many congressional aides and Capitol Hill observers are predicting that lawmakers will go right up to the deadline - probably around mid-February or early March - before increasing the $16.4 trillion limit on borrowing that is nearly exhausted.

While no one is certain of another 11th-hour fight in February or March, no one is ruling it out. With-

four-day holiday.

Syrian authorities blame “armed terrorists” for breaking the truce and the opposition says a ceasefire is impossible while Assad continues to move his tanks and use heavy artillery and jets against populated areas.

Brahimi hopes to end the conflict that has killed at least 32,000 people and worsened instability in the Middle East. It began when a popular revolt broke out in March last year against four decades of authoritarian rule by Assad and his late father, President Hafez al-Assad. The ceasefire appeal had won widespread international support, including from Russia, China and Iran, President Assad’s main foreign allies.

Ukrainians cast parliamentary ballot P

ARLIAMENTARY polls have o p e n e d i n Ukraine, with world heavyweight champion boxer Vitali Klitschko emerging as an unlikely challenger to the ruling party in place of the jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

Polling stations will closed at 8pm yesterday with exit polls expected swiftly after wards. The strategic former Soviet nation, nestled between the European Union and Russia, is holding the first election since Tymoshenko lost to President Viktor Yanukovych in a bitterly fought contest in 2010.

The 2004 Orange Revolution leader was jailed less than two years later on abuse of power charges brought by Yanukovych’s Regions Party that both Tymoshenko and many Western nations saw as vendetta on the part of the president.

Sunday’s election to the 450-seat Verkhovna Rada is seen both as a warmup for the 2015 presidential ballot and a chance for voters to pass judgement on a jailing that has isolated Ukraine from EU states. First voters in capital Kiev, some disillusioned, some hopeful started to arrive at polling stations early in

US Congress faces another debt-limit showdown

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said.

“There is no proof that the persons or companies included in that list have violated the law. There is no evidence that they violated the law on tax evasion or money laundering,” the official added.

hundreds of people have been arrested,” said veteran opposition campaigner Fawaz Tello.

“Assad has been trying to use the truce to seize back control of areas of Damascus,” said Tello, who is well connected with rebels.

Speaking from Berlin, Tello said Sunni districts in the city of Homs, 140 km (90 miles) north of Damascus, and surrounding countryside came under Syrian army shelling on Sunday.

Both sides in the 19month-old conflict have violated the ceasefire intended to mark the Muslim religious holiday of Eid al-Adha. The truce, brokered by international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, was supposed to come into effect on Friday, the first day of the

out the bigger government credit card, the U.S. Treasury Department no longer would be able to finance government operations, forcing widespread shutdowns and default on debt payments to creditors from China to England.

It is a scenario almost exactly like the summer of 2011 when investors, credit-rating agencies and capitals around the world watched with alarm as Washington went to the brink before reaching a debt-limit and deficit-reduction deal.

Another such showdown is “always a possibility,” a Republican staffer said, even though there will be an opportunity to head it off early in

a post-election “lameduck” session of Congress set to begin on November 13.

•Tymoshenko

•Klitschko

the morning.

Opinion polls suggest that Yanukovych’s alliance with the Communist Party and a top centrist politician will retain its narrow lead, while Tymoshenko’s opposition bloc will grab second

place by the slimmest of margins.

But trailing in hot pursuit in third is the UDAR (Punch) party of Klitschko - an opposition sympathiser who has served in the Kiev city council and now has the chance

to expand nationally. “I am confident that we will be able to gather all the opposition forces around us in the new parliament,” he boldly predicted in an interview with a German newspaper on the eve of the vote.

Klitschko has insisted that he can work with Tymoshenko’s alliance. But he has fought bitterly with other members of the potential coalition and has thus far refused to sign any formal agreement forming an official anti-Yanukovych bloc.

Hawaii tsunami warning lifted tsunami warning prompted by a powerful earthquake off the Canadian coast sent at least 100,000 people fleeing from shore to higher ground in Hawaii late on Saturday, but an evacua-

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tion order was canceled after a series of weakerthan-expected waves rolled through the islands. The warning was downgraded to an advisory - a lower-level alert - shortly after 1 a.m. Sun-

•Hurricane Sandy lashing the East Coast of US, yesterday.

day, though state civil defense authorities said beaches and harbors would remain closed for the time being, and residents were urged to stay away from the water.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, serious flooding or damage, but officials warned that abrupt changes in sea level and strong currents could still pose a hazard to swimmers and boaters.

“The threat may continue for several hours,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in its alert.

While scientists had warned early on that waves as tall 6 feet could occur in places, tsunami wave activity was reported to have peaked at just 2.5 feet at the island of Maui shortly after 10:30 p.m.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 — 53

Waiting for Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy disrupts campaign ITH nine days to the United States Presidential election, nature has taken its place ahead of election with Hurricane Sandy carrying heavy winds to coastal areas of the United States.

States that have so far felt the heavy winds include Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina while New York city is expecting the wind soonest.

According to weather reports, the impact will be critical in New York as flooding and the ocean have risen and Hurricane Sandy is just about 500miles away from the city.

For Virginia, one of the battleground states that would be a decider in this election has felt the impact of the Hurricane Sandy and has forced major election campaigns to be shifted to other states.

13 electoral votes are up for grabs in the state of Virginia and it is very critical for both President Obama and Mitt Romney to as well win the state.

Hurricane Sandy has seen both Romney and Obama shifting their campaigns from Virginia in the last few days to other states. Two days ago, Mitt Romney could not fly into Virginia for his campaigns where thousands of crowds are already waiting for him, he campaigned in Florida instead.

Likewise, President Obama and his vice, Biden had to travel to Ohio to campaign due to the rise of Hurricane Sandy in Virginia.

In 2008, President Obama turned the state

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of Virginia to a blue state and Mitt Romney is leaving no stone un turned to ensure Virginia leans red in this Presidential election.

For President Obama who is struggling to earn his second term in office, many of his supporters had felt the early voting would help him in his bid to retain his seat, with Hurricane Sandy ravaging Virginia presently, it might be hard to get voters to come out of their various houses to campaign as there is serious warning all over the coastal areas might have to stay indoors till the Hurricane Sandy subsides.

For North Carolina, the impact of Hurricane Sandy is being felt already and it will delay early voting there. There are 15electoral votes for grabs in North Carolina and both candidates are running head to head.

In New York which is likely to suffer more damages from the effect of Hurricane Sandy in the next few days, there are 29electoral votes for grabs in the state and Democrats are fully on ground there but early voting might be affected because the Mayor of New York, Bloomberg has ordered evacuation in a lot areas.

However, early voting are still going on in many other states except the coastal states that are experiencing some turbulence due to Hurricane Sandy right now.

Hurricane Sandy North Carolina, New York is as well expecting and it is very critical situation 500miles away from New York.

Obama holds electoral votes lead RESIDENT Barack Obama is poised to eke out a victory in the race for the 270 electoral votes needed to win reelection, having beaten back Republican Mitt Romney ’s attempts to convert momentum from the debates into support in all-important Ohio, according to an Associated Press analysis a week before Election Day. While the Democratic incumbent has the upper hand in the electoral vote hunt, Romney has pulled even, or is slightly ahead, in polling in a few pivotal states, including Florida and Virginia. The Republican challenger also appears to have the advantage in North Carolina, the most conservative of the hotly contested nine states that will determine the winner.

While in a tight race with Obama for the popular vote, Romney continues to have fewer stateby-state paths than Obama to reach 270.

Without Ohio’s 18 electoral votes, Romney would need last-minute victories in nearly all the

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•Obama remaining up-for-grabs states and manage to pick off key states now leaning Obama’s way, such as Iowa or Wisconsin.

To be sure, anything can happen in the coming days to influence the Nov. 6 election.

The AP analysis isn’t intended to predict the outcome. Rather, it’s meant to provide a snapshot of a race that has been stubbornly close in the small number of competitive states all year.

The analysis is based on public polls and internal campaign surveys as well as spending on television advertising, candidate visits, get-out-the-vote organizations and interviews with dozens of Republican and Democratic strategists in Washington and in the most contested states.

Romney banks on early Florida vote ITT Romney was forced to move to Florida where he was calling on his supporters to go out and vote early as the polls in that state seem to favour him. Florida has 29 electoral votes and could be a heavy boost to his ambition to win the White House on November 6, 2012. In the tiny State of New Hampshire, President Barack Obama told his supporters that “these four electoral votes right here could make the difference.” The president pressed on with a campaign trip to New Hamp-

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Obama plays up, Gore vs.

Bush Florida contest •Romney shire but held a conference call with administration officials about emergency preparations from aboard Air Force One. Ahead of his rally in Nashua, Obama stopped in at a Teamsters hall where campaign volunteers were chanting “fired up, ready to go.”

arrived New York City at exactly 9.30pm local time on Friday, October 26th 2012, and one of the exciting events waiting to unfold – quite apart from the presidential election of November 6th 2012 – is the impending arrival of powerful storm Sandy, a Category One hurricane.

It is an exciting experience for me because I have only seen such natural disasters as hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, earthquakes and the like on television.

Sandy has been building up for weeks, but I never really knew I was going to experience it personally. I thought it would have blown out before my arrival, but I was wrong.

By the time you are reading this story, we are likely to be cooped up indoors, here in Jamaica, New York City, where a friend of mine, Abbott, has a very lovely condo.

His family lives here.

The hurricane warnings are being taken seriously by most people here in New York, much more than they did when Hurricane Irene was on its way in 2010. Another friend, Leonard Ibeka, who works with the City Council as an investigator, will be moving in with his family as a precaution because they live in a flood-prone, low-lying area.

Even though Sandy is a Category One reinforced tropical storm, its severity is going to be boosted by a mid-latitude trough (a winter storm coming in from the West Coast) and an additional burst of arctic air moving in from Canada. These will energise the hot air from the tropics and experts say the damage could be far more severe than Irene’s, which cost over $15 billion. To add to all this is the presence of a full moon, which will exacerbate flooding in low-lying coastal areas in America’s North East.

Many states have since declared a state of emergency. The Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, has warned residents to stock up on food as from Sunday and keep out of open spaces and parks.

Construction activities have been suspended.

On Saturday evening there was a great traffic nightmare on major roads around the city because of closure of tunnels, bridges and roads under construction. It dampened the spirits of many young people who were

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ACED with a tight race for Florida vote, President Barak Obama has warned his supporters that skipping voting could cost him the election. The president’s campaign team has pressed forward with a get-outthe-vote effort that aides said had them leading or tied in every competitive state. Obama told them

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that “In 2000, Gore vs.

Bush, 537 votes changed the direction of history in a profound way and the same thing could happen,” Obama carried Florida by just 3 percentage points in 2008 and polls show the candidates tied. Florida offers 29 Electoral College votes, the most of any swing state.

in the middle of Halloween, one of America’s traditional festivals.

The oncoming Sandy has also affected both air and rail travel, as airlines have encouraged their customers who have booked flights to travel between Sunday and Tuesday to reschedule, while Amtrak, the most prominent train services provider in the northeast, has cancelled services. I am hoping the coast will be clear by next weekend because part of my itinerary is to travel down to Washington DC by train and observe the election proper in the nation’s capital.

The federal government has mobilised more than 60,000 troops of the National Guard to assist in emergency services to the nine states that are lying in the path of the hurricane. Americans are usually very stubborn when it comes to complying with government orders to evacuate voluntarily in the face of oncoming disasters, but since the devastating experiences of powerful hurricanes Andrew, Katrina and Irene, few need persuading to take necessary precautions as we wait for Sandy to hit.

Corporate America could hurt Obama

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split Supreme Court verdict (five to four) on January 21 2010 overturning a First Amendment barring of corporations from political spending on candidates is one of the great obstacles President Barack Obama is facing in his re-election bid. That verdict held that government had no business regulating political speech. It overturned an old interpretation of the First Amendment (guaranteeing free speech) which precluded corporate organisation from using their money to corrupt the political marketplace.

One of those who openly bemoaned this verdict was President Obama himself, who called it “a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and other powerful interests that marshal their power everyday in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans”.

54 —

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

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KUBAI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Grace Luka Kubai, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Grace Rita Titus Ayuba. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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C M Y K

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E D N E A S D AY morning I came across Stephen Keshi at the restaurant of the Suncoast Hotel in Durban. After brief exchange of pleasantries he had to go and freshen up after a long journey. We were to meet at the draw venue, later in the day, and talk.

Let us relive the draw Started from pot number four, then the third pot was exhausted. Then came pot 2, Nigeria’s pot and all the speculations about Cote Divoire, Ghana and South Africa came to the fore.

Cote D’ivoire was out of the way. Ghana eliminated and only Angola and Nigeria remained in the pot. A2 was drawn and the South Africans held their breadth . Nigeria has always been their Nemesis.

The 2000 capacity Durban International Conference Centre was all hush as Kalusha Bwalya dipped his hands in the bowl and drew….Angola…cheers, joy and relief.

The South African coach was to say later that he was happy to have been drawn against teams that have never beaten South Africa.

The draw to him was very fair, thanks to President Jacob Zuma who earlier on had drawn Cape Verde.

Not too many people bother to think that in the FIFA ranking, Cape Verde is superior to South Africa!

The end of the draw signaled the beginning of interviews and as usual coaches were the focus of attention especially Stephen Keshi who engineered the return of the Eagles to the Nations Cup and whose popularity in Africa spans Togo and Mali……

At the end of it, all I was able to get was a “good night” from a coach who was to wake up the next morning by 5am to inspect training venues, stadium and hotels in the Mbombela Centre where the Eagles will be based with Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.

I was not going their way. Allocated the Durban and Johannesburg venue, my inspection was to start very much later.

About four hours later, I got a call from Barrister Chris Green that due to logistics reasons they could not embark on the inspection and will return at a later time. The Nigerian delegation then decided to return to Nigeria even a day earlier.

You can therefore imagine my surprise when I ran

Five hours with Stephen Keshi

,

EZEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Ezeh Patience Aliji, now wish to be known and addressed as Ndukwe Patience Ude. All former d o c u m e n t s remained valid.

General public please take note.

I have a team to build and to manage and I will not want anyone to destroy the team

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into Stephen Keshi in the plane, Friday afternoon.

He said he decided to rest for a day while the others left.

This is where we talked. Where the story starts even as the Six hour flight to Lagos took off.

Our conversation came in various forms. As former students of Saint Finbarr’s College Akoka, as member Technical Committee of NFF and Coach of Super Eagles, of course some of our conversation was off the record.

Is he still celebrating qualification?

Yes and no. He is happy that we have been able to put the ghost of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea behind us, but now the future lies ahead.

He thanks and most profusely too, the Nigeria Football Association under the leadership of Alhaji Maigari for all the support he has received since the campaign started. He is all praise for Governor Liyel Imoke and the good people of Cross River state for hosting the Eagles and to all Nigerians for prayers and for support. “ We could not do it alone. All Nigerians should share in the glory” So, what does he think of the draw? “ Not bad, its OK. Every team that qualified for the draw is a potential danger so we do not take any team for granted” Yes Zambia was seeded but Burkina Faso is also a threat, he said. Will he go and watch Zambia play against South Africa in a friendly before the Nations Cup? Maybe he will. If not, he will send someone. However since he will see Zambia play before he plays them, he will prefer advance information on Burkina Faso and …..Ethiopia.

What about his relationship with the media? “The media has been wonderful. I have enjoyed tremendous cooperation from them and their role in our success story cannot be relegated. However I will still want them to do more. I want the media to be more patriotic. I know that as Nigerians they are also interested in the success of the team, but we need them to lean more on the side

of the team. We are building a young team that can do with more positive write ups than what we are getting now” I am aware that even as the draw was going on, certain countries approached him for his services. “ My position is not negotiable. I have a job, besides, for crying out loud, I am coaching my country’s national team and this cannot be compromised. Some of them want to offer me a contract after the Nations cup. Again, I am not available” Every one has applauded his experiment with domestic league players. What about his relationship with foreign based players and the older ones?.

The big Boss of Nigerian football said that he is surprised that there is a popular belief that he does not relate well with the older players in the Eagles camp. “ …I cannot force any one to play for his country. When I came in initially I noticed that all was not well as the camp was divided along and across various interests. I have succeeded in reintroducing unity and peace into the camp. There is nothing like superiority and preferential treatment anymore. In camp you are a Super Eagles player as any other”

Will he invite Osaze and others?

“Why not? I will, why not? The most important thing is not the invitation but the willingness to play for your country and give it your all.”

Can he talk on Vincent Enyeama? A lot of Nigerians believed that given the negative press that his first choice goalkeeper attracted, he was not likely to be fielded against Liberia but the reverse was the case.

The coach’s countenance changed. He wants Nigerians to accord him the respect of managing the team.

Why was Vincent singled out for blame? Every member of the team should be held responsible for any anomaly that befalls the team. Where were the defenders when the ball got to the goalkeeper?. “.. I have a team to build and to manage and I will not want anyone to destroy the team either psychologically or otherwise. Do you know what damage could have been done to that team if Enyeama was dropped in Calabar? Then other players will go about scared, believing that they will be punished for any mistake committed. That is not the type of spirit that I want in my camp” Is he really getting value from the home based? He said yes, a lot, and Nigerians will reap in the months to come, although a lot of work is needed even in fitness level, techniques and tactics not helped by a league that is not very strong on the ground.

Is he also getting value from his assistants? “……Absolutely. Yes I have a good technical bench. Forget that sometimes I seem to be doing too much but if you see us in training, I delegate functions and we are fine as a team” Despite the exclusivity of the Business Class of South African Airways, our discussion was interrupted often by fellow passengers wishing him well. Professor Okon Edet Uya was my lecturer in the University of Calabar.

Had not seen him for close to fifteen years. The former Nigerian Ambassador to Argentina who is now a member of APR Panel of Eminent Persons applauded the coach for the good work done so far. Has extended an invitation to Keshi “…. When next you come to Calabar, stop by…..and please come along with the Nations Cup….” Laughter.

See you next week.

Imoke receives torch of unity for festival

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Calabar OVERNOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State on Saturday, received the Torch of Unity of the 18th National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012.

Speaking at the U.J. Esuene stadium, Calabar, Imoke explained that receiving the torch was

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a demonstration of the respect the state has for the festival, and that it will afforded the state opportunity to show case what it has been doing in the last four years towards sports development.

Imoke, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham, explained that the state will not only participate in the Lagos festi-

val but will put up a good performance because it is committed to exhibiting excellence in sports and sporting competitions.

The governor maintained that the state will continue to train its sports men and women as well as provide them with modern equipment.

He disclosed that the demonstration events which the athletes performed at the ceremony

were exhibition of the efforts of the state’s comprehensive sport development.

According to him, the programme which has been on within its two years, has enabled the state come first in National Schools Sport Festival which was its first time of attaining that feat and as champion, it will do everything to remain on top.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 — 55

Eaglets thrash Guinea 4-0 IGERIA’S Golden E a g l e t s yesterday in Conakry, defeated Guinea 4-0, to qualify for the next round of the African Junior Championship on a 7-0 aggregate.

The Eaglets won the first

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leg qualifier 3-0 in Calabar a fortnight ago to now set up a final qualifier between the winners of the match between Mali and Algeria in the middle of N o v e m b e r .

On Sunday, the Eaglets

Kalu Continues from BP time that record was dented was at Angola 2010,by Egypt.Playing defending champions Zambia should not scare anybody.And records show that anytime the Super Eagles confronted Cup holders,they returned with a medal.”

Kalu described Zambia as a good meal for Nigeria.”For 22 years now,Eagles have had them for lunch at the Nations Cup.They lost at Algeria’90,fell at Tunisia ’94 when they made a Fairy tale grand-finale appearance, and lost again at Angola 2010.”

The former governor blamed the Zambians for their plight.”Zambia drew Eagles wrath when their 5-1 victory in 1973 not only booted Nigeria out of the Egypt ’74 qualifiers,Gen.Yakubu Gowon had to disband the team,August 2 1973.Coach Joe Erico could tell this story better.In 1982,Nigeria travelled to Libya as defending Champions.In their all important final

group match,Zambia disgraced us.After conceding two goals,goalie Peter Fregene just kicked the ball into his own net to complete the shame at 30.The same Zambia stopped Nigeria from playing at Egypt ’86.That was Patrick Ekeji’s last time as Eagles coach and Muda Lawal’s sad farewell.”

According to Kalu,”the South Africa 2012 group reminds me of Ghana’78.Nigeria,Zambia and Burkina Faso[then Upper Volta] were in the same group.Eagles defeated the Burkinabes 4-2,and drew 0-0 with Zambia.Also, it takes me back to Libya ’82 where they played Ethiopia and Zambia in same group.That was Stephen Keshi’s first Nations Cup.He got a brace in the 3-0 demolition of Ethiopia.”

Kalu wished the Eagles well,urging them to prove they were no more on Ground Zero in the eyes of Nigerians.

Red Devils Continues from BP in a point of the leaders and give them a first success at Stamford Bridge since 2002.

Despite the result there was plenty in Chelsea’s performance to reinforce their credentials as real title challengers, though they were handicapped by a haphazard start as United’s £24m man Robin van Persie made one goal and scored another.

United’s defence was under scrutiny before the game following another porous display against Braga in midweek, but it was a home back four missing John Terry which was exposed time and again during the opening exchanges.

David Luiz was too of-

ten in a different district to his fellow centre-half Gary Cahill while Ashley Cole was repeatedly isolated on the left flank, from where both early goals came.

Ashley Young strolled into the gaping hole between Luiz and Cahill to feed Wayne Rooney, and when his cut-back was met by a firm first-time van Persie shot the ball hit a post, cannoned off Luiz and bobbled beyond Petr Cech.

Van Persie’s movement in the box for the opener was bright enough, but it was an identical checked run which caught out Cahill again soon afterwards and this time the striker’s right-footed effort from Antonio Valencia’s low centre beat Cech by itself.

led 2-0 by first half with goals from Alhassan Ibrahim and Isaac S u c c e s s .

Success scored again in the second half to complete his brace with goal scorer Ibrahim and Ifeanyi Matthew outstanding for the visiting Nigerians.

Musa Yahaya completed the rout with a fourth goal for the E a g l e t s .

Nigeria have won the

U17 World Cup thrice in 1985, 1993 and 2007, but the class of 2012 are proving to be unstoppable as they have won their two qualifiers against Niger and Guinea home and a w a y .

They have also scored 17 goals and conceded only a goal in the process.

The African Junior Championship will be staged in Morocco in April.

Lagos cyclist cheats death as Oyo ckears prizes

BY PATRICK OMORODION Tragedy was averted yesterday after a Lagos State cyclist,KazeemLawansonwas knocked down by a taxi cab during the Odu’a Cycling Championship held in Ibadan.

Lawansonwashutbythetaxi whichbeatthetrafficcordonat the Oyo Road Bodija Estate junctionandhisbicyclecrampled.

Thecyclistwasrushedtothe

medical team of the competition by Chief Alfred Ade,chairmanoftheNigerian Commissares Association, who handed over the drive to the police.

Meanwhile, Oyo state cleared the top prizes after initially refusing to take part, on the assumption that there was no prize money.

Their cyclists, Quadri Ajibade, Dirk Israel and Adeyemi Odunayo placed first, second and third respectively,topocketN30,000, N20,000andN10,000each.

Perez, Dinu pick 2nd Gov’s Cup crowns

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN N the space of two weeks, Enrique Perez of Spain and Cristina Dinu of Romania have picked a couple of singles titles at the 12th Lagos Governor’s Cup, sponsored by Etisalat and FCMB, which ended weekend at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

Only on October 20, the 21 years old Spaniard, played in the final of the Futures I, where he defeated Sherif

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A Golden Eaglets player overcomes a challenge from a Nigerien opponent in Calabar.

Jamaica coach Continues from BP

Falcons Continues from BP The Falcons will be aiming to avenge their elimination from the race to the London Olympics by Cameroon. They lost 43 on penalties after aggregate scores stood at 3-3.

The Super Falcons are yet to lose to Cameroon at the AWC. The first meeting between the two nations at full international level was when they clashed in a 1991 World Cup qualifier when Nigeria triumphed 6-0 on aggregate.Nigeria again beat Cameroon in the final of 2004 AWC 50, before both countries met in 2010 edition in the semi final with Falcons victorious 5-1.

Cameroon stars include Ajara Nchout of Energy Voronezh, Jeanette Yango, Madeline Ngono and Francoise Bella, while Nigeria coach Kadiri Ikhana will rely on tested campaigners led by Perpetua Nkwocha (Sunnana SK, Sweden), Stella Mbachu, Rita Chikwe-

lu, Onome Ebi (Attesihir Belediyen, Turkey), Helen Ukaonu (Sunnana SK, Sweden) and Precious Dede.

They will be missing strikers Francisca Ordega and Desire Oparanozie, who have not been released by their new Russian club.

The Falcons have won this biennial competition a record six times and are eager to win at Equatorial Guinea where they failed in 2009.

“Falcons are favourites to win AWC again, but they have to take it one game at a time because we also have remarkable improvements in the other countries, particularly a country like Cameroon,” former Falcons’ coach, Ismaila Mabo told MTNFootball.

“The gap is no longer very wide between the two teams and Cameroon have some huge girls, who are robust, hard tacklers.”

Sabry of Egypt in three thrilling sets of 7-5, 1-6, 6-4, to announce his arrival as the player to beat in the Futures II, which served off on October 22, and true to prediction, the right handed Perez, who started playing tennis at age 10, got to the final, where he met Ruan Eoelofse of South Africa in an engaging match, watched by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos and Governor Emmanuel Udughan of Delta on the Lord Rumens Centre Court.

Interestingly, the man on the driving seat of the new world power in athletics, Jamaica’s Track and Field Coach, Bertland Cameron is among the resource persons expected at the summit. He will be joined by coach of the South African Olympic gold medal winning Rowing team, Barrow Roger, among other renowned sports personalities.

When contacted for the summit, Cameron was ecstatic and happy to be called. “I am really thrilled because when I was competing, Nigeria was at the same level with Jamaica,” he recalled, asking, “what happened to Nigeria? It will be my pleasure to come down to Nigeria and discuss with you how Jamaica is excelling in athletics.”

Top sports personalities like former Nigeria international, Adokiye Amiesimaka, Chairman of the Vanguard Newspapers Editorial board Ikeddy Isiguzo, Paul Bassey, Dr Ojeme Emmanuel, the Managing Director of Complete Communica-

tions, Mumini Alao, Managing Director Mastersports International, Ejiro Omonode, Vanguard Group Sports Editor, Onochie Anibeze are among those who will submit papers at the summit.

The idea to hold a sports summit was conceived by Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan when Nigeria’s athletes were crashing during the London Olympic Games. He decided on the summit after a heart-to-heart discussion with Blessing Okagbare whom a country of 150 million people relied on for a possible gold medal.

It was conceived before President Jonathan thought of the Presidential retreat that took place last Monday. Delta decided to go ahead with it as was originally scheduled to be their contribution to national sports development, to complement the efforts of the federal government.

The report will be submitted to President Jonathan and the National Sports Commission.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, OCT0BER 29, 2012

Lagos cyclist cheats death as Oyo clears prizes — P.55

Red Devils beat Chelsea on a red card day Results

HELSEA were beat en for the first time in this season’s Premier League as two red cards ushered Manchester United to a 3-2 win in west London.

Two goals down inside 12 minutes, the leaders fought their way off the ropes to level through Juan Mata (44) and Ramires (53) and were looking likelier winners until Branislav Ivanovic was sent off on the hour.

But a second red card for Fernando Torres meant the end of any genuine attacking ambition, and substitute Javier Hernandez bundled a contentious winner (75) to haul United with

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Red forTorres

CAN U-17 Results Gabon 4 Angola 0 (1-4) (Gabon qualify) Cameroun 1 Bénin 1 (1-4) (Benin qualify) Mali 5 Mauritania 1 ( 1-2) (Mali through) Rwanda 1 Botswana 0 (6-7p) (0-1) (Botswana progress)

Nations Cup

AWC Today's fixture

Continues on Page 55

AWC

Nigeria V Cameroon 2:30 p.m.

Falcons seek revenge against Cameroon HE Super Falcons of Nigeria will begin the defence of the Afri-

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TODAY'S

Chelsea 2 Man Utd 3 Everton 2 Liverpool 2 Newcastle 2 West Brom 1 Southampton 1 Totttenham 2 Man City 1 Swansea 0 Wigan 2 West Ham 1 Stoke 0 Sunderland 0 Reading 3 Fulham 3 Arsenal 1 QPR 0 Aston Villa 1 Norwich 1

can Women trophy they won two years ago in a mouth-watering fixture

PUZZLE

against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.

Continues on Page 55 FRIDAY'S

Côte d’ Ivoire V Ethiopia 5:30 p,m,

ANSWERS ACROSS 3 Concerning (5) 9 Threat (6) 10 Comfort (6) 11 Heron (5) 12 Settee (4) 15 Lake (4) 17 Particular (7) 20 Performed (3) 21 Inflexible (5) 23 Observe (4) 25 Nurse (4) 26 Relaxed (5) 28 Finish (3) 30 Scorned (7) 33 Fever (4) 35 Season (4) 36 Seraglio (5) 38 Engraved (6) 39 Antenna (6) 40 Intended (5)

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan(r) and Jamaican track and field coach, Betrand Cameron during the opening ceremony of the 1st Edition of Governor Uduaghan Closed Tennis Championship in Asaba, Sunday.

Cameron is 1983 world champion and track and field national coach of Jamaica

Sports Summit: Jamaica’s coach lands in Nigeria •S/Africa’s Olympic gold-medal winning Rowing coach joins him UST one week after the Presidential Retreat on sports, the Delta State government is following suit with a Sports Summit in Asaba, holding tomorrow at the Grand Hotel. Unlike the Federal government’s retreat which was on

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sports generally, the Asaba summit which is an initiative of the Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan will be focusing on aquatic sports and track and field.

Continues on Page 55

Forget Chipolopolo — Kalu RING on the Chipolopolo,defending champions are easy prey,Eagles must pick a medal in South Africa.Former Abia state governor Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu believes the Nations Cup Draw is a good deal.

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He said,”Eagles have a way round defending champions.From Zaire in 1976,Ghana in 1984,Cote D’Ivoire in 1994,Cameroun in 2004 to Tunisia in 2006,Nigeria beat all Cup holders.The only Continues on Page 55

DOWN 1 Gather (5) 2 Stab (5) 3 Expert (3) 4 Mendicant (6) 5 Employed (4) 6 Child (3) 7 Challenged (5) 8 Stitched (5) 13 Aperture (7) 14 Sharp (5) 16 Shifted (7) 18 Enjoyed (5) 19 Strike (3) 22 Liability (5) 24 Spike (3) 27 Debase (6) 28 Keen (5) 29 Dullard (5) 31 Number (5) 32 Traded (5) 34 Pale (4) 36 Border (3) 37 Encountered (3)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Retire 5, Barred 9, Enter 10, Deemed 11, Rising 12, Doped 14, Ewer 17, Wit 18, Jibe 20, Merit 22, Tuned 23, Defamed 24, Agree 26, Again 29, Beer 30, Hot 32, Erne 33, Pared 35, Evaded 36, Palate 37, Remit 38, Tennis 39, Decent.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Redeem 2, Teeter 3, Reed 4, Endow 5, Beret 6, Arid 7, Raisin 8, Dogged 13, Picador 15, Wedge 16, Rider 18, Jude 19, Begin 21, Tee 22, Tea 24, Abject 25, Regain 27, Arcade 28, Newest 30, Hades 31, Tepid 33, Peri 34, Date.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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