Tension in SSS overleakage of staff data

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61700

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

CORRUPTION: Pg.5

—Vanguard colleagues

Buhari's allegation Pg.43 raises dust

Tension in SSS over leakage of staff data •Personal records of staff posted on foreign website •Authorities probe source of leakage

BY SONI DANIEL

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BUJA—THERE were indications, yesterday, that the State Security Service, SSS, might have embarked on a secret probe of those behind leakage of the personal data of over 60 current and former staff of the spy organization.

The leakage of the Continues on Page 5

07059197616 •P.46

•P.19

DONU KOGBARA:

•P.17

Mr & Mrs

MTN ULTIMATE WONDER—From left: General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Kola Oyeyemi; Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Larry Annetts; Captain Akintunde Sotewo of Arik Air and Captain James Daniel, CEO of Biosmart Technology Ltd at the MTN Ultimate Wonder Promo 1st Draw/Media Parley in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Anambra joins oil producing states •P.14

Lagos Traffic Law gazette released •P.9

2—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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Vanguard, FRID AY, A UGUST 31, 2012—5 FRIDA AUGUST

POCKET CARTOON

Amadi was an entertainment guru —Vanguard editors, colleagues He was a media icon — Delta Govt

BY UDUMA KALU & BENJAMIN NJOKU

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AGOS—VAN GUARD newspapers, and indeed Nigeria have lost one of the greatest entertainment writers this country has ever produced.

The cold hand of death, We d n e s d a y n i g h t , snatched, Mr. Ogbonnaya Amadi , 49, Vanguard Entertainment Editor.

He had worked very hard throughout the day in the office and was about leaving for home when a massive bout of asthma hit him. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The ever vivacious entertainment guru died less than 30 minutes after he took ill.

A pall of disbelief descended on his colleagues and the entertainment industry when words went out that Mr Ogbonna had died.

The Vanguard management has opened a condolence register for him in its corporate office in Apapa, Lagos.

At his Ogba, Lagos residence yesterday, the atmosphere was one of grief, silence and disbelief. Some of Ogbonna’s colleagues and friends

in the entertainment industry stormed his residence to commiserate with his family.

Amadi’s favourite quote was ‘Love me, don’t hate me.’

Also, at Vanguard’s Corporate Office where Amadi worked for 27 years, his colleagues were still in shock, finding it difficult to accept his death.

He would have been 50 this December.

From the Vanguard corporate office to his Ogba, Lagos residence, family, colleagues and friends of the veteran entertainment journalist expressed their grief with prayer, tears and anguish.

Until his death, he was the Group Entertainment Editor of Vanguard Newspapers.

Amadi hailed from Okagwe, in Ohafia, LGA, Abia State. An entertainment journalist for over two decades, Amadi is survived by his aged mother, brothers, sisters, wife and three children. His first child, Jude, 19, just secured admission into the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

Reacting to his death, the Editor, Vanguard newspapers, Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, said

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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E all pray that we live long and grow old….

God answers our prayer; when we get old, we suddenly discover that life is not quite as pleasurable and enjoyable in old age as we thought.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

I feel keeping a promise to yourself is a direct reflection of the love you have for yourself. I used to make promises to myself and find them easy to break. Today, I love myself enough to not only make a promise to myself, but I love myself enough to keep that promise —Steve Maraboli

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.JOYBELL sums it beautifully in her writings: “The person in life that you will always be with the most, is yourself. Because, even when you are with others, you are still with yourself, too! When you wake up in the morning, you are with yourself; laying in bed at night you are with yourself, walking down the street in the sunlight you are with yourself. What kind of person do you want to walk down the street with? What kind of person do you want to wake up in the morning with? What kind of person do you want to see at the end of the day before you fall asleep? Because that person is yourself, and it’s your responsibility to be that person you want to be with. I know I want to spend my life with a person who knows how to let things go, who’s not full of dislikes, who’s able to smile and be carefree. So that’s who I have to be.”

Amadi had an asthma attack that black Wednesday and was rushed to hospital where he died.

He said Late Amadi was a dependable staff who covered not just the entertainment beat but also, other beats.

Speaking further, Bayagbon said he met Amadi at the Vanguard in 1985, when the late Vanguard’s Group Entertainment Editor was being groomed by late Mr. Hakeem Ikandu, Vanguard’s pioneer entertainment editor.

“Amadi was a great telecoms reporter”, said Bayagbon. In those days unlike now that reporters have only one beat, we covered many beats."

The Deputy Editor, Eze Anaba said Ogbonna “ was very creative and hard working. “I worked closely with him when I was Saturday Vanguard Editor. I found him, and his team to be very competent and creative.

Working with him was fun. Although we had our differences at times and we did argue and quarrel, such arguments usually led to very good ideas that enriched us all. Even as deputy editor, we still argued.

What you wouldn’t take away from him was that he wasn’t malicious. He took criticisms in his stride and tried to improve on his work. Until his death, he worked

hard to be acknowledged as the don of entertainment journalism.

He was indeed the don.

We will miss him."

Group Sports Editor, Mr. Onochie anibeze, said he and late Amadi were interviewed and employed in Vanguard on the same day.

“This informed our great relationship. He showed great interest in sports and made entertainment reporting very entertaining. I cannot find words to capture his death. I’m still in shock”.

News Editor, Kayode Matthew said “it is difficult for me to believe that Amadi is no more; such an entertaining, jolly good fellow. A very pleasant colleague who is truly a friend.”

“But I am consoled in one unshakeable fact.

When he resumed from his annual leave, he confidently told me that the greatest thing he achieved during his leave was that he reconciled with the creator,” Matthew added.

The Sunday Editor, Mr. Jide Ajani said, in his tribute to Amadi, wrote: “To a dear friend snatched from us by death. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Sunre-o omo Amadi (sleep well, son of Amadi)”.

Miss Chioma Gabriel, Saturday Editor said she met Amadi in August 1995 when she started working at the Vanguard. “It is really difficult to refer to him in the

past. He was a show guy, an entertainer, comical but at the same time, serious. He can dance, laugh and sorrow with you depending on the situation. He was a free soul, you know.

There is a difference between having a bad habit and yet a free soul.

Amadi had a free a soul.

"We were like Tom and Jerry because we fought when it was necessary but we always reconciled. He didnt harbour grudges but usually spoke his mind on any issue. We were together

Wednesday in the office when I accused him of killing entertainment on Saturday. In his usual manner, he explained that if I compared entertainment on Saturday with other days, that I would discover that it was still the best. He even conducted an interview with a Nollywood star that Wednesday but at a point, he started acting strange and I didn’t understand Continues on Page 13

Our Error In our story, “Dichotomy: The Fresh fight for more oil money,” published on page 60 of Thursday August 30, 2012 edition, we mistakenly captioned the photograph of Obong Victor Attah as champion of dichotomy. As the governor of Akwa Ibom State between 1999 to 2007, Obong Attah stoutly fought against onshore/ offshore dichotomy in the sharing of oil revenue. The error is regretted – Editor

Obong Victor Attah

Tension in SSS over leakage of staff data Continues from Page 1 employees’ records, including that of the head of the agency, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, was reported by a foreign news agency yesterday, which claimed that the development had embarrassed the organisation.

The records of the affected staff and their immediate family members were reportedly posted on a website suspected to have links with the Boko Haram sect, raising fears as to whether the information was given out by insiders or through hackers bent on using it for pecuniary purposes.

The SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar,

could not be reached for comments on the development as calls to her phone were not answered.

However, a competent source acknowledged that the agency was aware of the development and had begun investigations into it.

The security source, who described the development as strange and embarrassing to the agency, said that those behind the act would be apprehended and made to account for their misdeeds.

Another source familiar with the agency, said they were suspicious that the staff data were sourced from the data

submitted by the affected personnel to a federal government pension agency, which the SSS recently broke away from.

It was learnt that the pension agency might have taken offence and thrown away the data from its archive following an approval by the Presidency that the spy body should set up and run its own pension scheme due to the peculiar nature of its assignment.

“We have a strong suspicion that this information leaked to the website in question was taken directly from the pension agency.

“A cursory examina-

tion of the information including the staff records and their family members bear semblance to that which we filled with our former pension managers.

“We are still investigating the source of the information,” the source said.

The Associated Press reported, yesterday, that the personnel records of some past and present SSS staff members including home addresses and names of their immediate family members were leaked onto the Internet in a threatening message that claimed to come from a radical Islamist sect that has killed hundreds of people this year alone.

6—Vanguard , FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Fuel subsidy removal inevitable, says Jonathan's aide

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—THE Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Ali Gulak, said yesterday that the removal of fuel subsidy had become inevitable because it has "now dawned on everybody that we cannot continue to sustain this subsidy.”

Gulak, who made the remarks when he received the Initiative for Diaspora Knowledge Transfer, IDKT, led by its Chairman and Global Coordinator, Prince Chidi Ibe, said the Jonathan presidency was committed to ensuring that Nigerians were not shortchanged through the subsidy.

According to him, “Mr. President is hungry for development. That is the reason Mr. President has always said it is better for Nigeria as a country, to deploy our resources to productive sector, rather than consumption.

“For instance, in January, Mr. President said we have to do away with this fuel subsidy and most people did not take it the way we

saw it and there was a protest all over the country.”

He said with the recent revelation in the subsidy regime, it has become obvious that we cannot continue to sustain this subsidy where Nigeria will continue to spend over N1 trillion on consumption.

The political adviser noted that if the country had been deploying its resources to productive sectors like agriculture where our youths will be employed, like our railway system where they will have the cheapest mode of transportation, like our public works, it will be better for this country than subsidizing petrol consumption that will be available for a section of the community.

He promised to look into the modules earlier presented by Ibe and his team, especially the trade and the agricultural aspect where Ibe spoke about the cluster, saying he would refer Ibe to the appropriate Ministries, Agencies and Departments, MDAs, to talk to the ministers to see what the government could tap from his knowledge.

NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT SUMMIT— From left; Nigerian Ambassador to Iran, Tukur Mani; Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuleri; Vice President, Namadi Sambo and Iran's Minister of Education, Dr Haj Ibabai at the Mehrabad Airport, Tehran, Iran while arriving for the 16th Non Aligned Movement Summit.

Jonathan promises improved standard of living by 2013 zPledges continous support to private sector

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N I T S H A — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, promised Nigerians improved

NBA, NLC oppose introduction of N5,000 note

BY INNOCENT ANABA & VICTOR YOUNG

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IGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday warned that the nation’s economy risked total collapse should the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, be allowed to introduce N5,000 note into the economy in 2013 as being planned.

This came as Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, said the plan would worsen the standard of living of Nigerians and threatened legal action should the Federal Government go ahead to introduce the higher Naira note, which it described it as “a shallow scheme”.

President of NLC, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, who spoke in Lagos, argued that such policies historically led to the collapse or subjugation of the economies of some countries in Africa, Europe and South America.

Comrade Omar who was represented by Comrade Amina Danesi, at the eight Biennial Delegates

Conference of the Meta Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, MEPROSSAN, said the NLC was totally opposed to the plan.

The NLC President said, “we see in the proposal a policy contradiction that completely exposes our policy makers as playing the devil’s advocate. Most of these policies are clearly not designed by them but obviously by institutions outside our shores. There is no genuine reason for the introduction of N5,000 note in a country that is dwindling in production and suffocating under high inflation. While our government complains about lack of funds to reactivate infrastructure critical to economic development, the CBN is planning to spend over N40billion to produce new denominations of our currency.

"Comrades, we must collectively oppose this and we must not allow the CBN continue with this clearly unnecessary project. Since we now know our country has over N40billion, and

possibly don’t know what to spend it on, we suggest the money and any such money should be spent on the power sector, the informal sector and roads to ensure the growth of our economy if the government is serious about achieving industrial heights in the year 2020.”

On his part, out-going President of NBA, Mr Joseph Daudu, SAN, who handed the warning at the association’s Annual General Meeting, AGM, at its on-going annual conference in Abuja, contended the new note would weaken the Naira and promote corruption.

"The looming danger is that using large bills will devalue the Naira. It will promote money laundering and massive monetary inducement in the next general election.

It’s also against the cashlite policy of the CBN, and is disparate to what obtains elsewhere. If it had to be litigated against, so be it.

The CBN should not be allowed to damage the lives of Nigerians through shallow schemes such as this,” Daudu said.

standard of living by 2013 in his bid to deliver democracy dividends.

Jonathan made the promise at the inauguration of the SAB-Millers Brewery, in Onitsha, Anambra State, according to News Agency of Nigeria.

He noted that in spite of the challenges facing the country, the private sector was still making massive progress, noting that the Federal Government would continue to support the private sector Operators and provide infrastructure to assist them.

“I want to commend this company for what it has done; I also want to commend others for what they are doing considering that fact that within this period as a nation, we know we have our challenges.

“But this administration is totally committed to changing things; we have challenges in terms of road infrastructure, power; we have that also in security and others.

“I know all these are major handicaps to the development of industry in the nation; but even under these situations the companies are trying and doing well.

“We promise you that we would change things and make sure that the private sector blossoms in this country because that is the only way we can create jobs.

“Our transformation agenda is going on, in a partnership between

government and the private sector; that’s’ why even in our economic management team we have people from the Federal Government; state governors are there, Governors Peter Obi and Murtala Nyako and of course key captains of industry from the private sector."

Jonathan also noted that Nigeria’s population of 160 million people, 70 per cent of which was made up of the youth, made it an attractive investment destination for investors.

He praised Governor Obi for deploying his private sector experience to attract investment to the state.

“I promise SABMiller breweries investors that they would not regret their investment in the country as young people under the age of 35 constitute 70 percent of the country’s population and we are not under any restrictions to what they could eat or consume.”

Governor Obi, in his address promised that the people of the state would support and stand with Jonathan having overwhelmingly voted for him in the 2011 Presidential elections.

The governor said with the level of private sector investments springing up, the state was fast becoming the home of Africa’s greatest entrepreneurs.

Mr Mark Bowman, Managing Director of SABMiller Africa, expressed gratitude to the Anambra and Federal governments

for creating the enabling environment for the brewery to thrive in the country.

“We are grateful for the support and infrastructure you have assisted us with and we promise that the company would deliver on its promises of job creation.”

It will be recalled that SAB-Miller Breweries had invested $100 million (N15 billion) on building a greenfield brewery in Onitsha in 2011.

The brewery is the highest direct investment by any group or company in the history of the South-East geo-political zone.

The factory, which is expected to produce beer and malt for a start, has 12.5 per cent share owned by indigenous entrepreneurs and 10 per cent share owned by Anambra Government.

The brewery is expected to directly employ about 750 youths and indirectly engage 4,500 people, especially through its subsidiary distribution company Interfact Nigeria Ltd. The brewery would be taking advantage of the largest market in West Africa – Onitsha Main Market - as well as 1.5 million residents excluding thousands of visiting traders daily.

Meanwhile, Anambra State Government had announced that it would provide tax cuts and infrastructure to the brewery and other industries within the Onitsha industrial harbour.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 —7

Former Rep asks Obi to resign over brewery ownership zHe's acting a script—Gov's aide

‘Amadi was an entertainment guru'

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

Continues from Page 5

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BUJA—FORMER member of House of Representatives, Mr. Chudi Offodile, has called on Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, to resign from office over alleged conflict of interests on his involvement in the establishment of Intafact Beverages Limited, SABmiller, Onitsha commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday.

This came barely three days after the resignation of the Minister of Power, Prof.

Bath Nnaji over issues bordering on a conflict of interests in the on-going privatisation of the Power Holding of Company of Nigeria, PCHN. Offodile also urged the president not to commission the company, saying that to do so will amount to an endorsement of what he termed “an illegality”, as the company is allegedly jointly owned by the state government, Next International Ltd owned by Mr. Obi and his family and another company-SABmiller Nigeria Holdings.

“It would amount to an endorsement of a sordid affair and may embolden other foreigners who design and put into effect, different and newer corruption techniques with government officials. In the history of corruption in Nigeria, the Onitsha brewery scandal will rank as the most brazen”, he alleged while speaking with journalists in Abuja.

Offodile claimed that the investigations he conducted at the Corporate affairs Commission, CAC, revealed that the Obi family owns Next International Ltd and that although the governor claimed he had resigned as a director of the company, his brother, Mr. Ndihe Obi, is the current Managing Director of the company.

He challenged the governor to make public SABmiller’s total capitalisation and how much Next paid for its equity in the new brewery.

The former lawmaker also alleged that the governor revoked the land belonging to International Steel Company, claiming “overriding public interest” only to reallocate it to the brewery on account of his personal interest in the firm.

Offodile acting a script — Obi’s aide

However, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor

Obi on Media and Publicity, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, faulted Offodile’s argument, wondering why somebody would call on a governor that had not done anything contrary to his oath of office to resign.

He said: “If you have been reading the newspapers, you would notice that in the past two months, Offodile who is not known to have made any intellectual contributions in the newspapers, suddenly started to write regularly on Obi. This shows that some-

body is calling the tune for him somewhere.”

On the issue of Next International investing in SABmiller, Obienyem insisted that Obi resigned his directorship and membership of the Boards of all the companies in which he had interests.

The spokesman added that Mr. Offodile did not tell the public all that he saw at the CAC because according to him, five other companies, including those owned by a Deltan and a Lagosian have shares in the SABmiller.

DECORATION: From left: Assistant Inspector -General of Police, AIG, Zone 2, Mr. Mamman Tsafe; Area Commander, Area ‘B' Police Command, Apapa, Alhaji Ari Ali Mohamed and Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP, Mr. Umar Manko, at the decoration of Mohamed with the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police in Lagos.

From left: Chief Makole Omo-Azugbene, National Treasuer, Nigerian Institute of Management ( Chartered); Dr.Michael Olawale-Cole, President and Chairman of Council, NIM and Mrs Francesca Emmanuel (Life Member, NIM), at the 2012 Fellows' Award and Spouses Day luncheon in Lagos. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

Fire guts LASUTH AIDS prevention clinic

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE AGOS—THE AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria Clinic at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital was gutted by fire yesterday. No life was lost in the fire incident but property valued at millions of naira was lost to the inferno.

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Sources at the hospital said the fire broke out at about 7pm while some doctors were having a meeting inside the building.

The passerby who raised alarm quickly alerted the doctors who mobilised other hospital staff and sympathisers to evacuate patients to safety.

Reacting to the incident, Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Akin Osibogun said the incident was regrettable but thanked God that no life was lost.

He explained that the prompt response of the hospital staff and sympathisers as well as men of the Lagos State Fire Service helped to con-

tain the fire from spreading.

Osibogun who assured that the incident would not in any way affect normal services to patients receiving treatment t the clinic said the institution has in place contingency arraignments and electronic back up of data and records.

him. That was the worst kind of death, it was so sudden, giving nobody any chance to care for him.

“As the Group Entertainment Editor of Vanguard, the best thing anybody, especially those he worked with would do to keep his memory alive, is to keep up the good work. They should maintain the tempo of the job. Strangely, he did all the job he had for Saturday edition before he died. Somebody has to pick up from where he stopped and maintain the tempo because as a show guy, he wouldn’t want the show to die.”

Assistant News Editor, Kenneth Ehigiator said Ogbonna would be remembered for being one of the journalists who electrified Vanguard newsroom and made production effortless.

Delta State government said through Mr. Oma Djeba, former Information Commissioner, that he “was one of the greatest entertainment icons and journalists in Nigeria. We shall miss him.”

Deputy Features editor, Mr. Mike Ebonugwo, too stunned to say anything, wrote in the condolence book. “But for sure, you are a big loss to all of us who knew you and value your worth."

Theo Opara, also a deputy Features editor, wrote: “Senior, when you told me you would have loved to compile all your works, I didn’t know you knew the time was up.

May the almighty God grant you eternal rest.

Foreign Editor, Mr. Hugo Odiogor, in a philos o p h i c a l musing,described Amadi’s death thus: “Life is like a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets upon the stage, it’s heard no more. It is a brief candle that expires in a single breath.”

Victor Gotovbe, Ad-

ministration Manager said, Amadi’s death was a big shock. ”Sometime yesterday, he came to my office and we chatted.

About an hour later, I got a call from one of our colleagues that the doctor called to say that Amadi had asthma attack and at the end of it, he couldn’t make it. I asked him, what do you mean by he couldn’t make it.

"I could remember when I started Weekend Vibes column. He gave me a lot of useful advice.

He was a man full of ideas. Every moment he looked for some ideas to pass across to people, he might not be the one to execute. He was such a simple guy to work with.

To me, he was more than a colleague, he was like an elder brother. I will miss him so much. He had dreams and is always passionate about the young people. With his death some of those dreams are gone."

The Nigeria entertainment industry has lost some one, a rare gem who took entertainment to an enviable height.

Mr. Adeleke Adeseri, South West Editor, exclaimed: “We were very close. We used to greet with latest issues from our beats. You were such a decent man – committed to your work and family. I can remember vividly how you settled rifts in families especially of characters on your entertainment beat. I know we will meet to part no more.

Sleep well Ogbonna And from Labour Correspondent, Mr. Victor Ahiuma-Young, “Like the Bible said, it will come like a thief in the night.

But Amadi’s death came in the bright day light.

Though death is a necessary end, the way Amadi died is too difficult to comprehend."

Canadian varsity donates N15m learning materials to FUPRE

BY EMMAARUBI

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ARRI—ACA DEMIC activities at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources FUPRE, Ugbomro, Delta State was, yesterday, boosted after research and other academic books and journalsworthoverN15mwasreceived from the University of Calgary Library, Canada to the

univarsity.

The donation and shipment of the books was facilitated by the university ASUU branch Chairman, Dr. Duke Okoro of the Chemistry Department.

The books are in the areas of Mechanical, Chemical, Petroluem,ElectricalandGeneral Engineering including Geosciences (Geology and Geophysics) , Mathematics, Physics andComputerScience.

8—Vanguard , FRIDAY, AUG@UST 31, 2012

$15m Ibori money: Keyamo calls for Uba, Achigbu's arrest

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA—LAGOS lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to immediately arrest the duo of Andy Uba and Chibuike Achigbu and interrogate them with a view to tracing the origin of the $15million allegedly offered to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by agents of convicted former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, in 2007.

Keyamo maintained in a statement that in the event that the origin of the money could not be ascertained,

both Uba and Achigbu should be charged with money laundering and/ or conspiracy and bribery.

Erstwhile chairman of the EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu alleged that Ibori had through a proxy, offered the agency $15 million bribe in a bid to compromise investigations into his alleged complicity in acts of corruption.

The matter came to public knowledge when Ibori was charged to court in 2007 by the EFCC for various offences. One of the counts in the charge was in relation to offering that money as bribe to Ribadu.

But in an affidavit in support of his application

for bail, Ibori denied any knowledge of the money.

However, according to the EFCC, after taking custody of the money through the present EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde, who was then the Director of Operations of the Commission, the money was taken to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, where it has remained till date.

Nevertheless, Keyamo queried why the money, which he described as proceed of a crime already an exhibit to be tendered in court, was kept with the CBN, asking if the commission did not have facilities to keep exhibits.

YORUBA ASSEMBLY IN PIX

From left: Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Isaac Jemide, Leader of Itsekiri delegation and Aremo Olusegun Osoba, at the Yoruba Assembly in Ibadan, yesterday. Pix: Dare Fasube.

Cynthia's murder: PSN petitions DPP over members' alleged involvement

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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AGOS—DISTURBED by the alleged involvement of two of its members accused of selling Rohypnol to the suspected killers of Cynthia Osokogu, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, has petitioned the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, to properly review the case to ensure that pharmacists were not persecuted wrongly.

The accused, Chukwunonso Maduakor and Osita Orji, who are staff of Oxpharm, were allegedly arrested on August 20 and 21 respectively after two police

officers posed as patients and asked to buy Rohypnol without prescription. The pharmacists were charged for conspiracy, murder, armed robbery, rape and administering obnoxious substances on Cynthia Osokogu, who was killed in July.

Briefing newsmen in Lagos yesterday, the PSN National President, Mr. Azubike Okwor said the Society had critically appraised all the issues at stake, noting that although the PSN was not trying to interfere with the ongoing police investigation, it was advocating that if the suspects were not found guilty of the crime of rape

and armed robbery, they should be handed over to the Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria, PCN, for proper discipline for selling drugs without prescription.

Okwor further advised the relevant authorities on how best to tackle the matter and ensure that the innocent was not persecuted albeit unjustly.

He said: “If the liability of the two pharmacists was limited to the sales or alleged sale of Rohypnol to clients they do not know and never collaborated in the condemnable crime, then it would be logical to believe there might have been breaches of professional ethics”.

From left; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; his counterpart from Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Adesegun.

From left: Mr Fred Agbeyegbe, Mr Godfrey Etikereutse and Chief Rita-Lori Ogbebor, all Itsekiri delegates to the Assembly.

Patronize capital market, Gov Obi, SEC urge SMEs

BY PETER EGWUATU

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HE Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh and Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State have emphasized the need for the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEs, to patronize the Nigerian capital market and tap abundant benefits to grow their businesses.

The SEC boss declared that SMEs were flourishing in the country, saying “ 700 of them should have access to the capital market to further expand their businesses and create employment for the people".

Speaking during the visit on Governor Obi, she

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stated the need for government to create enabling environment for businesses to strive and commended the Governor for his laudable achievement in providing infrastructure.

"As a man from the private sector you know the challenges entrepreneurs are facing in the country and I would implore you to create more enabling environments. We want to support Anambra State by educating the people on the importance of capital market to economic development.

The entrepreneurs should leverage the capital market via Collective Investment Scheme, CIS. We want people to be cautious of the investment they make by

making useful investment decisions. ” In his response, Governor Obi, said he was happy that the enlightenment programme on capital market activities would be held in Anambra State.

According to him, “We had worked with SEC and NSE whose offices are here in Anambra to do a lot of things for the state. The market men and women need to be educated more about the need to invest in the capital market.

He attributed the crash of the Nigerian capital market to lack of supervision by regulatory authorities, saying “Firms were quoting figures without fundamental".

From left: Mr Kunle Famoriyo, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, and General Alani Akinrinade (rtd.), convener of the Assembly.

Aremo Olusegun Osoba (left) and Dimeji Bankole.

Vanguard , FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—9

BY OLA AJAYI

Briefly

New Lagos Traffic Law now operational

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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KEJA—THE muchawaited gazetting of the new Lagos State Road Traffic Law was completed yesterday, meaning its implementation has commenced 29 days after Governor Babatunde Fashola signed the law.

The gazette, printed by the Lagos State Printing Corporation, Ikeja, is titled; ''a law to provide for road traffic administration and make provisions for road traffic and vehicle inspection in Lagos State and other connected purposes.''

To mark the law’s final emergence, the state Ministry of Rural Development in collaboration with its Transportation counterpart, yesterday, held a special stakeholders’ meeting on the sensitisation of the new road traffic law with the representatives of Community Development Association, CDAs, Community Development Councils, CDCs, traffic officers, supervisory councillors for Agriculture and heads of departments in the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, community leaders, in Ikeja, Lagos.

Adedeji for burial

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A Elijah Adedeji, fa ther of the former Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear-Admiral Amos Gbadejo Adedeji, will be buried in Okaka, Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, tomorrow, to be preceded by a Service of Songs today.

Pa Adedeji was born around 1911 in Okaka.

He was the Baale Origbiyanju of Ifedapo Area of Okaka.

The late Pa E. Adedeji C M Y K

I

B A DA N — S O M E Yoruba in Kogi and Kwara states, yesterday, demanded they should be excised from the two states and join their kith and kin in the South-West.

Represented by Chief Joe Olarogun and Ayo Aberoran, at the Ibadan meeting organised by the

Kogi, Kwara Yoruba want to join kith in S-West Yoruba National Assembly, led by Lt-General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), many other speakers called for the restructuring of the country.

Akinrinade, at the forum

advised Yoruba to put behind them political, ethnical and socio-cultural differences so that the zone could forge ahead.

Those at the meeting included the governors of

From left, Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; his wife, Olukemi; Deputy Governor, Alhaji Alli Olanusi, and Dr. Olu Agunloye at the opening of Gov. Mimiko’s campaign for second term, in Owo, yesterday.

Oyo, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Mr. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Dr. Dejo Raimi, chieftain of the PDP, Prof. Adetoun Ogunsheye, leading traditional and political leaders from the region.

The forum was well-attended by members of the Action Congress of Nigeria and other sons and daughters of the zone.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and other leading traditional rulers from Oyo and Osun states were absent.

Akinrinade said the meeting was conveyed after wide consultations with elders and leaders of

Demolition: Okobaba community sends SOS to Fashola

BY NNAMDI OJIEGO

2 dead as hoodlums clash in Lagos L

BY EVELYN USMAN

L

AGOS—TWO persons were feared dead and several others wounded, yesterday, as hoodlums invaded some streets in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos.

The immediate cause of the invasion could not be ascertained, while some of the residents said it could not be unconnected with the lingering crisis in the area.

But the police said it was a case of robbery, an assertion that corroborated the claim of some residents.

The no fewer than 20 hoodlums, as gathered, stormed the area at midnight and started shooting sporadically. In the process, vehicles were reportedly vandalised.

They reportedly fired from 12 midnight till 2am before policemen from Iponri stormed the scene.

Streets affected included Brickfield, Moshood Abiola Road (formerly Apapa Road), Daudu Lane and Olokodana.

After the police left, the hoodlums reportedly showed up again at 8 a.m, during which one of the residents was shot in the mouth.

Another resident, a woman was reportedly bathed with hot water by the hoodlums.

Shops were also reportedly broken into and goods looted, while unsuspecting commuters were attacked. Those affected, as gathered, included those returning from a viewing centre.

Commenting on the development, spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mrs. Ngozi Braide, said six persons were arrested by the po-

lice, adding that they would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

Meanwhile, police patrol vans, including those of the Rapid Response Squad were sighted patrolling the area, yesterday while an Amoured Personnel Carrier was stationed at Abule-Nla, apparently to nip in the bud likely reprisal attack.

Yorubaland to reflect on how to make Nigeria conducive to the development of Yoruba civilisation.

He said: “It is intended to allow us, as Yoruba sons and daughters all over the federation to rub minds on the way out of the country’s crippling underdevelopment with specific emphasis on the parlous state of affairs in the South-West.

“I believe in the unity of our federation and have spent most of my adult life lending credence to that assertion. Today’s assembly is to allow the Yoruba nation, across social, political and sub-ethnic divides to rub minds about the future of our own corner of Nigeria.”

AGOS—RESIDENTS of the Okobaba area of Lagos State, under the umbrella of Okobaba Residents Association, have appealed to Governor Babatunde Fashola to consider their plights before demolishing their place of abode.

The coordinator of the group, Mr Olayemi Bamise-God, said the residents of Okobaba were not against the proposed demolition of the waterfront by the government, but insisted that the concerned authorities should provide them with alternative shelter before embarking on the exercise.

Bamise-God said: “We are not against the government's planned demolition. All we are saying is let them provide us with another home before demolishing this place.”

He stressed that failure to relocate them to a better place before the demo-

lition will bring untold hardship on the people, including women and children.

According to BamiseGod, the exercise, if not properly handled, would lead to increase in crime rate in the state as many people could take to criminality to survive.

He said: “We have over 20,000 children here.

What will be the fate of these children if they are rendered homeless?”

He noted that crime rate would soar if children and youths are allowed to wander aimlessly and called on the Gov. Fashola to consider the fate of the people before taking actions that will affect them.

He said: “This is what we want to prevent. We don’t want our people to take to crimes. And that is why we are calling on the government to put adequate measures in place that would cushion the effects of the demolition when it is finally carried out.”

10—Vanguard , FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Ogun PDP factions accuse each other of working for ACN

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

From left, Mr Kamakhya Singh, CFO, LAPO Microfinance, Mr Yomi Awobokun,CEO, Oando Marketing Plc and Tokunbo Ishmael, MD, Alitheia Capital, at the signing of On-Lending Agreement between Alitheia Capital, Oando 3kg O-Gas and LAPO Microfinance at Oando head office in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola.

From left, Mr Idowu Afe, MD, Cisog Consult; Mr Tony Liangwei, MD, Huawei Devices, West Africa and Mr Ernest Chijioke, MD, Charier Investment Ltd, at the just-concluded Huawei Dealers' Workshop in Ikeja, Lagos.

BEOKUTA—THE crisis rocking the Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State, took another dimension, yesterday, as factions loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the party ’s financier, Buruji Kashamu, accused each other of hobnobbing with Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Ogun and Lagos states.

Obasanjo’s faction of the PDP in the state, led by Mr. Oladipo Odujinrin, yesterday, at a press conference in Abeokuta on the inauguration of a civic reception organising committee in honour of Obasanjo, who resigned as chairman of the party ’s Board of Trustees, BOT, fired the first salvo when it said the leader of the Bayo Dayo-led faction, Buruji Kashamu, is a cardcarrying member of ACN in Mushin in Lagos State.

Odujinrin said: “That somebody is alleged to carry a card of another political party in another state and is in our own state claiming to be a member of our own party; that shows the kind of person that man is, but it is our own assignment as the party exco to manage all

Ondo people 'll determine guber poll winner — Mimiko

A

KURE—GOVER NOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and two former governorship aspirants of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Dr. Olu Agunloye and Segun Ojo, yesterday, said the October 20 governorship election will be decided by the people of the state.

They spoke at the opening of the campaign rally for the re-election of Gov. Mimiko in Owo. This is coming as five persons were reportedly arrested in Owo with guns, charms, ammunition, masks, cutlasses and

other dangerous weapons late on Wednesday.

The thugs were said to have shot sporadically in the air, damaged the sound systems, podium, inflatable billboards, Labour Party, LP’s flags, erected at the Methodist Primary School, venue of the rally.

Yesterday's ceremony was attended by supporters of LP across the 18 council areas of the state.

Mimiko, who promised not to let the people down if re elected, said “tomorrow will be better than today.”

He said he was pre-

pared for the governorship position unlike a candidate of the opposition who was drafted into the race by a godfather.

Mimiko said: “I am prepared for this job. To become a governor is not a child’s play. You cannot just wake up and say you want to become a governor.

“In the coming election, we say no to any district officer. This state cannot be ''captured'' as they are threatening. The decider of the coming election will be the good people of this state not any other person from anywhere.

Tuition: Ekiti varsity students cry out

A

DO-EKITI—STU DENTS of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, are facing hard times on the campus as most of them could not register for the second semester.

Their problem stemmed

from the decision of the university authorities that all part-time programme students should pay the N1,000 registration fee at the campus branch of the institution’s banker.

This led to a long queue

of students waiting to pay the fee to the only approved teller at the counter, a development which made some of the students, who reside in Ado-Ekiti, to arrive the campus as early as 5 am.

“We are not only going to defeat the opposition parties but they will lose their deposit.

Agunloye, who recently defected to LP and Ojo said the people of the state will resist being remotecontrolled from Lagos State.

shades and manner of people.

“We will continue to manage him and we hope that he will come back home either here or in Lagos. Whichever one he chooses to go, he has to make up his mind where he wants to go.''

Reacting, Buruji denied being a member of ACN as claimed by Obasanjo’s faction, saying that, “ it is a lie and complete bunkum. I am not a member

of ACN, whether in Lagos or elsewhere. This is just the latest lies in their desperate bid to confer legality on illegality. And, I will prove this shortly.''

He, however, said: ''Why is it that while we are at the Election Petitions Tribunal seeking to nullify the exercise, Obasanjo, Dipo Odujinrin, Bode Mustapha and co are hobnobbing with the same ACN in Ogun State?

Akeredolu carpets Mimiko over Owo declaration

A

KURE—THE Akeredolu Campaign Organisation, ACO, through its Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, has described the statement credited to Governor Segun Mimiko and Mr Segun Ojo in Owo that the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, would not win the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State as mere day-dreaming and wishful-thinking.

It said: “The people of Owo cannot be deceived by the pretentious and deceitful Mimiko government who cannot point to a single road project in the state. What’s more that Mimko could not make a single policy statement in the ancient city of Owo the cradle of Yoruba progressive movement.

“The five-kilometre Owo-Akure dualisation could not be completed in three and half years by Mimiko government who stock in trade is to play politics with the welfare of the people. The same Mimiko has abandoned the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic staff in Owo, who died in the struggle.

“Is it Bola Tinubu who was a former Senator, a two-term governor of Lagos State, an astute leader of National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, the National leaders of a party who has won election across the country that they are referring to as a district officer?

“Ojo and Agunloye have never won any election in their political career. Even Mimiko won his first election as governor of Ondo State and was helped by the same Bola Tinubu to retrieve this mandate when it was stolen.

“The Yoruba integration agenda is for the betterment of the good people of the South-West and the Ondo people have decided to join their kith and kin. No amount of deceit can stop them.''

Ojo is a Political Rabble Rouser – Akeredolu

ACO has also described the exit of Ojo, a defector to Labour Party, as a good riddance to a bad rubbish of another irredeemable political rabble rouser, seeking relevance.

NHIS boss counsels on reducing death rate

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO—SOUTHWEST Zonal Coordinator of National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Mr. Taiye Adeleye, has charged stakeholders in the health sector in the country to always be guided by the collective desire to improve the well-being of Nigerians with a view to reducing death rate.

Speaking at a sensitisation workshop

organised for Ifesowapo Ibokun Cooperatives Society on Community Based-health Insurance in Osun State, the coordinator noted that this would increase the abysmally low life expectancy of an average Nigerian.

Adeleye said, the health insurance scheme, if properly implemented, will provide answers to most of health problems in the country, adding that relatively few people will need healthcare at any particular time.

He said: “It is by pooling the risk of large health care expenditures over many people that health insurance can make the necessary health care affordable to all participating contributors.”

He stressed that the main reasons for the workshop was to educate members of the cooperative union on the sure way of easy access to quality healthcare financing in the country.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—11

Respect your President, Azaiki tells Nigerians

BY GBENGA OKE

F

ORMER Secretary to Bayelsa State government, Professor Steve Azaiki (OON), has urged Nigerians to always respect the sacred office of the President.

Azaiki, in a release in Port Harcourt, yesterday, frowned on reports in the media which bring disrepute and public odium to the office of the President.

Azaiki, who is also the National Coordinator of

the National Think-Tank, said recent insinuations and vituperations of some notable Nigerians against Mr President had gone beyond mere politicking.

He said: “In my opinion, politics should be played with decency and candour, it should not be seen as an opportunity to spread falsehood and diverse fabrications against a highly placed institution like the Presidency and the occupant of that position.”

Edo lawyer alleges threat to life MEETING: Chairman, Senate Joint Committee Investigating Fuel Subsidy Administration, Sen. Magnus Abe (right); Sen. Odion Ugbesia (middle) and Sen. Ahmed Maccido, Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, during a meeting in Abuja.

Oshiomhole slams Airhiavbere over allegations on education

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—GOVER NOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, described as laughable and an attempt to rubbish his person, allegation by the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the July 14 governorship election in the state, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, that he lacked the educational qualifications to be governor.

Oshiomhole, who expressed optimism that he would be vindicated by the Tribunal, said his records at Ruskin College, Oxford, would vindicate him.

Airhiavbere had, in his petition, alleged that the primary school Oshiomhole claimed to have attended was not in existence at the time he claimed to have been in the school, adding that the governor did not complete his education at the secondary modern

school he claimed to have attended.

However, when confronted with the allegations by newsmen in Benin, Oshiomhole, asserted: “I said the allegations are funny because his military and political careers are founded on falsehood.

Ironically, the man who is saying that I did not go to school, does not know the difference between UN and the World Bank. He does not even know the difference between European Union and IMF.

“While he celebrated his being in the NIPSS in 2008, I went to NIPSS in 1987. Assuming it is in his power to destroy my educational qualification, my academic records in Nigeria and Ruskin College, Oxford are there.

“His claims are sad because he does not even know the difference between children and youths. He said he was going to create jobs for children rather than youths. Again, he does not know the difference between arms of govern-

Contract oil workers poised for showdown with Shell, Chevron

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— SIGNS that contract staff in Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, would soon

clash with management of the oil giants over issues relating to conditions of service and threat of termination of appointments have started playing up.

Already, Producers Forum, an arm of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and

Delta Varsity ASUU flays Fakae's appointment as RSUST Ag V-C

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—DELTA State University, Abraka chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday frowned on the alleged imposition of Prof. Barineme Beke Fakae as Acting Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology,

ment and tiers of government. This ignorance he exhibited was viewed worldwide during the governorship debate.

“This is a person who helped himself to military over-head budgets meant for military hospitals and health centres for which he was detained for three months.

He ought to have faced serious persecution but because he wanted to drag innocent people into it, he was retired in the manner he was retired. We have the records."

RSUST, by Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Briefing newsmen at Abraka campus of the university, the branch chairman, Dr Emmanuel Mordi, said the university and other universities across the country were on a one day solidarity strike with their colleagues in RSUST who are on strike to enthrone sanity and de-

throne arbitrariness and impunity in the university.

He said the one day solidarity strike, as directed by the national secretariat of ASUU, is to draw attention to and protest the arbitrariness and acts of impunity demonstrated by the visitor to the university, Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has warned against mass sack of the contract workers in the firms.

The group in a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, said they were aware of moves to lay off over 3,000 contract staff in the firms and replace them with a new set of service contract workforce.

The statement signed by the group’s National Chairman, Comrade Amoshuka Daniel, and Secretary, Prince Akpan, said: “We want to caution Shell and Chevron to tow the path of peace.

We will spare no words in stating that the Forum will do all within its powers to ensure that this unjust treatment of man by man will not see the light of the day.”

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA

B

ENIN—A Beninbased legal practitioner, Mr. Tom Oaikhinan, yesterday petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, appealing for police protection over an alleged threat to his life and family by a popular Benin traditional chief (names withheld).

Oaikhainan, in the petition, told the Inspector General of Police that the chief began threatening his life after he gave evidence in a court case on

August 23, 2012, based on what actually transpired.

He said the threat to his life started as he was leaving the court premises when an aide to the chief verbally threatened to deal with him.

Oaikhainan further disclosed that his phone became inundated with threat calls from unknown numbers for up to six hours from 6 pm till midnight on the same date.

On how he was able to identify the callers, Mr. Oaikhinan said he could discern the voice of the chief very clearly on all the calls.

Rivers Assembly wades into Agip spill crisis

BY EGUFEYAFUGBORHI

P

ORT HARCOURT— Rivers State House of Assembly’s Committee on Environment has met with Agip Oil Company for an assessment of recent oil spills involving facilities of the firm which allegedly impacted three communities in the state.

Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Victoria Nnyechie, while disclosing this yesterday,

said findings from their visits to the spill site indicated that the company had made progress in containing the spill.

She said efforts adopted by the company included clean up of affected areas and gathering recoverable volume of the contaminant, adding that the next step in their task would be to meet with the affected communities for both parties to resolve issues generated by the impact of the spills.

Gbagi passes on @ 73

E

LDER Best Gbagi of Oginibo, in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State is dead, aged 73.

A statement by Chief Faith Gbagi for the family, said the late Best Gbagi, who died in Lagos August 5, was the head of the Gbagi dynasty of Oginibo.

Service of songs holds on Saturday September 1, at his residence, opposite Ojo Miliary Cantonment, Lagos, followed by interment at his Oginibo residence on September

7.

He is survived by many children and grand children including Mr. Charles Gbagi of Chevron Nigeria Limited.

Late Elder Best Gbagi

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Contribute your quota to Nigeria’s economy, Abe tasks North

S

ENATOR Magnus Abe, representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has challenged the North to contribute its own quota to the development of the Nigerian economy.

In a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), noted that the country could not afford to rely on crude oil alone, stressing that the nation must look beyond oil revenue in the development of Nigeria’s economy.

INVESTITURE: From left: Alhaji Lateef Jakande, former governor of Lagos State; Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State and Dr. Michael Olawale Cole, president, Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), during the presentation of certificate of investiture as Fellow Nigeria Institute of Management to Governor Akpabio, in Lagos, yesterday.

Fuel shortage cripples NNPC mega stations in Edo

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—THE Nige rian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, may be forced to shut down its mega stations in Edo State due to shortage of petroleum products from the Warri Refinery said to be undergoing routine maintenance.

Sources close to one of the mega stations in Benin told newsmen, on condition of anonymity, that though the mega stations had been receiving petroleum products such as Premier Motor Spirit, PMS, or petrol from the Port Harcourt Refinery, it had been difficult selling the product.

The sources noted that the PPMC depot in Benin City which houses the laboratory where the petroleum products must

be tested for quality authentication before being sold to the public, had been shut for over three weeks over a N35 million tax default to Edo State Board of Internal Revenue, adding that since then, it had not been possible to subject petroleum products to such test.

Vanguard learnt that following this development, the mega stations

are now selling only two truckloads of petrol on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, Mr. Victor Okube, the Director of Tax Intelligence and Enforcement of the Board, told newsmen that the Board acted on a court order to seal off the depot, saying it would remain closed until it offset its tax debt.

He added that besides a

56 ASUU chapters on one-day solidarity strike with Rivers Varsity the University of Lagos,

BY OLA AJAYI, IKENNA ASOMBA & MOSES IKEBELI

N

O fewer than 56 chapters of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, embarked on a one-day solidarity strike with their Rivers State University of Science and Tech-

nology, RSUST, colleagues yesterday over alleged refusal of Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State to follow due process in the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the institution.

At the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, and

Soldiers stop Delta govt’s multi-billion munity Town Hall to dianaira market project logue with the elders.

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ARRI—SOL DIERS allegedly acting on the orders of a senior Army officer, have stopped work at Delta State Government- sponsored multi-billion naira Ogheye Ultra Modern Floating Market in Warri North Local Government Area.

Attempt by top officials of the state government, including Special Project Director assigned to oversee the realisation of the over N3 billion project, Rt. Hon. J. F. K. Omatsone to

month notice earlier served on the depot and affected establishments, two months’ period of grace was further given to them before the Board embarked on the exercise of locking them up.

He said: “If you add the two months to the one month notice, it comes to about 90 days, yet there was no response from them."

inspect the progress of work on the site Thursday, was stopped, as an army personnel dressed in camouflage prevented the team from accessing the site without any explanation.

Omatsone, a one-time Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, and Mr. Aghagba Solomon, a representative of the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Special Infrastructures, and Mrs. Orezi Esievo had to divert the visiting team to the Com-

Aghagba, who is a Director of Special Infrastructure, expressed displeasure at the interruption of work at the project site and commended the contractor for fully mobilising to site.

Head (Olare-Aja) of Dimigun Community, Ogheye, Pa. Dennis Olubami, demanded the removal of army personnel from the community, alleging that they kill their people and frustrate business as well as social activities in the area.

UNILAG, Akoka, the strike was in force as few students and lecturers were seen on the campuses.

In a statement yesterday, the Chairman, ASUU-LASU, Dr. Jamiu Oluwatoki, said though LASU is on its second semester examination, papers for the day were cancelled, following the decision of Governor Chibuike Amaechi to reappoint Prof. Barineme Fakae as Acting Vice Chancellor of RSUST, without following due process of choosing a substantive Vice Chancelloor.

He said: “This act of the Visitor to the university, Governor Amaechi, choosing the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Prof. Fakae, as the acting VC, contravenes the rule establishing universities stipulating that the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) should act as Vice Chancellor while the process is on to choose a substantive VC.”

In apparent reaction to a statement credited to Sen. Abba Ibrahim, that the country’s wealth had been cornered by oil producing states, he said: “Why is it that every time Nigerians gather, all we talk about is how money is being spent? How come in this country we never gather to talk about how money is being made?

“If you give the whole money in the Niger Delta to the North, it won’t solve their problems. The challenge of Nigeria is that the country is not productive enough."

Ibori mourns Igbrude

F

ORMER Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori, has described the death of the former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Daniel Igbrude, as a grave loss to Delta State and the country. Ibori said he was opportuned to be the chief executive of the state when Igbrude headed the legislative arm of government.

That, he said, afforded him the opportunity to observe Igbrude from close quarters and saw in him a man that was totally committed to the

welfare and betterment of the state, a man that was selfless, largehearted and always striving for whatever would enhance the quality of life of all Deltans and, indeed, every Nigerian.

Ibori said though it was tragic that Igbrude was only 52 years old when he died and so could have been able to give more years of fruitful service to his state and country, the invaluable service he rendered in the short time God allowed him on earth would be a source of comfort to his state and country.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 —13

C M Y K

14—Vanguard , FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Petroleum: Foreign workers to undergo biometrics capture

BY KUNLEKALEJAYE, VICTOR IGIRI AND ADA ONWUNALI

L

COMMISSIONING: Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, President Goodluck Jonathan,Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, Mrs MargrethObi,Sentor Idris Umar, Minister of Transport and Senator Zaniab Kure, at the official commissioning of Onitsha River Port Complex in Anambra, yesterday.

Photo: Nath Onojake.

Anambra joins oil producing states

BY ENYIM ENYIM, GODWIN ORITSE AND VINCENT UJUMADU

O

N I T S H A — A N A M B R A State, yesterday, joined other oil producing states following the official commissioning of the Orient Petroleum Refinery, OPR, built by the Anambra State Government.

The refinery initiated by the Chinwoke Mbadinuju administration which also constituted its Board of Directors led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, is located in Aguleri-Otu, Anambra East Council area of the State.

Oil was first struck in the location about 45 years ago by the multinational company, SAFRAP, now Total Plc. OPR which will soon start full scale refining at the commissioning of the refinery section in a few months time is a 55,000 bpd.

Lauds Anambra govt

The President commended the Anambra State Government for initiating the project and seeing it to completion in spite of the numerous hiccups encountered at inception.

The President thereafter left for Onitsha, Anambra’s commercial centre where his private jet marked NAF541 touched the lawn of the Federal Inland Water Ways, in the city.

While commissioning the Onitsha River Port, President Jonathan said the N4.6 billion River Port was unique and a signal for more things to come; stressing that his administration decided to embark on the development of the country’s inland waterways transport as a way of exploiting all avenues of enhancing both road, rail, air and water transportation in the country.

Jonathan said: “The

river or marine transport must be enhanced and to do it, we need inland port like the one in Onitsha. Our target is to link all the ports by roads and rail so that doing business in Nigeria becomes easy. The river ports must be linked up to other areas of resource. Today, the process is being started and others on the drawing board must be completed.”

He expressed hope that well developed inland water transportation system would lessen the burden on our highways which often wear away because of the large cargo plying the roads.

The President used the occasion to assure Nigerians that he would deliver on his electoral promises and urged Nigerians to exercise patience and keep faith.

He commended Inter Bau, the local contractor

that executed the project.

Earlier, Transport Minister, Senator Idris Umar, said that the Onitsha River Port complex started in 2009, is another milestone in the quest to re-position the inland waterways.

A

W KA — F O R M E R Anambra State governor, Senator Chris Ngige and former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Charles Soludo have expressed delight in the take off of crude oil production facility in Anambra State, describing it as a blessing to the people.

In separate interviews at Aguleri Otu in Anambra East Local Government Area, they said every Anambra indigene would remember the day as it

would ultimately translate to enhanced revenue for the state.

Ngigesaid:“Thisisamilestone intheannalsofourdearAnambra State because at last, our state has officially been confirmed as an oil producing state. While I was here as governor, my administrationinvitedinvestorsfromfar and wide when we made public the shares of Orient Petroleum anditwaschairedbyChiefEmeka Anyaoku at Tourist Garden Hotel Awka. On that day we made a draft of N100 million and promised to make available substantial amount of money when all

the paper works had been concluded.

Similarly,theformerCBNgovernor said that with Orient Pe-

Vincentian youth empowerment retreat begins today

V

INCENTIAN Re treat Centre, in Ojodu, Lagos, will commence its second annual Youth Empowerment Retreat with the theme: Nigerian Youths at the Crossroads: The Reality of Manna from Heaven, today at 4pm.

Saturday programme will beginat10amandrunallthrough the day until 4am on Sunday, September2,concludingwiththe celebration of the holy mass.

There will be animated workshop by the Deles group as well as interactive sessions to be coanchored by the priests in the centre and Mrs Margaret Ibru.

Deputy Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka (2nd right), and prize winners, Okechi Ukaegbu (left); Solomon Idialu ( 2nd left) and Paul James, at the induction/award ceremony for graduands from the UBA Academy Banking School in Lagos.

...as Ngige, Soludo hail Anambra's oil status

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

AGOS—THE Federal Government yesterday said it had concluded plans to subject foreign oil workers, popularly called expatriates to biometric capture to streamline the entry of such staff into Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

It explained that the move became necessary in view of the continuous flouting of expatriate quota by oil and gas companies operating in the sector; a development has witnessed the takeover of industry jobs that have enough Nigerian capacity by foreigners.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, made this known at the annual conference of the National As-

sociation of Energy Correspondent, NAEC in Lagos.

He said, “We are going to capture all foreign companies that want to do business in the country’s petroleum sector; we will then issue them the Nigerian Content permit so that they can fully participate in the sector. They must get clearance to work in the industry.”

He noted that the process will boost and stimulate capacity building in the sector, as governmentwasincreasinglyconcerned that Nigerians with requisite capacities were losing jobs to their foreign counterparts.

Nwapa noted that in the past, oil companies had found ways to circumvent the quota system by getting unchecked approvals through the Ministry of Interior stressing that with the biometric capture, government would be able to know how many of such expatriates were in the industry and in which sector.

troleum, the state was going through transformation in the area of economic and social development.

Vanguard , FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—15

Protesting lawyers disrupt NBA conference

BY INNOCENT ANABA

A

BUJA—PROTEST ING lawyers, yesterday, shut the main entrance to the Abuja International Conference Centre, venue of the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, annual general conference. The

protest lasted for over two hours.

The lawyers, protesting 500 percent hike in conference fees since the event began on Sunday, blocked the entrance of the conference venue manned by fierce-looking security personnel.

Lawyers, who did not

register and who had no conference tags, were prevented from gaining access into the venue.

The protesting lawyers argued that entrance into annual conference venue was upon payment of practicing fee as provided in Section 6, Sub-section 7 of the NBA Constitution

and not upon payment of conference registration fee as erroneously held by the out-going national executive.

The lawyers insisted they had a right to attend the Annual General Meeting, where the outgoing administration, led by Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, will

ICPC raises alarm over members' transfer

by FCTA

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

A

BUJA—INDEPENDENT Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, has raised alarm over alleged and unwarranted transfer of Anti-Corruption Transparency Unit, ACTU, members by the Federal Capital Territory, Administration, FCTA. Consequently, the commission cautioned FCTA to desist from undue transfer of ACTU members charged with

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the responsibility of ensuring a corrupt-free administration.

ICPC Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, who raised the alarm in Abuja, yesterday, while inaugurating the FCTA’s AntiCorruption Transparency Unit, ACTU, committee, admonished its members to carry out their jobs diligently without witch-hunting anybody.

He said: “Members of this committee cannot, and shall not be changed at will except on issues of career progression.”

He explained that

ICPC had had such experience in other agencies when the activities of ACTU members were perceived as threats and sent on transfer or training outside their core areas.

Nta spoke through his representative, Head of Anti-Corruption Transparency Unit in the ICPC, Kuatsa Justine.

He also said that ICPC will reactivate its corruption index reviews of ministries and agencies, with a view to curtailing corrupt activities in the various institutions of government.

Presenting the terms of

reference to the committee, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Anthony Ozodinobi, said the committee inauguration marked the administration’s fight against corruption.

He noted that the position of FCTA in the country imposes moral obligation on it to lead in transparency in the art of governance.

The five-man committee is to, among others, evolve measures to check corruption in the FCT; liaise with other anti-corruption agencies to checkmate corrupt practices in the FCTA and its institutions.

render account of its twoyear stewardship.

Among those locked out during the protest were NBA Third VicePresident, Dr. Ogugua Ikpeze; General Secretary, Mr. Muyiwa Akinboro, and Chairman of Council, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu.

The lawyers barricaded the gate, preventing registered lawyers, being conveyed in buses, from going in. They also prevented those inside the hall from coming out, as they engaged security agents in hot arguments, shoving and pushing.

One of the protesting lawyers said: “A lot of things are going wrong in NBA and if we keep quiet, things will go bad totally.”

Outgoing President of the association, Daudu, admitted that the AGM was “an open meeting for all lawyers and all lawyers are welcome.

“The fee-paying part of the Annual General Conference ended with the annual bar dinner on Wednesday night.”

‘Opposition parties' alliance 'll fail'

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—FORMER National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Barnabas Gemade, said, yesterday, that merger plans by Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC; All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, and other opposition parties, to unseat PDP in 2015 will fail.

Senator Gemade, PDP, Benue North-East, told newsmen in Abuja that opposition parties had ganged up against the ruling PDP, in the past, but that at the end of the day all their machinations were fruitless.

He added that the present plans will not be different.

Meanwhile, he has identified selfishness on the part of those who won election on the platform of the PDP as the major problem militating against the party.

16—Vanguard , FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Witnesses to relocate hqtrs

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

J

INSPECTION: Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State (right); Mr. Idris Mahdi, Commissioner for Water Resources (middle), and other officials at the tour of facilities under Gombe Water Resources Ministry.

Telecom giant assures on airplane promo

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ELECOM services gi ant, MTN, has crashed its call rates even as it assures on its Ultimate Wonder promo star prize of an airplane.

Mr. Kola Oyeyemi, MTN’s General Manager, Consumer Marketing, gave this assurance, yesterday, at the launch of the new rates and draws for the first winners in the promo tagged Mother-of-All, in Lagos.

Oyeyemi said: “As market leader, MTN is committed to enriching the lives of its teeming subscribers through innovative and exciting value propositions.

“This new exciting offering gives every subscriber an opportunity to connect to their loved ones in so many ways by encouraging Nigerians to live, laugh and love more.

“For some people it is so hard to believe that we are giving out an aeroplane, which for me is understandable because no other brand has done that in our history. That is the call of a leader.

“Remember the promo

where we shelled out N1 billion naira to 100 lucky winners. It looked very impossible to many until we made it happen.

“The automania game is ongoing; so far we have given out over 86 Hyundai ix35 SUVs to lucky winners in the 100 SUVs 100-day nationwide automania game.”

Oyeyemi said a lucky subscriber must win a brand new 2010 Cessna 182T aircraft.

CNPP accuses PDP of muzzling democracy

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—CONFERENCE of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has accused Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of muzzling democracy in the country.

Benue State Chairman of CNPP, Mr. Baba Agan, spoke yesterday, while

fielding questions from newsmen in Makurdi.

He said the action of the leadership of the party in Benue State was against the tenets of democracy, which according to him, “is unacceptable and condemnable at a time all hands should be on deck to deepen democracy in

PDP has done well, says Aliyu

A

S Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, celebrates 14 years of existence as a political party today, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has said the party is leading Nigeria in the right direction.

Governor Aliyu said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, that the country has fared well under the party in spite of criticisms and hurtful remarks from civil society and opposition parties.

EHOVAH’s Witnesses said they want to relocate their world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, to upstate New York.

In a statement online, the organisation said it had purchased a 102-hectare property located about 80 kilometers north-west of the existing facilities, where they have been since 1909.

The statement said: “It is expensive to operate and maintain the facilities in Brooklyn. By relocating to a compact facility, the Witnesses can make better use

He noted that since PDP came into power against the background of a turbulent period of military rule, which reached its heights in1998, the party has made significant progress in returning the country to the path of sustainable development and steady economic growth.

The statement said members of PDP and indeed Nigerians have cause to celebrate, emphasising that under PDP, the nation has for the first time wit-

nessed 13 years of an uninterrupted journey to the proverbial Promised Land.

It said: “Although we are not there yet, the journey is no longer as far as it used to be.”

Governor Aliyu thanked the founding fathers of the party and all the party supporters across the country for their continued belief in PDP and its leadership, urging them to continue to keep faith with the party.

our country.”

Meanwhile, a staff at the state secretariat of PDP, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said that they were under instruction not to sell the party ’s chairmanship forms to aspirants who were loyalists of a serving minister from a particular local government area.

The source said: “We have been told that we should not sell the forms to some persons from a particular local government area, whom we understand are not supporting the state chairman of the party.”

Reacting to the development, one of the victims of the directive and former Director of Mobilisation at the Senator David Mark’s 2011 Senatorial Campaign Organisation, Mrs. Theresa Ikwue, said it was a ploy to shut the

door against credible aspirants from the area.

Mrs. Ikwue said: “I also sent a delegation of my supporters to pick the form for me at the secretariat in Makurdi, but they were turned back on the grounds that the party chairman must clear me before I can get the forms.”

Efforts to get the reaction of PDP state chairman on the issue failed as he refused to pick phone calls.

CORRIGENDUM

P

AGE 16 of our Tuesday, August 28 edition carried a story headlined “Flood kills 15 in Jigawa as Cameroon releases water.”

The headline should have read “Flood kills 15 in Adamawa as Cameroon releases water,” as reflected in the body of the story.

The error is regretted.

Editor.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

of funds to support their work of Bible education.

“An environmental review process is required before final permits can be granted. If all goes well, construction will begin in 2013 and will be completed in four years.

“Some 800 Witnesses will live and work at the new facility, which will include an office building, a services building, and four residence buildings.

“A modest museum documenting the modern-day history of Jehovah’s Witnesses is also planned.”

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

Do you support FG on N5,000 note?

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KONJO-Iweala must have considered it very well before supporting the move for N5,000 note. It might be good for the our monetary system. Anyway, I am not going to comment on something that I don’t know much about.— Mr. Deji Sasegbon (SAN), Lawyer.

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HE introduction of N5,000 note by CBN will not reduce the use of cash, rather it will increase the incidence of money loss to armed robbers, theft and fraud. Although it is good to try something new, but certainly not in this case.— Ms. Amamchinefe Okoji, Student.

I

T is clear that the devaluation of the Naira is implicit in the exercise of introducing N5,000 note since it will bring about inflation, particularly when N5, N10 and N20 notes are converted to coins, which will now go into abandonment.— Chief Morah Ekwunoh, Lawyer.

I

do not know if the new N5,000 note will solve Nigeria’s economic problems. We have issues with security, road, light, water, education and so on. Let’s hope they have done proper home work this time. Otherwise, same of same.— Ms. Chinenye Anyambuba, Applicant.

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VEN if there is go ing to be N5,000 note, it shouldn't be at this period of various probes on bribes, embezzlement and looting in the National Assembly, banking sector, and the biggest of them all— fuel subsidy scam.— Mr. John Uwabunkeonye, Accountant.

I

F approved by the Senate, N5,000 cur rency will not be valued among the people. It will rather make life more expensive and cripple the philosophy or thought behind ‘cashless society.’

After all, the cashless society scheme is still young.— Ms. Gladys Abiodun, Student.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 17

Sweet & SOUR

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HILE he was addressing a Nigerian Bar Association conference in Abuja earlier on this week, President Jonathan claimed to be the most criticised President in the whole world and I think it is fair to say that this is a huge exaggeration!

Jonathan has lost tonnes of goodwill, alienated many former fans and acquired countless detractors since he won last year’s election because a lot of Nigerians (this columnist included) feel

Donu Kogbara

Bashar Al-Assad of Syria, for example.

OK, so it’s not a major compliment to be favourably compared to a butcher who allows innocent children to be shot by government troops, day in day out. But while I am whingeing about Jonathan’s performance, I am also thanking God for substantial mercies such as the fact that he is not a cold-blooded killer AND praying that he eventually proves increasingly President Jonathan, Gov Okorocha, Senator Ndoma-Egba and Adoke at the NBA annual general meeting disillusioned complainants wrong.

In addition to describing himself as a victim of unfair criticisms, Jonathan asthat he hasn’t tried hard enough appointment on various levels sured his Bar Association audito solve pressing problems and but he’s a saint compared to some ence that “Before I leave, I will lead us out of the quagmire in of his foreign counterparts and be the most praised President”. which our nation is floundering. he is much less criticised than And I was pleasantly sur-

Go for it, Mr P! But let’s put things into perspective: Jonathan may be a dis-

Readers letters

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HE following emails are responses to the article I wrote about our failure to win any Olympic medals…and my view that the Sports Minister is a smart man who can enable us to do better in future, if he gets sufficient support.

From: BEN UDECHUKWU <ben3cl@yahoo.com> DK, It feels good to know that the Sports Minister who supervised our worst Olympic outing in at least 20 years is “highly articulate”. He comes across as a positive, practical gentleman who possesses a dynamic Can-Do mindset. He has good ideas. He appears to be sincerely committed to change and excellence”. I equally join you in saluting his courage. Unfortunately, I knew that could well be a well rehearsed valedictory speech given that any sports follower would have known that Nigeria did not have any plans of winning medals.

His analogies of how Great Britain picked up from their failure of 1996 at Atlanta do not just follow. He failed to tell us that the difference between Great Britain and Nigeria is attitude. Nigeria was also at Atlanta Olympics and has never done any better since 1996. The reason we perform so dismally in sports is tied to our culture of poor planning and distorted implementation. By the time the world converge for the next Olympics in 2016, Nigeria would have had at least four other Sports Ministers after Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi. As uncomplimentary as this sounds, that is the style we operate, disjointed and hardly coordinated succession plans.

Olympic is a broad based event. It is not like football you bring people together just two weeks before a match. It supports long - term programmes and makes sense when athletes are offered lavish incentives and good facilities. We do not have that culture yet. We lack the foundation and prerequisite home conditions necessary for being Olympic champions.

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prised. This stirring statement did not impress those who are convinced that Jonathan lacks capacity; and I wasn’t happy about his refusal to accept at least some of the blame for our current woes. He definitely needs to admit that the buck stops on his desk…and that he and his cronies have made numerous mistakes.

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ut I’m glad that he felt con fident enough to make such a bold promise; and I’d like to believe that he has what it takes to cast off the twin shadows of mediocrity and failure…and transform himself into a stunning success story. Fingers crossed that he rolls up his sleeves, works with the right people and earns himself several glowing chapters in several history books. Sorry if this sounds sectional. But I will be SO thrilled if the first-ever Niger Deltan President of Nigeria turns out to be the best-ever President of Nigeria.

Unless there is a more proactive and sincere decision to evolve long - term plan arrangements, we would not go beyond the history of London Olympics.

All sharply – focused countries start planning for the next Olympics just as soon as the other ends. Those who would win medals in the next Olympics started practicing yesterday.

F r o m : “akinola@icglobalsystem.com” <akinola@icglobalsystem.com> I share your anxiety and frustration about Nigeria’s inability to win even one bronze. But this failure mirrors the sorry state of our country today: that sense of shared responsibility and civic obligations to the state and its institutions are grossly lacking in our clime.Olympic Games is not spontaneous,it was announced four years ago with all events date and venue.So there is no excuse for abysmal performance,but since corruption and short cuts are cultural phenomenon in Nigeria,the Sports Minister and his planning committee will never own up to their responsibilities and resign.This arrogant attitude is the tragedy of our nation!

Some lumpen can even blame President Jonathan,and say he should resign...tell me, where is the fault of the President here?

Where?

Sorry, if i’m sounding like a clown,the Sports Minister should have salvaged his image by manufacturing some “plywood medals”. After all, we are master in the game of scamming and faking! hahahahahahhahahhahahahhahaa...lol!

Have a great day!

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 (texts only). PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED IN VANGUARD, WITH YOUR NAMES AND NUMBERS OR EMAIL ADDRESSES ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 HE transition to immortality of great persons like Apple co-pioneer, Steve Jobs and American ace astronaut, Neil Armstrong, conjure both emotions and special historical moments.

At the height of the struggle for supremacy between the United States of America and the defunct Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the Soviet Union was able to beat America to the space race by putting its Luna 2 unmanned spacecraft on the moon on September 13, 1959. The rivalry opened a new, thrilling chapter. The President of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, went to a joint session of Congress on May 25,1961 and solemnly avowed the commitment of the USA to blunt the Soviet achievement by “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely” by the end of the decade.

Tr ue to this pledge, but long after Kennedy was assassinated, Neil Armstrong led the historic first landing on the moon aboard the Apollo 11 mission. When he took the first floating step on the charismatic satellite of the Earth, he said: “That’s one small step for (a) man and a giant leap for

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Adieu, astronaut Neil Armstrong

mankind,” a statement which Reuters describes as “one of the best known quotes in the English language.”

He thusly planted the American flag on the moon, and buoyed that nation into the conviction that American can do anything.

That is exactly the spirit that is now driving a campaign to have him given a state burial, an honour reserved mainly for former presidents, but which was last bestowed on World War II and Korean War hero, General Douglas MacArthur in 1964.

Beyond being the famous astronaut, Armstrong was an accomplished airman, who helped test-fly many new forms of military, leisure and commercial aircraft, thus also helping give aviation unlimited horizon.

Through his efforts, scientists are now ex-

ploring the possibility not only that life may exist somewhere else in the universe but inter-galactic exchange of visits is a possibility in the deep future.

The astronaut died from complications of a heart by-pass surgery, on August 7, 2012, just two days after his 82nd birthday.

For us here in Nigeria, the lesson from Armstrong’s life is obvious. We must take the renowned Nigerian spirit of enterprise to greater heights. Nigeria has produced a good number of achievers in war and peace times, such as Professor Philip Emeagwali, the Father of the Internet; Barth Nnaji, Professor of Robotics; Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate and Professor Chinua Achebe, the greatest novelist from Africa and many others. But our warped system did not enable them to stay here and thrive, and hence their sojourn abroad.

We must emulate the Americans and create a system where an enabling environment meets with local ingenuity. That way, we can set ambitious goals as President Kennedy did, and meet them. Adieu, Neil Armstrong!

OPINION

BY POLYCARP ONWUBIKO

I

T is very sad indeed that many Southerners are wallowing in inexcusable ignorance with respect to the manipulative leadership in Nigeria. I could not understand why the people, especially the elite who ought to know and enlighten their people, could not discern the consistent overt and covert agenda of the Northern Moslems who have never hidden their resolve to be controlling the corporate affairs of this obviously accursed country directly and indirectly.

If majority of the Southerners are not bemused and bewitched as it were, there would have been no need to subject the issue of state-run police to debate since well meaning Nigerian are fed up with the pseudo federalism (veiled unitary system of government) being practiced and want to go back to True Federalism. In a federal system government all over the world, the constituent units or polities established no society is static and Nigeria cannot be different. Since it has become crystal clear that the muddle and systemic dysfunction in the administration and leadership of the country since its flag independence in 1960 has run its full course, the restructuring of the country has become not only inevitable but imminent. The restructuring is simply to go back to True Federalism as it was before the civil war (1960-1966). The former regional governments had their police but were arbitrarily abolished by the NPC-controlled Federal Government due to the flagrant abuse by the regional governments.

The Federal System of government which the British colonial masters guided the nationalists to put in place due to the striking features which made the system applicable to other countries was truncated by the Yakubu Gowonled military regime in 1967. Since it is impossible to violate empirical findings and principles that undergird a C M Y K

State-run police and scare mongering system and expect the original outcomes, the country ceased to register socio-economic and political growth and development in real terms in spite of over $300 billion earned in oil revenues. Poverty has registered exponential increase as Nigeria ranks as one of the poorest nations of the world with about 70 per cent of its citizens living below the poverty line of $1 per day.

Today, Nigeria is rated among the under-developed third world countries and on the path of a failed state going the total collapse of security apparatus and infrastructure. In many states in the North, lives and government facilities and security agents are being destroyed; people are subjected to privations as a result of the Federal Government’s obvious failure to discharge the fundamental duty and responsibility of providing security from the rampaging and unrelenting onslaught of Boko Haram bloodhounds, kidnappers for ransom, armed robbers, motor park touts, pipe-line vandals and sundry criminality which evade justice.

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eliberate distortion of the principles of Federalism led to impunity in governance at all the three tiers and branches of government. Corruption has become pervasive and uncontrollable in government and the organised private sector. In spite of public protestation based on factual instances, the immunity clause to protect the president and governors from criminal prosecution which emboldened them to be making ducks and drakes with public money and getting away with it at the expiration of their tenure in office has not been considered overdue to be abolished in the Constitution.

The military regimes which were headed by the Northern Moslems (apart from General Yakubu Gowon who is a surrogate to the phalanx) deliberately and brazenly distorted the principles of federalism to centralize every key aspect of government to enable the Northern Moslems to directly and indirectly control the corporate affairs of the country perpetually, hence the insulting slogan “Born to Rule”. Thus what is being practised in Nigeria is totally at variance with the principles that undergirded federal system of government as practised in countries like India, United States, Australia, Switzerland and Pakistan.

In these countries, there are federal police organisations as well as regional, state or provincial police organisations.

Even in Britan and Wales there are about 41 police authorities. These countries have not disintegrated because of multiple law enforcement organisations since they are very conscious of the fact that the primary objective of government is security of lives and property.

The secret behind the shenanigans of the Northern Moslems in its stout resistance to decentralize the police force and restructure the country to berth federalism (no need to call it true federalism) is that they will lose their vice grip on the levers of power to control the country directly and indirectly.

If they are not in the sensitive positions, they make sure that they install timid people from the South who tremble at the phone calls of Northern political and religious chieftains.

For instance, the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier Okorie Affia, did not muster the moral courage to stop the posting of corps members from the South to Northern states to be slaughtered by the BokoHaram and religious bloodhounds because of the fear of being harassed by the almighty Northern Moslems who purportedly dictate what will be done in the country.

Continues on Monday *Mr. Onwubiko , an author, wrote from Awka, Anambra State.

Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 19

as Paine and his co conspirators, the early American intellectuals, were doing.

Nigeria attained its political independence from Britain, nearly 52 years ago. Unlike the American insurgents though, we shed very little blood in the course of our

Every soul is on trial

A Foundation touching lives positively

BY SAM EKPE True happiness must arise from well-regulated affection, and an affection includes a duty – Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-97)

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PPARENTLY it is this duty to care for mankind, to show concern for the less privileged and improve the lot of his community that has been the main drive and passion of Senator Sir Ikechukwu Godson Abana to establish the Senator I.G. Abana Foundation.

Established barely two and a half years ago, the Foundation has made significant impact in Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State and environs.

Members of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation include the Senator himself who represented Anambra Central Senatorial District in the Senate between 2003 and 2005. He serves as Chairman of the Board which included Sir N. I.k. Abana, former Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS; Rev. Gloria Uchefuna, a U.S based evangelist and this writer Mr. Sam Ekpe.

Since the take-off of the Foun-

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dation in April 2010 it has vigorously embarked on programmes that have helped to alleviate the suffering of the less-privileged. Its most popular programme is the free medical service that is held in the last week of December every year.

The maiden programme, held on December 28 and 29, 2011 involved the treatment of 1,854 persons. About 421 persons received eye glasses, while over 250 people were examined in the laboratory. The services of 18 medical doctors, four medical laboratory scientists, 13 nurses, one pharmacist, four pharmacy technicians, five community health extension workers and 28 volunteers were engaged for the two-day programme which cost the foundation a sum of N2,500,000.

A similar programme was held on December 27, 2011.

This time there was health education in churches in Enugwu Ukwu, HIV counseling and testing/awareness campaign, mass de-worming exercise and distribution of insecticidetreated nets in addition to the usual on-the-spot clinical diagnosis, treatment and drug dispensation. The 2011 programme cost about the same amount as that of the previous

We’re still fighting for our independence, not from the colonial master but from a far more dangerous and deadly oppressor

,

agitation and uprising.

Nigeria was handed back to its owners, more or less on a silver platter.

That may be part of the problem. Political freedom

,

I

t’s not often that I extol the virtues of other people’s heroes. I think we do too much of that in contemporary Nigerian discourse already.

But I quote Thomas Paine, on this occasion, to convey a very urgent message to our young: Things may be difficult now, but like Paine and the American Patriots, we must look beyond present circumstances, and envision our destiny, as a nation.

Sacrifices, such as the ones this generation is being called upon to make, is the price national destiny imposes: Especially if it is a Grand Destiny, bequeathed by a great nation, in the formative

phase of its political evolution.

Every nation imposes a levy on its people, in return for the benefits it has to offer. Those benefits may not be apparent, at this juncture, when we are mired so deeply in crises.

Crisis can easily blur one’s vision and induce despair.

Pessimism and hopelessness are products of crisis, corollaries of an opaque vision.

That is what Thomas Paine was saying to his people—the context in which he uttered those inspirational remarks, which helped to mobilize and galvanize revolutionary sentiments during the U.S. struggle for independence, two centuries and a half ago.

That is also the context in which I write. The difference, of course, is that I am not trying to instigate rebellion against established authority,

,

“These are the times that try men’s souls”.

—Thomas Paine, U.S. Patriot.

He believes that giving a little from what God has blessed him with for the benefit of the less privileged will reduce thewide gap between the haves and the have-nots

,

year. The Foundation is arranging to conduct the 2012 programme in December this year.

A new programme, Old Peoples Home, has reached advanced stage of planning and execution. This programme is expected to add more years to senior citizens who have attained the age of 70 years and above.

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nother key programme of the Foundation that is having serious impact in the community is the scholarship awards to indigent students.

So far a total of 48 university undergraduates and 81 secondary school students have benefited from the scholarship scheme of the Foundation.

More will join in the new academic session. The value of the awards is N75,000 per session for each university student and N15,000 per session for each secondary school student. It is

might well have come too easy—so that we now labour under the illusory notion that all subsequent challenges, all of the problems that were, in reality, being handed to us on that platter, would lend themselves to simple solutions, requiring little effort to solve. A fierce battle against an external force would have strengthened our bonds.

Instead we had internal battles against internal forces.

The Civil War should have taught us better. It ought to have shattered that illusion, once and for all. And for a time, it looked that way. We emerge from that conflagration, from the crucible of war, as an aggressive and confident people. “New Nigerians,”is what we called ourselves.

The New Nigerian was not exactly a myth. There is no question, but that the events of 1966 to 1970 transformed our national character. The question is: “Transformed into what?” What have we become?

The answer is not so simple.

But there is an answer for anyone who is perceptive and will face up to the truth. It is, stated succinctly, that we have not “become” anything.

Rather, we are still becoming—and always will be.

As I have said many times before, the evolution of a nation is, in a sense, similar to that of an individual. It is

conceived out of necessity and born through political labour. The birth of a nation can be pacific and painless, as was the case with Nigeria; but its evolution rarely ever is.

Yes, we are “New Nigerians”. Yet, like a newly born individual, we began to evolve at birth, indeed at conception—and will continue to do so, in perpetuity. We’ll keep “becoming”, keep shaping and reshaping ourselves, continuing to work out our national destiny, from one crisis to the next.

In fact, we’re still fighting for our independence, not from the colonial master but from a far more dangerous and deadly oppressor. We’re struggling to free ourselves from collective weakness and self-doubt, from disparateness and discord.

Our survival is threatened, not by crisis, not by Boko Haram, AIDS or Lassa fever, but by a lack of confidence in ourselves and a waning collective will. Crisis is inevitable in the evolution of a state, just as it is in the life of an individual.

That’s why I opened with a quote from Thomas Paine. I could have used a passage from the writings or speeches of Tafawa Balewa, Majola Agbebe, Obafemi Awolowo or any of our national heroes.

significant to observe that some of the beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme had already withdrawn from their institution due to their inability to cope with the financial demands before the Abana Foundation came to their rescue.

The scholarship scheme has so far cost the Foundation N4,815,000.

Abana to give the less privileged hope and future. He is not embarking on this project whose cost by December 2012 will run into hundreds of million of naira because he has so much money to throw around. He may not be the fattest purse in the environment but he believes that giving a little from what God has blessed him with for the benefit, education and welfare needs of the less privileged in his community will, reduce the very wide and yawning gap between the haves and the have-nots.

A knight of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, he is definitely serving the Lord in his own little way. And as Christians we believe that whoever gives and continues to give in the service of humanity will be rewarded double or even triple fold. Afterall the Holy Book says that it is better to give than to receive.

In the next few years, products of Senator Abana Foundation will stand up to be counted and it is the prayer of those of us on the Board of Trustees that the Lord will bless both the giver and receiver and the latter will be in a position to “go and do likewise”.

O

ther poverty alleviation measures of the Foundation include specialist health intervention and foodstuff assistance schemes.

These involve paying medical bills of critically ill patients who cannot afford to pay their bills and distribution of foodstuff to widows and other very indigent people.

There is also the Financial Assistance Programme in which petty traders and small scale businessmen are giving bridging loan to improve their businesses.

These interest-free loans are refunded to the Foundation after 12 months and redistributed to other people who need them. So far some beneficiaries have improved the scale of their businesses and made refunds. It is expected that this scheme will provide a ready pool of funds for genuine traders to make a success of their life ventures instead of staying idle at home and constituting social menace and security risk in the various communities.

Our society needs philanthropists like Senator I.G

*Mr Ekpe is an Abuja-based Media & PR consultant

20—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 21

ASSBIFI opposes CBN’s planned introduction of N5,000 note T

HE Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has expressed its opposition to the proposed naira restructuring by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The association stated this in a statement signed by its president,

SMEs to get raw materials at cheaper rates soon - Council

Mr Sunday Salako and the senior assistant secretary, Mr Friday Inegbedion, in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CBN had on Aug. 23 announced plan to restructure the naira and introduce the N5000 note from Jan. 2013. The association, however, said that the introduction of a higher denomination would signal

the devaluation of the country’s currency and attract hyper-inflation. The union observed that such an announcement often signified a regime of increased and sustained fiscal deficit financing.

“In spite of the introduction of local and international money transfers, people still carry huge sums of cash around and this will be aided by the

higher denomination currencies,” it stated. ASSBIFI charged the CBN to initiate programmes that would tackle inflation, interest rate, improper banking habit, bank robberies, unemployment, corruption, money laundering, insecurity and poverty. It advised the government to use the proposed N40 billion for the naira restructuring to revive other sectors of the economy that were comatose.

T

HE Raw Materials Research and Development Council has said that it was facilitating the availability of raw materials to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at cheaper rates. Mr Samuel Olaniyan, the council’s Zonal Director, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that the council was considering places where such materials could be sourced.

According to Olaniyan, the aim is to encourage more people to get involved in raw material processing. “Government is no longer directly involved in the distribution of raw materials because Nigeria is a dynamic economy. The distribution is strictly based on demand.

The council doesn’t also distribute raw materials to manufacturers, but we are committed towards increasing private participation in the distribution process to reduce the level of importation,” he said.

Olaniyan said that the council had made remarkable achievements in encouraging SMEs to participate in raw materials processing. He said that the council had assisted SMEs with information and finance to enable them set up raw materials processing businesses. Olaniyan said that the efforts of the council had led to the establishment of many SMEs in the agricultural and mineral sectors. He expressed the commitment of the council to ensure that only quality raw materials were distributed to manufacturers.

166.70

-1.25

2,578.00

+10.00

19.74

-0.39

112.47 95.23

-0.11 -1.10

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

154.8 245.2496 194.1966 161.6879 1.9685 0.2767 234.3563 24.3709 41.2756 26.0597 235.4198

155.3 246.0418 194.8239 162.2102 1.9748 0.2867 235.1132 24.4501 41.4089 26.1439 236.1802

155.8 246.8339 195.4511 162.7324 1.9812 0.2967 235.8702 24.5293 41.5422 26.2281 236.9406

CBN Exchange rate as at 30/08/2012 C M Y K

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, discussing with a potential investor in the nation's aviation sector during her recent road show in Canada

Nigeria, China collaborate in marine science research

T

HE Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), in collaboration with the Second Institute for Oceanography, Hangzhou, China, have successfully conducted a marine scientific research cruise in the Nigerian continental shelf.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the joint cruise between the NIOMR and the Chinese Institute, has been described as the first of its kind between an African State and the Chinese Government.

Both Nigerian and Chinese scientists returned from a nine-day expedition into the Western Nigerian continental shelf on Wednesday, on board the ship, “R.V. Dayangyihao.’’

Prof. Larry Awosika, a NIOMR scientist who led the Nigerian delegation, said that the research was undertaken to a depth of 4,500 metres, using sophisticated equipment.

He disclosed that seven research scientists from NIOMR, two Nigerian Navy hydrographers and 30 scientists from the First, Second and Third

Institutes of Oceanography in China went on the nine-day cruise.

“In the Memorandum of Understanding, NIOMR and the State Oceanic Administration of China are the implementing agencies.

“The areas of collaboration would include: marine scientific research and survey, climate change and sea level rise, integrated coastal zone management and related research and training.

“Other areas are: ocean disaster reduction, satellite and remote sensing, marine information and data exchange, ocean energy exploration and research,’’ Awosika said.

He said that during the cruise, the Nigerian and Chinese scientists undertook extensive and intensive data collection on geological, geophysical, physical, chemical and biological oceanography.

In a message, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, said it was gratifying that the two countries considered marine scientific research

a top priority for knowledge generation and sharing.

Adesina, who was represented by the Acting Executive Director, NIOMR, Mr Emmanuel Ajao, said that marine scientific research was also an innovation in the development of the Nigerian ocean space.

“This exercise will promote and strengthen the existing friendly relations between our two countries, leading to closer partnership collaboration between marine institutions and personnel in both countries.

“It will add value to our understanding and enhance our capacity for harnessing and exploiting the renewable and non-renewable resources in our waters,’’ Adesina said.

Under the collaboration, the two countries have agreed to collect and exchange experimental data, scientific information and jointly analyse the samples in Nigeria and in China.

They also plan to exchange scientists, scholars and specialist teams.

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

NSE to launch industrial goods index in 2014

BY LAZARUS IBEABUCHI

T

HE Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE said it will develop and launch an Industrial Goods Index by January 2014.

In a statement, Director General of the Exchange, Oscar Onyema said that the Industrial Goods Sector

was listed on November 5, 1992, and has 27 companies, adding that 26 of these are quoted on the Main Board and one on ASeM. Oscar said that the Year-to -Date (YTD) performance of the sector is +8.54 per cent.

“Comparing this with global Industrial Goods performance shows that the Sector can do better.

FTSE 350 Industrial Goods &Services has YTD of 13.23 per cent; S&P Industrial Index, 12.15 per cent; MSCI Egypt Industrial Index, 38.53 per cent and FTSE/ JSE African Industrial Index, 25.11 per cent,” he said.

He said the NSE has laid Corporate Governance on the front burner as one of the vital

elements for ensuring a sound investment environment and m a x i m i s i n g shareholder returns.

“The NSE will continue to consistently enforce its rules on Corporate Governance in a firm and fair manner in order to build a strong investment climate for market participants. We cannot afford to do

otherwise if we are to become the gateway to African markets.”

He stressed that it is imperative for companies quoted on The Exchange to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the Facts Behind The Figures programme, adding that they should endeavour to raise the quality of their investor relations programmes including disclosing information about their companies to stock market stakeholders regularly.

“It goes without saying that if stockbrokers do not have adequate

information about a company -no matter how great the prospects of such a company, it will be difficult for them to appropriately price its stock.

“More importantly, rational investors will find it difficult to invest in a company they do not have adequate information about.

These and a lot more reasons make it imperative for companies listed on our bourse to take part actively in managing investor relations,” he said.

First Aluminium boosts profitability amidst tight operating environment

BY LAZARUS IBEABUCHI

F

From left: Mrs. Arinola Sodipo, representing first lady of Lagos Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, Mr. Martin Woolnough, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Nestlt Nigeria Plc and Mr. Adewale Arikawe, Category Business Manager, Dairy, Nestle Nigeria Plc, testing the new product, During the Launch ing of Ironfortified Golden Morn for Key Opinion Leaders and Media, in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Flour Mills to increase miling capacity

BY MICHAEL EBOH & NKIRUKA NNOROM

F

LOUR Mills of Nigeria Plc, yesterday, said it plans to spend about N9.7 billion in the expansion of it milling plants across the country.

According to Mr. Emmanuel Ukpabi, Group Managing Director, Flour Mills, who spoke at its preAnnual General Meeting media briefing in Lagos, the expansion drive would increase the company’s total milling plants to about 15 mills.

Specifically, he said that the West Mill, which will house four of the milling plants is nearing completion and would soon be commissioned.

He explained that on completion, the West Mill would have a C M Y K

milling capacity of 2,750 metric tonnes per day, while the combined plants across the nation would boast of 18,500 metric tonnes of flour per day, adding that the expansion would consolidate the company ’s position as second largest flour producing entity in the world.

According to him, the mills would run for 24 hours in a day and undergo maintenance service for period of eight hours every week.

He assured that in continuation of the c o m p a n y ’ s commitment to quality consistency in all its products, it made further investments in high-tech quality laboratory equipment, upgrading its state-ofthe-art laboratory facilities accordingly.

“O u r m i l l e r s a n d

quality assurance personnel continue to attend courses in the USA, Europe and South Africa for improved skills and exposure to modern technology.

“In order to formalise our commitment to product quality assurance, we have commenced the process of seeking accreditation to the quality standard ISO 9001:2008. This will help set a benchmark to measure our performance against best global practice within the flour milling industry,” he said.

Lamenting the impact of negative operating environment on flour milling businesses in Nigeria, Ukpabi said that government’s new policy on wheat importation which requires milling companies to pay 15

per cent levy and 10 per cent duty on imported wheat, as well as infrastructural decay were hampering activity not just for the company, but for the entire industry.

He also listed the challenges facing the company to include poor power supply and bad road network, saying that it was their expectation that government would make do its promise of improving services in those two areas.

While also explaining the impact of increased competition on their brand, he said that the government’s new policy on compulsory inclusion of cassava in their range of product was yet another challenge as it would require putting more infrastructure in place to aid smooth take off.

IRST Aluminium Nigeria Plc has reported a gross profit growth of 63.8 per cent in half year 2012, amidst a challenging operating environment.

The company recorded a gross profit of N226 million in first half 2012, compared to N138 million posted in the same quarter previous year. Its turnover rose by 20.7 per cent, recording N4.61 billion compared to N3.82 billion in previous year.

However, its fixed assets dropped slightly to N6.1 billion from N6.2 billion in same period last year.

Ban Elfrink, Managing Director of the company presenting this at facts behind the figures at the Nigeria stock Exchange, NSE, said that the company’s market share is going up not minding the operating challenges, adding that the company has the great opportunity to grow owing to the fact that the industry is vibrant in the country.

“Manufacturing of aluminium product in Nigeria is estimated at 48,000 tonnes per annum.

Imports are 132,000 tonnes, which is an annual capital outflow of N65 billion. Manufacturers are operating below 35 per cent capacity and extra volume will give efficiency gains and will generate jobs.”

He said that according to Business World “Nigeria’s 100 largest companies in 2011,” the company was ranked 19th in the manufacturing sector, 60th by assets and 46 th by number of

employees.

“This award is very special to us. Not only because it recognizes the efforts that all employees at First Alumimium have made the last years to become the most customer friendly supplier in Nigeria, but even more, it is an award for all Nigerians who begin to realise that patronising made in Nigeria products is better than buying imported products that are most of the time substandard.

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria has revealed that presently, 85 per cent of all imported goods are substandard,” he said.

Taking a cursory look at the challenging operating environment, he said high cost of energy in Nigeria is increasing the company ’s cost of production, just as high interest rate and foreign exchange exposure, coupled with poor g o v e r n m e n t infrastructure are making the operating environment tougher for investors.

In his remark, Oscar Onyema, NSE CEO challenged the company and all the companies quoted in the Building Materials Subsector of the Exchange to elevate their efforts in dealing with current housing deficit confronting the country.

Onyema said that according to official statistics, Nigeria’s housing deficit currently stands at about 16 million housing units.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—23

BY EBUN SESSOU

T

he Management of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) said the undercapitalization of the bank over the years undermined its capacity to fully deliver on its mandate, just as it disclosed that it has only received N30billion in 13 installments out of N50billion approved share capital since the merger of its legacy institutions in 2000.

These challenges notwithstanding, the BOA Chief Executive informed that the bank has within the last 11 years granted over N44billion loans to about 550,000 agricultural and rural enterprises, creating about 6 million jobs over the period.

This he said has been possible through the creative leveraging of the available resources and strategic alliances.

The Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mohammed Santuraki, who disclosed this while speaking on the the proposed restructuring of the institution by the Federal Government, commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to recapitalize and restructure the institution.

He noted that the Federal Government’s efforts in this regard would certainly propel the institution’s transformation program, which commenced when the

Under capitalization bane of agro financing — BOA current Management took office 2 years ago. The effort, according to the BOA chief is aimed at refocusing the institution on its core mandate of agricultural and rural finance, reviewing the bank’s operating model , modernizing the institution, and the retraining of the staff to create a more sustainable institution.

Accordingly, the BOA is now positioned to review its operating model to conform with the international best practices of successful agriculture development finance institutions worldwide. This, he said, has reflected in the review of the bank’s processes, procedures and branch network operations.

Miister of Agric and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Guest Lecturer, (middle); Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Professor Oluwafemi Mimiko and Registrar, Mr. R.B. Olotu during the 11th Lecture of the institution in Akungba-akoko, Ondo State, yesterday.

C-River disburses N26m for yam farmers

By JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ROSS River State government has given a loan of N26 million to about 132 yam farmers in the state through its Micro Finance Enterprise Development Agency, MEDA, to help them boost their yam production this year.

Already one of the beneficiaries of the loan, Mrs. Comfort Obeten Ibiang has emerged as the second best yam harvester for 2012 in the just concluded Leboku International New Yam Festival and was presented with a price of a complete cassava processing machine with a dryer and also a pick up van.

Speaking in an interview, the Director General of MEDA, Mr. Ignatius Atsu said that the governor Liyel Imoke’s led administration was committed towards promoting agriculture in the state as well as encouraging farmers to boost production.

Atsu said that the MEDA has

Speaking further, Santuraki said the institution’s Information Technology architecture has been redesigned to accommodate mobile and agency banking operations to increase and improve the reach of the bank’s services considering the diverse spread of farmers across the nooks and crannies of the country.

successfully supported agricultural enterprise development programme for yam farmers in Yakurr Local Government Area of the state and that the programme was designed in line with the governor ’s promise during the 2011 Leboku New Yam Festival to assist yam farmers expand their production at Yakurr and Bakor new yam festivals respectively.

He said, “In keeping to his promise, the governor mandated the MEDA to support the yam farmers in Yakurr and Ogoja Local Government Areas to boost the production of yam, not just for consumption but also for commercial purposes.

“The Agency immediately swung into action by engaging the relevant stakeholders in the two Local Government Areas to select recognized farmers in their locality. In yakurr, ten yam farmers were selected from each ward, making a total of 130 yam farmers made up of 34 females and 96 males from the 13 wards of the council.

“The selected farmers were then trained in life skills and enterprise development by MEDA between November 28 and December 3, 2011 in two centers; Yakurr council hall for the participants from the eight wards of constituency 1 and Nko town hall from the five wards of constituency 11.

“After the enterprise

development training, the sum of N200, 000 was disbursed to each of the farmers to expand their farms.

To further strengthen capacity of the farmers, MEDA also collaborated with the Agricultural Development Programme, ADP to provide training covering improved farming techniques, use of improved varieties etc and to provide monitoring and evaluation services in all farms,” Atsu said.

Food security: Lagos introduces agriculture in secondary schools

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI

T

he Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, is set to introduce measures, procedures and basic principles used in modern agriculture in state secondary schools.

Speaking during the recently held interactive session with participants of the Year 2012 Agric-Yes Summer School for Senior Secondary School Students, Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince

Gbolahan Lawal, disclosed that the program was put together in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to groom and prepare students in the state secondary schools towards becoming successful farmers.

He explained that part of the problems encountered in the past had to do with unavailability of qualified and well equipped farmer, which eventually led to the dwindling agricultural sector, “Virtually all the 36 states in Nigeria has brought new innovations into Agriculture in their various states” he said.

Briefs E-wallet: Auchi farmers receive fertiliser, but say it is late, inadequate

F

ARMERS in Auchi, the headquarter of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo, on Tuesday received 600 bags of fertiliser through the Federal Government’s ewallet system.

The distribution was supervised by Mr Andrew Irabor, a staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in charge of the local government.

Irabor told NAN that the urea fertiliser was being given to farmers at N3,000 per bag as against N6,000 in the open market.

Irabor expressed optimism that more bags of urea would be allocated to the local government due to farmers’ complaint about inadequacy of the quantity allocated to the area.

The benefitting farmers commended the government for selling the fertiliser at subsidised rate, but noted that seedlings/seeds, promised under the e-wallet system, were not provided.

They wondered why only urea type of fertiliser was allocated to the council area.

One of the farmers, Nasiru Momodu, expressed dissatisfaction at the distribution exercise.

“What they promised to give us in the alert messages we received was not what is being distributed now,” he alleged.

However, another farmer, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, expressed satisfaction with the process, noting that it was a step in the right direction.

Mohammed, who is the Edo North Coordinator of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), described the distribution process as transparent.

“We are hoping that it will be a continuous exercise,” he said.

The coordinator, however, said that the quantity of the input would satisfy the needs of farmers in the area.

“We have about 2,209 farmers but only 600 bags on ground for distribution will not go round.

“The farming season is almost coming to an end and it is now farmers are receiving inputs from government.

“There is the need for government to do better for maximum use of the inputs,” he said

24— Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

CBN disburses N198.2bn under agric credit scheme

BY MICHAEL EBOH

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, said it has disbursed N198.178 billion to 258 beneficiaries under its Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, CACS, from inception in 2009 to July 2012.

According to the CBN, in its CACS report for April to July 2012, among the 258 beneficiaries, 228 were private promoters while 30 states received N38 billion.

According to the report, from inception to date 19 banks participated in the scheme, namely, Access Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, EcoBank Plc, Skye Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Union Bank of Nigeria, Keystone

Bank, United Bank for Africa, Unity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Sterling, Citibank, Wema Bank, Mainstreet Bank, Enterprise Bank and First City Monument Bank.

The report stated further, “The analysis of number of projects financed under CACS by value chain showed that out of the 228 CACS private sector sponsored projects; production accounted for 48.64 per cent and dominated the activities funded while processing accounted for 38.64 per cent.

“These activities were distantly followed by marketing, storage and input supplies which

registered 7.27 per cent, 5.0 per cent and 0.45 per cent respectively.

“With regards to the value of funds released, processing accounted for 51.7 per cent followed by production which

Unity Bank wins ISO certification for information security

U

NITY Bank Plc has won the certification of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for information security.

The certification qualified Unity Bank for ISO 27001 ISMS which is an international recognition for the Bank’s management practices covering people,

From left Mr Jacques Vauthier, Group Chief Finance Officer, Flour Mills Nig PLC; Chief Emmanuel Ukpabi, Group Managing Director and Alhaji Olalekan Saliu, Company Secretary and Director during the Group Managing Director's Pre-AGM Annual Press briefing held at the premises of Flour Mills PLC in Lagos on Thursday. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele

ACCA publishes first Integrated Report

T

HE Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’, ACCA, Annual Report for 2011 / 12 has been produced for the first time as an integrated report, following the initial approach set out

by International Integrated Reporting Council, IIRC. According to Helen Brand, Chief Executive Officer, ACCA is a member of IIRC’s Pilot Programme for organisations seeking to move to integrated reporting.

She said, “Our first integrated report aims to present a clear and coherent picture of our strategic performance, and our future prospects as a global organisation.

“It is important for us as a professional body to explain how we create value for our stakeholders – especially our C M Y K

members – and the place we occupy in society. This report is our first attempt at doing this using the emerging discipline of IR.0 “Through IIRC, integrated reporting – or IR – aims to collate the material information about an organisation’s strategy, governance, performance and prospects that reflects the commercial, social and environmental context within which the organisation operates.”

She further stated that ACCA’s report lists key achievements for ACCA throughout the strategic year 2011 / 12 and discloses more performance measures than ever before.

She added that the report gives a fuller explanation

accounted for 33.8 per cent of the value of enterprises financed. These were followed by marketing, storage and input supplies which registered 9.6 per cent, 3.83 per cent and 1.1 per cent.”

around ACCA’s strategic performance in the interests of greater transparency and accountability.

“Its content is based on materiality analysis which identifies the issues of importance to readers of our report, and an evaluation of how we create value for our stakeholders, especially our members. These are both key elements of the integrated reporting concept,” she said.

Also speaking, Dean Westcott, ACCA’s President, said, “This is a step forward in how we report our annual performance.

ACCA has been involved in the work of the IIRC since its inception, and we welcomed their proposals to strengthen the relevance of corporate reporting to investors and other stakeholders.

process and technology in the area of information processing.

In a notice to the Bank, this month, ISO, which is the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards, said the certification is for a period of three years after which the bank will be re-examined for renewal of the certification.

Industry analysts believe the feat achieved by the bank puts it on international pedestal as a financial brand and guarantees its customers peace of mind in the area of information integrity.

Only three other Nigerian banks - First bank, Fidelity and Access have attained this international standardization status.

Reacting to the certification, the Managing Director of Unity Bank Plc, Ado Wanka said the achievement is indicative of the hard work staff, Management and Board of the Bank had put in over the years since the bank came into existence about six years ago.

B-R-I-E-F-S SocGen says in talks to sell Egyptian unit

F

RENCH bank Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) said on Wednesday it was in talks to sell its controlling stake in Egyptian unit National Societe Generale Bank () to Qatar National Bank QNBK.QA, as Europe’s lenders retrench from expansion abroad.

SocGen owns 77.17 percent of NSGB, which has a market capitalisation of $2.3 billion.

The French bank is selling assets such as fundmanagement unit TCW as it tries to keep up with peers amid an industry-wide race to beef up capital.

“The discussions are preliminary and there can be no certainty as to whether an agreement will be reached,” SocGen said. “There will be other announcements in case of further developments.”

Shares of SocGen rose 0.1 percent, at 20.87 euros ($26.15). The STOXX Europe 600 bank index .SX7P was down 0.6 percent. NSGB shares ended the day up 0.2 percent.

SocGen’s domestic archrival BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA) is also said to be seeking preliminary bids for its Egyptian retail banking business, sources have told Reuters, in a deal likely to generate $400 million.

Qatar National Bank, the largest lender in the Gulf Arab state, is one of the parties which has expressed initial interest, one source said.

Barclays names retail boss Jenkins as CEO

B

ARCLAYS named retail banker Antony Jenkins as chief executive on Thursday, signaling a shift of emphasis from investment banking after the interest rate-setting scandal that brought down his American predecessor Bob Diamond.

Regulators had criticized Britain’s fourth biggest bank by market value for an aggressive risk-taking culture and the big question for the soft-spoken Jenkins is whether he will pare back the investment bank that the colorful Diamond had built.

Jenkins said Barclays had made mistakes and had to change.

“Getting there will require nothing short of the transformation of how we operate the business,” he said.

He told Reuters: “It would be wrong to ignore some of the things that have happened in

the past. That does require us to modify the culture.”

Jenkins inherits a daunting in-tray. He was appointed hours after the bank said fraud prosecutors had launched a criminal probe into dealings with Qatar in 2008. That comes just two months after Barclays was fined over $450 for manipulating Libor interest rates, prompting Diamond’s resignation.

Jenkins, 51, started as a graduate trainee at Barclays in 1983. After spells elsewhere, he returned six years ago to turn around its credit card business before taking on all its retail banking.

He had been seen as the leading internal candidate to follow Diamond, although some investors had questioned his lack of investment banking experience and would have preferred an external hire to mark a bigger change.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 25

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26— Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 26—Vanguard,

BY DANIEL GUMM

T

HE National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), who served as members of the technical and main Committee of Destination Inspection Committee of 1999/ 2006 and the initiators of the memo to commence Destination inspection in 2001, have expressed their concern about Nigeria’s trading system and the economy that is vulnerable to terrorist exploitation due to our cargo inspection (Destination Inspection) (DI) regime.

The body wrote a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Segun Agagan, and Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator Ayim Pius Ayim, entitled Global Perspective on Cargo Inspection for Security, Safety and Revenue Based on (WCO) Framework for Standard to Se-

C M Y K

cure and Facilitate Global Trade and the Adoption of ISO TC 104 on Freight Containers.

The body pointed out that “the Destination Inspection Regime (DIR) allows influx of unwholesome goods into the country, such as arms and ammunition, contraband and dangerous security item that exposes the nation to serious security threat, which is not in line with global best practice of the Safe Framework of Standard to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade and the ISO TC 104 on Freight containers.”

The Customs agents said that before 9/11, Customs authority were responsible for clearance of imported goods at destination, but the event of 9/11 precipitated a change in cargo inspection from destination to manufacturing site or Port of Loading, due to monitoring of supply chain mechanism of unwholesome products to destination, explaining that the (WCO) Safe Framework to Secure Global Trade and the (ISO TC 104) on Freight Containers developed a regime that will enhance the securi-

ty and the facilitation of international trade through the followings: (i) Nigeria operates a system that focuses on revenue, the scanners by the service providers are supposed by now, based on the recommendation of the Presidential Task Force on the Reform of Customs (RCTFCR) to have installed security modules to enable the scanners to scan and detect arms, ammunition, human trafficking, drugs and other unwholesome products, which is the main function for scanning globally. (ii) The implementation of the global prac-

DECORATION — Following recent release of promotions for all cadre of officers by the Customs Management, former CSC Adamu Abubakar Mohammed of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Ikeja was decorated with his new rank of Assistant Comptroller. From left: DC Isyaku Ahmed (DC ADMIN) being assisted by DC Gombe Abubakar Abba, decorating Asst.

Compt. Adamu Abubakar Mohammed.

Nigerian trading system vulnerable to terrorism— Customs agents tice on Advance Cargo Information (ACI) is yet to be implemented as no provision or procedure for pre-information before loading of containers or requirement in line with (WCO Safe framework and ISO TC 104 on Freight contain-

ers). (iii) The Risk System in our import procedure is yet to be harmonised from the various service providers and Customs, which creates Multiple Risk based on individual approach, which is fundamental to harmonised Risk process for data process on Cus-

toms-to-Customs (RCTFCR) to have installed security modules to enable the scanners to scan and detect arms, ammunition, human trafficking, drugs and other unwholesome products, which is the main function for Scanning globally.

(ii) The implementation of the global practice on Advance Cargo Information (ACI) is yet to be implemented as no provision or procedure for pre -information before loading of containers or requirement in line with (WCO Safe framework and ISO TC 104 on Freight containers.

Vanguard , FRIDAY FRIDAY,, AUGUST 31, 2012 —27

Abiola on her sick bed last Tuesday. Pix by Bose Adelaja

Lamentations of an accident victim: Family, police trade blames

A

biola Adegbola, 17, had dreamed of so many things in life.

Having obtained her Ordinary National Diploma OND, in Business Administration with good grades from the Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTCH, she has nursed the ambition of furthering her education by securing admission into one of the universities in the country. She also wanted to become an international figure through her accomplishments.

But these desires are fast dissipating into thin air as the teenager who was hit by a diesel-filled tanker six months ago, is on the verge of losing one of her limbs. Abiola who has undergone surgery twice, is slated for another round of operation in one of the General Hospitals in Lagos.

But the snag is that her parents, who have already expended over N1.5 million on Abiola’s health, may not be able to afford the money required.

The teenager’s predicament started on Saturday, March 24, 2012, when she was knocked down by a tanker loaded with diesel. The accident occurred at Anthony Village in the mainland area of Lagos when Abiola wanted to take a ride on a motorcycle to her examination centre.

C M Y K

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BY BOSE ADELAJA

Abiola who has undergone surgery twice, is slated for another round of operation in Lagos; but the snag is that her parents, who have already expended over N1.5 million on Abiola’s health, may not be able to afford the money required

She has, since then, been confined to the hospital bed and may remain there for a long time to come, unless urgent steps are taken to give her a better attention.

Vanguard Metro, VM, learnt that six months after the incident was reported to the Police at Anthony Village, the hit-and- run tanker driver is yet to be prosecuted. VM was told that the driver attempted to escape the scene but was apprehended by a mob near the toll gate. He was subsequently handed over to the Police at Anthony where the case was allegedly handled by the Divisional Traffic Officer, DSP Archibong Dyong and a junior colleague as the Investigative Police Officer, IPO. Sources hinted that the tanker driver was later released without a duly signed bail bond. Similarly, it was alleged that the place where the accident occurred

But since then, the Agboola family alleged that they have been cut off from the oil firm.

The representative of the firm, Mr Yisa Hassan, was said to have moved out of Lagos while the owner of the company Alhaji Abdul Kadiri has remained inaccessible to the family. Unconfirmed reports claimed that the DTO was influenced by the oil firm to step down the case.

The Doctor ’s report at the General Hospital where the teenager is receiving treatment stated that: “Abiola sustained severe soft tissue and bone injuries to the right lower limb and will need to undergo the third surgery as soon as possible”.

Speaking with VM, Abiola’s father Kayode, said he has sold all his property, including a piece of land in Lagos, to defray the medical bills. He alleged that the oil firm has not visited the hospital in the last five months.

He also decried the lackadaisical attitude of the Police in handling the case.

According to him, the family has been impoverished as a result of her Abiola’s sickness.

“My daughter arrived Anthony Village around 6 am to board a motorcycle to the examination centre when she was knocked down by a tanker loaded with diesel. She sustained bone injuries on the right lower limb and has been confined to the hospital bed.

Having undergone two surgeries, she is awaiting the third one,” he said.

The native of Inisha in Osun State said neither himself nor his wife could continue in business since the incident took place as they have to stay with their daughter in the hospital.

When contacted, the General Manager of the oil firm, Mr. Yisa Hassan retorted: “I am an employee of the firm and has tried my best; I have told the family to contact Alhaji Kadiri and sort it out with him”.

In a telephone conversation with VM, DSP Archibong refused to give details of the case. He told VM that he was away to Akwa Ibom State to observe his annual leave.

“Tell Abiola’s father that he is a fool; I am exercising my human rights in Akwa Ibom and I don’t need a disturbance”.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said she was not aware of the case and referred VM to the Divisional Police Officer of the station, Superintendent of Police Adeola Raji, who was on leave when the case was incidented on March 24.

He promised to look into the case and ensure the culprits are brought to book while necessary steps are taken to ensure that Abiola regains her health.

Lagdo Dam disaster: New babies delivered, 57 pregnant women in IDP camps

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is under the jurisdiction of Shomolu and not Anthony. It was further alleged that the case was solely handled by the DTO without the consent of the DPO or a referral to the Shomolu Police Station.

A written agreement between the Abiola’s family and the employers of the driver was signed on March 27, 2012. The agreement stipulated that the tanker driver’s employers, one Alhaji Abdul Kadiri and Sons Nig will pay the sum of N150,000 (One hundred and fifty thousand Naira) to the victim’s family for her treatment. The agreement further stated that “there will be more commitment in the treatment of the wounded person”. It was also stated representatives of the company would be visiting the hospital to monitor the development of her health.

This agreement was reached in the presence of the DTO.

I

t was a hectic time for staff of the National E m e r g e n c y Management Agency, NEMA, as they moved from camps to camps in Adamawa State, Nigeria, to assess and provide relief materials to the victims of excess flooding due to sudden release of water from Cameroon Republic.

The emergency workers were being inundated with tales of washed away farmlands, drowned children, missing herd of cattle, bites from emigrant snakes, lost valuables, submerged schools and houses. There were also reports of premature deliveries, miscarriages and new born babies delivered in the Internally Displaced People Camps, IDPCs. Five women have so far delivered babies successfully while 57 pregnant women have been registered in camps, especially in Gwadabawa, Damare, Limawa, Bwaraji, Sanda and Numan. Some of the women would be transferred to hospitals for proper medical attentions.

The Director-General of NEMA, Muhammad SaniSidi who is said to be leading the rescue and relief agencies on the operation, has urged other people living within the flood prone areas to move to designated camps for safety from the surge which might increase if more water is released from Ladgo Dam in Cameroon.

He commended the efforts of Adamawa State and other stakeholders, who within 24 hours of receiving warning alert embarked on public announcements and evacuation of people within the areas to be affected to the camps.

Sani-Sidi said: “As much as we have to be diplomatic in our approach, the reality is that upon receiving the report from the Cameroon Embassy on the imminent release of water, we alerted relevant authorities. Adamawa State was very proactive in its mobilization and sensitization of people to move away from the prone areas. We have also warned frontline states of Borno, Taraba, Benue and their respective emergency management agencies”.

28 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Culinary is lifestyle, not just profession—Preidelt was it like?

I had my training in the mid-80s (86-89), that was a quiet hard time.

I was working an average of 14 hours a day, one day off, one –two week vacation per Year. It was very hard and demanding. Chefs at this time were very tough and shouting was a standard.

I would just compare it with “hell’s kitchen/ Gordon Ramsay” .Just watch that show on TV and you will know exactly how it was in earlier days! But still thinking back, I don’t regret anything or any minute of my training.

How difficult did training?

It was difficult, but without that training I would not be where I am now. So it was worth all the time and effort.

Would you do it again?

Absolutely yes. Anytime, I will do it again What’s your best cooking tip for a novice?

Start to follow recipes – increase your product knowledge – try to recognize different herbs & spices in different dishes – focus on the products taste – don’t over season.

•Preidelt

Thomas Preidelt, an Austrian , came to Transcorp Hilton Hotel , Abuja as Executive Chef recently with wealth of experience spanning over ten years as Sous Chef with Langham Hilton Hotel, London. He also worked as Executive Chef in Munich City and Poland.

In this chat with Vanguard’s JIMOH BABATUNDE, he traces his journey into being a chef to his family background and also shares his goal of working with the Transcorp Hilton’s team to creating more exciting culinary experiences for their guests.

Here is an excerpt.

Did you cook growing up? es as one of the routine house chores especially when mum was not there to cook for you.

What made you decide to become

Y

a Professional Chef?

This goes back to my family, my grandfather was a chef and my father was also a pastry and bakery chef. So my passion goes fare back!

Where did you train and what

What advice would you offer a young person interested in getting into the culinary industry? ulinary industry is a LIFESTYLE and not just a profession; you should dedicate your live around the profession. If you are committed, the world of opportunities will open for you.

Your favorite gadget?

“Apple” products.

What is your funniest kitchen incident?

A non novice waiter filled sand in pepper shakers instead of white pepper.

Favorite food you like to cook?

Veal schnitzel “Vienna” style Most memorable cooking moment Cooking a dinner for Bill Gates at the Zuma Grill of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

From your experience how important is the food culture to Nigerians today?

Food is very important for all Nigerians; they are very particular when it comes to even simple dishes. And lately I see an increased number of Nigerians going for international cuisine.

Do you think the younger generation is in tune with the traditional culinary recipes passed on by the older generations?

My experience from working with Nigerian chefs for the past one year tells me that recipes from older generations are passed on very well.

What do you eat at home?

C

•Preidelt

Cynthia’s death: Need to increase hotel security

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HE recent killing of Miss Cynthia Osokogu Udoka, the only daughter of a retired General, in Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Festac Town, Lagos, has brought to the fore the issue of security in our hotels.

Though the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Abubakar Manko told journalists that the detectives arrested the suspects using the close circuit television at the hotel where the crime was committed to identify them.

Before now, the regulatory body in charge of tourism in the country, Nigeria Tourism

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Development Corporation (NTDC) had mounted a campaign calling for tighter security in Nigerian hotels in order to check the increasing wave of criminal activities in the industry.

The Director General of the corporation has always maintained that it would not relent in its effort at ensuring that Nigeria is a safe destination for Nigerian and foreign tourists.

It would probably have been more difficult for the detectives to arrest the suspects without the CCTV mounted by the hotel’s management.

It has become imperative for

hotel owners to know that people come in out and of hotels constantly as guests, check in and out, and so should make conscious efforts to control visitors , even at hotel lobbies considered as a public spaces.

With recent events and threats of terrorism in the country, hotels should review and find ways to protect not only their guests but also themselves.

Hoteliers should start thinking of installing additional surveillance cameras which some people may view as infringing on their privacy, despite these

feelings, video cameras on guest room floors, in elevators, stairwells and lobby areas do help in protecting guests.

According to some experts, “Cameras can enable security staff to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior and therefore, prevent crime, such as theft and assault.”

It is only in Nigeria that anybody can check into a hotel without any identification required. In countries like United Arab Emirates, Britain and other European Countries, even in some African countries, it is normal practice for hotels to take photocopies of interna-

tional passports of guests.

It was reported that the suspected killers of Cynthia before they were caught moved from one hotel to the other, but this would not have been possible if the hotels required for identification to back up what ever information they provided in their registration forms.

So, it will not be out of place to require security employees or receptionists at Nigerian hotels to request government-issued identification cards for anyone entering the hotels, and have the staff conduct rounds of the hotel to ensure no one is lingering on the wrong floor or in a restricted area.

Vanguard, FRID AY , A UGUST 31, 2012 —29 FRIDA AUGUST

Beyond Resource Control - burdens and realities of transformation (3) In this concluding part, Governor Uduaghan examines the economic potentials of the South South geopolitical region and insists that those who bear the brunt of economic exploitation should not be neglected

ment. As I have noted earlier, there are global concerns about the future relevance of oil and the need for cleaner sources of energy. We in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria, as a whole, must HEN we as governors of share in these concerns. the South-South States We are aware of the effect came together three years ago to of the exploration activicreate the South-South Economic ties of the oil companies Summit with the BRACED Com- in the Niger Delta region mission as its driving force, we over the years and how were deliberately taking steps to that has affected our lives leverage on areas of our core com- forever.

The fact that worldwide petences and to optimise same for the benefit of all, knowing fully huge investments are bethat we are not all equally en- ing poured into developdowed. I am confident therefore ing and commercialising •Realities of oil exploitation: oil spills and attendant pollution in the future of the Niger Delta low carbon energy opand the South-South region as tions for cleaner energy only tells mentally sustainable economic of true federalism.” The rest of we seek new ways of collabora- us that the days of resource con- developments. the federation must do what is tion with our sister States and trol as it relates to fossil oil are High construction costs in the right to the Niger Delta region. across the regions both within numbered. Even as we live with region – a result of its marshy soil, We must go back to what served the damage already done to our its disparate islands, and creeks us well at the very beginning of and outside the country.”

In several ways, we have environment, eco-system, econ- – means that the region cannot this nation. There must be fiscal shown aggressive commitment omy and total well-being, I have be developed within the funds federalism. People must benefit towards economic integration been very concerned about these currently allocated to it. There is from what they produce. No one and partnership in the zone. The issues because I also know these still need for more intervention, is by this saying that the peoples BRACED Commission is envi- damages can be reversed. Our specifically on projects likes the of this federation do not have a sioned as a strategic vehicle environment can be restored. We East West Road that would open responsibility to one another. We through which we can deliver on can mitigate pollution; the oil in- the Niger Delta to more economic must remain our brothers’ keepour expectations. It is our hope dustry operators can apply best and social activities than oil and ers. that in due course we can become practices in technology as they gas exploration. These matters the country’s new economic pow- do abroad. I have in this respect rank high in our concerns about Issues of equity sought collaboration and partner- the region but they are too often erhouse. and fairness Furthermore, I am confident ship both at home and abroad on lost to the louder voices in the about this because at individual how to achieve a better treatment contests for shares of national I accept that some of these matlevel, the various States are mak- of the environment; I am keen revenue. ters are constitutional, but I also ing significant progress. Rivers that our peoples can have access Study after study has shown believe that they are issues of State is taking giant strides in its to cleaner and sustainable ener- the imperative of the East West equity and fairness. Since we are Road, and the economic poten- in the process of amending the What the peoples of the Niger Delta tials that it bears, not only for the Constitution, it is time our legisNiger Delta region, but also for lators looked at justice, equity region would want to see are more proparts of the country that can and fairness in addressing these found programmes that would save their other be connected at various spurs in issues. We cannot continue supenvironment and open up their areas for the road’s designs by further porting the destruction of the developments like railways.

Niger Delta region – which is economic activities what our silences and inactions Coastal represent – while the peoples are renewal efforts with great things gy. It is a matter of urgency, someroad dying and the future of their foreto show in its update of the pub- thing in the realm of an emerbears compromised. lic school system, health care and gency. I have often wondered if Major projects like the coastal My position is that one way we general infrastructure revamp. I the Niger Delta environment canroad would open up numerous can be assisted to address the can say the same for Akwa Ibom, not be reconstructed now, with inaccessible parts of the Niger myriads of challenges that we Cross River, Bayelsa and Edo, its vast contributions to the econDelta regions and connect them face and to compensate for the notwithstanding the latter being omy what will happen when oil to the numerous opportunities violence and despoliation visita non-PDP State. ceases to flow. Where would NiFor us as governors in the Ni- geria find the resources and po- Nigeria has to develop for her ed on our environment, is a modger Delta region there is a near litical will to clean up the envi- people. Yet I want to caution that est increase to 50 per cent deriunanimity of opinions on what ronment? This is probably a more no one should be deceived, the vation. It is entirely in order. My our priorities should be, no mat- important, though more ignored neglect of the Niger Delta region appeal is that as leaders and repover the years is serious even if resentatives of our peoples we ter the differences in resources aspect of resource control. the peoples bear the brunt with should not stop engaging others available to the States.

Despoliation of the environOur human capital develop- ment of the Niger Delta has far- a waning equanimity. The level and reaching out at our different ment rests on the simultaneous reaching global consequences of degradation with all the atten- fora to press our case. One such pursuit of education, provision of than the immediate suffering of dant consequences on our envi- forum which has served us very healthcare, especially primary its peoples. Gas flaring and the ronment resulting from oil and well is the Governors’ Forum. We healthcare to the young, vulner- wasting of the Niger Delta’s rain gas exploration and production will continue to seek all avenues able and the aged, the upgrade forests are contributing to global activities is even more serious. for a better understanding and of existing infrastructure and pro- warming, destruction of aquatic The resources required for a to- fairer representation of the issues vision of new ones; reviving ag- lives and their replacement with tal revamp of the Niger Delta affecting the peoples of the Niriculture and expanding the eco- a wasteland that would displace region are enormous, far more ger Delta region. As we have seen than the present 13 per cent der- from the recent intense militannomic base as well as provision millions of people. ivation can ever address. cy, which enveloped the entire of sports and recreational faciliThat is why as Governor, I have That is why resource control, Niger Delta region and made ties. These are some of the prior- linked up with Governors and though we are looking beyond security of lives and oil producities of our administrations. regional leaders across the world A major concern for us also and to float R20, an international non- it, will not die. Ikechukwu in the tion difficult, a wound to one is a why we must look beyond re- governmental organisation com- same article citied earlier referred wound to all. To put it mildly, it source control and indeed oil, is mitted to global promotion of to the Niger Delta region as “a was a double jeopardy, the worst the devastation of the environ- green economy and environ- prime example of deprivation of which we must put behind us directly traceable to the absence forever.

W

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I want to add that it is not all a gloomy picture in the Niger Delta region. We must put on record some gains that have accrued to the Niger Delta region. The Amnesty Programme started by the administration of late President Yar’Adua and sustained by the present Goodluck Jonathan administration has helped secure more peace in the region and freed more resources for development. As at the last count, over 5,200 ex-militants have undergone or are undergoing training in various institutions at home and abroad. The salutary effect on the Niger Delta region and the entire nation is there for all to see.

The creation of a separate Ministry of Niger Delta at the centre can only mean a willingness to show more understanding of the peculiar problems of the region.

It must not stop there however.

The Ministry must be properly funded and repositioned to carry out its mandate as there is presently cause to worry about its relevance and direction. There is also the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, which continues to impact the various communities of the Niger Delta. Our hope is that it will continue to re-invent itself to meet its set mandate better.

What the peoples of the Niger Delta region would want to see are more profound programmes that would save their environment and open up their areas for economic activities, especially away from oil and gas. The opportunities abound and are waiting to be explored. Agriculture is one such area and the favourable climate of the region creates room for commercial practices from palm oil, cassava, yam, maize, and poultry to the more traditional fishing. More elevated linkages like preservation and packaging of these products for export, industrial and home consumption, will create more sustainable and environmentally friendly economic activities than oil and gas production.

Optimistic democracy In closing, I cannot be more optimistic. Democracy holds a lot of promise for the Niger Delta region and indeed, Nigeria. Not too long ago, it was almost inconceivable that our country can elect a president without him being from particular extractions.

Now we have a president from a minority section of the country. It is one of the beauties of democracy that we can pass that bridge.

We did not only elect a minority, but one from the Niger Delta region! The message is not lost on our peoples. What this means is that we only have to be patient with our processes. The parties are evolving through internal democratic mechanisms.

The electoral process, given time, is bound to be more accountable as the votes count more. The laws and institutions of the country will evolve and be strengthened through reforms and amendments. They will hopefully take us, at the end of the day, to a Niger Delta region and country of our dreams.

Concluded

30—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

•Wizkid

Battle of the stars:

•D’banj

P-Square, TTiw iw a, D’Banj, iwa, Wizkid, Ice Prince other otherss battle for The Headies

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OP stars, P-Square and alternative signer Bez have emerged the highest nominees for this year’s edition of The Headies, Nigeria’s leading awards for urbane music and hip hop/ pop culture.

P-Square, who have had an interesting year musically, with ground-breaking collaborations, chart-topping videos, and bestselling concerts, packed six big nominations, including nods for album of the year, artiste of the year, and song of the year. Bez, a rapidly rising singer-musician, who is winning accolades from fans and critics, is this year’s other major contender, with six nominations, also. Bez is up for Revelation of the Year, Best Vocal Performance (male) and Best Collabo; as well as Best R&B/Pop single and Best R&B/ Pop album.

Psquare and Bez are closely followed by A-listers Wizkid, Davido and Ice Prince who grabbed four nominations each. Praiz, who continues to grow steadily as a singer to court, also got four nods from

INSIDE

C M Y K

Ketura denies birth of new baby

As a teen, I took up boxing to ward off bullies

TB Joshua’s prayers ended my 14 years smoking addiction

the awards committee.

The popular ‘Next Rated’ category will have Davido, Eva Alordia, Praiz and Chuddy K competing for the prize, which comes with a brand new car.

This year ’s Headies (also known as Hip hop world awards) is rewarding deserving works released into the Nigerian market between March 2011 and February 2012.

Some other nominees include Naeto C (3), Chuddy K (3), D’Banj (3), Wande Coal (3), Tiwa Savage (2), Iyanya (2), Brymo (2), Terry G (1), Waje (1) and Cobhams (2).

The full list and table of nominees, which was made available by the awards committee, covers a diverse range of talents, from pop to R&B, hip hop, soul and several emerging Nigerian sounds.

The Headies 2012 is scheduled to hold at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites, in Lagos on Sunday October 20, 2012.

Iconic hip-hop act M.I and multi-award-winning singersongwriter Omawumi, will host the highly anticipated event.

stampede at SLOT as Nokia crashes Pureview price in promo launch

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—31

Ketura denies birth of new baby

Movie of the week

Cinemas take In The Cupboard Synopsis

...reaffirms relationship with Jim Iyke

BY AYO ONIKOYI ‘Nollywood bad boy’ and top actor, Jim Iyke has repeatedly said he is a victim of bad press and he has said time and time again that there are haters everywhere trying to pull down his good image.

Recently, the said haters, smelled blood and went for the kill when a picture of his supposed fiancée, Jamaican model, Ketura Hamilton, was posted on Facebook with a baby purported to have been delivered by the model, setting adrift a rumour that the model has dumped Jim and had a baby for another man.

But Weekend Groove on a fact finding mission can authoritatively tell our readers that the relationship between Jim Iyke and his Jamaican model is as healthy as it can get. The reaction that came from the camp of the model after a probing question reads “Jim Iyke’s girlfriend, Ketura has not had a baby” “On the contrary, the model has only recently completed a fashion shoot for P. Diddy. However, the baby she referred to on her facebook is actually her god daughter recently delivered by former Nollywood producer Chinny who is now based in the US and is a close friend of

•Jim Iyke with Ketura

Ketura and Jim” added the spokesperson for Ketura.

Ketura and Jim Iyke have been going on with their relationship for years now and friends of the two love-birds are feverishly awaiting the announcement of a wedding date.“Yes, it is true. I have found the woman of my dreams and we are in love in all totality. She is the embodiment of all that I have been looking for; a tall, pretty, exotic and supremely intelligent woman.” Jim once said of Keura in an interview with a Kenya tabloid.

The pair met while Jim was filming in the US. The two made headlines some two years ago when Keturah threw for Jim a surprise birthday party at the rooftop lounge at Hotel Indigo in Manhattan

Tiwa Sawage, 9ice rock •Ibadan for Amstel Showtime

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•Tiwa

•9ice C M Y K

IWA Savage and 9ice will lead a star stud ded cast to Ibadan, Oyo State Capital, as the fourth leg of the 2012 edition of Amstel Malta Showtime to hold today at the Jogor cente, Ibadan.

The two superstars will bring the number of high profile performers that have thrilled students of tertiary institutions in this year’s edition of Amstel Malta Showtime to six. Also expected to perform at the event is comedian, Seyi Law and impressive dance group, Outrage while entertainer, Darey ‘Art’ Alade will continue his sterling performance as anchor of the show.

Two months ago, the very first edition of Amstel Malta Showtime was held in the oil rich city of Port Harcort, Rivers State with rave of the moment P Square and Nabania crooner, as the main attractions of the night. A month after, the second leg was held, this time in the ancient city of Benin with 10 over 10 crooner, Naeto C and ace artiste Davido performing before the audience. The show has also featured rib cracking comedians dishing out jokes to the admiration of the audience with comedians Senator and Buchi performing in the Port Harcourt and Benin legs respectively.

But it will not be all about the stars as the wannabees will also have opportunities to showcase their talents. Students from tertiary institutions will slug it out in the singing, dancing and comedy competitions. Winners in each category will walk away with a whooping sum of N500, 000 cash, a brand new iPad and a weekend getaway for two in Lagos. The first and second runner-up in all the categories will also get consolation cash prizes of N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.

‘In The Cupboard’ is a story that revolves around the lives of six siblings born into the rich, aristocratic Desouza family; a name synonymous with wealth & power.

Everything seems perfect in their lives until their father dies unexpectedly and all of them gather together from different parts of the world to be with their mother, the elegant matriarch Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Desouza (Biola Williams) for two weeks.

What ensues is a series of events that threatens to shake the family to its very foundations!

All hell is let loose, more secrets are revealed, sibling rivalry displayed, confrontations made and love, the greatest gift of all is put to the ultimate test.

Movie Schedule

24th - 26th August, 2012

GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, LEKKI In the Cupboard: 11:00am, 3:15pm, 8:35pm.

Total Recall:1:10pm, 3:40pm, 6:10pm, 8:40pm, 11:10pm.

GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT In the Cupboard:2:15pm, 6:00pm, 11:00pm.

Total Recall:10:00am, 4:10pm, 6:30pm, 8:40pm.

GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, ENUGU In the Cupboard: 10:10am, 1:40pm, 5:20pm, 8:50pm.

Total Recall:12:35pm, 3:10pm, 5:45pm, 8:20pm.

Mirror Mirror: 10:10am, 4:05pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, UYO In the Cupboard: 5:25pm, 7:10pm.

Think like a Man: 11:50am, 2:10pm, 4:30pm, 6:50pm.

Amazing Spiderman:12:10pm, 2:50pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMA, LAGOS. In the Cupboard: 1:00pm, 6:30pm.

Total Recall:4:00pm, 6:15pm, 10:30pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMA, SEC, ABUJA Cocktail:5:50pm, 8:40pm.

In the Cupboard:12:10pm, 2:10pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm.

Total Recall:1:10pm, 3:40pm, 6:10pm, 8:30pm.

Think like a Man:11:40am, 6:20pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMA, CEDDI PLAZA, ABUJA In the Cupboard:1:00pm, 5:30pm.

Total Recall:11:30am, 1:50pm, 4:10pm, 6:30pm, 9:00pm.

Amazing Spiderman:2:50pm, 9:10pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMA, PORT HARCOURT. In the Cupboard:12:40pm, 2:45pm, 4:50pm, 6:50pm, 8:50pm.

Total Recall:1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:05pm, 8:30pm.

Mirror Mirror:12:00pm, 2:20pm, 4:40pm, 7:00pm, 9:15pm.

OZONE CINEMA, YABA In the Cupboard:12:20pm, 6:50pm.

Total Recall:1:35pm, 3:55pm, 6:15pm, 8:30pm.

Amazing Spiderman:11:00am.

Think like a Man:10:00am.

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

BY YEMISI SULEIMAN

F

or the average guy out there, the art of choosing and wearing clothes that are of lasting style is somewhat a herculean task.

However, all you need to look fresh are a few final touches, here and there.

To improve your sense of style, brush up on your fashion basics with these Tips.

1. Fit is King – The most dramatic improvement you can make in your style is to make sure everything fits impeccably. Most guys wear clothes that are too large.

Make sure everything you wear is almost hugging the shape of your body, without being tight.

2. Keep it simple – You want a wardrobe that looks great on you, but don’t overdo it. Don’t wear more than three pieces of jewelry or more than three colors. Don’t dress like a rock star unless you’re in a band 3. Change the way you see casual – casual doesn’t have to be boring.

Have fun with collared shirts, or take some inspiration from those who approach casual a bit differently.

4. Never go shopping alone – Most of the time, it’s tough to trust the sales p e o p l e because they usually work for commission. Shop with a friend who will give you their honest opinion.

5. Stay a notch above – Don’t overdo it to a fault, but dare to

take some risks. It’s always better to be a little bit overdressed than underdressed in any setting. All you have to do is think about where and who you’re going to be with and just step it up one notch.

But make sure you’re not better dressed than someone who is more important in a certain setting, like your boss.

6. Invest in a superb pair of shoes – If it’s one thing that women will notice, it’s your shoes.

Especially how clean and sharp they look. It’s easy to wash and press the rest of your clothes to keep them looking new, but most guys disregard their shoes. Show that you’re a man of taste by getting a great pair of shoes and keeping them in pristine condition.

7. Fashion Tees with logos – Stay away from T-shirts with logos. When you’re going around with a big logo on your shirt, you risk looking like a walking billboard. Go for a classic v-neck tee or something artsy.

8. Disregard trends – Beware of buying something just because it’s “in” right now – stick to what you truly like. A lot of people rush to get in on the latest trend and end up with a bunch of clothes they don’t wear. It’s better to learn to build a versatile and timeless wardrobe first – then bring in your own twists with some of the new fashion. This one tip will save you so much money!

9. Don’t be a sucker for brand names – Before you decide to purchase an item, ask yourself if you are buying it simply because of the brand name or because you love the

At the MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW) Screening

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ith the success of last year ’s event still fresh in everyone’s minds, the MTN LFDW team couldn’t wait to start the journey to this year’s LFDW! Travelling to different parts of Nigeria to screen candidates for each category played a huge role in setting LFDW apart from other fashion events. This year, judges travelled the country again looking for the future stars of the fashion industry. Port Harcourt, the Treasure

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Base City, was host to the first s c r e e n i n g s .

Held at the Le Meridien, Ogeyi Place on the 8th of August, the city welcomed the team with open arms. The LFDW Port Harcourt judges included Akpos Okudu, a MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week 2011 finalist; Ijeoma Arugba from British Council; Kester Osahenye from MTN and Wadami Amolegbe of HauTeFashionAfrica.com.

Abuja, the capital of Nigeria was the second city and second stop for the MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week Awards screenings.

The LFDW team arrived on the

10th of August, 2012. Denis Hotel was the venue and the ?Center of Unity? was full of fashion creatives who brought their A game! The judges were Sephora Imomoh from British Council, Melvin Awolowo of XLR8 and Oyinkansola Momoh from Style House Files.

Lagos, the budding fashion city was the last stop for the screenings. As expected, the metropolitan did not disappoint!

By far the most attended screening, the crowd gathered on the 13th of August at the British Council, a LFDW sponsor

By KATE OBODO

and the perfect venue for the Center of Excellence”.

The judges for the Lagos screenings were MTN?s Mrs. Bukola Kajero and Mr. Ibobo Chukwuma; Ojoma Ochai from British Council; Veronica Odeka of Vanestyles, and fashion designer Lanre Dasilva Ajayi. ach day of screenings went smoothly, with participant after participant, impressing the judges and leaving them with very difficult decisions to make! Picking models, designers and those being considered for the Young Creative Entrepreneur category

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quality and style. Ask yourself, “Would I buy this if there was no logo on it?”

10. Upgrade your shave Even if your fashion is golden, an unkempt beard can be an attraction killer. Achieve a perfect shave by trying a shave brush and old-fashioned double-edged razor.

was NOT easy but the judges finally reached an agreement and nominated 15 young persons for the Young Designer Category: Those selected for , Young Creative Entrepreneur Category included; Ogo Atariete, Olajide Okerayi, Isoken Ogiemwonyi, Yusuf Kolawole Kuddus of Kola Kuddus - who was the 1st finalist for the YCE awards in Lagos, and took home the Blackberry 9230, a gift from MTN LFDW Official Technology Partners, RIM Blackberry.

Hi GROOVE

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 33

As a teen, I took up boxing to ward off bullies Come September 22, the King of World Beat, Otunba Sunday Adegeye a.k.a King Sunny Ade rolls out the drums to celebrate 50 years as a musician.

In this interview with Weekend Groove, the Ondo State born high chief went down the memory lane as he recalls intimate and interesting moments .

My Life, My Music usic is my life. As long as you enjoy my music, I’d continue playing to entertain my fans. Sometimes, circumstances can push a man into taking a risk. When I left home, they didn’t know I was coming to Lagos. As a Prince, I was not supposed to play music but I had a passion for music and I took the choice to thread that path. When I joined ‘’Moses Olaiya’’ (Babasala), I tried to prove myself and show the stuff I’m made of. I headed the music arm of the theatre group and I learnt how to act too.

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Ibadan y the grace of God who has granted me strength, Ibadan is home coming because I was crowned ‘’King of World Beat’’ there.

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Boxing uring my primary school days in Oshogbo,Orlando Owoh was the local boxing champion.

Because I was small in stature, I took to boxing to protect myself. Then, before one could join the boxing club, Orlando would check our books and report cards. If he finds out that one isn’t intelligent, he would send one out to box against the wall. So, he trained me to be a boxer.

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The Band and I see the band as a matrimonial home. So, I am the husband and team leader. We are like a family but I am respected as a leader and I don’t misuse my power.

Despite that, when there is an act of disobedience, I’d bare my fangs.

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35 years y being declared “King Of World Beats” was the people’s choice. I didn’t have to contest for it and I’m happy about it.

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My Children and Music have always wanted to be a graduate but since I couldn’t, I want my children to be. I want from them is to get their certificate.

Thereafter, they can get involved in music. If they require my services as a manager, I am ready. But God has been kind to me. I have a honorary degree in Music from LASU and I am a lecturer.

With the help of computers, I don’t have a problem with my students. I also have my music being transferred into Sheet music.

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Grammy Nominations t was difficult for the organizers to classify my music. The difficulty in categorizing my genre of music led to the introduction of the World Music Category which caters for Africa, Asia and the Caribbean musicians.

I ask myself, why haven’t we won the Grammy and how does the government treat the music industry? In Nigeria today, all we do is copy. This explains why we are where we are.

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Live Performance he Media makes musicians lazy. When you patronize a lazy musician who cannot play live, what do you expect? Secondly, to buy musical equipment is expensive and bringing a band together is not easy. The session men make more money because they dictate to you how much you must pay.

The high amount required to be payed to have sessions scares away aspiring

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,

By SARUMI KEHINDE

If my children want to use my song, they have to pay because the song belongs to all of them. It is simple business.

musicians from forming a band . This situation led to musicians taking to miming and plastic performance on stage.

But with Live performance, you are a better performer

should also encourage investors who wish to set up musical instrument manufacturing plants. They should also reduce tax on the importation of musical equipment.

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because you have control over the session men and the audience. Today I’m happy because musicians are gradually coming back to doing Live performances. The government on their path

Collaboration. would be happy to let the younger generation collaborate with me if they do my songs the way I want them to be done. I have a family to feed. So even if I am willing to let them play music, they must be able to pay. If my children want to use my song, they have to pay because the song belongs to all of them. It is simple business.

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34—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

GROOVE Extra

TB Joshua’s prayers ended my14 years smoking addiction — Tonto Dike Additional report by OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

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O P U L A R Nollywood actress has revealed reasons behind the sudden end to her fourteen year old smoking addiction. She says the prayer of Pastor T.B Joshua through his Christian TV station, Emmanuel TV healed her. It would be recalled that the daring actress had battled with her smoking addiction for years.

Tonto who started chain-smoking at the age of 13 had earlier in the year revealed in an interview that smoking is her life and didn’t care what people thought about it.

“If I want to smoke, I handle a stick of cigarette and I smoke it hard. It is my life I can decide to smoke myself to hell. It’s nobody ’s business.”

But as against what many thought, Tonto recently took to social network cite, Twitter, announced to the whole world that she’d stopped smoking.

“I’ve good news for those who wish me well.

Its silly good news but ya’ll going to love this.

I quit smoking!”

Dazed, many wondered how and who had preached to her against the fourteen year old ‘love of her life’.

As a matter of fact, recently, her heavy smoking habit led to a war of words between

•Tonto Dike her and Ghanian actor, Van Vicker, who complained about her uncontrollable cigarette addiction.

Many thought her new year resolution wouldn’t last. However Tonto, last week in an interview revealed that she was healed by pastor T.B Joshua’s prayer.

“I didn’t quit smoking by myself. I was watching a program on TV with Prophet T.B. Joshua and he was laying hands on people and praying for them. I love to watch his programs on Emmanuel TV. When he was

praying, he said, ‘Lay your hands on the TV’ and I just laid my hands that day. I actually needed something else from God, not to quit smoking because I loved smoking! However, after praying I sat back and I think I slept off. When I woke up, I took a stick of cigarette and I felt crazy. I couldn’t even imagine that I took it up to smoke in the first place. It felt like poison!”

Three months down the line after she made the announcement via Twitter, Dikeh has remained clean from smoking.

Culled from E-247

Chuddy K yanked off Next Rated category

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HIS is to announce that talented rising artiste; Chuddy K has been taken off the nominees list for the “Next Rated” category of The Head ies 2012 Awards.

Evidence has emerged that Chuddy K previously released an album titled “I Am Me” in 2010 and therefore will not be listed in the Next Rated category.

Judges of the prestigious annual music awards have now taken Chuddy K off the Next Rated category and have now replaced him with talented rapper, Flowssick.

Following the rules of the “Next Rated category over the years, this category for the awards is for the most promising upcoming officially unreleased act in the year under review. The prize for this category also comes with a brand new car courtesy The Headies. Past winners of this category include Wande Coal, Asa, Skuki, Overdose, Omawumi and Wizkid.

The Next Rated Category nominees are now Davido, Eva Alordiah, Praiz and Flowssick.

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VANGUARD, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—35

By AYO ONIKOYI E-mail: sayonikoyi@gmail.com

Oba Abiodun Oniru set for another wonderful birthday gift T

HE ruler of Victoria Island and some parts of its environs, Oba Abiodun Oniru is a First Class Oba and over the years the monarch has proved that he has a First Class tastes in everything that has to do with life and what it has to offer. Come September 6th the monarch will clock 75 years and already the mood in the palace and its adjoining areas is that of festivity.

Last year when the monarch turned 74 he spoiled himself with acquisition of a Phantom Rolls Royce, a luxury car said to worth something around $300,000 or $ 400,000.

Though nothing is being acquired as at press time but whispers have been heard that the king is set to gratify himself with yet another wonderful gift.

The invites have been sent to select people including the Governor Babbatunde Fashola of Lagos state, his commissioners, the State House of Assembly men and of course, other monarchs from the state and beyond. If the cat has not been let out of the bag concerning the planning and organisation one thing has sure been concluded- King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall shall be on stand to entertain guests at the birthday celebration party.

Oba Abiodun Oniru is the patriarch and Chairman of the multi-faceted, multi-billion naira model, Oniru Royal Family Estate and Chairman, Board of Directors of British International School. He is also the Chairman of Landbridge Nigeria Limited among others.

Wale Babalakin as a jolly good fellow I

F you have ever run into billionaire businessman and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Wale Babalakin you would have realised the man is a billionaire worlds apart from other billionaires who view the less fortunate people as if it was not the same God that created them.

Apart from always having a smile on his face to greet all and sundry, the young billionaire, more often than not, goes the extra mile, of reaching out, usually in hard currency, to people who call on him.

At an event recently in Victoria Island, Lagos the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, in his usual manner, made the night of some people when he came strolling into the hall. The

people who could have been anything from street urchins to mere beggars besieged the lawyer, raining praises on him and the Ibadan state-born tycoon responded in kind with some dollar bills, which almost caused pandemonium amongst the ‘fortunate people’

•Wale Babalakin

Seasons of good tidings for Linus Idahosa and wife S

•Oba Oniru

•Oba Oniru's 74th birthday gift

The Onigbanjos of Lagos to bury mum Late KMY Onig HE families of i and the grandbanjo and Sann LaAnpa of Lafiaji in daughter of Etu- t to roll out drums l se y of gos state are al l outing ceremon jo ria bu al fin for the an gb ni O liat Alake Late Alhaja Ra of 90 at the ripe age on who passed art years. ony is billed to st The burial cerem Aladelola Street, at off from 12 noon on Saturday, Seps go La Ikosi, Ketu, rsonMany notable pe ate tember 1, 2012. st e th in and beyond . alities from with on si ca grace the oc are expected to Raliat Alake OnigThe late Alhaja survived by great i) is banjo (nee Sann andchildren, chilgr n, re ld hi dc gran ne of and a sister. O ie nt au an , en dr eeb, ab H t na ki Mrs Se nthe children is Va ects Manager, the Special Proj mited. guard Media Li

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INCE their fairytale wedding in Paris, France in April of this year life has been a roller-coasting ride of good tidings for the smashing couple, Linus Idahosa, Chief Executive Officer of Del York International and his wife, Stephanie Linus (nee Okereke), 2002 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) runner-up and Nollywood actress.

When the handsome business executive added another year on Friday August 24th, virtually all social networking utilities like the Twitter and Facebook lit up with greetings for the ‘birthday boy’ and his sexy wife. Particularly worthy of note were the torrents of wishes which came from the Nollywood clan who took over the internet to wish their colleague’s husband many happy returns of the day.

Though a source revealed that no lavish celebration was staged by the Linuses but hinted that the couple shared a quality time together at an exclusive hangout for what was surely a dinner for two.

If truly a woman’s goodluck is determined by the spate of good tidings she brings with her to her husband’s house then Stephanie’s feet in the Idahosa’s house has a ring of good omen to it. Just few weeks back, the husband of the sexy Nollywood actress was conferred with two double doctorate degrees from the Common Wealth University, Belize and a London Graduate school in Dubai. Even Stephanie herself was made an ambassador of her former school, University of Calabar, Cross River State some days ago.

Pikolo splashes millions as he celebrates birthday W

HO says comedians are just a band of jokers? If they are even anything close they must be jokers with plenty of cash to spend. From Ali Baba down to the very upcoming ones, comedians have come to show they have come of age. And this is exactly what Edo state-born comedian and entertainer, Daniel Eromosele a.k.a Pikolo did at the weekend when he added another year to his life with a mouth-watering bash at his Government Reservation Area (GRA) residence in Benin.

Pikolo, a law graduate from the University of Benin before he veered into comedy and music is definitely a man of class and he drove the fact home with a scintillating glamourous birthday celebration. From the birthday cake, the wines and spirits on disC M Y K

play, the assortment of cuisines laid out to guests and even the decorations that adorned the venue, it was sheer opulence and good money in action.

Some of the entertainers who thronged the event include Maleke Franchize, Sleezy E, Efex, youngest Landlord, Miyaki, Saint Patrick, JB Niro MC Allanmano, Smokey Jay, Neavy T, Lyn Jay. Lil Brown, Shak Ranky and other entertainers from across the country.

In his vote of thanks speech, Pikolo who is Vice Chairman of Edo State Concerned Entertainers Association was full of high praises for the governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who he said has brought unprecedented development to the state.

•Pikolo at the mouth-watering bash with guests

•Linus Idahosa

36— Vanguard, FRIDAY,

AUGUST 31, 2012

The Hair Series

Mad about the Dreads D

readlocks were made popular by reggae legend Bob Marley, but it was not until the last decade that the hairdo became desirable, so much so that men and women both see it now not only as the epitome of convenience and afrocentrism but also high style. These folks about town speak about their relationship with their hair and what wearing dreadlock means to them.

I think everything depends on where you go. It depends on the overheads

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OOL FM Morning Show anchor known as Manny is a proud father of one. He has worn his dreadlocks long for so many years that it has become a signature. He says with his man-about-town lifestyle, his dreadlocks are here to stay

As a man wearing dreadlocks, do you sometimes get funny stares?

Yeah, all the time. In church, everywhere. People think I’m not normal Are you?

I always say I’m the last sane generation in this country (laughs). Seriously, this is a country where they write you off before they even know you Have you ever been tempted to chop it off?

For what? I am not living for anybody, I’m living for myself.

Never even come close?

Actually, once or twice.

There was a rumour in town that government said people with dreadlocks should be arrested. I was coming from Surulere that day when a friend tipped me off. I saw some policemen and I told C M Y K

them I was a media person.

Was it true?

You know Nigeria, rumour spreads faster than the truth.

I was also tempted just before I got married. There was a job I was going for and they said it was mine, but I had to cut my hair. Of course I refused.

Is it a youth thing, or would you still have your dreads when you are 60?

There are people who are 70 and have dreadlocks. I prefer to just be myself. I am not a hypocrite.

Does your wife have a problem with your hair?

No, my wife does not see my hair that way. She is a decent lady.

What does your present employer think?

Nothing. Nothing at all. The guy is exposed nowww.

I am told that women are attracted to men with

dreadlocks. Is it true?

I think so. It’s just that a man with hair is very attractive. It’s even biblical. Not every man can grow his hair. Some don’t have the genes, some are not free. It takes a man who is free to express himself.

Freedom?

These days you see a white man walk into a bank with long hair and people are falling over themselves to attend to him. If Michael Jackson were to attend a church service with Oyedepo, would they ask him to cut his hair? It’s just a mindset; it’s a black man thing.

I ask people, are you looking at my hair or looking at me? I believe things will change with time.

Has it been the case with you?

Manny is someone that gets the attention of a lot of ladies.

I think it’s my nature. Women

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like a guy who can make them laugh.

So, it is not about your hair?

I am not sure it’s about my hair. I’m not sure.

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What does brave mean?

I feel brave means doing what you decide to do. People like to do what other people are doing. They don’t want to step out of the box. That’s brave.

What is the significance of hair to a woman?

I think you have to define what you are happy with. It’s very important. If you want to have tons of Roman or Brazilian or whatever, women think men like women with long hair. I don’t know. If you

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*Mrs Funke Akinyanju

To refer to Mrs Funke Akinyanju as a culture enthusiast would be an understatement. In her various roles as wife mother, philanthropist and businesswoman, she has settled on dreadlocks.

Hers are tinted, shortish and cleverly “tousled”. She says a woman needs to be brave to wear dreadlocks. and started operating around my neck. Been here, the wigs, the colours. I don’t machines they couldn’t travel done that. like the weave on too much. all over the place with long hair.

When did you start?

Now, I’ve found what I like to I think the hair is a very Do you know I can’t do. personal thing. As for me I remember. It must be a good What are people’s reactions have to be comfortable with four, five years ago. Before that to your hair? what I am wearing 99.9% of the I’d done everything doable.

Refreshing. A lot of people time.

My sister used to say, one day walk up to me they love my But would you say creative this hair is gonna fall out. I’ve hair here and abroad. women are rather more done my own hair, I’ve done Some people want to wear partial to- not natural as much dreadlocks in order to escape as African hair? the salon but when they find I think there is a move out it’s just as much trouble are happy with that, fine. If towards that. More women, if locking and treating it they you want to get a razor and they are not locking their hair just give up shave off your hair and move they are leaving it natural.

I guess so. I don’t think it’s around bald.

If you had a perm, that’s not a cop out. I still wash my hair, What is the relationship artificial... treat my hair and look after it. between a woman and her It’s not artificial but there are Is it more expensive? hair? people who say they don’t You are working it against You hear all these things want to put any more what?because if you are going about a woman’s hair being chemicals in their hair, they are to buy a whole lot of Brazilian her crowning glory. In those going more for the natural look. hair, no. I would say it’s days European women used When did you decide to go cheaper. You wash your hair to grow their hair long and dread? and then you steam it and then as emancipation came Sometime ago, but I keep my tonging. That’s not cheap as they started cutting their hair short. If I had left it it well. I think everything hair— horror upon horror. would have grown long but I depends on where you go. It When women got into work don’t want to have anything depends on the overheads.

There was a job I was going for and they said it was mine, but I had to cut my hair. Of course I refused

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*Manny

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 37

yth: You do not wash dreadlocks.

Hair must be dirty

to dread. truth: If you do not wash your hair it will stink.

Dreadlocked hair needs to be washed regularly just like un-dreaded hair. You can wash dreads just as you would wash a sponge, by working the soap in and then squeezing and rinsing repeatedly to get all the soap out. Clean hair will actually lock up faster than dirty or oily hair. Because nearly every soap and shampoo on the market contains residues it was thought that clean hair does not dread quickly, when in fact it is the residues (conditioners, moisturizers, builders and fragrance holders) in the soaps that prevent hair from locking up.

Myth: Simply not combing your hair is the only way to get nice dreads. truth: This is called the neglect method. Under some circumstances simply not combing hair will make it dread. The best example of this is African-textured hair.

Left alone, African hair will

eventually dread.

Unfortunately the results, although technically called dreads, are usually less than pleasing to the eye. The hair forms giant matts at random all over the head. Some Caucasian hair, if it is curly enough, will also dread by neglect but the same problem exists. It takes several years for the hair to lock fully and when it does it generally looks un kept, kind of like you might expect hair to look after not combing it for a few years.

Myth: Only black people can have nice dreads. Nice dreads are high maintenance.

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Myth and Fact

There are two types of natural dreadlocks. Those that are required by religion to be natural, and natural for you or I, which means non-chemically processed dreads

Xpressions

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truth: While it is easier for black people to have nice smooth dreads it is completely possible for other hair textures to dread tightly and smoothly.

Dreads are difficult to start and the first month is a pain, but as they tighten and mature they become virtually maintenance free. They look great all the time, all you have to do is keep them clean.

Myth: Natural dreads are those that are made by neglect. truth: There are two types of natural dreadlocks. Those that are required by religion to be natural, and natural for you or I, which means nonchemically processed dreads.

If you are rastafarian or in some sects of middle eastern religions you are required to not interfere with the growth of your dreads. You have probably not seen many truly natural dreads as most of these religions also require that no one, not even your spouse in some cases, see your dreads. These truly natural dreads can be washed but they can not be cut trimmed or ripped in any way and no combing or products can be

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Dreadlocks

You have to cut dreads to take them out but you do not have to shave your head

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used to maintain them.

The second type of natural are those dreads that came to be without the use of any chemical proccesses. You can wash them, cut them, comb them, rip them, tie them and wax them as you like but they are started and grow naturally without any chemical dread perms or synthetic additions.

Myth: Rubberbands break hair and can thin dreadlocks. truth: Rubberbands used correctly help roots and tips tighten, especially when dreads are new. If rubberbands are applied too tightly they can compress an area of the dread and cause a thin spot.

However, proper tension will speed the locking process and prevent loose hairs especially when washing newer dreads.

Myth: Dreads damage your scalp and can lead to thinning hair. truth: If cared for using the proper methods and products dreadlocks are actually a very healthy hairstyle. Natural

dreads do not require the use of any chemical processes making them better for your scalp than any hair style that requires your hair to be chemically permed or straightened. The residue free soaps that dreadlocks are washed in actually increase hair growth and cause hair to grow thicker and faster..

Myth: If you decide you no longer want dreads you have to shave your head. truth: You have to cut dreads to take them out but you do not have to shave your head.

You can usually leave at least 2 inches of hair when you cut the dreads, so your hair will be short, but not shaved.

Myth: Mayonnaise, Honey, Toothpaste, Glue, Rubber Cement, Mud, Chewing Gum, Peanut Butter, Shea Butter, Candle Wax and Hair Gel all work great for starting dreadlocks. truth: People will try anything but there are products that do the job fast, clean, and with no danger to your scalp or furniture.

Myth: Products that say it works for dreads will work for starting dreadlocks. truth: Many products on the market that mention they work for dreadlocks are actually intended to add shine and fragrance and to make corn rows look neater but they don’t actually help the dreading process at all. The majority of these shine waxes are made with petroleum, a lubricant.

Food security and conflicts in the North

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t is the general view, even when it sometimes does not appear so, that even the Boko Haram phenomenon will pass. Even when we had got to the edge in the past, a solution would arrive from no where and we would all be one happy family once again.

There were the Miss World riots in the core North in 2002, in which the head of a female journalist was called for. It seemed at the time- as it had in the not-so-distant pre amnesty era of Southsouth militancy- that the whole furore would see to the C M Y K

The phenomenon of Boko Haram and other conflicts in Northern Nigeria has defied diplomacy and has continued to do so, and while the cost of human life is disastrous to start with, it can only escalate in geometric progression

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final disintegration of Nigeria as we know it.

Unfortunately, anyone with deep knowledge of this country knows for sure it is not as simple as that.

Despite intense criticism, President Jonathan is not taking chances. There is no doubt of the gross incompetence of his advisers

regarding the security question, but the commander in chief of the armed forces is using the tool that comes most naturally to him_ diplomacy As far as can be surmised, the little talk he had with leaders of warring factions in Plateau was successful and if the overall success has anything to do with the conviction of stakeholders of the need for a ceasefire, the trouble in that state is as good as over.

The phenomenon of Boko Haram and other conflicts in Northern Nigeria has defied diplomacy and has continued to do so, and while the cost of human life is disastrous to start with, it can only escalate in geometric progression.

As Northern governors cry out about failing economies while the North remains the country ’s food basket, the irony of it all shows up the dearth of political leadership around here overall.

Gender Economics Today in Numbers 1.5billion The number of women worldwide not employed in the formal sector of the economy 15-20% Every year a girl spends in secondary school pushes her future wages up by this percentage, according to Gill Greer, director-general of the International Planned Parenthood federation 90%

Women generally invest this percentage of earnings in their communities 7.5% As a share of overall foundation giving, funding for women and girls has remained below this percentage, though it has grown vis-à-vis overall funding.

US$175 Amount ordered by a jury for pharmaceutical giant Novartis to pay 12 female employees who alleged they were discriminated against on pay and promotions. Jury was unanimous in the verdict.

38—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com

Stampede at SLOT as Nokia crashes PureView price in promo launch

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OKIA perhaps never anticipated what a massive number of phone freaks would besiege its accredited sales outlets recently when it announced on its Facebook page that it will be selling the 41 megapixel camera packed 808 Pureview at N41,000 to the first 41 people to be at one of 5 selected stores at 10:41am on the 11th of August.

The Pureview is expected to go for about N120,000 or more and so the announcement that the device would be sold at this super low price for 41 minutes only dragged the crowd.

At one of the locations, a SLOT shop located at Ikeja shopping mall for instance, the number of people who had gathered as early as 7.00 am on the day, made a pure view of the shop impossible. Yet all these people had only come for the cheap PureView.

The craze for smart phones among Nigerian youths was in display. Pushes and shoves, struggling and fighting and one could still wonder if Nokia has actually lost the number one smartphone spot to Samsung as reported recently.

Slot sales attendants who had already taken names of prospective buyers, in turns, were forced by the crowd to jettison it as claims and allegations of manipulation rented the air. At the end of the day, the original terms and conditions were set aside as many more people than the advertised 41 people bought the phone at an extended time than the stipulated 41 minutes. The only condition that stood was that Nokia still sold the device

at exactly N41,000.

GlamTek reliably gathered that some people even kept vigil at the centre just to be among the 41 people to buy the new device. Some who spoke to us attributed it to their love to Nokia products

while others said it was to enjoy such a huge benefit of owning a quality smartphone at such a cheap price.

Nokia had a few days to the promo, launched in Nigeria, the revolutionary device to push the frontiers of mobile device functionality to a new level. The Nokia 808 PureView has a never-beforeseen 41 mega pixel lens. For phone freaks, its an exciting new experience when it comes to digital photography on a mobile phone. No wonder, at launch, Celebrity photographer, KelechiAmadi-Obi described the device as ‘a photographer’s delight’.

In a photo presentation delivered by him at the launch event, he stated that the Nokia 808 PureView is a combination of a high quality optic with incredible Image censor coupled with professional image control in your pocket. He also showcased an array of amazing photographs taken by the Nokia 808.

Speaking at the launch event, the General Manager, Nokia-West Africa,Mr Chris Brown said the Nokia 808 boast of the highest resolution sensor of any mobile phone camera in the history of mobile devices. He said, ‘the device has the highest resolution sensor of any current camera of any highly specialized media format equipment.’ He added that although the camera has a powerful imaging experience, consumers can also look forward to other exciting features which would give them a well-rounded user experience with the phone.

Let your iPad scan your documents

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OR Journalist, particularly, scanner is a very important tool. It helps in stashing important documents and immortalizing them in the digital format, especially when he has few space to store physical papers. However the problem for upward mobile journalists has been how to carry the bulky device along with computers or their other useful work tools. But technology has provided the answer building unique scanner that doubles up as an iPad dock as well.

Tagged DOCS2GO Scanner for iPad , the device comes sleek and can scan documents and photos amongst others. A user only needs to dock the iPad in the standard 30-pin connector, send the documents that needed scanning through the scanner, and see them appear on the iPad’s display. It looks magical but that is the power of technology.It is definitely a whole lot more enticing to look at than the noisy flatbed scanner, the DOCS2GO Scanner for iPad will run off juice from your iPad’s 10W power adaptor. It is easy to tuck away in your laptop bag as you are travelling but the device will set your pocket back to the tune of £149.99

•Ipad scanner

Sony launches new Xplod CD/DVD car audio receivers

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ONSUMER electronics brand, Sony, has debuted with five new XplodA/V receivers, offering enhanced iPod/iPhone control, a wide range of smartphone and USB connectivity options, multi-channel surround sound and more.

Sony’s latest in-dash receivers provide rich, immersive music and video experiences while on the move. According to the company, the new Passenger App Control allows users to connect an iPod or iPhone via USB to display their favourite TV shows, movies, and compatible applications on screen.

Bluetooth connectivity on the brands, with an external microphone, completes the package, enabling true hands-free calling while driving.

The XAV-701BT/741/601BT A/V receivers feature high-quality

•Sony xplod

WVGA panel displays with full touchscreen capability and a myriad of ways for passengers to share their favourite multimedia when on the road. Meanwhile, dual USB connectivity allows for simultaneous connection to USB mass storage devices such as the Walkman digital music player for music playback and control over the display of album artwork and playlists.

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hese receivers also offer universal smartphone connectivity to any MirrorLink certified smartphone. Once connected, drivers can play music, make and take phone calls, as well as control smartphone-based navigation services and applications, all from the receiver’s 6.1-inch or 7inch touchscreen. The application achieves full smartphone integration while not compromising driving safety. MirrorLink™ is a technology standard developed by the Car Connectivity Consortium that enables the streaming of smartphone content to in-dash receivers, facilitating control of applications and music on the r e c e i v e r ’ s touchscreen.

Mini microscope for iPhone debuts

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f you happen to own an iPhone in your pocket and want to do far more than just snap photos of your food with it, then you might want to get up close and personal with other items around you thanks to the Mini Microscope For iPhone.

Touted to deliver up to 60x magnification right on your iPhone itself, it will come with a trio of built-in white LEDs that function as a light source, allowing you to check out very small things, verify watermarks on important documents and others. All you need to do is attach the Mini Microscope to the camera lens of your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S and you are good to go. The wackie device however will cost you $29.99

•iPhone mini microscope

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—39

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Tel: 08098097290 email: isholaism@yahoo.co.uk

Between sadaqah and zakah give him a great reward. ((Quran 4 Verse 114) The Arabic term “sadaqah” is one of a few words to which Islam gives

,

you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men, and he does not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day. His likeness is the likeness of a smooth rock on which is a little dust; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it bare.

They are not able to do anything with what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.

And whatever you spend for spendings (e.g., in Sadaqah - charity for Allah’s Cause) or whatever vow you make, be sure Allah knows it all. And for the Zalimun (wrong-doers) there are no helpers.

(Quran 2 Verses 264, 270) There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause), or Ma’ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall

a very broad meaning. It is often used interchangeably with zakah. Indeed, it is the term used to refer to zakah in the Qur’an which

To smile to your brother is a charity.Anyone who is familiar with the Islamic philosophy can easily appreciate the great value attached to sadaqah

,

enumerates the classes of beneficiaries of zakah. But it is more general than zakah, because zakah denotes only that part of charitable donations which a Muslim must pay as a duty. If he refrains from paying it. In fact the third of the pillars of Islam.

Sadaqah, on the other hand, refers to all charitable donations, whether obligatory or not.

It is, however, more

Lecturer unveils Islamic perspective on HIV/AIDS book•Lauds Fashola on campaign

By Anozie Egole

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Eid-il-Fitr Prayer: Alhaji Abdul Fatai Odunayo Olutosin, Cief Imam/Missioner of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Ikorodu and his leiutenants at during the last Eid-il-Fitr Prayer held at Barracks Praying ground, Ikorodu .

senior lecturer in the Department of Religion, Lagos State University, Paramol Abdul-Kabir Olawale, PhD said that Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and his predecessor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu have ensured that the endemic HIV and AIDS disease is drastically reduced in the state as a result of their different enlightenment programmes.

Dr. Olawale who stated that the leaders embarked on these enlightenment programs under the Ministry of Health added that they care for the infected patients.

“To show their passion for the life of Lagosians, and to explain the need for people to know their

Don’t go back to sin, MMPN, UNIFEMGA urge Muslims

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uslims in the country have been urged to rededicate themselves to Allah and shun any acts capable of relapsing to their sinful ways after the holy month of Ramadan.

This is contained in Eid Fitr statements issued by the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) chairman, Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Balogun and National President of Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates A s s o c i a t i o n (UNIFEMGA) Dr Abdulwahab Egbewole in Abuja.

MMPN said the period of Eid-ul-Fitr, “calls for sober reflection and a renewed opportunity to get closer to Allah in all ramifications.

“It is a period where C M Y K

frequently used to refer to charitable donations which are given voluntarily. The meaning which immediately springs to mind when the term “sadaqah” is used is financial help given to a poor person, without any obligation on the part of the payer or any condition imposed on the receiver. In an Hadith, Abu Hurairah quotes the Prophet as saying: “A charity is due for

every joint in each person on every day the sun comes up; to act justly between two people is a charity to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity; a good word is a charity; every step you take to prayers is a charity; and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.” In another version, the Prophet is quoted to have mentioned another different example of actions which count as sadaqah: “To smile to your brother is a charity.”

Anyone who is familiar with the Islamic philosophy can easily appreciate the great value attached to sadaqah. This is further emphasized by the fact that Islam does not confine it to financial help.

Kind actions and good turns done by one person to another are considered in the same light.

status, Gov. Fashola went into an open test and he was tested negative. So, if the Gov. can be bold enough to declare open his status, why won’t others go for the same test?”

The scholar made this known at the launching of a book he authored, ‘Islamic Perspective on HIV and AIDS’, held at LTV Multipurpose Hall, Ikeja recently. He noted that the book was written from two chapters out of eight chaptered thesis for his doctorate degree.

Speaking to newsmen on the launching, Olawale who is also the Chief Missioner, Jejewiyyat in Nigeria and Overseas, said that what inspired him to writing

the book was a tour he made in the year 2007 to Johanesbourg, South Africa, adding that South Africans show great love and compassion to victims of the disease.

He stressed that the Muslims especially in the South West have a lukewarm attitude toward the disease as many of them do not understand whether it exists or not and how the disease is spread.

“To my greatest surprise, some people are still thinking that hugging, kissing or sharing eateries and toiletries with an infected person are ways to which one can be infected. These are some of the controversies the book tries to clear.”

Lets continue the deeds (2)

By Harun Rasaq

Continued from last week every Muslim should remember Allah’s favours on them and therefore celebrate with moderation but with greater dedication to Allah”, Balogun said in the statement.

“It is also a period where all our elected leaders should use in fulfilling all their electoral promises to the citizenry as canvassed by them during their electioneering campaigns” “While individuals too, should endeavour to always fulfil their promises not only to fellow human beings but to their Creator, Allah.

MMPN said since Islam is a religion of peace, its adherents must eschew violence, embrace peace and live in peace

with other faithful of other religions.

“We therefore appeal to all our brethren to eschew violence, abhor thuggery, which destroys but embrace peace, dialogue, and diplomacy and be prayerful in resolving any crisis”, the statement stated.

In the same vein, Egbewole of UNIFEMGA urged Muslims not to go back to all acts shunned during the month of Ramadan but continue with the virtues and spirit of the month of Ramadan.

“We must remember all the lessons learnt during the month of Ramadan and make sure that we did not go back to those vices shunned during the fasting period.

On the insecurity challenges in the country, the association hailed the new moves by both the federal government and the militant group in finding amicable solution to the problem.

In the spirit of Ramadan, which just ended, UNIFEMGA appealed to all unions in the ivory tower, who are currently on strike, to call off their strike and embrace dialogue with the authorities of their various universities.

The Association also called on the Federal Government to nip in the bud the ongoing fuel scarcity in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and prevent it from spreading to other states of the federation.

FORBIDDEN FASTING Fasting is not permitted on the following days: (1) the doubtful day: ’Ammar (RA) whoever fast the day of doubt has disobeyed Abu Qasim (the prophet). (Tirmizi-Hassan Sahih) (2) The Day of ‘Id al-Fitr (the day following the end of Ramadan): Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (RA) said that the Prophet (SAW) had forbidden fasting on two days, namely, the day of al-Fitr and the day of al-Nahr the day the pilgrims offer sacrifice.

(3) The days of tashriq (the three days following the day of al-Nahr, that is, the 11th, 12th and 13th of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) said that the Prophet (SAW) had ordered him to announce- to the people that there is no fast during the day of Mina.

(4) Saturday: must not be single out for fasting day according to hadith of Hakim, Tirmizi,Dawud.

(5) Friday : must not be single out for fasting day. The Prophet (SAW) said: “Do not devote Friday night (i.e Thursday night in English) for Qiyam (night Salah) or Friday for fasting”.(Muslim) (6) Siyaamud Dahr (fasting everyday of the year without break) as mention earlier: The Prophet (SAW) said: “He who fasts the whole year does not fast. (Bukhari Muslim).

(7) Voluntary fast of a woman without the permission of her husband: The Prophet said “No woman shall fast without her husband’s permission except in Ramadan.”

(Bukhari and Muslim).

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Impeach govs who abuse state police, if created —Saleh

BY INNOCENT ANABA

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INSTALLATION: From left: Vice- President and Chairman, Planning Committee, Mr. Tayo Adelaja; Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Adetunji Oyeyipo; President, Rotary Club of Gbagada, Dr. Bayo Windapo and Past President, Rotary Club of Gbagada, Dr. Tayo Lawal, during the installation of Windapo, in Lagos.

Mr. Victor Gotevbe, Administration Manager, Vanguard Media Limited (right), paying homage to Okorefe I, Ovie of Agbarha-Otor, moments after the installation of the royal father in his palace.

O address the mis givings and fears being expressed by opponents of state police, Senator Mohammed Saleh, Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, yesterday, called for the impeachment of governors who would abuse state police, if eventually created.

He also blamed the state governors’ over reliance on the federation account for not doing enough to resolve the problem of settlers and indegines in the country.

He spoke at the on-going Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, conference, in Abuja.

The debate over state police, was, again rekindled at the conference with Senator Saleh supporting its creation, arguing that same should be created to perform limited functions.

Chief Awa Kalu, SAN, also supported state police, arguing that not creating same was simply playing politics with the issue.

Similarly, Prof Isawa Elaigwu, who spoke on

The Security of the State: An Imperative for National Development, said Nigerians should get over the arguments on both sides, as it would be in the interest of the country for the creation of state police.

They all spoke at the Armed Forces Lawyers Forum.

Senator Saleh, Congress of Progressive Change, CPC, Kaduna Central, said: “The state police can be created and

Nigeria to host BWI regional confab

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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IGERIA will be hosting the second edition of the Building and Wood Workers International, BWI, Regional Conference.

The conference, scheduled for Abuja between September 2 and 7, 2012, will be attended by workers in the construction, civil engineering, furniture and wood sector in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The theme of the con-

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

HE Minister for Ag riculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has urged Nigerian universities and other institutions of higher learning to wake up to reality in order to play crucial roles in the nation’s agricultural transformation agenda.

Delivering the 2012 Annual Lecture of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba- Akoko, in Ondo State, Adesina posited that universities had a crucial role to play He said: “Universities, and especially faculties of agriculture, need to wake up to the reality around them. Agriculture is changing rapidly.

“Today, only countries that move into commercial agriculture and agriculture as a business have a chance to compete. We must change the way we train students, what we train them on and what we prepare them for.

"We must retrain our C M Y K

students to become job creators, not job hunters.

The faculties of agriculture and the universities of agriculture need to change their curriculum to be in line with the realities of the labour markets and prepare students with practical technical and business skills they need to set up agribusinesses.

“This will require link-

ing of the faculties of agriculture and business administration to set up agribusiness entrepreneurship centres. These centres should be used to provide technical farming skills as well as agribusiness management skills for young commercial farmers.”

Tracing the main reasons for the low level of use of modern agricul-

tural technologies to lack of a functioning agricultural extension system, the minister said the extension system must be fixed as the extension to farmer ratio in Nigeria was 1:20,000 which is 20 times below the global best practices. According to him, the institutional support system to support farmers is also critical.

Rotary harps on peace, conflict resolution

BY LAJA THOMAS

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OTARY Club of La gos has emphasized the importance of peace, conflict prevention and resolution at home, work place and every facet of life, to promote understanding and build a better society.

This was the summation of the club at a lecture it organised for traders at Araromi Sangrouse

Market, with the theme: Achieving peace in commercial relationship through conflict prevention and resolution.

Addressing the traders, Rotn (Mrs) Modupe Sasore, Chairman, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Rotary Club of Lagos, said: “In every type of relationship, be it commercial or personal, we require orderliness, understanding and love to relate successfully with

one another, to ensure peace in our lives, community and nation.

“It is only when we are right in our relationship with one another that we can enjoy peace in our daily interactions and consequently in the society.”

She noted that “peace can be equated with security, well being and tranquility in one’s life and interaction with others.”

ference is: Building and Advancing Workers Power in Construction and Forestry Sector.

Speaking on the conference, the PresidentGeneral of the National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, NUCECFWW, an affiliate of BWI, Comrade Samuel Adeoye, said the conference was an opportunity for employees in the industry to brainstorm on the challenges confronting them in the region.

Ex-NDDC boss eyes Defence Ministry portfolio

Minister tasks varsities on agric F transformation T

made to perform limited functions. In this case, if there is abuse of same by the governor, he should be impeached by the House of Assembly and if the House fails to impeach a governor who abuses state police, federal might should step in and restore order.”

He blamed the problem of settlers/indegens in the country on over reliance of state governors on federal allocation from oil revenue instead of taxes.

ORMER chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Amb. Sam Edem, who last June won a long-drawn legal battle against a Warri-based herbalist, may be considered for the vacant portfolio of defence minister, according to reliable sources.

A group known as Friends of Sam Edem had gathered in Lagos recently to celebrate the landmark judgment that upheld Edem’s claims that he loaned Sonoma, the said sum to execute a business not as payment for services ren-

dered to the diplomat as claimed by the accused.

The herbalist was convicted by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the federal High Court, Abuja division on June 26, 2012 for contravening section 7 (2) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act 2006, thus ending the traumatic experience of the former NDDC boss who had been in limbo since he left his post over the controversy.

Amb. Edem’s friends are relieved that his victory at the court has vindicated their friend who is now free to aspire to any political office of his choice.

NIMET's rainfall prediction faulted Abubakar Makarfi, in

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BUJA—A group, known as the North-South Alliance for Good Governance, has faulted the annual Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, SRP, by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) for this year.

In a statement by the National Coordinator of the group, Kayode Babalola and Secretary,

Abuja, the group said the prediction by NIMET was inaccurate, revealing the incompetence of staff of the agency.

It said: ”In recent times various parts of the country have experienced flooding that has claimed several lives, destroyed property and rendered many homeless even in areas that are not prone to flash floods."

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 41

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42—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—43

LEADERS AT WAR OVER GRAFT:

Buhari’s allegation raises dusts •OBJ, IBB urged to speak up •Isyaku Ibrahim, Ezeife, Musa, Falae, others speak

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, BASHIR ADEFAKA & AGADA ABUTU

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ORMER Head of State and Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 general election, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on Monday threw a direct challenge to three of his successors – Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjo as well as President

Goodluck Jonathan, accusing them of being responsible for the rot in the oil industry and the spiraling wave of corruption in the country.

The comment drew responses from President Jonathan and Babangida and is panning out as a repeat of a similar face-off between Obasanjo and Babangida exactly a year ago.

Last August, Babangida, who ruled Nigeria between 1985 and 1993, kick-started the fight on the eve of his 70th birthday

celebration in Minna, Niger State when he dismissed Obasanjo’s achievements after eight years as President, as low. He said Obasanjo failed to improve the power sector, despite the huge cash available to the government.

Vintage Obasanjo’s reply was swift. He •Buhari: Expresses worry over high level of corruption in the oil industry said Babangida should be “pitied” and not “condemned” or visited with “anger” because he was a fool. His words: “Some of the profile? …The history of Chief Obasanjo is things he (Babangida) said, an open sore that is irredeemably contrived unfortunately, were not well thoughtin several incongruities and contradictions,” out. For instance, he talked about our he said. energy. When I was the military Head The bitter exchanges were to continue for of State, I built Jebba Dam; built Shiroro a while before the Generals sheathed their Dam. I prepared the foundation of Egbin swords and denied Nigerians of dearly plant, which President Shagari needed details that would have helped to completed and commissioned. unearth the reasons behind Nigeria’s That time, the money we were making paradox of poverty amid plenty. was not up to the money Babangida was This time, eminent citizens want the battle making annually for his eight years and to be fought to a logical conclusion and have yet we built two dams. But since the challenged Babangida, Obasanjo and building of Egbin power plant, until I Jonathan, to defend themselves against the came back in 1999, there was no allegations. generating plant for almost 20 years and Incidentally, the quartet, cumulatively, Babangida spent eight years out of have ruled Nigeria for 23 out of the 52 years that. the country has existed as an independent nation. While Obasanjo ruled for 11 years, Dividends of Buhari was in power for approximately two democracy years, Babangida – eight years and Jonathan, two years.

“Now, he has the audacity to talk about anybody; I think that is unfortunate. I uhari's allegation: Pointedly, Buhari also read where he said in his time, he said that the corrupt practices in the gave the dividends of democracy and oil sector during the eras of Babangida, at the same time he regretted.

Obasanjo and Jonathan had led to the "When I read that, well, I said enslaving of the masses. The first to Babangida should be pitied and shown respond was President Goodluck Jonathan. sympathy, rather than anger or While declaring open the 52nd Annual condemnation because the old saying General Conference of the Nigerian Bar says a fool at 40 is a fool forever and I Association (NBA) in Abuja, on Monday, would say a regret at 70 is regret too President Jonathan said he could not be held late. Well, a regret at 70 is regret to the responsible for the country’s failings and grave.” wondered why former leaders, who had the Babangida countered and opportunity of fixing the nation and failed accused Obasanjo of massive failure to do so, were now criticizing his young during his reign. “In my eight years in administration. office, I was able to manage poverty and “Sometimes, even people who have held achieve success while somebody for offices in government criticise me to the eight years managed affluence and extent of personal abuses. Sometimes I ask, achieved failure. Chief Obasanjo should were there roads across the country and ponder these incontrovertible facts: The Jonathan brought flood to wipe out these revenues that accrued to former roads? Or we had power and I brought President Olusegun Obasanjo during hurricane to break down the entire his eight years are more than those that infrastructure? If they say Boko Haram is accrued to the nation from because of poverty; were there massive independence till 1999 before he took irrigation projects in the North where over. Despite such stupendous wealth agriculture can thrive and massive farms, of the nation, what is his performance Continues on page 44

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44—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

under Obasanjo —Falae

Buhari’s allegation raises dusts Continues from page 43 and Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms? Under two years, is it possible?” he wondered.

Obasanjo is yet to defend himself on the issue. Rather, speaking at the Nigeria Leadership Initiative, NLI, Guest Speaker Forum in Lagos, on Tuesday, he regretted his inability to fix the power problem, which he attributed to lack of funds in the initial period of his administration, owing to the low price of crude oil in the international market, Nigeria’s depleted foreign reserves and huge debt burden.

He also refused to comment on Nigeria’s leadership at the moment when asked to rate the country’s current leadership.

On his part, IBB, who spoke through his spokesman, Mr. Kassim Afegbua, threatened to expose Buhari’s shady deals in the oil sector when he functioned as Petroleum Minister and later chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), if Buhari did not shut his mouth.

“We are conversant with General Buahri’s so-called holier-than-thou attitude. He is a one-time Minister of Petroleum and we have good records of his tenure as minister. Secondly, he presided over the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which records we also have. We challenge him to come out with clean hands in those two portfolios. Those, who live in glass houses, do not throw stones. General Buhari should be properly guided,” he said.

Jonathan, they are all former heads of state. Let them fight it out themselves. I don’t think anybody should interfere. Let Ibrahim Babangida expose Buhari like he threatened,” he said.

Obasanjo, Babangida, Jonathan must defend themselves — Isyaku Ibrahim On part, Isyaku Ibrahim said the manner Buhari made the allegation should compel the former leaders to speak and defend their integrity.

His words: “Babangida should expose Buhari instead of threatening to do so. If Babangida has anything on Buhari, let him say it. Buhari said that the governments of Babangida, Obasanjo and Jonathan are the most corrupt.

He said it categorically; he did not issue a threat.

*Jonathan: Absolves self of corruption

They are all culpable — Owoyemi

Exposing corruption

They should fight it out —Balarabe Musa Musa said the issue should not be swept under the carpet. “It is a disagreement of former heads of state. Apart from President C M Y K

*Obasanjo:Regrets not fixing power sector

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However, Buhari insisted on his comments and challenged Babangida to expose his shady deals if he had facts.

Reacting to the development, some eminent Nigerians have urged the former leaders to speak up in the interest of the country’s development.

Among those who spoke are Second Republic politicians and elder statesmen, Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim; former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; one-time Minister for Finance and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae; and former President of Institute of Chartered Accounts of Nigeria, ICAN, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi.

Reacting to the exchanges, Falae told Vanguard on phone that corruption reached an alarming height during Obasanjo’s administration in 1999.

His words: “The people are former heads of state and to the extent that corruption had been going on for quite sometime in the country, maybe that is why he (Buhari) is holding them accountable. But I don’t know the statistics or information to either agree or disagree with him (Buhari). But there is corruption in the whole country; the country is washed with corruption and nobody can really know where it started from though some government functionaries can.

Corruption is the biggest problem we have.

“I cannot attribute it to any particular person but this thing started in earnest since 1999 that was during the Obasanjo administration; that was when the thing really blossomed. In the past, one suspected that a few military leaders were the ones, who had access to the money, but since we returned to civilian rule, thousands of people now got into the act: from the local to state and federal government level. And it has been growing since then.

Corruption has grown very fast since 1999.”

*Babangida: Debunks claim

If Babangida has something on Buhari, he should say it. If your integrity is involved, you come out to fight because Buhari threw the challenge directly

"If Babangida has something on Buhari, he should say it. If your integrity is involved, you come out to fight because Buhari threw the challenge directly," he stated.

“For me as a politician, if somebody challenges my integrity and I know something about the person, I will say it. The matter is in the public. Let them say whether or not what Buhari said is true. Buhari has

,

challenged them, let them defend themselves. Buhari is going to run for election, if Babangida has something against him, we will like to know.”

We want to know how they ruined Nigeria — Ezeife To Ezeife, General Buhari must come out with facts to substantiate his claims.

In a telephone chat with vanguard, he said, “General Buhari must know what he is talking about. Is he saying that Jonathan inherited oil industry destroyed by leaders before him?

He must know what he is saying: how they ruled and ruined our great country, Nigeria, ruining the North even more. Please, it is not every high level statement that I understand. I don’t know what they know but if Buhari is saying that IBB, Obasanjo and Jonathan destroyed the oil industry, he must surely know what he is talking about.

However, let me say they, all together, should tell Nigerians how they ruled and ruined Nigeria and the North.”

Corruption blossomed

However, Owoyemi said the former leaders, including Buhari, contributed to the rot in the oil industry.

He said: “Whoever should have done the maintenance of the refineries and did not do it and instead started importing fuel should be blamed for each and every part of the problem.

"Whoever provided funds for people to do turn around maintenance of the petroleum refineries and did not carpet or disgrace the contractors for failing to carryout their jobs, should be blamed for the destruction of the oil industry.

“So, definitely the military as a whole did a lot of havoc with the issue of accountability and transparency in this country; all of them, all the military people, including Buhari. Their takeover of the government was illegal and they ran the government illegally throughout when they suspended the Constitution of the country especially law and order.

"They, all of them, are guilty. If the politicians had been in charge since 1960 till now, things would have been better.

They should allow the politicians to run the government and things will be better off.

"They were just too ambitious that was why they dabbled into the whole thing and messed everything up and now we are in for it. This is our generation: nobody has money except the corrupt! It is very unfortunate,” he said.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—45

*Babatope: Mimiko is doing well

ONDO GUBER:

Give Mimiko a second chance — Babatope •FG must dialogue with Boko Haram CHIEF Ebenezer Babatope is a former Minister of Transport in the late General Sani Abacha military regime. A member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Babatope, in this interview in Ikenne, Ogun State, justified his support for the re-election bid of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State. According to him, his support for Governor Mimiko is based on the performance of the governor in Ondo State. Excerpts:

BY GBENGA OKE IN SPITE of series of Political meetings at Awolowo’s house on the unity of Yoruba land, appears much has not been achieved. Why? So much is being gained. For example, a report was given by Senator Femi Okunronmu of what transpired in Uyo when South-South, South-East and South-West leaders met.

We also recognize the fact that there are many Yoruba leaders, who are yet to identify with us, but we are reaching out to them. We have met and as far as we are concerned, the Southern People’s Assembly has been formed to defend the interest of the South. So any time we want to react to situations in Nigeria, the Southern Peoples Assembly led

by Chief Edwin Clark, Arch Bishop Gbonigi and Mbazurike Amaechi, will talk and defend our people. That is a major success this group has achieved so far.

So we are making progress, the years that we struggled do

not matter because Rome was not built in a day. Eventually, we will come to terms with the fact that everybody in Nigeria will need to respect that we are in a federal country, that federation binds all of us together and therefore we must respect each other’s views, we must respect each other ’s religion and we must respect the fact that we are Nigerians but belonging to different tribes.

Good Nigerian citizens Baba Awolowo used to say something that is very important: ‘Before I can be a good Nigerian citizen, I must first and foremost be a good Ijesha man where pounded yam is produced and be a good Yoruba man’. Whether we like it or not, Yorubas, Igbos, Hausa-Fulanis, all of them come from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

As a member of the BoT of the PDP nothing much has been heard over the appointment of a BoT

chairman since former President Olusegun Obasanjo resigned his appointment.

What is happening?

The PDP is taking its time.

First, Obasanjo is right to take a decision that suits his own interest, he has resigned and as an adult, he must have reasons for his resignation.

The PDP is being careful and we have only held one BoT meeting after his resignation and I can assure you that by the time we hold a second or third BoT meeting, we are going to have a chairman of the BoT. There is no need for us to rush into appointing somebody and then we run back into the fry pan, we won’t do that. So we are taking our time in the PDP and ensuring that we take views of people before we now go ahead to elect a new chairman of BoT. A lot of people are surprised that you, a PDP member, is supporting Governor Mimiko of Ondo State who is a member of Labour Party?

There is nothing spectacular

about it because Mimiko is doing well and we have to speak out to say that this young man is doing well, so make sure you return him back as governor.

That, to me, is what is important. Governor Fashola was doing well, I was one of the first person to praise him.

Governor Ajimobi today is also doing well but when we now go into political foray. We then take positions with our party but that does not mean we have to close our eyes to the good things Yoruba people are doing individually and collectively within their political parties.

But some members of your party view this as an anti-party activity. How do you react to this?

Well, the party’s national executive has not said anything; and so, individuals are free to air their views. I see politics in Ondo State from the perspective of giving Mimiko a second chance.

He is not a member of my party and up till this moment that I am talking to you, I have never sat down with Mimiko to discuss politics, why must I do that? Mimiko is a younger brother to me but the fact remains that the boy is doing well.

When Fashola was doing well, I personally said so in my column in one of the national dailies and in my statements. We should not be blindfolded by party affiliation to those who are doing well.

Gbenga Daniel did well in Ogun state and I don’t like the way they are repaying him today with ingratitude, not because he is a PDP member but he did well.

Mimiko is also performing.

Why do we need to change? Let the Ondo people go and vote for Mimiko. I am issuing a statement very soon pleading with Ondo people not to waste their votes, they should vote Mimiko for a second term.

What will be the fate of the Ondo PDP candidate, Chief Olusola Oke? Olusola Oke is a nice boy.

Why don’t you ask him to withdraw since party leaders are against his candidature?

I do not have the power to do so. But I can speak for myself.

Although, his boys have been abusing me, but that is politics.

I have at least said my own.

But the way you are going about it, don’t you see your party sanctioning you?

There has been no sign from the PDP headquarters to say that they are going to sanction me for expressing my own view, I am a Nigerian. Even when I praised Governor Fashola, I said my wife is a Lagosian and if I were to live in Lagos, I will vote for Fashola. My party did not sanction me, that is why did I say that I am a PDP man and a Nigerian, so I have every right to my opinion.

Do you support government’s move to

There is nothing spectacular about it because Mimiko is doing well and we have to speak out to say that this young man is doing well, so make sure you return him as governor

Political association I must confess that Governor Amosun has not offended anyone, I even like the way Amosun is respecting everybody but for goodness sake, let our participation in politics transcend the political association we belong to. If I were to be in Ondo State, I will vote for Mimiko even though I am an irredentist PDP. Despite the fact that your are BoT member of the PDP? Yes, I am a BoT member and I am not denying it. But I also have a stake in Ondo state. My paternal grand-mother comes Akoko in Ondo State, at least I have a blood of Ondo running in me. Therefore, aside party affiliation, I can tell my people to to go and vote for Mimiko.

What the people of Ondo State also did to Olusegun Agagu, is not fair, because he also did very well.

I told him on phone that he did very well, you achieved but

dialogue with Boko Haram?

Yes we must dialogue, I have always said it. I also want to appeal to the group not to make themselves leaderless, we don’t know who their leaders are, they shouldn’t do that.

There may be more things they are canvassing for where we do not know, let them talk to the government and we dialogue.

Discussions and dialogues are weapons in democracy, so let them talk to the government but when we do not know whom their leaders are, how do we dialogue? In 1984, I was in Yola prison where we had a sect called Maitatsine. One day, one of them took a razor blade and cut off the hand of one the Maitatsine friends and tried to suck the blood, that was a terrible day in the prison yard and all of us were running for our dear lives even though we are under protection.

So we should not have a situation whereby such organisations do not want to dialogue with government. If you say western education bad, what do you want? Then they arrive at a conclusion because light will always come out of all these discussions.

46—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

O

VER the years, some Nigerians have been clamouring for true federalism, as opposed to quasi federalism which is being operated at the moment.

Federalism, which was introduced into the country through the previous Constitutions is supposed to be a Federation of States and was meant to bring stability and encourage cooperative endeavours among the various units.

Federation, according to its dictionary meaning is “a political system in which States control most of their internal affairs but leave Foreign Affairs, Defence, etc, to the Central (Federal) Government”. The best known country operating a Federal system of Government is the United States of America (USA).

Before Independence in 1960, the country had operated a federal system of government based on three regions with each region fully responsible for its internal affairs except foreign affairs, defence and banking - matters handled by the Federal Government. Even after Independence in 1960, the three regions and the newly created Mid-west , operated the federal system in accordance with the provisions of the 1960 Constitution.

The military coup of 1966 and the subsequent civil war of 1967-1970 altered the political system by introducing a unitary command system. Thus; a unitary form of government was indirectly introduced by the military rulers of the day. The Military Governors of the states were made answerable to the Military Head of State at the centre.

Though the 1979 Constitution had accepted the concept of Federalism but indirectly conferred on the President the powers of the former Military Head of State. It appeared so in practice and not in law. However, the series of coups and the rule of Army Generals did more to entrench the culture of a unitary government with Military Governors in states.

The Military Governors were under the direct command of the Military Head of State at the centre who appointed them.

The control of the economy and administration of the country were firmly in the hands of the military Head of State at the centre.

OSUN @ 21:

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Obstacles to true federalism After the return of democracy in 1999, though the Constitution is based on federalism but in practice, the country had been governed in a unitary fashion. The states are virtually dependent on proceeds (oil money) being distributed monthly in Abuja for their survival. In many states, the monthly federal allocation has become the economic mainstay of the administration. Thus, all states have become satellites of the Federal Government with the President exercising the power duly exercised by the former Military Heads of State.

It is unfortunate that the President, who came in 1999 was an Army General and a former Military Head of State. Though civilian in his dress and outlook, his mindset and military background did not help much,in the practice of true federalism in a democratic environment.

His two successors have neither shown the understanding of true federalism nor willing to follow its concept. It is a question of following the situation as it is without considering the consequences.

The problems of working the Federal system like a unitary one is an invitation to political instability and economic uncertainties as they appear at present.

If the Federal Government continues to behave as the `Lord of the Manor` then, there is danger to the corporate existence of the country. The apparent behaviour of the Federal Government in seeing and making the states relying heavily on it

Aregbesola’s smart work schools

OSUN State people are still basking in the celebration of 21st anniversary of the state's creation.

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

R

ECENTLY, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State, came under severe attacks from different quarters for allegedly trying to Islamise the state against the will of the majority.

He was alleged to have made it compulsory for female students to put on ‘hijab’, a Muslim kind of veil to cover their faces which critics described as impossible, saying he should focus more on developmental issues.

As expected, championing the criticism is the state chapter of the People Democratic Party, PDP. Already, PDP members have vowed to resist the move.

Apparently, unperturbed, Aregbesola ignored the critics which he called “detractors” and concentrated on laudable

does not make the practice of federalism easily practicable.

A typical example of a political obstacle is the attitude of a past civilian Presidents in the selection of their Cabinets. Though the Constitution gives the President the right to select one Minister from each of the states, it does not say that states` representatives should be from the same ruling party with the President. To me, political sagacity, if not expediency would suggest that you consult the opinions of Governors of States not controlled by your party and have their nominations in your cabinet. The `winners- take-all` mentality of our present political leaders does not allow for a fully representative government, considering the political diversities in the country.

A more formidable obstacle to the attainment of true federalism is the deficient political structures of the country.

Many of the 36 States created show neither economic viability nor ethnic homogeneity. Except in some few states like the South West (Yoruba); South East (Igbo); Bayelsa (Ijaw); others appears to portray domineering majorities and restless minorities; some too; contain rival ethnic groups with possible revolting instincts. Under these circumstances, it might be impossible to expect stability in a federation.

Some analysts do believe that some of the present Governors through their non-

chalant attitude in generating internal funds towards economic development of their states would always rely on monthly federal allocation for survival. This is why they would resist the concept of true federalism, which would expose their shortcomings inspite of their public show of solidarity with true federalism.

In a situation where many of the states are too poor to perform their responsibilities and the Federal Government is willing to perform the role of Father Christmas in many ways, the idea of true federalism becomes not only romantic, but an illusion.

The question can then be asked, how could true federalism be achieved? I believe, and sincerely so, that the Federal Government takes more responsibility than are necessary and should transfer some of them to a reorganized state structure like six zones. This would entail more monetary allocations to states. The restructured states should be allowed (without Federal Government restrictions) to explore minerals within their geographical areas in other to increase economic fortunes. The states should be able to mine gold, diamond, tin, coal, within their areas of jurisdiction and generate more funds.

As for the Federal Government, its area of responsibility lies in providing peace and prosperity for Nigerians. The personal assurance of the President and his actions should be enough to calm the nerves of the despondent and the destitute. As I have noted before, “In the United States of America President Roosevelt`s New Deal became the effective economic tool to combat the general depression of the 1930s”. “The Administration started to spend large sums of money (over and above what it received in tax revenue) on roads, dams, harbours, irrigation and land reclamation works, public buildings, housing estates and projects of many other kinds.

President Roosevelt used the technique of budget deficit (in the age of classical economics) to cure unemployment and depression and thereby, saved capitalism from total collapse”.Perhaps we should hear more of the President intentions through the now classical weekly essays of Dr Reuben Abatti.

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programmes in the education sector.

The governor, no doubt left his mark as Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, during the Bola Tinubu-led adminsitration.

Due to his achievements and inputs into the administration, the state Ministry of Work and Infrastructure was dubbed; ‘The smart ministry’.

Last Tuesday, Osun State Government recorded another milestone in its educational advancement as it launched callisthenics programme with the aim of inspiring future generations.

According to Aregbesola, the move was “to inspire a new generation of leaders with team spirit, collaboration and commitment.”

This would seem natural giving the rich heritage of the people of

the South-west in the free education programmes of the Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group and the progressive governments that have followed in its footsteps.

According to him, the callisthenics programme being introduced to schools in the state would be a lifestyle-changing project that would build a new generation of students who would appreciate the essence of team spirit, cooperation and collaboration.

He was quick to add that “the Osun School Callisthenic is not a frivolous brainwave that will be swept away by the tide of time.

Rather, it is a well-conceived programme as part of the overall redesign and reorganisation of the education system in the State of Osun.”

Aregbesola paid glowing tributes to the late Chief Bola Ige and a former governor of the state, Chief Bisi Akande, who had pioneered the scheme during their administrations.

*Aregbesola Some of the inscriptions displayed and promoted during the launch include: RAUF: New era; Ipinle omoluabi, ewa osun among others.

It is expedient to note that the revolution is not only in the area of physical transformation of the

school system. The tertiary educational system is not left out.

One of the immediate steps taken by the governor, upon assumption of office is the slashing of fees in state’s tertiary educational institutions.

While fees in the state owned Polytechnics were slashed from N42,000 to N25,000, medical/law students in the state university had their tuition fees reduced from N205,000 to N100,000.

Those in sciences and social sciences, who hitherto paid N155,000 and N130,000 respectively had them reduced to N75,000.

The governor further exlpained that the foundation being laid for the school would literally and metaphorically produce the movers and shakers of tomorrow, adding, “great scientists, poets, academics, Nobel Laureates, entrepreneurs, astute political leaders, renowned clerics, diplomats and international figures are going to emerge from these schools and the greatness of our land and our people will resonate in the far reaches of the ends of the earth, while our people will stand tall and proud”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—47

Macleans Milk Teeth enhances oral care for children T

HE need for proper oralcare habit among children was reinforced early this week during the Macleans Milk Teeth free dental screening exercise for children at the Silverbird Galleria, Lagos.

Senior Brand Manager, Macleans Milk Teeth, Mr. Emeka Uchenna, said, "the campaign was dedicated to raising awareness about the special dental needs of children aged 1-6. “The mouth of a child, at this stage of growth, is very delicate and Macleans Milk Teeth has been specially formulated to provide the necessary tender dental care,” he noted.

"Our goals for this child dental care campaign include to reach out to parents, especially mothers, to enlighten them about making this minor adjustment by investment in the oral health of their children; educating parents on the fact that only children's toothpaste which contains the right amount of fluoride should be used to brush their children's teeth; and setting the agenda for a massive change from the era of 'one toothpaste fits all', because research has shown that, children are uniquely different from adults in their dental healthcare needs and therefore need a different kind of toothpaste.

“Macleans Milk Teeth is a differentiated children's toothpaste championing the campaign." Macleans Milk Teeth, a product of GlaxoSmithKlime Consumer Nigeria, is scientifically formulated for children aged 1-6. It • Dentists at work during the Macleans Milk Teeth free dental screening exercise for contains 500ppm of floride which is safe for children at that tender age. it children at the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos . also contains active calcium protection specially formulated for strong healthy milk teeth and gums. It comes in gentle minty taste, soft texture and natural peppermint flavour. Macleans The objective according to Dis- screen and treat the children IONS Clubs District 404a Milk Teeth is said to be an effecin conjunction with health trict Governor, Samuel Ekpuk is of any refractive or congenial tive toothpaste solution for professionals plans to screen to achieve early detection of eye eye disorders that make readand learning strengthening the milk teeth and over 100,000 pairs of eyes of diseases such as low vision, re- ing protecting them against tooth cavchildren, aged less below 8 in fractive errors and eye infections difficult,” Ekpuk said.

The programme is to be exity. "We are supporting this ex200 primary schools nationwide. and to treat such to save the chiltended to pregnant mothers on ercise to raise awareness about The Paediatric Ophthalmolo- dren’s sight for life. the effect of measles and dehealthy oral habit, said Senior “The Programme aims at com- ployment of measles vaccinagy screening and measles Registrar, Paediatric Dentistry awareness programme is tagged plementing the Reading Action tions through public health inUnit, LUTH, Dr. Chioma “Opening Eyes- Lions Pediatric Programme of our Lions Inter- stitutions for administration to Nzomiwu, who was part of a national President as it will 200,000 infants.

Eye Care Programme”. crew of dentists at the free dental screening exercise.

“It is absolutely important parents, especially mothers, endeavour to take their children to ly if the practitioners are in per“Journalists in Nigeria have bevices designed for home use.

EDIA professionals at fect state of health themselves. see the dentist as soon as their come endangered specie of proJournalists would be checked for tending the 8th West Af“It is common knowledge that fessionals because they are exfirst set of teeth appear. Parents common medical conditions of rican Health Conference and Exmedia practitioners in the counposed to various degrees of risks should also teach their children public health concern. hibition, WAH Nigeria 2012, are try and Africa as a whole are not that compromise their total wellhow to brush their teeth propIn a statement, Coordinator, to benefit from comprehensive well remunerated. So it is usualbeing,” Sobade said. erly, morning and last thing beWAH 2012, Mr. Solomon medical checks, while the event ly a huge challenge for them to He said the media plays critical fore they go to bed at night.”

Sobade, said the journalists pool resources from their meagre lasts. role in general health and by im"We believe that these children would be screened for cardiosalaries together against other The event organisers say there plication, wealth of the country will be grateful to their parents vascular diseases, kidney and competing needs to do medical and continent, but added that would also be take-home sphygin the future when they can smile liver function, HIV, malaria, checks. We only see them run to this could only be done effectivenomethers and other medical deat the world with confidence and among others. the hospitals when they are high self esteem." down.”

WAH Nigeria 2012 marks a return of the event, which is the most outstanding of such in West of the Nigerian people and improved result of the

By CHIOMA OBINNA minerals.

Africa, to Nigeria as the last ediAcholonu said to ensure standard quality of health sector, improved level of intellectual production was hosted in Accra.

TAKEHOLDERS in the micronutrients in the country, his organisation has tivity which translates to decrease social crises as A special media training session Bio-organics industry have well as higher industrial and regulatory human capconcluded plans to build the first - ever world on medical and health confercalled on the Federal Governstandard micronutrient laboratory in the country ital capacity. ence coverage would also hold ment to list vitamins and “SON should play advocacy role to the Federal before the end of first quarter of next year. during the event which holds minerals premixes on the According to him; “Technology is key to government on the need to encourage local premix September 5-7, 2012 at the new banned list currently being industrial development and global competitive- manufacturers with duty-free raw-materials imporExpo Centre of Eko Hotel and compiled by the government. ness and the global market place as of today tation, better access to funds at special interest rate Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos.

They said the importance of demands global standards and global best and ISO 22000 standards as minimum quality platBio-organics in the campaign for practices in all spheres of economic activity such form for manufacturing premix in Nigeria,” he addgood nutrition required local as: pharmaceuticals, food processing industries, ed. flour millers to be encouraged to Responding, Director General, SON, Mr. Joseph animal feed amongst others. He appealed to the source their materials locally.

SON DG to sensitise all flour milling industries Odumodu stressed the need for collaborative efforts Speaking during a working in Nigeria that the technology, products and towards ensuring international standard laboratovisit of the Director General of services for fortification of flour is available from ries where food products would be analysed to enSON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, sure they conform to world standard.

Bio-Organics Nutrient Systems Limited. recently in Lagos, the Chief “What we need to do is that we have to move fast In his presentation, the Food Safety Officer/ISO Executive Officer of Bio-organics Management Co-ordinator of Bio-organics and work in a collaborative way. This is an area of Nutrient Systems Limited, Dr. Nutrient Systems Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Onoh, comfort for me, but we need to get to the next level.

Kenny Uzoma Acholonu, noted noted that apart from creating over 200,000 jobs We must find a way to see how we are going to the critical role of Bio-Organics within three years, it would also improve analyse your products outside of Nigeria and to be in the mandatory fortification drastically maternal and infant mortality rate from able to bench mark them against those imported prodstandards of wheat flour, the from WHO’s 10 per cent to about o.5 per cent. ucts. We are thinking of getting a land around here semolina, and with vitamins and Onoh said it would ensure better nourishment to also build a multi functional laboratory.

Lions Club screens 100 pairs of eyes

L

Free medical services for journalists at 8th West African Health confab

M

Ban importation of vitamin premixes, FG told

S

C M Y K

48— Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Cross River: Between 76 oil wells and challenges of development It is no longer news that the legal battle between Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State over ownership of the disputed 76 oil wells ended in a Supreme Court victory for the latter. But while some people are wont to believe that the contentious matter has ended, there is the question of the economic implication of how this may affect the government of Cross River State in its efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy. However, officials say though not satisfied with the judgment, they have put the matter behind them while striving to sustain and consolidate on-going development of the state.

BY MIKE EBONUGWO

O

•Ongoing road construction project in Cross River State He further said that Cross River State would not have gone to court if Akwa Ibom State under Governor Godswill Akpabio had not reneged on a political agreement reached between the two sister states when Obong Victor Attah was governor of the state. “Akwa Ibom never went to court to claim ownership of the 76 oil wells, it was given to them by the National Boundary Commission. And since you do not claim what does not belong to you, we had expected them to respect the existing agreement we have with them and reject ownership of the oil wells”.

Ownership of disputed oil wells The judgement has continued to generate arguments and counterarguments over the ownership of the disputed oil wells. Most Cross Riverians feel particularly embittered by the development which they see as a deliberate act to further shortchange them after Bakassi, a part of the state, was ceded to Cameroun following a World Court judgment. For instance, the Attorney General of Cross River State, Attah Ochinke had this to say: “The territory and oil wells have always been in Cross River State as part of Bakassi, Akpabuyo and Calabar South local government areas. Because Bakassi has been handed over to Cameroun, Akwa Ibom State now wants to take over this portion of Cross River State which did not go to Cameroun. As illogical as this claim is, the Supreme Court delivered judgment in favour of Akwa Ibom State”.

In fact, the feeling in some quarters is that this certainly is not the best of times for the people of Cross River State following developments bordering on the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroun and the loss of the disputed 76 oil wells via the apex court ruling. The belief is that state government C M Y K

•Gov Imoke

•Chief Akin Ricketts

officials are sulking because they have lost an important revenue source needed to carry out development projects in the state and tackle sundry challenges affecting the people.

But Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke, in his reaction said he and his people have taken the judgment in good faith though they would have preferred that certain factors were taken into consideration before judgment was given. According to him: “We have accepted the judgment and we believe that with the facts that were before the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court delivered the

judgment based on law. We would have preferred that the Supreme Court was a court that would see the issue of policy and that the judgment would be based on both law and equity”.

It is a sentiment shared by his Commissioner for Information, Chief Akin Ricketts, who averred during a recent encounter with Vanguard Features that: “We’re a law-abiding state; we accept the verdict because we’re a peaceful people. We only went to court to redress the anomaly. We only quarrel with the manner the judgement was procured”.

,

NCE upon a time, the peoples of Cross River and Akwa Ibom shared the same geopolitical and economic identity under one state until state creation seemingly separated them during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. However, due to their strong cultural affinities, the development did not engender illfeeling as both sides resolved to live in peace not only as friendly neighbours but as consenting sister states. This was the case for many years until the contentious issue of the 76 oil wells cropped up.

The dispute derives from the claim by the two sister states that the 76 oil wells are situated in their territories. The matter eventually ended up in court for adjudication.

It was not until July 10, 2012 that the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision of its justices ruled that the contentious 76 oil wells belonged to Akwa Ibom State. By the judgment, Cross River State had ceased to be a littoral state.

Akwa Ibom State is today an oil producing state because of a political solution.

Clearly Akwa Ibom State Government and people know and acknowledge ownership of the territory by Cross River by virtue of historic titles. What is lacking in the current government of Akwa Ibom State is the honour to respect an agreement...,” he stated while reacting to a statement credited to his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Ekpenyong Ntekim, that Cross River State ought not to have taken the matter to court in the first place. Ntekim was also quoted as saying that Akwa Ibom State

Although we’re no longer a littoral state by reason of that judgement, but the residual effects of oil exploration are being felt in our state

It is a position also canvassed by Ochinke. He said: “The battle at the Supreme Court was because Cross River State insisted on upholding the political solution which Akwa Ibom reneged on. The present controversy... arose from the inability of Akwa Ibom State Government to support and sustain the political solution reached between the two sister states and the Federal Government. Ironically

,

even offered to pay Cross River State a monthly grant of N250 million, an offer the latter rejected.

For Chief Ricketts: “Although we’re no longer a littoral state by reason of that judgment, but the residual effects of oil exploration are being felt in our state”. But one fact the Information Commissioner would want Continues on page 49

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 —49

Cheers as civil society organisations graduate

By JUDITH UFFORD

A

T a recent training programme tagged CAPABLE (Capacity Building for Local Empowerment) organised by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and Crown Agents (CA), a UK- based foundation, the first class of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, ‘graduated.’

In March this year, both Foundations (PIND and CA) signed a memorandum of understanding to offer training and mentoring support to CSOs in the Niger Delta. Through this partnership, both foundations agreed to start assistance with training in the areas of grants application development, information and communication technology and budget financial management for 60 CSOs. The participants will be enrolled to take a three -module course covering the areas mentioned above, offered in three one week sessions. For effective course delivery, and to ensure and encourage full participation, participants are divided into three groups of 20 each. Classes for the first group ran from June

- August ( the 20 mentioned earlier).

At the opening event, Director of Policy, Research and Development in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Funso Esan (who stood in for the Minister) noted that PIND’s objectives were in tandem with the ministry’s mandate which is to execute projects and programmes as well as coordinate all development efforts in the Niger Delta. Esan said the Minister was appreciative of PIND’s support for the design of the Niger Delta social sector investment framework. He also informed that since 2007, the Ministry has trained over 700 youths in and outside Nigeria; adding that there were on-going efforts to develop industrial clusters to create jobs for such youths drawing on similiar model from Turkey.

Capacity building Earlier, Mr. Sam Daibo, PIND’s Deputy Project Director noted that the training was the first to be held in the Foundation’s Warri facility. He stressed that this demonstrated the importance

paid to capacity building by the Foundation. Daibo who said the training was part of the Foundation’s response to request from CSOs in the region for intensive capacity building support urged trainees to take full advantage of the opportunity to enhance their performance and competitiveness.

According to Daibo, PIND which is funded by Chervon is a multi-stakeholder partnership.

The Foundation he informed, creates partnership that allows for economic activities to take place in the region.

Established in July 2010, PIND has four programme areas: economic development where it facilitates growth through propoor activities and intervention capacity building; peace and conflict resolution efforts; analysis and advocacy efforts, gender and youth main-streaming.

CA UK’s Project Director for CAPABLE, Stuart Ponder and the Foundation’s Nigeria Director , Mark Abaniwho consecutively gave a brief history of CA in Nigeria.

According to them, CA which started in Nigeria in 1912 has maintained high reputation for providing training, consultancies

and capacity building services. For their Foundation., a major objective of CAPABLE is to create capable people and organisations in the region that will have requisite skills and confidence to engage donors and development partners.

Participants who just completed the training had excellent testimonies to give.According to them, the training has helped in reshaping policies, focus and skills. For instance, Racheal Misan - Ruppee of Development Initiative for Community, a Warri-based CSO, noted that the training has sharpened her skills in proposal writing. She shared her experience thus:

Monitoring and evaluation “Before I attended the training, I had sent a proposal to a donor agency and there was no response from them. After I attened the CAPABLE training on proposal writing, I decided to re- work the same proposal and sent it back to the same organisation. In less than two weeks, they wrote back to say my proposal was receiving attention”.

Continuing, Misan-Ruppee said she would be glad if PIND would have another training for CSOs in the area of monitoring and evaluation. According to her, it is not just enough for CSO to carry out projects in the communities, there has to be a way of monitoring for effectiveness.

Both Kingsley Akeni and

•Rachael Misan -Ruppee of Development Initiative for Community

Ajulisan Akumagba of Development Support Care and Empowerment Foundation (DSCAEF) also noted that their skills had been enhanced as a result of the training particularly in the areas of proposal writing, IT procedures and policy formation.

For Oladimeji Olutimehin of Engineers Without Borders an Enugu based CSO, the CAPABLE training was of tremendous benefit as it has helped the organisation in its various technical projects particularly those directed at students on campus.

Leaders of the organisation commended PIND’s Deputy Director, Mr. Daibo for continuously challenging them to strive for greater heights.

With the completion of this first set of 20, both PIND and CA are geared for another set of 20 some time in September.

Cross River: Between 76 oil wells and challenges of development Continues from page 48

Nigerians to take note of is that the loss of the 76 oil wells will not halt the state’s development strides, saying that the Imoke-led government has accomplished so much even without the benefits of revenue accruing from the oil wells. According to him: “Our budgets are not based on the 76 oil wells. And we have succeeded in recording huge sectoral achievements in spite of our financial situation; huge achievements in every sector”. He said the success in this regard derives from Governor Imoke’s prudent management of the resources at his disposal. The culture of prudence in expenditure is also believed to have ensured that there is discipline in budget spending in the state.

Many observers are also wont to attribute the success achieved so far on the faithful implementation of the various policy initiatives conceived under the aegis of the Governor’s Seven-Point Development Agenda, an economic blue-print based on the State Economic Empowerment Strategy.

Among what government has been able to achieve through this was opening up the rural communities which is said to be Governor Imoke’s cardinal development agenda for Cross River State. And this is predicated on the availability of rural roads, coupled with

the provision of other rural infrastructures like water and electricity, which are required for the citing of cottage industries in the rural communities.

Importance of electricity The importance of electricity in the entire equation is underscored by its provision through the State’s Rural Electrification Agency and the rehabilitation of mini-water schemes in several rural communities of Itigidi in Abi, Asssiga in Yakurr, Ofombongha in Obubra, Abia small town in Etung, Batriko in Boki and emergency water rehabilitation schemes in Ogoja and Obudu. Others are Akpap Okoyong mini water scheme in Odukpani LGA and Okpoma in Yala local government area. Information has it that though five other States, Enugu, Nasarawa, Niger, Kaduna and Osun are benefitting from the African Development Bank, ADB, assisted rural access and mobility programme, RAMP, Cross River State stands out by reason of the fact that it is committing a whooping N13,308,827,526.l66, representing 65.48% to the RAMP Programme.

Chief Ricketts also informed of giants strides in other sectors, including health and education, while maintaining that the state will continue to strive to remain the preferred tourism destination not only in Nigeria but in the West Africa sub-region.

C M Y K

50—Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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Vanguard,FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012—51

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Suspected generator thief nabbed

By RUTH CHUKWUEMEKA

T

HE shout of thief thief thief! rent the air in the quiet neighbourhood of Ilogbo-Ilemba Street in the densely-populated Ajangbadi area of Ojo, Lagos, Monday. Time was 11p.m. At the same time, a youngman was seen running away. The man, who was later identified as Waheed Razaq, was discovered to be about to steal a power generating set.

Residents of the area, as gathered, had on several occasions, stolen their power generating sets. Most times, the residents would notice that their generating sets would stop abruptly, thereby plunging them into darkness. Apparently thinking there could have been a technical fault or that the fuel had been exhausted, they would go to where the generating sets were mounted only to discover that they had been stolen!

Following this disturbing trend, some of the residents resorted to chaining the generating sets while some built cages for them.

But the unrepentant thieves managed to break some of the cages and made away with the generating sets.

On Monday, Crime Alert gathered that hardly had one of the residents, identified simply as Taofeek, put on his generating set, no thanks to epileptic power experienced in the area, than the obvious occurred. Immediately, the father of two, who had retired to bed at 11 p.m, noticed that the generating set had gone off, he reportedly rushed outside, only to discover that his generating set was gone! While conducting a search, he allegedly stumbled on Razaq, with the generating set in his hand.

Taofeek said: “When I asked him where he was taking it to, he told me he saw some boys dragging it away and he challenged them. At first, I was curious. But

te group reportedly took Razaq to his apartment, where some generating sets suspected to have been stolen, were found. Not a few of the residents identified theirs.

During interrogation, the 27year-old Razaq reportedly told the crowd that some of the stolen sets were sold at giveaway-prices. On his modus operandi, he said, “I usually wait for the owners to put on the generating sets.

What I do is to •Waheed Razaq — The suspect lift it from where as I made to collect it from him, it is kept and move it to a distance, he bolted away and I raised an from where I can easily escape. At alarm, consequent upon which times, I add my wire to it. I do not he was caught.” switch it off before lifting it. But when Crime Alert gathered that I get to a safe distance, I will switch Razaq was beaten to coma af- it off and immediately bolt away. I ter which he was dragged to have succeeded in stealing one tothe head of the vigilante group, day before coming here. This is my one Alhaji Saka. Other resi- second attempt. I only go for I- betdents, whose generating sets ter-pass-my-neighbour generator had been stolen, reportedly (referring to the smallest size) and thronged Saka’s abode, declar- I usually sell them at give-awaying that Razaq be forced to pay prices. I know God wants me to stop them. Members of the vigilan- that is why I was arrested.”

Benue Police avert violence at stalemated PDP ward congress ...arrest 15 persons, recover arms and ammunition

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Omission

of

Name

MY full and correct name is Godwill Andrew John, but it was wrongly written on my WASSCE May/ June 2009 result as Godwill Andrew and on my JAMB 2012 result as John Godwill Andrew. I hereby state that these names refer to one and same person. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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By PETER DURU

T

HE Benue State Police Com mand has averted what would have resulted in a major bloodbath in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state, following the arrest of 15 persons suspected to have been hired to cause commotion in the rescheduled ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The command also impounded an official car loaded with arms and other dangerous weapons.

The recovered Toyota Corolla car with number-plate LG 63 PKG, as gathered, belonged to one of the chairmanship aspirants at the rescheduled but stalemated ward congresses of PDP. The vehicle, which is at the Okpokwu Divisional Police Headquarters, was said to be conveying some of the suspects to venues of the congresses about 9 a.m, last Sunday, when police operatives, who acted on a tip-off, intercepted them.

Okpokwu, hometown of the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, had in the the last few months, witnessed rising political tension, thereby leading to several postponement of the PDP ward congresses in the area. The crisis is a fall-out of the alleged insistence of the state chairman

of the party, to allow only 600 party members from each of the 13 wards in the area to participate in the congresses, a decision that was described as contrary to the party’s

guidelines which provides that all card-carrying members of PDP should exercise their voting right.

Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for Benue Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ejike Alaribe, confirmed that 15 hoodlums were arrested with some exhibits but did not give further details. He simply stated that, “what I can tell you is that some persons were arrested with exhibits but nobody has told me anything about arms and ammunition.”

Alarabe added that the suspects had been transferred to the Command Headquarters in Makurdi for further investigations, explaining that the arrest was consequent upon the increased security surveillance of the entire local government area by security operatives, who, he said, maintained utmost vigilance in the area owing to its volatility.

Court remands driver for manslaughter

By ONOZURE DANIA

A

45-year-old man, Olalekan Salami, was arraigned, yesterday, before an Ikeja High Court for manslaughter. Salami, a commercial bus driver, was accused of crushing a 30-year-old woman to death on the Oshodi/ Abeokuta Expressway, a fortnight ago.

He was charged with a twocount charge of manslaughter and reckless driving.

The police prosecutor, Linus Mamah, told the court that about 1 p.m, on that fateful day, Salami had driven his Mazda commercial bus with numberplate YA 451 MUS, on the Oshodi/Abeokuta Expressway

by Union Road junction, Dopemu, adding that he drove recklessly, thereby causing the death of one Gloria Asuquo.

Mamah stated that the defendant drove recklessly on the public highway without regard

for other road-users.

The offence, according to him, “is contrary to, and punishable under Reg 36 (p) of Road Traffic Laws, Vol 7 Cap 172 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2004.”

When the charges were read to the defendant who resides at 32 Orelope Street Ifo, he pleaded guilty.

The Magistrate, Mr E, Ogunkanmi, remanded him in prison custody with the matter adjourned to September 25, 2012.

52 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, AUGUST 31, 2012

Egypt, UN slam Iran over Syria, Brainstorming over nuclear Bakassi programme Peninsula E GYPT’S president Mohammed Morsi and UN scribe Mr. Ba KiMoon yesterday delivered stinging speeches at a summit of developing nations in Tehran damaging that Iran should show integrity for its nuclear program and its support for Syria.

Morsi, the first Egyptian leader to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, did hold back as he urged Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) members to back Syrians trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad, Tehran’s closest Arab ally.

Mursi, elected two months ago after a popular uprising toppled Egypt’s long-standing leader Hosni Mubarak, said Assad had lost legitimacy in his fight to crush a 17-month-old revolt in which 20,000 people have been killed.

Mursi’s scathing speech to a summit of non-aligned leaders, hosted by Assad’s Shi’ite ally Iran, prompted Syria’s foreign minister to accuse the moderate Sunni Islamist leader of inciting further bloodshed in Syria.

The political broadside against the Syrian president came as rebels said they shot down a fighter plane in northern Syria, where his air force has been bombarding opposition-held towns in a fierce counter-offensive against insurgents.

It was the latest strike by Assad’s foes on the air power he has increasingly relied on to crush the uprising. Rebels said this week they attacked a northern military air base and shot down a helicopter that was bombarding a district of Damascus.

“The bloodshed in Syria

•Morsi is our responsibility on all our shoulders and we have to know that the bloodshed cannot stop without effective interference from all of us,” Mursi said. “We all have to announce our full solidarity with the struggle of those seeking freedom and justice in Syria, and translate this sympathy into a clear political vision that supports a peaceful transition to a democratic system of rule that reflects

Obama savours boost in consumer range of retail outlets - from spending Costco Wholesale Corp to Limited Brands Inc posting better-thanexpected sales gains.

C

ONSUMER spending got off to a fairly firm start in the third quarter, rising by the most in five months and offering hope economic growth would pick up this quarter. Other data on Thursday showed the number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits held steady last week, indicating a lack of improvement in the labor market and keeping additional monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve on the table. The Commerce Department said consumer spending increased 0.4 percent in July after a flat reading in June. Last month’s rise in consumption, which accounts for 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, was in line with economists’

the demands of the Syrian people for freedom.” His comments prompted Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem to storm out of the meeting, complaining that Mursi was inciting fighters to “continue shedding Syrian blood”, Syrian state television said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also

UN meets on Syria HE United Security be attended by ministers T Council has called from Syria’s neighbours for an Turkey, Lebanon and emergency meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the deteriorating situation in Syria.

The 15-member council, however, is deadlocked over taking strong action after Russia and China blocked three resolutions that criticised Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president, and threatened sanctions.

France, which is council president for August, hopes the body could unite to deal with the aid crisis and convened Thursday ’s meeting, which will also

W

ITH more than 2,000 overseas, non-EU students potentially facing deportation after a London university, London Metropolitan University (LMU), had its license to teach and recruit overseas students revoked, many overseas students, especially Nigerians, are confused.

Jordan.

But less than half the council members are sending ministers, and of the permanent members - the US, China, Russia, Britain and France - only the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, and his British counterpart, William Hague, will attend.

Diplomats said that aside from possible announcements of aid initiatives by individual countries on Thursday, there would be no further action on Syria from the Security Council.

Romney, Ryan brace for White House •Obama expectations. When adjusted for inflation, consumer spending increased 0.4 percent, also the largest increase since February.

“The improvement in spending activity suggests that overall economic activity may be off to a fairly decent start in the third quarter,” said Millan Mulraine, senior macro strategist at TD Securities in New York.

Reports from U.S. retailers suggested some of the spending momentum carried into August, with a

M

ITT Romney faces a critical test in his White House bid yesterday when he addresses the Republican National Convention, an opportunity to convince millions of Americans that he can forge a path to economic rebirth and provide better leadership than President Barack Obama.

It will be Romney ’s biggest television audience to date as much of the nation tunes in, giving some voters their first extended look at the 65year-old former Massachusetts governor who unsuccessfully sought

the Republican nomination in 2008. Romney, who can often come across as stiff, faces the challenge of making Americans feel more comfortable with him.

He has a hard act to follow after the ringing “you can trust Mitt” endorsement delivered by his wife, Ann, on Tuesday night, a speech that was widely viewed as one of the most significant ever given by an aspiring first lady. Romney got a strong testimonial on Wednesday night from his vice presidential running mate, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, who generated the most enthusiasm so far at the

Britain to deport 2000 foreign students

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI, with agency report

critisised Iran for calling for Israel’s destruction and denying the Holocaust.The United States and Israel had frowned on the decisions by Ban and Mursi to attend the summit.Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly denied the Holocaust and this month called Israel a “cancerous tumor”.

According to the UK Border Agency (UKBA), LMU has its right to sponsor students from outside the EU revoked, and will no longer be allowed to authorise visas as students’ attendance are not being monitored and many have no right to be here. With increased competition and pressure on funding, many UK universities have looked to the lucrative overseas student

market because they pay higher fees than home students. In 2010-11 sessions, 48,580 overseas undergraduates were studying in the UK, about 11 per cent of the total undergraduate population that generates 32 per cent of universities’ fee income.

Overall foreign students contribute an estimated £5bn a year to the wider economy, including fees, an amount

which Universities UK says could increase to £16.9bn by 2025.

Meanwhile, a task force has been set up to help the affected 2,000 students who have 60 days to find alternative institutions or face deportation.

Announcing the move, Wednesday, the UKBA said LMU had ‘failed to address serious and systemic failings’ identified six months ago.

•Romney convention with his address.

“After four years of getting the run-around, America needs a turnaround, and the man for the job is Governor Mitt Romney,” said Ryan. As portrayed by Democrats, Romney is alternately a heartless corporate raider, wealthy elitist, tax evader and policy flip-flopper who should not be trusted with the keys to the White House. Despite the attacks, Romney is running even with Obama in the polls in a race that is too close to call. A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Wednesday showed the two men tied at 43 percent each. But Obama has the advantage over Romney in likability, an important characteristic that may mask other problems that the Democratic incumbent has in persuading voters to give him four more years.

S/Africa chargers 270 miners

S

OUTH African author ities have charged 270 miners with murder in the killings of 34 fellow workers, even though police are believed to have fired the fatal shots.

The workers were arrested after the deadly clash with police and were charged under a commonlaw provision that faults them for being involved in the clash. Police spokesman Dennis Adrio said that some of those killed in the clash had gunshot wounds in their backs and that weapons were recovered at the scene.

Police arrest Murdoch’s former staff

T

OM Crone, a former senior legal executive at Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper business, has been arrested by police investigating allegations of phonehacking by journalists, media reported on Thursday.

London police confirmed they had arrested a 60year-old man at his home in southwest London on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, but declined to name him.

However Crone, the former legal chief of Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid on which the police inquiry is centered, was the arrested man, according to Sky News, part of Murdoch’s News Corp group, and other media outlets.

Senegal scraps upper house

S

ENEGALESE President Macky Sall presented plans to scrap the West African nation’s upper house of parliament to raise funds needed to fight annual flooding which killed six and left several neighbourhoods under water last weekend.

Sall, who won March elections on a ticket to cut excessive spending on state institutions, said the abolition of the 100-seat Senate would free up eight billion CFA francs a year for urgently needed infrastructure improvements.

The measure is likely to be welcomed in poor suburbs of the capital Dakar which suffer flooding every rainy season because of shoddy urban planning.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 53

C M Y K

54—

Vanguard,FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

S

PORTS is part of entertainment and this partly explained why he took huge interest in not only what we did on the sports desk but also in Nigerian sports.

Ogbonnaya Amadi always contributed to sports discourse. He did so because he followed sports.

He also wanted us to remain a force in sports reporting and contributed story ideas. I also took interest in his beat, sometimes offering contributions too. What many didn't know was that this relationship was informed by our long history of work in Vanguard. Ogbannaya and I were interviewed by a panel led by Alhaji Kola Animasaun and we were employed the same day in Vanguard. I started as judiciary reporter, learning the ropes under Richard Akinola and Ogbonnaya also covered other beats like telecommunications before stabilizing as an entertainment reporter where until Wednesday night he remained the longest serving entertainment writer in Nigeria. He worked with passion and he broke news every time. Ogbonnaya was our Group Entertainment Editor. I was not feeling well and had to leave office early Wednesday night. I left office about 8pm and at about 9 pm Tony Ubani called me and uttered one proverb that I didn't understand. He then came blunt: "Ogbonnaya Amadi is dead."

Silence. Then a scream and silence again. The phone went dead. Another call followed and Tony explained that Ogbonnaya had an asthmatic attack while still in the office. It was such that his inhaler was not helping much and he had to be rushed to the hospital at Olodi Apapa. Francis Oji of our admin department added that the traffic on the road did not help matters and at a point Og-

and doctor's test confirmed him dead," Francis said yesterday morning. eath oh death, why are you wicked? Why do you snatch people like that? So, Ogbonnaya Amadi is gone? Is this how thin the line between life and death is? That somebody I worked with in the office and who was not ill would die few minutes after I left him in the office? What is this life all about? What world do we live in? I have been hurt by deaths. I don't know if this will ever stop hurting. My father was killed in the North during the Nigerian crisis that eventually led to the civil war.

We were kids and what death meant had not dawned on me at the time. But it hurt badly as I grew up under a single parent. But my mother did everything to also father us. She remains my life time heroine.

Another death that has continued to hurt was that of my childhood friend, Nick Ikeji. He died in a motor accident. The next was that of Sam Okwaraji, my close friend who died in Lagos while playing for Nigeria in 1989. Sam had told me to bring Holy Water to him before the World Cup qualifier against Angola. He also told me that we would go clubbing on the night to celebrate their expected victory. Led by the then Sports Editor, Ikeddy Isiguzo, we ended up searching for his body in hospitals before we located it in the Lagos Island morgue. 23 years on, it still hurts. And now Ogbonnaya is gone. I'm short of words. I can only pray that God accepts his soul.

I can only pray that God grants us all, especially his family, the fortitude to bear this great loss. May the souls of the faithful departed and that of Ogbonnaya Amadi, through the mercy of God, rest in PEACE. Amen.

D

Rest In Peace, my good friend

•Late Ogbonnaya Amadi bonnaya had to ride on a motor bike to the hospital.

"On getting to the gate of the hospital he slumped

Moses is irreplaceable, says Wigan boss

HIGH PRICE OF OLYMPIC FAILURE?

Russia’s w omen’s vvolle olle yball coac h women’s olleyball coach commits suicide W T

•Coach Sergey

HE head coach of Russia’s women’s volleyball team was found hanged in his hotel room in Croatia after a disappointing Olympics performance.

Sergey Ovchinnikov, 43, was at a training camp in Croatia with his team Dynamo Moscow when the tragedy occurred, according to local media.

The club’s staff went to Mr Ovchinnikov’s room

after he missed breakfast and found him hanging.

Russian Volleyball Federation director general Aleksandr Yeremenko confirmed the news of his death, but said he was unable to provide any further details.

Former Russia coach Vladimir Kuzyutkin speculated the alleged suicide may have been a reaction to the poor showing of the Russian women’s volleyball team

Inies A Bes niestt a wins UEF UEFA Bestt

Player in Europe Award

B

ARCELONA mid fielder Andres Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the 2011-2012 season on Thursday.

Iniesta earned 19 votes in the poll of journalists from across Europe, two more than Barcelona teammate and last year’s winner, Lionel Messi, and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 28-year-old Iniesta was instrumental in helping Spain successfully defend its European Championship title

this summer and was crowned the tournament’s best player.

A three-man shortlist was selected by a panel of 53 journalists drawn from each of UEFA’s member nations. The same journalists then voted for the winner immediately after the draw for this season’s Champions League group stage.

UEFA created the honour after France Football magazine combined its traditional European award with FIFA’s world player prize.

at the 2012 London Olympics.

‘This is so stupid,’ Mr Kuzyutkin told RSN radio station. ‘He was my friend, my colleague. No one said a bad word about him. Yes, there was a blunder at the Olympics, well, to hell with it.’

Mr Ovchinnikov ’s team entered the Games as one of the favourites but missed out on medals, losing 3-2 in the quarter-finals to eventual champions Brazil.

IGAN manager Roberto Martinez has conceded former Latics striker Victor Moses is irreplaceable but is still keeping his eye on any last-minute deals despite being happy with his transfer business.

Moses left Wigan for European Champions Chelsea in a £9million move last week, leaving Martinez to reshape his attacking line in the form of the returning Mauro Boselli, new striker Arouna Kone and Franco Di Santo.

The Wigan boss admitted Moses is a special player and knows he will

struggle to find a like-forlike replacement this late in the transfer window.

‘I think Victor Moses was such an influential player and such a special player for us I don’t think you can replace him with another individual.'

•Moses

UEF A Champions League Dra w UEFA Draw

•Iniesta

Group A FC Porto (Portugal), Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine), Paris Saint-Germain (France), Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) Group B Arsenal (England), Schalke (Germany), Olympiakos (Greece), Montpellier (France) Group C AC Milan (Italy), Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia), Anderlecht (Belgium), Malaga (Spain) Group D Real Madrid (Spain), Manchester City (England), Ajax (Netherlands), Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Group E Chelsea (England), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Juventus (Italy), Nordsjaelland (Denmark) Group F Bayern Munich (Germany), Valencia (Spain), Lille (France), BATE Borisov (Belarus) Group G Barcelona (Spain), Benfica (Portugal), Spartak Moscow (Russia), Glasgow Celtic (Scotland) Group H Manchester United (England), Braga (Portugal), Galatasaray (Turkey), Cluj (Romania)

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 — 55

Hurray! Adesokan wins first gold, breaks World record Nigeria is better than Mexico — Cuellar

BY TONY UBANI

A

T

HE medal that elud ed Team Nigeria during the London 2012 Olympics came tumbling in yesterday as Nigeria’s Paralympians begun their quest for medals and also to redeem the image of the country as a super power in sports. Team Nigeria’s outing at the main Olympics was colourless.

Yakubu Adesokan struck the goldmine yesterday in a refreshing manner in Powerlifting where he also sent the World record crashing with his amazing 178 kg lift in his men’s 48 category which was over three times his body weight.

Adesokan’s feat was celebrated by the country’s flagbearers in London yesterdy as they hoped to win more medals. And back home, it was a double joy for the country that watched gleefully on television as the Falconets dumped Mexico 1-0 in a nail-biting quarter-final thriller to berth into the semi-final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup semi final.

Sports Minister and Chairman of National

RECORD BREAKER ••• Yakubu Adesokan of Nigeria raises his hands in celebration of his record-breaking feat.

Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi heaved a sigh of relief yesterday when the cherry news came and urged the Nigerian heros and heroines not to relent in their efforts to win more medals. ‘’The Minister is happy with the feat of Yakubu Adesokan in winning the first gold for Nigeria at the Paralympics and also over-joyed at his feat of breaking the World record. ‘’It is one thing to win gold and another super feat to break the World record’’, the Minister ’s Special Adviser on Media, Julius Ogunro quoted the Minister.

Adesokan was a full

10kg ahead of silver medallist Vladimir Balynedc of Russia, while

McLintock, the skipper who lifted the Double at Highbury in 1971, is amazed that the club has got itself into another transfer mess.

Arsenal appear to have clung on to Walcott — for the time being at least — but their selling policy has left former Scottish centre-half McLintock perplexed and angry.

The shocking Emirates exodus is perfectly illustrated by the team photograph above, which was taken ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second-leg home clash with Villarreal on April 15, 2009.

Just THREE players, Walcott, Kieran Gibbs and Lukasz Fabianski, are still at Arsenal — while seven of the remaining eight stars

C M Y K

have been flogged for a combined £145million.

Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas Samir Nasri, Alex Song, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor and Emmanuel Eboue were all sold. Defender Mikael Silvestre was let go on a free in August 2010 by manager Arsene Wenger.

McLintock said: “The photo sums it up perfectly. There’s only three players left after only three years.

“You can’t keep changing your team every year and that’s what has been happening.

“It’s almost as though there has been a crisis every time the transfer window opens and I don’t think it’s fair to the supporters.

“When we’ve not spent money, the reason

U-20 team Edwin Okon expressed delighted over his team performance. He said,”It is common thing all over the world to have supporters club supporting the team, the supporters club is all about cheering and I think that their support also made massive impact to the team’s success. “ he said in the post match conference.

Continuing he said, “One thing that am also sure about is that, my girls were the best and am proud of them for their efforts so far .

There is also no doubt that they are listening to instructions.

Bankers Games: Over 500 athletes begin chase for honours Their celebration was team that dethroned team coach, Tunde Disu,

A

T the front of the Uni versity of Lagos Sports Complex pavilion on October 9, 2011, Skye Bank players were the cynosure of all eyes as they awaited the trophy presentation for the most popular event of the Nigeria Bankers Games (NBG). With the array of dignitaries including the Lagos State Sports Commissioner, Enitan Oshodi, former national

McLintock fury at Arsenal Continues from B/P

Taha Abdelmagid of Egypt claimed bronze with his 165kg effort.

FTER a hard-fought 1-0 extra-time victory over a resilient Mexico in the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Toyko , Nigeria zoomed her way into semi-finals to meet with Japan on Tuesday 4th of September.

Desire Oparanozie’s decisive goal on 109 minutes paved way for Nigeria’s moves in the semi-finals. The always dangerous Sofia Huerta, scorer of three goals in the tournament, made a rare incursion into the Africans’ penalty area just before the break, to provide some impetus for the Mexicans.

Chief coach of the team

given is because we are still paying for the new stadium and everyone’s gone along with it.

“But how long do we have to wait until we say ‘Right, the debt’s cleared and now we can compete with City, Chelsea and United’?

“Arsenal fans would like to know whether the club will ever do that again.”

McLintock, 72, even doubts his own view that the Gunners can still be ranked among the world’s best teams.

“We’ve sold for a lot of money and seemed to get players who are not quite as good as the ones who have left.

“You can’t keep on doing that all the time because supporters will get annoyed and wonder why.

ex-international, Victor Ikpeba and senior bank chiefs, the players had every reason to wallow in adulation from their colleagues who had thronged the venue to cheer them on to victory.

double-edged: for one, they were just one finals’ win away from equaling the record of arch-rivals, United Bank for Africa (UBA) four-time victories in the finals and secondly, they actually were the

UBA enroute the finals that year. Ironically, they did secure a deserved 10 win over Fidelity Bank to emerge champions after losing at the group stage to their finals’ opponents.

Oparanozie breaks Me xico’s hear Mexico’s heartt Continues from B/P zie’s decisive goal on 109 minutes.

The Nigerians made much of the early running and appeared to have scored a crucial early goal when Francisca Ordega’s shot deflected past goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago on the quarter-hour, only for the offside flag to be raised for an earlier infringement.

Almost immediately, Oparanozie forced Santiago into a sprawling save as Nigeria looked to turn the screw in the late afternoon heat.

With far more possession in midfield, Nigeria were inching their way closer to breaking the deadlock, and Oparanozie rattled the crossbar with a shot eight minutes before the interval.

The always dangerous Sofia Huerta, scorer of three goals in the tournament, made a rare incursion into the Africans’ penalty area just before the break, to provide some impetus for the Mexicans.

However, the one-way traffic continued immediately upon the resumption, much to the delight of a large and buoyant group of Nigerian supporters, whose singing resonated around the National Stadium throughout the match.

Approaching the hourmark, Santiago again thwarted the Africans with an important block from Gloria Ofoegbu’s effort, and then again a few minutes later from Oparanozie.

Mexico slowly started to make an impression and enjoyed a rare sight of goal midway through the second half, only for inspirational skipper Nayeli Rangel to direct her back-post header narrowly over.

Nigeria’s midfield play became less cohesive and Mexico could have won it in injury time as a corner looped onto the crossbar. A fairly disjointed period of extra time was enlivened only on a few occasions, notably by Mexico’s Yamile

Franco hitting the bar with an angled freekick.

With the match starting to swing back Mexico’s way, it was Nigeria who conjured a winner, with Oparanozie looping a perfectly executed header from Ugo Njoku’s cross over a stranded Santiago.

“Even if I acknowledge the good quality of Nigeria, losing this way is very difficult,” said Mexico coach Leonardo Cuellar. “We showed that we could compete at the same level, and we even played better than them in some parts of the game.”

“My first speech in the locker room will be to tell them how proud I am of them. How the country and all the people who watched them in the stadium are proud of them. This is not an end, but only a new part of their training on their way to the highest level. This is a good sports education and it will help us to improve.”

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

McLintock fury at Arsenal

A LONDON 2012 PARALYMPICS

RSENAL legend Frank McLintock has hit out at the Gunners after last-ditch panic talks to keep Theo Walcott.

Continues on page 55

Hurray! Nigeria’s Adesokan wins first gold, breaks World record

Details Inside

GRITTY ••• D e s i r e Okparanozie in an aerial battle with a Mexican defender.

SUPERMAN ••• Yakubu Adesokan of Nigeria celebrates setting a new world record and gold in the Men’s 48kg Powerlifting on day 1 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on August 30, 2012 in London, England.

•Coac h commits suicide - P .5 4 •Coach P.5 .54

•Champions League draw - P.54 TODAY'S

PUZZLE

Oparanozie breaks Me xico’s hear Mexico’s heartt •As Falconets fly into semi-final

S

UPER Falconets have won their way into a second successive FIFA U-20 WomYESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

en’s World Cup semi-final with a hard-fought 1-0 extra-time victory

ACROSS 1 Wind (4) 4 Spoil (3) 6 Bridge (4) 9 Faucet (3) 10 Worried (8) 11 Unfortunately (4) 14 Cushion (3) 16 Moor (5) 19 Middling (8) 21 Inclined (5) 23 Way in (8) 24 World (5) 27 Sheep (3) 31 Jest (4) 33 Follower (8) 35 Repair (4) 36 Insane (3) 37 Depression (4)

over a resilient Mexico in Tokyo.

Nigeria, beaten finalists in Germany two years ago, were domi-

nant throughout the first hour, but were unable to make the breakthrough until Desire Oparano Continues on page 55

DOWN 2 Back (4) 3 Toll (4) 4 Slaughter (8) 5 Discourteous (4) 6 Condition (5) 7 Friend (3) 8 Separate (5) 12 Strike (5) 13 Smell (5) 14 Burst (3) 15 Buzz (5) 17 Pain (5) 18 Hell (5) 20 Interwoven (8) 22 Before (3) 25 Diminish (5) 26 Tendency (5) 28 Fad (4) 29 Shack (4) 30 Principal (4) 32 Peg (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Spring 5, Affair 8, Generate 9, Lose 10, One 12, Strap 15, Fed 17, Let 18, Ill 19, Tab 20, Ought 21, Inn 22, Oar 23, Can 24, New 26, Match 29, Gay 33, Wage 34, Prisoner 35, Storey 36, Deputy.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Preen 3, Idea 4, Grant 5, arena 6, File 7, Issue 10, Often 11, Elbow 12, Storm 13, Right 14, Pitch 15, Fling 16, Dandy 25, Exact 27, Amply 28, Child 30, Adept 31, Gear 32, Romp.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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