Friday, march 14, 2014 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

FAAC wants fuel subsidy shared to states, faults CBN on CRR

Power: FG targets additional 4,000mw with new contracts

...as FG, others share N641.29bn, ECA rises to $3.5bn TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

Alison-Madueke

Vol. 4 N0. 808

embers of the Federation Account Allocation Com-

mittee, FAAC, yesterday canvassed the removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit (petrol) to ensure transparent management of the downstream sector

revenue accruals. The Chairman of State Commissioners’ Forum, Mr. Timothy Odaah, made the position of the committee CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Nebo

Friday, March 14, 2014

P.4

N150

Politicians inciting troops to mutiny, says military Reps probe N3trn security expenditure Katsina killing: Death toll rises to 103 T

JAMES DANJUMA, TORDUE SALEM AND UBONG UKPONG he Defence Headquarters, DHQ, yesterday accused the political class of inciting

the public against the military and attempting to cause disaffection among CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

National Youth Service Corps 2014 ‘Batch A’ members during their swearing-in ceremony in Lagos, yesterday.

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Confab: Ozekhome, Goni replace Afe Babalola, Chris Uche

Ike Nwachukwu leads Ndigbo P.2 Ex-speakers reject delegates’ substitution x Police arrest man with 18 human skulls in Ogun P.9

17% of Lagos pupils suffer poor sight –Commissioner P.8

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Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Confab: Afe Babalola, Chris Uche out, Goni, Ozekhome in OMEIZA AJAYI, JAMES ABRAHAM AND DENNIS AGBO

he Federal Government yesterday effected changes in the list of delegates to the national conference with erudite lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola from Ekiti State being replaced by Dr. Kunle Olajide in the “elder statesmen” cadre. Although government’s statement was silent on the reason for the change, National Mirror gathered that Babalola had withdrawn from the conference on his own volition. His reasons could not also be immediately ascertained. Human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, who was earlier excluded from the delegates list sent in by the Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, has now been picked by the Federal Government. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, who signed the statement, also said that on the request of the National Council of Tra-

ditional Rulers of Nigeria, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro, the Etsu of Bwari, Abuja now replaces His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ismail Danlami Mohammed, Sarki of Karshi, Abuja. “Mrs. Millicent Okoronkwo replaces Mrs. Love Ezema on the request of the National Council of Women Societies of Nigeria,” Anyim added. He said the nomination of Chief Chris Uche and Dr. Sagir Auwal Maidoya to represent the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has been withdrawn to allow the party to resolve the issue of its nominees. For the South-West geopolitical zone, Prince Rabiu Oluwa replaces Supo Sonibare, while Oba Kehinde Olugbenle replaces Barr. Niyi Akintola, whose name, Anyim said is retained in the Oyo State delegates list. The Academy of Social Sciences has also nominated Prof. Layi Erinosho to fill the one slot allocated to the institution. In the former political office holders (former governors) cadre, former Gov-

ernor of Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Goni will now fill the slot for the NorthEast geo-political zone. Also, state governments whose nominations were incomplete have now sent in more delegates. Delta State has Chief Isaac Jemide; Edo State, Prof. Eddy Erhagbe and Oyo State, Chief (Mrs.) Onikepo Akande. Also, Rivers State now has Chief Sampson Agbaru while Yobe State has Engr. Abubakar Buba Galadima as delegates. The government, on its part, has added about six other names to the list. They are Hon. Wole Oshun, Mr. Ledum Mitee, Mr. Mike Ozekhome, Mr. Anthony Akika, Alhaji Sule Iyaji and retired DIG (Amb.) Abdulmumuni Abubakar. Anyim added that the inauguration of the national conference on Monday remained as scheduled. He said those invited to attend the inauguration ceremony are former presidents and heads of state, the leadership of political parties, members of the Na-

Politicians inciting troops to mutiny, says military CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

troops with the intent to cause mutiny. Director of Defence Information, DDI, and Chairman of the Joint Security Information Managers Committee, Major-Gen. Chris Olukolade, made the accusation at a press briefing by the committee in Abuja. He also disclosed moves to commence the arrests of those sabotaging the ongoing emergency rule in the North- East, vowing that “there is no respite for terrorists.” He warned those sabotaging the ongoing military operations and working against national interest to desist or face the consequences for violating the State of Emergency Rule Act. According to him, the security operatives were aware of the State of Emergency Rule Act and are conscious of those violating it. The DHQ spokesman spoke against the backdrop of the spate of criticisms that have trailed the military’s handling of the fight against terrorism which has seen repeated attacks and killings by Boko Haram

insurgents in the North East despite the army’s presence in the area Olukolade said: “We would apprehend those violating the Act, those who are undermining our operations will pay dearly for doing so but we will follow the due process in doing that. “This committee has also noted with great concern the orchestrated attack on the morale of the Nigerian security forces engaged in the fight against terrorism by a section of the political elite. “They make frivolous and unfounded claims and allegations on welfare of soldiers under the pretext of being more caring for the welfare and condition of Nigerian soldiers but their intention is to encourage indiscipline and ultimately mutiny. “This set of Nigerians has taken up every available media platform to disparage efforts of the leadership of Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against terror. Indeed, the tendency is propelled by nothing altruistic other than to curry undue political capital out of the unfortunate crisis in the

North-East. “They have not only accused the military and security authorities of denying the soldiers and other security personnel of their entitlements, they have been spreading the sick rumour that the gallant Nigerian soldiers are grumbling over inadequate resources and lack of motivation to take on the insurgents. “These unfounded allegations and outright rumour mongering are, to say the least, callous, mischievous and inimical to the wellbeing of our national security. “It is encouraging, however, that in spite of the false claims, which are intended not only to ridicule the efforts and integrity of the security forces but to weaken their morale and destroy their cohesiveness. Our gallant personnel are determined more than ever before to bring terrorism to an end in our country.” The committee also reassured the people that “the military and security agencies will not be deterred from the commitment to defend and protect our dear country from any form of CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

tional Assembly, state governors, members of the judiciary and members of the Federal Executive Council. Others are members of the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and traditional rulers. Anyim added that delegates and guests are to be seated by 4p.m. Meanwhile, former Minister of External Affairs, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, has been appointed to lead the South-East delegates to the proposed national conference. He is to be assisted by a Catholic priest, Monsignor Prof. Obiora Ike. Also former Nigeria’s Ambassador to United States of America, Dr. George Obiozor, is to manage the secretariat of the Ndigbo to be established in Abuja for the conference. Chairman of the SouthEast Governors Forum and Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji, disclosed this yesterday shortly after the governors met with the delegates of the zone to the conference. The governors advised

them to cooperate with other delegates to the conference and among themselves as well. They also urged the South-East delegates to protect the interest of the zone while taking the unity and prosperity of Nigeria as core priority. Orji also announced state leaders to the conference to include Dr. Sam Egwu for Ebonyi, Senator Ken Nnamani for Enugu, Ike Nwachukwu for Abia and Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu for Imo State. In another development, former Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria yesterday kicked against what they called the tinkering of the list of delegates it sent to the national conference by the Presidency. The former speakers in a communiqué at the end of a meeting primarily conveyed to discuss the substitution of nominees of the forum to the national conference described the action as “unfortunate and out of tune with the spirit behind the convocation of the national conference”. The communiqué, made available to our correspon-

dent in Jos yesterday, was signed by the Chairman, Mr. Simon Lalong; Secretary, Mr. Stanley Ohajuruka and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Friday Itula. The former speakers said that sequel to the allotment of six delegates to them through a letter from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, they had chosen Mr. Habu Isa Ajiya, North-East (Taraba State); Mr. Mohammed Yaro, North-West (Kaduna State and Mr. Simon Lalong, North- Central, (Plateau State). Others were Mr. Stanley Ohajuruka, South-East (Abia State); Mr. Azeez Alarape, South-West (Oyo State) and Mr. David Iyoha, SouthSouth (Edo State). They, however, regretted that the Federal Government tinkered with the list and substituted four of the proposed delegates with other names. In rejecting the substitution, the speakers said that the list of delegates was chosen after a careful deliberation and with all the former speakers in attendance.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, March 14, 2014

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Photo News

Friday, March 14, 2014

L-R: Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mr. Foluso Phillips; Mr. Dayo Israel of Gleed Foundation; Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (4th left); His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora, Otunba Adekunle Ojora, Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan during a business and Investment meeting at the Buckingham Palace, London, recently.

L-R: General Manager Power Oil, Mr. Gaurau Dwivedi; Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Adhi Narto; President, Nigeria Heart Foundation, Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe and Director, Prof. Kingsley Akinroye, during the endorsement ceremony of Power Oil by NHF, in Lagos, yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Deputy Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, Mr. Luke Anele; Group Chairman, ARCO Group, Chief Joseph Akpeyi; board member, Mrs. Julie Okoigun and Managing Directo, ARCO Marine, Mr. Yomi Jemibewon during the commissioning of MV ARCO FCB and MV ARCO FCB 5 in Lagos yesterday.

L-R: Head, Private Client, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mrs. Aishat Ahmad; Chair, Board of Trustees, Women in Business, Mrs. Ifeoma Idigbe; Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms. Arunma Oteh; Chair, WIMBIZ, Mrs. Osayi Alile and veteran broadcaster, Mr. Jimi Disu, during WIMBIZ annual lecture on Repositioning for Global Relevance, in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

National News

Power: FG targets additional 4,000mw with new contracts CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

he Federal Government is set to inject additional 4,000 megawatts of electricity to the current power capacity with new renewable energy contracts for 14 hydro power projects. This is even as the Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, yesterday hinted that about 30 million Nigerians, most of who live in the rural areas, were yet to be connected to the national grid. Nebo, who was represented at the Nigerian Renewable Energy Private Equity Seminar by the Permanent Secretary, Godknows Igali, called for more private sector financing to improve electricity supply in the country. He disclosed that government would develop the Zungeru Hydro Power Plant, the Mambila Legacy Project and 12 of the 264 hydro dams scattered across the country. Declaring open the event, which was aimed to sensitise investors, fund manag-

ers, policy makers and other stakeholders on the need to support the development of renewable energy in the country, Nebo assured that the ministry would continue to evolve environmentalfriendly policies as part of its contribution to climate change. He said: “There is still a wide gap in power supply. Sadly for us here in Nigeria, we still have about 30 million people that do not have access to power at all. This is the reason the Federal Government is focusing on Renewable Energy (RE), particularly off-grid solar and small hydros that would not need to depend on the national grid. “Let me also mention that as part of government’s commitment towards development of renewable energy, we have two major legacy projects that we are going ahead to develop: we have the Zungeru Hydro Power Plant (700 megawatts), which construction has already started; the Mambila Legacy Project of 3,050 megawatts. “We have completed all

the engineering designing, environmental impact studies have been done and we are now at closure of the financing arrangement through the various financing options and equity, and government putting in some part of its needed counterpart funding. “And very soon, we are going to award the Mambila Project, and Mr. President will, sooner than later flag off the Mambila Project 3,050 megawatts. “Already, the Kashimbila Hydro Project, which is 40 megawatts, Taraba-Benue Agriculture Belt, is about 85 per cent completed and we are at the process of commencing the transmission system. “We have about 264 hydro dams in Nigeria that for many years, not much was done to harness their hydro potential. But government has again undertaken the study of these dams and in this first quarter of the year, contracts would be awarded for the electro-mechanical components, installation of the hydro turbines in 12 of them so that we can gen-

erate power from most of them. From about 500 kilowatts, some to as much as 3,940 megawatts in different parts of the country.” It will be recalled that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, had hinted on Wednesday that the actual power generation in the country would hit 4,500mw by June and 6,000mw by December 2014. The minister added that “we are right now at the stage of trying to put

the proper governance structure in place and working together with NERC, trying to ensure that there is proper interim tariff for renewable energy.” The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was represented by a top official of the ministry, Lare Shuaibu, noted that there was a need to supplement mainstream power generation through

the harnessing of renewable energy. She said that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Plc, NBET, had received proposals and enquiries on developing the vast renewable energy in the country. “Giving the national resources of sunlight, wind, biomass, among others, we need to start thinking of how they can be harnessed for the power sector,” she added.

Finance Ministry pays oil marketers N41bn subsidy TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

he Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday said a total of N41.07bn had been paid to 27 oil marketers as subsidy claims after having concluded the verification process. A statement by her Special Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, said the clarification was made as part

of the ministry’s focus on transparency and accountability in the management of the subsidy regime. The affected oil marketers include, A-Z Petroleum Products Limited, Acorn Petroleum Plc; Aiteo Energy Resource Limited, Ascon Oil Gas Company Limited, Avidor Oil & Gas Company, Conoil Plc, Dee Jones Petroleum & Gas Ltd, Dozzy Oil And Gas Limited, Folawiyo Energy Ltd, Gulf Treasures Limited and Hudson Petroleum Limited.

Others are: Hyde Energy (Nig) Limited; Ibafon Oil Ltd, Masters Energy Oil & Gas Ltd, Matrix Energy Limited, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, MRS Oil & Gas Company Ltd, Nepal Oil And Gas Serv. Ltd, Nipco Plc, Northwest Petroleum & Gas Ltd, Oando Plc, Obat Oil & Gas Services Limited, Rainoil Limited, Shorelink Oil And Gas Services Limited, Techno Oil Ltd, Tempogate Oil & Energy Company, and Total Nigeria Plc.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Friday, March 14, 2014

FAAC wants fuel subsidy shared to states, faults CBN on CRR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

known to journalists shortly after the FAAC meeting in Abuja. He said they were advocating that “the subsidy should be removed so that every state or any member of the federating unit sharing from FAAC will take its own money and determine how to use it or grant subsidy to the level that it can afford.” Odaah lamented that the subsidy payments were not solving the problem which they were meant to resolve and, therefore, called for the end of the regime. He noted that the “Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and the majority of the Nigerian populace appear to have been deceived into clamouring for subsidy because of syndicated projects and programmes that were put in especially with regards to easing transportation problem and likewise tariffs on power supply, but you will discover that it is the average poor man that suffers.” Odaah also explained that most transporters were not applying any benefit of subsidy in what they charge, stressing that the FAAC members know that the Federal Government had a good intention to subsidise transportation for the benefit of Nigerians. The chairman lamented that unfortunately, there was no reflection of that subsidy benefit and likened the regime to a system that “robs Peter to pay Paul by making the rich to grow richer and the poor poorer.” To this end, Odaah stated that “a committee for subsidy has been constituted and it is to look into the impact of subsidy, whether it should actually be allowed, but I want to tell you that the resolution we took is that subsidy should be removed.” He also disclosed that the committee “will formulate a letter that will be sent to the Nigerian Governors Forum and we are going to brief our respective governors and we will inform the President. We know it will be very difficult considering the critical period we are in. “There are some states that are fully industrialised and you have many industries and you use this subsidy in that particular place and the people who benefit more are those from

the states that are industrialised because the fuel consumption of those industries, which use more of the fuel subsidy unlike the states that are under-industrialised. “Marketers are not following the intention of the government because it has created a very big market for them in certain ways. This is because transparency is not coming up. There are some people that are eating from the subsidy to the disadvantage of others. “The resolution at FAAC, and that has been the position of the finance commissioners, is that the call should be made to the President so that he will have to review and reconsider the position of this subsidy and remove it.” To prevent a backlash, Odaah called for the “sensitisation of the average public in Nigeria and the labour leaders to understand that we were deceived because it is not really serving the purpose as many states are crumbling as subsidy payment has eaten so much into the crude reserves.” Currently, the proceeds into the Excess Crude Account, ECA, now stands at $3.5bn because $1bn was transferred and, according to Odaah, “it is because certain approaches were followed, otherwise by April, you will be discovering a situation where the states’ allocation will have to be deducted to pay subsidy and where is this subsidy going into? “However, you will be better employed in the states, the states will grow their own industry, there will be more employment compared to the situation where subsidy takes away much that could be used for the purpose of industrialisation and there will be no employment, no investment and the vicious circle of poverty will continue.” He took a swipe at the policy on Cash Reserve Ratio, CRR, of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, noting that 75 per cent of public sector deposits were taken to the apex bank as a deliberate attempt to create artificial scarcity of funds such that states, local and even the Federal Government cannot borrow because the interest rate has gone so high. Odaah said: “The FAAC members are calling on the Federal Government to look at it and review it by bringing it down so that cash

would be available because cost of funds is growing too high and with that, states cannot meet up. “You go to borrow from international organisations, it is not possible; you want to borrow within Nigeria, it is not possible, because even the facilities you accessed previously at 12 per cent,

the banks are now raising it to 25-28 per cent and by the time they push the CRR to 100 per cent it would even become 50 per cent so who is it serving. “We see it as a solution that is serving only to confuse, that is one of the issues we took into consideration.” Meanwhile, total alloca-

tions to the three tiers of government for February was N641.29bn made up of N531.33bn as statutory allocations to the Federal Government (52.68 per cent or N247.53bn); state governments (26.72 per cent or N125.55bn); local governments (20.60 per cent or 96.79bn) and derivation (13

per cent to oil producing states). Also for February, N66.8bn was shared by the three tiers of government from Value Added Tax, VAT, proceeds, N35.54bn from SURE-P and N7.617bn refunded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

L-R: Kogi State Governor Idris Wada; Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza and Managing Director, UBA Foundation, Ms. Ijeoma Aso, during financial literacy training programme for students, an initiative of Central Bank of Nigeria, in Lokoja, yesterday.

Politicians inciting troops to mutiny, says military CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

insecurity or aggression. The security forces will continue to put in their best and in no distant future, the dividends of these efforts will be incontrovertible.” He added that the ongoing bombardment of the insurgents’ bases by the security forces, which led to the fleeing terrorists resorted to attacking soft targets, including the Federal Government College in Buni Yardi would not stop until they are completely grounded. “There is no respite yet for the terrorists as the security forces have continued to launch air raids on their suspected bases while mop up operations by the ground forces are being intensified. “Consequently, scores of the terrorists have either being killed or apprehended and assorted weapons, including machine guns and improvised explosive devices, have been recovered. “Useful information were also extracted from the confessions of those in the custody of the security forces while patrols are sustained,” the committee stated. The security agencies also disclosed that simultaneous operations are ongoing nationwide to address every form of insecurity, including oil theft, kidnapping, vandalism, communal

clashes, cattle rustling, trafficking in arms and persons. The Director of Army Information, Brig. Olajide Laleye; Deputy Director of Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Dele Alonge; Naval Commodore Kabiru Aliyu of Naval Directorate of Information; Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, and the representative of the Nigerian Intelligent Agency, NIA, were in attendance at the briefing. Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, has attributed the poor handling of insecurity in the North-East to poor motivation of soldiers battling insurgents in the area. Following this development, the House will probe how more than N3trn, including donor funds proposed and appropriated by the National Assembly to tackle the insurgency, had been expended by the Ministry of Defence and security chiefs. The Speaker gave his verdict on the Federal Government’s war against terror yesterday while addressing All Unity Schools Old Students’ Association of Nigeria during a courtesy call on him in Abuja. Tambuwal, who alleged that the troops on ground in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe

states were maltreated and short-changed of their welfare packages, said that the House would look into it. “The welfare of soldiers in those areas should be improved. We appropriate money for our troops to be well taken care of, and somebody somewhere is sitting down and playing politics with insecurity in the areas affected. “Soldiers are complaining that they are not well taken care of. So people who are responsible for this should be responsible enough to cater for the troops. “We, on our part, would look into these issues and find out why this is happening,” he said. Tambuwal told the association that the House would make efforts to crush the pogrom in the area. He, however, added that there was a limit to what the National Assembly could do, besides approving adequate funding for the fight against insecurity in the country. “We must bring an end to the wanton destruction of lives and property. We (lawmakers) are ready to do everything humanly possible to bring this to an end. But there is a limit to what we can do, because we don’t commandeer troops. “We can only appropri-

ate funds and follow the money, but we even have limitations in following the money,” he said. The President of the association, Mr. Kabiru Nuhu, commended the House for its efforts in battling insecurity, but asked them to do more in appropriations to unity schools. He also sought more security for students in unity schools in the North. Security has since 2012 gulped over N1trn of every budget, but the victory against terror remains yet to be acheived. Meanwhile, over 103 people have been killed following raid by group of armed persons on communities in Faskari and Sabuwa council areas of Katsina State. On Tuesday, 11 people were reported to have been killed, including a ward head, after gunmen attacked three villages in the two council areas. But on Wednesday evening, gunmen believed to be same people that had raided villages on Tuesday, swooped on four villages and shot at anyone on sight. According to an eyewitness account, the gunmen first shot at fleeing villagers then went from house to house, shooting at anyone hiding or not fortunate to escape.

National News

Friday March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Missing $67.9bn: Why NASS took over forensic audit –Makarfi GEORGE OJI AND UDEME AKPAN

hairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has said that the National Assembly decided to take over the forensic audit of the alleged missing $67.9 billion from the sale of

the nation’s crude oil from the Ministry of Finance because the ministry lacks the legal basis to carry out the audit. He said though the idea of the forensic audit was mooted by the Minister of Finance, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the committee found out that the ministry lacked the legal authority to

conduct the probe. According to him, the committee wanted to avoid a situation where any such audit by the ministry would be subjected to several attacks by legal experts at the end of the exercise. Makarfi said from the legal opinion, the committee found out that it is the National Assembly that actually

Nigeria First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan (left) and her Serbian counterpart, Mrs Dragica Nikolic, during an official visit to Montenegro Serbia, yesterday.

Reps reject OHSF’s explanation on ‘missing’ N34bn WOLE OLADIMEJI AND ADEOLA TUKURU

he House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts on Thursday rejected the explanation given by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHSF) on how the N35 billion from the Service Wide Vote received from the Budget Office was spent. Sequel to this development, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Remi Adelakun, who appeared before the House Committee on the sum of N17.6 billion earlier recorded against the OHSF by the Office of the Auditor

General of the Federation, was given two weeks ultimatum within which to reappear with relevant document on the N35billion. Mr. Adelakun confirmed that the OHSF received N17.6 billion from the Service Wide Vote between 2004 and 2012, but the Budget Office insisted that over N52 billion was released to OHSF and rolled out the breakdown of the disbursement of the funds within the period. According to the Budget Office, “In 2004, the OHSF received N2.7 billion and N9.8 million in 2005. The sum of N701.7 million was disbursed to it in 2006; N896.3 million in 2007; N5.3 billion in 2008; N612.9 mil-

lion plus another N70 million in 2009; N17.6 billion in 2010 while other releases were N13.6 billion in 2011 and N8.5 billion in 2012”. Chairman of the committee, Hon. Solomon Adeola-Olamilekan, noted that the OHSF documents only referred to the N17.6 billion it received in 2010, saying that based on the figures given by the Budget Office, there was disparity of almost N35 billion and requested for the documents for the rest of the years in question. Meanwhile a group, Public Service Accountability Initiative, has called for a forensic audit of the recovered pension fund. The call followed fresh

allegation of a missing N24 billion from the police pension fund The group, which addressed journalists in Abuja, said the fresh disclosure of alleged missing billions of pension fund was troubling, hence the need for the audit. National Coordinator of the group, Mr. John Idagu, said: “it is sad that the government has turned a blind eye to the massive looting of recovered pension fund, while those who are responsible for recovering the fund and uncovering the rot in police pension and Office of Head of Service of the Federation have become victims.”

has the powers to audit the alleged missing funds. The chairman, however, added that such legal authority by the National Assembly did not include the appointment of external forensic auditors, but that such audit must be carried out by the staff of the National Assembly. Makarfi spoke on Thursday after the ongoing public investigation of the alleged missing fund. This was as the committee announced that it had suspended further public hearing on the fund sine die, even as it will now retire into technical sessions to consider all the documentary evidences submitted to it during the public probe. Makarfi, who fielded questions from journalists, said: “Everything that needs to be done legally and constitutionally. Having directed the Ministry of Finance to carry out the forensic audit, the question, which arose was, do they have the legal basis to do so? We found out that they don’t have the legal basis to do so. “Can the National Assembly do so? Yes we can, if we, as a committee can go by ourselves, but we cannot appoint auditors to go into the executive arm, but we can go anywhere and ask anything, but if we go, do we have the financial capacity to do that?” But the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, said the corporation successfully accounted for the whereabouts of the alleged missing funds. He cautioned that it was wrong and hasty to continue to report that money is missing without bothering to ascertain the actual accounting processes in-

volved. Yakubu noted that such negative reports and impressions sends negative signals about Nigeria and often scare foreign investors away from the country. He said: “We have given a detailed account, no money is missing, each business is governed by a different business arrangement, if you do not trace it to the business arrangement and the governance structure, you will not understand. “Really, like we have always said, the misunderstanding about the industry is so wide and we have this duty and we are happy we have this opportunity, today we gave a clear detailed breakdown of what we remitted to the Federation Account, which was confirmed and the International Oil Companies (IOCs) took their own share because they are partners in the business. “So, for us, it is an opportunity to explain in details our activities, our remittances and what is due to other parties. Again let me seize this opportunity to appeal to the media on how we present this controversial issue to the public and what we keep hearing is that 20b is missing. “If you have been following the activities here, you will see clearly that everybody that participated in the business arrangement is entitled to his own share; the banks are entitled to their own share, the equity contributors are entitled to their own share. So, you cannot take $20 billion and give it to Nigeria alone, there are other people that contribute. “So, what we have simply done is to give a detailed analysis of the various streams that belong to all the key players in the entire business arrangement.”

Ballot papers contract: Lawmakers order CBN to return N1.15bn to FG WOLE OLADIMEJI ABUJA

he House of Representatives on Thursday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to refund over N1,15 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) being the money for the award of contract for the supply of 65 million ballot papers for the 2007 presidential election. The decision to return

the money was due to the inability of the apex bank to provide satisfactory evidence of the transaction which the House of Representatives Committee on Public Account said was paid for twice by the Federal Government. The committee had invited the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Atahiru Jega; the Permanent Secretary, State

House, Emmanuel Ogbila; and the Acting Governor of (CBN), Mrs. Sarah Alade, to give accounts of the transaction. Mr. Dipo Fatokun, Director, Corporate Services, who represented CBN, said there was no double payment for the transaction. He said: “There was no double payment for the transaction. When we first appeared before

the committee, we did not check our records very well and that was why we thought there were double payments. “But now, we have checked our records very well and discovered that there were no double payments. Our records showed that there was no payment made for the memo from the State House.” According to the com-

mittee, State House statement of account generated from CBN showed that cheques for the transaction and debit entries were contradictory. Two cheques for N262 million and N763 million could not be found in the statement while two debit figure of N10.5 million and N1.4 billion in respect of the transaction were suspicious. The committee also

expressed suspicion over the legitimacy of the transaction as the money remitted to South Africa for the supply was less than what was approved. The INEC Chairman was also requested to confirm the receipt of the 65 million ballot papers, but Jega pleaded for time to check the commission’s records as he had not been appointed when the transaction took place.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Friday March 14, 2014

FG condemns torture of Nigerian by South African police PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

he Federal Government has condemned the ‘merciless beating’ of a Nigerian by the South African police and demanded that the perpetrators be punished.

Amateur video footage of two armed uniformed policemen and private guards punching and kicking a man on a Cape Town street went viral last week. The alleged victim has been identified as Nigerian national, Clement Emekeneh. “The video of the attack

which has appeared on the social media is particularly disturbing,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement. The Nigerian embassy in Pretoria has “sent a strongly-worded note to the Department of Foreign Affairs of South Africa, protesting the attack

and demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice.” In the video, a security guard ripped the shirtless man’s trousers off, and then a police officer repeatedly punches and kicks the man in the groin. Another officer held the victim by the neck. His un-

derpants come off as the beating continued before he was loaded into a police car. Two officers, aged 42 and 45, were arrested, charged with assault and granted bail on Monday. The footage has sparked outrage even among many South Africans.

I’m not afraid of sack, says FCT minister OMEIZA AJAYI

arely a few days after he said he felt embarrassed by a presidential query on the deteriorating infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, the minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, has boasted that he was not afraid of being sacked. His statement came on the heels of the gale of sack that has continued in the presidency. He is said to have a governorship ambition in Bauchi State. Mohammed bared his mind yesterday while inaugurating a 19-member task team to restore the lost glory of the territory. Appalled by the level of deterioration in the FCT, Mohammed had after undertaking a tour of the city on Monday, declared that he was embarrassed and disgusted having to be summoned by President Goodluck Jonathan to explain why the nation’s capital was fast becoming a jungle. He had warned directors in the FCT Administration to sit up or face sack, saying he would not allow Abuja to become squalid.

Nigerian Association of Neurologists, medical doctors, patients and supporters during a walk to mark the World Kidney Day in Lagos, yesterday.

Ekiti court sentences three to death …for robbery, murder, rape

n Ado-Ekiti High Court on Thursday sentenced three accused persons to death by hanging for robbery, murder and rape. The judge, Olusegun Ogunyemi, gave the verdict at the conclusion of trial. The convicts are Kolade Fowosere, a medical student; Blessing Owhorisi, also a student and Ojo Ogundare, a vulcaniser operating in Ado-Ekiti. Delivering his judg-

ment, Ogunyemi said the evidence before the court was direct and unequivocal. He said that the accused were convicted based on the confessional statements they made during investigation. Ogunyemi said he found them guilty as charged, saying “the three accused persons should be hanged till life is out of them.” The prosecuting state counsel, Gbenga Daramo-

la, said the accused committed the offence on July 4, 2011 at Omisanjana quarters in Ado-Ekiti. According to him, the offence contravened Section 319, 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, Cap RII, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014. Daramola called seven witnesses to prove his case, and the defence counsel, Mr. Chris Omokhafe, called four witnesses.

The state counsel urged the court to resolve the case in favour of the state, based on the confessional statements made by the convicts in the course of investigation. He said the accused were said to have robbed at Ido-Ekiti, Omisanjana and Moferere in Ado-Ekiti. He told the court that they also killed a police officer, Olusegun Olufowobi, popularly called “of London”, during their opera-

South African police officers are frequently embroiled in allegations of brutality, yet prosecutions rarely occur. Last year, Mozambican national, Mido Macia, died after being dragged behind a moving police patrol van in a town east of Johannesburg. Nine officers are standing trial for his killing. Xenophobic attacks across South Africa in May 2008 left 62 people dead and caused thousands to flee their homes. In 2012, the Federal Government and its South African counterpart bickered over the deportation of some Nigerians. South African government had introduced unfavourable an immigration law allegedly targeted at Nigerians, where 125 Nigerians were deported from the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The South African often deny them entry into that country for allegedly possessing fake yellow fever certificates was considered strange. However, when Federal Government deported 131 South Africans in retaliation, the South Africans apologised and suspended the policy. tion at Moferere on July 20, 2011. The judge said that the accused also raped a lady in the course of their operation. The defence counsel, however, urged the court to resolve all doubts in the prosecution witnesses in favour of his clients. He said the evidences given by the prosecution were mere hearsay, and that his clients should be discharged and acquitted.

Oil theft, vandalism, others cost $1bn in 2013 - Shell UDEME AKPAN

requent pipeline vandalism, oil theft and other issues in Nigeria cost Royal Dutch Shell nearly $1billion in 2013 alone. The company stated that total cost of the development could amount to billions of dollars when the impact on others, including the government, is considered.

It stated that the impact on the operations was also worsened by the inability of the Federal Government to pass its Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, into law. Shell made this known in its annual report released on Thursday. It stated that the proposed comprehensive legislation has also discouraged investment, oil finds and production in the Niger Delta.

The firm stated that its operations of Shell were affected, particularly because it depended on the nation for about 10 per cent of its output. Shell, which believed that some risks of working in Nigeria had worsened in the past few years, stated in its briefing that, “The Niger Delta continues to be a challenging place to operate for many reasons. “There is a fundamen-

tal lack of basic infrastructure in many areas, with poverty, lack of employment opportunities, widespread criminality and other factors, all contributing to the social and economic crisis in the region. It stated that criminality had expressed itself in many forms over the years – attacks on facilities, kidnapping, militancy and, most worrisome in recent years, crude oil

theft and illegal refining. For instance, it stated that in 2012, there were over 80 reported incidents of crude oil theft from the facilities of the SPDC, several accompanied by vandalism, spills and fire. The firm stated, “Supporting peace Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) are active supporters of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, VPSHR, a set of guidelines developed in

2000 by various governments, extractive industry companies and human rights organisations. It stated that SPDC applies these principles in the delta and engages various government agencies (including the National Human Rights Commission), Government Security Agencies (GSAs) and other organisations on how the company could contribute to better implementing VPSHR in the country.

South West

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘How increase in licence fees impede cancer treatment in Nigeria’ KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

s the nation groans under the burden of cancer, particularly among the

womenfolk and other sufferers, there are strong indications that government policies might be contributing to lack of access to treatment, particularly those who cannot afford

overseas medical care. Source at two of the cancer treatment centres in the country located at the Nuclear Medicine Centres at the University College Hospital, UCH,

Ibadan and National Hospital, Abuja, said government had contributed to the inactivity of the two centres that would have being a blessing to cancer patients in the country.

According to the sources who craved anonymity, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, which is the only organ of government charged with authority to issue licences for the purpose of importing radioactive materials, has largely contributed to the problem of cancer patients in the country. The source said that since the beginning of this year, the two centres have not been able to function due to increase in their licence fees from N250,000 to N2 million per annum. As a result of the in-

crease, the source added, the centres have been unable to access their practicing licences that would have enabled the two institutions import radioactive nuclear materials used for diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. A further check by National Mirror showed that in order to resolve the issue, a letter had been written to the Director, Radioactive Safety of the Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority, reminding the agency that the two hospitals were not profit making organisations.

NCC roots for quality service by providers HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

T L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Ranti Adebule; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris and Governor Babatunde Fashola, during the Inauguration of the expanded school eye health programme in Lagos, yesterday.

Govt: 17 per cent of Lagos pupils suffer from poor sight FRANCIS SUBERU

ata revealed by the Lagos State Government on Thursday indicated that about 17 percent of pupils suffer from one form of visual impairment or the other. This came to the fore during the launch of the Lagos State Expanded School Eye Health Programme launched Governor Babatunde Fashola at Olusosun Primary School, Ojota. According to the State

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, the ministries of health and education had so far trained 2,002 teachers in primary schools, who have in turn screened over 91,000 pupils out of which about 76,000 pupils found to have normal vision. He said: “In Lagos State, we have trained 2002 teachers, at least two teachers from each of the 1001 primary schools. We have installed 185 vision corridors and another 180 are being made to be installed. “The teachers we have trained so far have screened

over 91,000 pupils. About 76,000 of them, we are proud to say, have normal vision. Those of them that have visual impairment, our experts are already taking care of them. “I which to implore our students that this programme is for them, the state government is investing in your health. Education is important and without good vision, you may not be able to learn well.” Fashola, in his address during the launch, said the programme was a continuation of the Blindness Pre-

vention Initiative inherited from his predecessor. In her own address, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, said the Expanded School Eye Health Programme was meant to focus on human eyes, since blindness is a terrible eye condition. She said: “The programme focuses on human eye, and we all know that blindness is a terrible eye condition. The world is beautiful, but to appreciate the world, we must have eyes to see it.

2015: Beware of politicians, DG advises corps members SAIDAT ALAUSA

irector General, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, has told newly sworn-in corps members to shun any form of inducement by politicians during the 2015 elections. Speaking at the swearing in ceremony of 892 male and 1,210 female members at the Orientation Camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, the DG said they should be wary of the manipulations of politicians

which can blot the electoral process. “I will not like to hear that any of your set is involved with politicians to manipulate electoral process, because I am your father here, and I am concerned about your welfare. They will come to you, but because of your integrity, shun them,” he advised. Olawumi said as they were deployed to be part of the electoral process, corps members should always remember they were not INEC staff, but out to contribute their quota towards nation building.

He warned them to be wary of gift from anyone during the exercise, except those ones from the NYSC. On skill acquisition, the DG said several programmes had been put in place for the corps members, adding that it was important they keyed into it because government cannot provide employment for everyone. The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, represented at the programme by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Chairman, NYSC, Lagos State,

Mr. Wale Ahmed, in his remarks, reiterated the importance of the orientation course. He said it gives corps members a better understanding of the objectives of the scheme and inculcate in them the spirit of consciousness for national building. The Lagos State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, also advised them to curtail the challenge of unemployment by acquiring skills and become entrepreneurs as this is the only key to a viable economy.

he Chairman, National Communications Commission, NCC, Mr. Peter Igho, on Thursday said in Akure, the Ondo State capital, that the commission was making frantic efforts to ensure that the quality of services from service providers improved. Igho, who stated this during a visit of the NCC board to the Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, said many Nigerians are not happy with the quality of services they are getting from the communication outfits. The NCC boss noted that some of the factors problems contributing to the poor services were beyond the scope of the commission, but solicited for government intervention and

support to give a helping hand to the telecommunication sector. He said the issue of double taxation by the government at all levels was one of the challenges confronting the service providers and quality of service. He said: “The issue of right of way and multiple taxation deserve serious attention. There are multiple taxations and regulations that await the service providers at the various levels of government, including states, local councils and even some communities. “In most cases, unfortunately, telecom masts and towers easily become specific target for multiple taxes and regulations, even where there are other masts and towers in existence, or even when appropriate taxes had been imposed at the federal levels.”

RCCG holds conference, trains 1,000 youths

he Redeemed Christian Church of God, Promised Land Parish, has announced that it is holding the 4th Edition of ‘Light Up the Nation’, LUTN, this weekend. According to the pastor in charge of the parish, Femi Obaweya, the programme was founded as a platform to help transform the nation through building of capacity and modeling of positive leadership behaviors. It kicks off on Saturday March 15, with a special lecture and dinner meant for paying by invited guests. The session would

be followed by a special Sunday Service for the general public. Severalal high profile speakers have been lined up to address the programme with the theme: “Serving a Greater Purpose”. Prominent among them are: Pastor Femi Atoyebi, SAN, Pastor-incharge of RCCG Lagos Province 2 and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Senior Pastor, Trinity House Church. Femi explained that the 2014 Edition of LUTN would be special in that it would be used to generate resources to train 1,000 unemployed or underemployed youths.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lagos CJ decries failure of fast track procedure WALE IGBINTADE

he Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, on Thursday admitted that many years after the introduction of Fast Track Procedure in the state judiciary, the scheme had failed to yield desired result. Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum on: “Fast Track Rules and Procedure’’ organised by the Lagos State Judiciary in collaboration with Human Development Initiatives (HDI), Justice Phillips claimed that the scheme failed because stakeholders were not ready for it. The main objective of the Fast Track Procedure is to reduce the time spent on litigation to a period not exceeding nine months from the commencement of the action till final judgement. Cases that qualify as fast track must involve claims of not less than N100 million, claims involving mortgage transaction, charge or other securities. The Chief Judge noted that the Fast Track Procedure failed because lawyers had not fully understood the concept. She said: “From the time it was introduced till date,

the Fast Track Procedure has failed. I don’t think we are ready and fully appreciated what Fast Track Procedure was all about.” Justice Phillips said that before her appointment as the Chief Judge of Lagos State, she had been looking for ways to revive the scheme and make it work. She said 12 judges had been designated to handle fast track cases, adding that two of them namely: Justice Elfrieda WilliamsDawodu and Justice Joseph Oyewole were recently elevated to the Court of Appeal. The Chief Judge disclosed that a special commercial court building would soon be constructed at Tapa area of Lagos to handle commercial cases. According to her the architects and engineers working on the project have concluded their work adding that the project will soon be presented before governor Babatunde Fashola for approval. She claimed that under the leadership of Justice Opeyemi Oke, judges assigned to handle fast track cases had been working round the clock in ensuring that facts track cases were concluded within 90 days as specified.

behalf of the Fund by Dr. Ayo Abinna, included 84 tyres, 37 batteries and 35 foot mats. Abinna said the Trust Fund would continue to assist the government in the area of security of lives and

FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

en of the Ogun State Police Command on Thursday arrested a middleaged man for allegedly being in possession of 18 human skulls. The suspect, who was identified as Adelani Ayomide, was intercept-

IBADAN

he Federal Government has assured of its commitment to develop the nation’s tertiary education by promoting global competitive initiatives. Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, stated this on Thursday during the stakeholders’ Town Hall meeting on Tetfund Interventions for the SouthWest zone held at the University of Ibadan. According to him, the time has come for Nige-

rians to appreciate the changing face of education in the country, especially at the tertiary level. Nyesom said: “Budgetary allocations to the Federal Ministry of Education have increased from N234.8 billion in 2010 to N437 billion in 2013. This is apart from other interventions through agencies such as the Universal Basic Education Commission and Tertiary Education Trust Fund and other government agencies. “In 2013, budgetary allocations to federal tertiary institutions stood at N336 billion. The Tertiary Edu-

ed along the Ado- OdoOwode Road by policemen attached to Ado-Odo Division who were on a stopand-search operation. A statement issued in Abeokuta, the state capital, by the command’s spokesman, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, stated that the 38-year-old man was a native of Ilaro, the headquarters of Yewa South

Local Government Area. Adejobi said the police sighted suspect trekking along the road and clutching to the bag which contained the 18 human skulls around 6:48 on Thursday morning. Claiming that the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID) at

Eleweran in Abeokuta “for discrete investigation”, Adejobi said the suspect would also assist the police in apprehending his likely accomplices. The spokesman said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, had ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.

Confab: Ifa worshippers flay FG over non-representation KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

s the proposed National Conference begins on Monday, the Nigeria chapter of Orunmila Youngsters International has described the conference as a game of denigration and relegation against traditional religion. The group, in a communiqué issued on Thursday after its meeting at Osemeji Shrine, Oja Oba, Ibadan, accused the Federal Government of promoting discrimination and inequality of religion. The communiqué,

property. While commending the officers and men of Operation Burst for their doggedness in eradicating crimes in the state, he urged them to make good use of the items.

FG committed to developing tertiary education –Wike KEMI OLAITAN

Ogun police arrest man with 18 human skulls

Trust Fund donates N4.8m items to Operation Burst

he Oyo State Security Trust Fund has donated items N4.8 million to officers and men of the state security outfit, Operation Burst, to aid their effectiveness. The items donated on

South West

Friday, March 14, 2014

cation Trust Fund further provides complimentary financial support to our tertiary institutions. In 2013, the number of institutions funded by TETFund increased from 164 to 179.” While urging the 36 states of the federation to provide the counterpart fund in order to access the several billions of naira outstanding in the matching grants, the minister said many of the tertiary institutions had not fully accessed their TETFund grants because of challenges of capacity in project implementation.

signed by the group’s President, Adefabi Dasola and Secretary-General, Priest Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode, read: “It is no more oblivious to us that the Federal Government of Nigeria is directly involved in the unfair game of denigration and relegation against the traditional religion and her adherents. “We, the practitioners of Ifa /Orisa Religion have not seen why we should be de-

nied representation in the upcoming National Conference while Muslims and Christians are duly given slots. This makes it clear that the government is not interested in making this country a true egalitarian society; this is just a sign of oppression, discrimination and religious bigotry. “As stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, our right to freedom of thought,

conscience and religion as well as that of freedom from discrimination are what we are deprived of. “Our prayer is that the government, under President Goodluck Jonathan, does the necessary thing to make sure that our interest is physically represented in the National Conference. This is mandatory because, as good citizens, we have been performing our obligations duly as required.”

Celebrityy I’ve not been to church in 18 8 years

Wazobia FM p ese te presenter

Akas Baba

shot and kidnapped

–Lizzy Anjorin

Cultism tales trail Kelly Hansome

I don’t want fans, says MI

Nollywood’s biggest Genevieve, Omotola war Obiekwe, Biola ...Genny shines scandal? ...Muna Ige linked with explicit brighter for now picture

x STealk Size matters: What’s your idea of small? This column is x-rated

South East

Friday, March 14, 2014

Anambra rewards 160 first class graduates with N160m CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

he Anambra State Government on Thursday released N160 million to 160 indigenes who graduated with first class honours in their disciplines. Announcing this gesture at the Ekwueme Square, Awka, Governor Peter Obi said each of the 160 graduates was rewarded with N1 million to encourage other students of the state work hard.

Obi, who presented a symbolic cheque of N160 million to the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Henry Oseloka Obaze for delivery to each of the beneficiaries, said the gesture was to reward excellence and boost the morale of students of the state across the country and abroad to strive for the best. The governor, who assured that the government would continue the gesture, urged the students to believe in themselves and work hard to attain the feat

as any student who makes it is assured of the reward. Obi also used the ceremony to announce that the sum of N40 million would be given to Dr. Okey Ikechukwu for distribution to youths of the state trained by him in a skill acquisition programme last year. He directed that none of the youths should be given cash, but that the money should be paid into their accounts for use as their start-up capital for the various trades and they were trained on. Other highlights of the

ceremony were the distribution of 55 buses to secondary schools in the state as the last batch of 500 buses acquired for schools. The governor also commissioned two fire trucks and transformers acquired by his administration. He assured stakeholders in the state that his exit would not herald the end of good things in the state as he had took his time to ‘teach’ the in-coming governor, Chief Willie Obiano, all that was necessary for him to sustain the tempo of development.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

UPP guber aspirant rules out Okorocha’s re-election DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

he United Peoples Party, UPP governorship aspirant in Imo State, Dr. Osmond Imo Ukanacho, has ruled out the possibility of Governor Rochas Okorocha being reelected in Imo State by 2015. Speaking shortly after attending the Igbo International Colloquium in Enugu, Ukanacho alleged that Okorocha was ignorant of the needs and feelings of the Imo people, having lived outside the state for so long. According to him, the governor returned to the state from where he was doing business for several years and was elected in 2011 “merely because Imo people were fed up with Ikedi Ohakim and needed a change at all costs.” He said “Rochas has done according to his capacity; but we understand what the people want. We understand how Imo people feel. I live there, I grew up there, had my education there. “I have my core businesses in Imo State. Rochas just

came; he is a businessman living outside the state, so with my orientation, I will give our people the best.” The gubernatorial aspirant added: “We need a government in Imo State that will be responsible to the people, a government that will understand the need of the people; that will understand that government is meant for people that cannot put food on their table.” On the likely challenge the All Progressives Congress, APC, could place on his way, Ukanacho said, “APC is dead on arrival, it is not an Igbo party. So, as you can see, we are going to take over from Rochas with a party that has an Igbo identity.” He said he would make health and education his priority, stressing, “It is only a healthy and sound person that could do other things needed to make life better.” Speaking on the Igbo colloquium which ends today, the guber aspirant expressed the hope that all the issues raised would help Ndigbo galvanise ideas to move the region forward.

Ngige, Odili, Nwodo to grace UNN medical school home-coming DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

Area Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Nigeria Customs Service, Zone C, Mr. Victor Dimka, displaying seized parboiled bags of rice and other items to newsmen in Owerri, Imo State, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

FUTO, host community on war path over land ...as protesters go on rampage CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

he foundation laying ceremony of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, staff quarters was on Thursday disrupted for several hours as youths from the host community went on rampage destroying equipment belonging to the contractor the 300 housing units. The event, which was to start at 11am, did not begin until 1pm as some people believed to be from the neighbouring community, Eziobodo in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, numbering stormed the univer-

sity’s premises to stop the ceremony from holding. Carrying coffins, cutlasses, machetes and palm fronds, they claimed that no compensation was paid to them before the federal government acquired the vast land on which the university was located. It took the efforts of the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Chigozie Asiabaka, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Dr. Emmanuel Enemuo and some members of the governing council, to persuade the warring protesters to lay down their arms. Laying the foundation stone, the pro-chancellor expressed shock over the

constant harassment of the university authorities by the host community. Dr. Ememuo condemned the action of the community, describing the protest as belated. According to him, the Federal Government had long paid the people compensation on the land. He wondered why the community would be demanding for compensation after 34 years the university was established. The pro-chancellor warned the community to allow the management to develop the university; as such transformation would equally bring development to the entire area.

“It is the host community that will benefit from the transformation of the university, as the projects will boost the economy of the community,” he said. Speaking later, the developer and General Manager, Marketing and Strategic Planning of Investment Industrial Complex Amalgamation Ltd, Dr. Surplus Arthur Surplus, disclosed that before the end of the year, the first 200 two and threebedroom flats would be completed. He said the housing units would accommodate both the senior and junior staff of the university, with normal estate facilities.

ormer governors, Dr. Peter Odili, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and Dr. Chris Ngige, will lead an array of alumni of the University of Nigeria, UNN College of Medicine, UNNCOMA, in a homecoming targeted at infrastructural development. No fewer than 3,000 members of the college are expected at the home-coming, which will hold between April 3 and 6, with series of events lined up. The 2014 homecoming has as its focus education of the masses on health tips and seeking for improved infrastructure of the college. The Local Organising Secretary, LOC Chairman, Prof. Okoye, said the homecoming would afford the UNNCOMA opportunity the return of the alumni to appraise the state of infrastructure and aesthetics of the college since it was moved to the permanent site at Ituku/Ozalla in 2007. Okoye lamented that the college was moved into

shabby structures at the permanent site, without hostels, lecture halls and library, adding that students are still being ferried about from the three campuses of the college, which results to auto crashes sometimes. She admitted that the administration of the institution had done about 40 percent of the jobs required there, but that more desired to be done. Okoye said: “That is why we are soliciting through the home coming that philanthropists, some of our alumni who can help to come to the aid of the college. “We are calling them back to use the platform to reach out to other philanthropists and organised bodies to come to our help. We can do more if we have the good environment.” Others expected at the four-day event are the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwuala, Minister for Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, former Vice Chancellor of the university and current Minister for Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Friday, March 14, 2014

Abducted Jonathan’s cousin regains freedom •Gunmen kidnap two Agip sailors in Bayelsa

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

bducted cousin of President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Inengite Nitabai, regained his freedom on Thursday morning after spending almost three weeks in kidnappers’den. The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, who confirmed the release, said no ransom was paid. Opara said the police applied professionalism in the way they secure Nitabai’s release. He said: “We applied utmost professionalism in the way we went about this

kidnapping. No ransom was paid. We are going to arrest other persons involved in this crime”. The kidnappers had earlier demanded N500 million ransom to set the victim free, but the sum of N30 million offered them by the victim’s families was rejected. It was learnt that an anti-kidnapping squad led by Chris Nwogwu went for the kidnappers and the victim after discovering their whereabouts. After a hot chase by the police squad, the kidnappers abandoned Nitabai at Ogboma in Brass Local Government of the state. Nitabai was, therefore, rescued by the anti-kidnap-

ping squad and conveyed to the state police command in Yenagoa. Opara lauded the Inspector-General of Police and the Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police in charge of Zone 5 for not mounting undue pressure on the command to rescue the victim. He also commended Governor Seriake Dickson for funding the several trips embarked upon by the police in a bid to rescue Nitabai. In an interview with journalists, Nitabai, who looked emaciated, said the kidnappers blindfolded and beat him with their guns and other objects. He said: “It was a hor-

rible experience. Most of the time, they blindfolded me. I didn’t know where l was throughout the period. They threatened to kill me at some point. I was fed with dried garri, mixed with palm oil. I was beaten with their legs and guns. I thank God for protecting me. I was sleeping on bare floor. When it rained, it drenched me.” In a related development, operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) also foiled an attempt by some gunmen to kidnap Miss Patience Agbani, a maternal first cousin to the President. Agbani, 35, was rescued from the gunmen at her business outlet located at

Akipelai in Ogbia Local Government Area by soldiers attached to the Setraco Construction Company. When contacted, JTF Media Coordinator, Col. Oyenma Nwachukwu, confirmed the incident. He said following a distress call received from Miss Agbani by the soldiers at the Akipelai site of a road construction project, a rescue operation was launched by the soldiers freed her. Meanwhile, gunmen on Thursday kidnapped two captains and sailors working for Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) along the creeks Petertown in Nembe, Bayelsa State. The victims are Mr. T. Monday and Mr. E. Messiah, while the names of their tug boats were given as MV EBIZAR and MV SOMKE.

The abduction occurred barely one hour after Chief Inengite Nitabai, cousin of President Goodluck Jonathan, regained freedom from his abductors. A source, who did not want his name mentioned, said the gunmen attacked both tug boats on their way from Nembe to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically in the air to scare any intruder before whisking away their victims to unknown destination. Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the sailors may have been abducted for ransom. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa State, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said he was yet to be briefed on the abduction.

Army destroys 98 illegal refineries SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

L-R: Special Adviser to Cross River State Governor on Investment Promotion, Gerald Ada: Governor Liyel Imoke and Global and Supply Chain Leader for Africa, GE, Mr. Phill Griffit, during the the signing of memorandum of understanding between GE and the state government.

Seven arrested as troops seize troubled Delta community SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

even persons have been arrested by security agents in connection with Wednesday’s crisis at Ogidigben in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. Also, armed soldiers have taken effective control of the troubled community to prevent the crisis from escalating. The crisis, it was learnt, broke out following leadership tussle between two groups in the community. The prevailing fragile peace in Delta State snapped on Tuesday as the two rival groups engaged

each other in gun battle. One of the groups was led by Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, while Mr. David Tonwei led the other. Although the extent of casualty could not be ascertained as the time of writing this report, our correspondent learnt that many persons were injured amid sporadic shooting by the armed youths. Residents were reported to have deserted the community in droves as soldiers and navy personnel were deployed in the troubled community by the JTF. The crisis, sources said, had defied peace initiatives muted by stakeholders to resolve it. The crisis was said to

have been worsened by the siting of the multi-million dollars gas processing plant in the community by the Federal Government. The two parties were desperate to manage the project on behalf of the community. The prolonged battle had prevented the ground-breaking ceremony for the project by President Goodluck Jonathan. The latest security breach occurred few days after the restive youths returned from a peace meeting initiated by stakeholders in Abuja. The crisis negated the ceasefire agreement signed by the groups and the community leaders before the presidential panel headed

by the Chief of Naval Staff. The Commanding Officer of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS Delta), Warri, Navy Captain Musa Gemu, told journalists that security agents arrested some suspects, one of whom was caught with an AK 47 rifle. Gemu said security personnel had taken control of the troubled community. However, conflicting claims trailed the violence. A supporter of Tonwei, Mr. Ovie Otionwe, said the crisis was premeditated by the rival group. He said: “They first attacked one Edwin at Akpakpa, near the Shell Beach on Tuesday afternoon before they promised us hell in the night.”

he 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army said on Thursday in Benin that it had destroyed 98 illegal refineries in the last one month. The Brigade Public Relations Officer, Capt. Abubakar Abdullahi, stated this at the destruction site of two truckloads of illegally refined petroleum products in Benin. Abdullahi said that operations of the brigade covered Edo, Delta and Ondo South Senatorial District. He said one of the trucks contained 33,000 litres of illegally refined diesel, while the other had

13,000 litres of crude oil. Abdullahi said the destruction of the vehicles “is one of the several operations of the brigade to stop illicit businesses being perpetrated by saboteurs.” He said: “In the last 40 days, the brigade seized and destroyed 141 boats, 15 trucks and 40 illegal fuel reservoirs used for illegal oil refinery. “We also recovered three weapons, seized 1,709 drums containing illegally refined petroleum products which were also destroyed.’’ Abdullahi added that the troops arrested five suspects, who were handed over to different prosecution agencies.

Fresh oil spill ravages Bayelsa communities EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

fresh oil spill from a leak on a pipeline belonging to Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has polluted creeks and waterways of some fishing communities in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The spill, which occurred last Tuesday, was discovered by some farmers. Source said some NAOC engineers had visited the

site, but were unable to stop the leakage. President of Sabatoru-Obiama Community Youths, Kwomo Christopher, confirmed the incident and said the spill was already spreading into the creeks thereby hindering fishing activities. He said: “It is a reoccurring incident. Not long ago, Agip workers came to repair some pipelines here, but this occurred again. Our people are now suffering because they could not go after their fishing and farming.”

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Friday, March 14, 2014

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PLASIEC planning to upturn our victory –APC JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) of planning to upturn the result of the just concluded election in wards where its candidates won. APC, therefore, urged relevant stakeholders to prevail on PLASIEC to abide by the result of the election, instead attempting to upturn it. In a statement signed on Thursday by its state Interim Chairman, Garba Yahuza Pankwal, the party said its attention was drawn to the mischievous and reck-

less attempt by PLASIEC, in connivance with some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elements, to cancel the elections of the councilors who won on the APC platform during the last local government poll. “Consequently, contrary to the requirement of the law, no winner of councillorship election was declared. But PLASIEC issued certificate of return to PDP candidate in Somji Ward. “As tension is mounting in the area where voters believe they have been denied their right to choose their leaders in free and fair election, we wouldn’t want to witness another round of violent crises in Plateau State.

Jang: 1,580 renal failure patients get free medicare JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

o commemorate his 70th birthday celebration, Plateau State Governor Jonah David Jang on Thursday offered free medical treatments to over 1, 580 renal failure patients at Dee Medical Dialysis Center in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of the state Speaking on the occasion, Jang said: “When God blesses an individual, it is good to invest to the services of humanity.” He advised politicians looting the nation’s treasury and starching it

abroad to bring the look back home and invest it for the transformation of the country Jang said he was touched by the plight of the patients and promised to equip public hospitals in the state The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Fom Dakawk, said the government had embarked on massive renovations of some public hospital in the state to provide robust healthcare services to the people. Chairman, Board of Directors of Dee Medical Centre, Bulus Dareng, praised Jang for the gesture and him for showing concern for the health needs of the people.

FG to extend railway line to Katsina JAMES DANJUMA AND ALEX MOMOH

he Federal Government says it plans to soon extend the railway line from Kano to Katsina so as to facilitate robust transportation service. President Goodluck Jonathan stated this on Thursday when he paid a courtesy visit to the palace of the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman. The President said the rail line extension was part of effort to link all the state capitals in the country and by doing so, the cost of petrol would no

longer be a problem. He said: “With about 170 million people, it is not possible for the country to depend majorly on road transportation,” with the networking of the railway line, same will allow for cheaper and easier transportation.” Jonathan also indicated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure full utilisation of the Zobe and Sabke dams to provide potable water to people of the state. The President, who commissioned and inspected many projects in the state, however, called on politicians to provide good leadership for their people.

National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members taking their oath of allegiance in Bauchi, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Attack on Suswam: Nobody is safe in Nigeria –ACF • Group accuses FG of nonchalance • Attackers’ weapons sophisticated –Governor OMEIZA AJAYI A ZA MSUE AND HENRY IYORKASE

he apex northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), on Thursday condemned the recent attack on the convoy of Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam. The Forum said if a governor’s convoy could be attacked, then nobody is safe in Nigeria. ACF, therefore, called on the Federal Government to double its efforts in tackling the security challenges confronting the country. In a statement signed by ACF National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, the Forum called for a judicial commission of Inquiry to unravel the causes of frequent clashes between the farmers and herdsmen in some parts of the country. It will be recalled that Suswam’s convoy was attacked by some suspected Fulani herdsmen on his way to sypathise with violence victims in Guma Local Government Area of the state. ACF called on farmers and herdsmen to urgently sheath their swords and embrace peace, appealing to community leaders to refrain from making inflammatory remarks which are

capable of promoting hatred. ACF said: “If the convoy of a state governor with all the paraphernalia of security detail could be attacked by some bandits, what hope does the common man have in the government that is primarily responsible for his security and welfare? “ACF commends the Benue State Government’s effort in providing rehabilitation facilities to alleviate the sufferings of the displaced persons and the bereaved families. “ACF commiserates with Governor Gabriel Suswam on the unfortunate incident and also extend its condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the ethnic/ communal strife” Meanwhile, an Abujabased group, League of Benue Citizens, has accused the Federal Government and the Northern States Governors’ Forum of paying lip service to the security and welfare of citizens. In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its National Coordinator, Gloria Agema, the group noted that “for some time now, Fulani herdsmen have continued to wage war against our people; killing, maiming and destroying their homes, farmlands, crops and other property.” Agema recalled that the

attack started about three years ago in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. She said while it was initially thought to be the usual herdsmen and farmer crisis, recent events had revealed a grand plot by the herdsmen “to strangulate the stronghold of the North-Central Geopolitical Zone of the country and specifically annihilate the Tiv race.” She accused the Northern Governor’s Forum, which claims to have Benue in its fold, of exhibiting a “conspiracy of silence.” The group said: “More disturbing is the weak stance of the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, who as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, has chosen rather to embark on his re-election campaigns than bother about the plight of Benue and Nigerian citizens in general. “We are not oblivious of the fact that the war against us is an agenda hatched in high places, with a sinister motive of wiping out our population. “Now, with the state under siege of the invading army, there is no doubt that they have meticulously planned over time, to unleash terror on our people and have chosen this period to execute this agenda.” According to the group,

all the other areas occupied by Tiv people such as Taraba and Nasarawa states are simultaneously under similar attacks. It said: “So far, nine local government areas in Benue State are affected by this invasion. Over 40 percent of the state’s population are now displaced and have become refugees in their homeland.” Governor Suswam, however, said the sophisticated weapons used by the attackers were beyond the capacity of ordinary Fulani herdsmen. The governor spoke when his Nassarawa State counterpart, Mr. Tanko Al Makura, paid him a sympathy visit. Suswam said: “It will amaze you to note that as we were approaching Tse Akenyi village, some young Fulani lads who had just set some houses ablaze, as they saw us coming they fled into the hinterland and what we heard was a serious bang of gun shots in the bush “Ironically too the economy destruction of which this suspected Fulani’s had introduced into the crises is alarming because they have burnt yams and yam seedlings which is the mainstay economy of the farmers, and this means, if by the time rains set in, there will be serious hunger and starvation in the land.”

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Constitution review and local government autonomy 14

Politics

We’ll resist Senator Etok’s third term bid -Akpabio’s aide

APC flays poor voters’ registration exercise OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

he All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State has expressed serious worries over some noticeable but avoidable defects and deficiencies in the handling of the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, exercise in the state. A release signed by the Director of Publicity and Media of Ekiti APC, Segun Dipe, described the exercise as shoddy, tardy and a deliberate attempt at disenfranchising the enthusiastic people of Ekiti state from participating in the June 21 governorship election. Dipe observed that the

registration exercise in most of the designated centres either lacked adequate preparation on the side of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, or smacked of deliberate attempt to shortchange the people, adding: “It is not about crying wolf where there is none. It is about the facts on ground.” Avoidable deficiencies noticed according to Dipe include: poor preparation for the exercise by INEC, use of obsolete or faulty systems, inadequacy of staff and materials, among others. He said: “This runs contrary to INEC’s promise to begin to get it right with the Ekiti election, and if the morning shows the day, then,

it is not yet Uhuru for INEC. “This is not about one party; it is about a people who want INEC to conduct credible election for them to have a democratically elected governor in the saddle. It is about a people who do not want to relive their past experience. And it is about a people who do not want to be short-changed by anyone. They deserve to be duly registered without hiccups. They should be encouraged, not discouraged.” He added that data collected could not be stored in the obsolete system as it got wiped off immediately, saying that it is therefore possible for those whose registration have been concluded and issued the temporary cards to

still have their names missing from INEC’s list. “This is likened to the Anambra experience where the names of those that began with alphabets O-Z could not be found,” he said. Also noticeable, according to the APC was “skill deficiency displayed by the so called INEC officials, who most times fidgeted with the equipments without readily knowing what to press or how to manipulate them and even vent their frustration on the innocent citizens.” Dipe added: “We also observed that in some wards constituted by more than one town, such as Eka Meta and Eka Marun, the residents of other towns would need

to travel to such designated towns only to return with disappointments, when asked to come another day due to lapses on the part of the officials. This is quite frustrating, especially when such people don’t have enough resources to transport themselves to and fro on needless number of times that it will take INEC to get it right.” Saying that last week’s collection of permanent voters’ card did not fare better, the APC said that the time allocated for the exercise was insufficient as many eligible voters are yet to collect their voters’ cards, adding: “The morning shows the day and a stitch in time saves nine. The time for

Ex-envoy wants police to probe voters’ registration scam ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

L-R: Wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs Abimbola Fashola; beneficiary of Senator Oluremi Tinubu Empowerment Programme, Mr Sunday Adesina; Senator Tinubu and another beneficiary, Mrs Qudirat Adamson, at the 10th Lagos Central Town Hall Meeting in Lagos recently.

Royal father extols NYF’s new BoT chair EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

he election of Isiaku Garbar Matawalen as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Northern Youth Forum, NYF, has been described by the Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman II as a good omen, not

only to the emirate council, but towards rekindling the hope of the region. Othman made statement while interacting with journalists in Bauchi, adding that Matawalen’s election would also galvanise the youths in the North to confront the security challenge in the zone, especially youth restiveness, with a view to

bringing it to an end. Saying that Matawalen’s emergence was coming at the time President Goodluck Jonathan was yearning for credible people to lead the youths in the region towards nation building, Othman said: “I am confident Matawalen would not disappointment the emirate and Nigerians

considering his experience as technocrat, administrator and bridge builder, whose contribution to national development cannot be over emphasised.” The royal father noted that the newly elected NYF BoT chairman has contributed a lot in the areas of infrastructures and youth empowerment through entrepreneur-

Democracy dividend: Olunloyo flays political office holders KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

ormer governor of the old Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olun-

loyo, has come hard on political office holders in the country for not seeing themselves as holding their positions in trust for the people, stating that

history will be there to judge each and every one of them after office. He said this at the empowerment programme of the lawmaker repre-

senting Oyo Central Senatorial district, Senator Ayo Adeseun, held at the Durbar Stadium, Oyo, CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

INEC to get it right is now. We do not want to wait till the election time when such technical rigging must have been committed, like it was the case with Anambra where INEC could only express regrets over what it termed logistical problem after the election had been shabbily conducted.”

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, aspirant for the June 21 governorship election in the state, Amb. Dare Bejide, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to order the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to investigate the malpractices allegedly characterising the ongoing voters registration exercise in the state. Bejide lamented that it would be a great disservice to the people of the state for any politician to ambush the ship and skill acquisition among the teaming youths. He therefore urged the BoT chairman to also concentrate and be committed to the agendas of bringing the Northern youths into total cohesion with a serious warning to shun everything that would jeopardise Northern efforts in achieving its goals. Othman added: “I urge you to kindly remain steadfast and not to allow yourself to be uses by self assertive individuals, who are out for the divisibility of the country. With Allah’s guide and protection, the North would cross the bridge ahead.”

electoral process and use it to his own advantage at the expense of the citizens and go scot free, saying the security must get to the bottom of the allegation. The former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada said in a statement in Ado Ekiti yesterday that “allowing the alleged poll robbers to go unchallenged despite the weighty allegations against them could spell doom for the forthcoming elections.” He alleged that some politicians, particularly members of All Progressive Congress, APC, were reported to have been importing mercenaries from neighbouring states to register to enable them vote for the APC candidate, Governor Kayode Fayemi, during the election. But the APC state interim chairman, Chief Jide Awe, who charged INEC to be proactive to surmount its challenges, urged the opposition parties to ensure the arrest of whoever they found sabotaging the exercise,” rather than making unnecessary unfounded allegations,” adding that the APC had always been in the vanguard of electoral sanity and would not now turn around to sabotage it.

Politics

Friday, March 14, 2014

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WOLE OLADIMEJI writes on the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly and the imperative of local government autonomy.

Constitution review and local government autonomy

Mark

Tambuwal

he continuous amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly at every assembly seemed not to have yielded the desired result that is correcting the mistake therein and the so call marginalisation of certain section of the country, inequalities and arrogation of too much power to certain individuals in power, the agitation of people culminating in youth restiveness, religious uprising and corruption which has eaten deep into the fabric of the society leading to decadence in almost all the sectors of the economy. Despite the efforts being made by the National Assembly, the call for alternative ways of correcting the ills and inequalities in the country through constitutional conference became more persistent, to allow for more discussion on burning issues which was capable of tearing the unity of the country apart. One of the numerous problems confronting the nation is the issue of local government autonomy. Local government is one of the three tiers of government in the country, a prerequisite for the operation of the presidential system of government, but since the inception of the system of government, the local government seemed the worst hit as various state governors see it as extension of their jurisdiction which and they could meddle with any how despite the fact that it was the closest arm of government to the people at the grassroots. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Constitution Review, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, while speaking on the steps taken so far by the House on the amendment of the 71 sections of the 1999 Constitution threw up for review, explained that the exercise has been done in a most transparent and professional manner. According to Ihedioha, “it is perhaps the most inclusive and consultative process ever undertaken by the House of Representatives. The highlight of the process was the highly acclaimed public sessions held all over the country on November 10, 2012. This was a landmark achievement as Nigerians in their various constituencies had the opportunity to express their views on how they should be governed. The results of the public sessions were openly collated with all the major stakeholders participating actively. “These results were published in the media and on the website of the Committee and to date, no person has disputed the authenticity of the will of the people expressed during those hearings. We therefore take them as the authentic view of the people on the subjects voted on.”

Nwabueze Okafor, ALGON National President

THE AMENDMENTS ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT ONLY

“DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED” OFFICIALS AND COUNCIL CAN PERFORM THE ROLES ASSIGNED IN THE CONSTITUTION FOR CREATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS On July 24, 2013, the House of Representatives kept faith with the decisions and wishes of the Nigerian people as expressed during the public sessions, in a historic voting on the various sections proposed for amendments. The House lived up to its billing as the House of the Nigerian people by voting overwhelmingly along the line of the outcome of the Peoples Public Sessions in their Federal Constituencies. According to him, on the issue of autonomy for local government, the House voted 284 for, 48 against and 7 abstentions to amend Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, which states in part that the system of local government by democratically elected local government councils under the constitution is guaranteed. This provision has always been however observed more in breach as so many states at various times do not have democratically elected local government councils. Ihedioha explained that to cure this, the House voted overwhelmingly to grant full financial, administrative, executive and legislative autonomy to local government councils (LGCs). By this effort, the LGCs would be made a tier of government, having uniform four-year tenure. Also, any LGC that does not have democratically elected officials would be denied allocation from the Federation Account and other benefits from the Federal Government. The amendment articulates clearly the structure, organs, personnel, procedures for exercise of powers by the organs and functionaries of the local government councils. It replicates to a large extent the presidential system of government at the local government level.

It equally consequentially amended section 285 of the Constitution to establish for each state, a Local Government Election Tribunal to determine election petitions at the local government level. It also provided for the appointment of an AuditorGeneral for the local government councils in a new section 126(1) of the Constitution.

Amendment of Section 8 Section 8 was amended by 305 votes for, 22 votes against and 12 abstentions in order to remove ambiguities in the process of creation of new states and boundary adjustment. The referendum required for a new state shall now be approved by at least two-thirds majority of the ‘registered voters’ of the local government areas where the demand originated from, instead of the current provision of approval by “two-third majority of the people of the area” which is ambiguous and subject to different interpretations. The referendum will now also be approved by twothird of the state Houses of Assembly. The current provision requires a simple majority of the entire Nigerian voters and a simple majority of the whole 36 states Houses of Assembly sitting together or separately to vote. The amendments also made it clear that only “democratically elected” officials and council can perform the roles assigned in the constitution for creation of local governments, states and boundary adjustment. It was further amended to abolish the “State Joint Local Government Account,” and establish instead a “Local Government Council Allocation Account,” into which shall be paid directly allocation to each local government council from the Federation Account and from the states governments. This is to ensure financial autonomy for the local government councils. Thus, by implication, if the Senate concur with the House’s position on the autonomy for the local government councils through the harmonisation committee of both the House and the Senate, it then mean that the rest is left for the states to decide. Be that as it may, the governors would pull the string to ensure that local government councils are not snatched from them. They would impress it on their various states Houses of Assembly not to venture into that area. But as it is said in democracy that power resides with the people, it is yet to be seen how the state governments would circumvent the people and get away with it.

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Politics

Friday, March 14, 2014

We’ll resist Senator Etok’s third term bid -Akpabio’s aide

in the House; he has failed. Proceedings of the National Assembly are daily broadcast live. We watch it because we are politicians; I can hardly hear my senator talk on the floor of the Senate. So if he cannot make contributions on the floor of the Senate and he cannot bring constituency projects, what are his yardsticks for measurement? What are his criteria for judging himself ?

Emmanuel Enoidem, has served in the administration of Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, as commissioner in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal and currently in the Ministry of Special Duties. In this Interview with ANIEFIOK MACAULEY he speaks on Akpabio’s endorsement for Senate in 2015. Excerpts: The senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District has said that Governor Godswill Akpabio hates him because he supported a motion for President Goodluck Jonathan to succeed the late President Umaru Yar’Adua when the later was incapacitated in 2010, how true is this claim? It is the leanest claim that anybody in that rank can ever make. We are alive to the events that happened between the incapacitation of the late President and the emergence of his vice as the President. We know the roles of all Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stakeholders and the entire nation knows that the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Akpabio was very vocal and very pivotal in the emergence of President Jonathan as president, despite all intrigues to scuttle the attempts of Jonathan to take over from his late boss and in obedience to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, because the position of the constitution is very clear on succession when the president dies. Akpabio’s support for Jonathan has been unwavering. There is no way the governor, a lwayer of over 20 years standing, wouldd not have supported Jonathan. Apart from being a lawyer, he is also from the South-South. So it would be very lean for the distinguished senator, a man who was assisted by God through the governor to attain his present status to make this type of claims. It is very childish and puerile; I just hope he did not say that, but if he did say so, it is very regrettable and I will say that he was dancing to the gallery; it is the chief of blackmail. To start with, our senator does not have any capacity to support Jonathan. He lacks capacity, both in his ward, in his local government and to the entire senatorial district he represents. So, I don’t know what level of power or support he will be able to gather for the President. We know the roles of each of our representatives. We know what he did, what they can do and we know what they are doing; so he cannot just come and say that Akpabio was against the emergence of Jonathan because he wants to achieve cheap popularity. The President knows better, because these were not hidden events. He knows the roles of everybody; he knows what the governor stood for. The senator claimed that he has outperformed all the other representatives from Akwa Ibom State and that the governor is intimidated by his soaring profiles and as such trying to run him down... (cuts in) Well, I don’t know what he is talking about of over-performance. If he is talking about the number of motions he has moved, if he is talking about the number of contributions he has made in the National Assembly, or the number of constituency projects he has attracted to the senatorial district. These are verifiable. Is he is talking about the youths he has impacted; or the youths he has brought to be employed in national institutions and agencies; or organising his senatorial district meetings? These are verifiable issues. If he claims that he is the best in terms of representation and if he talks about his profiles as being very high in terms of capacity of what he can do, these are very verifiable things, but I can tell you our senator has failed in his representation both in his first and second term. We cannot pinpoint any constituency project that our senator has ever brought to his constituency or the senatorial district which I am a member. If a senator cannot attract a road to be done to his house, both from the Federal Government and from the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, then I don’t know what he will do to any other person. Look at the senator representing Uyo Senatorial District, Ita Enang; if you go to Ibiono and Itu, you will see a number of roads

Why has it not been possible for the constituency to ask the senator to account for his stewardship? We will not summon a meeting. We will wait for the senator to call a meeting. He is the one that is supposed to call the meeting. The constituency briefing is not the function of the people; it is orchestrated by the very representative of the people. He is the one that should set an agenda for the meeting; he is the one that should call for the meeting. We will wait for him. I am not sure he want to retire after the Senate, he wants to remain a politician. If he does not do well as a senator, he cannot come back to us and ask for votes. Enang the other day called a meeting. Have you ever heard that Etok called a meeting for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District? No! For eight years, he has not. In the first term of four years, he did not, this is second term three years, and he has not.

Enoidem

THE SENATE ISSUE WASN’T THE GOVERNOR’S IDEA, THE PEOPLE OF THE SENATORIAL DISTRICT, MASTERMINDED BY ABAK FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, PERSUADED THE GOVERNOR TO CONTEST FOR THE

SENATE

being done, either from federal agencies themselves or from NDDC on account of his representation of the area. These are the products; these are things that we can see. But this is not the case with our own senator. Nobody can ever pinpoint what Aloysius Etok has done to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. There is nothing on ground to show that this is the product of his representation for seven years. So, it is childish of him to say that Akpabio is intimidated by his profile. I don’t know what profiles he has. As far as I am concerned, he has a diminished profile. As a member of his constituency, are you saying that the senator has not lived up to expectation, both in terms of representation and constituency projects? In terms of motion, in terms of support for proceedings

Since he has refused to render his account of stewardship, don’t you think it would have been appropriate for him to be summoned by his people? We wanted to recall him; there is no provision which says that you should call your senator or representative to come and do a meeting with you. We wanted to recall him, it was this same governor that he is castigating, that he is insulting now that stopped us from recalling him. And everybody was alive to that duty; waiting to sign a paper to recall him. But the governor called me in the night around 2am and asked me to discontinue with the process of recalling him. The recall process was at an advanced stage. Even his local government people were ready to sign the paper to recall him. There is agitation that it is the turn of Abak 5 to produce the next senator and that Akpabio should not bother to contest, what is your view on this? When they say Abak 5, it is nonsensical because I don’t know what they mean by that, there is no political location or constituency called Abak 5, it is a misnomer, it is a very wrong impression in the public. But if you are talking about federal constituency, I would understand that we have the Abak and we have Ukanafun federal constituencies. And if they want to talk about the issue of zoning, then I would say that Abak Federal constituency was to produce the next senator, but we have conceded. I am from Abak Federal Constituency, we have conceded expressly. Let it be said, for the umpteenth time, that the Senate issue wasn’t the governor’s idea, the people of the senatorial district, masterminded by Abak Federal constituency, persuaded the governor to contest for the Senate. And we are the only people who can concede that position because it is our turn, and we say we don’t want that turn, we want the governor to go for us, simple!

Democracy dividend: Olunloyo flays political office holders CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

adding that it was regrettable that rather than see the interest of the people as their priority, most political office holders today use their positions for selfish interest such that they project themselves more or less to the people as thieves. While commending Adeseun for empowering the people of his constituency, Olunloyo maintained that if other elected officials could emulate him, the generality of Nigerians

will be happy that they are having dividends of democracy through their representatives. He said, “This empowerment by Senator Adeseun must be commended by everybody; with this programme he has succeeded in proving he is holding his office in trust for the people that elected him. It also means that he is among reliable politicians that we have around.” Adeseun said the empowerment programme,

costing over N120 million was to thank his supporters for their support, adding: “If somebody has done something good, it is always right to replicate by coming back to show that you still appreciate them.” Present at the empowerment programme which covers 11 local government councils of the district were: the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III; the wife of former governor of the state, Alhaja Saratu Ad-

esina; Chief Michael Koleoso; the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Akin Oke and Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu.

Olunloyo

Editorial

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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CALLISTUS OKE

EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE

ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

FIDELIS LEMCHI OWOAMANAM

REGIONAL DIRECTOR, S/SOUTH

KING ODODORU

HEAD, GRAPHICS

Time to declare full emergency in North-East T I f the words of Karl Meier, in his classic, ‘This House Has Fallen: Nigeria in Crisis’ of 2001 that “Nigeria is slowly but surely dissolving into a failed state” are anything to go by, then the current reign of horrific killings and destruction by the menacing Boko Haram in the north-eastern part of the country cannot be doubted as symptomatic of a falling edifice. As a matter of fact, the unchecked, uncontrollable and persistent violence perpetrated by the terrorist group has reduced the region to a total state of anarchy, with the Federal Government seemingly unable to determine how best to approach the scourge. Indeed, many fear that the government is gradually losing control of the region. The various tactics applied, including maximum force as epitomized by the presence of the armed forces and other security agencies, deployment of aerial and field attacks, training and mobilization of special counterterror forces, establishment of the anti-terror 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, sack and replacement of security chiefs, among other measures, have barely paid off. Boko Haram has been enjoying considerable amount of latitude to plan, operate, retreat and re-launch attacks. Simply put,

efforts by the FG and its troops have so far been like a waste of time. They have not contained the menace, not in the least. That Boko Haram, the militant Islamic sect, has seized initiative from the military is underscored by the successes of its coordinated assaults in Yobe and Borno states in the last two months, which have resulted in over 300 deaths. Just some days ago, there were successive strikes, one per day, in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa; and then Yobe and Borno again. The violence goes on seemingly unchecked. Just as the military sounds tough each day, Boko Haram embarks on vicious and successful attacks at will. It would seem the terror group is out for real business, while the military and government authorities rely on propaganda on television, radio and newspaper pages. Graphically painting the horrifying scenario of the renewed assaults, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe had stated recently: “We will be gradually wiped out”. His Borno State counterpart, Governor Kashim Shettima, was twice in Abuja to ‘beg’ President Goodluck Jonathan to step up further action. But how has the FG responded to these desperate calls? Political! Government mouthpieces described both governors as persons merely seeking to disparage the ruling

HE CURRENT STATE OF EMERGENCY

TEMPLATE SEEMS NOT TO BE WORKING. IT

SHOULD BE QUICKLY TINKERED WITH party – the Peoples Democratic Party. President Jonathan had even chided the Borno State governor, saying if he thought he was not doing enough to check Boko Haram, he could dare him to withdraw troops deployed in the state for some days to find out what level of anarchy and violence would surface. This response, no doubt, sounded sarcastic, coming from a Commander-in-Chief who should have the most serious disposition and countenance towards such a crisis situation. It was, to say the least, uncharitable. What is very troubling in the entire development is that people who know better are shying away from confronting the reality: the institution of a fullblown emergency rule in the states that are under Boko Haram siege. What is more baffling is the scare that the president might be scheming to remove the Borno State governor, which was established by the recent reaction of the Borno Elders Forum (BEF) to

ON THIS DAY March 14, 1967 The body of President John F. Kennedy of the United States was moved to a permanent burial place at the Arlington National Cemetery. “Jack” Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the US, serving from 1961 until his death in 1963. After military service, Kennedy represented Massachusetts’ 11th congressional district in the US House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953 as a Democrat.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

March 14, 2006 Members of the Chadian military failed in an attempted coup d’état. The coup was led by brothers Tom and Timane Erdimi, two highranking officers, and for mer General Seby Aguid. The then Minister of Communications and Culture, and spokesperson for the gover nment, Hour madji Moussa Doumngo,r said that the Erdimi brothers were captured, while other rebel soldiers fled.

the purported move. Such alleged scheme will be totally unnecessary and will only fan the embers of violence in the region. A removal will culminate in a mindset of the elite and intelligentsia in the North that such a very serious issue threatening their peace, economy and existence could be reduced to ordinary politics. Yet, having a stable polity where the lives and property of the people are guaranteed should and must take priority over political showmanship. While removing Shettima, Gaidam or Nyako of Adamawa should be the last thing to be considered by the PDP-controlled Jonathan administration; the FG must rather project perception and courage; and do what is needful to resolve the insecurity conundrum in the region. The current state of emergency template seems not to be working. It should be quickly tinkered with. Sad to say, but that is the most realistic and pragmatic thing to do - a complete militarization of life in the region is needful as a final measure to restore order in the North East. The centre should jettison petty politics and enlist the full support of the governors in crushing the festering monster before it tears the Nigerian State into shreds; and validate the ‘prophecies’ of Meier and the likes.

x March 14, 2008 Series of riots and protests erupted in Lhasa and elsewhere in Tibet. What originally began as an annual observance of the ‘Tibetan Uprising Day’ resulted in street protests by monks, that later descended into rioting, burning, looting, and killing by March 14. The violence was mostly directed at Han and Hui civilians by Tibetans participating in the unrest. Chinese administration governing Tibet said the unrest was motivated by separatism.

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West’s renewed battle for Ukraine and Africa THINKING WITH PRINCEWILL

ALOZIE

PRINCEWILL ALOZIE (pravafrica@yahoo.com 08058533415 (for sms only)

he overthrow of Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, in a new kind of coup d’état, is preparing the world for a possible nuclear war. Some fascists, racists and plutocrats have been given the garment of democracy in Ukraine. The European Union (EU) and NATO forces are behind the deadly drama going on in Ukraine. The thinking of the war hawks is that if Russia is isolated by NATO forces, from neighboring former Eastern European countries, there will be an easy military conquest for NATO that aims at the annexation of both Ukraine and Russia. The calculation makes the assumption that other powers with nuclear weapons, who are not necessarily NATO members, will be watching while Russia and Ukraine are being destroyed. Such way of thinking could have been

permissible, if all is quiet in the Asian part of the world. Japan, China, North and South Korea are flashpoints for military confrontation. Joint and regular military exercises in the Chinese, Japanese, Korean zone by NATO forces, as well as Chinese forces should make the war hawks think afresh. In the calculation of the war mongers, Africa has been long subdued. This is true. Some countries in African are celebrating the moment of colonization. Nigeria called her own centenary celebration. In Nigeria for instance, there is preparation for what the political leadership calls National Conference. The National Conference appears to be a simulation for an eventual Ukrainian-type of political rascality. However, the re-possession of African territories by new imperialist powers may be a problem the NATO forces may have to contend with. China and India have made a lot of incursion into Africa and have also invested heavily in the continent. It appears unlikely that they will allow all that to fizzle away, because Europe and America wish to re-divide Africa among themselves. Towards the end of the 19th century, a Berlin conference was feasible; and was summoned for the partitioning of Africa. Today, the cyber warfare, phone tapping, electronic surveillance between

THE RE-POSSESSION OF AFRICAN TERRITORIES BY NEW IMPERIALIST POWERS MAY BE A

PROBLEM THE NATO FORCES MAY HAVE TO CONTEND WITH and among industrial powers, breed distrust (even among allies). It must not be forgotten that although the EU and US are working together for the dismemberment of Russia and for the redistribution of the world’s territories among themselves, there are those who among the EU, still think Europe, and not the U.S, should be the lone super power. What this implies is that it is possible for dissidents in Europe to spring surprises on the planners of a World War 111. Even the U.S may not be spared of such surprises, given the existence of an unjust social order in the world. World War 111 planners should be reminded that Julian Assange’s war on secrecy through Wiki leaks and Edward Snowden’s recent revelations imply that fairly developed industrial and

military strategists know what their opponents are up to. The strategy for regime change in Turkey, Syria and Ukraine appear plausible for the Third World War hawks. It may also be very comfortable for them to remember that most of Africa’s leaders are imperialist stooges. It may be useful to remind these war hawks that Osama bin Laden and Sadam Hussein were products of imperialist designs. The constant Law of Dialectics teaches us that an imperialist stooge may turn out to become an anti-imperialist champion. The purpose of this piece here is to remind those calling for world war that a nuclear war that may follow would not be going along class lines. A nuclear bomb may not discriminate between a Governor, a President and a peasant or unemployed person. It is simply madness to be pushing for a global war that is apparently meant to satisfy a minority ruling class in the world. I think it is a worthier project to make this world a habitable, serene and just one, instead of converting the planet Earth into a nuclear mass grave. In a way, the battle for Ukraine and for Africa might turn out to be a precursor to a Third World War. Citizens of the world are called upon to stop the war hawks from destroying this planet. Prof. Alozie lives in Lagos.

A governor’s creative poverty-fighting strategy OLUSOLA BALOGUN

hose who often set out to fight poverty at various levels of government in Nigeria do so for various reasons. Some for personal aggrandizement, others for showmanship, while some others do so more out of compulsion than conviction. Regrettably, these efforts are usually devoid of meaningful and sustainable planning and are therefore, ineffective. However, the efforts by Governor Ibikunle Amosun to reduce poverty in Ogun State seem a departure from that pedestrian norm; it is a calculated and sincere move, whose effect is already becoming apparent for even the cynics to see. Borrowing a leave from Johnnie Walker, who said the whole world step aside for the man that knows where he is going, Amosun set a five-cardinal programme as guide to rebuild the state. He particularly set out to slacken the vice-like grip of poverty, which the World Bank sees as major scourge of developing economies. The governor trained his eyes on achieving this through the construction of world-class ‘Ogun Standard’ roads, and an audacious return to mechanised agriculture. Amosun holds that road infrastructure remains a key indicator of economic development, a key signpost to development and an invitation to investors. His government therefore set sail an ambitious urban renewal program never seen in the history of Ogun State. 14 roads, scattered across the three senatorial districts in the state,are presently under construction. They include the 7-km Sagamu-Benin Express Junction/Oba Erinwole Junction road, the 107 km Ilara-Ijoun-Eegua-Oja Odan-Ilase road;

EFFORTS BY GOVERNOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN TO REDUCE POVERTY IN

OGUN STATE SEEM A DEPARTURE FROM THAT PEDESTRIAN NORM; IT

IS A CALCULATED AND SINCERE MOVE 29 km Mowe-Ofada-Ibafo road, and the 36 km Sango-Ijoko-Agbado-Akute-Ojodu Road. Most of these are at different stages of completion, and are billed to be completed by December 2014. Interestingly, with the road construction effort, the problem of unemployment is being creatively addressed. The construction firms are mandated to source some of their skilled and unskilled workers like carpenters, iron benders and bricklayers from among indigenes of the state. Today, over 800 indigenes of the state are on the employment of the construction firms. The construction effort also brought about the sprouting of several food-sheds located around the various construction sites. Another consequence of the road revolution is the boom in sales of molded bricks, sand and gravel supply and cement business as property owners, after collecting their entitlements from government, often find it wise to mend their breached properties. The government’s decision to mend fences wrecked due to the construction work is also having ripple effect on the local economy of the state. Bricklayers, sand and cement sellers are daily smiling to the bank as clientele flow in daily

Boom in car-washing business in all the cities where the construction effort is on provides a comical edge to Governor Amosun’s poverty reduction effort. In Ogun State, car owners now need to wash their cars more than thrice weekly after they have gone through those roads still under construction. The conviction that business and investment can only blossom in an atmosphere of security prompted the governor to invest heavy in security. The government purchased 14 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC’s), bought 400 patrol vans fitted with communication gadgets, 500 bullet proof vests, 500 bullet proof helmets, 1000 AK-47 rifles as well as 2 million rounds of ammunitions for the use of policemen operating in the state. The result was magical as crime statistics suddenly crashed in the state with Ogun state becoming one of the most secured states in the federation. Curiously, the urban renewal effort of the government, coupled with the investment in security is already yielding interesting results. Companies are scrambling to invest in the state. Statistics gleaned from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry indicate the initiatives are bearing good fruits. One hundred and twenty five companies have so far indicated interest in relocating their manufacturing outfits to the state. Thirty five are already on the ground at varying level of operations, while 27 have fully commenced operations. A proof of the clement industrial environment was the relocation of the customers’ service section of one of the frontline telecommunication giants to the state capital. The telecom firm thereafter engaged over 1200 graduates, the bulk of whom are indigenes. Like the telecom firm, many of the firms moving to the state are employing indigenes of the state. It was in recognition of these efforts that Busi-

nessDay, a highly influential and authoritative business news tabloid, adjudged the state as “the fastest growing economy and the destination choice for industrialistsandentrepreneursinNigeria”. Strikingly,the governor’s strategic intervention in poverty reduction is not only being felt in the area of urban renewal, he has also stimulated employment through agriculture. It advanced loan to 1000 farmers under its Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme and also purchased agricultural equipments worth over N800 million to aid the return of mechanised farming in the state. Inoneiconicgesture,thegovernmentlaunched 86 pieces of land clearing equipment. The farm machinery include four CAT bulldozers,30 MF 275 xtra tractors,33 baldan disc plough,15 baldan disc harrows, two baldan rotary slashers and two baldan four row-planters. The equipment are being hired to farmers at 10 percent discount. Thegovernmentalsogavesoftloantoover24,850 women under its micro-credit initiative in a determined move to assist small businesses and boost self-reliance among its women-folk. The loan facility advanced to the women ranges from N20, 000 to N200,000dependingontheirmodeof business. Apart from employing 12,000 workers into the state employment, the governor also supported his wife, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, to train and equip 2000 graduates in entrepreneurship skills. Balogun, media aide of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, can be reached on balogunesola@gmail.com. Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

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Governor Amosun and Ogun people M any people have made different comments on the passion and zeal with which Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State governor, has carried on the business of governance state since he took

Atiku Abubakar’s political harlotry

harlot is a commercial sex worker. My Igbo people call her “Akwulakwula’ (meaning waiting or ready for any or all manner of willing customers).It is within this context I follow the trajectory of Alhaji Atiku Ababukar’s, Nigeria’s former Vice President political life since the beginning of this democratic dispensation. This is a man would always claim to be a founding father of PDP. He was so committed that he was picked by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as running mate in the run up to the 1999 presidential election even though he had pocketed the gubernatorial mandate of Adamawa State. He sang the praises of PDP national hierarchs to high heavens. That was yesterday. Much later the bubble burst. The camaraderie-like relationship turned sour. Friends became foes. The rest is history. The bone of contention was 2007 PDP presidential ticket. Atiku left, found new love and they jointly founded Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). They brought brooms to sweep away friends of yesterday. After a while the new found lovers became foes again after he had collected their bill and nothing else to collect. Atiku’s means of livelihood will not suddenly vapourise with its dire consequences. He has to go

back to the once forsaken people that the brooms of yesterday were meant to sweep away. This is purely eating back one’s vomit. Foes well castigated the other day again turned to saints today. What is at stake? - again, presidential ticket. Atiku has formed PDM, Atiku has formed the nPDP. Today, Atiku is back to the broom he broke, castigated, rejected, forsaken and even burnt some years ago. During the course of this political migrant life style and harlotry, the man, no doubt, has romanced with convicts and ex-convicts, charlatans, misfits and people of questionable characters, all in the quest to rule Nigeria. The motto, vision, agenda, programme, manifesto, objectives, aims and purposes of the party are all immaterial to him if only it can offer him its presidential ticket. The character, integrity and interest of the members of such a party are also immaterial to him. In summation,isitthemessianicAtiku,redeemerAtiku,people’svoiceAtiku that is at play or Atiku whom, the interests, anguish, suffering, pains, sorrows and tears and predicaments of Nigerian masses do not matter so long he is able to fulfillhisambitionthatis atplay? Nwachukwu joseph (jonwachukwu@hotmail.com 07036580752).

Give me APC slot

lhaji Lai Mohammed, the acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progessives Congress (APC), has told the Federal Government to wait till eternity if it is waiting for the party to fill its two slots in the forthcoming National Conference. By this statement, the APC slots would be permanently untilised. This is very unfortunate. Therefore, permit me to use this medium to appeal to the Federal

Government to nominate me so that I can fill the void to be so created. The APC has forfeited its right to nominate and attend. Since nature abhors vacuum, the slots should be given to interested Nigerians like me on the basis of Wild Card entry! I am making this call as a good and patriotic Nigerian desirous of serving his country, and devoid of partisan interest. Chukwuma Dioka , Owerri, Imo State ( 08070685881).

Great injustice to Urhobo nation

he list of delegates to the forthcoming National Conference is a grandiloquent canonization of political exclusivity and oppression calculated to gag Urhobo nation by Emmanuel Uduaghan, GoodLuck Jonathan and their Man Fridays. This dangerous political script must be condemned. So, Urhobo nation, the fifth largest in the country and largest ethnic nationality in the Delta with

Letters to the Editor

qualified traditional rulers and protean professionals could not produce delegates to an important national conference apart from Professor G.G. Darah? The political castration for 2015 is on-going and wither goes Urhobo nation? We Urhobos must rise against this political apocalypse. Chief Bobson Gbinije, Warri, Delta State

over about three years ago. Some, including foreign visitors, have often wondered how the governor has been able to do so much in a short period. A visitor once marvelled at the extent of love and admiration extended to the governor where ever he went, including those whose structures were affected by the ongoing rebuilding process. Governor Amosun loves the people, who in turn reciprocate and give him their understanding and love. He has well thought-out plans for the people of the state. His electioneering campaign took him and his team to every nook and cranny of Ogun State. In the process, he met the people in their natural environment, obtained first-

hand information on their needs, and this is now assisting him in planning and providing for these needs. Before his foray into politics, Amosun had been a cheerful giver, and had through many philanthropic activities raised the standard of living of many people. He readily identifies with the people across board. In his determination to provide the good people of Ogun State all that is best possible, the governor invited individuals of proven integrity from various walks of life to team up with him. The positive results of their efforts abound across the state. The transformation currently going on is the product of a good team work. Prudent financial manage-

ment has contributed immensely to move the state forward as resources are being judiciously used for maximum effect. The wife of the governor, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, also came up with a programme that affects all facets of mankind. Through the Uplift Programme, the needs of the aged, children, unemployed, market women and men, are being provided for on a regular basis. There is hardly an aspect of humanity that has not benefited from the scheme. This is a further testimony to the true love that the governor and his wife have for the people of Ogun state. A leader loves his people, the people trust their leader. Bola Adeyemi, Oyero Town, Ifo LGA, Ogun State.

DANGEROUS: Despite efforts to stop conductors from hanging, the practise continues. PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Boni Haruna: A round peg in a round hole

he Minister of Youth Development portfolio assigned to Mr. Boni Haruna, the former Governor of Adamawa State, by the President Goodluck Jonathan, is a right step in the right direction. It is like placing a round peg in a round hole. The Minister was at the forefront of the advancement and development of the youths when he was a governor. As the governor of Adamawa State then, his cabinet consisted mainly of youths within the age bracket of 40 and 46 years. One youth, whose name readily comes to mind, is Alhaji Danjuma Hamman Jalo from Yola-North Local Government Area, who was put in charge of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. As governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Haruna gave youths the opportunity to prove their worth. It was also on record that Mr. Boni Haruna was the only governor in Nigeria to have appointed his Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Abdulrazak Namdas, who was then in his mid thirties, and gave him the leverage and encouragement to perform his duties without let. I could remember vividly that during his tenure as governor, it was only in Adamawa State that one would find local government council chairmen who were not more than 30 years old.

During his eight years of stewardship as governor, youth development was accorded topmost priority in the state. He encourage the participation of youths in sporting activities, enhancing capacity building of the youth in every sphere of human endeavour. Mr. Boni Haruna spearheaded the full participation of youths in politics, especially in seeking for elective offices. He also ensured that creative youths were encouraged in whatever they wanted to do in order to be self-reliant. As the new Minister of Youth Development, no doubt, he would dissipate his energy towards seeing that Nigerian youths are a force to reckon with globally. He would also deploy his experience to seeing that youths in Nigeria become agents of change (in attitude and selflessness) in the task of nation building. The Minister would also see that youthful exuberance is channeled into more productive use. President Jonathan has done the right thing by deploying to the Ministry of Youth Development a man of such passion and zeal for youth empowerment. Usman Santuraki, Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa State (08032333546).

Send your letters The Editor reserves thethe right letters or or mails mailsto toPMB PMB10001, 10001,Ikoyi, Ikoyi,or orour our Email: Email:mirrorlagos@yahoo.com mirrorlagos@yahoo.comand andinfo@nationalmirroronline.net info@nationalmirroronline.netoror08056180209, 08054103275,07033375481 07033375481(SMS (SMSonly). only). The Editor reserves right to to edit and reject letters photographs. Psuedonyms may used, must clearly marked such. edit and reject letters or or photographs. Psuedonyms may bebe used, butbut must bebe clearly marked asas such.

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16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND

TERH AGBEDEH

lliance Francaise in conjunction with the consulates of Benin, Burkina Faso, Canada, Cameroun, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Suisse, Tchad, Togo and the Consulate General of France, will host five days of exciting events beginning Saturday, March 15. Titled: ‘Programme of Francophone events in Lagos”, it will end on March 21 and feature live music, a conference and film shows free to participants at the event. Day one, which is Saturday, according to the organisers, will open with a performance by Emmanuel B.J. (Cameroon/Nigeria) at the Alliance française, Yaba centre on Herbert Macaulay Way in Alagomeji, Lagos from 3pm to 5pm. Emmanuel BJ is reputed to have taught himself how to play music at an early age while listening to the records played by his mother at home. He learned more about highlife with the late Eddy Okonta and IK Dairo and his new Afro-jazz band,

Dr. Akinwande

Beat Kaestli

Caramel

‘Love & Peace’, thrills audiences often with praise songs. Day two, which is a conference with the theme: “Cultural diversity and modern Nigeria”, will take place on Monday, March 17 from 3pm at the Julius Berger Hall, Akoka Campus of the University of Lagos, UNILAG. The keynote speaker is Dr. Pierre Olakunle Akinwande of the University of Lagos and a panel comprising Prof. Tunde Fatunde (Lagos State University, LASU) and Prof. Stella M.A. Johnson (University of Lagos) will discuss the theme after which a dedication session of Dr. Akinwande’s recent books will bring the event to a close. Dr. Akinwande, a native of Ayetoro in Ogun State (Nigeria), and Senior Lecturer in Comparative French & Francophone Literatures at University of Lagos, is the author of Négritude et Francophonie, paradoxes culturels et politiques (L’Harmattan, Paris, 2011, 325 pages) and Littérature Française et Divergence Culturelle (Pierro Publication Bureau, Lagos, 2013, 242 pages). Day three will feature two films on Tuesday, March 18 at 2pm with Caramel

(Lebanon/France) and La Bataille de Passchendaele (Canada). Caramel is in Arabic with English subtitle at the Alliance française, Yaba Centre. The film revolves around the intersecting lives of five Lebanese women. Layale (Nadine Labaki) works in a beauty salon in Beirut along with two other women, Nisrine and Rima. Each one has a problem: Layale is stuck in a dead-end relationship with a married man; Nisrine is no longer a virgin but is set to be married and in her conservative family where pre-marital sex is not accepted; Rima is attracted to women; Jamale, a regular customer and wannabe actress, is worried about getting old; Rose, a tailoress with a shop next to the salon, is an old woman who had devoted her life to taking care of her mentally unbalanced elder sister Lili, but has found her first love. La Bataille de Passchendaele in French with English subtitle, which will show at the Ikeja Centre, is about the lives of a troubled veteran, his nurse girlfriend and a naive boy, which intersect first in Alberta and then in Belgium during the bloody World War I battle of

Passchendaele. Caramel will show again on day four, March 20, from 2pm at the Ikeja Centre of Alliance française, while day five on Friday, March 21 will feature live jazz music by Beat Kaesly (Switzerland/U.S.A.) . This will take place at Bogobiri House, Ikoyi, Lagos from 8pm. Beat Kaestli is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer. In 1993 he moved to New York City and was awarded a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music. While developing his craft alongside noteworthy Jazz performers, such as Jane Monheit, Jason Moran and Stefon Harris, he immersed himself in Manhattan’s fiercely competitive music scene, emerging as a seasoned performer. He now appears in clubs such as: The Blue Note, Birdland, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), The Jazz Standard and The Stone, performing with Jazz greats like Esperanza Spalding, Jon Hendricks, Gregoire Maret, Joel Frahm, Billy Drummond, Magos Herrera and Hendrik Meurkens. The performance is also free.

Critics P. 22-23

Emmanuel BJ

Inside FCT P. 24-25

Arty News

Alliance Francaise hosts five-day fiesta in Lagos

P. 32, 33

VOL. 4 No. 826

El Anatsui

eginning today at 3pm the Centre for Contemporary Art, CCA, Lagos will celebrate the Ghanaian artist and art critic, El Anatsui as he turns 70. The honour, which takes the

form of an exhibition and lecture, will begin today with a reception at the centre located in Sabo, Yaba area of Lagos. A lecture will be delivered by Rikki Wemega-Kwawu, who is special guest artist at the event with the Director of Mydrim Gallery, Mrs. Sinmidele Adesanya, as special guest of honour. The exhibition will hold till April 12 from 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, while on Saturdays and public holidays, it will open only by appointment. Bisi Silva, who runs CCA is curating with assistance from the artist Taiye Idahor.

Port Harcourt Makeup Fair holds at Xcape Centre

he Xcape Centre, Port Harcourt, will tomorrow, Saturday attract guests for the second edition of the Port Harcourt Makeup Fair, PMUF, which kicks off from 10am. The event which is free will highlight endeavours like makeup products, tools and personal care materials, wellness and spa as well as hair care products. There will also be a lot of giveaways like free makeovers, free make up advice, shopping, food as well as presentations, makeup demos, networking, music and loads of fun.

Artmosphere March guest is Chuma Nwokolo When Artmosphere takes place tomorrow in Ibadan, Oyo State, the guest for the month will be Chuma Nwokolo one of Nigeria’s most prolific short story writers who recently released **How to Spell Naija in 100 Stories**. Curated by WriteHouse Collective since July 2011, Artmosphere is a monthly platform for the revival of a vibrant reading culture and the

Nwokolo

promotion of creative expressions in literature, music and will take place from 3pm to 6pm at the NuStreams Conference & Culture Centre, KM 110, Iyaganku Road, off Alalubosa GRA, Ibadan.

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CCA Lagos hosts El Anatsui at 70 exhibition

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WEEKEND STARTERS

Artman In The House

Friday, March 14, 2014

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I earned N100 per episode for Veteran actor, storyteller and musician, Jimi Solanke has been on the culture scene for over 50 years working mostly with children who enjoy his stories and call him Uncle. To celebrate his 71 birthday last year he launched a children’s book titled: The Ancient & Modern Tales. He granted this interview to TERH AGBEDEH in a cab boarded in Ogba area of Lagos on his way to an appointment in the Surulere, Lagos. What exactly is your new book, The Ancient & Modern Tales about? The Ancient & Modern Tales is a special kind of book. I won’t call myself an author but I’m going to call it a very qualitative, innovative experience. Qualitative in the sense that I wanted to teach some new kind of art to children in any of my upcoming children’s programmes. And then I was picking up materials from daily newspapers. What happened is that I would design the material I picked up and I started to see that there are colours on the pages of newspapers. Good colours on the pages of newspapers. So once I finished with the write-ups I would now begin to collect the colours in the remaining papers that would be discarded. One day I just had the knack of putting them together to form characters. Little by little all the ones I used in testing them are in my study. Little by little I started creating characters. You know, there was somebody who originated the Mickey Mouse character and such other characters for children. I was working towards that. I was working on creating characters that will be related to children and then I was thinking of characters that were responsible for my cultural upbringing. Because we had Egbere who had a mat and if you are lucky to meet Egbere the character, take his mat and put in a room, you will be rich forever. Such are the little tales I told about these characters I innovated in collage form. When I first started showing them to people, my oga, professor Soyinka asked me where I got it. I told him that I did them. It is a brand new form of art on its own. Some of them will be exhibited, in fact, all of them that are in the new book will be exhibited. I was thinking of studying them the more so by the time I have children around me, I would have perfected the attitude and the know-how of teaching them. But since I have not gone back on television for some time, I then started to think and when I was getting to 70 I started selecting some of them and started the explanatory tales like herbs, like money, there are some popular things that are modern too that I expressed in this collage book. It is a book for children then? It is. It is in our approach that at the end of the day we will be able to take one character from them, write a cultural story about it, get enough artists to put it into animation because what is done with any of these other characters eventually will turn out to be what we are doing with popular characters in **The Ancient & Modern Tales**. You find out that there is Ologumugumu. As a little boy if I was said to have wronged my mummy and Ologomu-gomu is coming to catch you, I would go and hide under the bed. I never saw Ologomu-gomu

in my life but majority of the people in my age bracket will know what Ologomu-gomu can do when he comes out to visit you. What I said in the book is that I have never seen Ologomu-gomu. What I wrote about it is the situation that we can now develop Ologomu-gomu to a point of interacting with the children of nowadays. One wonders how that will work considering that the children you speak of are more aligned to Mickey Mouse and other foreign characters rather than our folklore characters. It is our children that we are breeding in our quest to prove that we have arrived. That is our mistake in this nation. We have not arrived, a lot of us want to make sure, ‘our son went to London, my daughter studied in the U.S.A.’, just to prove that we have arrived. Eventually, when you find out about such children, you will discover that when they come back, their concept of reality is different from the children of the ordinary man that are on ground and they must interact with one way or the other. It could be in business, it could be in just interaction or in just neighbourliness or anything, but you have been taken to that height and they have remained at the low level. So how can you interact? That is part of our problem. How many of the characters you have mentioned are profiled in the book? About 80. Do all of them come from the Yoruba folklore? No. For the modern era there are so many characters there. In fact, Mr and Mrs is there. I have taken the boy as my son and tell him what not to do. I took my daughter in America and expressed my mind about her, Sisi Eko, Almajiri... They sound like everyday characters not like Egbere or Ologomu-gomu. Those are the ancient. There is even a collage where I talk about the new school. You have worked with children for sometime, is this like an experiment, a library of the work you have done with them if you like? It is a library of what I have done with children plus my interaction with life when I was as young as they are. What they have missed and what they have gained. Because they would have lost all the cultural depths that we experienced. Our children would have lost all that. But they have gained on the other side because a majority of them are IT oriented, modern technology. Do you think that young adults, perhaps people in the age range of your children will enjoy this book? Yes of course, I have been having comments from old women who went into

Solanke

THEY USED TO CALL ME FIRECRACKER BOY BECAUSE ON THE

JULY IN AMERICA WHEN I USED TO BE THERE,

FOURTH OF

THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF FIRECRACKERS AND CHICKEN.

EVERY FOURTH OF JULY WHEN I HOLD MY

PARTY IT WOULD BE A BIG DAY IN

AMERICA.

reminisces going through the book, ‘I like the way you said that. Ah ah, oh yes, I enjoyed it’. There is a very top lady who went through it and said, ‘The next edition, I have something you must add’. I said, ‘what is it?’ truly, she read it thoroughly and when it came to national caste I did a mention of Igbo, Yoruba, Calabar, Middle Belt and others but I missed out on Hausa. ‘I have some real names in the Hausa caste missing in the book,” she said and I told her thank you very much ma, in the next edition we would have corrected that. That means there is going to be another edition?

This is the premier edition; definitely, we are going to be correcting what mistakes we have made. Is the book going to appear annually? We don’t want to make it a yearly thing. We will update this one so that it will carry more characters. The people who are going to buy the next edition will have more characters in that edition. But do you have plans to translate in the major Nigerian languages especially? Translations, yes, there is a possibility of all that. But the reason behind this edition is to catch them all, interact with them based on what they have seen and you will hear comments and reviews and all that. By the time we go back to press, they will be all effected in the next edition. You sing very well, one would have also expected an album or a compilation of your best songs. Is that in the works? It is in the works. A compilation specially for children some small songs I composed specially for children and with a song book to accompany it. You share birthday with America, July 4... They used to call me firecracker boy because on the fourth of July in America when I used to be there, there would be a lot of firecrackers and chicken. Every fourth of July when I hold my party it would be a big day in America. America and I would be agog. Has that continued, has the US Consul-

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Artman In The House

my programme –Jimi Solanke

On stage at the EniObanke Music Festival CD cover of a collection of his songs

Mickey Mouse again. They will want to draw one of the characters that we would have made popular from Ancient &amp; Modern Tales. Who illustrated the book? I did all the graphic art myself.

Solanke with Ade Bantu on the Afropolitan Vibes stage

FACT FILE •

Jimi Solanke is a man of many paths. A prolific playwright, reknowned poet, peculiar folk singer and a gifted fine artist.

•

He is also a man of many voices, many faces, and many tales. Whether it is through music, dancing, or his art, Uncle Jimi, as he is fondly called, is a master of telling local folk stories.

•

His genre of music is folklore and highlife.

•

He hails from Ipara Remo, in Ogun State, Nigeria but currently resides in Ile Ife, Osun State.

•

At 71 he is still actively performing on stages across Nigeria.

ate in Nigeria for instance, invited you for events on July 4? They have invited me many times. I have done a lot of programmes with the USIS. I have had a three-year fund for Leadership Development from the McArthur Foundation; I have been consultant for UNICEF for

about 19 years, so I have been interacting with them. Why did your show with children stop on television? One, the majority of stations where I did those shows, I would first give it out on trust that oh, they will treat me very nicely, but there will come a time when they on their part will not be able to continue with their promise. Most of the time it is money issues. I did it longer on NTA; I was earning N100 per episode. NTA was paying you that? N100. I still have some contract forms out of which they paid the N100. So it is not because of money that I was doing it. It is because within me, that programme is still continuing within me. Just this morning they asked me to come and tell stories to some children in a school somewhere in Lekki area of Lagos. I have been doing it on private request so the majority of these things you are going to see in the book will express the child in me simply because by the time it catches like wild fire and children know it, they will not want to draw

The National Theatre is supposed to have a master plan that includes a hotel, amusement park, shopping mall and whatnot. Having been a culture practitioner in over 50 years, have you seen the said master plan? By the grace of God in 1976, when the National Theatre was opened, I was the solo artist that ended the opening ceremony on the biggest stage in that theatre. I was the solo folk singer and I had an applause from the royal court, I mean the head of state and all of them. So, they laid everything out, what the whole area was going to be looking like. That is how far and how much I knew about National Theatre and its extension. As of today, the little one we have, how far have they developed it? How far have they made it approachable to artistes? How far have they made it look like a national Theatre? That I have worked in and performed in different other countries, in such theatres posters will be there for different shows, people will be there rehearsing up and down. I am not talking about the National Troupe, which I think they are making it like they are the only ones they built the theatre for. I don’t know what is happening, the place is like locked up all through the year except on some occasions like Children’s Day when they will do a show, the whole place will be filled up. A national theatre is not meant to be like that. That means there is actually a master plan? Yes. That includes a hotel? That includes parks. You know all the land surrounding the theatre, the Lagos light rail has taken some of it, which is good.

Some practitioners disagree that there is a master plan? There is a master plan. No doubt about that. Inclusive of a hotel? Inclusive of everything to attract people to that premises. If they did not build it at that time it is because they would have spent the money in building so many other facilities like FESTAC Town to house people, like that hotel you mentioned. Yes, there is a master plan. I can beat my chest that I was the only Nigerian artiste who performed solo at the opening of the National Theatre after Ipitombi. In Ghana there is said to be a board that runs the National Theatre there and even though the board is under the minister of culture, he cannot solely make decisions for it. That is where they run such places with sensibility and reality. What we are doing here, I don’t know who is there no because I don’t even go there. if I go there it is because I have an appointment and I will just be at the Star Brewery section of the place where they are the only operating area of the National Theatre. When you have a national theatre, you don’t let it depend on your government, waiting for government money, you don’t let it die. You get commercial about it, with all the spaces, with all the halls. They have even brought it back to life in recent days, they have tried with many things working now but what we see is that the place is still locked up. Artistes and production companies say it is exorbitant to put up productions at the National Theatre and they have to come up with half a million naira at least. It is just not right. It must be somebody who is anti-culture that they have put in that aspect of our Nigerian culture. And that is what it is in nearly all the parastatals is culture in this country, people who are not deeply infected, effective, affected culturally are holding positions of authority and power. How can our culture grow?

Critics

Amvca-2014-hosts

Event

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AMVCA-Trophy-Tour-Nairobi-1

AMVCA @2: An insider’s assessment

It had been months of hype and media activities for the 2nd ‘Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards’. Here is how it went:

CHARLES NOVIA

Friday, March 14, 2014

xpectations were high for this year’s edition and many practically groveled for the invitation cards! Who would miss an evening of this magnitude in Africa’s entertainment calendar? Did this year’s Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards have the Crunch Factor, that ‘ooomph’ punch which leaves the guests and viewers speechless and mesmerised? Wait a minute! I am jumping the gun here! Let’s start from the beginning as I witnessed it. I arrived a few minutes to the scheduled live broadcast of the show and as I walked past the Red Carpet section straight to the hall, I couldn’t help noticing how glamourous (and perhaps amorous too!) many of the ladies and gentlemen looked. One thing to thank the AMVCAs for; the fashion and make-up industry would have rolled in some moolahs these past few days. I am not an experienced fashion buff, I would leave that to Nigeria’s amorphous Fashion Police to determine who was the Best Dressed or Worst Dressed for the evening (er…Emmy Collins? That’s your plate!) But I did see enough to appreciate that many people actually took time to look quite good for the night. And there were some few ‘Ukwus’ pushing out for cursory recognition and appreciation inside the dresses too! (Apologies to Timaya) One can safely say that it was a night of evening dresses, half-hidden cleavages and unpadded ‘Ukwus’ on the Red Carpet but let’s leave that aspect to the fashion bloggers. The show opened with a nice performance by a dance troupe, supposedly the KAKADU musical ensemble. I was just taking my seat when their performance ended to appreciative applause from the audience. Kudos to the organisers for getting the stage ensemble on the show. It speaks volumes of an ancillary support of sorts for the thespian arts by that gesture. Being a theatre arts product myself, any support given to that sector by any means is most

welcome. The Presenting Threesome (no pun intended) of IK Osakioduwa, Vimbai and Osas Ighodaro came on the podium to kick off the show proper. IK and Vimbai were quite at ease all through the night when they had their slots but Osas seemed to be trying to catch up with the other two. Throughout the night she put up a spirited performance but there were a few stumbles over some words as she followed the teleprompter and she seemed overtly mechanical most times. Perhaps, as she goes on over the years, she would find her rhythm. However, the Three Presenters had some impressive Costume Changes in the course of the night which looked good to me. Vimbai was spot on as a co-hostess and put up a confident performance. We all know the artistic prowess of IK and he didn’t fail in flipping his Bic and writing his own lines when it mattered. Osas was just the last end of the Salami who could have done with a bit more greasing. The hall gradually filled up as the show progressed. There was an improvement on last year’s event when the commercial breaks came up during the show. The organisers had a live orchestra playing some recitals most times for the live audience. Though what the orchestra played sounded like a drone most times but at least the audience was engaged and concentrated on the flow of the show. There was a Floor Manager who came up intermittently on stage to reel out names of the next set of scheduled Presenters of the awards and implored them to go backstage. I didn’t know what to make of that but it was better than some other local award shows one has attended where the Floor Managers would either point a finger at the Presenters of the next awards or tap them on the arm in a disconcerting manner. It seemed like Kenya and East Africa had a good outing as “Nairobi Half Life” won some of the early categories. However, when Shirley Frimpong-Manso and Herty Nwusu from Ghana came up on stage to receive the award for ‘Best

Writer’, it seemed like there was a little friction between both ladies on the podium over who should pick the plaque and make a speech. It was subtle but noticeable. Bez performed on stage with a live band. The audience loved it, though there seemed to be a little self-restraint on his part to really let himself loose but maybe that’s his ‘mellow cool brother’ image he has given us over the years. Something tells me his next album would show us his metamorphosis for the better. Flavour was on the bill too and started his performance with ‘Ada’ which got me thinking that for aesthetic purposes, perhaps an ‘Ada’ might have done well to be on stage with him to enhance his stagecraft. But Flavour held his own and took the crowd to another level with other hit songs, ‘Kirikata’ and ‘Asewo’. However, despite a simultaneous synch by his live band and the programmed tracks, Flavour lost his flavour a couple of times in his performance by subtly missing the cue of his songs. A few ad libs made up for the technical sidestep. Flavour is a good cultural ambassador of the neo-Nigerian Highlife Music. He stands out on his own in his genre and really knows how to work a crowd. The sound in the hall was really a minus. For most of the live performances, the sound output was below average and I’m told there were microphone glitches too which those who watched the live broadcast tweeted about. The sound output was bad during Davido’s performance. He came on stage and started with his hit song ‘Skelewu’ backed by a live band. To us in the hall, or perhaps to the trained ear for live sound, it sounded like a pride of lions devouring some killed game and one could barely differentiate the music from the din. His next track, despite the technical shortcomings, got most people in the crowd dancing though. ‘Aye’ seems to be another hit song from the OBO exponent. The biggest blooper of the night happened when John Okafor and Monalisa Chinda were up to present the award for ‘Best Actress in a Yoruba movie’ as an-

THE SOUND IN THE HALL WAS REALLY A MINUS. FOR MOST OF THE LIVE PERFORMANCES, THE SOUND OUTPUT WAS BELOW AVERAGE AND I’M TOLD THERE WERE MICROPHONE GLITCHES TOO WHICH THOSE WHO WATCHED THE LIVE BROADCAST TWEETED ABOUT

nounced by Okafor. Somehow, what flashed onscreen were the names of the nominees in the Hausa category, which got the audience mumbling in confusion. Maybe someone in the control booth misheard or ‘mufu’-ed that segment? The Presenters announced the winner as Mercy Aigbe perhaps without noticing the mistake or not knowing what to do after a typical Naija live ‘awkward moment’. John Okafor professionally switched to his ‘Mr Ibu’ alter-ego by saying ‘Na Yoruba dem give us’ which cracked up a lot of people. The correct visual was replayed and Mercy Aigbe, the announced winner came up to the stage for her prize. ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ She shrieked out in what sounded like an explicit moan which got many in the audience looking at one another. However, Mercy won the crowd over with her acceptance speech in which she acknowledged her husband and family. Osita Iheme won the ‘Best Actor in a comedy’ award and graciously acknowledged his other contestants. That was one of the best parts of the night. He gave a moving but stumbled speech on African unity and the Arts. Thereafter, Osita and his screen sidekick Chinedu Ikedieze presented the ‘Best Actress in a comedy’ award to Funke Akindele who seemed to be the obvious winner during the nomination reel having being nominated for two movies in the same category. As Funke left the stage for backstage, we all could hear her happy screams of ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ backstage during the commercial break as she gave out bellows of excitement. Congratulations, Funke. Bikiye Graham-Douglas won the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award for her role in ‘Flower Girl’. I did say earlier that I’m not much of a fashion buff but I couldn’t help wondering what on earth she wore to the event while she was on stage! When Waje performed, I became totally convinced that she is the Best Female Vocalist presently in Nigeria. That lady sure can sing! Wow! And with the very talented Cobhams Asuquo backing her up on the keyboard, it was one of the best moments of the night for me and a memorable one too. Waje might be wishing she ‘didn’t have a heart’ as her song goes but I bet there were many guys there wishing for her heart that night! Joseph Benjamin and Mercy Johnson presented the award for ‘Best Comedy’. Mercy Johnson seemed nervous or perhaps shy on stage and intermittently clutched her frock, raising it off the floor nervously. But she did regain her composure a bit CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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Theatre

Critics

Friday, March 14, 2014

Another look at Lagos Theatre Festival

Many plays staged at the justconcluded Lagos Theatre Festival spoke volumes of our appreciation arts. Ada Igbokwe Let me begin with ‘Diagnosis’, a play produced by Imagine Nigeria, comprising Seyi Emmanuel and Ifeoma Fafunwa who met in 2007 when they worked on the premiere of Eve Ensler’s V Monologues in Lagos. Since then, they have worked on productions including Sefi Atta’s ‘Bigger and Better’ and ‘The Naming Ceremony’ at the 2012 Olympics in London. In the play, Johnnie and Dan are good friends who have gone through hell and high water to escape the realities of Lagos living. They decide to pull off internet scams. After striking a chord with Canadian born Adeline who agrees to fund their imaginary non-governmental organisation (NGO) scheme, however, something goes wrong. Another exciting participatory play at the Lagos Theatre Festival 2014 was ‘Make We Waka’ a play by Look Left Look Right, an award-winning site-specific theatre company making dynamic and interactive theatre inspired by and about the contemporary world. Produced by prolific artistic directors Mimi Poskitt and Molly Taylor, the play unravels the history of Freedom Park. The duo said: “The city is chaotic and crazy, so we created a show about Lagos. It is a unique opportunity for us. This is the first time we are asked to create a show. Being in Lagos is fascinating and we have been inspired by the history of Freedom Park.” Apart from the tour guides (actors), about sixteeen people including guests took part in the show which reveals the brief history of Freedom Park that hitherto served as a prison yard. The 60 minute long show was indeed a theatrical experience that got everyone involved, engaged and informed about the history of the park. Participants, who converged at the prison yard were given tags and paired in twos and each

‘Make We Waka’ cast

WHOEVER ATTENDED THE MAIDEN EDITION AND THE SECOND EDITION OF THE

LAGOS THEATRE

FESTIVAL WOULD TRULY LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT EDITION group was given MP3 players that served as direction or guide round the park, a map and an umbrella. This writer, being a participant walked with her partner through the amphitheatre where they met a tour guide, Victor (Frank Konwea), a professional dancer/performer who interacted with the tourists and said that amphitheatre is a place one gets to and meets an actor. Participants danced with him and moved to another scene where a well built, tall man known as a taxi driver was sitting on a bench, waiting for a passenger to pick a drop. Typical of a Lagos taxi driver, he itemised his rules and regulations: “Use your seat belts; this motor is ‘Otumokpo’ (magical) so he hit the bonnet to start

it, signifying it was not in a good condition, but had to be pushed or hit before it would start. Few minutes later, he started abusing his passengers because the amount they intended to pay did not favour him. He quickly asked them to alight and started looking for another passenger. At the Kongi’s Harvest, Dr. Francis, dressed in a white shirt, red bow-tie and grey trousers, told a story of when he was student and had a friend in school that was always running into trouble. He later studied medicine and became a medical doctor at the Freedom Park treating the inmates while his friend ended up in jail due to his lifestyle. Tourists also met a tour guide at the Hanging Garden or a Stage for the Dead that had rows of cells. He told stories of what happened in the 1950s in that garden and emphasised the importance of telling stories, listening and documenting stories told by old people. “Histories get lost in the country if it is not transferred from generation to generation. Talk to the older people and record oral history.” At the large red metal structure, which was designed to indicate where cells once stood in the park, a tour guide, Agatha,

gave reasons why the park should be converted to a housing estate or a shopping mall to yield millions of money to the state, but this writer kicked against her idea and insisted that the park remained the way it is to serve as a tourists’ site where people from different parts of the world can visit. The last port of call before the participants converged and ended the show with some dance-steps was the Vason Gallery, where artworks were displayed. Participants lay with the tour guide on a mat and talked about issues bordering on love and freedom. Participants were given brushes and paints to draw images of their choice to honour the departed souls. Whoever attended the maiden edition and the second edition of the Lagos Theatre Festival would truly look forward to the next edition because it is a festival without rival. Kudos to the British Council, which has over 700 staff in 100 countries that work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes. *Ada Igbokwe, is an art critic and journalist.

AMVCA @2: An insider’s assessment CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 when presenting the award with a jibe at Elvis Chucks, the winner. I found it curious though that when Mercy came on stage, a lot of ladies in the audience were having hushed conversations about her dress or perhaps her tactless lifting of the dress onstage? Whatever it was with that, no one could fault the impression her ‘Ukwu’ made on the audience when she turned to leave the stage! Ramsey Nouah and Bimbo Akintola presented the award for ‘Best Movie Drama’. Ramsey looked good in his kaftan and I would vote him as one of the best dressed for the night. Frank Rajah Arase’s movie , ‘The Price’ won in that category and amid his acceptance speech he curiously said ‘Yvonne Nelson, I give you all the glory!’. Huh? Some of us looked at ourselves, askance. Was Frank Rajah telling us that Yvonne Nelson is his ‘saviour’ or was that a nervous flow in his stream of

speech? Frank, you get case to answer o! Hmmmm. You nor fear, you carry Jesus Glory go give woman! For this season of Lent! Issorait! Lol. Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva presented ‘The Industry Merit Award’ to veteran actor, Pete Edochie. There’s something always cool as cucumber about Pete Edochie. His taped acceptance speech was played in which he ensured the whole world recognised that he’s a titled Igbo Chief with the way he was dressed and the calm and collected manner he spoke. He ended his speech with an advice for aspiring actors; ‘Don’t run after the press, they will run after you when you are successful’. His award came with a brand new Hyundai SUV which was collected on his behalf by his representative. The award for ‘Best Actress in a Drama’ was won by Nse Ikpe-Etim. Deservedly so for a very intense actress! Congrats, Nse. Her award was received on her behalf by Ashionye Raccah. OC Ukeje and Genevieve Nnaji presented ‘Best Actor in Drama’ won by Tope Tedela. Many people expected Majid

Machel to win but I guess Tope must have held his own somehow in the voting process. Besides, it is good to know that a new generation of actors are taking the reins in Africa. The show ended at about 21.33 CAT and the impressive KAKADU ensemble closed the show with a good performance as the guests left the hall. One must mention that one appreciates that a lot of time and energy goes into planning events such as this. Theorganisers must be commended for investing their resources in Africa’s film industry by institutionalising an annual reward system for the burgeoning film sector. However, this year’s AMVCA had a few flaws, though it is an improvement from last year’s. While the entertainment value of the event this year was quite good, one couldn’t help leaving the event with a nagging analogy that the much-hyped ‘night of Africa Magic’ had something akin to a magician who had an outstretched hat to perform a trick but the audience just didn’t see the rabbit this time.

Inside FCT

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Residents lament high cost of medicare MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

ike other major investors that have come to tap from the opportunities the Federal Capital Territory presents, private and public hospitals are growing in the city. More strategically located and sumptuously built are the private hospitals which have been recording geometric growth in the past few years. But, as they swell in number, so does the gap between them and the common man on the street widens; their charges are high. The public health facilities are not spared; the ill started from them and little is being done to stop it. Even though they are cheaper, more available and accessible to the public, there have consistently been issues with industrial crisis, poor workers’ attitude and deficient services. More worrisome are situations in the facilities that it is often very difficult to clearly define their functions as primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions; everything is lumped together in the hospitals; they attend to virtually all cases, which further worsens service delivery. Today in the FCT, many residents find it very difficult to cope with the out-of-pocket payment for health care, which is still predominant in the country. This has resultantly promoted self-medication, production and consumption of unapproved medications to the detriment of the wellbeing of the consumers.

Typical public hospital

OFTEN, I BOIL HERBS TO TREAT MYSELF AND MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY. I ALSO BUY THE PREPARATIONS HAWKED BY SOME TRADITIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS IN THE

VILLAGE.

MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE SEEN

THE HERBAL MEDICATIONS AS ALTERNATIVE TO THE HOSPITALS WHICH ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

‘Inside FCT’ observed that even though a good percentage of citizens who enjoy health insurance packages live in the FCT, there is a yet a lot of complaints bordering on dissatisfaction with the modus operandi of the scheme. “In most cases

when I am not really sure of the what is actually wrong with me, I resort to buying drugs such as paracetamol and the likes because I know that is almost the same thing I will get at the hospital if go there,” said Mrs Enang Christiana, who shared her ex-

Duke supports ‘Jewel of Africa’ JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

he Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, has canvassed support for the ‘Jewel of Africa’, a TV reality show, from both public and private sector noting that this if done would promote African heritage Speaking, in Abuja, when a delegation of the Governing Council paid him a courtesy call in his office, he said that Nigerian should throw their weight behind the African TV reality show. While calling on all Nigerians to support the laudable TV reality show, meant to showcase the cultural heritage of African society and in particular Nigeria, Duke said, the greatest asset of Nigeria was the riches of its culture and the natural assets that defined her as a people as the largest black African race in the world. “I wish to affirm our support for the realisation of the project; culture is a common wealth irrespective of where we come from,” The Minister promised to seek audience with President Goodluck Jonathan for his endorsement, adding that it was a way of promoting the African heritage. He also said that he would fast-track the endorsement of the project by corporate bodies. In his remark, the Chairman Governing Council, ‘Jewel of Africa’, Sen. Olorunibe Mamora who was represented by Sen. Grace Bent, said TV reality

show was aimed to showcase African culture. According to him, this initiative will compete with the ‘Big Brother Africa’ (BBA) in contents and moral values. The project was a Nigerian homegrown annual event aimed at showing the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Africa and promoting it as a safe, warm and hospitable destination. “TV reality show was geared toward mobilising Africans for peaceful coexistence and harmonious living, adding that the project was capable of bringing Africans together while promoting its beauty and strength in diversity. The reality show tagged: ‘Jewel of Africa’, is a continent-wide multi-dimensional culture-promoting concept of TV reality show designed to restore Africa’s ravaged cultural values.

Edem Duke

perience of the scheme with our reporter. “The scheme is a very good initiative, I can’t deny that; but there is still a lot to be clarified on the way we are treated and the nature of the drugs given to us. I don’t expect government to deduct premium from my salary monthly and expect me to receive care far below the premium I pay. I have been on the scheme for four years, I don’t think I have enjoyed service that is worth N5000; except for medical check-up, I hardly go to hospital; including everyone in my family.” Abdullahi Amballi, a civil servant, told ‘Inside FCT’ that the Federal Government should make good its promise to strengthen the health insurance scheme and allow it accommodate different strata of the society. “We don’t want only the government employees to be only beneficiaries of the scheme. No matter the kind of services rendered by the scheme, we are ready to embrace them. We are all Nigerians. The scheme should be designed in such a way that it will accommodate everyone. There must be no discrimination against anyone. I am still sure that it is the best way to provide quality and cheap health care for Nigerians,” he argued. He added that the surge in the number of private health facilities notwithstanding, any Nigerian, he said, is free to choose

among either public or private health facilities that will provide service for them. Another resident who spoke with ‘Inside FCT’ was Agnes Adebola. She complained that costs of tests are too exorbitant. “I have gone to different hospitals in Abuja, the doctors told me to conduct different tests. I was told the first would cost about N10,000, the second N12,000.00 and the third N6000; totaling about N28000. I couldn’t afford the money; for the past two months, the notes of the tests have been in my house. I can’t afford it; it is too costly for me. If I go to private hospital, it will be costlier. “Different hospitals exist in this city, yet, we hear the reports of people dying in their homes. They love to be treated in these facilities, but they cannot afford them; the bills are exploitative to many of them,” she added. Yet another resident of the city, Mukail Musa, told our reporter: “We are not enjoying health services; the cost of care is high. Like Sauka where I live, there is no health facility, either private or public. I have to go to the FAAN hospital or Air Force Base Hospital before I could get any trained health worker to treat me. Often, I boil herbs to treat myself and members of my family. I also buy the preparations hawked by some traditional medicine practitioners in the village. Many people in our community have seen the herbal medications as alternative to the hospitals which are not available.” The foregoing therefore justify the reason various hawkers of trado-medicine keep flooding the city everyday with claims that are not yet verified by agencies of government vested with that responsibility.

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Inside FCT

Friday, March 14, 2014

Fuel scarcity: Touts make brisk business, as motorists groan ADEOLA TUKURU ABUJA

outs have started cashing in on the scarcity of fuel in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to make brisk business as a litre now sells for N200, as against the N97 official price. Some motorists who resorted to black market have raised alarm over the fuel scarcity which started on Tuesday in Abuja, stating that these touts are exploiting them due to the lack of commodity. ‘Inside FCT’ observed that these touts are stationed at every corner of the road of Abuja waiting for motorists with their kegs and pipe. When our reporter sampled the opinion of some motorists, James Isaac said:”The situation we are facing as related to fuel scarcity is so pathetic. You can imagine how some of these boys (Black marketers) go about extorting from us anyhow “I wish to call on the relevant authorities to see how they can rectify this flaws ,because for how long are we going to continue like this ,” He said. One of the black marketers, Shuaibu Abdul,said that the only way they can make ends meet due to lack of employment . “Before we can’t this fuel, we sleep all through the night at the filling stations,” he said. Also residents, civil servants now walk long distances due to non availability of commercial transport due to the fuel scarcity. A cross section of residents have urged President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene to save them from further hardship. At the Total petrol station in Kubwa, Gwarimpa motorists waited for several hours in a very long queue before they could buy fuel. However, some were not so lucky as they were told that the station had exhausted its stock. Lamenting the situation, Mr. Bayo Oyewole said that he had been at the filling station for over four hours, only to be told there was no more fuel. He wondered where he was going to get fuel “to use to work tomorrow” Another motorist who simply identified himself

Fuel...black market

Fuel queue in Abuja

as Mrs Jane Johnson decried that the station management had refused to sell fuel to motorists, as they preferred selling to those with gallons, as according to him, they make more money. Musa Ibrahim bemoaned the situation which he described as very painful. He said that “instead of being in the house relaxing after work, he has been at the filling station trying to buy fuel since morning. At the NNPC filling Station in Central Area, the story was not different as the queue almost stretched to the water board junction. The situation was however different as motorist blocked the lanes within the city centre causing traffic gridlock in the bid to buy fuel as the station sold fuel. But they lamented that they had to pay as much as much as N500 to the fuel attendant to fill their tanks. Some station manager could not be reached for comment as he was said to be away, but one of the attendant who spoke denied the allegation saying that he was not aware such a practice was taking place.

AT THE TOTAL PETROL STATION IN KUBWA, GWARIMPA MOTORISTS WAITED FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN A VERY LONG QUEUE BEFORE THEY COULD BUY FUEL.

HOWEVER, SOME WERE NOT SO LUCKY AS THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE STATION HAD EXHAUSTED ITS STOCK.

Fulani residents in Abuja decry exclusion from National Conference ADEOLA TUKURU ABUJA

ulani residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the sociocultural association known as Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, have faulted the composition of delegates to the National Conference slated for inauguration on Monday, saying that the Conference may not achieve its objectives if relevant ethnic groups are not well represented. The National President of the association, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, who stated this in Abuja during a meeting with its members, lamented that Fulanis were ready to express their problems at the conference, but that it is unfortunate they are not in the published list of delegates by the Federal Government. “We are surprised that the government did not recognise the Fulani socio-cultural organisation in their activities. When the list of delegates to the National

conference was announced last Friday, we expected to see the name our representatives, even if there were claimed of any, those people did not know the problems that the Fulanis are facing,” Bodejo said. He therefore appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to use his good offices to address the problem of Fulani ethnic nationality’s exclusion before the commencement of the conference. According to him, the Fulanis are contributing to the economic growth of the country but with their exclusion from the Confab, it appeared that government is not taking them serious, especially in talking the problems of grazing reserve and farmer/ Fulani crisis in some part of the states. Badejo hinged his appeal on sundry factors including, the lingering problem of clashes between farmers and cattle Fulanis which, he said could be amicably resolved through dialogue.

Mirror Mongers

Friday, March 14, 2014

Muna Obiekwe: Nigeria’s Roccho Siffredi?

Peace Ambassador Terry G!

new fad is pervading the entertainment industry in Nigeria. And this is the trend of being named (or appointed?) a peace ambassador, especially to the initiative by the African First Ladies Conference. In the last couple of days a number of artistes have been endorsed as ambassadors. I mean artistes like KCee, Omawumi and Timi Dakolo. But the name that is leaving a lot of mouths hanging according to the buzz is Terry G. Now a peace ambassador is supposed to be the cynosure of peaceful co-existence and according to one stakeholder, he cannot see any lines in any of Terry G’s songs, which preached peace. The hope is that the appointment does not one day involve Jude Okoye….after he was accused of displaying guns and bullets on the social media. Can 2Face Idibia make a good ambassador of celibacy?

Terry-G

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Muna Obiekwe

hubby-faced Muna Obiekwe always strikes the pose of the perfect gentleman, and one can bet that a lot of Nigerian ladies will attest to this fact. In terms of comportment, he has also ‘packaged himself ’ very well, so

much that he is hardly a victim of any run in with the law, unlike a number of his colleagues like…. you know. But when you think of how to catch Muna misbehaving, it is likely going to be in the kind of roles he takes. There are many though but the one that is easily recognisable is ‘Dirty Secrets’, which he acted with Tonto Dike and Jibola Daboh. But that is a child’s play, according to the buzz, when compared with what is

currently in the studio for editing. He acted with an actress named Biola Ige, and Biola was stark naked in the movie, while Muna’s character fondled with her pair of massive breasts. The buzz in the industry is that Muna Obiekwe will soon become Roccho Siffredi, the Italian actor, who remains one of the most recognisable faces in the adult movie business. Siffredi is so good that fans all over the world call him Italian Stallion.

Price of urbanisation

Genevieve Nnaji, Van Vicker at the arena

nybody who has followed the home video industry will agree that before the emergence of Ghanaian actor, Van Vicker, the Nigerian actor in vogue was Ramey Nouah. Yes, Ramsey was everywhere with Genevieve Nnaji doing their thing, making the money and embracing fame. But that has seized; and only God knows if it is because the producers have found a cheaper (or better?) alternative. But this is not the issue. The buzz is that Genevieve Nnaji mentioned to someone that Van Vicker is not good in acting (perhaps having done this with Ramsey over the years) and the Ghanaian act0r is not

finding this funny one bit. In his recent interview, he remarked: “I read the article but I wasn’t bothered about it because that was her opinion, and she is entitled to it. I never re-

sponded to it, and I don’t think I will. Nevertheless, I don’t have any ill feelings towards her. Now, whether her opinion has changed or is still the same, it doesn’t make much of a difference

Genevieve-Nnaji

to me, because I know I am a fantastic actor and I am doing what I am doing with passion. I am enjoying it and I’m making the best I can of it. Having said that, if I am given a job to do and she is involved, I would do the job. I won’t say because she said this, I won’t do the job. If I meet her at a function or on a movie shoot, I’ll ask her; but I won’t do it through the media. Some of these things people write on the blogs are not even true; it’s possible they twisted her words. They do it to me all the time, so it’s possible they did that to her. But when I meet her personally, I will ask her if she did say that. And if she did, the conversation will continue”.

Urbanisation

esidents of the border towns of Ogun State, stretching from Ojodu-Abiodun to Akute and Ijoko, where the road construction is supposed to be going on, do not really know what to say as the first rains of 2014 descended on the communities earlier in the week. The construction going on simply caused a gridlock, because the alternative routes were flooded and

impassable. This brought anguish on the residents. The residents however feel that the State Governor who used to come around every forthright (until recently) to check the progress of the work, needs to come around now so they can request that alternative routes to Ojodu-Berger be focused on in the meantime to alleviate the sufferings of the masses, who seem to be preferring the old order.

MARTIN ONOVO Some leaders of thought have been critical of the National Conference, whose members would be officially inaugurated next week. Martin Onovo, the Presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the 2011 Presidential election and co-convener, Movement for Fundamental Change is one of them and reacts to the issue: Why are you against it when a lot of Nigerians have been clamouring for it?

W Martin Onovo

ell, first from a moral point of view, it is part of the deceitful nature of this administration to divert attention from the phenomenal corruption going on in the country and the failure of governance under this administration. So the motive itself is deceitful. There is no way a bad tree will bear good fruit. The second point here is that it is extra-budgetary and I want Nigerians to take note of that and as such it is a violation of our laws. Where is the national confab going to be funded from? How is the representation going to be arranged, of what benefit is it going to be to Nigerians? Before independence, we had the constitutional conference of, I think, 1953 and I think Nigerians agreed to stay together. Let us stop deceiving ourselves. We have agreed severally to stay together; anybody saying that we were not consulted before the amalgamation in 1914 is being deceitful because we have grown from 1914 to now and throughout that period, several constitutional conferences had taken place.

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Friday, March 14, 2014 Jumada Al-Awwal 13 1435 A.H.

Call to Worship On the authority of Anas bin Malik, the servant of the Messenger of All, the prophet said: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” RELATED BY BUKHARI AND MUSLIM

Women urged to partake in politics AISHA TITILAYO

lhaja Muheebah Adeyemi-Rufai, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Ojo Constituency 1

has encouraged Muslim women to take active roles in politics. Adeyemi-Rufai gave this admonition while speaking on ‘Muslim Women & Political Office: The Myths, the Reality’ at the annual lecture of the organisation of

Muslim Women in Business and the Professions, The Criterion, at Iponri Central Mosque recently. She explained that a woman can equally be involved in political activities in her society as this becomes imperative so as to have

New College President, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, NPMCN, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade (middle) with his wife, Alhaja Nafisat Arogundade, children and some NASFAT members during the Investiture of Prof .Arogundade as the 18th College President, at the College Auditorium, Ijanikin, Lagos.

L-R: Dr. Ajarat Oderinu and Prof. Fatimah Abdul-kareem during the Investiture of Prof. Arogundade as the 18th College President, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, at the College Auditorium, Ijanikin, Lagos.

Wife of Deputy Governor of Oyo State representing the First Lady, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, Mrs Janet Adeyemo; Alhaja Modupe Silifat Animasaun during the 21st memorial anniversary of the founder of Isabatudeen Girls Grammar School, and Book Launch for the late Alhaja Humuani Alaga held in the school premises recently.

the women folks properly represented. “All she needs is her husband’s permission. A woman also has to participate, impact, relate and influence decisions that affect her, her deen and her family. You have to be there to know how these decisions are made and fight for your right.” She noted that a woman in politics is not offensive to God, it is allowed. She added that queen Sheba’s role as seen in the Holy Qur’an makes it clearer that women are not hindered from participating in politics. “If I had listened to what people said, I would not have been here today. Although it is not easy, but I don’t have any cause to regret. Once you follow the guidance of the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet (SAW), you will not go astray.” She said that women should be trained, supported and encouraged to get involved in political activities in order to have a balanced society. Also speaking at the event, Alhaja Sururah Abdul-Majeed, a member of the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Commission while talking on ‘Muslim Women and Good governance in Nigeria’, observed that the first duty of the woman starts from home with the husband and the children. “The home is a woman’s place of primary assignment. Once she performs her duties there right, then the rest is minute. This is because a good, disciplined and corruption-free society starts from a good, disciplined and corruption-free home.”

She observed that a woman, because of her gentleness will be able to reason well and be positively different. She further noted that if women continue to avoid politics because of their belief that politics is a dirty game, then they will continue to be ruled by the dirty ones. She therefore urged the women to stand up, contribute their quota to the development of the nation, always identify with Islam in all that they do and do so with the utmost fear of Allah. Meanwhile, the District Amirah of the Criterion, Alhaja Rahmat Egbeyemi revealed that since the 2015 general election is fast approaching, this year annual lecture is aimed at sensitizing women to take part in the electioneering process. Although she said that a woman does not necessarily need to start from being a governor or a senator, yet she can start from the home. Since women are mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters to politicians, they should endeavour to give good advice to their sons, husbands, brothers and fathers. “Islam protects the status of women and it is not against women contributing to the community. We saw in the case of khadijah who was the market leader of the market of Madinah. Although Islam does not permit a woman to be flamboyant but a woman has her own contributions to make because there are things that affect the women which they are the only one that can make progressive and appropriate solution.”

Quran 112: 1-4 L-R: National Naiba Amirah, The Criterion, Alhaja Fatimah Oyefeso; immediate past District Amirah, Alhaja Shareefah Yusuf; member, Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Commission, Alhaja Sururah Abdul-Majeed; District Amirah, Alhaja Rahmat Egbeyemi at the annual lecture of the Criterion held at Iponri Central Mosque, Surulere, Lagos.

Women are endangered species 28

‘Not yet uhuru for Nigeria’ 29

“Say, ‘He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, and neither is He begotten; And there is nothing that can be compared to Him.”

Pilgrimage: Aliyu has been fair to all 29

Call to Worship

Jumada Al-Awwal 13 1435 A.H. Friday, March 14, 2014

Women are endangered species

ays are earmarked to commemorate great events or people only to empty the treasury and pay lip services. For years, we have celebrated children’s days, Mothers’ days, Teachers’ days, independence days, national days and the like only to have more victims of war, AIDS, diseases, malnutrition, unemployment, underpaid workers, strikes, unpaid and delayed salaries, motherless and homeless children, widows languishing in untold agonies, child trafficking, child labour, oppression and victimization. The centennial is ongoing, in the case of Nigeria, with the slave master who gave birth to relics of big chains, fetters, ‘point of no return’ etc. at Badagry being awarded for a job well done in fettering the hands and feet of our fore fathers…The spate of terrorism and destructions being perpetrated by the so-called Boko Haram and their benefactors is defying almost all logics! The International day for women has come and gone with more tears on the cheeks of women. It

AL-FATIH-ULQUAREEB

MESSAGE with

SHEIKH

ADANGBA

e-mail: ustazadangbe@yahoo.com

hey eat, drink, excrete, and reproduce like human beings. They scattered in the air, the sea, on the mountains, human houses, dumpsites, toilets, holes and anywhere you can think of. They can even transform and live in many carnivorous animals thus attacking humans at any point of meeting. The Qur’an, Hadith and Ijmah explain concern about this world and all its meanings. Allah sent a Prophet to the jinn, what to expect, how to deal with them and what will be the end result of anyone that has anything to do with this (Jinn world) in order to use the jinn to effect life changes. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) explained how the jinn world exists from

is documented by this same International body that, “60 percent of the hungry people are women, 50 percent of pregnant women in developing countries lack proper maternal care, resulting in 240,000 maternal deaths annually from childbirth, 1 out of 6 infants are born with a low birth weight in developing countries, poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five - 3.1 million children each year, a third of all childhood death in sub-Saharan Africa is caused by hunger, 66 million primary schoolage children attend classes hungry across the developing world, with 23 million in Africa alone, every 10 seconds, a child dies from hunger-related diseases, 52 percent of people living with HIV/ AIDS are women, 88 percent of all children and 60 percent of all women living with HIV are in subSaharan Africa, 6.9 million children died in 2011 each year - 19,000 a daymostly from preventable health issues such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia…” (Sources:

US Census Bureau, International Data Base , State of Food Security in the World 2013, World Hunger and Poverty Statistics, 2013, UN AIDS Report on the Global Epidemic, 2013). Women are encouraged to pay more attention to the wigs and attachments on their heads, to the latest fashion of wears, to the display of their beauty in contest at the expense of being good wives or mothers. They are made to participate in the production of films which teach how love is made before the glare of all because of money or popularity. This is against the Islâmic spirit which wants women to be humble and devoted to Allah (SWT). It censors apparels of ostentation and absolutely bans women from involving in pageantry or act that will reveal their nakedness or portray them as irresponsible. Rather than placing women strategically to serve as nation builders, they are abused differently. It starts by the introduction of various beauty pageantry and

The world of Jinn (2) Iblis in a related Hadith from Jabir Bin Abdullah in the book of the world of animal’s vol.2 page 180 written by Assheikh Kamaldeen Adunnairy that “Iblis the accursed, placed his throne on water (sea). He will send delegates out to disturb and destroy humans. On their return, they will give account of their ordeal. If one reports that I did this, Iblis will say you did nothing, and when any of them says, he separated a man and his wife, caused confusion between them; he will move such associate closer to himself and appreciate him that he has done something good. This means a Muslim family should understand that when argument that can lead to a fracas ensued in their home, it is Iblis in action. Let us visit the Holy Qur’an, Suratul Jinn Vs: 1-16 recites, “It has been revealed that jinn numbering from three to ten listened to the Qur’an. They said verily we heard

a wonderful recitation. We can observe and deduce from here that there exist the jinn world and Allah did reckon with it. They are divided two major forms, the good and the bad, (Almustaqeem Wal Qasituun) in their world, there are of many religious sects as it exists in our world, the power they possess from the understanding of these verses that they can fly and stay abreast in air to eavesdrop, such they did during the revelation of Suratul Kauthar, when they stole the hearing. They came to inform their clients on earth that a revelation was about to come. From there, the disbelievers started carrying it around that they knew what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) will say, although similar but quite different to what they said which “And verily we use to sit there in stations to (steal) a hearing but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush.”

contest. This has become global. There are ‘Miss Nigeria’, ‘Miss World’ and the like. This creates riot against the sensibilities of reasonable women. It turns women into animals meant for exhibition. One wonders what moral values and teachings it has for the young girls and the society at large. In the same vein, scourge of female nudity is on the increase. Women wear just anything to impress men, even if such apparel will put them into discomfort. It is nothing but abuse of womanhood for matured woman to appear in the public wearing transparent and tight fitting dress like ‘wicked straps’, ‘mono straps’, hot pants, ‘tubes’, ‘show me your belly’, ‘bare backs’ and the like. I see it as an

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IN HIS LIGHT with

USTAZ

A. ZAFARAN e-mail: zatabumuneeb@yahoo.com affront on womanhood. It is a “gateway” for promiscuity. This is also a case of women abusing themselves under the guise of modernism. It is an intellectual abuse as they now live to please men. Pornography is also nothing but exhibition of female genital organs. There are a million of sex magazines showing women in postures that will arouse sexual desire in men or even other women. Most musical albums these days have women as the real object of promotion. They are made to flaunt their buttocks. They, at times, almost dance nakedly for material gains.

Who is Allah?

he proper terminology used in Islam, for God is “Allah.” The term “Allah” in Arabic means the one, only universal God or Creator and Provider of the universe. The fundamental pillar of faith in Islam is to declare that “there is no deity worthy of worship except the One True Almighty God.” According to Islamic belief, Allah is the proper name of God. He is the only God, creator of the universe, and the judge of humankind. He is unique and inherently one. The Qur’an declares the reality of Allah, His inaccessible mystery, His various names, and His actions on behalf of His creatures. Some non-Muslims mistakenly think that Allah is an “Arab god” or some sort of idol. Allah is the proper name of the One True God, in the Arabic language used by Muslims all over the world. Allah is a name that is neither feminine nor masculine, and it cannot be made plural (unlike god, gods, goddess, etc). Muslims believe that there is nothing in the heavens nor on earth that deserves worship except Allah, the One True Creator. Surely, space constraint will deprive me from exploring the subject matter to its fullest but I will try to enumerate. First and foremost,

chapter 112, verses 1 – 4 of the glorious Qur’an says that “Say, ‘He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, and neither is He begotten; And there is nothing that can be compared to Him.” Every Muslim must have a firm belief in this Allah. Chapter 64, verse 13 of the glorious Qur’an explains further on this. It is this Allah that created heaven and earth. He created all those earthly things like mountains, rivers, animals, living and non living things. Chapter 65, verse 12 of the holy book states that “Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like thereof/ the divine command comes down in their midst, that you may know Allah has power over all things, and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge. “ In the Qur’an, people are asked to look around them for the signs of Allah in the natural world. The universe is in perfect order:

The society has reduced them to sex machines. Their dignity as women has been eroded. Most men are made to see women as objects of sex before any other role they may want to play. Drawings and symbols are utilized to publicly exhibit the erogenous zones of women whereas, in Islâm, a Muslim woman is enjoined to wear Hijâb which must properly cover her shapes Thus she is to be seen as an intelligent and moral creature before any other thing. Dr. Zafaran is the Director, Vanguards Academy

the orbits of the planets, the cycles of life and death, the seasons of the year, the mountains and the rivers, the mysteries of the human body. This order and balance are not haphazard or random. The world, and everything in it, has been created with a perfect plan by the One who knows all. Equally, it is Allah that provides for all that He has created. He created day and night. Day time is for working while night period is for resting. It is He that will kill each and everyone at the appointed time and He will raise everybody from death to face judgment on the Last Day. In Muslim understanding, God is beyond our sight and understanding, yet at the same time nearer to us than our jugular vein. Muslims pray directly to Him with no intermediary, and seek guidance from Him alone, because Allah knows well the secrets of your hearts. In conclusion, Islam is a natural faith, a religion of responsibility, purpose, balance, discipline, and simplicity. To be a Muslim is to live your life remembering God and striving to follow His merciful guidance. Sheikh Abdul Ganiyy Umar Arikunkewu is the Founder/National Chief Missioner of Jublatu Rohfatu Llahi Islamic Society of Nigeria (JUBFAT)

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Call to Worship

Friday, March 14, 2014 Jumada Al-Awwal 13 1435 A.H.

‘Not yet uhuru for Nigeria’ SEKINAH LAWAL

call has gone to Nigerian leaders to look inwards and appreciate great scholars instead of celebrating mediocrity as witnessed in the caliber of people given award to mark the centenary. Making the appeal recently was Alhaji Sulaimon Oladiti while speaking at the 21st anniversary thanksgiving and book presentation in memory of Alhaja Humuani Alaga which took place at Isabatudeen Girls Grammar School, Ibadan-Oyo State.

According to him, things must change for us to develop as a nation. “See the caliber of people given award to mark the centenary when we have the likes of Alhaja Humuani Alaga who achieved such a great feat even during the time women were not given the chance to prove their mettle. The school she established over 50years ago has trained millions of people.” He said if we fail to recognize excellence as portrayed by late Alhaja Alaga, the country cannot grow and urged people to emulate her by doing

good memorable things. “Late Alhaja Alaga was a mother in a million, an astute business woman, very humble, generous and religious. Even men found it difficult to establish school then.” Alfa AbdulHamid who represented Imam Bukhari enjoined women to do less of fashion and partying but emulate her piety, humility and service to humanity. Oyo State first lady represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor commended the late Alaga for her great feats and promised to sustain the lofty vision of the noble woman.

While reviewing the book published in her memory, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi said government should intensify efforts aimed at studying such great individuals who have excellec in various field of human endeavours. The Otun-Olubadan, Chief Omowale Kuye, who wrote the foreward of the book urged all to read the book. Among other Sadaqatual-Jahriyah foundation given include University scholarship to the Best two senior Isabatudeen students and renovation of the old school hall by the grandchildren.

L-R: Chief K.O Olatunji; Babatunde Akande, Rtd Diplomat; former SSG, Oyo State, Chief Oladiti Oladapo, former Editorial Board Chairman of Vanguard Newspaper, Alhaji Kola Animasaun; and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Omowale Kuye, OFR, during the 21st memorial anniversary of the founder of Isabatudeen Girls Grammar School, and Book Launch for the late Alhaja Humuani Alaga held in the school premises recently.

L-R: Honorable member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Ojo Constituency 1, Alhaja Muheebah Adeyemi-Rufai; member, board of Trustees, the criterion, Alhaja Monsurah Alli-Oluwafuyi the annual lecture of the Criterion held at Iponri central mosque, Surulere, Lagos.

Motivate Nigerian soldiers -MURIC AISHA TITILAYO

he Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has called on the Federal Government to properly motivate and equip soldiers, especially those in the three states under emergency rule. The Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola in a press release observed that the deaths in these states as a result of Boko Haram onslaughts, indicate that the morale of soldiers in the areas is very low courtesy of poor welfare package and lack of motivation. “This logically explains the recent allegation that soldiers flee on sighting Boko Haram fighters who are better equipped and robustly motivated. It also furnishes us with acceptable casus belli for the current upsurge and perceived invincibility of Boko Haram insurgents.” MURIC decried the allegation that some of the injured soldiers paid

for their treatment. Also, it described the rumoured provision of N50,000 for the family of slain soldiers as disgusting and added that it is enough to dampen the enthusiasm of soldiers in the area. MURIC said unless a drastic review of welfare conditions of soldiers fighting Boko Haram takes place very soon, the vandals may overrun the area. Therefore, it suggested that an immediate institution of a probe into the issue of welfare for Nigerian soldiers in the Boko Haram areas, which should include their feeding, allowances and health care. “The Federal Government must not make the unpardonable mistake of abandoning the North to the North. It will give extremists the chance to take over. We believe that the stability of the North is very crucial to the stability of Nigeria because when the hen perches on the rope, neither the hen nor the rope can stand firmly.”

Pilgrimage: Aliyu has been fair to all Alhaji Shehu Haruna is the Niger State Commissioner for Religious and Affairs, in this interview with Priscilla Dennis, he shares reason why the ministry was created, why the state has remained peaceful and adjudged the best in Hajj operation in 2013, among others. What actually informed the decision to create the Ministry of Religious Affairs? Actually, this ministry is a new one created by Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu about 2 years ago. It was created mainly to enhance peace and religious harmony in the state among people. And I want to say that the purpose for which, the governor created the ministry has been achieved. This is because the ministry has assisted a great deal to further promote the peaceful co-existence among people in the state. Once there is a problem and the ministry is alerted on any issue that is capable of affecting the peace of the state,

it does not waste time in rising up to the challenge by immediately setting up a committee to look into the issue. The issue could be between Christians and Muslims, or Muslims and Muslims. It all depends on the problem and as soon as it gets to us, we will act immediately without delay. That has really helped. What are some of the steps taken to ensure peace and harmony in view of the fact that Niger state is one of the states in the nation that enjoys relative peace? The peace being enjoying in the state is through the effort of the chief servant, who said he was not elected by a section of the society, but by everybody in the state. So, what he does is to be fair to all that are concerned. Just like he approved sum money to complete the construction of a Mosque, likewise, he did for the completion of a Church, you can see, there is a balance between Christians and Muslims in the state. The governor has no bias mind toward any one and this lack of bias has gone a long way in ensuring peace and unity in the state. Another thing that helps in promoting harmonious co-existence is the doing-away with the indigene and non-indigene issue. He made it loud and clear severally that

as long as a person resides in Niger state and contributed positively to the growth and development of the state, he or she is an indigene and must be allowed to enjoy all privileges in the state. For instance, the state government pays the West African Examination Council, WAEC, and National Examination Council, NECO, exams fees for all students, irrespective of state of origin. Look at the Talba Graduate Youth Employment Scheme of the state government; there is no discrimination in employment, it is not restricted to indigenes alone. Every unemployed graduate is qualified to apply as long as he or she lives in the state and ready to contribute to the development of the state. These are just a few of the things the state is doing to encourage harmonious living among people of different religious background, culture and tribes. Last year, the governor warned both Islamic and Christian preachers against preaching incisive messages and that should any preacher does anything contrary; such a preacher will be prosecuted. Has any preacher gone contrary to the order? None has been caught. The governor warned them seriously not to preach provoc-

ative messages that are capable of affecting the peace we have all been enjoying in this state. I want to say that none of them had gone contrary to the directive of the governor, who is a lover of peace. They were told not to preach messages of violence in line with Islamic and Christian injunctions, this is becuase both religions preaches peaceful co-existence among people. The Bible does not preach violence; it preaches peace and good neighbourliness. The Quran also preaches peace and the need for people to be CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Call to Worship

Jumada Al-Awwal 13 1435 A.H. Friday, March 14, 2014

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Every Friday with

Khalifatul

Ahmadiyya

Synopsis from conference of world Religions 2014

bout three weeks ago, Jama’at Ahmadiyya UK held a conference to commemorate its 100 years in Britain. Scholars and representatives of various religions were invited to present concept of God and religion based on their scriptures. The theme of the conference was God in the 21st Century. In addition politicians and human rights activists were also given the opportunity to present their views. The conference was held in a traditional venue called Guildhall which was built around 1429 or perhaps even earlier and is known to be one of the two oldest buildings in London. It has historical significance. The administration of UK Jama’at which organised such a big event did not promote it ahead of time as they should have and were satisfied by simply organising it and anticipating a large number of guests. These days press is a huge source of promoting one’s message. In this regard most Jama’ats around the world do not perform as required and show failings. USA is now improving somewhat in this regard and good work is being carried out in this regard in Ghana, Sierra Leone and francophone Africa countries. We should have access to the media on every level so that the world gets to know the beautiful teaching of Islam. This is great source of Tabligh and Jama’ats need to pay attention to this. Some speakers spoke well and it is hoped it was the voice of their heart. Chairman of the Hindu Council in Britain, Umesh Chander Sahrma said: ‘Today’s topic is very interesting; it means at least one thing is for sure that all of us believe God exists. The other thing that is very clear is that all the political leadership and groups

have failed to bring peace, harmony among the communities or in the world. You can see conflicts all over the place and for one reason or the other people do not believe the political leaders. This is the time when I think we have to come back to our faith.’ He also said that we should lead by example and not simply advise others. Huzoor remarked may Allah make them practice this because this is indeed the reality. The Dalai Lama’s message was read out by his representative in London. He said: ‘All religions teach the virtues of love, altruism and patience. Therefore even if they may hold different philosophical views we should respect them all. Every religious tradition has made significant contribution to the humanity for centuries past. In the future too such traditions can help us promote peace in our own respective communities and bring about harmony and understanding between the neighbours. The important thing is for all believers to put the teachings of their respective religious traditions into practice sincerely into their day to day life. Conflict in the name of religion occurs when people fail to grasp true intent of their respective faith. We should encourage contact between the followers of different religions…general public will develop respect for others’ religious traditions this in turn will promote harmony in society. I give my whole hearted support to the conference of world religions being convened in London on 11 February 2014 by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK. I believe that meetings of this sort have a powerful symbolic effect …my prayers that fruits of your exchanging will be far reaching and long lasting.’ TO BE CONTINUED NEXTWEEK

Pilgrimage: Aliyu has been fair to all CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 generous to their neighbours. Why should a preacher preach incisive or provocative messages? That is not right. What in your opinion is responsible for some of the violence the nation is witnessing, particularly in the north? The main problem responsible for the violence, especially in the north is the issue of the Boko Haram sect. Their activities have been causing a lot of concern, not only to the region, but the nation as a whole. But, we pray by the grace of God that soon, the issue of the insurgence will be put to an end. This is our prayer because prayer is a great weapon for a good Muslim and a good Christian. And I believe we will overcome the challenge. The state has been adjudged as the best in Hajj operation in the country in 2013. How

did your ministry achieved this feat? I want to say that not all governors did what the state governor did for his pilgrims in 2013, the state spent the sum of N1 billion for the successes recorded in pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem. For instance, the state government secured comfortable accommodation for Muslim pilgrims close to the mosque in Makka. Every pilgrim was expected to pay 4000 Riyals to secure accommodation, but the state government took the burden off the people and got better accommodation for 4800 Riyals for the over 4000 pilgrims that performed the Hajj operation from the state in 2013. In 2012 a total of 4500 people attended, but there was a reduction of 20 percent in the number of pilgrims in 2013. The measure was taken to simply make them enjoy their stay and perform their religious rites comfortably while in the holy land. An organisation desired to honour

L-R: Naib Amir, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Northern Region, Dr. Yaqeen Habeeb; Naib Amir, Special Duties, Engr. Alhasan Ahmeed; Amir, Dr. Mash-hud Adenrele Fashola and Circuit, President, Abuja, Dr. Abdulateef Busari, during the 3rd Northern Region Jalsa Tarbiyah(Moral Training Conference)theme: Islamic Model for National Reconciliation and Re-birth at Ahmadiyya Central Mosque, Abuja.

L-R: General Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Alhaji Abbas Iromini, JPC chairman, Alhaji Bankole and Sadr Majlis Ansarullah Nigeria, Alhaji Mikail Odukoya, Turaki, Santalin Karshi, Nasarawa, Alhaji Muhammed Musa; Missionary in- Charge, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Maulvi Abdulkhalique Nayyar at the conference in Abuja.

L-R: Alhaja Silifat Jadesola Oyewola; Mrs. Laide Ogunmuyiwa; Alhaja Sidiqat Shobo; (Children of late Humuani Alaga) Prof Tajudeen Gbadebo Gbadamosi and Mrs Titilayo Sanusi, one of the Children) during the 21st memorial anniversary of the founder of Isabatudeen Girls Grammar School, and Book Launch for the late Alhaja Humuani Alaga held in the school premises recently.

the governor with an award for the best-organized state in Africa during the 2013 Hajj and we are excited. And I want to say that every pilgrim that travelled to Makka last year was very happy, and they pray well for the development of the state and the nation at large. Even those that went on pilgrimage to Isreal also had similar experience. They were well-attended to and they returned home very happy. This is because every logistics needed by the ministry to make the pilgrims’ stay in both Mecca and Isreal were released by the governor. In Saudi Arabia, everything was well-organized. In fact, our movement was so orderly to the point that one of the concerned Hajj Operator in Saudi Arabia, speaking to me, said he wished other states could emulate Niger state and likened the state’ pilgrims movement to that of the Arabs! And I believe those were some of the things, the religious organization in Saudi Arabia saw and made it singled out our Chief Servant, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu to honour him with an award for the

best-organized state pilgrims in Africa. Even the leader of the delegation to Isreal, Barrister Abraham Yisa confirmed to me that the movement of pilgrims in Isreal last year was well-organized and all the pilgrims returned home, none of them defected. How is the state preparing for2014 Hajj in order to ensure it records even more success than previous years? The truth is if we must maintain the position, we presently hold, we must start early. And that is what we are doing. We have set plans in motion for the operation already. For instance, last month, the ministry sent a delegation to Mecca to go and commence preparation. We are ahead because we start our plans early. As a young ministry, what are some of your challenges? We have our challenges, but we thank God that when they come, we are able to surmount them and achieve success.

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People In The Mirror

Friday, March 14, 2014

Faces at Africa Magic Viewersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Choice Awards 2014 The African entertainment landscape sizzled last week as the second edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, AMVCA, held at Eko Hotel and Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Adeyemi Okanlanwon

Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi

Julius Agwu

Agbani Darego

Chidi Mokeme

IK Ogbonna

Genevieve Nnaji

Liz Yemoja

Funke Akindele

,lo.,lop03

Juliet Ibrahim

Iyanya

Mike Ezuruonye

Joselyn Dumas

Ohimai Atafo

Osas Ighodaro

Uti Nwachukwu Osita Iheme

Rita Dominic

Seyi Shay

Tonye Garrick

Waje

PHOTOS: BELLA NAIJA

Arty News

Friday, March 14, 2014

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Arewa releases “Baba Omo” S

hola Odekunle, otherwise known among her growing fans as Arewa, has released a new single titled: “Baba Omo”. The didactic message in this banker cum singer’s new single is not intended to hurt or incite but to inform and educate. ‘Baba Omo’ is a song that basically talks about irresponsible parents. To simplify it, it is saying that parents should be there to watch their kids grow, no matter the situation and no matter the relationship with the other parent. I wouldn’t call it an abstract song because the meaning is clear but it’s not limited to the ‘Baba’, it could be the ‘Mama’ as well,” she said.

The University of Ilorin-trained lawyer, Arewa said unlike the music that pervades the airwaves today, some of which are admittedly noise, bar substance or message, her music can be likened to abstract art, which is borne out of the experiences of people around her. Speaking on the genesis of her stage name, Arewa, the svelte beauty says Arewa, which means the beautiful one, “Is not only my name as an artiste, it means my style of music. Arewa music is about message songs. They are inspirational songs about serious topics which are however presented in a light and usually funny way.” Thus, when her debut album is released, it would be titled: “Simply

Orezi

Orezi set with new video, ‘U Garrit’

usic star, Orezi has started this year on a sound note having just returned to the country from South Africa after over a month, shooting another big budget music video of his latest song ‘U Garrit’. He was accompanied on the trip by the producer of the song, Del B, who incidentally produced Kcee’s hit ‘Limpopo’ among many others. The young music talent that took Africa by storm with his ‘Rihanna’ song, may soon become an ambassador of a mobile telecommunications company. “It promises to be a great year, with lots of promises,” was the reply Sprisal Records gave through its Media Company, Media Image Managers, MIM, in response to the endorsement question. Meanwhile, the stage appears set for the artiste to release his full album this year. “Yes, we are working hard to do just that (release the full album), it’s almost ready and hopefully, very soon, my fans all over Nigeria and Africa as well as Europe

Brymo

will finally get to taste Orezi’s full album. I don’t need to remind you that it will be very explosive. About my trip to South Africa: it was a very fulfilling experience, everything worked out well and at the end, we have a beautiful video that my fans will be proud off just as they are proud of Rihanna’s.” There was not much intrigue surrounding the video of ‘U Garrit’ unlike ‘Rihanna’s where a worldwide search for a Rihanna was initiated online before one was finally found in Mauritius. “Well, if you say so, the circumstances surrounding the shooting of ‘Rihanna’ video gave birth to what you described as the intrigue and drama. You know we actually wanted Rihanna for the video and did everything possible to get her, but she was really booked so we had to revert to the contingency plan. Just like this recent shoot, we had a wonderful time in South Africa; it was truly a rewarding experience and a most educative for me as a growing artiste.”

Utuama stresses Delta’s resolve on tourism

elta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN, has said the state government is committed to the development of the tourism industry. He said the Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration is determined to make the state a leading tourism destination in the country, adding that tourism is an integral part of expanding the economy of Delta State, beyond oil. Prof. Utuama said this at commissioning of the Enquiry Office of the Nelson Mandela Garden, Asaba International Airport, Asaba, describing the Mandela

Garden as a fitting icing on the cake to mark the last birthday of the late great Icon, Nelson Mandela. He noted that the Garden is partly a fulfillment of a life -long passion of tree planting and a contribution towards environmental preservation by Dr Newton Jibunoh, a renowned conservationist. The Deputy Governor added that “given the adversity of climate change, preserving the environment is a duty we owe to all and the future generations.” The state deputy governor urged every member of the public to seek information

about the Garden from the enquiry office in order to achieve the overall multiple objectives of the Mandela Garden, adding that through the Garden, “Asaba has joined other prestigious cities like Washington, Johannesburg and London where they have Mandela Gardens”. While commending Dr. Newton Jibunoh for his vision in initiating the project on the 95th birthday of Nelson Mandela when he was alive, he noted that the garden is a multi-purpose facility that is designed to serve the recreational, tourism, educational, environmental and histori-

cal needs of mankind, and that it is a collaborative project of the Delta State Government and the Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE). Dr. Newton Jibunoh, founder of FADE, in his address, said commissioning of the enquiry office where information can be sourced is the second phase of the project as the first phase has been commissioned with the presence of the Mandela family. While thanking the state government for taking the project seriously, he asserted that the garden will serve in different capacity, as it is a multi- purpose project.

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Arty News

Friday, March 14, 2014

27 33

KCee, Wizkid, Harrysong thrill at polo tourney Nyong’o nominated for W izkid, Harrysong and KCee shone like the million stars on March 1 to the delight of polo buffs, who thronged the Ribadu Road venue of the Lagos International Polo Tournament, which came to an exciting end on March 2, to watch the MTN ambassadors perform. Well known for his ability to leave crowds hysteric and screaming for more, Wizkid, one of the three MTN ambassadors mounted the stage and the whole ground became electrified as the talented artiste demonstrated the reason he is widely regarded as one of the best music exports to the world. The polo enthusiasts cum music lovers sang along to Wizkid’s old hits like “Holla at your Boy” and new tracks like “On top your Matter” and many more to the delight of the massive crowd. Harrysong added more spice to the show as he came on stage to perform his download-chart busting “Tribute to Mandela”. KCee, the “Limpopo” crooner, put everyone on their toes with his “Pull Over” hit track and the Ribadu Road polo ground was turned into an instant dance hall, as everyone at the event could not resist the melody of the song that is still making waves. The first weekend of the tournament

ended with Yemi Alade performing her latest songs. The up and coming music star, stepped on stage and performed some of her songs currently making waves both on TV and radio. The popular polo ground hosted some of Nigeria’s finest who came to enjoy the game of kings, like the Oba of Lagos, HRH RilwanBabatundeOsuolaleAremuAkiolu 1, the Vice-President

of the Dangote Group, Sani Dangote, Senator Tokunboh Ogunbanjo, former presidential aspirant, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, Dr. Desmond Majekodunmi; the Attorney-General of Ogun State, Mrs.Abimbola Akeredolu, the Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, Prince Lanre Tejuosho and many other dignitaries graced the tourney.

Perfomance at Polo tourney

Nigeria, India collaborate on film productions

alks have begun between Nigeria and India on the need to collaborate and promote film production activities in both countries. At the talks, His Excellency, Mr. A.R. Ghanashyam, Indian Ambassador to Nigeria; and Dr. Danjuma Dadu, Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) averred that the film medium has helped to shape the behavioural pattern of peoples of both countries. The potency of film as a means for social mobilisation, they further agreed should be fully utilised continuously for the purpose of stability, political and economic development of India and Nigeria. Ambassador Ghanashyam said that the film industry has contributed immensely to the development of India, and

that despite the existence of over 118 different languages, the only language that has unified the people of India is film, with several cinema theatres and viewing centres spread across India. Elated Ghanashyam said that the influence of the film industry has been instrumental to the growth of the Indian economy and as such there has been the deliberate attempt to ensure that films are produced for all age groups on a sustainable basis. However, films for children, he said are being supported and promoted to ensure that they (Children) are appropriately influenced “to lead the India of tomorrow”. The Nigerian film industry, has carved a niche for itself, the Indian Envoy said, praising the ingenuity of Nigerian film-

Dadu and Indian High Commissioner, Ghanashyam

makers. He called on Nigerian filmmakers to sustain the tempo of film production activities especially those that will positively influence the attitudes of youths towards a brighter future for Nigeria. He assured that India will participate at the forthcoming ZUMA International Film Festival holding in Abuja, Nigeria, May 4 to May 8, 2014. A Nigerian film festival to be staged in India also received the endorsement at the talks with both the Indian Envoy and NFC Boss agreeing that such a film festival will engender the needed collaboration and partnership between film makers from both countries. Speaking earlier, Dr. Dadu, NFC’s Managing Director traced the history of the relationship between Nigeria and India to the early 70’s when most Nigerian schools and hospitals had a large number of Indian teachers and doctors. Nigerians, he said will equally not forget in a hurry the incursion and influence of Indian movies which featured in most of the cinema theatres across the country. Dadu was optimistic that the quest to partner the Indian Embassy in Nigeria will rub off on the structures and guidelines being developed by the Nigerian Film Corporation to address the growth of the sector. He promised Nigeria’s support and participation at the Indian Film Week which kicks off March 31 to April 6, 2014 in Abuja, Nigeria, stating also that the proposed Film City in Jos and the Multimedia Film Centre in Abuja will draw from the India experience. Further talks on the Nollywood - Bollywood partnership will be held soon, when the Indian Ambassador Mr. A.R. Ghanashyam, visits NFC in Jos.

MTV Movie Awards

TV has announced the nominees for the “2014 MTV Movie Awards,” setting the stage for an epic showdown between some critically-acclaimed films. Kenyan Oscar winner and red carpet darling, Lupita Nyong’o takes her place among the nominees for this year’s show – a fitting tribute for the actress, who got her first professional on screen acting break on the MTV Base HIV & AIDS awareness drama, ‘Shuga’. Lupita will be going up against A-listers and Hollywood veterans Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Anniston for a coveted Movie Awards trophy in the ‘Best Female Performance’ category. Fans can get in on the fierce competition by casting votes for their favorite nominees at www.MovieAwards. MTV.com beginning Thursday 6 March until Saturday 12 April in categories you’ll never see in any other awards show, including ‘Best Comedic Performance’, ‘Best Villain’, ‘Best Kiss’, ‘Best Scared-As-St Performance’, ‘Best Musical Moment’, ‘Best On-Screen Duo’, ‘Best Fight’, ‘Best Shirtless Performance’ and more. This year, the “MTV Movie Awards” has the distinction of being the only Awards show to nominate cinematic legend Robert De Niro, Kanye West and Joan Rivers in the same category (Best Cameo), see Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto take on Ice Cube and Kevin Hart (Best On-Screen Duo), and pit Jennifer Aniston against some of the hottest men on the planet (Zac Efron, Chris Hemsworth, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sam Claflin) for the coveted Best Shirtless Performance category.

Nyongo

Escape

Friday, March 14, 2014

At the opening ceremony

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From the Ruins of the Empire session

Highlights from the best weeken T

he InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City, played host to the sixth edition of the annual Emirates Airline Festival of Literature otherwise known as Emirates LitFest from March 4 – 8. Opening the festival in a glittering ceremony, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, said, “We in the U.A.E., under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, recognise that culture, literature and arts make valuable contributions to the quality of our daily lives.” He added that the festival during the six years has “grown into a defining element of the cultural scene in Dubai and the U.A.E.” The festival, which was named Best Festival’ in the 2013 Middle East Events Awards, presents a dizzying array of genres, topics and subjects that will appeal to audiences of all ages. The 2014 programme boasted some of the biggest names in the world of literature and journalism, with a sprinkling of celebrity mixed in, and includes Mohammed Achaari, Paddy Ashdown, Pam Ayres, AMISH, Khalid al Budoor, Saud al Sanousi, Darcey Bussell, Amit Chaudhuri, Eoin Colfer, Justin Cronin, Nicholas Evans, Judy Finnigan, Parween Habib, Joanne Harris, Ibrahim Mohammad Ibrahim, HaJoon Chang, Simon Kernick, Abdo Khal, Frank Klotgen, Prue Leith, Deon Meyer, Richard Madeley, Hassan Massoudy, Andrew Motion, Jojo Moyes, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Katherine Pancol, Jeremy Paxman, Tim Rice, Ali Al Sayegh, Francesca Simon, Lemn Sissay, Ahdaf Soueif, DJ Taylor, Morgen Witzel, Zep and many more. This year also witnessed 45 Emirati authors attending, an unprecedented number in the festival’s history. More than 30,000 visitors were estimated to have been in Dubai this year for the festival held under the patronage of the Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and is in partnership with Emirates and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the

children at the festival

Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage. What is more, the festival is now part of the Emirates Literature Foundation, which was established last year by Royal Decree. Highlights of the Festival include Desert Stanzas, a night of poetry and music under the stars and the Murder Mystery Dinner, where guests had the chance to use their sleuthing skills to solve a ‘murder’. LitFest Art returned this year with a calligraphy exhibition, live-drawing by cartoonist Zep and Frank Klotgen’s Book Architecture. Education remained a focus at the festival with Education Day sessions open exclusively to students. The Children’s competitions, the Chevron Readers’ Cup, Taaleem Poetry Award, the Oxford University Press Story Writing Competition and the new Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, Qasidah Par Coeur Competition, all had an excellent response this year and the winners were announced during the festival. The Montegrappa First Fiction competition now in its second year produced a winner in Michele Martin, among others with the literary agent and competition judge

Luigi Bonomi announcing the winners at his How to Get Published session. Within a programme of more than 200 workshops there were several food-related sessions, including a Friday Literary Lunch with Greg and Lucy Malouf, cookery book authors and restaurateurs, at Terra Firma in the Inter-Continental on March 7. Guests got to sample the couple’s Modern Middle Eastern dishes and listen to their fascinating stories. The winners of the Oxford University Press Story Writing Competition were announced at the Grand Awards Ceremony on March 8. The third edition had students from local schools in the country participating in the competition which is held by the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in partnership with leading education publisher Oxford University Press. The theme for this year’s competition was ‘Between Hello and Goodbye’, chosen by Carnegie Medal and Whitbread Prizewinning author Geraldine McCaughrean at the previous Festival. Judges remarked on the high standard of the submissions in Arabic and English that were received for the competition, saying that the quality of

story-telling across all genres was particularly impressive. The awards were presented to winning students by local children’s author Sahar Naja Mahfouz and UK children’s illustrator and author Sarah McIntyre, in the presence of Julie Till, Gulf Regional Manager for Oxford University Press, and Isobel Abulhoul, Festival Director, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. Winning entries are published in a dual-language book and winners also received trophies, signed books and tickets to Emirates Airline Festival of Literature creative-writing workshops. Julie Till, Gulf Regional Manager for Oxford University Press said of the competition: “Despite ever-growing distractions in the world, the participants of this competition have shown the compelling power of story-telling. There is such a wealth of creativity and talent in the UAE that needs to be nurtured and Oxford University Press is pleased to encourage this by sponsoring the competition.” But before the glamorous Grand Award Ceremony took place, there was a lot of fun to be had by guests and their children. It is no wonder that a lot of praise has trailed his year’s edition. The Festival showcased 170 authors from 35 countries and was visited by His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Youth, Culture, and Community Development at the Opening Night. The Festival began on March 4 with a grand Opening ceremony, sponsored by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, following which nearly 200 main sessions, workshops, masterclasses and special events highlighted the various forms and genres of literature. Standout events on the last day included the Orwell Lecture, delivered this year by BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen on the subject of Journalism in Dangerous Times, Joanne Harris’s witty account of her latest book and the International Women’s Day Panel where Kate Adie, Georgina Howell, Christina Lamb and Laila Ali Bin Hareb Al Meheiri discussed the changing roles of women.

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Escape

Friday, March 14, 2014

Desert Stanzas event

nd of the year

Michele Martin flanked by representatives of the organisers wins Montegrappa First Fiction 2014 Modern calligraphy workshop

Some guests at the fest

Isobel Abulhoul, Festival Director at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, expressed her delight at the way the Festival had progressed. “We have had an extraordinary Festival this year that has entertained and educated alike. Our diverse line-up of authors and varied programme ensured we catered to a much wider audience than ever before. “We could not have done any of this

without the generous help of our sponsors and supporters, especially our title sponsor Emirates and our partners, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. We would also like to thank our 300 plus volunteers, whose hard work makes this event possible.” Over the five days of the Festival, organisers estimate 30,000 guests attended sessions and the free Penguin Fringe events for children and adults. Dubai Culture and

Arts Authority’s sponsorship enabled the Festival to hold a spectacular Opening ceremony and the Desert Stanzas: Poetry and Music under the stars. At Opening Night, the audience were treated to stunning performances by over 100 schoolchildren along with poetry recitals and entertaining conversations between authors and BBC reporter Riz Khan. The Closing Ceremony featured authors Joanne Harris, Francesca Simon, Ali Al Sayegh, Jim Al-Khalili and John McCarthy bidding the Festival adieu. The Murder Mystery Dinner was another popular event that returned this year, once again giving Festival guests the opportunity to use their sleuthing skills to solve a ‘murder’. LitFest Art also made a return, this time featuring a calligraphy exhibition with works by Mourad Boutros, Long Kaisheng, Hassan Massoudy and Dave Wood, live-drawing by Zep and Frank Klötgen’s book architecture. A number of brand new events were added to the Festival roster, including Friday Rhythms: LiTTLe MACHiNe presents an evening of poetry and music, Literary Idol and Big Ideas! At the Festival’s Education Days, over

2500 students from all over Dubai attended exclusive sessions with a number of authors. Sixty more authors visited schools in the UAE, reaching out to 12,000 lucky students. Children were honoured for their excellence in literature at the Taaleem Poetry Award and Oxford University Press Story Writing competition, as well as the Chevron Readers’ Cup and a new performancepoetry competition, The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center Qasidah Par Coeur Competition. The Montegrappa First Fiction competition was a massive success in its second year and saw an increase in entries. The competition was won by journalist Michele Martin, who has won a trip to the London Book Fair, with flights from Emirates and accommodation provided by the InterContinental Hotel, lunch with literary agent Luigi Bonomi and a Montegrappa pen. Next year’s Festival will be held from March 3 - 7, 2015. During the year, the Festival will continue to hold events and workshops at the Festival home, Dar Al Adaab, in the Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood of Dubai. Culled from emirateslitfest.com

Friday, March 14, 2014

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Mirror Drive

2014

Porsche 911 Turbo S •Heavier, smarter

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

orty years ago at the 1973 Frankfurt International Motor Show, Porsche unwrapped a silver, wide-bodied, whale-tailed prototype bearing those five scripted letters. Something else became inevitable early on; from the original, eternally posterised 930 to the 964-series based Turbo 3.6 to the devastating all-wheel-drive 993 “Bug Killer” to the outgoing 997 Gen II Turbo—not to mention revered special editions with names like GT2 RS—the question, “What could possibly come next?” arises almost as soon as the newest incarnation hits showrooms. Naturally, then, chuckles and knowing headshakes accompany the launch of the new 991-series 911 Turbo and Turbo S. As Porsche recalls, “When delivery of the 911 Turbo began in

early 1975, no one seriously believed that there would be customer demand for further power boosts.” The Porsche's 2014 911 Turbo S is the quickest-accelerating roadgoing series production 911 to date: faster than the latest 911 GT3, faster than the 997 GT2 RS and faster than the road-legal homologation version of the Le Mans-winning 911 GT1. In fact, the new 911 Turbo S is the fastest-accelerating car Porsche has ever placed into open-ended production. Its official 0-60-mph time is 2.9 seconds, but knowing Porsche's penchant for conservative estimates, 2.7 seconds is a realistic guess, especially after cracking skull against headrest testing the cannon-shot launch-control.

And then there is its claimed 0-124-mph time, quoted at 10.1 seconds. The upcoming 918 Spyder hybrid will outgun it, but comparison with an almost-$1-million technotronic hypercar is a nonstarter. Both the Turbo and Turbo S, launched together now for the first time, use an evolution of the 997 versions' twin-turbo-charged 3.8-litre flat-six direct-injection fuel engine. It features altered Vario-Cam Plus valve timing, revised pistons, forged connecting rods and increased combustion pressure. The S engine sits on motorsports-derived hydraulic mounts and makes 560 hp between 6,500 and 6,750 rpm, or 147.4 hp per liter. That is 40 additional hp and 29 lbft more than the standard Turbo, thanks to 17.4 psi of boost pressure versus 14.5 and a rev-limit increase of 200 rpm, to 7,200. With the Sport Chrono package, a temporary over-boost function in the midrange produces an extra 37 lb-ft of torque in both cars for up to 20 seconds by pumping in another 2.2 psi. A revised version of the 997 Turbo S's multiplate-clutch-controlled all-wheel drive pounds the explosiveness to the road. Actuation is electro-hydraulic rather than hydraulic only, delivering power more quickly between axles.

The front differential gets water cooling, while the rear different is of the limited-slip, electronically controlled variety. Porsche's torque vectoring and new rear-wheel steering, seen first on the new GT3, also help to cajole the chassis into corners without drama. The current edition of the Porsche is more than twice as powerful as the original Porsche 911 Turbo, but it needs to be. This is 2014 and a cheaper Japanese coupe has stolen much of the Porsche’s limelight, the Nissan GT-R bursting onto the scene in 2007 and laying it on with more power and upgrades ever since. The latest 911 Turbo has fourwheel steering (as on the 911 GT3), a faster-acting four-wheel drive system, and adaptive aerodynamics that are claimed to be worth two seconds per lap at the Nürburgring. For another £22,000, this Turbo S version has an extra 38bhp and 30lb ft, ceramic brakes, and dynamic engine mounts teamed with an active anti-roll system. All of which means this £140,000 Turbo S has a twin-turbo 3.8-litre flat-six producing 552bhp and up to 553lb ft with a special ‘overboost’ mode. It will hit 62mph in 3.1 seconds and and Porsche’s perfor-

mance claims are always conservative and lap the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 27 seconds. From the outside, it could be a Carrera with a bodykit, and it doesn’t feel any more eventful inside than the entry-level 911 either. It’s much more refined than the last 997-generation Turbo S: the leather-lined interior is a big step forward; despite 20in wheels it rides well; and the PDK transmission slips unobtrusively through the gears. The 997 Turbo S never felt anything other than stupidly fast, but Nissan GT-Rs and McLaren 12Cs have moved the game on, and Porsche has responded. It’s not that much quicker, because the new Turbo S is actually heavier than the old Turbo S, no thanks to the rear-steer and other tech and there is not loads more power and torque, but it’s on par with the GT-R in terms of pace. The current Porsche product doesn’t have an 8500rpm redline like the British supercar, but from 2000rpm there is so much torque that you will think the gearing is too short as the Turbo S eats up the revs. You can’t feel the fancy wings

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

s a part of the most comprehensive model campaign in the brand’s history, ŠKODA is renewing and expanding its model range. The design language of the dynamic and elegant five-door coupé ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ introduces the next evolutionary step in ŠKODA design. The design is becoming more expressive, dynamic and emotional and underpins the dawn of the brand. At the same time the fivedoor Coupé concept demonstrates the possibilities in innovative and emotional chassis design. For more than 100 years, ŠKODA has been manufacturing cars with high demands on design. ŠKODA is once again emphasising the traditional brand’s expertise in design and engineering through the ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ design concept. “We are signalling the next stage i n

Mirror Drive

Friday, March 14, 2014

the evolution of ŠKODA's design language with ‘ŠKODA VisionC’, and thus highlighting the dawn of the brand. The vehicle demonstrates the company's outstanding design and engineering expertise, and underpins the dynamism and value of one of the world's longest-established automotive companies." Skoda Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Prof. Dr. h.c. Windried Vahland. As a five-door Coupé, the ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ features a new expressive, dynamic and emotional design language. The interplay of soft, slightly contoured, concave and convex surfaces, as well as sharp, precise lines creates an immediate impact. The surfaces and proportions demonstrate clear arrangement and a striking interaction

Mirror Drive

of light and shadow. The front has an air of confidence and energy, and the tailgate adds an element of surprise, accentuated with a radical conclusion. In addition to its creative ambition, the ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ impressively demonstrates the ŠKODA engineers’ concept of ingenuity; design, engineering, space, functionality and the emotional coupé

MAINTENANCE TIPS

How to replace fuel hose Continues from last week gain, locate the fuel hose because in cars and trucks, fuel hoses are directly attached to a carburetor or fuel injection port, located beneath the air cleaner. On small engines it will be easily found leading from the gas tank to the carburetor. The user of the motor vehicle should locate the hose clamps that attach the fuel hose to either the fuel line or the steel/plastic tubes the fuel line is connected to. Unscrew a tightening screw on one of the clamps. Slide the clamp down the hose and put it aside. If it is not damaged, it can be reused and place your small bucket or container beneath the fuel hose and firmly pull the hose off of the connecting tube. In most cases, petroleum will leak when the hose is disconnected, so place your bucket or container beneath the end of the hose and allow the remaining fuel to drain and wipe any spilled fuel up with rags. After doing this, the driver should find the other end of the fuel hose

vidual mobility. U n der the bonnet, there is a CNG/petrol bivalent 1.4 TSI/81 kW turbo engine. On fuel, the vehicle consumes a mere 3.4 kg or 5.1 m3 CNG per 100 kilometre, equating to CO2 emissions of only 91 g/km. ŠKODA has made a huge leap in demonstrating that even attractive mid-class vehicles can meet the stringent EU2020 CO2 emissions standard with today’s conventional drive technology.

Skoda Vision C: Coupe with five-door concept

udi Auto Company says it has increased its sales in January by 11.7 percent year on year, delivering around 124,850 vehicles world-wide. The company saw its sales figures rise in all regions of the world. In Europe, Audi grew by 7.8 per cent last month, deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region expanded by 17.6

a n d spoilers working, but the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control anti-roll system is noticeable. Usually you can sense the flat-six out behind the rear axle, but select Sport Plus and the hydraulic stabilisers – with the dynamic engine mounts – react more powerfully and aggressively. The whole car seems to tense, becoming tighter and firmer, and now it acts and reacts more like a mid-engined car, cornering flat with little hint of where the engine is. You lose some of the sensations of that iconic layout, but the pace and poise of the Turbo S is so utterly devastating that won’t care. The four-wheel steer system makes it incredibly agile too, the ceramic brakes are brilliant, traction is impeccable, and although it’s obviously been engineered in, the turbo engine roars more enticingly, with the thick backbeat of exhaust splutter whenever you lift off.

and remove it in the exact same way, but should expect some leaking fuel on that end too. After this, you should clean off any gunk on the connecting tubes with your rags. Push one end of the new fuel hose into a connecting tube and slide clamps over the end of the tube that is not attached, and then push the unattached end of the tube into the other connecting tube. Both ends of the fuel hose should now be connected and in place. You can now slide a clamp over the hose and position it where the hose and connecting tube meet. You can use your screwdriver to do this and turn the tightening screw in a clockwise rotation, tightening it firmly. Repeat this procedure on the other end of the fuel hose too. After the stage, you can now turn on any fuel tank valve, or if applicable, replace the fuel pump fuse. Start your vehicle or small engine and check for leaks. If any leaks are found, the fuel hose may need to be repositioned or you can tighten the clamp a bit more. End

shape combine in compelling unity. The ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ provides plenty of room for four people and their luggage. The large boot and excellent loading capacity are characteristic of ŠKODA. Modern MQB technology, approaching series-produced drive systems, low weight and optimized aerodynamics also demonstrate the high potential of responsible indi-

Audi deliveries up 11.7% in January 2014 per cent, and the growth rate in the Americas was three per cent. “We seamlessly built on the 2013 record figures in January and are taking this momentum into the new year,” said Member of the Board of Management for Sales at AUDI AG, Luca de Meo. “Our goal is to continue our growth in 2014 and develop more strongly than the worldwide overall car market.” In January, the premium manufacturer’s compact-class models again enjoyed a very positive trend in demand: The A3 family grew by 67.2 per cent worldwide to around 17,450 units at the start of the year, the Q3 by 72.6 per cent to around 15,000 units. Meanwhile, also deliveries of Audi’s full-size models increased: a plus of more than 11 per cent. The fastest-growing of these models was the Q7. Its sales climbed by 40.8 percent in the first month of the year. At the start of this year, the Q7 strengthened Audi’s business in China, too: 75 per cent more customers than in the same month of 2013 decide d to

buy this full-size SUV. Also the smallest SUV in the Audi portfolio once again proved very popular. Around 6,000 customers in China received the keys to their new Q3. Across all model lines, AUDI AG delivered a total of about 44,526 cars in China, an increase of 18.2 percent compared to January 2013. In the United States, the Q3 will make its debut at the dealerships in the third quarter; the other Audi Q models have already long been firm favorites with U.S. customers: In January, the Q5 and Q7 accounted for 40 per cent of Audi’s deliveries. Despite the extreme weather conditions gripping the United States in the first weeks of January, Audi slightly exceeded its recordbreaking start to the previous year. Last month, the company sold a total of 10,101 cars in the United States alone. Audi’s growth in the Americas in January was also fostered by its performance in South America, where deliveries were up 11.3 per cent. The highest-growth market here was Brazil, where sales more than doubled compared with the same month last year.

Cocktail

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

. Woman dead for six years found Oddities only after money runs out

or six years the bills were paid, the grass was cut and no one noticed the body of the dead woman sitting in the back seat of a car in a garage of a residential Pontiac, Michigan neighbourhood. Her mummified body was finally found this week by someone dispatched to check on the property that fell into foreclosure after the money ran out of her account and the mortgage payments stopped, police said on Friday.

“It is kind of the perfect storm for a mysterious set of circumstance and a challenge because of the extreme degradation of the body,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a telephone interview. The woman has not yet been positively identified, but it is thought she is a person who stopped working in 2008 and had set up all of her bills to be paid automatically from her bank account.

Barber shop won’t give service to customers who smell like marijuana

Colorado barber shop has opted not to go green and has a sign on its front door advising prospective customers that if they smell like marijuana, they should take their business somewhere else. “I feel that it’s my right to make the statement. It’s the same thing as no shoes no service,” Hugo’s Barber Shop owner Hugo Corral told CBS Denver. Corral said he has no personal problem with peo-

ple who puff pot, but he adopted the policy to appease the complaints of customers who came to his shop with their children. “A mother calls and says hey we can’t go in there anymore because we don’t want it to smell like marijuana when my child’s sitting there waiting,” Corral said. Despite some backlash about the sign, including people spitting on his front door, Corral has no plans to change the policy.

Reporter quits on air in protest of Russian occupation of Crimea I t’s been a strange week for RT, the state-owned Russian news agency. On Tuesday, on-air anchor Abbi Martin criticized Russia’s occupation of Crimea. And then on Wednesday, fellow anchor Liz Wahl announced that she was quitting the network in protest. “As a reporter on this network, I face many ethical and moral challenges,” Wahl said at the end of Wednesday’s 5 p.m. ET broadcast. “Especially me personally, coming from a family whose grandparents ... came here as refugees during the Hungarian revolution — ironically, to escape the Soviet forces. “That is why personally I cannot be part of a network funded by the Russian government that whitewashes the actions of Putin,” Wahl continued. “I’m proud to be an American and believe in disseminating the truth, and that is why, after this newscast, I’m resigning.”

Many are praising Wahl’s on-air resignation. But at the same time, it’s fair to question Wahl’s sincerity. RT mocked Wahl’s comments in a statement: “When a journalist disagrees with the editorial position of his or her orga-

Martin

nization, the usual course of action is to address those grievances with the editor, and, if they cannot be resolved, to quit like a professional. But when someone makes a big public show of a personal decision, it is nothing more than a self-

promotional stunt.” After all, didn’t she know she was working for a stateowned news agency from the beginning? And if she objected to the network’s editorial stance why did she continue working there for more than two years?

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance The Compendium of the Rights of Telecoms Subscribers in Nigeria was developed by the CPC and is being inaugurated as part of the commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day DIRECTOR-GENERAL, CONSUMER PROTECTION COUNCIL, CPC, MRS. DUPE ATOKI

Union Bank is firmly committed to the achievement of financial inclusion in Nigeria and we continue to work towards this aspiration by servicing otherwise under-banked businesses, communities and individuals across the country. GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, UNION BANK PLC, MR. EMEKA EMUWA

Farmers to generate N42bn from wheat production yearly –FG TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has projected that Nigerian farmers will generate N42bn from wheat production yearly if ongoing efforts to fully explore the crop’s potentials are consolidated. Adesina, who disclosed at the 2014 Wheat Farmers Field Day in Kadawa, Kano State, explained that the farmers will not only generate income from wheat production, but the value chain of the ATA also held the promise of creating an estimated one million jobs in the wheat producing states, especially in the northern part of the country. While restating government’s concern over the level of wheat import and its depletive impact on the nation’s foreign reserves, the Minister assured that every steps would be taken to encourage massive production of the crop in the country in order to translate its socio-economic benefits to national advantage. “Today Nigeria wheat import is about 4 million mt per year and it’s estimated to grow by 5 per cent per year”. “By the year 2030, Nigeria will be importing 10 million mt of wheat every year.

That means Nigeria will be spending $10 billion every year on wheat importation”, Adesina said. He therefore explained that Federal Government is planning to raise wheat production from 300,000 MT to 1.5 million MT by 2017. “This is not a mirage, that’s why we are here, a silent revolution is happening on farms across the northern Nigeria. We have begun the massive distribution of hybrid wheat seeds which gives 5 to 6 tons per hectare to our farmers through the Growth Enhancement Support and the E-wallet system” Adesina said. According to him, in 2013/2014

wheat dry season farming, 9,143 farmers benefited from the dry season wheat farming in the northern states which includes Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Sokoto. He disclosed further that a total of 2,500 hectares of wheat field was cultivated in 2013, adding that during the 2014/2015 farming seasons at least 95, 000 hectares would be cultivated by 75,000 farmers, thereby boosting the nation’s productivity. While assuring the farmers of government support, Adesina said that the government will provide guarantee minimum price for wheat and also provide access to wheat farmers to processing

equipment. In his remarks, the Executive Director of Lake Chad Research Institute, Dr. Olusina Olabanji, expressed his satisfaction over the inclusion of wheat in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda this year. Olabanji confirmed that the institute had developed varieties of wheats ranging from semi dwarf ,63-93 cm, resistant to lodging and early maturing with potential yield of 3.0-3.5 per hectare, adding that recently four varieties ,Seri M8, Cettia, Linfen and Atilla Gan Atilla, with potentials yield of 3.5 -4.5 per hectare were developed and released.

he Advertising Agencies Association of Nigeria, AAAN, has projected that over N20bn is expected to be spent on political campaign advertisement ahead of the 2014

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Former Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. George Uriesi (right) and new Managing Director, Mr. Saleh Dunoma, during the handing over ceremony in Lagos yesterday.

Political campaign budgets to dominate ads spend in 2014 DAVID AUDU

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

general elections, while banking and the telecoms sectors are expected to up their ads spend for the year. In a press briefing to address the state of the nation’s economy in Lagos on Wednesday, Publicity Secretary of the body, Celey Okogun, said political campaigns in 2014 will greatly increase advertising spent while the banking and telecoms sector are expected to increase over last year’s figure

According to Okogun there is a proven link between advertising and economic growth, noting that the biggest spenders in the organized private sector are still the leading direct foreign investment companies in Nigeria, but noted the prime role of government in the overall ads spent in Nigeria. He said, about N125bn of advertising spend went through the organized private sector during

Lagos- Abuja (Mon-Fri): 07.00, 08.50, 12.00, 16.30. Abuja- Lagos (Mon-Fri): 09.00, 14.00, 15.00, 18.30. Lagos-Yola (Mon-Fri): 8.50am. Yola-Lagos (Mon-Fri): 13.00. Lagos- PHC (Mon-Fri): 17.00. PHC-Lagos: 19.00. AbujaYola: 11.00. Yola-Abuja: 13.00. Lagos-Abuja (Sat): 08.00, 08.50. Abuja-Lagos (Sat): 10.00, 15.00. Lagos-PHC (Sat): 17.00. PHC-Lagos (Sat): 19.00. Lagos-Yola (Sat): 08.50. Yola-Lagos (Sat): 13.00

the year, as against the reported N91.8bn in 2012. He however acknowledged that ad spend in the informal sector of the economy was not taken into consideration for the projection. Giving a breakdown of ad spend in the various segments in the year in review, he said television accounted for N66. 2bn, radio got N22.5bn, Outdoor accounted for N23.7bn, while the press raked in N23.5bn.

Cabotage waiver: Foreign ship owners fuel capital flight in Nigeria

Bureaucracy: Grant us autonomy, NIMASA begs Senate

Cocoa Marketing Corporation, others to take off soon –Adesina

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Friday, March 14, 2014

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Cabotage waiver: Foreign ship owners fuel capital flight in Nigeria FRANCIS EZEM

major operator in Nigeria’s maritime industry and the oil and gas sector has expressed fresh fears that the continuous granting of Ministerial Waiver to foreign shipping lines under the Costal and Inland Shipping Act, 2003 will continue to fuel capital flight in the country. Minister of Transport, Mallam Idris Umar, had released fresh guidelines on the administration of waiver under the Cabotage regime about 10 years after the takeoff of the enforcement of the legislation in 2004. The Cabotage Act, which provides that the vessels to be used in the regional trade must be built in Nigeria, owned and manned by

Nigerians, also imposed a two per cent levy of the contract sum to enable indigenous operators to acquire vessels. The released of the new guideline, which was presented to stakeholders last month was in response to allegations of gross abuse of the waiver administration, which many believe has made a mess of the entire regime, which is now dominated by foreign operators. Managing Director of Japaul plc, Mr. Paul Jegede, who reacted to the new guidelines, noted that as long as foreign ship owners are allowed to operate within the Cabotage regime through the waiver window, the nation will continue to experience massive outward movement of hard currencies, which is not good for the system. According to him, as long as

these foreign liners are allowed to operate here, huge sums of money will continue to move out of the Nigerian system to the advantage of other climes, where the money is moved to. “We commend the Minister for his good work in reviewing the waiver administration to make it more stringent. But granting of waiver cannot take us anywhere because our money is being moved out by these foreign liners, which if domesticated, Nigeria will be the better for it”, Jegede argued He also observed that the primary cause of foreign domination of the maritime business both in deep sea, coastal and inland shipping is because the Nigerian players lack the required capacity to compete with their foreign counterparts.

L-R: Marketing Manager, M-Net Africa, Mr. Gideon Khobane; Regional Director, Mrs. Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu; AMVCA 2014 Trail Blazer Award winner, Ms Michelle Bello and Representative of Media Department, Hyundai Motors, Mr. Timilehin Tairu, during the presentation of Hyundai SUV by sponsor, Hyundai Motors to 2014 AMVCA winners in Lagos on Wednesday.

ITF seeks expansion opportunities for technical, vocational skills acquisition

irector-General, Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Prof. Longmas Wapmuk, on Wednesday said ITF was pursuing expansion opportunities for technical and vocational skills acquisition in Nigeria. Wapmuk told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Jos that as a leading human resource development institution in Nigeria, the ITF recorded marked achievements in all its activities in 2013. He said that the pursuance of opportunities expansion was in anticipation of an escalation in the number of Nigerians willing to acquire technical skills. “To this end, we expedited the completion of the Industrial Skills Training Centre, ISTC, Lokoja, which will be commissioned this year. “This was even as efforts were stepped up in building the capacity of middle level manpower in Nigeria,” he said.

“The ITF in conjunction with Nigerian Employers Consultative Association ,NECA, continued with its Technical Skills Development Project ,TSDP, that runs in five facilities of NECA member companies.’’ Wapmuk listed the companies to include the Peugeot Automobile, Kaduna; Niger Dock, Lagos; OCO Industries, Port Harcourt; Nigeria Breweries, Ibadan and the ITF’s ISTCs in Ikeja and Kano. He said that the project was specially put in place to empower youths with skills for self-employment. Wapmuk said that the project was further expanded to include A.G. Leventis Agricultural School, Ilesha, and Kamjay Farms, Lekki, which commenced training in 2013. The DG said that the ITF also procured one Mobile Training Laboratory Unit to further enhance access to skills acquisition,

adding that six more were being expected from Brazil. He said that the six units being expected were for automobile electronics, civil construction, refrigeration and air-conditioning, industrial sewing, automation and joinery trade. Wapmuk said that the ITF conscientiously implemented the National Enterprises Development Programme, NEDEP, designed to attract resource empowerment for its trainees upon graduation. “In 2013 alone, the ITF through the programme trained 37,000 youths from the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT in several trade and craft. “These include welding and fabrication, ICT and autotronics, fisheries, yam cassava and rice processing, tiling, Plaster of Paris ,POP, and plumbing, tailoring and garment making as well as cell phone and generator repairs,” he said.

On the two per cent mandatory deduction on every contract value for the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, he noted that waiver in most countries that apply it is usually tenured, wondering why both indigenous and foreign operators should be made to pay the two per cent flat rate. He said: “Waiver should be tenured, we need waiver that would enable indigenous players acquire ships, so foreign owned vessels

should pay 10 per cent, five per cent for Joint Venture firms between Nigeria and foreigners while fully indigenously-owned companies should pay two percent and not a flat rate as currently obtained”. The JAPAUL-boss however made a strong case for an urgent commencement of a holistic reform that will not only boost the tonnage of the indigenous shipping companies but also boost the development of human capacity.

Expert charges SMEs on market segmentation

anaging Director, Harold and Associates, a business consulting firm, Mr Patrick Erobosa on Wednesday advised Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, in Nigeria to adopt market segmentation strategies, in order to yield profit. Erobosa gave this advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos. According to him, market segmentation, which involves dividing a broad market into subsets of consumers who have common needs and priorities, has led to the growth of many SMEs on the global scene. He said that SMEs should not engage larger business organisations in market competition, but should carve a niche for themselves by segmenting the market to their advantage. “Many SMEs in Nigeria are not growing because they have failed to focus their products on a target market. “Some entrepreneurs even go into business without having an idea of consumers they are pro-

ducing for. “Market segmentation will help SMEs to determine their target market and channel their production towards satisfying the demands of these customers. “Customer satisfaction yields improved sales which in turn yields business growth,’’ he said. Erobosa said that markets could be segmented based on behavioural patterns of a stratified class of the society geographically and based on occasions. “Geographical location of a business often determines the marketing potential of its products. “Rain boots, coats and umbrellas are lucrative products in rainy regions, while packaged water will record huge sales in desert regions. “Segmentation based on occasions relies on the special needs of consumers during special occasions and festive periods. “An investment in Christmas decorations and accessories will yield high profit during the Christmas season’’.

Sterling Bank partners Lagos Eko Project on VTS

he Lagos Eko Project Volunteer Teachers Scheme, VTS, initiated by the Lagos State Government received a major boost as Sterling Bank announced its partnership with the state government in line with its “One Sterling Education” initiative aimed at improving the standard of education in the State. The state government introduced the scheme to address the short-term shortage of teachers especially in core subject areas such as English Language, Mathematics, Sciences and Life Skills. The scheme is structured to bring together dedicated and resourceful professionals from different industries to contribute their quota to the overall vision of excellence of the present Lagos State administration. The alignment of Sterling Bank’s “One Sterling Education”

initiative with the Volunteer Teachers Scheme will further consolidate the bank’s strategic focus on education and its commitment to youth empowerment and development it said in a statement. Already, about 500 of the bank’s workforce have signed on with the Sterling Volunteers Program, SVP. The first batch of 50 volunteers is currently undergoing training and induction for deployment to various public secondary schools in Lagos. Speaking after a presentation by Sterling Bank, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on the Lagos Eko Project, Ms Ronke Azeez, explained that the project is the first education intervention in Lagos State with exclusive focus on ‘enhanced learning outcomes’’.

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UDEME AKPAN

he frequent pipeline vandalism, oil theft and other issues in Nigeria cost Royal Dutch Shell nearly $1 billion in 2013 alone. The company stated that total cost of the developments could amount to billions of dollars when the impact on others, including the government is considered. The stated that the impact on its operations which was also worsened by the inability of the Federal Government to pass its Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB into law. Shell which made this known in its annual report released yesterday stated that the proposed comprehensive legislation has also discouraged investment, oil finds and production in the Niger Delta. The firm stated that its operations of Shell are affected, particularly because it depends on the nation for about 10 per cent of its output. Shell which believed that some risks of working in Nigeria have

Business News

Friday, March 14, 2014

Shell loses $1bn to oil theft, vandalism

worsened in the past few years stated in its briefing notes that, “The Niger Delta continues to be a challenging place to operate for many reasons. There is a fundamental lack of basic infrastructure in many areas, with poverty, lack of employment opportunities, widespread criminality and other factors all contributing to the social and economic crisis in the region. It stated that criminality has expressed itself in many forms over the years – attacks on facilities, kidnapping, militancy and, most worrisome in recent years, crude oil theft and illegal refining. For instance, it stated that in 2012, there were over 80 reported incidents of crude oil theft from the facilities of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, SPDC, several accompanied by vandalism, spills and fire. The firm stated, “Supporting peace Shell Companies in Nigeria

,SCiN, are active supporters of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights ,VPSHR, a set of guidelines developed in 2000 by various governments, extractive industry companies and human rights organisations. It stated that SPDC applies these principles in the delta and engages various government agencies ,including the National Human Rights Commission, Government Security Agencies ,GSAs, and other organisations on how the company can contribute to better implementing VPSHR in the country. The firm stated, “GSA personnel deployed to work in company facilities are informed of the VPSHR and the need for its application, and are also reminded regularly. International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria, including Shell, are advocating for the government to join the VPSHR plenary.

CBN urges students to imbibe financial literacy culture TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

o demonstrate its commitment to financial literacy drive in schools and commemorate the ongoing Global Financial Literacy Week, the Central Bank of Nigeria, ,CBN, yesterday urged secondary school students in the country to imbibe the culture of prudent management of their resources in order to create the needed wealth for their future. This is even as it described the Cashless Policy as a desirable initiative for financial system stability and sustainable growth of the economy deserving all stakeholders’ support in order to consolidate its gains. Making his presentation to the Financial Literacy School 101 Outreach Programme at the Government Science Technical College, Area 3 Garki, Abuja, the Deputy-Governor, Corporate Ser-

Nigeria commences Transfer Pricing regime TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

igeria has joined the league of African countries that have commenced the implementation of Transfer Pricing, TP, to protect their tax base. Disclosing this in his keynote address to stakeholders at the Transfer Pricing enlightenment event in Abuja yesterday, Alhaji Kabiru Mashi, the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, ((FIRS), stated that Transfer Pricing was designed to ensure that tax payers fulfil their tax obligations based on the level of economic activities being undertaken in the country. He said the goal of the Service was to implement the TP regime

transparently, efficiently and effectively so as to promote voluntary compliance even as solicited stakeholders’ valuable contributions that will make Nigeria’s regime a reference model for other African countries. Mashi explained that the country’s Transfer Pricing Regulations took effect from the base period beginning after the 2nd of August 2012 to achieve among other objectives; to serve as a tool in the hand of the Nigerian tax administration, to fight tax evasion that are embedded in over or under pricing of controlled transactions between associated enterprises. In addition, he listed other objectives as, ensuring tax payers in Nigeria are taxed on an appropriate taxable basis corresponding to the economic activity de-

ployed by the in Nigeria; to lessen the risk of economic double taxation; to provide a level playing field between multinational enterprises and independent enterprises doing businesses in Nigeria; and to provide taxable persons with certainty of transfer pricing treatment in Nigeria. The Coordinating Director (CD), Field Operations Group of the Service, Mr. Ajayi Bamidele, stated that the implementation of transfer pricing regime in Nigeria was “part fulfilment of the Service’s pledge to collaborate with stakeholders on Transfer Pricing matters. To create more awareness on the regime and reach out to taxpayers within and around those regions, Mashi said the agency will conduct similar events in Port Harcourt and Kano.

vices of the apex bank, Alhaji Suleiman Barau, told the students that since over 70 percent Nigerians are illiterate, the youths as the leaders of tomorrow should imbibe the culture of financial literacy to enable them fit into the rank of global leaders of the future. He admonished the students to prepare for the emerging trends in financial management since there was no other option left to them to know how to get and spend their money, but more particularly to prepare them for prudent management of national resources whenever they assume leadership responsibilities in the future. Barau stated that the outreach programme was organised to enable the students know the benefits of patronizing banks, adding that ‘’unless we expand their scope apart from going to school, we may not be able to catch them young to embrace the concept’’.

Okonjo-Iweala, others for Nigeria Summit 2014

L-R: Senior Technical Assistant to the MD, Keystone Bank, Temitayo Olutoye; School improvement Officer, SUBEB, Lagos State Abosede Olusola Ogunkoya; Head Teacher, Dodan Barracks Primary School, Dike Caroline; Executive Director, Corporate, Investment Banking & International Banking, Keystone Bank, Shehu Karanga Muhammad and Head, Brand Management, Keystone Bank, Omobolanle Osotule, at the bank’s Global Money Week, Financial Literacy Day in Lagos,yesterday.

inister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will be joining 350 global leaders comprising government ministers, international investors and leaders of Nigerian society for the Nigeria Summit, scheduled for March 24th and 25th at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lagos. According to a statement to National Mirror one of the key themes driving this year’s summit will be how Nigeria can turn its unprecedented economic growth into wider social prosperity. “This discourse comes at a fascinating time in Nigeria’s development. A recently recalculated GDP suggests that Nigeria’s

economy is now the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa. “How Nigerian leaders employ this economic power to tackle poverty and uneven development remains a key question for the country and potentially the strategic issue for the nation, conference organisers,” the statement said. It said that “as Nigeria reflects upon this historic milestone, delegates will be looking to the country’s future. Joined by key Government ministries, international investors, industry and business leaders, the summit will explore the next stage of Nigeria’s great economic and social transition.”

Skye Bank takes financial literacy drive to schools JOHNSON OKANLAWON

kye Bank Plc has taken the financial literacy drive to some secondary schools in the country with a view to inculcating the savings culture in them. A statement from the bank yesterday said about 14 secondary schools would benefit from the seminar in Lagos, while about seven others would benefit in Ibadan. It explained that the bank will also adopt a school in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to commemorate the 2014 ‘Global Money Week’. The statement quoted the Group Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, as saying that the objective was

to help the kids develop entrepreneurial ideas and motivate them to take steps in the entrepreneurial journey. Durosinmi-Etti, who was represented by the bank’s Head of Sustainability Group, Mrs Bola Adesanoye, expressed the hope that the seminar would help take out the students out of the cycle of poverty. “As the world marches towards ensuring that every child will have access to financial services, financial awareness through education, a reliable source of income, and the will to save, Skye Bank is committed to assisting the Nigerian child and young adult build a prosperous future by extending financial education and services to them early in life”, he said.

Maritime

Federal Government’s directive to its agencies in the shipping industry to commence a 24-hour operation at the seaports has not been carried out nearly three years after due to a combination if insecurity and lack of basic infrastructure. FRANCIS EZEM reports.

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insecurity, poor infrastructure preventing 24-hour port operations

lobally, especially among most developed and even developing countries, seaport operations are done on a 24-hour basis. This is because 24-hour port operation has become a major requirement in trade facilitation, which has in the last few decades become a major discourse in most economic forums. Similarly, the seaports are usually designated as transshipment areas and so cargo cannot afford to wait. The attainment of 24-hour port operation, which has been achieved courtesy of the required infrastructure , security and even the need human capital has made so many seaports in the world efficient, competitive with the attendant reduced cost of operation. For instance, in seaports such as the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, Singapore and Malaysia, which are ranked among the most efficient in the world, the turn around time of ships range between two to less than five hours. This is because the vessels are discharged as soon they arrive at the ports whether night or day. This also accounts for why the cost of shipping in most of these countries is very minimal compared to the ports in West Africa. It was probably in a bid to achieve this level of efficiency that the Federal Government in 2012 directed the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigeria Customs Service to provide the necessary facilities and logistics that would enhance the commencement of 24-hour operation of the various seaports. This is in line with the government’s projection of achieving 48hour cargo release. Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, who had paid an unscheduled visit to the ports in Lagos then, had also announced far reaching reforms in the ports, which included the sack of some government agencies The Minister visited in company of her Transport counterpart, Mallam Idris Umar, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Maritime Services, Mr. Leke Oyewole and some other members of the Economic Management Team EMT. As part of measures to make the seaports operate more efficiently, the Minister announced a reduction of government agencies operating at the port from 14 to about six. The affected ones include National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Standards Organisation of Nigeria. Also affected in the shake-up are Directorate of Naval Intelligence, Nigerian Plant Quarantine Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

Apapa Ports Complex

The Minister had said; ‘ I am with a simple message from Mr. President and that message is that it is time for our seaports to start working and they must start working for honest and hardworking Nigerians not for those who are working to make things more complicated, make money out of our ports and make things more difficult for honest business person man or woman in this country’. ‘We must make our ports work for Nigerians who want to create jobs, that is really what Mr. President wants us to do and our being here today is a demonstration that we need to act and that this is no longer time for talking. We know that without an efficient port system, there would be high cost in the economy and so what we are doing now is to reduce those costs so that our business people would have the wherewithal to create more jobs’, the Minister insisted. She had also disclosed that NPA and Customs had been directed to improve on the infrastructure to facilitate the introduction of 24-hour operation for the seven days of the week at the seaports thereby abolishing the former system whereby the seaports open at 8am and close 5pm. Unfortunately, more than two years after, the situation has remained the same, as critical port workers resume work at about 8.30am-to 5pm Monday –Friday while some skeletal services are rendered on Saturdays from the hours of 10am-1pm while the port is short completely on Sundays and public holidays. This is due basically to the lack of se-

curity in the country and the complete absence of the necessary infrastructure to support such 24-hour port operations. President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF, Chief Eugene Nweke, who spoke in an interview, noted that the Nigerian economy, which the seaports are an integral part of does not operate 24 hours. He noted that in countries where the seaports run on a 24-hour basis, the basic infrastructure including security are pit in place first so that other things will come naturally. “Elsewhere, 24-hour port operation is not achieved through an executive or administrative fiat, it is something that comes naturally because the basic and supporting infrastructure has been put in place first and foremost” and shippers are sure of security of their consignments”, he argued. He also said: “One other factor hindering the realisation of that dream has to do with the current security challenges in the country because no one would want to embark on such transactions that require the use of sensitive documents at night with the current level of insecurity in the country” According to him, apart from the security issues, the lack luster attitude of some of the multinational shipping lines operating in the country, who would want to open their offices for business any time they liked. Nweke also said: “Though most terminals open their gates for operation, the

ELSEWHERE, 24-HOUR PORT OPERATION IS NOT ACHIEVED THROUGH AN EXECUTIVE OR

ADMINISTRATIVE FIAT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT COMES NATURALLY BECAUSE THE BASIC AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE FIRST AND FOREMOST

shipping lines and banks are not readily available for night transactions, worst still; the shippers are not willing to expose their cargo to criminals and hoodlums, especially given the worsening insecurity in the country.” Chairman of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria STOAN, Princess Vicky Hastruup in a recent interview, hinted that more than eight years after the reform of the seaports, most of the terminals run 90 per cent on generators as the public power supply is almost completely absent. This is contrary to the terms of the concession agreement, which specified that NPA, representing the Federal Government should provide common user facilities including light and water. Hastruup however argued that though the concession agreement requires that from NPA, it is obvious that its hands are tied since it also depend on generators to power its operation, arguing that the situation was a national disgrace and failure of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN,. She however expressed optimism that with the unbundling of the company, there is hope that there might be light at the end of the tunnel. Managing Director of Tin Can Island Container Terminal TICT, one of the concessionaires, Mr. Yehuda Kotic, whose terminal was congested for most part of last year, blamed the development partly on the fact that the ports do not operate 24 hours. According to him, at a time, the ports were shut for five days due to a two-day Muslim festival for Thursday and Friday during which the government declared a public holiday. Stakeholders are of the strong view that 24-hour operation at the ports is achievable but it must be planned and properly executed, not ordered by executive fiat.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Maritime

Friday, March 14, 2014

Bureaucracy: Grant us autonomy, NIMASA begs Senate STORIES: FRANCIS EZEM

orried by the administrative bottlenecks that characterize civil service in Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency says it need a level of autonomy in order to effectively deliver on its core mandates. NIMASA, which core functions and objectives derive from three legislations comprising of the Merchant Shipping Act, Coastal and Inland Shipping Cabotage Act 2013 and the NIMASA Act, 2007 was created following the merger of former Government Inspectorate of Shipping, Joint Maritime and Labour Industrial Council JOMALIC and the defunct National Maritime Authority NMA. Its core functions as listed in section 22 of the NIMASA Act include to pursue the development of shipping and regulate matters merchant shipping and seafarers, provide search and rescue services, establish maritime training and safety standards, carryout air and coastal surveillance, control and prevent marine pollution and also perform port and flag state duties. Others include to develop and implement policies and programmes, which will facilitate the growth of local capacity in ownership, manning and construction of ships and other maritime infrastructure, enforce and administer the provision of the CABOTAGE) Act 2003, remove wrecks and maintain maritime security, among several others.. Director General of the agency, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, who recently played

Zainab

Akpobolokemi

host to members of Senate Committee on Marine Transport during its oversight function, said that the greatest challenge faced by the agency was that of bureaucratic bottleneck that characterise civil service administration in the country. He told the committee that in line with the civil service culture in the country, the agency has to go through its supervising ministry, the Federal Ministry of Transport to seek approvals for issues that should ordinarily be treated with utmost sense of urgency to address a situation. “Because of the type of services we render here, especially bothering on issues of safety and security, the agency deserves a measure of autonomy, it could be full or semi-autonomy because the civil service bureaucracy creates hitches in

carrying out or functions”, Akpobolokemi insisted. Apart from the problems associated with bureaucracies, many of the agencies have also complained about the delays in getting financial approvals for their projects as provided under the Procurement Act, which insists that certain

due processes must be followed before such approvals are made. The NIMASA-boss had also told the Senators that the agency is currently working on a scheme that will drastically reduce the incidences of oil theft, piracy, illegal bunkering and other illegalities that currently occur within the nation’s territorial waters. According to him, the authority is about completing the installation of high capacity radar within its Global Maritime Distress and Safety System GMDSS. The GMDSS is domiciled within the Maritime Research and Development Centre, which also incorporates its Regional Maritime Rescue Centre, located at Kirikiri, Apapa. Chairman of the committee, Hajia Zaynab Kure, who spoke during the meeting, said the visit was informed by the need to assess the level of budget implementation by the agency. She however commended the agency on the giant strides it had made in the last one year, especially in the area of capacity building but noted that the committee would want to visit some of the project sites to know the extent of the work done.

$4bn Egina project: LADOL may sue NNPC, Samsung for contempt

arring any last minute change of mind, the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base LADOL, may institute a fresh court action against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, its estranged partner, Samsung Heavy Industries SHI and Total, over alleged breach of a court ruling ordering parties to the $3.8bn Egina Floating Production Storage and Offloading FPSO integration contract suit to maintain status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit. LADOL, the local content partner used for the winning of the FPSO integration contract had dragged Samsung/Total to a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over plans by Samsung to substitute it with another local content partner, in which the court the ordered parties to maintain the status quo. Joined in the suit as co-defendants include the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board NCDMB,. Counsel to LADOL, Professor Fidelis Odita SAN, while speaking at a resumed hearing on the matter told the presiding judge, Justice ChukwuJeku Aneke that despite the court order of January 24, 2014, on status quo, Samsung is concluding plans to repace LADOL with another local content partner. According to him, on February 27 and 28 2014, Samsung made a presentations to the NNPC on its plans to replace LADOL with another company as its third party local content partner for the project in defiance of the order of the court that parties maintain status quo pending the determination of the suite. Justice Aneke while frowning at the alleged breach of his order for parties to maintain the status quo, also expressed surprise at the seeming ignorance by the

defence counsel, Mr. Wole Olanipekun SAN, of his client’s presentation at NNPC. “If this allegation is found to be true, it is a very serious issue”, the Judge declared. The matter was however adjourned for hearing on April 16, 2014, following request by counsel to the third defendant, NCDMB, Mr. Chidi Ilogu SAN, who pleaded for time to enable him prepare as well as file certain applications before the court, having appeared for the first time. Meanwhile, Odita, who also spoke with newsmen shortly after the adjournment, said the case at hand was an attempt for the first time, to test the efficacy of the Nigerian Local Content Act 2010, as it relates to its enforcement in the nation’s oil and gas sector. “The contention of my client, LADOL is that having been used by Samsung as the local content vehicle to win this major contract of $3.8 billion it is not open to Samsung to say that our client is no longer the local content partner”, he said. “What is even more perplexing in a case like this is that the contract allocated the sum of $214 million for the construction of facilities at LADOL. This $214 million is part of what Samsung is trying to pocket and sabotage the Nigerian economy by so doing, we are praying the court not allow them to do so”, he also insisted. He however expressed confidence in the ability of the court to handle the issues, especially with the appearance of the NCDMB, the fourth defendant, which he said requires time to study the papers so as to respond to the proceedings. “What the NCDMB is set out to do in its framework document is that where there is any major oil and gas project in Nigeria, that major oil and gas project should leave a legacy facility for the benefit of Nigerians and to create job for Nigerians.

Agri Business

TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

arely a year after restating its desire to revive commodity marketing corporations in the country, the Federal Government on Monday said arrangements had been concluded to facilitate the establishments of the new commodity marketing corporations across the country, with the Cocoa Marketing Corporation proposed for take-off before the end of this month. Giving the hint about the planned setting up of the venturedriven corporations during the defence of his Ministry’s 2014 budget proposals before the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture in Abuja, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, explained that that venture-driven, private sector-led commodity marketing companies would fill the gap created by erstwhile commodity boards that were scrapped in the 70s and 80s when set up. A statement on the Minister’s fiscal policy and Appropriation proposals engagement with the Legislators issued by the ministry’s Director Information and

ABUJA

he Federal Government on Wednesday formally endorsed Nigeria’s leading singer- songwriter and entertainer, Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’Banj, as the face of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda ,ATA, among the youths, with the title Do Agric, It Pays Ambassador. Announcing D’Banj’s endorsement in Abuja when he also hosted the Director Africa, ONE. org, Dr Sipho Moyo in his office, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said the choice of the ‘Koko Master’ as the Nagroprenuers’ Ambassdor was informed by the popularity and grassroots acceptance of his music and his integrity as a youth who has a clear vision about the ATA and is ready to use his talent to support ongoing campaign for youths to embrace agriculture as business. Adesina said the government was committed to use agriculture as the springboard for socio-economic empowerment of millions of youths in the country by creating the enabling policy

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cocoa Marketing Corporation, others to take off soon –Adesina

Cocoa

Protocol, Tony Ohaeri, quoted the minister as saying that the cocoa marketing corporation, the first of the commodity marketing corporations to be set up, will commence business before the end of this month.

FG endorses D’Banj as Do Agric, It Pays Ambassador TOLA AKINMUTIMI

Friday, March 14, 2014

environment for them to go back to the farm and build a future in agribusiness, adding that “the plan of government is to have about 750,000 youths who are called Nagropreneurs involved in agribusiness between now and 2015. “So, D’Banj is seen as a youth with strong presence at the grassroots based on his type of music that can help in passing the message across to millions of our unemployed youths that agric pays. He is today being recognised as ‘Do Agric, It Pays’ Ambassador and in this role he will go out there to do agric business and attract more youths into the sector”, Adesina said. In his remarks, D’Banj promised to support the government in promoting agribusiness as a worthy venture amongst the youths, pointing out that he would also go into agribusiness as a means of practically showing the youths that farming holds better promises for those that engage in it now that government has turned it to business as against the past when it was seen as a development programme. He said: “When I was young we do farming and I have known so much about farming in the past.

He pointed out that the proposed bodies would be different from the old ones since they will be established under the new arrangement, with the private agribusiness investors setting up and managing them, as opposed to the former system when government established, funded and managed them at great costs to the tax payers. According to him, the new corporations when operational will create marketing channels for farmers to market their crops and earning more income than is currently the case, as and post-harvest

losses now being widely experienced will be drastically reduced. On their part, he said agroprocessors will benefit from the availability of largest supplies of farmed raw materials needed for developing and expanding local processing of crops into finished foods now being imported. Adesina also clarified that the marketing corporations will go a long way in addressing the current fear on the part of agroprocessors, who have identified inadequate raw materials supply in the right quality and price as challenges to local processing of ag-

ricultural commodities creating lack of competitiveness against imported finished products. The Minister told the Committee that actual releases to the Ministry out of the N39. 9 billion proposed under the 2013 budget was N19. 5 billion, representing about 50 per cent of the appropriation, adding that the ministry also generated N2.5 billion as internally generated revenue (IGR), which was remitted into the Federation Account as required by law. Adesina further informed the legislators that under the 2014 budget, the Ministry was proposing N36. 26 billion as estimates, with a projected internally generated revenue of about of N2.3 billion. While agreeing with the observation of the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Muhammed Tahir Monguno, that the Ministry’s 2014 proposals, which is only about 1. 55 per cent of overall government estimates is dismally below the 10 per cent recommended in the Maputo Declaration, he maintained the allocation may not be unconnected with the Federal Government’s fiscal constraints in an environment of intense competition for attention by a wide range of establishments.

‘Review of rice tariff policy to encourage local production’

he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said the downward review of tariff on rice importation was to encourage local production and processing of rice. Adesina said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja while explaining the reasons behind the policy shift. “Why are we are changing our rice policy? It is so that we encourage lot of investors to go into production and milling of rice domestically. “We want to discourage those that bring rice as traders; we want those that are going to go in and have commercial farms, produce rice, buy domestic paddy rice and mill it for us. “So the rice tariff policy is being looked at to discourage briefcase importers of rice but encourage those that are going into local pro-

duction, processing and milling of rice. “And that policy will be released very soon; you will see that we have chosen the path of supporting those that are investing in Nigeria, not those that are going to be bringing rice from outside.” The minister said that government would not allow any rice importer to create poverty in the country, saying that poverty is not an industry that should be developed. On dry season farming, Adesina said that the 2013/2014 programme was going on in 24 states of the federation with the aim of producing 2.1 million tons of rice. He said that the figure was equivalent to 75 per cent of the total rice imported into the country, if it could be milled at international quality standard. He added that the 2014 Dry

Season Farming Support Programme launched by President Goodluck Jonathan was aimed at making 600,000 farmers to benefit from a N14 billion grant. According to him, the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that more integrated rice mills are established in the country as local rice is better than the imported brand. “I am confident that by 2016 or there about, Nigeria will be selfsufficient in rice with the amount of local production we have today,” he said. NAN recalls that the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had indicated that downward review of tariff on imported rice was in the offing. She said the former increase of the tariff on rice importation to110 per cent, encouraged farmers to grow rice up to 1.1 million tons.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Friday, March 14, 2014

Index slides 1.7% as bears linger JOHNSON OKANLAWON

uge sell-offs from investors in equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange further dragged down the benchmark index yesterday. The All Share Index 1.65 per cent to close at 38,503.65 points, compared to the decline of 0.3 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 39,150.30 points. Market capitalisation lost N208bn to close at N12.4trn, higher than the loss ofN38bn recorded the preceding day which closed at N12.6trn.

All sectorial indices shed weights, as the NSE 30-Index shed 1.69 per cent to close at 1,727.31points, while the Banking Index depreciated 2.11 per cent to close at 383.02 points. The Insurance Index lost 0.46 per cent to close at 142.26 points, while the Consumer Goods Index dropped 1.11 per cent to close at 950.12 points. The Oil and Gas Index dipped 2.04 per cent to close at 293.19 points, while the Lotus Islamic Index was down 0.69 per cent to close at 2,773.26 points. The Industrial Index declined 0.09 per cent to close

at 2,581.82 points, while the Alternative Securities Market fell 0.45 per cent to close at 952.39 points. AG Leventis Plc led the gainers’ table with seven kobo or five per cent to close at N1.47 per share, followed by Eterna Oil Plc with 15 kobo or 4.23 per cent to close at N3.70 per share. NPF Microfiance Bank Plc appreciated three kobo or four per cent to close at 78 kobo per share, while Oasis Insurance Plc gained two kobo or 3.70 per cent to close at 56 kobo per share. Prestige Insurance Plc was up two kobo or 3.57 per cent to close at 58 kobo per

share. Conversely, Cutix Plc lost 18 kobo or 9.23 per cent to close at N1.77 per share, while Union Bank Plc declined 63 kobo or 5.90 per cent to close at N10.05 per share. Oando Plc fell 95 kobo or 5.40 per cent to close at N16.63 per share, while Learn Africa Plc shed nine kobo or 4.97 per cent to close at N1.72 per share. Abbey Plc depreciated seven kobo or 4.93 per cent to close at N1.35 per share. A total of 367.2 million shares worth N1.82bn were exchanged in 4,002 deals.

Source: NSE

Prudential hits record high, eyes Nigeria, Kenya JOHNSON OKANLAWON WITH AGENCY REPORT

rudential Plc, the U.K.’s insurer, is eyeing markets in Africa including Nigeria and Kenya for its next leg of growth after surging profits in Asia helped drive the stock to a record. The insurer has extended its partnership in Asia with Standard Chartered Plc by 15 years and plans to expand the venture to more Asian and African nations, London-based Prudential said in a statement yesterday. The company posted a 17 per cent increase in 2013 operating profit and boosted its dividend 15 per cent, beating analysts’ estimates. The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Tidjane Thiam, told Bloomberg that Africa is a country story, a city-by-city story,

and it’s like Asia in the 1990s. “We rode Asia in a wave of urbanization, and the same forces are at play in Africa,”he said. Prudential is looking to Africa to capitalize on rapid economic growth and a rising middle class. It bought Ghana’s Express Life Company for an undisclosed sum in December, marking its entry into the region’s life-insurance market. Even so, Thiam still sees Asia as at the heart of future prospects after the company reached its final 2010 target to double profit in the region by 2013. The shares rallied as much as 5.8 per cent to the highest level since at least 1988 as group operating profit rose to 2.95 billion pounds ($4.9bn), beating the 2.83 billion-pound median estimate of 24 analysts sur-

veyed by the company. The full-year dividend increased to 33.57 pence a share, above the 31.56 pence estimate. Prudential, which gets about half its revenue from Asia, said new business profit in the region climbed to 1.46 billion pounds and operating profit rose to 1.08 billion pounds, more than double 2009 levels. In the Asian market, the pie grows faster than our ability to eat it, Thiam said. The deal with Standard Chartered ensures that the London-based lender, which makes most of its profit in Asia, is the exclusive seller of Prudential’s life insurance in nine countries, including India, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. “The Asian business is proving resilient in the face of emerging-market currency volatility and mac-

ro-economic growth concerns,” Edward Houghton and John Gately, analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein in London, said in an e-mailed note after the results, repeating their outperform rating. The stock closed up 2.7 per cent to 1,398 pence a share in London, valuing the firm at about 36 billion pounds. The shares have climbed 39 per cent in the last 12 months, outpacing the 24 per cent gain by the 19-member FTSE 350 Insurance Index. Thiam said in 2012 that doubling profit in Asia by the end of 2013 would provide the unit with enough cash to fund itself, potentially leading to a spinoff. The CEO said in an interview that Prudential was not there yet, and that a potential spinoff was just another option for the future.

Yields to remain low in ‘expensive’ sovereign bond market

ajor sovereign bond yields will rise only slightly over the coming year as global growth concerns persist, a Reuters poll found, despite expectations for interest rates to head higher in some developed nations next year The poll of over 50 strategists conducted March 10-13 showed the 10-year Treasury note will yield 3.00 per cent in three months, up from Wednesday’s close of 2.73 per cent, and rise further to 3.48 per cent in a year United States Treasuries sold off last year - 10-year yields rose more than a percentage point - after the Federal Reserve made clear its intentions to curtail its

monthly purchases of them. But strategists said they were still expensive. They gave bond markets in developed nations a rating of seven, where one is cheap, five is fairly priced and 10 is expensive. Stock markets, too, have continued their bull run this year, with developed markets trading near record highs. However, since the Fed started tapering in December, bond yields have not risen by much, reflecting concerns about weak economic data out of China, geo-political tensions in Ukraine and deflation risk in Europe. “Right now there are a lot of risks that could put a flight to quality bid on rates

as we have seen recently,” said David Thielke, US rates strategist at Nomura. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang warned that the world’s second-largest economy is facing severe challenges this year after growth in investment, retail sales and factory output data slumped to multi-year lows. In a sign that the euro zone is still struggling, 10year German bund yields have fallen more than 30 basis points so far this year and are forecast to remain muted through the coming year. “Inflation is still low in the euro zone and there are risks of even lower inflation and that might trigger quantitative easing,” said

Jussi Hiljanen, chief fixedincome strategist at SEB. Despite a fragile recovery in the currency bloc, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi left interest rates on hold and said the benefits of loosening lending conditions were relatively limited. A separate Reuters poll on Wednesday showed that economists agreed with the ECB’s view that outright quantitative easing was not the appropriate path to take. British government bond yields are forecast to rise in tandem with the US Treasuries, tracking similar expectations for monetary policy and economic growth in those two countries.

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 38,503.65 points Market capitalisation 12.36 trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

AGLEVENT

1.40

1.47

0.07

% CHANGE 5.00

ETERNA

3.55

3.70

0.15

4.23

NPFMCRFBK

0.75

0.78

0.03

4.00

OASISINS

0.54

0.56

0.02

3.70

PRESTIGE

0.56

0.58

0.02

3.57

FIDSON

3.03

3.11

0.08

2.64

NEM

0.76

0.78

0.02

2.63

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CUTIX

1.95

1.77

-0.18

-9.23

UBN

10.68

10.05

-0.63

-5.90

OANDO

17.58

16.63

-0.95

-5.40

LEARNAFRCA

1.81

1.72

-0.09

-4.97

ABBEYBDS

1.42

1.35

-0.07

-4.93

BERGER

9.77

9.29

-0.48

-4.91

AVONCROWN

1.63

1.55

-0.08

-4.91

EVANSMED

2.70

2.57

-0.13

-4.81

MAYBAKER

2.14

2.04

-0.10

-4.67

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

22,057.31

11.50

07-Nov-13

182-Day

30,000.00

11.59

07-Nov-13

182-Day

47,786.39

13.05

07-Nov-13

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

178-Day

86,709.13

12.35

07-Nov-13

175-Day

95,368.69

12.35

07-Nov-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$350m

N/A

$343m

04-Nov-13

$400m

N/A

$399m

30-Oct-13

Capital Market

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at March 13, 2014 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror Majority of our people are pagans, soWhen we the andto Muslims theChristians come , come comee are using our educational status to ownMinistry. interest. everybody willsatisfy sit upour in this . Rev. Chris Okotie, speaking on the state of the nation

HON MINISTER FOR PETROLEUM RESOURCES,ALIISON MADUEKEE EBONYI STATE GOVERNOR, CHIEF MARTIN ELECHI

Businessman commits suicide in Minna PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

ragedy has struck in Minna, Niger State capital as a prominent business man, known as Nwako Martins, from Ebonyi State allegedly committed suicide

in his residence at Tunga Area of the city. Community Mirror learnt that the deceased shot himself in the stomach. It was gathered that Martins, left the bedroom where he was sleeping with his wife to another area in the compound and

shot himself. However, when the wife could not find her husband, she raised an alarm which attracted the neighbours. On searching the compound, the pregnant wife and neighbours discovered the late business man

in a pool of blood, even as they rushed him to the Minna General Hospital where he finally died. Later, a team of policemen from Tudun Wada led by the DPO, Francis Ekanem went to the deceased’s house where, they recovered a gun.

News of his death came as a shock to residence of the area as electronics shop owners closed their businesses for the day. Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, ASP Richard Adamu Oguche stated that, it was suspect-

ed the business man took his life without leaving a suicide note. He said investigations showed no sign of external attack on the house, “This suggests that it might be a suicide, but the police are still investigating the matter, “he said.

Man arraigned for impersonating lawyer OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

A homeless man sleeping under a bridge at Mile 2 area of Lagos, yesterday.

DARE AKOGUN

he Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area has declared 3-day mourning from Wednesday March 12th to Friday March 14th, 2014 in memory of those who lost their lives in a boat mishap at Festac. A statement by the council chief Press Secretary, Evang. Rapheal Egunjobi reads in part “we share in the pain of the bereaved families and pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss”. The council reiterated its stand against people using the canal for commuting, urging them to rather use the link bridge linking 6th avenue and

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Boat mishap: Council declares 3 day mourning for victims Festac Phase II. “It is noteworthy to state here that the local government had on several occasions sensitised the Resident Association, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN,and residents of 6th Avenue on the inherent danger of using canoe across the canal as means of transportation. “ We had also erected a signage educating people on the looming danger, while shanties were demolished in the locality, as well as relocating the tricycle operators to that area, all in a bid to make people see reasons of not using canoes as an

access to 6th Avenue”, he added. Meanwhile, the South West cordiator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye has stated that efforts are still on to recover the bodies of the remaining occupants of the boat. The boat was carrying 24 occupants on board but only 11 bodies have so far, been recovered while the six people that survived were able to swim to the shore. Farinloye said that the agency got conflicting reports on the number of persons on board the canoe when it was first contacted. “But on getting to

the scene, we discovered it was more than what was initially reported”, he said. He added that the search for the remaining bodied is still being intensified as all possible avenues will be explored. LASEMA General Manager, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said a woman who was initially rescued by the agency died while being taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. He lamented that the passengers were not putting on life jackets at the time the tragedy occurred, an act he said was dangerous.

52-year-old man, Osagbeue Chuks, has been arraigned before an Akure Magistrate Court for alleged impersonation. Osagbeue was alleged to have posed as a lawyer to gain access to the library of the Ondo State High Court. He was also accused of stealing 12 copies of different volumes of the Nigeria Supreme Court cases valued at N400, 000, properties of Ondo State High Court. According to the charge sheet, the offence is contrary to and punishable under section 390(9) of the criminal code cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State Nigeria 2006. The accused pleaded not guilty to all the three count charges after they

were read to him. The Prosecuting Police Officer, ASP Ogala Samuel, asked the court to adjourn the case and remand the accused at the Olokuta Minimum Prison to allow the police do a proper investigation into the matter. But the defence counsel, Wale Omotosho, disagreed, noting that the police should have concluded their investigation before bringing his client to court. He prayed the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms since the offence is a bail able one, promising that the accused will always appear in court. The Magistrate, Muyiwa Akinsanya, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N200, 000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till March 20, 2014, for hearing.

Man seeks dissolution of marriage OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

34-year-old man, Akin Olumuyiwa, has approached an Akure Customary Court to dissolve his marriage over threats to his life. Olumuyiwa alleged that his estranged wife, Bukola, and some members of her family hired thugs to beat him to a state of coma, after which he was rushed to a hospital by relatives. He told the court that his wife was fond of telling her parents whenever they had any little misunderstand-

ing adding that he could no longer cope with the relationship even when they have two children. But Bukola denied the allegations, saying her husband had abandoned his responsibility without bothering about their welfare. She said there was always a controversy whenever she reminded her husband of the need to pay her bride price. Bukola told the court that she was also no longer interested in the marriage, alleging that her husband beat her always. The case was adjourned till March 20, 2014.

Friday, March 14, 2014 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

JIBOWO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Jibowo Omowunmi Modupeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ugoro Omowunmi Modupeola. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

FATOKI: Formerly known and addressed as Fatoki Temitayo Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Oladimeji Temitayo Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. Covenant University and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AGWAMBA: Formerly known and addressed as Mr Joseph Chidiebere Agwamba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr Joseph Chidiebere Okeahialam. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EMENIKE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Emenike Oluchi Helen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Chukwu Helen Oluchi. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

OKPARA: Formerly known and addressed as Okpara Sylvester, now wish to be known and addressed as Ifedigbo Sylvester. All former documents remain valid. General public and authorities concern should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME NWANNA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Juliet Nwanna, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Juliet Maduka. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and public please take note

OSO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Oso Oluwasefunmi Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Jembola Oluwasefunmi. All former documents remain valid. N.Y.S.C. and general public note.

CHIBOGU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Chibogu Charity Chioma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nnalue Charity Chioma. All former documents remain valid. Fidelity Bank Plc and general public note.

LANIYAN: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Taiwo Laniyan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Taiwo Hyellama Wanaunda. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADEKUNBI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Akinpelu Adetutu Adekunbi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adetutu Akinpelu Ajibade. All Former documents remain valid . National Board for Technology Incubation and general public please take note

EZIKE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ezike Onyinyechukwu Nkiruka now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ozowara Onyinyechukwu Nkiruka. All former documents remain valid. NICON Insurance Ltd and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Hadiza Favour Felicia Talatu Usman, now wish to be known and addressed as Favour Felicia Talatu Usman. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Abdul-Rahaman Usman Snr, now wish to be known and addressed as Abraham AbdulRahaman Adnoyi Usman Snr. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME OLAMBO: Formerly known as Miss Olanike Dorcas Olambo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olanike Dorcas Makinde. All former documents remain valid. general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ADELANA: Formerly known as Miss Olateju Ajoke Adelana now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olateju Ajoke Makinde. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EBEI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ebei Chinasa Kalu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ude Chinasa Mark. All former documents remain valid. Etitiama High School, Npkoro, WAEC; Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu; NIGERDOCK Training School, Apapa, Lagos and general public take note.

ILOH: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Iloh Ifeoma Maureen,now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ojukwu Ifeoma Maureen. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Ngozi Okoronkwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Blessing Jim Mathews. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADESANYA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesanya Mary Iyabo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ogunnoiki Mary Iyabo. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as George Telema Ayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Prince Ademola Eletu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Mr Lazarus Fortune, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr Isoh Obianujunwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

MUOEDU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Muoedu Chinwe Dorathy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ugwu Chinwe Dorathy. All former documents remain valid. Genral public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IKEMEFULA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Chioma Coleth Ikemefula, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chioma Coleth Okeahialam. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. OFFOR : Formerly known as Miss Jessy Chinyere Offor, now wish to be known as Mrs Jessy Chinyere Okeke. All former documents remain valid. Aguata Local Govt Education Authority ASUBEB and public note.

CHANGE OF NAME

BAKARE: Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Ololade Agnes Bakare, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ololade Agnes Agbebaku. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

This is to inform the General public that the above named Foundation has applied for Registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act. 1990.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

IBENEME: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibeneme Jacinta Chinwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Okoye Jacinta Chinwe. All former documents remains valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NLIAM: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Nliam Ogochukwu Jovita now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Egbogu Ogochukwu Jovita. All former documents remain valid.NYSC and The general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ANJOLAOLUWA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Anjolaoluwa Isiwele, now wish to be known and addreessed as Mrs Babatola Anjolaoluwa. All former documents remain valid.NYSC and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

1 X 2 CLASSIFIED ADVERT SPACE FOR SALE

ADIMUO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adimuo Helen Obum, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nzeka Helen Obum. All former documents remains valid. General public take note.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

SIGNED: BOARD OF TRUSTEES

PUBLIC NOTICE

IKOLE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION The general public is hereby notified that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: - President -Secretary

2. High Chief Bayo Famotibe 4. Engr Chief Dare Oseni 6. Oloye Fola Omolayo 8. Mrs Lara Olokesusi

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

1. To foster mutual relationship among members Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General,Corporate Affairs Commission,Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama,Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as Miss. Kafilat Idowu Hassan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kafilat Idowu Hassan. All former documents remain valid. LASPOTECH and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ODOH: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Odoh Martha Chizoba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Odoh Obinna Martha Chizoba. All former documents remains valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OLATOKUN: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olatokun Bukola .O., now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olatunji Bukola .O. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Oladunni Olusola Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olusola Mary Banji-Oshin. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

IBENACHO: Formerly known and addressed as Ifeoma Felicitas Ibenacho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifeoma Felicitas Benjamin-Igwe. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

3 X 2 CAC ADVERT SPACE FOR SALE

CHANGE OF NAME

PUBLIC NOTICE DR ADESEGUN AKIN-OLUGBADE FOUNDATION

1. Dr Akin-Olugabde Adesegun Akinjuwon - Chairman 3. Mr. Candide-Johnson Charles Adeyemi 5. Mrs Akin Olugbade Nee Ndongo Seh Marie Laure

1.To support women with disabilities build their self esteem, confidence and live a dignified life 2.To advocate for women with disabilities’ access to their basic right; such as education, health, employment etc 3. To help disabled women fight poverty and removed both self imposed marginalization of societal marginalization. 4. To improve on the social economy of women with disabilities through selfempowerment programmes. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

CHANGE OF NAME

MADUEKE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Loveth Onyakachi Madueke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Loveth Onyakachi Mmara John. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above named foundation, based in Lagos has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act.

1. Mrs Bukola Solotan 2. Mrs Tolulope Sokefun 3. Mrs Oluwabanke E. Oyerinde 4. Mr. Felix Solotan

1. Oba Ajibade Fasiku 3. Chief (Dr) Bayo Aderiye 5. Mr Bayode Ajayi 7. Prince Ayo Fafure 9. Are Jide Anifowose

CHANGE OF NAME

BAKARE: Formerly known and addressed as Olufemi Joseph Bakare, now wish to be known and addressed as Olufemi Joseph Agbebaku. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE FOUNDATION FOR DISABLED WOMEN

IBRAHIM: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Rashidat Titilope Ibrahim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Rashidat Titilope Bello. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

NDUBUISI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ndubuisi Chinonyelum Magret now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Onwuanyi Chinonyelum Magret. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ASHIEGBU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ashiegbu Ijeoma Gloria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obioma Ijeoma Gloria. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OKAFOR: Formerly known and addressed as Okafor Stanley Chinedu, now wish to be known and addressed as Akpai Stanley Chinedu. All former documents remain valid. UNN and general public take note.

2. Mr Lemo Babatunde Olakunle 4. Capt. George James Akinlawon 6. Akin-Olugbade Oluwakemi Loriade

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To cater for children, the destitute and the less privileged; 2. To provide relief to poor children, distressed orphans and under-privileged persons through financial assistance, self-help programmes, entrepreneurial capacity building and mentoring initiatives; 3. To contribute to poverty alleviation in rural communities in Nigeria through establishment of vocational and skill acquisition centres, provision of economic empowerment for the less privileged, education support for orphans and vulnerable children, and creation of enabling environment; and 4. To work with the private sector, and other stakeholders in initiating, piloting, introducing or scaling partnerships and/or sustainability projects that directly and indirectly improve the livelihood of children and the less privileged. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BUSAYO BALOGUN, SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

ORCHARD OF LIFE FAMILY ASSEMBLY.

The general public is hereby notified that the above-named assembly has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap. C20 2004.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Pastor Uwejeta Convey 2. Pastor Otuaga Lucky 3. Dns Mrs Okogbe Mercy 4. Bro Anedebe Oghenero 5. Bro Okogbe Morrison 6. Mrs Uwejeta Justina 7. Bro Odanibe Richard 8. Mrs Otuaga Elohor 9. Mrs Okogbe Onome.

-Snr Pastor -General Secretary - Treasurer - Financial Secretary

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in all nations.

Any objection to this application should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTESS

PUBLIC NOTICE JUBILEE PAVILION ASSEMBLY.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named club has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under part C of companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. Pastor Stephen Oseahumhen Ikhiduanumhen - Founder/ President. 2. Mrs Christianah Modupe Ikhiduanumhen - Vice president 3. Bro.Samson Ukoha Ibenne - Secretary. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

1. To preach the gospel of Christ. 2. To bring revival to the people. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar. General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

PUBLIC NOTICE JESUS EAGLES’ VICTORIOUS ARMY MINISTRY. This is to inform the general public that the above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the company and Allied Matters Act No 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Bishop Roland Bomieghan Sake 2. Pastor[Mrs]Josephine Sake 3. Evang.Richard Bozimo 4. Engr. Gordon Perekeme Sake 5. Mrs Rita Brizimo 6. Sis Elizabeth Fireman 7. Bro Peter Seifegha

- Mission President - Mission Vice President - Mission/Outreach - Financial Secretary -Women Wing Leader - Secretary

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

1. To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in all nations. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

No evidence missing plane flew hours after losing contact -- Malaysia

If there is no progress on these things (in Crimea) in the next few days then we will move to the next stage of Europe’s response to this crisis, which will involve travel bans and asset freezes on individuals in Russia –British Foreign Secretary , William Hague

Pistorius trial: Blood stains photos displayed in court P

rosecutors in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial yesterday displayed a sequence of photos showing the blood stains and blood spatter found on the floors, walls, stairs and chairs in the athlete’s house after he fatally shot his girlfriend. In one photograph displayed on TV monitors in the courtroom, spots of blood were seen right next to some of the doubleamputee Olympian and multiple Paralympic champion’s golden trophies. The TV screen next to Pistorius, who at times held his head in his hands, was switched off during the display. The images were described by G.S. van Rensburg, a former police colonel who testified at the trial as one of the two officers first on the scene after Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year by shooting her through a closed toilet door in his home. Pistorius, 27, has said he shot 29-year-old Steenkamp by mistake, fearing there was a dangerous intruder in the house. The prosecution says he intentionally killed her after an argument. Van Rensburg described how, on arriving at Pistorius’ house, he saw Steenkamp’s body covered in towels and plastic bags that the daughter of the estate administrator said she had used, with assistance from Pistorius, to try and stop the bleeding.

orth Korea on Thursday denied any responsibility for an oil tanker that loaded crude from a Libyan rebel-held port and fled the OPEC member state’s attempt to seize it, saying the vessel that carried its flag was linked to an Egyptian firm. he incident marked the first sale of Libyan crude bypassing the government and was a huge humiliation for Tripoli as it struggled to rein in armed militias who helped oust dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but want to grab power and oil revenues.

Egyptian soldier shot dead in Cairo bus attack

Oscar Pistorius covering his head with his hands and a notebook as he listens to forensic evidence during his trial in court in Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday. Photo: AP

A tearful Pistorius was pacing in the kitchen, van Rensburg said. The policeman said he asked the athlete what had happened, but he didn’t answer. Van Rensburg said he asked Pistorius to stay in one area of the kitchen, which he did. Police investigator Hilton Botha also arrived at the home, where bloodstains were visible in many areas, according to van Rensburg. “We then followed the trail of blood up the stairs,” van Rensburg said as chief prosecutor Ger-

rie Nel led him slowly through the sequence of events that night. Earlier, a photograph of Pistorius’ blood-stained prosthetic legs was used by his chief defense lawyer to attempt to show that the athlete was wearing them, as he says, when he broke down a toilet door with a cricket bat to get to the girlfriend he fatally shot. The image, showing the prosthetic limbs with white socks and stained with Steenkamp’s blood up to the knee, was displayed by lawyer Barry Roux on a TV monitor. Roux was trying to reinforce

the Olympian’s story that he shot the model by mistake on Feb. 14, 2013 and then desperately broke through a locked toilet door to help her. The prosecution has attempted to cast doubt on parts of Pistorius’ story, including, specifically, that he was wearing his legs when he broke through the toilet door with his bat. Pistorius faces a possible life sentence in prison if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and three firearm-related offenses.

Sierra Leone’s ex-president, Kabbah, dies at 82

ierra Leone’s former president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, widely credited for ending an 11-year civil war, died yesterday at the age of 82 after a long illness. President Ernest Bai Koroma’s government said in a statement that Kabbah’s death was an “irreparable loss” to the West African nation and it declared a week of national mourning. Kabbah, a long-time U.N. official, won the presidency in 1996, ending a decade of military rule. He was briefly ousted in a military coup the following year before being

WORLD BULLETIN Libya: North Korea denies role in tanker with crude

restored to power by a West African regional force. He eventually coaxed Sierra Leone through a peace process that ended the brutal civil war in 2002, with the help of U.N. peacekeepers and a military intervention by former colonial power Britain. He was re-elected by a landslide the same year. The civil war had made Sierra Leone a watchword for brutality, with the drug-crazed child soldiers of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels chopping off the hands and feet of civilians.

About 50,000 people died in the conflict, which devastated the country’s infrastructure. At the end of his second term in 2007, Kabbah won praise for peacefully handing power to the opposition when his Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) lost elections. Kabbah was lauded for establishing democratic institutions, though his critics said he did not do enough to tackle widespread corruption in one of the world’s poorest countries. Kabbah

n Egyptian soldier has been shot dead by gunmen who attacked an army bus in a district of eastern Cairo, the military said. Masked men opened fire on the vehicle, injuring three other soldiers, it said. It accused the banned Muslim Brotherhood of being behind the attack. No group has claimed responsibility. It is the latest in a series of attacks on security forces across Egypt in recent months and comes amid a crackdown on the Brotherhood movement. The BBC’s reporter in Cairo says this attack will raise concerns that Islamist militants are broadening their campaign of violence, which has killed hundreds of police and soldiers in recent months.

US politician concerned over Rwanda attacks

powerful member of the U.S. Congress says he’s concerned over attacks against and killings of Rwandan dissidents, and he’s urging the State Department to re-evaluate its relations with the country that next month will observe the 20th anniversary of its devastating genocide. Rep. Edward Royce, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry this week and recounted how one Rwandan dissident was killed in South Africa earlier this year and how another was attacked this month, leading South Africa to expel Rwandan diplomats.

World News

Islamist rebels in Syria claim kidnapping of 94 civilians

unni Islamist rebels in Syria have claimed responsibility for kidnapping at least 94 women and children belonging to President Bashar al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect, according to a video published yesterday. The civilians were abducted in August from villages in rural Latakia, the president’s coastal stronghold. The rebels said they were holding the hostages to secure the release of opposition supporters from government detention. Thousands of people are thought to be imprisoned by both sides in the increasingly sectarian civil war, which enters its fourth year this month. The video, obtained by Qatari-owned television station Al Jazeera, said the rebels were ready to swap the civilians for 2,000 prisoners who have been detained for more than a year. It stipulated that most of the freed prisoners be from coastal areas of the country and that half of them be women and children, Al Jazeera said.

Venezuela’s protest death toll rises to 28

enezuela’s state prosecutor said yesterday the death toll from a month of violent protests had risen to 28, after the nation’s top court ordered opposition mayors to dismantle barricades set up by street protesters. State prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz, speaking on the sidelines of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, also said 1,293 detainees had been released and 104 remained in custody accused of serious crimes during the anti-government demonstrations. “We need to ensure there is no impunity and it must be fully investigated to determine whether those people held in jail are the authors of those homicides,” she said. President Nicolas Maduro, a former bus driver elected last year to succeed the late Hugo Chavez, has declared victory over a “coup” attempt and does not look in danger of being toppled.

Friday, March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

No evidence missing plane flew hours after losing contact -- Malaysia

Malaysia’s acting Transport Minister Tun Hussein (centre) speaking at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, yesterday.

alaysian authorities said yesterday there was no evidence that a jetliner missing for almost six days flew for hours after losing contact with air traffic controllers and continued to transmit technical data. The Wall Street Journal said that U.S. aviation investigators and national security officials believed the Boeing 777 flew for a total of five hours, based on data automatically downloaded and sent to the ground from its Rolls-Royce Trent engines as part of a standard monitoring program.

“Those reports are inaccurate,” Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told a news conference. “As far as both Rolls-Royce and Boeing are concerned, those reports are inaccurate. The last (data) transmission from the aircraft was at 01:07 a.m.(local time) which indicated that everything was normal.” He said that his team had spoken to Malaysian Airlines and Rolls-Royce, the engine’s manufacturers, who both said the report was “inaccurate”. He added that efforts to

locate the aircraft were ongoing, promising to “spare nothing in our efforts to find MH370”. “There are currently 43 ships and 40 aircraft searching the South China Sea and Straits of Malacca,” he said. Boeing and Rolls-Royce have yet to comment. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, with 239 people on board, dropped off air traffic control screens at about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, less than an hour into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. There were no reports of bad weather or mechanical problems.

In a separate press conference in Vietnam, an air traffic official said five ships and three aircraft had been sent yesterday to the area indicated by the Chinese satellite images but had found nothing. The BBC’s reporter in Vietnam says the official declined to answer a question on whether he was frustrated with Malaysia’s communication and co-ordination, referring the matter to the foreign ministry. He said Vietnam would continue to search for the plane on Friday. It is one of the most baf-

PHOTO: AP

fling mysteries in the history of modern aviation - there has been no trace of the plane since nor any sign of wreckage despite a search by the navies and military aircraft of over a dozen countries across Southeast Asia. “It’s extraordinary that with all the (satellite and telecommunication) technology that we’ve got that an aircraft can disappear like this,” Tony Tyler, the head of the International Air Transport Association that links over 90 percent of the world’s airlines, told reporters in London.

Pope Francis marks first year in office

ope Francis is celebrating his first year in office. The Argentinean-born pontiff is currently on a week-long spiritual retreat with cardinals and bishops in the Alban Hills near Rome. Italian opinion polls give Pope Francis the highest popularity rating of any recent pontiff. However, the BBC’s reporter in Rome says that Francis’s papacy so far has shown a change of style rather than of substance. Pope Francis is the first Latin American - and the first Jesuit - to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

Since taking office, pilgrims have been arriving in Rome in unprecedented numbers. He is also riding high on social media, with 11 million following him in nine languages on Twitter. BBC says Francis’s approval rating has remained high despite a recent UN report accusing the Catholic Church of systematically covering up for tens of thousands of child-abusing priests reported to the Vatican. The Pope himself has denounced any cult of personality. He recently told Corriere della Sera: “Portraying the pope as a kind of super-

Pope Francis travelled by bus to spend the first anniversary of his election in a spiritual retreat

man, a type of star, it seems offensive.” Francis, 77, has appointed new advisers to help him run the Church and is

planning major reforms of Vatican finances and of the scandal-hit Vatican bank. But our correspondent adds that for the moment

there is no sign of a change in official Catholic teaching on artificial contraception or on the celibacy rule for priests. However the Pope’s compassionate attitude especially his outreach to believers who have abandoned going to Mass and to divorced Catholics banned from receiving communion - is not universally admired by traditionalist cardinals. Likewise his attitude towards gay people - he says that he is not going to judge them - contrasts strongly with that of his predecessor Pope Benedict, who called homosexuality “intrinsically evil”.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Friday, March 14, 2014

Nasarawa PDP accuses APC of illegal withdrawal of N700m IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

he ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Nasarawa State has being accused of illegally withdrawing N700 million

from the joint account through the Directors of Personnel Management, DPM of local governments and development areas of the state. Making the allegation in Lafia, the state capital yesterday, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in

a press statement, alleged that the local government system in the state ‘died’ the day APC assumed power. The statement, signed by the state publicity secretary of the party, Mark Neto Yuhanna, claimed that the signing of the

mandate to withdraw the money was under the guise of implementation of free education and feeding programme for schools, as well as the purchase of vehicles for traditional rulers. The PDP said the twin programmes were the

premises the party was claiming to withdraw the money submitted to the state house of assembly in the appropriation bill. It wondered if the state government could spend monies before appropriation. The release stated: “You will recall that ever since the APC government clinched mantle of leadership of government in the state, local govern-

ment administrative system has since died. “The government, after paying the salaries of the local government staffers, does not give a penny for overheads by the DPMs.” The statement asked, “why should the APC government now force the local governments to take this large sum of money?”

Pay us, pensioners ask Bauchi govt EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

P Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, laying the foundation for new Lafia Square, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Accountant-General assures varsities on autonomy MUSTAPHA SALIHU KANO

he AccountantGeneral of the Federation, Mr. Jonas Otunla, has revealed plans to introduce Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS in the federal universities. He also allayed fears that the introduction would affect the autonomy the tertiary institutions. Otunla gave the assurance at a one-day sensitisation workshop on IPPIS in Kano, organised by the Office of the Accountant-General for federal universities in the North-West Zone.

Represented by the Director of Finance and Accounts in his office, Mrs. Fatima Nana-Mede, the accountant-general explained that the project was aimed at ensuring prompt payment of salaries and check corruption. “The project is not aimed at taking your responsibilities or the autonomy of the universities,” he hinted. His words: “We shall engage all stakeholders in order to ensure that it succeeds when it finally takes off, because we want to sustain the system. “The project will also provide personnel records to support monitoring of

staff emolument payments against budget.” According to him, his office was determined to address all the grey areas and other peculiarities which might affect the implementation of the programme. Otunla further pointed out that the workshop was also intended to find out the fears of the universities, as well as hear their views and peculiarities with a view to sensitising them on the importance of the project. He said: “Our major challenges are; getting the people to accept that government means well, it is not taking people’s jobs and not taking over the autono-

my of the universities. “As at March, we have 218, 330 active employees, enrolled in 308 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, while 29 MDAs are on trial payroll.” The AG also stressed that the National Assembly had passed a resolution that all agencies must join IPPIS, “hence the need to work with you to ensure its success.” In his remarks, the ViceChancellor of Bayero University, Kano, BUK, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, urged the Federal Government to consider the peculiarities of the universities before implanting the programme.

ensioners in Bauchi State have appealed to the federal, state and local governments to pay them a backlog of N6billion pension and gratuity. The state chairman of pensioners’ association, Alhaji Habu Gar and his counterpart, chairman of Bauchi Local Government Pensioners’ Association, Alhaji Yahaya Umar, made the demand at a joint press conference at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Bauchi. Gar said the backlog of pension and gratuity owed the pensioners was over N6billion and appealed to the government at all levels to pay them their money in order to save lives. He said for over seven months, the government had not paid the retired workers their gratuities and pensions.

2015: Kano police cautions politicians on abuse OTHMAN SALIHU KANO

Police kill three robbery suspects in Yobe INUSA NDAHI DAMATURU

he police in Yobe State, operating jointly with members of a vigilance group, on Wednesday killed three suspected cross-border armed bandits, especially from the Niger Republic operating at Yusufari, Machina and Yunusari local government areas in the state.

Briefing newsmen on Thursday in Damaturu, the state capital, Yobe State Police Commissioner, Sanusi Rufai, said the suspects had been robbing people of their money and livestock for several years, before their apprehension on Wednesday at one of the border police posts. His words: “Luck has, however, run out of the suspects after they rustled (stole) three camels in Bu-

latura village of Yusufari Local Government Area. There, the police traced them to Karasuwa town where they engaged the vigilance group in a shootout in a bid to resist arrest. This, the commissioner stated, led to the death of three livestock robbers. Other items recovered from the robbers, he added, include an AK-47 riffle, N7,010, three camels and other valuables.

The camels, according to him, would be returned to the owners. Rufai called on the people of the state to continue to “partner and cooperate” with security operatives in the fight against cross-border banditry and other criminal activities. Meanwhile, the command has also decorated 531 officers and men who were promoted to their next ranks.

According to him, some of them were not included in the list of the paid a three-months arrears after they retired, while many had lost lost their lives or fallen ill waiting for pension that was not forthcoming. On his part, Umar said the government did not pay the two-year gratuity to workers who retired and at the local governments since September of October 2013. He called for speedy payment of the money to allow the retirees address their problems. The pensioners said many of their children and wards had been sent out of schools, while some were unable to pay their medical expenses. They appealed to the government to pity their conditions and reduce their problems. The leaders of the pensioners lauded the Bauchi State Government for the payment of pensioners between on or before the 22 and 23rd of every month.

he Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adenrenle Shinaba, has warned political parties to desist from the use of abusive languages and play the game according the rules, so as to ensure peaceful general elections in 2015. He gave the advice yesterday in Kano while decorating 613 police officers recently promoted to different ranks in the command. Shinaba advised parties in the state to learn to abide by their party’s manifestoes

and avoid truancy. He said, “You know that elections are around the corner, and we have to sensitise all stakeholders. “That is why we have to talk to all politicians, that in the course of selling their parties, they should eschew abusive language and violence, as well as other unwholesome practices that can lead to rancour.’’ He also warned politicians to ensure that they sell their party’s manifestoes, rather than abuse individuals, warning that the police would not tolerate any form of truancy on the part of political parties.

Friday, March 14, 2014

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Esther Ene Princess Ameh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oduh Esther Ene Princess Ameh. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OLOWOKUNLEPE:Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olowokunlepe Eniabire Marry, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ajanaku Eniabire Marry. All former documents remain valid. The Nigeria Police Force and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OGUNWANDE: Formerly known and addressed as Ogunwande Timothy Oluwadamilare, now wish to be known and addressed as Peter Timothy Oluwadamilare. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

OMOOGUN: Formerly known and addressed as Omoogun Abayomi Victor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Remigious Abayomi Victor. All former documents remain valid. general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OYEKANMI: Formerly Miss Oyekanmi Folasade Omolara now wish to be addressed as Mrs Akomolafe Folasade Omolara All former document remain valid Osun state College of Technology Esa Oke NYSC and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

DOOSHIMA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Dooshima Joyce Aende, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Dooshima Joyce Ukeyima. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

SUBAIR: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olamide Rukayat Subair, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olamide Rukayat Oyin-Betiku. All former documents remain valid.Lagos State Microfinance Institution and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

BOBADE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Bobade Seun Bright, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olorunfemi Seun Bright. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ADEMOLA: Formerly known and addressed as Ajibade Olabode Ademola, now wish to be known and addressed as Ajibade Olabode Idris. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AMOSUN: Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Amosun Ajoke Folasade, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Emmanuel Ajoke Folasade. All former documents remain valid. All authority concerned and general public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NAKU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Naku Regina Bariara now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs George Regina Bariara. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EFFIONG: Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Effiong Blessing, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ojuigo David Blessing. All former documents remain valid. Military Pension Board and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OLUDAIRO: Formerly known and addressed as Mr Olufemi Abayomi Oludairo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr Olufemi Abayomi Sangoyomi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ODINYE:Formerly known and addressed as Miss Odinye Grace Obiageli, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Egboka Grace Obiageli. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ADOFIKWU: Formerly known and addressed as Adofikwu Ayeesha Lesley Ochanya, now wish to known and addressed as Abi-Akingboye Ayeesha Lesley Ochanya. All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OMODARA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Omodara Veronica Damilola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adewumi Veronica Damilola. All former documents remain valid. Ilejemeje Local Government, IyeEkiti, Ekiti State and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

GOOD FORTUNE FRIENDS CLUB OF NIGERIA ANAMBRA STATE CHAPTER

The general public is herebynotified that the above-named Club has applied to the Corporate affairs Commission(CAC),Abuja for registration under part C of the companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1.Uchenna Uzor - Chairman 2.Sunday Ngwoke 3.Cosmas Ugwu 4.Julius Onugbo 5.Emmanuel Egbo 6.Chidebere Ugweze THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.To foster the interest of members. 2.To provide information for capacity building with respect to unemployment and the practice of charity. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission,plot 420 Tigris Crescent,Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama,P.M.B. 198,Garki,Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. MRS UGOCHUKWU NDIGWE-OGBONNA 08037565297

PUBLIC NOTICE

REJOICE MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME AND REHABILITATION CENTER

This is to inform the general public that the above named center has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the company and Allied Matters Act No 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. Mrs Kate Ugochukwu - President 2. Dr Chinyere Ugochukwu - Secretary 3. Charity Okafor - Treasurer THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. Accommodating motherless babies ( or phasis) 2. Help juvenile youth acquire/learn handcraftship 3. Providing counselling to juvenile youth 4. Helping the less privileged Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. S. C. OMEH.

CHANGE OF NAME

NGAIHEKANMA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Udeogu Joy Ngaihekanma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Miss Udeogu Joy Hephzibah. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AMOSUN:Formerly known and addressed as Amosun Samson Oludele Adeniyi, now wish to known and addressed as Emmanuel Samson Oludele Adeniyi. The Nigerian Baptist Convention Ibadan, TESCOM Ibadan, First Baptist Church Katsina-Ala and general public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Faustina Eberechukwu Enekwenchi, now called and addressed as Mrs Faustina Eberechukwu Enemmuo. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. Formerly known and addressed as Yusuf Fausat Motunrayo is the same person as Ogunbunmi Fausat Motunrayo. now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abdulwahab Fausat Motunrayo. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

BAKARE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Waliat Opeyemi Bakare, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Balogun Waliat Opeyemi.All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANIFOWOSE: Formerly called and addressed as Miss Anifowose Idowu Olabimpe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Jimoh Idowu Olabimpe. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AJADI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajadi Adisat Adeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adelabu Adisat Adeola. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IZIOMOH: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Odunayo Christiana Iziomoh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Odunayo Christiana Giwa Osagie. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ONUGBOLU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Onugbolu Victoria Chinwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ndulue Victoria Chinwe. All former documents remain valid. Ojiakor Memorial Primary School, Adazi Nnukw and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

JAMES: Formerly known and addressed as James Damilola Sonayon, now wish to known and addressed as Jayeola Damilola Sonayon. All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

YEKINI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Aminat Omolola Yekini, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Aminat Omolola Salawu. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

NWODO:Formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwodo Grace Uchenna, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ani Grace Uchenna. All former documents remain valid. Bank of Industry and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

1. Prophet Paul I. Unuavworho - Chairman 2. Bro. Lucky Okotie - Secretary 3. Elder (Mrs.) Onokurefe A. Unuavworho - Member 4. Bro. Prince Odili - Member 5. Sis. Ogho Unuavworho - Member THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ all over the world. 2. To provide a ministry of the word of God through the planting of churches. 3. To print, publish, distribute religious/other books. 4. To provide health, education, poverty alleviation and relief services to the needy, orphans, etc. Any objection therefore, should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: PROPHET PAUL I. UNUAVWORHO.

CHANGE OF NAME

ATA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Comfort Ojonugwa Ata, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Comfort Ojonugwa Ocholi. All former document remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AMUWA: Formerly known and addressed as Amuwa Stella Oluwabunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omojola Stella Olubunmi Owoyemi. All former documents remain valid. Hospital Management Board (HMB), Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

LAWAI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Lawai Iyabo Adebola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mufutau Iyabo Adebola. All former document remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE ARIZONA CLUB The general public is hereby notified that the above named club has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under part C of companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Prince Alumun Binda 2. James Anemba Esq. 3. James Chia

- President - Legal Adviser - Member

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

1. To uplift the standard of members 2. To foster unity and growth among members Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar. General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication

SIGNED: ANEMBA JAVS ESQ (LEGAL ADVISER)

PATRICK .I .S. OGU.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

CHANGE OF NAME

ANIGBOGU: Formerly known and address as Miss Anigbogu Uchenna Theresa, now wish to be known and address as Mrs Nnagbo Uchenna Theresa. All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

MBAOGU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Mbaogu Chidinma Lilian, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Joshua Chidinma Lilian. All former documents remain valid. FNHE and general public take note

SIGNED:

The general public is hereby informed that the above-named Church has applied for registration Under Part C of the Companies & Allied Matters Act, 1990

CHANGE OF NAME

LAWORE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Lawore Oyeladun Adedoyin now wants to be addressed as Mrs. Jolasun Oyeladun Adedoyin.All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

UDEAGBALA: Formerly known and address as Miss Udeagbala Ezinwanne Margdaline, now wish to be known and address as Mrs Nwankwo Ezinwanne Margdaline. All former documents remain valid. General Public to take note.

I want to confirm that Alhaji Isah Alese is the same and one person as alese yisa.now wish to be known, called and addressed as Yisa Alese. All former documents remain valid. Guarantee Trust Bank Plc and general public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE GOODNESS OF YAHWEH CHURCH

CHANGE OF NAME

OGUNDAIRO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogundairo Abidemi Motunrayo, now wih to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odugbayi Abidemi Motunrayo. All former documents remain valid; Ogun state Teaching Service Commission (Ogun TESCOM) and general public take note.

ATILOLA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Atilola Oluwakemi Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olawuyi Oluwakemi Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Osifo Felix, now wish to be known and addressed as Gideon Maduagwu James. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to notify the general public that the C of C of plot 5 in Block 32 known as No 6 Broadrick street Ogboete Enugu is missing. All effort to recover it proved abortive. The C of O and any document or documents relating to the acquisition of the said plot, are here by declared null and void.

AWANU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Awanu Temitope Rebecca, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Omoniyi Temitope Rebecca. All former documents remain valid. FUNAAB and general public take note

OJO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo Kehinde Elizabeth now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olayiwola Kehinde Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

AGBELEOBA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Agbeleoba Adeyemi Comfort, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alabi Adeyemi Comfort. All former documents remain valid. Local Government Service Commission, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHANGE OF NAME

FOWOWE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Fowowe Moyolola Funmbi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akintola Moyolola Funmbi. All former documents remain valid. Hospital Management Board(HMB), Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and general public take note.

OGUNWANDE: Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Ogunwande Elizabeth Funmilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Peter Elizabeth Funmilayo. All former documents remain valid. SUBEB, Keystone Bank Plc and general public take note

UDO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Udo Cherechi Goodness, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Osuigwe Cherechi Goodness. All fomer documents remain valid. General public take note

AJURUCHI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajuruchi Sandra Nmeri now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ofoha Sandra Nmeri. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

OYEWOLE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyewole Oyebola Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Okubanjo Oyebola Mary. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

FAMILY CHANGE OF NAME We formerly known and addressed as Ransome Odey, Louis Odey, Sharon Odey, Miss Theresa Odey now wish to be known and addressed as Bright Paul, Louis Paul, Sharon Paul and Mrs. Faith Paul. Also Moses Amu, Cecilia Uwbong wish to be known and addressed as Moses Daniel and Faith John. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

MUHAMMED: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Muhammed Rekhiat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abdullahi Rekhiat.All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note .

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF CHAPEL OF POWER MINISTRY

This is to inform the general public, especially members of the Ministry that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for the amendment of the name of one of the trustees and change of some of her trustees:

FORMER NAME OF ONE OF THE TRUSTEES

Rev.Francis Iheanacho

NEW NAME

Rev.Francis Iheanacho Otudoh

REMOVED OLD TRUSTEES

i. Evang.Ogbonnia Nweke Iv. Bro George Akubor vi. Bro. Solomon Owoyemi

ii. Bro. Joseph Anagor v. Sis Helen Anagor

ELECTED NEW TRUSTEES:

i.Asst. Pastor Vincent Dike Eze - Treasurer ii.Deaconess Glory Eyo Edet - Secretary iii .Deacon Daniel Lekwot Obijeko - Assistant Secretary vi. Pastor Jessy Onyeji Otudoh - Member v. Sis Mindra Nkem Chukkas - Member vi. Asst Pastor Olajide Oladapo Osuolale - Member Vii. Asst.Pastor Elizabeth Nwaikpe Okogwu - Member Any objection to the above change should be addressed to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission ,Plot 420 Tigris Crescent , off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama ,Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: CHUKWUEZUO NWOSU ESQ (BARRISTER & SOLICITOR), NO 5, WILLIAMS STREET, LAGOS. TEL: 08023072365,08076581702

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday March 14, 2014

Sport Tax fraud: Bayern boss bags jail term

The defeat against Brazil notwithstanding, we are focused on Morocco 2015 AFCON finals –South Africa Coach, Gordon Igesund

54 EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

FIFA ranking:

Eagles still down on 47th spot ...NFF plans more W/Cup warm-ups

Nigeria’s Michael Uchebo (in white) and Mexico’s Diego Reyes in aerial battle during their friendly match on March 5 in the USA.

Congo shifts AAG date

he 11th All Africa Games (AAG), originally scheduled for July 2015 in Brazzaville, Congo, has been moved to September 2015. Congolese Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Leon

Opimbat, who announced this on Wednesday, said this was due to “international constraints.” “It is now official that the 11th AAG in Brazzaville will take place in the course of the first half of September 2015. “This is for us to free the Af-

rican Games from international constraints related to the various competitions taking place in the world. “It is to make sure that the maximum number of high-level African athletes will come to Congo for the event,” Opimbat

said at a technical meeting of the organisers. The minister however said the experts who attended the meeting of the Technical Committee were satisfied with the progress made in the construction of facilities.

igeria’s Super Eagles remained on the 47th spot in the March edition of the FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Ranking released yesterday, despite playing a barren draw with the El Tricolor of Mexico in their last international friendly match. By the latest rating, Eagles are the seventh-best team in Africa behind Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Egypt, Cape Verde, Ghana and Tunisia. FIFA said that 67 matches were taken into account to compute the ranking. Fiftyseven of those matches were friendlies, but ironically, while countries like Egypt lept 12 rungs to place 26th globally and third in Africa because of their victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nigeria’s draw with Mexico seemed to have counted for nothing. “Of the 67 matches taken into account, 57 were friendlies. The other 10 matches were played in the context of the qualifiers for the Asian Cup in 2015 in Australia, which brings the total number of matches evaluated so far this year to 122,” FIFA said in a statement yesterday. Spain, Germany and Argentina remained on top, with the next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking to be published on April 10. Meanwhile, Nigeria may add to the three World Cup warm-ups they have confirmed ahead of the World Cup in Brazil. General secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Musa Amadu, has hinted they could squeeze a fourth test game before Brazil 2014 should Coach Stephen Keshi accept. “We’re putting all measures in place to ensure that the team is properly prepared for the World Cup and that is why we have lined up friendlies up until June 7. And if the coach accepts, we could squeeze in one more game before our first game at the World Cup,” Amadu told MTNFootball.com

Sports

Friday March 14, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Why Eagles ‘ll shine in Brazil – Oliseh F AFOLABI GAMBARI

ormer Nigeria international, Sunday Oliseh, has said that the Super Eagles will excel at the World Cup in Brazil, despite belief in some quarters that the national team will just make up the number among the 32 participants. Oliseh, who spoke yesterday at the UEFA Champions League Trophy unveiling in Lagos, contended that although the Eagles

are reckoned as dark horses, the Stephen Keshi-coached side might spring surprises at the event. “What I have read or heard almost everywhere suggests the team not performing optimally at the World Cup,” the former Eagles’ captain said. “But I can say that nothing can be farther from the reality as this team can only be underrated at any one’s peril. “There may not be too many quality players in the squad at

the moment going forward. But that has taken nothing away from the quality of the individuals in there. “Admitted that the Eagles’ performance at the Confederation Cup was not exactly what we hoped for. But the World Cup will be a wholly different game altogether.” The member of FIFA Technical Study Group, who was recently appointed Technical Adviser to Nigeria Football Federation President, posited that

Nigeria had nothing to lose in Brazil. “The Eagles will be able to play the matches to their full potential, essentially because they are as unknown to Europeans and they are to South Americans and they won’t be under any pressure,” he ar-

gued, while admonishing the media to help diffuse tension among Nigerians with regard to Eagles’ chances at the quadrennial competition. “Let not the media make Nigerians impose unrealistic demands on the team,” he counseled.

L-R: Former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh; Marketing Director, NB Plc, Walter Drenth; Heineken Ambassador, Ruud Gullit; Global Sponsorship Director, Heineken, Mr, Han Eric Van Tuijt and Public Relations Manager, Edem Vindah, at the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour unveiling in Lagos yesterday. PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Tax fraud: Bayern boss bags jail term

German court yesterday sentenced President of Bayern Munich, Uli Hoeness, to three years and six months in jail for tax evasion. Hoeness admitted defrauding German tax authorities of millions of euros as the former World Cup-winning Germany striker, 62, had kept the funds in a secret Swiss bank account. His lawyer had argued he should escape punishment because he gave

himself up. But judges ruled his confession fell

short of full disclosure. Hoeness was initially charged with evading 3.5m euros (£2.9m; $4.9m) in taxes but he then admitted to dodging another 15m euros. It finally emerged in court that he owed a total of 27.2m euros. The Munich court found Hoeness guilty of “seven serious counts of tax evasion”. “The voluntary disclosure is not valid with the documents that were presented alone,” the

judge said. The defence, however, said it would appeal against the sentence while Hoeness will remain free until a final verdict has been handed out, even as prosecutors had called for a term of five years and six months. Reports said the sentence is very significant because it indicates that attitudes towards tax evasion have changed in Germany since the financial crisis.

Ibile Games: Lagos Sports Festival gets April date AFOLABI GAMBARI

he 2014 Lagos State Sports Festival will hold from April 30 to May 10, according to officials. The championship, tagged IBILE Games, will be competed for this year in Open Category for Local Government Areas and Local Council De-

velopment Areas and Junior/School Category for Senior Secondary School students in the public, private, federal and military schools. Seventeen sports will be competed for in the Open category. These include Individual Sports (Darts, Athletics/Para and Deaf Athletics, Gymnastics, Swimming and

We i g h t l i f t i n g / P o w e rlifting, Combat Sports (Boxing, Judo, Karate, Wrestling, Kung-Fu and Taekwondo), Racket Sports (Table Tennis/ Para and Deaf Table Tennis), Team Sports (Basketball, Football and Cricket) and Traditional Sports (Ayo and Kokowa). The Junior Category will have Individual

Sports (Chess, Athletics/ Deaf Athletics, Scrabble, Swimming and Weightlifting), Combat Sports (Boxing, Judo, Karate, Wrestling and Taekwondo), Racket Sports (Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis/Deaf Table Tennis and Tennis) and Team Sports (Basketball, Handball, Volleyball and Cricket).

NPL: Pillars promise opponents hell O THMAN SALIHU KANO

ewly appointed Chairman of Kano Pillars Football Club, Architect Ibrahim Haruna, has warned opponents to beware of his team, saying the side will ride on all opposition to retain the trophy. According to Haruna, the team’s welfare is paramount to the new leadership as the players will be motivated and encouraged to win all the laurels available this season. “As the league’s defending champions, we know the focus is on us,” the chairman said. “We would build a team for the continent level and produce great players that would match the people’s expectation.” The Pillars’ boss also expressed confidence on the new technical adviser for the team, Okey Emordi, saying the vet-

eran gaffer has prerequisite requirement to motivate the team to excellence. “Surely, he is somebody who has done a good job elsewhere and he has the reputation,” Haruna remarked. He pledged to bequeath financial independence to Pillars through elaborate plans that he said would be unveiled soon. “We wish to dedicate specific matches to rich and influential individuals in the state as a way of generating revenue for the team,” he submitted.

Governor Kwanwaso

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Friday March 14, 2014

Football can inspire economic growth –Fashola FRANCIS SUBERU

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has admonished Nigeria and Africa in general to exploit economic opportunities offered by football, saying it can help alleviate poverty and promote growth in Africa. Fashola said this yesterday while receiving the UEFA Champions League Trophy at the State House, Ikeja as part of the ongoing Trophy Tour in the state. “We can take millions of kids off the streets,

we can take millions of people off the streets through jobs in stadia, stewards, food vendors, transportation and jersey manufacturing, among others,” he said. Among those at the presentation were former Super Eagles players, Austin Jay Jay Okocha and Sunday Oliseh, former European Footballer of the Year, Ruud Gullit and top management of Heineken, sponsors of the UEFA Champions League football competition. “The success of the UEFA Champions League and the follower-

ship it has gained across the world suggest that Africa could exploit it to boost football club competitions. “It is in our hands to improve sponsorship of the African Champions League, increase television rights, especially as we have all of the big brands and the television coverage here now and the internet services and media reach are increasing.” Fashola, who commended the sponsor’s effort, also said: “This is a rare opportunity for Lagosians to make contact with the trophy which

UCL: Torres boost for Chelsea

helsea striker, Fernando Torres, has been declared fit for the Blues’ Champions League returnleg clash with Galatasaray next week. The striker sustained a groin injury in the warm-up ahead of the 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspurs last Saturday. The Spain international has received intensive treatment on the injury and is hopeful of recommencing training shortly. The news will come as a boost to Manager Jose Mourinho, who should plan to unleash the former Liverpool forward on the Turkish side. The first leg finished 1-1, with Torres scoring the visitor’s only goal in Istanbul.

Governor Fashola

symbolizes many long nights of engagements and passion in Nigerian homes and communities and I hope your commitment will continue to inspire many young people in sports.”

CAF Cup: ‘Bayelsa ‘ll fall in Bulawayo A FOLABI GAMBARI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

oach of How Mine FC of Zimbabwe, Philani Ncube, has said that his team is ready for what he calls top-notch performance in their second round CAF Confederations Cup first leg fixture against Bayelsa United. The Bulawayo-based club suffered a shock 3-1 loss to Seychelles side St Michael last time out, but still managed to qualify for the sec-

Bayelsa United defender Fortune Chukwudi will contend with Zimbabwe’s How Mine

ond round with a 6-4 aggregate win and will be up against Bayelsa who is regarded as a dominant Nigerian Premier

League club as it is fresh from a 2-0 win over Congolese side Kondzo. Ncube admits that the tie would be difficult but

said his wards would rise to the occasion. “We are bracing to reach the group stages. We lost in Seychelles and that has taught us some lessons,” Ncube said yesterday. “We aim to win at home and at least draw in Nigeria to ensure passage to the next round,” he added. The Nigerian representative will be Zimbabwe on March 23 for the first leg and host How Mine a week later in Yenagoa for the return fixture.

Danagogo waits on Abdullahi for handover JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

en days after Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi was sacked as the Minister of Sports, his successor, Dr. Tamuno Danagogo, is yet to take full charge of the Ministry. Reason: Abdullahi, who also doubled as Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) is yet to formally hand over to Danagogo. Already, 10 of the eleven new ministers sworn-in by President Goodluck Jonathan on March 5 have since settled down in their offices for their work, but Danagogo has been left without official hand over notes by his predecessor, a situation sports watchers have described as disturbing. At an announced handover ceremony slated to take place on Wednesday by 5pm at the NSC’s

headquarters located within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, the ex-minister, Abdullahi, who returned back to Nigeria on Tuesday did not show up. When contacted, Chief Press Secretary of the NSC, Mr. Alfred Akinyemi, told National Mirror that what was supposed to be an official handover was not properly communicated as there was no proper schedule for it to take place. He said, “The message of handover that was spread yesterday was actually due to gap in communication. There was no official schedule to that effect. For now, no date has been fixed. Handover is a normal routine in public service; it will take place at appropriate time. Meanwhile, Danagogo, who has not been spending much time in his office because of no proper hand over from Abdullahi, has scheduled a meeting with directors of the ministry and NSC on Monday.

Torres

Come get Balotelli –Milan

eleaguered AC Milan has declared readiness to call for offers for unsettled striker Mario Balotelli who has been linked to the English Premier League where he had a forgettable stay at Manchester City. According to reports,

Balotelli is set to be sacrificed by Milan after the Italy forward became the scapegoat for the club’s Champions League failure. The reports also said the controversial player’s availability will open the door to a return to the EPL this summer.

Chelsea and Arsenal have been monitoring Balotelli’s situation since the New Year. “In football you never know the future but I think at this moment he is with a big club, Milan,” Blues Manager, Jose Mourinho, only said last week while hinting of a move for the young striker.

WORLD RECORD

Largest light and sound show on a single building

Vol. 04 No. 808

Friday, March 14, 2014

N150

The largest light and sound show on a single building measures 46,641.52 m² (502,405.1 ft²), was staged on the ICC building, Hong Kong and was achieved by Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd (Hong Kong) in Hong Kong, China on 25 April 2013.

Nigeria’s textile industry as a sad story

n the portal of African Journals Online (AJOL), Vol. 6, No 1 (2009), is a report captioned ‘Trade liberalization and the collapse of the Nigerian textile industry’. AJOL got the work from yet another source – ‘Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research’. The piece anchored by one N. Nwabueze examined the circumstances ‘leading’ to the imminent collapse of the Nigerian textile industry. It said: “With a decline from124 to 45 firms between 1994 and 2005, a decrease in employment by 87 percent from 150,000 to about 20,000 in that period, and the few surviving firms operating at less than 40 percent installed capacity; total collapse of the industry is imminent. This state of affairs is attributed to the pressure to liberalize international trade by bilateral and multilateral interests and the uneconomic infrastructure status of the domestic economy”. But the experience today and subsequent

FRIDAY WITH Dozie Okebalama

dozieokeama@yahoo.co.uk 08164966858 (SMS only) reports after AJOL’s strongly buttress the fact that the nation’s textile industry has really collapsed. Sadly, too, it is still bleeding, if recent reports suggesting that Federal Government’s recent N100 billion lifeline for the textile industry has failed to revive the sector are true. The industry, in the 1960s and 1970s, thrived lucratively; and the government backed it with firm interventionist policies. Measures often cited include the ban placed on the importation of textiles during and after the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), up to 1978 through 1984. During the period, according to a recent report by a reputable local business newspaper, “technological sophistication in the Nigerian textile industry was highest in sub-Saharan Africa, as multi-task and heavy equipment… were available”. The same report stated in addition: “By the late 1980s, the Nigerian textile market had become the third largest in Africa, with over 160 vibrant textile mills and over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs. In fact, by 1985, there were about 180 textile mills in the country, employing about one million Nigerians. Companies like United Nigerian Textile Limited (UNTL), Aswani Textile, Afprint, Asaba Textile Mills, Edo Textile Mills, among others, were making waves as the country’s textile capacity accounted for 60 percent in West Africa. However, the fortunes of the sector began to dwindle in the early 1990s. Precisely in 1994, many textile manufacturers began to feel the pinch of unstable political situation, massive smuggling and high production costs due to

LIKEWISE DISTRESSING WERE REPORTS THAT EVEN THE

NIGERIAN

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PATRONISE ITS LOCAL TEXTILE MANUFACTURERS poor infrastructure, taxes and levies, among others. The situation worsened in 1997, when ban on importation of textiles was lifted… Inferior imported products flooded the market. Consequently, many big players in the industry could not survive… Within six years, over 50 companies had closed down, while about 80,000 employees had lost their jobs… About 60 percent capacity utilisation in 1996 deteriorated to about 28 percent as of 2002”. Indeed, as at the end of 2009, only about 34 textile companies with a workforce of less than 25,000 were said to be in existence. This was the picture that compelled former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration to ban all imported textile products as from January 1, 2004. And in December, 2009, the government of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua established a N100 billion Cotton, Textile, and Garment (CTG) Revival Fund,

to be managed by the Bank of Industry (BoI). The bank was to grant loans to textile companies at an interest rate of six percent. But early this week, the National Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) revealed that the CTG intervention fund had failed. NACCIMA’s National President, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, was quoted as saying that the intervention fund failed because the issues of raw materials, particularly cotton; and modern technology/ machinery needed by the industry were not taken into consideration before the FG dished out the CTG. Abubakar said: “If you give loan on an existing factory to develop, when the raw material is not being supplied competitively, when the loan is not enough to change the machineries completely to be competitive to world standard, you are not going to make it… Thirdly, training, how do we train people to work competitively?” It is thus clear that the interventionist N100 billion was handed over to the BoI without any clear roadmap on how best to revamp an industry that has been comatose; and in a world where textile technology has literally gone nuclear. Perhaps, Dr. Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, will find time to explain why the N100 billion was allowed to go down the drain. Likewise distressing were reports that even the Nigerian government does not patronise its local textile manufacturers. Government’s uniformed agencies do not patronise the industry; on the contrary, they dole out contracts for the import of uniforms, for example. An Indian national was quoted as saying last year that Nigeria imported textile products worth about N21 billion within one year from India alone! In addition to non-existent plan for the regular supply of cotton and state-of-the-art machinery, there are other problems like smuggling, erratic power supply and inadequate supply of gas and black oil, all of which are so crucial to the survival of the industry. With all these stark realities still hampering performance in the industry, what manner of work plan was used to disburse the N100 billion CTG bail-out; and how many more billions of naira have been voted for the endless pit? How many more billions of naira has been voted for the endless pit?

Sport Extra

EFA President, Michel Platini, has advocated using extra officials behind the goal, a method used in the Champions League, Europa League and Italy’s top division. The Frenchman, who won the European Cham-

Platini seeks alternative to Goal Line Technology

pionships with his country in 1984, prefers UEFA to invest in grassroots football and develop young players rather than spend millions of dollars on installing Goal Line Technology in stadia.

“I prefer that we have more referees to see if there is a penalty foul and if the ball is going over the line,” Platini said yesterday. “We don’t need perfect camera to see the ball. For the

Champions League, it’s too expensive,” Platini, who, despite his philosophical opposition to the technology, admitted it could be used during Euro 2016 to be hosted by France if UEFA’s executive and referee

committees adopted it. England’s top flight adopted the technology for the first time at the start of the 201314 season, while the Dutch Eredivisie also uses the technology.

Platini

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