Thursday, February 21, 2013

NNPC, oil multinationals disagree over PIB Crude theft drops to 80,000 barrels per day

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the international oil companies, IOCs, have dis-

UDEME AKPAN AND CHIDI UGWU Alison-Madueke

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agreed over some of the key provisions of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, presently before the NaCONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Jonathan, others mourn Nollywood actor, Justus Esiri Goldie died of heart disease –Autopsy

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Senate okays death T penalty for terrorists

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GEORGE OJI, PAUL ARHEWE, OMEIZA AJAYI, A ZA MSUE AND INUSA NDAHI

FG moves to rescue abducted French nationals SSS arrests Nigerians spying for Iran P.4

Police arrest mastermind of Lagos explosion

he Senate yesterday passed the amended version of the Terrorism Act, 2011, which prescribes death penalty for acts of terror in the country.

The bill also provides for life imprisonment where terrorism is committed and an imprisonment for a term not less than 20 years CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

FACES OF SUSPECTED SPIES

Woman, 18, jailed six years for burying son alive

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Kidnappers demand N200m for expatriate oil workers

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L-R: Members of the Shiite Sect in Ilorin, Sulaiman Olayinka Saka and Saheed Aderemi Adewumi, accused of spying for an Iranian terrorist group being paraded at the SSS headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

2015: Single-term agreement won’t distract Jonathan –Presidency

FG approves N384bn severance benefits for PHCN workers

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Why 2013 budget is delayed –Govt

No justice yet in Olaitan’s murder case –Oshiomhole

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG approves N384bn severance benefits for PHCN workers ROTIMI FADEYI AND MESHACK IDEHEN

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he Federal Government has approved for payment N384bn as benefits and entitlements to disengaged staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. The approval is seen as a major step forward in the ongoing privatisation of the power sector as workers have threatened to disrupt the process.

Briefing State House correspondents yesterday, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, said that President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the payment of the agreed benefits based on the last round of negotiations between government and the labour unions.

He explained that the payment was only for PHCN staff, adding that both labour and government conducted a biometric verification exercise in determining who should benefit.

The minister noted that the number of people who would benefit from the payment had been clearly defined by the agreement reached between Labour

and government.

He, however, declined to mention the number of PHCN staff that would receive payments.

Wogu said the process would end the issue of nonpayment of benefits and entitlements, stressing that it would be done within the best principle of transparency and accountability.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, thanked the PHCN staff for their efforts in making sure that power was available in the country.

“We do hope that they will continue to serve patriotically to ensure that no hitch is put in place in the realisation of the entire power sector roadmap.

“We want to make sure that eventually Nigerians get uninterrupted power supply and that is exactly what the roadmap for the power sector addresses,” Nebo said.

Following the decision of the Federal Government to privatise the power sector, there were disagreements between labour union of the PHCN and the government over what to be paid as severance allowance.

The disagreements and the failure of the PHCN la-

bour union and the government to shift ground led to protests by the electricity workers after which they settled for negotiation table for an amicable resolution of the matter.

This development came even as the President, National Union of Electricity Employees, Mansur Musa, and the President, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Employees, SSAEAC, Bede Opara, insisted they were not aware of any move by the Federal Government to settle the pending arrears of the sector’s workers, adding that they were ready to meet with the government

when they were officially invited.

Musa, however, explained that the workers were insisting on the full implementation of the agreements the unions had reached with the government over the years of negotiations, saying also that the several “roadmaps and initiatives by the government have failed to address the situation.”

Musa and Opara told National Mirror that they would wait for the official communication from the government before they could decide on the next line of action.

President Goodluck

Jonathan had recently reconstituted the Presidential Action Committee on Power and the Presidential Task Force on Power, charging the two bodies to oversee the implementation of Federal Government’s agenda for power sector reforms, following the persistent threats by electricity workers to scuttle the reforms.

Over the years, unions in the sector, the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Workers, SSAEAC, had insisted that the reforms in the sector would not progress, until issues affecting

the sectors’ workers were addressed.

The unions had for the past 20 months been locked in negotiations with government over severance benefits with the workers insisting on payment of workers’ gratuity up till June 30, 2012 while government had offered to pay up till June 30, 2004, when the contributory pension scheme came into effect.

A common ground was, however, reached after a series of meetings with government conceding to many of the workers demands to ensure the success of the power sector reforms.

L-R: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim; Vice-President Namadi Sambo and President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Senate okays death penalty for terrorists CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

where the offence is not committed but the person aids, abets, induces, incites, instigates and instructs.

The bill, which is an adaptation of the report of the conference committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives, was adopted by the upper chamber.

The Senate had in its original bill passed on October 17 last year prescribed life imprisonment for offenders but had to revert to the House’s version, which provided for capital punishment.

The House has already adopted the conference committee report after which the bill will be forwarded to the President for assent.

The new bill also empowers security agencies to eavesdrop on private calls of suspected terrorists to obtain useful information to avert the attacks.

It, however, provides that

such interjection must be authorised by a high court judge through an ex parte application for an “interception of communication order.”

Specifically, the bill provides: “Without prejudice to any other law, the relevant law enforcement agency, with the approval of the Attorney-General of the Federation, may, for the purpose of the prevention of terrorist acts or to enhance the detection of offences related to the preparation of a terrorist act or the prosecution of offenders under this act, apply ex parte to a judge for an interception of communication order.”

Also, the new bill designates the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, as the national coordinating body for all security and enforcement agencies involved in handling cases of terrorism.

The national coordinating body is also to provide support to all relevant security, intelligence and law

enforcement agencies as well as military services to prevent and combat acts of terrorism in Nigeria.

The ONSA is to ensure the effective formulation and implementation of a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy for the country and build capacity for the effective discharge of the functions of relevant security, intelligence, law enforcement and military services.

While the new bill vests in the AGF the authority for the effective implementation and administration of the acts, it vests in the law enforcement and security agencies the responsibilities for the gathering of intelligence and investigation of offences provided for in the bill.

It, however, removes the power to apply for the forfeiture of any funds or property belonging to any terrorist from the NSA, the IGP and the President and vests same on any law en-

forcement agency.

The forfeiture order must not only be gazetted but published in at least two national newspapers.

The bill also provides that the notice of the forfeiture order must be served on banks, financial institutions and cash dealers or any other person who may hold or be vested with property belonging to or held on behalf of any suspect.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday said it would collaborate with Cameroonian security agents and other international allies to track down the kidnappers of a French family of seven abducted in northern Cameroon on Tuesday.

Fielding questions from journalists while receiving members of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF, in Abuja, the InspectorGeneral of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said he was in touch with Cameroonian diplomats in Nigeria and that both countries would

cooperate to rescue the abducted foreign nationals.

“The French president did not accuse Nigeria.

What I do know is that some persons were kidnapped in Cameroon. I am in touch with the Cameroonian ambassador here in Nigeria.

So, we are working jointly to arrest the people. “However, you will not expect us to discuss the details of such issues on the pages of newspapers,” he said.

French President Francois Hollande had accused Islamist militants of the Boko Haram sect of abducting members of the French family including four children.

The risk of attacks on French nationals and interests in Africa has risen since France sent forces into Mali last month to help oust Islamist rebels occupying the country’s north.

“They (French family) have been taken by a terrorist group that we know and that is in Nigeria.

“I see the hand of Boko

Haram in that part of Cameroon. France is in Mali, and it will continue until its mission is completed,” Hollande told reporters during his visit to Greece on Tuesday.

A Cameroonian minister said yesterday that the Boko Haram sect members believed to have abducted a French family of seven, including four children, in Cameroon had taken them to Nigeria.

Speaking on French television, Joseph Dion Ngute, a junior minister at the foreign ministry, said the kidnappers had put the hostages on motorcycles after their car broke down.

“They then took another woman hostage with her car and fled into Nigeria,” he said. “Our forces and the Nigerian forces were alerted, but before they reacted the kidnappers had vanished.”

It was not clear what had happened to the additional female hostage.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, February 21, 2013

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Photo News

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and his wife, Roli, flanked by well-wishers shortly after they exchanged rings during the renewal of their marriage vows at the First Battiest Church, Warri, yesterday.

L-R: Founder, Champion Newspapers Ltd, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Managing Director, Mrs. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa; Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, during the presentation of the Champion Newspapers Man of the Year Award to Oduah in Lagos, on Tuesday.

L-R: Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; founder, Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), Prof. Pat Utomi and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Chief Arthur Mbanefo, during CVL’s Leadership Tribute Series to honour Anyaoku on PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA his 80th birthday, in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Comrade Ayodele Adewale; his deputy, Alhaja Qudrat Dada; Leader of Amuwo Odofin Legislative House, Mr. Wasiu Bello and President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, during the Civic Education on Improving Legislators-Constituents Relations through Theatre, in Lagos, yesterday.

National News

SSS arrests Nigerians working for Iranian terror group OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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he State Security Service, SSS, has arrested and paraded a 50-year-old indigene of Ilorin, Kwara State, Mallam Abdullahi Mustapha Berende, for terrorism.

The SSS also paraded two accomplices, Sulaiman Olayinka Saka, a graduate of the University of Ibadan, and Saheed Aderemi Adewumi.

The fourth suspect, Bunyamin Yusuf, was said to still be at large.

The Assistant Director, Public Relations, SSS, Marilyn Ogar disclosed that following recent threats of terrorism in the country, the service had stepped up its covert operations on suspected terrorist elements to track their network, determine their probable course of action and nip it in the bud.

She explained that the service had emplaced measures to curtail the impact and spread of terror in the country.

Ogar disclosed that

• IBB, ex-Sultan Dasuki on hit list Berende was arrested on December 17, 2012 after six months of painstaking investigations, adding that the suspect was a local leader of the Shiite Islamic sect in Ilorin and also claimed to be a postgraduate student of the University of Ilorin.

According to her, Berende made several suspicious trips to and from Iran where he interacted with some Iranian elements “known to operate a high-profile international terrorist network”.

She, however, refused to name the international terrorist group which Berende and his friends were working for.

Ogar said that Berende confessed to have been commissioned to establish a terrorist cell in the South-West, particularly in Lagos State after receiving thousands of dollars and euros for training and accommodation.

She said the suspect was also asked to suggest the

names of prominent Nigerians whose murder could unsettle western powers.

According to her, Berende named former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida and the deposed Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki.

Ogar said in the course of interrogation, Berende confessed that in 2006, he gained admission to study a six-month course in Modern Shi’a Islamic Teaching or Da’awa at the Imam Khomeni University, Iran.

She said: “He was recruited by some Iranian elements when he returned to Iran for further studies in 2011 and was subsequently trained in the use of AK47 assault rifle, pistols, production and detonation of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs. “After his return to Nigeria, he was invited by his handlers to Dubai for further briefing in April 2012. He was tasked to establish a terrorist cell in

the South-Western part of Nigeria with particular emphasis on Lagos.”

According to Ogar, Berende’s Iranian sponsors requested that he should identify and gather intelligence on public places and prominent hotels frequented by Americans and Israelis to facilitate attacks.

She said: “He was also to provide specific details on the following targets: Organisations like USAID, Max, Zim International Shipping Company, A. A. Consulting, Peace Corps and the Jewish Cultural Centre (Chabad) in Lagos.

“He was also tasked to provide names of prominent Nigerians who if attacked could unsettle the West. He gave the following names as targets of attack to his Iranian handlers: Ibrahim Babangida, former President and Ibrahim Dasuki, former Sultan of Sokoto.”

Ogar added that Berende’s sponsors direct-

ed him to secure their communication by using codes to represent the targets, “for example, Uncle (Israel), Aunt (America), etc.

“He said Lagos was preferred because his handlers believed that the Israelis have an intelligence facility there that is used in spying on Iran.

“His lieutenants successfully conducted surveillance and gathered relevant data on the abovementioned targets preparatory to possible attacks,” she added.

The SSS spokeswoman said Berende confessed to have personally taken photographs of the Israeli Cultural Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos which he sent to Iran.

He was said to have also been asked to establish a small business in Lagos that will serve as a cover for his activities.

“He received the following sums of money from his handlers: $4,000 upon completion of his training; 3,500 euros in April, 2012 at the meeting in Dubai; and $20,000 out of which he was to use 10,000 dollars to

relocate to Lagos, furnish his house and rent a shop for his business, $5,000 to cover visa processing expenses while the remaining $5,000 was for his upkeep,” Ogar stated.

She said from the foregoing, there was conclusive evidence that Berende, in collaboration with his Iranian handlers, was involved in grievous crimes against Nigeria’s security.

“Accordingly, Berende and his accomplices will be charged to court soon,” Ogar said, while urging Nigerians to collaborate with security agencies in defence of the country.

Berende, who told journalists that he is married and has six children, denied being a terrorist.

The suspect claimed he was framed up by one of his friends.

He said: “I am not a terrorist. I do not operate within the confines of any terrorist network in the world. As for al-Qaeda, I have no links with them.

On Boko Haram, I do not know anything about them.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Thursday, February 21, 2013

NNPC, oil multinationals disagree over PIB CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

tional Assembly.

The PIB, which seeks to introduce needed reforms in the oil and gas operations, will also increase the government’s control and earnings from the energy sector, especially in the offshore territories where the NNPC believes Nigeria is being shortchanged by the oil firms.

Operators, however, maintained that the PIB, while necessary to provide the impetus to bring in more investments into the sector, was overly skewed in favour of the Federal Government.

Articulating the NNPC’s position yesterday at the ongoing Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja, the Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production, Mr. Abiye Membere, expressed concern about the attention being given by oil companies to the offshore regions despite the huge investment outlay required.

He said: “We do not know why the IOCs intend to focus more on that terrain now, especially considering that we have a lot of reserves onshore.”

It should also be noted that it costs more for stakeholders to design and execute projects at high risk at the deep offshore than offshore.

But the IOCs think differently. For instance, the Managing director of Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Mr. Guy Maurice, said that there was a great need to focus on the deep offshore because the IOCs had many pending projects in the area.

He said that the deep offshore had the promise of yielding more finds and by extension, output in the future, which had become more certain as a result of new technologies.

Maurice said Total had the experience and capacity to succeed in its deep offshore campaigns and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s quest of increasing crude oil reserves from about 37 billion barrels to 40 billion barrels in 2020.

Also, the Vice-President and Managing Director of Addax Petroleum Nigeria, Mr. Cornelis Zegelaar, said the PIB should encourage increased funding of projects, insisting that commercial oil finds were waiting to be made in the deep off-

shore and other areas.

He said the new PIB should also ensure increased protection of human capital, especially contractors carrying out a bulk of activities for the IOCs in the industry.

The Country Chair/Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, who said that the “fear of the PIB is the beginning of wisdom,” noted that the government needed to ensure that the PIB provided increased air of freedom for operators to concentrate on core operations with minimum interference.

He said: “All we need is for the government to replicate what it has done in the telecoms industry, which allows investors, including MTN, to run operations as seamlessly as possible in order to fast track the development of the industry.”

Sunmonu said the nation had great potential, which should be properly harnessed to maximize value for all stakeholders, including operators, communities and the entire nation.

He said the slag in exploration and production as a result of the PIB had impacted in many negative ways on the industry and government which needed more funds to catch up in the coming years.

However, NNPC and the IOCs agreed there was a great need for cooperation among them to ensure a good PIB was produced for the industry and nation.

They noted that a good PIB should bring about increased transparency and accountability, while ensuring that the benefits of oil were shared equitably to investors, government, oil and gas communities and other parts of the nation.

Meanwhile, Sunmonu has said that the only way to curtail oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the country is to begin to expose those behind the menace.

The Shell MD said oil theft was giving the operators sleepless nights and the menace continued to impact oil production with 150,000 barrels worth N22bn lost daily.

He said: “Let’s look at the idea of tracing where these monies of oil theft are going to and who are the owners. Oil theft and illegal bunkering are as bad as drug dealings.

“Tracing where the money is going will help to trace who are the people behind it, by doing that we will catch the ‘Big Fish’.”

He said the real thieves were not those youths that break the lines but the high

and mighty.

He said the kind of outrage from the public on oil theft and vandalism was not encouraging.

Unless we begin to see oil theft as serious crime to humanity and environment

those behind it will feel free to continue.

Membere said government was making efforts to stop the market where the stolen products were being sold.

He said government was also looking at deploying

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technological means to help reduce the menace, adding that the emergence of the PIB would also help reduce the theft when the communities began to see some of the assets as belonging to them.

Former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro (left); Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar (3rd left), John Cardinal Onaiyekan (2nd right) and other Catholic bishops, during a visit of the leaders of Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria to the IG in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Senate okays death penalty for terrorists CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Security in the Dabanga area, 10 km (six miles) from the Nigerian border, where they were taken has been reinforced and “urgent measures” to locate the family put in place, he said.

The father of the family, which included four children aged between five and 12, worked for utility firm GDF Suez.

French television reported the father was from a family of winemakers in the Burgundy region. Joint Task Force, JTF, spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, said: “The armed forces were on alert ... ready to apprehend any criminal elements or terrorists that come into our areas.”

He gave no further details.

Cameroon state television said a French military unit had arrived in the country to help in the rescue efforts, but a French defence ministry spokesman said the report was “baseless”.

“Based on long-standing and political and socio-economic ties between France and Cameroon, it is expected that French forces will engage in resolving this issue from within Cameroonian borders, with the support of the Cameroon government,” said Nadia Ahidjo of Africapractice, an Africa-focused consulting firm.

Also, France has urged

its citizens to leave north Cameroon “as quickly as possible” following the kidnapping.

However, spokesperson of State Security Service, SSS, Marilyn Ogar, said it would be too premature to comment on the incident, stressing that the SSS would rather hold on to its traditional mode of secret policing.

“It is too premature to begin to talk about our efforts on tracking down the suspects. That could jeopardise ongoing investigations,” Ogar said.

The Nigerian Immigration Services, NIS, in collaboration with the Inspector-General of Police and the commander of the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the North-East have been alerted on the abduction, NIS Acting ComptrollerGeneral, Alhaji Rilwanu Bala Musa, said.

The comptroller-general, who was in Maiduguri, yesterday said the familarisation tour of immigration formations and facilities in the North-East was to know the logistical requirements of the staff on ground, so that the country’s borders would be properly secured against illegal aliens and suspected terrorists that could easily infiltrate and perpetrate their heinous activities.

Musa said: “Borno State has the highest number of three bordering countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon,

which illegal aliens could use and infiltrate to perpetrate terrorists activities, like torching of border posts, kidnappings and abduction of people as has recently occurred at Wazza in Cameroon near Banki and Kirawa towns in Borno State.”

He said the border areas should be secured against infiltration of aliens and other terrorist activities at the borders of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic in the South-West.

Musa said that officers and men of NIS in the hinterlands would be withdrawn and sent to the Mobile Police Training Camp, MPTC, Gwoza, for training.

He said the trained officers would be posted to border posts of the four affected neighbouring countries.

The NIS boss added that motorcycles, helmets and life jackets would be distributed to the officers at the borders posts of Banki, Gambouru, Kirawa, DabarMasara, Damasak and Baga to enable them to intensify patrol activities in the border areas of Borno State.

In a related development, the apex Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has said that unless government takes urgent steps to stem the violent killings and kidnapping of foreigners in the North, the rest of the world may stop doing business with Nigeria.

ACF in a communiqué issued at the end of its National Working Committee, NWC, meeting held in Kaduna on Tuesday condemned the recent killings and kidnapping of seven foreigners in Bauchi as well as the attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, noting that such brutal activities were alien to the North.

The communiqué, signed by the forum’s National Publicity secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani reads: “ACF viewed with serious sense of concern and sadness the recent attacks on the convoy of the Emir of Kano and the killings and kidnapping of some foreigners in some part of the North.

“Those who derive pleasure in killing other people should lay down their arms and embrace peaceful means of addressing perceived grievances, lest the whole world decides not to do business with Nigeria as a result of the emerging violent culture that had hitherto been alien to the North.

“The meeting also considered the controversies surrounding the recruitment exercises and promotions in some security agencies as they affect northerners and called on governors of the 19 northern states to use their commissioners in the Federal Character Commission to investigate the allegations with a view to ensuring that the North was not shortchanged.”

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Disaster looms as NNPC abandons broken pipeline OMEIZA AJAYI

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Association of Stakeholders for National Unity protesting in support of Africa First Ladies’ Peace Mission secretariat in Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Why we delayed 2013 budget –Presidency •As Jonathan meets NASS leadership again

tion against media houses which engage in anti-polio immunization campaign in the country.

The minister said investigations were still on in the matter, stressing that it is unacceptable, the use of the media to instigate the public against accepting polio immunisation.

Chukwu disclosed that the prevalence of fake drugs which was almost 20 per cent when it was signed was reduced to 18.2 per cent by December 2012 while health insurance coverage for Nigerians increased from 6.0 per cent to 7.5 per cent against the target of 8.0 per cent by the same period.

On polio, Chukwu stated that even though 122 new suspected cases were reported last year, not one of them has been confirmed; adding that population immunity of 87 per cent has been achieved in 11 endemic states in the north.

he Presidency yesterday said that the delay in the signing of the 2013 budget is to allow the executive and the legislature clarify all the grey areas in order to ensure that the budget serves the interest of the people.

Speaking yesterday while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting; Special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said there are no conflicts or disagreement between the two arms of government.

He said once the grey areas in the budget are resolved, it would prepare the ground for the President to sign it.

President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of

the National Assembly met on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa to further discuss issues regarding the budget.

Also yesterday evening, the President again met with the National Assembly leadership, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of Budget, Mr. Bright Okogwu and the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Mrs. Joy Emordi.

Speaking further at the post-FEC briefing, Abati said, “On the issue of the budget, the position remain the same as articulated previously by the minister of finance that there are grey areas in the document that are being discussed by the executive and the Llegislature and that once these are clarified, the budget will go to the next stage, so I see there is no problem.”

TORDUE SALEM

Lawmakers want single-digit interest rate

ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

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ABUJA

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motion to bring about a single-digit interest rate in the country, scaled through yesterday at the House of Representatives.

The house argued that a double-digit interest rate as obtained in the country is killing businesses and scaring off investors.

Currently, interest rates in Nigeria are between 14 and 24 percent, making it one of the highest in the world.

A committee of the house is to hold a meeting with the Central Bank of Nigeria,

CBN, on the matter.

A member of the house from Bayelsa State, Hon. Nadu Karibo, in a motion, noted that the high interest rate is not business friendly and needed to be urgently scaled down.

In his lead debate, Karibo noted that Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, is fixed by the central bank of every country which eventually determines the rate at which banks access funds, and the rate at which they lend money to investors and businesses.

He said the MPR in Nige-

“Where there are two arms of government involved in something as strategic as the budget, there will be need for clarifications and consultations to ensure that the overriding objective is achieved.”

“The overriding objective is that the budget should be in the best interest of Nigerians, to ensure that what comes out is a budget that serves our interest, this is not about conflict or territorial fiction, it is all about making sure the best is done in the interest of Nigerians”, Abati said.

While speaking on the activities of his ministry at the press briefing, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, while regretting the killing of seven polio immunisation workers and three others in Kano State, said the Federal Government has called for disciplinary ac-

ria which fixes the benchmark interest rate at 12 percent has put the country among the countries with very high interest rates in the world, with the resultant lending rate of between 17 and 25 percent or more.

This, he said, has made it difficult for new investors to raise money, and when they do so, it becomes difficult or almost impossible for them to repay, which ultimately leads to death of most companies and other businesses involved.

Karibo noted that the situation has in most cases,

forced investors to seek for loans overseas, but regretted that such investors are still forced to pay additional interest to local guaranteeing banks, resulting in high cost of doing business in the country.

The lawmaker said sourcing money by investors, either from overseas or within the country, has always resulted a disadvantage to the nation’s economy, as “unemployment, capital flight, etc, often result from the very unfriendly economic environment caused by the high interest rate.”

major disaster may soon befall the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, following the failure of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to fix a ruptured pipeline that has remained unattended to for days.

Beside the danger posed by the ruptured pipeline, the country is also said to be losing billions in oil revenue as a result of the bust pipeline, which occurred at Kilometre 407.5 Zuma village, in the Federal Capital Territory.

Reliable sources said though the incident has been reported to the appropriate quarters, the NNPC has not taken any remedial action on the issue.

The spillage which has been running for the past seven days now covers a landscape of about 2, 000 square metres, polluting a river which the local community said was their only source of water.

Mr. Yelo Sarki, who is a youth leader in the area, said their lives are in danger if the NNPC failed to take appropriate steps against the spillage. He described the situation as a

disaster waiting to happen.

While condemning the insensitivity of the NNPC on the incident, Sarki called on the Federal Government to come to their rescue.

The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr Ade Abolurin, who led a media team to the spot yesterday, said his men were on guard to prevent vandals from taking advantage of the situation.

He stated further that there have not been any incident of villagers trying to scoop the oil in the area, noting that the area must be protected from criminals.

“Our advocacy is that when there is an incidence and it is reported, urgent attention is required to save the lives and property of the citizens.

“As you see this river, when you look at it from the Koton-Karfe axis, the area around Lokoja and this axis (pointing to Niger State area), and from our monitoring of the situation and surveillance, we have seen that the vandals normally come through this area at night.

“We have been here since we commenced operation. It is a terrain we are used to,” he stated.

Sacked NIMC workers: Tambuwal begs protesters TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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he Speaker of the House of Representatives; Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday led a two-kilometre walk to the first entrance to the National Assembly to persuade the sacked workers of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, to suspend their protest, promising that their grievances would be attended to by the National Assembly.

The protesters, who sought the removal of the Director-General of the Commission, Mr. Chris Onyenema, for the sack of over 4, 029 workers without following due process, also demanded to be reinstated or their benefits paid.

The agitators kicked off the protest on Tuesday by blocking the main entrances to the National Assembly complex that lasted

till yesterday.

Staff and visitors to the National Assembly were booed off the gates, forcing them to trek for miles around the complex before gaining entry to their offices.

Tambuwal, accompanied by other lawmakers and the Clerk to the House, Mr. Sanni Omolori Mohammed, walked from the National Assembly main building to the main gate, where he addressed the angry protesters.

While addressing the protesters, Tambuwal said; “I wish to assure you that before now, the House of Representatives had taken this matter with the Committee of the Whole House through a petition that was presented by one of you through a member of the house and a resolution of the house was passed on this matter. That those of you that have been wrongly disengaged should be re-engage by Federal Government at the various agencies.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Thursday, February 21, 2013

7

Police arrest suspected mastermind of Lagos explosion FRANCIS SUBERU

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he suspect who planted the explosive that killed Chief Oladele Pius, Chairman of the Miracle Sand Association, an umbrella body of sand dredgers under Festac Link

Bridge in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, has been arrested.

The suspect, simply identified as William, was arrested yesterday morning after an intelligence gathering by police officers attached to Area “E” Command, Lagos.

It was learnt from police sources that the suspect is one of the dredgers working under Chief Oladele at the site where the incident took place on Monday.

However, investigations into the matter is still on-going to ascertain whether the suspect com-

mitted the act in connivance with others or not and to establish the reason why he committed the crime.

When contacted, the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said she was not aware that anybody had been arrested in connec-

tion with the explosion.

It will be recalled that relatives and friends of the deceased had alleged that the explosion was not accidental, but deliberate; claiming that the deceased had escaped two assassination attempts in recent past.

They also berated the

police for describing the explosion as an accident caused by electrical fault.

As at yesterday, sympathisers are still trooping into Chief Oladele’s residence at Lake View Estate, Lagos, but journalists were barred from gaining access to the building.

Gridlock at airport as detectives search for kidnappers OLUSEGUN KOIKI

M Acting Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Mr. Jeromi Arenyeka (left) and Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development Monitoring Board, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, at the PTDF Welders’ Training Award of Certificates in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

NDLEA nabs student for drug trafficking at MMIA OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officials attached to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos State have arrested a student, 31, studying in Malaysia for being in possession of methamphetamine.

A statement signed by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, identified the suspect as Dike Chibuzor Vitalis.

Ofoyeju said Vitalis was in possession of 1.430kg of white crystalline powder that tested positive for methamphetamine.

He was arrested, who was on his way to Malaysia where drug trafficking attracts death penalty, was intercepted at the airport during screening of passengers

• Passenger with $1.1m held on a Qatar Airline following the discovery of the drugs in his luggage.

Ofoyeju said the suspect could have joined other Nigerians in death row in Malaysia if not for the intervention of the anti-narcotic agency.

Vitalis, who hails from Orlu in Imo State, allegedly said that he was promised $4,000 to deliver the drugs in Malaysia.

He said: “I was asked to take an empty bag to Malaysia for a fee of $4,000. When I got to the airport, the drug was discovered. That was how I got involved”.

Speaking on the arrest, the NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr Hamza Umar, said the drug was concealed inside the bag.

In a related operation, NDLEA officers at the Lagos Airport discovered wraps of cocaine inside packs of baby

powder meant for export to Gabon.

The discovery was made inside a luggage containing artificial hair, perfumes and artificial nails. It was to be sent as unaccompanied luggage to Gabon on Askye Airline.

The suspect, Iwegbuna Ebele, claimed that he was asked to send the goods to Gabon.

He said: “I was given N130, 000 by my childhood friend to buy female hair attachment, artificial nails and perfumes. My friend later called me that somebody will give me children powder to add to what I bought.

So, the person called me and gave me the powder which I added to the goods.

Meanwhile, a passenger with $1.1 million was yesterday arrested by the officers of the Nigeria Customs Ser-

Edo Assembly to screen19 commissioner-nominees

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do State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday presented a list of 19 commissionernominees to the state House of Assembly for screening.

The majority of the nominees were former commissioners who served in Oshiomhole’s first tenure.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Uyi Igbe and read by the Clerk, Egbe Evbuomwan, the governor urged the lawmakers to expedite action in the confirmation of the nominees.

Among the nominees, who served in Oshiom-

hole’s first tenure, are Louis Odion, Abdul Oroh, Clem Agba, Chris Ebare, Francis Evbomwan, John Osagie Inegbedion.

Others are Lucky James, Anena Elizabeth Jemitola, Ekpenisi Omorotionmwan and Donald Osikhena.

vice (NCS) attached to the airport.

The passenger, identified as Prof. Ofoegbu Charles Ononuju with the passport number A04008969, claimed to be a Director of AZ Petroleum.

The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr Eporwei Edike, explained that the passenger had declared the currency both on forms CDF1A and CDF1B filled at the airport.

otorists plying the Murtala Mohammed Airport Road in Lagos State yesterday evening experienced heavy gridlock as policemen stormed the streets searching all vehicles in an attempt to arrest the suspected kidnappers who abducted a young woman at the Mafoluku area of the state.

It was learnt that the woman, who was simply identified as Aisha, was kidnapped at about 4:40pm at Mafoluku area of the state.

The woman was said to have been driving in a black jeep before she was attacked by the kidnappers.

The woman was allegedly bundled into the car booth of the kidnappers before they sped off.

Immediately the incident occurred, the police

authorities in the state contacted all commands to cordon-off all strategic areas in search of the kidnappers.

At the airport, the exit points from Mafoluku and Ikeja areas were cordoned-off by the stern looking police officers, who searched all vehicles on the road.

The Deputy Commissioner, Airport Command, Mr. Aliru Gwandu, confirmed the incident.

Gwandu said the kidnapping led to the dispatch of policemen to strategic places, but explained that the incident did not happen under his command.

He said: “The information got to the police authorities. The commissioner just called that we should designate our men. A black jeep was snatched. I don’t know the numbers of people involved.”

This Day in African American History

February 21: On this day in 1965— Civil Rights Activist Malcolm X is Assassinated!

During the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Malcolm X gained national and international prominence. Often distancing himself from the movement’s leaders, he was perhaps the most controversial leader of the period.

Malcolm X’s separatism and militancy contrasted with the desegregation efforts and nonviolent tactics of Martin Luther King, Jr. Historians credit Malcolm X as the spiritual father of the Black Power movement of the late 1960s.

At the time of Malcolm X’s murder in 1965, his views and commitments were undergoing a great change. He was demanding unity and self-determination for black people, whose struggle he viewed in the context of oppressed

peoples all over the world. He was also abandoning the hard-line anti–white prejudice of his early years.

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South West

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Woman, 18, jailed six years for burying son alive ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

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he Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has sentenced an 18-year-old mother of one, Mrs. Adeola Joseph, to six years imprisonment for burying her only child alive.

Magistrate Olusola Alu-

ko said that the convict should not be regarded as a human being and described her action as wicked, callous and inhuman.

He said that the convict did not deserve to be in the midst of human beings and looked unrepentant of her action, saying: “The convict is callous and may not change from her devilish act.”

The convict, who was charged with a threecount charge of attempted murder, felony and breach of peace, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercies.

She said she decided to kill the child so as not to frustrate her relocation to Lagos.

The convict told the court that if she goes with

the child, her job may be threatened as she could not cope with the child and the job.

She added that that her parents were not favourably disposed to her marriage with the father of her child and hence her resolve to terminate the life of the baby.

Speaking before the court, the Police Prosecu-

tor, Mr. Solomon Oladele, said: “Mrs. Joseph buried her child in the early hours of Monday, February18, 2012 and the child was rescued after two days by a Good Samaritan, Prophetess Tunrayo Akinwande, who lived around the area.

“The intervention of Prophetess Akinwande and other residents, who

exhumed Fatia from the grave and took her to the hospital, helped to rescue the two year old innocent baby who was still alive after two days in grave.

“The convict has, therefore, committed an offence contrary to and punishable by Sections 320 (1) and 509 of the Criminal Code cap 34, Vol 11 Laws of Osun State.”

Oyo compensates owners of acquired property

Impersonation: Oyo chief’s trial adjourned

KEMI OLAITAN

KEMI OLAITAN

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T

IBADAN

IBADAN

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has approved the payment of compensation for lands acquired by the government.

The state Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Survey, Mr. Bimbo Kolade, stated this yesterday while addressing a press conference on the activities of his ministry at the state Secretariat, Ibadan.

He said the payment was in accordance with the Land Use Act which mandated that all acquired land by government must be compensated.

Kolade said compensation had been paid to most of the genuine land owners, while others are still being processed to determine their claim.

He said: “Once we determine that, they will surely be compensated”.

The commissioner said that a new automation system of land processing is now available in the state where all documents would be processed within a short time.

“The commencement of full automation of land processing will ensure speedy completion of all title documents,” Kolade added.

He stressed that the people seeking to obtain Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of their land would not wait any longer as it would be processed and completed within 60 days.

The commissioner warned members of the public to be wary of fraudsters, especially those claiming to get the C of O released at a time shorter than 60 days.

L-R: Wife of the celebrant, Mrs. Olanlesi Mamora; Senator Olorunnibe Mamora; Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogun State, Mr. Olumuyiwa Oladipupo, during Mamora’s 60th birthday held in Lagos, recently.

Agbi faction seeks resolution of Ondo PDP crisis HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State is seeking the resolution of the crisis rocking the party.

The faction, led by Ambassador Olu Agbi, has called for the dissolution of the two separate executives of the party and the constitution of a caretaker committee to run its affairs.

This was contained in a statement signed in Akure by the factional Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tayo Fayanju, urging the PDP national executive to constitute the caretaker committee pending the time the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party would be resolved.

•Makes case for caretaker committee

Fayanju praised the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) for appointing a caretaker committee for the South-West zone of the party He pointed out that the action became necessary to correct flaws arising from the choice of the zonal executives Fayanju said the party’s national leaders were aware that the congress that brought the executive of the zone to office was flawed.

He said the irregularities that befell the zonal executive congress spilled to Ondo State.

The development, according to him, forced some aggrieved member to challenge the action in court and

also went ahead to conduct a parallel congress and put in place another executive.

Fayanju said: “After thoughtful consideration of the various resolutions adopted at the above meeting, we, the leaders of the Ondo State chapter of the PDP, also held a meeting where the resolutions of the Central Working Committee (CWC) were critically discussed.

“We therefore identify with the resolutions taken at the South-West leaders meeting with the CWC of the party in Abuja on February 14.

“The Ondo State PDP hereby urges the newly setup caretaker committee in South-West to be impartial,

diligent and transparent in its assignments to ensure that all sides to the issues at stake are approached.

“The Ondo State chapter similarly appeals to the national leadership of the PDP to set up a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party for a specific period.

“This will enable the party to settle down and to heal all the old wounds as well as put the party on solid ground.”

It will be recalled that some aggrieved members of the party rejected the state congress that produced the current executive in the state last year and approached an Akure High Court to nullify the process.

Lagos to deliver Mosalasi-Ayobo Road in July MURITALA AYINLA

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he Lagos State Government has promised to deliver the Mosalasi-Gate-Ipaja Ayobo Road in July.

The state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, stated

this yesterday during an unscheduled inspection of the project, saying the assurance on the completion date was as a result of the quantum of work already done on the road.

Hamzat, however, said the relocation of essential services such as power lines had hindered progress on the project.

He assured residents of the government’s commitment to reconstructing, maintaining and providing user-friendly road facilities across the state.

The commissioner added that the process of seeking the consent of federal authorities often challenge delivery of projects.

Hamzat solicited resi-

dent’s support in maintaining public facilities.

He said: “When communities do not pay attention, but allow vandalisation, state resources suffer. We will again need to deploy resources to rehabilitate even when many projects are begging and competing for attention.”

he trial of an Oyo Chief, Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye, before an Oyo Chief Magistrate’s Court for illegally parading himself as the Alago of Aga-Oja and conducting himself in a manner likely to breach peace and security was yesterday adjourned due to his non-appearance in court.

Ajiboye, who is currently on bail, was arraigned on January 23, 2013 for illegally parading himself as the Alago of Aga-Oja and conducting himself in a manner likely to breach public peace and security.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the defence counsel, Mr. Biodun Abdu Raham, represented by Mr. O. Okobia, said the accused person could not appear in court due to his ill-health, adding that he was on bed rest at the state hospital in Oyo town.

He also presented an enrolment of order from an Ibadan High Court restraining the Chief Magistrate’s Court from further hearing of the suit.

The Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. Olabiyi Ajiboye, who led two other senior counsel, dismissed the submission of the defence counsel, saying that the accused was not on bed rest in any hospital.

He said the accused person is presently at a Federal High Court in Ibadan for a suit he instituted against the Oyo State Government on the alleged invasion of his residence.

Ajiboye, who sought for a bench warrant to compel the accused to appear before the court, cited relevant section in the Criminal Procedure Laws of Oyo State to backup his argument.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Thursday, February 21, 2013

9

integration, good for Corps member’s murder: Court compels Regional South-West –Alaafin prison to produce accused KEMI OLAITAN

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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n Ikere Ekiti High Court has ordered the Prison Service to produce one Theophilus Pius charged with the kidnap and murder in 2008 of a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member, Miss Anthonia Okeke, at Ilawe-Ekiti in Ekiti State.

Justice Adekunle Adeleye issued the warrant to the Prison Service to produce Pius in court on March 1, the adjourned date, following the absence of the accused, who is in prison custody, in court yesterday

The judge, who warned parties in the case against dragging the course of justice unnecessarily, also granted the prosecution counsel, Mr. Akinola Abon, a “witness summon” for him to be able to present his eight witnesses in court in the next adjourned date.

Adeleye asked the defence counsel, Mr. Olukemi Eleso, and Abon to file all their applications before March 1, when the matter would be heard.

The judge said the defence counsel should file her bail application, while the prosecution counsel should file his counter-affidavit, if any,

before the next adjourned date.

He said: “This case is a very sensitive one, just as you said, so I want all the parties to file their applications on or before March 1, when this case will be heard and further hearing would be heard on March 6 and 7.”

After waiting for some time for the prison officials to bring the accused, the prosecution counsel said he had contacted the officials on telephone but he was told that there was no vehicle to convey the accused to court.

Abon also told the court that some of his witnesses were corps members, who

resided outside the state, saying the ‘Witness Summon’ would help him in summoning them to give evidence in court.

Responding, the judge said the prosecution should commence his case with witnesses resident in Ekiti State while waiting for those outside the state.

Miss Okeke, a corps member serving in Ilawe-Ekiti, was declared missing in 2009.

The accused, Pius, who was the motorcyclist who conveyed her on the day she got missing in December 2008, has been arraigned on a twocount charge of kidnap and murder.

IBADAN

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he Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has endorsed efforts by the state governments in the SouthWest to ensure economic development of the region.

Adeyemi gave the endorsement in a letter he sent to the governors of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, a copy of which was made available to the National Mirror in Ibadan, state capital, yesterday.

The traditional ruler also said he had been in constant touch with Yoruba in the Diaspora in the last 10 years.

The Yoruba in about 20 countries across the world, according to him, have promised to support any investment drive in the SouthWest region.

In the letter of February 18, Adeyemi said he was moved by the recent efforts of the governors of the South-West geo-political zone towards regional integration for economic development.

He said: “Being the political offspring of the great legend and icon of development politics in Nigeria, nay Yurubaland, the late sage, Chief Obafemi

Awolowo, one cannot but praise the determination of the governors to bring the glorious days of the old Western Region under Awolowo into life again.

“My joy knows no bound when recently I read of the overtures of governors of Oyo and Osun states, namely Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, respectively to extend the olive branch to their counterpart and brother governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to join hands with them on the regional integration.”

The monarch then urged Mimiko, as a progressive governor, to rise above partisan politics and join hands with his colleagues in the zone to map out a well-coordinated strategy for the socio-economic transformation of the South-West.

Oba Adeyemi said not only did he endorse the regional integration agenda; he had a concrete proposal and contribution to make to assist in the realisation of the noble vision.

He added: “I have been in constant contact with patriotic Yoruba indigenes resident in more than 20 countries in the Diaspora who share your vision.”

Ekiti teachers seek legal backing for tutor-general’s office Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, inspecting a building destroyed by Sunday’s rainstorm at Kolajo Primary School, Olomi, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Serbian, 10 others held for illegal betting •Task force shuts 32 drug stores in Lagos MURITALA AYINLA

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Serbian national and 10 Nigerians have been arrested for engaging and operating illegal online sports betting without being licensed by the Lagos State Lotteries Board.

The Chief Executive Officer of the board, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, who confirmed the arrest, said nine public online lottery operators and two other illegal sports bet operators were also arrested between January and now.

He said the Serbian, Mr. Nenad Inkovic, was caught while operating illegal online sports betting at Ilaje Street in Ajah.

The chairman said the il-

legal activity was a breach of Section 43 (1) (b) of the Lagos State Lotteries Law. The Serbian was charged at the Special Offences Court, Alausa, for operating online sports betting illegally.

He was granted bail, while his international passport was seized.

Gbajabiamila disclosed that other arrests were made at Iju-Ishaga, Ojodu Berger, Lagos Island, Ajah, Ikeja and Olowo Ira, adding that eight of the offenders were awaiting trial.

He promised that the board would not relent in its effort to rid the state of illegal lottery activities.

The chairman said the board would continue to intensify its enforcement exercises, adding that any

one patronising lottery operator not licensed by the board would be prosecuted and sentenced if found guilty.

Gbajabiamila advised the public to patronise only approved and licensed operators by the Lagos State Lotteries Board.

In 2012, the board arrested 15 offenders in Epe, Ketu, Mile 12, Ogba and Ojodu Berger area of Lagos while seven of the offenders are still on trial.

Meanwhile, officials of the state Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods has sealed 32 illegal drug shops and confiscated fake drugs worth millions of naira in Ikorodu area of the state.

Some of the affected Pat-

ent Medicine Stores and unregistered pharmacy premises were Moonlight Store Anoken Pharmacy Nigeria Limited, Nnadisco C Patent Medicine Store, ToaJam Pharmacy, Ladamos Pharmacy Nigeria Limited, among others.

The shops were shut in a raid conducted by the task force officials in conjunction with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, PCN, National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and the police.

Speaking on the development, the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, said the shops were sealed for various offences contrary to the provisions of the law on the operation of pharmacy and patent medicine stores in the state.

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, said it would sponsor a private bill before the Ekiti State House of Assembly to legalise the office of the Tutor-General at the secondary school level in the state.

ASUSS Chairman, Comrade Sola Adigun, said this became necessary to ensure the office was protected by the law and prevent any governor from scrapping the highest teaching position.

Adigun, who spoke while presenting some office accessories to the three offices of the Tutor-General at Ijero-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti and Ikole-Ekiti yesterday, said legal framework would guarantee continuity and effectiveness of the office.

The ASUSS chairman urged the lawmakers to give the bill speedy consideration.

He said: “The office is the highest status for teachers.

It is a veritable avenue for us to advance our careers, so seeking legal status for it is apt and long overdue.”

Adigun urged the lawmakers to take a cue from their counterparts in Lagos State who had passed such bill, culminating in the enactment of a law to consolidate the position.

ASUSS, who praised the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration for reversing the scrapping of the office of the Tutor-General by former Governor Segun Oni’s administration, however, appealed to the state government to equip the three offices with modern accessories to enhance their efficiency.

The office was first established by former Governor Ayodele Fayose in three senatorial districts to oversee the affairs of the secondary schools, but scrapped by the Oni administration.

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South East

Thursday, February 21, 2013

CP warns Imo traditional rulers over crime waves

CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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he newly deployed Imo State Police C o m m i s s i o n e r, Muhammed Musa Katsina, yesterday in Owerri, warned traditional rulers in the state to desist from any act capable of portraying them as encouraging criminals in their domains as any traditional ruler found culpable in any form, would be severally dealt with.

Katsina, who took over from Baba Adisa Bolanta, handed down the warning while speaking with journalists in his office at the Command Headquarters in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

He warned further that any royal father caught harbouring hoodlums and kidnappers would not be spared as there would be no sacred cow.

“Just like the criminals, those who provide infor-

mation and shield them will be treated like criminals,” he assured.

The police boss, who was deployed from Kogi State, said he would also introduce formidable and

OWERRI

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he Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owerri, Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Uwakwem and her husband, Dr. Benneth Uwakwem, also an employee of the FMC, have been dragged before a Federal High Court sitting in Owerri by a former employee of the centre, Mr. Boniface Ibeh, over the appointment of Dr. Benneth Uwakwem, as a dental surgeon without requisite qualification.

In the suit, No FHC/ CS/119/2012, the plaintiff is praying the court to stop the illegal payment of tax payers’ money to the 1st defendant and to stop him from impersonating as a dental surgeon, arguing that “a person shall not hold an appointment or practice as a medical practitioner or dental surgeon in Nigeria unless he is registered with the council.”

Also joined in the suit were the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Health as 3rd and 4th defendants.

However, in a Notice of

the hideout of criminals.

“We are going to adopt a formidable and a holistic approach to rid the state of crime. When I say holistic, I mean that we are going to partner the people

in the fight against crime, especially in the area of information gathering, this will give the needed spread and efficiency,” he pointed out.

However, he warned criminals, especially kidnappers, to relocate from the state or meet their waterloo. “Let me warn that the state will be too hot for criminals to hide their only option is to relocate or meet their waterloo.”

L-R: Managing Director, Diamond Bank, Dr. Alex Oti; Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji; his wife Mercy and Deputy Governor, Sir Emeka Ananaba, at the opening of the first made in Abia Product Exhibition in Umuahia, on Tuesday.

FMC director sued over appointment of surgeon CHRIS NJOKU

holistic strategies in fighting crime, so as to ensure a crime-free society. He appealed to the people of the state to assist the police by volunteering credible information that will expose

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Preliminary Objection filed by counsel to the defendants, Chimezie Ekwueme, the defendants are praying the court to strike out the suit on the ground that the plaintiff lacks the locus standi to institute the action.

The defendants argued that the plaintiff did not disclose his personal interest in the matter or any damage, wrong or injury which he has suffered and the capacity in which the action was brought.

The defendants further argued that the plaintiff, who was the head of the Medical Laboratory Department of the Federal Medical Centre, was dismissed by the Federal Ministry of Health for regularly indulging in the authorisation of the sales of poor quality controlled blood or unscreened human blood contaminated with HIV/ AIDS and other deadly diseases to the public.

But in a written opposition to the Notice of Preliminary Objection filed by counsel to the plaintiff, V. N. Okpara, the counsel argued that the salary “illegally” received by the 1st defendant is partly from the plaintiff’s tax money.

Obi berates Nigerians for deception, rot in society OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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nambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday blamed Nigerians, particularly praise singers for the rot in the society, saying that most people consistently deceive leaders in government for their selfish ends.

The governor equally berated religious and traditional leaders for giving recognition to corrupt and dubious elected and appointed officers in the country, saying that as leaders, they ought to be fair and open in giving recognition to individuals in the society; a duty, he said they have failed to do over the years.

Obi said these Tuesday night in Lagos during the conferment of ‘Man of the Year 2012 Award’ on the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.

He said with various praise singers parading the corridors of power, it is always difficult for elected or appointed of-

ficials to deliver the dividends of democracy to the society, warning that if this continues for a long time, Nigerians would continue to live in abject poverty.

His words: “The problem of this country is all of us. It’s difficult for you to succeed as a leader in this country. Leaders are being encouraged daily to do the wrong thing, but we ought to help those who are serving us to do it better by telling them the truth.

“We celebrate thieves and rogues today in this country. It’s in this country that you will elect somebody as a councillor without money or bicycle and six months later; he will come to church with cars for dedication, invite people to celebrate when dedicating his houses.

“The Igwes too are at fault in this, because they give them chieftaincy titles even when they don’t deserve it.

“Personally, I no longer seek advice from the elders in the society again, I rather ask the children who are under 10 years

old. These are the people who will tell you the truth as it affects them.

The elders are praise singers, who will sing your praises and tell you, you are performing even when you are not doing anything.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of Champion Group, Chief Emmanuel Iwanyanwu, said he set up the paper to balance the spread of information to the people.

He said the Nigerian civil war was fought because of imbalance in the flow of information, saying that it was widely reported that the Igbo were against a particular section of the country.

His words: “I didn’t set up the paper to make money, but to balance the spread of information to the people. The civil war we had propelled me to establish the paper. If there was a balance of information, there won’t have been the civil war, which claimed the lives of many Igbo people. I’ve not made any profit from Champion newspaper since I founded it.”

Okorocha lauds Army for fight against kidnapping CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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mo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has commended the Nigerian Army for their fight against kidnapping and crime in the country.

Governor Okorocha made this commendation during a courtesy call by the Commander, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major-General Adebayo A. Olaniyi, at the Government House, Owerri.

He said if not for the support of the military to the other security agencies, the country would have been overrun by criminals and hoodlums.

The governor applauded the level discipline in the Nigerian Army and called on the Federal Government to introduce military training as part of the curriculum of secondary school students to ensure that Nigerian children are taught to imbibe discipline at an early age.

He appealed to the Federal Government to also introduce vigilance groups in the country’s security outfit. He said the Imo Security Network, introduced in the state as a test case, has gone a long way to reduce kidnapping and other vices in the state.

Earlier, the Commander, 82 Division Nigerian Army Enugu, Major-General Olaniyi said that he was in the Government House to pay a courtesy call on the governor, noting that he was on a working tour of army formations in his division, which Imo State is a part.

The commander praised the governor for the warm reception given him and his entourage, pointing out that the Nigerian Army would ever remain grateful to him for his support and particularly for improved water supply at Obinze Barracks, vehicles, and finances for their work which has stemmed the spread of ugly incidences of kidnapping and other crimes in the state.

He assured the governor that the army will do everything within its powers to ensure that crime was reduced to the barest minimum in the state.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Thursday, February 21, 2013

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Kidnappers demand N200m for six expatriate oil workers E MMA G BEMUDU YENAGOA

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gang of 10 suspected gunmen have abducted six expatriate oil workers from their vessel off the coast of Koluama in Southern Ijaw Local

Government of Bayelsa State.

The armed men are demanding N200 million ransom to effect the release of the oil workers.

The victims are three Ukrainians, two Indians and one Russian – all staff of Century Group

of Company, Oil and Servicing and Marine.

National Mirror learnt that all the 15 crew members of the company were sailing in their vessel ARMADA TUAH 101 when it was attacked by the armed men.

Whereabouts of the

kidnapped oil workers have not been located as fear heightens among oil workers and top government functionaries in the state.

The Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Fidelis Odunna, confirmed the

abduction of the expatriates and ransom demanded by the gunmen.

Odunna said efforts were being intensified by security agents to track down the gunmen.

It will be recalled that the state governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, last

week signed into law a death sentence for anybody convicted for kidnapping.

The state government also procured 15 armored boats for the patrolling of the waterways to ensure security of lives and property.

Dickson urges peaceful conduct of Ijaw Congress poll EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

A

L-R: Justices Nogi Aifuwa Imoukhuede; Rita Irele-Ifijeh; Victor Oziegbe Oviawe and Osaretin Uwuigbe during their swearing-in as judges of the Edo State High Court and Customary Court of Appeal in Benin, yesterday.

head of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) election in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Governor Seriake Dickson has said that the government has no preferred candidate in the poll.

Dickson, who spoke with journalists yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, warned against the politicisation of the socio-cultural organisation, as he reaffirmed the government’s support for the INC and other Ijaw groups.

Olaitan: I’ve not gotten justice yet, says Oshiomhole Akwa Ibom seeks Canadian partnership for power supply

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overnor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is still grieved that the killers of his Principal Private Secretary, Mr. Olaitan Oyeride, have not been arrested by the police.

He is concerned that if a governor cannot get justice in Nigeria, then the ordinary man has no hope of getting same.

The governor, therefore, asked the police to unmask the killers in the interest of justice.

Speaking while receiving the new state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo in his office, Oshiomhole said: “I cannot pretend, I remain aggrieved and I believe it is a shame, a national embarrassment that a governor cannot get justice.

“If a governor can’t get justice, what is the hope of a tomato seller, what is the hope of a road-side mechanic, what is the hope of an okada rider?

“The police will not rest; I will not rest until the police get the killers of Olaitan.”

The governor noted that the police, as law enforcement agents, must recognise that they have a duty to protect the citizens.

He said: “All of us must recognise that we are trust-

ees of the Nigerian people.

We must earn the position that we are privileged to occupy. Anywhere I see a police officer, I will keep saying it, you must produce who killed Olaitan and explain why they bungled the investigations.

“I have said it to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), I have said it to the President and if I have the opportunity, I will say it to the United Nations’’.”

Oshiomhole said that his insistence on the police to produce Olaitan’s killers is to entrench the rule of law, noting that “if the rule of law collapses, even men in uniform can’t walk free because those outside uniform are more in numbers. So, when they submit to arrest, it is because in their sub-consciousness, they recognise that the state exists and that the instrument of the state is a responsible police force.

So, help me tell the IG that I still renew my demand that he has to produce those who killed Olaitan.”

The governor, however, noted that the police are providing invaluable services to the country, saying the failure of a Deputy InspectorGeneral will not stop him from relating with the police as an institution.

He promised that the state government would rebuild the Auchi Police Station and the Area Commander’s Office bombed late last year by hoodlums.

Oshiomhole said since assuming office, he had maintained a beneficial relationship with the police and other security agencies.

He said: “There is no doubt that the issue of security is very important.

Nigerians expect that poor or rich, in poverty or prosperity, we need security. Security is a precondition for economic prosperity.

“We are never going to attract the level of investors we need or even retain the existing ones if Nigeria is unsafe.”

Earlier, the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adebanjo assured the governor that he would work hard to rid the state of criminals.

He said: ‘‘I have addressed my men and I made it clear to them that the rights of the people must be respected. I will not tolerate any illegal detentions, abuse of office and detention of suspects more than 24 hours except in cases of kidnapping and armed robbery. I am here to work and I promise you that I will do my best.”

T

he Akwa Ibom State Government has sought partnership with Canadian companies in the generation of adequate electricity supply to boost the economy of the state.

Governor Godswill Akpabio, who spoke when the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Mr. Chris Cooter, visited him at the Governor’s Office in Uyo, said currently the state Independent Power Plant (IPP) is producing 191 megawatts of electricity and needs partnership to generate more and distribute same to many consumers.

Akpabio said: ‘’With the recent completion of our IPP, we would want to partner Canadian companies to improve on the power generation and expansion of the current power to many consumers’’.

He also sought the visitor’s assistance in the development of Ibaka Deep Seaport, saying: ‘’We will be glad to see Canadian companies coming to develop Ibaka Seaport and to partner them on the development of aviation sector through Akwa Ibom International Airport.

“Already, we are constructing the international hangar, which would be the first state to land Boeing 380 aircraft in the country”.

Speaking earlier, the Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Cooter had said that Nigeria and Canada have moved fast in their partnership in the last six months, hinting that in October last year, both countries signed trade agreement to strengthen the relationship.

Cooter, accompanied by the Canadian Counsellor, Alexandria Mackenzie, pointed out that his country had started a partnership with India on the construction of hospitals, stating that in May this year, Canadian Government has permitted Nigeria to bring 200 guests, in which the governor would be among, on a trade mission tour of the country.

He congratulated the governor on his commitment to the provision of basic infrastructure, noting that his tour around the state has opened his eyes to the emerging prospects in the areas of education, healthcare delivery service, roads and e-library project.

Over the years, the Bayelsa State Government funds the INC greatly, unlike its peers in the Niger Delta region.

Just last Monday, an Ijaw activist and Vice Presidential candidate in the INC poll, Nengi James, alleged that some governors in the SouthSouth were backing some candidates contesting the election.

James, who is also the state Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), urged the governors not to allow themselves to be used for rocking the credibility of the election.

Governor Dickson, however, advised the various candidates vying for the election to exhibit caution and restraint in the they conduct their campaigns.

He said:”The various candidates contesting for positions as national officers of the INC and other stakeholders should exercise caution and restraint in the way they go about their campaigns.

INC election is not the same as running for an elective political office, you should conduct yourselves and conduct your campaigns with utmost decorum.”

The governor urged all past Presidents of the body, who had openly supported some candidates of their choice, to do so with the interest of the INC and the Ijaw nation at heart.

He said: “The government will work closely with INC’s National Executive Council (NEC) and the Electoral Committee to ensure transparent, credible and peaceful elections.”

Meanwhile, Governor Seriake Dickson would today meet with the expanded executive of INC to chart the way forward for the body.

12

North

INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

S

uspected terrorists yesterday detonated an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, at post office area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

At least three people, the bomber, a passer-by and her child, died in the explosion.

This came the same day the Comptroller-General of Immigration Services, Alhaji Rilwanu Bala Musa, paid a familiarisation visit to Maiduguri to check the infiltration of illegal aliens

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Three die as explosion rocks Maiduguri and terrorists.

The explosion took place around the Post Office roundabout, close to Tashan Baga motor park.

A security source said: “On February 20, 2013 about 0110 hours, at Post Office area of Maiduguri metropolis, an IED planted and targeted at a JTF patrol van by Boko Haram exploded and damaged parts of the vehicle.

“However, an unidentified woman, a passer-by,

and her child died, while some civilians were injured by the explosion.”

Suspected terrorists yesterday went round Maiduguri to distribute and paste pamphlets written in Hausa, saying that the muchtalked-about ceasefire declaration was not true.

The pamphlets said there was no time the Boko Haram leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau, directed his lieutenants to lay down their arms for peace to prevail.

The pamphlets stated that the sect was not ready to cease fire.

Boko Haram also alleged that on a daily basis, its members, including their wives and children, were being killed or arrested and detained.

The group added that it would not cease fire as long as its members were manhandled by security agencies.

The JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir

Musa, confirmed the circulation of the pamphlets and the bomb blast in an email message.

He said: “The attention of the Joint Task Force Operation Restore Order has been drawn to some leaflets allegedly printed and circulated by Boko Haram terrorists containing message from leader of Jama’atu Ahlus Sunnah Lidda’ Awati Wal Jihad Abubakar Shekau threatening and warning government, civil servants, politicians, traditional rulers and security agencies that the sect has not made any reconciliation with the government and that it has not declared

ceasefire.

“The Task Force wishes to inform law-abiding members of the public to totally disregard such publication and consider it as part of the terrorists’ propaganda strategy to keep the civil populace in captivity and perpetual fear with a view to unleashing more terror on innocent citizens.”

Musa added that “an Improvised Explosive Device targeted at JTF patrol team exploded at Post Office Roundabout in Maiduguri metropolis at about 1:00 pm today Wednesday 20 February, 2013.

“The explosion led to the death of three civilians including the bomber and wounded two others. A JTF vehicle was damaged.”

Plateau students warn lecturers, others against strike JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

S Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum Committee on Reconciliation, Peace and Security, Air Vice Marshal Mukhtar Mohammed (rtd) and Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Al-Makura (right), during the chairman’s visit to the governor in Lafia, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Plateau speaker escapes death, as gunmen shoot nine worshippers One of the worshippers, who expressed fear over the incident, said “we noticed that all was not well when we spotted the men who demanded where the speaker was.

“Some of us were not aware that the speaker was there and I think he sensed trouble so he drove out quickly before anyone could identify him.”

However, the timely arrival of members of the Special Task Force, STF, from Lomay Hotel area forced the attackers to flee.

The STF men conveyed

the injured worshipers to the Plateau Specialist Hospital.

The Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the speaker, Nandak Shingle, who confirmed the incident to our reporter yesterday, said Dabwan was at the church when the gunmen struck.

She, however, said the speaker escaped unhurt.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Emmauel Onuigbo, could not be reached at press time as his phones were switched off.

he Speaker of the Plateau state House of Assembly, John Clark Dabwan, on Tuesday night escaped death when some gunmen launched an attack on a crusade in Jos South Local Government.

However, nine other worshippers, who sustained gunshot wounds during the attack, are now receiving treatment at the Plateau Specialist Hospital.

Witnesses said the gunmen invaded the venue of the crusade at the Christian Rural and Urban Development Association of Nigeria, CRUDAN, demanding the whereabouts of the Speaker who came to worship.

It was learnt that the assailants invaded the centre shortly after Dabwan drove into the premises.

The gunmen reportedly shot into the crowd of worshipers.

It was not known if the attackers were armed robbers or kidnappers.

PRISCILLA DENNIS

APC, a challenge to PDP members –Aliyu

JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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MINNA

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overnor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State said that the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, should serve as a wake-up call for members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Aliyu said the PDP members needed to go out, talk, convince and compete alongside members of other parties in wining more followership, ahead of 2015

general elections.

Expressing joy at the formation of the mega party in Minna during the swearing-in of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Chief of Staff, Head of Service, Commissioners, and Special Advisers, the governor said its formation would force the PDP to do the right thing.

Aliyu explained that PDP had been in power since 1999, but with the new mega party now in the picture, it would no longer take things

for granted.

He said: “I am happy with the formation of the mega party by the opposition parties in the country, because I am concerned with the growth of democracy.

“This is because, if you leave one person to continue to do the same thing he would think he is right, but if he is aware that there is an alternative, he would be forced to do the right thing.

And, if we take for granted that since 1999, we have

been winning, we may be surprised.”

The governor recalled what happened in Niger State in the 2011 general elections, where the ruling party had a very hard time winning, especially the governorship election.

He said: “I am saying this because of what happened in 2011 elections. We had problems because many political appointees refused to go back to their local areas to meet with their people.”

tudents of tertiary institutions in plateau state yesterday vowed to resist the proposed strike by their lecturers.

Workers in the stateowned tertiary institutions under the aegis of Joint Unions of Tertiary Institutions Workers had earlier threatened to embark on an indefinite strike tomorrow owing to what they called pending issues with government.

But the Students’ Union President, Plateau State Polytechnic, Bar-

kin Ladi, Shikorah Jesse, said the students could no longer allow strike to destroy their future He said: “Tertiary institutions in the state have suffered a lot of setbacks.

“Our academic calendar was disrupted recently for a year because of strike embarked upon by our lecturers. This time, we are not going to fold our hands and watch another strike come up without acting.

“We are going to embark on a protest and we would ensure that business activities are disrupted if the strike is embarked on.”

Kaduna assembly passes N179bn budget A ZA MSUE KADUNA

K

aduna State House of Assembly yesterday passed a budget of N179.053 billion for the 2013 fiscal year with an increase of about N2,573,561,178 to the proposal submitted to in in December 2012 by the late Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

Presenting the report to the House during plenary, the Chairman of the Appropriation and Implementation Committee, Hon. Yohanna Jatau, said the increase was as a result of the inclusion of some vital services which deserved attention but were omitted in the original budget.

Jatau said the capital

budget was increased from N102.038 billion to N104.5 billion, while the recurrent budget was jerked up to N74.553 billion from N74.441 billion.

The late Yakowa had on December 13, 2012 presented a budget estimate of about N176,480,343,008 to the Assembly for consideration, two days before his death.

National Mirror had reported that the late Yakowa’s budget was reviewed following request from his successor, Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero.

Jatau said that at the time of the harmonisation exercise, it was observed that little attention was given to certain aspects especially in the education, health and agricultural sectors.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Patience Jonathan: The lies, revelation and burden of credibility14

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

13

Politics

Chime’s return and the troubles to come

16

One-term agreement won’t distract Jonathan –Presidency OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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he Presidency stated yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan will not be distracted from his commitment to transform Nigeria by premature comments concerning whether or not he will seek re-election in 2015.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in a statement noted that the Presidency will not respond

to the story that President Jonathan allegedly signed one-term agreement with some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors prior to the presidential primaries in 2011 in order not to distract him from his determination to improve the economic and social well-being of the Nigerian people.

Okupe said: “We wish to state categorically that this is neither the time nor the season to begin electioneering or related discourse for the 2015 presidential elec-

tions and so President Jonathan will not jump the gun.

“He will therefore stoutly resist any disguised or open attempt to drag him into any debates, arguments or political discussions relating to the presidential election in 2015.”

The presidential aide added that President Jonathan considered the raging controversy as an attempt to derail him from “his chosen pursuit of the set out constituents of the transformation agenda which

form the basis upon which Nigerians overwhelmingly elected him” into office in 2011.

Okupe added: “For the purpose of emphasis, the present focus of President Jonathan include: completion of ongoing projects in the power sector to ensure that Nigerians enjoy steady power supply for domestic and industrial purposes; ensuring remarkable improvement of infrastructure in road, rail and air transportation in every part

of Nigeria through speedy completion of major ongoing road projects, construction and rehabilitation of rail lines as well as rehabilitation and modernisation of our airports.”

The statement also added that President Jonathan is focused on creating new jobs for Nigerian youths through a systematic implementation of sound economic and fiscal policies and entrepreneurial development programmes and the reformation of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector to increase efficiency, guarantee value for money and ensure greater local content participation in the industry.

Okupe said that President Jonathan would therefore not for any reason abandon these goals to engage in a distractive political debate with any individual or group of persons, but to devote all his energies towards the successful implementation of the transformation agenda, fix Nigeria and thus justify the mandate freely given to him by the Nigerian people.

“We will not hold it against anyone who wishes to pursue such agenda because Nigeria is a free country and will continue to be so under this president,” he said.

APC inaugurates committees on constitution, manifesto

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arrogating certain powers to herself.

The party lamented that unless this trend is checked, the state would continue to be subjected to arbitrariness, unconstitutionality, sycophancy and all forms of evil that could be associated with a ‘mummy and daddy’ government.

he All Progressive Congress (APC) has inaugurated three committees to work on the new manifesto, the party’s constitution and meeting INEC’s legal criteria for compliance.

The spokesman of APC, Chief Tom Ikimi, made this known yesterday in Abuja after the committee’s meeting on merger of opposition parties.

Ikimi said that the Legal Compliance Committee comprising 20 members needed to determine legal issues about the merger of the major opposition parties in line with INEC’s expectations.

He said that the committee should provide guidelines to all the four parties to ensure full compliance with all relevant laws and liaise with INEC and other

scribed his sack story as a huge joke and mere exercise in futility, said he was not aware and he is not disturbed about the unfolding scenario.

Reading from a document signed by 36 executive committee of the party in the local government, including all the ward chairmen and 17 out of 18 executive members of the party’s

local government chapter executive, Ikedi, flanked by Okoli said Ibekwe’s sack was with immediate effect.

The party alleged in the statement that Ibekwe was having series of meetings to destabilise APGA in Orumba South and has continued to deny APGA members their rights and privileges since he was sworn in as chairman of the local government transition committee in December 2012.

L-R: New Secretary to the Government of Niger State, Ndako Kpaki; new Head of Service, Abbas Bello; Chief of Staff, Josua Bawa and Deputy Chief of Staff, Mohammed Saba, during their swearing-in at the Government House in Minna, yesterday.

PDP carpets Ajimobi for turning Oyo to family fiefdom K AYODE FALADE

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he Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over the manner the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, is running the state like a family fiefdom.

The party decried what it called ‘mummy and daddy’ enterprise in running the affairs of the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Lukman Agboluaje and made available to journalists in Ibadan.

The PDP described as unfortunate the incessant interference of the wife of the governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, in running the affairs of the state.

While calling on people of good conscience to call the governor to order, the PDP lamented the public admittance of the governor that his wife is at the epicentre of his administration.

This was against the backdrop of the allegation by the recently sacked caretaker chairman of OnaAra Local Government

NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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he All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has expelled the Transition Committee chairman of Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Benneth Ibekwe for alleged anti-party activities.

Ibekwe is the candidate of the Deputy Governor of the state, Emeka Sibeudu.

Area of the state, Nurudeen Akanni, that his sack was masterminded by the governor’s wife.

While saying that the mandate given to Ajimobi on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was not a joint ticket for him and his wife, the PDP asked in what capacity the governor’s wife was

APGA expels Anambra LG boss

Chairman and secretary of the local government chapter of APGA, Tom Okoli and Chuks Ikedi respectively, who disclosed this to newsmen said the sack which formed part of their resolution during the last executive meeting, was part of an ongoing sanitisation exercise within the party.

However, in a swift reaction, Ibekwe, who de-

relevant agencies.

Ikimi said that the 20man committee on the APC’s manifesto would need to define clearly the ideological content of the association fully reflecting the social, economic, and political situations of the country.

“Fundamentally, the manifesto should make our government at all levels create enabling environment for wealth creation and employment generation.

“Social services such as education, healthcare, water supply, electricity, clean environment and food supply should enjoy government support, while industrialisation, agriculture and poverty alleviation should be tackled through the creation of an enabling environment,” he said.

He said that agriculture must be given priority in the new association’s manifesto.

According to him, the committee should define steps to be taken toward a credible process of diversifying national revenue sources in addition to ensuring an acceptable balance between the recurrent and capital expenditures in budgeting.

14

Politics

The revelation last Sunday by the First Lady, Patience Jonathan that she was actually sick, hospitalised and was in coma for seven days has exposed the culture of deceit in those trusted with leadership, writes OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU.

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he revelation by Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of the Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, that she was actually sick and “dead for seven days,” has perhaps, more than anything else revealed the Presidency as nothing but a bastion of official deceit.

It was a shocked nation that received last Sunday the revelation by the First Lady, that she almost lost her life to an undisclosed ailment last year. More shocking to a confounded nation was the confession by Mrs Jonathan that she underwent no fewer than nine surgeries in one month during her travails, despite claims by her media aides and the spokesman of the Presidency that she was on vacation.

Perhaps, the First Lady would have completed her new found born-again posture by revealing that she was also hospitalised in a German hospital during the period of her ‘vacation’ and also disclosing the nature of her illness from which she received her miracle.

It is pertinent to note that she was also part of the lying game, before she now received spiritual inspiration to come clean and tell Nigerians the truth and nothing but the truth, as she also tried to dispel the rumours of her ill-health, when she told the entire nation on her arrival on October 17, 2012, after weeks of absence that she was hale and hearty and was happy to be back to join her husband in working for the Nigerian people. She had said on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport: “I am very happy to see my dear people, children and the people of Nigeria.”

She further said: “I read in the media where they said I was in the hospital. God Almighty knows I have never been to that hospital. I don’t even know the hospital they mentioned.”

For almost seven weeks last year, the media aides of the president and his wife had kept the entire nation, in whose trust Jonathan was exercising his mandate in the dark about the true position of health of the First Lady, leading to different speculations and conjectures about her health

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Patience Jonathan: The rev status.

Taxpayers, whose money was being expended on the First Lady, were told that she was alright and was only resting after a hectic schedule that spanned from the presidential campaigns to the hosting of the African First Ladies summit in Abuja.

And last Sunday, at a thanksgiving service in Abuja, she said: “It was not an easy experience for me. I actually died; I passed out for more than a week. My intestines and tummy were opened. I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his.

My doctors said all hope was lost. A black doctor in London who is with us in this service was flown in when the situation became critical. It was God himself in His infinite mercy that said I will return to Nigeria. God woke me up after seven days.”

She added: “I remember when Chief (Olusegun) Obasanjo was the President of the country, I was close to his late wife, Stella. We worshipped together in this chapel.

“It was a painful moment for me that time when she died and her corpse was brought here. That was how my corpse would have been brought here. It was not an easy experience for me.

“I know that some people somehow leaked the information that I was dead.

They are people that I trust and rely on; to them, I was dead and I would never return to the country alive. Some of them even sold my things off.

“I won’t say everything here. It is the Lord’s doing that I returned alive. When God says yes, nobody can say no. People are always afraid of operation (surgery) but in my own case, while my travail

IT WAS NOT AN EASY EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I ACTUALLY DIED; I PASSED OUT FOR MORE THAN A WEEK. MY INTESTINES AND

TUMMY WERE OPENED.

I AM NOT LAZARUS,

BUT MY EXPERIENCE

WAS SIMILAR TO HIS.

MY DOCTORS SAID ALL HOPE WAS LOST

Suntai with his twin babies flanked by his wife and an aide in Germany last year.

Mrs. Jonathan on her arrival from Germany on October 17, 2012.

lasted, I was begging for it (surgery) after the third operation because I was going to the theatre every day. It was God who saw me through. I did eight or nine operations within one month. It was not an easy one.”

When the news of the First Lady’s ill health was first broken by the online news medium, Saharareporters, and following widespread reaction to the news and the status of her health, the Presidency issued a statement denying that she was hospitalised for food poising. First to fire was the media aide to the First Lady, Ayo Osinlu, who while confirming that she travelled out of the country, denied her rumoured illness.

Osinlu said that Mrs Jonathan only travelled out of the country for “a moment’s rest,” although he failed to disclose her destination. He said then: “If you look at her itinerary in August, you would be wondering how she was able to accomplish that. In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans.”

Senior Special Assistant to President Jonathan on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, was not also left out of the deceit game, while reacting to the rumours surrounding the health condition of the First Lady, Mrs Jonathan, he said: “I believe that the First Lady is hale and hearty. I want to leave it like that.”

Still continuing in the deceit game after Jonathan visited his wife in Germany in October last year, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, while confirming the presidential visit to the First Lady said: “What that video (showing Jonathan and his wife during the visit) has proved is that the President’s wife is hale and hearty and she is not in bad shape like people will want Nigerians to believe.

“The video has put paid to all the lies that people who play politics with almost everything have been spreading. It was clear from that video that the scene was not an hospital scene.”

He justified government’s stoic silence saying that it could “not afford to be jumping into the fray” with everybody. He also debunked the stories making the rounds then, describing them as

rumours, saying: “It was a rumour and there is nothing like that.”

But the first inkling that the deceit conspiracy was meant to deceive Nigerians was given in November last year, during President Jonathan’s media chat, when answering a question on why his wife has been off the radar since her arrival, the president confirmed that his wife was actually sick and travelled abroad for treatment.

The president said: “She was ill, she received treatment. When she returned, she had to further recuperate.”

But the major question baffling the minds of Nigerians is: Why should the country’s leaders prefer to lie through their teeth, even when they know that Nigerians are wiser to the truth? The regime of lies has continued unabated, especially in the cases involving Governors Liyel Imoke, Suntai Danbaba and recently, Sullivan Chime.

Until last week when Chime came out to say that he was actually treated for cancer of the nose, his aides and the Enugu State government continued to tell the hapless people of Enugu State on whose tax the governor was being treated overseas that the governor was on accumulated annual leave. In the case of Imoke, mum has been the case since his disappearance from the political landscape of the state. At a time, Nigerians were inundated with pictures of Danbaba, allegedly said to be carrying his newly delivered twin children in Germany, while the governor was said to be in bad shape following the plane crash he had on October 20, 2012.

Investigations by National Mirror revealed that President Jonathan was actually part of the conspiracy to deceive Nigerians about the health status of his wife, as he was said to have been pissed with the leakage of the news about his wife’s health status and trip abroad. Jonathan, it was learnt, had thought that the whereabouts of his wife and her health status would be kept under wraps by those considered very close and trusted aides of the First Lady and security agents who were privy to her movement and whereabouts.

But he was peeved when saharareporters broke the news a few days after she was

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Thursday, February 21, 2013

velation and burden of credibility IF YOU LOOK AT

HER ITINERARY IN

AUGUST, YOU WOULD BE WONDERING HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO

ACCOMPLISH THAT.

IN THE COURSE OF THIS WEEK, SHE WILL BE BACK HOME. BUT REMEMBER, IT ALL DEPENDS ON HER PLANS L-R: President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, praying for President Goodluck Jonathan; his wife, Dame Patience and his children during the thanksgiving service for the First Lady in Abuja, last Sunday.

Yar’Adua

moved to Germany.

As anxiety continued to mount over the real health status of the First Lady, her media aide Osinlu committed another faux pas when she told Nigerians again that his boss was not a public official, adding that she could return anytime, while still insisting that she went on vacation.

His words: “She is not a regular public office holder who has a specific duration for vacation. Assuming that she has a specific duration for vacation, then we could have said the vacation will end on a particular day and she will return on a particular day. But as it is, she can decide to return anytime she feels she has rested enough.”

But even at that, Osinlu got it wrong. It

Abati

is true that the constitution does not recognise the office of the First Lady, which had been sneaked into the psyche of Nigerians through the back door, but Patience is the wife of the first citizen of the country and her health status could have a farreaching negative effect on governance.

Also, to say that the First Lady was not a public official was also being economic with the truth. She is till date a Permanent Secretary in the government of the Bayelsa State and by virtue of that office, she is a public servant. Also important is the fact that she was being catered for with taxpayers’ money.

Reacting to the Dame Jonathan saga, spokesman of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Yinka Odumakin said that the government which could lie brazenly to the citizenry actually has no moral right to remain in power. He added that the aides who fed the Nigerian public such blatant lies ought to have resigned from office by now.

Speaking to National Mirror, Odumakin said: “One sympathises with Mrs Jonathan for all she went through and while expressing gratitude to God for preserving her life, one prays that her healing is total.

However, the entire deceit drama was an indication that we have a government bereft of honour. Ours is a government that lacks credibility and which deserves no moral right to remain in power. All the aides who lied to Nigerians through their noses should before now have resigned from office, because they lack honour.”

In his own reaction, a former governorship candidate in Enugu State on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and National Publicity Secretary of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Osita Okechukwu said that it was unfortunate that this kind of thing is happening in Nigeria, adding that President Jonathan was just continuing in the policy of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had been deceiving the Nigerian people in the last 14 years.

Okechukwu told National Mirror: “It is very unfortunate in the sense that Nigerians could be taken along that ignoble path, especially considering that the First Lady is a public servant and her bill was borne by the state, if it were to be taken care of from a personal purse,

then we can say it was a personal matter.

It is also unfortunate that it took them this long to come clean to Nigerians. After all, when Saharareporters reported it, and Nigerian media also latched on it, it was as if the media was crying wolf where there was none, but now that they have come clean, the Nigerian media has been vindicated.

“It is very unfortunate that we have failed to learn from history. One is prone to be sick or healthy, when a public servant or public official is sick, there is nothing that calls for secrecy about it. However, we must also thank the First Lady for coming clean about the whole scenario at the end of the day, because if she had not, the media would have been crucified and seen as liars and as they say, it is never too late to make amend.”

The leading opposition party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), also took Jonathan and his aides to the cleaners over the deceit game played on Nigerians over the health status of the First Lady.

While congratulating the First Lady for her miraculous return from the dead, the ACN gave knocks to the Presidency, saying that Dame Jonathan’s revelation has made the Jonathan presidency lost “whatever is left of its credibility over its handling of the First Lady’s illness saga.”

Speaking through a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the ACN said that the First Lady’s miraculous return from the dead by the grace of God “cannot but elicit joy among Nigerians, irrespective of their political leanings.”

Mohammed, however, wondered why the government Nigerians elected into office chose to lie to them that the First Lady was holidaying abroad when indeed she was gravely ill in a foreign hospital.

He said: “We will also like to remind the presidency that its denial, instead of full disclosure that would have elicited nothing more than fervent prayers from Nigerians, fuelled the rumours that the First Lady suffered from sundry afflictions or the consequences of tummy tuck!”

The statement further said: “The issue here is simple: If the presidency can so shamefacedly lie on an issue of such public interest as the health of the First Lady, why should we not believe it can lie on any other issue, whether it is economy, politics, social development or any other matter? For how long has this Presidency been misleading Nigerians

15

on critical issues, since we now have reason to doubt its credibility? Does it occur to this Presidency that it has turned Nigeria to a laughing stock by its now routine denials of the truth?

“Like we have said time and again, any government needs to be credible to win the trust of the citizens, without which it cannot govern effectively. With the revelation by our back-from-the-dead First Lady, it is clear that the Jonathan Presidency has egg on its face, and must apologise to Nigerians for lying to them.

Also, the spokesmen for this government have lost total credibility; hence their words will henceforth be taken with a pinch of salt.”

Mohammed added: “It is sad that despite what we and many Nigerian groups and individuals have said on this issue, the Jonathan administration took its script directly from the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua group’s book of deceit when the late President was ill and flown abroad. Now, Governors Sullivan Chime of Enugu, Danbaba Suntai of Taraba and Liyel Imoke of Cross River are all playing according to the Jonathan script.

“We are therefore renewing our call for openness and full disclosure on the state of health of public officials. Life itself is transient, not to talk of positions. And as a spiritual leader of the calibre of Pope Benedict has shown recently, no office is more important that life itself.”

Civil society group, the Campaign for Democracy (CD), also did not spare the Jonathan presidency for taking Nigerians on a ride in the deceit game. Its President, Joe Okei-Odumakin, said the Jonathan government lacked integrity, saying: “If a spokesman could tell us she was on holiday, while in actual fact she was sick it then means there is no honour and integrity.

“If the Presidency says good morning one has to be sure it is not midnight before responding. There should be openness, transparency and honesty.”

Stakeholders agreed that the revelation by the First Lady has exposed the character of the leaders that are in control of the apparatus of governance in Nigeria. They agreed that the manner the information on the president’s wife’s health was managed was a reflection and hallmark of the administration that has deficit in credibility.

Last Sunday’s testimony from the First lady must have dealt a devastating blow to all the lie mongers skilled in the art of deception, who shamefacedly masked the truth from the Nigerian people. The same road was trod during the health saga of late President Yar’Adua when different lies were concocted by the immediate family and members of the kitchen cabinet of the late president even when he was receiving treatment in foreign hospitals for kidney and liverrelated ailment. It was so bad then that even Jonathan, as Vice President did not have access to his principal.

Political analysts also agreed that the First Lady’s revelation has dealt a big credibility blow to the Jonathan administration. What is not in doubt is the fact that the Jonathan administration committed a grave error, by selling a dummy to Nigerians over the First Lady’s health imbroglio.

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Politics

DENNIS AGBO examines the return of Enugu State governor, Sullivan Chime to the state after four months of absence over health issues and the trouble his return may probably elicit in the state.

A

iling governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, returned to Nigeria penultimate week after spending close to five months treating what he disclosed as cancer of the nose.

Chime’s long absence generated a lot of concern and controversy, not only within the political circles in Enugu State, but also across the country because of the dummy sold to the public that the governor was on long vacation when in actual fact, some people were privy to the fact that the governor was sick before he travelled.

Indeed, Chime’s health condition was revealed by his close aides who whispered about it, noting that the governor may be out for too long.

There were, however, government functionaries who never knew anything about their boss and were left in the dark throughout the period that the entire saga lasted. It was in such ignorance and confusion that the rumour mills thrived while some lily-livered government functionaries chickened out and diverted their attention to other political figures in the state, like the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

“All the attacks on my staff about hoarding information were unfair. They didn’t know the problem because I only told them I was going on vacation. It didn’t concern anybody because I complied with the law by transmitting a letter to the speaker. I ensured that the ship of government remained on course; I didn’t abandon anybody,” the governor spoke about the ignorance of many of his aides on his health status.

As prove that there were close aides of the governor who actually knew about his condition, one of his close aides and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ozor Joe Mmamel, in January told National Mirror that Chime would soon be back. Mmamel then said that Chime laughed at the speculations of his death and other chronic health speculations. Chime corroborated Mmamel when he came back and told some journalists that he laughed at the false rumours during his absence.

Mmamel had said that Chime was aware of the tension generated by his long absence from Enugu State but laughed at the speculations and gave directives to his aides on phone, adding that whenever he spoke with Chime on the developments, he would just laugh.

In the same vein, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, when confronted on why he issued condolence message in respect of the late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, instead of addressing Chime’s death rumour, said it was because the governor instructed him to ignore the death rumour and issue the condolence massage instead.

“The same person said to be dead is issuing condolence message on another person,” said Achife.

Chime was alleged to be terminally ill with different speculations that he suffered from liver problem, others said it was kidney, some said it was heart problems, some said it was immune problem, yet others said he had eye surgery and was breathing through oxygen.

The state Commissioner for Information, Chuks Ugwoke, however maintained that the governor was on an extended vacation but Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State had during the Dr. Alex Ekwueme’s birthday bash in October last year said that the Enugu State governor was not feeling quite well. Curiosity however arose last December, when the acting governor, Sunday Onyebuchi, presented the 2013 budget to the state House of Assembly in absence of Chime.

Outspoken Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of the Anglican Church had at a public function burst out that if the governor was not well, the people should be told so that they can pray for his quick recovery. The Bishop insisted that if all were well with Chime after all, he should make haste and come back to continue with the mandate given to him by the people of the state and the good works he has been doing in the coal city state, adding that the people were missing him.

Spiritual leader of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu,

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Chime’s return and the troubles to come

Chime

THE ATTACKS ON MY STAFF ABOUT HOARDING

INFORMATION WERE UNFAIR.

THEY DIDN’T KNOW THE PROBLEM... I COMPLIED WITH THE LAW BY TRANSMITTING

A LETTER TO THE SPEAKER.

I

ENSURED THAT THE SHIP OF GOVERNMENT REMAINED ON COURSE Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, during the Christmas vigil equally offered prayers for the safety of the governor.

Speaking on the nature of his illness on return from London, Chime said: “I was later referred to a GP who after examining me said there was nothing wrong with me. I still asked for further investigation. I even made arrangement with them to help me set appointment for closer investigation. I left for Germany and had to still return to London to keep the appointment for proper screening of the growth. It was after the screening that it was discovered that the growth in question was cancerous. It was also discovered that the main tumour was behind my nose; it was simply called cancer of the nose.

“Cancer is such thing that when you hear it, the person involved will even declare himself dead instantly. I was subjected to further scanning at the nose and neck and was told that it was curable, not manageable. When I asked how to go about it, I was told it has to be as early as possible before it spreads to other areas. Accordingly, I arranged for it to be done. I had to cancel further trips and agreed to be back to London in two weeks.

“By Monday, I commenced treatment. Cancer is a deadly disease and the cure is also deadly. It’s not like panadol; not drugs we buy off the counter. You go through different stages. The treatment altogether lasted for 12

weeks and throughout the treatment, I was an out-patient. I was never admitted in any hospital in London.

During the period of the treatment, I had challenges and these are challenges I will not even wish my enemy to go through; it’s not easy to imagine.”

While the confusion lasted before the governor’s return, the people of Enugu North senatorial zone, otherwise referred to as Nsukka zone, were most affected because it looked to them as if the hope of the governorship shifting to their zone by 2015 was dashed. The calculation was that if Chime had not come back, the acting governor, Onyebuchi from Enugu East senatorial zone, would transmute to become the substantive governor and subsequently contest for the governorship in 2015.

Chime had on several occasions promised that he would hand over power to somebody from Nsukka zone for sake of equity, since former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani is from Enugu East senatorial zone while Chime hails from Enugu West.

Chime’s absence, therefore, created a test of loyalty to know who and who actually has faith in the governor or if his possible successors were just fair weather friends. It is said that Chime has taken note of that and would act at the appropriate time. It is expected that Chime would reshuffle his cabinet to weed out the unstable characters around him. It is also expected that ongoing projects in the state, which were stalled due to the absence of the governor, would henceforth receive accelerated attention and speed. Such projects that were stalled include the Ugwogo-Isiuzo road construction, the Eke-Affa-Nkpologu road project among others.

While Chime was away, a group of cabal ruled the state. The cabal consisted of the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, who headed the group, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Amaechi Okolo, who was Nwobodo’s second in command and the Acting Governor, Onyebuchi, who was believed to have acted just as a ceremonial governor.

Other members of the cabal included the Commissioner for Information, Ugwoke, the governor’s younger brother, Jide and his other brother in-charge of internally generated revenue, Felix.

Among the problems generated by some members of the cabal, which Chime will now battle to resolve are issues of sack of different chief executives of state departments and parastatals, like the state Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) boss, the state environmental sanitation boss and even the Head of Service.

There were equally political problems like the show of ego between Senator Gil Nnaji and the Chief of Staff during the public hearing for the constitution review. It is believed that after proper review of the problems generated during his long absence, a hurricane of change would occur in the political landscape of the state.

Main casualties of Chime’s return are members of the Save Enugu Group, who even though distinguished themselves as democrats, rising up in the midst of confusion and what looked like a deceit, may after all not have any other job, at least for now. The group emerged as a pressure group to force the cabal to disclose Chime’s true health status and his whereabouts and succeeded to an extent of raising the consciousness of the people.

The group was believed to have made success since at the end of the day, Chime returned within the time lag it gave the state government to corroborate their claim that Chime was sick, instead of the dummy sold to the public by the governor’s media aides that he was on vacation.

In the days ahead, drastic and far-reaching decisions that would affect the political fortunes of many people would be taken by Chime as he prepares to consolidate on his position as the number one politician in Enugu State.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Thursday, February 21, 2013

17

The merger push of opposition parties EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

FRY

NDUBUISI fryndubuisi@nationalmirroronline.net (08023016709 SMS only)

B

ased on what they perceived as the urgent need to rout the PDP from power, some of our opposition parties - ACN, ANPP, APGA and CPC – have coalesced into All Progressive Congress (APC); and their mission is to ”save our democracy and (prevent) the likelihood of turning Nigeria into a one party”.

Since the unfolding of the new political contraption, the master minds have been pursuing their agenda with a lot of zeal and vigour. However, I hope they are not unmindful of the fact that there are quite a lot of hurdles to surmount.

The principal ones include the Electoral Act that must ensure level playing field for all the players and the likelihood of the enemies manipulating our well entrenched centrifugal forces.

I have seen effusive excitement in the polity following this development. Merger of political parties is not new to us, but since we return to democracy in 1999 the PDP has not really had any serious challenge from the opposition. Attempts

T

he recent disclosure by our First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, of her health challenges definitely attracted empathetic emotions across the land and beyond. Any human being who undergoes such agonising ordeal deserves our sympathy, support and prayers. The everreligious Nigerians were, however, unhappy that they were denied the opportunity of full intercessory prayers to aid her while the ordeal lasted.

This was because the presidency maintained tight lips on the development throughout. We were initially told the First Lady had travelled abroad to rest, this later changed to “a routine medical checkup”.

Then, when the First Lady could not return till about seven weeks later and the media had already started a count-up of her absence, it became obvious that some measures of cover-up were actively been deployed, and rumours, expectedly, continued to mount.

It was such rumour that the First Lady was at pain to debunk when she said that her serial operations in the German hospital had absolutely nothing to do with cosmetic surgery, but was dictated by clinical necessity. If there had been transparency in the affairs from the beginning, there would have been no need for such denial.

The belated revelation of the First Lady at the thanksgiving prayers in Abuja was nonetheless masterfully crafted. Imagine her saying “I was dead for seven days!”

Nothing could be more moving. The statement succeeded, in spite of its scientific inerrancy, (for you cannot be clinically dead and come back to life). We were all thrown

in the past by them to come together have been quite unsuccessful. The last one made in 2011 between ACN and CPC to challenge President Jonathan, was a disaster.

Nigerians are watching how far this renewed interest could go this time around. There is already a threat coming from APGA. Whereas the governor of Imo Sate, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is solidly in support of the merger plan, his counterpart in Anambra state, Peter Obi is unequivocal that his party cannot join APC. And more fundamentally, an Enugu high court judge has removed the chairman of the party, Chief victor Umeh. This has deprived it the chance to speak with one voice. Undeniably, APGA is a veritable platform for APC to get to the heart of South East. Aside from this, the position of Governor Adam Oshiomhole of Edo State on the merger is still unsettled.

Reacting to the emergence of APC, the ruling PDP had said it was not losing sleep over it. However, it is being speculated in some quarters that they are making subterranean moves to frustrate the merger plan. A member of the APC was recently quoted as saying that they were aware that ’’ PDP top shots are afraid that APC would provide Buhari a nationwide platform to realize his ambition in 2015”.

However, President Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, has undauntedly said Jhis boss is

THERE IS THE SUSPICION THAT THE PUSH FOR MERGER IS PART OF A GRAND AGENDA TO APPEASE THE

NORTH THAT HAS

BEEN ANGLING TO HAVE POWER GIVEN BACK TO THEM ready to face Buhari or any candidate in 2015”.

The emergence of a mega party would be healthy for the growth of democracy in our country. This is only to the extent that there is sincerity and openness about it. There is really the need to checkmate the PDP’s arrogance. So far, it has felt as if there is no viable alternative to it. If the merger succeeds it will put it effectively on its toes. It will also bring out the positive side of politics and democracy that will be good for the entire country. A situation where winners of elections are lamely predictable every time is counterproductive for both our political and economic growth. It is significant we have a viable alternative to chose from that will make whoever that calls the shot be wary and sensitive to the feelings of Nigerian.

The Ghana experiment is working well and we should learn from that.

In all this, the greatest albatross to merger will be how to contend with personal and sectional interests. There is the suspicion that the push for it is part of a grand agenda to appease the North that has been angling to have power given back to them. Yet others conjecture is that the merger plan is an orchestrated plot to aid General Buhari realize his presidential ambition. What gives credence to the later thesis is a recent statement by CPC spokesman that Buhari will make himself available for 2015 presidential election.

It is perfectly in order for anybody and section to aspire to the highest position in the land, but where there is an impression that it is based on subterfuge and intrigue, it becomes a problem. Thus, if the APC’s agenda is centered on a cabal, ethnic and group’s interest instead of the general developmental interest of the country, the excitement that greeted this move will soon fizzle out.

Desperadoes in politics or in any venture for that matter, destroy the chances for fairness and equity. Nigerians are watching with interest and anxiety as to the structure, the coloration and agenda of the APC. Professor Ndubuisi, an attorney at Law, is of the Dept. of Philosophy, UNILAG

On Dame Jonathan’s ailment

DISEASES AND

AILMENTS ARE THINGS TO WHICH NO MORTAL IS IMMUNE AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY

NIGERIANS SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT IN THE DARK ON THIS MATTER RIGHT FROM THE OUTSET into collective empathy on the plight of our beloved First Lady. The inescapable fact still remains that the issue should have been better managed.

In the olden days, rulers, especially in this part of the world, were conceived as God’s ordained representatives on earth therefore, the mythical picture of immortality of the ruler had to be sustained at all cost; the bubble should never burst that the king is after all a mere mortal. In Yoruba land for instance, the king does not perform mundane affairs of other beings; the king does not sleep, the king only rests his eyes (oba nreju) and of course, he does not die, he only join his ancestors etc.

But this is 21st century, and we are operating a democracy anchored on the principle of elective representation. The notion of any ruler being immortal and transcen-

dental is therefore, anachronistic. There is really nothing to hide in a president or his wife being sick any longer, we are all human beings with all the natural human frailties.

The modern day concept of governance KETEFE thrives on openness and transparency, and the culture of full disclosure. Any person who aspires to rule in a modern democracy should know that what would otherwise kketefe@nationalmirroronline.net 08032147720 (SMS only) have been his private affairs and that of members of his immediate family would Enugu State abruptly travelled abroad, the be subject to public scrutiny. That is why whole of his state, nay Nigeria was in abthe game of initial and non-disclosure of solute darkness on the status of his health the full facts surrounding the First Lady’s for about 140 days he spent abroad. He only heath leaves much to be desired. came back to disclose he had been battling Diseases and ailments are things to which with nose cancer during his absence. The no mortal is immune and there was absocancer is now cured, no apology tendered lutely no reason why Nigerians should have for the concealment. been kept in the dark on this matter right Let our leaders learn how to put the from the outset. Former President Umaru whole cards on the table as regards their Musa Yar’Adua did not particularly set a health and that of the members of their good example in this regards as he actively immediate family; there is really nothing concealed the nature of his aliment, which to hide and I believe Nigerians are not sobegan to deteriorate progressively until hard hearted as not to join them in solihe literally died on the throne. Only God darity, well wishes and prayers. It is even knows the exact length of time Nigeria was when there is concealment or subtle distorin undisclosed interregnum when the powtion that the mill of rumours would keep erful members of the cabal kept the mills running. Things like these are capable of of lies and creative propaganda whirling. alienating the ruled from the rulers.

Around the same tile the former president was actively concealing the severity Send your views by mail or sms to of his ailment, the late human rights acPMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ tivist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN),who nationalmirroronline.netmirrorlagos@ was never a public office holder and had yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to every right to conceal issue of his terminal edit and reject views or photographs. cancer, nevertheless chose to make the ailPseudonyms may be used but must be ments known to the public. clearly marked as such.

When Governor Sullivan Chime of

KAYODE

18

Editorial

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER

STEVE AYORINDE

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SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH

HEAD, GRAPHICS

Still on the imperative of national conference A D isturbed by the pervasive insecurity, bureaucracy and corruption in the country, some eminent Nigerians have recently warned that unless a national conference is convened before the 2015 general elections, the nation might likely witness an unprecedented turmoil.

Speaking under the aegis of Project Nigeria, these concerned Nigerians have offered to facilitate the emergence of a national front to anchor the proposed national conference.

We think the time has come for the Presidency and the National Assembly to give a serious thought to an idea they have persistently scoffed at, apparently. For the first time, there is a near national consensus that only the convocation of a national conference, where all ethnic nationalities in the country are duly represented, would seriously address the stultifying socioeconomic and political crises confronting the nation. The ongoing constitution amendment, good as it might sound, would fall short of the expectation of Nigerians, principally because of the underrepresentation of those who are saddled with the job. A coalition of the broad spectrum of Nigerian leaders, such as Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule and Professor Ben Nwabueze, credible voices in national

affairs, should be listened to when it speaks.

Any fears of the likelihood of a national conference acting as a catalyst to the eventual disintegration of the country is not supported by history. In contrast, it is the papering of the cracks on the walls of the polity through military fiats that has ingrained on the nation the prevailing peace of the grave yard. The non-enduring nature of this order is underlined by the cacophony of voices of injustice, unequal fiscal relationship among the constituent units as well as apparent marginalization that started soon after the enthronement of democracy in May 1999 and is still resonating.

It is curious and rather puzzling that democrats would be afraid of engaging themselves in healthy discourse on the way forward for their country.

What is liberal politics if not the resolution of conflicts in the spirit of give and take?

Running away from national dialogue is like running away from the shadow of issues that confront us as a nation.

Nothing can wish those issues away as long as we are afraid to frontally confront them.

The control of the centre has been a sore point in the inter-geopolitical relationship in the country. There is al-

NY FEARS OF

THE LIKELIHOOD OF A NATIONAL

CONFERENCE ACTING AS A CATALYST TO THE EVENTUAL DISINTEGRATION OF THE COUNTRY, IS

NOT SUPPORTED BY HISTORY ready undue heating up of the polity over whose turn it is to produce the president in 2015.

The northern power bloc has been vociferous in stating that its claim to the presidency in 2015 is non-negotiable; there has been unwholesome bad bloodletting over perceived marginalization of the North, South-West and South-East in the nation’s scheme of things; there is yet the question of indigeneship, the imperative or otherwise of state police, and other sundry issues. All these issues are central to the sustenance of our democracy and the survival of the nation; there is no way any constitution amendment could mediate on the invidious and divisive forces they spawn.

Our seemingly intractable crises are a phase in nation building. All advanced de-

mocracies of the world went through the same process. In the United States of America, for example, it took the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention of 1787 (from May 25 to September 17, 1787), with George Washington presiding, to resolve those issues considered germane to the survival of the country.

On this score, therefore, President Goodluck Jonathan has limited options. One is to remain resolutely committed to his earlier position that the grounds for a national conference do not exist. In that wise, the National Assembly should go ahead with the its constitution amendment which is seen by many as a charade.

The second is to listen to the voice of the elders and put the machinery in place for the convocation of a national conference. If he does, his stature as a statesman would not only soar, the nation would be on the path of renewal as well.

As things stand, we are now like a nation on the crossroads. What we do between now and 2015 would make a big difference to the socio-political and economic health of our nation. There appears, for now, no alternative to a conference of ethnic nationalities. President Jonathan would do the nation a lot of good if he drops his opposition to it.

ON THIS DAY February 21, 2011 Egypt re-opened some of its museums that were closed during the civilian protests that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak. The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Museum of Cairo, was broken into during the 2011 Revolution and two mummies were stolen.

With the reopening, the country was expected to regain some lost tourism revenue that was lost during the uprising.

February 21, 1984 The communist party in China is adopting a policy to entice American, Japanese and British companies to set up industrial plants there believing that not only will it improve the economy, it will also help improve the technology available in the country. Though China is under the grip of the ultra conservative left, it looks like some modernizers are desirous of modernize their country.

February 21, 1965 The former Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X was shot and killed by assassins identified as Black Muslims as he was about to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. Born Malcolm Little in 1925, Malcolm X was a charismatic speaker who rose quickly in the Afro-American organization and travelled extensively throughout the USA for the cause of black consciousness.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

19

Education Today Students disrupt Abuja varsity exams

22

Why maths should be every student’s favourite TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

• By a confessed dullard turned genius

H

e hated the subject at first. From his primary school to his first year in the secondary school, Benjamin Ewu could be said to be one of the dullest students in mathematics in class. He did not just have interest in either arithmetic or mathematics.

“Even when I scored very high marks in other subjects, I usually scored low marks in mathematics because I just didn’t like anything that has to do with calculations,” Ewu said, adding: “But one day when I was in JSS 2, an inspiration just came from nowhere telling me that mathematics was one of the easiest subjects for any student to understand and that was the beginning of my interest in the subject,” he further told National Mirror.

Today, mathematics, to 16-year-old Ewu, a senior secondary school (SSS 3) student at Iganmode Grammar School, Ota, Ogun State, near the Ota home of former President 0lusegun Obasanjo, is just like any ordinary subject.

He is so good in the subject that he has emerged as one of the mathematics stars at his level in the country. He is the current champion of the Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) with bumper rewards: a certificate of recognition, N300, 000 cash, a laptop, a gold trophy and several of the company’s products. Thanks to Mathematics, Ewu, from a poor background, has travelled by air to Abuja, stayed in the best hotel in the city where he also met and interacted with high profile individuals, including foreign ambassadors. He has a Federal Government scholarship award to study mathematics in a university of his choice in the country and he is also a proud owner of two additional laptops and several other mouth watery rewards just because of his prowess in the subject.

Now, Ewu says if he, with his initial hatred for the subject, could later develop a passion for mathematics which has now made him a star, there is no student at his level who cannot be a master of the subject.

Beaming with broad smiles, his school bag well balanced at his back and surrounded by adoring classmates, Ewu described Mathematics as the simplest in all the subjects being taught in school.

The aspiring professor of mathematics said: “Many people just create wrong impression that the subject is difficult to understand. I find it so interesting such that I read it almost every day. I will describe intensive study coupled with the help of God,

Benjamin Ewu (left) and his mathematics’ teacher, Hakeem Atisola

WHEN YOU SEE A MATHS TEACHER RESTRICTING HIS STUDENTS TO EXAMPLES IN THE TEXTBOOKS AND STILL GETS ANGRY WHEN STUDENTS CONFRONT HIM OR HER WITH DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, SUCH A

TEACHER CANNOT PRODUCE GOOD MATHS STUDENTS AND THAT IS THE SITUATION WITH MANY SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY as the secret to my success in Mathematics and this has even helped in enhancing my knowledge as a science student.”

Asked if constant study is enough for any student to successfully master the subject, Ewu said students would also need the strong support from school, teachers, as well as parents, among other key elements such as determination to be able to achieve the best.

“That is why I will continue to give kudos to my mathematics teacher, my school and parents. They are really strong sources of inspiration that fuelled my interest in the subject,” he added.

Mr. Atisola Hakeem, Ewu’s mathematics teacher agreed. According to him, interest, determination and commitment are key factors for any student to do well in mathematics. Though, like his star student, he said the subject is not as difficult as many students are made to believe.

Atisola himself studied food engineering

at masters’ degree level at the University of Ibadan (UI) but his students describe him as a great mathematics teacher at Iganmode Grammar School. Now, because of the interest he has created in the subject, many of the students have also shown interest in science subjects.

Just what is Atisola’s magic? “A lot depends on the mathematics teacher. You can’t expect students to do well in the subject if the teacher is incompetent, lazy and does not engage in self-capacity development,” he told National Mirror.

“When you see a math teacher restricting his students to examples in the textbooks and still gets angry when students confront him or her with difficult questions, such a teacher cannot produce good maths students and that is the situation with many schools in the country.”

Similarly, according to Atisola, a lazy student, who will only be interested in copying examples from textbooks instead of solving

questions given as assignments and will not attend or actively participate in class, will never do well in mathematics.

To him, a student who wants to be a genius in mathematics like Ewu must be confident, work with speed, be able to solve many questions correctly within a short time and make his answer scripts very neat.

Atisola also believes the general lack of interest in mathematics should not be blamed on students alone. According to him, virtually all stakeholders, from parents, teachers to government have not shown enough interest to encourage and motivate their children to develop a passion for the subject.

For instance, he said, students should not be expected to excel where parents and guardians do not provide necessary textbooks and instructional materials to their wards. Also parents who send their children to hawk on the street or indulge them in activities that divert their attention from their school work or assignments will not be helping such children.

Also, the failure of governments at various levels to provide conducive classrooms’ learning environment, textbooks and instructional materials, incentives, as well as organising capacity building programmes for mathematics teachers would not make the subject interesting to both the teachers and students, Atisola has taught mathematics at Iganmode for over a decade and he has produced many other students, who have not only won national laurels in mathematics for the school but also performed excellently in their external examinations such as WAEC, NECO and JAMB. He told National Mirror that children would not, as a matter of must, need to attend expensive schools before they could understand the language of mathematics very well. After all, Ewu’s school, Iganmode, is owned by the Ogun State Government. It is a school that is also faced with many challenges like every other public school across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

Indeed, a visit by National Mirror to the school revealed virtually all the deficiencies often associated with Nigerian public schools, especially in the area of infrastructure and facilities. In some of the classrooms, there were more than 120 students contrary to the UNESCO’s recommendation of maximum of 40 students per class for effective learning and this is another major reason for students’ poor performance in exams.

National Mirror even observed that majority of the students cover long distances to and from the school on foot every day as they cannot afford the transport fares. But nonetheless, the school’s management and teachers do not view these challenges as obstacles to their mission.

Despite all these and with a student population of about 7,000, the largest in any Ogun State school, according to the state’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

20

Education Today

ADERENLE NIYI

E

ducation management company, the International Learning Network (ILN), on Wednesday, January 30, played host to a high powered Canadian Trade Mission, which included the Canadian Minister of International Trade -Hon. Ed Fast, who was on a working visit to Nigeria, a Canadian Senator - Mr. Don Meredith, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria –Mr. Chris Cooter and his deputy - Mr. Marcello Di Franco, among others.

Welcoming guests to the occasion, Executive Director of the ILN, Abiola Anyakwo, said the visit presents an opportunity to demonstrate some of its achievements in the area of education. ILN, she said, delivers a cost effective opportunity for the Nigerian youth to experience the benefits of Canadian education. “Through the partnership, Canadian institutions expand their international services to include off shore students, many of whom will later choose to study in Canada at secondary and post-secondary levels,” Anyakwo said.

ILN is an education management company that provides Nigerian youths and adults with learning opportunities in faceto-face, online and blended format. “Our goal is to equip learners of all ages with the knowledge and skills required to achieve their full potentials in school career and life,” Anyakwo stated.

On her decision to make Canadian education accessible to young Nigerians, Anyakwo explains that she is very passionate about Canadian education because it does rank very high in international benchmarking studied. “Canada ranks higher in the English speaking world, after China and Finland. This is not just me saying so; these are things that are borne out of statistics. The Canadian students do very well when they are benchmarked against international students in their accomplishments. That is why I am passionate about Canadian education,” she revealed.

Canada, she said, continues to expand its opportunities for international students.

Anyakwo stated that when she started the business in 2005, she found out that the students were not allowed to work off campus.

However, she continues, recent changes allow opportunities for student to work off campus even without work permit so you

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Nigerian students wooed for Canadian education

L-R, Executive Director, International Learning Network, Mrs. Abiola Anyakwo; Canadian International Trade Minister, Hon.Ed Fast; Canadian Senator Don Meredith and others at the forum

see that the government continues to liberalise the opportunities for international students.

On the activities of ILN, she said one of the things they do is that they run a Canadian pre-foundation programme which works with students, who want to go and study in Canada so we do school placements. “What I find when the students come in here and we ask them what they want to go and study in Canada, they have five courses; law, medicine; engineering, architecture, banking and so forth. They don’t seem to have knowledge of the vast variety of occupations that are available.

We subscribe to a Canadian careers’ exploration software from an organisation called career cruising. On that software, there are five hundred occupations that you can possibly access. I realise that there is a need to inform students about the variety of occupations that are available for them so that they can begin to plan and then they are encouraged to pursue their goals. Students working through that software will have the opportunity to do an assessment

To my best

TEACHER

In the 1960s, a couple distinguished themselves in Birch Freeman High School, Surulere, Lagos. They were Mr. and Mrs. Mathews, both Indian nationals. One of their students at the period was David Adewale Oke, who is now a professor of cardiology and currently the Chief Medical Director of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos.

Mr. and Mrs. Mathews, as the former student simply referred to them functioned as expatriate teachers at Birch Freeman School. While the wife taught chemistry and biology, the husband taught mathematics, physics and further mathematics. According to Prof. Oke, the duo were not only teachers, they were role models who saw their students as future leaders.

Here are Oke’s words on both of them: “Mr. and Mrs. Mathews were two teachers

of the various occupations and see where they fit. They would also be able to identify their learning styles. That is something that we help them to determine,” she further added.

Expressing delight at the prospects open by the centre, Honourable Ed Fast congratulated Mrs. Anyakwo on her innovative Canadian pre-university programme in Nigeria. He said his mission to Nigeria is to hold discussions on how to really grow the Canada-Nigeria relationship in different sectors. “I just want to say to all of you students and to your parents that we certainly look forward to welcoming you in Canada.

I think most of you know that Canada has perhaps the highest quality and level of education in the world. We rank at the top in terms of academic performance and we are so pleased that you have chosen to embark, right here in Lagos, in the lives of young people, who are looking to develop their skills in ways that they may not have dreamed before. I wish you the very best as you prefer for a life of education in Canada,” he stated.

Gombe polytechnic to enhance artisans’ skills DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

G

ombe State Government has concluded plans to establish a state polytechnic to be located at Bajoga, the headquarters of Funakaye Local Government Council.

The proposed school, which is expected to commence operation by this June is based on the recommendations of a special committee set up last September for the establishment of a state polytechnic in the state.

Receiving the report at Government’s House in Gombe, State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo stated that establishment of the polytechnic was in line with his administration priority in education and the need to increase the technical manpower needs of the state, among others.

He called on the people of Funakaye and especially Gombe North Senatorial District to make adequate use of the opportunity in getting the benefits offered by the establishment of the institution.

On his part, Chairman of the committee, Prof. Eli Bala, who is also the Acting Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria said the committee’s terms of reference included seeing to the possibility of converting an existing educational institution into the polytechnic, suggest programmes, create a networking link between the institution and other professional bodies and create academic brief for the polytechnic and so forth.

Shedding more light on the need for the polytechnic, the state Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr. Mohammed Wade said the polytechnic would be an opportunity for various artisans who have no formal education to do so as able to improve on their jobs.

estingly, the couple also taught me when I was doing my Higher School Certificate (HSC) education at Igbobi College, also in Lagos. I think they retired at a time and went back to their country. One of their children, a son, was two years my junior in medical school, but I think he is also back to India. May God continue to protect him and his siblings and also grant them their heart desires. Their parents really impacted on me.

Mr. &Mrs Mathews Former teachers at Birch Freeman High School, Lagos

I will never forget in my life. It would be difficult to single out one as better than the other because I think it was their trait to work hard and excel. Mrs. Mathew taught me chemistry and biology while her husband taught me physics, mathematics and further mathematics. Those are the formative subjects that landed me in my profession today. I think they are deceased now for they had gone back to India long ago.

They were not just teachers, but also role models. They were motherly in their teachings. These were people you could approach anywhere and even at corridors to seek their assistance in any area you might be finding difficult and they would attend to you with every sense of humility and dignity. We were more comfortable to be in their classes than in any other teacher’s class.

Their intonation in particular thrilled us

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oke

and as young students, we used to laugh at them. Their pronunciation of ‘angle AOB’ as ‘iangle AOB’ was usually funny to us.

They were so committed that they would be the first to come to school and the last to leave. Those days, teachers were really dedicated to work. Inter-

If you can read this, then you have a reason to be grateful. Show your appreciation to your best or favourite teacher in this column. Send us a ‘Thank You’ note, including your full names, current status and the years you were taught by your teacher. You can also send us your current picture plus that of your teacher where possible. Write to the Editor, To My best Teacher Column, National Mirror, P.M.B. 10001, Marina Lagos or e-mail: eferaro@yahoo.co.uk

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Stakeholders unite to move education forward in Oyo

Ajimobi

KEMI OLAITAN BADAN

W

hen the present administration in Oyo State under the leadership of Senator Abiola Ajimobi, came on board about two years ago, one of the promises it made to the people of the state was to change the fortune of the education sector, which he said had been battered through neglect by the past administrations in the state.

Indeed to many people, the sector was in shamble such that the state was ranked in the 34thposition among the states in the country in the ladder of performance of candidates in the May/June Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Thus setting to work to change this poor trend, the state government early last year held an education summit with the theme, “Developing a sustainable transformation plan for education in Oyo State” , where all stakeholders were invited to brainstorm on what to be done to take the state to its rightful place among the states in the country. The result of the summit was to be coming in some months after with the post summit committee approved by the governor recording the state to be 23rd position in the 2012 May/ June SSCE as against the previous 34th position.

A breakdown of the results of public school students in the state between 2010 and 2012 was to revealed remarkable improvements in the key subjects of study in the schools. For example in mathematics, while the 2010 result showed students scoring 15.43 per cent, and in 2011, 13.70 per cent, in 2012, the students scored 26.57 per cent; in physics, in 2010, the students scored 29.77 per cent , 38.9 per cent in 2011 and 53.69 per cent at the recently concluded examinations. Also, while the students scored 12.59 per cent in English language in 2010, 20.30 per cent in 2011 and 23.00 per cent.

But not yet satisfied with the position of the state as the desire is to be in the first digit, the state government in order to further implement part of the communiqué of the education summit inaugurated the School Monitoring and Supervision Project in partnership with the University of Ibadan (UI). The aim, according to Governor Ajimobi, was for the first university in the country to serve as a centre of inspectorate for students, as well as teachers in the state public schools.

Speaking at the inauguration, attended by stakeholders in the education sector and principal officers of UI, the governor reiterated the determination of his administration not to leave any stone unturned in lifting up the falling standard of education in the state and rescue the sector from total collapse.

The governor, while describing education as the soul

Adewole

I FEEL SORRY THAT THE STANDARD OF EDUCATION IN

OYO STATE HAS

DETERIORATED TO THIS LEVEL of any society, expressed regret that the deteriorating standard of education had impacted negatively on the performance of students in public examinations and laid the unfortunate development partly at the doorstep of the teachers, most of whom he said had adopted lackadaisical attitude in the discharge of their responsibilities. He warned that any teacher found misusing productive hours to sell wares in schools would be shown the way out. ``I feel sorry that the standard of education in Oyo State has deteriorated to this level. Whenever I go round the town and see students roaming the streets and teachers selling gold, selling necklace, I feel ashamed.

I have even seen teachers, who could not construct simple sentences correctly in English,’ Ajimobi said.

While directing the state ministry of education to develop a year-round training and re-training programmes for teachers, he added: `Whatever is required to help our teachers, we shall not hesitate to provide.’’

On his part, UI’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adewole, speaking on the collaboration with the state government, assured that the institution would develop and deliver a strategy that would improve education and enhance the ranking of the state in public examinations. He added that the monitoring and supervision of the school projects would lead to the production of data base of available manpower in public schools.

For the Chairman, Oyo State chapter of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Alhaji Abodun Jimoh, the initiative could not have come at the right time given the fact that truancy among teachers and students has contributed to the poor state which the education sector has found itself in the state. According to him, with the success recorded in the last WAEC with the state moving up the ladder, the new initiative can only helped to take the state to a greater height.

Commending Ajimobi’s administration on the initiative, NAPTAN boss explained that with UI partnering the state government, the state would be further moved up the ladder by the time the next SSCE results would have been released.

An educationist, Mr. Kunle Ogundoro, on his part, said the new policy would provide a reassuring position for the entire education system, promising a better tomorrow for the state, teachers and for the students at large.

21

Ogun reassures teachers, students of maximum protection TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

O

gun State Government has reassured all the teachers and students in the state-owned schools at various levels that it would do everything possible to protect their rights and also make teaching and learning friendly for them.

The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela gave this assurance while fielding questions from newsmen at an interactive session in Abeokuta, the state capital, recently.

He said: “The present administration in the state will not hesitate to take necessary measures on issues that tend to infringe on the right of students and teachers in our public primary and secondary schools.”

The commissioner restated that government had directed that the principal of Ajuwon Grammar School, who conducted virginity test on 10 female students of her school sometime ago to be subjected to a psychiatric test to ascertain her state of mental health. He pointed out that if the suspended principal was later found to be mentally in-

capacitated, she would be sacked and if otherwise, she would be demoted.

On the alleged case of a teacher in the state beating a student to death, Odubela disclosed that his ministry was investigating the matter, while assuring that government would stop at nothing to get to the root of the matter in the interest of justice and fairness to all the parties concerned.

In another development, members of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) in the South-West states have been challenged to collaborate actively with governments of their respective state towards achieving development in the sector.

Odubela who threw this challenge in Abeokuta while declaring open the body’s annual conference, indicated that the need for the trade union to team up with government in advancing the course of education cannot be over emphasised.

He however, stressed that for ANCOPPS to carry out the collaborative role effectively, it must take necessary steps to rid itself of some bad eggs and instill self discipline among members, teachers and students.

Ondo ASSUS distributes laptops to members OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

T

he Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools [ASUSS] in Nigeria, Ondo State chapter, has distributed over 1,000 units of laptops to members in the state.

This was part of efforts to enhance effective teaching, make teachers to be globally connected and accurate in their day to day activities, Speaking at the distribution ceremony, the state chairman of ASUSS, Mr. Adedayo Adebiyi, said since the world had turned to a global village courtesy of ICT technology, the union had realized that Nigeria and indeed

Ondo state should be ICT compliant.

The chairman noted that computer and ICT had become the in-thing in today’s wWorld and, therefore, the teachers in the state should not be left out.

He said: “Computer provides a compendium of knowledge in all and every field of human endeavour. It has therefore become the only veritable and inexhaustible resource avenue for tutors to prepare their lessons and curriculum.”

The union pleaded with the state government to fast track the computer training programme planned for all secondary school teachers in the state in order for them to be more effective.

22

Education Today

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Quality education, vital to vision 2020 –Minister OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

T

he Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, has reiterated the commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration towards the repositioning of the education sector for better service delivery.

She restated this in a speech delivered on her behalf by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Mac-

john Nwaobiala, at the 32nd convocation ceremony of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, recently. A total of 3,657 students of the college graduated.

The minister also reaffirmed that the transformation agenda of the Federal Government in making Nigeria one of the largest economy by the year 2020 lied hugely on the quality of education available to the citizenry.

She disclosed that, as part of effort aimed towards addressing some of the challenges fac-

Students disrupt Abuja varsity exams • Saboteurs behind crisis –VC campus of the institution, AdIJEOMA EZEIKE, JOEL AJAYI AND AMINAH IBRAHIM ABUJA

S

cores of aggrieved students of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) on Monday took the authorities of the institution by surprise as they stormed the premises and forced some 400 level students writing the 2nd Semester examinations out of the classes.

The students, who trooped into the examination halls at about 9:00 am went to the Faculty of Law where the examination was being conducted and tore questions and answer sheets of the 400 level students into shreds.

It was reliably gathered that the protest was organised to express their grievances over the non- accreditation of four courses in the institution. The courses are, Agriculture, Engineering, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.

As at the time of filing this report, normalcy had not been restored by the authorities of the school even as a source confirmed that the examinations had been suspended in order to protect lives and property.

Indeed, the source confirmed the closure of the school in the wake of the new crisis.

Efforts by our correspondents to get official explanations from the school authorities proved abortive.

“The irate students got to the school early this morning and disrupted the examinations. Although no life was lost but some of the students had to run out through the windows in order to escape from the violence of the aggrieved students.

But the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. James Adelabu blamed people he referred to as “saboteurs and mischiefmakers” for the crisis that has engulfed the institution in the recent times.

Briefing journalists earlier and after an on-the-sport assessment of some projects newly provided at the main

elabu insisted that the ongoing crisis was being overblown by those he called ‘disgruntled elements’ who he alleged of running down the university.

The vice chancellor noted that the essence of the media tour was to correct some misinformation and outright propaganda against the university management, particularly his person.

According to him, UNIABUJA is a public institution which some people are bent on running down for no reason other than their personal dislike for the chief executive officer of the university.

“It is like a proverbial case of employing a sledge hammer to kill a fly. I pray that you will see through the deceit of the selfish few and assist the university in its drive to salvage the situation for the good of all”, he stressed.

Recalling 2009 when he assumed office, Adelabu said all the four new programmes in the crux of the crisis, namely: agriculture, engineering, medicine and veterinary medicine were in rented apartments in Gwagwalada and Sheda but can now boast of own buildings in the school main campus when they are completed.

The VC, who disclosed that the school engineering programme, which was illegal before now had earlier failed resources verification by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and therefore ought to have been stopped by the previous administration.

He urged the students to embrace peace and support the management to redeem the battered image of the institution.

Adelabu

ing the Nigeria education system, her ministry embarked on the development of four years strategic plan, spanning the years 2011-2015, for the development of the sector.

While noting the importance of teachers’ education in the society, Prof. Ruqayyatu stated that this form of education remains the bedrock of sustainable human resources required for the attainment of national development goal, adding that the attainment of Education

CONTINUED FROM 19 ministry of education, the school is still waxing stronger in mathematics and other subjects, as well as, in morals and other activities such that it has become parents’ favourite to enrol their children.

Ewu commented on his school and teachers, saying: “My school is not being run like a typical Nigerian public school, where principals, teachers, and students are not bothered about the quality of products turned out.

In Iganmode, both principal and teachers are highly competent, and committed to work. They make sacrifice to and ensure students get the best from their services and these sterling qualities have also made them stand out among their colleagues elsewhere.”

Investigations revealed that, while it was a serious offence for teachers of Iganmode to come late to class or engage in commercial activities other than teaching and other lawful engagements, students found exhibiting any form of untoward behaviours risk expulsion.

Interestingly, the school does not restrict the training of its students to the school hours neither to the general class format arrangement alone. Apart from the extra coaching that the school organises for the students generally from Monday to Saturday, it equally raises a team every year among the students and nicknames the group ‘jet students’ just to further boost their studies.

They are students tested to be exceptionally sound in all subjects, especially sciences and English language. They are few in number and allocated a separate class, where intensive lessons are being held for them free of charge and without cash reward attached for their teachers, who take the class in turn.

There is also another group referred to as ‘The reserved’. The only difference between the two groups is that students in the latter category have deficiency in one subject or the other. Ewu himself is in this latter category. But the school chooses representatives from either of the groups when going for competition and the choice depends on the type of competition at stake -mathematics, debate, chemistry, science

For All (EFA), Millennium Development Goal (MDG) objectives and vision 20:2020 would be a mirage, if it is not hinged on excellent teacher education and development.

The minister listed the various initiatives taken by the Federal Government towards its commitment to teacher education to include increment in budgetary allocation for capacity building of teachers across the federation, recruitment of

new teachers under the Federal Teachers Scheme, injection of fund into Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) local and overseas training of teachers, among others.

Earlier in his address, the Provost of the college, Prof. Adeyemi Idowu, appealed for more financial support from government and philanthropists, especially in the provision of hostel accommodation, classrooms, lecture theatres, office spaces furniture, among others.

Why maths should...

Obalanlege

and so on. Every student in both categories is as good as the other and sometimes, leaving the school with a selection problem. And because of the special arrangement, the school has over the years, performed brilliantly in mathematics competitions such as NASSMAC, organised and sponsored by Promasidor Nigeria Limited, for JSS 3 and SSS 2 students, who are between the ages of 10 and 18 years in all the government- approved secondary schools in the country and numerous others.

Ewu was the national winner of the last year edition and the school also produced his immediate predecessor, Akindele Nureni, who is now studying medicine at the University of Ibadan, as well as coming second and third at national level in 2002 and 2007 respectively.

Similarly, the school took the first position in both 2011 and 2012 American Mathematics competition (state level), first in 2012 Spelling Bee (zonal level), third in 2012 PTDF Science Competition (national level), second in 2011 Stan Chemistry Competition (state level) and 2010 ANCOPPS Essay Competition (state level), among numerous others.

The school does not entertain any fear of competition with any secondary school in the country.

Their belief is that once they are ready, determined, and hardworking and with God on their side, they will come on top. And for the Cowbell competition, the school starts preparing its students as soon as

one edition ends. “And the method has really been helping the school such that it consistently records very good results in the senior secondary school examinations conducted by WAEC, NECO, and JAMB,” Mr. Joseph Obalanlege, the principal affirmed. The school’s WAEC results, National Mirror gathered, had consistently been among the best over the years in Ogun State such that a significant number of its products gain admission into higher institutions of learning on a yearly basis.

For Ewu’s excellent performance in mathematics competitions and those before him, Atisola, has become a force to reckon with among the mathematics teachers in secondary schools across the country. Today, he has become a sought-after maths teacher such that several attempts have been made by many reputable private secondary schools in the country to snatch him from Iganmode with offer of salary three times his current earning.

“But everything is not always about money. I am satisfied and fulfilled to be in Iganmode as it is more of a joy to me producing students that are ranked among the best in the country,” he said. The school, as an entity, on its part, has also benefited immensely as a result of the outstanding performance of its students particularly in Cowbell’s NASSMAC. Many corporate organisations and individual philanthropists, according to the principal, have come to the aid of the school by donating one project or another, including blocks of classrooms, desktop computers and drum set, among others.

Atisola, who hailed Promasidor Nigeria for providing a platform where students compete for laurels in mathematics, said the competition has not only aroused and reawakened the interest of students in mathematics, it has equally increased their knowledge in the subject and other subjects. He added that, for the Vision 20: 2020 to become reality, mathematics and science education must be taken more seriously in the country.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today

Thursday, February 21, 2013

23

Osun not scrapping Christian Religion Studies in schools –Deputy Governor MOJEED ALABI

C

ontrary to speculations that the Government of Osun State has ordered the cancellation of Christian Religious Knowledge from its primary and secondary schools’ syllabuses, the state’s Deputy Governor, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education, Otunba Titi LaoyeTomori, has reemphasised the state’s respect for laws and individual’s rights to associations including religious groups.

She disclosed this re-

cently during the thanksgiving service over the successful completion of the year 2012 pilgrimage to Israel, saying the state does not have any intention and will not adopt one form of religion over another.

“We live in a multireligion and multi-cultural society and this is enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution, which embodies that laws that govern us as a nation and being the ‘ground norm’ that regulates our social interactions at all levels.

For us as a government therefore, we shall always

endeavour to provide the needed enabling environment for peace, religious tolerance, and economic prosperity for all Osun citizens,” she said.

It would be recalled that a national newspaper (not National Mirror) had on Tuesday, February 12, published the alleged state’s cancellation of the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge as a subject in public schools but in swift reaction, the state denied this and encouraged pupils to learn the ways of God through the teaching of the religious subjects in schools.

Tomori studies said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no iota of truth in this dangerous speculation. It was a lie, a cooked up story, aimed at causing disaffection among the people of Osun. We are grateful to the church, other religious bodies and advocacy groups for their stand and support.”

The deputy governor commended the timely intervention of the state’s chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Nigerian Inter Religious Council in what she said could have caused chaos in the edu-

cation sector, and by implication confusion in the larger society.

Mrs. Laoye-Tomori enjoined Christians at the interdenominational service to ignore rumours making the rounds that school uniforms recently distributed to school children were dedicated to “Ella”, noting that it was an acronym for “Education,” “Living,” “Learning” and “Advancement.”

She said the school uniforms, which were distributed freely to all pupils in the state, were never designed to impose any religion on the state

and that all lies being told were efforts of the opposition to cause confusion in the state.

In his presentation, member of the Osun Christian Pilgrims welfare Board, Prophet Adebunmi Alabi asked the newly inducted Jerusalem Pilgrims to reflect on the historic sites visited such as Mount Sinai, mount of transfiguration, the Wailing Wall, cross of Calvary and other places and allow the spiritual touch they had reflect in their attitudinal dispositions towards their daily endeavours.

Katsina sponsors women to boost teaching in villages

Indomie announces 2013 PGD scholarship award

JAMES DANJUMA

SEKINAT L AWAL

A

D

KATSINA

s a way of meeting the requirement for more teachers in the rural areas, 340 female students have been given scholarships to study for their National Certificate in Education, NCE, programmes in Katsina State.

It is expected that the students who are mainly from less- privileged homes, would go back to their villages and teach in primary schools after the completion of their NCE programmes.

The scholarship was given to them through a counterpart funding between UNICEF and the state government under the Girls Education Programme (GEP).

Speaking on the issue, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on GirlChild Education, Mrs. Bilkisu Kaikai said 10 girls each were selected as beneficiaries from poor homes across the state’s 34 local council areas of the state.

She noted that the students would study at the Isa Kaita College of Education and that the project would cost government a total of N65 million with each student entitled to N50, 000.

Kaika, who disclosed that over N19 million was expended under the scheme for the 2009/2010 session, explained that the scholarship scheme was made possible through the UNICEF’s 20 per cent and state government’s 80 per

L-R: Student of Adeola College, Offa, Kwara State, Aramide Babatunde; Creative Arts Teacher, Mr. Sanni Abdulwahab; Osun State Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Financial Accounts Teacher, Abiodun Ogundele and another student, Purity Lawal, during the school’s courtesy call on the deputy governor in Osogbo, recently.

Ekiti students seek modern library A BIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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kiti State students have given the state government till February 21 to begin the process of construction of a modern library with state of the art facilities in Ado Ekiti.

The students, under the aegis of the Federation of Ekiti State Students Union (FESSU), lamented that “lack of modern library in the state, where students can explore, has contributed to the failure being experienced in public and internal examinations by students of Ekiti origin”.

In a statement in Ado Ekiti, FESSU National President, Comrade Olalere Abajingin, also urged the state government to pay their bursary or face action from the students.

Abajingin expressed

Fayemi

the students’ displeasure at “the derelict state of the present State Library”.

He said it was disappointing that Ekiti, a state “widely respected as Fountain of Knowledge has no modern Library to help the students and researchers”.

He said it was against the backdrop that FESSU demanded the erection of a modern Library with a State-of-the-earth Internet facility to address the emergency in the educational system in the state.

The FESSU leader added: “If Ekiti could not boast of a well equipped Library with up -to-date technological features

and Internet facilities rather than the merely dignified bookstore here in Ado Ekiti, then the question of woeful academic performance being experienced by our students at all levels is not crying for evidential answers “If Ekiti students who have been receiving a paltry sum as Bursary in comparison with neighbouring States by successive governments are even being denied the paltry for only God knows reason, we wonder what exist as motivations for students who are studying under appalling circumstances in a time like this”, FESSU said.

ufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles has announced the commencement of their 2013 Indomie National Post Graduate Nutrition Scholarship Awards which is a focal part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative in the area of educational empowerment in Nigeria.

The 2013 edition of the Indomie MSC Nutrition Scholarship Awards is the fifth edition of the CSR initiative of the company which was instituted in 2009 for Nigerian students studying nutrition and dietetics at masters’ degree level with the aim of assisting the training of high level nutrition and dietetics manpower in the country.

According to Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, the Public Relations Manager of the company, the scholarship scheme was initiated when the company identified a wide knowledge gap in Nutrition and Dietetics and as such decided to take the challenge to build man power capacity in that regards.

He also stated that the company was collaborating with select Nigerian universities in the training and empowerment of high level nutrition and dietetics professionals, who in turn would produce a significant number of highly trained nutritionists that would guide the way for optimum nutrition for all Nigerians.

24

Education Today

Orji lauds MTN education intervention project

T

he Abia State Governor, Mr. Theodore Orji has lauded the MTN Foundation for upgrading the science laboratories of four secondary schools in the state.

The Governor made this commendation at the commissioning of the projects, which took place on the premises of one of the beneficiary schools – Ibeku High School, Umuahia. He noted that the role that science play in modern education was invaluable and could only be better guaranteed through serious and coordinated studies, reached through experiments conducted within the confines of modern science and technology laboratories “like the ones we have been given by MTN Foundation.”

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Emeka Ananaba said; “I am pleased to be part of the commissioning of the four science and technology laboratories donated by MTN Foundation for the use of our students. On our part, we promise to show results by excelling in awards in all science and technology competitions in the federation, in admissions and good performance in prestigious schools in and outside the country.”

Other beneficiaries of the project are; Holy Rosary Secondary School, Umuahia, Government College, Umuahia and Government Girls’ Senior Comprehensive School, Aba. The MTN Foundation Science and Technology project which was officially initiated last year is, according to its management aimed at improving learning and practical teaching of core science subjects such as chemistry, physics and biology in secondary schools and, by extension, students’ academic performances in these core science subjects. The project is set to overhaul the laboratories of 22 schools across the six geopolitical zones in its first phase.

Speaking at the ceremony, Director, MTN Foundation, Mr. Dennis Okoro, said; “For countries to advance their economies, they need to significantly leverage on science and technology. China and India have been success-

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Stakeholders call for education sector’s review

STORIES BY: MOJEED ALABI

S Orji

ful in this regard and are competing effectively with developed countries.

Through this scheme, we hope to make significant contribution to giving Nigeria a sound footing in science and technology which will go a long way to build a solid base for our nation’s technological advancement.”

The project upgrade, he added, includes renovation of existing laboratory in the beneficiary schools, provision of laboratory furniture, supply and installation of modern science and technology equipment for each of Physics, Chemistry and Biology labs, and one full year supply of consumables.

In addition, the foundation carried out the training of the science teachers and laboratory attendants across all the beneficiary schools; supplied 5KVA generator to each beneficiary school, as well as, fuelled supply to each of the selected school for one year.

In his own comments, Principal, Ibeku High School, Umuahia, Mr. Emeka Nwosu, said; “I want to thank MTN Foundation for uplifting the standard of teaching and learning in the beneficiary schools in Abia State.

We promise to make good use of it for the current students and future generation. I also want to call on other companies to follow this footstep and partner the state to give our children a better future.”

It would be recalled that the foundation had earlier in November last year commissioned and handed over four science and technology laboratories it upgraded in Lagos State.

The latest commissioning brings the number to eight of the 22 it promised to upgrade in the first phase of the project.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

takeholders in the education sector including the ViceChancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Isaac Adeyemi, have called on governments at all levels and parents, school proprietors and administrators to stop the blame game and work together to revamp what they described as the collapsing state of Nigeria’s education system.

They made this call during the launch of a book, titled; “How to be e a Successful Student” authored by a veteran journalist, Ayo Baje, which held at the Lagos Television compound in Ikeja.

They lamented that the core values that were the

hallmarks of the education industry in the country up till the late ‘70s had given way to the present poor state of education, noting that if the foundation for the house of education is weak no one is safe.

The author, who is a former science teacher and fine artist, expressed worry at the level of rot in the sector, noting that it was time for Nigeria to borrow from the Chinese and Indian examples where concrete and deliberate efforts by governments and the people in those countries have transformed their economies for rapid growth and development.

“Indeed, Nigeria should feel similarly challenged that India, which was at par with us at independence, has become the destination point for medical

tourism, patronized by our political bigwigs even with the slightest headache.

“The same can be said of the Asian Tigers who have gone ahead to become the world’s industrial hub.

When the US auto market was taking over the more compact and fuel efficient cars from Asia in the 80s, the government sent its scientists to understudy their revolutionary technology,” he said.

Baje, who also used the occasion to mark his 60 birthday, listed some of the problems in the sector to include low budgetary allocation, high rate of out of school children involved in menial jobs and criminality, poor studentteacher ratio, poor quality of teachers and remuneration, among several others.

Speaking in the same vein, Prof. Adeyemi, who

was the chairman of the occasion, blamed the rot in the sector on low family values, noting that parents and guardians have abandoned their responsibilities and upbringing of the homes in pursuit of material possessions.

He charged parents to live up to their expectations by becoming more responsible for the upkeep of their children and wards in order to complement governments efforts.

The book reviewer, Prof Awosika Fapetu, represented by Pastor Taiwo Awosika commended the author for making impactful contributions to the development of the education sector.

She called on stakeholders to work with genuine desire of restoring the lost glories of the education sector.

L-R: Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike; Permanent Secretary, Dr. Macjohn Nwabiala and Director of Procurement of the ministry, Mr. Shehu Aliyu, during the minister’s meeting with contractors handling Girl- Child Education Projects, in Abuja.

Executive Business School alumni reunite in Lagos

M

any business executive officers of various private and corporate organisations who hold the certificates of the Leeds Metropolitan University of the United Kingdom through the Executive Business School, Lagos, recently gathered in Lagos to socialise and exchange ideas on ways to grow their businesses and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

The get-together party, which was tagged: ‘Leeds Metropolitan University Alumni dinner,’ was put together by the management of the school, which said it entered into partnership

with the UK institution in 2007 to offer opportunities to ‘the ever busy’ members of top echelons of business institutions in the country to acquire more education.

According to the school’s Assistant Director in charge of administration, Mr. Kayode Oluwa, the dinner became necessary as a platform for members to rub minds together and share business proposals and various other interests outside the business world.

“These are top class members of different business groups and members of the political class in some cases. If they have similar things like this forum that brings them

together apart from individual opportunities that abound, it also offers great opportunity to the country as a whole because ideas will be shared and decisions will be made. Every other thing done outside the forum will only be ratification of conclusions already reached at gatherings like this,” Oluwa explained.

The assistant director further enjoined other business men and women within the country to seek further knowledge to transform the nation’s collapsing economy.

“There is no excuse for any business executive to remain where he is due to his tight schedule.

Acquisition of relevant knowledge has been made simple by academic institutions and the flexibility of Leeds Metropolitan University informed our partnership. Our PhD and masters students are expected to spend two weeks of intensive classes in the UK and when they return the executive business school takes over their coordination.

“You can imagine people like Oba Otudeko as busy as he is, holds our certificate, including others like Justice Fatai Adeyinka.

So if people like this could combine study with their tight schedules, we just have to emulate them.”

Oluwa added.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Exam fraud rocks EKSU • 200 students, lecturer face disciplinary panel

Female Muslim students in LASU campaign against vices NURUDEEN YUSUFF TEMILOLA

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he waning moral values and the steep fall in the dignity of womanhood recently attracted the attention of the female Muslim students of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, who trooped out en masse to campaign against indecent dressing, sexual abuse and disrespect for womenfolk in all places.

The campaign, which was tagged: “My Hijab, my Identity,” was according to the head of the female Muslims on the campus, Lateefah Olupitan, was aimed at supporting the ongoing reform being championed on the campus by its new leadership including the ViceChancellor, Prof. Oladapo Obafunwa.

Lateefah, a 400 level student of the Department of Zoology, while addressing the students before embarking on a long walk around the campus, enjoined her colleagues to consider the use of scarf otherwise known as hijab, as the proper means of distinguishing themselves in the society as women with good character and intelligence.

The programme, which featured lectures from female scholars, dwelled on the urgent need to address the loss of moral values both on the campuses and the larger Nigerian society; the situation they claimed has contributed immensely to the bad leadership Nigerians face and the rising cases of corruption “that is already soiling our image among the comity of nations.”

They said the scarf, worn by women to cover their heads, is not a symbol of threat but a symbol of modesty, privacy, and morality.

“The hijab reflects the attributes of a Muslim sister as a peace-loving, humble, intelligent and cultured person.”

After the long walk that was characterized by the ladies appearing in various types and sizes of hijabs, lecture sessions began with individuals raising cogent questions that dwelled on the public’s perception of a Muslim particularly with the rising cases of terrorism attacks in the country.

Dr. Airat Sulaimon, a lecturer in the university spoke on; Hijab and the Personality of a Pacemaker. She encouraged the Muslim sisters to stand out among their contemporaries by appearing good with the hijab and representing Islam. “You must serve as role models for others in your academics, your human interactions and attitudes to work.

MOJEED ALABI

T

he war against indiscipline, corruptions and other vices among both students and staff of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, has taken a new dimension with the ongoing prosecution of 200 students from various departments and a lecturer.

The alleged culprits, who are currently being tried by the university’s Senate Committee on Examination Misconduct, were those arrested during second semester of last session for stealing examination question papers.

They were also alleged of examinations inside a privately owned television viewing

centre outside the campus.

The offence according to the university may see those found guilty of the allegation out of the institution as they may be suspended or face outright expulsion.

As a result, several mini cybercafés operating on the campus have been sealed up.

This followed a recent raid conducted by a combined university security outfit led by the Chairman of the Security Committee, Prof. Adeogun.

The closure of the cybercafés and a computer centre was a result of the discovery of printing of fake admissions letter from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for unsuspecting students.

According to the university’s Public Relations Offi-

cer, Mr. Ajibade Olubunmi, ten cybercafé owners are already being held behind the bars. He said their prosecution would follow due process and that they would face the music.

Meanwhile, the university has again foiled an attempt by some students to disrupt the ongoing second semester examination. The alleged hoodlums were found by the security team in a hideout near Iworoko, a suburb of the university’s host town of Ado-Ekiti, where they were said to be hatching their plans to foment trouble on the campus.

“The hoodlums numbering about twenty were chased out of a beer parlour where they had gathered to hatch a plot on how to dis-

rupt the examinations. The Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the Institution, Captain Augustine Ajayi (Rtd), said the raid on the hideout was carried out following a tip off. Meanwhile, two members of staff selling fake examination clearance certificate, otherwise known as ‘Green Card’ to students, are now in police net having being apprehended by the men of the security unit of the institution,” Olubunmi reported.

Reacting, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina vowed to rid the university of undesirable elements warning that any student found disrupting examinations or presenting fake papers for admission would be expelled.

Union election: UI students talk tough, boo authorities LINUS KINGDOM

A

head of the forthcoming students’ union election at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, the students, including aspirants for various positions within the union have vowed to make the university hot for its management over the recently imposed law banning cooking in the hostels.

This declaration was reinforced at the weekend during the presidential debate organised by the institution’s chapter of the association of campus journalists ahead of the election slated for this Saturday.

The debate, which held at the event centre of the students’ union building, drew students in their hundreds as they flooded the venue to listen to the three candidates as they were confronted with many questions ranging from their precedents and their positions on salient welfare issues.

The three presidential aspirants; Oluwaseun Enoch,

Cross section of the aspirants during the debate programme

Babatunde Badmus and Miss. Gbemisola Osadua tried in their individual capacities to convince the crowd of their readiness to address the contemporary challenges facing the university, particularly the recent crisis over the ban on cooking in the hostels.

The event, which was attended by former and outgoing students’ union presidents, Tokunbo Salako and Raymond Edosa respectively, took another dimension when the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Deji Oladejo mounted the rostrum

to deliver the vice-chancellor’s goodwill message.

The PRO incurred the students’ wrath when he referred to the outgoing administration of the students’ union as the best the institution ever recorded. They did not only yell at him but also booed the outgoing president who they described as state agent and one who was compromised by the university management.

One of the presidential aspirants, Babatunde Badmus, who described himself as a human rights activist and a professional boxer said he

was prepared to engage the ivory tower’s management intellectually before resulting to protest if the need arises.

“If elected, I will ensure the union has a legal adviser and make sure that any protest I will organize will be peaceful, while the media will also be carried along to make prompt report of each step we take so that the world can be part of the developments on the campus and judge us accordingly.

Students of the University of Lagos pay’s N18, 000 and they are allowed to cook. So what should make our case different? I am contesting to be the revolutionary midwife between the university and the students,” Badmus said.

On her part, Gbemisola, a 400 level Law student, who claimed to have participated during the Occupy Nigeria protest in Lagos last year, said though protest would be the last on her but would not hesitate to call out the students and storm the streets if the management failed to dance to the students’ tune.

Undergraduates educate secondary school students on Valentine OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI

400L LANGUAGE ARTS, OAU

A Some of the students during the campaign on campus

gainst the wrong notion that Valentine celebration is a day set aside for fun making among lovers, some undergraduates of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State and the University of Ibadan, (UI), Ilesha Campus, last week engaged the students of the Local Authorities Secondary School, Ipetumodu,

in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, to properly educate them on the true meaning of celebration.

The sensitization tour led by a final year student of the English Department, Faculty of Education, OAU, Oluwanifise Moses, was attended by about 500 students who listened with rapt attention and were seen to be impressed by the enlightenment they received.

Moses, two-time winner of an essay competition organised by African Liberty Organisation (ALSO), explained that the celebration started with an early Christian saints named Valentinus, and the martyr, St. Valentine, who was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry, and for ministering to Christians who were persecuted under the Roman Empire headed by Emperor Claudius.

“Most times, we feed our minds with the illicit thoughts of this day; as one to mess up with the opposite sex, but, it is a day set aside in honour of dignity, sobriety, and rekindled love towards one another,” Moses stated.

Similarly, another member of the team, Adewunmi Oluwafunke, advised the pupils to always avoid scenes of immoralities as warned by the holy books, and face their studies for a bright future.

26

Thursday, February 21, 2013

“W

hile our nation, as it has been acknowledged by many, has enough for the need of majority (a majority) of our people….”

“We therefore use this Easter season to call for a renewed patriotism in Nigerians even as we seek to restore the power of moral indignation in (to) our citizenry.” Yank off ‘a’ preceding ‘renewed’ as we head for the last two infractions from the Apapa-based weekly under review.

“At another levels (level), we must raise the standards of public behaviour.”

“Our political office holders must learn to imbibe the ethics (ethic) of hard work and integrity in their respective offices.”

“Southeast bound (Southeastbound) passengers stranded at Lagos Airport” “JTF says Kano not under any threat, as it deploys armoured vehicles on (to) major streets” “Facilities at AOCOED excites (why this?) NCCE team” “I had it rough at (in) the beginning—Proprietress, Carol School” “CAF mourns late Somalia FA boss” A rewrite: CAF mourns Somali FA boss. Do we mourn someone who is alive?

“CSR: Between philantropy and palliatives” Brands and marketing: philanthropy “...Toure’s kids’ gloves treatment of the Tuareg rebels (rebels’) insurgence as its main reason to....” All the facts, all the sides: kid gloves.

“Akwa Ibom Commissioner dies in motor accident” (Headline) Now the first sentence: “Immediate past Commissioner for Youths and Sports in Akwa Ibom....” The misleading headline gives the impression that it is a serving commissioner! Next

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Distinction: Ethics/ethic; fabrics/fabric time: ex-commissioner.

“Woman arrested for killing mum” It is obvious that the subeditor who treated this story has never heard of ‘matricide’! So, woman arrested for matricide.

“The elevation of some police officers and retirement of 13 Assistant Inspectors General has (have) led to some bad blood (delete the word preceding ‘bad blood’) in the force....” Elevation and retirement are distinct milestones that cannot be collapsed into singularity!

“When Hafeez Ringim, then an Assistant Inspector General (a comma) was elevated to the rank of Inspector General (another comma) all his seniors (DIGs) had to retire.” Not true: they were retired to pave way for the Ringim ultimate disaster!

“You have undoubtedly brought to bear stability and credibility to (on) the National Assembly.” Let us ignore the convoluted lexical arrangement to save space and time. (From Senator (Dr.) Aloysius A. Etok JP, FCIMAN PDP, Akwa Ibom North West, Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment & Public Service) “My dear distinguish Senator Mark...Indeed, we are celebrating a statesman whose dedication and service to his fatherland is (are) worthy of emulation.” On the plateau: My (Our) dear distinguished Senator.... (From Da. Jonah David Jang, Governor, Plateau State) “Your unassailable wisdom and sterling qualities have made you stand out as trustworthy and reliable leader.” Happy Birthday: a (note the article) trustworthy and reliable leader.

TALKLESS IS BALDERDASH. EMPLOY LET ALONE/NOT TO TALK OF “Your ability to work out (answer/do) knotty political puzzles...makes you worth (worthy) of emulation.” (From Senator Gilbert Nnaji, Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications) “Indeed, its (it’s) really a pleasure working with you....” (From The Senators of the 7th National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) “Boss, on your 64th birthday (sic), I, my wife and the people of Ondo North Senatorial District....” (Signed by Senator (Professor) Robert Ajayi Boroffice OON) Congratulations, Senate President, the goofs notwithstanding! From the people of Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, my wife and I…. Take note of the signature sequence.

“As you add another year, your sacrifices and invaluable contributions to the strengthening and deepening of democratic governance in our country is (are) acknowledged and celebrated.” “...so he could not have seen fire and tell (told) me to put my hand.” Alternatively, he cannot see fire and tell me to put my hand. “...the APGA governorship candidate in Abia State at (in) the April 2011 elections....”

“Why change your wardrobe every five minutes while all it

takes is a different accessories.”

All it takes are different accessories.

“Gen. Charles Airhiavbere should blame PDP over (for) the death of female students in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma” “Like water and oil, they can never mix, talk-less blend.” ‘Talkless’ is balderdash. Employ let alone/not to talk of ’. “…the dignity of a matured (mature) politician....”

“For those who may have forgotten, the legislators tore at each other’s (one another’s) throat and flung chairs at themselves (one another), forcing David Mark to beat a hasty retreat for dear life.”

“The wild drunken, licentious revelry that precede many of these attacks in (on) the campus are often ignored.”

“Three pupils dead in Ibadan school bus fire” Truth in defence of freedom: Three pupils die… “…no amount of pressure would make the Senate sweep any of its probe report (reports) under the carpet” “Handover (Hand over) our VP for trial, Iraq urges Qatar” “With the inherent multiplier effects of the automotive manufacturing industry, the government can, this time around (round), illafford sloppy disposition towards the strategic sub-sector.”

“Segun Toriola: Record sixth times (time) at the Olympics” “Ekweremadu commiserated” How did the Apapa medium arrive at this strange entry? “…but the payoff was last week raised to a whooping (whopping) N100 million.”

“When Diaspora Ohaneze converged in (on) Ogwashi-Ukwu” “Senate blames judiciary over

(for) 33,692 awaiting trial inmates” “If they say they want to vote for PDP (a comma) no problem about that but majority (a majority)….”

“Last week Wednesday….” Either: last Wednesday or Wednesday, last week.

“Movement of cattle has often pitted Fulani herdsmen with (against) local farmers whose crops are destroyed by cattle.”

“This smacks off double standard.” Grammar you can trust: smacks of.

“PDP must restore hope in (to) Nigerians, says Lamido” “These children disappeared atimes from home after their parents had gone to search for daily bread….” Children for sale: at times.

“No sooner had the morning papers commenced at (on) the main campus of the university at about 10.a.m....” Either at or about 10.a.m. ‘At about 10 a.m.’ gives room for confusion.

“Having shown that he means business…all shades of people are quickly jumping into (on/ aboard) the ‘anti-corruption’ bandwagon.”

“Another feather to (in) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cap on his lavish 60th birthday” “Conceeding defeat is a herculean task.” Spell-check: concede and conceding. “…following reports of molestation and harassment of lawabiding citizens by members of vigilante groups supposedly in anti-robbery patrol.” Get it right: vigilance committees/groups.

“I do not intend to bore you with beer-parlour (pub) gossips” ‘Gossip’, in this context, is uncountable.

Firm boosts technology education with sponsorship MOJEED ALABI

G

uinness Nigeria PLC, one of Nigeria’s leading producers of beverage products, has restated its commitment to nation building by sponsoring 10 youths to undergo intensive information technology training at the Institute of Industrial Technology (IIT).

The programme, which is focused on technical training, was according to the management designed to bridge the gap that exists in the Nigerian educational system as well as to give the individuals the knowledge and skills that would help

them excel and become responsible in life.

Speaking on behalf of the company at the orientation programme for the beneficiary, the Corporate Relations Director, Sesan Sobowale, represented by Mrs. Nkiruka Ogboruche, said Guinness Nigeria is always committed to supporting the dreams and aspirations of youths and assisting them in becoming useful members of society.

“At Guinness Nigeria, we are always happy to be involved with worthy projects such as this that can add tremendous value to the lives of Nigerians. This sort of support forms a core part of our community investment agenda and

we will continue to support Nigeria and Nigerians through initiatives and activities that uplift them,” she remarked.

Similarly, the Director of the Institute, Mr. Olumide Akinjo said: “The purpose of this programme is to use technical and vocational training to close the gap in educational development and we are happy to have an able supporter such as Guinness Nigeria Plc that has continued to support some of our students towards achieving their dreams.”

He stated that the programme which he said started 13 years ago has been kept alive through the support of socially respon-

sible citizens and corporate organisations like Guinness Nigeria.

According to the management, the ten individu-

als were carefully selected from states where Guinness factories are located and were chosen after a series of evaluation and screen-

ing sessions from a large number of applicants who put in for the scholarship.

They are from Benin, Aba and Lagos States.

Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto/Ijanikin. Lagos. Mr. Bashorun Olalekan (right) presenting gift item to a member of the college silver winning Beach Soccer team to the 4th Lagos State Tertiary Institution Games, Mr. Doyin Simeon, during the college’s matriculation ceremony recently.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Wheelchair tourney: Team Lagos good for title-Coach 30

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

We have no other choice than to do all that we can to ensure complete turnaround of our domestic football - Former Green Eagles’ captain, Christian Chukwu

Keshi still faces sack, says Osaze

Isima preached age-grade football –Abia

W

est Brom striker, Osaze Odemwingie, has warned Coach Stephen Keshi he could soon be sacked even after leading Nigeria to win the 29th Africa Cup of Nations is South Africa.

“A coach the country is praising now will one day be sacked and to his achievements they will say: ‘only one cup? I beg,” Odemwingie tweeted.

He continued, “Too much corruption in sports these days. Because of few sportsmen who cheat now, doping control went from urine to blood test.”

Interestingly, Osaze had a public row with Keshi just before the Nations Cup in South Africa when the coach sensationally dropped him from the Super Eagles.

The former Lille of France forward, also said that his commitment to his club affected his relationship with erstwhile Eagles coach, Samson Siasia.

“Very little thing made me fall out with ex-Eagles coach, Siasia, and that’s club commitment. And that commitment was questioned after,” Odemwingie tweeted.

“What did that teach me?

You (are) only a good guy and professional when you score and give your teams what they want. They throw us out after.”

He added, “When I give all my heart and effort to a team and get overlooked after, how could I possibly be happy?

Same in Eagles. Same in WBA. Well praised and most criticised at the same time. Something is wrong somewhere.

And I bet it’s not in my attitude. I believe in transparency.”

Osaze

27

AFOLABI GAMBARI

E

File line-up of the Harambee Stars of Kenya

W/Cup qualifier: Belgian leads Harambee to Calabar EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

K

enya yesterday appointed former Algerian international, Adel Amrouche, as coach to take over from Frenchman, Henri Michel, whose contract was terminated in December.

The 44-year-old naturalised Belgian, who quit his five-year stint as manager of Burundi after the team lost 2-1 to Zimbabwe in qualifying for the 2013

CAF Africa Cup of Nations a year ago, beat 20 other applicants for the vacant job.

He will lead the Harambee Stars of Kenya to Nigeria for a Brazil 2014 World Cup qualification match against the Super Eagles on March 23 in Calabar “Maybe the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) did not pick a big name, but I can assure you they have picked a hard worker - someone who can change the face of

Kenyan football and is ready to open doors of opportunity for Kenyan footballers everywhere in the world,” Amrouche said at a news conference in Nairobi yesterday.

“I have followed Kenyan football for quite sometime now and I believe it is time for a new approach for the future so that we can make Kenya one of the big names in the continent and in the world.”

The Belgian said his immediate task was to

prepare the Harambee Stars for the World Cup qualifier against newlycrowned African champions, Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

“My mission with Kenya is to win the qualifiers for both the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. It is a big challenge, but I want to write my name in African football,” said Amrouche, who has also coached Equatorial Guinea and managed a number of Algerian clubs.

3SC issues code of conduct, returns to camp

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igeria Premier League side, Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan has issued a code of conduct to guide the players and officials in the forthcoming season.

This is even as the club is getting set to return to its Ijebu Ode, Ogun State camp to complete its preseason preparations.

The code of conduct is to ensure the players conduct themselves properly and portray the good image of the club to outside world.

The code of conduct has specified a fine of N10, 000 to players who use abusive language, question referee’s decisions, retaliate during matches and training, while a player will be fined N5, 000 if he is late to training.

Being in possession of cigarette, alcohol at the club is illegal, while the use of performanceenhancing drugs is an offence. The players must also be properly dressed at all times.

“Verbal abuse on of-

ficials and other players, deliberate distracting, provoking of opponents is not acceptable and permitted, this attracts a fine of N20,000,” read one of the points on the code of conduct.

Meanwhile, Shooting Stars will soon return to their Ijebu Ode, Ogun State camp, ahead of the 2012/2013 Nigeria Professional Football League season which starts on March 9.

Team Manager of the club, Ajibade Babalade,

told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the team plans to return to Ijebu-Ode for the last phase of its preparation for the league.

“The Oluyole Warriors will soon be returning to their Ijebu-Ode camp to roundup their preparations for the 2012/2013 Premier League season,” Babalade said.

Babalade said the club suspended the camping in Ogun following the postponement of the league by its management board.

xecutive Director of Kanu Heart Foundation (KHF), Pastor Onyebuchi Abia, has extolled the late former Green Eagles’ defender, Okey Isima, saying the latter spent the last years of life propagating the need for Nigeria to approach age-grade football with professionalism.

Isima reportedly passed on at an Abuja hospital around 1pm on Monday, after suffering typhoid fever.

“Okey was one of the most honourable men I have related with for many years and no one would doubt his patriotic zeal as far as football development in Nigeria is concerned,” Abia, who himself starred for the defunct Spartans of Owerri in the 1980s, told National Mirror yesterday.

“His greatest concern was always on the irregularity that surrounded the recruitment of players for the cadet national teams.

He would argue that a player that is not in the secondary school does not qualify for invitation to the national U-17 camp and would always refer to his academicals days at Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha to buttress his point.”

Abia, who said he was yet to recover from the shock occasioned by Isima’s demise, contended that the Nigerian football authorities owed the former international on his legacy to protect the future of country in the country by entrenching sustainable grassroots system.

“Whenever we met, he would lament on why Nigeria did well in the youth category, only for the players to fizzle out of the scene soon after. So, I think the NFF should consider his concern in the interest of genuine development,” the KHF director submitted.

28

Sport

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Reds’ link excites Ambrose

EUROPA LEAGUE

S

uper Eagles defender, Efe Ambrose, admits he dreams of playing in the Premier League amid speculation linking him with Liver-

pool.

The Celtic defence strongman has scored three goals in 28 games since arriving from Israeli club Ashdod last summer, with his performances thought to have alerted a number of Premier League clubs including Liverpool, Sunderland and Swansea.

The 24-year-old says he is happy at Parkhead but admits it is flattering to be linked with an Anfield move and hopes to one day play in the English top-flight.

The centre-back, who suffered defeat with Celtic in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last 16 tie with Juventus last week, said: “I am happy to be linked with a club like Liverpool.

“My dream is to play across the border. The English league is the best but I am happy at Celtic.

Celtic i.

“I llove ove e th the e fa fans nss here and we were unlucky against ag gainst Juventus.”

Ambrose

Munich turnaround possible–Wenger

A Ameobi

Ameobi dreams Toon glory N ewcastle United striker, Shola Ameobi, insists that the Magpies want to go as far as they can in the Europa League.

The European competition is still the last major trophy Newcastle won when it was the Fairs Cup in 1969.

The Magpies drew 0-0 at home with Metalist Kharkiv in the first leg of the last 32 tie last week and in Ukraine for the return leg today.

Ameobi feels the Toon Army can have a good shot at winning the trophy again, saying: “This is a big tournament. It’s a European competition, and we want to get as far as we can.

“We’re not behind in the tie, which is good. They haven’t scored an away goal.

The clean sheet’s always a nice one to have. We have to go over there and be on the top of our game to win this tie.

“I imagine it’ll be quite a hostile atmosphere over

there. It’s going to be a really difficult game for us.

“You could see they’re a really good footballing side and they could open us up.

“We have to make sure we’re tight first and foremost, and get an away goal as that could prove decisive for us.”

Today’s fixtures

Rubin

vs

Atletico

Cluj

vs

Inter

Metalist

vs

Newcastle

Lazio

vs

M’gladbach

Lyon

vs

Tottenham

Dnipro

vs

Basel

Genk

vs

Stuttgart

Fenerbahce vs

BATE

Olympiakos vs

Levante

Liverpool

vs

Zenit

Bordeaux

vs

Dynamo Kiev

Benfica

vs

Leverkusen

Bucuresti

vs

Ajax

Hannover

vs

Anzhi

Plzen

vs

Napoli

Chelsea

vs

S. Prague

rsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger, has admitted that the club will have to make the impossible, possible if they are to overcome a first-leg humbling

by Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

The Emirates Stadium club suffered a 3-1 defeat in north London through goals from Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Mario Mandzukic, with only Lukas Podolski reducing te deficit.

The Gunners, who were dumped out of the FA Cup by lower league Blackburn Rovers at the weekend, are now facing an uphill task to recover at Bayern in the second leg on March 13.

“Let us not hide the truth, it will be very difficult,” Wenger, whose own future has been questioned, said yesterday.

“We have to go there and

play lay completely like we play at home. We have ave to try to change the he score. The third goal oal makes it very difficult ifficult but we have ave to try.”

Wenger had spent his is pre-match press conference onference angrily responding ponding to criticism and nd reports about his own wn future, claiming, ‘you you will miss me when I am gone’.

It has become a regular lar occurrence for Arsenal to be scrutinised ised in an inconsistent ent campaign but the he Frenchman has indicated ndicated he could relish elish a siege mentality ality ahead of the he second leg against gainst Bayern. rn.

Victor Moses running w

A

Wenger

Matchmakers set for Stars’ Night AFOLABI GAMBARI

C

hief Executive Officer of Matchmakers Consult, Mr. Shina Philips, said yesterday in Abuja that his company is ready to stage the Nigeria Pitch Awards coming after the country’s successful outing at the recent Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

“The Night of Stars wouldn’t have come at any other time and we are determined to make the best

of the show,” Phillips said, adding, “Winning the Africa Cup of Nations means a lot to the Nigerian football as it will change the way the sport is seen and assessed worldwide and brighten up the market.”

Philips, who reiterated his company’s readiness for awards, said: “The night will celebrate several actors in the football and entertainment industry in Nigeria.

“We already have so many super artistes signed on to be part of it and it

It’s been w year for me

will be an opportunity to celebrate the Super Eagles as well as the board and management of the Nigeria Football Federation which will be recognized for the hard work that resulted in the South African triumph.”

The Night of Stars will take place in Calabar, the Cross River State on March 24, a day after the Super Eagles’ 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kenya’s Harambee Stars scheduled for the same city.

t the start season Vict seaso promising prom gling English Englis Prem Wigan. Now, just a the 22-year-old is play biggest clubs in the wo self an African champio c participating forward to partic federations Cup in Brazi After a slow start to career, the athletic Chelse inspirational attacking fig attac the Super Eagles won w the Nations on February 10 b Febru Faso Stallions 1-0 in the fi “If anybody had h told playing for Chelsea Chelse and w Cup by the beginning beginnin of th have believed it. It is like a drea a lot of hard work and I have b week in and week out, and an at th erything came out for me m in a po told FIFA.com.

It’s been a dramatic rise to who was born in Nigeria but wa ter his missionary parents paren were rioting. rioting Raised by foster parent the youngster turned to footbal tal Palace’s academy after bei local school. Always considere Moses debuted for the Eagles a signed a four-year contract with becoming a regular in the 2009 signed during the January tra Wigan.

After a number of impressiv the Latics, he became a Chelsea t eral offers had been rejected by W accepted an offer right at the end riod in August last year - but no played against his new club in th the Premier League season.

Moses was called up at youth and played in all their youth tea the top scorer at the European U ship and in the same year playe

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Captain of the Nigerian wheelchair tennis team, Jude Uwazie, who together with Wasiu Yusuf recently qualified for the World Team Championships coming up in Turkey later this year, spoke to YEMI OLUS on the qualification and other issues Stephen Keshi

Why Eagles won AFCON trophy –Rojenny boss NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

ith Ahmed Musa in celebration at the AFCON 2013 in South Africa

the top for Moses, as smuggled out afe killed in religious s in south London, ll and joined Crysing scouted at his ed a potential star, as a 16-year-old and h the club, but after 9/10 season he was ansfer window by

ve performances for target and after sevWigan, they finally d of the transfer peot before Moses had he opening match of

h level for England ams. In 2007 he was Under-17 Championed in the FIFA U-17

29

Lack of sponsorship, our bane –Uwazie

wonderful e –Moses

t of the current tor Moses was a player for strugmier League club, few months later, ying for one of the orld, can call himon and is looking g at the FIFA Conil. o his international ea forward was an gure for Nigeria as CAF Africa Cup of by beating Burkina inal. me that I would be winning the Nations his year, I would not am. But it has taken been working hard he end of the day evositive way,” Moses

Sport

Thursday, February 21, 2013

World Cup. After failing to command a regular berth in the England under-21 side, he opted to play for the country of his parents, Nigeria.

He later related his decision to journalists: “I played for England Under-16s, 17s, 18s, 19s, 20s and then 21s ... then ... I just decided to make the decision to play for Nigeria,” he said.

His first start for the Super Eagles was twice delayed as Nigeria’s game against Guatemala, for which he had been called up in February 2011 was called off, while he could not play in matches against Kenya and Ethiopia a month later because the paper work for his switch had not been processed in time.

It was only in November of that year that he was cleared to play for Nigeria and since then he has not looked back, becoming an important part of Coach Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles side that stunned the rest of the field to lift the AFCON title. Moses scored two goals during the campaign and was selected for the team of the tournament.

Moses is on record as saying that if he continues working hard as he does, he could end up playing for Barcelona. But for the time being, he is content being an African champion and playing for Chelsea. “It is an amazing feeling. It is good to win the Nations Cup since it had been a long wait. We were very delighted when we won it.”

As African champions the Super Eagles will represent their continent at the FIFA Confederations Cup in June. It is something that Moses is looking forward to. “It means a lot of me, but not only for me, for the whole nation, it means a lot to represent Nigeria in Brazil. We are all looking forward to it. We are delighted to be going there.”

The Super Eagles have been drawn into Group B at the prestigious competition and will be facing the world champions, Spain, as well as Uruguay and Tahiti, in the competition.

“I am looking forward to playing against (Spain). It will be wonderful, not just for me, but for the other players as well. That we have the chance to play against some of the greatest players in the world is terrific. We are very happy, but the most important thing was to win the Nations Cup. With having actually done that, we are looking forward to Brazil.”

A

sports enthusiast and proprietor of Rojenny Tourists/Games Village, Oba, Anambra State, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, has said that Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy-winning streak has returned what he calls the spirit of football in the country.

“They left Nigeria 12 years ago when we abandoned our local league and started relying solely on our foreign-based pros,” Ezeonwuka said, adding, “Coach Stephen Keshi succeeded in winning the trophy because he did not select his players based on federal character but based on performance in addition to believing in players in the local league.”

The Rojenny owner, who predicted good fortune for Nigerian football, however advised federal and state governments to fix the decayed infrastructure in the sports sector.

“Players and their coaches should also be adequately remunerated for winning the trophy which brought the spirit of soccer back to Nigeria and no amount of compensation would be too much for the team,” he submitted.

Babalola targets glorious season YEMI OLUS

N

ational tennis player, Abdulmumini Babalola, is determined to win all competitions on the domestic scene this year, saying he is training hard to fulfill this ambition.

Babalola won the 2012 editions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Open Tennis Championship and the Dala Hardcourt Tourney in Kano, which are among the biggest competitions in the country, although he faltered at the Governor’s Cup staged in Lagos.

“I intend to travel outside the country to take part in a number of tournaments because I cannot just remain idle since there is currently no competition at home,” the Ibadan-based player told National Mirror yesterday.

“I would be travelling to Tunisia and Morocco to feature in a number of competitions as I want to prove that I am equal to the task. I have done it before and I can do it again,” he added.

What do you need to enhance your preparation for the World Team Cup? We won the African title last year and successfully defended it this year. You have to play some tournaments and against top players for you to be able to meet up with the world standards. One needs to gain more experience because the best players travel all around the world and feature in lots of tournaments. Without experience, there is no miracle one can perform to win international tournaments. We need sponsorship to ensure that we train hard.

For how long have you been in sports?

I have been in sports since 1996 and things have not really changed because the problem of sponsorship has always been there. There are times we have tournaments but don’t have people to sponsor us. No one comes to our rescue and people look at us as if we can’t deliver. We are not being treated like citizens of this country; we are always being looked down upon and this is not a good development.

How has lack of competitions affected the development of the sport?

It has been really bad because there are some athletes who have not returned to the stadium after the last edition of the New Era Wheelchair Tennis Championship which was about two years ago because if you do not have a tournament, you wonder why you need to keep

on training. You need to test if you have improved and the only way to find out is by taking part in competitions. There is no one to encourage us while others have run away to other sports.

Wheelchair tennis is not one of the sports competing at the National Sports Festival and there is no national competition for us to compete in. When you travel abroad you do not see people with disability begging because they take part in many competitions. The same is not applicable here which is why some discouraged athletes have picked up begging as a lifestyle.

How will wheelchairs donated to you and colleagues aid your preparation?

We really thank the Cruyff Foundation for the gesture.

They used it to encourage us because these new wheelchairs, our game will definitely improve. We haven’t started using them yet but we hope to get used to them in no time. We are hoping to start training with them soon.

What should Nigerians expect from you in Turkey?

We have sacrificed for our country; our country should also make sacrifices for us so that we can win medals. I promise that by the special grace of God, we will win a medal for Nigeria.

We have to be happy and well motivated for the tournament so that we can compete with our hearts and strength. Above all, we want Nigerians to support us.

Jude Uwazie (2nd right) is flanked by national wheelchair tennis coach Frank Tarmena, assistant coach Kayode Savage (l) and Wasiu Yusuf (2nd left)

30

Sport

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SLAMMING AND E-mail: folashayoezekiel@yahoo.com Phone: 08027536696

DUNKING

With SAYO OGUNDEJI

Wheelchair tourney: Team Lagos good for title –Coach

A

fter guiding his side to the quarter finals of the ongoing second edition of the Honourable Victor Ochei International Wheelchair Basketball Championship, Team Lagos coach, Balogun Ayinde, says his side is good for the title, adding that his team will do everything within their power to emerge champions.

Team Lagos made a bright start to the tournament having defeated Benin Republic 45-12 points in the opening game and recorded a wide margin 72- 1 points victory over Benue State on Wednesday to book a quarter final ticket.

And Ayinde who led the team to the final of the first edition which host state, Delta won, is optimistic his side has the experience to win the tournament this time around.

According to him, his side’s intense preparation and the desire to win has played a major part in the team’s impressive performances so far in the tournament, adding that they will not underrate any of their opponents as the competition nears its end.

“We are very excited to have made it to the quarterfinal again and though our target is to qualify for the final and probably win the tournament but we are taking each game as it comes without underrating any of the opponents,” Ayinde started.

“Winning the first match of any tournament is very important and I think that has given us the confidence to approach every game with the same believe that

Ayinde

we can win and we hope to continue in the same manner.

“We were runners up in the first edition and the players are determined not to play second fiddle to any of the teams this time around which explains why we started preparation many weeks before the tournament dunk off.”

Despite their impressive displays so far, Ayinde said the addition of some international players who are on holiday has really given his side a boost going into the tournament, saying their experience gathered during the first edition will be an advantage to the team.

While commending other participating teams for their professionalism so far, the coach also praised the officials for fair officiating saying the players and coaches have not had any reason to question their judgments.

“Interestingly, we have a couple of international students among us who are on holidays from their

Dan Hitchcock of Great Britain (R) and Abdi Jama of the United States reaching for the ball during their bronze medal wheelchair basketball match at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

base and this has really boosted the morale of other players in the team and I hope we make it all the way to the final.

“The officiating has been excellent which means there are a lot of improvements compared to what we had in Delta while all the participating teams have been very professional with their

Zenith League: My team is shaping up-Erinfolami

C

oach of First Deepwater Basketball Club of Lagos, Lateef Erinfolami, says his side is intensifying preparation ahead of the 2012/2013 Zenith Bank Women Basketball League set to dunk off next month.

Erinfolami led Deepwater to the summit of the league last season and the former international says his intention is to retain the trophy, but adds that performing better on the continent remains his priority.

He said, “We are doing our best to make sure the team is battle ready when the season dunks off with our intense preparation and

we hope to go all the way and defend the title.

“Deepwater has made its mark on the home front and we are working hard on how to transform the same performance to the continental competition which brings together some of the best teams in Africa.

“Our performance in the coming season will obviously determine how far we can go on the continent and that is why we are doing everything possible to ensure we record enviable success at the end of the season,” Erinfolami added.

Erinfolami

conducts and this is good for the development of wheelchair basketball not only in Nigeria but Africa in general,” Ayinde concluded.

Benin Republic, Ghana, Togo, Bayelsa, Benue, Edo, Imo, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Taraba and Delta are the participating teams in this year’s edition holding at the

Indoors Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos from 18th to the 23rd of February 2013.

Meanwhile, two West African countries Ghana and Benin have booked their place in the quarterfinal alongside the defending champions Delta State, Bayelsa, Imo, Kwara, and Edo states.

Afrobasket get dates

A

frica’s flagship tournaments for men and women, Afrobasket, have got dates.

The men’s eleven-day tournament is to be staged in Cote d’Ivoire’s economic capital, Abidjan, from 20 to 31 August 2013.

Abidjan’s first and only Afrobasket took place in 1985 and the host nation won gold at the time.

For the third time in its history, Mozambique’s capital of Maputo will host the Afrobasket for women.

The event runs from 20 to 29 September.

Africa women’s flagship tournament has first taken place in Maputo in 1986 before the city hosted the 2003 event again.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

31

Business & Finance The micro finance bank sector had problems not because they have not done well, but due to the prevailing economic situation

We must, as an industry, improve our efficiency, technical creativity and ensure that we increase our level of proficiency to remain absolutely competitive in all ramifications in the next few years and beyond.

FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE CHATERED INSITUTE OF BANKERS OF NIGERIA, MR. OKECHUKWU UNEGBU

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke

Nigeria’s external reserves rise by 6.2 % UDO ONYEKA

T

he foreign reserves have advanced six per cent this year to $46.9bn, highest since at least 2010, according to February 19, data.

The data showed that the reserves rose to $46.92bn as at February 19, from $44.34bn recorded on January 2.

It was gathered that the performance of the reserves, which was derived majorly from the proceeds of crude oil sale, was largely influenced by the appreciation of crude oil prices.

Analysts at FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, in a report made available to National Mirror, said the collaboration between the Federal Government and the CBN to improve the external reserves position had continued to yield positive results.

Also, financial experts have said the favourable oil prices at the international market, improved domestic output, fiscal prudence, improved ratings from agencies and the inclusion of FGN Bonds in the JP Morgan Emerging Market Government Bond Index have all contributed to the improvement in the external reserves position of the country.

“The current external

...hits $46.9bn

reserve can support stable exchange rate in Nigeria. The current level of external reserve is higher than both the International Monetary Fund and FSDH Research projections. The reserve is sufficient to cover over 11 months of imports of goods and services, higher than the threshold of three months,” FSDH analysts said.

The country’s reserves had closed the year at $44.26bn on December 24, 2012.

Although the reserves rose

by $11.34bn, representing 34 per cent in 2012, from $32.92bn in 2011, it failed to meet the expectation of the federal government, according Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala’s who said that the government had targeted $50 billion by the end of 2012.

While some of the experts say that the CBN is on the right track, as its monetary policy has helped to increase the country’s foreign exchange reserves to a 32-month high, others argued that the regula-

tory bank’s policies are harsh on the real sector.

Part of the measures that boost the reserves was the 12 per cent Monetary Policy Rate, otherwise known as benchmark lending rate, adopted by the CBN. The Governor, CBN, Mr. Sanusi Lamido, had noted that the policies of the bank were tailored at curtailing inflation and tightening liquidity. The liquidity tightening, many analysts have said, was at odds with the reality of an uncertain global economic environment and the actions of regulatory banks of most emerging markets

WITH AGENCY REPORT

N

igeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) has appointed France’s BNP Paribas and GT Bank to help raise around $1.6bn for six

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IRS

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Proximity Communications Nigeria, Mr. Rotimi Olaniyan; Director Brands & Communication Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Enitan Denloye; Managing Director, Promasidor, Nigeria Limited; Chief Keith Richards; Marketing & Innovation Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Austin Ufomba and Commercial Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kachi Onubogu, during the Proximity marketing colloquium, “Engaging the Nigeria Consumer, The Next Big Things” in Lagos recently.

LNG to raise $1.6bn to buy six ships - Source JOHNSON OKANLAWON

Arik Air

LNG carrier ships, a banking source close to the deal said yesterday.

The company, which is majority owned jointly by the state oil company NNPC and Royal Dutch Shell, told Reuters a year ago it had contacted global banks to appoint advisers in other to explore the best option to raise funds.

The banking source said the loan was being structured as a

medium to long term financing with the close expected by the end of March 2013.

NLNG had said last year it would seek loans from the international market to expand the operations of its shipping subsidiary Bonny Gas Transport Limited, which currently has 24 LNG ships.

The company was set up over two decades ago to harness Nigeria’s natural gas resources

Lagos-Abuja 7.30 8.30 7.45 8.45 09.30 10.30 10.30 11.30 12.30 13.30 14.30 15.30 16.30 17.30 Lagos-Kano 08.00 09.15 10.30 11.45 14.30 15.40 18.15 19.30 Los-Maid&Yola (Mon-Thur) 09.30 11.30 Fri- Sun 10.30 12.30 Kano-Lagos 07.30 08.45 14.00 15.15 17.30 18.45 Kano-Abj 10.45 11.30 Abj-Lagos 09.00 10.30 11.00 12.00 12.00 13.00

and produce liquefied natural gas and natural gas liquids for export.

It has long-term supply contracts with buyers in Italy, Spain, Turkey, Portugal and France and also sells on the spot market.

NLNG has a capacity to produce 22 million metric tonnes of liquefied gas a year. It obtains its gas supply from the upstream oil companies and liquefies it for export.

Oil theft drops to 80,000 barrels per day

Tapping into $720bn global telecoms revenue

AFCON 2013: The gainers and losers

32

35

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Tuesday February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Oil theft drops to 80,000 barrels per day UDEME AKPAN AND CHIDI UGWU

C

rude oil theft has dropped from 180, 000 barrels per day, bpd to about 80,000 bpd as a result of improved monitoring and amnesty of facilities in the onshore and offshore (land and sea) areas of the Niger Delta.

The Group Executive Director, GED, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC in charge of Exploration and Production, Engr.

Abiye Membere who con-

firmed the development in Abuja yesterday said oil theft and vandalism that go with it constituted serious problems to the petroleum industry and nation.

Consequently, he said the government has concluded plans to launch a major campaign to be tagged Blood money “in the coming months.

The campaign, targeted at the major markets of stolen oil is meant to discourage those who patronize the trade from doing so because serious negative implications to Nigeria.

The GED said the major campaign being packaged by NNPC would involve key officials moving from one major buyers of the nation’s crude to another in West Africa and other parts of the world.

Membere said: If we are able to discourage buyers from buying stolen crude and even the petroleum products that are processed from it, it would go a long way to tackling oil theft in the nation.

The Country Chair/Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company,

Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu stated that oil theft remains a serious thorn of the industry. He said it would be wrong for the government to perceive the ‘boys at the creeks’ as the drivers of the illegal trade as the development was being funded by big ‘principalities and powers within and outside the nation.

Sunmonu said Shell has started devising new methods to reduce oil theft in its operational areas. Besides improved monitoring, the Shell boss stated that the firm has started to ensure pipelines

33

are buried much deeper than in the past.

He said: “In one of our projects, we pipelines were laid as deep as 13 feet, which makes them deep enough for discourage vandals.

The Shell boss said he was however pleased that the government has started to show serious concerns to tackling security challenges alone and in close collaboration with other nations.

He said: “We are glad that the different security issues are being addressed by the government in association with friendly West African nations as well as governments of other countries.”

Abia FADAMA disburses over N568m GEORGE OPARA ABIA

F

L-R: Delta State Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr. Chris Oghenechovwen; Dein of Agbor, Dr. Benjamin Ikechukwu and Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, at the commissioning of the Guinness Water of Life Project at Oza Nogogo community in Delta State recently.

Customs aiding foreigners to take over cargo clearing in Nigeria - RFFG FRANCIS EZEM

F

reight forwarders under the aegis of Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria have raised the alarm over the influx of Lebanese, Indians, Chinese and other Asians in the clearing and forwarding business in Nigeria, which if not checked would send many Nigerians out of business.

National President of the association, Dr. Frank Ukor, who spoke in an interview, said that this development, which negates Federal Government’s vision of curtailing unemployment in the country, is with the tacit support of the management of the Nigeria Customs Service.

According to him, the practice of the service to license foreigners as Customs Representatives to clear goods at the Customs Processing Centre (CPC) is at variance with what is obtained in the international community including West

African countries where foreigners are not given access to the CPC. “For over 19 years I operated as a clearing agent at Seme Border, I was doing jobs in Cotonou, I was never allowed to enter their CPC but here in Nigeria, you see Indians, Chinese, Lebanese and many foreign people at the CPC. The Nigeria Customs Service has introduced something that would make the foreigners come in and take over the clearing business from us”, he lamented.

He wondered that if Nigerians were not allowed to enter the CPC in neighbouring Benin Republic,, why would Customs allow Asians to take over the business of cargo clearing at the air and seaports in Nigeria..

“Customs wants to replace clearing agency license with Customs Representative License and the service wants to bring in Lebanese and these foreigners as its representatives. Customs is even

conniving with the terminal operators to bring in these foreigners to take over our jobs”, he said.

He alleged that in the recent past, operatives of the service have been raiding freight forwarders at the various seaports in the country, alleging that the aim was to intimidate and force them out of business so that these white people will take over.

On what the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding (CRFFN), was doing about the development, he disclosed that most freight forwarders thought that CRFFN came to register Nigerians alone but regretted that foreigners are taking over the business.

“You know there is a little ambiguity in the role of Customs as provided in the Customs Act and the CRFFN 2007.

The CRFFN can register you as a freight forwarder but you need a Customs license to go into the CPC or any Customs ports to clear goods”.

ADAMA office has disbursed over N568 million under the Third FADAMA Development Project, Dr. Ezinne Otuka and State Programme Coordinator (SPC) has said.

Otuka said this in Umuahia in an interview during the 7th Joint World Bank/FGN Supervision Mission for the South East.

She said that the bulk of the amount was disbursed to the 1,687 FADAMA User Groups (FUGs) across the 17 local government areas of the state.

“The bulk of the money was spent across board on the FUGs, while the rest was spent on sundry services such as advisory services, inputs and rural infra-

structure,” she said.

Otuka said that the project had gone a milestone in making sure that benefitting communities adopted development plans in line with Community Development Approach.

She said that FADAMA projects were scattered across all rural communities of the state, adding “our people would like the project to continue beyond its life span.

“Rural farmers in Abia have suddenly realized the importance of the project and how it has transformed lives of beneficiaries,” she said.

She said that the beneficiaries had already set up the FADAMA User Equity Fund (FUEF) and are in pole position to sustain the project at the end of its life span.

Passengers criticise immigration over slow processing OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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nternational passengers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos have condemned the slow processing by men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) attached to the airport.

The passengers mostly foreigners spend about 20 minutes each at the desk of the NIS responding to various questions asked them by the officials before being transferred to the State Security Services (SSS) for further interrogation.

Some of the foreigners who spoke with our correspondent in confidence decried that the NIS system was porous despite the delay they experience at the arriving hall.

They explained that in other climes, the immigration counters attend to guests faster in spite of sensitive and psychological questions asked them and wondered why the case is different in Nigeria.

Our correspondent who passed through the arrival hall recently observed that unlike the three desks specifically dedicated to Nigerian nationals at the entry port; only one desk was dedicated to foreign nationals by the NIS. A source close to one of the agencies at the airport decried that the situation at the arrival hall was pathetic most especially when three international carriers arrive simultaneously.

The source who does not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak to the media, informed that last Friday when three carriers; Emirates, South African Airways and Air France arrived almost the same time, the situation became worrisome as the system collapsed completely.

The source added that each passenger (foreigners) arriving the shores of the country is usually given immigration forms to fill, which is later coated by the officers before such a passenger is attended to and later transferred to the SSS.

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Business & Finance

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Aviation unions threaten to commence warning strike on Friday OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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here are indications that the Nigerian airspace may witness some blackouts on Friday as the industry unions threatened to shut the airspace over the inability of the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to implement approved new salary structure.

The unions; Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) called for its implementation within 72 hours or embark on a warning strike to force the management to comply.

The unions in a joint statement signed by Olayinka Abioye for ATSSSAN, Abdulkareem Motajo, NUATE and Abah Ocheme for

NAAPE emphasised that there was no going back on the planned strike.

The unions said that the strike was eminent as it would force the management of NAMA to act fast in implementing the adjusted salary structure for its workers that was signed by the salaries and wages commission in August 13, 2012.

The statement reads in part, “NAMA management has been given 72 hours to meet the demand of the workers. Failure to do so will lead to the shutting down of the Nigerian airspace throughout Friday. We are bent on embarking on the one day strike to press home our demands.

“During the period, no aircraft will be seen flying in the Nigeria airspace as our members will retrieve their services to airlines across the country and if that does not yield the expected result, we will embark on indefinite strike.”

Also, the President of ATSSSAN, Comrade Benjamin Okewu said that the same approval was made and fully implemented in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Meteorological in the and even the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and wondered why NAMA management was finding it difficult to implement in the agency.

He said, “We just had a congress to renew our mandate concerning the implementation of the adjusted salary structure as approved by the salaries and wages commission, NAMA like all other parastatals, we negotiated and then the law requires us to present those things with government agencies that are responsible for those approvals and we have done that, we got approval for NCAA, FAAN, NIMET and AIB.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Zinox creates alternative PC charging option KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he research and development unit of Zinox Computers, the Zinox Innovation Center, has developed a cost-effective power solution that will support tertiary institutions’ critical Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure and enable students to charge up to 2, 500 laptops every hour on campus free.

Chairman of Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, disclosed this during a visit post-graduate students from different Nigerian universities to the company’s headquarters in Lagos recently.

He said the company has developed the new product in response to the slow

EuroFinance conference begins today KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he Central Bank of Nigeria alongside other private and public institutions both locally and internationally will attended this year’s edition of EuroFinance annual conference.

The fourth two-day annual conference with the theme “Treasury, Risk, and Cash Management”, being organised

by EuroFinance, a part of the Economist Group, begins today at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Deputy Governor for Corporate Services, CBN, Mr. Suleiman Barau will represent the Acting Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Dr. Ghaji Bello and Director General, Centre for Management Development, Dr. Kabir Kabo Usman, at the presentation an MoU to country’s apex bank at the international forum.

Usman in Abuja, recently.

Suleiman will be speaking on balancing global and local regulatory requirements in the

ICT critical to building educational empowerment - Minister KUNLE A ZEEZ

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inister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, has said Info0rmation and Communication Technology tools present great opportunity for redirecting objectives of educational development from knowledge to economic empowerment.

Johnson stated this during the 2013 Annual National Science and Engineering Fair held at the University of Lagos recently.

The forum was organised by the trio of Intel Corporation, Shell Petroleum Development Company, (SPDC) and Interswitch, an electronic transaction processing company.

The minister, who noted that holistic incorporation of ICT

into the Nigerian educational system is needed to produce 21st Century university graduates, who are ICT-compliant, also stated that the decision of the firms to bankroll the science and engineering Fair would further boost the study of Science and Technology in the country.

Activities to mark the fourday event included Science Quiz and exhibition showcase. The exhibition stage saw the competing schools pass their innovative inventions through several stages under the keen watch of panel of judges.

While applauding the participating students, the minister, represented by the Director General of Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), Mr. Lawrence Okoro stated that it was expedient that students at that level develop interests in practical sciences and

engineering solutions to challenges in their environment and the nation as a whole.

Speaking, Head, Social Performance, SPDC, Mr. Emmanuel Anyim, disclosed that the partnership with Intel and Interswitch was part of the Shell’s commitment to National development and actively positioning the Nigerian educational sector on a global pedestal.

Corporate Affairs Manager, Intel Corporation, Mr. Osagie Ogunbor, also explained that Intel Corporation, in partnership with Shell and Interswitch, was pursuing a transformational agenda in the educational sector to encourage a more practical approach to learning that will gently prod the students to becoming pragmatic researchers rather than passive receivers of knowledge.

pace of improvement in the power sector and the need to enable students with access to global resources that are cheap and easy to source online.

Ekeh lamented that lack of power in the educational institutions was leading to a new culture of procrastination among the youth. “Exuberance, razor sharpness and spontaneity characteristics of youth are being undermined by the fact of waiting for power, whether it is from the national grid or the school’s generator,” he said.

He noted that students had to wait for light to do their assignments, charge their phones and laptops, and these can turn to disasters in a knowledge era where even reflexes are tied to the ICT equipment.

current financial and economic environment.

The EuroFinance conference enables treasurers and Chief Financial Officers to exchange innovative strategies, best practice and expert opinions.

The forum focuses on conducting in-depth research with thousands of corporate treasurers worldwide every year, thus providing unique insight into the trends and developments in cash management and treasury, as well as a uniquely objective global viewpoint.

According to a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday, the conference will be opened by the Senior EuroFinance Tutor, Mr. Peter Green.

Commenting on the conference, Greeen said, EuroFinance was happy to be having the fourth annual EuroFinance conference in Lagos.

Nestle commissions N5.4bn warehouse STANLEY IHEDIGBO

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he world’s leading nutrition company, Nestle Nigeria, has inaugurated an ultra- modern warehouse centre valued N5.4billion in Agbara, Ogun State.

Speaking at the opening of the ultra- modern centre , the chairman of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, said that with the new biggest warehouse in Nigeria, goods like beverages, maggi, Golden Morn, will now get to consumers at a faster pace and all Nigerian families will get nutrition promptly for their households.

According to him, the centre was Nestle’s biggest factory in

Nigeria and West Africa as a whole. “Spread over an area of four hectares, the new 17,000pallet capacity warehouse is designed to manage the capacity increases following massive infrastructural upgrades at Agbara factory itself in the last five years.”

In his remarks at the commissioning of the new centre, the Managing Director, Nestle Nigeria, Mr. Martins Woolnough, said that it took the company two years to build the new centre and the centre employs the technology of radio shuttle automatic racks which moves goods at a high speed and with great accuracy.

He added the new centre now provides jobs for over 1,800 people, all Nigerians

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Info Tech

Thursday, February 21, 2013

35

Tapping into $720bn global telecoms revenue Nigeria is potentially positioned to make a significant tap into the $720bn telecoms revenue forecast from emerging markets this year, if the current efforts at driving broadband investment is sustained, KUNLE AZEEZ.

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elecommunications services revenue in emerging markets is expected to reach $720billion this year, according to Pyramid Research, a market analyst firm that has been providing advice to the global communications industries for nearly 25 years.

The study, ‘Pyramid Perspective 2013: Top Trends in the Global Communications Industry, forecasts that emerging markets, to which Nigerian telecoms market belongs, will continue to be bright spot in an uncertain and challenging global economic landscape.

According to the study, economic growth in emerging markets is expected to quadruple the economic growth in developed market, as telecoms service revenue in emerging markets is forecast to increase five times faster than in Telecoms installations developed markets.

This trend, the study says, will make mobile service revIGERIA S EMERGING enue in emerging markets in 2015 larger than mobile serTELECOMS MARKET EXUDES vice revenue in developed markets for the first time ever.

Nearly 90 per cent of the 2 billion subscribers to come GREAT POTENTIAL TO LEVERAGE online in the next four years will reside in emerging markets. According to the forecast, exposure to emerging marTHE HUGE TELECOMS SERVICE kets has become a critical factor for success in an industry REVENUE PROJECTION FOR THE characterised by stagnation in developed markets, intense competition, consumer choice and disruptive models.

YEAR BY CONTINUING WITH Managing Director of Pyramid Research, Mr. Daniel Amparan, said the year 2013 will also accelerate the rate ITS BROADBAND INVESTMENT at which emerging market-based players take advantage DRIVE of financially challenged developed market assets to bring Meanwhile, stakeholders in the telecoms market have much needed capital, but also commercial innovation and noted that Nigeria’s emerging telecoms market exudes expertise. great potential to leverage the huge telecoms service revIn addition, Amparan said, “2013 will also be a year of important milestones. By year’s end, mobile subscriptions enue projection for the year, by continuing with its broadwill reach 7 billion, on par with the global population. Mo- band investment drive.

Already, the industry has witnessed tremendous growth bile subscribers in the Africa and Middle East region will surpass the 1 billion mark in the first quarters, making it in voice segment, generating So far, investment into the nathe second region to reach this milestone after Asia- Pa- tion’s telecoms sector has continued to increase since 2011 reaching slightly over $25 billion in mid- 2012, according cific.”

On the broadband development, the study noted that to the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications though emerging markets are lagging, they will be better Commission.

From paltry 400,000 fixed lines 12 years ago, access to tepositioned to o it right in the years ahead.

“Countries where 4G demand is still low or not yet a re- lephony service in the nooks and carnies of the country ality, such as in most of Africa and in several emerging has exploded, hitting over 113 million as at the end of 2012. economies, will be better positioned to properly plan for The development is largely driven by continuous invest4G spectrum, including taking advantage of the digital ment by telecoms players’ in expanding their infrastrucdividend spectrum in due time, and to deploy efficient 4G tures.

However, similar investment in broadband services networks that maximize the benefits of harmonization. A key benefit of lagging in 4G deployment in the short term is needed in broadband infrastructure deployment with may be greater efficiencies from proper planning in the a view to drive required growth in broadband services, where the next frontier of telecoms revenues is expected medium-to-long term for Africa,” it adds.

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to come from.

A telecoms analyst, Mr. Akin Akinbo, said proper implementation of the various action plans that the Federal Government, through the NCC, is currently driving to ensure ubiquitous broadband access would put Nigeria in vantage position, as on one the fastest growth telecoms market, to larch into the projected global telecoms revenue this year.

According o him, “I can tell you that Nigeria has great potentials to take significant bite of the $720billion revenue if we get our acts right. It is important that all obstacles to investment inflow are cleared to allow investors to come and put their investment in Nigeria. Yes, Nigeria presents huge opportunity. Yet, we need to increase regulator efforts aimed at making it a more exciting investment destination for telecoms investors.”

In the same vein, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telephone Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, lamented that operators are still threatened by a number of operating challenges, calling for more conducive environment is required for more investment in telecoms to thrive.

Nigeria’s Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, sometime last year, contended that Nigeria was challenged in all areas of broadband access such as coverage, speed and cost.

According to her, despite the fact that we have internet penetration of 28 per cent (about 45 million internet users), only 9 per cent (14.5 million people) of the population are actually internet subscribers and broadband penetration is at a mere 6 per cent.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said the government was already working on broadband strategy, having constituted a Presidential Committee on Broadband saddled with the responsibility of drawing up the broadband to effective deployment of broadband services in the country.

Nokia strategises for increased market share

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innish phone maker, Nokia said it was embarking on a three-point strategy to regain its global market leadership in mobile devices manufacturing and sales even as the company unveiled its latest Asha 310.

The company which restated its commitment towards rebounding as world’s leader in smartphones and feature phones, said with focus on meeting the increasing global needs of its consumers, the Wi-Fi enabled Asha 310 dual SIM phone is an ‘exciting addition to its Asha range of phones.’

Speaking on Nokia’s three-point strategy at the media unveiling of the phone, Asha 310 Wi-fi enabled device in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, Nokia’s Senior Vice

President, Sales, Indian, Middle East and Africa, Mr. Shiv Shivakumar, said the company remained focused despite intense competition.

“Nokia’s strategy at remaining at the top remains smart, which include; bringing in smart devices; connecting the next billion phone users and being futuristic in its design,” he said.

According to him, within few months of launching the Nokia Lumia smartphone, the company has sold about 40 million of it globally, stressing that connecting the next billion phone users will involve service and Internet capabilities.

Shivakumar, who said smartphone changes are based on consumer percep-

tion, stressed that Nokia’s strategy was to have a broad range of device for different market segments.

Nokia Asha 310, a new Dual SIM smartphone is built with Wi-Fi support to help people get more out of the Internet, for less. The combination of Dual SIM plus Wi-Fi in the same device, a first for Nokia smartphones, gives consumers the best of both worlds by offering the flexibility to enjoy more mobile experiences while managing their costs. The Nokia Asha 310 also comes packed with great apps and games that are the hallmark of the Nokia Asha range.

With Nokia’s built-in Easy Swap Dual SIM technology, consumers can use the ex-

ternal slot on the Nokia Asha 310 to insert a secondary SIM card, while keeping their principal SIM card in place behind the battery. The Nokia Asha 310 puts the user in control, with the ability to shift between SIM cards for personal or work use without turning off the phone.

Users can also swap SIM cards while on-the-go, to get the best available tariffs when commuting. Nokia Easy Swap Dual SIM makes it possible to assign and store unique profiles for up to five SIM cards. Users can designate SIM cards for text, voice and data and switch between them at their convenience.

The building of Wi-Fi in the Nokia Asha 310 gives users a fast and easy way to enjoy more online, including streaming videos from YouTube or downloading the 40 free EA Games from Nokia Store.

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Info Tech

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Stakeholders seek passage of Cybercrime Bill STORIES: KUNLE A ZEEZ

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ccelerated action is required in clearing grey areas in the Nigerian Cybercrime Bill pending at the National Assembly and the passage of the bill into law.

This was the position of stakeholders at a public hearing organised in Abuja by the House of Representatives Committee on Justice. The bill is being sponsored by Mrs. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, a member of the House.

In a presentation backed up by a written memorandum on a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 in order to provide for offences and penalties relating to computer misuse and cybercrimes, Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Chair, Africa ICT Alliance (AfICTA), expressed support for the passage of the bill with amendments.

Olufuye, who noted that the

public hearing was the fourth attempt at passing a law on cybercrimes at the National Assembly, urged on the need to ensure that current efforts lead to the passage of the bill.

Two bills on cybercrimes were proposed for consideration. Most delegates, including AfICTA, saw no need for a special cybercrime bill for Northern Nigeria and so supported the discontinuation of the bill to apply to Northern states of Nigeria only.

The second bill was to apply to Federation of Nigeria and was supported by a vast majority of speakers.

Olufuye called attention to Paragraph 22 (1) of the bill, recommending that the title “Records Retention and Protection of Data by Service Providers” be replaced with “Data Preservation and Protection of Data

by Service Providers” for a number of reasons.

He also suggested that in Paragraph 22 (1) of the bill, the reference “...all traffic data...”

reviewed to read: “...specified traffic data...”

“The need to review Paragraph 22 (1), in particular, is to avoid the tendency of any agency responsible for the regulation of communication services in Nigeria to come up with a fiat directive for service providers to keep all traffic data of all subscribers; a situation, which will be grossly uneconomical, expensive and capable of increasing tariff instead of reducing it,” he said.

Other stakeholders who spoke in support of the urgent passage of the bill at the hearing included representatives from Federal Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, Nigerian Bar Association, Economic and Financial Crime Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN), Information Technology (Industry) Association Technology of Nigeria (ITAN), Nigeria Computer Society.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tech Box Samsung Galaxy Grand

Massive screen with dual SIM functionality

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amsung Electronics, the world’s largest maker of mobile handsets, has rolled out its highly anticipated Galaxy Grand smartphone in Nigeria, adding a new Galaxy device to its expanding range of products in this category.

The device premiered in Africa at Samsung Ambassador, Banky W’s ‘R&BW the Grand Love Project’ album launch at Civic Centre in Lagos recently, after a very successful pre-order campaign.

The 5-inch display, smart, dual-SIM Galaxy Grand combines the features of Samsung’s gamechanging Galaxy S III and the revolutionary Galaxy Note II, which were released by the manufacturing giant last year.

Powered by the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, Jelly Bean 4.1.2, the Galaxy Grand features an impressive 1.2 GHz dual-core processor that supports seamless multitasking; faster web browsing and superior graphics. Its 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display is ideal for users who want the productivity of a tablet with the portability of a smartphone.

Even with its massive screen, the device is incredibly slim, with an ergonomic design that makes is comfortable to hold. The vivid display provides an expansive viewing experience rendering messaging, multimedia and web content in brilliant color and clarity. The device also sports a Multi-Window feature that allows seamless multitasking and running of multiple applications simultaneously without having to switch between screens.

According to the Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, the new Galaxy Grand will ensure that Samsung maintains its dominance in the global smartphone market, by positioning itself to meet the demands of consumers desirous of optimizing the value that they derive from their mobile devices.

HP unveils cost-saving printing innovations

H L-R: Head, Social Performance, Shell Petroleum, Mr. Emmanuel Anyim; Head, Corporate affairs, Intel Corporation, Mr. Osagie Ogunbor and Head, Marketing and Communication, Interswitch Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Enyioma Anaba, at the 9th National Festival of Schools Science and Quiz Competition held in Lagos recently.

NCC restates commitment to mobile portability

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he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has again reassured Nigerian subscribers of its commitment to kick off mobile number portability by the end of next month.

The commission said the innovative services has become necessary to provide wider choices for subscribers in service provider as they deem fit and to raise the bar of competition among service providers in the area of improved Quality of Service delivery.

Giving the assurance at a Consumer Outreach Programme organised by the commission in Ikorodu, a Director at NCC, Dr. Balarabe Sani, said the mobile number portability is consistent with government’s plan to boost quality of service.

“We are working assiduously to see that the benefits of Mobile Number Portability service are made available to subscribers by the end first quarter of 2013. The NCC and the operators are finalising necessary arrangement for us to have this innovative service in Nigeria,” he said.

Mobile Number Portability is an initiative being planned by NCC, the telecoms industry regulator which will provide wider choice for telecoms subscribers.

The MNP allows telecoms subscribers to switch freely from one network to another, especially if they are no longer satisfied with the quality of service being provided by their current service provider without changing the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) number.

The service, which was billed to commence last year could not come alive, as the operators and the regulator traded blames over who was responsible for the delay in the take off of the service.

The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, had, at a forum in December 2012, regretted the inability of the scheme to commence, blaming the operators for the delay.

“The operators are not giving the number portability scheme the priority that it deserves and I can tell you that the operators have not upgraded their billing system,” he said.

But an official of Airtel Nigeria at the forum, Mr. Sola Adeyemi, blamed NCC for being responsible for the delay, saying “NCC needed to fast-track the implementation of the MNP.”

P has announced new HP Officejet Pro and HP LaserJet printers and content management solutions designed to redefine business and government printing by enabling customers to reduce costs, increase efficiency and digitise the office.

The ground-breaking advancements in office productivity and affordability are a result of HP’s focus on product innovation combined with intelligent Autonomy solutions and a rich heritage in inkjet design.

The new offerings represent the largest upgrade to HP’s commercial printers in almost a decade, signifying the integration of intellectual property (IP) and innovation from across the organisation.

HP Officejet Pro X Series desktop printers and multifunction printers (MFP) deliver up to twice the speed at up to half the printing cost compared with colour laser printers in their class.

This new class of devices is powered by HP PageWide Technology, the next-generation inkjet platform that sets a new standard for small work-team printing. It offers small and mediumsized businesses (SMBs), remote offices and branch offices highquality documents at up to 70 pages per minute.

The creation of vast amounts of business and government data means customers need a way to streamline how information is managed and accessed.

The HP LaserJet Enterprise flow MFP M525c and HP LaserJet Enterprise colour flow MFP M575c offer higher-performance document processing and sharing.

This provides an ideal onramp to the digitised world with premium dual-head scanning, HP everypage technology that ensures that pages are picked up one at a time, and data entry that speed the transition from a paper to digital office.

The HP flow MFPs can be integrated with content management solutions based on software from Autonomy, an HP Company, either on-site or via the cloud. By pairing HP printing technology with Autonomy solutions, customers can access, organise and leverage information in documents, audio, video, email and web pages.

Speaking Marketing Manager, LaserJet and Enterprise Europen, Middle East and Africa for HP, Mr. Robert Dinkelacker, said, “Our customers need innovative technology tailored to their workflow that is simple and effective, and helps them conduct business.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, February 21, 2013

37

AFCON 2013: The gainers and losers

Lagos State Government and Guinness Nigeria taking the Super Eagles through Lagos State.

While many brands failed to invest in support of the Super Eagles at the just concluded 2013 AFCON, the victory of the team, however, turned out to be gains for brands that either heavily or tactically invested in the campaign promo for the team just as many engaged in ambush marketing via press releases and emergency promos when the team lifted the trophy in South Africa, ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI writes.

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rom the buildup of the African Cup of Nations 2013 tournament hosted

by South Africa to the final match between Nigeria and Burkina Faso on February 10, the most underrated team by its country in the tournament was the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Apart from the Nigerian fans and even the Nigeria Football Federation, who had booked the team for flight back to Nigeria before the team ’s clash with Cote De Voire, as a result of dampened expectation that the Super Eagles would not escape the Elephant team force, most Nigerian brands also hardly made any financial commitment from their marketing budget to support the team, which experience and brand floods sponsor in the past.

While many brands were skeptical over the chances of Nigerians watching the tournament live as a result of the exorbitant broadcast right of six million Euro slammed on the NTA and its partners, Broadcast Organisation of Nigeria which eventually the terrestrial stations called bluff off, the sign of the team making it to the final did not, however, attract the interest of the advertisers and sponsors. National Mirror investigation reveals that at the various clients/sponsors and marketing communications agencies brainstorming meeting, most proposals in favour the Super Eagles team were rebuffed on that account.

Although, from National Mirror calculations, almost all Nigerian brands have no provision for the campaign support for the Eagles as most of their campaign from January to December 2012 were overwhelmingly consumer promos and lotteries whose overbearing use however attracted Nigerian Communication Company, NCC, to suspend most promos. While MTN

THE GREATEST LOSERS ARE BRAND MANAGERS AND ADVERTISING AGENCIES WHO WOULD HAVE LEVERAGED ON IT TO MAKE SOME POSITIONING STATEMENTS launched the largest promo of the year, MTN Aaroplane promo, Cadbury Bournvita N200million Yummy Life and Indomie Super Millionaire Promo with series of lotteries, only one or two advertisers looked towards the campaign for Nigeria ’s participation at the continental game.

But when on Thursday, November 22nd 2012, Guinness Nigeria launched Fly with the Eagles Campaign promo with promised to take 200 consumers of its brands to South Africa as the National team supporters at AFCON, most brand experts considered the brand proposition and positioning as a risky marketing investment.

According to media report last week, the brewer was said to have spent N5.658billion on product advertising and promos from July to December covering spending on the company ’s overwhelming presence in South African 2013.

Considering the huge investment which also included unveiling of the world largest Jersey which was launched on the day Nigeria played Mali amidst apprehension by industry analyst that such activation could be a huge loss if Nigeria had lost the match, most Nigerian brands stayed as an onlooker while the Confederation of African Football, the organizer of AFCON, had felt Nigeria ’s loss of broadcast right would not have much impact on revenue as the nations team was expected to crash out at early stage.

But just as the team wobbled into the

final after surprisingly knocked out the Elephant of Cote de Voire who as believed would thrash the Super Eagles of Nigeria out of the tournament, thwarted the hope of Malian team in the Quarter final, National Mirror learnt from an agency source that some clients called their agency to create campaign materials in support of the team to associate their brands with the Super Eagles success at AFCON marketing experts believe brand managers are the greatest loosers.

The President of Public Relations Consultant Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Mr. Chido Nwakanma reportedly said, “The greatest losers are brand managers and advertising agencies who would have leveraged on it to make some positioning statements and of course we know what that means. In fact, everybody in marketing communication value chain is affected; from the broadcasting stations to creative agencies. ” Also, the Executive Secretary, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, Mr. Lekan Fadolapo reportedly admitted that the most hit was the electronic media but added that the media buying agencies and their creative counterparts are also counting losses.

But it was a gain for Guinness Nigeria whose brands was able to leverage on the success of the AFCON. The brewer after five years of supporting the National Team has promised to support the team at the upcoming Confederations Cup in SA. The Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Mr.

Seni Adetu said last week while receiving the team at the Guinness HQ Ogba. When Guinness launched the Fly with the Eagles campaign in November 2012 to galvanise the support of millions of Nigerians for the Super Eagles at the tournament, many people do not believe nor see reason why we are so committed to supporting the team. Today, we all are here to reap the reward of that confidence we had in this team ” Adetu said.

He continued “the Super Eagles have definitely made us proud, they have also made the millions of Nigerians who shared Guinness ’ conviction in the team proud. It is an elated moment for every one of us. As we receive this trophy here today, we enjoin all Nigerians to continue to support the team at all times because this team is great and made of more ”.

Also, the Marketing and Innovation Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Austin Ufomba said it was indeed a successful campaign. According to Ufomba, Guinness has been vindicated for throwing their weight behind the Eagles despite the challenges faced by the team.

At Guinness, we believed in the team and we demonstrated it when we launched the Fly with the Eagles campaign at a grand occasion in November 2012. We prepared the ground for the over 160 million Nigerians to rekindle their support for the team ” Ufomba said.

Apart from Guinness Nigeria, Pepsi, an official sponsor of AFCON also ran much campaign in support of the Nigerian team while Toyota joined the team support with its “Eyes the Trophy ” press ad on the final match day. Also, Globacom also came to support the team much later as the founder of the telecom giant gave the team huge sum of money.

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Brands & Marketing

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capetex wins award for Best Wall Coating Paint 2012

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L-R: Super Eagles Assistant Coach, Daniel Amokachi, Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu and Second Vice President NFF, Chief Mike Umeh during the reception for the Super Eagles at Guinness Headquarters, Ogba recently.

APCON extends deadline for takeoff of reform

• To protect local ad agencies STORIES: ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

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he Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), in a bid to protect local content against invasion by foreign ad agencies, has extended the take off of the industry reform till march as against January 1, the earlier date, so that local ad agencies could meet up with requirement for re-licensing.

The decision to extend the deadline was said to have followed stakeholders meetings with the APCON Committee on Advertising Practice Reforms (ACARP) where new recommendation was drafted.

According to the Chairman of ACARP, Mr. Willy Nnorom, under the new recommendation, all advertising organisations and firms must be licensed to operate in as much as they have a defined area of specialisation such as advertisers, full service advertising agency, full creative ad agency, media agency, interactive/digital agency, advertising medium (radio, TV, newspaper, magazine, out-of-home, production firm and

voice-over, modeling).

In the new recommendation by ACARPA which was inaugurated on December 2010 in line with the Decree 55 of 1988 that established APCON to regulate advertising and sales promotion in all its aspects and ramification, the committee identified that both local and foreign investors in advertising business must work within the new practice framework.

The framework set entry constitutions into the profession, scope of practice, specialization within the practice, local content, equity ownership and ownership structure, industry credit and payment policies, dispute resolution, monitoring and enforcement.

“All practitioners, individual or corporate, shall consider Nigerian content as an important element of their overall business management, protect development and execution. Qualified Nigerian practitioners shall be given first consideration in any advertising project. The Council of APCON shall be responsible for verifying compliance, ” said Nnorom.

“The initial deadline was January 1, but the new deadline became imperative to allow enough

time for all stakeholders to meet with conditions of the new licensing regime, ” he added.

Reaffirming the new deadline, the Chairman of APCON, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi said many practitioners had expressed grave concerns about certain aspects of the practice. “In their opinion while APCON seemed to have done well in ensuring that certified practitioners were engaged in the business of advertising in Nigeria, they were concerned that APCON might have ignored the growing army of unregulated local and foreign practitioners and agencies in the country, ” he revealed.

Stating further, Akinwumi noted: “They argued for example that while they were not against foreigners practicing trade in Nigeria, APCON needed to ensure that such foreigners were properly certified and regulated the same way that Nigerians were …and as it is done in some other countries. ” But APCON Registrar, Alhaji Garba Bello-Kankarofi said the new reform was not meant to drive foreign investors out of business in Nigeria but to create standards as it is obtained in advanced countries.

Meanwhile, APCON said from time to time, it would establish industry credit guidelines.

Dark and Lovely engages consumers via mobile saloon

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ark and Lovely AntiBreakage, the premium hair product from the stable of L ’Oreal Nigeria has continued to engage major stakeholders in its business line as it takes the first ever hair treatment mobile saloon to University of Lagos on valentine day Other tertiary institutions line up for the Dark and Lovely AntiBreakage brand activation include College of Education, Ijaniki, Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo and Ikorodu, Lagos State University, Ojo and Yaba Tech, Yaba amongst several other designated institutions in Lagos.

It would be recalled in 2012, L ’Oreal embarked upon pan-Nigeria hair professionals activation

campaign in Lagos, Aba and Abuja for Dark and Lovely Anti-Breakage, which was proved to be more than successful.

Speaking on the consumer ’s focus campaign this time, the Head, Education and Training, L ’Oreal Nigeria, Mrs. Titilola Igri-Offor said that the brand activation this time is to engage the end-users by offering free hair touch up to students, and enlighten them on benefits of anti-breakage product.

Mrs. Igri-Offor further said that “we have decided to go to schools in Lagos such Unilag, YabaTech, College of Education, LASU, Lagos Polytechnic amongst other, therefore, we will be going to other states of the federation when we are done with Lagos, certainly

other locations will be picked but Lagos is the first locations. ” Giving an insight into the campaign that took the industry by storm in 2012, Igri-Offor said “the first set of activation we had or we did was actually for hair professionals, we spoke with the hair professionals because in the industry they are the first point of contact between the product and the consumers. So, when the product was launched we called them together and they endorsed it, they actually say it is the best hair product that is being launched into the Nigerian market, so the next step is to speak with consumers so that is what we are in schools because the consumers are in schools and they are our target audience. ”

armoran ’s Wall Coating Paints, produced

by Capetex Industries Limited, has been awarded the “Best Wall Coating Paint 2012 ”, by the Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology in December, 2012 at an award ceremony held at Hotel Presidential, in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

At the awards ceremony, the Chief Executive of the Institute, Ambassador Moses Essien, disclosed that high quality, value and track record; acceptability, affordability and passed quality tests are some of the key indicators taken into consideration before chosen the paint.

He said that Marmoran ’s Wall Coating Paints are good for master architectural building; private, commercial and industrial use adding that the paint conforms to global acceptability quality for wall coating paint.

Also, the Acting Managing Director of Capetex Industries Limited, Mr. Mudasiru A. Adekunle expressed his appreciation to the Institute for recognising Marmoran ’s Wall Coating Paint for what it described as “the finest ”. “You can be rest assured that we shall continue to produce high quality products that are first-class compete in the international market. ”

Marketer wins ICM Scavenger Hunt promo

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Lagos-based marketer, Mr. Anyanwu Collins has emerged as the winner in the first ever Ikeja City Mall Scavenger Hunt, just as the management of the mall announced that the promo has been extended to celebrate the Valentine season.

Ayanwu went home with N100, 000 and other gifts. He beat nine other contestants - including a Youth Corp member based in Oshogbo, Osun State, and a grandfather from Ibadan, Oyo State - in the keenlycontested game to emerge winner.

At the commencement of the game, each contestant was given a bag and asked to visit all the stores in the Mall in search of letters of the alphabet.

However, only 10 stores of the 94 in the modern shopping facility had the letters they were looking for and they had to use clues provided them to know which stores to enter. The first person to return to the start point and spell the words, ‘Ikeja City Mall ’ was declared the winner. Anyanwu did this in less than 10 minutes,

huffing and puffing his way to the grand prize.

The contestants were picked from the over 5,000 entries received from shoppers over the course of three weeks. To enter, ICM customers only had to write their names and phone numbers behind their receipts and drop them in designated boxes placed around the Mall.

On Friday, February 2, 10 lucky shoppers were drawn and invited, at an occasion witnessed by the media. Ayanwu was elated to win, given that he almost gave up even before the game started.

“My car broke down this morning, ” he said. “I was almost going to call them and say I ’m not going to make it, but my friend encouraged me to come. Now, I have N100,000 to spend just for shopping at the Ikeja City Mall.

I ’m so grateful to them., ” he said.

Other contestants went home with a consolation prize of N15, 000 each, along with branded items and certificates from all the participating stores.

LG electronics showers love on loyal customers on Val Day

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nside the Blowfish hotel, Victoria Island in Lagos LG Electronics, Nigeria ’s leading brand in Consumer electronics gave a treat to some of its consumers in its home appliance category to mark this years ’ valentine celebration.

The event witnessed customers from all works of life who patronized the brand during its Valentine promotion which was ongoing for a couple of weeks.

All over the world, valentine is a season where people and organizations demonstrate love through various activities; which is why LG Electronics has chosen to celebrate and entertain its high-value customers in this season of Love with a luxurious dinner.

Speaking at the event, the Gener-

al Manager, Home Appliances division, LG Electronics, Mr Hyunwoo Jung, said: “as a responsive organization, we have put together this event to celebrate our loyal customers who have stood by us through thick and thin ”. They have been a major motivating factor in LG ’s quest to continually make available to the Nigerian people “Good Life ”.

Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Limited, Mr Mohammed Fouani, said: “LG Electronics as a global leader and technology innovator in home appliances has decided to reward its loyal customers in this season of love so as to further strengthen our commitment and buttress “Africa is at the heart of LG ”.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, February 21, 2013

ad VA NT AG E icon

Lanre Adisa to preside over Young Lions Creative jury ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

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HINI Productions, organisers of the Young Lions competition have announced the makeup of the jury to decide which teams will represent Nigeria in the Young Lions creative competitions including the Young Lions Film Competition, Young Lions Cyber Competition and Young Lions Design Competition.

In a release, the organiser stated that the Managing Director of Noah ’s Ark Communications, Mr. Lanre Adisa, will act as the jury president, while

other members of the team are Anthony Ekun of SO&U Saatchi & Saatchi; Fome Ozuwo of LTCJWT, Dipo Adesida of Verdant Zeal, Ola Olowu of Insight Communications and Oladipupo Fafunsho of IMS Advertising.

According to the organizer, “The creative jury will be saddled with the responsibility of selecting the best team in each of the three categories to represent Nigeria at the international competition during the 60th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June, ” said CHINI Production adding that, “the jury president will showcase the winning teams

from each of the three categories to the public during the Dinner and Awards Night at Sheraton Hotel Lagos on March 30, 2013 along with winners from the Young Lions Media Competition, Young Lions Marketers Competition and Roger Hatchuel Academy categories.

Speaking on the jury announcement, the Chief Executive Officer of CHINI, Mr. Ndu Nnamdi, said, “these are professionals with proven passion to help build the next generation of leaders and we have no doubt that they will deliver the best teams to compete for Nigeria ”.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (right) and Managing Partner of Ciuci Consulting and Founder of iQube, Mr Chukwuka Monye, during an event tagged ‘Back to the Future, ’ organised by iQube for business leaders to inspire change and provide insight in Nigeria held in Lagos recently

Adeoya

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kin Adeoya is popularly known as a brand journalist and Publisher, Editor-in-Chief of M2 but only few knew that he is an adman with an impressive sojourn in advertising. He started his professional career in Rosabel Advertising (Now Rosabel Leo Burnett), in the early 90s where he distinguished himself as an award winning copywriter, working on several brands, including First Bank, IGI, Gold Circle and many UAC brands such as Gala and Coconut chips at launch.

In the mid to late 90s, he spent many years as executive creative consultant to Explicit Communications, a notable Lagos advertising agency where he was responsible for the creative product of the agency.

Adeoya who popularise brand and marketing reporting at

Service delivery should be exible

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he ultimate goal for any brand should be to enhance customer satisfaction. This stems from a strong focus on service delivery which should be flexible and dynamic.

I am always skeptical when brands make claims that cannot be substantiated at the point of service delivery. My personal experience on this has been varied but the one I that always excite me is the Hakunna Matata story as depicted in Skye bank ’s brand message. The ultimate goal is of any service delivery process is to ensure customer satisfaction.

It is a good thing when you walk into a banking hall and someone is at the other end of the door waiting to welcome you and in second tells you “How may we say YES to you today? I took it as a stereotype greeting until I had some transactions to make at the Ikeja Plaza branch of the bank. I had some challenges with an officer who could

not action my transaction. I took it up with the Business Development Manager (BDM who treated it with dispatch. The key issue was not just the way he handled it but also his conversation with the officer on phone which bordered on satisfying a customer who has a relationship with the bank. The BDM, William Odigie never knew the quantum positive leap he added to the Skye bank ’s brand image.

It was indeed his comments that made me believe he is a worthy ambassador of the brand.I later observed that he adopts some discreet measures to enhance customer satisfaction in that branch on a consistent basis which is oblivious to customers. Someone else could have introduced rigidity in to it but he simplified the situation and at the end of the day, I was able to accomplish my mission.

The story above underscores the critical need to make service delivery memorable and

39

Brand X-Ray with Ayodeji Ayopo Tel: 08023448199 E-mail: mayomipo@yahoo.com exciting for the customers. It is not just delivering the service but the approach goes a long way to create an impression in the minds of the customers.

The paradigm has really shifted from just rendering service but ensuring that your customers are satisfied. This is the hall mark of service delivery as customers have memorable touch points and positive association with the brand.

When you enter some banks now, all you find is a very long queue from one end to the other.

Definitely, queues are expected in a bank, but someone should

show discretion to identify the challenge and proffer immediate solutions. There was an Internet connectivity challenge in a bank sometime ago and no one cared to address the customers on the issue.

Due to the sophistication and discerning level of today ’s consumers, companies that treat service delivery with levity are in for serious challenges. This is because consumers demand efficient service delivery when they part with their money, time and resources.

The quality and effectiveness of service delivery is central

THISDAY where he functioned as a writer for many years after gathering an impeccable 360 degree experience in marketing communication field, established Marketing Mix, a leading Marketing Communications firm based in Lagos which, over the last 10 years has become well known for its work for many multinational brands including MTN Nigeria Unilever Nigeria Plc, Proctor and Gamble, Nestle, The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), The Nigeria Police and Benokin Foods, a fledgling manufacturer of world class beverages.

With staff strength of nearly 50, Adeoya through Marketing Mix continues to provide critical solutions for high net worth individuals and corporate who desire top-of-the-mind positive awareness and a premium place at the heart of consumer decisions. to the overall success of any organization.

Service is a commodity. The key to competitive advantage and differentiation is in the adoption of innovative ways to service delivery. Innovation and creativity differentiates and separates a company from its competitors. Most companies can utilize service delivery as a key point of differentiation to leverage a good brand image in the marketplace.

It is saddening that companies do not listen to their customers and when a negative story is about to be published, they start running helter skelter around the Editors to kill such stories. Customers ’ response is the only accurate measure of efficient service delivery.

When last did your organization listen to the customers? What measures are being taken to do a detailed analysis of consumer responses? These are key questions that can drive the needed change in service delivery.

40

Global Business

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bank risk tumbling as liquidity rule loosened

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King

King defeated in qe vote as BOE broadens policy debate

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ank of England Governor Mervyn King was defeated in a push for more stimulus this month as officials considered options including a rate cut and expanding the range of assets purchased as ways to help the economy.

King, Paul Fisher and David Miles wanted to increase the target for bond purchases by 25 billion pounds ($38 billion) to 400 billion pounds on February 7, though they were outvoted by the remaining six members of the Monetary Policy Committee. The pound fell after the release of the minutes in London yesterday.

Officials said they “stand ready” to increase quantitative easing to support the recovery, though they still questioned the effectiveness of current policy tools for easing credit strains in the economy. In a wide-ranging discussion on the need for “targeted” measures, they said some may be beyond the scope of the central bank and fall under the province of other government departments.

“Growth remained subdued and the economy continued to face a number of headwinds,” the MPC said. “A case could be made that, if further stimulus was required, policy interventions more targeted at particular frictions or market failures in the economy were likely to be more effective in current conditions than further asset purchases” The pound tumbled to a 15-month low against the euro after the minutes and fell

to the lowest since June versus the dollar.

It depreciated 0.7 percent to 87.48 pence per euro yesterday. London time and fell 0.9 percent to $1.5292.

This month’s meeting signals a shift in the MPC’s stance, as Miles had been alone in calling for more stimulus in January.

King was last defeated in a vote in June, when he also pushed for more QE. A month later, the MPC expanded stimulus.

The February decision also marks the fourth time King was overruled since he became governor. He is due to retire in June and will be replaced by Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney.

On the case for more QE, the minutes said the “degree of slack in the economy, and the likely positive response of supply capacity to increased demand, meant that higher output growth would not necessarily lead to any material additional inflationary pressure.” This could help rebalancing “and avoid potentially lasting destruction of productive capacity and increases in unemployment,” it said.

Still, the MPC said it “seemed possible that a further broad-based monetary stimulus would on its own be insufficient to transform the outlook for growth.”

“In that context, the committee also discussed other potential policy measures that the bank, together with other U.K. authorities, might deploy to address particular frictions or market failures,” it said.

he cost of protecting bank bonds from default has fallen to the lowest level in as much as 20 months, pushed down at the same time regulators are loosening reserve rules and measures aimed at staving off another credit seizure.

Credit-default swaps tied to six U.S. lenders from JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) to Wells Fargo & Co. have plummeted to an average 110.2 basis points through yesterday from as high as 360 basis points in November 2011, when concern mounted that Europe’s fiscal woes would spread to a contagion. The gap in relative yields between $2.2 trillion of bank bonds and debt of industrial companies is at the narrowest since December 2008, Bank of America Merrill Lynch index data show.

Credit-default swaps tied to six U.S. lenders from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to Wells Fargo & Co. have plummeted to an average

110.2 basis points through yesterday from as high as 360 basis points in November 2011, when concern mounted that Europe’s fiscal woes would spread to a contagion.

Obama

Tokyo shares close 0.86% lower

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okyo shares closed 0.86% lower Tuesday, owing to a strengthening yen and profit taking, and following losses on Wall Street and in Europe.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index shed 90.95 points to 10,508.06, while the broader Topix index of all first-section shares was off 1.04%, or 9.18 points, at 871.88.

The Nikkei jumped 2.82% Friday, the first trading day of 2013, after ending last year at its highest level since the 2011

Hiroshi Komiyama

quake-tsunami disasters.

“Players who had bought through Christmas have taken some more cash off the table pro-actively as the yen’s slide has slowed and U.S. earnings reporting season is about to start,” an equity trading director at a foreign brokerage told Dow Jones Newswires.

SMBC Nikko Securities’ general manager of equities, Hiroichi Nishi, said: “The market remains overheated after running up so much over the past several weeks, making it vulnerable to more selling.”

But the yen’s relative weakness may prevent the market from plunging, Nishi told Dow Jones Newswires.

“Currency levels remain somewhat supportive… so this should hold any sharp sell-offs in check.”

A weaker yen helps Japan’s many exporters by making their products cheaper abroad.

The dollar slipped to 87.35 yen in Tokyo trade from 87.89 yen in New York late Monday, while the euro bought 114.60 yen, from 115.09 yen.

The European single currency bought $1.3118 against $1.3115 ahead of a closely watched European Central Bank meeting later this week.

AIG, may sue America

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Maurice Greenberg

ven as it runs ads thanking America for a $182 billion bailout, insurer AIG might join a lawsuit claiming that shareholders were unfairly hurt by the terms of the federal rescue that kept it out of bankruptcy four years ago.

The suit was brought in 2011 by shareholders led by former AIG CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg. It claims that the high interest rates and 92% equity stake that AIG (AIG, Fortune 500) was forced to give to the federal government in return for the bailout was unfair to shareholders.

According to a court statement by an AIG attorney in the case, the company’s board will hear a presentation Wednesday from the attorneys for the suing

shareholders. The board will also hear from attorneys for the Treasury Department and New York Federal Reserve, which together pumped the money into the insurance firm to keep it alive.

A federal judge has already ruled against the suit, saying that the Federal Government was the “one and only rescuer that stood between it and imminent bankruptcy.” A bankruptcy would have left shareholders with close to nothing.

But the shareholders are appealing that court loss and want AIG to join the case.

Henry Hu, a former regulator who is now a law professor at the University of Texas, said that the board had little choice but to consider joining the suit.

“It’s part of their fiduciary duty to look carefully at the benefits and costs of proceeding with the case,” he said.

But he said there are other factors that could keep AIG from joining the suit, even though Treasury sold its remaining stake in the firm last month. “To join the suit would be completely contrary to the ‘Thank you’ campaign they’re running,” he said. “And the board has to take into account not only the image with the general public, but also this vital relationship with federal regulators. I don’t mean the government will retaliate if they join, but you do have an interest in maintaining a good relationship with the regulators.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

Thursday, February 21, 2013

NICON PROPERTIES

NICON PROPERTIES LTD LIST OF AVAILABLE PROPERTIES FILLING STATION Description: A well landscaped, strategically located filling station with 4 PMS Pumps, 1 AGO, 1 DPK, with 6bedroom duplex, one station office, one Lube bay on land area of 1,600sqm 63 Accra Street Wuse Zone 5, Abuja Location: Price: N650m asking LIST OF AVAILABLE HOUSES ASOKORO Description: 8 nos 3 bedroom flats with 1 room BQ each and Swimming pool Asokoro, Abuja Location: Price: N1Billion asking Description: Location: Price:

A 2Nos. 5 bedroom duplex and a 6 bedroom duplex sitting on 1700sqm with C of O Nelson Mandela Asokoro, Abuja N800m

Description: Location: Price:

5 units of 4 bedroom detached houses with 1 room BQ each Asokoro, Abuja N850m

Description: Location: Price:

4 bedroom twin duplex with BQ Kwume Nkuruma Asokoro, Abuja 400m

Description: Location: Price:

5 bedroom duplex with I room BQ and 2 unit 3 bedroom flats good for embassy Hill Top House Asokoro, Abuja N450m

ASO DRIVE Description: Location: Price:

7 bedroom detached house with BQ with swimming pool (Vacant) Aso Drive, Abuja N800m

MAITAMA Description: Location: Price:

4 bedrooms Twin duplex, 2 sitting room with 2 rooms self contain Panama Street, Ministers Hill, Maitama, Abuja N350m

Description: 5 bedroom detached house Along IBB way Maitama Location: Price: N300m Description: 5 bedroom detached house with 2 rooms BQ Minister's Hill Maitama Location: Price: N280m GAMES VILLAGE Description: 4 Bedroom terrace duplex with ample land space for BQ Games Village Location: Price: N55m GARKI Description: Newly built 14 Nos. fully serviced 3bedroom flat on 1,346sqm KVA transformer and 80m borehole Garki 2 by old CBN with certificate of occupancy Location: Price: N1Billion asking Description: 3 bedroom Terrace Duplex (renovated) Area 2 Section 2, Garki Location: Price: N60m Asking KATAMPE Description: 6 Units of 3bedroom flats carcass (Roofing Stage) on 963,63sqm residential with C of O Katampe Main Location: Price: N 70m UTAKO Description: 4 bedroom detached duplex Utako, Abuja Location: Price: N75m APO Description: A fully detached 3bedroom bungalow, 2room apartment with private convenience Bethel Estate, Lokogoma Location: Price: N30m Asking Description: Location: Price:

5 bedroom detached duplex with 2 room BQ Apo (Power House) N130m Asking

GUDU Description: Location: Price:

Newly built filling station with 10 pumps Gudu N650m

WUSE DISTRICT Description: A detached bungalow and one storey building on 1hectre Wuse zone 5, Abuja Location: Price: N450m Description: Location: Price:

5 Bedroom semi detached house Wuse Zone 6, Abuja N250m

Description: Location: Price:

A block of 4 Nos. 3bedroom flats with a 3bedroom bungalow Wuse 2 N260m

Description: Location: Price:

A 5 Bedroom Duplex, 2 living room and 2 room BQ in built with C of O Wuse Zone 4, Vacant and New N260m

Description: Location: Price:

5 Bedroom twin Duplex with BQ Wuse II, Abuja N400m

For enquiry and inspection, please contact undersigned numbers:

NICON PROPERTIES LIMITED 63, Accra Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

08067770999, 08033203414 Email: niconpropertiesltd@gmail.com www.niconpropertieslimited.com

SUNNY VALE ESTATE Description: 3Bedroom semi detached Location: Sunny Vale, Abuja Price: N25m GWARIMPA Description: Location: Price:

5Bedroom semi detached 3rd Avenue Gwarimpa, N65m

Description: Location: Price:

4Bedroom duplex, 2room Bq and gate house Garimpa N60m

KARU Description: Location: Price:

3bedroom Bungalow, 2 units of 1bedroom Bq with gate house FHA Phase 1 Karu, near Primus Specialist Hospital N20m

LAGOS Description: Location: Price:

Newly finished 5bedroom duplex (All en-suite) with Bq Osborne Estate, Lagos N200m

Description: Location: Price:

A new 4bedroom duplex (all en-suite) Magodo Estate, Lagos N70m

Description: Location: Price:

1.6hectre of land and A Ware-house on 25,000sqm with office Admin block, Generator House, Security hut and workers Canteen. 2 Dedicated Transformer, bore-hole and water treatment plant.

Amuwo Odofin, Industrial Estate, Lagos N1.2 Billion

Description: Location: Price:

2 wings of 5 bedroom duplexes, each with 2rooms BQ Eric Emmanuel Crescent, off Bode Thomas Street, Lagos N130m

LANDS FOR SALE Description: 3000sqm Commercial with C of O Location: Close to PDP Secretariat Wuse Zone 5 Price: N300m Description: 1500sqm Residential land Location: Opposite Sokoto State Governor Lodge Asokoro, Abuja Price: N200m Description: 1500sqm Residential land Location: Gwarinpa, Abuja Price: N35 Description: Location: Price:

2450.84sqm Residential land Gwarimpa N120m

Description: 1560.73sqm Residential land Location: Garki Price: N80m TO LET Description: Location: Price:

2 Blocks of 6 Nos. 2Bedroom flats Akin Olugbade, Street Victoria Island, Lagos N4.5m

Description: Location: Price:

2 blocks of 6 nos. 3 bedroom flats (12 flats) Akin Olugbade, Street Victoria Island, Lagos N5.5m

Description: Location: Price:

Fully furnished 6 bedroom detached house Katampe Diplomatic Extension N6m per annum

VARIOUS OFFICE SPACES TO LET 1. NIGERIA -REINSURANCE BUILDING CBD, ABUJA 2. NICON BUILDING 55 AKPAKPAVA STREET, BENIN 3. NICON PLAZA, CENTRAL BUSINESS AREA, ABUJA 4. NICON HOUSE, INDEPENDENT LAYOUT ENUGU 5. 118/120 Broad street Lagos 6. Marina Lagos 7. 1 Barracks Road, Calabar 8. F/14 Cathedral Drive Enugu

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Capital Market

SEC signs MoU with Capital Market Authority of Oman JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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he Securities and Exchange Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Capital Market authority of Oman on securities market development, oversight and regulation.

The signing of the bilateral MoU took place at Dubai during the recently concluded 30th Annual General Meeting of Africa and Middle East Regional Conference of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions.

A statement from the SEC yesterday explained that the MoU specifies the framework for bilateral co – operation and interface between the SEC Nigeria

and the Oman ’s regulator in matters relating to securities market development, oversight and regulation.

The statement stressed that the MoU formalises and raises the profile of co – operation for the effective development and operation of the capital markets of both countries.

“The signing consummates an opportunity provided for in International Organisation of Securities Commission ’s 38 principles of effective market regulation under its Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding and bilateral memoranda involving market jurisdictions within its fold.

“These principles have assumed canonical status as both sign – posts and guard posts in effective

market regulation across the globe, ” it said.

The statement quoted the Director General of the SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, as saying that the MoU speaks eloquently to the rising profile of both the Sultanate of Oman and the Gulf region as hub of global resource flows and investment destination.

She added that Nigeria is the epicentre of an economically resurgent Africa, saying that effective co – operation in regulatory matters between the Nigerian capital markets offers immense strategic possibilities for investors across the world.

She said, “The MoU will help in removing impediments in trade and investment traffic across our two market jurisdictions ”.

Oteh, who is also the the

Chairperson of AMERC had during the meeting in Dubai called on regulators to accelerate the adoption of risk-based supervision, noting that the risk-based securities market regulation model was a means of consolidating the growth experienced in the region.

She recalled that the rationale for the adoption of risk-based model resided in the weaknesses in the compliance-based supervision approach of old, which were highlighted by the recent market meltdown.

Oteh remarked that though the momentum of recovery appeared slow in some jurisdictions, most markets in the Africa and Middle East Region had recorded considerable and sustained recovery, adding that the renewed investor interest could only be sustained through application of objective and effective risk-based regulatory standards.

Source: NSE

Source: Afrinvest

Market indicators All-Share Index 10,786.4 points Market capitalisation 33.7 trillion

Equities gain 1.1% on earnings ’ expectation

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he benchmark index of equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange rose to the highest in more than four years yesterday, as investors speculated that quoted companies will post positive year-end earnings.

Specifically, the All Share Index rose by 1.12 per cent to close at 33,708.18 points, compared to the increase of 0.25 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 33,335.11 points.

Market capitalisation appreciated by N12bn to close at N10.8trn, higher than the rise of N2bn recorded the preceding day to close at N10.7trn.

An equity analyst at BGL Securities, Mr. Femi

Ademola, remarked that investors are expecting good results for the end of 2012, as banks may start reporting year-end earnings in the next few weeks will be very interesting.

Head of Investment Supervision of the Nigerian Pension Commission, Mr. Ehimeme Ohioma, had in November said that the country has increased equity investment limits for pension funds to 50 per cent from 25 per cent to help boost trading in the stock market.

Pension funds have N3trn of assets.

“Local pension funds seem to be shifting into equities and global investors -including

many first-time visitors to Lagos -- are interested in Nigerian assets, but without market over-excitement that would worry us, ” Charles Robertson, the Chief Economist at Renaissance Capital, told investors yesterday.

DN Meyer Plc led the 35 companies that added value to their stocks with 17 kobo or 9.50 per cent to close at N1.96 per share, followed by Nestle Nigeria Plc with N71.00 or 7.80 per cent to close at N981.00 per share.

Presco Plc rose by N1.65 or 6.80 per cent to close at N25.90 per share, while Prestige Insurance Plc gained six kobo or 5.94 per cent to close at N1.07 per share. Evans

Stock Updates Medicals Plc appreciated by seven kobo or five per cent to close at N1.47 per share.

On the flip side, Julius Berger Plc lost N5.99 or 9.98 per cent to close at N54.00 per share, while Royal Exchange Plc shed 10 kobo or 9.26 per cent to close at 98 kobo per share.

Wema Bank Plc dropped by 12 kobo or 9.09 per cent to close at N1.20 per share, while PZ Cussons Plc dipped by N3.25 or 8.07 per cent to close at N37.00 per share. Custodian Insurance Plc fell by 14 kobo or 6.67 per cent to close at N1.96 per share.

A total of 434.2 million shares valued at N4.35bn were traded in 7,293 deals.

Nestle posts N21bn prot in 2012, share price hits N981 JOHNSON OKANLAWON

N

estle Nigeria Plc has declared a profit after tax of N21.14bn for the financial year ended December 30, 2012, an increase of 28.1 per cent when compared to N16.5bn recorded in the same period of 2011.

The company ’s revenue rose by 19.1 per cent to N116.7bn, from N97.9bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2011, while cost of sales increased by 16 per cent to N66.5bn, from N57.4bn recorded in 2011.

According to the result presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, taxation stood at N3.91bn in the review period, from N1.70bn recorded in 2011, while the basic earnings per share stood at N26. 67 in 2012, from N20.81 in 2011.

Analysis of the company ’s balance sheet information showed net assets of N34.2bn in 2012, from N23.2bn recorded in 2011, while total liabilities rose by 0.5 per cent, from N54.5bn in 2011 to N54.8bn in 2011.

The company ’s inventories declined by 11.3 per cent to N8.78bn, from N9.90bn

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, February 21, 2013

in 2011, while total equity stood at N34.2bn in 2012, from N23.2bn in 2011.

Nestle shares rose by N71.00 or 7.80 per cent on the Exchange to close at N981.00 per share.

Nestle shares have risen more than 30 percent since the interim dividend was paid 10 weeks ago, on low volumes, to become the most expensive stock on the bourse on a per share basis.

The company, which is majority, owned by Swiss food firm Nestle SA, paid an interim dividend of N1.50 naira per share in December, raising hopes of a

healthy full-year payout.

It pays out around 90 per cent of its local profits as dividends, brokers say.

The proposed dividend was put at N18.50 translating into a 1.89 per cent dividend yield.

According to the Meristem Securities Limited, an investment firm, the company ’s shares has risen more than 30 per cent since the interim dividend was paid 10 weeks ago, on low volumes, to become the most expensive stock on the bourse on a per share basis, with an impressive return on average equity of 73.7 per cent.

GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

DNMEYER

1.79

1.96

0.17

% CHANGE 9.50

NESTLE

910.00

981.00

71.00

7.80

PRESCO

24.25

25.90

1.65

6.80

PRESTIGE

1.01

1.07

0.06

5.94

EVANSMED

1.40

1.47

0.07

5.00

CILEASING

0.60

0.63

0.03

5.00

FTNCOCOA

0.60

0.63

0.03

5.00

BETAGLAS

9.04

9.49

0.45

4.98

NB

162.00

169.99

7.99

4.93

CHAMPION

4.35

4.56

0.21

4.83

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

JBERGER

59.99

CLOSING 54.00

5.99

-9.98

ROYALEX

1.08

0.98

0.10

-9.26

WEMABANK

1.32

1.20

0.12

-9.09

PZ

40.25

37.00

3.25

-8.07

CUSTODYINS

2.10

1.96

0.14

-6.67

AIRSERVICE

5.76

5.45

0.31

-5.38

AGLEVENT

2.00

1.90

0.10

-5.00

BERGER

11.90

11.31

0.59

-4.96

VITAFOAM

3.65

3.47

0.18

-4.93

OKOMUOIL

60.99

58.00

2.99

-4.90

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N ’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

30,647.81

12.40

21-Feb-13

182 Days

20,000.00

15.30

21-Feb-13

364 -Days

85,000.00

15.55

21-Feb-13

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N ’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

358-Days

15,764.00

15.55

21-Feb-13

332-Days

33,948.00

15.37

21-Feb-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$120m

N/A

$120m

20-Feb-13

$120m

N/A

$120m

18-Feb-13

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Thursday, February 21, 2013

43

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at February 20, 2013 1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

1st Tier Securities 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)

44

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Exhibition at the centre

Cross section of the students celebrate

‘Movies, social media are destroying our youth’ LEONARD OKACHIE

T

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

he movie industry and social media are fast destroying Nigerian youth and except urgent measures are taking to curb these the nation will be in a deep mess in the near future.

National Director for CAPRO Missions South Africa, Mr. Sam Kputu raised the alarm recently as guest speaker at Rhoda Youth Centre’s annual programme tagged “The Journey So Far.” The event which held on this year’s Valentine’s Day at its premises at Somolade Estate Ikorodu, brought together a large number of youth, students of the centre, parents, government officials, friends and well wishers.

However, Mr. Kputu in his presentation entitled, “Skills acquisition: Solution to youth unemployment” said : “The Nollywood industry is making money for actors but it is diminishing the potential of our youth. The social media is also destroying our youth.”

He explained that majority of the youth spend much of their time on what is happening in the entertainment industry without thinking of how to develop or acquire skills.

He also lamented that a good number of them waste their time on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites even as he added that the social media has caused more harm than good to

these youth in recent time.

The missionary equally blamed parents putting pressure on their children in the choice of career, stressing “sometimes we get our young ones to get certified without being skilled.”

“One obvious contradiction in our efforts at manpower development and poverty alleviation is the massive building of schools rather than skills. There is a general misconception that if only we gave men and women certificates, we would have equipped and empowered them for work and life. How mistaken. Schools can give certificates, but only skills can give empowerment,” Kputu hinted.

Kputu said that youth unemployment is a global crisis, noting that Nigeria with over 60 per cent of youth population has 24 per cent unemployment rate.

He enumerated the economic crisis and consequences of unemployment to include youth restiveness, increased crime rate, low productivity and burden on national economy. He however identified skills acquisition and vocational training as key solution.

Earlier in her address, the Director, Rhoda Youth Centre, Mrs. Tosan Erogbogbo said the excees of the programme was give parents, supporters and the community feedback on what they have been able to do in the past one year.

She said there are 50 students currently at the centre and has turned out over 200 since inception in various departments

such as music, Information Technology, general arts, agriculture and farming, general beads making, camera handling/ video editing, shoe and bag making, and entrepreneurship.

Mrs. Erogbogbo said their aim is to see youth becoming self-reliant and be able to fend for themselves and be the leaders of tomorrow.

She said their major problem is funding and getting youth to stay committed in their training, saying “We will like to be better equipped and funder to get our youth back in focus and the society moving forward. I want to use this medium as a wake-up call to all well-meaning Nigerians to join hands with us at Rhoda to make Nigerian youth and Nigeria a better place for all.”

Interestingly, the event witness a documentary on the achievements of the centre in various departments after which the students took turn to showcase their works in the centre to friends, family and visitors who graced the occasion.

An all-glossy school magazine that contains beautiful pictures and stories of events at the centre was also launched.

The music department and the drama group proved to their guests that the centre has bundle of talents as they entertained.

Highlight of the occasion was the unveiling of Rhoda Youth Ambassadors.

And the following were honoured as the ambassadors for their contributions to the growth of the centre and youth generally: Princess Mosumola Sofola (Chairpersonm Kososfe Local Governemt, Lagos), Rev. Francis Oleghe (Senior Partner of F.O Oleghe &Co), Ms Fiona Whitty (Film maker and artist from Ireland), Mrs. Kehinde Okeowo(Community Extention worker/ Community Health Officer with the Local Governement Service Commission), and Dr. Adetunji Haastrup(President, Human Resources Development Institute and Global Leaders International).

Speaking to Young & Next Generation, Mrs. Mosumola described the programme as a great achievement success, adding “It is a great thing coming from an individual or a couple because what they are doing in this centre, some organisations have not been able to do it. They are taking youth off the street. Those who probably cannot go back to school for one reason or the other they have given them a place of succour so that they can learn a work and be able to take care of their people”.

The founder, Mr. Rotimi Erogbogbo who was full of gratitude for the successs of the programme, explained that Rhoda Youth centre waqs conceived in April 2006, purposely to work towards a society where young men and women are empowered to develop their potentials, creativity and skills as productive and dynamic members of their societies.

“Our challenge majorly is fund to sustain the project. We will need partners, organisations who will like to support the project,”Erogbogbo appealed.

SCIENCE FOR KIDS

T

hey aren't trying to wake you up. Male birds - and it is almost always the guys - break into song at dawn because it is the best time to warn other males to stay off their turf and away from their mates.

That is what Canadian researchers have discovered after analyzing the acoustics of what they call the dawn chorus.

Most birds do their singing in the early morning, and in most species the male is the vocalist, says Paul Handford, an evolutionary biologist at the Univer-

Scientists discover why birds sing early morning sity of Western Ontario.

Researchers have known for some time that male birds don't sing for the joy of it, but to warn other males to stay off their real estate and away from their partner.

Each species has its own song or songs. Individual birds perform their own signature versions, with slight variations in tone or pitch that identify them to their neighbours. It is a little

like calling out their name, over and over again.

"It is a very important thing; it is a daily advertisement of their continuing tenure, their presence," Handford said.

The theory about why birds sing in the morning has to do with the fact that there is generally less heat and wind, factors in atmospheric turbulence, at that time. Researchers thought that would mean that their

songs would travel farther.

Handford and his colleague Timothy Brown decided to test that theory by playing recordings of a white-throated sparrow and a song sparrow at both dawn and midday, and then measuring their strength and quality at various distances. They conducted the experiment in open grassland and in the forest.

They found the songs didn't carry farther in the morning,

but were much more consistent. Think about an afternoon at a lake, when the sound from a neighbor's radio drifts in and out as the winds shift.

"That is the kind of thing birds are facing," Handford said.

It is very important for the males to get their message out, and it takes a lot of energy, he said. Any variability in the signal quality could lead to doubt as to the identity of the singer. Singing in the morning leads to a more consistent signal.

Scripps Howard News Service

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Young & Next Generation

45

Our youths should be wary of new European law –Elder Ebule Many Nigerians especially the youth have been confined in various prisons in Europe for violating immigration laws. For this reason, The President of Goodwill Homage Foundation, Netherlands, Elder Josha Ebule is in the country to sensitise them on the new law regarding travelling to Europe. He speaks to LEONARD OKACHIE on the project. Excerpts What does your project do?

Goodwill Homage Foundation is a broad organisation that deals with social integration, education and information in the Netherlands.We are in Nigeria with the project that has been signed by the European Union and Dutch Ministry of Justice in order to sensitise Nigerians on the present situation of law on what it means for intending travellers to European states, in terms of immigration in the Netherlands or the European states.

What does the present law say?

There are various laws depending on which law you are talking about. Why I am here on this project is on issues that have to do with immigration and intending travellers to European Union. There have been problems with people understanding how to acquire proper visas and it has caused a lot of impediments with regards to refusing proper people genuine travellers. So I am here basically on the sponsorship of European Union and the Ministry of Justice to sensitise with the grassroots Nigerians on the law that governs if you want to stay in the Netherlands or any of the European states longer than the period required. There is a law now that says if you are in the Netherlands intending to stay apart from visiting and family re-union that you must get those papers properly rectified here in Nigeria. If you are in the Netherland for example without proper documentation that allowed you to process here from Nigeria, from your home base, if you get to the Netherlands they term you as a criminal. So what I am here to do is to curtail that instance where for whatever reason you find yourself already there and cannot be able to get back to Nigeria.

So the law changed in two segments: If you are leaving Nigeria for a visit you get a visiting book. If you are leaving Nigeria for any sort of family re-union you get that as well. But if you are leaving Nigeria to go and stay longer in the Netherlands, then you have to do a test which will enable you to get the NBB from Abuja and when you get to the Netherlands you can process your paper. But anything short of that you will be regarded as a criminal in the European Union states.

Has the law taken effect?

Yes, it has started since the 1st of January, 2013.

Has any Nigerian been affected in terms of violation?

Nigerians already violated the law because we have 600,000- 700,000 Nigerians who are outside this country who have been confined because of this law. For one reason or the other they cannot be able to come back to Nigeria except they offer themselves to NGOs like Goodwill Homage Foundation who will help them return back to Nigeria and resettle them. My coming back to Nigeria is to sensitise parents, families, communities, traditional rulers. We need ideas, that there is no need selling land and selling people out for second exile because we are not sure when they will be coming back home. It is not about how many Nigerians have been affected; it is how can those affected gather the courage to get back home? The issue now is that there is a number of Nigerians who are stuck because of this law.

Now you cannot just say I want to go home because the law has taken effect. You can only volunteer yourself into an NGO who help you return home with dignity.

It is no more possible to get a white woman who will help you regularise your paper because you have to come back to Nigeria. Once you are in Holland or Germany or Belgium already before this law you are regarded as having overstayed. In the essence that opportunity of getting that regularisation with a white woman who will like to help you stay there has now been forfeited.

So a whole lot of Nigerians are affected and that is why the European Union is investing in this project because their jails are becoming overpowered. If you are caught now you go to jail not as an illegal but as a criminal. After the jail you are deported back home. There is no easy way in explaining this. People are going through things even as we speak but it is quite difficult for you to understand that people left Nigeria and their parents or guardians are thinking that they are doing well. Basically some of them are in jail. They have confined some of them for years and the story is always that they are coming back but they are not coming quite soon. Those are the factors that motivated me to key into various projects.

I started working with the police as an African intermediary. I work with Dutch police on various segments, in dialoguing with various stakeholders of migrants in order to bring sense into all the issues that confront those who have come because people will come in there and they will say, “They didn’t tell me. They didn’t tell us this is the way it is. I paid so much money; my mother paid so much money.”And we are talking how do we get out of this? That was what empowered this project. It took from one step tom the other to get to where we are now. We now speak for both sides. We speak for the African segment and we speak for the Dutch as well.

How is this affecting the youth especially?

I believe that the youth should be target group but the problem lies in the segment of family. If somebody loses his job the next thing he is thinking about is travelling out. So, it is no longer a youth thing, it is national thing. It is not just about the youth it about the idea that people must do it right. You cannot compare Nigeria to any African country. I have organised seminars, programmes in various African countries and I have been to their summits and I have seen Nigeria stand out all the time. And that is what I want our youth to key into. If we could use every media to let the youth explore what talent they have, be innovative in their mind, or probably they will come to Europe as visitors on enhancement, not to stay there and run away and become slaves. People stay at home, they are afraid to come outside even to buy a tele-

Ebule

phone card because police is at random controlling them.

We encourage people to travel out genuinely, not trekking from here and stay four years in Morrocco, three years in Senegal etc . Before you will cross to Europe you have become a piece of wool.

The youth should know that it is not about going after an older woman of about 60 to 70 years in order to regularise your paper. It doesn’t solve the problem anymore.

That was what brought about this law because after a period of three to four years you get to leave the woman when your papers are regularised. So these women now are all galvanizing themselves together and bringing it to the authorities “these guys are not marrying us for the fun that they love us. They are only using us.

So close those windows of opportunity. If they have to marry us they have to get back to Nigeria.” Before you get your paper now you are talking about 10 years after you have passed the exams here in Nigeria. During our time we got it two years after we got married. They were begging us to take the Dutch nationality because they needed people.

But now before you can get your residence card you have to stay 10 years. By the time a woman who is 60 stays with you for 10 years what is left of you?

46

Media

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Educational TV tied to fewer behaviour problems in kids –Study

U

pping the educational value of what young children watch on television and choosing to avoid violenceprone programming may help improve their behaviour, according to a U.S. study that looked at several hundred preschoolers.

It can be hard to encourage families of preschoolers to turn off the television, but there are plenty of high-quality shows that promote learning and positive relationships rather than violence, researchers wrote in Pediatrics. ``Although clearly kids watch too much, equally concerning is that they watch poor quality shows,’’ said lead researcher Dimitri Christakis, from the University of Washington in Seattle.

His initial survey of parents of three- to five-year-old children showed the children often watched everything from aggression-laden cartoons to fulllength violent movies thatare ``totally inappropriate,’’ Christakis told Reuters Health.

For their study, he and his colleagues randomly split 565 preschools into two groups.

In one group, parents recorded notes about the children's normal TV viewing, without receiving any guidelines to reduce or change those habits.

In the other group, researchers made visits and calls and sent monthly newsletters encouraging parents to replace violent TV with educational programming including specific programme schedules and recommended shows, such as Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer and Curious George.

"It's not just about reducing the exposure to on-screen violence, it's about promoting pro-social programming,’’ Christakis said.

"We're actually showing them examples of good behaviour, of how to cooperate, how to share.’’

After six and 12 months, parents reported their children's angry, aggressive or anxious behaviour on a questionnaire.

At both time points, children in the TV intervention group had slightly fewer problemsthan those in the comparison group.Low-income boys seemed to benefit most from the change in programming. ``The point is, this is something that is as effective as other things we do to try tomodify behaviour in children, and it's fairly simple,’’ Christakis said.

But other researchers said that not all studies have shown violent programming leads to aggression and behavioural problems, and that the new study doesn't shut the door on that question.

Another study published in Pediatrics found that the more television that children and teens watched, the more likely they were to have a criminal conviction or be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder by age 26.

Researchers led by Lindsay Robertson from the Dunedin School of Medicine in New Zealand said children may imitate or internalise violence they see or that more time in front of the television could simply mean less interaction with peers and families, and worse performance in school.

However, it was unclear from that study whether the television watching itself caused the problems.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children watch no more than one to two hours of high-quality programming each day, and researchers agreed that parents should be mindful of exactly what their children are watching.

"It's not just about turning the TV off, it's about changing the channel,’’ Christakis said.

L-R: Special Assistant, Legal and Council Matters, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Ebere Nwankpa; Managing Director, Multilinks, Mr. Dem Eleso and journalist, Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi, at the Open Government and Social Media session of the Social Media Week Lagos.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Social Media Week: Experts discuss sustainable development STORIES: LEONARD OKACHIE

A

s part of activities marking the 2013 Social Media Week holding in Lagos for the first time, ThistlePraxis Consulting is organising an event on Sustainable Development on the theme: 'Open yet Unconnected? Social Media for Sustainable Development'.

The 90-minute event which is scheduled for Friday 22, 2013 at the PEGs Learning Hub, Odunlami Street, Lagos, Island, Lagos, will feature a panel discussion of experts drawn from various parts of the world - linked by social media - to review the role of social media in connecting individuals across the world in order to foster the promotion and attainment of widespread sustainable development. Amongst other issues, how our increasing interconnectedness across the globe aids learning opportunities and influence on conservation of natural resources, protection of the environment and growth of businesses will be critically reviewed.

Confirmed expert panelists include: Martin Neureiter, CEO,

IPI tasks journalists on thorough research

T

he International Press Institute (IPI), on Tuesday urged journalists to intensify efforts in carrying out thorough research on issues, in order to develop their investigative reporting abilities.

The IPI Press Freedom Manager, Miss Barbara Trionfi, disclosed this while delivering a lecture at the ongoing IPI media seminar, in Lagos.

The seminar, which is in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), was entitled: ``Journalism Practice in a Developing Economy’’.

Trionfi charged every practicing journalist to put in extra effort to make the

much needed breakthrough in his or her chosen profession.

She said that painstaking investigation would make every story stay in a class of its own.

According to her, the search for investigative ideas is unending as they can come from anywhere.

She urged journalists to avoid discarding tips without screening them, as any of them could turn out to be the kernel of a story.

Trionfi noted that listening to regular sources was also critical in developing a flair for investigative journalism.

"For general and beat journalists, de-

The CSR Company, Austria; Aman Singh, Editorial Director, CSR Wire, USA; Ini Onuk, CEO/ Lead Consultant, ThistlePraxis Consulting, Nigeria and Dr. Ken Amaeshi, Director, Sustainable Business Institute, Edinburgh Business School, United Kingdom. Other local participants include: Ms. ‘Dayo George, Head, CSR and Communications, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Ms. ‘Lola Odedina, General Manager, Corporate Communications & External Relations, GTBank whom will discuss the role of social media in enhancing the practice of social responsibility especially in effective stakeholder engagement.

Registrations are still open for physical attendance with limited seats available at the venue.

Participants will comprise business leaders, executives, academics, social agents and other stakeholders who will be present at the venue and tuned in via the internet. The event will be streamed live online whilst conversations will be featured using the official twitter hashtag #smwSustainableDevelopment.

In a statement released by the

veloping regular sources is necessary.

They need to leave the office, meet sources face-to-face, and listen to conversations in elevators and restrooms.They also need to cover government meetings that no other investigator attends.And for freelance investigators, who jump from topic to topic, regular sources are likely to be friends or social acquaintances. ``Every person an investigator meets knows something the investigator does not and therefore, is a potential source,” the IPI Press Freedom Manager said.

According to her, the best investigators also read local and national newspapers every day, watch television news, listen to radio and look at a range of magazines.

organizers, the Lead Consultant/CEO; Ini Onuk noted that, ‘we believe that participants will find the conversations stimulating and the intellectual company very rewarding. This is our offering to lend our voices to make the 2013 Social Media Week a success as it is held in Africa for the first time’.

Amongst other outcomes, the event seeks to engage professionals in pragmatic discussions about how social media is practically influencing the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability in the world, with a focus on Africa.

Other conversation drivers will border on how Social Media can be used to inform and mobilize people to care for the environment and show greater commitment and responsibility. The role of Social Media in the attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDGs) will also form a major objective of the event.

Social Media Week is a worldwide event exploring the social, cultural and economic impact of social media with a mission is to help people and organizations connect through collaboration, learning and the sharing of ideas and information.

Hosted in 13 cities across the world simultaneously, the event features over 30,000 people participating in 1,000 events over 5 days.

February 2013 will mark the first time Social Media Week takes place on the continent of Africa!

Social Media Week Lagos brings together thought leaders, creative entrepreneurs and everyday citizens from Nigeria - and throughout the continent and the Diaspora - to explore how people and organizations are connecting to share new ideas and information.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Media

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Champion award, a clarion call –Minister STORIES: LEONARD OKACHIE

T

he Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah OON, has described her Champion Man of the Year award as a tonic to pursue even more vigorously the mandate of President Goodluck Jonathan, to revolutionise the country’s aviation industry and make it safer, in accordance with prescribed international standards and practices.

The minister said this Tuesday night during her acceptance speech as Champion Man of the Year 2012, which held at Sheraton Hotels &Towers, Ikeja.

She said she was humbled and short of words to say how profoundly grateful she was to the entire Champion family for identifying with her and her little efforts in transforming the aviation industry in Nigeria.

Princess Oduah explained that she had always been hesitant to accept awards not only from the media, but also from numerous other groups and bodies within and outside the shores of the country, adding, “The reason for this is simple. I hold the strong belief that I do not need to be given any award or honour simply for doing my job. I think as Aviation Minister, everything I am doing, and everything I am going to do going forward, is within the normal brief of an Aviation Minister. So I don’t feel I am doing anything extra-ordinary. This principally accounts for why, up till this moment, I have turned down several Awards, with all due respect to the groups and organizations that had considered me in the past.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman of Champion Newspapers Limited, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR, said that

Princess Oduah was selected for the award because she demonstrated courage in the face of serious obstacles to develop the ruins that was once the air transport industry.

Iwuanyanwu pointed that the Award has not been given based on any political, ethnic or other base considerations or with intent to boost the ego of the award recipient, but with the highest sense of responsibility, is based on the need to recognise and reward excellence wherever it is found.

He continued: “The Newspapers’ Board of Senior Editors after often rigorous process of screening long lists of nominees identified the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State as the first and second Award recipients. They have gone ahead also painstakingly narrow down to Princess Stella Oduah as the distinguished recipient for 2012, the first time a woman is winning the coveted Award.

“Their verdict is that Princess Oduah has, within 18 short months, performed superlatively and is still tirelessly and courageously pressing forward with great plans that would totally transform the Aviation sector to world standards.”

However, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe has given solutions on how Nigeria can produce great leaders and be among the 20 best economies in the world.

Prof. Ibidapo-Obe who made presentation on the topic: “Value-Driven Leadership as Key to National Development” said the country needs a leader that has vision and imagination, even as he regretted that the major problem dividing the country

from greatness is that things are not done on merit.

The guest speaker stated : “Great Leaders become great by finding substance in adversityin traumatic and unplanned crucible experiences and then transforming those experiences into improved performance.

“Nelson Mandela (apartheid in South Africa) and Lady Teresa (poverty in Calcutta, India) are Great Leaders. The challenge of Great Leadership is to create and nurture leaders who have the same vigour and enthusiasm as Mandela and Lady Teresa.

“Leadership is important for organization, group or national progress and development. It is “good leadership” that can make a difference. An organization, group or nation is as good as its leadership is. If the leadership is deficient, the organization or nation is likely to be equally deficient. “Good leadership is necessary for sustainable development. The promise in this regard is that with good leadership, the fortunes of Nigeria and Africa can be turned around for good.”

The colourful occasion which was chaired by the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi was graced by numerous stakeholders from the aviation sector, media chiefs, captains of industry, political leaders, royal fathers.

Some of them included, the Honourable Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Edem Duke; the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on InterParty Affairs, Senator Ben Obi; Chairman of Zinox Technologies Limited, Chief Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of IRS Airline, Alhaji Ishaka Rabiu; Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi; President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye.

L-R: Manager News, Unique FM, Mr. Oyebode Oyeleye, Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye Tomori and General Manager of the station, Mr. Kayode Adedire after an interactive session with the Deputy Governor on Unique FM, Ara Station in Ilesa

47

Media Abroad

Pistorius family criticise media for sensational reports

T

he family of Oscar Pistorius have criticised the media for sensationalist coverage of the murder case against him.

Henke Pistorius, 59, the South African Olympic and Paralympic star's father, said he was "very disappointed" by weekend press reports that a blood-stained cricket bat was a vital piece of evidence in the killing of the athlete's girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.

"I'm disappointed in the integrity of some of the newspapers," Henke told the Guardian.

Asked if he found the media reports sensationalist, he replied: "Of course. That's their job. They want to sell newspapers."

British newspapers have not escaped criticism for their coverage of the case, with the Sun's front page – featuring a

big picture of Steenkamp in a bikini – prompting hundreds of complaints, including from the former deputy prime minister, Lord Prescott.

Pistorius repeatedly broke down in tears in a Pretoria court last Friday. His father and brother, Carl, were sitting behind him and leaned forward at different times to put comforting hands on his back. His sister, Aimee was also present.

Pistorius, 26, has been held in a police cell since 29-yearold Steenkamp was found shot dead at the athlete's home last Thursday. Police reportedly check on him hourly.

Pistorius's family deny he committed murder, though they have not addressed whether he shot her. South African media reports suggest that Pistorius claims he mistook her for an intruder in his home.

Henke Pistorius reaches out to his son Oscar at Pretoria magistrate's court, South Africa.

PHOTO: EPA

Safety of journalists draws international mission to Mexico

M

exican government's measures to ensure greater safety of journalists, along with strategies adopted by media and journalists to continue reporting from highly dangerous parts of the country were examined last week by a delegation from the International Press Institute (IPI) and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

The delegation met with a wide variety of interested actors including federal, state, and intergovernmental officials; journalists and publishers; foreign diplomats and representatives of civil society groups in Mexico City.

The delegation, which visited Mexico from February 10 – 13, also looked into other issues challenging independent media reporting, such as media dependence on government advertising and concentration of ownership in the broadcasting sector.

"The problems here are hor-

rendous," said delegation leader, Roger Parkinson - past president of WAN-IFRA, former publisher, CEO and chairman of Canada's Globe & Mail, and a member of IPI. "Significant parts of the country are not controlled by the state, but by narcotic traffickers and organised crime, who torture and kill journalists and intimidate newspapers into self-censorship."

He added: "The federal government has made progress in modifying the Constitution, changing the legal structure to prosecute killers and installing a mechanism to protect journalists. But real progress will only be when killers are put behind bars."

IPI Press Freedom Manager, Barbara Trionfi said: "For the past six years, Mexico has been among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. Therefore, journalists' safety was the core concern of the IPI/WAN-IFRA press freedom mission.

Cocktail

48

x

Thursday, February 21, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (100) “Never fail to learn from your failures, large or small.

The most instructive experiences in my life have not been my successes; they’ve been my stumbles.”

–Tom Brokaw * * * Failure Is A Teacher Of The Wise He that is afraid of failure may not taste success. We can fail and stumble, but once we have resolved never to stop trying, we will one day stand on the ground of success.

Nature has many lessons to teach us. Why is it that the rose has a thorny stem? Why is it that most trees have their fruits on their extremity? Why is it that certain plant has their yield inside the ground? The simple truth is this: we must labour to enter into favour. We must move against the tide to reign in life.

We have so much to learn from our failures than our successes. To those who accept this perspective and walk, work and war by it, they will keep celebrating victories out of the failures of life.

TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

$28 350 bottle of rum $28,350 saved for special VIP

A

Swedish hotel owner said he won’t open the $28,350 bottle of rum he bought at an auction until he welcomes a guest on the level of President Barack Obama.

Georg Moller, who owns a stake in the Domle Herrgard hotel in rural Varmland County, said his pricey bottle of rum, which he bought during the weekend

at a wine and spirits auction, was created by master brewer, John Georges at Angostura distillers on the Caribbean island of Trinidad to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the island’s independence, local media reported Tuesday.

Moller said the bottle will be strictly for display until the hotel has an occasion worthy of opening it in celebration.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

American delivers two sets of identical twins on Val’s day

A

Texas mother had a one-in-70-million kind of Valentine’s Day this year when she gave birth to two sets of identical twin boys, a Houston hospital announced on Monday.

The four brothers were delivered at 31 weeks to Tressa Montalvo, 36, via Cesarean section at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas in Houston, according to a news release from the hospital.

Tressa and Manuel Montalvo Jr. were not using any fertility drugs and had just hoped for a little brother or sister for their 2-year-old son, Memphis, accordingtotherelease.

“We planned the pregnancy - I guess we just succeeded a little too much!” said Tressa Montalvo, quoted in the release.

When Montalvo was 10 weeks pregnant, her physician told her she was having twins, and on a subsequent visit, the doctor detected a third heartbeat.

The Montalvos were later

informed they were having four babies - not quadruplets but two sets of twins.

The odds of delivering two sets of naturally occurring identical twins is somewhere in the range of 1 in 70 million, according to the hospital. Two boys shared one placenta and the two other boys shared

The two sets of twins.

another placenta.

Ace and Blaine were born at 8:51 a.m. on February 14 and weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces (1.64 kg), and 3 pounds, 15 ounces (1.79 kg), respectively. Cash and Dylan followed a minute later, weighing 2 pounds, 15 ounces (1.33 kg), and 3 pounds, 6

ounces (1.53 kg), respectively.

“We tried to stick to the A-B-C-D theme when naming them,” Tressa Montalvo said.

“We didn’t expect it, we were trying for just one and we were blessed with four.”

Manuel Montalvo said in the release that they’re not done yet - he still wants a girl.

PHOTO: NEWS HOUSTON

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

World News

Italy’s election: ‘Berlusconi trying to buy votes with tax letters’

50

PAUL ARHEWE, WITH AGENCY REPORTS

W

est Africa’s experts met in Accra, Ghana yesterday in the latest effort to jump-start the stalled Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union (EU).

The meeting is coming nearly a year after the ten-year long negotiations were suspended over some contentious issues including market size and duration of market access, as well as the EPA Development Programme (EPADP) to enable West Africa cope with the cost of adjusting to the impending trade regime.

While the region is calling for the injection of initial 9.5 billion Euros in fresh funds to finance projects under the EPADP, the EU is insisting that the projects be funded from existing European Development Fund (EDF), which totals 6.25 billion Euros along with other forms of aids and grants to the region.

The last negotiations between the two regions were held on April 2012, five months after the last meeting of the West Africa’s Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) which coordinates the negotiations.

In the intervening period, West Africa has undertaken various

“Prison authorities want to give prisoners facing execution a chance to live. We are in no hurry to hang anyone. It is our wish and hope that they get a reprieve” –ZIMBABWE’S PRISON OFFICER, HUGGINS MACHINGAUTA

West Africa moves to revive economic pact with EU

ECOWAS leaders meeting in an extra ordinary session to discuss the crisis in Guinea Bissau and Mali, in Abuja last year.

activities in compliance with the directives of the last MMC including briefing the ECOWAS Parliament which has followed up with its EU counterpart as part of effort to narrow the gaps and bring the negotiations back on track.

This is based on the premise that most of the technical issues in the negotiations have been resolved and further progress will require political intervention.

The negotiations are being held

within the framework of establishing a World Trade Organization WTO-compliant trade regime between the EU and the 157 African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, to replace preceding Conventions that have guided trade relations between them.

Some 64 experts, four from each ECOWAS Member State and Mauritania, are attending the three-day meeting which will make proposals to narrow the

gap with the EU which is asking for a 70-per cent market access, against West Africa’s position of a 60 per cent market opening over 25 years, while the remaining 40 per cent will be closed during the period to protect its industries.

The region argues that protecting its industries, which cannot survive the onslaught of EU produced goods, is critical to its industrial survival in an increasingly globalised economy.

Tunisia begins search for new PM amid political crisis

T

unisian leaders began the search for a new prime minister yesterday to try to lead the North African nation out of its gravest political crisis since an uprising that inspired a wave of Arab revolts two years ago.

Rached Ghannouchi, the pow-

erful head of the main Islamist Ennahda party, said the group had not named anyone to replace Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, who resigned on Tuesday, but that he expected a new government to emerge this week.

“We need a coalition government with several political par-

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (R) speaking with Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali as they meet in Tunis on Tuesday.

PHOTO: REUTERS

ties and technocrats,” Ghannouchi told reporters after talks with secular President Moncef Marzouki.

Jebali quit after his plan for an apolitical technocrat cabinet to prepare for elections failed.

He had proposed it after the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid on February 6 shocked Tunisia and widened Islamist-secular rifts.

Eventually it was Jebali’s own Ennahda party that scuppered the idea, extending a political impasse that has cast a shadow over Tunisia’s fledgling democracy and ailing economy.

Tunisia began a transition to democracy after the peaceful overthrow of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011, electing a National Constituent Assembly to write a new constitution, and then forging a deal under which the moderate

Ennahda agreed to share power with its secular rivals.

But disputes have delayed the constitution and the failure to tackle unemployment and poverty in a country that relies on tourism has dismayed many Tunisians and led to frequent unrest.

“Today I cannot send a message of reassurance to investors abroad because local investors in Tunisia are not reassured and the outlook is not entirely clear,” said Wided Bouchamaoui, president of Tunisia’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Negotiations on a $1.78 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund cannot be concluded amid the latest uncertainty.

“Once a new government is named, we will inquire about its intentions/mandate. Once the political situation is clarified, we’ll assess how best to help Tunisia,” an IMF spokeswoman said.

WORLD BULLETIN

Non-stop shouting heard in Pistorius home –Witness

A witness heard “non-stop shouting” coming from the home of Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius shortly before his girlfriend was shot dead, the lead detective in the murder investigation said during the second day of his bail hearing.

Warrant officer Hilton Botha also told the Pretoria magistrate’s court yesterday that Pistorius’ girlfriend, model and law graduate, Reeva Steenkamp, was hit by three bullets, in the head, elbow and hip.

Pistorius, a double amputee known as the “Blade Runner”, broke down in tears as Botha presented his testimony. The day ended with the bail hearing being adjourned until Thursday morning.

The shooting has stunned South Africa and the millions around the world who saw the track glory of the athlete, who had no lower legs, as an inspiring tale of triumph over adversity.

Gbagbo being made a scapegoat –Defence

A lawyer for former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo told International Criminal Court judges yesterday that prosecutors are making him a “scapegoat” for deadly violence that erupted after his country’s disputed 2010 elections.

Gbagbo’s lawyer, Emmanuel Altit claimed at a crucial pre-trial hearing that prosecutors are focused solely on one side of the post-election violence and ignoring the role of his rival, current President Alassane Ouattara.

Altit’s claim reflects concerns voiced by human rights groups that the fact the court has only publicly indicted Gbagbo and his wife could fuel a perception that it is meting out victor’s justice.

Prosecutors say they are conducting an impartial investigation of both sides of the conflict that left some 3,000 people dead and shattered Ivory Coast’s reputation as a beacon of democracy in West Africa.

Kenya’s Chief Justice threatened over Kenyatta case

Kenya’s Chief Justice Willy Mutunga says he has been threatened with “dire consequences” if the courts barred presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta from contesting next month’s election.

Mr Mutunga said he had received a “poison-pen letter” from an outlawed group “extolling” violence.

On Friday, the High Court ruled that it did not have the power to annul Mr Kenyatta’s candidacy.

He is due to be tried at The Hague for crimes against humanity.

The case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) stems from allegations that Mr Kenyatta fuelled violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential election.

50

World News

WORLD BULLETIN

US General Allen to retire, rejects NATO commander post US General John Allen has decided to retire rather than proceed with his nomination as the NATO supreme allied commander, Barack Obama, the US president, has said.

“I wish him and his family the very best as they begin this new chapter, and we will carry forward the extraordinary work that General Allen led in Afghanistan,” Obama said in a statement on Tuesday.

Obama praised the general’s performance in Afghanistan, where he oversaw the start of the withdrawal from America’s longest war.

“John Allen is one of America’s finest military leaders, a true patriot, and a man I have come to respect greatly,” Obama said after meeting the general earlier in the day.

General Allen, the former commander of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, was investigated for alleged inappropriate communication with a Florida socialite at the centre of a scandal involving former CIA Director David Petraeus, who was forced to resign in November last year.

He was cleared of misconduct by Pentagon investigators over emails he sent to the woman, who knew Allen when he served as the numbertwo officer at the US military’s Tampa-based Central Command from July 2008 to June 2011.

China condemns US hacking report China’s military says a report linking it to prolific hacking of US targets is flawed.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the report lacked “technical proof” when it used IP addresses to link hacking to a military unit.

The report identified a Shanghai high-rise used by the military as the likely home of a hackers to whom it attributed multiple attacks on US companies.

The US says it has repeatedly raised concerns with China about cyber theft.

The Chinese ministry statement, posted on its website, said that many hacking attacks were carried out using hijacked IP addresses.

The scale of the Chinese hacking alleged by the computer security firm Mandiant is striking.

20 killed in air raid near Syrian capital

An air raid on a suburb of the Syrian capital killed at least 20 people and two mortars exploded next to a soccer stadium in the heart of Damascus killing one player as violence moved closer to the heart of President Bashar Assad’s seat of power.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the raid on Hamouriyeh killed 20 and other people were feared buried under debris. Another activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, put the death toll higher, saying up to 35 were killed and dozens more were wounded.

Damascus has largely been spared the violence that has left other cities in ruins, but in recent weeks, rebels who established footholds in the Damascus suburbs have clashed with government forces, moving from the east and south into the centre of the capital.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Italy’s election: ‘Berlusconi trying to buy votes with tax letters’

S

ilvio Berlusconi is trying to buy votes in Italy’s election on Sunday by sending out letters promising a tax rebate, his rivals have alleged.

Centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani labelled it a “scam”, while the leader of a smaller party accused Mr Berlusconi of committing a crime.

The letter was sent to voters in swing regions of Italy.

It vows to scrap the unpopular property tax brought in under exPrime Minister Mario Monti and pay voters back.

Mr Berlusconi had already made the pledge on the campaign trail, but putting it in a letter to voters outraged his opponents.

“If I’d crossed paths with Berlusconi after the letter was sent, I’d have told him he’s a cheat,” said Mr Bersani, whose long-time lead in the polls has been gradually cut back by Mr Berlusconi.

Former anti-mafia prosecutor Antonio Ingroia, who leads new left-wing Civic Revolution party, said on his website: “With the letter sent to Italians promis-

Berlusconi

ing money in exchange for votes, Berlusconi has committed one crime, possibly two.”

He called for Mr Berlusconi to be prosecuted.

The letter came in an officiallooking envelope, headed: “Important notice: reimbursement

of IMU 2012.”

“The refund will be available either through a transfer into your bank account, or to you personally at the counter of the post office,” the letter said, according to Reuters.

It was sent to millions of

Bulgarian govt resigns amid growing protests

B

ulgaria’s government resigned yesterday after mass protests against high power prices and falling living standards, joining a long list of European administrations felled by austerity during four years of debt crisis.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, an ex-bodyguard who took power in 2009 on pledges to root out graft and raise incomes in the European Union’s poorest member, faces a tough task of propping up eroding support ahead of an expected early election.

Wage and pension freezes and tax hikes have bitten deep in a country where earnings are less than half the EU average and tens of thousands of Bulgarians have rallied in protests that have turned violent, chanting “Mafia” and “Resign”.

Moves by Borisov on Tuesday to blame foreign utility companies for the rise in the cost of

heating homes was to no avail and an eleventh day of marches saw 15 people hospitalized and 25 arrested in clashes with police.

“My decision to resign will not be changed under any circumstances. I do not build roads so that blood is shed on them,” said Borisov, who began his career guarding the Black Sea state’s communist dictator Todor Zhivkov.

A karate black belt, Borisov has cultivated a Putin-like “cando” image since he entered politics as Sofia mayor in 2005 and would connect with voters by showing up on the capital’s rutted streets to oversee the repair of pot-holes.

But critics say he has often skirted due process, sometimes to the benefit of those close to him, and his swift policy U-turns have wounded the public’s trust.

The spark for the protests was high electricity bills, after the

Protesters clashing with riot police during a demonstration against high electricity prices in Sofia, recently.

PHOTO: REUTERS

government raised prices by 13 percent last July. But it quickly spilled over into wider frustration with Borisov and political elites with perceived links to shadowy businesses.

“He made my day,” said student Borislav Hadzhiev in central Sofia, commenting on Borisov’s resignation. “The truth is that we’re living in an extremely poor country.”

The prime minister’s final desperate moves on Tuesday included cutting power prices and risking a diplomatic row with the Czech Republic by punishing companies including CEZ, moves which conflicted with EU norms on protection of investors and due process.

CEZ officials were hopeful on Wednesday that it would be able to avoid losing its distribution license after all and officials from the Bulgarian regulator said the company would not be punished if it dealt with breaches of procedure.

But shares in what is central Europe’s largest publicly-listed company fell another 1 percent yesterday.

If pushed through, the fines for CEZ and two other foreignowned firms will not encourage other investors in Bulgaria, who already have to navigate complicated bureaucracy and widespread corruption and organized crime to take advantage of Bulgaria’s 10-percent flat tax rate.

households in Sicily, Veneto, Campania and Lombardy - key regions which could decide the result of the election, which is held on Sunday and Monday.

The IMU tax amounts to 0.4% of the value of a property owner’s primary residence, and is comparable to similar taxes levied elsewhere in Europe.

Polls have shown it is the most unpopular of the budget measures brought in by the Monti government to try to restore confidence in Italy’s finances.

Market confidence in Italy collapsed during 2011 because of its very high debt burden, and only began to recover after Mr Berlusconi resigned as prime minister and Mr Monti took over.

Mr Berlusconi has declared: “The house is sacred. It should not be taxed.”

But Mr Monti, who is also heading an election coalition, retorted: “When I said that Berlusconi would try to buy the votes of the Italian people with the money of the state, I didn’t think he would [do it] to the letter.”

Conclave brings out cardinals’ dirty laundry

P

opular pressure is mounting in the U.S. and Italy to keep California Cardinal Roger Mahony away from the conclave to elect the next pope because of his role shielding sexually abusive priests, a movement targeting one of the most prominent of a handful of compromised cardinals scheduled to vote next month.

Amid the outcry, Mahony has made clear he is coming, and no one can force him to recuse himself. A Vatican historian also said Wednesday that there is no precedent for a cardinal staying home because of personal scandal. But the growing grass-roots campaign is an indication that ordinary Catholics are increasingly demanding a greater say in who is fit to elect the pope, and casts an ugly shadow over the solemn papal election.

Conclaves always bring out the worst in cardinals’ dirty laundry, with past sins and transgressions aired anew in the slow news days preceding the vote. This time is no different — except that the revelations of Mahony’s sins are so fresh and come on the tails of a recent round of sex abuse scandals in the U.S. and Europe.

This week, the influential Italian Catholic affairs magazine Famiglia Cristiana asked its readers if the Los Angeles-based cardinal Mahony should participate in the conclave given the revelations. “Your opinion: Mahony in the conclave: Yes or No?” reads the online survey of one of Italy’s most-read magazines.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Thursday, February 21, 2013

51

JUSTUS ESIRI:

Nollywood seeks prayers

...as Jonathan, others mourn NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

T

he nation’s movie industry, otherwise called Nollywood, woke up on Wednesday (yesterday) to another sad day following the death of veteran actor Justus Esiri, who passed on in a Lagos hospital at the age of 71.

Justus, died of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) a condition arising from treatment for diabetes, which the actor has been battling with for a long time. Justus’ death brings the number of Nollywood actors who have passed on in the past four days to three, a situation that has presently left panic in the industry.

In response, an emergency executive meeting of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, rose after a meeting yesterday in Surulere, Lagos, soliciting for prayers from Nigerians. The association had earlier declared three days of fasting in December following the deaths of actors, Pete Eneh and Enebeli Elubuwa, both of whom passed on within a short space of time.

Talking to National Mirror during a phone interview, the national secretary of the guild, Yakubu Abubakar said the industry needs all the prayers it can get from Nigerians and lovers of the movie industry. “Of course, we need prayers at this point, and would like Nigerians to pray for us. We just rose from a meeting where we discussed extensively the death of Justus Esiri, one of the greatest actors to have come out of this country. We have been informed by the family, but we will pay them a condolence visit tomorrow (today) as a guild. The death of Justus is really a sad one for all of us”.

In Abuja, the story is the same as AGN National Vice President (North Central zone), Ibi Andrew also called it a bad omen, urging his colleagues to seek the face of God. According to him, “This is a big blow to the industry, it is getting too bad and I am short of words. It is a bad omen; I am surprised at the sudden death of this great actor. It is time to seek the face of God and his divine intervention in the affairs of the industry”.

Meanwhile the death has continued to evoke eulogies from friends and fans of the late veteran actor, whose sterling performance in soap operas like Village Headmaster, Behind the Clouds and Things Fall Apart, put his art on an enviable pedestal.

President Goodluck Jonathan through his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati,

said Esiri was an epitome of commitment, excellence and creativity, condoling with his fans and family.

In the statement issued yesterday, the President said he joined other Nigerians in mourning Esiri, reiterating his belief that Nollywood actors have carved a positive image for the country in the international community, with Esiri, having contributed in no small measure to the creation and sustenance of that image.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Afolabi Adesanya, described Esiri’s death as a ‘painful and irreplaceable one for the industry’. “The veteran and legendary actor was a great influence to all television and movie lovers, who carved an enviable niche for himself in the Nigerian motion picture industry as a character actor, skillful and always at his best on the screen.

The good works of Justus Esiri will continue to resonate for a long time to come, as one of the nation’s finest actors dating back to the 80’s when he played the lead role in the now rested Village Headmaster”.

In a letter to Mrs. Omiete Esiri, the widow of the deceased, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) described Esiri as “easily one of Nigeria’s most celebrated artistes”.

According to the Governor, his chain of performances in Nollywood has left a landmark in the industry.

Praying for the peaceful repose of the soul of Mr. Esiri, and for Almighty God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, Governor Fashola enjoined the Family to be consoled by the rich legacy which the deceased artiste left behind in the Entertainment Industry as a whole.

The Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, remembers how Justus Esiri brought honour and dignity to the acting profession in Nigeria, calling his loss a great one for Delta State and the country in general. A statement issued by the governor’s press secretary read: “He was not only one of the pioneer actors in the country, the late Justus Esiri brought uncommon touch and professionalism to his trade. He was renowned and honoured wherever he went. He was a legend. Esiri’s role in the epic, Village Headmaster has continued to serve as a reference point and an inspiration to scholars, actors and actresses, leaders and generations to come. The death is particularly a big blow to the state, the people of Abraka and the Urhobo nation in general”.

Actor Pete Edochie, who expressed shock at the news, prayed that God should give the family the fortitude to bear the great loss.

“It came to me as a shock, and has left me with fond memories of the times I shared with him. He will be greatly missed by the industry and the nation in general”.

Often called one of the strong men of the African film industry, Esiri attended Urhobo College in the present day Delta State, before going to Maximillan University, Munich, Germany, to study engineering. He later studied performing arts at Ahrens School of Performing Arts, where he developed an interest in acting, which gradually metamorphosed into an acting career on stage in Germany. He would eventually work for Voice of Nigeria VON, German Service as a translator. He was performing on stage in Germany when a delegation from Nigeria invited him to perform in Nigeria in a government sponsored program, which ultimately prompted his relocation to Nigeria.

Until his death, he was married

to Omiete Esiri, a fashion designer who bore him six children including, Sidney Onoriode Esiri, his last child who is a popular Nigerian rapper, that goes by the stage name, Dr Sid. Esiri, who was decorated with notable awards like African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, THEMA and NTA Honours Awards would be remembered for his passion about bringing technology training to Nigeria’s film indus-

TOBORE OVUORIE

Autopsy: Goldie died of heart disease

Esiri

try, fuelled by one of his popular quotes: “We are at a stage where we should make technology part and parcel of what we produce.

The real issue is that some of the problems we have are either technology-driven or human-based.

We must have good people trained to handle the best of equipment that the white man churns out every year. We must get the right training institutes and not just the ones that want to make money”.

T

he autopsy report of late singer, Oluwabimpe Goldie Harvey, has been released, blaming her sudden and shocking death which occurred last week on hypertension. According to the report signed by Dr. O.O Oyewole of the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Goldie died from a terminal ‘hypertensive heart disease’ which resulted in ‘intracerebellar (intracerebral) haemorrhage’.

The autopsy report has sparked off concern about the health of Nigerians. President, Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele advised that all Nigerians must take their health more seriously in order to be alive and perform better.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with National Mirror yesterday, Enabulele disclosed that her death may have been prevented had it been diagnosed on time that she was at risk of chronic hypertension.

“For instance, tell me when last you (our reporter) went for a general check up? We often feel that it’s so expensive when in actual fact it is not, same time, haven’t made it a routine. So many Nigerians are living with

Goldie

A copy of the autopsy report

hypertension and other risk factors which could lead to this condition if they don’t already have it or could aggravate it if they do.

Except they go to the hospital for checkups, there is no way they can understand and know their body system. Indeed, the tough socio-economic situation in the country is making so many Nigerians live on the edge but it takes a healthy person to be alive and perform efficiently”.

According to Enabulele, Intracerebral haemorrhage is a crucial public health problem which leads to high rates of death and disability in adults. “A cerebral haemorrhage is a life-threatening

emergency. It affects patients with vasculopathies related to either chronic hypertension or cerebral amyloid angiopathy, which might represent exacerbation of an existing risk of clinical and subclinical disease. This condition puts pressure on nearby brain tissues and restricts the delivery of oxygen and nutrients. If not reversed with treatment and on time, it can cause permanent brain damage and even death like it has happened in her case. The major risk factor for haemorrhagic stroke is long-standing high blood pressure (hypertension) that weakens the walls of blood vessels, which then may split under the pressure”.

52

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror “In Africa, the pursuit of freedom and self-determination has caused so much civil strife, decimated the entire population and caused a lot of misery to our people.”

FORMER PRESIDENT OF GHANA, JOHN KUFFOR

Father kills son at Adazi-Nnukwu CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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ragedy recently struck at Adazi-Nnukwu, Anaocha Local Government Area, when a 58 year-old man, Amaefuna allegedly shot his 23 year old son dead for an undisclosed reason, as the incident has thrown

the community into shock and disbelief.

A close family source said the man, who is a member of the community’s vigilance group, shot his son at close range with a rapid firing gun that was assigned to him for security duty.

The source, who said he was one of those who deposited the-

son’s corpse at the hospital mortuary, stated that the deceased, who was a plumber, lived with his father at the time of his death.

It was also gathered that the suspect, who is estranged from his wife, had threatened to inflict grievous harm on his son before the incident.

Spokesman of the Anambra

State Police Command, Emeka Chukwuemeka, DSP, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect has been arrested. Furthermore, he stated that the gun used by the suspect has also been recovered, while the case has been transferred to the State Central Investigations Department,CID, Awka, for full investigation.

A commuter bus on fire after somersaulting on Gwagwalada/Airport Road at Iddo bus stop in Abuja.

Court grants bail to murder suspects FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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n Ogun Magistrate’s Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, has granted N2 million bail each to two of the three accused persons held in connection with the violence that rocked the masquerade festival in city recently, leading to the death of an Islamic cleric.

The two accused; Shittu Adeyemi (61) and Waidi Babalola (64), were granted bail in the sum of N500, 000 each with two credible sureties each in the like sum.

Granting the bail application at Abeokuta Magistrate’s court 4, Magistrate Idowu Olayinka, said the sureties must exhibit title documents of landed properties within jurisdiction of the court, as well as evidence of tax payment in the past three years to the purse of the state government.

The magistrate also directed

the Police Prosecuting Officer, Augustine Ozimini, to verify the residence and abode of the sureties.

The Magistrate, however, declined to grant bail to the third accused, Ajani Olabintan, on grounds that he is facing a murder charge which can only be adjudicated upon by a High Court.

Community Mirror, recalled that an Islamic cleric, Lateef Musa was, on January 28, 2013 shot dead by supporters of a masquerade called “Lehin Aponle” at Ijaye/ Oja – Ale Area, during the recently disbanded masquerade festival in Abeokuta in which three suspects were arrested.

Counsel to the first and second respondents, Adebiyi Ogundeyi, had earlier prayed the court to grant the application on the ground that the offence committed by the accused persons was bailable.

According to the charge sheet, Babalola and Adeyemi were ar-

raigned in court for unlawfully conducting masquerade procession without permit from the government, thereby committed an offence punishable under section 3 (a) (b) of the Public Order Law of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Citing section 118(3) of criminal procedure law of Ogun State, Ogundeyi argued that unlike the third accused person, the first two accused person were facing trial for their failure to obtain permission from the government before conducting masquerade procession.

Adjourning the case till may 14, 2013 for further directive, the Magistrate warned supporters of both the Islamic organisation who are complainants and supporters of the accused persons who barricaded the entrance to the court to conduct themselves peacefully, stressing that anyone found fomenting trouble would face the wrath of the law.

Man impersonates IGP’s sibling FRANCIS SUBERU

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middle aged man, Sani Muhammed, had been arrested in Lagos for allegedly impersonating a sibling of the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar.

The suspect who confessed to the crime, said he had been engaging in the act since the IGP was appointed

by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command; Ngozi Braide said the suspect had been extorting money from unsuspecting Hausa traders at Mile 12 Market Lagos, who thought he could help them secure favours from the IGP. According to Ngozi; “Sani Muhammed was arrested by police from Ketu Division some days ago.

He has been impersonating the younger sibling of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Abubakar and he had by this extorted money from several innocent citizens.

He is from Kebbi while the IGP is from Zamfara State. So, there is no relationship between them. Because there are lots of Hausa traders at Ketu-Mile 12, he usually tells them he would be of help by talking to his “brother” on their behalf, whereas he has no relationship with the IGP.”

PHOTO: NAN

Stakeholders urge speed limit for motorcade

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takeholders have called for the introduction of speed limit for motorcade to reduce the high rate of accidents involving top government officials.

The call is contained in a Plan of Action for road safety management made available to newsmen at the end of a one-day International Conference to mark the 25th Anniversary of the FRSC. The conference was organised by the FRSC in conjunction with the International Road Federation (IRF), Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF), the World Bank and the Economic Commission for Africa, The stakeholders also warned against the use of untrained drivers by top government officials.

They noted that the country’s transport system depended mainly on road for

human and cargo movement thereby leading to increase in road traffic accidents.

The stakeholders called for the construction of standard roads with pedestrian walkways, drainages and weigh bridges.

According to the stakeholders, the provisions of such facilities will check the rate of accidents as well as increase the life span of the roads. ``Road infrastructure determines the likelihood of accidents. FRSC and the Ministry of Works should collaborate in conceptualising and designing roads,’’ it said.

The stakeholders also stressed the need for collaboration between states and the commission in setting up traffic agencies to deal with traffic offenders and check street trading.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Give peace a chance, group tells Fulani herdsmen JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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socio-political group, the Berom Youth Moulders, BYM, has warned Fulani herdsmen in the state to desist from causing confusion in the state and give peace a chance.

The warning came on the heels of allegation by the herdsmen that operatives of the Special Task Force, STF, and the Berom nation, conspired to frame up a story on their leader, Hardo of Mangun, Alhaji Saleh Abarshir, who was caught in possession of five human skulls at his residence in Mangu Local Government Area of the state.

BYM in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Mr. Rwang Dantong and Secretary, Mr. Pam Gyang Moses respectively described the frame up theory as crying wolf where there is none.

The statement which was made available to National Mirror in Jos yesterday, reads in part: “The Berom Youth Movement views this accusation by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, as a trick to fool the public into believing that Alhaji Saleh, whom the STF

A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NUGLE, yesterday protested in Kaduna, demanding autonomy for the third tier of government, saying they would no longer accept joint account with state governors.

The protest which started at about 12.00 noon from the Murtala Square in the metropolis, ended at the Kaduna State House of Assembly complex by 1.30pm.

Addressing a well at-

DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

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olitical stakeholders in Gombe State yesterday declared the immediate past governor of the state and senator representing Gombe Central senatorial zone, Alhaji Alhaji Muhammad Danjuma Goje, ‘missing.’

According to the Chief of Staff, Gombe State Government House, Alhaji Ahmed

North

Thursday, February 21, 2013

found with five human skulls in his ceiling and was consequently paraded publicly, is innocent of the criminal act.

“This act committed by Alhaji Saleh has further confirmed that the Fulani have now turned to be human head hunters within and outside Plateau State.

To our mind, the feat recorded by the STF deserves everybody’s praise and perhaps the shocking discovery will give a clue to the origi-

nators of the ceaseless onslaught on innocent people in the state, especially the Berom nation.”

The statement also commended the Gbom Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba and the Commander of the Special Task Force, MajorGen. Henry Ayoola, for their efforts at finding a lasting peace in the state, especially the recent peace tour of some local government areas of the state.

Pensions board: Group gives Kogi govt 14-day ultimatum OYEWALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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he Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, Kogi State chapter, has issued a 14day ultimatum to the state government to rescind its decision over the inauguration of a board for the Bureau of Local Government Pensioners and another one for state pensioners or face a protest by its members.

Chairman of the NUP

in the state, Alhaji Onu Abdullahi, who disclosed this while addressing journalists in his office in Lokoja, expressed displeasure over what he described as illegal constitution of boards for the Bureau of Local Government Pensioners and the Bureau of State Pensioners.

Abdullahi said the history of pension management and the fraud associated with it is no longer news, adding that

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the union is saddened by the negative development that see the people’s pension being put in the hands of private hands with impunity in the state.

He said to guide against these anomalies, the Kogi State Pension Reform Law, 2007 was promulgated to allow stakeholders into the management of Ppension matters.

“However, in spite of all that, the government of Kogi State is constituting the boards, which makes nonsense of the law, bringing in all manners of people, including a dismissed banker as the head and members of the pension bureau,” he noted.

The chairman called on all stakeholders to resist this illegality for the sakes of today’s pensioners and those of tomorrow, adding that the union has invited all pensioners in the state to come out to protest the illegality.

LGs warned to adhere to budget provision JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Bauchi State chapter, protesting at the chief magistrate’s court over the case between the association and the Bauchi State government in Bauchi, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

NUGLE protests, demands LG autonomy tended North-West NUGLE rally in Kaduna, the President of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, CRCN, Comrade Shehu Sani, blamed former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar, for placing council administration under the supervision of state governments, insisting that such constitutional provision must be revised in the interest of grass root development.

Sani while advocating a four-year renewable term

for elected council chairmen and councillors, noted that local governments in the country will never deliver unless they are rescued from the shaky hands of governors.

His words: “We must rescue local government administration from the hands of corrupt governors. We gathered here today to restore what belongs to Nigerians, we need local government autonomy now for our future and those yet unborn.

“Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami

Abubakar, subjugated local government administration by making it come under state governments and this must come to end. The new constitution must give local government administration autonomy and what it deserved,” Sani maintained.

Earlier, NUGLE National President, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, said the agitation for the restructuring of the third tier of government had commenced over a decade but had been frustrated by governors through sections 7 and 162 of the 1999

Constitution.

Khaleel, however, called on Nigerians to join progressive forces against governors who engaged in manipulation to ridicule what he described as patriotic resolve to set Nigeria on the path of growth and development.

Khaleel continued: “Comrades, as soon as the public sessions were concluded, Nigerians have been subjected to various manipulations that poses a threat to the success recorded so far in the constitutional re-engineering of the nation through the local government autonomy.

Stakeholders in Gombe declare Goje ‘missing’ Yayari, who spoke yesterday in Dadin Kowa, on behalf of the stakeholders during a political rally in preparation for next weekend’s local government election, all the measures needed for the senator’s recall are ready.

He said ever since Goje’s election into the senate in 2011, the people of Gombe Central have never felt his presence nor do they know

what he is doing for the constituency in terms of project execution.

He also said that the senator doesn’t want to have anything to do with Gombe State. “That was why he wanted his case with the EFCC transferred from Gombe to Abuja.”

The chief of staff ’s motion at the meeting, which was seconded by another

stakeholder and immediate past Commissioner for Rural Development in the state, Alhaji Muazu Ismaila Kashere, got the support of many other speakers, especially elders in the zone who said the people are lacking desired representation that is worth the zone because Goje does not even speak in the senate sittings thereby mak-

ing him redundant.

Giving examples of the non-performance of Senator Goje, Alhaji Yayari said during the Constitution Review Committee sitting for the North-East in Gombe, Senator Goje was conspicuously absent even when his contribution was needed to form the position of the state in the constitution review.

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he 34 local government councils in Katsina State have been warned to strictly adhere to their budgetary provisions while executing projects or risk being sanctioned.

The Chairman, Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs of the state’s House of Assembly, Sani Bala Yaya, (PDP, Ingawa), gave the warning during a budget presentation by the councils yesterday.

Yaya said the committee would closely monitor the spending of the 34 local councils to avoid misappropriation.

He emphasised that the committee would not hesitate to sanction any local government that refuses to abide by existing financial statutes and regulations.

He said the committee organised the budget presentation event as part of efforts to ensure fiscal responsibility and judicious spending by authorities at the council areas.

He said the committee would commence tour to local government councils by the end of the year to assess their level of performance.

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Insight

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Killing the students in cold blood

L-R: The four UNIPORT students killed in Umuokiri Aluu.

Aluu 4: Economic, social activities dead as community murders sleep Four months after four students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) (UNIPORT), now called ‘Aluu Four’ were gruesomely murdered, tension has eased in the Rivers State community, but SAM OLUWALANA reports that it is still peace of the graveyard as commercial and social activities are yet to return to Aluu.

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our months after the gruesome murder of four undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in Aluu town, the community is yet to recover from the trauma and scars of the atrocity that was perpetrated by some residents of the community.

The world was shocked on October 5, 2012 when video clip of the barbaric and gruesome killing of four students of UNIPORT, Chidiaka Lordson Biringa, Itekena Elkanah, Lloyd Toku Mike and Ugonna Obuzor was posted on social networks.

The most agonising aspect of the 30-minute video was the cruel way the young men were butchered in their prime on trumped –up charges of robbery and cult related activities. They were stripped, beaten and paraded naked around the Umuokiri community in Aluu and later burnt alive by some irate youths in the community said to be members of a vigilance group.

The incident triggered a reprisal action by some angry UNIPORT students who stormed the town which is about 20minute drive from their campus and this led to the burning of several houses and other valuable properties belonging to the community, leading to the desertion of the village by many residents.

Anti-riot police men and soldiers were immediately drafted to the troubled area by the Federal Government before uneasy calm returned to the community. Security agents arrested some prime suspects including the traditional ruler of Aluu town, Alhaji Hassan Welewa.

A recent visit to Umuokiri, Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State by National Mirror to investigate the situation in the community revealed that life was yet to return to normal, with social and commercial activities yet to begin fully in the now dubiously popular community, because so many natives and residents who fled the area were yet to return to their homes as a result of indiscriminate arrests still being made by security agents on the trail of other suspects involved in the incident.

Social activities are practically dead in the community, while commercial endeavours are not in full swing, with many shops still locked. Surprisingly, religious places who are supposed to

be source of inspiration to the residents in their attempt to rebuild and continue with living are also closed.

Though there were no presence of uniformed men in the vicinity, some villagers who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, however, revealed that the actual reason why business and other social activities had not started booming as usual was because many of the residents relocated to other places for fear of being arrested by plain clothe security agents who still comb the town in search of suspects who played one role or another in the murder of the students last year.

Meanwhile, traditional ruler of the community, Alhaji Walewa, and some other persons who were arrested by the Police in connection with the incident, have been charged to court while investigations are still ongoing.

One of the youth leaders in the town, Linus Azubuike, who spoke with National Mirror echoed the minds of most Nigerians and foreigners, who were outraged by the incident even though he claimed that he was not in town when the horrible killings took place. He condemned the senseless killing of the youngsters “Nobody has the right to take another person’s life no matter what happens. Even if they were robbers, they should have been handed over to the law enforcement agents,” Azubuike said, adding that peace had returned to the area except that plain clothes security officers still come to the town sometimes to harass some residents.

He said that some of the village boys who were arrested and still in police custody are innocent, a major reason why some residents who fled the town at the height of the incident are still skeptical of returning to the community for fear of being wrongfully accused by the police.

The youth leader described the whole incident as unfortunate, assuring that his people have learnt their lesson and will take a different approach to such situation in the future. He condemned the act of people taking the laws into their own hands, a situation which he said has given his town hitherto known for its peaceful nature a negative image in Nigeria and in the international community.

The suspects and their (community head (in spectacles).

SURPRISINGLY, RELIGIOUS PLACES WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION TO THE RESIDENTS IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO REBUILD AND CONTINUE WITH LIVING ARE ALSO CLOSED He enjoined the entire UNIPORT community to bury the hatchet and promised a more cordial relationship between his village and the students. He also appealed to the police authority to stop the indiscriminate arrest of innocent villagers as this is causing panic among the residents who want nothing but peace and to pick up the pieces if their lives and continue living.

“I appeal to the university community to bury the hatchet and let’s continue living in harmony as before. The people of the community have learnt their lessons and we will like to revert to our old selves. I also appeal to the police authority to put their officers in check. They have been arresting innocent people unjustly and this is causing panic among the people” When National Mirror visited the Delta Park Campus of UNIPORT, three students spoke on the tragic incident which threw their institution into a mourning for months. They were all unanimous in their statements that the students have all decided to leave matters in the hands of the authorities and that the incident and the reprisal were both unfortunate. They

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insight

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Protester against Aluu 4 murder.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR NOW IS JUSTICE BECAUSE THESE BOYS WERE INNOCENT BOYS THAT WERE LABELED

WRONGLY, HUMILIATED AND BRUTALLY KILLED IN BROAD DAY LIGHT

blamed the ugly occurrences on the condemnable evil plot of certain indigenes of Aluu.

A 100-level English student, Martins Anucha, described the killing of the students as unfortunate because there was no evidence that showed they actually went to Aluu to commit a crime. According to him, he was living around the community at the time and was aware that the people of Aluu were under incessant armed robbery attacks. Anucha was of the opinion that the incident has turned out to be a lesson for all Nigerians to avoid jungle justice or lynching of people without the right to defend themselves.

Though he is in total support of better and more cordial relationship between the people of Aluu and the students, he suggested full compensation for the parents and relatives of the dead students by the Federal Government in order to assist them overcome their sorrows.

A 300-level Law student, John Chimeke, said the students had decided to move on with their lives, even though the incident was painful and unforgettable. On whether the students were planning further attacks in the community as being rumoured in certain quarters, he said, “Revenge for what? The deed has been done and there is no amount of revenge that could bring Tekena and his friends back to life again. But I believe that the people of Aluu have learnt their lesson as well as other communities that host students in any part of this country on how to tolerate the students who live in their areas and the need to contact the law enforcement agents when the need arises and not to behave in primitive manner. As I am talking to you, I have lived in Aluu for good two years and I can tell you that they are not bad people as some speculate, but sometimes the devil will

work overtime to spoil the good reputation of some persons.

The people of Aluu need pity; I know how they feel since that incident occurred. You know that the killing was not supported by all and that is why I still maintain that they need to be pitied and forgiven and I am sure that such an ugly incident will never happen again in the history of Aluu town.”

A Banking and Finance student, who simply identified himself as ‘Tony’ told National Mirror that at the peak of the incident, just like any other human being, every student of UNIPORT was aggrieved, but that tension over the matter had eased in the intervening four months.

He said that he knew Tekena and was sure that he and the other three students were never criminals. He, however, advised that the students and other Nigerians should accept it as fate and not allow hatred to linger in their minds.

Mr. Toku Mike is the father of one of the killed students, Lloyd Toku Mike. He works with the Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Rivers 99.1FM), and is currently Deputy Director of the Presentation Department.

He described the death of his son, Lloyd, as a big loss.

“He’s a son I got from my childhood days: then I wasn’t married to his mum and you know how hard it is to raise a child out of wedlock. As a matter of fact he was my hope and everything. I was investing in his education, hoping that tomorrow, he would be greater. But all of a sudden, something tragic happened,” he said.

“I expected him to become a prominent citizen. He was a very brilliant boy, doing very well in school. He was a- year-2 engineering student in UNIPORT. I really expected that after his first degree, he would continue with his Masters and PhD degrees.”

While everybody was in a merry mood last Christmas holidays, Mike said he felt empty and sad. “I felt so bad. During last Christmas, my wife and I were discussing that the Christmas holidays would have been enjoyable with him around. His absence was very prominent and we are sad about it.”

On his expectations for justice for his late son, Mike said he and his family are expectant of a fair justice from the judiciary.

“What we the families are fighting for now is fair justice to be done. I’m yet to say if after the case has been delivered we will go ahead with the case, which I can’t say for now. What we are asking for now is justice because these boys were innocent but were labeled wrongly, humiliated and brutally killed in broad

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day light. We expect nothing less than justice.”

Mike commended the police for the efforts made so far in arresting and prosecuting some of the suspects, but called for more arrests of some key suspects who are still in hiding. “The Police are yet to arrest one of the key suspects directly involved in the crime scene called ‘Victor’. If you watch the video again you hear people shouting ‘Victor’, ‘Victor’, finish him, finish him!’ They are yet to arrest that guy and we parents are not happy about it. We will feel fulfilled if that ‘Victor’ guy is arrested.

For now the case of other suspects arrested and arraigned in court has been adjourned for the second time till February 28.

We are still expecting fair judgment to be delivered.”

Another parent, Messiah Obuzor, is the father of late Ugonna Obuzor. He works at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Headquarters in Port Harcourt as Head of the Security Department. Just like Mike, he described the loss of his son as a big one and said a void has been left in the family by his untimely death.

“It has not been easy with the family after his death; a big vacuum has been created. The psychological and traumatic effects have been very devastating to me and the entire family. We are just trying to see if we can come out of it,” he said.

On the feeling around the house during last Christmas, Mr. Obuzor revealed that the period was not celebrated as usual by him and his family members because of the absence of his late son. “We did not celebrate the last Christmas holidays because it was very difficult without him. We buried him on the 15th of December, 2012. So the memory was still quite fresh. We did nothing. It is not easy to even stay without him, because that vacuum that has been created, we beg the Almighty God everyday to help us cope with the situation.”

He explained that the dreadful incident cut short the plans he had for his late son Ugonna. “If he were alive, my expectations from him were difficult to say in one word. He was my only son, so I expect a lot from him.”

Obuzor expects nothing short of outright justice on perpetrators of the gruesome murder of the four friends.

“These young boys were innocently murdered on the same day and same circumstances. Not all the suspects have been arrested and I wonder why some are still on the run. If they have the heart to take their fellow human beings’ lives, why don’t they have the heart to wait and face the music? My expectation is that justice should be done. It will be too early to say I don’t have confidence in the Nigerian judicial system. Let me see how the case ends, then I will give my judgment on the system.”

The Rivers State Police command, while commenting on the reason for parading the 13 suspects in their custody, said the manner in which the students were butchered left it without an option than to show the faces of the barbaric individuals involved in the heinous crime.

“It is not the philosophy of the Inspector General of the Police to parade suspects. Nonetheless, the gruesome manner in which the crime was committed coupled with the direct and glaring involvement of some of these suspects and the interest generated by the heinous crime, left the police with no option than to parade them,” it said in a statement after parading the suspects.

Those paraded by the police included the traditional ruler of the town, Alhaji Walewa (59), Lawal Segun (28), Lucky Orji (43), Ekpe Daniel (30), George Nwadei (30), Gabriel Oche (33), Ozioma Abajuo (23), Chigoziem Evans Samuel (22), Endurance Edet (27), Uwem Sampson Akpabio(30), David Chinasa Ugbaje (30) and Ikechukwu Louis Amadi, a.k.a Kapone.

A female suspect, Cynthia Chinwo (24), was also among those paraded by the police.

Some facts on the late deceased youngsters exclusively obtained by National Mirror proved fact that they were all the first sons of their families. The duo of Ogonna Kelechi Obuzor (popularly called ‘Big L’Tipsy’ and Lioyd Toku Mike were talented rap artistes who had performed together several times.

They did a duet in a song by Timi ‘Time Kay’ titled “Heart of the City”. In the song, which has lyrics like “Aint no love in the heart of the city”, the duo prophetically and ominously expressed the lack of love in the society they lived in and as one that had lost all sense of decency and value for human life.

Lioyd with a stage name ‘Big L’ won the third edition of the Silverbird Musical show, called ‘Rap Battle’ for upcoming Rap Artistes while Ugonna was involved in the ‘Rap Attack’ version also aired by Silverbird, Port Harcourt station.

•Additional reports by Chris Newman and PreciousWerner Ahiakwo

WORLD RECORD

Highest vehicle mileage Vol. 03 No. 562

N150

Thursday, February 21, 2013

A 1966 Volvo P-1800S owned by Irvin Gordon of East Patchogue, New York, USA, had covered in excess of 4,586,630 km (2,850,000 miles) by December 2010.

Dame Lazarus and the unspoken caveat

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fter a long break from this column, I return to this infectious ritual of social commentary with empathy for the wife of our president, Dame Patience Jonathan.

The First Lady rolled out the drums on Sunday at a thanksgiving service to celebrate her return to good health after several months of medical sojourn abroad, speculations and denials.

So moving a story was the narration of her ordeal that she likened herself to Lazarus in the Bible who miraculously returned to life after four days. By her narrative, the First Lady’s miracle of a second chance is even more astounding. She passed out for seven days, after her tummy was ripped opened during nine different rounds of surgeries, over a period of one month.

“I actually died,” she says, “my doctors said all hope was lost...I am not Lazarus, but my experience was similar to his,” she

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imbabwe cricket captain, Brendan Taylor, finally left for the West Indies yesterday after passing a late fitness test.

Taylor, who had missed travelling with the rest of the team after suffering from a short illness following his return from the Bangladesh Premier League last

SOMETHING BEFORE THE WEEKEND

Steve Ayorinde

sayorinde@nationalmirroronline.net (08054500808 sms only)

announced at the service attended by her husband, former Presidents, five governors and several other senior public officials.

Her grateful heart is understandable.

Death has not shown much respect to some of the occupants of the Presidential Villa. With no bullet fired at him, General Sani Abacha mysteriously died inside the well-fortified villa in 1998, thus bringing to an end his four-year despotic and profligate regime.

Mrs. Stella Obasanjo never returned to the Villa in October 2005 after a trip to Spain, having fallen victim of a badly done surgery. And barely five years later, President Umaru Yar’Adua lost a protracted battle to acute pericaditis, thereby becoming Nigeria’s first civilian President to die in office.

It is this eerie reality of his abode that must have prompted President Goodluck Jonathan to say on Sunday that “we all know we will all die, but the best time to die is not when you are serving your nation.”

But the discerning public will view the joyfulness from Aso Rock villa with vacillation.

In a believability index, the public image of the first couple is not exactly highly rated. It could even be argued that the First Lady has attracted as much venomous comments as her husband, especially in the social media. Her public expressions have fed several speculations, almost always spurning derisive interpretation, on account of the harsh twisting of her purported utterances in the area of grammar.

PATIENCE DROPPED A LOADED MESSAGE WHEN SHE SAID SHE WAS AWARE CERTAIN PERSONS LEAKED THE INFORMATION ABOUT

HER 7-DAY COMA ORDEAL If there was anybody that had suffered similar mean attacks, it must be the onetime Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Yesufu Asanike.

The A-List monarch, during and after his reign, was the butt of unkind jokes that revolved round his purported challenge with spoken English. But each time I have had cause to rise in defence of that illustrious monarch, I have done so not because I am a ‘son of the soil’ who is biased towards his own. Rather, I have stood for the non-desecration of the royal stool because all that was said about him was just not true.

Dame Patience’s social media bashing also strikes me as akin to Oba Asanike’s case, no matter how ready some cynics are to swear by their crotch that in Dame Patience exists a Mrs. Malaprop who serially defiles the world’s global language.

But, I think it is just too convenient to locate a public figure that will personify the fixation of some unconscionable ma-

jority on rude jokes.

The effect of this critical fascination with the First Lady, however, is the tendency to subject every of her utterances to mocking twists, no matter how pitiable her ordeal might be.

But isn’t there a potent ground for misgivings, truly?

On October 17, 2012 when she returned from the prolonged medical trip abroad, Dame Patience declared at the airport, calling the name of the Almighty as a witness that she was never at any German hospital. “I don’t have any terminal illness”, she had stated, adding that she did not go for either cosmetic surgery or tummy tuck.

Nevertheless, having publicly admitted the extent of her ill-health on Sunday, the President’s wife evidently lied to the country in October. Nigerians deserve an apology for this unbecoming conduct.

They do so too from the media machinery at the Presidency, which, having made a mess of the controversy surrounding Mrs Jonathan’s condition, had deceived the nation with a spurious video of a healthy First Lady in Germany when she was in fact going under the knife.

But not known to suffer fools gladly, Dame Patience dropped a loaded message when she said she was aware certain persons leaked the information about her seven-day coma ordeal, thinking she was dead for good, and in fact that people she trusted and relied on went as far as selling off her belongings while she was in the hospital.

So pregnant with meaning was her caveat that she “won’t say everything here,” a clear hint that the friends and associates who betrayed her trust must now be very worried.

However, having survived this trauma, which in her own words defied logic and challenged science, Mrs. Jonathan must be encouraged to be true to her promise of turning a new leaf who will dedicate her life to God and humanity.

Grudge and revenge should not be part of such rededication.

Sport Extra

Cricket: Taylor released for West Indies tour Friday, was required to take the mandatory fitness test which he underwent early yesterday under the supervision of fitness trainer Lorraine Chivandire.

He had opposed the dropping of

bowling Coach Heath Streak and batting coach Grant Flower for the West Indies tour.

“Taylor narrowly missed passing the fitness test but after consulting with the fitness trainer

and reviewing his medical report, the board has decided to allow him to proceed to the West Indies to join the rest of the squad,” Zimbabwe Cricket said in a statement yesterday.

Brendan Taylor

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