Thursday, May 16, 2013

ICPC, NUC begin closure of 67 illegal varsities

FG scholars stranded in Russia, China

ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

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he Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related

Rufai

Vol. 3 N0. 622

State of emergency:

Offences Commission, ICPC, and the National Universities Commission, NUC, yesterday began the closure of all identified illegal universities nation-

Subsidy protest:

Lagos arraigns dismissed DPO for murder

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wide.

The closure followed an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Sixty-seven of such illeCONTINUED ON PAGE 7>>

Abubakar

Thursday, May 16, 2013

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N150

Troops begin offensive against Boko Haram Army, police on red alert in Kano CAN calls for dissolution of amnesty committee

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST,

OMEIZA AJAYI AND INUSA NDAHI

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eavy troop movements were yesterday reported in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states as Armed Forces began combined operations to rout the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

The insurgents have held some parts of the North hostage since 2009.

Residents said army trucks carrying soldiers entered Yola and Maiduguri immediately after the presidential proclamation.

A resident said that he CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

Obasanjo exports cassava bread to Tanzania

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Senate wants state burial, national monument for P.11 Achebe Oteh saga:

Relatives of the two Nigerian Airforce pilots who died in an air crash in Niger Republic, Squadron Leader Benjamin Ado and Flying Officer Ayuba Layelmeson at the funeral of the officers in Abuja yesterday. Inset: Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada (left) consoling Ado’s widow at the military burial ground.

SEC survives on prayers, says chairman P.4

Judges jittery over looming redeployment Rotation to commence in July

JTF arrests 89 suspected oil thieves

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News

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EMERGENCY RULE

CAN seeks dissolution of amnesty committee OLUFEMI ADEOSUNN AND JAMES ABRAHAM

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he Christian Association Nigeria, CAN, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately disband the Amnesty Committee in view of his proclamation of a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.

CAN also hailed the

decision of the Federal Government to deploy troops to the states, saying the move was in tandem with its stand that only the force of the law could bring Boko Haram members to submission.

This is contained in a statement signed by CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, and made available to our correspondent in Abuja yesterday.

According to Oritsejafor, the declaration of a state of emergency is a justified action and a vindication of CAN’s position that negotiation with terrorists will always end up a futile exercise.

He said: “We are being vindicated that no reasonable agreement can be reached with terrorists.”

Oritsejafor, however, gave the President a pat on the back for his deci-

sion to leave the political structures of the affected states, stressing that he had shown, in a very unmistakable term, that he is a democrat.

He said: “Not dissolving the political structures coupled with the retention of the office of the governors, are signposts that President Jonathan is a democrat and the action of the President is also an indication

that he is primarily concerned with the issue of human rights abuses and the need to secure the territorial integrity of Nigeria.”

Also, a member of the National Assembly, Hon. Bitrus Kaze, said the Federal Government must disband the Amnesty Committee.

The lawmaker, who represents Jos East/Jos South Federal Constituency of Plateau State, said with the declaration of emergency rule, the committee was no longer necessary.

He said: “Having declared emergency rule in the three troubled states of Borno, Yobe and Ad-

amawa, the prospects for achieving peace by granting amnesty to remorseless and ever-rampaging terrorists has been invariably jettisoned.

“A band of terrorists, who have categorically declined amnesty plans directed at them and who instead are beginning to overrun some parts of the country ought not to and must not be entertained in any form of dialogue if the purpose of the emergency rule must be achieved.

“It’s time for government to call a spade by its name and save millions of taxpayers’ money from being wasted in fruitless endeavour.”

President enjoys South-South govs’ support –Imoke ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

G L-R: Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe; Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Goni Aji; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim and President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, PHOTO: NAN yesterday.

...won’t end insurgency, says Shehu Sani AZA MSUE KADUNA

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resident of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, CRCN, Mallam Shehu Sani, yesterday said the declaration would not end insurgency.

Sani said security agencies had already spent two to three years in the three states without result.

He added that the emergency rule was an admis-

sion of failure on the side of the government to fashion out ways of addressing the root causes of the insurgency.

In an online statement, Sani argued that emergency rule was a contradiction for the government that set up a committee to dialogue in one hand and on the other, unleashed a regime of force against those it had accepted to dialogue with.

While not condoning

terrorism, the activist said when a nation was faced with terror; it must device the best possible way of tackling it without shedding the blood of innocent people.

Sani, who led former President Olusegun Obasanjo to broker peace with Boko Haram in Maiduguri two years ago, noted that Nigeria needed peace and stability, but to achieve this Nigeri-

ans must be committed to an honest, sincere and result-oriented process that would carry the people along in the effort to achieve the set goal.

The statement reads in part: “The state of emergency is futile and it is not going to achieve any desired result other than alienating the public and subjecting them to all sorts of indignity and humiliation.

Decision appropriate, constitutional –CLO EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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he Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, in Bayelsa State, said it endorsed the declaration of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

The state Chairman of the organisation, Chief Nengi James, in an interview with our correspondent in Yenagoa yesterday,

described the President’s action as appropriate and constitutional.

James, however, cautioned the military men deployed in the three states not to abuse the objectives of the declaration by engaging in killing and harassing innocent persons.

He said: “In as much as the President has declared a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe

states, we don’t want the Nigerian military to capitalise on it to kill, victimise and intimidate law-abiding citizens in those states.”

In the same vein, a Yenagoa-based lawyer and state Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Osom Macbere, argued that the state of emergency declared in the three states was a decision that came at the right time.

Macbere regretted that citizens in parts of the North had not known peace and security owing to the massive slaughtering of innocent lives and destruction of property by Boko Haram members.

He said: “It is altruistic that the people of the states where President Jonathan has declared state of emergency have not been enjoying peace and security.

overnor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, who is also the chairman of the SouthSouth Governors’ Forum, yesterday said he and his colleagues were in support of the state of emergency.

Speaking with State House Correspondents after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, Imoke explained that Jonathan must be firm on the issue of security in the North and the entire country.

He said: “The SouthSouth Governors’ Forum endorsed the state of emergency by Mr. President and we asked him to be firm on security.

“He is enjoying popular support of the security ad-

viser and the National Security Council on the state of emergency.”

According to him, the President’s actions are very positive and in order since the democratic institutions are still in place.

Imoke noted that the decision to ensure that the democratic institutions were still in intact even in the declaration of a state of emergency was very significant and commendable.

He said: “His actions are positive, the democratic institutions are still in place and I think it is very significant and commendable.

“I think it is for us now to throw our support behind the President, encourage him in dealing with this insurgency and ensure those states are returned to normalcy.”

It’ll stop needless bloodshed, says Akpabio

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overnor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the bold step he has taken by declaring a state of emergency “to stop the needless bloodshed”.

Akpabio, who is also the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors’ Forum, denied knowledge of a purported Nigeria Governors Forum,

NGF, meeting opposing declaration of emergency rule in any part of the country by the President.

Speaking with journalists on the emergency rule, the governor thanked the President for enabling the elected governors to remain in office and work with the relevant security agencies to restore sanity to the affected states.

He said action would deepen the country’s democracy.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

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EMERGENCY RULE

Don’t ratify state of emergency, ACN warns NASS FELIX NWANERI

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he Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, rejected the declaration of emergency rule and called on the National Assembly not to ratify it.

In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said if the use of force was capable of ending the Boko Haram crisis; it would have ended a long time ago.

The party added that while the President was right in expressing outrage over the mindless killings and wanton destruction by the insurgents, he was wrong in proposing more of the same measures that have failed to yield results.

It said: “If the medicine given to a patient has not cured his or her illness, is it not futile to prescribe more of the same medicine for the patient?

“If the declaration of a state of emergency in 15 local government areas in four states in 2011 has not curbed the activities of the insurgents, why extend such measure to other areas?

“If the use of force in the affected states has failed to curtail the activities of the insurgents, why send in more troops?

“There is nothing new in the President’s action. It is more of the same: deployment of more troops to the affected states and the use of tougher, scorched-earth tactics against the insurgents.

“In the first instance, this stepped-up militarisation of the states amounts to an asymmetric use of force in an environment where the insurgents operate within a civilian population, hence it will ultimately be counter-productive as the death toll will continue to mount while the civilian population – who will be caught in the cross fire - will be alienated.”

Muhammed also called on the President to disband the committee he recently inaugurated and saddled with reaching out to the insurgents, because by opting to flood the states with more troops under an illadvised emergency rule, he had succeeded in pulling the carpet from under the committee’s feet.

He said: “Who negotiates

Jonathan’s action pretentious –Rights group SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

genuinely with a gun to his head? The committee’s job is over; the members can as well pack up and go home.

“One hopes the President’s action is not linked to the politics of 2015. With the three states militarised, there can neither be electioneering campaign nor voting there. We had warned earlier that as 2015 approaches, the Jonathan administration will increasingly take measures that will make it impossible to hold election in many states.

“The over-militarisation of some states in the North, the plan to destabilise the South-West using slush funds from the so-called oil pipeline protection contract and the infantile threats from some Niger Delta militants seem to be part of this plan.

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he Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHRD, said President Goodluck Jonathan was not sincere in his intention to deal with the security challenges in the North.

The FJHRD National Coordinator, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, said yesterday in a statement issued in Warri, Delta State, in reaction to Tuesday’s imposition of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states that the President’s action was short of expectations of Nigerians.

Ikimi said Jonathan’s action was not likely to restore peace to the troubled states, adding that the President merely deployed more troops in the states and issued out new rules of engagement.

He said: “I listened carefully to the broadcast delivered by President Goodluck Jonathan purporting to proclaim a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, while at the same time retaining all elective positions in the above states, and I make bold to say that the above

pretentious move by Mr. President fall short of all the attributes of a state of emergency in the real sense of its constitutional meaning.

“I think Mr. President is either playing to the gallery or in fact playing politics with the state of insecurity in the above states as shown in his address to the nation.

“What I deduced from his said address was that as President he merely ordered the deployment of more soldiers to the affected states.

“A state of emergency in the real sense of the word ought to begin with the dismantling of all democratic institutions with at least an administrator to administer the affected states with the enabling law for a specified period in the proclamation establishing the said state of emergency and I make bold to say that until the above is done by the Federal Government devoid of politics, the state of insecurity in the above states and other states in northern Nigeria would continue to escalate and peace would continue to elude us as a nation.”

Aduwo calls for support TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

R Soldiers on duty during a parade in Baga village on the outskirts of Maiduguri, in Borno State.

REUTERS

Declaration shows political maturity –NLC KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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resident of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade AbdulWaheed Omar, described the declaration of emergency rule as an act of political maturity.

Omar told journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State yesterday that the presidential address had given assurance that it was not in any way a political victimisation.

He said: “I want to commend that effort espe-

cially because of the way it is carried out. It would ensure that it is directly meant to ensure peace and security rather than being like a political victimisation.

“If you look at the states affected, Yobe and Borno are not in the ruling party.

People are likely to misinterpret this to be political victimisation. But I think the steps taken by Mr. President are so far, commendable.”

But the National President and Convener, Nigeria Voters Assembly, VO-

TAS, Mashood Erubami, said the President’s approach was a demonstration of weakness and lack of political will to resolve national problems.

He said: “I feel sober about the declaration of state of emergency by President Jonathan. The declaration has demonstrated lack of strength in the President. It shows that he lacks political strength to solve political matters.

“The issue of Boko Haram in Nigeria has gone beyond religion to politi-

cal. Therefore, measures to be used in addressing it should be political.

“It is unfortunate that there is no political will on the part of the President to address the matter.”

In a similar tone, another activist and an academic, Dr. Femi Aborisade, noted that, “the critical issue is whether or not such an action is sufficient in bringing an end to the spate of unfortunate mass killings associated with the Boko Haram phenomenon, which stand condemned”.

ights Monitoring Group, RMG, has lauded President Goodluck Jonathan over the state of emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Briefing journalists in Lagos yesterday, the RMG National Coordinator, Comrade Olufemi Aduwo, commended Jonathan’s wisdom in retaining the political structures in the affected states, while the military and security agencies would tackle insurgency.

He said: “We appeal to the political leaders in the country to rally round the military and Mr. President during the period this exercise may last.

“Those who canvassed amnesty option have seen that they did not carry out detailed study of the operations and needs of the ter-

ror group.

“From all indications, Boko Haram is not a religious group but a politically-motivated organisation with support from within and outside the country to destabilise the government and create insecurity across the country.

“We commended the political maturity of the affected governors for their full support of Mr. President’s initiative to curb the activities of these few criminals in the country, regardless the unguarded statement credited to Governor Rotimi Amaechi by opposing the state of emergency in the states.”

“During the period the exercise may last, military should close all the borders in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno states.

“We also appeal to human rights community across the world to be patient with government in the present situation.

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Photo News

Thursday, May 16, 2013

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning, Mr. Toyin Ayinde; Managing Director, Adeniyi Coker Consultants Limited, Mr. Fred Coker; Design Director, Str-Edge, Dubai, Mr. Ivar Krasinski and Lecturer, School of Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University, UK, Mr. Kofi Karley, during the 2013 Architects Forum in Lagos yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; President, Federal Government Doctoral Candidates in Russia, Mr. Godwin Ezinkwo and Hon. Aminu Shagari during a meeting with the committee in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

L-R: President, Old Students Association of Gaskiya College, Mr. Raymond Eze; Principal, Mrs. Sobowale Oluwatoyin and Chairman of Trius Computer Institute, Mr. Olu Oduyoye, at the 50th anniversary celebration of the college in Lagos, yesterday.

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed (left) receiving the 2013 Nigeria Arise Award as Best Governor in Good Governance, North Central Zone from his Special Adviser, Special Duties, Mr. Yinka Aje who represented him at the award ceremony yesterday.

National News

SEC goes spiritual, as zero budget hampers operations TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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ndication emerged yesterday that the zero budgetary allocation to the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, this year, by the National Assembly is taking its toll on the operations of the Commission.

As such, the Commission may be gradually winding down operationally, as the lingering faceoff between its Director General Ms. Arunma Oteh and the National Assembly remains unresolved.

Indications of the negative implications of the unwholesome saga, which has pitched the Legislature against the Executive in a running political battle over the last six months, emerged yesterday with the Chairman of the SEC Board, Dr. Suleyman Ndanusa, saying that the Commission has been surviving only by prayers.

The chairman, who made these revelations during the inauguration of the SEC Administrative Proceedings Commit-

tee, APC, in Abuja, said the Board and management had been praying for speedy and amicable resolution of the matter.

Ndanusa, who expressed the hope that the imbroglio would soon be resolved, pointed out that the denial of budgetary allocation to the Commission was not desirable for the current efforts by the government to grow the capital market, adding that all stakeholders’ support would go a long way in amicably resolving the crisis.

Responding to media enquiries on how the Commission has been operating with zero budget over the past five months, Ndanusa specifically said prayers had been the surviving weapon.

He said: “Honestly the secret is prayer and prayer and prayer. We have been praying. But I tell you, it is nothing that cannot be resolved by the grace of God. We believe that this institution is very vital to our economy, to our nation.

“We believe that it is obviously very imperative that the country maintains

a well funded SEC to have a very active, effective and efficient regulator that would ensure transparency and accountability in the market, because the over N10.5 trillion investments in the capital market cannot be left unregulated. So far, so good, to God be the glory.

But please I call on you to join in the prayer so that this matter would be resolved amicably.”

It would be recalled that

the Presidency and the National Assembly had been at loggerheads over the latter’s insistence that Ms. Oteh should be relieved of her appointment for reasons many analysts believe were politically motivated.

In March 2012, Oteh appeared before the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Capital Market and other institutions, which was investigating the remote and immediate

causes of the collapse of the capital market between 2008 and 2012.

The session was turbulent as Ms Oteh raised some issues that border on the integrity of some members of the House, directly responsible for the supervision of the Commission The House did not only recommended her removal through a resolution of July 19 before it went on recess, but revved up the

agitation which crystallised into the final decision not to allocate funds to the Commission in the 2013 budget.

Despite the demand, which had resulted in the President’s discussions with the leadership of the National Assembly on at least two occasions, the House of Representatives maintained its grounds, insisting that Oteh’s removal is not negotiable.

Oil subsidy protest: Lagos arraigns dismissed DPO over alleged murder KENNY ODUNUKAN

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ismissed former Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Agege, Segun Fabunmi was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja High Court for the alleged murder of Adedamola Daramola during the January 2012 protests against the removal of fuel subsidy.

Fabunmi was arraigned before Justice Olabisi Akinlade on a seven- count charge bordering on murder, attempted murder, assault and battery.

The former DPO, who looked sober in the dock, wore a shirt and a pair of trousers with a pair of shoes.

The defendant allegedly murdered Daramola, attempted to murder and also caused bodily injury on three others by shooting at them with his AK 47 gun.

He was charged with the attempted murder of Alimi Abubakar, Egbujor Samuel, Chizorba Odoh by separately shooting them with his gun.

He allegedly shot Abubakar and Samuel on their left legs and Odoh on his

right finger (index).

Principal Counsel, state Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, alleged that Fabunmi committed the offences at about 9.30am on January 9, 2012 at Yaya-Abatan, Ogba, Agege, Lagos.

Part of the charges reads: “Segun Fabunmi, on or about January 9, 2012 at about 9.30am, while on security patrol at Yaya Abatan Junction, Ogba Agege, Lagos in Ikeja Judicial Division, murdered one Adedamola Daramola.

“Segun Fabunmi, on or about January 9, 2012 at

about 9.30am while on security patrol at Yaya Abatan Junction, Ogba Agege, Lagos in Ikeja Judicial Division did attempt to kill one Alimi Abubakar by shooting at him with AK 47 rifle.”

The alleged offence of murder was said to contravene Section 221 of the Criminal Law, No. 11, 2011, while the offences of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm were said to respectively contravene sections 228 and 243 of the same law.

Fabunmi however pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 16, 2013

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

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Judges jittery over looming redeployment WALE IGBINTADE

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here is palpable apprehension among judges in Lagos State as the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Philips, is set to carry out mass redeployment of high court judges.

National Mirror learnt that the exercise would involve the redeployment of the judges from one division to another and the movement from a particular territorial judicial division to others.

Sources in the Lagos State Judiciary told our correspondent that although the chief judge is keeping the details of the new postings close to her chest, she had, however, informed the judges of their impending redeployment and urged them to prepare for the exercise.

Our reporter learnt that some of the judges were jittery while others had begun to prepare their handing over notes.

It was also gathered that the exercise might affect some supporting staff of the state judiciary working directly with the judges in the four divisions - Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos and Badagry.

Sources told National

Mirror that the redeployment exercise would take effect from July.

Ahead of the exercise, new sets of furniture and other office accessories including new flat screen TV sets are being brought to the court premises for distribution to the judges’ chambers.

While some lawyers and litigants are happy with the impending redeployment, others are not particularly comfortable with the development as their cases may be transferred to new judges.

It will be recalled that the last redeployment was carried out by the immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Inumidun Akande, three years ago.

Notable among judges affected during the last redeployment exercise was Justice Joseph Oyewole, who was moved from the Criminal Division and posted to the Family and Probate Division.

National Mirror gathered that till date, criticisms were still trailing Oyewole’s transfer to the Probate Division.

Among the cases he handled was the trial and conviction of the PDP chieftain, Chief Olabode George.

The judge also tried and set free the former Chief of

Army Staff, COAS, Gen. Ishaya Baimaiyi, who was allegedly implicated in the attempted murder of The Guardian publisher, Alex Ibru.

During the last redeployment exercise, Justice Habeeb Abiru, now at the Court of Appeal was moved from the General Civil Division to Criminal Division.

His competence and hard work on the Bench had also aided his elevation to the higher court.

Examining the implications of the impending transfer, Lagos lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, said it was necessary to

transfer judges periodically so that they would not be too familiar in a particular location.

He said: “The rationale behind the transfer is to prevent judges falling into nonproductivity for being in a particular location beyond a period of four years.

“They get used to the litigants and the lawyers and then familiarity will breed contempt.”

Adegboruwa, however, said in redeploying judges, the interest of the litigants must be taken into consideration because in most cases when these transfers are ef-

fected pending cases are affected.

The lawyer said: “The rule of practice is that where a matter is part-heard and the judge is transferred another judge taking up the matter must start afresh (de novo).

“This is one of the reasons why we experience delay in the administration of justice. If for instance, a judge is transferred from Ikorodu judicial division to Badagry division; it would be difficult to ask the litigants to travel along with the Judge. So, the option is to start the case afresh

by another judge but time and effort would have been wasted.”

He stressed the need for the chief judge to carry out appraisal of the volume of work being undertaken by the judges, “so that if a transfer is to be effected it would not be to a far distant location that will make it impossible for the judge to take along with him cases that are part-heard.’’

Another Lagos lawyer, Mr. Wale Adesokan, said there was nothing strange when judges were transferred from one court to another periodically.

L-R: Director, Administration and Human Resources, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Hajia Aishatu Abubakar; Executive Director, Dr. Ado Muhammad and Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Dr. Abdulahi Mohammed, during the National Stakeholders Meeting on Primary Health Care Reviews in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Troops begin offensive against Boko Haram CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

saw six trucks carrying soldiers coming to Yola, while some residents in Maiduguri also reported an influx of troops.

The mood was tense in the city. Shops were mostly shut and there were few people on the streets.

Schools were closed.

“What I saw this morning scared me,” said one Ahmed Mari. “I have never seen soldiers on the move quite like this before.”

Another resident, Kabir Laoye, voiced widespread fears that civilians could be caught up in the conflict.

“There is a lot of apprehension about the state of emergency,” he said.

Also in Maiduguri, convoys of military vehicles were seen on Monday night heading North into the rural expanse that borders Niger and Chad.

The operations followed Tuesday’s proclamation of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states

by President Goodluck Jonathan due to the escalation of violent attacks by insurgents in the area.

Director, Defence Information, Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, in a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Abuja said security operatives had begun a clampdown to rid the nation’s border territories of terrorist bases.

Olukolade added that the operation would focus on tracking criminal elements within the affected areas.

The Defence Headquarters, however, assured law abiding citizens that it would ensure safety of civilians and non-combatants within the period of the operation.

“In furtherance of the Commander-in-Chief ’s directive, the Nigerian

Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies have commenced operations to rid the nation’s border territories of terrorist bases and activities.

“The military operation will focus on tracking down criminal elements within the vicinity of border communities prone to terrorist activities,” he stated.

The Defence Headquarters also added that the move was to protect Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It was, however, silent on the specific number of men that would be involved in the operations.

Olukolade said participating troops have been appropriately briefed on the modalities for arrests, cordon and search.

“The operations, which will involve massive deployment of men and resources is aimed at asserting the na-

tion’s territorial integrity and enhancing the security of constituted governmental structures in all territories within Nigeria’s borders.

“The operational plans have also briefed participating troops appropriately on arrests, cordon and search especially directed at apprehending those who have been violating sovereignty of Nigeria through terrorist training for insurgency and related activities. The operation is expected to put an end to insurgent activities in these parts of the country.

“The Defence Headquarters assures law abiding citizens that every effort has been put in place to ensure safety of civilians and non-combatants while the operations last.

“All citizens are enjoined to cooperate with troops and supply necessary information on criminal and

terrorist activities or movement in their locality as the operation is intended to safeguard the nation’s interests and citizens in all parts of the Federation,” Olukolade said.

The governors of the affected states have also called on their citizens to cooperate with security agencies in the efforts to stamp out terrorism in that part of the country.

In a televised broadcast, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, solicited for more prayers from the people of the state for the restoration of peace to the state, even as he urged the people to support and cooperate with all the security agencies who are charged with the sole responsibility of tackling the Boko Haram insurgency.

“In this trying moment I urge everybody to fervently pray for the return of peace in our dear Borno State and

in all other parts of Nigeria, to pave the way for rapid recovery and the socioeconomic transformation that we so desperately seek to put in place as a Government, “the governor said.

Shettima added that President Jonathan had the constitutional powers to declare a state of emergency in any state of the federation.

“It is the constitutional responsibility of the President to take such measures.

It is also the duty of any responsible state government to support lawful efforts that would guarantee the security of lives and properties.

“It can never be the wish of any guarded democratic government to have the military directly involved in the affairs of any federating unit except for unfortunate and painful causes.

“As the military leaders CONTINUED ON PAGE 7>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

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ICPC, NUC begin closure of 67 illegal varsities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

gal universities had been identified by the anti-graft body, which has the full addresses of 41 of them.

Policemen, operatives of the State Security Service, SSS, and officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, executed the court order yesterday.

The anti-graft agency is also arresting operators of the illegal universities.

ICPC Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, told journalists yesterday in Abuja that

the action was first in the series of implementing the outcome of an ongoing ICPC/NUC University System Study and Review, USSR, for which the antigraft agency sought and obtained a Federal High Court warrant.

The ICPC chairman, who was represented by Prof. Olu Aina, a member of the commission’s board, explained that the crack down on the illegal degree awarding institutions, which began simultaneously in nine differ-

ent zones in the country, would be concluded by the end of this week.

According to the ICPC boss: “In keeping with its warning delivered by the chairman last week, ICPC has today (yesterday) commenced a nationwide operation to seal the premises of identified illegal universities, seize their properties, make arrests, prosecute and execute such other actions it deems fit.

“An Inter-Agency Team, comprising the ICPC; the

NUC, the police, the SSS and the NSCDC will continue the exercise until all corrupt practices and impunity associated with the physical existence of such illegal institutions cease completely.

“We know it is a worldwide phenomenon which occurs whenever demand for educational or other services far outweigh supply, but we are determined to eliminate it from such a critical sector like education in Nigeria.”

The chairman made it

Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio and Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility and Efficiency Commission, Chief Ignatus Amodu, during a courtesy call at the Government House, Uyo, yesterday.

clear that the universities being closed down were established in contravention of the law, which states that any application for the establishment of a university must be done through the National Universities Commission.

According to him: “These unaccredited institutions, apart from extorting huge sums of money from unsuspecting Nigerians, are manned by unqualified personnel and operate in makeshift structures and poor environment that cannot qualify our youth both in learning and character for the award of recognised university degrees.

“Students of these institutions are not admitted through JAMB (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board), neither are they qualified or considered for the NYSC (National Youth Service Corp).

“As a result of all these deficiencies, the so- called students of these illegal outfits are not equipped for employment in the public or private sector.

In the end, certificates obtained from such institutions become useless and the period of study

Troops begin offensive against Boko Haram

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have said in discourses that the armoury of Nigerian soldiers is not meant to fight fellow Nigerians, the armoury is meant to protect fellow Nigerians.

“A human life is sacred, more so, the life of every good Nigerian, no matter whose it is; and we all have moral, spiritual and social obligations to preserve and respect the lives of one another as we would want ours to be so preserved and respected,” he added.

The governor regretted the killings and wanton destruction of properties in the state since 2009, noting that every human life is sacred.

“Allah emphatically said in the Holy Quran that he has dignified every human being. He has placed high premium on the sacredness of human lives and as His dignified creatures; we should obediently respect the lives of fellow creatures. Let us be our brothers’ keeper,” he said.

The governor warned

that emergency rule comes with rules different from those that guide day-to-day lives, and therefore urged the people of the state to take personal steps to avoid being caught by the unfamiliar rules.

Shettima also urged the military to abide by the directive of the President to operate under the rules of engagement so that innocent lives and their properties would be jealously preserved and protected.

“I further seize this opportunity for the umpteenth time, to call on our brothers in the Jama’atu ahliss Sunnah lil Da’awatu wal Jihad (Boko Haram) to embrace dialogue so that we can solve this problem on the table through collective bargaining, offers and compromises. I am glad to note that the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution, is still working round the clock as also emphasised by the President,” he added.

In Yobe State, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam yesterday

threw his weight behind the declaration of state of emergency in his state.

This was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Information, Abdullahi Bego.

The statement said: “I agree with the President on the imposition of state of emergency in Yobe State, as there is no alternative to peace and security to people’s lives and property.”

He said there was the need to take more effective measures in addressing the problems of insecurity in the country, as the Boko Haram insurgency had claimed many lives and property in the last four years.

The statement reads: “This administration and its citizens have expressed regret that “over the past few years, the problems of insurgency and criminality in Yobe State and other parts of the North have led to many deaths and injuries and caused untold hardship to millions of innocent people.”

He added, “The Yobe State Government will continue to partner with the military Joint Task Force, JTF, and other security agents to ensure normalcy across the state.

“The good people of this state should note, however that the proclamation of a state of emergency by Mr. President does not affect the political structure in the state. This administration will remain focused and committed in the ongoing task of transforming the state through the provision of much-needed social services. We will continue to work closely with the security agents and will ensure that their conduct reflects the spirit of the emergency declaration by the President; and the rules of engagement specified for that purpose.

“I called on the people to go about their normal and legitimate businesses and to report any suspicious movements in their areas to security agents. The people also should not to relent in

praying to the Almighty God for the restoration of peace and security in the state and the country in general.”

Meanwhile, the 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Kano, yesterday placed its officers on high alert in the aftermath of the state of emergency declared in three states of the North on Tuesday by President Jonathan.

Kano, the economic centre of the North was among northern states threatened by violence fostered allegedly by militants of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, following the January 20, 2011 multiple bomb explosives that rocked the city.

National Mirror recalls that concerted efforts by the state government and security agents via the Joint Task Force and the police brought the situation under control as the state now witness relative peace.

In an interview with our correspondent yesterday, spokesman for Bukavu Barracks, Kano, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said the Bri-

becomes a monumental waste of precious time.

“Therefore, the activities of these illegal operators have impacted negatively on the mental, psychological and economic well-being of many young Nigerians and their parents. The institutions constitute an embarrassment to the government and remain a monumental corruption of the education system,” he stressed.

The ICPC, however, ruled out any form of compensation for the victims of these illegal universities, stressing that such persons can only be guided as to how they can gain admission into recognised universities in the country.

Speaking at the ceremony, the representatives of the NUC and former ViceChancellor of the Osun State University, Osogbo, Prof. Sola Akinrinade said that the NUC does not grant temporary approval for universities as being claimed by some of the illegal universities, stressing that there were 14 stages involved before the Commission could grant licence to any university in the country.

gade had placed combatant officers on the alert to take care of any eventuality.

“There has been fresh deployment of personnel in the city to fortify the state, especially with the state of emergency declared in some Northern states to avoid any situation that will disrupt the peace Kano people are enjoying now.”

He reasoned that with the emergency rule in the affected volatile states, pressure may force most of the militants to flee the areas in search of refuge elsewhere, “so we have to be on the lookout.”

Iweha said the Brigade is not leaving anything to chance. “We have to keep the tempo until the desired result is achieved, which is total peace in Kano. So, we are not relaxing because we now have relative peace.

Rather, we are still working harder to sustain it.

“We have also increased the number of soldiers in the streets, raids on suspected hideouts will be carried out,” he said.

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Senators want state burial, national monument for Achebe GEORGE OJI ABUJA

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he Senate yesterday held a special session in honour of the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, during which the lawmakers took turns to eugolise him and called on the Federal Government to grant a state funeral in his honour in order to promote and showcase his excellent and positive contributions to Nigeria and the world.

The lawmakers also asked that a national monument be named after him, in addition to asking that a federal highway or street in Abuja be named after the late literary giant.

This was as the lawmakers, in addition, observed

a one minute silence in his honour as well as set up a nine-member delegation led by the leader of Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, to visit and condole with the family of the late literary icon.

Contributing to the debate on the motion, entitled; “Death of Prof. Chinualumogu Albert Achebe,” and sponsored by Senator Chris Ngige and 107 other senators, the late Achebe was variously described as a true nationalist, a sincere Nigerian, a prophet who saw tomorrow, a master story-teller, a disciplined, critical and progressive writer, among other descriptions.

Born in Ogidi, Anambra State on November 16, 1930, Achebe died on March 23,

in Boston, Massachusetts, USA after a brief illness at the age of 82. He had his early education at St. Philip’s Primary School, Ogidi; Government College Umuahia, Abia State, University College, Ibadan (now University of Ibadan), graduating in 1953 with a degree in English. He wrote his first book, the widely read novel, “Things Fall Apart” in 1958.

Ngige described the late Achebe as a “world figure and a personality who brought fame and prestige to Nigeria and all humanity through his literary talents and works, having written several novels and essays, some of which became instrumental for his dogged and dynamic activism ultimately seeking a better life

for Nigerians.”

The lawmaker described the loss of Achebe as a monumental loss to his family, the people of Anambra Central senatorial district in Anambra State, Nigeria, Africa and the world.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, noted that as a literary giant, Achebe wrote several books and deployed several time-tested proverbs in those writings.

He went ahead to list some of the prominent proverbs for which the literary icon was noted. The lawmaker said it was not for nothing that the late sage was bestowed with the title of Ugo N’abo of Ogidi (double eagle).

He stressed that the eagle is a very rare bird, noting

L-R: Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Yomi Ogunnusi, during a workshop on the functions of the House Committee on Finance in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Nigeria’s debt profile in order, says FG

•FEC approves 2013-2015 debt management strategy ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

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he Federal Government yesterday said it was in the best interest of the country to borrow more money considering the various economic activities taking place in the country.

Briefing State House Correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, said the debt profile of the country was still in order contrary to the fears being expressed over the debt profile, stressing that Nigeria was still within the under-borrowing range.

He said; “The structure of our debt is not optimal.

The bulk of the debt of our

country, in fact 88 percent is domestic and only 20 percent is foreign debt and then the level, we have a total of over N6 trillion worth of debt; however it is not just the level but the cost of servicing that debt. Nigeria has one of the highest interest rate in the developing world and if there are high levels of debt, then debt servicing will become very expensive.

“We should borrow more, considering our economic activities. There is no problem with the level of our debt. The problem is the domestic debt. Interest rate is too high,” Ngama said.

The Minister, however, said the major challenge with Nigeria’s debt was the high rate of servicing it.

Nigeria’s debt is about 18 per cent of the nation’s GDP.

The nation is under-borrowing. The standard is 40 per cent of the GDP; it is when it is over that there is problem.

“We must continue to borrow. It is only poor people that do not borrow. Dangote and others do borrow; you can borrow once you are credit worthy. America is the most indebted country in the world. Borrowing is good. The more money you have, the more money you need. There is nothing like satisfaction.”

Ngama, who spoke alongside Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; and the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe also disclosed that FEC approved a Medium Term Debt Management Strategy, MTDMS, which would run from 2013 to 2015.

He said the strategy was

being put together because of the current situation we find ourselves as far as the structure and level of the nation’s debt profile is concerned.

that, “Achebe was one.”

Ekweremadu stated that Achebe was not just a rare eagle, but a rare Iroko tree, noting that you do not transplant the Iroko tree anyhow because it is only the gods that plant Iroko trees.

Senate President David Mark observed that it was difficult to pay tribute

to a man in the caliber of Achebe and described him as, “a role model for both the youth and the elderly, a patriotic Nigerian who lived well ahead of his time. He was positively controversial as much as he was also progressively controversial, a great nationalist a sincere Nigerian.”

Four Nigerians shortlisted for 2013 Caine Prize TERH AGBEDEH

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he shortlist for the 2013 Caine Prize for African Writing was announced yesterday and among the five stories chosen are an unprecedented four Nigerian entries. The fifth is from Sierra Leone.

“The shortlist was selected from 96 entries from 16 African countries. They are all outstanding African stories that were drawn from an extraordinary body of high quality submissions,” said the Chair of judges, art historian and broadcaster, Gus Casely-Hayford.

Casely-Hayford said the five contrasting titles interrogate aspects of things that “we might feel we know of Africa - violence, religion, corruption, family, community - but these are subjects that are deconstructed and beautifully remade.

“These are challenging, arresting, provocative stories of a continent and its descendants captured at a time of burgeoning change.”

The winner of the £10, 000 prize is to be announced at a ceremony at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, on Monday, July 8.

The Nigerians are: Elnathan John for ‘Bayan Layi’ from Per Contra, Issue 25 (USA, 2012), Tope Folarin ‘Miracle’ from Transition, Issue 109 (Bloomington, 2012), Abubakar Adam Ibrahim ‘The Whispering Trees’ from The Whispering Trees, published by Parrésia Publishers (Lagos, 2012), and Chinelo Okparanta ‘America’ from Granta, Issue 118 (London, 2012).

Pede Hollist (Sierra Leone) got shortlisted for ‘Foreign Aid’ from Journal of Progressive Human Services, Vol. 23.3 (Philadelphia, 2012).

Meanwhile, Chika Unigwe, winner of the Nigeria Prize for Literature 2012 for her book, “On Black Sister’s Street” has emerged the 2013 winner of the Sylt Foundation African Writer’s Residency Award.

Unigwe said she was very happy with the award.

“I am very grateful and so very happy,” she said on her facebook page.

The Sylt Foundation had earlier announced the five finalists for the residency with Unigwe and Yewande Omotoso, making the list along with South Africans Ufrieda Ho and Zinaid Meeran, and Ethiopian Maaza Mengiste.

Pension scam: Maina drags HoS, Senate to court EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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ormer Chairman of the disbanded Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, has dragged the Head of Service of the Federation, HoSF, and the Senate before the National Industrial Court, NIC, sitting in Abuja.

The embattled former chairman is challenging his removal from office as Assistant Director of Customs, Immigration and Prison Pension Office, CIPPO.

CIPPO is an establishment in the Ministry of Interior.

Maina had drawn the ire of the Senate, when he failed to honour several invitations by the upper chamber’s Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service as well as state and local government administration.

The joint committee was saddled with the task of probing the administration of pension funds to retired federal civil servants.

His battle with the Senate came to a head, when

Senate President, David Mark, personally signed a warrant of arrest on February 2, directing the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to effect his arrest.

Consequent upon the development, the police boss declared Maina wanted.

However, the pension boss succeeded in securing an order of a federal high court in Abuja, which not only quashed the arrest warrant, but also granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining the IGP from arresting him.

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Ondo Assembly gets list of commissionernominees HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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ndo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has sent names of commissionernominees to the state House of Assembly for screening.

According to a source, the House would invite the nominees for screening next week.

It was learnt that almost all the former commissioners, who served with the governor in his first term, made the list.

The source listed the names of the nominees to include former Commissioners for Information, Kayode Akinmade; Works, Gboye Adegbenro; Justice, Eyitayo Jegede; Community Development, Clement Faboyede and Health, Dr Dayo Adeyanju.

Others include former Commissioner for the Environment and Natural Resources, Alhaji Oluboyo; Finance, Yele Ogundipe; Education, Remi Olatubora; Deji Falae, and Akin Adaramola Investigation revealed that Mrs. Yemi Mammud is the new face among the nominees.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

FG scholars stranded abroad TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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igerians studying in Russia, Cuba, China, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, Romania and Serbia on scholarships by the Federal Government are stranded, it was learnt yesterday.

President of the Association of Federal Government Doctoral Candidates in Russia, Mr Godwin Ezinkwo, disclosed this at an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs chaired by Hon. Abike

Dabiri-Erewa.

He said: "Nigerian students on scholarship in Russia and other countries, namely Morocco, Algeria, Cuba, Serbia, Turkey, China and Romania are all stranded. It is the same situation in Russia."

Ezinkwo, who said that the “students were converted to beggars in those countries,” regretted that "Nigeria Government sent its scholars overseas and abandon them there.

"The Nigerian Government, through the Ministry of Education, brings students to this hostile coun-

OWERRI

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he Imo State Traditional Rulers Council yesterday banished the proprietress of Ahamefule Motherless Babies Home, Lolo Ugochinyere Ahamefule, from the state.

Also banished was the 64-year-old retired viceprincipal Chief Chimezie Osigweh, who was arrested by the police for allegedly killing his mother for ritual.

Ahamefule was arrested for running an illegal “baby factory” at Umuaka In Njaba Local Government Area of the state where 23 extant teenage girls were rescued last week Friday.

Osigweh’s mother, Mrs Lucy Osigweh, who was reported missing since 2003, was discovered dead

try and abandons them without proper attention to their welfare".

He said their scholarship stipends were not paid in the last six months on the excuse that the "budget is yet to be signed." Ezinkwo added that the students were “forced to take begging for money from their colleagues from Ghana, Kenya and other African countries".

In a presentation entitled: "An urgent call for your intervention to the case of starving Nigerian Federal Government scholarship students in

Russia," he said: "The Association of Nigerian Federal Government Doctoral Candidates in Russia is a union of Nigerian PhD students sent to Russia to pursue their doctoral programmes.

The body is also a supervisory body of ANSSIR, which is the Association of the Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia made up of postgraduate and undergraduate students."

In her response, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa promised that the committee would investigate the issue.

L-R: Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Nigeria's Ambassador to Kingdom of Belgium, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and European Union, Mr. Felix Awanbor and Speacial Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Abba Dabo, during a town hall meeting with the Nigerian Community in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday.

PHOTO STATE HOUSE

Traditional council banishes Ahamefule, Osigweh for ‘desecration’ CHRIS NJOKU

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

in a cupboard in his son’s room at Ejemekwuru Alaoma community in Oguta Local Government Area on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists yesterday at the Traditional Rulers Council secretariat in Owerri, the chairman, Eze Samuel Ohiri said the two suspects had committed abominable acts against the land and therefore should be driven away from their communities which he said they had desecrated.

He said their actions were alien to Ndigbo as the culture and tradition never encourage killing and child trafficking.

Ohiri said: “What these people have done are abominable acts which the council has condemned in its entirety.”

According to him, Ahamefule and Osigweh would

not return to their communities after the police are through with them.

He said: “Osigweh has committed an abomination for killing his mother that carried his pregnancy for nine months and dried her up like fish. The traditional rulers in Imo State have concluded that the man be driven away from the state as soon as he is done with the police.”

ABIA

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overnor Theodore Orji of Abia State yesterday dissolved the state executive council.

The state Commissioner for Information, Hon. Eze Chikamnayo, told journalists that the dissolution was not necessitated by ill-

O MEIZ A A JAY I ABUJA

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki as Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

Dikki replaces Ms Bolanle Onagoruwa, who was recently sacked by the President after an alleged altercation with the National Assembly.

A statement signed yesterday in Abuja by the Secretary to the Gover nment of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, named Dr Oluwole Oluleye as the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Trust Fund (PTDF).

The statement, which also named Hon. Gbenga Elegbeyele as Director- General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), added that the appointees were expected to resume duties immediately.

Obasanjo exports cassava bread to Tanzania PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has travelled to Tanzania with a mission of introducing to the East African country and others Nigeria’s innovation in cassava bread baking.

Obasanjo, a goodwill ambassador for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), took the bread to Tanzania where he publicly munched it with

Orji sacks exco GEORGE OPARA

Jonathan approves heads for BPE, PTDF, NSC

feeling against the sacked executive, but embarked upon by the governor to pave the way for involving seasoned technocrats in governance.

Meanwhile, all permanent secretaries of the ministries have been directed to take over the machinery of administration from the sacked commissioners.

the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Mrisho Jakaya Kikwete.

Former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa also ate the bread for the first time. The leaders supported the innovation, noting that it would bring several benefits to the continent.

The 40 per cent cassava bread was first developed by IITA in Nigeria as part of efforts to boost the utilization of cassava and create market for farmers.

President Kikwete after inaugurating the IITA Science Building in Dar es Salaam commended IITA for the bread technology, saying that the bread had an “excellent” taste.

He said: “There is no difference between this bread and the normal bread we are used to.”

Obasanjo encouraged the Tanzania President to promote the use of cassava in confectionaries so as to transform agriculture.

He noted that the use of cassava flour in bread would stimulate the demand for the root crop, create jobs and, more importantly, make farmers proud.

Obasanjo, in 2002 initiated a policy on 10 per cent inclusion in bread under “the Presidential Initiative on Cassava” programme.

The programme, which was implemented by IITA and national partners, drove the demand for cassava, increased productivity by about 10 million tons in six years and made Nigeria the top world producer of cassava.

Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan called on Nigerians to join hands with the government to unlock the economic potentials of the nation by embracing locally produced products.

He said his administration is irreversibly committed to the development of cassava market which he hopes would help in reducing food importation into the country.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Okorocha is gambling with APC –Okwu

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Anambra guber: Ngige rev up activities

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Emergency rule, plot to remove hostile governors –Tinubu Warns against subversion of constitution

FELIX NWANERI

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ational leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Tinubu, yesterday warned against what he described as “a dangerous trend in the art of governance and a deliberate ploy to subvert constitutional democracy.”

He said that the declaration of the emergency rule is a plot to remove hostile governors so as to pave the way for President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections.

Tinubu gave the warning while reacting to Tuesday’s declaration of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by President Jonathan.

The former governor of Lagos State, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Sunday Dare, said the body language of the Jona-

than administration leads any keen watcher of events to unmistakable conclusion of the existence of a surreptitious but barely disguised intention to muzzle elected governments in the affected states for what is clearly a display of unpardonable mediocrity and diabolic partisanship geared towards 2015.

He said: “Borno and Yobe states have been literally under armies of occupation with the attendant excruciating hardship experienced daily by the indigenes and residents. This government now wants to use the excuse of the security challenges faced by the governors to remove them from the states considered hostile to the 2015 PDP/ Jonathan project.

“Let me be quick to say that this administration will be setting in motion a chain of events the end of which

nobody can predict. Experience has shown clearly that actions, such as this one under consideration, often give root to radical ideologies and extremist tendencies, a direct opposite of the intended outcome of unwarranted and unintelligent meddlesomeness. The present scenario playing out in the country reminds one of the classical case of a mediocre craftsman who continually blames the tools of his trade for his serial failure but refuses to look at his pitiable state with a view to adjusting.”

Tinubu said it has become crystal clear, even to the most incurable optimist, that the country is adrift.

He added: “Unfortunate-

ly, the tenuous and uncoordinated approach adopted by this government betrays a grossly incompetent disposition which stands at variance with current realities in the country, nay the international community where acts of terrorism are engaged and contained.

Putting the blame on the governors, who have been effectively emasculated, for the abysmal performance of the government at the centre which controls all security agencies, smacks of ignorance and mischief.”

Tinubu said that adopting the use of excessive force against those perceived as harbouring terrorists does not portray the government as possessing the wherewithal to find

abiding solutions to the lingering security challenges.

“A state of emergency already exists in the states where JTF operates. Residents of these communities live in constant fear. Their rights are violated with impunity under the guise of searching for terrorists in their respective domains.

“Hiding under some nebulous claims which border on the intractability of the security challenges posed

by Boko Haram or some acclaimed traditionalists who have killed some policemen to render ineffective the constitutional powers vested on elected governors and other representatives of the people, perceived as not amenable to manipulation for the 2015 project amounts to

reducing serious issues bordering on the survival of the country to partisan politics.

“Let all those who love this country genuinely advise the Federal Government not to tinker with the mandates of these governors under any guise. It is a potentially destructive path to take. If security of a society is about the protection of lives and property of the citizenry, the involvement of the people is a sine qua non to effective intelligence gathering. Any measures put in place which alienate the people, in particular their elected representatives, should be considered as fundamentally defective by every right thinking person in the country,” Tinubu averred.

Awo didn’t hate Igbo –Fasehun AYO ESAN

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ounder of the pan Yoruba group, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and Chairman of the Committee for the Resuscitation of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, has said that the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was not an enemy of the Igbos.

He also said that the UPN is a moving train that cannot be stopped by any antagonist.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, Fasehun said that the campaign that the late Awolowo hate the Igbo is farther from the truth.

His words: “Chief Awolowo and the UPN remain interconnected. By virtue of the fact that the UPN was founded by Awolowo in 1984, UPN was Awo and Awo was UPN. And antagonists feel that by rubbishing the memory of Awo, they would be rubbishing the UPN in a certain part of the country.”

Fasehun said the description of Awolowo as “the best president Nigeria never had” shortly after his demise in 1987 by the late Biafran warlord, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was a testimony that there exist no problem or hatred between Awolowo and the Igbo race.

While urging Nigerians to learn to put the past behind them, said: “We have become business partners.

We stay together as co-tenants. We buy and trade in the same markets. We worship together. We live together. And sometimes, our people die together. Instead of allowing the ghost of a dead war to divide us, we must unite to confront today’s common enemies. Nigerians as one must tackle unemployment, hunger, homelessness, underdevelopment, illiteracy, poverty, disease, corruption, insecurity, terrorism, Boko Haram, infrastructural deficit, low life expectancy and self-serving politics, among others.”

Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson (right) being welcomed by the Deputy Governor, John Jonah (left) at the Government House, Yenagoa, yesterday.

Electoral malpractice: Group calls for Akpabio’s resignation OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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coalition of 17 civil society organisations drawn from within and outside Nigeria under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society on Electoral Security and Transparency Initiative has called on Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio to resign over his alleged confession of electoral malpractice.

The group also called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the alleged self confession.

In a press statement signed by Ali Abacha, the National Coordinator Coalition of Civil Society for Transparency and Good Governance, on behalf of the coalition, the group decried what it called “elite phenomenon whereby those in positions of authority openly flout laws of the land with utmost disdain yet arrogantly admit to this and in most cases, get away with it.”

Referring to the alleged admittance of Akpabio to influencing a senatorial election result and personally replacing the winner with his preferred candidate, the

coalition condemned acts of election rigging by impunity perpetuated especially by top government officials.

It said: “For whatever reason, this is an unjustifiable act at that level of governance and injurious to deepening democratic governance in the country.

It should therefore be condemned by all well-meaning democrats not only in Nigeria, but the world at large.

“Against this backdrop we hereby call on Governor Akpabio to consider his rigging confession as self-indicting and therefore call for his outright resignation from the

exalted office of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State to face prosecution for electoral fraud.”

The group also called on the House of Representatives to commence investigation into the activities of Akpabio, so as to avoid further disintegration of democratic ideals in the state.

Akpabio was quoted to have said: “I used my own hand to strike out the name of the person who has won before, and I said it is important for me to give that region a Senator in 2007, and I produced Senator Aloysius Etok for you; that’s where he comes from.”

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

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Okorocha is gambling with APC –Okwu

soon as I see it, I will react.

I will like to see the hard copy of the letter because in Nigeria, anything is possible. I don’t doubt you.

Maxi Okwu is the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) elected at the April 8 convention. In this interview, he speaks on the crisis of leadership rocking the party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) among other issues.

AYODELE OJO reports.

A lot of people are confused that since Victor Umeh won his appeal, you would obey the decision of the court but you are still acting as if nothing has happened. How do you explain this?

Umeh did not win any appeal as people were wrongly made to believe. What he got in the Appeal Court was a stay of one of the four orders by the Court of Appeal. Out of the four orders that Enugu State High Court made, only one was stayed. They stayed that aspect that restrained him from parading himself as the chairman of our party. The Court of Appeal agreed that all issues have been overtaken by events. Number one; that there was no convention. Second, that there should be a convention and that the NEC of the party should have met and ordered a convention. I think there are about four issues raised and we have done all that. The court never said there was non-existence convention. It never said that. The court said once a judgement is declaratory, we cannot stay it. Every lawyer knows that you don’t stay what has been done. The deed had been done already, judgement had been executed by the NEC of the party; convened a convention in Awka and elected its national officers.

Umeh’s activity against the party is an exercise in futility.

Why did the party bring forward the convention date as against the earlier chosen date?

That is not true. The notice to INEC from the party was April 8. You should understand that INEC doesn’t work on sentiment. A party must put everything on paper before INEC, which we did. The only shift we made was the venue from Enugu to Awka. INEC was given adequate notice by our party. We gave 21 days notice.

That’s what electoral guideline says. We gave INEC the date and time. Normally if you want to hold a convention, you should conduct proper accreditation. We did this as we began around 9p.m. And I won at the end of the counting of votes.

How do you see the future of APGA in Imo State with the defection of Governor Rochas Okorocha to All Progressive Congress (APC)?

Our party had issued a statement in this regard and we urged Governor Okorocha to rethink. Actually, we see his challenges and dilemma but we are saying he should take it calmly. The APC is not a registered party; this is a fact as at present. Okorocha is gambling on a quantity that may collapse. I wish the APC well but it’s obvious it is not yet in a bag. It is still in the offing. It has not been registered by INEC. For Okorocha to jettison a party that gave him the platform to become a governor and started to gamble with an as-

What is your mission in APGA? Honestly, I don’t see myself going beyond two years in office as APGA chairman. I want to contest election in my state, Enugu. That was why I am in this business; to make APGA formidable in Enugu State to enable me contest and have a chance of winning. There are so many political offices I can vie for like the Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly and even governorship position.

Okwu

sociation that its composition is worrisome, we advise him to rethink. The position of the governor of a state is not a small thing.

We would not be talking of sanction or discipline. We’ll wait and see whether sanity will prevail through diplomacy and behind the scene discussion. But, at the end of the day, he would decide. His issue will become a legal thing if the APC is finally registered and Okorocha collects APC card. For now, by position of law, he is still a card-carrying member of APGA. Politically, APGA is there before Okorocha become a governor and the party will continue to exist after him. He has been with other parties in the country before he used APGA platform. He owed this party a lot. There is a moral burden for him to carry at this juncture.

With the division in APGA, don’t you see this affecting the fortune of the party in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State?

I have been trying my best to bring every aggrieved member back to the fold of the party. The truth is that there is also enmity in heaven. A political party cannot isolate itself from crises. Today, there are internal crises in the PDP, worse than what we have in APGA. What we suddenly realise in our party is that Umeh is now like a bull in a China’s shop. From his approach to things and activities, he likes to destroy APGA rather than allow the house to stand. We will not allow that to happen. We are going to ease him out. If a 26-member NEC that he led has left him except two or three of his cronies, he should have seen the handwriting on the wall and resign. In a much more civilised society, Umeh should have resigned honourably without being asked to quit. Be that as it may, I have extended a hand of fellowship to him thrice. I recalled I did that at the convention venue, later at the Town Hall meeting in Abuja and before the Abuja meeting. I have said it times without number that I will give him soft landing but he has refused to accept my hands of fellowship. Instead, he has been fighting harder. There is a limit which you can push a horse to drink, he just want to be the clog in the wheel of progress of the party.

As I am speaking to you, Umeh is the Di-

rector of Publicity of C21 group founded by Rochas Okorocha. All of them are in APC. Immediately we sort out the main legal issue before us, which we believe should be over latest two weeks from now, we’ll roll out action for the elections like the council election and governorship election in Anambra State.

In your own view, what do you think is energising him?

I am aware that Umeh has tasted power for long as a chairman of APGA. He was empowered by the party’s constitution. I am also aware that a fat pocket is giving him a full backing. So, there’s a lot at stake being the chairman of a strong party like APGA. For instance, I was once a chairman of Citizens Popular Party between 2005 and 2012. Then, nobody reckon with me that time, but now that I am the chairman of APGA, a party that can boast of having a serving governor and members of National Assembly, everybody is coming to me. I received more calls now as National Chairman APGA unlike when I was the National Chairman CPP. So, you can see why Umeh is fighting tooth and nail to remain the party’s national chairman.

INEC has written to Umeh recognising him as the authentic APGA’s National Chairman. What’s your reaction to this development?

I have not seen a copy of the letter. As

FOR OKOROCHA TO JETTISON A PARTY THAT GAVE HIM THE PLATFORM HE USED TO BECOME A GOVERNOR AND STARTED TO GAMBLE WITH AN ASSOCIATION THAT ITS COMPOSITION IS

WORRISOME, WE ADVISE HIM TO RETHINK

Where exactly do you hail from because there is the rumour that you’re from one village in Benue State?

I won’t answer that question. It is not worth answering. How can anybody stand up and say that to me? I am from Enugu State.

It’s so clear, it is not arguable. My father is not a hidden person. He was a Senator, minister and everything. I am from Achi in Enugu State. I found the insinuation laughable.

Umeh has said his tenure has not expired; what informed the sudden convention to kick him out from office?

People have forgotten that Umeh started as acting National Chairman of the party since December 2004. Now we are in 2013.

He has been parading himself as APGA Chairman for almost nine years. There was a time he took Chekwas Okorie to court when Okorie said he won’t stay beyond eight years. The basic fact is that Umeh has been APGA’s Chairman for nine years uninterrupted and he still wants to continue in that position. If his tenure is four years that is renewable, by January 2007 when the convention the court nullified was held, Umeh’s tenure has expired.

The court said he has no capacity by January 2011 to hold convention. The convention he coordinated in 2011 was nothing but illegal. That’s the fact of the whole issue. He has stayed beyond his tenure.

Normally before your tenure expires as chairman, you need to conduct fresh election but he did not do so because he cares to remain as APGA chairman forever. So, it is not a personal thing.

There are rules of engagement in democracy. You finish your first four year tenure and go back to the party for a fresh mandate of another four year term. The fact is that Umeh wanted to be APGA chairman forever simply because of the benefits that are accrued to him. Even the PDP that people have condemned on so many occasions have changed its national chairmen more than once since 2004. Yet, the likes of Umeh have been throwing bricks to PDP on many issues whereas he want to be the chairman of APGA forever.

Governor Peter Obi has not conducted local government election in Anambra State for seven years. What is your party doing about this?

I can assure you that local government election will take place in Anambra State this year. The electoral commission has assured me that it will do that. The arrangement had been on ground even before my election. The legal constraints have been removed to ensure the council election take place this year.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Thursday, May 16, 2013

FELIX NWANERI writes on the declaration by a former governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige for the forthcoming governorship election in the state and his chances of returning to the seat he vacated in 2006.

Anambra guber: Ngige rev up activities

F

ormer governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige is back to the game he knows best – politicking – following his recent declaration to contest the governorship election in the state scheduled to hold later in the year.

Before now, a sort of lull has been witnessed in the build-up to the poll, but the entrance of Ngige into the race is expected to rev up political activities in the state that prides itself as “Home for All,” given his rich political experience and acceptability by a proportion of the electorate.

Ngige presently represents Anambra Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which has fused into the yet to be registered All Progressive Congress (APC) and it is expected that he will square up against an array of other seasoned politicians and even technocrats if he gets his party’s nod to fly its flag.

Notable personalities who have already indicated interest in taking over from Governor Peter Obi, who is serving a second term, include Andy Uba, Annie Okonkwo; former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Chukwuma Soludo; a member of the House of Representatives, Mrs Uche Ekwunife; businessmen, Nicholas Ukachukwu and Obinna Uzoh and the chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd, Ifeanyi Uba, who is in the race for the first time.

Interestingly, most of the aspirants, if not all, are financial heavyweights, which has prompted some political analysts to express doubt over Ngige’s chance.

However, Rainbow Coalition, the group behind the former governor’s ambition insists that he towers more than his opponents. The coalition comprises members of the ACN, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Democratic Peoples Party (DPP).

Convener and coordinator of the group, Ben Oranusi, who spoke at Ngige’s declaration in Awka, the state capital, said his group came to a conclusion that Ngige is better positioned to pilot the state’s affairs after an assessment of all the candidates in the race.

His words: “We are urging Ngige to come and contest this election and continue from where he stopped. We have been holding meeting for months and now is the time to call him up and say go for us and become our governor again.”

Responding, Ngige not only declared for the contest but came hard on the Obi administration for misappropriating funds that accrued to the state in the last seven years.

He said: “While I was there as governor, I worked with about N80 billion as total budget and executed projects worth about N69 billion. If we go by this data, you will discover that the four budgets, which I prosecuted; I had about N150 billion, including the Internally Generated Revenue.

“Yet we delivered services and built roads and lifted the embargo on employ-

15

Obi

Ngige

WHAT DO WE HAVE IN ANAMBRA STATE IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO SHOW FOR THE

N2 TRILLION RECEIVED BY THE GOVERNOR? EVEN IF YOU ALLOW FOR INFLATION BY DOUBLING THE N150 BILLION TO N300 BILLION, DOES THE SITUATION IN ANAMBRA STATE JUSTIFY THE HUGE RESOURCES THAT HAS COME INTO THE STATE SINCE THEN?

ment and promotion, which the then governor placed while in office. But when you compare my administration with that of the incumbent, Obi, you will see the difference. He had received N1.2 trillion in total as allocation from the Federation Account and about N800 billion as local government allocation which makes it up to roughly N2 trillion in the last seven years, yet we have nothing to show for it.

“I wish to ask, what do we have in Anambra State in terms of infrastructure to show for the N2 trillion received by the governor? Even if you allow for inflation by doubling the N150 billion to N300 billion, does the situation in Anambra State justify the huge resources that has come into the state since then?”

Expectedly, the assertion has sparked off a row between him and Obi, who in-turn, challenged his predecessor to a public debate to set the record straight.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Valentine Obienyem, Obi said it was laughable for Ngige to raise the issue of infrastructural development when the people of the state have continued to marvel at infrastructural growth in all sectors.

He said: “Besides the roads Ngige built in Idemili, he did nothing for other parts of the state and in other sectors. Look at his alma mater, Alor Boys; he is not ashamed that the place is being rebuilt by Governor Obi. “The other day, we met him at Girls Secondary School, Alor, where he thanked the governor for rebuilding the school. All he did was to move the State University College of Medicine to Alor, his home town, without building a table. Today, Obi has built the teaching hospital from scratch and it has been accredited.”

Chief Press Secretary to Obi, Mike Udah, in a statement, said his principal has performed more than any of his pre-

decessors.

The statement said: “One is surprised that Ngige should raise this type of question, and to add salt to injury, attempt to compare Governor Obi’s legitimate administration to the stolen mandate which he enjoyed until it was taken away from him by the law.

“In civilised societies, Ngige should have been jailed for electoral theft and forced to return to government coffers all the salaries and allowances he received while his illegal sojourn in Awka Government House lasted.

“But let us leave that for another day.

The truth of the matter is that Governor Obi has surpassed whatsoever his predecessors including Ngige did in office. I mean all they had done put together. A tip of the iceberg: he constructed over 380 kilometres of roads across the state with every community and local government getting its fair share. This equitable distribution of roads and other infrastructure was not done by Ngige when he illegally held sway.

“In addition, Governor Obi, through his spectacular partnership with the church, has revolutionalised the state’s healthcare and education, a scenario which the World Bank and even the Federal Government has seen as a model and recommended to all states to emulate.

“The manner in which old structures were, and are being, refurbished and new ones begun and completed in schools and health institutions in the state is legendary.”

But Ngige, who said he is not afraid of a debate on the issues he raised, described the governor’s challenge as laughable since facts speak for themselves.

In a statement by his Media Assistant, Igboeli Arinze, the senator said: “The governor (Obi) through media aides did state that Ngige built roads only in Idemili Local

Government Area. This is mendacious in all facets, as roads such as Isuochi- Owerri Ezukala-Ogbunka Umunze, Umunze to Igboukwu, dualisation of Zik Avenue, Modebe Avenue in Onitsha, Amawbia-Agulu, Abba-Abagana, Nnewi to Neni and other notable township roads which make up the 77 roads built by the Ngige administration in so short a time and with the little funds gotten by the administration were not in Idemili area.

“Also, they claim that they have built more roads, having spent eight years in government, we believe that they should have done more than they claimed. However, what is not a subject for debate is the quality of these roads built by the Obi administration, which at best can be said to have a lifespan of two years. Does it make any sense to build roads with enormous resources only for successive governments to revisit these roads with resources that would have gone to other areas such as healthcare, education and security? Ask Ndi Anambra to compare the roads done by Senator Ngige with those done by the Obi administration and you will get answers in affirmation of what the senator is saying.

“On the issue of Ngige attending Alor Boys, it is on record that Ngige attended St John’s Alor and not Alor Boys as wrongly put out by Obienyem. Also, it is very wrong of the Obi administration to accuse Ngige of neglecting his alma mater, since he has contributed to the renovation of the school buildings, provided solar lighting for the school as well as donated a functional computer centre also to the school.”

Obi and Ngige could not be said to be best of friends, even before now. It would be recalled that the duo had a running legal battle between 2003 and 2006 as a result of the “hijack” of the mandate given to the former in the 2003 governorship election by the PDP, which had Ngige as its candidate then.

Obi only became governor in March 2006 after the Court of Appeal sacked Ngige.

A second attempt by the medical doctor turned politician to return to the seat in 2010 on the platform of the ACN failed although he came second, ahead of top favourite, Soludo of the PDP. He was later to win a senatorial seat in the 2011 polls.

While the battle of wits is not expected to subside in the days ahead, as propaganda has become an integral part of the nation’s politicking, a political school of thought in the state has opined that the crossfire may impair Ngige’s chances at the polls given the incumbency factor.

Those in this school are of the view it would be “suicidal” for the incumbent to handover to one other than his “anointed,” as an opposition successor is likely to institute a probe that would be used to rubbish him. Ngige, they maintained, would be a last option against this backdrop.

But strong as their postulation may be, those in Ngige’s camp insist that they are not losing sleep. According to them, Ngige has fought several political battles in the past including the one in which he liberated the state from enslavement of the selfstyled political godfather of Anambra politics, Chris Uba in 2003.

Will Ngige re-enact his brand of politics which has redefined Anambra politics of late? Only time will tell, as Anambra politics has over time proved to be highly dynamic but unpredictable.

16

Politics

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How I became mayor in Ireland –Adebari

where. I did not stand any chance. I did not fall in the traditional caucus in their ratings. I did not belong to any political party, I was an independent candidate, I was not a native, in fact everything was against me.

But surprisingly, and to their consternation, few weeks into canvassing, they began to notice that ‘this guy is going to get a seat, he was popular than what we thought’. Everywhere they went, they realised that I was there before they got there. It dawn on them when openly some of the people would say ‘sorry, I am giving my vote to that black guy’.

That was how it happened when election came l was elected into the council thrice.

It was a different thing entirely over there unlike the politics here. But I am optimistic that one day, Nigeria will also be matured in her political thinking where money will no longer be the deciding factor. I know that there is a lot of collaboration that can happen between those over there and here at home. May be sometime, when you see how things are done elsewhere and they achieve results; we can also emulate such at home.

Rotimi Adebari is a mayor in the Republic of Ireland. In this encounter with SINA FADARE, he says politics in the Irish country is not about how rich you are, but what you can offer in terms of substance. Excerpts: How did you manage to contest for an election in Ireland and won thrice?

I was elected as a mayor there for the first time in 2007. I have to step out of my comfort zone to do the impossibility in a foreign land and with dint of determination and hard work, I was elected. It was not an easy challenge in a foreign country.

But the bottom line was that the people there did not see the colour. They see it as an individual game. Politics over there is a different ball game. They look at what you can offer, not where you come from or how wealthy you are. They want to see what you can do differently from what has been done before. As long as you can convince the electorate that ‘this is what I have and if given the opportunity this is what I would do’, they will queue behind you and that was what happed in my case. So, when the chips were down, they voted for me.

How will you compare politics In the Republic of Ireland with politics at home?

Politics between the two countries is miles apart. Over there, you are talking about a political system that has come of age. It has matured. Democracy over there is always a journey not a destination.

Though Nigeria is having a turbulent time, hopefully we will get there one day. The country that we are comparing with Nigeria had its independence in 1922, you are talking about more than 90 years ago, they have their own problem at the start, but they have grown to be an institution that has to be reckoned with all over the world.

Over there, to stand for an election, you don’t need any godfather, but here if, you don’t have one godfather, you cannot be selected. It is what you can offer that the people want to know. Politics there does not necessarily mean that you should belong to any political party, before you can stand for election. You can stand for election as an independent candidate. It may not be easy to get party nomination, it is the same all over the world, because the party might have its own candidate and if you think that you have what it takes to win an election, you can go on and contest on your own right. That is what Nigeria as a country can emulate It may not happen just like that over night, but with gradual process, we will actually get there. In one of the recommendations of the Justice Muhammed Uwais committee on constitutional amendment, independent candidature was the focal point; I think Nigeria should give this a chance. When you do that, you weaken the power of the socalled godfathers. If I can stand for an election without a godfather’s funding, there are some people over there that do not need your money, but the substance you are made of and what you can offer. When they know that you have the stuff, they will go out and cast their votes for you.

Unfortunately, we practice the politics of cash and carry here. May be our leaders

Adebari

deliberately made it that way, so that when they impoverish the people, they will take any peanut they offered them. If our common wealth is evenly spread, poverty will be a thing of the past Are you still in politics in Ireland?

Yes. To venture into politics here in Nigeria is a different ball game; a lot of money is attached to it. It is like a vocation now that when you go into politics here you go and make money. Over there, it is service and your ability to offer what others could not do. Politics at the local level in Ireland is not a paid job. You only get what they refer to as representational allowances. It was like that in Nigeria during the First Republic. The moment we embrace the presidential system of governance, things got out of hand. We are spending a lot of money on governance and nothing actually goes to the people. Over there, all of us who are in politics at the local and regional levels have our professions. You have people who are farmers, accountants, lecturers and a host of other professions who came into politics just to render services to the people. I did not buy common Coke for anybody before l was elected into office. I embarked on a door-to-door campaign, presenting my manifestoes to the people and how to do it better, that did the magic.

At what point did you think you wanted to venture into politics?

I got to that country in 2000 and my background in Nigeria before I left was a sales marketer in a television house and getting there, l thought I would look for a job along that line, but I met brickwalls.

One can understand why; because this is a white country. It was difficult to get a job, in the alternative I set up a supporting group in the community; there is one we call supporting the unemployed in the county group. It was targeted to help unemployed people. I referred them to different agencies, organise training for them and I was giving training on culture differences.

At this point, the Irish people came over to me and told me that I got fantastic ideas; why not consider going into politics. Initially, I said count me out of politics, I said

THE BIG PARTIES NEVER TOOK ME SERIOUS WHEN WE WERE CANVASSING FOR VOTES.

THEY

SAW ME AS UNSERIOUS CANDIDATE WHO COULD NOT BE A THREAT TO THEM that if politics is to be a piece of water, it is the last stream I would like to go and swim in. I remembered what my lecturer, Tosin Coker, told me those days at the Ogun State College of Education, Ijebu-Ode, that if you want to know the name people call you behind your back, go into politics, they will call it in your presence. If only for that and given that it was a foreign land, I felt it would be difficult for me, so I was reluctant.

But then the pressure kept coming from the local people, the Irish people kept promising me that they will vote for me. I was still reluctant because politics is a game of number and I don’t have the people neither could l be sure of what could happen. But the Irish people said they will go along with me, knocked on doors and got the peoples vote for me.

Politics there is a bit different, you knock on doors, the person opens the door, and you introduce yourself and present your manifesto. At the end, some will say I will give you a chance. That is where they are very different in their approach to politics. The moment they give you their word, if another candidate comes, they will simply tell him or her that sorry, I have given my words to Rotimi and that is where my vote is going.

When the election came, the big parties never took me serious, when we were canvassing for votes. They saw me as unserious candidate who could not be a threat to them, because they felt nobody would vote for me. The media analyses also did not favour me, because the media just saw me as a greenhorn in politics that cannot get any-

Will you advocate a parliamentary system of government for the country?

Both presidential and parliamentary systems of government have their advantages and disadvantages. But if you look at the financial involvement, presidential system is the more expensive in any part of the world. In our own case, we are trying to copy America, but not in totality. We only pick those things that are comfortable for us. That is not how things are done.

Even while Americans practise the presidential system of government, the wealth that belong to the people are not cornered by a clique, but unfortunately, in our case, some few privileged in the corridor of power cornered the commonwealth and that is why we are in this political mess. If we can address our corrupt tendencies which are now endemic, things might still be better.

If I have my way, I will advocate for a parliamentary system of government. It will absolve us from all the waste we exhibit under the guise of governance. The beauty of it is that the parliament still holds power and there is collective responsibility.

What is your advice to Nigerian politicians?

It is only in Nigeria that politics is not issue-woven. In other climes, issues are discussed extensively during politicking.

There are ways parties can use the media effectively to have opinion polls on all issues. The issue of our differences also should be discussed. We cannot run away from this. If in the course of discussion, some people feel somehow, and think that if they break out of the polity, they can have a better life as a nation, why can’t we discuss it. Let us put it there in the public domain where it would be exhaustedly discussed. There was a referendum in Spain recently, if you talk about this in Nigeria, it is a felony. See the issue of security; it is one of the major responsibilities of government. If you cannot do that something is wrong somewhere.

In a situation where there is unrest, armed robbery and kidnapping, there is trouble; though government said they are working round the clock to arrest the situation, but the fact remains that something urgent should be done to curb the menace.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Thursday, May 16, 2013

17

Wither the Amnesty Programme?

EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

FRY

NDUBUISI fryndubuisi@nationalmirroronline.net (08023016709 SMS only)

U

nfolding dramas in the nation have pointed to the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan was undoubtedly blackmailed into setting up the Presidential Committee on Amnesty for the Boko Haram militant Islamic sect. The committee that is made up of eminent Nigerians has hardly started its assignments when the group unleashed what could be seen as one of its most devastating attacks on Bama town, Borno State that left dozens of security men and civilians dead. In the coordinated attacks, prison officials were also slaughtered and prisoners liberated.

Police officers and soldiers were equally not spared after their barracks were torched. This is in addition to its new strategy of kidnap-for-ransom. No doubt, this new strategy is to source for scarce funds.

So scary was this development that President Jonathan had to cut short his state visit to southern Africa to personally take charge. His meeting with the service chiefs and other stakeholders would have been the impetus for the declaration of a state of

emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Jonathan is exercising his power under Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution. The former Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration equally used this power to declare state of emergency in Plateau and Ekiti states. The level of carnage and insurrection in these two states then was a child’s play compared with what we now have in these three North East states.

Unsurprisingly, the Northern Governors’ Forum, other groups and individuals in the region had publicly opposed declaration of a state of emergency in any part of the North, saying it will not solve the intractable insecurity in the region. Some of them vowed to resist such move by the Jonathan administration. They advised the President to stick to his planned Amnesty Programme for Boko Haram, the same way the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua did in the case of Niger Delta militants.

Echoing this sentiment, the spokesman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony Sani, appealed to all Nigerians of whatever religion and ethnic colorations to give the dialogue option a chance to succeed.

The unmistakable signs manifesting now point to the fact that the amnesty deal has run into murky water. Members of the Committee must have been appalled by the upsurge in the activities of the Islamic fundamentalists and the strident voices of opposition to it. Among those opposed to the deal were Afenifere, the apex Yoruba socio-

IT IS A BIG PUZZLE THAT PEOPLE HAVE NOT CEASED FROM

COMPARING THE NIGER

DELTA EXPERIMENT WITH THE BOKO HARAM

cultural organization and Noble Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka. Their position is that since Boko Haram has committed crimes against humanity, its leaders and operatives should face the law.

More fundamentally, a leader of the sect, Kabiru Sokoto, the suspected mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, this week jolted the court trying him that he never met with the members of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, the Committee charged with the responsibility of implementing the amnesty deal. The Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, recently revealed that his committee had met with members of Boko Haram including Kabiru Sokoto, at the Kuje Minimum Security Prison where they were being detained. This denial has questioned the credibility of the Committee, and could also be a source of worry for the

proponents of the amnesty programme.

Equally problematic is the Tuesday declaration of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. It will be interesting to see the next move of the committee.

However, in their last meeting with Mr. President, members of the committee were effusively enthusiastic and confident that the Amnesty Programme was on course.

It is a big puzzle that people have not ceased from comparing the Niger Delta experiment with the Boko Haram one. The Niger Delta militants, their motivation, aims and objectives were quite different from the Boko Haram insurgency. To expect the application of the measures to the militants of Niger Delta region to Islamic fundamentalists is fallacious.

Nonetheless the Presidential Amnesty Committee should gear up actions, unfold its plans and programmes it feels would guarantee peace in the North. As the President stated in his broadcast to the nation on Tuesday, the country is at war. This is one fact we must face. It is gratifying that the political structures in the affected states are allowed to stay. This has punctured the allegation of unbridled politicization against the President.

It is pertinent the nation take a position in the carnage and crisis that have consumed innocent souls and properties. If it is not done now, it may be too late to do so.

Professor Ndubuisi, an Attorney at Law, is of Dept of Philosophy, UNILAG.

Rhodes-Vivour, Ombatse and the security question

T

he kidnapping of the wife, daughter and the driver of Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court has introduced a dangerous dimension into the hitherto intractable security challenge of the country. The development is a symbolic representation of the infernal depth to which law and order has sunk and a worrisome reminder of the speed the nation is moving towards a failed state status.

As one unfortunate incident follows another in seemingly perpetual succession of woes, it has become imperative for the governments at all levels to synergistically rise to rescue the nation from the brink of utter failure. After all, the safety of lives and properties is the preponderant duty of a government.

Imagine the height of national embarrassment that is spawned if a judicial officer of the highest institution of law is being blackmailed to offer ransom to some faceless and lawless elements as an inexorable barter for the safety of members of his immediate family! It is tantamount to laying the institution of justice prostrate. It is a symbolic stripping of our highest institution of justice of its aura and inviolability.

This unfortunate incident came on the heels of yet another national tragedy cum embarrassment as evinced in the recent mindless massacre of dozens of law officers. Specifically, 93 police officers and 10 operatives of the Directorate of State Security were killed by Ombatse militiamen at Alakyo village, Nasarawa State last Tuesday. It was the singularly bloodiest onslaught on law enforcement agents in Nige-

ONCE THE EMOTION OF FEAR IS THRUST INTO THE JUDICIAL PARLANCE, THE

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IS AUTOMATICALLY ENDANGERED rian history during a “peacetime”. I have not heard of any country that lost about 103 law officers in just one day in a non-war situation. A Red Cross official painted a terrifying sight of the conditions of these slain law enforcement agents when he said: “More corpses are still in the bush. We tried to pack them but the bodies are breaking into pieces, so we will need shovel to pack them,” The mode of extermination of a whole “battalion” of security forces by Ombatse cultists itself should ordinarily provoked numerous questions. The combined team of the police and the DSS was said to be on a mission to destroy the shrine of the outlawed cult group and arrest its leaders when they ran into an ambush laid by these same blood-thirsty cultists.

Now the questions: How could a convoy conveying a supposedly crack team of police officers and detectives moved in such a huddle and non-strategic way as to expose themselves to a clean wipe out by a faceless mob? Is it true or not that our security

operatives flout even routine precaution in their operational methodology? How could sophisticated weapons of the nature and quantity employed in the dastardly massacre have found their ways into private hands in a nation where possession of firearms is yet to be liberalised?

The cultists are by no means omniscient. Who are the fifth columnists within the security personnel who leaked the plan of the raid to the cultists? All these are worrisome questions that inspired answers not far from systemic failure.

Back to the Justice Rhodes-Vivour issue.

Now that the monster called kidnapping is fast becoming more and more indiscriminate in its choice of victims, nobody is feeling safe. There was a time in this country when headlines-making kidnappings were only cases of foreign oil-workers. It was after this that the scope of the criminal enterprise was expanded and “democratised” to include the rich and not-so-rich indigenes.

With the latest development, it could be said that the already fragile Nigerian institutional structure is about to suffer a further seismographic shock with the current unfolding saga. This is so because the development is bound to generate some disquiet among the judicial officers, and once the emotion of fear is thrust into the judicial parlance, the administration of justice is automatically endangered. If the state fails to protect the judges, the judiciary would not be able to protect the people.

Every day, the now famous “America’s prophecy” that putatively hinted at Nigeria’s implosion and disintegration in 2015,

KAYODE

KETEFE

kketefe@nationalmirroronline.net 08032147720 (SMS only)

which has attracted heavy criticisms and denunciation from the Nigerian establishment, is becoming a probable theory. As at the time of writing this column, news filtered in that President Goodluck Jonathan has declared state of emergency in three northern states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.

It seems as if some unseen forces are tinkering with the destiny of the nation in a manipulative game that nobody knows how it would end. Every day, numerous forces are at work to subvert law and order in the country. The current rulers of Nigeria therefore, need to do all within their power to re-orientate and rescue the nation from the fatalistic fulfillment of unwanted, but seemingly ineluctable destiny.

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.netmirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs.

Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

18

Editorial

Thursday, May 16, 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

MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

YELE AKINROLABU

ED OPERATIONS

SEYI FASUGBA

DAILY EDITOR

BOLAJI TUNJI

SUNDAY EDITOR

GBEMI OLUJOBI

SATURDAY EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA

COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

ADESOYE ADEKOYA

CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION

CALLISTUS OKE

EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE

ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

KAYODE BALOGUN JNR

SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH

HEAD, GRAPHICS

P

Rising investor confidence in the economy

erhaps, the clearest indicator so far of the rising confidence of investors in the nation’s economy is the strong performance of the capital market. This year alone, market indices reveal that the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All Share Index has gained about 25 per cent, translating to a return of N2.35trn for investors. Most of this growth is attributable to foreign capital inflows, as international investors seek to explore emerging opportunities in frontier markets once considered too risky because real returns on investments in the developed market has been under pressure as a result of the lingering recession in the Euro zone.

Concrete efforts at reforming and strengthening the regulation of the capital market, as well as the strategic investment drive by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments, all aimed at creating the right conditions for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows and local capital formation, were said to have been largely responsible for the positive development being witnessed in the capital market and the real sector. Nigeria was recently ranked as one of the four major investment destinations and growth areas in the world.

According to KPMG, one of the world’s foremost audit, financial and tax advisory firms, the country’s new-found status

followed the disappointing returns recorded by the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), all seen to be at a similar stage of newly advanced economic development with the exception of China.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) World Investment Report for 2012 also placed Nigeria as Africa’s biggest destination for FDI in 2011. According to the report, Nigeria received $8.92bn in FDI, which placed it first in Africa. South Africa was ranked next with total FDI inflows of $5.81bn. The FDI inflows have also been predicated upon the creation of a more investor-friendly business environment, a key target of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments, facilitated by the establishment of one stop investment centres, increasing business competiveness and 24-hour business registration, among others. Indeed, Nigeria moved up by 12 places to rank 155 in the Global Competiveness Ranking released recently by the Global Benchmarking Network (GBN).

Increasing domestic investments have also had a positive effect on Nigeria’s trade balance position, indicating a reduction in import dependence.

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) External Sector Report for 2012, “Nigeria’s trade balance improved

mented by the Industry, Trade and Investments Ministry and other key agencies. A modDECISIVELY TACKLE est, yet visible increase in the manufacturing sector’s capacTHE LINGERING ity utilisation from 46 per cent to 48 per cent in the last two INFRASTRUCTURE years was also reported. In adDEFICIT IN THE dition, government’s backward integration policy was said to COUNTRY WITH FOCUS have raised the cement production sector’s capacity from two ON POWER, RAILWAYS, million metric tonnes per year ROADS AND THE in 2002 to 28.6 million metric tonnes yearly following investPORTS... ments of about $6bn in the 10 year period, such that Nigeria is significantly from $8.62bn in now a net exporter of cement.

Q2, 2012 and $1.60bn in Q3, 2011, However, in sustaining FDI respectively, to $12.37bn in Q3, inflows and stimulating invest2012. ments locally, we think that the Aggregate exports rose by FG must decisively address the 8.2 per cent, from $22.53bn problem of lingering infrastrucin Q3, 2011 to $24.37bn in Q3, ture deficit in the country, with 2012, while aggregate imports’ more focus on power, railways, Cost, Insurance and Freight roads and the ports, etc., as (CIF) declined by 42.7 per cent well as tackling the deterioratto $11.99bn within the period ing security situation. Besides, reviewed. The apex bank said the lack of access to low cost the country’s trade balance capital for small and medium position improved due to lower enterprises – universally acimports of goods and services claimed as the key economic and increased export earnings. drivers – needs to be addressed.

Rising investment in the Capital flows to wherever it non-oil sector also reportedly is welcome, meaning that the resulted in increased foreign requisite conditions must be earnings from that sector. right. Recent policies that have Statistics indicated that in 2012, facilitated increased investthe non oil sector accounted ment in recent years and set the for 30 per cent of the country’s stage for a potential boom need forex earnings, compared with to be invigorated, especially just six per cent in 2005. when the flattering pictures beInvestors are also taking ing painted are yet to translate advantage of the FG’s National to improved living conditions Industrial Policy being implefor Nigerians.

THE FG MUST

ON THIS DAY May 16, 2005 Kuwait permitted women’s suffrage in a 35-23 National Assembly vote. The country’s women were thus allowed to vote for the first time and run in parliamentary and local elections.

Four years later, in May 2009, four female candidates won parliamentary seats in a general election. The parliament had endedindeadlockonMay2when29membersabstainedandonly 29votedforit,leavingthelegislationjustshyof the33votesneeded.

May 16, 1988 A report by United States’ Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop stated that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine. Nicotine is a potent parasympathomimetic alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae). It is made in the roots and accumulates in the leaves of the plants. It constitutesapproximately0.6–3.0%of thedryweightof tobacco.Itis presentintherangeof 2–7 μg/kgof various edibleplants.

May 16, 1975 Junko Tabei, a Japanese mountain-climber, became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Mount Everest is the Earth’s highest mountain, with a peak at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level; and the 5th tallest mountain measured from the centre of the Earth. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international border between China and Nepal runs across the precise summit point.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

19

Education Today 15-year-old boy emerges 13th Lagos one-day governor 23

Admission: Varsities warn parents against unnecessary pressure •As scammers step up antics

Cross-section of candidates writing UTME with JAMB Official supervising at a centre, in Lagos, recently. Inset: UNILAG Registrar, Shodimu

MOJEED ALABI

T

hough this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is yet to conclude, National Mirror can reliably gather that some candidates, aided by their desperate parents, are already working on ways to ensure they are offered admission by different universities and other tertiary institutions of their choice.

Since May 3rd, when JAMB released the results of the 1,644,110 candidates who sat for the Paper Pencil Test (PPT) and the Dual Based Test (DBT) modes on Saturday, April 27, various candidates, especially those with low scores, have been reportedly seeking means of influencing the post-UTME examinations to be conducted soon by the various institutions.

Many of the candidates, who have been busy applying for change of their preferred institutions and courses of choice, to meet the two-week ultimatum set by the examination body, are also said to be doing so based on the instructions they receive from their contacts.

It would be noted that this year’s UTME will be rounded off on Saturday, June 1, when the about 90,000 candidates who applied for the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, which starts on Saturday, May 18, will have finished the spatial mode. Soon

IN FACT, WE HAVE, IN THE PAST, INVESTIGATED SUCH CASES OF PARENTS OFFERING AS MUCH AS N500,000 TO SECURE ADMISSION FOR THEIR WARDS after, individual institutions are expected to conduct their post-UTME. Ahead of these post-UTMEs therefore, various individuals and workers of some institutions are already reportedly making advances to unsuspecting candidates, guaranteeing them of admission placements in various institutions while some even pledge to jerk up their UTME scores for them once the required charges are paid.

Similar situations had happened during the last examination held on April 27, when many candidates were found to have paid into accounts of swindlers who sent in suspected fake answers to them on the day of the examination through some websites created for the purpose by the fraudsters.

In its response to the allegations of malpractices during the examination JAMB had disclosed that the results of a total number of 68,309 candidates from

various centres across the country were still undergoing further screening to ascertain the culpability of 12,110 candidates’ results.

Some of the universities contacted by National Mirror have not denied the fact that some desperate parents do attempt to influence admission processes by hook or by crook but they gave stern warning to anyone including parents, guardians and even candidates already making efforts to corrupt the system to desist from such practices. They claim they are now more vigilant and ready to prosecute any individual or agency found guilty of any allegation of fraud.

In an interview with the Registrar, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Mr. Oluwarotimi Shodimu, he said the development is not strange to the institution considering the high figure of candidates applying to the university every year. He said the university has a well-laid down structures and procedures for conducting its academic activities, which he are handled by men and women of integrity “who would never attempt to soil their image.”

“There is really nothing new about this at all. We are used to it and this year cannot be different. In fact, we have in the past, investigate such cases of parents offering as much as N500,000 to secure admission for their wards. That is what our country has steeply degenerated to.

Corrupt parents make sure their children inherit their corrupt character and this

is telling on the larger society because everywhere you go, you are stunned at the massive fraud going on,” Shodimu stated.

Talking about the integrity of the university’s entrance examination, the registrar said not even the vice-chancellor of the institution has knowledge of the questions to be set because “we have a pool for our questions which are securely guarded and can hardly be hacked into.”

He added that, though nothing is impossible particularly in this age of technology, he said the university is very proactive and can address any emergency situation.

Similarly, the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has enjoined parents to stay away from the university saying all efforts are on deck to stave off undue influences.

According to the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, the institution deploys computer to conduct its examination and releases the results less than 48 hours after.

“Within these 48 hours, the results pass through series of scrutiny. So, where is the room for any syndicate to influence the results?”

Also, the University of Ibadan spokesman, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo told National Mirror yesterday that the university knows how to block loopholes for malpractices in any of its examinations including post- UTMEs. He also added that students admitted by the university over the years were always consistent with their results upon which they were admitted throughout their studies period.

“Now the university’s standing committee in charge of admission is about sitting for this year’s admission process starting with the post-UTME,” he noted, adding; “And the university is looking towards admitting about 3000 candidates.”

In his own contribution, The Ekiti State University’s Deputy Registrar in charge of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Ajibade Olubunmi said the institution is not unaware of the development but insisted that the procedure its examination takes these days would definitely make it difficult for anyone to perpetrate fraud.

Olubunmi, who frowned at the desperation of those he described as unqualified candidates seeking university admission, blamed the country’s reward system for the development. He charged the policy makers to develop the nation’s vocational educational system that will adequately reward skill workers and allow them to reach the peak of their career like their counterparts in the universities.

Shodimu in his own submission, would expect Nigeria to step up its campaign against corruption and create employment for the teeming population of her youths who he alleged of deploying their idle hands to engage in corrupt practices.

20

Education Education Today Today

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pre-schoolers handling hi-tech with kids’ gloves ADENRELE NIYI

T

here is an unusual learning edge for pre-schoolers of the highbrow Greensprings School, Lagos. A recently introduced study aid in the school’s curriculum exposes children between the ages of two and five to the use of handheld digital devices for educational purposes. Although this is a novelty as far as teaching/learning aid in Nigeria is cornered, it is a deliberate policy by the school, according to the school’s Head, Prof. George A. Hickman.

“Greensprings introduced the virtual learning environment this year. Students starting one of our pre-school and primary classes, use android tablets, while student in class 4, 5 and 6 use another device, a Samsung tablet. Beyond that, students in Secondary School, year 7 upwards, use a laptop computer.

Everybody has one of these devices each,” Hickman explained in an exclusive telephone interview with National Mirror.

He emphasised further that the students were not expected to use Smartphones but tablets and laptop computers only; “unless they have the phones for private use.”

A parent, Mrs. Seyi Olajide, whose three children aged 3, 4 and 6 years attend the school expressed is happy with her wards’ early exposure to digital devices.

“In fact, each time my children use the tablets in school they tell me when they get home.

I think they find it very interesting ad I can see that it is broadening their minds,” she told our reporter.

According to information gleaned from Mrs. Olajide, each child paid about N150,000 for the tablets which is insured by the school to safeguard against mishandling or damage.

However, students are not allowed to go home

Young Michael fiddling with his mother’s iPad with the devices.

How beneficial then are these digital devices for a young brain? Faster than the adult user is able to fully comprehend and master applications which are features of the average hand-held device, manufacturers are churning out upgrades and forcing users to start the adaptation process all over again. Interestingly, long learning curve or not, very young users are taking to hand-held digital devices adeptly –or as far as can be seen presently.

The glaring truth is that in some other parts of the world unlike Nigeria, digital media use in young children is common —computers, Smartphones and tablet devices, along with video games, contribute to about a quarter of the time children ages zero to eight spend in front of screens, according to a 2011 report from Common Sense Media, a non-profit US organisation that provides advice on media use in children (the rest of their “screen time” is spent watching TV). In addition, about 30 percent of parents say they have downloaded applications, or apps, on their mobile devices

To my best

TEACHER

Although Alhaji Ambali Sanni, former principal, Ijebu Muslim College, IjebuOde, Ogun State, is no more, the good legacy he left behind will continue to speak for him. A mathematician and physicist of note, Sanni died 20 years ago at the age of 65. Before his death and as a principal of Ijebu Muslim College, he had produced many graduates who are today at the peak of their careers and also doing very well in other areas of life. One of such products is Tunji Daoudu, who attended the school between 1970 and 1974, and popularly known as “Adarcy.”

D

aodu is now the public health educator and Provost of Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese, Ijebu-Ode. He has this to say about his late teacher and principal.

“It is difficult to consider a particular teacher as the best during my days at Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu-Ode because virtually every one of them was very good. They all taught very well in class and offered themselves as good role models. But honestly speaking, one still stood out among them and that was the school’s principal, Alhaji Ambali Sanni. He was a hero, who left this world unsung.

Alhaji Sanni was a workaholic and disciplinarian. He didn’t condone laziness or indis-

for their children to use.

In Nigeria, the trend is catching on slowly but steadily. Another mother, Bolajoko Nevoh whose 30-month-old son, Michael, has taken to her Apple iPad like it is his personal device, had no choice but to download children’s games for him. “If Michael isn’t grabbing at his dad’s iPad, it is mine he goes for. When it became a jostle between me and him, I had no choice but download children’s games so he would at least put his time on it to quality use”. In this scenario, Michael, the child, does not attend a school where digital devices are used; he is simply one of the growing number of elitist children who are accessing the digital media through their parents.

However, the question of young children using tablets, such as iPads or other digital media is controversial. Some argue that young children should not be exposed to screens — the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children younger than two years spend as little time as possible in front of the TV or other screens. At this age, young

children lack the mental ability to understand what they are watching, the AAP says. Others argue that children, even very young ones, can benefit from digital media, including certain educational iPad apps.

Tablets have not been around long enough for researchers to study whether or not children can really learn from them. Researchers also warn that just because a child can interact with an iPad, instead of passively watching it like a TV, does not mean a child can learn from it.

But, Professor Heather Kirkorian of the University of Wisconsin, a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, gave a contrary view about the potential harmful effect of this phenomenon in children.

The Assistant Professor in Human Development and Family Studies carried out the research and says touch screens could hold educational potential for toddlers. When she did another test on word learning, the results were repeated.

“Kids who are interacting with the screen get better much faster, make fewer mistakes and learn faster.

“But we’re not turning them into geniuses, just helping them get a little more information”, Prof. Kirkorian submitted.

So technically, toddlers are just doing what comes naturally and interacting with the world. In any case, technology, in the form of phones and tablets, is here to stay; understanding how technology works and ICT are part of the curriculum in schools around the world.

Although the introduction of digital devices is yet to take over the academic curriculum of majority of schools in Nigeria, the few who have adopted the model may be widening the literacy level gulf between those who can afford first class education and those who cannot.

Alhaji Ambali Sanni, former principal, Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State ended up in science and engineering-related fields. I can boast today that among the three prominent secondary schools in Ijebu Ode at the period, our school produced more doctors, engineers and scientists than ijebu Ode Grammar School and Adeola Odutola Commercial High School and I give the late principal the credit.

Alhaji Sanni is dead today and we all missed him. But I will use this medium to tell his children that God used their father to make many of us who passed through his tutelage to the level we are today. He Ambali Daoudu really inculcated in us the virtues of self cipline from the students, as well as from the student to be actively involved in one discipline, hard work, honesty and courage. teachers. You could imagine that he expelled sporting activity or the other. He was May his soul rest in perfect peace, amen.” his first son, who is now a surgeon, from school also very good in lawn tennis and during for act of indiscipline. So he demonstrated his tenure; the school won many laurels If you can read this, then you have to us that we would need to behave in accept- in different sports at the local and the able manner anywhere we find ourselves and state levels. On academic front, he en- a reason to be grateful. Show your also be serious in whatever we venture into to sured that the school offered varieties appreciation to your best or favourite clinch the ladder of success in life. of subjects for students to choose from teacher in this column. Send us a His firmness helped and is still helping us right from Form One to Five. He also ‘Thank You’ note, including your full till today. Sanni equally encouraged extra-cur- engineered the employment of qualified names, current status and the years ricular activities like sport, drama, literary and experienced teachers to teach those you were taught by your teacher. You and debating society and the socio-cultural subjects. Baba Ajayi who taught us Eng- can also send us your current picture events for the revival and reactivation of our lish language, for example, was a PhD plus that of your teacher where core cultural values and African identity. He holder. But apparently because he was a possible. Write to the Editor, To My best created a vibrant Press Club and encouraged science teacher, Alhaji Sanni had special Teacher Column, National Mirror, students to write opinions and paste on a interest for science subjects and encourP.M.B. 10001, Marina Lagos or e-mail: board for fellow students and teachers to read, aged many of us to do sciences. And that eferaro@yahoo.co.uk As a lover of sport, he encouraged every is why today, many alumni of the school

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today

Thursday, May 16, 2013

21

Airtel will continue to lift Nigeria’s education –MD TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

T

he Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya has promised that the company would not renege in its efforts to contribute to the development of the education sector in the country.

He gave the promise while handing over a block of four classrooms and three offices refurbished and equipped with the state- of- the-art- facilities by the company to the management of St John’s Primary School, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu- Igbo, Ogun State, last Thursday.

As part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities, Ogunsanya

said the gesture was in the continuation of its “Adopt a public primary school Initiative” which it started with Oremeji Primary School 2, Lagos in 2011. He said it was a way of contributing its own quota to the development of education,

their dreams and become good leaders tomorrow,” he said.

Noting that while the company is making money, it is also deeming it fit to give back to the society as a responsible company with schools in the remote com-

munities across the country becoming most beneficiaries under its education programmes.

He explained that any school that the company adopted would be provided with infrastructural facilities, teaching aids, stu-

L-R: Permanent Member 1, SUBEB, Ogun State, Hon. Kayode Shodiyan; CEO/MD, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya and the Ogun State Governor’s wife, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun during the handover ceremony.

DANLAMI BABAN TAKKO

T

especially at the primary school level in the country.

“Every hand must be on deck to build a better future for the young generation of this great country by giving them quality education.

It is through this that they will be able to realise

he establishment of the Bauchi State University was pioneered by His Excellency, Governor Isa Yuguda, Matawallen Bauchi who has invested so much in the development of Education by giving the sector the much needed support.

In 2010, the law establishing the University was signed after a lot of work had been done

by Consultants under the leadership of another distinguished academician, Professor Ango Abdullahi former Vice chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

On 5th December 2011, the governing council of the University was inaugurated while the University management to oversee its day-to-day activities was also formed.

The University Management which is headed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Muktar AbdulRaham Ezzeiden comprises the following:- the Registrar, Mahmood Usman, the Bursar, Malam Ayuba Muhammed Gital, and the University Librarian. This team of seasoned educationists and administrators are responsible for the day-to-day running of the University and are working tirelessly to achieve the set goals and objectives.

The University has the following as members of its Board of Governing Council: Professor Ango Abdullahi as Chairman, Surveyor Saidu Ibrahim Jahun (Galadiman Bauchi), Professor Gambo Laraba Abdullahi, Ambassador Umar Babaji Misau, Professor Suleiman Bogoro.

Others are Professor Muktar AbdulRaham Ezzeiden (Vice Chancellor), Dr. Maigari Kashimbila, Dr. Kawu Garba Daudu, Dr. Bala Babaji, Dr. Bashir Jumare, while Mahmud M. Usman the University Registrar is the Secretary of the Board.

It is now fifteen months since the takeoff of the University, but a lot has been achieved, and credit must first and foremost be given to the dynamic administration of Malam Isa Yuguda for pioneering the establishment of the institution. The law establishing the University was made in such a way that 2% of the State’s alloca-

dents’ uniforms and bags, among others on sustainability basis, noting that the company’s employees also shared in the vision by voluntarily supporting the company with funds.

Commending Airtel, the guest of honour and wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun said she was overwhelmed by the gesture, especially as the company on its own moving to into an area of need to serve humanity.

“Airtel is not organizing this forum to market its products but to give back to the society. This gesture is highly commendable and if other companies and spirited individuals can reach out the way Airtel has done, our society and, indeed, the world will be a better place to live,” she admonished.

Bauchi State University keeps flying

Isa Yuguda

tion from the monthly federation account is remitted to the university. That shows the extent of rare commitment and passion by the government to develop the university by giving it all the much-needed support.

The Bursar, Malam Ayuba Muhammed Gital, who is also a seasoned university administrator and former bursar of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, told visiting members of the National Association of Women Journalists that the government has kept faith in the remittance of the monthly 2% deduction. Mal. Ayuba Gital commended the Yuguda administration for its commitment to the development of the University.

Professor Muktar AbdulRahman Ezzeiden is an academician of no mean standing, and an intellectual with a vision, the required tenacity and focus to make things happen. The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Kaduna State University now heads the first-ever established Bauchi State University, Gadau as its first Vice Chancellor.

The Bauchi State University under the able leadership of Professor Ezzeiden is a worthy citadel of learning that has widely opened its doors for competent and qualified teachers from across the board. As of today the university has a total of 192

academic staff and has sent a number of them for further studies in and outside the country. Student’s representatives from the university are widely spread as they come from different parts of the country.

The University is made up of three campuses with a seat of administration located at Gadau, some 150 kilometers away from Bauchi the State Capital. In Gadau which is the main campus, there are also the faculties of Science, Arts and Education, and in the near future the faculties of Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Agriculture will be established. The faculty of Law is located Misau, and although the National Universities Commission has given approval for the take-off of the Law faculty, similar approval is still being awaited from the Council for Legal Education. The Bauchi Campus has the faculty of Social and Management Sciences. All the faculties are fully operational. The Faculties of Engineering and Environmental and Management Technology will also take off from the Bauchi campus.

The establishment of Bauchi State University is no doubt a great undertaking which will go a long way towards the development of Education in the State, and is undoubtedly the leading legacy of the Yuguda administration for which it will be remembered forever. The Governor himself acknowledged his humble contribution to the educational sector.

In an interview he granted the Tribune Newspaper on 7th April 2013, he said “I ‘m one of the three Governors that won the National Prize for intervention in Education by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT): myself, Oshiomohale and LIyel Imoke. We are only two governors in Nigeria, Bauchi and Lagos, which were able to buy books from Kindergarten up to the higher institution.

The Federal Government is buying books.

The Federal Government has refused to compensate Bauchi and Lagos as if we have committed crime by buying books. So, we believe that God has given an opportunity”.

The greatness of any nation is measured by the quality of education its citizen possesses. Vision and foresight were the guiding principles which informed the decision by Governor Isa Yuguda to establish a State-owned University, and it is also in line with the policy of the administration to give qualitative and functional Education to students. Scholarship for indigenes students in tertiary institutions was reviewed upward by 100% and 21 students are in the USA for piloting and aircrafts maintenance engineering programme which cost the administration N160 million annually, 23 girls and 15 boys went to Egypt to study medicine at Ain-Shams University and University of Alexandria respectively at an annual cost of N80 million.

The sum of N610, 566,786:00 was disbursed as Scholarship to indigenous students of Bauchi State for the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 academic years. Rate for feeding of students was increased by 100%.

The State Universal Basic Education was provided with addition 900 NCE/Graduate Teachers absorbed from the National Teachers Scheme, while the Girl-child education received a boost from a Pilot Project in 6 Local Government Areas in the State under the phase 1 project which has now been replicated to all the LGAs in the State.

The Yuguda administration paid NECO and SSCE Exams fees for a total of 21,000 students. Over six million copies of assorted text books were procured and distributed to Public Schools in the State.

Generally, the administration of Malam Isa Yuguda has laid a solid foundation for the growth and development of the education sector. In collaboration with Federal Ministry of Education and UNICEF, the State has concluded the development of a 10-year strategic education plan and a 3-year Operational Education Plan aimed at achieving higher educational standard in the State.

Takko is the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Bauchi State Governor.

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Education Today

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Plateau tertiary institution workers end 3-month strike JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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he Plateau State Government and workers of its tertiary institutions have resolved the three months old strike embarked upon by the

workers.

The workers, under the aegis of The Joint Union of Plateau State-owned Tertiary Institutions, had, on February 22, embarked on strike over what they called unresolved issues with government which included

non-payment of their three months salaries, 65 years retirement age, among others.

The Chairman of the workers’ union, Mr. Victor Dawurung told National Mirror in Jos, that their decision to suspend the industrial action was a prod-

uct of an over four hours of meeting between the state’s head of the civil service, Mr. Ezekiel Dalyop and the leadership of the union which held in Jos, the state capital.

“Following the intervention of the members of the

House of Assembly and the head of service in a meeting held on Monday, May 13, the Joint Union of Plateau State-owned Tertiary Institutions, JUPTI, hereby suspends the on-going strike immediately.

“This is to pave way for

resumption of negotiations and to urgently address the issues administratively.

And following this development, workers shall hold congress meeting in their various institutions to adopt the decision of the union,” Dawurung stated.

NOUN’s VC tasks youth on positive development TUNBOSUN O GUNDARE

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he Vice- Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Ado Tenebe has called on Nigerian youths to engage themselves in positive activities that would enhance sustainable development of the country instead of championing terrorism, restiveness, and hooliganism.

He gave this charge while receiving LEADS Merit Award of Excellence and induction into LEADS African Hall of Fame, as well as Corporate Edu-Access Mandate Delivery Award presented to him by The League of Democratic Students (LEADS Nigeria) in recognition of his immense contribution to education and nation building. LEADS Nigeria is a pressure group peopled by undergraduates from across tertiary institutions in the country.

Tenebe, urged members of the group to see themselves as ambassadors for positive change by going all out to educate their peers

Tenebe

irrespective of their locations to embrace positive approach to life in the interest of socioeconomic development of the country.

According to him, no meaningful development could take place in a country where there is chaos and disunity, hence the need for youths, as well as every other segments of the society to live in peace and harmony with each other.

In their speech, the National President of the group, Mr. Ochekwu Morgan, and the Secretary-General, Miss Osisiogu Osinkenyi extolled the virtues of Prof. Tenebe, describing him as erudite scholar and administrator.

They said the award was bestowed on Tenebe because he had not only impacted postively on Nigeria’s education sector but also brought his wealth of experience to bear in the country’s agricultural sector.

The award presentation was witnessed by the principal officers of the university, including the head of media and publicity, Dr. Ronke Ogunmakin.

L-R: Representative of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mrs. Medubi Rosaline; Assistant Director, School Health and Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Chinyere Ogu; Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori and the Assistant Director, School Health Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Jide Dada, during a courtesy visit to the deputy governor in Osogbo on Monday.

FG endorses BrainFriend software for schools KUNLE AZEEZ

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he Federal Government has endorsed an e-learning and examination preparatory software as a tool for the enhancement of teaching and learning methods in Nigerian schools.

Christened ‘BrainFriend software’, the solution is developed by Cinfores Limited, an indigenous software provider.

The software, which is computer-based, contains questions, answers with explanations modeled after national examinations and screening tests such as Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, National Examination Council recruitment and scholarship tests.

The endorsement effected by the Ministry of Education indicates that efforts by the current administration to promote local content in software development have started yielding results.

The government endorsement of the soft-

ware, which heralds the beginning of new era of local content development for education using ICT, was achieved after due assessment by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, (NERDC) Disclosing the endorsement in a statement, the Manager, Business Development, Cinfores Limited, Mrs. Jachi Briggs, said the endorsement was a landmark feat that certifies the software as an e-learning and examination preparatory tool, which should be adopted by schools, institutions, exam bodies and instructors across the country.

According to her, the endorsement by the ministry was a public authentication that proves the software attained the requisites for a standard e-learning tool suitable for the development of the education sector.

In a similar gesture, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has also approved and certified the software. This is in line with the agency’s policy to test and ensure the quality of locally developed

software, in a bid to make them meet the required global standards.

For the agency, the benefit of promoting indigenous software such as Cinfores BrainFriend is another avenue to diversify the nation’s economy and enhance the scope of outsourcing in the industry.

According to Briggs, “The 2013 version of the software which features over 50,000 questions, answers and explanations covers over 40 subjects; over 15,000 theorems, formula and definitions, now includes technical drawing, computer science, food and nutrition, more flexible career counseling guide and lots more. It is also now available for mobile devices running on android with IOS and Windows Mobile version to be released by the end of second quarter of 2013.”

She noted that the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), Lagos State chapter and the Cross Rivers State government in partnership with IT&C networks have deployed the Cinfores Brainfriend software for teachers in the two states.

Sobowale delivers Covenant varsity’s public lecture tomorrow MOJEED ALABI

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he former Commissioner for Education in Lagos State and Professor of Journalism, Idowu Sobowale, will tomorrow deliver the 35th annual public lecture of the Covenant University (CU), Ota, Ogun State.

The lecture, titled; Communication, Politicians and True Democracy, is part of the university’s annual contribution to the reform of the country through intellectual presentations.

Prof. Sobowale, who is currently the Head, Department of Mass Communication of the university, was between 1964 and 1975 a journalist with the Daily Times of Nigeria Limited where he rose from the position of reporter to the paper’s assistant editor.

Sobowale, a former lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka; Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo; Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, teaches communication research, communication theory, scientific journalism and communication for development, among other fields of journalism.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today

Thursday, May 16, 2013

THE DECAYING IVORY TOWERCaterpillars in the cola nut- I

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he standard of higher education in Nigeria has fallen dramatically in recent times. The administrators of the various institutions have contributed immensely to this downward slide and the quality of graduates from Nigerian universities through deliberate violations of the rules or inadvertently through poor administrative ability. The popular saying may indeed be true of the Nigerian university system that the caterpillars that destroy the cola nut are indeed inside the cola nut.

In a deliberate attempt to artificially improve on the grades of graduates, some universities administrators have resorted to manipulating various regulations of the National Universities Commission (NUC) on graduation of students. One of these regulations specifies that a student should pass all stipulated courses offered in order to graduate. In the event that a student is not able to pass all the prescribed courses within the specified time, the NUC allows for two additional years to remedy all failed courses. Consequently, a student who is not able to pass all stipulated courses within the maximum time allowed is considered unsuitable for the degree in view and subsequently awarded a failed grade without further consideration.

As innocuous as this regulation may seem, it has not gone down well with some university administrators in recent times. They have introduced an innovation known as the ‘waiver’ which allows a student to graduate without passing all prescribed courses, including core cours-

IT ALLOWS POOR STUDENTS TO GRADUATE WITH DEGREES FAR ABOVE THEIR INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY AND MISLEADS EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES ABOUT THE TRUE QUALITY OF SUCH GRADUATES es in area of specialization. Some universities restrict the waiver to two failed courses while others permit more. Waivers are applied by some universities only when the candidate has exhausted the two additional years without success. Some universities have taken the waiver clause a step further by applying it at the end of the regulation time rather than allow the students to utilize the extra years offered by the NUC. It is a fast spreading virus and many universities are logging on to it fast!

Apart from “helping” these unserious students to acquire degrees which they do not merit, it has negatively impacted on the quality of the products of these universities in other ways. In the first instance, it has killed the zeal of students who otherwise would have exerted themselves a little more to pass the affected courses. There have been instances where

Education as I see it

by Tosanwumi Otokunefor

some students info@alphaedufoundation.org refused to regis08030904461 (email/SMS only) ter failed courses because they maximum of about 146 credit units of prehave chosen to “waive” them rather than scribed courses for a four year programme go through the “stress” of attending lecfor the computation of the degree result. tures and writing examinations. SecondThe implication is that a student who perly, the indiscriminate application of the forms poorly in core courses in the area waiver clause to virtually all courses perof specialization may graduate with a remits students to graduate without passing spectable degree as long as he obtains good crucial core courses in areas of specializagrades in the elective and optional courses tion. This is not helpful to employers of since the poor results in the core courses labour who have consistently complained would not be used in the computation of about the quality of Nigerian university degree result. graduates. Some departments have shown Allowing students to graduate without some maturity in implementing this Senpassing all their courses, and using only ate regulation by insisting that no core the best 120 credit units to compute degree course may be waived. Such departments results while ignoring courses in which are however under relentless pressure to candidates performed poorly contravene soft-pedal as a result of the powerful lobexisting university regulations which bies sponsored by these “non-academic” were reaffirmed in the Benchmark Ministudents. In a bold move, Governor Chimum Academic Standards for Nigerian buike Amaechi in his capacity as ‘The universities recently issued by the NUC. It visitor’ to the Rivers State University of allows poor students to graduate with deScience and Technology, Port Harcourt regrees far above their intellectual capacity cently ordered all students who graduated and misleads employment agencies about under the waiver dispensation to return, the true quality of such graduates. register and pass those courses or risk These desperate measures can only withdrawal of their certificates. This is compound the declining image of the Nian unprecedented move worthy of emulagerian graduate. These are some of the tion by others. reasons why many Nigerian graduates Another NUC regulation that is curfail to perform if lucky enough to secure rently being violated with impunity is the an employment. The NUC must insist on requirement that grades obtained in all strict compliance with all its regulations prescribed courses be used to compute a at the risk of appropriate sanctions and student’s degree classification. Instead, put in place adequate mechanisms to desome universities have resorted to the tect non compliance in order to checkmate practice of selecting the best 120 out of the these administrative caterpillars!

15-year-old boy emerges 13th Lagos one-day governor OLUWASEUN LAWSON

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15-year-old student of Omole Senior Grammar School, in Ojodu Local Council Development Area, Boadley Juwon Afolarin, yesterday emerged as the winner of the 13th edition of Spelling Bee Competition, which qualifies him to act as the governor of Lagos State for one day.

The competition, organised by the Lagos state Ministry of Education in con-

junction with Dufil Prima Foods limited had 12 year old Abolaji Abdulrahman of Community Senior Secondary School, Ipaja and Bio Marvelous of Victoria Island Senior Secondary School, Iru, Victoria Island, taking second and third positions respectively.

The competition, keenly contested by 52 contestants had the winners rewarded with trophies and the sum of N250,000, N150,000 and N100,000 for the first, second and third positions respectively.

In her welcome address, the State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, said the competition is aimed at sharpening the skills of the pupils both in primary, junior secondary and senior secondary school categories in the state.

“These young people have proven that the vision of the initiator of the spelling bee competition is indeed a lofty one as past winners are doing excellently well in their different areas of endeavour,” the commissioner said.

The representative of Du-

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, congratulating the winner of the Spelling Bee Competition, Juwon Afolarin, at the event, yesterday.

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fil Prima Foods, Tope Ashiwaju, in his address at the event which was held at the Adeyemi Bero auditorium, Alausa said the food firm is proud of what the state government is doing, that since the inception of the programme it has been growing bigger and better.

He said it is the wish of the company as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to take the competition nationally, adding that henceforth the funding of the programme would not be an issue.

Similarly, the winners of the primary school categories have also been announced with 11-year-old Usman Adewunmi of Saint Paul African School, Ilogbo Elegba, beating 49 other contestants to emerge the winner.

The duo of 12-year-old Solomon Nduboku from Local Authority Primary School, Ilogbo Elegba, District 5 and Onyabo Benjamin representing Ansar-ud-Deen Primary School, Imota District 2, Ikorodu, came second and third respectively.

Elizade, Alabama varsities partner to develop academic programmes MOJEED ALABI

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lizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State is set to partner Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, United States of America, on course development and content infusion, programme development and affiliation, legacy equipment for research and research expertise for development.

Speaking during a presentation organized to prepare the ground for the partnership, a research Professor in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and Manager, Centre of Irradiation of Materials, Alabama A & M University, Prof. Stephen Babalola said the collaboration will also include joint proposal development, workshops and training for professionals and career development for students.

Bablola, who described Elizade University as a good representative of the American University, given the quality of its facilities,

informed that the students would gain the technical know-how of the operation of Radiation Detection for National Security Application which enables a compliant country to prevent terror attack by detecting unauthorized weapons.

While admitting that Elizade University is qualified for joint educational initiations, Prof. Babalola revealed that the quest to produce all rounded scientists and engineers, discovered in the University prompted Alabama A & M University to buy the idea of the collaboration.

Responding, the ViceChancellor of Elizade University, Prof. Valentine Aletor expressed delight at the collaboration, saying the university was ready to partner top Universities in the world that would help in achieving its vision of producing globally competitive graduates.

He said that the University’s Entrepreneurial and start-up centre was designed to make the graduates from the Institution employers of labour and not job seekers.

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Corruption will be banished in UNIUYO –Governing Council chair

Professor Kimse Okoko is a renowned activist and former lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt. He was recently appointed by the Federal Government as the Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The former Pro-Chancellor of the Niger Delta University, Wiberforce Island, Bayelsa State, in this interview with SAM OLUWALANA recounted some of his experiences in the Nigerian university system and his mission and vision, vis-a-vis- his new appointment. Excerpts: How have you fared in the nation’s university system?

My first appointment when I came back from Canada in 1976 was with the Faculty of Science of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, and I enjoyed my stay there for six months, but I was not too comfortable with Lagos, because Lagos was too much of stress. I later gained employment to the University of Ibadan, but I later went back to UNILAG. However, because Lagos was getting on my nerves and fortunately the University of Port Harcourt advertised for lecturing positions, I applied and got a job there. I was in UNIPORT for 35 years where I had good relationship with my colleagues and students.

Students always look up to me, because of my approach in the classroom and I was one of the long term professors in the Faculty of Science of the institution. I think the university has produced a great number of PhDs and Masters Degree students and then of course some of my products have become members of the university’s Senate. I was dean of the faculty and students’ affairs. I was also a member of the Senate and I served in several other capacities.

I had a useful time in the Niger Delta University system too, where I was a prochancellor and got almost all the courses accredited. Before my appointment, not just a course was accredited and we got all of them accredited except for one. Also, when I was appointed we could not access the ETF funds because the university was unable to account for those it had collected earlier, but when we got there, we tried to complete all the abandoned projects and even up to the time I left in 2012, we are one of the few universities that was able to access ETF funds up to date, and that is why the school has one of the best entrepreneurship centre in the country.

Because of my council’s performance we are one of the two universities given special grants of N3 billion each. However, I don’t like to speak for myself but my records are there, anywhere you to go.

You are known as a vocal activist and anti-corruption crusader, will your appointment at UNIUYO prevent you from being that?

I cannot change my character, I have always spoken my mind, and that is why I can’t belong to any of the political parties in Nigeria because the elements of democracy in these parties are very minimal. And without internal democracy, how can you build a democratic system?

In the universities nowadays, there are

I HATE THE SALE OF

HANDOUTS BECAUSE APART FROM BEING AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY’S RULES AND REGULATIONS IT IS ALSO A SIGN OF LAZINESS AND MEDIOCRITY. so many misnomers going on, especially with lecturers selling handouts, and all sorts of corrupt practices. What is your view on this?

I am proud to say that all students that ever passed through me in the university system can testify that I never sold a single handout throughout my stay in the system as a lecturer. I do not believe in it, because it is unethical. What I used to do was to lend my books out to them, because I have plenty of books that I lend to students, I hate the sale of handouts because apart from being against the university’s rules and regulations it is also a sign of laziness and mediocrity. And I will continue to voice my position against it anywhere I found myself.

The Nigerian universities don’t rank high among their global counterparts, what is your take on that?

We must try to improve in our university system to get into the world university ranking, but about three Nigeria universities have been ranked in the top 5,000 recently. The lesson is quite clear; understanding the university system cannot be overemphasized, they must make the environment comfortable and conducive for research. If a lecturer does not have access to professional journals, how can he be attuned with the rest of the world? Now the major problem is funding, because underfunding will make it difficult for any research they want to carry out. Enumerations should also be at par with what is obtainable in other climes; lack of all these obviously results in poor output of researches.

If the management of Nigerian universities are doing the right things, more Nigeria universities will be ranked at the top level globally. I believe, as two Nigeria universities have been ranked recently, others should also follow. On my part, together with my colleagues in the governing council, we will do our best so that University of Uyo can break this jinx.

What do you think about the planned

Okoko

scrapping of NECO and JAMB? I was one of those who opposed JAMB at its inception because I knew it was going to create problems and castrate the system. When JAMB started, the quality of students started reducing because of the corruption that came into the system unlike when universities were setting their own exams. Then, results were remarkably different from those admitted by JAMB and that has been proven through the introduction of post-UTME exams. At the University of Port Harcourt, the exam results were far better than the students admitted through JAMB, so I do not see the value of JAMB. I think universities should be able to conduct exams and admit students that obtain the required grades in their exams. Because I know that parents encourage their children to go to JAMB to change grades, the changed grades are diluting the quality of the university system. I also do not feel we are doing well in maintaining NECO

because I am not so sure NECO is the perfect alternative to WAEC in Nigeria.

WAEC is there, and if its standard is still better than NECO, then there is no need of keeping NECO. What will be your primary vision at UNIUYO? First, I will work hand in hand with my fellow members of the governing council and also with the vice-chancellor and other members of the staff of the institution, to map out strategies that will ensure that top quality education is obtained in the school.

Everybody knows me when it comes to issue of corruption, I have zero tolerance for corruption and that is one thing I will emphasise in my tenure as Council chairman. I will not be involved in the award of contracts in the school, but any contract awarded must be done accordingly and there will be serious anti-cultism drives and all other forms of corruption like exam malpractices, sexual harassment and other sorts will be squarely addressed.

OAU appoints new registrar, bursar

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he Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has announced the appointment of Mr. David Oladotun Awoyemi as the new Registrar and Secretary to Council of the university while Mrs. Josephine Aderonke Akeredolu has also been appointed as the new bursar.

A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that while the appointment of Akeredolu as the new Bursar takes immediate effect Awoyemi is billed to resume formally on Saturday, June 1.

The registrar designate, who joined the services of the university in 1982 as an Administrative Officer II was, until his new appointment, the Director of Academic Affairs.

Born on the 23rd of January, 1959 in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Mr. Dotun Awoyemi attended Osogbo Grammar School between 1970 and 1974 before proceeding to OAU for his first degree in Philoso-

phy.

Similarly, the new bursar, who hailed from Badagry, Lagos State, joined the services of the institution as an Accountant II in 1982, and has worked in various capacities within the university’s bursary unit.

Born in 1956, Akeredolu attended Holy Child College, Ikoyi, Lagos between 1970 and 1974, Federal School of Arts and Sciences, Victoria Island, Lagos, between 1976 and 1978 before proceeding to the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, where she had her first degree in Accounting in 1981.

She is a member of several professional Institutions including Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Certified Public Accountant of Nigeria, Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA), United Kingdom, among several others.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Campus News

Thursday, May 16, 2013

25

“FUTMINNA taught me to be a change agent” Faith Olaniran recently finished from the Biochemistry Department of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA), Niger State, where he was not only a campus journalist but also a community development facilitator. He was among the 36 Niger-Delta youths recently trained on leadership skills in Warri, Delta State by an NGO. In this interview, he spoke about the workshop and the values built in him by the university. Excerpts: You recently attended a workshop in Delta State on leadership training, what do you think qualified you?

It was a leadership capacity building programme for youths in Niger-Delta which was organised by African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development in partnership with the Foundation for Partnership in the Niger Delta. I was one of the two that represented Ondo State at the workshop, and I think my selection might have been connected to the roles I play in school and Ondo State students’ and youth fora.

What specific roles did you play?

Thank you very much. As a student of FUTMINNA, I had the privilege of being involved in several activi-

ties because the university, despite the heavy load of academic activities, still offered us opportunities to exhibit our innate talents. I love organizing people, mobilizing for change, and I used to report activities on the campus for some national dailies.

So all these combined have really exposed me to so many leadership challenges and I have interacted with many individuals and organisations. I think it was through that, that I was selected to be part of the 36 young minds to attend the workshop.

What did you learn at the workshop?

Like I said before, it was a leadership training, because it is generally known that leadership challenge is one of the major problems facing the coun-

try. Building a new crop of leaders who would reform this country is the target of concerned individuals and organisations today.

I understood the concept, skills, theories, styles and qualities of leaders, how to develop emerging leaders. So, I can say confidently now, that the workshop has built on the leadership trainings I received in FUTMINNA and I have been further taught about the concepts of leadership skills, theories, styles and qualities of good leaders. The university had initially taught me how to become a change agent with capacity to generate socio-economic development in the country and what this workshop has added is how to make things work in the Niger Delta

EDITED BY MOJEED ALABI mojeedalabi2@yahoo.co.uk

Faith

region.

What advice do you have for students?

My simple advice is that this country be-

longs to us and that we have got nowhere else to call home. Therefore, rebuilding Nigeria is a task for us because the

present crop of leaders will one day leave the scene. We must be prepared to return Nigeria to the old days of glory.

When Obasanjo’s wife mentored BELLSTECH students Recently, wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief (Mrs.) Bola Obasanjo, was at Bells University of Technology (BELLSTECH), Ota, Ogun State, where she mentored the institution’s students on setting priorities and rebuilding waning moral values. She also spoke to journalists on ways to restore sanity to the country’s education system, among other issues. MOJEED ALABI writes.

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o the wife of the country’s former President- Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief (Mrs.) Bola Obasanjo, one of the major ways of restoring glory to the nation’s education sector is to tackle corruption, rebuild moral values and teach the younger ones the beauties of hard work and honesty “as it was the practice in the olden days.”

To achieve this, Bola said since the old communal system of living had almost totally collapsed, particularly with the adoption of western lifestyles by virtually all homes, schools and religious organisa-

tions are the two important agents of socialization that could be used to channel this change.

Mrs. Obasanjo, who was a special guest at the first edition of the Students’ Empowerment Programme organised by the students of Bells University of Technology, Ota, in Ogun State, advised that ethics, civic education and cultural studies be returned to the school’s system as a way of inculcating moral values in the students.

“I must tell you that our culture is dying. We need to reinforce the values of hard work, respect for elders and

Mrs. Obasanjo

value what we have, even in terms of fashion. Some students spend more time these days on the internet surfing the web for irrelevant things. They are either on twitter or facebook, wasting their precious time while leaving their studies to suffer. This is a great distraction,” she stated.

The situation she said was allowed to degenerate because parents have abandoned their responsibility of watching over their children due to what she described as their craze for material things, saying today’s children do not value dignity of labour because parents do not show them

how it is.

“I want the students to realize that they are not struggling now to be educated unlike during our own time. Back then, we had to fetch firewood for sale, follow our parents to farms and markets to sell our produce. I remember also that I had to prepare soda soap for mum, hawk around before school. This was a means of contributing our own quota for our school fees. Our parents were rich enough to pay but they wanted us to imbibe the culture of hard work and to cherish the dignity in labour.

“But these days their school fees are paid even before resumption date.

All they have to do is come to school with their tellers.

Also, there was no electricity and tap water then.

These days the students turn on the tap and water flows. We had to use the oil lamp and blow air to make the wick come alive. But today they have the ben-

efit of electric lamp and they can iron their clothes.

They are moved around in chauffeur-driven cars. And rather than converting all these advantages for their own good, they instead engage in dirty things. I think it is high time our schools rose to address the challenge,” Mrs. Obasanjo further stated.

Mrs. Obasanjo, therefore, advised educational policy makers to make the teaching of values compulsory while not leaving guidance and counselling out.

“I always tell students to look at the larger picture of who they really want to be in future; have their dreams and vision, keep good company and walk with the wise. To assist them achieve this, they should read books that will inspire them. But at the same time, their personal interest matters because external motivation may get you there only self-motivation keeps you there,” she added.

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“Change of name is published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.” (THE NATION ON SUNDAY, May 12, 2013, Page 67, Column Six) Get it right: every Sunday or all Sundays.

“Defunct NITEL workers lay siege on ministry” As the first editorial register (offender), I will not lay siege to the Kirikiri Canal office of the medium which is working towards a better life for the people. “…Nwodo spoke to journalists in Enugu on his role in the controversial dissolution of the state executive of the state chapter of the PDP, which has pit (pitted) him against the state government.”

“He recently visited Nigeria and had a chat with The Guardian…where he bares (bared) his mind….” “…we had to be praying we should not meet ourselves (one another) at the war front.”

“They both died in Abuja in a ghastly (fatal) motor accident.”

Once a vehicular mishap results in death, it is fatal. But, if there is no loss of life, it is ghastly. There is a clear distinction between fatalistic finality and ghastliness.

“The minister at (on) the occasion remarked that his administration was determined to make a difference by opening new frontiers inspite (in spite) of….”

“I would have advised that the wishes of the people is (sic) the most paramount….” “…that it will not be fair to the people and it is high time we take him by his words and relied on him.” It is high time we took (or time we take) Rutam House seriously on crumbling professional

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From THE NATION: ‘Every Sundays’!

excellence.

“Less than 20 of them had just taken their seats when suddenly, (needless comma) there was a big bang and the steel pillars carrying the big tank situated between two classroom blocks….” ‘Big bang’ reminds me of ‘heavy downpour’!

Dear reader, flee from unnecessary embellishments (big, heavy…).

“She speaks (is it a continuous process?) on her mission and what she has in stock for the rural woman in Africa.” What do Nigerian newspapers have in store for readers?

“Afe Babalola: Encomiums for epitome of philantropism” Always spell-check and also apply the right word: epitome of philanthropy.

‘Philantropism’ is a Nigerian creation not known to purists.

“What to know about beddings” Uncountable: heyday, yesteryear, bedding, cutlery, infrastructure, harassment, stationery, et al. “…Osun ACN receives PDP decampees” British Standard English: Simply, defectors. “Decampees” is a Nigerian creation.

“Complaint galore over boxing weigh-in scales” This way: complaints galore.

“Peak warms up to consumers” Grammar is not a shopping affair: just worm up.

“Between the strenght of the naira and inflation risk” The spelling and grammar icon of any computer detects this kind of juvenile error: strength, straight please!

“The cash-for-vote scandal currently rocking world football governing (a hyphen) body….”

ARE THE LEADERS CALLING FOR PRAYERS SO THAT WE LEARN NOT TO KILL

OURSELVES….

‘Currently’ and ‘rocking’ cannot cofunction because of the latter’s inherent currency: The cash-for-vote scandal rocking…. “…on the ground (grounds) of massive irregularities….”

“It is unfortunate that politics has degenerated into this mindless bubble and reducing (reduced) leaders to mere liars (a liar is a liar!) in the face of opportunism.” “…before the advent of the Europeans in Nigeria, most societies or kingdoms have thriving and stable political system…” This way: most societies or kingdoms had (not have) thriving and stable political systems (not system).

“The result was that what was supposed to be a consensus agreement willingly entered into by…”

Is ‘consensus agreement’ a new morphological combination? Next time, just deploy either.

“Knowing fully well that Abacha was a key factor in the Babangida regime…”

Intelligent commentary: knowing full well or knowing fully.

“What is good for the goose should be good for the gander”.

Fixed expression: What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

“The question of reviving pro-

ductivity and our slumbering work ethics resurfaces in public discourse.” Answer: work ethic.

“Lovers, friends, neighbours and relatives all joined the bandwagon, raising the tension to a feverish pitch.” No moronic expression: climb/jump on/aboard the bandwagon (not join).

“Strike actions are lawful but inexpedient” We certainly do not need ‘action’ here. All strikes are action-based. The same applies to ‘fire outbreak’ and ‘fire incident’. “…we can draw some conclusions from the above statements of Mr. President with regards to his disposition to the strike.” In order to avoid this kind of shibboleth from, either use ‘with regard to’ or ‘as regards his….’

“The two-day event kicks off today and rounds up (off) tomorrow” Correct word is bracketed in the extract. “…government would commence investigation (investigations) into the immediate and remote (sounds like a cliché) causes of the incident to prevent future occurrence.” A rewrite: …to forestall recurrence. Elegance, creativity and simplicity confirm class.

“N23bn monthly allocation crash inter-bank rates” Business English: allocation crashes.

“Excitements greet Adeboye Vanguard ministration” ‘Excitement’ is uncountable.

“2015: Anglican bishop wants vigilante groups to help policemen protect ballot boxes” In the interest of eschatology: vigilance group.

“Today, it is becoming increas-

ing (increasingly) clearer that a free and fair election is possible in Nigeria….” “…this he applied in fighting the cause of oppressed (the oppressed).

He was Igbo (an Igbo) leader.”

“Itse Sagay accuses Supreme Court justices of setting bad precedence in the country’s judicial history.” There is a morphological distinction between ‘precedence’ and ‘precedent’, which applies to the extract.

“Economics, as if the poor matters!” Voice of the nation: the poor matter!

“Before independence, you don’t lobby to (sic) made a judge.” Get it right: you didn’t lobby to be made a judge.

From this medium a fortnight ago comes the next farcical entry: “Are the leaders calling for prayers so that we learn not to kill ourselves….” Truth in defence of freedom: we learn not to kill one another. “…it was common (a common) sight to see a classroom crowded with between 150-200 children….”

Either: between 150 and 200 or from 150 to 200 (depending on context). No mix-up.

“The grassroot man of Oyo politics” Basic knowledge: grassroots man.

“Omisore assures on credible poll in 2015” The way to go: Omisore assures Nigerians (or everyone) on credible polls in 2015 “We invested heavily on their training and welfare and so should be told what led to their….” Ejigbo crash: we invested heavily in their training….

“Festo, as I use (used) to call him….”

Pedestrian crossing: TRACE takes safety campaign to schools FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

A

s part of efforts towards ensuring school children’s safety, the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) has commenced a sensitization and public enlightenment campaigns which will make motorists plying the state’s roads respect pedestrians’ right on the road.

The public enlightenment, which held across the three senatorial districts of the state, was aimed at ensuring that motorists respects school children’s right at crossing the road at zebra points.

The sensitisation was also aimed at inculcating in the psyche of the school children, the habit of making proper use of the zebra crossing marks while going and returning from school.

Addressing the students at Sacred Heart Catholic College, Our Lady of Apostle Nursery and Primary School and St. Anne’s pri-

mary school all at Oke-Ilewo axis of Abeokuta metropolis, the TRACE boss advised the students to be more careful while crossing at the zebra lines.

The sensitisation campaign, which started at the early hour of 7am, saw men and

officers of the state traffic agency, TRACE forcing motorists plying roads in the state to comply with the zebra crossing signs particularly for students and other pedestrians.

Speaking with newsmen, the TRACE Corps Commandant, Ayo Sangofadeji em-

phasised that the sensitization exercise was meant to educate motorists on the right of pedestrians, stressing that “this was in accordance with the United Nations (UN) charter on the decade of action on road safety.”

Corps Commander, TRACE, Ayo Sangofadeji addressing students of Egba High School, Asero, Abeokuta, recently.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Task before re-elected NBBF president 30

F/Eagles draw Brazil in invitational

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igeria’s U-20 National Team, Flying Eagles have been drawn against Brazil and 2013 World Cup rival, Portugal, in this year’s Toulon tournament, which kicks off May 28.

Flying Eagles are in Group B of the 10-team tournament and kick off their campaign on May 29 against defending champion, Mexico.

Nigeria lost 4-1 to Mexico in another invitational tournament in Panama preparatory to the 2011 World Cup in Colombia, where the Flying Eagles reached the quarter-finals.

They battle world champion Brazil, who incidentally failed to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey next month, on June 4.

Their final group game is against Portugal on June 6.

Interestingly, the Flying Eagles will open their 2013 World Cup quest on June 21 in Kayseri against the Portuguese.

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Super Eagles hit Germany today

T

G

onaldinho and Kaka were both left out of the Brazil’s squad for the Confederations Cup, named by Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari on Tuesday.

Scolari had been expected to include at least one of the experienced pair in his squad for the competition which Brazil hosts next month.

Chelsea’s midfielder, Ramires, is another surprise exclusion.

Brazil has played five matches under Scolari, with one win, three draws and one defeat.

“We could lose out in terms of experience, but we will make up for that with the enthusiasm which the young players bring,” Scolari told a news conference.

Sport

Whatever the Chelsea management says about my return is not as important as me keeping my form -ADO Den Haag defender, Kenneth Omeruo

IKENWA NNABUOGOR AND JOEL AJAYI

W/Cup qualifier: Ghana scatters Kenya’s plan against Nigeria

Kaka, Ronaldinho out of Confed Cup

27

….Keshi unveils 25-man squad

Sunday Mba (left), battling for the ball with Djakaridja Kone of Burkina Faso during the last Nations Cup, is one of the players travelling to Germany.

Kaka

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

hana’s decision to pull out of next month’s friendly against Kenya has left the Harambee Stars in turmoil ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on June 5.

Kenya’s coach, Adel Amrouche, was hoping to use the match against the Black Stars as part of his preparations for the crucial match against the Super Eagles.

Gyan (right) celebrating with team mate

Amrouche announced that he would have a strong squad for the now cancelled Ghana match and intended to call up top goalkeeper, Arnold Origi, as well as striker Dennis Oliech, who are both suspended for the tie against Nigeria.

But the sudden decision by the Ghanaians has left the Kenyans desperately seeking an opponent for the June 1 date to replace the Black Stars.

Cameroun could be an alternative for Kenya but it is not known if the Indomitable Lions will be willing to fly to Nairobi to play the game.

Kenya FA official, Hussein Terry, confirmed to Goal on Tuesday that the Black Stars, who were scheduled to camp in Nairobi ahead of the match, had written pointing out the difficulties of raising a strong squad to take on Kenya.

Black Stars are scheduled to take on Sudan in a June 7 World Cup qualifier in Khartoum and were to use the friendly match against Kenya as part of their own preparations.

he Super Eagles are expected to depart for Germany today to begin training ahead of the May 31 international friendly match against Mexico in Houston, Texas, United States of America.

Coach Stephen Keshi will lead a team of nine home-based players and technical crew, who will fly out from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja later this evening and are expected to arrive in Germany later in the night.

Though details of the camping remained unclear as at press time, the team is expected to spend about two weeks at the facility before they depart for Houston, where Nigeria will test skills against the North American country for their third time at the Reliant Stadium.

Unsettled AFCON-winning goal scorer, Sunday Mba, leads the other eight home-based players which also include newest entrant, Sunshine Stars’ defender, Kunle Odunlami, for the trip.

The foreign-based players will join up the team in Germany for the US trip. They are expected to join the team as soon as they round off with their respective Euro leagues.

Meanwhile, Coach Keshi has unveiled a 25-man list for the upcoming game in Houston. Keshi is counting on his English Premier League stars, including Chelsea midfielders, John Obi Mikel, and Victor Mo-

ses, one of the top wingers in European soccer.

He has also called two players based in the German Bundesliga, two from Serie A in Italy, two from the Scottish Premier League and two from the Portuguese Liga.

Mexico is expected to release its roster in the coming days.

Mexico and Nigeria have met three times with a 1-0-2 record in favour of Mexico.

The two teams last met in October, 2007 in an international friendly, with the match ending in a 2-2 tie at the Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.

Eagles’ squad Goalkeepers Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves/ NGA), Austin Ejide (Hapoel/ ISR), Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv/ISR) Defenders Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves/NGA), Efe Ambrose (Celtic/SCO), Elderson Echiéjilé (Sporting de Braga/POR), Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag/ NED), Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars/NGA), Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars/ NGA), Francis Benjamin (Heartland FC./NGA), Odunlami Kunle (Sunshine Stars FC/NGA) Midfielders John Mikel Obi (Chelsea/ENG), Victor Moses (Chelsea/ENG), Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio/ITA), John Ogu (Academia de Coimbra/ POR), Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland/NGA), Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers/NGA), Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas Kryvyi/ UKR), Reuben Gabriel (Kilmarnock/SCO) Strikers

Coach Keshi

Joseph Akpala (SV Werder Bremen/GER), Brown Ideye (FC Dynamo Kyiv/UKR), Anthony Ujah (FC Koln/GER), Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese/ITA), Kalu Uche (Kasımpaşa Spor Kulübü /TUR), Gambo Muhammad (Kano Pillars F.C./NGA)

28

Sport

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ferdinand quits Three Lions M anchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has called time on his England career after 81 appearances.

The 34-year-old clinched a sixth Premier League title with the Red Devils this season and admitted after Sunday’s final home game that he was keen to sign a new contract at Old Trafford.

Ferdinand last played for England in June 2011 and has remained in the international wilderness since Roy Hodgson took charge last year-missing out on Euro 2012 and then pulling out of the squad when eventually recalled for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in March.

“After a great deal of

Ferdinand

Rape: Police nab Remy

Q

PR striker, Loic Remy, has been arrested on suspicion of rape along with two other men.

The France international, 26, was taken in by Kent police yesterday morning after a woman in her 30s alleged she had been assaulted at an address in Fulham on May 6.

A Metropolitan police spokesman said: “Officers from Sapphire (a unit specialising in rape and sexual assault investigations) are investigating an allegation of rape which happened on May 6 in the west London area.

“The allegation was

passed on to the MPS by Kent Police on 8 May after the 34-year-old female victim reported it to them on the following day, May 7.

The victim alleges she was raped by three men.

“On the morning of Wednesday, May 15 three men, (A) aged 26; (B) aged 23; (C) 22 years, were arrested at an address in Fulham on suspicion of rape and they remain in custody at a west London police station.”

A QPR statement said:”The club is aware of the allegations regarding Loic Remy, but due to police investigations is unable to comment.”

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thought, I have decided the time is right for me to retire from international football,” Ferdinand, who regularly undergoes injections in his spine to keep a persistent back problem at bay, said yesterday.

“At the age of 34, I feel it is right for me to stand aside and let the younger players come through, which allows me to concentrate on my club career.

The team looks in great shape and there is an influx of young, talented players coming through the ranks which bodes well for the future.”

Ferdinand became the youngest defender to ever play for England when he made his debut against Cameroon at Wembley in 1997 having just turned 19.

Former France Louis Saha, has in Italy where he A side Lazio, af years in the Eng League traversi chester United Hotspur, Everto Sunderland. He com on his exp sonalities that s

Rooney

‘Bayern won’t buy Rooney’

B

ayern Munich’s Sporting Director, Matthias Sammer, insists his club has no interest in signing Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, revealed at the weekend that Rooney had made a transfer request, heightening speculation over the England international’s future.

German champion Bayern has been amongst a number of clubs linked with Rooney but Sammer has firmly denied any interest.

“I don’t know what Rooney would bring to the Bundesliga,” Sammer told local media yesterday.

“We have great respect for him but there has been no contact with him.

“He’s not on the agenda, absolutely not.”

Remy

Ben Arfa eyes ‘rewarding season’ ewcastle midfielder, Hatem Ben Arfa, is confident the Toon Army will be back fighting at the top end of the Premier League table next season.

The Magpies end a disappointing campaign at home to Arsenal on Sunday in a fixture that might have been far more significant had they not ensured survival with last weekend’s 2-1 victory at QPR. Alan Pardew’s side, who last season qualified for the Europa League after finishing fifth, could yet finish as high as 10th if it beats the Gunners, who themselves need victory to seal UEFA Champions League qualification.

“When you look at the individ-

What I from S –Saha

ual players we already have, there are some fantastic talented players on that list. This season, we haven’t been able to play together a lot as we have had a few injuries,” the France international said yesterday.

“A few new players also came in during January and needed some time. But when we are all together next season, we can really do well. Then, we can go again and I think we can have a season like we did last season.”

Hampered by a hamstring problem, the 26-year-old has managed only 18 league appearances this campaign but despite lingering rumours he could leave in the summer, insists he is focused on pre-season in Tyneside.

Arfa

How would you say has changed since ary?

You always wan and every minute o have changed a l changed a lot so y share a bit more w role is the same-I w scoring goals but w a bit tougher.

How are you settlin It took time to r fitness because the ent. The way of tra ferent so it took me But straight away and all of the pla well to make me fee know that it is a b scoring goals and happy ppy with a smile

What hat is the between tween Serie League? ague?

I always had that at it would ficult ult for me as have ve been used to league ague which is a open en with more free for every player the e pitch but the m thing ng is the freedo the e players. Here i it iss a bit more tact very ry organised.

At which English cl say y you were at you I had a great ti club ub that I had th nity y to play for. A chester ester United pl are e expected to win so that was defini special ecial time for me as I said, I really li when hen I played f Everton erton or Fulham because cause you play most ost of the games.

I had small spells with th Newcastle, Su derland rland and Tot which hi h iis harder h d to c

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

I learnt Sir Alex a

AFOLABI GAMBARI

V

y your role on the pitch joining Lazio in Janu-

ng in to the new life? reach a certain level of e pace has been differaining is a little bit dife a bit of time to settle. the team spirit is good ayers have done really el accepted. You always bit better when you are playing but I am still e on my y face. main difference A and the Premier in my mind be more difa striker. I the English bit more roles

e on main om of n Italy tical and

ub would you ur happiest? ime at every he opportuAs a Manayer you n things itely a e. But iked for m y

s unttenham consider id Ferguson

29

5-A-Side: Alao leads Nigerian team to Liverpool

international, s found a new life e stars for Serie fter spending 14 glish Premier ing Fulham, Manand Tottenham on, Newcastle and e spoke to FIFA. perience and pershaped his career

nt to play all the games of the season but things little bit. Football has you have to adapt and with other strikers. My want to be on the pitch when you get older it is

Sport

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Saha

them as a better time because I didn’t play much for them but every experience was great because I’m here to enjoy my football and try to learn from those experiences.

At which stadium in England did you feel the most energy from the fans?

It would be easy to say Old Trafford but where I felt the spirit of the ‘12th player’ was at Everton. There is definitely something special there as the crowd are right behind you and very demanding at the same time. I really felt it there, there are some special fans there.

What lessons did you learn from Sir Alex Ferguson who has just retired from fro active coaching?

The first lesson straightaway is i the consistency. He is a very demanding manager but he is trying to understand your qualy ity and improve on it. Some managers try man t o improve the mistakes mistake but he tries to emphasise the quality of every player. playe Could Ryan Giggs Gigg be one of the best players playe you have played with? with Yes, he’s definitely the best player.

So p many players wish pla to play with him and if you do so, y you know you’ll kn be playing at a play top level. leve Giggsy is a top example for any professional not only the youngsters y because he’s got that desire desir and respect for the tradition of the club and his work ethic. When you have the chance to work with someone like him it is a privilege. privil

eteran sports journalist and Group Managing Director of Complete Sports newspaper, Alhaji Mumini Alao, will lead a 10-man Nigerian team to a 5-A-Side International Football Tournament at Anfield, the home ground of Liverpool FC of England this weekend.

The tournament, tagged “Standard Chartered Trophy”, is organized annually by Standard Chartered Bank for countries where the bank operates and this year’s event will feature United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Kenya, Bahrain, Thailand, Korea, MENAP and Nigeria.

Alao, who was selected for the Nigerian team for his long followership of Liverpool, also earned the recognition for his exploits during the 2012 Lagos SWAN Cup in Lagos where he inspired Complete Sports newspaper to emerge as cham-

pion.

Also in the Nigeria Standard Chartered team is the Executive Director of newly-crowned Lagos FA Cup winner, COD United, Sola Aiyepekun. Others are Adefunlola Oni, Babajide Shiwoku, Festus Kaine, Tosin Baruwa, Green Akinsope, Tunde Lawrence Ojo and Olakunle Tijani, all staff of Standard Chartered Bank.

The Nigerian team, scheduled to watch the final day English Premier League game between Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers at Anfield on Sunday, will train at the Liverpool Football Academy before participating in the 5-A-Side tournament.

“I look forward to being a good ambassador for Nigeria at the competition, while hoping to bring the Standard Chartered Trophy back home with my teammates, Alao, who is famous for his sports column, Soccertalk, told National Mirror in Lagos yesterday ahead of the team’s departure.

COSAFA 2013: Bafana prepares strong squad

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outh Africa has confirmed that it will invite its top players for this year’s COSAFA Cup billed to be hosted by Zambia.

According to Bafana Bafana Coach, Gordon Igesund, the country will take the competition with what he called utmost seriousness in line with its prestige.

Igesund said talks between the South African Football Association (SAFA) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for the release of the best players in the local league for the competition scheduled for July 6 to 20 had been held.

Reports said the talks have proved successful and SAFA CEO, Dennis Mumble, says he is pleased with the outcome.

“We will have a competitive team going to Lusaka,” Mumble said yesterday.

“The meeting went well and we arrived at firm commitments.

“Nonetheless, we reckoned that club coaches would like to take their players to camp in the off-season, but it’s also important we honour our commitment to COSAFA and we are hopeful we will have a strong team going to Zambia.”

South Africa has been drawn to face the winner of Group A in the competition, which comprises East African guest Tanzania, Namibia, Mauritius and Seychelles.

Ogba

AFN: Mixed reactions trail Ogba’s victory YEMI OLUS

T

he re-election of the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Solomon Ogba, has attracted reactions from athletics stakeholders with diverse opinions on his return to the federation.

Ogba engaged in three rounds of voting before securing seven out of 10 votes in the fourth ballot. Three processes were tied at five votes apiece following the absence of former president Violet Odogwu-Nwajei who was to serve as an International Representative among the stakeholders. Former Accountant General of Kwara, Tunde Abdulkareem, emerged as the Vice President.

“Ogba’s re-election is synonymous to four years of trouble and I am not happy at all,” a USA-based Nigerian

athlete who did not want his name in print said yesterday.

“My issue with him is that he has surrounded himself with wrong people who do not give him the right advice.”

“May God help us all. But it is now becoming every man to himself and God for us all.

It is in the hands of the athletes,” another athlete said.

An athlete, Friday Osayande, who took to social media site, Facebook, however congratulated the new board.

“With wisdom you have elected your president and the entire athletics family.

I also pray the entire Athletics family will be guided by wisdom, understanding and the zeal and synergy to move Nigeria track and field to its promise land to be the pride of Africa and the world at large,” Osayande said.

…Harps on youth development JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

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he re-elected president of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Chief Solomon Ogba, has described youth sport festival as the only remedy to sports decline in the country.

Ogba told National Mirror in Abuja yesterday that attention should be focused on the youth to return Nigeria to winning ways.

“The federation made some appreciable Bernard Parker will be progress last year and expected to lead Bafana’s I hope to use my new attack in the regional tournamandate to consolidate ment

on the gain,” Ogba said while commending Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi for encouraging the return of the youth sports festival.

“I see a situation where the various states sports councils will bubble like they used to in the months ahead,” the AFN boss added.

“This year alone I have been to Ekiti, Kwara, Lagos and Delta at the Junior Championship and what I saw gave me hope that talent abound in this country and just need to be harnessed and motivated to attain the greatest goals.”

30

Sport

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 16, 2013

SLAMMING AND E-mail: folashayoezekiel@yahoo.com Phone: 08027536696

DUNKING

With SAYO OGUNDEJI

I joined Union Bank to win more trophies – Oyeniyi

Afrobasket Women 2013: Tigresses know foes May 31

U

nion Bank’s guard, Abayomi Oyeniyi, says he joined the Lagos-based club to actualise his ambition of winning more trophies.

The former Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt player joined Union Bank at the beginning of this season and has been instrumental in the Coach Johnson Ayinla’s team’s impressive start.

Oyeniyi, who won league titles with Hoopers before joining Warriors, says he decided to join Union Bank because of the team’s ambition, adding that the possibility of working with Ayinla was too strong to turn down.

He said, “I have been around for some time but my decision to join Union Bank was purely for my desire to win more trophies and to work with an outstanding coach like Ayinla who has proved how talented he is both as a player and as coach.”

“We have started the season on a very good note and we hope to continue in the same version with the hope of winning the league title come end of the season,” he added.

“The players are aware of the challenges involved as the league is like a marathon, but we have players with the experience at this stage and we hope it will count in our favour at the end of the day.”

RESULTS DStv PBL Week 3 Savannah Conference May 11 – Yelwa Hawks 60-77 Bauchi Net May 11 – Niger Potters 72-65 Mark Mentors May 11 – Immigration 45-68 Plateau Peaks May 12 – Kada Stars 66-87 Kano Pillars May 12 – Yelwa Hawks 59-72 Bauchi Net May 12 – Niger Potters 64-96 Mark Mentors May 12 – Immigration 61-64 Plateau Peaks May 13 – Kada Stars Vs Kano Pillars 16H00 Atlantic Conference May 10 – Dodan Warriors 83-68 Union Bank May 10 – Comets 71-63 Nigeria Customs May 10 – Islanders 67-54 Royal Hoopers May 11 – Dodan Warriors 71-75 Union Bank May 11 – Oluyole Warriors 93-80 Police Baton May 11 – Comets 59-76 Nigeria Customs May 11 – Islanders 67-47 Royal Hoopers May 12 – Oluyole Warriors 78-73 Police Baton

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he Nigeria Senior Women’s basketball team otherwise known as the ‘Tigresses’ will on May 31 know their opponents for this year’s Afrobasket Women/FIBA World Championship when the draw holds at the Maputo “City Hall” in Mozambique.

Nigeria will be battling for her third African title when the Afrobasket for Women tips off in Mozambique in September.

The qualified teams for the competition are Mozambique, Angola, Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroun, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Egypt, and either of Tunisia or Algeria ‘The Tigresses’ are ranked 26th, behind Mali (17th), Senegal (20th) and Angola (23rd).

Nigeria finished fourth at the 2011 Afrobasket, with a 4-4 record after a 71-62 defeat to host Mali in the Bronze Medal Game.

AfroBasket Women 2013 will be held in Maputo, Mozambique from September 20 29.

NBBF boss, Tijani Umar (left), with Felix Awogu

Task before re-elected NBBF president

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resident of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Mr. Tijani Umar, has been re-elected to the office for another four-year term, as the sports federations’ elections rounded off in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Umar, who many believed has raised the standards of Nigerian basketball during his first term, was returned to office unopposed.

In the run up to the elections, controversy started when a member of the FIBA Africa Central Board and Proprietor of Dodan Warriors Basketball Club, Col. Sam Ahmedu (retd) strongly protested the decision of the Ministry of Sports to exclude him from the international candidates’ list to be on the board of the NBBF. The elections, however, went ahead and the controversy continued as four delegates walked out of the venue, protesting the addition of certain representatives.

Despite all the issues, it was a positive development for the Nigerian basketball community as Umar’s re-election is expected to bring some stability and consistency to the game after overseeing the federation in the last four years.

D Ujiri

Coach of the Lagos State Basketball team, Ayinde Balogun, described Umar’s re-election as a positive development, calling on the administrators to devote more of their time on programmes that will help in the development of the game.

According to Balogun, the game is on the rise in the country and all hands must be on deck to ensure Nigeria performs well in international competitions.

Umar’s first task, however, will be to fast-track preparations for the D’Tigers’ participation in the upcoming Afrobasket in Cote d’Ivoire later this year.

Also elected to the NBBF board is D’Tigers’ captain, Olumide Oyedeji .

NBBF’s board members Tijani Umar

President

Muktar Khaleh

Vice President

Olumide Oyedeji

Member

Felix Awogu

Member

Patrick Omorodion

Member

Agboola Pinheiro

Member

Mustapha Suleiman

Member

Nkechi Akashili in Nigeria’s colour

NBA names Ujiri Executive of the Year

enver Nuggets’ Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations, Masai Ujiri, has been named the 2012-13 NBA Executive of the Year, the league announced on Tuesday.

Ujiri helped Nuggets construct a young, athletic roster that won an NBA team-record 57 games and captured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference despite being the thirdyoungest team at the start of the season.

Ujiri, a Nigerian, became the first African-born executive vice president of a major American sports team when the Nuggets hired him on August 27, 2010.

The Denver Nuggets may have been eliminated from the NBA playoffs, but their team personnel continue to rack up accolades from an excellent 2012-13 season.

This is the second time in five years that a Nuggets executive has won the award. Mark Warkentien

won the award in 2009.

Ujiri, who took over basketball operations from Warkentien in 2010, arrived from Toronto and inherited a roster in complete disarray.

One of his first major moves as general manager was shipping off Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks. The franchise star had long been unhappy in Denver, and the haul received for the All-Star power forward catalyzed the building of this burgeoning roster.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 16, 2013

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Business & Finance The good thing is that so far, we have been able to make reserves in LASACO, that will adequately meet our obligations and we are not upset. We are very proud and happy about that. We can readily meet our liabilities in that regard

By boosting support services to small-scale clients while also providing access to low-costs loans, Nigeria’s banks will be able to expand their lending portfolios MD, FIDELITY BANK , REGINALD IHEJIAHI,

Managing Director, Lasaco Assurance Plc,Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi

National Assembly faults Nigeria’s deep sea projects FRANCIS EZEM

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he National Assembly has faulted Federal Government’s deep sea projects located in Ibarka, Akwa Ibom State and Lekki in Lagos State under a Public Private Partnership initiative, saying the projects might not address the challenges faced by stakeholders in the old port order.

The two deep seaports, which are part of measures to realise Nigeria’s dream of achieving a hub port status for West and Central Africa through the reduction of cost and other encumbrances are being superintended by the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Nigerian Ports Authority on behalf of the Federal Government.

A top member of the nation’s legislative arm, who spoke in an exclusive interview at the just concluded Offshore Technology Conference, which held in Houston Texas, faulted the government’s policy of building hub seaports under a PPP arrangement.

According to the source, with the concession of the nation’s existing seaports to private operators

in order to facilitate efficiency and user friendly ports with a view to reducing high cost of operation, the government should have concentrated on building publicly owned seaports to create the needed competition.

He noted that the port privatisation programme has not achieved the desired results, especially in terms of reducing cost of doing business at the ports, which he

said was still very high because of the general tendency of the private operators to always maximise profits, which had consistently kept the costs high.

“The essence of the social contract between the government and the governed is to provide the basic infrastructure at the most affordable price in the interest of the people. Leaving the Nigerian seaport community completely at the mercy

Arik Air

of private sector profit-seeking operators is not the best”, he observed.

“Even among the most efficient seaports in developed countries of this world, there are ports or terminals owned by the government or its representatives or agents used a a means of stabilizing price so that the port users can go there when they feel that the cost at the other privately-owned terminals is so high”, he further argued.

Aero Contractors Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) LagBenin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat)

IRS L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Wemabod Estates Limited, Mr. Olumide Ologun; Chairman, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi; Representative of Lagos State governor and the Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Bosun Jeje and Chairman, Odu’a Investment Companies, Mr. Sharafadeen Alli, during the 50th Anniversary Lecture of Wemaboard Estates Limited, in Lagos yesterday.

NERC pegs electricity meters costs at N25, 000 to N50,000 CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday said that schedule for meters had been approved by Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE).

The Chairman of NERC, Dr Sam Amadi said this while addressing the newsmen in Abuja

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at the Stakeholders, Workshop on Metering Code 2 held by the commission in Abuja.

According to him, the Single Phase and 3 Phase meters consumers will pay N25,000 and N50,000 respectively .

He explained that as from tomorrow the full schedule would be announced by NERC, adding that there are different meters.

Amadi explained that the cost of these meters would be slightly higher if consumer was using smart meter or systemise meter, He said that the Distribution Companies of Nigeria (DISCOs)

were under obligation to meter consumers within 45 days who had paid for meter from January 2011.

Amadi said that the Credit Advance Payment for Metering Implementation adopted by NERC was an interim palliative to bridge the metering gap by government, adding that customers who purchase their meters would be rebated.

He noted that N25,,000, N50,000 would be borne by the consumer because it was not part of the tariff in the Multi- Year Tariff –Order. (MYHO) (3 or 5 years given to NERC by 2005, Nigeria: Power Sec-

Wind Farm project: FG assures Katsina of steady power supply

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tor Reform Act. to change energy tariff in the country.

Amadi said that the recent policy for consumers to payment for their meters was due to lack of fund by DISCOs who ran bloated personnel hence unable to finance the free meter project He said that the new Metering Codes the commission was about to issue would have new metering standard to regulate metering.

He added that new owners of DISCOs were under obligation to continuously meter their customers as this was one of the reason they were issued licence.

$210m CDMA deal faces regulatory barriers

35

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

Slow sales dogs Legend Extra stout despite quality award

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tanker drivers threaten strike over deductions OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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s the Petroleum Tankers Drivers, PTD, a branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG, set to embark on an indefinite strike in the next two weeks over the implementation of their new salary structures and agreements reached with their employers, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, the latter has come out to clear the air on the issue.

NARTO claimed that the total sum of N9.2bn, representing five

per cent withholding tax was illegally deducted from its members between 2005 and 2012 by the major oil marketers and remitted to the coffers of the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS. According to NARTO, the agreement it reached with PTD was hinged on the payment of the five per cent withholding tax wrongfully paid into the coffers of FIRS, which it said was yet to be returned to it in spite of the agreement reached with the agency.

Briefing journalists yesterday in Lagos, the National President, NARTO, Alhaji Kassim Bataiya said that the inability

of the FIRS, to refund the 5 per cent withholding tax illegally deducted from its members for the seven years period, led to the inability of the association to implement the agreement reached with the PTD. Bataiya explained that in 2012, the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, had intervened on the issue through a meeting between NARTO and FIRS where it was agreed that N9.2bn was illegally deducted from its members for over seven years, adding that it was resolved at the meeting that the funds illegally deducted should be returned

to its members immediately.

Giving the breakdown of the “illegal deductions”, Bataiya explained that N2.7bn had been processed by NARTO members and approved by FIRS while the second batch of N2.8bn had been processed by its consultants and yet to be sent for collection.

Also, he added that the third batch of N3.7bn was still with NARTO and yet to be sent to its consultants and would be forwarded to the FIRS through its consultants.

However, he emphasised that despite the resolution of the matter, FIRS was yet to commence the

refund to its members, stressing that its members had submitted the required papers to the agency.

He denied that NARTO members had collected any sum of money from FIRS since the PPPRA intervened in the matter and assured that once the first batch of collection commences, its members would start the implementation of the agreement it reached with PTD in 2012.

“Our companies have been re-audited by the FIRS and yet they have not refunded a penny to us. Why it is taking them so long, is what we don’t know,” he said.

FG cautioned on lawful interception regulation KUNLE A ZEEZ

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L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr. Wiebe Boer; President of Kenya, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta; Managing partner, Africa Exchange Holdings (Heirs Holdings Investee Company); Ambassador Jendayi Frazer and CEO, Transcorp Hilton Hotels, Valentine Ozigbo, at the 2013 World Economic Forum, South Africa on Friday.

Main One targets $69bn African telecom market KUNLE A ZEEZ

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ain One Cable Company, West Africa’s leading wholesale communications Services Company said it was ready to stake its claim on its share of the sub-Saharan telecoms market which is billed by analysts to grow at a 10 per cent annual compounded rate to the tune of $69 billion in the next three years.

The company made known by the Chief Executive Officer, main One, Ms Funke Opeke, while announcing the rebranding of the company for improved and accelerated service provisioning as the first privately-owned, open access submarine fiber optic cable to land in Nigeria and Ghana.

According her, the rebranding marked the conclusion of the company’s evolution from a submarine cable company to a fullfledged communications services provider, poised to play a greater role in providing a wide bouquet of data center and connectivity services across Africa.

Opeke said with its repositioning, Main One was asserting its increased capability not only to provide wholesale capacity, and to offer a wider range of products and services to cater to the needs of its customers, “but also to stake its claim on its share of the subSaharan telecommunications market which is billed by analysts to grow at a 10 per cent annual compounded rate to the size of $69 billion by 2016.

According to her, already, within three years of operation, the company had established a reputation as a preferred provider of wholesale capacity and Internet services to Service Providers and Enterprises in the region.

In addition Opeke said the company had extended its reach of services both organically and through partnerships within Nigeria and Ghana into the neighboring West African countries of Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso.

MainOne, she said, also recently established an office to service Francophone West Africa in Abidjan and Ivory Coast.

Unveiling its new corporate identity at the International Telecoms Week 2013 Chicago, United States recently, Opeke, explained that the rebrand was carried out to better reflect the company’s focus and direction.

“Main One has been at the forefront of driving broadband penetration across West Africa since our inception. In order to achieve our vision of improving access to broadband services across the sub region, we have taken decisive action to continue to invest in our terrestrial network in multiple countries.

“We have also increased our product and service offerings beyond basic connectivity, and formed strategic partnerships with various operators to enhance our portfolio of services.

We are excited about the future prospects in our market and look forward to launching the new brand identity to symbolize the tremendous opportunity ahead of us to transform the broadband landscape in West Africa,” she said.

ormer of Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai yesterday cautioned the Federal Government to be wary of infringement of individual privacy in the Nigerian Communications Commission- proposed regulation of lawful interception of communications policy in Nigeria.

El-Rufai, who was among the speakers at Policy Review Forum on the Draft Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations organised by the Joint Action Committee on ICT Awareness and Development (JACITAD), in Lagos, stressed the need for the NCC to seek proper legislation from the National Assemble to back its implementation.

The Draft Lawful Intercep-

tion of Communications Regulations, which was recently released by the NCC will empower security agencies in the country to monitor telephony, Internet and other electronic communications as part of measures by the government to secure lives and property in Nigeria when it goes into effect.

The ex-minister, who argued that the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 does not give NCC power to implement such policy that borders on peoples’ privacy said this cannot be carried out by mere regulation but with proper legislation.

He noted that the act under section 70 only permits the NCC to issue regulations on six items listed in this session.

According to him, the commission should submit the draft policy for debate and get approval before going ahead with.

Wind Farm project: FG assures Katsina of steady power supply CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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he Minister of State, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, assured the inhabitants around the project site of the multi billion Naira Wind Mill Project, in Rimi Local Government in Katsina State, of steady power supply.

In line with the Transformation Agenda of the power sector, the Minister of State said. “Our intention is to supply electricity 24 hours to all Nigerians, especially those in the rural areas”, “I want to assure you that the project will be commissioned in few weeks time”.

Hajiya Kuchi commended the Katsina State Government for its support to the project, “saying that the State has paid the sum of N400m to farmers who were displaced as a result of the project”.

She advised the people of Kat-

sina State to take full ownership of the project when fully commissioned.

Expressing her satisfaction with the project status, Hajiya Kuchi commended the company handling the 10MW Wind Project for their professionalism, diligence and hard work just as she observed that the project is fast moving and would soon be completed.

On the security at the site, the Minister acknowledged the assistance of the Katsina State Government as there are only a few isolated cases of theft and vandalisation reported.

Earlier, the representative of the project handler, - Otis Engineering, Engr. Okoronko, said that the project is behind delivery scheduled due to the need to replace the vandalized and stolen cables. But most importantly because of the kidnap of the French engineer, Mr. Colump on the project site last year.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 16, 2013

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ITF, DTCA partner to address skill gap

Farmers received N1 89bn from CBN in Q1

OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

UDO ONYEKA

ABUJA

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he Industrial Training Fund, (ITF) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA) to address the skills gap in technical vocational areas in Africa.

The deed of partnership was signed between the two agencies in Abuja. by Prof Longmas Wapmuk, Director General of ITF with Dr Shuaibu Suleiman, Director General DTCA. Speaking at the occasion, ITF Director General, Prof. Longmas Wapmuk, said the MOU was to complement the efforts of DTCA in achieving its mandate by providing technical and vocational skills for expert and professionals to serve in African countries.

He noted that ITF was estab-

lished to train people and ensure that there is adequate manpower to ensure adequate skills for the industrial sector.

The DG said there was an existing MOU between the two agencies to guide collaboration between the two agencies in the area of human capacity but was terminated in 2008.

He however emphasised that the new partnership would have a life span of five years which would focus on partnering with Vocational and Entrepreneurship training Authority (VETA) of Tanzania for vocational training scheme in the informal sector.

Apart from that, he also explained that the MOU would also focus on sourcing for fund to implement programmes and workshop on expert harnessing as well as regional capacity building and identification of skill gap in technical vocational

areas.

In his own remarks,Dr Shuaibu Suleiman, DG DTCA said the directorate was interested in collaborating with the ITF because of the peculiar nature of the mandate of the ITF. He said,``At the DTCA we have an African mandate which focuses on deployment of skill across the continent and one of the very serious mandates of ITF is development of skill and facilitating such to the area of need. ``DTCA has projects across Africa where we will need such expertise it is therefore necessary for us to have this kind of collaboration with the ITF”.

He said the mandates of the two agencies have a great link and there was the need to create a synergy with a view with a view to ensuring very effective implementation of such mandate.

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said a total of N1.892.9bn was guaranteed to 10,324 farmers under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (AGS) in the first quarter of 2013.

According to the CBN’s economic report for the first quarter of 2013, though the figure was a decline of 41.6 per cent below the level in the preceding quarter, it is an increase of 125.1 per cent.

“Further, 86 beneficiaries in fisheries sub sector received N46.2m, while 59 beneficiaries

in the cash crops sub Sector received N410m.”.

The analysis also show that 34 states benefited from the scheme during the quarter, with the heighest and lowest sums of N261.1m and N2.2m guaranteed to beneficiaries in Katsina and Plateau states respectively.

The CBN said at the end of March 2013, the total amount released by he CBN under the Commerical Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) to the participating banks for disbursement stood at N199.2bn for 270 projects.

The beneficiaries the apex bank said, include 30 state governments.

Skye Bank introduces new product for SMEs JOHNSON OKANLAWON

S

kye Bank Plc has launched a new business-friendly product, the Skye Business Account, to cater for the banking needs of small business units, traders.

The product is a current account with an affordable opening balance for traders and small business owners.

A statement from the bank yesterday said the product also has the complement of the inscription of the customer’s name on the MasterCard issued to account holders.

The bank’s Head of the Small Business Group, Mr. Wole Aderinkomi, who made this disclosure, said that the account, offers full internet access to the account holders in addition to the MasterCard debit card which enables customers to carry out business internationally.

L-R: President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Lanre Ajayi; Guest Speaker He explained that the prodand former minister, Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai; President, Joint Action Committee on Information Technology Awareness and Development (JACITAD), Mr. Shina Badaru and Chairman, Association of Telecoms Licensed of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebanjo, during a roundtable breakfast on Policy Review of Draft Lawful Interception Regulatory by JACITAD in Lagos on Tuesday.

uct, by intent, would be businessfriendly, explaining that customers would not be charged commission on turnover as long as debit turnover is not more than N15m per month.

He, however, clarified that there was no limit to the amount that customers can deposit into this account, adding that the bank came up with the product in order to bring to the banking world traders and small business owners who would have been excluded from banking relationship.

Aderinkomi explained that account holders would experience and enjoy quality service and a wide array of benefits which will help to make their business transactions easy, fast, convenient and safe.

Such benefits, he said, include internet banking, provision of effective and efficient payment instruments and guaranteed customer satisfaction.

Multi-Trex to focus on creating employment

Lead poisoning: N158.3m safer mining programme on course -FG CHIDI UGWU, ABUJA

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he Federal Government has assured that the N158.3 million safer mining programme initiated to curb the incidence of lead poisoning in Zamfara State was on course.

The Director of Artisanal and Small Scale Mining in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Obiora Azubike, at the 12th stakeholders meeting on the lead poisoning incident at Gusau, the Zamfara State Capital yesterday.

National Mirror recalls that safer mining programme was initiated after the lead poison-

ing incident which occurred in some communities in Anka and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas of Zamfara State in 2010, which led to the death of some affected children.

Mr. Azubike said that the process for the tendering, bidding and offer of the contracts for the safer mining programme had been completed and the successful contractors had commenced work.

The Director said that the programme was being implemented with the N158.3 million intervention fund which the Federal Government released to the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for the safer mining pro-

gramme in Zamfara State.

According to the Director, components of the safer mining programme include sensitization on safer mining; procurement and installation of safer mining equipment; setting up of three mineral processing centres in the state; and provision of extension services to Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Cooperatives in the state.

He further disclosed that one mining post at Bagega had been completed while the one at Maru is under construction.

The director disclosed that the sensitization programme on safer mining packaged in Hausa language was already being aired on Federal Radio Corporation, Kaduna and the Zamfara State Radio, Gusau.

MESHACK IDEHEN

I

ntegrated Foods Multi-Trex Plc said the creation of long lasting and sustainable forms of employment for Nigerians is the major priority of the company, adding that should also be the primary concerns of companies operating in the country.

According to Multi-Trex Plc which is a wholly-Nigerian cocoa processing company, the primary aim of businesses profit making aside should be how to empower Nigerians through creating jobs.

Making reference to the company’s stakeholders and distributors forum held in Lagos recently to deliberate on marketing strategy for the company’s new brands which includes the Frangada cocoa powder and Moor cocoa beverage just making market entry, the Multi Trex deputy managing director said the firm has re-

mained strong despite the harsh business environment in Nigeria and the unstable international price of cocoa raw beans which could adversely affect business.

While responding to appeals by some of the company distributors asking for a price slash on the brands in order to boost sales amongst all cadres of consumers in view of stiff competition with similar brands in the Nigerian market, the Multi-Trex DMD explained that the company would not want to compromise on the quality and health benefits of its brands which presently determines the current pricing.

On her part, Multi Trex Executive Director, Commercial, Mrs. Folashade Bafunsho, said one of the aims of the company was to keep ensuring that consumers of their brands have value for their money, urging the distributors to appreciate their concern for quality and consumer satisfaction.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Info Tech

Thursday, May 16, 2013

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$210m CDMA deal faces regulatory barriers T

he enthusiasm which greeted the announcement of the proposed injection of $210 million into the Code Decision Multiple Access segment of the Nigerian telecoms industry appears to have waned significantly in recent times.

This is due to the delay being experienced in getting necessary approvals from industry regulators, whose approvals of the deal are critical to further processing required in the investment plan directed at three CDMA operators.

The new investment, which will see the three of the ailing CDMA operators; Starcomms Plc, Multi-Links and MTS Wireless, come together as a single entity that will trade as ‘Starcomms’, is being spearheaded by Capcom Limited, a special purpose vehicle with years of commercial experience of emerging markets.

But a source privy to the deal told National Mirror that, “Indeed, the process is witnessing lull due to the delay in approving the deal by the Nigerian Communications Commissions, the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.”

The source said, “even after getting approval from the regulators, Capcom will now begin to shop for bankers that will borrow them money whether local or foreign banks to raise the capital required in turning the operators’ unimpressive performance around. Accordingly, prospective banks will also conduct their own due diligence and carry out series of activities to determine if the investment is worth of funding.”

All these activities, the source said, would mean that, “the merger process is still hanging in the balance and in an industry constantly facing rapidly changing and fierce competition patterns.”

From all indications, “we may have to be looking at the fourth quarter of the year before we hear anything meaningful about the Capcom and the next thing is: If the three operators merge, will they be able to compete with the Global System for Mobile Communications Operators?”

Over the years, CDMA operators have been facing stiff competition from their GSM counterparts, making it difficult for the former to make profits as they lose customers in droves to the GSM companies, a development continue to rob them of patronage and subsequently resulting in loss of potential revenue.

For three years, South Africa Telekom was in Nigeria to run Multi-Links but

About five months after getting Starcomms shareholders’ nod on the proposed merger of three Code Division Multiple Access operators in the country, perpetual delay in regulatory approvals is creating a cog in the wheel of investment plan believed to be a turnaround for the ailing CDMA segment of the nation’s telecoms industry, reports KUNLE AZEEZ.

Oduah

later backed out after experiencing continual loss of revenue for the three years it spent managing Multi-Links in the country.

Currently, al the CDMA operators put together have a combined active subscriber base of about 2.3 million on their networks, while the GSM firms have a whopping over 113 million active subscribers.

In the data market, the GSM firms are also dominating the market. This is in spite of the CDMA operators’ technology advantage to offer better internet service.

Poor coverage of their networks, coupled with fierce competition coming from the GSM firms.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the decision of Capcom to invest in three of the ailing CDMA networks came with much hope and excitement as this is expected to bring healthy performance into the operation of the beneficiary CDMA networks, especially if the investment is well managed.

However, with the fresh delay emanating from the regulatory corridors in fasttracking the process, industry observers said, might deal a big blow on the investment plan to be consummated on time, “since there are still many stages to pass through before the loan is sourced.”

However, the deal has recorded resounded success all along culminating in getting 100 per cent of Starcomms shareholders in support of the proposed deal at a court-ordered meeting held in Abuja

Juwah

Oteh

IF THE THREE

OPERATORS MERGE, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO COMPETE

GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS? WITH THE

on December, 28, 2012, in what many described as further indication shareholder support for the transaction.

By the support, Starcomms received the necessary shareholder support for all matters relating to the proposed $$210 million investment by Capcom merger deal.

Commenting on the shareholders’ support, the Interim Chief Executive Officer of Starcomms Plc, Mr. Olusola Oladokun, had noted that, “The shareholder approvals at the meeting now require the high court’s ratification and the transaction thereafter remains subject to a number of conditions precedent as outlined in the scheme document including but not limited to final regulatory approval from the NCC, NSE and SEC.” He had also enthused: “We are delighted that our shareholders have supported the Board’s recommendation to approve the investment by CAPCOM and are extremely pleased that, subject to a number

Commit Technology advocates digital literacy in Nigeria KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he need to incorporate digital literacy at every facet of the Nigerian economy and as key enabler for building knowledge-based economy has been advocated for the country.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Commit Technology & Consult, Dr. Oyeniran Oyekale, who made the call at a recent interactive session with the media in Lagos, said digital literacy has become a prerequisite for any economy that aspires to survive the eco-

nomic tide of the 21st century.

According to Oyekale, who described digital literacy as the ability to find, evaluate, utilise, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet, “The ubiquity of digital technologies and their place in our daily lives is an indication of the urgent need for Nigeria to imbibe and adopt digital literacy and see it as the standard for 21st Century development strategy.”

Oyekale, however, stated that in today’s environment of emerging security threats, the need to re - engineer security routine processes via proper implementation of ICT are paramount to our

everyday endeavours, hence the critical need for highly-qualified, experienced and skilful workforce in all security outfits becomes highly imperative.

He noted that, “The significant economic, social and cultural opportunities that are potentially available to Nigeria security officers, however, can only be capitalised upon if we provide both the framework and the inspiration for establishing a digitally literate security outfits.”

Oyekale maintained that digital literacy and basic computing skills are increasingly necessary for individual government officers and private indi-

of conditions precedent relating to the overall transaction, Starcomms can look to the future with hope.”

According to him, “The capital injection combined with the injection of new spectrum and the CDMA assets of Multilinks provides a sound base for continued operations as well as enabling investment in new technology that will position Starcomms for the future in a very exciting space in the market.”

In the same vein, the Chief Executive Officer designate for the new Starcomms, Mr. Ademola Eleso, had also announced optimistically that the “overwhelming approval from shareholders is a strong endorsement of our proposed business model for Starcomms.”

According to Elesho, the combination of Starcomms’ and Multilinks’ existing infrastructure and customer base with access to 20MHz of spectrum and the latest 4G LTE technology positions the company perfectly to be at the forefront of Nigeria’s data revolution.

“We look forward to rolling out the business model and to a bright future for Starcomms’ customers and shareholders.”

The delay in getting necessary regulatory approvals, five months after the overwhelming support was given by the stakeholder’s for the deal, therefore, portends an ominous signs capable of threatening the budding future of the transaction. viduals to move to 21st century standard, discharge their duties accordingly, and be competitive in the world.

According to him, in the Nigeria’s context, a careful examination of modern trend suggests that digital literacy/ICT education is critical to the acquisition of skills as well as building the ICT capabilities and capacities for Nigeria Security personnel, noting that it was in this regard that Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) has been relevant.

Oyekale maintained that IC3 is the stepping-stone into the ICT certification pathway, a fundamental tool for measuring proficiency in the latest key technologies for study, work and life, globally recognized as the test for digital literacy.

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Info Tech

Thursday, May 16, 2013

NITDA establishes 400 rural IT centres KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he National Information and Technology Development Agency said it had established over 400 Rural Information Technology Centres (RITCs) as part of measures to bringing Information Technology access to the doorstep of Nigerians.

Director-General, NITDA, Prof. Cleopas Angaye, disclosed this at a forum organised by the Pan-African University with the theme, ‘‘Role of ICT in the Transformation Agenda and Job Creation.”

Angaye said the establishment of the centres was informed by the need to provide a community-based platform for youth empowerment through e-learning and capacity building in IT and communitybased trainings in IT-enabled outsourcing and promoting equitable access to assets.

Angaye added that the centres which also service as internet hubs for their rural

will help in minimising ruralurban migration by providing the means for rural dwellers and the semi-urban population to become part of the evolving knowledge-based society and IT-driven economy.

According to him, RITCs will promote decentralization, enable local administrative units to be upgraded, plan development activities, and enable Local Governments to work closely with NGOs and Community organisations.

“The RITC is a technologydriven response to the need for the active involvement and participation of rural and grass root populace in a knowledge society.

“Other developmental programs NITDA is pursuing are the establishment of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), Post Graduate Scholarship Scheme for Masters and PhD Students ICT sector, IT infrastructures in tertiary institutions and development of Software Development Centres,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NITDA DG

has also called for a definite and functional national database, saying this will help in fast-tracking the country’s quest to becoming a major economic bloc by 2020.

The agency said the challenge of not having a national database is retarding the country’s developmental growth, because policies have not been matched with actions.

Making the call in Lagos at the weekend, the DirectorGeneral, NITDA, Prof. Cleopas Angaye, said that for visible growth, Nigeria can leverage such a database to determine how to mitigate the increasing influence of poverty among its citizens.

He said in eradicating poverty, a proper national database would offer the country the opportunity to be able to allocate resources efficiently.

Besides, he said the database would also assist the country in the areas of improving security in al its ramifications while reducing poverty.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tech Box

Samsung announces 5G mobile network …Introduces Galaxy S4 in Nigeria

T

he 4G phone network may soon be an old hat as Samsung Electronics announced it has developed ‘ultrahigh speed’ fifth-generation technology that could allow users to download an entire film in a second and could be available by 2020.

The South Korean firm said it has successfully tested new equipment which it hopes will transmit data several hundred times faster than existing 4G networks.

It claims subscribers could use the technology to download highquality digital films ‘practically without limitation’ and watch 3D movies or stream high-definition programmes in real-time.

Samsung believes its new transceiver is the world’s first device capable of providing ‘ubiquitous’ 5G broadband and hopes to bring the service to customers by 2020.

It announced the development after conducting a test where data was transmitted at speeds of more than one gigabit per second over a distance of up to two kilometres.

Customers using 4G services currently provided in the

UK by EE - access average speeds of between eight and 12 megabits per second (Mbps).

“The new technology sits at the core of 5G mobile communications system and will provide data transmission up to several hundred times faster than current 4G networks,” Samsung said in a blog post.

The company believes the equipment could provide a solution to recent surges in wireless internet usage.

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics, has added a new device to its range of products in Galaxy category as it unveiled its much-awaited Galaxy S4 smartphone.

The device, which the company describes as a life companion, was unveiled to the Nigerian public at an elaborate, fashionthemed event in Lagos at the weekend.

Speaking at the unveiling of the device, Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Mr. Brovo Kim, said the Galaxy S4 will set the benchmark for how a mobile device can be integrated into daily life.

Single recharge option for Airtel subscribers

O L-R: Chief Technology Officer, Computer Warehouse Group, Mr. James Agada and President, Institute of Software Practitioners Council of Nigeria, Dr. Chris Uwaje, presenting an award to CWG at the 2013 Titans of Tech Award ceremony in Lagos recently.

Cashless: Inlaks deploys ATMs, mobile banking solutions KUNLE A ZEEZ

I

nlaks Computers Limited, a foremost Information and Communication Technology solutions provider in West Africa said it is fast-tracking the deployment of e-banking infrastructure and solution to help transform the financial services sector of the Nigerian economy.

These include deployment of Automated Teller Machines and Temenos Arc Mobile, a mobile banking solution, developed to enhance efficient service delivery to the banking sector and better return on investment for financial institutions.

The company said the current effort is in line with its move to drive the current cashless econ-

omy policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

According to the Managing Director of Inlaks, Mr. Femi Adeoti, while financial institutions are considered among the most secure institutions, they are continually plagued with multiple levels of financial fraud from external and internal sources.

He, however, said that his company is addressing these challenges for financial institutions by partnering Hyosung, a major leader in ATM security solutions.

According to him, Hyosung achieves this leadership position by safeguarding the future and integrity of the self-service channel through investing in new technologies, services and initiatives to stay ahead of or-

ganised ATM crimes which has become a fast target locally and globally.”

He said some of these initiatives include physical ATM security. “Hyosung ATMs in Nigeria come with broad selection of heavy-duty safes, external loud alarms, advanced locks, integrated cameras and monitoring equipment.”

He said card fraud prevention initiative ensures Hyosung’s multi-layered approach to protecting cardholder data at the ATM in Nigeria.

“It offers choice and flexibility in reducing risk and ranges from counter measures such as the anti-skimming device to jitter which are the new generation of active fraud prevention measures at the ATM’s card-reader.”

ne of Nigeria’s telecoms operators, Airtel Nigeria, has introduced a dual-purpose single recharge card for both voice and data services on the network that will allow customers to recharge for both services with only one recharge card.

The single recharge option is available in both physical and electronic recharge formats while it also attracts applicable bonus rates for data subscription depending on the amount of airtime purchased.

When customers load between N100 and N500, they will enjoy 60 per cent data bonus while subscription of N1, 000 to N5,000 attracts for 30 per cent data bonus.

Speaking on the innovation, the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Deepak Srivastava, said the latest recharge option further buttresses the company’s commitment to continually offer Nigerians innovative products tailored to provide them a whole world of value and convenience.

He promised Airtel’s relentless drive to deliver fresh and cutting-edge telecoms technol-

ogy so to ensure that its customers continue to enjoy firstrate products and services, adding that Single Recharge is another great reason to be on the Airtel network, especially coming at a time when Mobile Number Portability (MNP) allows customers to move over to Airtel for the conveniences that it offers its customers.

“The Airtel Single Recharge is simply a double victory for our customers because we have single-handedly, eliminated the multiple processes of recharging or subscribing for voice and data services separately, by merging the two procedures to produce a single and seamless recharge process for both services using a single step. This is not only unique but revolutionary, and can only come from a network that has got Nigerians proudly covered,” he said.

The Airtel single recharge, which is for both prepaid and postpaid customers, also provides additional advantage for data customers as it totally eliminates the process of subscribing for data using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data or Short Messaging Service codes.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Brands & Marketing

37

Slow sales dogs Legend Extra Stout despite quality award As the dark beer market gets more competitive, efforts by Nigerian Breweries to leverage on the Gold Quality Award conferred on its Legend Extra Stout at the 51st Monde in Athens, Greece, as strategic marketing advantage is yet to translate to improved sales to make the brand the first choice dark beer. ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI takes an inside look at the stout war.

T

he coast is not yet clear in the stout market for Legend Extra Stout, the premium stout from the stable of Nigerian Breweries despite winning the Gold Quality Award at the 51st Monde where Guinness Extra Stout trailed the brand.

Monde, an International Institute for Quality Selections is the originator of the annual international event organised to identify and recognise outstanding global brands, had last year, adjudged Legend brand, the best after several blind-taste-tests, using certain parameters such as texture, flavour, bitterness, foam formulation, retention ability and smoothness.

However, investigations from sales record of major bars in Ikeja, Surulere and other parts of Lagos Mainland as well as popular joints on the Island confirms that Legend Extra Stout still trails Guinness Extra Stout in terms of patronage.

A NB distributor who pleaded anonymity said Legend Extra Stout brand team have failed to listen to feedbacks from some of the distributors.

Part of the complaints had been that the brand, despite its beautiful bottle that is expensively made, has been positioned as inferior to Guinness Stout due to its lower pricing. They also that the labelling denies it from being spotted from a distance like other market followers.

“It is not eye catching from the distance, the bottle and label is so dark and customers have complained that they should make the label lighter and brighter but leaving the content as it is,” a salesman told National

ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

T

he Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, has advised Etisalat Nigeria to consult a lawyer to determine if it could take legal action against MTN over the “porting” of its brand ambassador, Mr. Afeez Oyetoro popularly call Saka, from Etisalat to MTN, saying such issue is not within APCON code, sources at APCON told National Mirror.

The dispute between the two telecom companies started penultimate week as soon as Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, launched the commencement of the much publicised Mobile Number Portability, MNP, which enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile tele-

SOME CONSUMERS STILL SAY THE TASTE IS YET

TO MEET THE NIGERIAN CONSUMERS’ TASTE

BUD, SAYING THE GOLD

QUALITY AWARD BLINDTASTE TEST IS NOT A REFLECTION OF HOW CONSUMERS FEEL BEER SHOULD TASTE Mirror at one of the bars.

Though launched in 1992, 30 years after Guinness Extra Stout blazed the trail in the market category, the brand has risen to become number two, posing a major threat to Guinness Extra in the dark beer market having undergone a lot of repositioning in an effort to dislodge the market leader. With promotional slogans and activations such as Legend Real Deal, Legend Real Deal Nite Activation, New Legend Extra Stout-carry Da Torch, which campaign played around the dynamic flame and torch, the brand logo, it appears that the brand team has

created the much needed awareness within the 360 of marketing mix.

Since its introduction, the Legend brand has aggressively pursued the youth market as target consumer through several campaign themes such as it’s your life Xpress Ur Independence Now! using a model that ad critiques said passes messages to ladies to go wayward as shown by the model’s dress all in the name of sex appeal.

Another campaign was, Life’s Much More Fun, which showed a male and female model caressing each other and Correct bros don come!. The brand has also made efforts to capture the lower segment of the market with one campaign theme, Aaah!

Legend in 2008, yet, the road to being market leader appears to be going uphill.

NB has attempted to rebrand the dark beer, changing the bottle in 2004, 2008, 2007 and 2009 but these efforts have not translated to impressive sales.

Beyond change of bottle, NB reduced the bitterness, alcohol content and removed the observed ‘burnt taste’ that gave the brand the initial unpleasant flavour, which was perceived not to be the quality of an ideal stout, some consumers still say the taste is yet to meet the Nigerian consumers taste bud, saying the Gold Quality Award blind-taste test is not a reflection of how consumers feel beer

should taste.

Currently, NB is running Legend Real Deal Activation, where brand loyalists can walk away with fantastic prizes but investigation reveals that as slow growth remains the hallmark of the brand’s market performance.

The Marketing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Walter Drenth, said that, “over the past 20 years, the Legend brand has continued to position itself as a credible choice of stout, full brewed, the way an original stout should - giving Legend the credibility to be called the Real Deal, - a sincere proposition that has sustained the brand’s growth since the relaunch and acceptance in 2009.”

In the last decade, the major players in the stout market have been Guinness, Legend and Wilfort Dark Ale but the Guinness Stout has consistently maintained leadership of the market, but with a serious resistance from Legend yet NB is not giving up on efforts to make the brand the clear winner of the “stout war.”

In an interview with National Mirror, Senior Brand Manager, Legend Extra Stout, Mr. Funso Ayeni, said since the brand won the Gold Quailty Award, the sales has grown and the impact of the award is reflecting on the sales record of the brand.

MTN Porting Ad: APCON tells Etisalat to seek legal advice phone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another.

But in an attempt to raise much awareness and build interest in the new offering MTN scored a coup by casting Etisalat brand ambassador, Oyetoro, for its commercials.

While the TVC went viral, attracting so much interest from the public, Etisalat, realising how the switch by its brand ambassador could damage its market aspiration, had reported the case to APCON claiming MTN was wrong to have “stolen” its brand ambassador.

It was however gathered that APCON advised Etisalat to consult a lawyer as the modeling agreement Saka had with

Etisalat’s former agency, Centerspread, doesn’t show that MTN has done anything wrong. “We told them they should seek advice from their lawyer,” said the source.

The source further revealed that the modeling agreement between the brand ambassador and Etisalat was too open and makes it easy for competition to play on. “The agreement is in perpetuity. It was open and not closed which means that the model is not bound,” the source said.

While industry experts also blamed Etisalat for leaving too much, too open in its contract with Saka, MTN was said to have cleverly exploited the loopholes to record the first major port. Head

of Marketing, Consumer Banking, Standard Chartered Bank, Mr. Chima Nwuke, said the move is very insightful on MTN’s part. “No better time to drop it. I hope heads will not roll in Etisalat.

What an expensive oversight?” Nwuke said.

Group CEO, MediaCraft, Mr. John Ehiguese, said the TVC has shown marketing warfare at its classical best. “I doubt that MTN would have gone into this without covering their tracks from the contractual and intellectual property angles.” Ehiguese noted that, “somebody at Etisalat simply didn’t do their job. They left their flanks open and allowed MTN to pull off such a spectacular coup”.

38

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Sponsorships should not be presented as CSR –Onuk The Lead Consultant/Chief Executive Officer, Thixtle, a CSR Management Firm, Mrs. Ini Onuk, in this interview with ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI, speaks on misuse of CSR as promotional tool, the next CSR roundtable and other industry issues.

The concept of having a CSR/Sustainability consulting agency is new in Nigeria and your agency is spear-heading this emerging area, why are you into CSR management?

I do not agree that CSR consulting is new in Nigeria. Hitherto, organisations have hired foreign consultants and doled out money to NGOs to invest or even handle their community engagement initiatives. To answer the second part of your question, advocacy and thought leadership is a division in ThistlePraxis and advocacy is part of what we do because the understanding and perception of sustainability and CSR is yet to gain commensurate traction. Hence, advocacy helps us reach out to all and sundry apart from our core consultancies.

How would you assess your firm’s impact since its entrance into the CSR consulting and advocacy for impact assessment mechanism?

Beyond elevating the discourse of CSR, we have done considerably well since our foray into the Nigerian market. We cannot categorically say that there is an industry yet, we will continue to work towards the creation of such. Meanwhile, our advocacy and Thought Leadership is yet unrivalled after eight editions of a Quarterly Journal, CSR Files; Surveys, Resource materials (CSR Files Weekly & Digest), eNewsletters and a new offering, Industry Pulse. Apart from these, we strive for impact as reflected in all our client services and corporate partnerships.

In summary, we spearheaded the adoption of ISO 26000 in Nigeria (the umbrella guidance standard for Social Responsibility) working with Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as the National Standard Member body. We continue to foster partnerships and innovations; some of the outcomes of these projects will be unveiled at the 2013 AR-CSR. You have been complaining about impact assessment of most CSR activities being flaunted by most brands, are you still satisfied with the level of enlightenment so far?

I have not complained but simply advocated that sponsorships, cause marketing and philanthropy be clearly identified and not presented as CSR. ThistlePraxis also advocates that business leaders pay more attention to these issues and make sustainability a priority. What we encourage is that more activities and initiatives are impact-driven and that CSR is integrated into corporate strategy in order to yield multiple returns on investment.

How do you measure the sincerity of major brands in Nigeria in delivering a cutting-edge CSR in host communities?

Most brands are not sincere to be honest; nevertheless we have observed that insincerity is most of the time not deliberate. In a society where mediocrity is the benchmark and there are no regulations or minimum standards to adhere to, the push to constantly improve strategy is uncommon. Hence, tokenism is masqueraded as CSR for host communities and this continues until there is a crisis or loss of social license to operate.

Many corporate brands still see CSR as a member of the marketing mix and in this light many brands

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Red Star Express embraces eco-friendly courier bags

I

n line with world’s best practices and commitment to sustainable development, Red Star Express Plc, a onestop logistics company has embraced the use of bio-degradable polythene envelopes as its official flyers.

With the increasing global warming campaign, Red Star Express is actively seeking ways to reduce the carbon footprint by using bio-degradable materials.

Speaking on this new development, Ngozi Ochokwu, Red Star Express Marketing Manager, said, “our company has chosen to use bio-degradable polythene envelopes to parcel goods, in keeping with environmental-friendly global best practices. We believe that our transition to the use of bio-de-

gradable flyers would have a great impact on the health of the country and the world as a whole.”

The overall impact of plastics and other non-bio-degradable on the people is hazardous and a major pollutant contributor to the environment. The polythene envelopes are manufactured to the highest quality. The envelopes are strong, less expensive, lightweight and reduce postage costs. The innovative biodegradable packaging material is easy to write on and it accepts stamps, franking and labels thus making it perfect for parcelling purpose.

The material has qualities that make it ideal for catalogues, textiles and lever arch files and it disintegrates naturally in the ground.

Lexcel Group launches in-house magazine

Onuk

THE LOCAL ECONOMIES MUST PREPARE TO MAXIMISE THESE INVESTMENTS

–

THROUGH A PRODUCTIVE AND SKILL-ALIGNED

WORKFORCE, SUPPORT

BUSINESS ECO-SYSTEMS AND TESTED

MSMES TO

PROVIDE NEEDED SERVICES still attach brand hype during public show of their CSR; you can’t but believe that in Nigeria CSR is a promotional tool?

I have tried to explain in this interview and we understand that our advocacy must continue at all levels. Even many public offices and officials do not understand that it is not enough to clamour for Foreign Direct Investment. The big question should be ‘FDI at what cost?’ Local content is not about employing brown collar staff or allotting menial jobs to host communities. The quest for Sustainable Development will not be attained by FDIs only. The local economies must prepare to maximise these investments – through a productive and skill-aligned workforce, support business eco-systems and tested MSMEs to provide needed services and ensure a workable supply chain amongst others.

I always say that strategic CSR will help advertising because stakeholders relate with impact and can attest to an organisation’s value-add without responding to a promotion. Most of the time, organisations who make much more noise are those who do very little and vice versa. It becomes a part of the marketing mix organisations spend much more money promoting a token investment, gift or supporting a cause.

While it is believed that CSR should not be part of a marketing function, is there any way it can indirectly have effect on brands equity?

CSR directly impacts brand equity. First, responsibility is fundamental such as ensuring quality services, Health, Safety and Environment Standards, not evading taxes etc. direct impact of CSR includes: effective risk mitigation mechanism, higher productivity from work force, increased patronage etc.

L

excel Group, the parent company of Grand Oak, Nigeria Distilleries Limited and others has launched an in-house publication known as ‘Aspire’ as a medium to showcase the giant strides achieved by its subsidiaries over the years.

The maiden edition of all coloured–glossy Aspire magazine was unveiled to the audience and members of the companies at a cocktail event held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos Speaking at the event, the Editor of the magazine and Category Manager of Grand Oak Limited, Mr. Charles Nnochiri said the new magazine is to inform the general public of the accomplishments of the companies under Lexcel Group in their quests to attaining world-class status.

He said: “Through this medium, we hope to keep everyone informed on the happenings in our individual companies and to ensure that the strong resilient spirit of oneness we advocate with our slogan – Together we win- is sustained.

“I am sure a lot of you will ask why Aspiration? Positive aspiration is what keeps the world going. Growth comes from desire, especially for something great or of a high value. Therefore, this magazine is a call to action designed to spur every reader to that next, higher phase.”

Nnochiri said that the Aspire magazine has replaced the old Seaman’s News, which was formerly known as the inhouse magazine of Nigeria Distilleries Limited.

CSR: GSK partners Save the Children on tackling preventable diseases

G

laxoSmithKline, a leading giant pharmaceutical company, has announced its partnership with Save the Children to save the lives of 1 million children over the next five years by developing and making available adapted medicines in some of the world’s poorest countries.

This unique collaboration is a five year partnership which includes sharing expertise, resources, reach and influence to tackle some of the leading causes of childhood deaths.

Explaining the idea behind the partnership, the CEO of GSK, Sir Andrew Witty, said the partnership is an opportunity to do something amazing, to transform the lives of millions more.

“At GSK we are motivated by developing innovative lifesaving medicines and getting them to the people that need them. By joining forces with Save the Children, we can amplify these efforts to create a new momentum for change and stop children dying from preventable diseases. I hope this partnership inspires GSK employees and sets a new standard for how companies and NGOs can work together towards a shared goal.”

The GSK-Save the Children partnership will also focus on widening vaccine coverage to the poorest children, increasing investment in health workers, as well as developing a lowcost nutritional product to help combat child malnutrition.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Change of guard at NIMN as Aimiuwu disengages as President ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

T

he outgoing President and Chairman of Council of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Chief Lugard Aimiuwu, has announced his disengagement from the institute.

In what he called ‘constructive disengagement’ from the institute’s Council, where he had presided over the state of affairs for more than four years, the marketing veteran immediately announced an interim successor, Mr. Ganiyu Koledoye, the institute’s former Vice President, who would be overseeing the affairs of the institute until August 8, this year, when it

is expected to hold its Annual General Meeting where new leadership of the institute will emerge.

His tenure has been without controversy as splinter group have criticised for seat-tightism but since he made his intention to disengage from the institute’s council known, not a few commendations, puzzles and anxieties have been raised about the tenure of this transformation strategist, whom many believe have brought glamour and panache to marketing practice in Nigeria.

Since coming on board in September 2008, Aimiuwu has positioned the institute and made it appeal to marketing practitioners while top CEOs

have identified with the institute.

He has embarked on lots of innovative programmes since assumption of office part of which are recertification exercise where marketing graduates, produced by the different splinters group of the institute.

Besides, the recent coming on board of the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Centre for Management Development, Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, many believe is a way of putting the fragile institute of yesteryears on a solid foundation for the future, with one passion and shared value.

L-R: Brand Manager, Johnnie Walker, Diageo Brands Nigeria, Amaechi Okobi; Marketing Manager, Diageo Brands Nigeria, Sola Oke; Diageo Africa Reserve Brand Ambassador Tim Etherington-Judge; Marketing and Innovation Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Austin Ufomba and Reserve Activation Manager, Niyi Ogunwuyi at the Cocktail Night event with the Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador in Lagos recently.

39

ad VA NT AG E icon

B

uilding an ad agency is as difficult as sustaining it in the turf of marketing competition but having great managers makes all an easy ride. For Ikechi Odigbo, the trust bestowed on him by the founder of DDB, Enyi Odigbo, to run the agency as the managing director is not unconnected with his great management acumen coupled with knowledge of the ad industry but not his relationship with the founder.

For those who think reading mass communication or advertising as a degree from the university makes a good ad manager, Odigbo’s success as the director of the multi-awardwinning ad agency has proved such believe wrong. Fondly called Ike, he graduated from the Department of Political Science, University of Calabar in 1986 and took a General Management certification from Harvard Business School in 2007.

He rose as a copy writer through the ranks of Creative and Account manager to the Managing Director position within 20 years of practice.

Showing immense versatility, Odigbo has successfully combined Creative and Account Management functions working in a professional and executive capacity for such leading brands as Glo Mobile, Carnco Foods, McVities, LG Electronics, Pfizer, MTN, Diamond Bank, Mercedes Benz, WWF, Sony and Mimee Noodles.

Following his elevation to

Odigbo

HE WAS THE MAIN DRIVER OF A NEW BUSINESS MODEL THAT WOULD HELP REPOSITION

DDB

FROM JUST AN

AD AGENCY TO A STRATEGIC BRAND PARTNER Chief Operating Officer in 2007, he was the main driver of a new business model that would help reposition DDB from just an Ad agency to a strategic brand partner.

He currently heads the agency with a mandate to transform DDB into the best and biggest builder of brands in Nigeria. He also seats on the board of the Casers Group.

Quills Award and brand equity

C

owbell Milk is one brand that was relegated by people several years back due to the perception that it was meant for the very low end of the market. The brand suffered rejection so much that some of my colleagues who dared consumed the milk then were often mocked.

The milk with its catchy slogan, Cowbell... Our milk, clearly depicted it as a brand that appealed to all and sundry regardless of status or position. It was Cowbell that championed the production of powdered milk in sachets and this strategy worked for the brand as it was embraced by the target audience.

The brand charted the path for others to follow and since it penetrated the market through the sachet, other established brands had to follow the same route even though belatedly. The brand has however remained a major player in the industry through various

strategies that has distinguished it as force to reckon with. The brand image of the Cowbell brand has also been buoyed through the annual mathematics competition that raised share of voice for the brand and deepened its equity.

The story of cowbell narrated above is incomplete without the parent brand, Promasidor. The Promasidor parent brand has not really generated the high impact visibility that Cowbell brand enjoyed over the years. However, the recent Quills Award inaugurated

by Promasidor, is one that is set to further widen the scope of visibility for the corporate brand and other brands within its stable.

Promasidor recently enhanced its equity and influence through the quills award, which is set to raise standard in journalism practice.

The award is welcomed by practitioners in the fourth estate of the realm as it is a verifiable platform to deepen brand equity and also support journalism practice in

with Ayodeji Ayopo Tel: 08023448199 E-mail: mayomipo@yahoo.com Nigeria.

The Promasidor Quill Awards is a platform in Nigeria to reward journalists for dedicated news reportage on Industry, Education, Corporate Social Responsibility & Nutrition issues all year round. These Awards will be an annual event that would add more depth and reward reporting excellence. This is a laudable feat that will inspire journalists and also improve their personal effectiveness as well rounded professionals. The good thing here is that such a platform as this engenders consistent visibility for the brand and clearly

positions the brand as first among equals.

The quills award with the respected jurists in its stable is one that will further build equity for Promasidor and its brands as championing a worthy cause in the society. Promasidor has been synonymous with several innovative strategies which not only build share of voice for its brands but also contributing to the growth of the nation. The brand has been able to sustain its edge in thought leadership due to its strategic approach. The National Mathematics competition is one platform that stands

the Promasidor brand from its competitors. The brand has been able to develop the potential of students in mathematics while also contributing to academic knowledge in the country.

Endowment such as the Quill awards provides a vantage platform for brands to achieve their marketing goals and through a unique avenue that is dynamic and robust. This platform makes the brand comes to life and thus enables the audience believe in the personality and benefits of the brand.

It builds brand equity and makes the audience develop a relationship with the brand and further builds emotional affinity between the brand and consumers. This ultimately leads to consumer loyalty and retention.

The Quills awards with its broad categories are a spring board for Promasidor to remain a credible brand in the Nigerian media landscape.

40

Global Business

Thursday, May16, 2013

China export gains spur renewed skepticism of figures

C

hina’s export growth unexpectedly accelerated in April even as shipments to the U.S. and Europe fell, spurring Bank of America Corp. and Mizuho Securities Co. analysts to say the figures were inflated by fake reports.

The 14.7 percent increase, reported by the General Administration of Customs in Beijing today, was led by a 57.2 percent jump in shipments to Hong Kong that highlighted suspicions of false transactions used to mask capital flows into China. A customs spokesman said last month that the agency would investigate the “extraordinary” gain in trade with Hong Kong.

The report deepens skepticism on the reliability of trade data from the world’s largest exporting nation, with Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc saying export gains may be overstated by 9 percentage points. Regulators announced a crackdown this week on companies using trade reports to disguise speculative money inflows chasing a yuan that’s already exceeded last year’s gains against the dollar.

“Exports actually haven’t done all that well,” Louis Kuijs, the RBS chief China economist who previously worked for the World Bank, said on Bloomberg Television from Hong Kong. That reflects a “pretty weak global picture, weak de-

China’s President Hu Jintao

mand for Chinese exports” and the impact from yuan appreciation on China’s shipments, he said.

Yesterday’s report showed a 0.1 percent drop in U.S. shipments and 6.4 percent decline in exports to the European Union. Previous figures showed China’s shipments to Hong Kong rose 92.9 percent in March, while Hong Kong said imports from China rose 13.8 percent.

A 40-day strike by port workers at Hong Kong’s container terminal ended this week after spurring shipping lines to divert vessels to nearby ports, including Shenzhen’s.

Economists from Bank of America Corp., Societe Generale SA and Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. joined Kuijs in questioning this export numbers, building on skepticism over previous data this year. Nomura Holdings Inc. estimated growth was actually around 2 percent last month.

“We advise caution in interpreting these figures,” said Yao Wei, China economist at Societe Generale in Hong Kong.

The report on April trade was again at odds with the “unambiguous disappointment” in figures from South Korea and Taiwan, she said.

South Korea said May 1 that exports rose 0.4 percent in April from a year earlier while Taiwan said Tuesday that its shipments abroad fell 1.9 percent.

China’s customs administration didn’t respond to faxed questions today on skepticism over the April data and the status of its investigation into reports of inflated figures.

Capital Economics Ltd. said the chief reason for the pickup was the presence of two additional working days in April, due to the timing of a holiday this year and last year.

FTSE 100 hits 6,000 after U.S. strikes fiscal deal

T

he FTSE 100 smashed through the 6,000 barrier on Wednesday as investors celebrated a U.S. budget deal averting tax hikes and spending cuts that risked pushing the world’s largest economy into recession.

By Tuesday, London’s blue chip index rose 127.32 points, or 2.1 percent to 6,025.13, breaking above the 6,000 level for the first time FTSE 100 hits 6,000 after U.S. strikes fiscal dealsince July 2011, driven by big gains in miners and banks.

TThe gains echoed the New Year’s Eve rally on Wall St, which was the biggest final-day gain in the S&P 500 since 1974.

The catalyst for Wednesday’s rise was the approval by the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill raising taxes on top U.S. earners, fulfilling President Barack Obama’s re-election promise and avoiding, at least in the short-term, the $600 billion “fiscal cliff ”.

“It is good to start the new year off with a bang but there is still a lot of stuff

to digest ... It will be interesting to see if these gains can be sustained,” Gerry Celaya, chief strategist at Red Tower Research, said.

Miners were the main outperformers on Wednesday. The sector was a major laggard in 2012, ending the year flat compared with a 5.8 percent rise for the wider FTSE 100.

Mining stocks were helped by positive PMI data out of China, the world’s largest consumer of raw materials, which allayed fears of a slowdown in demand, while the UK manufacturing PMI also showed an unexpected rebound in factory activity.

Anglo American, which lost more than 20 percent in 2012, was one of the top early gainers, up 5 percent as some analysts tipped the firm for a turnaround in fortunes this year.

Wednesday’s rally meant the FTSE 100 is up nearly 15 percent since June 2012 lows. Investors have been imbued with

Obama

confidence as central banks across the globe have taken action to support the financial system and attempt to boost growth.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Poland cuts interest rates to record amid lack of recovery

Marek Belka

P

oland’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate to a record low as the European Union’s largest eastern economy struggles with slowing growth.

The Narodowy Bank Polski lowered the seven-day reference rate by a quarter-point to 3 percent yesterday matching the estimate of 11 of 38 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. (POREANN) Two predicted a half-point cut and 25 forecast no change in borrowing costs.

Monetary authorities will explain their decision at a news conference in Warsaw.

Governor Marek Belka joined counterparts in the euro area, Hungary and Australia in embracing recordlow rates as the debt crisis on Poland’s border curbs growth and consumer prices. Inflation (POCPIYOY) slowed to its weakest in more than six years and manufacturing shrank the most in 45 months in April. Poland is fighting against the steepest slowdown in more than a decade.

“The data flow had been pretty supportive of a move lower in rates,” Timothy Ash, chief emerging-markets economist at London-based Standard Bank (SBK) Group Ltd., wrote in an e-mail. “This likely swung the ‘swing’ voter Belka into the easing camp.”

The zloty advanced 0.1 percent to 4.1374 per euro yesterday in Warsaw, paring this year’s decline to 1.3 percent. Ten-year government bond yields dropped 6 basis points to 3.19 percent.

RBC takes top spot for stock sales from Toronto-Dominion

R

oyal Bank of Canada took the top spot for arranging stock sales in Canada last year, displacing Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) in the slowest year for equity financings since 2008.

Royal Bank’s RBC Capital Markets unit arranged $5.63 billion in 68 equity financings, including Hudson’s Bay Co.’s (HBC) initial public offering, according to data

compiled by Bloomberg. Bank of Montreal (BMO)’s BMO Capital Markets unit rose to second, with 46 sales that raised $4.87 billion, while Toronto-Dominion’s TD Securities unit slipped to third.

A Royal Bank of Canada sign is displayed in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario.

“Last year -- excluding 2008 -- was one of the weakest we’ve seen over the last seven years,” Peter Miller, head of equity capital markets in Canada for BMO Capital Markets, said in an interview in Toronto. “All the uncertainty that’s aroundEurope and then China last year, with the commodity

prices, have challenged the market.”

Canadian equity financings this year will be fueled by investor appetite for dividend-paying stocks and high-yield real estate investment trusts as low interest rates drive demand for higher returns, according to investment bankers.

“The same themes that played out last year are probably going to continue in 2013, with the demand coming from both retail investors and institutions,” Sante Corona, head ofequity capital markets at TD Securities, said in an interview from Toronto.

“That manifests itself in demand for dividend-paying common shares, REITs, pre-

ferred shares and convertible debentures. I don’t think that’s going to change.”

The Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index, Canada’s benchmark stock gauge, rose 4 percent last year, trailing every developed stock market except Portugal and Spain. The Canadian economy will slow to a 1.8 percent rate of growth in 2013, from 2 percent last year and 2.6 percent in 2011, according to the median estimate of 29 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That would be the slowest annual pace since the recession of 2009 and below economists’ estimates for 2 percent growth in the U.S. in 2013.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 16, 2013

41

42

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Nigeria’s slow reform pace impedes Moody’s credit rating JOHNSON OKANLAWON WITH AGENCY REPORT

N

igeria’s slow implementation of structural economic reforms is limiting its chances of a credit-rating upgrade, Moody’s Investors Service said yesterday.

A statement from credit analysts at Moody, Edward Al-Hussainy and Dietmar Hornung, said that while economic growth is resilient, any chance of an update from its Ba3 rating, three levels below investment grade, is hindered by corruption, weak institutions and its vulnerability to oil price drops.

The economy expanded an estimated 6.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year, compared with 6.9 per cent in the previous three months, the Central Bank of Nigeria said last week,

citing figures from the West African nation’s statistics bureau.

According to the statement, momentum for addressing challenging structural reforms has slowed, adding, “Most critically, legislation to revise the fiscal regime in the petroleum industry and to deregulate the downstream oil and gas sector has stalled, holding up significant foreign investment while the sector’s productivity declines.”

A proposed law to reform regulation and funding of the nation’s oil industry has been stalled in parliament since it was first sent to the National Assembly in 2008.

Fiscal provisions in the Petroleum Industry Bill seek to raise Nigeria’s share of revenue to 73 per cent from 61 per cent, Petroleum Minister Diezani

Alison-Madueke said in September.

Energy companies said the fiscal terms will make offshore oil exploration unprofitable.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Chevron Corporation, Total SA and Eni SpA run joint ventures with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, that pump more than 90 per cent of the oil.

Bonny Light crude, has fallen 12 per cent to $105.81 a barrel on Wednesday in London since this year’s peak on February 8.

Violence in the north caused by an Islamist insurgency and increased unrest in the oil-rich Niger delta has also elevated risks in Nigeria, Moody’s said.

The government lost about $1bn last month be-

cause of missed oil production targets, Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said last week in an interview in Cape Town.

Production fell to 1.81 million barrels a day in March, the lowest level since September 2009, according to data compiled

by Bloomberg.

Output averaged 2.2 million barrels a day in the first quarter, according to figures released by the NNPC on April 17. That compares with a production forecast of 2.53 million barrels a day used in this year’s budget. The loss was due to crude theft and pipeline sabotage, according to NNPC. “This violence has the potential to stall foreign investment and is increasingly a fiscal drag on spending by state and local governments,” said Moody’s.

Source: NSE

Source: FMDA S

Market indicators All-Share Index 35,486.44 points Market capitalisation 11.34 trillion

SEC re-launches committee, tasks members on fairness, integrity TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday took another bold step in its corporate governance practices drive in the nation’s securities market with the re-launching of the Administrative Proceedings Committee (APC), which will be dealing with all civil matters relating to complaints from the operations of the markets.

The committee, which had earlier been established about 13 years ago following the enactment of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 1999, was re-constituted with a

view to re-structuring it for greater efficiency and effectiveness.

The Chairman of the SEC Board, Alhaji Suleyman Ndanusa, while inaugurating the new members of the Committee in Abuja explained that the move by the Board to revive the committee was intended to build greater trust and integrity in the markets and by implication, ensure that it serves as a veritable mechanism for giving fair hearing to persons suspected to have violated the securities act.

Ndanusa, who relied on sections 303 (5) and 310 of the ISA to justify the establishment of the APC, recalled that the committee had lived up to the board and stake-

holders expectations on matters handled by it and expressed the hope that with the professional antecedents and competences of the new members, it would be better positioned to handle any matter referred to it more professionally and timely too.

He said, “We all know that the principle of fair hearing is vital to any system of justice and the right of the populace. This is what the SEC APC seeks to achieve amongst others, that is, giving fair hearing to a participant suspected of any violation.

“Also, let stress that the SEC APC does not deliberate on criminal violations which are under the jurisdic-

tion of the law enforcement agencies and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.”

Ndanusa explained that the APC is not a new committee of the commission but is also being fine-tuned and restructured for greater effectiveness and efficiency.

“The APC was established in 2000 following the enactment of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 1999. Before 2000, the commission had the Administrative Hearing Committee (AHC) which operated for many years and comprised only of staff of the commission unlike the APC which has some external members and observers in its composition”, he added.

Index sustains hold on the bulls, up by 0.7% DAMILOLA AJAYI

T

rading in equities continued on bullish note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as more investors took position on stocks.

Specifically, the All Share Index rose by 0.67 per cent to close at 36,236.49 points, compared to the increase of 0.12 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 35,994.67 points.

Market capitalisation gained N8bn to close at N11.58trn, higher than the

appreciation of N1bn recorded the preceding day to close at N11.50trn.

The Industry Goods index led the sectorial indices with 3.11 per cent to close at 2159.33 points, followed by the Oil and Gas index with 2.18 per cent to close at 189.68 points.

Lotus Islamic index rose by 1.65 per cent to close at 2501.09 points, while the Banking index appreciated by 1.05 per cent to close at 421.17 points.

The NSE 30- index and the Consumer Goods index gained 0.86 per cent and 0.45 per cent to close at 1729.99

points and 1044.67 points respectively.

The Insurance index shed 0.28 per cent to close at 148.53 points, while Alternative Securities Market index remained flat.

UTC Plc led the gainers’ table with 7 kobo or 9.86 per cent to close at 78 kobo per share, followed by Eterna Plc with 29 kobo or 9.76 per cent to close at N3.26 per share.

Ikeja Hotel Plc appreciated by 8 kobo or 9.76 per cent to close at 90 kobo per share, while Constain Plc gained 7 kobo or 9.72 per cent to close at 79 kobo per share.

DN Meyer Plc closed at 16

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

UTC

0.71

0.78

0.07

% CHANGE 9.86

ETERNA

2.97

3.26

0.29

9.76

IKEJAHOTEL

0.82

0.90

0.08

9.76

COSTAIN

0.72

0.79

0.07

9.72

DNMEYER

1.66

1.82

0.16

9.64

COURTVILLE

0.73

0.80

0.07

9.59

TRANSCORP

1.15

1.26

0.11

9.57

EVANSMED

1.49

1.63

0.14

9.40

WAPCO

87.17

95.00

7.83

8.98

TOTAL

158.00

172.00

14.00

8.86

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

EKOCORP

4.80

CLOSING 4.32

0.48

-10.00

ROYALEX

0.60

0.55

0.05

-8.33

ABCTRANS

1.05

0.97

0.08

-7.62

AIRSERVICE

4.40

4.07

0.33

-7.50

UNITYBNK

0.68

0.64

0.04

-5.88

UAC-PROP

17.49

16.50

0.99

-5.66

AIICO

0.92

0.88

0.04

-4.35

CADBURY

43.51

42.01

1.50

-3.45

JAPAULOIL

0.59

0.57

0.02

-3.39

AIICO

0.90

0.89

0.01

-1.11

Primary Market Auction kobo per share, up by N1.82 or 9.64 per cent. On the flip side, NNFM Plc lost N2.38 or ten per cent to close at N21.42 per share, while Eko Corporation Plc shed 48 kobo or ten per cent to close at N4.32 per share.

Royal Exchange Plc declined by five kobo or 8.33 per cent to close at 55 kobo per share, while ABC Transport Plc dropped 8 kobo or 7.62 per cent to close at 97 kobo per share. Airservice Plc fell 33 kobo or 7.50 per cent to close at N4.07 per share.

A total of 371.3 million shares valued at N4.73bn were traded in 6,122 deals.

TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

42,057.31

10.32

9-May-13

182-Days

50,000.00

13.03

9-May-13

-

-

-

-

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

127-Days

90,063.82

13.34

9-May-13

126-Days

140,317.70

13.34

9-May-13

-

-

-

-

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$300m

N/A

$300m

8-May-13

$300m

N/A

$300m

8-May-13

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Thursday, May 16, 2013

43

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at May 15, 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, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Young women screened of breast and cervical cancer STORIES: LEONARD OKACHIE

D

isturbed by the threat of cancer to the society, a youth –led organisation, Pink Foundation, recently held an awareness campaign and free breast and cervical screening for girls and women in Umuahia, Abia State.

The two-day event entitled “PINK RIDE” featured a cycling tour of the city of Umuahia and the free screening programme at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.

In a show of solidarity with the foundation, members of the Lifestyle Cycling Club rode round the city, distributing handbills to people, in an event that was flagged off by the wife of the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Mrs. Nene Ananaba.

In her lecture, Dr. Uche Okwe, who was one of the volunteer doctors, explained the different stages and dangers of breast and cervical cancer, even as she emphasised on early detection.

She cited the need for girls and wom-

en to go for regular mammography checkups, and emphasized the necessity of learning to properly conduct the Breast Self-Examination (BSE).

Of the total 314 participants, 107 were screened. Lumps were found in breasts of two of them while 16 had cervical abnormalities.

The team leader, Mr. Onye Ubanatu, who spoke on behalf of the founder, Mrs. Orode Ryan Okpu, thanked Abia girls and women for attending the programme as well as the First Lady of Abia, Mrs. Mercy Odochi Orji for inviting them to the state.

Ubanatu urged the participants to spread the message; explaining that the fight to eradicate breast and cervical cancer is a collective one.

Similarly, the Mrs. Ananaba, who represented the Fisrt Lady, expressed gratitude to the foundation for choosing to enlighten the girls and women in the state.

“The opportunity to get free lecture/ screening in this present economy is very rare and for that the women should cherish it” she said.

A Microsoft facilitator addressing participants at the developer's camp, University of Lagos.

400 youths trained on IT development LEONARD OKACHIE

O

Girls ride for cancer awareness in Umuahia, Abia State.

NYCN urges youths to eschew violence JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

T

he National Youth Council of Nigeria,NYCN has pleaded with youths all over the country to turn away from any act of violence, but focus their energy on what can bind the county together.

This formed part of the resolutions of the progressive meeting in Abuja, that demanded the constitution of a 7-man Electoral Committee to conduct a fresh congress to usher in new Executive.

The communiqué signed and issued by the council spokesperson, Comrade Uzoh Ifeanyi, described youths as the engine room of a country.

According to the communiqué, some decisions were taken to enforce the constitution of the council in terms of due process in the running and the management of NYCN. The statement reads, "Specifically, the Council believes in the unity and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria as indivisible entity, thereby calls on Nigeria youth to

shun violence, while hoping that the government will find a lasting solution to the security challenges in the country".

Continuing, it stated “that the National Transitional Committee NTC, who’s six month tenure expired on April 18, 2012, going by consent judgment of October 19, 2011, have no constitutional powers and legal authority to represent the council or conduct any congress whatsoever in the name of the organisation.

“That we advise all those who have indicated interest to aspire for elective position in the council to be mindful and be guided with this information to avoid participating in all illegal congress that will drag the council back, thus, let’s do the right thing".

The meeting called on all aspirants across the nation to conduct themselves according to the rules guiding the NYCN congress and avoid campaign of calumny.

However, the statement commended the State Security Service, SSS and other partners for their partnership and support in ensuring a strong and viable council.

ver 400 youths gathered last week in Lagos, for the kick off of a series of developer camps across the country by Microsoft, to support the growth of a vibrant developer community in Nigeria.

The three-day event, which held at the Julius Berger Hall, University of Lagos and continued through at the Co-creation Hub, Hebert Macaulay Road, Yaba, provided participants the opportunity to network and learn from experts, and receive hands-on time to practically apply what they have learnt to an IT problem.

Microsoft Developer Camps are regularly held in different countries across the globe, and in Africa they are an important part of Microsoft’s drive to accelerate technology growth by providing young developers with tools to excel in the digital environment.

In Nigeria, the training, which participants registered at no cost, was imparted by a team of developer evangelists flown in from Microsoft West, East and Central Africa to share their expertise on Windows 8, Windows Phone, Windows Azure and Visual Studio Platforms amongst others.

Omar Islam, DPE, Kinect and Gaming, Microsoft 4Afrika took participants on a journey through the Microsoft Kinect solutions where he focused on Kinect as an interactive hardware solution from the stable of Microsoft directed at gamers and the developers out there (who might be more into playing games than writing a Blog).

Other faculties included Shehab Fawzy (Developer Evangelist Windows 8), Dina Helmy (Developer Evangelist Windows Phone), Ahmed Sabbour (Developer Windows Azure), Melisa Ncube (Developer Evangelist Open Source), Stephen Ebichondo (Develop-

er Evangelist Visual Studio) and Annie Njenga.

Microsoft’s Developer Platforms Evangelism Lead, Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Shina Oyetosho says: “Developers are important to our ecosystem in Africa because we rely on them to make our offerings locally relevant.

The stronger the base of local developers developing on the Windows platform in Africa, the better the Windows experience will be for our consumers.

“We are thrilled with the turnout in the last two days since the workshop started. Especially in UNILAG where the workshop kicked-off, the event recorded an exceptional response which evidently showed a great hunger for knowledge by our local developers.

“Microsoft has increased its investments even further in reaching out to African developers as part of the 4Afrika Initiative, which was launched in February 2013. 4Afrika is built on the belief that technology can accelerate growth for Africa, and that Africa can also accelerate technology for the world. “We know that African developers not only have the potential to solve local challenges, but to solve global ones too.”

Participants expressed gratitude to the organisers, saying that the training has afforded the opportunity to explore their talents and contribute meaningfully to the community through technology.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Media

Thursday, May 16, 2013

45

CVL holds leadership seminar for journalists LEONARD OKACHIE

C

entre for Value in Leadership, CVL, has organised a free seminar to a select group of journalists on leadership and the economy, as part of its solidarity with the media.

The centre is a not for-for-profit organisation geared towards building a body of values-driven leaders by empowering young people with leadership skills and values that will enable them make lasting contributions in every sphere of life, to transform Nigeria.

The seminar, which held Tuesday at the CVL premises in Victoria Island, Lagos, was separated into two sessions for reporters /correspondents and editors drawn from both print and electronic media.

At the reporters/correspondents’ session, a faculty that included Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Doyin Salami, Rudolf Ezeani and Ayo Teriba engaged the participants on the theme, “Media, Social Progress

Utomi

and Leadership.”

In his opening remarks, Utomi, founder of the centre, said the CVL has social responsibility to help strengthen the me-

dia to do what they do, adding “I thought we would make some contributions by bringing some of you together.”

However, while taking them on “Leadership Challenges in the Nigerian Economy”, Utomi posed a teaser: “Is leadership telling people what they want to hear or taking people where they need to be?”

He stressed that leadership is not about building roads, but about social transformation, about values and dignity of human persons.

Citing Abraham Lincoln (USA), Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore) and Lula da Silva (Brazil) as leaders who have transformed their countries, the political economist said: “Our challenge as country has always been, do we understand what leadership means? And how do we find people like those who transformed Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil, etc?”

He stated that the country’s challenges today include the youth bulge as two-edged sword, violence democracy, crippling civil war, weak institutions, poor thought lead-

Press urged to project people’s welfare HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

T

he press has been urged to serve and protect the desires and welfare of the citizenry, so as to sustain the survival of democracy in Nigeria.

The immediate past Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Ondo State, Hon. Kayode Akinmade made the call at the Mass Communication Department of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, (AAUA), Ondo state.

Akinmade, while delivering a lecture entitled “The Press as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, Facts or Fallacy" said citizens deserved greater concern from the government in terms of welfare and dividends of democracy.

The former commissioner explained that this can only be

achieved by reporting the truth and not by deceiving the government or the people on the programmes of the government.

Akinmade noted that the government needs the press for the diffusion of its developmental information and projects to the governed, but said the press also owes the public a duty of being responsive and responsible to the society it serves.

He explained that the press as an agent of development is being hampered from carrying out its duties as agent of change in the society by either government or politicians who control the editorial contents.

“This is why some would claim that the press is actually part of government, fronting for the politicians, in which case it would not be an independent organ of the state, but how can the press discharge its duties without fear or

favour when it is at the mercy of politicians?” He queried.

Akinmade however advocated for the inclusion of the press freedom and freedom of information in the nation constitution in order to bring out the expected attitude of mutual respect and appreciation for both to remain credible to the public at large.

But he pointed out that this has not been the case in our constitution saying “there are certain encumbrances, which include the official secret act and other laws introduced by the successive military regimes to hamper the performance of the media as the watchdog of the society.

“We need the press freedom to articulate the dividend of democracy. We require a free press to cover the National Assembly, the local governments and elections."

BON reiterates support for digital broadcasting

T

he Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) has reiterated its commitment to support member stations in building capacity ahead of the January 2015 deadline for digitalisation.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Mr. Olusegun Olaleye, said this on Monday at the opening of a one-day capacity building forum for broadcast engineers in the country.

Olaleye said that media convergence and other trends in the broadcast industry had made it necessary for professionals in the industry to keep abreast of happenings in the industry.

He said the focus of the workshop was to train broadcast engineers on the latest developments in the industry, especially on pack-

aging content for the industry.

Olaleye explained: “The horizon for broadcast technology in the digital era is so pervasive that only constant training can build the needed capacity ahead of the digital era.

“This workshop has two legs; one is a presentation, which is the theoretical aspect of the forum and the other is an exhibition, which is the practical aspect of the forum. In essence, this is all about a shift from tapes to files.’’

He said the organisation had also planned several other aspects of broadcast training ``to ensure that the industry is adequately prepared ahead of the digital era’’.

One of the organisers of the forum, Mr. Olabanji Banwo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ecalpemos Technologies Ltd, said

the company was spurred by the desire to help the industry to grow.

He stated that the company entered into partnership with BON to sponsor the training as part of its corporate social responsibility to its customers.

The CEO said that deliberations at the workshop would help the company and other stakeholders in the industry to plan ahead of the digital era.

The General Manager of the Borno Radio Television (BRTV), Malam Usman Chiroma, told newsmen that the state government was fully committed to the digitisation project.

He said the state government had inaugurated its `digiteam’ to nurture a successful switch of the state-owned broadcast television station, to digital broadcasting.

ership on -reforms, economic trust, crazed rent seeking, the new idolatry of money worship, where capital is formed.

Utomi also enumerated entrepreneurship, human capital, institutions, policy choice, culture and leadership as the growth drivers’ framework.

Speaking on “Monetary Policy and Trends in Economy” Dr. Salami disclosed that Africa’s big challenge is that is it not competitive, noting that only African country is ranked among the first 50 economies in the world.

He pointed that education is key to competiveness, maintaining that continent that cannot make appreciable progress without human capital development.

Moreover, Mr. Ezeani, a legal practitioner urged participants to be mindful of the professional ethics, while discharging their duties.

In his interactive lecture on “Ethics and Values in Media Performance” Ezeani told them to always give facts fairly, and not to rely on speculations.

Media Abroad

Foreign journalists condemn threats against Liberia media

T

he International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has supported journalists in Liberia who have issued a media blackout, by printing black front pages after a government official was accused of threatening them. Radio and TV stations are also protesting against the government by suspending broadcasts for two hours daily beginning Friday, 10 May, 2013.

According to the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), an IFJ affiliate, Mr. Othello Warrick the Director of the Executive Protection Service (EPS) in Liberia on 3 May, during the World Press Freedom Day celebration, made disparaging and threatening remarks against journalists, describing media personnel as terrorists and threatened to move on them, if they question the integrity of the president of Liberia Mrs. Helen Johnson Sirleaf.

"Be careful in questioning the integrity of Liberians. Be careful, because you have your pen and we have our guns.

And if you incriminate the character or integrity of Liberians, like myself, we will come after you," Warrick is reported to have said.

"We strongly condemn this kind of attitude and untamed utterance. This is an open and serious threat against the media and journalists and we are particularly shocked because they come from senior security personnel. We will hold the Executive Protection Service responsible for any form of assault or attacks against journalists which has a direct relation to the statement made by Warrick. We support our colleagues in Liberia and stand in solidarity with them", said Gabriel Baglo IFJ Africa Director.

The IFJ, like its affiliate the PUL, is outraged and alarmed by these wild comments. They have further brought to question the government's commitment to upholding press freedom, democracy and the rule of law. PUL sees these comments as risky and troubling. "We fear that the lack of response to such a condescending and threatening statement by a senior security functionary points to approval by the president and threatens freedom of expression, highlighting impunity against the media", said Peter Quaqua PUL's President.

The international press at Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's inauaguration.

Cocktail

46

x

Thursday, May 16, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (147) “Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.”

– Orison Swett Marden TURN YOUR OBSTACLES TO MIRACLES! At a critical point in my life I told myself that I will always seek to bring out advantages out of the disadvantages confronting me in life. It was difficult at first to do this. Many times I was tempted to go back on this promise to myself, but I thank God that I am still holding on. This decision has helped me to experience many breakthroughs in life and business. Obstacles may look scaring to us, but when we look at them with the eyes of faith, we will begin to see them as opportunities in disguise.

I remember the words of Robert Schuller: When you are faced with a mountain, find a way through it or walk around it or burrow under it and if all these are not possible, simply stay there and turn the mountain to gold. (Paraphrased) This perspective has helped me so much in life and business and I know that it will help anyone that can take it to heart and work it out as they confront different challenges of life.

Let it sink into you today that problems are possibilities in disguise.

DR. DEJI FOLUTILE Tel: 08035219966 Email: deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @folutile

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Stinky corpse flower blooms again in Ohio

A

large rainforest plant known as a corpse flower because of its awful smell is blooming again at an Ohio State University greenhouse, and there’s more excitement because another corpse flower there is expected to open soon.

A 6-foot titan arum opened Tuesday to release its rotting-flesh smell two years after it first flowered. A second corpse flower opened briefly at the greenhouse last May,

and a third is expected to open in seven to 10 days.

Despite extended visiting hours, visitors have little time to catch

a whiff because the rare blooms sometimes last only a day or less.

Spokeswoman Sandi Rutkowski says having

three or four blooms within three years is lucky but also is a tribute to the skill of cultivators at the greenhouse.

Woman accidentally shot by gun in friend’s purse

P

olice say a Florida woman could face criminal charges after a gun in her purse went off accidentally in a Starbucks, shooting her friend in the leg.

The accidental gunfire occurred Sunday at Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg, The Tampa Bay Times

reported. Pamela Beck, 51, and Amie Peterson, 38, of Pinellas Park had stopped for coffee and Beck dropped her purse while she was paying.

A .25-caliber handgun in the purse discharged, hitting Peterson in the leg.

Beck told police she put the gun in her purse after

her father gave it to her last year and had forgotten about it. Because Beck does not have a concealed weapons permit, police referred the shooting to prosecutors.

Peterson said she did not even realize she had been shot until she looked down and noticed her leg was bleeding.

Dan Hagen smelling the University of Connecticut’s rare “corpse flower”, the bud of the exotic Sumatran plant.

PHOTO: AP

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

World News

“But this is no time to be complacent. We must press on to ensure a recovery and to bring down unemployment” –BANK OF ENGLAND GOVERNOR MERVYN KING

Nations pledge funds to rebuild Mali

WORLD BULLETIN Winnie Mandela’s items to be sold to offset debts

PAUL ARHEWE,

Dozens of paintings, a silver tea set and other items belonging to Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie will be auctioned to pay off debts she owes to a South African school.

A law firm representing the Abbotts School in Johannesburg says the auction will be held Tuesday at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s home in the Soweto township.

South African media say Madikizela-Mandela defaulted on a $2,150 payment to the school, where a relative was studying. A court ruled against her in 2011. Her lawyer declined to comment.

Madikizela-Mandela, whose former husband became president after 27 years in prison, was an antiapartheid leader in her own right.

In March, forensic experts exhumed two skeletons believed to belong to two young activists last seen at her home 24 years ago. No charges have been filed.

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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plan to turn Mali into a stable democracy and prevent it from becoming a terrorist haven got a boost Wednesday as European nations lined up to pledge hundreds of millions of euros in aid for the conflict-ridden West African nation.

The objective of the donors’ conference in Brussels is to raise 2 billion euros ($2.6 billion) to support an ambitious 4.3 billion euro ($5.6 billion) plan drafted

by Malian officials that aims to help the country recuperate from internal struggles with Islamic extremists.

By noon yesterday, around half the conference goal was met.

French President Francois Hollande said his country would contribute 280 million euros ($363.3 million). Germany committed 100 million euros to the project, to be paid out through 2014 provided Mali’s transition process and planned elections take place.

And a British official said the U.K. would pledge 128 million pounds ($195 million) to help make Mali and the broader Sahel region more secure — but it was unclear how much of that was specifically for Mali and would go toward meeting the conference’s goal.

The day before the conference, the European Union announced it would give 520 million euros ($674.8 million) over the next two years — more than one-quarter of the amount sought.

Mali fell into crisis in 2012 as

A delegation member of Mali attending the Donor Conference for Development in Mali in Brussels, yesterday.

rebel groups took over the north and a military coup ousted the government, based in the south.

Many international officials feared that Mali’s vast ungoverned northern area was giving terrorist groups free reign to hatch worldwide plots.

In January, France, Mali’s former colonial master — acting on the request of the Malian government — sent troops to retake control of the northern region.

They were ultimately assisted by troops from other African countries and the effort has largely been a success.

But the question is what comes next.

“The war is being won,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said yesterday. “We must now win the peace.”

As the conference opened Wednesday, Mali’s finance minister, Tiena Coulibaly, said the country’s crisis had grave consequences for Malians, as hotels stood empty and trade and the economy collapsed.

“This has led to poverty — extreme poverty — to unemployment and the occurrence of disease,” Coulibaly said.

Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the World Food Program, also described a dire situation for Malians.

“We still have 300,000 people who are internally displaced from northern Mali living in southern Mali, and another 175,000 people who are in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mauritania,” Cousin told The Associated Press. “The government is now estimating that

PHOTO: AP

over 660,000 children under the age of five are in danger of being chronically malnourished.”

Beyond that, she said, more than 700,000 adults “are in need of immediate food assistance.”

EU officials, saying that elements of the Malian army were unpaid and poorly trained, sent a mission earlier this year to train portions of the armed forces so that in the future they could keep control of the country’s territory without foreign help.

But international officials have insisted that, in exchange for assistance, Mali return to democracy. Mali’s interim president, Dioncounda Traore, said Tuesday that presidential elections would begin July 28 and that neither he nor members of his government would be candidates.

O.J. Simpson takes witness stand in bid for new robbery trial

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.J. Simpson, the former football star famously acquitted of murder in 1995, took the witness stand in a Las Vegas courtroom yesterday seeking a new trial in an armed-rob-

bery case that sent him to prison five years ago.

Simpson, 65, was called to testify in the third day of a hearing into his claims that the lawyer who served as his defence attorney mishandled the

Nevada robbery case.

He was brought to court from a Nevada prison where he is serving a sentence of up to 33 years for the 2007 incident in which he and five other men stormed into a room at

O.J. Simpson sitting during the second day of an evidentiary hearing in Clark County District Court, yesterday.

PHOTO: AP

the Palace Station Hotel and Casino and took thousands of dollars in memorabilia from a pair of sports collectors at gunpoint.

Defence lawyers argued unsuccessfully that Simpson was only trying to retrieve his own stolen possessions and was not aware that an accomplice had brought a gun along. He was found guilty on 12 charges, including armed robbery and kidnapping.

Under questioning from his new lawyer on Wednesday, Simpson said the items in question were personal property he wanted to retrieve, and believed were exempt from a $33.5 million civil judgment against him from the deaths of his ex-wife and her friend.

Egyptian judges suspend talks with Morsi

In their latest face-off with Egypt’s Islamist rulers, the country’s top council of judges decided yesterday to suspend its participation in a government-backed judicial reform conference following a renewed push by lawmakers on a controversial bill that would force thousands of their colleagues into retirement.

The Supreme Judicial Council said in statement published by the state news agency MENA that it was backing out of the “Justice Conference” expected for later this month. It had been sponsored by Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, and judges were supposed to come up with a plan to remake their institution.

The conference was seen as an overture to the judges by Morsi, who has clashed frequently with the judiciary since becoming president last summer. Morsi’s allies say Egypt’s judiciary is filled with supporters of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, who have worked to undermine the transition to democracy and the Islamists’ rise to power.

Rwandan building collapse kills six, injures 30

Six people were killed and dozens more injured when a four-story building under construction collapsed in eastern Rwanda, police said yesterday as the rescue effort ended.

Christophe Semuhungu, the police spokesman for Rwanda’s Eastern Province, said rescue workers from the police and the military had found no more bodies after combing through the rubble of the building in the eastern Rwanda district of Nyagatare.

He said at least 30 workers were injured in the Tuesday afternoon incident. Most were being treated for minor injuries at a nearby hospital, he said, but some were in critical condition.

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Community Mirror “We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigeria state.”

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN

Wife seeks divorce for denial of sex FRANCIS SUBERU WITH AGENCY REPORT

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43-year-old woman, Anthonia Alhassan, has prayed a Makurdi Magistrate’s Court to dissolve her marriage to Francis Alhassan for his alleged failure to perform his conjugal obligations.

Anthonia told the court that she married Alhassan in 1997 under the Native Laws and Customs of the Idoma people of Benue State.

She added that the marriage was not blessed with any child and at-

tributed this to her husband’s inconsistency in performing his conjugal duties at the appropriate times.

She said that a few years into their marriage, they had to live apart due to the nature of their jobs, adding that they had a good relationship in spite of that.

Anthonia said the problem started in 2006 when her husband got married to another woman.

She said: “My husband married another woman in 2006 and immediately stopped performing his conjugal duties to me. He even refused to visit or allow me to visit him

where he stays with his new wife in Ogun State”. She therefore prayed the court to dissolve the marriage.

The Magistrate, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, adjourned the case to June 27 for further mention.

However, in a related development, an Ilorin Area Court on Wednesday dissolved a two-year old marriage between Adijat Suleiman and Suleiman Rasheed, because of the husband’s drunken habit.

Adijat, 30, a resident of Okesuna, Ilorin, had earlier prayed the court to dissolve her marriage to Suleiman Rasheed, for being addicted to

Tomato traders soliciting for customers at Mile 12 market, Lagos yesterday.

alcohol.

The petitioner told the court that her husband gets so drunk that he would vomit in the presence of his guests.

According to her, their marriage was contracted in 2011 and has produced one child, Ibrahim, age 2.

“My lord, I want an end to this marriage since my husband is not ready to change in spite of my pleading and preaching. My husband drinks all the time and returns home late in the mid-night, vomiting everywhere around the house,” she said.

Court orders bank to pay ex-staff N14. 4m FRANCIS SUBERU

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he National Industrial Court, NIC, Lagos Division has ordered Centage Savings and Loan Limited (Mortgage bankers) to pay a former employee, Olalekan Dolapo Orehin the sum of N13, 292, 308.00 being his gratuity after six years of service with the company.

The court in its judgement delivered by Justice Osatohanmwen Ayodele Obaseki-Osaghae, also ordered the bank to pay additional N1.2 million being accumulated unutilised leave converted into cash.

The court in suit No-NIC\ LA\42\2011 filed by Orehin held that the internal memo issued by the defendant (Centage Savings and Loan Limited) was simply a notice of a new policy of the defendant

addressed to all staff and not a contract of employment. Besides, the court directed that the judgement sum must be paid at the rate of 20 percent per annum from 30 days after judgment was delivered and until amount is fully liquidated.

Justice Obaseki-Osaghae further held that the handbook given to the defendant when he was employed did not indicate that employees are bound to accept the policy change neither did it compel them to accept any policy change that affect their rights. ‘’ The claimant had the choice of accepting it or not accepting it. He chose not to accept it and wrote his letter of resignation on March 29, 2011 which is the same date the new policy came into being. It is trite law that parties to an agreement in a contract must be ad idem (mutual consent) on all terms’’, Justice

Obaseki-Osaghae held.

The court further held that the contract of employment voluntarily entered by the claimant and the defendant in 2005 when the claimant was employed was binding all the parties.

Justice Obaseki-Osaghae held ‘’the documentary evidence before me shows that the claimant rejected this new policy at his exit interview while the defendant insisted on it.

There was no agreement between the parties. The defendant showed that it had no intention of fulfilling its employment contract. Rather, it was going ahead to break it’’ ‘’By his letter of resignation, I find that the claimant rescinded the contract. He chose not to accept the breach but to retain his right to enforce the defendant’s obligation to pay him his gratuity as contained in the contract employment’’.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Subsequently, Justice ObasekiOsaghae held that the claimant is entitled to his gratuity as stipulated in the staff handbook.

Orehin had in his statement of claim stated that the defendant in a memo of March 29, 2011 amended the terms relating to payment of gratuity as contained the handbook.

He added that the memo reviewed upward the period of entitlement of staff gratuity from five to 10 years and the gratuity shall be paid within three years from the date it is due for payment.

Dissatisfied, the claimant by letter of March 29, 2011 resigned his appointment with the defendant, gave a month notice and instituted a suit against the bank through his counsel, Messrs Ademola Olowoyeye & Co. The claimant contended that

Lawmaker urges cooperation among tiers OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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he three arms of government, especially the executive and legislature have been urged to work harmoniously to deliver the dividends of democracy to the electorate.

This call was made recently by the leader of the legislative arm of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, Abolore Azeez Shobayo at a press conference.

He said the conference was called to put the records straight on the alleged crisis in the local government, adding that the legislature and executive arms of council are working to ensure the people get value for their votes.

Shobayo said: “The purpose of this press conference is to debunk rumours making the round that there is a crisis in the local government. I want to infirm to people of Oshodi-Isolo who rallied and voted us into office that there is no crisis whatsoever. We want to tell you that there is no crisis between the legislators and our chairman, Bolaji Ariyoh.

“We assure that we will be working together to deliver on our electioneering promises. It is important to stress that there cannot be development wherever there is crisis. So, we will never give time for crisis in this local government.

We are a team, and will continue to work together in the interest of our council”.

that the memo issued by the bank, altering the period of an employee’s entitlement to payment of gratuity was to deprive him the payment of his gratuity and it is in breach of contract of employment as contained in the staff handbook.

The claimant argued that his resignation was due to his refusal to accept the defendant offer to alter the period of his entitlement to payment of gratuity.

But, the bank in its statement of defence argued that the claimant lacked the locus standi to institute the suit and challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit.

The defendant averred that the staff handbook as amended did not provide for payment of gratuity below 10 years of employment with the bank,even as it maintained that the claimant is not entitled to the reliefs being sought.

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

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Ijegun explosion: Lagos votes N81.7m for victims MURITALA AYINLA

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uccour seems to be coming the way of the residents Ijegun in Lagos State five years after fire razed the community following a pipeline explosion.

The Lagos State Government yesterday said it would begin the payment of N81.7 million to 233 victims of the explosion.

This came to the fore at a meeting between the officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, and the victims.

Briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the General Manager of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said

out of the N81.7 million, N5 million had been earmarked for publicity, logistics and other expenses while N76.75 million would be shared to the 233 victims of the explosions and some lawyers which handled their case in court.

He said added that the money would be dispensed to four categories of beneficiaries.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the names of 233 victims that would benefit from the gesture had been compiled.

The GM said those categorised as very severely affected were those who lost their lives during the explosion, and that members of their families would receive the relief

package. According to him, 19 people are in this category.

He said some of the victims were also categorised as those moderately affected and those mildly affected, adding that those in the first category would receive more than the others.

Oke-Osanyintolu said when the list was com-

piled, it was verified by the State Security Service, SSS, and that everyone was carried along, while warning those whose names are not on the list not to show up.

On the means of identification for those who lost their lives, he said their relatives should bring along with them death certificates of the de-

ceased, pictures of their graves, obituaries and the real pictures of the deceased.

Also speaking, the Onijegun of Ijegunland, Oba Omotayo Akinremi, commended the government for the gesture, saying they decided to withdraw the case in court after the lawmaker representing their constituen-

cy at the House of Assembly and others intervened.

He said: “We wrote to the government several times through our lawyers and they kept on reminding the government.

“We realised that we cannot fight government.

No money can bring the dead back to life; any money that comes now is for those who are alive.”

Ogun plans mass burial for abandoned corpses –Commissioner •Govt shuts 66 illegal health facilities

FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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gun State Government said yesterday that it would give mass burial to abandoned corpses in the state-owned hospitals now constituting health hazards as soon as it completed the legal procedures regarding them.

This was as the state disclosed that no fewer than 66 healthcare centres operating illegally had been shut down in its war against quackery and unqualified personnel.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, disclosed this while speaking with from journalists at the commencement of ministerial press briefing to mark the second anniversary of Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration.

Soyinka said the state would continue the clampdown on quackery and unqualified healthcare practitioners in its efforts to sanitise the healthcare sector.

The commissioner, who did not give the exact figure of the abandoned corpses, said the he mass burial was long overdue considering the health hazards they constituted as well as the cost of keeping them.

There have been speculations over the years on whether the state would give mass burial to the unclaimed corpses resulting from accidents as well as those aban-

doned by their relatives at the mortuaries.

Soyinka, however, said the state would not do that without first completing all the legal requirements to avoid litigation from relatives of the abandoned corpses.

He said: “Before you go to bury corpses, there are certain things you must go through legally, otherwise, that is how people get knocked off and they will go to hide the evidence. There is a lot of legal procedure to go through though, but they are really a health hazard.

“It is costly to keep these corpses and it is one of the problems we are considering for some of the privatisations that we are doing so that we can improve our mortuary services. Definitely before too long, those unclaimed corpses that we can thoroughly justify would get a mass burial.

“There are many procedures including, of course, documenting; you must photograph them, you must document the complete history of how they came into your hands so that if you should have to trace back and a relative comes and still looking for somebody, then you can be able to either rule-out or rule-in that person.”

The commissioner, who disclosed the state had the moral obligation to keep those corpses, however, said the state would be guided by the advice of the stakeholders.

L-R: Wife Osun State governor, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, at the inauguration of Hassan Olajokun International Park at Gbongan, Osun State, yesterday.

Aregbesola names park after Olajoku, slain Oramiyan financier

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overnor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State yesterday unveiled the Hassan Olajoku Park in honour of the late Alhaji Hassan Olajoku, a major financier of the Oranmiyan Group, the socio-political organisation that championed the governor’s election.

Olajoku was assassinated at Gbongan Junction in 2005 by suspected political thugs.

At the inauguration of the monument, named HassanOlajoku Park at Gbongan Junction, the spot where the man was murdered, Aregbe-

sola described Olajoku as a worthy martyr of democracy and the giant stride currently being recorded in the state.

The governor said the late Olajoku and the Oranmiyan Group stood for the progressive idea of using the instrument of governance to serve the people, to better their lot and raise their standard of living under an atmosphere of peace and rule of law.

This, according to him, is an idea that unsettled the ousted government, which he described as a “government of corruption, misman-

agement, misrule, terror and brigandage”.

He said: “Part of their murderous plan was to also start attacking my friends and political associates in order to inflict on them unbearable cost for their friendship and association with me.

“Alhaji Hassan Olajoku was the first victim of this diabolical plan. He was a major financier and supporter of Oranmiyan.

“He saw and believed in the need for progressive change in the state and he firmly aligned and commit-

ted himself to the cause.

“For this he was brutally cut down on this very spot by the agents of evil on his way back to Lagos.

“In the oblique and malevolence-coloured view of our enemy, they thought they would be able to stop us by eliminating our sources of support and backers. They were sorely mistaken and deeply disappointed.

“Hassan Olajoku had long been killed; but what he stood for, fought for, and died for, lives on.

Lagos CBD tows 873 vehicles, sacks 10 officials –Gov’s aide MURITALA AYINLA

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he Lagos State Central Business Districts, CBD, said it had towed about 873 vehicles for parking illegally, just as it is embarking on projects valued at N377.5 million.

The Special Adviser to the governor on CBD, Mrs. Derin Disu, who disclosed this, said 10 employees of CBD had been sacked in the last one year for misconduct.

Disu said seizure of goods for illegal street trading was

carried out 117 times in the last one year.

Briefing journalists at the ongoing ministerial briefing to commemorate the sixth anniversary of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration, the special adviser explained that 12 personnel of the agency were also suspended for various acts of indiscipline to serve as deterrent to others.

She said the dismissal was to ensure discipline and strict adherence to the rules governing the agency, adding that the affected staff undermined the objectives of the

CBD and compromised the public image of government through their actions.

Disu listed some ongoing projects around CBD on the Lagos Island in the last one year to include Ebute-Ero Police Station, installation of pedestrian guard rails along Outer Marina Road, fabrication of concrete pedestrian guard rails along Carter Bridge as well as beautification of Tinubu Triangle.

The special adviser said the government, through the Lagos State Electricity Board, had embarked on the electrification of streets

within the CBD, including Nnamdi Azikiwe, Idumota, Idumagbo Avenue, Alli Balogun Street, Martins Street, Ereko, Breadfruit Street, Tinubu Square, Balogun Street, Tinubu Street, among others.

She said: “It is believed that upon completion of those ongoing street lighting projects, most of Lagos Island will be lit, safe and secure for businesses to thrive.

“The dream of establishing a buoyant night economy within the business district is gradually becoming a reality.”

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

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Jonathan free to seek Reps set to enact law on cyber crime 2015: re-election –NLC boss ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he House of Representatives is working on a law targeted at making it difficult for Nigerians to engage in cyber crime.

A member representing Emure/Gbonyin/ Ekiti East Federal Constituency, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, said the committee set up by the House to fine-tune arrangement on the passage of the law had begun sitting.

Faparusi, who spoke at

Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti State during an inspection of some constituency projects, said the step became necessary to correct the damage done to the country’s image by some individuals through cyber crime.

He said the country should not pay mere lip service to the fight against the crime, saying cyber crime was a time bomb that would soon explode.

The constituency projects include a 50-capacity Information Communi-

We’ll continue partnering private sector for job creation –Ajimobi

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said that his administration would continue to partner with the private sector in order to create jobs for youths.

Ajimobi spoke yesterday while inaugurating the facility of Spanco Group at the Old Kingsway Building at Dugbe, Ibadan.

He said the government would soon institute an e-governance system and outsource some services in order to create a support system that would improve information-sharing among residents.

The governor through a partnership between the government and the Spanco Group, the state would rollout a Government to Citizen (G2C) Help Line with the aim of establishing an information link between government and citizens.

This, Ajimobi said, would cover various initiatives by the state like Health Helpline and Medical Care, Health Emergency and Hospital/ Ambulance Management, Agriculture Helpline, Land Registry, Women in Distress and Police Helpline aside any other new initiatives and programmes that would be introduced in future.

He said: “All over the world, the trend now is for organisations to fan-out the execution of key aspects of their responsibilities to professionals and experienced solution-providers.

“This is the reason for our government’s synergy with Spanco Group, an organisation which possesses business spread across System Integration, Power, Technology Infrastructure, e-Governance and Business Process Outsourcing as well as state-

of-the-art infrastructure, including skilled work force.’’

The governor said that the state possessed a fertile ground for any investor wishing to take optimal advantage of its God-endowed possibilities.

“With the wealth of multi-linguistic residents of our state, skilled, talented, but unemployed youth, we became the best choice for Spanco Group to establish a large BPO infrastructure that will help execute 24x7 outsourced processes,’’ Ajimobi added.

He said by creating a functional state-of-the-art infrastructure in the state capital, with over 1,000 skilled resources, the largest BPO operational centre in Nigeria, a substantial number of unemployed graduates had been rescued from the unemployment market.

The governor said: “With its 1,600 square meter facility here in Ibadan, with our support, Spanco hopes to generate 5,000 jobs within Oyo State in the next few years.’’

He said that his administration would continue to seek and work with private investors for the development of the state.

Ajimobi said: “We will leave no stone unturned in providing a favourable and conducive atmosphere for investments and investors to thrive.”

The governor recalled that on assumption of office, he assured the people that his administration would provide good governace for them.

The Chief Executive Officer of Spanco Group, Mr. Pravin Kumar, thanked the governor for creating an enabling environment for interested investors.

cation Technology (ICT) centres in Emure, Ode and Ilasa Ekiti, modern Library in Omuo-Ekiti and electricity projects in two other towns.

Faparusi, who said the projects would gulp N312 million as contained in 2012 Budget, said measures would be put in place to ensure that youth did not use the ICT centres to perpetrate frauds He said he specifically introduced the project in the constituency so that youth could use the avenue to explore opportunities for jobs and elearning, adding that he decided to refurbish the

Library in Omuo-Ekiti with modern facilities to enhance reading culture among the youth.

The lawmaker said: “We are now in the world of ICT. It is now possible for students to acquire foreign certificates. You can study in any foreign university without necessarily going to that country.

They can also explore job opportunities, so benefits in ICT are not quantifiable”.

He urged host communities of the projects to take ownership so that the contractors handling them could deliver quality projects.

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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igeria Labour Congress (NLC) President AbdulWaheed Omar yesterday said Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is free to seek re-election in 2015.

Omar said: “As a citizen, President Jonathan has the right to seek re-election in 2015.”

NCL boss told journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, that there nothing wrong for Jonathan to seek re-election.

He said: “As far as I am concerned, as a Nigerian and the sitting President, he can contest for the high-

L-R: Member, 2Div. Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Mrs. Bolanle Lawal; President, Mrs. Uzmah Jibril and Secretary, Mrs. Lauretta Omomia, during the women empowerment programme in Ibadan, yesterday.

PHOTO:NAN

est position which is the Presidency. It is now up to Nigerians to decide to vote for him again.”

Omar, however, urged the President and other relevant institutions to ensure that the 2015 general election is credible and acceptable.

Decrying the political crisis rocking Rivers State, the NCL boss described the situation in which elected officials are denied security as treasonable felony.

He said: “From what I read yesterday and today, they are trying to withdraw security agents from the state governor and members of the state House of Assembly. That would amount to treason.

The legislators and the governor were duly elected by the people. They are not there at the mercy of anybody and the law provides that they are secured and must be provided with security.

“Nobody has the right to withdraw their security.

If anybody does that, it would amount to highest crime against this nation.

It means we are no longer practising democracy. It is anarchy. It is only during military government that somebody can just decide to withdraw the security of a democratically elected governor.”

Contractor incurs Amosun’s wrath over project execution FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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gun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday expressed disappointment at the slow pace at which contractor is handling some road projects in Ogun West Senatorial District.

Amosun, who inspected the projects to ascertain the level of compliance with standard, lamented that the contractor, Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) Limited, may not deliver the job on the agreed date.

With specific reference to the 7.4 kilometre Oke Oyinbo/ Idagba Road in Ayetoro in Yewa North as well as the Ilo-Awela Road in Sango axis of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, the governor chided the Chinese company handling the

two roads for foot-dragging on the projects.

While addressing cheering crowd at the border town of Ilara in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, where he inspected the progress of work done on the 107 kilometer Ilara-Ijoun-Oja Odan-Ilase Road, Amosun asked critics of his administration to engage in constructive criticism rather than celebrating ignorance and falsehood.

The governor said the critics were confused about his administration’s effort at rebuilding the collapsed infrastructure across the state.

Amosun, who expressed delight at the level of work done on the first phase of the three-phased project, explained that the road is the longest project being embarked upon by his administration.

He said: “I laugh when

I hear some people say all the road projects are being concentrated in Ogun Central. I laugh because I see they are ignorant of what is going on. This road is 107 kilometers and it is the longest of all the roads we are presently constructing. It cuts across the four local governments in Ogun West.

“It links Yewa North, Yewa South, Ipokia and of course Imeko. It is only Ado-Odo/Ota that it didn’t touch and we are treating that local government specially. We have Ilo -Awela already there.

“Why we are doing it is to ensure that this area, being the food basket of the state, is opened up.

When this road is completed, our farmers won’t have problem bringing out their farm produce again. They won’t need to go to Abeokuta or Ayetoro again before getting to Ilaro. We can easily link

up with Ilaro through OjaOdan.

“For me, this road is the most important road of all the roads we are doing as it is going to touch four local governments in Yewaland and impact positively in the lives of the people of this area.

“This administration believes in the holistic of Ogun State. We are ready for the job we were voted to do and by the grace of God, we will do a good job.”

The project manager of PW Nigeria Limited, Mr Hakan Duel, commended the governor for giving the contractor free hands to handle the projects.

He also praised the people for cooperating with the firm.

Duel assured that the construction of Ilara/ Ijoun/Egua/Oja-Odan/ Ilase Road would be completed at the agreed period.

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CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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Federal High Court sitting in Awka and presided over by Justice M. T. Salihu, yesterday vacated the order it made against Chief Maxi Okwu and Egwuoyibo Okoye, restraining them from parading themselves as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the Anambra State chairman of the party, re-

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APGA crisis: Court vacates order restraining Okwu, Okoye

spectively.

It will be recalled that Justice Salihu had on April 15, while dealing with an ex-parte application arising from the substantive suit filed by Charles Nwazojie for himself and on behalf of the elected members of the ward, local government area and state executive committees of APGA against INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, Commissioner of

Police, Anambra State, APGA, Maxi Okwu and Egwuoyibo Okoye, granted an interim order of injunction against Okwu, the 5th respondent and Okoye, the 6th respondent.

However, at the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, Justice Salihu vacated the restraining order against Okwu and his colleague, sequel to an application brought by Chidi Obieze, who appeared for

Okwu and Okoye during the proceedings.

Justice Salihu said he vacated the order because being an ex-parte one, its life span of 14 days as provided by the Federal High Court rules has expired.

Earlier, before the judge delivered its ruling lifting the restraining order against the duo, their lead counsel, Barrister Obieze arguing his application to vacate the order, urged the

court to note that an exparte order of court cannot last for more than 14 days, although the court can extend it, but the extension cannot last beyond seven days.

Backing his argument, Obieze contends; “Therefore, the ex-parte order has expired by the effect of Order 26 of the Federal High Court Rules, Rules 11 and 12, which suo motu discharges the ex-parte or-

der.”

Raising objection against the application to get the interim order of restriction quashed, Barrister Ugwunnadi, who appeared for Charles Nwazojie, the applicant in the substantive suit, told the court that the court cannot set aside the order, because doing that would amount to sitting on appeal on a ruling of the Court of Appeal.

AIG condemns killing of innocent trader ALUINA GODWIN EBONYI

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L-R: Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji; Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party in Abia, Senator Emma Nwaka and the PDP BoT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, when he visited the governor at Government House, Umuahia, recently.

Court reserves ruling till June 21 in kidnap case advised him to contact his lawyer immediately and ensure that he comes to court regularly to defend him till the end of the trial, because of the enormity of the offence for which he is standing trial.

Also on the bench warrant he issued during last sitting against five other accused persons who allegedly jumped bail, after they were granted bail by Nnewi and Otuocha high courts, Justice Nwankwo observed that they were not still in court and ordered the prosecution counsel to do everything possible to bring them to

court to answer the charges against them on the next adjourned date.

Moving her application for bail in court yesterday, the applicant’’s counsel, Mrs. Chinelo Okongwu, told the court that the complainant, Chief G. U. Okeke did not mention the name of the defendant at the initial stage when he reported his kidnap case to the police in 2009.

She contended that her client was merely being roped into the matter because he had a misunderstanding with the complainant.

n Onitsha High Court in Anambra State, presided over

by Justice Chudi Nwankwo, yesterday reserved ruling till Friday, June 21, 2013 in the application for bail filed

by Alexander Onyinanya, one of the suspected kidnappers of the Chairman of G. U. O. Motors Limited, Chief Godwin Ubaka Okeke.

Onyinanya, the seventh accused person in the kidnap saga, according to the prosecution, was among the seven suspects who al-

legedly shot and kidnapped Okeke on Sunday, August 9, 2009 inside the premises of the All Saints Cathedral Anglican Church, Onitsha.

In his remark shortly after hearing from both the prosecution counsel, Mr. Chris Ajugwe and the defence counsel, Mrs. Chinelo Okongwu, Justice Nwankwo noted that the applicant’s bail application would either be granted or refused on that adjourned date.

On the fate of the fourth defendant, Kelechi Okafor, whose counsel has not been appearing in court for his defence, the presiding judge

NWABUEZE OKONKWO

Anambra evacuates abandoned vehicles in Onitsha

NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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ONITSHA

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nambra State government yesterday commenced the evacuation of rickety vehicles and scraps abandoned on major highways in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of the state.

The abandoned vehicles were considered as the major cause of obstruction to the free flow of traffic in some parts of the city.

As at yesterday, the ex-

ercise has started in places like the Building Materials Market, Ogidi; Nkpor Main Market; New Tyre Market, Nkpor; MCC BusStop; Upper Iweka Bus-Stop and Bridge-Head, all along the Enugu-Onitsha road as well as the former Aba Park along Onitsha-Owerri road.

State Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chike Ohamobi, who disclosed this yesterday, said the exercise tagged: “Operation

Clear Roads of Obstructions,” covers the stoppage of illegal bus stops in the commercial city.

According to Ohamobi; “It involves sensitising commercial vehicle operators for them to always use the service lane as well as for them to comply with other traffic rules within the city, adding that “we will clamp down heavily on road-side traders and illegal markets springing up along Onitsha-

Enugu and Onitsha-Owerri federal highways.”

The commissioner further stated that the various obstructions on the two major roads had led to crashes recorded in the state recently; stressing that government has studied the situation and discovered that there were lots of obstructions to the free flow of traffic in Onitsha-Enugu and OnitshaOwerri highways.

he Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, in charge of Zone 6, Johnson Jonathan, yesterday in Abakaliki, condemn the unlawful killing of a trader, Mr. Ndubuisi Onyibe Nwanga, from Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State by a police officer (name withheld).

Addressing journalists at a one-day working visit to Ebonyi Police Command Headquarters, Jonathan said the embattled policeman, who allegedly shot and killed Nwanga during last Saturday’s crisis in Abakaliki, would soon be dismissed for his action.

It will be recalled that late Nwanga, 22, was allegedly shot dead by a killer policeman while on his way home in a reprisal for a policeman that was allegedly beaten to a coma by some aggrieved

traders when he made efforts to ensure the flow of traffic around the market area.

The AIG further noted that the Nigeria Police would no longer tolerate indiscipline, acts of incivility and brutality on members of the public, stressing that the accused policeman would be made to face the music for his action.

According to him; “Believe you me, I’m telling you that such report has not come to us, otherwise such a person ought to have been dismissed by now; we don’t take it; we are no longer operate in the past, where we do things with impunity and get away with it.

“I’m assuring you that we will get to the root of that killing and that policeman will face the music. We want to assure you that, that is the main reason we are embarking on this visit to warn them.

Abia community alleges imposition of monarch High Chief Iroanuonwu

GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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he traditional heads of Umuhu Autonomous Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State are spoiling for war.

The traditional heads are fighting against the emergence of one Bob Onyema as the traditional ruler of one of the areas under their group, saying that his emergence was said to be sudden and in total disregard of their culture and tradition.

The leaders contended that no election was held and neither was there any meeting held that produced him as the people’s traditional ruler.

Addressing journalists in Umuahia, the traditional heads comprising of the Village Head of Amaogwugwu,

Nwoke and the Prime Minister of Umuhu Autonomous Community, Chief Sunday Nwankwo, (Umungasi), who came in company of other community leaders, said they were surprised that the state government issued Bob Onyema a staff of office as the monarch of the community, denying any knowledge of any election that produced him as the Eze-elect.

They said the two villages that made up Umuhu Autonomous Community (Umungasi and Amaogwugwu) had come together and presented a candidate, Chief Emeka Orji, to the local government authorities and were asked to return the staff of office of the former late Eze Robinson Ahamefule Onyema before he would be issued with another staff.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Thursday, May 16, 2013

53

We won’t succumb to terrorism –Dickson

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Rivers State grassroots women protesting in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

EMMA GBEMUDU AND AMOUR UDEMUDE

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peratives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) have arrested no fewer than 89 suspected oil thieves in Rivers, Edo and Delta states.

The suspects are being interrogated pending when they will be handed over to the relevant prosecuting agencies.

JTF media co-ordinator, Lt-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday.

Nwachukwu said the agency impounded a selfpropelled (VI) barge and destroyed 22 illegal refineries, 18 boats, 133 plastic surface tanks and 28 pumping machines used for stealing crude oil in some parts of Niger Delta.

He said the self-propelled barge was tracked down at Burutu with quantities of stolen petroleum product in Delta State by the Maritime Component of the JTF. Nwachukwu said:”Three of the illegal oil distillation camps which had 138 plastic tanks of 7500 litres capacity each, 23 steel surface tanks, 16 pumping machines, two electricity generating set and one welding machine were discovered by patrol operatives of 3 Battalion, Sector 1 at Otumara, Obe/Jesse communities of Delta State, while three other camps used for illegal distillation of crude oil were also scuttled in Gbelebu village in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo state.

“The anti-oil theft joint operations also saw troops of 146 Battalion, Sector 2 of the JTF deployed in Cawthorne Channel 2 and Bodo West Creek scuttle 16 illegal

PHOTO: NAN

JTF arrests 89 suspected oil thieves in Rivers, Edo, Delta •Community sues FG for rights abuse

crude oil distillation camps in Okpomakiri, K-Dere and B-Dere and communities in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. Fifteen wooden boats conveying about 26, 000 litres of stolen crude oil were also scuttled in these areas.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has been sued by the people of Egbema community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The plaintiffs are demanding compensation of N120 million for their unlawful arrest, detention and torture by the JTF codenamed Operations Pulo Shield.

Joined in the suit are the Minister of Defence, Director General of State Security Service, the Nigerian Army, Inspector-General of Police, Delta State Governor and Commandant of JTF in Koko.

It was learnt that the JTF allegedly invaded Egbema community on April 27, 2013 and arrested some indigenes

after a group called Egbema Positive Change staged a peaceful protest against the alleged marginalization of the Ijaw people in Warri North Local Government by their Itsekiri neighbours.

Counsel to the applicants, John Onyeukwu, who accused the task force of wrongful arrest, detention, violation of fundamental human rights, yesterday told the Federal High Court sitting in Warri that the detained persons were not the people who staged the protest.

Giving the names of those arrested and detained to include Chief Solomon Ogomugo, Benedict Miebi, Kenneth Odibo, Peter Ogomugo, Kalawei Wowei, Perekeme Bonny, Prince Ebimeme, Shedrack Igina, Smart Yebu, Shola Kokoro , Senior Kiri and Balakum Miebi, Onyeukwu urged the court to release them and demanded adequate compensations for “their incarceration under the most

dehumanising and degrading conditions, contrary to Sections 34 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution.”

Onyeukwu said that the rights of the applicants were violated and infringed upon by the respondents.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent shortly after the presiding judge, Justice Shitu Abubakar, adjourned the case till May 23, 2013 to enable the respondents appear in court, a prominent community leader, Chief Bernard Ibamughan, alleged that the grievances of the Ijaw people border on the lopsided distributions of political offices in the local government despite earlier agreements that such positions be shared equitably.

Ibamughan said: “In Warri North, we have only two ethnic groups, Ijaw and Itsekiri. Since the creation of the council, it is the Itsekiri people who have been dominating and all political appointments.

TONY ANICHEBE

the governorship post.

The President Eket Senatorial District Traditional Rulers Council, Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa issued the warning yesterday when the executive and members of the Eket Senatorial District Assembly met with him in his palace in Onna Local Government Area.

According to Edidem Ukpa, who is also the paramount ruler of Onna Local Government Area, the people of Eket Senatorial

District would not concede the next governorship position to any other senatorial district.

The monarch, who claimed that he was aware that some people from Eket Senatorial District were working with politicians from other senatorial districts to deny Eket the governorship, said “traditional rulers have resolved to curse whoever betrays the cause of the district.”

He said: Governor God-

gainst the backdrop of security challenges confronting the country, Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has underscored the need not to allow terrorism to re-define the country’s values.

Dickson spoke when the Consul General of the United States Consulate in Lagos, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, visited him at the Government House in Yenagoa.

Commenting on the travel advisory being issued by some Western embassies for their nationals not to visit some parts of the country, the governor said that in spite of the development, multinational oil companies still operate in Nigeria.

According to him, there is a lot of stereotype and negative reportage of is-

Bayelsa CP vows to arrest killers of 11 policemen •Promises to tackle kidnapping EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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he Bayelsa State new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa, yesterday vowed to arrest and prosecute the militants who killed 11 policemen on April 5 in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of the state.

Ebitibituwa told journalists in Yenagoa at his maiden press briefing that the issues of kidnapping, oil bunkering and tracking down of the killers of the policemen were among the briefs handed over to him by the Force Headquarters.

Ebitibituwa’s predecessor, Mr. Kingsley Omire, is now retired after 35 years of service.

The commissioner said: “I will give the people of Bayelsa State proper security and ensure that the needed development is spread to the people by government.

A’Ibom 2015: Eket threatens to sanction dissident residents UYO

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raditional rulers from Eket Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State have warned their people not to support aspirants seeking the next governorship position from other senatorial districts.

The traditional rulers have threatened to place a curse on any of their people who support aspirants from other senatorial district for

sues concerning the country, particularly the Niger Delta region to scuttle the developmental efforts at both the state and federal levels.

He, therefore, urged the United States Government to reconsider its stance on the travel advisory, adding that his administration spared no effort in creating a congenial business climate for investors.

Dickson said one of such efforts was the establishment of the Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation (BDIC) with its African regional office in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Earlier, the Consul-General said he was in Bayelsa to find out the state government’s vision on governance, especially in the area of security.

swill Akpabio and his predecessor, Obong Victor Attah, will be answerable to God if they fail to ensure that the governorship seat rotates to Eket Senatorial District in the spirit of fairness and equity.

“Victor Attah would not have been governor if not for zoning. Governor Godswill Akpabio would not have been governor if we did not support that power should be zoned to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in 2007.

“The new wave of kidnapping for the purpose of making money will be tackled. We have a team working hard and some suspects have been arrested. We will also tackle the issue of illegal oil bunkering in synergy with the Joint Task Force (JTF) and we have deployed gun boats to suspected areas.

“I know the killing of the policemen is an issue.

We are going to bring those involved to book. This is a pledge and something we must do in memory of the killed officers.”

Meanwhile, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the state, Oyangono Ebere, yesterday paraded a 41-yearold cleric, Godtreasure Ake, for allegedly impersonating a military officer.

Ebere said two military uniforms were recovered from the suspect’s car on East-West Road at about 11:pm on Tuesday during a stop and search exercise.

Ebere said: “The suspect was asked to stop, but he refused. He was chased and he jumped out of his car and ran. When arrested and his car was searched, two uniforms with the ranks of a Colonel and Captain were found in it.”

But the suspect denied the allegation, claiming that the uniforms found in his car were that of the Chaplain Corps, saying: “I never claimed to be a military officer.”

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North

FEMI OYEWESO AND EZEKILE TITUS

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our persons were burnt beyond recognition yesterday, while five others were injured in an auto crash at Kari village in Darazo Local Government Area Bauchi State.

The accident occurred about 30 kilometres from Bauchi metropolis.

The Sector Command-

Thursday, May 16, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Five die in Bauchi, Ogun auto crashes er of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Mr. Henry Sunday Olatunji, confirmed the incident.

He said the accident involved a commercial Toyota Hiace bus and a Mercedes Benz 190, while nine persons, among them eight male and a female, were involved.

According to the sec-

tor commander, the four casualties are made up of three male and a female.

Olatunji added that the men of the FRSC rescued the victims and evacuated the causalities to Darazo General Hospital while the injured persons were taken to Soro Hospital.

The sector commander, who blamed the accident

on over-speeding and reckless driving, advised motorists to observe traffic rules and regulations at all times in order to save their lives and those of their passengers.

He said: “From our observation, the two vehicles may have been overspeeding and it is wrong to drive recklessly, most especially at night.

“Drivers should be more careful at night and ensure that all their headlights are functioning properly to avoid accident.”

Also in Ogun State yesterday, one person was confirmed dead, while four others were critically injured in a crash on the Lagos - Abeokuta Expressway.

The accident, which occurred at Ilepa area of Ifo township in Ifo Local Government, was said to have involved a government-owned red Mazda bus with registration number OG 024 A08 and a white Mazda car with registration number (Lagos) FST 87 AC. The accident was said to have caused a gridlock

on the ever busy expressway, stretching over a kilometre.

The Itori Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Fatai Bakare, who confirmed the accident, also blamed it on overspeeding on the part of the drivers of the two vehicles.

Bakare said that corpse of the male victim had been deposited at the morgue of Ifo General Hospital, while those injured were taken to the same hospital for medical attention.

The unit commander also disclosed that officers of FRSC were drafted to the scene of the accident to ease the traffic gridlock.

Shettima condoles with slain Borno CAN secretary’s relatives INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

G Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo (left) receiving 2006 census report from the Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, in Gombe, Alhaji Bala Magaji, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Graft allegation: Melaye spurns police invitation OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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ormer House of Re p re s e n t at ive s member, Hon. Dino Melaye, has refused to honour police invitation to provide useful information on the allegation of abuse of office and incompetence levelled against the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke.

Melaye said the AGF could not be a judge in his own case.

The former lawmaker turned rights activist said he would not appear before the police until the minister stepped down from the office.

Melaye, who is the Executive Secretary, Anti-Corruption Network, was invited for interrogation via a letter from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, signed by the Commissioner of Police in charge of X Squad, Ali Amodu.

In the letter, the force said it was investigating the allegations of corrup-

tion, abuse of office and incompetence levelled against the minister by Melaye’s Anti-Corruption Network following a letter to the Presidency with reference No: ACN/NEC. /CORRP. /VOL. 1/00.1 and dated April 11.

But no sooner had the former lawmaker received police invitation letter, than the minister, through his counsel, claimed that contrary to what Melaye made the public to believe, he requested for the probe.

In the ensuring drama, Melaye fired back also through his lawyer, Mr. Denen Ikya, arguing that it was only trite that “Adoke steps aside or better still, resigns his position to ensure an investigation that is devoid of any undue influence”.

He said it was imperative the minister stepped aside before commencement of the investigation since the report of the investigation conducted by the police would still be referred to the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, of the Federation in the

Federal Ministry of Justice headed by Adoke.

The letter reads in part: “If Mr. Adoke (SAN) is convinced that he has been defamed without any justification, you may wish to advise him to file a libel suit in the appropriate court where Hon. Melaye will have the opportunity to prove the allegations of corruption, incompetence and abuse of office levelled against him.

“It is trite law that where a person feels aggrieved by any alleged defamatory publication, his redress is in the court of law. As a public officer, if the Attorney General of the Federation feels injured by the petition of the Anti- Corruption Network, he should have instructed his lawyer to file a libel suit in a High Court.

“We are compelled to draw your attention to the case of Arthur Nwankwo v the State (1985) 6 NCLR 288 wherein the Court of Appeal held that ‘those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism’.

“Where a writer exceeds the bounds there

should be a resort to the law of libel where the plaintiff must of necessity put his character and reputation in issue.

“In the circumstance, to avoid any apparent bias, it is advisable that the Attorney-General of the Federation should step aside or better still, resign his position to ensure an investigation that is devoid of any undue influence.

“More so, that the report of the investigation conducted by the police will be referred to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation in the Federal Ministry of Justice headed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke.

“This will totally negate the fundamental principle that a man cannot be a judge in his own case.

“The mere fact that the Attorney-General has an interest in the outcome of the investigation is sufficient to cause his automatic resignation or removal from office to avoid any undue influence or bias.”

overnor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has commiserated with relatives of Rev. Faye Pama, the state secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, who was assassinated by gunmen on Tuesday.

The gunmen, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, shot and killed Pama at his Government Reservation Area, GRA, residence about 7.30pm.

Shettima, who described Pama’s death as shocking, said his administration would collaborate with the security agencies to apprehend the culprits.

He said Pama was a very gentle and humble man of God who had the fear of God, adding that his government take good care of members of his family.

The governor prayed God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest and grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The gunmen, according to a witness, scaled the wall and burst into the cleric’s living room, before shooting him in the head and chest in front of his wife and children.

He said: “We were sitting here under this tree when two gunmen walked to the backyard of our Reverend Father’s house and climbed over the wall. Two minutes after, we heard four gun-

shots in the house, before some people started running in various directions for safety, and closed their houses and shops.

“The soldiers rushed to the scene, 10 minutes after the gunmen had fled towards Polo area of Maiduguri metropolis.”

It was also learnt that men of Joint Task Force, JTF, cordoned off the residence of the slain cleric, including the access road to the GRA residence for two hours, before the 9pm curfew.

Another resident also said that the gunmen came in a tricycle, before climbing the fence to assassinate the CAN secretary who “preaches peace where he goes and interacts with Christians and Muslims in the metropolis”.

Even his vehicle registration number bears “Peace”.

Confirming the incident yesterday in Maiduguri, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Gideon Jibrin, said there was an attack by armed men on a cleric’s residence in the GRA, where one was feared killed.

Shettima

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Thursday, May 16, 2013

55

Yero deploys security operatives to Southern Kaduna A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he administration of Governor Mukhtar Yero in Kaduna State has deployed security operatives to the southern part of the state to investigate the incessant attacks on the citizens, arrest the culprits and bring them to book.

Director General on Media and Publicity to Governor Mukhtar Yero, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, made this known to the News Agency of the Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

•Group accuses him of rejecting Yakowa’s peace committee report

Maiyaki said the security operatives were expected to investigate the series of attacks to enable government find a lasting solution to it.

NAN recalls that Zantang chiefdom in Kaura Local Government Area of the state was on Monday night attacked by gunmen who killed 12 persons.

Several other residents were left with varying degree of injuries with people’s property burnt during the mayhem.

Maiyaki condemned the attack and urged the people to remain calm, law-abiding and live peacefully as government was making effort to address the challenges.

He commiserated with the people of the community over the loss of lives and property, assuring them that the government would soon end the spate of attacks in the area.

In a related development, the Senator representing Southern Kaduna senatorial district, Senator Nenadi Es-

ther Usman, has challenged the government and security agencies posted to the area to live up to their constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and property of her constituents.

In an on-line statement signed by Senator Usman, the lawmaker called for an urgent stop to the attacks on the communities, which had led to the brutal killing of several innocent people, including women and children while thousands have been displaced by gunmen.

Usman, a former Minister of Finance under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo while describing the attacks as unacceptable, appealed to the people to remain calm and law abiding to engender peaceful coexistence among the different ethnic and religious groups.

Senator Usman, who was reacting to the latest spate of unwarranted killing of 15 people and other displaced residents, said the incident was a major concern to her despite efforts by the stake-

holders to find a lasting solution to it.

Meanwhile, a socio-political group, the Southern Kaduna Progressive Forum, SKPF, yesterday accused Governor Yero of refusing to receive his late predecessor’s peace and reconciliation report.

In an on-line statement signed by its National President, Caleb Samuel Abbott, the group called for an international war crime tribunal to investigate the ongoing killings in Southern Kaduna, which it described as genocide.

FG urged to stop herdsmen’s attacks on farmers IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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L-R: Assistant Inspector-General in charge of Zone 10, Sule Mamman; Kebbi State Governor, Saidu Dakingari and state Commissioner of Police, Sabo Ringim, in Birnin Kebbi, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Victims of Alpha jet crash buried in Abuja great spirit and tenacity of the Nigerian far away from home.

“We must see their deaths as a call to duty to serve humanity. We must not let the sacrifice they paid with their lives be in vain. As we continue to confront the present security challenges in some parts of the continent and at home, we must emulate the selflessness, courage and commitment exhibited by the late officers,” she said.

Conveying the condolences of President Goodluck Jonathan to the bereaved

families, Mrs. Obada said the government appreciates the great sacrifice of the officers and other members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria “who continue to make sacrifices to ensure enduring peace in our nation and other parts of the African continent.”

She added: “Though the dreams of a promising and fulfilling career of these young gentlemen officers have been cut short, the present security challenges we face demand of us courage, selflessness and great commitment.”

he Federal Government yesterday urged Nigerians to remain courageous even in the face of the current security challenges facing the country.

Minister of State for Defence, Olusola Obada, who stated this at the burial of Squadron Leader Benjamin Bem Ado and Flying Officer Ayuba Joab Layelmenson at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja, said the death of the officers in the line of duty calls for concerted ef-

forts by Nigerians to contribute meaningfully towards tackling the current wave of insecurity in the country.

Both officers died on May 6, 2013 in an air crash while serving with the African-led intervention Force in Mali, AFISMA. Obada described their death as a gallant sacrifice for peace to reign in the continent.

“As members of the armed forces and the Nigerian nation, we must be proud of the gallant efforts of these young gentlemen who proudly show-cased the

WALE IBRAHIM

Wada assures of adequate security for investors

OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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LOKOJA

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ogi State Governor, Idris Wada, has assured the people of the state of adequately security for their businesses, adding that arrangement has been concluded with a South Africa-based businessman to invest in the state.

Wada disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists after arriving from

the World Economic Forum, where he presented a paper in South Africa. He said the state is poised to tackle the challenges facing it in the area of agriculture.

The governor said his administration has allocated 1, 500 hectares of land for investors, adding that the investors are scheduled to arrive in the state to sign a Memorandum of Under-

standing, MoU, soon.

Governor Wada noted that the state was confronted with some teething problems in the area of land allocation, but that the state government has cleared about 3, 000 hectares of land which is about 20 percent of the total land allocated for the incoming investor.

Wada emphatically stated that Kogi State is one of the

most peaceful states in the country today, considering the security challenges ravaging some sections of the country.

He noted that those who are referring to the state as unsafe are wicked people, who want to score cheap political point, assuring that the state government will provide adequate security to all investors in the state.

students’ group, the Coalition of Youth and Students’ Union Leaders, CYSUL, in Nasarawa State, has called on the Federal Government to call Fulani herdsmen to order to stop their persistent attacks on the farmers in the state.

The group also called on the government to ignore those calling for a state of emergency in the state.

President of the group, Mohammed Kashim, made the call yesterday while addressing a press conference in Lafia, the state capital.

The group said all stakeholders, traditional institutions and the good people of

Nasarawa State should join hands in bringing peace to the affected areas and the state at large, condemning in strong terms the inhuman killing of security operatives in the state recently.

Kashim said government should consider all the slain security operatives that went to Alakio village in Lafia East Development Area pensionable regardless of their years in service.

The group said: “The state government should engage the youth in different activities the will move the state forward to forestall youth restiveness across the state as well as enhance skilled acquisition centres in all the three senatorial zones of the state.”

Omu Aran robbery: Hoodlums yet to be tracked –Police WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

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he gang of armed robbers who laid siege on Omu Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday, is yet to be tracked down by the police.

The hoodlums had, in their latest attack, killed one policeman, two members of a vigilance group and wounded the Police Area Commander, an Assistant Commissioner of Police; Ayodele Olatunji.

Eye witnesses had told National Mirror that the armed bandits served notice of their coming to town on the community before making good their threat on Tuesday.

They were said to have barricaded the major entry points leading to the town from Kogi and Ekiti States as well as the one from Ilorin,

the state capital, making sure that no vehicular movement to and from the town was allowed for hours.

Confirming the incident at a press briefing yesterday, Kwara Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Olufemi Fabode, said the robbers attacked First Bank, Ecobank and Union Bank branches in the town and carted away unspecified amount of money.

He disclosed that the police in Omu Aran, however, engaged the gang in a shootout while the casualties were on both sides. At the end, he said an AK47 rifle and an unused explosive device were recovered from the escaping bandits.

According to him, the robbers used the explosives on the banks and on persons that attempted to confront them, leading to the casualties.

WORLD RECORD

Most hat-tricks in an NHL career

Vol. 03 No. 622

Thursday, May 16, 2013

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The most hat-tricks scored in an NHL career is 50 by Wayne Gretzky (Canada), for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St Louis Blues and New York Rangers between 1979 and 1999.

A youth corps member’s dangerous manipulation

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t is common practice in Nigeria for people that commit gross misconduct to manipulate ethnic and religious sentiments to divert our attention from their misdeeds. A youth corps member posted to Kaduna State, Malam Abubakar Idris Usman, who was court-martialled for misconduct, is now using dangerous tactics to blackmail the authorities of the NYSC for sanctioning him for a breach of a code of conduct.

Abubakar accidentally found himself in the news on November 22, 2012, when he sent an article to a national daily, alleging that “youth corps members are sleeping in toilets in Kaduna State.” Confronted by the NYSC authorities to prove his allegation, he refused to do so. Other fellow corps members were themselves shocked at the sensational content of his canard. Unable to prove his allegation, Abubakar Idris became dubi-

F

ormer WBA Heavyweight champion, David Haye, has been forced to pull out of his fight against Manuel Charr on June 29 with a hand injury.

The damage to Haye’s left hand which occurred on Sunday evening left him with no option but to postpone

Guest Columnist

Na-Allah N All h M Mohammed h

Garba

ously famous for being the first corps member to be court-martialled by the NYSC. Determined to blackmail those that have sanctioned him, he conceived what he thought to be a brilliant idea. Abubakar approached Mohammed Haruna, a veteran northern journalist, for advice. By Haruna’s own admission in his column of May 8, 2013 (Daily Trust and The Nation), he advised the corps member to stand by his story if he was sure of his facts; and the boy did.

It is very sad that the senior journalist played into the hands of a dangerous emotional manipulator. Haruna repeated the veiled suggestion by the culprit that he was being persecuted for reasons other than the ones officially declared. In particular, the culprit alleged that he was labeled a “Boko Haram” member for writing the article in the newspaper. It is very disappointing that Haruna was repeating the version of a story by a chap that seems so skilled to divert attention from his misconduct. While acknowledging that he had known the father of the boy for over 60 years, Haruna forgot the duty of subjecting the allegation by the chap to critical scrutiny.

There was no evidence that the Kaduna State office of the NYSC had faced such crisis of accommodation, let alone ever accommodating youth corps members in the toilet as alleged by Abubakar. It seems the corps member has imbibed the creed of the sensational press so well, which preaches: “Do not let the facts to stand in the way of the story.”

Perhaps unknown to Haruna, this same chap had approached the National

IS IT ACCEPTABLE FOR A YOUTH CORPS MEMBER TO MAKE SUCH WEIGHTY ALLEGATION AND

REFUSE TO DEFEND IT? President of the Muslim Corps Members Association of Nigeria (MCAN) to draw his attention to his “persecution.” The National Amir of MCAN personally came to Kaduna to investigate the allegation of “persecution” and when he discovered the truth, he dissociated himself from the dangerous tactics of the culprit.

While reading Haruna’s defence of his “son,” I kept asking myself whether this corps member was sanctioned because he is a Muslim or a northerner. Neither of these two factors is involved in the punishment of any corps member that breaches their code of conduct. By approaching the National President of MCAN, the culprit’s intention was to give the issue a religious colouration to blackmail the leadership of NYSC. Can Nigeria afford this kind of situation whereby people who committed misconduct seek to divert attention from their misdeeds by manipulating ethnic, religious or regional sentiments? When the former Managing Director of the defunct Bank of the North, Mohammed Bulama, was being prosecuted by the former EFCC Chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the Borno Elders put out a press statement

that Bulama’s travail was part of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s scheme to “humiliate” northern leaders!

However, the question these Borno Elders avoided conveniently was whether Bulama committed misconduct or not.

The EFCC charged him with the offence of granting N150 million loan to his wife from the bank’s funds without collateral security. Can a bank thrive when the MD can take liberty to grant loans to his wife or friends without following the guidelines for granting such loans?

Unfortunately, because of our seeming gullibility, people that commit misconduct easily become heroes on the springboard of “victimhood.” The deployment of religious sentiments by this corps member to elicit our sympathy instead of convincingly defending his allegation is the same tricks people use to avoid accountability. Is it acceptable for a youth corps member to make such weighty allegation and refuse to defend it? Should he damage the reputation of others for doing their jobs?

Victoria Ango, the Kaduna State NYSC Director, is the most unlikely person anybody can call a Muslim “hater.” Ethnic and religious bigotry are alien to her nature. I have known her for almost 30 years from Sokoto and in addition to the fact that we are both from Kebbi State. She is humble, broadminded and incredibly liberal. If she is such a Muslim “hater”, I wonder why she has assisted the pregnant wives of Muslim brothers to secure redeployment to be with their husbands?

Why then should anybody seek to attack the integrity of this woman for doing her job of applying the rules governing the conduct of corps members?

Can we build a country founded on justice for all, mutual respect, tolerance and unity, when a youth corps member who breached the code of conduct of the NYSC is now using sentimental blackmail to turn Muslims against Christians?

Zagga, muhazagga@yahoo.com, is an Abuja-based journalist

Sport Extra

Boxing: Injury forces Haye’s withdrawal his return to the ring.

“I’m absolutely gutted to have to pull out of this fight,” he said yesterday.

“I pick up injuries now and again in training, and sometimes carry them

into fights, but this was one I simply couldn’t recover from in time. I need to rest it up for at least four weeks.

“I apologise to Manuel Charr and to everybody involved with the promotion. But most of all I want to say sorry

to the thousands of fans who bought tickets to the fight as it’s important to let them know in good time.”

Europa League final result Benfica

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Chelsea

David Haye

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