Binder1 friday 18 july, 2014

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Friday, July 18, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 150

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Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper in politics and business

N150

Row as 295 die in Malaysia Airlines plane crash A

Malaysia Airlines plane, with 295 people on board crashed yesterday near the Russia-Ukraine border and kicked of an international uproar over speculations

that it was shot down.

The flag carrier, still reeling from the mysterious March 8 disappearance of flight MH370, said the aircraft was travelling from Amsterdam on an

overnight flight to Kuala Lumpur with 280 passengers and 15 crew.

The Ukrainian military and pro-Russian rebels accused each other of shooting down the plane; both

sides saying they were not responsible “Malaysia Airlines confirms it received notification from Ukrainian ATC (air traffic control) that it had lost contact

with flight MH17 at 1415 (GMT)… approximately 50 km (31 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border,” a report by the Agence France Presse (AFP) quoted the airline as saying on

its Twitter account.

The plane had been expected in the Malaysian capital at 6:10 am (2210 GMT Thursday). It gave no further information CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

‘Boko Haram destroyed 900 schools in Borno’

lFG will make schools safer, says Okonjo-Iweala lGovt sheds light on how to spend $1bn insurgency loan Emmanuel Onani

B

orno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, yesterday painted a grim picture of the state of education in his state that is the epicentre of the insurgency unleashed on Nigeria

by Boko Haram.

According to him, the terrorist group has destroyed about 900 schools in the state since 2011 and killed 176 teachers.

The governor spoke in Abuja at the inaugural meeting of the steering committee of the Safe School Initiative.

Besides Shettima, representatives of Yobe and Adamawa states would also briefed the committee on the impact the insurgency has had on education in their domains.

Also during the inaugural meeting, security and counter-terrorism experts from donor agenCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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The debris of the crashed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in Grabovo, Ukraine…yesterday. Inset: Akmar Binti Mohd Noor, 67, whose sister was onboard the plane cries outside the family holding area at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang

Okorocha: We lost Ekiti because APC leaders were not on ground Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

I

mo State Governor and Chairman, All Progressives Congress Governors Forum, Chief Rochas Okorocha, yesterday at-

tributed the party’s loss in the Ekiti State governorship election to disconnect between the party leaders in the state and the grass-

roots.

Okorocha, at a meeting with political appointees and APC stakeholders in Owerri, said the party

went into the election amid in-fighting and poor grassroots mobilisation and was defeated.

In the election, APC’s

candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who was seeking reelection, lost to his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PDP, APC trade blame over plan to burn INEC office }9

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FG will make schools safer, says Okonjo-Iweala CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

cies presented a road-map for the safety of schools.

The Safe Schools Initiative is considering a short, medium and longterm strategy for making schools safer, especially in the North-East, where Boko Haram has concentrated its terrorist attacks.

The committee is considering options to rebuild confidence in parents, pupils and other stakeholders to rejuvenate education in the terror-stricken states.

The meeting was part of measures aimed at ensuring a smooth implementation of the safe school project and some of the options being discussed by the committee for immediate implementation are visual, temporary and mobile schools; school at home, in a box, container and tents as well as longer term strategies for rebuilding schools.

The committee underscored the need to work with parents, the community and other stakeholders in designing sustainable safe schools solution.

A technical committee was set up to work out the details and modalities for implementing key decisions. It had its first meeting immediately af-

ter the steering committee dispersed.

The technical committee is chaired by the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi and has as members commissioners of finance in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, representatives of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and World Bank, among others.

The decisions of the Safe School Initiative will be funded from $20 million that had been raised for the project. The Federal Government contributed $10 million out of the amount while investors in the private sector provided the balance.

Also, an Indicative Grant of $1 million from the African Development Bank as well as a Norway’s contribution of 10m Norwegian Krone (or $1.5m) had been secured

for the project.

Earlier, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had expressed the determination of the Federal Government to guarantee safety in schools nationwide.

She also said the $20 million would be used to enhance the security of schools through the establishment of village security committees to help in community policing.

“This initiative will make our schools safer and we will not relent until the girls are found because we want them to come back to see that our schools are safer with a more conducive environment for learning.

“The international community has shown a strong support for this project, so this initiative would complement ongoing efforts by the government to secure

the country,” she said while referring to the incidence of the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State, which served as an impetus for the establishment of the initiative.

She, however, added that the plan to set up the initiative had been on before the abduction, but the incident only helped to fast-track its establishment.

According to her, the goal of the initiative is to make schools better and safer while that the involvement of the international community, the private sector and the Federal Government underscored the seriousness President Goodluck Jonathan attached to the security challenges in the schools.

Yesterday’s meeting of the steering committee was attended by OkonjoIweala; Shettima; Secretary to the State Govern-

ment of Adamawa State Prof. A. L Tukur; President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman, THISDAY Newspapers and President, Newspapers Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, among others.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday shed more light on how it would spend the $1 billion foreign loan it is seeking to curtail insurgency.

It said beyond its avowed determination to contain the Boko Haram insurgency, the money would be spent to strengthen the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces to meet future security challenges.

Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, made the clarification yesterday in Abuja, during the regular briefing at the National InforCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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L-R: Celebrant, Dr. Olatunji Dare; Dr. Doyin Abiola; chairman of the occasion, Lt.-Gen Theophilus Danjuma; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the guest speaker, Prof. Kwame Karikari, during Dare’s 70th birthday and book presentation at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Row as 295 die in Malaysia Airlines plane crash CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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FIRST NATION AIRWAYS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45 (SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50 AEROCONTRACTORS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30 MEDVIEW AIRLINES LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30 OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN –ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30 ILORIN –LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST ABUJA

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

on what might have happened to the plane.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to meet with officials on the tragedy.

“I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed,” he said earlier on his Twitter feed.

“We are launching an immediate investigation.”

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the jet crashed over rebel-held eastern Ukraine and might have been shot down.

“We do not exclude that the plane was shot down and confirm that the

Ukraine Armed Forces did not fire at any targets in the sky,” Poroshenko said in a statement posted on the president’s website.

In his reaction, the United States President Barack Obama said the immediate task before his administration was to determine if there was any US citizen on board the ill-fated flight.

He promised US support to Ukraine and Malaysia in investigating the incident.

Regional officials in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine confirmed the plane had come down near the town of Shaktarsk.

A social media site attributed to a top Ukraini-

an rebel commander said insurgents had shot down an army transporter at the location where the plane came down near the Russian border.

The comments suggest the separatists had shot down the aircraft by mistake, believing it was a large Ukrainian army transport plane.

Emergency services were rushing to the scene, a security source told Interfax-Ukraine.

The incident is a fresh body blow to the flag carrier which, along with the Malaysian government, is still struggling to provide answers to the disappearance of flight MH370.

That plane went miss-

ing with 239 passengers and crew on board and is now believed to have diverted off its flight path and crashed in the remote Indian Ocean.

No trace of the plane has yet been found.

Kiev earlier accused Russia of downing a Ukrainian military plane on a mission over the east of the country, stoking tensions in the growing conflict on the edges of Europe that has claimed over 600 lives.

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, who was on a China visit, tweeted: “I’m taking the first flight back from Beijing to be on top of #MH17.

Pray and hope please.”

ARIK AIR LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10

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Mandela’s memorabilia to be auctioned

A

collection of unusual items signed

by South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela is to be auctioned later in Johannesburg.

A report yesterday by the BBC listed the items to be auctioned to include a chess set, of figures from either side of the apartheid battle, and salt and pepper shakers of Mr

Mandela and FW de Klerk.

The auction also includes objects ranging from statues, photographs, refrigerator magnets, ostrich eggs, medals, books and even a batch of 850 Chinese telephone cards emblazoned with Mandela’s image.

The sale items is expected to raise around $450,000 for charity. Mandela, who died in Decem-

ber aged 95, was revered around the world for fighting minority rule in South Africa.

He spent 27 years in prison, before being released in 1990 by Mr De Klerk, South Africa’s last white ruler.

Mandela became the country’s first black president in 1994 and stepped down in 1999.

The auction of 202 lots

is being held on the eve of what would have been his 96th birthday.

“Nelson Mandela signed many, many, many things. And that’s what I like about it [the auction],” said Savo Tufegdzic of Stephan Welz & Co, the firm that will put the items under the hammer.

“People always look for autographs, but there are only a handful of items

signed by those celebrities. In the case of Nelson Mandela, every person can own a piece of him.”

A photo signed by late South African President Nelson Mandela with the latter posing with late US pop star Michael Jackson, which he had also autographed, is also going under the hammer.

The chess set has piec-

Okorocha: We lost Ekiti because APC leaders were not on ground CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

L-R: General Manager, External Relations, Nigeria LNG (NLNG), Kudo Eresia-Eke; Dr Jerry Agada; Professor Femi Osofisan; Prof Ayo Banjo; Prof J.P. Clark and Managing Director/CEO, NLNG, Babs Omotowa, at an event hosted by NLNG to honour Banjo at 80 in Lagos... yesterday.

Doctor’s strike: Reps to subpoena Okonjo-Iweala, Chukwu Philip Nyam Abuja

H

ouse of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, has threatened to invoke constitutional provisions to compel Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her counterpart in the Ministry of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, to appear before the House Committee on Health with other stakeholders to resolve the lingering strike by medical doctors.

Tambuwal made the threat at yesterday’s plenary following reports by the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Ndudi Godwin Elumelu (PDP, Delta), about the inability of the committee to bring all parties to the table with a view to resolving the matter.

Before issuing the threat, the speaker had sought the opinion of the chairman on the measures to be taken in the

interim and he suggested they should be given another opportunity by extending a final invitation to them.

Elumelu had said attempts at getting all stakeholders in the matter to meet and reach a quick resolution had been frustrated by the attitude of government officials who are critical to the resolution of the industrial crisis.

He said: “Mr. Speaker, the task given to my committee was a straight forward one, which entails getting all relevant parties involved in the crisis and interface with them with a view to resolving it within the quickest possible time due to the sensitive nature of the heath sector.

“Last Monday, we met with the minister of labour, the minister of health, people from the Salaries and Wages Commission. But since the minister of finance and the director general, Budget Office as well as the Head of Service who are

central to the issues of relativity (salary scale) and skipping (career progression/promotion) were not present, we adjourned the hearing until Thursday when we can all seat to resolve the matter and for medical services to be restored to our hospitals.

“But unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the NMA, Salaries and Wages Commission and the minister of labour turned up as promised, whereas the minister of health and his finance counterpart failed to appear for us to talk.

“While the health minister claimed he was going to represent Mr. President at an event, there was no single representation from the ministry; neither was there any from the finance minister, which suggests that they are not serious about resolving this crisis to save lives of Nigerians who are dying every minute as a result of the strike,” Elumelu added.

es depicting Mandela, his former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu facing off against apartheid leaders.

The set, which has some pieces missing, is thought to be worth between $950 and $1,400, a report by the South African Press Association (SAPA) said.

counterpart, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, by a wide margin.

But Okorocha said if there had not been disconnect between the elite and the grassroots and the fact that the leaders of APC in the area were not on ground, Fayemi would have been re-elected.

The governor, who condemned the internal crisis in APC in some local governments in the state, urged party faithful to settle their differences and unite to make the party stronger ahead of the 2015 general election.

He also used the forum to assure the party chiefs

that contrary to insinuations by political opponents, APC has no link with Boko Haram.

Okorocha said Boko Haram had been in existence before the formation of APC, adding that the strength of the sect is in the disunity of the country.

He urged members not to allow such rumours to distract them from their loyalty and support for the party.

The state Chairman of APC, Dr. Hilary Ekeh, in his remarks, assured the governor that party members will not disappoint him come 2015.

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Chibok: Jonathan embarrassed Nigeria, says APC

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday criticised President Goodluck Jonathan for waiting to be persuaded by the 17-yearold girl-child education campaigner, Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, to agree to

meet parents of schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok in April.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described the president’s action as an embarrassment to Ni-

geria.

“President Jonathan, who has already embarrassed himself and the entire people of Nigeria by his inexplicable failure to visit Chibok since the girls were abducted over 90 days ago, has compounded the

embarrassment and insulted Nigerians by waiting for Malala to goad him to meet with the girls’ parents, not in Chibok but in Abuja,” the party said.

It also decried attempts by the presidency to blame the BringBackOurGirls

L-R: Group Managing Director/CEO, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Mr. Ladi Balogun; Chairman, Asian Banker, Mr. Emmanuel Daniel and International Resource Director, Asian Banker, Mr. Gordian Gaeta, at the West Africa International Retail Banking Dialogue in Lagos…yesterday

CBN: New guidelines for BDCs not targeted at any ethnic group Philip Nyam Abuja

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said the modifications to the guidelines on the regulation of bureaux de change (BDCs) are not targeted at any section of the country but aimed at conserving the nation’s foreign reserves and to strengthen its economy.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency, explained that the modifications had to be made following observations that the current operations of BDCs in Nigeria had deviated from the objectives for which they were licensed.

His assurance came against the backdrop of insinuations that the policy, which jacked up the capital base requirements for BDC operators to N35 million, from N10 million, among others, was targeted at Northerners who are believed to be the major players in the sector.

According to him, the CBN observed that many operators were only interested in widening margins and profits from the foreign exchange market, regardless of prevailing official and interbank rates.

He told the committee that a recent cross-country survey of BDCS carried out by the CBN revealed that 93 per cent of the operators violated the objectives and provisions of the guidelines.

Many of the BDCs, he added, could either not be located or had relocated without approval; majority of the operators had no good accounting records, while many had no adequate sales document and lacked audit trail.

He said: “It is alarming to note that between January and March alone, a whopping sum of $4 billion was expended on foreign exchange and by our calculation by December about $9 billion would been expended. We can’t continue like this; we have to halt the dangerous trend in the interest of the nation.

“We noticed that most

of the letters of credit for importations are on sugar, tooth picks, fish, tomatoes paste, rice and other things we can easily produce in the country. Nigeria is for all of us, this policy is not about me and you but it is for all. We need to conserve our foreign exchange for the nation’s development and not for the few for their selfish interest.”

Emefiele urged Nigerians and others to use the foreign exchange for legitimate transactions.

“It is only in Nigeria that you will see someone travelling out of the country with a travelling bag containing $10 million; once he has declared the amount in line with the law of the land, nobody will ask questions about the source, the business he is doing and why he is not investing the money in the country,” he added.

He also the CBN would soon propose to the National Assembly stiffer laws on foreign exchange movement as part of measures to end abuse, adding that “the country should be worried how Nigerians are

being arrested all over the world with huge sums of money over illegal money trafficking.”

He appealed to the House to support the policy of the CBN as the bank’s expectation is to have in place BDCs that are wellcapitalised, properly structured and can effectively perform their roles in the economy.

On the requests by some members of the committee to give the operators some time before the enforcement of the new policy, Emefiele urged them to allow the time frame to stay.

“We will drain our foreign reserves if we allow that because right now several of the serious operators have complied, it is only in Nigeria that operators of BDCs are depending on the government to finance it,” he stated.

Earlier, Chairman of the House committee, Jones Chukwudi Onyeriri, had said they respected the autonomy of the CBN but would work with it to ensure that it delivered on its mandate in the overall interest of the nation.

group for the botched meeting between Jonathan and parents of the abductees.

“Fortunately, and to the eternal discomfiture of the presidency, the Chibok community has said the decision not to meet with President Jonathan in Abuja was theirs and theirs alone, and that they took that decision because their sole reason for coming to Abuja was to meet with Malala, and not the president who did not invite them anyway.

“With this explanation, one would have expected a presidency that has regard for the truth to immediately retract its earlier panic statement, which it issued to save face after what was nothing but a PR gimmick blew up in their face, and apologise to the opposition and the #BringBackOurGirls group that were unjustly pilloried by them.

“Instead, the presidency has persisted in its distortion of the truth, for which they have now become infamous, even as a new date has been agreed for the meeting. This is unfortunate, condemnable and irresponsible,’’ APC said.

According to the party, the reason Jonathan agreed to meet with the parents is so that he could use the meeting as public

relations gimmick.

“Mr. President, your frantic effort to meet with the Chibok parents now is too little too late, and no amount of photo-op will change that. If your handlers had been sincere, Mr. President, they would have told you that the best venue of the meeting is Chibok, not Abuja where your people tried, but failed, to waylay the parents who came for a meeting with Malala.

“Mr. President, you have ceaselessly compared yourself to the great leaders of our time, including US President Barack Obama. But do you think Obama would have refused to visit the parents of these abducted school girls if the abduction had occurred in the US? Do you think Obama, as Commander-inChief, would have refused to visit his troops in the front line of the anti-terror fight as you have done?

“Do you think, Mr. President, that a band of rogue elements like Boko Haram would have restricted Obama’s movement within his own country as they have done to you? No true and caring President will ever fail to visit the sites of disasters and offer solace to his compatriots,” it added.

Govt sheds light on how to spend $1bn insurgency loan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

mation Centre (NIC).

Fielding questions from journalists on whether the huge facility was specifically for the prosecution of the war against the Boko Haram sect, Omeri, who doubles as the Coordinator of NIC, said: “The loan is not to fight the Boko Haram alone; it was based on the armed forces’ request to update their equipment.”

According to him, the armed forces need to “restock” and upgrade their equipment to withstand future territorial and internal challenges.

“We understand they need to restock, and the whole request is not for government to go and collect cash from anybody; it is a long-term arrangement, which most countries of the world are known...it happened in the United States.

“This long term means the Federal Government will use it for the purpose it is meant for; not just Boko Haram. It is a long term facility that could

involve government-togovernment,” he added.

He also expressed concern over the rising trend of some Nigerians getting “radicalised” in Britain.

“We are worried that some of those involved in this act (terrorism) in Nigeria, have British connection; they got radicalised in that country,” he said.

He, however, added that the government was “not in any way accusing the British Government of involvement.”

A British court had sentenced two Britishborn Nigerians, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, to life imprisonment, for hacking a British soldier, Lee Rigby, to death.

Apart from the duo, the suspected mastermind of the April 14 bomb blast at Nyanya Park in Abuja, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, who was recently extradited to Nigeria from Sudan, was said to have studied at the University in South Wales, where he is suspected to have been radicalised.

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Friday, July 18, 2014

Fresh crisis hits Adamawa PDP

Ibrahim Abdul Yola

F

ours after Adamawa Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, assumed duty, serious crisis is now brewing between the state executive of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, members of the state House of Assembly and local government council chairmen.

Reports indicates that the three bodies are poised for war over which of them played the most significant role in the impeachment of Nyako and the subsequent emergence of Ahmadu Fintiri as acting governor.

The battle for supremacy between the three bodies was let loose yesterday at the swearing ceremony of the newly appointed Secretary to

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the State Government SSG, Prof. Abdullah Liman Tukur at council chambers of Government House.

Government House protocol officers had a hectic time in controlling themselves as seats meant for the commissioners of the dissolved executive council, were taken over by party executive, while they awaited the arrival of the acting governor.

It was observed that first to be seated were the members led by the PDP state executive led by its chairman, Chief Joel Madaki, however, trouble and confusion crept in when the state House of Assembly members and the council chairmen demanded to be properly seated.

The protocol officials were invited to organize

The life expectancy (in years) at birth of Algeria in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

the sitting arrangements, and when the PDP executive members were beckoned on to give the legislators seats, they remained adamant.

Serious confusion then enveloped in the council chambers as the legislators and the PDP executive started trading words, claiming superiority in the fight that ousted Murtala Nyako's government leading to the emergence of Ahmadu Fintiri as Acting Governor.

The confusion delayed the swearing ceremony for close to an hour as the protocol officials were left helpless, even as the two groups continued to trade words on each other.

The intervention of top security personnel and other government officials prevented the

83%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Canada in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

situation from degenerating into fisticuff before normalcy in the council chambers.

Local government council chairmen, who were put in one obscure corner for the ceremony equally complained that they were not properly accorded their rightful positions in the scheme of things.

During the rowdy session, the local government council chairmen were told that they do not deserve any recognition, accusing them of their loyalty to the previous regime.

Already, the majority leader of the state House of Assembly, Ishaq Bala has been removed. Ishaq, member representing Yola North constituency was removed for not supporting the impeachment of ousted governor.

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The average age of the Ghana team in the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Goal.com

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Terrorism: Ekweremadu urges courage Deputy President Ttorhe of the Senate, SenaIke Ekweremadu,

has called on Nigerians to exhibit faith and courage in the face of the security and related challenges facing the nation.

Ekweremadu made the call while delivering a lecture at the maiden Lecture/Award Dinner organised by the Senate Press Corps in Abuja on Wednesday.

Speaking on the topic “Courage in the Times of Extreme Danger”, the Deputy President of the Senate noted that, although individuals, groups, and nations faced one form of danger or another once in a while, it became most worrisome when it turned extreme or became a pattern of life.

He regretted that Nigerians were in peculiar times in which terrorism, violent crimes, moral decadence, corruption, and impunity in high places were taking their tolls on the nation.

However, citing the examples of Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela in the face of racial discrimination and John

F. Kennedy during the popular October Crisis in 1962, Ekweremadu stressed that the strength of any great nation was best manifested at such times by its ability to overcome such threats eventually.

He described terrorism as “a mind game”, which primary purpose was to “instil fear in the minds of the people by carrying out acts of destruction of human lives and property to give the impression that they are in charge.”

He therefore, enjoined Nigerians to rise in defence of the fatherland to stop the continued wasting of the blood of the innocent citizens in Nigeria by the agents of terror.

He said: “For Nigeria to overcome the scourge of terrorism and related vices, we must all awaken the passion for fatherland and humanity. Let patriotic zeal extinguish all unhealthy ethnic, tribal, religious, sectional, and political sentiments. After all, our enemies, their bombs and bullets do not know any tribe, religion, section, or party.”

A’Ibom to get new navy barracks Tony Anichebe

uyo

Minister of State Tiuhe for Defence, MusilObanikoro, has as-

L-R: Prof. Joe Irukwu; Dame Virgy Etiaba; Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji; Book presenter, T.Y. Danjuma and Anyim Pius Ayim, during the public presentation of a book ‘’Nigeria at 100, What Next’’ in Abuja…yesterday

Tanker drivers agree to vacate Apapa roads within 48 hours

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rivers of articulated vehicles parking indiscriminately on Apapa roads, as well as the Apapa/Oshodi expressway, yesterday agreed to vacate the roads within 48 hours.

The drivers consented to the agreement at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) at Apapa, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

They agreed at the meeting to relocate their trucks to the various trailer parks in and around Lagos.

The articulated vehicle drivers further resolved to return to the ports from the various

loading bays, bwhenever it was their turn to load.

The stakeholders agreed to reorganise the loading bays and tank farms and regulate them in a more orderly manner.

The Federal Government also addressed the problem of bad roads raised at the meeting by directing the trucks to vacate the highway, for the repair work to commence.

Mr Franco Borini of Borini Prono and Co. (Nig) Ltd, contractors handling the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Section One of the highway, said the company would immediately

move to site.

Some of the stakeholders who spoke lauded the understanding reached at the meeting, which they agreed would solve the problem of gridlock in the area.

The Special Assistant to the President on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Prof. Sylvester Monye, said that the problem was complex and had been addressed.

“Apapa has become a `no go’ area; the road between Apapa and Mile 2 is a `no go’ area, the roads have failed, trucks are tumbling and the President asked me to come to Lagos and speak with the relevant stakehold-

ers and get the problem solved, without delay.

“What we have achieved with this meeting is that the Petroleum Tankers Drivers Association has agreed to take their trucks off the roads within 48 hours.

“The trailers picking cargoes from the port have also agreed to remove their vehicles from the roads.

“We have to get the trucks out of the roads so that the contractor can go back to site,’’ he said.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Kayode Opeifa, said the problem was caused by bad roads and the tank farms.

sured the Nigerian Navy of new barracks in Ikot Abasi Local Gover nment Area of Akwa Ibom.

Obanikoro gave the assurance during a familiarization tour to Forward Operational Base, Ibaka and NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi yesterday.

He said that the Federal Government was committed to building new Navy Bar racks and provide necessary infrastructure to make the base more functional. ``We are committed towards the building of Navy barracks and providing the necessary infrastructure to make it functional in the true sense, there are other competing demands,’’ he said.

He said that he would meet the appropriate authority to get the necessary support in order to kick start the project. ``We will have to

make a very superior argument to get the barrack done and hopefully we will be able to convince the appropriate authority enough to give us the necessary support that is needed to kick start that project. ``And to do other acquisition that will enhance the capacity of our men and officers to perform optimally.’’

Obanikoro said.

The Minister lamented that the optimal perfor mance of the Naval was hindered by paucity of funds.

“I will characterize them as being largely paucity of funds. For security reasons, I cannot go into specifics but paucity is definitely af fecting our operational activities It makes a lot of sense to familiarize yourself with your area of responsibilities. So, part of what we are doing is to understand the challenges that we have, so that we can bring about policies that will positively affect operational activities of our officers.”

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NEWS NEWS

BIRTHDAY Olatunji Dare's days are not numbered.

Friends wish him many more happy returns MojeedAlabi

T

he heavy showers in Lagos yesterday perfectly coincided with the showers of praise, eulogies and commendations on a media icon and lecturer of journalism, Dr. Olatunji Dare, as media practitioners, academics and scholars from various disciplines gathered at the Muson Centre , Lagos to celebrate his 70th birthday.

The event, which was chaired by the former Chief of Army Staff and multimillionaire businessman, General Theophilus Danjuma, also featured a lecture delivered by a Ghanaian don and an old schoolmate of

Sanctity Sanctityof of Truth Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Encomiums as Dare clocks 70 ...Fayemi, Amosun, others raise fund for his fight against autism

the celebrant, Prof. Kwame Karikari. He spoke on the theme: Memories of Censorship: Struggling for Press Freedom in Africa. Also part of the activities marking the birthday was the launch of a collection of essays contributed by several scholars including the literary icons, Prof. Niyi Osundare and Odia Ofeimun; journalists including Dr. Doyin Abiola, Kunle Ajibade, Dapo Olorunyomi; and lecturers of journalism including Prof.

Lai Osho. The book which is titled; Public Intellectuals, Public Sphere and the Public Spirit: Essays in Honour of Olatunji Dare, was edited

by Dr. Wale Adebanwi.

Declaring open the programme, General Danjuma

described the celebrant as a dogged fighter and defender of human values. He said in the course of Olatunji’s struggle to defend the profession of journalism, he had had cause to flee Nigeria for safety and had endured all forms of oppression and victimisation.

Danjuma said: “I have the very highest respect for those who have had cause to flee their homelands and stay abroad and yet survive, and even prosper.

Dr. Olatunji Dare has gone through all that in his life.

He transformed from a reporter and a writer to a teacher of Journalism in America. I congratulate him because he has turned an intellectual and a suc-

cess by impacting many lives.”

In his lecture, Prof. Karikari traced the journey to secure press freedom for African journalists to the contributions of several Nigerians including Olatunji Dare, Dan Agbese, among several others.

While revealing that the desired atmosphere for media practice on the continent was not yet achieved, he said efforts must be on to ensure that appropriate laws and legislations are made by governments of the different nations on the continent. He however, advised journalists to be cautious in the discharge of their responsibilities saying extremism is dif-

ferent from professionalism.

Meanwhile, the celebrant, who regretted that his wife could not make it to the venue because she was taking care of their child suffering from autism, said he was dedicating greater part of his remaining time on the surface earth to the fight against the challenge of autism and the care for autistic patients.

He said he had discovered that the disease, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior, affects more children in Africa, hence, the need to evolve humane ways of sup-

porting the victims.

Towards this project, the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who said the event was his first public outing since he lost his re-election bid, said he has learnt so much not only from Olatunji's writings but also from his wise counsels.

The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who was represented on the occasion by his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Yusuff Olaniyonu also made donations to both the book and the project.

Governor Adam Oshiomole of Edo State was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon.

Senate to intervene in HYPREP staff salaries Chukwu David ABujA

T

Family members of passengers killed in the crash of Air Malaysia flight MH17 leave Schiphol airport in a bus in Amsterdam, NetherRivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (middle), being cheered by a crowd of supporters, during his ‘meet the people’ tour of Isiokpo community in lands...yesterday.

Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state…yesterday

Angry wokers take NSCDC to court

Reps back ACP on same sex marriage

Tunde Oyesina

Philip Nyam

ABujA

374 rank and file men Aandbout of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps yes-

terday approached National Industrial Court, Abuja division challenging the authorities of the NSCDC over job denial and allowances owed them.

The officers spread across three states of Kaduna, Kano and Anambra are contesting Section 26 Sub Section 6 of the NSCDC Act 2003 which stipulates that “all regular officers of the corps before the dissolution of the volunteer shall retain their ranks, positions immediately after the act takes effect”, sequel to the mass recruitment of young Nigerians into the corps in which they were denied job recruitment.

The plaintiffs, Mustapha Abdullahi,BernardNwobele and James Moghalu, who sued on behalf of others and themselveshadthroughtheir

counsel, Lawrance Alabi sought the interpretation of the said NSCDC Act 2003 to enable them enjoy like any other corps officer as enshrined in the act.

They further submitted before the court that they are still in the services of the Federal Government of Nigeria as their services were deployed for the supervision of elections and the National Examination Council of Nigeria, NECO in the affected states.

They also argued that they were trained on arm handling and surveillance on pipeline, property and the defence of government interest across the states.

Pained by the denial of job offers into the recent recruitment into the corps, the complainants said even the slots promised them by the command of the corps in the last recruitment exercise were later sold out by agents of some dubious officials.

ABujA

he House of RepresentaTrican tives has endorsed the AfCaribbean and Pacific

(APC)ParliamentaryAssembly resolution condemning the European Parliament"s (EP) planned suspension of NigeriaandUgandafromthe Cotonou Partnership Agreementforcriminalisinghomosexuality.

The House also urged the executive arm of government to remain steadfast and unwavering in the legislative oversightontheimplementation of the same sex prohibition act.

The resolution was made at yesterday's plenary following a motion by Hon. Muktar Ahmedonthe"declarationof supportbytheACPAssembly over the condemnatory positionof theEPonthesamesex marriage prohibition act.

In his lead argument, Ahmed noted that the National Assembly enacted the

same sex marriage prohibition act, 2014, which was assented to by the president.

He explained that Act provides for a penalty of 14 years imprisonment for anybody who engages in same sex marriage and a penalty of 10 years for anybody witnessing same sex union or participating in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or inter sex activities or operating bars,organisationorsocieties promoting same sex union.

According to Ahmed, the EP adopted a resolution on March 12, 2014 to commence consultation aimed at suspendingNigeriaandUganda from the Cotonou Partnership Agreement over the passageof legislationbyboth countries further criminalising homosexual activities.

He observed that the said resolution of the EP was broughttotheattentionof the ACPgroupof statesatits35th sessioninStrasbourg,France frombytheheadof Ugandan delegation.

he Senate Committee on Environment yesterday said that it would intervene by appealing to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Allison - Madueke, to pay the 18 months salaries and allowances of the 140 members of staff of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP).

President Goodluck Jonathan, in 2012 approved the setting up of HYPREP to implement the United Nations Environmental Programme assessment report on the spill disaster in Ogoniland, 12 months after the World body presented a scientific assessment of the 50 years of oil pollution in Ogoniland to the Federal Government.

While presenting the details of the project to Jonathan, the Minister of Petroleum Resources assured that the team would investigate, evaluate and establish other hydrocarbonimpacted sites and make appropriate recommendations to prevent the pollution footprint from spread-

ing further in the area.

He proposed an initial sum of $1bn to cover the first five years of clean-up operations while 140 environmental experts across the World were recruited to ensure provision of potable or alternative sources of water supply, mark out the wells that were too polluted and undertake other strategic framework activities that needed to be in place before its implementation.

However, a section of the members of HYPREP staff met with the Senate Committee on the Environment yesterday, asking the lawmakers to intervene in their matter because all appeals made in writing to the project's supervising ministry to pay their 18 months salaries had not received attention.

The leader of the team, Mr. Sam Okedi, told the senators that the intervention of the Senate was urgent and necessary to salvage their families from the untold hardship the situation brought upon them, regretting that some of them had either died or fallen sick due to the unfortunate development.

Nigeria holds Africa’s hope, says Akpabio overnorGodswiillAkpabio could lead to a serious spillGgreat has said that Nigeria holds over effect of population hope for Africa, calling explosion in the neighbourfor unity among the people despite their political and religious differences.

Akpabio spoke after the ground-breaking ceremony of the permanent Akwa Ibom State headquarters of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Atan Offot in Uyo performed by the National PDP Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu.

The governor observed that any problem in Nigeria

ing countries, condemning some Nigeria for blaming upsurge of terrorism on President Goodluck Jonathan, instead of supporting him.

He pointed out that the PDP stands for transformation extra-ordinary, describing it as a Northern star without changing its name unlike other political parties that have changed their names many times.

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Friday, July 18, 2014

FG wades into Public Complaint Commission crisis Yekeen Nurudeen

Abuja

he federal government Trocking has waded into the crises Public Complaint

Commission (PCC) over the appointment of Mr. Peter Nwakpa as the Executive Secretary of the Commission.

Staff of the Commission had on Wednesday embarked on a strike to protest the appointment of Mr. Nwakpa who they alleged was compulsorily retired by the Ebonyi State Service Commission but was smuggled into the Federal Service for the purpose of that appointment.

A communiqué issued after a peace meeting initiated by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Nwogu, following a letter of protest sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federa-

tion, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, the federal government has set up a committee to look into the controversial appointment. The communiqué was signed by the Association’s National Secretary, Isaac Ojemhenke, The committee was given 30 days to submit the report of its findings while the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity would act as the secretariat and also provide the chairmanship of the committee.

Membership of the committee includes the Federal Civil Service Commission, Office of the Head of the Service of the Federation, Public Complaint Commission, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

Boko Haram: CLO condemns South East leaders over CP’s redeployment call Uwakwe Abugu

Enugu

T

he Civil Liberties Organization, Southeast Zone, yesterday condemned the call by the Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT) for the immediate redeployment of the commissioners of police in the five states of the South East in view of their ethnic origins in relation to the current threat of insurgency in the zone, saying the call was unconstitutional.

Prominent Igbo leaders under the aegis of ILT had in a statement on Tuesday expressed concern over the alleged shielding of the Boko Haram suspects arrested in Owerri , Imo state by the police, calling for the immediate redeployment of the police commissioners in the five states of South East

in view of their ethnic origins.

In the statement, the group said it wanted the police commissioners for Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia states redeployed, saying the people of the zone would not be comfortable with the officers in the face of Boko Haram alleged planned attacks in Southern Nigeria when all the commissioners come from the same ethnic origin believed to be the haven of the insurgents.

But CLO in a statement yesterday signed by its zonal director, Olu Omotayo, pointed out that “Section 214(1) of the Constitution states that “there shall be a Police Force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force, and subject to the provisions of this section no other Police

Force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof.

“It should be noted that by virtue of the provisions of the constitution the organization and administration of the Police Force shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act which is the Act of the National Assembly governing the Nigeria Police Force.”

The above provisions clearly state that the organization and administration of the Police Force shall be in accordance with the law and should not run according to the whims of any individual or group.

It maintained that “the call by an organization for the removal of Commissioners of Police in the five southeast states is not only unconstitutional but also unhealthy in a federal sys-

tem of government.

“The practice over the years is to see an Ibo man or Yoruba man heading Police commands in the North while the northerners head police commands in the Southeast or Southwest”, the group stated.

The only reason put forward by the organization canvassing for the removal of these Commissioners of Police are that they are of Hausa/Fulani extraction.

“It is our strong belief that for this nation to move forward we should eschew tribalism and advocate for true federalism and equality of all Nigerians before the law. We have been enjoying peace and security in the southeast based on the effective operation of the Police in the southeast”, the CLO posited.

Twenty five ladies earn free training programme in Edo lDame Jonathan flags off Africa’s first female auto mechanics Cajetan Mmuta

BENIN

another milestone Iintforwas women empowerment Nigeria as 25 young lady

mechanics yesterday graduated from a three year free training programme in Benin Edo state capital.

Besides, the first lady, Dame Patience Goodluk Jonathan also yesterday performed the foundation laying ceremony for Africa’s first automobile mechanics village at Eyaen community in Uhunmwonde council area of the state.

The event which was packaged by a non-governmental organization, Lady Mechanics Initiative

in partnership with Nigeria Bottling Company Plc (NBC) saw the graduands went home with tool boxes in order to be equipped for the work. They also received words of encouragement from various stakeholders for daring to go into works thought to be the exclusive preserve of men. She noted that such will contribute in the war against unemployment and other vices in the society.

About three hundred others from the body who graduated last year are presently in the labour market with about 80 percent of them gainfully employed by reputable national and multinational companies while others are on their own.

Oil spill: Akpabio sues for peace he Akwa Ibom state govTObot ernor, Chief Dr. Godswill Akpabio has assured

the restive communities in Ibeno and Esit Eket affected by the oil spill that the issues will be resolved as soon as possible.

Speaking through the commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Prince Enobong Uwah, who visited the area to interface with the youths of the community, Akpabio appealed for calm, noting that all complains by the communities against Exxon Mobil has been noted and will be addressed in a meeting slated for Wednesday next week so that amicable and lasting solutions will be proffered for the problems.

Uwah who commended the angry youths for their show of restraint and cooperation with him and for vacating the Mobil Air strip as well as other facilities they had occupied observed that their grievances can only be addressed in an atmosphere of peace and security and not when there is strife and lawlessness which he said will earn nothing.

He reassured the communities of the state governors determination and commitment to making oil producing communities and the oil companies operating there to interface and work in harmony for the growth and development of those areas in particular and the state at large.

L-R: Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo; Chairman, Osun-Osogbo Festival Advisory Committee, Chief Jimoh Buraimoh and Chief Festival Consultant, Mr. Ayo Olumoko, during a courtesy call on the Director General in Abuja…recently

Jonathan should sign disability Pam to be immortalised by the bill into law now,says tst Senate, says Mark Uwakwe Abugu

Enugu

A

passionate appeal was made yesterday asking President Goodluck Jonathan to urgently sign into law the bill recognizing people with disabilities, estimated to be about 15 million in the country.

The appeal was made

by The Strategic Team- a national political thinktank, when it hosted people with disabilities yesterday in Abuja at a forum tagged ‘Sharing and Caring’.

Director General of the group, Eng. Daniel Ohiomoba, said the bill which was passed by the Senate in March, this year, requires the President’s urgent consideration and assent to give hope to PWD and give them a sense of belonging.

“We ask the President to extend the transformation programme to recognize and protect the interests of People living With Disabilities”, he added.

“The TST hereby calls on President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the bill into law promptly; establish a commission that will solely be responsible for all matters relating to PWDs and also ensure that they are appointed to its management board. We also suggest that a data base of PWDs, access to free medical treatment, health insurance, special schools, educational aids and materials for them and their children must henceforth be top priority at every level of government”, he said at the National Women Center, Abuja.

Musa Pam

Jos

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resident of the Senate, Sen. David Mark has said that the National Assembly will look at possible ways to immortalise the late former Deputy Senate President John Wash Pam. Mark stated this yesterday while speaking at the funeral church service of the late senator held at Government House Chapel, Rayfield Jos The Senate President, described Wash Pam as a great senator and an oracle who's has contributed to the unity of Nigeria "Late Wash Pam worked silently for the unity of Nigeria, and was not a northern person, but a true son of Nigeria, who should be immortalised by Nigeri-

ans" "The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will look at possible ways to immortalise this great icon, who has contributed his effort and wealth of experience for the unity of this country" Mark described the late Pam as seasoned politician with great humility, who should be emulated by all Nigerians.

"We are proud of him in the senate because most of his record are there for us in the senate to emulate him" Representative of President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Water Resources, Hon. Sarah Reng Ochekpe condoled with the family of late sen.

Wash Pam and Plateau State government.

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Peacock wins ‘excellence’ award eacock Travels and PPeacock Tours, a subsidiary of Group of Compa-

nies, has won the United Kingdom-based Acquisition Magazine’s 2014 edition of ‘Sustained Excellence in Corporate Travel’ award.

According to a statement from the travel company’s London office, the award presentation was done by the Mayor of London Borough of Richmond, Jane Boulton.

The Mayor presented the award to the company during the opening of Peacock’s new office complex in King Street, Twickenham in London.

Presenting the award, Boulton remarked that “This award is a result of

the hard work of Peacock Travel staff”.

She expressed happiness for having a forward-looking establishment like Peacock in her Borough and pledged her support at all times.

Peacock Travels’ office was formerly in North East London (Hackney).

However, the need to fulfil its expansion plans, including imminent commencement of tour services to North Cyprus, made the firm to move its operations to High Street.

The Travel Manager, Peacock, Mr. Keith Lloyd, assured that it would continue to maintain the high level of service the company had been known for, even as it expands across the country.

Unizik gets new ASUU leadership L-R: Vice -Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Rahaman Bello; member, Board of Trustees, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), South West, Mrs. Anna Kolawole and Chairman UNILAG Governing Council, Prof. Jerry Gana, during a two-day interactive workshop on TETFund guild lines for accessing intervention funds, in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Igbomina laud Ahmed over Ganmo crisis Biodun Oyeleye

Ilorin

embers of Omo Ibile M Igbomina in Kwara State yesterday applauded efforts by the state government to resolve the inter-communal crisis in Ganmo Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

The group, in a communiqué issued at the of its mid-year general meeting, however appealed to the state government to rebuild property destroyed in Ganmo during an inter communal clash last year. They also called on the government to pro-

vide financial assistance and other logistics to victims of the violent clash which left many lives dead.

The recurrent clash had been about the rightful claimant to the traditional stool of the community. It has sharply divided between indigenes who claim they belong to either Ilorin or the Igbomina stock in the southern part of the state.

The seven-point communiqué, signed by National President of Omo Ibile Igbomina, Dr Samuel Atolagbe, said the government desevered to be commended for putting

an end to the frequent communal clashes over the chieftaincy stool.

The communiqué also appealed to Igbomina at home and in the Diaspora to address the issue of women and youth empowerment and asked stakeholders to make necessary contact for the realisation of the empowerment scheme a reality.

Excerpt from the communiqué reads: “That the present economic activities of Igbomina land could be better enhanced through inter-community collaborations. Towards this end, the three local government areas of Ifelodun, Irepodun

and Isin have been urged to work together and work out means of consolidating the economic resources/ fortunes in Igbomina land for the desired development.

“That the Igbomina in the Diaspora should work out and implement plans for the effective industrialization of Igbomina land by bringing people to establish more feasible cottage industries for the empowerment of Igbominas; the Igbominas should continue to work and pray for the political and socioeconomic progress of Igbomina land and Kwara state in general.”

Employment: Yobe screening committee submits report

Presidential committee urges donors to redeem pledges

Bamidele Babalola

Yuzarsif Alhassan

DAMATURU

T

he screening committee set up by the Yobe State government to scrutinise the degree, diploma and certificates presented for employment into the civil service has presented its report to the Head of Service; Dauda Yahaya.

Receiving the report, Yahaya thanked the panel for their selfless efforts to the state.

Chairman of the committee; Alhaji Abdulai Damagun, said the committee was not set up to witchhunt anyone.

He said his committee discovered that about 3, 500 workers entered the service with forged certificates, degrees and diplomas.

Those who did not show up for the exercise were, however, said to have no certificate or were said to be haunted by their conscience.

‘Why war against insurgency may not end now’ Joe Obende

Warri

in the Nigerian Ainsoldier Army, who participated the battle against insur-

gency in the country, has revealed why the battle may not come to an end soon.

He said top military officers are making fortune from the instability and that they will prefer that

it should go on.

The serving soldier, a sergeant, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told New Telegraph that Nigerian soldiers of the rank and file were now with very low morale, following their exploitation by their officers and that “is why we take off when we hear that Boko Haram is advancing.”

Bauchi

P

residential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation has appealed to state governments and wealthy individuals to redeem the pledges made to the committee when it was inaugurated in October 2012.

Chairman of the Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Sub-Committee, Dr. Sani

Abubakar Lugga, who gave this appeal in Bauchi, did not, however, indicate the amount pledged by the envisioned donors.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, the chairman said: “I want to seize this opportunity to call on state governments and wealthy individuals, who promised to donate to this particular cause, to do so.”

Nigerian babies start their lives well – US envoy nited States ConsulUJeffrey General to Nigeria, Hawkins, has

said that Nigerian babies start their lives on a comfortable note, because they are weaned on products of Procter & Gamble (P&G), particularly the company’s range of quality diapers and other global renowned baby care products.

The envoy stated this while on tour of the mul-

tibillion naira manufacturing plant of P&G Nigeria Limited in Agbara Industrial Estate, AdoOdo, Ota, Ogun State of Nigeria.

According to Hawkins, the importance of diapers cannot be overemphasised while raising babies. “I am a father myself, I know what it means to raise babies, so I know the importance of diapers and other baby care products” he said.

Tony Okafor

AWKA

r Dennis Aribodor of the Dtology Department of Parasiand Entomology,

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka has emerged as the new chairman of the institution’s chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Aribodor and seven other executive members are expected to lead the affairs of the union for the next two years.

Associate Prof. Ebene-

zer Mbaekwe, chairman of the electoral committee announced the results in Awka yesterday in the election which held simultaneously at the University’s campuses in Awka and Nnewi.

Mbaekwe said Mr Ikechukwu Okoli of Department of Applied Microbiology/Brewing was elected as the SecretaryGeneral, while Innocent Igwilo of Applied Biochemistry department was elected Internal Auditor.

Three killed as Rivers police parade 11 suspects Emmanuel Masha

Port Harcourt

least three people were Adaytshot dead late Wednesin Port Harcourt, by

gunmen suspected to be hired killers.

The victims were killed in Amadi Ama, a village close to Port Harcourt City Local Government Area at about 9.40pm.

The gunmen, accord-

ing to eyewitnesses, had marched into the compound where the shooting took place and started shooting at close range.

While two of the victims died on the spot, the third died in the hospital, the eye witnesses said.

The killers had strolled out of the area after the incident as people living in the area shut their doors and stayed in-door.

Ilorin Emir seeks support against insecurity Biodun Oyeleye

Ilorin

mir of Ilorin and ChairEditional man, Kwara State TraCouncil, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has urged Nigerians to rally round security operatives and other constituted authorities for what he termed the battle for the soul and unity of the nation.

Sulu-Gambari, told

newsmen in Ilorin, the state capital, on his way to an Islamic conference in Morocco that every Nigerian must support ongoing moves that are aimed at the betterment of the nation’s economy and the benefit of mankind.

He therefore tasked Nigerians, especially Muslims to ensure that they use the ongoing fasting period for total submission to the will of Allah.

Kidnapping: Police rescue prophets from lynching Adesina Wahab

Ado-Ekiti

he timely arrival of men TCommand of the Ekiti State Police has saved two prophets from being lynched in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, over suspicion that they were kidnappers.

The two male prophets

- Mercy Arogundade and Sunday Akinbami - were attempting to rescue a lady at the Adebayo area of Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, when the mob, who mistook them for kidnappers, descended on them and were about to lynch them before the police arrived at the scene.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Enugu 2015: Chime's group defends embattled chief of staff power

Governorship and Senatorial ambitions ignite power play in Enugu State Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

S

igns that the political environment in Enugu State is gradually hitting up manifested yesterday when a pressure group, South East Revival Group (SERG) hit hard at those behind a recent publication attacking Governor Sullivan Chime’s influential Chief-of-Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo. The publications had accused her of being involved in

N1.2bn

alleged shady contract deals that has rocked the State Universal Basic Education Board(SUBEB).

Another group, Save Enugu Movement, believed to have been sponsored by those opposed to Chime, made the allegations against Nwobodo in a publication three days ago, prompting a reaction by the South- East Revival Group (SERG), in a press briefing yesterday during which its National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, who is also the National Secretary of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties(CNPP) alleged that the publication was the handiwork of some “politicians who want to sit tight in the senate and the House of Representa-

tives as their permanent life ambition; indeed, as their birthright”.

Nwobodo, is set to tackle Senator Gilbert Nnaji for the ticket of the party for Enugu East senatorial zone while Chime himself is to slug it out with the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, who would be serving out his third term in 2015 as he has represented the people of the West senatorial zone in the National Assembly since 2003.

SERG maintained that since the matter of the SUBEB contracts has been handled by the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it was mere politicking by those opposed to Chime

US$17.90bn

and his team for the group to start raising the issues afresh on the pages of newspapers instead of approaching appropriate quarters to obtain the latest facts.

In the new dimension of the battle for the soul of Enugu State, SERG believes that the ‘Save Enugu Movement’ which is different from the ‘Save Enugu Group’ that played a lead role during the controversial annual leave of Chime in 2012, is an emerging mouth piece of a group of disgruntled politicians, out to thwart the zoning arrangement of the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in the state which has proposed to cede the governorship to Enugu North zone.

30%

The total revenue realized from arms sales The percentage share of food production and The IGR realized from direct assessment supply chain of total global energy consumption of EADS, (Trans-European) in 2008. sources of revenue in Akwa Ibom State in 2012.

Source: Unesco.org Source: Blatantworld.com Source: National Bureau of Statistics

PDP, APC trade blame over plan to burn INEC office Adesina Wahab

Ado-Ekiti

he Ayo Fayose CamT(AFCO) paign Organisation has urged Nigeri-

ans, especially the security agencies to hold the All Progressives Congress (APC) responsible should any havoc be done to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in Ekiti State and the materials used during the June 21 governorship election.

Reacting to the allegation of plan to burn the state INEC office made by the APC, AFCO said in a statement issued by its Director General, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, in Ado Ekiti yesterday, that "APC people should not be allowed to burn the INEC office in Ado-Ekiti

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

chukwu Chukwu, has urged the people of Owerri and Orlu zones to support Okigwe zone (Imo North) to complete its outstanding four years as the zone is favoured to produce the next governor in 2015 under the Imo Charter of Equity.

Ozichukwu, who was the National Vice Chairman of the party, South East, and currently the chairman Okigwe PDP Council of Elders, echoed this position when a delegation of Owerri political leaders led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu met with

Joe Obende Warri

H

eads may soon begin to roll in Delta Broadcasting Service, operators of governmentowned Delta Radio and Delta Rainbow Television, Warri. That is over the detection of missing sums from the internally generated revenue of the station.

The fraud, which was internally detected is put at N10million and the explanation by the Chief Accountant, Mrs. Augusta Okoro, that some of the lodged cheques had not matured was said to be unacceptable to the state Ministry of Information, which oversees

Heads may roll at DBS the station.

Subsequently, Okoro was sent on forced leave to allow for a thorough investigation by the fiveman panel constituted by the ministry.

The panel is chaired by a director in the Ministry of Information, Mr. Paul Osahon, with four other members, who include Mr. Paul Omokri, also from the ministry.

Their terms of reference include thorough investigation of missing or misappropriation of funds, the amount involved, how it was perpetrated and steps to stem future occurrence.

They will begin sitting on Monday, July 27 in the station's premises.

Meanwhile, General Manager of the broadcasting house, Mr. Tunde Omonode, has been queried by the Ministry of Information which he has responded to.

When New Telegraph reached Omonode in his office, he feigned ignorance of any missing money, query or suspension of any staff.

When he was told that the ministry had confirmed the development, he maintained ignorance.

Subsequent visits to

his office were rebuffed as he tendered one excuse or the other on why he could not see New Telegraph.

Calls to him on his mobile were not picked neither was a text message responded to.

Some members of staff confirmed the absence of Okoro from her office for some time now.

New Telegraph learnt that those fingered for investigation had begun lobbying the ministry through their "godfathers".

Seeveral calls to the Information Commissioner. Mr. Chike Ogeah and Osahon were not picked as at the time of filing this report.

the way they burnt down the INEC office in Ido-/ Osi Local Government during the 2009 rerun governorship election."

The party was reacting to the statement by the Director of Media, Ekiti APC, Mr Segun Dipe, that some people were planning to burn down INEC office in Ado-Ekiti.

While describing the APC allegation as suspicious, Anisulowo said security agencies must not treat such allegation with levity.

"If they are saying that plans are being hatched to have ‘strange fire’ occurrence at the INEC office in Ado-Ekiti and all the materials relating to the just-concluded governorship election will get burnt, security agencies must ask questions."

Imo North insists on 2015 governorship hieftain of the Peoples cPDP) Democratic Party ( in Imo, Nze Ozi-

L-R: US Consulate Economic Officer, James Plasman; Managing Director, Procter and Gamble Nigeria, George Nassar; Consul-General of United States, Jeffrey Hawkins and Communications Director, Procter and Gamble Nigeria, Khulu Mabaso, during the visit of Hawkins to the multibillion naira manufacturing plant of P and G Nigeria Limited in Agbara Industrial Estate, Ogun State…yesterday

9

their counterparts from Okigwe zone at his Ihitte-Uboma countryhome.

Apparently drumming up support for the former governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, whose second term ambition was aborted in 2011, Ozichukwu said, "The purpose of rotation and zoning is inclusiveness and sense of belonging to create socio- political condition conducive for peace and unity by ensuring fair and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities.

This is why Okigwe zone insists on restitution and demand for their outstanding four years after which they will seamlessly hand over to the next zone without rancour".

Army chief solicits indigenous technology Dan Atori MINNA

n a bid to tackle the Ilenges current security chalin the country, the Nigeria Army yesterday said that it is desirous in developing indigenous technology that would sustain operational needs of its personnel.

Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Nigeria Army, Major General Salihu Uba, disclosed this while inaugurating the second quarter conference of the Nigeria Army Research and Development Committee in Minna.

According to him: "The Nigeria Army is

desirous in developing indigenous technology that would sustain operational needs of its personnel especially in the face of the current asymmetric security challenges in the country.

"The deliberations will consider the need for self-reliance in the production and modification of fast moving military equipment and stores".

Uba urged the participants to deliberate on the draft of policy of the Nigerian Army Research and Development with a view to adding value and perfecting a methodology for its smooth implementation.

10

NEW TELEGRAPH

Friday, July 18, 2014

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

Police brutalise soldier, incur motorcyclists’ wrath Tony Okafor Awka

stationed at the Aroma Junction, Pbraolicemen near the Government House, Awka, AnamState yesterday beat to stupor a soldier

riding a motorcycle without wearing helmet.

The incident, which occurred about 10.30am, almost degenerated to a major crisis as commercial motorcyclists popularly called Okada riders rallied round the soldier.

A witness said that trouble began when police mistook the soldier for a commercial motorcyclist and beat him mercilessly.

They asked the soldier to kneel down and to start ‘leap frogging,’ but the soldier refused.

He shouted, “I’m a soldier, I can’t be intimidated by the police.”

Upon realising the consequence of the action of his men, the leader of the police team, ASP Laz Ebeghe, disembarked from the police van and started inquiring from them what was amiss.

But within a few seconds, some soldiers arrived at the scene and began to question the police team leader on why his men should brutalise the soldier.

Before Ebeghe could offer any explanation, his superiors from the B-Division had rushed to the scene with apologies to the soldiers for the embarrassment.

The wounded soldier, who had wounds in his knees, hands and face, also began to appeal to his colleagues to pardon the erring police officers.

But by then, motorcycle operators in the area had mobilised their members and started to chant war songs.

The riders alleged that the police at the Aroma Junction had been in the habit of intimidating, harassing and extorting money from their members.

“This is becoming like a legalised toll. The policemen collect from each of our members on daily basis an average of N500,” one of them told journalists.

They called on relevant authorities to come to their rescue.

VIOs return to Anambra roads 10 years after Tony Okafor Awka

State Government has re-launched Acersnambra the operations of Vehicle Inspection Offi(VIOs) 10 years after the sector went into

oblivion.

Briefing the press yesterday after a sensitisation tour of Onitsha and Nnewi to announce the return of the organisation, the Commissioner for Transport, Chuma Mbonu, said it was part of Governor Willie Obiano’s plans to sanitise the system, especially in reducing carnage on the road.

He said to this effect, the state had hired the services of three retired VIOs on contract to assist in implementing effective motoring, adding that each of the hired officers would man each of the senatorial zones in the state - Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha.

Mbonu said the essence of the sensitisation was to create the awareness for commuters that the officers would commence work on all roads in the state on Monday.

He warned those whose vehicles are in bad conditions to stir clear of the roads or risk their vehicles being impounded with the attendant fine and/or prosecution.

The commissioner maintained that all vehicles plying the road must be road worthy while drivers must be trained and certified fit to handle wheels.

THURSday, JULY 18, 2014

abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com; otuntise@yahoo.co.uk

0802 393 8212

Teacher abducts two pupils, demands N250,000 ransom WICKED CUSTODIAN A teacher uses his closeness to parents to kidnap pupils in his care Charles Onyekwere Abakaliki

A

27-year-old school teacher, who allegedly kidnapped two of his pupils in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State and demanded N250,000 ransom from their parents, has been apprehended by the police in Ebonyi State.

The suspect, Mr Kingson Sunday Asiegbu, a teacher at a private school at Mulipa, Ijebu-Ode, was arrested in his home town of Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State with the children, following a tip off.

Addressing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Abakaliki, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Chris Anyanwu, said the teacher took advantage of his relationship with the family of the victims to perpetrate the crime.

The victims, Toluwalipe Kosoko (nine) and his seven-year-old brother, Omodolapo Kosoko, are pupils of Imperial International School, Mulipa, Ijebu-Ode, where the suspect teaches.

They were allegedly abducted by Asiegbu who is their teacher and family friend on July 8.

Toluwalipe told journalists that Uncle Kingson, as they call him, told them that they were travelling to his home town, without knowing that they were going to be kept in captivity.

Anyanwu said the parents of the children had paid N150,000 out of the N250,000 demanded by the suspect.

The PPRO urged parents to be wary of those they entrust the care of their children to.

He said the police had also arrested another teacher in Ugwulangwu in Ohaozara, Mr Johnson Ugwu, into whose account the ransom was paid.

Anyanwu said the matter would soon be transferred to Ogun State for further investigation.

While Asiegbu confessed to the crime, Ugwu denied any involvement.

Narrating their ordeals, the parents of the victims, Mr Ademola Philips Kosoko and his wife, Abiola, said that they were shocked when the teacher, who had been their intimate family friend, sent them threat messages and demanded ransom for the release of the children.

They explained that they alerted security agencies who worked in concert with network providers to track the suspect who they had paid N150,000.

Police IG, Mohammed

Nigeria: Indian hemp seizure value Juliana Francis

C

ultivation of Cannabis sativa, selling and consumption its by-product, Indian hemp, seem to be part of the hydra headed problems facing Nigeria.

This is underscored by the 2014 world drug report.

The report states that Nigeria is higher than other African countries in cannabis seizure.

Nigeria, according to the report presented by Professor Isidore Obot, Head of Psychology Department, University of Uyo (UNIUYO), is rated highest in cannabis seizure in Africa.

“Nigeria remains the country with the largest seizures of cannabis in the region followed by Egypt,” the report added.

The report said that cannabis was the most prominent drug in offences for possession for personal use.

With regards to trafficking offences, Amphetamine Type Stimulant (ATS) is prominent in Asia and cocaine in the Americas.

Illicit drugs seized in 2013 by the NDLEA weighed 339,968kg with an estimated street value of N34 billion.

The breakdown is as follows; cannabis (205,373kg), psychotropic substances 133,920kg, methamphetamine 340.8kg and cocaine 290.2kg.

Others are heroin 24.53kg, amphetamine 19.297 and ephedrine 0.28 grams.

In 2013 alone, a total of 3,271 drug dependent persons were successfully counselled in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) facilities nationwide. This comprises 3,062 males and 209 females.

Additional 802 treated cases were reported by hospitals and other drug dependence treatment centres in the country.

These facts were made known yesterday in Abuja during the dissemination meeting for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2014 World Drug report and International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) 2013 report.

Key players at the meeting were the UNODC country representative, Ms Mariam Sissoko, the NDLEA Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade, and the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii.

Giade said that NDLEA would continue to intensify its cannabis control mandate geared towards ensuring a crime-free society and peaceful election in 2015.

He said: “Cannabis is the common drug of abuse in Nigeria and as the election year 2015 draws nearer, we are fine-

tuning our strategies to cut off supply and ensure a crime-free election and a healthy society for all.”

Urging parents to be mindful of their kids and wards, Giade said that drug control programmes were more effective when supported by stakeholders.

“Drug control measures are more effective when community leaders, families, media and individuals support anti-drug abuse programmes. Parents must monitor their children to prevent drug use and seek early help for those with substance abuse problems,” he said.

On her part, Sissoko said that this year’s World Drug Report showed that, “around 243 million people, aged 15-64 consumed an illicit drug in 2012. Out of this number, problem drug users, those who have most difficulties with drug consumption, account for around 27 million or one in every 200 people.”

The report exposed a gap in the treatment of drug abuse as only one in six drug users around the world receive the drug dependence treatment they need.

The report also highlighted the economic consequences of drug abuse, impact on health, public safety, crime, productivity and governance. Cost of drug prevention and treatment globally is estimated at $35 billion.

Orhii expressed optimism that the re-

METRO

Friday, July 18, 2014

15 arrested after hoodlums clash in Ilorin Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

A

gain, hoodlums disrupted the peace of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, when clashed around Oja-Iaya/Eruda area of the metropolis.

Although there was no report of death at press time, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, said that the hoodlums vandalised several properties during the fight.

Okasanmi also confirmed that at least 15 of them were arrested and were being ‘sorted out’ to determine the level of their involvement.

Sources close to the scene of the incident said that the fight broke out over the failure of one of the youth from Eruda to offset his indebtedness to a lady from whom he had allegedly bought some quantity of noodles.

“The lady demanded her money but he refused and that was why the lady went back to report him to her people who immediately mobilised and went to deal with the man on Wednesday night,” one of the sources said.

The source added that the man also mobilised his own people to launch a counterattack in the early hours of yesterday.

They were said to have fired gunshots sporadically for the most part of Wednesday night, forcing many residents to stay indoors.

But Okasanmi said the command had deployed enough men in the affected area and would launch detailed investigation on the matter in earnest.

A similar fracas had occurred in February and affected residents and business activities around Edun, Emir’s Road, Post Office areas following what sources claimed was a battle to control the ‘rent’ from lotto operators in the popular Post Office area.

Recently, leaders of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) expressed concern over the incessant break down of law and order in some parts of the state capital and announced plans to hold a

security summit in August to sensitise the to the need to remain peaceful at all times.

National President of the union, Alhaji AbdulHamid Adi, said this during a security advocacy visit to the General Manager of the Kwara State Printing and Publishing Corporation, publishers of The Herald Newspapers, Alhaji AbdulRazaq Adebayo.

He said: “Ilorin is developing every day; people are coming into the town almost on a daily basis and in as much as we cannot determine the type of people coming in there is need for us to be security conscious.

“We hear and see the damage violence has caused in other states of the federation and the recent unrest experienced in some parts of the metropolis is a wakeup call to everyone. We must nip in the bud these unrests and ensure that there is no repeat of such because this is a state of harmony and we intend to keep it so.”

Fashola increases maternity leave to six months lIntroduces 10-day paternity leave

Muritala Ayinla

G

overnor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday introduced a 10-day paternity leave for male civil servants and extended maternity leave for female workers to six months.

The new policy is to allow parents pay more attention to their babies.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, the state Head of Service, Mrs Josephine Williams, who made the disclosure, said the new leave regime was meant to reduce the negative implication of the extensive work life of parents.

She said: “A female officer shall be entitled to 24-week maternity leave with full pay in case of her first two deliveries. The said leave shall commence, at least two weeks before the expected delivery date.

A male officer to whom a new baby (or babies in case of multiple births) is born shall be entitled to 10 working days.”

Williams added that subsequent deliveries by any employees shall only attract 12 weeks’ maternity leave for the female officer, while the male officer shall not be entitled to paternity leave in that circumstance.

Explaining the rationale for the new leave regime, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina, said the six-month leave would enable the nursing female public servants to implement six months’ exclusive breast feeding for servants.

“At six months or 24 weeks, a baby is considered strong enough to

Kumuyi

Fashola

be left in a decent crèche for proper care having gone through close affection and nurturing by mother for those very important and delicate first few months of his/her life,” she said.

Adeshina, however, urged private companies to emulate the new leave regime in order to enable the nursing mothers pay necessary attention to their babies and reduce maternal and child mortality.

Ahmed, Kwara State gov.

Rivers communities applaud Amaechi’s achievements

hits N34b

C

L-R: Sissoko, Giade and Orhii at the event

ports would enhance the principle of shared responsibility among drug regulatory authorities, reveal socio-economic implications of drug use and promote the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances only for medical and scientific purposes.

The reports have recommended the development of

11

comprehensive strategies in addressing prescription drug abuse, support domestic and international investigations targeting organised criminal networks, promote the application of drug control treaties as well as develop practical measures to effectively prevent new psychoactive substances.

ommunities in the Ikwerre ethnic nationality of Rivers State have commended Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for providing infrastructural and human capital development since he assumed office in October 2007.

The communities include Aluu, Omagwa, Isiokpo, Elele and Apani among others.

They gave the commendation during the governor’s “Meet the People tour” to rural communities in the Ikwerre Local Government Area on Wednesday.

Mr Garshion Benson, who presented an address on behalf of the Aluu clan, congratulated Amaechi on his forthrightness, vision and courage which had unarguably him the ‘face of true democracy’ in Nigeria.

He said: “The Aluu clan has over 50,000 registered voters over the years to consistently deliver the highest vote to our course. Sir, the support and commitment of the Aluu clan have been with you since you started your political carrier in the 1980s and we believe Your Excellency recognises this fact.

“We wish to commend you for the quality of work so far done on the

Mrs Matilda Nnodim Road project; the surfacing from the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) axis is just nearing the first community on that route.”

At Omagwa, the chiefs and elders also expressed appreciation to the governor for providing them with dividends of democracy.

At Isiokpo, the headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area, the people described the governor’s visit as home coming.

In Elele, the people said since the assumption of office by Amaechi,

Isiokpo had been peaceful and devoid of rancour and acrimony, as the commercial nerve centre of the Ikwerre Local Government Area.

The people of Apani clan also expressed their gratitude and support to the governor.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Hon. Azubuike Nwajoku, the lawmaker representing the Ikwerre constituency in the House of Assembly said: “We are grateful to Governor Amaechi for the numerous developmental strides that have been attracted to Apani.”

Amaechi being cheered by a crowd of supporters at Isiokpo community in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

12 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

COEASU directs members to resume work Monday breakthrough

Government and college of Education lecturers are forging a common front Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

A

cademic activities will resume on Monday July 21 at the various Colleges

of Education across the country. The National President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) Comrade Emmanuel Asagha has said that the union has shelved its seven months old strike.

Asagha disclosed this in Abuja yesterday while answering questions from journalists at the end of a closed door meeting, members of his executives had with Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.

The union had on Monday announced the suspension of the strike, which according to its President, was called off on principle as it may resume if government reneges on the agreement.

The suspension followed the intervention of Committee of Chairmen of Governing Councils of Colleges of Education in the crisis on Monday.

But Asagha expressed satisfaction with the commitment so far displayed by the Minister

97.5%

No rift between Fashola and Lagos teachers Muritala Ayinla Lagos State governTthehement yesterday said National Union of

Teachers was not in any way angry with the state Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola.

Reacting to a report that some teachers in the state are angry with the governor over unpaid allowances, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, denied any rift with and Fashola over unpaid allowances.

Admitting that the government had not fully paid the balance of the 27.5 per cent Teachers Salary Scale, TSS, Oladunjoye noted that government was working assiduously to pay the balance being owed the teachers.

She added that the government was still meeting with the teachers to pay the balance of the teaching allowances.

Her words: “Teach-

ers are not angry with Fashola. They are happy with us. We are working hand-in-hand to meet their demands. The fact that government has outstanding to pay the teachers does not mean that they were not happy with the government.

“Government is not unmindful of the critical roles and importance of teachers in the scheme of things. As a matter of fact, our conviction of the pivotal role of education and indeed our teachers in the development and economic growth of a nation has been our driving force in the attainment of excellence in the provision of education in Africa.

“Government is not unmindful of the need to fully pay the 27.5 per cent Special Teacher Allowance to its teachers; hence government is working assiduously with a view to paying the balance of the Special Teacher Allowance to its teachers soonest."

Osun guber: Delta APC lambasts Uduaghan Dominic Adewole ASABA

he All Progressives TState Congress in Delta yesterday took the

ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the cleaners over Osun state governorship race.

The party is angry that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan last week during his mid-term briefing, declared the ruling party as the leading party in the state and Nigeria at large.

The governor also said the victory of the ruling PDP in Ekiti State would be replicated “very soon” in Osun State.

A statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Isaac Adaka Adakpo, in Asaba yesterday, made available to the New Telegraph, wondered why Uduaghan and his allies were still basking

in the euphoria of Ekiti victory despite its poor conduct.

While stating the leadership crisis rocking the party had been resolved in Effurun at the instance of Olorogun O’tega Emehor, a 2015 governorship hopeful of the party and described the re-election bid of Governor Rauf Aregbesola as a “fait accompli”, he said APC state chairmen had concluded plans to storm Osun in solidarity with the governor.

He said, “In a mother of all rallies, Prophet Jones Ode-Erue (Delta state chairman) will be leading all APC chairmen to bless the fiat accompli, victory for the broom party APC, which has swept new life and goodies of democracies into the lives of the masses of the people of Osun State."

of Education, noting that the issues would be resolved in no time based on the "utmost commitment and fear of God" with which the Minister has spoken.

His words: "We fought a good fight and the new Minister has exhibited sincere commitment to work on the resolutions of the lingering issues.

We are believing that the way he has spoken with utmost commitment and fear of God, we believe that the issues should be

The percentage of urban population of Belgium in 2012.

Source: Un.org

resolved in no time.

"We are pursuing our cause; we have just been told that a meeting has been called by Salary and Wages Commission as regards migration as at tomorrow.”

"That shows that we are committed towards resolving the issues and he has also told us that there is nothing that can challenge Presidential approval. With this assurance, as much as we are so sure, we still give room to some errors here

178,369

The number of air travel passengers of the domestic wing of Calabar airport in 2013.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

and there so that the temporary climax will be such that we will be suspending the strike for the period of three months, effective from Monday next week".

He also disclosed that the union was able to extract a letter of agreement from the Minister under which members would not be sanctioned or punished for their role in the strike and that their suspended salary would be paid among other conditions.

13,443

The number of pending asylum seekers of Egypt at the beginning of 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

L-R: Group Managing Director/CEO, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae; Chairman, Mr. Felix Ohiwerei and Company Secretary, Mr. Abayomi Adebanjo, at the company Annual General Meeting in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Referendum: EKSIEC, Aluko flex muscles over court order Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

E

kiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday continued their brickbats over the conduct of Saturday's referendum on the creation of new local governments in the state.

EKSIEC, through the Chairperson, Mrs Cecilia Adelusi, who addressed journalists, said the electoral body had no legal encumbrance stopping it from conducting the referendum.

She said the body had no proof of any court or-

der or ruling that could stop it from performing its statutory functions.

This is just as the PDP, through its State Secretary, Dr Tope Aluko, said there was no legallyconstituted SIEC in Ekiti, urging the people to stay away from Saturday’s exercise on the premise that government was committing illegality and that such action would not stand in the face of law.

Aluko said, “The governor is aware of the fact that the SIEC is not in existence and he has said this on several occasions that he could not conduct local government election because there is a

case pending in court and the court is the Supreme Court”.

The PDP chieftain added that the party filed an appeal against the judgement of Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court and “whatever action the SIEC takes now is illegal, null and void”.

Aluko posited: “The Supreme Court has not come out with a decision on the constitution of SIEC. Where has the SIEC got the power to operate? We advise the people of Ekiti to ignore the referendum because it is an exercise in futility. It is designed to confuse the people and set a banana

peel on the way of the incoming government”.

The PDP added: “The House of Assembly, SIEC and the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice have been duly served with authenticated proof of service of all the court processes”.

However, the EKSIEC boss said the claim of the PDP that the SIEC would be acting illegally was unfounded.

She said the Appeal Court had in its judgement of March 26, 2013 ordered that the case challenging the constitution of EKSIEC be tried afresh.

PDP will win Southwest zone, says Enikuomehin Babatope Okeowo Akure

chieftain of the PeoA(PDP) ples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Dr

Benson Enikuomehin, yesterday predicted victory for the party in the southwest geo-political zone and Nigeria in subsequent elections.

He hinged his prediction on the internal

democracy that is inherent in the party and lack of same in other opposition parties in the country.

Enikuomehin, who defected from the Labour Party(LP) to the PDP, said in an interview that the major opposition All Progressives Party(APC) stands no chance to upstage the PDP in the Southwest

geo-political and at the national elections.

The former representative of Ondo State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) predicted that the LP would die within a year after it must have left Alagbaka government house in 2017.

His words: “There is only one party that

is struggling in and out of water to compete with PDP and all what they are doing is that they are applying all this APC drugs for them to survive. In their domain, that is South West, in the last election in Ekiti, one man one vote no rigging, the incumbent was so beaten that he surrendered all."

OKORIE: NYAKO DIDN’T SHOW KNOWLEDGE OF POLITICS / PAGE 16 | BABATOPE: PRESIDENCY NOT INVOLVED / PAGE 17

POLITICS

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/politics

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, POLITICS

ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

ayodeleojo@yahoo.com

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014

Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, a former Presidential Adviser in the Second Republic, is also leader of the Northern Elders Council. He spoke with CHINEDU EKEJA on a number of national issues, including the National Conference recommendations, insecurity in the country, among others, excerpts What is your take on the recommendation by the conference to increase the number of states in the country?

Left for me, even the 36 states we have in Nigeria are not justified. People are now asking for states so that they can get more revenue from the federation account because of this equality of states. Left to me I will reduce the number of states in Nigeria to 12 as we had during Gowon’s era. This is because at the moment, 70 to 75 per cent of our national revenue is going to service bureaucracy at the federal and state level so that the common man is not benefitting from the enormous amount of revenue we are getting. This oil sooner or later will finish and we will not have anything to show for it. The worst of it all is that it is only few individuals that are siphoning the money and taking it abroad; they are not even using the money in this country to create employment opportunities for our teeming youths. So left to me all these clamour for state are driven by greed to take a share in the federation account.

Go back to the history of the agitation for the state creation.

It started with the minority who were really dominated by the majority tribe who were not treating them fairly, starting with Calabar/Ogoja River which made them to form a movement. In the north we have middle belt struggling for Middle Belt region, in the west we have the struggle for the Middle West region.

All these are genuine cases of minority who are being suppressed by the majority group.

For instance, the minorities in the west were being suppressed by the Yoruba’s, the minorities in the East were being suppressed by the Igbos and the minorities in the North were suppressed by the Hausa/Fulani group which is true, nobody

13

2015: PDP’S CANDIDATE’LL DETERMINE ITS VICTORY IN LAGOS, SAYS SALIS

p-14

Boko Haram now a political movement –Yakassai cables, steal the transformer, sell it to the traders and they will buy and move it to the market and it becomes a continuous recycling. That is poverty.

Yakassai

can deny that fact. Those agitations have every legitimacy.

But the ones we are having now have no legitimacy. What is the reason for instance for Zamfara to be different from Sokoto?

They speak the same language; they have the same culture and have the same religion. What is the justification for the creation of Osun from Ondo state? They are the same people, with the same religion and culture. The same applies to the creation of Enugu from Anambra or Abia from Imo, the same people, no minority among them.

What is your assessment of the

current security situation in the country?

The insecurity is related to unemployment and poverty.

There is no development. No electricity, no water, no job; millions of Nigerians are going about the streets with no job.

And this is the reason we are having armed robbery, kidnapping and all forms of terrorism.

Till today Nigerian government has not addressed these problems headlong. Not until we go back to the drawing board to have a programme that will solve the problem of unemployment by creating jobs, the menace of insecurity would remain

hard to tackle.

You cannot create jobs without having industries and you cannot have industries without steady power supply all over the country. When Obasanjo took over, he said he will tackle the issue power within six months.

He spent eight years and we ended up having less power than we have had before he came. And it has been on and on that way. Because of poverty, we have people who are sabotaging the efforts of the government to improve on the power sector. The vandals who go about disrupting electricity supply networks; they go and cut the

CROSSFIRE PDP is fomenting trouble and it will be detrimental to our young democracy if it continues. It is very obvious that they have declared war on APC because they are only targeting APC governors –Joe Igbokwe

Nyako brought the problem on himself even when he knew he did not have a strong hold on the Assembly. He has always had issues with politicians in his state but I had expected him to handle this in a more matured way -Chinwoke Mbadinuju

Do you share the same views with some people that Boko Haram insurgency has gone beyond religious militancy to politics?

Yes, to some extent. Initially, it was a religious matter; some few Muslims who were not satisfied with the way some leaders who are Muslims practiced the religion; they believed they were not applying it according to the teachings of Prophet Mohamed and Quran, so they wanted to correct that but it has now gone beyond that.

They believed they could turn the whole country to their own pattern of Islam. They did not understand that they were crossing the boundary from religion to politics. They were doing so because they wanted to have power, because they thought that if they have power they could change the situation, but it is not the same. All these Talibans, Al Qaeda and other similar networks are the same and started like Boko Haram; thinking that the people were not following the doctrines correctly and they wanted to force them to change it.

Do you think they are still on the track of that original mission or they have deviated?

Now it has become a political movement looking for power, not in the same way as political parties, under the mistaken belief that if they have political power, they will force people to do the religion the way they think it should be done. There are many people who think that Boko Haram is a protest against Jonathan. No it is wrong. It started before Jonathan dreamt of becoming even the deputy governor in his state. The genesis of this religious agitation started during Shagari era with the ‘maitaisine’ in Kano which was 1980, but the government failed to curtail it because they did not keep their eyes wide open to watch the development of this wild conception of religious ideas and nip it in the bud.

By the time Obasanjo was leaving, Yar’Adua took over, Boko Haram was only fighting security forces, the police, and at a point the police could CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

14 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

2015: PDP’s candidate’ll determine its victory in Lagos, says Salis You are one of those aspiring to govern Lagos come 2015, how prepared are you for the governorship race?

I am still in the race and I am only hopeful that my party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the people of Lagos State will understand the contest. I am very much in the race. We are doing party politics now. I have declared to the party’s structures that I am contesting.

I have written to those I am supposed to write to.

Chief Owolabi Salis, is a former Action Party of Nigeria (APN) governorship candidate in Lagos State in the 2007 elections. In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE and WALE ELEGBEDE, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, says that PDP’s chance of winning Lagos in 2015 will depend on who flies the party’s governorship ticket. He also speaks on other national issues. Excerpts Goodluck Jonathan will do that. And if he does that, all I know is that the party members are the ones who are going to do the work to make sure that they protect the polling booths, and that may lead to the party’s failure.

You have contested on two occasions, are you not tired of running for the governorship?

I contested in 2007 and 2011 and this is going to be my third time. I am still in the race because I have so some programmes that I want to execute on behalf of the grassroots people. The programmes were written overtime and they were designed to uplift the low people in the society. We are actually going to cater for the poor people in Lagos. It is going to be revolutionary if I win because I have novel ideas and things to restructure the system.

There is no doubt that you are popularity among the masses, especially with the poor people. How would you connect that with the so-called elites so that your ambition could be realised?

I don’t have any problem with the elites; I am an elite and I belong to the elite professions. I am a lawyer; a jurist doctor at New York Bar and member of the Nigeria Bar. I am also a chartered accountant; former speaker of Annual Accountant Conference in 1995, a fellow graded Chartered Institute of Bankers.

So, I am also an elite, but I am an elite that loves the poor people. So, if I get the ticket of the PDP, the elites will identify that I am part of them. It is a professional link and I also belong to the human rights community. I am a financial member of Amnesty International.

How do you see the issue of religion and zoning that are been introduced to Lagos State 2015 governorship election by some groups?

That is a big mistake. People are talking about religion, making suggestion about it and it is not going to work. I am not after religion. I have a church built with my own funds. I would have completed it if not for the Omo Onile problem. I have been building the church for almost seven years. I have a mosque to my credit also in the same Ikorodu, and of course I support our African culture.

You see, people who lack knowledge of diversity are the people hammering on religion and besides there is no family in Lagos State where the members of the family are not practising Christianity and Islam. I read an article where somebody said Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Rafiu Jafojo are Muslims.

Who told you Jafojo is a Muslim? Is it because he is bearing Rafiu Jafojo? I can confirm to you that Jafojo’s children, Bimpe and one of his brothers are heads of churches in Atlanta, United States. I can confirm to you that Papa Jakande, though he has a Muslim name is not really a Muslim fanatic. So, that administration to me is not a Muslim administration. Former Lagos State governor, Sir Michael Otedola and his wife are Christians but former governor Bola Tinubu, despite being a Muslim, his administration was a Christian administration. Tinubu is not a die-hard Muslim but the wife is a die-hard Christian. In fact when you are a governor, your wife gives out more than the man. Are you telling me that Governor Babatunde

How solid is the PDP in Lagos now?

I have told you, it depends on who is the candidate. A lot of people love PDP because of the virtue of Lagos population character, which favours PDP. Lagos State used to be a Federal Capital Territory before and many people living here are being governed by PDP in their states of origin. In fact there are about 70 per cent voters that are not connected with party; they are undecided voters.

So, it depends on who is the candidate and how you are able to get these people on your side. I know that if they have a good candidate, I am not praising myself, if they have me, they have won.

Salis

Fashola is a die-hard Muslim? Fashola is not like Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is a die-hard Muslim. Fashola is not a die-hard Muslim but his wife is a diehard Catholic woman and she is actually dishing out more to the Christian community than Fashola is dishing out to the Muslim community. Talking about myself, I am not a die-hard religious person; I support all religions. I have been to Jerusalem and Rome, and I have been to so many religious sites in the world because I am a research professor on Diversity Relations. I have been to Saudi Arabia and to so many religious sites and I also support our culture. My wife is a Christian and my children are Christians, so what are you talking about? I am just a professor of Diversity Relations. I support all religions and understand that religion doesn’t matter. It is actually something that should not be brought to Lagos politics because many families in Lagos practice both religions.

The PDP has always aspired to govern Lagos for many years, but it has always lost to the ruling party. How confident are you that the PDP will take over Lagos in 2015?

It depends on who is the party’s candidate. The PDP has a strong chance depending on who is the candidate. There are three things that the PDP needs to do in order to win the election. Number one, we need to present a candidate who is generally acceptable to all party members, particularly the people at the grassroots because they are the ones who are going to do the work. Number two, we need to present a candidate who is ready to win, not one who wants to use the election to negotiate for ministerial position. There are some candidates who just want to get the ticket in order

to negotiate for position. And thirdly, we need a candidate who is generally acceptable to Lagosians.

There are insinuations that some people who are not members of the PDP are coming to take the PDP ticket, how true is that?

Are you talking about Jimi Agbaje?

He is going to fail, he can’t win. Who is Jimi Agbaje? Is it because he went to a cheap debate where he was able to rattle some people?

But some people say he has good will?

What goodwill? Don’t we have goodwill? He has to come in into the party first, then we will now present ourselves to the party members and the delegates who are going to elect whoever they want as the party’s flag bearer. We are all investors in the party, so somebody cannot just come to say that he wants to impose Jimi Agbaje on us. It is not going to work. The imposition can only come from the President and Commander-in-Chief and I don’t think President

The PDP has a strong chance depending on who is the candidate... we need to present a candidate who is ready to win, not one who wants to use the election to negotiate for ministerial position

As a security expert, what is your take on the activities of the dreadful Boko Haram sect?

The Boko Haram menace is not peculiar to Nigeria. There is insecurity problem across the world. What is happening in Nigeria is not something that is peculiar to Nigeria alone but it is a challenge and something that will lead to revolution in Nigeria. So there is that tendency for Nigeria military to reform themselves properly against this challenge.

What is your take on the kidnapped Chibok girls who are currently under the captive of the Boko Haram sect?

We need to keep talking about the Chibok girls. BringOurGirlsBack is an international issue now but the opposition has been wrongly interpreted it against the President. How could that be against the President? BringOurGirlsBack is an international issue for promoting consciousness on the young people that were held up. I think the campaign for the release of the Chibok girls is a good thing because everybody in the world is talking about it. People are talking about the whereabout of those girls, and at this level, I think there is a need to be conscious because the military cannot just go to where those girls are kept to forcefully release them. If they tried to do so, they might injure them. So, I will advise that the government should release the Boko Haram prisoners in exchange for the Chibok girls.

Are you saying that government should yield to the Boko Haram request of exchanging the kidnapped Chibok girls with itsmembers who are currently in prison?

Yes, there should an exchange and after that the fight can continue after they have secured the girls. Government needs to free the girls because their mental state is in jeopardy. Apart from physical injuries, what about the mental injuries? They are young people in the forest, what about their feeding. They need to be released.

What is your assessment of Nigeria’s 15 years of democracy?

So far so good, the pass mark is low but it is still better than the military regimes.

POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

15

Yakassai: Confab was a huge success gram of the government. But there are those that would require special laws.

The president will send a bill to the National Assembly for an enactment so that he will sign it into law and it will be implemented. There are those that will require constitutional amendment to fix them in. the constitution will be amended to take care of them.

You see our constitution did not provide for a national referendum, it provided only for a limited referendum in four places; one when you are creating a local government, two when you are adjusting a boundary, three, when you are creating a state, four, when you are recalling an elected member, but there is no provision for a national referendum on any issue in the constitution. So for us to adopt the constitution through a referendum, we have to amend the constitution to create room for that, but to amend the constitution, you will need the two- third majority of the National Assembly and 24 out of 36 state assemblies. So it is not something one will do overnight because of the conflicting interests.

CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

not contain them and the military were drafted to join in the fight. Unfortunately, the military when they arrested their leader handed him over to the police who eventually killed him. His followers who felt he was extra-judicially executed reacted. That sparked off into what grew into what we have today. It was during Jonathan’s administration that everything escalated, may be due to wrong approach, because what should have been done was for the government to gather surveillance to tackle the issue headlong before it grew out of hand.

Now the conference is at its rounding off stage, what is your assessment, do you think it’s a success or otherwise?

The conference itself is a huge success, because for the first time, it brought people with divergent views face to face to come and rub minds about national problems. That has enabled us to understand each other’s positions better and in the process, reconcile our positions. This is the reason why the 20 committees appointed by the conference completed their assignments and their decisions were reached through consensus. There was no single situation where they have to resort to voting. Even the devolution of power committee in which I was a member, we were 31 members, arrived at our position through consensus, and the committee recommended the maintenance of 13 per cent derivation which we submitted to the conference. So we understand ourselves better and as a result, we were able to have some innovation in the way in which the country should be governed.

One of the most important decisions taken at the conference was that five per cent of the federation account should be set aside for the development of other solid mineral resources that have been neglected in the past. If we do that, it will be a continuous process and not for once. Every year, five per cent of the annual total revenue accruing to the country would be set aside and we will continue to invite foreigners to come and partner with us.

The revenue that we generate from the sale of minerals may even surpass what we are getting from oil and you will find out that will provide the opportunity for employment and job creation and poverty alleviation, because when people are employed, they will get salary and they will not be as poor and hungry as they use to be. This is what made China what it is today. We have all that we need for a better economy; a country with a very large area with different God-given resources, as well as the population and anything you can think of. If you deploy the population to the productive sector, you will generate a lot of money for the country and therefore we will be able to develop.

These are some of the things that the conference has been able to create a platform for its smooth take off, or do I say recommended because the entire conference is an advisory body, whatever we did is an advice to the president, he takes the ones he wants and throws away the ones he doesn’t want or send it to the National Assembly. Some will pass as law; some will go as constitutional amendment.

Then the second we achieved in the conference was a recommendation for a modified presidential system. It is a very good innovation. Now ministers will not come from the street. They will be elected members of the parliament. With the knowledge of the stress of electioneering campaign and what the electorates are yearning for, when they come back as members of the National Executive Council, they will steal, but they will not

Yakassai

steal the way they are stealing now. It is a good thing for the country. Also the president is given a scope, that where members of the parliament do not contain people with specialized knowledge, he can bring in people from outside so that they can sit with the members of the parliament.

In the light of what we have now in the National Assembly where by the members are accused of not taking home the funds meant for their constituency development, how do you think this will work?

The knowledge that your colleagues in the parliament are from the opposition party, and that if you steal you will be exposed, is enough to make them behave. All the troubles we use to have like the alleged spending of billions of naira on the maintenance of aircraft and other similar scandals will not arise. The moment a member comes to know about such, it will be raised in the parliament and there and then, he or she will be forced to answer because the ministers will be there. They don’t need a committee to go and investigate; it will be there on the spot. And that will cut the mismanagement of the country’s resources. This accountability introduced will go a long way to reduce corruption in the system. It will not go over night, but with time, it will fade away.

Rotational presidency was another recommendation of the conference, how do think that will serve the overall interests of the people of this country?

It is a very good thing. You see all these political instabilities in the country today are as a result of the question of who controls the power at the centre. From 1960 when we got independence, the question of who will control power at the centre has been the main cause of trouble in Nigeria.

The Action Group thought they will win election in 1959, but they could not win because they could not constitute the majority. The Igbo then formed an alliance with the Northerners and put together, they constituted about 70 per cent of the population, and therefore, with the Yorubas outside the circle, they couldn’t have power. It was equally that question of who controls the centre that led to the young Igbo generals to plot a coup because they knew the Igbo with their population cannot get power. That led to a counter coup

The conference itself is a huge success, because for the first time, it brought people with divergent views face to face to come and rub minds about national problems and all other troubles at the time. Even the northerners that took over power after the counter coup, were fighting themselves because the attraction is that centre.

If you put rotation, you are assuring every part of the country that one day, the power will get to you. Today, it is the southern minority, tomorrow I don’t know but the decision is that power will rotate between the North and the south geo political zones. If it comes to the north, one zone will go and it will return to the south that will produce from another zone. When it goes back to the next zone, the region that produced the last time will not be given that chance again so as to make way for another zone, and so it continues. With this, everybody will have the opportunity to control power because even if a zone has not produced, they can afford to wait knowing that one day, it will be their turn. Even during the days of NPN, we recommended this rotational principle so that power will go round.

And rotation must come with its twin sister, zoning, So that if you have the president for instance, other positions like vice president, senate president, speaker, Secretary to the Federal Government etc will be zoned to other parts of the country while they are waiting as something to hold their hands till their time comes to make for balance.

Many Nigerians have expressed reservations about the possibility of the recommendations from the conference coming into full implementation as there was no earlier platform created. What’s your take?

The truth is that most Nigerians are just ignorant of the workings of the constitution. The outcome of the conference will be divided into three; there are policy matters, which the president will handle with his ministers as pro-

Very soon now, Nigerians will go to the polls again to elect their leaders, with the outcome of the national conference and the happenings in the country today, what are your hopes and expectations for the 2015 elections?

I hope that the next election will be better than the previous ones. It will be conducted because Nigerians are tired of military rule. If we cannot conduct elections, it means, we are inviting the military to come back. I am encouraged by the outcome of the election in Ekiti state. It means that INEC with all the experience they have gathered so far are capable of giving Nigerians credible elections. May be not a perfect election, but at least, 70 to 80 per cent of course is near perfection.

How would you react to the insinuations that members of the national conference were just there to play the script of the presidency to brighten his chances of reelection in 2015?

The president did not nominate members of the national conference; he allotted number of seats to various institutions, organizations and state governments. Half of the state governments are not PDP as of now except for this outcome of Ekiti state election and probably the impeachment saga hanging around. The president did not appoint delegates, he gave traditional rulers a number of seats; he gave media, manufacturers association, universities, judiciary and others.

So I don’t believe that the national conference is a gathering or a collection of the yes men of the president. He did not tell the Nigerian Bar Association for instance who to nominate, or the Nigerian Labour Congress, they decided on their own.

What is your message to Nigerians as 2015 approaches?

I want Nigerians to know that this country was created by God who meant well for Nigeria and its people. We should all give our support to this country. It is all for our benefits, not for God. You see, one thing I am so glad about is that this conference has brought about a better understanding among the various ethnic nationalities in this country.

It has provided an avenue for us to know each other well as a people of this country. Let us value our country for that is the only way we can keep together. It is a divine making that we are made to come together. There is no nation like Nigeria in the whole world. Some of the problems and challenges we are having today are manmade; certainly they can be overcome.

16 POLITICS

OPEN FORUM Ckekwas Okorie is the National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP)

T

he process of the impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako was in order. Though there is no denying the fact that it is all about politics, but impeachment is a political action usually used against someone who has committed some offences. The impeached governor was in error when he refused to appear before the probe panel to defend himself. The court cannot help him now because it is too late; his impeachment is complete. He didn’t show knowledge of politics at all when he had the majority of members of the House of Assembly belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and he moved over to another party, knowing that his cupboard was not that clean.

Those who have skeletons in their cupboard do not cause the type of problems that he was causing left, right and centre. He has been impeached, that is it. Others should be able to learn from it. On allegations that the Presidency has a hand on Nyako’s travail, anyone can speculate anything, and that is why I said that there is a political undertone to the issue. The PDP has been rattled by defections, which reduced the number of states it controls. And don’t forget that the party has tried to secure a

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

...MURTALA NYAKO’S IMPEACHMENT

Okorie: Nyako didn’t show knowledge of politics If you are a governor in the midst of the opposition’s majority in the House Assembly, it calls for political sagacity

Okorie

judgement that will declare the seats of those who left vacant. But when that appears to be foot-dragging, they went back to the books for other means to

recover what they lost. It is a legitimate effort.

If you are a governor in the midst of the opposition’s majority in the House Assembly, it calls for political sagacity.

There were governors who found themselves in such situation and they survived. Former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi was one of them. I remember that during his first term, it was almost 100 per cent PDP. He was the only All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) person in that government, but he survived. After his initial impeachment, he came back to find a way to live with PDP controlled House.

In the case of Nyako, I think he was over confident with the way his orders were obeyed. He underrated the opposition, and that is responsible for what has happened to him. The Adamawa scenario is playing out in Nasarawa State, where out of the 24 legislative seats, the PDP has 20 while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has four. It is left for the governor to show political wisdom in operating in such a volatile political situation, but he doesn’t seem to have done that.

I don’t know why our governors cannot operate without having skeletons in their cupboards. Why do they keep running away? Using a general parlance; a clear conscience fears no accusation.

So, why will they put their hands in dirty things, and when they are called to question, they start running from pillar to post. The issue is that some allegations have been made; it is left for the accused to clear his or her name.

With what is happening, those who are in government should know that there is a day of reckoning.

Interview by FELIX NWANERI

Okechukwu: Jonathan behaving like ‘African big man’ Osita Okechukwu is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

T

he gale of impeachments shows that President Goodluck Jonathan is heading towards dictatorship, and that he is becoming desperate over the 2015 elections. If he is confident that he can win the presidential poll, he doesn’t need to impeach governors to do that.

And if he is fighting corruption, then the argument does not hold because the same offences that Nyako’s impeachment were based on are the same issues that were raised in 2012, and he was saved by the same Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that ousted him.

As a result of this, we can say that he was impeached because he is no longer

Fred Agbaje is a constitutional lawyer and human rights activist impeachment of Murtala Nyako Tall.he didn’t come to me as a surprise at Though it is a constitutional is-

sue, how many governors have faced impeachment and turn out exonerated. Doesn’t that tell you that there is something sinister in proper motives behind impeachment in Nigeria?

The so-called impeachment is never carried out to deepen democracy nor to foster public interest, rather virtually all the impeachments in Nigeria are carried out for purely political and selfish reasons. Otherwise, why has the craze, the madness for impeachment become a sing song for our parliamentarians this day, particularly those at the state level?

Impeachment is not a tea party; it is a serious constitutional disciplinary measure against a recalcitrant governor. It is not meant for a few dis-

in the PDP, not because of corruption and that the impeachment was politically motivated. The judiciary, they say is the last hope of the common man; I am not a lawyer and have not seen his grounds of defence, but what I am saying is that the PDP has shown that it is not interested in the growth of Nigeria’s democracy. This is a political party that says it will rule for 60 years whether it is performing or not. This impeachment is an attempt to return Nigeria to a one party state because when Nyako was in the PDP nobody found him culpable.

In the PDP’s script are Adamawa, Nasarawa, Edo, Rivers, Imo and Kwara states. It is a script that says, ‘we lost five governors and we must recover them.’ If you read the charges leveled against the Nasarawa State governor; they said extra budgetary expenditure.

But if you recall the Senate’s report on

Okechukwu

the Sanusi Lamido Sanusi allegation, it showed that the Presidency made over $5 billion extra budgetary expenditure on importation of petrol and another $3.2 billion on kerosene, but what the Senate demanded of the President was

to come up with a supplementary budget for what happened in 2012 and 2013, and the President and his men are now pointing to another person.

You can see why I said that the impeachment is politically motivated and dangerous to our democracy. Jonathan is behaving like the African big man.

Remember what Robert Mugabe is doing in Zimbabwe. Any time there is a challenge, he will rise up on a do-or-die level. I don’t know what makes Jonathan think that he cannot win the election if he doesn’t go this way. Former President Shehu Shagari and his cohorts did the same thing; they captured Ondo, Anambra and Gongola states, but by time they are through, democracy was gone. So, that is the danger. I understand that soldiers have been deplored to Nasarawa.

Are we now inviting the army?

Interview by FELIX NWANERI

Agbaje: Impeachment not a tea party gruntled parliamentarians to just send packing the governor that was elected by the entire state. It is not for a few mediocre in the assembly constituting themselves as anti-governor.

The gale of impeachment now has become so romantically fanciful for our parliamentarians that the jobless ones among them; the no-do-good among them, who have virtually abandoned their constitutional responsibilities to the people to provide for welfare and security have suddenly embraced impeachment as a way out of their laziness. And this is particularly attributable to the PDP, because the PDP government wants to turn Nigeria to one party state. Otherwise, why all the governors that decamped from PDP to APC would be facing the threat of impeachment.

One person has already been impeached and those who are still standing will face impeachment shortly. Adams Oshiomhole was just lucky to have escaped the hullabaloo that was organ-

ised by the PDP in Edo State House of Assembly. The PDP in Edo wanted to capture the majority seat in the House so that they can send the governor packing. The same thing happened in Rivers State, but Governor Chibuike Amaechi was lucky not have been sent to the unemployment market by now because he has a firm grip of the Rivers State House of Assembly. And very soon, we will hear impeachment threat in Kwara State.

The questions we should ask ourselves are: Does the gale of impeachment deepen democracy? Does it add to the rule of law? My answers is No. So, anybody that decamped from the PDP must be brought down at all cost; Nigeria must be made a one party state.

If you don’t belong to the PDP, you are in trouble and if you decamp from the PDP, you are also in trouble.

Nyako can still go to court and challenge the procedural aspect of his impeachment as not been in the conformity with the requirement of the 1999

Agbaje

Constitution. And once he can establish his case as it was done in Rashidi Ladoja’s case, the court will reverse the purported impeachment as been a constitutional utility.

Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

POLITICS 17

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

OPEN FORUM

...MURTALA NYAKO’S IMPEACHMENT

Musa: PDP is grossly misbehaving Balarabe Musa, a former governor of old Kaduna State is the National Chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP)

I

t has long been expected, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. PDP is mindless and it is desperate and APC and Nyako happened to be a soft spot for them. You know things were made easy for the PDP by the defection of all the members of state House Assembly to the PDP, so Nyako has no defence at all.

Impeachment is purely constitutional and the provision for it is proper. It should be sustained because without it, leaders can do whatever they like, but the issue is that impeachment must be in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, and should take into account all the interests. It should not be a weapon for political witch hunting.

The proper process has been laid down by the constitution already, for the judiciary to follow it and the judiciary

Ebenezer Babatope, is a member, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustee and former Minister of Transport and Aviation

The PDP should know that this impeachment can provoke even greater security concern in Adamawa seems to be unable to do anything about it. Secondly the provision for impeachment of the president or governor has been made easy by the provision for gross misconduct as grounds for impeachment because the tendency now is for anything improper or misjudged as gross misconduct to constitute an impeachable offence.

To avoid misinterpretation or impeachment on a wrong ground, the judiciary should properly apply the constitution. This is because by allowing anything to be a ground for charge of gross misconduct and therefore liable for impeachment is not healthy for our democracy. The Judiciary should come out and specify what amounts to gross misconduct, not just anything that the

Olanrewaju Suraj is the chairman, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) he political angle of it is quite worTimpeached risome. Would Nyako have been if he were to be a PDP

governor? Were those offences or allegations committed when he was a PDP governor or when he moved to the APC? It is obvious that there are political undertones in the whole process. When you see the provision of the military to guide both the panel and the Chief Judge, then you could see the tension and the unfortunate militarisation of our democratic process. There was nothing that warrants bringing in military for purely civil matter.

legislature says is a gross misconduct.

There should be a check on that side.

The impeachment of Adamawa state governor is very serious and I think that the PDP that pushed for the impeachment is grossly misbehaving. They should know that Adamawa is one of the most volatile states; one of the areas in the North-East that is reckoned with insurgency and other criminal activi-

Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Babatope: Presidency not involved

M

urtala Nyako was elected on the platform of the PDP as governor of Adamawa State. He traded the votes of the people away and went to join the same party that people did not vote for. So, he prepared the ground and the members of the state House of Assembly believed that he has committed some offence and which was punishable by impeachment, so they impeached him and that is all. It is a lesson for all politicians never to treat the people with levity, never to discard the people because the votes of the people are very crucial.

The impeachment is proper. When a politician who is in office does not toe the proper constitutional guidelines; he is impeached and that is what has happened. Nyako is a man that I really respect but the way he went about dumping the PDP, which was the platform on which he was elected by the people and

Musa

ties. So, the PDP should know that this impeachment can provoke even greater security concern in Adamawa, but they don’t seem to mind about that. Elites in Adamawa are fighting against each other irrespective of party and that is not a good situation for a state that is regarded as a security risk.

If the impeached governor thinks he has grounds to appeal against the impeachment, he should do that immediately, and let us hope that the court will stop any action against him as governor until the case against him that prompted the impeachment is cleared. But there is the possibility that even if he appeals to the court against the impeachment, the judiciary will be indifferent. They will object automatically on the ground that the state House of Assembly has the power to impeach and that the impeachment has been proper. I just pray that the judiciary will come to his aid because it has never come to the aid of the aggrieved in a matter like this.

I always know that the judiciary will be helpless. They will not apply the law. They will not be the arbiter. For instance, in my own case, the judiciary did not allow my appeal to go to the Supreme Court.

Babatope

joined APC was wrong. And the man who was the Adamawa State chairman of the PDP, Joe Madaki, who is my friend and mate in Yola prison during Buhari’s days, is a very principled and determined person. So, when the thing started I knew that Joe will lead his people to impeach him and he has been impeached.

I believe that if the members of the Adamawa House of Assembly did not

see the reasons why he should be impeached, they would not have embarked on the venture. They saw that the man has prepared the ground for his own impeachment, so they face it and impeached him. So, the impeachment is in right order while in the right pact, well taking and very well executed.

If Nyako has not defected to the APC, he could have had a platform on which he would have talk to his colleagues who are members of the same party with him. But when he left the PDP on whose platform he was elected and jumped to APC, he has lost what could have been a major area of communication between him and the Assembly men. And the only language that was understood by him and by the Assembly members was to impeach him.

Impeachment is a weapon in the hands of the Assembly to deal with recalcitrant political office holders.

During the Second Republic, Balarabe Musa was impeached by the NPN majority and I was one of those who condemned the impeachment. They did the impeachment because they believed he has to be caged and there is nothing

anybody can do about that. And in the case of Nyako, he is gentleman as far as I am concerned but when he breached the democratic protocol on which he was elected and sacrificed the votes of the people of Adamawa who put him in office.

Nyako’s impeachment does not have anything to do with President Jonathan and the President has nothing to do with it. How can the presidency be behind the impeachment? The President did not feed the Assembly members. How would the President be behind the impeachment and what does he want to gain in doing that? By dumping the PDP at that time and by doing some of those things he was accused of, which the members of the House of Assembly knew about, Nyako should have know that they will rebel in favour of the party. Some of the defecting governors carried their House of Assembly members away but those carried away and the governors who defected are going to receive judgement, which is of God and which will come in so many other ways.

Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Suraj: Democracy under threat And when you also see the trend in Nassarawa State as well, it shows that the development transcends infractions in offices or constitutional issues.

There is a political agenda that is gradually sweeping across our democratic consolidation and that may be a fertile ground for the military to make incursion into the political dispensation.

The House of Assembly members in Nassarawa State are the ones accused of corrupt practices and currently being investigated by the EFCC but they are the ones serving impeachment notice on the governor on allegations of corruption that has not even been verified or proven.

It’s obvious now that we are not talking about transparency, accountability and effectiveness in office but playing politics at whatever cost it is to the benefit of some players who are now call-

ing the tunes and showing the footsteps that the dancers should take. That is what has happened in Adamawa and we must all stand up to condemn the action otherwise it will be a big issue for us to contend it in the nearest future.

Basically, the pointer to all this is that the issue at hand goes beyond the state Assembly. Nyako should challenge the impeachment in court because we need to operate within the ambit of the law. We can’t reverse the country to that dictatorial tendencies we were before 1999, and that is why we are condemning what is happening in Nassarawa. We can’t allow people who are already indicted or are culpable in terms of breaching the oath of their office to enjoy some federal power to now undermine democratic structures within their area. All hands must be on deck to avoid this because our demo-

Suraj

cratic is under threat and we must not allow this to happen and reject preponderance of personal ambition over our collective heritage.

Interview by WALE ELEGBEDE

18 POLITICS Stan Okeke

“W

hen you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice”.... old Indian saying.

It was Vince Lombardi who also said, “Winning is not a sometime thing, it’s an all time thing. You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time.

Winning is a habit”.

As the national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh turns 52 on July 19, 2014, perhaps, the old Indian saying aptly describes the expectations of Umeh’s parents when he was born, while Lombardi’s adage is a vivid description of the political colossus the APGA helmsman has turned out to be in his blissful and successful leadership of APGA. Born on July 19, 1962, to Late Sir Innocent Ofojekwu Umeh (KSM) and Lady Elizabeth Umeh (LSM), Victor Umeh started his political tutelage right from his family. He was born into a strict Catholic family and learnt very early in life that for one to be successful, you must learn the ropes from caring parents who taught him early in life not to depend on anybody for survival.

Chief Umeh showed great academic promise early in life and entered secondary school from Primary 5 which was a great feat in those days, and was admitted into the famous Bubendoff Memorial Grammar School, Adazi-Nnukwu in 1975. He graduated on top of his class in 1980 with Division One, securing 8 As and one credit in the West African School Certificate (WASC), with As also in English and Mathematics.

While in Class 5 at Bubendoff, Umeh passed JAMB and was offered a provisional admission at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to study Estate Management in 1980. When his WASC result came out, he passed in flying colours, paving way for confirmation of his admission into the university. He graduated in June, 1984, with B.Sc Hons in Estate Management.

During his Youth Service, he was lecturer at the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt between 1984 and 1985. He returned to Enugu in 1985 and engaged in the practice of his profession. Umeh, who later became a registered Estate Surveyor and Valuer, was at various times consultant to many financial institutions, companies and individuals.

He was Consultant to UTC (Nig) Plc and played a leading role in the company’s restructuring and asset rationalization programme between 2000 and 2005.

Hamisu Abubakar

S

peculations over the fate and future of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State finally came to a halt Tuesday, July 15, 2014, with his impeachment by the State House of Assembly. It was in all respects a fall long foretold. It also brought to an abrupt end, weeks of intense politicking and wheeling-dealings as Baba Mangoro -as Nyako is fondly called- sought, fruitlessly, to extricate himself from the political noose into which he roped himself.

Considering the manner in which Nyako conducted himself in office, nobody appears to be shedding tears on his downfall. In fact, it is expected that the large number of political heavyweights he sidelined or trampled upon since becoming Adamawa governor in 2007, may be clinking wine glasses now.

Now that Nyako is gone (never mind his promised face-saving recourse to the law courts), it is safe to reduce his eventual downfall to three major reasons.

Nineteen out of the 25 members of the Assembly signed the notice following a motion moved by the deputy speaker, Mr. Kwamoti Laori. Some of the alle-

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

As Umeh turns 52 He fought battles, shoved off political blackmails from all angles and went ahead to register his name as the man who led his party from victory to victory in Anambra State

Umeh

He also provided consultancy services to his very good friend, Chief Innocent Chukwuma in his establishment of Innoson Technical and Industrial Company Ltd which has today become the biggest Plastic Manufacturing Company in West Africa. Umeh rose to the pinnacle of his profession when he became a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers. He is also a Senior Certified Valuer of the International Real Estate Institute, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. He is also an Associate of the Rating and Valuation Association of Great Britain. Chief Umeh, a Director of several companies, was a one time member of Board of Directors of the Federal Government owned Nigeria Film Corporation, Jos. Eulogizing him on his life achievements is not the purpose of this piece, but it is important to chronicle his political and life achievements and his glorious political career thus far. Umeh as the national chairman of APGA, had a vision for the party, a vision that took the party to the centre of Nigeria’s political stage where Ndigbo stood up to be counted in the nation’s political history.

He fought battles, shoved off political blackmails from all angles and went ahead to register his name as the man who led his party from victory to victory in Anambra State. His first stint as a politician was in 1998, as a founding member of People’s Democratic Party (PDP),

where he was elected State Treasurer of the party in Anambra State.

He was the chairman of the PDP National Panel that conducted the party’s primaries to select the party’s candidates for the Local Government elections in Imo State, conducted by INEC on December 5th, 1998.

He resigned from the PDP in 2001 and was part of the Progressives Team that registered APGA in 2002. He was the party’s first national vice chairman, South East and later, it’s national treasurer.

Today, he is the national chairman of the party, and has led the party to record numerous achievements which include election of Mr. Peter Obi for first and second terms as governor of Anambra State, the election of Rochas Okorocha as governor of Imo State, as well as winning one Senate seat, seven House of Representatives seats and 32 members of the States House of Assembly both in Imo and Anambra States, in the 2011 general elections.

In 2013, his leadership of APGA nominated Chief Willie Obiano and got him elected in the November 2013 governorship election in Anambra State.

Chief Umeh who has a very compassionate heart, derives joy when he puts a smile on the faces of other people. A Paul Harris Fellow, he is a great philanthropist. His education foundation has offered scholarships to many less privileged students who have graduated, among whom is Dr. Elochukwu Afoka, the current Special Assistant on Political Matters to the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke, who Chief Umeh sponsored his Masters’ and Doctorate degree programmes in Philosophy.

Presently, the APGA national chairman has in his scholarship programme, 120 students in both secondary and tertiary institutions. A man of his people,

Umeh has been conferred with over 20 chieftaincy titles.

Victor Umeh’s priority before he leaves office as APGA national chairman in the next eight months is to leave the party far better than it is now. In all he has said and done, it is obvious that Umeh’s primary objective is to ensure that APGA wins elections, to the glory and pride of Ndigbo and beyond.

After the recent Court of Appeal victory against Maxi Okwu, Umeh again demonstrated that his principal objective was to live the plans of his political father, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, to ensure that APGA took over the political space in the South-East, and win elections in the other zones of the country.

He made it clear that he had no time to begin to take revenge on those who wished him politically dead. Umeh rather extended the proverbial olive branch to his traducers and urged them to forget their sins and join him in re-positioning APGA for the political battles ahead, particularly the 2015 general elections.

In a recent interview, Umeh stated that his interest was for people to join APGA everywhere in Nigeria and especially in the South-East where the party is strongest. “Those who challenged us should know that it is all over. I have told them that APGA will not be a great party if the only thing you are contesting for is party leadership. Go and contest for elective positions. My tenure is rounding off in the next eight months, and I am offering myself for election now. I want to run for Senate”. Vintage Umeh.

His decision to run for senate is a design, not by him, but by the people of his zone who believe he has better things to offer them from the centre. In agreeing to run for Senate, Chief Umeh believes in the challenges of office, in making his people understand that the major stake in seeking political office, is to do good, to render service.

This could be his parting gift as he celebrates his 52nd birthday. As he attains this milestone, may God, in His infinite mercies, continue to guide him in his total commitment to ensure that he leads his people to the Promised Land.

True to the character of his parents, Umeh is a Knight of St. John International and an Officer of the Order, with the rank of Major. Married to Lady Prisca Chinenye Umeh, Lady Auxiliary, Knight of St. John International, they have seven children with the eldest, Chidimma, a graduate of Banking and Finance from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a Post Graduate Student at the University of Warwick, England.

•Okeke is a special assistant to Umeh

Nyako’s fall: The morning after gations against Nyako included diversion of N2.3 billion workers’ salary for September and October 2011, and illegal deductions and diversion of N142 million emoluments of workers in May 2014.

He was also alleged to have squandered N4.8 billion and N7.1 billion in 2012 and 2013 respectively, through the office of the Secretary to the State Government against budgetary approvals, among others.

Facing imminent impeachment, Ngilari had resigned shortly before the House made its verdict public, thereby evading the stigma of impeachment.

With Nyako’s impeachment, the House Speaker, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri, is now the acting governor, a position he will occupy until a substantive governor is elected within 90 days.

Stories are told of humongous amounts being siphoned from public coffers to finance the many political battlefronts he opened as well as a lifestyle that was increasingly lavish. For a man who cared less about the poverty ravaging his state, his ouster is welcomed.

His politics may be as distractive as

it was divisive. Not bothered by the debilitating insurgency ravaging his state, Nyako would rather gallivant across the country along with other colleagues in the name of ‘progressivism’, depleting his state’s lean resources in funding the bottomless pit called APC. Beyond those, however, what raised concerns within Adamawa state and across Nigeria are the reports consistently linking Nyako to the rising security challenges in the North East, and which he has never really bothered to explain. Rather with each passing day, the spate of incendiary statements had increased, going from bad to worse since he joined the APC, a party that has been linked in some quarters with the Boko Haram insurgency.

The breakdown of governance in Adamawa has been no less amazing than the controversies surrounding the governor himself. For a man who boasted 20 strong Peoples Democratic Party members in the House, he was unable to convince even one of them to accompany him in his ill-fated journey into the APC. To make matters worse the five APC members that received him into the

party, abandoned him soon after for the PDP. So did the party’s erstwhile leaders like Buba Marwa.

Nothing better illustrates Nyako’s naivety than his pillar-to-post efforts to stop his impeachment. A man who has for the better part of his tumultuous tenure sidelined top politicians in the state, he had suddenly started courting the likes of former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Malam Nuhu Ribadu. He had rushed to Atiku whom he had abandoned even during their days in the PDP, along with former PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to draft him into the peace effort. They tried, no doubt, but their efforts were too little too late as the House members were committed to make the old man pay for his sins.

His departure is indeed a good omen for Adamawa to start anew, away from unnecessary distractions. It is a time for the traumatized people to turn attention away from a man who, for the better part of his tenure, engaged in all sorts of shenanigans at the expense of governance and the people’s welfare.

•Abubakar wites from Kaduna

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EDITORIAL

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Sanctity of Truth w w w.new telegraphonli ne.com

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha

FRIday, JULY 18, 2014

The Lagos housing ray of hope

ast week, Governor Babatunde Fashola indicated that his administration would soon undertake a scheme to enable Lagos residents own homes after paying rent for a specified period. The new policy to be known as “Rent to Own” initiative, coming under the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme, would encourage more residents to participate in the state’s housing scheme.

Fashola said this during a special interactive session with artisans in the state in Ikeja, explaining that a research conducted by his team showed that traders, transport operators, bricklayers and fashion designers, among others in the informal sector could conveniently pay for homes across the state.

He said: “The investigations indicated that most people in the informal sector could also afford the mortgage scheme, going by their monthly income and profit.

So, the Rent-to- Own initiative will further make the scheme affordable for all and sundry.” The governor went on to explain that, “I urge you to apply for your choice homes in the scheme because government will, through the Lagos Mortgage Board, ensure that artisans benefit from the scheme. The board will allocate blocks of flat to you in accordance with your monthly income and profit to enable you

take part in the scheme. What we need to do now is to help you order your record keeping in order for you to qualify. This is a new policy that is slightly different from the mortgage scheme itself, but will ultimately lead to mortgage. Your money will be saved monthly and put in the scheme.”

Fashola also took time to brief the participants on security measures put in place in the state and urged them to be involved in the Residents’ Registration and the Commercial Drivers’ exercises of the government. Chairman, Lagos State National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede said average commercial drivers in the state could afford the homes and would participate in the scheme. He said: “Commercial drivers earn between N45,000 and N70,000 monthly.

This is a good development; the Rent-to-Own initiative will make the housing affordable to our members.” Commissioner for Housing, Bosun Jeje said the meeting was to encourage artisans to partake in the proposed housing scheme.

Without mincing words, this policy by the Lagos State Government does appear to be well thoughtout and in the best interest of the people. It will be recalled that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria explicitly states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose

of government.” One major area that has posed a serious challenge for the downtrodden in the society especially in Lagos has to do with lack of adequate housing. Many people live in shanties, beach fronts, under the bridges and in other unimaginable places just because they cannot afford decent accommodation and there are no reasonable alternatives for them.

The cost of houses and renting houses in Lagos is extremely far above the reach of the ordinary man on the street, and most of the houses built in the past for the people did not take into cognisance the interest of the poor but were targeted at the affluent people in the society. This initiative by the Lagos State government is the much-needed intervention that the less-privileged require and would immensely help to put smiles on their faces, provided that the whole idea is not bogged down by bureaucratic bottleneck, politics and nepotism.

Housing schemes in the country have had a bad reputation with a lot of promises that have turned out to be unrealized, and in some cases those who patronized such schemes have been the worse off, losing their hard earned money in the process.

There have also been issues with getting proper funding for the schemes.

Given all the shortcomings of the past, it is necessary for the Lagos State Government to ensure

that there are adequate in-built safety measures that can check any manipulation and fraud in the programme. It is commendable that the state government is not planning to borrow money to fund the housing projects as this would save it from having to grapple with paying bank charges.

We must point out that what the state government has revealed is for the moment merely statement of intention. It should painstakingly look at pragmatic ways of bringing this idea into reality within the shortest possible time for the maximum benefit of the people. It will be recalled that not too long ago, when the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a law that landlords should not collect more than one year house rent from tenants, two things happened.

First, shylock landlords ensured the prices of house rent sky-rocketed and the government has not been able to respond positively to checkmate this move. Also, some landlords in spite of the subsisting law have continued to collect rents for more than one year contrary to the stipulated law.

This new policy must be operated such that the intended beneficiaries will fully enjoy the policy without encumbrances, for it is only then that government can begin to have meaning to the people and we can talk about the dividends of democracy.

GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Deputy Managing Director/DEIC SULEIMAN BISALLA Managing Editor, North YEMI AJAYI Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board GEOFFREY EKENNA News Editor PADE OLAPOJU Production Editor TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

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Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

OPINION FIFA fiesta: Africa’s fractious, floundering flavour W

e lost it, mother Africa may not enjoy this opportunity in the near future. Brazil 2014 was Africa’s World Cup. If we did not win the trophy, there should have been something to remember. Sad enough, our boys flunked it.

There is always something new out of this continent. I guess I am quoting Pliny right. For God’s sake Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria had a point to prove. At the end nothing was achieved for Africa.

Let me forgive the North Africans. They got to their first ever Second round. And they got put up a brave show against eventual champions, Germany.

The others were simply disappointing.

The Indomitable Lions have lost their name. The only predator seems to be the old one, Samuel Eto’o Fils. I just cannot remember the last time they won a World Cup match.

The Elephants were themselves as usual. Promise everything, flop like babies. With all the big names, they offered nothing to progress beyond their nose.

Ghana, old Ghana. The African disease killed them. Those Black Stars darkened Africa when there should have been light at the end of the tunnel.

Do not let me remember the Eagles. I expected so much from them. From coach Stephen Keshi to Emmanuel Emenike, I was their image maker de facto.

Without mincing words, the Eagles that wore our colours in Brazil are, for now, the worst bunch I have ever seen. They had every opportunity under the sun to make history. They rather disgraced history.

Sorry, let me remove Vincent Enyeama, Osaze Odemwingie, Keneth Omeruo, Ahmed Musa, Ogenyi Onazi and Godfrey Obaboana from the pack. The others did not play like Nigerians.

African teams were a sorry sight. This World Cup makes me sad. In 1982,debutants Algeria, ridiculed European champions Germany,2-1, thanks to Rabah Madjer and Lakhdar Belloumi. It took an accord between the Germans and their Austrian siblings to move the Europeans forward.

Cameroun were also first timers at Espana 82.

They drew all their matches in a group that had mighty Italy. Italy and Germany, teams who could not defeat any African opposition, played in the grande finale.

At Italia ‘90, Africa was a delight to behold. Nineman Cameroun stunned defending champions Argentina 1-0,courtesy Francois Omam-Biyik’s header.

The Lions eventually got to the quarter finals, Africa’s first. And the Argies went on to win silver.

Teranga Lions of Senegal stole the show in their 2002 debut. They finished cup holders France. And a quarter-finals spot was not bad.

Ghana were almost through to the semis in 2010,until the referee, and Uruguayan cannibal, Luis Suarez did their worst. The Black Stars held their heads high.

In Brazil, I expected the Eagles to play in the semis. They were good enough if they held their

hearts. Shame took the better part of me when I watched them play Iran.

Those Eagles had no ambition. They lacked pattern, were visionless and fragile. The worst was against Argentina. They had the South Americans for lunch. Instead, they fell to grass. Ahmed Musa was on fire, the others, except for Enyeama and Omeruo, were so intimidated that they made Lionel Messi look like a god.

Argentina could have fallen. Yes, they conceded two goals, a feat which no other team achieved, not even cup winners, Germany. Nigeria just went to bed exposing their goalie to ballistic missiles.

We were only lucky against Bosnia, the referee helped us. We should have killed the blackmen of France in the first half. The Eagles just lost their wings.

There is nothing to thank the Eagles for. This is Nigeria’s worst outing. In our 1994 debut we beat Bulgaria 3-0. The same Bulgaria eliminated defending champions Germany and even got to the semis.

Italy that managed to escape defeat also played in the final.

In 1998, we beat Spain, pre tournament favourites 3-2. In 2002, we went with fresh legs. In 2010, we changed coach just before the Mundial.

But in 2014, we had a team that had stayed together for over a year as African champions. The boys just went to bed.

I think Mr. Sports minister should bring so many of us to the table to discuss the way forward. We certainly got it wrong in Brazil and heads must continue to roll, FIFA sanctions or no.

The leaven of Ogun Pharisees Olusola Balogun

“B

eware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy...’’ was a timely warning from Jesus Christ to his disciples in ancient Rome. He didn’t leave his disciples in the dark over why he handed out the caution. Luke 11 vs 39-44 elucidated the reason for the caution.

He told them that the Pharisees were complete hypocrites who loved to prescribe tough conditions they themselves couldn’t meet.

Jesus alerted his disciples that the Pharisees of ancient Rome would want them to carry heavy burden they themselves wouldn’t touch with a little finger.

Our Lord Jesus added that the Pharisees loved showmanship and eye-service and often pretended to be holier than others whereas they were thoroughly evil. Indeed, Jesus described them as ‘whited sepulcher,’ people who believed in the tenets of ‘do as I say and not as I do’.

If Jesus were to be living in modern day Ogun State, he would, probably, have extended similar caution to public servants in the state. He would have cautioned them against modern day Pharisees in the state who suddenly assume champions and crusaders of workers’ welfare when actually they themselves

were once sworn enemies of the same workers when they were on the seat of power in the state.

Of late, a faction of the LP in the state has been spiking Ogun state government over how and how not it should be compensating and rewarding workers in the state service.

Officials of the LP faction loyal to former Governor Gbenga Daniel, indeed made heavy weather of an interactive program in 2014 Civil Service Week where the governor used the occasion to unveil a number of welfare packages for workers. Senator Amosun had announced the resumption of car and housing loans to the workers among other motivational incentives. But the Daniel apologists viewed the government’s gesture from another perspective. They felt it was designed to rally the workers behind his party APC as a fall-out of the party’s electoral reverse in Ekiti. What a shallow thinking!

But they conveniently forgot that their own party was a distant third polling less than 19,000 votes in the same election. They also conveniently ignored the fact that the Ekiti election was nowhere in sight when Governor Amosun proclaimed free education for students in both primary and post primary institutions in the state as well as posted stellar

performance in his urban renewal drive.

Ogun workers know their friends.

They are aware of who stopped all promotions in the civil service since 2009.

Principals and Head Teachers too know who stopped the payment of running cost to primary and secondary schools since 2009.They equally know who restarted it in 2011 and has continued to pay running cost.

Workers know who refused to pay pensioners their gratuities since 2008 and also know who cleared it in 2012 and has even paid the retirees their entitlements up to date. Ogun State civil servants know who installed spy cameras in their offices to monitor their speeches and action in a blatant repression of their constitutional rights.

Staffers of Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) need no advocacy as they know who failed to pay their salary for 48 months. The Daniels administration also owed staffers of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) over N1bn as CONTISS and monetisation. Amosun has since cleared those. Staffers in Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) equally know who owed them 18-month salaries and how Senator Amosun has since paid every kobo.

Employees of the three defunct Gateway Hotels won’t forget in a hurry how

they were pushed into the harsh labour market by the Daniel administration without their statutory terminal benefits.

Governor Amosun has always been a welfarist. He is one person that knows how to reward commitment. He appreciates his workforce and values their advice, hence he prioritised their welfare.

Unlike what obtained during the Daniel era when the government, with the aid of Niyi Osoba, the then state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was involved in some cruel rigmarole, workers in Ogun State didn’t break a sweat before the N18,000 minimum wage was implemented . The same Niyi Osoba is today the state chairman of Daniels faction of LP. Perhaps to further drive home his commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, Governor Amosun donated a new secretariat to the state chapter of NLC. Restarting car and housing loan to Ogun workers or advancing other motivational incentives to them cannot, therefore, be termed panic spending on the part of the governor or an attempt to gather workers behind him. Ogun workers are intelligent enough to decipher their true friend from wolves in sheep’s clothing.

•Balogun (balogunesola@gmail.com) is media aide to Governor Ibikunle Amosun

ARTS FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014

CULTURE

Knowing the power of the visual art, graduating students of Chrisland School decide to tell their stories with it at a one-day exhibition.

Agozino Agozino was there.

21 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Pupils tell their stories with art exhibition

A

side the joy of graduating from an elite secondary school and posing before cameras, the essence of art in reality is to document remarkable moment that would, with time, bring back memories of the past.

This no doubt, was the reason behind a recent art exhibition by the graduating pupils of Chrisland School, Ladipo Oluwole street, Ikeja Lagos.

The exhibition titled, The Future Legends held on Monday July 14, was a catalogue of academic moments and other remarkable school event packaged from works produced in their new art studio.

Since the inclusion of entrepreneurial subject into the curriculum of the Ikeja-based school’s academic session recently of which painting and drawing is a welcome development, the school has ensured it lived up to its motto, ‘‘Training a child for Future.’’

This has led to the emergence of art class which presents dynamic works from its class for public viewing.

Apart from benefiting the public, the one-day exhibition which also features presentation of gifts to the graduating students was also meant to stir in the students a sense of intellectual wonder and creative adventure to make them know that although they cannot take back the hands of time on their academic journey, through art they can get to revisit and appreciate past event and happening throughout their academic adventure in the school; and also for them to realise the economic opportunities attached to the acquisition of creative art skills.

For the school, the one-day exhibition was part of its effort to encourage such young students to reach their full potential and also ensure their social, emotional and cognitive growth.

Samuel Adesanya, the new school art instructor and curator of the show, while speaking on the significance of the exhibition, said: “I want to appreciate the management of the school for their love and kind support for art.

“Some of the works produced were fresh ideas beautifully interpreted, some were abandoned unappreciated items that they gave new life to and revived while some were re-cycled to prevent wastage in our world. What we are doing in Chrisland schools, is to encourage these talents, support them in all ways and prevent them from losing focus. The art works were beautiful meaningful and inspiring,” he said.

Adasanya who is also an award winning artist and member of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) Lagos State, promised that the 2015 art exhibition will be greater. He also said that the coming show may not just be a saloon show and that they might be going for one of the art galleries in Lagos as he continues to work with the co-curator Mrs. Van der Merwe from South Africa.

The show was declared open by the Sales Manager, NNPC, W.J Osanupin who was the chairman of the event.

Also in attendance were mother of the day Mrs W.A Awosika (OON) Chairman, Chrisland Schools Ltd., Mrs I.O Adeyemi, the managing Director, Mrs

A. Oye the Director of Administration among other distinguished personalities that graced the occasion.

The head teacher of the school, Mrs Fajemirokun who could not hide her feelings about the works said: “The art works exhibition added colour to the valedictory service and prize-giving day. She also said that Chrisland School is a breeding ground for the total-child and we are very particular about the creativity of our learners. We believe that the door to great innovation is the ability to imagine and be creative. I am very proud of the graduating pupils’ artistic and creative abilities. They are surely going to be legends in the future.”

The parents of the pupils were also glad of the skills their children acquired during the course of their study in the school.

The exhibiting artists were: Abubakar Amir, Adeji Eric, Akinwande Kehinde, Akinwande Taiwo, Awogu Onyia, Bello Olaseni, ClaudiusAkinyemi Ajibola, Idowu Oluwasogo, Obirinanwa Charles, Ogundipe Sunmisayo, Osanupin Demilade, VictorIyamu Nosakhare, Adebayo Nifemi, Edagbami Sayo, Fowotade Kanyinsola Ibrahim Fatimah, Kuti Tomilayo,

Leaders are not born, they are developed. Reading to acquire purposeful knowledge is one of the most effective ways to create good leaders

Some of the works on display by the pupils of Chrisland School

Nwanze Amanda, Nwokoro Chelsy, Ogundipe Mololuwa, Olumese Precious, Oluwasegunfunmi Moyosire, Onwuzulume Mary Mr Tosin Akinwunmi , congratulated the pupils for their wonderful art and craft work and wished them all the best as they moved on in their studies.

On a closing note, Mrs. Adegoke said the pupils’ arts work represented their beliefs, understanding, appreciation and state of mind about the world around them.

“Looking at the pieces, you could feel the assurance from the children

that there is still hope for the future.

We could feel how they studied what has been damaged or abandoned, and processed the thoughts in their hearts about the way forward. and the result was the beautiful ideas displayed as their art works. The pieces were awesome,” Adegoke one of the organisers of the event said.

Others notable dignitaries at the event include,: Chief W.J. Osanupin, who was the chairman of the occasion, Dr. Samuel Babatunde Adejere, Aunt Landa, Dr. Yolanada George among other media and entertainment buffs.

22 ART

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Youths charged to develop themselves through reading culture A Ebere Ameh

rrayed in orange T shirts and black trousers, youths in their numbers gathered at Rowe Park for the first edition of K O’s Readers ‘R’ Leaders Destiny Walk. The three-hour walk is a symbolic exercise to revive reading culture among youths in Nigeria.

Talking on the inspiration for the walk, the convener of the event, Kolawole Oyeyemi said he was moved by the poor performance of Nigerian youths in external examinations and the unemployable state of Nigerian graduates.

His words, “The last five years have seen a deplorable trend in the WASSCE/ SSCE/NECO examinations results, with failure rates as high as 80%. Unlike a point in our history when we suffered the ‘brain drain’ that saw our intelligent professionals poached by other nations because of their excellence, today we go abroad to hire foreign nationals to do jobs that Nigerians should do because we are no longer turning out excellent graduates and professionals,” Oyeyemi said.

Addressing the youths, Oyeyemi said that universities don’t trust JAMB again, hence post JAMB exams. “They are not sure if the students falsified their ways into passing the exams. If organizations in the country do not trust one another, what a huge problem. When people get to the university through any short cut, what happens to them is failure. But because they don’t want to fail, they go into the occult so they can force lecturers to pass them. They become aristos and sleep their way through school. And others become yahoo yahoo and buy their way through school.”

According to him, those are the reasons we have graduates who cannot defend their certificate. “Today, we have unemployable graduates. When they are not employable for lower jobs, they are too arrogant to take menial jobs. They are bent on waiting for high level jobs.

And so we have a group of young, virile, half educated or half illiterate, arrogant but energetic youths. Almost 70% of Nigerians today belong to that group. And so we have a grand swell for people who want to recruit people into crimes. Today we have educated criminals... but that has to change in our time,” Oyeyemi assured.

He concluded by charging the youths to read to develop themselves to become

Oyeyemi (middle) and some dignitories at the event

good leaders of tomorrow, declaring his belief that that the future and success of any nation is dependent on the younger generation.

“Leaders are not born, they are developed. Reading to acquire purposeful knowledge is one of the most effective ways to create good leaders. A nation fails when the leaders are ignorant; therefore it is important that we promote reading, because knowledge is the first law of leadership. If you don’t study to master your trade, your mates will master you.”

Leaders are not born, they are developed. Reading to acquire purposeful knowledge is one of the most effective ways to create good leaders

Speaking with Dr. Raphael James, owner of the CRIMMD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY in Idimu, Lagos, and one of the dignitaries who graced the event, he commended the exercise, observing that time would have been allotted for book reading.

“The walk was a fantastic idea, well planned, well executed and the turn up was encouraging. The arrangement was near perfect and the concept to revive the reading habit is in order. It’s what people like us have been preaching in the last 10 years when I set up a free public library in Ejigbo in 2004. I love all that Mr. Kola did, but I observed that no time was created for a book reading. I had expected one of the musical stars to at least read a book to the public or an author called upon to read a book on the occasion,” James noted.

The intention of the walk is not just to raise awareness but to proffer simple yet effective solutions, expecting that the people will appreciate the problem and make a commitment to change. “We are not going to wait for the government be-

cause each one of us can make a change where we are.” Oyeyemi said, adding that their next plan is the development of Book Clubs in schools and the establishment of libraries, which would go a long way in rousing and sustain the reading culture of Nigerians.

On the issue of the wide and indiscriminate use of technology by the youths, Oyeyemi said that “Technology that should have helped is not helping because our young people are doing all the wrong things with technology and little of the right things.”

Walking from the park to Sabo, Yaba and back to the park, the people were thrilled by performances by A-List comedians and musicians after listening to pep talks by prominent Nigerians. There was leadership content, great comedy and live music. Olumide did an inspiring theme song for the event, which he composed in 48 hours. With Tee A as the compere, there was rib cracking comedies by Seyi Law and Alibaba even as KCEE, Praiz and Sound Sultan entertained the people with their songs.

960 Music Group set to release 2Face Idibia’s The Ascension

Tony Okuyeme

T

he 960 MusicGroup has announced July 21, 2014, as the date for release for 2Face Idibia’s 6th studio album titled “The Ascension”. The 17-track album highlights the progressive growth of 2Face as a member of

2face

the PlantashunBoyz (BlackFace, Faze and 2Face), to the debut of his solo album, Face 2 Face, and his 10-year sojourn to becoming one of Africa’s leading artistes.

“The Ascension album includes a range of both mid and uptempo hits, along with the timeless lyrics and the smooth melodies fans have associated 2Face with for the past 15 years. The album has an international flair, and boasts features from World Music heavyweights - Shurwane (Trinidad), Marchel Montano (Trinidad), Bridget Kelly (New York), Kim (France), FallyIpupa (DRC) and Nigerian artiste’s Vector, Iceberg Slim, Rocksteady, DammyKrane, and the legend Sir Victor Uwaifo.

According to Mark Redguard, who recently assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of the 960 Music Group, “working with 2Face Idibia, (Africa’s biggest entertainers and music brand) has been a wonderful experience, and provides a rare opportunity to partici-

pate in creating ‘Good Music’ for music lovers and fans from around the world, while contributing strong copyrights to the music legacy and history of both Nigeria and Sub-Sahara Africa”.

The Ascension, according to a statement from the producers, is released as both an ‘economy’ (moderately priced) and ‘premium’ album. The limited edition ‘Premium’ album includes a Jewel case with 16-page insert, and it’s available exclusively at Konga. com; while the digital version is available on Spinlet.com.

The artwork of The Ascension was designed by a creative team that include “celebrity stylist, Jekwu, award winning photographer, Imole “Tobbie” Balogun of TCD Photography; and album jacket and layout by JanneKukla.

Outdoor Billboards showcasing the album art are in 10 high traffic locations across Lagos”.

Describing the 960 Music Group as the definitive African borne Music Master-Label, Mr. Redguard said: “The

partnership with a mega-brand like 2Face is a powerful expression of the 960 Music Group’s vision for leading African music brands to leverage and monetize their content in the global entertainment marketplace.

“As an Uber Label, the 960 Music Group’s goal is toenable sub-labels like Hypertek Digital and Artiste brands, to maximize their Intellectual Property in both the African and International market, by providing label services, funding, marketing, promotions, distribution and strategic corporate and international synergies to globally position their brand to maximize profits.

“The 960 Music Group is funded by Rio Partners, and is the brainchild of music industry veterans and innovators who share a refreshing and respectful love of music, and are eager to see Nigerian and African artiste perform internationally, have their music distributed globally and have their talents recognized worldwide.”

MEDIA 23

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

NLNG 2014 Nigeria Prize for Literature shortlists 11 authors Tony Okuyeme

T

he Advisory Board for the Nigeria LNG-sponsored 2014 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, led by Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo has announced an initial shortlist of eleven books, drawn from 124 entries received from Nigerian authors. The Advisory Board also has Professor Jerry Agada and Professor Ben Elugbe as members.

According a statement signed by the General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke, the shortlisted authors are: Abba, John Friday-Alekwu Night Dance Adaofuyi, Patrick Ogbe-Canterkerous Passengers Cole, Soji-Maybe Tommorrow Edema, PaulA plague of Gadflies Idada, JudeOduduwa, King of the Edos Momodu, Onshore Ruth-No fault of mine Ogezi, attah Isaac-Under a Darkling Sky Okoh, Julie-Our wife Forever Solanke, AdePandora’s Box Udoka, Arnold- Akon Sony Neme

A

s entries for the 2014 edition of the Gulder Ultimate Search, GUS, themed ‘The Mission’ pour in on the online registration portal, the traditional rulers in Aguleri Kingdoms in Anambra State, the host community for the 11th edition of the Ultimate Search have thrown their weight behind the gesture extended to their community.

The royal fathers reportedly expressed their joy and support for the show during courtesy visits to their palaces by the GUS Team to officially inform them of the choice of Aguleri as the host community for the GUS this year.

According to a statement made available by Mediakraft, the Team’s first port of call was at the Ancient Obu-Gad Iduu, Eri Kingdom, Enugwu Aguleri where His Royal Majesty (HRM), Eze Chukwuemeka Eri (JP), Ezeora the 34th and Eze Aka ji Ofor Igbo, expressed joy at the news that Nigerian Breweries had chosen Aguleri as the host community for the famous TV programme.

The monarch in his welcome speech had said, “It is heart-warming for me that a popular brand like Gulder, a product of Nigerian Breweries has chosen to associate with Aguleri, the Ancestral home of the Igbos. We are not only thankful to them, but also welcome this gesture wholeheartedly”.

He further assured the GUS Team that the community will ensure they have a hitch free stay in Aguleri and pledged the support of the entire community in hosting the programme. He emphatically told the team that after this first experience, the team would definitely want to come back to Aguleri for another edition.

He however appealed to Nigerian Breweries to see to it that their sons and daughters are included in the Search to further give the community a chance of bringing the star prize to Aguleri.

On the security of the contestants and crew members, The Aka ji Ofor Igbo said they have nothing to worry about.

His words, “We will communicate your presence and mission to every quarter of the kingdom. Our local vigilante will be there if you ever feel threatened. And in any way you need our assistance be assured you will get it”.

Thereafter, the Team proceeded to the Idigo Palace where they were received

by Eze Christopher Nwabunwanne Idigo IV, the Ogalagidi and Igwe of Aguleri, and his Cabinet. Ogalagidi while expressing his pleasure to the GUS team for their visit said it was a welcome gesture, noted that youths are catalysts for advancement in any society.

Ukala, Sam-Iredi War The list was presented by chairperson, panel of judges for this year’s prize, Prof. Charity Angya, professor of Theatre and Drama and Vice-Chancellor, Benue State University, after two months of intensive scrutiny. Other members of the panel of judges include Prof. Ahmed Yerima, a past laureate of the prize and professor of Theatre Arts, Redeemer’s University, Mowe, Ogun State and Prof. Akanji Nasiru, a well-respected scholar and professor of Performing Arts, Bowen University Iwo, Osun State.

Bookmakers of this highly prestigious literature prize will this year again be faced with a tough challenge as in the past; the contest for the prestigious largest literature prize in Africa will again be keenly contested.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature has since 2004 rewarded eminent writers such as Gabriel Okara (co-winner, 2005,

poetry), Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto (cowinner, 2005, poetry) for The Dreamer, His Vision; Ahmed Yerima (2006, drama) for his classic, Hard Ground; Mabel Segun (co-winner, 2007, children’s literature) for her collection of short plays Reader’s Theatre; Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (co-winner, 2007, children’s literature) with her book, My Cousin Sammy; Kaine Agary (2008, prose); Esiaba Irobi (2010, drama) who

The NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates yearly amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature

clinched the prize posthumously with his book Cemetery Road; Adeleke Adeyemi (2011, children’s literature) with his book The Missing Clock; Chika Unigwe (2012 – prose), with her novel, On Black Sister’s Street and Tade Ipadeola (2013 – poetry) with his collection of poems, The Sahara Testaments.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates yearly amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. The 2014 prize is for drama and comes with a cash AWARD of $100, 000. Next year’s genre will be children’s literature.

“Nigeria LNG Limited remains committed to responsible corporate citizenship and The Nigeria Prize for Literature is one of its numerous contributions towards helping to build a better Nigeria.”

A shortlist of three is expected to emerge in September and a winner anticipated in October.

Aguleri royal fathers embrace Gulder Ultimate Search

Ehi Braimah, CEO, Neo Media & Marketing (3rd left) and His Royal Highness, Eze Christopher Nwabunwanne Idigo IV, Igwe of Aguleri, (3rd right), surrounded by Members of Igwe-in-council; when the Gulder Ultimate Search 11 contingent paid a visit to the traditional ruler at his palace in Aguleri, recently.

The coming of the GUS to Aguleri this year is not an accident but part of God’s design to put the community in its rightful place His words, “I thank Nigerian Breweries for extending this gesture to our community. In every society, youths are the catalysts for advancement and I really commend you for coming up with such a youth empowerment initiative and for considering our community suitable enough to host it this year”.

The Igwe, who displayed familiarity with the GUS, noted with delight that the Show which will be beamed on both terrestrial and satellite TV stations will, put the Aguleri community on global spotlight. He also commended Bob-Manuel Udokwu and Chidi Mokeme, for their dexterity in anchoring past editions of the Show.

The monarch said that the coming of the GUS to Aguleri this year is not an accident but part of God’s design to put the community in its rightful place.

He then pledged their support for and full co-operation with the GUS Team, just as he also assured that the crew will have unhindered access to him during their stay in Aguleri.

Aguleri, a community in Anambra East LGA of Anambra State, was an-

nounced recently by Nigerian Breweries Plc., owners of the GUS, as the host community for the 11th edition.

The past editions of GUS have been hosted in different locations across the country including the Snake Island in Lagos, Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River, Omo Forest, J4, Ogun, the Shere Hills in Jos, Omodo Forest of Aagba in Osun State, Awgu Hills of Enugu, the Kukuruku Hills, Egbetua Quarters, Akoko-Edo, and Usaka jungle in Akwa Ibom.

The winner of this edition is expected to cart away N10 million and a brand new SUV, the second and third place winners will get N3 million and N2.5 million respectively. To participate interested contestants should log on to www.gulderultimatesearch.tv before July 31 to register.

24 TOURISM Andrew Iro Okungbowa

T

he mood at the hall was a celebrative one with smiles etched on the faces of the people. Mama Oriki Group, a cultural dance troupe from Osogbo led by Ayo Ewebiyi kept the tempo alive with their beautiful performance.

The occasion was the Osun Osogbo Festival corporate forum held at Iris Hall of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Over the years, it has become a tradition for this forum to herald the formal commencement of the yearly festival, a communal cultural tourism feast and to present the major sponsors and supporters of the event to the public.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Infogem Limited, the marketer of the festival, Mr. Ayo Olumoko was in charge of the event.

He started the day off nicely as he informed the people of the purpose of the gathering and thereafter gave a line up of what to expect.

Besides, he spoke glowingly about this year’s festival and the expectations as well as the effort that has been made by his company to expand the frontiers of the festival and bring on board credible corporate sponsors and supporters for the festival. Given what is in the offing, Olumoko promised the people a grand and colourful celebration, which he said would mark a new turn in the history of the festival.

It was this promise of a befitting, joyous and celebrative cultural feast that formed the core of presentations by the various sponsors and other speakers who took to the podium after him. But before this, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye 11, who attended the event with his retinue of chiefs and palace officials, poured libation and offered prayers for the sponsors who mounted the stage for the royal father’s blessings.

The list of the sponsors included MTN, Goldberg from the stable of the Nigerian Breweries, Seamans Schnapps and Kasapreko makers of Alomo Bitters brand. Meanwhile, in his presentation, Chief Jimoh Buraimoh who spoke for the Ataoja described the season of the festival as representing a great occasion for Osogboland as he gave the historical perspective to the festival. ‘‘The month of August of every year has become a unique month among the people of Osogboland. It is the month of celebration, traditional cleansing of the city and cultural reunion of the people with their great ancestors and founders of the Osogbo kingdom,’’ said the Ataoja, adding that: ‘‘The celebration of Osun Osogbo festival is a period of stocktaking and assemblage of all sons and daughters of Osogboland and most especially Yoruba speaking people both in Nigeria and Diaspora.’’ He also emphasised the fact that the various activities embedded in the celebration of the festival are all geared towards the promotion of tourism so as to boast the economy of the people. ‘‘essentially, these activities with other associated ones are to springboard cultural tourism development in Osun State and generally in Nigeria,’’ even as he said that the aged – long festival, which was first re-enacted around 1370AD has retained its originality and authenticity despite cultural infiltration over the years, as a result the festival has not only gained global acceptability but has a commanding presence and attraction for people.

While also commending the corporate sponsors and other stakeholders, who have associated with the festival over the years, he concluded by extending invitation to everyone to attend the festival, which he promised would be as grand, colourful and entertaining as ever.

As for MTN Nigeria, the Trade Marketing Consultant, Emilia David – Anistar, the focus on grassroots and the

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Grand celebration for Osun Osogbo festival 2014

L-R: A representative of Kaspreko, Senior Brand Manager of Seamans Schnapps and Premium Brands, Mr. Nnamdi Ezeani, Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye 11 and the Brand Manager of Goldberg, Mr. Mfon Bassey during the Osun Osogbo Festival corporate forum held in Lagos... recently

mass market are key to its operation and given that the festival is not only communal based but enjoys mass appeal, it is therefore in tandem with its corporate goals and would continue to identify with it.

She promised the people exciting moment throughout the duration of the festival as the telecommunication company has lined up different activities and grassroots activation packages of immense benefits to the people of Osogbo and everyone who would attend the feast.

While for the Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Kufre Ekanem who was represented at the event by the Brand Manager of Goldberg, Mr. Mfon Bassey, it is another fun and celebration time with Goldberg providing all the tunics and impetus that the people need to have a fulfilling celebration.

To this end, he said part of the activities that the group is putting together for the festival is what he called ’21 day Goldberg Beer Fiesta, an occasion he said would expose the people of Osogbo and visitors to the festival to an unforgettable beer experience with lots of music, comedy and rewarding acts.

Mama Oriki Group entertaining guests during the Osun Osogbo Festival corporate forum held in Lagos... recently.

But for the Senior Brand Manager of Seamans Schnapps and Premium Brands, Mr. Nnamdi Ezeani, Seamans’ is a core traditional drink and it is only fitting that it is associated with the festival. Therefore, he said the people should look forward to a fulfilling cultural event with the authentic signature of Nigeria’s only traditional drink which is meant for all customary traditional and cultural celebrations.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS •

July 16 – August 12: Ataoja’s youth football challenge

•

August 7: Stakeholders presentation forum, Osogbo

•

August 11: Iwopopo (traditional cleansing of the city); Iwopopo’s cultural town storming and PMAN’s performance day

•

August 12: FTAN’s Osun forum; Ataoja football challenge final

•

August 13: Festival are exhibition; opening ceremony of Ayo Olopon contest (native Ayo game)

•

August 14: Festive musical concert; Olojumerindinlogun (lighting of over 500 years-old 16 points lamp)

•

August 15: Golfers arrival cocktail nite at MicCom, Ada

•

August 16: Ataoja’s golf competition – MicCom, Ada

•

August 17: Osun Marathon walk; Osun traditional food festival and Osun festival trade fair opening ceremony

•

August 18: Iboriade (Ataoja’s crowns assemblage); Funman’s performance day

•

August 19: Arugba’s berth; ANTP/TAMPAN’s performance nite

•

August 20: Susanne Wenger’s sacred colloquium, Osogbo; Festival art exhibition closing ceremony

•

August 21: Osun children cultural fiesta; HIV/AIDS promotional campaign; Sisi Osun cultural pageant

•

August 22: Osun Osogbo Festival Grand finale procession; Ataoja’s royal invitational reception

•

August 23: Osun festival trade fair closing ceremony

Kasapreko makers of Alomo Bitters who are the new entrants to the sponsors’ club of the festival, the Sales and Marketing Director, Mr. Richard Nwaobia, said it is a great occasion for the brand to play and assert itself is a mass and popular brand.

That as a traditional and natural product, supporting the festival is a perfect mix and marriage, adding that ‘‘we are supporting Osun Osogbo Cultural Festival because of it cultural and historical heritage.’’ According to him, this is just the beginning, promising great things ahead for the people because the brand is committed to promoting Africa culture and that the company is committed to bring others on board and make the festival a bigger and one of the largest festivals in the world.

Osun State government was also represented at the event with the Senior Adviser to the government on tourism and culture, Mr. Ladi Soyede in attendance.

He spoke on the importance the state government attached to cultural activities and the economic gains of promoting and developing its tourism industry.

The festival, he said is very paramount to the government’s development programme and that it would continue to support it and ensure that it attracts the highest participation. To this end, Soyede outlined some of the government sponsored activities, which include – tourism ambassadors’ programme, Osun Osogbo festival trade fair, the festival marathon walk, Osun Osogbo food festival and Festival concert.

Entertainment

NEW TELEGRAPH

25

www.newtelegraphonline.com/entertainment

SOny Neme Entertainment Editor

sony.neme@newtelegraphonline.com 0811 181 3096

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014

stories by sony neme

I

t was back slapping all through at the Ikejas office of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), when news filtered in about Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi’s appointment as Visiting Artiste/ Emeritus Professor in the Department of English and Performing Arts of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye. That called for commendation and celebration as the music icon is also Chairman of the COSON Advisory Council. Obey-Fabiyi pledged his commitment to the development of Performing Arts in the institution. Expectedly, COSON boss, Chief Tony Okoroji and General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji were among the distinguished guests at the grand investiture.

At the event well-attended by government officials, royal fathers and bigwigs in the entertainment industry and education sector, Obey-Fabiyi expressed his gratitude to the university for the opportunity to serve and pledged his commitment to the development of performing arts in the institution.

Obey-Fabiyi said: “I regard this as a great honour that I will hold dear to my heart as a development which I believe, by God’s grace, will enrich the performing arts endeavour of this noble institution of excellence in higher learning. I hereby humbly accept the offer. May I assure the university authorities that as one of the legendary custodians of music in Africa and beyond, “I promise to bring to bear my age-long experience in this industry for the maximum benefits of the students in particular and the university in general. I am making a commitment to be available to offer any help as may be deemed necessary and as may be possible. I will give this appointment the same commitment and dedication I have always given to my musical career and evangelism to make it a success story.”

COSON rejoices as Obey becomes a university don

He also called on the university to establish a department of music, which will offer degree programmes for Nigerian and African youths as well as champion music research.

In his response, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Saburi Adesanya said the

university was honoured to have the music icon as a visiting artiste/emeritus professor at the institution. He also announced that a music archive in honour of the juju music icon would be established for academic purpose and on-going research in the humanities and field of music.

Chief Okoroji at the event paid glowing tribute to Evangelist Obey and expressed his gratitude to the institution for the honour given to the music icon: “I rejoice with my big brother and benefactor, Evangelist (Dr.) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi on this great achievement,” he declared.

“His works and contributions to the music industry in Nigeria and beyond have continued to distinguish him and I am certain that there is more to come for this great man.”

“I am in no doubt that the students and authorities of OOU will stand to gain richly from his wealth of knowledge and experience,” Okoroji stressed. “Evang. Obey-Fabiyi is a man who gives his all to any venture he is involved in.

His fatherly advice and words of wisdom are just a few of the things the students can expect to tap from this distinguished music practitioner and visionary leader. I wish him God’s guidance and blessings in his service to humanity.”

COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji added his voice thus: “I commend the authorities of OOU for the opportunity given to the students to get hands-on experience from a distinguished music professional like Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi.

I congratulate the Chief Commander on this great recognition and I wish him the very best in his endeavours.”

High point of the event was the presentation of multimillion naira musical instruments to the department of English and Performing Arts by the Chief Commander. The audience was also treated to an electrifying performance by the music veteran and a special rendition of the celebrant’s hit songs by students of the department of English and Performing Arts.

‘You will travel the world with a good film’ How did you come into Nollywood?

Recently, while thinking about my involvement in Nollywood, it dawned on me that my initial thought about 10 years in the industry is not true afterwards. My first degree was in theater arts, at the University of Benin. It was just for me to get a first degree preparatory to study law. My father always told me then that I was too young to comprehend law, so go get your first degree first and foremost to comprehend what law is all about.

So I went into theater arts at 16. As early as at that age I bought a video camera, but I didn’t get to use it much at UNIBEN then because it wasn’t a television course, but mainly stage. Since then, I have been interested in imaging and how images come

Okwu

about. So, it came naturally when I went to the states where I studied law; my mind was always going back to making movies.

I didn’t see the motivation until I started watching Nollywood.

I remember watching my first Nollywood movie; it was Living in Bondage in 1994. After that, I started watching other films. I told myself this is really what I wanted to do. But, even while in the US, I never wanted to do it over there. I wanted to learn what I wanted to learn over there and return to practice my craft in Nigeria, because I felt that the stories I wanted to tell were Nigerian. That was how it started in late 2006 when I came back fully to start making films.

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 8

Now Muzik’s Loos Kollectiv is out with Take Over

L

oos Kollectiv, a Hip Hop ensemble on the label of Now Muzik, is set to take over the airwaves with its new single aptly titled Take Over, an effort that is full of metaphors and wordplays.

Loos Kollectiv consists of rappers, producers, writers, singers, poets, B-Boys and Deejays working directly or indirectly with Now Muzik in management, label or allied scenarios.

On this track you have a lyrical onslaught from Jayce, PKD (Perekeme Dubre), Romeo (Romeo Ugwudike) and Butafly (Lois Osuoha). Jayce (Mafoitan Oladipupo) is a wiz in indigenous Yoruba rap.

The Business Administration undergraduate of Yaba College of Technology’s love for music and entertainment has seen him go on to become a social director in his department, affording him opportunities to perform and win fans across campuses in Lagos.

The well-crafted hook of the J Sleek-produced song is sure to excite fans of Hip Hop music in Nigeria. A very competitive genre, and with four rappers on one track, the competition was fierce (although friendly), as each rapper brought his own unique flow and delivery to bear on the song.

Ever since wining 2011 Star Quest with his group, Crystals wherein they dropped their Elevated album a year later, Romeo has garnered enough recording and performance experiences to pursue a solo career under Now Muzik, thereby prompting the energetic performer to give his all in this new single.

PKD, a writer and content creator, on the other hand is a Warri-born and bred rapper with a unique voice and style of rap, which blends Warri Pidgin with English language. He was an opening act in 2Face Idibia’s Campus Connect Tour and appeared on the Million Voices For Peace song (Break The Silence) that also features 2Face Idibia, Sound Sultan, Rigtheousman, Jo El, Ferre Galo and Samini..

Butafly comes with a vicious delivery and her debut mix-tape Butafly Rap Trap (BRT) that she featured MI, Terry Tha Rapman, Godwon and Koffi, released last year with massive airplay is working on a new single.

26 Entertainment

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tisalat Nigeria, touted as the most innovative network in Nigeria, last Friday announced the judging panel for the second edition of its prestigious literary prize the Etisalat Prize for Literature. Chaired by renowned Nigerian writer Sarah Ladipo Manyika, the distinguished panel consists of award-winning British/ Sudanese writer Jamal Mahjoub, prolific Francophone writer Alain Mabanckou and writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga.

Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, in his welcome address, said the judges for this year’s prize are some of the most respected individuals in the literary world.

His words: “What is most exciting is that we have a very diverse panel that will bring in their individual perspectives to the judging process. They are an accomplished panel with vast amount of experience in the creative writing world.”

Now in its second year, the Etisalat Prize for Literature is the first Pan-African prize for debut fiction writers of African citizenship. The prize was launched in June 2013 and has become one of Africa’s most prestigious literary prizes for fiction.

Zimbabwean NoViolet Bulawayo was the winner of the maiden edition with her debut Fiction novel Bom Boy. She received £15,000 in prize money and a fellowship at the Unversity of East Anglia in the United

Friday, July 18, 2014

Etisalat Prize for Literature panel of judges unveiled

L-R: Chair of Judges, Sarah Ladipo Manyika; Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher; and one of the Judges, Tsitsi Dangaremgba at the unveiling of the Patrons and Judges at Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos

Kingdom, which she gifted to runner-up Yewande Omotoso.

Below is a brief detail of the jury: Chair, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, one of the inaugural Judges for Etisalat Prize for Literature 2013. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and currently teaches literature at San Francisco State University.

Manyika’s writing includes essays, academic papers, re-

views and short stories. Her first novel, Independence, is published by Legend Press (London) and Cassava Republic Press (Abuja). .

Jamal Mahjoub is an award winning writer of mixed British/Sudanese heritage. Born in London, he was raised in Khartoum where the family remained until 1990. He is also an award-winning novelist, translator and essayist. Mahjoub

reflects on notions of ancient Egypt in modern life and art.

He was awarded a scholarship to study in England and attended the University of Sheffield. He has lived in various countries including the UK, Denmark and currently, Spain.

He writes in English and has published seven novels under his own name. In 2012, Mahjoub began writing a series of crime fiction novels under the

pseudonym Parker Bilal.

Alain Mabanckou is considered to be one of the most talented and prolific writers in the French language today and the first francophone sub-Saharan African writer to be published by Gallimard in its prestigious "collection" called La Blanche. He is mostly known for his novels, notably Verre Cassé (Broken Glass) which was unanimously praised by the press, critics and readers alike. In 2006, he published Memoires de porcépic (Memoirs of a Porcupine) which garnered him the Prix Renaudot, one of the highest distinctions in literature written in French. His novels are published in more than 15 languages.

Tsitsi Dangarembga is a contemporary African feminist. She published a short story in Sweden entitled “The Letter” and in 1987, she published a play in Harare entitled “She No Longer Weeps.”

Her real success came at age 25 with the publication of her novel Nervous Conditions.

This novel was the first to be published in English by a black Zimbabwean woman. In 1989, Nervous Conditions won her the African section of the Commonwealth Writers Prize. She had made many film productions, including a documentary for German television.

She made the film entitled Everyone’s Child in 1996. It was shown worldwide at various festivals including the Dublin Film Festival. In 2006, she published The Book of Not: A Sequel to Nervous Conditions.

Gbenga Adeyinka, Osas groove with Maltina

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t was excitement galore at the Atrium of the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos when popular comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, former Miss Black USA, Osas Ighodaro and Laffup among other dancers took to the dance floor to showcase the new Rhythm of Happiness Dance (ROHD) dance style.

Gbenga Adeyinka and current Maltina Dance All (MDA) Compere, Osas dazzled the audience in a video on YouTube.

Little wonder it has continued to attract thousands of viewers.

The ROHD dance, we were reliably informed, is a new easyto-learn hip-hop dance style that reflects contemporary pop culture, which is a prelude to the popular family dance show, MDA season eight tagged “The Rhythm of Happiness.”

Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries PLC, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, in his speech, described the dance performance as just a tip from this MDA season. He said that “The show is the foremost experiential and sponsorship platform of the Maltina brand renowned for promoting togetherness with friends and loved ones.

The TV show, which made its debut in 2007, has remained Nigeria’s first and only family dance TV show featuring families from various regions across the country.”

He further said that “Fans of the show know too well that it is all about the emotions, excitement, fun and the unbreakable bond that 10 families will showcase when they challenge themselves by learning and

performing various dance styles in the famous Maltina Dance All academy.”

Each year’s show comes with a unique theme that drives the activation. For example, the theme for Season 5 was the ‘Biggest Maltina Dance All,’ Season 6 was the ‘Most Spectacular MDA’ while Season 7 was ‘The Evolution.’ This year’s show is tagged ‘Rhythm of Happiness’.

Ekanem further stressed that “The winning family will go home with the grand prize of N10 million. The first and second runners up will also get N3 million and N1 million respectively. This is a considerable increase from the N6 million, N1 million and N500, 000 won last year by contestants.”

On his part, Senior Brand Manager Maltina, Mr. Adewole Adedeji stated that “we are glad with the evolution of the

Maltina brand over the years and the impact it has made thus far. We are also very excited about what season eight of MDA has in store for us…

We are very glad that Maltina, through MDA, continues to bring the brand experience of sharing happiness and fun, to the consumer.”

He added that the MDA “Rhythm of Happiness” edition will be refreshingly unique because “we put a lot of work into it. Every year there is something bigger and better.”

The show proper will be preceded by regional auditions flag-off in Port Harcourt, Rivers State at the Atrium Event Center from July 18th - 19th.

It then moves on to National Theatre from July 24th - 26th Lagos and on to Abuja at the Nicon Luxury Hotel from August 1 – 2.

Osas Ighodaro, Gbenga Adeyinka, Laffup and others doing the Rythm of Happiness Dance

Kefee’s final journey home he remains of the late PopTDon-Momoh, Gospel artist, Kefee (Irikefe nee Obareki)

were finally laid to rest on Friday at Okpara Inland, EthiopeEast Local Government Area, Sapele, Delta State.

The entire community expectedly converged at the Akpevwoghene Educational Centre, Okpara Inland venue of the preburial church service as their daughter made her final return around noon in a white SUV with ‘Omega 1’ plate number.

The husband, Teddy, clad in white had arrived earlier and received the body along with members of Kefee’s family. Her remains were first taken into one of the classrooms amidst prayers before being taken to the center of the field.

At some point, photographers were stopped for a while before they were allowed to continue clicking away unhindered once things settled into place.

Though there was a near total absence of grade A artistes, a number of entertainers like DJ Gosporella, I Go Dye, Linda Etukudo, Nene SoulDiva, Anny Ibrahim, Princess, Aity Dennis, Daddy Showkey, Tosin Martins

and Nikki Laoye were present at the funeral. Curiously celebrated artistes from the Niger Delta were conspicuously absent, just as government officials could not make it there.

Copyright czar, Chief Tony Okoroji and Azeezat were at the burial ceremony.

After the service, the body was transported to the grave, which is close to the family house and comes in the form of a beautiful mausoleum, and buried amidst tears from friends and well-wishers.

Her parents, out of custom, were forbidden to either witness the funeral service or see the dead body of their child.

Later in the evening, the train moved to Sapele where there was no sign that an artiste of Kefee’s status was being buried. Apart from Warri, not a single poster or banner was in sight announcing the events in Sapele, where the post burial event took place. At the event were Daddy Showkey, Samie Okposo, Judith among other gospel artists, as well as a number of local upcoming artists that performed till late into the night at the Event Galeria.

Entertainment

Friday, July 18, 2014

CinemaWatch (Radio/TV/Events Guide) JULY 18 – 24 Highlights

Oprah’s Next Chapter airs on Thursday from 20:00 CAT

Tune in to 'Oprah's Next Chapter' - Hugh Jackman

H

DSTV

ugh Jackman: Oprah sits down with Hugh Jackman, the man behind the iconic Wolverine character from the X-Men franchise and one of Oprah's all-time favorite leading men. Hugh discusses his two children with his wife of 17 years, Australian actress Deborra-Lee Furness, and the discipline it takes to maintain his chiseled body. The two also talk about his Oscar nominated performance in Les Misérables and his relationship with his mother, who left the family when Hugh was just 8 years old. Then at 20:55 CAT Oprah heads to the south of France for an intimate conversation with rock 'n' roll legend Tina Turner. In the only television interview following the iconic singer's recent wedding, Tina talks love, retirement and her private life in Switzerland.

Black Men Revealed on Style every Thursdays at 21:10 CAT Black Men Revealed continues to give an insightful look into the black male experience, with heated and interesting discussions from the regular panel of hosts.

Examining current hot topics, everyday issues and often controversial situations, the panel of celebrities and intellectuals includes Yvetta Young and star actor Reggie Watkins.

House of Lies airs on M-Net Series from Friday 18 July at 22:00 CAT This comedy series is a scathing look at a self-loathing management consultant from a top-tier firm. Starring Don Cheadle as Marty, a highlysuccessful and cutthroat consultant who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his way with and for his clients. It returns for a third season and premieres on Friday 18 July at

22:00 CAT. Botched Up Bodies Premieres on TLC Entertainment from Friday 18 July at 20:55 CAT This documentary series follows some of Britain's top plastic surgeons who correct cosmetic surgery disasters.

With exclusive, behind-thescenes access to the renowned plastic surgery unit at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, the surgeons correct the catastrophes and give the victims the breasts, faces, teeth and tums that they have always wanted. The first episode follows 49-year-old Stephen Dockrell as he seeks to be free of the huge sack of excess skin left after his gastric bypass. Scaffolder Darren Mills travelled to Asia in search of perfect teeth but instead got a mangled mouth. From Friday 18 July at 20:55 CAT. Stars of Music airs on E!Entertainment on Sunday 20 July from 12:00 CAT Discover everything you’ve wanted to know about your favourite music stars, as E! presents an exclusive look at exactly how they became who they are. From conversations with pop starlets Selena Gomez (at 12:00 CAT) and Carly Rae Jepson (at 18:00 CAT) to an exclusive interview with No Doubt (at 15:00 CAT) to discuss friendship, music and kids, learn what keeps them grounded and what makes them tick. Explore the versatile careers of Katy Perry (at 14:00) and Nicki Minaj (19:00) and followWill.i.am (at 13:00 CAT) and Jason Derulo’s (at 18:30 CAT) turbulent rise to international stardom, discovering the surprising, uplifting and entertaining journeys these artists took to where they are today.

Thor: The Dark World on M-Net Movies Premiere on Sunday at 20:30 CAT

Fantasy action gets supersized as Chris Hemsworth returns for this explosive sequel to Thor. This time around, Thor must save his home, his true love and the universe from the sinister Dark Elves.

Fearless Heart Premieres on Telemundo on Monday 21 July at 16:20 CAT Fearless Heart follows the story about two women who have known each other from their childhood. Ángela Val-

dez is a poor, modest and humble girl whose parents work for the influential and powerful family of Sandoval.

Samantha Sandoval Navarro is a girl from the rich family where Angela’s parents work for, and she is the one to try and possess anything she wants. As a daughter of the wealthy person in the town, she has a bodyguard, Miguel Valdez. One day Samantha is kidnapped and they have to struggle to free her.

27

Win big in Open House s football lovers across the Asoccer country prepare for a new season, MultiChoice,

Nigeria’s leading entertainment destination has declared a big win promotion for its subscribers across all bouquets. In a 45-day promotion tagged “MultiChoice Open House Promotion”, Premium and Compact Plus subscribers stand a chance of winning 45 DStv Explora decoders each with a month subscription daily for 45 days.

Speaking on the promotion which runs from 14 July to August 27, General Manager Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Martin Mabutho said subscribers have an opportunity to win in the promotions if they stay connected by paying for their DStv or GOtv subscriptions. “Every month paid is an entry into the daily draw and the winners will be announced every Friday on selected radio stations in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja,” Mabutho said.

He also explained that Compact and Family subscribers who enter for the promotion also stand a chance of being lucky winners of generator sets.

Mabutho said: “Three generator sets will be given out daily for 45 days and over 100 000 Access and GOtv Plus subscribers will win N150 airtime top-ups.”

Mabutho further clarified that DStv Explora decoders won and not activated within seven days of collection will forfeit their complimentary one month subscription.

TCM Presents to screen The Bourne Identity July 9 CM channel 137 on DSTV Ttheir has proudly announced partnership with Sil-

verbird Cinemas with a free screening of The Bourne Identity in Nigeria on 9 July.

This is the first ever TCM Presents title is brought back to the big screen in Nigeria.

According to the Vice President Southern Europe and Africa for Turner Broadcasting System, Pierre Branco, the initiative is to give audiences the opportunity to watch The Bourne Identity at selected cinemas for free! All that fans need to do is visit www. tcmafrica.com/presents and reserve their tickets online – it works on a first come, first served basis..

Branco further said: “We hope that Nigerian movie enthusiasts will take advantage of this unique opportunity to watch great titles on the silver screen again,” adding that, “It is an initiative we’re very proud of.”

Feelers from Turner Broadcasting System Europe stated that The Bourne Identity is the 2002 Hollywood action thriller film adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s novel. “This action packed movie stars Academy Award winner Matt Damon as Jason Bourne who suffers from amnesia, and is attempting to regain his memory, discover who he really is and the reasons why he is being hunted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).,” he further explained.

For Branco, “This is one of the great new movie titles that TCM will be bringing to your TV screen this year. So, those who could not make it to the cinema had the opportunity of being part of the fun by tuning in at home to watch it on Thursday July 10 at 21h00, channel 137 on DStv. The free screening of The Bourne Identity was held on Wednesday 9 July this year at 20h00 at the following Sil-

verbird Cinemas: Silverbird: Ikeja, Lagos, Victoria Island, Lagos, Silverbird Entertainment Centre, Abuja, Ceddi Plaza, Abuja and Silverbird Showtime, Port Harcourt.

For starters, TCM channel 137 on DSTV, by Turner Broadcasting System Europe, a Time Warner Company, is the home of great movies, whether it’s a timeless piece or a contemporary masterpiece.

TCM creates a cinematic experience that appeals to a wide range of tastes and entertainment needs, featuring benchmarks of comedy, action, romance, noir, thriller and horror. To reach new movie enthusiasts, TCM Presents features in South Africa and Nigeria, and is an initiative that promotes the brand by bringing the best of Hollywood back to the silver screen, offering viewers regular, free screenings at Nu Metro (South Africa) and Silverbird (Nigeria) cinemas.

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Friday, July 18, 2014

‘You will travel the world with a good film’ CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

My first film was 30 Days in 2006.

After that, I never went back to live in the US; I have been here studying the industry.

You came in with The Meeting, and it has cleared almost all awards in sight; how does that make you feel?

It makes me feel good because after my first movie, I realized I didn’t understand the industry much as I have been away for too long. So, it took me a little while to make the Meeting. First and foremost, I wanted to understand the business side of the industry, because it was still growing. Secondly, I wanted to understand the people a bit better. Because when you are away for 29 years, you lose touch with base a little. So, having understood the people, the Meeting came up. Once I read the script, I knew what to shoot, and I realized that this was the right movie at the right time.

So, we took our time and formed a company called OrderySylvia Company, with one of my clients, Rita Dominic. We got the names from two main actresses, Nigeria’s Joke Sylvia and Ordery Hesbon who was an American actress. She is late now. So, we coined that name and with that company formed, we made The Meeting what it turned to be.

And because of the time and research that went into it, people seem to be involved with it. They like it. It has been winning all kinds of awards. I am most thankful to God. It has really been overwhelming, but that was what I wanted to do. To make films that will touch people around the world.

What has been the challenge for you since your foray into Nollywood?

Part of the initial challenge came from the way people perceived you as an ‘American returnee’, one about whom they were not sure what he or she had up their sleeve. I don’t blame them; you are coming into their territory and they don’t think you have something good for them. But I prayed and I have proven that I have the love for this our industry.

Many of them have accepted me and we are on together.

On a general note, I face the same challenges that those in the industry are facing, which is financing. For you to make some good movies, it costs money.

It depends on your script.

What did it cost you to produce the Meeting?

We are still spending on the Meeting. I usually tell people that the script was set for two cities, that is Lagos and Abuja.

By the time I tabulated, Meeting had already cost N23 million. That is a lot of money, but we have been making back, which is cool. One good thing is that films sell forever. You must approach it like that, that it doesn’t stop selling. Like most people here (Mauritius) haven’t heard and or seen Living in Bondage.

If the owners packaged well, they will be selling it till today.

It was challenging finding people to invest in Nigeria because most people don’t respect the art. So, we used our own money. We just told ourselves, do it right and we will make our money back.

It may not be a short term return, but we will make our money back. And slowly we have been making our money back.

The impact we have had has brought so much more than we envisaged, and it is still coming.

We are shooting our next film, but we have continued to win. We just won the Nollywood Paris Audience Award. The audience had fewer Africans, but more of Europeans. From the award, now I have the opportunity to use one of the most expenses lenses in the world--Unjeanue Prime Lenses. That was part of the reward. Each one of them is worth about $22,000. And you need about seven of it to make your films. And your films will

Mildred Okwu’s foray into film production was a fulfillment of her heart desire. Though a lawyer by profession, the soft spoken multiple awards winning lady, explained her deep love for the make-believe world. The Meeting producer who returned to Nigeria after about two decades in the US, spoke with New Telegraph during the Multichoice Africa’s Content Showcase in Mauritius. Excerpts… look beautiful when you shoot it right.

Apart from that, we are getting invitations for other things. If you take your time to do something right, there are many benefits you can gain from it. You will travel the world with a good film.

The idea is to calm down and do something that you can be proud of and when people come to greet me here, especially Nigerians, with pride about our achievement, that fills my heart. It makes me happy. Those are the things we go for, even though we are making monetary gains, there are so many other gains.

Now that you have settled into the industry, what is your candid assessment of Nollywood?

I was thinking we would have grown faster, but it is sort of slow. But, I think it is because it is financially intensive, and investors believe more in short term and quick returns. Movie-making is about long term plan, but when you start to make your money, nobody can compete with you; even music can’t compete.

Secondly, there are lots of people who are in the industry and should not be there. When you get a flight-by-night people, they get attracted because they can make quick money. They are not interested in making or understanding the art of movie-making. So, as long as those people are not growing, you won’t grow, because film is one of the most collaborative ventures you can ever get involved in.

If your PA is not good, then you the director are not good; if the producer is not good, then the costume designer won’t be good because you are producing. You have to know their crafts and do it well. So, even if you have actors that are doing fantastically well, if the director is not good the film is not going to be good. So, everybody in the film business will have to up their game.

That is why it has been a slow process growing. But, now you see that people behind the scenes are going to get more educated, they are taking courses abroad on how to shoot better film. Now we can match behind the scene people with the actors as well. And the more we do that the better we get. Even producers are getting training to produce better films.

I am hoping that in the next 10 years, we will be making films that will be selling across the world. That is the only way to go as we cannot stay stagnant.

How do you think the infighting within and between guilds can be stemmed for a better industry?

That infighting is a Nigerian thing.

It doesn’t have to do with Nollywood.

If you noticed, people fight in Nigeria for no reason at all. It is the same thing with politics. APC, PDP and others are constantly fighting instead of focusing on development. Nollywood is a mini Nigeria. It is not outside of the people;

They don’t care about the industry all they are after is make some quick money from it

Okwu

it is of the people.

So when you see people fighting in the guilds, it is just their inability to look at a bigger picture. If they do they will realize that we will achieve better working collectively, as opposed to all these infighting and lording things over people.

It just an unfortunate character of the people of Nigeria; which we must work to change, all of us.

There are so many awards at the moment; how can they be better and meaningful?

Everybody wants to lay claim to being recognized. But, let me tell you, very few of the awards are legitimate. And I feel that is the work of the media, because an entertainment industry cannot grow without a proper press. If the entertainment press is not vibrant, we won’t have a vibrant industry; just like if we do not have proper lawyers and accountants, the industry is not going anywhere. And that is what is going on.

If a vibrant and educated entertainment press says ‘we will not give this thing credibility because it doesn’t have credibility’, it won’t have credibility. But now people win, ‘o my mother is in the kitchen award’, and a major newspaper carries it, they will go to town and say, ‘look I was able to appear in a major newspaper’. So, they will all want to have an award. That encourages every Tom, Dick and Harry to set up an award.

That is why I don’t just put my films for every award. I want to see your process. I don’t care if I lose; so long you have a proper process that determines who is winning, I will accept whatever the outcome is.

The world is gathered in Mauritius for MultiChoice Africa Content Showcase, and Nigeria is virtually stealing the show to the envy of others. How does it make you feel, and how do we cash in on this as a nation?

I feel very proud. The world press is gathered here, and it is fantastic for them to see that good things are coming from Nigeria and not just Boko Haram, especially from what they have been seeing in the past few weeks about insurgency and all that. I am so proud that this is happening. We are a massive part of DSTV. We are doing our own part, and

so are other parts of the continent. But being a Nigerian, I feel so proud. And all I want us to do is to keep working harder.

Like I am talking to you now, you are going to go back and work harder at your craft, I am going back to work harder at my craft as well; we have made a connection, and we see where this can go and what we can do continuously.

As the ‘real’ ambassadors of Nigeria, how do you think government can tap into this for a better image of the country?

That is what I tell them. Nollywood can be massive game changer for Nigeria because they could be your face.

I say that because whatever you know about America today is mostly through Hollywood. I remember when I went to America in 1983 on holidays, I thought when I got there the ground would be paved with gold, because all I saw of America in movies was all good. So, I realize it is about a people writing about how they want to be, and making movies about how they want to be. All we want the government to do is to provide infrastructure.

I am not even part of the people that want handouts. For me just provide us with water, let us have electricity, and let us have good roads. Since you know that most practitioners don’t have money to work with, if you provide loans please make sure that these loans are actually accessed by the people who can actually use it.

You can’t give such money to people who have never been in the industry, but are just coming into the industry because there is money involved. Because that is what is going on as every Tom, Dick and Harry is getting the loan even when they have never made a film before; the only advantage they have is that they have the collateral. They don’t care about the industry; all they are after is make some quick money from it. It is not trigonometry or one of those difficult subjects. It is so easy. And I hope they will be able to achieve it with this Project Nollywood Act that President Jonathan has instituted. We are watching.

Presently you have a fund from Actors’ Guild of Nigeria from where most celebrated but forgotten thespians are being rehabilitated. How would you access the Ibinabo reign so far?

I don’t know much about the fund, but I noticed that Ibinabo has been going around, helping people, which is very welcome, because there are so many actors and people behind the scene who made families happy but are now incapacitated with no social security to cater for them. Take Natty of the popular New Masquerade for example.

I was watching Natty since I was little.

These are national treasures that if they are in other climes, they will be so rich that you can’t even touch them. But most of them are dying in penury. And I am happy that Ibinabo is reaching out to them. That is what women will do for you when they are in a position of power.

I am happy that she is doing something even in the areas of hotels and airline rebate for actors because she seems to be doing more than her predecessors which is loud and clear. I remember approaching some of her predecessors with laudable projects and they didn’t even respond. So, I am very happy about what she is achieving from what I have read and heard. I am not a member of AGN, but from what I am hearing, I am hoping she would just double up and keep doing it. It is not only God that will bless her, she is also leaving a mark that when she leaves, people can look back at her reign and say she did achieve a lot.

I am a very straight forward person. I can’t relate with people who are not honest. I will rather take the punishment for being straightforward

BUSINESS Friday, July 18, 2014

What's news Nigeria risks rise in house price Construction cost and house prices may go up in Nigeria and other emerging markets if the steel prices increase at an annualised rate of 2.2 per cent over the next three years, a forecast by IBISWorld has revealed.

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FG secures N3.4bn EU power grants The Federal Ministry for Power, the European Union (EU) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have announced a scale up of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), through a European Union (EU)'s N3.4 billion grant.

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CPS: Small business owners ignorant of new scheme Almost ten years after the Contributory Pension Scheme came into effect, some small business owners with at least five or more workers are still ignorant of the scheme despite the wide publicity given to it over the years.

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FG releases pro-vitamin A cassava Three improved vitamin A cassava varieties with yellow roots have been released by the Federal Government, stepping up efforts to tackle the problem of vitamin A deficiency especially among women and children.

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BUSINESS CREW AYODELE AMINU, Deputy Editor (Business) Simeon Ogoegbulem, Dep. Business Editor BAYO AKOMOLAFE, Asst. Editor (Maritime) SUNDAY OJEME, Asst. Editor (Insurance) SIAKA MOMOH, Asst. Editor (Industry/Agric) Godson ikoro , Asst. Editor (Money Market) JONAH IBOMA, ICT Editor DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor

29 NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Driving agricultural devt: World Bank to the rescue }p-34

ayodele aminu, Deputy Editor, business

ayodele.aminu@newtelegraphonline.com ayodeleaminu@yahoo.com

IPMAN crisis: Presidency gives leadership one-week ultimatum AVERTING STRIKE The Presidency moves to prevent industrial action

by NUPENG Adeola Yusuf

Drags Wogu into reconciliation process has the directive of the Presidency to see to the end of the crisis next week to avert any industrial action by Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natu-

ral Gas Workers (NUPENG)," he concluded.

Mrs Alison-Madueke, as reported by this newspaper, had last Tuesday met IPMAN

factional presidents behind closed doors and called for immediate end to IPMAN leaderCONTINUED ON PAGE 30

T

he Presidency, on Wednesday, gave a one-week ultimatum to the two factions of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to close ranks.

To demonstrate its seriousness, the Presidency has dragged the Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, into the reconciliation process.

New Telegraph had earlier reported attempts by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, to end the crisis rocking the fuel marketers’ association.

A source at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources however told this newspaper that a meeting with the minister of labour has been scheduled for next week Wednesday.

This, according to him, was occasioned by the Okoronkwo faction’s insistence that some members of its leadership have gone to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.

"This was the case before an order came from Aso Rock that the meeting must not wait for anyone," the source said.

"The scheduled meeting on the IPMAN crisis has been shifted to next week Wednesday owing to the plea by Okoronkwo group that some of their key members such as Alhaji Aminu, Alhaji Pasali and a few others are in Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.”

It was gathered that they requested for end of the month, but the minister said that the issues on hand are of national importance and very urgent.

He, however, insisted that the meeting must hold next week.

"The minister of Labour

L-R: Regional Bank Head, Surulere-Yaba Regional Bank, Oluwatobi Lawal, Ag. Asst. Director/Coordinator, Lagos Zonal Office, National Lottery Commission, Fidelis Ajibogun, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo, Executive Director, Shared Services, Chijioke Ugochukwu and Regional Bank Head, Victoria Island Regional Bank, Emeka Obiagwu, at the press conference to flag-off the Fidelity Save4 Scholarship promo.

Accounts: NCRIB faults NAICOM on submission deadline FRAGILE INDUSTRY The insurance industry is fragile and we need a lot of concessions for the operators Sunday Ojeme

P

resident, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, Ayodapo Shoderu, has again appealed to the Na-

tional Insurance Commission to soft-pedal on the directive to brokers to make declaration of their accounts on monthly basis.

Shoderu, who made the appeal on Wednesday in Lagos while on a courtesy visit to the newly-inaugurated President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Mr Bola Temewo, said that the regulator would do a lot for the brokers if it reconsidered the directive.

He said: “Being a member

of the Board of the National Insurance Commission, it is quite apposite for me to appeal to the CIIN to prevail on the Commission to further assist the growth of Insurance Broking, particularly in softening its declaration on request for brokers to make declaration of their accounts on monthly basis.”

He also said that the current fragile nature of the industry should be considered in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor DELE ALAO, Brands/Marketing Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor Abdulwahab Isa, Finance Editor Chuks Onuanyin, Energy Nnamdi Amadi, Reporter JOHNSON ADEBAYO, Asst. Production Editor

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE June 2014................................8.2% May 2014....................................8% April 2014.................................7.9%

LENDING RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at July 11)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N166.50 InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . 10.50% Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N288 Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N223.00 Maximum Lending Rate..25.83% • Foreign Reserves – $38.13bn as at 11/07/2014

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at June 11)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.73 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N261.45 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N212.90 Source: CBN

30 BUSINESS | NEWS KEY PRODUCTS Security wire fencing, nails, elevators, building demolition machinery, equipment and forklifts Dayo Ayeyemi

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onstruction cost and house prices may go up in Nigeria and other emerging markets if the steel prices increase at an annualised rate of 2.2 per cent over the next three years, a forecast by IBISWorld has revealed.

The report noted that there is growing demand for steel from the recovering construction industry and from high-growth real estate markets around the world like Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, New York and Miami.

This increased demand is now putting pressure on pricaing, leading to a rise in steelrelated construction products.

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Nigeria risks increase in house price as steel costs rise globally Currently, Nigeria's Ajaokuta steel company is still in comatose, while major manufacturers of steel products, especially reinforcement bars, rely heavily on scraps as raw materials.

The fear is that if the price of steel (iron bar) goes up, there may be rise in the cost of housing as investors and real estate developers might be in haste to recoup their investments.

As at today, according to the market survey conducted by New Telegraph, the price of reinforcement bar (iron rod) ranges between N125,000 and N165,000 per ton.

Speaking with our correspondent on the issue, Second Vice President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr Kunle Awobodu, stated that

currently, the price of iron bar has been relatively stable in the market, and that no one has heard of any increase in price.

If eventually the price of steel soars globally, Awobodu said that it would lead to rise in the price of iron bars locally and shoot up project costs.

The implication of this, he said, would lead to a situation where people especially construction workers, would begin to reduce the number of iron bars in their concrete, leading to structural failures.

Besides, he is of the opinion that the rising price of steel globally would dim the dream of millions of Nigerians looking for accommodation of their

own as the price of housing units may soar beyond their reach. .

As a primary input for many construction and industrial equipment products, steel exhibited a significant degree of price volatility in the midst of the Great Recession. As the construction and industrial industries tanked, demand for steel followed suit, with prices plunging 25.1 per cent in 2009. Steel prices bounced back strongly the following two years; however, the recovery was short-lived. As a result, IBISWorld expects steel prices to decline overall at an annualised rate of 3.8 per cent from 2011 to 2014.

Lower steel prices have helped curb price growth for products used in building and industrial applications. However, with steel prices forecast to increase over the next three years and construction and industrial activity projected to remain strong, buyers will encounter higher prices for steel-based products heading into 2017.

Some of the top five key products IBISWorld has identified that will likely undergo accelerated price growth over the next three years due to rising steel prices include: security wire fencing, nails, elevators, building demolition machinery and equipment, and forklifts.

Presidency gives IPMAN leadership one-week ultimatum CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

ship tussle.

She had earlier tasked the two factional presidents to "immediately sheath their sword and embrace peace" in the interest of the association.

“While Mr Obasi was standing on the court ruling to back his claim as the president, Okoronkwo also believed that he is the president based on the transition.

“But the minister wanted the two of them to close gap and work together for the betterment of the association and the industry,” the source had told our correspondent.

The embattled former National President of the IPMAN, Aminu Abdulkadir, had on April 2, 2914 stepped down from his leadership position in

the crisis-ridden association.

Abdulkadir also handed over the reigns of the association to his former deputy, Mr. Okoronkwo, who is now acting as the president.

Although it was gathered that the development was in contempt of an existing judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which had ruled in favour of Obasi Lawson as the president of the association and ordered Abdulkadir to handover the leadership of IPMAN to him.

Abdulkadir's handover of affairs to Okoronkwo was also followed by an alleged stakeholders’ meeting, which was summoned by the Managing Director of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Haruna Momoh, in Abuja in March ending.

NCRIB faults NAICOM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

face of the commission’s directive on brokers’ licences that had lapsed.

“I also would appeal that the Commission could extend its act of compassion to minimise the exercise. As we are all aware, the insurance industry has remained fragile and we need a lot of concessions for the operators to grow the profession in the country.”

While calling for a robust relationship among major stakeholders in the industry, Shoderu said that as the professional arm of the industry, the Institute owed it a duty to continually motivate intraindustry collaboration especially between brokers and underwriters.

He said that it was regrettable that attempts to broker

a meeting between the NCRIB and Nigerian Insurers Association had not materialise for quite a while.

He, however, added that a meeting had been slated between the brokers’ council and the new Chairman of NIA, Mr G. U. S. Wiggle, with the belief that the meeting would kickstart a revived relationship between the two bodies.

Responding, the CIIN boss expressed appreciation for the immense contributions the brokers were rendering towards the growth of the Institute and the insurance industry as a whole.

“We will continue to enlist your support in joining hands with us to ensure that the goals and objectives of the Institute and the industry as a whole remain on course,” he said.

L-R: Managing Director, PharmaPlus Nig. Limited, Ahmed Yakassi; Director- General, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. John Isemede; High Commissioner of Pakistan to Nigeria, Muhammad Saleem/Nigeria Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ambassador, Abiodun Oyede, during the ambassador’s visit to NACCIMA Secretariat in Lagos.

FG secures N3.4bn EU power grants Adeola Yusuf

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he Federal Ministry for Power, the European Union (EU) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have announced a scale up of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), through a European Union (EU)'s N3.4 billion grant.

NESP is dedicated to bettering the access to modern and sustainable energy sources in Nigeria, in support of the Nigerian government and its people.

The FMP, the EU and GIZ jointly launched on Wednesday in Abuja a scaled up NESP, thanks to a N3. 4billion given by the EU. The event was opened by the Honourable Permanent Secretary of Power (FMP), Godknows Igali and by the Acting Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Alan Munday.

The event, according to a statement, was attended by the programme partner in-

stitutions: the Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as other stakeholder groups.

The EU Ambassador, Michel Arrion, said: "These funds show that the European Union is committed to ensuring that a greater number of Nigerians get access to electricity, as well as to a lasting partnership with the government and other donors in the power sector."

The Permanent secretary, Ambassador Igali, while launching the event, stated: "Part of the government transformation agenda is to improve the supply and efficiency of electricity for Nigerian households and businesses thereby improving the livelihoods of the greater population of the people."

He further commended the EU, GIZ and other development partners in their support in the power sector.

The country director to GIZ, Dr. Thomas Kirsch, noted that the EU funding will greatly help to support the implementation

of the Nigerian transformation agenda and to scale up successful activities aimed at an improving access to energy supply for the Nigerian population.

The Nigerian Energy Support Programme aims to improve the conditions for investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and rural electrification.

The programme started in 2013 with N2 billion supports from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The N3,4 billion additional EU funding will allow NESP to continue advising Nigerian institutions on the enabling policy, institutional and regulatory framework conditions on the Federal level, support improved rural electrification planning in five states and set up various demonstration projects, providing business models to increase energy access through sustainable energy resources. Finally, NESP will initiate and support vocational training and capacity development in the electricity sector.

Pension CPS: Small business owners ignorant of new scheme Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

31

Artisans in a workshop

SMEs Some small scale business owners with at least five workers are yet to fully understand how the Contributory Pension Scheme works Sunday Ojeme

A

lmost 10 years after the Contributory Pension Scheme came into effect, some small business owners with at least five or more workers are still ignorant of the scheme despite the wide publicity given to it over the years.

President Goodluck Jonathan signed the new Pension Reform Act 2014 into law about two weeks ago with increase in the contribution from a total of 15 per cent by both employer and the employee to 18 per cent.

Although the increase has been commended by some stakeholders, especially the Pension Fund Administrators, some of the employers, which the new development directly affect, said that although they were happy over the new law that guaranteed a better retirement future for workers, it was, however, wrong for the government to unilaterally take such a decision without first considering the harsh atmosphere under which they operated their businesses.

New contributions While appending the new law about two weeks ago, the president increased to eight per cent the amount to be contributed by employees and 10 per cent by the employers making a total deduction of 18 per cent to be pooled into worker's Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA).

Besides the percentage increase, the new law has also brought down the numbers of employees from five to three to qualify an employee for the scheme.

This, according to the National Pension Commission, is to make the scheme more accommodating and be of benefit to a larger number of Nigerian workers.

New Telegraph findings among small

scale business operators who have more than three workers revealed that only a few had knowledge of the new scheme, while some who knew about it had never bothered to register their workers because of ignorance on how the system works, an indication that the PFAs must have been restricting their clients to big corporate organisations. Some of them attributed their ignorance to the belief that issues concerning pensions were strictly restricted to only government workers.

Employer's views A highbrow furniture dealer, Mr Mbamalu Geoffrey, who said it was the first time he would be hearing about pension for privately employed workers, argued that it would be difficult for him to place his staff on any form of pension since they never remained with him for too long. He said that although they were fully employed and paid the negotiated salaries, the only semblance of retirement benefit in the system was for them to save from their salaries for the future.

He said: “This is a small private business and we cannot be talking of pension here. I know if you are a civil servant you are entitled to some pension after retirement. Nobody has ever told me about any pension law that includes privately run business. The only people who have ever visited here are insurance marketers. I am surprised to hear that such a thing has been in existence in the last nine years.

“For now, we don’t have such an arrangement and I don’t know how convenient it will be for me to deduct some percentage of my staff ’s salaries and pay it somewhere. As for me, it is not going to be easy to remit another amount of money somewhere on their behalf after paying them their salaries. It is even funny that government has gone ahead to increase the percentage employers are to pay when they do not bother about how we operate. Where will the money come from after running generator on diesel for almost 24 hours?”

Speaking in the same vein, an artisan, Alhaji Femi Olalade, who is into metal fabrication with nine young men working for him and a lady, who doubles as a secretary and receptionist, said it was not his responsibility to place his work-

Acting Director-General National Pension Commission, Chinelo Ahonu-Amazu

ers under any pension arrangement.

The 68-year-old man, who claimed to be a pensioner, said that he had never given any thought to register his workers under any form of retirement benefit scheme.

He said: “I am a pensioner myself but I tell you the truth, I can’t remember the last time I was paid anything like pension. When I left the then Assurance Bank, we were told that our pension would be paid, but up till now nothing has happened. The good thing was that I was able to save money with which I set up this metal fabricating business.

The pension arrangement in this country has been wrong from the beginning that is why you see elderly people dying while trying to be paid.

“I don’t know much about the new scheme but I have never given any thought to how it operates because of the general picture I have seen about pension. I don’t intend registering my workers under the scheme. It is left for them to manage their money and save from it for the future. The best I do for them here is to teach them how to save and manage the little that is left.

“However, if at the end of the day any of them decides to register, I am not sure I would be committed to paying 10 per cent from my own money into their accounts. What that probably means is eating deeply into my own funds. To do that,

I don’t know much about the new scheme but I have never given any thought to how it operates because of the general picture I have seen about pension

if I must, is to reduce their salaries and I am sure they won’t like that.”

Lawyer's opinion In a chat with New Telegraph, a legal practitioner, Mr Sylvester Umole, said that it was not the sole responsibility of the employers to decide whether to register their workers or not. He said that since the scheme has become lawful, such employers had no choice than to ensure the workers were registered and the appropriate amount remitted to the PFAs. According to him, “everything boils down to enforcement. When I say enforcement I am not talking about looking for legal loopholes to punish people, which is what obtains in the country now. Government sets up an institution and it becomes an avenue for those in charge to make life miserable for others.

“The type of enforcement I am talking about is first and foremost educating the people. The scheme will be strange to some categories of employers, so the first thing the National Pension Commission should do is to create massive awareness. Let the people know that this is what is on ground now and this is how safe the money is and how it will benefit the contributor in future. From there they begin to gain the confidence of contributors. In this country today, people are scared to the extent of not even trusting the government so it will take conviction over time before you can regain people’s confidence.

“As much as the scheme is good and commendable, the scar of the past is always a reminder of what could happen in future in a country where government has not proven itself to be protective. So, more still has to be done in the area of education, otherwise, how can you just impose ten per cent on an employer who depends on his generator to do his business and who also pays all sorts of taxes and permits to get things going.”

32

business | PENSION

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Obasanjo happy over fraud-free pension scheme PENSION REFORM The Pension Reform Act is gaining popularity due to transparent administration and engendered confidence Sunday Ojeme

A

former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed joy over the creation of the ten years old Contributory Pension Scheme.

The former president, while expressing his feelings about the scheme during a dinner organised as part of activities to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the CPS, said that he was glad that since inception, the scheme had not been associated with fraud.

This is coming just as Lagos was also adjudged the best state to have adopted and fully implemented the CPS out of the 36 states of the federation in compliance with the provision of the Pension Reform Act, 2004.

According to a statement by the Press and Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Pension Commission, Mr Taofeek Lawal, Lagos had from inception of the scheme in 2007 till date contributed N51.6 billion, being the monthly deduction of 7.5 per cent from the salary of every employee and the counterpart 7.5 per cent contribution by the state government into the Retirement Savings Account of every employee with the Pension Fund Administrators.

The state also paid N26.2 billion as past service benefits to 4,990 retirees prior to the com-

Lagos picks trophy for full implementation mencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Lagos State is one of the pioneers in implementation of the CPS, having enacted its law in 2007. The state has fully implemented the CPS with a total of 45,730 employees registered.

Osun State adopted the CPS and enacted its law in 2009 with a significant progress made in its implementation.

Latest report on the scheme revealed that 45,106 employees have so far been registered with a remission of N4.15 billion as pension contributions, while N1.90 billion had been remitted into the Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund Account.

In the case of Ogun State, it enacted its law on CPS in 2007 and has so far registered 24,902 employees and remitted N10.90 billion as pension contributions, while N3 billion had been remitted into the Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund Account.

Ekiti State enacted its law 2011 and has also 37,676 employees registered under the Scheme.

Oyo State is yet to commence full implementation even though it enacted its law in January, 2010.

Ondo State has only drafted a Bill on the CPS, a copy of which had been reviewed by the Commission and comments duly forwarded to the state. Ondo State’s move into the scheme was met with some resistance from the workers who complained that they did not trust their government enough to transparently implement the programme in their favour.

Details from the North Cen-

Firefighters go on strike in pension row

M

id and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to be cautious during the latest strikes.

Fire Brigades Union (FBU) members across Wales and England are walking out twice on Monday.

Firefighters are striking from 06:00 to 08:00 and 17:00 to 19:00 BST as part of action over the next eight days.

Assistant chief fire officer Rob Quin said: "It's really important that people do not become complacent and that they stay alert to the risks."

FBU members are carrying out a series of strikes over an eight-day period, prompted by a row over pensions and retirement benefits.

It is expected that union members across Wales will support the action.

Quin added: "This latest notification from the FBU of forthcoming strike action is the most comprehensive we have seen since the dispute over pension reform between the government and FBU began in September last year.

"We have a wide range of safety advice available on our website and I would encourage everyone to find some time to familiarise themselves with it over this period."

The fire service said that, while it will still be responding to 999 call-outs with non-FBU affiliated staff, there is the chance of a reduced emergency response during the industrial action.

The two other fire services in Wales, North Wales and South Wales, are also putting in place contingency plans for the strike action.

L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Wale Onaolapo; Accounts Executive, Willis Energy, Melanine Iles; Musa Lawan of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) and Deacon Tom Ogboi, during a meeting on oil and gas at Willis Global Insurance Broker Limited in London.

tral zone reveal that Niger State has fully complied with the scheme while Jigawa State in the Nortn West had long appointed Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to manage the Pension Funds which have a total value of N16.49 billion as at September, 2013. Jigawa was the first out of the thirtysix states in the federation to enact its law.

Further breakdown shows that Kaduna State adopted the CPS and enacted its law in 2007 and has also made significant progress in its implementation with 143,722 employees registered and pension contributions of N9.46 billion made as at October, 2013. The state had conducted an actuarial valuation and determined the accrued pension rights of its employees for their service prior to the CPS and established a Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund which current-

ly has a balance of N1.6 billion.

While Zamfara State adopted the scheme in 2005 with 63,254 employees registered and remittance of N534.4 million as employee portion of the Pension Contributions as at November, 2013, Sokoto State enacted its law in 2007 and registered 46,808 employees with PFAs under the scheme.

Kebbi State enacted its law in 2009 and registered almost 38,000 employees with PFAs under the scheme, but it is yet to commence remittance of pension contributions. The same thing goes for Kano State where government enacted the law in 2006.

Kastina State drafted a bill which has, however, not translated into law. The compliance status of the states in the North-West zone as indicated clearly shows the imperative for the states to

expedite action on the full implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme.

As for the states in the South East, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu are yet to enact their own laws on the scheme.

Imo State enacted its law in 2008 and appointed PFAs to register its employees.

The state government has, however, suspended the implementation without explanation.

Anambra State, it was learnt only recently, enacted its law on the scheme and is still expected to carry out the next necessary steps like setting up administration structure, appointment of PFAs, registration of employees by the PFAs, remittance of pension contributions and determination of accrued pension liabilities of workers among others.

New pension programme set to roll out

C

hina's new reform plan that targets the current dual pension system has reached its final stage, and is expected to roll out by the end of this year, the 21st Century Business Herald reported on Wednesday citing an unnamed source from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security that has been leading the efforts in pension reform.

The framework has been mapped out, setting the tone of a nationwide reform of public institutions which are expected to share a unified pension system with enter-

prise retirees, said the report.

Specific programs are now being mulled.

Reforms will tackle how wages are disbursed, performance appraisal, occupational annuity and classification of public institutions, a move that will mark a big step in the much-highlighted process.

Pension reform has been stuck in the past few years as pilot programs in places, including Guangdong province and Shanghai municipality, have come to a standstill after they were launched in 2008.

"The key issue to a smooth

sailing of the pension reform is to guarantee a consistent social insurance network for retirees in public institutions affiliated to government departments, and that their income doesn't change much." Jin Weigang, head of the Social Security Institute under the ministry, was quoted as saying.

People fret their income will see a sharp drop after the reform. But it's not likely.

The reform will be basically a structural change, and there may be some transitional measures to help tide over the water, Jin said.

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Measures to address micronutrents deficiency include dietary diversity, fortification, supplementation, and now biofortification Stories by Siaka Momoh

T

hree improved vitamin A cassava varieties with yellow roots have been released by the Federal Government, stepping up efforts to tackle the problem of vitamin A deficiency especially among women and children. These new varieties were jointly developed by IITA and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike.

The new varieties have a pro-vitamin A content that averages 10 parts per million (ppm) based on fresh roots as compared to the first series.

Dr Peter Kulakow, IITA Cassava Breeder, said that the development of the varieties demonstrates strong collaboration between scientists at NRCRI and IITA, which benefits Nigerian farmers and especially

Agric

BUSINESS 33

FG releases provitamin A cassava women and children who suffer from vitamin A deficiency.

Afflicting almost 20 per cent of pregnant women and about 30 per cent of children under the age of five, vitamin A deficiency results in stunting in children, predisposes them to sicknesses such as diarrhea and measles, and even premature death. In pregnant women, vitamin A deficiency results in night blindness and increases the risk of mortality.

Measures to address this deficiency include dietary diversity, fortification, supplementation, and now biofortification.

In 2011, researchers from IITA and NRCRI with funds from HarvestPlus developed the first series of biofortified pro-vitamin A cassava varieties to help reduce the incidence of vitamin A deficiency especially in the rural communities.

Dr Chiedozie Egesi, NRCRI Cassava Breeder, disclosed that

this newer set of pro-vitamin A cassava varieties will play a role in attaining the goals of the Cassava Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government and help improve cassava food products such as gari, fufu, high quality cassava flour, cassava bread and starch.

“This new set of pro-vitamin A cassava varieties have increased beta-carotene levels as well as matching agronomic characteristics as an incentive for better farmer adoption,” he added.

Prior to their release, participatory varietal trials involving farmers were conducted across 10 states in Nigeria, the world’s top cassava producer, cutting across the different agro-ecological zones.

The varieties have potential yields of 32–36 tons per hectare; they branch either moderately or profusely and possess yellow roots.

Farmers’ love for the variet-

ies is helping to increase the acceptance of “yellow cassava,” Dr Egesi added.

The next steps to rapidly disseminate the varieties include the rapid production of breeders’ and foundation seed stock so that commercial farmers will have access to these new varieties.

The development of these newer sets of pro-vitamin A varieties demonstrates that plant breeders are not resting.

Dr Hernan Ceballos, cassava breeder from CIAT in Colombia has developed biofortified germplasm that IITA breeders are actively using in crosses to select for even higher betacarotene germplasm.

HarvestPlus funded the research. Other partners include the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), and various Nigerian government agencies.

Cassava tubers

Curbing indiscriminate timber felling DEFORESTATION Cutting down vegetation without any simultaneous replanting anti-economic progress

D

eforestation accounts for 87 per cent of total carbon emissions of Nigeria. Nigeria’s forests’ wide biodiversity of 899 species of birds, 274 mammals, 154 reptiles, 53 amphibians and 4,715 species

of higher plants, will also be strongly affected by the negative impacts of deforestation.

Nigeria is said to be number one destroyer of primary forests in the world. The country has thus joined the likes of Indonesia and North Korea known for getting rid of its green forest.

FAO records show that between 2000 and 2005, the country lost 55.7 per cent of its primary forests, defined as forests with no visible signs of past or present human activities. Logging, subsistence

agriculture, and the collection of fuelwood are cited as leading causes of forest clearing in Nigeria. FAO report further revealed that primary forests are being replaced by less biodiverse plantations and secondary forests. It argued that due to a significant increase in plantation forests, forest cover has generally been expanding in North America, Europe and China while diminishing in the tropics.

However, industrial logging, conversion for agriculture (commercial and subsis-

tence), fuelwood collection by rural poor and forest fires, often purposely set by people, are said to be responsible for the bulk of global deforestation today, the report stated.

Deforestation is a process where vegetation is cut down without any simultaneous replanting for economic or social reasons. It has negative implications on the environment in terms of soil erosion, loss of biodiversity ecosystems, loss of wildlife and increased C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 5

Farmers delay cocoa shipments over disputed levies ocoa shipments from NigeCCross ria's second-largest grower, Rivers, have been held

back in the past week owing to a disagreement over a levy imposed by the state government on exporters who did not use the state port to ship their beans, a trade body said, Reuters has reported.

Godwin Ukwu, spokesman for the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, said on Wednesday that about 500 tonnes of cocoa due for export were held over the week after the local government refused to comply with a court order that it discontinue the duty.

The Cross Rivers State government has introduced a levy of N5,000 ($30.90) per ton of cocoa on exporters who ship beans through ports other than Calabar seaport, which diminished its viability.

Taxes on exports including cocoa are usually collected by the Federal Government.

“The levy came into being in 2011... but we went to court to challenge it and we got a judgment restraining the government from collecting the money,” Ukwu said, noting that shipments will resume once the levy is cancelled.

Officials from the state government were not immediately available to comment. Cocoa exports from Cross Rivers are usually destined for Europe.

Abundant rain and sunshine in the two main cocoa areas of Ondo and Cross Rivers states last month have helped the crop but there are fears that a lack of sun may allow diseases to spread and hurt bean quality.

Ukwu said that the logjam could affect output this season as farmers approach the main crop with export delays. Nigeria typically produces around 250,000 tonnes every year. Official figures for 2013/2014 cocoa output have not yet been released.

Cross Rivers, Nigeia's second-largest grower with yearly volumes of around 60,000 tonnes, is world's fourth biggest cocoa producer.

The state aims to generate revenue through its seaport and compete with more established seaports in the nation's commercial capital, Lagos.

Farmers said that they paid around 300 million naira to the state government in levies last year.

...about 500 tonnes of cocoa due for export were held over the week

34

BUSINESS | AGRIC

Kenneth Tyohemba

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he agriculture sector is one of the key sectors of Nigeria’s economy and employs half of the workforce.

This is aside from the fact that through agriculture, over 90 per cent of the rural population sustains their daily livelihood. The sector was the leading contributor to GDP in 2011, accounting for 31 per cent, and 27.79 per cent of the GDP in 2013.

Within agriculture, a major driver of growth is a staple food crop, which accounted for 35.8 per cent of agricultural GDP in 2011. The implication of this is that as majority of small farmers in Nigeria grow staples, the productivity will have far reaching impact on the rural poor, including women who account for over 60-79 per cent of the rural dwellers engaged in agriculture and other agro-allied work force.

The strategic importance of agriculture in poverty reduction therefore cannot be over emphasized. According to World Bank, a mere one per cent increase in

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Driving agricultural devt: World Bank to the rescue As majority of small farmers in Nigeria grow staples, the productivity will have far reaching impact on the rural poor, including women who account for over 60-79 per cent of the rural dwellers engaged in agriculture and other agro-allied work force agricultural productivity will decrease a person’s likelihood of been poor by between two and three per cent.

However, despite the strong growth prospects and the abundance of arable land favourable to variety of crops, performance of the sector in Nigeria in terms of yields of major crops and output per capital does not measure up. Agriculture growth is mainly attributable to expansion of cultivated areas and rain-fed cropping systems. With rising uncertainties to rain-fed agri-

culture and its vulnerability to climate change, land degradation and insurgents in the north, further reduction in crops yields is foreseen as threats to the business of agriculture.

According to the World Bank document, major constraints to agriculture productivity have been limited access to, and insufficient availability of improved inputs and technologies to farmers, inadequate investment in agricultural research and development, limited private investment in developing

Agric commodities

Agricultural Commodity Prices - Grains Commodity CBOT Corn CBOT Wheat CBOT Oats CBOT Rough Rice CBOT Soybeans CBOT Soybean Meal CBOT Soybean Oil ICE Canola

Softs

Commodity ICE Cocoa ICE Coffee "C" ICE Sugar #11 ICE Orange Juice Conc ICE Cotton #2 SFE Greasy Wool CME Lumber TOCOM Rubber CME Ethanol

Units USd/bu.

USd/bu.

USd/bu.

USD/cwt USd/bu.

USD/st USd/lb.

CAD/mt

Price 387.50 543.00 331.50 12.87 1,095.50 352.10 37.12 448.20

Change +5.75 +5.25 +0.50 -0.01 +9.25 +4.90 +0.01 +2.70

% Change +1.51% +0.98% +0.15% -0.04% +0.85% +1.41% +0.03% +0.61%

Contract Dec 14 Sep 14 Dec 14 Sep 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Nov 14

Units USD/mt USd/lb.

USd/lb.

USd/lb.

USd/lb. cents/kg USD/tbf JPY/kg USD/gal.

Price 3,091.00 162.10 17.15 150.90 68.44 333.90 201.20 2.11

Change -15.00 +0.15 -0.06 -0.70 +0.69 -2.40 +1.80 0.00

% Change -0.48% +0.09% -0.35% -0.46% +1.02% -% -0.71% +0.90% +0.19%

Contract Sep 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Sep 14 Dec 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Dec 14 Aug 14

Time(ET) 08:44:59 08:45:00 08:33:15 08:00:48 08:44:56 09:30:00 08:44:56 09:29:43 Time(ET) 09:27:20 09:29:57 09:30:05 09:18:51 09:29:34 21:15:48 05:59:58 09:29:17

Livestock Commodity Units Price Change % Change Contract Time(ET) CME Live Cattle USd/lb.

151.20 -0.65 -0.43% Oct 14 09:29:44 CME Feeder Cattle USd/lb.

209.90 -1.63 -0.77% Aug 14 09:29:11 CME Lean Hogs USd/lb.

115.48 -0.48 -0.41% Oct 14 09:29:04 Commodities trade on different exchanges with different trading sessions. Change always shows from the previous close price.

Quotes delayed, except where indicated otherwise. All prices in local currency. Time is ET. Source: Bloomberg

improved seeds and fertilizers, underdeveloped agribusiness value chains with low ratio of food processing to primary agriculture due to poor infrastructure, lack of finance for agriculture and dearth of market information.

Significant deficiencies in large-scale dams and irrigation infrastructure also negatively impact agriculture productivity, notably in the north where the bulk of the country’s dams and irrigation infrastructure is based. The deteriorated state of rural roads networks increase transport costs for farmers and agro-business, which in turn lowers their productivity.

Recently the World Bank Group launched its new Country Strategic Partnership with Nigeria. The Country Director, World Bank, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, while unveiling the new strategic plan (2014-2017) said that the CPS major target is to increase productivity and job creation through agriculture, which is a follow up of the previous strategic plan.

According to the CPS document, the World Bank Group will support agriculture and climate change reform agenda and its implementation through the federated structure. Already, the Brenton wood institution has intervened in the Nigerian agricultural sector through such programmes as National Fadama Development projects.

The Fadama project was a huge success that government had to renew the projects three times.

Other World Bank interventions in agriculture in Nigeria include the West Africa agriculture productivity project, Commercial Agriculture Development Project, Erosion Management and Transforming Irrigation Management Project. The Bank has also lined up measures such as Rural Access and Mobility 1 and 2, Staple Crops Processing zone project and Disaster Risk Management and climate change as vital instruments that focus on strengthening agricultural productivity, improving access to markets, and enhancing climate resilience.

There are inadequate processing industries and storage facilities that would curb the waste of farm produce from perishing. The insurgent activity in the North which is the major contributor of staple crops has remained unchecked. Farmers are been killed and farm crops destroyed, even as displaced persons have abandoned farms, casting further fear of food insecurity. Previous related policies suffered backwardness due to political and administrative bottleneck, as project were often times diverted to wrong places

and individuals.

With the launch of the World Bank new strategic plan and the government’s commitment to turn agriculture into a money spinning business venture, it is expected that Nigeria will soon move away from the regime of food importation to meet its food security requirements to even export its surplus food production to other countries of the world.

What is required is to turn those policies into practice and make sure that the target beneficiaries who constitute the larger percentage of the rural population are directly impacted upon positively. Can the World Bank Group’s partnership with the Federal Government turn a new chapter in the transformation of agriculture business? Stakeholders in the sector are watching with an eagle eye.

The government’s Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) focuses on making improvements along the value chains of prioritized agricultural commodities. The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adesina Akinwumi said that the aim of ATA is to cut down government’s spending on the importation of food and subsequently encourage local production.

On paper ATA differs from past efforts in that it includes substantial policy reforms such as fertilizer subsidies programme, and liberalization of Agricultural insurance and foundation seed production. The ATA consists of four main elements: Fixing the fertiliser sector by withdrawing from direct government interventions in fertiliser distribution; strengthening marketing institutions by supporting private sector-led marketing organisations; addressing agriculture financing through the Nigerian Incentivebased Risk Sharing for Agriculture Lending; and facilitating private investment in production and processing of agricultural products through the development of Staple Crop Processing Zones.

On the government synergy with the World Bank Group, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that what the World Bank is doing is to provide support to the already existing government’s Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA).

It is worthy to note that the World Bank Group's new partnership with government’s ATA has the capacity to take the country’s agriculture business to the next level. However, implementing them has been the major challenge to the growth of the sector.

BUSINESS | AGRIC

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

PROCESSED YAM This is a food item that has found wide acceptance among working class Nigerians, home and abroad Chukwudi Odili

Yam processing for local, export markets

N

igeria is the largest yam producing country in the world. Virtually every state in Nigeria produces some amount of yam. Out of the estimated world output of about 50,000 tonnes, Nigeria accounts for about two-thirds of this figure.

Industrial ventures utilise tubers that had been stacked and stored in good condition.

Industrial processing of yam becomes very significant for the benefit of the working class in the cities, who live in enclosed modern houses or who do not always have the time to pound the yam with mortars.

Processing reduces spoilages, enhances the shelf life, adds value to raw yam, and cuts down on transportation cost. It is far more cost effective to process and export than to export the heavy wet tubers to longer distances.

The steps involved in yam flour processing are as follows: • Procurement of good quality tubers, weighing and washing; • Peeling the washed tubers.

This is preferably done manually because the peeling machine is difficult to fabricate locally; • Grinding of the peeled tubes into pulp (the machinery surface is usually coated with galvanised steel to avoid incidence of contamination of the product); • Drying of the ground yam

Yam flower

pulp; • Milling the dried pulp; • Sieving to avoid having lumps when being prepared for eating; • Bagging and packaging in cellophane (2kg, 5kg, 10kg, 25kg and 50kg) Raw Materials The raw materials needed are wet yam tubers. These are obtainable from farms cultivated by plantation, small holder and co-operative farmers.

The greatest fascination of the project is that practically all the basic machines, spare parts and process technology are

Cost estimates of a small scale yam flour factory (N): Pre-Investment Factory space (Initial) Machinery & Equipment (for yam flour) Working capital (including export start-up funds) Total cost outlay (N) available locally, which makes maintenance relatively cheap.

Several attempts have been made to commercialise the production process. More ambitious attempts by local engineers have resulted in much improved equipment for yam processing and packaging.

Processed high quality poundo

250,000 300,000 650,000 3,650,000 4,850,000

yam products with long shelflives have ever since found wide acceptance among the working class at home and abroad. The most modern equipment made from galvanised steel had been adapted in Germany from prototypes fabricated in Nigeria; the cost price rotates between $5,000 to $6,000.

Curbing indiscriminate timber felling C O N T I N U E D F R O M pa g e 3 3

desertification, among many other reasons. This clearing of the green forest also has an impact on social aspects of the country, specifically regarding economic issues, agriculture, conflict and a lot of damage has been done to Nigeria’s land through deforestation, notably contributing to the overwhelming trend of desertification.

Deforestation

35

A study conducted from 1901 to 2005 gathered that there was a temperature increase in Nigeria of 1.1°C, while the global mean temperature increase was only 0.74°C. The same study also found in the same period of time that the amount of rainfall in the country decreased by 81mm. It was noticed that both of these trends simultaneously had sharp changes in the 1970s. From 1990 to 2010, Nigeria nearly halved

its amount of forest cover, moving from 17,234 to 9041 hectares. The combination of extremely high deforestation rates, increased temperatures and decreasing rainfall are all contributing to the desertification of the country.

Available data also show that the numbers of the rare Cross River gorilla have decreased to around 300 individuals because of poaching by locals and mass habitat de-

struction. Although much of the motivation of deforestation stems from economic reasons, it has also led to a lot of economic problems in an already unstable country. Along with economic issues, deforestation has made it so that the land is incapable of as much agricultural production which is part of many people’s survival.

No doubt, the government department in charge of forestry should be held culpable for its failure to implement any forest management policies in efforts to curb deforestation since the 1970s. Very few steps have been taken to try to lower the deforestation rates and stop illegal logging.

What solution do we have then? Any solution to the problem of deforestation in Nigeria must be an approach that incorporates and aggressively targets all aspects that are related to the problem. We must start thinking of areas of energy alternatives, improved technology, forestry management, economic production, C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 7

Consider the German-model of the Nigerian yam processing plant with the capacity to produce two tonnes of the finished product per day. Each bag of the finished, packaged product weighing 1kg is currently selling for an ex-factory price of N850 but a new entrant may even fix his own penetration price at N750. The factory in effect will generate an annual turnover of about N15 million. The consolidated total cost price of raw yam that will feed the plant is estimated at 6 million. Production and other operating costs will amount to approximately N5 million, leaving a net profit of about N4 million. Operating at a modest 60 per cent capacity in the very first year, profit generated will be around N2.4 million.

Against a start-up capital of N4-5 million, this is by any standard, a good return, implying that the venture will recoup all capital invested in about one-and-half years, at worst. Apart from the huge returns, the project will offer employment to over five youths.

Based on a recent export study, if same product is more efficiently handled, packaged and exported, the least price a tonne sells is 1,940 dollars.

Comparatively, the wholesale price for Brazilian cassava tubers is 75 pounds sterling for a 20kg carton. Brazil permits the export of yam tubers. The equivalent first year turnover expected exclusively from yam flour export at full capacity is a modest 291,176 dollars. Convert this to naira and you will see that there is hardly any better business today. The overriding fascination of this project is that: the market is ready; the raw materials are abundant and the yam flour machinery could be locally fabricated.

In very recent times, a breakthrough in research has clearly revealed the new application of yam derivatives in health-care. This new development has largely expanded the economic importance and export prospects of the product.

For instance, in Europe and America, imported yams are industrially processed to yield certain chemicals, which are highly valued in the production of steroids, birth control pills and other medicines. Therefore, Nigerian investors must utilise these emerging opportunities to shore up the country's declining non-oil foreign exchange earnings.

It is important for a prospective investor to commission a feasibility or market study in order to obtain facts that will enable him take informed decision regarding investments in the yam flour project.

Chukwudi Odili, an expert in Project Research and Development can be reached through ticodilis@yahoo.com

36

BUSINESS | AGRIC

APPLAUSE Thumbs up for FG’s transformation agenda by women farmers in Kogi Stories by Siaka Momoh

W

omen farmers in Kogi State have expressed their unflinching support for the agricultural transformation agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government and have praised state government’s collaboration with the Federal Government in its implementation.

President of the state’s chapter of Women in Agriculture (WIA), Mrs Esther Audu, expressed the support on behalf of her 5,000 members across the state. She particularly noted that during this present regime, the impact of the two tiers of government, under ATA, has been noticeable.

“The Agricultural Transformation Agenda is very effective,” Audu observed, adding that “before now, the farmers did not have access to fertiliser. You only plant and plant and plant and, at the end of the day, you only get little that you and your family will eat.” But comparing this administration with the predecessors, Audu posited that “they are really working on commercial farming.” She was particular about the impact on women, saying that “you will be surprised that some women here are managing five hectares of farm each.”

According to Mrs Audu, “the programme of Agricultural Transformation Agenda is a programme that has come to improve the lives of the people.

Before now, we did not have access to fertiliser, no improved seed. But now, even before this rainy season, we have gotten our seeds and fertiliser, waiting for the time of planting. Before now, there was nothing like that.”

Mrs Audu noted, however, that there has been an improvement in the delivery of service under ATA as she disclosed that, “even that last year, it was like there was a delay in bringing out fertiliser and seed. That was why we were not able to get maximum yield. But, by the special grace of God, even before the dry season, we were given fertiliser and we were given seed.

This rainy season we are doing right now, I know we are going to get more improvement. Even fertiliser is already available. I have it in my store.”

She articulated her position on the impact, saying: “I have about 5,000 women farmers in Kogi State, across the 21 local governments. Under Lokoja local government, the government granted the request of women for 200 hectares of land in Okuni 2 location, which was designated for women.

“A month ago, we harvested that of dry season. There was an improvement in dry season this year compared with that of last year. Our members believe that this year they will have a bumper harvest” Mrs Audu enthused, pointing in the direction of her farm, and expressing confidence that “we will have

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Briefs Kogi women farmers laud Keystone pays to rice ATA, support rice import ban N77.7m farmers the kind of harvest that is being experienced by farmers in other parts of the country. This has given them confidence,” she noted, disclosing that “some women are managing as much as five hectares because they can now see that agriculture is a way of getting out of poverty.

“Before now, many people saw agricultural activities as a dirty business. But, with the present administration of Jonathan and the minister, they have made us to know that agriculture is a business,” Audu noted.

She argued that her expectation for a more robust harvest was also based on the nature of seeds which the farmers are

receiving which guarantee better yields. In her words: “Before, we only planted part of the rice that we produced, and our production was low, sometimes less than one ton per hectare. But now it is easy to produce three to four tons per hectare. Some people even have five tons.”

According to her, “it is not everybody that is happy that agriculture business is going on well the way it is supposed to go.

Even now, some people are still complaining that government is not doing anything in the area of agriculture. But, if you are into it, you will know the difference. Before, I used to buy two bags of fertiliser at N12, 000, but

Mrs Audu

now, with my N5,750, I am able to get a bag of rice and two bags of fertiliser.”

She expressed confidence in the possibility of improved production by farmers in this year’s wet planting season. According to her, “this year’s wet season farming is a far different story, because even before the dry season, we were given fertiliser and seed. So I am very sure we are going to have considerable improvement.

“Last year, our state governor, Captain Idris Wada, was able to bring helicopter to drive away birds (on the farms),” Mrs Audu recalled. And, pointing to tractors nearby, she said, “this is what the governor of this state is using to support the farmers. All the farmers you are seeing here, none of us is using our money to prepare the land. We get the preparation of land from the state government, inputs from the Federal Government and farmers contribute the remaining.”

On whether there should be a ban on importation of rice, the women leader has this to say: “I am in support of banning importation. If you continue importing rice, you continue to import youth unemployment. Right now, the youths are out for these agricultural activities. If you go to the other side, (of the farm) you will see the youth farmers.

We have youth farmers’ club.

They have their own farms.”

In Kogi now, it is not only the able-bodied that are involved in agriculture under ATA. “Even the disabled are into these agricultural activities now because of the way the present minister is trying for farmers. We, as a women organisation in agriculture, are in support. Importation of rice should be stopped. You can ban it now if government is prepared to provide sufficient support,” she emphasised.

Agric Perm Sec absolves self from fertiliser fraud

T

he Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Ibukun Odusote, has distanced herself and the ministry from an alleged fertiliser distribution fraud.

Following the rumours circulating in certain quarters about the involvement of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in fertilizer fraud, Mrs Odusote briefed the media on Thursday, July 10, 2014, seeking to clarity what transpired during her visit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Odusote said that the EFCC requested to know from her and the three directors of the

ministry involved in coordinating the fertilizer distribution programme whether the FMARD had effected the payment of $2.4 billion alleged to have been paid out fraudulently.

Said she: “We confirmed to the EFCC that they were yet to be paid because we had discovered some inconsistencies between the demand and the records entered at the various redemption centres in Taraba State by Cellulant.”

Cellulant is the consultant company handling the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) programme of the Federal Government.

According to Mrs Odusote, government officials are not

directly involved in the process of fertilizer purchase and supply. “It cannot be true” she affirmed, “that we have any business in the alleged $2.4 billion fertilizer scam.”

Mrs Odusote said that the money in question was not paid out because FMARD had to clarify the disparity between the figure it had on the GES record and that which was put forward for payment by three agro dealers involved in the GES programme.

She decried the attempt to drag the FMARD in the mud, pointing out that this was undoubtedly the work of beneficiaries of the erstwhile corruption laden system of fertilizer supply.

Keystone Bank has disbursed N77.7 million in loans to 37 riceproducing cooperative societies in Niger State, a facility granted under Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF), in which there is 75 per cent Central Bank of Nigeria's stake.

Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Kuta Yahaya, commended Keystone Bank for supporting agriculture in the state.

He said that giving facilities to farmers is one of the ways government could consolidate on rice production and food security.

Agric ministry partners International agency The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has entered into an agreement with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in a bid to improve food security and scale up cropping intensity through better knowledge of water resources management and improved crop planting.

According to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, who spoke at a workshop with the IWMI in Abuja, through the partnership, Nigeria will be able to put in place flood inundation mapping, risk assessment, and forecasting tools.

Curbing indiscriminate timber felling C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 5

agriculture and security of the locals that are dependent on the land. One aspect that is very crucial is the need to vigorously engage in replanting of trees that have been cut down.

Taking a cue from Gabon which is currently engaged in sustainable management of its forest resources, the country has one million hectares of forestry registered under sustainable management permits, including over one third which has received international certificates (FSC, OLB, Keurhout and ISO).

Forestry is the main private sector employer in Gabon accounting for 30,000 jobs. Timber exports are the second largest source of income accounting for about six per cent of GNP. But Gabon now wants to emphasise value added production by seeking to industrialise its wood sector by dedicating 1000 hectares to wood processing in its Nkok Special Economic Zone.

Gabon is currently involved in what it calls ‘Gabon Emergent’ something akin to Nigeria’s Transformation Agenda.

The early results of Gabon Emergent are already visible according to government sources.

FEATURES

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014

NEW TELEGRAPH

37

newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com otuntise@yahoo.co.uk

UNICEF’s U-report: Spearheading innovative community journalism An evolving and innovative mobile-based communication is being championed by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to empower young people to offer their views on issues in their immediate communities. The idea is to discuss everything from economic empowerment to diseases and proffer solutions that could help authorities take informed decisions concerning such debilitating matters, writes ISIOMA MADIKE

W

hen the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched the innovative ‘U-report’ tool in Uganda in May 2011, it was meant to be used to harness both the high level of connectivity and the proliferation of mobile phones in the country to give young people a voice.

UNICEF had recognised the fact that young people formed more than 55 per cent of world populations, from age zero to 18 years. Access to mobile phones by this group of people was also estimated at 48 per cent, which meant that creating a mobile-based application to amplify youth voices and empower them to speak out on issues affecting them was realistic.

As U-report expands within Uganda and extends to other countries like Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Mexico and recently, Nigeria, views are made worthwhile to consider amplifying the voices of young people in every sector of the economy. The questions that arose were: What is important to the youth? Where do they wish to be supported? Where do they see their economic future?

It was hoped that the answers that young people give to these and other related questions may inspire new thinking and innovation where they are least expected, for voice does matter.

UNICEF, in realising this unique method of communication, subsequently worked with telecoms providers and other partners to create U-report. It is a free SMS-based platform through which young people can speak out on what is happening in their communities across the country, and work together with other community leaders for positive change.

Membership is simple: In Nigeria, for example, a simple text of the word ‘JOIN’ to the toll-free 24453 short code makes one to become a U-reporter after answering a few prompted questions. This mode of communication has grown fast in Nigeria since its debut, with over 10,000 young people currently registered and active on the network.

By sending the text message, “join”, to a toll-free number and submitting a few personal details, anyone with a mobile phone can become a volunteer ‘U-reporter’, sharing their observations and ideas on a wide range of development issues.

Through U-report, weekly SMS messages and polls are sent out to and from the ever-growing community of U-reporters, who

Njoku and Barebwoha at the workshop

Participants at the workshop respond to the polls and exchange views on a wide range of subjects, including unsolicited ones. The platform has also expanded to include regular radio programmes broadcasting U-report stories, as well as published print articles relaying news and features from the U-report community.

Topics have included female genital mutilation, outbreaks of diseases, safe water, early marriage, education, health and inflation. Once a topic is decided, UNICEF sends a question via SMS text to U-reporters, who can respond either with a simple menu-based reply or with personal messages.

The UNICEF team analyses and interprets the responses, sharing the results and often following up with additional questions or suggestions.

The biggest impact U-report has had thus far is that decision makers and important people in general have begun to listen, taking notice and, where possible, act.

It is hoped that the articulation of these ideas would be galvanised and turned into action by authorities, which would prompt a muchneeded awareness campaign on

such issues. It is also believed that U-reporters would provide information that is vital for other sectors of a country’s economy as well. Through responses to various polls, for instance, participants have indicated that economic empowerment of the youth is the way to go if they wish to lift themselves out of poverty and ensure that their future remains peaceful.

UNICF can ask questions about issues throughout the country and get answers right away – by district, gender or age. This helps the organisation to know where to concentrate its resources and how best to advise government and aid partners.

“U-report enables UNICEF to harness community information so we can judge the effectiveness of our programmes in meeting identified needs. It also engages our aid beneficiaries in monitoring programme progress,” UNICEF Communication Specialist (Media and External Relations) in Nigeria, Geoffrey Njoku, said.

One of the remarkable achievements in Uganda where the innovation began was achieving equity for the hardest-to-reach. U-report

was instrumental in addressing the deadly outbreak of a mysterious epilepsy-related illness known as ‘nodding disease’, in that country, which mainly affects children under age 15. UNICEF noted an increase in messages about the disease from U-reporters in the northern districts, and the team was able to inform affected communities about symptoms and available treatment.

The programme also offers a promising way to monitor education and child protection efforts as well. It may also be a catalyst for more responsible and responsive governance. The initiative is garnering interest not only from Uganda’s government and media, resulting in increased engagement by members of Parliament, but in and around Africa as a whole.

It was gathered that UNICEF is currently working to increase access to the technology by creating versions of the app in languages spoken in various African communities. It is also working with telecommunication companies to equip telephone booths with Ureport service for those without access to a mobile phone.

One of the people that spearheaded this revolution in Uganda is Caroline Barebwoha. She had also worked in Gambia and now in Nigeria as UNICEF contact person for U-report. In an interactive session in a workshop recently organised by UNICEF at Toscana Hotel in Enugu, she disclosed that the global body realised that though many people still do not have access to the mainstream media but that everybody practically has at least a phone.

With the idea of U-reporters using their phones without paying a dime,it will be easier for the citizens to be actively involved in their leaders’activities on what concerns their immediate community

“So, with the idea of U-reporters using their phones without paying a dime, it will be easier for the citizens to be actively involved in their leaders’ activities on what concerns their immediate community. It was the need for communities to be engaged, because often times, they are beneficiaries of programming and actions and are not really involved in the action process.

“It was the need for this engagement and for them to participate in issues that affect them that informed this innovation. It was considered their right and as such, it’s important for them to participate, express their views and allow their voices to be heard for development to take place,” Barebwoha remarked.

She also disclosed that Nigerians have highlighted major issues affecting them from this platform.

Such issues, according to Barebwoha, are but not limited to health, education, governance and environment, saying, “those have been the key issues”.

Barebwoha also pointed out that U-report uses participatory crowd-sourcing approach to strengthen citizen-led social monitoring and support community advocacy for child-related basic entitlements.

“Right now, I think the trend is very promising for Nigeria. Unlike the experience in many other African countries; in four weeks we had like 5,000 U-reporters, this number grew to 9,000, five weeks after. So, it has been really promising and picking up very fast even before any outside massive campaign is done yet. We are confidently expecting over 25 million U-reporters by the end of the year because of Nigeria’s huge population,” she added.

According to Barebwoha, Nigeria is a very interesting country with a lot of potential.

“It has been a great opportunity being in Nigeria and trying to compare experiences with other African countries and see how the platform will work here,” she said at the Enugu workshop.

Njoku also added that his organisation’s aspiration was to see as many young Nigerians being part of U-report in order to be part of decision-making process, particularly on issues that affect them.

“We want to see many communities being involved in the project so as to make the people have a voice, especially mothers and children, who are often left out; there is the need for them to be heard,” he said.

sport fanzone

38

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Golden Ball: FIFA wrong on Messi’s choice

The 2014 World Cup Golden Ball award, given to Argentina’s Lionel Messi ahead of Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben, has come under criticism by top football icons such as Diego Maradona and FIFA President, Sepp Blatter. New Telegraph’s FANZONE speaks with a cross-section of Nigerians on the issue

Rodriguez was excellent me James Rodriguez deserved to be FHeornamed the best player of the tournament. was a delight to watch; he dazzled every-

one and scored six beautiful goals higher than anyone. We already know Messi's ability, but did he play to the peak of that ability? FIFA just gave him for the sake of business, and that to me, isn't fair play. For the 2014 World Cup, Thomas Muller and Arjen Rubben were better candidates than Messi, but Rodriguez was actually the bomb!

Okesola Jay Jay, Mental Health Expert, Abeokuta

FIFA right to pick Messi

I

will pick Lionel Messi because of the myth around him! He inspires his team a lot. FIFA was right in their choice of picking Messi because of his impact and contribution to his team and the World Cup as a whole. He kept many fans’ appetite for the competition whetted when big stars like Christian Ronaldo, Xavi and Iniesta crashed out.

Adewole Afolabi, Media expert

Rodriguez, Robben outshone Messi

think Messi was given the Golden Ball IRodriguez award for marketing reasons, James and Arjen Robben both had a wonderful tournament, any of the above mentioned would have been a better choice for the award.

Augustus Agbaje, Benin

Robben was outstanding for Netherlands

I

think Arjen Robben deserved the Golden Ball award because Lionel Messi never had too many fantastic games even though he was the saving grace of the Argentina team when he scored some crucial goals. Robben was very instrumental to the success of the Dutch team from the group stage to the third place match, scoring about four goals in the process.

Danny Momoh, Germany

Muller, Lahm were ahead of Messi

IFA played politics here again. There was no fair Fcome play in the selection. The winner should have from Germany. I don't hate Lionel Messi,

Messi is FIFA’s first son

IFA honoured Messi with the best F player award; we all know they've favoured him with best player awards

but regarding this Brazil 2014 World Cup, he was too ordinary.Thomas Muller, Phillip Lahm or Bastian Schweinsteiger should have won it.

in the past. Messi is FIFA's first son.

I'll give it to James Rodriguez, Arjen Robben or Javier Mascherano

Bosun Olabelurin, Accountant

Robben is Brazil's 2014 best player

A

rjen Robben ought to have been named best player. With Robin van Persie not playing at his best, Robben carried the Dutch team all the way to the last-four. He showed great leadership on the field of play. He performed well in virtually all the games he played in and was far better than Lionel Messi in Brazil.

Francis Ibeh, Football Coach

It was a marketing stunt by FIFA

L

ionel Messi did not deserve the Golden Ball. It was a marketing stunt, and a complete lack of respect to the football community for FIFA to give Messi this prize. players like James Rodriguez and Arjen Robben were snubbed for Messi which is just utterly ridiculous. I can even mention five German players that had a better tournament than Messi.

Cog Gbugu, Engineer

Messi did not deserve to be MVP not think Messi deserved the IdoGolden Ball award. He was not really outstanding in the tournament

and was probably overwhelmed by his role as captain of the Argentine team.

Obinwanne Okezue, Agriculture entrepreneur

Odus Oluremi, IT personnel

FIFA robbed Robben

n my own view, Arjen Robben should IMessi. have won the Golden Ball and not Lionel This is a big corruption, and I hope

FIFA will say no to corruption as it is obvious with the award.

Messi

No other player was as outstanding as Messi he Golden Ball is for the most outT standing individual performance at the World Cup. Lionel Messi scored four

fantastic goals from his individual brilliance, had an assist which was a game win- n e r against Belgium, and led his team as captain to the finals with the most Man of the Match awards in the tournament.

He also completed the most dribbles in a single tournament behind Diego Maradona and Jarzinho. Only an outstanding German player would have been able to beat him, but unfortunately Thomas Muller’s achievements were more as a result of team effort. He may not have been that outstanding during the knockout stage, but his individual effort brought them that far. Besides which other individual was that outstanding in the knockout stage?

Dennis Aleogena, Banker

Robben deserves the Golden Ball award urely Arjen Robben was my best playS er at Brazil 2014. He turned the defence of opponents’ inside out, created chances for his teammates and for himself. At his age he showed so much pace, skill and raw energy even in the humid conditions in Brazil and, scored some important goals as well.

Oluwakemi Imolehin, Banker

Messi deserved it

ionel Messi deserved the award. There were L a few others like Neymar, Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie and Thomas Muller who also

deserved to win it. They were all in the same boat as Messi, but he was more influential for his team, and was the reason why Argentina got to the final.

Paul Udochi, Security Expert

Robben, Muller, Rodriguez were better

I

am baffled; Lionel Messi should not have won the Golden Ball Award. He is a quality player no doubt, but failed to live up to his billing in the knockout stages. Four goals to his credit in the group stages, but missed a golden second half chance in the Maracana showpiece. That did sum it up for me. Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and Colombia Striker James Rodriguez would appear to have been stronger candidates.

Godwin Martins, Railway Engineer

Dumade Raufu, Tarmac Executive, Lagos

Muller was exceptional ionel Messi doesn’t L deserve the award, FIFA should have

given it to Thomas Muller for his general contribution to Germany success at the World Cup. Dipo Omopariola, Clergyman

Robben a genius

n patriotic ground, Osaze was and still O is my best player. But on the whole, I will give it to Arjen Robben. He carried his team along. He was an inspiration to team members.

Medeme Owve, Journalist, Lagos

The crew Emmanuel Tobi Ifeanyi Ibeh Ajibade Olusesan Charles Ogundiya

SPORTEXTRA 39

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

WhyChelseashouldn’tsendOmeruoonloanagain 2013/14 stats Kenneth Omeruo (M’brough)

Games played : Mins played : Total Passes : Successful passes : Forward passes : Backward passes : Tackles won : Tackles lost : Interceptions : Blocks : Yellow cards : Red cards :

14 1213 523 344 432 91 32 27 27 13 2 1

Kurt Zouma (St Etienne) Kenneth Omeruo

C

helsea’s use of the loan system is now extremely well known, and with the transfer window open again the machine has begun to creak once more. The latest player to be linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge is Nigerian international Kenneth Omeruo who might be about to move back on loan to Championship side Middlesbrough.

The centre back spent the second half of the season on loan at Aitor Karanka’s side and he has recently spoken of his desire to return to the Riverside. Chelsea have already loaned out Tomas Kalas to Koln and sold David Luiz to PSG. This leaves the club with only John Terry, Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma as the recognised centre backs. Branislav Ivanovic is more than capable of filling in but, given that he is now primarily a right back, Mourinho might want to bring in an extra defender.

However, considering that Chelsea possess three of the most talented young defenders in Europe it seems silly to not give them the chance to prove themselves in the first team.

With Kalas already out on loan the question is whether or not Omeruo should join him.

Last season, Zouma played 24 times for Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 while Omeruo played 14 times for Middlesbrough. Kalas, though, only played twice for the Chelsea first team, although he was impressive in both his appearances. Omeruo, who played for Nigeria at the World Cup, had a better defence score and averaged more passes per 90 than the other two.

It is unfair to use Kalas’ statistics in direct comparison given that he only started two games, but at Anfield, where he made his first league start, he was magnificent. Chelsea went into the game severely weakened and Kalas was called upon to try and stop the Liverpool attack. He coped with

players like Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge admirably. He will benefit from a full season of football in one of the most competitive leagues in Europe when he makes his move to Koln.

Zouma and Omeruo are both younger than Kalas and they could benefit, like he has, from being around players like Terry and Cahill. With David Luiz gone they could be able to play in the League Cup and FA Cup

and they would be first to fill in should either of the first choice players get injured.

Omeruo has shown himself to be calm on the biggest stage, he has won the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria and he looked unfazed in the World Cup, even against Lionel Messi and company. He is good on the ball and strong in the air (he won 46 aerial duels at Middlesbrough) and he deserves a place in the Chelsea first team squad.

Games played : Mins played : Total Passes : Successful passes : Forward passes : Backward passes : Tackles won : Tackles lost : Interceptions : Blocks : Yellow cards : Red cards :

24 1584 569 472 426 142 17 13 14 11 0 1

Kalas (Chelsea)

Kenneth Omeruo (r) goes into a challenge with Bosnia's Edin Dzeko at the world cup

Games played : Mins played : Total Passes : Successful passes : Forward passes : Backward passes : Tackles won : Tackles lost : Interceptions : Blocks : Yellow cards : Red cards :

2 180 44 42 27 7 0 1 3 3 0 0

40 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Drama of an impeachment plot In a bid to fulfill a constitutional obligation, the Adamawa State legislature and executive have been making deft moves to outwit each other on an impeachment move.

ETAGHENE EDIRIN reports on their activities and the unfolding drama

O

ne beauty of the principle of separation of powers in a democracy is the act of checks and balances put in place to ensure that any branch of government does not abuse the privileges of office. This is to ensure smooth running of governance by assigning separate and independent powers and responsibilities to each arm. In Nigeria, many like to describe the advancement of democracy so far as a learning process for the country, which is yet to be perfected.

This learning process continues to throw up peculiarities, only to be encountered in Nigeria, and not in many other democracies. One of such peculiarities, which is accompanied by up so much drama and intrigues is the issue of impeachment, which is mostly thrown up by the legislative arm of government, to demonstrate its grievance with the executive arm, which on its part has been taunted to have grown too powerful.

Recently, the Adamawa State House of Assembly threatened to wield the big stick of impeachment against the state governor, Murtala Nyako, and his deputy, Bala Ngilari. The legislators leveled a 20-count charge of gross financial misconduct against Governor Nyako, with 19 of the 25 lawmakers endorsing the move, leading to the commencement of impeachment proceedings against the governor. Five of the charges were however later dropped.

The assembly during one of its sessions then proceeded to direct its clerk to serve the governor and his deputy, with the notices of financial misconduct through two national dailies. The session was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Kwamoti La’ori, with the speaker, majority leader, and other principal officers absent. There and then, La’ori invited the clerk to furnish members with an earlier resolution of the assembly, which directed him to serve the governor and his deputy with the impeachment notice.

The clerk, Mr. Francis Gansenso told the lawmakers that he could not serve the governor and his deputy because they could not be located. He said he had visited the offices of both men several times, but without positive results.

The lawmakers, bent on removing Nyako from office, raised a seven-man panel to probe his administration.

They refused to budge even when the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola had restrained them from serving the impeachment notice on Nyako and Ngilari. It ruled that they should personally serve the governor the impeachment notice instead of doing so through substituted means.

The court, presided over by Ambrose Mamadi, who was the acting Chief Judge of the state, had told the lawmakers that they either complied with his order to serve the governor and his deputy as stipulated by law or be ready to face his wrath by the time they would want him to raise an investigative panel against the governor and his deputy. But

Nyako

in a stunning volte-face, the same judge inexplicably approved the announcement of the names of seven persons to probe the governor without waiting for them to personally serve the governor.

The coming of the committee brought with it many dramatic events in its bid to carry out its assignment. First hurdle on its path was the inability to secure a safe venue to conduct its affairs. Under tight security provided by armed soldiers, who also provided protection to Mammadi until he had set up the committee, the men sat in the comfort arena of a Hotel in Yola, the state’s capital for only a day.

The owners of the facility raised the alarm on the second day that its fortunes were dwindling as a result of the unusual heavy presence of armed soldiers. The committee members were left with no option than to relocate. Leaving the hotel was easier than securing another facility for its meeting as one after another, different groups, and businesses rejected offers from the House of Assembly for them to accommodate the panelists, to carry out their assignment.

Other hotels visited by the clerk of the state assembly to host the panel equally turned down the offer, for fear of the unknown.

When it however secured a venue for its work, the seven-member probe panel raised issues over the governor’s refusal to honour its invitation.

When the panel could not get the governor to personally serve him summons to appear before it, it resorted to pasting the document signed by its Secretary, Mr. Binanu Esthon, on the walls of the Government House, Yola.

The governor had given the indication that he would not appear before the panel, having gone to court to challenge the way and manner the members had violated the laws regarding the process of impeaching him and his deputy.

Watchers said Nyako shunned the panel by taking cover under a Supreme Court ruling which provides that he should be personally served the impeachment notice, since in the eyes

Ngilari

When the panel could not get the governor to personally serve him summons to appear before it, it resorted to pasting the document... on the walls of the Government House, Yola of the law, substituted service is not deemed sufficient. So the summons was simply viewed by the governor as a non-service.

Then in another stunning development, indications emerged that the panel had indicted Nyako, and probably cleared Ngilari. The panel was expected to submit its report to the state House of Assembly Monday. This further fuelled rumours that Nyako was to be impeached for his deputy to take over till next year, when fresh elections are to be conducted.

The tenure of the acting CJ, Mamadi became an issue in the survival of the probe panel, as he carried out the action, a few days to the end of his tenure. So in a deft move, the state government declared two days public holiday in the state.

The CJ was to inaugurate the panel on the first day of the holiday, while his tenure was to expire on the second day, which invariably meant he could not perform that duty. Many believe the declared holidays were moves on the part of the governor to outwit the state legislature and the chief judge.

This however, did not make much difference, as the chief registrar of the High Court, Yola, Abubakar Babayola, told journalists that the inauguration of the committee was not a requirement for them to carry out their assignment,

as it was nowhere in the constitution.

In moves to save the governor, many suggested that the presidency, which had been fingered as the architect of the drama, be approached by Nyako to help resolve the issue, even as about three former heads of state were said to have put in a word with the president to come to Nyako’s aid. But the actor at the centre of the spectacle, Nyako, repudiated any such assistance, declaring that there was no need to involve, or beg the president to intervene in the matter.

To resolve the situation, supporters and critics of the embattled governor have put forward different suggestions.

Some have advised that he return to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), from which he defected a few months ago to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This, they contend is the genesis of the entire saga, and that his return to the PDP will put an automatic end to the issue of impeachment.

Others are of the opinion that Nyako is contemplating resigning to preempt the lawmakers from carrying out their wish. However, such a move may not end his troubles, as he may be picked up by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), based on a petition on any of the allegations against him, since he would have become an ordinary citizen, no longer under the protection of immunity enjoyed by a governor.

In another development, it was gathered that those moving to save Nyako had abandoned plans to stop the process and, instead have resorted to plotting how to frustrate the pro-impeachment lawmakers from getting the required two-thirds majority to approve the guilty verdict expected from the probe panel.

Individual lawmakers are reportedly being targeted on a one-on-one basis, and that everything was being thrown into it.

Even while the drama is yet to come to a logical conclusion, Nyako said that he had forgiven those fuelling the crisis. According to him, some Abujabased politicians are the ones behind the impeachment saga he was facing.

He attributed the imbroglio to those he described as unpatriotic politicians that hid themselves under the canopy of elders of the state to cause disaffection among the good people of the state.

CRIME

41

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

JULIANA FRANCIS juliana.francis@newtelegraphonline.com

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014

Harvest of human parts’ dealers

Saula, Fagbemi, Lasisi, Faronbi, Abidakun and Majiagbe

Juliana Francis

I

n March, 2014, a dungeon was discovered in Soka, Ibadan, Oyo State, where kidnapped people were used for ritual purposes. The shocking discovery included 18 males and five females, looking frail, with chains on their legs.

There were human skulls, bones and other parts found in the bush. There were open graves where bodies were dumped.

In one of the buildings, was an abandoned factory where captives were slaughtered and sold in parts to clients.

Since the Ibadan Soka forest horror story broke, members of the Nigeria Police Force, across the nation have become more vigilant. This vigilance has paid off, particularly in Lagos State, with police detectives discovering and arresting more human parts dealers.

A police source said that the buying and selling of human parts is prevalent in areas where public cemeteries are situated.

The police source added: “Areas which are not located in the metropolis and have cemeteries have become the hideout for cartels which specialise in the sales of human parts. Police have reason to believe

that some of these human parts dealers also engage in ritual killing.”

The source said that efforts were on to arrest other human parts sellers in the state.

In May, 2014, the Lagos State Police Command arrested a grandfather, Mr. Segun Kayode, for exhuming and selling human parts. Police said that the suspect sold human parts for a living, adding that he had become notorious in the business.

The grandfather, who could not give his exact age, said he started selling human parts because he was poor and jobless. He added that selling human parts was no crime.

In May, 5, 2014, four suspects were arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos Police Command, Ikeja and they gave chilling accounts of how they used to source and sell human body parts.

One of the suspects, Mrs. Sukuratu Salami, said that she used to buy each fresh human head for N10, 000 and sell for N20, 000.

According to the 53-year-old mother, human eye balls go for N5, 000 and intestines are sold at N1, 000. She confessed to have sold at least 10 heads. Salami, who sells herbs, said she decided to go into selling

Manko

of human parts because there was high demand for heads by “native doctors.”

Other suspects are Rasheed Abimbola Tantoloun, Mohammed Yusuf and Waheed Ibrahim. Denying killing people, they said they always get the parts from a cemetery located at Joju area of Ota in Ado-Ado Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Prince Umar Manko, said of in-

creasing cases of human parts dealers: “We picked interest because of the disappearance of people. It is hopeful that with the arrest of these human parts dealers, we’ll be able to get to the root of these disappearances. It’s criminal to deal in human parts. A few weeks ago, there was the discovery of Soka forest in Oyo State.

Crime has no boundary.”

The commissioner disclosed how some of the suspects were arrested. He said: “After intense monitoring of the faces behind the shameful act, on April 12, one of the SARS detectives posed as a prospective buyer and negotiated to buy one of the heads at the rate of N20, 000.”

In June, 27, a 26-year-old accounting graduate of the Lagos State University (LASU), Olakunle Ogunsola, who trades in human parts, was arrested. He said his clients ranged from pastors to Muslim clerics.

According to him, these so-called men of God and Alfas buy human parts for rituals to make their congregations grow.

Ogunsola, described as the ring leader of the syndicate that sells human parts, said he had been dealing in human parts CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

42

CRIME

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Police continue onslaught on dealers

The 3rd Eye Now that Boko Haram has infiltrated Lagos (1) Juliana Francis

I Fagbemi and Lasisi

The late baby

CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 4 1

while still studying at LASU. The suspect was arrested alongside his alleged partners in crime, such as Oyebamiji Olalekan, Alfa Rasheed Abass and Akorede Wasiu.

In July, 2014, a doctor and his nurses, with other suspects, joined the growing list of people in the buying and selling of human parts.

Investigation revealed that Manko received information that a native doctor and nurses at a certain hospital along Olaniyan Street, Alagbado Lagos allegedly murdered a day-old-baby and were about to use the baby for money making ritual.

Manko ordered the Officer in Charge of SARS, a Superintendent of Police (SP), Mr. Abba Kyarri to look into the matter.

Kyarri and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr. Ade Adetarami, worked in consonance and stormed the area and arrested the two nurses; Mrs. Bola Fagbemi, 38 and Miss. Yinka Lasisi, 30.

The nurses work at Ikeoluwa Trado-Medical Clinic, located at 31, Kayode Olaniyan Street, AIT Road, Ayetobi, Alagbado, Lagos.

One Rilwan Saula, 39, an Alfa and leader of the syndicated was also arrested. Saula was used as bait to catch Alhaji Surajudeen Faronbi, 50, Taofeek Abidakun, 49 and Akindele Majiagbe, 50.

Saula was alleged to be the person who used to approach the two nurses and negotiate for buying of the babies. None of the suspects however, owed up to murdering the baby discovered in their possession or any other baby.

Investigation revealed that Saula specialises in the sales of human parts and herbs and had been in the business for over six years.

A police source said: “A woman delivered in the traditional home and the baby allegedly died within 24 hours. One of the nurses called Bola, was said to have carried the dead baby and handed it over to Saula.

Information was received by the police and Saula was arrested in possession of the dead day-old-baby.

“Saula led the police to where the baby was delivered and the doctor and the two nurses were arrested. Further investigations revealed that the hospital has only three staff. The staff are the doctor and the two nurses.”

Detectives learned that one of the suspects, Faronbi, bought three heads from

Back then, I had a patient who had an incurable wound. Saula brought some human parts to me. I used it to cure the sickness Saula. It was through Faronbi’s confession that the police arrested Taofeek, also an Alfa. Another suspect, Majiagbe bought human hands from Saula.

Narrating how he came to be a guest at SARS, Saula said: “I sell herbs at the Ijaiye Ojokoro main market. But I have stopped selling herbs since 2005. It was when I was selling herbs that I dealt in human parts.

Last month, two men came to me and said they needed human heads.

“I told them I was not into selling of human heads anymore. But they insisted and even gave me N20,000. They started disturbing me.”

According to Saula, it was during that period, while he was struggling to resist temptation, that he received a call from one of the nurses to come and collect a dead baby.

His words: “This nurse (Bola) called me that a baby died and that the mother gave the corpse to them to throw away for her. I told her to bring the baby so that I could give those who paid me. I did not know that the buyers were police informants.”

Fagbemi, a mother of four, said she did not commit any crime. According to her, her only crime was in attempting to give the dead baby a befitting Muslim burial.

Fagbemi said: “I started working in the hospital on February 6, 2014. I’m an apprentice in the hospital, training to become a traditional nurse. I was given the baby to throw away. It was a baby girl. I gave it to Saula. I know him as an Alfa and he used to treat me sometimes. I gave him the baby to bury because she was a Muslim baby. He did not offer me any money.”

Abidakun, who described himself as a spiritualist, said: “I’ve been transacting business with Saula, but not on human parts. Our transaction was usually on buying and selling of chameleons, vultures, other birds and snakes. He had never sold human parts to me. I’ve known him at Agege market for close to six/seven years now. He used to assist me with apprentices.”

Asked if Saula gave him N15,000 for procurement of human heads, Abidakun said: “I did not ask him for any human heads!

What I asked for were birds! I used birds like vultures for treatment of epilepsy and stomach problems.”

Farombi narrated his own story: “I’m an herbalist. Some years back, I used to buy herbs at Agege. Saula was my customer. I used to patronize him for my healing herbs.

Back then, I had a patient who had an incurable wound. Saula brought some human parts to me. I used it to cure the sickness.

I bought it from him between N4500 and N5000. I bought the human parts only twice from him. This was about nine years ago. I don’t understand why Saula is saying this thing happened last year, instead of nine years ago.”

Lasisi said she is a trado-medical nurse and had been for about nine years now. She revealed the extent of her involvement in the crime.

She said: “Police arrested me because a woman delivered in our clinic and the baby died. I called the father of baby but he said I should call the father of his wife. When I called the woman’s father, he said that he did not know any cemetery where he could bury the baby. The man discussed with Bola and begged her to assist him dispose the baby.

“When our boss came to the clinic, he told us that he does not allow people or his staff to throw away babies in his hospital. Our boss handed over the baby to a lady from the family of the deceased and Bola joined her. Later Bola collected the baby, saying she would help her throw away the baby. I was surprised when I saw policemen around 10pm with Bola. They came and arrested everyone.”

Majiagbe, a father of three, said that he is a bricklayer and was arrested because Saula mentioned his name, not because he was guilty of any crime.

His words: “I was arrested because Saula a.k.a Aruwo mentioned my name among the people he sold human parts to! He prepared soap for me so that my business would improve. I paid him N18000. I did not know that he uses human parts for his charms. This was in 2012. I had not set eyes on him until I saw him with the police some days ago.”

Saula however maintained that Majiagbe gave him N18000, to get him dry human hands. When this question was put across to Majiagbe, he kept mute.

Sources however revealed that police in the state are continuing with the ongoing hunt for human parts dealers.

breathed a sigh of relief after the Boko Haram Psychopath leader, Abubakar Shekarau, declared on Sunday that he and his members were behind the twin explosions which rocked Creek Road on June, 25, 2014.

Journalists who visited the scene of the explosions knew it was a bomb, but since every security agent and all agencies kept a sealed lip on the matter, it was pretty difficult to write based on speculations, since we’re no bomb experts.

Most importantly, nobody wished to be whisked off by unknown security personnel to undisclosed destination, to face interrogation on how you got to determine it was a bomb. Who are you working for? Why are you trying to generate panic in Lagos State and heat up the polity? Such questions would be fired at you like missiles. All tactics to instill the fear of God into you and make your fingers tremble the next time you attempt to become adventurous while doing your job!

I guess like me, many journalists were faced with the dilemma of the morale obligation of a journalist towards members of the public and the bigger issue of creating panic in the state.

I felt it was necessary for us, as journalists to reveal the fact; that it was a bomb blast that occurred at Creek Road and with that, galvanized citizens in Lagos to become vigilant and security conscious.

But there was the dilemma of paralysing the state with fear, which either or not, could affect the socioeconomic system of the state.

Thank God the dilemma was wrest out of my hands. I was becoming heartily sick and tired of dancing round the issue. Writing without nailing the issue on the head; Baring the bones, while hiding the meat.

But now that Boko Haram has finally infiltrated Lagos State, what is the next thing for us to do as Lagosians?

This is what I had been telling many of my security personnel friends since the explosions at Apapa. Alert Lagosians and let them get involved in security of the state!

SMS: 08189679439

BUSINESS | MONEY LINE 43

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Common currency: Okonjo-Iweala cautions ECOWAS DON’T RUSH

economic integration.

She said the region must resist the stampede to adhere to a set deadline capable of putting the economy on edge, adding that the 1st January 2015 deadline for ECOWAS currency is not sacrosanct.

The minister made this call yesterday in Abuja in an interview with journalists shortly after the opening session of 34th meeting of the convergence council of ministers and governors of central banks of West African Monetary Zone (WAMS).

ECOWAS countries should set another convenient feasible date for common currency

C

oordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, has cautioned the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states on the dire consequences of rushing to achieve

She advised member countries to learn lessons from European countries, which were fatally hit by the Euro zone crisis.

"Look at the challenges (Euro zone) faced when some members were not quite ready but they went in to the union when it was apparent that not all of them were in a very solid platform. But when the financial crises came, they were not able to withstand it. So, before you go in, it is very important to get some basic things right because there is nobody chasing us behind our back", she said.

Inventors struggle to protect patents in Africa

•Countries struggling with manual registries, old laws •Microsoft offering free service to list, protect IP hen Malagasy entrepreW neur Andry Ravololonjatovo came up with the idea of

are often largely ineffectual in enforcing IP rights.

"In the beginning, we thought of just operating without registering due to the arduous and costly process.

In addition, protection is only guaranteed for 10 years," Drongo's founder Ravololonjatovo told Reuters.

Named after a black-feathered bird found in Madagascar that mimics the calls of other birds, Drongo is developing mobile applications for text translations in international languages like English and French. Ravololonjatovo hopes to widen that to software that recognises the oral Malagasy language.

"Thinking big, we anticipate what might happen some-

a hi-tech translation service named after a local bird, the Drongo, he hesitated about registering the patent.

In many countries in Africa, protection of intellectual property (IP), is still patchy or undeveloped, and many innovators are put off by the onerous and expensive affair of registering their products.

Despite a wave of technological innovation washing over the continent, many inventors are working in secret, doing without peer feedback for fear of having their ideas pinched by copycats.

They are wary too of weak national court systems that

day as we grow globally, so we need some kind of protection," Ravololonjatovo said, adding it was precisely this that prompted him to register with local patent protection authorities.

Not surprisingly, the patchy data available on African patent and trademark registrations shows a concentration in the more developed economies, where technology and regulatory and financial frameworks are more firmly established.

Figures from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) show that in 2013, there were 351 international applications from South Africa filed through its Patent Cooperating Treaty (PCT) system.

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

N14,737,618.7m N16,509,472.5m 8 0.0000 12 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$109.9 US$42,604,781,796.6

Description

TTM

4.00% 23-Apr-2015 13.05% 16-Aug-2016 15.10% 27-Apr-2017 16.00% 29-Jun-2019 16.39% 27-Jan-2022 10.00% 23-Jul-2030

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 2/5/2014 1/20/2014 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 1/20/2014 2/5/2014 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Offer 163.38

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

New consumer protection policy coming – Aganga BREAKING MONOPOLY FG moves to break unfair monopolies, business practices

T

he Federal government has commenced moves to tackle unfair business practices, in its determination to provide a fair and competitive environment for industry, trade and investment.

Consequently, the implementation of a new Competition and Consumer Protection Policy that will address the various trade concerns and provide a level playing ground for businessmen in the interest of consumers, in particular, and the economy at large, will begin soon.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, noted that the new policy would forestall the emergence of private monopolies, cartels, engender fair trade and ensure that Nigerian consumers got value for their money.

Aganga spoke during the formal presentation of the Draft Competition and Consumer Protection Policy to Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Agencies, Organised Business Communities and State Governments in the Northern Part of Nigeria.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa, Aganga said: “In line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, and with the ongoing reforms in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, the Federal Govern-

he Federal Government sold Tworth N100 billion ($618 million) of bonds with maturi-

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX

criteria especially the macroeconomic ones. In case of fiscal deficit, the point is that Nigeria is the largest economy and we are likely to bear the brunt of any union or lunch that is not based on solid ground. But I must commend the countries they are trying very hard. It is not very easy. So, let us take our time. If the time comes and we are not quite ready, we shouldn't be shy to say we are not ready and rush to something because the consequences of a failed monetary union are severe. So, we should do it in such a way we can always reflect", she advised.

ment saw the urgent need, as is consistent with global trends, for a robust legal and regulatory framework to govern consumer protection and competition that would underpin the reforms.

“This will in turn, forestall and/or minimise the emergence of private monopolies who would replace the public monopolies that the government was moving away from.

The government of President Goodluck Jonathan, in realisation of this vital missing link, has in the past two years, worked assiduously to provide a new legal and regulatory framework for competition and consumer protection.”

He added: “The needs and benefits of a national policy for competition and consumer protection are many. These include encouraging enterprise, innovation, efficiency and widening of choice.

“This will in turn address cartel-like entities, anti-competition tendencies, protect the investing public and consumers; enable consumers to buy the goods and services they want at the best possible price; thus contributing to the country’s national competitiveness.”

According to the minister, there is currently a draft Federal Executive Competition and Consumer Protection Bill being considered by the Federal Executive Council for onward transmission to the National Assembly for passage into law.

“The draft bill delineates the institutions, laws, regulations, orders, rulings and other implementation and enforcement tools that will allow competition and consumer protection matters to be dealt with,” he noted.

FG raises N100bn in bonds, yields fall

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

While acknowledging that there was a target date for the adoption of common currency for the region, the minister said the date was not sacrosanct and advised ECOWAS countries to set another convenient feasible date if January 1st 2015 is not realistic.

"We have a target date. But let’s have a quality lunch that can be sustained if not, members countries will begin to exit when they can’t keep up with the criteria and that doesn’t help,” she added.

"So I would want all the countries to really focus on those

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

ties ranging between three and 20 years at auction on Wednesday at yields lower than previously, the Debt Management Office said on yesterday.

The debt office according to Bloomberg, sold N15 billion of three-year paper at 11 per cent,

lower than 11.35 per cent at its June auction, and N50 billion of 10-year debt at 12.19 per cent compared with 12.24 per cent.

A total of N35 billion of the 20year debt note at 12.14 per cent.

The 3-and 10-year were reopenings of previous issue, while the 20-year paper was a new issue.

Demand for the bonds was N263.91 billion.

44 business | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

17-Jul-14

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

Bonds

Price

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

NA

NA

Description 9.25 28-SEP-2014 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 10.00 23-JUL-2030

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

28-Sep-07 23-Apr-10 16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10

9.25 4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00

100.00 535.00 500.27 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 165.17 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,375.01

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,444.21

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM

Description

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

28-Sep-14 23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30

0.20 0.77 2.08 2.78 3.03 3.12 3.87 4.95 5.27 7.53 9.66 14.37 14.85 15.35 16.02

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

10.94 10.82 11.22 11.24 11.21 11.22 11.31 11.50 11.50 12.02 12.21 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.24

10.19 10.10 11.14 11.18 11.09 11.10 11.21 11.43 11.41 11.96 12.16 12.15 12.15 12.14 12.19

99.61 95.09 103.30 108.95 96.59 95.17 98.11 116.60 82.57 121.25 111.05 118.82 102.00 74.62 84.40

99.76 95.59 103.45 109.10 96.89 95.47 98.41 116.90 82.87 121.55 111.35 119.12 102.30 74.92 84.70

#

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 3.30 112.22 116.70 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.29 0.85 1.46 2.40 2.76 2.97

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

11.86 13.39 13.14 13.14 12.18 12.20

96.70 89.53 105.37 99.73 98.24 95.77

05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 30-Sep-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.05 0.25 1.12 0.73 1.25 1.25 2.76 1.80 3.46 2.43 4.22 2.63 2.63 3.01 3.08 5.35 3.14 3.76 6.36 6.46 3.94 3.97

1.56 3.29 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.74 1.00 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

12.27 14.12 15.16 14.07 15.24 14.26 16.77 12.01 13.05 12.94 12.35 12.16 15.94 12.21 12.21 12.51 13.96 12.29 12.72 13.68 12.75 13.27

100.05 99.85 97.30 99.82 98.80 101.53 85.48 102.80 102.56 102.36 105.26 105.16 96.19 105.55 108.34 107.54 101.95 107.04 103.28 105.52 105.12 105.03

1,301.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,261.75

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR

KWARA NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 30-Sep-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

14.00 14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

17.00 6.00 8.50 6.08 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 37.25 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00 17.28 80.00 28.37 11.40 87.00 5.00 4.78 4.79

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Corporate Bonds

501.10 509.74

A+/Agusto; AA/GCR

LAFARGE WAPCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014

Aa/Agusto

GTB µ NGC

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014

Nil

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

*FLOURMILLS

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto

NAHCO

BBB-/GCR BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR BBB/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

FSDH

A/GCR

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

*DANA NAHCO

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

07-Oct-11

11.50

11.80

07-Oct-14

0.22

1.00

11.82

99.85

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.42

5.21

16.15

98.89

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.46

8.71

19.67

98.82

17-Aug-10

10.00

5.29

17-Aug-15

0.60

4.88

15.80

96.23

09-Dec-10

12.00

13.62

09-Dec-15

0.92

1.00

11.72

100.58

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.60

06-Jan-16

0.99

2.63

13.31

100.76

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

2.20

1.00

12.12

101.61

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

2.27

1.34

12.47

103.38

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

3.21

1.00

12.23

101.95

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

2.02

1.88

12.98

109.70

09-Apr-11

16.00

7.20

09-Apr-18

1.98

3.48

14.57

102.76

09-Sep-11

18.00

3.27

09-Sep-18

2.15

5.20

16.31

103.31

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.90

09-Sep-18

2.15

5.06

16.17

101.90

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.18

1.35

12.69

104.09

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.70

18-Oct-18

2.25

2.29

13.42

104.73

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.45

17-Feb-19

2.34

6.11

17.24

99.72

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.46

2.16

13.42

106.95

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

6.33

2.76

14.47

103.09

11-Feb-18

3.57

1.00

12.27

94.14

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

143.81

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

146.65

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

12.00 11.30 Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

4.81

4.66

110.76

111.62

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.07

3.86

103.85

104.61

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.18

5.06

108.52

109.37

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,615.63

Corporate Eurobonds B-/S&P; B/Fitch B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.71

2.96

111.45

112.64

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.90

4.08

104.47

105.94

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.08

5.79

99.71

100.76

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.03

6.41

100.59

102.30

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.67

8.26

94.27

95.55

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

4.79

4.29

113.57

114.49

6.25 APR 22, 2019

100.66

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

B/S&P; B/Fitch

FIDELITY BANK PLC

B/Fitch B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

AFREN PLC

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.39

6.09

99.41

B/Fitch; B/S&P

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

9.13

8.89

98.51

99.45

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

DIAMOND BANK PLC FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.26

6.56

103.42

105.92

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

5.38

5.14

104.81

105.75

ZENITH BANK PLC

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,660.00 3,779.93

**Treasury Bills DTM 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56

FIXINGS Maturity 24-Jul-14 31-Jul-14 7-Aug-14 14-Aug-14 21-Aug-14 28-Aug-14 4-Sep-14 11-Sep-14

Bid Discount (%) 10.00 10.15 10.10 10.40 10.30 10.40 10.50 10.65

Offer Discount (%) 9.75 9.90 9.85 10.15 10.05 10.15 10.25 10.40

Bid Yield (%) 10.02 10.19 10.16 10.48 10.40 10.53 10.65 10.83

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 10.7083 12.5755 13.3960 14.3341

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

10.42

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

10.63

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

161.80 162.10 162.36 162.97 164.12 165.38

161.90 162.36 162.70 163.63 165.30 167.01

O/N Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 10.42 12.69

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM

Description

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 3.30 112.22 116.70 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.29 0.85 1.46 2.40 2.76 2.97

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

11.86 13.39 13.14 13.14 12.18 12.20

96.70 89.53 105.37 99.73 98.24 95.77

1,301.62

business | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS 45

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,261.75

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014 Sub-National Bonds

Nigerian stocks fall on profit taking A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR

PLUMMET

KWARA NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

Market speculators cull profits from previous gains

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Stories

by Chris Ugwu

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

T

he Nigerian stock market Corporate Bonds

yesterday lowered moLAFARGEits WAPCO mentum afterGTB recording a NGC Nil three-day growth.

Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC This was due to*FLOURMILLS profit takA-/Agusto BB+/GCR ing by investors in the wake *CHELLARAMS A+/Agusto; A-/GCR NAHCO of the cautious optimism that A-/Agusto FSDH had prevailed in the market in A/GCR UBA the recent time. *C & I LEASING BBB-/GCR BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR Specifically , trading *DANA activiA-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR ties on the floor of*TOWER the NigeriAAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR *TOWER an Stock Market (NSE) had last A/Agusto; A/GCR UBA Monday closed in*LAaCASERA negative Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR note as the listed equities *CHELLARAMSlost BBB/GCR and returned *DANA points to the red A+/Agusto; AA/GCR Aa/Agusto

µ

#

# #

#

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

territory following sell pressure on blue chip companies.

The twin market performance measures, the NSE ASI and market capitalisation, dropped by 0.26 per cent as the market tempo lowered.

At the close of trading, 27 stocks recorded price appreciation, while 25 others constituted the losers’ table.

11.50 LAFARGEAll-Share WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 Index The 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 dropped by 111.75 basis points 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 or 0.26 cent from 43,030.27 10.00 UPDCper 17-AUG-2015 the previous day to close at 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 42,918.52, while the market cap13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 italisation fell

by N37 billion 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 or 0.26 per cent from N14.208 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 trillion to N14.171 trillion.

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 Further analysis of the MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 day’s trading showed that MoMPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 bil Nigeria 14.00Oil UBA II 22-SEP-2018Plc topped the day’s table with N7.35 15.75 LAgainers’ CASERA 18-OCT-2018 MPR+5.00 II 17-FEB-2019 to closeCHELLARAMS at N154.50, while PZ 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 Cussons Nigeria Plc followed 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 30-Sep-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

14.00 14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

17.00 6.00 8.50 6.08 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 37.25 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00 17.28 80.00 28.37 11.40 87.00 5.00 4.78 4.79

05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 30-Sep-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.05 0.25 1.12 0.73 1.25 1.25 2.76 1.80 3.46 2.43 4.22 2.63 2.63 3.01 3.08 5.35 3.14 3.76 6.36 6.46 3.94 3.97

1.56 3.29 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.74 1.00 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

12.27 14.12 15.16 14.07 15.24 14.26 16.77 12.01 13.05 12.94 12.35 12.16 15.94 12.21 12.21 12.51 13.96 12.29 12.72 13.68 12.75 13.27

100.05 99.85 97.30 99.82 98.80 101.53 85.48 102.80 102.56 102.36 105.26 105.16 96.19 105.55 108.34 107.54 101.95 107.04 103.28 105.52 105.12 105.03

5.14

104.81

105.75

Wema Bank reports 266% Q2 profit growth ema Bank Plc has recordW ed a 266 per cent growth in profit before tax for the half

in favour of cheaper funds.

“We continued the process of redeploying our resources year ended June 30, 2014. into higher yielding assets In a filing with the Nige- while keeping a close eye on rian Stock Exchange (NSE), operating expenses. Loans and with N1.99 to close at N37.99 the bank’s PBT firmed up to advances grew by 17 per cent per share.

N1.7 billion during the second from December 2013, whilst On the flip side, Forte Oil quarter from N464.7 million our cost of funds continues to led losers with a drop of N2.00 recorded in the same period reduce,” to close at N238.00, while Guin- of 2013.

Oloketuyi said in the review ness Nigeria Plc shed N1.80 to Similarly, gross earnings period, the bank secured trade close at N197.10 per share. grew 25 per cent to N12.5 bil- lines from foreign corresponOn the activity chart, bank- lion in Q2 of 2014, from N10 dent banks and development billion in the corresponding finance institutions to support ing services sub-sector domi- 501.10 nated in volume terms with 509.74 period of 2013. its trade finance, the real estate 164.2 million shares worth N1.2 Commenting on the result, sector and SME lending.

07-Oct-11 11.50The sub- 11.80 0.22 Ex1.00He noted 11.82 99.85LEAP that project billion in 1,370 deals.

Managing 07-Oct-14 Director/Chief 18-Dec-09 13.50 18-Dec-14 0.42 5.21 98.89 sector was enhanced by the ac- 13.17 ecutive Officer, Mr. Segun Olo- the bank’s 16.15 strategic transfor01-Apr-10 17.00 2.00 31-Dec-14 0.46 8.71 19.67 98.82 tivities in the shares of Fidelity ketuyi said: "We are pleased mation agenda, has continued 17-Aug-10 10.00 5.29 17-Aug-15 0.60 4.88 15.80 96.23 Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc. 13.62 to announce that Wema0.92 Bank to it with efficiency 09-Dec-10 12.00 09-Dec-15 1.00provide11.72 100.58 06-Jan-11 14.00 0.99 2.63 13.31 “We intend 100.76 The financial services sub- 0.60 gains, adding: to continued06-Jan-16 to demonstrate 29-Sep-11 13.00 29-Sep-16 1.00 12.12 the pace 101.61 of these sector boosted by the activities 15.00 strong improvements in2.20prof- maintain 25-Oct-13 14.25 5.53 25-Oct-16 2.27 1.34 12.47 103.38 on the shares of FBHN Plc fol- 20.00 itability and balance sheet effi- improvements throughout the 30-Sep-10 13.00 30-Sep-17 3.21 1.00 12.23 101.95 lowed with 49.7 million units, 0.73 ciency in the first half of2.022014. second half12.98 of 2014 putting us 30-Nov-12 18.00 30-Nov-17 1.88 109.70 09-Apr-11 16.00 09-Apr-18 3.48 course 14.57 102.76 worth N686.1 million in 628 7.20 Our profit before tax1.98 leapt on to produce better 09-Sep-11 18.00 3.27 09-Sep-18 2.15 and 5.20 16.31and commensu103.31 deals.

266 per cent to N1.7 billion performance 09-Sep-11 16.00 0.90 09-Sep-18 2.15 5.06 16.17 101.90 In all, investors exchanged the bank's net interest margin rate returns to shareholders by 22-Sep-11 14.00 35.00 22-Sep-18 4.18 1.35 12.69 104.09 a total of 365.2 million has improved to 7.7 per2.25cent, the said.

18-Oct-13 15.75 shares, 2.70 18-Oct-18 2.29 end of the 13.42 year,’’ he 104.73 17-Feb-12 17.00 in 4,904 0.45 2.34 re6.11Oloketuyi 17.24 noted 99.72 worth N4.4 billion reflecting 17-Feb-19 a more efficient that the 01-Apr-14 16.00 4.50 01-Apr-19 3.46 mix 2.16 is to continue 13.42 106.95 deals. structuring of our deposit goal the bank’s 14-Nov-13 15.25 2.05 14-Nov-20 6.33 2.76 14.47 103.09 organic expansion programme 143.81 and establish presence in areas 146.65 that have significant growth potential, while making signif11-Feb-13 10.20 12.00 11-Feb-18 3.57 1.00 12.27 icant investments in94.14 alternato N10.059 billion in the review 12.00 it has recommended a dividend tive channels and diversifying 11.30 period of 2014. of N4.50 per ordinary share of its product offerings.

The company had disclosed fifty kobo each, which according “With a continued focus on Outstanding Value Date Coupon (%) Maturity Date Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price thatIssue it invested N125 billion in (N'bn) to him, was a 50 per centBidincrease good corporate governance improved risk managecapacity building within the over the N3 dividend declared for and Prices & Yields past five years. the 2012 financial year. ment practices, we are well po07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 28-Jan-21 4.81 4.66 The Managing Director/ Nigerian Breweries had sitioned to 110.76 continue to111.62 increase 12-Jul-13 5.13 12-Jul-18 a profit Chief Executive officer, NB 500.00 also announced after our market share in104.61 the near 4.07 3.86 103.85 Plc, Mr. Nicholas Vervelde, tax of N43.08 billion for full- term and deliver value to all 12-Jul-13 6.38 500.00 12-Jul-23 5.18 108.52 5.06 109.37 made the disclosure at the year 2013, 13.2 per cent rise on stakeholders," Oloketuyi said.

1,500.00 company’s 2013 Pre-Annual the N38.043 billion it posted in The bank had posted a preGeneral Meeting media brief-1,615.63 the preceding year. The results tax profit of N590.7 million ing held in Lagos recently. showed that in the year under during in first-quarter ended He said various innova- 450.00 review, NB’s revenue was up March 31,111.45 2014, from112.64 loss po01-Feb-11 11.50 01-Feb-16 3.71 2.96 tion19-May-11 initiated by the company by 6.31 per cent as it rose from sition of N853 million in the 7.50 500.00 19-May-16 4.90 4.08 104.47 105.94 through buildings 400.00 N252.674 billion comparable period of 100.76 last year.

08-Nov-13 capacity6.00 08-Nov-18 penultimate 6.08 5.79 99.71 contributed about 7.25 9.8 per cent 350.00 year, to N268.614 the Ex25-Jul-12 25-Jul-17 billion.

7.03 6.41In a filing 100.59 with 102.30 09-May-13 6.88 total rev- 300.00 The company 02-May-18 also recorded 8.67 8.26 94.27 earnings 95.55 rose growth to company’s change, gross 08-Apr-12 10.25 300.00 08-Apr-19 4.79 tax 4.29N10.15 113.57 114.49 to billion during the enue in 2013. a rise in its profit before 22-Apr-14 6.25 500.00 22-Apr-19 6.39 6.09 99.41 100.66 Vervelde said based on imby 11.9 per cent from N55.624 first quarter as against N7.96 21-May-14 8.75 200.00 21-May-19 9.13 8.89 98.51 99.45 pressive result of the billion to N62.240 billion.

07-Aug-13 8.25 company, 300.00 07-Aug-20 billion.

7.26 6.56 103.42 105.92

Nigeria Breweries: Analysts predict stronger Q2 earnings TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Supranational Bond

AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

T

TOTAL VALUE he OUTSTANDING Q2 2014 earnings of TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Nigerian Breweries (NB)

Plc is expected to rebound Rating/Agency strongly over Q1 levels, Issuer financial analysts have predicted.

FGN Eurobonds In an equity research carBB-/Fitch; B+/S&P ried out and obtained by New BB-/Fitch; Telegraph, analysts atFGN FBN BB-/S&P Capital said after a slightly BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P subdued Q1, which saw sales TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE to sinand PAT growth slowing TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION gle digits, they expect NB’s Q2 results to rebound strongly on Corporate Eurobonds aB-/S&P; y/yB/Fitch and sequential basis on AFREN PLC I the back of seasonally stronGTBANK PLC I B+/S&P; B+/Fitch ger sales for the GTBANK Q2 quarter PLC and unit B+/S&Padditional boost ACCESSin BANK PLC B/S&P; B/Fitch from the volumes world-cup FIDELITY BANK PLC B/Fitch over June and AFREN PLC. event July B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P ZENITH BANK PLC “We forecast Q2 sales and B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC PBT growth of 14 per cent B/S&P; B-/Fitch FIRST BANK PLC B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

y/y (7 per cent q/q) and 11 per cent y/y (18 per cent q/q) to N69.4billion and N16.0billion respectively,”Description the experts said.

Nigerian Breweries had posted a 6.8 per cent growth in rev6.75 JAN 28, 2021 enue in its first quarter result for 5.13 JULMarch 12, 2018 31, 2014. the period ended Revenue6.38ofJUL the brewing 12, 2023 firm grew moderately 6.8 per cent from N64.573 billion in the Q1 of 2013 to N68.976 billion in the review period of 2014.

Profit before tax (PBT) also 11.50 FEB 01, 2016 increased 7.50 8.3MAY per cent from 19, 2016 N13.588 billion in2018the first 6.00 NOV 08, quarter of 2013 bil7.25 JULto 25, N14.710 2017 6.88 MAYperiod 09, 2018 of 2014. lion in the same 10.25 APR 08, 2019 Similarly, profit after tax 6.25 APR 22, 2019 went up 6.8 per cent from 8.75 May 21, 2019 N9.416 billion in Q1 of 2013 8.25 AUGthe 07, 2020 6.63 DEC 09, 2020

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

5.38

3,660.00 3,779.93

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

17-Jul-14

The FMDQBills Daily Quotations **Treasury

List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products,FIXINGS fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to Money Market Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms ofMaturity Use and Disclaimer Statement.

DTM Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%)

7 24-Jul-14 10.00 14 31-Jul-14 10.15 21 7-Aug-14 10.10 FGN Bonds 28 14-Aug-14 10.40 35 21-Aug-14 10.30 42 28-Aug-14 10.40 Issuer Description Rating/Agency 49 4-Sep-14 10.50 56 11-Sep-14 10.65 9.25 28-SEP-2014 63 18-Sep-14 10.65 4.00 23-APR-2015 70 25-Sep-14 10.60 13.05 16-AUG-2016 77 2-Oct-14 10.60 15.10 27-APR-2017 84 9-Oct-14 10.40 91 16-Oct-14 10.60 9.85 27-JUL-2017 98 23-Oct-14 10.55 9.35 31-AUG-2017 105 30-Oct-14 10.60 10.70 30-MAY-2018 112 6-Nov-14 10.65 NA NA 16.00 29-JUN-2019 119 13-Nov-14 10.60 7.00 23-OCT-2019 126 20-Nov-14 10.60 16.39 27-JAN-2022 140 4-Dec-14 10.50 175 8-Jan-15 10.35 14.20 14-MAR-2024 189 22-Jan-15 10.40 15.00 28-NOV-2028 203 5-Feb-15 10.40 12.49 22-MAY-2029 217 19-Feb-15 10.35 8.50 20-NOV-2029 231 5-Mar-15 10.40 10.00 23-JUL-2030 266 9-Apr-15 9.90 280 23-Apr-15 10.05 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 294 7-May-15 9.90 *from the Amortising bonds, TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION # the average life is is acalculated Risk Premium combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums

9.75 9.90 9.85 10.15 10.05 10.15 Date Issue 10.25 10.40 28-Sep-07 10.40 23-Apr-10 10.35 16-Aug-13 10.35 27-Apr-12 10.15 10.35 27-Jul-07 10.30 31-Aug-07 10.35 30-May-08 10.40 29-Jun-12 10.35 23-Oct-09 10.35 27-Jan-12 10.25 10.10 14-Mar-14 10.15 28-Nov-08 10.15 22-May-09 10.10 20-Nov-09 10.15 23-Jul-10 9.65 9.80 9.65

10.02 10.19 10.16 10.48 10.40 10.53 (%) Coupon 10.65 10.83 9.25 10.85 4.00 10.82 13.05 10.84 15.10 10.66 10.89 9.85 10.86 9.35 10.93 10.70 11.01 16.00 10.98 7.00 11.00 16.39 10.94 10.89 14.20 10.99 15.00 11.04 12.49 11.03 8.50 11.13 10.00 10.67 10.89 10.76

BondsTenor

O/N 1M 3M Outstanding 6M

(N'bn)

NIBOR

Value

4,375.01

Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON NA

FMBN

Modified Duration Buckets

***LCRM

<3

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 3<5 >5 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Market

Description

Issue Date

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB IIMarket 03-APR-2017 Total Outstanding Porfolio 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 Volume(Bn) Value(Bn) 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 1,010.10 953.07

1,137.12 682.70 2,829.93

951.30 756.74 2,661.11

OBB

10.42

Tenor

O/N

10.63

Spot 7D 14D Offer 1M Yield 2M (%) 3M 10.19 6M 1Y 10.10

REPO

Date

100.00 28-Sep-14 535.00 NITTY 23-Apr-15 500.27 16-Aug-16 Tenor Rate (%) 452.80 27-Apr-17 1M 10.4897 2M20.00 10.8475 27-Jul-17 3M 10.8545 100.00 31-Aug-17 6M 10.8702 300.00 30-May-18 9M 10.9392 351.30 29-Jun-19 12M 10.9780 233.90 23-Oct-19 600.00 27-Jan-22 165.17 NIFEX 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 Current Price ($/N) 150.00 22-May-29 BID($/N) 161.7475 200.00 20-Nov-29 OFFER ($/N) 161.8475 591.57 23-Jul-30

Tenor TTM (Yrs) Call 1M 0.20 3M 6M 0.77

Rate Bid (%) Yield (%) 10.42 12.69 10.94 13.31 13.9610.82

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

2.08 11.22 11.14 2.78 11.24 11.18 3.03 11.21 11.09 :Benchmarks 3.12 11.22 11.10 * :Amortising Bond 3.87 11.31 11.21 µ :Convertible Bond 4.95 11.50 of Nigeria11.43 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation 11.50 11.41 FGN: Federal 5.27 Government of Nigeria 7.53 11.96 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of12.02 Nigeria IFC: International 9.66 Finance Corporation 12.21 12.16 LCRM: Local14.37 Contractors Receivables Management 12.19 12.15 NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company 14.85 12.19 12.15 O/N: Overnight 15.35 Development 12.19 12.14 UPDC: UAC Property Company 12.24Company 12.19 WAPCO:West16.02 Africa Portland Cement NOTE:

Bid ($/N) 161.80 162.10 162.36 162.97 Bid Price 164.12 165.38 99.61 169.06 176.8095.09

Offer ($/N) 161.90 Price

162.36 162.70 163.63 Offer Price 165.30 167.01 99.76 172.68 183.7795.59

103.30 103.45 108.95 109.10 96.59 96.89 NA :Not Applicable 95.17 95.47 # :Floating Rate Bond 98.11 98.41 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 116.60 116.90 82.57 82.87 †: Bond rating expired 121.25 121.55 111.05 111.35 118.82 119.12 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 102.00 102.30 UBA: United Bank for Africa 74.62 74.92 84.40 84.70

4,444.21

**Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Rating/Agency

Rate (%) 10.7083 12.5755 13.3960 14.3341 Maturity

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

FMDQ FGN BOND INDEX

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 Weighting by 09-Dec-11 Outstanding Vol 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12 35.81

0.00 0.00 17.25 Weighting by Mkt 0.00/16.00 Value 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50 35.69

35.75 28.44 100.00

40.18 24.12 100.00

978.35 24.56 3.30 Bucket Weighting 112.22 116.70 66.49 0.36

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 % Exposure_ 09-Dec-16 Mod_Duration 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17 17.66

0.29 0.85 1.46 Implied Yield 2.40 2.76 2.97 11.23

0.28 1.00

36.34 46.00 100.00

11.86 12.24 11.92

05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17

0.05 0.25 1.12 0.73 1.25 1.25 2.76 1.80

0.36 1,301.62

1,261.75

# Risk Premium (%)

1.00 2.63 Implied2.27 2.00 Portfolio Price 1.00 1.00 117.6152

133.0361 99.1066 117.8646

Valuation Yield (%) 11.86 13.39 13.14 INDEX 13.14 12.18 12.20 1,117.10

1,126.50 1,156.16 1,119.59

Indicative Price

96.70 89.53 105.37 YTD Return (%) 99.73 98.24 95.77 11.7105

12.6499 15.6158 11.9588

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto

KWARA NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10

14.00 14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75

17.00 6.00 8.50 6.08 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92

1.56 3.29 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00

12.27 14.12 15.16 14.07 15.24 14.26 16.77 12.01

100.05 99.85 97.30 99.82 98.80 101.53 85.48 102.80

46 business | CAPITAL MARKET

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014 Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040

Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014

Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at July 17, 2014 Daily Summary (Bonds)

Daily Summary (Equities)

No Debt Trading Activity

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Daily Summary (Equities)

HEALTHCARE HEALTHCARE Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 CONGLOMERATES Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040 Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. CHELLARAMS PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals CONGLOMERATES

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 20 42 62

Current Price 33.01 37.50

Quantity Traded 309,246 2,264,700 2,573,946

Value Traded 10,202,883.68 83,512,074.00 93,714,957.68

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 18 18

Current Price 3.05

Quantity Traded 269,550 269,550

Value Traded 827,943.00 827,943.00

2,843,496

94,542,900.68

Quantity Traded 37,540 7,567 21,487 546 22,790,973 312,346 23,170,459

Value Traded 49,568.20 28,636.92 24,495.18 2,549.82 132,011,186.53 19,451,972.08 151,568,408.73

80 Symbol AGLEVENT CHELLARAM Daily Summary JOHNHOLT SCOA TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 7 3 (Equities) 8 1 324 40 383

CONGLOMERATES Totals

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE © Published

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange Building Structure/Completion/Other

Current Price 1.33 3.95 1.20 4.91 5.78 62.50

383

23,170,459 Page

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals IT Services

TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 IT Services Totals Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLCGOODS INDUSTRIAL CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC Building Materials

of

12

Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 21 21

Current Price 1.23

Quantity Traded 1,551,448 1,551,448

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 36 36

Current Price 65.00

Quantity Traded 517,910 517,910

Value Traded 33,538,268.50 33,538,268.50

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 25 25

Current Price 17.90

Quantity Traded 340,191 340,191

Value Traded 6,093,343.80 6,093,343.80

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 9.95

Quantity Traded 10,050 10,050

Value Traded 99,998.00 99,998.00

2,419,599

41,591,071.07

COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION PLC. EQTY Activity SummaryBREW. on Board GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC CONSUMER GOODS INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange Totals © Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 UNION DICON SALT PLC. Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040 U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. FoodSummary Products--Diversified Totals Activity on Board EQTY Household Durables CONSUMER GOODS VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables

VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals © Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals Daily Summary as ofGOODS 17/07/2014 CONSUMER Totals Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040 FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK Activity Summary onPLC Board EQTY GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. FINANCIAL SERVICES SKYE BANK PLC Banking STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

84

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol CHAMPION GOLDBREW GUINNESS INTBREW Symbol NB

No. of Deals 2 2 49 27 No. of Deals 85 165

Current Price 10.17 0.71 197.10 Current 29.50 Price 176.22

Quantity Traded 60,000 3,120 264,429 Quantity321,577 Traded 698,999 Page 1,348,125

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 13 13

Current Price 100.03

Quantity Traded 7,054 7,054

NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Quantity Traded 150,777 1,387,502 79,210 1,112,148 38,591,738 619,268 3,500 115,796 42,059,939

Value Traded 1,225,256.49 12,789,903.18 5,968,399.83 4,969,304.52 399,907,116.59 11,912,088.73 46,935.00 57,898.00 436,876,902.34

Symbol

No. of Deals 42 27 69

Current Price 74.25 1,124.90

Quantity Traded 254,925 65,638 320,563

Value Traded 18,331,812.43 73,793,238.56 92,125,050.99

Symbol VITAFOAM Symbol VONO

No. of Deals 35 No. of Deals

Current Price 4.30 Current Price

Quantity Traded Quantity610,463 Traded

Value Traded 2,640,026.57 Value Traded

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 52 45 97

Current Price 37.99 53.00

Quantity Traded 20,468,377 2,209,739 22,678,116

Value Traded 817,366,416.27 117,240,906.52 934,607,322.79

67,027,040

1,652,791,877.73

Current Price 9.95 6.30 17.23 1.98 30.00 3.28 Current Price 2.32 8.00 9.54 0.50 1.01 25.20

Quantity Traded 31,314,716 8,091,110 2,069,345 44,827,716 3,614,766 14,851,173 Quantity Traded 2,687,277 16,857,064 263,303 21,462,494 1,624,591 16,522,054 164,185,609

Value Traded 305,847,236.35 50,990,556.40 35,620,700.42 87,490,452.90 109,955,435.55 48,368,523.58 Value Traded 6,236,374.02 135,055,859.44 2,473,323.05 10,731,247.00 1,640,794.91 416,476,969.19 1,210,887,472.81

No. of Deals 27 49 5 2 13 1 2 5 23 16 28 25 (Equities) 3 1 81 281

Current Price 0.80 1.14 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.56 0.54 0.82 0.50 0.54 0.50 0.91

Quantity Traded Page 1,992,330 3,084,800 109,200 73,550 2,970,309 58,543 683,783 55,147 1,819,468 2,634,890 1,402,374 2,157,075 30,000 20 7,994,049 25,065,538

4Value Traded of 12 1,625,792.92 3,465,069.27 54,600.00 36,775.00 1,486,034.26 29,271.50 341,891.50 27,573.50 4,616,902.12 1,422,700.60 1,121,671.14 1,096,657.70 15,900.00 10.00 7,303,308.02 22,644,157.53

Symbol FORTISMFB NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 1 7 8

Current Price 5.96 1.10

Quantity Traded Page 100

Value Traded 5 of 600.00 12

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 59 24 382 58 3 27 75 628

Current Price 3.41 3.80 16.00 4.19 0.53 27.26 2.24

Quantity Traded 1,674,708 978,987 40,584,065 2,313,850 13,472 211,848 4,006,409 49,783,339

Value Traded 5,684,148.33 3,726,651.25 652,388,339.16 9,612,794.07 7,030.72 5,790,383.06 8,913,447.83 686,122,794.42

239,344,586

1,919,996,024.76

Quantity Traded 258,550 388,360 309,005 189,739 73,000 1,218,654

Value Traded 596,507.00 1,180,059.00 21,291,195.58 326,170.62 86,150.00 23,480,082.20

NESTLE

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

1 36

1.44

685 Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 149 Daily Summary (Equities) DIAMONDBNK 98 ETI 62 FIDELITYBK 112 GUARANTY 206 SKYEBANK 152 Symbol No. of Deals STERLNBANK 33 UBA 201 UBN 47 UNITYBNK 58 WEMABANK 22 ZENITHBANK 230 1,370

2,287 Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH

No. of Deals 11 19 27 18 8 83

Current Price 2.31 3.01 68.99 1.72 1.24

2,780 Page 613,243

310,000 310,100

Page

Symbol TRIPPLEG

No. of Deals Current Price 1 1.88 1

Quantity Traded 104,760 104,760

Value Traded 196,948.80 196,948.80

181,860

240,465.80 Value Traded 50,675,100.68 211,298.74 3,712,946.05 7,912,643.33 Value Traded

9

Daily Summary (Equities)

Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC CUTIX PLC. Published by The Nigerian Exchange © Totals Electronic and Stock Electrical Products

Symbol AUSTINLAZ CUTIX

No. of Deals Current Price 1 2.00 7 1.80 8

Quantity Traded 200 18,467 Page 18,667

Value Traded 418.00 34,520.08 7 of 12 34,938.08

Packaging/Containers AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 BETA GLASS CO PLC. Printed 17/07/2014 GREIF15:20:40.040 NIGERIA PLC Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol AVONCROWN BETAGLAS VANLEER

No. of Deals Current Price 3 1.69 2 16.30 2 12.08 7

Quantity Traded 14,687 44,000 20,100 78,787

Value Traded 24,831.03 752,680.00 241,200.00 1,018,711.03

2,915,358

117,612,762.46

DANGOTE CEMENT PLC DN MEYER PLC. FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. Building Materials Totals

NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals Activity Summary Board EQTY B.O.C. GASESon PLC. Chemicals Totals NATURAL RESOURCES

Mining Services MULTIVERSE PLC Mining Services Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 BECO15:20:40.040 PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC Printed 17/07/2014

CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA Activity Summary on PLC. Board EQTY Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

OIL AND GAS Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

DANGCEM DNMEYER FIRSTALUM WAPCO

Daily Summary (Equities)

Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 Employment Solutions Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040 C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. SERVICES LEARN AFRICA PLC Printing/Publishing

STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. © Printing/Publishing Totals

264

18,638,566.80 7,800.00 40,000.00 35,360,757.75 116,559,113.35

No. of Deals Current Price 1 5.76 1

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 5,500.00 5,500.00

Symbol MULTIVERSE

No. of Deals Current Price 1 0.50 1

Quantity Traded 200 200 Page

Value Traded 100.00 100.00 8 of 12

2

1,200

5,600.00

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals Current Price 55 0.58 55

Quantity Traded 11,282,991 11,282,991

Value Traded 6,450,978.21 6,450,978.21

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals Current Price 536 25.65 536

Quantity Traded 10,774,458 10,774,458

Value Traded 277,802,834.13 277,802,834.13

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price BECOPETRO 1 0.50 CONOIL 23 65.60 ETERNA 35 4.35 FO 107 238.00 Daily Summary (Equities) MOBIL 27 154.50 MRS 18 62.43 TOTAL 45 180.20 256

Quantity Traded 1,000 28,448 474,898 167,273 129,050 56,286 239,151 1,096,106

Value Traded 500.00 1,783,926.30 2,038,546.97 39,031,744.23 19,883,300.74 3,177,642.02 43,853,858.64 109,769,518.90

Quantity Traded 37,204 37,204

Value Traded 26,042,800.00 26,042,800.00

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 17 17

OIL AND GAS Totals

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

77,648 6,500 80,000 297,284 2,817,904

Symbol BOCGAS

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

341,000.00 341,600.00

of

Value Traded 43,517.00 43,517.00

Quantity Traded 1,535,135 24,100 95,088 Quantity702,149 Traded

Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

3,808.60 3 2,643,835.17 of 12

6

Quantity Traded 77,100 77,100

No. of Deals Current Price 78 33.00 9 9.00 15 40.10 35 Current 11.26 No. of Deals Price 32 240.00 2 1.20 1 0.50 77 119.00 249

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals

Current Price 8.01 9.08 77.87 4.49 10.59 19.79 14.11 0.50

Daily Summary (Equities) CADBURY

No. of Deals Current Price 8 0.57 8

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

No. of Deals 37 66 30 55 97 14 2 4 305

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Pharmaceuticals Totals

Value Traded 740,866.56 740,866.56

23,480,082.20

Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN Symbol

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

Value Traded 580,200.00 2,308.80 52,246,623.13 9,474,880.60 Value Traded 123,493,887.35 2 of 12 185,797,899.88

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM UNIONDICON UTC

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Symbol Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © AIICO INSURANCE PLC. AIICO CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CONTINSURE CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. CORNERST GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. GUINEAINS INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC INTENEGINS LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LASACO LAW AND ROCK INS. PLC. LAWUNION Daily Summary asUNION of 17/07/2014 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC LINKASSURE Printed 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040 MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MANSARD MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. MBENEFIT N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NEM NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. NIGERINS Daily Summary PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC REGALINS Activity Summary on Board WAPIC INSURANCE PLCEQTY WAPIC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES

Micro-Finance Banks Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © PLC FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK

Value Traded 1,859,460.77 1,859,460.77

1,218,654

Symbol COURTVILLE

ICT Totals

151,568,408.73 1

83

Current Price 702.00

Page

864

9

of

23,190,759

420,066,131.24

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 18 18

Current Price 1.05

Quantity Traded 286,907 286,907

Value Traded 293,364.27 293,364.27

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 21 1 22

Current Price 4.67 2.06

Quantity Traded 404,200 6,472 410,672

Value Traded 1,935,437.00 12,749.84 1,948,186.84

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 121,000 121,000

Value Traded 60,500.00 60,500.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 0.75

Quantity Traded 200,000 200,000

Value Traded 151,005.00 151,005.00

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA Symbol

No. of Deals 1 No. of Deals6

Current Price 1.71 1.65 Current Price

Quantity Traded 1,820 Quantity153,800 Traded

Value Traded 3,112.20 252,640.00 Value Traded

Daily Summary (Equities) IKEJAHOTEL

STUDPRESS UPL

1 18 26

2.40 4.40

200 Page 143,504 299,324

10

456.00 of 12 631,977.33 888,185.53

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals Current Price 11 0.89 11

Quantity Traded 278,430 278,430

Value Traded 246,062.70 246,062.70

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals Current Price 13 2.23 49 4.87 62

Quantity Traded 94,400 1,041,601 1,136,001

Value Traded 209,429.00 5,119,236.17 5,328,665.17

Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals Current Price 15 6.70 15

Quantity Traded 206,916 206,916

Value Traded 1,395,948.30 1,395,948.30

SERVICES Totals

12

163

2,939,250

10,311,917.81

Daily Summary as of 17/07/2014 Board Totals PrintedEQTY 17/07/2014 15:20:40.040

4,904

365,252,261

4,432,207,242.48

Equity Activity Totals

4,904

365,252,261

4,432,207,242.48

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

12

Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 2 3

Current Price 2,045.00 19.50

Quantity Traded Page 9 1,501 1,510

Value Traded 11 of 12 18,405.00 29,524.50 47,929.50

ETF Board Totals

3

1,510

47,929.50

ETP Activity Totals

3

1,510

47,929.50

NEWS 47

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Teachers protest career stagnation in Ogun Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

undreds of secondary HState school teachers in Ogun yesterday stormed

the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) office in protest against alleged career stagnation.

The protesters, under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools of Nigeria (ASUSS), barricaded the entrance to the TESCOM office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, and held the staff hostage for several hours.

Led by the state ASUSS President, Comrade Tunde Folarin, the protesters alleged that the state government’s policy in the education sector had stagnated their career for nine years.

Folarin accused the government of reneging on the agreements earlier reached with the teachers.

The ASUSS boss explained that he had to lead the protesters, when speculation became rife that the government had induced the union leaders to back down on their agitation.

The protesters accused the government of bias in a recently released letter of approval of career progression and adjustment, which they said mandated the teachers, who entered service with National Certificate of Education (NCE), but eventually upgraded their certificates to degree level to sacrifice nine years out of the years already put into service.

Reps task Nigeria-Cameroun Boundary Commission on demarcation Philip Nyam Abuja

House of RepresenTthehetatives yesterday urged Nigeria-Cameroun

Boundary Commission to be alert to errors that could be made in the demarcation of the borders.

change of nameS

odekhian

I formerly Miss Asikagbon Omoze Sandra now wish to be known and addressed as Odekhian Omoze Sandra.

Former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ogunsakin

I formerly Fajo Yetunde Samuel now wish to be known and addressed as Ogunsakin Yetunde Olufunmi.

Former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

asowa

I formerly Okikia Judith Emiede now wish to be known and addressed as Asowa Judith Emiede. Former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

uteh

I formerly Afe Julie Suzzane A. now wish to be known and addressed as Uteh Julie Suzzane A. Former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

okechukwu

I formerly Nwafor Ifeanyichukwu Favour now wish to be known and addressed as Okechukwu Favour Ifeanyi.

Former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

adewusi

I formerly Miss Alapo Oladoyin Abiola now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adewusi Oladoyin Abiola. Former documents remain valid. Bovas Nig. Ltd. and general public should take note.

This followed the adoption of a motion entitled: “The ongoing exercise to demarcate the borders between Nigeria and Cameroon Republic,” sponsored by Hon. Robinson Uwak (PDP, Akwa Ibom).

The House consequently mandated the Committee on Special Duties to oversee the Nigeria-Cameroun Boundary Commission.

This, the lawmakers said, was to ensure that decisions made by the commission are not prejudicial to Nigeria’s national interest.

Uwak, had in the motion, said that surveyors employed by the United Nations (UN) and the Nigeria/ Cameroun Boundary Commission are currently conducting survey exercises.

Supreme Court, Appeal Court, others join JUSUN strike Tunde Oyesina Abuja

T

he superior courts, which comprise of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court yesterday, joined the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

The union headquarters had last Thursday directed all its members at the state level to proceed on strike last Friday.

Initially the strike was restricted to all states’ high courts, but the superior courts yesterday joined their counterparts at the state level.

When New Telegraph visited the courts in Abuja, the gates were locked, preventing workers, lawyers and litigants from

gaining access into the premises.

A source at the Supreme Court told New Telegraph that the gate of the court will remain under lock and key until further directive is received from the leadership of JUSUN. At the Federal High Court, Abuja division, workers who had arrived yesterday morning for their official activities were turned back home by officials of JUSUN, who were on hand to enforce the strike.

Though, judges at the federal high court had proceeded on vacation, which began on Monday with the exception of two judges slated to entertain civil matters while the recess lasts.

However, with the strike, the vacation judg-

es, who were slated to resume sitting yesterday, could not do so.

New Telegraph recalls that JUSUN had, in a statement issued in Abuja last Thursday, said the strike was to press home its demand for various state governments in the country to comply with court judgements, which granted financial autonomy at both the state and federal levels.

The statement was jointly signed by its National President, Mr. Marwan Adamu, and its General Secretary, Mr. Isaiah Adetola.

The union had directed its members in the federal judiciary to be on the alert as they could also be asked to join the strike anytime in solidarity with their state counterparts.

According to the statement; “After the exhaustive deliberation on the refusal/failure of state governments to respect/ implement the Federal High Court, Abuja, judgement/orders in respect of financial autonomy of state judiciaries as well as failure of stakeholders to abide by the decision to set up a technical implementation committee of the FAAC meeting of June 17, 2014, it is resolved by NEC as follows: “That all Judiciary staff at state level nationwide should proceed on an indefinite strike with effect from Friday, July 11, 2014.

“That the national secretariat of the union shall notify federal judiciary workers to join the action as events unfolds.”

L-R: Senior Special Assistant on Water Resources, Ogun State, Mr. Waheed Otun; Chairman, Ogun State Correspondents' Chapel, Mr. Kunle Olayeni and General Manager, Ogun State Television (OGTV), Alhaji Ayinde Soaga, at the 2014 Annual Ramadan Lecture of the chapel in Abeokuta...yesterday

Jonathan lauds outgoing German, PDP, APC disagree over defection of 25 lawmakers Emmanuel Masha indication that it (APC) is Obuah’s Media Adviser, Serbian envoys Jerry Needam, said while Port Harcourt the party to beat.

Anule Emmanuel

resident Goodluck Pmended Jonathan has comthe outgoing

Ambassadors of Germany and Serbia Ms. Dorothee JanetzkeWenzel and Mr. Rifat Rondic, for their efforts at strengthening and enhancing bilateral relations between Nigeria and their countries.

At separate audiences with the two envoys yesterday at the Presidential Villa, President Jonathan thanked them for doing their best to

expand areas of cooperation between Nigeria, Germany and Serbia.

He applauded their ef forts at promoting greater trade and economic relations between Nigeria and their countries, as well as cooperation between them at the international fora.

While commenting on the German Ambassador, President Jonathan congratulated the people of Germany on their victory at the recently concluded World Cup in Brazil.

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday disagreed on the implication of the official defection of 25 pro-Amaechi lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

While the PDP described the defection as inconsequential, considering that the lawmakers had been supporting Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, even before the party suspended them in April 2013, the APC described the move as an

Chairman of the PDP in the state, Felix Obuah, said the party had been vindicated by suspending the lawmakers, when they refused to withdraw the suspension order placed on Hon. Timothy Nsirim, the immediate past chairman of Obio/Akpor council.

“Their action has justified our decision to suspend them. They were just there to destroy the party that brought them to limelight,” he said, adding that the party will now take all necessary measures against their defection.

Also in a statement,

Ewa-Henshaw: We’ll refocus NDDC for better service delivery he board and manage- better service delivery Ewa-Henshaw, said this He said the retreat was TDevelopment ment of the Niger Delta to its stakeholders in the when he declared open very timely, coming at a Commis- country’s oil-producing a three-day retreat for time in the history of the sion (NDDC) yesterday said it is working harder to re-focusing the interventionist agency for

region.

Chairman of the Governing Board of the NDDC, Senator Bassey

members of the board and management at the Le Meridien Hotel in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

NDDC. He said the theme; ‘Re-focusing NDDC for better service delivery,’ was most appropriate.

the lawmakers were fighting their suspension from the PDP in court, they participated in programmes initiated by the APC, including the party’s statewide membership registration exercise.

He added: “We are the least bothered, because we are not looking for liabilities, which the rubber-stamp lawmakers are.

Our party is on track and has lost nothing, because these people had never been part of us...”

But, the APC Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, said the lawmakers’ defection to the APC demonstrates that the party ‘has completely saturated the state.’ Finebone also said that the move was a major development for the party.

“We urge them to come up with a different story, realising that the APC has taken over the state,” he said.

Osun 2014

48 NEWS

Aregbesola replies Sambo, says Osun rejected PDP long ago WISHES If wishes were horses, Sambo would ride. That is the message from Osogbo

O

sun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday described as mere wishful thinking the remark by VicePresident Namadi Sambo, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will take over Osun State on August 9.

This was just as the governor said that VicePresident Sambo had impugned on the integrity of the judiciary by referring to the judgement of the Election Petition Appeal

Tribunal that restored the mandate of Aregbesola after the 2007 governorship poll as a verdict through ‘the back door.’

Aregbesola in a response through his Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, said Sambo could not have been referring to Osun, where the people have demonstrated their total rejection of anything that has any traits of PDP. Sambo's statement Okanlawon said, aptly captures the depth of self delusion and deciet to which PDP leadership indulges in, a development he blames for the total failure of the PDP led Federal Government in all facets of the Nigerian life.

He said: “Sambo’s statement did not come to us as a surprise. It is the character of the PDP and its leadership to live in a different world far away from the stark realities that daily confronts our people.

“For the umpteenth time, we wish to remind Sambo and the entire PDP structure and its candidate in the August 9 poll that Osun has remained different for so many reasons and that is why the macabre dance PDP and its agents of electoral fraud organised in Ekiti, cannot be replayed here in Osun.

“Has Sambo forgotten so soon that while PDP reaped from its electoral fraud in all parts of Nigeria in the 2011 election, it was only in Osun that PDP recorded its most

humiliating defeat.

“In case Sambo has not thought about it, that was less than six months of the Aregbesola administration, when not much had been put on ground in form of sterling performance and massive transformation."

Okanlawon added "more than three years down the line, Osun people have witnessed unprecedented development in various ways. Peace has returned.

Wealth has been created.

Lives have been saved and improved. Aregbesola has touched lives in the education, food production, youth employment, and other sectors. This state has been rescued from the morass it was plunged into, in eight years of the PDP rule."

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Group laments non-collection of PVCs Adeolu Adeyemo

OSOGBO

civil society group, AOrganisation, Justice and Equity yesterday

expressed worry over the non- collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) by the electorate in Osun State, few weeks to the August 9 governorship election.

The organisation was accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the distribution and collection of permanent voters’ cards and monitor the governorship election in the state.

Coordinator of the group, Mr. Bafunsho Tunde, frowned on the lukewarm attitude of the registered electorate for not showing up at INEC office for the collection

Governor takes campaign to churches overnor, Rauf AregGcampaign besola, has taken his for re-election to the Cathedral Church of Saint Philips, OtanAyegbaju in Boluwaduro Local Government area of the state with a pledge that if re-elected, his administration would be people oriented.

The governor also reassured residents of the state that his template would not deviate from seeing that their welfare is adequately taken care of.

Aregbesola gave the assurances while speaking as a special guest of honour at the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of Osun North-East Anglican Diocese and the launch

FCT chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Project Reloaded, protesting at the front of National Assembly, demanding that government should tell them its stand on Boko Haram in Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Obi: Let's shun violence CACOL frowns on use of

A

s the people of Osun State are warming up for the August 9 governorship election, the Special Adviser to the President on InterParty Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, yesterday charged politicians in the state to shun violence, intimidation and aggression during the exercise.

Obi made the appeal at the Pre-Governorship Election Sensitisation Workshop for political parties and stakeholders held in Osogbo.

The special adviser said: “We should aim and look forward to situations when violence and intimidation of the electorate will be firmly put behind us, and attain an environment where electoral outcomes are not only free, but are freely accepted by all.

“It is my hope that, as we build confidence

among stake holders, we deepen the culture of tolerance in the political and electoral processes in Nigeria.

“All eyes are on Osun for the conduct of a free election that would be accepted by all and party followers should be enlightened to understand and accept that two people cannot occupy the position allotted to one.

Obi added, “all wellmeaning Nigerians should be concerned when the electoral environment is over heated by provocative language.

“This does not augur well for the contestants, the electorate as well as the political and electoral systems and that is why political parties need to ensure the compliance of the revised political parties code of conduct that they signed.”

military men Temitope Ogunbanke

he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has decried on the use of military men to provide security during the forthcoming August 9 governorship election in Osun State.

CACOL in a statement made available to New Telegraph yesterday by its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, said the intervention of military men in democratic process is an aberration.

“The government must realise that the use of military men to provide security during election is an aberration. It is antithetical to the spirit of true democracy. The police should be well-equipped to provide security during elections; we shouldn’t be inviting soldiers to intervene in democratic

T

process. As we have been made to believe that Ekiti governorship election was free and fair, the events preceding it and the heavy presence of military make a mess of the outcome of the election.

“The presence of the federal might before and during the poll with the reported harassment of All Progressives Congress members and its visiting governors some days to the election was uncalled for.

Everyone should be given equal opportunity, because what is good the goose is also good for the gander.”

Speaking further, the human rights activist argued that the militarisation of Osun State may influence the outcome of the election. He therefore urged that soldiers be kept in the barracks until the situation demands their coming out.

of their PVCs, in a press conference held at the NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo.

He, however, advised them to approach INEC’s various offices in the state for the collection of the PVCs to be able to participate fully in the election.

The coordinator, who said the PVCs could not be collected by proxy, charged the electorate to go and collect their copies.

“Registered voters should visit INEC local government offices for the collection of their permanent voters’ cards, for it is only voters with PVCs that will be able to vote during the poll.”

The civil society group said INEC offices located in the thirty local government areas of the state open every day to issue the PVCs personally.

of two books held at the cathedral church.

Speaking through his Deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye Tomori, Aregbesola said: “I assure people of the state that my second term in office will be characterised by the implementation of more people-oriented programmes and one devoid of self-seeking pleasure.”

He charged them to cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, which will give his administration another opportunity to complete all the ongoing projects and embark on new ones.

‘Don’t force workers to vote against their wishes’ rights group in Aforhuman Osun State, the Centre Human Rights and

Social Justice (CHRSJ), yesterday cautioned Governor Rauf Aregbesola, against forcing civil servants in the state to vote against their wishes.

The group in a statement signed by its Executive Chairman, Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, said information at its disposal was that the governor and his aides are now prevailing on the workers to cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning them to desist from such.

Sulaiman said: “Investigation conducted by our group across the state revealed that the Aregbesola administration has been inviting heads of ministries and parastatals, secondary school principals and headmasters/ headmistress to unholy meetings where they were instructed to prevail on their subordinates to vote for the APC in the coming

governorship election.

“We want the governor and other contenders in the election to know that it is only God that crowns a leader and that they should believe in this disposition and use it as their guiding principle before, during and after the election.

“I want to use this medium to tell the workers to be ready to vote with enthusiasm during the August 9 election for the candidate of their choice and they should put every intimidation and threat behind them and stand by their votes. I thank the workers for always standing up to deepening our democracy in Osun State since 1999.”

Reacting further to the allegation of i n t i m i d at i o n and threat raised recently, Sulaiman urged the governor to diligently mobilise for the votes of the people, particularly, the workers without intimidating them.

AFRICA | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

49

Libya seeks UN help, warns of imminent collapse

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ibya asked the United Nations for help yesterday to build up its security forces, with the foreign minister warning that his country could turn into a “failed state.” Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdelaziz asked the UN Security Council to dispatch experts to train the country’s defense and police forces to ensure they can protect oil fields, airports and other vital sites. “We are not asking for military intervention,” said Abdelaziz. “We are asking for a team from the UN specialized in the field

of security.” Libya has seen a surge of violence, with militias locked in fighting around Tripoli airport, which has been shut down amid growing fears of all-out civil war.

“Should Libya become a failed state, kidnapped by radical groups and warlords, the consequences would be farreaching and perhaps beyond control,” warned Abdelaziz.

Libya could become a “hub for attracting extremists,” feeding radicalism and the arms flow in the region and further afield in Syria, he warned.

“Don’t you think that such pat-

terns that are indicative of heading toward a failed state would justify a stronger, more strategic engagement from the Security Council?” In a statement, the 15-member Security Council said it condemned the recent violence in Libya and said it made “it even more difficult for the Libyan authorities to govern effectively.”

The Council will ask UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to

look at the Libyan request for aid and present “options,” said Eugene-Richard Gasana, the Rwandan chair of the Council. Last week, the United Nations evacuated its staff from Libya after the latest upsurge in fighting. Abdelaziz said a new UN mission to help train the security forces would ensure Tripoli keeps control of vital oil revenue after militant groups seized oil terminals last

year. The blockades of the oil facilities that finally came to an end earlier this month deprived Libya of more than $30 billion in revenue over 11 months, said the foreign minister. Libya has been witnessing numerous clashes between government forces and rival militia groups that played a key role in the 2011 popular uprising that toppled former dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Uganda street kids ‘abused by police’

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treet children in Uganda suffer from systematic abuse by the country’s police and other officials, including beatings and sex attacks, Human Rights Watch said in a report yesterday.

Human Rights Watch said it had documented how police and officials threaten street children at night, and beat them with batons, whips, or wires to extort bribes or as a punishment for vagrancy.

Homeless children are also at risk of beatings and forced drug use from older homeless children or adults, and both boys and girls living on the street reported being raped or sexually assaulted by men and older street boys, the report said. “Ugandan authorities should be protecting and helping homeless children, not beating them up or throwing them in police jails with adults,” said Maria Burnett, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The

government should end arbitrary round-ups of street children and protect them from abuse. Instead of being able to turn to the police or local government officials for help when they’ve been abused, children find themselves living in fear of the authorities meant to protect them.”

Over half of all Ugandans are under 15, and children are the single largest demographic group living in poverty, the report said, adding that the number of Ugandan children living on the streets was increasing -- though the total number is not known.

Many are homeless because their parents have died from AIDS, while others have been displaced by the war against rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the north.

Human Rights Watch said it interviewed 130 current and former street children throughout the impoverished

Remains of a burnt airplane seen at the Tripoli International airport in Libya.

Mbeki, former South African president grilled over arms deal

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ormer South African president Thabo Mbeki was grilled yesterday over a multi-billion-dollar arms deal tainted by charges of corruption and kickbacks which have dogged the government for a decade. Testifying before a commission of inquiry, Mbeki defended the decision in 1999 to spend $5 billion on

UN force for Central Africa taking shape

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UN peacekeeping force for Central African Republic will begin deploying in two months, with some 2,500 troops joining African and French forces, UN and French officials said. Bangladesh, Pakistan and Morocco have agreed to contribute three battalions to the new UN force, said France’s UN Ambassador Gerard Araud. Indonesia and Cambodia are sending engineers, while Sri Lanka will provide helicopters for muchneeded patrols in rural areas.

The first contingents will begin arriving around September 15 and will beef up the

6,000 African troops serving in the African Union’s MISCA force.

The head of UN peacekeeping operations, Herve Ladsous, said the new UN force will work to strengthen security at a “significantly superior” level than the current MISCA operation.

“I believe it will contribute in a powerful way to strengthen security, “ said Ladsous after briefing the UN Security Council on the mission. One of Africa’s poorest countries, CAR has been in crisis since the mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in a March 2013 coup.

The country has been engulfed

in sectarian violence, driving more than one million people from their homes. Ladsous said the UN is hoping for more contributions for a total of 10,000 troops, but added this “will not happen overnight.”

An additional 2,000 police are to join in the mission, with Senegal and Rwanda pledging to take part. The French ambassador said the UN troops will have to carry out patrols and “show the flag” to assert their peacekeeping role. Preparations to deploy the new UN mission come as key players in the conflict are to meet in Brazzaville on July 21 for reconciliation talks.

arms including military aircraft and submarines despite widespread poverty in a country emerging from apartheid.

The government wanted to reclaim the defence force from the white-minority apartheid regime ousted by former president Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress in 1994, he said.

People needed to see “we have a new entity consistent with the new South Africa,” an apparently tense Mbeki told the commission headed by appeals court judge Willie Seriti. He said the government followed the law in the deal, in which equipment was purchased from countries including Britain and Sweden, and denied any decisions were made by individual ministers.

“Over the years you’ve seen a lot of comments which seem to attribute particular actions, government actions, to individuals, which is not how our government functions,” Mbeki said. “They have to report to cabinet.”

Current President Jacob Zuma is among senior gov-

ernment officials alleged to have accepted bribes from international arms manufacturers to influence the choice of weaponry. A Zuma advisor was jailed for arranging bribes for Zuma in exchange for the contracts. He was released on medical parole six years ago.

The arms deal was signed by Mbeki as president at the time.

Critics have charged that the government-appointed inquiry is toothless and is being used in an attempt to put the issue to rest.

Paul Hoffman, a lawyer representing anti-arms deal activists, whose cross-examination of Mbeki was frequently interrupted by commission officials, questioned whether the inquiry was genuine or “a farce”. Commission spokesperson William Baloyi said Mbeki’s testimony will conclude the first phase of public hearings designed to explore the rationale behind the deal. The second phase of the investigation is expected to start next week and deal with allegations of fraud and corruption head-on as whistle-blowers take the stand.

50 WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

BBC to cut 400 jobs in austerity drive

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he BBC said yesterday that it will cut 415 jobs from its news department in the latest cost-cutting measures by the world’s largest public broadcaster. Director of News James Harding said the cuts were part of savings needed as a result of a freeze in the licence fee, which all British households with a television must pay.

The cuts will save £48 million ($82 million, 60 million euros) a year over the next two years and are part of a total of £800 million in savings that began in 2010. The British Broadcasting Corporation would restructure its news operations while increasing its investment in digital journalism, Harding said. “It will be

a testing time of uncertainty and change,” Harding was quoted by the BBC as telling staff in a briefing at its headquarters in London.

“The challenge is how to make BBC News even better, despite having less money.”

But he said the BBC would create 195 new posts in the news division as part of a restructuring plan, meaning an overall reduction of 220 fulltime jobs. Harding joined the BBC last August, having previously edited The Times newspaper, owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s News UK. BBC News currently employs around 8,400 people, including some 5,000 journalists, the corporation said.

Changes as part of the restruc-

turing include having more programmes with single presenters on the BBC News Channel, merging some BBC News Channel and BBC World output, and having fewer staff in South Africa and Afghanistan. There will also be savings in the production of programmes such as the respected evening show Newsnight and the Panorama investigative series.

The two shows played a key role in uncovering a scandal over the late paedophile BBC presenter Jimmy Savile.

An original Newsnight investigation was dropped by the BBC and then Panorama reported on the reasons that the programme was not shown. An official report ruled out a cover-up but criticised its handling of the affair.

But the budget for the BBC

BBC’s newsroom in New Broadcasting House

Thailand’s ex-PM Yingluck given permission to leave country

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hailand’s military rulers have given permission to former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to travel to Europe where she is expected to attend the birthday party of her brother Thaksin, also a deposed former premier, officers said yesterday.

A military spokesman said Yingluck, forced from office by a court ruling days before the military seized power in May, was permitted to leave provided she stayed out of politics. He said she would be allowed back into Thailand at the end of her trip. The military briefly detained Yingluck and hundreds of other politicians, activists, academics and journalists after the May 22 coup, which it says it staged to restore order after months of sometimes violent protests against her government. Some

of those detained remain in custody under martial law while the military’s National Council for Peace and Order has banned hundreds of others from leaving the country.

It has also stifled dissent and dispersed anti-coup protests.

“Yingluck has not done anything that violates our orders so her personal trip to Europe has been approved,” said army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree.

“Yingluck is not a wanted person. Of course we will allow her back into the country. Why would we not?”

Several hours later, the national anti-corruption agency said it would forward a criminal case against Yingluck, related to a loss-making state rice-buying scheme, to the attorney general. If the case is forwarded to a court and she is found guilty, Yingluck could face time in jail.

It was not clear if the decision by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) decision to forward the case would have any bearing on Yingluck’s travel plan.

The commission said the decision to let her go abroad was the military’s. Earlier, General Teerachai Nakwanit, army commander for the region which includes Bangkok, told Reuters Yingluck was expected to attend the 65th birthday party in France this month of Thaksin Shinawatra, removed by a 2006 military coup.

Thaksin has lived in self-exile since 2008 to avoid serving a sentence for corruption. The ouster of Yingluck’s government was the latest twist in a decade-long power struggle pitting Thaksin, who gained widespread popularity for providing social benefits in impoverished rural regions, against the royalist-military establishment.

World Service, which broadcasts in various languages around the globe, will be increased by £5 million to £250 million. The BBC took over funding for the World Service from the British Foreign Office in London in April 2014.

BBC workers are already set to go on strike on July 23 during the opening of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland over pay and warned there could be more action over the layoffs.

The BBC also announced 2,000 job cuts in November 2011.

A spokesman said that a review had since reduced the numbers to around 580. In 2010, British Prime Minister David Cameron’s coalition government froze the licence fee for six years in 2010 as part of sweeping austerity measures to cut a record deficit. The BBC receives £3.6 billion a year from the licence fee, which costs £145.50 per household.

Bomb attacks kill at least 11 in Iraq

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wo bomb attacks, one of which ripped through a sprawling Baghdad market, killed at least 11 people in Iraq yesterday, officials said.

The Sunni militant offensive that has overrun much of northern and western Iraq in the past five weeks has caused a spike in violence as fighting rages on new battlefronts across the country. At the same time, smaller scale attacks — some of them targeting checkpoints, others hitting purely civilian areas — remain a facet of daily life.

Yesterday’s first attack struck Baghdad’s Shorja Market, an open air emporium that is one of the most popular places for residents to buy foodstuffs, clothes and electronics. Over the past decade, it has been a frequent target for bombings. A police officer said a bomb hidden on a wooden cart exploded near a Shiite mosque in the market, killing at least four people and wounding 12, a police officer

said.

A medical official in Baghdad confirmed the casualty figures.

Baghdad has been on edge since the Sunni militant blitz led by the Islamic State extremist group seized the northern city of Mosul, vowing to push south to the capital. The city has seen several small scale bombings in recent weeks, but it has so far been free of the large, coordinated attacks that plagued it in the run-up to April elections. In the town of Taji, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the capital, a suicide bomber rammed his car into a military checkpoint, killing four soldiers and three civilians, a police officer said.

Thirteen people were wounded. A medical official in a hospital in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of Kazimiyah confirmed the casualty figures. All of the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Putin: Sanctions ‘ll bury American ties with Russia

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he US and EU have bolstered sanctions against Russia over its alleged support for separatists fighting in Ukraine. The US has targeted major banks including Gazprombank, defense firms and energy companies including Rosneft. Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying sanctions would take US-Russia relations to a “dead end”.

Saying it would give sanction details by the end of July, the EU said it would ask its EIB investment bank no longer to fund Russian projects. The new round of US sanctions announced by the US treasury significantly expands previous penalties by Washington, which were limited to individuals in Russia and Ukraine and a number of

companies. President Obama: “The Russian leadership will see once again that its actions in Ukraine have consequences” As well as major banks and energy firms, the weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern is also on the list.

Two self-proclaimed rebel entities in eastern Ukraine - the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic - are also targeted.

The White House says these new sanctions are broad, flexible and potent. The inclusion of Russia’s largest oil firm Rosneft which signed a $1.5bn (£875m) deal with BP is perhaps the most eye-catching. The question is will they make the desired impact - hitting President Putin where it hurts, and getting him to “deescalate” his actions in Ukraine.

SPORT

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

friday, july 18, 2014

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/sports

Did you know?

51

That the longest tennis match took place at Wimbledon 2010 when John Isner of the United States beat Nicolas Mahut of ADEKUNLE SALAMI, France 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68 DepUTY Editor, SPORTS kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com in a match that lasted 11 hours and five adekunles@yahoo.com minutes, played over three days, June 22, 23 and 24

Nigeria escapes FIFA Ban

lBaribote takes solace in God lJubilation in Falconets camp

Emmanuel Tobi and Musa Pam Jos

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arring any last minute changes, world football governing body, FIFA, is expected to overturn a suspension slapped on Nigeria over perceived government interference in the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation after a High Court order in Jos on Wednesday quashed a restraining order on members of the executive committee of the NFF board from acting.

It could be recalled that Justice Philomena Lot of the Jos high court had, last Friday, issued the injunction, pending the hearing of the suit filed by the proprietor Nembe Football Club, Mrs. Ebiakpo Baribote.

The vacation of the order followed a withdrawal of the suit, which had led to the suspension of Nigeria from all football related activities by FIFA. At a sitting of the court on Wednesday, Justice Lot, vacated the order following a motion filed to that effect by the counsel to the plaintiff.

Habila Ardzard, counsel to the Plaintiff spoke to New Telegraph said that his client had to hearken to pleas by well-meaning Nigerians so that the country would not continue to be under the hammer of FIFA. He said, “My client as a patriotic Nigerian who read the mood of FIFA and more so there is a women’s World Cup coming up soon and she would not like the country’s interests to be jeopardised by her action.”

New Telegraph reliably gathered that with this development, all the parties involved were expected to revert to the status quo, which means the Aminu Maigari-led Executive Board of the Nigeria Football Federation has been tech-

nically reinstated.

Consequently, the General Secretary, Musa Amadu, last night communicated officially to FIFA so as to beat the July 17 deadline.

Similarly, former Nigeria Premier League boss, Victor Baribote, said he got his wife to vacate the law suit against the NFF because vengeance belongs only to God. “We looked at the situation and agreed that revenge belonged to God. And that it would be wrong for us to insist on our position to the detriment of millions of Nigerian youths and our country. So, we decided to vacate the case,” Baribote said.

However, he also said his wife gave two conditions before the ruling was quashed.

“Yes, she gave two conditions.

That the board of the NPL be reinstated and allowed to run their term and secondly, that my ban be lifted.”

Meanwhile, there was jubilation in the Nigeria U20 team, the Falconets’ camp as they were relieved and delighted when news broke that a court order restraining the Aminu Maigari-led executive board from office had been set aside.

The team, bound for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup from August 5, but hindered by the crisis, was in celebratory mood on Thursday as the quartet of Okaeme Patience, Nnodim Sarah, Oshoala Asisat and Adeboyejo Yetunde said their dreams of participating in the 2014 FIFA U20 women’s World Cup was now a reality.

“Let me state that we have been very worried, thinking our training will be in vain following the earlier suspension of the country by the world football governing body FIFA. This news has given us hope, our doubts have be settled.

“Our prayers have been answered. We are happy right now we cannot wait to intensify our training,” they said.

Falconets celebrating after scoring a goal

Maigari

Blatter

FIFA rankings: Nigerias move up to 34th Ifeanyi Ibeh

N Musa (left)

igeria’s Super Eagles have moved 10 places climbing to 34th position in the latest world rankings, released by FIFA on Thursday.

The Stephen Keshi-tutored side that reached the last-16 of the World Cup where they lost 2-0 to France, are ranked third in Africa, behind Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire.

Ironically, Cote d’Ivoire’s Elephants failed to reach the knock –out stage at the FIFA

World Cup finals, while Algeria, like Nigeria, also crashed out at the Round of 16, after losing to eventual champions Germany in extra time.

A triumphant Germany are aptly number one globally, ahead of Argentina, who they edged 1-0 in last week’s World Cup Final.

Tournament hosts Brazil slipped four spots to seventh following their fourthplaced showing at the sporting spectacle.

Netherlands, who beat the Samba Boys 3-0 in the third place playoff, jumped 12

Baribote

places to third.

Spain were at the summit prior to their first-round elimination and are now eighth.

In Africa, seven –time continental champions Egypt occupy fourth place, followed

by Ghana, Tunisia, Guinea, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mali in that order.

Algeria occupies 24th place in the world, with the Ivorians at 25th.

World top 10: 1 Germany, Argentina, Netherlands, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, France.

Africa top 10: 1 Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Tunisia, Guinea, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Mali.

52 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

CAF postpones Eaglets, DR Congo match to July 27 Ifeanyi Ibeh

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s part of effort aimed at solving the impasse in Nigerian football, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday moved the 2015 African U-17 Championship qualifying match between Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, set for Lubumbashi, from Sunday, July 20 to Sunday, July 27.

In its letter to the NFF, the Federation Congolaise de Football Association (FECOFA), FECAFOOT and the match officials, CAF declared that it was granting the grace of seven days with high hopes that the suspension on Nigeria would be lifted in a couple of days.

“Following the suspension of Nigeria Football Federation by FIFA few days ago, please be informed that CAF is hopeful that an end to this crisis will be found soon.

“However, in view of the upcoming match scheduled between DR

Congo and Nigeria U-17 national teams on July 20th, 2014 in Lubumbashi, we wish to ensure that the African youth players maintain their chance of playing competitive football for their respective countries.

“As such, please be informed that CAF decided to postpone the above mentioned match from July 20th to July 27th, 2014.”

CAF’s decision comes as a welcome relief to the Nigeria Football Federation, whose officials patiently await positive communication from FIFA on the suspension clamped on the country on July 9, due to a court order barring the Aminu Maigari – led Executive Committee from functioning.

On Wednesday evening, in Jos, the case was withdrawn by the plaintiff, and on Thursday, the NFF communicated same to FIFA, praying the suspension be lifted since the principal reason for the clampdown had been met.

The match is the first leg of a 2015

African U-17 Championship qualifying fixture, and is Nigeria’s first step towards defending the world title she won in the United Arab Emirates last year.

Venue of the match remains TP Mazembe Stadium, Lubumbashi, and kick-off is 3.30pm Congo time (2.30pm Nigeria time) on the new date.

Issa Hayatou... CAF president

Simeon Nwankwo relishes brace for Portuguese club

Nwankwo (left)

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igerian-born Gil Vicente of Portugal striker, Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo, has expressed delight with his performance after scoring two goals in a pre-season friendly against second-tier União da Madeira on Wednesday.

The Primeira Liga side recorded a 3-1 win over Uniao da Madeira, with Nwankwo scoring in the 68th and 73rd minute after Egyptian Marwan Mohsen restored parity for the Roosters.

The 22-year-old says he is

pleased that he struck twice, and has stressed that he will continue wearing the jersey of Gil Vicente despite his lack of game time over the course of last season. ‘’It was a good workout for us to try and put ourselves back in shape collectively and individually as well. ‘’The expectation for the coming season is always to do better than the last one, I believe it’s a big motivation for us,’’ the former Portimonense star told SL10.ng. ‘’I am 100percent focused on Gil Vicente and nothing else. Whatever the future brings will be good for me and the club.’’

In official matches, Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo is yet to open his goals account for Gil Vicente since he joined the club on a three - year deal last summer.

The 22-year-old made 15 appearances (two starts) in the topflight last term.

Friday, July 18, 2014

DStv PBL Playoffs: Mark Mentors seek final ticket at Warriors’ expense Ifeanyi Ibeh oach of Mark Mentors, Cformed Peter Ahmedu, has inNew Telegraph

that his players will accord their opponents in Friday’s DStv Premier Basketball League semi-final encounter, Dodan Warriors, all the respect they deserve, but insists his wards will be doing all they can to secure a berth in Saturday’s final.

Abuja-based Mark Mentors and Dodan Warriors of Lagos will on Friday evening set the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium on fire in the second of the two semi-final encounters scheduled for the 41-year-old arena.

Earlier in the day, prechampionship favourites Kano Pillars will square up against Gombe Bulls, but it is the encounter between Mentors and Warriors that has gotten Nigerian basketball followers excited for a whole lot of reasons such as the fact that a handful of current

Mark Mentors players as recently as last season, featured for Dodan Warriors.

But even more intriguing is the fact that Coach Ahmedu was in charge of Warriors last season, and as he gets set to lead his team against his former side, Ahmedu insists he will head into the game with the intention of grabbing a final ticket at the Warriors’ expense.

“We will be doing all we can to ensure we get into the final. We’ll give them all the respect they deserve, but my players know they have to show why they are favourites to get to the final,” said Ahmedu.

Mark Mentors are undoubtedly favourites to progress to the final where they will likely come up against Savannah Conference rivals Kano Pillars, but Ahmedu insists his players are entirely focussed on Friday’s semi-final tie, and are not thinking of the final.

Danogogo: NFF to decide on Keshi

Keshi talking with Musa during one the Eagles matches at the World Cup

Minister of Sports and Youth Tgo,heDevelopment, Tammy Danagohas said the Nigeria Football

Federation will decide on whether or not to give Coach Stephen Keshi a new contract.

Keshi’s contract ended with the recent World Cup in Brazil, where Nigeria reached the last 16 this month.

“My own role (as regards Keshi’s contract) will be advisory. It will be the NFF and the technical committee who will decide on Keshi,” Danagogo said on a radio programme monitored in Abuja Thursday.

The Super Eagles will resume action with the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September.

Keshi recently demanded double his five million Naira-a-month salary while also asking for his salaries paid upfront to avoid delays and that he should be allowed to pick his staff.

This was when he met with the country’s President Goodluck Jonathan on arrival from Brazil 2014. World Cup. The 52-year-old Keshi has also been linked with the vacant coaching post of South Africa.

Federation Cup: Bayelsa United battle Gateway in Abuja rofessional Football League clash with Go-Round FC of Port PYenagoa top guns Bayelsa United of Harcourt in Abeokuta on Tuesday. and Gateway FC of

L-R: Emmanuel Emenike, Glo Ambassador and Nigerian International during the presentation of a souvenir to Globacom’s Chief Operating Officer, Mohamed Jameel at the Globacom headquarters recently.

Abeokuta will now trade tackles on Friday at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja in a 2014 Men Federation Cup Round of 16 match.

Earlier scheduled for Thursday, the game was moved by 24 hours after Gateway FC appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation for time to recover from a Nigeria National League

“We have decided to move the match to Friday at the same venue since Bayelsa United FC tendered no objection to the appeal,” Ruth David, Head of Federation Cup Unit, said on Thursday.

All the other seven matches in the Round of 16 were being played as at press time on Thursday.

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

COUNTDOWN TO COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Wearereadytomake Nigeriaproud –Kasumu

Charles Ogundiya

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he Technical Director of the Nigeria Para-Athletic Federation, Taiwo Kasumu, has said that Nigerian representatives at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, will make the country proud by winning medals in their various events.

Speaking with New Telegraph, the former Nigerian athletes said the four paraathletes going for the Games have been intensifying training and will be departing the country for Scotland this weekend.

“My athletes are ready to do the country proud. We are going with four athletes, two males and two females. The guys will be competing in Discuss while the females will be going for long jump.

“I am not going to make any promise, but I can tell you that we are ready. I know para sports will do the country proud once again. The most

A

fter a successful coverage of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the leading pay-tv channel on the continent, SuperSport, has shifted attention to the Commonwealth Games starting in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23rd July – 3rd August.

According to DStv, the coverage on Africa’s premier sports broadcasting network will include extensive broadcasts of tradition-

Paralifter Adesokan

important thing is to put in your best and leave the rest to God to crown your efforts with result,” he said.

He however, said they

have been receiving the necessary support from the National Sports Commission for a better outing at the games.

ally strong sports like athletics, netball, Sevens rugby, weightlifting and boxing.

Other sports will also enjoy unprecedented coverage with a 14-man team handling proceedings from Glasgow, spearheaded by athletics specialist James Wokabi of Kenya and South Africa’s Crystal Arnold.

The bulk of Africa’s medals are expected to come from the swimming pool and the athletics track.

Inclusion of Blessing Okagbare, Tosin Oke, Obin-

na Metu and Egwero-Ogho Oghene will make Nigeria a force to be reckoned with in the sprint events, while Kenya will be expected to make a clean sweep in the middle and long distances, with stars such as Ezekiel Kemboi, Asbel Kiprop and Eunice Sum having made the team.

Coverage starts with the opening ceremony on the eve of the Games, on July 23 from 10pm CAT (SS5/HD). Twentyfour-hour coverage will start mid-morning on July 24.

Members of Cameroon team missing in Aberdeen

Cameroon team

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wo members of the Cameroon Commonwealth Games team have gone missing from their training camp in Aberdeen.

The wrestlers, aged 26 and 31, were reported missing from their base near Aberdeen Sports Village.

Police in Scotland say the pair were last seen at the Hillhead halls of residence on Don Street on Sunday evening.

The Cameroon team of 47 athletes started their pregames training in Aberdeen last week ahead of Glasgow 2014.

Celtic Park will host the

53

Kenyan athletes’boycott of Games enya Government has stepped Kathletes, in to prevent the country’s top including Olympic

champions, David Rudisha and Ezekiel Kemboi, boycotting the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after agreeing to pay the team’s allowances.

The athletes had demanded to be paid their full allowances upfront before departure as they claimed the Government had failed to reward the athletes to the World Cross Country Championships in Poland and the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Moscow last year.

Kemboi, the Athens 2004 and London 2012 3,000 metres steeplechase gold medallist,

who is the team’s captain, had raised the issue with Kenya’s Sports Minister Hassan Wario last week when he visited their training camp at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

Kenya’s Commissioner of Sport Gordon Oduor claimed the Gover nment had now settled the allowances for the rugby sevens, judo and shooting teams who had left for Glasgow on Sunday (July 13) without having received their money.

Each of the 195 athletes in Team Kenya for Glasgow 2014 are entitles to overseas allowances amounting to Sh522,000 (£3,500/$6,000/€4,500) covering 24 days.

Gareth Warburton suspended after doping charge ales have been dealt a blow The middle-distance runner W in their preparations a has the opportunity to respond week ahead of the Opening to the charges against him,

DStv’s SuperSport shifts focus to Commonwealth Games Charles Ogundiya

SPORT

Commonwealth Games opening ceremony on Wednesday 23 July.

Seven Cameroonian athletes disappeared while in Britain for the Olympics in August 2012.

The boxers later told the BBC they wanted to stay in the UK to develop their careers and complained about team bonuses and their treatment by officials.

Two of the boxers were later secretly relocated by the Home Office, according to newspaper reports.

Last month, Cameroon’s football squad arrived a day late for the World Cup in Brazil after a dispute over bonus payments.

Ceremony of Glasgow 2014, after 800 metres runner Gareth Warburton was removed from the team for the Commonwealth Games after failing a doping test.

In a statement released on Thursday, UK Athletics announced Warburton had been provisionally suspended from all competitions after being charged with committing antidoping rule violations.

and to have those charges determined at a full hearing before the National Anti-Doping Panel, it was added, although this will not happen before the Commonwealth Games.

In a personal statement issued Thursday via his management company, the 32-year-old proclaimed his innocence and insisted that “the news of this antidoping rule violation had come as a great shock.”

Gareth Warbuton also represented Great Britain over 800m at London

Mo Farah fit for Games

Farah

ouble Olympic champion Dcompete Mo Farah says he is fit to at the Common-

wealth Games in Glasgow.

Farah, who won 5,000m and 10,000m gold at London 2012, missed last week’s Diamond League meeting because of illness.

But he completed a rigorous training session on Wednesday and tweeted: “Training is going good!

Next stop Commonwealth Games.”

The 31-year-old is due to run the 5,000m and 10,000m in Glasgow.

54 SPORT

Transfer Updates

Arsenal complete Debuchy transfer French international winger Antoine Griezmann who has also been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool.

Brendan Rodgers had been keen on bringing the French star to Anfield and was willing to pay in the region of £20 million to do so.

But now Chelsea and Mourinho are involved, one of our punters notes that a bidding war could be on the cards and we know that the Blues take no prisoners when it comes to landing their man - just ask Tottenham and Willian!

A

rsenal have confirmed the £10million signing of Mathieu Debuchy from Newcastle.

The 28-year-old has put pen to paper on a “longterm” deal at the Emirates after completing a medi-

cal.

The French international, who caught the eye in Les Bleus run to the World Cup quarter-finals this summer, has been widely tipped to move for some time. Indeed he himself was quoted as saying the deal was done some 10 days ago.

“Yes, I will be joining Arsenal for next season,” he told French television station TF1.

With Bacary Sagna leaving for Manchester City after seven seasons in north London there was a first-team vacancy at right-back. And it seems Debuchy is the man to fill it, leaving St James’ Park after 18 months in the North East.

Liverpool linked with Reus deal Liverpool are being linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Marco Reus in a potential £44 million deal.

Reus is reportedly upset that Barcelona have decided to sign Luis Suarez rather than pursue his signature, as he was convinced he would be the Catalan’s big money signing this summer before new boss Luis Enrique urged the club to seal a deal for Luis Suarez instead.

As Liverpool have now sold Suarez for a reported £75 million, they are now flush with cash and what better signing to spend it on than the other player Barcelona were targeting? Liverpool have strengthened their squad so far this summer with players of potential, and back up in Rickie Lambert, but have not signed a player anywhere near Suarez’s level of ability. Reus would fit that billing.

Ferdinand passes QPR medical Rio Ferdinand is set to complete a move to QPR after the former Manchester United defender announced he had passed his medical.

The 35-year-old has been a free agent since his 12-year stay at Old Trafford came to an end when his contract expired last month.

He is now set to be reunited with Harry Redknapp, the man who handed him his professional debut when the pair worked together at West Ham. Ferdinand’s future was up in the air as he travelled to Brazil to work as a World Cup pundit with BBC Sport, but he appears to be closing in on a move to Loftus Road.

Chelsea join Griezmann Chelsea have race for Real dad conrebeland

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

chase joined the Societract

Porto sign Bruno Martins Porto have signed Holland defender Bruno Martins Indi from Feyenoord for an undisclosed fee, the Portuguese club have announced.

The 22-year-old centre-back, who featured in six games as Holland reached the World Cup semi-finals and won the third-place play-off game, has signed a four-year contract at the Estadio do Dragao.

Martins Indi had reportedly been a transfer target for Louis van Gaal, the outgoing Holland manager who officially takes charge of Barclays Premier League club Manchester United this week.

Palace plot double signing Crystal Palace have tenham Hotspur Gylfi Sigurds-

long loan.

The Mali international, 25, has been in talks over a move to the Middle East and it is understood the deal will be completed within the next 24 hours.

Diakite, who signed following a successful loan spell from French Ligue 1 side Nancy, has made only 11 league starts for QPR and was loaned out to Watford at the end of last season.

But he was sent off in his first game for Watford, and failed to start in any subsequent matches.

Rangers boss Harry Redknapp spoke earlier this year of his surprise at the player’s decline, following an impressive start under previous boss Mark Hughes.

Portuguese star shuns Chelsea for Valencia Chelsea target Andre Gomes has completed his move from Valencia.

Benfica to Blues boss Jose

agreed fees for Totmidfielder son and

Cardiff City striker Fraizer Campbell.

Eagles boss Tony Pulis has stepped up his search for new faces after returning from a training camp in Austria and is hoping to pull off an ambitious double signing.

Sigurdsson struggled to hold down a regular starting role with Spurs last season and new manager Mauricio Pochettino appears willing to let him leave White Hart Lane.

The Iceland international, who joined from Swansea City in the summer of 2012, is thought to have a price tag of around £8m.

Campbell could not prevent Cardiff from suffering relegation in 2013/14, despite scoring nine goals, but is set for a swift return to the Premier League.

Roma snap up ‘new Messi’ AS Roma have finally got their man. The Italian side has sealed a €22m deal plus add-ons with Hellas Verona to bring young Argentine Juan Manuel Iturbe to the capital.

Iturbe’s stunning end to the season caught the eye of various big European outfits such as Juventus, Atlético de Madrid and even Real Madrid. It was eventually the Serie A runners-up who won his signature in what has already been a busy summer for the club, with Ashley Cole signing earlier in the week.

Madrid set to capture Rodriguez Real Madrid are closing in on a deal to bring World Cup golden boot winner James Rodriguez to the Bernabeu, according to Spanish paper AS. The Madrid-based newspaper claims the Champions League winners have reached a verbal agreement with the player and now the club needs only to close the deal with Monaco, who are asking £63million (€80million) for the highly-rated Colombia forward.

Negotiations have not been straight forward, but Madrid hope to sell winger Angel Di Maria to Paris Saint-Germain this week for £47m (€60m) and that could speed up the deal.

Al-Ittihad loan for Diakite Queens Park Rangers midfielder Samba Diakite is set to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad on a season-

interested in the 20-year-old Mourinho has been since this time last year and has been keeping an eye on him all season.

But Valencia moved quickest this summer and have now signed Gomes after he completed a medical in Spain.

The classy midfielder played 19 times for the Portuguese champions last term and has been hailed as one of the country’s brightest young talents.

He was included in Portugal’s 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup but failed to make the cut for the tournament. However, he has been tipped to make a major breakthrough at international level in the next few years.

Napoli sign Michu on loan Napoli have signed Spanish attacker Michu from Swansea City on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent move.

The versatile forward had been strongly linked with a move away from the Liberty Stadium in recent weeks and did not travel to the United States for the Welsh club’s pre-season tour.

And his switch to Serie A has now been confirmed in a deal that Napoli have the option to make permanent should he impress at the Stadio San Paolo.

Michu arrived at Swansea for a fee of £2.2million from Rayo Vallecano in 2012 and scored 18 Premier League goals in his first season.

Agent: M’Vila deal never in doubt The agent of new Inter loan signing Yann M’Vila insists the deal to take the player to San Siro was never in serious doubt.

The French midfielder finally joined the Nerazzurri from Ruben Kazan earlier this week, after a long and protracted period of negotiation between the clubs.

“There were a few difficulties, especially in terms of the make-up of the deal,” Fabrizio Ferrari admitted to Sky Sport.

“In the end, the director Ausilio managed to convince the Ruben Kazan President to do the deal with the terms that were initially proposed.

“He [M’Vila] was calm, the only danger of the deal not being done was when Ruben asked to chance the terms, but we were always optimistic about the deal.”

Chelsea Romeu signs new contract Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu has signed a new three-year deal.

The 22-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Valencia, has committed himself to the Blues until 2017.

Romeu moved to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona in 2011 and made 24 appearances in his first season at the club, before suffering several injuries.

SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, July 18, 2014

Suspension: Owubokiri calls for calm Ajibade Olusesan

F

ormer Super Eagles striker, Richard Owubokiri, has urged the warring factions in the crisis that is rocking Nigerian football to sort out their differences and allow peace to reign.

The former Vitoria Setubal hit man, said it was unfortunate that the crisis reared its ugly head again four years after FIFA threatened to ban the country.

He said concerted efforts must be made to restore law and order in the Nigerian football insisting that no meaningful development could be achieved in an atmosphere of rancour.

He said it was time the shameful recurring issue was ended saying that the country has become a subject of ridicule in international community because of the disturbing news.

“I don’t believe we would go through this road again

55

barely one month to the NFF election. I am disturbed that we are always in the news for wrong reasons; it baffles me the way we really run things in our country because this is really shameful. I want to urge all the people fighting to stop this in the interest of our football.

“We just returned from the World Cup and need to reappraise our football and forge a way forward. We don’t need this unnecessary distraction,” he said.

Nigeria Paralympians set for IWAS Junior Games

Offor

R

enowned businessman and Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, Sir Emeka Offor, will lead a team of Nigerian Paralympians to Buckinghamshire, England, for the International Wheel-

chair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Junior Games.

The 2014 Junior Games which will hold at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, will mark the 10th year since the games began.

Over 250 registered athletes (the largest attendance ever) from 25 different countries including Nigeria will compete in seven sports including Archery, Athletics, Powerlifting, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis and Wheelchair Fencing).

Nigerian Paralympians, David Ombugudu, a Table Tennis player and Emmanuel Godwin, a weightlifter, both polio survivors will have a chance of a lifetime to compete at the Games, courtesy of Sir Emeka Offor Foundation.

Addressing a group of Ni-

gerian Paralympians from People With Disability, an NGO based in Abuja during their visit to the Corporate Headquarter of Chrome Group, Sir Offor said, “Our Foundation is interested in supporting good projects especially when it has to do with polio survivors and disabled people. We’ll do whatever we can to help you because your success will encourage other survivors to develop confidence in themselves and come to the understanding that there is the ability in disability.”

Super Eagles celebrating goal

FIFA warns Ghana over Commission of Enquiry IFA has questioned FCommission the composition of a of Enquiry

GOTVparleys C’River state on school sports Charles Ogundiya tarting from the 2015 edition Smary/Secondary of the Cross River State PriSchool Athletics Championship, GOTV, a digital Pay-TV on the terrestrial platform has indicated its readiness to take title sponsorship of the competition.

This was made known by the state’s youth and sports commissioner, Patrick Ugbe, during the closing ceremony of the 2014 edition, inside the UJ Esuene, stadium, Calabar.

The governor of the state, Senator Liyel Imoke, also appealed to successive administrations to sustain the programme, while promising to complete the stadia

at Ikom and Ogoja before the end of his tenure.

He further charged the children to take sports seriously so that they can become successful persons in life.

At the end of this year’s edition of the championship, Calabar Municipality came first in the Secondary Schools category with 18 gold, 13 silver and 7 bronze, Ikom followed with 10 Gold, 3 silver and 10 bronze while Abi came third with 9 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze.

In the Primary category, Akpabuyo took the lead with 6 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze, Calabar Municipality came second with 6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze, while Ikom LGA took the third position with 5 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze.

Kogi United coach rues loss to Sokoto United Charles Ogundiya coach of Kogi United, Htheead Abdullahi Biffo, has bemoaned of lack of concentration

by his players in the club’s 1-0 away loss to Sokoto United in their Week 19 encounter in the Nigeria National League.

Substitute Aminu Bala headed in the lone goal for Sokoto United in the 75th minutes of the encounter played in Sokoto on Wednesday.

The Wada Boys had numerous scoring chances, but could not make it count despite a near perfect officiating from the match officials.

“It was an unfortunate game for us, we had all the

chances to score at least three goals today (Wednesday), they (Sokoto Utd) had their own chances, but it could have been better if it ended in a draw, and the goal we conceded was as a result of loss of concentration.

“Yes, it has affected our ambition to end the season well, but we will go back and make amends where we made mistake, we have an opportunity to go back to winning ways quickly with our double home games, and I’m sure we will give it our all,” said the former Giwa FC coach.

Kogi United with 28 points, will be home against Supreme Court FC coached by their former coach, Fatai Osho, on Saturday in Lokoja.

Blatter

to look into the performance of the Black Stars at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The world football gover ning body says: “The composition and competences of the commission are unclear” and wants the Ghana Football Association to fur nish them with details.

It looks like FIFA deems the three-member body, constituted by Sports Minister, Mahama Ayariga, as interference which could attract an indefinite ban.

Ghana president John Mahama through constitutional instrument 82 announced the commission with the powers of

the high court to probe all activities surrounding the country’s participation at the World Cup, including the management of the senior national team.

Leading lawyers in the country have expressed fears that the use of the CoE instead of the committee violates FIFA statutes which could lead to a ban on the country.

The Ghana FA says it will welcome a gover nment inquisition, but must be within the confines of FIFA laws to avoid further embarrassment for the country.

Ghana got ridiculed during the tournament after gover nment airlifted US$ 3 million to settle the appearance fees of striking Black Stars players.

Odegbami, Jakande back Hope sports competition Moyosore Makinde Lagos State GoverFandormer nor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande ex-international, Chief

Segun Odegbami, have given their support to the 2014 edition of the Hope Sports Competitions organised for the less privileged and orphanage homes in the country.

Alhaji Jakande who believes strongly that the competition will give the less privileged in the society a sense of belonging, said he was happy that such idea was coming at a time there was a need for unity in the country.

He said the competition will not only give the less

privileged hope but will expose the talents in them.

“This is a good idea and I am sure it will give the participants hope and sense of belonging”, the former Lagos Governor said Chief Odegbami who was in Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup also believes that the competition will go a long way in helping the less privileged to rediscover their God given talents.

“They are human beings like us and they should be carried along in everything we do and bringing them out to take part in a competition like this will bring out the talents in them, so it is a good idea”, he said The competition billed

to hold between August 30 and September 7 at Campos Stadium, Lagos will feature Football, Swimming, Table Tennis, Athletics, Chess, Scrabble and Monopoly. Trophies, as well as medals will be given to the winners, second and third placed teams at the end of the competitions.

According to the initiator, Olusegun Lateef Jakande, “So far, Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria have approved it and I can tell you that Arrows of God Orphanage, Little Saints Orphanage, Citadel of Grace Mission International Home and many more will take part in the competition.

World Record

On Marble

Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change.

Invaribly they are both disappointed.

– Albert Einstein

May 18, 2012 , Ram Singh Chauhan of India has the world’s longest mustache, 14 feet.

Sanctity of Truth

w w w. new tel eg rap ho nl i ne. co m

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha FRIday, JULY 18, 2014

N150

The magic of Malala

T

he Presidency is rattled. I have always been amused by the responses of some of the Presidential Media Spokespersons, the worst offender being Dr. Doyin Okupe, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs. Given his usually facetious comments, his latest buck passing on the bungling of a purported presidential meeting with parents of the abducted school girls in Chibok, and some of the girls that managed to escape from captivity, is not only pedestrian but cruel. Dr. Okupe was to claim unabashedly that the conveners of the Bring Back Our Girls movement were directly responsible for the Chibok victims’ absence in a hastily arranged meeting with Mr. President, Goodluck Jonathan. Nigerians themselves know that since the unfortunate abduction

by Boko Haram of the innocent School Girls from Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, the government had dithered in its handling of the situation. It took more than 2 months for the Defence Chiefs to visit Chibok community in Borno state, and since then, the community has been pillaged, raped and plundered, by Boko Haram terrorists. I am sure that the organizers of the Bring Back Our Girls movement will feel totally devastated in view of the uncouth remarks by Doyin Okupe. Even the so called presidential rendezvous was at the behest of young Pakistani teenager and child rights campaigner, the inimitable Malala Youfsafzai, herself a victim of diabolical acts of terrorism, who was shot in the head by Pakistani militants in 2012 to abort her dream of western education. Malala came calling to prevail on the Jonathan presidency to do more to ensure the safety, release and return of the hapless school girls to their beleaguered parents, and also in solidarity with the campaigners of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, to which she has since enlisted. For me, there is nothing more ennobling, than the spontaneous empathy shown by the Bring Back Our Girls campaigners, and their uncommon perseverance and resolve even in the face of unwarranted persecution. I am sure that the government is sulking, perhaps, because nobody knowing the resilience of Nigerians, our care free, or devil may care attitude, would believe that the non-violent, peaceful protests started some eighty days ago would last this long, still be raging. They had weathered the storm of the illegal banishment, and “stop protest” order given by no less a person than the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Mbu O. Mbu. Although they quickly rushed to the courts to seek redress, the Police hierarchy, in a commendable volte face, disowned the FCT Command directive, leaving Mbu in the cold. Remember, Mbu

IvoryGlory Nkemdili Nnonyelu

aunnonyelu@yahoo.co.uk - 08122801926 (sms only)

it was, that had a running battle with the Rivers State Government in a manner that was clearly an affront on constitutionalism and a negation of the emerging democratic ethos. In his days as Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, the state was in the news for very wrong reasons. Since his exit, the state is enjoying some peace, and an admirable cordiality between the government and the police authority in Rivers State. The people are happier for it.

There was also the other, a monstrous group that goes by the wicked appellation “Anti Bring Back Our girls”. What else could be more ridiculous, if not ludicrous, than the massing of these ignoble persons to try to physically assault and disperse the Bring Back Our Girls campaigners, to stop them from their relentless calls on the authorities both in Abuja and Borno to do the needful, that is, whatever it takes to ensure that the 219 girls still in captivity, in unimaginable conditions be freed safely, in good health and condition, and returned to their families. No more, No less. That I think is the crux of the matter. While I concede that in a democratic society, even pseudo democracy like Nigeria, people should, and rightly too, hold any opinion, express it freely, but to seek to deny another the expression of genuine anxiety and grievance ostensibly on the prompting of state influence is clearly mischievous. The temporary foreclosure of public places to Civil Society Groups is a throwback to our nihilistic and atavistic past. It has no place in the current social order. Honestly, I find it difficult to understand why the presidency is ill at ease coming to terms with citizens’ anxiety over the fate of the school girls whose only crime is that they are Nigerians and desire good education. As the Igbo would say “ebulu ozu onye ozo n’aga odika apa ukwu nku”, that is, when a corpse is being conveyed, distant, unrelated bystanders would feel that it is a log of wood. Government’s response since the current saga has not only been dilatory, but unsatisfactory.

We have seen in this country, a totally different attitude from the State when persons connected one way or the other to current occupants in power has the unwholesome and indescribable experience of kidnap-

ping. The State uses its control of coercive apparata to ensure their prompt release.

Will Okupe be sounding desultorily, the way he did, if his daughters were involved. Not only will he be distraught, he would have sheded all the unwanted calorie, been on the neck of service chiefs to be sure that his daughters, or relatives for that matter do not spend a night in the devil’s forest called Sambisa. The same pain, if Okupe must know, is what the families of the children, the Bring Back Our Girls Campaigners, and indeed every other Nigerian that has an iota of humanity are going through.

The “bring back our girls” campaigners have been outstanding in their posture.

Every knock to discourage or disparage them has been received with equanimity.

To think that in Nigeria, we still have such resolute and selfless characters like the Ezekwesili’s is heart-warming. I thought that since Gani Fawehinmi’s and Beko Ramsone Kuti’s exit that the selfless ones have gone. These campaigners have been out in the sun, under the rains, even in inclement conditions, yet have remained undaunted and unwavering. Steely but empathic as ever, they have continued to ask on those concerned to Bring Back Our Girls.

To ask the campaigners as Okupe et al are wont to, to direct their efforts, or their protests to Shekau, the Goblin that is at the helm of affairs of the murderous organisation is to admit failure and defeat. Besides, Shekau does not claim to represent the government; neither does he enjoy any legitimacy, except in his demented and megalomaniac mind. It is trite that the legitimacy of the state, globally speaking, historically too, rests on the fact, that the people willingly ceded power, and control to the state to achieve mutual protection of their lives and property. The monopoly of the coercive instruments of violence by the state is in furtherance of its primary responsibility.

It is therefore an aberration for the citizen to be expected to fight his cause, except as directed by the state, or as an agent of state’s law enforcement. Therefore, when non state actors take arms not only against the state, but against its citizens, the citizens have every right to demand and compel the government in power to do something im-

mediately to, save the situation. That’s what the campaigners have done. To prevaricate, and procrastinate the way the Nigerian government has behaved in this instance, and in several other lamentable cases is to suggest cluelessness, incompetence and ineptitude on their part.

Why the government will seek to hijack the meeting of the Chibok escapees with Malala and convert it into a Presidential meeting is mind boggling and untidy. The presidency has all the time, even powers to “summon” the families. If the President cannot, as has been bandied, visit Chibok, as would every other leader, he can invite them to Abuja. After the mismanagement of the earlier widely advertised trip to Chibok by the President, on his way to France for the “Paris West African Conference”, one had hoped there won’t be further flunking of the much needed meeting with these distressed families. Let me state without fear of contradiction that the president, as father of the nation, is obliged to soothe frayed nerves, comfort the afflicted and sorrowful, and indeed empathise in a more concrete manner with Nigerians that are grieving. He does not have to wait for Gordon Brown to visit, for a victims fund to be established; of for young Malala to advice that it is sensible, to have a meeting with representatives of affected homes, parents, escaped victims etc.

For now, it is to Malala’s eternal credit that we are beginning to see some activities again, and that hope still exists for the safe release of the Chibok girls. The campaign to Bring Back Our Girls needs to continue until the girls are freed.

OmoBaba

JONATHAN SEEKS $1 BILLION LOAN TO FIGHT BOKO HARAM - News

– Maybe 90% of that ‘ll go for 2015 re-election?

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