Sunday, september 25, 2016 vol 3 no 949

IPOB sit-at-home ‘Anglican Bishops didn’t flee Anambra’ }5

OYEDEPO @ 61:

}32 Secrets grandma taught me about money

SUNDAY Sunday, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 Vol. 3 No. 949

Eniola Badmus

Sanctity of Truth

/newtelegraph

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

Ceasefire ends as MILITANTS bomb Bonny Export Line ...this is a wake up call -Avengers }4,5

My greatest challenge }41

NEWS 4.4m Nigerians face acute hunger, 2,000 on death row -Reports}6,51 Nigeria concedes iron ore mines to secure Ajaokuta Steel Complex }4

lMilitary, security agents probe threat to NNPC towers - Investigation lStop attacking Dame Patience -Group lFour die on trip to Tompolo’s father’s burial NATIONAL TREASURES PALAVER

Don’t rush into sale of assets -ABC Nwosu

}3

lBorrow, spend on capital projects -Economist lIt’s selling one’s lungs to buy food -Sani l Current status of assets sold

2

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Contents | 25.09.16 BODY & SOUL

Legend of arts Woman of substance, Chief (Mrs.) Oyenike DaviesOkundaye, the face behind the famous Nike Arts Gallery, shares her success story

}17

POLITICS

Peace in sight At last, peace seems to have returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Ali Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi factions close ranks

}21

BUSINESS

Local palm oil

Demand for locally produced palm oil is rising as the Central Bank of Nigeria's (CBN's) ban on importers of 41 items, including palm oil, from accessing foreign exchange from Nigerian banks, dries out importation of the product

}43

FAITH

Tithe

SPORT

Non-negotiable

Outstanding, faith preacher, Bishop Oyedepo, learnt the golden rule of tithing from his grandmother and his testimony is eloquent

}32 Picking a ticket to play at the 2018 World Cup in Russia is non-negotiable for Super Eagles' players, Mutiu Adepoju says

}54

Magazine

Difficult choices

After the long vacation, some students are on another 'forced holiday' because their parents can't afford school fees

}8&9

SUNDAY

Editorial

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Niger Delta and peace

ecently Col. Abubakar Umar (rtd) warned the Federal Government not to use military option in quelling militancy in the Niger Delta. The intervention of the former military governor of Kaduna State is not only timely but necessary at a time the government is seriously considering resorting to the use of force in dealing with the militants who have been responsible for destroying oil and gas installations and facilities in the Niger Delta with its attendant consequences for the Nigerian economy.

President Muhammadu Buhari had said he would treat the militants like Boko Haram, the terrorist group that had held the country, specifically the North East, to ransom for many years. The president first made this assertion in April in a meeting with the Nigerian community during his visit to China where he said that saboteurs and those who destroy oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region would be treated like Boko Haram should they persist in their sabotage.

Buhari among other things said: “…

Whoever is caught will not be spared. The government is still being dared, but those who are sensible should have learned a lesson. Those who are mad, let them continue in their madness. I am aware that in the last two weeks, the national grid collapsed a number of times. I hope this message will reach the vandals and saboteurs who are blowing up pipelines and installations. We will deal with them the way we dealt with Boko Haram.”

Just last month Buhari reiterated his threat while holding talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Nairobi, Kenya. Obviously, this was an attempt to send reassurances to the international community, especially foreign investors, that their investments in Nigeria would be secure.

He also used the opportunity to assure his audience of security in the Gulf of Guinea, which is a hotbed of piracy and armed robbery.

To further accentuate the threat of the military option, the army also re-echoed the president’s tough stance on the issue of the militancy in Niger Delta.

“The military will employ all available means and measures within its rule of engagement to crush any individual or group that engages in the destruction of strategic assets and facilities of the government in the Niger Delta or any other location and they will stand to regret the consequences of their actions. The whole world has seen

what they are causing in terms of economic terrorism against the nation and would be treated as criminals in line with the laws of the land.”

These are weighty statements of intent not to be taken lightly. So, it is against this backdrop that the intervention of Col Umar, a respected former military officer, is timely. That a former officer like the president is the one making the call for dialogue and negotiation is crucial. Umar knows what is at stake and so in a position to counsel the president whose frustration at the incessant sabotage of pipelines and installations can be understood.

An all-out military action will only exacerbate an already volatile situation. The terrain where the militants operate in the creeks is so treacherous that it will be difficult if not outright impossible to engage them. If the military uses air bombardments, at some point during the engagement they will have to involve ground troops and that is where the danger lies.

At any rate, would air bombardments discriminate between the militants and innocent civilians? The collateral damage will be colossal. One which the government should be seriously bothered about.

We also note that equating the militants with Boko Haram is a contentious issue.

The militants are not terrorists properly so called, so talking about treating them like Boko Haram should not even arise. There are issues of justice, equity among others at play. Their lands have been devastated and degraded after many years of oil exploration without a corresponding increase in their living conditions. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that government is only interested in ‘pacifying’ the restive Niger Deltants only to the extent that, that action will allow it to continue carrying out its economic activity of oil exploration.

So like Umar noted, objective Nigerians and the international community are not likely to support the use of military option in crushing militancy in the Delta.

His clincher is that the creeks of the Niger Delta are saturated with oil and that the deployment of heavy explosive materials there will lead to a massive conflagration comparable to Dante’s allegorical inferno.

So, we aver that the best and only option is to dialogue and negotiate with the militants. Although there will be those among them who may be recalcitrant, continuing government effort in this regard will ultimately yield the desired result.

We implore President Buhari to continue to explore all peaceful means to resolve the Niger Delta crisis as difficult as this may be.

DAILY TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief

Funke Egbemode

Managing Editor, Business & Strategy n Yemi Ajayi

Managing Editor, Publication & Operations n Emeka Obasi

Managing Editor, South n Emeka Madunagu Managing Editor, North & Abuja n Laurence Ani (Leave of Absence)

Editor n Ayodele Ojo Editor, Sunday n Juliet Bumah Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare Deputy Editor n Tunde Sulaiman

Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam Asst. Editor, News & Politics n Biyi Adegoroye

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed Sales/Circulation Manager n Oyebanji Abiodun Head, Arts & Creative n Ugochukwu Nnakwe Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Don’t rush into sales of assets -ABC Nwosu Onwuka Nzeshi, Paul Ogbuokiri, Isa Abdulwahab and Chijioke Iremeka

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rominent Nigerians have expressed anger at the recent proposal by Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, that the Federal Government should sell off some strategic national assets, including its equity stake in the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas ( NLNG), to raise fund for the reflation of the economy.

In a recent interview with CNBC Africa, a foreign news outlet, Dangote had urged the Federal Government to sell off the NLNG as well as other high net worth assets and plough back the proceeds into the economy to enable Nigeria recover quickly from its current economic recession. The proposal was later re-echoed by the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki; the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the National Economic Council (NEC) -Nigeria’s highest decision- making body on the economy.

However, the decision has been opposed by a cross - section of Nigerians including a former Minister of Health, Prof. ABC Nwosu; an academic, Dr. Uche Uwaleke; a development economist, Odilim Enwangbara, as well the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, Senator Shehu Sanni.

Nwosu, who once served as Political Adviser to erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo, said that while he had no problem at all with privatisation, private sector- led economy and transfer of government’s assets to private investors, the Federal Government must not lose sight of the fact that a lot of its assets were sold in the past without commensurate returns on those investments.

According to Nwosu, the People’s Democrstic Party (PDP) had, during its time in government, promoted the privatisation and commercialisation of state-owned enterprises, with the intention that these enterprises would be better managed, boost national productivity and generate employment.

“What we found was that we never achieved any of these objectives. Look at Ajaokuta Steel Company, the Aluminum Smelting Company, Ikot Abasi , the Nigeria Machine Tools Company, Osogbo and Delta Steel Company, Ovwian- Aladja.

“I think the right thing

•Borrow, spend on capital projects - Economist •It’s selling one’s lungs to buy food - Shehu Sani to do now is to conduct an audit of those assets we have already sold and see how they are doing and see those things we didn’t do right. For me, we didn’t do it right; we just sold them and went away instead of monitoring them and putting timelines to make sure our objectives were met.

We didn’t know when our industries were cannibalised and carted away overseas. So, before you engage in another round of sales and privatisation, you need to audit those ones you have done before. Look at them, get the framework and template right before you engage in the sale of new ones. If you just give a blanket directive to sell the assets without caution, we will only make a few people richer and the poor people will continue to suffer. Let us thread cautiously on this matter because we have been through this road in the past,” he said.

Dr. Uche Uwaleke, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Banking & Finance, Nasarawa State University Keffi, argued that unless the country’s economic condition had become irretrievably headed for bankruptcy, there is no wisdom in selling strategic public assets in a bid to exit the recession.

“Evidence from countries facing similar external shocks occasioned by the slump in oil price supports the fact that, a sale of a performing asset is only justified when a country is in a debt trap as in the case of Brazil or has identified viable and more profitable investment opportunities like the case of Saudi Arabia.

“Another point that comes to mind is the heightened risk attendant in selling government stakes in critical companies at this time. The danger is the likelihood of realizing ‘forced sale values’ from such assets chiefly because from a practical viewpoint, the recession puts the country at the mercy of the prospective buyers who would cash in on the situation and offer ‘pepper corn’ values”, Uwaleke said.

He said that if the Federal Government was in search of what to sell, it should look in the direction of assets that drill holes in the nation’s treasury, such as the surplus aircraft in the Presidential fleet as opposed to selling performing assets.

“Indeed, there is no need

Chairman United Bank for Africa (UBA) PLC, Tony Elumelu; former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and GMD UBA PLC, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, at a reception hosted by the UBA during the UN General Assembly and the U.S Africa Business Forum in New York... recently

recommending the disposal of national assets at this time. It is not only bad for the economy in the long run; it is also not

in the national interest. It goes without saying that the loss of annual revenue would be adversely felt by future generations long af-

Current status of sold public assets •Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) - not performing •Mobile Telecommunications Limited ( MTel) - not performing •Old Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi; Tinubu Square (soldnot performing) •Niger-Dock Shipyard privatised (converted to offshore oil/gas construction yard) •National Fertilizer Company of Nigeria (NAFCON)—(not performing) •Eleme Petrochemical Company—privatised (performing) •Nigeria Railway Corporation, (under-performing) •National Superphosphate Company (not performing) •National Aluminum Smelting Company, IkotAbasi (not performing) •Ajaokuta Steel Complex Limited (ASCL) (not performing) Nigeria Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe, (concessioned –not performing) Delta Steel Company (DSC) Limited (not performing) •Osogbo Steel Rolling Mill (not performing) •Jos Steel Rolling Mill (not

performing) •Katsina Steel Rolling Mill (not performing) •Nigeria Machine Tools Limited, Osogbo (not performing) •Nigerian Coal Mining Corporation, Enugu (not performing) •Nigerian Paper Manufacturing Company, OkuIboku (Dead) •Nigeria Airways—Privatised (Dead) •Nigeria Ports Authority—seaports concessioned (performing) •National Shipping Line (NSL-dead) •Daily Times of Nigeria— (under-performing) •National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (privatised—not performing) •TRANCORP Hilton (privatsed-performing) NICON Luxury Hotel (privatised-not performing) •Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) -(under-performing) •Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company (ANAMCO) - under-performing •Volkswagen of Nigeria (VWoN) - under-performing

ter the sales proceeds are gone. Instead of selling these prized assets to realize one-off income, the government should seek to optimize their contribution as sources of longterm revenue funding,” the university don said.

In a separate interview, Mr. Odilim Enwegbara, a development economist advised the government to jettison the idea of assets sale and explore other viable alternative means of raising funds to reflate the economy.

He said that rather than auctioning Nigeria’s inter-generational assets, the Federal Government should exploit its high credit worthiness to borrow more fund from external finance institutions.

“But for such loans to yield the expected results, they should be based on targeted capital projects that are supposed to drastically reduce the current high cost of doing business, which continues to make our local businesses among the world’s worst when it comes to competitiveness”, Enwegbara said.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, Senator Shehu Sani, described proponents of sale of national asset as ‘economic predators and profiteers’ who want to take advantage

of the current economic situation in the country to further enrich themselves.

In a statement tagged: ‘Nigeria’s capitalist forces raped Nigeria to recession and now they want to kill and bury it’, Sani said that the proposal is against the interest of the nation, adding that previous attempts at privatising national assets in Nigeria failed to achieve the much desired improved service delivery to the citizenry.

“There is currently nothing to show for the sale of government houses, (and) firms. The advocates of sale of our collective national asset simply want to dispossess Nigerians and expand their business empire. They call themselves private sector and business men; they refused to invest in agriculture, solid minerals or science and technology, they simply want to buy off profitable public assets. There are no captains of industry in Nigeria other than crony businessmen, rent seekers and commission agents who depend on patronage from government,” he said.

Sani called on Nigerians to rise up against any attempt by the Federal Government to sell the NLNG and other assets, equating such a deal with selling ones lungs to buy food at a time of famine.

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SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

NEWS

EFCC Vs Dame Patience: Military, security agents probe threat on NNPC tower - Investigation

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Our Correspondent

here are strong indications that the military and security agencies have launched separate investigations into threats to attack the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Towers in Abuja.

It will be recalled the Niger Delta Peoples Professional Volunteer Force (NDPPVF), had threatened to bomb the NNPC towers if former

First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency is said to be investigating the former First Lady, over ownership of $15 million.

However, Sunday Telegraph gathered from military and security sources, that the threat was being “looked into”.

The sources, who spoke separately with Sunday Telegraph, said no respon-

sible nation treats security threats with kids’ gloves.

“The only thing I can tell you is that we are looking at the threat from the said group, as a responsible security agency in the country.

“You see, we are not saying they will actually carry out the threat; we are not there yet. But you know, we must be proactive in our work, while we leave all options open,” he said.

Another source, who also spoke in confidence with this newspaper on the

matter, said: “The security challenges we are having today in the country, calls for heightened intelligence and sophistication, and that is what we are doing now.

“Any threat to security and peace, must be investigated.

“In fact, nothing will be left to chance in our efforts at keeping our beloved country one.

“Make no mistakes; nobody or group will be allowed to threaten the corporate existence and sovereignty of Nigeria.”

Official reactions from from the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), and the Police, were still being expected as at the time of filing this report.

Sunday Telegraph observed a significant build up of security around the NNPC Towers when one of our correspondents visited the area yesterday. Although the edifice had been under tight security cover since the outbreak of terrorism in the

Stop attacking Mrs. Jonathan, group warns FG, security operatives Ola James Warri

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L-R: Former Governor, Niger State, Aliyu Babangida; Deputy Governor, Niger State, Alh. Ahmed Muhammed Ketso, and former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar, at the wedding Fatiha of Ibrahim, son of Aliyu Babangida, at Alfuqan Mosque, Kano...on Saturday

Nigeria concedes iron ore mines to GSHL to secure Ajaokuta Steel Complex

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Paul Ogbuokiri

fter about 10 years of legal battle at the London Court of Arbitration over the Federal Government’s revocation of the concession to Global Infrastructure Holding (GIH) and Global Steel Holding Company of India (GSHL) for nonperformance, President Muhammadu Buhari Administration went for out court settlement with the concessionaire to win back the moribund multi-billion dollar steel complex.

But Sunday Telegraph learnt that the condition for settlement was that the Nigerian government had to concede the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) Itapke, Kogi State, to GSHL to operate for seven years, which is what is remaining from the 10 year concession contract for Ajaokuta Steel Complex and NIOMCO, which the company won in 2005. Nigeria will, however, not pay

the investor the $700 million liability in the new arrangement.

Sunday Telegraph recalls that the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, through a concession arrangement, handed over the Ajaokuta Steel Complex and NIOMCO to GSHL. But three years later, no significant progress was reportedly made by the investor to turn around the companies, even as it was allegedly stripping the companies’ of their assets and exporting them. The allegations prompted the administration of late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua to revoke the concession agreements in 2008.

The implication, Sunday Telegraph further learnt, is that if the Ajaokuta Steel Complex is finally revamped, it will depend on the Indian company for supply of Iron Ore, the key raw material for processing steel.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, told journalists that what the Fed-

eral Government did was to renegotiate the contract to take back Ajaokuta Steel Plant, which is in line with the administration’s campaign promises.

According to him, the agreement to return the Iron Ore Mining Company to Global Steel was reached in London in June to enable it to complete its concession and ensure that Ajaokuta reverts back to the Federal Government “With all of our best efforts – legal, political - we came to a conclusion that there was no other way we could have accomplished that without giving something that will enable us to do so.

“Don’t forget this was a contract that was revoked and there was clearly a breach on the part of the Nigerian government when it revoked the contract.

“This is what led Global Steel Holding Company to take Nigeria to the London Court of Arbitration and that is what we have been dragging all these years,” he explained.

Fayemi recalled that Nigeria had already admitted to being liable to pay $700 million for what the investor had invested in the concession.

“So we succeeded in getting Global Steel to release Ajaokuta without paying a dime,” he said.

He went on to clarify, however, that the return of Global Steel is for the remaining period of the concession.

“It was a 10-year concession; three years had been completed before the revocation. Now there is seven years left of the concession and all that we have done is to allow Global Steel come and complete the concession.”

“What that also portends is that Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited now has seven years of their original concession to complete the mining operation to operate neo-coal in Itakpe; whereas Ajaokuta has been reverted to the government of Nigeria. So, it is now being held by the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he reiterated.

country, there was an additional presence of security personal around the vicinity of the tower.

Apart from the usual multiple security posts on the way leading to the place, Sunday Telegraph observed that an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed at the last security check point closest to the outer gate which leads to the staff car park.

militant group which goes by the name, ‘The Niger Delta people’s Mandate’, has warned the Federal Government and security operatives, especially the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hands off the attacks being targeted at the former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, else they will blow up more pipelines in the region.

The group, in a statement yesterday, warned the Federal Government to stop attacking people from the Niger-Delta, stressing, “The region is where 80 per cent of oil wealth is coming from,

sadly it’s not developed”.

A statement signed by the President of the faceless group, Timi Oruberei, said, “Everybody is looking for a way to end the bloody crisis in the region, yet government agencies does not want the blood bath to end”.

The group vowed to join the Niger Delta Avengers to bomb more oil pipelines in the region if the attack on the first lady is not dropped.

“We have not seen anywhere in the world where a former First lady is being attacked unjustly. If President Buhari does not want peace in the already battered region, he should tell the whole world”, said the group.

Tompolo father’s burial: Four die in boat mishap

Ola James Warri

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our people lost their lives in a boat mishap on their way to the burial ceremony of Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo, the late father of wanted ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as ‘Tompolo,’ over the weekend.

Sunday Telegraph gathered that hardly had the victims of the mishap taken off from the Miller Waterside, Warri, on their way to Kurutie, in Warri South West Council Area of Delta State, venue of the funeral when the speedboat they boarded capsized.

It was also gathered that the victims of the boat mishap were three females from Ogulagha and Kurutie communities as well as a man, apparently from the Northern part of the country, who was said to be conveying wares he intended to sell at the funeral ground.

A Gbramatu community

chairman, who spoke to Sunday Telegraph on position of anonymity, said they heard the news of the unfortunate incident while they were at the funeral, celebrating the late Chief Ekpemupolo.

He said, “Initially, we were told that only two persons died but further details revealed that about four persons -three females including one Faith (surname withheld) from Ogulagha, another female from Kurutie and a man apparently from the Northern part of the country, lost their lives in the mishap.

“The Hausa man, I gathered, was actually not an invited dignitary, but someone, who was conveying some wares to trade at the funeral ground.”

Our correspondent gathered that the funeral rites of the late Chief Ekpemupolo continues today (Sunday) with his interment at Okerenkoko, his final rest place, where another wake was held yesterday as part of the week-long rites.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

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News

Emmanuel Masha, Port Harcourt, OLA JAMES WARRI and Dominic Adewole

T ASABA

he Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has bombed the Bonny Crude Export Line, violating the ceasefire that stopped the attacks on oil installations in recent times, in the expectations of their holding dialogue with the Federal Government concerning their grievances.

NDA claimed its men carried out the attack at the ‘Bonny 48 inches crude oil export line,’ Friday night, in a statement it issued on Saturday, noting that the bombing was a wakeup call to the Buhari administration to take the Niger Delta issue seriously.

The statement, which appeared in the group’s website reads: “On the 23rd September ,2016, our strike team at 20:40PM hours time has brought down oil productions activities at the Bonny 48 inches crude oil Export Line.

“This action is a signature to the over dramatisation of the so-called dialogue and negotiation process on the side of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government.

Since, the cessation of hostilities and the commitment of the PAN Niger Delta Elders and stakeholders team, the Nigerian government and

Avengers bomb Bonny Crude Export Line, as Clark harps on dialogue her agents are turning the expectations of the Niger Delta to shameful scenes obtainable in Nollywood acts and as well intimidations, blackmails and continuous profiling of Niger Delta sons and daughters.

“This is only a wakeup call; we may not have other way to say it better. We are still in favour of the dialogue and negotiations but we are warning against the peace of our time! We want the peace with honour’ “We will resist all actions undermining the ceasefire from side of the government and it security agents/agencies. The world is watching, time is running against the Nigerian state; while we were promised that the concerns of Niger Delta will be addressed once a truce is declared, the activities of the government and her agents are not assuring enough, there has been no progress and no breakthrough.

“We cannot be continuously fooled, the government cannot justify the indiscriminate targeting of Niger Delta youths while glorifying on these victimisation of law abiding citizens of the region.”

The action of the militant group has once again indi-

cated how difficult it will be to dialogue with them and come up with a solution to once and for all end the crisis in the region.

Meanwhile, Elder statesman and former Information Minister, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday told American Embassy officials that the six coastal states will rather prefer dialogue than the much talked about summit.

According to him, the summit is a wrong option and

will not solve the crisis in the region.

Clark, who spoke through former Police Affairs Minister, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo when three top officials from the American Embassy in Abuja held a two-hour closed door meeting with leaders and representatives of the coastal states in Warri, said the proponents of the summit do not want the crisis in the region to abate.

The American delegation

comprised a political officer from American Embassy in Nigeria, another official from Washington D.C. and a Security Officer.

“The visitors came to find out what is on ground about finding a solution to the Niger Delta crisis because they too are seeking a way to ending the lingering crisis “We are sending a message to our president that the way forward is not through the so-called

the ‘Jamboree Summit’ where nothing will come out. We detest fruitless effort that will later end up in waste paper basket,” said Chief Bozimo, insisting that the socalled summit will surely be a fruitless effort.

Bozimo was optimistic that the visitors, who requested for the meeting, are straight forward people, adding, “They are not politicians but well trusted diplomats.”

IPOB hails supporters over compliance with sit-at-home call Charles Onyekwere

T ENUGU

he Leadership of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday, hailed its supporters for obeying its stay-at-home protest of Friday to press home their demand for unconditional release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu and other detained Biafra freedom fighters.

Recall that the organisation made a passionate appeal on Friday that all lovers of Biafra emancipation across the world stay at home in civil disobedience to the continued incarceration of its leader.

The organisation had encouraged all to shun markets, schools, offices and other activities as a show of solidarity with the pro-Biafra groups over the Biafra struggle.

A statement from the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, pointed out that they were happy that many people heeded their appeal and stayed at home and reiterated their commitment to ensuring that Biafra autonomy is actualised.

The statement also expressed dismay that the Federal Government is talking about autonomy for the people of far away Palestine but neglects the Biafra desire

for self autonomy and independence.

The statement reads in part: “The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, members worldwide and the Directorate of State, DOS express happiness over the compliance of the sit-at-home order observed by Biafrans at home and the peaceful protest by the Biafrans living in Diaspora.

“This shows that the general public supports the campaign for the release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in detention since October last year and the quest for restoration of Gods nation Biafra.

“The IPOB members worldwide are bent on ensuring the restoration of the ancient nation, Biafra. The sit-at-home order and worldwide protests were to prove to the general public and entire world of our total resolve towards bringing back the future of our people and unborn children.

“IPOB is a non violent movement that follows due process in pursuing the freedom for our people and we are not akin to use force in our request. Nigerian security agents were waiting to kill our people again during the sit-at-home order but were disappointed.

Debris of one of teh shanties destroyed on Lagos Island, yesterday

Buhari: Nigeria will benefit from my New York trip Anule Emmanuel Abuja

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that Nigeria stands to benefit immensely from his trip to the United States of America where he attended the just concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71) in New York.

The President on conclusion of the meeting addressing journalist highlighting some of his engagements with world leaders.

A statement by his Special Adviser on media and publicity Femi Adesina said at the conclusion of his five-day activities during the 71st Session of the Assembly UNGA71, he had a very successful outing.

The President explained that he had sent a clear and direct message to world leaders during their interactions.

“I highlighted the need for the international community to work together to liberate humanity from poverty, save our planet from the devastation of climate change and rid

the world of terrorism for a more peaceful and prosperous future,” he said.

Buhari also stressed that: “I mentioned that the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) arising from Boko Haram terrorism is of particular concern to us. For this reason, we have taken concrete steps to address their humanitarian needs and to ensure that necessary conditions are established to enable the voluntary return of the displaced persons to their homes in safety and dignity.”

While acknowledging that “Nigeria as a developing country has been adversely affected by the global economic downturn,” he, however, stressed that “we are undeterred and have embarked on a wide range of reforms in our efforts to diversify our economy and shift emphasis to mining, agriculture, industrialization, infrastructure development and the creation of the enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment.”

He also noted that “fighting corruption remains of

prime importance to our administration,” adding that the campaign is already yielding positive gains including significant stolen assets’ recoveries.

The President stated clearly Nigeria’s position on Climate Change, development in developing countries, youth development, statehood for the Palestinians, and reform of the UN Security Council with Nigeria ready to serve on a reformed Council to “advance international peace and security.”

President Buhari listed his meetings with world leaders and the benefits from some of the side events such as the US-Africa Business Forum during which discussions focused on how top American business executives “can collaborate with us to diversify our economy, which will in turn drive development, job creation and general business development in Nigeria.”

He mentioned his meeting with top Nigerian professionals in the United States and the urgent need to re-

claim the shrinking Lake Chad, even as he expressed delight that “some countries notably the United Kingdom and United States pledged additional support in the tune of $391 million humanitarian aid for the Lake Chad region.”

Buhari used the occasion of the media event to thank relevant United States authorities for efficient security and administrative arrangements and officials of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for demonstrating “that we still have capable officers in our Foreign and Civil Services.”

He commended the Nigerian officers for the “tireless effects in projecting a positive image to our country, even in difficult times.”

President Buhari did not forget members of the Nigerian media, as he thanked them for “going through elaborate security checks and clearance procedures to follow my activities and hectic schedule in order to keep all our people at home well informed of my meetings and engagements.”

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News

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group of 15 International NonGovernmental Organisations (INGOs) on Saturday said that no fewer than six million people in West Africa are facing threat of severe hunger arising from insurgency.

The INGOs stated that the threat was as a result of the ongoing fight against Boko Haram activities in the subregion. The organisations responding to the humanitarian crisis in the sub-region, in a statement, appealed to donors to dig deep to stop the crisis from turning into a huge catastrophe.

The organisations said it urgently needed US$143 million until the end of the year to provide life-saving support such as food, water, shelter and safety to people severely affected by the crisis.

“Over 65, 000 people are already living in famine in pockets of northeast Nigeria, and over one million

SUNDAY September 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Over four million Nigerians face acute hunger people are one step away from famine. “In Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon there are 6.3 million people severely food insecure; of these, 4.4 million people are in Nigeria,’’ the group said.

The organisations said that with 2.6 million people on the move, the Lake Chad Basin is Africa’s fastest growing displacement crisis arena and should be high on the agenda. It said that in some areas of Borno, the rate of acute malnutrition in children under five was similar to what was seen during the 2011 crisis in Somalia as it is over 50 per cent. The statement noted that, the conflict, and military operations to counter it, had made farmland, rivers and lakes that people relied on for growing

food and fishing, off limits.

It said markets have also been closed and the people’s means of transportation such as motor bikes had been banned, cutting them from their means of living.

“What we are seeing is families teetering on the edge of famine.

“If organisations can’t reach communities in areas trapped by the conflict, we will be looking at a far greater disaster than we are currently facing.

“Many of those arriving in camps are already severely malnourished. We see families who have not eaten for days, many are begging for food.

“If the situation continues to deteriorate many more people may die,” said

Action Against Hunger, Country Director, Yannick Pouchalan.

Also, Oxfam’s Lake Chad Basin’s Operational Leader, Lisa Bay, said: “Civilians have paid a high price for policies of cutting off Boko Haram’s food and supplies.

“People should be able to fish, farm and sell their goods at markets.

“We have seen hugely generous communities welcome people who have fled their homes; but now they have nothing to give, they too are hungry and need access to aid.’’

Nigeria Country Director, International Rescue Committee, Sarah Ndikumana said: “We have received little over US$53 million, but there is a funding gap

Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki in a handshake with the Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during activities to mark the 50th birthday of the wife of the Deputy Senate President, Lady Nwanneka at Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s Country Home, Mpu, Aninri in Enugu State yesterday.

Bomb scare: We are not panicking -UI Mojeed Alabi

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he management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has responded to the bomb threat on the campus, saying the fully equipped security operatives on the campus are prepared for any eventuality and that the police in the state are not leaving any stone unturned.

Speaking exclusively with Sunday Telegraph, the university’s Deputy Registrar (Information), Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, said though the institution will not ignore what he described as a rumour flying around on social media, efforts are in place to forestall any crisis.

He said: “I must let you know that there was no message anywhere from any group. This is what is just

flying about on social media and particularly WhatsApp, and from unknown sources, but we are battle ready and I must tell you that we are not panicking over this.

“There is peace on campus as both administrative and academic activities are going on well. So we advise our students, staff and all inhabitants on the campus to be law abiding and go about their businesses without fear.”

It would be recalled that a group, Al-wilayat al-Islamiyya Gharb Afriqiyyahy, had allegedly threatened to bomb the university before Independence Day on October 1, 2016, saying that ,students and staff were their targets.

While some lecturers had reportedly got the mail through their institutional e-mail addresses, others

were copied through social media platforms such as WhatsApp. In the mail, the group described the university as an embarrassment to Nigeria for bringing western education.

The message had read in

part; “You people are an embarrassment to Nigeria and are the people that brought in western education to Nigeria. You doomed this nation and in turn you all are going to be doomed. Most of you are going to die before Independence Day...”

of nearly US$90 million.` “Without money we simply can’t reach the people who need aid the most.

The situation is critical with many lives hanging in the balance.

“We urge donors to dig deep to stop this crisis turning into a huge catastrophe.

We cannot stand-by and watch thousands of people suffer and die when we can do something about it,” Ndikumana added.

Ms Jennifer Poidatz, Vice President of Catholic Relief Services and Humanitar-

Soldier, 2 others die as militants attack army van in C’River Clement James Calabar.

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ne soldier and two members of a militant group may have been killed in Akpabuyo, Cross River State as a group of Bakassi militants, led by one Benjamin Simply, alias G-1, attacked a military van on patrol of the area.

The incident, which took place early Saturday has thrown residents of the Local Government Area into confusion as the army is said to be combing everywhere in search of the militant leader who is regarded as the most wanted criminal in the state.

Initial report had put the death toll on the part of the army at six, but this was refuted by the Commandant, 13 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Bulama Biu, who said after reinforcement, a head count was ordered and only one soldier was discovered to

resident Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with ace photographer, media entrepreneur and author, Sunmi Smart-Cole, who will be celebrating his 75th birthday today.

The president’s congratulatory message was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

Buhari, in the statement, commended the versatile and multi-talented artiste

for the beauty, glamour and depth he brought into the chronicling of Nigerian history through hard work and perseverance, starting out early as a photo-journalist.

According to the president, Smart-Cole’s place in Nigeria’s history is assured as early in his career “he was a story teller but later as he progressed he became part of the story with his signature creative and innovative style.” “ Looking into his background as a barber, jazz

have died in the attack.

“Initially, we received a report that some soldiers were missing but we reorganised ourselves and after a head count, we discovered that only one soldier died in the attack. We are going all out ‘to look for them where ever they may be,” Gen. Biu said.

Biu, who did not disclose the name of the dead soldier, explained that the militants had laid an ambush without the knowledge of the soldiers who were patrolling the area and as soon as the militants opened fire on the soldiers, the latter replied, a situation which led to the killing of the two members of the militant group.

Investigation by our correspondent showed that the militant leader was piqued by the arrest of his two brothers, popularly known as G2 and G3 respectively by security agents and decided to take it out on the army.

Man commits suicide in Edo market Cajetan Mmuta, BENIN

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here was confusion in the early hours of yesterday in Ogida Quarters in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State when a middle-aged man allegedly committed suicide.

Buhari felicitates with Smart-Cole, at 75

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ian Response Department, said: “We need to learn from other protracted crises in the world, where short-term solutions simply don’t allow people who have fled from their homes to go back to their lives.

“Only robust funding over multiple years, from both international organisations and local and national organisations on the ground will ensure that we can adequately respond. We also need political leadership and action to address the root causes of the violence.

drummer, environmentalist and a multiple award winning photographer, SmartCole succeeded in almost all his endeavours because of his passion, integrity and commitment to making life better for others through his art,’’ he said.

The president urged younger photographers and mentees to also emulate Smart-Cole’s life style of magnanimity and contentment in addition to learning his art.

The man whose name could not be readily ascertained was said to have been found hanging on the ceiling of a sawmill in the market within the Ogida Quarters of the council.

The incident was said to have forced shop owners within the densely populated area and market as well as Ogida Mobile Police barrack to quickly close their shops to witness the ugly incident.

School children were also not left out as they rushed to the scene even as hundreds of residents near the location were seen discussing the man’s sudden death.

Sunday Telegraph learnt that cooked beans, loaves of bread, and some cloths were found beside the corpse. His corpse was later taken to a nearby hospital morgue, while efforts were being made to locate his close relations.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

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News

Edo guber: APC allegation a distraction –PDP Onyekachi Eze

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the allegation by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plan to rig the Wednesday’s Edo State governorship election was a smokescreen designed to deceive Nigerians.

Instead, the party alleged of the plan by the APC to use the apparati of government to manipulate the outcome of the election.

The Deputy Director General, Obaseki Campaign Organization, John Osakue had yesterday alleged that PDP was working to rig the gubernatorial poll.

But in a statement on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, PDP said such statement was false, misleading and part of APC propaganda.

“It is common knowledge that the ruling APC controls the Independent National Electoral Com-

mission (INEC) as well as all the security agencies and has shown a willingness to use the apparatus of state to manipulate the electoral process.

“The record of poor and inconclusive elections since the inception of the current administration is an example of how far APC is willing to go to subvert the will of the people,” the statement noted.

PDP observed that it has since raised the alarm over the plans of the APC to manipulate the elec-

toral process in Edo State by collaborating with INEC staff to gain access to INEC remote servers to disrupt and manipulate the e-collation process as well as ensuring that card reader failure in PDP strongholds in the State.

The party further alleged that the ruling party plans to use the national security apparatus to rig the election and intimidate voters.

“Further to this agenda, the Federal Government has changed the Com-

missioner of Police in Edo State for an unprecedented third time in three weeks.

“John Osakue’s comments are, therefore, a smokescreen designed to deceive Nigerians and were made to distract people from plans perfected by APC to rig the election. The objective is to falsely curry sympathy from the Nigerian public while orchestrating and perpetrating their nefarious activities.

“We urge the Obaseki Campaign Organisation

as well as the APC to stop peddling the falsehood for which they have become renowned as the people of Edo State have made up their minds to reject them on Wednesday September 28, 2016.

“We urge our teeming members, supporters and the good people of Edo State to shun the propaganda of the APC and come out en masse to vote for our candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on September 28, 2016,” PDP implored.

Ambode: Why we engaged 89 indigenous contractors on 114 roads Muritala Ayinla

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L-R: All Progressives Congress (APC) Leader in Lagos, Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Wasiu Sani-Eshilokun, at the 19th Senator Tinubu Town Hall Meeting, in Lagos …at the weekend

Army trains 272 NSCDC officers in weapon handling Dan Atori MINNA

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s part of efforts to ensure professionalism in the handling of weapons, the Nigerian Army has trained 272 officers and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on basic rudiments of weapon handling.

The graduands were also warned not to use what they have acquired to intimidate or oppress people while discharging their duties.

The Niger State Commandant (NSCDC), Mr. Philip Ayuba charged the officers and men on Saturday at the

Course 4, 2016 graduation ceremony of officers that were trained on basic regiment of weapon handling

by Army Instructors at the 31 Artillery Brigade in Minna.

Ayuba advised them to always exhibit professionalism and put into practice, the rules of the engagement, while carrying out their duties in a well dignified manner that will not jeopardise the vision and mission of NSCDC. He told the trained officers and men, who participated at the four weeks intensive course on weapon handling to conduct themselves in a manner that will portray the image of the service and the Nigeria Army in terms of eth-

ics in positive light.

Accordingly, he warned that any officer that uses the training he or she acquired to intimidate or oppress a common man on the street, will be dealt with, accordingly.

The Commandant further commended the Artillery Brigade Command for the knowledge impacted on his officers and men, adding that the training will add value to the corps.

In his remarks, the Artillery Commander, Brigadier General Olarenwaju Jimoh, who was represented by the Garison Commander Col. Kaumi Zanna, charged the graduands to utilise the skills and all they have learnt to

protect Nigerians and Federal Government’s assets.

Also, the Commanding Officer of Artillery Regiment Lieutenant Colonel J.C. Mbanefo noted that the participants showed interest in learning and in character during the course of the training, which had enhanced the smooth conduct of weapon handling.

Mbanefo said: “It is customary in Nigeria army to organise a passing out ceremony for the personnel who undertake a course in the Nigeria army.”

He gave the breakdown of the training including weapon handling which comprises both practical and theoretical.

Borno: Agency deploys 1,000 to clean, fumigate Bama Ahmed Miringa Maiduguri

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o few that than a thousand persons have been deployed by the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) for cleaning and fumigation of major roads and streets in Bama town in order to increase access to the area by the reconstruction workers.

Governor Kashim Shettima, who has spent four days in Bama, following his temporary relocation, ordered the

exercises as part of ground preparations for return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) after reconstruction works.

Conducting journalists round different streets in Bama, the Sole Administrator of BOSEPA, Nassir Surundi, said 17 streets have been cleared of giant weeds that grew up since residents fled the town in the wake of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in September, 2014.

He also noted that the fumigation and other sanitation

exercises were being carried out against snakes and other reptiles, which turned residential houses into their homes due to absence of human occupation.

“We hope to clear 17 additional streets by tomorrow (Sunday) and I promise all of you that within the next two weeks, Bama will wear a new look different from the bush and the debris you see around. Without us clearing the roads, workers wouldn’t have access to reconstruction sites while the town will

continue to look like a war zone. We are committed to Governor Kashim Shettima’s mission of changing Bama,” Surundi said.

The Sole Administrator recalled that the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency, had, undertaken post conflict fumigation and clearing in Dikwa, Magumeri, Konduga, and some parts of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council. The administrator said his agency is working with security agencies with specialty in clearing mines.

agos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday said that his administration awarded the newly commissioned 114 roads across the state to 89 indigenous contractors to create employment for residents in the state.

The Governor therefore appealed to the residents to guard those infrastructure jealously by ensuring efficient management and adequate protection against any form of abuse so that government huge investment in social infrastructure would not come to waste.

Speaking while commissioning two road projects newly completed by his administration: Ketu – Adeloko and Babalolka/ Ilogbo/Oke Agbo both at Oto Awori Local Council Development Area, Governor Ambode stated that the completion and commissioning of over N19 billion worth of roads was in fulfilment of all inclusive governance he promised the people during electioneering campaign.

Represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adeb-

ule, Ambode said a bidding process was established in line with international best practices to ensure transparency and accountability which produced 89 indigenous contractors.

“Our concept of inclusive governance is a system in which policies, projects and programmes are being driven by the needs of the communities.

“A system in which the greatest good shall reach the greater majority of our people with streetlights and enhanced security of our neighbourhood.

“I want to thank our local contractors for delivering on these projects and demonstrating the capacity of the construction industry in Lagos.

“I urge communities to take ownership of these roads so that additional projects can come to your communities,” he said.

Ambode urged Royal Fathers, traditional chiefs, community and market leaders as well as stakeholders to address the menace of cultism, kidnapping and vandalism in the area by providing timely information to security agencies.

Taraba Varsity VC on forced leave Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

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araba State Government has directed the Vice Chancellor of Taraba State University, Jalingo, Prof.

Mohammed Sani Yahaya to proceed on compulsory leave despite having three months before his tenure expired, throwing the institution into an abrupt change of leadership, Sunday Telegraph learnt.

Investigations by our reporter revealed that attempts by the government to oust Prof. Yahaya before the expiration of his tenure had lingered for long until last week, following a directive received by the university council

from the State Commissioner for Education which mandated Prof. Yahaya to proceed on the leave.

Sunday Telegraph gathered that before the government directive was given, the matter was earlier brought before the University Council on September 5, 2016 meeting, where it was said to have been overwhelmingly rejected by the members, who described the move as strange in university administration.

However, the matter took a dramatic twist two weeks after, when Mr. Johannes Gigem appointed his successor, Dr. Catherine Musa, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration on acting capacity.

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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Tuition: We're faced with difficult

Primary and secondary schools across the country resumed a new academic session last Monday after the long vacation, but the usual zest that greets such resumption was not there due to the harsh economic reality in the country. Majority of the parents badly hit by the recession found it difficult to pay tuition, buy books, new school bags and shoes. Some, who struggled to pay a fraction of the school fees couldn’t afford other levies. A number of Unity Schools turned back defaulting students. It was not different in private schools as they also sent students back home, CHIJIOKE IREMEKA and EUNICE STEPHEN report

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he new academic session in Nigeria, which resumed last week Monday after a one-week postponement, from all indications, has made matters worse for parents who have to pay their children’s school fees, especially as they have to cope with the new regime of payments as their children go into new classes. While some graduate from the primary to secondary school, others moved from junior to senior school and beginners flag off their school lives.

It was more frustrating as all the private schools and the Federal Government Colleges are insisting that students produce evidence of payments of all fees before they are allowed to resume classes.

Some of the parents, who spoke with Sunday Telegraph were more concerned about the economic recession in Nigeria. They appealed to private school owners and the government to have re-think by extending payments deadline to enable ample time to pay up.

When Sunday Telegraph reporter interviewed some parents and guardians, it was revealed that due to the non-availability of cash in the economy occasioned by the recession, parents withdrawing their children from the seemingly expensive schools and enrolling in less expensive ones, in most cases in public schools.

“With the resumption of a new session, aside from school fees, there are also issues about new school uniforms, books among others,” Dr. Blessing Ajani, a parent complained. She noted that meeting the needs associated with a new session have been a source of concern to Nigerian parents, especially with economic recession.

She added: “I have four children, one is moving from the primary to secondary school, while another is moving from the Junior Secondary School to the Senior Class. But if you understand what the economy is saying right now, you will know that it’s not a joking matter.”

Another parent, Mr. John Abraham, told our reporter: “The harsh economic condition is worsened by the inability of some states governments to pay their staff salaries. This is coupled with downsizing of the workforce in most companies in Nigeria.

“Civil servants in most of the states are owed several months of unpaid salaries.

It’s really a difficult time. And the worst is that most of the private schools our children attend have increased school fees. I know what I am facing with two children in school, I can imagine what those with three to four children are facing with this recession,” he said.

“In my children’s school, I pay as much as N380, 000 per term, a combined school fees for my two daughters in a private school in Ikeja, Lagos. After payment of tuition fees, I still pay an additional N48, 000 for school bus that takes them back home from school.

I paid for one-way, that’s, the school bus only brings them home, while I take them to school before going to work, just to avoid paying a total package of N96,000 per term for school bus alone. I have been cracking my head thinking of ways to wriggle out of these extra charges,” said a mother of two, Mrs. Bilikisu Ojo. A business Development Analyst, Mr. Braine Joel, has been a strong advocate for joint venture in students’ transportation.

He said: “Neighbours, whose children at-

tend same school, could merge as one and take their turn in the transportation of their children to and from school.” This, he said, would help parents make some savings from the cut throat payment.

However, Sunday Telegraph’s visits to schools across the country saw parents who brought in their children display tellers for school fees at the school before their wards were allowed to resume for the new academic session.

In Lagos, our correspondent visited St. Jude Catholic Mission School and S-Tee Private School in Festac Town.

Many parents frowned and raised their voices at the slightest provocation. In the words of one of the parents, Mrs. Clara Ude, students whose parents are yet to pay tuition fees were not allowed into the school.

She noted that the school sent text messages on details of all payments during the vacation, expecting parents to fulfill all righteousness before resumption. Of course, after the school fees, parents still pay for textbooks and exercise books.

It was also gathered that S-Tee Private School made some changes in the uniforms for students in boarding house without giving proper information. “Nobody told us about these changes made in the church uniform. What if at the point of resumption I couldn’t raise such amount, what happens?” lamented one of the parents, Mrs. Jimoh Okoko.

Our investigations revealed that the N4000 for each boarding house student’s church uniform is outside the N480,000 tuition fees. Because of the recession, many of the parents are yet to return their children to the school.

“I have not paid my children’s school fees but I have bought schoolbags and new shoes for my children. It’s not funny at all.

Their school fees are not complete yet and

installment payment is not allowed,” said Okoko.

Mrs. Jennifer Akintola, whose children attend the Queens Mary Nursery and Primary School, laments the fact that the school increased its tuition fees by N10, 000.

The prices of text books are also very high compared to what they go for in conventional bookshops. “It is only God that will help us in this country. My children have to go to school,” she said.

The increase in school fees also affected state-owned universities. Mrs. Blessing Efeme said, “My daughter, who studies at the Anambra State University has just told

me that her tuition and hostel fees have been increased. Her hostel fee, which was N65, 000 is now N75, 000, while tuition fee was raised from N125, 000 to N135, 000.

“Education system in this country is in trouble. If students can't pay the increased fees and can’t buy the textbooks, they won't go to school and the schools can't operate without them. I can’t imagine my daughter dropping out of school. This is too harsh for us. I’m having headache right now,” she said.

Parents withdraw children from expensive

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Sunday Magazine

choices -Nigerian parents groan schools Parents and guardians across the country have started withdrawing their children from private schools due to the current economic recession which has forced school proprietors to increase school fees especially by private schools operating under foreign franchise.

The parents have come to terms with the realities on the ground as their incomes can no longer carter for their needs. The Deputy President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Mr. Abayomi Otubela, confirmed that some members of the association are losing students to public schools.

A Lagos-based welder, Mr Julius Eke, told our reporter in an interview: “I just realised that I can’t afford the fees any longer. The proprietor of my children’s school increased the school fees from N18, 000 to N25, 000. How much do I make that I should be paying that? Paying N18, 000 had even been a challenge for me. I decided to take my two children to a public school when I considered the tuition fees and transportation fare involved and I’m happy with my choice,” he said.

A school proprietress, Mrs. Abimbola Oni, told our reporter: “On resumption of the new school session, three parents with children in my school approached me to inform they would be withdrawing their children from our school, as they can no longer afford the fees.”

Another parent, Ugwu Sebastin, said the situation in the country is a wake up call for all against the tide, adding that, there are good public schools in the country where parents can enroll their children for quality education.

“Everyone knows things are now very tough and the prices of goods and services have increased. I am advising everyone currently feeling this heat to take their children to public schools. In the past, we all attended public schools and we passed in good grades.

“The money that would have been spent paying for school fees in private schools could be used to meet other needs during the recession. After all, prices of foodstuffs have increased, house rents are skyrocketing. Money saved can be used for sustenance of life.”

He added: “In as much as our children must go to school, it must not necessarily be private schools A child could attend public schools and be well educated all depends on the contributions of the parents and the society at large at managing the situation

we found ourselves.

“Children in public schools perform well independently in general examinations like the Common Entrance better than those in private schools. We should not look down on public schools; they produce the hardworking and independent best brains.”

Another parent, Mr. Ben Davis, said, “I have a child in the Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State. For the new academic session, everything has increased. The PTA fee has gone up, so also fees for books. For those of us whose children are boarders, we have to pay more.

It has been very challenging because we don't pay in installments; you have to pay everything at once.”

An Abuja-based parent, Mr. Ibrahim Adeoti, said, “I am a product of public school and my education turned out well. But go to public schools in the Federal Capital Territory today, you will be shocked as there are no seats and tables for students, and they also lack qualified teachers.

“Private school education in Nigeria is now a choice made possible because the public schools are no longer working. It is disheartening to know that the present Minister of Education lacks the capacity to fix this problem. I weep for the next generation of Nigerians, and we will be the ones to pay for this since this poorly educated bunch will be leaders of tomor-

row,” he said.

Federal Government schools insist on payment tellers before admission, despite increased tuition fees Changing schools or withdrawing students from private to public schools have not helped the issue on the ground because even the public schools are increasing their fees and insisting on payment tellers before students are allowed into the school, even as civil servants salaries are not paid.

Government had recently increased boarding fees and banned the ParentTeacher Association (PTA) levies in all the Federal Government Colleges, otherwise known as Unity Schools amid complaints from parents. With the recent development, parents were expected to pay N78, 000 in some colleges per student for the first term.

The total charges for SSS 3 students in the Federal Government College, Kwali, Abuja was N75,500 and these included boarding (N15,000), textbooks deposit (N12,000), utility (N1,000), sports (N500), vocational subjects (N1,000), examination stationary (N500), club dues (N500), medical (N1,000), exercise books (N3,000), extra lesson (N2,000), website/e-result/ ICT (3,000), insurance (N5,000 once per person), security (N1,000) and WASSCE/ NECO (N30,000).

Sunday Telegraph gathered that, an SSS 3 student in Kwali was turned back because she could not pay for textbooks. Her elder brother graduated from the same school last year and his textbooks were intact. Her brother handed down his books to her and she paid N63, 500, yet she was denied resumption unless she paid the N12, 000 for textbooks.

It was learnt that the returning students were asked to pay for new uniforms even if the ones they have are still intact. It was revealed that, despite paying for uniforms previous session, some were not given uniforms. Students were asked to pay Insurance levies in spite of their temporary suspension and N3, 000 as PTA levy.

At the Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, students who could not pay N5, 000 PTA fee were asked to leave. Students were also charged N500 as hostel levy after submitting hoes, rakes, brooms, disinfectants and detergents.

In Cross River, parents at the FGGSS in Calabar protested the imposition of the new school fees. In Ilorin, Kwara state, boarding fee which used to be N7, 000 was increased to N15, 000. Ordinarily, the students usually pay less that N40, 000 upon resumption but now pay N45, 000.

Mrs. Grace Anyebe, whose daughter is expected to resume in her new class in JSS 3, said the increase was ill-timed for many parents who had not been paid at their places of work for several months.

When contacted on the recent development, the Chairman North West wing of the National Association of Parents and Teachers of Federal Government Colleges (NAPTAFEGC), Alhaji Musa Ibrahim Umar, said the association had forwarded its grievances on the increment of school fees to the relevant authorities.

Traders of schoolbags, shoes and clothes lament poor patronage When Sunday Telegraph visited schoolbag section at Lagos Island Market and some other markets in the country, the traders complained bitterly of low patronage, which they blamed on the economic recession in the country.

According to Chukwuebuka Obiora one of the traders, when school resumes for a new session, they usually make good sales, but today it is a different story. He accused President Muhammadu Buhari administration of destroying business for them.

The bad exchange rate worsens the crises.

“Customers come but end up just doing a typical window shopping pricing and admiring the products. Some of them will tell you not to worry as their children can keep managing the old ones. I have sold only six bags so far,” he said.

Same goes for school sandals. Perhaps, the recession now guarantees maximum utility of one’s products. A mother, who couldn’t afford extra expenditure, but chose to buy new sandals, schoolbag and uniform for her older daughter, insisted that the younger ones should make do with the ones used by their elder ones.’

Young couples are rethinking on number of children Really, it’s not funny this time around.

People have started advising themselves on the number of children to have. “At my wedding, when pastor asked how many children we would like to have, we said four but right now, going by the realities on the ground, I’m contemplating stopping at the second or the third child.

“I’m training my wife in school and the school fee is not easy at all. I’m the only one doing the work for now but I know things will get better. I’m really going to take a decision on that. Buhari has finished this country. Goods and services are going up in the country, yet salaries have not improved,” Jonathan Ugochukwu, laments.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

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Oluwo pledges to secure release of five Ilesha inmates Adeolu Adeyemo OSOGBO

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orried that prison inmates are spending several years in behind bars awaiting conclusion of their trial, Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Adewale Akanbi, yesterday promised to secure the release of five Ilesha prison inmates with payment of their option of fine.

The monarch, who made the pledge when he visited the prison with his team, also appealed to the State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, to expedite action on the trial to free that inmates that had spent several years in prison awaiting conclusion of their trial.

The royal father further urged institutions of higher learning in the country to provide a window for prison inmates to study and earn their degrees even before they could complete their jail terms.

He said: “If inmates were

released without a dime on them there is every tendency that they would go back to what took them to prison.”

Oba Akanbi further assured that he would do his best to see that inmates’ welfare is well taken care of and handed over a big cow to officials of the prison to feed the inmates with.

Earlier, the Officer in Charge, Ilesa Prison, Osun State, Deputy Comptroller Ope Fanmikun revealed that N7.5 toN8.5 million is being spent monthly to feed inmates at the prisons.

He said that the prison has only four vehicles to take inmates to court every day.

“We have just four vehicles, the newest of which was given to the prison four years ago and this hampers our capacity to take the inmates to court for trial.

“We appeal to well meaning Nigerians to come to our aid by donating vehicles to ensure inmates are presented for trials as at when due to decongest the prisons.”

Police nab 17 robbery, cultism suspects in Enugu Charles Onyekwere

T ENUGU

he Enugu State Command of Nigeria Police Force has said that the operatives of its Anti Cult Unit arrested no fewer than 17 suspects, including females in its ongoing onslaught against hoodlums tagged ‘Operation Flush out Hoodlums,’ which is aimed at making the environment safe and secured.

The 17 suspects, whom the command’s information unit, said that they have been a thorn in the flesh of members of the public due to their armed robbery/cult activities; were allegedly arrested at Nkanu West Local Government Area of the

state.

The suspects, who gave their names as Nnamani Chinonso (18) from Obeagu Agbani, Nnamani Ekene; Ani Chidera; Ogbu Chinenye; Friday Anih; Nnamani Daberechi; Nweke Frank; Nwoye Chigozie; Eze Chidera; Ede Ifeanyi; Chukwu Chukwuebuka; Ejim Monday and Nwatu Samuel, were said to be have been arrested over allegation of involvement in cultism, unlawful possession of firearms and robbery amongst others.

Items allegedly recovered from the suspects includes; two short double-barreled locally made guns, two short single barrel locally made guns, one long locally made single barrel gun,22 live car-

tridges and cartridge host.

Other suspects apprehended include; Emmanuel Udofia,Onyedikachi Maduekwe,Onyekachi Ejike and Okenwa Emmanuel.

They were allegedly arrested for conspiracy/armed robbery. Items recovered from them were; one locally made barretta pistol, one locally made revolver pistol and three rounds of .9mm ammunition.

All the suspects were arrested within Agbani Axis of Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state on September 5, 2016 and they are helping the operatives in their investigation.

Reacting to the arrests, the State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu commended the efforts of

his operatives and the partnership that exists between the state police command, the public and other sister security agencies in the state which according to him led to the arrest of suspects.

Ojukwu said that the command would continue to engage itself in the campign against crime and criminality in the state through various proactive policing programme and especially, the state police command’s programme on cultism and other vices otherwise known as POCACOV to ensure that youths are well sensitized.

He also frowned at youth involvement in cultism and other vices without knowing its negative implications and advised them to watch the kind of friends they keep.

Enugu community protests takeover of ancestral land Kenneth Ofoma ENUGU

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he people of Ngwo community, in Enugu North Local Government Area, Enugu State at the weekend staged a peaceful protest over alleged takeover of their ancestral home by the state government.

The people including youths, elderly men and women, clergies and civil society organisations marched to the contentious land, Ukwuna Iva-valley, along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, to pray and erect wooden cross at different locations in the land, where there is on-going construction of internal roads by the state government.

The protesters marched

round the land before being led in a prayer session by Rt. Rev. Vincent Onoh, the Methodist Bishop of Ihube in Imo state, while they put both arms on the ground as the prayer went on.

But the Enugu State Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Solomon Onah when contacted described the protest as “kangaroo protest”, saying that the government had several meetings with the community and agreed to give them 20 per cent of the land amounting to 39 plots.

He said that he was not know whether the matter was in court or not as the Attorney General of the state was part of the negotiations, insisting that he has all the documents relating to the deal.

L-R: Commissioner for Local Government & Community Affairs, Hon. Muslim Folami; Tutor-General/permanent Secretary, Education District VI, Mrs. Aminat Anifowose; Representative of Lagos State Governor, Iyaloja-General, Chief Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo; Sole Administrator, Ikeja LG, Hon. Biodun Taiwo and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government & Community Affairs, Mr. Jafar Sanuth during the handing over of Onilekere Street as part of the 114 Roads in Ikeja Local Government, on Saturday

Ex-presidential aide tasks INEC, security agencies on peaceful poll Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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ormer Special Adviser to ex-President Goodlcuk Jonathan on Youth and Students Affairs, Comrade Jude Imagwe on Saturday challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure the sanctity in the September 28 governorship election in Edo state through a free, fair and conclusive process.

He said the charge has become imperative given the concerns raised by various stakeholders over the possible outcome of the electoral exercise in the state.

Imagwe said the Edo state

governorship election remains a litmus test for the INEC to prove critics wrong that it is capable of conducting a free and fair election since after the 2015 general elections.

The former NANS President also appealed to youths in the state not to allow themselves to be willing tools in the hands of desperate politicians to perpetrate violence before, during and after the poll.

He said, “Since 2015, the INEC has conducted several elections that were considered inconclusive. I must state that a lot of Nigerians lost confidence in the ability of INEC and people thought that we are going back to the dark days.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Minister now Fellow of Royal College

Nigerian Army is second to none, says NUJ President

NGO decries low rate of immunisation in Zamfara

The Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole has been inducted as a Fellow of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London in the United Kingdom (UK).

The Minister, who is the past President of African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), received his Fellowship over the weekend in London.

Adewole has been a Fellow of the Academy of Science of Nigeria (FAS) since 2011 and was awarded an honorary doctorate of science from the University of Sunderland in July 2015 for his outstanding academic achievements and contributions to preventive medicine and cancer screening in the country.

The Minister, who spoke on the award, said the award was not for him alone but for entire Nigeria, his colleagues, co-workers, collaborators and his students across the world, promoting the health and well-being of women and children.

On maternal deaths in Nigeria, the new Fellow added that Nigeria is doing all she can under a new regime of change within the health services.

He said: “By records, we have not done so well with under-five mortality and maternal rate.

President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Waheed Odusile has said that residents of the North East region can now sleep with their two eyes closed as a result of the gallantry of the Nigerian military which has degraded the Boko Haram insurgents in the region.

He also lauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai for his leadership skills which has restored glory to the Nigerian army, while also commending the military for robust relationship with the media.

The NUJ President while speaking on Saturday at a parley between the COAS and the Media, said Nigerians were proud of the army for restoring pride to the nation through their gallantry.

“We are proud of our Nigerian Army, which is second to none in the world,” he said.

He particularly commended the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and particularly saluted the efforts of the Chief of Army Staff for his courageous and dedicated war against terrorism in Nigeria.

Odusile appreciated the Nigerian Army for the robust relationship with members of the fourth estate realm and lauded the Military on its operation in the North East.

He claimed that he was out in the city of Maiduguri till midnight where the beautiful serenity suggested that Boko Haram had never existed before.

The Zamfara office of Save the Children International, a non-governmental organisation, has decried the rising cases of cattle rustling and armed banditry in Zamfara State, saying the high level insecurity in the state has made it impossible for health officers to immunize children against the six killer diseases since 2013 to date.

The Advocacy and Communications Officer of the organisation, Isah Ibrahim made the disclosure during a quarterly meeting with state media network platform in Gusau. He said that the record available to National Demographic Health Survey since 2013, indicated that, less than 10 per cent of Zamfara children are fully immunised.

He argued that, poor release of counterpart funds worth N109 million by the state government for the commencement of routine immunization under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two foundations known as Dangote and BMGF also contributed to poor immunization exercise in the state.

The NGO further said that, if the funds could be released, it would help to open Zonal Vaccine Cold Office in each of the three senatorial zones of the state to ease immunization exercise across the 14 local government areas of the state.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

OPINION 11

Restructuring –The best way to go Ayo Baje

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he swelling agitation for the holistic restructuring of the country, Nigeria away from the bloated federal centre could not have come at a more auspicious time. What with the renewed clamour for the actualization of Biafra, the unceasing attacks on oil pipelines by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) the self-decimating but preventable insurgency up in the North-East geo-political axis and the insistence of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere that restructuring has indeed, become a sine qua non to our corporate existence?

As if to lend his voice to the strident call for a more meaningful democratic dividends for Nigerians, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President had this to say:”Again, we come back to the same economic challenges that are facing the country. But we also have a leadership that is not prepared to learn from the past and not prepared to lead.” Did he display a sense of candour out of sheer patriotic fervor not minding whose ox was gored.?Was it out of sheer patriotism, or as an ambit to angle for the plum political post, come 2019?Time will tell. But for now the signal given is that surely, something must be wrong somewhere with the polity skewed in favour of the leaders, as against that of the masses.

That triggered the troubling questions: Who really is afraid of political restructuring? What are their arguments, and do such run in tandem with the wishes align with that of majority of long-suffering Nigerians? Are those in opposition aware of the immense benefits of restructuring, especially at this time and age of economic recession? Are they equating restructuring with the balkaniza-

tion of the country? Is this how government is run in the United States where we copied the presidential system of government from?

Do their state governors go cap-in-hand every month-end to ask for crumbs from the master’s table, and if not well spent or inadequate, still go back to ask for some bail-out funds? Even the suggestion by the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal that states should be given more allocation instead of restructuring runs away from the main issue.

Nigerians do not need any rocket science to realize that the current dysfunctional political structure that vests unduly enormous economic powers at the federal centre can no longer be sustained. The handwriting is clearly on the wall. The way to go, is to devolve such powers to the federating units.

Whether such a geo-political re-arrangement would go back to the former 12 states as it was under the military dictatorship, or the current much-touted six geo-political configuration is for our political eggheads at the National Assembly to evolve.

Anyone still fixated on the 13 per cent derivation to the mineral producing states must be living in a fool’s paradise. There are no state in Nigeria without any of the so far identified 44 solid minerals deposits. Japan has had no crude oil to fast track its phenomenal, fast-paced economy. How did it do it?

Its crop of determined leaders decided to rise, like the famed phoenix bird from the hot ashes of the Second World War, by sheer creative ingenuity and the passion to excel against all odds. We can achieve a similar feat, or even much more.

For instance, when the former three Regions of the North, East and West held sway during the First Republic, Nigeria and in-

deed Nigerians lived a far higher quality of life than we currently do. In the absence of the greed-driven and corruption- infested oil industry the poverty rate was 16 per cent.

Now it is 75 per cent. Agriculture accounted for 68 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, GDP and some 80 per cent of our export earnings. Each region developed at its own pace with a healthy competition to make its desired impact on the people. Back then the North was proud of the pyramids of groundnut, cotton and hides and skin .It controlled 50 per cent of its resources without resorting to external borrowings.

Similarly, the then Western Region under the sage, Chief ObafemiAwolowo (of blessed memory)used its cocoa resources to fund free education, in tandem with the 26 per cent as recommended by UNESCO. It was able to build the first television station even ahead of France, construct durable roads as well as the first ultra-modern Liberty Stadium at Ibadan.

Its economy outstripped that of Spain. Also, the South-East with Michael Okpara at the helm of affairs achieved the feat of the fastest growing economy of all the Commonwealth nations with the judicious use of resources from palm oil, rubber and other agricultural products, all in the absence of processing before export.

It is curious, if not laughable therefore, that the likes of Junaid Muhammed and Tilly Gyado are still vehemently opposed to the more forward-looking and faster development- oriented Resource Control. While Muhammed highlights poor leadership and the attendant mass youth unemployment as the bane of political leadership in Nigeria, Gyado said that the Southern part of the country was “pushing for too much”. He indeed, rubbed salt on a festering injury by saying that the

“northerners would not give them the approval.” What an insult!

If indeed, there is no equity and fairness in the country over 100 years after the Amalgamation, then how do we forge a nation state? But good enough, Chief Ayo Adebanjo gave a conscience-pricking response. He reminded those opposed to resource control that during the era of the groundnut pyramid, the North was getting 50 per cent as derivation and remitting a paltry per cent and the South did not raise any eyebrow.

For instance, at that time Nigeria was the leading producer and exporter of palm oil to the tune of 160,000 tons per annum . While as at 2013 the same Indonesia produced a staggering 27 million metric tons and earned a whopping revenue of $12 billion Nigeria was still grappling with an annual production of a meager 900,000 tons! Imagine what would have happened if the South East was allowed to develop at its own pace.

If we sincerely desire a faster developed economy and a brighter future for generations yet unborn, our leaders must adopt Resource Control for the federating units.

Else, we continue to deceive ourselves and wobble on the tattered platform of pseudodemocratic structure.

Let these words of admonition by Prof.

Kolawole Ogundowole be food for thought for our political leaders: “Empires are built, but nations evolve through natural sociohistorical processes, causes. Whenever and wherever a country is put together by fiat through wars, negotiated settlement, international agreements and deals, such are not nations. They are amalgam countries.”

Baje wrote from Abuja

Agriculture as joker to end biting recession Idowu Samuel

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y a recent projection, Nigeria’s population by year 2025 would have massed up to about 500 million. That would be nothing less than a certificate of disaster for a nation that depends squarely on importation of food items to feed its people.

Over the years, Nigeria has been lethargic on efforts and initiatives towards meeting its food demands locally. On the strength of its petrol-dollars, it felt so comfortable to importing just about anything including tooth pick which it could produce in huge proportions locally. Nigeria acted carelessly and most unwisely by neglecting agriculture which some 40 years ago, was the main stay of its economy!

Today, the huge wastes, mismanagement and inability to plan over the past years have worked in concert to enthrone the regime of economic recession. It is time for agriculture to be promoted as a means of succour and a major avenue for bail out. The flag of agriculture is simply an immediate joker for ending recession.

In the pre and post independent Nigeria, agriculture offered employment opportunities to more than 70 percent of the populace.

Specialisation by comparative advantage made the Eastern, Western and the Northern regions of the country to earn foreign exchange from rubber plantations, cocoa and ground nuts respectively. Such enhanced competitiveness among the regions on economic development. Succinctly, the resources from agriculture came handy for oil exploration and the subsequent emergence of Nige-

ria as an oil producing nation.

For Nigeria, the sudden oil boom that came its way only produced a modicum of blessing and a short span era of bliss. Oil resources changed the psyche of leaders and the led.

For years, the national economy became monolithic, anchored solely on oil and leaving leader after leaders to evolve the instincts for plundering and squandering of national resources and wealth.

The government of President Muhammadu Buhari which is barely two years in office is making frantic efforts to re-invent the structure of the national economy. The need to pull Nigeria quickly away from the brink of economic collapse where it was left by successive past regimes, explains the emphasis by the government on diversification.

Agriculture, from available plans, is the pillar on which the will to reinvent the economy is now resting.

Weeks ago, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) endorsed an agric master plan developed by the Ministry of Agriculture towards causing an instant revolution in food production in Nigeria. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is an integral part of the agenda. According to available reports, agriculture within the next two years will begin to generate foreign exchange for Nigeria with exports of rice, cassava, wheat, fruits, vegetables and other items already being produced on mechanised levels across the country. On this, the evidence is not farfetched as the cultivation of rice for exports has reached advanced stage in some states of the federation.

Recently, the CBN Governor, Godwin Eme-

fiele assured Nigerians of government’s preparedness to ramp up rice production for export. According to him, the emphasis on rice production alone under the government of President Buhari has generated about 500,000 employment opportunities in some states.

He also affirmed that the CBN had registered at least 70,871 farmers in Kebbi for an Anchor Borrowers Programme. Those registered, he added, had begun the cultivation of farmlands for the large scale production of rice and wheat. Already, farmers have been equipped with 500 threshers for harvest in 12 rice-producing states of Ebonyi, Enugu, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Kogi, Benue and Taraba.

Nigerians are to expect more on the strength of a strong partnership between Lagos and Kebbi states to grow and market rice. Lagos and Kebbi states in March this year, signed a memorandum of understanding on large scale rice production, deploying adequate resources for the laudable venture. The goal of Lagos-Kebbi partnership on food production, according to the Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudi, was to first “produce 60 to 70 per cent of Nigeria’s rice needs, and replicate same in other food items.” With the mileage covered so far, stakeholders are already assuring that the price of rice locally will crash before the end of the year. There are reports that rice is to be sold for less than N10,000 in some northern states. Plateau state recently announced resolve to locate itself in the map of states primed to grow rice for export.

More cheering is a report on efforts by the Federal Government to create additional jobs for over 758,500 youth across the country un-

der the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) to boost agricultural productivity. The three-year programme, according to the National programme Coordinator, Mrs Karima Babangida is drawing support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Babangida said under the YEAP initiative, some 740,000 jobs would be ‘market-oriented’ for agricultural producers. From the lot, 18,500 jobs, she said, would be reserved for university graduates across the nation.

Under the market-oriented, 20,000 youths would be selected from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), she added. Nigerian youths are gaining more as the Ministry of Agriculture some weeks ago launched the First Farmer’s Graduate Scheme at Kampe in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Also, the Road Map on agriculture by the Federal Government anchored on, “The Green Alternative” is a good narrative on how it intends to position agriculture to take Nigeria to a new realm of economic boom with mass participation by Nigerians. The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh said the Green Alternative is designed to put the private sector in the saddle to create linkages with small and large scale farmers while availing them of better organization methods, technological access, financial services, and linkages to input supply chains and markets, among others.

Idowu Samuel, a journalist and public analyst, writes from Abuja and could be reached via 08038039494

12

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sunday Mail

@

EMAIL

thesundayletters@gmail. com and sundayletters@ newtelegraphonline.com

A brief message to President Buhari Dear Editor, Mr. President, it is gratifying that you’re fine tuning the national orientation.

Nigerians in the Diaspora monitor closely, and with keen interest your efforts at detaching Nigeria from the ugly past. As a concerned citizen, and an incurable optimist of a great Nigeria, I want to admonish you that, Change is not easy. Change is recalcitrant and nauseating but endurance for sustainable development brings equitable and a just society.

You need to sustain the selling of your programme to the Nigerian people. You should as a matter of urgency route for vibrant, smart and well-informed individuals to sell your vision in a very clear and explicit language to the ordinary man in Kuge; to the market woman in Ibadan and the rural and urban people in Okrika. The envisioned individuals can discern the difficult but necessary road you take now. We have collectively vowed to make your predecessor’s administration our last collective journey to the ugly past. Meanwhile, an hungry man is an angry man. No matter how laudable your economic programmes and policies might be, the ordinary people on the streets are not going to buy them.

The plebeians need to be psychologically assisted by cushion the harrowing effects of your austerity measures on them. They also need to be conscientised and reassured that it’s going to be better in a short possible time. Do not play into the noxious hands of your adversaries. Some people are completely uninformed about your well-intentioned destination for Nigeria. This is a difficult time, and a defining moment in our nation’s history.

We appreciate your unrepentant body language to dealing with the corrupt people in Nigeria. But you need to sell your products (administration’s policies) to the people. At this time, your war on corruption should have a human face to alleviate the suffering of the innocent people in Nigeria. Those who have stolen our money should feel more of the pain of this historic and unconventional war on their corrupt practices.

Your plans encompass discipline, incorruptible stance, and it is unprecedented in the anal history of Nigeria. The first time Nigeria will have a genuine leadership with purpose-driven agenda of a better Nigeria.

Yahaya Balogun,

MAIL BAG

* Letters to the Editor

The Sunday Telegraph

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08037613380 Normal message fees apply

God forbid I end up as a teacher?

Dear Editor,

Let me make it public that studying education is a double honour. It is nothing but an advantage. A graduate of Chemistry Education can do most of the things, if not all the things that a graduate of Chemistry can do. But, a graduate of Chemistry is not a teacher and must take a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) to become a teacher. Again, those days in Lagos State University, LASU, when the English major students would refer to the Education students as second-class students, I can remember I stood up in one class and asked them (the English major students): What job awaits a graduate of English?

Of course, they were quick to mention the many things they could do but the truth is there As motorists pave way for a physically challenged woman to pass the Costain expressway in Lagos…yesterday. is no specific work that awaits them. A graduate of English

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI Education, Chemistry Education, Biology Education and Danger of mono now worn. Please give us the to serve and write ones name other educational courses is a John Mark, CHANGE your party promised. in gold. For the citizenry, we economy qualified and certified teacher.

Mass Communications Nothing less, nothing more. should move away from fixaAnd so the next big question: Dear Editor, Student, tion on white collar jobs to other Why should anyone want Ugochukwu Amasike, to be a teacher? Now, permit Benue State University, activities such as agriculture or The danger inherent in lawyer, Lagos State me to argue subjectively Makurdi, Benue State learning skills for self employrelying on a single product as ment. We should do away here. Teaching is the first job foreign exchange earner is now with the mindset of dishonest APC, fix the mess that will never cease to be in Will Africans be ever quite apparent as Nigeria and practices. Let us cut our coat acdemand. Decrease in juvenile free? many of the world’s oil rich Dear Editor, cording to our cloth. We need to delinquency, crime rates and countries are facing recession. curb our appetite for imported Dear Editor, other things might play down Countries like Venezuela, NiRecently, the President’s things. Rice from Thailand is the role of lawyers in any geria, Algeria, Ecuador, Russia, not the be all and end all when media aide, Mr Garba Shehu I wonder if Africans and essociety. You can say this of Iraq, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan advised angry Nigerians and it comes to proper feeding. The pecially Nigerians can ever free many other disciplines. But of and Libya are caught up in a sundry wailing wailers to country is blessed with alternathemselves from their colonial course, a society that stops the whirling vortex of recession in channel their grievances to tive sources of food. master’s apron strings. Why services of teachers is on the varying degrees. As it is, the the “right quarters,” i.e: the do we still run to these former ruin. Again, there is no professituation is apparently worse Nathaniel Iyanda erstwhile (GEJ) administramasters asking them to intersion as dignifying on earth as in Nigeria, Venezuela and war tion.

It is humbly submitted Ibafo. vene in our local or national afbeing a teacher. ravaged Libya and Iraq. What that if we are to do as advised, fairs? Are we still so immature Guess the fulfilment of any is the way forward for Nigeria? and keep blaming the GEJ Security challenges in that we cannot settle our own of those who taught Governor There has been a plethora of administration for the problems misunderstanding ourselves?

Kaduna State Akinwunmi Ambode. He suggestions and opinions from it created and bequeathed to Recently the Deputy Senate doesn’t need to give them a experts in economy/finance and us, maybe we should consider Dear Editor, President, Ike Ekweremadu kobo; it’s just fulfilling sitting the ordinary Nigerians. In all, bringing it back to clean up the wrote a petition to the United in the corner of your room and there is the need for synergy of mess. The GEJ administration The level of insecurity in KaNations, European Union, saying to yourself I taught that efforts between those in govern- duna State is beginning to go was rejected at the polls because United States and other foreign number one citizen of Lagos ment and the governed, includ- from bad to worse. The people of its failings, and we elected the missions over an alleged witchState. Let’s get religious now. ing the opposition. That is not APC in acknowledgement of of Kaduna State no longer sleep hunt of opposition leaders by I don’t know what Christianthe prevailing situation as of the mess the PAST administrawell as insecurity has become the Federal Government. ity says on this. But in Islam, now. Both sides of the divide tion got us into.

APC should a very disturbing issue. The Sometime ago some Ekiti there is only one job you will are expending too much effort concentrate on how to get out of State legislators did something Commissioner of Police, Kaducontinue to be blessed for even in recriminations and name the mess, not but sing daily to na State should deploy his men similar. What type of “people” when you are dead: Teachcalling. us about it. to every corner in the state. All are these, representing us? ing. Every time people use It should be clear to all Nigeri- the security personnel should This APC-led administraWhat type of “leaders” do we the knowledge they gained ans that the issue on the ground be involved to tackle these tion promised #Change at the have? Are there no courts in from you positively, it gets to transcends political affiliation moment, the change we are current security challenges Nigeria? Why can’t Ekweryou as a blessing in heaven. I or patronage. On its part, the seeing is not very sweet. The of cultism, robbery, kidnapemadu go ahead and prove his shouldn’t forget to add this. government should provide quality of personnel at the helm ping and the one-chance boys. innocence, instead of resorting enabling environment which of affairs, (with the exception From Abuja junction to Kakau to shenanigan? I hope all those Bamgbose Ganiu. will turn the country from a of a few), does not inspire a lot through Kaduna Toll Gate, petitioned threw the petitions into consuming to a productive of confidence. The lack of an from Command Junction to the dustbin which is where they YOU HAVE A RIGHT nation. Electricity and road net- Sabon Tasha, from Sabon Tasha articulate communication of deserve to be. All these petitioners, TO BE HEARD! SEND work require urgent attention. the government’s economic through Refinery to Maraban our so called “leaders” owe all This is the time to assemble YOUR LETTERS AND plans (if it exists), and the Rido, from Romi Junction to Nigerians an apology for ridicultechnocrats in different fields assault on social cohesion by the ing the country. Pretty soon we Trikaniya bye pass, from Kawo PHOTOGRAPHS TO to move the country forward. polarising nature of presidential shall be petitioning these foreign through Zaria Road, these boys THESUNDAYLETTERS@ Cost of governance should be appointments has left this and station themselves strategically missions to settle our family GMAIL.COM. LETTERS curtailed both at the federal and many Pro-Buhari Nigerians to rob innocent people of their and domestic disputes. Giant of SHOULD NOT BE MORE states levels. Simplicity should disillusioned. belongings. For Kaduna State Africa indeed. be the watchword. Elective and THAN 200 WORDS AND Dear Mr Garba Shehu, you to be peaceful again, the state appointed posts should not be government and all the security are most humbly advised to stop MUST HAVE THE NAME Bode Falomo, viewed as avenue for financial making a song and a dance of agencies need to work tirelessly Oke-Ado, AND ADDRESS OF THE enrichment but opportunity to tackle the security challenges. the Jonathan era. That song is Ibadan, Oyo State SENDER

13

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

news

Police arrest man for raping teenage daughter

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he Police in Lagos State, have arrested a man, who claimed to be a trader, for allegedly raping his 15-year-old daughter and administering drugs on her to prevent pregnancy.

The spokesperson of the state Police Command, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.

Badmos said that the Gender Unit of the command was investigating the suspect, Uchena Elumadu for a case of defilement.

She said that a neighbour, who resides at Martins Street, new Oko Oba, Agege Lagos, reported the case to the police.

She said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had on different occasions, raped the JSS 3 student who is his daughter.

The police image maker said that Elumadu usually administer drugs to prevent his victim from getting pregnant after having intercourse with her.

“The victim said that her father, on countless occasions wakes her up in the

middle of the night to rape her, mostly when her mother is on night duty.

“The mother is a casual worker in one of the outfits attached to airport.

“On the night of September 19, the mother discovered the suspect having intercourse with the victim and raised the alarm and one of their neighbours reported the case to the police,” Badmos said.

She said the victim had been admitted at the Police Cottage Hospital, Ikeja Police College, where she is receiving treatment in partnership with Mirabel Centre LASUTH. The spokesperson said that medical examination was being carried out on the victim.

Badmos said the Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni, had directed that the father, who admitted raping his daughter on three occasions be charged to court.

“The commissioner has vowed that the command will no longer tolerate cases relating to domestic and sexual abuse in the state,” she said.

Community boils, wants monarch sacked over alleged fraud Steve Uzoechi

T OWERRI

he people of IsialaAmaifeke Autonomous Community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State have petitioned the state governor, Rochas Okorocha, over alleged acts of impunity and corrupt practices against their traditional ruler, Eze Okey Ihemegwo, urging the governor to suspend the monarch in the interest of peace and stability.

The people of the community, who marched in protest to the office of the governor’s Special Adviser on Peace and Conflict Resolution in Owerri, carried placards of different inscriptions: “Our Eze is milking us to death”, “Our Eze is a

disgrace to the royal institution, he fights in the streets”, “Eze Ihemegwo rules by thugs and violence”, among others.

In a letter signed by Chief Smart C.O Uzoegbedike, Nze Ubochi Innocent of Daranguma and Umuegeregwu villages and three other village chiefs, the people expressed sadness that the creation of Isiala Amaifeke Community which was aimed at enhancing development at the grassroots and fostering peace and mutual co-existence among the citizenry have now become a source of to the people of the community.

According to the letter, the community created a development fund in which any non-indigene that buys land in the community should pay the sum of N200,000.00

to the community.

“Till date, nobody knows exactly what has become of the huge fund in that account except that the Eze and his collaborators are sharing and using the fund for themselves.

“The Eze refused to open a bank account for the Council of Chiefs but instead made his brother his treasurer.

“Of recent, there was the sum of N2million realised from Afor Ogidi Markets, through the sales of stalls, our Eze is holding it for no reason and when asked to bring it out he takes offence,” the petition stated.

Urging Governor Okorocha to sanction the monarch, the community alleged that the traditional ruler has the penchant of always threatening to deal

with any member of the community who opposes his views or questions his activities.

Reacting, the traditional ruler, Eze Ihemegwo, denied the allegations saying that the demonstrating people did not come from his community and that he would not bother himself about what they were saying.

The monarch insisted that the people complaining about him were listening to gossips and unfounded rumours and that the protesting youths were hired to demonstrate against his rulership in the community.

On the issue of financial high-handedness, he explained that he had since set up a committee to track the said money and pay it back into the coffers of the town union.

Lagos demolishes 200 shanties Muritala Ayinla

N

o fewer than 200 shanties were yesterday demolished as the Lagos State government kicked-off the much awaited Clean Up of Ikoyi and Victoria Island and Lekki areas of the state.

Sunday Telegraph gathered that exercise which commenced simultaneously as early as 7:30am was led by the Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force on Environment and Special Offence Unit and other agencies, Yinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police.

Some rubble of the cleared illegal structures and shanties were carted away by trucks of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority.

The team also cleared the Waterfront at Ozumba Mbadiwe of automobile technicians and food courts that have taken over the space.

Other areas cleared in the all-day long operation include

Awolowo Road, Falomo and Bourdillon where disused tyres and horticulturists were removed and taken away.

Some of the areas, according to the source, will be gardens as officials of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens were also on ground to secure the spaces that have been cleared.

At Water Corporation Drive, which is also a major infraction point, the road setback which had been converted into brothels and bars and car wash were removed.

The team also cleared Ahmadu Bello Way and the liason offices that had been converted to makeshift homes and canteens.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Tunji Bello who also visited Ahmadu Bello Way, Ligali Ayorinde and Ozumba Mbadiwe Waterfront to see the extent of the clean up advised residents and property owners with illegal structures to dismantle them before the team comes calling.

L-R: President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Bishop Felix Omobude; Mr. Peter Obi and the CAN Zonal Chairman, Archbishop David Eberechukwu, during the International Clergy and Church Workers summit 2016 at the Overcomers Bible Ministry, Umunze on Friday.

How I told Obi his ‘sins’ to his face –Archbishop

F

ormer governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has been described as one man who once occupied the top position in the state but has remained an example for other leaders to emulate. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Zonal Chairman, Archbish-

Gombe marks 20 years, to immortalise Abacha Willie Danjuma Gombe

T

he Gombe State government is planning to immortalize former Head of State, General Sani Abacha as part of activities to mark the creation of the state on October 1, 1996 by the late General.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Hon. Charles

Iliya, who is the chairman of the committee for 20th anniversary celebration, stated this after the inauguration of the committee

by Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo.

According to him, the celebration will also provide the platform to honour distinguished sons and daughters of the state, organisations and institutions that played

invaluable roles towards the state’s creation and contributed to its development.

He explained that the celebration was intended to showcase the investment potential of the state so as to attract both foreign and local investors for possible investment in the abundant agricultural and mineral deposits across the state.

op David Eberechukwu said this on Friday during the International Clergy and Church Workers’ Summit 2016 at the Overcomers Bible Ministry in Umunze.

Recounting the meeting between Obi and Pentecostal bishops in Anambra State, His Grace, Archbishop Eberechukwu narrated how he told Obi to his face that he was not fair to the Pentecostal fellowship as he was to Catholics and Anglicans in the state, especially in terms of personal relationship and collaboration with the churches for the progress of the state.

The Archbishop said that to the greatest surprise of all the bishops, Obi acknowledged the truth of what he said and thanked him for that.

Continuing, he said, that Obi, who promised to make

amends, took the opportunity to call on the people to tell those in authority when they did wrong, while remarking that the reason was that the bishops were not very organised.

“Since that day, he started treating us like others to the point of extending the donation of ambulances and other things to us,” Archbishop Eberechukwu added.

Speaking at the event, Obi, who presented a cheque to them to help them equip their school, confirmed what the Archbishop said and argued that one of the qualities of human beings, including leaders was to acknowledge their mistakes and make amends.

He urged the Bishops to continue telling those in power the truth for them to serve the people better.

Commenting on the prob-

lems facing governance in Nigeria, Obi called for the reduction in the cost of governance at all levels. “Those in authority run into trouble by spending money on frivolities that do not add to the progress of our society,” Obi said.

CHANGE OF NAME UDEH

I, formerly Ruphina Okwuoma Okeke, now want to be known and addressed as, Mrs. Ruphina Okwuoma Udeh. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note

CHANGE OF NAME ONUNKWO

I, formerly known and addressed as Roseline Onunkwo, now wish to be known as Roseline Onwuzulike. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

14

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 25, 2016

Science

08035624538

Further Mathematics X-Ray

Further Mathematics has been the most dreadful subject in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria and even beyond. Its indispensability as one of the pre-requisites to study Engineering Courses -Chemical, Petroleum & Gas, Electrical & Electronics, Mechanical-and other related professions in higher Institutions of learning, has however jeopardised the chance of many students. In order to bridge this gap, demystify the subject and make the dream of the prospective students come true especially now the subject will be written in the on-going WASSC Examination on Tuesday September 27, Science Writer, STANLEY CHIBUIHEM AMALAHA, provides detailed solutions to some indispensable topics for students to excel

SAQ. 1 Eight football clubs are to play in a league on home and away basis. How many matches are possible?

Ques. 2 The probability that a boy does his addition correctly is ¾ and the probability that he does his subtraction correctly is 2/5. Find the probability that he evaluates 160+26-30 wrongly.

Solution For the boy to evaluate 160+26-30 wrongly, there are Three mutually exclusive events namely: Pr(160+26 correct AND 26-30 wrong) OR Pr(160+26 wrong AND 26-30 correct) OR Pr(160+26 wrong AND 26-30 wrong) Since Pr (Addition correct, is given as 3/4; then Pr Addition wrong = 1-3/4 =1/4); Similarly Pr (Subtraction correct, is given as 2/5; then Pr subtraction wrong = 1-2/5 =3/5); therefore Pr (160+26-30 wrongly) as shown mathematically above becomes: (3/4 x 1/4) + (1/4 x 2/5) + (1/4 x 3/5) = 7/10 Ans. Note: it should be noted that in Pr calculations, the word ‘OR’, means ‘Addition’; while the word ‘AND’ means ‘Multiplication’.

Ques. 3 What is the number of permutations of all the letters of the word MISSISSIPPI? Solution The world ‘MISSISSIPPI’, has 11 letters The letter ‘S’ appears 4 times; likewise the letter ‘I’. while the letter ‘P’, appears 2 times. Therefore no of permeations of ‘MISSISSIPPI’ = 11! = 11x10x9x8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1 (4!) (4!) (2!)

(4x3x2x1) x (4x3x2x1) x (2x1) = 34,650 Answer Ques. 4 Find the equation of the straight line passing through the point (3, 4) and perpendicular to the straight line 4x – 3y = 10 Solution Passing through (3, 4) perpendicular to 4x – 3y = 10 3y = 4x-10 y = 4/3x – 10/3 M1 = 4/3 M1 M2 = 1 (perpendicular lines) 4/3 x M2 = –1 M2 = –3/4 through (3, 4) Using

y – y1 = M (x – x1)

y – 4 = –3/4 (x – 3) 4y – 16 = –3x + 9 4y + 3x = 25 Answer Ques. 5 If Z divides the line AB in the ratio 5:4 and the coordinates of A and B are (7, 4) and (5, 9) respectively, find the coordinates of Z Using

R p m n Q x = (mx2 + nx1) / (m+n); y = ( my2 + ny1) / (m+n)

R

A

(7,4) 5 4

X = 53 ; 9 Ques. 6

(5x9) + (4x4) (5+4)

y = 61 Answer 9

d.

x

y

67

50

78

y = –ax + 5 ; y = 2x + 3 4 4 m1 = –a ; m2 = 2 4 m1 m2 = –1 –a x 2 = –1 4 a=2 Answer Ques. 7

Solution m1 m2 = –1 ax + 4y – 5 =0 ;

m= gradient 4x-2y+6=0

find the equation of the line perpendicular to 3x – 2y = 3 and passing through the point (3, -7).

Solution 3x – 2y = 3 2y = 3x – 3 y=3x –3 2 2 m1 = 3/2 m1 m2 = –1 3/2 X m2 = –1 m2 = – 2 3 Passing through (3, -7) Using (y – y)=m(x-x1) y+7=– 2 (x-3) 3 3y+21 = -2x + 6 2x+3y+15 = 0 Answer Ques. 8 The equation of the line of best fit for variables x and y is y – 19.33 + 0.42x, where x is the independent variable.

Estimate the value of y when x = 15.

Solution y = 19.33 + 0.42x x = 15 y = 19.33 + 0.42x15

y = 25.63 Answer

Ques. 9 a.

Define the term Correlation b.

State any two types of correlation coefficients. c.

Explain the meaning of correlation coefficients “r” .when i. r=-1 ; ii. r=0 ; iii. r=+1 d.

The following are two sets of scores of 10 students in Mathematics and Physics examinations.

Math 67 78 55 50

83 64 67 74 61 71

Phys

87 62 38 58 54 76

50 69 53 46

(Compute any correlation coefficient you know using the above data (correct to two decimal places)

B (5,9)

X = (5x4) + (4x7) ; y =

(5+4)

If the line ax + 4y – 5 = 0 is perpendicular to the line 4x – 2y + 6 = 0. Find the value of a.

Solution a.

Correlation is a measure of degree of association between two variables say: x and y. b. (i) product moment correlation coefficient (ii) Rank correlation coefficient c. (i) r = -1. Signifies that x and y are highly negatively correlated (ii) r = 0, x and y are not correlated. (iii) r = +1, x and y are highly positively correlated.

Rx

Ry

D

D2

5

8

-3

9

69

2

3

-1

1

55

53

8

7

1

1

50

46

9

9

0

0

83

87

1

1

0

0

64

62

6

4

2

4

47

38

10

10

0

0

74

58

3

5

-2

4

61

54

7

6

1

1

71

76

4

2

2

4

24 N = 10 rk = 1 – 6ED2

N(N2 –1) = 1 – 6 X 24 10(102 –1) = 1 – 144

990 = 0.85 answer

I

GITHN celebrates World Tourism Day

n order to sensitize/Tourism to the populace and harvest its importance, Global Institute of Tourism and Hospitality of Nigeria (GITHN), a hospitality institution aimed at bridging the gap between tourism and humanity, with its head office in Ikeja, is joining the entire world to celebrate World Tourism Day come Tuesday September27 2016.

World Tourism Day, is a day set aside for the celebration of tourism and cultural activities world wide for proper enlightenment and integration of culture to the populace.

According to Dr. John A Oyetade, President, Global Institute of Tourism and Hospitality of Nigeria , “World Tourism Day, is celebrated every 27th September annually. This year’s tourism day is titled : “Tourism for all: promoting universal accessibility” , will create atmosphere of peace and tolerance and ensure easy movement of people world wide. Global Institute of Tourism and Hospitality of Nigeria is concerned more with professionalization of the Tourism and Hospitality industry. It trains, educates and practically produce qualitative empowerment of the citizenry through its Educational and training programmes. GTHN is also concerned with training & retraining, research, career planning & development, education, publishing, including information & documentation, entrepreneurship development, economic empowerment, social and cultural integration.

In another highlight, Mr. Mustapha A. Okunnu, Vice President, Global Institute of Tourism and Hospitality of Nigeria, commented . In Nigeria, Tourism is yet to be seen for what it. The tourism sector is a sector with a vast potential, it is a source of major income for many countries. As a worldwide export category, it is ranked third behind fuel and chemicals. In recent years, global tourism has been affected by a number of variables which include health issues, tourism, economic meltdown and political instability mostly a feature of developing nations. Nigeria as a country has equally had her own share of these issues with insurgency topping the list amidst the reported economic recession in the country.

15

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

SUNDAY

Body Soul S U N D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 6

I’m going hubby-shopping (7) 20 Haute Ankara styles 18,39 I grew up in the ghetto –Sugarboy 42

I’d have been a nun – Chief (Mrs.) Oyenike Davies-Okundaye

16

Body&Soul

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Here Beyond

StyleSta ker

Tosyn Bucknor ​​Fun, talented OAP

Music meets fashion Biwom Iklaki

M

eet the ladies of music who also keep representing on the fashion scene. In fact, some of them a tally drive most of the fashion trends from their daily lives all the way into their stage performances.

Rihanna, Beyonce, Yemi Alade etc are role models on many levels. They inspire young ladies in their music, fashion and way of life.

Here are some of the looks of the music queens on the red

Stephen Eunice

O

ur style guest for this week is one of Nigeria’s inspiring women, Oluwatosin Abison Bucknor, popularly known as Tosyn Bucknor.

She is a multitalented person, an actress, TV/radio presenter, singer and a writer.

This stylish lady is the only female radio presenter in Nigeria who handles a morning show by herself.

Tosyn is endowed with a beautiful voice which captures everyone listening to her show on Top radio 90.9, where she conducts ‘Top of the morning’ show.

The stylish lady knows how to combine colours and knows what to wear to what function. As a testament to her talent and style, she has won Exquisite Lady of

the Year Award, The Future Award and many others.

This slender lady is a fashion junkie, who can go girly or tomboy.

She makes the beautiful hair you see on her to all her awards and any other functions. She looks good in both African and western attires.

A fun fact about this intriguing lady is that she was born in a taxi when her mum was on her way to a friend’s place.

She is not just an OAP but also a vlogger and blogger.

The University of Lagos law graduate has written scripts for shows like Amstel Malta Box-office and The Apprentice Africa and has also worked with artistes such as Skales, Rooftop MCs and Eva. She has under her belt a few collaborations with producers like Coldflames and Cobhams.

17

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Body&Soul

I’d have been a nun –Chief (Mrs.) Oyenike Davies-Okundaye Tell us about your growing up.

I was born in Ogidi-Ijumu in Kogi State on the 23rd of May 1951. I come from a family of craftsmen. My mother died when I was six and my grandmother died a year after when I was seven. Then I fell into the hands of my great grandmother, late madam Ibikunle. She was very good in making ‘Adire’ and was known as Iyalaro; the leader of ‘Adire’ makers. People came from different areas to buy clothes from her. I watched my great grandmother doing this ‘Adire,’ a traditional Yoruba hand-painted cloth design and I developed interest and finally she passed the knowledge to me. I later went to Oshobgo to meet my aunt.

While I was there, I met a white woman; Susan Wenger and she encouraged me in my ‘Adire’ business. Then I developed other methods and I later started doing embroidery; it was amazing! My life as an artist is something that I was born with. I started weaving at the age of six.

I started with weaving different things and later graduated to weaving, dyeing, painting and embroidery.

Tell us about your educational background.

I have no serious formal western education because of lack of funds and owing to the fact that my mother and grandmother died almost at the same time. My father, late Nicolas Ojo Allah, who was a village traditional drummer and basket weaver could not help me much to acquire higher western education, so I stopped schooling at primary six school level and I went ahead and taught myself English at home.

How did your art gallery come about?

I started my gallery in my bedroom in Oshogbo in 1968. After developing various methods of ‘Adire’ in 1974, I was chosen amongst other artists to go to the United States to showcase my works and while I was there I also learnt how to make quilt which is called duvet here in Nigeria. I felt there were so many girls roaming the street, so I brought these girls and taught them how to make ‘Adire and from then, I opened up a workshop and then the gallery sprung up. These girls are being trained at Oshogbo and they sell their works in the gallery and make a living. So far, we have trained over 10,000 girls. Different schools go to Oshogbo to learn for free and I give them free accommodations. The centre also admits undergraduate students from different universities in Nigeria for their industrial training programmes in textile design.

Now, it also admits students for Europe, Canada and the USA. How has the reception been like?

I must say that the reception so far has been very encouraging. People are now interested in buying artworks. Initially only the whites were interested in the art but these days, young boys and girls in Nigeria are developing so much interest in art and it’s very encouraging.

Who are your target audience?

I reach out to all Nigerians, Africans, expatriates who are based in the country and even tourists. Art has no class or race; art is for everyone.

You manage such a big art gallery, what are your challenges?

The problem today is the recession

Chief (Mrs.) Oyenike Davies-Okundaye popularly known as ‘Mama Nike’ is a world acclaimed artist and textile designer. She is the face behind the huge success of Nike Art Gallery. Her works are exhibited and celebrated in major capitals of the world. Two former presidents of the USA, Bill Clinton and George Bush were so impressed with her works at various times that they sought audience with her during their visits to Nigeria. Despite not having a formal education, Nike has lectured in some top world universities. In this interview with VANESSA OKWARA and JUDITH ONYEBUCHI, the Harvard lecturer talks about her career and her passion to serve humanity. in our economy; there is no money. The economy is more or less strangulated and it prevents art enthusiasts from buying art works. Another challenge is convincing the younger generation to show more interest in arts. A lot of people see art as a mere decorative tool but there is more to art. Apart from beautifying the immediate environment, one can invest in art because art appreciates and never depreciates. It also has therapeutic value but people don’t seem to realise that.

What do you think the government should do to help improve the art industry?

Government should show more interest in art. They are not showing enough interest, it’s not in their priority list. Oil and gas is number one to them, they fail to realise that tourism is another sector where we can earn foreign currency exchange.

I think it should be made necessary that after erecting a governmental building, it should be embellished with art work; either in form of sculpture or painti n g .

This will

help increase the interest in the art.

What’s your religious life like?

I’m a Christian; a practising Catholic and my Christianity does not undermine other religions. I believe in freedom of worship.

What are your major achievements?

When President Bill Clinton of the US visited Nigeria, he asked to meet the woman behind the Nike Gallery and I was taken to Abuja to meet with him. It was the same thing with President George Bush.

I was invited to meet him in Abuja during his visit to Nigeria. I was the one that decorated the room where the president stayed during the visit. What honour can be greater than this? I feel accomplished.

Also, I have lectured and held workshops in several notable institutions across the world. Some of the universities include Harvard, Columbus, Edmonton, Ohio and in Los Angeles among others. My first experience with teaching was in 1974. At that time, I taught people with doctoral degrees. The type of education I had at that time was the education that is passed from parents to their children and not the education you get in a classroom. It was the practical type of education. Also in 2000, I was invited by the Italian government to train young Nigerian sex workers on how to use their hands to engage in creative ventures. In 2006, I was awarded one of the highest national awards of merit by the Italian government in appreciation for my works in using art to address and solve the problems of Nigerian sex workers in Italy.

What would you have been if not a professional artist?

I would have loved to be a Reverend Sister, I love their uniform and the way they dedicate their lives towards doing good. I was born a philanthropist, to give and not to take; I would have preferred to serve humanity as a Catholic Nun. You always wear traditional attires and ‘Gele’, is that your fashion style?

It’s my greatest pleasure to dress in these attires. I’m propagating the cultural heritage of this country and that of the Yoruba’s. I believe that our cultural heritage should not be abandoned and I have to speak about it through all forms both in my clothing and actions. You can never see me wearing wigs or false things. I appreciate nature. Natural things are beautiful, all one needs to do is to add a little hygiene to polish that natural beauty. I love arts, so I propagate it in every way I can.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered as a legend of arts; a woman who shows interest and has fought to enhance and develop our cultural heritage in all respect.

Body&Soul

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

18

Haute Ankara s Vanessa Okwara

T

he Ankara fabric has evolved over time to become a favourite for lovers of prints. It has proven to be the fabric that can almost fit into any kind of event and you will not feel out of place. It has also tremendously helped in the growth of the Nigerian fashion industry and its acceptability in the fashion world internationally.

What’s so exciting about Ankara fabric is how well the designer puts together the outfit and it comes out looking great, unique and trendy.

Ankara styles help you to look beautiful, smart, and different from what others are wearing. It’s no time to ‘dull up’, but glam up ladies by slaying in hot Ankara styles!

Look no further than matching your Ankara fabrics with quality laces, go chic and fancy in off-shoulder dresses and make your styles come

Editor’s current obsession

lively with a fancy an extra pizazz to You can never go on denim or mixin porary clothes like work.

Let your accessor with too much col Ankara fabric itsel that less is more!

19

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Wine & Dine

Taste Browny in glass Ibukunoluwa Kayode

O

ver the centuries, wines are regarded as refreshing tranquilizer drinks made to sweeten the tongue.

All wines from the red, white and pink to chocolates come from different varietal grape fruits, each with unique taste. They are infused with inviting aromas that add to the craving to have a sip.

Just like every other wine. Chocolate red wine is a tasty experience that comes with a load of health benefits. The wine makers, according to Franklin Liquors, take this pairing to the next level, marrying chocolate flavour with red wine to create a sumptuous drink with the proprietary red blend of the finest vinifera varietals. With a touch of oak and a kiss of sweetness, they create the perfect fruit driven foil for rich dark chocolate which unfolds in silken layers across the palate.

The aromas are those of black cherry and dark chocolate with a hint of cocoa powder.

Anyone can indulge in it at any given occasion.

Chocolate wines hold minimum of 12.2per cent alcohol by volume and are enjoyed when served at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Chocolate are belief loved to help protect cardiovascular system. The reason being that cocoa bean is rich in a class of plant nutrients called flavonoids, which help to protect against environmental toxins and help repair damages.

The antioxidants loaded in chocolate wines,.according to research, is believe to help the body’s cell resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes such as breathing and from environmental contaminants like cigarette smoke and fumes.

Crockpot chicken veggie soup Biwom Iklaki

T

he rains have not been very friendly in the last few weeks, have they?

Well, this crockpot chicken recipe is the perfect comfort food that is yummy in your tummy, filling and is sure to chase the chills away. A crockpot is easy because you are basically throwing everything into the pot and letting it all cook slowly and release all of its flavours. Next time you are faced with a rainy day and you are stuck indoors with or without company, a steaming bowl of this chicken goodness is the answer.

Ingredients Chicken 2 large chicken breasts/ thighs on the bone 1 tsp chicken seasoning blend 3 bay leaves 1/2 cup carrots 1/2 cup celery 1 can corn

2 tsp garlic 1 tsp oregano 1 can garbanzo beans 1 cup diced tomatoes 2 medium onions 5 cups chicken broth or stock 1 can tomato paste 3/4 cup quinoa (i love this stuff) 2 tbsp paprika Salt and pepper to taste Preparation Using a crockpot, place the chicken down at the bottom first. Add the beans, vegetables and rinsed quinoa. Add the spices and seasoning and finally pour the broth over everything, stir and allow to slow cook until the chicken is tender. Not too long as to turn the quinoa to mush.

Enjoy hot and steamy as soup or as a stew with rice or plantain.

20

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

with

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

julietbumah@gmail.com

I’m going hubby-shopping (7) Juliet Bumah

K

athryn feels like she’s rendering a professional service to a client. But this client is special. Her heart is involved, she’s not expecting any reward. Her whole being wants this man.

She desires to pleasure him and she concentrates on doing just that. Her fingers feel like feathers as she kneads here, rubs there and generally messes up his mind. When he’s about to explode in her mouth, she runs a dull tooth on a particular vein at the base of his PT and the tension reduces a wee bit. She starts building him up again.

Only a professional could achieve that...

He stares at the nape of her neck -fresh and inviting. He touches it and an electric current sparks through his body. A sound escapes his clenched teeth and she looks up and smiles.

Deftly, she springs up and finds his mouth in a flash, her hands all over him. He feels the twin mountains bobbing against his chest and every nerve in his body tingles.

Locked in that pose, he waltz her to the dressing table, inside which drawer he gropes with one hand until he finds it...yes...a pack of sheaths.

In one fluid movement, she picks it from his hand, selects one from the pack and goes down on one knee. She has dressed his PT with it before Dave realises what has happened.

Well, at this point, his mind is cluttered with just one thought.

The bed seems so far away. So she goes on her knees on the lush rug and drags him with her.

She wants to be in charge and he allows her.

She mounts, adjusts her hips to take him deeper and begins the exciting ride.

Dave feels the two warm, bulbous load rubbing gently on his face. He grabs them with his two hands and his mouth set to work, drawing from the sweetness therein. Then she begins to sing a familiar love song quietly. Her sonorous voice reaches out to his soul while her hips rock him to neverland.

He has never seen or felt anything like this before. He hums along. Her voice rises...his also. They sing and rock...and get into a frenzy.

They are singing so loud as the bubble bursts for them together, disintegrating into tiny stars.

They scream and scream as spasms rock their bodies.

She collapses on him and drifts into dreamland. Wow! That was the best action a woman has given him till date! He drifts off to sleep too.

About 30 minutes later, he drifts back into consciousness. It’s past 11pm. She is sleeping peacefully beside him, her head nestling on his chest. He props up on one hand and admires her...his trophy. His body gears up for more sport.

He traces his finger on her velvety skin and she stirs. He wakes her with a kiss. His man is fully awake.

“My darling wife, where did you learn that?”

Dave asks her gently.

She looks at him, blank.

“I mean, where did you learn how to take a man and defeat him sweetly?”

It takes her some minutes to reply him.

She raises her head from his chest and asks, “Do you want to know the truth?”

“Yes,” he replies.

She hesitates a moment and says distinctly but quietly, “I was a professional escort for years. I retired about five months ago because I want a new life.”

“Professional what?” Dave asks, incredulous.

“Please tell me you are joking,” he begs.

“No honey, I ain’t joking. I just told you the

truth. I used to pleasure men for money. Now, I’m outta it. I’m living a decent life. I wanna get married and have kids. I’ve gone straight,” she says seriously.

Dave’s man goes limp and he moves away from her, unconsciously.

She understands his body movement.

She gets up and moves to the bathroom, picking her clothes off the floor. Twenty minutes later, she is dressed and ready to leave.

“I’m leaving,” she tells him as she picks up her bag.

“Okay, I’m so tired. I won’t be able to drop you off,” he replies, moving to his wardrobe.

He picks a bundle of one thousand Naira notes and holds it out to her.

“For your transport home,” he says.

She smiles and says, “No dear. I’ve resigned.

Moreover, we both enjoyed it. I hope your gateman will let me out?”

She walks out of the room. Mercifully, no one is in the sitting room. She lets herself out and knocks on the door of the gatehouse.

The security man is surprised to see her come out alone. He looks behind her, no one. He glances at his wristwatch.

“Dave says you should open the gate for me,” she tells him cooly, admiring the exotic cars for the last time.

The man hesitates a moment, then opens the small gate and she walks into the cool, lonely night.

The street is empty. She shivers. Thank God the street lights are on. ***** Dave pours himself an unhealthy shot of cognac.

“Kathy, a whore? OMG! No! How could that be? This must be a dream. He swigs the spirit in few gulps and pours another.

“How could I have fallen in love with a whore? And I love her!”

He glances at the bedside clock and realises it is a few minutes before midnight.

He curses aloud: “Oh no! How the hell did I allow her to leave this late in the night?”

He calls the gateman through the intercom.

“Lock the gate, don’t allow her to leave,” he shouts into the mouthpiece.

“Oga, she has gone o,” the gateman replies,

fear in his voice.

“WHAT!” He pulls a T-shirt over his boxers and runs downstairs. The gateman is shaking.

“Which way did she go?” He asks him, not noticing that the man is cowering.

“Oga I don’t know. I didn’t look out,” he says, barely audible.

“Open the gate!”

He runs out, first to the right. After a distance without any sign of her, he turns back on the empty street and runs to the left. About two minutes later, he sees her. She is entering a vehicle. It is not a cab!

“KATHY!” He shouts and runs towards them.

The vehicle pulls away.

He stops and watches as the rear lights of the car disappear around the corner. He walks back home, tired and angry. His first thought is to go to her house, but what if she doesn’t go home?

What if that man in whose car she is, goes home with her? Something pulls at his heart. Jealousy! As he enters his room, he pours himself another large drink and picks his phone to call her. He still hasn’t taken her phone number!

Not again!

He wonders where she is now. What if that car belongs to an armed robber or worse still, a ritual killer?

He looks at his timepiece and panics.

“Why did I allow her to leave? Why didn’t I keep her till morning? ***** The young man drops her at a taxi park in front of Eko Hotels and Suites.

“Thank you very much,” she tells him.

“It’s okay Ma’am. It’s not safe for women to move about at night. Would have taken you to your house but I’ve got to get home or my dad will have my ears for dinner...and please stop crying,” he says.

“Thanks dear,” she says, waving him on.

She boards a cab and sobs all the way home.

At a point, she reminds herself that Dave is a married man. She needs a single man for marriage. Of course, she loves him but where will it lead? She sobs the more...the rejection is humiliating.

“If I didn’t tell him about my past, he wouldn’t have known,” she tells herself. But

then, she wants a relationship based on truth.

Somehow, she believes that the man for her will understand.

When she gets home a few minutes to 1am, she selects the clothes she’ll wear to the church in the morning, climbs her bed and closes her eyes. ****** Sleep eludes Dave. He gets himself more drunk in order to push her out of him mind, but fails. He loves her! But she is a prostitute.

He screams, “A prostitute!” and pours himself another large drink.

Two hours later, he is still awake, thinking about Kathryn. He relives their moments together a million times in his mind. Each time, he longs for her the more.

He makes up his mind to visit her very early in the morning and swigs from his glass again.

The alcohol gets the better of him. A few minutes after 4am, he yawns, stretches out on his bed and is asleep in minutes. ****** Kathryn jumps off her bed. She glances at the bedside clock and shouts. 6.58am! Church service kicks off in about an hour! She’ll be going to that church for the first time. It’s not too far from her street.

She rushes into the bathroom, brushes her teeth and takes a quick, warm bath.

Oh no! Her eyes are puffy. Dave!

She smiles. She isn’t too surprised at his behavior. What does she expect from a married man who is out to seek fun? He’s got what he wants from her and has kicked her out. But... does she still love him? Yes, and that is unfortunate.

She wears her clothes and dabs a little colour on her face. She lines her eyelids with a dark liner to hide the puffiness and is ready.

Time is 7.50am, enough time to get to the church which is a few streets away.

She ditches the idea of driving and treks instead. ****** So, Kathryn is a retired professional escort?

Does that change anything? Let’s find out on Sunday.....

•Send your observations to: julietbumah@ gmail.com

21

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Ganduje: Why Kano targets N30bn monthly IGR p.23

S’East govs’ political solution to herdsmen attacks p.24&25

The Sunday Interview

Hon. Igbokwe: Monetary policies inhibit economic growth p26&31

Politics

Biyi Adegoroye Assistant Editor biyi.fire@yahoo.com © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

PDP’s last shot at peace

Perhaps, peace will likely return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) about four months after it was factionalised by leadership crisis, reports ONYEKACHI EZE

I

f the resolutions reached at a meeting between the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee and the Sen.Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are anything to go by, then peace may have returned to the troubled party.

The two factions, which met, perhaps, for the first time since the crisis started, agreed to pursue the path of peace. They addressed a joined press conference last Tuesday, again, the first time since the leadership crisis started, where a resolution, jointly signed by the two factional leaders, was read.

The resolution, which was read by their assistants - Senator Ben Obi (for Makarfi) and Dr. Cairo Ojougboh (for Sheriff), the two factional leaders noted that it became obvious to them "that it is time to heal the wounds, and bring about a united, focused and constructive opposition party that can bring sanity to our democratic process, bringing relief to the teeming supporters of our great party and to the benefit of our great country, Nigeria."

This was the most important statement made since the PDP crisis started after the May 21 National Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Before now, party leaders had engaged themselves in name calling and diatribe, which contributed more to the factionalisation.

The May 21 National Convention had dissolved the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Sheriff and appointed a seven-member National Convention Committee with Sen. Makarfi as Chairman and Senator Ben Obi as Secretary to run the affairs of the party for three months.

The tenure of the caretaker committee was extended by one year when the party failed to hold a second convention on August 17. The decision to opt for a non-elective convention was as a result of court order restraining the PDP from conducting elections into the positions of National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor.

The court order was obtained by Sheriff, Professor Wale Oladipo and Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju, who were National Chairman, National secretary and National Auditor respectively in the dissolved NWC. Sheriff and two other former NWC members went to court to challenge the dissolution. At the last count, there were about 15 court cases instituted by different members of the party on the leadership crisis. Most of the cases are at courts with coordinate jurisdiction, and none of the decisions was obeyed; only about one or two were appealed against.

Former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim called for out-of-court settlement of the matter. According to him, though judicial pronouncements occupy a pre-eminent position in resolving po-

Sheriff

litical disputes, the reverse might be the case in the circumstance PDP found itself.

"We cannot wait any longer for the courts because that will take quite some time and time is not on our side. So, let the elders and the statesmen the party has produced convene an urgent meeting to seek for a political solution," he counseled.

Sheriff himself favoured political solution as he warned that the crisis might prolong till 2019 if it is allowed to be resolved through the courts. Senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly Buruji Kashamu, shared the same view. In a position paper before the August 17 botched national convention, Kashamu advocated an arrangement where loyalists of Makarfi and Sheriff would jointly organise the convention. ”An air of palpable confusion pervades our party and the land, with one division of the court saying Senator Makarfi’s appointment is right while another division of the same court says Senator Sheriff is the authentic National Chairman of our party.

“We cannot continue like this. Already, the nomination processes in Edo and Ondo states are being endangered by the current crisis. It is incumbent on all wellmeaning leaders and elders of the party to call Senators Sheriff and Makarfi and look for a political solution to this crisis once and for all. Nothing is too much to give, if we truly love the party.

Makarfi

“Even though the court did not make any order, with respect to the proposed August 17, National Convention, the reality is that it is endangered because the Abuja court held that the caretaker committee cannot lawfully act on behalf of the PDP. “Apart from the resources that might be wasted by individuals and stakeholders, going ahead with the national convention will be contemptuous of valid court orders and rulings, and all those found to have involved themselves in such an action could be cited for contempt. Besides, it should be noted that there are people who exploit crisis situation such as this.

“We need to guard against such characters. Let us put an end to the culture of impunity and put these shady characters out of job. Thus, it is crucial for us to find a political solution to leadership crisis, unite our people and resolve the issues so that the various court cases can be withdrawn. An assortment of court orders, rulings and judgments will only deepen the crisis and make it intractable,” he said.

Despite four court judgments against his claim to the leadership of the party, Sheriff had continued to hang on as National Chairman based on court orders, which affirmed his position.

Prominent among the judgements were that of Justice Valentine Ashi of Federal High Court (FCT), Apo, and Justice Nwamaka Ogbonna of Kubwa, also of

FCT High Court. The two judgments said Sheriff was never PDP Chairman because the provision of the party's constitution on the basis of which he was appointed was faulty.

Justice Ashi, who ruled on the matter on June 29 declared the 2014 amendment of the PDP constitution illegal on the grounds that the party did not comply with Section 66(2) (3) of its constitution by not serving the National Secretary with a written copy of the proposed amendment two months before the convention, while the Secretary was also required to circulate the amendment among state secretaries of the party a month before the convention.

He added that the insertion of the clauses in section 66(2) and (3) was to deepen democracy in the party. Justice Ashi, therefore, restrained “individuals currently parading themselves as the national officers of the PDP on the basis of the purported amendment to the PDP constitution at a special convention held in Abuja on December 10 and 11, 2014,” from doing so.

The case was on a suit filed by a PDP member from Irele Local Government area of Ondo State, Joseph Jero against the party.

Justice Ogbonna, on her part said: “There is no evidence that the judgment of Ashi J, has been appealed against, CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

22

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

politics

APC can't take over Anambra, says Obi What is your rating of Governor Willie Obiano’s administration's performance since he assumed office?

The incontrovertible fact is that Obiano has done excellently well for the past two years and three months in office. He redefined governance in Anambra State. As at today, our state has become a reference point for good governance in Nigeria. The other day, President Muhammadu Buhari lashed out on some state governors that are not paying civil servants their salaries. The President emphatically stated that it is a shame that 28 states in Nigeria owe their workers backlog of salaries. Now if you remove 28 out of 36 states in Nigeria, you will be left with seven states and Anambra happens to be among the seven states in Nigeria paying their workers salary as and when due. To me, this is a proof that Governor Obiano is a prudent manager of resources.

Now, let me talk about other sectors. On security, Anambra State can be described as the safest state in Nigeria, courtesy of Obiano administration’s zero tolerance of criminality. The governor took the bull by the horn to stamp out insecurity in Anambra State such that Anambra has become investors’ choice of destination. With the crushing of insecurity, the Obiano administration has attracted close to $3 billion investment t o the

Chief Norbert Obi is the Anambra State Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA). In this interview with PAMELA OBOH, Obi speaks on Governor Willie Obiano’s second term aspiration and the controversial Anambra Central Senatorial rerun election which is still hanging in the balance state.

On agriculture, the administration of Obiano has invested heavily and today NdiAnambra are reaping the benefits. Under the governor’s watch, we now have what is known as Anambra rice, a stone free rice.

Anambra State is now into the exportation of vegetables to Europe. A lot of agricultural grants are being given to farmers for empowerment.

On roads, Governor Obiano has flagged off the construction of 40 roads that are spread across the state and some of these roads have been completed.

For example, the PHCN Road in Awada and some other roads within Anaocha Local Government Area have been completed. He also continued the construction of all road projects he inherited from his predecessor.

These are verifiable facts. Some of the road projects he inherited from his predecessor have been completed and subsequently commissioned. He is a man that keeps to his promise. He came into power with continuity pledge and he has not reneged on this pledge.

To d a y,

anybody that visits Awka, the Anambra State capital, will agree that Obiano is truly delivering democracy dividends to NdiAnambra. Our state capital is now wearing the look befitting of a state capital. The three over-head bridges constructed by the APGA government in Awka can be referred to as APGA government signature projects.

So what I am saying in all honesty is that APGA members and supporters are proud of Governor Obiano’s performance within these two years and three months in office.

Governor Obiano was accused in a recent interview of failing to meet the obligation he signed to be governor and refusing to pay back funds allegedly used to bankroll his election. How do you react to this?

As a matter of fact I read the interview and to be frank, facts were twisted in that interview, apparently to score cheap political point. Obiano is a man known for honouring agreements and he is doing that in Anambra State with the fulfillment of the social contract he entered into with Ndi-Anambra. He was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Akpokuedike by his people because he is a man whom his word is his bond. All the smear campaigns of calumny against his administration will not pitch Ndi-Anambra against him because the governor is living up to their expectation. Ndi-Anambra will never support Obiano to please individual’s interest against public interest. So any decision taken by Obiano towards the protection of public interest will continue to enjoy the support of Ndi-Anambra.

Will your party by any chance support the governor to use state funds to feed the demands of those that helped him up the ladder in order to sustain his position?

APGA will not support the governor to use funds accruing to the state to satisfy the appetite of some politicians in the state who are playing god. We will support the governor to continue using Anambra money to service public interest.

What step is APGA taking to ensure that INEC conducts the stalled Anambra Central re-run election?

We are not losing sleep over that election.

As a matter of fact the stand of our party is that only those that participated in the 2015 election will be allowed to participate in the re-run election. We are putting our hope on

Obi

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

therefore, the judgment, which is a declarative one must be obeyed. “Anything done contrary to the judgment of Ashi J, delivered on June 29 is null and void and of no effect. The judgment of Ashi J having not been appealed against subsists and is binding,” According to the judge, all actions and decisions taken by Sheriff after the judgment of Justice Ashi on June 26 have become a nullity.

Justice Mohammed Liman of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt had earlier ruled that PDP did not also violate any court order in constituting a National Caretaker Committee to steer its ship for a period of time.

The judge further declared that "The national convention is the controlling authority of the party, it shall exercise authority to elect and remove the national officers of the party and to appoint such

the judiciary that has always been the last hope of the common man to do justice to the matter because justice must prevail. My message to the people of Anambra Central is that they should tarry a while with the belief that joy cometh in the morning. We have a marketable candidate in the person of Chief Victor Umeh and whenever this election is conducted, our candidate will emerge victorious.

Anambra State branch of the All Progressives Congress recently boasted that it will take over state in the 2017 governorship election. Do you think your party has the capacity to reelect Obiano?

That boast by APC is mere wishful thinking. It can be likened to the proverbial elephant passing through the eye of a needle.

We are proud of Governor Obiano’s achievement in office and I can assure you that his achievements will fetch our party second tenure. When the time for campaign comes, our party will embark on issue-based campaign. We will tour the nooks and crannies of the state showcasing Obiano’s achievements to Ndi-Anambra. APGA government’s selling point in Anambra is our performance and nobody can take that away from us. It is said that when you praise a man for doing good, the praises will spur the man to do more. Governor Obiano is God-sent to Ndi-Anambra. He is obviously on a mission to alleviate the sufferings of our people. May I also laud his administration’s initiative of earmarking N20 million for projects in each of the 177 communities in Anambra State.

This shows that Anambra’s future is secured with the governor and for this reason NdiAnambra will use the 2017 governorship election to appreciate his good works in the state by giving him second tenure.

What is your advice for Anambra opposition leaders?

They should know that the blood that unites us as brothers and sisters is stronger than the politics that divides us. They should eschew politics of bitterness and pull him down at all cost syndrome. The task of developing this state should not be left for government alone. Let them contribute their own quota of support for the betterment of our state. This habit of blackmail and mudslinging will not help them. We need all hands on deck to move this state to a greater height.

PDP’s last shot at peace committees it deemed necessary and assign to them such powers it may deem fit. ‘’It is obvious that the dissolution of the national executive committee and the working committee was within the ambits of the article of the party.”

But Sheriff based his claim on the chairmanship of the party on an order granted him by Justice Okon Abang of Federal High Court, Abuja Division. Abang said the May 21 convention was illegal and that Senator Makarfi-led caretaker committee was unlawfully constituted.

He added that "If the Markarfi-led faction, as an apostle of impunity, missed its way to the Port Harcourt division of the FHC, the court cannot be said to have acted within its legal jurisdiction in entertaining the matter.

"Where the court in Port Harcourt had no jurisdiction for entertaining such matters, a court of coordinate jurisdiction has legal prerogative to nullify the decision reached at the Port Harcourt division of the court.”

The resolutions at the reconciliation meeting were reassuring. The warring factions had agreed to "Consult widely with all relevant organs of the party," as well as to "Set up a joint committee that will carry out a holistic reconciliation of all aggrieved segments of our party across the country and in Diaspora."

Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose however, prefers the party to pursue the course of justice in resolving the crisis. Fayose told newsmen on Thursday.

Fayose said: "That move, you see, I'm not

against anything called resolution within the party but everybody must wait for Court of Appeal to resolve this matter.

"Matters are in court, nobody has withdrawn any matter and they are resolving.

What are you resolving? When matters are in court you, allow court to lay them to rest. The moment this thing doesn't go with one side, they will tell you we are still in court.

"But allow the court to take a stand and reconciliation would be made easy. I'm not against anybody reconciling with each other but when you see that meeting, ask the coverners if governors were briefed," he said. Observers hope that this last effort would return peace to the troubled party and enhance its chances in the next elections.

23

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

politics Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State was in Saudi Arabia for the yearly pilgrimage. After the Hajj exercise, he squeezed out time to speak to a few journalists about the Islamic ritual, leaving politics and other burning issues. Below are excerpts of the interview

by IBRAHEEM MUSA who was in Makka What is your assessment of the 2016 Hajj, giving the stampede which occurred last year that claimed several lives at Jamarat?

This year’s Hajj was very successful because a lot of public enlightenment was undertaken. For example in Kano, we took a lot of time to ensure that all the pilgrims almost memorised how to perform the Hajj, right from what they are expected to do in their houses when they come to the airport, to when they come to Medina, Jeddah and Makkah. The Hajj authorities even created an artificial Kaaba so that intending pilgrims were taught how to perform the "Tawaf ". They were taught where to start the Tawaf, what prayers to recite either in Arabic or in English or in Hausa and they were also told what they were not expected to do while doing the Tawaf.

The same thing was done with Safa and Marwa. The Hajj authorities made a depiction of it and intending pilgrims were taught what they were supposed to recite, likewise the stay in Muna where they are supposed to rest and pray. Then down to Arafat where they are supposed to be doing some prayers and combine the Zuhr and Asr prayers and move to Mustalifa immediately it is Magrib. All these they were taught in Kano practically.

We also constituted a Hajj Tribunal for those who misbehaved here, when we get back home, we will take them to court. But, I am happy to tell you that the chairman of the tribunal told me that his book does not contain anything for him to report about indiscipline. Nobody was found wanting in the Holy Land. We also had a very good medical team for those who were sick. We also had a very good team of Hisba and a good team of preachers who engaged in the public enlightenment that l spoke about.

What measures did the Saudi authorities put in place to ensure a hitch free pilgrimage?

Alhamdulillahi, Saudi Arabia too has tried so much with the infrastructure that we have seen, especially the tunnel, the light rail and the well-arranged movement of vehicles and so on. So, we can say that this year’s Hajj has been very successful.

However, some pilgrims complained about the accommodation and sometimes feeding. You know feeding, there is a lot of rush, so it constituted a problem. Otherwise, other problems are mainly Hajj-related problems like getting exhausted after the pilgrimage and government cannot do much about that. But regarding accommodation, all our houses fell within category A and B of the National Hajj Commission's grading.

We have almost 6,000 pilgrims this year.

Some of the houses that accommodated them in Makka contained 1,500 pilgrims; some had 2,000, some 800. I visited them in Arafat, we prayed together with the Ulama that came along being them and then with the members of the board. I also visited all the tents of the pilgrims, including that of women. We talked to them, we prayed together and they were so happy.

But there were complaints from some

Ganduje: Why Kano targets N30bn monthly IGR nical officers from different fields. Some specialised in reconciling bills disbursements both for the state and the local government. Some specialised in pursuing Pay as You Earn by other organisations like Federal Government organisations, commercial banks and other institutions. So, they went to various organisations to reconcile to see how much we are supposed to be given. Some are experts on motor vehicles and on landed property. They advised that we make another law specifically on land in order to capture everything well.

We also harmonised the taxes between local government and the state so as to avoid multiple taxation and to reduce duplication of efforts. By so doing, our revenue started increasing. We shall succeed to capture almost every house within the city and the local government. But, we are on it now.

By what percentage do you think the IGR will grow with all these measures that you have put on place?

I think it is up to 60 per cent.

So how much was generated before you became governor and how much are you generating now?

It peaked at one time and when major contracts were awarded. But certainly that is not an effort; we were collecting less than one billion naira at that time .It is only when we award a lot of contracts that we can reach that stage. But now we collect over N2 billion and still we are at infant stage.

Ganduje

pilgrims about the distance of their accommodation from the Haram. Why were the pilgrims' houses far from the grand mosque?

Well, some of them mentioned it. But, you see the issue is very dicey because the government had to spend over N700 million in order to top up what the pilgrims paid, even to get this accommodation. So, let us not deceive ourselves: if we are to get a house very near to the Ka'aba, a state government will spend well over N1.5 billion extra. Hajj is not an easy thing; Hajj is for those who can afford it. But, we have tried our best to see that we put them in a clustered accommodation and also where it is easy to reach the clinics. Also, the houses are located in such a way that their Imams were able to enter houses and do some preaching and the welfare officers easily evacuated the pilgrims to Muna or any other place.

So, it was an issue of money and I don't want to deceive anybody. Everybody knows that, there is no money now. So, the services we are providing, the pilgrims we sponsoring, the Pilgrims Welfare Agency we are sponsoring and all the medication; if you put them together you will see that we spent over N3 billion. Kano is a highly populated place, but I assure you even if you give pilgrims houses close to Ka’aba, some will still complain. (Laughs).

Are you not worried that your visit to pilgrims in Arafat maybe interpreted as playing politics with religion?

(Silence ....Laughs) Somebody who is not a politician can say that. Somebody who is not well versed on Islamic knowledge can also say that. As you know there is leadership in Shari'a. Do you know that Islam prescribes visitations by leaders to their subjects, whether in the pilgrims' lodge or at home? So, how can we interpret that as political? So, a leader should just hide himself, a governor should just stay in his hotel and not see his people because they will say it is political? The other part is that supposing my visit is political, what is the

problem with that? (Laughter).Who voted for us, are they not the same people? So, even if it is politics, yes....

One thing we have done is to abolish government sponsorship of pilgrims even during our last administration. We discovered that government was spending billions of naira to sponsor some people for Hajj. So, during our last administration, we cancelled it. In fact, I am the one who made the announcement and some people thought that the heaven will fall because we cancelled it and when I came in as governor, we did not have problem because people are now used to it. So, the only people we can sponsor are stakeholders, the medical team, the Ulama who are preaching here and the civil servants from the Pilgrims Welfare Agency. These are the people that have to be here. However, you take my visit to pilgrims during Arafat, I think it is okay by me.

States were given bailout funds to pay salaries, but some governors used the money either to pay contractors or start new projects. What is the situation in Kano?

Well, right from the beginning, we inherited a liability of over N300 billion and we have an amount of less than N30 million.

So, we were in the first group that went for the bailout. So, we received bail out in order to pay pension liabilities. That was the only problem. So, if you look at that problem, the first thing I did was to dissolve the Internal Revenue Board and advertise the positions nationally for the job, so that we can get competent hands, experienced hands and also honest young people, well educated in different fields of tax collection. That is how we started. We reviewed all the laws so that they can conform with what we intended to do and immediately we employed and inaugurated them, they went into action first by meeting with all the stakeholders, the rich people, the industrialist and commercial people, the market people, the banks, institutions in order to discuss with them. We also employed tech-

Lagos in the first quota raked in N101 billion. As an industrial hub in north, how much are you projecting as yearly IGR for Kano State?

I sent staff of my board of Internal Revenue to Lagos and they spent almost two weeks in order to understudy the system.

They went to Edo State when we learnt that it is also doing well. The team gathered a lot of information. They came up with the recommendations that we have to review our laws or something like that.

What is your target?

Our target is up to N30 billion. We want to reach N10 billion monthly but eventually we are looking for N30 billion per month.

Sometime back, your administration had proposed introduction of entrepreneurial skills for female artisans in Kano. How far has that scheme gone?

Well, the 75 students that were sent to Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) will graduate in October. We have now started recruiting both male and female artisans.

We want to send at least 100.If we can get up to 50 per cent women to learn different trades that will be good for us. But, in order to actualise that, we are building an Ultra Modern Skills Acquisition Center which His Excellence the Vice President has laid a foundation laying stone. So, the building is going on now and very soon we shall award contract for the equipment. About 24 different trades will be taught. We had to carry out a survey to identify the traders that are presently thriving in Kano and to see the manpower gap both in government and in the private sectors .We have to make some kind of innovation to see the skilled areas which is dominated by people not from Kano. We have to include such areas into what we intended to do. By the time we complete that center, we will have all what we require in terms of skills acquisition and I am sure many youths will benefit from that. For the time being, before the completion, we are using different firms like the PAN you have mentioned.

24

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

politics

T

he menace of herdsmen and farmers has become a national concern in recent times, leading to death of many people and damage done on farmlands.

While the attacks have been very common in the North-Central and some part of the West, in recent times, there have pockets of incidents in the South-East states.

But from all indications, some states in the South-East are rising to the situation.

For instance, as part of numerous efforts to tame the persistent Fulani herdsmen invasion of Enugu State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi recently inaugurated the Security Committee in the state. The committee is chaired by a high-ranking military veteran, Brigadier-General Fred Eze (rtd), who was also appointed as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters.

The committee also comprises members of the Enugu State Executive Council, members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, security agencies, local government council chairmen, representatives of the Fulani, Shuwa Arab and Hausa communities in Enugu State, representatives of Cattle Market Traders, traditional rulers, presidentsgeneral of town unions, neighbourhood watch associations, representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and student leaders in the state.

Ugwuanyi’s action appeared to be the climax of series of efforts the state government has been making in the past to stem frequent attacks on Enugu communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Currently, the incessant clash between farmers/communities and Fulani herdsmen has graduated to what some people have described as “ethnic cleansing” resulting in invasion, killing and sacking of communities.

The August 25 attack on Ndiagu AttakwuAkagbeugwu in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state, where two persons including a Catholic seminarian lost their lives; and the April 25 massacre of residents of Ukpabi-Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state caused not a little apprehension. After the incidents, the affected residents were rendered internally displaced persons in their own communities.

But inaugurating the security committee at the Executive Council Hall of the Government House, Ugwuanyi charged the committee with “the responsibility of taking all necessary and lawful measures to ensure security and lasting peace and harmony among various communities and

S’East govs’ political solution to herdsmen attacks After series of attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the South-East, KENNETH UFOMA and IGBEAKU ORJI, in this report, examine the governors political efforts to save their people in all corners of the state."

While maintaining that "Enugu State is in the hands of God," the governor stressed that the state was "rated as one of the most secure and peaceful states in the country," adding that it would continue to enjoy a pride of place as the first and only city in the country to be listed among the 100 Most Resilient Cities of the world.

Responding on behalf of the committee, Brigadier-General Eze thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve the state, assuring that they will discharge their responsibilities diligently and ensure the enthronement of enduring peace and security in the state.

It could be recalled that in a curious coincidence, the Fulani herdsmen had on August 25 invaded Ndiagu Atakwu-Akagbeugwu community, exactly four months after similar invasion of Ukpabi-Nimo community (April, 25). The attack on Ukpabi Nimbo claimed scores of lives with property worth millions of naira, including churches burnt down by the invaders.

While addressing the people, Governor Ugwuanyi expressed regret that the attack was coming few days after a commission of inquiry set up by the state government over the Nimbo attack on April 21, 2016 submitted an interim report to him.

He condemned the act in the strongest terms saying that government cannot tolerate the wanton destruction of lives anywhere in the state by any one or group under any guise whatsoever.

“I have already summoned security meeting this afternoon of Fulani community and the security agencies in Enugu state to review the situation and determine the appropriate actions to be taken.

“It is indeed unfortunate that this incident is coming just days after the commission of Inquiry into the killings at Nimbo submitted an interim report and is about to complete its assignment.

“I wish on behalf of the state government to express our sympathies to the family of the deceased and assure them that government would do everything necessary to en-

sure that the culprits are apprehended and brought to book while government will also cater for the medical bills of those in the hospitals,” he said.

The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Calistus Onaga, said the incessant killing of the people of the South-East has overstretched their patience and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to come out of his office to visit some of the sites to empathize with the people. He appealed to people in authority both the government and stakeholders to look into the matter.

The traditional ruler of the community, His Royal Highness Igwe Gregory Ugwu expressed sadness over the incident saying his people had been living peacefully with the Fulani people over the years.

Those familiar with several Fulani herdsmen attacks in various communities in the state noted that with the attack in AttakwuAkagbeugwu, which is in Nkanu West LGA in Enugu-East senatorial district; said the herdsmen had completed the circle of invading the three senatorial districts in the state.

Earlier in the year, they had invaded Ugwuleshi Community in Awgu Local Government Area of the state, which is in Enugu West Senatorial district. Aside from that, the herdsmen had equally attacked several communities in Udi and Ezeagu Local Government Areas both of which are also in Enugu West senatorial district.

Then Ukpabi Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani LGA, which is in Enugu-North senatorial district which appeared to have attracted widest publicity and attention, was attacked on April 25. The level of carnage moved Governor Ugwuanyi into weeping openly when he visited the community.

In the last one to two years, the state has been living under the knife-edge of the herdsmen. The economic damage as a result of destruction of farms, agricultural produce and rivers remains unquantifiable.

The Traditional Prime Minister of the community, Chief Stephen Onuoha said that armed military men numbering over 50 invaded his community and started ar-

resting everybody they saw.

“In the whole, over 78 persons, mainly young men were arrested and taken to Abia State. As a matter of fact since 2010 till date, Fulani herders have been troubling us. We have appealed to their leaders and we have written to various institutions of government which includes the police, Directorate of State Security, Awgu Council Chairman, Enugu State House of Assembly, Enugu State Government, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and member representing our people in the House of Representative, Hon. Tobi Okechukwu, complaining the manner the Fulani herdsmen carry their cow to the farm and destroy our crops.

“He held so many reconciliation meetings, yet every session they return by destroying our crops. We don’t have any other business other than farming and our lives depend on it. However, in 2014 one of our brothers went to the farm, the Fulani herdsmen killed him. Not only that, they sliced him and put his remains in a bag and dropped him inside water. This matter was reported to the divisional police station in Awgu but nothing happened,” he narrated.

HRH Igwe Godwin Nwobi, of Ugwuleshi autonomous community, Awgu when asked whether Awgu people are leaving with the Fulani or had boundaries with them, answered in the negative; rather that Fulani cattle herders who are living in Ishiagu in Ebonyi State and those living in Umunochi in Abia State have consistently carried their cattle into their farms, stealing and destroying their crops.

The member representing Nsukka East Constituency in Enugu State House of Assembly, Chinedu Nwamba, said: “These days, from my research, many people no longer go to farm. This is a very dangerous trend that is about happening to the Igbos because nobody is free to go to farm again.

So in due time, we are going to face hunger because of incessant attacks by the Fulani herdsmen on our people.

“And the major cause of these actions of these people is because they are allowed

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politics to carry on their nomadic pasture. If they are being restricted from moving from one place to another they will not see anybody to rob; they won’t see people to kidnap, they won’t see people to destroy their crops, and they won’t see crops to destroy. So people are no longer going to farm in Enugu State for fear of cattle farmers.”

Hon. Nwamba said that he is currently working on “a bill for a law to make provisions for the control of Nomadic Cattle Rearing in Enugu State and Other Matters Related thereto: The Enugu State Control of Nomadic Cattle Rearing Law, 2016”.

Awgu Local Government Area is another area where 90 per cent of residents are predominantly farmers. Around February this year, 78 youths and men of Ugwuleshi community in local government were arrested by the military for allegedly waging “war” against Fulani invaders.

Well meaning citizens of the state have called for a state legislation and establishment of Forest Guards to restrict indiscriminate movement of cows and other animals in the state; and prohibition of carrying of weapons by herdsmen.

There is, however, optimism within the government circles that the inauguration of the security committee which will be complemented by the setting up of Neighbourhood Watches (vigilance groups) in all the communities in the state will go a long way in nipping the attacks on the bud.

Abia gets set In Abia State almost all the local government areas have had their share of the problem though not violent yet. For instance, Ndi Oji Abam Community in Arochukwu Local Government Area, wrote a petition recently to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyabade, to intervene in the incessant destruction of their farms by the herdsmen before it gets out of hand and become a full blown violent and bloody clash. In the petition signed by the traditional ruler, Eze Orji Ojembe and the chairman of the town union, Chief Iroegbu Ndem, the people drew the attention of the authorities to the wanton destruction of their crops, describing the action as provocative and capable of causing breach of the peace if nothing was done urgently to bring it under control. They lamented that that the matter was made unbearable by the fact that the farm is their only means of livelihood as they are predominantly farmers. The destruction of the farms, they said, will not only impoverish them but also cause food crisis in the area.

The people, therefore, called on the government to intervene before the youth, who have been restrained from carrying out reprisal attack on the herdsmen, would be forced to take laws into their hands. In the petition they claimed that “Our farms, including the current 2016 farms, where we depend for survival under the current economic recession have been utterly damaged by numerous cows being paraded by herdsmen with impunity. To worsen the already miserable condition of our people, the Fulani herdsmen, who have virtually taken over all our farmlands not only destroy our crops but harvest our farm crops, terrorize and rape our women. This act has become rampant that our women hardly go to their farms without adequate security.”

Recently, the women of Ameke Abam also in Arochukwu Council Area went on exile in protest over the devastation of their farms, the only means of livelihood, by herdsmen. They accused their community leaders of taking bribes from the herdsmen who then led their cattle to the farms for grazing.

Similarly, the traditional ruler of Umuomainta Mbawsi in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, Eze Christopher Ebere, recently called for urgent intervention in the community to avert possible bloody clash with herdsmen, who he lamented, have destroyed their farms. The traditional ruler and his people called on the government and security agencies to intervene and save

Ojukwu

them from losing their crops. The story is endless. Everywhere the people are counting their loses, lamenting the destruction of crops.

The problem of herdsmen is a regular feature at town hall meetings. When the Abia North senatorial zone met with their senator, Mao Ohuabunwa, the issue of herdsmen was in the front burner. When the member representing Arochukwu/ Ohafia in the House of Representatives, Hon Uko Nkole, met his constituents, the herdsmen was the issue. When Governor Okezie Ikpeazu held a town hall meetings with the people in all the local government areas, the issue of rampaging herdsmen and their cattle was the major complaint.

Early in the year, Governor Ikpeazu took a major step to curb the problem. He directed all the autonomous communities to send 10 able bodied young men to be trained as members of a formidable vigilance group to complement the efforts of the security agencies. He also directed the traditional rulers to liaise with the state Ministry of Local Government and chieftaincy Affairs to implement the programme. He said that a situation where herdsmen move about with dangerous weapons was inimical to peace and should not be allowed to continue. He also ordered the search of all lorries and trucks laden with cattle and other goods entering the state to curtail the proliferation of dangerous weapons in the state.

The governor said the youths of high integrity would be selected for by the Bakassi Boys. Though nothing has been heard again with regard to the training, Abia State is yet to record the kind of ugly incident that happened between herdsmen and the Ukpabi Nimbo community in Enugu State, thought that incident heightened the tension and apprehension in the South East.

From all indications, it seems that government has abandoned the option of training youths in various communities for the purpose of securing the communities against the invasion of herdsmen. Since the pronouncement nothing has been heard of the project. Rather a committee headed by the state Commissioner of Police was inaugurated to handle issues relating to farmers and herdsmen clash.

On September 8, 2016, the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, addressed the inaugural town hall meeting of herdsmen and farmers conflict resolution committee at the Police Officers Mess. In attendance were stakeholders in security including the Adviser to the Governor on Security, Capt Awa Udensi,(rtd), the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Ukpai Agwu Ukpai, the Director of DSS, traditional rulers led by chairman of the traditional rulers council, Eze Eberechi

Oyebade

Dick and representatives of various communities.

Oyebade used the occasion to remind the stakeholders of the constitutional provision of freedom of movement for every citizen and called for peaceful resolution of the matter.

“The unity of this country is paramount and non negotiable. We are here to proffer the way forward. In Abia State we want to be proactive and preventive, that is the reason the Governor saw it fit to constitute the committee. We want to make arrangement that will make peace subsist, that is why we take this measure in order to avoid clash in the state,” he said.

He told the meeting that the herdsmen have the right to move with their cattle just as the farmers have the right to cultivate their farms but problem arises when ones fundamental human right is abridged. He noted that the two parties must co-exist by using the forum to find lasting solution to the issues that generate conflict.

The member representing Arochukwu in the House of Assembly, Hon Luke Ukara, said there was an existing law in the state on stray animals and promised to ensure that the law was enforced. He, however, advised that such meetings should include the House of Assembly.

In his contribution, the chairman of All Farmers Association, Chief Dunlop Okoro, said it was regrettable that while the farmers have respected an accord signed between the state government and herdsmen the herdsmen did not. He said the problem is that the herdsmen have left the grasses on the road side to graze on farms with yet to be harvested crops. And to worsen the matter they carry dangerous weapons. He proffered the way forward which is for the Abia State House of Assembly to make a resolution which will serve as government stand. Also security agencies should become impartial in handling cases between farmers and herdsmen.

In his contribution, Professor Joseph Ukpabi of the National Roots Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, Abia State, said their appeal to the herdsmen to take their cattle out of the research cassava farm which he said takes 10 years to develop, fell on deaf ears as they continued to ravage the farm and urged the committee to find lasting solution to the problem.

Sarki Alhaji Belo Danladi, one of the representatives of the Hausa/Fulani community, appealed to all parties to seek peaceful way of resolving the problem and assured that he would meet the Hausa/Fulani community with whatever was resolved, just as Alhaji Hassan Buba promised to work with his people to ensure that there will be no conflict between the herdsmen and the

host communities in the state.

While the DSS State Director disclosed that intelligence reports indicate that some of the traditional rulers have compromised by taking money from the herdsmen which makes it difficult for them to confidently insist of the right being done, Capt Awa Udensi (rtd), suggested the proper documentation of the herdsmen so that those who infiltrate with weapons would easily be fished out.

Eze Eberechi Dick, chairman of the state and South East council of traditional rulers, promised to discuss the matter at the meeting of the council. It was resolved that the DPOs would replicate the state committee at the local government level; that there should be peaceful co-existence between farmers and herdsmen in all parts of the state; that herdsmen should be screened by the committee; that no herdsman should allow his cattle to damage peoples farms; that there should be no more night grazing; that there should be no poisoning of drinking water for cattle; that every conflict should be reported to the Local Government Farmers and Herdsmen Conflict Resolution Committee; no one should be in possession of fire arms; there should be regular sensitisation of herdsmen on the need for peaceful coexistence; herdsmen should be documented and profiled.

Speaking to Sunday Telegraph concerning the inauguration of the security committee, security expert and retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Aloysius Okorie, stated that the idea of the security committee was a step in the right direction.

While commending the governors for the initiative he urged the committees to come up with a blueprint to tackle the herdsmen menace.

However, he recommended the example of Ekiti State, urging state governors to come up with a legislation to confine herdsmen to a place like a ranch. AIG Okorie, who is an indigene of Nkanu West Local Government Area, added that since the herdsmen don't pay attention to advice and promote peaceful co-existence, he advocated that the communities should always carry out spontaneous retaliation and avoid waiting for days before contemplating doing so.

According to him, going for reprisals after days or weeks of any attack will be premeditated, even as he advised the communities to be vigilant saying that sometimes those who perpetrate the killing are herdsmen roaming about. Besides, observers called on the Federal Government tome up with nationwide approach to the problem, especially since it has become public knowledge that the armed herdsmen were criminals possibly from neighboring countries.

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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sunday Interview

Hon. Igbokwe: Monetary polic Hon. Nnanna Igbokwe, representing Ahiazu, Ezinihitte, Mbaise Federal Constituency of Imo State, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, is the Chairman, Young Parliamentarians' Forum. He speaks with CHUKWU DAVID on some national issues, including the monetary policies, exchange rate and the side effects of the Treasury Single Account

Nigerians are facing serious economic hardship, emanating from the recession in the system. What is the way out of the situation?

Well, it is important for government to take cognisance of facts and then sit back to see how to put things right. And one of those efforts is putting together an economic team that will be more creative and effective in proffering solution to the present worrisome situation. The one formed being headed by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is definitely not satisfying the aspirations of Nigerians. We had expected a clearly professional team that is devoid of partisan politics, and not necessarily those in government or if those in government, it should be those who are grounded and have in-depth knowledge of economic affairs and management. Even if they are not available within your party, you move out to other parties and source for competent hands to do the job. Also, there is a lot of Nigerians who are highly qualified and scattered all over the world, managing key sectors of different countries' economies and international organisations. I think if we make a very strong search we will be able to get people who will come up and give professional touch to the management of the economy.

Another thing is the effective operation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); bring the institution in charge of the country's monetary policy, and working hand in glove with the Ministry of Finance. Apparently, the way it is now, there seems to be no coordination within the government. It was just of recent that the Vice President was made the Chairman of the economic team. Before now, especially in the past administration, the Minister of Finance used to be in charge of economic activities. And as a result of this tradition, a lot of laws were molded and fashioned along this line, especially the Fiscal Responsibility Act. It specifies that agencies within certain period will come up with their proposed budget which they will submit to the head of the agencies and from the head of the agencies to the minister who will bring it up to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), so that at least 30 days before the end of the financial year, the executive arm would have been able to present a budget before parliament. That places a responsibility on the minister of Finance to monitor the implementation of budget and also the level of performance and utilisation of funds. But in this era, we have seen the separation of the Budget Office because now we have Minister of Budget and National Planning. What is not clear to me now is who does the Director-General, Budget report to? By the nomenclature, he should be reporting to the Minister of Budget in terms of releases of funds because this is where the Minister of Finance comes in because she is the one that knows the level of inflow and outflow of revenue into and out of government coffers. And ordinar-

ily, when agencies apply, they suppose to have what is called Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE), which is usually raised from the Budget Office, especially where it applies to Service Wide Votes (SWV). So, I think there is conflict in the reporting system and the line of authority in the effective management of budget implementation because it has far reaching effects on the economy.

Now, there is paucity of funds in the system by the introduction of TSA. Funds have been moped up from banks and these funds are lying idle in the CBN. Am yet to be convinced that any fund in the CBN will be earning interest; whereas if these funds were available to the commercial banks, more money would be available to loan out to the productive sector including small and medium enterprises and even big companies. And money loaned out by the commercial banks is the only way to create wealth. If you loan out N100, 000 at 10 per cent interest rate, the person pays back N10, 000, and this N10, 000 is now available in the system for you to loan to another person. But how can these funds domiciled in the TSA be able to create wealth? Definitely, the CBN is not a commercial lending institution; it only keeps money for the government.

Going by this problem inherent in the TSA operations and its negative impact on the economy as you have pointed out, are you calling for the abrogation of the scheme?

What I will propose is liberalisation of the operation of the TSA system. The issue of moping the whole funds, and no funds left in the system is not good; it is rather harming the economy. So, what I mean by liberalisation of the TSA is that, instead of moping the whole funds, a certain percentage should be domiciled there, especially the funds for capital projects. Then the funds for overhead costs should be domiciled in the commercial banks because government is about providing services, and time is of essence in the provision of these services.

The rigorous processes of getting funds approved and getting it out from the TSA takes a lot of time and most of these services suffer, and it has serious effects on the people. Some of these services are of recurrent nature of daily basis, and you just have to make provisions for them but because of the bottlenecks and bureaucracy involved, I think it is causing some friction in the system.

What do you think about the foreign exchange policy of the CBN? Is it favourable to the system?

The foreign exchange policy of the CBN is really having negative effect on the business environment. Only certain classes of people are approved to source foreign exchange directly from the CBN or the foreign exchange market, others are directed to source from the black market. So, importers, traders and most

people have resorted to the black market.

That means that the prices of goods and services will be determined by the cost of obtaining dollar from the black or parallel market. This results in short supply of funds and that has a correlation with the level of foreign direct investment and the level of foreign exchange accruing from the sale crude. You see that there a reduction in the volume of crude oil production as a result of resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta; it has a multiplier effect, which is also reducing the level foreign exchange that is coming in. So, there is stagnation, and the issue is how do we create other avenues to ensure inflow of foreign exchange?

I will also call on the government to come out and tell Nigerians the stage or the effects of discussions and the international agreement they had with the Republic of China and using Nigeria as a hub in Africa and domiciling international trade between China and Nigeria in yuan. I think with the introduction of that, it would have reduced the pressure and demand on the dollar and liberalise it.

Again, we are not just experiencing recession but also inflation. There is cost-push inflation because the cost of getting credit from the commercial banks has gone up, because they don't have funds available, their profit level is coming down and the only way they can make profit is by increas-

What I will propose is liberalisation of the operation of the TSA system. The issue of moping the whole funds, and no funds left in the system is not good; it is rather harming the economy

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

SUNDAY

Potpourri ​Trend du jour

Weight watchers community

Water for weight loss

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ne cannot emphasise enough the importance of water and your diet and desire to lose weight. There are many reasons out there by for drinking water and even more conflicting ideas on the amount of water one should be consuming. Really, what you should realise is that when you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Here are a few reasons why you should be drinking more water.

1. Water suppresses your appetite, sometimes when you think you are hungry, just drink water and you will feel much better.

2. Water aids in digestion because the digestive process needs fluids, water is your best and healthiest bet to meet this need.

3. It fights bloating, really, you should try drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning before breakfast and seven or eight more throughout the day (more if you work out a lot, to replace the water lost through sweat) and this will help fight your bloat.

4. Water flushes out toxins 5. Helps reduce cholesterol 6. Water helps liver function, this goes hand in hand with the digestive aid. When you have sufficient water working with enzymes through the digestive process, you reduce the stress on your kidneys too.

Money talks

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​​The frugal parents’ guide

e know it cannot be easy raising financially confident kids in this economy. The pressure is on and strong and oftentimes, many parents fail to meet the expectations of their kids and wards. However, while you may need to teach your kids the importance of being frugal and respect for money, you also do not want to totally deprive the child(ren) of opportunities to have a fun and wellrounded childhood. Here are a few tips: • Take advantage of local parks, church organised activities, visit the library together or the farmers’ market and teach them about the produce and even talk to the farmers about growing some of your own.

• Start a small garden together with the kids.

You will teach them how to grow their own produce, get fresh organic food at harvest time and give the kids the fulfillment of eating what they grow.

• Do not spend too much money on expensive toys and trinkets. Most of these things can be DIYs. • Set an example: Shop with your kids; save loose change in a fish bowl; show restrain when making purchases; live within your means.

• Learn to say no! Get into the habit of saying “no” when your child asks for something. Initially, it will be a war of wills. But, after some time, your child will learn that they cannot get everything they ask for.

• Learn to cut and make your children’s hair.

This will save you some money weekly as well.

• Carry your own snacks with you when you have to go out, carry fruits, nuts, and water. You could get the kids to prepare their own sandwiches.

Stories by: Biwom Iklaki

Choker reload

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ne of the glam accessories of the 90s has made a sexy comeback. Remember the runways had Balenciaga and Dior showcasing lower neckline, this created a need to dress up those necks; cue chokers. They are certainly an upgrade from those of the 90s featuring stones encrusted, single Pearl pendants, multi strand ribbons, Ankara fabrics and more gorgeousness. The cold shoulder trend also encourages this choker rave.

Join in by all means as have Beyonce, the Kardashian sisters, Fisayo Longe, Stella Uzoma etc.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sportxtr

Expensi professi Mikael Silvestre’s house

David Beckham’s house

Andres Iniesta’s house in Spain

Gary Neville house Kaka’s house

Cristiano Ronaldo’s home

Way Hou

John Terrry

M Drogba’s house

Frank Lampard’s house in England

any talented footballers have become rich and famous. They are worth millions of dollars. Their homes reflect their financial status. These homes are lavish.

Here are some of the most expensive homes of top professional footballers:

Rooney’s neo-Georgian mansion was built in 2004.

It has a private theater, a huge pool, Grecian-style statues and under-soil heating for the lawn. With a £50,000 garden landscaped. One of the additions was a £30,000 state-of-the-art security CCTV system to stop peeping toms leering in.

Lionel Messi (value unknown) Lionel Messi has been voted the world best footballer several times because of his exceptional skills on the ball. Surprisingly, his brilliance on the field of play also reflected on the kind of house he built for himself. The state-of-the-art designed home is worth millions, but the exact value is still shrouded in secrecy as Messi himself and those around him have kept sealed lips. It includes a private theater, a spa and a mini-indoor football pitch. Messi is in the process of building a new home in the shape of a football.

David Beckham ($20 million): Despite being a former soccerstar, David Beckham, is retired, he is a rich and powerful celebrity. Nicknamed Beckingham Palace, he bought this home in 1999. It has a chapel, a recording studio and a football pitch.

Frank Lampard ($10.5 million): Frank Lampard put on sale his 19,500 sq ft home for £7m ($10.5 million). It is one of the two that he owned while he was still playing at Stamford Bridge. It features nine bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, a putting green, a swimming pool, a boat dock and a tennis court.

Gary Neville: Crazily unusual house from former ManchesterUnited player and Valencia boss Gary Neville.

The ex-England international splashed the cash a couple years back when his planning permission was approved for a spectacular 0 Carbon house.

Neville’s house is magnificently sculpted into the heart of Bolton and boasts over 8,000 sq meters of

Wayne Rooney ($17.83 million):

Didier Drogba ($21 million): Drogba’s net worth is around $90 million according to Wealth-X. His spectacular mansion has eight bathrooms, seven bedrooms and a trophy room with a price tag of £14.5 million. It is around 8,600 sq ft.

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t a s

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M h i m s a t

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

ravaganza

ive homes of top ional footballers

yne Rooney use

Messi house

Mario Balotelli’s house in England

open space!

Gary Neville upset some of his neighbours when he was given planning permission to build his new self-sustaining eco-home on the West Pennine moors near Bolton.

The house is certified as zero-carbon and the first to be built in the North-West of England.

Neville’s neighbours have concerns regarding the 50-foot wind turbine that powers the house, and expressed their displeasure to a local news station.

Mario Balotelli after the end of his deal at Liverpool he does not live in this $4.86 home anymore.

It includes a pool, a private theater, a wine cellar, a putting green and four bedrooms and bathrooms.

John Terry ($7 million): John Terry bought the former home of golfer Colin Montgomerie for £4.35m ($7 million) after selling his nine-bedroom mansion, and his original house in Oxshott, Surrey. Terry has a penchant for making money by selling his homes. He sold one of his mansions in Surrey last year to Sultan bin Mohammed al-Naamani. He made a profit of around $16.3 from this sale.

Mikael Silvestre (£3.85million): His property looks more like a castle and costs about as much at £3.85million. The former French international played for United for almost a decade at left-back and centre-back before stunning football fans across the country by moving to Arsenal in 2008, where he played for two seasons. He most recently played for Chennaiyin in the Indian Super League

Cirstiano Ronaldo ($6 million) This Real Madrid superstar’s mansion in Madrid includes a sauna, a private theater, a gym, a pool and an aquarium. Ronaldo bought this mansion in 2008.

Mario Balotelli ($4.86 million)

Andres Iniesta ($4.6 million): Barcelona superstar, Andres Iniesta’s five-bedroom mansion was built in 2005. It has a pool and a chapel.

Iniesta is a Roman Catholic. The home bears his last name on it. Even though this house looks small from outside, it is spacious inside.

Kaka ($3 million): Kaka owns a 1,500 sq ft home in Madrid. It has a gym, an indoor pool and a six-car garage. He bought the property in 2009 when he was transferred to La Liga titans Real Madrid from AC Milan. Currently this home is being rented out by Gareth Bale for a monthly rent of $16,000.

Luxurious lifestyle of Nigerian superstar, Emmanuel Emenike

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ccomplished Nigerian superstar, Emmanuel Emenike, has certainly experienced all the good things of life made possible by the mega bucks he earns playing for top soccer clubs across Europe.

Emenike, has achieved so much materially and today he is one of the richest professional footballers around this is clearly depicted by his grand life style and the very expensive things he surrounds himself with from his posh houses, automobiles in Europe and in Africa.

The Fenerbahce FC of Turkey striker, who is on loan to millionaire club Al Ain FC of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, has houses

in London, Dubai and Nigeria.

The superstar, whose excellent performances helped the Stephen Keshi-tutored Super Eagles team win 2013 African Nations Cup, earns a basic salary of $4,5million plus a bonus amount of $305,500 and an annual salary of $4.88million.

His Net worth is a whopping $18.33million.

Emmanuel just like most of the wealthy athletes across the world has posh houses in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.

He enjoys exclusive vacations and fine dining, regularly hangs out with top celebrities. He also has customized Beats.

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Luxury

Homes

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Opulent dinning space Biwom Iklaki

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love the dinning space of many homes.

In fact, for people who love food and believe that meal times are also bonding times, they will share a deep understanding of the importance of the dinning room.

From the walls to the furniture, lighting fixtures and even what type of rug you put beneath the table, a lot of thought needs to go into this room. To create an opulent

space that can still afford a relaxing atmosphere, choose soft colours and accent with golds, glass and some sturdy furniture. You could also choose a fluffy rug to lay under the dinning table as a cheeky way to get the feet cozy and more relaxed. Your choice of centre piece too should reflect the character of the room and the atmosphere you intend to create. Remember, your guests need to feel comfortable in order to enjoy a nice dinner and conversation.

IPhone7 doggy bones

Weird

W

hile many countries battle with recession, outright starvation, serious issues bordering on a lack of basic human necessities, Coco has no such cares.

In fact, she looks forward to the next extremely luxurious gift she will get from her dotting owner. By the way, Coco isn’t someone’s daughter or wife; she is an Alaskan Malamute, to you and I…a dog! Yes, this …dog, got the most recent iPhones on the day they were released to the market, the iphone7. She got not one, but eight of them from her owner, Wang Sicong, son of Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin (estimated worth $30 billion). Whatever Coco does to earn such expensive gifts, she must do well because only last year, she was gifted a pair of trinkets on either paw; two Apple Watches with luxury bands worth upwards of $37,000. Each iPhone 7 Plus goes for 7,988 yuan ($1,197). Wow! This dog redefines the concept of the ‘kept woman…*hiccup*, dog’ perfectly. Wang is part of China’s fu’erdai or second-generation rich - the sons and daughters of tycoons that are best known for flaunting their decadent lifestyles.

Nicknamed “the nation’s husband” for his status as China’s most eligible bachelor, Wang has come under fire from state media for his outrageous displays of wealth.

Criticism of his son once got so strong that Wang’s father appeared on state television to address the controversy, blaming his son’s behaviour on “Western schooling.”

See Boko Haram o!

T

Horror mama

he love of a mother is eternal but in this case, eternal is not really maternal but a gruesomely sick affair. This is a story of a mother who probably nursed her terminally ill son who was a cab driver in his 50s until his death. She proceeded to keep the rotting body in her home for over 8 years. The body was only discovered by a relative who took the mother to the hospital after a fall and returned to the house, probably to pick up supplies. A neighbour described the

mother as weird because she was only seen walking slowly down the street with a grocery bag and her head was always down. She never said hello to anyone and her son’s car, a brown Ford Explorer, had been parked in the drive for years and not moved. Mirror.co.uk described this as “a grisly echo of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film, Psycho.

In the film, murderous Norman Bates keeps his mother’s body at home in his attic after killing her and her lover.”

Who has seen this film? #shudder!

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Sunday Interview

icies inhibit economic growth Well, the one on foreign exchange should be quickly addressed. They have been taking some steps in that direction. They now approved some funds transfer institutions where you can now transfer funds overseas to Nigeria and collect the equivalent of that foreign currency. They have also approved some institutions to also be able to transfer funds out because what you see in the aviation sector is that most of the airlines cannot repatriate their profits because of the stringent foreign exchange policies. So, now that they are taking steps in that area, I think it will now liberalise the sector and make Nigerian economy more attractive to investors.

You can see most of the airlines are moving their offices to neighboring countries because of the stringent monetary and foreign exchange policies.

ing their interest rate, which is also dependent on the lending rate from the CBN. The implication is that the productive sector is getting credit at a higher rate, and this has to be reflected on the prices of goods and services. The importers are sourcing their funds from the parallel market with the increased exchange rate. This means that they will be able to bring in fewer goods to satisfy the needs of the people. In fact, most importers and traders have closed shop. And where there is high demand for little supply, you have inflation. Therefore, before government can ban importation of certain goods, with the hope of creating an enabling environment for the infant indigenous industries to grow, it is fundamental that before such policy is applied to the extreme, they would have provided enabling environment for the indigenous companies to thrive. The companies here in Nigeria, do they have access to enough credit? Are raw materials available?

If they are sourcing their raw materials overseas, what is the cost of bringing it in? You just need to balance a lot of issues, knowing what policy to apply at any time to balance off with the other policy at the end so that there will always be a middle course to the benefit of Nigerians.

What are some of the CBN policies you want to be relaxed for now to help quickly address the problem of recession and inflation?

Recently, the CBN placed a ban on importation of some essential commodities including rice, which is in high demand in the country, thereby shooting up their prices.

What is your take on this?

What they did was to place bans on the sale of foreign exchange for the importation of these goods. Like I said earlier, coming from elementary economics, I want to believe that the intention is to create enabling environment for the home industries to survive and thrive but how well are these local industries being supported by the government? On the other hand, bringing in foreign goods also makes room for completion and put local industries on their toes. But what the CBN wants to achieve there is making the importation of those products very costly so that citizens will prefer to consume the local products at reduced prices that the imported goods because the importers have to source foreign currency from the black market, which has a high rate and will have a multiplier effect on the prices of those goods when imported. But the issue is, in as much as they are restricting the importation of foreign goods, they should be able to give reasonable support to the local producers, who are producing those goods or similar goods to be able to thrive. So, government should as a matter of urgency release funds to the productive sector. For now, Nigerians a not saving and you know that savings give room for greater investment because it is only when people are able to save that they can invest; and when people save, they can consume. So, consumption and savings have effect on production. So, as an interim measure, I want to call on government to come up with policies that alleviate the immediate suffering of the people and to look for urgent interventions in the area of staple foods such as rice and bread. They should bring down the prices of these food items so that the common man can afford it. If Nigerians can go to the market and get a bag of rice with N10, 000, then they won't be compelled to go into criminal tendencies because the stomach is the first point of call.

In the present circumstance, people are not even talking of three square meal; they are looking for how to eat once a day, and that is why they are groaning under serious pains of hunger and starvation. There is no money in circulation and the little pay people receive is being eaten up by inflation, and nothing is left for savings.

Sixteen months into the life of this administration, the man at the helm of affairs, President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC are still blaming Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP for the woes of the country. What is your view on this?

Well, they are entitled to their opinion but my point is that, as a legislator, I still maintain that the present government was not able to give us the statistics of what was handed over to it. I took part in a debate on

a resolution that called on government to make public what the past administration handed over. With that, it will be easy for the average Nigerian to assess or pass his judgement that really, our present day woes are as a result of the activities of the past administration but as long as that information is not made public. I will not subscribe to the claim that it was the last administration that led to the problem the country is facing now. During past administration, Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa. There was a lot of improvement in our power supply; that was the first time that sector was privatised and we also stepped up in our average financial rating in the international community.

We now expect this government to enlighten Nigerians on the conditions of the various sectors of the economy and what the situations are today.

Moreover, you were elected to come and create some changes, a departure from the usual. And what people want to see is performance. Nigerians want to see food on their tables people want to get jobs, producers want to see their companies growing, and that is what is fundamental. Nigerians want to get efficient health services. They want to see water running and have light to support other economic activities. Once these basic needs of life are provided, I don't think that anybody will be complaining.

So, I will advise government not embark on too many things at a time; instead government should select about three very critical areas which they will be remembered for and make a mark in those areas. When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo came to power, we were relying on NITEL but he took it upon himself and made it a priority and reengineered the

telecommunication industry. It was during his time that MTN came, and thereafter other companies started coming in, and we have a stable telecommunication industry today. We also saw the reform in the banking sector which resulted in the consolidation of the industry, and since then we have a stable banking sector. So, government should come up with definite policies that will live beyond this administration.

What is your perception of the anticorruption war of President Buhari?

Well, the approach being adopted tends to remove the life and flesh from the action being taken by government. Everybody condemns corruption and we need to fight corruption. But the approach adopted can make a mess or make good of your intensions; and the way it is, if you go the public place the impression there is that this is just a political witch-hunt because 99.9 per cent of those affected, arrested or being tried belong to the opposition party. And we heard of people being reported to be involved in corrupt practices and it appears that eyes are being closed towards that direction. It is not only in Nigeria, a lot of members of the international community see it that way, which is problematic. We will tell you to take them back to the past than this idea of fighting corruption and they are dying or suffering a lot of injustice from the ruling party. But I want to urge Nigerians to keep faith and never lose hope. I believe that things will change if we remain steadfast in supporting government and pointing out areas of concern and government begins to listen to the voice of the opposition and the people in general.

Group urges quick confirmation of NDDC appointments

A

coalition of civil society groups in the Niger Delta under the coalition of Southern Youths Leadership Forum (SYLF), has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing accomplished businessman, Mr. Nsima Ekere as the substantive Managing-Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The group gave the commendation in a communique issued in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital after an emergency meeting which was convened to review developments in the region, its Media Adviser, Mr. Dominik Umosen has said.

Making the commendation, the convener of the group, Dr. Bassey Akpan, re-stated that the appointment of Mr. Ekere reflected President Buhari’s commitment to transform the oil-rich Niger Delta region by a team comprising committed and knowledgeable experts who are familiar with the peculiar challenges facing the region which is strategic to the country’s economic well-being.

The SYLF is a platform that incorporates over 30 civil society groups across the Niger Delta, including the Niger Delta Unity Forum; Akwa Ibom Youths Coalition; Ijaw Progressives Forum; South East Peoples Movement and the Rivers Youths Initiative.

The communique, which re-affirmed support for President Buhari’s efforts to

transform the region, was jointly signed

by Chief Jack Pepple of Rivers Youth Initiative; Mazi Chidubem Iheanacho of the South-East Peoples Movement and Dr. Bassey Akpan, the convener of the SYLF. According to Akpan, the appointment of Ekere as the Managing-Director of the NDDC, an accomplished business personality who has operated successfully in Port Harcourt for over 10 years, testifies to Pres Buhari’s commitment to give a new lease of life to the people of the Niger Delta region.

Dr. Akpan urged the Senate of the Federal Republic to cooperate with the President to revive the economy and transform the nation by giving accelerated and hitch-free confirmation of the well-chosen and capable nominee in the person of Mr. Ekere.

In his contribution, Mr. Ayo Foluso from Ondo State, another signatory to the communique, hailed the nomination of Mr. Ekere and described it as an eloquent testimony of President Buhari’s genuine commitment to the speedy transformation of the region which has been rocked by militancy arising from popular frustration with unresolved challenges associated with oil exploration and exploitation in the region.

Dr Akpan said that the choice of Ekere reflected President Buhari’s determination to transform the region, and end the spate of attacks once and for all.

SUNDAY September 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Interview Understanding is tonic for sweet marital home –Rev LizzySulaman p.33

Sermon God is angry with the wicked (1) p.35

FAITH

32

News

Martins to Buhari: Drop biases, use experts to save economy p.35 Tai Anyanwu Head, religous Desk titus.anyanwu@newtelegraph © Daily Telegraph Publishing

Oyedepo @61: Secret Grandma taught me about money I Tai Anyanwu

t is no longer a secret that the General Overseer of Covenant Faith Church (a.k.a. Canaanland), Bishop David Oyedepo, is one of the world’s richest pastors.

But what you probably, may not know is that the cleric actually learnt the secrets, which launched him into financial fortune, from his grandmother. Wondering how the juicy piece of information came about? Hear him: “Let me take time on this old truth that has never ceased to produce testimonies. Of all the giving that the covenant demands, tithe paying is the master key to a world of financial fortune. As a grown up boy, I asked my grandmother of blessed memories what she always took to church every morning.

“In the Anglican Church then, all the old people, in preparing them for the day of their departure, they go for Holy Communion early in the morning before the service begins. So she would carry the tithe of her income for the week.

And I asked her what it is and she said, ‘That is God’s portion that makes the remainder meaningful’.

“It’s the hottest tithe statement I ever heard. She lived a buoyant life, owed nobody but so many owed her and she was able to list them one after the other and how much they were owing and said, ‘If they bring it, take it and if they don’t, they’re forgiven’ because no one rejoices with debt. That, also, further enhanced my hatred for debt. No one testifies, ‘Thank God, I owe about 4.6m right now. It’s such a blessing. Nobody celebrates indebtedness. You are free.’”

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Otta, Ogun State; and few days to his 61st birthday. An amazing influx of worshippers into the 100,000-seater capacity auditorium of his church, Covenant Faith Church, was reminiscent of the scriptures in the book of Isaiah 2:3: “Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Though it was the fifth service, when the erudite teacher dressed in a sparkling white suit and red tie to match, mounted the altar to preach, he betrayed no sign of stress, to be expected from a minister who had spoken in the previous four services. But as he spoke, the congregation listened in rapt attention to a teacher of righteous living and financial multiplication, which Oyedepo also exemplifies.

Digging into the scriptures, Oyedepo insisted that no one has a future by robbing God: “If robbing a man brings a curse, what would robbing God bring?

If robbing a man incurs the curse of the Lord, imagine the level of the curse that

Pastor Oyedepo

a man would be inflicted with robbing have never begged; 35 years in ministry.

I have never given anybody any special God. “I’d like you to know that if you are attention because of what he has.”

He added: “I have never called anynot a tither, you are not a candidate for financial fortune. You may be surviv- body on phone to ask for help. Someing but you can’t thrive. Prove me now body here is experiencing a turn around. with your tithe if I will not open you the Don’t let the devil disconnect you from windows of heaven and pour you out the fountain of life. The church doesn’t need your tithe and I vow a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it and I rebuke the that nobody takes it devourers for your sake. It offers out on anybody. security of your blessing. It is One billion Tapping his the only giving that offers demons chest, Oyedepo said: security of your blessing. c a n ’ t Can I talk to the mothers “This short man is in wealth. b r i n g in house? Begin to teach t h i s I saw it coming and I knew your children right church what would bring it (tithing) and d o w n now because they are seeing it; teach them I committed myself to it with all b e what it is, so they can cause my heart. I have never begged; 35 of stay in it.” the Since the Bishop c o v years in ministry. I have never enant of learnt the blessedgiven anybody any special ness of tithing from his tithing.” attention because of grandmother, he has not And the deviated from paying tithe congregawhat he has religiously. Tapping his chest, tions listened, Oyedepo said: “This short man is took notes and in wealth. I saw it coming and I knew jumped up with outwhat would bring it (tithing) and I com- reaching hands as they said amen to mitted myself to it with all my heart. I prophetic declarations as the Bishop’s

prayed for their financial breakthroughs.

Bishop Oyedepo no doubt, is an epitome of a man, who walked into stupendous wealth just by believing the word of God, acting it out through faith and teaching the word of faith.

It all began on May I, 1981 when in an 18-hour long vision, he received divine mandate to liberate people oppressed by the devil through preaching the word of faith. Oyedepo got down to the business of the gospel with unflinching passion, dedication and reverence.

Today, his accomplishment stands very tall. The aesthetic designs of the international headquarters of the Faith Covenant Church and its sprawling gardens make the premises of other church camps appear beggarly.

It also houses one of Oyedepo’s citadels of knowledge and one of Africa’s leading private university, the Covenant University; while the Land Mark University, the second tertiary institution of learning owned by the cleric, is located in his home state of Kwara.

As the Bishop celebrates his 61st birthday on Tuesday, we at SundayTelegraph rejoice with him and wish the Bishop many more years of greater accomplishment.

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 25, 2016

Interview

Understanding is tonic for sweet marital home –Rev Lizzy Suleman Wife of the founder of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Reverend (Dr.) Lizzy Suleman, speaks on the place of women in society in this interview with EDWIN USOBOH. Excerpt tongues and prophecy. Apostle Paul’s closing exhortation, beginning in verse 39, is a fitting conclusion. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner.

The notion that women should be silent in the church or not called to be a pastor or leader of congregation is wrong because of lack of total understanding of the scriptures.

Some women in places of authority may find such position as hindrance to their roles as wife and mother? What is your take on that?

Rev. Lizzy Sulaman

How do you react to some opinion that women should not hold pastoral position considering great works many women are doing in the Lord’s vineyard?

God did not restricted women to just being woman without having anything to do with the pulpit. The notion that women are not called to be a pastor or into church leadership is a wrong and misleading. From the days of the early church till now, we have women at the helms of affairs in church settings. To start with, Deborah, the judge in Israel, the wife of Lapidol who ruled Israel for years is a woman, Judge 4. Esther, the

wife of king Ahazzerus saved the Jewish race from being exterminated. In our own days, Aimee Semple McPherson founded Four Square Gospel and many others. Though Apostle Paul said women should be silent in church, this is peculiar with the church in Corinthians because of the behaviour of their women. This is not a general situation.

1 Corinthians 14: 34-35 do not prohibit women from speaking in the church in pulpit ministry, teaching, preaching, praying, prophesying, or any other speaking function. The focus of Chapter 14 is on the proper use of spiritual gifts,

Muoka gives hope to Nigerians I n spite of the prevailing hardship in the country, Nigerians have been asked to have hope in God’s revealed plan to deliver the country from its numerous afflictions. The General Overseer of Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, gave the assurance at the just concluded two-day national crusade held at Ichi Community Secondary school, Anambra State.

He said: “God has not forgotten you all.

He has seen the afflictions that Nigerians are subjected to, the hardship and insecurity. He has heard your cry and has now decided to deliver the people from the biting economic recession and hopelessness into a season of abundance.

“We should not allow the severity of the situation to becloud our senses of judgment, but we must know that God rules in the spiritual realm and also controls the physical.

Therefore nothing is impossible to God. He has the power to kill and make alive, power to make poor or rich, change failure to success and can definitely turn economic recession to economic boom.”

Muoka, however, stated that God allowed Nigerian to degenerate into the unpleasant circumstances because of sin in the land adding that “When God delivers our country this time around we should appreciate Him as our God. According to the cleric: “One of the reasons

God inspired the crusade is just to bring the good news of what is coming to our country men and women.

“God will through this program turnaround the nation’s ugly situation, for He has come to take over from where men’s ideas, money and intellect have failed. Thus everything that is responsible for our problems shall be crushed.

There shall be transformation, restoration and old life shall be made new from now.”

Muoka charged everyone to take the opportunity to repent from sin and embrace God wholeheartedly. According to him, the programme is also in line with the church’s vision of grassroots revival all over the world, revival of the apostolic Christian experiences in the body of Christ and promotion of heaven.

Many people afflicted with paralyses, blindness, deaf, dumb and other ailments received instant deliverance and healings at the crusade. There was also an impressive turn-out of dignitaries from different parts of the country.

Prominent among the special guest were the Igwe Anam-aru Ike III of Ichi Community, His Royal Highness Igwe Lawrence Okonkwo; the Personal Assistant to Anambra State Governor on Religious Affairs, Hon. Charles, who represented Governor Willy Obiano; the Methodist Bishop of Onitsha Diocese, His Lordship Bishop B. L. Onuagha; he was accompanied by two Methodist clergies, Rt Rev. Caleb B. Okoroafor and Rev. Joel Nwobodo and High Chief Jerome Umezuoke.

Every woman is designed to be a wife to her husband and a mother to her biological children. And if the woman is in church setting, she will have spiritual children (protégées). One thing that is common that would make any woman a good wife and a good mother is humility, large heart and submission. Without true application of these Godly virtues, any woman in the place of authority would mix things up to the detriment of the society.

How does it make you feel to see that some Christians make light the sin of abortion and how can this be arrested?

To start with, abortion as you rightly put it, is taking of life deliberately either from the stage of zygote or embryo or foetus, fertilisation time is actually the beginning of human life. Abortion is not the way of God but of man; and society should not emulate that. Great stars, generals, professors, helpers of destinies have been sent into early extinction because of the evil work of blind mothers and fathers in the society. This vice can be dealt with in a Christian way first, by having the fear of God. If every mother, would-be-mother, father and would-befather should have the fear of God, the evil of abortion will be curtailed because the Bible says ‘you shall not kill’ either from the stage of zygote or embryo or foetus or a full grown up human being.

Killing is killing. Before parents commit abortion, they should ask themselves this question: ‘assuming my parents aborted me when I was a zygote or embryo or foetus, would I be what I am today?’ That would be a good guide to solving this problem.

Marriage is God’s design. But even in Christian homes, it is not all rosy. What tonic will you prescribe for someone wishing to have a successful marriage?

Marriage is a journey. Most times, some journeys in life are full of challenges while some are rosy depending on the factors put in place before the journey started. Frankly speaking, there is no perfect marriage on earth because two people with different backgrounds are coming to stay together. Perfect marriage is in heaven between the bride (the church) and the groom (Jesus). However, if any marriage must work, it must be the joint effort of the couple. So the best

marriage tonic in my opinion is having marital understanding, that every husband should love his wife and every wife should submit to her husband.

Tell us about the International Women Conference 2016 and the glory of the wonders and signs there.

The International Women Conference was power packed, featured testimonies and word exposition. Many women converged from various continents of the world to be influenced positively by the new anointing which is the conference theme. The three days conference produced healings, deliverances, restorations, accurate prophetic utterances, singing, and drama. The conference was capped up with Thanksgiving. To the glory of God, testimonies are still coming in.

What do you have to say about some who are pushing for equal right with men?

Every man and woman on earth has equal right and access to salvation which is based on faith in Christ. It is a divine gift. But that women should submit to the leadership of men (at home) is not debatable or contestable; because it’s divine instruction according to Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord”.

However, when a woman is in position of authority, both men and women under her should submit to her.

How do you really inspire women under your watch, in the church?

Inspiration for timely and purposeful leadership is from God. When it is time to lead, the capable and the needed resources to accomplish the due delivery of the exercise will be made available by God. As a leader, the best way to inspire your followers is to inspire yourself first. In other words, when a leader is inspired, the followers would be inspired. A deliberate attempt to live an exemplary life is another source of motivation and inspiration for our women.

What qualities define a Godly woman?

The best way to define the qualities of a Godly woman is by aligning it with what the Bible says. A Godly woman must be a born again child of God whose life is a blessing to others. She must of necessity be engrossed with the duty of submission at home to her husband. A Godly woman can also mean a virtuous woman whose attributes are in Prov. 31:10-24. They are: industrious, tactful; not wasteful or extravagant, and not wicked but good mothers, and not notorious in their approach to life.

In a nutshell, a Godly woman does not live all her life on the things of this world. She believes that we are pilgrims or strangers in this world and that sooner or later, Jesus will come back again to judge both the living and the dead. As a matter of fact, she knows that daily activity of human being is either pointing him or her to Heaven or hell.

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SUNDAY September 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

faith

Insight

Rev. Femi Akinola www.thehebrewsng.com

01-790 3163; 0808 584 5864

The cage of mammon

“N

o man can serve two masters…

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Matthew 6:24 Jesus Himself reaffirmed that there are two ‘masters’ on earth; Jesus Himself and mammon who seeks to possess and control the hearts and lives of men. This is not to say in a literal sense that mammon is master in anyway who has capacity to reign over our Lord Jesus; but mammon can be master and/or king over the lives of vulnerable people who reduce their existence to materialism.

The only entity that has the tendency and the captivating potency to contend with Him in this world is mammon. He’s the chief demon who wants to have total influence over money and the way it is spent in this world. The only people over whom mammon has no control are those who have genuinely committed their hearts and resources for the objectives and expansion of God’s Kingdom on earth.

In the spiritual ranking of entities in satan’s kingdom, mammon is in the category of powers. He is the custodian of all ‘goodies’ and ‘treasures’ in the kingdom of darkness. All that is in its custody are those things which are stolen by the powers of darkness from believers and in turn demands for worship from them in order to give them the counterfeit of the original blessings God has for them.

He has actually succeeded in his campaign to make many backslide from the faith giving heed to doctrines of the devil thereby making many put money and material possessions before the Kingdom in contrast to the commandment in Mathew 6:33. He is the spirit behind greed that makes many kill for money; makes Christians to pray and pray for money until they become frustrated and seek alternative means of getting it.

According to Luke 4:18, the first assignment of Jesus is to the poor. This is because Jesus knows that preaching the gospel to a poor and hungry man without first meeting immediate needs could be an exercise in futility. So He came to set the poor free from the bondage of poverty of the spirit so that he who once was poor can through God’s blessing propagate the gospel too.

No one is free from the

temptations of mammon.

Even Christ was tempted with material things; satan tried to manipulate Jesus into thinking the world belongs to him.

Signs to know if one is in the cage of mammon • You cannot say the truth once money is involved or allow money control your actions.

• When you can trade important relationships for money.

• People who enter occultic covenants, blood rituals or carry sacrifice for money.

• People who are very stingy or greedy; they’d rather be swindled than to give.

• People who don’t tithe.

• When you use God’s money to finance your business.

• When you love money than you love God. • The infidels; who make their family suffer untold hardship while they hide their money far and spend it on strange women and other unprofitable things.

(I Timothy 6:10; 5:8) The wealth of God’s Kingdom is not for the greedy but the selfless. Begin to take calculated steps to represent God here on earth in spreading His Kingdom message through prosperity. This goes beyond mere desires; you must work it out.

God neither blesses your wishes, plans nor complaints; He orders and blesses the steps you take.

You must start taking steps for your own financial emancipation so that you can fulfil His purpose on earth. God knows that when money takes possession of His children it will control their destinies, this is why He has blessed us already with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; our responsibility as Kingdom people is to command and manifest these blessings in and out of season.

How do you escape from the grip of mammon?

• Be a tither • Be contented • Begin with little and be faithful in it • Don’t be in haste to be rich PRAYER POINTS • I receive deliverance from the grip of mammon • I will not bow to mammon • Lord, bless the work of my hands • My Father, I will obey Your principles; answer me quickly …in Jesus name

Engaging the spirit of faith to fulfill divine plan(2)

L

ast week, we established that God has great and enviable plans for us, but it takes the operation of the Spirit of faith to actualize them.

We also examine what the spirit of faith can do and what it takes to maintain its manifestations. This week, we shall examine what impartation is and the channels through which God imparts and empower us to fulfill His plans and purposes for our lives.

What is Impartation? · Impartation is the tangible transmission of virtue through an anointed vessel: For instance, the woman with the issue of blood was imparted through the anointing upon Christ. As she touched the hem of His garment, the Bible records that she was made whole, and Jesus said, “Virtue has gone out of Me” (Luke 8:43-46). · It is also the release of spiritual gifts from anointed vessels to others: It is important for us to understand that every apostolic grace is transferrable, and every true prophet is a carrier of this transferrable grace.

Paul said: For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established (Romans 1:11; see also Philippians 1:7).

What are the Channels of Impartation in scriptures? § Through the Word: Words are the most valuable assets in the race of life. As it is written: The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel (Isaiah 9:8; see also Luke 5:17).

For instance, in March 1984, the Lord sent a Word into my life con-

cerning Church growth.

Today, that Word is speaking across the nations of the earth. Also, He sent another Word on the prosperity of the Church on September 4, 1987 and it still speaks louder by the day. § Through prophecies: Prophetic words have an unusual entrance into us. It is sent to impart our lives with prophetic virtues and set us upon our feet (1 Timothy 4:14, Ezekiel 2:2). § Laying-on of hands: Through this channel, hands are laid on us for blessings and release of gifts, among others (Habakkuk 3:4, Acts 19:1-6). § Through the prophetic mantle: A mantle is any material that came in contact with a prophet or from a prophet and it is a medium of transference of grace (2 Kings 2:8-14, Acts 19:11-12, Luke 8:4048, Matthew 14:36).

What are the Virtues in a Mantle? Ø It carries the spirit of the prophet: As it is written: And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets (1 Corinthians 14:32).

Through the mystery of the mantle, God transmits the spirit of the prophet to set free the captives.

For instance, the spirit of Elijah was in his mantle and when Elisha said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah,” then the spirit of Elijah answered and the water parted (2 Kings 2:8-14). Ø It also carries the anointing upon the prophet: The anointing upon the prophet, which is in the mantle that comes from him, enables us to manifest at the same frequency with that prophet. When Jesus was on earth, His garment was flowing with the anointing upon His

The Voice of Dominion by

Bishop David Oyedepo E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

7747546-8 (SMS only) life, and everyone that touched Him were made perfectly whole (Psalm 45:6-8, 133:1-3; Matthew 9:20-22; 14:34-36).

Therefore, when we hold a prophetic mantle with the understanding that it carries these two virtues, then we experience the miraculous in our lives.

But for the mantle to deliver, we must: ü Believe the word concerning the prophetic mantle: If we don’t believe in it, we cannot partake of the virtues in it (Hebrews 4:2, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Matthew 9:20-22; 14:34-36). ü Believe in the person and ministry of the prophet concerned: For instance, Jesus could not impart upon them in Nazareth, because they wouldn’t believe in Him and He marvelled at their unbelief (Mark 6:4-6, Matthew 10:41, 2 Chronicles 20:20). ü Maintain a right heart: As it is written, Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men (Isaiah 29:13; see also Mark 6:4).

Remember, every plan and purpose of God thrives on faith. But, we must understand that faith is no cheap talk; faith is hard work. Any faith that makes God absolutely responsible for

the outcome of our lives is an irresponsible faith.

We must also understand that our part is nonnegotiable and it must be played before the deal can be delivered.

Thus, we don’t just receive the Spirit of faith; we must stir it up, nurture, build and keep it alive in order to birth our testimonies. Let us therefore labour to enter into the rest that faith offers. Today marks the dawn of a new day for you in Jesus’ name!

Are you born again?

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood . Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.

Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” For further reading, please get my books: Unlimited Power of Faith, The Law Of Faith, Exploits Of Faith, All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met, Miracle seed and The Force Of Freedom.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners.

We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. respectively.

‘Ensure balanced, fulfilled life style’

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Josephine Damisa ow to achieve a balanced life style, irrespective of enormous demands placed on the woman as a social, spiritual, working class mother and wife, was the focus of a workshop organised for Catholic wemen in Lagos State, recently.

The awareness programme, powered by the

Cahtolic Sisters United in Christ, was held at Saint Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland Lagos.

According to the facilitator, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Awagu, the present economic realities in Nigeria has placed more demands on the woman since she has to engage on income generating endeavor as her contribution to family support.

“A woman must learn to cope with the pressure of her work life, home management, career, business and social demands,” she said.

Mrs. Awagu explained that it is a woman’s responsibility to ensure a balance life within her various preoccupations. She added that to achieve the balance and have a fulfilled life, the woman needs to set her purpose which must

include her parenting roles, time her endeavors, and strategise with a view to achieving her set goals.

She must also have a checklist, exercise control over her pressures and have time with her love ones.

At the end of the day, the women folk went home more equipped to manage her multi-faceted tasks tactfully and still have a fulfilling life.

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faith

Martins to Buhari: Drop biases, Revival Tidings with use experts to save economy Pastor

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Esther Bakare atholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Reverend Adewale Martins, has advised the federal government to put aside all forms of biases and invite experts to tackle the recession in the country, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or party leanings.

Martins gave the counsel while fielding questions from journalists at the ordination service of Rev Christopher Atoyebi, Rev Emiri Odey and Rev Vitalis Exeigwe at the St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos, held during the week.

He recalled that a recent meeting of Archbishops in Nigeria held in Akure, the Ondo State capital city, noted that Nigerians are facing lots of hardship.

Hence, the Bishops resolved

that the earlier President Buhari overhauled his cabinet to engage experts irrespective of their political leanings, religion or ethnic origin, to save the economy, the better of Nigeria, Martins said.

His words: “Let us shun nepotism and make use of the right people in order to move forward because of the suffering people are going through. We hope that some of the recovered funds should be pumped into the economy to ease the recession period.”

Martins also tasked governments on the issue of insecurity pointing out that if workers are not paid their wages they could take to violence. He suggested that part of the recovered loots should be properly channeled into provision of security for all Nigerians.

“Enough of State governments

trooping to Abuja for allocation, they also should look for ways to generate funds, they should improve on their Internally Generated Revenues by increasing it so that they can pay salaries.

When people are not paid for their labour it could lead the country to another form of insecurity because a hungry man is an angry man”, Martins added.

Also counseling the newly ordained priests, the cleric said they should see their calling as divine and service to humanity.

He advised Nigerians to have a new mindset to create the change they desire.

He said: ‘Impunity is our major challenge in this country, if government is able to address this then it will go a long way to tackle corruption otherwise the change we are all clamouring for will not come.”

A cross session of participants from St. Kizito Parish in Iju , at Leadership workshop organiser by the Catholic Sisters United in Christ on Work Life Balance at St. Anges Catholic Church, Maryland... Lagos recently

Woman loses family to Boko Haram for turning back on Islam

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former Muslim, Deborah Shettima, who converted to Christian faith, has refused to turn her back on her faith - even after Boko Haram militants murdered her husband, only son and kidnapped her daughters.

According to Gospel herald. com, Deborah Shettima converted to Christianity from Islam and married her husband against the wishes of her family.

Despite numerous threats and persecution at the hands of her neighbors and family members, Deborah refused to return to Islam.

Several years later, Boko Haram militants stormed her house, and shot and killed Deborah’s husband before kidnapping her two young daughters. When Deborah begged the terrorists to leave her daughter, they simply shoved her to the floor, nearly paralyzing her.

Three months later, the Islamic extremists reappeared, and this time killed Deborah’s only son.

Instead of helping her, Deborah’s family attempted to convince her to return to Islam.

Refusing to give into their demands, she moved away from her home, physically and men-

tally traumatized. However, the one thing that remained firm was her faith in Christ: “I have been living a difficult life,” she told Open Doors. “I have decided to accept Christ. I will, for as long as I live, remain a Christian. It doesn’t matter the threat,” she bravely declared.

She added, “Life might not be very easy with me, but the grace of the Lord will keep me going.

My situation doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care about me. He does. Therefore, I will praise Him even in this situation. Who knows? He may change my situation for the better. He loves me and I will never let Him down.”

However, it was gathered that Deborah now looks tired and worn out, and had lost a troubling amount of weight. “I have been crying anytime the thought of my girls comes up. I have cried my eyes out. My heart is aching and every night my eyes remain widely open, waiting expectantly for God to come to my rescue, to show me His mercy over the situation, to connect me in this life with my daughters again. This has been my expectation and plea to my loving heavenly Father,”

she confessed. Deborah continues to face challenges, as her lease has expired and the landlord has doubled the rent and is threatening to evict her. “Where would I get the money? I can’t go back to the house my husband built.

There are just too many painful memories. I feel stranded and confused,” she sobbed.

Despite her bleak circumstances, Deborah displayed a staunch faith in Christ and a belief that one day, she will be reunited with her family. She shared how the cards hundreds of Christians have sent her from around the world have carried her in her lowest moments.

“Though I have a lot of fear about the fate of my children who are in the hands of Boko Haram, these messages have kept telling me that millions of believers around the world are praying for me and my children,” she said. “I might not know where they are or what their circumstances are, but I believe your prayers may reveal where they are and even cause us to be reunited. But I also take comfort in knowing even if I may not see them again in this life we will meet at the feet of Jesus.”

Lazarus Muoka

Email: chosenworldwidepublicityltd@ gmail.com`

0809513900, 08068465580 (SMS only)

God is angry with the wicked (1)

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Psalm 7: 11 says, “God judges the righteous and God is angry with the wicked every day, and if he turns not, he will wet his sword; he has bent his bow and make it ready, he has also prepared for him the instrument of death, he has bent his arrow against his persecutors” In the world today, many people feign ignorance of the causes of their problems. People easily say: Oh I do not know what is happening to me. Hence, they go in search of solution from different places where there is none. Of course, if a problem cannot be diagnosed it’s solution becomes difficult. And the more a problem lingers, the more confused the victim becomes. It does not matter whether the victim is believers or not, as long as one cannot trace the causes of a problem, solution is far-away.

However, if the victim has access to the mind of God, the maker and author of life, such confusions can be resolved easily. But rather seek for solutions from the Creator, some victims choose to consult fellow man. Hear me; the major reason why people suffer from stubborn afflictions and diseases is disobedience to the word of God. That is why they will try all known solution for a problem to no avail. And the more they seek solutions, the more they thrust themselves into deeper confusion and lamentation.

Ps. 7:11b says: “God is angry with the wicked every day”.

God has clearly spoken through this verse and given answer to as many that are saying they do not know what is happening to them. As long as one remains an unrepentant sinner, not minding his Creator’s feeling, God’s anger will burn daily against the sinner.

If you are a sinner and claim you don’t know what your problem is, just know that God is angry with you. God detest sin and He is angry with people who continue in it.

Every day of a sinner brings a curse with it. A sinner may feast many days, but not even a day is safe for him. God’s anger burns every single second against the wicked, whose refuses to repent.

God’s wrath awaits the wicked at every door where sin sets its abominable foot. And every faculty of soul and part of body used as a weapon of unrighteousness has its portion of wrath.

Psalms 7: 11-16 says it all: “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Behold, he

travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

Aptly, a sword is dangling on the neck of the wicked. The instruments for their ruin are prepared.

It is a pity that stubborn sinners will never understand this until they actually experience it. If you are the type that does not want to repent, see the need to stop evil, and does not want to repent from wickedness, then do not say you don’t know what your problems are. Don’t ask what is happening to you or say you don’t know the source of your problems. God is angry with you; seeking for solution instead of repentance is an effort in futility. No physical solution will remedy spiritual problem except on ground of repentance.

If you do not repent from iniquity, you have drawn a battle line between you and your Creator.

He said He has sharpened His sword and raised His hand to deal with His enemies and if they will not repent, it will speedily cut them in pieces.

The whetting of the sword is but to give a keener edge that it may cut deeper. God is silent as long as the sinner will let Him; but when the sword is whet, it is to cut; and when the bow is bent, it is to kill; and woe to that man who is the ram. Even now the thirsty waits to wet itself with the blood of the sinner.

God is warning all sinners that He has bent the bow, aimed at the target, fitted the arrow to the string, and the arrow is set to fly at them now. Remember, God’s arrows are instrument of death and never miss the mark. If you are a sinner, know that judgment may tarry, but it must surely come. The mill of God grinds late, but grinds to powder.

Although our God is merciful, He cannot pardon unrepentant sinners who refused to embrace the goodness of God in the person of Jesus Christ: “Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation,” - Exodus 34:7 So, beloved, If you are a wicked sinner and you are saying you don’t know why your problems defy solutions, your business is not progressing, your children are not doing well and nobody in your family is prospering, the reason is that God is angry with you because your refused to repent.

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SUNDAY September 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

faith

I found she belonged to another man

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t took me almost four years to be appointed a Principal. Reflecting back, I discovered that either I did not trust God enough to have a plan for me, or I did not pray about each of the two opportunities presented to me to become a Secondary School Principal almost 10 years before I was finally appointed. Truly I did not pray about it.

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thought of peace, and not of evil to give you an expected end.

(Jeremiah 29:11) When the people of Israel gathered to make Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king over them, they asked him a very simple question, and Rehoboam did not pray to God for wisdom to answer the question. He behaved the way I did and lost the 10 tribe of Israel.

Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, light, and me will serve thee. And we will serve thee. And he said unto them, depart yet for 3 days, then come again to me, and the people departed (I Kings 12:4,5).

Rehoboam did not go to pray about it, and gave a wrong answer which resulted in the popular saying: --- to your tents, O Israel:

Word of Life Archbishop. Moses Kattey moseskatteyabp@yahoo.co.uk

0808 770 7486

In marriage, I went to a tailor’s workshop and met a girl who impressed me by her appearance and bold speeches. I immediately proposed to her without a second thought or prayers. She was not mine but because I did not pray, I proposed. I discovered later that she belonged to another man.

The engagement broke down irreparably within few months.

In one way or the other, if you pray, God will certainly direct your path.

Sometimes, ago, I made a public statement that for about 46 years of being born again, I had no significant problem of immorality. The challenges I had were those of choices.

If I prayed I made a good choice. If I refused or fail to pray I regretted.

One day, information came to a General Overseer that one of his ministers was using diabolic means to pray for people. The church was not stable because some ministers were fighting the General Overseer (G.O.). The man alleged to be using diabolic means was among those fighting him; in fact was

now see to thy own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents (1 Kings 12:16) When two or more options are presented to you, no matter how easy the answers seem to you, please, pray for guidance and you will not regret your choice.

Why pray? The Lord says For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8,9).

Saul, the father of Jonathan also lost that Kingdom of Israel to David just because he did not pray when he was panicking before going to sacrifice unto the Lord, disobeying Prophet Samuel.

Trust in thee Lord with all thine heart, and LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall directly paths (Proverbs 3:5,6).

I have never prayed about a matter and made a mistake. Each time I leaned on my own understanding, I regretted.

very close person to one of the top leaders. The G.O. needed wisdom to tackle the problem. Prophecies continued to flow out in this direction. You cannot accuse a person based on prophecies. G. O. needed physical evidence to act on because of the sensitivity of the matter – it could break the church.

The G. O. prayed to God to prove this and handle the matter. Prophecies apart, the Lord brought out a witness to confirm the powers behind the man’s work.

The wife of the landlord and the minister’s wife were very close and the minister’s wife revealed many things to the women (landlord’s wife). Minister’s wife told her that the G.O. was always transferring the husband until they went and met a spiritual man who did some work for them so as not to go on transfer. The landlord’s wife then asked her, “Did the medicine work?”

Minister’s wife answered “Don’t you see that my husband has not gone on transfer since the spiritual work was done?” .

The work must have included growing the church or performing miracles, etc. Evidence of the diabolic power was no more a hidden thing especially when the two women quarreled and started fighting each other on another issue.

When your love for your spouse is being tested

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ove is an inner force which can motivate you to do something, sacrifice something, give something or expressing it. It is an action word that requires you to demonstrate it to the person whom you are professing it to. You cannot say you love someone and the person is not seeing any evidence to what you are saying. It is so visible and speaks for itself before you even speak of it.

We say we love our families but when the true test of this love comes, we fail most times. How you may ask? When we decide to only see and accept the good side of the people we love and refuse to accept any other side of their lives.

We are created differently and will definitely have some differences in our dispositions, in our temperaments and natures.

There are some things that made us who we are and there are some things in us that might not be so appealing to those around us. But these things are sure to present themselves to our loved ones at one point in time or the other; and at such moments, we will

Marriage & Family Intimacy

Bishop Charles Ighele holyspiritmissioninc@yahoo.com

07066579379/09098845521 know how much we are loved and accepted.

Complete show of love is when we accept each other for who we are and not just for who we would have wanted them to be. There are elements of fault in each and every one of us in one way or the other. Your love for your spouse will surely be tested by his or her faults.

The love you have for your children will also be tested when they begin to display their faults too.

Your son or daughter will measure your love by the level of tolerance you have shown him or her. The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins 1 Peter 4:8. The love in your heart for your family should be bigger than the faults they display.

When you say you love your spouse, you are expected to overlook any kind of fault that might rear its head in the course of your

marriage. It is expected of you to use love to correct such fault and move ahead in your relationship rather than dwelling on the fault and forgetting about the love you have been professing. The other way round will also prove that you also have one fault or the other.

And you are to ask yourself how you would have loved to be treated when your own faults are being made manifest.

Help them to overcome these faults in order to come out better and strong than criticize and flash it at their faces at all times. Do not be a daily reminder to the faults in your family members’ lives. They might be struggling to overcome them; and throwing it at their faces will not achieve that. Prov. 10:12. Your love for them is expected to cover them up and not to constantly remind them of

the areas they are failing or have been battling with to overcome. Love is a strong tool in pulling a lover out of the pit of despair and shortfall. It is an instrument used to make a loved one know that he/she can come out strong and face life no matter the level of drawback being faced. You cannot tell your spouse how much you love them when you are also the one flagging their faults on their faces. The person will have doubts in his/her heart on how much you really love and care.

You do not have the power to transform your spouse or children but you can do something about it.

Help them come out of it in love. Remember love conquers all. Love gives out kindness, compassion, attention, correction, counsel and all the likes that will make the receiver feel good and cool. Each time you do the opposite of what has been mentioned here, you are simply telling the person concerned that you do not love him/ her and you do not care how he/she feels about it.

Remember, your love for your spouse will be made manifest when the faults are revealed.

Mystery of Anxiety Bishop John Ogbansiegbe 0803 341 6327 (SMS Only)

Challenge is a call to battle

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hen eventually David came out from the valley of death, he dusted dirt off his coat, lifted up his hands and faced to heaven with tears of joy, and proclaimed in greater assurance of his security from God; “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me. Halleluyah! Again I say to you fear not; the Lord is your protection.

In the light of this scriptural position the word of God declares: “But now; thus saith the Lord, that created thee, O Jacob (put your name there) and He that formed thee. O Israel fear not, for I have redeem thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not over flow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not be burned: neither shall the flame Kindle upon thee, Isaiah 43:1-2 This is the sum total of all forms of disasters, which is capable of befalling any man. This scripture categorically emphasizes that God will not allow any disaster, attack or calamity to come upon you, but even if it happens around you it will still not touch or near you. It means that when you walk through a fiery trial not only will you not be burned, but the smell of the fire shall not be seen or perceived around you. There shall not be no sign of it at all. Halleluyah! What a TOO-MUCH-GOD. By the above scriptures therefore, God has claimed you for His own possession.

“I have called thee by name; thou at mine, which means that he has taken personal responsibility for Your care. Yes He has personally become your maximum security and protection. You will stay and remain in this protection unless you choose to walk out of it. THE LORD IS INDEED YOUR PROTECTION. The above statement means to stand firm, advance forward and accept the challenges before you. It means to be bold

and fearless in the present battles around you.

It means that by faith in the potency and power of the Almighty triune God, victory shall eventually be yours. ‘This is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith”1jhn5 vs 4a.And Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once,and possess it,for we are well able to overcome it” -number 13:30.

Life is full of challenges.

A challenge is a summon to settle a matter by contest. It is a call to combat a situation. The level of our attainments in life depends on how those challenges are handled.

And how these challenges are handled depends on what we see in those challenges. Most people see challenges as threats and evil others see them as unnecessary burden, while few see them as opportunities for victory, Heroism and manifestation. If we see challenges as threats and evil, the natural tendency will then be to fear and avoid it. If we see it as an unnecessary burden, then one may grumble over it and thus, remain inactive, hesitant or reluctant. But when we see it as an opportunity to shine, manifest and make progress, we confront it with zeal vigor, and dynamism, until we conquer, overcome and achieve our goals.

My beloved reader; there are challenges ahead of you today; they may look big and gigantic. I can see them roaring and thundering like the Goliath of Gath, challenging you to come for a contest, to come and fight for your miracle, come and fight for your money, come and fight for your marriage, come and fight for your breakthrough, deliverance and freedom. How you see these challenges now, determines your defeat or victory. But I see it as an opportunity from God for you to utilize your God given talent which has remained dormant for too long. The challenge before you is an opportunity for you to accomplish great things. If only you can see these challenges this way this way, your enthusiasm will be inflamed, and your fighting spirit

37

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Body&Soul

with

Wole Adepoju 07037763410

Ogunwusi sisters are rave of social scene

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olashade Ogunwusi-Fadairo, Adesola Ogunwusi Olojede and Bimpe Daodu might sound relatively unknown to many; however, those who are conversant

with what is obtainable on the social scene will certainly not have issues placing them because events worth their onion seem not to be complete without their presence. These beautiful ladies are princesses of Ile- Ife kingdom as well as siblings of flamboyant monarch of Ile-Ife, the Oni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

They may have always been sociable but what is new is that the status of their brother, Oba Ogunwusi may have rubbed off on them so much that their presence is not only felt at social gatherings, but is now more pronounced due to the royalty and affluence they radiate.

It is worthy of note that the Ogunwusi sisters have successfully become rave of the social scene with the help of an ‘accomplice’ in the person of popular businesswoman and socialite, Toyin Kolade with whom they are sighted at most events. These sisters were, days ago, on parade at an event held in Lagos where Kolade equally shone like a star as an integral part of the event which was to celebrate Ijesha indigenes of which she is one.

Sam Adedoyin, others bid High society celebrates Onibudo farewell Alani Bankole T F he passing away of billionaire businessman, the Asipa of Lagos, Ahmed Adisa Onibudo, may no longer be news but what might be of interest at this point is that the late Chairman of Peninsular Resort, Onibudo was bid farewell in an elaborate and befitting burial ceremony where the who is who in the society were present to pay their final respect to one of their own who departed to the great beyond.

Expectedly, the day started with prayers by Islamic clerics after which the guests were entertained with food, drinks and music. Five children of the deceased were present; walking shoulder high for having a father whose legacies they were proud his. Asoebi of different colours were in sight; the burial ceremony was no doubt one of note with lots of important personalities present at the gathering. Billionaire industrialist, Sam Adedoyin, best friend of the deceased, Chief Razak Okoya and his wives, Chief Tunde Badmus, Vanguard publisher, Elder Sam Amuka and Ebumawe of Ago –Iwoye, Oba Razak were among dignitaries that were present.

ather of former speaker of the House of Representatives, Honorable Dimeji Bankole, Chief Alani, is one man who by all ramifications is a factor to reckon with especially as it has to do with his homestead and by extension, Nigeria’s business community. What has over the years been known of the onetime governorship aspirant in Ogun State is that he prefers a low key lifestyle. However, his low key nature had to be put aside recently when he celebrated his 75th birthday.

Although the event was planned to be a low profile affair, his goodwill made prominent people in the society to come in great numbers so much that the city of Abeokuta, where it held knew something was happening. The event started with former Chief Justice of the Federation, Dahiru Musdapher, delivering a lecture on national issues and later on juju music maestro, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, took centre stage. While Ogun State governor Ibikunle Amosun was the host, embattled speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, as well as his deputy, Yusuf Lasun were in attendance. Kola Abiola, Aremo Segun Osoba, Oba Akiolu of Lagos among many others were also on hand to felicitate with the birthday boy.

Goldberg excites Oba Adetona T he Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has commended Goldberg brand for its support for traditional institutions at the concluded 2016 edition of the annual festival, ‘Ojudeoba’.

Receiving homage paid him by the Goldberg brand team at his palace during the festival, he showered praises on the brand and Nigerian Breweries Plc. for strongly backing culture and tradition thereby helping to ensure an enduring legacy. He further stated that Goldberg has made innumerable contributions to the overall growth and development of the festival.

Tayo Adelaja, Public Affairs Man-

ager, West and Mid-West, Nigerian Breweries Plc. expressed gratitude to Kabiyesi and the people of Ijebu for finding Goldberg a worthy partner for the Ojude Oba festival.

As part of the brand’s activities for supporting the festival, Goldberg opened its beer village at the Ijebu township stadium which ran for 12 days, where natives and visitors to the city frequently visited to be refreshed, entertained and to network with one another on social, cultural and economic levels. Lots of household items like Plasma TVs, Generators were won on the final day, courtesy of Goldberg.

woleadepoju@yahoo.com

Grace Egbagbe’s back in the news

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ormer NTA big girl, Grace Egbagbe, broke into limelight on the heels of her activities as a social butterfly which affords her the opportunity to hobnob with the high and mighty on the social scene. Her status, which made her life prone to prying eyes, paved way for her rumoured romance with lady’s man, Lanre Nzeribe, in the past, among several stories that have made rounds about her.

While it may not be unsafe to say the power dresser has for some time been off the news radar, Celeb Lounge can inform you this role model is back in the news and the reason behind her making the news is indeed a cheer one. On the basis of her successful input to her corporate environment and Nigerian business community which makes her an accomplished corporate leader, Egbagbe alongside some others were inducted as a sign of honour by the Nigeria Institute of Directors. Elegant Grace has been basking in the euphoria of the new attainment.

Ambode to boost AWIEF 2016 A

frica Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, AWIEF 2016 edition is around the corner and it is billed to make unprecedented strides in AWIEF’s Pan-African campaign to accelerate the economic empowerment of women in Africa’s best interest.

As a major boost, Lagos State has been confirmed as official partner and host, with the governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, participating. He will be giving a keynote speech and welcome address at the opening ceremony on the 29th of September 2016.

Mrs. Ochem, founder and CEO AWIEF, revealed that a major highlight of the event has been occasioned by AWIEF’s partnership with the African Development Bank (AFDB). The AFDB in a special high-level panel will be unveiling the modalities and details of African Development Bank’s 300 million dollars Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) program.

AWIEF is committed to not just talking about the issues affecting African women’s economic empowerment but, most importantly the project is committed to taking action and engaging, in programs and initiatives through AWIEF NGO and social enterprise that will create that positive impact and actually change the African Woman’s economic fortune for the better.

The event slated for the 29th and 30th of September at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos will be preceeded by a pre-conference workshops powered by Google and Leap Africa September 28, 2016.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Perfect guy, but he lives with his parents I have been on a few dates with one of the greatest guys I’ve met in a while but I’m in desperate need of some advice. The chemistry with my new man is great, he has a good job, and he has been treating me really well.

All signs are looking positive and the fact that we are both from the Yoruba tribe is a big plus for me, but last night he dropped the biggest bomb: he still lives with his parents! He says that he’s saving money to buy a house, but he’s in his 30s and has a good job, why can’t he just go rent an apartment for now until he gathers money to buy the kind of house he want; that doesn’t just make sense to me. Is it’s too early for me to pry further? Should I just give up on him, assuming he’s too immature, or should I see how this all pans out?

Temi, Ibadan Is it Ok to have an office romance?

I’ve always felt office romances were a bad idea and only led to messy situations instead of

professionalism, but a co-worker and I have started seeing each other romantically. We both have respect for one another and thankfully don’t get on the other ’s nerves -even though we see each other at work and after work. Should we inform our company that we are seeing each other? Do you have any advice for handling office relationships?

Jane, Lagos I’m worried about my matured single daughters I’m very concerned because two of my daughters who are in their late 30s are still single and my oldest daughter will be 40 years next year. It seems like a very worrying trend and I’m noticing friends, relatives, and neighbours whose kids are matured enough to get married yet they are single or divorced.

What is really happening to our society these days? I really want to become a grandmother but it looks as if my daughters are not even worried about their singlehood. How do I solve this problem?

Mrs. Okoye, Awka.

He is scared of commitment I’ve been seeing a guy for nine months now but we are not exactly boyfriend and girlfriend.

Throughout these months, I’ve really battled with doubt, confusion and worried over this situation. He said he’s scared of commitment and not sure if I’ll be the same person once we make it official. He feels like he’s only barely scratched the surface when it comes to knowing me.

He wants to see more sides to me than just the ‘nice Christian girl’ but I don’t feel comfortable sharing pieces of my heart with him without commitment. That could mean being too emotionally attached to him. His other excuse

is that he’s not financially stable yet for a serious commitment.

He’s asked me to give him more time but I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do. Actually, I’m not sure if I should break it off or keep seeing him. I’ve really tried to understand where he is coming from and part of me thinks maybe I should be more patient and understanding? He’s a good guy but if I wait for him, that’s a risk as well and a woman’s biological clock does not wait for anybody.

Things have progressed very slowly for us in the past nine months and I feel like he’s pursuing me with minimal effort.

Should I continue?

Bosede, Lagos

GET A SOULMATE I am Paul, 38 years old based in Akwa Ibom State. I need a lady for marriage-07030809667 My name is Titus, I am 54 years old. Please link me up with elderly women between 70-75 years old for companinionship-08061338311 Charles from Anambra State, 35 years old looking for a young, sharp and wealthy lady not more than 45 years old for a lasting relationship-07036880403 My name is Martin, 35 years old from Ekiti State chocolate in complexion, tall and a business man. I live in Lagos. I need a cute working class lady between 27-30 years who is ready to settle down for marriage. -08082183709 Alex is my name. I am 30 years old, good looking and a businessman.

I need a pretty lady between 26-31 years old based Lagos for a serious relationsahip-08094518887 I am Festus Samuel Amodu, from Benue State, light in complexion, 5.7ft, 36 years old based in Abuja. I need a

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God fearing and working class lady for a serious relationship that will lead marriage-08106028472 My name is Sony, a handsome graduate in Enugu, 40 years old. I need a nurse or medical doctor for marriage.-08030887308 My name is Sophia Chima, a journalist, 30 years old. I need an adventurous man for a relationship-08099598727 My name is Sharon, 28 years old, single mother from Imo State. I need a God fearing, humble, responsible and good looking man between 30-40 years old that is ready to settle down-08103277794 I am Gift, 24 years old from Lagos. I need a God fearing man for a serious relationship-07066724868 My name is Kola. I am looking for a good girl for a relationship-08038859405 My name is Ugochukwu from Anambra State. I am a business man based in Lagos, 39 years old. I need a working class lady between 29-39 years old for a relationship that can lead to marriage-08148027737

Of scattered sheep, pastor and soul of the congregation T oday, we must face some hard truths and confront certain matters of ecclesiastic proportions.

Today, we must confront those who have turned God’s vineyard into a den of robbers and now fleecing the converts dry and turning them into slaves in the name of religion. Yes, today, I will speak out against oppression in the name of religion and dare anyone to come forward and refute the allegations I am going to lay at the feet of the modern day men of God. Yes, Jesus Christ urged everyone, in the Bible, to come to him for refreshment of their souls but today, people actually are turning to religion to become oppressed and loaded down. This is not the way of God, of his son, Jesus Christ, and definitely not the apostolic way.

I mean, this week, a series of pictures hit the social media of a Pastor in Tanzania who rides on the back of his disciples while preaching because his feet must not touch the ground. He is carried, piggy back style, by members of the church while he preaches salvation that only guarantees his pocket more money. No, I once again say it; this is not the way of Christ. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, ate with the common people and refused to be addressed as ‘good teacher.’ Jesus visited the homes of his disciples, felt their pain and what is more, made the good news of salvation the focus of his ministry. You will struggle to find that in modern times. Rather, you find leaders of Churches in exotic cars, in private jets and openly cavorting with the political elites. I

struggle for where they received their own ministry.

What I witnessed happening in Tanzania is appalling to say the least and to think that there are people who are sitting and listening to such a man is what perplexes me the most. I mean, he can chose to command grown men, fathers to bend on all fours while he walks on their backs but what happened to their faculty and ability to resist and say ‘No’? According to Italian theorist, Anthonio Gramsci, no hegemony can occur without the consent of the oppressed. So, it is the disciples who allow themselves to be oppressed; who allow themselves to be deceived and who, like Jesus himself said, go to places of worship to have their ears tickled with what they

want to hear. Yes, in a country where more than 100 million of its citizens live below the poverty line, the message of prosperity is appealing. But, why, oh I ask, why can’t anyone just ask when God will bless the rest of the congregation as much as the leaders?

Why is it that no one is asking why all the pastors and leaders in Nigerian churches have their wives and children as fellow pastors and leaders? I did say in the beginning that we must face some hard truths.

But, I am not concerned about the ‘Men of God’, no, I am addressing the congregators who simply sit still and allowed themselves to be so oppressed beyond reason. Just the other day, Pastor Chijioke in Kenya was said to be sucking the evil spirits out of

Just the other day, Pastor Chijioke in Kenya was said to be sucking the evil spirits out of women’s breast and encouraging all women to come to church without bra; kassa. In what part of the Bible is that justif ied?

women’s breast and encouraging all women to come to church without bra; kassa. In what part of the Bible is that justified? And why did all the women in the church subject themselves to such degradation without question?

Seriously, does anything in the name of religion makes us numb to reason and rationality? I am asking because I am struggling with these issues and unable to come up with anything.

There are those who will say I am referring to things happening in Kenya and Tanzania and imposing it on the Nigerian situation but I look around me and all I see are similar situations existing under different guise. Physical oppression and sucking may not occur in Nigerian houses of worship but what about the moral and financial oppression?

The open display of opulence by pastors in the ever present poverty of their members? Look around your church today and see who is wearing the best clothes? Who is receiving all the adulation? Who is practically worshipped and not directing the worship to God like Jesus did.

Yes, you guessed right, the man of the pulpit. That is why I am urging Nigerians to develop a critical attitude and question things. Yes, the Bible in 1 John 4:1 asks you to be critical, to test and ask questions of everything said by anyone who is professing to be a man of God for many false prophets abound. These are the end times people and until we develop this ability to question, then we continue to be rides for the pastors.

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Wine & Dine

Taste Browny in glass Ibukunoluwa Kayode

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ver the centuries, wines are regarded as refreshing tranquilizer drinks made to sweeten the tongue.

All wines from the red, white and pink to chocolates come from different varietal grape fruits, each with unique taste. They are infused with inviting aromas that add to the craving to have a sip.

Just like every other wine. Chocolate red wine is a tasty experience that comes with a load of health benefits. The wine makers, according to Franklin Liquors, take this pairing to the next level, marrying chocolate flavour with red wine to create a sumptuous drink with the proprietary red blend of the finest vinifera varietals. With a touch of oak and a kiss of sweetness, they create the perfect fruit driven foil for rich dark chocolate which unfolds in silken layers across the palate.

The aromas are those of black cherry and dark chocolate with a hint of cocoa powder.

Anyone can indulge in it at any given occasion.

Chocolate wines hold minimum of 12.2per cent alcohol by volume and are enjoyed when served at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Chocolate are belief loved to help protect cardiovascular system. The reason being that cocoa bean is rich in a class of plant nutrients called flavonoids, which help to protect against environmental toxins and help repair damages.

The antioxidants loaded in chocolate wines,.according to research, is believe to help the body’s cell resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes such as breathing and from environmental contaminants like cigarette smoke and fumes.

Crockpot chicken veggie soup Biwom Iklaki

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he rains have not been very friendly in the last few weeks, have they?

Well, this crockpot chicken recipe is the perfect comfort food that is yummy in your tummy, filling and is sure to chase the chills away. A crockpot is easy because you are basically throwing everything into the pot and letting it all cook slowly and release all of its flavours. Next time you are faced with a rainy day and you are stuck indoors with or without company, a steaming bowl of this chicken goodness is the answer.

Ingredients Chicken 2 large chicken breasts/ thighs on the bone 1 tsp chicken seasoning blend 3 bay leaves 1/2 cup carrots 1/2 cup celery 1 can corn

2 tsp garlic 1 tsp oregano 1 can garbanzo beans 1 cup diced tomatoes 2 medium onions 5 cups chicken broth or stock 1 can tomato paste 3/4 cup quinoa (i love this stuff) 2 tbsp paprika Salt and pepper to taste Preparation Using a crockpot, place the chicken down at the bottom first. Add the beans, vegetables and rinsed quinoa. Add the spices and seasoning and finally pour the broth over everything, stir and allow to slow cook until the chicken is tender. Not too long as to turn the quinoa to mush.

Enjoy hot and steamy as soup or as a stew with rice or plantain.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Make a wristwatch statement

Vanessa Okwara

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n today’s world where appearance is important, most people choose clothing and fashion accessories to stand out from the crowd. A wristwatch is one of the most important accessories in man’s wardrobe. It speaks volume of his personality and exudes his innate style and charisma.

When choosing a watch, think about what it will say about you. A wristwatch can send a potent style message. A wristwatch anchors your outfit; it’s the last piece you put on before you step outside. It’s a reflection of your personality.

Wristwatches are one accessory that can never go out of style, at least for the next 50 years.

Whether it’s at the office or formal or casual dinner with friends, when a man is wearing the perfect timepiece, it radiates unmatched style, glamour and charm.

There are a lot of wristwatch manufactures and brands; from standard ones to top-quality luxury ones. You can choose from a simple steel watch to a unique watch in diamonds and jewel encrusted one. Whatever your brand maybe, a wristwatch on your hand will always make you look elegant and sophisticated.

Okechukwu Ukeje O

Simplicity defined

kechukwu Ukeje, known as OC Ukeje made it to our Glam Dude section this week. The tall and handsome dude is a celebrated Nigerian actor, model and musician. He came into limelight after emerging the winner of Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) reality show.

He pursued acting and music tenaciously, focusing mainly on acting in stage plays for the first four years of his career before beating other contestants to win the reality TV show, Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO).

The first time he appeared on the big screen was in the Izu Ojukwu directed White Waters (2008) with Joke Silva and Rita Dominic.

The Anambra State born thespian has soared in his career and has received

several awards including the Africa Movie Academy Awards, Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards, Nollywood Movies Awards, Best of Nollywood Awards, Nigeria Entertainment Awards and Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards.

When it comes to fashion, he is definitely a head turner. He captures the heart of many with the way he dresses. The ever smiling Ukeje knows what suits him and goes for it.

He is a man of simplicity with his own classy style.

OC loves to wear hats and have been seen on several red carpets with different types of lovely hats. Ukeje has not only carved a niche for himself in the movie industry with the way he interprets roles but also in the fashion scene.

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

RazzleDazzle

Body&Soul Abiola Alaba Peters

with

08062622328 abiolaalabapeters@rockmail.com

Yemi Alade blows hot over gender bias N

Yoruba movies are challenging – Eniola Badmus

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aking her debut on the silver screen in 2008, after she starred in the Yoruba movie ‘Jenifa’, Eniola Badmus, popularly known as ‘Gbogbo Bigz Girls’, has quickly established herself as one of Nigeria’s sort after actresses. The actress, who is known for her comic roles in Yoruba and English movies, in an interview revealed reasons why she acts more in Yoruba movies than English movies. “I love both English and Yoruba. Personally, I think Yoruba movies are more challenging, because an indigenous movie requires you to deliver your lines in Yoruba. Fortunately, with Yoruba movies, I have been able to learn lots of proverbs and adages. I also learnt a lot of Yoruba cultural values and some tradition I never knew before now. English movies, for me, are a bit easy because English is our lingua franca; all I need to put in is just the act and my fans in Africa and across are able to relate with me” She revealed. Eniola went further to describe her growing up days, “My growing up was beautiful. I was born into the family of Badmus Ogunsina. I was properly trained and well cultured like any other girl. We were taught to love ourselves and never discriminate against anyone. I come from a large family of 21 children and I am the 13th. We all eat together as one family; some of us go on vacation together during summer and we all wine and dine together,” the plus size actress said.

Beat of Lagos celebrates five years with lifestyle carnival T

he Beat of Lagos Concert started a few years ago and boasts of four massive concerts that enjoyed performances from top acts in the entertainment industry. Artistes such as PSquare, Tuface, M.I, Jesse Jags, Wande Coal, Skales, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Mavin crew, Solidstar, Vector, Burna boy, Eldee, Dr. Sid, Illbliss, Chidinma, Wizkid , Ay, Olamide, Phyno, Iyanya, Dammykrane, Yemi Alade, Flowsick and Lynnx have all featured at the concert. The Beat of Lagos Concert provides an atmosphere for networking and also serves as a timeout to celebrate entertainment icons and songs that have kept us dancing all year round. The concert accommodates a minimum of 3,000 physical crowds yearly.

Beat of Lagos Award was introduced at the 2014 edition and endorsed by the Lagos State Government where the Mavin crew won the award for their song ‘Dorobucci’.The 2015 award went a notch higher by rewarding the winner, Adekunle Gold for the hit song ‘Sade’ with a plot of land at the Lekki Free Trade Zone courtesy of Adron Homes. According to the CEO of Motbensonz, Tonye Benson, “2016 makes it five years of the Beat of Lagos Concert and we would be putting together a musical showcasing all the great songs that have rocked the city in the last five years and also appreciate the brains behind them. We have decided to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the concert with an open air carnival, featuring the lifestyle and sounds the city has enjoyed so far. The event will hold at the Muri Okunola Park on 9th October by 2pm. Music lovers can vote for their favourite song this year via www.beatoflagos.com.

igerian Afro pop singer, Yemi Eberechi Alade is very furious with Nigerian music critics for challenging the lyrics of her songs. The ‘Gobe’ singer, who is known to never hold back on her opinions, went on a social media rant, saying that she is fed up with the way critics come after the lyrics of her songs. Yemi, who has been nominated for the 2016 All Africa Music Awards, also stated that she feels there is a gender bias amongst music critics in Nigeria. According to her, songs of female musicians are more criticised than those of their male counterparts in Nigeria. “I’m tired of all these self-acclaimed critics in Nigeria. They don’t do any form of research; they don’t listen to the artistes’ songs. I‘m upset about this kind of thing, I really think that people don’t know when they’re actually being biased, gender wise. They don’t know when they’re trying to pick on females; enough is enough!” Yemi Alade is gearing up for her world tour which is set to take place in the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe and Asia.

Peter Okoye, Jimmy Jatt, others laud ACI studios

Edwin Usoboh

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merican artiste, Keri Hilson, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Peter Okoye of P-Square, Young John the Wicked Producer, Praiz, Mike Aremu, Timaya, Kaffy and Falz are among the host of music stars that have visited the ACI studios complex in Lekki, Lagos since its launch in Nigeria. The new company seems to be re-inventing the sound of Nigerian music and getting a bit of organisation with the establishment of world class recording, rehearsal and dance studios.

Our findings show that several popular entertainment personalities have endorsed the state of the art facilities and affirm the studio as a world class entertainment institution and the first of its kind in Nigeria. This is indeed great for the continuous development of the entertainment industry.

Aside videos and pictures of him recording in the ACI studios, the singer also endorsed the recording studios with his own Instagram page when he shared a picture of him sitting in one of the ACI recording studios. Legendary DJ, Jimmy Jatt, says ACI studio is the best place to get the best productions. “If you are looking around for the best sound production, ACI Studios is the best place to be, for analogue and digital and whatever format you want to record. You will get the best results at ACI studios”.

Young John, popularly known as Young John the Wicked Producer said, “ACI studio is top notch for everything in production, mixing and mastering. That dope quality you are looking is right here at ACI studio”.

I hope to find an amazing guy –Linda Ikeji N

igeria’s top blogger, Linda Ikeji, recently launched her media empire and also celebrated her 36th birthday in Lagos with lots of personalities in attendance. Known as one of Nigeria’s top bloggers and a self-made woman who sits atop a multi-million Naira business empire, Linda Ikeji in an interview she granted, revealed that it’s her desire to be a mother in the shortest time. She said, “I want to be a mum, that’s what I dream about these days”. Also speaking on several controversies that have trailed her, she had this to say: “If Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry can post pictures of themselves on their private Islands and we are ‘oohing ‘and ‘ahhing’, why not me?” Linda openly voiced her desire with these words, “I’ve turned a year older and I can’t tell you guys how grateful I am for the life I have. I may not have everything I want yet but I have more than I thought was even possible and for that, I’m thankful. I am thankful for my family, friends, all LIB readers, and well-wishers. My prayer as I turn 36 is to find an amazing guy soon, settle down, have a bunch of kids and continue to live, impact my world and make a difference” She prayed.

Funmi Holder’s movie to hit cinemas in October Edwin Usoboh

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ne of the stars of the widely watched TV sitcom Tinsel, Funmi Holder, is set to premiere her most anticipated movie, ‘The Grudge’. The Graduate of Microbiology from the University of Ibadan who plays the role of Amaka Ade-Williams in Tinsel has released this intriguing movie with a never –before-seen cast and it would be her first work as a producer. The movie was directed by Yemi Morafa.

‘The Grudge’, features Nollywood stars like Richard MofeDamijo (RMD), another Tinsel star Iretiola Doyle, Yoruba star actor, Odunlade Adekola, Jaiye Kuti, Ijeoma Aniebo and Funmi Holder herself. The movie will be premiered on Sunday, October 23, 2016 at the Radisson Blu, Lagos after which it will be in cinemas across the country.

‘The Grudge’ tells the story of the lives of two lovelorn spouses from separate marriages and a lonely widow as they struggle to deal with a grudge that has festered for so long.

The movie brings together icons in the English and Yoruba spheres of Nollywood. It would be the first time these stars would work together on the set of the same movie. For RMD, he is one of the best things to ever happen to acting in Nigeria. He is highly regarded among movie buffs in the country and outside.

For Odunlade Adekola, it’s another opportunity for the star actor to cement his place in the industry. He is unarguably the best Yoruba actor in the last couple of years as he is known for his versatility and dexterity; traits which have endeared him to the hearts of many movie enthusiasts in and out of the country. The stars of Tinsel, Funmi Holder and Iretiola Doyle need no introduction. There is hardly any episode of the popular sitcom they don’t feature and they are always at each other’s throats in most of the episodes.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

I grew up in the ghetto –Sugarboy Known as Sugarboy, real name, Umoren Akanimoh Felix is a Nigerian recording artiste, performer and entertainer. He’s currently signed on to G-Worldwide Entertainment. ABIOLA ALABA PETERS met with the Akwa Ibom State born artiste in an exclusive interview, where he talks about his budding career and being on the same record label with popular musician, Kiss Daniel Let’s get to meet you?

Sugarboy is an artiste, under G-Worldwide Record Label; I am a dance-hall reggae afro beat artiste. My real name is Umoren Akanimoh Felix Oscar Jnr. I am from Akwa Ibom State and was born in Uyo. I grew up in Ajegunle, Lagos.

I attended University of Port Harcourt and that was where my music career started. Music is an act I picked up in school and I developed.

You seem to have been in the music industry for a while but became popular in recent times, why is that?

Thanks to God for the recording deal with G-Worldwide Entertainment. I believe everything has an appointed time and now, it is mine.

How has it been so far?

Starting always has its own setbacks and challenges but thank God for where he has taken me to; it’s been God all the way. I started putting out songs back in 2012 and then I met Emperor Gezzy, the CEO of G-Worldwide and three years later, I was signed to the label and since then it’s been great and things are beginning to move smoothly. Initially when I was with Mode9, things were shaky back then, I was in one of his songs ‘Badman’. I could say that was my genesis and a lot of metamorphoses have happened and now this is SugarBoy. Formally I was using the name A1, but now I am Sugar Boy. Did getting a record deal with G-Worldwide enhance your music?Getting a recording deal with GWW has enhanced my music career in many ways that even the blind can see the rapid transformation.

My music is now heard and my art seen worldwide.

G-Worldwide has put me on the world radar!

Shout out to my CEO Emperor Geezy.

Don’t you think it is competitive being on the same record label with Kiss Daniel?

Well, I don’t see it as competitive but if you think so then I’ll say competition is healthy for any business.

What do you have to say about the growth of the Nigerian music industry, do you think it’s getting better or otherwise?

Nigerian music industry is getting bigger as the day passes by. There has been tremendous growth in the past decade. Right now, Afro beat and Afro hiphop is what the world is listening to. I think this generation is doing it big. A lot has been said about the lack of structure in the Nigerian music industry though.

How do you think this can be resolved?

A lot has been said about lack of structure in the Nigerian music industry but I think if royalty, piracy, unnecessary social media rants and scams are well managed, it would have a good flow.

How did you get the name ‘Sugarboy’?

I think Sugarboy is a little more fascinating.

It’s catchy; it has a bittersweet meaning attached to it. It has a little bit of negative and positive meaning to it and also a little bit of controversy in it and I like it so much. ‘Sugarboy’ was

given to me by a girlfriend of mine back in my university days. It is loved by many, mostly my female friends. So I decided to stick to it as my brand name when I started my music career professionally; but before now, I was known as A1.

So do you like controversy?

Putting good music to that, I think it’s going to help me a lot; that’s God working on my behalf.

Kindly describe the Sugarboy brand?

My style of music is ‘Afro-Reggae’ and catch phrase ‘Akwa Ibom Gee Wey Dey Scatter Scatter’ coined from my verse in the monster collaboration single ‘RABA’.

How did you feel signed on the same label with Kiss Daniel?

Well, it wasn’t new to me because G-Worldwide is not something that just came up. They’ve been a working process; everybody knows everybody, I’m already used to the settings. I have my own sound and style which everybody knows and I always try my best to be the best that I can be. Kiss D has his sound and style, so it’s different.

Considering your name, ‘Sugarboy’, are you a lover of women?

Like I said earlier, the name was given to me by a lady. She was a friend and came to hang out with me, we spent quality time

together and I guess she really loved her stay. So she went back to her base and called me. Instead of her to call me A1, she said, ‘Sugarboy how far? I was like, what did you just call me and she said Sugarboy’. She loved my company and all, so I thought it was a good name and decided to adopt it. That’s how Sugarboy came to existence. I can say my brand is more appealing to the ladies than the men, I can’t fight that.

How was growing up for you?

Growing up was adventurous. I grew up in the ghetto; my parents were disciplinarians and educationists. My dad will always remove our school fees immediately he collects his salary. So you can imagine how things will be. But then I could still find my way to catch up with friends, but they imbibed great things in us. Sometimes I had to break all the rules; I listened to Bob Marley and all.

Who are those that inspired you into music?

Well, Jah Cure and the Story of Bob Marley inspired me into music.

Which international act would you like to collaborate with?

International act I’ll like to do collaboration with In Africa is Cassper Nyovest and globally will be Drake.

What are the major challenges you have encountered in the course of exploit?

The major challenge I have encountered in the course of doing exploits was shuttling between school and music. It’s basically about creating a balance.

Aside Kiss Daniel, who are the people you would love to work with?

I like Isa Punky and I like Cassper, he is doing well. I love Tuface, and many more. Our Nigeria artistes are really doing well for themselves now. I like Cynthia Morgan a lot; I like her ways and guts and I’m like her. I don’t care about what you think or say about me, I don’t want to listen and so she is. She is carefree but with direction.

She likes reggae vibes that we can easily connect with and when we do a track, it will be easy to blend.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for love?

Well, I really didn’t love this person; I wanted to prove a point, so I entered the rain. Ordinarily I wouldn’t go in the rain but as I was going, the rain started and I couldn’t go back and I called her that I was coming and she asked me to get her chocolate and I had to look for chocolate under that heavy rain, so to me it was crazy.

The year is almost rounding up, what do you have for your fans?

Well, I have a lot at hand; I’m going to be dropping some singles and my fans should watch out for me and more great songs.

What are your words to your fans?

I love you all, thanks for showing me great love.

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Interview

News Nigeria doesn’t probably need to spend its way out of crisis –Adesina p.44

Auto beat

Govt should sell off Oil & Gas assets, invest capital – Osuchukwu

Nissan unveils new look, more aggressive 2017 GT-R

p.45

p.47

Business

Paul Ogbuokiri Head, Business

paulogbuokiri@newtelegraph

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

CBN: Rate cuts not enough to get economy out of recession

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L-R: Vice President, Aviation Safety Round table Initiative, Mr. Thaddeus Obidike; Consultant, Mr. Chris Alegbe and Senate Chairman on Privatisation, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, during the Stake holders’conference on Privatisation/Concession of Nigerian Airports, in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Ban on 41 items spurs demand for local palm oil

lAs Presco records N7.5bn sales in first six months

Emefiele

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Paul Ogbuokiri entral Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) ban on importers accessing foreign exchange for certain products is proving a boon for the country’s biggest palm-oil producer as it has forced Nigeria buy locally produced palm oil.

Profit at Presco Plc, a Benin City-based producer of the edible oil, more than doubled in the first six months of 2016, as sales jumped 60 per cent to N7.5 billion, according to results published recently by the company.

The outlook for the next four years is a 10 per cent annual profit growth, Managing Director Felix Nwabuko

told Bloomberg.“The policy is bringing a boost to us in the sense that people who would ordinarily have imported, using government foreign exchange, are not doing that anymore,’’ he said.

It will be recalled that CBN stopped importers of 41 items, including palm-oil and textiles, from accessing official foreign-exchange markets in June 2015. The measure was part of a plan to prop up the naira after it plunged against the dollar following a drop in the price of crude.

Though the Organised Private Sector (OPS) has continued to kick against the policy, the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele recently said that the policy is yielding positive results to the economy.

Speaking to newsmen in Peru at the end of the Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, Emefiele said that as a result of the new policy, the bank regulator has been able to conserve some foreign currencies, with a lot of progress made on local production of the listed items.

Emefiele clarified that at no time did the apex bank ban total importation of the said items, but only restrict access of foreign exchange from of-

ficial markets to the importers.

“We didn’t ban the importation of anything. What we did was to restrict the foreign exchange to those items that we think we can produce competitively locally so as to improve our local industries due to the challenges we have, due to the fall in crude oil revenue.

Meanwhile, Presco also faces challenges from the dollar scarcity as it imports fertilizers, chemicals and equipment including spare parts for plants, to increase output.

Obtaining foreign-exchange “is tough -- some months you don’t get, sometimes you get a little bit of what you need,” Nwabuko, 61, said. “Twenty per cent of our cost is foreign currency driven,” he said.

The company, which operates 16,900 hectares (41,761

It has enough market locally and price comparisonwise, there is no real advantage in exporting palm-oil out of Nigeria

acres) of palm-oil plantations and sells its output locally, plans to increase the export of palm-kernel oil to Europe, mainly the Netherlands, to enable it access dollars and cushion the impact of the scarcity in Nigeria, Nwabuko said.

“Looking into the situation we are in now and into the future, it makes good business sense to do that.”

Exports contributed 5 per cent of revenue from January to August and the company plans to increase palm-kernel crushing capacity to 100 tons daily by 2018, from 60 tons currently.

Presco doesn’t plan to export palm-oil as “it has enough market locally and price comparison-wise, there is no real advantage in exporting palm-oil out of Nigeria,” the MD said.

The company plans to increase oil-palm plantation to 31,400 hectares by 2021 from 16,900 while it targets to raise palm-oil mills capacity to 120 tons per hour from 60 tons, Nwabuko said. It will start work on a 500 tons per day palm-oil refinery and fractionation plant next year, which will be completed by 2018 to increase current capacity of CO N T I N U ED O N PAGE 44

nterest rate cuts alone will not help to pull Nigeria out of a recession amidst rising inflation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, CBN kept its benchmark interest rate at 14 per cent, resisting the finance minister’s call to lower borrowing costs. The Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Director, Moses Tule, said policymakers will need to act together on fiscal, monetary and trade policies to jump start growth, which dropped for the second consecutive quarter in the second quarter and counter prices are rising.

“It’s not sufficient for the monetary policy committee to just meet and say we are reducing interest rates to address a stagflation,” Tule told Channels TV. “In a situation where we have negative interest rates, what we have to do is to overcome negative interest rates.”

He said Nigeria’s policy rate had been stuck at six per cent in the past but it didn’t spur credit growth, because the banking system did not respond to the move. He said inflation was rising not due to excess money supply but because of recent reforms which include a hike to electricity tariffs, fuel price and a currency float which led to a 30 per cent drop in the value of the naira in one day. “If we were merely in a recession, then we could (...) say we would spend our way out of the recession.

For an economy like Nigeria, where there are key structural deficiencies, there’s an urgent need to harmonize the policy mix.”

Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun had urged the Central Bank to lower interest rates so that the government can borrow domestically to boost the economy, which is stuck in recession, without increasing its debt-servicing costs.

Auchi MFB boss decries harsh business environment Tobiloba Denekan

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he Managing Director, Auchi Microfinance Bank, Mr. Slower Isaac, said that the recent government policies have affected the capacity of the Bank to grant more loans to businesses.

Speaking at the Bank’s 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the adoption of the financial statement for the year ended December 31,2015, he said that despite the challenges, the Bank has been able to assist over 100 farmers in Edo North Senatorial District by granting them access to cheap loans to help their farming activities in line with the Federal Government’s policy to boost agriculture.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Bank, Alhaji Hassan Momodu said Nigeria’s dwindling economy and other factors including the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which withdrew for the banking sector cheap government deposits in excess of N1 trillion; greatly effected the performance of the Bank in the review year. He blamed the unencouraging performance of the Bank in the review year on the rising incidence of non-performing loans; and foreign exchange challenges and inconsistent policy direction on foreign exchange which led to withdrawal of foreign investments from the country.

44

SUNDAY September 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Business

Glo-sponsored CNN African Voices examines role of performing arts Europe

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L-R: General Manager, natnudO Foods, Mr. Toromade Francis; Group Managing Director, Amo Farms Sieberer Hatchery Ltd., Dr. Ayoola Oduntan; Oyo State Coordinator, Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Engr. Dele Ayeni and State Desk Officer, Advocacy & Awareness Unit, Mr. Akindoyeni Ayodeji, during the presentation of SON Certificate for Consistent Compliance to natnudO Frozen Chicken in Akinyele Oyo State.

Nigeria doesn’t probably need to spend its way out of crisis –Adesina

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Eunice Stephen frican Development Bank (AfDB) head, Akinwumi Adesina said Nigeria, does not probably need to spend its way out of crisis, urging the country to focus on non-oil industries.

Adesina, who was Nigeria’s agriculture minister until taking up the top position at the AfDB last year, said: “Mining has huge potential in Nigeria. It’s a resource that needs to be tapped. Nigeria probably doesn’t need to spend its way out of the crisis. It needs to incentivize critical sectors to have a more balanced revenue base. That’s where the focus has to be.”

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg in New York on Tuesday, he urged Nigeria to emulate countries like; Ethiopia, Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire, each of which is growing at more than 5 per cent, saying their

growth can teach other Africa countries which are witnessing downturn, lessons.

“In all those countries, political stability has played a key role. Most have significant amounts of foreign direct investment coming in. They have very strong macroeconomic stability.

They’ve also given significant incentives to the private sector and are investing heavily in infrastructure.

These are things other countries have to do.”

He noted that African economies are probably through the worst of their downturns and growth should accelerate next year, driven by investments in infrastructure and attempts to diversify from commodities.

The continent’s growth rate may be around 3.5 per cent this year, rising to 3.7 per cent in 2017 and 4.2 per cent in 2018.

“We have a situation of economic headwinds. But African economies are quite resilient. We have 19 coun-

Ban on 41 items spurs demand for local palm oil CONTINUED FR O M PAGE 43

100 tons, he said.

Nigeria’s demand for palm oil is greater than its output. It consumed 1,405,000 tons in 2013 while it produced 930,000 tons, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Despite the economic downturn, its population of 180 million remains an attraction for Presco, the MD said.

“The demand for our products is there, whether for food or industrial use,’’

Nwabuko said, adding that the company supplies fats and oils to some of Nigeria’s biggest manufacturers including PZ Cussons Plc, Dangote Industries Ltd. and May & Baker Nigeria Plc. Nigeria produced 930,000 tons of palm oil in 2013 and the forecast for the 20162017 season is 970,000 tons, making it Africa’s largest producer and the world’s fifth, behind Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Colombia, according to data from the USDA.

tries growing at 3 to 5 per cent and 21 countries growing at over 5 per cent. Africa isn’t falling apart. The ‘Africa Rising’ story isn’t over,” he said.

Africa gross domestic product expanded 3.6 per cent in 2015, the slowest

pace since 2011, according to the AfDB. OPEC members Nigeria and Angola, among the region’s three biggest economies, have been is barely growing, thanks in part to weak prices of raw materials such as platinum and gold.

Eunice Stephen

ernment for the period, Mr. Fowler said the value-added tax (VAT) increased by about 25 per cent over last year’s figures.

Corporate income tax earnings, he said, has equally improved significantly over the same period, although he lamented the negative impact of declining global oil prices on petroleum profit tax from the joint venture operators.

Part of the agency’s strategy to meet its target, he explained, included unleashing inspectors from the newly created tax monitoring unit in the service to update taxpayers’ databases, capture new businesses and individuals under the tax net, by tracking and checking their tax payment records.

He said the drive resulted in the addition of over 700,000 companies that never paid taxes before from their businesses over the years, while about 10 million individuals across the country were also added.

Part of incentives to encourage payment of taxes by corporate citizens and individuals, he said, include a proposed waiver to be granted on interest and penalties for the period between 2012 and 2015 to allow people and businesses pay only the principal amount of tax liabilities due.

FIRS realizes N2.3trn tax revenue in 8 months

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he Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said it collected N2.3 trillion from January to August this year, even as it has captured over 700,000 fresh companies doing various businesses in various sectors of the Nigerian economy.

This is the agency said, will is to help the Federal Government realise tax revenues to fund the economy out of the current recession.

The FIRS Chairman, Tunde Fowler, told Reuters that about 10 million individuals on the tax agency’s radar watch may also be compelled to defray their outstanding tax liabilities to government on or before December.

Fowler said part of the strategy to mobilize revenue locally to pursue the economic recovery agenda included efforts by FIRS to step up its tax drive, to realize and surpass its over N4.95 trillion target for tax revenues, from the N3.73 trillion set the previous year.

“Persuading Nigerians to pay tax is no easy task,” Mr. Fowler said, while expressing optimism that the target would be met before the end of the year.

On areas contributing significant revenue to the gov-

xpressive arts is the focus of this week’s edition of the Glo-sponsored CNN African Voices, as the programme examines its role in driving the growth of entertainment on the continent.

According to the outline of the episode released by CNN, this week’s edition will cover dance, samba and slam poetry, examining how “expressive artistes are unleashing powerful performances in Africa.”

“We start in Uganda with a daring dancer who seeks inspiration from across the continent to develop his craft and tackle social issues. In Nigeria, we meet a musician combining the roots of Brazilian samba with traditional Nigerian rhythms to empower youth. And in Rwanda, we follow a fearless poet who’s inspiring others to follow their creative path,” CNN stated.

The programme will feature Nigeria’s dancer Seyi Ajeigbe, Jonas Byaruhanga of Uganda and Rwandan poet, Eric Ngangare.

Globacom, in a statement in Lagos, stated that viewers would have the opportunity of watching African Voices at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday and at 12.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. on Sunday. Further repeats are broadcast at 11.30 p.m. on Mondays and at 5.30 a.m. on Tuesdays.

The Nigerian, Seyi Ajeigbe, who returned to Nigeria from the UK years ago, is the founder of Eko Samba School in Lagos. He shares the experiences he garnered from performing with many groups from the London School of Samba to samba reggae band, Eri Okan.

L-R: Deputy Director, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Press and Publication Yang Peili, Director of Information, Ministry of Information and Culture, Peter Dama, Cultural Counselor of China Embassy in Nigeria,Yan Ziangdong and Vice President Star Times, Guo Ziqi during the launching of Beijing TV Series Broadcasting Season in Africa 2016, in Abuja. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

ARVS: Tyonex acquires coating machine Chijioke Iremeka

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yonex Group, one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical marketing and manufacturing companies, has acquired a high-efficiency coating machine in a major upgrade of its anti-retroviral drug (ARVs) production process.

The machine, which has already been installed in its factory at Igando, Lagos State, will significantly enhance the quality of its ARVs and other product range as well as scale up the capacity of the facility, which is operated by its manufacturing arm, Divine Essential Formulation.

According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Tyonex Groups, Mr. Emmanuel Tyohemba Agba, no fewer than seven of its personnel, including engineers, production and quality control specialists, have been duly trained and certified to man the machine.

He noted that the acquisition of the coating machine represents a milestone in the company’s fervent pursuit of quality, saying it was a dream come true.

He said: “We are constantly searching for ways to improve quality and capacity. The coating machine opens a whole new phase in our production and marketing processes.

“Essentially, it will mask the bitter taste of our ARVs and other product range in our stable, ensuring acceptability and patient compliance. It is a major boost to government’s drive to control HIV and related ailments.”

Agba stated that the coating machine will also improve product presentation, making them more attractive to distributors and end-users.

“This is what we promised; now we have delivered.

However, we are not resting on our oars. We shall not compromise on quality and patient satisfaction. Quality remains our number one priority, even as we are improving our production capacity. This is very much a key part of our vision but will also keep us on track to realise our long term goals for our stakeholders, partners and our workforce,” he said.

Tyonex Group is the holding company for Tyonex Healthcare Limited, Divine Essential Formulation and Trinity Systems Limited.

45

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 25, 2016

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

Govt should sell off Oil & Gas assets, invest capital – Osuchukwu

Recession in the country is what everybody sees and talks about today. How did we get to this point?

It’s a very simple question of Nigeria having a number of structural deficiencies for a very long time and these have been affecting the country’s development; being import dependent for all our finished goods and export dependent on the commodities with volatile price profile. During the oil boom in the recent past, Nigeria was unable to save for the rainy day, and didn’t plan for the day when all the oil prices would crash, as they are, right now.

Having identified the root cause, what is the way out?

The way out is to get the right people that will bring about some structural reforms, like having a flexible exchange rate. Things like completely removing subsidies in a number of areas in the country that still have subsidies, directly or indirectly. It also requires that we make some changes in our tax policies to ensure that we promote things we ought to promote – local manufacturing industries and get those ones that we can’t produce.

Which areas of the economy do you think still are still subsidised?

Well, a number of things. Power is still under priced. If you look at the price of power in tariff order, you will see that price of power should be going up a bit. The gas price has no control, it’s significantly lower than international Gas price and as long as the gas price is economically unrewarding, people will not exploit those Gas assets, which is the reason we continue to have gas shortage.

Some subsidies lack some market control.

Would you vote ‘yes’ to the proposed sale of Oil and Gas assets in order to reflate the economy?

Yes, I’m for it. They should be sold off because we are at the peak of devaluation right now and for us to do that is nothing strange, because Saudi Arabia did it. If that is the situation that will make us better, then we have to go for it, or do you prefer we hold on to them for them to continue to depreciate? Aside the fact that we need immense capital right now, if we get them sold off, we will invest the capital in other areas where we can see a number of appreciation. So, I’m of the opinion that the government should sell them off because we are close to the bottom of it.

What are the unseen but deafening effects of the current exchange rate on Nigeria’s

Mr. Winston Osuchukwu is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, First Ally Asset Management Limited. He spoke with CHIJIOKE IREMEKA on the urgent need for the Federal Government to sell off non and under-performing Oil & Gas assets to reflate the Nigerian economy which is now in recession economy, especially in what you do?

The fact that people in Nigeria didn’t agree that the exchange rate in the country is still free floating, is affecting a number of things. Investors will not bring in dollars to invest in the Nigerian economy if they are not confident that they will receive full value of the dollar invested. So, until this exchange rate issue is properly addressed, and well accepted, foreign investors will still pause to invest in the Nigerian economy.

More importantly, if the short term portfolio investment is not coming, the long term will not come. By definition, if I don’t trust you in short term loan, I can’t trust you in long term.

What do you consider the way out?

The way out is to behave ourselves and discipline ourselves. We need to apply discipline in everything we do. You let the market build with what it has, while you build with what you have. Let’s ensure that we don’t export raw materials and import finished goods. Let local manufacturing be seen in everything we do. Let’s start rewarding manufacturers who are creating employment. We have to make sure that traders, who are creating jobs in other parts, are taxed instead of over taxing the manufacturers. All these things are about discipline and if we are disciplined, we will also know how to spend the money. If we are in corruption, people are going to be uninterested and in that, we will not get to anywhere.

How confident are you in the Nigerian economy under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic

team?

You can’t blame them. What you see today is what we have in other countries. This is as a result of what has happened in the past.

Oil prices have fallen, especially with what is happening in the Niger Delta; Avengers scuttling our oil production. So, the state of the economy, I will not put the blame on this government. I do believe that there are other things they are doing to arrest the situation. They are fighting corruption and you can’t create much with corruption in the country. They have also made the good move of trying to ensure exchange rate control. It’s a good thing that they are going to make Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) more independent. So, there are a number of good things that have happened but the question is, are we going to follow them up? We will come out of it if the government is sincere but make no mistakes about that the pains will be there.

Do you think that experts working on this economy are working in harmony?

They shouldn’t agree all the time. If all of them agree on one thing and never question it, they will never be good for the country.

So, I don’t have problem for people having differences, as long as the underlined goal is unified. We should not look for a situation where everybody is saying the same thing.

The above question introduces us to the situation whereby Monetary Policy Committee fixed interest rate at 14 per cent despites Finance Minister’s call for its reduction. What is your take on this?

I think that is the best thing that has happened to Nigeria, the fact that they didn’t agree. The fact remains that I do not want to see the CBN that is not independent. Let everybody do what they do and the fact that they disagree, means they are working.

How good is the interest rate, on the economy?

We have to look at it this way and I think it was best handled by the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Emir Lamido Sanusi Lamido. At the end of the day, if the interest rate is low and inflation is high, you won’t get portfolio investment because your real exchange is negative. And if you don’t get a portfolio investment, you won’t get development. Again, if I don’t trust you for one month, I won’t trust you for two months. I mean, with interest rate at 14 and inflation at 17, you won’t get anything because interest rate minus inflation gives you negative margin and even more negative. Investor will not come.

Do you think Nigeria can’t have strong economy without foreign investors?

It’s impossible. Have you seen what figure Nigeria needs for the development of infrastructure in the country? We must have them.

Whitfield Osuchukwu

What is the fate of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country going by 14 per cent

interest rate?

SMEs cannot work when there is no infrastructure. They need them.

What happens to jobs created by SMEs, which brings about financial inclusion?

They are the ones creating jobs but they need infrastructure, they need power, and they need roads to move their goods. Major parts of these are to be funded by outside investment. Think about it this way, for somebody, who runs small factory and spends money on diesels, when he finished manufacturing, the price of product will go up if he must make profit and that will bring about low patronage. This is the reason we hype on infrastructure. It’s cheaper to provide power to an entire state than having everybody to have its own power plant out there. So, the money they would spend on diesel will now be part of the profits because it reduces his overhead cost. They are good, but they relied on those infrastructures to create resources.

With this rate, are you not bothered that SMEs would use up their profits if not the seed money to service the interest on the capital alone?

At the end of the day, whether you like it or not, all the price indices will adjust. The price of sachet water has doubled not because of the water but because of the polythene sheets and other chemicals used. More importantly, the price of diesel, which they used in pumping the water have also affected it. For us to say that the rate is too high, we are mistaking. Remember that these prices will change whether or not the business owners effect price change. We should let the system work.

Every nation has gone from zero economy to where they are right now. United States encountered same when her interest rate skyrocketed. They worked hard with good team and that is required of us. What we need is to get more efficient in this economy.

Economy can be engineered and can evolve on its own by market forces. But how then can you wait for an economy to evolve on its own when the fundamentals that would catalyse the process, are not in place?

The question you asked is probably, the biggest handicap of a democratic country.

It’s not enough to do the work but to be seen doing the work. Unfortunately, the most beneficiaries of these are unseen; the ones to ensure that your law enforcement agency works well, the enforcement of the rules are not seen. The president cannot come and cut the ribbon that a judge is doing well.

All those structural works that need to be done are unseen. Secondly, they are coming up gradually. In every dislocation, someone benefits. So, for any government to focus on such structural development in a democratic government is self denial because they are not seen to be working. Those who are to benefit from dislocations are the ones that will be quick to say ‘you are doing nothing.’

When you bring that to what is happening now, I’m comfortable to hear that people are not working, especially when it’s clear that there are some structures being put in place. We’ve seen what happened in the area of subsidies and what they have done with the exchange rate. These are the structural things we are talking about. But the issue here is, what do we want? When a child is born, it grows up through a painful process.

Any Nigerian, who thinks that the growth will come without pain is making a mistake.

46

SUNDAY September 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Business News

BOI partners NIRSAL to increase agric loans

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Stanley Ihedigbo

he Bank of Industry (BOI) said it is partnering with the Nigeria IncentiveBased Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) to increase agricultural loan portfolio.

The agencies would provide more support to all the stakeholders in the value chain including input producers, farmers, agro dealers, agro processors, industrial manufacturers as well as trade and export merchants.

Speaking with journalists at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies, the Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BOI, Mr

Waheed Olagunju, said agricultural producers would have unprecedented access to loans at low prices as the risk-sharing collaboration seeks to lower interest rates.

He said the collaboration between the agencies would make agriculture an attractive business to investors by de-risking lending to the sector within the scope outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

According to him, the MoU embodies the totality of the terms, conditions and stipulations as agreed by the two parties and shall be amenable to review at the instance of either party at such time as shall be agreed by the parties.

“In the arrangement, NIRSAL will provide Credit Risk Guarantee to enhance

BOI’s confidence to lend along identified value chain which shall traverse from production through processing to marketing.

“Another derivative from the Presidency’s directive for cross-collaboration amongst MDA’s stems from the fact that such synergies would not only impact positively on the ease of doing business, but would also facilitate risk and knowledge sharing between sister agencies as the case maybe,” he explained.

He added that the agencies journey was towards increasing finance to the agricultural sector by deploying risk sharing instruments that lower the risks of lending to the sector.

Olagunju said: “Suffice

to mention that financing is just one of the integral ingredients for the sustainable rejuvenation of the agricultural sector, but it is a fundamental one. I therefore wish to affirm the commitment of the Bank of Industry to collaborate with all relevant agencies and stakeholders towards ensuring that Nigeria’s agricultural sector takes its rightful place in the scheme of things.

“As we execute these agreements, the two institutions are expected to bring their resources and expertise to bear on this initiative to ensure that the national objective is achieved within a reasonable time.”

In a remarks, the Managing Director of NIRSAL, Mr Aliyu Abdulhameed, said

the MoU was a conclusion of several months of intense engagement between NIRSAL and BOI with focus on defining a collaborative framework to increase financing to the agric sector by leveraging the strengths of our organisations.

He noted that agriculture lies at the heart of the nation’s economy and contributed 24 per cent to GDP, also is the source of income for 75 per cent of the population and is the mainstay of the rural economy.

“But for agric to work and contribute its quota to economic growth, guarantee decent incomes for farmers it has to be properly linked to industry. Unfortunately for us, the linkages between agriculture and industry

are weak and this reduces the ability of both sectors to contribute to economic growth.

“For instance the supply of agricultural inputs (fertilizer, seeds, agro-chemicals, farm tools and processing equipment) by industry, needed to increase agricultural productivity, is low in relation to effective demand. Also industry currently does not provide a significant outlet for agriculture output, lacks capacity to help stabilize agricultural markets and plays only a marginal role in opening up attractive new uses for crops. For many of the major crops, industrial use accounts for less than 10 percent of total production,” he said.

Flour Mills plans export to Europe

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lour Mills of Nigeria has exported 10 percent of its locally processed soya bean products for the first time to feed mills in Europe and North Africa, its chairman said, helped by a weaker domestic currency.

It exported 15,000 tonnes of soya bean products from its plant in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria, John Coumantaros told Reuters, after Nigeria floated its currency in June, which made the company’s products competitive abroad.

The naira lost a third of its value after the central bank floated it to preserve its dwindling foreign reserves and resolve chronic dollar shortages caused by a slump in oil prices, which has frustrated businesses.

Flour Mills’ plant, one of the largest soya bean mills in Africa, mills about 150,000 tonnes of soya beans a year

into ingredients used for animal feed and vegetable oil, Coumantaros said.

He declined to say how much the exports fetched but said improved earnings in the first quarter reflected the export revenues. Nigeria’s biggest flour miller posted first-quarter profit of 5.87 billion naira in August, up 393 percent from a year ago.

Coumantaros said he expected “palm kernel oil, soya bean meal and other processed exports from locally grown raw materials will achieve between $50 million to $100 million in potential exports within the next one to two years”.

The firm aims to grow its use of local raw materials each year by 10 percent over the next five years, he said.

He did not say how much the company currently imports.

nterbank rate eases as budget cash is disbursed Tobiliba Adenekan

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igeria’s interbank lending rate eased to around 15 per cent on Friday, down from nearly 40 per cent for overnight lending a week ago, as the disbursal of August budget allocations to government agencies boosted market liquidity.

Overall the market had a liquidity surplus of N283.61 billion at Friday’s opening, compared with the previous week’s deficit of N128 billion.

Nigeria distributes money monthly to its three tiers of government from a centrally held account fed by oil revenues and taxes, which helps provide liquidity and cut borrowing costs for the banking sector in Africa’s

biggest economy.

Traders said about N231 billion was injected into the banking system late on Thursday as states and local government areas were paid their budget portions.

The sale by the central bank of N201 billion and N206 billion of Treasury bills on Thursday and Friday did not fully offset the positive impact on market liquidity of the cash injection, dealers said. The bills were sold at yields of between 18 and 18.5 per cent.

“We expect the Central Bank to continue to sell treasury bills in the coming days in its bid to reduce pressure on the local currency, with the consequent impact on interbank rate,” one dealer said.

L-R: Director Starbright International, Mr. Olu Ayeni; Ogun state Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Modupe Mujota; Marketing Manager, Nestle Water, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Gloria Nwbuike, and Director, Social Mobilization, Ogun state Universal Basic Education Board [SUBEB], Mrs. Omotunde Egunjobi, during the launch of Nestle Water Education for Teachers [Wet] Project and Workshop, in Abeokuta, Ogun state. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

MAN Oron: Community tasks FG to appoint indigene Rector Paul Ogbuokiri

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ome stakeholders of the Maritime Academy (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom State has decried an alleged move by the Federal Government to deny their son, Mr. Ante Mkpandiok, whose turn it is to become the Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron.

They said in reaction to Sunday Telegraph story last week that they learnt that the government is making moves to appoint a one time army major and academic, Prof. Eminue Okon, in place of Mkpandiok who is the Registrar of the Academy and has been overseeing the Institution since the late Acting Rector, Engr. Anthony Anayo Isiodu, died about two months ago.

According to an Oron youth leader, Hon. Ekpenyong Ekpo, the alleged move to appoint Prof

Okon, also an indigene of the community, “is a plot to divide the Oron people, promote anger, hatred and acrimony,” he added that “the nomination of Okon is designed to effectively stall Mkpandiok who is the Registrar of the Academy from emerging as Rector.”

He further said that the move is unacceptable to the community.

Ekpo pleaded with President MuhammaduBuhari to intervene and ensure that the host community gets a shot to the topmost position of the 40-year-old national premier maritime training institution.

He accused the Federal Ministry of Transport of running the affairs of the Academy from Abuja, embargoing all financial transactions, even as officials from the Ministry have swooped on the Academy to probe the less than 30-day stewardship

of Mkpandiok.

Lamenting that the alleged nomination of a different person to become the Rector of the Institution, is a clear indication that the government is not willing to allow an Oron man head the Academy, he warned that the community will not allow politicians to continue to divide the people of the area.

He said: “It is almost 40 years now; Oron has not produced the Rector, what is our sin? Before Ishiodu died, the Registrar who is an Oron indigene was acting as the number two most senior officer. Ishiodu relinquished his powers to him pending when he is fit to get back. Unfortunately Ishiodu died.

“It has been more than month since the man died, Amacehi deliberately refused to announce Mkpandiok to take over. The same Amaechi appointed Ishiodu a week after the former Rector, Joshua Okpo died.

The Academy is an autonomous self-accounting institution, but Amaechi ordered Mkpandiok to bring to him in Abuja all financial transactions for scrutiny and signing, that is the level of provocation they have subjected us. The Man (Mkpandiok) is always in Abuja, every week he reports to the Minister. There is near stand still at the Academy as we speak…”

Also commenting, a former board chairman of the Academy who hails from the South-South but who does not want his name mentioned also expressed reservation about the alleged move not appoint Mkpandiok.

However, when contacted on telephone, Head, Public Relations of the Academy, Mr. Siddi Mkpandiok said: “Our Registrar/Acting Rector does go to Abuja, but I am not sure if I can link it up with the issues you talked about, that is all I can say.”

47

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 25, 2016

Auto beat

Nissan unveils new look, more aggressive 2017 GT-R

N

Paul Ogbuokiri

issan has unveiled the new 2017 GT-R at the South Africa Festival of Motoring, highlighted by an exciting new look both inside and out with significant driving-performance enhancements and key new features ever witnessed since the super sport car was introduced in 2007.

The new GT-R features fresh, more aggressive front fascia and an enlarged grille to cool the hand-built potent engine, along with carbon fibre material additions to the front bumper and a reshaped hood to help the car better endure extreme speeds, according to Nissan.

Nissan says the new chrome matte finish ‘V-motion’ grille represents one of Nissan’s latest design signatures. It has been enlarged to provide better engine cooling and now features an updated mesh pattern.

A new hood, which flows flawlessly from the grille, has also been significantly reinforced, contributing to stability during high-speed driving, this is in addition to a freshly-designed front spoiler lip and front bumpers with finishers situated immediately below the headlamps that gives the new GT-R the look of a pure-bred race car, while generating high levels of front downforce.

The GT-R’s familiar wind-cutting shape defines its profile, but the side sills have been pushed out for improved air flow.

The rear of the car also received a thorough makeover.

While the GT-R’s hallmark four-ring taillights remain, Nissan has enhanced the bodywork to help improve air flow, as well as side air vents next to the quad exhaust tips. Also, the belt line that separates the lower black section from the body panel has been heightened to give the car a wider and more aggressive look from the rear.

These exterior changes don’t result just in a sportier-looking car; they create an aerodynamically efficient vehicle, with less drag but retaining the same amount of downforce as the current GT-R to keep the car stable at high speeds.

Managing Director Sales and Marketing Xavier Gobille, Nissan South Africa, who said this much at the presentation of the car, explained that the shift paddles are now mounted to the new steering wheel to allow drivers to change gears in midturn without having to take their hands off the wheel. The paddles themselves, along with the ventilation controls, have improved feel and better sound when engaged or adjusted.

Mated to an award-winning 3.8-litre V6 24-valve twin-turbocharged engine – each unit handcrafted by its own Takumi technician, The GT-R now delivers 421kW at 6800rpm and 633Nm of torque that generates a hefty 600 horsepower.

The engines are the definition of Takumi expertise. The improved output, which are the result of individual ignition-timing control of the cylinders and extra boost from the turbochargers, allow the new GT-R to possess superior acceleration in the mid- to high-ranges (3200rpm and above).

The resonance of the new lightweight titanium exhaust system and Active Sound Enhancement (ASE) enhance the driving experience, especially during acceleration.

And with a thoroughly refined six-speed dual-clutch transmission that features smoother shifts and less noise, that familiar GT-R tone has now been substituted with an engine that has never sounded better.

The increases, which are the result of individual ignition-timing control of the cylinders and extra boost from the turbochargers, allow the new GT-R to possess

superior acceleration in the mid- to highranges (3200 rpm and above).

Nissan GT-R has always been regarded as one of the world’s best handling machines, and for 2017, its cornering abilities have become even better.

The cabin now dons a redesigned, premium interior, befitting a high-performance super sports car. The entire dashboard is new, including an instrument panel

wrapped in a single, seamless piece of hand-selected Nappa leather artfully stitched with Takumi-style precision.

The shape of the dashboard adopts a ‘horizontal flow’ to deliver a sense of high stability for front seat occupants, while the line from the instrument cluster to the centre console provides a distinct driveroriented environment for the driver.

The cushion layer of the instrument pan-

el leather has been updated with a new, thinner material to reduce weight, and the front seats themselves are also lighter, thanks to a new side-support construction method that provides greater comfort and support on long drives.

Couple with this is the improved and simplified centre dashboard layout with integrated navigation and audio controls which reduces the number of switches from 27 in the previous car to just 11 in the 2017 model. An 8-inch capacitive touchpanel monitor now replaces the 7-inch one and features large icons on the display screen, while a new Display Command control on the carbon-fibre centre console also allows easy operation.

“As the icon of Nissan’s driving performance, the GT-R continues to evolve. With the signature V-motion grille, the GT-R now possesses the latest Nissan design language. Its exceptional aerodynamic performance and upgraded interior have given the GT-R a more mature character, which will continue into the future,” Nissan assured.

100th anniversary: Coscharis fetes BMW club

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n celebration of BMW‘s 100-year anniversary, Coscharis Motors in association with the BMW Club, Nigeria celebrated the epoch making event at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos recently

with the display of a wide range of BMW models and trim levels. The objective was to highlight the achievements and sheer driving pleasure that BMW is renowned for over the years.

L-R: S ​ alesperson BMW Coscharis, Ifeoma Ofornagolu; Salesperson BMW Coscharis, Lawrence Iyare; National Sales Manager​, BMW Coscharis Joseph Omokhapue; S ​ ales Manager BMW Coscharis, Olusegun Adwejobi and Salesperson BMW Coscharis, Bright Uket Ojuderi, during the recent BMW 100th Anniversary celebration ​in collaboration with BMW Club in Lagos.

Speaking on the event, the General Manager Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Motors, Abiona Babarinde said: “The event aimed at illustrating the start up of the BMW brand, its present positioning and its future direction; also to kick start a BMW centric partnership with the BMW Club Nigeria.”

In addition, Coscharis Motors utilized the BMW centenary event to announce a series of sales offers from Coscharis BMW while reminding aspiring individuals of the availability of approved used cars, which is a major marketing strategy by BMW to introduce them into the BMW family.

According to the BMW Sales Manager, Coscharis, Olusegun Adejobi, who did a rundown of the BMW cars on display, the BMW 5 Series and BMW 6 series are unique is for those who want to extend their experience beyond the road and further their experience of the typical BMW dynamism and lifestyle – now with a wider range of products, styles and models to choose from aside the best know models. These include BMW 2 series, 4 series, 5 Series, 6 series and the all new X4.

48

SUNDAY September 25, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Business How did your journey into business start?

Honestly, I never knew I would go into business. When I first came Port Harcourt shortly after I had finished my primary school in Igboukwu, Anambra State, I went to DSC Commercial Secondary School, Port Harcourt, but returned to Igboukwu when the Nigerian Civil war broke out. But when I finally finished secondary school after the war, I went into business in Abonnema, operating as a distributor for Dunlop and Mechelen. At a point, I started selling Caterpillar tyres.

Later, I worked with Soimi, an oil company, and it was while I was working for that firm that I got in contact with JDP when they were building Airport Hotel.

In 1989, I moved into property and became a developer, and handed over my tyre business to my boys. As a developer, I was buying land and selling to people, who initially did not want to build. That was how we contributed to the development of places like Elimgbu, Rumundi, Eneka, Elohani, Rumudara among others.

Based on my contributions in the development of these and other areas, I was given a street, which was registered as Ogamco Road. So, my journey into business started in Port Harcourt, where I have been living for over four decades.

What do you really like about this city that has made you to stay this long?

Port Harcourt is a great city. It is also a lively place to live and work. I have visited some great cities, but there is something unique about the city that always make me to want to rush back home. It is the city I am very familiar with; because I understand the way it works. I just love Port Harcourt, which is why I am always eager to contribute my quota to its growth and development. You could experience one or two cases of criminality, but in all it is a peaceful city, and we should not allow the activities of a few bad eggs to tarnish

Success Nuggets

Chief Chris Okonkwo is the chairman of Ogamco Group, a real estate firm based in Port Harcourt, a member Institute of Sales Management of Nigeria and Patron Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter. In this interview with EMMANUEL MASHA, he says that the cost of acquiring property in the city is overrated, and wants those willing to own property to plan, and show commitment towards it in order to have their way.

Excerpts: because of its beauty. This continued even until Chief Rufus Ada George became Governor.

Things started taking a dangerous dimension until the politics of hatred and misunderstanding set in. There was also the issue of militancy. But all that is giving way gradually, and I pray to God for total peace, so that Port Harcourt will eventually regain its Garden City status.

Okonkwo

its image.

Before the country gained independence, people were trooping to the city

What major challenge does business people face in the state that you feel should be addressed?

It is the issue of accepting those who come from other states to contribute to the economy of the state. There are several investors who contribute their resources to create jobs, and opportunities for people to become role players in the state’s economy. But due to the Nigerian mentality, most times you hear people refer to them in derogatory manners. Some from the host communities

Aborted dreams

Victor Okwudiri 08037674300 (SMS only)

V

It’s easy to own property in Port Harcourt – Okonkwo

incent was in the office when he got a WhatsApp message from Christian.

“Joe, your friend, is dead!”

“You mean Joe is dead?” Vincent was taken aback by the suddenness of the message, and the fact that it was too direct.

“Yes,” confirmed Christian.

Vincent, being a very emotional person, broke down emotionally. He went into reminiscences of the life and times of Joe that he witnessed in the compound they both lived in Nyanya, Abuja.

Joe was very intelligent, but he appeared slightly mentally unstable. He was reported to be involved in drugs.

Vincent was used to giving money to Joe to assist him with transportation to church, hoping that church attendance will change his life for the better, with time. However, one day, Joe’s sister called Vincent and asked him to stop giving money to Joe, her reason being that Joe uses the money to buy hard drugs. Sadly, Vincent had to stop.

The thought of the life and times of Joe reminded Vincent of Emeka, an intelligent and promising young man he encountered a few years earlier in Lagos, when he lived with a foster family.

On a certain night in 2011, Vincent had some discussions with Emeka, who lived in the same family house with him.

That night, Emeka mentioned to Vincent how someone who sells in the same area where the family’s shop was located had died. According to Emeka, the following day was going to be gloomy at the shop as the news of that person’s death will spread in the market area.

The following morning, Vincent left early for work. Upon returning from work, he met Kay, the baby of the house, coming out of the gate of the compound in tears.

“What is going on?” He asked. “Kay, why are you crying?”

“Emeka is dead!” Kay’s reply came as a rude shock.

“What are you talking about, Kay?” There was no time for questions. Family members around were headed for the mortuary where some persons have gone ahead to deposit Emeka’s body.

Vincent quickly joined them, though he was yet to come to terms with what he just heard.

On getting to the morgue, it turned out to be true. There was Emeka lying lifeless in the car with which he was taken to the morgue. Vincent laid hands on Emeka’s body and prayed, hoping that he will come back to life, but it was not to be. They were faced with the reality of the finality of death. Vincent and the rest of the people there resigned themselves to fate. They proceeded to deposit Emeka’s body in the morgue.

When Vincent inquired about what led to Emeka’s death, he was told that Emeka had entered into his (Vincent’s) room, locked the door and injected himself with drugs. Unfortunately, it was an overdose.

Emeka had been known to be indulging in drug abuse. He was said to have

been maltreated while growing up, having lost his mother at a very tender age. The maltreatment was said to have affected him psychologically, which made him resort to drugs.

Vincent was so pained by Emeka’s death because Emeka was very intelligent. His memory was beyond average.

However, drug abuse was his Achilles’ heel.

On a certain day, in Vincent’s room, Emeka confided in Vincent that the only thing standing between him and his dreams was drug addiction. Vincent’s response was “If you did not know what was standing between you and your dreams, it would have been a different thing altogether. Given that you know, your problem is half way solved.

Just make up your mind that this drug addiction will not stop you from living your dreams.”

Sadly, it was that obstacle Emeka identified that aborted his dreams.

LESSONS • It is possible for dreams to be aborted, as much as it is possible for dreams to come true.

• VICES can terminate great VOICES even before they are heard.

• DRUGS can pull the RUGS of destiny off one’s feet.

•Life is worth fighting for.

•You have only one shot at life. You cannot afford abusing it.

You will succeed.

•Please follow me on Twitter @VictorOkwudiri

or indigenes see them as outsiders that should not have certain rights no matter the years they have spent in the state or the contributions they have made. That is not right. For instance, 90 per cent of my investment is in Port Harcourt, and I pay tax to the state government. But I am more recognized in my state where I only have 10 per cent investment.

All over the world, if you have stayed in a city for 10 years, you are entitled to be an indigene or a citizen. In fact, the authorities encourage you to start documenting your papers to speed up the process. All my children were born in this city, yet they are deprived some rights. We have seen Nigerians who travelled abroad, became naturalized and ended up working in top government agencies. Why should the case of Nigeria be different?

In Port Harcourt, most people feel it is too difficult to own a property. Why? That was how most property owners initially felt until they discovered that it is very easy to own properties in Port Harcourt. The most important thing is to determine where you want to own the property. I was brought up in the Churchill area of the town. But when I wanted to build my house, I bought land at Rumudara at N6000 per plot. That was many years ago.

But at that time, the cost of a plot in GRA was very high that only a few people attempted to go there for inquiries. When buying a land to build, you must weigh you pocket and go for good bargain. Some places where land is sold cheaply some years back are booming now, because some property developers were bold enough to venture into such areas where people never thought development could reach.

They risked their money, time, energy and opened up those places. There are some places near Port Harcourt that land sells for within a million naira per plot, and people are buying and building on them.

Most business people complain of double taxation in Port Harcourt. Are you so taxed?

It is a source of worry. If you move round Port Harcourt, you see different task forces, forcing business owners to part with cash. At times, these agents go physical, which is not the right approach. For land developers, youths and different community associations impose all sorts of levies.

This is common in the council areas. Later, their activities were curtailed following the passage of a law by the state House of Assembly. Now, the people of Rivers State are lucky to have a Governor who was once a local government chairman. It is better all land and property taxes are paid to the council instead of dealing with individuals.

As a developer, you need the support of banks to execute your projects. How friendly and helpful are the banks?

I have always been supported by banks.

Some of the projects I executed were financed by banks. But right now, you think twice before you run to banks, because the interest rate is too high. At times, you pay the main loan you owe, but get trapped in paying the interest rate, which could prolong the loan for years. Sometimes it becomes a trap that business people struggle to get away from.

49

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Market Returns 1.40% Week-on-Week …as MPC Votes To Maintain Status Quo

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he Nigerian Equities Market All Share Index (NSEASI) appreciated on three (3) out of the five (5) trading days of the week, accumulating gains of 1.40% Week-on-Week (WoW) to push the YtD return to -1.38%. The market breadth (1.27x) signaled the general mood in the market, as thirty-three (33) stocks appreciated in value as against twenty-six (26) decliners in the week. The volume and value of transactions advanced by 608.16% and 205.79% WoW respectively, as a result of a combination of reduced number of trading days in the prior week (two-day public holiday), and an extraordinary trade on Great Nigerian Insurance PLC (GNI) (2.87bn shares).

The gainers’ chart was led by CONOIL, CUTIX, TOTAL, OANDO and CADBURY after the respective tickers recorded gains of 33.48%, 19.41%, 18.00%, 15.29% and 14.13%. Conversely, the underperformers table featured CAVERTON, NEIMETH, BETAGLAS, GUARANTY and GUINNESS with declines in value of 13.22%, 12.96%, 9.73%, 7.25%, and 7.01% respectively.

During the week, Guinness Nigeria PLC. (GUINNESS) released its audited FY2016 result, which showed declines in Revenue, PBT and PAT of 13.94%, 121.74% and 125.86% YoY respectively. The company’s Earnings slid to a negative position of -NGN2.015billion, for the first time in its history. This was attributed to weakening disposable income, coupled with the depreciating value of Naira against the US Dollar, which resulted in the company posting a NGN3.078billion unrealized FX loss in the period. However, the company declared a dividend of NGN0.50/ share, which represents a dividend yield of 0.54% based on today’s closing price of NGN93.00.

This report reviews events in the current week, with emphasis on different segments of the financial market, while presenting our expectations for the coming week.

Economic Update: MPC Holds Rate Amidst Increased Foreign Inflows The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sat for the fifth meeting of the year and at the end of the meeting, agreed to maintain all monetary stance. This decision was in line with our projections on MPR, CRR, liquidity ratio and the asymmetric corridor rates.

The MPC came to this conclusion by highlighting that the fight for lower inflation and boost in economic growth requires not only the efforts of the monetary policy but significant restructuring of the economy.

The Committee also noted that from the last MPC meeting to date there has been sizeable foreign funds inflows, signifying a kick-start of the considerations reached at the prior meeting. Other considerations were the current fragile global and domestic macroeconomic conditions and outlook for the remainder of the year.

Bearing in mind the decision arrived at by the MPC, we forestall yields to hover around the current levels in the short to medium-term. Also, we expect that given the prior direction of investors towards the fixed income market, the equities market may remain pressured. Furthermore, we expect that the prevailent high lending rate might still discourage loan writing as banks increase participation in the fixed income market.

Fixed Income: Bond Yields Trend Downwards Following an uptick in system liquidity, the OBB and OVN rates declined by 22.83% and 21.75% WoW to settle at 13.50% and 15.25% accordingly.

In the Treasury bond space, there was strong demand across all tenors, as the average yield declined by 0.36% WoW

for the first time since its listing. However, the company declared a dividend of NGN0.50/share, which represents a dividend yield of 0.54% based on today’s price of NGN93.00.

We attribute the weak sector performance to profit taking activities on counters that witnessed rallies in previous weeks. In the absence of any news to sway market movement, we expect this current trend to subsist in the coming week.

to 15.82%. We opine that the currently high yield environment and expectation of future yield decline is responsible for the strong demand, as investors take positions ahead of possible price gains upon anticipated yield declines. We expect this trend to continue in the short term.

The CBN held a Primary Market Auction (PMA) during the week, where T-bills worth NGN140.98bn were sold to investors. There was oversubscription across all tenors with bid-to-cover ratios of 1.06x (91-days), 3.14x (182-days) and 3.32x (364days). The stop rates for the 91-days, 182days and 364-days were 14.00%, 17.27% and 18.30% accordingly.

In the interbank market, Naira appreciated against the US Dollar WoW, after gaining 0.29% WoW to NGN307.79/USD. Conversely, Naira at the parallel market depreciated by 2.30% WoW to close at NGN435/USD. Going forward, we expect increased Dollar supply to the parallel market, following the introduction of a new FX licensed dealer (Travelex) capable of enhancing distribution of FX to the BDCs. Agric Sector: OKOMUOIL Emerges the Lone Gainer The Agricultural sector recorded a positive outing this week, as the MERI-AGRI index appreciated by 2.37% WoW to settle the YtD return at 31.15%. There was a lone gainer for the week, while other counters traded flat. OKOMUOIL emerged the lone gainer for the week, after appreciating by 5.56% to settle at NGN38.00.

We attribute the sector’s performance to the rally on OKOMUOIL on the last trading day of the week, after the sector traded almost flat for the week. We expect the market mood to determine the sector’s performance in the coming week considering the paucity of information to spur short term reactions to Agric counters.

Banking Sector: STANBIC emerges Top Gainer Once Again.

The banking sector closed negative for the third successive week, as measured by our MERI-BNK index, declining by -0.91% WoW to peg the YtD return at 12.41%.There were eleven (11) gainers, while only two (2) stocks declined in value, to peg the sector’s breadth at 5.5x.

STANBIC led the advancers for the second week in a row, after appreciating by 9.35%, to close at NGN16.95. The ticker was closely followed by ZENITHBANK, WEMABANK, UBN and FBNH which recorded respective price gains of 7.59%, 6.35%, 5.63% and 5.08%. On the flip side, the decliners list was populated by GUARANTY (-7.25%) and ETI (-1.22%).

The week-on-week loss may be attributed to loss recorded on GUARANTY. Although, we expect mixed investors’ sentiments in the coming week, we anticipate that the index could record slight gains.

Consumer Goods Sector: Sector Halts Bullish Run The 5-week gaining streak of the Consumer Goods sector was severed this week, after the sector shed on three (3) out of five (5) trading days of the week. Consequently, the Meri-CMG index pared by 0.59% WoW, to peg the YtD return at -1.39%. There were four (4) gainers against ten (10) decliners, reflecting a sector breadth of 0.40x.

CADBURY topped the gainers’ chart, after appreciating by 14.13% to close at NGN15.75. PZ (+6.41%), FLOURMILL (+4.98%) and 7UP (+2.42%) made up the gainers list. Contrarily, GUINNESS led the laggard’s chart after depreciating by 7.01% to close at NGN93.00. NNFM (-4.96%), HONYFLOUR (-4.26%), DANGFLOUR (-3.87%) and NASCON (-2.44%) also featured on the losers table.

Guinness Nigeria PLC. (GUINNESS) released its audited FY2016 scorecard, which showed declines in Revenue, PBT and PAT of 13.94%, 121.74% and 125.86% YoY respectively. The company’s Earnings slid to a negative position of –NGN2.015billion,

Healthcare Sector: NEIMETH slumps further, returns -12.96% WoW The MERI-HLTH index recorded a marginal WoW gain of 0.48% settling the YtD return at -41.68%. The sector breadth closed at equilibrium (1.00x) representing two (2) advancers against two (2) decliners in the week.

FIDSON and GLAXOSMITH appreciated by 3.11% and 0.51% respectively while NEIMETH and MAYBAKER dragged the sector by 12.96% and 1.03% in that order. All other counters traded flat.

The Health segment’s performance for the week was swayed by late price gains on the sector’s most capitalized stock (GLAXOSMITH) . Nonetheless we opine that investors mood remains frail, hence, we advise value seeking investors to trade with caution.

Industrial Goods: DANGCEM Advances by 3.39% Positive sentiments permeated the Industrial goods sector this week, as the MERI-IND index advanced by 2.07% WoW to drive the YtD return to 1.66%. The sector breadth stood at an equilibrium (1.0x), with two (2) gainers and losers apiece.

CUTIX led the gainers’ chart for the third consecutive week, after advancing by 19.41% WoW to close at NGN2.30. The counter was seconded by DANGCEM which appreciated by 3.39% to NGN182.03. On the other hand, PORPAINT and AVONCROWN emerged as the losers for the week, having pared by 4.04% and 4.35% accordingly The sector’s performance was driven by continuous bargain hunting activities on CUTIX and DANGCEM. Barring any news inflow in the coming week, we expect some level of profit taking on counters with accumulated gains over the past few weeks Insurance Sector: Sector Advances by 1.09% WoW The insurance sector closed the week in the positive region, as measured by our MERI-INS index, which advanced by 0.33% WoW to push the YtD return for the sector to -11.40%. Sector breadth stood at 2.0x, reflecting two (2) advancers and one (1) decliner.

NEM stood at the top of the gainers chart this week, with a 2.47% price appreciation.

CUSTODYINS (+1.52%) also featured on the gainers’ list. Conversely, CONTINSURE (-1.03%) was the only laggard for the week.

We expect the general market mood to determine the performance of the sector in the week ahead.

Oil & Gas Sector: Sector Steers Market Activities Investors’ appetite towards Oil & Gas sector stocks was potent in the week, as the NSEOILG5 index gained on all the five (5) trading days of the week. This resulted in a WoW gain of 6.44% and a YtD return of -7.04% at the close of the week’s trading . The sector recorded seven (7) gainers and zero decliners, while three (3) stocks traded flat.

CONOIL continued to lead the pack, after appreciating by 33.48% WoW to close at NGN42.50. TOTAL (+18.00%), OANDO (+15.29%), MRS (+8.87%), ETERNA (+8.28%), MOBIL (+5.62%) and FO (1.30%) trailed behind, to close their share prices at NGN295.00, NGN5.88, NGN39.90, NGN3.14, NGN179.55 and NGN163.11 in that order.

50

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

opinion

The bloody legacy of Usman Dan Fodio (Part 1) Fani-Kayode

O

n 19th September 2016 after the latest bombing in New York, Mr. Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, said: “In the 20th century the United States of America defeated fascism, nazism and communism. Today the United States of America must destroy (radical) Islamism”.

Mr. Trump is absolutely right! Yet it is not just in America that the scourge of jihadi violence and Islamist terror must be destroyed.

It must be uprooted, defeated and destroyed throughout the entire world, including Nigeria.

Sadly in this respect things appear to be getting worse. Reports coming in suggest that no less than eight Christian worshippers were murdered in cold blood whilst their Church was burnt to the ground in Borno State recently. One wonders when this sad and sorry tale will end. One wonders when this recurrent and utterly beastly bloodfest and this outrageous orgy of violence will stop?

If it is not Fulani herdsmen and miitants slaughtering southerners in their homes and farms it is Boko Haram butchering Christians in their Churches in the north. Sadly our President does not give a damn and he is behaving true to type.

Like the Roman Emperor Nero, as his nation burns, as his people suffer, starve and feel the pain of economic recession and as members of the Christian community in his country are being slaughtered he has, yet again, opted to play the fiddle and jet out of the country.

This time he has travelled to New York and, worse still, he has gone with a record 108-member delegation despite the fact that we are facing the most terrible recession in the history of our nation.

Yet this contribution is not about the idiosyncrises of Buhari or the barbarity of Boko Haram but rather about their historical predecessors and forefathers and the unholy agenda that they collectively seek to purse and enforce. The history is clear. Let us go back to the beginning.

Sheik Usman Dan Fodio, a violent and relentless jihadist, the man who led his people from Futa Jalon in modern-day Guinea to Sokoto in northern Nigeria in 1804 and the father of the Fulani Caliphate, once said:

“Conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal it”.

I find it hard to imagine how a genocidal maniac and islamist terrorist who killed, maimed, pillaged and burned his way to infamy in the most barbaric way and who enslaved millions in the north and took their self-respect, identity and dignity away from them can speak of “conscience” and “truth”?

The bitter truth is that he had neither of the two.

I have always found it curious that the Guardian Newspaper used his words as their motto.

Perhaps they didn’t know who he really was and what he really stood for. They say that there is no compulsion in religion yet this is a man who literally soaked northern Nigeria in blood and who took the lives of millions of innocent and defenceless men, women and children amongst the Hausa tribe in Gobir and other northern tribes in his quest to impose and establish Islam.

In a well-researched essay titled, ‘The National Grazing Reserve Council Bill: A Fulfillment Of Usman Dan Fodio’s Dream’, Mr. Lazarus Obinna wrote the following. “Usman dan Fodio, an Islamic scholar and an urbanized Fulani had been actively educating and preaching in the city of Gobir with the approval and support of the Hausa leadership of the city.

However, when Yunfa, a former student of Dan Fodio’s, became the Sultan of Gobir he restricted Dan Fodio’s activities, forcing him into exile in Gudu.

A large number of peoples left Gobir to join Dan Fodio and as a response on February 21, 1804, Yunfa declared war on Dan Fodio.

Despite some early losses at the Battle of Tsuntua and elsewhere, the forces of Dan Fodio began taking over some of the key cities starting in 1805.

The war lasted from 1804 until 1808 and the forces of Dan Fodio were able to capture the states of Katsina and Daura, and the important Kingdom of Kano (in 1807) and Gobir in 1808.

The Caliphate was founded in February 1804 at Gudu when Dan-Fodio was proclaimed ‘Amir Al-Mu’minin’ (‘Defender of the Faithful’). Usman Dan Fodio then declared a number of flag bearers amongst those following him, creating an early political structure of the empire.

In 1809, Muhammed Bello, the son of Dan

Fodio, founded the city of Sokoto, which became the capital of the Sokoto Caliphate.

At its height, the Sokoto Caliphate included over 30 different emirates under its political structure.

The political structure of the Caliphate was organised with the Sultan of Sokoto ruling from the city of Sokoto (and for a brief period under Muhammad Bello from Wurno). The leader of each emirate was appointed by the Sultan as the flag bearer for that city but was given wide independence and autonomy.

Much of the growth of the Caliphate occurred through the establishment of an extensive system of ribats as part of the consolidation policy of Muhammed Bello, the second Sultan. Ribats were established founding a number of new cities with walled fortresses, schools, markets, and other buildings.

These proved crucial in expanding the Caliphate by developing new cities, settling the pastoral Fulani people, and supporting the growth of plantations which were crucial to the economy.

By 1837, the Sokoto Caliphate had a population around 10 million people.

Now, going through the National Grazing Reserve Council Bill something caught my attention.” The bill in question shall create a council to be chaired by a chairman to be appointed by the President, the council shall have powers to take land anywhere in the country and pay compensation” Now the land shall be given to herdsmen who shall use the land for grazing purposes.

Another thing that stroked me is if the owner of the land is not comfortable with the decisions of the Council, the person can go to court but after he or she must have notified the Attorney General of the Federation and gotten his consent or approval, that is to say if the Attorney general refuse to give his consent, you have lost your land forever to herdsmen.

Again, The National Grazing Reserve Council would have the powers to take your land and pay you compensation and don’t forget you can only get compensation if you have documents proving ownership.

Now in the beginning of this article,you could see how Usman Dan Fodio and his descendant captured the areas known as the north and some parts of Yorubaland.

This is a plan to over-run the south in fulfillment of the promise made by Usman Dan Fodio and don’t forget, The Fulani,

were,and are, a nomadic people who have been influential throughout the history of North West Africa for over a thousand years. They were also responsible for introducing and spreading Islam over much of Western Africa. Don’t also forget that Usman Dan Fodio was a fundamentalist Muslim who used religious fervor to ignite his devotees to undertake a series of holy war.

Following the success of his Islamic jihadists, non-Muslim Fulani joined the ranks with their fellow tribesmen to form an extensive and powerful empire, an African Islamic caliphate.

In this 21st century, Ranches are established and used to rear cattle, farmers buy land to create ranches. There is nowhere in the world where the land of ordinary citizens are compulsorily taken and given to others.

I highlighted the history of Usman Dan Fodio,the Fulani herdsmen and their activities for you to know the risk in allowing the Grazing Bill scale through and what the initiators intend to achieve. The earlier we stand against this bill and the initiators,the better for us. Say NO to the Grazing Reserve Bill!”

Mr. Obinna’s analysis cannot be faulted.

He has hit the nail on the head. The passage of the Grazing Reserve Bill would be a fatal error on the part of southern and Middle Belt legislators and the final step in establishing Usman Dan Fodio’s dream and legacy in southern Nigeria.

The Bible says “knowledge is power”. It follows that ignorance is a terrible affliction: it is a terminal ailment which leads to certain death.

In an essay that I wrote on 25th July 2016 titled ‘Nigeria’s Third Mahdi and the Last Of The Amalekite Kings’ (Naij.com, Trent-OnLine, Daily Post, The Sun Newspaper, Pointblanknews and New Telegraph) I described Dan Fodio as the “first Mahdi of Nigeria”.

He was the greatest evil that ever afflicted our shores closely followed by an Englishman by the name of Lord Frederick Lugard who recommended and decreed the amalglamation of the northern and southern protectorates of Nigeria in 1914.

Between those two monsters many lives, destinies, families, nations and futures were destroyed and many stars were eclipsed.

May the Lord repay them according to their works. (TO BE CONTINUED).

Fani-Kayode is former Aviation Minister

APC: Playing politics with the future of Rivers State Simeon Nwakaudu

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n Monday, 19th September, 2016, at about 9am, an editor in one of the major national newspapers placed a call to me. He sought my reaction on why all public primary schools in Rivers State had been closed and pupils prevented from resuming.

When I told him that his information was incorrect, he mailed me a photograph sent to him by the Media Office of the Rivers APC, indicating that one model school in Ozuoba in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area was under lock and key. At this time, all Rivers APC leaders and their supporters were celebrating the same picture on Facebook and Twitter.

This same information was circulated via a major radio station in Port Harcourt. It was at that point that I called the Rivers State Education lCommissioner, Prof Kaniye Ebeku who informed me that all the schools had reopened across the state and that he was at Saint Andrews Primary School at Mile 1 in Port Harcourt supervising the process. I offered to join him.

From Saint Andrews Primary School in Port Harcourt, the Education Commissioner accompanied by officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board and the Riv-

ers State Senior Secondary Schools Board supervised the reopening of public schools across Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.

Officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board and the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board also supervised the resumption process in the other 21 Local Government Areas of the state. This was because the State Government was committed to ensuring that the education of the people of the state is not compromised under any guise.

For the Government of Governor Wike, the education of the less privileged children in public schools must be promoted and shielded from unnecessary political interference.

Speaking during his supervision round in Port Harcourt and Obio/AkporLocal Government Areas, Rivers Education Commissioner, Prof Kaniye Ebeku announced that teaching and learning will continue in the state’s public primary schools as the state government is not owing any security guard in her employment.

Professor Kaniye Ebeku said: “All our public schools have been reopened. The teachers and pupils are in their respective schools.

“Like I said before, we are not owing any security guard that is in direct employment of the Rivers State Government. Therefore,

nobody can close the gates of the public schools.

“The elements making noise on the radio are unknown to the Rivers State Government and they have no contractual agreement with us. “ Head Teacher of Port Harcourt City Centenary Primary School, Mrs Okachi Charity said that 85 pupils turned up on the first day of resumption. She said that teaching and learning have already commenced.

Mrs Blessing Idia, Head Teacher of State Primary School 2, Moscow Road in Port Harcourt said that academic activities have started in earnest.

In a statement, Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah commended teachers, parents and pupils of public primary schools for resuming for academic activities despite the sponsored attempts by the immediate past governor, Rotimi Amaechi to disrupt school resumption through his proxies.

Of all the hundred of schools, the Rivers APC for political expediency went to one school in Ozuoba, harassed parents and pupils, had photo sessions after they closed the school gate. They promptly circulated same.

Like all their false propaganda schemes, this also failed as the pictures of schools that have resumed were promptly circulated by concerned citizens from the 23 local govern-

ment areas. Since then, happy teachers and children have continued to build their future in public primary and secondary schools all over Rivers State.

It is embarrassing that the Rivers APC and her sponsors find nothing sacred in their bid to de-market Rivers State. The media must be careful on false statements being circulated by these folks. It serves no useful purpose to destroy the institutions of development.

The people of Rivers State overwhelming rejected APC because the party plays politics with everything under the face of the earth.

They have no regard for scruples and they are ready to sacrifice anything to gain political advantage.

No responsible government will allow desperate political misfits to play politics with the future of her people. Governor Wike is a champion of quality education and he is committed to protecting the future of the state.

Misguided political blackmailers will continue to fail despite their evil machinations. Rivers State is under a God-fearing leadership that is moving the people to the promised land.

Simeon Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 25, 2016

Over 2,000 prisoners on death row in Nigeria

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o fewer than 2,000 inmates in Nigerian prisons are said to be on death row while an alarming 75 per cent are on awaiting trial.

The total prison population in Nigeria is over 68,000 comprising – 17,686 convicts (4,080 lifers; 2,000 condemned convicts) and over 40,000 Awaiting Trial Persons.

The large number of prisoners on death row can be directly attributed to the refusal of state governor’s to implement their sentences.

It appears that a lot of governors have made it a policy that no one in their respective states will be executed as long as they are in office.

According to investigations by an online news medium, PerSecondNews, the large number of inmates is beginning to strain the budget of the Ministry of

As govs delay executions Interior as a result of the failure of the criminal justice administration system.

According to Mr Tony Ojukwu, of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) “This is because cases are not going on in court or they are not moving as fast as possible so that as people are coming in they are going out.

“A situation where somebody is supposed to stay two years in prison for instance if convicted, but has stayed five years while awaiting trial.

“What kind of compensation will you give to him if at the end, considering the fact that our constitution says that you are innocent until proven guilty.

“What happens if a man or woman who has been kept in trial for five years is

now proven innocent?

“That means he has stayed in detention for five years for nothing or for an offence he did not commit.

“So we think that the criminal justice administration should be improved.’

However, a Lagos-based security consultant, Dr Yusuf Ahmed, believes that from the standpoint of the Federal Government, the situation could not have come at a worse time.

“The nation’s overall economic decline has cut state and federal aid to the prisons systems,” he says, “making it difficult for them to support the increased demand for prison services.”

Meanwhile, the population of the prison personnel is increasing with some inmates living in the same cells with those suffering

from terminal diseases, mental illness, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Dr Ahmed described the facilities at the prisons as “deplorable and overstretched” with most of the prisons overloaded.

Reliable information has it that about N6 billion was claimed by prison food contractors alone last year.

Although it must be said that the Minister of Interior, Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) since his appointment has approved and implemented some uplift in the living conditions of the prisons, and has recently inaugurated a committee to look into possible options of granting clemency to some aging, terminally sick and good conduct inmates in a bid to decongest the prisons.

News

PDP, ALGON hail Ugwuanyi over rehab of federal road Charles Onyekwere, Enugu

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he Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s brave initiative in embarking on the immediate rehabilitation of the failed sections of the Federal Government road along Oji River - Ugwuoba - Anambra State border by old road.

The road was reported to have collapsed partly because of increased stress on it, caused by movement of heavy duty vehicles, occasioned by the total dilapidation of Enugu-Onitsha expressway, resulting in all the vehicles being diverted to it.

Reacting to the decision of the Enugu State Government to rehabilitate the road, the PDP state chairman, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, said that it was an indication that “Gov. Ugwuanyi is sensitive to the plight and yearnings of the people of the state, south east region and the nation at large.”

This came as the Enugu State Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Prince Cornelius Nnaji, applauded the efforts of the governor in commencing work on the road, immediately.

Hon. Nnaji said that it was as a result of the commitment of the present administration in Enugu State to the well-being of the people that it went extra mile to commence the rehabilitation of the road, which he said was in a deplorable state.

The ALGON Chairman added that Gov. Ugwuanyi has through the recent intervention distinguished himself creditably as a true son of the Igbo land who cares for the progress of the zone.

He said that the immediate commencement of work on the road by Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration would enhance the socioeconomic activities of the South-East zone, appealing to the Federal Government to refund the state the huge amount of money its past administrations used in rehabilitating the said road.

Female lawyer leads Business School Netherlands Chijioke Iremeka

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Some Children of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) offering special prayers during a lecture in commemoration of the World Peace Day by Interfaith Mediation Centre, at Malkohi IDPS Camp, in Adamawa …at the weekend PHOTO: NAN

FG warned on tobacco threat to public health

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he continued manufacture, distribution and consumption of tobacco

by Nigerians, including children and adolescents have been identified as the major cause of many health issues and deaths currently experienced by Nigerians.

The Chairman of Safety Net for Children (SNC), a non-governmental organisation championing the good health of children and adolescents in the country, Mr. Akomas Brent, said such diseases and deaths are avoidable if tobacco and other tobacco products are prohibited in the country.

According to him, that was the case in the United States and other advanced economies when they became inundated with cases of cigarette related deaths, diseases and rising national budgets.

They consequently evolved decisive policies to check the menace of cigarette (tobacco), which forced the companies to relocate to Africa and Nigeria in particular to continue their ‘illicit’ trade.

Akomas, who accused the tobacco companies of not having the interest of Nigerians at heart, urged the Nigerian government, in the interest of public health, terminate all part-

nerships with any operator in the tobacco industry, terminate any grant-in-aid to any operator in the tobacco industry, withdraw all incentives to operators in the tobacco industry, discontinue any patronage to or from any operator in the industry, monitor and implement a fair and equitable regulation, and impose extreme sanctions on any agency or individual that in compromises He stated that the manufacture, distribution and marketing of tobacco and tobacco products must be recognised and treated as a health epidemic concern, stressing that certain provisions in the 2016 review

document by the Technical Committee on Standards for Tobacco and Tobacco products may be a ploy to retain the patronage of kid-smokers.

ith a cum laude and four distinctions, Business School Netherlands announced the successful completion of its Executive MBA programme, yesterday, with 73 candidates coming from Nigeria.

The Executives received their certificates at a ceremony in Hague, Netherlands, as Nigerian barrister, Mrs. Oluwakemi Makun, led the class with a cum laude and the best dissertation.

The Chief Executive Officers Business School Netherlands, Nigeria, Lere Baale, said the school was impressed with the increased enrolment in centres outside Lagos and the performance of students in those places.

According to him, Business School Netherlands, with multiple accreditations from Dutch, European and American authorities, offers the Executive Master

in Business Administration, deploying the Action Learning pedagogy. It has also introduced the Doctor of Business Administration programme with an initial enrolment of 10 senior executives.

He noted that Lagos State accounted for three of the distinctions while the Abuja Study Centre recorded the other two, saying that Abuja, Port Harcourt and Otta Study Centres accounted for 34 of the graduating class, while Lagos contributed 39.

However, Abuja-based best graduating student, Mrs Makun, said: “I like the learning style of BSN Action Learning. Practice makes perfect. It was perfect for me. I wanted an environment, where I will meet people from diverse backgrounds and varied challenges; a place, where participants could share their experiences and help one another treat their various problems.

Group backs Okorocha’s ex-aide for NDDC job

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group, the Niger Delta Ex-Militants (NDEM), Imo State chapter, has thrown its weight behind the call for the appointment of Hon. Justus Ojika as the Commissioner representing the state in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

In a statement issued in Owerri and signed by the group’s Commander-Gener-

al, Comrade Uzoma Bobby Chukwuka, the group stated that Ojika has played a major role in bringing sustainable peace to the oil producing areas of the state.

According the leader of the group, Ojika used his position as the Special Assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha on Niger Delta Affairs to ensure that militants from Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local

government areas of the state embraced dialogue came to the table with government and ultimately surrendered their arms to the state. He said with Ojika’s impeccable credentials and mediatory roles among various Niger Delta groups agitating for the development of the region, there is no doubt that he has the capacity to attract developments to the state.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

opinion

Why media organisations do not adhere to their philosophies –Study T he obligation to keep the fabrics of the society together, thereby promoting national interest of the country has been identified as the major factor information dissemination mass media organisations ignore, their philosophies.

National interest and other factors such as ownership, commercial and political interests have also influenced the media organisations’ commitment to these philosophies, according to a study by the 2016 doctoral students of Mass Communication, University of Lagos. Other factors are pressure to survive especially during periods of economic downturn; corporate and personal security of the staff; regulatory agencies; public relations consultants; and legal matters.

The study by the doctoral students was carried out under the supervision of communication scholar, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye and a senior lecturer, who is also acting Head of the Department of Mass Communication, UNILAG, Dr. Oloruntola Sunday.

The philosophy of a media house is the collective vision that a media organisation brings to bear in its operations. Such a vision represents the standard and critical elements of a company’s organisational strategy and it is what drives the day-today operations of the media organisations. Similarly, it constructs in advance the terms of any discussion that will take place about the organisation or any issue arising from the corporate life or purpose of the organisation.

Twenty-one media establishments, from both print and electronic, were covered in the study. They were purposively selected by the researchers for the study that was designed primarily to identify the philosophies of selected media organisations; determine the extent to which the selected media organisations adhere to their stated philosophies; and ascertain the factors that affect their adherence to these philosophies.

Although the operations of media organisations are guided by the stated philosophies, oftentimes enshrined in their mission statements, the observation that sometimes some of them have had cause to bend the rules in favour of certain interests, motivated the study.

The researchers are Afoke Hope Orivri, Daniel Kunde, David Olaluwoye, Emmanuel Ojila, Husseini Hassan Shaibu, Kabir Alabi Garba, and Musa Sule. Others are Olalekan Sote, Dayo Duyile, Peter Kehinde Akodu, Solomon Ntukekpo, and Vincent Nwanma.

Specifically, the study which ran between April and August 2016 purposively sampled the views of 21 senior media practitioners comprising correspondents, news and line editors, assistant and deputy editors-in-chief, managing editors and editors-in-chief who have at least five years of professional experience, using both survey design and structured interview methods.

While all these media houses possessed philosophies as expected, the terms accuracy, fairness, truthfulness, balance, objectivity, factuality, and safeguarding public interest were common key terms in their philosophies. While national interests easily passed for public interests in usage in all the philosophies, the usage seemed particularly emphatic in Federal Government-owned media. The covert commercial interest symbolism embedded the philosophies of privately owned media. Seventy percent of media organisations, especially the print media, attached greater value to news while 16 percent of them laid emphasis on enter-

Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye (m) with the researchers

tainment and sports. However, the study revealed that organisational deviation from the stated philosophies diminished whatever values and beauties shown in the analysis of the findings.

Respondents pointed out constraints responsible for this deviation: vested interests and factors beyond the media practitioners’ control. Thirty-seven percent of the respondents maintained that their organisations’ adherence to corporate philosophies is low while 28 percent stated that their organisations moderately adhere to their philosophies. Only 10 percent of respondents thought the degree of adherence to the corporate philosophies is very high.

Also, the study sought a value-based answer in the area of organisational pressure of media practitioners to drop news item(s) when the news item does not in any way violate the corporate philosophy of the media organisation. Ninety percent of respondents admitted they have been under pressure to drop such news item(s), which they viewed as a violation of the philosophies of their organisations. However, 10 percent of respondents said they never experienced any pressure for dropping news items.

Ninety-five percent of respondents, who were under pressure to drop some news items actually obliged, though unwillingly, while one respondent said he did not oblige. From the data, however, it would appear killing news in media organisations seldom occurs. The study appraised other variables like modulation of news item(s) to suit certain interests instead of outright killing of the news. Ninety percent of respondents have come under pressure to modify some stories to pacify some vested interests or fit into some contexts. Ten percent of respondents, however, never came under pressure to modify their news content. Twisting or scaling down news items appears not to be a frequent practice in the media organizations.

All the respondents agreed that national interest, one of the factors, impinge on their adherence to corporate philosophies of media houses as there is always the struggle to balance national and organisational interests. Eighty-six percent of respondents saw ownership interest as another dominant factor that negatively influences adherence to corporate philosophies by media organisations. Sixty-seven percent of respondents maintained that advertisers bear a lot of influence on their operational philosophy while 43 percent said political interests impinge on their adherence to their philosophies.

Twenty-four percent of respondents said threat to their corporate existence and security of staff are responsible for not upholding their philosophies while 14 percent of respondents said public relations practitioners did influence sometimes. Twentyfour percent of respondents said regulatory agencies are responsible for not adhering to their philosophies while one respondent said fear of legal matters makes his organisation to deviate from its philosophy.

From the context of this study, it is instructive to note that media organisations have philosophies, but the manner of professional practice does not sync with this confirmation. However, the knowledge of the factors that impinge on adherence to those philosophies such as national interest, ownership interest, economic downturn, threat to life, political influence, advertisers’ interest, public relations, and regulatory agencies will assist media managers to begin to fashion out strategies to mitigate the side effects of these factors.

Indeed, one issue raised by the study, which has continued to defy consensus among communication scholars and public policy formulators, is the definition of what constitutes ‘national interest’. The study asserts thus, “Unfortunately, there is no precise conceptualisation of what is national interest until date. To this extent, the constitutive and nuances of national

interest are still ambiguous. The determination of what constitutes national interest still resides within the purview of the national security agencies and sometimes the instrument is used as ambush tactics by overzealous security operatives. The implication here is that journalists often find it difficult to determine when they are crossing the borders and stepping on the landmines called national interest.”

Based on the findings, the study therefore tasks media organisations to ensure that they adhere to their corporate philosophy because it is their identity and the social bond between them and the public.

Also, it emphasises the need for media owners (government and private) allowing their organisations to operate freely to promote best professional practice, in addition to ensuring prompt payment of staff salaries “so that the staff can avoid unethical practices and protect the corporate integrity of the organisations.”

The study has special admonition for the security operatives: “They must respect the rights of media practitioners. In fact, they must realize that issues regarding fundamental human rights, freedom of information, expression, and rule of law are the bedrock of operation in a democratic system of government.”

If Nigeria’s desire to attain democratic maturity with all its nuances is genuine, both government and media operatives should pay attention to the findings of this study. It anchors this attainment on a free, responsible, self-regulated media, which is always in dialogue with itself and the reading/viewing/listening public.

The study’s argument is that “when the media regulates itself through constant dialogue with the public, such media will earn public trust and confidence, which are the ingredients needed to discharge its constitutionally recognised obligation of holding government accountable to the people, thereby stimulating good governance.”

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Body&Soul

Parable of the Pencil T he Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.

“There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”

One: “You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.” Two: “You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.”

Three: “You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”

Four: “The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.”

Five: “On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the pencil with you, if you re-

member these lessons and never forget them, you will become the best person you can be.

One: “You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.”

Two: “You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you’ll need it to become a stronger and better person.”

Three: “You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. So do not be afraid of making mistakes.”

Four: “The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside. What you think and feel is more important than how you look.”

Five: “On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties. Leave your legacy when you leave this world.”

You are special. Only you can fulfill the purpose for which you were born.

Grace Malleous Academy sends forth graduands Ayobola Lawal

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s part of the efforts to promote learning, Management of Grace Malleous Academy, Mushin, has introduced a seminar workshop to educate its pupils and help in building good morals in them.

Speaking with New Telegraph at the graduation and prize-giving ceremony of the school, the Proprietress, Mrs Olarewaju Lola, said that the school has been able to organise a seminar workshop for its pupils to help enhance their learning, guide them in choosing a career, build good moral values, self-discipline and develop their basic learning skills. She added that as a plus, the school helps guide the pupils from the teachings in the bible which she believes would enhance them in their academic performances.

Also, as a way of encouraging savings, the proprietress promised to dish out gifts to the first 10 parents to finish paying up their children’s school fees before resumption. She urges the parents to be helpful in

Colour puzzle

building a good legacy for their children as she encourages them to buy them books, pay their fees as soon as possible and change their uniforms as at when due. Prizes were given to the outstanding students based on their performances in class. Also, the staffs were also rewarded for their relentless effort in driving the school to greater heights.

The Proprietress further expressed how the country’s economy has affected the school as they could not meet up with the plans for celebrating their graduation in an elaborate way.

According to her, Indomie noodles have always been supportive in dishing out prizes to them as a club member but due to the economic hardship, they had to cater for themselves as prizes received by the students and staff were provided by the school.

The guests of the occasion were thrilled by the student performances which included the Igbo dance, Fulani dance, choreography, poetic rendition, news casting in Yoruba and English. With tears of joy, the pupils bid farewell to the out-going graduands.

Math jokes

54

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sport

Dapo Sotuminu

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ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju, popularly called ‘Head Master’ during his playing days has called on players of the national senior team to raise their game when the 2018 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers begin on October 9.

The former Racing Satander of Spain star, is worried that the present crop of players in the Super Eagles in the last five years are not as dedicated as players who wore the national team jersey during his time in the team.

“Going by the current results recorded by the Eagles failing to qualify for two consecutive African Nations Cup competitions and the poor standing on the FIFA rankings over the years, it is obvious that, the quality of play and dedication to national duty have dropped drastically.

“The present crop of Super Eagles players are not dedicated enough and this has been affecting the country’s world ranking negatively. This is not good for the fortunes of football in the country. The Nigerian team is not feared anymore in Africa unlike what it was during my days. Today, lesser football playing countries come to Nigeria to rattle the Eagles. This is not good enough and there is the urgent need for the Eagles stars to wake up from their slumber and do more to help Nigerian football rise to the top again.

“Eagles must return to the era of being feared in both home and away games. This is possible as majority of the team players are doing very well in their various clubs.

They should transform their dedications at the club level in Europe to the national team.

So far, what we have seen the Eagles played lately are friendly games including the last match against Tanzania, the real competitive matches would start in October when the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers will start in earnest. At this point we expect the players to show the real character, winning spirit and the zeal to take Nigerian football to the top, especially as we have been grouped together with three top African teams; Zambia, Algeria and Cameroon, out of which only one team will qualify. For this to be achieved, all hands must be on deck.

We must all support the team, it is not time to trade blame on what happened in the past, the reality is here now.

A n d w e

Mutiu Adepoju

Mutiu Adepoju: Eagles’ stars must do more

Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi

should not waste valuable time on argument on whether it is best for the NFF to employ a foreign coach or not.

There is the need to totally focus on the World C u p qualification.”

The form e r

General Manager of Nigerian Premier League Club, Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, also spoke on the possible return of former national team captain Vincent Enyeama to help the team’s campaign for a World Cup ticket, as it is being touted by the team’s coach Gernot Rohr.

He said, if Enyeama agrees to stage a return to the Eagles, that would be a plus to the team’s campaign considering the level of challenge expected with opponents like Algeria, Zambia and Cameroon. “Enyeama is a very good goalkeeper, one of the best in the world at the moment. It will be good to have him back in the team, because we need everything we have to secure the desired ticket to Russia 2018.

Our opponents will equally use everything they have to their advantage to win all matches. It’s a good idea for the new coach to think of the inclusion of Enyeama in the team. It’s a new era and he also knows that he needs the best materials the country can provide to achieve results. If he thinks some other players aside from Enyeama on help the country, he is at liberty to recall them from re-

tirement. Of course it is common knowledge that some of the country’s best players retired from the Eagles in anger.”

He advised the Eagles stars to believe in their ability to win all the games in the World Cup qualification compaign. This is possible and they must work very hard to ensure they do their best to pick all the available points at stake in the qualifiers. Their watchword should be ‘playing at the Russia 2018 World Cup is a task that must be achieved.’

The 45-year-old Mutiu, who is now the La Liga Country Manager in Nigeria, noted, the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should make adequate provisions at all times to motivate the team and try their best to avoid any crisis capable of derailing the aspiration of qualifying to play in the country’s sixth FIFA World Cup finals.

Adepoju, who is also a member of the NFF Technical Committee was last week appointed to help raise the profile of Spain’s La Liga in Nigeria. The former junior international spent more than a decade playing football in Spain. Racing Satander, Real Madrid’s second team, Castilla FC and Racing Sociedad.

He was given the task is to improve the popularity of the Spanish league to compete with the already established English Premier League which has been accepted in the most populous country in Africa since 2002.

Mutiu stated: “La Liga is opening to the world. Within a few months of the agreement with the Nigeria league, La Liga has taken a team from here to Spain, where there was also a workshop for Nigerian club managers on organisation and marketing to make our clubs more viable.”

The Premier League was widely followed in Nigeria in the last 14 years with top local stars such as Nwankwo Kanu, Celestine Babayaro, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, Efan Ekoku, Carlton Cole, Obinna Nsofor, Danny Shittu and Seyi Olofinjana among others who are early arrivals in the league. And it is still being followed today with the likes John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Kelechi Iheanacho, Odion Ighalo, Isaac Success and Alex Iwobi, Victor Moses, Sone Aluko, Osaze Odemwingie, Nedum Onuoha, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ahmed Musa, Carl Ikeme doing what they love doing best in the EPL.

55

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Sport

Siasia gives NFF a 2-week deadline to settle unpaid salary

F

ormer Dream Team VI chief coach, Samson Siasia, has given his former employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) a two-week ultimatum to settle his unpaid salaries.

The 49-year-old, who led the country to a bronze medal finish at the Rio Olympics, disclosed that, the NFF owes him five months’ salary arrears from the start of April to August 2016.

Barely five weeks after ending his two-year contract on a high, Siasia said his patience is fast running out.

“I have given them a two-week ultimatum to pay me or I will sit inside the NFF office in Abuja until I get paid,” Siasia.

Siasia

“The national team is preparing for a World Cup qualifier and to be honest my unhealthy distractions are the last thing they need right now. I have made it clear in my letter that my assistants and I should be paid the backlog owed because it’s inhuman. As head of our families we sacrificed everything for the country but the NFF refused to pay us - it’s not only heartless but wicked,” he said.

A top NFF official acknowledged the debt but said Siasia’s latest remarks are “unfortunate”.

The NFF attributed the delay to the latest financial procedures which must be adhered to by all.

“There’s a new financial procedure in place, which has not been concluded by the federation,” the NFF official said.

As a player Siasia won the 1994 Nations Cup and played for Nigeria at their maiden appearance at the 1994 World Cup. He was in charge when Nigeria finished as runners-up at the 2005 Fifa U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.

He led the country to the 2015 African U-23 championship and also coached them to silver and bronze medals at the 2008 and 2016 Olympics football event.

Chipolopolo coach banks on Nigeria’s knowledge Charles Ogundiya

N

ewly appointed coach of the Zambian national team, the Chipolopolo, Wedson Nyirenda, will be banking on his knowledge of Nigeria ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers scheduled for October 9 in Ndola, Zambia.

Nyirenda was part of the Power Dynamos team that defeated Nigerian league side BCC Lions of Gboko in the 1991 African Cup Winners’ Cup Final.

While the Nigeria side won the

first leg 3-2 in Lagos, with Nyirenda scoring one of the two goals, BCC, however, lost 3-1 in Lusaka as Dynamos won their first and last continental championship.

Speaking to some of Nigerian journalists in Lusaka, Nyirenda expressed his desire to join Udoji United but the transfer failed.

He had an unsuccessful national team career while his brother, Stone Nyirenda, was part of the Zambia national team that died in a plane crash in 1993 few months to the 1994 AFCON won by the Super Eagles.

Tornadoes Chairman team to beat MFM FC Dan Atori MINNA

L

ucrative incentives awaits Nigeria Professional Football League club, Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna should they defeat Mountain of Fires and Miracles Football Club in today’s week 37 league game says Chairman of the club, Adamu Aliyu Mohammed.

The chairman told the players that he has a personal donation for each goal scored as well as a winning bonus for the team.

He added that other top personnel have also promised to shower goodies on the team should they beat MFM at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja.

The Chairman who was happy with the spirit of the players in camp, said that the precarious position which the club occupied on the league table was not bargained for, but the team just have to accept it with positives.

“This is not what we bargained

for we ought to have been occupying a more decent position on the league table. What I need from you is a comprehensive victory against MFM and I promise you that your efforts will not go in vain.

“One credit that God has given to us is by keeping our 100 per cent undefeated record at our adopted home ground and also thanking God for injury free season,” he said.

Mohammed

Pogba, Mata delighted by Man U’s response

P

aul Pogba urged Manchester United’s critics to judge them at the end of the season after getting on the scoresheet in Saturday’s 4-1 thrashing of Leicester City.

World-record buy Pogba opened his United account with the fourth of the hosts’ first-half goals and a third from corners as Leicester’s set-piece defending failed to function.

The France international has come under scrutiny after underwhelming thus far on his return to Old Trafford, but he turned in a dominant showing against the Premier League champions.

“We were very focused, we knew it was going to be difficult and we showed a

very big performance today,” he said.

“We want to keep on with that. I am very happy for the result and the goal – I hope that is not going to be the last.

“We have to carry on doing what we did today. We have our goals.

“I never look at the newspapers, I always say one thing - at the end we will see. So, at the end we will see.”

Captain Chris Smalling opened the scoring and Marcus Rashford was also on target after Juan Mata scored a superb second.

The Spanish playmaker impressed throughout as United bounced back from consecutive Premier League losses to Manchester City and Watford.

NPFL: Rangers, Rivers, Wikki continue title chase, as 3SC, MFM battle for survival

M

atch-day 37 fixtures in the Nigeria Professional Football League would see the confirmation of some teams that would be relegated and also pushed others who are in contention for the league title very close to having their hands on the league diadem.

In Abeokuta, league leaders, Enugu Rangers face a tough away game against giant killers Ikorodu United who are already relegated at the MKO Abiola Stadium.

The hosts have lost only once in their last six games and will be keen to continue on their impressive run.

A win for the visitors will put them in firm control of things heading into the final round of matches next weekend.

Second placed Rivers United who are hoping for Rangers not to win against Ikorodu United, will host relegation-threatened Abia Warriors at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt.

Defeat or draw in the game could end the title ambitions of the Pride of Rivers.

The away side who moved from 17th to 14th position in the table following a 3-1 win against local rivals, Abia Warriors in a rescheduled fixture on Wednesday will attempt to win the game in order to boost their survival bids.

Another title chasing side, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, will face a tough test against relegation battlers Shooting Stars at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

The Tourists must win the tie to keep their title hopes alive, while 3SC need maximum points to stay in the top flight.

EPL Results

Man Utd 4 - 1 Leicester Bournemouth 1 - 0 Everton Liverpool 5 - 1 Hull City Middlesbrough 1 - 2 Spurs Stoke City 1 - 1 West Brom Sunderland 2 - 3 Palace Swansea 1 - 3 Man City Arsenal 3 - 0 Chelsea

Nigeria 2016: Supersand Eagles to face Ghana, CIV, Egypt

T

wo-time African champions Nigeria will confront familiar foes Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana in the group phase of the second edition of CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations that Nigeria will host December 1318, 2016.

At the Draw Ceremony held at the CAF headquarters in Egypt on Saturday, champions Madagascar were drawn with Morocco, Libya and last year’s losing finalists Senegal in Group B. NFF 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi is at the head of the main organizing committee set up by Nigeria for the event, which holds at the Eko Atlantic Beach.

The Supersand Eagles have beaten the Ivorians a number of times while losing to them a few times, but have never lost to Ghana and Egypt.

Nigeria beat Egypt 4-1 at the 2015 finals in Seychelles last year, to add to earlier triumphs over the North Africans in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Last year in Seychelles, the Supersand Eagles edged the Ivorians 7-6 (overtime) in

the final group phase match, before trouncing them 9-1 in the third place match. However, the Ivorians came to Lagos to defeat the Nigerians at the COPA Lagos Invitational Tournament.

Nigeria defeated Ghana 7-4 at the Flamengoes depart African Championship in Morocco in 2013 and then lashed the Monday West African Abuja for Jordan brothers 5-2 at the Power Horse Invitational Tournament in South layers and officials of theAfrica Flalastmingos year. will depart the shores of Nigeria aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Abuja on Monday night ahead of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup taking place in Jordan.

The Nigerian U-17 National Team, quarter-finalists at the last three editions of the championship (Trinidad and Tobago 2010, Azerbaijan 2012 and Costa Rica 2014), pounded Namibia and South Africa home and away to qualify for the finals.

Nigeria plays Brazil on 1st October before matches against Korea DPR and England on 4th and 8th October respectively in the group phase.

P

Solution to Cross Word Puzzle

BUSINESS

Ban on 41 items spurs demand for local palm oil }43

INTRODUCTION

FAITH

Sanctity of Truth

SUNDAY

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

N150

Oyedepo: Secret Grandma taught me about money

}32

Vox populi: Readers’ reactions The Nigerian Project

In my introduction to this column, I had stated that readers’ reactions will always be published. There has always been such a deluge that were I to publish all, this column itself will be supplanted.

I take some now and again, as I now do.

On the scale of commendation and condemnation of my honest patriotic views and modest contributions, I am happy to announce that it is about 90% - 10%. That is an obvious A+. So, readers, thank you for your reading, digestion and cross fertilization of ideas and plurarity of views.

True, the apophthegym: Vox Populi Vox Dei - the voice of the people is the voice of God. FREEDOM OF RELIGION Sir, for the first time, I concur with you.

Non Muslims should know that Islam means peace! Like you said, we have extremist muslims/christians. God help us, amen. Anonymous, 08050538656.

Mike, I make haste to hear and read more of this. It is tonic engraved with facts. I am still seeing Nigeria as a failed State where nothing works, but only absurdities. May your days be long. Tony Duru, 08037132524.

Thank you for your write up, “Does God Need Defenders”? Can you organize a forum for those Nigerians that love Nigeria without religion or tribe.

I'll avail myself to give them the roadmap to make Nigeria great again. Dr Joe, 08171950330.

Sir, I read your article on Mrs Bridget’s horrible butchery. You mentioned Jesus Christ and egolised Muhammed with "peace be unto him" Were you scared of beheading? Engr Raphael, 08036834972.

Mike, The law, I have been reading and digesting the Nigerian project sermon on Sunday, which you write since I discovered the Sunday Telegraph. I suggest we divide the project into two houses, one, to house the pulpit against religious fanatics from where you preached last Sunday, and two, to house the court where we'll try the Nigerian Project offenders.

From now on, I will be calling you “Rev, Barr, Chief Ozekhome the Law”. By reading your writes-up, you have become a teacher and an eye opener unto me, you also write like an historian! Is it possible for the nation to adopt the structure of regionalism? Because merging them now in whatever name one may call it, whether region or geopolitical, is retrogression.

Thanks for your vision and your commitment in the project. Keep the flag always flying, I am walking along. Nweke, 08037208281.

NIGERIA’S DIRE NEED FOR RESTRUCTURING SAN, your writes-up in The Nigeria Project have singled you out as a man who loves the unity of Nigeria. The Buhari administration should do the needful now to avoid the Yugoslavian harakiri facing us for the sake of generations yet unborn. Your name will go down in history as a man of great wisdom and courage who dares the Pharoah in his palace for his repugnant/retrogressive policies of scattering this country. The Lord Jesus will not allow him. The Lord will continue to stand by you as a mighty terrible one (Jer 20:11), to defend you, in

MIKE OZEKHOME san, ofr mike.ozekhome@yahoo.com 08094777755 (sms only)

Jesus Name. Sani, 08099090973.

Sir, thanks for your sermons. If restructuring is the answer, please what's the question? I ask this because as Albert Einsten puts it" You can't solve a problem with the same mindset that created it'. Mark Twain said: "It ain't what we don't know that puts us into trouble but what we know and are sure to be true but are not so". Again, in your article, I saw something like holding on to our old beliefs and in same breath, eulogizing an apostle of it. I think it is our level of consciousness that is at issue and not the structure of the country. What is it about the president that informed our high expectations of him to be democratic? That is my point. Kamalu, 07081729722.

I am very happy with you sir, when I remember your one year message to President Buhari on his appointments.

Today, all that you predicated to him last year AUGUST are the problems in Nigeria today. God bless you and keep you on. Chidi, 08064622895.

Editor Ukeh, please kindly forward this message of courageous salutation to Hon Fani Kayode, Chief Joseph Evah, Chief Mike Ozekhome, Bar Yinka Odumaki, Ankio Briggs and you, Ukeh. After all, not all Southerners are cowards and slaves of the Hausa Fulani. I would have sent this message individually, but I don't have their numbers. E A Ashibogu, 08058373014.

Mike, those who removed History as a course and subject in our educational system do not want the younger generation to know how we got to this stage.

Restructuring is inevitable. Anonymous, 08057712026.

Dear Ozekhome, I have just read your article, I find it most interesting. I must draw your attention to the reference of Tiv people as "Munshi" - it is very derogatory. It is not in any way an official term and please, clear some facts before publishing them in a National daily. I would be most surprised if someone has not taken you up on this already...

Well, the great Awolowo was mistaken.

It is like referring to the Yoruba man as "ngbati-ngbati". Worse still, the Tiv people refer to Yorubas as "people who defecate in plates" - direct translation from Tiv. The origin of "munchi" which means "we have eaten" in Hausa, is historical. Allegedly, the Fulanis kept their cattle with the Tivs. When the Fulani's asked for their cattle, we told them we had eaten them. The Tiv people love meat! Dr Vivian Shaahu, 08035703945.

Mike, your column -the Nigerian project is an interesting read. I don't miss it on Sundays, especially, the aborted judicial coup in Abia. Are we expecting

more? Anonymous, 08094946797.

THE “ORIGINAL SIN” OF SARAKI AND EKWEREMADU: POLITICS AT ITS NADIR Sir, thanks for your today's sermon.

Ignorant is dispelled, while knowledge is instilled through your sermons. I pray PMB/APC will be converted after reading them. It seems Mr. Malami has become a political pawn to stooges and sycophants in the presidency. This is bad. Chukwudi Ogbonna, 08180950450.

Mike, hmmm, Buhari's government lacks people-orientated direction, because he surrounds himself with evil men. Pastor Tony, 08059589297.

NOW THIS SUBSIDY BLUES: HISTORICAL REVISIONISM AT WORK My dearest SAN, please never relent in telling the HARD truth. With men like you still around, the Nigerian Project can still be salvaged. The Sunday Telegraph is a must digest for me. Mbah, 08182043588.

Mike, I like reading your articles.

Please, do a write up on why the herdsmen & foreigners act with impunity. The reason, among others, is that the North

and INEC used them to massively rig the 2015 election. And with that understanding, they don't have control over them and their activities. Anonymous, 08038852478.

My dear, your sermon serves as the tonic that makes my Sundays. They give me relief from the bitter impression that the LIARS are winning. Before the commencement of your sermons, the reality of GANI'S death assailed my inner being.

The sermons now sooth the pain thereof.

Please, serve it hot. Onyekachi Okolie, 08035336723.

AND THIS WHEN STARVED JUDGES DISPENSE JUSTICE Sir, the judiciary has made itself a clog in d wheel of progress by every administration in Nigeria, either civilian or military. Remember Nzeribe ABN and subsequent judgement by the court. Sunday, 08185388418.

Good day sir, I thank God for your boldness. Although, I am not a legal practitioner, if I were, I would have taken your steps. I see the current government trying to browbeat, oppress and control the Bench and Bar for selfish reasons you all should resist it. Kyrian, 08037964660.

LAST LINE Let the interactive sessions continue.

Together, we can retool Nigeria and pull her out of her current doldrums and socio-economic-political nadir. God bless Nigeria. Hope all Nigerians are reading and digesting their own views in this Sunday sermon on the mount of the Nigerian Project, by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb. • Follow me on twitter @ MikeozekhomeSAN

Cross Word Puzzle

with Olulana Kayode 08023183727 Instructions on how to play the game •With reference to the ‘clues across’ and ‘clues down’ below, you shall try to provide answers to the clues, by writing the answer in the puzzle box provided on the left side.

•The number in parenthesis indicates the total number of letters making up the solution or answer you will provide.

•Keep on answering all the questions until all the spaces in the puzzle box are completely filled up.

Good luck!

Clues Across 1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 26

Oyo State Governor, (7).

Colourless alcoholic drink, (3).

Expressing disapproval, (3).

City in Abia state, (3).

Dead on arrival, abbr. (3).

Arousing no excitement, (4).

Not covered by clothing, (4).

Barium symbol, (2).

Ytterbium symbol, (2).

An island, (4).

Opposite, (4).

Large antelope, (3).

Tibetan gazelle, (3).

Long white robe, (3).

Furry animal that purrs, (3).

Locally-brewed colourless gin, (7).

Clues Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 13 14 15 19 20 21

Gov. Willie Obiano state, (7).

City in Ondo state, (6).

Gov. Mimiko state, (4).

The Oyo state capital city, (6).

Target area, (4).

Mesh, (3).

LGA in Osun state, (7).

LGA in Rivers state, (7).

Osun state capital city, (6).

Orderly in appearance, (4).

Japanese wrestling, (4).

Doctor, abbr. (3).

Turn to page 55 for solution

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